New York Times (NYT) FY Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: New York Times (NYT) - **Event**: FY Conference held on May 14, 2025 Key Points Strategic Vision and Growth Plans - The New York Times aims to be the essential subscription product for global engagement, focusing on three pillars: news, lifestyle products, and a multi-product bundle for accessibility [3][4][5] - The company is confident in its growth potential across various segments, emphasizing the importance of adding value to its product portfolio [5][6][8] Audience Engagement - The NYT has a significant audience, with 50 to 100 million weekly visitors, including 50 million registered users [9][10] - Engagement is a priority, with a focus on both subscriber and prospect engagement to drive retention and conversion [12][13] Content Diversification - The company is increasing its focus on video and audio content, with substantial growth in engagement in these areas [19][22] - The NYT is leveraging its journalists to create more engaging content, enhancing trust and audience connection [23][24] Social Media Strategy - The NYT is strategically utilizing platforms like TikTok and Instagram to build brand equity and attract new audiences, while also driving traffic back to its own platform [25][26] Product Innovations - Recent redesigns of the core app and games app have improved user engagement and personalization features [29][33] - The NYT is focused on building category leadership in various segments, including cooking, sports, and games, which serve as entry points for new subscribers [35][36] Advertising and Revenue Growth - The NYT reported a 12% growth in digital advertising in Q1, with expectations for high single-digit growth in Q2 [57] - The company is confident in its advertising strategy, leveraging its diverse content offerings to attract a wide range of marketers [59][60] Resilience and Economic Sensitivity - The NYT has a robust multi-product portfolio that provides resilience against economic fluctuations, with multiple revenue streams including subscriptions, ads, and affiliate licensing [56] - The company is monitoring the macroeconomic environment but remains confident in its product value and engagement [55][56] Trust and Credibility - The NYT emphasizes its commitment to truth and transparency in journalism, which is crucial for maintaining trust with its audience [41][44] - Initiatives like reporter videos and expanded bylines are aimed at building trust and demonstrating the credibility of its reporting [45][46] Future Opportunities - The NYT sees ongoing opportunities for growth within its existing verticals and is open to exploring new areas, although it maintains a high bar for expansion [79][80] Financial Performance - The NYT is focused on sustainable growth in digital subscription revenue and has a well-honed pricing strategy to maximize value for subscribers [47][49] - The company is committed to cost discipline while investing in strategic areas like journalism and product development [78] Additional Insights - The NYT's approach to equity compensation for executives is designed to align with long-term value creation for shareholders [75][76] - The recent court ruling against Apple's commission structure is viewed positively, as it may facilitate more direct relationships with subscribers [70][71]

Core Insights - The New York Times Company (NYT) reported strong performance in Q1 2025, with adjusted earnings per share of 41 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 35 cents, and total revenues of $635.9 million, up 7.1% year over year [1][3] Financial Performance - Adjusted operating profit increased by 21.9% to $92.7 million, with an adjusted operating margin expanding by 10 basis points to 15.3% [8] - Total revenues from subscriptions reached $464.3 million, an increase of 8.2% year over year, with digital-only subscription revenues rising by 14.4% to $335 million [3][4] - The company ended the quarter with 11.66 million total subscribers, including 11.06 million digital-only subscribers [4] Digital Growth - Digital-only average revenue per user (ARPU) rose to $9.54 from $9.21 year over year, driven by subscribers moving to higher rate plans [2] - NYT added approximately 250,000 net digital-only subscribers in the quarter, supported by multiple product offerings [1] Advertising Revenue - Total advertising revenues increased by 4.2% to $108.1 million, with digital advertising revenues up 12.4% to $70.9 million, while print advertising revenues fell by 8.5% to $37.2 million [5][6] Future Outlook - Management anticipates total subscription revenue growth of 8-10% in Q2, with digital-only subscription revenues expected to rise by 13-16% [4] - For Q2, the company expects flat to low-single-digit growth in total advertising revenues, with a high-single-digit increase in digital advertising revenues [6] Segment Performance - The New York Times Group's revenues grew by 5.7% year over year to $588.9 million, with subscription revenues increasing by 7.5% to $431.5 million [9] - The Athletic segment reported revenues of $47.6 million, up 27.9% year over year, with subscription revenues