After a difficult 2020, Kudelski returned to profitability last year. The profit of the encryption and secure access specialist amounted to 18.8 million francs, after a loss of 16.6 million francs in the previous financial year. This result is significantly higher than the expectations of analysts polled by AWP, who expected it to be around 10.9 million francs.
In detail, the digital television sector, the heart of Kudelski’s historic business, saw its sales increase by 2.8% to 327 million francs. If the activity suffered at the start of the pandemic, customers were able to adapt to the new situation and the company to the new context, indicated André Kudelski, boss of the company, during an interview granted to AWP.
Fight against cyberattacks
The cybersecurity division, for its part, experienced sustained development, with a 25.8% increase in sales to 99 million francs. The democratization of telework has increased the vulnerability of all actors, facilitating cyberattacks. “We have increased our rapid response capabilities,” explained the group’s boss. In addition to recruitment, the group has also made use of internal mobility.”
Activities related to the Internet of Things saw their sales more than double to 7.5 million francs. Their growth should develop at the same pace this year, the division being driven in particular by the boom in object location devices. In this sector, which is less dematerialized than the others, supply chain problems have been overcome. The Internet of Things is still in its infancy and the activity is promising in the medium and long term, underlined the one who also chairs Innosuisse, the federal agency for the support of innovation.
The only false note in this good vintage, the “public access” department saw Skidata sales contract by 3.7% in 2021 due to the pandemic. For 2022, André Kudelski says he is “optimistic, but cautiously”.
Verve title on the Swiss stock exchange
For 2022, his group forecasts overall revenue growth of between 5 and 8% compared to 2021. Acquisitions are not a priority at this stage, the company a priori favoring organic growth.
The board of directors will propose the payment of an unchanged dividend of 10 centimes per bearer share. Investors hail the performance achieved last year. At midday, the Kudelski title gained nearly 11%.