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XTD - XTD LTD
On average 11.2 million people commute weekdays by train across NSW, VIC and WA, according to research recently conducted by Nielsen. According to Outdoor Media Alliance (OMA), around 72% of all Australian adults have seen a digital billboard in the past month and around 78% of those people have agreed that digital advertising is ‘attention grabbing’. It has been established that a ‘cross track’ ad is viewed 8 times longer than the average.
OMA states that outdoor media currently accounts for around five percent of total media spend. Furthermore, the outdoor advertising market continues to expand its market share compared to other traditional advertising mediums. Within Australia, revenue of the Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising market rose approximately 17% in 2015.
XTD is the provider of the world’s first cross track digital media and information system designed for metro rail and other high-traffic areas. The company listed on the ASX in December 2014 after completing a reverse takeover of White Eagle Resource Limited. Prior to the listing, XTD Limited was called Lunalite International Pty Ltd. Let us have a look at how XTD has positioned itself to advantage from the growing demand from the outdoor digital media sector.
XTD’s Operations in Detail
XTD Limited is an Australian based technology company that is focused on digital Out-of-Home advertisements through a digital media and information system that is suitable for transit networks in major global cities.
The company mainly provides high quality digital screens, which may include static or moving images, typically positioned in public locations.
XTD’s screens have been designed as a stand-alone digital media channel that do not use or interfere with any existing station controls or monitoring equipment. This enables the system to be compatible with almost any other metro train network in the world, both below and above ground. The screens and other components such as the hardware and software are designed to have low maintenance costs and are monitored continuously.
Before the company listed on the ASX, XTD successfully completed two separate six month trials in both Melbourne and Brisbane rail systems. The company also entered into a seven-year contract with Queensland Rail to install 15 XTD systems within the Brisbane metro network. With regards to the Melbourne rail system contract, XTD had installed 32 screens at the Melbourne Sites and is currently operating them.
APN Outdoor has been appointed as an exclusive sales agent and the company markets the XTD screens under the XtrackTV brand across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
According to Nielsen, the XTrackTV screens have had a high impact on the commuters, as 69% of the commuters have claimed that they pay more attention to advertising in the rail environment than anywhere else. Moreover, the report also states that these screens attracted attention from some of the most discreet audiences, who were otherwise difficult to reach through traditional channels.
Apart from its installations in major transit networks, the company has also extended commitments from Ford and the Australia Defence Force Recruiting in place. Other major marketers that are also attracted to the cross track format screens include BUPA, Origin Solar, St George, ANZ Bank and Mercedes.
The company is currently pursuing international expansion plans in North America and Asia. XTD has targeted the USA as the next key area of growth as it aims to connect with some of the largest outdoor advertising groups, technology companies and media buyers within the region.
XTD Expanded its 1H16 Revenue by 228%
XTD expanded its revenue for the half year ended December 2015 by 228% to $1.8 million. The company subsequently contracted its net loss from $6.5 million to $1.8 million during the period. XTD’s net assets increased from $4.9 million in 1H15 to $5.49 million in 1H16. These results reflected an accelerating interest from media and marketing industries in the effectiveness of cross track digital communications.
In July 2015, the company’s shareholders approved for XTD to raise $1.5 million to accelerate development of Contact Light. As part of the raising, XTD diluted its ownership to 52%, but remains a controlling interest in its subsidiary. Contact Light provides designing and marketing mobile platforms for transport environments. The subsidiary was launched in October 2015.
Wise-Owl’s View
Wise-owl is attracted to the company’s historic revenue growth trajectory, existing contracts and unique position in the industry. The company is well positioned within the digital media and transport advertising market and set for future growth if management can successfully execute on its international expansion strategy. Being one of the “first movers” in the industry, XTD has a competitive advantage, but may become subject to increasing competition. XTD’s technology is not subject to patents and therefore entry barriers are limited to know-how and capital. Not yet profitable, XTD is expected to require further capital to fund its expansion and daily operations.
Overall we favour the balance of risk and believe that XTD is a suitable portfolio addition to investors with speculative appetite.
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