Quarterlytics / FirstService

FirstService

fsv · TSX
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FY2016 Annual Report · FirstService
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5-YEAR REVENUE

CAGR

12%

$1,483MM

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Why Invest in FirstService?

COMPOUNDED 

22 YEARS REVENUE 

ANNUAL GROWTH 19%

$37MM

1,483

130

1,264

1,132

1,038

940

103

84*

75

79

79

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

Revenues 
(US$ millions)

Adjusted EBITDA 
(US$ millions)

*Normalized for $9 million of 
   non-recurring expenses.

  Leadership Positions In Very 
Large, Fragmented Markets

•  Leading market positions with 
well-recognized brands in all 
service lines

•  Modest market shares in large, 
fragmented markets provide 
significant organic and tuck-
under acquisition growth  
opportunities 

•  Scale advantage, proprietary 

products/services and national 
coverage are competitive  
differentiators which are  
difficult to replicate

  Proven Business Model

  Strong Financial Profile

•  Strong free cash flow  

generation with low capital 
expenditures

•  Conservative balance sheet

•  Ample capital and liquidity  

to fund future growth

•  Growing dividends paid on 

common shares 

  Compelling Growth Prospects

•  Long and consistent track 
record of delivering growth

•  Strong organic growth through 
competitive advantages in 
attractive markets

•  Essential outsourced property 

•  Margin enhancement  

services with highly predictable 
and recurring revenue streams

potential through operating 
efficiencies

•  Disciplined tuck-under  
acquisition strategy

•  Focus on customer service 
excellence throughout our  
businesses

•  Leverage our differentiators to 

extend our leadership positions 
and win new business

•  Partnership philosophy  

aligns business leaders with 
shareholders

About FirstService 
Corporation

FirstService Corporation is a North 
American leader in the essential 
property services sector serving its 
customers through two industry-
leading platforms:

FirstService Residential – North 
America’s largest manager of residential 
communities; and

FirstService Brands – one of North 
America’s largest providers of essential 
property services to residential and 
commercial customers delivered 
through individually branded franchise 
systems and company-owned operations. 

FirstService Residential and FirstService 
Brands both rely on the same operational 
foundations for success – a core 
competency in managing and growing 

5% 
$XXXB

Leader in Large 
Markets With  
Significant  
Growth  
Opportunities

MARKETPLACE

market-leading, value-added outsourced 
property services businesses; significant 
scale advantages that are leveraged to 
create more value for clients; a culture 
focused around customer service 
excellence; and strong brand recognition.
OF
FirstService generates US$1.5 billion in 
annual revenues and has more than 
17,000 employees across North America. 
With significant insider ownership and 
an experienced management team, 
FirstService has a long-term track 
record of creating value and superior 
returns for shareholders. The common 
shares of FirstService trade on the 
NASDAQ and on the Toronto Stock 
Exchange under the symbol “FSV”.  
More information is available at  
www.firstservice.com.

FS-AR2016-8panel Gatefold-SELECT-V5.indd   1

5% OF

Notice of Shareholders’ Meeting

The annual meeting of the shareholders will be held 
on Wednesday April 12, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) at  
The Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street,  
Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto, Ontario

CORPORATE INFORMATION

Registrar and Transfer Agent

Canada – TSX Trust Company
Phone: 1.866.600.5869
E-mail: tmxeinvestorservices@tmx.com

U.S. co-transfer agent – Computershare
Phone: 1.800.368.5948
E-mail: webqueries@computershare.com

Stock Exchange Listings

NASDAQ Global Select Market – FSV
Toronto Stock Exchange – FSV

FirstService common shares are included 
in the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

www.FirstService.com

Creating 
Value
One Step 
at a Time

Over Two Decades  
of Consistent Growth

5-YEAR REVENUE
CAGR

12%

$1,483MM

22 YEARS REVENUE 
COMPOUNDED 

ANNUAL GROWTH 19%

$37MM

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

(US$ thousands, except per share amounts) 

               Year ended December 31

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

Results From Operations
Revenues 
Adjusted EBITDA1 
Operating earnings 
Net earnings 

Financial Position
Total assets 
Long-term debt 
Shareholders’ equity 

Earnings Per Share Data
Adjusted EPS2 
Diluted net earnings per common share 
Diluted weighted average  
  common shares outstanding (thousands) 
Cash dividends per common share 

$  1,482,889 
130,324 
90,550 
54,243 

$ 1,264,077 
103,038 
70,747 
38,198 

$  1,132,002 
74,997 
45,621 
26,192 

$  1,038,087 
78,913 
37,083 
18,452 

$  939,821
78,932
53,478
30,765

$  770,964 
250,909 
181,028 

600,483 
201,199 
167,026 

$  615,544 
239,357 
158,749 

$  610,297 
225,425 
168,660 

$  591,438
216,370
174,834

               Year ended December 31

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

$ 

$ 

1.62 
0.92 

36,366 
0.44 

$ 

$ 

1.20 
0.59 

36,425 
0.40 

$ 

$ 

0.84 
0.36 

36,363 
- 

$ 

$ 

0.96 
0.09

36,306
- 

$ 

$ 

-

-

2016 Annual Report

Notes
1.  Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings before income tax, interest, depreciation, amortization, other (income) expense, acquisition-related items, and stock-based  

compensation expense.

2.  Adjusted earnings per share is defined as diluted net earnings per common share, adjusted for the effect, after income tax, of non-controlling interest redemption increment,  

amortization, acquisition-related items, stock-based compensation expense, and spin-off charges.

3/2/17   4:31 PM

5% 

OF

$XXXB

MARKETPLACE

5% OF

1,483

130

1,264

1,132

1,038

940

103

84*

75

79

79

Revenues 

(US$ millions)

Adjusted EBITDA 

(US$ millions)

*Normalized for $9 million of 

   non-recurring expenses.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5-YEAR REVENUE

CAGR

12%

$1,483MM

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Why Invest in FirstService?

COMPOUNDED 

22 YEARS REVENUE 

ANNUAL GROWTH 19%

$37MM

1,483

130

1,264

1,132

1,038

940

103

84*

75

79

79

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

Revenues 
(US$ millions)

Adjusted EBITDA 
(US$ millions)

*Normalized for $9 million of 
   non-recurring expenses.

  Leadership Positions In Very 
Large, Fragmented Markets

•  Leading market positions with 
well-recognized brands in all 
service lines

•  Modest market shares in large, 
fragmented markets provide 
significant organic and tuck-
under acquisition growth  
opportunities 

•  Scale advantage, proprietary 

products/services and national 
coverage are competitive  
differentiators which are  
difficult to replicate

  Proven Business Model

  Strong Financial Profile

•  Strong free cash flow  

generation with low capital 
expenditures

•  Conservative balance sheet

•  Ample capital and liquidity  

to fund future growth

•  Growing dividends paid on 

common shares 

  Compelling Growth Prospects

•  Long and consistent track 
record of delivering growth

•  Strong organic growth through 
competitive advantages in 
attractive markets

•  Essential outsourced property 

•  Margin enhancement  

services with highly predictable 
and recurring revenue streams

potential through operating 
efficiencies

•  Disciplined tuck-under  
acquisition strategy

•  Focus on customer service 
excellence throughout our  
businesses

•  Leverage our differentiators to 

extend our leadership positions 
and win new business

•  Partnership philosophy  

aligns business leaders with 
shareholders

About FirstService 
Corporation

FirstService Corporation is a North 
American leader in the essential 
property services sector serving its 
customers through two industry-
leading platforms:

FirstService Residential – North 
America’s largest manager of residential 
communities; and

FirstService Brands – one of North 
America’s largest providers of essential 
property services to residential and 
commercial customers delivered 
through individually branded franchise 
systems and company-owned operations. 

