Summary of Taboola.com Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Taboola.com (NasdaqGS:TBLA) - **Industry**: Performance Advertising - **Core Business**: Taboola operates as a performance advertising platform, focusing on placing ads outside of traditional search and social media environments, leveraging data from a wide range of publishers and users. Key Points and Arguments Business Model and Revenue Generation - Taboola generates over 90% of its revenue from cost-per-click advertising, meaning revenue is only earned when a consumer clicks on an ad [7][8] - The company has long-term exclusive agreements with approximately 11,000 publishers, which allows it to gather first-party data and effectively target ads [2][6] - The average traffic acquisition cost (TAC) is about 65% of revenue, with the remaining 35% representing XTAC (gross profit), which is the primary measure of the company's revenue growth [7][9] New Platform: Realize - In February 2025, Taboola launched a new advertising platform called Realize, transitioning from a native advertising model to a more comprehensive performance advertising model [10][12] - Realize allows for various ad formats, including display and vertical video, and includes new features like Predictive Audiences to enhance advertiser success [11][12] - The transition to Realize was a significant investment, aimed at improving advertiser performance and increasing ad spend [12][14] Growth and Market Position - Taboola is optimistic about returning to double-digit growth, driven by new platform features, a focus on ideal customer profiles, and increased marketing spend [16][18] - The company estimates a $10 billion opportunity in performance budgets currently going to other ad tech players, which it aims to capture [26][27] - Taboola's unique data and technology position it favorably against traditional demand-side platforms (DSPs) [26][28] Market Stability and Competition - The advertising market is currently stable, with performance advertising showing resilience amid economic uncertainties [19][20] - Taboola's competitive strategy includes maintaining long-term publisher relationships and expanding into new ad formats [28][29] Taboola News Product - Taboola News, akin to Apple News for Android devices, is a growing segment that provides unique supply opportunities and is expanding its global footprint [40][41] - The product is expected to grow faster than the overall business, with potential for more touchpoints and device partnerships [42] Future Opportunities and Challenges - The transition from native to performance advertising is seen as a significant growth opportunity, with the potential to tap into a $50 billion market [70][71] - The company is focused on enhancing its product features to compete with industry leaders like Facebook and Google [45][46] - There is a need to reposition the brand in the minds of advertisers to gain trust for broader ad campaigns beyond native advertising [74][75] Impact of AI and LLMs - Taboola is leveraging generative AI tools to enhance productivity and improve advertiser onboarding processes [66][68] - The company has low exposure to search traffic, with only about 5% of US traffic coming from search, which mitigates risks associated with the rise of LLMs in search [59][61] Additional Important Insights - Taboola is cautious about entering the long tail of the internet due to quality concerns and focuses on mid-tail and premium supply [39][40] - The company is exploring innovative products like Deeper Dive, which enhances user engagement on publisher sites through AI-driven interactions [47][51] This summary encapsulates the key insights from the conference call, highlighting Taboola's strategic direction, market positioning, and growth opportunities in the performance advertising landscape.

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported Q3 2025 revenue of $497 million, representing a 15% year-over-year increase [12] - Ex-TAC gross profit was $177 million, up 6% year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA of $48 million, reflecting a strong EBITDA margin of over 27% [6][12] - Free cash flow for the quarter was $46 million, with a year-to-date total of $117 million, indicating a 96% conversion of adjusted EBITDA in Q3 [6][18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The number of scaled advertisers grew by 4% to 2,064, while average revenue per scaled advertiser increased by 11% [8][13] - The growth in ex-TAC gross profit was primarily driven by strong advertising spending, particularly from scaled advertisers [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company expects nearly $2 billion in gross revenue for 2025, with over $700 million in Ex-TAC gross profit [5] - The advertising market is estimated to be a $55 billion opportunity, with Taboola positioned to capture market share as advertisers seek alternatives to search and social platforms [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on its performance platform, Realize, which aims to enhance advertiser success and drive growth [4][10] - Taboola is committed to increasing its market presence in performance advertising, aiming to become a leading platform outside of Google, Meta, and Amazon [10][11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in returning to double-digit growth over time, citing strong momentum and positive feedback from advertisers [4][22] - The company raised its full-year guidance, expecting revenues between $1.91 billion and $1.93 billion, reflecting continued business momentum [21] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 10 million shares for a total consideration of $34.4 million in Q3, representing 14% of the company year-to-date [7][20] - The company secured a new $270 million revolving credit facility, allowing for reduced interest expenses and increased liquidity [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the next steps for the Realize platform to capture more advertiser budgets? - Management highlighted three key areas: shifting market perception, focusing on the right clients, and continuous technology iteration [26][27] Question: Can you elaborate on the partnership with Paramount and its implications for CTV? - Management described the partnership as a demand generation opportunity, integrating TV and performance advertising to track conversions effectively [29][30] Question: What is the current state of traffic and its quality? - Management reported an increase in overall traffic, particularly from app traffic, and emphasized the importance of maintaining high-quality traffic for advertisers [40][41] Question: How is AI being utilized to improve yields and conversion rates? - Management explained that AI is used extensively for ad targeting and campaign optimization, with a focus on driving higher yields for advertisers [45][46] Question: What are the expectations for operating expenses and headcount growth? - Management indicated that operating expenses would grow in line with business growth while maintaining a target of 30% adjusted EBITDA margins [96][97] Question: What is the sustainability of growth for Taboola News? - Management expressed optimism about the growth of Taboola News, noting its unique supply strategy and immunity to LLM disintermediation [115]

Summary of Taboola.com (TBLA) 2025 Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Taboola.com (TBLA) - **Industry**: Performance Advertising Technology - **Revenue**: Approximately $2 billion with $700 million of XTAC (revenue retained after sharing with publishers) and over $200 million of adjusted EBITDA [3][2][6] Core Business Insights - **Unique Position**: Taboola is positioned as the largest performance advertising technology company outside of major platforms like Google and Meta, focusing on the open web for growth opportunities [2][3] - **Client Base**: Works with 15,000 to 20,000 advertisers, with 90% of revenue derived from direct client relationships [5][10] - **Partnerships**: Collaborates with major publishers like Yahoo, Apple News, Microsoft, and Disney, providing predictability in inventory [3][2] Financial Performance - **Q2 Performance**: Achieved a revenue beat and raised guidance for the remainder of the year, driven by the launch of the Realize platform and strong demand generation [6][8] - **Market Stability**: Reported minimal impact from macroeconomic factors, with only a 1% revenue decline attributed to Chinese advertisers [10][11] Product Development - **Realize Platform**: Launched in Q1, designed to simplify the advertising process for clients by utilizing AI to optimize campaigns based on their goals [7][12] - **Market Expansion**: Transitioning from a focus on native advertising to a broader performance advertising strategy, targeting a market size of approximately $55 billion [15][17] Competitive Landscape - **Focus on Performance**: Taboola aims to be the best in performance advertising, avoiding the pitfalls of trying to excel in multiple advertising types [25][27] - **Demand Generation**: The strategy includes increasing the number of advertisers and their average spend, with a focus on specific market segments like financial services and direct-to-consumer [22][21] Supply and Data Strategy - **Exclusive Supply**: Most of Taboola's supply is exclusive, leveraging first-party data to enhance advertising effectiveness [38][39] - **Predictive Audiences**: The platform uses predictive analytics to identify potential clients for advertisers, enhancing the certainty of campaign outcomes [41][42] AI Integration - **AI Utilization**: Taboola employs AI for matchmaking between advertisers and publishers, and is integrating generative AI to enhance creative processes [48][49] - **Deeper Dive Initiative**: Aiming to become a leading player in the open LLM market, focusing on providing valuable insights and decision-making support for users [51][56] Future Outlook - **Growth Strategy**: Plans to aggressively buy back shares and invest in growth initiatives like Realize and deeper dive, while remaining cautious about dilutive M&A activities [70][73] - **Market Perception**: The company believes that Wall Street may not fully recognize its growth potential, particularly with the upcoming adoption of the Realize platform by a larger advertiser base [75][76] Additional Insights - **Cultural Shift**: Anticipates a significant cultural change among publishers regarding AI adoption due to the ongoing AI revolution [59] - **Taboola News**: A growing segment that aggregates publisher content, providing a new revenue stream and enhancing traffic to publishers [61][63] This summary encapsulates the key points discussed during the Taboola conference call, highlighting the company's strategic direction, financial performance, product innovations, and market positioning.

