Public Markets

The FOCUS Communications Service Provider Index (CSPI) once again ended up in negative territory after it dropped 7.9% in the past three months. This marks the third straight period where the sector posted a negative return.

Public Markets

The FOCUS Telecom Business Services Index (TBSI) continued to alternate between positive and negative returns each reporting period. Unfortunately, this period was a negative return as the TBSI dropped 7.5% in the past three months.This underperformed the 5.0% drop in the S&P 500 but outperformed the 9.1% loss in the NASDAQ over the corresponding time period. Over the past 12 months the TBSI is in the black with a small gain of 2.3%. However, this return lags both the 14.0% gain in the S&P 500 and the 7.3% gain in the NASDAQ over the past year. Sector multiples are relatively unchanged from a year ago. The TBSI’s revenue multiple held steady at 1.0x, while the EBITDA multiple ticked up slightly from 10.7x a year ago to 10.9x at the end of the current reporting period.

Public Markets

The FOCUS Carrier-Focused Telecom Technology Index (CFTTI) suffered a second straight reporting period in negative territory, although the decline this period was only slight at 0.3%. Even with this period’s decline, the sector still outperformed both the S&P 500 (down 4.2%) and the NASDAQ (down 11.5%) over this past three months. The sector still remains in positive territory for the full year with a gain of 12.6%. This gain lagged the 14.8% increase in the S&P 500 over the past year, but was higher than the 4.2% gain in the NASDAQ. Sub sector multiples ticked up slightly compared to a year ago. The sub sector revenue multiple went from 2.3x to 2.5x, while the sub sector EBITDA multiple expanded from 11.2x to 12.0x.

Public Markets

The FOCUS Enterprise-Focused Telecom Technology Index (EFTTI) dipped sharply into the red this reporting period with a three-month loss of 11.0%. While the broader market indices were down as well, the EFTTI still underperformed both the S&P 500 (down 2.0% for the period) and the NASDAQ (down 8.1% for the period). The sector still managed to remain in positive territory for the full year period with a modest gain of 4.1%. However, this once again underperformed both the 21.6% gain in the S&P 500 and the 9.0% gain in the NASDAQ over the corresponding time frame. Sector multiples closed out the period at 6.0x revenue and 23.5x EBITDA. Both of these represent slight declines from year-ago multiples of 6.3x revenue and 24.1x EBITDA.