UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form
OR
For
the fiscal year ended
OR
For the transition period from _____________ to _____________
OR
Date of event requiring this shell company report________________
Commission
file number
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
(Address of principal executive offices)
Tel:
Fax
(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of Class: | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered: | ||
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act: None
Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report
As
of December 31, 2023, the Registrant had
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes
☐
Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T h(§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or an emerging growth company. See definition of “accelerated filer” and “large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| ☒ | Accelerated filer: | ☐ | |
| Non-accelerated filer: | ☐ | Emerging growth company |
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act ☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness
of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered
public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.
Yes
☐ No
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b)
Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:
| ☒ | ☐ International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board | ☐ Other |
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow:
Item 17 ☐ Item 18 ☐
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes
☐ No
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||||
| Introduction | iv | |||
| PART I | ||||
| Item 1 | Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers | 1 | ||
| Item 2 | Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable | 1 | ||
| Item 3 | Key Information | 1 | ||
| A | [Reserved] | 1 | ||
| B | Capitalization and Indebtedness | 1 | ||
| C | Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds | 1 | ||
| D | Risk Factors | 1 | ||
| Item 4 | Information on the Company | 26 | ||
| A | History and Development of the Company | 26 | ||
| B | Business Overview | 27 | ||
| C | Organizational Structure | 50 | ||
| D | Property, Plants and Equipment | 52 | ||
| Item 4A | Unresolved Staff Comments | 53 | ||
| Item 5 | Operating and Financial Review and Prospects | 53 | ||
| A | Operating Results | 54 | ||
| B | Liquidity and Capital Resources | 62 | ||
| C | Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, Etc. | 65 | ||
| D | Trend Information | 65 | ||
| E | Critical Accounting Estimates | 68 | ||
i
| Item 6 | Directors, Senior Management and Employees | 72 | ||
| A | Directors and Senior Management | 72 | ||
| B | Compensation | 74 | ||
| C | Board Practices | 78 | ||
| D | Employees | 80 | ||
| E | Share Ownership | 80 | ||
| F | Disclosure of a Registrant’s Action to Recover Erroneously Awarded Compensation | 80 | ||
| Item 7 | Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions | 81 | ||
| A | Major Shareholders | 81 | ||
| B | Related Party Transactions | 82 | ||
| C | Interests of Experts and Counsel | 82 | ||
| Item 8 | Financial Information | 83 | ||
| A | Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information | 83 | ||
| B | Significant Changes | 83 | ||
| Item 9 | The Offer and Listing | 84 | ||
| A | Offer and Listing Details | 84 | ||
| B | Plan of Distribution | 84 | ||
| C | Markets | |||
| D | Selling Shareholders | 84 | ||
| E | Dilution | 84 | ||
| F | Expenses of the Issue | 84 | ||
| Item 10 | Additional Information | 84 | ||
| A | Share Capital | 84 | ||
| B | Memorandum and Articles of Association | 84 | ||
| C | Material Contracts | 84 | ||
| D | Exchange Controls | 86 | ||
| E | Taxation | 86 | ||
| F | Dividends and Paying Agents | 94 | ||
| G | Statement by Experts | 94 | ||
ii
iii
INTRODUCTION
Definitions
In this annual report, unless the context otherwise requires:
| ● | References to “Sapiens,” the “Company,” the “Registrant,” “our company,” “us,” “we” and “our” refer to Sapiens International Corporation N.V., a Cayman Islands exempted company, and its consolidated subsidiaries |
| ● | References to “our shares,” “Common Shares” and similar expressions refer to Sapiens’ Common Shares, par value € 0.01 per share |
| ● | References to “dollars,” “U.S. dollars,” “U.S. $” and “$” are to United States dollars |
| ● | References to “Euro” or “€” are to the Euro, the official currency of the Eurozone in the European Union |
| ● | References to “shekels” and “NIS” are to New Israeli Shekels, the Israeli currency |
| ● | References to the “Articles” are to our Articles of Association, as currently in effect |
| ● | References to the “Memorandum” are to our Memorandum of Association, as currently in effect | |
| ● | References to the “Securities Act” are to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended |
| ● | References to the “Exchange Act” are to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended |
| ● | References to “Nasdaq” are to the Nasdaq Stock Market |
| ● | References to the “TASE” are to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange |
| ● | References to the “SEC” are to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission |
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain matters discussed in this annual report are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, Section 21E of the Exchange Act and the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations, as well as information currently available to us. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “plan” and similar expressions. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to:
| ● | the degree of our success in our plans to leverage our global footprint to grow our sales; |
| ● | the degree of our success in integrating the companies that we have acquired through the implementation of our M&A growth strategy; |
iv
| ● | the lengthy development cycles for our solutions, which may frustrate our ability to realize revenues and/or profits from our potential new solutions; |
| ● | our lengthy and complex sales cycles, which do not always result in the realization of revenues; |
| ● | the degree of our success in retaining our existing customers and competing effectively for greater market share; |
| ● | the global macroeconomic environment, including headwinds caused by inflation, relatively high interest rates, potentially unfavorable currency exchange rate movements, and uncertain economic conditions, and their impact on our revenues, profitability and cash flows; | |
| ● | difficulties in successfully planning and managing changes in the size of our operations; |
| ● | the frequency of the long-term, large, complex projects that we perform that involve complex estimates of project costs and profit margins, which sometimes change mid-stream; |
| ● | the challenges and potential liability that heightened privacy laws and regulations pose to our business; |
| ● | occasional disputes with clients, which may adversely impact our results of operations and our reputation; |
| ● | various intellectual property issues related to our business; |
| ● | potential unanticipated product vulnerabilities or cybersecurity breaches of our or our customers’ systems; |
| ● | risks related to the insurance industry in which our clients operate; |
| ● | risks associated with our global sales and operations, such as changes in regulatory requirements, wide-spread viruses and epidemics like the coronavirus pandemic, which adversely affected our results of operations, or fluctuations in currency exchange rates; and |
| ● | risks related to our principal location in Israel and our status as a Cayman Islands company. |
The forward-looking statements made in this annual report relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. While we believe such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, should one or more of the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, or these risks or uncertainties materialize, our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Please read the risks discussed in Item 3 – “Key Information” under the caption “Risk Factors” and cautionary statements appearing elsewhere in this annual report in order to review conditions that we believe could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements.
You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this annual report, to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations.
v
PART I
Item 1. Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers
Not applicable.
Item 2. Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable
Not applicable.
Item 3. Key Information
A. [Reserved]
B. Capitalization and Indebtedness.
Not applicable.
C. Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds.
Not applicable.
D. Risk Factors.
We operate globally in a dynamic and rapidly changing environment that involves numerous risks and uncertainties. The following section lists some, but not all, of those risks and uncertainties that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Risk Factors Summary
The following is a summary of the principal risks that could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition, all of which are more fully described below. This summary should be read in conjunction with the other information discussed in this Item 3.D, and should not be relied upon as an exhaustive summary of the material risks facing our business. Please carefully consider all of the information discussed in this Item 3.D. “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this annual report for a more thorough description of these and other risks.
Risks Related to Our Business, Our Industry and Our Financing Activities
| ● | Our performance is dependent on the success of our M&A growth strategy, and the integration and continued success of the entities that we acquire. |
| ● | Our product development and sales cycles are often lengthy, requiring us to expend significant time and resources prior to, and without assurances of, generating associated revenues. |
| ● | Macroeconomic headwinds caused by inflation, relatively high interest rates, and potentially unfavorable currency exchange rate movements have, in the recent past, adversely impacted, and may once again adversely impact, our revenues, profitability and cash flows. |
| ● | Retention of key talent is challenging in the current labor markets in the regions in which we operate. |
| ● | Failure to manage our growth— both organic and non-organic—could effectively harm our business. |
| ● | We may be unable to successfully develop and deploy new technologies to address the updated needs of our customers. |
1
| ● | The market for software solutions and related services is highly competitive and dynamic, and we may be unable to adapt rapidly enough to changing market conditions and to compete successfully with existing or new competitors. |
| ● | Long-term, large, complex implementation projects that we work on often involve changes, which could cause disputes between us and our customers. |
| ● | Security vulnerabilities in our software solutions could lead to reduced revenue or to liability claims. |
| ● | We are subject to risks that are characteristic of the insurance market, including catastrophes, potential capital markets crashes, and consolidation. |
| ● | Breaches or significant disruptions of our information technology systems have occurred and may occur again in the future. |
| ● | We face increased competition from a wide variety of market participants. |
Risks Related to Our International Operations
| ● | Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates have adversely affected, and could once again adversely affect, our results of operations.
| |
| ● | Our expanding international operations are accompanied by costs, operational risks and required regulatory compliance in many jurisdictions. |
Risks Related to Intellectual Property
| ● | We may be unable to protect our patents and trademarks from infringement and avoid infringing the intellectual property rights of others. |
| ● | We may be liable to our clients for damages caused by a violation of intellectual property rights. |
Risks Related to Our Israeli Operations and Our Status as a Cayman Islands Company
| ● | Israeli government tax benefits we receive may be terminated if we cease to qualify for them. | |
| ● | Our Israeli research and development grants impose various limitations on us, including restrictions on our ability to transfer manufacturing operations or technology outside of Israel. | |
| ● | Israel’s war against the terrorist organization Hamas and its hostilities with additional regional terrorist groups may adversely affect our operations. |
2
Risks Relating to Our Business, Our Industry and Our Financing Activities
The implementation of our M&A growth strategy, which requires the integration of multiple acquired companies and their respective businesses, operations and employees with our own, involves significant risks, and the failure to integrate successfully may adversely affect our future results.
In the past decade we have completed a significant number of important acquisitions. Most recently, in the fourth quarter of 2023, we acquired NCDC S.A., a Poland-based company with a knowledge of Sapiens’ products in the Nordics, for a purchase price of $11.7 million. We also signed an agreement for the purchase of the remaining outstanding shares of Sapiens Software Solutions (Decision) Ltd. from its minority shareholders, which is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2024. During 2023, we also increased our holdings in Tiful Gemel (an Israeli provider of provident fund operation, pension clearinghouse services and other additional software services) and Neuralmatic to 100%, transforming those companies into wholly-owned subsidiaries. All such acquisitions are part of our integrated M&A growth strategy, which is centered on three key factors: growing our customer base, expanding our geographic footprint and adding complementary solutions to our portfolio— all while we seek to ensure our continued high quality of services and product delivery. Any failure to successfully integrate the business, operations and employees of our acquired companies, or to otherwise realize the anticipated benefits of these acquisitions, could harm our results of operations. Our ability to realize these benefits will depend on the timely integration and consolidation of organizations, operations, facilities, procedures, policies and technologies, and the harmonization of differences in the business cultures between these companies and their personnel. Integration of these businesses will be complex and time-consuming, will involve additional expense and could disrupt our business and divert management’s attention from ongoing business concerns. The challenges involved in integrating NCDC S.A. and other businesses that we have acquired or may acquire from time to time include:
| ● | Preserving customer and other important relationships |
| ● | Integrating complex, core products and services that we acquire with our existing products and services |
| ● | Integrating financial forecasting and controls, procedures and reporting cycles |
| ● | Combining and integrating information technology, or IT, systems |
| ● | Integrating employees and related HR systems and benefits, maintaining employee morale and retaining key employees |
| ● | Potential confusion that we may have in our dealings with customers and prospective customers as to the products we are offering to them and potential overlap among those products | |
| ● | Investment of significant management time and attention towards the integration process |
The benefits we expect to realize from these acquisitions are, necessarily, based on projections and assumptions about the combined businesses of our company, and assume, among other things, the successful integration of these acquired entities into our business and operations. Our projections and assumptions concerning our acquisitions may be inaccurate, however, and we may not successfully integrate the acquired companies and our operations in a timely manner, or at all. We may also be exposed to unexpected contingencies or liabilities of the acquired companies. Furthermore, if a company that we acquire also conducts operations outside of insurance-related solutions, those operations may pose additional risks to our ability to ensure successful results of operations and may potentially cause us future loss of revenue. If we do not realize the anticipated benefits of these transactions, our growth strategy and future profitability could be adversely affected.
Our development cycles are lengthy, and we may not have the resources available to complete development of new, enhanced or modified solutions. We may incur significant expenses before we generate revenues, if any, from our solutions.
Because our solutions are complex and require rigorous testing, development cycles can be lengthy, taking us up to two years to develop and introduce new, enhanced or modified solutions. Moreover, development projects can be technically challenging and expensive. The nature of these development cycles may cause us to experience delays between the time we incur expenses associated with research and development and the time we generate revenues, if any, from such expenses. We may not have, in the future, sufficient funds or other resources to make the required investments in product development. Furthermore, we may invest substantial resources in the development of solutions that do not achieve market acceptance or commercial success. Even where we succeed in our sales efforts and obtain new orders from customers, the complexity involved in delivering our solutions to such customers makes it more difficult for us to consummate delivery in a timely manner and to recognize revenue and maximize profitability. Failure to deliver our solutions in a timely manner could result in order cancellations, damage our reputations and require us to indemnify our customers. Any of these risks relating to our lengthy and expensive development cycle could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
3
Our sales cycle is variable and often lengthy, depending upon many factors outside our control, which requires us to expend significant time and resources prior to generating associated revenues.
The typical sales cycle for our solutions and services is lengthy and unpredictable, requires pre-purchase evaluation by a significant number of persons in our customers’ organizations, and often involves a significant operational decision by our customers. Our sales efforts involve educating our customers, industry analysts and consultants about the use and benefits of our solutions, including the technical capabilities of our solutions and the efficiencies achievable by organizations deploying our solutions. Customers typically undertake a significant evaluation process, which frequently involves not only our solutions, but also those of our competitors and can result in a lengthy sales cycle. Our sales cycle for new customers is typically one to two years and can extend even longer in some cases. We spend substantial time, effort and money in our sales efforts without any assurance that such efforts will produce any sales.
Macro-economic headwinds caused by inflation, relatively high interest rates, and fluctuations in currency exchange rates have, in the recent past, and may again, adversely impact our revenues, profitability and cash flows.
Our business depends on overall demand within the global insurance technology sector, the economic health of our current and prospective clients, and worldwide economic conditions. We market and sell our insurance software solutions and services primarily in the European and North American regions, as well as, to a smaller extent, in various parts of the rest of the world. Uncertain economic conditions in those markets, including due to recent high levels of inflation, current relatively high interest rates and potential decreased economic output may reduce overall demand for our insurance software solutions and services. These factors could also delay or lengthen our sales cycles, and inhibit our international expansion, and may also lead to longer collection cycles for payments due from our customers, as well as result in an increase in customer bad debt. In addition, the weakening of European currencies in comparison to the U.S. dollar adversely impacted in a material manner our revenues and our results of operations as measured in U.S. dollars in 2022, and may again adversely impact them in the future. While the implications of these macroeconomic trends for our business, results of operations and overall financial position remain uncertain over the long term, the headwinds that were generated by these trends have created challenges for our business in the recent past. In 2022, we experienced a slower growth rate in revenues, profitability and cash flows as a result of those headwinds. Please see “Risks Relating to our International Operations—Our international operations expose us to risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that have adversely affected, and could again adversely affect, our business” for a discussion of the headwinds created by currency exchange rates.
In addition to exerting the foregoing impact, macro-economic headwinds may amplify a number of risks for us, including, but not limited to, the following:
| ● | our ability to increase sales of new, enhanced solutions to existing customers may be hindered due to more cautious purchasing and investment strategies by corporate customers; |
| ● | reduced economic activity, which could lead to a recession, could negatively impact customer discretionary spending on insurance solutions, which in turn could substantially impact our business operations and financial condition in an adverse manner; |
| ● | our customer success efforts, our ability to enter into new markets and to acquire new customers may be impeded, in part due to lengthening of our sales cycles; |
| ● | there may be an increase in our credit losses reserves as customers face economic hardship and collectability becomes more uncertain, including due to the risk of bankruptcies; |
4
| ● | our ability to retain, attract and recruit employees may be adversely impacted if our growth rate and profitability decrease; |
| ● | our ability to complete acquisitions may be hampered if we need to seek financing for such acquisitions; and |
| ● | our ability to raise capital may be hurt. |
The full impact of economic headwinds on our business and our future performance may also have the effect of heightening any of our other risk factors described in this annual report, and is difficult to predict when and whether those trends will emerge, so there is some level of risk that any guidance we provide to the market may turn out to be incorrect.
Investment in highly skilled research and development, product implementation, customer support and other personnel is a critical factor in our ability to develop and enhance our solutions and support our customers, but that personnel may nevertheless be hard to retain and an increase in that investment may furthermore reduce our profitability.
As a provider of software solutions that rely upon technological advancements, we rely heavily on our research and development activities to remain competitive. We consequently depend in large part on the ability to attract, train, motivate and retain highly skilled information technology professionals for our research and development team, as well as software programmers and communications engineers, and product implementation experts, particularly individuals with knowledge and experience in the insurance industry. Because our software solutions are highly complex and are generally used by our customers to perform critical business functions, we also depend heavily on other skilled technology professionals to provide ongoing support to our customers. Skilled technology professionals are often in high demand and short supply.
Our research and development, product delivery, and general and administrative, activities are conducted at locations where the competition for skilled technology professionals is particularly intense. While there has been strong competition for qualified human resources in the high-tech industry historically, the industry experienced record growth and activity over the last few years, both at the earlier stages of venture capital and growth equity financings, and at the exit stage of initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions. This flurry of growth and activity caused a sharp increase in job openings in both high-tech companies and research and development centers, as well as the intensification of competition between employers to attract qualified employees in those jurisdictions. Employee attrition— for all fields and professions, and for all levels of management— accompanied this strong competition, and hi-tech companies such as ours that are based in Israel and these other jurisdictions have faced a shortage of skilled human capital, including engineering, research and development, sales and customer support personnel. Many of the companies with which we compete for qualified personnel may have greater resources than we do, and we may not succeed in recruiting additional experienced or professional personnel, retaining personnel or effectively replacing current personnel who may depart with qualified or effective successors.
While the foregoing trend has moderated over the last one to two years, if, going forward, we are unable to hire or retain qualified research and development personnel and other technology professionals to develop, implement and modify our solutions, we may be unable to meet the needs of our customers. Even if we succeed at retaining the necessary skilled personnel in our research and development and customer support efforts, our investments in our personnel and product development efforts increase our costs of operations and thereby reduce our profitability, unless accompanied by increased revenues. As a result of the intense competition for qualified human resources, the high-tech market in which we operate has experienced and may continue to experience significant wage inflation. Accordingly, our efforts to attract, retain and develop personnel may also result in significant additional expenses, which could adversely affect our profitability. Given the highly competitive industry in which we operate, we may not succeed in increasing our revenues in line with our increasing investments in our personnel and research and development efforts.
5
Furthermore, as we seek to expand the marketing and offering of our products into new territories, it requires the retention of new, additional skilled personnel with knowledge of the particular market and applicable regulatory regime. Such skilled personnel may not be available at a reasonable cost relative to the additional revenues that we expect to generate in those territories, or may not be available at all. In particular, wage costs in lower-cost markets where we have recently added personnel, such as India, are increasing and we may need to increase the levels of our employee compensation more rapidly than in the past to remain competitive. The transition of projects to new locations may also lead to business disruptions due to differing levels of employee knowledge and organizational and leadership skills. Although we have never experienced an organized labor dispute, strike or work stoppage, any such occurrence, including with unionization efforts, could disrupt our business and operations and harm our financial condition. In addition, we may need to attract and train additional IT professionals at a rapid rate in order to serve several new customers or implement several new large-scale projects in a short period of time. If there is a downturn in economic conditions and we need to lay off some of those employees, that will result in our loss of the time and resources that we had invested in training them, and our loss of their accumulated know-how.
Failure to manage our growth— both organic and non-organic—could effectively harm our business.
In recent years, we experienced, and expect to continue to experience in the future, growth in our international operations that has placed, and will continue to place, a significant strain on our operational and financial resources and our personnel. To manage our anticipated future growth effectively, we must continue to maintain and may need to enhance our information technology infrastructure, financial and accounting systems and controls and manage expanded operations and employees in geographically distributed locations. We also must attract, train and retain a significant number of additional qualified sales and marketing personnel, professional services personnel, software engineers, technical personnel and management personnel. Our failure to manage our growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Our growth could require significant capital expenditures and may divert financial resources from other projects, such as the development of new services or product enhancements. For example, since it may take as long as six months to hire and train a new member of our professional services staff, we make decisions regarding the size of our professional services staff based upon our expectations with respect to customer demand for our products and services. If these expectations are incorrect, and we increase the size of our professional services organization without experiencing an increase in sales of our products and services, we will experience reductions in our gross and operating margins and net income. If we are unable to effectively manage our growth, our expenses may increase more than expected, our revenues could decline or grow more slowly than expected and we may be unable to implement our business strategy. Our growth may also be accompanied by greater exposure to litigation, including suits by clients, vendors, employees or former employees, as the sizes of our workforce and our overall international operations increase. All such litigation carries with it related costs and could divert our management’s attention from ongoing business concerns. We also intend to continue to expand into additional international markets which, if not technologically or commercially successful, could harm our financial condition and prospects.
If we do not successfully develop and deploy new technologies to address the updated needs of our customers, our business and results of operations could suffer.
Our recent success has been based largely on our ability to design software solutions that enable our customers to facilitate, improve and automate traditional insurance processes to make them easier for end-customers, by utilizing advanced technologies, such as digital engagement, low-code/no-code, API layer, advanced analytics and cloud computing. We spend substantial amounts of time and money researching and developing new technologies and enhanced versions of existing features to meet our customers’ and potential customers’ rapidly evolving needs. There is no assurance that our enhancements to our solutions or our new solutions’ features, capabilities, or offerings, will be compelling to our customers or gain market acceptance. If our research and development investments do not accurately anticipate customer demand or if we fail to develop our solutions in a manner that satisfies customer preferences in a timely and cost-effective manner, we may fail to retain our existing customers or increase demand for our solutions.
6
Introduction of new products and services by competitors or the development of entirely new technologies to replace existing offerings could make our solutions obsolete or adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We may experience difficulties with software development, design, or marketing that delay or prevent our development, introduction, or implementation of new solutions, features, or capabilities. We have in the past experienced delays in our internally planned release dates of new features and capabilities, and there can be no assurance that new solutions, features, or capabilities will be released according to schedule. Any delays could result in adverse publicity, loss of revenue or market acceptance, or claims by customers brought against us, any of which could harm our business. Moreover, the design and development of new solutions or new features and capabilities to our existing solutions may require substantial investment, and we have no assurance that such investments will be successful. If customers do not widely adopt our new solutions, experiences, features, and capabilities, we may not be able to realize a return on our investment and our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Our new and existing solutions and changes to our existing solutions could fail to attain sufficient market acceptance for many reasons, including:
| ● | Our failure to predict market demand accurately in terms of product functionality and to supply offerings that meet that demand in a timely fashion; |
| ● | Product defects, errors, or failures or our inability to satisfy customer service level requirements; |
| ● | Negative publicity or negative private statements about the security, performance, or effectiveness of our solutions or product enhancements; |
| ● | Delays in releasing to the market our new offerings or enhancements to our existing offerings, including new product modules; |
| ● | Introduction or anticipated introduction of competing solutions or functionalities by our competitors; |
| ● | Inability of our solutions or product enhancements to scale and perform to meet customer demands; |
| ● | Receiving qualified or adverse opinions in connection with security or penetration testing, certifications or audits, such as those related to IT controls and security standards and frameworks or compliance; |
| ● | Poor business conditions for our customers, causing them to delay software purchases; |
| ● | Reluctance of customers to purchase proprietary software solutions; |
| ● | Reluctance of customers to purchase products incorporating open source software; |
If we are not able to continue to identify challenges faced by our customers and develop, license, or acquire new features and capabilities for our solutions in a timely and cost-effective manner, or if such enhancements do not achieve market acceptance, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may suffer and our anticipated revenue growth may not be achieved.
Because we derive, and expect to continue to derive, substantially all of our revenue from implementation of our solutions, along with post-implementation services such as ongoing support and maintenance and professional services, market acceptance of these solutions, and any enhancements or changes thereto, is critical to our success.
7
The market for software solutions and related services is highly competitive and dynamic, and we need to adapt quickly to trends in order to retain or grow our market share.
The market for software solutions and related services and for business solutions for the insurance and financial services industry in particular, is highly competitive and continuously evolving. Our failure to adapt to changing market conditions and to compete successfully with established or new competitors could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Many of our smaller competitors have been acquired by larger competitors, which provides those smaller competitors with greater resources and potentially a larger client base for which they can develop solutions. Our customers or potential customers may prefer suppliers that are larger than us, are better known in the market or that have a greater global reach. In lieu of being acquired by larger competitors, current and potential competitors have established, and may establish in the future, cooperative relationships among themselves, or with third parties to increase their abilities to address the needs of our existing, or prospective, customers. As a result, our competitors may be able to adapt more quickly than us to new or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements, and may be able to devote greater resources to the promotion and sale of their products. As a means of adapting to competition, we and some of our competitors have developed systems to allow customers to outsource their core systems to external providers (known as BPO). We are seeking to partner with BPO providers, but there can be no assurance that such BPO providers will adopt our solutions rather than those of our competitors. Determinations by current and potential customers to use BPO providers that do not use our solutions may result in the loss of such customers and limit our ability to gain new customers.
A number of our competitors also have operational advantages relative to us, as they are generally private companies that are not required to report results of operations on a regular basis, and can consequently benefit from the ability to take more risky actions in the hope of building up strong brand name recognition, such as payment of higher salaries as a recruitment tool, sale of products at cheaper prices, and very rapid growth of sales and marketing teams, even if those actions result in operating losses.
To compete in the rapidly changing environment, and win the competition for end-customers, we also need to offer a coherent digital and data propositions, allowing our insurance provider customers to better interact with their own customers in a digital and omni-channel manner. If we fail to adapt and accelerate the development of our digital and data offerings, that may adversely impact our ability to compete in our target markets. Consolidation in the insurance industry in which some of our clients operate also increases competitiveness for us by reducing the number of potential clients for whose business we and our competitors compete. The high level of continuity with which insurance and other financial services clients remain with their providers of software-related services also increases general competitiveness by tying clients to their service providers and thereby shrinking the market of potential clients.
Our competitiveness in the market for insurance and financial services solutions is also tied to our ability to adapt quickly to other trends, including the movement towards cloud-based solutions. Our ability to provide solutions that may be deployed in the cloud has required, and may continue to require, considerable investment in resources, including technical, financial, legal, sales, information technology and operational systems. Market acceptance of cloud offerings is affected by a variety of factors, including but not limited to: security, service availability, reliability, availability of tools to automate cloud migration, scalability, integration with public cloud platforms, customization, availability of qualified third-party service providers to assist customers in transitioning to cloud-based solutions, performance, current license terms, customer preference, customer concerns with entrusting a third party to store and manage their data, public concerns regarding privacy and the enactment of restrictive laws or regulations. We may not meet our financial and strategic objectives if the pace at which we transform our solutions to be cloud-compatible is slower than our customers’ adoption of cloud-based solutions. To address the challenges in transitioning our customers to the cloud, we continue to invest in innovation and feature development, simplified cloud migration, and performance and reliability, as well as other cloud customer success and sales initiatives. There can be no assurance, however, that these initiatives will improve our ability to capture or retain customers that prefer cloud-based solutions. If we are unable to win over those new customers or retain those existing customers, we may experience a negative impact on our overall financial performance.
8
We may be required to increase or decrease the scope of our operations in response to changes in the demand for our products and services, and if we fail to successfully plan and manage changes in the size of our operations, our business will suffer.
In the past, we have both grown and contracted our operations, in some cases rapidly, to profitably offer our products and services in a continuously changing market. If we are unable to manage these changes, or to plan and manage any future changes in the size and scope of our operations, our business may be negatively impacted.
Restructurings and cost reduction measures that we have implemented in the past have reduced the size of our operations and workforce. Reductions in personnel can result in significant severance, administrative and legal expenses, and may also adversely affect or delay various sales, marketing and product development programs and activities. These cost reduction measures have included, and may in the future include, employee separation costs and consolidating and/or relocating certain of our operations to different geographic locations.
Acquisitions, organic growth and absorption of significant numbers of customers’ employees in connection with managed services projects have, from time to time, increased our headcount. During periods of expansion, we may need to serve several new customers or implement several new large-scale projects in short periods of time. This may require us to attract and train additional IT professionals at a rapid rate, as well as quickly expand our facilities, which may be difficult to successfully implement.
If existing customers are not satisfied with our solutions and services and either do not make subsequent purchases from us or do not continue using such solutions and services, or if our relationships with our largest customers are impaired, our revenue could be negatively affected.
We depend heavily on repeat product and service revenues from our base of existing customers. Five of our largest customers accounted for, in the aggregate, 12.9% and 15.5% of our revenues in the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. If our existing customers are not satisfied with our solutions and services, they may not enter into new project contracts with us or continue using our technologies. A significant decline in our revenue stream from existing customers, including due to termination of agreement(s), would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our business often involves long-term, large, complex implementation projects across the globe, which involve uncertainties, mainly during the implementation period, such as changes to the estimated project costs and changes in project schedule. Such changes may cause disputes between us and our customers, whether or not due to failure on our part, and may in some cases result in cancellation of those projects. Such cancellation can adversely impact our revenues, profitability and/or, in some cases, our relationship with the relevant customer.
Our business is characterized by relatively large, complex implementation projects or engagements that can have a significant impact on our total revenue and cost of revenue from quarter to quarter. A high percentage of our expenses, particularly employee compensation, are relatively fixed. Therefore, variations in the timing of the initiation, estimated scope of work, progress or completion of projects or engagements can cause significant variations in operating results from quarter to quarter.
This is particularly the case for fixed-price contracts, where our delivery requirements sometimes span more than one year. For a highly complex, fixed-price project that requires customization, we may not be able to accurately estimate our actual costs of completing the project. We are sometimes dependent on the assistance of third-parties (such as our customers’ vendors or IT employees, or our system integrator partners) in implementing such projects, which may not be provided in a timely manner. If our actual cost-to-completion of a project significantly exceeds the estimated costs, we could experience a loss on the related contract, which (when multiplied by multiple projects) could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position and cash flow.
9
Similarly, delays in implementation projects (whether fixed price or not) may affect our revenue and cause our operating results to vary widely. Our solutions are delivered over periods of time ranging from several months to a few years. Payment terms are generally based on periodic payments or on the achievement of milestones. Any delays in payment or in the achievement of milestones may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
For non-fixed price contracts, we generally provide our customers with up-front estimates regarding the duration, budget and costs associated with the implementation of our products. Due to the complexities described above, however, we may not meet those upfront estimates and/or the expectations of our customers, which could lead to a dispute with a client. In the past, these disputes have sometimes arisen with significant customers that have accounted for a significant portion of our revenues, and the settlement of these disputes reduced our revenues and operating profit relative to our prior estimates. In 2023 and 2022, certain customers canceled projects with us at the stage of implementation, resulting in the loss of potential future revenues from those customers. We expect that we may have similar cancellations by our customers in the future, during the implementation phase. These cancellations, if coupled with disputes with significant customers in the future, whether or not due to failure on our part, could result in lost revenues, lower profit margins, legal claims against us and even the refund of the customers’ money and could harm our reputation, thereby adversely affecting our ability to attract new customers and to sell additional solutions and services to existing customers.
We may be liable to our clients for damages caused by a violation of intellectual property rights, the disclosure of other confidential information, including personally identifiable information, system failures, errors or unsatisfactory performance of services, and our insurance policies may not be sufficient to cover these damages.
We often have access to, and are required to collect and store, sensitive or confidential client information, including personally identifiable information. Some of our client agreements do not limit our potential liability for breaches of confidentiality, infringement indemnity and certain other matters. Furthermore, breaches of confidentiality may entitle the aggrieved party to equitable remedies, including injunctive relief. If any person, including any of our employees and subcontractors, penetrates our network security or misappropriates sensitive or confidential client information, including personally identifiable information, we could be subject to significant liability from our clients or from our clients’ customers for breaching contractual confidentiality provisions or privacy laws. Despite measures we take to protect the intellectual property and other confidential information or personally identifiable information of our clients, unauthorized parties, including our employees and subcontractors, may attempt to misappropriate certain intellectual property rights that are proprietary to our clients or otherwise breach our clients’ confidences. Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential client information, including personally identifiable information, or a violation of intellectual property rights, whether through employee misconduct, breach of our computer systems, systems failure or otherwise, may subject us to liabilities, damage our reputation and cause us to lose clients.
Many of our contracts involve projects that are critical to the operations of our clients’ businesses and provide benefits to our clients that may be difficult to quantify. Any failure in a client’s system or any breach of security could result in a claim for substantial damages against us, regardless of our responsibility for such failure. Furthermore, any errors by our employees in the performance of services for a client, or poor execution of such services, could result in a client terminating our engagement and seeking damages from us.
In addition, while we have taken steps to protect the confidential information that we have access to, including confidential information we may obtain through usage of our cloud-based services, our security measures may be breached. If a cyber-attack or other security incident were to result in unauthorized access to or modification of our customers’ data or our own data or our IT systems or in disruption of the services we provide to our customers, or if our products or services are perceived as having security vulnerabilities, we could suffer significant damage to our business and reputation.
10
Although we attempt to limit our contractual liability for consequential damages in rendering our services, these limitations on liability may not apply in all circumstances, may be unenforceable in some cases, or may be insufficient to protect us from liability for damages. There may be instances when liabilities for damages are greater than the insurance coverage we hold and we will have to internalize those losses, damages and liabilities not covered by our insurance.
Changes in privacy regulations may impose additional costs and liabilities on us, limit our use of information, and adversely affect our business.
Personal privacy has become a significant issue in the United States, Europe, and many other countries where we operate. Many government agencies and industry regulators continue to impose new restrictions and modify existing requirements about the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. Changes to laws or regulations affecting privacy and security may impose additional liability and costs on us and may limit our use of such information in providing our services to customers. If we were required to change our business activities, revise or eliminate services or products, or implement burdensome compliance measures, our business and results of operations may be harmed. Additionally, we may be subject to regulatory enforcement actions resulting in fines, penalties, and potential litigation if we fail to comply with applicable privacy laws and regulations.
In particular, our European activities are subject to the European Union General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which has created additional compliance requirements for us. GDPR broadens the scope of personal privacy laws to protect the rights of European Union citizens and requires organizations to report on data breaches within 72 hours and be bound by more stringent rules for obtaining the consent of individuals on how their data can be used. GDPR became enforceable on May 25, 2018 and non-compliance may expose entities such as our company to significant fines or other regulatory claims. Also, the United Kingdom has implemented its own version of the GDPR, the so-called U.K. GDPR In the United States, the privacy regulations to which we may be subject include those promulgated under the authority of the Federal Trade Commission, state regulators and regulator enforcement positions and expectations. At the state level, all states have implemented security breach notification laws. Many states have adopted issue-specific laws pertaining to use of GPS and biometrics, among other technologies. Additionally, several states, including California, Virginia, Maryland and Utah, have enacted laws creating new individual privacy rights for consumers (as that word is broadly defined in each law) and placing increased privacy and security obligations on entities handling personal data of consumers or households. In California, we are subject to the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA. The CCPA imposes enhanced disclosure requirements for us regarding our interactions with customers who are residents of California, such as comprehensive privacy notices for consumers when we, or our agents, collect their personal information. We are further required to ensure third-party compliance, as under the CCPA we could be liable if third parties that collect, process or retain personal information on our behalf violate the CCPA’s privacy requirements. The sanctions for non-compliance include fines and/or civil lawsuits. Other U.S. states, including Colorado, Virginia, Utah, Texas and Connecticut, have enacted similar - but not identical - laws, which either are or will go into effect in 2023 and beyond.
Any failure or perceived failure (including as a result of deficiencies in our policies, procedures or measures relating to privacy, data protection, marketing or client communications) by us to comply with laws, regulations, policies, legal or contractual obligations, industry standards or regulatory guidance relating to privacy or data security, may result in governmental investigations and enforcement actions, litigation, fines and penalties or adverse publicity and could cause our clients and partners to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our reputation and business. We expect that there will continue to be new proposed laws, regulations and industry standards relating to privacy, data protection, marketing, consumer communications and information security in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area and other jurisdictions, and we cannot determine the impact such future laws, regulations and standards may have on our business. While we have invested in, and intend to continue to invest in, reasonably necessary resources to comply with these standards, to the extent that we fail to adequately comply, that failure could have an adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations and cash flows.
11
Significant disruptions of our information technology systems or breaches of our data security could adversely affect our business.
A significant invasion, interruption, destruction or breakdown of our information technology, or IT, systems and/or infrastructure by persons with authorized or unauthorized access could negatively impact our business and operations. We could also experience business interruption, information theft and/or reputational damage from cyber attacks, which may compromise our systems and lead to data leakage internally. Both data that has been input into our main IT platform, which covers records of transactions, financial data and other data reflected in our results of operations, as well as data related to our proprietary rights (such as research and development, and other intellectual property- related data), are subject to material cyber security risks. From time to time, we experience cyber-attacks and other security incidents of varying degrees, though none which individually or in the aggregate has led to costs or consequences which have materially impacted our operations or business. We experienced attacks in or about April 2020, which resulted in a ransom payment and a brief interruption of service availability to customers, prior to restoration of secure computing operations. The amount paid in connection with, and the consequences of, the foregoing did not have a material adverse effect on our business or operations. In response, we have implemented further controls and planned for other preventative actions to further strengthen our systems against future attacks. We also have in place disclosure controls that require the reporting of a cyber attack internally, which help to ensure that our senior management team has relevant information concerning such an attack in a timely manner upon its discovery. However, we cannot assure you that such measures will provide absolute security, that we will be able to react in a timely manner, or that our remediation efforts following past or future attacks will be successful.
Outside parties have furthermore in the past, and may also in the future, attempt to fraudulently induce our employees to disclose sensitive, personal or confidential information via illegal electronic spamming, phishing or other tactics. This existing risk is compounded in the aftermath of the intense period of the COVID-19 pandemic, as we have implemented in our offices a hybrid model where a large portion of our workforce will spend a portion of their time working in our offices and a portion of their time working from home. Unauthorized parties may also attempt to gain physical access to our facilities in order to infiltrate our information systems or attempt to gain logical access to our products, services, or information systems for the purpose of exfiltrating content and data. These actual and potential breaches of our security measures and the accidental loss, inadvertent disclosure or unauthorized dissemination of proprietary information or sensitive, personal or confidential data about us, our employees or our customers, including the potential loss or disclosure of such information or data as a result of hacking, fraud, trickery or other forms of deception, could expose us, our employees or our customers to a risk of loss or misuse of this information. This may result in litigation and liability or fines, our compliance with costly and time-intensive notice requirements, governmental inquiry or oversight or a loss of customer confidence, any of which could harm our business or damage our brand and reputation, thereby requiring time and resources to mitigate these impacts.
Our reliance on third party vendors and their employees for the implementation of our solutions heightens our exposure to potential cyber incidents. In particular, that reliance raises the following cyber risks, among others:
| ● | When third-party vendors handle sensitive information, they can become a target for cybercriminals who aim to steal that data. |
| ● | Third-party software or systems could introduce malware, viruses, or other malicious code into Sapiens’ network, causing significant damage. |
| ● | Cybercriminals can infiltrate the supply chain of a third-party vendor to gain access to their systems and data, potentially compromising our organization as well. |
| ● | Third-party employees with access to Sapiens’ systems or data can intentionally or unintentionally cause damage or data leaks. |
| ● | Third-party vendors may not comply with data protection regulations or cybersecurity standards, which could result in legal penalties or reputational damage for Sapiens. |
| ● | If a third-party vendor experiences a cyber incident or data breach, it could interrupt its services, affecting Sapiens as well. |
12
We have invested in advanced detection, prevention and proactive systems to reduce these risks. Based on independent audits, we believe that our level of protection is in keeping with the industry standards of peer technology companies. We also maintain a disaster recovery solution, as a means of assuring that a breach or cyber attack does not necessarily cause the loss of our information. We furthermore review our protections and remedial measures periodically in order to ensure that they are adequate. We devote resources to address security vulnerabilities through enhancing security and reliability features in our systems, code hardening, conducting rigorous penetration tests, deploying updates to address security vulnerabilities, providing resources such as mandatory security training for our workforce and improving our incident response time, but security vulnerabilities cannot be totally eliminated. The cost of these steps could reduce our operating margins.
Despite these protective systems and remedial measures, techniques used to obtain unauthorized access are constantly changing, are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and often are not recognized until after an exploitation of information has occurred. We may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement sufficient preventative measures, and we therefore cannot assure you that our preventative measures will be successful in preventing compromise and/or disruption of our information technology systems and related data. We furthermore cannot be certain that our remedial measures will fully mitigate the adverse financial consequences of any cyber attack or incident. If we do not make a sufficient level of investment in our technology systems or if our systems become out-of-date or obsolete and we are not able to deliver the quality of data security that meet our independent security control certification requirements, our business could be adversely affected.
Security vulnerabilities in our software solutions could lead to reduced revenue or to liability claims.
