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SubscribeFeatured
FY22
FY24
Change ($m)
(8)
(9)
(17)
4
4
(12)
(3)
(7)
(31)
20
-
(32)
(47)
(28)
2
126
(83)
209
(50)
-
50
100
150
200
-
1
2
3
4
Jan 20
Jan 21
Jan 22
Jan 23
Jan 24
Jan 25
Equity value
Enterprise value
Offer price per share
$0.80
Equity value
$56.4m
Shares outstanding
70.4m
Net debt*
$63.0m
Total equity value
$56.4m
Total enterprise value
$119.4m
Tech Insights #385
Honey talks: Comvita’s bees-ness
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
25 August 2025
Acquisition offer details (NZD)
Comvita monthly share price since 2020 (NZD)
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at This Tech Insights report looks at Comvita, an NZX-listed mānuka honey producer. On 18 August 2025, Florenz, a subsidiary of billionaire Mark Stewart’s Christchurch-based investment firm Masthead, put in a bid for Comvita, offering $0.80 per share under a Scheme of Arrangement. The bid follows Florenz’s 2024 acquisition of Wedderspoon, another NZ mānuka honey brand. The Comvita Board unanimously support the acquisition. The company’s two largest shareholders, together holding 18.3%, have also committed their support. In recent years, Comvita has struggled with elevated inventory levels and supressed demand after a surge for health products during COVID.
Overview
*Net debt as at June 2025
$0.80 per share offer on 18 Aug represents:
•~67% premium to 15 Aug 25 closing price
EBIT (NZD $m) – FY22 versus FY24 (June year end)
(11)
(7)
(35)
(59)
(24)
6
109
(92)
201
(50)
-
50
100
150
200
Note EBITDA was NZD $31m and NZD $3m in FY22 and FY24 respectively.
Revenue
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Other income
Marketing
Selling & distribution
Admin & other
Software
EBIT
15%
15%
1%
(3%)
(10%)
-
10%
20%
FY22
FY23
FY24
FY25F
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Page 2 of 2
Subscribe and see previous reports at Tech Insights #385
Honey talks: Comvita’s bees-ness
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
25 August 2025
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet, company announcements, and annual reports. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
*FY25 includes a half year of actuals and a half year of forecast
Comvita revenue by region (NZD $m)
-
50
100
150
200
250
FY22
FY23
FY24
FY25*
Other
EMEA
North America
ANZ
Rest of Asia
Greater China
Comvita net debt (NZD $m)
26
53
80
63
-
20
40
60
80
100
FY22
FY23
FY24
FY25
Comvita EBITDA margin (%)
Inventory / COGS (%) for select NZX companies
146%
122%
86%
60%
59%
46%
28%
14%
13%
-
40%
80%
120%
160%
Comvita’s inventory is 1.5 times its annual COGS
Dollar value per bee (June 2024)
17,218
operational hives
40,000
bees per hive
689m
worker bees
x
=
$4.2m
Value of Comvita’s bee assets
0.6 cents
per bee
-
100%
200%
300%
400%
500%
600%
Jan 23
Jul 23
Jan 24
Jul 24
Jan 25
Jul 25
TechnologyOne
CAR Group
Seek
-
100%
200%
300%
400%
500%
600%
Jan 23
Jul 23
Jan 24
Jul 24
Jan 25
Jul 25
Xero
WiseTech
REA
-
100%
200%
300%
400%
500%
600%
Jan 23
Jul 23
Jan 24
Jul 24
Jan 25
Jul 25
Gentrack
EROAD
Vista
Serko
IkeGPS
-
100%
200%
300%
400%
500%
600%
Jan 23
Jul 23
Jan 24
Jul 24
Jan 25
Jul 25
Blackpearl
PaySauce
TradeWindow
Tech Insights #384
ANZ tech company performance
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
18 August 2025
Subscribe and see previous reports at clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Overview
This Tech Insights report looks at a selection of ANZ technology companies. We compare share price performance, valuation multiples and revenue growth since the start of 2023. It’s noticeable how closely the share price performance of the three largest companies (Xero, REA and WiseTech) resemble one another. It’s also interesting to compare how much larger the valuation multiples are for the selection of large-cap ASX companies compared with the mid-cap NZX companies (page 2).
Largest ASX tech companies – share price index
Large-cap ASX tech companies – share price index
Mid-cap NZX tech companies – share price index
Small-cap NZX tech companies – share price index
EV > NZD $20b
EV between NZD $10b - $20b
EV between NZD $100m - $1,100m
EV < NZD $100m
-
5x
10x
15x
20x
25x
30x
35x
WiseTech
Xero
REA
CAR
Tech. One
Seek
Gentrack
Serko
Vista
IkeGPS
EROAD
Black pearl
Trade Window
PaySauce
Jan 2023
August 2025
(20%)
-
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
WiseTech
Xero
REA
CAR
Tech. One
Seek
Gentrack
Serko
Vista
IkeGPS
EROAD
Black pearl
Trade Window
PaySauce
Jan 2023
August 2025
Tech Insights #384
ANZ tech company performance
Page 2 of 2
Subscribe and see previous reports at clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been solely sourced and calculated from FactSet. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
18 August 2025
ANZ tech companies – EV / LTM revenue multiples
ANZ tech companies – LTM revenue growth rates
Largest ASX tech companies
Large-cap ASX tech companies
Mid-cap NZX tech companies
Small-cap NZX tech companies
Largest ASX tech companies
Large-cap ASX tech companies
Mid-cap NZX tech companies
Small-cap NZX tech companies
Blackpearl
Trade Window
PaySauce
Blackpearl*
Trade Window*
PaySauce
*No historic revenue growth data
Technology One
Technology One
+
CAR Group
CAR Group
Abano Healthcare Group, Arvida Group, Augusta Capital, Diligent Corp., Finzsoft Solutions, Fliway Group, Hellaby Holdings, Manawa Energy, Marsden Maritime Holdings, Methven, Metlifecare, MHM Automation, Nuplex Industries, NZ Windfarms, Opus International Consultants, Pulse Energy, Pushpay Holdings, SLI Systems, Tilt Renewables, Trade Me Group, Trilogy International, Wellington Merchants, Z Energy
-
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
-
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Equity value (NZD $b)
Share price premium
Tech Insights #383
Acquisition premiums for listed companies
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
11 August 2025
NZX acquisitions (NZD $b)
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at This Tech Insights report looks at share price premiums for acquisitions of publicly listed companies. We look at NZX-listed companies that were acquired, comparing share price premiums to the equity value of the target company. Typically, the larger deals have lower share price premiums than smaller deals. This trend is also observable for acquisitions on the ASX or NYSE. The total dollar value of smaller deals is likely to make it easier for acquirers to offer higher premiums.
Overview
Completed acquisitions of NZX-listed companies over the past 10 years. Premium refers to the final offer price in the process compared to the undisturbed share price.
Undisturbed share price. In several of these instances, there were market rumours or activity prior to the formal acquisition announcement that suggested a deal was likely. Our definition of the undisturbed share price captures the price prior to a clear announcement that a deal has been tabled.
-
5
10
15
20
25
30
-
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Equity value (NZD $b)
Share price premium
-
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
-
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Equity value (NZD $b)
Share price premium
Tech Insights #383
Acquisition premiums for listed companies
Page 2 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
11 August 2025
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at Completed acquisitions of ASX-listed companies over the past 5 years.
