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Kingsway Financial Stock Slips Post Q3 Earnings Despite Revenue Growth

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Shares of Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (KFS - Free Report) have plunged 12.9% since the company released its third-quarter 2025 results for the period ended Sept. 30, 2025. Over the same post-earnings span, the S&P 500 gained 0.8%. The stock’s performance has also lagged the broader market over the past month, sliding 19.2% while the S&P 500 advanced 3.6%.

KFS’ Earnings Snapshot

In the third quarter of 2025, Kingsway Financial generated revenues of $37.2 million, up 36.9% from $27.1 million a year earlier. Growth was driven primarily by a 104.2% surge in Kingsway Search Xcelerator (KSX) revenues to $18.9 million from $9.3 million and a 1.9% increase in Extended Warranty revenues to $18.2 million from $17.8 million. Consolidated net loss was $2.4 million, slightly wider than the $2.3 million loss reported in the prior-year quarter.

Adjusted consolidated EBITDA declined 32.1% to $2.1 million from $3 million a year earlier, reflecting mixed segment performance. KSX adjusted EBITDA rose 89.9% to $2.7 million from $1.4 million, while Extended Warranty adjusted EBITDA fell 63.2% to $0.8 million from $2.1 million, pressured by GAAP timing factors related to revenue and expense recognition.

Kingsway Financial’s Other Key Business Metrics

Kingsway Financial highlighted strong operating momentum across its portfolio, supported by improving cash-based performance indicators. Extended Warranty cash sales increased 14.2% year over year, signaling underlying demand that is not fully reflected in GAAP profitability due to upfront commission costs and deferred revenue recognition. Deferred service revenue associated with new warranty contracts in this segment increased $2.8 million year over year, a trend management expects will unwind and bolster reported earnings over time.

At the corporate level, trailing 12-month run-rate adjusted EBITDA for all operating companies was between $20.5 million and $22.5 million. KSX contributed $15.5 million–$16.5 million to this metric, up from $9 million–$10 million a year ago, driven by both organic and acquisition-related growth. Extended Warranty contributed $5 million–$6 million, down from $8.5 million–$9.5 million, with the year-over-year decline again tied primarily to accounting timing impacts rather than cash performance.

KFS’ Management Commentary

Management described the quarter as excellent, emphasizing significant organic growth potential within KSX and strengthening fundamentals across several acquired businesses. CEO JT Fitzgerald cited sequential EBITDA improvements at Image Solutions and Digital Diagnostics as evidence that both units are exiting their early-stage J-curves. Roundhouse Electric and Kingsway Skilled Trades also exceeded internal underwriting expectations soon after acquisition.

On the Extended Warranty side, management reiterated that modified cash EBITDA (not GAAP EBITDA) remains the best indicator of economic performance. Strong cash sales trends, coupled with deferred revenue growth, support expectations for improved reported earnings in future periods.

Factors Influencing Kingsway Financial’s Headline Numbers

Several one-time and noncash items affected KSX's results. KFS fully reserved a $325,000 receivable stemming from a bankrupt client of its SNS nurse staffing business. Additionally, Kingsway Skilled Trades incurred roughly $180,000 of noncash expenses tied to converting recently acquired units from cash- to accrual-based accounting. Excluding these items, KSX adjusted EBITDA would have been about $500,000 higher in the quarter, according to management.

Meanwhile, the Extended Warranty segment’s lower adjusted EBITDA was influenced by the upfront recognition of commission expenses on new warranty contracts and the deferral of associated revenue, which muted near-term profitability despite accelerating cash sales.

KFS’ Guidance

Kingsway Financial did not provide formal financial guidance. However, management emphasized confidence in organic growth prospects, particularly within the KSX portfolio. With multiple Operator-in-Residence (OIR) searches underway and several platforms evaluating tuck-in opportunities, leadership signaled that acquisition-led expansion will remain an important strategic pillar.

Kingsway Financial’s Other Developments

Kingsway Financial executed four acquisitions during the quarter and one shortly after quarter-end. These included the July 1 acquisition of Roundhouse Electric & Equipment Co., adding $16 million in annual revenue; the Aug. 1 purchase of AAA Flexible Pipe Cleaning Corp., contributing $7 million in pro-forma revenue; the acquisition of The HR Team by subsidiary Ravix Group; and the Aug. 14 purchase of an 80% stake in Southside Plumbing, adding $4 million in annual revenue. In October, KFS added a new OIR, Colter Hanson, who will target acquisitions in the testing, inspection and certification sector.


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