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 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.

Public Markets

Unfortunately, the FOCUS Communications Service Provider Index (CSPI) continued its downward slide in our winter reporting period with a three-month drop of 8.7%. This was despite a favorable market backdrop in which the S&P 500 gained 10.7% and the NASDAQ gained 8.3%. The situation is similar for the full year period.The CSPI posted an annual loss of 12.4%, while the S&P 500 and NASDAQ closed out the year with gains north of 20%. Not surprisingly, sector multiples are lower than they were in the year-ago period.The CSPI’s revenue multiple dropped from 2.9x to 2.7x, while its EBITDA multiple fell from 8.3x to 7.6x

Public Markets

The FOCUS Telecom Business Services Index (TBSI) returned to positive territory this reporting period with a strong three-month gain of 9.0%. This put the TBSI in between the 10.7% return in the S&P 500 and the 8.3% return in the NASDAQ over the corresponding time frame. The sector looks even better over the longer 12-month time frame. The 34.6% gain in the TBSI outstripped both the 26.9% gain in the S&P 500 and the 21.4% gain in the NASDAQ. In addition, sector multiples went from 0.8x revenue and 9.4x EBITDA in the year-ago period to 1.0x revenue and 11.0x EBITDA at the end of the current reporting period.

Public Markets

After a general upwards trend in our last several reports, the FOCUS Carrier-Focused Telecom Technology Index (CFTTI) reversed course and dropped 7.0% in our winter three-month reporting period. This was despite a reasonably favorable market environment in which the S&P 500 gained 1.0% and the NASDAQ gained 1.8%. Sector losses were broad-based as only one CFTTI sub sector managed to deliver a positive return. For the full year, the CFTTI is still in the black with a year-over-year return of 19.3%. Even with this strong performance, the sector still lags both the 26.1% return in the S&P 500 and the 27.4% return in the NASDAQ over the past 12 months. Sector multiples have shown meaningful increases com- pared to this same time last year. The sector revenue multiple went from 2.2x a year ago to 2.5x currently, while the sector EBITDA multiple increased from 11.3x to 12.0x.

Public Markets

While sector performance has cooled off significantly since our last report, the FOCUS Enterprise-Focused Telecom Technology Index (EFTTI) still managed to deliver a positive return of 1.5% in this most recent three-month period. The sector underperformed the broader indices over this time frame as it lagged both the S&P 500 (up 4.8%) and the NASDAQ (up 5.6%).The situation looks better when measured over the full year as the EFTTI is up 37.8% in the past 12 months. While this still lags the 39.2% gain in the S&P 500 and the 39.6% gain in the NASDAQ, the gap is extremely narrow. Multiples are up strongly com- pared to this time last year.The sub sector revenue multiple closed out the period at 7.0x (up from 5.3x a year ago) while the EBITDA multiple ended up at 27.0x (up from 19.9x a year ago).