Pushpay expects breakeven by year-end, maiden operating profit in FY19
By Pattrick Smellie
Nov. 7 (BusinessDesk) - Digital church collection plate operator Pushpay says it expects to break even for the first
time in December this year and to post its first positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and
currency adjustments in the year to March 31, 2019.
The NZX-listed, US-headquartered software-as-a-service company is growing from a strategy targeting medium to
large-sized US churches. It said in today's investor presentation it has 55 of the largest 100 US churches on its books,
including the largest, which boasts 51,900 weekly church attendees. Executives said one of its main competitors,
Blackboard, was focusing more on "the Catholic sector" whereas Pushpay was making inroads with Protestant churches.
The company lost US$4.4 million in the six months to Sept 30, compared with a US$12.5 million loss in the same period
last year, with revenue of US$44 million showing an increase of 48 percent on the same period a year earlier, consistent
with common SaaS strategy to invest in sales growth ahead of profitability.
It expects full year revenue of between US$97.5 million and US$100.5 million.
Chief executive Chris Heaslip said any future positive operating earnings would come in part from a strategy to improve
margins, as well as from increasing market share in "the US faith sector".
Gross margin is expected to increase to more than 60 percent in the second half of the current financial year, from 54
percent in the same period last year.
Once it breaks even, Pushpay will do away with quarterly reporting of key metrics, following investor and analyst
feedback, said chief executive Chris Heaslip. The company has also concluded that one of its benchmarks, annualised
committed monthly revenue, is no longer useful because of the seasonal nature of giving patterns, and will not be
reported in future, he said.
The company, which listed in 2014, declined comment on reports that founder-shareholder Eliot Crowther's ex-wife,
Dorette Banghart, is suing Crowther over the purchase of her share of the couple's stake in Pushpay.
The National Business Review reported last week that around mid-2017, while the couple were discussing divorce
proceedings, Banghart alleges Crowther warned her that, based on inside knowledge, Pushpay shares were about to "go
drastically down" and that she should accept $5 million for her stake.
Crowther sold his 9.03 percent stake in Pushpay for $100 million on June 19.
A company spokeswoman told BusinessDesk the issue was private and declined to comment on questions relating to whether
Pushpay might be joined to Banghart's proceedings or anticipated taking steps to protect its brand, given its exposure
to religious organisations.
Pushpay shares were trading at $3.64, down 1.9 percent on last night's closing price, in early afternoon trading on the
NZX today.
(BusinessDesk)