Maintaining the security of the software solutions and related services that we offer is a critical issue for us and our customers. Security researchers, criminal hackers and other third parties regularly develop new techniques to penetrate our customers’ end points, information systems and network security measures. Cyber threats are constantly evolving and becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex, making it increasingly difficult to detect and successfully defend against them. Unauthorized parties have, in the past, infiltrated our internal IT systems, gaining access to certain proprietary information. If they were to similarly breach the security related to, and misuse, software solutions that we offer, they might access the authentication, payment and personal information of our customers. In addition, cyber-attackers (which may include individuals or groups, as well as sophisticated groups such as nation-state and state-sponsored attackers, which can deploy significant resources to plan and carry out exploits) also develop and deploy viruses, worms, credential stuffing attack tools and other malicious software programs, some of which may be specifically designed to attack the solutions and services that we offer. Software and operating system applications that we develop have contained and may contain defects in design or manufacture, including bugs, vulnerabilities and other problems that could unexpectedly compromise the security of the software or impair a customer’s ability to operate or use our solutions. The costs to prevent, eliminate, mitigate, or alleviate cyber- or other security problems, bugs, viruses, worms, malicious software programs and security vulnerabilities are significant, and our efforts to address these problems, including notifying affected parties, may not be successful or may be delayed and could result in interruptions, delays, cessation of service and loss of existing or potential customers. It is impossible to predict the extent, frequency or impact these problems may have on us.
Actual and potential breaches of our security measures and the accidental loss, inadvertent disclosure or unauthorized dissemination of proprietary information or sensitive, personal or confidential data about our customers, including the potential loss or disclosure of such information or data as a result of hacking, fraud, trickery or other forms of deception, could expose our customers to a risk of loss or misuse of this information. This may result in litigation and liability or fines, our compliance with costly and time-intensive notice requirements, governmental inquiry or oversight or a loss of customer confidence, any of which could harm our business or damage our brand and reputation, thereby requiring time and resources to mitigate these impacts.
13
From time to time we have identified, and in the future we may identify other, vulnerabilities in some of our solutions and services. We devote significant resources to address security vulnerabilities through engineering more secure solutions, enhancing security and reliability features in our solutions and services, code hardening, conducting rigorous penetration tests, deploying updates to address security vulnerabilities, regularly reviewing our solutions’ security controls, reviewing and auditing our solutions against independent security control frameworks (such as ISO 27001, SOC 2), providing resources such as security training for our customers’ workforces and improving our incident response time, but security vulnerabilities cannot be totally eliminated. The cost of these steps could reduce our operating margins, and we may be unable to implement these measures quickly enough to prevent cyber-attackers from gaining unauthorized access into our solutions. Despite our preventative efforts, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in our solutions may harm our reputation or lead to claims against us (and have in the past led to such claims), and could lead some customers to stop using certain systems or services, to reduce or delay future purchases of solutions or services, or to use competing solutions or services. If we do not make the appropriate level of investment in our solutions or if our solutions become out-of-date or obsolete and we are not able to deliver the quality of data security our customers require, our business could be adversely affected. Customers may also adopt security measures designed to protect their existing computer systems from attack, which could delay their adoption of our new solutions. Moreover, delayed sales, lower margins or lost customers resulting from disruptions caused by cyber-attacks and implementation of preventative measures could adversely affect our financial results, share price and reputation.
Errors or defects in our software solutions could inevitably arise and harm our profitability and our reputation with customers, and could even give rise to claims against us.
The quality of our solutions, including new, modified or enhanced versions thereof, is critical to our success. Since our software solutions are complex, they may contain errors that cannot be detected at any point in their testing phase. While we continually test our solutions for errors or defects and work with customers to identify and correct them, errors in our technology may be found in the future. Quality assurance is complicated because it is difficult to simulate the breadth of operating systems, user applications and computing environments that our customers use, and our solutions themselves are increasingly complex. Errors or defects in our technology have resulted in terminated work orders and could result in delayed or lost revenue, diversion of development resources and increased services, termination of work orders, damage to our brand and warranty and insurance costs in the future. In addition, time-consuming implementations may also increase the number of services personnel we must allocate to each customer, thereby increasing our costs and adversely affecting our business, results of operations and financial condition.
In addition, since our customers rely on our solutions to operate, monitor and improve the performance of their business processes, they are sensitive to potential disruptions that may be caused by the use of, or any defects in, our software. As a result, we may be subject to claims for damages related to software errors in the future. Liability claims could require us to spend significant time and money in litigation or to pay significant damages. Regardless of whether we prevail, diversion of key employees’ time and attention from our business, the incurrence of substantial expenses and potential damage to our reputation might result. While the terms of our sales contracts typically limit our exposure to potential liability claims and we carry errors and omissions insurance against such claims, there can be no assurance that such insurance will continue to be available on acceptable terms, if at all, or that such insurance will provide us with adequate protection against any such claims. A significant liability claim against us could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.
Incorrect or improper use of our products or our failure to properly train customers on how to implement or utilize our products could result in customer dissatisfaction and negatively affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth prospects.
Our products are complex and are deployed in a wide variety of network environments. The proper use of our solutions requires training of the customer. If our solutions are not used correctly or as intended, inadequate performance may result. Additionally, our customers or third-party partners may incorrectly implement or use our solutions. Our solutions may also be intentionally misused or abused by customers or their employees or third parties who are able to access or use our solutions. Similarly, our solutions are sometimes installed or maintained by customers or third parties with smaller or less qualified IT departments, potentially resulting in sub-optimal installation and, consequently, performance that is less than the level anticipated by the customer. Because our customers rely on our software, services and maintenance support to manage a wide range of operations, the incorrect or improper use of our solutions, our failure to properly train customers on how to efficiently and effectively use our solutions, or our failure to properly provide implementation or maintenance services to our customers has resulted in terminated work orders and may result in termination of work orders, negative publicity or legal claims against us in the future. Also, as we continue to expand our customer base, any failure by us to properly provide these services will likely result in lost opportunities for follow-on sales of our software and services.
14
In addition, if there is substantial turnover of customer personnel responsible for implementation and use of our products, or if customer personnel are not well trained in the use of our products, customers may defer the deployment of our products, may deploy them in a more limited manner than originally anticipated or may not deploy them at all. Further, if there is substantial turnover of the customer personnel responsible for implementation and use of our products, our ability to make additional sales may be substantially limited.
Catastrophes may adversely impact the insurance industry, preventing us from expanding or maintaining our existing customer base and increasing our revenues.
Our customers include insurance carriers that have experienced, and will likely experience in the future, catastrophic losses that adversely impact their businesses. Catastrophes can be caused by various events, including, amongst others, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, windstorms, earthquakes, hail, tornados, explosions, severe weather and fires, or the spread of pandemics of disease, such as the coronavirus. Moreover, acts of terrorism or war could cause disruptions in our or our customers’ businesses or the economy as a whole. The risks associated with natural disasters and catastrophes are inherently unpredictable, and it is difficult to predict the timing of such events or estimate the amount of loss they will generate. In the event a future catastrophe adversely impacts our current or potential customers, we may be prevented from maintaining and expanding our customer base and from increasing our revenues because such events may cause customers to postpone purchases of new products and professional service engagements or discontinue projects.
Decreases in the capital markets may adversely impact the life insurance industry, thereby preventing us from expanding or maintaining our existing customer base and increasing our revenues.
Our customers include life insurance carriers that have invested some of their funds in the capital markets. Those carriers may experience in the future major losses in those capital market investments that may cause disruptions to their businesses or to the economy as a whole. Any such major disruption, may cause those existing or potential new customers to postpone purchases of new products or professional service engagements, or discontinue existing projects, which, in turn, may prevent us from increasing our revenues, or from maintaining or expanding our customer base.
There may be consolidation in the insurance market, which could reduce the use of our products and services and adversely affect our revenues.
Mergers or consolidations among our customers could reduce the number of our customers and potential customers. This could adversely affect our revenues even if these events do not reduce the aggregate number of customers or the activities of the consolidated entities. If our customers merge with or are acquired by other entities that are not our customers, or that use fewer of our products and services, they may discontinue or reduce their use of our products and services. Any of these developments could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows.
Our deed of trust related to our Series B Debentures contains certain affirmative covenants and restrictive provisions that, if breached, could result in an increase in the interest rate and, potentially, an acceleration of our obligation to repay those debentures, which we may be unable to effect.
In the deed of trust that we have entered into with the trustee for the holders of our Series B Debentures, or the debentures, which we offered and sold in Israeli public offerings in September 2017 and June 2020, and in an Israeli private placement in September 2017, we have undertaken to maintain a number of conditions and limitations on the manner in which we can operate our business, including limitations on our ability to undergo a change of control, distribute dividends, incur a floating charge on our assets, or undergo an asset sale or other change that results in a fundamental change in our operations. The deed of trust also requires us to comply with certain financial covenants, including maintenance of a minimum shareholders’ equity level and a maximum ratio of financial indebtedness to shareholders’ equity, at levels that are customary for companies of comparable size. These limitations and covenants may force us to pursue less than optimal business strategies or forego business arrangements that could otherwise be financially advantageous to us and, by extension, our debenture holders. The deed of trust furthermore provides for an upwards adjustment in the interest rate payable under the debentures in the event that our debentures’ rating is downgraded below a certain level. A breach of the financial covenants for more than two successive quarters or a substantial downgrade in the Israeli rating of the debentures (below BBB-) would constitute an event of default that could result in the acceleration of our obligation to repay the debentures, of which there is $39.5 million principal amount outstanding (as of March 1, 2024), which accelerated repayment may be difficult for us to effect.
15
Risks Related to Intellectual Property
Assertions by third parties of infringement or other violation by us of their intellectual property rights could result in significant costs and substantially harm our business and results of operations.
The software industry is characterized by the existence of a large number of patents and frequent claims and related litigation regarding patents and other intellectual property rights. In particular, leading companies in the software industry own large numbers of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, which they may use to assert claims against us. From time to time, third parties, including certain of these leading companies, may assert patent, copyright, trademark or other intellectual property claims against us, our customers and partners, and those from whom we license technology and intellectual property.
Although we believe that our products and services do not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of third parties, we cannot assure you that third parties will not assert infringement or misappropriation claims against us with respect to current or future products or services, or that any such assertions will not require us to enter into royalty arrangements or result in costly litigation, or result in us being unable to use certain intellectual property. We cannot assure you that we are not infringing or otherwise violating any third party intellectual property rights. Infringement assertions from third parties may involve patent holding companies or other patent owners who have no relevant product revenues, and therefore our own issued and pending patents may provide little or no deterrence to these patent owners in bringing intellectual property rights claims against us.
Any intellectual property infringement or misappropriation claim or assertion against us, our customers or partners, and those from whom we license technology and intellectual property could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, reputation and competitive position regardless of the validity or outcome. If we are forced to defend against any infringement or misappropriation claims, whether they are with or without merit, are settled out of court, or are determined in our favor, we may be required to expend significant time and financial resources on the defense of such claims. Furthermore, an adverse outcome of a dispute may require us to pay damages, potentially including treble damages and attorneys’ fees, if we are found to have willfully infringed on a party’s intellectual property; cease making, licensing or using our products or services that are alleged to infringe or misappropriate the intellectual property of others; expend additional development resources to redesign our products or services; enter into potentially unfavorable royalty or license agreements in order to obtain the right to use necessary technologies or works; and to indemnify our partners, customers, and other third parties. Royalty or licensing agreements, if required or desirable, may be unavailable on terms acceptable to us, or at all, and may require significant royalty payments and other expenditures. Any of these events could seriously harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, any lawsuits regarding intellectual property rights, regardless of their success, could be costly to resolve and divert the time and attention of our management and technical personnel.
Although we apply measures to protect our intellectual property rights and our source code, there can be no assurance that the measures that we employ to do so will be successful.
In accordance with industry practice, we rely on a combination of contractual provisions and intellectual property law to protect our proprietary technology. We believe that due to the dynamic nature of the computer and software industries, copyright protection is less significant than factors such as the knowledge and experience of our management and personnel, the frequency of product enhancements and the timeliness and quality of our support services. We seek to protect the source code of our products as trade secret information and as unpublished copyright works. We also rely on security and copy protection features in our proprietary software. We distribute our products under software license agreements that grant customers a personal, non-transferable license to use our products and contain terms and conditions prohibiting the unauthorized reproduction or transfer of our products. In addition, while we attempt to protect trade secrets and other proprietary information through non-disclosure agreements with employees, consultants and distributors, not all of our employees have signed invention assignment agreements. Although we intend to protect our rights vigorously, there can be no assurance that these measures will be successful. Our failure to protect our rights, or the improper use of our products by others without licensing them from us could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
16
We and our customers rely on technology and intellectual property of third parties, the loss of which could limit the functionality of our products and disrupt our business.
We use technology and intellectual property licensed from unaffiliated third parties in certain of our products, and we may license additional third-party technology and intellectual property in the future. Any errors or defects in this third-party technology and intellectual property could result in errors that could harm our brand and business. In addition, licensed technology and intellectual property may not continue to be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. The loss of the right to license and distribute this third party technology could limit the functionality of our products and might require us to redesign our products.
Further, although we believe that there are currently adequate replacements for the third-party technology and intellectual property we presently use and distribute, the loss of our right to use any of this technology and intellectual property could result in delays in producing or delivering affected products until equivalent technology or intellectual property is identified, licensed or otherwise procured, and integrated. Our business would be disrupted if any technology and intellectual property we license from others or functional equivalents of this software were either no longer available to us or no longer offered to us on commercially reasonable terms. In either case, we would be required either to attempt to redesign our products to function with technology and intellectual property available from other parties or to develop these components ourselves, which would result in increased costs and could result in delays in product sales and the release of new product offerings. Alternatively, we might be forced to limit the features available in affected products. Any of these results could harm our business and impact our results of operations.
We could be required to provide the source code of our products to our customers.
Some of our customers have the right to require the source code of our products to be deposited into a source code escrow. Under certain circumstances, our source code could be released to our customers. The conditions triggering the release of our source code vary by customer. A release of our source code would give our customers access to our trade secrets and other proprietary and confidential information which could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. A few of our customers have the right to use the source code of some of our products based on the license agreements signed with such clients (mostly with respect to older versions of our solutions), although such use is limited for specific matters and cases, these clients are exposed to some of our trade secrets and other proprietary and confidential information which could harm us.
Some of our services and technologies may use “open source” software, which may restrict how we use or distribute our services or require that we release the source code of certain products subject to those licenses.
Some of our services and technologies may incorporate software licensed under so-called “open source” licenses, including, but not limited to, the GNU General Public License and the GNU Lesser General Public License. In addition to risks related to license requirements, usage of open source software can lead to greater risks than use of third-party commercial software, as open source licensors generally do not provide warranties or controls on origin of the software. Additionally, open source licenses typically require that source code subject to the license be made available to the public and that any modifications or derivative works to open source software continue to be licensed under open source licenses. These open source licenses typically mandate that proprietary software, when combined in specific ways with open source software, become subject to the open source license. If we combine our proprietary software with open source software, we could be required to release the source code of our proprietary software.
We take steps to ensure that our proprietary software is not combined with, and does not incorporate, open source software in ways that would require our proprietary software to be subject to an open source license. However, few courts have interpreted open source licenses, and the manner in which these licenses may be interpreted and enforced is therefore subject to some uncertainty. Additionally, we rely on multiple software programmers to design our proprietary technologies, and although we take steps to prevent our programmers from including open source software in the technologies and software code that they design, write and modify, we do not exercise complete control over the development efforts of our programmers and we cannot be certain that our programmers have not incorporated open source software into our proprietary products and technologies or that they will not do so in the future. In the event that portions of our proprietary technology are determined to be subject to an open source license, we could be required to publicly release the affected portions of our source code, re-engineer all or a portion of our technologies, or otherwise be limited in the licensing of our technologies, each of which could reduce or eliminate the value of our services and technologies and materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and prospects.
17
Risks Relating to Our International Operations
Our international operations expose us to risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that have in the recent past adversely affected, and could once again adversely affect, our business.
Most of our revenues are derived from international operations that are conducted in local currencies. Those operations are conducted in US dollars, British pound sterling, or GBP, Euro, NIS, Danish Krone, or DKK, and Swedish Krona, or SEK. In 2023 and 2022, our revenues were approximately 44.9% and 45.9%, respectively, in US dollars, with the remainder in the other currencies.
In some territories, like in Israel, India and Poland, our cost of operations in local currency is higher than the revenues derived from such operations. In other territories, such as in the United Kingdom and Europe, our revenues are higher than our cost of operations in local currency. Because exchange rates between the NIS, GBP, Euro, Indian Rupee, or INR, and the Polish Zloty, or PLN, against the US dollar fluctuate continuously, exchange rate fluctuations and especially larger periodic devaluations could negatively affect our revenue and profitability. In 2023, the GBP and Euro appreciated relative to the US dollar by 1% and 3%, respectively (based on the average exchange rates over the course of 2023 as compared to 2022), thereby increasing the US dollar value of the revenues that we generated in those other currencies and having a positive impact on our revenues and results of operations. However, in 2022, those European currencies depreciated relative to the US dollar by 14% and 13%, respectively, which had an adverse impact on our revenues and results of operations. Any return to that prior trend in future periods would have a similar adverse impact.
In certain locations, we engage in currency-hedging transactions intended to reduce the effect of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates on our financial position and results of operations. However, there can be no assurance that any such hedging transactions will materially reduce the effect of fluctuation in foreign currency exchange rates on such results. In addition, if for any reason exchange or price controls or other restrictions on the conversion of foreign currencies were imposed, our financial position and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our international sales and operations subject us to additional risks that can adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We are continuing to expand our international operations as part of our growth strategy. In fiscal years 2023 and 2022, 58.8% and 58.4% respectively, of our revenues were derived from outside of North America. Our current international operations and our plans to further expand our international operations subject us to a variety of risks, including:
| ● | Increased exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. |
| ● | Increased exposure to global macroeconomic uncertainty caused by inflation and relatively high interest rates. |
| ● | Complexity in our tax planning, and increased exposure to changes in tax regulations in various jurisdictions in which we operate, which could adversely affect our operating results and hinder our ability to conduct effective tax planning. |
| ● | Increased management, travel, infrastructure and legal compliance costs associated with having multiple international operations. | |
| ● | Longer payment cycles and difficulties in enforcing contracts and collecting accounts receivable. | |
| ● | The need to localize our products and licensing programs for international customers. | |
| ● | Lack of familiarity with and unexpected changes in foreign regulatory requirements. | |
| ● | The burden of complying with a wide variety of foreign laws and legal standards. | |
| ● | Compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or FCPA, particularly in emerging market countries. |
18
| ● | Import and export license requirements, tariffs, taxes and other trade barriers. | |
| ● | Increased financial accounting and reporting burdens and complexities. | |
| ● | Weaker protection of intellectual property rights in some countries. | |
| ● | Multiple and possibly overlapping tax regimes. | |
| ● | Political, social and economic instability abroad, terrorist attacks and general security concerns. |
As we continue to expand our business globally, our success will depend, in large part, on our ability to anticipate and effectively manage these and other risks associated with our international operations. Any of these risks could harm our international operations and reduce our international sales, adversely affecting our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth prospects.
International operations in the insurance industry, in which a significant portion of our business is concentrated, are accompanied by additional costs related to adaptation to regulations in specific territories.
As we seek to expand the marketing and offering of our products into new territories, because insurance regulations vary by legal jurisdiction, the investment required to adapt our solutions to the legal and language requirements of such territories may prevent or delay us from effectively expanding into such territories. Such adaptation process requires the retention of new, additional skilled personnel with knowledge of the particular market and applicable regulatory regime. Such skilled personnel may not be available at a reasonable cost relative to the additional revenues that we expect to recognize in those territories, or may not be available at all. However, since insurance carriers are regularly required to adopt their systems and software to comply with the changing regulations, this provides an additional revenue source for Sapiens by providing related services for compliance.
Our business may be materially affected by changes to fiscal and tax policies. Potentially negative or unexpected tax consequences of these policies, or the uncertainty surrounding their potential effects, could adversely affect our results of operations and share price.
As a multinational corporation, we are subject to income taxes, withholding taxes and indirect taxes in numerous jurisdictions worldwide. Significant judgment and management attention and resources are required in evaluating our tax positions and our worldwide provision for taxes. In the ordinary course of business, there are many activities and transactions for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. In addition, our tax obligations and effective tax rates could be adversely affected by changes in the relevant tax, accounting, and other laws, regulations, principles and interpretations. This may include recognizing tax losses or lower than anticipated earnings in jurisdictions where we have lower statutory rates and higher than anticipated earnings in jurisdictions where we have higher statutory rates, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, or changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities.
We may be audited in various jurisdictions, and such jurisdictions may assess additional taxes against us. If we experience unfavorable results from one or more such tax audits, there could be an adverse effect on our tax rate and therefore on our net income. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of any tax audits or litigation could be materially different from our historical tax provisions and accruals, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results or cash flows in the period or periods for which a determination is made. Additionally, we are subject to transfer pricing rules and regulations, including those relating to the flow of funds between us and our affiliates, which are designed to ensure that appropriate levels of income are reported in each jurisdiction in which we operate.
19
As we continue to expand our business in emerging markets, such as India, we face increasing challenges that could adversely impact our results of operations, reputation and business.
Approximately forty-seven percent (47%) of our employees are currently located in India. Our significant presence in India, in particular our Research & Development personnel and our personnel for the delivery of our professional services, poses a number of challenges. These challenges are related to more volatile economic conditions, poor protection of intellectual property, inadequate protection against crime (including counterfeiting, corruption and fraud), lack of due process, and inadvertent breaches of local laws or regulations. In addition, local business practices may be inconsistent with international regulatory requirements, such as anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws and regulations (including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act) to which we are subject. It is possible that some of our employees, subcontractors, agents or partners may violate such legal and regulatory requirements, which may expose us to criminal or civil enforcement actions, including penalties and suspension or disqualification from U.S. federal procurement contracting. If we fail to comply with such legal and regulatory requirements, our business and reputation may be harmed.
Conducting business in India involves unique challenges, including potential political instability; threats of terrorism; the transparency, consistency and effectiveness of business regulation; corruption; the protection of intellectual property; and the availability of sufficient qualified local personnel. Any of these or other challenges associated with operating in India may adversely affect our business or operations. Terrorist activity in India and Pakistan has contributed to tensions between those countries and our operations in India may be adversely affected by future political and other events in the region.
Risks Related to an Investment in our Common Shares
There is relatively limited trading volume for our common shares, which reduces liquidity for our shareholders, and may furthermore cause the share price to be volatile, all of which may lead to losses by investors.
There has historically been limited trading volume in our common shares, both formerly on the Nasdaq Capital Market and more recently on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (after we uplisted to it in September 2020), as well as on the TASE. While over the past few years, there has been improvement, the trading volume is still relatively low, which results in reduced liquidity for our shareholders. As a further result of the historically limited volume, our common shares have experienced significant market price volatility in the past and may experience significant market price and volume fluctuations in the future, in response to factors such as announcements of developments related to our business, announcements by competitors, quarterly fluctuations in our financial results and general conditions in the industry in which we compete.
We are a foreign private issuer under the rules and regulations of the SEC and are therefore exempt from a number of rules under the Exchange Act and are permitted to file less information with the SEC than a domestic U.S. reporting company, which reduces the level and amount of disclosure that you receive.
As a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain rules under the Exchange Act, including the proxy rules, which impose certain disclosure and procedural requirements for proxy solicitations. Moreover, we are not required to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as domestic U.S. companies with securities registered under the Exchange Act; and are not required to comply with Regulation FD, which imposes certain restrictions on the selective disclosure of material information. In addition, our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and “short-swing” profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules under the Exchange Act with respect to their purchases and sales of our common shares. Accordingly, you receive less information about our company than you would receive about a domestic U.S. company, and are afforded less protection under the U.S. federal securities laws than you would be afforded in holding securities of a domestic U.S. company.
20
As a foreign private issuer, we are also permitted, and have begun, to follow certain home country corporate governance practices instead of those otherwise required under the Listing Rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market for domestic U.S. issuers. We have informed Nasdaq that we follow home country practice—in the Cayman Islands— with regard to, among other things, composition of our Board of Directors (whereby a majority of the members of our Board of Directors need not be “independent directors,” as is generally required for domestic U.S. issuers), director nomination procedure and approval of compensation of officers. In addition, we have opted to follow home country law instead of the Listing Rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market that require that a listed company obtain shareholder approval for certain dilutive events, such as the establishment or amendment of certain equity-based compensation plans, an issuance that will result in a change of control of the Company, certain transactions other than a public offering involving issuances of a 20% or greater interest in the Company, and certain acquisitions of the stock or assets of another company. Following our home country governance practices as opposed to the requirements that would otherwise apply to a United States company listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market may provide our shareholders with less protection than they would have as stockholders of a domestic U.S. company.
Our controlling shareholder, Formula Systems (1985) Ltd., beneficially owns approximately 43.6% of our outstanding Common Shares and therefore exerts a controlling influence over matters requiring shareholder approval, which could delay or prevent a change of control that may benefit our public shareholders.
Formula Systems (1985) Ltd. beneficially owns approximately 43.6% of our outstanding Common Shares. As a result, it exercises a controlling influence over our operations and business strategy and has sufficient voting power to control the outcome of various matters requiring shareholder approval. These matters may include:
| ■ | The composition of our board of directors, which has the authority to direct our business and to appoint and remove our officers. |
| ■ | Approving or rejecting a merger, consolidation or other business combination. |
| ■ | Raising future capital. |
| ■ | Amending our Articles, which govern the rights attached to our Common Shares. |
This concentration of ownership of our Common Shares could delay or prevent proxy contests, mergers, tender offers, open-market purchase programs or other purchases of our Common Shares that might otherwise give you the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price of our Common Shares. This concentration of ownership may also adversely affect our share price.
Our U.S. shareholders may suffer adverse tax consequences if we are classified as a passive foreign investment company or as a “controlled foreign corporation”.
Generally, if for any taxable year 75% or more of our gross income is passive income, or at least 50% of the average quarterly value of our assets (which may be measured in part by the market value of our Common Shares, which is subject to change) are held for the production of, or produce, passive income, we would be characterized as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. Based on our gross income and gross assets, and the nature of our business, we believe that we were not classified as a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2023. Because PFIC status is determined annually based on our income, assets and activities for the entire taxable year, it is not possible to determine whether we will be characterized as a PFIC for the taxable year ending December 31, 2024, or for any subsequent year, until we finalize our financial statements for that year. Furthermore, because the value of our gross assets is likely to be determined in large part by reference to our market capitalization, a decline in the value of our Common Shares may result in our becoming a PFIC. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that we will not be considered a PFIC for any taxable year. Our characterization as a PFIC could result in material adverse tax consequences for you if you are a U.S. investor, including having gains realized on the sale of our Common Shares treated as ordinary income, rather than a capital gain, the loss of the preferential rate applicable to dividends received on our Common Shares by individuals who are U.S. holders, and having interest charges apply to distributions by us and the proceeds of share sales. Certain elections exist that may alleviate some of the adverse consequences of PFIC status and would result in an alternative treatment (such as mark-to-market treatment) of our Common Shares. Prospective U.S. investors should consult their own tax advisers regarding the potential application of the PFIC rules to them. Prospective U.S. investors should refer to “Item 10.E. Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” for discussion of additional U.S. income tax considerations applicable to them based on our treatment as a PFIC.
21
Certain U.S. holders of our Common Shares may suffer adverse tax consequences if we or any of our non-U.S. subsidiaries are characterized as a “controlled foreign corporation,” or a CFC, under Section 957(a) of the Code. Certain changes to the CFC constructive ownership rules under Section 958(b) of the Code introduced by the U.S. Tax Act may cause one or more of our non-U.S. subsidiaries to be treated as CFCs, may also impact our CFC status, and may adversely affect holders of our Common Shares that are United States shareholders. Generally, for U.S. shareholders that own 10% or more of the combined vote or combined value of our Common Shares, this may result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and these shareholders may be subject to certain reporting requirements with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Any such 10% U.S. shareholder should consult its own tax advisors regarding the U.S. tax consequences of acquiring, owning, or disposing our Common Shares and the impact of the U.S. Tax Act, especially the changes to the rules relating to CFCs.
The enactment of legislation implementing changes in taxation of international business activities, the adoption of other corporate tax reform policies, or changes in tax legislation or policies could impact our future financial position and results of operations.
Corporate tax reform, base-erosion efforts and tax transparency continue to be high priorities in many tax jurisdictions where we have business operations. As a result, policies regarding corporate income and other taxes in numerous jurisdictions are under heightened scrutiny and tax reform legislation is being proposed or enacted in a number of jurisdictions.
In 2015, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or the OECD, released various reports under its Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, or BEPS, action plan to reform international tax systems and prevent tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning. These actions aim to standardize and modernize global corporate tax policy, including cross-border taxes, transfer-pricing documentation rules and nexus- based tax incentive practices which in part are focused on challenges arising from the digitalization of the economy. The reports have a very broad scope including, but not limited to, neutralizing the effects of hybrid mismatch arrangements, limiting base erosion involving interest deductions and other financial payments, countering harmful tax practices, preventing the granting of treaty benefits in inappropriate circumstances and imposing mandatory disclosure rules. It is the responsibility of OECD members to consider how the BEPS recommendations should be reflected in their national legislation. Many countries are beginning to implement legislation and other guidance to align their international tax rules with the OECD’s BEPS recommendations, for example, by signing up to the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent BEPS, or the MLI, which currently has been signed by over 85 jurisdictions, including Israel, which signed the MLI on September 13, 2018. The MLI implements some of the measures that the BEPS initiative proposes to be transposed into existing treaties of participating states. Such measures include the inclusion in tax treaties of one, or both, of a “limitation-on-benefit”, or LOB, rule and a “principle purposes test”, or PPT, rule. The application of the LOB rule or the PPT rule could deny the availability of tax treaty benefits (such as a reduced rate of withholding tax) under tax treaties. There are likely to be significant changes in the tax legislation of various OECD jurisdictions during the period of implementation of BEPS. Such legislative initiatives may materially and adversely affect our plans to expand internationally and may negatively impact our financial condition, tax liability, results of operations and could increase our administrative efforts.
In addition, the OECD has published proposals covering a number of issues, including country-by-country reporting, permanent establishment rules, transfer pricing rules, tax treaties and taxation of the digital economy. Future tax reform resulting from this development may result in changes to long-standing tax principles, which could adversely affect our effective tax rate or result in higher cash tax liabilities, to the extent those changes are deemed applicable to us.
22
Risks Related to Our Israeli Operations and Our Status as a Cayman Islands Company
The tax benefits that are available to us require us to continue to meet various conditions and may be terminated or reduced in the future, which could increase our costs and taxes.
We derive and expect to continue to derive significant benefits from various programs, including Israeli tax benefits relating to our “Special Preferred Technology Enterprise”, or SPTE programs. To be eligible for tax benefits as a Special Preferred Technology Enterprise, we must continue to meet certain conditions, including consolidated group revenue at the level of Asseco (our ultimate controlling shareholder) of at least NIS 10 billion. If we do not meet the conditions stipulated in the Israeli Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments, 5719-1959, or the Investment Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended, for the SPTE, any of the associated tax benefits may be cancelled and we would be required to repay the amount of such benefits, in whole or in part, including interest and consumer price index, or CPI, linkage (or other monetary penalties). Further, in the future these tax benefits may be reduced or discontinued. While we believe that we have met and currently meet the conditions that entitle us to previously-obtained Israeli tax benefits, there can be no assurance that the Israeli Tax Authority will agree that we have met those condition in the past, or that we will continue to meet those conditions in the future (for example, in case the overall revenue at the Asseco group level is lower than NIS 10 billion, or if Asseco no longer controls us).
The Israeli government grants that our Israeli subsidiary has received require us to meet several conditions and restrict our ability to manufacture products and transfer know-how developed using such grants outside of Israel and require us to satisfy specified conditions.
One of our Israeli subsidiaries received grants in the past from the government of Israel through the National Technological Innovation Authority, or the Innovation Authority (formerly operating as Office of the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Economy of the State of Israel, or the OCS), for the financing of a portion of its research and development expenditures in Israel with respect to our legacy technology. In consideration for receiving grants from the Innovation Authority, we are obligated to pay the Innovation Authority royalties from the revenues generated from the sale of products (and related services) developed (in whole or in part) using the Innovation Authority funds, in an amount that is up to 100% to 150% of the aggregate amount of the total grants that we received from the Innovation Authority, plus annual interest for grants received after January 1, 1999. We must fully and originally own any intellectual property developed using the Innovation Authority grants and any right derived therefrom unless transfer thereof is approved in accordance with the provisions of the Israeli Encouragement of Research, Development and Technological Innovation Law, 5744-1984, or the Innovation Law (formerly known as the Encouragement of Industrial Research and Development Law, 5744-1984, or the Research Law), and related regulations.
When a company develops know-how, technology or products using grants provided by the Innovation Authority, the terms of these grants and the Innovation Law restrict the transfer of such know-how, and the transfer of manufacturing or manufacturing rights of such products, technologies or know-how outside of Israel. Even after the repayment of such grants in full, we will remain subject to the restrictions set forth under the Innovation Law, including:
| ● | Transfer of know-how outside of Israel. Any transfer of the know-how that was developed with the funding of the Innovation Authority, outside of Israel, requires prior approval of the Innovation Authority, and the payment of a redemption fee, or, in the case of a license to outside of Israel, a licensing fee. |
| ● | Local manufacturing obligation. The terms of the grants under the Innovation Law require that the manufacturing of products resulting from Innovation Authority-funded programs be carried out in Israel, unless a prior written approval of the Innovation Authority is obtained (except for a transfer of up to 10% of the production rights, for which a notification to the Innovation Authority is sufficient). |
| ● | Certain reporting obligations. We, as any recipient of a grant or a benefit under the Innovation Law, are required to file reports on the progress of activities for which the grant was provided as well as on our revenues from know-how and products funded by the Innovation Authority. In addition, we are required to notify the Innovation Authority of certain events detailed in the Innovation Law. |
23
Therefore, if aspects of our technologies are deemed to have been developed with Innovation Authority funding, the discretionary approval of an Innovation Authority committee would be required for any transfer to third parties outside of Israel of know-how or manufacturing or manufacturing rights related to those aspects of such technologies. We may not receive those approvals. Furthermore, the Innovation Authority may impose certain conditions on any arrangement under which it permits us to transfer technology or development out of Israel.
The transfer of Innovation Authority-supported technology or know-how outside of Israel may involve the payment of significant amounts, depending upon the value of the transferred technology or know-how, the amount of Innovation Authority support, the time of completion of the Innovation Authority-supported research project and other factors. Furthermore, the consideration available to our shareholders in a transaction involving the transfer outside of Israel of technology or know-how developed with Innovation Authority funding (such as a merger or similar transaction) may be reduced by any amounts that we are required to pay to the Innovation Authority.
Our corporate headquarters, board of directors, many of our executives, and a portion of our employees are located in Israel and we may therefore be adversely affected by the current war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and by other regional terrorist groups’ involvement against Israel in the war. Even when an active conflict is not ongoing, we are subject to the ordinary course effects of security, economic or political instability in Israel.
Our corporate headquarters, as well as our directors, many of our executives, and a portion of our employees (including key employees), are located in or residents of Israel. Accordingly, we may be adversely impacted by Israel’s current war against the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which began with a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and by other regional terrorist groups’ (such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen) involvement against Israel in the war.
As part of the Israeli security cabinet’s declaration of war against Hamas and Israel’s hostilities with other terrorist organizations, several hundred thousand Israeli military reservists were drafted to perform immediate military service. A small portion of our employees and consultants in Israel have been called, and additional employees may be called, for service in the current war or in continuing armed conflict against Hamas or other regional terrorist organizations following the war, and such persons have been, and may be, absent for extended periods of time. While our operations have not been disrupted by such absences, future absences could cause such a material disruption.
Since the establishment of the State of Israel, a number of armed conflicts have taken place between Israel and its neighboring countries. Recent conflicts, like the current war, have involved missile strikes against civilian targets in various parts of Israel, including areas where our facilities are located. In the event that our facilities are damaged as a result of Hamas’ or other terrorist groups’ hostile actions, or such actions otherwise disrupt our ongoing operations, our ability to provide our solutions or services in a timely manner to meet our contractual obligations towards customers could be materially and adversely affected. Our commercial insurance does not cover losses that may occur as a result of events associated with war and terrorism. Although the Israeli government currently covers the reinstatement value of direct damages that are caused by terrorist attacks or acts of war, we cannot assure you that such government coverage will be maintained or that it will sufficiently cover our potential damages. Any additional armed conflicts or terrorist activities in Israel or the rest of the Middle East could adversely affect business conditions and interfere with our operations in a manner that could exert a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
Even when a war or military conflict is not actively ongoing between Israel and its adversaries, unstable security, economic and political conditions in Israel may adversely affect our business. Israel’s economic standing may be hurt by downgrades in its credit rating by rating agencies (such as the recent downgrade by Moody’s of its credit rating of Israel from A1 to A2, as well as the downgrade of its outlook rating from “stable” to “negative”), which may indirectly adversely impact our own financial standing. Politically, there have been increased efforts by countries, activists and organizations to cause companies and consumers to boycott goods and services of Israeli companies. The January 2024 interim ruling of the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, ordering Israel, among other things, to take measures to prevent genocidal acts, prevent and punish incitement to genocide, and take steps to provide basic services and humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, enhanced the anti-Israeli political efforts, and it could potentially cause certain companies to terminate commercial relationships with Israel-based businesses. Political instability in Israel could also adversely affect operations of Israel-located companies such as ours.
24
Our shareholders may face difficulties in protecting their interests because we are governed by Cayman Islands law.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our Memorandum, our Articles, the Companies Act (as revised) of the Cayman Islands, or the “Companies Act”, and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under the laws of the Cayman Islands are, in some respects, not as clearly established under statutes or judicial precedent as in jurisdictions in the United States. Therefore, you may have more difficulty in protecting your interests than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States, due to the comparatively less developed nature of Cayman Islands law in this area.
The Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. Dissenting shareholders have the right to be paid the fair value of their shares (which, if not agreed between the parties, will be determined by the Cayman Islands court) if they follow the required procedures, subject to certain exceptions. Court approval is not required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the arrangement is approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made, and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting convened for that purpose. The convening of the meeting and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. A dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved.
When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90.0% of the affected shares within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period, notify the holders of the remaining shares that it requires them to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands within one month of the notice, but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.
If the arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares. This may make it more difficult for you to assess the value of any consideration you may receive in a merger or consolidation or to require that the offeror give you additional consideration if you believe the consideration offered is insufficient.
Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records and accounts or to obtain copies of lists of shareholders. Our directors have discretion under our Memorandum and Articles to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders (other than annual accounts, which are available for inspection prior to annual general meetings, and each shareholder’s right to view the share register in respect of shares registered in its name). This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.
Subject to limited exceptions, under Cayman Islands law, a minority shareholder may not bring a derivative action against the board of directors.
25
Service of process and enforcement of legal proceedings commenced against us in the United States may be difficult to obtain.
We operate under the laws of the Cayman Islands and a majority of our assets are located outside of the United States. In addition, most of our directors and executive officers reside outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to affect service of process within the United States upon us and such other persons, or to enforce judgments obtained against such persons in United States courts, and bring any action, including actions predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the United States securities laws. In addition, it may be difficult for investors to enforce, in original actions brought in courts or jurisdictions located outside of the United States, rights predicated upon the United States securities laws.
Based on the advice of our Cayman Islands legal counsel, we believe no reciprocal statutory enforcement of foreign judgments exists between the United States and the Cayman Islands, and that foreign judgments originating from the United States are not directly enforceable in the Cayman Islands. A prevailing party in a United States proceeding against us or our officers or directors would have to initiate a new proceeding in the Cayman Islands using the United States judgment as evidence of the party’s claim. A prevailing party could rely on the summary judgment procedures available in the Cayman Islands, subject to available defenses in the Cayman Islands courts, including, but not limited to, the lack of competent jurisdiction in the United States courts, lack of due service of process in the United States proceeding and the possibility that enforcement or recognition of the United States judgment would be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands.
Depending on the nature of damages awarded, civil liabilities under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act for original actions instituted outside the Cayman Islands may or may not be enforceable. For example, a United States judgment awarding remedies unobtainable in any legal action in the courts of the Cayman Islands, such as treble damages, would likely not be enforceable under any circumstances.
Item 4. Information on the Company
A. History and Development of the Company.
Corporate Details
Our legal and commercial name is Sapiens International Corporation N.V., and we were incorporated and registered in Curaçao on April 6, 1990. In August 2018, following shareholder approval, we migrated the legal domicile of our company to the Cayman Islands and now operate as an exempted company with limited liability under the provisions of the Companies Act (as revised) of the Cayman Islands. We are registered as an Israeli company for tax purposes only. Our principal place of business is located at Azrieli Center, 26 Harokmim Street, Holon, 5885800, Israel, and our telephone number there is +972-3-790-2000. Sapiens Americas Corporation is our agent in the United States. Our World Wide Web address is www.sapiens.com. The information contained on that web site is not a part of this annual report and is not incorporated by reference herein. Our SEC filings are available to you on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. This site contains reports and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The information on that website is not part of this annual report and is not incorporated by reference herein. Except as described elsewhere in this annual report, we have not had any important events in the development of our business since January 1, 2023.
Capital Expenditures and Divestitures since January 1, 2021
Our principal capital expenditures during the last three years and up to the current time have related mainly to the purchase of computer equipment and software for use by our subsidiaries. Our capital expenditures totaled approximately $2.5 million in 2023, $2.7 million in 2022, and $3.8 million in 2021.
26
Acquisitions of Businesses or Technologies
Year ended December 31, 2023
In the fourth quarter of 2023, we acquired NCDC S.A., a Poland-based company with a knowledge of Sapiens’ products in the Nordics, for a purchase price of $11.7 million. We also signed an agreement for the purchase of the remaining outstanding shares of Sapiens Software Solutions (Decision) Ltd. from its minority shareholders, which is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2024.
In December 2023, we acquired the remaining 5% of the outstanding shares of Tiful Gemel Ltd., an Israeli company which provides software solutions and managed services related to pension and provident funds in the Israeli market, thereby transforming it into a wholly-owned subsidiary of ours. We paid $161 thousand in cash for that last portion of the acquisition. We had previously acquired 75% and 20% of Tiful Gemel’s outstanding shares in the second quarter of 2020 and third quarter of 2021, for $1.3 million and $0.4 million, respectively.
