Jones Lang LaSalle Reports Record Third Quarter 2007
Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated, the leading integrated global real estate services and money management firm, today reported record net income of $46.5 million, or $1.38 per diluted share of common stock, for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, and net income of $151.7 million, or $4.50 per share, for year-to-date 2007. In 2006, net income for the third quarter was $24.7 million, or $0.73 per share, with year-to-date net income of $95.0 million, or $2.85 per share. Revenue for the third quarter 2007 was $624 million, an increase of 35 percent compared with 2006, and $1.8 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, an increase of 37 percent over the prior year. Operating income for the third quarter 2007 increased 73 percent to $64.5 million from $37.3 million a year ago, and on a year-to-date basis increased 55 percent to $202 million from $130 million in the prior year. The strengthening of foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar contributed $0.11 per share in the third quarter of 2007 and $0.15 per share on a year-to-date basis.
All investor and occupier service segments achieved robust revenue growth for both the third quarter and year-to-date 2007 compared with the same periods in the prior year. Revenue and operating income growth were particularly strong in the LaSalle Investment Management and Asia Pacific business segments. Operating income in the money management business increased to $28.2 million for the third quarter of 2007 from $10.2 million in the prior year, driven by advisory fees, while Asia Pacific’s operating income increased to $6.9 million from a loss of $1.9 million in 2006.
Third Quarter 2007 Highlights:
– Revenue increased 35 percent to $624 million
– Operating income increased 73 percent to $65 million
– Increased semi-annual dividend declared — an increase of 43 percent to $0.50 per share
“These record results demonstrate the strengths of our global platform and comprehensive product and service offerings,” said Colin Dyer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jones Lang LaSalle. “While we recognize the uncertainty in the capital markets, particularly in the U.S. and the UK, we expect that the strategic growth investments we have made across our diverse business, and our focus on superior client service, will produce continued solid performance in the fourth quarter and into 2008,” Dyer added.
Operating expenses were $560 million for the third quarter of 2007, an increase of 32 percent over 2006, and $1.6 billion on a year-to-date basis, an increase of 35 percent. Continued additions to client-service staff, both through hiring and acquisitions, and the expansion of offices globally, contributed to increased operating expenses. Higher incentive compensation costs related to the strong revenue and profit performance also resulted in an increase to operating expenses.
Declaration of Increased Semi-Annual Dividend
The firm also has announced that its Board of Directors has declared a semi-annual dividend of $0.50 per share of its common stock. The dividend payment will be made on Friday, December 14, 2007, to holders of record at the close of business on Thursday, November 15, 2007. This amount represents an increase of $0.15 per share, or 43 percent, over the amount of the semi-annual dividend that was paid in June 2007. A dividend-equivalent in the same amount also will be paid simultaneously on outstanding but unvested shares of restricted stock units granted under the Company’s Stock Award and Incentive Plan.
Business Segment Third Quarter Performance Highlights
Investor and Occupier Services
-- In the Americas region, revenue for the third quarter 2007 was
$188 million, an increase of 25 percent over the prior year.
Year-to-date revenue was $515 million, an increase of 30 percent over
the same period in 2006. Revenue growth in the third quarter over the
prior year was driven equally by Transaction Services and Management
Services.
The current quarter's revenue growth benefited from an expanded list of
corporate clients that resulted in account management revenue growth of
40 percent over the prior year. Capital Markets also continued its
momentum from earlier in the year as revenue in the third quarter
increased 41 percent over the prior year. The Public Institutions
business had healthy growth over 2006, as revenue increased 80 percent
for the third quarter and 40 percent year to date.
Total operating expenses for both the quarter and year to date
increased 25 percent over the prior year due to the addition of a
significant number of staff and higher incentive compensation expenses
driven by growth in both revenue-generating activities and profit
performance.
-- EMEA's third quarter revenue was $225 million, an increase of
33 percent, and $599 million year to date, an increase of 46 percent
over 2006, with robust growth across all businesses. Transaction
Services revenue grew 33 percent for the quarter and 48 percent year to
date over the prior year, while Management Services revenue grew
36 percent for the quarter and 47 percent year to date.
Transaction Services revenue benefited from growth in Agency Leasing,
Advisory Services and Capital Markets. Agency Leasing revenue increased
55 percent for the quarter and 38 percent year to date over 2006. The
growth was driven by increased market share and strong underlying
market conditions. Advisory Services revenue increased 68 and
77 percent for the third quarter and year to date, respectively.
Capital Markets revenue increased 11 percent for the quarter and
46 percent on a year-to-date basis. The firm's Capital Markets
transaction volumes were up slightly during the quarter even though
total transaction volumes for the European capital markets as a whole
were down 11 percent. This performance reflects the growth in market
share from both acquisitions and the hiring of new transactors. During
the quarter, both the euro and pound sterling were eight percent
stronger than the previous year, which contributed to the U.S. dollar
revenue growth.
