Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - MeridianLink achieved total revenue of $81.5 million, representing a 5% year-over-year growth, and adjusted EBITDA of $34.8 million, with a 43% adjusted EBITDA margin [6][27][36] - Free cash flow was $40.6 million, equating to 50% of revenue, and cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter were $128.9 million, an increase of $36.1 million from the previous quarter [42][36] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total lending software revenue grew by 10% year-over-year, accounting for approximately 82% of total revenue, with consumer lending revenue growth at 11% and mortgage lending revenue growth at 7% [38][39] - Data Verification Software Solutions revenue declined by 15% year-over-year, primarily due to a 28% decrease in mortgage-related revenue [40] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In 2024, MeridianLink processed 28 million consumer loan applications and nearly $700 billion in application volume, alongside serving 50 million background checks and over 40 million credit reports [19] - The company completed 15 mortgage lending deals in Q1, marking a nearly 90% increase year-over-year, the highest count in over two years [30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to focus on three strategic pillars: increasing product portfolio breadth and depth, simplifying customer interactions, and strengthening talent acquisition and retention [22][24] - MeridianLink aims to enhance its product offerings through partnerships and acquisitions, with a particular emphasis on digital interfaces and automation [77][78] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the demand environment, noting a strong pipeline and healthy demand across platforms, despite some softness at the top end of the sales funnel [59][60] - The outlook for 2025 remains unchanged, with total GAAP revenue expected to be between $326 million and $334 million, representing a 3% to 6% year-over-year increase [44][45] Other Important Information - The transition of CEO leadership from Nicholas Vlok to Larry Katz is planned for October 1, with Katz emphasizing continuity in strategy and operational focus [7][10] - The company has made significant investments in its go-to-market organization to enhance value delivery and operational efficiency [9][11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are the changes in strategy an evolution or new initiatives? - Larry Katz indicated that the changes are a continuation of existing strategies with a focus on accelerating growth and improving customer interactions [54][56] Question: How is the demand backdrop and ability to replace ACV release? - Katz noted a strong and healthy pipeline, with robust demand across platforms, although some softness at the top of the funnel is being monitored [58][60] Question: What is the outlook for the consumer lending business? - Katz highlighted that growth is driven by ACV release, with solid demand in the consumer space and an increase in average ARR [66][68] Question: What are the expectations for the auto lending vertical in 2025? - Olmeta stated that while there is uncertainty, the company is assuming 7% year-over-year growth for the auto lending segment [82][84] Question: What is the appetite for M&A in the current environment? - Katz confirmed that M&A remains a core part of the strategy, with a focus on finding the right deals at the right price [96][98]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - MeridianLink achieved total revenue of $81.5 million, representing a 5% year-over-year growth, and adjusted EBITDA of $34.8 million, with a 43% adjusted EBITDA margin [5][28][42] - Free cash flow was $40.6 million, equating to 50% of revenue, and cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter were $128.9 million, an increase of $36.1 million from the previous quarter [36][43] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total lending software revenue grew by 10% year-over-year, accounting for approximately 82% of total revenue, with consumer lending revenue growth at 11% and mortgage lending revenue growth at 7% [39][40] - Data Verification Software Solutions revenue declined by 15% year-over-year, primarily due to a 28% decrease in mortgage-related revenue [41] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In 2024, MeridianLink processed 28 million consumer loan applications with nearly $700 billion in application volume, and served 50 million background checks and over 40 million credit reports [19] - The company completed 15 mortgage lending deals in Q1, up nearly 90% year-over-year, indicating strong demand in the mortgage lending segment [30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to focus on three strategic pillars: increasing product portfolio breadth and depth, simplifying customer interactions, and strengthening talent [22][24] - MeridianLink aims to enhance its product offerings through innovation, partnerships, and acquisitions, with a particular emphasis on digital interfaces and AI integration [78][81] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate an uncertain macroeconomic environment, with a focus on maintaining strong demand and managing customer relationships [29][60] - The outlook for 2025 remains unchanged, with total GAAP revenue expected to be between $326 million and $334 million, representing