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V2X Delivers Solid Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Results

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Fourth Quarter 2023 Summary

Reported record revenue of $1.04 billion, up +6.4% y/y Achieved y/y revenue growth of 31% in the Pacific and 18% in the Middle EastOperating income of $38.5 million; adjusted operating income1 of $76.2 million Net income (loss) of ($0.5) million, up $10.1 million y/yAdjusted EBITDA1 of $82.1 million with a margin1 of 7.9%Diluted EPS of ($0.02); Adjusted diluted EPS1 of $1.22Strong year-to-date cash flow from operations of $188.0 million; Achieved net debt reduction of $137.1 millionAwarded first substantial foreign military sales program valued at $400 million over 5 years

2024 Guidance:

Establishing full-year 2024 guidance with revenue and adjusted EBITDA1 growth of 5% at mid-point

MCLEAN, Va., March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — V2X, Inc. (NYSE:VVX) announced fourth quarter and full-year 2023 financial results.

“I’m pleased to report a strong finish to 2023, with record revenue and strong operational performance which drove significant cash generation and net debt reduction,” said Chuck Prow, President and Chief Executive Officer of V2X. “I’d like to thank our teams that demonstrated agility and excellent performance, delivering 8% pro forma revenue1 growth for the full-year and 6% for the quarter. We made significant progress advancing V2X as a leader in the operational segment of the federal services market while continuing to position the company for long-term growth. The leading indicators for our business remain strong with a backlog of approximately $13 billion, $9 billion of bids submitted currently under evaluation, and a robust pipeline of opportunities valued at $15 billion expected to be submitted over the next twelve months. Our capabilities and position in an expanding market, present opportunities to drive continued growth and value for our shareholders and clients.”  

“V2X achieved several milestones during the fourth quarter, which includes our first substantial foreign military sales (FMS) win valued at approximately $400 million over the next five years,” said Mr. Prow. “This program is a long-term aviation support and training contract in the Middle East and was a direct result of our multi-year FMS campaign. Importantly, our evolution as a company has been an enabler to participate in this market. With this opportunity, the total value of V2X FMS’ portfolio is approximately $700 million with accretive margins. We plan to build on this success and continue pursuing FMS opportunities that leverage our geographic footprint, strong partnerships, and core capabilities.”

Mr. Prow continued, “Our ability to provide full life cycle solutions from concept to fielding and sustainment is a significant differentiator that’s yielding results. During the quarter, we demonstrated our capabilities through the fielding of a defense platform that modernized existing systems. This program launched as an engineering development and prototyping effort with a new client and today has yielded a brand-new product that’s designed, produced, and sustained by V2X. Additionally, our engineering, integration, modernization and sustainment solutions resulted in approximately $70 million of awards to V2X in the fourth quarter.”

Mr. Prow concluded, “I’d like to thank our teams for their contributions in 2023 and progress executing our strategic framework: Expand the Base, Capture New Markets, Deliver with Excellence, and Enhance Culture. Looking ahead, V2X continues to transform to deliver enhanced capabilities in an expanding market. We have strong momentum, robust backlog, a highly aligned pipeline, limited recompetes, and high free cash generation that provides an excellent fundamental profile to support value creation.” 

Fourth Quarter 2023 Results

“V2X reported revenue of $1.0 billion in the quarter, which represents 6.4% year-over-year growth,” said Shawn Mural, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “Revenue growth in the quarter was achieved through exceptional team performance delivering milestones ahead of schedule, expansion on existing programs, and new business. This solid execution resulted in year-over-year revenue growth of 31% in the Pacific and 18% in the Middle East.” 

“For the quarter, the Company reported operating income of $38.5 million and adjusted operating income1 of $76.2 million. Adjusted EBITDA1 was $82.1 million with a margin of 7.9%. Fourth quarter GAAP diluted EPS was ($0.02), due primarily to merger and integration related costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and interest expense. Adjusted diluted EPS1 for the quarter was $1.22.”

“V2X’s ability to generate strong cash flow with low capital expenditures is an important attribute of our business and one that we are extremely focused on as a primary avenue to enhance value for shareholders. I’m pleased to announce that during the quarter, our teams demonstrated outstanding performance in all aspects of cash conversion, driving significant collections, a record low DSO, and operating cash flow that exceeded our guidance. Net cash provided by operating activities was $188.0 million year to date. Adjusted net cash provided by operating activities1 year to date was $159.5 million, adding back $26.9 million of M&A and integration costs with $13.4 million of CARES act payments, and removing the contribution of the master accounts receivable purchase or MARPA facility of $68.8 million.”

