ASUR Q1 Earnings Call: Product Expansion and Cross-Selling Drive Outlook Amid Investment Cycle

Online payroll and human resource software provider Asure (NASDAQ: ASUR) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q1 CY2025, with sales up 10.1% year on year to $34.85 million. The company expects next quarter’s revenue to be around $31 million, close to analysts’ estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.19 per share was in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

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StockStory’s Take

Asure’s first quarter results reflected momentum in its Payroll Tax Management and benefits products, with CEO Pat Goepel crediting recent investments in technology and the expansion of the company’s solution set. Management pointed to strong performance from new offerings such as AsurePay and increased cross-selling, supported by specialized sales teams and a growing focus on attaching additional products to existing clients. Goepel highlighted a notable 45% increase in new bookings and a substantial rise in contracted revenue backlog, suggesting that these strategic moves are yielding early returns.

Turning to the company’s guidance, management reiterated its full-year revenue and EBITDA outlook, underlining a belief that the cost base will remain stable for the remainder of the year. CFO John Pence stated that incremental staffing and infrastructure investments have already peaked, positioning Asure to deliver higher profitability as revenue scales. Management anticipates that revenue growth will accelerate in the second half of the year as recent product launches and acquisitions gain traction. "We believe our cost structure will be more stable going forward into 2025, permitting more operating leverage from revenue growth to generate adjusted EBITDA," Pence explained.

Key Insights from Management’s Remarks

Asure’s management emphasized product innovation and operational discipline as central themes in the latest quarter. The company’s commentary highlighted several factors shaping current performance and future prospects.

• Product Suite Expansion: The company launched new capabilities in its Payroll Tax Management solution, now serving large Canadian firms with integration to platforms like Workday, Oracle, and SAP, broadening its addressable market.
• Cross-Selling Momentum: Management reported double-digit improvement in attach rates—clients adopting multiple Asure solutions—driven by the rollout of specialized sales teams and success stories where existing customers expanded from single to multiple product engagements.
• Benefits Segment Growth: Asure is leveraging its acquisition of an insurance broker of record business and the introduction of a 401(k) offering to drive incremental revenue in the benefits segment, a part of the business seen as highly profitable.
• Acquisition Pipeline and Financing: The company finalized a new $60 million credit facility, drawing down $20 million to fund further acquisitions. Management signaled that the pace of M&A, particularly customer base acquisitions from resellers, is expected to pick up in the second half of the year.
• Operational Efficiency Initiatives: Investments in client lifecycle management and internal process automation are intended to support scaling, enabling Asure to absorb additional growth without a corresponding increase in headcount, thereby improving profitability over time.

Drivers of Future Performance

Management’s outlook for 2025 is grounded in expanding product adoption, increased cross-sell activity, and the integration of recent acquisitions, all against a backdrop of a more stable cost base.

• Backlog Conversion and Bookings: The significant growth in contracted revenue backlog and a 45% jump in new bookings are expected to convert into revenue, particularly in the second half, as enterprise tax and benefits solutions are implemented.
• Margin Expansion Plans: Management expects operating leverage as recent investments in staff and infrastructure have already been made, allowing incremental revenue to flow through to adjusted EBITDA and margins.
• M&A Acceleration: The new credit facility is positioned to support an acceleration in acquisition activity, with a focus on acquiring reseller partners and customer bases that can be cross-sold additional Asure products, though no deal contributions are included in current guidance.

Top Analyst Questions

• Joshua Reilly (Needham & Company): Asked about the impact of specialized sales teams on productivity; management shared examples of clients expanding rapidly across products but noted that broader results are still developing.
• Eric Martinuzzi (Lake Street): Queried the effect of macroeconomic uncertainty and tariffs on small business demand; CEO Pat Goepel indicated that pipeline and lead activity remain healthy, with only minor deal cycle lengthening observed.
• Charles Nabhan (Stephens): Requested details on investment priorities and the balance between organic product development and acquisitions; management cited the acquisition of Broker Record and ongoing investments in operational automation and product integration.
• Daniel Hibshman (Craig Hallum): Asked about the cadence of acquisition activity and indicators for tax solution ramp; management expects M&A to accelerate in the second half, with backlog and phased client implementations as forward indicators.
• Greg Gibas (Northland Securities): Sought clarification on drivers of second-half revenue acceleration; management pointed to cross-sell, backlog realization, new sales team momentum, and the diminishing impact of ERTC-related headwinds.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

Looking ahead, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) the pace at which contracted backlog converts to recognized revenue as enterprise clients go live, (2) attach rate growth as more customers adopt multiple Asure solutions, and (3) the company’s ability to maintain a stable cost structure while absorbing new acquisitions. Execution on cross-selling and successful rollout of new products like AsurePay and Canadian tax solutions will also be key markers for progress.

Asure currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 2×. In the wake of earnings, is it a buy or sell? See for yourself in our free research report.

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