Core Insights - The investment strategy focuses on acquiring strong businesses when they are undervalued, emphasizing the importance of quality and price in investment decisions [1] - The portfolio has evolved over time, transitioning from Canadian dividend payers to a diverse range of industries including technology, payments, and emerging markets [1] - The current emphasis is on large tech companies with extensive user bases and content libraries, highlighting the potential for cross-selling opportunities [1] Investment Philosophy - The valuation approach prioritizes EBIT plus R&D investments, reflecting a belief in the long-term potential of certain R&D initiatives [1] - The historical annual return from February 2019 to October 2024 was 11.4% CAGR, which is below the market's 15.18% CAGR, indicating a need for improved performance in the future [1] - The investment philosophy discourages traditional "Buy" and "Sell" recommendations, advocating for a focus on exceptional businesses at fair prices, with a preference for "Strong Buy" and "Strong Sell" classifications [1] Future Outlook - The belief is that expanded knowledge and principles learned will facilitate better performance and lower portfolio turnover in the future [1] - The strategy suggests that most profits will come from holding existing investments rather than frequent trading [1] - A "Hold" position may be initiated for high-quality businesses if their pricing is not favorable, indicating a flexible approach to investment management [1]

Core Insights - TELUS participated in the United Nations AI for Good Global Summit 2025, showcasing its commitment to responsible AI development and ethical technology innovation [1][2][5] - The company is a member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-led AI Skills Coalition, aiming to close the AI skills gap globally [2][4] - TELUS emphasizes a human-centric approach to AI, focusing on building trust through transparent data practices and collaboration with Indigenous Peoples [3][4][6] Company Initiatives - TELUS hosted a workshop titled "Crafting ethical AI with Indigenous intelligence," demonstrating its collaboration with Indigenous Peoples to create meaningful AI practices [3][4] - The company has developed a generative AI customer support tool, Fuel iX, and achieved ISO 31700-1 Privacy by Design certification, highlighting its leadership in responsible AI development [5][6] - TELUS is launching Sovereign AI Factories in Canada, utilizing sustainable practices and renewable energy to drive innovation while keeping data within the country [6] Industry Engagement - The AI for Good Summit featured multiple high-profile sessions where TELUS shared insights on responsible AI practices and governance [2][4] - The company’s recent 2025 AI Report included perspectives from over 5,500 respondents, focusing on the integration of Indigenous knowledge into AI development [4] - TELUS is recognized for its commitment to social impact and community partnerships, aligning with global standards for ethical AI practices [3][6]

Core Insights - IQSTEL Inc. reported preliminary unaudited revenue of $128.8 million for the first half of 2025, with June revenue reaching $27.3 million, up from $23.7 million in May, indicating strong commercial momentum [1][2] - The company will start consolidating revenue from its newly acquired subsidiary, Globetopper, expected to contribute an additional $5 million to $6 million per month, positioning IQSTEL to achieve a $400 million annualized revenue run rate in Q3, ahead of its original target [2][3] - CEO Leandro Iglesias expressed confidence in reaching the $340 million revenue forecast for 2025, supported by the acquisition and the launch of high-tech products like IQ2Call.ai, aimed at enhancing net income and adjusted EBITDA [3][4] Financial Performance - The company aims for $340 million in revenue for FY-2025, with a strategic roadmap targeting $1 billion in revenue by 2027 [4][5] - Revenue growth has been significant, increasing from $13 million in 2018 to nearly $300 million last year, demonstrating a robust growth trajectory [4] Strategic Initiatives - IQSTEL is executing its growth strategy through organic expansion, strategic acquisitions, and AI-powered service offerings, enhancing its position as a next-generation telecom and tech company [4] - The focus on high-margin, high-tech products is expected to drive top-line growth and improve profitability, reinforcing the company's transformation from a traditional telecom operator to a technology-driven enterprise [3][4]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The IT services revenue for Q1 was $2,590 million, reflecting a 2% decline in constant currency terms, which is within the guidance range [7][20] - Operating margin for Q1 was 17.3%, an expansion of 80 basis points year on year [21] - Net income grew by 10.9% year on year, with earnings per share (EPS) at INR 3.2, a growth of 10.8% year on year [24][25] - Free cash flow as a percentage of net income was robust at 115% for the quarter [25] - The effective tax rate was 21.6% for Q1, down from 24.5% in Q1 2024 [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - BFSI sector saw a decline of 3.8% sequentially and 3.5% year on year [23] - Healthcare grew by 0.5% sequentially and 3.5% year on year [23] - Consumer sector declined by 4% sequentially and 5% year on year [23] - Technology and communications grew by 0.4% sequentially