ASX acquisitions (NZD $b)
Completed acquisitions of NYSE-listed companies over the past 5 years.
NYSE acquisitions (NZD $b)
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet and other sources. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Company size
Count
Size range $b
1st quartile
Median
3rd quartile
Large
38
> 1.0
15%
27%
35%
Mid
87
0.1 – 1.0
27%
43%
73%
Small
74
< 0.1
15%
37%
77%
Company size
Count
Size range $b
1st quartile
Median
3rd quartile
Large
49
> 10
16%
27%
39%
Mid
148
1 - 10
11%
24%
46%
Small
77
< 1
17%
34%
55%
$3b – $40b
$30b – $100b
120% - 1,500%
120% - 310%
Tech Insights #382
Debt funding an acquisition
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
4 August 2025
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at Funding / flow
100% equity funded (no debt)
1/3 equity, 2/3 debt funded
Note
Bought for $60m (6x EBITDA)
Debt funded for $40m, rest equity
Debt funding equal to 4x EBITDA
Equity outlay
Equity funding reduces to $20m when debt used
Dividends
Interest on debt reduces dividends distributed
Sale proceeds
Sell for 6x year 3 EBITDA ($13.3m x 6 = $80m)
Repay debt
Debt balance of $40m is repaid (after 3 years)
Total flows
With debt, there is less cash received overall,but for only 1/3 of the cash invested upfront
MoM1
(26 + 80) / 60 = 1.8x
(19 + 40) / 20 = 3.0x
Net cash inflows divided by initial cash outflows
IRR
23%
52%
Internal Rate of Return
This Tech Insights report looks at the impact of debt funding as part of an acquisition. We illustrate this with a simple example where an acquisition is funded fully with equity (i.e. no debt) or a mix of equity and debt. This business is held for 3 years and then sold. We look at the impact of the funding method on equity investor returns in a base scenario (page 1) and when the business experiences downside performance (page 2).
Overview
46
80
26
(60)
Assumptions:
Base scenario – steady growth and margin
While interest on debt reduces the dividends,leverage improves the equity return from 1.8x to 3.0x
(and IRR from 23% to 52%).
Time period
3 years
Revenue
$100m
EBITDA
$10m
Interest rate
8%
Entry / exit multiple
6x EBITDA
Revenue growth
10%
EBITDA margin
10%
Corporate tax rate
28%
39
(40)
80
19
(20)
1MoM = Money-on-Money
Tech Insights #382
Debt funding an acquisition
Page 2 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
4 August 2025
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at Downside scenario – no growth and deteriorating margin
Summary
Funding
MoM (x)
IRR (%)
Base scenario
Downside scenario
60
20
40
60
20
40
Assumptions:
0.6x
1.0x
3.0x
1.8x
(20%)
(0%)
52%
23%
•EBITDA falls to $7m, so the value of the sale proceeds falls to $42m (6x EBITDA).
•Without debt, the MoM is flat at 1.0x.
•With debt, the equity investment loses 40% of its value (0.6x MoM).
•This assumes a 6x multiple is still achieved despite decreased performance.
Funding / flow
100% equity funded (no debt)
1/3 equity, 2/3 debt funded
$60m (6x EBITDA)
Debt $40m, rest equity
Equity outlay
Dividends
Sale proceeds
Repay debt
Total flows
MoM
(17 + 42) / 60 = 1.0x
(10 + 2) / 20 = 0.6x
IRR
(0%)
(20%)
(1)
42
17
(60)
Revenue growth
0% (10% in base scenario)
EBITDA margin
Falls to 7% over 3 years
•
Debt amplifies return outcomes – it boosts returns when the business performs, but worsens losses if performance weakens.
•The higher the level of debt, the stronger this effect.
•Debt reduces the equity capital outlay required per deal, allowing for greater portfolio diversification. For example, with $60m of equity, you could fund one all-equity deal, or three deals using $20m of equity each (with debt support).
Disclaimer Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Equity
Debt
(8)
(40)
42
10
(20)
Tech Insights #381
Vista Group
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
28 July 2025
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at -
10
20
30
40
50
60
-
25
50
75
100
125
150
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY17
FY18
FY19
FY20
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
Total revenue
Global box office revenue
-
1x
2x
3x
4x
5x
6x
Jul 14
Jul 15
Jul 16
Jul 17
Jul 18
Jul 19
Jul 20
Jul 21
Jul 22
Jul 23
Jul 24
Jul 25
-
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
-
25
50
75
100
125
150
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY17
FY18
FY19
FY20
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
Overview
New Zealand cinema company Vista Group’s FY25 result highlights the continued progress in its SaaS strategy. Recurring revenue, which comprises of SaaS and non-SaaS revenues, now making up close to 90% of the total revenue and grew 8.5% over the last 12 months. While EBITDA margins remain below historic highs, due to investment in product and platform, Vista’s shift to subscription-based models continues to gain traction.
Vista Group Limited (VGL)
Valuation multiple (EV / NTM revenue)
Revenue
Vista total revenue (LHS) v Global box office (RHS)
December year end
4.6x
Total revenue
Recurring revenue
Non-recurring revenue
EBITDA margin
NZD $b
2 Box Office Mojo by IMDB.com Inc as at 25 July 2025
2
NZD $m
December year end
1 FY20 had negative EBITDA margin
1
NZD $m
FY23
FY24
Recurring revenue
124.0
134.6
Non-recurring revenue
19.0
15.4
Total revenue
143.0
150.0
Total revenue growth
5.8%
4.9%
Gross profit
89.7
89.7
EBITDA
13.3
21.6
EBITDA margin
9.3%
14.4%
Develops software and data analytics tools for the global film industry. Covering cinema management, ticketing, distribution, marketing, and box-office reporting.
Exchanges
NZX and ASX
Market cap.
$836m (25 July 2025)
NZD $m
-
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
300%
Jul 20
Jan 21
Jul 21
Jan 22
Jul 22
Jan 23
Jul 23
Jan 24
Jul 24
Jan 25
Jul 25
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
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Vista Group
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
28 July 2025
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet and other sources. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Price index for selected companies and indices (last five years)
Comparator metrics for selected companies as at 25 July 2025 (NZD $m)
Company
Based
Description
Enterprise value
LTM revenue
LTM EBITDA
LTM revenue growth
EV/NTM revenue
2 year share price
change
5 year share price
change
Vista Group
NZ
Cinema management and analytics software.
845
150
24
5%
4.6x
90%
173%
Xero
NZ
Cloud-based accounting for small businesses.
31,014
2,102
645
23%
10.8x
46%
98%
Gentrack
NZ
Utility billing and customer management software.
1,079
223
32
19%
4.4x
133%
713%
Serko
NZ
Corporate travel and expense management software.
293
88
1
29%
2.3x
(29%)
(20%)
EVT
AU
Entertainment and cinema (EVENT Cinemas) operator.
4.160
1,313
307
(1%)
2.8x
31%
115%
LTM = Last 12 months, NTM = Next 12 months, EBITDA= Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation & Amortisation
Vista Group’s share price has outperformed Xero, Serko, ASX200 and the NZX50 (price return) over the last five years. This period starts in July 2020, shortly after the panic selling of stock due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vista Group recorded its lowest share price in April 2020, due to cinemas around the world closing their doors for a period.
