The score is pressured primarily by weak profitability and declining cash-flow quality, alongside very bearish technical momentum (price far below key moving averages with negative MACD). A comparatively stable balance sheet and a ~4% dividend yield provide partial support but do not offset the operating/technical weakness.
Positive Factors
Improving leverage
Declining absolute debt and a sizable equity base indicate improving leverage and lower refinancing risk. This durable balance-sheet strength supports financial flexibility for network investment or operating cushions, reducing probability of distress during cyclical downturns.
Sustained revenue growth
Multi-year top-line growth shows persistent customer demand and market traction. Durable revenue expansion provides scale benefits, helps absorb fixed costs, and forms a foundation to restore margins through upsells, cross-sells, and operational leverage over the medium term.
Positive operating cash flow
Positive operating cash flow despite profit weakness indicates the business still converts sales into cash. This ongoing cash generation reduces near-term funding needs, supports the dividend and required capex, and gives management time to execute a structural recovery plan.
Negative Factors
Operating loss in 2025
A return to operating losses and essentially zero net income undermines the company's ability to self-fund growth or dividends. Persistent operating deficits would erode margins and reserves, forcing restructuring, higher financing, or reduced strategic investment over the medium term.
Free cash flow deterioration
Negative free cash flow after investment signals weakening cash conversion and tighter funding flexibility. Over months, continued FCF deficits constrain capital allocation, raise reliance on debt or equity, and limit the firm's ability to invest in network upgrades or competitive offerings.
Collapsed returns on equity
ROE collapsing to near zero indicates the company is not earning adequate returns on its capital base. That durable impairment in capital efficiency makes compounding shareholder value difficult and signals either pricing, cost, or investment allocation problems needing structural fixes.
ecotel communication (E4C) vs. iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG)
Market Cap
€25.86M
Dividend Yield2.44%
Average Volume (3M)563.00
Price to Earnings (P/E)22.0
Beta (1Y)0.36
Revenue Growth5.40%
EPS Growth193.69%
CountryDE
Employees220
SectorServices
Sector StrengthN/A
IndustryTelecommunications Services
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)-0.35
Shares Outstanding3,542,980
10 Day Avg. Volume555
30 Day Avg. Volume563
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio-836.29
Price to Book (P/B)1.79
Price to Sales (P/S)0.34
P/FCF Ratio-205.85
Enterprise Value/Market CapN/A
Enterprise Value/RevenueN/A
Enterprise Value/Gross ProfitN/A
Enterprise Value/EbitdaN/A
Forecast
1Y Price TargetN/A
Price Target UpsideN/A
Rating ConsensusN/A
Number of Analyst Covering0
EPS Forecast (FY)0.75
Revenue Forecast (FY)€132.70M
ecotel communication Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Descriptionecotel communication ag provides marketing information and telecommunication solutions in Germany. The company operates through ecotel Business Customers, ecotel Wholesale, Easybell, and Nacamar segments. The ecotel Business Customers segment offers voice and data services; and products as a supplier for other ICT companies. The ecotel Wholesale Solutions segment provides cross-network trading services in telephone minutes and marketing data lines for national and international carriers. The Easybell segment offers telephone systems for business customers, and a router rental model, as well as call-by-call services for domestic and international phone calls. The Nacamar segment provides content delivery network streaming services for media companies. ecotel communication ag was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany.
ecotel communication Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Financials are mixed. The income statement is weak (operating loss in 2025 and near-zero net income despite revenue growth), cash generation has softened with free cash flow turning slightly negative in 2025, but the balance sheet remains comparatively solid with declining debt and a strong equity base.
Income Statement
38
Negative
Revenue has generally grown from 2021–2025 (annual growth positive in 2022–2025), but profitability has deteriorated sharply after an exceptionally strong 2022. Net income fell from 7.4M (2023) to 2.0M (2024) and was essentially breakeven in 2025 (0.0005M), while operating profit turned negative in 2025 (EBIT -1.5M). Gross profit also compressed materially in 2025 versus 2024, pointing to margin pressure despite continued top-line growth.
Balance Sheet
68
Positive
Leverage appears manageable and improving: total debt declined from 6.8M (2024) to 5.1M (2025), and debt-to-equity was moderate in 2023–2024 (~0.27–0.28) after being higher in 2020–2021. Equity remains sizable versus debt, supporting balance-sheet stability. The key weakness is returns: return on equity collapsed to near zero in 2025, reflecting the earnings reset and reducing the balance sheet’s ability to compound value.
Cash Flow
55
Neutral
Operating cash flow stayed positive in 2025 (4.2M), but cash generation has weakened versus 2024 (7.5M) and especially versus 2022’s elevated level. Free cash flow turned slightly negative in 2025 (-0.2M) after being modestly positive in 2024 (0.6M), suggesting higher investment needs and/or weaker underlying profitability conversion. Overall, cash flow is still providing some support, but consistency and cushion have declined.
Breakdown
TTM
Dec 2025
Dec 2024
Dec 2023
Dec 2022
Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue
115.80M
124.21M
115.54M
106.29M
93.33M
70.89M
Gross Profit
34.64M
15.86M
33.14M
32.53M
31.72M
17.80M
EBITDA
7.81M
2.95M
7.74M
12.45M
23.50M
9.65M
Net Income
2.01M
500.00
2.01M
7.43M
67.54M
4.78M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets
51.27M
55.16M
54.23M
47.33M
108.41M
61.08M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
1.19M
1.13M
2.79M
3.70M
66.93M
12.64M
Total Debt
8.47M
5.10M
6.82M
6.43M
5.90M
10.05M
Total Liabilities
26.34M
31.79M
30.02M
23.60M
26.17M
32.03M
Stockholders Equity
24.92M
23.36M
24.21M
23.73M
82.24M
24.24M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow
-471.84K
-203.10K
553.16K
2.18M
22.98M
10.25M
Operating Cash Flow
3.83M
4.23M
7.47M
6.10M
28.49M
15.43M
Investing Cash Flow
-4.29M
-2.13M
-6.90M
-2.14M
44.03M
-4.92M
Financing Cash Flow
-984.18K
-3.31M
-1.93M
-67.19M
-18.22M
-5.64M
ecotel communication Technical Analysis
Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price12.90
Price Trends
50DMA
10.39
Negative
100DMA
11.32
Negative
200DMA
12.24
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.79
Positive
RSI
14.70
Positive
STOCH
0.78
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For DE:E4C, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 12.9 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 8.99, above the 50-day MA of 10.39, and above the 200-day MA of 12.24, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.79 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 14.70 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 0.78 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for DE:E4C.
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 21, 2026