Leidos Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LDOS) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Page 2 of 10

That’s them being focused on small satellite payloads. Hypersonics, the MACH-TB launch that I mentioned is one of our hypersonics pursuits. So, we think that’s a key area where we can be differentiated in the market. And last, but not least, force protection and making sure that as our forces are out there, we have products and services that protect our forces when they’re deployed. So, those are the three areas that we’re focusing on while we maintain the agility and entrepreneurship that has always defined Dynetics. And with that, I’ll kick it to Chris to see if he has any more color to add.

Chris Cage: Bert, the only thing I’d add there is, I mean, Tom’s right, our agility and expertise gets us in the door. Our frontend Leidos Innovation Center, we call it LInC, with some of the brightest minds in some of these areas in the world, have us access to the most important customer sets. So, we have to perform. That gets us in the door. The team has to perform and deliver, and that’s what I’m most encouraged by seeing progress that they’re making on having improved discipline on bidding and execution, improved supply chain management, all those things that are critical as we ramp some of these programs up towards low-rate production and full-rate production.

Bert Subin: Thank you.

Operator: Our next question is from the line of Peter Arment with Baird. Please proceed with your questions.

Peter Arment: Yes, thanks. Good morning, Tom, and Chris. Hey, Tom, just to follow up on just kind of the products business in general. You kind of made some opening remarks on kind of improving the execution there. Just the variability in margins now because of the timing on product deliveries, just what’s your view on just in general Leidos being in the products business? And do you expect to do more of this once you’ve kind of, I think you kind of said integrate and kind of improve the execution? Just your overall view on the product side?

Tom Bell: Yes. Thanks for that, Peter. Yes, so I think having some diversity in our portfolio really makes sense for Leidos. I mean, after all, we’re a $15 billion company, and in order to have countercyclical capabilities, you have to have some exposure, both to services and products. So, I like the fact that we’re in a products business also. And I also like that there is connective tissue in everything we currently do that is poised in that thing I talk a lot about around how we solve our customers’ most vexing emerging problems. So, whether it be products or services or software, it’s really focused on how we lean into our customers’ biggest challenge. I’m coming to understand our specific products and how they mix in with our services business models and how that makes sense.

And at the core, whether it be a product or a service, remember that everything we do these days is at its core, IT services and algorithms and software and cyber, something that we are absolutely world class in. So, I like the mix and I think we’ll be continuing the mix, and at the same time, we’ll be very purposeful in how we exploit our advantages in each of those sides of the business.

Peter Arment: Appreciate that. And then just, Chris, just quickly on the new EBITDA margin range, just puts and takes of what would make the difference between coming in and staying at the lower end or at the higher end? Is it all just tied to this aviation product deliveries? Are there any other factors that you would call out?

Page 2 of 10