In the first quarter of 2023, we increased our holdings in Neuralmatic, to 100%, transforming it into a wholly-owned subsidiary of our company.
Year ended December 31, 2022
In May 2022, we acquired the entire share capital of I.T Cognitive Ltd. (today: Sapiens Cognitive Ltd.) for $3.5 million in cash. We had previously purchased from I.T Cognitive a source code license enabling us to accelerate our digital offering.
Year ended December 31, 2021
In 2021, we did not effect any material acquisitions of businesses or technologies (other than the second stage of our acquisition of Tiful Gemel in the third quarter of 2021, as described above).
B. Business Overview.
Sapiens is a leading global provider of software solutions for the insurance industry. Our extensive expertise is reflected in our innovative software, solutions and professional services for property & casualty (P&C); reinsurance; life, pension & annuity (L&A); workers’ compensation (WC); medical professional liability (MPL); financial & compliance (F&C); and decision modelling for both insurance and financial markets. Our company offers an end-to-end solutions for insurers core systems, as well as complementary data & analytics and digital. Importantly our wide array of professional services ensures that we not only make a sale but accompany and guide our customers on their path to digital transformation, and bring important insights from the field into our products roadmap. Sapiens also sell software products to non-insurance customers which consists of less than 5% of our revenue.
In 2023, we continued our trend of growth in revenue and profitability, at an even stronger pace than in 2022, as we continued to build upon our existing business, utilizing the companies and technologies recently acquired to accelerate our customers’ digital transformation, while also investing significantly in our solutions over the course of the year.
Our Marketplace and its Needs
Our Target Markets
We operate in a large market undergoing significant transformation. According to the Gartner report, “Forecast: Enterprise IT Spending for the Insurance Market, Worldwide, 2021-2027, 4Q23 Update” (a market statistics research report by Gartner, a research and consulting firm, written by Rajesh Narayan, James Ingham, Inna Agamirzian, Rika Narisawa and 19 more analysts that was published in December 2023, and covers internal services, IT services, software, telecom services, devices, and data centers systems, which we refer to herein as the “Gartner report”), Gartner forecasted global insurance market IT spending to grow by 7.0% in 2023 and to reach nearly $213 billion in U.S. dollars. This industry is predicted to reach $306 billion by 2027, growing at a 9.0% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2022 through 2027. This growth will be driven by an increase in IT services spending and software spending at CAGRs of 9.9% and 14.1%, respectively, according to the Gartner Report.
27
Gartner forecasts that total insurance IT spending on software in 2024 will be $63.0 billion (software includes application software (analytics and business intelligence; back office/ERP and supply chain; front office/CRM; collaboration), infrastructure software (application development and middleware; information management; storage management software; and system and network management), and vertical industry-specific applications. Gartner forecasts global IT spending in insurance will increase by 8.9% in 2024 to reach $232.3 billion in constant U.S. dollars. From 2022 to 2027, the spend is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 9.0%, driven by the growth in IT services and software at a CAGR of 9.9% and 14.1%, respectively. Total insurance IT spending on software in 2023 will be $52.9 billion.
Sapiens estimates that our current total addressable market for core insurance software solutions and the accompanied point solutions and the corresponding part of IT services is approximately $60 billion, which we expect will grow as a result of insurance carriers’ and financial institutions’ need to better address customers needs, via modernizing software solutions from external providers, to overcome operational challenges presented by the inefficiency of their legacy core.
The insurance market is a large, complex and highly regulated environment. Insurance carriers operate in a super-competitive and quickly evolving ecosystem, which necessitates differentiating their value propositions. Additionally, providers operate under a rigid regulatory regime that demands fast compliance. The insurance market is going through a rapid evolution process, driven by needs and demands of their customers, complex and evolving ecosystems, digital distribution channels and new business models, all enabled by new technologies.
To efficiently manage their operations, insurance carriers require IT platforms that enable rapid introduction of changes via configurable, user-driven activities, integration with internal and external systems, control and auditing of employees’ work, support for omni-channel distribution and clear visibility into the carrier’s business operations, through streamlining and intelligent usage of data.
To compete in the rapidly changing environment, and win the competition for end customers, insurance carriers require a coherent digital strategy, allowing them to better interact with their customers in a digital and omni-channel manner, to shorten the time it takes them to get back to any query or question from the customer, and enhancing the dialog with data and analytics. They are increasingly using robotics, predictive analytics, AI and machine learning to automate processes and obtain stronger business insights. The cloud can also be utilized for improved operations and scale.
Insurance carriers are experiencing substantial operational challenges due to the inefficiency of their legacy policy administration systems and their lack of digitalization. These legacy systems, which include both technical and functional limitations, acutely impact carriers’ ability to cope with growing challenges, such as the need for innovation, the shift of power to the consumer, and the dynamic and constantly changing regulatory environment.
Market Drivers
Large insurance and financial organizations must constantly invest in their IT systems to respond to key market drivers. They require the ability to:
| ● | Satisfy today’s sophisticated, tech-savvy and demanding end-customers – who demand the type of instant, personalized service they enjoy from Netflix or Amazon – via digitalization and innovative initiatives, providing a stronger customer experience and engagement. |
| ● | Facilitate, improve and automate traditional insurance processes to make them easier for end-customers, by utilizing advanced technologies, such as digital engagement, mobile, artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning, and cloud computing. |
| ● | Provide innovative business models, based on technology capabilities and digital operation (such as portals, web-based acquisition processes, advanced analytics, customer engagement platforms and data sources – including wearables, the Internet of Things and robo-advice). |
28
| ● | Respond to complex and evolving regulatory standards (past and current standards include Solvency II, IFRS 17, Dodd-Frank legislation, GDPR, etc.) | |
| ● | Support internal customers’ growth and operations. This includes reducing the time to market of new products, expanding into new geographies, reducing costs and streamlining operations. | |
| ● |
Rapidly launch new products and propositions to the market, within a short timeframe and using existing, pre-defined capabilities.
| |
| ● | Improve operational efficiency and focus on reducing operating costs and improving the total cost of ownership, focusing on automation, AI and data-driven processes to achieve that. |
Market Requirements
As a result of the above, we believe the following are key considerations for insurance carriers that are considering upgrading their legacy systems:
| ● | Dynamic business environment with constantly changing regulations – insurance carriers still use outdated legacy systems that are costly and time-consuming to modify or upgrade. This has prevented them from innovating and growing. Carriers who use legacy systems may find it difficult to modify existing products, introduce new products and reach untapped market segments. Frequently changing global regulatory requirements necessitate specialized data and business rules, which makes change implementation particularly challenging. |
| ● | Change in end-consumers’ preferences and the shift of power to consumers – insurance carriers must rapidly adapt to the shifting needs and behaviors of consumers and distributors, including the types and terms of insurance products offered, and how consumers access information. Insurance providers require systems with integration capability and support for multi-channel distribution, so they can reach their clients’ customers and partners using multiple methods, including social media, across devices. |
| ● | A need to improve operational efficiency and reduce total cost of ownership – Sapiens believes that a significant percentage of insurance carriers are still using inefficient and outdated processes which lack automation of operations and workflows, and thus do not offer efficient process management. Many of these processes likely have high error rates. Additionally, the ongoing maintenance of legacy systems is expensive and technically difficult. A specialized IT staff with the requisite skills and experience needed to maintain these systems is difficult to find and then eventually replace. Insurers seek systems that are modern, digital, cloud-based, automated, efficient and easy to maintain, and can lower costs over the long term. |
| ● | Increasing global and multi-national operation – a rising number of insurers are accelerating their growth initiatives through global acquisitions. These insurers seek a single provider who can deliver solutions that will be used across markets, combining the support of local regulatory requirements and specific customer needs, while driving a generic corporate business approach and strategy across the globe, reducing costs and overhead. |
| ● | Exploring new business models and innovative propositions – carriers are increasingly looking to: join innovative ecosystems; adopt and use new technologies, and partner with insurtechs; bring modern and differentiating propositions to the market; reduce cost; enhance and speed customer engagement; and improve their business parameters and KPIs. | |
| ● | Going digital and shifting to Cloud – digitalization holds significant potential for insurers, but only if they manage to efficiently digitalize their operations, support multi-channel distribution and ensure that agents and customers are able to access real-time, accurate data at any time and from anywhere – across devices. Same is true for Cloud transition, where more insurers are moving their IT systems to be managed in the Cloud. |
29
Our Strategy
Leveraging our broad range of offerings, geographic presence and experienced team – from the management and thorough the different level of seniority of employees, our goal is to further expand our presence in the markets in which we operate and further enhance our leadership in the global market. Our growth strategy is solidly based on both existing and new customers, and will include mergers and acquisitions, when applicable, to accelerate our growth. We plan to achieve our goals by focusing on the following principles:
Continue to innovate and extend the leadership of our product offerings through the Sapiens Insurance Platform proposition – we plan to continue to invest in research and development (R&D) to enhance our software platforms, as well as expand our business and technology partnerships, and to ensure our offerings remain at the forefront, in terms of functionality and technology. Sapiens believes our focus on innovation, combined with our industry expertise, will enable us to improve our existing offerings and allow us to produce new solutions for the benefit of our customers and partners. We have launched our next generation Insurance Platform, providing a holistic and business-driven end-to-end solution, across all aspects of the insurance value chain and across all major insurance domains (Life & Annuities, property & casualty, workers compensation). The Sapiens Insurance Platform, which is under continuous development, provides a SaaS-based innovative end-to-end software, managing the full insurance lifecycle with all aspects of digital engagement, core processing and data management, with strong emphasis on usage of Machine Learning & AI, Decision Modeling and Generative-AI (as the next step in our plans) to drive the operational aspects of the platform.
Continue in the ongoing investment in Cloud transformation and AI Innovation – we plan to continue investing in the native cloud capabilities of our software solutions, and in the constant enhancement of our Cloud Services capabilities and teams, as part of our approach to keep transferring existing customers from on-prem to cloud and to sell cloud-based solutions to new customers. In addition, AI, Machine learning, and lately Generative AI (mainly OpenAI from Microsoft) are becoming a pivotal capability in our offering and we plan to invest heavily in those areas to provide a data-driven AI-based insurance platform.
Leverage our global footprint to offer our complete platform/solutions – we intend to broaden our existing offering of solutions to enhance our presence in the geographies in which we currently operate. In particular, we believe that there is considerable opportunity to grow sales of our P&C and L&A platforms worldwide. Additionally, we plan to market our current suite of solutions to previously untapped countries including the DACH region, Spain, LatAm, and to continue to generate revenue on existing products in new geographies. Sapiens also plans to expand the market reach of our business decision management platform into Europe and the Asia Pacific region.
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) – our M&A approach facilitates our growth strategy. We continually (but also prudently) seek to identify new growth markets to penetrate via acquisition of local offices and customer bases. In addition, we aim to enhance our product portfolio with complementary solutions that will help our customers excel. Sapiens believes that our acquisition of local customer bases and expertise will accelerate our market penetration in strategic regions. We continue to successfully leverage our North American acquisitions to strengthen our presence in North America and accelerate our footprint in the North American market. At the same time, we are planning to leverage our acquisitions of Cálculo in Spain, sum.cumo in Germany, Tia Technology in the Nordics, and NCDC S.A. in Poland (the last of which we acquired in the fourth quarter of 2023), which we have renamed or will rename Sapiens Iberia, Sapiens Germany, and Sapiens Denmark, respectively, to enhance our European market expansion. Please see “Capital Expenditures and Divestitures since January 1, 2021” in Item 4.A above for a description of our recent material acquisitions.
Capture adjacencies and new opportunities – insurance software vendor engagements with insurers are often long-term. To maximize the value of our current offerings and leverage our ongoing relationships with customers, Sapiens plans to feature and promote our recent digital suite, advanced analytics platform and cloud-based cloud services proposition, and our decision management solution for insurance on top and in conjunction with our Core proposition, to enhance our presence in the insurance market. Additionally, we plan to focus on deeper penetration of the financial services market with our business decision management platform. Our business decision management platform can be used in a wide variety of organizations to facilitate streamlined and efficient regulatory compliance.
30
Invest in sales and marketing – we plan to strengthen our sales and marketing teams by working with and training sales professionals with experience in the insurance industry, or with connections to new or existing customers. We continually try to expand market awareness of our brand and solutions, and enter new markets and domains within the insurance technology space. We believe that the strength of our core solutions, the experience of our sales and marketing team, and our established and growing customer base create a significant opportunity to provide new and complementary solutions that address the ongoing needs of our customers.
Focus on our existing customer base – one of our strongest assets is our large and continuously-growing customer base and our long-term relationship with our customers. As we continuously grow our product portfolio, our value-added services, our cloud services proposition, and our ecosystem and insurtech partnerships, Sapiens has a unique opportunity to enhance our footprint within our existing customers base via cross- and up-selling. By providing additional services and products, Sapiens can grow its presence with established customers. We can do this by: (1) enhancing our current deployments with additional lines of business or additional products; (2) providing complementary solutions such as a digital layer, analytics & BI, or cloud services; (3) expanding from P&C to L&P/L&A or vice-versa, where applicable; and (4) deploying in additional geographies. We plan to further strengthen our account management team and we plan to continue recruiting key executives and expand this team throughout 2024.
Focus on our strategic partnership with Microsoft – during 2023, we substantially enhanced and strengthened our strategic and global partnership with Microsoft, and formed unique partnerships and collaborations around Generative-AI adoption and development, Cloud and SaaS transformation, usage of Power BI technology in Sapiens Data solutions, and multiple activities around go-to-market and marketing. We plan to continue investing and fostering the partnership and use this collaboration to enhance and mature our Data, AI, Gen-AI and Cloud solutions, as well as leverage the strong presence Microsoft has in the financial services sector to enhance joint commercial and sales activities.
Increase our partnership with System Integrators (SIs) – we plan to increase the collaboration and partnership we have with 3rd party system integrators, that can help us in our go-to-market and assist us in penetration to various market segments where we have less access in a direct manner. We have recruited in Q4 2023 a senior executive to build this practice and are investing in this direction, both in creating the relationship and in system’s preparation, to expand this type of partnerships.
Our Acquisitions
Please see “Capital Expenditures and Divestitures since January 1, 2021” in Item 4.A above for a description of our recent material acquisitions.
Our Strengths
Comprehensive digital insurance platform of high-end, mission-critical business-solutions for insurance – Sapiens offers end-to-end solutions for both the P&C and L&A markets, supporting most sub-segments of these markets and the complete lifecycle of product lines. Our -SaaS-based platform, which we continue to develop, provides a holistic, end-to-end, business-process driven software solution that enables our customers to run a modern insurance operation on a single platform, encompassing digital engagement, Core processing, workflow management, data & analytics insights, AI-driven logic and vast ecosystem partners management, all residing on a Cloud-first SaaS-based strategy & approach. Built for global and multi-national operations, our solutions are used in a variety of international regulatory, language and currency environments.
Innovative solutions with leading functionality and technology – Our platforms, and solutions are based on advanced, modern architectures that are specifically designed to satisfy our customers’ needs. These offerings are integrated, modular and component-based, and include scalable product suites supporting various lines of business and deployed in the cloud. By using our solutions, carriers can support new sales channels, including mobile and social, reduce time to market for new product launches and lower total cost of ownership. Additionally, we significantly invest in research and development to ensure that our products employ new technology, are compatible with the needs of our clients and are easy to use. As a result, our products maintain a leadership position, as recognized by top industry analysts – such as Celent, Gartner and Datos – for their levels of technology and functionality.
31
Full accountability for delivering the product and services, with a business model that enables one hand to shake, while also opening for SI partnership – In addition to our market-leading products across P&C and L&A, we possess consulting and implementation capabilities, which we use to customize our products and design the solution that best meets our customers’ requirements. We believe our customers do business with us not only because of our leading products, but also due to our complementary service offerings, which enhance our products and enable clients to maximize the value derived from our solutions.
Additionally, Sapiens’ cloud services and cloud operation propositions enable our customers to benefit from a long-term engagement model that helps them with their operational IT aspects and ongoing business support, and enables such customers to benefit from the value of deploying on the Cloud. We believe that this approach lowers the risks for our clients, as they transition to a new system, and at the same time provides them with the desired benefits. The information and requirements we glean as a result of the implementation and deployment we feed back into our product and R&D teams. These are used to further enhance our core solution and customize the appropriate interfaces.
Together with that, we are planning to increase substantially our arrangements and partnerships with 3rd party system integrators, to support Sapiens in project implementation, program delivery and management, and access to various untapped segments of the market. We have hired a senior executive with vast experience in that domain, and plan to increase our efforts in that direction.
Strong, diverse and long-lasting customer base – Sapiens currently serves more than 600 customers globally, including some of the world’s largest global insurance carriers and financial institutions. Our customer base is diversified across insurance providers of all types and sizes. We have been able to successfully maintain these customers due to our broad product portfolio geared toward addressing the needs of the various industries. In addition, our business decision management platform is applicable across the insurance and financial services industry, and offers an opportunity for further diversification in other markets. Such a diversified portfolio of products enables us to benefit further from cross- and up-sell opportunities to this large customer base. Geographically, we derived 41.2%, 15%, 35% and 8.8% of our revenues from North America, the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe and the rest of World regions, respectively, in the year ended December 31, 2023, and 41.6%, 13.6%, 35.5% and 9.3% from these respective areas, in the year ended December 31, 2022.
Long-term relationships with customers – Our products are at the core of our customers’ businesses, which ensures that our customers continue to use and co-invest in our products, providing us with long-term relationships that result in revenue stability. Installing a new core system is a major undertaking for insurance carriers that involves extended pre-production work and entails a comprehensive integration and implementation effort that is offered as part of our services. Many of our customer relationships have been in place for more than a decade and we have benefited from recurring revenues as customers request support, upgrades and enhancements for our systems. We successfully leverage these relationships in a mutually beneficial way, by marketing complementary solutions to our loyal customer base.
Global company – Sapiens’ more than 600 customers and approximately 5,000 employees are located in 21 countries around the world. We have five major development, delivery and support centers in Israel, U.S., India, Poland and the UK. Sapiens’ “think global, act local” approach is based on having experts in close proximity to Sapiens customers, to establish and maintain strong relationships, and provide fast support when necessary. By combining our global experience and know-how with local expertise in regulations, standards and local processes, we believe we are bringing a unique value to our customers, from both product and services perspectives.
Experienced management team and talented workforce – Sapiens’ management team has proven and extensive experience in the insurance and financial services industries, and we have been able to achieve our business and development objectives to date. Management has also been successful in retaining key personnel from the companies we acquired, enabling us to benefit from their experience and knowledge of the acquired products and technology. Our management team possesses a variety of skills in product development, business development, sales, marketing, technology and finance, as well as a unique knowledge of the financial services industry. We have maximized contributions from our hard-working, talented and innovative employees, who have accumulated significant experience in their respective areas of employment for us.
32
Our Offerings
Sapiens’ offerings not only enable our customers to effectively manage their core business functions – including policy administration, claims and billing – they support insurers on their path to digital transformation. Our offering also provides a variety of complimentary solutions for critical requirements such as reinsurance management, underwriting management, illustration software, electronic applications and financial compliance tools. The latest versions of our platforms possess modern, modular cloud-first architecture and are digital-driven, providing full coverage for all business aspects of policy management, digital engagement and data analysis. They empower customers to respond to the rapidly changing insurance market and frequent regulatory changes, while improving the efficiency of their core operations. These enhancements increase revenue and reduce costs.
Sapiens provides a comprehensive digital & analytics suite, which is pre-integrated in our core solutions, across P&C, L&A and WC business, but also available stand-alone to insurers whether they utilize our core solutions or not. Our DigitalSuite provides a strong customer engagement and experience capabilities through a wide range of connectivity tools such as portals, chatbots, live-chats and low-code/no-code digital business processes builders, are allowing insurance companies to rapidly go to market with new propositions, and to manage a data-driven operation.
All those capabilities, across both business and core processing and across data & analytics, digital engagement, AI & ML use cases and cloud management, are together forming the unified holistic Sapiens Insurance Platform, which we continue to develop, and which brings a fully integrated yet loosely coupled, SaaS-based insurance platform, managing the full lifecycle of any insurance business.
We offer our insurance customers a range of packaged software solutions that are:
| ● |
Digital-led – revealing their history and anticipating their future needs, while facilitating easy engagement across preferred interaction channels and multiple devices.
Cloud-based – our solutions are running and deployed in public clouds of the leading global cloud vendors, providing our customers with the inherent benefits of a modern cloud-based application. |
| ● | Data-driven with increasing emphasis on ML, AI and GenAI – based on set of data analysis tools, from data-warehouse and reporting, through business intelligence and analytics, to predictive and advanced analytics based on machine learning (ML) – so our customers can become a data-driven operation. We are leveraging the strong Microsoft partnership to achieve progress around the new Generative AI capabilities. | |
| ● | Highly automated – by using various technologies, from decision to robotics, we improve efficiency and offer agile customer engagement. | |
| ● | Comprehensive and proven – support for insurance standards, regulations and processes, by providing field-proven functionality and best practices. | |
| ● | Configurable and rich functionality– easily matches our customers’ specific business requirements. Our flexible architecture and configurable structure allow quick functionality augmentation that permits our platform to be used across different markets, unique business requirements and regulatory regimes. We utilize our knowledge and extensive insurance best practices and feature business-led configuration, thus enabling a rapid adaptation of our solutions using smart configuration tools and no-code/low-code approach. |
33
| ● | Open architecture and insurtech ecosystem – provides easy integration to any external application under any technology, allowing streamlined connectivity to all satellite applications. This enhances the digital experience and omni-channel distribution, while maintaining total platform independence and system reliability. Easy interaction with various insurtech companies providing point-solutions that can be consumed by our platforms is enabled. | |
| ● | Component-based and scalable – allows our customers to deploy platforms and solutions in a phased and modular approach, reducing risk and harm to the business, while supporting the growth plans and cost efficiency of the organization. |
Our solutions enable:
| ● | Rapid deployment of new insurance products – via configurable software and using pre-defined templates, which create a competitive advantage in all the insurance markets we serve. | |
| ● | Improvement of operational efficiencies and reduction of risk– full insurance process automation, with configurable workflows, audit and control, streamlined insurance practices, and simple integration and maintenance. |
| ● | Reduction of overhead for IT maintenance – easy-to-integrate and simple-to-configure solutions with flexible and modern architecture, resulting in lower costs for ongoing maintenance, modifications, additions and integration. | |
| ● | Enhanced omni-channel distribution, communication and focus on the customers – event-driven architecture, a proactive client management approach, rapid access to all levels of data, and a holistic view of clients and distributors. | |
| ● | Cloud-first as a preferred deployment model – with the flexibility to also provide an on-premise deployment. | |
| ● | Support for digitalization –insurers and financial services institutions who manage to efficiently digitalize their operations, support omni-channel distribution and ensure that agents and customers are able to access real-time, accurate data at any time and from anywhere – including tablets and mobile devices – will unlock massive potential. | |
| ● | Cloud services – offering our customers access to a long-term engagement by providing comprehensive support for their daily IT operations by providing a cloud deployment model, while allowing them to focus on their business KPIs. |
Our software portfolio is comprised of:
| ● | Property & Casualty – a comprehensive software platform and solutions supporting a broad range of business lines, including personal, commercial, and specialty lines, as well as reinsurance , medical professional liability (MPL) workers’ compensation (see below). Our core solutions are pre-integrated with our DigitalSuite, analytics and decision modeling solutions, all of which are also available stand alone. |
Our portfolio includes Sapiens Cloud-first Platform for Property & Casualty, which is comprised of a commonly shared Data and Digital solutions and two core suites: Sapiens CoreSuite for Property & Casualty (for North America) and Sapiens IDITSuite for Property & Casualty (for EMEA and APAC). We provide a flexible proposition where Insurers can choose between deploying our full core suite or one or more of our standalone components: policy, billing and claims.
| ● | Life, Pension & Annuities – a comprehensive, cloud-based, digital software platform, suite and complementary solutions for the management of a diversified range of products for life, pension & annuities. Our core solutions are pre-integrated with our DigitalSuite, analytics and decision modeling solutions, all of which are also available stand alone. Our portfolio includes Sapiens Platform for Life, Pension & Annuities, Sapiens CoreSuite for Life, Pension & Annuities; Sapiens UnderwritingPro for Life & Annuities; Sapiens ApplicationPro for Life & Annuities; Sapiens IllustrationPro for Life & Annuities; and Sapiens ConsolidationMaster for Life & Pension. |
34
| ● | Digital – Sapiens Cloud-native DigitalSuite enables insurers to incorporate a fully digital experience for customers, agents and employers, enhancing insurers’ engagement with customers, enhancing their end-consumers’ experience and fostering a rapid time to market for new digital initiatives. Sapiens Digital Suite is pre-integrated as part of our comprehensive platforms or can be deployed stand-alone on top of any 3rd party core solution already in place. Comprised of innovative digital modules and content libraries to facilitate diverse customer journeys, DigitalSuite includes: low-code/no code Journey Composer, insurance-driven API Layer, and portal solutions for customers, agents and employers. We have also added an AI driven chat-bot solution (BotConnect) which knows to hand off to a live agent (LiveConnect) to facilitate omnichannel communications. |
| ● | Data and Analytics: together with our digital offering, Sapiens offers an advanced data and analytics platform, which includes: an analytics platform that drives analytics adoption across the organization with compelling, insightful dashboards and apps; a comprehensive BI solution with pre-configured reports, dashboards and scorecards; predictive analytics, which uses AI and Machine Learning to generate actionable insights based on different models across the insurance value chain. |
| ● | Reinsurance – a market-leading complete reinsurance software solutions for full financial control and auditing support. Our portfolio includes: Sapiens ReinsuranceMaster and Sapiens ReinsurancePro, providing solutions to various sizes of insurance companies. |
| ● | Workers’ Compensation – Sapiens workers’ compensation offerings handle comprehensive policy/billing and claims needs. Our solution portfolio Sapiens CoreSuite for Workers’ Compensation and Sapiens GO for Workers’ Compensation, that can be deployed as a full suite or in a modular manner (policy / billing / claims), and is preintegrated with our DigitalSuite and our Analytics solutions. |
| ● | Medical Professional Liability (“MPL”) – Sapiens MPL offering provides a complete end-to-end solution for managing the insurance processes for the medical malpractice market, including policy management, billing and claims, all adjusted to the unique characteristics of this specific market. The Sapiens Digital and Data platforms are also pre-integrated to the MPL core solution and thus providing additional value add and benefits to Sapiens MPL customer base. |
| ● | Financial & Compliance – we offer financial & compliance solutions comprised of both annual statement and insurance accounting software. This software includes Sapiens FinancialPro, Sapiens Financial GO, Sapiens StatementPro, Sapiens CheckPro and Sapiens Reporting Tools. |
| ● | Decision Management – Sapiens Decision is an enterprise-scale platform that enables institutions and “citizen developers” across verticals to centrally author, store and manage all organizational business logic. Organizations use it to track, verify and ensure that every decision is based on the most up-to-date rules and policies. Our Decision management products are offered across verticals (including commercial banking, investment banking, mortgage banking, insurance – for both P&C and life, government, etc.). |
| ● | Technology-Based – tailor-made solutions (unrelated to the insurance or financial services market) based on our Sapiens eMerge platform, which provides end-to-end, modular business solutions, ensuring rapid time to market. |
35
Sapiens Property & Casualty Solutions
Sapiens Platform for Property & Casualty
As mentioned, the Sapiens Platform for Property & Casualty is an end-to-end, cloud-based platform with advanced digital and analytics capabilities. It can be implemented as a pre-integrated platform, or in standalone modules. The platform addresses all P&C carrier needs across all lines of business and distribution channels, offering a wealth of digital features. It is comprised of core (policy, billing and claims), data (advanced analytics) and digital (a full suite) solutions.
The cloud-based Sapiens DigitalSuite offers an end-to-end, holistic and seamless digital experience for P&C customers, agents, brokers, customer groups and third-party service providers. The suite is pre-integrated with Sapiens’ P&C core and is comprised of digital engagement and digital enablement components.
Sapiens Suites for Property and Casualty are tailored by region: N. America versus EMEA & Rest of World.
For North America
Sapiens CoreSuite for Property & Casualty
Sapiens CoreSuite for Property & Casualty is comprised of three fully integrated, core components that can also be deployed stand-alone: Sapiens PolicyPro, Sapiens BillingPro and Sapiens ClaimsPro. CoreSuite is pre-integrated with additional components that can be selected, including business intelligence, reinsurance and digital solutions, as well as various interfaces. This modular, automated, highly customizable suite offers a single platform for personal, commercial and specialty lines of business (LoBs). This increases organizational efficiency by reducing manual effort, generates competitive advantages and saves costs.
Sapiens PolicyPro
The Sapiens’ PolicyPro solutions for property & casualty come pre-integrated with the core system. They are easily integrated with existing and external systems and applications. The solutions manage the end-to-end policy administration lifecycle of an insurance contract, from initial quote, through rating and policy issuance. They also feature a complete range of policy issuance and amendment capabilities. Agents, underwriters and customers use the solutions to quote, issue and administer policies. The offerings provide comprehensive policy lifecycle support for all P&C lines of business.
Sapiens BillingPro
The Sapiens’ billing solution for P&C enables carriers, MGAs and brokers to manage the full lifecycle of premium services, taxes and fees, along with commission billing, collection and disbursements. P&C carriers can integrate with third-party systems and data repositories, enjoy best-in-class usability and automate processes throughout the billing lifecycle.
Sapiens ClaimsPro
Sapiens’ claims solutions for property & casualty provide simplified management and automated control of claims management handling and the settlement process. They offer intelligent, rules-driven workflow with effective claim assignment, ensuring faster cycle times, as well as rules-driven automatic claims payment.
36
EMEA and Rest of World
Sapiens IDITSuite for Non-life/General/Short Term Insurance
The Sapiens IDITSuite for Property & Casualty is a cloud-based, component-based, standalone software solution suite that offers policy, billing and claims and forms the core of the Sapiens Platform for Property & Casualty. IDITSuite supports all end-to-end core operations and processes for the non-life P&C market from inception, to renewal and claims. This pre-integrated, fully digital suite offers customer and agent portals, business intelligence and more. IDITSuite enables insurers to expand their offerings by testing new lines of business, products and services using our flexible product factory.
The suite is modular and can integrate with your ecosystem’s components. Sapiens IDITSuite for Property & Casualty includes multiple lines of business in one policy for multiple insured objects and assets. It can support corporate agreements and master policy structures. IDITSuite is designed with growth and change in mind, with extensive multi-company, multi-branding, multi-country, multi-currency and multi-lingual capabilities. The IDITSuite management system is built on open technology and can be used across devices.
Also available in different parts of the world:
Diana Solution for Property & Casualty (Spain)
The Diana solution for Property & Casualty tailored for the Iberian market, empowers insurance companies with a product engine, as well as policy, billing, claims and reinsurance capabilities. A fourth-generation solution, Diana supports all core operations and processes for the P&C market, and supports bank assurance, brokers and direct insurance. The suite is modular, flexible and customizable through module workshops. Diana ecosystem is being enhanced through new features in micro services technology, like group policy management and injury agreements.
Fully digital SCIP Core (DACH)
SCIP CORE is a flexible, high-performance, cloud-capable and easily extensible inventory management platform. It offers all essential processes for efficient contract and claims processing and can be flexibly configured and extended in a few weeks. SCIP CORE digitally enables end customers, agents, claim handlers by using extensive self-services in different interfaces and portals.
Tia Enterprise (Nordics)
Tia Enterprise is a component-based, software solution suite that offers policy, billing and claims. Tia Enterprise can be hosted on-prem or in the cloud and can be extended through an API layer to incorporate ecosystem solutions as well as a digital communications and enablement layer and advanced analytics/BI. Tia Enterprise supports all end-to-end core operations and processes for the non-life market from inception, to renewal and claims.
OASIS for MPL
OASIS is a fully integrated collection of components designed to embed core functionalities required in the MPL sector, including: underwriting, policy management, claims management, financial management, BI and predictive analytics. The component-based platform delivers maximum out of the box functionality and stationing which ensures OASIS can easily integrate within a legacy environment.
Sapiens Life, Pension & Annuities Solutions
Sapiens Platform for Life, Pension & Annuities
The Sapiens Platform for Life, Pension & Annuities is a modern, cloud-based, digital insurance platform that includes core, data and digital solutions. With the ability to deploy its offerings as a complete platform, or as standalone modules, Sapiens can address life providers’ needs across all their lines of business and distribution channels. Our mature platform is cloud and API-based, and features a strong core, and advanced analytics, as well as data enablement and full digital engagement capabilities.
37
Sapiens CoreSuite for Life, Pension & Annuities
Sapiens CoreSuite for Life, Pension & Annuities is designed to provide excellence in the administration of insurance business, facilitate digital transformation and fast time-to-value for digital strategies, and create greater efficiency via legacy consolidation. It offers insurers:
| ● | A single platform for individual and group business, and across protection, risk, savings and investment business. |
| ● | Transformation, enablement and execution for digital strategies supported by Cloud deployment. |
| ● | Greater efficiency via improved automation, user experience and system consolidation. |
Sapiens CoreSuite for Life, Pension & Annuities suite supports the end-to-end administration of group and individual life, annuities, pension and investment business ‒ in a single system. The suite offers a 360-degree view of the customer from their policy administration system, across all distribution channels and communication streams.
Many insurers still use systems developed decades ago that cannot support today’s regulatory changes, digital marketplace and demanding customers. Too many manual processes can lead to errors that impact customer experience. Our unique conversion approach reduces the risks involved in migrating from existing legacy systems.
Complimentary modules are available in N. America:
Sapiens UnderwritingPro for Life & Annuities
Sapiens UnderwritingPro for Life, Pension & Annuities is a web-based solution for automated underwriting and new business case management that is part of Sapiens’ solution set for life insurers. It speeds new business processes for insurance carriers and their channels, offering an intuitive user interface with critical updates and task assignments provided on a real-time dashboard. Sapiens UnderwritingPro enables underwriters and case managers to work on multiple cases simultaneously.
Sapiens ApplicationPro for Life & Annuities
Sapiens ApplicationPro for Life & Annuities is a digital insurance application software that helps carriers address critical business drivers, such as decreasing time-to-issue and reducing policy acquisition costs, all in an extremely intuitive and easy-to-use package. Carriers have a choice of a standalone eApplication system, or a more comprehensive solution that seamlessly integrates with Sapiens IllustrationPro for Life & Annuities and Sapiens UnderwritingPro for Life & Annuities. Sapiens ApplicationPro
Sapiens IllustrationPro for Life & Annuities
Sapiens IllustrationPro for Life & Annuities is a point-of-sale solution, offering responsive product illustrations from any device. ACORD®-compliant, it offers straight-through processing, from point-of-sale to application e-submission, supported by a needs analysis suite. IllustrationPro explains complex products in a compelling way. Its powerful calculation engines handle the most complex product illustrations, including the appropriate historical and hypothetical references.
Sapiens ConsolidationMaster for Life & Pension
Sapiens ConsolidationMaster is a purpose-built, end-to-end, legacy, portfolio-focused system with a unique migration methodology that deals with “dirty” data. The solution has over 500 product templates capable of supporting the compliant administration of legacy products in any language and regulatory jurisdiction. ConsolidationMaster is designed to significantly cut the costs that are commonly associated with legacy platforms.
38
Sapiens DigitalSuite Solutions
Sapiens DigitalSuite offers an end-to-end, holistic and seamless digital experience for customers, agents, brokers, risk managers, customer groups and third-party service providers. The suite is pre-integrated with Sapiens’ core solutions. The DigitalSuite is also available stand-alone, and can be easily integrated with 3rd party core and ecosystem solutions through an advanced API layer. This facilitates digital transformation and fast time-to-value for digital strategies. It enables life carriers to become engaged, agile organizations with increased sales opportunities.
Sapiens DigitalSuite was designed to enable our carrier customers to deliver on the future of user and customer expectations. DigitalSuite is an offering that can react to market changes, support flexible interaction with dynamic APIs and offer a modern user experience. Our DigitalSuite features component-based architecture, built on modern technologies and customer-centric design.
Our DigitalSuite is comprised of innovative digital modules, which can be used together or stand-alone, and content libraries to facilitate diverse customer journeys, omnichannel communications and include rich portal content: Sapiens AgentConnect, EmployerConnect and CustomerConnect.
All digital offerings are entirely supported in the cloud.
Sapiens Digital API Layer and Conductor
This highly scalable layer facilitates an open-communication, API-based platform that enables carriers to interact with insurtech companies, ecosystem technology providers and business partners. By enabling seamless interaction with any service under any technology, Sapiens’ open architecture ensures that providers will easily choose the building blocks they need. They’ll be able to easily define new APIs on the fly and seamlessly integrate all elements within their insurance ecosystem, to succeed today and prepare for the future.
Sapiens Customer Journey and Form Builder
Features journey and form builders, journey analytics and deployment management capabilities – enables business users to easily create and maintain digital journeys, using a low-code/no-code approach. This component empowers insurers with agility and fast time to market, based on its “one click to deploy” functionality. Also available are full versioning capabilities and an extendable UI components library.
Sapiens AgentConnect and CustomerConnect
Are dynamic portals built to deliver the optimal experiences expected by customers, brokers, agents, employers, alike, providing a high level of personalization to meet the diversified, individual needs of customers
Sapiens BotConnect and LiveConnect
Sapiens brings conversational messaging to the next level, making it highly efficient in engaging customers. Sapiens BotConnect (AI-based chatbot) and LiveConnect (Omni-channel live chat) are designed to cultivate and enhance conversational messaging by ensuring perfect handoffs between different channels and personas, which translates into one unified customer-centric and smooth experience for both customers and the reps that cater to their needs. Together, this duo of components greatly improves the operational efficiency, providing a better service level to end-customers, based on their channel of choice.
39
Sapiens PartnerHub and Partner Ecosystem
Sapiens is a global organization with over three decades of extensive experience in insurance innovation and technology. We seek out and identify the most relevant, advanced and innovative technology solutions for the insurance market. We connect third-party technology and insurtech solutions to our Sapiens PartnerHub, from where we make their offerings available to insurers for their own use, and for the use of their customers.
Sapiens Analytics and Data platfrom
Sapiens offers our analytics solutions, across both Life and P&C businesses, which include: insightful dashboards, reporting and apps; and predictive analytics which utilize AI and machine learning, generates actionable insights based on different models across the insurance value chain. By integrating with our advanced analytics solution and data warehouse, we can quickly generate actionable insights, self-service business intelligence and data discovery capabilities.
Sapiens Reinsurance Solutions
Sapiens reinsurance solutions are comprehensive business and accounting systems, providing a superior management for all types of reinsurance contracts – treaty and facultative, and proportional and non-proportional. It enables insurers of all sizes to manage their entire range of reinsurance contracts and activities for all lines of business, including rich accounting functionality and reporting capabilities.
Our reinsurance solution enables full and flexible control of reinsurance processes, with built-in automation of contracts, calculations and processes. By incorporating fully automated functions adapted conveniently for your business procedures, Sapiens Reinsurance provides flexible and total financial control of your reinsurance processes, including complete support for all auditing requirements and statutory compliance.
The solutions are available in three flavors:
ReinsuranceMaster (in EMEA, APAC and for global insurers), ReinsurancePro (in N. America) which also produces schedule F automatically, and Reinsurance GO (N. America) which is designed to meet the ceded reinsurance processing needs of property & casualty providers, from calculating premium and claim cessions, to producing the data required for Schedule F.
Sapiens Workers’ Compensation Offerings
Sapiens Platform for Workers’ Compensation
Sapiens Platform for Workers’ Compensation includes the Sapiens CoreSuite for Workers’ Compensation, and comes pre-integrated with Sapiens DigitalSuite, including: Sapiens EmployerConnect a digital portal for employers and Sapiens Analytics and Data platform.
Sapiens CoreSuite for Workers’ Compensation
Sapiens CoreSuite for Workers’ Compensation offers larger carriers, administrators and state funds the technology solutions that enable them to adapt quickly to business and market conditions, offering high levels of accuracy and efficiency. The suite provides broad functionality throughout the entire insurance lifecycle for workers’ compensation, via a core suite, as well as policy, claims and intelligence modules that can be deployed individually, or as an integrated solution. This suite can be purchased as an integrated offering, or standalone components: Sapiens PolicyPro and Sapiens ClaimsPro.
Sapiens GO for Workers’ Compensation
Sapiens GO for Workers’ Compensation was developed specifically for carriers, managing general agents (MGAs), self-insurance funds and third-party administrators. Sapiens GO can deliver a turnkey solution in just 120 days. With its streamlined user interface and advanced business features, the suite addresses critical objectives. This suite can be purchased as an integrated offering, or standalone components: Sapiens PolicyGO and Sapiens ClaimsGO for Workers’ Compensation.
40
Sapiens Financial & Compliance Solutions
Our set of financial & compliance solutions comprised of both annual statement and insurance accounting software includes:
| ● | Sapiens FinancialPro – accounting software designed for insurers to meet their unique requirements for cash, statutory and GAAP reporting, well as unique allocation and consolidation needs. It handles multi-basis accounting and inter-company transactions and facilitates the speed and accuracy of financial reporting. |
| ● | Sapiens Financial GO – offers small- and mid-sized insurers a solution for cash, statutory and GAAP reporting, as well as unique allocation and consolidation needs. Sapiens Financial GO manages and presents data to help insurance managers make informed decisions. |
| ● | Sapiens StatementPro – makes statement preparation faster and simpler by offering one-click navigation between statements, pages and form validations (cross-checks) to the pages they reference and offering one-step filing. |
| ● | Additionally, Sapiens offers Sapiens CheckPro and Sapiens reporting tools. |
Sapiens Business Decision Management Solutions
Sapiens Decision is a complete decision management platform that places software development in the hands of the business domain, creating “citizen developers,” and enforces business logic across all enterprise applications. Decision effectively addresses the complexity of determining and then translating business logic – data, business rules and machine learning used to make business decisions – into operational code. The business side of the organization can model, validate, test and simulate the business logic required for all new processes using Sapiens Decision. The process takes days or weeks, instead of months or years. A rigorous, structured approach ensures accuracy, efficiency and consistency during modeling. The models may then be automatically generated and deployed as code into automated DevOps environments, ensuring that the software is fully aligned with the organization’s business needs.
