Latest news with #Beti
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
This company is hurting its own revenues on a bet for future growth
Questor is The Telegraph's stock-picking column, helping you decode the markets and offering insights on where to invest. Companies that use their success to channel more resources into improving the experience of customers often create significant value for shareholders in the long run. In the short term, though, these extra costs can seem counterintuitive. US human resources software company Paycom Software is a case in point. Since 2015 it has increased the amount spent on research and development (R&D) as a proportion of sales from below 4pc to 13pc. That represents a considerable increase in costs, yet it has received outsized rewards from the extra spending. Sales have increased more than 12-fold over the period while the extra cost has not reduced operating margin but seen it soar from 11.4pc to 32.5pc. What's more, the rapid growth means the pickup in R&D as a percentage of sales has had a much more dramatic effect in terms of money spent, which has risen from $8.9m (£6.6m) to $243m. Significantly, Paycom has also not been afraid to launch new products that have gone directly against its own short-term interests in order to improve the life of customers. A slowdown in revenue growth that knocked the share price over recent years can in part be attributed to the introduction of a payroll automation feature called Beti. This has reduced payroll workload for some clients by as much as 90pc, with the knock-on effect of eliminating some of the error-correction work Paycom used to get paid to do.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Task forces to combat female foeticide in Gurgaon now
Gurgaon: With a view to tightening enforcement of laws against sex-selective practices and promoting gender equity at the grassroots level, Haryana govt on Wednesday mandated formation of dedicated standing committees in all districts. For effective implementation of Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, an incentive of Rs 10,000 to informers and Rs 25,000 to decoys for successful raids will be provided from Beti Bachao Beti Padhao funds. At 834, Haryana's sex ratio at birth (SRB) was the lowest among all states when the data was studied in the 2011 Census. The state improved its count to 923 by 2019 but started seeing a downward trend decisions were made by additional chief secretary (health) Sudhir Rajpal at a meeting of district civil surgeons and deputy commissioners in Chandigarh, which he chaired. Headed by deputy commissioners, with civil surgeons serving as member secretaries, the committees have been tasked with ensuring timely legal enforcement, formulating district-specific strategies to curb sex determination and conducting regular surveillance and surprise inspections of ultrasound, MTP and IVF centres. They will meet monthly to assess ongoing measures and plan further action. Each district is required to submit minutes of the meetings and action-taken reports to ACS Rajpal by the 10th of every month. The initiative focuses on the strict implementation of key legislation, including the pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, the MTP Act and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Act, Rajpal said. Director of National Health Mission (Haryana) Dr Virender Yadav said, "We have also shared the list of the villages with all districts which reported below 700 SRB in the last three years consecutively. These will be the focus areas and all districts have been directed to ensure that they develop specific action plans to improve SRB in these areas." Last year, thirteen of Haryana's 22 districts saw a fall in the sex ratio at birth, taking the state's overall SRB for the year to 910, which was its lowest since 2016. ACS Rajpal has directed that the standing committees would monitor sex ratio trends using data from the health management information system (HMIS), civil registration system (CRS) and auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) registers. Routine audits of F-forms and verification of reports from reproductive health facilities will also be part of their districts have been directed to display village-wise sex ratio data at the deputy commissioner's office. All PHCs should be divided between medical officers, dental surgeons and ayush doctors for the purpose of improvement in the sex ratio and these doctors will be responsible for the activities regarding improvement in the sex ratio. Reproductive child health (RCH) ID is to be kept mandatory for antenatal ultrasound and MTP. ASHAs, ANMs and AWWs are to ensure early ANC registration. If registration is not done in three months, the ANC registration will not be done without the permission of the concerned civil surgeon, except in emergency cases. A status report regarding pregnancy should be taken from all ASHA Sahelis and MTP of all pregnant women with one or more live female children should be tracked by RCH ID. Register pregnancies before 10 weeksAll districts were told to register all pregnancies before 10 weeks without fail. All abortions beyond 12 weeks must be thoroughly investigated, particularly in cases where the couple already has one or more daughters. Civil surgeons have been instructed to lead these investigations and maintain a close watch. Any doctor found engaging in sex-selective practices will face stringent disciplinary action, including the cancellation of their licence by the Haryana Medical Council.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Paycom Software Inc (PAYC) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth Amid ...