but declined by 3% year on year [23] - Capco continued to perform well, growing by 6.1% year on year [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Americas market grew by 1.5% year on year in constant terms, with strong deal momentum [7] - Europe faced a decline of 6.4% sequentially and 11.6% year on year [22] - Digital spending in India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia remained resilient [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on AI, data, and modernization programs, aligning with client priorities [5][6] - Emphasis on vendor consolidation and cost optimization as key drivers for deal wins [12][45] - The company aims to build an AI-first enterprise, integrating AI capabilities into industry solutions [16][17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed caution regarding the macro environment, citing ongoing geopolitical uncertainties and tariff impacts [36][100] - Despite uncertainties, there is strong deal momentum in BFSI and technology sectors, with clients focusing on cost optimization and AI investments [37][102] - The outlook for the second half of the year appears positive due to a strong order book and healthy pipeline [18][71] Other Important Information - The board declared an interim dividend of INR 5 per share, distributing over $1,300 million in the last six months [26] - The company revised its capital allocation policy to pay out a minimum of 70% of net income over three years [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the macro outlook right now? - Management acknowledged ongoing uncertainty in the macro environment, with geopolitical issues and tariffs affecting various industries [36] Question: What powered the Americas One performance despite sector declines? - Strong performance in health and communications sectors contributed to the growth in the Americas market unit [39] Question: Is discretionary demand returning? - Discretionary spending is returning in certain areas, particularly around AI and modernization projects [45] Question: How are large deal wins impacting financials? - Large deal wins will take time to ramp up, typically around six to eight quarters, but are expected to positively impact revenues [70] Question: What is the outlook for margins going forward? - Margins may face pressure due to upfront investments required for large deals, but management remains optimistic about maintaining profitability through operational excellence [98]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a quarter-on-quarter revenue increase of 7%, translating to a year-on-year growth of 2% [30][42] - The net profit margin improved to 21.4%, with a cash flow margin of 52.1% [31][55] - Year-on-year subscriber growth was 1.1%, with a 2% increase in the second quarter [32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Digital revenue rose by 13%, with nearly 30% of total revenue now flowing through digital channels [7] - MyGP users grew by 12% year-on-year, contributing significantly to revenue [7][14] - The company saw a year-on-year increase in content revenue, driven by new affordable Internet packs [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The telecommunications industry in Bangladesh recorded a total of 187.61 million subscribers as of May 2025, reflecting an increase of 1.39 million since March 2025 [3] - Mobile data users increased by 1.46 million, reaching 117.68 million in May 2025 [3] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is modernizing its mobile network to a cloud-native architecture, preparing for 5G standalone capabilities [6] - A strategic focus on AI integration is evident, with plans to embed AI across operations and customer engagement [20][64] - The company is committed to maintaining dividend payouts, declaring an interim dividend of 11 Taka per share [8][52] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about a stronger outlook as the political and economic landscape stabilizes [6] - The company is cautious about capital spending due to macroeconomic uncertainties but remains ready to invest when conditions allow [56][58] - The management highlighted the importance of maintaining ARPU growth in line with inflation to protect margins [40][41] Other Important Information - The company achieved a significant milestone in regulatory collaboration, allowing local mobile balances to be used internationally for the first time [10][11] - Cybersecurity remains a top priority, with advancements in AI-driven monitoring capabilities [61] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the company's outlook on subscriber growth? - The company noted a positive development in subscriber growth, with a strong brand and network contributing to lower churn rates, now below 14% [35] Question: How does the company plan to manage costs amid rising data demands? - The company is focusing on cost discipline and leveraging cloud and AI technologies to manage operational costs effectively [44][46] Question: What are the expectations for ARPU in the coming quarters? - The company aims to keep ARPU growth in line with inflation to ensure financial capacity for future investments [40][41]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The telecommunications industry in Bangladesh recorded a total of 187.61 million subscribers as of May 2025, reflecting an increase of 1.39 million subscribers since March 2025 [3] - The company reported a quarter-on-quarter revenue