“Solid cash generation enabled net debt reduction of $137.1 million for the year.  At the end of the quarter, net debt for V2X was $1,083.6 million.  Net consolidated indebtedness to EBITDA1 (net leverage ratio) was 3.3x, improved from 3.7x at the end of 2022.  Additionally, we believe our strong fundamentals will allow V2X to achieve a net leverage ratio at or under 3.0x by the end of 2024.”  

“Total backlog as of December 31, 2023, was $12.8 billion. Funded backlog was $2.8 billion. Bookings in the quarter were $0.6 billion, resulting in a trailing twelve-month book-to-bill of 1.1x. It’s important to note that backlog and bookings do not include the full performance period of the $400 million FMS program as the contract is being definitized and the $458 million F-5 Adversary aircraft award, discussed last quarter, as it remains in protest,” said Mr. Mural.

Full-Year 2023 Results

Full-year revenue was $3.963 billion, up 8% pro forma year-on-year. The Company reported full-year operating income of $124.4 million and adjusted operating income1 of $271.4 million. Full-year EBITDA1 was $293.9 million with a margin of 7.4%. Full-year GAAP diluted EPS was ($0.73), due primarily to merger and integration related costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and interest expense. Adjusted diluted EPS1 for 2023 was $3.74.

2024 Guidance

Mr. Mural concluded, “Based on the positive trends in our business we are setting the mid-point of our guidance for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA1 at $4.150 billion and $308 million, respectively, representing approximately 5% year-over-year growth. We expect revenue and adjusted EBITDA to be weighted more heavily in the second half of the year. Importantly, guidance at the mid-point assumes approximately 90% of revenue from existing contracts and less than 5% from recompetes.”

Guidance for 2024 is as follows:       

$ millions, except for per share amounts

2024 Guidance

2024 Mid-Point

Revenue

$4,100

$4,200

$4,150

Adjusted EBITDA1

$300

$315

$308

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share1

$3.85

$4.20

$4.03

Adjusted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities1

$145

$165

$155

The Company is not providing a quantitative reconciliation with respect to this forward-looking non-GAAP measure in reliance on the “unreasonable efforts” exception set forth in SEC rules because certain financial information, the probable significance of which cannot be determined, is not available and cannot be reasonably estimated. For example, unusual, one-time, non-ordinary, or non-recurring costs, which relate to M&A, integration and related activities cannot be reasonably estimated. Forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested here, including those factors set forth in the Safe Harbor Statement below. 

Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Conference Call

Management will conduct a conference call with analysts and investors at 8:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. U.S.-based participants may dial in to the conference call at 877-407-3982, while international participants may dial 201-493-6780. A live webcast of the conference call as well as an accompanying slide presentation will be available here: https://app.webinar.net/WrwGVYwl6dA

A replay of the conference call will be posted on the V2X website shortly after completion of the call and will be available for one year. A telephonic replay will also be available through March 19, 2024, at 844-512-2921 (domestic) or 412-317-6671 (international) with passcode 13743860 .

Presentation slides that will be used in conjunction with the conference call will also be made available online in advance on the “investors” section of the company’s website at https://gov2x.com/. V2X recognizes its website as a key channel of distribution to reach public investors and as a means of disclosing material non-public information to comply with its obligations under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Regulation FD.

Footnotes:

1 See “Key Performance Indicators and Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for descriptions and reconciliations.

About V2X

V2X builds smart solutions designed to integrate physical and digital infrastructure – by aligning people, actions, and outputs. Formed by the merger of Vectrus and Vertex, we bring a combined 120 years of successful mission support. Our lifecycle solutions improve security, streamline logistics, and enhance readiness.

The Company delivers a comprehensive suite of integrated solutions across the operations and logistics, aerospace, training, and technology markets to national security, defense, civilian and international clients. Our global team of approximately 16,000 employees brings innovation to every point in the mission lifecycle, from preparation to operations, to sustainment, as it tackles the most complex challenges with agility, grit, and dedication.