rising to $32.7 million [11] Financial Health - The company ended the quarter with cash and marketable securities totaling $902.3 million, a decrease from $911.9 million at the end of 2024 [12] - Capital expenditures for the quarter were approximately $8 million, with a forecast of $40 million for 2025 [12] Share Repurchase - In the quarter, NYT repurchased 1,180,186 shares of Class A common stock for $58.9 million, with about $443 million remaining authorized for further repurchases [13]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The total operating revenue for the second quarter was $137 million, showing an improvement in trend from the first quarter despite the impact of a cyber incident [13] - Net loss totaled $12 million in the quarter, and free cash flow was minimal, which included expenses associated with debt even though payments were waived [23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total digital revenue grew 4% year over year on a same-store basis, with digital subscription revenue leading the way at a growth rate of 20% [10][14] - Amplified Digital agency revenue grew 9% year over year, contributing to the overall digital revenue growth [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Digital subscription revenue has grown 40% annually over the last three years, significantly outpacing the nearest industry competitor [8] - Amplified Digital agency revenue growth has outpaced competitors, growing 18% annually over the past three years [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is committed to a digital transformation strategy, aiming for $450 million in digital revenue by 2028 [7] - The introduction of a suite of AI products is expected to accelerate digital revenue growth, with the first product, AI enablement, aimed at local businesses [11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the significant disruption caused by a cyber incident but expressed confidence in the company's recovery and ongoing digital transformation efforts [6][7] - The updated outlook reflects improved total digital revenue growth trends in the second half of the fiscal year, with expectations for free cash flow to be positive in that period [20][23] Other Important Information - The company executed approximately $40 million in annualized cost reductions in the second quarter to drive margin improvements [15] - The cyber incident impacted the ability to bill and collect from customers, affecting the balance sheet [16][17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Did the net loss of $12 million in the quarter include the interest deferral? When does the company expect to be free cash flow positive? - The net loss includes expenses associated with debt, even though payments were waived. The company expects to be free cash flow positive in the second half of fiscal year 2025 [23]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The total operating revenue for the second quarter was $137 million, showing an improvement in trend from the first quarter despite the impact of a cyber incident [12] - The net loss for the quarter totaled $12 million, which included expenses associated with debt, even though payments were waived [22] - Free cash flow was minimal, but the company expects to be free cash flow positive in the second half of fiscal year 2025 due to significant changes in cost structure [22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total digital revenue grew 4% year over year on a same-store basis, with digital subscription revenue leading the way at a growth rate of 20% [9][13] - Amplified Digital agency revenue grew 9% year over year, contributing to the overall digital revenue growth [13] - The company executed approximately $40 million in annualized cost reductions in the second quarter, aimed at driving margin improvements [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Digital subscription revenue has grown 40% annually over the last three years, significantly outpacing the nearest industry competitor [8] - The company’s digital revenue has grown more than 17% annually since fiscal year 2021, translating to comparable annual growth in digital gross margin [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is committed to a digital transformation strategy, aiming for $450 million in digital revenue by 2028 [7] - The introduction of a suite of AI products is expected to accelerate digital revenue growth, with the first product, AI enablement, aimed at local businesses [10] - The focus remains on replacing print revenue with growing and profitable digital revenue to achieve long-term sustainability [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to drive sustainable growth and deliver long-term value to shareholders despite the challenges faced during the quarter [7] - The updated outlook reflects improved total digital revenue growth trends in the second half of the fiscal year, with expectations for year-over-year growth in adjusted EBITDA [19] Other Important Information - The cyber incident in February caused significant disruption, impacting operations and financial performance, but the company has since fully recovered [6][7] - The company has made considerable progress in paying down debt and remains committed to reducing debt going forward [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Did the net loss of $12 million in the quarter include the interest deferral? When does the company expect to be free cash flow positive? - The net loss includes expenses associated with debt, even though payments were waived. The company expects to be free cash flow positive in the second half of fiscal year 2025 due to changes in cost structure and digital revenue outlook [22]