ASX200
NZX50
Tech Insights #380
Xero’s acquisition of Melio
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
21 July 2025
Deal structure, funding, and implied valuation
USD values from investor presentation are converted at NZD / USD $0.6
Xero and Melio FY25 P&L summary
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at On 25 June, Xero announced plans to acquire US-based Melio for an upfront consideration of USD $2.5bn (NZD $4.2bn). Founded in 2018, Melio is a B2B platform that helps small to medium businesses (SMBs) manage accounts payable and receivable workflows. Serving 80,000 customers, it offers multiple payment methods and integrates with accounting software. The acquisition will allow Xero customers to pay bills without leaving the Xero platform. It will be Xero’s largest transaction to date and represents around 16% of Xero’s enterprise value. This acquisition is a strategic play for Xero with CEO Singh Cassidy noting that it “enables a step change in North America scale”.
Overview
Item
Units
EV
NZD $m
29,312
4,177
Customers
000s
4,414
80
ARPU
NZD
45
437
Total revenue
NZD $m
2,103
257
YoY growth
%
23%
43%
Gross profit
NZD $m
1,872
49
Gross margin
%
89%
19%
EBITDA
NZD $m
638
(127)
Free cash flow
%
507
(154)
Rule of 40**
%
44%
(20%)
•
Melio is valued at 16% of Xero
•
Melio currently generates 12% of Xero’s revenue
•
But Melio has only 3% of Xero’s gross profit (given a much lower gross margin)
•
Melio has significant cash burn which will impact Xero’s free cash flow and rule of 40
31 March year end
**sum of revenue growth and free cash flow margin
*Includes NZD $95m of transaction fees
Deal structure
NZD $m
Upfront
4,177
Contingent consideration payable to Melio employees
833
Total consideration
5,010
Upfront consideration funding sources
NZD $m
1)Institutional placement (fully underwritten)
2,005
2)Scrip issued to Melio shareholders
593
3)Revolving credit facility
667
4)Existing cash from Xero's balance sheet
1,007
Total funding
4,272*
Implied Melio valuation
Consideration
type
Melio EV
(NZD $m)
Melio FY25 revenue (NZD $m)
EV / revenue (x)
Upfront
4,177
257
16.3x
Total
5,010
257
19.5x
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Xero’s acquisition of Melio
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
21 July 2025
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet and company annual reports and announcements. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
-
100
200
300
FY25
FY25 combined
Xero
Melio
Melio revenue types (USD $m)
-
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
FY25
Subscriptions
Float
Transactions
1)Subscriptions – monthly revenue to use platform (introduced Sep 2024)
2)Float – income earned on funds held
3)Transactions – variable charges based on transaction volume
Melio clip rate on transactions
-
0.1%
0.2%
0.3%
0.4%
0.5%
-
10
20
30
40
50
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
FY25
Total payment volume (USD $bn)
Clip rate (transaction revenue /total payment volume)
Xero’s US revenue (USD $m)
Acquired cloud-based invoice lending platform for $57m
Acquired
e-invoicing network infrastructure and service provider for $18m
Acquired US cloud based inventory management provider for $14m
Acquired cloud-based reporting, insights and analytics platform for $70m
Acquired Canadian tax preparation software for $55m
Pending acquisition of US SMB accounts payable platform for $2,506m
Xero notable M&A transactions (USD $m)
Aug 20
Mar 21
Mar 21
Nov 21
Dec 21
Sep 24
Jun 25
Acquired workforce management platform for $209m
LOCATE
Note FY presented ending 31 March
Tech Insights #379
Choc-onomics
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
14 July 2025
This Tech Insights report unwraps the global chocolate industry and spotlights the iconic Swiss chocolate company, Lindt & Sprüngli. Switzerland consumes more chocolate per capita than any other country and is home to several premium chocolate brands.
Overview
Top annual chocolate consumption (kg per capita)
Source: StatInvestor
8.8
8.1
7.9
7.9
7.6
6.6
6.5
5.8
5.7
5.6
5.4
5.2
5.1
5.0
4.9
4.9
4.9
4.8
4.4
4.3
-
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
Switzerland
Austria
Germany
Ireland
UK
Sweden
Estonia
Norway
Poland
Belgium
Finland
Slovakia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Denmark
Australia
Czechia
Russia
USA
France
Annual consumption per capita (kg)
Extreme weather events, strong global demand and supply chain issues have driven cocoa prices to record highs over the past two years, with current prices still over double the long-term average.
Global cocoa prices (USD $ per kg)
Europe
Oceania
North America
-
4
8
12
Jul 20
Jul 21
Jul 22
Jul 23
Jul 24
Jul 25
USD $ / kg
Annually, Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa produces over 40% of the world’s cocoa supply.
Global cocoa production
-
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Côte d'Ivoire
Ghana
Ecuador
Nigeria
Indonesia
Other
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at Source: International Cocoa Organization
Tech Insights #379
Choc-onomics
Page 2 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
14 July 2025
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet and other sources. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Listed confectionary company metrics (NZD $m)
Lindt & Sprüngli raised product prices by 6% in 2024 and has signalled further increases in 2025 to offset rising cocoa prices.
Lindt & Sprüngli margins
Lindt & Sprüngli revenue by geographic segment (NZD $b)
45%
51%
46%
46%
47%
48%
37%
41%
41%
39%
12%
13%
13%
13%
5.8
7.1
8.2
9.4
10.3
-
5
10
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Rest of the World
North America
Europe
Year end Dec
clarecapital.co.nz/tech-insights
Subscribe and see previous reports at Company
Location
Key brands
Enterprise value
LTM
revenue
LTM revenue growth
Gross profit margin
EBITDA margin
Revenue multiple
EBITDA multiple
LTM share price change
Nestlé
Switzerland
KitKat, Aero, Rolo
522,515
171,519
(2%)
47%
21%
3.0x
14.4x
(17%)
Mondelez
United States
Cadbury, Toblerone
177,565
61,431
1%
32%
16%
2.9x
17.5x
3%
Hershey
United States
Hershey’s, Reese’s
63,976
18,119
(6%)
41%
24%
3.5x
14.8x
(12%)
Lindt & Sprüngli
Switzerland
Lindt, Ghirardelli
63,820
10,267
5%
41%
22%
6.2x
28.8x
22%
Lotte
South Korea
Pepero, Choco Pie
15,626
18,866
1%
25%
8%
0.8x
10.3x
38%
Meiji
Japan
Meiji
9,775
12,753
4%
29%
12%
0.8x
6.3x
(15%)
Median
63,898
18,492
1%
36%
19%
3.0x
14.6x
(5%)
36%
40%
41%
42%
41%
17%
20%
20%
21%
22%
-
10%
20%
30%
40%
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Gross profit margin
EBITDA margin
-
2.5x
5.0x
7.5x
10.0x
12.5x
15.0x
17.5x
20.0x
22.5x
25.0x
Jun 20
Dec 20
Jun 21
Dec 21
Jun 22
Dec 22
Jun 23
Dec 23
Jun 24
Dec 24
Jun 25
7.2x
Tech Insights #378
Cloud Index as at 30 June 2025
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Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
7 July 2025
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Overview
This report looks at valuation multiples for cloud companies publicly listed in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. After a weaker March quarter, both indices rebounded through June. The US Cloud Index increased to 7.2x EV/NTM revenue, up 19% from March, while the ANZ Cloud Index rose to 7.6x, an 11% lift over the quarter. The US Cloud index remains below its five-year average of 10.3x, while the ANZ Cloud Index finished above its five-year average of 7.4x.
