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Gannett(GCI) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-05-01 13:32
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total operating revenues for Q1 were $571.6 million, a decrease of 10.1% year-over-year, or 7.7% on a same-store basis [31] - Adjusted EBITDA totaled $50.5 million, representing a margin of 8.8%, with a year-over-year decline in line with expectations [33] - The company reported a net loss of $7 million, an improvement of approximately $77 million compared to the previous year [35] - Free cash flow in Q1 totaled $10.2 million, growing 7.6%, with expectations for similar performance in Q2 [40][41] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total digital revenues in Q1 were $250.4 million, down 6.4% year-over-year, representing approximately 44% of total revenues [36] - Digital-only subscription revenues exceeded $43 million, reflecting minor same-store growth, impacted by the sale of Austin and elevated customer churn [36] - Adjusted EBITDA for the Digital Marketing Solutions (DMS) segment totaled $8.5 million, with core platform revenue at $108.2 million [39] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a slowdown in digital advertising trends, particularly in the UK market, affecting the NewsQuest segment [38] - The average monthly unique visitors reached 195 million, growing over 4% compared to the prior year [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to leverage its industry-leading scale and diverse digital businesses to capture long-term growth opportunities [11] - A key focus is on enhancing monetization opportunities through a unified content strategy and the launch of new platforms like Studio Nine [19] - The company is committed to reducing debt and improving its capital structure, with a target of repaying over $125 million in debt through various means [42] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving the full-year 2025 business outlook, citing improving revenue trends and operational efficiencies [56] - The recent DOJ ruling against Google is seen as a positive development that could lead to a more equitable digital advertising marketplace [12][46] - Management noted that Q1 results were viewed as an anomaly, with expectations for stabilization and growth in digital revenues moving forward [36][68] Other Important Information - The company has made several changes to streamline its executive leadership team, resulting in a more cohesive structure and significant cost savings [35] - The company is focused on enhancing customer experience across its product suite, particularly in the DMS segment [29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of DOJ case against Google - Management believes the ruling sets the stage for a more favorable ad marketplace, potentially leading to higher revenue shares for publishers [46][49] Question: Adjustments to affiliate revenue business - The company is working with affiliate partners to navigate changes and reenergize revenue growth through existing content [50][51] Question: Confidence in 2025 guidance - Management reaffirmed confidence in guidance, citing improvements in retention and diversified revenue base [56][57] Question: Digital subscription revenue trends - On a same-store basis, there was some growth in digital subscriptions, but impacted by revenue reversals [72][74] Question: Tools to aggregate budgets onto the platform - The company is leveraging relationships with advertisers and building out first-party data solutions to drive up CPM [78][79] Question: Status of non-strategic asset sales - The company has largely completed its real estate sales and does not feel pressured to sell any strategic assets [81][83]