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Outlook for the Aerospace Industry: A True Paradigm Shift
The Aerospace Industry’s Outlook Has Changed in Less Than Two Months We now have visibility on
EDAG Accelerates its Portfolio Shift in 2020 While Coping with COVID-19
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Two Vendors Put on Hold their Financial Guidance. This Is Only the Beginning!
Two vendors, Assystem and Semcon, have put on hold their financial guidance for 2020. This is only the beginning.
Akka: 2019 Results in Line. No Visibility for 2020
Akka has not provided a guidance for 2020. The company expects to suffer in H1, from automotive, aerospace and Covid-19
Tuck-In Acquisitions Continue Despite the Stock Markets Melt-Down
Despite the stock market melt-down, ER&D vendors have continued to make tuck-in acquisitions in the past two weeks. The acquired firms were of small size and not likely to impact the net debt of their new owners. However, should the Covid-19-China-US trade-war-Stock Markets meltdown-oil price crisis degenerate into a recession, we expect suck tuck-in acquisitions to become scarce.
Akka Launches a Mandatory Offer for Data Respons
Akka has launched a mandatory offer for Data Respons (DR) that will provide shareholders the opportunity to sell their DR shares. The company has been active on the stock markets since the end of its tender offer on February 13, raising its stake from 72.9% to 78.1%. Akka is hoping to reach 95% of shares and launch a squeeze-out offer later one.
The Head of Tech Mahindra IES Becomes COO at Cyient
Karthik Natarajan, the former head of Tech Mahindra’s Integrated Engineering Services (IES), has joined Cyient as COO. We think, the appointment of Mr. Natarajan is a welcome move for Cyient, which has faced growth challenges in the past quarters, resulting from its client concentration and its exposure to Boeing and Pratt & Whitney.
Bertrandt: Soft Quarter in Q1 FY20
Bertrandt had a soft quarter in Q1 FY20 (corresponding to calendar Q4 2019): revenues were flat (+0.4%) to EUR 263m, impacted by project delays, and reduced utilization rates in its Digital Engineering (DE) unit (-3.0%). DE, Bertrandt’s largest unit (55% of revenues), suffered from Germany OEMs shifting their R&D spending to digital.
Akka Secures 64% of Data Respons’ Stock
After its unexpected revenue growth slowdown in Q4, Akka suffered from a disappointing result: it secured only 64% of the shares of Data Repons. Akka has received regulatory clearance from the German cartel office authority, so now has control over Data Response.
AFRY Declines Organically in Q4
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Sharp Revenue Slowdown for Akka in Q4. Stock down 18%
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Assystem Grows Organically by 10% in 2019
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Alten Slows Down in Q4. Points to Market Adjustment
Alten’s revenues in Q4 slowed down to a growth of +7.3% yoy (at CC/CS ), following double-digit CC/CS growth during Q1-Q3 2019. The company suffered from a demanding comparison basis (+13.7% in Q4 2018), and one lesser working day in several countries (a 0.15% impact on the group’s revenues).
LTTS Unexpectedly Slows Down in Q3 FY20
LLTS’ revenue growth in Q3 FY20 decelerated from 11.9% at CC in Q2 to +7.5% in Q3. The company was hit by a deteriorating situation in its Telecom & High-Tech (-26%), which was impacted by the ramp-down of two clients in its Semiconductor sub-vertical that represents (we estimate) 40% of its Telecom & High-Tech sector. LTTS, also, had flat growth (+2%) in its Industrial Products, with large accounts reducing their spend.
Cyient Surprises Negatively in Q3 FY20 Both in its DLM and Service Businesses
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2020: A Year of Slowdown for ER&D Service Vendors
We are expecting a slowdown in ER&D spending in 2020. Learn more here.
AFRY Acquires A Security Management Unit in Norway
AFRY, the former ÅF Pöyry, made another tuck-in acquisition, in line with its strategy to strengthen its current businesses. The company acquired Norway-headquartered One World.
Ricardo Sells Dolphin N2 to CNH Industrial
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Akka Acquires Data Respons and Makes its Most Expensive Acquisition Ever
In a November blog, we had mentioned that Akka had issued €175m in convertible bonds. Akka
Belcan Acquires in Software Engineering
Belcan strengthened its software engineering capabilities with the acquisition of Base2 Solutions, a firm headquartered in Bellevue, WA and with an office in California. Base2 has a similar client base to Belcan, with major clients including Boeing, Thales, and L3Harris in aerospace and defense.
UPDATED: Bertrandt Ends its FY19 with a Low Point
Bertrandt had a mixed Q4 FY19 performance with revenues up 2.6% and an EBIT margin of 5.2% (down 330 bps). For the full year, revenues reached EUR 1,060m, up 3,8%, within the guidance range the company had provided (EUR 1,041-1,071m).
Poland Continues to Shine at SII in H1 FY20
SII improved its profitability in H1 FY20 despite its reorganization
investments. Its adjusted operating margin was up by 30 bps to 7.2%. France’s margin remained low to 5.6%, improving slightly by 20 bps.
KPIT Had A Solid Q2. Strategic Questions Remain
Automotive engineering pure-play KPIT continued on its growth momentum in Q2 FY20 (+15.2% yoy), enjoying a satisfactory EBITDA margin of 13.4%. KPIT’s financial performance was, however, a notch below that of Q1 both in terms of revenue growth (Q1: +19.3%) and margin (14.6%).
Akka Raises EUR 175m in Convertible Bonds. But Why?
We don’t usually comment on the financial performance of ER&D service vendors beyond their financials. But this time, this is a little bit different: Akka Technologies raised yesterday EUR 175m in convertible bonds, a significant amount for Akka, which has a market cap of EUR ~EUR 1.2bn.