Geographically, all countries provided year-over-year revenue growth
for both the quarter and year to date, led by England, Germany and
Russia. England's revenue increased 23 and 33 percent for the third
quarter and year to date, respectively, compared with 2006, benefiting
from investments made in 2006 and healthy growth in Management
Services. Russia's revenue more than doubled for both the quarter and
year to date over the prior year, driven by the increased volume of
completed valuations. Germany continued its momentum from earlier in
the year as revenue increased 44 percent for the third quarter and
85 percent year to date. Included in EMEA's prior year operating income
results was the impact of a significant portfolio sale recorded in the
Hotels business.
Operating expenses increased by 35 percent for the third quarter 2007
compared with the prior year, and increased 40 percent on a
year-to-date basis. The increase was due in part to acquisition and
integration costs, additional operating costs of acquired companies,
and staff additions to service clients and grow market share.
-- In Asia Pacific, revenue for the third quarter 2007 was $134 million,
an increase of 71 percent over the prior year. Year-to-date revenue was
$432 million, an increase of more than 100 percent compared with the
same period in 2006. The growth for each period is the result of
effective execution within improving markets and the acquisition closed
in India early in the third quarter of 2007. The strong growth in both
Transaction and Management Services revenue resulted from strategic
investments made in the region's healthy real estate markets.
Geographically, the most significant third quarter revenue
contributions came both from growth markets (India, Japan, China and
Korea) and core markets (Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia). Revenue
from the growth markets more than doubled, led by Japan and India,
while revenue for the core markets increased 48 percent, led by
Australia. On a year-to-date basis, revenue from the growth markets was
up more than 100 percent and core markets revenue increased 39 percent
compared with the same period in 2006. The third quarter results
generated by the entire India business operating as Jones Lang LaSalle
Meghraj are included in the region's revenue and operating expenses
from the date of acquisition in early July. However, because the
acquisition was for an ownership share of less than 100 percent, the
portion not belonging to the firm is classified as a minority interest,
net of tax, constituting an offset to net income in the consolidated
results.
Operating expenses for the region increased for both the third quarter
and year to date compared with 2006, as a result of acquisition-related
expenses and higher incentive compensation associated with
revenue-generating activities.
LaSalle Investment Management
LaSalle Investment Management's revenue was $82.3 million for the third
quarter 2007 and $256 million for year-to-date 2007. Revenue for the
third quarter 2007 increased 27 percent, while it decreased year to
date as a result of the $112.5 million incentive fee generated in the
second quarter of 2006.
The revenue increase in the quarter was driven mainly by the
annuity-based business. Advisory fees were $63.6 million for the third
quarter, compared with $45.6 million in 2006, an increase of 40 percent
over the prior year and an increase of 35 percent, to $172 million, on
a year-to-date basis. The growth in the annuity revenue was driven by a
continued healthy increase in assets under management as well as new
capital commitments in certain funds that generate advisory fees on
committed amounts effective from the establishment of the funds. Assets
under management were $46.9 billion at the end of the third quarter
2007, an increase of 19 percent over the prior year.
Incentive fees for the third quarter decreased to $6.0 million compared
with $14.7 million in the prior year. While the firm continues to build
a portfolio capable of producing incentive fees on a recurring basis,
incentive fees vary significantly from period to period due to both the
performance of the underlying investments and the contractual timing of
the measurement periods for clients.
LaSalle Investment Management raised more than $3.7 billion of equity
during the third quarter 2007, bringing the year-to-date total to
$7.9 billion. Global securities mandates accounted for nearly
$3.4 billion of the total capital raise for the year, resulting in a
net portfolio increase for global securities of $1.8 billion.
Investments made on behalf of clients in the third quarter 2007 were
$3.9 billion, bringing total investments to $7.3 billion on a
year-to-date basis.
Summary
Aggressive investments made over the last two years to expand market share and client wins, together with strategic acquisitions, are contributing to the firm’s positive results. Despite an uncertain capital markets environment, the globally diverse business platform and service lines have positioned the firm for solid overall performance for the remainder of the year and into 2008.
About Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle, the only real estate money management and services firm named to FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” and Forbes magazine’s “400 Best Big Companies,” has approximately 160 offices worldwide and operates in more than 450 cities in over 50 countries. With 2006 revenue of more than $2.0 billion, the company provides comprehensive integrated real estate and investment management expertise on a local, regional and global level to owner, occupier and investor clients. Jones Lang LaSalle is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 1.3 billion square feet worldwide. In 2006, the firm completed capital markets sales and acquisitions, debt financing, and equity placements on assets and portfolios valued at $70.9 billion. LaSalle Investment Management, the company’s investment management business, is one of the world’s largest and most diverse real estate money management firms, with approximately $46.9 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit our Web site, http://www.joneslanglasalle.com.