Gilat Satellite Networks NASDAQ: GILT outlined its growth strategy across satellite connectivity, in-flight communications and defense markets during a presentation hosted by Canaccord Genuity, highlighting recent orders, its planned acquisition of Comtech and its financial outlook for the year.
Chief Financial Officer Gil Benyamini said Gilat supplies equipment and solutions that enable data transmission to and from satellites rather than building or operating satellites itself. Its offerings include hubs and data-center platforms, end-user terminals, aero terminals, amplifiers and related equipment used in commercial and defense applications.
The company operates through three business segments: Gilat Defense, Gilat Commercial and Gilat Peru. Gilat Defense focuses on secure, rapidly deployable communications solutions for military and government customers, with the U.S. Department of Defense as a principal customer. The commercial unit serves broadband satellite communications markets, including in-flight connectivity, cellular backhaul, maritime and enterprise applications. Gilat Peru provides terrestrial and satellite-based communications services to rural communities through government-related projects.
Satellite Capacity and In-Flight Connectivity
Benyamini said satellite communications have become a more central part of telecommunications systems as available satellite capacity has increased and launch costs have declined. He said launch costs have fallen by about 90% over the past decade.
Gilat is focusing on very-high-throughput satellites and non-geostationary-orbit networks, including low-Earth-orbit constellations. Benyamini said the company is the sole provider of equipment for SES’s O3b mPOWER medium-Earth-orbit constellation. It also supplies amplifiers for OneWeb gateways and works with Amazon’s gateway initiatives, according to the presentation.
The company’s SkyEdge IV platform was designed for high-throughput and multi-orbit satellite networks. Benyamini said its software-oriented architecture allows customers to expand capacity primarily through software licenses rather than adding hardware hubs.
In-flight connectivity is currently Gilat’s largest commercial vertical, generating approximately $200 million in revenue, Benyamini said. The company provides ground equipment, modems, transceivers, amplifiers and antennas for the market. It acquired electronically steered antenna provider Stellar Blu about a year and a half ago, and Benyamini said the acquired antenna technology is deployed on more than 700 aircraft. Gilat equipment overall is installed on about 4,000 aircraft, he said.
Chief Executive Officer Adi Sfadia discussed a recently announced $43 million order for Sidewinder in-flight connectivity terminals. He said the order expanded an existing customer relationship and is intended to support additional retrofit backlog over the next two years as well as line-fit installations on new aircraft.
Sfadia said line-fit business can provide longer-duration demand because equipment selected during aircraft ordering may result in follow-on orders over 10 to 15 years. He said such orders are more profitable than retrofit orders, although they require additional hardware.
Defense Expansion and Comtech Transaction
Defense has become a larger focus for Gilat following its acquisition of DataPath. Sfadia said DataPath, which provides portable and transportable satellite communications gateways and mobile solutions for specialized military units, generated about $40 million in revenue when Gilat acquired it and is now expected to produce slightly less than $100 million in revenue with significant EBITDA.
He said demand for mobile gateways has increased as military customers seek deployable alternatives to stationary communications infrastructure. Gilat has received additional Department of Defense orders and is seeing requests for information and proposals internationally, particularly in Europe, Sfadia said. The company has also sold DataPath products to the Israeli military.
Gilat recently announced an agreement to acquire U.S.-based Comtech for $157 million in cash. Benyamini said Comtech has about 440 employees, approximately $200 million in revenue and $17 million in adjusted EBITDA, with the majority of its revenue coming from defense. He characterized the transaction as largely additive, expanding Gilat’s technology portfolio and adding adjacent markets such as troposcatter communications and space components.
The company also introduced its Viper Ka-band electronically steered antenna at the Eurosatory defense exhibition. Sfadia said the low-profile antenna is intended for small and medium unmanned aerial vehicles used for surveillance, intelligence, reconnaissance and connectivity applications. The unit weighs less than four kilograms and has a height of less than seven centimeters, he said. Gilat is demonstrating the product to prospective customers and working to customize configurations for individual UAV requirements.
Financial Outlook and Supply Chain
Benyamini said Gilat reported second-quarter revenue of $122 million, representing 17% growth, and EBITDA of $15.4 million, up 31%. The company expects to end the year with revenue of approximately $500 million to $520 million, representing projected growth of 13%, and expects EBITDA growth of 19%.
Gilat Peru contributes about $60 million in recurring annual revenue, Benyamini said. The business operates communications networks in six regional areas under contracts related to rural connectivity initiatives.
On component availability, Sfadia said the company has recently seen pressure involving memory chipsets but has sufficient inventory for the coming quarters. He said Gilat has shifted away from just-in-time inventory practices and will purchase ahead when it identifies supply risks.
About Gilat Satellite Networks (NASDAQ:GILT)
Gilat Satellite Networks is a leading provider of satellite-based broadband connectivity solutions, specializing in the design, development and deployment of ground segment equipment and network services. The company's core offerings include Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) modems and hub systems, network management software, and end-to-end satellite communication platforms. These technologies enable broadband Internet access, enterprise networking, and cellular backhaul in regions where terrestrial infrastructure is limited or non-existent.
Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel, Gilat has established a track record of innovation in satellite communications.
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