Boku — Mobile payment platform for digital content

Boku (AIM: BOKU)

Last close As at 27/03/2024

GBP1.85

1.50 (0.82%)

Market capitalisation

GBP560m

More on this equity

Research: TMT

Boku — Mobile payment platform for digital content

Boku’s direct carrier billing platform offers an alternative customer acquisition route for digital content merchants. Use of Boku’s platform has boosted subscriber numbers for customers such as Spotify due to its ease of use. The company is well positioned to benefit from the growth of digital content, as well as from connecting its existing merchants to additional carriers in multiple countries. Today’s trading update confirms that there is strong and growing demand for the Boku platform and that the company has now reached EBITDA profitability on a run rate basis.

Katherine Thompson

Written by

Katherine Thompson

Director

TMT

Boku

Mobile payment platform for digital content

Support services

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23 January 2018

Price

85.0p

Market cap

£181m

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Share details

Code

BOKU

Listing

AIM

Shares in issue

213.6m

Business description

Boku is the largest independent direct carrier billing company. It operates a billing platform that connects merchants with mobile network operators (MNOs) in more than 50 countries. It has 148 employees based in the US, UK, Germany and India.

Bull

Customers are market leaders

Digital content market forecast to grow

EBITDA turned positive in H217; net cash position

Bear

Customer concentration

Limited pricing power

Multiple MNO relationships to manage

Analysts

Katherine Thompson

+44 (0)20 3077 5730

Boku is a research client of Edison Investment Research Limited

Boku’s direct carrier billing platform offers an alternative customer acquisition route for digital content merchants. Use of Boku’s platform has boosted subscriber numbers for customers such as Spotify due to its ease of use. The company is well positioned to benefit from the growth of digital content, as well as from connecting its existing merchants to additional carriers in multiple countries. Today’s trading update confirms that there is strong and growing demand for the Boku platform and that the company has now reached EBITDA profitability on a run rate basis.

Scale play in direct carrier billing

Boku is the largest independent provider of direct carrier billing (DCB) services. DCB is an alternative payment mechanism that enables consumers to pay for (mainly) digital goods and services via their mobile phones, whether they are on a pre-paid or post-paid contract. Boku has an impressive roster of merchants already using its service, including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Sony and Spotify. From the merchant’s perspective, offering DCB provides access to consumers that either do not have a credit or debit card, or prefer not to use them online. It can also provide a faster and simpler way to pay, removing friction in the payment process. Boku should benefit from market growth in digital content (eg music, games, video) as well as growth in the number of carriers connected to each merchant.

Strong trading update

Boku has confirmed that trading further strengthened in Q417, and expects to report FY17 revenues of $24-24.5m (+40% y-o-y). The company processed transactions (TPV) worth $1.7bn in FY17 (H1 $0.6m, H2 $1.1bn), versus $544m in FY16. As lower margin transaction-based revenues are growing faster than higher margin settlement-based revenues, TPV growth outpaces revenue growth; despite this, the pace of TPV growth in the medium term should drive material revenue growth over FY18 and FY19. With positive adjusted EBITDA expected in H217, the company is well on the way to generating positive cash flows. Cash at the end of FY17 stood at $20m, providing ample funds to support the business until cash flow break-even and to fund development, whether internally or via acquisition.

Valuation: Reflects strong growth prospects

Boku is currently trading on an EV/sales multiple of 10.0x FY17e and 7.3x FY18e, and an EV/EBITDA multiple of 54.2x FY18e. Forecast strong growth in revenue and profitability should bring these multiples down to more normal levels from FY19.

Consensus estimates

Year
end

Revenue
(US$m)

EBITDA
(US$m)

EPS
(c)

DPS
(c)

EV/EBITDA
(x)

Yield
(%)

12/16

17.2

(12.3)

(74.8)

0.0

N/A

0.0

12/17e

23.5

(2.9)

(4.2)

0.0

N/A

0.0

12/18e

32.0

4.3

(0.0)

0.0

54.5

0.0

12/19e

40.0

11.9

2.3

0.0

19.7

0.0

Source: Boku, Bloomberg

Disclaimer

Edison is an investment research and advisory company, with offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East and AsiaPac. The heart of Edison is our world-renowned equity research platform and deep multi-sector expertise. At Edison Investment Research, our research is widely read by international investors, advisers and stakeholders. Edison Advisors leverages our core research platform to provide differentiated services including investor relations and strategic consulting. Edison is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Edison Investment Research (NZ) Limited (Edison NZ) is the New Zealand subsidiary of Edison. Edison NZ is registered on the New Zealand Financial Service Providers Register (FSP number 247505) and is registered to provide wholesale and/or generic financial adviser services only. Edison Investment Research Inc (Edison US) is the US subsidiary of Edison and is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Edison Investment Research Pty Limited (Edison Aus) [46085869] is the Australian subsidiary of Edison. Edison Germany is a branch entity of Edison Investment Research Limited [4794244]. www.edisongroup.com

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Frankfurt +49 (0)69 78 8076 960

