artec technologies - Termination of coverage

Edison Investment Research is terminating coverage on: • 2G Energy (2GB) • Apontis Pharma (APPH) • Artec technologies (A6T) • Beta Systems (BSSA) • Blue Cap (B7E) • Cyan (CYR) • Consus Real Estate (CC1) • Daldrup & Soehne (4DS) • DATAGROUP (D6H) • Datron (DAR) • Delignit (DLX) • Deutsche Börse (DB1) • Deutsche Grundstücksauktionen (DGR) • Deutsche Rohstoff (DR0) • DVS Technology (DIS) • Edel (EDL) • Ernst Russ (HXCK) • Exasol (EXL) • expert.ai (EXAI/EXSY) • Fashionette (FSNT) • Formycon (FYB)

artec technologies - Uncertain outlook persists for H221

artec’s H121 results showed a 12% y-o-y fall in net revenues to €1.14m, as the group continues to suffer from the economic impact of the pandemic. Global supply chains remain under stress, leading to difficulty in sourcing hardware and project delays. Although management remains positive for FY21, this increases the uncertainty for the FY21 outcome, with projects liable to slip into H122 from the seasonally busiest quarter, Q4. Good cost control with expenses restricted under COVID-19 offset the

artec technologies - A solid FY20, uncertainties persist for FY21

In FY20, artec increased sales by 53% to €3.1m despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with positive EBITDA of €0.33m. Recurring revenues rose to €0.75m, with the company targeting €1m by FY22. artec reported 11% l-f-l sales growth for Q121 but, with sales heavily skewed to Q4, the outlook for FY21 is far from clear due to the lingering effects of the pandemic and hardware supply issues from an industry-wide semiconductor shortage. At year end, artec had cash on the balance sheet of €0.47m. Management re

artec technologies - Positive FY20 progress, focus on MULTIEYE

In a post year-end trading update, artec reported strong sales growth, with FY20 revenues rising 50% y-o-y to €3.2m (FY19: €2.0m), marginally below consensus (€3.25m). Management expects a significantly improved FY20 profit figure y-o-y when it reports its FY20 results. 24% of FY20 revenues are recurring, with contract terms of up to four years giving increasing forward visibility. Two-thirds of sales came from the security side of the business, which continues to show good momentum, while the m

artec technologies - Resilient H1, flurry of H2 contracts

H120 sales of €1.3m (up 43% from H119) represented a resilient first-half performance for artec, given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Management also announced a number of attractive multi-year contracts across both security and broadcast customers, with €0.25m of revenue secured in Q320 and €0.25–0.30m expected in Q420, typically the company’s strongest quarter. artec’s positive trading highlights the benefits of a flexible, diversified business and leaves the group well placed for FY20 d

artec technologies - Carrying sales momentum into FY20

FY19 revenues of €2.0m were weaker than management expected due to a small number of material contracts failing to materialise by year-end. However, those contracts did not disappear and investment in sales in FY19 led to a strong start to H120 (management estimates H120 revenues will exceed €1.5m) with momentum expected to continue in H220. Recent trading has highlighted the benefits of a flexible, diversified business, with the security segment (DACH-focused, government contracts) benefiting,

artec technologies - Prepped and ready to scale

After a strong FY18 with a number of reference orders, H119 was slower than anticipated. Management remains confident about FY19 (H2 should be stronger than H1 due to year-end budgetary cycles), with additional public service wins indicated in Q4. In media, with the exit of Verizon Volicon from the market management believes artec is well placed to win additional European clients. artec invested in capacity in H119 and raised c €1m of equity capital in July to target these accounts and is consid

artec technologies - Positioning for growth

artec recorded a strong 2018, with revenues doubling to €2.9m and the group returning to a small profit. It received a number of important reference orders over the year, which adds impetus to marketing and boosts the potential for future growth. In addition, early this year a major US competitor, Verizon Digital Media Services (VDMS), unexpectedly said it was exiting the market. This provides additional possibilities for artec if VDMS’s European customers (Volicon Observer product) are interest

artec technologies - New strategy is beginning to deliver

artec returned to the black in H118 as revenues more than doubled. The results reflect the impact of the three significant contract wins announced earlier this year. These wins came in the wake of the 2016/17 period that artec spent modernising its software platform and the strong momentum has been continuing, with further new business added in recent weeks in the public sector security segment. If management can sustain the momentum, we believe there is significant upside in the shares.

