Showing posts with label Precision Ag. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Precision Ag. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Hemisphere GPS Reports


In its press release, Hemisphere GPS (TSX: HEM.TO) reports that its Q3 revenue grew 46% year-over-year, and its gross margins increased to 52%. Expenses increased 46% year-over-year as well (partly due to the acquisition of Beeline), and the company posted a loss of about $233,000 for the quarter (the loss would have been about twice that if it weren't for Hemisphere's foreign exchange gains).

On the Value Investors Club, Edelheit quotes these bullet points from Canaccord,

1) Revenues USD$13.2M up 46% yr/yr, Gross profit margins 51.6% and EPS (0.00) was better than consensus 12.6M GPM 48% EPS -0.01 (our forecasts 13.2M, GPM 50% /-0.01)
2) Company maintained FY guidance of revenue growth of greater than 45% (we believe mgnt will likely increase its FY guidance to better than 50% on the 11:00am CC)
3) Gross profit margins big positive surprise at 51.6% (slowest qtr of the yr) up 500 bps yr/yr, this should support current forward estimates if not cause some EPS estimates to increase in 2009 (street is 0.25-0.30 USD in FY2009)
4) FX trend of weakening cdn$ is positive for HEM margins (substantial cdn based operating costs), these margins were realized against a cdn$/USD$ spot of 1.06 (obviously we are at 1.18 now)
5) No signs of AG related slowdown
6) At C$1.70 share stock HEM has 20.5M in cash or 0.37/share, is trading at 4.4X 2009 EPS , growth rates in excess of 50% (and company now benefiting from favourably FX trends)
7) Company bought back 181,00 shares in Q3 @ 2.46/share


Edelheit then comments,

Why the heck is this at $1.70? Seriously, this is one of the most ridiculous malfunctions of the market that I`ve ever seen. 46% revenue growth, much better than expected margins and the stock is at 4.4X earnings?


Of course, Hemisphere isn't trading at 4.4x trailing earnings, but at 4.4x estimated 2009 earnings. If Hemisphere actually meets those earnings estimates, I'd expect it will trade at a higher multiple.

The photo above comes from the Hemisphere GPS website.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Hemisphere GPS Reports

Press release from Hemisphere GPS (TSX: HEM.TO): "Hemisphere GPS Reports Record Q2 Revenues, Earns $0.06 per Share as Gross Margins Reach 52.5%". Those earnings were below the more optimistic consensus estimates. 2Q revenues were up 59% year-over-year, but total operating costs were up 63% year-over-year, partly due to the additional costs added with the acquisition of Beeline Technologies. Hemisphere's stock was down about 9% today. I haven't had a chance to listen to the conference call replay yet, but if I hear anything noteworthy when I do, I'll post it here.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Precision Ag Update

Hat tip to Daniel Wahl ("Quick Notes") for noting Trimble Navigation's (Nasdaq: TRMB) earnings release last week. Trimble has a division that competes with Hemisphere GPS (HEM.TO) in the precision ag space. Daniel quoted this excerpt from Trimble's conference call:

"Second quarter 2008 Field Solutions revenue was $90.1 million, up approximately 63 percent compared to revenue of $55.3 million in the second quarter of 2007. Revenue growth was driven primarily by strong demand for agricultural products."


Daniel sees this as bullish for Hemisphere, and I agree. This space seems big enough for more than one firm to do well.

Hemisphere's 2Q conference call is scheduled for Tuesday morning.