We are currently focusing on the development and marketing of Sapiens Decision in the insurance and financial services market in North America and Western Europe, and we are building best practices where the scale and complexity of operations requires enterprise-grade technology that can easily be adapted as policies and business strategies rapidly evolve. We developed and market Sapiens Decision for several verticals, including the insurance industry, and leverage our industry knowledge and close relationships with our existing customers and partners. Decision targets multiple markets:
Sapiens Decision for Financial Institutions (including Consumer & Commercial Banking, Investment Banking, & Mortgage Banking)
Tailored to meet the needs of Consumer & Commercial Banking, Investment Banking and Mortgage Banking institutions addresses the cost of change. It enables banks to efficiently adapt their operations to the demands of digital transformation, changing regulations, customer demands and increasing competition, using model-driven development (MDD). The MDD approach, enables businesspeople to define business logic in easily understood models. The process takes days or weeks, instead of months or years. It enforces business logic across all enterprise applications.
41
Sapiens Decision for Insurance
Sapiens Decision for Insurance enables insurers to efficiently adapt their business operations to the demands of digital transformation, changing regulations, customer demands and increasing competition. It is currently used by a top-tier, P&C insurance company to implement process automation and effect digital transformation.
Sapiens Decision for Government
Sapiens Decision for Government provides the capability to automate manual processes, alleviates gaps coming from different roles and interpretations, and creates fully validated policy artifacts in a format that other roles in the organization can understand.
Technology-Based Solutions
Sapiens eMerge
Sapiens eMerge is a rules-based, model-driven architecture that enables the creation of tailor-made, mission-critical core enterprise applications with little or no coding. Our technology is intended to allow customers to meet complex and unique requirements using a robust development platform. For example, we perform proxy porting for our customers in an efficient, cost effective manner with Sapiens eMerge.
Our Services
Our services modernize and automate processes for insurance providers and financial institutions around the globe, helping to create greater organizational efficiencies, reduce costs and provide a better end user experience. They can be divided into three main categories: program delivery, value added services and cloud services.
Sapiens has partnered with both Microsoft Azure and AWS to offer its solutions over private and public (single tenant) clouds. Sapiens’ cloud deployment includes full infrastructure for operations, plus the option of choosing cloud-related cloud services delivered by Sapiens’ experienced professional services team.
Sapiens delivery methodologies are typically based on Agile approach or a hybrid agile-waterfall approach that fits best some segments of our market. We also provide delivery tools and delivery performance indicators. Built on a solid foundation of insurance domain expertise, proven technology and a history of successful deployments, our organization assists clients in identifying and eliminating IT barriers to achieve business objectives.
Our services modernize and automate processes for insurance providers and financial institutions around the globe, helping to create greater organizational efficiencies, reduce costs and provide a better end-user experience. Built on a solid foundation of insurance domain expertise, proven technology and a heritage of successful deployments, we assist clients in identifying and eliminating IT barriers to achieve business objectives.
Benefits include:
| ● | Project delivery experience – more than 35 years of field-proven project delivery of core system solutions, based on best practices and accumulated experience. |
| ● | System integration – we help our customers deploy modern solutions, while expertly integrating these solutions with their legacy environments that must be supported. | |
| ● | Global presence – insurance and technology domain experts are located close to our customers to provide professional services. |
42
Our implementation teams assist customers in building implementation plans, integrating our software solutions with their existing systems, and deploying specific requirements unique to each customer and installation. Sapiens’ business services include API integration management and business intelligence (BI) and advanced analytics consolidation. Our cloud services offer ongoing production support and a 24/7 help desk.
Sapiens’ service teams possess strong technology skills and industry expertise. The level of service and business understanding they provide contributes to the long-term success of our customers. This helps us develop strategic relationships with our customers, enhances information exchange and deepens our understanding of the needs of companies within the industry.
Through our service teams, we provide a wide scope of services and consultancy around our solutions, both in the initial project implementation stage, as well as ongoing additional services. Many of our customers also use our services and expertise to assist them with various aspects of daily maintenance, ongoing system administration and the addition of new solution enhancements.
We sometimes partner with several system integration and consulting firms to achieve scalable, cost-effective implementations for our customers. Sapiens has developed an efficient, repeatable methodology that is closely aligned with the unique capabilities of our solutions.
The services offered by our (and our partners’) teams include:
| ● | Adding new lines of business and functional coverage to existing solutions running in production. | |
| ● | Ongoing support services for managing and administering the solutions. | |
| ● | Creating new functionalities, per specific requirements of our customers. | |
| ● | Assisting with compliance for new regulations and legal requirements. |
In addition, many of our clients choose to enter into an ongoing maintenance and support contract with us. The terms of such a contract are usually twelve months and are renewed every year. A maintenance contract entitles the customer to technology upgrades (when made generally available) and technical support. We also offer introductory and advanced classes and training programs available at our offices and customer sites.
Some of our offerings include:
Program delivery includes:
| ● | Project and program management – Overall program planning, governance, PMO services and risk management. |
| ● | Training – Training needs analysis and consulting, train-the-trainer, user training, and application configuration training. |
| ● | Testing – Test strategy consulting, design and planning, SIT / Functional UAT / Business UAT, migration testing, performance / scalability and load testing, security testing and testing automation. |
| ● | Migration consulting- Migration strategy consulting and planning, data extract and load, data cleansing and data reconciliation. |
| ● | Development, implementation and integration – Technical Solution Architecture, Analysis and Design, Development and Configuration, core system integration and project management. |
43
Value added services are comprised of:
| ● | User acceptance testing (UAT) – is different than system testing. UAT is a complementary stage which focuses on business processes, user’s journeys, and acceptance criteria as outlined in the specifications. |
| ● | Migration Services – full ownership of the migration of systems from one system to another. |
| ● | Analytics Services – let our experts help you build predictive models which are aligned and integrated into your insurance practices |
Cloud services include:
| ● | Hosting Infrastructure Services: Virtual machines selection based on the applications architecture and performance requirement to ensure a value-for-money approach. Cloud services including, among others, network, business continuity and security. | |
| ● | Hosting IT Services: continuous services that obviate the need for local IT involvement to maintain the infrastructure and includes: Operation Control Center (OCC) as a service, Security Operation Center (SOC) as a Service, Backup as a service, DBA as a service, DevOps as a service, Disaster Recovery (DR) as a service. | |
| ● | Applications Cloud services: extends the standard maintenance agreement to provide additional services for Sapiens’ solutions based on specific customer needs, and may include any of the following: Extended maintenance and support – Customer layer/components defect handling and extended SLA, Application changes – setup / config / workflow / templates, Application operation – batches / release deployment / performance monitoring, Sapiens+ – support for non-Sapiens products (optional). |
Competitive Landscape
Sapiens is focused on serving insurers. The market for core software solutions for the insurance industry is highly competitive and characterized by rapidly changing technologies, evolving industry standards and customer requirements, and frequent innovation. In addition, we offer a business decision management platform, mainly to financial services organizations.
Competitive Landscape for our Insurance Software Solutions
Our competitors in the insurance software solutions market differ from us based on size, geography and lines of business. Some of our competitors offer a full suite, while others offer only one module; some operate in specific (domestic) geographies, while others operate on a global basis. And delivery models vary, with some competitors keeping delivery in-house, using IT outsourcing (ITO), or business process outsourcing (BPO).
The insurance software solutions market is highly competitive and demanding. Maintaining a leading position is challenging, because it requires:
| ● | Development of new core insurance solutions, which necessitates a heavy R&D investment and in-depth knowledge of complex insurance environments. | |
| ● | Technology innovation to attract new customers, with rapid, technology-driven changes in the insurance business model and new propositions coming. | |
| ● | A global presence and the ability to support global insurance operations. |
44
| ● | Ability to manage multiple partnerships, due to the changing landscape of insurers’ ecosystems. | |
| ● | Extensive knowledge of regulatory requirements and how to fulfill them (they can be burdensome and require specific IT solutions). | |
| ● | Continued support and development of the solutions entails a critical mass of customers that support an ongoing R&D investment. | |
| ● | Know-how of insurance system requirements and an ability to bridge between new systems and legacy technologies. | |
| ● | Enabling mission-critical operations that require experience, domain expertise and proven delivery capabilities to ensure success. |
The complex requirements of this market create a high barrier to entry for new players. As for existing players, these requirements have led to a marked increase in M&A transactions in the insurance software solutions sector, since small, local vendors have not been able to sustain growth without continuing to fund their R&D departments and following the globalization trend of their customers.
We believe Sapiens is well-positioned to leverage our modern solutions, customer base and global presence to compete in this market and meet its challenges. In addition, our accumulated experience and expert teams allow us to provide a comprehensive response to the IT challenges of this market.
Different types of competitors include:
| ● | Global software providers with their own IP. | |
| ● | Local/domestic software vendors with their own IP, operating in a designated geographic market and/or within a designated segment of the insurance industry. | |
| ● | BPO providers who offer end-to-end outsourcing of insurance carriers’ business, including core software administration (although BPO providers want to buy comprehensive software platforms to serve as part of the BPO proposition from vendors and may seek to purchase our solutions for this purpose). | |
| ● | Internal IT departments, who often prefer to develop solutions in-house. | |
| ● | New insurtech companies with niche solutions. |
We differentiate ourselves from our competitors via the following key factors:
| ● | We offer cloud-based innovative and modern software solutions, with rich functionality and advanced, intuitive user interfaces, based on deep domain expertise and insurance know how. | |
| ● | Sapiens uses model-driven architecture that allows rapid deployment of the system, while reducing total cost of ownership and benefiting from cloud deployment. |
| ● | Our solutions are built using an architecture that allows customers to implement the full solution or components, and readily integrate the solution or individual components into their existing IT landscape. | |
| ● | Strong and global partnership program, with established IT players and new insurtech companies, to ensure linkage to innovative technologies and new business models, as well as ongoing work to embed innovation into Sapiens platforms. |
45
| ● | We identify technology trends and invest in adjusting our solutions to keep pace with today’s frenetic evolutions. |
| ● | Our financial stability, and our large and growing global customer base, enables us to fund R&D investment and maintain the competitive advantage of our products We are able to fund R&D investment and maintain the competitive advantage of our products, due to our large and growing customer base and financial stability. | |
| ● | Our delivery methodology is based on extensive insurance industry experience and cooperation with large insurance companies globally. Our track record over the past few years in developing a strong offshore development center is also a significant parameter in differentiating our abilities in the services space. | |
| We leverage our proven track record of successful delivery to help our customers deploy our modern solutions, while integrating with their legacy environment (when that legacy environment must remain supported). |
Competitive Landscape for Business Decision Management Solutions
Sapiens Decision is a pioneer in this disruptive market landscape. Since the introduction of our innovative approach to enterprise architecture to the market, we have identified only a small number of potential competitors.
We differentiate ourselves from our potential competitors through the following key factors:
| ● | We believe that Sapiens Decision is the only solution (that is currently generally available and already in production) that offers a true separation of the business logic in a decision management system for large enterprises. | |
| ● | Sapiens Decision is unique in its proven ability to support complex environments, with a full audit trail and governance that is crucial for large financial services organizations. | |
| ● | We understand complex environments where Decision is deployed, due to our experience delivering complex, mission-critical solutions. |
Geographical Scope of Our Operations
For a breakdown of the geographical regions in which our revenues are generated and the relative amounts of such revenues over the course of the last three fiscal years, please see: “Item 5 – Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Operating Results—Revenue by geographical region” below in this annual report.
Sales and Marketing
Our main sales channel is direct sales, with a small portion of partner sales. Our sales team is spread across our regional offices in North America, the United Kingdom, Israel, India, Poland, the Nordics, Spain, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, Latvia and Germany. The direct sales force is geared to large organizations within the insurance and financial services industry.
We believe that our sales teams are sufficiently large to service our target regions – North America, the UK, Europe and South Africa – and to execute sales, while also being assisted by our presales, domain experts and marketing teams. We anticipate that our sales team will leverage its proximity to customers and prospective clients to drive more business, and offer our services across our target markets.
Our customer success teams were focused on building ongoing relationships with existing customers during the past year, to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction and identify up-selling opportunities within these organizations. We believe that a high level of post-contract customer support is important to our continued success.
46
As part of our sales process, we typically sell a package that includes a license, implementation, customization and integration services, and training services. All of our clients for whom we have deployed our solutions elect to enter into an ongoing maintenance and support contract with us. We aim to expand our distribution model to include more channel partners and system integrators, but we intend to maintain the direct sales model as our prime distribution channel.
We attend major industry trade shows (both physical and virtual) to improve our visibility and our market recognition. Additionally, we host client conferences– such as our annual Sapiens Summit/Client Conference, which went virtual in 2021 and was in-person in North America in 2022. In 2023 we hosted two client conferences, in Barcelona, Spain, and Tuscon, Arizona, respectively. In 2024 we plan to host our Annual North America summit in Austin, TX. We continue investing in our web presence and digital marketing activities to generate leads and enhance our brand recognition. Sapiens maintains a blog channel and a Podcast and we also invest in our working relationships and advisory services within the global industry-analyst community.
We work together with standards providers– such as ACORD– to further enrich our offerings and provide our customers with comprehensive and innovative solutions that address the entire breadth of their business needs.
Intellectual Property
Sapiens relies on a combination of contractual provisions and intellectual property law to protect our proprietary technology. We believe that due to the dynamic nature of the insurance and software industries, factors such as the knowledge and experience of our management and personnel, the frequency of product enhancements and the timeliness and quality of our support services build upon the protection offered by copyrights.
We seek to protect the source code of our products as trade secret information and as unpublished copyright work, although in some cases, we agree to place our source code into escrow. We also rely on security and copy protection features in our proprietary software. We distribute our products under software license agreements that grant customers a personal, non-transferable license to use our products and contain terms and conditions prohibiting the unauthorized reproduction, reverse engineering or misuse of our products. In addition, we attempt to protect trade secrets and other proprietary information through agreements with employees, consultants and distributors.
Our trademark rights include rights associated with our use of our trademarks, and rights obtained by registration of our trademarks. Our use and registration of our trademarks do not ensure that we have superior rights to others that may have registered or used identical or related marks on related goods or services. We have registrations for the mark “Sapiens” in in the US, UK, Benelux, Germany, France, Italy Switzerland, Israel, South Africa and the European Union. In the past we have registered trademarks and tradenames for many of our products both in the US and in the European Union, and we intend to continue to do so going forward. The initial terms of protection for our registered trademarks range from 10-20 years and are renewable thereafter.
Regulatory Impact
The global financial services industry is subject to significant government regulations that are constantly changing. Financial services companies must comply with regulations, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Solvency II, Retail Distribution Review (known as RDR) in the United Kingdom, the Dodd-Frank Act, the GDPR and other directives regarding transparency. In addition, many individual countries have increased supervision over financial services operating in their market.
47
For example, regulators in Europe have been very active, motivated by past financial crises and the need for pension restructuring. Distribution of policies is being optimized with the increasing use of bank assurance (selling insurance through a bank’s established distribution channels), supermarkets and kiosks (insurance stands). Increased activity – such as that occurring in Europe – would generally tend to have a positive impact on the demand for our software solutions and services. Nevertheless, insurers are cautiously approaching spending increases, and while many companies have not taken proactive steps to replace their software solutions in recent years, many of them are now looking for innovative, modern replacements to meet the regulatory changes.
For further information, please see Item 5.D below, “Trend Information.”
Environmental, Social & Governance Matters
Sustainability, Responsibility, and Delivering Value to Our Shareholders
Our management team places an emphasis on, and devotes considerable time towards, business responsibility, sustainability, and delivering value for Sapiens’ customer base, employees, investors, suppliers, and each of their respective communities. This requires that we conduct our business in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, and adhere to outstanding ethical business practices. We have developed a strong set of corporate values that inspire ethical behavior throughout our decision-making process and that promote one of our business objectives of bringing together a diverse group with the unique skill sets, knowledge, and talents to effectuate our vision. Sapiens is proud to encourage female advancement in our Company. In 2023, women constituted 38% of our executive leadership team. We strive to grow women’s representation within our operations.
To implement our core values into our day-to-day activities, we are working on building a strong management system that ensures that ethics and security issues are given their due weight and that our leadership nurtures our commitment toward the standards embodied in our global Sapiens Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, or the Code. The Code promotes our vision of responsibility including with respect to: honest and ethical conduct; full, fair, accurate and timely disclosure; protection of whistleblower employees; and a range of other matters that are meant to reinforce our core values. We have thousands of employees working worldwide, and each facility upholds its individual organizational culture while committed to the global Code. Additionally, as part of these commitments, our executive and financial officers seek to ensure standards and compliance while maintaining a work environment that encourages employees to raise concerns and promptly addresses employee compliance concerns. For example, in January 2024, we amended our Code to promote prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code to the appropriate person or persons identified and accountability for adherence to the Code. We also made similar updates to our Whistleblower Policy and Anti-Fraud Policy in January 2024, to facilitate anonymous reporting by our employees of violations under those policies. Along similar lines, if the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, VP Finance or Controller becomes aware of any material information that could adversely affect our ability to comply with regulations, disclosures, or internal controls, he or she will bring such matter(s) to the attention of our Audit Committee. With such controls in place, we are committed to maintaining the highest professional standards of business conduct and maintaining the confidence and trust in our relationships with each other, our stakeholders, and regulators.
As it relates to our workforce, we strongly value gender diversity across all levels, and we acknowledge the different skills and uniqueness that each Sapiens’ employee brings to the table. As part of hiring process, we use advanced human resources systems that include data analytics to guarantee that we give fair compensation and benefits to our people – no matter their gender, location, or ethnicity. We also have a zero-tolerance policy for any harassment or breaches of our Code that promotes this Company value. Sapiens is proud to report that 35% of our 5,000 employees as of December 31, 2023 were female, with 85% of our women in tech positions and 20% in management positions. Our employee-centric approach allows us to create a sense of well-being and strong connection amongst our diverse international teams, even though they are spread across five continents.
48
As part of our product development, we have been diligent in our efforts to implement environmentally friendly solutions, which fosters our focus on sustainability. Our services modernize and automate processes for insurance providers and financial institutions around the globe, helping to create greater organizational efficiencies, reduce costs and provide a better end-user experience and reduced waste. More specifically, our products and services minimize the high-touch manual processes that typically required large teams of employees to work from large office spaces and high-energy producing infrastructure. In transitioning to the digital world, the energy costs associated with running these offices and the paper produced in such environments is significantly reduced. Our systems collect and analyze the data for our customers and produce reports in a fully automated and digitalized manner, reducing energy and resource waste. Additionally, our customers can reduce their paper consumption, save energy and waste of resources, decrease the usage of environmental pollutants such as irons and plastic, and lower their CO2 emissions when using our products. This can be accomplished by digitalizing insurance processes and the interaction of customers with insurers, and transforming previously paper-based processes to digital ones. Similarly, through our cloud services and IT service hosting, we obviate the need for local infrastructure and local IT involvement.
We have also sought to achieve a greener business cycle and risk management with respect to our supply chain management. To that end, to support local businesses and economies, as well as to reduce negative environmental impacts, we attempt to work mostly with vendors that are from the countries in which we operate. We prioritize suppliers who share our values, making particular efforts to work with companies that employ people from underrepresented populations, and to partner with non-profit organizations and certified green businesses, and to use services that are certified Fair Trade. Similarly, in order to achieve a greener Sapiens business cycle and improve risk management along the supply chain, we require all of our suppliers and business partners to abide by a code of ethics. In 2022, 50% of our suppliers signed a supplier code of ethics. We also surveyed our largest suppliers to gain better insight regarding their environmental practices and policies. From our surveys we estimate that approximately 70% have incorporated an environmental policy and that another approximately 25% are in the process of development of such policies. Moreover, approximately 40% of our suppliers are compliant with ISO 1400001 and approximately 13% are in the process of receiving such certificate.
Our sustainability focus also guides our own work environment. As of the end of 2022, all Sapiens sites were rented; therefore, we are not completely in control of our energy, water and waste management. However, all newly leased buildings have large windows with natural light to reduce lighting electricity needs and improve employee wellbeing. We also work with property owners to utilize innovations such as recycling wastewater from air conditioning to water plants and energy-saving schemes such as the use of LED lighting. To the extent possible, we have been transitioning to greener office practices and buildings (including the consideration of green building standards when choosing future offices). As part of this goal, whenever possible, we strive to eliminate single-use plastic and paper items and replace them with regular cups, glasses, spoons. We also encourage recycling (including with respect to paper composition in our offices) and have reduced our printed materials in an effort to promote paperless offices. We constantly monitor our activities such as energy and water consumption in our facilities to identify other areas that we can improve upon. We are doing our best to keep the indicators low by introducing additional company practices including by moving to the cloud and using virtual communication methods.
Moreover, through the introduction of our chat functions, we reduce the need to have physical office space to service our customers. This means that customers can be assisted from their own locations without having to travel, reducing the CO2 emissions that would have otherwise been produced from such travel. In addition, through the use of a ChatBot and LiveChatcall, volumes to call centers can be reduced, thereby reducing the potential call center footprint and associated energy use. Similarly, Sapiens has been working on launching a unified company travel system that will integrate innovative conferencing tools. If our employees and customers can see and hear each other smoothly and clearly, we can significantly reduce the need for in-person meetings and conferences and in turn travel. Pre COVID-19 employee travel was one of the biggest contributors to our GHG emissions. Ongoing travel reduction will lead to significant and continuous mitigation of our carbon footprint.
49
Another project to reduce our carbon footprint is that of reducing emissions caused by employee commutes to work. In 2023, in Israel, we leased 83 private cars to employees (as compared to 104 in 2022). We have been continuously decreasing the number of vehicles leased and encouraging greater use of public transit for commuting or ride shares. Currently, employees travel an average of 15,500 miles per year to arrive at the office and we can make this distance more efficient with other alternatives that contribute to the reduction in CO2 emissions. We are planning to map all employees and launch communication groups so that people can travel to work more easily with coworkers that live nearby.
In addition to the information referenced above, we monitor our progress on the foregoing initiatives, which are reviewed by our Board of Directors periodically, by our employee surveys, through which we gain valuable insights into our employees’ sense of purpose, engagement, and satisfaction. For more information on our sustainability and responsibility efforts, please review our 2022 Sustainability Report at https://sapiens.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ESG-Report_2022_Interactive.pdf. The Sustainability Report, or any other information from the Sapiens website, is not a part of or incorporated by reference into this annual report.
C. Organizational Structure.
Sapiens International Corporation N.V., or Sapiens N.V., is the parent company of the Sapiens group of companies. Our significant subsidiaries are as follows (subsidiary companies of other Sapiens subsidiaries are listed in indented format beneath their respective parent companies below):
Sapiens International Corporation B.V., or Sapiens B.V.: incorporated in the Netherlands and 100% owned by Sapiens N.V.
Unless otherwise indicated, the other subsidiaries of Sapiens listed below are 100% owned by Sapiens B.V.:
| ● | Sapiens North America Inc.: incorporated in Ontario, Canada |
| ● | Sapiens (UK) Limited: incorporated in England |
| ○ | Sapiens Iberia S.A. (owned 100% by Sapiens (UK) Limited) |
| ● | Sapiens France S.A.S.: incorporated in France |
| ● | Sapiens Japan Co.: incorporated in Japan. |
| ● | Sapiens Americas Corporation: incorporated in New York, U.S. (this entity includes the operations of each of the following former wholly-owned subsidiaries of Sapiens Americas Corporation, which were merged into it effective as of January 1, 2019: Maximum Processing Inc., 4Sight Business Intelligence Inc., StoneRiver, Inc. and Adaptik Corporation, as well as the operations of Delphi, which we acquired in the third quarter of 2020) |
| ○ | Sapiens Information Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.: incorporated in the People’s Republic of China (owned 100% by Sapiens Americas Corporation.) |
| ● | Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.: incorporated in Israel (this entity includes the operations of each of the following former wholly-owned subsidiaries of Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd, which were merged into it effective as of December 31, 2024: Sapiens Israel Software Systems Ltd, Sapiens Software Solutions (Life and Pension) Ltd., and Sapiens Software Solutions (IDIT) Ltd.) |
| ○ | Sapiens Germany GmbH : incorporated in Germany (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
50
| ○ | IDIT Software Solutions (Sweden) AB: incorporated in Sweden, owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ○ | Neuralmatic Ltd.: incorporated in Israel (owned 100% Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ○ | Sapiens NA Insurance Solutions Inc.: incorporated in Delaware, US (owned 100% Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ○ | Sapiens (UK) Insurance Software Solutions Limited: incorporated in the UK (owned 100% Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ■ | Formula Insurance Solutions France (F.I.S France): incorporated in France (owned 100% by Sapiens (UK) Insurance Software Solutions Limited) |
| ■ | Sapiens Software Solutions (Australia) PTY. Ltd.(Former FIS- AU Pty Limited: incorporated in Australia (owned 100% by Sapiens (UK) Insurance Software Solutions Limited) |
| ■ | Sapiens SA (PTY) Ltd.: incorporated in South Africa (owned 100% by Sapiens (UK) Insurance Software Solutions Limited) |
| ■ | Sapiens Software Solutions (Norway) AS): incorporated in Norway (owned 100% by Sapiens (UK) Insurance Software Solutions Limited) |
| ○ | IDIT Software solutions Portugal: incorporated in Portugal (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ○ | Sapiens Denmark A/S: incorporated in Denmark (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ■ | UAB Sapiens Lithuania : incorporated in Lithuania (owned 100% by Sapiens Denmark A/S) |
| ■ | Tia South Africa (Pty) Ltd: incorporated in South Africa (owned 100% by Sapiens Denmark A/S) |
| ○ | Sapiens Software Solutions (Decision) Ltd., or Sapiens Decision: incorporated in Israel (owned 92.99% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ■ | Sapiens (UK) Decision Limited: incorporated in the U.K. (owned 100% by Sapiens Decision) |
| ■ | Sapiens Decision NA Inc.: incorporated in Delaware (owned 100% by Sapiens Decision) |
| ○ | Sapiens Technologies (1982) India Private Limited (formerly Ibexi Solutions Private Limited): incorporated in India (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd. and IDIT Software Solutions (Sweden) AB.) |
| ■ | Sapiens Software Solutions (Singapore) PTE. LTD (formerly Ibexi Solutions Pte Limited): incorporated in Singapore (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) India Private Limited) |
51
| ○ | Sapiens Software Solutions (Poland) Sp. Z o.o. (formerly Insseco Sp. Z o.o.): incorporated in Poland (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ■ | NCDC Spółka Akcyjna: incorporated in Poland (owned 100% by Sapiens Software Solutions (Poland) Sp. Z o.o.) |
| ○ | Sapiens Software Solutions Istanbul YAZILIM: incorporated in Turkey (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ○ | LLC Sapiens Software Solutions (Latvia) (formerly KnowledgePrice.com): incorporated in Latvia (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ○ | Tiful Gemel Ltd.: incorporated in Israel (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ○ | Sapiens Coognitive LTD.: incorporated in Israel (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd.) |
| ○ | Sapiens Software Solutions (Thailand) Limited.: incorporated in Thailand (owned 100% by Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd., IDIT Software Solutions (Sweden) AB, and IDIT Software solutions Portugal) |
We are a member of the Asseco Group. Asseco Group is a federation of companies engaged in information technology. Asseco Group operates in most of the European countries as well as in Israel, the U.S., Japan, and Canada. Asseco Group companies are listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange as well as on the U.S. Nasdaq Stock Market. Asseco Group offers comprehensive, proprietary IT solutions for all sectors of the economy.
Asseco holds a controlling interest in Formula Systems (1985) Ltd., or Formula (NASDAQ: FORTY and TASE: FORT). Based on information provided to the Company by Formula, Formula held 24,314,766 of our Common Shares, or approximately 43.6% of our outstanding Common Shares, as of March 1, 2024. As of March 1, 2024, Asseco held 25.8% of the outstanding share capital of Formula.
Based on the foregoing beneficial ownership by each of Formula and Asseco, each of Formula and Asseco may be deemed to directly or indirectly (as appropriate) control us.
D. Property, Plants and Equipment.
We lease office space, constituting our primary office locations, in the following countries: India, Israel, the United States, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark, Spain, The United Kingdom, China, Turkey and Portugal. The lease terms for the spaces that we currently occupy are generally one to five years, with the lease term for one site extending to 2030, another one to 2031 and a third one to 2036. Based on our current occupancy, we lease the following amount of office space in the following locations (offices over 500 square feet), which constitute our primary locations:
| ● | India – approximately 213,598 square feet |
| ● | Israel – approximately 79,489 square feet |
| ● | Poland – approximately 40,803 square feet |
| ● | United States – approximately 27,300 square feet (16,492 square feet that we use – 10,808 square feet is subleased) |
| ● | Germany – approximately 19,527 square feet |
52
| ● | Lithuania – approximately 17,655 square feet (14,519 square feet that we use – 3,136 square feet is subleased) |
| ● | Latvia – approximately 14,271 square feet |
| ● | Denmark – approximately 7,860 square feet |
| ● | United Kingdom – approximately 7,374 square feet |
| ● | Spain – approximately 6,700 square feet |
| ● | China – approximately 5,180 square feet |
Our Israeli offices house our corporate headquarters, as well as our core delivery research and development activities. In 2023, our rental costs totaled $8.7 million, in the aggregate, for all of our leased offices. We believe that our existing facilities are adequate for our current needs.
Item 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere herein. Our financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, such as those set forth under Item 3.D “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the Introduction to this annual report, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.
Overview
We are a leading global provider of software solutions for the insurance industry. Our extensive expertise is reflected in our innovative software platforms, suites, solutions and services for property & casualty (P&C); life, pension & annuity (L&A); reinsurance; financial and compliance (F&C); workers’ compensation (WC); . Our company offers a full digital suite that facilitates an innovative, holistic and seamless digital experience for carriers, agents, customers and assorted insurance personnel, across multiple devices and technologies. Our offerings enable our customers to effectively manage their core business functions, including policy administration, claims and billing, and offer support during an insurer’s journey to becoming a digital insurer. Our portfolio also covers underwriting, illustration and electronic applications. We also supply a complete reinsurance offering for providers and a decision management platform tailored to a variety of service providers, so business users can quickly deploy business logic and comply with policies and regulations across their organizations. We also sell software products to non-insurance customers which consists of less than 5% of our revenue.
We derive our revenues principally from the sale, maintenance and support of our software products and from providing implementation and post production consulting services in relation to our solutions. Revenues are comprised primarily from software products which include mainly subscription, term license, maintenance, application maintenance and cloud solutions. We also derive revenue from services, including systems integration and implementation and post production consulting.
53
Business Performance in Macro-Economic Environment
Our current outlook, as well as our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023, should be evaluated in light of the current global macroeconomic environment, which remains uncertain. Our revenues continued to grow strongly in the year ended December 31, 2023. The vast majority of our revenue growth in 2023 and 2022 reflected organic growth of 8.1% and 8.3% respectively, given the absence of material M&A transactions (other than our acquisition of NCDC S.A. in the fourth quarter of 2023, which did not impact revenues materially). Our GAAP revenues for 2023 grew by 8.4%, as opposed to 3% in 2022. That GAAP revenue growth resulted primarily from currency exchange rate changes in 2022, which adversely impacted GAAP revenue by 5.4%. With a multitude of growth drivers at our disposal, including regional and product diversification, we believe that we are strategically positioned for continued growth in 2024.
Our operating profit and operating margin also increased in the year ended December 31, 2023, to $78.9 million and 15.4%, respectively, reflecting growth of 18.6% and 9.4% relative to the corresponding amount and percentage, respectively, in 2022, reflecting our strong ability to withstand sometimes challenging global economic pressures and evidencing the efficiencies of our operating model.
We continue to closely monitor macro-economic conditions, including levels of inflation, relatively high interest rates and other trends that have been impacting economic activity on a global scale during the last couple of years. We have been assessing, on an ongoing basis, the implications of those global conditions for our operations, liquidity, cash flow and customer orders of our solutions, and have been acting in an effort to mitigate adverse consequences if needed.
We ended 2023 with $202.1 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term deposits and $59.3 million of debt related to our Series B Debentures. We believe that we are well suited to continue to manage the current global macro-economic climate with a strong balance sheet, while focusing on continuing profitable growth in various markets.
A. Operating Results.
Results of Operations
The following tables set forth certain data from our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, as well as such data as a percentage of our revenues for those years. The data has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included in this annual report. The operating results for the below years should not be considered indicative of results for any future period. This information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in this annual report.
The below tables provide data for each of the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021. However, the below discussion of our results of operations omits a comparison of our results for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. In order to view that discussion, please see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Operating Results—Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022, which we filed with the SEC on March 29, 2023.
54
Statement of Income Data
(U.S. dollars, in thousands, except share and per share data)
| For the year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 514,584 | $ | 474,736 | $ | 461,035 | ||||||
| Cost of revenues | 294,990 | 274,573 | 273,191 | |||||||||
| Gross profit | 219,594 | 200,163 | 187,844 | |||||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||
| Research and development | 63,475 | 58,656 | 54,013 | |||||||||
| Selling, marketing, general and administrative | 77,251 | 75,016 | 76,343 | |||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 140,726 | 133,672 | 130,356 | |||||||||
| Operating income | 78,868 | 66,491 | 57,488 | |||||||||
| Financial expense, net | 1,750 | 941 | 202 | |||||||||
| Income before taxes on income | 77,118 | 65,550 | 57,286 | |||||||||
| Taxes on income | 14,251 | 12,619 | 9,964 | |||||||||
| Net income | 62,867 | 52,931 | 47,322 | |||||||||
| Attributed to non-controlling interests | 423 | 336 | 151 | |||||||||
| Net income attributable to Sapiens’ shareholders | $ | 62,444 | $ | 52,595 | $ | 47,171 | ||||||
Statement of Income Data
(as a Percentage of Revenues)
| For the year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Revenues | 100 | % | 100 | % | 100 | % | ||||||
| Cost of revenues | 57.3 | % | 57.8 | % | 59.3 | % | ||||||
| Gross profit | 42.7 | % | 42.2 | % | 40.7 | % | ||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||
| Research and development | 12.3 | % | 12.4 | % | 11.7 | % | ||||||
| Selling, marketing, general and administrative | 15.0 | % | 15.8 | % | 16.6 | % | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | 27.3 | % | 28.2 | % | 28.3 | % | ||||||
| Operating income | 15.4 | % | 14.0 | % | 12.4 | % | ||||||
| Financial expense, net | 0.3 | % | 0.2 | % | 0.0 | % | ||||||
| Income before taxes on income | 15.1 | % | 13.8 | % | 12.4 | % | ||||||
| Taxes on income | 2.8 | % | 2.7 | % | 2.2 | % | ||||||
| Net income | 12.3 | % | 11.1 | % | 10.2 | % | ||||||
| Attributed to non-controlling interests | 0.1 | % | 0.1 | % | 0.0 | % | ||||||
| Net income attributable to Sapiens’ shareholders | 12.2 | % | 11.0 | % | 10.2 | % | ||||||
Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
Revenues
Please refer to “Critical Accounting Estimates” below in Item 5.E for a description of our accounting policies related to revenue recognition.
Our overall revenues increased by $39.8 million, or 8.4%, to $514.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $474.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as shown in the table below:
| ($ in thousands) | Year ended December 31, 2023 | Year-over- year change | Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
| $ | 514,584 | 8.4 | % | $ | 474,736 | |||||||
55
Revenues are derived primarily from software products which include mainly, subscription, term license, maintenance, application maintenance and cloud solutions as part of an overall solution that we offer to our customers. We also derive revenue from the implementation of our insurance solutions and from other post production services.
The net increase in revenues of approximately $39.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 was primarily attributable to our core solutions. In 2023 and 2022, our largest customer accounted for 3.3% and 4.6%, respectively, of our consolidated revenues.
Our revenues can fluctuate on a quarterly basis, based on various factors, including (i) the timing at which our customers “go live” (at which point our revenues from a specific client begin to decrease), and (ii) changes in foreign exchange rates. While we anticipate that our total revenues will continue to grow during the year ending December 31, 2024, we cannot assess how our revenues may differ from quarter to quarter.
Revenues by geographical region
The dollar amount and percentage of our revenues attributable to each of the geographical regions in which we conducted our operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, as well as the percentage change between such periods, were as follows:
| Year ended December 31, 2023 | Year-over- year | Year ended December 31, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | Revenues | Percentage | change | Revenues | Percentage | |||||||||||||||
| Geographical region | ||||||||||||||||||||
| North America* | $ | 212,217 | 41.2 | % | 7.4 | % | $ | 197,519 | 41.6 | % | ||||||||||
| Europe** | 257,213 | 50.0 | % | 10.5 | % | 232,840 | 49.1 | % | ||||||||||||
| Rest of the world | 45,154 | 8.8 | % | 1.7 | % | 44,377 | 9.3 | % | ||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 514,584 | 100 | % | 8.4 | % | 474,736 | 100 | % | |||||||||||
| * | Revenues from North America that are shown in the above table consist of revenues primarily from the United States (in amounts of $210.5 million and $195.9 million during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively). Revenues from United States are more than 20% greater than revenues from any other country (including countries within Europe and the rest of the world). |
| ** |
Revenues from Europe include revenues from United Kingdom, or UK, European Union countries (including Nordic region) and Israel.
Revenues from the UK amounted to $77.2 million and $64.4 million during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. |
Our revenues in North America increased by $14.7 million, or 7.4%, to $212.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $197.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. That increase was attributable to an organic growth of all our insurance products.
Our revenues in Europe increased by $24.4 million, or 10.5%, to $257.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $232.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. That increase was primarily attributable to the organic growth of our core business P&C and L&P.
Our revenues in the rest of the world increased by $0.7 million, or 1.7%, to $45.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $44.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
56
Cost of Revenues
Our cost of revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively (both in absolute terms and as a percentage of our overall revenues), as well as the percentage change between those years, are provided in the below table:
| ($ in thousands) | Year ended December 31, 2023 | Year-over- year change | Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
| Cost of revenues | $ | 294,990 | 7.4 | % | $ | 274,573 | ||||||
| Cost of revenues as a percentage of revenues | 57.3 | % | 57.8 | % | ||||||||
Cost of revenues consist primarily of costs associated with providing services to customers, including compensation expense to employees and subcontractors, amortization of acquired technologies and depreciation, and cloud-related cost. Our cost of revenues increased by $20.4 million, or 7.4%, to $295 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $274.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was mainly due to an increase in the number of delivery employees compared to 2022, Cost of revenues amounted to 57.3% as a percentage of our revenues during the year ended December 31, 2023, which was a decreased by 0.5% from the corresponding percentage for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Gross profit
Our gross profit for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively (both in absolute terms and as a percentage of our overall revenues), as well as the percentage change between those periods, are provided in the below table:
| ($ in thousands) | Year ended December 31, 2023 | Year-over- year change | Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
| Gross profit | $ | 219,594 | 9.7 | % | $ | 200,163 | ||||||
| Gross profit as a percentage of revenues | 42.7 | % | 42.2 | % | ||||||||
Our gross profit increased by $19.4 million, or 9.7%, to $219.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $200.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. This increase was attributable to the increase in our revenues, while the cost of revenues increased but at a lower rate, as mentioned above. While the payroll expenses went up in 2023, in line with industry trends, we mitigated that increase by increasing our reliance upon offshore employees. The gross profit as a percentage of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 was 42.7%, which reflected an increase compared to 42.2% for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Operating expenses
The amount of each category of operating expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, as well as the percentage change in each such expense category between such periods, and the percentage of our revenues constituted by our total operating expenses in each such period, is provided in the below table:
| ($ in thousands) | Year
ended | Year-over- year change | Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
| Research and development, net | $ | 63,475 | 8.2 | % | $ | 58,656 | ||||||
| Selling, marketing, general and administrative | 77,251 | 3.0 | % | 75,016 | ||||||||
| Total operating expenses | $ | 140,726 | 5.2 | % | $ | 133,672 | ||||||
| Percentage of total revenues | 27.3 | % | 28.2 | % | ||||||||
Research and development, or R&D, expenses are primarily comprised of compensation expense to employees and subcontractors, net of capitalization of software development costs. Our gross research and development expenses (before capitalization of eligible software development costs) for the year ended December 31, 2023 totaled $70 million compared to $64.8 million in the year ended December 31, 2022. That increase of $5.2 million, or 8.1%, was primarily attributable to an increase in the number of R&D employees compared to 2022. Capitalization of software development costs accounted for a reduction of $6.5 million in our R&D expenses, net for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to a reduction of $6.1 million in the year ended December 31, 2022.
57
Selling, marketing, general and administrative, or SG&A, expenses, which are primarily comprised of compensation expenses for employees and subcontractors, were $77.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $75.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2022, representing an increase of $2.3 million. This increase was mainly attributable to an increase in the number of sales and marketing employees compared to 2022. As a percentage of total revenues, our SG&A decreased from 15.8% in the year ended December 31, 2022, to 15% for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Operating income
Operating income and operating income as a percentage of total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, as well as the percentage change in operating income between such periods, were as follows:
| ($ in thousands) | Year ended December 31, 2023 | Year-over- year change | Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 78,868 | 18.6 | % | $ | 66,491 | ||||||
| Percentage of total revenues | 15.4 | % | 14.0 | % | ||||||||
The increase in our operating income for the year ended December 31, 2023 relative to the year ended December 31, 2022 as an absolute amount, and the increase in operating income as a percentage of our revenues, as reflected in the above table, were attributable to the various gross profit and operating expenses trends described above.