NTM revenue multiple for cloud companies listed in the US and ANZ (EV / NTM revenue)
ANZ Cloud Index
Average
12MMA
Jun 25
7.6x
7.1x
Mar 25
6.8x
7.0x
Change
11%
1%
Jun 24
6.9x
6.2x
Change
10%
14%
US Cloud Index
Average
12MMA
Jun 25
7.2x
6.6x
Mar 25
6.1x
6.4x
Change
19%
3%
Jun 24
6.0x
6.3x
Change
21%
4%
Note: Indices are calculated using a simple average (equal weighting), with the ANZ index (25 companies) comprising of companies that have a minimum NZD $250m market capitalisation versus NZD $500m for the US Index (88 companies). Avg = Average, NTM = Next 12 months, 12MMA = 12 month moving average.
Key:
US
ANZ
Average
12MMA
5yr avg
7.4x
7.6x
10.3x
-
5.0x
10.0x
15.0x
20.0x
Jun 20
Jun 21
Jun 22
Jun 23
Jun 24
Jun 25
-
10.0x
20.0x
30.0x
40.0x
Jun 20
Jun 21
Jun 22
Jun 23
Jun 24
Jun 25
75th percentile
Median
25th percentile
Tech Insights #378
Cloud Index as at 30 June 2025
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Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
7 July 2025
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US cloud companies NTM revenue multiple
ANZ cloud companies NTM revenue multiple
8.2x
5.4x
3.4x
11.4x
5.2x
2.8x
US cloud companies
25th
75th
30 Jun 2025
Average
percentile
Median
percentile
EV (NZD $m)
44,852
4,411
9,635
29,789
EV / NTM rev
7.2x
3.4x
5.4x
8.2x
Revenue growth (NTM)
14%
5%
13%
20%
EV / LTM rev
8.8x
3.8x
6.1x
10.0x
Revenue growth (LTM)
17%
9%
17%
25%
Operating margin
(1%)
(9%)
(0%)
11%
ANZ cloud companies
25th
75th
30 Jun 2025
Average
percentile
Median
percentile
EV (NZD $m)
8,174
704
1,844
12,471
EV / NTM rev
7.6x
2.8x
5.2x
11.4x
Revenue growth (NTM)
12%
4%
10%
19%
EV / LTM rev
9.1x
2.9x
5.7x
13.5x
Revenue growth (LTM)
10%
4%
8%
15%
Operating margin
26%
15%
30%
38%
Note: The percentiles for each metric are calculated individually. Companies added or removed from each index take effect from the first day of the reported quarter.
EV = Enterprise Value, LTM = Last 12 months, NTM = Next 12 months.
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been solely sourced and calculated from FactSet. ClareCapital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Tech Insights #377
Software margins
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Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
30 June 2025
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Overview
This Tech Insights report looks at margins for software/SaaS companies. We compare EBITDA, EBIT and net income margins for a group of global and ANZ software companies. There is a clear trend for most of these organisations between the three margins, with a step down from EBITDA to EBIT to net income. EBITDA is a good proxy for cash generation on average, but viewed in isolation, EBITDA can overstate cash generation for software companies with extensive capital expenditure.
Software company: margin analysis
(30%)
(20%)
(10%)
-
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
EBITDA margin
EBIT margin
Net income margin
Global companies
ANZ companies
D&A (100%)
Income tax (85%), Interest (10%), other (5%)
Example: Split in margins for Microsoft
-
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Intangible asset amortisation
Leased asset depreciation
Physical asset depreciation
Tech Insights #377
Software margins
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Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been solely sourced and calculated from FactSet. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
30 June 2025
Depreciation & Amortisation as a portion of revenue (D&A margin)
-
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
<100m Rev
100m-500m Rev
500m-2b Rev
2b+ Rev
Median D&A margin for software companies
Overview
FactSet defined “packaged software” companies.
~700 companies.
Groupings split by LTM revenue.
Global companies
ANZ companies
D&A split out for NZ based companies
-
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
-
50
100
150
200
250
Tech Insights #376
Software company EBITDA
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Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
23 June 2025
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Overview
This Tech Insights report looks at EBITDA for software/SaaS companies. Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation & Amortisation (EBITDA) is used as a proxy for operating cash generated by a company. EBITDA isn’t a perfect indicator of cash generation/profitability, especially for companies with significant capital expenditure spend, but is a useful metric for understanding the financial performance of a company. This report looks at the 10 largest software companies and a group of ANZ based software companies, with the criteria shown on page two. Note, there may be differences in how FactSet calculates EBITDA for different companies.
Largest 10 software companies EBITDA (NZD $b)
ANZ software companies EBITDA (NZD $m)
Largest 10 software companies EBITDA margin
ANZ software companies EBITDA margin
Tencent
Oracle
IBM
Salesforce
SAP
Others
Microsoft
Xero
WiseTech
HUB24
Iress
Bravura
NZ based*
Others
*Serko, Vista, Gentrack, EROAD
-
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
5 years ago
Current
-
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
5 years ago
Current
Note: negative EBITDA margins are not shown
-
10x
20x
30x
40x
50x
60x
70x
2023
2024
2025
-
5x
10x
15x
20x
25x
30x
2023
2024
2025
Tech Insights #376
Software company EBITDA
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Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been solely sourced and calculated from FactSet. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
23 June 2025
Largest 10 software companies LTM EBITDA growth
ANZ software companies LTM EBITDA growth
Largest 10 software companies EV/LTM EBITDA
ANZ software companies EV/EBITDA
Criteria
Largest 10 software companies: Size based on EV, are identified as “packaged software” companies by FactSet.
ANZ software companies: Based in ANZ with an EV > NZD $200m and identified as “packaged software” companies by FactSet (18 companies).
Value weighted
Microsoft
Median
Xero
Value weighted
Median
-
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
-
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
+
+
Note: Serko had negative EBITDA in the previous period
-
100
200
300
400
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
Total Revenue
Gross profit
EBITDA*
Tech Insights #375
Tait Communications
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Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
16 June 2025
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Overview
Tait Communications is a Christchurch-based designer and manufacturer of radio communication products for emergency services and industry applications. Its shareholders are Japanese multinational JVCKenwood and majority owner the Tait Foundation - an initiative set up to support STEM education in New Zealand honouring founder Sir Angus Tait’s legacy. It has grown into a private business of considerable scale, driven recently through acquisitions. Page 1 gives a financial overview and page 2 dives into recent M&A activity including a proposed takeover of NZX-listed company Vital. Tait Communications’ June year-end financials are available through the New Zealand Companies Office.
Cash generation (NZD $m)
Profit and loss summary (NZD $m)
Debt funding profile (NZD $m)
Operations overview
RFI acquisition contributed to major step up in FY24.
-
10
20
30
40
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
Free cash flow to the firm(excl. acquisitions)
(60)
(40)
(20)
-
20
40
60
80
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
Total debt
Cash
Net debt
Strong cash generation and no debt could position Tait to debt fund acquisitions.
Broadband radio solutions
Worker safety technology
Voice and data systems
*presented after cash lease costs
Proposed takeover of Vital (NZX: VTL)
-
10
20
30
40
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
Revenue
EBITDA
Capital expenditure
Tech Insights #375
Tait Communications
Page 2 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
16 June 2025
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Wired
Predominantly Auckland and Wellington based fibre optic networks for wholesale broadband connections.
Wireless
Mobile radio network for use cases in utilities and emergency services.Key customer: Vital service Hato Hone St John’s network for ambulances and event health services.
