SAP SE: Cloud Backlog Shoots Up But Is It Enough? – Key Drivers, Financial Forecasts, DCF & Comparables Valuation, ESG & Other Risks (04/23)

SAP delivered a highly disappointing set of results failing to meet the revenue expectations as well as the earnings expectations of Wall Street. The backlog in the cloud increased by 25% in the quarter which was a good sign. Also, revenue from the cloud increased by 22% from the previous quarter. The current cloud backlog and cloud revenue for S/4HANA increased by 79% which is why Q1 revenue increased by 9% overall. Furthermore, the company produced double-digit operating profit growth in Q1, u

SAP SE ADR: Launch Of SAP Build & Other Drivers, Financial Forecasts, DCF & Comparables Valuation, ESG & Other Risks (02/23)

SAP delivered a mixed set of results in the final quarter of 2022 as it surpassed the revenue expectations of Wall Street but missed out on earnings. Despite the macroeconomic situation, 2022 was a decent year for SAP, highlighted by its cloud performance across all geographies. The company went ahead in increasing cloud revenue by 24%. Its cloud transformation is in full swing, with recurring revenue up to 79% in 2022. This year, cloud revenue also surpassed support revenue to become SAP's sing

SAP SE ADR: Initiation of Coverage – Financial Forecasts, DCF & Comparables Valuation, ESG & Other Risks (10/22)

This is our first report on SAP, the global ERP, market leader. The company delivered a mixed quarterly result as it managed to surpass Wall Street expectations on the revenue front with a strong double-digit cloud order entry growth but missed out on meeting earnings expectations. SAP’s performance in the North American and Latin American markets is particularly robust. Larger cloud transactions are becoming more common. The company’s cloud revenue has gradually become its largest revenue stre

War weighs on profitability but targets remain unchanged

SAP’s Q1 results were a mixed bag. While revenues were above consensus, profitability came in lower due to the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war. Nevertheless, the group reported better-than-expected momentum for its Cloud business. This was visible in the marked growth across all regions. The growth in S/4 HANA was also solid. Backed by these positives, the group is confident of making up for the negative impact from the war and confirmed its outlook.

Decent progress towards cloud transition

Throughout 2021, SAP continued to see an increasing shift towards cloud transition. The group’s ‘RISE with SAP’ programme continued to attract customers and S/4HANA showcased robust growth. These trends are expected to persist in 2022. Licensing revenues declined with a similar trend expected going forward. Operating profitability was lower than expected but the bottom line benefited from a strong contribution by Sapphire Ventures. The profitability target for 2022 is lower than expectations but

Q3 brings another increase in outlook

SAP, in Q3, built up on the traction seen in cloud transition in the previous quarter. SAP posted encouraging numbers as ‘Rise with SAP’ gathered further momentum and attracted new customers as well. S/4HANA also continued to attract customers as demand remained solid. Consequently, licence revenues declined. Similar to the previous quarter, the group once again raised its outlook up a notch. However, we see no monumental change to our estimates.

Acceleration of cloud transition

In Q2, SAP built on the good traction seen in its cloud transition through its Rise with SAP programme. This was visible in its current cloud backlog growth and cloud revenues. Licence revenues declined as expected. Good momentum was also seen in S/4 HANA and the group saw a general improvement in demand as reopening took place. After this release, the group raised its outlook albeit marginally. We will keep our recommendation unchanged.

Q1 21 is a qualitative positive

SAP’s Q1 numbers were very similar to Q1 FY20’s in terms of revenues but lower in terms of operating profits. A clear positive, though, was the good traction in the group’s cloud business which was evident from the group’s current cloud backlog and cloud revenues. While it is still too early to call on 2025 plan, these developments are a good omen that SAP will be able to handle the transition well and deliver on its medium-term targets.

A satisfactory Q4 result closes out FY20

SAP’s Q4 figures showed a sequential improvement. They also helped it to surpass its revised FY20 guidance for revenue and achieve the high-end of the range in operating margins. FCF generation in particular was a positive and some ways ahead of the guidance. The group also put forward its FY21 outlook and reiterated its FY25 ambitions. The transformation will take time.

Mediocre Q3 is only the beginning of the tough slog ahead

SAP’s Q3 results were average at best and missed our expectations. Consequently, the group not only lowered its FY20 guidance but also pushed its mid-term target out by two years from FY23 to FY25. These developments come as a result of two crucial mistakes: 1/being late to drive the push from licenses to cloud and 2/under-estimating how fast the transformation would occur, mostly aided by COVID. The result, a long road ahead to growth.

FCF target raised and further cash to come with Qualtrics IPO

SAP today posted its final Q2 figures, confirming the preliminary results reported last week. The company raised its operating cash flow and FCF expectations for the year. It also announced the listing of Qualtrics, which it acquired in November 2018, while keeping a majority stake in the company, which looks logical given the synergies between both. All in all, this is positive news.

A co-CEO leaving the ship

There were no major surprises in the figures compared to the pre-release in early April. The main surprise was the announcement regarding the departure of Jennifer Morgan, the co-CEO with Christian Klein, with the latter now taking over as sole CEO.

Poor new Cloud bookings

SAP’s 19Q4 results were mixed, though globally in line with consensus, with sales up +8% and a margin contraction of 590bp on an IFRS basis, while it expanded by 110bp on non-IFRS. It is always strange to observe such a difference trough in accounting methods. The cloud development quarter over quarter was also disappointing with a clear deceleration in new cloud bookings in relative terms. We remain unconvinced by SAP’s current equity story based on shifting from licences to cloud revenues.

CMD feedback

As part of its Capital Markets Day, the SAP’s new team confirmed the mid-term targets (growth and margins) set earlier by the former CEO. While revenues of above €35bn and operating profit of c.€11.9bn by 2023 were both already known, the new target was on FCF, which is expected to grow by 15-25% per year and reach c.€8bn by 2023. The ambitions are there, but the execution will be more complicated in our view. We stick to our Reduce recommendation.

Gaia-X: fiction or reality?

Europe clearly admits the domination of the cloud by the American majors. Independence is becoming increasingly urgent, especially since the Trump administration signed the Cloud Act in 2018, allowing it to ask American companies to deliver their customers’ data, including those stored outside the US. The German project, called Gaia-X, aims to create a European legal framework necessary for the development of a European cloud. Although the European Commission supports the initiative, it remains

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