Open Text (OTEX, Financial) was a relatively short-lived holding in comparison to our typical time frame. We were attracted to this Canadian-based provider of enterprise software due to its stable revenue stream. More than 80% of Open Text’s revenue was recurring, which helped deliver attractive mid-30s EBITDA margins. We considered the business to have a sticky customer base that included 97 of the 100 largest companies in the world. Purchased at a low double-digit multiple to after-tax free cash flow, we expected to own the company for years, with capital deployment going towards dividends, buybacks, and small bolt-on acquisitions, as it had in the past. Unfortunately, to our surprise, while we owned the stock, Open Text announced a relatively large acquisition in the form of UK-based Micro Focus. Familiar with the target, we were unenthused about both the asset and increased debt on the balance sheet from funding the purchase, so we chose to exit stage left rather than try to re-write our investment thesis.5
From Steven Romick (Trades, Portfolio)'s FPA Crescent Fund second-quarter 2023 commentary.
