Covering IPOs, Healthcare and Technology Stocks

Andrei Zakharov

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Splunk shares outperformed in 2023 and rose ~69% as total ARR exceeded $4B, operating loss narrowed, and FCF margin improved. The company executed well to drive long-term durable growth.</li>
<li>Over the past 2 years, Splunk transformed itself into a cloud company. In 2022, WSJ reported that Cisco made a $20B+ takeover offer. However, no deal was on the table. </li>
<li>Following M&amp;A rumors, the company’s cloud transition, and strong fundamentals, Cisco offered a $157 per share to acquire Splunk in a $28B mega all-cash deal on September 21, 2023. </li>
</ul>


Splunk shares outperformed in 2023 and rose ~69% as total ARR exceeded $4B, operating loss narrowed, and FCF margin improved. The company executed well to drive long-term durable growth.
Over the past 2 years, Splunk transformed itself into a cloud company. In 2022, WSJ reported that Cisco made a $20B+ takeover offer. However, no deal was on the table. 
Following M&amp;A rumors, the company’s cloud transition, and strong fundamentals, Cisco offered a $157 per share to acquire Splunk in a $28B mega all-cash deal on September 21, 2023. 


Splunk and $28B Mega Deal: Will Cisco Overpay For San Francisco-Based Software Company?

<ul>
<li>Freshworks, a cloud-based customer services software unicorn, held its first Investor Day on September 7, 2023. Management highlighted the long-term target to deliver the Rule of 40 by 2025. </li>
<li>The 2023 Investor Day agenda included company vision and strategy, solutions in action, strategy for durable growth, customer spotlight, and financial overview, among others. </li>
<li>Management plans to deliver a long-term balance of growth and profitability, with the 2026 model leading to an FCF margin of 20%+ and $1B+ revenue. </li>
</ul>


Freshworks, a cloud-based customer services software unicorn, held its first Investor Day on September 7, 2023. Management highlighted the long-term target to deliver the Rule of 40 by 2025. 
The 2023 Investor Day agenda included company vision and strategy, solutions in action, strategy for durable growth, customer spotlight, and financial overview, among others. 
Management plans to deliver a long-term balance of growth and profitability, with the 2026 model leading to an FCF margin of 20%+ and $1B+ revenue. 


Freshworks: 2023 Investor Day and Valuation Update

Algosun Global

Qualtrics International / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/qualtrics-international-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27731:1" rel="noopener">Qualtrics International (XM US)</a>  is the largest XM provider and pioneer in Experience Management. The company was founded in 2002 by Ryan Smith, Jared Smith, and their dad, Scott Smith.</li>
<li>In 2018, SAP acquired Qualtrics for ~$8B in an all-cash deal, one of the largest-ever acquisitions of a SaaS company.</li>
<li>We view <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/qualtrics-international-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27731:1" rel="noopener">Qualtrics International (XM US)</a>  as well-positioned to continue to take market share with additional growth drivers such as new products and international expansion. </li>
</ul>



Qualtrics International (XM US)  is the largest XM provider and pioneer in Experience Management. The company was founded in 2002 by Ryan Smith, Jared Smith, and their dad, Scott Smith.
In 2018, SAP acquired Qualtrics for ~$8B in an all-cash deal, one of the largest-ever acquisitions of a SaaS company.
We view Qualtrics International (XM US)  as well-positioned to continue to take market share with additional growth drivers such as new products and international expansion. 


Qualtrics: Leading Pure-Play XM Provider. A Solid Risk-Reward Opportunity

<ul>
<li>During the #1 product and growth conference Amplify 2022 in Las Vegas, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amplitude-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:34148:1" rel="noopener">Amplitude (AMPL US)</a>  introduced the Customer Data Platform (CDP) with integrated product analytics.  </li>
<li>The company expanded partner integration with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/snowflake-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29254:1" rel="noopener">Snowflake Inc (SNOW US)</a>  to improve data connectivity while Amplitude Experiment sees strong traction with customers. </li>
<li>With shares down ~65% YTD, Amplitude has underperformed the Nasdaq Composite (-23%). Our PT is $28.00, implying ~14x EV/2022E revenue and ~10x EV/2023E revenue. </li>
</ul>


During the #1 product and growth conference Amplify 2022 in Las Vegas, Amplitude (AMPL US)  introduced the Customer Data Platform (CDP) with integrated product analytics.  
The company expanded partner integration with Snowflake Inc (SNOW US)  to improve data connectivity while Amplitude Experiment sees strong traction with customers. 
With shares down ~65% YTD, Amplitude has underperformed the Nasdaq Composite (-23%). Our PT is $28.00, implying ~14x EV/2022E revenue and ~10x EV/2023E revenue. 


Amplitude: Valuations Look Attractive and Growth Catalysts May Materialize in CY22

Equity Capital Markets

<p>San Francisco-based <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amplitude-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:34148:1" rel="noopener">Amplitude (AMPL US)</a> , best-in-class product analytics and digital optimization technology unicorn, filed for a direct listing and expects their Class A common stock to begin trading on September 28, 2021. The company has registered up to ~35.4M shares to sell in the direct listing with the reference price to be announced. Amplitude plans to list their Class A shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “AMPL”. Direct listing means that there will be no book building process and none of the existing shareholders will be subject to 180-day contractual lock-up agreement. Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Baird, UBS and William Blair will serve as financial advisors.</p>

San Francisco-based Amplitude (AMPL US) , best-in-class product analytics and digital optimization technology unicorn, filed for a direct listing and expects their Class A common stock to begin trading on September 28, 2021. The company has registered up to ~35.4M shares to sell in the direct listing with the reference price to be announced. Amplitude plans to list their Class A shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “AMPL”. Direct listing means that there will be no book building process and none of the existing shareholders will be subject to 180-day contractual lock-up agreement. Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Baird, UBS and William Blair will serve as financial advisors.

Founder-Led Unicorn And Leader In Product Analytics

United States

Qualtrics International Inc. provides technological services. The Company offers application software for education, human resources, market research, automotive, travel, hospital, media, government, and airline sectors. Qualtrics International serves customers worldwide.

Qualtrics International (XM US)

Splunk and $28B Mega Deal: Will Cisco Overpay For San Francisco-Based Software Company?

Despite a transaction price of $157 per share offered by Cisco to acquire Splunk in a $28B mega deal, investors should take profits now.

Andrei Zakharov

Freshworks: 2023 Investor Day and Valuation Update

2023 Investor Day highlights massive TAM, ongoing business momentum, adoption of multi-product strategy, and AI monetization opportunities: PT...

Andrei Zakharov

Qualtrics: Leading Pure-Play XM Provider. A Solid Risk-Reward Opportunity

We are initiating coverage on Qualtrics and believe that fundamentals have always been attractive. The company is well positioned as a leader at scale

Andrei Zakharov

Amplitude: Valuations Look Attractive and Growth Catalysts May Materialize in CY22

Amplitude remains well-positioned as one of the leaders in product analytics with an opportunity to convert more GA enterprise customers to...

Andrei Zakharov

Founder-Led Unicorn And Leader In Product Analytics

Amplitude, the growth engine for digital products, will go public via direct listing and we think its fully SaaS, cloud-native product with...

Andrei Zakharov