Q1 2025 Earnings Presentation May 8, 2025 S A F E H A R B O R This presentation contains forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations, including but not limited to our guidance relating to our revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA margin for the second quarter of 2025 and capex for the full year 2025, our expectations regarding our free cash flow, capital expenditures, future hiring, future market growth, our long-term revenue growth and our ability to gain market share. The ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company exceeded guidance in Q1 with a year-over-year revenue growth of 21%, up from 17% in the second half of the previous year, excluding the impact from a large DSP buyer and political advertising [5][27] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 was $8.5 million, representing a 13% margin, marking the thirty-sixth consecutive quarter of adjusted EBITDA profitability [32][34] - The company reported a GAAP net loss of $9.5 million, or -$0.20 per diluted share [34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Omnichannel video revenues grew 20% year-over-year, accounting for 40% of total revenues, driven by strong CTV revenues which increased over 50% year-over-year [28] - Emerging revenue streams more than doubled year-over-year, with the Connect business continuing its rapid growth trajectory [29] - Display revenue declined 10% year-over-year, but excluding the large DSP buyer, all other display revenues grew over 20% year-over-year [29] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Ad spend for the top 10 ad verticals grew in the mid-single-digit percentages year-over-year, with health and fitness, food and drink, and style and fashion increasing over 10% [31] - The Americas and EMEA regions saw slight declines, while APAC grew over 8% year-over-year [32] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on three guiding principles: anticipating shifts in advertising growth, closely managing costs, and aligning investments towards high-growth opportunities [11] - The company plans to leverage the anticipated shift from linear TV to streaming and expects increased spend consolidation as marketers seek greater efficiencies [12][14] - Investments in AI and generative AI are expected to drive growth and create efficiencies, with the launch of an end-to-end AI-powered platform [15][17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating the current macroeconomic uncertainty, believing that digital advertising will emerge stronger post-recession [10][36] - The company anticipates continued growth in the second half of the year, with expectations of 15% plus growth in underlying business [39][40] - Management noted that advertisers are not currently pulling back on ad spend, and trends indicate a shift towards programmatic advertising [64][70] Other Important Information - The board of directors expanded the share repurchase plan by an additional $100 million, reflecting confidence in the company's strategy and financial profile [26] - The company has generated nearly $350 million in net cash from operations over the last four years, with $15.6 million in net cash provided by operating activities in the quarter [35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on Google antitrust ruling and its impact - Management indicated that the DOJ is assessing potential remedies, and the ruling has created opportunities for the company to gain market share as advertisers seek alternatives to Google [44][46] Question: Future of Supply Path Optimization (SPO) - Management believes SPO could reach as high as 75% of the business in the long term, with significant growth opportunities from existing relationships and new advertisers [48][49] Question: Trends with key DSP partner - Management noted stability in volumes with the key DSP partner, with expectations for solid performance in the second half of the year as they lap the impact of the DSP change [52][53] Question: Macro environment and ad spend outlook - Management observed that advertisers are scenario planning but are not pulling back on ad spend, with expectations for continued growth in CTV and other high-engagement formats [63][70] Question: Future roadmap for driving ROAS - Management outlined three key drivers for improving ROAS: leveraging first-party data, enhancing supply chain efficiency, and building performance solutions [84][87] Question: Breakdown of growth expectations - Management clarified that the anticipated 15% plus growth excludes the impact from the large DSP buyer and political advertising, with expectations for strong momentum in the second half of the year [89][90]

Core Insights - The RealReal, Inc. reported a strong financial performance for Q1 2025, with total revenue of $160 million, representing an 11% increase year-over-year [2][9] - The company achieved a net income of $62 million, which includes $80 million in non-cash gains, marking a significant turnaround from a net loss in the same period last year [2][9] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $4.1 million, an improvement of $6.4 million compared to Q1 2024 [2][9] Financial Performance - Gross merchandise value (GMV) for Q1 2025 was $490 million, up 9% from the previous year [2][9] - Gross profit reached $120 million, an increase of $13 million year-over-year, with a gross margin of 75.0%, improving by 40 basis points [2][9] - The trailing twelve months active buyer count increased by 7% to 985,000, and the average order value (AOV) rose by 5% to $564 [9] Strategic Focus - The CEO emphasized the company's unique position at the intersection of luxury and value, with a focus on sourcing supply from domestic closets [3] - The company is committed to operational efficiency and enhancing customer service, leveraging AI to optimize operations [3] - The growth strategy includes enhancing sales, marketing, and store presence, leading to the highest growth in new consignors in over two years [3] Guidance and Outlook - The RealReal reaffirmed its full-year guidance for 2025 despite market uncertainties, projecting GMV between $1.96 billion and $1.99 billion [5][7] - For Q2 2025, the company expects GMV to be between $476 million and $486 million, with total revenue projected between $157 million and $161 million [7]

Apple senior vice president of services Eddy Cue set alarm bells ringing on Wednesday after dropping a bombshell at Google's antitrust trial: Google searches through Safari dropped in April for the first time ever. While his comments triggered a frenzied sell-off in Google stock, it might not be the only reason the company's watchers should be concerned about Google's ability to keep full control over the search market.A little-noticed number in Google's latest financial disclosure may be the realest sign ...

