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Why Is Bandwidth (BAND) Down 2.3% Since Last Earnings Report?

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It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Bandwidth (BAND - Free Report) . Shares have lost about 2.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Bandwidth due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

Bandwidth Q4 Earnings Beat on Healthy Top-Line Growth

Bandwidth reported healthy fourth-quarter 2021 results, wherein both the bottom line and the top line surpassed their respective Zacks Consensus Estimate. New customer additions, robust cross-selling momentum, differentiated global platform and reinforced customer relationships favored the Raleigh, NC-based company’s quarterly performance.

Bottom Line

On a GAAP basis, net loss in the December quarter was $8.2 million or a loss of 33 cents per share compared with a net loss of $19.9 million or a loss of 81 cents per share in the prior-year quarter. The narrower GAAP loss was primarily attributable to top-line growth and lower operating expenses.

Non-GAAP net income in the reported quarter was $2.3 million or 9 cents per share compared with $3.5 million or 13 cents per share in the year-earlier quarter. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 23 cents.

In 2021, Bandwidth recorded a net loss of $27.4 million or a loss of $1.09 per share compared with a net loss of $44 million or a loss of $1.83 per share in the prior-year quarter. Non-GAAP net income in 2021 improved to $25.7 million or 97 cents per share compared with $14.2 million or 55 cents per share in the year-earlier quarter.  

Revenues

Quarterly revenues were $126.1 million, up 11.6% year over year and well above the company expectations of $115.7-$120.7 million. This includes Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) revenues of $101.4 million (up 3.4% year over year), surpassing expectations of $94.5-$99.5 million. The higher revenues were primarily attributable to healthy demand trends driven by a customized networking infrastructure. The growth was further bolstered by an augmented global footprint and broad-based demand across all services. The top line surpassed the consensus estimate of $118 million. In 2021, total revenues improved to $490.9 million from $343.1 million in 2020 on higher CPaaS revenues (up 38.9% to $414 million)

However, quarterly revenues were hurt by the DDoS attack due to lost transaction volume and impact on network services. This malicious attempt to disrupt normal traffic is likely to reduce CPaaS revenues for 2022 by $16-$24 million. Despite the setbacks, the company has been able to restore normalcy and mitigate risks for customers for top-line growth, as exemplified by its ability to exceed fourth-quarter revenue guidance.

The higher CPaaS revenues, which accounted for 80.4% of total revenues, were primarily driven by sustained broad-based growth as enterprise customers are increasingly migrating toward Bandwidth’s global platform to fulfill their communication requirements. Bandwidth had 3,228 active CPaaS customers as of Dec 31, 2021, up 13.3% year over year. The dollar-based net retention rate was 117% compared with 123% in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted CPaaS gross profit increased to $53.8 million from $50 million with respective margins of 53% and 51%, owing to high margin international business.

Other Details

Total operating expenses were $57.6 million compared with $63.9 million in the prior-year quarter. Operating loss came in at $4.1 million compared with an operating loss of $12.2 million in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP gross profit in the quarter improved to $58.8 million from $55.8 million with respective margins of 47% and 49%. Adjusted EBITDA remained flat at $8.3 million.

Cash Flow & Liquidity

In 2021, Bandwidth generated $40.8 million of net cash from operating activities compared with $4.5 million in 2020. As of Dec 31, 2021, this enterprise software developer had $331.5 million in cash and cash equivalents with $93.5 million of total current liabilities compared with respective tallies of $72.2 million and $92.2 million in the year-ago period.

Guidance

Bandwidth has provided guidance for the first quarter and 2022. For the ongoing quarter, total revenues are expected in the range of $125-$127 million. Adjusted loss is anticipated to be 7-11 cents per share.

For 2022, total revenues are anticipated in the range of $547-$555 million. Adjusted earnings are estimated in the band of 3-9 cents per share.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates revision.

The consensus estimate has shifted -96.83% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

At this time, Bandwidth has an average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Bandwidth has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.


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