Support group: this stock finds its niche in the growing customer support software market

Entrepreneur, Oct, 1997

The markets: Scopus offers five primary software applications that can be integrated or stand alone: SupportTeam, SalesTeam, WebTeam, ServiceTeam and SmartScript, covering everything from automated product design changes to customer support management. The need for customer and business information management extends to all industries, so Scopus' clients are diverse and growing.

The sizzle: Scopus is a leader in its young industry, which is focused primarily on customer support. By January 1997, the company had more than 350 clients, up from 200 in 1996.

Market analysts expect Scopus' industry to keep growing 22 percent annually for the rest of the decade, while International Data Corp. expects customer support software to grow 45 percent annually over the next five years and predict a 52 percent earnings growth this fiscal year.

The Outlook

Past and projected sales and earnings

Fiscal Year                    1996     1997     1998(*)    1999(*)

Revenues ($M)                 $28.5    $63.1      $95.7       $129
Net income ($M)                $1.9     $8.4      $12.7      $17.0
Earnings per share            $0.12    $0.42      $0.64      $0.86
Shares outstanding ($M)        16.4       20         20    N/A(**)

* Estimated ** Not available