Termination of coverage

Edison Investment Research is terminating coverage on GFT (GFT). Please note you should no longer rely on any previous research or estimates for this company. All forecasts should now be considered redundant.

Deferrals at largest investment bank customers

GFT has lowered its FY17 guidance due to delayed decision making at its two largest investment banking customers – Deutsche Bank (DB) and Barclays. GFT said that management changes at the banks have resulted in deferred orders. However, investment banking revenue outside these two customers has been guided upwards, as has the group’s retail banking segment. But these factors were outweighed by the revenue declines at the two investment banks, and management has cut its FY17 revenue guidance by 6

Q1 constant currency organic growth was 13%

GFT remains on target and thematic trends are broadly the same. Underlying Q1 revenue growth was solid at 13.3%, helped by 3% more days in the period, and management guidance was maintained. GFT’s retail banking activities remain buoyant, benefiting from digital banking projects in continental Europe and the group’s first retail banking project in the US, while the investment banking backdrop remains challenging, not helped by Brexit and the political changes in the US. With the sustained health

Consolidation in FY17, acceleration in FY18

While GFT reported FY16 revenues and EBITDA slightly ahead of our forecasts, the shares fell in response to unexpectedly weak FY17 guidance and higher than expected debt. The guidance reflected the challenging investment banking backdrop, which has been holding back profits in the UK and North America. Nevertheless, GFT’s retail banking activities remain buoyant, benefiting from digital banking projects in continental Europe, and management expects group growth to return to trend levels from FY1

Q3 organic growth remains robust at 12%

Q3 numbers were in line with expectations and management has maintained both its FY16 and long-term guidance. The backdrop remains broadly unchanged, with demand for IT projects (predominantly digitisation) in the European commercial banking sector outweighing weakness in the Anglo Saxon investment banking markets. A recovery in the latter is largely dependent on improvements in the financial performance of investment banks. However, we note the investment banking sector needs to invest in IT to

Q1 constant currency organic growth was 7.6%

GFT reported a solid Q1, with constant currency organic growth of 7.6%. This was slightly below the long-term trend, as the group saw some deferrals in Anglo Saxon regions due to poor results in the investment banking sector and uncertainty relating to the imminent UK vote on the EU. Nevertheless, management expects orders to pick up later this month and in Q3, regardless of the outcome of the BREXIT vote. We have edged our forecasts up with the inclusion of Habber Tec Brazil, which GFT acquired

FY15 was another year of healthy growth

FY15 was another year of solid growth at GFT, with organic revenue growth of 18% at constant currencies. This was achieved in spite of the turmoil in the European investment banking sector, as participants needed to invest in compliance projects and outsourcing trends remain favourable. In our view, if management can continue to maintain the momentum, the stock looks attractive, trading on c 18x our FY17e EPS.

De-rating provides an opportunity

GFT's shares have fallen sharply recently, tracking a steep fall in Deutsche Bank’s shares, along with broad declines across the banking sector. We note that Deutsche Bank generates c 40% of GFT’s revenues. At the time of the Q3 results, GFT said it expects stable revenues from Deutsche in FY16, with the growth coming from other parts of the business. GFT is on Deutsche’s strategic partner list, and GFT handles complex IT projects for Deutsche, along with maintenance of its core business. Compet

Strong Q3 with guidance increased

GFT continued to grow apace, with organic revenue growth (excluding Rule Financial) of 19% in Q3. Margins continued to expand with the adjusted operating margin rising by 100bp to 11.0% over Q2. While FY15 growth has mainly come from investment banking, the pipeline for 2016 is focused on several large retail banking projects. Given management’s increased guidance, we have upgraded our EPS by forecasts by 2% in FY15 and 4% in FY16 and FY17. In our view, if management can continue to maintain the

Organic growth sustained at 23% in Q2

GFT Group produced another strong performance in Q2, to sustain 23% organic growth over H1. Following the disposal of its resourcing division, GFT is now an IT services pure-play focused on the financial services sector. The group’s adjusted operating margin rose to 10.0% in Q2 and we anticipate further margin expansion with revenue growth and profit recovery at Rule Financial. Noting management’s increased guidance and the strong pipeline for FY16, we have upgraded our EPS by forecasts by 11% i

IT services pure-play focused on banks

GFT Group has disposed of emagine, its staffing business. The disposal transforms GFT into an IT services pure-play focused on the banking sector. GFT has also made a small acquisition in Spain, which boosts its presence in Spain and Mexico, strengthens its offerings in the digital banking space and adds new service offerings in digital communication and marketing. The impact of the deals is a modest upgrade for our EPS forecasts. We continue to believe there is a good likelihood of earnings upg

Eleco - FY23 recurring revenue growth of +22%, EBITDA +2% ahead

Eleco’s FY23 results show robust organic recurring revenue growth of +17% with recurring revenue +22% to £20.7m, adj EBITDA +2% ahead of the January update, and a confident outlook with Q1 ARR already at £24.5m vs £22.6m at FY23. At this point, the excellent start to FY24 leads us to reiterate our FY24-26E revenue, adj EBITDA, EFCF, and DPS, and we include the April 2024 acquisition of Vertical Digital in our FY24-26E net cash, as we explain below. As Eleco builds upon the successful acquisition

