Blackline Safety is one of our Top Picks for 2020, PI Financial says

A record fourth quarter and growing top line have analyst David Kwan of PI Financial upping his price target for Blackline Safety (Blackline Safety Stock Quote, Chart, News TSXV:BLN). In an update to clients on Thursday, Kwan reviewed the company’s latest quarterly results and pointed to the company’s healthy pipeline as a good sign of things to come.

Makers of wearable safety tech and personal and area gas monitoring software and analytics, Calgary-based Blackline Safety reported its fourth quarter earnings on Thursday, showing Q4 revenue of $10.7 million, a 94-per-cent increase year-over-year, which brought the year’s sales to $33.3 million, an 87-per-cent improvement over 2018.

“Throughout utility, energy, petrochemical and manufacturing industries, digital transformation is changing the way that leading businesses operate, optimize and keep their employees safe,” said Cody Slater, CEO and Chairman at Blackline Safety, in a press release.

“Our remarkable year of record revenue and significant growth in every market and across every industry demonstrates that Blackline’s connected safety technology and award-winning wearables are a key pillar of the most advanced, digital-forward and people-centric organizations,” Slater wrote.

Blackline had significant expansion in 2019 into Europe, notably within the United Kingdom’s water utility industry. This past October, for example, the company announced a $3.4-million contract for its connected gas detection solution with a major UK water and sewerage authority. Revenue from recurring service and product sales in Europe were up 275 per cent, up 69 per cent in the US and up 50 per cent in Canada, quarter-over-quarter.

In his report, Kwan said BLN’s quarterly top line of $10.7 million beat both the Street’s forecast of $8.4 million and his $9.7 million estimate. Adjusted EBITDA came in at negative $1.8 million, slightly ahead of consensus at $1.9 million but below Kwan’s $1.6-million forecast. The analyst said that excluding some non-recurring items, adjusted EBITDA would have been negative $1.1 million. Kwan called the company’s balance sheet strong at negative $3.1 million in free cash flow and ending Q4 with $30.6 million in cash and $0.3 million in debt.

Kwan pointed to Blackline’s launch of its EXO area monitor product line over the next quarter as significant.

“Currently in beta testing, the Exo fixed area monitor is set to begin shipping toward the end of Q2 FY20. The Exo should help open up new markets for BLN (e.g., plant turnaround, construction, emergency response). We believe the higher margin Exo could generate $5-$10M in revenue its first year,” Kwan wrote.

“BLN is off to a great start to 2020 and we expect more positive news/developments to come, aided by a growing and healthy pipeline. Management continues to execute exceptionally well on its high (organic) growth plan, which should help the share price outperform. As a reminder, BLN is one of our Top Picks for 2020,” said Kwan.

The analyst has upped his target due to de-risking of BLN’s story and with the update he is maintaining his “Buy” rating with a new target of $11.50 per share (previously $9.00), implying at press time a projected 12-month return of 61 per cent.