Schumannstrasse 34b

60325 Frankfurt

Germany

London +44 (0)20 3077 5700

280 High Holborn

London, WC1V 7EE

United Kingdom

New York +1 646 653 7026

295 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor

10017, New York

US

Sydney +61 (0)2 8249 8342

Level 12, Office 1205

95 Pitt Street, Sydney

NSW 2000, Australia

Frankfurt +49 (0)69 78 8076 960

Schumannstrasse 34b

60325 Frankfurt

Germany

London +44 (0)20 3077 5700

280 High Holborn

London, WC1V 7EE

United Kingdom

New York +1 646 653 7026

295 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor

10017, New York

US

Sydney +61 (0)2 8249 8342

Level 12, Office 1205

95 Pitt Street, Sydney

NSW 2000, Australia

Disclaimer

Edison is an investment research and advisory company, with offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East and AsiaPac. The heart of Edison is our world-renowned equity research platform and deep multi-sector expertise. At Edison Investment Research, our research is widely read by international investors, advisers and stakeholders. Edison Advisors leverages our core research platform to provide differentiated services including investor relations and strategic consulting. Edison is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Edison Investment Research (NZ) Limited (Edison NZ) is the New Zealand subsidiary of Edison. Edison NZ is registered on the New Zealand Financial Service Providers Register (FSP number 247505) and is registered to provide wholesale and/or generic financial adviser services only. Edison Investment Research Inc (Edison US) is the US subsidiary of Edison and is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Edison Investment Research Pty Limited (Edison Aus) [46085869] is the Australian subsidiary of Edison. Edison Germany is a branch entity of Edison Investment Research Limited [4794244]. www.edisongroup.com

DISCLAIMER
Copyright 2018 Edison Investment Research Limited. All rights reserved. This report has been prepared and issued by Edison for publication globally. All information used in the publication of this report has been compiled from publicly available sources that are believed to be reliable, however we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this report. Opinions contained in this report represent those of the research department of Edison at the time of publication. The securities described in the Investment Research may not be eligible for sale in all jurisdictions or to certain categories of investors. This research is issued in Australia by Edison Investment Research Pty Ltd (Corporate Authorised Representative (1252501) of Myonlineadvisers Pty Ltd (AFSL: 427484)) and any access to it, is intended only for "wholesale clients" within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 of Australia. The Investment Research is distributed in the United States by Edison US to major US institutional investors only. Edison US is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Edison US relies upon the "publishers' exclusion" from the definition of investment adviser under Section 202(a)(11) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and corresponding state securities laws. As such, Edison does not offer or provide personalised advice. We publish information about companies in which we believe our readers may be interested and this information reflects our sincere opinions. The information that we provide or that is derived from our website is not intended to be, and should not be construed in any manner whatsoever as, personalised advice. Also, our website and the information provided by us should not be construed by any subscriber or prospective subscriber as Edison's solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect, any transaction in a security. The research in this document is intended for New Zealand resident professional financial advisers or brokers (for use in their roles as financial advisers or brokers) and habitual investors who are "wholesale clients" for the purpose of the Financial Advisers Act 2008 (FAA) (as described in sections 5(c) (1)(a), (b) and (c) of the FAA). This is not a solicitation or inducement to buy, sell, subscribe, or underwrite any securities mentioned or in the topic of this document. This document is provided for information purposes only and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation for investment in any securities mentioned or in the topic of this document.
A marketing communication under FCA rules, this document has not been prepared in accordance with the legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and is not subject to any prohibition on dealing ahead of the dissemination of investment research. Edison has a restrictive policy relating to personal dealing. Edison Group does not conduct any investment business and, accordingly, does not itself hold any positions in the securities mentioned in this report. However, the respective directors, officers, employees and contractors of Edison may have a position in any or related securities mentioned in this report. Edison or its affiliates may perform services or solicit business from any of the companies mentioned in this report. The value of securities mentioned in this report can fall as well as rise and are subject to large and sudden swings. In addition it may be difficult or not possible to buy, sell or obtain accurate information about the value of securities mentioned in this report. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. Forward-looking information or statements in this report contain information that is based on assumptions, forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable, and therefore involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of their subject matter to be materially different from current expectations. For the purpose of the FAA, the content of this report is of a general nature, is intended as a source of general information only and is not intended to constitute a recommendation or opinion in relation to acquiring or disposing (including refraining from acquiring or disposing) of securities. The distribution of this document is not a "personalised service" and, to the extent that it contains any financial advice, is intended only as a "class service" provided by Edison within the meaning of the FAA (ie without taking into account the particular financial situation or goals of any person). As such, it should not be relied upon in making an investment decision. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Edison, its affiliates and contractors, and their respective directors, officers and employees will not be liable for any loss or damage arising as a result of reliance being placed on any of the information contained in this report and do not guarantee the returns on investments in the products discussed in this publication. FTSE International Limited ("FTSE") (c) FTSE [2014]. "FTSE(r)" is a trade mark of the London Stock Exchange Group companies and is used by FTSE International Limited under license. All rights in the FTSE indices and/or FTSE ratings vest in FTSE and/or its licensors. Neither FTSE nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the FTSE indices and/or FTSE ratings or underlying data. No further distribution of FTSE Data is permitted without FTSE's express written consent.

Frankfurt +49 (0)69 78 8076 960

Schumannstrasse 34b

60325 Frankfurt

Germany

London +44 (0)20 3077 5700

280 High Holborn

London, WC1V 7EE

United Kingdom

New York +1 646 653 7026

295 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor

10017, New York

US

Sydney +61 (0)2 8249 8342

Level 12, Office 1205

95 Pitt Street, Sydney

NSW 2000, Australia

Frankfurt +49 (0)69 78 8076 960

Schumannstrasse 34b

60325 Frankfurt

Germany

London +44 (0)20 3077 5700

280 High Holborn

London, WC1V 7EE

United Kingdom

New York +1 646 653 7026

295 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor

10017, New York

US

Sydney +61 (0)2 8249 8342

Level 12, Office 1205

95 Pitt Street, Sydney

NSW 2000, Australia

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