LOS ANGELES, Jan. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlackLine, Inc. (Nasdaq: BL) announced today that it will release financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2025 after market close on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 followed by a conference call hosted by management at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET. A live webcast and replay will be accessible on BlackLine’s investor relations website at https://investors.blackline.com/. To access the conference call by phone, please register here, an ...

Core Viewpoint - Engaged Capital is actively pushing for BlackLine's board to evaluate a recent acquisition offer from SAP SE, emphasizing the need for a strategic alternatives process to assess shareholder interests and potential value creation [2][5][6]. Group 1: Engaged Capital's Involvement - Engaged Capital, founded by Glenn Welling, holds a 2.02% stake in BlackLine and has a history of successful small-cap investments with an average return of 20.56% [1]. - The firm has initiated a proxy fight by nominating four director candidates for BlackLine's board at the 2026 Annual Meeting, including individuals with significant experience in technology and finance [2][7]. Group 2: BlackLine's Business Overview - BlackLine operates in the financial accounting solutions sector, primarily offering Software as a Service (SaaS) with high gross margins of 80% and a strategic partnership with SAP SE, which accounts for approximately 30% of its revenue [3]. - The company experienced rapid growth prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, with revenue compounding at over 20% annually, but has since faced a decline in growth rates and stock price, dropping to around $61 in December 2022 [3][4]. Group 3: Recent Developments and Strategic Context - SAP SE reportedly made an acquisition offer of $66 per share for BlackLine in June 2025, representing over a 30% premium to the 60-day trading average at that time, but BlackLine rejected the offer [4][5]. - Engaged Capital's push for a strategic review comes amid concerns about BlackLine's declining growth and the need for the board to act in the best interests of shareholders, particularly given the strategic relationship with SAP [5][6]. Group 4: Board Dynamics and Proxy Fight Considerations - The upcoming proxy fight will be influenced by the impending departure of board member Tom Unterman, creating a vacancy that Engaged Capital can leverage [8]. - Engaged Capital is likely to gain support from Clearlake Capital, which holds a 9.6% stake in BlackLine, and there are indications of shareholder discontent with the current management [8].

We came across a bullish thesis on BlackLine, Inc. on r/valueinvesting by Exciting-Context6012. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on BL. BlackLine, Inc.'s share was trading at $52.65 as of Janaury 16th. BL’s trailing P/E was 47.86 according to Yahoo Finance. invest, investment, accountant, accounting, account, money, funds, business, trade, market, earnings, capital, risk, wealth, man, growth, index, foreign, profits, return, desk, Nonwarit/Shutterstock.com BlackLine, Inc. (BL) is a p ...

Summary of Conference Call Notes Industry Overview - **Industry**: Application Software, specifically focusing on Software as a Service (SaaS) in North America - **2025 Performance**: Application SaaS underperformed due to muted revenue growth, limited upward estimate revisions, and multiple compression driven by AI-related concerns. The valuation discount on application SaaS relative to broader software increased to approximately 37% from 20% a year ago [3][7][21]. Key Insights - **AI Concerns**: Peak AI fears were noted in 2025, leading to a shift in investor sentiment. Companies emphasized competitive advantages such as proprietary data and large installed bases but struggled to improve investor confidence [3][23]. - **Bull Case for 2026**: The bull case hinges on application software becoming the primary delivery mechanism for AI capabilities, potentially expanding the total addressable market and improving growth trajectories. However, the lack of clear growth inflection in 2025 left many vendors perceived as disrupted by AI [3][23][35]. - **CIO Survey Insights**: A survey indicated that 19% of CIOs operationalizing AI/ML technologies view application vendors as primary partners, an increase from 13% in the previous quarter. This suggests a shift in perception towards application software as a vehicle for AI functionalities [26][29]. Investment Recommendations - **Selective Approach**: A selective investment strategy is recommended, favoring companies with strong positioning in the "AI Success Framework" and idiosyncratic growth stories. Preferred companies include HUBS, KVYO, WIX, AMPL, BL, DSGX, and NAVN [2][7][52]. - **Price Target Adjustments**: Price targets for several companies were updated, reflecting changes in growth outlooks and market conditions. For example, HUBS was adjusted to $577, while KVYO was set at $42 [5][54]. Risks and Considerations - **AI Risks**: The report outlines three core areas of AI-related risks: DIY risk, start-up risk, and seat-based model risk. Evidence suggests that fears regarding these risks may be overstated, but ongoing monitoring is necessary [24][26][27]. - **Cyclical Headwinds**: The optimization cycle that began in 2022 is largely digested, with stabilization in key performance indicators like ARR and billings growth. However, broad-based positive spending revisions remain absent, necessitating a cautious approach [35][36]. - **2026 Spending Growth**: Software is expected to see modest growth in spending, projected at 3.8%, compared to declines in hardware and communications sectors. This indicates a relatively healthier positioning for software in IT spending plans [43][44]. Conclusion - **Outlook for 2026**: The outlook for application SaaS in 2026 is cautiously optimistic, with potential for improved sentiment as AI risks are reassessed and growth trajectories begin to stabilize. However, the absence of broad-based positive revisions in spending necessitates a selective investment approach [2][35][52].