Contact Information

Investor Contact

Media Contact

Mike Smith, CFA

Angelica Spanos Deoudes

IR@goV2X.com

Communications@goV2X.com

719-637-5773

571-338-5195

Safe Harbor Statement

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”): Certain material presented herein includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Act. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, all the statements and items listed under “2024 Guidance” above and other assumptions contained therein for purposes of such guidance, other statements about our 2024 performance outlook, revenue, contract opportunities, and any discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “potential,” “continue” or similar terminology. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of the management of the Company based on information currently available to management.

These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions, or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other important factors, many of which are outside our management’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements.  In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s historical experience and our present expectations or projections. For a discussion of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from such forward-looking statements, see the risks and other factors detailed from time to time our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the SEC.

We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

V2X, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF (LOSS) INCOME

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands, except per share data)

2023

2022

2021

Revenue

$   3,963,126

$   2,890,860

$   1,783,665

Cost of revenue

3,628,271

2,595,848

1,623,245

Selling, general and administrative expenses

210,439

239,241

98,400

Operating income

124,416

55,771

62,020

Loss on extinguishment of debt

(22,298)

Interest expense, net

(122,442)

(61,879)

(7,985)

Other expense, net

(4,194)

(Loss) income from operations before income taxes

(24,518)

(6,108)

54,035

Income tax (benefit) expense

(1,945)

8,222

8,307

Net (loss) income

$      (22,573)

$       (14,330)

$        45,728

(Loss) earnings per share

Basic

$          (0.73)

$          (0.68)

$            3.91

Diluted

$          (0.73)

$          (0.68)

$            3.86

Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic

31,084

20,996

11,705

Weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted

31,084

20,996

11,836

 

 

V2X, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

December 31,

(In thousands, except shares and per share data)

2023

2022

Assets

Current assets

  Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

$           72,651

$         116,067

  Receivables

705,995

728,582

  Inventory, net

46,981

44,974

  Prepaid expenses and other current assets

49,242

42,309

  Total current assets

874,869

931,932

  Property, plant, and equipment, net

85,429

78,715

  Goodwill

1,656,926

1,653,822

  Intangible assets, net

407,530

497,951

  Right-of-use assets

41,215

52,825

  Other non-current assets

15,931

17,858

  Total non-current assets

2,207,031

2,301,171

Total Assets

$      3,081,900

$      3,233,103

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

Current liabilities

  Accounts payable

$         453,052

$         406,706

  Compensation and other employee benefits

158,088

168,038

  Short-term debt

15,361

11,850

  Other accrued liabilities

213,700

196,538

Total current liabilities

840,201

783,132

  Long-term debt, net

1,100,269

1,262,811

  Deferred tax liabilities

11,763

15,813

  Operating lease liabilities

34,691

41,083

  Other non-current liabilities

104,176

133,185

 Total non-current liabilities

1,250,899

1,452,892

Total liabilities

2,091,100

2,236,024

Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)

Shareholders’ Equity

Preferred stock; $0.01 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; No shares issued and outstanding

Common stock; $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 31,191,628 and 30,470,475 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively

312

305

Additional paid in capital

762,324

748,877

Retained earnings

230,851

253,424

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(2,687)

(5,527)

Total shareholders’ equity

990,800

997,079

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

$      3,081,900

$      3,233,103

 

V2X, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

2022

2021

Operating activities

Net (loss) income

$      (22,573)

$      (14,330)

$        45,728

Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:

  Depreciation expense

22,408

13,472

6,526

  Amortization of intangible assets

90,423

48,643

10,028

  Loss on disposal of property, plant, and equipment

683

59

65

  Stock-based compensation

32,843

32,736

8,331

  Deferred taxes

(7,509)

(15,554)

(7,280)

  Amortization of debt issuance costs

9,067

7,805

912

  Loss on extinguishment of debt

22,298

  Gain on disposition of business

(450)

(2,082)

Changes in assets and liabilities:

  Receivables

19,064

(52,311)

(36,376)

  Inventory, net

(311)

(3,600)

(5,232)

  Other assets

12,076

14,962

(7,613)

  Accounts payable

43,153

71,837

56,985

  Compensation and other employee benefits

(9,901)

42,878

1,133

  Other liabilities

(23,303)

(51,020)

(11,868)

  Net cash provided by operating activities

187,968

93,495

61,339

Investing activities

Purchases of capital assets and intangibles

(25,021)

(12,425)

(9,776)

Proceeds from the disposition of assets

16

9

16

Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired

193,677

262

Disposition of business

1,349

(5,303)

Distributions from (contributions to) joint venture

1,007

(3,145)

  Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

(22,649)

