Heidrick & Struggles Reports Fourth Quarter And 2010 Financial Results

CHICAGO, Feb. 22, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (Nasdaq:HSII), the leadership advisory firm providing executive search and leadership consulting services worldwide, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2010.

2010 Fourth Quarter Results

Consolidated net revenue of $127.2 million increased 15.8 percent from $109.9 million in the 2009 fourth quarter, or approximately 16 percent on a constant currency basis. Net revenue increased 19.1 percent in the Americas, 7.8 percent in Europe (approximately 14 percent on a constant currency basis), and 19.3 percent in the Asia Pacific region (approximately 13 percent on a constant currency basis). Net revenue from Leadership Consulting Services increased 93.6 percent to $14.0 million and represented 11.0 percent of consolidated net revenue in the quarter.

Operating income in the quarter was $9.3 million and the operating margin (measured as a percentage of net revenue) was 7.3 percent, compared to operating income of $10.5 million and operating margin of 9.6 percent in the 2009 fourth quarter.

The number of executive search and leadership consulting consultants at December 31, 2010 was 347, compared to 359 at December 31, 2009, and 343 at September 30, 2010. Productivity, as measured by annualized net revenue per consultant, was $1.5 million compared to $1.2 million in the 2009 fourth quarter and $1.5 million in the 2010 third quarter. The number of executive search confirmations in the quarter increased 3.1 percent compared to the 2009 fourth quarter, but declined 1.3 percent compared to the 2010 third quarter. The average revenue per executive search was $112,600 compared to $104,900 in the 2009 fourth quarter and $114,200 in the 2010 third quarter.

Consolidated salaries and employee benefits increased 19.1 percent to $82.7 million, from $69.4 million in the comparable quarter of 2009. The increase mostly reflects higher bonus accruals associated with the increase in net revenue, but also includes an increase in base compensation and payroll taxes associated with an 8.3 percent increase in employee headcount as well as the restoration in 2010 of certain salaries and employee benefits that were eliminated in 2009 as part of cost cutting initiatives. Salaries and employee benefits were 65.0 percent of net revenue for the quarter, compared to 63.2 percent in the 2009 fourth quarter.