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Victoria.Larson


Flywire: Leading the Industry with Personalized Service and Unique Software Capabilities

2023-07-30

The call meeting focused on discussing the company's customer service, software capabilities, geographic expansion, and competition in the industry. Executives highlighted personalized service, integration with existing systems, and expertise in opening new markets. They also discussed the functionality of their software and their position in the domestic education payments market.

The most important topic discussed in the meeting was the company's focus on providing excellent customer service and the unique features of their software that differentiate them from their competitors.

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The CEO highlighted the company's ability to provide personalized customer service, setting them apart from competitors who may have a more volume-based model. This personalized service allows clients to speak to a real person for assistance with questions, new features, unique situations, or to enhance their offering.

On the software side, the company's software has several unique features that make it stand out in the industry. It integrates with familiar systems in the travel space, allowing for specialized functionality that makes sense in the industry. For example, it enables the creation of a schedule of payments for booked trips, simplifying the collection of payments for clients. The software also has a global payment network, allowing for payments from multiple countries. Additionally, it includes a full invoice engine, which many clients rely on.

Overall, the company's focus on customer service and its unique software capabilities position it as a leader in the industry, providing a personalized and efficient experience for clients.

The market outlook for the company is positive, with expectations of single-digit growth and a return to pre-pandemic growth trajectory. The acquisition of WPM is progressing well, with clients signing on and adopting the value proposition. Increased volumes and a bullish outlook are anticipated for the busier part of the year. The Chief Financial Officer is pleased with the flow-through and expects better results in Q2. The company has increased its full-year adjusted EBITDA margin guidance. Strong 1Q revenue and healthy updated 2023 revenue estimates indicate positive performance. The APAC travel segment has seen a nice recovery, and the European luxury travel market remains robust. Overall, the company's market outlook is optimistic.

The key drivers of the business are strong performance in the U.S. market, recovery and performance of subsectors of education, increasing travel activity, revenue growth rate and adjusted gross profit growth rate, disciplined approach to cost structure and hiring, consistent performance in the education vertical, and strength in international student numbers and cross-border activity.

Based on the information provided, the company's plans for its product/service include emphasizing personalized and high-quality customer service, expanding and diversifying its offerings by creating new subsectors and tour categories, opening up new geographies for clients within these sectors, and enhancing its software by adding integrations and specialized functionality specific to the travel industry, such as schedule of payments, a global payment network, and a full invoice engine.

The most important KPIs discussed in the meeting were the company's growth trajectory, the conversion of WPM schools or customers onto the Flywire platform, volumes and peaks, and EBITDA margin expansion. The company expressed optimism about returning to pre-pandemic levels of growth and highlighted the progress of converting WPM clients onto the Flywire platform. They also discussed their bullishness about anticipated volumes and increased peaks in the busier part of the year. Additionally, the impressive expansion of EBITDA margin in the first quarter was mentioned, with guidance for even better margins in the second quarter.

The company's outlook for the quarter and year is positive. They reported a 39% increase in revenue for Q1 2023 compared to Q1 2022, attributed to strategic additions to their sales and marketing teams and an acquisition. They anticipate revenue for the full year 2023 to be in the range of $360 million to $370 million, representing a year-over-year growth rate of 37% at the midpoint. They also expect to deliver adjusted EBITDA in the range of $30 million to $36 million for the full year 2023, with an improvement in adjusted EBITDA margin. However, they anticipate negative adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2023 due to seasonality and cost structure. Overall, the company is optimistic about its performance and expects continued growth.

The participants of the call were Mike Massaro, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Bob Napoli from William Blair, an analyst, Rob Orgel, the President and Chief Operating Officer, and Ken Suchoski from Anonymous Research, also an analyst.

In conclusion, the company's focus on providing excellent customer service and its unique software capabilities position it as a leader in the industry. With a positive market outlook and plans for geographic expansion and product enhancement, the company is well-positioned for continued growth. The participants of the call, including the CEO, analysts from William Blair and Anonymous Research, and the President and COO, provided valuable insights into the company's performance and future prospects. Overall, the company's strong quarterly results and optimistic outlook indicate a promising future.