Financial Data for Public Translation Companies

Over the past couple months, translation companies have been releasing their numbers for 2008. This means that its about that time of year when the of people Common Sense Advisory will combine this public financial data with the private data they have gathered through sleuthing and soon release an updated list of the 25 largest translation companies.

Where can you find all this financial information if you are not a researcher at CSA? Financial reports and statements for translation companies are difficult to find because most translation companies are privately held. Here are links to financial data for a few of these rare publicly traded companies:

Translation, localization, and interpretation providers

• Language Line (SEC Filings, Google Finance)
• Lionbridge, NASDAQ:LIOX (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
• SDL (London Stock Exchange, Reuters, Google Finance)
• RWS Group (London Stock Exchange, Reuters, Google Finance)
• Honyaku Centre, 2483 (Investor Relations, Google Finance)

Translation technology providers

• Systran, RAN (London Stock Exchange, Reuters, Yahoo! Finanace, Google Finance)
• Imageware Systems, IWSY (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
• Babylon, BBYL (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Yahoo! Finance)
• WizCom, WZM (Investor Relations, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)

Sign Language Providers

• Purple Communications, PRPL (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)

Other public companies whose primary service is not translation, but they still provide translation services to some significant degree

• DynCorp, DCP (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  $2B company that partnered with McNeil Technologies to create Global Linguist Solutions and win the INSCOM "five-year contract, with a maximum value of $4.6 billion and a current awarded value of $3.5 billion."
• SAIC, SAI (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  $9B company that in 2009 completed acquisition of SM Consulting, which earned approximately $50M annually by providing linguistic services to US military
• Bowne, BNE (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  yes, in spite of selling BGS to Lionbridge, Bowne still reported 16% growth and $17M in 2008 translation revenue
• L-3 Communications, LLL (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  yes, L-3 lost prime contractor status on that huge army translation contract to Global Linguist Solutions, but they still provide teh same services as a subcontractor
• Comsys IT Partners, CITP (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  acquired ASET International in 2008
• BioAuthorize, BAZH (SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  tech company yet to generate any revenue, but offering an iPhone translation app as one of their main products
• Prestige International, 4290 (Investor Relations, Google Finance)
  call center that also provides multilingual call support and some interpreting
• VanceInfo, VIT (Investor Relations, SEC Filings, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  IT services company doing $100M in total revenue but only $4M in localization revenue
• China Bio-Med Regeneration Technology, 8158, formerly known as BM Intelligence, (FT, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance)
  $75M+ company lists translation as only one of a dozen primary services
• Benesse, BE8 (Investor Relations, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  the multi-billion dollar parent company of the language company Berlitz and the translation company Simul International
• iOne Holdings, 0982 (Investor Relations, Reuters, Yahoo! Finance, Google Finance)
  financial printing company $30M in total revenue but only $4M in translation revenue
• WDB Co., 2475 (Reuters, Google Finance)
  manpower dispatching company doing $200 million and also providing translation

These financial statements quickly reveal the common knowledge that size alone does not solve all of a company's problems (including debt, stagnation, and even huge losses). Taken in context, some of this data can at least be used for benchmarking (margins, revenue per employee, growth rates, etc.). And some companies like Language Line include interesting notes about the state of the industry in their annual reports.

Additional basic financial stats (revenue, growth, and number of employees) for the largest translation and interpretation companies can be found in the following reports by CSA:

• Ranking of Top 25 Translation Companies (May 2008)
• Top 15 Telephone Interpreting Companies (July 2008)

If you know where else we can find such information, please leave a comment with a link. Also, be sure to subscribe above via RSS or email so that you are notified when this list is updated.