Willdan Group Reports First Quarter Results
Willdan Group, Inc. reported strong financial results for the first quarter of 2024, with increased revenue, profitability, earnings, and cash flow. The company saw growth in government and utility customers, as well as software sales. Highlights include a 19.4% increase in consolidated contract revenue, a 11.7% increase in net revenue, and a significant improvement in net income and adjusted EBITDA. Willdan reaffirmed its 2024 financial targets, including net revenue between $270 million and $280 million, adjusted EPS between $1.80 and $1.87, and adjusted EBITDA between $48 million and $50 million.
Increased consolidated contract revenue by 19.4%
Net revenue up by 11.7%
Net income increased significantly
Adjusted EBITDA improved
Strong growth in government and utility customers, and software sales
Reaffirmed 2024 financial targets
- None.
Insights
Willdan Group's reported increase in consolidated contract revenue by
Willdan's reaffirmation of its fiscal year 2024 financial targets also offers investors a stable outlook for the company's performance. This includes a projected net revenue of between
The indication of 'rapid growth in electricity demand from artificial intelligence and data centers' as a new catalyst presents a promising avenue for Willdan. There is significant growth in the energy sector, especially around sustainable and efficient energy solutions. With government and utility customers showcasing strength, this could denote robust sector-specific demand that may continue to bolster Willdan's market position. The convergence of technology and energy through software sales also suggests that Willdan is effectively capitalizing on digital transformation trends within the industry.
Investors should note the implications that an increased demand in AI and data centers has on energy companies, potentially leading to diversified revenue streams and innovation in energy management solutions. This can be a key differentiator in the energy sector, which is historically known for being capital intensive with longer return periods. Willdan's performance in this area could potentially be a bellwether for future growth prospects and resilience in an industry facing transformative changes.
“We had an excellent first quarter,” said Mike Bieber, Willdan’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Revenue, profitability, earnings, and cash flow were above expectations. We saw strength in both government and utility customers, plus strong software sales. The rapid growth in electricity demand from artificial intelligence and data centers is becoming a new catalyst in our market.”
First Quarter 2024 Highlights*
-
Consolidated contract revenue of
$122.5 million 19.4% . -
Net revenue** of
$68.9 million 11.7% . -
Net income of
$2.9 million $0.9 million -
Adjusted EBITDA** of
$11.0 million 11.7% . -
GAAP Diluted EPS of
$0.21 $0.07 -
Adjusted Diluted EPS** of
$0.40 $0.32
Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Targets
We are reaffirming our 2024 financial targets:
-
Net revenue** between
$270 million $280 million -
Adjusted Diluted EPS** between
$1.80 $1.87 -
Adjusted EBITDA** between
$48 million $50 million
Assumes 14.2 million diluted shares,
*As compared to the same period of fiscal 2023. |
**See “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below. |
First Quarter 2024 Conference Call
Willdan will be hosting a conference call to discuss its first quarter financial results today, at 5:30 p.m. Eastern/2:30 p.m. Pacific. To access the call, listeners should dial 877-407-2988 (or 201-389-0923) approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. The conference call will be webcast simultaneously on Willdan’s website at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/gf7u4cva.
A replay of the conference call will be available through Willdan’s website at https://ir.willdangroup.com/events-presentations.
An Investor Report containing supplemental financial information can also be accessed through Willdan’s website at https://ir.willdangroup.com and selecting “Stock Information”.
About Willdan Group, Inc.
Willdan is a nationwide provider of professional, technical and consulting services to utilities, government agencies, and private industry. Willdan’s service offerings span a broad set of complementary disciplines that include electric grid solutions, energy efficiency and sustainability, engineering and planning, and municipal financial consulting. For additional information, visit Willdan's website at www.willdan.com.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
“Net Revenue,” defined as contract revenue as reported in accordance with
“Adjusted EBITDA,” defined as net income plus interest expense, income tax expense, stock-based compensation, interest accretion, depreciation and amortization, and gain on sale of equipment, is a non-GAAP financial measure. Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental measure used by Willdan’s management to measure Willdan’s operating performance. Willdan believes Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it allows Willdan’s management to evaluate its operating performance and compare the results of its operations from period to period and against its peers without regard to its financing methods, capital structure and non-operating expenses. Willdan uses Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate its performance for, among other things, budgeting, forecasting and incentive compensation purposes.
