Inuvo (NYSEAM:INUV) Update / briefing January 28, 2026 05:15 PM ET Company ParticipantsKatie Cooper - Director of Marketing and Creative ServicesRob Buchner - CEOOperatorGood afternoon and welcome to Inuvo's 2026 shareholder update conference call. Today's conference is being recorded. Ms. Katie Cooper of Inuvo, please go ahead.Katie CooperI'd like to thank everyone for joining us today for the Inuvo 2026 shareholder update call. Today, Inuvo's Chief Executive Officer, Rob Buchner, will be your presenter on ...

Core Insights - Inuvo, Inc. has appointed Rob Buchner as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2026, succeeding Richard Howe who served for 15 years [1][3]. Company Leadership Transition - Rob Buchner has been involved with Inuvo in various capacities since 2025, including as Chief Operating Officer, where he conducted a comprehensive review of the company's operations and strategy [2]. - Buchner's immediate priorities include accelerating the adoption of Inuvo's proprietary AI platform, IntentKey, and strengthening strategic partnerships to enhance growth [3]. Strategic Vision - Buchner aims to deliver actionable consumer intent insights that facilitate targeted media buys, reflecting a focus on leveraging AI technology for advertising [3]. - An address from Buchner outlining his strategic priorities and vision for Inuvo's growth is scheduled for January 28, 2026 [4]. Company Overview - Inuvo, Inc. is recognized as a market leader in artificial intelligence for advertising, with its IntentKey AI solution being a patented technology that identifies consumer interests rather than demographics [5].

Core Viewpoint - Inuvo, Inc. has appointed Rob Buchner as Chief Operating Officer to support the company's growth and enhance its operational capabilities in the AdTech sector [1][2]. Company Overview - Inuvo, Inc. is a leader in Artificial Intelligence solutions for advertising, with its proprietary IntentKey technology designed to identify consumer interests rather than demographics [4]. Leadership Appointment - Rob Buchner, previously a member of Inuvo's Board of Directors, will oversee daily operations and strategic execution of go-to-market plans [2][3]. - His appointment is aimed at scaling operations, capturing new opportunities, and maximizing the value of IntentKey technology [2][3]. Strategic Focus - As COO, Buchner will prioritize empowering agencies and marketers to leverage IntentKey's privacy-by-design AI, aligning resources with the demand for self-serve, AI-powered audience discovery and targeting [3]. - The company plans to expand ad supply through new integrations and partnerships in 2026 [3]. Buchner's Background - Buchner has a strong background in driving transformation and revenue growth, with experience in various leadership roles at Covet™, Campbell Mithun, and Fallon Worldwide [3].

