| Valuation method | Value, £ | Upside, % |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial intelligence (AI) | 78.16 | -25 |
| Intrinsic value (DCF) | 42.18 | -60 |
| Graham-Dodd Method | 0.44 | -100 |
| Graham Formula | n/a |
Big Technologies plc (LSE: BIG.L) is a UK-based leader in remote personal monitoring solutions, specializing in criminal justice and remote care applications under its Buddi brand. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Rickmansworth, the company offers a proprietary cloud-based monitoring platform with modular hardware for real-time tracking, serving both domestic and international markets. Its criminal justice solutions enable authorities to monitor offenders efficiently, while its remote care wristbands provide critical features like fall detection, emergency alerts, and 24/7 support for vulnerable individuals. Operating in the fast-growing Software - Application sector, Big Technologies leverages IoT and cloud computing to address safety and compliance needs in law enforcement and healthcare. With a market cap of £337 million, the company combines innovation with recurring revenue models, positioning itself as a key player in the global remote monitoring industry.
Big Technologies presents a compelling investment case with its niche focus on remote monitoring, strong profitability (net income of £17.6 million in FY2023), and debt-light balance sheet (cash reserves of £87.7 million vs. £1.9 million debt). The company's low beta (0.45) suggests defensive characteristics, while its 100% YoY revenue retention rate indicates sticky customer relationships. However, risks include reliance on government contracts in criminal justice (~80% of revenue) and limited dividend policy. The capital-light model (positive operating cash flow of £28 million) supports reinvestment in R&D for competitive edge. Valuation appears reasonable at ~6x revenue, but growth depends on international expansion beyond UK dominance.
Big Technologies competes in a specialized segment of the monitoring software market, differentiating through its vertically integrated Buddi platform combining hardware (wearables), cloud software, and managed services. Its criminal justice solutions hold ~30% UK market share, benefiting from long-term government contracts and regulatory compliance expertise—a moat against generic IoT providers. In remote care, the company's clinical-grade fall detection competes with medical alert systems but lacks scale versus broader telehealth players. Key advantages include: (1) Proprietary algorithms reducing false alarms in offender monitoring, (2) GDPR-compliant data architecture critical for EU expansion, and (3) Recurring SaaS revenue (70% of total) with 95% gross margins in software. However, competition is intensifying as enterprise software firms like Salesforce add basic location tracking, while hardware commoditization pressures margins. Big Tech's focus on mission-critical use cases (vs. consumer wearables) provides pricing power but limits TAM expansion. The lack of AI/ML capabilities in analytics could become a weakness as competitors integrate predictive monitoring.