• Revenue: $212 million, down 10% year-over-year.
• Reported EBITDA: Up 28% compared to 1H '24.
• IBD Margin: 30.2%, consistent with 1H '24.
• Operating Cash Flow Conversion: 96%.
• Net Debt: Reduced to $15 million.
• Interim Dividend: $1.5 per share.
• Normalized NPAT: $21.9 million.
• Normalized NPATA: $26.5 million.
• Full-Time Employees: Decreased to 823.
• SaaS Revenue Growth: Datarock up 107%, Krux up 46%.
• IMT Revenue Growth: Up 72% compared to 1H '24.
• Net Debt Leverage Ratio: 0.2 times.
• Interest Coverage Ratio: 7 times.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 8 Warning Sign with IMDXF.

Release Date: February 12, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

• Imdex Ltd (IMDXF) demonstrated resilience by executing its growth strategy despite a 19% contraction in industry activity, achieving a revenue of $212 million, only a 10% decline from the prior corresponding period.
• Reported EBITDA increased by 28% compared to 1H '24, reflecting the successful resolution of the Globaltech claims.
• The company's IBD margin remained strong at 30.2%, consistent with 1H '24, showcasing disciplined cost management and synergy delivery.
• Operating cash flow conversion was exceptionally strong at 96%, significantly above historical targets.
• Imdex Ltd (IMDXF) declared an interim fully franked dividend of $1.5 per share, aligning with its capital management policy.

Negative Points

• Revenue declined by 10% compared to the prior corresponding period, reflecting subdued global exploration activity.
• Normalized EBITDA declined in line with lower revenue, despite half-on-half growth.
• The Americas, the largest revenue-contributing region, saw an 11% revenue decline compared to 1H '24.
• The company's fluid engineering business, sensitive to raw activity, experienced a 14.5% revenue decline.
• The effective tax rate was higher than usual at 36% for the first half, expected to normalize in the second half.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Hi team, you mentioned operational efficiencies at various points through the presentation. Could you provide more color on where these have been achieved and if these initiatives may impact the speed of possible ramp as operating conditions improve? A: Paul House, CEO: We achieved a net $16 million improvement in OpEx through synergies from the Devico acquisition, organizational redesign savings, early-stage digital transformation investments, and saved legal fees from the Globaltech claims resolution. We are well-positioned and scalable, expecting incremental margins to drop through as the top line increases without compromising margins.

Q: R&D expense was down about 20% year on year, but it looks like you've capitalized more. Could you elaborate on total R&D spend during the first half and how much has been capitalized? A: Linda Lim, CFO: Total R&D spend for the half was around $19 million, with $14 million expensed and $5 million capitalized. Compared to the prior period, $18 million was spent in 1H '24, with $17 million expensed. The increase in capitalized R&D is due to client-facing software product development, with overall R&D spend up to 9% of revenue from 7.5% in the prior period.

Q: Can you explain the confidence in FY26 revenues returning to growth? Is it based on customer conversations as their budgets reset for the next 12 months? A: Paul House, CEO: Our confidence is based on declared budget increases, S&P data, and our global network's engagement with resource companies and drillers. The increased level of inquiries in some regions supports a positive outlook for FY26, despite persistent rising costs and geopolitical tensions.

Q: Could you provide some color around OpEx and CapEx expectations for 2H '25 and how we should think about your operating leverage profile into FY25? A: Linda Lim, CFO: OpEx run rate is around $85 million for the first half, expected to continue into the second half. CapEx additions were $17 million, with intangibles at $7 million, expected to continue with a slight increase due to next-generation technology investments. Operational leverage should see good incremental margin drop through for incremental dollars earned.

Q: Can you talk about the strategy for achieving higher revenue contribution from the IMT business unit in FY26 and beyond? A: Paul House, CEO: As we move into the mining production space, we benefit from common customer relationships and product foundations. The challenge is introducing new products into workflows, requiring customer engagement and problem-solving. We focus on customer engagement, problem identification, and product trials to validate solutions, maintaining momentum over the next 12-24 months.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.