Financial expenses, net
The amount of our financial expenses, net, for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and the percentage of our revenues for those respective periods constituted by such amounts, as well as the percentage change in such amounts between such periods, were as follows:
| ($ in thousands) | Year ended December 31, 2023 | Year-over- year change | Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
| Financial expenses, net | $ | 1,750 | 86.0 | % | $ | 941 | ||||||
| Percentage of total revenues | 0.3 | % | 0.2 | % | ||||||||
Financial expenses, net, were $1.75 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to financial expenses, net of $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in financial expenses, net in 2023 was related to: (1) an increase of the net loss from hedging transactions, which was $3.0 million in 2023 compared to $1.2 million in 2022, (2) a shift from exchange rates net profit to exchange rates net loss, which caused a total increase of $1.7 million of financial expenses, and (3) in 2022, we had one-time income from PPP loan forgiveness of $1.5 million. (4) This was offset mainly by an increase of $4.4 million in finance income from bank deposits.
Taxes on income
Taxes on income, both as a dollar value and as a percentage of income before taxes on income, for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, as well as the percentage change in the amount of taxes on income between such periods, were as follows:
| ($ in thousands) | Year ended December 31, 2023 | Year-over- year change | Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
| Taxes on income | $ | 14,251 | 17.6 | % | $ | 12,619 | ||||||
| As a percentage of income before taxes on income | 18.5 | % | 19.3 | % | ||||||||
58
In 2023, we recognized a net tax on income of $14.3 million, compared to $12.6 million in 2022. The increase in taxes on income was primarily attributable to the increase in our taxable income, mainly in the US. The lower tax rate as percentage of income in 2023 compared to 2022, derived mainly from a greater portion of profit attributable to the Special Preferred Technology Enterprise eligible to reduced tax rate.
Our effective income tax rate varies from period to period as a result of the various jurisdictions in which we operate, as each jurisdiction has its own system of taxation (not only with respect to the nominal rate, but also with respect to the allowance of deductions, credits and other benefits). We record a valuation allowance if we believe that it is more likely than not that the deferred income taxes regarding the loss carry forwards and other temporary differences, on which a valuation allowance has been provided, will not be realized in the foreseeable future. We do not recognize certain of the deferred tax assets relating to the net operating losses of certain of our subsidiaries worldwide due to the uncertainty of the realization of such tax benefits in the foreseeable future.
Net income attributable to Sapiens shareholders
The amount of net income attributable to Sapiens shareholders and such amount as a percentage of revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, as well as the percentage change in net income attributable to Sapiens shareholders between such periods, were as follows:
| ($ in thousands) | Year ended December 31, 2023 | Year-over- change | Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||
| Net income attributable to Sapiens shareholders | $ | 62,444 | 18.7 | % | $ | 52,595 | ||||||
| Percentage of total revenues | 12.2 | % | 11.0 | % | ||||||||
As a percentage of total revenues, our net income attributable to Sapiens shareholders increased from 11.0% in the year ended December 31, 2022 to 12.2% for the year ended December 31, 2023, reflecting the cumulative effect of all of the above-described line items from our statements of income.
Impact of Tax Policies and Programs on our Operating Results
Israeli Tax Considerations and Government Programs
Tax regulations have a material impact on our business, particularly in Israel where we have our headquarters and due to our election to be treated as an Israeli resident corporation for tax purposes. The following summary describes the current tax structure applicable to companies in Israel, with special reference to its effect on us.
General Corporate Tax Structure
Generally, Israeli companies are subject to corporate tax on their taxable income. As of 2018 and thereafter, the corporate tax rate is 23%. However, the effective tax rate payable by a company that derives income from an AE, BE, PFE, PTE or an SPTE, in each case, as defined and further discussed below, may be considerably lower. See “Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments” in this Item 5.A below. In addition, Israeli companies are currently subject to regular corporate tax rate on their capital gains.
Besides being subject to the general corporate tax rules in Israel, certain of our Israeli subsidiaries have also, from time to time, applied for and received certain grants and tax benefits from, and participate in, programs sponsored by the Government of Israel, as described below.
Law for the Encouragement of Industry (Taxes), 1969
The Law for the Encouragement of Industry (Taxes), 5729-1969, or the Industry Encouragement Law, provides several tax benefits for an “Industrial Company”. Pursuant to the Industry Encouragement Law, a company qualifies as an Industrial Company if it is an Israeli resident company which was incorporated in Israel and at least 90% of its income in any tax year (other than income from certain government loans) is generated from an “Industrial Enterprise” that it owns and located in Israel or in the “Area,” in accordance with the definition under Section 3A of the Israeli Income Tax Ordinance (New Version) 1961, or the Ordinance. An “Industrial Enterprise” is defined as an enterprise which is held by an Industrial Company whose major activity, in any given tax year, is industrial production.
59
An Industrial Company is entitled to certain corporate tax benefits, including:
| ● | Amortization of the cost of purchased patents, or the right to use a patent or know-how or certain other intangible property rights (other than goodwill) that were purchased in good faith and are used for the development or promotion of the Industrial Enterprise, over an eight year period commencing on the year in which such rights were first exercised |
| ● | The right to elect, under certain conditions, to file a consolidated tax return together with Israeli Industrial Companies controlled by it |
| ● | Expenses related to a public offering are deductible in equal amounts over three years beginning from the year of the offering |
Eligibility for benefits under the Industry Encouragement Law is not subject to receipt of prior approval from any governmental authority.
We believe that certain of our Israeli subsidiaries currently qualify as Industrial Companies within the definition under the Industry Encouragement Law. We cannot assure you that we will continue to qualify as Industrial Companies or that the benefits described above will be available in the future.
Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments, 5719-1959
The Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments, 5719-1959, or the Investment Law, provides certain incentives for capital investments in a production facility (or other eligible assets). Generally, an investment program that is implemented in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Law, referred to an Approved Enterprise, or AE, a Beneficiary Enterprise, or BE, a Preferred Enterprise, or PFE, or a Preferred Technological Enterprise, or PTE, or a Special Preferred Technological Enterprise, or SPTE, is entitled to benefits as discussed below. These benefits may include cash grants from the Israeli government and tax benefits, based upon, among other things, the geographic location in Israel of the facility in which the investment and manufacturing activity are made. In order to qualify for these incentives, an AE, BE, PFE, PTE or SPTE is required to comply with the requirements of the Investment Law
The Investment Law has been amended several times over the recent years, with the three most significant changes effective as of April 1, 2005 (referred to as the 2005 Amendment), as of January 1, 2011 (referred to as the 2011 Amendment) and as of January 1, 2017 (referred to as the 2017 Amendment). Pursuant to the 2005 Amendment, tax benefits granted in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Law prior to its revision by the 2005 Amendment remain in force but any benefits granted subsequently are subject to the provisions of the amended Investment Law. Similarly, the 2011 Amendment introduced new benefits instead of the benefits granted in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Law prior to the 2011 Amendment. However, companies entitled to benefits under the Investment Law as in effect up to January 1, 2011 were entitled to choose to continue to enjoy such benefits, provided that certain conditions are met, or elect instead, irrevocably, to forego such benefits and elect the benefits of the 2011 Amendment. The 2017 Amendment introduced new benefits for Technological Enterprises, alongside the existing tax benefits.
Tax benefits under the 2011 Amendment that became effective on January 1, 2011
The 2011 Amendment canceled the availability of the benefits granted in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Law prior to 2011 and, instead, introduced new benefits for income generated by a “Preferred Company” through its PFE (as such terms are defined in the Investment Law) as of January 1, 2011. A Preferred Company is defined as either (i) a company incorporated in Israel which is not wholly owned by a governmental entity or (ii) a limited partnership that (a) was registered under the Israeli Partnerships Ordinance and (b) all of its limited partners are companies incorporated in Israel, but not all of them are governmental entities; which has, among other things, PFE status and is controlled and managed from Israel. Pursuant to the 2011 Amendment, a Preferred Company was entitled to a reduced corporate tax rate of 15% with respect to its preferred income (“PFI”) attributed to its PFE in 2011 and 2012, unless the PFE is located in a certain development zone, in which case the rate was 10%. Such corporate tax rate was reduced to 12.5% and 7%, respectively, in 2013 and was increased to 16% and 9%, respectively, in 2014 until 2016. Pursuant to the 2017 Amendment, in 2017 and thereafter, the corporate tax rate for a PFE that is located in a specified development zone was decreased to 7.5%, while the reduced corporate tax rate for other development zones remains 16%. Income derived by a Preferred Company from a Special PFE (as such term is defined in the Investment Law) would be entitled, during a benefits period of 10 years, to further reduced tax rates of 8%, or 5% if the Special PFE is located in a certain development zone. As of January 1, 2017, the definition for special PFE includes less stringent conditions.
60
The classification of income generated from the provision of usage rights in know-how or software that were developed in a PFE, as well as royalty income received with respect to such usage, is subject, as PFE income, to the issuance of a pre-ruling from the Israel Tax Authority, or the ITA, that stipulates that such income is associated with the productive activity of the PFE in Israel.
We have received a tax ruling from the ITA, which, as extended, is valid until December 31, 2024, which we refer to as the Tax Ruling, according to which dividends paid to Israeli shareholders who are individuals and to non-Israeli shareholders (individuals and corporations) will be subject to withholding tax at source at the rate of 25% and in the case of Israeli resident corporations— 0%, regardless of the source of the dividends. We cannot guarantee that the Tax Ruling will be extended further beyond December 31, 2024.
On November 15, 2021, the Economic Efficiency Law (Legislative Amendments for Achieving Budget Targets for the 2022 and 2021 Budget Years), 2021, which we refer to as the Economic Efficiency Law, was enacted. This law established a temporary order, or the Temporary Order, allowing Israeli companies to release tax-exempt earnings, which we refer to as trapped earnings or accumulated earnings, that had accumulated until December 31, 2020, through a mechanism established for a reduced corporate income tax rate applicable to those earnings. In addition to reducing the corporate income tax (or CIT) rate, the Economic Efficiency Law amended Article 74 of the Investment Law, whereby effective from August 15, 2021, for any dividend distribution (including a dividend specified in Article 51B of the Investment Law) by a company which has trapped earnings, there is a requirement to allocate a portion of that distribution to the trapped earnings. Under the Temporary Order, the reduction of CIT applies to earnings that are released (with no requirement for an actual distribution) within a period of one year from the date of enactment of the Temporary Order. The reduction in the CIT is dependent on the proportion of the trapped earnings that are released relative to the total trapped earnings, and on the foreign investment percentage in the years the earnings were generated. Consequently, the larger the proportion of the trapped earnings that are released, the lower the tax in respect of the distribution. The minimum tax rate is 6%. Further, a company that elects to pay a reduced CIT is required to invest in its industrial enterprise a designated amount in accordance with the Economic Efficiency Law within a period of five years commencing from the tax year in which the election is made. The designated investment should be utilized for the acquisition of production assets, and/or investments in research and development and/or compensation to additional new employees.
In 2022, the Company filed its application for the Temporary Order and paid the required amount to the ITA. As of December 31, 2022 all the trapped earnings were released.
New Tax benefits under the 2017 Amendment that became effective on January 1, 2017
The 2017 Amendment provides new tax benefits for two types of Technology Enterprises, as described below, and is in addition to the other existing tax beneficial programs under the Investment Law.
The 2017 Amendment provides that a technology company satisfying certain conditions will qualify as a PTE and will thereby enjoy a reduced corporate tax rate of 12% on income that qualifies as Preferred Technology Income, or PTI, as defined in the Investment Law. The tax rate is further reduced to 7.5% for a PTE located in development zone “A”. In addition, a Preferred Technology Company will enjoy a reduced corporate tax rate of 12% on capital gain derived from the sale of certain Benefited Intangible Assets (as defined in the Investment Law) to a related foreign company if the Benefitted Intangible Assets were acquired from a foreign company on or after January 1, 2017 for at least NIS 200 million, and the sale receives prior approval from the National Authority for Technological Innovation (previously known as the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist), to which we refer as the IIA.
The 2017 Amendment further provides that a technology company satisfying certain conditions will qualify as an SPTE (an enterprise for which, among others, total consolidated revenues of its parent company and all subsidiaries is at least NIS 10 billion) and will thereby enjoy a reduced corporate tax rate of 6% on PTI regardless of the company’s geographic location within Israel. In addition, a SPTE will enjoy a reduced corporate tax rate of 6% on capital gain derived from the sale of certain “Benefited Intangible Assets” to a related foreign company if the Benefited Intangible Assets were either developed by the SPTE or acquired from a foreign company on or after January 1, 2017, and the sale received prior approval from IIA. A SPTE that acquires Benefitted Intangible Assets from a foreign company for more than NIS 500 million will be eligible for these benefits for at least ten years, subject to certain approvals as specified in the Investment Law.
61
We examined the impact of the 2017 Amendment and the degree to which we will qualify as a PTE or SPTE, and the amount of PTI that we may have, or other benefits that we may receive, from the 2017 Amendment. Beginning in 2017, part of the Company’s taxable income in Israel is entitled to a preferred 12% tax rate under the 2017 Amendment. In addition, from 2019 onwards, we are considered an SPTE and are entitled to an SPTE tax rate of 6%, as described above.
Tax Benefits and grants for Research and Development
Israeli tax law allows, under certain conditions, a tax deduction for research and development expenditures, including capital expenditures, for the year in which they are incurred. Such expenditures must relate to scientific research and development projects, and must be approved by the relevant Israeli government ministry, determined by the field of research. Furthermore, the research and development must be for the promotion of the company’s business and carried out by or on behalf of the company seeking such tax deduction. However, the amount of such deductible expenses is reduced by the sum of any funds received through government grants for the finance of such scientific research and development projects. Expenditures not so approved by the relevant Israeli government ministry, but otherwise qualifying for deduction, are deductible in equal amount over a three-year period.
Tax Reform – United States of America:
The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”) was approved on December 22, 2017. This legislation makes significant changes to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Such changes include a reduction in the corporate tax rate and limitations on certain corporate deductions and credits, among other changes.
The TCJA reduces the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. In addition, the TCJA makes certain changes to the depreciation rules and implements new limits on the deductibility of certain expenses and deduction.
Effective in 2022, the TCJA requires all U.S. companies to capitalize, and subsequently amortize R&E expenses that fall within the scope of Section 174 over five years for research activities conducted in the United States and over fifteen years for research activities conducted outside of the United States, rather than deducting such costs in the year incurred for tax purposes. Although Congress may defer, modify, or repeal this provision, potentially with retroactive effect, we have no assurance that Congress will take any action with respect to this provision. During 2022, we have accounted for the effects of the R&E capitalization, based on interpretation of the law as currently enacted. Accordingly, we increased our current tax expenses in 2022 against a corresponding deferred tax benefit in the same amount, resulting in no effect on the total taxes on income in the statements of income.
B. Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
To date, we have substantially satisfied our capital and liquidity needs through cash flows from operations and sales of our equity and debt securities.
Cash flows provided by operations were $79.4 million and $43.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We used $72.8 million of cash during the year ended December 31, 2023 in investing activities, as compared to using $12.4 million of cash in investing activities in the year ended December 31, 2022. We used $43.3 million and $58.4 million of cash in financing activities during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had $126.7 million and $160.3 million, respectively, of cash and cash equivalents, and $165.8 million and $139.4 million, respectively, of working capital.
62
We expect that we will continue to generate positive cash flows from operations on an annual basis, although this may fluctuate significantly on a quarterly basis. We believe that based on our current operating forecast, the combination of existing working capital and expected cash flows from operations will be sufficient to finance our ongoing operations for the next twelve months. We believe that expected cash flows from operations, which we anticipate will grow over time, together with any supplemental financing that we may decide to obtain (as we did with our October 2020 follow-on offering in the U.S., which raised net proceeds of approximately $108.7 million), will furthermore be sufficient to finance our ongoing operations in the medium-term and long-term as well, subject to additional cash that may be needed to finance any acquisitions that we may pursue. We cannot provide any assurances as to the growth of our expected cash flows from operations in the medium-term and long-term, as our expectations in that respect are subject to the risks and uncertainties described in “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Item 3.D Risk Factors” above.
Our primary future cash commitment that is known to us as of the current time consists of the required repayment of the principal and interest on our Series B Debentures, which, as of March 1, 2024, constituted total indebtedness of $39.8 million. Please see “Israeli Public Offerings and Private Placement of Debentures” below. Our additional future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including the rate of growth of our revenues, the expansion of our sales and marketing activities and the timing and extent of our spending to support our research and development efforts and expansion into other markets. Under our dividend policy, which we recently updated, we will distribute two dividends, on a semi-annual basis, in an aggregate annual amount of up to 40% of our annual net profit (non-GAAP) to our shareholders. See “Item 8. Financial Information – Dividend Policy”. We may also seek to continue to invest in, or acquire, complementary businesses, applications or technologies, as we did in 2023, when we acquired NCDC S.A. and completed our acquisitions of Tiful Gemel and Neuralmatic. To the extent that existing cash and cash equivalents and cash from operations are insufficient to fund our future activities, we may need to raise additional funds through public or private equity or debt financing. Additional funds may not be available on terms favorable to us or at all.
Because we do not have any outstanding debt obligations other than the Series B Debentures, which accrue interest at a fixed rate, we have not been materially impacted by the global rises in interest rates that began in 2022 and do not expect to be materially impacted by reductions in interest rates that are expected in 2024.
Israeli Traded Debentures
In September 2017, we published with the Israeli Securities Authority, or the ISA, and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, or the TASE, a shelf offering report for an offering of a new series of debentures—Series B, unsecured, non-convertible debentures, or the Series B Debentures— in Israel, which offering included institutional and public bid processes. In June 2020, we filed a supplemental shelf offering report for a public offering of additional Series B Debentures, which were subject to identical terms as the Series B Debentures offered in 2017. Pursuant to the two offerings, we offered, issued and sold totals of 234,144 units and 210,000 units of Series B Debentures of principal amount of NIS 1,000 each for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately NIS 234.14 million (approximately $66.2 million) and NIS 210 million (approximately $60.3 million), respectively.
Immediately following the September 2017 public offering, we entered into agreements with Israeli accredited investors for the private placement to those investors, in Israel, of an additional NIS 45.86 million (approximately $12.96 million) principal amount of Series B Debentures. The Series B Debentures were sold in the private placement at a price of NIS 995.5 for each NIS 1,000 principal amount, thereby generating approximately NIS 45.65 million ($12.9 million) of additional proceeds for our company.
As of March 1, 2024, there is NIS 140 million (approximately $39.5 million) principal amount of Series B Debentures outstanding, all of which trade on the TASE in units of NIS 1,000 principal amount each.
63
The outstanding principal amount of the Series B Debentures is linked to the US dollar and bears interest at an annual rate of 3.37%, payable on a semi-annual basis (on January 1 and July 1). In the case of the Series B Debentures sold in 2017, the semi-annual interest payment dates run from 2018 through 2025 (inclusive), with one final interest payment on January 1, 2026. In the case of the Series B Debentures sold in 2020, the semi-annual interest payment dates run from 2021 through 2025, also with one final interest payment due on January 1, 2026. The principal of the Series B Debentures is payable in equal annual payments, on January 1 of each year. In the case of the September 2017 Series B Debentures, those payments began on January 1, 2019, and will be completed on January 1, 2026. The principal due under the June 2020 Series B Debentures will be repaid based on a shorter schedule, with proportionately larger annual principal payments, which commenced on January 1, 2021 and will conclude on January 1, 2026. The first six principal installments for the September 2017 Series B Debentures, in amounts of $9.9 million each, were paid on January 1, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, while the first four principal payments of $9.9 million each for the June 2020 Series B Debentures were made on January 1, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
In connection with our offerings of the Series B Debentures, we received from Standard & Poors (S&P) Maalot (a subsidiary of S&P Global) a corporate credit rating and a rating for the Series B Debentures, which S&P Maalot affirmed, as of July 2018 and 2019, May 2020 and July 2021, as ilA+, with stable outlook. In June 2022, S&P Maalot upgraded the rating of our Series B Debentures to ilAA-, with stable outlook, which it affirmed in July 2023.
We have been using, and expect to continue to use, the net proceeds from the Series B Debentures for general corporate purposes, financing our operating and investment activities, and financing our acquisitions.
Lease obligations and additional ordinary–course obligations
We have contractual obligations related to our operating leases in an aggregate amount of $33.8 million as of December 31, 2023, which are payable over the course of periods that extend up until 2036. In addition, we also have various ordinary-course contractual liabilities, some of which are contingent on future events and conditions, none of which individually is expected to have a material impact on our liquidity.
Cash Flows
Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
The following tables summarize the sources and uses of our cash in the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| (in thousands US$) | ||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 79,425 | $ | 43,780 | ||||
| Net cash provided by used in investing activities | (72,780 | ) | (12,440 | ) | ||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (43,339 | ) | (58,375 | ) | ||||
Operating Activities
We derived positive cash flows from operating activities of $79.4 million and $43.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. This increase in cash flows provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 relative to the year ended December 31, 2022 resulted primarily from an increase in the number of new deals that we signed in 2023, which translated to increased upfront payments from new customers and from organic growth of our revenue from existing customers which contributed to an increase in collection of payments from our customers.
64
Investing Activities
We used $72.8 million of cash during the year ended December 31, 2023 in investing activities, as compared to using $12.4 million of cash in the year ended December 31, 2022. Cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was mainly attributable to $55 million, in the aggregate, used in investing in short term deposits. In addition, $8.1 million (net cash acquired) was attributable to our acquisition of NCDC.
Financing Activities
We used $43.3 million of cash during the year ended December 31, 2023 for financing activities as compared to using $58.4 million of cash for financing activities in the year ended December 31, 2022. Cash used in financing activities in the year ended December 31, 2023 was primarily attributable to the principal payments that we made on our Series B Debentures, in an amount of $19.8 million, in the aggregate, as well as $28.1 million, in the aggregate, used for cash dividend distribution payments to our shareholders based on our 2022 second-half results and 2023 first-half results. On the other hand, during 2023, we generated positive cash flow from proceeds from employee stock option exercises, in an amount of $4.8 million. Cash used in financing activities in the year ended December 31, 2022 was primarily attributable to the principal payments that we made on our Series B Debentures, in an amount of $19.8 million, in the aggregate, as well as $38.6 million, in the aggregate, used in the payment of cash dividends to our shareholders based on our 2021 annual and 2022 first-half results.
C. Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, etc.
See the caption titled “Research and Development” in part A. “Operating Results” of this Item 5 above for a description of our R&D policies and amounts expended thereon during the last two fiscal years.
D. Trend Information
Trends Impacting Our Industry and Our Business
Technology/Digital Insurance
There are various sales and marketing trends that influence our business.
Gartner, a leading global research and advisory company, has stated in its “Insurance CIO Priorities 2024: Insights for Technology and Service Providers’ Product Plans”, published on January 2, 2024 by James Ingham, that:
| ● | Insurance respondents continued focus on application modernization, cybersecurity, data science and cloud, as seen in previous years. However, for 2024, respondents have reported increased funding for integration technologies, and APIs and API architecture have risen to the top of the priority list for the first time. |
| ● | Generative AI advancements have the potential to improve and accelerate the accuracy and efficiency of existing AI use cases — such as real-time summarization of customer call issues or extraction of data from complex policy documents — before unlocking value for net new use cases. |
| ● | Insurance CIOs are taking a measured approach to cryptocurrency transactions, metaverse, quantum computing, 5G and blockchain, and may adopt these technologies either slowly or indirectly. |
Other analyst reports, which were published previously, highlighted potential growth opportunities and areas of focus for insurers.
65
Other Trends
As people accumulate more property and live longer, the insurance industry has become more competitive. The competition for the customers’ business requires insurers to improve customer experience, be faster to market with new products and offer innovative channels, such as social media and mobile. Innovative technology infrastructure is necessary to support these business initiatives.
In addition, insurers are faced with the increasing significance of regulatory changes to protect the policyholder in many markets, particularly large insurers that are considered important to the stability of the world economic system. Many insurers are integrating enterprise risk management as standard operating procedure, while spreading ownership of risk throughout the strategic decision-making process.
As customers become more sophisticated, the support of innovative products and distribution channels is mandatory. Insurers are identifying growth opportunities by attracting new customers and retaining current customers by seeking to reinvent the customer experience and provide quote and policy information to their customers upon request. This means strong emphasis on digitalization of processes, rapid configuration and omni-channel distribution needs.
With today’s strong trend of shifting attention to the end-customer experience and activities, there is an increasing focus on digital operations to support the increasing usage of the Internet for sales, recommendations and general communication. This affects the carriers’ needs to innovate their product proposition through a flexible and modern solution. Another substantial trend is the increasing usage of data for decision-making, risk analysis, and customers’ evaluation and rating, which requires streamlined data flow and easy access to information from multiple sources.
Increased global competition, the need to improve distribution channels and provide an enhanced customer experience, and efforts to expand into new countries and markets, have required heavy investments from insurers, resulting in a trend towards consolidation. This has mainly included consolidation of applications, databases, development tools, hardware and data centers.
A very notable trend is the rapidly increasing interest in AI, predictive models, and now also Generative-AI that is expected to bring a significant level of innovation, change, process automation and a growing trend of leveraging the huge amount of data captured by insurance carriers, to provide real-time insights and operational advice on managing the operation.
Also, the transfer to cloud-based systems in a SaaS engagement model with a subscription-type contracts is getting stronger, and we witness a growing and strong preference of customers and carriers to benefit from a cloud-native system.
Property & Casualty Market
Property & casualty insurance protects policyholders against a range of losses on items of value. P&C insurance includes the personal segment, which is insurance coverage for individuals, with products such as motor, home, personal property and travel; the commercial segment, covering aspects of commercial activity, such as commercial property, car fleets, cyber and professional liability; and specialty lines, covering unique domains, such as marine, art and credit insurance. This market also includes workers’ compensation for market carriers, administrators and state funds, and Medical Professional Liability for health care professionals.
During the past few years, the P&C market has been characterized by a fast rate of digital adoption. New business and technology models are adopted rapidly, to launch innovative business offerings. This requires advanced software solutions, both on the core layer, which needs to be flexible and open, and with the variety of digital tools addressing customer experience needs.
66
Life, Pension & Annuity Markets
Life, pension & annuity providers offer their customers a wide range of products for long-term savings, protection, pension and insurance. They assist policyholders with financial planning through life insurance, medical and investment products. Their products can be classified into several areas, primarily investment and savings, risk and protection, pension and health-related products. These products can be targeted to individuals, as well as group- and employee-benefit types of products.
The products in this field are long-term in nature. When insurance providers consider purchasing new platforms from Sapiens, the decision is typically slower and involves multiple decision-makers throughout the organization.
Reinsurance Market
Reinsurance is insurance that is purchased by an insurance company (ceded reinsurance) from another insurance company (assumed reinsurance) as a means of risk management. The reinsurer and the insurer enter into a reinsurance agreement, which details the conditions upon which the reinsurer would pay the insurer’s losses. The reinsurer is paid a reinsurance premium by the insurer and the insurer issues insurance policies to its own policyholders. The insurer must maintain an accurate system of records to track its reinsurance contracts and treaties, to avoid claims leakage.
Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation is one of the largest lines of business in the P&C industry in North America. But future profitability is getting harder to maintain, with medical and indemnity costs per lost time claim increasing at rates greater than inflation. Insurance organizations require technology solutions that can adapt quickly to business and market conditions, offering high levels of accuracy and efficiency.
Financial & Compliance Market
Financial professionals face overwhelming challenges as they struggle to satisfy ever-changing regulatory requirements, while meeting the demands of managerial reporting. The move towards globalization has introduced new currencies, and CEOs need more performance data for strategic decision-making. Organizations require one partner to optimize efficiencies with solutions that can be implemented quickly.
Decision Management Market
Increasing competition, regulatory burden, customer experience expectations and the proliferation of digital and product innovation requirements have necessitated a shift in thinking and approach among organizations across verticals. By replacing conventional policy and process management with the discipline known as “decision management,” financial institutions are bridging the gap between business and IT, by enabling business users to rapidly frame requirements in formal business models that can be easily understood by all stakeholders.
The decision management processes affect overall corporate performance, including its impact on customers and competitors. Decision management systems are a key performance component of every financial services organization, as they help the organization define, avoid and hedge financial risk.
Business Decision Management Market Needs
Many large organizations, particularly in the financial services market, must comply with complex regulations. They operate in highly competitive markets that require quick responses. Business logic drives most of the financial services transactions and is the backbone of an organization’s policies and strategies, and its ability to successfully operate.
67
To achieve efficiency, business owners must assume ownership of the business logic and possess the ability to define, modify, standardize and reuse it across the organization. Business logic is defined today by business owners and compliance officers, but IT departments translate the requirements into code. This process raises several key challenges: 1) the result does not always accurately reflect the business requirements; 2) the new requirements might conflict with, or override, previous requirements; 3) the changes can take a long time and, 4) the entire process is not fully audited. These gaps often create an inefficient and risk-exposed organization.
Other than as disclosed elsewhere in this Annual Report, we are not aware of any trends, uncertainties, demands, commitments or events for the period from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023 that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our revenue, profitability, liquidity or capital resources, or that caused the disclosed financial information to be not necessarily indicative of future operating results or financial condition.
E. Critical Accounting Estimates
Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of our financial statements required us to make estimations and judgments that affect the reporting amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities within the reporting period. We have based our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis of making judgments about the values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. More detailed descriptions of these policies are provided in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included under Item 18 of this annual report.
We believe that the following critical accounting policies affect the estimates and judgments that we made in preparing our consolidated financial statements:
| ● | Revenue Recognition |
| ● | Goodwill, long lived assets and other identifiable intangible assets |
| ● | Taxes on Income |
Revenue Recognition
The Company implements the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). See Note 18 to our consolidated financial statements for further disclosures.
Revenues are recognized when control of the promised goods or services are transferred to the customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration that the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services.
The Company generates revenues mainly from sales of software licenses which include significant implementation and customization services. In addition, the Company generates revenues from post implementation consulting services and maintenance services. Revenues from these contracts are based on either fixed price or time and material.
Revenue from long term contracts which involve significant implementation, customization, or integration of the Company’s software license to customer-specific requirements are considered as one performance obligation satisfied over-time.
68
The Company recognizes revenue on such contracts over time, using the percentage of completion accounting method. The Company recognizes revenue as the work is performed, based on a ratio between labor effort incurred to date compared to the total estimated labor effort for the contract. Incurred labor effort represents work performed that corresponds with, and thereby best depicts, the transfer of control of the goods and services to the customer. Determining the projected labor costs requires understanding the project-specific circumstances, including the specific terms and conditions of each contract, changes to the project schedule, and complexity of the project. Provisions for estimated losses on uncompleted contracts are made during the period in which such losses become probable, in the amount of the estimated loss on the entire contract.
When post implementation and consulting services do not involve significant customization, the Company accounts for such services as performance obligations satisfied over time and revenues are recognized as the services are provided.
When the Company enters into a contract for the sale of software license which does not require significant implementation services, and the customer receives the rights to use the perpetual or term-based software license, the Company recognizes revenue from the sale of the software license at the time of delivery, when the customer receives control of the software license. The software license is considered a distinct performance obligation recognized at a point-in-time, as the customer can benefit from the software on its own or together with other readily available resources.
The Company allocates the transaction price for each contract to each performance obligation identified in the contract based on the relative standalone selling price (SSP). The Company determines SSP for the purposes of allocating the transaction price to each performance obligation by considering several external and internal factors including, but not limited to, transactions where the specific performance obligation is sold separately, historical actual pricing practices and geographies in which the Company offers its services.
If a specific performance obligation, such as the software license, is sold for a broad range of amounts (that is, the selling price is highly variable) or if the Company has not yet established a price for that good or service, and the good or service has not previously been sold on a standalone basis (that is, the selling price is uncertain), the Company applies the residual approach whereby all other performance obligations within a contract are first allocated a portion of the transaction price based upon their respective SSPs with any residual amount of transaction price allocated to the remaining specific performance obligation.
In addition to software license fees, contracts with customers may contain an agreement to provide for maintenance services. The Company considers the maintenance performance obligation as a distinct performance obligation that is satisfied over time and recognized on a straight-line basis over the contractual period.
Sales commissions are considered incremental and recoverable costs of obtaining a contract with a customer. Sales commissions paid for initial contracts, which are not commensurate with sales commissions paid for renewal contracts, are capitalized and amortized over an expected period of benefit. Sales commissions on initial contracts, which are commensurate with sales commissions paid for renewal contracts, are capitalized and then amortized correspondingly to the recognized revenue of the related initial contracts. If the expected amortization period is one-year or less, the Company uses the practical expedient and the commission fee is expensed as incurred.
Amortization expense related to these costs are included in sales, marketing, general and administrative expenses.
Goodwill, long lived assets and other identifiable intangible assets
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price in a business combination over the fair value of the net tangible and intangible assets acquired. We applied the provisions of ASC 350 for our annual impairment test. ASC No. 350, "Intangible-Goodwill and other" requires goodwill to be tested for impairment at least annually, in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, and in certain circumstances, between annual tests. The accounting guidance gives the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. The qualitative assessment considers events and circumstances that might indicate that a reporting unit's fair value is less than its carrying amount. If it is determined, as a result of the qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, a quantitative test is performed. Goodwill impairment is required if the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value. The Company operates in a total of four reporting units: P&C, L&P, IPELS and Decision.
69
The P&C unit operates our business related to Property & Casualty solutions, workers compensation and reinsurance worldwide (except for those managed under the IPELS unit). The L&P unit is responsible for our business related to life, pension & annuity solutions worldwide. The IPELS unit handles all of our activities in Israel, Poland, Latvia and Spain (for all of our offerings), as well as our activities related to our eMerge product. Our Decision unit is responsible for all of our business related to our decision management offering. See “Item 4.B. Business Overview” for further information concerning our products and services.
Based on our annual impairment test during the fourth quarter of each of 2023, 2022, and 2021, no impairment to our goodwill was required.
Nevertheless, it is possible that our determination that goodwill for a reporting unit is not impaired could change in the future if current economic conditions deteriorate or remain difficult for an extended period of time. We continue to monitor the relationship between our market capitalization and book value, as well as the ability of our reporting units to deliver current and income and cash flows sufficient to support the book values of the net assets of their respective businesses.
As of December 31, 2023, we had a total of $317.4 million of goodwill and intangible assets, of which $23.7 million were attributable to capitalized software development costs, and the remainder of which were acquired as part of our prior acquisitions.
In accordance with ASC 360, “Property, Plant and Equipment,” or ASC 360, our long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of the assets to the future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. In measuring the recoverability of assets, we are required to make estimates and judgments in assessing our forecast and cash flows and compare that with the carrying amount of the assets. Additional significant estimates used by management in the methodologies used to assess the recoverability of our long-lived assets include estimates of future cash-flows, future short-term and long-term growth rates, market acceptance of products and services, and other judgmental assumptions, which are also affected by factors detailed in our Risk Factors section in this annual report (see “Item 3.D. Key Information – Risk Factors”). If these estimates or the related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to record impairment charges for our long-lived assets.
We evaluate our intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable, in accordance with ASC 360 (as described above). In evaluating potential impairment of these assets, we specifically consider whether any indicators of impairment are present, including, but not limited to whether there:
| ● | Has been a significant adverse change in the business climate that affects the value of an asset. |
| ● | Has been a significant change in the extent or manner in which an asset is used. |
| ● | Is an expectation that the asset will be sold or disposed of before the end of its originally estimated useful life. |
If indicators of impairment are present, we compare the estimated undiscounted cash flows that the specific asset is expected to generate to its carrying value. These estimates involve significant subjectivity. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its fair value.
70
Our policy for capitalized software costs determines the timing of our recognition of certain development costs. Software development costs incurred from the point of reaching technological feasibility until the time of general product release are capitalized. We define technological feasibility as the completion of a detailed program design. The determination of technological feasibility requires the exercise of judgment by our management. Since we sell our products in a market that is subject to rapid technological changes, new product development and changing customer needs, changes in circumstances and estimations may significantly affect the timing and the amounts of software development costs capitalized and thus our financial condition and results of operations.
Capitalized software development costs are amortized commencing with general product release by the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the software product (primarily seven years). We assess the recoverability of this intangible asset on a regular basis by determining whether the amortization of the asset over its remaining life can be recovered through undiscounted future operating cash flows from the specific software product sold.
Taxes on Income
We account for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740 “Income Taxes,” or ASC 740. ASC 740 prescribes the use of the asset and liability method, whereby deferred tax assets and liability account balances are determined based on the differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. Future realization of our deferred tax assets ultimately depends on the existence of sufficient taxable income within the available carryback or carryforward periods. Sources of taxable income include future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, future taxable income, taxable income in prior carryback years and tax planning strategies. We record a valuation allowance to reduce our deferred tax assets to an amount we believe is more likely than not to be realized. Changes in our valuation allowance impact income tax expense in the period of adjustment. Our deferred tax valuation allowances require significant judgment and uncertainties, including assumptions about future taxable income that are based on historical and projected information.
ASC 740 addresses the determination of whether tax benefits claimed or expected to be claimed on a tax return should be recorded in the financial statements. Under ASC 740, a company may recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. We assess our income tax positions and record tax benefits based upon management’s evaluation of the facts, circumstances, and information available at the reporting date. For those tax positions where it is more-likely-than-not that a tax benefit will be sustained, we record the largest amount of tax benefit with a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority having full knowledge of all relevant information. For those income tax positions where it is not more-likely-than-not that a tax benefit will be sustained, no tax benefit is recognized in the financial statements. We classify liabilities for uncertain tax positions as non-current liabilities unless the uncertainty is expected to be resolved within one year. We classify interest as financial expenses and penalties as selling, marketing, general and administration expenses.
As a global company, we use significant judgment to calculate and provide for income taxes in each of the tax jurisdictions in which we operate. In the ordinary course of our business, there are transactions and calculations undertaken whose ultimate tax outcome cannot be certain. Some of these uncertainties arise as a consequence of transfer pricing for transactions with our subsidiaries and tax credit estimates. In addition, the calculation of acquired tax attributes and the associated limitations are complex and although our income tax reserves are based on our best knowledge, we may be subject to unexpected audits by tax authorities in the various countries where we have subsidiaries, which may result in material adjustments to the reserves established in our consolidated financial statements and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. We estimate our exposure to unfavorable outcomes related to these uncertainties and estimate the probability for such outcomes.
71
Although we believe our estimates are reasonable, no assurance can be given that the final tax outcome will not be different from what is reflected in our historical income tax provisions, returns, and accruals. Such differences, or changes in estimates relating to potential differences, could have a material impact on our income tax provision and operating results in the period in which such a determination is made.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
For a description of our recently adopted and recently issued accounting pronouncements, see Notes 2(x) and 2(y), respectively, to our consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this annual report.
ITEM 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees
| A. | Directors and Senior Management |
The following table and below biographies set forth certain information regarding the current executive officers and directors of the Company as of March 1, 2024.
| Name | Age | Position | ||
| Guy Bernstein (1) | 56 | Chairman of the Board of Directors | ||
| Roni Al-Dor | 63 | President, Chief Executive Officer and Director | ||
| Eyal Ben Chlouche (2) | 62 | Director | ||
| Yacov Elinav (2) | 77 | Director | ||
| Uzi Netanel (1)(2) | 88 | Director | ||
| Naamit Salomon (1) | 60 | Director | ||
| Roni Giladi | 53 | Chief Financial Officer |
| (1) | Member of Compensation Committee |
| (2) | Member of Audit Committee |
Guy Bernstein has served as a director of the Company since January 1, 2007, and was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors on November 12, 2009. Mr. Bernstein has served as the chief executive officer of Formula, our parent company, since January 2008. From December 2006 to November 2010, Mr. Bernstein served as a director and the chief executive officer of Emblaze Ltd. or Emblaze, our former controlling shareholder. From April 2004 to December 2006, Mr. Bernstein served as the chief financial officer of Emblaze. He also served as a director of Emblaze from April 2004 until November 2010. Prior to joining Emblaze, Mr. Bernstein served as Chief Financial and Operations Officer of Magic Software, a position he held since 1999. Mr. Bernstein joined Magic Software from Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer, a member of EY Global, where he acted as senior manager from 1994 to 1997. Mr. Bernstein also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Magic Software, as Chairman of the Board of Matrix IT Ltd, Zap Group Ltd and Michpal Group, and as a director of TSG IT Advanced Systems Ltd. Mr. Bernstein is a Certified Licensed Public Accountant and holds a BA in Accounting and Economics from the College of Management Academic Studies.
Roni Al-Dor joined the Company as President and Chief Executive Officer in November 2005 and has served as a director of the Company since November 2005. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Al-Dor was one of the two founders of TTI Team Telecom International Ltd., or TTI, a global supplier of operations support systems to communications service providers and from August 1996 until 2004, Mr. Al-Dor served as President of TTI. Prior to that, Mr. Al-Dor served as TTI’s Co-President from November 1995 until August 1996 and its Vice President from September 1992 to November 1995. During his service in the Israeli Air Force, Mr. Al-Dor worked on projects relating to computerization in aircrafts. Mr. Al-Dor is a graduate of the military computer college of the Israeli Air Force, studied computer science and management at Bar Ilan University and attended the Israel Management Center for Business Administration.