175,958

(12,643)

Financing activities

Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt

250,000

Repayments of long-term debt

(432,603)

(108,400)

(8,600)

Proceeds from revolver

922,750

392,000

529,000

Repayments of revolver

(922,750)

(472,925)

(594,000)

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

34

408

379

Payment of debt issuance costs

(8,818)

(2,325)

(17)

Prepayment premium on early redemption of debt

(1,600)

Payments of employee withholding taxes on share-based compensation

(18,036)

(1,994)

(2,347)

  Net cash used in financing activities

(211,023)

(193,236)

(75,585)

Exchange rate effect on cash

2,288

1,337

(3,325)

Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

(43,416)

77,554

(30,214)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash – beginning of year

116,067

38,513

68,727

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash – end of year

$        72,651

$      116,067

$        38,513

Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:

Interest paid

$      117,482

$        54,267

$          5,801

Income taxes paid

$          8,356

$        13,416

$          9,703

Non-cash investing activities:

Purchase of capital assets on account

$          3,043

$          2,716

$             277

Common stock issued for business acquisition

$               —

$      630,636

$               —

 

Key Performance Indicators and Non-GAAP Measures

The primary financial performance measures we use to manage our business and monitor results of operations are revenue trends and operating income trends. Management believes that these financial performance measures are the primary drivers for our earnings and net cash from operating activities. Management evaluates its contracts and business performance by focusing on revenue, and operating income. Operating income represents revenue less both cost of revenue and selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses. Cost of revenue consists of labor, subcontracting costs, materials, and an allocation of indirect costs, which includes service center transaction costs. SG&A expenses consist of indirect labor costs (including wages and salaries for executives and administrative personnel), bid and proposal expenses and other general and administrative expenses not allocated to cost of revenue.

We manage the nature and amount of costs at the program level, which forms the basis for estimating our total costs and profitability. This is consistent with our approach for managing our business, which begins with management’s assessing the bidding opportunity for each contract and then managing contract profitability throughout the performance period.

In addition to the key performance measures discussed above, we consider adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share, adjusted operating income, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted operating cash flow, and pro forma revenue to be useful to management and investors in evaluating our operating performance, and to provide a tool for evaluating our ongoing operations. This information can assist investors in assessing our financial performance and measures our ability to generate capital for deployment among competing strategic alternatives and initiatives. We provide this information to our investors in our earnings releases, presentations, and other disclosures.

Adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share, adjusted operating income, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, and pro forma revenue, however, are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered a substitute for financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP.  Definitions and reconciliations of these items are provided below.

Pro forma (PF) revenue is defined as the combined results of our operations as if the Merger had occurred on January 1, 2021.Adjusted operating income is defined as operating income, adjusted to exclude items that may include, but are not limited to, significant charges or credits, and unusual and infrequent non-operating items that impact current results but are not related to our ongoing operations, such as M&A, integration, and related costs.Adjusted EBITDA is defined as operating income, adjusted to exclude depreciation and amortization of intangible assets, and items that may include, but are not limited to, significant charges or credits, and unusual and infrequent non-operating items that impact current results but are not related to our ongoing operations, such as M&A, integration, and related costs.Adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as adjusted EBITDA divided by revenue.Adjusted net income is defined as net income, adjusted to exclude items that may include, but are not limited to, significant charges or credits, and unusual and infrequent non-operating items that impact current results but are not related to our ongoing operations, such as M&A, integration and related costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, amortization of debt issuance costs, and loss on extinguishment of debt.Adjusted diluted earnings per share is defined as adjusted net income divided by the weighted average diluted common shares outstanding.Cash interest expense, net is defined as interest expense, net adjusted to exclude amortization of debt issuance costs.Adjusted net cash provided by (used in) operating activities or adjusted operating cash flow is defined as net cash provided by (or used in) operating activities adjusted to exclude infrequent non-operating items, such as M&A payments and related costs.Net leverage ratio is defined as net debt (or total debt less unrestricted cash) divided by trailing twelve-month (TTM) bank EBITDA.

In this document, the Company presents certain forward-looking non-GAAP metrics. The Company does not provide outlook on a GAAP basis because the items that the Company excludes from GAAP to calculate the comparable non-GAAP measure can be dependent on future events that are less capable of being controlled or reliably predicted by management and are not part of the Company’s routine operating activities. Additionally, management does not forecast many of the excluded items for internal use and therefore cannot create or rely on outlook done on a GAAP basis.  The occurrence, timing, and amount of any of the items excluded from GAAP to calculate non-GAAP could significantly impact the Company’s fiscal 2023 GAAP results.

