PLANTATION, Fla., Jan. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alliance Entertainment Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AENT), the world’s largest distributor of vinyl records and a leading curator of physical entertainment products and collectibles, today announced the official launch of Alliance Authentic™, a new premium platform built to create authentic, certified, investment-grade vinyl collectibles and a trusted marketplace where collectors can buy, sell, and trade them globally. Alliance Authentic allows fans and co ...

Alliance Entertainment Conference Call Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Alliance Entertainment (NasdaqCM:AENT) - **Industry**: Entertainment product distribution, including movies, music, video games, toys, and collectibles - **Key Operations**: Distribution center in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, with over 325,000 SKUs and approximately 871,000 sq ft of warehouse space, generating over $1 billion in revenue annually [4][5] Financial Performance - **Record Quarter**: The company reported a record-breaking quarter, with significant growth across all categories [2] - **Revenue**: Consistent revenue around $1.1 billion for the trailing 12 months [7] - **Earnings Per Share (EPS)**: Increased from $0.09 in fiscal year 2024 to $0.30 in fiscal year 2025, with a trailing 12-month EPS of $0.38 [8] - **Adjusted EBITDA**: Grew significantly, with a margin increase from 11.2% to 14.6% year-over-year, driven by higher gross profit from new product lines [37] Strategic Initiatives - **HubSpot Implementation**: Transitioning to HubSpot to enhance revenue and sales efficiency without increasing headcount [3] - **New Partnerships**: Added Virgin Music Group and secured exclusive agreements with Paramount Pictures and MGM (Amazon) for home entertainment distribution [14][15] - **Collectibles Growth**: Focus on collectibles, particularly vinyl, with plans to enhance offerings through the Alliance Authentic platform [10][42] Market Position and Competitive Landscape - **Key Competitors**: Competed against Warner Home Video and Studio Distribution Services for the MGM contract [34] - **Market Strategy**: Positioned as a leading distributor in the collectibles value chain, with a focus on exclusive distribution and licensing agreements [10][13] Operational Highlights - **Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Sales**: DTC now contributes approximately 37% of net revenue, with plans to maintain similar margins as B2B sales [39] - **Inventory Management**: Anticipated inventory increase ahead of the holiday season, with a historical turnover rate of seven times per year [53] - **Debt Management**: Focus on reducing debt while pursuing acquisitions, leveraging a low-cost line of credit [54][55] Future Outlook - **Growth Projections**: Aiming for Handmade by Robots to reach $100 million in revenue over the next three years, contributing an estimated $40 million to EBITDA [47] - **Licensing Expansion**: Anticipated additional revenue from new licensing agreements, including a projected $40 million from the Amazon MGM deal [49] - **Technological Advancements**: Introduction of Nstate technology for product authentication to combat counterfeiting, enhancing product value and consumer trust [21][26] Additional Insights - **Employee Ownership**: High insider ownership at approximately 78%, fostering a vested interest in company performance [26] - **Board Composition**: Strong board with independent directors to ensure governance and oversight [29] This summary encapsulates the key points from the Alliance Entertainment conference call, highlighting the company's performance, strategic initiatives, market position, and future outlook.

Core Insights - Starbucks Corp has experienced a significant surge in demand for its collectible holiday merchandise, particularly the Glass Bearista Cold Cup, which sold out almost immediately after its launch at $29.95 [1][2] - The resale market for the Bearista cup has seen listings reaching up to $50,000, although no confirmed sales at such prices have been reported, indicating a strong demand that has exceeded the company's expectations [2][6] - The phenomenon surrounding the Bearista cup is reminiscent of previous collectible crazes, such as the Labubu doll, suggesting that Starbucks' holiday items are increasingly viewed as investment opportunities by fans [3][5] Demand and Market Behavior - The rush for the Bearista cup has led to long lines and early arrivals at stores, with some customers camping out to secure a purchase, highlighting the intense demand for limited-edition items [4][5] - Reports indicate that some stores received as few as two cups, which has contributed to customer frustration and heightened tensions among those seeking to buy the collectible [4][6] - The secondary market has played a role in inflating prices, with collectors expressing dissatisfaction over paying resellers, yet the sense of scarcity created by Starbucks continues to drive demand [6] Historical Context and Trends - Starbucks has a history of introducing collectible items, having launched the Bearista character in plush form back in 1997, and has since expanded into limited-edition merchandise [5] - The current frenzy surrounding the Bearista cup reflects a growing trend among Starbucks fans who are willing to invest significant amounts of money and time into acquiring rare or exclusive items [5]

