Technology, Capital Markets, Corporate Governance, Leadership, Entrepreneurship
Category: Information Services
Some companies execute smart, strategic acquisitions better than others. Here’s a short list of publicly-traded FinTech & Info Services companies that do M&A well: CoStar Group (tkr: CSGP), Intercontinental Exchange (tkr: ICE), IHS Markit (tkr: INFO) SS&C Technologies (tkr: SSNC) and Verisk (tkr: VRSK). Click Here for Revenue, EBITDA and related metrics. We love FinTech … Continue reading Build. Acquire. Repeat.
FinTech market disruption has led to a bifurcation of FinTech providers - Lions and Lambs. See our "Lions & Lambs" company list with commentary at the end of this note. The FinTech space - whether it be the Capital Markets flavor or the Payments variety - is undergoing rapid change. Within Capital Markets - alternative … Continue reading Acquire or Be Acquired: FinTech Lions and LambsPremium
Many insurers are hesitant to invest aggressively in AI & ML initiatives given that the ROIC is difficult to quantify. This conservatism combined with market disruption bodes well for technology & service providers that offer an Outsourcing option with a demonstrable ROI. Examples include Accenture, EXL Service, IBM Global Services and SS&C Technologies. Plus - … Continue reading We Expect Outsourcing Providers to Gain Traction with Insurance CarriersPremium
When considering enterprise technology purchases – regardless of industry – corporate buyers would do well to think like investors. There are three legs to the technology evaluation stool: 1.) What is the technology provider’s value proposition? 2.) Who is the technology provider? (corporate buyers often pay insufficient attention here) 3.) What is the total cost … Continue reading Technology Buyers Would Do Well to Think Like InvestorsPremium
Three logical, prospective M&A trades (Fintech & Enterprise Software), that make sense for the next 12-36 months. Learn more about each target and prospective acquirer at CEORater.com ...
Bundle Pricing Negotiations Are Preferable to Product Pricing Negotiations Vendors have far more leverage with customers when negotiating pricing for a bundle/platform of products and services as opposed to an a la carte negotiation. There's a reason why cable providers sold content bundles for years - it was the optimal revenue and profit model - … Continue reading Have A Bundle Discussion with Customers, Not A Product DiscussionPremium
Disintermediation Defined Disintermediation is when one party inserts itself between an interested party and its customers (see below table of “disintermediators” and “disintermediatees”). Ironically, parties that suffer disintermediation often invite it upon themselves. Google Disintermediates Yelp and OpenTable For the past several years Yelp restaurant reviews appeared on Google business listings (this appears to have … Continue reading Don’t Be DisintermediatedPremium
The following 7 rules apply to public companies across a variety of industries - particularly to Enterprise Software, FinTech and Information Services companies. 1.) Make Your Numbers 2.) Regular, Transparent Investor Communication 3.) Drive Expanding Operating/EBITDA Margins 4.) Don’t Stockpile Cash 5.) Control Waste 6.) Use Debt as a Tax Shield 7.) Board Composition – … Continue reading 7 Rules for Keeping Activist Investors AwayPremium
1.) Be Bold: Similar to VCs, public investors want to invest in a bold vision. (See Tesla). Why does TSLA enjoy a premium valuation to other Auto OEMs? Answer: Musk’s vision and spin. 2.) Don’t Be Bullied by Investors – Dictate Your Story: Tell the Street you plan to take margins down temporarily to pursue “X” initiative. … Continue reading 3 Rules for Tech CEOs
Square's Jack Dorsey – Tech's Best Value Over Past 14 Months We dipped into our CEORater database as we regularly do and ran a query to return the Technology stocks with the greatest stock price appreciation over the period January 3rd 2017 through February 23rd 2018. We then took the Top 20 Technology Companies as … Continue reading Square’s Jack Dorsey – Technology’s Best CEO Value
