NSR Press Releases

NSR: Satellite Industry Financials Show 6% Growth, but Challenges Persist

Gains for Service Providers Overshadowed by Big 4 Operators’ Stagnant Revenues 

Cambridge, MA – October 23, 2019 – NSR’s Satellite Industry Financial Analysis, 9th Edition (SIFA9) report, released today, finds a 6% industry growth in 2018-2019, on the back of strong IFC contracts and broadband subscriptions, with several integrated operators posting large double-digit growth. While EBITDA margins improved and cash flows increased, top-line growth remains a big concern for SES, Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Telesat.  A prolonged decline in media revenues is met with modest gains for data networks, with flat to declining revenues the norm.  Decline in Return on Capital Employed also denotes a transition phase from FSS to HTS until 2020, after which growth is expected to take off again.

For 3 years in a row, Service Providers posted large top-line gains with Speedcast, Hughes, and Gogo leading the way. EBITDA margins have improved, but are still far away from generating positive cash flow. Finally, 2018-19 has been a breakthrough for M&A, with Hispasat, Asiasat, and Inmarsat going private on the back of strong performances towards cash generation, backlog, and debt reduction.

“The industry is set to witness a higher diversification in fleet strategy going forward with options from FSS Hybrid (high EBITDA) to VHTS (efficiency) to small GEOs (regional/mission specific) to non-GEOs (ubiquitous) from various stand-alone and integrated operators,” notes Gagan Agrawal, report author. “While operators pursue growth, it is key that each creates its own captive regional markets, with highest fleet efficiency for wholesale revenue and the best-in-class fleet synergies in a managed services role,” Agrawal noted further.

NSR’s newly released Satellite Industry Financial Analysis, 9th Edition looks at these market dynamics and potential growth drivers for the near to long term future.

About the Report

Built on 10+ years of in-house financial research, innovation in building unique metrics and cross-analyzing trends in the satcom industry, NSR’s Satellite Industry Financial Analysis, 9th Edition (SIFA9) is the leading industry resource for analyzing financial performance across the dynamic satcom market.

For additional information on this report, including a full table of contents, list of exhibits, and executive summary, please visit www.nsr.com or call NSR at +1-617-674-7743.

About NSR

NSR is the leading global market research and consulting firm focused on the satellite and space sectors. NSR’s global team, unparalleled coverage and anticipation of trends with a higher degree of confidence and precision than the competition is the cornerstone of all NSR offerings. First to market coverage and a transparent, dependable approach sets NSR apart as the key provider of critical insight to the satellite and space industries.  Contact us at info@nsr.com to discuss how we can assist your business.