increase of 7%, translating to a year-on-year growth of 2% [6][29] - The net profit margin improved to 21.4%, with a cash flow margin of 52.1% [30][56] - The company declared an interim dividend of 11 Taka per share, amounting to 15 billion Taka for shareholders [53] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Digital revenue rose by 13%, with nearly 30% of total revenue now flowing through digital channels [7] - MyGP users grew by 12% year-on-year, indicating stronger momentum in the digital business [7] - The company saw a year-on-year growth of 1.1% in subscribers, with a 2% increase in the second quarter [31] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The point-to-point inflation rate decreased to 8.48%, the lowest in 35 months, while the foreign exchange reserves stood at 20.9 billion USD [4] - Bangladesh's GDP growth for fiscal year 2024 and 2025 has been revised to around 3.8% [5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is modernizing its mobile network to a cloud-native architecture, preparing for 5G standalone capabilities [6] - A strategic focus on digital growth is evident, with initiatives to expand products and capabilities in areas like content and edtech [7][12] - The company is embedding AI across operations, aiming to become an AI-native telecom [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about a stronger outlook as the political and economic landscape stabilizes [6] - The company is taking a cautious approach to capital spending due to macroeconomic uncertainties [25][58] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining ARPU growth in line with inflation to protect margins [40][41] Other Important Information - The company achieved a significant regulatory milestone by introducing tailored roaming packs, resulting in a year-on-year increase in roaming revenues [11] - The company is committed to cybersecurity, with AI-driven monitoring capabilities reducing threat detection time by half [62] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the company's outlook on subscriber growth? - The company noted a positive development in subscriber growth, with a year-on-year increase of 1.1% and a 2% increase in the second quarter, supported by festive periods and holidays [31][32] Question: How is the company managing costs amid economic challenges? - The company emphasized a strong focus on cost discipline and capital discipline, resulting in stable costs despite revenue increases [44][50] Question: What are the company's plans for future investments? - The company plans to be cautious with capital expenditures in the upcoming quarters due to macroeconomic uncertainties but is ready to invest when conditions allow [58]

Investment Rating - The report indicates a modest overall fiscal impulse from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), suggesting a cautious investment outlook for the affected sectors [5][6][27]. Core Insights - The OBBBA is expected to provide significant cash flow benefits primarily through upfront R&D expensing and bonus depreciation, particularly benefiting sectors like technology, communication services, and healthcare [5][10][12]. - The fiscal impulse from the OBBBA is projected to add approximately 0.4 percentage points to real GDP in 2026, although this is not sufficient to offset drags from trade and immigration policies [27][45][57]. - The report identifies potential beneficiaries among companies with substantial R&D and capital expenditures, focusing on those with significant pre-tax earnings and meaningful cash taxes [5][24][25]. Summary by Sections Fiscal Implications - The OBBBA implies higher incremental deficits than previously anticipated, with a projected 2026 deficit of 7.1% of GDP, influenced by increased tariff revenues [6][12][59]. - The bill's provisions are expected to lead to front-loaded deficits and back-loaded surpluses, indicating a short-term fiscal impulse that may later turn into a fiscal drag [5][38][57]. Sectoral Impacts - Clean Tech: The final bill is viewed positively for most subsectors, alleviating investor concerns regarding the repeal of IRA tax credits [7]. - Consumer: Smaller cuts to SNAP in the final bill reduce headwinds for packaged foods, beverages, retail, and restaurants [7]. - Software: The reinstatement of upfront R&D expensing is likely to provide a cash flow tailwind for large-cap corporates [7][10]. Tax Provisions - Upfront R&D expensing allows companies to accelerate cash tax savings, particularly benefiting sectors like tech and healthcare [10][12]. - The reinstatement of 100% first-year bonus depreciation for qualified property and equipment is expected to positively impact capital-intensive sectors such as aerospace and defense, telecom, and energy [10][12]. Cash Flow and Earnings - The report emphasizes that the majority of OBBBA policies will impact cash flows rather than reported earnings, with significant cash tax savings anticipated in the near term [8][10][12]. - The cash tax rate is expected to potentially reach new lows due to the reinstated and expanded expensing provisions [9][12]. Deficit and Rates - The report notes that concerns regarding fiscal policy under the new administration have somewhat diminished, with the 10-year yield remaining below 4.50% [14][57]. - The OBBBA is projected to result in a lower fiscal deficit in 2025 compared to prior forecasts, while maintaining a broadly unchanged deficit forecast for 2026 [59][60].

