Shares of Kingsway Financial Services Inc. KFS have gained 0.6% since the company reported its earnings for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. This compares to the S&P 500 Index’s 3.8% gain over the same time frame. Over the past month, the stock has gained 13.8%, outperforming the S&P 500’s 7.7% growth.
Revenue Growth and Segment Performance
Kingsway Financial reported an 8.4% year-over-year increase in consolidated revenues to $28.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 from $26.2 million in the year-ago quarter. However, the company posted a net loss of $3.1 million, widening from a loss of $2.3 million year over year. KFS reported a loss of $0.13 per share compared with $0.09 per share in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted consolidated EBITDA declined to $1.4 million from $2.1 million in the prior year, reflecting a dip of 35.7%.
Segmentally, revenues for the Kingsway Search Xcelerator (KSX) rose 23.3% to $11.7 million from $9.5 million, driven primarily by acquisitions. KSX adjusted EBITDA similarly climbed 23.3% to $1.9 million from $1.6 million. Meanwhile, revenues for the Extended Warranty segment remained flat at $16.7 million, though cash sales grew 3.7% year over year and 9.3% sequentially. Despite this, Extended Warranty adjusted EBITDA dropped 41.3% to $0.9 million from $1.4 million, primarily due to higher claims and operating expenses.
Kingsway Financial Services, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Kingsway Financial Services, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Kingsway Financial Services, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Kingsway Financial Services, Inc. Quote
Other Key Business Metrics
Despite the EBITDA decline, management emphasized that the trailing 12-month run-rate adjusted EBITDA for its operating companies stands between $18 million and $19 million, incorporating the effects of recent acquisitions. The KSX segment showed particularly promising momentum, with robust contributions from recent acquisitions — Bud’s Plumbing and Image Solutions. Meanwhile, SPI Software and ViewPoint, Kingsway Financial’s Vertical Market Solutions businesses, now approach $5 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), operate with double-digit EBITDA margins, and have achieved Rule-of-40 status — a benchmark indicating strong combined revenue growth and profitability.
Several subsidiaries under KSX, including Ravix, CSuite, SNS and DDI, demonstrated underlying strength. Ravix and CSuite saw modest EBITDA gains despite flat revenue, while SNS increased revenues 7.5%, and DDI achieved a 10.9% revenue boost through customer additions. Despite a dip in adjusted EBITDA in the Extended Warranty segment, trailing 12-month modified cash EBITDA — a key industry metric—was up 11.7% year over year, signaling potential future earnings recovery.
As of March 31, 2025, KFS’ net debt stood at $53.1 million, up slightly from $52 million at year-end 2024.
Management Commentary
CEO JT Fitzgerald framed the quarter as one of strategic and financial progress. He highlighted the company's active M&A posture, notably the acquisitions of Bud’s Plumbing and ViewPoint, which expanded Kingsway Financial’s Skilled Trades and Vertical Market Solutions platforms, respectively. He also underlined the improving trajectory of the Extended Warranty segment, citing a turnaround after two challenging years. CFO Kent Hansen echoed this optimism, adding that while the first quarter is seasonally KFS’ weakest quarter, forward-looking indicators suggest building strength in both core segments.
Factors Influencing Headline Numbers
The top-line increase was predominantly fueled by KSX acquisitions. Notably, Bud’s Plumbing added approximately $800,000 in annual run-rate adjusted EBITDA to KSX, while ViewPoint contributed over $1 million in ARR and $200,000 in EBITDA. These additions not only diversified Kingsway Financial’s revenue base but also reinforced its platform model. Conversely, the decline in consolidated adjusted EBITDA was attributed to lower profitability in the Extended Warranty segment and higher corporate overhead costs, mainly related to M&A activity.
In Extended Warranty, IWS reported a more than 20% increase in cash sales, despite adjusted EBITDA contracting due to higher claims and costs. PWI and Penn saw declines in both revenue and adjusted EBITDA but showed gains in modified cash EBITDA. Trinity, the mechanical warranty business, posted higher revenue that was more than offset by elevated seasonal costs.
Guidance
Kingsway Financial did not issue formal forward-looking financial guidance. However, management underscored confidence in the company's earnings power, referencing the $18–$19 million run-rate adjusted EBITDA metric. This figure is not intended as guidance but rather as an illustrative snapshot of the trailing 12-month performance of the current portfolio.
Other Developments
Kingsway Financial executed two acquisitions in early 2025. In March, it acquired Bud’s Plumbing for $5 million, funded partly through a $1.25 million seller note. Bud’s becomes the anchor business for the newly formed Kingsway Skilled Trades platform. In April, its SPI Software unit acquired Australia-based ViewPoint, enhancing its SaaS capabilities and international reach.
On the leadership front, Rob Humble was appointed president and CEO of PWI and Penn Warranty, aligning executive incentives with Kingsway Financial’s KSX model.
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