Core Insights - Inuvo, Inc. is highlighted as a promising AI stock under $5, showcasing its growth strategy and recent performance at the H.C. Wainwright Global Investment Conference [1] - The company aims for $100 million in revenue to achieve positive cash flow, despite challenges like cookie deprecation [2] Financial Position - Inuvo holds $2.5 million in cash, has no debt, and has access to a $10 million credit line [2] - The company has 14.6 million shares outstanding with 8-9% insider ownership [2] Business Strategy - Inuvo is focused on enhancing its AI-driven IntentKey platform, which enables real-time ad placement and consumer intent recognition across various ad formats [2] - The company is targeting deeper penetration into the $300 billion programmatic ad market, particularly among mid-size agencies and major industry players [2] Operational Developments - A Q4 refresh of the IntentKey platform is expected to improve audience targeting and insights [2] - Inuvo is scaling its profitable self-service business and expanding its sales team to drive growth [2] Market Position - The company leverages seasonal momentum to enhance its growth prospects in the advertising technology sector [2]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the quarter was $22.7 million, representing a 25% year-over-year increase, driven by sustained demand from platform clients [21] - Gross profit increased to $17.1 million, a 12% year-over-year rise, but gross margin declined to 75.4% from 84% due to scaling of new platform campaigns [23] - Operating expenses totaled $19.1 million, up 12% year-over-year, primarily due to increased marketing costs [24] - Net loss narrowed to $1.5 million or $0.10 per share compared to a loss of $1.7 million or $0.12 per share in the previous year [27] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The self-serve adoption accelerated with 18 new deals set up in the quarter, achieving 300% quarter-over-quarter growth [7] - Managed services pipeline remains healthy with four new managed service deals signed in the quarter [8] - Revenue from agencies and brands totaled approximately $3 million for the second quarter, with 22 new clients onboarded, 18 of whom adopted the self-serve solution [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Connected television (CTV) is gaining interest, with more clients including Inuvo's solutions in their RFPs, making it the highest services margin channel [10] - The marketplace is shifting towards higher quality advertising standards, benefiting Inuvo due to its compliance-oriented infrastructure [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Inuvo is focused on breaking through $100 million in sales this year, with a compounded annual growth rate of approximately 24% [6] - The company is investing in compliance, scalable technology, and predictive analytics to meet evolving client needs [30] - New integrations with demand-side campaign platform providers are being pursued to facilitate international expansion and product innovation [17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving the $100 million annual target, citing improved technology and client understanding of marketing challenges [33] - The company anticipates that margins will improve as seasonality effects diminish [44] - There is a notable shift in the market towards privacy-first, high-integrity digital advertising, positioning Inuvo favorably [30] Other Important Information - The company completed a one-for-ten reverse stock split to improve share marketability and attract institutional investors [27] - Operational enhancements were made to intent key reporting dashboards, receiving positive feedback from clients [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Confidence in hitting the $100 million annual target - Management feels confident about reaching the $100 million target, noting improved technology and client understanding [33] Question: Evolution of new customer campaigns - New customers typically start with smaller spends and increase as they see performance gains; self-serve clients are also showing a 300% increase in revenue [35][38] Question: Transition from self-serve to managed services - While it hasn't happened yet, management expects some larger self-serve customers may eventually transition to managed services [39] Question: Operating loss despite revenue growth - The decline in gross margins and increased marketing costs contributed to the lower operating profit despite revenue growth [40][42] Question: Opportunities to improve selling process and pricing - Management is continuously exploring ways to optimize the selling process and pricing strategies [47] Question: Clarification on new client numbers - All 18 self-serve deals and four managed service deals mentioned were new clients [54] Question: Partnerships for expansion - Management is working on new demand-side platform integrations to expand opportunities [56] Question: Impact of antitrust suits on the ecosystem - It is difficult to predict the impact of evolving AI technologies and antitrust suits on the ecosystem at this time [62]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Inuvo reported a record-breaking fourth quarter for 2024, achieving $26.2 million in revenue, a 26% increase year-over-year from $20.8 million in Q4 2023 [8][27] - For the full year 2024, revenue increased by approximately 13.4%, reaching around $84 million [9][36] - Net income for Q4 2024 was $141,000, compared to a net loss of $2.4 million in Q4 2023 [35] - Adjusted EBITDA improved to $1.2 million in Q4 2024 from a loss of $1.2 million in the prior year, marking a $2.4 million improvement [35][36] - Gross profit for Q4 2024 was $21.8 million, a 20% increase from $18.2 million in the same quarter last year [30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Platform revenue was approximately $21 million in Q4 2024, driven by strong demand and new product launches [27][28] - Revenue from agencies and brands was about $5 million in Q4 2024, supported by the signing of 33 new clients during the year [29] - The company delivered roughly 89 million ad clicks for platform clients in 2024, a 60% increase year-over-year [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The market served by Inuvo is undergoing significant shifts, with a focus on richer, more engaging experiences for users and advertisers [10][11] - The largest industries served included travel, e-commerce, automotive, and business and software tools [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Inuvo's strategy focuses on enhancing proprietary technologies, particularly in generative AI with the IntentKey, to drive growth [8][9] - The company aims to expand its market share by leveraging its expertise in behavior analytics and artificial intelligence [13][15] - A goal is to achieve a more balanced revenue mix between agencies/brands and platform clients, targeting a 50-50 split in the future [81] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism for 2025, projecting a 40% year-over-year revenue growth for Q1 2025 [40] - The company anticipates continued strength in its business model, with expectations of cash generation in the second half of 2025 [36][75] Other Important Information - Inuvo secured a $10 million asset-based working capital line of credit in July 2024, with no debt outstanding as of December 31, 2024 [35] - The company streamlined operations by reducing headcount and reorganizing client-facing personnel into dedicated teams [33][18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook for large retailer and car manufacturer - Management confirmed that both clients showed year-over-year growth in Q4 2024, with expectations for continued growth in 2025 [45] Question: Business development and new brands - Management noted the signing of 33 new brands in 2024 and emphasized the professionalization of the go-to-market organization [54] Question: Seasonality of revenue - Management acknowledged that seasonality will continue, but it may not be as steep as in previous years [62] Question: Confidence entering 2025 - Management expressed strong confidence entering 2025, citing improved financial metrics and a focus on overcoming technological costs [66] Question: Self-serve platform momentum - Management reported traction with the self-serve platform, which is designed for both agencies and brands [84] Question: Operating expenses outlook - Management indicated that operating expenses will increase due to hiring additional staff, including engineers and support personnel [88]