Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The overall revenue for the quarter was $743 million, with net revenue of $615 million, reflecting year-over-year increases of 12% and 10% respectively, excluding advocacy [3][15] - Adjusted earnings per share increased by 9% to $0.24, and year-to-date cash flow from operations rose by $100 million [4][16] - Ex-advocacy EBITDA jumped 23% year-over-year to $103 million, with an ex-advocacy margin of 18%, the highest in two years [3][4] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Marketing services' total net revenue grew by 9%, while digital transformation increased by 12% [4] - The marketing cloud segment saw a significant net revenue growth of 138%, driven by a 57% organic growth in the Harris Insights suite [9][18] - Digital transformation delivered $95 million in net revenue, representing growth of 11.9% [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. market remained the largest, with net revenue rising 1.1% year-over-year, while international total net revenue grew by 25.9%, led by EMEA with a 39.6% increase [16] - Excluding advocacy, total growth in the U.S. was 5.9%, with organic growth at 5.2% [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is pivoting from M&A to technology development, focusing on AI as a key driver for growth [6][10] - A partnership with Palantir was announced to create an AI-based audience platform aimed at enhancing marketing ROI [7][8] - The company is expanding its owned media properties, particularly in the news and politics sector, to leverage increased viewership and engagement [11][35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the client base is undergoing transformation, with larger clients growing while smaller clients are turning over, which is expected to lead to higher and more consistent growth in the future [5] - The company anticipates a strong finish to the year, reiterating guidance of approximately 8% total net revenue growth and $410 million-$460 million in adjusted EBITDA [12][24] - Management expressed confidence in the strength of core services and the potential for significant revenue from the new partnership with Palantir by the end of 2026 [13][32] Other Important Information - The company has invested about $35 million in strengthening tech capabilities, including the marketing cloud and the Stagwell Content Supply Chain [10][22] - A cost savings initiative is on track to deliver $80-$100 million in annualized savings by the end of 2026 [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Background of the Palantir partnership - The partnership arose from discussions on combining Palantir's AI capabilities with the company's marketing expertise, leading to the development of prototypes over five months [26][27] Question: Total Addressable Market (TAM) and infrastructure investments - The TAM is considered enormous, with installations potentially costing $5 million to $10 million, and the company is shifting acquisition funds to technology CapEx [29][31] Question: Timing of P&L impact from the partnership - Significant revenue from the partnership is expected by the end of 2026, with ongoing development of advanced versions of the product [32] Question: CapEx increase explanation - The uptick in CapEx is driven by investments in technology, including the Machine and the Stagwell Content Supply Chain [33] Question: Media business strategy - The company aims to enhance media capabilities through technology rather than scale, focusing on owned media in the news and politics sector [34][35] Question: Communication sector performance - The communication sector faced challenges due to reduced advocacy work and broader industry headwinds, but management expects improvement as advocacy work resumes [37] Question: Impact of government shutdown on opportunities - The government shutdown has not significantly impacted the company as it previously did not have government contracts, but management is positioned to capitalize on future opportunities [40] Question: Criteria for potential spin-off of the marketing cloud - A spin-off would depend on achieving sustainable revenue levels of at least $250 million to $300 million, with substantial growth in all product lines [42] Question: Current strategy and focus for the next 12-24 months - The company is focused on becoming a leader in AI technology for marketing, transitioning from an acquisition-focused strategy to one centered on technology development [46][47]