Operating segments
Takeover details
Proposed offer
Offer price (per share)
$0.45
Offer price (per employee option)
$0.13
Shares outstanding
41.5m
Option outstanding
1.1m
Total equity value
$18.8m
Select financials ($m)
RFI acquisition (Feb 2024)
Consideration
$m
Assets acquired & liabilities assumed
$m
Cash
45.9
Cash
16.5
Deferred payment
12.6
Inventory
37.3
Estimated earnout (assumed to be paid in full)
8.2
PPE
7.5
Other assets less liabilities assumed
9.7
Total consideration
66.7
Total identifiable assets
70.9
Tait Communications’ acquisition of RFI Technology showed a unique target asset base comprised of predominantly working capital items with the majority of the identifiable assets being inventory.
M&A history – other transactions
Sep 2014
Dec 2018
Feb 2025
Acquired Analogue & digital communications business and long-time partner SGM Telecomunicaçõcoes
Brazil
Acquired Video technology company m-View specialising in body-worn cameras
Australia
Sold 40% stake of Tait Communications to JVCKenwood
Japan
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced and calculated from the Companies Office, NZX and other sources. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions, you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Tait Communications recognised a bargain purchase gain of $4.2m (identifiable assets less consideration).
Tait Communications has lodged notice of its intention to acquire all of the shares in NZX-listed company Vital. Tait’s deadline to make a formal offer is 4 July 2025.
Implied enterprise value
$m
Equity value
18.8
Bank loans
12.6
Bank overdraft
1.0
Cash
0.0
Total enterprise value (Net debt as at 31 Dec 2024)
32.4
Tech Insights #374
NZ D2R investment platforms
Mergers & acquisitions
Corporate finance advisory
Capital raising
9 June 2025
-
2
4
6
8
10
12
Mar 21
Mar 22
Mar 23
Mar 24
Mar 25
-
100
200
300
400
500
Mar 21
Mar 22
Mar 23
Mar 24
Mar 25
-
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Mar 17
Mar 19
Mar 21
Mar 23
Mar 25
-
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Mar 17
Mar 19
Mar 21
Mar 23
Mar 25
Page 1 of 2
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Overview
NZ Direct-to-retail (D2R) investment platforms, such as Sharesies and InvestNow, have revolutionised investing, making investing accessible to everyday individuals with smaller amounts of money. Since their respective launches, Sharesies and InvestNow have experienced significant growth, attracting new investors as well as competitor platforms such as Kernel and Hatch. This Tech Insights report analyses self-reported assets under administration (AUA) and account figures from each of the selected D2R platforms, charting their growth over time. We also explore valuation and other financial metrics from comparable transactions and publicly listed companies.
KiwiSaver members (000s)
Approx. 1% of Sharesies investor base are in their KiwiSaver scheme, suggesting upside potential.
KiwiSaver AUA (NZD $m)
Total platform AUA (NZD $b)
Investor accounts (000s)
Average investor balance ($000s)
InvestNow and Kernel have 30,000 and 20,000 accounts respectively.
Average KiwiSaver balance ($000s)
Sharesies
InvestNow
Hatch
Kernel
InvestNow was first to launch KiwiSaver. Data sourced from Morningstar surveys.
Average balance is interpolated from reported AUA and investor accounts.
-
1
2
3
4
Mar 17
Mar 19
Mar 21
Mar 23
Mar 25
-
20
40
60
80
100
120
Mar 21
Mar 22
Mar 23
Mar 24
Mar 25
Tech Insights #374
NZ D2R investment platforms
Mergers & acquisitions
Corporate finance advisory
Capital raising
9 June 2025
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Platform comparison
Launch date
Primary revenue model
Interest bearing
Managed funds (PIEs)
KiwiSaver
Equities
Major shareholders
Last transaction
Jun 17
Brokerage, exchange and subscription fees
Interest bearing savings account
13 funds across six managers
Managed fund and pick-and-mix NZ shares
NZ, AU and US shares and ETFs
Founders, TradeMe, Amplo, staff and others
$50m capital raise at $450m pre-money valuation (Jan22)
Mar 17
Management fees on AUA
Term deposits from six major banks
150+ diversified / single sector funds
40+ diversified / single sector funds
-
100% owned by Apex Group
Sold to Apex Group for an undisclosed sum (Nov22)
Sept 19
Management fees on AUA, exchange and subscription fees
Interest bearing savings account
25 in-house funds
18 in-house funds to choose from
US shares and ETFs only
Founders, Zino Ventures, staff and others
$3m capital raise at $42m pre-money valuation (Nov23)
Sept 18
Brokerage and exchange fees
-
-
-
US shares and ETFs only
75% FNZ and 25% Jarden
Acquired Jarden Direct for $50m cash and $30m in equity (Jul22)
Page 2 of 2
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet and other public data. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Selected comparable valuation metrics (6 June, native currency)
Target/Company (Acquirer/Ticker)
Comparable type
Relevant date
Enterprise value (EV) ($m)
Assets under admin (AUA) ($bn)
Investor accounts (000s)
EV / AUA
EV / accounts
E*TRADE (Morgan Stanley)
Acquisition
20 Feb 2020
12,693
360
5,200
3.5%
2,441
Envestnet (Private Group)
Acquisition
11 Jul 2024
4,360
6,000
20,000
0.1%
218
Spaceship (eToro)
Acquisition
26 Sep 2024
80
2
200
5.3%
400
SelfWealth (Syfe)
Acquisition
7 May 2025
55
12
129
0.5%
426
Hatch (FNZ)
Acquisition
4 Oct 2021
40
2
130
2.0%
308
Charles Schwab (SCHW-US)
Listed company
As at 6 Jun
147,866
9,892
44,838
1.5%
3,298
Robinhood (HOOD-US)
Listed company
As at 6 Jun
64,805
221
25,800
29.3%
2,512
eToro (ETOR-US)
Listed company
As at 6 Jun
5,087
17
3,500
30.6%
1,454
Tiger Brokers (TIGR-US)
Listed company
As at 6 Jun
1,150
42
1,092
2.8%
1,053
Median (all)
2.8%
1,053
Average (all)
8.4%
1,345
IPO date
13 May 2025
IPO price (expected range)
$52 ($46 -$50)
Opening share price
$69.69 (34% ↑ IPO)
# shares (primary / secondary)
6.0m / 6.0m
# overallotment shares
1.8m
IPO proceeds
$713m
IPO valuation
$4.3b
2021 SPAC valuation (range)
$8.8b -$10.4b
Tech Insights #373
eToro IPO
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
26 May 2025
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This Tech Insights report looks at eToro, which had an oversubscribed IPO earlier this month (13 May). eToro operates a trading platform that allows users to trade stocks, cryptocurrencies and other assets, and has a social trading feature that allows users to replicate the strategies of top traders. eToro generates revenue primarily through trading fees charged on user transactions and interest earned from margin positions and uninvested funds. eToro initially tried to list via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in 2021, but the deal fell through. This report analyses eToro’s performance to date and compares it with other listed trading platforms.
Overview
ETOR:NASDAQ IPO details
Active users by region (Dec 24)
70%
16%
10%
4%
Europe and UK
Asia Pacific
Americas
Middle East and Africa
Active users
(Dec 24)
3.5m
-
1
2
3
4
Mar 22
Sept 22
Mar 23
Sept 23
Mar 24
Sept 24
eToro has over 40m registered users, however only 3.5m users are active (funded accounts).