a 3% to 6% year-over-year increase [46][49] Other Important Information - A leadership transition is underway, with Larry Katz set to assume the role of CEO effective October 1, following Nicholas Block's six-year tenure [6][12] - The company has made significant investments in its go-to-market organization to enhance value delivery and operational efficiency [7][10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the changes being implemented as part of the new chapter? - Management views the changes as a continuation of existing strategies, focusing on operational discipline and growth acceleration [56] Question: How is the demand backdrop and ability to replace ACV release being assessed? - The pipeline remains strong, with robust demand across platforms, although some softness is noted at the top end of the funnel [60][61] Question: What is the outlook for the consumer lending business? - Growth is driven by ACV release, with solid demand for the comprehensive platform, and an increase in average ARR indicates success with larger clients [68][69] Question: What are the expectations for the auto lending vertical in 2025? - The company anticipates growth in line with the rest of consumer lending, acknowledging uncertainty due to potential tariffs [84] Question: What factors are driving increased mortgage demand? - The strong mortgage offering, effective sales execution, and favorable macro conditions are contributing to the increased demand [92][94] Question: What is the appetite for M&A in the current environment? - The company remains open to M&A opportunities, focusing on finding the right deals at the right price while maintaining a strong balance sheet [99][100]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company recorded revenue exceeding $79 million, representing a 7% year-over-year growth, and adjusted EBITDA above $33 million, achieving a 42% adjusted EBITDA margin [8][30] - For the full year 2024, total revenue increased by 4% to $316.3 million, with adjusted EBITDA at $130.7 million, reflecting a 41% adjusted EBITDA margin [41][48] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Subscription revenue grew by 5% year-over-year, contributing 82% of total revenue, while services revenue increased by 6% driven by higher implementation fees [35] - Consumer lending revenue grew by 9% year-over-year, while mortgage lending software solutions declined by 7% due to customer downsell and churn [44][46] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a significant increase in new customer bookings, nearly 40% year-over-year, indicating strong demand for digital transformation among financial institutions [23] - The mortgage market is expected to contribute approximately 18.5% of revenue for the full year 2025, with consumer lending projected to grow approximately 7% [55][56] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to focus on long-term growth by investing in sales and marketing, product development, and infrastructure to capture market share when conditions improve [13][62] - A shift to providing annual guidance instead of quarterly updates aims to align investor expectations with the company's long-term value creation strategy [51][52] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed caution regarding customer volumes and associated revenue for 2025 due to economic uncertainty, but remains optimistic about long-term growth opportunities [54][60] - The company is committed to maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation, prioritizing organic growth and strategic M&A opportunities [62][63] Other Important Information - The company ended the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $92.8 million, an increase of $10.5 million quarter-over-quarter [41] - A new stock repurchase program was authorized to acquire up to $129.5 million, reflecting the company's commitment to returning capital to shareholders [64] Q&A Session Summary Question: Sensitivity of non-mortgage component - Management acknowledged the request for further disclosures but did not provide additional details on the consumer segment at this time [70] Question: Sustainability of 41% EBITDA margin target - Management expressed confidence in maintaining a 41% EBITDA margin, noting that investments in the second half of the year may pressure margins [72][74] Question: Investments outside of sales and marketing - Investments will focus on digital interfaces, partner infrastructure, and data engineering to scale business operations [79][80] Question: Pipeline composition and momentum - Management reported a strong pipeline and momentum heading into 2025, particularly in cross-sell initiatives and mortgage products [91][92] Question: Growth drivers in consumer LOS business - The 9% growth in consumer lending was attributed to solid ACV release and ongoing customer demand for the platform [96][97] Question: Update on different consumer loan types - Auto loans represent roughly half of the consumer LOS business, with used cars making up two-thirds of that segment [101][102] Question: Recent partnership with Zest AI - The partnership enhances the decisioning engine, providing customers with advanced automated decisioning capabilities [106] Question: Areas of focus for M&A - The company is looking for tuck-in acquisitions to expand platform capabilities and reduce vendor complexity for customers [113][114]