Core Viewpoint - Comscore, Inc. plans to hold a conference call to discuss its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025, on August 5th at 5:00 p.m. ET [1] Company Overview - Comscore is a global partner for planning, transacting, and evaluating media across various platforms, providing insights into digital, linear TV, over-the-top, and theatrical viewership [4] - The company combines audience intelligence with advanced insights to help media buyers and sellers quantify multiscreen behavior and make informed business decisions [4] - Comscore is recognized as a leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, serving as a reliable third-party source for cross-platform measurement [4] Conference Call Details - Interested parties can access the conference call via live webcast or telephone, with registration required for telephone participation [2] - A replay of the conference call will be available via webcast after the event [3]

Core Insights - Comscore has announced a multi-year partnership with HyphaMetrics to enhance cross-platform measurement capabilities in the media industry [1][3] - The partnership will leverage HyphaMetrics' 'Unified Individual Media Metric' to provide a more precise understanding of audience behavior across various platforms [2][4] - This collaboration aims to deliver advanced reporting and insights into streaming behaviors, particularly for SVOD, AVOD, and FAST channels, in preparation for the 2026/2027 upfront season [3][4] Company Overview - Comscore is recognized as a global leader in measuring and analyzing consumer behaviors across digital, linear TV, and over-the-top platforms, providing reliable cross-platform measurement [5] - HyphaMetrics specializes in bridging the gap between TV and digital media through its proprietary technology that captures comprehensive audience behavior across all media consumption forms [6]

Core Insights - Comscore has received expanded certification from the U.S. Joint Industry Committee (JIC) for its national TV measurement solution, now including Personified Demographics through its big data methodology [1][2] - This certification allows Comscore to be recognized for transaction across all JIC classifications for national currency use cases, enhancing its credibility in the media measurement industry [2][3] - Comscore is the only provider with JIC certification for all evaluated measurement categories and Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation, solidifying its leadership in audience measurement [3][4] Company Overview - Comscore is a global partner for planning, transacting, and evaluating media across various platforms, integrating digital, linear TV, over-the-top, and theatrical viewership [5] - The company empowers media buyers and sellers with advanced audience insights, enabling them to quantify multi-screen behavior and make informed business decisions [5] - Comscore is recognized as a reliable third-party source for comprehensive cross-platform measurement in the advertising industry [5]

Core Insights - The collaboration between Comscore, Adelaide, and PubMatic aims to enhance programmatic advertising by integrating Comscore's inventory rankings with Adelaide's attention metrics, allowing advertisers to achieve higher engagement and campaign impact [1][2][3] Group 1: Collaboration Details - Comscore's Comscore-Certified Deal IDs will now include Adelaide's attention-based metrics, optimizing placements in PubMatic's premium inventory [1][2] - This integration provides media buyers with access to high-quality inventory that is strategically optimized for engagement, ensuring effective campaign placements [2][4] Group 2: Company Statements - Comscore emphasizes its commitment to providing tools for performance and transparency in programmatic advertising, aligning with its mission to unify the ad ecosystem [3] - Adelaide's CEO highlights the ease of targeting premium inventory through the combination of their media quality metrics and Comscore's inventory quality signals [4] - PubMatic's VP notes that this initiative enhances transparency and efficiency in buying high-quality inventory, contributing to a more impactful digital ecosystem [4] Group 3: Company Background - Comscore is recognized as a trusted partner for media planning, transacting, and evaluation across various platforms, providing comprehensive cross-platform measurement [5]

Core Insights - Comscore has expanded its partnership with ShowSeeker to integrate person-level local live and DVR data into the Pilot platform, enhancing audience evaluation and transaction capabilities for media buyers and sellers [1][2][3] Group 1: Partnership and Integration - The integration allows for person-level insights combined with local time-shifted viewing data, marking a significant advancement in local market measurement and campaign execution [2] - This collaboration enables users to assess individual-level demographics, such as age and gender, rather than just household-level impressions [2][3] Group 2: Benefits to Users - The integration enhances the ability to build proposals, evaluate schedules, and measure campaign performance within a platform tailored for media buyers and sellers [3] - Users can expect improved targeting precision, proposal automation, and post-campaign analysis as a result of this update [4] Group 3: Company Backgrounds - Comscore is recognized as a trusted partner for planning, transacting, and evaluating media across various platforms, providing comprehensive cross-platform measurement [5] - ShowSeeker, founded in 2003, offers cloud-based campaign management solutions, streamlining the advertising sales lifecycle and maximizing ROI for clients [6]

