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Asta Funding's (ASFI) — Earnings Call X-Ray

Our AI read all 8 of ASFI's earnings calls (2015–2017) and answered the same battery of questions about each one. Every past call is free; the newest quarter unlocks with a free account.

Latest Call Grade
🔒
Q3 2017 · sign up to see
Previous Call Grade
F
Q2 2017
Expected Move
🔒
next 45 days · members
Calls Analyzed
8
2015–2017
Avg Candor
5.8/9
evasion 2.5/9
Critic AmmunitionFounder-LedUnderused Fixed CostsMargins ContractingCutting HeadcountHidden SegmentQuestion Left HangingResults Worse Than Direction

Call-by-call analysis

🔒 Q3 2017 earnings call 2017-08-12 NEWEST

Guidance: ■■■■■Demand: ■■■■■■ Margins: ■■■■Backlog: ■■■■ ■ analysts, ■■ questionsexpected move ±■■%
Candor /9
Specificity /9
Evasion /9
Stress /9

Management ■■■■■■ guidance against ■■■■■■■■ demand and ■■■■■■■ margins. The delivery was ■■■■■■■■ and ■■■■ in specifics, with ■■■ questions left hanging.

🔒 The Q3 2017 call grade is ready
The full 37-point AI read of ASFI's newest earnings call — grade, expected move, and every question answered — is free with an account.
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F Q2 2017 earnings call 2017-05-26

Management gave no formal guidance against mixed demand signals and contracting margins. The delivery was rich in specifics.

Demand: mixedMargins: contractingHeadcount: cuttingCapex: decreasing 1 analysts · 8 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition⚑ Question left hangingFounder-ledHidden segmentDirection beats results
Candor 6/9
Specificity 7/9
Evasion 3/9
Confidence 5/9
Uncertainty 5/9
Promotion 3/9
Stress 4/9
Complexity 7/9
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
NO Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
NO Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
NO Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
NO Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
YES Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
YES Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
YES Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
YES Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
NO Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
NO Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?

D Q1 2017 earnings call 2017-02-10

Management gave no formal guidance against slowing demand and contracting margins. The delivery was rich in specifics.

Demand: slowingMargins: contractingBacklog: shrinkingCapex: decreasing
⚑ Critic ammunition⚑ Question left hanging⚑ Reads rehearsedHidden segmentCFO dominatesDirection beats results
Candor 6/9
Specificity 8/9
Evasion 2/9
Confidence 5/9
Uncertainty 4/9
Promotion 4/9
Stress 3/9
Complexity 7/9
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
NO Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
NO Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
NO Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
NO Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
YES Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
YES Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
YES Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
YES Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
YES Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?

C Q4 2016 earnings call 2016-12-14

Management gave no formal guidance against mixed demand signals. The delivery was rich in specifics.

Demand: mixedCapex: increasing
⚑ Critic ammunition⚑ Question left hanging✓ Resolves doubts⚑ Reads rehearsedHidden segmentCFO dominates
Candor 6/9
Specificity 7/9
Evasion 2/9
Confidence 6/9
Uncertainty 3/9
Promotion 4/9
Stress 2/9
Complexity 6/9
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
NO Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
NO Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
YES Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
YES Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
YES Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
YES Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?

C+ Q3 2016 earnings call 2016-08-09

Management gave no formal guidance against mixed demand signals. The delivery was rich in specifics.

Demand: mixedBacklog: growing
⚑ Critic ammunition⚑ Question left hanging✓ Resolves doubts✓ Volume step-up ahead✓ Early product, fast growth⚑ Reads rehearsed
Candor 5/9
Specificity 8/9
Evasion 0/9
Confidence 7/9
Uncertainty 3/9
Promotion 6/9
Stress 2/9
Complexity 6/9
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
NO Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
NO Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
YES Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
YES Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
YES Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
YES Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
YES Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
YES Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
NO Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
YES Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?

F Q2 2016 earnings call 2016-05-13

Management gave no formal guidance against mixed demand signals and contracting margins. The delivery was rich in specifics.

Demand: mixedMargins: contractingPricing: stableHeadcount: growingCapex: increasing 2 analysts · 3 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition⚑ Question left hanging✓ Early product, fast growthHidden segmentCFO dominatesDirection beats results
Candor 6/9
Specificity 7/9
Evasion 4/9
Confidence 6/9
Uncertainty 5/9
Promotion 4/9
Stress 4/9
Complexity 6/9
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
NO Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
NO Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
NO Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
NO Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
YES Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
YES Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
YES Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
YES Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
YES Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
NO Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?

C+ Q1 2016 earnings call 2016-02-09

Management gave no formal guidance against mixed demand signals and expanding margins. The delivery was rich in specifics, relaxed under questioning.

Demand: mixedMargins: expandingPricing: stableCapex: increasing 3 analysts · 13 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition✓ Skeptic reassured⚑ Question left hanging✓ Resolves doubts
Candor 6/9
Specificity 7/9
Evasion 2/9
Confidence 7/9
Uncertainty 3/9
Promotion 3/9
Stress 1/9
Complexity 6/9
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
YES Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
NO Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
YES Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
NO Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
NO Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
NO Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
NO Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
NO Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
NO Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?

D Q4 2015 earnings call 2015-12-14

Management gave no formal guidance against steady demand and contracting margins. The delivery was rich in specifics.

Demand: stableMargins: contractingPricing: stableCapex: increasing 2 analysts · 17 questions
⚑ Critic ammunition⚑ Question left hanging✓ Guidance underwritable✓ Early product, fast growth⚑ Reads rehearsedFounder-led
Candor 6/9
Specificity 7/9
Evasion 5/9
Confidence 6/9
Uncertainty 4/9
Promotion 3/9
Stress 3/9
Complexity 6/9
All 20 questions our AI answered about this call
NO Would a skeptical short-seller find this call reassuring?
YES Would a careful investor underwrite management's guidance?
YES Is management's confidence proportionate to the evidence presented?
NO Does the call resolve more doubts than it creates?
YES Is there something a critic could fairly use against the company?
NO Is a claimed advantage dependent on scale they lack?
YES Does an obvious question remain unanswered?
YES Is a product early in its life but growing very fast?
YES Do they serve a small fraction of their addressable customers?
NO Is volume about to step up rather than grow gradually?
YES Are high fixed costs currently underutilised?
NO Is pricing recovering from a depressed level?
NO Do current results look bad while the direction looks better?
NO Are deferred revenue or customer prepayments growing?
NO Is consolidation happening among their peers?
YES Is a founder still running the company?
NO Does the final speaker sound like they are summarizing a finished story?
NO Is a fast-growing segment obscured by a declining one?
YES Does the CFO speak more than the CEO?
YES Does the call read rehearsed rather than lived?

How to read this page

The grade is a transparent composite of call quality — candor, specificity, low evasion, low stress, whether the call resolves more doubts than it creates, and the guidance action — not a buy or sell signal. The expected move is a volatility estimate from the one signal that survived our out-of-sample tests: how a stock's own reaction and pre-call volatility predict the size (not direction) of its next move. Full detail, including everything that failed: methodology.

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Not investment advice. Artul.ai publishes AI-generated earnings-call quality grades and expected-volatility estimates — never buy or sell recommendations. We tested over 1,600 predictive hypotheses against 165,000 transcripts; the honest result, including what failed, is documented in our methodology.