Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q3 2025 was $83.3 million, a decline of 16% year-over-year, but adjusted EBITDA was 44% above the midpoint of guidance [20][21] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 was $16.6 million, representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 20% [25] - Non-GAAP gross margin was 80%, down nearly 800 basis points year-over-year [23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Redemption revenue was $72.1 million, down 15% year-over-year, with third-party publisher redemption revenue at $49.3 million, down 4% year-over-year, and direct-to-consumer redemption revenue at $22.8 million, down 31% year-over-year [21] - Total redeemers increased to 18.2 million, up 19% year-over-year, indicating growth in third-party redeemers [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The macro environment remains challenging for CPG companies, with consumer sentiment near an all-time low, impacting spending behavior [7][8] - Clients are adopting a cautious approach, leading to a wait-and-see strategy regarding discretionary spending [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is transforming into a full-service performance marketing platform for the CPG industry, focusing on automation and scale for 2026 [4][5] - A strategic partnership with Circana was announced to enhance measurement capabilities, allowing clients to receive independent lift studies [5][9] - The launch of LiveLift aims to help brands drive incremental sales at scale, with positive initial client feedback [6][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the ongoing macroeconomic challenges and the need for rigorous measurement of marketing ROI [8][9] - The company expects to bring LiveLift to market in a more scaled and automated fashion in 2026, with a focus on making it easier for clients to execute campaigns [18][19] Other Important Information - Non-GAAP operating expenses were down 1% year-over-year, but investments related to transformation were up approximately 11% [24][25] - The company ended Q3 with $223.3 million in cash and cash equivalents and repurchased approximately 1.4 million shares [25][26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Understanding LiveLift's timeline and impact - Management confirmed that they are on track for about 20 LiveLift pilots by year-end, with 83% of completed pilots leading to further campaign investments [32][33] - The timeline for clients to move from pilot to budget allocation can take up to 12 months, influenced by campaign performance and client budget cycles [34] Question: Insights on macroeconomic headwinds - Management noted that consumer sentiment is low, and clients are taking a cautious approach due to ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties, including tariffs and SNAP disruptions [36] Question: Integration of AI within the platform - AI is being used to model pre-campaign projections and optimize campaign parameters, significantly improving efficiency in campaign setup [37][38] Question: Roadmap for reducing friction across the platform - Management emphasized the need to streamline processes and improve client interactions, focusing on making it easier for clients to work with the company [39][40] Question: Contribution from Instacart and DoorDash - The partnerships with Instacart and DoorDash are progressing well, with significant growth in redeemers attributed to these channels [46][47]

Core Insights - QuinStreet reported Q3 CY2025 results that exceeded market revenue expectations, with sales increasing by 2.4% year-on-year to $285.9 million [1][8] - The company anticipates next quarter's revenue to be around $275 million, aligning closely with analysts' estimates [1][8] - Non-GAAP profit of $0.22 per share was consistent with analysts' consensus estimates [1][8] Company Overview - QuinStreet, founded in 1999, specializes in high-intent consumer traffic and operates digital performance marketplaces connecting clients in financial and home services with consumers [4] Revenue Growth - QuinStreet achieved $1.1 billion in revenue over the past 12 months, positioning itself as a smaller player in the business services sector, which may limit its advantages compared to larger competitors [6] - The company has demonstrated a remarkable compounded annual growth rate of 16.9% in sales over the last five years, indicating strong demand [7] Financial Performance - Revenue for Q3 CY2025 was $285.9 million, surpassing analyst estimates of $279.9 million, reflecting a 2.4% year-on-year growth [8] - Adjusted EPS was $0.22, matching analyst expectations of $0.21 [8] - Adjusted EBITDA was $20.52 million, exceeding analyst estimates of $20.16 million, with a margin of 7.2% [8] - Operating margin improved to 1.7%, up from -0.4% in the same quarter last year [8] - Free cash flow increased to $15.51 million, compared to -$16.31 million in the same quarter last year [8] - Market capitalization stands at $856 million [8]

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading marketing industry publication Search Engine Land recently announced that Blackbird PPC, an independent performance marketing agency based in San Francisco, has won top honors for Best B2B PPC Initiative for its work with leading customer engagement platform Customer.io. This marks the second straight year Blackbird PPC has won this award, after a win in 2024 for the agency's work with network detection and response leader Corelight. "It's always an honor. ...