FirstService Residential and FirstService 
Brands both rely on the same operational 
foundations for success – a core 
competency in managing and growing 

5% 
$XXXB

Leader in Large 
Markets With  
Significant  
Growth  
Opportunities

MARKETPLACE

market-leading, value-added outsourced 
property services businesses; significant 
scale advantages that are leveraged to 
create more value for clients; a culture 
focused around customer service 
excellence; and strong brand recognition.
OF
FirstService generates US$1.5 billion in 
annual revenues and has more than 
17,000 employees across North America. 
With significant insider ownership and 
an experienced management team, 
FirstService has a long-term track 
record of creating value and superior 
returns for shareholders. The common 
shares of FirstService trade on the 
NASDAQ and on the Toronto Stock 
Exchange under the symbol “FSV”.  
More information is available at  
www.firstservice.com.

FS-AR2016-8panel Gatefold-SELECT-V5.indd   1

5% OF

Notice of Shareholders’ Meeting

The annual meeting of the shareholders will be held 
on Wednesday April 12, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) at  
The Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street,  
Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto, Ontario

CORPORATE INFORMATION

Registrar and Transfer Agent

Canada – TSX Trust Company
Phone: 1.866.600.5869
E-mail: tmxeinvestorservices@tmx.com

U.S. co-transfer agent – Computershare
Phone: 1.800.368.5948
E-mail: webqueries@computershare.com

Stock Exchange Listings

NASDAQ Global Select Market – FSV
Toronto Stock Exchange – FSV

FirstService common shares are included 
in the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

www.FirstService.com

Creating 
Value
One Step 
at a Time

Over Two Decades  
of Consistent Growth

5-YEAR REVENUE
CAGR

12%

$1,483MM

22 YEARS REVENUE 
COMPOUNDED 

ANNUAL GROWTH 19%

$37MM

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

(US$ thousands, except per share amounts) 

               Year ended December 31

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

Results From Operations
Revenues 
Adjusted EBITDA1 
Operating earnings 
Net earnings 

Financial Position
Total assets 
Long-term debt 
Shareholders’ equity 

Earnings Per Share Data
Adjusted EPS2 
Diluted net earnings per common share 
Diluted weighted average  
  common shares outstanding (thousands) 
Cash dividends per common share 

$  1,482,889 
130,324 
90,550 
54,243 

$ 1,264,077 
103,038 
70,747 
38,198 

$  1,132,002 
74,997 
45,621 
26,192 

$  1,038,087 
78,913 
37,083 
18,452 

$  939,821
78,932
53,478
30,765

$  770,964 
250,909 
181,028 

600,483 
201,199 
167,026 

$  615,544 
239,357 
158,749 

$  610,297 
225,425 
168,660 

$  591,438
216,370
174,834

               Year ended December 31

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

$ 

$ 

1.62 
0.92 

36,366 
0.44 

$ 

$ 

1.20 
0.59 

36,425 
0.40 

$ 

$ 

0.84 
0.36 

36,363 
- 

$ 

$ 

0.96 
0.09

36,306
- 

$ 

$ 

-

-

2016 Annual Report

Notes
1.  Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings before income tax, interest, depreciation, amortization, other (income) expense, acquisition-related items, and stock-based  

compensation expense.

2.  Adjusted earnings per share is defined as diluted net earnings per common share, adjusted for the effect, after income tax, of non-controlling interest redemption increment,  

amortization, acquisition-related items, stock-based compensation expense, and spin-off charges.

3/2/17   4:31 PM

5% 

OF

$XXXB

MARKETPLACE

5% OF

1,483

130

1,264

1,132

1,038

940

103

84*

75

79

79

Revenues 

(US$ millions)

Adjusted EBITDA 

(US$ millions)

*Normalized for $9 million of 

   non-recurring expenses.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5-YEAR REVENUE

CAGR

12%

$1,483MM

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Why Invest in FirstService?

COMPOUNDED 

22 YEARS REVENUE 

ANNUAL GROWTH 19%

$37MM

1,483

130

1,264

1,132

1,038

940

103

84*

75

79

79

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

Revenues 
(US$ millions)

Adjusted EBITDA 
(US$ millions)

*Normalized for $9 million of 
   non-recurring expenses.

  Leadership Positions In Very 
Large, Fragmented Markets

•  Leading market positions with 
well-recognized brands in all 
service lines

•  Modest market shares in large, 
fragmented markets provide 
significant organic and tuck-
under acquisition growth  
opportunities 

•  Scale advantage, proprietary 

products/services and national 
coverage are competitive  
differentiators which are  
difficult to replicate

  Proven Business Model

  Strong Financial Profile

•  Strong free cash flow  

generation with low capital 
expenditures

•  Conservative balance sheet

•  Ample capital and liquidity  

to fund future growth

•  Growing dividends paid on 

common shares 

  Compelling Growth Prospects

•  Long and consistent track 
record of delivering growth

•  Strong organic growth through 
competitive advantages in 
attractive markets

•  Essential outsourced property 

•  Margin enhancement  

services with highly predictable 
and recurring revenue streams

potential through operating 
efficiencies

•  Disciplined tuck-under  
acquisition strategy

•  Focus on customer service 
excellence throughout our  
businesses

•  Leverage our differentiators to 

extend our leadership positions 
and win new business

•  Partnership philosophy  

aligns business leaders with 
shareholders

About FirstService 
Corporation

FirstService Corporation is a North 
American leader in the essential 
property services sector serving its 
customers through two industry-
leading platforms:

FirstService Residential – North 
America’s largest manager of residential 
communities; and

FirstService Brands – one of North 
America’s largest providers of essential 
property services to residential and 
commercial customers delivered 
through individually branded franchise 
systems and company-owned operations. 

FirstService Residential and FirstService 
Brands both rely on the same operational 
foundations for success – a core 
competency in managing and growing 

5% 
$XXXB

Leader in Large 
Markets With  
Significant  
Growth  
Opportunities

MARKETPLACE

market-leading, value-added outsourced 
property services businesses; significant 
scale advantages that are leveraged to 
create more value for clients; a culture 
focused around customer service 
excellence; and strong brand recognition.
OF
FirstService generates US$1.5 billion in 
annual revenues and has more than 
17,000 employees across North America. 
With significant insider ownership and 
an experienced management team, 
FirstService has a long-term track 
record of creating value and superior 
returns for shareholders. The common 
shares of FirstService trade on the 
NASDAQ and on the Toronto Stock 
Exchange under the symbol “FSV”.  
More information is available at  
www.firstservice.com.

