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CSP INC /MA/ (CSPI)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Revenue increased 18% year over year to $15.45M, with product revenue up 29% and services roughly flat; gross margin compressed to 29% from 34% as mix shifted toward product and component costs remained elevated .
  • Diluted EPS was $(0.03) versus $(0.02) last year and $(0.01) in Q2; operating loss widened to $(1.22)M on higher SG&A tied to AZT Protect go-to-market investments .
  • Management highlighted strong momentum in Technology Solutions (cloud and managed services) and AZT Protect channel build-out (Rockwell resellers, South Africa cell towers), pointing to potential top- and bottom-line growth for FY25; Board declared a $0.03 dividend .
  • No formal quantitative guidance was issued; sequential revenue rose sharply, but margins softened—near-term stock narrative likely hinges on AZT pipeline conversion pace versus sustained cost/mix headwinds .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Technology Solutions revenue grew 20% y/y, with strong cloud demand, including a secured Microsoft Azure project for a Florida-based healthcare provider; “we generated significant momentum” and “high interest across our business segments” .
  • AZT Protect progressed via reseller strategy with new steel, concrete, lumber wins and international expansion (South African cell tower deployments); CEO: “we are confident in our ability to maximize our returns from AZT Protect” .
  • TS cloud projects scaled to “over 20 active projects” across industries; maritime demand robust, adding personnel to meet current demand .

What Went Wrong

  • Gross margin fell to 29% from 34% y/y due to mix shift (higher product revenue) and higher component costs; gross profit dipped to $4.45M from $4.58M y/y .
  • Operating loss increased to $(1.22)M vs $(0.72)M y/y on elevated SG&A (sales/marketing for AZT) and R&D consulting spend to support product enhancements .
  • Cash declined sequentially to $26.31M from $29.50M, reflecting share repurchases and operating loss; services revenue was only slightly higher y/y, limiting mix benefits .

Financial Results

MetricQ3 2024Q1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Revenue ($USD Millions)$13.11 $15.67 $13.15 $15.45
Product Revenue ($USD Millions)$7.85 $11.02 $8.55 $10.15
Services Revenue ($USD Millions)$5.26 $4.66 $4.60 $5.30
Gross Profit ($USD Millions)$4.58 $4.56 $4.21 $4.45
Gross Margin %34% 29.1% 32% 29%
Operating Income ($USD Millions)$(0.72) $(0.35) $(0.99) $(1.22)
Net Income ($USD Millions)$(0.19) $0.47 $(0.11) $(0.26)
Diluted EPS ($USD)$(0.02) $0.05 $(0.01) $(0.03)

Segment/Revenue Mix

MetricQ3 2024Q1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Product Mix % of Sales59.9% 70.3% 65.1% 65.7%
Services Mix % of Sales40.1% 29.7% 34.9% 34.3%

KPIs and Operating Metrics

KPIQ1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Cash and Equivalents ($USD Millions)$30.65 $29.50 $26.31
SG&A ($USD Millions)$4.13 $4.44 $4.89
Engineering & Development ($USD Millions)$0.79 $0.76 $0.79
Share Repurchases (Shares)N/A disclosed23,800 19,000
Dividend per Share ($USD)$0.03 $0.03 $0.03

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
RevenueFY25No formal guidance provided No formal guidance provided; management indicates momentum and potential to grow top and bottom line Maintained (no formal guidance)
Gross MarginFY25No formal guidance No formal guidance; mix headwinds noted (higher product) and higher component costs Maintained (no formal guidance)
Dividend per ShareQuarterly$0.03 per quarter $0.03 declared for Q3 (payable Sep 15, 2025) Maintained
Share RepurchaseAuthorization~311k shares remaining as of Q2 ~0.3M shares remain as of Q3 Maintained program; activity continued

Note: The company did not issue quantitative revenue/EPS guidance ranges. Management provided directional commentary regarding demand momentum and pipeline conversion .