Financial Performance (FY2025) - Revenue for the nine months ended March 31, 2025, was $836 million, compared to $864 million for the same period in 2024 [13] - Net income for the nine months ended March 31, 2025, was $93 million, a significant increase from $21 million in the same period of 2024 [33] - Adjusted EBITDA for the nine months ended March 31, 2025, was $244 million, compared to $222 million for the same period in 2024 [35] - Q3 2025 revenue was $213 million, compared to $211 million in Q3 2024 [23] - Q3 2025 Adjusted EBITDA was $49 million, compared to $29 million in Q3 2024 [23] Balance Sheet (as of March 31, 2025) - Debt was $752 million [17] - Inventory was $932 million [17] - Total Assets were $349396 million and Total Equity was $97402 million [107] Business Segments (Nine Months Ended March 31, 2025) - Vinyl revenue was $264 million, representing 32% of total revenue [13] - Gaming revenue was $225 million, representing 27% of total revenue [13] - DVD/Blu-ray/UltraHD revenue was $196 million, representing 24% of total revenue [13] Strategic Initiatives - Exclusive distribution and licensing agreements drive annual sales exceeding $350 million [55] - The company shipped over 600000 vinyl units to over 1000 stores for Record Store Day [45]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q3 FY2025, net revenue was $213 million, a slight increase from $211.2 million in Q3 FY2024 [15] - Gross profit rose 3.7% year over year to $29.1 million, with gross margin improving to 13.6% from 13.2% [15] - Net income was $1.9 million or $0.04 per share, compared to a net loss of $3.4 million or $0.07 per share in Q3 of last year [16] - Adjusted EBITDA grew 66% year over year to $4.9 million, up from $2.9 million [16] - For the nine-month period ended 03/31/2025, net revenue was $835.7 million, down from $863.5 million [17] - Net income increased to $9.3 million or $0.18 per diluted share, up sharply from $2.1 million or $0.04 per share last year, representing a 349% improvement [19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Exclusive products and licensing agreements accounted for nearly a quarter of overall revenue in the trailing twelve months [7] - Direct to consumer fulfillment accounted for an estimated 40% of gross revenue in Q3, up from 33% in the same period last year [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported strong performance in key high-margin categories, despite a decline in overall revenue [17] - The gaming segment faced challenges due to limited hardware allocation from Microsoft and tough comparisons from the previous year [38] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on expanding its licensing partnerships and acquiring emerging brands to enhance its position in the collectibles market [13] - The new exclusive license agreement with Paramount Pictures is expected to significantly contribute to revenue and earnings [22][60] - The company aims to improve its EBITDA margin, targeting a return to closer to 5% in fiscal 2026 [41] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the growth potential of the collectibles market and the company's strategic positioning within it [11] - The company is optimistic about the impact of new product releases and licensing agreements on future performance [60] Other Important Information - The company has made significant progress in reducing debt and optimizing working capital, which enhances financial flexibility for future acquisitions [48] - Automation and warehouse optimization efforts have led to a 10.2% year-over-year reduction in distribution and fulfillment costs [29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Do you have a good relationship with Nintendo with the arrival of the upcoming Switch two? - Yes, the company has a significant relationship with Nintendo and is excited about the upcoming hardware and software releases [34][35] Question: How is Handmade by Robots going? Can you provide an update? - The company is optimistic about the Handmade by Robots brand and has plans for new character releases in the second half of 2025 [36][37] Question: What do you attribute the decline in gaming revenue to? - The decline is attributed to limited hardware allocation from Microsoft and tough comparisons from the previous year [38] Question: Do you have a long-term target margin range for the business? - The company aims to exceed a 3% EBITDA margin in fiscal 2026 and is focused on improving both EBITDA and net profit margins [41][42] Question: What type of impact are tariffs having on Alliance's business? - Music and video products are not affected by tariffs, while the company is managing the impact of tariffs on gaming products [43][44] Question: How do you see your financial flexibility evolving over the next few quarters? - The company has made improvements in working capital and debt reduction, providing flexibility for potential acquisitions [48][49] Question: Can you talk about what's driving increased adoption of direct to consumer fulfillment? - The growth is driven by the ability of retailers to offer a wide selection of products without holding inventory, benefiting both retailers and consumers [51][52] Question: Can you tell me more about the Paramount exclusive license agreement? - The agreement allows the company to be the exclusive distributor of Paramount's physical media catalog, which is expected to significantly boost revenue [55][60]