FS-AR2016-8panel Gatefold-SELECT-V5.indd   1

5% OF

Notice of Shareholders’ Meeting

The annual meeting of the shareholders will be held 
on Wednesday April 12, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) at  
The Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street,  
Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto, Ontario

CORPORATE INFORMATION

Registrar and Transfer Agent

Canada – TSX Trust Company
Phone: 1.866.600.5869
E-mail: tmxeinvestorservices@tmx.com

U.S. co-transfer agent – Computershare
Phone: 1.800.368.5948
E-mail: webqueries@computershare.com

Stock Exchange Listings

NASDAQ Global Select Market – FSV
Toronto Stock Exchange – FSV

FirstService common shares are included 
in the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

www.FirstService.com

Creating 
Value
One Step 
at a Time

Over Two Decades  
of Consistent Growth

5-YEAR REVENUE
CAGR

12%

$1,483MM

22 YEARS REVENUE 
COMPOUNDED 

ANNUAL GROWTH 19%

$37MM

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

(US$ thousands, except per share amounts) 

               Year ended December 31

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

Results From Operations
Revenues 
Adjusted EBITDA1 
Operating earnings 
Net earnings 

Financial Position
Total assets 
Long-term debt 
Shareholders’ equity 

Earnings Per Share Data
Adjusted EPS2 
Diluted net earnings per common share 
Diluted weighted average  
  common shares outstanding (thousands) 
Cash dividends per common share 

$  1,482,889 
130,324 
90,550 
54,243 

$ 1,264,077 
103,038 
70,747 
38,198 

$  1,132,002 
74,997 
45,621 
26,192 

$  1,038,087 
78,913 
37,083 
18,452 

$  939,821
78,932
53,478
30,765

$  770,964 
250,909 
181,028 

600,483 
201,199 
167,026 

$  615,544 
239,357 
158,749 

$  610,297 
225,425 
168,660 

$  591,438
216,370
174,834

               Year ended December 31

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

$ 

$ 

1.62 
0.92 

36,366 
0.44 

$ 

$ 

1.20 
0.59 

36,425 
0.40 

$ 

$ 

0.84 
0.36 

36,363 
- 

$ 

$ 

0.96 
0.09

36,306
- 

$ 

$ 

-

-

2016 Annual Report

Notes
1.  Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings before income tax, interest, depreciation, amortization, other (income) expense, acquisition-related items, and stock-based  

compensation expense.

2.  Adjusted earnings per share is defined as diluted net earnings per common share, adjusted for the effect, after income tax, of non-controlling interest redemption increment,  

amortization, acquisition-related items, stock-based compensation expense, and spin-off charges.

3/2/17   4:31 PM

5% 

OF

$XXXB

MARKETPLACE

5% OF

1,483

130

1,264

1,132

1,038

940

103

84*

75

79

79

Revenues 

(US$ millions)

Adjusted EBITDA 

(US$ millions)

*Normalized for $9 million of 

   non-recurring expenses.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

20162016

Market leader in  
essential outsourced 
property services

From left: D. Scott Patterson Chief Executive Officer,  
Jeremy Rakusin Chief Financial Officer

FirstService Corporation is a provider of essential property services 
with a long track record of consistent growth and profitability. 
We enjoy strong leadership positions in huge, highly fragmented 
property service verticals – yet our market shares are modest. 
These market structures are conducive to consistent long-term 
organic growth and significant acquisition opportunities across 
our service lines. Our outstanding performance in 2016 reflects 
this dynamic and continues our 22-year history of strong top and 
bottom line growth. 

Our 2016 highlights include:

Strong Revenue Growth
Revenue grew 17% driven by continued solid organic growth across 
all our business lines and enhanced by several acquisitions in 
both divisions. Especially noteworthy was the addition of Century 
Fire Protection, an exciting new operating platform for us.

Expanded EBITDA Margins
EBITDA grew by 27%, while margins expanded by 60 basis points 
to 8.8%. This year, once again, our biggest mover was FirstService 
Residential, which continued to drive operating efficiencies 
throughout its business leading to an 80 basis point increase in 
divisional EBITDA margin. Our journey towards creating a national 
operating platform with a recognized brand continues. 

Record Year for Acquisitions
2016 was by far our most successful year in terms of acquisition 
activity. We closed 13 acquisitions in 2016 and invested almost 
$100 million of capital at valuation multiples that were in line with 
our disciplined criteria. Our current transaction pipeline positions 
us for another strong growth year in 2017.

Entry into Fire Protection
In April, we closed the acquisition of Century Fire Protection,  
and later in the year we followed with the strategically important 
acquisition of Advanced Fire, which expanded our footprint into the 

Florida market. We are very excited about this new platform which 
complements our existing portfolio of essential property services 
and significantly expands our growth opportunities for the future. 

Advancement of Company-Owned Strategies
During the year, we made significant progress in advancing our 
company-owned strategies at California Closets and Paul Davis 
Restoration. 

•  At California Closets, we closed the acquisitions of our  

Los Angeles and Washington D.C. franchises, two key major  
markets, bringing our total number of company-owned  
operations to 13. Our goal is to own the major markets which  
account for about 25% of the California Closets operations  
across North America. During the year, we also made great  
strides in driving efficiencies, quality and turnaround times at  
our Phoenix-based Western Manufacturing Facility, moving  
closer to our target metrics for this facility. We look forward  
to opening our Eastern Manufacturing Facility in Grand Rapids,  
Michigan in the second quarter of this year which will enable us  
to serve all of our North American company-owned operations.

•  At Paul Davis Restoration, we closed the acquisitions of our  
North Florida and Connecticut franchises plus Paul Davis  
National, our large-scale disaster recovery operation, bringing to 
four the number of operations we own. Similar to our strategy at 
California Closets, we ultimately want to own the major markets 
and create a national company-owned platform. During the  
year, we also continued to invest in the operational foundation  
of this platform to enhance our ability to integrate and operate  
future Paul Davis add-on acquisitions. 

Robust Free Cash Flow
We generated very strong operating cash flow, which enabled us 
to invest aggressively in the business through acquisitions, capital 
expenditures and organic growth initiatives, while maintaining 
our leverage ratio at a conservative 1.5x net debt to EBITDA – the 

same level as the prior year-end. In addition, we increased our 
annual dividend to US$0.49 per share, an increase of 10% for the 
second consecutive year in our brief history as a new public company. 
Our cash and bank revolving credit availability, aggregating  
$140 million at year-end, provides substantial capacity for future  
investment and acquisitions.

Strong Stock Price Performance
Strong operating results for 2016 translated into a 20% increase 
in our stock price during the year. Since our June 2015 spin-off 
into a new public company, our stock is up approximately 70%. 
The ability to drive consistent increases in shareholder value is 
a testament to our business model – one which features highly 
visible, recurring and contractual revenue and an ability to achieve 
organic growth with modest capex.