Summary of Taboola.com (TBLA) FY Conference Call - August 12, 2025 Company Overview - **Company**: Taboola.com (TBLA) - **Industry**: Performance Advertising in the Open Web - **Market Opportunity**: $55 billion market opportunity in performance advertising [4][5] Core Business Model - **Unique Offering**: Taboola is a leading performance advertising platform that complements search and social advertising by providing targeted ads based on first-party data [3][4] - **Daily Reach**: The company reaches approximately 600 million people daily through partnerships with major publishers like Yahoo, Apple News, Disney, and NBC [4] - **Revenue Goals**: Targeting $2 billion in revenue from a $55.7 billion market, with over $200 million in adjusted EBITDA, representing a margin of over 30% [5] Financial Performance - **EBITDA Margin**: The company maintains a strong EBITDA margin of over 30% and a free cash flow of 70% of EBITDA, which is being used for share buybacks [5][67] - **Share Buybacks**: Taboola has repurchased 12% of its shares in the first half of the year and plans to continue aggressive buybacks [5][69] Market Position and Strategy - **Two-Sided Marketplace**: Taboola operates a two-sided marketplace with exclusive long-term relationships with 11,000 publishers, providing predictable inventory and access to consumer data [6][7] - **Shift to Performance Marketing**: The introduction of the Realize product marks a pivot towards broader performance marketing, allowing advertisers to use various ad formats beyond native advertising [12][14] - **Display Advertising Market**: Taboola estimates a $10 billion display ad market among its publishers, aiming to capture 30% market share [18] Growth and Future Outlook - **Growth Strategy**: The company aims to double its revenue from $2 billion to $4 billion primarily through increased demand and spending from advertisers [15][25] - **Realize Product Adoption**: Early signs of success with Realize include 650 advertisers trying the product, with existing advertisers increasing their spending [27][28] - **Focus on Performance Advertising**: Taboola is committed to performance advertising, avoiding branding-focused areas like CTV, which is seen as a competitive and less favorable market [36][39] Challenges and Market Dynamics - **Native Advertising Growth**: The native advertising space is not growing as expected, prompting the shift to a broader performance advertising strategy [22][23] - **Impact of Search Traffic**: Currently, only 5% of Taboola's traffic is driven by search, and the company has not seen significant impacts from changes in search dynamics [48][49] Technology and Innovation - **Use of AI and LLMs**: Taboola is leveraging machine learning and large language models (LLMs) across various departments to enhance productivity and create value [65][66] - **Predictive Audiences**: The company is developing features like predictive audiences to help advertisers optimize their campaigns [64] Conclusion - **Investment Philosophy**: Taboola prioritizes growth while maintaining profitability, with a focus on responsible business practices and maximizing shareholder value through buybacks and strategic investments [56][68] - **Future Expectations**: The company is optimistic about returning to double-digit growth through the successful adoption of Realize and continued investment in technology and partnerships [25][60]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported Q2 revenues of $465 million, representing a 9% year-over-year growth [9] - Gross profit was $172 million, a 15% increase compared to the previous year [10] - Adjusted EBITDA reached $45 million, reflecting a 21% year-over-year growth with a significant margin expansion [10][26] - Free cash flow grew by 31% year-over-year to $34 million, enabling the company to repurchase approximately $100 million worth of stock in the quarter [10][26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The number of scaled advertisers increased by nearly 9%, indicating strong retention and growth among existing clients [11] - Average revenue per scaled advertiser rose by about 2% year-over-year [22] - The growth in gross profit was driven by higher advertising spend and margin expansion on certain digital publishers [23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company expects nearly $2 billion in gross revenue for 2025, with approximately $700 million in gross profit [7] - The performance advertising market is estimated to be a $55 billion opportunity, with the company positioned to capture a significant share [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on its new performance advertising platform, Realize, which aims to expand its reach beyond native advertising into display and social [12] - The strategy includes attracting new advertisers and increasing budgets from existing clients, particularly in the performance advertising segment [19] - The company is also working on adding new open web partners to enhance its supply and data offerings [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the business's momentum and raised full-year guidance across all key metrics [5][30] - The company noted minimal impact from recent changes in search dynamics driven by LLM, maintaining stable performance [16][18] - Management highlighted the potential for growth in the open web, particularly as advertisers seek alternatives to search and social platforms [19] Other Important Information - The board approved an additional $200 million for the share repurchase program, reflecting confidence in the long-term value of the business [10][29] - The company ended Q2 with a net cash balance of $27.2 million and cash equivalents totaling $115.2 million [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the roadmap to return to double-digit growth? - Management indicated that the path to double-digit growth relies on the success of Realize in capturing more budgets from social and display advertising [34][35] Question: Why is the average revenue per scaled advertiser only increasing by 2%? - Management explained that while the number of scaled advertisers is growing, new advertisers typically start at lower spend levels, which affects the average revenue [46][47] Question: How does the company view the impact of generative AI on the open web? - Management noted minimal impact from LLM-driven changes and highlighted the potential for new traffic opportunities on publisher sites [54][56][59] Question: What is the current state of the tariff environment and its impact on advertising spend? - Management stated that the impact from China is not material, accounting for less than 1% of revenue, and they do not expect significant recovery in the second half of the year [77][78] Question: What is the geographic split of the company's business? - The company is approximately 50% U.S. based but is well diversified globally, with many advertisers spending across multiple regions [95] Question: Why prioritize share buybacks over paying down debt? - Management explained that they are using the revolving credit facility to maintain cash neutrality while aggressively repurchasing shares, which they believe is a capital-efficient strategy [60][62]