 

 

Non-GAAP Tables

($K, except per share data)

Three Months Ended

Twelve Months Ended

December 31,
2023

December 31,
2022

December 31,
2023

December 31,
2022

Revenue

$      1,040,307

$        978,167

$      3,963,126

$      2,890,860

Net income (loss)

$               (492)

$         (10,619)

$          (22,573)

$          (14,330)

Plus:

Income tax expense (benefit)

8,420

10,675

(1,945)

8,222

Other expense, net

1,859

4,194

Interest expense, net

28,497

30,971

122,442

61,879

Loss on extinguishment of debt

246

22,298

Amortization of intangible assets

22,606

20,046

90,423

48,643

M&A, integration and related costs

15,055

26,379

56,610

87,108

Adjusted operating income

$          76,191

$          77,452

$        271,449

$        191,522

Plus:

Depreciation expense

5,875

4,809

22,408

13,472

Adjusted EBITDA

$          82,066

$          82,261

$        293,857

$        204,994

Adjusted EBITDA margin

7.9 %

8.4 %

7.4 %

7.1 %

Minus:

Cash interest expense, net

26,305

27,069

113,375

54,074

Income tax expense, as adjusted

9,101

19,654

35,430

36,295

Depreciation expense

5,875

4,809

22,408

13,472

Other expense, net

1,859

4,194

Adjusted net income

$          38,926

$          30,729

$        118,450

$        101,153

 

($K, except per share data)

Three Months Ended

Twelve Months Ended

December 31,
2023

December 31,
2022

December 31,
2023

December 31,
2022

Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$               (0.02)

$               (0.35)

$               (0.73)

$               (0.68)

Plus:

M&A, integration and related costs

0.45

0.69

1.42

3.28

Amortization of intangible assets

0.68

0.53

2.26

1.84

Amortization of debt issuance costs and Loss on extinguishment of debt

0.11

0.10

0.79

0.29

Adjusted diluted earnings per share

$                 1.22

$                 0.97

$                 3.74

$                 4.73

Average shares outstanding

Basic, as reported

31,192

30,465

31,084

20,996

Diluted, as reported

31,192

30,465

31,084

20,996

Adjusted diluted

31,822

31,284

31,567

21,346

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Revenue by client branch, contract type, contract relationship, and geographic region for the periods presented below was as follows: 

Revenue by Client

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

%

2022

%

2021

%

Army

$     1,633,525

41 %

$     1,342,406

46 %

$     1,134,849

64 %

Navy

1,233,463

31 %

713,732

25 %

224,407

13 %

Air Force

538,698

14 %

459,849

16 %

266,291

15 %

Other

557,440

14 %

374,873

13 %

158,118

8 %

Total revenue

$     3,963,126

$     2,890,860

$     1,783,665

 

Revenue by Contract Type

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

%

2022

%

2021

%

Cost-plus and cost-reimbursable

$     2,209,241

56 %

$     1,625,196

56 %

$     1,271,167

71 %

Firm-fixed-price

1,626,262

41 %

1,159,743

40 %

452,112

25 %

Time-and-materials

127,623

3 %

105,921

4 %

60,386

4 %

Total revenue

$     3,963,126

$     2,890,860

$     1,783,665

 

Revenue by Contract Relationship

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

%

2022

%

2021

%

Prime contractor

$     3,726,199

94 %

$     2,695,067

93 %

$     1,663,828

93 %

Subcontractor

236,927

6 %

195,793

7 %

119,837

7 %

Total revenue

$     3,963,126

$     2,890,860

$     1,783,665

 

Revenue by Geographic Region

Year Ended December 31,

(In thousands)

2023

%

2022

%

2021

%

United States

$     2,286,052

58 %

$     1,494,255

52 %

$       578,255

32 %

Middle East

1,193,598

30 %

1,024,674

35 %

1,000,877

56 %

Asia

264,346

7 %

167,629

6 %

61,927

3 %

Europe

219,130

5 %

204,302

7 %

142,606

9 %

Total revenue

$     3,963,126

$     2,890,860

$     1,783,665

 

 

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SOURCE V2X, Inc.