Active users (millions)
Assets under administration (USD $b)
5.8
9.6
16.6
-
5
10
15
20
Dec 22
Dec 23
Dec 24
Average trade size (USD $)
Number of trades per quarter (millions)
-
100
200
300
400
Q1
Q2
Q32022
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q32023
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q32024
Q4
Equities, currencies & commodities
Crypto
50
100
150
200
Q1
Q2
Q32022
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q32023
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q32024
Q4
Equities, currencies & commodities
Crypto
Q3
Q3
Q3
2022
2023
2024
Q3
Q3
Q3
2022
2023
2024
Source
SPAC investor presentation
IPO prospectus
Tech Insights #373
eToro IPO
Page 2 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
26 May 2025
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Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet and other sources. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Trading platform company metrics (USD $m)
eToro net revenue by segment (USD $m)
Company
IPO date
Enterprise value
LTM revenue
LTM revenue growth
EBITDA margin
Revenue multiple
EBITDA multiple
LTM share price Δ
Share price Δ since IPO
First-day return (IPO pop)
Coinbase
Apr 2021
67,636
6,914
48%
25%
9.8x
38.9x
20%
5%
31%
Interactive Brokers
May 2007
55,065
9,528
15%
85%
5.8x
6.8x
66%
588%
4%
Robinhood
Jul 2021
53,923
3,278
60%
42%
16.5x
39.5x
228%
66%
(8%)
Futu
Mar 2019
14,735
1,742
36%
61%
8.5x
13.8x
51%
831%
28%
eToro
May 2025
4,835
837
42%
36%
5.8x
15.9x
-
26%
29%
Tiger Brokers
Mar 2019
1,327
392
44%
38%
3.4x
9.0x
115%
9%
37%
Median
34,329
2,510
43%
40%
7.1x
14.9x
66%
46%
28%
eToro annual net revenue (USD $m) and EBITDA margin*
67%
55%
42%
11%
10%
25%
13%
26%
23%
8%
9%
10%
-
200
400
600
800
2022
2023
2024
eToro Money,subscriptions & other
Net interest
Net trading (crypto)
Net trading (equities,currencies & commodities)
December year end.
(17%)
40%
50%
4%
17%
(7%)
20%
36%
(20%)
-
20%
40%
60%
80%
(200)
-
200
400
600
800
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2022
2023
2024
Net revenue (LHS)
EBITDA margin (RHS)
*EBITDA margin includes net interest on users’ funds.
18%
29%
28%
22%
23%
23%
19%
22%
30%
31%
-
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
FY25
Revenue growth
EBITDA margin
Tech Insights #372
Xero 2025
Page 1 of 2
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
19 May 2025
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Overview
NZ accounting software provider Xero recently published its financial results for FY25. Revenue growth of 23% and an EBITDA margin of 31% maintain Xero’s status as a top performing tech company. It’s also notable that Xero posted NZD $2b in revenue for the first time and is the highest valued New Zealand company that is listed. On page two we compare Xero to a group of global accounting software providers.
Xero valuation multiple
Xero revenue (NZD $m)
-
1
2
3
4
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
FY25
RoW
North America
UK
NZ
AUS
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
FY25
Xero subscribers (millions)
Xero rule of 40
-
10x
20x
30x
Jan 20
Jan 21
Jan 22
Jan 23
Jan 24
Jan 25
EV/Revenue
March year end
56% of FY25 revenue is from ANZ
-
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Tech Insights #372
Xero 2025
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Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been solely sourced and calculated from FactSet. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
19 May 2025
Share price index for listed accounting software providers
Comparator metrics for listed accounting software providers (NZD $m)
Company
Based
Description
EV
Revenue
5 yr revenue growth
LTM revenue growth
LTM EBITDA
EV/LTM Revenue
EV/LTM EBITDA
Intuit
USA
Financial management and accounting software (QuickBooks).
330,579
28,610
164%
16%
28%
12x
41x
Workday
USA
Cloud-based financial and HR management software.
116,811
14,026
155%
19%
10%
8x
86x
Sage
UK
Cloud-based financial and HR management software.
30,543
5,205
36%
12%
25%
6x
23x
Xero
NZ
Cloud-based accounting for small businesses.
29,304
2,103
193%
23%
31%
14x
45x
Median
73,677
9,616
159%
18%
27%
10x
43x
EV = Enterprise Value, LTM = Last 12 months, EBITDA= Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation & Amortisation
Overview
The 'Rule of X' is emerging as a modern adaptation of the widely recognised 'Rule of 40' for SaaS businesses, offering an updated approach to assess performance. The Ruleof 40 is a benchmark where the sum of a company's revenue growth rate and free cash flow margin should equal or exceed 40%. Developed by Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), the Rule of X adopts a more nuanced evaluation, emphasising growth over profitability.
The tables below show how the Rule of X and Rule of 40 are calculated for selected US-listed cloud companies, along with average values for the top, middle, and bottom 28 companies (by EV / NTM revenue) out of a group of 84 US-listed cloud companies.
Tech Insights #371
The Rule of X
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Rule of X = (annual revenue growth x multiplier) + free cash flow margin
Rule of 40 = annual revenue growth + free cash flow margin
Selected company
Revenue growth (LTM)
FCF margin (LTM)
Rule of 40
Rule of X multiplier
Rule of X
EV / NTM revenue
Autodesk
13%
22%
35%
2.0
48%
9.5x
Gitlab
32%
(15%)
17%
2.0
49%
9.3x
Smartsheet
19%
20%
39%
2.0
57%
5.7x
Braze
28%
1%
29%
2.0
58%
5.7x
Zoom Communications
3%
37%
40%
2.0
43%
3.8x
Sprout Social
22%
6%
27%
2.0
49%
3.7x
All companies (n=84)
Revenue growth (LTM)
FCF margin (LTM)
Rule of 40
Rule of X multiplier
Rule of X
EV / NTM revenue
Top 28 companies (average)
24%
20%
44%
2.0
67%
11.0x
Middle 28 companies (average)
17%
18%
35%
2.0
51%
6.2x
Bottom 28 companies (average)
11%
12%
23%
2.0
33%
2.8x
Average
17%
16%
34%
2.0
51%
6.6x
vs
Rule of X: BVP good, better, best framework
Best
~70%
Better
~50%
Good
~40%
Note: FCF = Free cash flow, EV = Enterprise value, LTM = Last 12 months, NTM = Next 12 months.
R² = 0.4758
R² = 0.398
0x
2x
4x
6x
8x
10x
12x
14x
16x
18x
-
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
EV / NTM revenue
X value = (revenue growth rate x multiplier) + free cash flow margin
Comparing the correlation of the Rule of X against the Rule of 40 as at 31 December 2024
Calculating the Rule of X by applying a 2.0 multiplier to the LTM revenue growth of US-listed cloud companies resulted in a higher R2 correlation compared to using no multiplier (i.e. the Rule of 40) as at 31 December 2024. However, it should also be noted that both correlations are below 0.5, and performing the same analysis for different historical periods shows this relationship can (and does) move around over time.
Tech Insights #371
The Rule of X
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Rule of X
Rule of 40
Rule of 40
40%+ is good
Rule of X
70%+ is best
using a 2.0 multiplier
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been solely sourced and calculated from FactSet. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Note: We have removed certain outliers from the calculations: where revenue growth is above 100%, the revenue multiple is above 40x, or the Rule of 40 is negative.