72
Eyal Ben-Chelouche, a highly accomplished professional with more than two decades of experience in finance and capital markets, has held significant leadership positions throughout his career. He began his tenure as a director at the Company in August 2008. Notably, he served as the Commissioner of Capital Market Insurance and Savings at the Israeli Ministry of Finance from 2002 to 2005, where he spearheaded critical reforms. His roles also included Deputy Commissioner and Senior Foreign Exchange and Investment Manager at the Bank of Israel, as well as an Investment Officer at the Bank of England in London. Mr. Ben-Chelouche played a pivotal role in the Bachar Committee on Capital Market Reform, which shaped the financial landscape in Israel. Presently, he serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the DavidShield PassportCard Group since 2018 and DavidShield Insurance since 2020. As an independent director, he brings extensive financial expertise to organizations such as Matrix IT Ltd., Migdal Holding Ltd., and several other private companies. Mr. Ben-Chelouche is an independent director.
Yacov Elinav has served as a director of the Company since March 2005. For over 30 years, Mr. Elinav served in various positions at Bank Hapoalim B.M., which is listed on the London and Tel Aviv Stock Exchanges, including over 10 years as a member of the Board of Management, responsible for subsidiary and related companies. From 1992 through 2006, Mr. Elinav served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Diur B.P. Ltd., the real estate subsidiary of Bank Hapoalim. From August 2004 until 2009, Mr. Elinav served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of DS Securities and Investments, Ltd. From August 2004 through 2008, Mr. Elinav served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of DS Provident Funds Ltd., and from 2010 until August 2015, served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Golden Pages Ltd. Mr. Elinav also serves on the Board of Directors of several other public and private companies. Mr. Elinav is an independent director.
Uzi Netanel has served as a director of the Company since March 2005. He served as chairman of the Board of Directors of Maccabi Enterprise Development & Management Ltd. from 2012 through 2022, and has served as a director of Maccabi Health Services since 2005. He previously served as Chairman of Maccabi Group Holdings Ltd., from 2000 through 2017. From 2004 through 2007, Mr. Netanel served as Chairman of Board of Directors of M.L.L Software & Computers, and from 2000 through 2011 served as a director of Bazan and Carmel Olephine. From 2001 through 2003, Mr. Netanel served as partner in the FIMI Opportunity Fund. From 1993 through 2001, he served as Active Chairman of Israel Discount Capital Markets and Investments Ltd. From 1997 to 1999, Mr. Netanel served as Chairman of Poliziv Plastics Company (1998) Ltd. From 2005 through 2014, he served as director of Maman Group and from 2012 through 2014, he served as director of Gadot Biochemicals. Mr. Netanel also serves at present on the Board of Directors of Acme Trading and Dorcel (B.A.Z.) Ltd. Mr. Netanel is an independent director.
Naamit Salomon has served as a director of the Company since September 2003. She held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Formula from August 1997 until December 2009. Since January 2010 Ms. Salomon has served as a partner in an investment company. Ms. Salomon also serves as a director of Magic. From 1990 through August 1997, Ms. Salomon was a controller of two large, privately held companies in the Formula Group. Ms. Salomon holds a BA in economics and business administration from Ben Gurion University and an LL.M. from the Bar-Ilan University. Ms. Salomon is an independent director.
Roni Giladi joined the Company as Chief Financial Officer in July 2007. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Giladi served as the Director of Finance at Emblaze from January 2007. Prior to joining Emblaze, Mr. Giladi served as Chief Financial Officer of RichFX, from August 2003 until November 2006, after serving as Corporate Controller from June 2002. Prior to RichFX, Mr. Giladi worked at EY Israel, from 1997-2002, as a manager in the high-tech practice group. Mr. Giladi is Certified Licensed Public Accountant and holds a BA in Business Management and Accounting from the College of Management in Israel.
73
Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships Related to Directors
Under our Articles, the Board of Directors must have a minimum of three, and may have a maximum of 24, directors. Directors of the Company are appointed by our General Meeting of Shareholders and hold office until the expiration of the term of their appointment specified at the time of their election or subsequently imposed at a General Meeting of Shareholders, or until they resign or are suspended or dismissed by the General Meeting of Shareholders. The Board of Directors may appoint directors to fill any vacancies resulting from resignations and dismissals of directors, and up to four directors in addition to the directors elected by the General Meeting of Shareholders, subject to the maximum number of directors permitted, and any such appointment shall be effective until the next General Meeting of Shareholders.
Our executive officers are appointed by, and serve at the discretion of, our Board of Directors.
Our Chairman, Guy Bernstein, serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Formula. In addition, Ms. Salomon, another Board member of ours, who served as an executive officer of Formula until December 2009, is a member of the Board of Directors of our affiliate Magic Software Enterprises Ltd. Formula directly owns (as of March 1, 2024) approximately 43.6% of our currently outstanding Common Shares, and Asseco holds 25.8% of the outstanding share capital of Formula.
Board Diversity Matrix
| Board Diversity Matrix | |||||||
| Country of Principal Executive Offices: | Israel | ||||||
| Foreign Private Issuer | Yes | ||||||
| Disclosure Prohibited under Home Country Law | No | ||||||
| Total Number of Directors | 6 | ||||||
| As of March 15, 2024 | As of March 15, 2023 | ||||||
| Female | Male | Female | Male | ||||
| Part I: Gender Identity | |||||||
| Directors | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | |||
| Part II: Demographic Background | |||||||
| Underrepresented Individual in Home Country Jurisdiction | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| LGBTQ+ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Did Not Disclose Demographic Background | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
B. Compensation of Directors and Officers
The aggregate amount of compensation paid by us, or accrued by us, for all directors and executive officers as a group for services in all capacities with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 was $3.3 million, which includes amounts set aside or accrued to provide cash bonuses, pension, retirement or similar benefits.
These compensation amounts do not include amounts expended by us for automobiles made available to our officers or expenses (including business travel and professional and business association dues) reimbursed to such officers. The foregoing amounts also exclude the value of stock option grants to our directors and officers pursuant to our 2011 Share Incentive Plan and our 2021 Share Incentive Plan (which plans are described below), which value amounted to $1.4 million in the aggregate for 2023.
We have employment agreements with our officers. We also enter into confidentiality agreements with our personnel and have entered into non-competition and confidentiality agreements with our officers and high-level technical personnel, in each case in the ordinary course of business. We do not maintain key person life insurance on any of our executive officers.
74
Board Fees and Expenses
We reimburse all members of our Board of Directors for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with their attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors or its committees.
We paid with respect to 2023 fees of approximately $0.1 million, in the aggregate, to all of our independent directors (except to our Chairman of the Board, as described below), in respect of their service on our Board of Directors, including for attending or participating in meetings of the Board of Directors and its committees, and for participating in Board action taken via unanimous written consent. Such fees were set in accordance with the rates paid to “external directors” under the Israeli Companies Law, 5759-1999. Although we are not an Israeli company and are not subject to the Israeli Companies Law, we deem certain standards of that body of law (including compensation to Board members) relevant to a company such as ours. In addition to fees paid to our independent directors, we also paid approximately $28 thousand to Formula in respect of the service of its Chief Executive Officer, Guy Bernstein, as our Chairman of the Board.
Stock Option and Incentive Plan
2011 Share Incentive Plan
In 2011, our Board of Directors adopted our 2011 Share Incentive Plan, or the 2011 Plan, pursuant to which our employees, directors, officers, consultants, advisors, suppliers, business partners, customers and any other person or entity whose services are considered valuable are eligible to receive options, restricted shares, restricted share units and other share-based awards. The number of Common Shares originally available under the 2011 Plan was set at 4,000,000. In February 2016, our Board of Directors approved the reservation of an additional 4,000,000 Common Shares for issuance under the 2011 Plan.
Upon the lapse of ten years following our adoption of the 2011 Plan, no further grants could be made under the plan. Consequently, in August 2021, we adopted our 2021 Share Incentive Plan, or the 2021 Plan (described below under “2021 Share Incentive Plan”), and all Common Shares that were reserved for issuance under the 2011 Plan and not subject to outstanding grants were transferred to the 2021 Plan. Even after our adoption of the 2021 Plan, all outstanding grants that were made under the 2011 Plan remain subject to the terms of the 2011 Plan. Common Shares underlying an award granted under the 2011 Plan that has expired, or is cancelled, terminated or forfeited for any reason, without having been exercised, are available for issuance under the 2021 Plan in accordance with the terms of the 2021 Plan.
The 2011 Plan is administered by the compensation committee of our Board of Directors, or the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has discretionary authority to interpret the 2011 Plan and to adopt practices related thereto.
Under the 2011 Plan, an option may contain such terms and conditions as the Compensation Committee has approved, and generally may be exercised for a period of up to 6 years from the date of grant. Options granted under the 2011 Plan become exercisable in four equal, annual installments, beginning with the first anniversary of the date of the grant, or pursuant to such other schedule as the Compensation Committee has provided in the option agreement. The exercise price of such options generally has not been less than 100% of the fair market value per share of the Common Shares at the date of the grant. In the case of ISOs (as defined under the Code), certain limitations apply with respect to the aggregate value of option shares which can become exercisable for the first time during any one calendar year, and certain additional limitations apply to “Ten Percent Shareholders” (as defined in the 2011 Plan). The payment of the exercise price may be made in cash, or, if provided by the Compensation Committee, by delivery of other Common Shares having a fair market value equal to such option exercise price, by a combination thereof or by any method in accordance with the terms of the option agreements. The exercise price for each outstanding option to purchase one Common Share granted under the 2011 Plan is subject to reduction by the per share amount of any dividend that we declare from time to time while the option is outstanding. The 2011 Plan contains special rules governing the period during which options may be exercised in the case of death, disability, or other termination of employment. Options are not transferable except by will or pursuant to applicable laws of descent and distribution upon death of an employee, unless otherwise approved by our Board of Directors.
75
Under the 2011 Plan, there are also restricted share units, or RSUs, outstanding, which are settled by the issuance of Common Shares, to which a grantee has no rights until they are actually issued. During 2021 and 2020, we granted RSUs under the 2011 Plan, including to (i) employees of sum.cumo, as part of the consideration for the acquisition of that company, as well (ii) other employees.
As of December 31, 2023, 1,047,000 and 51,422 Common Shares were issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options and outstanding RSUs, respectively, under the 2011 Plan. The outstanding options had a weighted average exercise price of $26.82 per share, of which options to purchase 574,500 Common Shares had vested. Of the Common Shares underlying outstanding awards under the 2011 Plan as of that date, 650,000 of such shares were issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options or settlement of RSUs held by our directors and executive officers. As of December 31, 2023, no further Common Shares were available for future grant under the 2011 Plan, as all shares that had remained available were transferred to the 2021 Plan upon its adoption.
2021 Share Incentive Plan
We adopted a new share incentive plan, the 2021 Share Incentive Plan, or the 2021 Plan, on August 3, 2021, under which we have granted and may grant equity-based incentive awards to attract, motivate and retain the talent for which we compete.
Authorized Shares
As of December 31, 2023, there were 2,149,648 Common Shares allocated for issuance under the 2021 Plan, of which 898,500 and 21,401 Common Shares were issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options and outstanding RSUs, respectively. The outstanding options had a weighted average exercise price of $21.84 per share, of which options to purchase 221,925 Common Shares had vested. Of the Common Shares underlying outstanding awards under the 2021 Plan as of that date, 160,000 of such shares were issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options held by our directors and executive officers. As of December 31, 2023, 1,222,909 Common Shares were reserved and available for future grant under the 2021 Plan.
Shares underlying an award granted under the 2021 Plan or an award granted under the 2011 Plan, that has expired, or was cancelled, terminated, forfeited, repurchased or settled in cash in lieu of issuance of shares, for any reason, without having been exercised, and if permitted by us, shares tendered to pay the exercise price or withholding tax obligations, will become or again be available for issuance under the 2021 Plan.
Administration. The Compensation Committee administers the 2021 Plan. Under the 2021 Plan, the administrator has the authority, subject to applicable law, to interpret the terms of the 2021 Plan and any award agreements or awards granted thereunder, designate recipients of awards, determine and amend the terms of awards and take all actions and make all other determinations necessary for the administration of the 2021 Plan.
The administrator also has the authority to approve the conversion, substitution, cancellation or suspension under and in accordance with the 2021 Plan of any or all option awards or Common Shares. The administrator also has the authority to modify option awards to eligible individuals who are foreign nationals or are individuals who are employed internationally to recognize differences in local law, tax policy or custom in order to effectuate the purposes of the 2021 Plan but without amending the 2021 Plan. The administrator also has the authority to amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the 2021 Plan or terminate the 2021 Plan at any time before the date of expiration of its ten-year term.
Eligibility. The 2021 Plan provides for granting awards under various tax regimes, including, without limitation, in compliance with Section 102 of the Ordinance, and Section 3(i) of the Ordinance and for awards granted to our United States employees or service providers, including those who are deemed to be residents of the United States for tax purposes, Section 422 of the Code and Section 409A of the Code.
76
Awards. The 2021 Plan provides for the grant of share options, Common Shares, restricted shares, RSUs and other share-based awards to employees, directors, officers, consultants, advisors and any other persons or entities who provides services to the company or any parent, subsidiary or affiliate thereof, subject to the terms and conditions of the 2021 Plan. Options granted under the 2021 Plan to our employees who are U.S. residents may qualify as Incentive Stock Options, or may be non-qualified stock options, in each case within the meaning of the Code.
Grant and Exercise. All awards granted pursuant to the 2021 Plan will be evidenced by an award agreement in a form approved, from time to time, by the administrator in its sole discretion. An award may be exercised by providing the company with a written notice of exercise and full payment of the exercise price for such shares underlying the award, if applicable, in such form and method as may be determined by the administrator and permitted by applicable law. The award agreement sets forth the terms and conditions of the award, including the type of award, number of shares subject to such award, vesting schedule and conditions (including performance goals or measures) and the exercise price, if applicable, and other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the 2021 Plan as the administrator may determine. Unless otherwise determined by the administrator and stated in the award agreement, and subject to the conditions of the 2021 Plan, awards vest and become exercisable in four equal installments, each of twenty-five percent (25%) of the Common Shares covered by the award, on each of the first four anniversaries of the vesting commencement date determined by the Compensation Committee; provided that the grantee remains continuously as an employee or provides services to the company throughout such vesting dates. The exercise period of an award will be six (6) years from the date of grant of the award, unless otherwise determined by the administrator and stated in the award agreement.
Transferability. Other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or as otherwise provided under the 2021 Plan or determined by the administrator, neither the awards nor any right in connection with such awards are assignable or transferable.
Termination of Employment. In the event of termination of a grantee’s employment or service with the company or any of its affiliates (other than by reason of death, disability or retirement), all vested and exercisable awards held by such grantee as of the date of termination may be exercised within three months after such date of termination unless otherwise determined by the administrator, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such award. After such three-month period, all such unexercised awards will terminate and the shares covered by such awards shall again be available for issuance under the 2021 Plan.
In the event of termination of a grantee’s employment or service with us or any of our affiliates due to such grantee’s death, permanent disability or retirement, all vested and exercisable awards held by such grantee as of the date of termination may be exercised by the grantee or the grantee’s legal guardian, estate, or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the award by bequest or inheritance, as applicable, within one year after such date of termination, if such termination is due to death or permanent disability or within three months after such date of termination if such termination is due to retirement, in each case, unless otherwise provided by the administrator, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such award. Any awards which are unvested as of the date of such termination or which are vested but not then exercised within the one-year or three-month period following such date, will terminate and the shares covered by such awards shall again be available for issuance under the 2021 Plan.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, if a grantee’s employment or services with us or any of our affiliates is terminated for “cause” (as defined in the 2021 Plan), all outstanding awards held by such grantee (whether vested or unvested) will terminate on the date of such termination and the shares covered by such awards shall again be available for issuance under the 2021 Plan. Any shares issued upon exercise or (if applicable) vesting of awards, shall be deemed to be irrevocably offered for sale to us.
Adjustments due to Transactions. The 2021 Plan provides for appropriate adjustments to be made to the plan and to outstanding awards under the plan in the event of a share split, reverse share split, share dividend, distribution, recapitalization, combination, reclassification of our shares, consolidation, reorganization, extraordinary cash dividend or other similar occurrences.
77
In the event of a sale of all, or substantially all, of our ordinary shares or assets, a merger, consolidation amalgamation or similar transaction, or certain changes in the composition of the board of directors, or liquidation or dissolution, or such other transaction or circumstances that the board of directors determines to be a relevant transaction, then without the consent of the grantee, the administrator may make any determination as to the treatment of outstanding awards, including the following: (i) cause any outstanding award to be assumed or substituted by such successor corporation, or (ii) regardless of whether or not the successor corporation assumes or substitutes the award (a) provide the grantee with the option to exercise the award as to all or part of the shares, and may provide for an acceleration of vesting of unvested awards, (b) cancel the award and pay in cash, shares of the company, the acquirer or other corporation which is a party to such transaction or other property or rights as determined by the administrator as fair in the circumstances and/or (c) amend, modify or terminate the terms of any award as it shall determine to be fair in the circumstances.
Amendment and Termination. The board of directors may suspend, terminate, modify or amend the 2021 Plan at any time; provided that no termination or amendment of the 2021 Plan shall affect any then outstanding award unless expressly provided by the board. Shareholder approval of any amendment to the 2021 Plan will be obtained to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law. The administrator at any time and from time to time may modify or amend any award theretofore granted under the 2021 Plan, including any award agreement, whether retroactively or prospectively.
Registration. In October 2021, we filed a registration statement on Form S-8 to register the issuance of up to an aggregate of 4,163,273 Common Shares under the 2021 Plan.
C. Board Practices
Members of our Board of Directors are elected by a vote at the annual general meeting of shareholders and serve for a term of one year, until the following year’s annual meeting. Directors may serve multiple terms and are elected by a majority of the votes cast at the meeting. The Chief Executive Officer serves until his removal by the Board of Directors or resignation from office. Our non-employee directors do not have agreements with the Company for benefits upon termination of their service as directors.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors is comprised of three independent directors (as determined by our Board of Directors in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605€(2)(A) and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act), who were appointed to that committee by the Board of Directors: Yacov Elinav, Uzi Netanel and Eyal Ben Chlouche. Mr. Elinav serves as the chairman of the committee. The Board of Directors has furthermore determined that Mr. Elinav meets the definition of an audit committee financial expert (as defined in paragraph (b) of Item 16A of Form 20-F promulgated by the SEC). The primary function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by reviewing financial information, internal controls and the audit process. In addition, the committee is responsible for oversight of the work of our independent auditors. The committee meets at regularly scheduled quarterly meetings.
Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors is comprised of three directors, who were appointed to that committee by the Board of Directors: Uzi Netanel, Naamit Salomon and Guy Bernstein. Mr. Bernstein serves as the chairman of the committee. The Compensation Committee is responsible for the review and approval of grants of options to our employees and other compensation matters as requested by our Board of Directors from time to time.
78
Corporate Governance Policies Adopted by Board
While not incorporated in Israel, our headquarters are located in Israel and we therefore voluntarily conform with corporate governance practices that are customary for an Israeli company whose shares are listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Accordingly, our Board of Directors has adopted various policies and procedures that apply to our employees and directors and that are meant to implement risk management on a company-wide level, including, among others, the following:
| ● | Code of Ethics— constitutes a guide of principles designed to help our employees conduct business honestly and with integrity (and which is referenced in Item 16B below). |
| ● | Whistleblower Policy— enables the anonymous submission by our employees of reports regarding illegal or dishonest activities. |
| ● | Insider Trading Policy— implements restrictions (including quarterly blackout periods) for our employees that reinforce legal prohibitions on their use of material inside information in effecting transactions in our securities. |
| ● | Antifraud Policy— aimed at detecting and preventing fraud, misappropriations, and other irregularities by our employees, including any intentional, false representation or concealment of material facts for the purpose of inducing another to act upon it in connection with their activities with third parties on behalf of our company. |
| ● | Related Party Transactions Policy— intended to ensure the proper disclosure to, and approval by (if approved), our Audit Committee of transactions between our company and any of its related parties (including officers, directors and Formula and Asseco— our largest direct and indirect shareholders, respectively) in an amount equal to or exceeding $120,000, in order to ensure that any such transactions are in the best interest of our company and our shareholders. The policy provides that our Head of Legal and CFO review and approve all related party transactions, and report such transactions to our Audit Committee, although only those transactions equal to or exceeding $120,000 require approval of the Audit Committee. |
| ● | Clawback Policy— required for complying with SEC regulations mandating that companies have a policy in place to recover erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation that is recoverable by a company from its executive officers following the discovery of an accounting restatement. |
Internal Auditor
Our Company has appointed an internal auditor.
The role of the internal auditor is to provide assurance that the Company’s risk management, governance and internal control processes are operating effectively. This includes examining, among other things, our compliance with applicable law and orderly business procedures, including the implementation of proper internal controls in compliance with SOX requirements and our Related Party Transactions Policy.
Nasdaq Opt-Outs for a Foreign Private Issuer
We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5005(a)(18), since we are governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands and we meet the other criteria set forth for a “foreign private issuer” under Rule 3b-4(c) under the Exchange Act.
Pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5615(a)(3), a foreign private issuer may follow home country practice in lieu of certain provisions of the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5600 series and certain other Nasdaq Listing Rules. Please see “Item 16G. Corporate Governance” below for a description of the manner in which we rely upon home country practice in lieu of compliance with certain of the Nasdaq Listing Rules.
79
D. Employees
As of December 31, 2023, we had a total of 5,000 employees, a 5.2% increase relative to the end of 2022.
The following table sets forth the number of our employees as of the end of each of the past three fiscal years, according to their geographic regions:
| Total Number of Employees as of December 31, | ||||||||||||
| Geographic Region | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||
| Israel | 774 | 800 | 754 | |||||||||
| UK and Rest of Europe | 1,209 | 1,136 | 965 | |||||||||
| North America | 593 | 581 | 593 | |||||||||
| Asia Pacific | 2,424 | 2,237 | 1,732 | |||||||||
| Total Employees | 5,000 | 4,754 | 4,044 | |||||||||
E. Share Ownership
The number of our Common Shares beneficially owned by our directors and executive officers individually, and by our directors and executive officers as a group, as of March 1, 2024, is as follows:
| Shares Beneficially Owned | ||||||||
| Number | Percent (1) | |||||||
| Roni Al-Dor | 1,275,849 | (2) | 2.3 | % | ||||
| All directors and executive officers (3) as a group (7 persons, including Roni Al-Dor) (3) | 1,441,433 | (4) | 2.6 | % | ||||
| (1) | Unless otherwise indicated below, the persons in the above table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by them. The percentages shown are based on 55,743,234 Common Shares outstanding (which excludes 2,328,296 Common Shares held in treasury) as of March 1, 2024, plus such number of Common Shares as the relevant person or group had the right to receive upon exercise of options that are exercisable within 60 days of March 1, 2024. |
| (2) | Includes options to purchase 410,000 Common Shares under the 2011 Plan at exercise prices ranging between $23.69 and $28.6, expiring no later than January 4, 2027, which are vested or will become vested within 60 days of March 1, 2024. See Item 6 – “Directors, Senior Management and Employees— Compensation of Directors and Officers”. |
| (3) | Each of our directors and executive officers who is not separately identified in the above table beneficially owns less than 1% of our outstanding Common Shares (including options to purchase Common Shares held by each such party that are vested or will vest within 60 days of March 1, 2024) and has therefore not been separately identified. |
| (4) | Includes options to purchase 499,800 Common Shares at exercise prices ranging from $21.18 to $28.6 per share, which are vested or will become vested within 60 days of March 1, 2024. |
F. Disclosure of a Registrant’s Action to Recover Erroneously Awarded Compensation
None.
80
Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions
A. Major Shareholders.
The following table sets forth, as of March 1, 2024, certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of the Company’s Common Shares by each person known by the Company to own beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding Common Shares, based on information provided to us by the holders or disclosed in public filings of the shareholders with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
We determine beneficial ownership of shares under the rules of Form 20-F promulgated by the SEC and include any Common Shares over which a person possesses sole or shared voting or investment power, or the right to receive the economic benefit of ownership, or for which a person has the right to acquire any such beneficial ownership at any time within 60 days.
| Shares Beneficially Owned | ||||||||
| Name and Address | Number | Percent(1) | ||||||
| Formula Systems (1985) Ltd. 5 HaPlada Street Or Yehuda 60218, Israel | 24,314,766 | (2) | 43.6 | % | ||||
| (1) | The percentages shown are based on 55,743,234 Common Shares outstanding (which excludes 2,328,296 Common Shares held in treasury) as of March 1, 2024. |
| (2) | The number of Common Shares shown as owned by Formula Systems (1985) Ltd., or Formula, is based on information provided to the Company by Formula as of March 1, 2024. Also based on information provided to the Company, as of March 1, 2024, Asseco held 25.8% of the outstanding share capital of Formula. The address of Asseco is Olchowa 14 35-322 Rzeszow, Poland. |
To the best of our knowledge, each of the entities listed in the above table has sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by it, except to the extent described above.
Significant changes in holdings of major shareholders
From time to time, Formula has increased its beneficial shareholding in our Company through market purchases of additional Common Shares. Formula’s beneficial ownership of our Common Shares constituted 48.9% of our outstanding share capital as of the start of 2017. That beneficial ownership has been diluted down to 43.6 % as of March 1, 2024, primarily as a result of our follow-on public offering that took place in October 2020, as well as various minor issuances of Common Shares due to stock options exercises under our equity incentive plans.
Our former significant shareholder Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. increased its percentage ownership of our outstanding Common Shares from 5.4% to 5.6%, and from 5.6% to 5.7% during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2021, respectively, before falling to 4.6% over the course of 2022, as reported in its amended Schedule 13G filings on January 27, 2021, January 31, 2022, and January 17, 2023, respectively.
Our former significant shareholder, The Phoenix Holdings Ltd., or Phoenix, reported in a Schedule 13G filed in February 2021 that it had surpassed 5% holdings of our outstanding Common Shares (holding 5.1%) as of December 31, 2020, and reported in an amended Schedule 13G filed in February 2022 that its holdings had increased to 5.7% as of December 31, 2021. As reported in its amended Schedule 13G filed on July 28, 2022, Phoenix’s percentage ownership fell to 4.3% as of July 18, 2022.
Voting rights of major shareholders
Our major shareholders do not have different voting rights than other shareholders with respect to the Common Shares that they hold.
81
Holders of record
As of March 1, 2024, there were 49 holders of record of our Common Shares, including 31 holders of record with addresses in the United States who held a total of 48,080,877 Common Shares (out of which 48,074,678 Common Shares are held of record by CEDE & Co), representing approximately 86.3% of our issued and outstanding Common Shares. The number of record holders in the United States is not representative of the number of beneficial holders, nor is it representative of where such beneficial holders are resident, because many of these Common Shares were held of record by nominees (including CEDE & Co., as nominee for a large number of banks, brokers, institutions and underlying beneficial holders of our Common Shares). In particular, Formula, which held as of March 1, 2024 (in part as a record holder and in part as an underlying beneficial holder) 24,314,766 Common Shares, representing 43.6% of our issued and outstanding shares, is not a United States company.
Control of the Company
Based on Formula’s beneficial ownership of 43.6% of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company (as of March 1, 2024), and based on Asseco’s beneficial ownership of 25.8% of the outstanding share capital of Formula also as of that date, both Formula and Asseco may be deemed to control the Company. We are unaware of any arrangements the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change of control of the Company.
B. Related Party Transactions
Fees Paid to Major Shareholder for Board Service of its Affiliate
We paid to our major shareholder, Formula, approximately $28,288 in respect of our share of the director fees of Guy Bernstein, our Chairman, for the year ended December 31, 2023. Mr. Bernstein serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Formula. Formula directly owns (as of March 1, 2024) approximately 43.6% of our currently outstanding Common Shares.
Additional Agreements and Transactions with Affiliated Companies of Formula and Asseco
During the year ended December 31, 2023, we paid to affiliated companies of Asseco approximately $18.8 million, in the aggregate, pursuant to services agreements that we have in place with those companies under which we receive services. In 2023, we also purchased from those affiliated companies an aggregate of approximately $0.3 million of hardware and software. Please see Note 15 to our audited consolidated financial statements included in Item 18 of this annual report for further information.
In addition, during 2023, our Polish subsidiary Sapiens Poland performed services as a sub-contractor on behalf of Asseco for clients of Asseco in a total amount of approximately $3.5 million. For historical reasons, Asseco issues invoices to those clients and then Sapiens in turn invoices Asseco on a back-to-back basis (with no margin to Asseco).
Further, we paid to Formula approximately $0.9 million (which is included in the $18.8 million paid to affiliated companies of Asseco described above) in respect of our share of its D&O insurance for each of our directors and officers for the period between February 14, 2023 and February 13, 2024.
Trade Payables and Receivables
As of December 31, 2023, we had trade payables balances due to, and trade receivables balances due from, our related parties in amounts of approximately $1.2 million and $1.0 million, respectively.
C. Interests of Experts and Counsel.
Not applicable.
82
Item 8. Financial Information
A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information.
Financial Statements
See our consolidated financial statements and related notes in Item 18.
Export Sales
In 2023, 95.4% of our revenues originated from customers located outside of Israel.
For information on our revenues breakdown by geographic region for the past three years, see Item 5.A, “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects— Operating Results— Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022— Revenues by geographical region” in this annual report, as well as Item 5.A, “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects— Operating Results— Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021— Revenues by geographical region” in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022, which we filed with the SEC on March 29, 2023.
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, we are a party to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. Currently, there are no such legal proceedings pending or threatened against us that we believe may have a significant effect on our financial condition or profitability.
Dividend Policy
In August 2019, our Board of Directors adopted a dividend policy, and in May 2022, it updated that policy. Under that updated policy, on a semi-annual basis, after publishing (i) our annual audited consolidated financial statements in our annual report on Form 20-F, and (ii) our financial statements for the quarter and six months ended June 30, our Board of Directors will announce, and distribute, a semi-annual cash dividend in an aggregate amount (between both dividends in total) of up to 40% of our annual net profit (on a non-GAAP basis). Our Board of Directors may change, whether as a result of a one-time decision or a change in policy, the rate or frequency of dividend distributions and/or decide not to distribute a dividend. The distribution of dividends will be made in compliance with Cayman Islands law, the Memorandum and the Articles, as well as our contractual obligations. Since the adoption of our dividend policy, we have declared cash dividends, initially on an annual basis and subsequently on a semi-annual basis, most recently in amounts of $0.26 per share, $0.25 per share and $0.23 per share, or $14.4 million, $13.8 million and $12.7 million, in the aggregate, which were paid in August 2023, April 2023 and August 2022, respectively.
For more information about distribution of dividends, the related requirements of Cayman Islands law and various tax implications, please see: “Item 10. Additional Information— Memorandum and Articles of Association”; “Item 10. Additional Information— Exchange Controls”; and “Item 10. Additional Information— Taxation.”
B. Significant Changes
No significant change, other than as otherwise described in this annual report, has occurred in our operations since the date of our consolidated financial statements included in this annual report.
83
ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING
A. and C. Offer and Listing Details and Markets
Our Common Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and on the TASE under the symbol “SPNS”.
The closing price of our Common Shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on March 4, 2024, being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this annual report, was $30.11.
The closing price of our Common Shares on the TASE on March 4, 2024, being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this annual report, was NIS 109, or $30.49 (as converted from NIS based on the NIS-U.S. dollar representative exchange rate reported by the Bank of Israel as of March 4, 2024).
Under current Israeli law, we satisfy our reporting obligations in Israel by furnishing to the applicable Israeli regulators those reports that we are required to file or submit in the United States.
B. Plan of Distribution.
Not applicable.
D. Selling Shareholders.
Not applicable.
E. Dilution.
Not applicable.
F. Expenses of the Issue.
Not applicable.
Item 10. Additional Information
A. Share Capital.
Not applicable.
B. Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The information called for by this Item 10.B of Form 20-F has been provided in Exhibit 2.1 to this annual report. The content of Exhibit 2.1 is incorporated by reference herein.
C. Material Contracts
We are not party to any material contract within the two years prior to the date of this annual report, other than contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, or as otherwise described below:
84
Deed of Trust in Favor of Series B Debenture Holders
In connection with our Israeli public offering and private placement of NIS 280 million (approximately US $79.2 million), and Israeli public offering of NIS 210 million (approximately US $60 million), in principal amount of our Series B Debentures, in the aggregate, in September 2017 and June 2020, respectively (which debentures are traded on the TASE), we entered into a deed of trust with a trustee in favor of the debenture holders. In the deed of trust, we have agreed to repay the principal amount of the originally issued debentures (those issued in September 2017) in eight equal payments that will be paid once a year on January 1. For the debentures issued in June 2020, the payment dates remain the same, but due to the passage of the initial payment dates, the payments to be made on all remaining payment dates are proportionately greater. In the case of the September 2017 Series B Debentures and June 2020 Series B Debentures, the principal payments will therefore run from the years 2019 through 2026 (included), and the years 2021 through 2026 (included), respectively. We made the first six such principal payments on the September 2017 Series B Debentures on January 1, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and the first four principal payments on the June 2020 Series B Debentures on January 1, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The outstanding principal amounts bear interest at an annual rate of 3.37%, payable in half-yearly payments on January 1 and July 1 of each year. In the case of the September 2017 Series B Debentures, those interest payments have occurred and will occur in years 2018 through 2026 (included), while for the June 2020 Series B Debentures, those payments only began in 2021 but will conclude at the same time—in 2026. The principal and interest are payable in NIS, subject to adjustment in accordance with fluctuations in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the NIS.
Under the deed of trust, we have undertaken to maintain a number of conditions and limitations on the manner in which we can operate our business, including limitations on our ability to undergo a change of control, distribute dividends, incur a floating charge on our assets, or undergo an asset sale or other change that results in a fundamental change in our operations. The deed of trust also requires us to comply with certain financial covenants, as described below. The deed of trust furthermore provides for an upwards adjustment in the interest rate payable under the debentures in the event that our debentures’ rating is downgraded below a certain level. A breach of the financial covenants for more than two successive quarters or a substantial downgrade in the rating of the debentures (below BBB-) could result in the acceleration of our obligation to repay the debentures.
The deed of trust includes the following provisions:
| ● | A negative pledge, subject to certain exceptions |
| ● | A covenant not to distribute dividends unless (i) our shareholders’ equity (not including minority interests) shall not be less than $160 million, (ii) our net financial indebtedness (financial indebtedness net of cash, marketable securities, deposits and other liquid financial instruments) does not exceed 65% of net CAP (which is defined as financial indebtedness, net, plus shareholders equity, including minority interest), (iii) the amount of the dividend does not exceed our profits for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the first three quarters of the year ended December 31, 2017, plus 75% of our profits as of September 1, 2017 and up to the date of distribution, and (iv) no event of default shall have occurred |
| ● | Financial covenants, including (i) the equity attributable to the shareholders of Sapiens (not including minority interests), as reported in our annual or quarterly financial statements, will not be less than $120 million, and (ii) Sapiens’ net financial indebtedness (financial indebtedness net of cash, marketable securities, deposits and other liquid financial instruments) shall not exceed 65% of net CAP (which is defined as financial indebtedness, net, plus shareholders equity, including minority interest) |
As of December 31, 2023, we were in compliance with the foregoing financial covenants.
We also agreed to standard events of default under the deed of trust, together with the following specific events of default (among others):
| ● | Cross default, including following an immediate repayment initiated in relation to other indebtedness (other than non-recourse debt) in an amount that exceeds 5% of our total balance sheet | |
| ● | Suspension of trading of the debentures on the TASE over a period of 60 days, or the delisting of the debentures from the TASE | |
| ● | Failure to have the debentures rated over a period of 60 days |
85
| ● | If the rating of the debentures is less than BBB- by S&P Maalot or less than Baa3 by Midroog Ltd. or drops below an equivalent rating of another rating agency (as of July 2023, S&P Maalot affirmed a rating of ilAA- for the debentures) | |
| ● | If there is a change in control without consent of the rating agency (a change of control is deemed to occur if Formula ceases the be the controlling shareholder of our company, whether directly or indirectly. Formula will be considered a controlling shareholder for so long as it continues to hold at least 25% of the means of control of our company (within the meaning of the Israeli Securities Law) and there is no other person or entity holding a higher percentage. To the extent that Formula holds such controlling interest jointly with others, it will be deemed to remain our controlling shareholder if it maintains the highest percentage ownership among such other shareholders) | |
| ● | The existence and continuation of a bankruptcy event involving our company, or the liquidation of our company or writing off of our assets |
| ● | Our failure to comply with the above-described financial covenants for two consecutive quarters | |
| ● | There has been a material adverse change in the business of our company compared to the position of our company shortly before the issuance of the debentures and there is a material concern that we will not be able to pay our obligations under the debentures on time | |
| ● | If we distribute a dividend contrary to the above-described limitations on dividends | |
| ● | Breach of our undertakings regarding the issuance of additional Series B Debentures | |
| ● | The sale of 25% or more of our assets, or a change in the main sphere of our activity as a company | |
| ● | Failure to comply with the negative pledge covenant |
D. Exchange Controls
There are no exchange control or currency regulations in the Cayman Islands that would affect the payment of dividends, interest or other payments to non-resident holders of the Company’s securities, including the Common Shares. Other jurisdictions in which the Company conducts operations may have various currency or exchange controls. In addition, the Company is subject to the risk of changes in political conditions or economic policies which could result in new or additional currency or exchange controls or other restrictions being imposed on the operations of the Company. As to the Company’s securities, Cayman Islands law and the Memorandum and Articles impose no limitations on the right of non-resident or foreign owners to hold or vote such securities.
E. Taxation
Israeli Taxation Considerations for Our Shareholders
The following is a short summary of the material provisions of the tax environment to which shareholders may be subject. This summary is based on the current provisions of tax law. To the extent that the discussion is based on new tax legislation that has not been subject to judicial or administrative interpretation, we cannot assure you that the views expressed in the discussion will be accepted by the appropriate tax authorities or the courts.
The summary does not address all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to all purchasers of our Common Shares in light of each purchaser’s particular circumstances and specific tax treatment. For example, the summary below does not address the tax treatment of residents of Israel and traders in securities who are subject to specific tax regimes. As individual circumstances may differ, holders of our Common Shares should consult their own tax adviser as to the United States, Israeli, Cayman Islands or other tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Common Shares. The following is not intended, and should not be construed, as legal or professional tax advice and is not exhaustive of all possible tax considerations. Each individual should consult his or her own tax or legal adviser.
86
Tax Consequences Regarding Disposition of Our Common Shares
Overview
Israeli law generally imposes a capital gain tax on the sale of capital assets by residents of Israel, as defined for Israeli tax purposes, and on the sale of assets located in Israel, including shares of Israeli companies, by both residents and non-residents of Israel, unless a specific exemption is available or unless a tax treaty between Israel and the seller’s country of residence provides otherwise. The Ordinance distinguishes between “Real Capital Gain” and “Inflationary Surplus”. The Inflationary Surplus is a portion of the total capital gain which is equivalent to the increase of the relevant asset’s purchase price which is attributable to the increase in the Israeli consumer price index or, in certain circumstances, a foreign currency exchange rate, between the date of purchase and the date of sale. The Real Capital Gain is the excess of the total capital gain over the Inflationary Surplus.
Capital gain
Israeli Resident Shareholders
As of January 1, 2012, the tax rate applicable to Real Capital Gain derived by Israeli individuals from the sale of shares, whether or not listed on a stock exchange, is 25%, unless such shareholder claims a deduction for interest and linkage differences expenses in connection with the purchase and holding of such shares, in which case the gain will generally be taxed at a rate of 30%. However, if such shareholder is considered a Substantial Shareholder (i.e., a person who holds, directly or indirectly, alone or together with another person who collaborates with such person on a permanent basis, 10% or more of any of the company’s “means of control” (including, among other things, the right to receive profits of the company, voting rights, the right to receive the company’s liquidation proceeds and the right to appoint a director)) at the time of sale or at any time during the preceding 12-month period, such gain will be taxed at the rate of 30%. Individual shareholders dealing in securities in Israel are taxed at their marginal tax rates applicable to business income (up to 47% in 2018 and thereafter, excluding excess tax, if applicable, as described below).
Under current Israeli tax legislation, the tax rate applicable to Real Capital Gain derived by Israeli resident corporations from the sale of shares of an Israeli company is the general corporate tax rate. As described above, the corporate tax rate as of 2018 and thereafter is 23%.
Non-Israeli Resident Shareholders
Israeli capital gain tax is imposed on the disposal of capital assets by a non-Israeli resident if such assets are either (i) located in Israel; (ii) shares or rights to shares in an Israeli resident company; or (iii) represent, directly or indirectly, rights to assets located in Israel, unless a tax treaty between Israel and the seller’s country of residence provides otherwise. As mentioned above, Real Capital Gain is generally subject to tax at the corporate tax rate (23% in 2018 and thereafter) if generated by a company, or at the rate of 25% if generated by an individual, or 30%, if generated by an individual who is a “substantial shareholder” (as defined under the Tax Ordinance), at the time of sale or at any time during the preceding 12-month period (or if the shareholder claims a deduction for interest and linkage differences expenses in connection with the purchase and holding of such shares). A “substantial shareholder” is generally a person who alone or together with such person’s relative or another person who collaborates with such person on a permanent basis, holds, directly or indirectly, at least 10% of any of the “means of control” of the corporation. “Means of control” generally include, among others, the right to vote, receive profits, nominate a director or an executive officer, receive assets upon liquidation, or order someone who holds any of the aforesaid rights how to act, regardless of the source of such right. Individual and corporate shareholders dealing in securities in Israel are taxed at the tax rates applicable to business income (a corporate tax rate for a corporation and a marginal tax rate of up to 47% for an individual in 2018 and thereafter (excluding excess tax as discussed below)) unless contrary provisions in a relevant tax treaty apply.
