Summary of Yelp (YELP) Conference Call - August 12, 2025 Company Overview - **Company**: Yelp (YELP) - **Industry**: Online local business directory and review service Key Points 1. Q2 Results and Outlook - Yelp experienced a lack of seasonal ramp in advertising budgets due to policy uncertainty, affecting both restaurant retail and services sectors [4][5] - Small businesses are facing rising input costs and consumer uncertainty, impacting Yelp's performance [4][5] 2. Strategic Priorities - **Leading in Services**: Yelp aims to deliver value to advertisers by ensuring high-quality leads through tools like "Request a Quote" and "Yelp Assistant" [6][9] - **Delivering Advertiser Value**: The focus is on matching consumers with service providers effectively, enhancing the overall workflow [10][12] - **Yelp Assistant**: This chatbot has shown a 400% year-on-year increase in generated projects, indicating its effectiveness in consumer interaction [15] 3. Monetization Opportunities - The "Request a Quote" feature generates four times the monetization compared to a single search click, enhancing advertiser value without increasing perceived ad load [17][18] - Yelp is exploring monetization outside its platform, with a tenfold increase in API calls for AI search providers and an annual recurring revenue (ARR) run rate exceeding $10 million [46][47] 4. Acquisition Strategy - The acquisition of RepairPal aims to strengthen Yelp's position in the auto services category, aligning with its goal to lead in various service sectors [31][33] - The integration of RepairPal is progressing well, enhancing Yelp's capabilities in matching consumers with qualified local businesses [32][34] 5. Consumer Experience Transformation - Yelp has modernized its home feed to be more visual and engaging, aiming to provide relevant content to users [35][36] - The company is leveraging AI and chatbots to enhance user engagement and streamline the consumer experience [44] 6. Challenges in Restaurant and Retail Segment - The restaurant sector is under pressure from rising costs and changing consumer behavior, but Yelp remains confident due to its authoritative content and brand recognition [43][44] - The company is modernizing its experience and utilizing chatbots to improve engagement in this segment [44] 7. Internal Efficiency and AI Utilization - Yelp is developing AI voice products for service businesses and restaurants, which will enhance customer interaction and internal processes [49][51] - The company has reduced the time to market for new features by 60% through improved processes and the use of AI [54] 8. Financial Discipline - Yelp is committed to maintaining flat headcount and has a $250 million share repurchase run rate, emphasizing financial discipline in its growth strategy [61][62] 9. Future Outlook - The integration of AI across various business functions is expected to drive significant improvements in efficiency and consumer engagement [60][62] - Yelp is focused on leveraging emergent technologies while ensuring financial success and relevance in the market [62] Additional Insights - The conversation highlighted the importance of human-generated content and its role in Yelp's strategy to maintain authority and relevance in the local business directory space [41][42] - The company is exploring the potential of large language models (LLMs) to enhance internal processes and improve developer productivity [53][54]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record net revenue of $370 million, representing a 4% year-over-year increase, exceeding the high end of the outlook range by $3 million [11] - Net income increased by 16% year-over-year to $44 million, translating to $0.67 per share on a diluted basis, with a net income margin of 12% [11][12] - Adjusted EBITDA rose by 10% year-over-year to $100 million, achieving a margin of 27%, which was $11 million above the high end of the outlook range [11][12] - Average cost per click (CPC) increased by 11% year-over-year, reflecting growth in services demand despite a decline in ad clicks by 7% [12][13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Services revenue increased by 8% year-over-year to a record $241 million, while revenue from restaurants and retail (RR and O) declined by 5% year-over-year to $113 million [11][12] - The overall number of paying advertising locations decreased by 3% year-over-year to 515,000, driven by a decline in RR and O locations [12] - Project submissions through Yelp Assistant surged by over 400% year-over-year, indicating strong momentum in service offerings [7][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The operating environment for businesses in the restaurant and retail sectors remains challenging, with macroeconomic pressures impacting consumer sentiment and spending [6][32] - Despite modest increases in advertiser budgets during the second quarter, they did not reach traditional seasonal levels, indicating ongoing caution among advertisers [11][21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a product-led strategy, emphasizing AI-powered updates and services to enhance user experience and drive growth [6][10] - Yelp is expanding its AI capabilities, including the rollout of Yelp Assistant and live testing of Yelp Host, an AI-powered call answering service for