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Singtel Receives Four Frost & Sullivan 2026 Recognitions for Leadership in Enterprise Connectivity, Cybersecurity, and Digital Transformation

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The recognitions highlight Singtel’s leadership in secure connectivity, network transformation, IoT innovation, and cybersecurity, delivering customer value through intelligent digital infrastructure and AI-enabled enterprise services.

SAN ANTONIO, July 20, 2026 /CNW/ — Frost & Sullivan is pleased to honor Singtel with the 2026 Southeast Asia IoT Connectivity Service Provider Company of the Year, 2026 Singapore Network Transformation Customer Value Leadership, 2026 Singapore Cybersecurity Services Company of the Year, and 2026 Singapore SD-WAN and SASE Service Provider Company of the Year recognitions. These acknowledgements reflect Singtel’s outstanding achievements in delivering secure, intelligent, and scalable digital infrastructure that enables enterprises to modernize operations, simplify complexity, and accelerate digital transformation across Singapore and Southeast Asia. They underscore the company’s consistent leadership in strategy execution, customer value creation, and innovation across enterprise connectivity, cybersecurity, software-defined networking, and IoT connectivity services.

Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Singtel excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to anticipate evolving enterprise requirements while consistently translating long-term vision into measurable customer outcomes. Through platforms such as Singtel CUBΣ (CUBE) and its multidomestic IoT connectivity architecture, the company continues to unify networking, cybersecurity, automation, and AI-driven intelligence into integrated solutions that address the growing complexity of hybrid, multicloud, and connected environments. “Singtel has established itself as a benchmark for enterprise digital infrastructure by converging connectivity, cybersecurity, network intelligence, and IoT orchestration into a unified, customer-centric ecosystem. Its disciplined execution, platform-led innovation, and commitment to simplifying complex enterprise environments continue to strengthen operational resilience and deliver sustained value for organizations across the region,” said Kenny Yeo, Director at Frost & Sullivan.

Guided by a long-term strategy focused on digital innovation, intelligent infrastructure, and customer-centric transformation, Singtel has moved well-beyond traditional telecommunications to a trusted technology partner for enterprises navigating increasingly connected and data-driven environments. Its strategic investments in AI-enabled operations, cloud-native platforms, secure connectivity, and ecosystem partnerships enable organizations to modernize critical infrastructure while maintaining the flexibility to support future business growth.

The company’s strategic agility and sustained investment in integrated digital platforms have enabled it to scale innovative services across local, regional, and global enterprise environments. Innovation remains central to Singtel’s approach through solutions including the CUBΣ connected intelligence platform, multidomestic IoT connectivity powered by eSIM orchestration, managed cybersecurity services, AI-driven network automation, and network-as-a-service capabilities. These solutions simplify network and security management, strengthen cyber resilience, improve operational visibility, and provide enterprises with scalable, secure, and high-performing connectivity across cloud, edge, IoT, and hybrid infrastructures.

By streamlining service delivery through intelligent automation, centralized orchestration, proactive monitoring, and flexible managed and co-managed service models, Singtel continues to help organizations reduce operational complexity while improving service reliability and business agility. Its ability to integrate best-of-breed technologies in a unified operational framework, combined with strong regional network ownership and localized expertise, enables customers to confidently scale digital initiatives while maintaining security, governance, and operational excellence.

Frost & Sullivan commends Singtel for setting a high standard in competitive strategy, execution, and customer value across multiple technology domains. By combining intelligent networking, secure digital infrastructure, AI-enabled operations, and cross-border IoT capabilities in an integrated platform strategy, the company is shaping the future of enterprise connectivity while helping organizations build resilient, future-ready digital ecosystems.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents its Company of the Year and Customer Value Leadership recognitions to organizations that demonstrate outstanding strategy development and implementation, resulting in measurable improvements in customer satisfaction, competitive positioning, and business performance. These recognitions honor forward-thinking companies that continuously raise industry standards through innovation, operational excellence, and long-term value creation.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition
Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.
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Contact:
Tarini Singh
E: Tarini.Singh@frost.com

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/singtel-receives-four-frost–sullivan-2026-recognitions-for-leadership-in-enterprise-connectivity-cybersecurity-and-digital-transformation-302829114.html

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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Technology

Foreign entrepreneurs find business opportunities and a home in Yiwu

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BEIJING, July 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from People’s Daily:

Yiwu, a city in east China’s Zhejiang province, is neither a coastal hub nor a border town. Yet it has built a trade network that reaches across the globe. Today, the city is home to more than 10,000 foreign-invested businesses and around 38,000 foreign merchants who live and work there.

