Douglas Elliman (DOUG) - 2024 Q2 - Quarterly Report

Financial Performance - Total transactions for the last twelve months ended June 30, 2024, were 21,297, compared to 21,606 for the year ended December 31, 2023, reflecting a decrease of approximately 1.4%[87] - Gross transaction value reached $35.0 billion for the last twelve months ended June 30, 2024, up from$34.4 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023, indicating an increase of about 1.7%[87] - Average transaction value per transaction was $1,642.7 thousand for the last twelve months ended June 30, 2024, compared to$1,592.3 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2023, representing an increase of approximately 3.2%[87] - Revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2024, were $285,751, an increase of$9,839 from $275,912 in the same period in 2023[95] - Revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2024, were$485,990, a decline of $3,904 compared to$489,894 in the same period of 2023[102] Operating Loss and Expenses - Net loss attributed to Douglas Elliman Inc. was $(62,848) thousand for the last twelve months ended June 30, 2024, compared to$(42,552) thousand for the year ended December 31, 2023, reflecting an increase in loss of approximately 47.7%[87] - The operating loss for the real estate brokerage segment was $(50,751) thousand for the last twelve months ended June 30, 2024, compared to$(36,769) thousand for the year ended December 31, 2023, indicating a worsening of approximately 37.9%[90] - Operating loss increased to $45,137 for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to$32,105 for the same period in 2023, primarily due to a litigation settlement of $17,750[103] - General and administrative expenses decreased to$39,073 for the six months ended June 30, 2024, down from $49,806 in 2023, due to personnel reductions and lower incentive compensation[106] - Operating expenses in the real estate brokerage segment decreased by approximately$11,300 (7.9%) for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to the same period in 2023[92] Adjusted EBITDA - Adjusted EBITDA attributed to Douglas Elliman was $(36,373) thousand for the last twelve months ended June 30, 2024, compared to$(40,693) thousand for the year ended December 31, 2023, showing an improvement in EBITDA loss of about 10.5%[90] - Adjusted EBITDA for the real estate brokerage segment was $6,632 for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to$2,481 in the same period in 2023[95] Agent Commissions - Real estate agent commissions increased to $216,457 (75.8$204,802 (74.2% of revenues) in 2023[98] - Real estate agent commissions expense was $365,473 for the six months ended June 30, 2024, up from$360,904 in 2023, representing 75.2% of revenues compared to 73.7% in the prior year[106] Corporate Actions and Investments - The company continues to invest in PropTech opportunities through its New Valley Ventures subsidiary, indicating a strategic focus on market expansion and innovation[84] - The company issued $50,000 in senior secured convertible notes with a 7.0$1.50 per share, to be used for general corporate purposes[92] - The company issued $50,000 in Convertible Notes on July 2, 2024, with an interest rate of 7.0$17,750 related to litigation, with $7,750 paid upfront and two contingent payments of$5,000 each due by December 31, 2027[92] - The company entered into a settlement agreement for $7,750 to resolve class action litigations, with additional contingent payments of$10,000 due by December 31, 2027[114] - The company recognized an expense of $17,750 related to the settlement for the six months ended June 30, 2024[114] Cash and Liquidity - Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash decreased by$26,613 to $102,904 as of June 30, 2024[109] - Cash used in operations was$25,973 for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $23,140 in 2023, reflecting lower operating income[109] - As of June 30, 2024, the company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately$92,864, which is expected to meet liquidity needs over the next twelve months[114] - The company anticipates that cash flows from operations and financing will be sufficient to meet liquidity needs, despite potential acquisitions[114] Market Risks - The company is exposed to market risks from interest rate fluctuations and may face future risks from foreign currency exchange rates and equity prices[118] - The company faces various risks including economic conditions, litigation outcomes, and regulatory changes that could materially affect its financial position[122] Headcount and Operational Changes - The company reduced its headcount by approximately 100 employees in 2023 as part of ongoing expense reduction programs[92] Escrow and Contingent Liabilities - Escrow funds held by the company's subsidiary amounted to $34,314 as of June 30, 2024, down from$41,338 at the end of 2023[117] - The company remains contingently liable for the disposition of escrow deposits, which are not included in the balance sheets[117]