Core Insights - Over 30% of U.S. internet users actively use AI tools each month, indicating a significant shift in digital behavior [1][6] - Comscore has launched a new dataset that tracks the usage of 117 AI tools across nine categories, providing insights into consumer interactions with both fully AI-powered platforms and mainstream applications with AI features [2][3] - The dataset aims to support brands in understanding the impact of AI on consumer behavior and the digital ecosystem, highlighting the importance of these insights for brands, publishers, and content creators [3][4] User Engagement - 67 million U.S. consumers engage with AI tools on mobile devices, showcasing strong growth beyond desktop usage [6] - The top categories for AI tools include creative applications, with Audio projected to have 23.8 million visitors, Image Generation at 23 million, Design at 23 million, and Video Generation at 22.4 million [6] Industry Impact - The new data set is part of a broader initiative by Comscore to provide deeper insights into the AI ecosystem, helping brands adapt to the integration of AI in everyday digital experiences [4] - As AI continues to reshape consumer interactions, the insights provided by Comscore will be critical for stakeholders looking to leverage the evolving landscape [3]

Core Insights - Comscore has expanded its partnership with Yahoo DSP to include AI-powered ID-free audiences, enhancing Yahoo's targeting solutions [1][5] - The integration allows Yahoo DSP clients to utilize Comscore's ID-free audiences, providing a scalable and privacy-centric advertising solution across various platforms [3][4] Industry Impact - The move addresses the challenges posed by the decline of third-party signals and upcoming privacy regulations, particularly benefiting highly regulated sectors like health, pharma, and financial services [2] - Comscore's ID-free audiences leverage first-party data and proprietary AI, resulting in improved advertising efficiency, with clients experiencing lower CPMs, higher CTRs, and lower CPAs [4] Company Commitment - Comscore emphasizes its dedication to helping brands understand consumer behavior while maintaining privacy, as stated by its Chief Commercial Officer [5] - Yahoo DSP's VP of Ads Data Products highlighted the importance of this partnership in achieving privacy-forward advertising solutions [5]

Comscore Conference Call Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Comscore - **Industry**: Media Measurement and Analytics Key Points and Arguments Cross-Platform Measurement - Comscore is focusing on cross-platform capabilities, which were a key thesis when merging with Rentrak in 2016. This capability is increasingly important in the current media landscape [5][6] - Cross-platform measurement has grown from less than 10% of Comscore's business to an expected 20% by 2025, with a growth rate of 30-40% annually [6][37] - The industry still operates in silos, making it challenging to implement cross-platform solutions effectively [7][8] Market Dynamics - The shift in consumer viewing habits has led to a fragmentation in media consumption, with linear television viewing dropping to 50% of all audiences [8][9] - Comscore's competitive advantage lies in its ability to provide a holistic view of audiences across various platforms, including linear TV, digital, and social media [13][19] Pricing and Revenue - Comscore has successfully increased pricing in certain areas, particularly for its Proximic audience segments, which cater to privacy-compliant advertising [32][36] - The company has renegotiated contracts with major data partners, resulting in significant cost savings, such as $35 million in cash and operating expense savings from a deal with Charter [82][83] Product Development and Innovation - Comscore has launched a curated deal ID capability with Magnite, allowing advertisers to target audiences on trusted publisher sites [23][28] - The company has improved its real-time data turnaround for linear TV to 48 hours, enhancing its advertising optimization capabilities [38][40] Local Measurement - Comscore is recognized as a key player in local measurement, competing effectively against Nielsen, which has faced challenges in this area [62][63] - The local advertising market is valued at $20 billion, and Comscore's investments in this segment are seen as a significant differentiator [62][63] Financial Health - Comscore has made progress on its balance sheet, raising $45 million to support investments in cross-platform capabilities [55][56] - The company acknowledges ongoing challenges with its capital structure but feels more optimistic about its financial flexibility compared to the previous year [59][60] Future Outlook - Comscore believes it is still in the early stages of capitalizing on its cross-platform capabilities and expects continued growth in this area [37] - The company is focused on leveraging its data partnerships and technological investments to maintain its competitive edge in the media measurement space [78][79] Additional Important Insights - The company is not directly involved in creative content measurement but provides valuable insights for content producers on monetization strategies [45][46] - Comscore's partnerships with MVPDs and DTC platforms enhance its measurement capabilities, allowing it to capture a comprehensive view of consumer behavior [76][78] - The local broadcasting landscape remains robust, with significant investments being made in local content, despite challenges in news funding [64][66]