restaurants [9][10] - The company aims to leverage trusted content as a differentiator in an AI-driven market, with significant growth in AI search API calls and data licensing products [9][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that heightened macroeconomic uncertainties have affected revenue growth, with expectations of continued flat revenue in the third quarter [15][21] - The company anticipates increased expenses in the second half of the year, primarily due to cost of revenue and seasonal sales and marketing expenses [15][16] - Despite current challenges, management remains optimistic about long-term shareholder value creation through investments in AI and service enhancements [17] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $65.9 million worth of shares at an average price of $35.58 per share, with $2 million remaining under the existing repurchase authorization [14][15] - The company aims to reduce stock-based compensation expense as a percentage of revenue to less than 8% by the end of the year and less than 6% by 2027 [13][14] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you walk us through the deceleration in services revenue growth this quarter? - Management attributed the softness in services revenue to macroeconomic and policy changes affecting consumer sentiment, noting that budgets increased but not to traditional seasonal levels [21][22] Question: Can you provide more detail on the AI search API and data licensing momentum? - Management reported a 10x increase in API usage over the last two months, indicating strong demand for local content in AI search applications [25][28] Question: Has there been any change in competitive pressure from food delivery providers? - Management indicated that macroeconomic uncertainty continues to be the main story affecting the restaurant segment, with competitive pressures being a secondary factor [32] Question: How does Yelp Assistant support activity in the restaurant category? - Management expressed optimism that Yelp Assistant will enhance user experience by providing tailored recommendations, potentially increasing engagement in high-frequency categories like restaurants [33][34]

Summary of Yelp (YELP) Conference Call - May 29, 2025 Company Overview - **Company**: Yelp (YELP) - **Industry**: Online review and local services platform Key Points Evolution of Business Model - Transition from a sales headcount-driven growth model to a product-driven growth model, focusing on product delivery and leveraging emerging technologies like AI and large language models [4][5] - Approximately two-thirds of revenue now comes from services, marking a significant shift from the traditional focus on restaurant and retail reviews [5] Services Business Performance - Services grew at approximately 11% each quarter in 2024, with a 14% growth in Q1 2025, partly due to the acquisition of RepairPal [6][7] - Home services have been a major driver of growth, with enhancements in the "Request Quote" feature allowing better matching of consumers with service providers [7][8] - Expansion into other service categories, including auto services through the RepairPal acquisition, is expected to drive further growth [8][20] Multi-Location Services Strategy - Focus on mid-market and enterprise customers to increase advertising revenue from services [12][13] - Development of APIs and lead management systems to support enterprise customers across multiple locations [13][14] Challenges in Restaurant and Retail Sector - The restaurant and retail segment has faced challenges due to rising input costs and inability to pass these costs onto consumers, resulting in a 3% decline in Q1 2025 [24][25] - Competition from food delivery platforms and retail ad networks has increased, impacting advertising budgets [28][29] - Yelp is enhancing consumer experience and ad matching technology to retain advertiser interest [26][30] Traffic and Engagement Insights - Experimentation with paid traffic acquisition led to increased project generation but did not result in higher ad budgets from advertisers, prompting a pullback in spending [31][33] - Focus on ROI-driven strategies to ensure that advertising budgets are effectively utilized [34] AI Integration and Future Outlook - AI is viewed as a significant opportunity, with investments in Yelp Assistant and other AI-driven features to enhance user experience and service matching [35][36] - Plans to leverage AI for improving call handling and customer engagement [37][38] Macroeconomic Sensitivity - The restaurant and retail business is more cyclical and sensitive to economic downturns, while the services business has a significant non-discretionary component [41][42] - Service professionals tend to increase advertising during economic slowdowns to maintain business [42] Revenue Guidance and Margin Outlook - Revenue guidance for Q2 2025 indicates a slowdown, with expectations for acceleration in the second half of the year [44] - Factors contributing to margin pressure include increased data spending for AI products, the lower gross margin from RepairPal, and fluctuations in employee-related expenses [48][51] Conclusion - Yelp is focused on delivering value to both consumers and advertisers, with a strong emphasis on enhancing product offerings and leveraging AI technologies to drive future growth [43][52]

