Shares of Geospace Technologies Corporation GEOS have lost 9.3% since the company reported its earnings for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024, against the S&P 500 index’s 2.6% increase during the same period. Over the past month, the stock has moved down 1.6%, again lagging the S&P 500’s gain of 7.1%.

Revenue and Profitability Overview

Geospace reported fiscal 2024 revenues of $135.6 million, up 8.9% from $124.5 million in the prior year. The uptick in revenues was driven by increases in demand across all three business segments. However, the company posted a net loss of $6.6 million against a net income of $12.2 million in fiscal 2023. Excluding non-cash charges of $17.3 million primarily related to the divestiture of its Russian subsidiary and an impairment on intangible assets, adjusted net income was $10.7 million.

Quarterly results were similarly impacted, with fiscal fourth quarter revenues rising 20.9% to $35.4 million from $29.3 million in the prior-year quarter, but reported a net loss of $12.9 million against a net income of $4.4 million in the year-ago period.

Segmental performance reflected mixed results. The Oil and Gas Markets segment contributed $77.5 million in revenues in fiscal 2024, up 4.7% from the comparable fiscal 2023 period, driven by sales of ocean-bottom nodal products, including the Mariner, and from the rental fleet. This was offset by lower utilization of ocean bottom node rental fleet and lower demand for seismic sensors and marine products. The Adjacent Markets segment grew 13.4% to $55.6 million in fiscal 2024, led by increased sales of the company’s smart water meter cable and connector products. Emerging Markets generated $2.2 million in fiscal 2024, up 80.1% from the comparable fiscal 2023 period.

In the fiscal fourth quarter, the Oil and Gas Markets segment’s revenues were $17.5 million, down 1.3% year over year. The decrease was due to increased sales of Geospace’s OBX nodal products from its rental fleet, offset by lower utilization of the ocean bottom node rental fleet. Adjacent Markets segment’s revenues were $17.6 million in the fiscal fourth quarter, up 65.4% year over year. The increase resulted from strong sales of Hydroconn, the company’s smart water meter cable and connector products, and initial sales from the Aquana product line. The Emerging Markets segment generated revenues of $0.2 million for the fiscal fourth quarter, down 72.1% year over year.

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Key Performance Metrics

The company reported a gross profit of $52.6 million in fiscal 2024, a 1.7% increase from the comparable fiscal 2023 period. Improvements in the Adjacent Markets segment were offset by a decrease in gross profit from the Oil and Gas Markets segment due to the lower utilization of the OBX rental fleet, of which cost is primarily fixed depreciation. In the fiscal fourth quarter, the gross profit was $15.9 million, up 11.9% year over year.

Total operating expenses rose 9.1% to $45.5 million in fiscal 2024, driven by a $2.8 million non-cash impairment of intangible assets from the Emerging Markets segment, higher selling and marketing expenses resulting from increased revenue and increased research and development expense caused by an increase in project expenditures and personnel costs. In the fiscal fourth quarter, the operating expenses were $14.8 million, up 45.4% year over year.

Management Commentary

CEO Rich Kelley highlighted Geospace’s progress in diversifying its revenue base. While Oil and Gas remain dominant, the growth in smart water solutions, particularly for Hydroconn and Aquana, reflects the company’s strategic pivot toward sustainable revenue streams. Management emphasized maintaining a strong balance sheet with $37.1 million in cash and no debt despite the challenges posed by geopolitical events and evolving market conditions.

Factors Influencing Results

The divestiture of the Russian subsidiary, influenced by operational challenges and regulatory uncertainties, incurred a $14.5 million loss. Meanwhile, the impairment of intangible assets related to Quantum Technology Sciences further weighed on results. Despite these setbacks, the core business demonstrated resilience, with adjusted net income and record contributions from new product lines.

Guidance

Geospace announced a reorganization of its business segments for fiscal 2025, transitioning to Smart Water, Energy Solutions, and Intelligent Industrial. This shift aligns with its diversification goals and underscores a commitment to capitalizing on growth markets.

Management refrained from providing specific revenue or earnings guidance but indicated optimism regarding continued demand in the Adjacent Markets segment, particularly for water-related products.

Other Developments

During the fiscal year, Geospace completed the divestiture of its Russian operations, which had minimal impact on net assets but removed a potential compliance risk amid increasing sanctions. Additionally, its inclusion in the Russell 2000, 3000, and Microcap indexes reflects broader market recognition.

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