People’s Daily reporters recently visited Yiwu to meet foreign entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses and settled down in the city. They shared stories of growing alongside Yiwu and becoming part of its remarkable transformation.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Yiwu,” said Senegalese businessman Sourakhata Tirera, a sentiment he often expresses. He first came to Yiwu in 2003 to source hardware products and was immediately impressed by the Yiwu International Trade Market. He noted, “If you can’t find something here, it’s probably because you haven’t searched carefully enough.”

In 2007, Tirera opened a foreign trade agency in Yiwu. In 2012, leveraging Yiwu’s comprehensive foreign trade pilot reform project, he established a wholly foreign-owned trading company. Today, his company ships 200 to 300 containers every month, dealing in more than 1,000 product categories and providing one-stop sourcing services for clients across Africa.

“Everyone is fascinated by Yiwu because it’s a place full of opportunities. Things that once seemed impossible can become reality here,” Tirera told People’s Daily after he finished receiving a trade delegation from Gabon.

Yemeni businessman Maged Mohammed Ali Al-Huraibi came to Yiwu alone in 2008 to pursue his entrepreneurial dream and founded a cosmetics trading company. In 2024, Yiwu launched a one-stop entrepreneurship service for foreign talent, offering factory leasing, policy consultation, and talent recruitment. Seizing the opportunity, Al-Huraibi invested in a cosmetics factory early that year, successfully transitioning from trader to manufacturer.

“Yiwu made my entrepreneurial dream come true. Now I want to bring cosmetics made in Yiwu to even more countries and regions around the world,” Al-Huraibi said.

Yiwu’s success is not simply about gathering products. More importantly, it comes from the city’s ability to create what the market needs — pioneering new approaches where none exist and forging new paths through continuous exploration.

Nepalese businessman Khadka Raj Kumar first came to Yiwu in 2002. In 2011, Yiwu pioneered a dual-track system for representative offices and foreign-invested business entities, addressing challenges related to residency, employment and business operations for foreign entrepreneurs. The following year, Kumar established his own trading company in Yiwu and later bought a home there.

In 2013, Yiwu established China’s first people’s mediation committee dedicated to foreign-related disputes, inviting foreign businesspeople to serve as mediation processes. Kumar has served in this role since 2017 and has participated in resolving more than 150 foreign-related disputes.

“In Yiwu, we’re not outsiders — we’re part of the local community,” he said.

As Yiwu’s sixth-generation marketplace, the Yiwu Global Digital Trade Center marks the city’s transition from traditional trade to a digital trade ecosystem.

Pakistani businessman Sheikh Jamil, who has operated in Yiwu for 21 years, has witnessed this transformation firsthand. According to him, more and more business is now conducted online. With the help of AI, he can quickly generate product solutions tailored to different market demands. “I can do business with the whole world without leaving my office,” he said.

Yemeni businessman Hasan Mohammed entered Yiwu’s cosmetics business as a distributor a decade ago. In 2018, he registered his own cosmetics brand in Saudi Arabia. With its products registered in Saudi Arabia, manufactured in China and sold worldwide, his business model delivers both high-quality products and a strong competitive edge.

“Yiwu is more like an ecosystem where ideas can quickly become reality. It offers not only opportunities, but also the potential for continuous growth,” said Mohammed.

For Brazilian businesswoman Ana Garcia, Yiwu’s transformation from “Made in Yiwu” to “Created in Yiwu” has been fueled by broad support in branding, digital innovation and global expansion. She founded a business consultancy that helps overseas clients identify market opportunities and sourcing needs, connect with qualified suppliers, and manage every step of the supply chain — from product selection and quality inspection to logistics and customs clearance.

Yiwu belongs not only to China, but also to the world. Together with entrepreneurs from around the globe, the city will continue turning the impossible into the possible, further burnishing its reputation as the “world’s supermarket” and ensuring that products created in Yiwu benefit people in more countries.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/foreign-entrepreneurs-find-business-opportunities-and-a-home-in-yiwu-302829158.html

SOURCE People’s Daily

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Technology

New Datingsmatch Survey: 1 in 5 Users Say a Wink Led to a Conversation

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New findings from a Datingsmatch.com user survey show that the smallest gestures are doing more of the communication work than most people realize.