artec technologies - Positioning for growth

artec spent the 2016/17 period highly focused on modernising its software platform and, as a consequence, revenues dipped by 41% in FY17. However, in recent months, the company has won three prestigious new contracts with high-profile customers in Germany. These contracts provide a significant endorsement of the new platform, and the artec carried out a 10% capital increase to provide working capital to help deliver these contracts. If management can successfully scale the business, we believe t

artec technologies - Contract wins provide excellent references

artec has won three prestigious new contracts in recent months that provide a strong endorsement of the company’s new platform. The wins come in the wake of the 2016/17 period, which the company used to focus on modernising its software platform. artec has subsequently undertaken a 10% capital increase that will provide working capital to help it deliver the new contracts. During the upcoming FY17 results release in April, management intends to reveal a new business plan, which will outline how

- Anticipating a strong H2

The last 18 months has been a transitional period for artec, with the group repositioning itself as a provider of cloud-based data analysis systems. The new cloud platform is highly scalable and will enable artec to generate recurring revenues. While the group ran at a loss in H117, the cloud pipeline is growing and new cloud customers are expected to sign up in H2. The second stage of expansion is set to begin on a project in Qatar and the group has won a new MULTIEYE order with a betting compa

Patented logging and surveillance

artec technologies is a small company that specialises in the recording and storage of audiovisual information for a range of applications. The company can trace its roots back over 20 years, and has established an enviable customer base along with some excellent case studies. However, it has been challenging to drive profitable growth. Backed by targeted investment in FY16, artec is shifting to a cloud-based business model, which we believe will better enable management to scale the business.

Audioboom Group - Q1 24 revenue growth of +11%, FY24E forecasts reiterated

Audioboom’s FY23 results and Q1 trading update show Q1 24 revenue growth of +11% yoy, $6.7m of March 2024 revenue marking the platform’s highest revenue month since May 2022, and a confident outlook that leads us to reiterate our FY24E forecasts. Following the focus on new initiatives through FY23, the platform is now in its strongest ever operational position, with a record 1.1bn monthly ad impressions created in March 2024, record global audience reach of 38.6m unique global listeners in Janua

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

Crimson Tide - FY23 reports +15% revenue; investment phase complete

Crimson Tide has reported FY23 results to December in line with expectations, with additional operating leverage benefitting updated FY24 and maiden FY25 and FY26 forecasts. FY23 delivered +15% revenue growth to £6.2m at 86% GM, of which over 90% is recurring, and maintained £5.8m ARR even after unexpected customer churn in the year as we previously noted. Crucially, the Group achieved milestone adj EBITDA profitability of £0.4m at 7% EBITDA margin, and edges closer to adj PBT profitability expe

Morning Note – 16 April 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

Morning Note – 15 April 2024

Checkit - New product launch and contract wins

Checkit has won contracts with two customers worth at least £417k over the three-year lives of the contracts, confirming its ability to upsell to its existing customer base and supporting our forecasts. Having trialled the new technology with multiple customers, Checkit has launched its Asset Intelligence module, which uses advanced analytics and machine learning to enhance customer sustainability, reduce costs and increase revenue.

Soft growth patch

Auction Technology Group - H1/24 Trading update

ATG’s H1/24 trading statement indicates revenue for the six-month period to 31 March 2024 was $86m, a 6% increase on H1/23 (1% organic growth), helped by the addition of the EstateSales.Net (ESN) marketplace last year, which performed well in the period. Total marketplace revenue increased 2% (organic), driven by growth in value-added services (VAS) and event fees, offsetting a decline in commission revenue (mainly through lower asset prices).

Morning Note – 17 April 2024

Touchstar - Full year results: Recurring revenue strategy delivers further profit growth

Touchstar is a supplier of mobile data computing solutions and managed services to a variety of industrial sectors. This morning's full year results reflect the outcome of a multi-year strategy coming to fruition for the group, with recurring revenue growth of 8.7% delivering overall revenue growth of 7.1% and in turn a 60% increase in PBT to £0.7m. Over the past few years, Touchstar has focused on enhancing the returns from their product offering through a shift towards recurring software licen

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.

Engage XR Holdings - Expanding from FY23, FY24E forecasts reiterated

ENGAGE XR’s FY23 results show revenue and net cash in line with the February trading update, EBITDA ahead at -€4.0m vs -€4.5m due to the split of cash outflow between opex and working capital, and a confident outlook that leads us to reiterate our FY24E forecasts. FY23 revenue for the core ENGAGE platform was unchanged vs FY22 at €3.3m, as H2 23 revenue was impacted by the record seven-figure contract announced in February shifting to 2024, and several enterprise customers scaling back renewals

LIBERUM: Cirata plc: Cirata from the flames

Initial Equity Trading Comments - 19 February 2024