Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2012. The Company has also furnished prepared remarks in conjunction with this press release in a Current Report on Form 8-K. Those prepared remarks contain supplemental information, including non-GAAP financial metrics, and have been posted to the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website at www.ameresco.com. Total revenue for the first quarter of 2012 of $146.6 million was flat when compared to $146.4 million for the same period in 2011. Operating income for the first quarter of 2012 was $3.4 million, compared to $8.3 million for the first quarter of 2011, a decrease of 58.8% year-over-year. First quarter 2012 adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, was $9.1 million, compared to $11.8 million for the same period in 2011, a decrease of 22.8% year-over-year. Net income for the first quarter of 2012 was $1.5 million, compared to $5.3 million for the same period in 2011, a decrease of 71.5% year-over-year. First quarter 2012 net income per diluted share was $0.03, compared to $0.12 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2011. “Ameresco’s first quarter revenue was in line with our expectations for this seasonally slow period, and reflects a comparison against an unseasonably strong first quarter last year,” stated George P. Sakellaris, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ameresco. “The investments that we made to solidify our market position and expand our service offerings during 2011 combined with lower than expected employee utilization rates led to an increase in salaries and benefits expense during the first quarter. While slightly impacting net income compared to our expectations, these investments contributed to strengthening Ameresco’s market position during the first quarter as evidenced by an improvement in pipeline activity. During the first quarter, total construction backlog increased 10% year-over-year, driven by a 51% year-over-year increase in awarded projects. Further, the amount of new proposals in our pipeline increased 14% year-over-year. We are very pleased that the favorable trends within our pipeline continued into the first quarter. We believe that we are well positioned to meet our expectations as well as our long-term growth targets and are leaving our 2012 guidance unchanged.”