Core Insights - IQSTEL Inc. has launched IQ2Call, an AI-powered call center service aimed at enhancing customer engagement by eliminating wait times and providing scalable solutions [1][2][3] - The global call center services market is valued at approximately $496 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed $750 billion by 2030, driven by increasing demands for customer experience and automation [3] - The launch of IQ2Call aligns with IQSTEL's strategy to expand beyond traditional telecom services and focus on high-tech, high-margin solutions [4][5] Company Strategy - IQ2Call represents a vertical integration of IQSTEL's telecom services and AI solutions, positioning the company uniquely in the global call center industry [5] - The company aims to leverage its global infrastructure and commercial relationships to create new value streams and margin expansion opportunities [4][8] - IQSTEL has grown its revenue from $13 million in 2018 to nearly $300 million in the previous year, indicating a strong growth trajectory [8] Product Features - IQ2Call offers zero wait time, auto-scaling capabilities, and 24/7 coverage with AI agents fluent in over 50 languages [6] - The service includes features such as live monitoring, performance analytics, and smart escalation from AI to human agents when necessary [11][12] - It is designed to serve various sectors including Telecommunications, Healthcare, Finance, and E-commerce, enhancing operational excellence and brand value [7] Market Opportunity - The launch of IQ2Call is positioned to address the long-standing limitations of traditional call centers, such as long wait times and inconsistent service quality [3][4] - The increasing shift towards automation in customer service presents a significant opportunity for disruption in the call center market [3]

Summary of Key Points from the Document Industry Overview - The document discusses the **Tech Cold War** between the **US and China**, highlighting the geopolitical implications of technology and business practices in this context [2][3][4]. Core Arguments and Insights - The **Tech Cold War** is characterized by increasing strategic competition, with technology becoming a primary field of geopolitical competition, including areas like **semiconductors, 5G, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence** [2][3]. - A survey conducted by **Ernst & Young** in 2023 revealed that **97% of CEOs** made significant business changes in response to geopolitical developments over the past year, indicating the profound impact of geopolitics on corporate strategies [4]. - The **unipolar moment** that followed the Cold War has been replaced by a **bipolar world** where the US and China are pulling the geopolitical and tech landscape apart, leading to a bifurcation of the **IT stack** into Western and China-centric versions [3][11]. - The **weaponization of technology** for geopolitical purposes has become a new strategy for the US government, particularly during the Trump administration, which set the agenda for tech policies that China has had to respond to [15][17]. Historical Context - The **Tech Cold War** began with the **Snowden affair** in 2013, which raised global scrutiny over the dependencies created by the IT stack, and was further accelerated by China's **Made in China 2025** strategy in 2015 [12][13]. - The years **2016 to 2021** marked a significant escalation in the Tech Cold War, with the US government actively shaping the global tech industry according to its geopolitical theories [14][15]. Current Dynamics - The **Biden administration** has continued the previous administration's geotech agenda, focusing on the **weaponization of supply chains** as a key element of foreign policy [17]. - Companies are increasingly forced to navigate a complex landscape where they must choose sides due to **cybersecurity laws, export controls, and sanctions** [18]. - The concept of **non-alignment** is gaining traction among countries like **India, South Korea, and Indonesia**, which are trying to accommodate both superpowers [19]. Future Implications - The document predicts the emergence of a new type of corporation, termed the **geopolitically adapted enterprise (GAE)**, which will leverage geopolitical dynamics to gain competitive advantages [22]. - The bifurcation of the IT stack will fundamentally alter how tech companies approach growth, investments, and global employment, leading to a dilemma of whether to invest in both stacks or focus on one [21]. - The authors conclude with a cautiously optimistic outlook, emphasizing the need for restraint and understanding in the geopolitical landscape [23]. Additional Insights - The book aims to fill a gap in existing literature regarding the interplay between technology and geopolitics, particularly from the perspective of private technology companies [7][8]. - The authors, **Ansgar Baums** and **Nicholas Butts**, have extensive experience in geopolitical issues and have worked with major corporations to navigate challenges posed by the Tech Cold War [25][26][27].

Group 1: Partnership and Technology Integration - KT Corporation has partnered with Trimble Inc. to enhance precise positioning services in South Korea, integrating Trimble RTX Fast with KT's telecom infrastructure [1][8] - Trimble RTX Fast provides real-time centimeter-level positioning, significantly improving safety and performance in critical applications compared to traditional GPS [2][3] - The collaboration aims to support automotive OEMs in developing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) applications, ensuring ASIL-certified accuracy [3][4] Group 2: KT's Strategic Initiatives - KT is transforming into an AICT company, launching a Korean AI model with Microsoft and enhancing its media business through AI innovations, resulting in a 10.2% year-over-year increase in AI/IT revenues in Q1 2025 [5][6] - The company is focusing on B2B growth by launching KT Secure Public Cloud and targeting various sectors to accelerate AI and cloud adoption [6] - KT has streamlined its operations by selling two subsidiaries and cutting low-margin businesses to concentrate on growth areas [5][6] Group 3: Market Performance - KT's stock has increased by 21.6% over the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Wireless Non-US industry, which grew by 17.5% [7]