Financial Performance - Q2 FY2025 - Total operating revenue reached $137 million, a decrease of 6% year-over-year (YoY), or 5% on a same-store basis[14] - Total digital revenue amounted to $73 million, reflecting a 3% YoY increase[14] - Print revenue totaled $65 million, experiencing a 14% decline[14] - Adjusted EBITDA stood at $8 million[15] Digital Revenue Growth - Digital subscription revenue grew by 20% to $24 million[16] - Amplified Digital® agency revenue increased by 9% to $25 million[16] - Digital advertising revenue decreased by 2% to $44 million[16] - Lee expects the Three Pillar Digital Growth Strategy to drive more than $450 million of digital revenue by 2028[3] Cost Management and Debt Reduction - Total cash costs were $131 million, a 2% YoY decrease[15] - Approximately $40 million of annualized cost reductions were executed in the second quarter of FY25[21] - Debt was reduced by $123 million since refinancing in March 2020, bringing the total to $453 million in Q2 2025 from $576 million in Q2 2020[23, 25] Future Outlook - The company anticipates low-single-digit YoY growth in total digital revenue for the second half of FY25[26] - The company anticipates low-single-digit YoY growth in Adjusted EBITDA for the second half of FY25[26]

Core Insights - Lee Enterprises reported a total operating revenue of $137 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2025, with digital revenue accounting for 53% of this total at $73 million, reflecting a 3% increase year-over-year [2][9] - Digital-only subscription revenue grew by 20% year-over-year, reaching $24 million, with a total of 728,000 digital-only subscribers [2][9] - The company faced challenges due to a cyber security incident in February, incurring $2 million in restoration costs and impacting advertising revenue [4][9] Financial Performance - Total operating revenue was $137 million, down from $146.55 million in the same quarter last year [9][16] - Operating expenses totaled $143 million, which included $2 million related to cyber restoration costs, marking a 6% decrease compared to the prior year [9][16] - The net loss for the quarter was $12 million, with an Adjusted EBITDA of $8 million [9][18] Digital Transformation - Digital subscription revenue increased by 20% on a same-store basis, indicating strong growth in the digital segment [3][9] - Amplified Digital Agency revenue reached $25 million, up 9% year-over-year, showcasing the effectiveness of the company's digital marketing services [2][3] - The company launched an AI solution aimed at supporting local businesses in adapting to the evolving advertising landscape [5] Cost Management - Lee Enterprises executed $40 million in annualized cost reductions during the second quarter to address near-term challenges [6] - The company anticipates improving year-over-year trends in Total Digital Revenue for the third and fourth fiscal quarters of FY25 [6] Debt and Cash Flow - The company has $453 million in outstanding debt under a favorable credit agreement with BH Finance, which includes a fixed annual interest rate of 9.0% [8][14] - Cash on the balance sheet totaled $5 million, with debt net of cash amounting to $448 million [14]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a strong start to the year with a 22% year-over-year growth in Adjusted Operating Profit (AOP) and an expansion of AOP margin by approximately 180 basis points [14] - Free cash flow generated in Q1 was approximately $90 million, including a one-time benefit of $33 million from the sale of excess land [14][15] - Adjusted diluted EPS increased by $0.10 to $0.41, driven by higher operating profit and interest income [19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company added 250,000 net new digital subscribers, surpassing 11 million digital-only subscribers, bringing the total subscriber base to 11.7 million [6][13] - Digital subscription revenue, the largest and fastest-growing revenue stream, increased by more than 14% to $335 million [7][17] - Digital advertising revenue grew by 12%, marking the strongest growth rate in three years, with total advertising revenues increasing by approximately 4% to $108 million [8][18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported that bundle and multi-product subscribers now make up approximately 49% of the total subscriber base, indicating a shift towards bundled offerings [13] - Engagement levels remained high, with 50 to 100 million people turning to the company's offerings each week [5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to continue comprehensive coverage of important