Our many successes during 2016 – and over the last 20+ years 
– are a strong reflection of our relentless focus on employee 
engagement and service excellence. We know that our greatest 
differentiator is the quality of our service delivery which is wholly 
dependent on the professionalism and engagement of our people. 
Engaged and aligned employees create happy, loyal customers 
and word of mouth referral – the single most important driver of 
our organic growth!  During 2016, we significantly increased our 
investment in recruiting, onboarding and training to continue to 
build a team and culture that clearly separates us from our  
competition. Our aspiration is to define “service excellence” in 
every market that we operate in and our investments in people 
and process are consistent with this goal. 

We are very excited about the year ahead. Our businesses are 
enjoying healthy market fundamentals and we believe we are very 
well-positioned to capitalize across all service lines. Our long-term 
goal is to grow our revenues at an average rate of at least 10% 
per year with incremental growth at the EBITDA and earnings per 
share lines. We have achieved and exceeded this growth goal over 
a 22-year period and are committed to build on this track record 
during 2017 and for years to come.

We thank our operating partners, our 17,000 associates and the 
15,000 employees and owners of our franchises for a fantastic 
2016. We also thank our loyal customers for entrusting their  
business to us and our shareholders for their continued  
support.

D. Scott Patterson
Chief Executive Officer 

Entry into Fire Protection

In April 2016, FirstService added a new essential 

property services platform to its FirstService Brands 

division when it acquired Century Fire Protection.  

Headquartered near Atlanta, Georgia, Century Fire is one of the 
largest full-service fire protection companies in the southeastern 
United States. Century Fire provides end-to-end fire protection 
solutions, including design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, 
repair, service and inspection services for commercial, residential, 
industrial and institutional clients. The Company employs 

approximately 700 staff operating out of 13 offices throughout 
Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, 

Tennessee, Texas and Florida. Century Fire recently 
expanded its full-service offering in the south 
Florida market through the tuck-under 

acquisition of Advanced Fire & Security 

in November 2016.

FirstService
Brands

$370 Million
Revenues

$56 Million
EBITDA

$1,113 Million
$1,113 Million
Revenues

$84 Million
EBITDA

FirstService Brands is a leading North 
American operator and provider of 
essential property services to residential 
and commercial customers, with extensive 
franchise networks comprising over 1,900 
franchises and 19 company-owned 
locations in all 50 U.S. states and ten 
Canadian provinces. In 2016, FirstService 
Brands serviced more than 500,000 
customers and generated aggregate 
system-wide revenues of more than 
US$1.8 billion from franchised and 
company-owned operations. Services are 
delivered through eight well-known 
brands, each of which is a leading player  
in its respective market.

Charlie E. Chase
Chief Executive Officer
FirstService Brands

Chuck M. Fallon
Chief Executive Officer
FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential is the largest 
residential property manager in North 
America, with 7,900 communities and  
1.6+ million residential units under 
management. Its mission is to deliver 
exceptional client service and solutions 
that enhance the value of every property 
and the lifestyle of every resident in the 
communities it manages. In achieving 
these objectives, FirstService Residential 
leverages its scale, expertise and local 
knowledge to add value to its clients and 
differentiate itself from its competitors. 
The business invests extensively in a team 
of people who are committed to customer 
service excellence and living its values on a 
daily basis: Being genuinely helpful, aiming 
high, owning it, doing what’s right, improving 
it and building great relationships.

Growth Strategy

Growth Strategy

•  Very large, highly fragmented markets provide significant  

opportunity for organic growth

•  Expand same store capacity in the areas of sales, design  

and field service 

•  Continue to drive repeat business and referral leads from its  
customers through service excellence and market-leading 
brands

•  Strategically add company-owned operations at California  
Closets, Paul Davis Restoration and Century Fire Protection

•  Leverage best-in-class franchising capabilities to acquire  

other property services franchise models  

•  Leverage scale advantages and our access to capital to drive  

new business through differentiated value-added services and 
reduced client costs

•  Further increase customer retention and target referral  

opportunities

•  Integrated marketing, lead generation and business  

development effort

•  Continue to expand our ancillary service offerings

•  Improve operational efficiency

•  Augment organic growth with selective tuck-under acquisitions 
which expand our geographic footprint, enhance our market  
leadership positions, or broaden our ancillary service offering

FS-AR2016-8panel Gatefold-SELECT-V5.indd   2

3/2/17   4:31 PM

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

20162016

Market leader in  
essential outsourced 
property services

From left: D. Scott Patterson Chief Executive Officer,  
Jeremy Rakusin Chief Financial Officer

FirstService Corporation is a provider of essential property services 
with a long track record of consistent growth and profitability. 
We enjoy strong leadership positions in huge, highly fragmented 
property service verticals – yet our market shares are modest. 
These market structures are conducive to consistent long-term 
organic growth and significant acquisition opportunities across 
our service lines. Our outstanding performance in 2016 reflects 
this dynamic and continues our 22-year history of strong top and 
bottom line growth. 

Our 2016 highlights include:

Strong Revenue Growth
Revenue grew 17% driven by continued solid organic growth across 
all our business lines and enhanced by several acquisitions in 
both divisions. Especially noteworthy was the addition of Century 
Fire Protection, an exciting new operating platform for us.

Expanded EBITDA Margins
EBITDA grew by 27%, while margins expanded by 60 basis points 
to 8.8%. This year, once again, our biggest mover was FirstService 
Residential, which continued to drive operating efficiencies 
throughout its business leading to an 80 basis point increase in 
divisional EBITDA margin. Our journey towards creating a national 
operating platform with a recognized brand continues. 

Record Year for Acquisitions
2016 was by far our most successful year in terms of acquisition 
activity. We closed 13 acquisitions in 2016 and invested almost 
$100 million of capital at valuation multiples that were in line with 
our disciplined criteria. Our current transaction pipeline positions 
us for another strong growth year in 2017.

Entry into Fire Protection
In April, we closed the acquisition of Century Fire Protection,  
and later in the year we followed with the strategically important 
acquisition of Advanced Fire, which expanded our footprint into the 

Florida market. We are very excited about this new platform which 
complements our existing portfolio of essential property services 
and significantly expands our growth opportunities for the future. 

Advancement of Company-Owned Strategies
During the year, we made significant progress in advancing our 
company-owned strategies at California Closets and Paul Davis 
Restoration. 

•  At California Closets, we closed the acquisitions of our  

Los Angeles and Washington D.C. franchises, two key major  
markets, bringing our total number of company-owned  
operations to 13. Our goal is to own the major markets which  
account for about 25% of the California Closets operations  
across North America. During the year, we also made great  
strides in driving efficiencies, quality and turnaround times at  
our Phoenix-based Western Manufacturing Facility, moving  
closer to our target metrics for this facility. We look forward  
to opening our Eastern Manufacturing Facility in Grand Rapids,  
Michigan in the second quarter of this year which will enable us  
to serve all of our North American company-owned operations.