Company Overview - Proactive is a financial news publisher that provides fast, accessible, informative, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2] - The company has a team of experienced news journalists who produce independent content across various financial markets [2] Market Focus - Proactive specializes in medium and small-cap markets while also covering blue-chip companies, commodities, and broader investment stories [3] - The content includes insights into sectors such as biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto, and emerging digital and EV technologies [3] Technology Adoption - Proactive is committed to adopting technology to enhance its content creation and workflow processes [4] - The company utilizes automation and software tools, including generative AI, while ensuring that all published content is edited and authored by humans [5]

PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) looks well-poised for growth on strength in its core categories, diversified portfolio, improved digital capabilities and flexible go-to-market distribution systems. PEP’s solid innovations are on track.In the latest revelation, PepsiCo has unveiled a multi-year agreement with Amazon Web Services (“AWS”), an Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) company.Details on PEP’s Latest NewsPepsiCo has chosen AWS as its strategic cloud provider for AI, supply chain and customer experience. This food and beverag ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the first quarter, adjusted EBITDA grew more than 9% and adjusted diluted EPS increased 26% compared to the same period last year [7][33] - First quarter net sales increased 4.5% to $9.4 billion, driven by case volume growth of 1.1% and food cost inflation and mix impact of 3.4% [33] - Adjusted EBITDA margin increased by 18 basis points to 4.2% [34] - Adjusted gross profit grew 5% to $1.6 billion, driven by volume growth, improved cost of goods savings, and increased private label penetration [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Independent restaurant case growth was 2.5%, while healthcare and hospitality grew 6.1% and 3.6% respectively [9][33] - Chain restaurant volume declined 4.3%, aligning with industry foot traffic trends [33] - Total volume increased 1.1%, with independent case growth accelerating from February to March [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The broader industry faced headwinds with foot traffic down 3% for the first quarter, hitting a low in February but improving in March [11] - The company operates in a $270 billion addressable market, with food away from home continuing to grow steadily [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on four strategic pillars: culture, service, growth, and profit [16] - A new $1 billion share repurchase program was authorized, building on previous buybacks [7] - The company plans to retain and improve the ChefStor business despite exploring strategic alternatives [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving fiscal year 2025 guidance despite a challenging macro environment [41] - The company is monitoring the tariff environment and sourcing alternative products where necessary [12] - Management highlighted the resilience of the business model and the ability to adjust to macroeconomic conditions [15] Other Important Information - The company reported a significant improvement in associate retention, with selector turnover improving by approximately 20 percentage points [26] - The corporate credit rating was upgraded to BB+ by S&P based on financial performance improvements [40] Q&A Session Summary Question: What does the EBITDA growth say about the company's self-help momentum? - Management expressed confidence in maintaining guidance, attributing success to strong strategy execution and self-help initiatives [48] Question: What is the current status of independent case growth? - Management noted good strength in independent case growth, with expectations for continued improvement [51] Question: Have any expense-saving measures been initiated? - Management confirmed that $30 million in expense savings is incremental to previous plans, focusing on field resources [58] Question: How is the competitive environment evolving? - Management indicated no significant changes in competition, with a focus on gaining share in fragmented markets [74] Question: What are the trends in chain and healthcare business? - Management noted a decline in chain business but strong growth in healthcare, with expectations for continued share gains [92]

Core Insights - Small businesses face significant marketing challenges, particularly in brand awareness and customer retention, yet 70% spend less than five hours weekly addressing these issues [1][2] - The survey highlights three critical digital marketing priorities: building brand awareness (42%), creating engaging content (40%), and retaining customers (33%) [2] - There is a growing reliance on freelancers and AI tools among small business owners to manage marketing efforts due to limited time and resources [3] Digital Marketing Trends - Nearly half (46%) of small business owners utilize freelance services for their primary business, while 48% use them for side hustles [3] - Freelancers are primarily engaged for visual brand elements (45%) and strategic marketing services (28%), which are essential for establishing a business's marketing presence [3] - Small businesses plan to prioritize digital marketing investments through 2025, with 49% focusing on digital marketing and social media, 39% on branding, and 34% on content creation [8] AI Adoption - A significant majority (77%) of small business owners are currently using generative AI for various business needs, with only 17% not planning to incorporate AI tools within the next year [8]

Core Insights - The article discusses the release of the "Best Practices Guide to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)" by Orange 142, aimed at helping marketers adapt to the evolving landscape of AI-powered search engines [1][3] - It highlights the urgent need for marketers to rethink their strategies as 60% of searches may soon result in zero clicks, indicating a significant shift in consumer behavior [2][4] Company Overview - Orange 142 is a division of Direct Digital Holdings, specializing in digital marketing solutions for mid-market brands, and is recognized for its innovative approaches in the digital marketing space [1][5] - The company emphasizes its commitment to helping marketers grow their reach and revenue through data-driven media strategies and custom advertising campaigns [6][11] Industry Trends - The rise of generative AI search platforms is transforming how consumers search and discover information, necessitating a new discipline called Generative Engine Optimization [3][4] - Traditional traffic and attribution models are becoming less effective as AI transforms the search experience into a seamless, zero-click journey [4][9] Key Concepts in GEO - The guide outlines how GEO differs from traditional SEO, focusing on how AI search engines interpret, synthesize, and cite content [9] - It provides tactical best practices for increasing visibility in AI-generated responses, including strategies for content structuring and authority-building [9]

NEW YORK, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Siebert Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: SIEB), announced the appointment of Fredrick Scuteri as Chief Operating Officer of its broker-dealer subsidiary Muriel Siebert & Co., LLC. In this role, Scuteri will oversee day-to-day operational functions, trading infrastructure, and platform modernization efforts as the firm continues to scale its brokerage services. Scuteri brings nearly three decades of experience across institutional trading, asset management, and broker-deale ...