stories, innovate in video and audio, and enhance product value through new content and features [10][11][12] - The strategy focuses on leveraging multiple complementary revenue lines, including subscriptions, advertising, affiliate, and licensing, which are all experiencing healthy growth [5][9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth drivers and the ability to navigate an uncertain market environment, citing strong audience engagement and a robust balance sheet [20] - The impact of tariffs on the business has been described as immaterial to date, with expectations for healthy revenue growth and margin expansion for the full year [20] Other Important Information - The company won four Pulitzer Prizes, highlighting its commitment to high-quality journalism [10] - The company is focused on maintaining disciplined cost growth while investing in journalism and product enhancements [9][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Strength in digital ad revenue - Management noted that the ad business is now viewed similarly to the consumer business, with engaged audiences and a suite of high-performing ad products [25][26] Question: News-only subscriber base stability - Management confirmed that the strategy is working as designed, with expectations for continued marketing of the bundle and gradual conversion of legacy subscribers [30][32] Question: Subscriber dynamics and ARPU - Management indicated that total digital-only ARPU grew by 3.6% to $9.54, with confidence in the trajectory due to strong engagement and value addition [16][37] Question: Tactics for managing promotional pricing - Management explained that they monitor engagement closely and adjust pricing strategies accordingly, including potential intermediate pricing for subscribers transitioning from promotional rates [46][48] Question: Digital ad revenue growth - Management expressed optimism about the ad business, highlighting strong performance across various categories and the ability to target engaged audiences effectively [51]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a strong start to the year with a 22% year-over-year growth in Adjusted Operating Profit (AOP) and an expansion of AOP margin by approximately 180 basis points [14] - Free cash flow generated in Q1 was approximately $90 million, including a one-time benefit of $33 million from the sale of excess land [14] - Adjusted diluted EPS increased by $0.10 to $0.41, driven by higher operating profit and interest income [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company added 250,000 net new digital subscribers, surpassing 11 million digital-only subscribers, bringing the total subscriber base to 11.7 million [6][13] - Digital subscription revenue, the largest and fastest-growing revenue stream, increased by more than 14% to $335 million [7][16] - Digital advertising revenue grew by 12%, marking the strongest growth rate in three years, with total advertising revenues increasing by approximately 4% to $108 million [8][17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported that bundle and multi-product subscribers now make up approximately 49% of the total subscriber base, indicating a shift towards bundled offerings [13] - Licensing and affiliate revenues also saw strong growth, contributing to sustainable revenue streams [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on comprehensive news coverage, innovation in video and audio, and enhancing product value through new content and features [10][11] - The strategy includes leveraging a diverse portfolio of revenue lines, including subscriptions, advertising, affiliate, and licensing, which are all growing at healthy rates [5][9] - The company aims to continue building a larger and more profitable organization while maintaining a disciplined approach to cost growth [9][19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth drivers and the ability to navigate an uncertain market environment, citing strong audience engagement and a robust product portfolio [12][19] - The impact of tariffs on the business has been described as immaterial to date, with expectations for healthy growth in revenues and AOP for the full year [19] Other Important Information - The company won four Pulitzer Prizes, highlighting its commitment to high-quality journalism [10] - Engagement with video and audio content has more than doubled, indicating a successful strategy in making reporting more accessible [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Strength in digital ad revenue - Management noted that the ad business is now viewed similarly to the consumer business, with engaged audiences and a suite of high-performing ad products driving confidence in growth [22][24] Question: Stability of news-only subscriber base - Management confirmed that the strategy is working as designed, with expectations for continued marketing of the bundle and gradual conversion of legacy subscribers [27][28] Question: Subscriber dynamics and ARPU - Management explained that the total digital-only ARPU grew by 3.6% to $9.54, with confidence in the trajectory due to strong engagement and value addition [15][34] Question: Tactics for managing promotional pricing - Management described a sophisticated approach to transitioning subscribers from promotional pricing to full pricing, focusing on engagement signals to determine pricing strategies [42][45] Question: Digital ad revenue performance - Management expressed optimism about the ad business, noting strong performance across various categories and improving targeting capabilities [49][50]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a strong start to 2025 with a 22% year-over-year growth in Adjusted Operating Profit (AOP) and an expansion of AOP margin by approximately 180 basis points [12][13] - Free cash flow generated in Q1 was approximately $90 million, including a one-time benefit of $33 million from the sale of excess land [13] - Adjusted diluted EPS increased by $0.10 to $0.41, driven by higher operating profit and interest income [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company added 250,000 net new digital subscribers, surpassing 11 million digital-only subscribers, bringing the total subscriber base to 11.7 million [6][12] - Digital subscription revenue, the largest and fastest-growing revenue stream, increased by more than 14% to $335 million [15] - Digital advertising revenue grew by 12%, marking the strongest growth rate in three years, with total advertising revenues increasing by approximately 4% to $108 million [7][16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported that bundle and multi-product subscribers now make up approximately 49% of the total subscriber base, indicating a shift towards bundled offerings [12] - Engagement levels remained high, with 50 to 100 million people turning to the company's offerings weekly [5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to continue comprehensive coverage of important stories, innovate in video and audio, and enhance product value through new content and features [8][10] - The strategy focuses on leveraging multiple complementary revenue lines, including subscriptions, advertising, affiliate, and licensing, which are all experiencing healthy growth [5][7] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth drivers and the ability to navigate an uncertain market environment, emphasizing the resilience of the business model [11][18] - The impact of tariffs on the business has been described as immaterial to date, with expectations for healthy growth in revenues and AOP for the full year [18] Other Important Information - The company won four Pulitzer Prizes, highlighting its commitment to high-quality journalism [9] - The company is focused on maintaining disciplined cost growth while investing in journalism and product enhancements [8][13] Q&A Session Summary Question: Strength in digital ad revenue - Management noted that the ad business is now viewed similarly to the consumer business, with engaged audiences and a suite of high-performing ad products [20][21] Question: News-only subscriber base stability - Management confirmed that the strategy is working as designed, with expectations for continued marketing of the bundle and gradual conversion of legacy subscribers [25][26] Question: Subscriber dynamics and ARPU - Management highlighted the year-over-year increase in total digital-only ARPU and expressed confidence in the trajectory due to strong engagement and value addition [31][33] Question: Tactics for transitioning from promotional pricing - Management explained that they monitor engagement closely and adjust pricing strategies accordingly, including intermediate pricing options [41][44] Question: Digital ad revenue performance - Management expressed optimism about the ad business, noting strong performance across various categories and improving audience targeting capabilities [48][49]

Financial Performance - Total revenues increased by 7.1% year-over-year, reaching $636 million in Q1 2025 compared to $594 million in Q1 2024[12] - Adjusted operating profit (AOP) grew by 21.9% year-over-year to approximately $93 million in Q1 2025, up from $76 million in Q1 2024[9, 12] - AOP margin increased by approximately 180 basis points year-over-year to 14.6% in Q1 2025[9] - Adjusted diluted earnings per share increased to $0.41 in Q1 2025, compared to $0.31 in Q1 2024, a 32.3% increase[12, 59] - Adjusted operating costs (AOC) grew by 4.9% year-over-year, primarily due to higher cost of revenue, product development, and adjusted general and administrative expenses[9, 40] Subscriber Growth - The company added approximately 250K net digital-only subscribers in Q1 2025, bringing the total subscriber count to 11.66 million[9, 14] - Bundle and multiproduct subscribers now constitute 49% of the company's total subscriber base, an increase from 48% in Q4 2024[9] Revenue Streams - Digital-only subscription revenues increased by 14.4% year-over-year due to growth in both digital subscribers and total digital-only ARPU[9, 28] - Total digital-only average revenue per user (ARPU) increased by 3.6% year-over-year to $9.54[9] - Digital advertising revenues increased by 12.4% year-over-year, driven by strong marketer demand and new advertising supply[9, 35]