•  At Paul Davis Restoration, we closed the acquisitions of our  
North Florida and Connecticut franchises plus Paul Davis  
National, our large-scale disaster recovery operation, bringing to 
four the number of operations we own. Similar to our strategy at 
California Closets, we ultimately want to own the major markets 
and create a national company-owned platform. During the  
year, we also continued to invest in the operational foundation  
of this platform to enhance our ability to integrate and operate  
future Paul Davis add-on acquisitions. 

Robust Free Cash Flow
We generated very strong operating cash flow, which enabled us 
to invest aggressively in the business through acquisitions, capital 
expenditures and organic growth initiatives, while maintaining 
our leverage ratio at a conservative 1.5x net debt to EBITDA – the 

same level as the prior year-end. In addition, we increased our 
annual dividend to US$0.49 per share, an increase of 10% for the 
second consecutive year in our brief history as a new public company. 
Our cash and bank revolving credit availability, aggregating  
$140 million at year-end, provides substantial capacity for future  
investment and acquisitions.

Strong Stock Price Performance
Strong operating results for 2016 translated into a 20% increase 
in our stock price during the year. Since our June 2015 spin-off 
into a new public company, our stock is up approximately 70%. 
The ability to drive consistent increases in shareholder value is 
a testament to our business model – one which features highly 
visible, recurring and contractual revenue and an ability to achieve 
organic growth with modest capex.

Our many successes during 2016 – and over the last 20+ years 
– are a strong reflection of our relentless focus on employee 
engagement and service excellence. We know that our greatest 
differentiator is the quality of our service delivery which is wholly 
dependent on the professionalism and engagement of our people. 
Engaged and aligned employees create happy, loyal customers 
and word of mouth referral – the single most important driver of 
our organic growth!  During 2016, we significantly increased our 
investment in recruiting, onboarding and training to continue to 
build a team and culture that clearly separates us from our  
competition. Our aspiration is to define “service excellence” in 
every market that we operate in and our investments in people 
and process are consistent with this goal. 

We are very excited about the year ahead. Our businesses are 
enjoying healthy market fundamentals and we believe we are very 
well-positioned to capitalize across all service lines. Our long-term 
goal is to grow our revenues at an average rate of at least 10% 
per year with incremental growth at the EBITDA and earnings per 
share lines. We have achieved and exceeded this growth goal over 
a 22-year period and are committed to build on this track record 
during 2017 and for years to come.

We thank our operating partners, our 17,000 associates and the 
15,000 employees and owners of our franchises for a fantastic 
2016. We also thank our loyal customers for entrusting their  
business to us and our shareholders for their continued  
support.

D. Scott Patterson
Chief Executive Officer 

Entry into Fire Protection

In April 2016, FirstService added a new essential 

property services platform to its FirstService Brands 

division when it acquired Century Fire Protection.  

Headquartered near Atlanta, Georgia, Century Fire is one of the 
largest full-service fire protection companies in the southeastern 
United States. Century Fire provides end-to-end fire protection 
solutions, including design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, 
repair, service and inspection services for commercial, residential, 
industrial and institutional clients. The Company employs 

approximately 700 staff operating out of 13 offices throughout 
Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, 

Tennessee, Texas and Florida. Century Fire recently 
expanded its full-service offering in the south 
Florida market through the tuck-under 

acquisition of Advanced Fire & Security 

in November 2016.

FirstService
Brands

$370 Million
Revenues

$56 Million
EBITDA

$1,113 Million
$1,113 Million
Revenues

$84 Million
EBITDA

FirstService Brands is a leading North 
American operator and provider of 
essential property services to residential 
and commercial customers, with extensive 
franchise networks comprising over 1,900 
franchises and 19 company-owned 
locations in all 50 U.S. states and ten 
Canadian provinces. In 2016, FirstService 
Brands serviced more than 500,000 
customers and generated aggregate 
system-wide revenues of more than 
US$1.8 billion from franchised and 
company-owned operations. Services are 
delivered through eight well-known 
brands, each of which is a leading player  
in its respective market.

Charlie E. Chase
Chief Executive Officer
FirstService Brands

Chuck M. Fallon
Chief Executive Officer
FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential is the largest 
residential property manager in North 
America, with 7,900 communities and  
1.6+ million residential units under 
management. Its mission is to deliver 
exceptional client service and solutions 
that enhance the value of every property 
and the lifestyle of every resident in the 
communities it manages. In achieving 
these objectives, FirstService Residential 
leverages its scale, expertise and local 
knowledge to add value to its clients and 
differentiate itself from its competitors. 
The business invests extensively in a team 
of people who are committed to customer 
service excellence and living its values on a 
daily basis: Being genuinely helpful, aiming 
high, owning it, doing what’s right, improving 
it and building great relationships.

Growth Strategy

Growth Strategy

•  Very large, highly fragmented markets provide significant  

opportunity for organic growth

•  Expand same store capacity in the areas of sales, design  

and field service 

•  Continue to drive repeat business and referral leads from its  
customers through service excellence and market-leading 
brands

•  Strategically add company-owned operations at California  
Closets, Paul Davis Restoration and Century Fire Protection

•  Leverage best-in-class franchising capabilities to acquire  

other property services franchise models  

•  Leverage scale advantages and our access to capital to drive  

new business through differentiated value-added services and 
reduced client costs

•  Further increase customer retention and target referral  

opportunities

•  Integrated marketing, lead generation and business  

development effort

•  Continue to expand our ancillary service offerings

•  Improve operational efficiency

•  Augment organic growth with selective tuck-under acquisitions 
which expand our geographic footprint, enhance our market  
leadership positions, or broaden our ancillary service offering

FS-AR2016-8panel Gatefold-SELECT-V5.indd   2

3/2/17   4:31 PM

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

2016

Market leader in  
essential outsourced 
property services

From left: D. Scott Patterson Chief Executive Officer,  
Jeremy Rakusin Chief Financial Officer

FirstService Corporation is a provider of essential property services 
with a long track record of consistent growth and profitability. 
We enjoy strong leadership positions in huge, highly fragmented 
property service verticals – yet our market shares are modest. 
These market structures are conducive to consistent long-term 
organic growth and significant acquisition opportunities across 
our service lines. Our outstanding performance in 2016 reflects 
this dynamic and continues our 22-year history of strong top and 
bottom line growth. 

Our 2016 highlights include:

Strong Revenue Growth
Revenue grew 17% driven by continued solid organic growth across 
all our business lines and enhanced by several acquisitions in 
both divisions. Especially noteworthy was the addition of Century 
Fire Protection, an exciting new operating platform for us.

Expanded EBITDA Margins
EBITDA grew by 27%, while margins expanded by 60 basis points 
to 8.8%. This year, once again, our biggest mover was FirstService 
Residential, which continued to drive operating efficiencies 
throughout its business leading to an 80 basis point increase in 
divisional EBITDA margin. Our journey towards creating a national 
operating platform with a recognized brand continues. 

