WPCS (Nasdaq)
Anexos ao estudo que estou a efectuar:
1) Risco de diluição reduzido
Uma das maiores preocupações quando entro em qualquer empresa desta dimensão é a possibilidade de emissão de novas acções para o mercado.
Neste caso tal como qualquer startup a WPCS foi emitindo acções desde que entrou em bolsa para financiar a sua actividade e para fazer algumas aquisições, emitiu novas acções todos os anos de 2003 a 2008 embora em maior escala entre 2003 e 2005 que foi o inicio e ainda não tinha dimensão de receitas.
Em 2008 atingiu os 7,25M de acções e em 2009 baixou para 6,94M de acções. Fui investigar o que se passou e encontrei no seu último 10Q:
Stock Repurchase Program
On November 24, 2008, the Company adopted a stock repurchase program of up to 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock until December 1, 2009. The stock repurchase program authorizes the Company to repurchase shares, from time to time, through open market or privately negotiated transactions. A Rule 10b5-1 repurchase plan will allow the Company to purchase its shares at times when it ordinarily would not be in the market because of self-imposed trading blackout periods. The number of shares to be purchased and the timing of the purchases will be based on market conditions, share price and other factors. The stock repurchase program does not require the Company to repurchase any specific dollar value or number of shares and may be modified, extended or terminated by the Board of Directors at any time. Since November 24, 2008, a total of 308,817 shares have been purchased and retired by the Company at a total cost of $729,730 including transaction costs , or an average cost per common share of $2.36, leaving 1,691,183 shares remaining to purchase under the stock repurchase program.
Agrada-me bastante que uma empresa com esta maturidade (quasi-startup) tenha já em consideração a concentração do valor accionista, quando a generalidade das empresas mantém cenários de diluição mesmo em alturas mais avançadas do seu desenvolvimento. Mas mesmo assim, sabendo que existem aquisições na calha, preocupa-me saber como serão feitas.
Visto que estamos próximos de 1 de Dezembro (data final deste plano de recompra)e que a empresa mantém 8,6M em cash, e como ainda não tinha trocado nenhum email com o IR da empresa (gosto sempre de testar e ver como funcionam), aproveitei e enviei um email (na sexta feira) para ver a resposta:
Dear sirs,
I'm a shareholder from Portugal also a non institutional ####### from #########, and I have a few questions, not sure if this is the right email, because I didn't found the IR email address, so if you could pass this email to the right department I'd be pleased.
While analysing your last 10Q regarding the company's repurchase program:
""Stock Repurchase Program
On November 24, 2008, the Company adopted a stock repurchase program of up to 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock until December 1, 2009. The stock repurchase program authorizes the Company to repurchase shares, from time to time, through open market or privately negotiated transactions. A Rule 10b5-1 repurchase plan will allow the Company to purchase its shares at times when it ordinarily would not be in the market because of self-imposed trading blackout periods. The number of shares to be purchased and the timing of the purchases will be based on market conditions, share price and other factors. The stock repurchase program does not require the Company to repurchase any specific dollar value or number of shares and may be modified, extended or terminated by the Board of Directors at any time. Since November 24, 2008, a total of 308,817 shares have been purchased and retired by the Company at a total cost of $729,730 including transaction costs , or an average cost per common share of $2.36, leaving 1,691,183 shares remaining to purchase under the stock repurchase program.""
Is there any information from when (dates) and how (open market or private transaction) the 308,817 shares were repurchased?
About the 1,191,183 shares remaining to repurchase under this program, is it possible to know if it's expectable that more shares will be repurchased before December 1, 2009 taking in consideration the comfortable cash position the company has right now?
Thanks in advance for any feedback you may give me.
sincerely,
Francisco Ramos
O tempo de resposta do IR foi bastante rápido, 5 horas depois (e fora do horário laboral) respondeu-me via iphone, o seguinte:
Andy Hidalgo <andy.hidalgo@wpcs.com>
Re: Question from ShareHolder
Francisco,
Thank you for your email. WPCS repurchased the 300,000 shares between December of 2008 and February of 2009 in open market. We have not purchased since that time since the stock price is much higher and we do not want to use all our cash for stock repurchases. There are acquisitions we would also like to make with cash. However, if the stock price goes down we would consider repurchasing stock again.
Best regards...........Andy Hidalgo
Sent from my iPhone
Gostei da pronta resposta, embora infelizmente não seja de esperar até Dezembro mais nenhuma recompra de acções. Mas por outro lado, é bom saber que a empresa planeia fazer aquisições sempre com cash (e não com emissão de novas acções).
Ainda vou enviar mais umas perguntas ao Andy Hidalgo, mas para já estou bastante seguro em relação à não diluição e formas com que planeiam fazer aquisições.
