Explore News Center Topics

Looking Ahead: H&R Block Unveils Client-Centric Strategy at Annual Investor Conference

4 min read

4 min read

December 06, 2012


Financial Services, Consistent Service Quality and Global Strategy Hallmarks of 2013 and Beyond

At the company’s annual investor conference earlier today, Bill Cobb, President and CEO of H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB), laid out his strategic vision for the company and proudly positioned H&R Block as the only tax preparation firm that can serve clients with income tax preparation and related services anywhere, anyway and anytime.

In addition, H&R Block senior leaders outlined the company’s growth strategies and outlook for fiscal year 2013 and beyond.

Cobb unveiled the company’s new vision, purpose and values while outlining the business mindset shifts that will define the coming years.

  • Deliver industry-leading tax preparation plus financial products and services
  • Grow the already successful international footprint in Australia and Canada, expand its presence in Brazil and India, and explore other strategic markets
  • Create a year-round presence and relationship with clients
  • Deliver consistent, service quality to clients anywhere, anyway and anytime they want to be served.

“We are a company that is centered on tax preparation. That is what we’re known for and that is what we’re best-in-class at delivering,” Cobb explained to the investors and analysts attending the conference. “And while we want to continue that legacy of looking at our clients’ lives through the tax lens, we see opportunities to provide additional help to those clients outside of tax prep on a year-round basis.”

Jason Houseworth, President of U.S. Tax Services, provided an in-depth review of the company’s U.S. tax preparation strategy, coming off a record 25.6 million total clients served worldwide — including 22.3 million in the United States — in fiscal year 2012. Houseworth described the company’s vision for enhancing the client experience across multiple channels and outlined its plans for a third consecutive year of client growth.

Susan Ehrlich, President of Financial Services, highlighted key innovations in products and services to serve clients year-round both in and out of the tax offices. The company is looking to grow from a record 2.9 million Emerald Cards issued and $9.5 billion loaded to cards last year.

Finally, Greg Macfarlane, Chief Financial Officer, reviewed fiscal 2013 second quarter results and addressed the company’s cost structure, growth prospects, capital allocation strategy and strategic plans for H&R Block Bank.

The event was webcast live in a listen-only format for the media and public on H&R Block’s website. A replay of today’s webcast and the related slide presentation is available on H&R Block’s investor relations web page at www.hrblock.com. A transcript of the event will be posted on the investor relations website on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the securities laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words or variation of words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “targets,” “would,” “will,” “should,” “could” or “may” or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements provide management’s current expectations or predictions of future conditions, events or results. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future are forward-looking statements. They may include estimates of revenues, income, earnings per share, capital expenditures, dividends, liquidity, capital structure or other financial items, descriptions of management’s plans or objectives for future operations, products or services, or descriptions of assumptions underlying any of the above. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and reflect the Company’s good faith beliefs, assumptions and expectations, but they are not guarantees of future performance or events. Furthermore, the Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions, factors, or expectations, new information, data or methods, future events or other changes, except as required by law. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, a variety of economic, competitive and regulatory factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control and which are described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012 in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” as well as additional factors we may describe from time to time in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors and, consequently, you should not consider any such list to be a complete set of all potential risks or uncertainties.

About H&R Block
H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is the world’s largest tax services provider, having prepared more than 600 million tax returns worldwide since 1955. In fiscal 2012, H&R Block had revenues of $2.9 billion and prepared 25.6 million tax returns worldwide. Tax return preparation services are provided in company-owned and franchise retail tax offices by nearly 100,000 professional tax preparers, and through H&R Block At Home™ digital products. H&R Block Bank provides affordable banking products and services. For more information, visit the H&R Block Online Press Center.

Investor Relations:
Derek Drysdale 816-854-4513 derek.drysdale@hrblock.com

Media Relations:
Gene King 816.854.4287 gene.king@hrblock.com