Financial Performance - Revenues for Q1 2025 were $85,709,000, a decrease of 1.25% compared to $86,795,000 in Q1 2024[15] - Net loss for Q1 2025 was $3,993,000, compared to a net loss of $1,054,000 in Q1 2024, representing an increase in loss of approximately 278.5%[15] - Total expenses from operations for Q1 2025 were $87,775,000, a decrease of 1.0% from $88,672,000 in Q1 2024[15] - Basic and diluted net loss per common share for Q1 2025 was $(1.66), compared to $(1.08) in Q1 2024, indicating a worsening loss per share[15] - The net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2025, was $3.99 million, compared to a net loss of $1.05 million in the same period of 2024[111] - Total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2025, were $85.7 million, a slight decrease from $86.8 million in the same period of 2024[106] Assets and Liabilities - Total current assets decreased to $98,962,000 as of March 31, 2025, down from $108,057,000 as of December 31, 2024, a decline of 8.1%[14] - Total liabilities decreased slightly to $227,519,000 as of March 31, 2025, from $231,040,000 as of December 31, 2024, a reduction of 1.1%[14] - The total stockholders' equity (deficit) as of March 31, 2025, was $(13,458,000), a decline from $(8,263,000) as of December 31, 2024[14] - Accounts receivable, net, as of March 31, 2025, was $50.6 million, down from $64.3 million as of December 31, 2024, indicating a decrease of 21.2%[43] Cash Flow - Net cash provided by operating activities increased to $9,062,000 in Q1 2025 from $6,868,000 in Q1 2024, reflecting a growth of about 32%[18] - The company experienced a net increase in cash of $1,033,000 in Q1 2025, contrasting with a net decrease of $4,019,000 in Q1 2024[18] - As of March 31, 2025, the company had cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash totaling $34.5 million, including $3.5 million in restricted cash[133] Revenue Breakdown - Revenue from the United States was $76.4 million, down from $77.7 million in the prior year, representing a decline of 1.68%[42] - Content & Ad Measurement revenue increased by 0.8% to $73.166 million, while Research & Insight Solutions revenue decreased by 11.5% to $12.543 million[112][113] Expenses - Cost of revenues increased to $51.7 million in Q1 2025, representing 60.4% of total revenues, compared to 57.7% in Q1 2024[111] - Selling and marketing expenses decreased by 3.7% to $14.803 million, accounting for 17.3% of total revenue[118] - Research and development expenses totaled $8.118 million, a decrease of 7.4% from $8.767 million in 2024, representing 9.5% of total revenue[120] - General and administrative expenses were $12.475 million, down 5.6% from $13.213 million in 2024, accounting for 14.6% of total revenue[122] Debt and Financing - The Credit Agreement provides a borrowing capacity of $60.0 million, consisting of a $45.0 million term loan and a $15.0 million revolving credit facility[62] - As of March 31, 2025, the Company's total debt obligations under the Credit Agreement amounted to $41.25 million, with a secured term loan of $45 million[72] - The stated interest rate on the Term Loan as of March 31, 2025, was 11.56%[63] - The company had no borrowings outstanding under the Revolving Facility as of March 31, 2025, with a remaining borrowing capacity of $15 million[72] Preferred Stock and Dividends - The company accrued dividends on convertible redeemable preferred stock totaling $4,439,000 for Q1 2025, compared to $4,240,000 for Q1 2024, an increase of approximately 5%[18] - As of March 31, 2025, accrued dividends for Preferred Stock totaled $13.4 million, with no shares converted into Common Stock[56] - Holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to a cumulative annual dividend at a rate of 7.5% per annum, but cash dividends are prohibited until April 1, 2026[183] Future Outlook - The Company expects to recognize approximately $210 million in revenue from remaining performance obligations, with 45% expected to be recognized in 2025[44] - The company expects continued softness in the advertising market to affect its business in 2025 due to macroeconomic challenges[136] - The company may need to raise additional funds through public or private equity or debt financing to meet future capital requirements[161] Strategic Initiatives - The company is investing $50 million in research and development for new technologies aimed at enhancing user experience[196] - Market expansion efforts are underway in Europe, targeting a 20% increase in market share by the end of the year[196] - The company has completed a strategic acquisition of a smaller tech firm for $300 million, expected to enhance product offerings[196] - The company plans to increase its marketing budget by 15% to support new product launches and market penetration[196]

Core Viewpoint - comScore reported a quarterly loss of $0.91 per share, which was worse than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.79, marking an earnings surprise of -215.19% [1] - The company's revenues for the quarter were $85.71 million, missing the consensus estimate by 2.05% and down from $86.8 million a year ago [2] Financial Performance - comScore has not surpassed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters [2] - The company has topped consensus revenue estimates twice in the last four quarters [2] - Year-to-date, comScore shares have declined by approximately 11.3%, compared to a -3.9% decline in the S&P 500 [3] Future Outlook - The future performance of comScore's stock will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the earnings outlook [4][6] - Current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.63 on revenues of $87.9 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $4.15 on revenues of $366.7 million [7] Industry Context - The Business - Services industry, to which comScore belongs, is currently ranked in the top 24% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook [8] - The performance of comScore's stock may also be influenced by the overall industry outlook [8]