Certain items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA are significant components in understanding and assessing a company’s financial performance, such as a company’s costs of capital and stock-based compensation, as well as the historical costs of depreciable assets. A reconciliation of net income as reported in accordance with GAAP to Adjusted EBITDA is provided at the end of this press release. A reconciliation of targeted net income for fiscal year 2024 as reported in accordance with GAAP to Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2024, which is a forward-looking non-GAAP financial measure, is not provided because Willdan is unable to provide such reconciliation without unreasonable effort. The inability to provide a reconciliation is due to the uncertainty and inherent difficulty of predicting the interest expense, income tax expense, stock-based compensation, interest accretion, depreciation and amortization, and gain on sale of equipment that are subtracted from net income in order to derive Adjusted EBITDA.
“Adjusted Net Income,” defined as net income plus stock-based compensation, intangible amortization, interest accretion, refinancing costs, and tax benefit distribution, each net of tax, is a non-GAAP financial measure.
“Adjusted Diluted EPS,” defined as net income plus stock-based compensation, intangible amortization, interest accretion, refinancing costs, and tax benefit distribution, each net of tax, all divided by the diluted weighted-average shares outstanding, is a non-GAAP financial measure. Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS are supplemental measures used by Willdan’s management to measure its operating performance. Willdan believes Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS are useful because they allow Willdan’s management to more closely evaluate and explain the operating results of Willdan’s business by removing certain non-operating expenses.
Reconciliations of net income as reported in accordance with GAAP to Adjusted Net Income and diluted EPS as reported in accordance with GAAP to Adjusted Diluted EPS are provided at the end of this press release. Reconciliations of targeted net income as reported in accordance with GAAP to targeted Adjusted Net Income for fiscal year 2024, which is a forward-looking non-GAAP financial measure, and targeted diluted EPS as reported in accordance with GAAP to targeted Adjusted Diluted EPS for fiscal year 2024, which is a forward-looking non-GAAP financial measure, are not provided because Willdan is unable to provide such reconciliations without unreasonable effort. The inability to provide such reconciliations is due to the uncertainty and inherent difficulty of predicting the stock-based compensation, intangible amortization, and interest accretion, each net of tax, that are subtracted from net income and diluted EPS in order to derive Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS, respectively.
Willdan’s definitions of Net Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS have limitations as analytical tools and may differ from other companies reporting similarly named measures or from similarly named measures Willdan has reported in prior periods. These measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, other measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP, such as contract revenue, net income and diluted EPS.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical, including statements regarding Willdan’s intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, estimates, assumptions, aims, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements regarding financial targets for fiscal year 2024. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. It is important to note that Willdan’s actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from its expectations include, but are not limited to, Willdan’s ability to adequately complete projects in a timely manner, Willdan’s ability to compete successfully in the highly competitive energy services market, Willdan’s reliance on work from its top ten clients; changes in state, local and regional economies and government budgets; Willdan’s ability to win new contracts, to renew existing contracts and to compete effectively for contracts awarded through bidding processes; Willdan’s ability to make principal and interest payments on its outstanding debt as they come due and to comply with financial covenants contained in its debt agreements; Willdan’s ability to manage supply chain constraints, labor shortages, rising interest rates, and rising inflation; Willdan’s ability to obtain financing and to refinance its outstanding debt as it matures; Willdan’s ability to successfully integrate its acquisitions and execute on its growth strategy; and Willdan’s ability to attract and retain managerial, technical, and administrative talent.
