Author Archive

Richard Pierce

Richard Pierce has more than 10 years of investment banking experience advising middle market clients on a variety of mergers and acquisitions and capital raising transactions. Mr. Pierce’s primary emphasis has been on serving clients in the telecommunications industry.

FOCUS Telecom U.S. Communications Service Provider Quarterly: Fall 2023 Report

The FOCUS Communications Service Provider Index (CSPI) was in the red for the second straight reporting period as it dropped 0.9% in the past three months. On the bright side, the sector still managed to outperform both of the broader indices as the S&P 500 dropped 3.7% and the NASDAQ dropped 4.1% over this same time period. The CSPI is still up double digits compared to this time last year with a gain of 11.5%. While strong, this increase actually compares unfavorably to the broader indices, each of which boasted increases in the neighborhood of 20%. Sector multiples ended the period at 2.4x revenue and 6.3x EBITDA. Both of these represent increases from year-ago multiples of 2.2x revenue and 5.7x EBITDA.
network devices

FOCUS Telecom Business Services Quarterly: Fall 2023 Report

Public Markets

The FOCUS Telecom Business Services Index (TBSI) returned to the red in our fall reporting period, dropping 2.6% in the past three months. Even so, the TBSI still outperformed the broader indices as the S&P 500 fell 3.7% and the NASDAQ dropped 4.1% over the same time frame. For the full year, the …

FOCUS Telecom Technology Quarterly: Fall 2023 Report

The FOCUS Telecom Technology Index (TTI) jumped up 9.7% in the most recent three months. This outperformed both the 7.8% gain in the S&P 500 and the 8.5% gain in the NASDAQ. However, the situation is reversed for the 12-month period as the 11.9% gain in the TTI lagged the 14.0% gain in the S&P 500 and the 18.8% gain in the NASDAQ. Sector multiples trended higher compared to this time last year, but only by a relatively small margin. The TTI’s revenue multiple increased from 2.4x a year ago to 2.5x currently, while the EBITDA multiple went from 13.1x to 13.7x over the same time period.

FOCUS Telecom U.S. Communications Service Provider Quarterly: Summer 2023 Report

The FOCUS Communications Service Provider Index (CSPI) snapped its streak of positive returns as the sector dropped 3.6% in our summer reporting period. This was despite a strong overall market backdrop that propelled the S&P 500 up 8.3% and the NASDAQ up 12.8% over the corresponding time period. The CSPI also compares unfavorably to the broader indices over the full year time frame. The sector is down 18.7% compared to this time last year, while the S&P 500 and NASDAQ are up 17.6% and 25.0%, respectively. Multiples ended the period at 2.3x revenue (down from 2.5x a year ago) and 6.4x EBITDA (down from 6.8x a year ago).
network devices

FOCUS Telecom Business Services Quarterly: Summer 2023 Report

While its momentum slowed somewhat from our Spring report, the FOCUS Telecom Business Services Index (TBSI) still delivered a positive return with a three-month gain of 2.9%. This lagged the returns of the broader indices as the S&P 500 gained 8.3% and the NASDAQ gained 12.8% over the corresponding time period. Sector multiples are also higher compared to the year-ago period. The sector revenue multiple went from 0.9x to 1.0x, while the sector EBITDA multiple increased from 9.9x to 11.4x.
laps reading book

FOCUS Enterprise-Focused Telecom Technology Quarterly: Spring 2023 Report

Public Markets

After suffering a decline in our winter report, the FOCUS Enterprise-Focused Telecom Technology Index (EFTTI) bounced back this period to deliver a solid three-month gain of 1.5%. This was essentially in-line with the 2.3% gain in the S&P 500, but underperformed the 5.5% gain in the NASDAQ. The EFTTI still remains steeply down …

FOCUS Telecom U.S. Communications Service Provider Quarterly: Spring 2023 Report

The FOCUS Communications Service Provider Index (CSPI) managed a second straight reporting period in positive territory as it posted a three-month gain of 2.7%. While this was certainly a respectable gain, it still significantly underperformed both the 7.0% gain in the S&P 500 and the 16.8% increase in the NASDAQ over the corresponding time frame. Sector multiples were down somewhat and ended the period at 2.4x revenue and 6.4x EBITDA. This compares to sector multiples of 2.6x revenue and 7.4x EBITDA for the year-ago period.
network devices

FOCUS Telecom Business Services Quarterly: Spring 2023 Report

The FOCUS Telecom Business Services Index (TBSI) continued the upward trend we noted in our winter report with a three-month gain of 10.9% for the spring reporting period. This outperformed the 7.0% gain in the S&P 500 but lagged the 16.8% gain in the NASDAQ. This period’s gains also pulled the sector into positive territory for the full year with a gain of 6.0%. This handily outperformed the broader indices, both of which were down sharply over the past year. Sector multiples are fairly consistent with this same time last year. The revenue multiple remained unchanged at 1.0x, while the EBITDA multiple ticked up slightly from 10.9x a year ago to 11.2x currently.

FOCUS Carrier-Focused Telecom Technology Quarterly: Spring 2023 Report

After posting a solid gain in our winter report, the FOCUS Carrier-Focused Telecom Technology Index (CFTTI) dropped 2.2% in our spring reporting period. This was slightly better than the 2.7% drop in the S&P 500, but worse than the 0.1% decline in the NASDAQ. The EFTTI is also down nearly 14% compared to this time last year. Over this time period, the EFTTI lagged the 9.2% decline in the S&P 500 but outperformed the 16.7% drop in the NASDAQ. Sector multiples are also lower than they were at this time last year. The sub sector revenue multiple dropped sharply from 2.5x to 2.1x, while the sector EBITDA multiple posted a more modest decline as it fell from 11.9x to 10.6x.