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Earnings Call: OnMobile To Acquire 2 Companies This Fiscal; On Hindi WAP, 3G Services, MCommerce

By Nikhil Pahwa - Wed 30 Apr 2008 05:55 AM PST

Some inputs from the hour long OnMobile Global earnings conference call:

Revenues:
-- International business accounts for 15 percent of total revenue. The company had revenues of Rs. 70 crores and a net profit of Rs. 12 crores if you exclude VoxMobili numbers. The company took a foreign exchange hit of Rs. 2.5 crores because of deferred payments to VoxMobili
-- Top 5 clients account for 75 percent of revenues (down from 81 percent). The company has added 5-6 new international customers in the last few quarters, in the Asia region. There are 4-6 clients in the pipeline, and OnMobile is in talks with all new India carriers.
-- 90-95 percent of revenues (without VoxMobili) is revenue share deals. Revenue shares range from 15-25 percent
-- Voiceportals contribute 35 percent of revenues(include m-radio, cricket updates, contests, exam results etc)
-- Ringbacktones are around 40 percent of revenues. Pricing models for ringtones are changing - now there are subscription models and pay-per-use models

Acquisitions
-- Two acquisitions in this fiscal, but not rushing into deals. The first will be within the next two quarters, largely product based and similar to VoxMobili
-- Using IPO cash and might raise debt (based on market cap) to fund acquisitions
-- Not keen on acquisitions for entering markets, since these tend to have a high premium
-- No specific budget for acquisition
-- Not looking at acquisitions in India. “We believe that there will be consolidation - the large will become larger, and a large number of smaller players will consolidate.”

More on International markets, 3G, MCommerce, products (local language WAP portals), VoxMobili numbers in the extended text

International Markets, MCommerce, 3G
-- In talks with multiple Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) operators worldwide, in talks with 5-6 of them. Something should materialize by end of the year.
-- MCommerce is in its infancy in India. There are technology, regulatory and consumer issues. Will take 2-3 years to become significant
-- Have launched some products international with other operators in order to test for Indian market. Services are in music, entertainment, location based and database services, which have synergy with existing OnMobile products

Products
-- Hindi WAP launched with a Vodafone, is a recent launch so too early to talk about how its done. Have 5 local languages on WAP - Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Hindi and Malayalam. Should take 12-18 months to reach any significance, since WAP penetration itself is low.
-- Mobile Radio (streaming radio on 2G network) with Vodafone
-- Launched lead generation initiatives with one carrier, for a percentage from leads.
-- Phone backup revenues will kick-in in Q2. In short term, is for international markets

VoxMobili:
-- contributed Rs. 31 crores in terms of topline, Rs. 13 crores in terms of bottom line contribution to overall results
-- is expected to grow in European market at 35-40 percent. They’re undergoing a business model change. Moving from licensing to revenue share model. Making changes in accounting practices to recognize revenues on a project completion percentage (since it’s a product co)
-- Loss this quarter - accounting loss of Rs. 7 crores, expected to even out next year
-- Expected to grow faster since it’s earlier in product maturity stage

Posted in: Companies, OnMobile, Earnings



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5 Responses:
  • From Vas-Guy Wed 30 Apr 2008 06:51 AM

    Onmobile is classic case of overvaluation.
    They seem to be not growing much from their current businesses without some finance workings. The operator’s revenue share pressures and so many VAS companies will keep them for large numbers from Indian Business. So

    1. They will always keep their International Business harping. Indian market seems to have got stagnated for them.

    2. They will “claim” and buy many more companies to “acquire revenues”. Every-time they do a conference call (remember time of their listing!) they will say we are out there and buying companies (for skills).

    This seems only way for them to keep showing numbers to stock market.

    Did you see they have more than 560 Cr ? So lot of “capacity” to “buy revenues” and report some fantastic quarterly earnings.
    Interesting fact: Last quarter , they added all year revenues of Vox Mobili in one (3rd) quarter. There will have to have some company aquired before next result annoucement so that “the growth” is sustained.

    There seems few funds keeping the price up in market.  Good for everyone involved!

  • From Long Time Listener Repeat Caller Wed 30 Apr 2008 09:06 AM

    VAS GUY : you were of different opinion when OnMobile filled for the IPO .
    what happened ?? Sold your Stock recently ?

  • From Vas-Guy Wed 30 Apr 2008 08:48 PM

    grin

    I could not afford their price point at the time of IPO. No investments yet !
    Do you think it is a good buy ?
    I heard Cellebrum was coming with IPO , will that be cool ? or BTSL or someone else ? There are not many companies worth in this space, isn’t it.

  • From Long Time Listner Repeat Caller Wed 30 Apr 2008 11:07 PM

    smile

    Now we are talking
    Yes its a good Buy. for some time to come but not forever . this problem is not with this company but with the current model of VAS Industry .  VAS ppl need to have a brand and move away from white label service provider model . White label mode provide some security by operator . but in a world where increasingly Telcos are outsourcing VAS and Opening up their network ,its only a matter of time when White label approach will be irrelevant .

    Yes there aren’t many good investment opportunity in VAS Space . with the possible exception of One97 there is no one poised for a BIG IPO/ payout anytime soon.

    I called reputedly and listen for long time ..no one pay attention but you are VAS GUY ..knock some sense to these guys MAn

  • From Vas-Guy Thu 01 May 2008 12:42 AM

    Hmm… this is interesting !
    Let’s look a parallel here. Device makers in different market operate one of these two methods.
    Some places (typically USA) operator will sell your device and some other (like India) you have to sell your own device , operator is only selling connection.

    You could be probably right here. In long term both approach will find equilibrium somewhere near middle.  I will say “the winner” will be the one who knows this game from both sides and plays according to market space. It definitely is not a one way street. (And rest of them won’t become absolute looser either, Haier sells mostly/only by bundling with operators and still makes “some money”.)

    One97 ? I did not know much about them. What is so special there?

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