Record Year for Acquisitions
2016 was by far our most successful year in terms of acquisition 
activity. We closed 13 acquisitions in 2016 and invested almost 
$100 million of capital at valuation multiples that were in line with 
our disciplined criteria. Our current transaction pipeline positions 
us for another strong growth year in 2017.

Entry into Fire Protection
In April, we closed the acquisition of Century Fire Protection,  
and later in the year we followed with the strategically important 
acquisition of Advanced Fire, which expanded our footprint into the 

Florida market. We are very excited about this new platform which 
complements our existing portfolio of essential property services 
and significantly expands our growth opportunities for the future. 

Advancement of Company-Owned Strategies
During the year, we made significant progress in advancing our 
company-owned strategies at California Closets and Paul Davis 
Restoration. 

•  At California Closets, we closed the acquisitions of our  
  Los Angeles and Washington D.C. franchises, two key major  
  markets, bringing our total number of company-owned  
  operations to 13. Our goal is to own the major markets which  
  account for about 25% of the California Closets operations  
  across North America. During the year, we also made great  
  strides in driving efficiencies, quality and turnaround times at  
  our Phoenix-based Western Manufacturing Facility, moving  
  closer to our target metrics for this facility. We look forward  
  to opening our Eastern Manufacturing Facility in Grand Rapids,  
  Michigan in the second quarter of this year which will enable us  
  to serve all of our North American company-owned operations.

•  At Paul Davis Restoration, we closed the acquisitions of our  
  North Florida and Connecticut franchises plus Paul Davis  
  National, our large-scale disaster recovery operation, bringing to  
  four the number of operations we own. Similar to our strategy at  
  California Closets, we ultimately want to own the major markets  
  and create a national company-owned platform. During the  
  year, we also continued to invest in the operational foundation  
  of this platform to enhance our ability to integrate and operate  
  future Paul Davis add-on acquisitions. 

Robust Free Cash Flow
We generated very strong operating cash flow, which enabled us 
to invest aggressively in the business through acquisitions, capital 
expenditures and organic growth initiatives, while maintaining 
our leverage ratio at a conservative 1.5x net debt to EBITDA – the 

same level as the prior year-end. In addition, we increased our 
annual dividend to US$0.49 per share, an increase of 10% for the 
second consecutive year in our brief history as a new public company. 
Our cash and bank revolving credit availability, aggregating  
$140 million at year-end, provides substantial capacity for future  
investment and acquisitions.

Strong Stock Price Performance
Strong operating results for 2016 translated into a 20% increase 
in our stock price during the year. Since our June 2015 spin-off 
into a new public company, our stock is up approximately 70%. 
The ability to drive consistent increases in shareholder value is 
a testament to our business model – one which features highly 
visible, recurring and contractual revenue and an ability to achieve 
organic growth with modest capex.

Our many successes during 2016 – and over the last 20+ years 
– are a strong reflection of our relentless focus on employee 
engagement and service excellence. We know that our greatest 
differentiator is the quality of our service delivery which is wholly 
dependent on the professionalism and engagement of our people. 
Engaged and aligned employees create happy, loyal customers 
and word of mouth referral – the single most important driver of 
our organic growth!  During 2016, we significantly increased our 
investment in recruiting, onboarding and training to continue to 
build a team and culture that clearly separates us from our  
competition. Our aspiration is to define “service excellence” in 
every market that we operate in and our investments in people 
and process are consistent with this goal. 

We are very excited about the year ahead. Our businesses are 
enjoying healthy market fundamentals and we believe we are very 
well-positioned to capitalize across all service lines. Our long-term 
goal is to grow our revenues at an average rate of at least 10% 
per year with incremental growth at the EBITDA and earnings per 
share lines. We have achieved and exceeded this growth goal over 
a 22-year period and are committed to build on this track record 
during 2017 and for years to come.

We thank our operating partners, our 17,000 associates and the 
15,000 employees and owners of our franchises for a fantastic 
2016. We also thank our loyal customers for entrusting their  
business to us and our shareholders for their continued  
support.

D. Scott Patterson
Chief Executive Officer 

Entry into Fire Protection

In April 2016, FirstService added a new essential 

property services platform to its FirstService Brands 

division when it acquired Century Fire Protection.  

Headquartered near Atlanta, Georgia, Century Fire is one of the 
largest full-service fire protection companies in the southeastern 
United States. Century Fire provides end-to-end fire protection 
solutions, including design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, 
repair, service and inspection services for commercial, residential, 
industrial and institutional clients. The Company employs 

approximately 700 staff operating out of 13 offices throughout 
Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, 

Tennessee, Texas and Florida. Century Fire recently 
expanded its full-service offering in the south 
Florida market through the tuck-under 

acquisition of Advanced Fire & Security 

in November 2016.

FirstService
Brands

$370 Million
Revenues

$56 Million
EBITDA

$1,113 Million
Revenues

$84 Million
EBITDA

FirstService Brands is a leading North 
American operator and provider of 
essential property services to residential 
and commercial customers, with extensive 
franchise networks comprising over 1,900 
franchises and 19 company-owned 
locations in all 50 U.S. states and ten 
Canadian provinces. In 2016, FirstService 
Brands serviced more than 500,000 
customers and generated aggregate 
system-wide revenues of more than 
US$1.8 billion from franchised and 
company-owned operations. Services are 
delivered through eight well-known 
brands, each of which is a leading player  
in its respective market.

Charlie E. Chase
Chief Executive Officer
FirstService Brands

Chuck M. Fallon
Chief Executive Officer
FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential is the largest 
residential property manager in North 
America, with 7,900 communities and  
1.6+ million residential units under 
management. Its mission is to deliver 
exceptional client service and solutions 
that enhance the value of every property 
and the lifestyle of every resident in the 
communities it manages. In achieving 
these objectives, FirstService Residential 
leverages its scale, expertise and local 
knowledge to add value to its clients and 
differentiate itself from its competitors. 
The business invests extensively in a team 
of people who are committed to customer 
service excellence and living its values on a 
daily basis: Being genuinely helpful, aiming 
high, owning it, doing what’s right, improving 
it and building great relationships.

  Growth Strategy

  Growth Strategy

•  Very large, highly fragmented markets provide significant  

opportunity for organic growth

•  Expand same store capacity in the areas of sales, design  

and field service 

•  Continue to drive repeat business and referral leads from its  
customers through service excellence and market-leading 
brands

•  Strategically add company-owned operations at California  
Closets, Paul Davis Restoration and Century Fire Protection

•  Leverage best-in-class franchising capabilities to acquire  

other property services franchise models  

•  Leverage scale advantages and our access to capital to drive  

new business through differentiated value-added services and 
reduced client costs

•  Further increase customer retention and target referral  

opportunities

•  Integrated marketing, lead generation and business  

development effort

•  Continue to expand our ancillary service offerings

•  Improve operational efficiency

•  Augment organic growth with selective tuck-under acquisitions 
which expand our geographic footprint, enhance our market  
leadership positions, or broaden our ancillary service offering

FS-AR2016-8panel Gatefold-SELECT-V5.indd   2

3/2/17   4:31 PM

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

2016

Market leader in  
essential outsourced 
property services

From left: D. Scott Patterson Chief Executive Officer,  
Jeremy Rakusin Chief Financial Officer

FirstService Corporation is a provider of essential property services 
with a long track record of consistent growth and profitability. 
We enjoy strong leadership positions in huge, highly fragmented 
property service verticals – yet our market shares are modest. 
These market structures are conducive to consistent long-term 
organic growth and significant acquisition opportunities across 
our service lines. Our outstanding performance in 2016 reflects 
this dynamic and continues our 22-year history of strong top and 
bottom line growth. 