17%
43%
12%
-
200
400
600
Amazon
Microsoft
Alphabet
USD $b
Tech Insights #370
Cloud infrastructure platforms
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This Tech Insights report looks into market leading cloud infrastructure platforms: AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. These platforms are operated by tech giants Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet. AWS (Amazon Web Services) was the first to enter the market in 2006. Although Amazon and Microsoft began as an online bookstore and a software company respectively, their cloud platforms now account for a substantial share of their operating profits. Complementary cloud services and enterprise support services are included in the financials presented below.
Overview
Cloud platform contribution to total operating profit (Dec 24)
Cloud platform contribution to total revenue (Dec 24)
Annual cloud platform revenue
Cloud platform operating profit margins
58%
45%
5%
-
40
80
120
Amazon
Microsoft
Alphabet
USD $b
-
40
80
120
Dec 21
Dec 22
Dec 23
Dec 24
USD $b
AWS(Amazon)
Azure(Microsoft)
Google Cloud(Alphabet)
(20%)
-
20%
40%
60%
Dec 21
Dec 22
Dec 23
Dec 24
AWS(Amazon)
Azure(Microsoft)
Google Cloud(Alphabet)
Tech Insights #370
Cloud infrastructure platforms
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Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet and other sources. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Leading cloud platform company metrics (USD $b)
Count of cloud platform related acquisitions by parent
Company
Ticker
Cloud product
Cloud launch year
Enterprise value
LTM total
revenue
LTM revenue growth
EBITDA margin
Revenue multiple
EBITDA multiple
LTM share price Δ
Amazon
AMZN-US
AWS
2006
2,068
650
10%
20%
3.2x
16.2x
3%
Microsoft
MSFT-US
Azure
2010
3,261
270
14%
56%
12.1x
21.5x
9%
Alphabet
GOOGL-US
Google Cloud
2008
1,924
359
13%
37%
5.4x
14.4x
(2%)
Oracle
ORCL-US
Oracle Cloud
2016
502
56
6%
43%
9.0x
21.1x
31%
IBM
IBM-US
IBM Cloud
2011
278
63
1%
25%
4.4x
17.5x
49%
Alibaba
BABA-US
Alibaba Cloud
2009
268
136
4%
17%
2.0x
11.5x
57%
Median
1,213
203
8%
31%
4.9x
16.8x
20%
Aggregate market capitalisation
-
2
4
6
8
10
Apr 16
Oct 17
Apr 19
Oct 20
Apr 22
Oct 23
Apr 25
USD $tn
IBM
Oracle
Alibaba
Alphabet
Microsoft
Amazon
-
2
4
6
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Amazon
Microsoft
Alphabet
-
500
1,000
Services
Semiconductor USD $b
2015 (10 years ago)
2020 (5 years ago)
Now
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
Internet Semiconductor Communications USD $b
2015 (10 years ago)
2020 (5 years ago)
Now
Tech Insights #369
Listed tech industries – US vs Europe
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This Tech Insights report compares the market capitalisation and share price returns of listed major technology industries in the United States (US) and Europe, including the UK. Company regions are determined by the location of their headquarters (legal domicile), rather than by their exchange listing, and industries are classified according to RBICSsub-sectors. The data includes currently listed companies in each of the two regions. All analysis is presented in USD.
Overview
United States: Aggregate market capitalisation of selected tech industries (USD $b)
Industry
Software
Internet and Data Services
Semiconductor Manufacturing
Communications Equipment
Largest company (now)
Microsoft (55%)
Alphabet (42%)
NVIDIA (60%)
Apple (87%)
# companies (now)
246
104
49
42
Europe: Aggregate market capitalisation of selected tech industries (USD $b)
Industry
Software
Internet and Data Services
Semiconductor Manufacturing
Communications Equipment
Largest company (now)
SAP (68%)
Spotify (29%)
Arm (48%)
Garmin (35%)
# companies (now)
309
93
26
44
Tech Insights #369
Listed tech industries – US vs Europe
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Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced from FactSet. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
LTM Software returns (top 15)
LTM Semiconductor Manufacturing returns (top 15)
LTM Internet and Data Services returns (top 15)
LTM Communications Equipment returns (top 15)
The industry returns below are calculated as weekly, market capitalisation-weighted total returns, using the 15 largest companies (as at the beginning of the period) in both the United States and Europe.
LTM market capitalisation-weighted total returns
United States
Europe
Key:
(40%)
(20%)
-
20%
40%
60%
Apr 24
Jun 24
Aug 24
Oct 24
Dec 24
Feb 25
Apr 25
(40%)
(20%)
-
20%
40%
60%
Apr 24
Jun 24
Aug 24
Oct 24
Dec 24
Feb 25
Apr 25
(40%)
(20%)
-
20%
40%
60%
Apr 24
Jun 24
Aug 24
Oct 24
Dec 24
Feb 25
Apr 25
(40%)
(20%)
-
20%
40%
60%
Apr 24
Jun 24
Aug 24
Oct 24
Dec 24
Feb 25
Apr 25
-
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Other
Marketplaces
Jobs
Property
Motors
Tech Insights #368
Potential Trade Me relisting
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Overview
Trade Me was taken private by Apax Partners in 2019, with average annual EBITDA growth since the acquisition of 6.5%. There has recently been rumours of Apax Partners’ intention to divest, which raises the possibility of a public listing (among other exit options). This Tech Insights report highlights Trade Me’s growth since the 2019 acquisition and looks at how Trade Me could be positioned relative to comparator NZX and ASX companies were it to list. Note, Trade Me has a June financial year end.
Trade Me revenue - NZD $m
% of revenue by segment
29%
34%
17%
29%
11%
10%
28%
20%
15%
7%
-
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2020
2024
Other
Marketplaces
Jobs
Property
Motors
Revenue growth rate
EBITDA
-
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
-
50
100
150
200
250
300
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
EBITDA margin
EBITDA – NZD $m
classifieds
58%
73%
*Split of classifieds based on half year results
*
(5%)
-
5%
10%
15%
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
-
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
REA
Xero
CAR
TechnologyOne
Seek
Trade Me
Trade Me
HUB24
Trade Me
Domain
SiteMinder
Vista
Tech Insights #368
Potential Trade Me relisting
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Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been sourced and calculated from FactSet and the NZ Companies Office. Clare Capital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. Clare Capital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
Mergers & acquisitionsCorporate finance advisoryCapital raising
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Company
Description
EV
Revenue
5yr revenue growth
LTM rev growth
LTM EBITDA margin
EV/LTM Revenue
EV/LTM EBITDA
REA
Online real estate advertising platform.
33,488
1,977
106%
21%
47%
17x
36x
Xero
Cloud-based accounting software provider.
24,945
1,909
201%
24%
33%
13x
39x
CAR
Automotive research and review marketplace.
14,402
1,251
199%
18%
52%
12x
22x
Technology One
Enterprise software solutions provider.
9,536
549
82%
18%
43%
17x
41x
Seek
Online job search and employment platform.
9,304
1,116
(36%)
(14%)
38%
8x
22x
HUB24
Investment and superannuation platform.
5,738
399
267%
24%
33%
14x
44x
Domain
Real estate listings and property website.
2,946
443
42%
13%
36%
7x
18x
SiteMinder
Hotel booking and management system.
1,009
222
117%
20%
2%
5x
283x
Vista
Film industry software solutions and analytics.
830
150
4%
5%
16%
6x
35x
Median
9,304
549
106%
18%
36%
12x
36x
Trade Me*
NZ's largest online marketplace and auction site.