2) Forte Catalizador na CalhaPara além dos motivos cíclicos que mencionei no meu primeiro estudo, penso ter encontrado um catalizador importante. Este catalizador poderá não ser facilmente ou directamente associado à WPCS, mas penso que vai ter um forte impacto de médio prazo e que me ajudam a ganhar cada vez mais confiança na estimativa de EPS para 2011 mencionada.
Ao ler a seguinte noticia da reuters:
U.S. may need as much as $350 bln to extend broadband
http://www.reuters.com/article/domestic ... WM20090929WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Expanding broadband usage throughout the United States will require subsidies and investment in infrastructure upgrades of as much as $350 billion, a regulatory panel said on Tuesday.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is crafting a national broadband plan aimed at increasing usage in rural and urban areas. The report is due to be submitted to Congress in mid-February.
In a mid-course status report, an FCC task force said preliminary estimates indicate that investments in the range of $20 billion to $350 billion may be needed for wireless and landline infrastructure, depending on the speed of service. The range indicates the slowest speeds to premium fast speeds.
The report, which reflects information from dozens of workshops, did not provide initial recommendations. Panel members said they are still collecting data and studying how consumers are affected. It is expected to issue recommendations in the final report.
The potential costs for investment dwarfs the $7.2 billion set aside in President Barack Obama's massive economic stimulus package. The panel said transferring the universal services fund collected for traditional phone calls for broadband usage will not suffice.
"Subsidy mechanisms must also be considered as a means to universal adoption," the panel said in a statement.
The panel said the majority of Americans have Internet service at home, one-third have access to broadband but have not subscribed, and another 4 percent have no access.
However, those who have broadband are receiving slower speeds than what is being advertised, said the panel, which estimated that actual speeds lag by as much as 50 to 80 percent.
"It is actual speed we should be thinking of," Shawn Hoy, a business analyst for applications on the task force, said at an open meeting with FCC commissioners.
The panel, which is trying to envision a broadband ecosystem 10 years from now, also said broadband usage for online videos and music is increasingly used on mobile devices and putting a strain on networks, driving a need among carriers for more spectrum to meet consumer demand.
Big wireless providers such as AT&T Inc, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp and T-Mobile are seeking more spectrum as they roll out more sophisticated bandwidth-hogging smartphones such as Apple Inc's popular iPhone.
Cable companies such as Comcast Corp and satellite TV providers such as DirecTV also provide broadband products and services.
T-Mobile is a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG. Verizon Wireless is a joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc.
As the demand for smartphones, which many consider small computers, increases applications for those mobile devices they are expected to eat up more bandwidth, which will drive the need for more spectrum.
The panel said with next generation upgrades to the network it expects the sale of those smartphones will overtake the sale of standard phones by 2011.
CTIA, the wireless industry trade group, said spectrum is needed at least over the next six years. "The industry needs access to more spectrum so we can continue to meet the growing consumer demand," CTIA President Steve Largent said.
Another strain on the networks is the broadband usage during peak hours after work, which can result in network congestion and slower speeds.
(Reporting by John Poirier; Editing by Matthew Lewis, Bernard Orr)
Falar-se de 20.000M ou de 350.000M é um bocado diferente, embora sejam números já muito grandes para se duvidar que serão de facto um catalizador para uma empresa como a WPCS que dentro das 3 areas de especializações tem especificamente isto:
http://wpcs.com/wireless_infrastructure.htmlWireless Infrastructure
Wireless communication requires consistent performance. WPCS builds the infrastructure that meets the demand.
Wireless technology has created a new level of connectivity for users around the globe. As demand increases, communication companies are responding by expanding their existing networks and building new capacity. These companies rely on WPCS for the equipment, engineering, construction and support services that keep networks technologically advanced and consistently operational. WPCS builds wireless infrastructure for all facets of communication including cellular, broadcast, microwave, two-way and broadband connectivity. The company also provides in-building network solutions, tower modifications and emergency power systems.
contact solutions specialist
Resta acompanhar o desenvolvimento destes "biliões", ver se se vão situar mais perto dos 20 ou dos 350 "biliões" e tentar extrapolar como poderão afectar as vendas da WPCS nos próximos anos. Se a empresa conseguir apanhar uma pequena fracção destes investimentos o impacto poderá ser muito grande, fazendo as contas por baixo, 0,5% de 20.000M representam 100M, um valor semelhante às vendas anuais actuais da empresa, se considerarmos mais do que 20.000M e mais do que 0,5% poderemos estar a falar de um efeito bastante maior. Não vou tentar contabilizar estes valores, o objectivo de identificar este catalizador é apenas para ganhar mais confiança nas estimativas 2011 que estou a usar e que agora parecem-me até conservadoras.
cumprimentos,