Question-and-Answer Session
Operator
(Operator Instructions) Our first question comes from Martin Malloy – Johnson Rice & Company.
Martin Malloy – Johnson Rice & Company
When you talk about seeing some potential improvement late this year in your core markets, can you give us some examples of what you are seeing out there that gives you confidence?
Thomas Long
Yes, I think there's a couple of things we're seeing. One is just looking at our bid flow activity today compared to even three months ago, we're seeing improvement there. We're getting indications that projects again that have been deferred are getting back in front of management teams with the likelihood of going forward. And we still see quite a few opportunities in the E&I market developing. So I think we're just seeing a little different tone than what we saw say even 60 to 90 days ago.
So I think we are expecting to see some signs of improvement later this year. I think some segments will continue to be challenging and other segments I think we're starting to see some good opportunities develop. So it's a mixed bag geographically but all-in-all we're seeing some encouraging signs, and that includes our AST market as well.
Martin Malloy – Johnson Rice & Company
With the international opportunities, can you talk a little bit about the potential timing and type of opportunity that you're seeing there?
Michael J. Bradley
Yes, the types of opportunities that we're looking at, Marty are really focused on the core AST business. The areas that we're looking at are primarily in central South America in the Caribbean right now. Some opportunities are we're activity bidding and some we're developing.
I would say we're being pretty cautious about these opportunities. But again, as I've mentioned before, we've got some talent, we've added a lot of good talent in this organization in the past year, which have experience in these particular areas. So we're starting to look at opportunities that fit our risk profile.
Operator
Our next question comes from Michael Harrison – First Analysis Corp.
Michael Harrison – First Analysis Corp.
I was wondering if you could talk about what was going on in the repair and maintenance business from a gross margin perspective for you to have revenues up year-over-year but margin lower year-over-year. And do you believe that's a temporary impact related to the market weakness or should we reduce our margin assumptions going forward related to other shifts that's gone on in your business?
- To read the full transcript on Seeking Alpha, click here »
