Business

Gentrack blames slippage for shortfall

07:06 am on 7 August 2014

Gentrack has provided more details to explain why it will miss its annual profit and revenue targets.

The utility and airport software developer made a brief statement on Friday saying the shortfall related to a dispute with one its customers over the payment of services; and a delay in signing a contract with another customer.

The customer dispute over payment for extra effort to complete a project is expected to be subject to mediation.

And though there has also been a delay in signing a substantial upgrade contract, this is still expected to be inked by the financial year end.

James Docking Photo: SUPPLIED

The company briefed analysts on Friday, but Gentrack's chief executive, James Docking, wouldn't take questions from the media.

Mr Docking said he regretted not taking the time to speak with the media too, but was concerned to protect the confidentiality of the company's clients.

The company was set up to deliver large, complex software "solutions" which could take from six months to put together and cost up to $10 million, so a lot went into both the projects and the relevant contracts.

"We made the best forecast that we could with the knowledge that we had," he said.

Unfortunately minor slippages had made it difficult to deliver those results on schedule, and some of the revenue expected in 2014 would instead come in 2015.