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Tag: Software
We caution investors to not get ahead of themselves by anticipating a return to "normal", 2019 revenue growth rates in 2021. Most Software companies have a significant Subscription revenue component. Given that Subscription bookings activity slowed for most every Enterprise Software company in 2020, this will translate to slower reported Subscription revenue growth over the … Continue reading Software Revenue Growth Will Be Muted for Many in 2021
From Bubble valuations to zombie companies to Cleantech, 2021 is likely to deliver more of the excesses of 2020. Barring a negative event out of left field, it will take a meaningful interest rate hike and/or corporate tax increase to derail the asset bubble of 2020 that bled into equities, fixed income, home values, lumber, … Continue reading 2021 Outlook: The Froth Will Continue
Technology companies are accelerating share repurchase activity in the face of economic uncertainty and record high share prices. This runs counter to our preference which is to invest for long-term growth. Apple (AAPL) spent $72 billion on share repurchases in the fiscal year ended September 30th, up from $67 billion last year. AAPL cash flows. … Continue reading Share Repurchase Activity Is Accelerating at The Expense of Investing for Growth
For our inaugural CEO Hall of Fame class we selected CEO Hall of Fame members largely based upon their contribution toward building their respective companies as well as creating long-term shareholder value. Our selection process included a variety of quantitative and qualitative elements including financial operating performance, total stock returns, longevity, innovation, corporate governance and … Continue reading The CEORater CEO Hall of Fame Class of 2020
Not unlike other Technology companies, capital markets-focused FinTech companies have benefited in recent years from the Fed's persistent low interest rate policy and from the Trump tax cuts. The difference between this FinTech cohort and many Bay Area Enterprise Software companies is that this FinTech group generates meaningful cash flow (29% median Operating Cash Flow … Continue reading Capital Markets FinTech Companies Generate Cash for Your Investment Dollar
Rather than differentiate its product from Microsoft Teams, Slack Technologies is using the courts to compensate for its lack of creativity. Admittedly is it not easy to compete with Microsoft. This is especially true when your product is an undifferentiated horizontal offering. Rather than compete in the courts (Slack Files EU Competition Complaint Against Microsoft), … Continue reading Compete On the Playing Field. Not In Court.
Short-term greed has gripped some of the world's largest Technology companies. A number of CEOs and Boards are guilty of trading long-term innovation and customer value for short-term share price support. Innovative companies (we provide examples), have bucked the buyback trend. Record high corporate debt levels have funded record share buyback activity in recent years. … Continue reading Binging On Buybacks At Innovation’s Expense
The depression will be deep and broad. Yes, even the beloved Enterprise Software sector will be impacted despite investors who believe the sector is impervious to negative inputs. The bullet points below are not hypothetical puts to the economy. They are real and are happening now. Banks are tightening credit. Commercial bankers are tightening now. … Continue reading The Pain Is Coming & The Recovery Will Be Uneven
We are due for an equity market shakeout. The NASDAQ is up 450% since January 2009. The 26% spike in the NASDAQ from October 2019 to February 2020 on a lack of supporting fundamentals is like nothing I've ever seen. By late March we had traded down 30% from February's high yet we have gained … Continue reading The Market Is Upside Down
More Market Uncertainty Is Coming. However, Don't Paint with A Broad Brush. Align Yourself with Market Leaders. We expect Enterprise Software companies to provide conservative outlooks for the 2020 calendar year. We do not expect Enterprise Software companies to completely yank their respective 2020 outlooks as have other Technology companies. We anticipate negative investor sentiment … Continue reading Enterprise Software 2020 Outlook
