JDC Group - Muted Q417 does not spoil FY18 outlook

JDC Group has been successful in implementing its fintech strategy so far and continues to acquire new insurance portfolios, as illustrated by the recent deals with Albatros and Artus Gruppe. This is confirmed by JDC’s preliminary FY17 numbers, with revenues and adjusted EBITDA improving by 7.6% and 62.5% y-o-y, respectively. However, even adjusted for one-off items, FY17 EBITDA was below management target (€3.9m vs €5-6m), while revenues (€84.5m) missed guidance (€85-95m) by a small margin. Despite a weaker Q417, management remains confident in strong growth in 2018 driven by new business acquired in 2017. JDC’s shares are trading at a 2018 P/E ratio of 55.3x, c 192% ahead of the peer group.