So who is Smartpay Holdings Ltd (ASX:SMP) and what do they do?
Smartpay Holdings Limited SMP (ASX) designs, develops and implements innovative Point-of-Sale (PoS) payment solutions for customers in Australia and New Zealand including banks, retailers and merchant businesses.
Wait on Poindexter, layman’s terms please!!!
You know when you buy something from a shop, you need to tap your credit card on a little box next to the register to pay?
Yes
Well they own the little boxes and the associated software.
Boring….. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Hang on! Think about how many times buyers tap and go everyday across Australia and how many millions of dollars are being transferred.
Hmmmm so they get all that revenue?
Not quite. Let me explain. In New Zealand where they originated they own around 30% of all terminals and charge vendors a monthly fee to use the terminal. They have recently raised capital for a serious push at rolling out their terminals in Australia were they are able to charge a fee on all transactions processed, currently between 1-2% of the total transaction.
Hmmmmm. So I’m guessing if they can get a foothold into the Australian market they could end up a nice little money spinner
Very true, it’s a big opportunity for the company, but let’s not kid ourselves it won’t be easy.
Why?
For starters the market is currently dominated by the big four banks.
I knew there had to be a catch. So how can Smartpay possibly compete with the big four?
Good question. I recently attended the ASX small cap conference in Sydney and was able to speak with the managing director and I asked him the exact same question. What Smartpay offers, that others don’t, is built in software that allows shop owners to run reports and link into stock management software. They are also partnering with these software packages to offer Smartpay as an option. In Australia they are able to compete on transaction fees with the banks, offering vendors a better deal. Another interesting point is that they have just inked a deal to be able to accept Alipay on all their terminals. You will also be interested to learn that unlike many small cap stocks they are actually turning a profit from their New Zealand operations.
You know you really should attend these events
I’m far too busy
Did I mention the ASX offers free food and drinks at these seminars?
I’m so there
Now before you rush off to invest in Smartpay or any company for that matter, I suggest you start by doing your own research and discussing your decision with a qualified financial advisor.
I have included a link here of Smartpay’s presentation taken from the ASX small cap conference and their 2016 presentation here to kick start your research.
Do you have an opinion on Smartpay ?
I would love to hear it!!
Please join me and over 600 members on our investing forum. Just click here.
Disclosure and warning
Please Note: None of the above should be considered investment advice. These are my own opinions based on a number of years market experience. Please do your own research and consult a qualified financial advisor if you wish to invest.
At the time of publication Alonzo owned shares in Smartpay. Price at time of publication 20.5 cents.
We have just stopped using SmartPay EftPos terminals after using them for several years, the fees they have started charging since July this year are way above most other providers. Surprisingly CBA were the most competitive …so out they went. Not good when they become uncompetitive.
Thanks for the info. That goes against what the MD told me about being competitive to gain market share. The vendors I spoke with say cost is the most important thing so if they are not doing that they it will definitely be in for a struggle. I should add smartpay has just changed from the subscription model (set fee each month) to transaction fees (1-2%) in Australia so it may take some time to get the balance right. Something I will definitely be watching. Thanks again for the great comment!
The big killer for us was their fee for credit card transactions over the phone – they wanted 10% of the transaction, CBA were offering 0.82%. Massive difference so ditching them was a no brainer. Up to then they were the cheapest around. Will be interesting to see they go.
Wow 10% sounds seriously high. No wonder you changed. Again thanks for the information.