All written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Willdan, or persons acting on its behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements and risk factors disclosed from time to time in Willdan’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 29, 2023, as such disclosures may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports Willdan files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including subsequent Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. Willdan cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Willdan disclaims any obligation to, and does not undertake to, update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release unless required by law.
WILLDAN GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
||||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS |
||||||||
(in thousands, except par value) |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
March 29, |
|
December 29, |
||||
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
||||
Assets |
||||||||
Current assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
46,925 |
|
|
$ |
23,397 |
|
Restricted cash |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of |
|
|
50,792 |
|
|
|
69,677 |
|
Contract assets |
|
|
82,409 |
|
|
|
93,885 |
|
Other receivables |
|
|
552 |
|
|
|
1,169 |
|
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
|
|
5,863 |
|
|
|
3,888 |
|
Total current assets |
|
|
186,541 |
|
|
|
192,016 |
|
Equipment and leasehold improvements, net |
|
|
27,539 |
|
|
|
27,097 |
|
Goodwill |
|
|
131,144 |
|
|
|
131,144 |
|
Right-of-use assets |
|
|
12,803 |
|
|
|
12,465 |
|
Other intangible assets, net |
|
|
30,085 |
|
|
|
31,956 |
|
Other assets |
|
|
4,832 |
|
|
|
4,949 |
|
Deferred income taxes, net |
|
|
14,956 |
|
|
|
15,961 |
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
407,900 |
|
|
$ |
415,588 |
|
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity |
||||||||
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Accounts payable |
|
$ |
34,518 |
|
|
$ |
33,193 |
|
Accrued liabilities |
|
|
38,411 |
|
|
|
54,129 |
|
Contract liabilities |
|
|
16,427 |
|
|
|
13,183 |
|
Notes payable |
|
|
8,924 |
|
|
|
8,452 |
|
Finance lease obligations |
|
|
1,111 |
|
|
|
1,186 |
|
Lease liability |
|
|
4,677 |
|
|
|
4,537 |
|
Total current liabilities |
|
|
104,068 |
|
|
|
114,680 |
|
Notes payable, less current portion |
|
|
86,571 |
|
|
|
88,979 |
|
Finance lease obligations, less current portion |
|
|
1,112 |
|
|
|
1,184 |
|
Lease liability, less current portion |
|
|
9,948 |
|
|
|
9,758 |
|
Other noncurrent liabilities |
|
|
686 |
|
|
|
1,142 |
|
Total liabilities |
|
|
202,385 |
|
|
|
215,743 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Commitments and contingencies |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Stockholders’ equity: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Preferred stock, |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Common stock, |
|
|
138 |
|
|
|
137 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
|
188,088 |
|
|
|
185,795 |
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
|
|
(230 |
) |
|
|
(664 |
) |
Retained earnings |
|
|
17,519 |
|
|
|
14,577 |
|
Total stockholders’ equity |
|
|
205,515 |
|
|
|
199,845 |
|
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity |
|
$ |
407,900 |
|
|
$ |
415,588 |
|
WILLDAN GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
||||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME |
||||||||
(in thousands, except per share amounts) |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
Three Months Ended |
||||||
|
|
March 29, |
|
March 31, |
||||
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Contract revenue |
|
$ |
122,489 |
|
|
$ |
102,603 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Direct costs of contract revenue (inclusive of directly related depreciation and amortization): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Salaries and wages |
|
|
21,512 |
|
|
|
20,410 |
|
Subcontractor services and other direct costs |
|
|
53,559 |
|
|
|
40,912 |
|
Total direct costs of contract revenue |
|
|
75,071 |
|
|
|
61,322 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Gross profit |
|
|
47,418 |
|
|
|
41,281 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
General and administrative expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Salaries and wages, payroll taxes and employee benefits |