Summary of Mountain's FY Conference Call Company Overview - **Company Name**: Mountain (MNTN) - **Industry**: Performance TV advertising - **Recent Event**: Completed IPO on the New York Stock Exchange [1] Key Highlights from Q2 Results - **Performance TV Revenue Growth**: Increased by 35% to $67.8 million [4] - **Gross Margin**: Improved to 77% [4] - **Adjusted EBITDA**: Reported at $14.5 million [4] Market Opportunity - **Target Market**: Focused on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), representing 92% of revenue [7] - **Total Addressable Market (TAM)**: Estimated at 1.5 million potential brands in the U.S. [5] - **Potential Revenue from SMBs**: If each brand spends $30,000 to $40,000 annually, the market could be worth $60 to $120 billion [6] Business Model and Differentiation - **Unique Selling Proposition**: Combines storytelling of television with measurable performance marketing [3] - **Targeting Technology**: Utilizes a proprietary system called Mountain Matched, which leverages retail media data for precise targeting [10][11] - **Ad Inventory**: Focuses on "living room quality" inventory, primarily through direct deals with major TV networks [13][15] Attribution and Measurement - **Attribution Model**: Developed a "verified visits" model to track conversions from TV ads based on IP addresses and device IDs [21][22] - **Sales Cycle Consideration**: Attribution windows vary based on the sales cycle of the brand, from hours for impulse buys to weeks for larger purchases [23] Creative Capabilities - **Acquisition of Maximum Effort**: Sold back to Ryan Reynolds; the focus remains on brand marketing rather than commercial production [26][27] - **Quick Frame**: A marketplace for content creators that helps clients produce TV commercials, with 60% of customers utilizing this service [31] Customer Acquisition Strategy - **Inbound Leads**: Increased from 3% to 77% of revenue through targeted TV commercials aimed at potential customers [48] - **Agency Partnerships**: Initiated a program for performance agencies, with 150 agencies engaged and 42 signed up [50] Competitive Landscape - **Competitors**: Competes with Meta and Google for advertising budgets, but focuses on driving conversions for SMBs [52][67] - **Market Positioning**: Differentiates from The Trade Desk by targeting SMBs rather than large brands [65] Financial Outlook - **Revenue Growth Guidance**: Projected year-over-year revenue growth of 23.5% for Q3, with a positive outlook based on customer growth [54][55] - **Client Spending Trends**: Average trial budget is around $28,000, with clients typically increasing spending to three times the trial amount [56] Operational Efficiency - **Investment Focus**: Prioritizing marketing and engineering investments to enhance product offerings [41][44] - **AI Utilization**: Leveraging AI for targeting and operational tasks to maintain low personnel costs [70] Emerging Trends - **Segmented TV Commercials**: Notable increase in businesses running multiple unique TV commercials for different audiences, a trend previously seen in social media [77][78] This summary encapsulates the key points discussed during Mountain's FY conference call, highlighting the company's performance, market opportunities, business model, and strategic direction.

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported Q1 revenue of $84.6 million, representing a 3% year-over-year growth, and adjusted EBITDA of $14.7 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 17% [22][23][28] - Redemption revenue was $73.4 million, up 8% year-over-year, while ad and other revenues decreased by 22% year-over-year to $11.2 million [23][28] - Non-GAAP gross margin was 81%, down nearly 700 basis points year-over-year, and non-GAAP operating expenses as a percentage of revenue were 65%, an increase of approximately 360 basis points year-over-year [27][28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Third-party publisher redemption revenue increased by 38% year-over-year to $48.2 million, while direct-to-consumer (D2C) redemption revenue decreased by 24% year-over-year to $25.2 million [23] - Total redeemers reached 17.1 million, up 37% year-over-year, with a decline in redemptions per redeemer to 4.8, down 15% year-over-year [24][25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is experiencing strong growth in the third-party publisher network, with redeemers up 45% year-over-year and redemption revenue up 38% year-over-year [59] - The company is positioned to capture a greater portion of the $200 billion annual addressable spend in the U.S. CPG industry [19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on establishing itself as the first true omni-channel performance marketing platform for the CPG industry, leveraging new technologies like AI to drive growth [5][19] - The strategy includes handpicking a small number of industry thought leaders for pilot programs to refine the platform before broader rollout [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that CPG companies are seeking new ways to measure the effectiveness of their spending and are increasingly interested in performance marketing solutions [5] - The company expects gradual increases in CPID-related contributions and improvements in sales execution, although short-term disruptions may occur [30] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 1.8 million shares at an average price of $39.47, with $96.1 million remaining under the current share repurchase authorization [29] - The company ended the quarter with $297.1 million in cash and cash equivalents [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on Instacart integration and growth drivers - Management expressed excitement about progress with Instacart and DoorDash, noting attractive redemption rates and steady growth in redeemers on both platforms [39][40] Question: Expansion of CPID and client success - Management reported that partners are expanding brands participating in CPID, indicating strong results and confidence in further expansion [47][48] Question: CPG budgets outlook - Management indicated that while macro factors like tariffs create uncertainty, they are optimistic about the conversations around delivering incremental sales with credible measurement [56][60] Question: Publisher adaptations and supply improvement - Management highlighted improvements in the Walmart experience and ongoing enhancements with existing publishers to increase redemption activity [70][74] Question: Resource allocation for CPID and automation - Management emphasized the importance of automation in processes and the need for client analytics, with plans to build tools for better self-service capabilities [94][96]

Core Insights - Converge has appointed John Lyons as Chief Performance Officer to enhance its performance marketing capabilities and drive impactful results for clients [1][2] - The agency aims to position itself as an innovator in performance marketing, particularly in the context of AI and data integration [2] - Converge has evolved from a lead acquisition specialist to a full-service performance marketing agency, generating over $2 billion in client sales and more than 1 million leads since its inception in 2006 [3] Company Developments - The appointment of John Lyons is part of Converge's strategy to bolster its performance capabilities following a recent rebrand and new business acquisitions [1] - Lyons brings 20 years of agency experience, including a decade at Merkle, and has a strong background in data-driven marketing and creative strategy [2] - The agency's focus includes integrating AI capabilities into various aspects of its operations, from planning and strategy to creative and analytics [3] Business Performance - Converge has generated over $2 billion in client sales and has successfully delivered more than 1 million leads since its establishment [3] - The agency operates across multiple verticals, including Home Services, Legal, Insurance, and Financial Services, providing integrated multi-channel campaigns and advanced data measurement [3]