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicPrevious Mentions (Q1 2025)Previous Mentions (Q2 2025)Current Period (Q3 2025)Trend
AZT Protect (OT security)Initial entry into utilities/wastewater; building presence in OT New South African cell tower customer; pharma support renewal; pipeline expansion via resellers New wins in steel, concrete, lumber; three largest Rockwell resellers engaged; follow-up South Africa camera order; land-and-expand strategy Accelerating channel-led adoption
TS Cloud/Managed ServicesStrong performance; services +17%; cruise lines demand TS solid despite tough compares; cloud projects and healthcare wins 20+ active projects; Azure project win; maritime demand requiring added personnel Sustained growth; scaling delivery
Margins/CostGM expanded y/y to 29.1% GM 32% vs 47% prior-year tough comp; component costs GM 29%; component costs and product mix; SG&A up for AZT sales/marketing Pressure from mix and investment
Regional/Vertical ExpansionUtilities/wastewater South Africa (cell towers), pharma Pacific Northwest lumber, U.S. steel/concrete, South Africa expansion; potential tens of thousands of towers Broadening across geographies/verticals
Capital AllocationDividend $0.03; strong cash Dividend $0.03; buyback 23,800 shares Dividend $0.03; buyback 19,000 shares; cash $26.3M Ongoing shareholder returns amid investment

Management Commentary

  • “In addition to 18% total revenue growth… we generated significant momentum throughout the quarter for our differentiated AZT PROTECT offering… the cloud-based business continues to exceed our projections… Furthermore, our Maritime business is robust and has required added personnel resources to meet current demand.” — Victor Dellovo, CEO .
  • “We settled on a land and expand sales approach… in the steel industry… already has seen success in stopping an unintentional update that could have taken down the mill’s production.” — Victor Dellovo .
  • “We finished the quarter with more than $26,000,000 in cash and cash equivalent… the Board of Directors authorized another $0.03 per share quarterly cash dividend.” — Victor Dellovo .
  • “Gross profit… was $4,500,000 or 29% of sales… due to our sales mix and reflects higher component costs in the product side of the business… SG&A… up… largely due to increased sales and marketing expenses related to AZT Protect.” — Gary Levine, CFO .

Q&A Highlights

  • R&D consulting: Additional engineers engaged for high-level testing of AZT improvements; expected to continue for “another quarter” .
  • Land-and-expand strategy: Entered concrete plants via resellers; targeting multi-site rollouts with endpoints ranging from tens to hundreds per site to accelerate deployment versus 18-month mega-deals .
  • AZT feature evolution: From 1 countermeasure at launch to 14; now Windows and Linux (XP to 2025), ARM core support, USB lockdown, microsegmentation, SIEM integrations—reflecting customer-driven enhancements .
  • South Africa opportunity: Integration work to enable gold image deployments; potential to roll out to “tens of thousands of cell towers over the next twelve to eighteen months” via partner ORIX .
  • Other resellers: Progress with water facility-focused reseller under NDA; management expects “real success in 2026” .

Estimates Context

  • S&P Global consensus EPS and revenue estimates for Q3 2025 were unavailable; actual reported revenue was $15.45M and EBITDA was $(1.16)M, limiting beat/miss analysis on estimates.*
  • Limited analyst coverage and absence of target price consensus suggest Street models may need to incorporate AZT pipeline ramp, investment-driven SG&A, and mix-driven margin dynamics going forward.*

*Values retrieved from S&P Global.

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Revenue growth is healthy and broad-based, driven by TS cloud/managed services and early AZT Protect traction; watch for conversion of reseller pipelines into 6- and 7-figure contracts over the next 12–24 months .
  • Margin compression reflects mix and component costs; near-term operating leverage depends on services growth and AZT pricing/mix as SG&A remains elevated to support channel build-out .
  • Capital return remains steady with $0.03 quarterly dividend and ongoing buybacks, supported by strong cash, though cash has declined sequentially as investments and repurchases continue .
  • The Russell 3000 inclusion improves institutional visibility, which could aid liquidity and coverage over time—especially if AZT wins scale with major resellers .
  • Tactical: Near-term catalysts include additional AZT reseller-driven wins (steel, concrete, lumber), South Africa tower rollouts, and continued TS cloud wins; risks include extended sales cycles and persistent component cost headwinds .
  • Medium-term: Thesis rests on AZT’s differentiation (14 countermeasures, Linux/ARM support) and repeatable land-and-expand deployments across industrial IoT/OT environments via major distributors .
  • With no formal guidance and limited Street coverage, monitor Q4 commentary (management indicated strong momentum) for evidence of bottom-line inflection versus continued investment phase .

Additional Context

  • Industry backdrop: Telecom networks face rising stealth intrusions and faster, more powerful DDoS attacks; AI-driven analytics adoption is increasing. This aligns with CSPi’s security narrative around AZT Protect and ARIA solutions .