Altus Group is a leading provider of commercial real estate services, software, and data solutions. The company operates through three business units: Altus Analytics, Commercial Real Estate Consulting, and Geomatics.
Altus Group provides software, data solutions, and expert services to the global commercial real estate industry. The company’s integrated solutions for the management of CRE assets, investment portfolios, finance, and operations improve overall portfolio performance.
Founded in 2005, Altus Group is a Canadian multinational company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. It serves over 47,000 customers across 20 countries, including some of the world’s largest commercial real estate owners, managers, investors, and developers.
Altus Group enables its clients to analyze, gain market insights, enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the overall value of their real estate assets. The company aims to be the leading provider of data analytics, expertise, and technology solutions to the commercial real estate industry.
Business Segments
Altus Group has three main business segments:
Altus Analytics
Altus Analytics provides software, data solutions and advisory services. Its flagship solution, Argus, is a leading asset and investment management platform. Other software solutions include budgeting, performance measurement, forecasting, reporting, lease management, and market intelligence.
Altus Analytics also offers data services like property tax assessments, automated valuation models, real estate transaction data, and location intelligence. Advisory services provide clients with customized solutions on asset and investment strategy, performance measurement, and risk management.
Commercial Real Estate Consulting
The Commercial Real Estate Consulting segment provides expert services covering areas like property valuation, assessment and taxation, cost consulting and project management, environmental consulting, geospatial and 3D building modeling, litigation support, and facilities management.
These professional services help clients make better investment, valuation and management decisions regarding their CRE assets. Altus Group employs over 2,100 professionals across Canada, the US, UK, Australia, and Asia.
Geomatics
The Geomatics business unit collects, processes, and manages land and property data like parcel mapping, orthophotos, satellite imagery, aerial imagery, and topographic data. This data is used by governments, municipalities, utility companies, land developers, and mortgage organizations.
Geomatics services help clients analyze, visualize, manage and extract insights from geospatial data. Altus Group uses various technologies like surveying, 3D laser scanning, aerial photography, satellite imagery, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Financials
As a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Altus Group’s financial information is available in its quarterly and annual reports.
Here are some key financial highlights for Altus Group (All figures in CAD$ millions):
Year | Revenue | Adjusted EBITDA |
---|---|---|
2018 | $523.8 | $96.8 |
2019 | $599.2 | $120.4 |
2020 | $637.3 | $125.2 |
Altus Group has achieved consistent revenue growth between 5-10% annually in the past few years. Profitability has also improved with Adjusted EBITDA margins rising from 18.5% in 2018 to 19.7% in 2020.
The company’s total assets stood at $1.16 billion as of Q3 2021. Altus employed over 2,600 professionals globally and served over 47,000 clients as of 2020.
Acquisitions
Acquisitions and partnerships are a key part of Altus Group’s growth strategy. Some major acquisitions include:
- 2020 – Acquired Reonomy, a US-based provider of commercial real estate data and analytics
- 2019 – Acquired Independent Appraisal Company, a US valuation management firm
- 2018 – Acquired ALTA, a property tax consulting and workflow software firm
- 2017 – Acquired Voyanta, a data analytics and visualization solutions provider
These acquisitions have allowed Altus to expand its capabilities, enter new geographic regions, and increase its client base. The company is focused on acquiring businesses that complement its technology and services portfolio.
Competition
The commercial real estate software, data, and services industry that Altus operates in is highly competitive. Some of the company’s main competitors include:
- CoStar – Market leader in commercial property data and analytics
- RealPage – Property management SaaS solutions
- Yardi – Real estate investment and property management software
- MRI Software – Global provider of real estate software applications and hosted solutions
- JLL Technologies – Commercial real estate technology solutions from JLL
However, Altus differentiates itself by providing an integrated platform combining software, data, and expert advisory services tailored for CRE. Its end-to-end solutions enhance portfolio visibility, performance measurement, risk management, valuation capabilities, and market insights for clients.
Conclusion
In summary, Altus Group is a multinational commercial real estate software, data, and services provider. Its three business units offer solutions spanning CRE asset and investment management, property valuation, data analytics, and geomatics.
Altus enables its large global client base to enhance asset value, improve operational efficiency, manage risk, and make better investment decisions. The company has grown both organically and through acquisitions of complementary businesses.
With expertise across property, finance, cost, and investment management, Altus Group provides an integrated approach to meeting the software, data, and advisory needs of commercial real estate businesses.