GIBRALTAR, July 19, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — People tend to think about opening messages as the moment a conversation actually starts online. The carefully worded introduction, the line someone spent time writing and then rewrote. What the data from a recent Datingsmatch survey points to is something different: for a meaningful share of users, none of that is where things began. It began with a wink.

According to the survey, 1 in 5 users of Datingsmatch reported that a wink was what got a conversation going. One-fifth of respondents, spread across different age groups and usage habits, identified that a single small gesture as the moment something actually started between two people.

What the Datingsmatch Survey Found

The survey was conducted among 5,000 users of the Datingsmatch online communication platform in June 2026, with participants asked to voluntarily share their experiences. The aim was to get a clearer picture of how conversations tend to begin, what it is that people hesitate about, and what eventually prompts someone to go ahead and reach out.

The wink finding was among the more consistent findings from the responses. Among users who described a conversation they felt good about, a notable portion were able to trace it back to a wink being sent first, whether they had sent it or received it. The reverse situation, where someone sent a cold message with no prior signal of any kind, was something respondents described as harder on both sides of the exchange.

That tracks with what broader research also points to. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 55% of online daters felt insecure about the number of messages they received, and 36% felt overwhelmed by incoming contact. What that suggests is not that people don’t want to connect — it’s that the way contact gets initiated matters a great deal for how it lands.

Why Small Signals Carry More Weight Than They Seem

The Datingsmatch survey also looked at what stops people from reaching out when they want to. Uncertainty came up repeatedly. Not knowing whether someone is open to hearing from you. Not wanting to guess wrong and feel like you’ve overstepped.

What respondents described is not a lack of interest in connecting. It’s the absence of a clear enough signal that the other person is open to it. A Datingsmatch wink feature provides exactly that. It’s visible, unambiguous, and low-commitment enough that neither person has to feel exposed by it. For those still finding their footing on the platform, the beginner’s guide to the Datingsmatch platform walks through how these features work and how to use them effectively.

This connects to a 2024 study published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking that examined online rejection: ghosting was the most common form of rejection in digital communication, even after substantial prior exchanges. The fear that a message will simply be ignored — without any acknowledgment — is a real barrier. A lower-stakes signal reduces that barrier because the cost of no response feels smaller.

Datingsmatch notes, based on what survey participants shared, that this kind of low-friction signal seems to work differently than most people expect. It doesn’t just start conversations. It seems to reduce the gap that many users described feeling between “I want to reach out” and “I actually did.”

How People Actually Use the Wink Feature on Datingsmatch

Survey responses offered a more specific picture of the behavior. Winks were not being used randomly or as a form of mass outreach. Respondents described using them deliberately, on users they had spent time looking at, toward people they were genuinely interested in but not yet sure about approaching with a message.

Some users described sending a wink as a way of checking whether there was any openness to further contact, without having to commit to a full message exchange in order to find out. Others who had been on the receiving end of a wink said it was something they found easier to respond to, in part because it did not feel like it was asking too much of them too soon. There were also respondents who noted that when a wink had gone back and forth between two people, the first actual message felt less like an approach out of nowhere and more like a natural continuation of something that had already started.

Datingsmatch customer service regularly hears from users that knowing how to start a conversation is one of the things people think about most when they first join the platform. The survey data puts some numbers to what those conversations have long suggested.

What This Means for How the Platform Thinks About Connection

Datingsmatch highlights that findings like these shape how the platform continues to think about the role of small, low-pressure interactions in the overall experience. A conversation that begins with a wink is not a lesser conversation. Survey respondents who traced their most valued exchanges back to a wink described those conversations in consistently positive terms.

The platform sees value in giving users multiple ways to signal interest at different levels of commitment. A message is a commitment. A wink is an invitation. Both have a place, and the data suggests that for a meaningful portion of users, the invitation comes first and matters more than it might look like from the outside.

About Datingsmatch

Datingsmatch is an online communication platform that gives people a range of ways to connect online. The platform is built around the idea that how a conversation starts shapes everything that follows, and that not every interaction needs to begin with a message. Datingsmatch operates globally and continues to develop its communication tools based on how users actually engage with each other.

Media Contact

Elizabeth Fielden, Datingsmatch, 1 5869132511, review@datingsmatch.com, https://datingsmatch.com/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/new-datingsmatch-survey-1-in-5-users-say-a-wink-led-to-a-conversation-302828676.html

SOURCE Datingsmatch

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