87
Notwithstanding the foregoing, shareholders who are non-Israeli residents (individuals and corporations) generally should be exempt from Israeli capital gain tax on any gains derived from the sale, exchange or disposition of shares publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange or on a recognized stock exchange outside of Israel, provided, among other things, that (i) such gains are not generated through a permanent establishment that the non-Israeli resident maintains in Israel, (ii) the shares were purchased after being listed on a recognized stock exchange, and (iii) with respect to shares listed on a recognized stock exchange outside of Israel, such shareholders are not subject to the Israeli Income Tax Law (Inflationary Adjustments) 5745-1985. However, non-Israeli corporations will not be entitled to the foregoing exemptions if Israeli residents (a) have a controlling interest of more than 25% in such non-Israeli corporation, or (b) are the beneficiaries of or are entitled to 25% or more of the revenues or profits of such non-Israeli corporation, whether directly or indirectly. Such exemption is not applicable to a person whose gains from selling or otherwise disposing of the shares are deemed to be business income.
In addition, a sale of shares may be exempt from Israeli capital gain tax under the provisions of an applicable tax treaty. For example, under the U.S.-Israel Tax Treaty, or the U.S-Israel Treaty, the sale, exchange or disposition of shares of an Israeli company by a shareholder who is a U.S. resident (for purposes of the U.S.-Israel Treaty) holding the shares as a capital asset is exempt from Israeli capital gain tax unless either (i) the shareholder holds, directly or indirectly, shares representing 10% or more of the voting rights during any part of the 12-month period preceding such sale, exchange or disposition; (ii) the shareholder, if an individual, has been present €n Israel for a period or periods of 183 days or more in the aggregate during the applicable taxable year; (iii) the capital gain arising from such sale are attributable to a permanent establishment of the shareholder which is maintained in Israel; (iv) the capital gain arising from such sale, exchange or disposition is attributed to real estate located in Israel; (v) the capital gain arising from such sale, exchange or disposition is attributed to royalties; or (vi) the shareholder is a U.S. resident (for purposes of the U.S.-Israel Treaty) and is not holding the shares as a capital asset. In each case, the sale, exchange or disposition of such shares would be subject to Israeli tax, to the extent applicable; however, under the U.S.-Israel Treaty, a U.S. resident would be permitted to claim a credit for the Israeli tax against the U.S. federal income tax imposed with respect to the sale, exchange or disposition, subject to the limitations in U.S. laws applicable to foreign tax credits. The U.S-Israel Treaty does not provide such credit against any U.S. state or local taxes.
In some instances where our shareholders may be liable for Israeli tax on the sale of their Common Shares, the payment of the consideration may be subject to the withholding of Israeli tax at source. Shareholders may be required to demonstrate that they are exempt from tax on their capital gains in order to avoid withholding at source at the time of sale. Specifically, in transactions involving a sale of all of the shares of an Israeli resident company, in the form of a merger or otherwise, the ITA may require from shareholders who are not liable for Israeli tax to sign declarations in forms specified by this authority or obtain a specific exemption from the ITA to confirm their status as non-Israeli resident, and, in the absence of such declarations or exemptions, may require the purchaser of the shares to withhold taxes at source.
Taxes Applicable to Dividends
Israeli Resident Shareholders
Israeli residents who are individuals are generally subject to Israeli income tax for dividends paid on our common shares (other than bonus shares or share dividends) at 25%, or 30% if the recipient of such dividend is a Substantial Shareholder at the time of distribution or at any time during the preceding 12-month period. The Company received a Tax Ruling, which was extended, according to which dividends paid to Israeli shareholders who are individuals will be subject to withholding tax at source at the rate of 25% and in case of an Israeli resident corporations— 0%, regardless the source of the dividends. We cannot guarantee that the Tax Ruling will be extended beyond December 31, 2024.
Israeli resident corporations are generally exempt from Israeli corporate tax for dividends paid on shares of Israeli resident corporations (like our common shares). According to the tax ruling referenced above, such dividends are subject to withholding tax at the rate of 0%.
88
Non-Israeli Resident Shareholders
Non-Israeli residents (whether individuals or corporations) are generally subject to Israeli income tax on the receipt of dividends paid on our Common Shares, at the rate of 25% or 30% (if the dividend recipient is a Substantial Shareholder at the time of distribution or at any time during the preceding 12-month period). The Company received a Tax Ruling according to which dividends paid to non- Israeli shareholders (individuals and corporations) will be subject to withholding tax at source at the rate of 25%. We cannot guarantee that the Tax Ruling will be extended beyond December 31, 2024.
A non-Israeli resident who receives dividends from which tax was withheld is generally exempt from the obligation to file tax returns in Israel with respect to such income, provided that (i) such income was not generated from business conducted in Israel by the taxpayer, (ii) the taxpayer has no other taxable sources of income in Israel with respect to which a tax return is required to be filed and (iii) the taxpayer is not obliged to pay excess tax (as further explained below).
Excess Tax
Individuals who are subject to tax in Israel (whether any such individual is an Israeli resident or non-Israeli resident) are also subject to an additional tax at a rate of 3% on annual income exceeding NIS 698,280 for 2023 (approximately $188,215, based on an exchange rate of NIS 3.71 per U.S. dollar as of January 24, 2024), which amount is linked to the annual change in the Israeli consumer price index, including, but not limited to, dividends, interest and capital gain.
Estate and Gift Tax
Israeli law presently does not impose estate or gift taxes.
Cayman Islands Taxation
The Cayman Islands currently levies no taxes on individuals or corporations based upon profits, income, gains or appreciation, and there is no taxation in the nature of inheritance tax or estate duty or withholding tax that will be applicable to us or to any holder of our Common Shares. There are currently no other taxes that are material to us or our shareholders levied by the Government of the Cayman Islands except for stamp duties that may be applicable on instruments executed in, or after execution brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands. No stamp duty is payable in the Cayman Islands on transfers of shares of Cayman Islands exempted companies except those that hold interests in land in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands is not party to any double tax treaties. There are no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions in the Cayman Islands.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations
Subject to the limitations described herein, this discussion summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our Common Shares to a U.S. holder. A U.S. holder is a holder of our Common Shares who is:
| ● | An individual who is a citizen or resident of the U.S. for U.S. federal income tax purposes |
| ● | A corporation (or another entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized under the laws of the United States, any political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia |
89
| ● | An estate, the income of which may be included in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source |
| ● | A trust (i) if, in general, a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or (ii) an electing trust that was in existence on August 19, 1996 and was treated as a domestic trust on that date |
Unless otherwise specifically indicated, this discussion does not consider the U.S. tax consequences to a person that is not a U.S. holder (which we refer to as a non-U.S. holder) and considers only U.S. holders that will own our Common Shares as capital assets (generally, for investment).
This discussion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, current and proposed Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code and administrative and judicial interpretations of the Code, all as currently in effect and all of which are subject to change, possibly with a retroactive effect. This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to any particular U.S. holder based on the U.S. holder’s particular circumstances. In particular, this discussion does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders who are broker-dealers, insurance companies, real estate investment trusts, regulated investment companies, grantor trusts, individual retirement and tax-deferred accounts, certain former citizens or long-term residents of the U.S., tax-exempt organizations, financial institutions, “financial service entities” or who own, directly, indirectly or constructively, 10% or more of the vote or value of the our outstanding shares, U.S. holders holding our Common Shares as part of a hedging, straddle or conversion transaction, U.S. holders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, U.S. holders that acquired our Common Shares upon the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation, and U.S holders who are persons subject to the alternative minimum tax, who may be subject to special rules not discussed below.
Additionally, the tax treatment of persons who are, or hold our Common Shares through a partnership or other pass-through entity is not considered, nor is the possible application of U.S. federal estate or gift taxes or any aspect of state, local or non-U.S. tax laws.
You are advised to consult your tax advisor with respect to the specific U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of purchasing, holding or disposing of our Common Shares.
Taxation of Distributions on Common Shares
Subject to the discussion below under “Tax Consequences if We Are a Passive Foreign Investment Company,” a distribution paid by us with respect to our Common Shares to a U.S. holder will be treated as dividend income to the extent that the distribution does not exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Dividends that are received by U.S. holders that are individuals, estates or trusts generally will be taxed at the rate applicable to long-term capital gains, provided those dividends meet the requirements of “qualified dividend income.” The maximum long-term capital gains rate is 20% for individuals with annual taxable income that exceeds certain thresholds. In addition, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, higher income taxpayers must pay an additional 3.8 percent tax on net investment income to the extent certain threshold amounts of income are exceeded. See “Tax on Net Investment Income” in this Item below. For this purpose, qualified dividend income generally includes dividends paid by a foreign corporation if certain holding period and other requirements are met and either (a) the stock of the foreign corporation with respect to which the dividends are paid is “readily tradable” on an established securities market in the U.S. (e.g., the Nasdaq Global Select Market) or (b) the foreign corporation is eligible for benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the U.S. which includes an information exchange program and is determined to be satisfactory by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Dividends that fail to meet such requirements and dividends received by corporate U.S. holders are taxed at ordinary income rates. No dividend received by a U.S. holder will be a qualified dividend (i) if the U.S. holder held the Common Share with respect to which the dividend was paid for less than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the ex-dividend date with respect to such dividend, excluding for this purpose, under the rules of Code Section 246(c), any period during which the U.S. holder has an option to sell, is under a contractual obligation to sell, has made (and not closed) a short sale of, is the grantor of a deep-in-the-money or otherwise nonqualified option to buy, or has otherwise diminished its risk of loss by holding other positions with respect to, such Common Share (or substantially identical securities); or (ii) to the extent that the U.S. holder is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in property substantially similar or related to the Common Share with respect to which the dividend is paid. If we were to be a “passive foreign investment company” (as such term €s defined in the Code), or PFIC, for any taxable year, dividends paid on our Common Shares in such year or in the following taxable year would not be qualified dividends. See the discussion below regarding our PFIC status under “Tax Consequences if We Are a Passive Foreign Investment Company.” In addition, a non-corporate U.S. holder will be able to take qualified dividend income into account in determining its deductible investment interest (which is generally limited to its net investment income) only if it elects to do so; in such case the dividend income will be taxed at ordinary income rates.
90
The amount of any distribution which exceeds the amount treated as a dividend will be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital, reducing the U.S. holder’s tax basis in our Common Shares to the extent thereof, and then as capital gain from the deemed disposition of the Common Shares. Corporate holders will not be allowed a deduction for dividends received in respect of the Common Shares.
Distributions of current or accumulated earnings and profits paid in foreign currency to a U.S. holder will be includible in the income of a U.S. holder in a U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate on the day the distribution is received. A U.S. holder that receives a foreign currency distribution and converts the foreign currency into U.S. dollars subsequent to receipt may have foreign exchange gain or loss based on any appreciation or depreciation in the value of the foreign currency against the U.S. dollar, which will generally be U.S. source ordinary income or loss.
Taxation of the Disposition of Common Shares
Subject to the discussion below under “Tax Consequences if We Are a Passive Foreign Investment Company,” upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of our Common Shares, a U.S. holder will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized on the disposition and the U.S. holder’s tax basis in our Common Shares. The gain or loss recognized on the disposition of the Common Shares will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder held the Common Shares for more than one year at the time of the disposition and would be eligible for a reduced rate of taxation for certain non-corporate U.S. holders. The maximum long-term capital gains rate is 20% for individuals with annual taxable income that exceeds certain thresholds. In addition, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, higher income taxpayers must pay an additional 3.8 percent tax on net investment income to the extent certain threshold amounts of income are exceeded. See “Tax on Net Investment Income” in this Item below. Capital gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of Common Shares held for one year or less is short-term capital gain and taxed as ordinary income. Gain or loss recognized by a U.S. holder, who does not have a tax home outside the United States, on a sale, exchange or other disposition of our Common Shares generally will be treated as U.S. source income or loss. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.
A U.S. holder that uses the cash method of accounting calculates the dollar value of the proceeds received on the sale as of the date that the sale settles. However, a U.S. holder that uses the accrual method of accounting is required to calculate the value of the proceeds of the sale as of the trade date and may therefore realize foreign currency gain or loss. A U.S. holder that uses the accrual method may avoid realizing foreign currency gain or loss by electing to use the settlement date to determine the proceeds of sale for purposes of calculating the foreign currency gain or loss. In addition, a U.S. holder that receives foreign currency upon disposition of its Common Shares and converts the foreign currency into dollars after the settlement date or trade date (whichever date the U.S. holder is required to use to calculate the value of the proceeds of sale) may have foreign exchange gain or loss based on any appreciation or depreciation in the value of the foreign currency against the dollar, which will generally be U.S. source ordinary income or loss.
Tax Consequences if We Are a Passive Foreign Investment Company
We would be a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for a taxable year if either (1) 75% or more of our gross income in the taxable year is passive income; or (2) the average percentage (by value determined on a quarterly basis) in a taxable year of our assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive income is at least 50%. Passive income for this purpose generally includes, among other things, certain dividends, interest, royalties, rents and gains from commodities and securities transactions and from the sale or exchange of property that gives rise to passive income. If we own (directly or indirectly) at least 25% by value of the stock of another corporation, we would be treated for purposes of the foregoing tests as owning our proportionate share of the other corporation’s assets and as directly earning our proportionate share of the other corporation’s income. As discussed below, we believe that we were not a PFIC for 2023.
91
If we were a PFIC, each U.S. holder would (unless it made one of the elections discussed below on a timely basis) be taxable on gain recognized from the disposition of our Common Shares (including gain deemed recognized if our Common Shares are used as security for a loan) and upon receipt of certain excess distributions (generally, distributions that exceed 125% of the average amount of distributions in respect to such shares received during the preceding three taxable years or, if shorter, during the U.S. holder’s holding period prior to the distribution year) with respect to our Common Shares as if such income had been recognized ratably over the U.S. holder’s holding period for the shares. The U.S. holder’s income for the current taxable year would include (as ordinary income) amounts allocated to the current taxable year and to any taxable year prior to the first day of the first taxable year for which we were a PFIC. Tax would also be computed at the highest ordinary income tax rate in effect for each other taxable year to which income is allocated, and an interest charge on the tax as so computed would also apply. The tax liability with respect to the amount allocated to the taxable year prior to the taxable year of the distribution or disposition cannot be offset by any net operating losses. Additionally, if we were a PFIC, U.S. holders who acquire our Common Shares from decedents (other than nonresident aliens) would be denied the normally-available step-up in basis for such shares to fair market value at the date of death and, instead, would have a tax basis in such shares equal to the lesser of the decedent’s basis or the fair market value of such shares on the decedent’s date of death.
As an alternative to the tax treatment described above, a U.S. holder could elect to treat us as a “qualified electing fund” (a QEF), in which case the U.S. holder would be taxed, for each taxable year that we are a PFIC, on its pro rata share of our ordinary earnings and net capital gain (subject to a separate election to defer payment of taxes, which deferral is subject to an interest charge). Special rules apply if a U.S. holder makes a QEF election after the first taxable year in its holding period in which we are a PFIC. We have agreed to supply U.S. holders with the information needed to report income and gain under a QEF election if we were a PFIC. Amounts includable in income as a result of a QEF election will be determined without regard to our prior year losses or the amount of cash distributions, if any, received from us. A U.S. holder’s basis in its Common Shares will increase by any amount included in income and decrease by any amounts not included in income when distributed because such amounts were previously taxed under the QEF rules. So long as a U.S. holder’s QEF election is in effect with respect to the entire holding period for its Common Shares, any gain or loss realized by such holder on the disposition of its Common Shares held as a capital asset generally will be capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss ordinarily would be long-term if such U.S. holder had held such Common Shares for more than one year at the time of the disposition and would be eligible for a reduced rate of taxation for certain non-corporate U.S. holders. The maximum long-term capital gains rate is 20% for individuals with annual taxable income that exceeds certain thresholds. The QEF election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis, applies to all Common Shares held or subsequently acquired by an electing U.S. holder and can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. The QEF election must be made on or before the U.S. holder’s tax return due date, as extended, for the first taxable year to which the election will apply.
As an alternative to making a QEF election, a U.S. holder of PFIC stock that is “marketable stock” (e.g., “regularly traded” on the Nasdaq Global Select Market) may, in certain circumstances, avoid certain of the tax consequences generally applicable to holders of stock in a PFIC by electing to mark the stock to market as of the beginning of such U.S. holder’s holding period for our Common Shares. Special rules apply if a U.S. holder makes a mark-to-market election after the first year in its holding period in which we are a PFIC. As a result of such an election, in any taxable year that we are a PFIC, a U.S. holder would generally be required to report gain or loss to the extent of the difference between the fair market value of the Common Shares at the end of the taxable year and such U.S. holder’s tax basis in such shares at that time. Any gain under this computation, and any gain on an actual disposition of our Common Shares in a taxable year in which we are PFIC, would be treated as ordinary income. Any loss under this computation, and any loss on an actual disposition of our Common Shares in a taxable year in which we are PFIC, would be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the cumulative net-mark-to-market gain previously included. Any remaining loss from marking our Common Shares to market will not be allowed, and any remaining loss from an actual disposition of our Common Shares generally would be capital loss. A U.S. holder’s tax basis in its Common Shares is adjusted annually for any gain or loss recognized under the mark-to-market election. There can be no assurances that there will be sufficient trading volume with respect to our Common Shares for the Common Shares to be considered “regularly traded” or that our Common Shares will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Accordingly, there are no assurances that our Common Shares will be marketable stock for these purposes. As with a QEF election, a mark-to-market election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis, applies to all Common Shares held or subsequently acquired by an electing U.S. holder and can only be revoked with consent of the IRS (except to the extent our Common Shares no longer constitute “marketable stock”).
92
Based on an analysis of our assets and income, we believe that we were not a PFIC for 2023. We currently expect that we will not be a PFIC in 2024. The tests for determining PFIC status are applied annually and it is difficult to make accurate predictions of future income and assets, which are relevant to this determination. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that we will not become a PFIC in any future taxable years. U.S. holders who hold our Common Shares during a period when we are a PFIC will be subject to the foregoing rules, even if we cease to be a PFIC, subject to certain exceptions for U.S. holders who made QEF, mark-to-market or certain other special elections. U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors about the PFIC rules, including the consequences to them of making a mark-to-market or QEF election with respect to our Common Shares in the event that we qualify as a PFIC.
Tax on Net Investment Income
A U.S. holder that is an individual or estate, or a trust that does not fall into a special class of trusts that is exempt from the tax, will be subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (1) the U.S. holder’s “net investment income” for the relevant taxable year and (2) the excess of the U.S. holder’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year over a certain threshold (which in the case of individuals will be between $125,000 and $250,000, depending on the individual’s circumstances). A U.S. holder’s net investment income generally will include its dividends on our Common Shares and net gains from dispositions of our Common Shares, unless those dividends or gains are derived in the ordinary course of the conduct of trade or business (other than trade or business that consists of certain passive or trading activities). Net investment income, however, may be reduced by deductions properly allocable to that income. A U.S. holder that is an individual, estate or trust is urged to consult its tax adviser regarding the applicability of the Medicare tax to its income and gains in respect of its investment in the Common Shares.
Non-U.S. holders of Common Shares
Except as provided below, a non-U.S. holder of our Common Shares will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on the receipt of dividends on, or the proceeds from the disposition of, our Common Shares, unless, in the case of U.S. federal income taxes, that item is effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a trade or business in the United States and, in the case of a resident of a country which has an income tax treaty with the United States, such item is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States or, in the case of an individual, a fixed place of business in the United States. In addition, gain recognized on the disposition of our Common Shares by an individual non-U.S. holder will be subject to tax in the United States if the non-U.S. holder is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the sale and certain other conditions are met.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
A U.S. holder generally is subject to information reporting and may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of up to 28% with respect to dividend payments on, or receipt of the proceeds from the disposition of, our Common Shares. Backup withholding will not apply with respect to payments made to exempt recipients, including corporations and tax-exempt organizations, or if a U.S. holder provides a correct taxpayer identification number, certifies that such holder is not subject to backup withholding or otherwise establishes an exemption. Non-U.S. holders are not subject to information reporting or backup withholding with respect to dividend payments on, or receipt of the proceeds from the disposition of, our Common Shares in the U.S., or by a U.S. payor or U.S. middleman, provided that such non-U.S. holder provides a taxpayer identification number, certifies to its foreign status, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and may be claimed as a credit against the U.S. federal income tax liability of a holder, or alternatively, the holder may be eligible for a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules, in either case, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS.
93
Information Reporting by Certain U.S. Holders
U.S. citizens and individuals taxable as resident aliens of the United States that own “specified foreign financial assets” with an aggregate value in a taxable year in excess of certain threshold (as determined under Treasury regulations) and that are required to file a U.S. federal income tax return generally will be required to file an information report with respect to those assets with their tax returns. IRS Form 8938 has been issued for that purpose. “Specified foreign financial assets” include any financial accounts maintained by foreign financial institutions, foreign stocks held directly, and interests in foreign estates, foreign pension plans or foreign deferred compensation plans. Under those rules, our Common Shares, whether owned directly or through a financial institution, estate or pension or deferred compensation plan, would be “specified foreign financial assets”. Under Treasury regulations, the reporting obligation applies to certain U.S. entities that hold, directly or indirectly, specified foreign financial assets. Penalties can apply if there is a failure to satisfy this reporting obligation. A U.S. Holder is urged to consult his tax adviser regarding his reporting obligation.
The above description is not intended to constitute a complete analysis of all tax consequences relating to acquisition, ownership and disposition of our Common Shares. You should consult your tax advisor concerning the tax consequences of your particular situation.
F. Dividends and Paying Agents.
Not applicable.
G. Statement by Experts.
Not applicable.
H. Documents on Display.
We are currently subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act that are applicable to foreign private issuers. Although as a foreign private issuer we are not required to file periodic information as frequently or as promptly as United States companies, we generally do publicly announce our quarterly and year-end results promptly and file periodic information with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under cover of Form 6-K. As a foreign private issuer, we are also exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements and our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and other provisions in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Our SEC filings are filed electronically on the EDGAR reporting system and may be obtained through that medium. The SEC also maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that web site is http://www.sec.gov. The Exchange Act file number for our Securities and Exchange Commission filings is 000-20181.
Information about Sapiens is also available on our website at http://www.sapiens.com. Such information on our website is not part of this annual report.
I. Subsidiary Information.
Not applicable.
J. Annual Report to Security Holders.
Not applicable.
94
Item 11. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk.
Market risks relating to our operations result primarily from changes in exchange rates, interest rates or weak economic conditions in the markets in which we sell our products and services. We have been and we are actively monitoring these potential exposures. To manage the volatility relating to these exposures, we may enter into various forward contracts or other hedging instruments. Our objective is to reduce, where it is deemed appropriate to do so, fluctuations in earnings and cash flows associated with changes in foreign currency rates and interest rates.
Foreign Currency Risk. We conduct our business in various foreign currencies, primarily those of Israel and the United Kingdom, and to a lesser extent of Europe and Canada. A devaluation of the NIS, GBP and Euro in relation to the US dollar has the effect of reducing the US dollar amount of any of our expenses or liabilities which are payable in those currencies (unless such expenses or payables are linked to the US dollar) while reducing the US dollar amount of any of our revenues which are payable to us in those currencies.
Because exchange rates between the NIS, GBP and Euro, on the one hand, and the US dollar, on the other hand, fluctuate continuously, exchange rate fluctuations and especially larger periodic devaluations will have an impact on our revenue and profitability and period-to-period comparisons of our results. The effects of foreign currency re-measurements are reflected as financial expenses in our consolidated financial statements. A hypothetical 10% movement in foreign currency exchange rates (primarily the NIS, GBP and Euro) against the US dollar, with all other variables held constant on the expected sales, would have resulted in a decrease or increase in 2023 sales revenues of a maximum of $28.4 million, or an effect of 5.5% on total revenues.
We monitor our foreign currency exposure and, from time to time, may enter into currency forward contracts or put/call currency options to hedge balance sheet exposure. We may use such contracts to hedge exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates associated with balance sheet balances denominated in a foreign currency and anticipated costs to be incurred in a foreign currency.
Inflation Risk. Given that we have expanded our global presence and offer our software solutions and services to new markets, particularly in the United States, the U.K. and Europe, when inflationary pressures are more significant (as they were in 2022 and earlier in 2023), they adversely impact our operations. The increased inflation in Europe and the U.S. in 2022 and early 2023 led to an increase in certain of our operating costs and expenses, such as employee compensation and office operating expenses. In addition, during periods of significant inflation, the purchasing power of our customers declined due to our customers’ rising other expenses, and customer demand for our software solutions and services was, to a certain extent, adversely impacted as a result, which negatively affected our results of operations, financial condition and prospects at the time. The reduction in inflation over the second half of 2023 mitigated these effects. We continue to monitor, on an ongoing basis, inflationary pressures and their impact on our results of operations.
Market Risk. We currently do not invest in, or otherwise hold, for trading or other purposes, any financial instruments that are subject to market risk.
Interest Rate Risk. We pay interest on our Series B Debentures based on a fixed interest rate which is denominated in NIS linked to a fixed US dollar interest rate. Because we do not have any outstanding debt obligations other than the Series B Debentures, we were not materially impacted, in a direct manner, by the global rise in interest rates that occurred throughout 2022 and during much of 2023. Therefore, no quantitative tabular disclosures are required. We note, however, that the ability of our customers to finance the purchase of our solutions is adversely impacted by higher interest rates and tighter credit conditions.
Item 12. Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities.
Not applicable.
95
PART II
Item 13. Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies.
Not applicable.
Item 14. Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds.
None.
Item 15. Controls and Procedures
A. Disclosure Controls and Procedures.
Our management, including our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15€ and 15d-15€ of the Exchange Act) as of December 31, 2023. Based on such evaluation, the President and Chief Executive Officer, and the Chief Financial Officer, have concluded that, as of December 31, 2023, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
B. Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Our management, including our President and Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework and criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) as of the end of the period covered by this report.
Based on that evaluation, our management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2023. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there can be no assurance that our internal control over financial reporting will detect or uncover all failures of persons within the Company to comply with our internal procedures, as all internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective may not prevent or detect misstatements.
C. Attestation Report of Registered Public Accounting Firm.
The attestation report of Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer, a member of EY Global, an independent registered public accounting firm in Israel, on our management’s assessment of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 is provided on page F-5, as included under Item 18 of this annual report.
D. Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.
Based on the evaluation conducted by our President and Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-15(d) and 15d-15(d) under the Exchange Act, our management has concluded that there was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the year ended December 31, 2023 that materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
96
ITEM 16. RESERVED
Item 16A. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
Our Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Yacov Elinav, a member of our Audit Committee, meets the definition of an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined under the applicable rules promulgated by the SEC. All members of our Audit Committee, including Mr. Elinav, are “independent directors,” as defined under the Nasdaq Listing Rules.
Item 16B. Code of Ethics.
We have adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and corporate controller, as well as to our directors and other employees. The Code of Ethics is publicly available on our website at www.sapiens.com. Written copies are available upon request. If we make any substantive amendments to the Code of Ethics or grant any waivers, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of such Code to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer or corporate controller, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website.
ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.
Policies and Procedures
Our Audit Committee has adopted policies and procedures for the pre-approval of audit and non-audit services rendered by our independent auditors, Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer, a member of EY Global. The policies generally require the Audit Committee’s pre-approval of the scope of the engagement of our independent auditors or additional work performed on an individual basis. The policy prohibits retention of the independent auditors to perform the prohibited non-audit functions defined in Section 201 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or the rules of the SEC and also provides that the Audit Committee consider whether proposed services are compatible with the independence of the public auditors.
Fees Paid to Independent Auditors
Fees billed by Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer, a member of EY Global and other members of EY Global for professional services for each of the last two fiscal years were as follows:
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| (in thousands) | ||||||||
| Audit Fees (1) | $ | 600 | $ | 550 | ||||
| Tax Fees (2) | $ | 153 | $ | 219 | ||||
| All other fees (3) | $ | 200 | $ | - | ||||
| Total | $ | 953 | $ | 769 | ||||
| (1) | Audit fees consist of fees billed for the annual audit and the quarterly reviews of the Company’s consolidated financial statements and consist of services that would normally be provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements, including services that generally only the independent auditors can reasonably provide. |
| (2) | Tax fees are for professional services rendered by our independent auditors for tax compliance, tax advice on actual or contemplated transactions, tax consulting associated with international transfer prices and global mobility. |
| (3) | All other fees include fees for advisory services rendered with respect to quality of earnings, cost-benchmarking and other services. |
97
ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES
Not applicable.
ITEM 16E. PURCHASE OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS
None.
ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT.
Not applicable.
ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
We are permitted to exempt ourselves from a number of the requirements under the Nasdaq Listing Rules based on our status as a “foreign private issuer.” See Item 6.C above “Board Practices— Nasdaq Opt-Outs for a Foreign Private Issuer.” Pursuant to that allowance, we have elected to follow our home country practice— under Cayman Islands law— in lieu of complying with the following requirements of the Nasdaq Listing Rules:
| ● | Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(b): Under this Nasdaq listing rule, a majority of the members of a company’s board of directors must qualify as independent directors, as defined under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(a)(2), and the independent directors must have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present. We instead follow Cayman Islands law, under which our Board of Directors need not include a majority of independent directors, nor do independent directors need to meet separately on a regular basis. |
| ● | Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(d)(2): Under this Nasdaq listing rule, a company must appoint a compensation committee composed of at least two members, each of whom is an independent director (as determined in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(d)(2)(A)), which shall, among other matters, determine, or recommend to the board of directors for determination, the compensation of the chief executive officer and all other executive officers (subject to limited exceptions). In keeping with Cayman Island law, our Compensation Committee is not, and need not be, composed entirely of independent directors. |
| ● | Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(e)(1): Under this Nasdaq listing rule, a director nominees must either be selected or recommended for the board of directors’ selection, either by (a) a majority of independent directors or (b) a nominations committee comprised solely of independent directors (subject to limited exceptions). As permitted under Cayman Island law, our Board of Directors as a whole makes nominations of directors. |
| ● | Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(e)(2): Under this Nasdaq listing rule, a company must certify that it has adopted a formal written charter or board resolution, as applicable, addressing the nominations process and such related matters as may be required under US federal securities laws. Given the absence of such a requirement under Cayman Island law, we have no such formal written charter, and have not adopted such a board resolution. |
| ● | Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635: This Nasdaq listing rule requires a domestic United States company to obtain shareholder approval for certain dilutive events, such as: |
| ● | the establishment or amendment of certain equity based compensation plans and arrangements; |
| ● | an issuance that will result in a change of control of the company; and |
| ● | certain acquisitions of the stock or assets of another company. |
We instead follow Cayman Island law, under which shareholder approval is not required for any of the dilutive events described in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635.
98
ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE.
Not applicable.
ITEM 16I. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS.
Not applicable.
ITEM 16J. INSIDER TRADING POLICIES
Disclosure under this item
is
ITEM 16K CYBERSECURITY.
Risk management and strategy
We maintain a corporate cybersecurity risk assessment program that is designed to identify and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats. The program is integrated into our overall risk management system, thereby ensuring that we address cybersecurity risks in a comprehensive manner.
In implementing the processes of our cybersecurity risk assessment program, we have an internal cybersecurity team (described further below under “Item 16K. Cybersecurity—Governance”), and we also engage outside assessors, consultants, auditors and other third parties to help us in identifying and managing our cybersecurity risks. The degree to which our internal cybersecurity team, as opposed to an external party, handles the implementation of a given cybersecurity project depends on the specific needs of the project. We have processes in place to oversee and identify risks related to our outsourcing of certain portions of our cybersecurity risk management. Those processes are designed to ensure that we are utilizing reliable and secure third-party vendors.
We regularly assess whether any risks from cybersecurity threats are reasonably likely to materially affect our company, its business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. If any such risks are identified, we take appropriate measures to mitigate them. As with virtually every other public company, we believe that a potential material cybersecurity incident could potentially adversely affect our business operations in a material manner, due to the reliance that we place on our information technology (IT) systems for, among other things: effectively managing our accounting and financial functions, including maintaining our internal controls; managing our sales and marketing processes for our solutions and services; and maintaining our proprietary rights (such as research and development, and other intellectual property- related data). The failure of our IT systems to perform properly could disrupt our ability to develop, market and sell our solutions and services, which may result in decreased sales, increased overhead costs, and failure of our solutions to properly function, causing our business, our reputation, and our operating results to suffer. Please see “Item 3.D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business, Our Industry, and Our Financing Activities— Significant disruptions of our information technology systems or breaches of our data security could adversely affect our business”.
99
Governance
As part of our corporate cybersecurity risk assessment program, we prioritize the identification and management of cybersecurity risk at several levels, including board oversight and heavy involvement of our management on an ongoing basis.
Our board of directors as a whole is responsible for the oversight of risks from cybersecurity threats. The board has established a steering committee that reports cybersecurity risks to the entire board on an annual basis. The committee meets annually with our company’s chief information security officer (CISO), who updates the committee regarding the latest developments with respect to our cybersecurity risk assessment program, the results of the latest risk assessments, and any material risks from cybersecurity threats that have been identified. The committee also receives regular, ongoing updates on the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of cybersecurity incidents, including details concerning any incidents that have occurred, our company’s response to such incidents, and any lessons learned as a result. The steering committee reports information concerning cybersecurity risks to our entire board of directors on a regular basis, including material cybersecurity risks that have been identified, our company’s response to those risks, and any recommendations for improvement in our response.
Our management, led by our CISO, is primarily responsible for assessing and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats. The CISO directly manages our cybersecurity risk assessment program. Our CISO has over 30 years of comprehensive experience in Information Systems and Technology, with a dedicated focus on Information Security, Incident Response, Cybersecurity, and Forensics for the past decade. As a chief information security officer for three years, he has provided strategic leadership and proactive risk management, steering various organizations through evolving cyber threats. His expertise is rooted in hands-on experience, making him a respected figure in the cybersecurity community.
In handling his role, our CISO is assisted by a team of cybersecurity professionals, which includes individuals with prior work experience, degrees, certification, knowledge, skills and background in cybersecurity, including with respect to cybersecurity risk management, cybersecurity engineering and cybersecurity operations. The cybersecurity team is responsible for monitoring the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of cybersecurity incidents. This includes monitoring our IT network and systems for signs of cyber-attacks, responding to any cybersecurity incidents that occur, and implementing measures to prevent future incidents. The cybersecurity team reports information about cybersecurity risks to senior management on a regular basis. This includes information about any material risks from cybersecurity threats that have been identified, our company’s response to those risks, and any recommendations for improvement.
100
PART III
Item 17. Financial Statements.
We have elected to provide financial statements and related information pursuant to Item 18.
Item 18. Financial Statements.
The Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes required by this Item are contained on pages F-1 through F-47 hereof.
Item 19. Exhibits
EXHIBIT INDEX
| * | Filed herewith |
101
SIGNATURE
The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.
| SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V. | ||
| Date: March 26, 2024 | By: | /s/ Roni Al-Dor |
| Roni Al-Dor | ||
| President & Chief Executive Officer | ||
102
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023
IN U.S. DOLLARS
INDEX
| Page | |
| Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting (PCAOB ID | F – 2 - F – 5 |
| Consolidated Balance Sheets | F – 6 - F –7 |
| Consolidated Statements of Income | F – 8 |
| Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income | F – 9 |
| Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity | F – 10 |
| Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows | F – 11 - F – 12 |
| Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements | F – 13 - F – 47 |
- - - - - - - -
F-1
 |
Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer 144 Menachem Begin Road, Building A, Tel-Aviv 6492102, Israel |
Tel: +972-3-6232525 Fax: +972-3-5622555 ey.com |
||
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Sapiens International Corporation N.V.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Sapiens International Corporation N.V. (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company on December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated March 26, 2024 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
F-2
|
Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer 144 Menachem Begin Road, Building A, Tel-Aviv 6492102, Israel |
Tel: +972-3-6232525 Fax: +972-3-5622555 ey.com |
||
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
| Revenue recognition | ||
| Description of the Matter |
As described in Note 2.n to the consolidated financial statements, the Company generates revenues from some long-term contracts that involve significant implementation, customization, or integration of the Company’s software license to customer-specific requirements. These contracts constitute single performance obligations that are satisfied over time. The Company recognizes revenue from such contracts using the percentage of completion accounting method, which is based on a ratio between actual costs incurred compared to the total estimated costs for the contract.
Auditing the recognition of the Company’s long-term contracts revenue was especially subjective and complex due to the significant estimation required by management to determine the total estimated costs for those contracts, particularly the projected labor costs to complete a contract. Determining the projected labor costs requires understanding the contract specific circumstances, including the specific terms and conditions of each contract, changes to the contract schedule, and complexity of the contract. Changes in the estimate of projected labor costs can have a material effect on the timing of revenue recognition.
| |
| How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit |
We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of relevant internal controls over the Company’s long-term contracts revenue process. For example, for a sample of contracts, we tested controls over management’s review of the initial estimate of total projected labor costs to complete a contract, as well as the ongoing evaluation of those estimates. We also tested internal controls over the completeness and accuracy of the underlying data used by management.
Our audit procedures included, among others, evaluating the significant assumptions and the accuracy and completeness of the underlying data used in management’s estimate. For a sample of contracts, we tested the Company’s historical ability to accurately estimate management’s total projected labor costs by comparing the estimated labor costs period over period. We inspected a sample of contracts to understand the specific terms and conditions and the remaining obligations in the contract. We also met with various executives throughout the organization, including divisional managers, to obtain an understanding of project status and other factors considered in developing the estimate of remaining labor costs including project challenges, completed milestones, customer change orders and delays. |
| /s/ | |
| KOST FORER GABBAY & KASIERER | |
| A Member of EY Global |
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1994.
March 26, 2024
F-3
|
Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer 144 Menachem Begin Road, Building A, Tel-Aviv 6492102, Israel |
Tel: +972-3-6232525 Fax: +972-3-5622555 ey.com |
||
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Sapiens International Corporation N.V.
Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited Sapiens International Corporation N.V.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, Sapiens International Corporation N.V. (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes, and our report dated March 26, 2024 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
F-4
|
Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer 144 Menachem Begin Road, Building A, Tel-Aviv 6492102, Israel |
Tel: +972-3-6232525 Fax: +972-3-5622555 ey.com |
||
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
| /s/ Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer | |
| KOST FORER GABBAY & KASIERER | |
| A Member of EY Global |
Tel-Aviv, Israel
March 26, 2024
F-5
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
U.S. dollars in thousands
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| ASSETS | ||||||||
| CURRENT ASSETS: | ||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | $ | ||||||
| Short-term bank deposit | ||||||||
| Trade receivables (net of allowance for credit losses of $ | ||||||||
| Unbilled receivables and contract assets | ||||||||
| Other receivables and prepaid expenses | ||||||||
| Total current assets | ||||||||
| LONG-TERM ASSETS: | ||||||||
| Capitalized software development costs, net | ||||||||
| Other intangible assets, net | ||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | ||||||||
| Goodwill | ||||||||
| Severance pay fund | ||||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | ||||||||
| Deferred tax assets | ||||||||
| Other long-term assets | ||||||||
| Total long-term assets | ||||||||
| Total assets | $ | $ | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-6
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share data)
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| LIABILITIES AND EQUITY | ||||||||
| CURRENT LIABILITIES: | ||||||||
| Trade payables | $ | $ | ||||||
| Employees and payroll accruals | ||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | ||||||||
| Current maturities of Series B Debentures | ||||||||
| Current maturities of operating lease liabilities | ||||||||
| Deferred revenues | ||||||||
| Total current liabilities | ||||||||
| LONG-TERM LIABILITIES: | ||||||||
| Series B Debentures, net of current maturities | ||||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | ||||||||
| Other long-term liabilities | ||||||||
| Long-term operating lease liabilities | ||||||||
| Accrued severance pay | ||||||||
| Redeemable non-controlling interest | ||||||||
| Total long-term liabilities | ||||||||
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | ||||||||
| EQUITY: | ||||||||
| Sapiens International Corporation N.V. Shareholders’ equity: | ||||||||
| Share capital: | ||||||||
| Common shares of € Authorized: | ||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | ||||||||
| Treasury shares, at cost - | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Retained earnings | ||||||||
| Total Sapiens International Corporation N.V. shareholders’ equity | ||||||||
| Non-controlling interests | ||||||||
| Total equity | ||||||||
| Total liabilities and equity | $ | $ | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-7
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
U.S. dollars in thousands (except per share data)
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Cost of revenues | ||||||||||||
| Gross profit | ||||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||
| Research and development | ||||||||||||
| Selling, marketing, general and administrative | ||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | ||||||||||||
| Operating income | ||||||||||||
| Financial expense, net | ||||||||||||
| Income before taxes on income | ||||||||||||
| Taxes on income | ||||||||||||
| Net income | ||||||||||||
| Net income attributed to non-controlling interests | ||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to Sapiens’ shareholders | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Net earnings per share attributable to Sapiens’ shareholders | ||||||||||||
| Basic earnings per share | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Diluted earnings per share | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-8
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
U.S. dollars in thousands
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Net income | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss): | ||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustments, net | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Total comprehensive income | ||||||||||||
| Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interests | ||||||||||||
| Comprehensive income attributable to Sapiens’ shareholders | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-9
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
U.S. dollars in thousands (except of share data)
| Common share | Additional paid-in | Treasury | Accumulated other comprehensive | Retained | Non-controlling | Total shareholders’ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | capital | shares | Income (loss) | earnings | interests | equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of January 1, 2021 | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employee stock options exercised (cash and cashless) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distribution of dividend | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive loss | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transaction with minority shareholders | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2021 | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employee stock options exercised (cash and cashless) | ) | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distribution of dividend | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive loss | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employee settlement of stock-based liability | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2022 | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employee stock options exercised (cash and cashless) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distribution of dividend | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive loss | - | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employee settlement of stock-based liability | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transaction with minority shareholders | - | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2023 | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| *) |
F-10
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
U.S. dollars in thousands
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities: | ||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | ||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation | ||||||||||||
| Accretion of discount on Series B Debentures | ||||||||||||
| Impairment of right of use asset | ||||||||||||
| Capital loss (gain) from sale of property and equipment | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Net changes in operating assets and liabilities | ||||||||||||
| Decrease (Increase) in net trade receivables, unbilled receivables and contract assets | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Decrease (increase) in other operating assets | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Changes in operating lease right-of-use assets | ||||||||||||
| Decrease in deferred tax liabilities, net | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Increase (decrease) in trade payables | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Increase (decrease) in other operating liabilities | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Changes in operating lease liabilities | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Increase (decrease) deferred revenues | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Increase in accrued severance pay, net | ||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: | ||||||||||||
| Purchase of property and equipment | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Proceeds from sale of property and equipment | ||||||||||||
| Capitalized software development costs | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Net cash received from (paid for) acquisitions (b) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Proceeds from (investment in) short-term bank deposits and other, net | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Purchase of other intangible asset | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Net cash provided by )used in( investing activities | $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | $ | |||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-11
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
U.S. dollars in thousands
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Cash flows from financing activities: | ||||||||||||
| Proceeds from employee stock options exercised | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Repayment of Series B Debentures | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Distribution of dividend | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Payments of contingent consideration | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Acquisition of non-controlling interests | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Dividend to non-controlling interest | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Increase (decrease) in cash, and cash equivalents | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents at beginning of year | ||||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of year | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Supplemental cash flow activities: | ||||||||||||
| (a) Cash paid during the year for: | ||||||||||||
| Interest | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Income taxes | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| (b) Net cash received from (paid for) acquisitions: | ||||||||||||
| Fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of acquisition: | ||||||||||||
| Working capital, net (excluding cash and cash equivalents) | $ | ( |
) | $ | $ | |||||||
| Other long-term assets | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Other long-term liabilities | ||||||||||||
| Deferred tax liability | ||||||||||||
| Deferred payment consideration liability | ||||||||||||
| Goodwill and other intangible assets | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | $ | ||||||
| (c) Non-cash transactions: | ||||||||||||
| Net lease liabilities arising (modifying) from obtaining right-of-use assets | $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | $ | |||||
| Property and equipment purchase incurred but unpaid at year end | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-12
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 1:- GENERAL
Sapiens International Corporation N.V. (“Sapiens”) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), a member of the Formula Systems (1985) Ltd. (“Formula”) Group, is a global provider of software solutions for the insurance industry. The ultimate parent of the Company is Asseco Poland S.A. (“Asseco”), a Polish public company, traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The Company’s expertise is reflected in its innovative software, solutions and professional services for property & casualty (P&C); reinsurance; life, pension & annuity (L&P); workers’ compensation (WC); medical professional liability (MPL); financial & compliance (F&C); and decision modeling for both insurance and non-insurance markets. The Company offers end to end solutions for insurers core, data & analytics and digital operations, as well as stand-alone solutions which help them optimize and maximize their current investment.
