Public Markets
The FOCUS Communications Service Provider Index (CSPI) dropped 12.8% in the past three months.This is the fourth straight period (a full year) where the sector suffered a negative return. Losses were broad based, with every sub sector in the CSPI in negative territory. The broader indices were also down this period with the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ falling 16.5% and 22.4%, respectively. Not surprisingly given this recent string of losses, the CSPI is deeply in negative territory for the full year period with a decline of slightly more than 31%. This decline is even larger than the substantial declines in the broader indices of 11.9% in the S&P 500 and 24.0% in the NASDAQ. Sector multiples are meaningfully lower than they were a year ago.The sector revenue multiple went from 3.1x to 2.5x, while the sector EBITDA multiple went from 8.7x to 7.1x.