|
|
26,509 |
|
|
|
22,385 |
|
Facilities and facility related |
|
|
2,445 |
|
|
|
2,278 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
1,390 |
|
|
|
1,533 |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
|
3,592 |
|
|
|
4,200 |
|
Other |
|
|
8,121 |
|
|
|
6,871 |
|
Total general and administrative expenses |
|
|
42,057 |
|
|
|
37,267 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Income (Loss) from operations |
|
|
5,361 |
|
|
|
4,014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Other income (expense): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Interest expense, net |
|
|
(2,137 |
) |
|
|
(2,466 |
) |
Other, net |
|
|
704 |
|
|
|
140 |
|
Total other expense, net |
|
|
(1,433 |
) |
|
|
(2,326 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Income (Loss) before income taxes |
|
|
3,928 |
|
|
|
1,688 |
|
Income tax (benefit) expense |
|
|
986 |
|
|
|
756 |
|
Net income (loss) |
|
|
2,942 |
|
|
|
932 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Other comprehensive income (loss): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative contracts, net of tax |
|
|
434 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Comprehensive income (loss) |
|
$ |
3,376 |
|
|
$ |
932 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Earnings (Loss) per share: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Basic |
|
$ |
0.22 |
|
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
Diluted |
|
$ |
0.21 |
|
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Weighted-average shares outstanding: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Basic |
|
|
13,605 |
|
|
|
13,266 |
|
Diluted |
|
|
13,910 |
|
|
|
13,470 |
|
WILLDAN GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
||||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS |
||||||||
(in thousands) |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
Three Months Ended |
||||||
|
|
March 29, |
|
March 31, |
||||
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
||||
Cash flows from operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
2,942 |
|
|
$ |
932 |
|
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Depreciation and amortization |
|
|
3,592 |
|
|
|
4,200 |
|
Other non-cash items |
|
|
92 |
|
|
|
85 |
|
Deferred income taxes, net |
|
|
1,005 |
|
|
|
782 |
|
(Gain) loss on sale/disposal of equipment |
|
|
(13 |
) |
|
|
(10 |
) |
Provision for doubtful accounts |
|
|
(100 |
) |
|
|
81 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
1,390 |
|
|
|
1,533 |
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from business acquisitions: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Accounts receivable |
|
|
18,985 |
|
|
|
8,204 |
|
Contract assets |
|
|
11,476 |
|
|
|
7,819 |
|
Other receivables |
|
|
617 |
|
|
|
(9 |
) |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
|
|
(1,975 |
) |
|
|
1,023 |
|
Other assets |
|
|
117 |
|
|
|
(3,532 |
) |
Accounts payable |
|
|
1,325 |
|
|
|
479 |
|
Accrued liabilities |
|
|
(15,740 |
) |
|
|
(7,883 |
) |
Contract liabilities |
|
|
3,244 |
|
|
|
2,941 |
|
Right-of-use assets |
|
|
(8 |
) |
|
|
647 |
|
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities |
|
|
26,949 |
|
|
|
17,292 |
|
Cash flows from investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Purchase of equipment, software, and leasehold improvements |
|
|
(1,971 |
) |
|
|
(3,488 |
) |
Proceeds from sale of equipment |
|
|
19 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities |
|
|
(1,952 |
) |
|
|
(3,475 |
) |
Cash flows from financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Payment on restricted cash |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(10,679 |
) |
Payments on notes payable |
|
|
(153 |
) |
|
|
(485 |
) |
Repayments under term loan facility and line of credit |
|
|
(1,875 |
) |
|
|
(5,250 |
) |
Principal payments on finance leases |
|
|
(345 |
) |
|
|
(303 |
) |
Proceeds from stock option exercise |
|
|
281 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Proceeds from sales of common stock under employee stock purchase plan |
|
|
1,402 |
|
|
|
1,392 |
|
Cash used to pay taxes on stock grants |
|
|
(779 |
) |
|
|
(124 |
) |
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities |
|
|
(1,469 |
) |
|
|
(15,449 |
) |
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |
|
|
23,528 |
|
|
|
(1,632 |
) |
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period |
|
|
23,397 |