Our 2016 highlights include:

Strong Revenue Growth
Revenue grew 17% driven by continued solid organic growth across 
all our business lines and enhanced by several acquisitions in 
both divisions. Especially noteworthy was the addition of Century 
Fire Protection, an exciting new operating platform for us.

Expanded EBITDA Margins
EBITDA grew by 27%, while margins expanded by 60 basis points 
to 8.8%. This year, once again, our biggest mover was FirstService 
Residential, which continued to drive operating efficiencies 
throughout its business leading to an 80 basis point increase in 
divisional EBITDA margin. Our journey towards creating a national 
operating platform with a recognized brand continues. 

Record Year for Acquisitions
2016 was by far our most successful year in terms of acquisition 
activity. We closed 13 acquisitions in 2016 and invested almost 
$100 million of capital at valuation multiples that were in line with 
our disciplined criteria. Our current transaction pipeline positions 
us for another strong growth year in 2017.

Entry into Fire Protection
In April, we closed the acquisition of Century Fire Protection,  
and later in the year we followed with the strategically important 
acquisition of Advanced Fire, which expanded our footprint into the 

Florida market. We are very excited about this new platform which 
complements our existing portfolio of essential property services 
and significantly expands our growth opportunities for the future. 

Advancement of Company-Owned Strategies
During the year, we made significant progress in advancing our 
company-owned strategies at California Closets and Paul Davis 
Restoration. 

•  At California Closets, we closed the acquisitions of our  
  Los Angeles and Washington D.C. franchises, two key major  
  markets, bringing our total number of company-owned  
  operations to 13. Our goal is to own the major markets which  
  account for about 25% of the California Closets operations  
  across North America. During the year, we also made great  
  strides in driving efficiencies, quality and turnaround times at  
  our Phoenix-based Western Manufacturing Facility, moving  
  closer to our target metrics for this facility. We look forward  
  to opening our Eastern Manufacturing Facility in Grand Rapids,  
  Michigan in the second quarter of this year which will enable us  
  to serve all of our North American company-owned operations.

•  At Paul Davis Restoration, we closed the acquisitions of our  
  North Florida and Connecticut franchises plus Paul Davis  
  National, our large-scale disaster recovery operation, bringing to  
  four the number of operations we own. Similar to our strategy at  
  California Closets, we ultimately want to own the major markets  
  and create a national company-owned platform. During the  
  year, we also continued to invest in the operational foundation  
  of this platform to enhance our ability to integrate and operate  
  future Paul Davis add-on acquisitions. 

Robust Free Cash Flow
We generated very strong operating cash flow, which enabled us 
to invest aggressively in the business through acquisitions, capital 
expenditures and organic growth initiatives, while maintaining 
our leverage ratio at a conservative 1.5x net debt to EBITDA – the 

same level as the prior year-end. In addition, we increased our 
annual dividend to US$0.49 per share, an increase of 10% for the 
second consecutive year in our brief history as a new public company. 
Our cash and bank revolving credit availability, aggregating  
$140 million at year-end, provides substantial capacity for future  
investment and acquisitions.

Strong Stock Price Performance
Strong operating results for 2016 translated into a 20% increase 
in our stock price during the year. Since our June 2015 spin-off 
into a new public company, our stock is up approximately 70%. 
The ability to drive consistent increases in shareholder value is 
a testament to our business model – one which features highly 
visible, recurring and contractual revenue and an ability to achieve 
organic growth with modest capex.

Our many successes during 2016 – and over the last 20+ years 
– are a strong reflection of our relentless focus on employee 
engagement and service excellence. We know that our greatest 
differentiator is the quality of our service delivery which is wholly 
dependent on the professionalism and engagement of our people. 
Engaged and aligned employees create happy, loyal customers 
and word of mouth referral – the single most important driver of 
our organic growth!  During 2016, we significantly increased our 
investment in recruiting, onboarding and training to continue to 
build a team and culture that clearly separates us from our  
competition. Our aspiration is to define “service excellence” in 
every market that we operate in and our investments in people 
and process are consistent with this goal. 

We are very excited about the year ahead. Our businesses are 
enjoying healthy market fundamentals and we believe we are very 
well-positioned to capitalize across all service lines. Our long-term 
goal is to grow our revenues at an average rate of at least 10% 
per year with incremental growth at the EBITDA and earnings per 
share lines. We have achieved and exceeded this growth goal over 
a 22-year period and are committed to build on this track record 
during 2017 and for years to come.

We thank our operating partners, our 17,000 associates and the 
15,000 employees and owners of our franchises for a fantastic 
2016. We also thank our loyal customers for entrusting their  
business to us and our shareholders for their continued  
support.

D. Scott Patterson
Chief Executive Officer 

Entry into Fire Protection

In April 2016, FirstService added a new essential 

property services platform to its FirstService Brands 

division when it acquired Century Fire Protection.  

Headquartered near Atlanta, Georgia, Century Fire is one of the 
largest full-service fire protection companies in the southeastern 
United States. Century Fire provides end-to-end fire protection 
solutions, including design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, 
repair, service and inspection services for commercial, residential, 
industrial and institutional clients. The Company employs 

approximately 700 staff operating out of 13 offices throughout 
Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, 

Tennessee, Texas and Florida. Century Fire recently 
expanded its full-service offering in the south 
Florida market through the tuck-under 

acquisition of Advanced Fire & Security 

in November 2016.

FirstService
Brands

$370 Million
Revenues

$56 Million
EBITDA

$1,113 Million
Revenues

$84 Million
EBITDA

FirstService Brands is a leading North 
American operator and provider of 
essential property services to residential 
and commercial customers, with extensive 
franchise networks comprising over 1,900 
franchises and 19 company-owned 
locations in all 50 U.S. states and ten 
Canadian provinces. In 2016, FirstService 
Brands serviced more than 500,000 
customers and generated aggregate 
system-wide revenues of more than 
US$1.8 billion from franchised and 
company-owned operations. Services are 
delivered through eight well-known 
brands, each of which is a leading player  
in its respective market.

Charlie E. Chase
Chief Executive Officer
FirstService Brands

Chuck M. Fallon
Chief Executive Officer
FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential is the largest 
residential property manager in North 
America, with 7,900 communities and  
1.6+ million residential units under 
management. Its mission is to deliver 
exceptional client service and solutions 
that enhance the value of every property 
and the lifestyle of every resident in the 
communities it manages. In achieving 
these objectives, FirstService Residential 
leverages its scale, expertise and local 
knowledge to add value to its clients and 
differentiate itself from its competitors. 
The business invests extensively in a team 
of people who are committed to customer 
service excellence and living its values on a 
daily basis: Being genuinely helpful, aiming 
high, owning it, doing what’s right, improving 
it and building great relationships.

