Americas Markets - Latest Developments
Eutelsat announced it has reached an agreement to acquire 100% of Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. ("Satmex") for an enterprise value of US$1,142 million. This acquisition, together with the recently ordered EUTELSAT 65 West A satellite, will position the group as a major satellite operator in Latin America, reflecting its strategy to expand in high growth markets.
Hughes Network Systems announced today that it has achieved carrier data rates exceeding 1 Gbps on its JUPITER System. Hughes believes this achievement to be a technology first for High Throughput Satellite (HTS) systems, resulting in more subscribers per satellite and greater capacity per subscriber.
TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013. Revenue was US$ 92.8 million, down 19% due mainly to lower government pass-through sales. Gross profit was up 4% to US$ 35.9 million.
Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and amortization of non-cash stock-based compensation) was US$ 6.9 million, down 17% from US$ 8.4 million (see discussion about the presentation of adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income, both non-GAAP terms, below).
Northrop Grumman reported earnings and revenues that surpassed analysts' expectations, posting a 1.7 percent rise in second-quarter earnings as the defense company posted modestly stronger revenues. Northrop reported a profit of US$ 488 million, or US$ 2.05 a share, up from US$ 480 million, or US$ 1.88 a share, a year earlier. Revenue increased to US$ 6.29 billion from US$ 6.27 billion a year ago.
Boeing Co. reported second-quarter profit increased 13 percent to US$ 2.0 billion from the same period last year driven by strong performance across the company's businesses, particularly sales of sales of commercial airplanes and exports of military equipment.
Lockheed Martin Corp. reported on Tuesday profits rose by 10 percent to $859 million during the second quarter, prompting the company to raise its profit guidance for the year.
The Brazilian Society of Television Engineering (SET) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced today that NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith will deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony of SET 2013, on August 20, in São Paulo, Brazil.
SET 2013, SET's annual conference, is held concurrently with Broadcast&Cable, an extensive equipment and technology show, August 19-22. This annual event is the largest and most significant convention for broadcast and digital media professionals in South America attracting more than 10,000 attendees.
Russian officials have suspended all launches of Proton rockets following the July 2 launch failure of a Proton M rocket carrying three GLONASS navigational satellites into space. The Russian Federal Space Agency, commonly called Roscosmos, announced last week that a Russian State Commission has been established and has started investigating the potential causes of the failure.
Mexican satellite opeartor Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (Satmex) is reported up for sale, according to various media reports quoting surces familiar with the matter.Satmex has reportedly hired Credit Suisse Group AG and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to represent them in the sale.
According to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the company is currently in its second round of bidding, with around five bidders including private-equity firms and “strategic” corporate bidders.
This year's edition of Globecomm's Tech Forum 2013 will focus on "Profiting on Disruptive Change" and will look into new revenue opportunities, enhanced efficiencies, and reduced OPEX in mobile, media and entertainment, and the technologies that drive disruptive technologies. The Tech Forum will be held from August 4-6, 2013 at Globecomm Headquarters in Hauppauge, New York, USA.