|
|
|
19,485 |
|
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period |
|
$ |
46,925 |
|
|
$ |
17,853 |
|
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Cash paid (received) during the period for: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Interest |
|
$ |
2,081 |
|
|
$ |
2,424 |
|
Income taxes |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
(77 |
) |
Supplemental disclosures of noncash investing and financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Equipment acquired under finance leases |
|
|
198 |
|
|
|
48 |
|
Willdan Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries |
||||||||
Reconciliation of GAAP Revenue to Net Revenue |
||||||||
(in thousands) |
||||||||
(Non-GAAP Measure) |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
Three Months Ended |
||||||
|
|
March 29, |
|
March 31, |
||||
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
||||
Consolidated |
|
|
|
|
||||
Contract revenue |
|
$ |
122,489 |
|
$ |
102,603 |
||
Subcontractor services and other direct costs |
|
|
53,559 |
|
|
|
40,912 |
|
Net Revenue |
|
$ |
68,930 |
|
|
$ |
61,691 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Energy segment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Contract revenue |
|
$ |
100,746 |
|
|
$ |
83,285 |
|
Subcontractor services and other direct costs |
|
|
52,654 |
|
|
|
40,078 |
|
Net Revenue |
|
$ |
48,092 |
|
|
$ |
43,207 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Engineering and Consulting segment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Contract revenue |
|
$ |
21,743 |
|
|
$ |
19,318 |
|
Subcontractor services and other direct costs |
|
|
905 |
|
|
|
834 |
|
Net Revenue |
|
$ |
20,838 |
|
|
$ |
18,484 |
|
Willdan Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries |
||||||||
Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA |
||||||||
(in thousands) |
||||||||
(Non-GAAP Measure) |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
Three Months Ended |
||||||
|
|
March 29, |
|
March 31, |
||||
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
||||
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
2,942 |
|
|
$ |
932 |
|
Interest expense |
|
|
2,137 |
|
|
|
2,466 |
|
Income tax expense (benefit) |
|
|
986 |
|
|
|
756 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
1,390 |
|
|
|
1,533 |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
|
3,592 |
|
|
|
4,200 |
|
(Gain) Loss on sale of equipment |
|
|
(13 |
) |
|
|
(10 |
) |
Adjusted EBITDA |
|
$ |
11,034 |
|
|
$ |
9,877 |
|
Willdan Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries |
||||||||
Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS |
||||||||
(in thousands, except per share amounts) |
||||||||
(Non-GAAP Measure) |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
Three Months Ended |
||||||
|
|
March 29, |
|
March 31, |
||||
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
||||
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
2,942 |
|
|
$ |
932 |
|
Adjustment for stock-based compensation |
|
|
1,390 |
|
|
|
1,533 |
|
Tax effect of stock-based compensation |
|
|
(278 |
) |
|
|
(310 |
) |
Adjustment for intangible amortization |
|
|
1,871 |
|
|
|
2,624 |
|
Tax effect of intangible amortization |
|
|
(374 |
) |
|
|
(531 |
) |
Adjusted Net Income (Loss) |
|
$ |
5,551 |
|
|
$ |
4,248 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding |
|
|
13,910 |
|
|
|
13,470 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Diluted earnings (loss) per share |
|
$ |
0.21 |
|
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
Impact of adjustment: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Stock-based compensation per share |
|
|
0.10 |
|
|
|
0.12 |
|
Tax effect of stock-based compensation per share |
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|
(0.02 |
) |
Intangible amortization per share |
|
|
0.14 |
|
|
|
0.19 |
|
Tax effect of intangible amortization per share |
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
(0.04 |
) |
Adjusted Diluted EPS |
|
$ |
0.40 |
|
|
$ |
0.32 |
|
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240502270739/en/
Willdan Group, Inc.
Al Kaschalk
Vice President
Tel: 310-922-5643
akaschalk@willdan.com
Source: Willdan Group, Inc.
FAQ
What were Willdan Group's financial results for the first quarter of 2024?
What were Willdan Group's earnings per share for the first quarter of 2024?
What are Willdan Group's 2024 financial targets?