Full Year Revenue: $1.88 billion, 11% organic growth compared to 2023. Fourth Quarter Revenue: $494 million, 14% growth year-over-year. Full Year Recurring and Other Revenue: $1.76 billion, up 11% from 2023. Interest on Funds Held for Clients: $125 million for the full year, up 16% year-over-year; $29 million for the fourth quarter, up 2% year-over-year. Full Year GAAP Net Income: $502 million or $8.92 per diluted share. Fourth Quarter GAAP Net Income: $114 million or $2.02 per diluted share. Full Year Non-GAAP Net Income: $462 million or $8.21 per diluted share. Fourth Quarter Non-GAAP Net Income: $130 million or $2.32 per diluted share. Full Year Adjusted EBITDA: $775 million, 41.2% margin. Fourth Quarter Adjusted EBITDA: $215 million, 43.5% margin, up 290 basis points year-over-year. Cash Flow from Operations: $534 million, 28% margin for 2024. Free Cash Flow: $337 million, up 17% year-over-year, 18% margin. CapEx: $197 million, approximately 10% of total revenues for 2024. Share Repurchase: Over 900,000 shares repurchased for $145 million in 2024. Cash and Cash Equivalents: $402 million, 0 debt at year-end 2024. Client Growth: Approximately 37,500 clients, 2% growth year-over-year. Employee Records: 7 million, up 3% year-over-year. Annual Revenue Retention Rate: 90%, consistent with 2023. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 1 Warning Sign with PAYC. Release Date: February 12, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Paycom Software Inc (NYSE:PAYC) achieved strong momentum in 2024, driven by focused execution, organic sales growth, and operational efficiency gains. The company reported a 14% year-over-year increase in fourth-quarter revenue, with total revenue reaching $494 million. Paycom's automated solutions, such as Beti and GONE, have significantly improved client ROI and operational efficiency, with some clients reducing payroll processing time by 85%. The company maintained a high annual revenue retention rate of 90% in 2024, consistent with the previous year. Paycom opened three new sales offices in January 2025, indicating strong sales growth and expansion potential. The company's client growth rate was relatively low at 2% compared to 2023, indicating potential challenges in acquiring new clients. Interest on funds held for clients is expected to decrease by 12% year-over-year in 2025, impacting overall revenue growth. Paycom's guidance for 2025 indicates a slowdown in revenue growth, with an expected increase of approximately 8% year-over-year at the midpoint. The transition to an annual revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance framework may reduce transparency for investors accustomed to quarterly updates. The company's effective income tax rate is anticipated to increase to approximately 29% on a GAAP basis in 2025, up from 23% in 2024. Q: What drove the decision to transition from quarterly to annual guidance, given Paycom's predictability? A: Bob Foster, the new CFO, explained that the shift aligns with Paycom's long-term focus and investment strategy. The annual guidance better reflects how the company operates, with strong guidance and high EBITDA margins indicating confidence in their business model. Q: Can you elaborate on the 9% recurring revenue growth guidance and the macroeconomic assumptions behind it? A: Chad Richison, CEO, stated that the 9% growth is based on onboarding new business clients at higher revenue rates, consistent with past practices. Craig Boelte, CFO, added that the guidance does not factor in macroeconomic impacts, either positive or negative. Q: How does Paycom plan to balance gross margin improvements with investments in sales, marketing, R&D, and G&A? A: Chad Richison highlighted that sales and marketing have performed well, with record sales months. The focus is on larger clients, which has led to strong growth. Craig Boelte noted that new building costs impacted margins, but efficiencies are being sought across all areas. Q: What is the expected impact of the new sales offices on revenue and staffing? A: Chad Richison explained that it takes about 24 months for new offices to be fully staffed and operational. These offices will contribute to revenue in a smaller capacity initially, with a more significant impact expected in 2026 and beyond. Q: How does Paycom view the competitive environment, especially with recent industry consolidations? A: Chad Richison stated that the competitive environment remains unchanged, with competition benefiting clients. Paycom's focus on differentiation through automation and client value remains strong, and they do not see recent consolidations affecting their strategy. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