An excellent win, momentum rebuilding

Made Tech has won a material expansion (worth up to £19.5m/2yrs) with a long-standing customer, The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (“DLUHC”). Coming off the back of a soft H1 bookings performance, we expect this win to materially boost investor sentiment and reassure how notwithstanding a tough backdrop (given an impending general election) MTEC continues to outcompete legacy providers and in-so-doing, grow its share of wallet with large/strategic customers. Landing near FY

LIBERUM: Cerillion: Continued strong trading in 1H

Morning Note – 23 April 2024

To infinity…

Cerillion has announced a very solid update, as H1 sales and EBITDA are both up 10% y/y to £22.5m and £10.9m respectively, notwithstanding the exceptionally strong base period (sales and EBITDA +27% and +38% resp.). Results therefore point to continued strong customer demand, reflecting how Cerillion’s out-of-the-box product continues to resonate and gain adoption, particularly in a ‘budget conscious’ environment, by offering faster time to market, greater configurability and at a lower cost. Me

In-line H1, strategic initiatives advancing at pace

As reported in March, underlying EBITDA profitability improved to record levels despite FX headwinds. Further platform and proposition developments were completed, key steps on its digital roadmap, and it has already won 7 contracts YTD. Alongside planned growth in private membership, this will at least offset the loss of one contract. Forecasts are left unchanged today and, as member engagement throttles back up, FX headwinds ease, and proof points of digital efficiency emerge, markets should b

itim - Further professional services contract secured with The Entertainer

itim is a disruptive SaaS-based platform that enables store-based retailers to implement a proven Omni-channel solution. This morning, the group has announced an additional professional services contract with its long-standing client, The Entertainer. Following a year-long trial, The Entertainer is opening in over 800 Tesco stores across the UK & Ireland, alongside a supplier agreement for Tesco stores across Central Europe. Under the contract, The Entertainer will extend its use of itim's Unify

Intelligent Ultrasound Group - GE Healthcare launches new Voluson Signature with

GE Healthcare has announced the launch of the Voluson Signature 20 and 18 ultrasound systems, with the related press release noting these systems ‘comprehensively integrate artificial intelligence’ to improve the ultrasound procedure for clinicians and the women being scanned. These ultrasound systems include SonoLyst, the AI which incorporates Intelligent Ultrasound’s ScanNav Assist and ScanNav AutoCapture AI software. The launch of additional Voluson systems including the SonoLyst suite of AI

Hybridan Small Cap Feast - 22 April 2024

22nd April 2024 * A corporate client of Hybridan LLP ** Arranged by type of listing and date of announcement *** Alphabetically arranged **** Potential means Intention to Float (ITF) has been announced Dish of the day Admissions: Delistings: What’s baking in the oven? ** Potential**** Initial Public Offerings: Reverse Takeovers: 16 April 2024: Electric Guitar (ELEG.L) Concurrent with its Admission to trading on AIM, Electric Guitar is proposing to acquire the entire issued share capital of 3radi

Alphawave Semi: FY23 trading update, amended forward guidance

Alphawave Semi has reduced guidance for FY23 and prospectively citing lower revenues from China, changes in expected revenue recognition from long-term contracts, and continuing investment in R&D. The share price has reacted negatively, giving up most of the gains since the trading statement at the end of January. Current consensus, which is a good match for pre-existing guidance, should be reduced, most likely following release of the FY23 results and full 1Q24 trading update due on 23 April. H

Morning Note – 26 March 2024

Devolver Digital (DEVO LN) - Rebuild year

Devolver Digital encouragingly delivered 2023 results slightly ahead of expectations and provided a steady medium-term outlook that leads us to reiterate our 2024 Adjusted EBITDA estimates. Longer term, the company is now planning to further develop its two major planned titles, Human Fall Flat 2 and System Era's next major new release. We now expect those major titles to be released in 2026 rather than 2025, meaning we lower our 2025 Adjusted EBITDA forecast to $10.6m from $17.6m but introduce

It’s not what you sell, it’s the way that you sell it

This report is intended to help UK small- and mid-cap investors gain a better understanding of software companies’ routes to market, and to highlight how one of the most important facets of the way in which they grow and deliver value is routinely ignored.  We examine sales processes for six UK-listed companies and one that has recently been taken over, and consider why they have followed their respective paths.

Hybridan Small Cap Feast - 14 Mar 2024

Banquet Buffet*** Abingdon Health 9.25p £11.3m (ABDX.L) The lateral flow contract development and manufacturing organisation announces its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2023. Revenue increased 117% to £2.4m (H1 2023: £1.1m). The Adjusted EBITDA loss decreased 47% to £1.2m (H1 2023: £2.2m). Furthermore, reduction in operating loss of 50% to £1.2m (H1 2023: £2.4m). The Board therefore expects that H2 2024 revenue will be significantly improved compared with H1 2024

Morning Note – 8 April 2024