  Growth Strategy

  Growth Strategy

•  Very large, highly fragmented markets provide significant  

opportunity for organic growth

•  Expand same store capacity in the areas of sales, design  

and field service 

•  Continue to drive repeat business and referral leads from its  
customers through service excellence and market-leading 
brands

•  Strategically add company-owned operations at California  
Closets, Paul Davis Restoration and Century Fire Protection

•  Leverage best-in-class franchising capabilities to acquire  

other property services franchise models  

•  Leverage scale advantages and our access to capital to drive  

new business through differentiated value-added services and 
reduced client costs

•  Further increase customer retention and target referral  

opportunities

•  Integrated marketing, lead generation and business  

development effort

•  Continue to expand our ancillary service offerings

•  Improve operational efficiency

•  Augment organic growth with selective tuck-under acquisitions 
which expand our geographic footprint, enhance our market  
leadership positions, or broaden our ancillary service offering

FS-AR2016-8panel Gatefold-SELECT-V5.indd   2

3/2/17   4:31 PM

5-YEAR REVENUE

CAGR

12%

$1,483MM

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Why Invest in FirstService?

COMPOUNDED 

22 YEARS REVENUE 

ANNUAL GROWTH 19%

$37MM

1,483

130

1,264

1,132

1,038

940

103

84*

75

79

79

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

Revenues 
(US$ millions)

Adjusted EBITDA 
(US$ millions)

*Normalized for $9 million of 
   non-recurring expenses.

  Leadership Positions In Very 
Large, Fragmented Markets

•  Leading market positions with 
well-recognized brands in all 
service lines

•  Modest market shares in large, 
fragmented markets provide 
significant organic and tuck-
under acquisition growth  
opportunities 

•  Scale advantage, proprietary 

products/services and national 
coverage are competitive  
differentiators which are  
difficult to replicate

  Proven Business Model

  Strong Financial Profile

•  Strong free cash flow  

generation with low capital 
expenditures

•  Conservative balance sheet

•  Ample capital and liquidity  

to fund future growth

•  Growing dividends paid on 

common shares 

  Compelling Growth Prospects

•  Long and consistent track 
record of delivering growth

•  Strong organic growth through 
competitive advantages in 
attractive markets

•  Essential outsourced property 

•  Margin enhancement  

services with highly predictable 
and recurring revenue streams

potential through operating 
efficiencies

•  Disciplined tuck-under  
acquisition strategy

•  Focus on customer service 
excellence throughout our  
businesses

•  Leverage our differentiators to 

extend our leadership positions 
and win new business

•  Partnership philosophy  

aligns business leaders with 
shareholders

About FirstService 
Corporation

FirstService Corporation is a North 
American leader in the essential 
property services sector serving its 
customers through two industry-
leading platforms:

FirstService Residential – North 
America’s largest manager of residential 
communities; and

FirstService Brands – one of North 
America’s largest providers of essential 
property services to residential and 
commercial customers delivered 
through individually branded franchise 
systems and company-owned operations. 

FirstService Residential and FirstService 
Brands both rely on the same operational 
foundations for success – a core 
competency in managing and growing 

5% 
$XXXB

Leader in Large 
Markets With  
Significant  
Growth  
Opportunities

MARKETPLACE

market-leading, value-added outsourced 
property services businesses; significant 
scale advantages that are leveraged to 
create more value for clients; a culture 
focused around customer service 
excellence; and strong brand recognition.
OF
FirstService generates US$1.5 billion in 
annual revenues and has more than 
17,000 employees across North America. 
With significant insider ownership and 
an experienced management team, 
FirstService has a long-term track 
record of creating value and superior 
returns for shareholders. The common 
shares of FirstService trade on the 
NASDAQ and on the Toronto Stock 
Exchange under the symbol “FSV”.  
More information is available at  
www.firstservice.com.

FS-AR2016-8panel Gatefold-SELECT-V5.indd   1

5% OF

Notice of Shareholders’ Meeting

The annual meeting of the shareholders will be held 
on Wednesday April 12, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. (ET) at  
The Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street,  
Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto, Ontario

CORPORATE INFORMATION

Registrar and Transfer Agent

Canada – TSX Trust Company
Phone: 1.866.600.5869
E-mail: tmxeinvestorservices@tmx.com

U.S. co-transfer agent – Computershare
Phone: 1.800.368.5948
E-mail: webqueries@computershare.com

Stock Exchange Listings

NASDAQ Global Select Market – FSV
Toronto Stock Exchange – FSV

FirstService common shares are included 
in the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

www.FirstService.com

Creating 
Value
One Step 
at a Time

Over Two Decades  
of Consistent Growth

5-YEAR REVENUE
CAGR

12%

$1,483MM

22 YEARS REVENUE 
COMPOUNDED 

ANNUAL GROWTH 19%

$37MM

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

2012 2013

2014

2015

2016

(US$ thousands, except per share amounts) 

               Year ended December 31

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

Results From Operations
Revenues 
Adjusted EBITDA1 
Operating earnings 
Net earnings 

Financial Position
Total assets 
Long-term debt 
Shareholders’ equity 

Earnings Per Share Data
Adjusted EPS2 
Diluted net earnings per common share 
Diluted weighted average  
  common shares outstanding (thousands) 
Cash dividends per common share 

$  1,482,889 
130,324 
90,550 
54,243 

$ 1,264,077 
103,038 
70,747 
38,198 

$  1,132,002 
74,997 
45,621 
26,192 

$  1,038,087 
78,913 
37,083 
18,452 

$  939,821
78,932
53,478
30,765

$  770,964 
250,909 
181,028 

600,483 
201,199 
167,026 

$  615,544 
239,357 
158,749 

$  610,297 
225,425 
168,660 

$  591,438
216,370
174,834

               Year ended December 31

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

2012

$ 

$ 

1.62 
0.92 

36,366 
0.44 

$ 

$ 

1.20 
0.59 

36,425 
0.40 

$ 

$ 

0.84 
0.36 

36,363 
- 

$ 

$ 

0.96 
0.09

36,306
- 

$ 

$ 

-

-

2016 Annual Report

Notes
1.  Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings before income tax, interest, depreciation, amortization, other (income) expense, acquisition-related items, and stock-based  

compensation expense.

2.  Adjusted earnings per share is defined as diluted net earnings per common share, adjusted for the effect, after income tax, of non-controlling interest redemption increment,  

amortization, acquisition-related items, stock-based compensation expense, and spin-off charges.

3/2/17   4:31 PM

5% 

OF

$XXXB

MARKETPLACE

5% OF

1,483

130

1,264

1,132

1,038

940

103

84*

75

79

79

Revenues 

(US$ millions)

Adjusted EBITDA 

(US$ millions)

*Normalized for $9 million of 

   non-recurring expenses.