Investment Proposition

A unique world-leading provider of technology-enabled language, content and intellectual property services

  • One of the world's largest language services providers.
  • A leading provider of technology-enabled localization services to many of the world’s largest companies. 
  • Number one position in the worldwide patent translation and patent filing market. 
  • Number two position in life sciences translations and linguistic validation. 
  • A leading patent search service.
  • RWS’s content management technologies are used by some of the globe’s largest companies, and are proven to deliver significant efficiencies.
  • A leader and pioneer in machine translation (MT), first to productize MT in 2005, and RWS’s Neural MT research team is accredited with more than 45 patents and 200 peer-reviewed publications.

Attractive, large and growing end markets with fragmented service provision

  • RWS operates in attractive growth markets where specialist knowledge, reputation and scale are critical.
  • Service provision remains fragmented, providing opportunities to gain market share and consolidate.
  • We are well-diversified, and strongly positioned to take advantage of:
    • Ongoing growth in technology, life sciences, intellectual property protection and other end markets.
    • Trend towards globalization, which brings greater demand for digital content and language services.
    • Increased outsourcing of localization, language and intellectual property services by multinationals to well-reputed partners of scale.
    • High growth markets, particularly in Asia-Pacific and North America.

Diversified, international blue-chip client base

A well-diversified client base by geography and sector: 

  • Client base spans Europe, Asia Pacific, and North and South America.
  • 90 of the world’s top 100 brands by value, all the top 10 pharmaceutical companies globally, many of the major West Coast technology businesses, and 19 of top 20 patent filers worldwide.
  • Customers are in the technology, pharmaceutical, medical, legal, chemical, automotive, government, telecommunications and multiple other sectors.
  • Established partnerships with many clients and high average levels of tenure.

Unique platform

A unique global platform which allows us to deliver 24/7 for our clients via a blend of human expertise and technology: 

  • We have the largest linguist network in the sector, with a 2,000 strong internal team, complemented by access to 29,000 freelance experts.
  • True global coverage, with a presence in 36 countries and freelancers in 169 countries.
  • Our own linguistic AI / machine translation and productivity solutions, which enable the Group to be efficient as well as providing a growth opportunity via product technology solutions for clients.

Strong track record of revenue, profit and dividend growth

  • Sales and dividends have increased every year since RWS's flotation in November 2003, and profit in 17 out of 18 years.
  • Strong reputation for quality, specialist focus, scale and efficiency have supported above-industry average margins.

A clear strategy to create long-term value, with a supportive financial position

  • A clear strategy to grow internationally, both organically and by acquisition, to enhance value for shareholders and other stakeholders:
    • By retaining and growing its client base and increasing the levels of activity, range of services and geographical coverage provided to new and existing customers.
    • By taking advantage of the market consolidation opportunity to selectively acquire complementary businesses with the potential to accelerate growth, deliver above-industry average margins, reinforce the Group’s leading positions in its chosen markets and add to our scalable platform.
  • As a highly cash generative business with low capex requirements and a robust balance sheet, RWS is well positioned to invest in the business organically and by acquisition whilst retaining its progressive dividend policy.

An experienced management team and Board

  • An executive management team and Board with long standing experience and successful track records of achieving growth in the Group’s specialist areas of expertise.
  • Guided by strong and experienced Non-Executive Directors.