Investment Ratings - The overall industry view is rated as Attractive [4] - Specific company ratings include Equal-Weight (EW) for Compass, Inc. (COMP), DoubleVerify Holdings Inc (DV), Playtika Holding Corp (PLTK), FIGS, and Peloton Interactive, Inc. (PTON) [6][9][10][11][12] - Underweight (UW) rating for Yelp Inc (YELP) [11] Core Insights - Compass, Inc. (COMP) reported lower-than-expected results in 1Q, with revenue and EBITDA 4% and 15% below estimates, but management remains optimistic about future growth [2] - DoubleVerify Holdings Inc (DV) showed encouraging signs of stabilization with 1Q revenue 7% above estimates, driven by strong growth in Activation [6] - Playtika Holding Corp (PLTK) posted solid 1Q results, with revenue and EBITDA exceeding estimates, but faces challenges in its social casino segment [9] - FIGS delivered strong 1Q results, but lowered its FY25 EBITDA margin guidance due to tariff impacts [7][8] - Yelp Inc (YELP) exceeded expectations in 1Q, but faces uncertainty in long-term growth due to macroeconomic pressures [11][12] Company Summaries Compass, Inc. (COMP) - 1Q results were below expectations, but management added 700 new agents and expects positive free cash flow by year-end [2][5] - Revenue guidance for 2Q is 5% and 2% ahead of estimates, indicating potential recovery [5][69] DoubleVerify Holdings Inc (DV) - 1Q revenue growth was driven by a 20% increase in Activation, with profitability exceeding estimates [6] - The company maintains a FY revenue growth guide of 10% despite solid 1Q results [6] Playtika Holding Corp (PLTK) - 1Q revenue and EBITDA were 12% and 6% above estimates, but social casino challenges persist [9] - The company is optimistic about improving margins and increasing direct-to-consumer revenue [9] FIGS, Inc. (FIGS) - Strong 1Q results with revenue and EBITDA above consensus, but lowered FY25 EBITDA margin guidance due to tariffs [7][8] - Management is focused on long-term growth despite near-term challenges [8] Yelp Inc (YELP) - 1Q results exceeded expectations, driven by strength in Services advertising [11] - The company has widened its revenue and EBITDA guidance for FY25, reflecting ongoing macro uncertainty [12]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Yelp reported an 8% year-over-year revenue growth, generating $359 million in net revenue, with net income increasing by 72% to $24 million, representing a 7% margin [5][11] - Adjusted EBITDA rose by 32% year-over-year to $85 million, reflecting a 24% margin, exceeding expectations by $15 million [11][14] - The company expanded its net income margin by three percentage points and adjusted EBITDA margin by four percentage points compared to the prior year [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Services revenue increased by 14% year-over-year to $232 million, marking the sixteenth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth [11][12] - Revenue from restaurants and retail (RR and O) declined by 3% year-over-year to $110 million, with a decrease in paying advertising locations to 517,000 [12][13] - Ad clicks also fell by 3% year-over-year, primarily due to macro pressures in the RR and O categories [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The operating environment for businesses in the restaurant and retail sectors remains challenging, contributing to the decline in RR and O revenue [6] - Despite the challenges in RR and O, services categories showed strong momentum, with a 10% increase in Request to Quote projects year-over-year [6][7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Yelp's product-led strategy continues to strengthen the business, with recent rollouts of 15 new features and updates [5] - The company is focusing on enhancing the hiring experience through AI-powered tools and integrating with platforms like Zapier to connect with over 800 CRM systems [8] - Yelp is investing in AI technologies to improve consumer interactions and is excited about the potential of Yelp Assistant to transform user experiences [9][38] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while the first quarter showed resilience, macroeconomic uncertainties have increased, impacting advertiser sentiment [20][22] - The company expects second-quarter net revenue to be between $362 million and $367 million, with full-year revenue guidance widened to $1.465 billion to $1.485 billion [17][18] - Management remains optimistic about long-term shareholder value creation despite current macro challenges [18] Other Important Information - Yelp repurchased $62.5 million worth of shares in the first quarter, with $268 million remaining under the existing repurchase authorization [14] - The company aims to reduce stock-based compensation as a percentage of revenue to less than 8% by the end of 2025 [13] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss trends in advertiser sentiment and vertical performance? - Management indicated that services performed well with 14% year-over-year growth, while RR and O advertisers are more cautious due to macro uncertainties [20][21] Question: What are the drivers of CPC growth? - CPC growth was driven by robust advertiser demand in services, while RR and O faced softer trends leading to fewer clicks [29][30] Question: Can you elaborate on