370
38%
3%
65%
Trade Me listed comparators on ASX/NZX – NZD $m
Potential Trade Me valuation - NZD $m
35x EBITDA multiple
Note: Trade Me was acquired by Apax Partners at a 15.3x EBITDA multiple.
25x EBITDA multiple
15x EBITDA multiple
*Trade Me financials are as at June 2024
Graph provides three valuations for Trade Me using different EBITDA multiples.
-
2.5x
5.0x
7.5x
10.0x
12.5x
15.0x
17.5x
20.0x
22.5x
25.0x
Mar 20
Sept 20
Mar 21
Sept 21
Mar 22
Sept 22
Mar 23
Sept 23
Mar 24
Sept 24
Mar 25
Tech Insights #367
Cloud Index as at 31 March 2025
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Overview
This report looks at valuation multiples for cloud companies publicly listed in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Although the March quarter began with an uplift in revenue multiples, by the end of the quarter the, US Cloud Index fell to 6.1x EV/NTM revenue, while the ANZ Cloud Index declined to 6.8x — representing a 13% and 9% drop respectively over the quarter. Both indices remain below their five-year average.
NTM revenue multiple for cloud companies listed in the US and ANZ (EV / NTM revenue)
ANZ Cloud Index
Average
12MMA
Mar 25
6.8x
7.0x
Dec 24
7.5x
6.7x
Change
10%)
4%
Mar 24
7.1x
6.0x
Change
(5%)
18%
US Cloud Index
Average
12MMA
Mar 25
6.1x
6.4x
Dec 24
7.0x
6.3x
Change
(13%)
1%
Mar 25
6.7x
6.3x
Change
(9%)
2%
Note: Indices are calculated using a simple average (equal weighting), with the ANZ index (25 companies) comprising of companies that have a minimum NZD $250m market capitalisation versus NZD $500m for the US Index (89 companies). Avg = Average, NTM = Next 12 months, 12MMA = 12 month moving average.
Key:
US
ANZ
Average
12MMA
5yr avg
6.8x
6.1x
7.4x
10.6x
-
5.0x
10.0x
15.0x
20.0x
Mar 20
Mar 21
Mar 22
Mar 23
Mar 24
Mar 25
-
10.0x
20.0x
30.0x
40.0x
Mar 20
Mar 21
Mar 22
Mar 23
Mar 24
Mar 25
75th percentile
Median
25th percentile
Tech Insights #367
Cloud Index as at 31 March 2025
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US cloud companies NTM revenue multiple
ANZ cloud companies NTM revenue multiple
7.6x
5.0x
2.9x
10.0x
5.1x
3.2x
US cloud companies
25th
75th
31 Mar 2025
Average
percentile
Median
percentile
EV (NZD $m)
39,309
4,090
9,105
27,182
EV / NTM rev
6.1x
2.9x
5.0x
7.6x
Revenue growth (NTM)
13%
5%
12%
21%
EV / LTM rev
7.5x
3.3x
5.9x
9.4x
Revenue growth (LTM)
17%
9%
16%
24%
Operating margin
(2%)
(10%)
(0%)
11%
ANZ cloud companies
25th
75th
31 Mar 2025
Average
percentile
Median
percentile
EV (NZD $m)
7,017
732
1,518
9,744
EV / NTM rev
6.8x
3.2x
5.1x
10.0x
Revenue growth (NTM)
16%
6%
16%
25%
EV / LTM rev
8.4x
3.8x
6.0x
11.6x
Revenue growth (LTM)
16%
8%
17%
26%
Operating margin
24%
13%
28%
38%
Note: The percentiles for each metric are calculated individually. Companies added or removed from each index take effect from the first day of the reported quarter.
EV = Enterprise Value, LTM = Last 12 months, NTM = Next 12 months.
Disclaimer The information provided in this report has been solely sourced and calculated from FactSet. ClareCapital holds no responsibility over the actual numbers. ClareCapital is not an Authorised Financial Adviser. If you are making investment decisions you should seek appropriate personalised financial advice.
158
146
111
19
25
27
0
100
200
2016
2020
2024
Tech Insights #366
The Warehouse vs Kmart
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The Warehouse and Kmart are two of New Zealand’s largest bargain retail chains. This Tech Insights report compares the performance of these two chains. Kmart, owned by ASX-listed Wesfarmers, has been performing strongly against The Warehouse, supported by the success of the Anko brand. Anko products represent ~85% of Kmart products sold, which supports Kmart’s high gross profit margins and operating profit margins (44% and 16% in FY24). The analysis on page 1 compares The Warehouse (excluding Noel Leeming and TheMarket.com) and Kmart New Zealand only. The financial year-end is July for The Warehouse and June for Kmart.
Overview
Revenue comparison (NZD $m)
Revenue per store (NZD $m)
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
FY20
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
Operating profit comparison (margin RHS)
41 co-located stores
Store count
Due to a shift in strategy, many Warehouse Stationery stores have now been integrated into The Warehouse, resulting in a reduced number of stores.
-
10
20
30
40
2016
2020
2024
Operating profit is equal to EBIT pre IFRS 16 (leases).
The Warehouse
Warehouse Stationery
Kmart NZ
Key:
2016
2020
2024
Operating profit (NZD $m)
2016
2020
2024
6%
11%
5%
4%
2%
8%
13%
9%
11%
16%
-
10%
20%
-
50
100
150
200
FY20
FY21
FY22
FY23
FY24
Operating profit margin
The Warehouse
Noel Leeming
$3.0b
-
25%
50%
75%
100%
Warehouse Group
Tech Insights #366
The Warehouse vs Kmart
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Annual parent segment revenue (NZD $b)
Share price index (total return)
Selected comparable company metrics (NZD $m)
Company
Exchange
Description and brands
Enterprise Value
LTM
revenue
LTM rev growth
LTM EBITDA
margin %
EV / EBITDA
1 yr share price Δ
Wesfarmers
ASX
Kmart, Target, Bunnings and others
101,993
48,931
3%
13%
15.8x
6%
JB Hi-Fi
ASX
Consumer electronics and home appliances
11,585
11,016
6%
10%
10.5x
48%
Harvey Norman
ASX
Consumer electronics, furniture and home appliances
9,196
4,330
2%
21%
10.0x
(1%)
Super Retail Group
ASX
Macpac, Rebel Sport (AU), Supercheap Auto and others
4,295
4,329
3%
18%
5.4x
(19%)
Myer Holdings
ASX
Department store
2,676
2,871
(2%)
13%
7.1x
(18%)
Briscoe Group
NZX
Briscoes and Rebel Sport (NZ)
1,081
791
(0%)
18%
7.7x
(7%)
Warehouse Group
NZX
The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery and Noel Leeming
1,009
3,012
(4%)
7%
5.1x
(42%)
KMD Brands
NZX
Kathmandu, Rip Curl and other brands
617
982
(4%)
14%
4.6x
(38%)
Kogan.com
ASX
Online retail marketplace (Kogan.com and Mighty Ape)
470
527
5%
9%
10.5x
(40%)
Median
2,676
3,012
2%
13%
7.7x
(18%)
Kmart NZ
Kmart AU
Bunnings (AU & NZ)
Health
Other
$47.6b
-
25%
50%
75%
100%
Wesfarmers
-
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
Jan 20
Jan 21
Jan 22
Jan 23
Jan 24
Jan 25
Wesfarmers (Kmart parent)
Warehouse Group
Wesfarmers
(Kmart parent)