Core Viewpoint - Investors are evaluating Oddity Tech (ODD) and BlackLine (BL) to determine which stock offers better value opportunities in the Internet - Software sector [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Earnings Estimates - Oddity Tech has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook, while BlackLine has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3] - The Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive earnings estimate revisions, suggesting that ODD's earnings outlook is improving more significantly than BL's [3] Group 2: Value Metrics - ODD has a forward P/E ratio of 14.54, compared to BL's forward P/E of 24.52, indicating that ODD may be undervalued relative to BL [5] - The PEG ratio for ODD is 1.22, while BL's PEG ratio is significantly higher at 4.98, suggesting ODD has better growth potential relative to its price [5] - ODD's P/B ratio is 5.15, while BL's P/B ratio is 10.84, further indicating that ODD is more attractively valued [6] Group 3: Overall Value Grades - ODD has received a Value grade of B, while BL has a Value grade of D, reinforcing the view that ODD is the more favorable investment option for value investors [6]

Core Viewpoint - Activist investor Engaged Capital is initiating a proxy fight to appoint four new outside directors at BlackLine, emphasizing the need for fresh perspectives in the boardroom to enhance strategic options [1] Group 1: Investor Actions - Engaged Capital is advocating for a change in BlackLine's board composition to improve governance and strategic direction [1] - The investor believes that the current board lacks the necessary expertise to navigate the company's future challenges [1] Group 2: Company Background - BlackLine is a software maker that specializes in financial automation solutions, indicating its focus on technology-driven financial processes [1] - The company may face challenges in adapting to evolving market demands without new leadership perspectives [1]

Core Insights - Tom Unterman intends to retire and will not seek re-election to the BlackLine Board of Directors at the upcoming Annual Meeting in May 2026, having served since 2010 [1][2] - Unterman's contributions have been recognized as invaluable, providing strategic oversight and guidance that helped position BlackLine as a leader in the Office of the CFO [2] - The Board of Directors plans to reduce its size to 11 members following the 2026 Annual Meeting [1][2] Company Overview - BlackLine is a platform designed for the Office of the CFO, focusing on digital finance transformation by enhancing financial operations through automation and intelligence [3] - The company utilizes the Studio360 platform to unify data, streamline processes, and provide real-time insights, supported by AI capabilities [3] - BlackLine has over 4,400 customers across various industries, emphasizing its collaborative approach and commitment to innovation [4]

Core Insights - BlackLine, Inc. has acquired WiseLayer to enhance its AI-powered finance and accounting platform, aiming to automate complex finance processes [1][2] - The integration of WiseLayer's AI agents into BlackLine's Verity™ suite will enable customers to automate challenging tasks such as accruals and payroll accounting, improving efficiency and accuracy [2][3] Company Strategy - BlackLine's CEO, Owen Ryan, emphasized the commitment to building an intelligent platform for the Office of the CFO, highlighting the added capabilities and value from WiseLayer's technology [3] - WiseLayer's co-founders expressed excitement about scaling their technology through BlackLine's established platform, which is trusted by numerous leading companies [3] Market Position - The acquisition positions BlackLine to further solidify its leadership in the automation of finance and accounting processes, allowing finance teams to focus on strategic insights rather than manual tasks [2][3] - BlackLine has reaffirmed its guidance for the fourth quarter and full year of 2025, indicating confidence in its operational performance post-acquisition [3]

Core Insights - BlackLine, Inc. has expanded its global cloud footprint to Saudi Arabia, partnering with Google Cloud Platform to offer a locally hosted cloud region [1][2] - The new deployment provides a secure environment that meets local data residency and cybersecurity requirements, aligning with Saudi Arabia's regulatory standards [2][3] - This expansion positions BlackLine to support Saudi enterprises in their economic diversification and modernization initiatives, enhancing their financial operations [3][6] Company Overview - BlackLine is a platform designed for the Office of the CFO, focusing on digital finance transformation through accurate and efficient financial operations [7][8] - The company’s solutions are ERP-agnostic and include partnerships with key players like SAP, EY, and Deloitte, which enhance local implementation and support [4][5] - BlackLine's technology, including the Studio360 platform and Verity AI suite, enables organizations to unify data, automate processes, and gain real-time visibility [5][7] Market Positioning - The expansion into Saudi Arabia reflects BlackLine's commitment to meeting customer needs in regions with stringent data residency requirements [5][6] - The company aims to inspire and guide digital finance transformation for organizations globally, leveraging its strong partner ecosystem to enhance service delivery [6][8]

Core Insights - BlackLine, Inc. actively engages with its stockholders, having met with Engaged Capital seven times in the past 12 months, demonstrating a commitment to constructive dialogue with all shareholders [1] Company Overview - BlackLine (Nasdaq: BL) is a platform designed for the Office of the CFO, focusing on digital finance transformation by providing accurate, efficient, and intelligent financial operations [2] - The company utilizes the Studio360 platform to unify data, streamline processes, and deliver real-time insights through automation and AI capabilities powered by Verity [2] Customer Base and Innovation - BlackLine has over 4,400 customers across various industries, indicating a broad market presence and a collaborative approach to innovation [3]