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in United States (“U.S. GAAP”).
| a. | Use of estimates: |
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Such management estimates and assumptions are related, but not limited to contingent liabilities, income tax uncertainties, deferred taxes assets, share-based compensation, value of intangible assets and goodwill, as well as the determination of revenue recognition from contracts accounted for based on the estimate of percentage of completion. The Company’s management believes that the estimates, judgment and assumptions used are reasonable based upon information available at the time they are made. These estimates, judgments and assumptions can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
| b. | Financial statements in United States dollars: |
The currency of the primary economic environment in which the operations of Sapiens and certain subsidiaries are conducted is the U.S. dollar (“dollar”); thus, the dollar is the functional currency of Sapiens and certain subsidiaries.
Sapiens and certain subsidiaries’ transactions and balances denominated in dollars are presented at their original amounts. Non-dollar transactions and balances have been remeasured to dollars in accordance with ASC 830, “Foreign Currency Matters”.
All transaction gains and losses from remeasurement of monetary balance sheet items denominated in non-dollar currencies are reflected in the statements of income as financial income or expenses, as appropriate.
F-13
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
For those subsidiaries, whose functional currency has been determined to be their local currency, assets and liabilities are translated at year-end exchange rates and statement of income items are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the year. Such translation adjustments are recorded as a separate component of an accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) within equity.
| c. | Principles of consolidation: |
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its majority-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.
Non-controlling interests of subsidiaries represent the non-controlling shareholders’ share of the total comprehensive income (loss) of the subsidiaries and fair value of the net assets upon the acquisition of the subsidiaries. The non-controlling interests are presented in equity separately from the equity attributable to the equity holders of the Company.
| d. | Cash equivalents: |
Cash equivalents are short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to cash, with original maturities of three months or less at the date acquired.
| e. | Short-term bank deposits: |
Short-term bank deposits with maturities of more than three months and less than one year are included in short-term bank deposits.
| f. | Trade receivables: |
Trade receivables are stated net of credit losses allowance. The Company maintains the allowance for estimated losses resulting from the inability of the Company’s customers to make required payments. The allowance represents the current estimate of lifetime expected credit losses over the remaining duration of existing accounts receivable considering current market conditions and supportable forecasts when appropriate. The estimate is a result of the Company’s ongoing evaluation of collectability, customer creditworthiness, historical levels of credit losses, and future expectations.
Estimated credit loss allowance is recorded as general and administrative expenses on the Company’s consolidated statements of income.
F-14
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at the beginning of the year | $ | $ | ||||||
| Current period provision | ||||||||
| Write offs | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Recoveries collected | ( | ) | ||||||
| Balance at year end | $ | $ | ||||||
| g. | Property and equipment, net: |
| % | ||
| Computers and peripheral equipment | ||
| Office furniture and equipment | ||
| Leasehold improvements |
| h. | Leases: |
The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. The Company’s assessment is based on: (1) whether the contract involves the use of an identified asset, (2) whether the Company obtains the right to substantially all of the economic benefits from the use of the asset throughout the period of use, and (3) whether the Company has the right to direct the use of the asset.
Leases are classified as either finance leases or operating leases. A lease is classified as a finance lease if any one of the following criteria are met: the lease transfers ownership of the asset by the end of the lease term, the lease contains an option to purchase the asset that is reasonably certain to be exercised, the lease term is for a major part of the remaining useful life of the asset, the present value of the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the asset, or the underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of lease term. A lease is classified as an operating lease if it does not meet any one of these criteria. Since all of the Company’s lease contracts do not meet any one of the criteria above, the Company concluded that all of its lease contracts should be classified as operation leases.
F-15
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
For lease with terms greater than 12 months, ROU assets and liabilities are recognized on the commencement date based on the present value of remaining lease payments over the lease term. For this purpose, the Company considers only payments that are fixed and determinable at the time of commencement. As most of the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”) based on the information available on the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The Company’s IBR is estimated to approximate the interest rate for collateralized borrowing with similar terms and payments and in economic environments where the leased asset is located. Certain leases include options to extend or terminate the lease. The ROU asset also includes any lease payments made prior to commencement and is recorded net of any lease incentives received. Moreover, the ROU asset may also include initial direct costs, which are incremental costs of a lease that would not have been incurred if the lease had not been obtained.
| i. | Research and development costs: |
Research and development costs incurred in the process of software production before establishment of technological feasibility are charged to expenses as incurred. Certain internal and external costs incurred to develop software to be sold are capitalized after technological feasibility is established in accordance with ASC 985-20, “Software - Costs of Software to be Sold Leased or Marketed”. Based on the Company’s product development process, technological feasibility is established upon completion of a detailed program design.
Costs incurred by the Company between completion of the detailed program design and the point at which the product is ready for general release, have been capitalized.
Capitalized
software development costs are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the software products (primarily
| j. | Business combinations: |
The Company accounts for its business acquisitions in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ASC No. 805, “Business Combinations”. The Company uses its best estimates and assumptions as part of the purchase price allocation process to value assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the business combination date. The total purchase price allocated to the tangible assets, liabilities assumed and intangible assets acquired is assigned based on their fair values as of the date of the acquisition. The excess of the fair value of the purchase price over the fair value of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. Goodwill generated from the business combinations is primarily attributable to synergies between the Company and acquired companies’ respective products and services. Acquisition-related expenses are recognized separately from the business combination and are expensed as incurred.
F-16
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
The Company accounts for a transaction that do not meet the definition of a business or if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets as asset acquisitions.
| k. | Other intangible assets, net: |
Technology
and patents acquired are amortized over their estimated useful life on a straight-line basis. The acquired customer relationships are
amortized over their estimated useful lives in proportion to the economic benefits realized method.
| % | ||||
| Technology | ||||
| Customer relationships | ||||
| Patents | ||||
| l. | Goodwill: |
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price in a business combination over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired. ASC No. 350, “Intangible-Goodwill and other” requires goodwill to be tested for impairment at least annually, in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, and in certain circumstances, between annual tests. The accounting guidance gives the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. The qualitative assessment considers events and circumstances that might indicate that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount. If it is determined, as a result of the qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, a quantitative test is performed. Goodwill impairment is required if the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value. The Company operates in four reporting units: L&P (Life & Pension), P&C (Property & Casualty), Decision and IPELS.
For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, no impairment of goodwill has been recorded.
| m. | Impairment of long-lived assets: |
The long-lived assets of the Company, including finite-lived intangible assets and right of use assets, are reviewed for impairment in accordance with ASC No. 360, “Property, Plant and Equipment”, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the assets.
If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, no impairment losses have been recognized.
F-17
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
During 2021,
the Company recorded an impairment loss of $
| n. | Revenue recognition: |
The Company implements the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). See Note 18 for further disclosures.
Revenues are recognized when control of the promised goods or services are transferred to the customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration that the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services.
The Company generates revenues mainly from sales of software licenses which include significant implementation and customization services. In addition, the Company generates revenues from post implementation consulting services and maintenance services. Revenues from these contracts are based on either fixed price or time and material.
Revenue from long term contracts which involve significant implementation, customization, or integration of the Company’s software license to customer-specific requirements are considered one performance obligation satisfied over-time.
The Company
recognizes revenue from such contracts over time, using the percentage of completion accounting method. The Company recognizes
revenue as the work is performed, based on a ratio between labor effort incurred to date compared to the total estimated labor
effort for the contract. Incurred labor effort represents work performed that corresponds with, and thereby best depicts, the
transfer of control of the goods and services to the customer. Determining the projected labor costs requires understanding the
project-specific circumstances, including the specific terms and conditions of each contract, changes to the project schedule, and
complexity of the project. Provisions for estimated losses on uncompleted contracts are made during the period in which such losses
become probable, in the amount of the estimated loss on the entire contract.
When post implementation and consulting services do not involve significant customization, the Company accounts for such services as performance obligations satisfied over time and revenues are recognized as the services are provided.
F-18
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
When the Company enters into a contract for the sale of software license which does not require significant implementation services, and the customer receives the rights to use the perpetual or term-based software license, the Company recognizes revenue from the sale of the software license at the time of delivery, when the customer receives control of the software license. The software license is considered a distinct performance obligation recognized at a point-in-time, as the customer can benefit from the software on its own or together with other readily available resources.
The Company allocates the transaction price for each contract to each performance obligation identified in the contract based on the relative standalone selling price (SSP). The Company determines SSP for the purposes of allocating the transaction price to each performance obligation by considering several external and internal factors including, but not limited to, transactions where the specific performance obligation is sold separately, historical actual pricing practices and geographies in which the Company offers its services.
If a specific performance obligation, such as the software license, is sold for a broad range of amounts (that is, the selling price is highly variable) or if the Company has not yet established a price for that good or service, and the good or service has not previously been sold on a standalone basis (that is, the selling price is uncertain), the Company applies the residual approach whereby all other performance obligations within a contract are first allocated a portion of the transaction price based upon their respective SSPs with any residual amount of transaction price allocated to the remaining specific performance obligation.
In addition to software license fees, contracts with customers may contain an agreement to provide maintenance services. The Company considers the maintenance performance obligation as a distinct performance obligation that is satisfied over time and recognized on a straight-line basis over the contractual period.
The Company pays sales commissions primarily to sales personnel based on their attainment of certain predetermined sales goals. Sales commissions are considered incremental and recoverable costs of obtaining a contract with a customer. Sales commissions paid for initial contracts, which are not commensurate with sales commissions paid for renewal contracts, are capitalized and amortized over an expected period of benefit. Sales commissions for initial contracts, which are commensurate with sales commissions paid for renewal contracts, are capitalized and amortized correspondingly to the recognized revenue of the related initial contracts. If the expected amortization period is one-year or less, the Company uses the practical expedient and the commission fee is expensed as incurred.
Amortization expense related to these costs are included in sales, marketing, general and administrative expenses.
F-19
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
| o. | Income taxes: |
The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, “Income Taxes”. This topic prescribes the use of the asset and liability method, whereby deferred tax asset and liability account balances are determined based on the differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse.
Deferred income tax balances reflect the effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases and are stated at enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when taxes are actually paid or recovered. Deferred tax assets are evaluated for future realization and reduced by a valuation allowance to the extent the Company believes they will not be realized. The Company considers all available evidence, including historical information, long range forecast of future taxable income and evaluation of tax planning strategies. Amounts recorded for valuation allowance can result from a complex series of judgments about future events and can rely on estimates and assumptions.
The Company
implements a two-step approach to recognize and measure uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position taken
or expected to be taken in a tax return by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that,
on an evaluation of the technical merits, the tax position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of any related appeals or
litigation processes. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than
The Company classifies interest as financial expense and penalties as selling, marketing, general and administrative expenses.
| p. | Concentrations of credit risks: |
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, bank deposits, trade receivables, unbilled receivables and contract assets, and foreign currency derivative contracts.
The Company’s cash and cash equivalents and short-term bank deposit are invested in bank deposits mainly in US dollars.
The Company’s trade receivables are generally derived from sales to large and solid organizations located mainly in North America, Europe and the rest of the world.
The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and to date has not experienced any material losses. In certain circumstances, the Company may require prepayment.
F-20
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
The Company entered into forward contracts, and option contracts intended to protect against the increase in value of forecasted non-dollar currency cash flows. The derivative instruments hedge a portion of the Company’s non-dollar currency exposure.
No off-balance sheet concentrations of credit risk exist.
| q. | Accrued severance pay and retirement plans: |
The Company’s liability for severance pay for its Israeli employees is calculated pursuant to Israel’s Severance Pay Law based on the most recent monthly salary of the employees multiplied by the number of years of employment as of the balance sheet date. Employees are entitled to one month’s salary for each year of employment, or a portion thereof. The Company’s liability is fully provided by monthly deposits with insurance policies and severance pay funds and by an accrual.
The deposited funds include profits (losses) accumulated up to the balance sheet date. The deposited funds may be withdrawn only upon the fulfillment of the obligation pursuant to Israel’s Severance Pay Law or employment agreements. The value of the deposited funds is based on the cash surrendered value of these policies and recorded as an asset in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.
In addition, the Company signed a collective agreement with certain employees, according to which the Company’s contributions for severance pay shall be in lieu of severance compensation and that upon release of the policy to the employee, no additional payments shall be made by the Company to the employee. Generally, the Company, under its sole discretion, pays to these employees the entire liability, irrespective of the collective agreement described per above. Therefore, the net obligation related to those employees is stated on the balance sheet as accrued severance pay.
The Company’s agreements with certain employees in Israel are in accordance with Section 14 of the Severance Pay Law, whereas, the Company’s contributions for severance pay shall be in lieu of its severance liability. Upon contribution of the full amount of the employee’s monthly salary, and release of the policy to the employee, no additional calculations shall be conducted between the parties regarding the matter to severance pay and no additional payments shall be made by the Company to the employee. Further, the related obligation and amounts deposited on behalf of such obligation are not stated on the balance sheet, as they are legally released from obligation to employees once the deposit amounts have been paid.
Severance expense
for the years 2023, 2022 and 2021 amounted to $
The Company
has a 401(k) retirement savings plan for most of its U.S. employees. Each eligible employee may elect to contribute a portion of its employee’s
compensation to the plan. The Company has a discretionary employer match. In the reporting periods, this match ranges from
F-21
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
Such 401(k)
employer match expense for the years 2023, 2022 and 2021 amounted to $
| r. | Basic and diluted net earnings per share: |
Basic net earnings per share are computed based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each year. Diluted net earnings per share are computed based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each year plus dilutive potential equivalent common shares considered outstanding during the year, in accordance with ASC 260, “Earnings Per Share”.
| s. | Stock-based compensation: |
The Company accounts for stock-based compensation to employees, including grants of share options and Restricted Shares Units (“RSUs”), in accordance with ASC 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”), which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense based on estimated fair values for all share-based payment awards made. ASC 718 requires companies to estimate the fair value of equity-based payment awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model.
The Company uses the Binomial Lattice (“Binomial model”) option-pricing model to estimate the fair value for grants of share options. The Binomial model takes into account variables such as volatility, dividend yield rate, and risk-free interest rate and also allows for the use of dynamic assumptions and considers the contractual term of the option, and the probability that the option will be exercised prior to the end of its contractual life. The Company recognizes forfeitures of equity-based awards as they occur. The fair value of RSUs without market conditions, is based on the closing market value of the underlying shares at the date of grant.
Stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award. The Company recognizes compensation expense for the value of its awards, which have graded vesting, on a straight-line basis when the only condition to vesting is continued service. If vesting is subject to a performance condition, recognition is based on the implicit service period of the award. Expense for awards with performance conditions is estimated and adjusted on a quarterly basis based upon the assessment of the probability that the performance condition will be met.
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Contractual life | ||||||||||||
| Expected exercise factor | ||||||||||||
| Dividend yield | ||||||||||||
| Expected volatility (weighted average) | ||||||||||||
| Risk-free interest rate | ||||||||||||
F-22
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
The risk-free interest rate assumption is based on the yield from U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds with an equivalent term as of the Company’s employee stock options. Since dividend payment is applied to reduce the exercise price of the option, the effect of the dividend protection is reflected by using an expected dividend assumption of zero.
The expected life of options granted is derived from the output of the option valuation model and represents the period of time the options are expected to be outstanding. The expected exercise factor is based on industry acceptable rates since no actual historical behavior by option holders exists. Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company.
| t. | Fair value of financial instruments: |
ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”), defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In determining fair value, the Company uses various valuation approaches. ASC 820 establishes a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.
The fair value hierarchy also requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.
As a basis for considering such assumptions, ASC 820 establishes a three-tier value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in the valuation methodologies in measuring fair value:
| Level 1 - | Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. |
| Level 2 - | Include other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace. |
| Level 3 - | Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activity. |
The Company measures its foreign currency derivative instruments at fair value.
Foreign currency derivative contracts are classified within Level 2 as the valuation inputs are based on quoted prices and market observable data of similar instruments.
F-23
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, short-term bank deposit, trade receivables, other receivables, prepaid expenses (excluding derivatives), accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair value due to the short-term maturities of such instruments.
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Fair value measurement using input Level 2 | ||||||||
| Other receivables and prepaid expenses: | ||||||||
| Derivative instruments | $ | $ | ||||||
| u. | Derivatives and hedging: |
The Company enters into options contracts and forward contracts to hedge certain transactions denominated in foreign currencies. The purpose of the Company’s foreign currency hedging activities is to protect the Company from the risk that the eventual dollar cash flows from international activities will be adversely affected by changes in the exchange rates. The Company’s option and forward contracts do not qualify as hedging instruments under ASC 815, “Derivatives and hedging”. Changes in the fair value of a hedging strategy are reflected in the consolidated statements of income as financial income or expense.
In 2023, 2022,
and 2021 the Company entered into forward contracts in the aggregate notional amounts of $
As of December
31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company had outstanding options and forward contracts, in the notional amount of $
In 2023 and 2022 the Company recorded financial expense, net of $
| v. | Treasury shares: |
Repurchased common shares are held as treasury shares. The Company presents the cost to repurchase treasury stock as a reduction of shareholders’ equity.
F-24
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 2:- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Cont.)
| w. | Comprehensive income (loss): |
The Company accounts for comprehensive income (loss) in accordance with ASC 220, “Comprehensive Income”. Comprehensive income (loss) generally represents all changes in shareholders’ equity during the period except those resulting from investments by, or distributions to, shareholders. The Company records transactions under comprehensive income net of income tax. The Company determined that its other comprehensive income (loss) relates to foreign currency translation adjustments.
| x. | Recently adopted accounting standards: |
In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers”. The standard requires an acquirer in a business combination to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, as if it had originated the contracts. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2022. The adoption of this ASU did not have a significant effect on the Company’s financial statements and disclosures.
| y. | Recently issued accounting pronouncements: |
In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires public entities to disclose information about their reportable segments’ significant expenses and other segment items on an annual basis. Public entities with a single reportable segment are required to apply the disclosure requirements in ASU 2023-07, as well as all existing segment disclosures and reconciliation requirements in ASC 280 on an annual basis. ASU 2023-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2023-07.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires public entities, on an annual basis, to provide disclosure of specific categories in the rate reconciliation, as well as disclosure of income taxes paid disaggregated by jurisdiction. ASU 2023-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2023-09.
F-25
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 3:- ACQUISITIONS
| 1. | Acquisition of NCDC S.A: |
On December 4, 2023 (“the NCDC Acquisition Date”), the Company completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of NCDC S.A. (“NCDC”), a polish entity that provides services which allows quick set up of insurance systems through automation and digitalization for P&C (Property and Casualty) insurance products. The acquisition of NCDC expands the Company’s ability to support the Company software products mainly in the Nordic region.
Acquisition
related costs amounted to $
| Current assets (including cash acquired of $ | $ | |||
| Goodwill | ||||
| Customer relationships | ||||
| Other long-term assets | ||||
| Total assets acquired | $ | |||
| Current liabilities | $ | |||
| Deferred revenues | ||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | ||||
| Other long-term liabilities | ||||
| Total liabilities acquired | $ | |||
| Net assets acquired | $ |
The preliminary balances presented in these financial statements are subject to certain changes upon finalization of the purchase price once the net working capital adjustments are agreed with the seller.
F-26
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 3:- ACQUISITIONS (Cont.)
The excess of purchase consideration over the fair value of net tangible and intangible assets acquired was recorded as goodwill. The goodwill from the acquisition of NCDC is primarily attributable to potential synergy with Sapiens, as well as certain intangible assets that do not qualify for separate recognition. The goodwill is not deductible for income tax purposes.
Pro forma results of operations related to this acquisition have not been presented because they are not material to the Company’s consolidated statements of income.
| 2. | Acquisition of I.T Cognitive Ltd.: |
On May 19,
2022, Sapiens completed the acquisition of
Pro forma results of operations related to this acquisition have not been presented because they are not material to the Company’s consolidated statements of income.
NOTE 4:- OTHER LONG-TERM ASSETS
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Unbilled receivables | $ | $ | ||||||
| Rent deposits | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||
NOTE 5:- PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Cost: | ||||||||
| Computers and peripheral equipment | $ | $ | ||||||
| Office furniture and equipment | ||||||||
| Leasehold improvements | ||||||||
| Accumulated depreciation: | ||||||||
| Computers and peripheral equipment | ||||||||
| Office furniture and equipment | ||||||||
| Leasehold improvements | ||||||||
| Depreciated cost | $ | $ | ||||||
F-27
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 5:- PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET (Cont.)
Depreciation expenses
totaled $
NOTE 6:- LEASES
The Company
leases substantially all of its office space and vehicles under operating leases.
In December 2021, the Company recorded an impairment in the amount
of $
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Operating lease cost | $ | $ | ||||||
| Variable lease cost | ||||||||
| Short-term lease cost | ||||||||
| Total lease costs | $ | $ | ||||||
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Weighted average remaining lease term (years) | ||||||||
| Weighted average discount rate | % | % | ||||||
Cash paid for amounts
included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, was $
F-28
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 6:- LEASES (Cont.)
| 2024 | $ | |||
| 2025 | ||||
| 2026 | ||||
| 2027 | ||||
| 2028 | ||||
| Thereafter | ||||
| Total undiscounted cash flows | ||||
| Less imputed interest | ||||
| Present value of lease liabilities | $ |
NOTE 7:- CAPITALIZED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COSTS, NET
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at the beginning of the year | $ | $ | ||||||
| Capitalization | ||||||||
| Amortization | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||
| Functional currency translation adjustments | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||
| Balance at year end | $ | $ | ||||||
Amortization
of capitalized software development costs for 2023, 2022 and 2021, was $
F-29
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 8:- OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET
| a. |
| Weighted average remaining useful | December 31, | ||||||||||
| life (years) | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Original amounts: | |||||||||||
| Customer relationships | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Technology | |||||||||||
| Patents | |||||||||||
| Accumulated amortization: | |||||||||||
| Customer relationships | |||||||||||
| Technology | |||||||||||
| Patents | |||||||||||
| Other intangible assets, net | $ | $ | |||||||||
| b. | Amortization of other intangible assets was $ |
| c. |
| 2024 | $ | |||
| 2025 | ||||
| 2026 | ||||
| 2027 | ||||
| 2028 | ||||
| Thereafter | ||||
| $ | ||||
F-30
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 9:- GOODWILL
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at the beginning of the year | $ | $ | ||||||
| Acquisitions | ||||||||
| Functional currency translation adjustments | ( |
) | ||||||
| Balance at year end | $ | $ | ||||||
NOTE 10:- ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER LIABILITIES
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Government authorities | $ | $ | ||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | ||||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||
NOTE 11:- SERIES B DEBENTURES, NET OF CURRENT MATURITIES
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Series B Debentures | $ | $ | ||||||
| Less: Current maturities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Less: Unamortized debt discounts and issuance costs | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| $ | $ | |||||||
In
September 2017, the Company issued Series B Debentures in the aggregate principal amount of NIS
F-31
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 11:- SERIES B DEBENTURES, NET OF CURRENT MATURITIES (Cont.)
In
June 2020, the Company expanded the Series B Debentures issuance and raised an additional NIS
The
outstanding principal amount of the Series B Debentures will bear a fixed interest rate of
The Series B Debentures are listed for trading on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange.
The Series B Debentures are unsecured and non-convertible. The Series B Debentures interest may be increased in the event that the debentures’ rating is downgraded below a certain level. The Company has undertaken to maintain a number of conditions and limitations on the manner in which it operates its business, including limitations on its ability to undergo a change of control, distribute dividends, incur a floating charge on the Company’s assets, or undergo an asset sale or other change that results in a fundamental change in the Company’s operations.
During
the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded $
As
of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the estimated fair value of the Company’s Series B Debentures was $
NOTE 12:- COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
| a. | Sapiens Technologies (1982) Ltd. (“Sapiens Technologies”), a subsidiary
incorporated in Israel, was partially financed under programs sponsored by the Israel Innovation Authority (“IIA”), formerly
the Office of the Chief Scientist, for the support of certain research and development activities conducted in Israel. In exchange for
participation in the programs by the IIA, the Company agreed to pay |
Royalty
expense amounted to $
As of December
31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had a contingent liability to pay royalties of up to $
| b. | The Company provided bank guarantees in the amount of $ |
| c. | In accordance with the indenture for the Series B Debentures, the Company is required to meet certain financial covenants. See Note 11 above. |
F-32
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 13:- TAXES ON INCOME
| a. | Israeli taxation: |
| 1. | Corporate tax rates in Israel: |
Taxable income
of Israeli companies was generally subject to corporate tax at the rate of was
| 2. | Tax benefits under the Israel Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments, 1959 (“the Law”): |
Amendment 73 to the law:
In December
2016,
The 2017 Amendment further provides that a technology company satisfying certain conditions will qualify as a Special Preferred Technology Enterprise (“SPTE”) (an enterprise for which, among others, total consolidated revenues of its parent company and all subsidiaries is at least NIS 10 billion) and will thereby enjoy a reduced corporate tax rate of 6% on PTI regardless of the Company’s geographic location within Israel. In addition, a SPTE will enjoy a reduced corporate tax rate of
6% on capital gain derived from the sale of certain “Benefited Intangible Assets” to a related foreign company if the Benefited Intangible Assets were either developed by the Special Preferred Technology Enterprise or acquired from a foreign company on or after January 1, 2017.
F-33
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 13:- TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.)
Starting from
2017 under Amendment 73 to the Investment Law, part of the Company’s taxable income in Israel were entitled to a preferred
Amendment 74 to the Encouragement Law:
On November 15, 2021, the Economic Efficiency Law (Legislative Amendments for Achieving Budget Targets for the 2021 and 2022 Budget Years), 2021 (“the Economic Efficiency Law”), was enacted. This Law establishes a temporary order allowing Israeli companies to release tax-exempt earnings (“trapped earnings” or “accumulated earnings”) accumulated until December 31, 2020, through a mechanism established for a reduced corporate income tax rate applicable to those earnings (“the Temporary Order”).
The tax-exempt income is attributable to the Company’s previous status as “Approved Enterprise” and “Benefited Enterprise”. Such tax-exempt income cannot be distributed to shareholders without subjecting the Company to payable income taxes. If dividends are distributed from previous tax-exempt profits, the Company will be liable for income tax at the rate applicable to its profits from the Approved Enterprise in at the tax rate enacted in the year in which the income was earned.
According to
the Temporary Order, the reduction of CIT will apply to earnings that are released (with no requirement for an actual distribution) within
a period of one year from the date of enactment of the Temporary Order. The reduction in the CIT is dependent on the proportion of the
trapped earnings that are released in relation to the total trapped earnings, and on the applicable CIT rate in the years the earnings
were generated. Consequently, the larger the proportion of the trapped earnings that are released, the lower the tax in respect of the
distribution. The minimum tax rate is
F-34
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 13:- TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.)
| 3. | Foreign Exchange Regulations: |
Under the Foreign Exchange Regulations, some of the Company’s Israeli subsidiaries calculate their tax liability in U.S. Dollars according to certain orders. The tax liability, as calculated in U.S. Dollars is translated into NIS according to the exchange rate as of December 31, of each year for tax purposes only.
| b. | Income taxes on non-Israeli subsidiaries: |
Non-Israeli subsidiaries are taxed according to the tax laws in their respective country of residence. Deferred income taxes were provided in relation to undistributed earnings of non-Israeli subsidiaries, which the Company intends to distribute in the near future.
The Company intends to permanently reinvest undistributed earnings in the foreign subsidiaries in which earnings arose, in the vast majority of its subsidiaries. If the earnings, for which deferred taxes were not provided, were distributed in the form of dividends or otherwise, the Company would be subject to additional Israeli income taxes (subject to an adjustment for foreign tax credits) and non-Israeli withholding taxes.
The amount
of undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries that are considered to be reinvested as of December 31, 2023, was $
| c. | Tax Reform - United States of America: |
The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”) was approved on December 22, 2017. This legislation makes significant changes to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Such changes include a reduction in the corporate tax rate and limitations on certain corporate deductions and credits, among other changes.
The TCJA reduces
the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from
F-35
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 13:- TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.)
The TCJA introduced the rules for tax on the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) on foreign income in excess of a deemed return on tangible assets of foreign corporations. One of our subsidiaries is subject to GILTI.
Starting from 2022, the TCJA requires taxpayers to capitalize research and development expenses with amortization periods over five for research activities conducted in the United States and over fifteen years for research activities conducted outside of the United States, which has increased the Company’s tax liability in the U.S. The current tax expenses have increased to account for the capitalization of research and development costs in 2022 and 2023.
| d. | Net operating losses carryforwards: |
As of December
31, 2023, certain subsidiaries had tax loss carryforwards in total of approximately $
| e. | Deferred tax assets and liabilities: |
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Deferred tax assets: | ||||||||
| Net operating losses carryforwards *) | $ | $ | ||||||
| Research and development | ||||||||
| Lease liability | ||||||||
| Reserves and allowances | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Deferred tax assets before valuation allowance | ||||||||
| Valuation allowance | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Deferred tax assets | ||||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities: | ||||||||
| Capitalized software development costs | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Lease right-of-use asset | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Acquired intangibles | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Property and equipment | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Undistributed earnings | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Other | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Deferred tax assets (liabilities), net | $ | $ | ( | ) | ||||
| *) |
F-36
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 13:- TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.)
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Deferred tax assets, net | $ | $ | ||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities, net | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Deferred tax assets (liabilities), net | $ | $ | ( | ) | ||||
The Company has provided valuation allowances in respect of certain deferred tax assets resulting from operating losses carry forwards and other reserves and allowances due to uncertainty concerning realization of these deferred tax assets.
| f. |
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Domestic (Israel) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Foreign | ||||||||||||
| $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
| g. |
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Income before taxes on income, as reported in the statements of income | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Statutory tax rate in Israel | % | % | % | |||||||||
| Theoretical taxes on income | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Increase (decrease) in taxes resulting from: | ||||||||||||
| Foreign and preferred enterprise tax rates differences | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Changes in carry forward tax losses and other temporary differences for which valuation allowance was provided | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Non-deductible expenses | ||||||||||||
| Decrease in uncertain tax positions, net | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Undistributed earnings | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Release of trapped earnings (see note 13.a.2) | ||||||||||||
| Others | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Taxes on income, as reported in the statements of income | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
F-37
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 13:- TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.)
| h. |
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Current | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Deferred | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Domestic (Israel) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Foreign | ||||||||||||
| $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
| i. | Uncertain tax benefits: |
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at the beginning of the year | $ | $ | ||||||
| Increase related to tax positions from prior fiscal years | ||||||||
| Decrease related to tax positions from prior fiscal years | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Lapses of statutes of limitation | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Balance at the end of the year | $ | $ | ||||||
As of December
31, 2023 and 2022, accrued interest related to unrecognized tax benefits amounted to $
Although the Company believes that it has adequately provided for any reasonably foreseeable outcomes related to tax audits and settlement, there is no assurance that the final tax outcome of its tax audits will not be different from that which is reflected in the Company’s income tax provisions. Such differences could have a material effect on the Company’s income tax provision, cash flow from operating activities and net income in the period in which such determination is made.
Tax assessments filed by part of the Company’s Israeli subsidiaries through the year ended December 31, 2018, are considered to be final.
F-38
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 13:- TAXES ON INCOME (Cont.)
The Company is currently under audit in several jurisdictions for the tax years 2019 and onwards. Timing of the resolution of audits is highly uncertain and therefore, as of December 31, 2023, the Company cannot estimate the change in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from these audits.
NOTE 14:- EQUITY
| a. | The common shares of the Company are traded on the NASDAQ and on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange. |
Common shares confer upon their holders voting rights, the right to receive cash dividends and the right to share in excess assets upon liquidation of the Company.
| b. | Share Incentive Plan: |
In 2011, the Company’s board of directors approved its 2011 Share Incentive Plan (the “2011 Plan”) pursuant to which the Company’s employees, directors, officers, consultants, advisors, suppliers, business partners, customers and any other person or entity whose services are considered valuable are eligible to receive awards of share options, restricted shares, restricted share units and other share-based awards. Options granted under the 2011 Plan may be exercised for a period of up to six years from the date of grant and become exercisable in four equal, annual installments, beginning with the first anniversary of the date of the grant, or pursuant to such other schedule as may provide in the option agreement.
The total number
of Common Shares available under the 2011 Plan was set at
Upon the lapse
of
As of December
31, 2023,
F-39
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 14:- EQUITY (Cont.)
| Year ended December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||
| Amount of options |
Weighted average exercise |
Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years) |
Aggregate intrinsic value |
|||||||||||||
| Outstanding on January 1, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||
| Granted | ||||||||||||||||
| Exercised | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| Expired and forfeited | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| Outstanding on December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||
| Vested and expected to vest | ||||||||||||||||
| Exercisable on December 31, 2023 | $ | |||||||||||||||
The weighted
average grant date fair values of the options granted during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 were $
The total intrinsic
value of options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was $
| Weighted | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Options | Weighted | Options | Average | ||||||||||||||||||
| outstanding | Average | Weighted | Exercisable | Exercise | |||||||||||||||||
| as of | remaining | average | as of | price of | |||||||||||||||||
| Ranges of | December 31, | contractual | exercise | December 31, | Options | ||||||||||||||||
| exercise price | 2023 | Term | price | 2023 | Exercisable | ||||||||||||||||
| (Years) | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||
F-40
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 14:- EQUITY (Cont.)
| Amount of options | Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value | |||||||
| Unvested on January 1, 2023 | ||||||||
| Granted | ||||||||
| Vested | ( | ) | ||||||
| Expired and forfeited | ( | ) | ||||||
| Unvested on December 31, 2023 | ||||||||
The total equity-based
compensation expenses related to all of the Company’s equity-based awards, recognized for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and
2021, was $
| c. | As of December 31, 2023, there was $ |
| d. | Dividend: |
On March 29,
2023, the Company’s board of directors approved the distribution based on 2022 second half results, of a cash dividend of $
On August 2,
2023, the Company’s board of directors approved the distribution, based on 2023 first half results, of a cash dividend of $
F-41
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 15:- RELATED PARTIES TRANSACTIONS
Agreements with controlling shareholder and its affiliates:
The Company has
in effect services agreements with certain companies that are affiliated with Formula, Sapiens’ parent company (most recently since December
23, 2014 and thereafter), and Asseco, Sapiens’ ultimate parent company, pursuant to which the Company has received services amounting
to $
During the years
ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, Asseco provided back office and professional services and fixed assets to one of the Company’s
subsidiary, Sapiens Software Solutions (Poland) Sp. z o.o in an amount of $
As of December 31,
2023, and 2022, the Company had trade payables balances due to its related parties in amount of $
NOTE 16:- BASIC AND DILUTED NET EARNINGS PER SHARE
Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Numerator (thousands): | ||||||||||||
| Net income attributed to Sapiens’ shareholders | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Denominator: | ||||||||||||
| Denominator for basic earnings per share - weighted average number of common shares, net of treasury stock | ||||||||||||
| Stock options and RSU | ||||||||||||
| Denominator for diluted net earnings per share - adjusted weighted average number of shares | ||||||||||||
The weighted
average number of shares related to outstanding anti-dilutive options and RSUs excluded from the calculations of diluted net earnings
per share was
F-42
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 17:- REPORTABLE SEGMENTS AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
| a. | Segment information: |
The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who is the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), makes resource allocation decisions and assesses performance based on financial information presented on a consolidated basis, accompanied by disaggregated information and contributed profit by the operating segments.
Segment profit is comprised of operating profit for the segment that does not include amortization of purchased intangible assets, stock-based compensation expenses, capitalization of software development, and certain other items. The Company identified one operating segment as reportable - the Insurance segment, in which the Company operates as a provider of software solutions for the insurance industry. The insurance segment includes both L&P and P&C segments which are aggregated into one reportable segment.
The other operating segments are insignificant individually and therefore their results are presented together under “All other”. The “All other” category mainly includes certain products sold to non-insurance customers.
The Company’s CODM does not regularly review asset information by segments and, therefore, the Company does not report asset information by segment.
Year ended December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||
| Insurance | All other | Unallocated *) | Consolidated | |||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ||||||||||
| Segment operating profit | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ||||||||||
| Year ended December 31, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||
| Insurance | All other | Unallocated *) | Consolidated | |||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ||||||||||
| Segment operating profit | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ||||||||||
| Year ended December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||
| Insurance | All other | Unallocated *) | Consolidated | |||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ||||||||||
| Segment operating profit | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ||||||||||
| *) |
F-43
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 17:- REPORTABLE SEGMENTS AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (Cont.)
| b. | Geographic information: |
Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| 1. Revenues: | ||||||||||||
| North America *) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Europe **) | ||||||||||||
| Rest of the world | ||||||||||||
| $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
| *) |
| **) |
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| 2. Long- lived assets, including property and equipment, net and operation right-of-use assets: | ||||||||
| APAC | $ | $ | ||||||
| Europe | ||||||||
| Israel (See note 6) | ||||||||
| North America | ||||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||
| c. | Major customer data: |
For the years
ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, no single customer contributed more than
F-44
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 18:- REVENUE
Remaining performance
obligations represent contract revenue that has not yet been recognized, which includes deferred revenue and amounts that will be invoiced
and recognized as revenue in future periods. The aggregate amount of consideration allocated to performance obligations either not satisfied
or partially unsatisfied was approximately $
Disaggregation of revenue:
Years ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Project implementation phase: | ||||||||
| Revenues from pre-implementation projects | $ | $ | ||||||
| Revenues from post-implementation projects | ||||||||
| Total | $ | $ | ||||||
Pre-implementation and post-implementation revenues include subscription, license, maintenance, application maintenance, cloud solutions and professional services.
F-45
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 18:- REVENUE (Cont.)
Contract balances:
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Trade receivables (net of allowance for credit losses of $ | ||||||||
| Short-term unbilled receivables *) | ||||||||
| Long-term unbilled receivables *) | ||||||||
| Contract assets **) | ||||||||
| Deferred revenues (short-term contract liabilities) ***) | ||||||||
| *) |
| **) |
| ***) |
During the year
ended December 31, 2023, the Company recognized $
F-46
SAPIENS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION N.V.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
U.S. dollars in thousands (except share and per share data)
NOTE 19:- SELECTED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS DATA
| a. |
Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Total costs | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Less - capitalized software development costs | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Research and development expenses, net | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| b. |
Year ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||
| Interest expenses (income), net | $ | ( | ) | $ | $ | |||||||
| Exchange rate loss (gain), net | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| PPP loan forgiveness *) | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Derivatives loss (gains), net | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Bank charges and other | ||||||||||||
| Financial expense, net | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| *) |
NOTE 20:- SUBSEQUENT EVENT
On March 25,
2024, based on the results of the six months period commencing July 2023 until December 31, 2023, the Company's board of directors
approved the distribution of a cash dividend of $
- - - - -
F-47