the AI strategy and its impact? - Management highlighted the potential of AI in enhancing user experience and lead generation, with new features like photo recognition and intelligent matching being developed [41][42] Question: What are the engagement trends across mobile and web? - Engagement trends showed macro pressure in RR and O, but strong growth in services, with project volume increasing by 15% year-over-year [48][49]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Yelp reported an 8% year-over-year revenue growth, generating $359 million in net revenue, with net income increasing by 72% to $24 million, representing a 7% margin [5][11] - Adjusted EBITDA rose by 32% year-over-year to $85 million, reflecting a 24% margin, exceeding expectations by $15 million [11][14] - The company expanded its net income margin by three percentage points and adjusted EBITDA margin by four percentage points compared to the prior year [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Services revenue increased by 14% year-over-year to $232 million, marking the sixteenth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth [11][12] - Revenue from restaurants and retail (RR and O) declined by 3% year-over-year to $110 million, with a decrease in paying advertising locations to 517,000 [12][13] - Ad clicks also fell by 3% year-over-year, primarily due to macro pressures in the RR and O categories [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The operating environment for businesses in the restaurant and retail sectors remains challenging, contributing to the decline in RR and O revenue [6] - Despite the challenges in RR and O, services categories showed strong momentum, with a 10% increase in Request to Quote projects year-over-year [6][7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Yelp's product-led strategy continues to strengthen the business, with recent rollouts of 15 new features and updates [5] - The company is focusing on enhancing the hiring experience through AI-powered tools and integrating with platforms like Zapier to connect with over 800 CRM systems [8] - Yelp is investing in AI technologies to improve consumer interactions and enhance service offerings, including upcoming AI-powered call answering services [9][46] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while the first quarter showed resilience, macroeconomic uncertainties have increased, impacting advertiser sentiment [20][22] - The company expects second-quarter net revenue to be in the range of $362 million to $367 million, with full-year revenue guidance modestly widened to between $1.465 billion and $1.485 billion [17][18] - Management remains optimistic about long-term shareholder value creation despite current macro challenges [18] Other Important Information - Yelp repurchased $62.5 million worth of shares in the first quarter, with $268 million remaining under the existing repurchase authorization [14] - The company aims to reduce stock-based compensation as a percentage of revenue to less than 8% by the end of 2025 and less than 6% by the end of 2027 [13][14] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss trends in advertiser sentiment and vertical performance? - Management indicated that services performed well with 14% year-over-year growth, while RR and O advertisers are more cautious due to macro uncertainties [20][21] Question: What are the drivers of CPC growth? - CPC growth was driven by robust advertiser demand in services, while RR and O faced headwinds leading to fewer clicks [29][30] Question: Can you elaborate on the AI strategy and its impact on CPCs? - Management highlighted the potential of AI in enhancing consumer interactions and improving lead quality, which could support CPC increases [41][42] Question: What are the engagement trends across mobile and web? - Engagement trends showed macro pressure in RR and O, but strong growth in services, with project volume increasing by 15% year-over-year [48][49]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In 2024, net revenue increased by 6% year over year to $1.41 billion, with net income growing by 34% year over year to $133 million and adjusted EBITDA increasing by 8% year over year to $358 million [2][3][33] - The company expanded net income margin by two percentage points and adjusted EBITDA margin by one percentage point from 2023 [3][20] - For Q4 2024, net revenue was $362 million, net income increased by 54% year over year to $42 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $101 million, representing a 28% margin [16][46] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from services increased by 11% year over year to a record $879 million, while RRNO revenue declined by 3% year over year to $470 million [4][34] - The home services category showed strong performance with annual revenue growth of approximately 15% year over year [4][34] - Advertising revenue in services increased by 11% year over year in Q4 to $225 million, while RRNO locations decreased, leading to a 4% year-over-year decline in paying advertising locations to 521,000 [17][47] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a challenging operating environment in the restaurant and retail sectors, impacting overall performance [4][34] - Despite the challenges in RRNO, the services categories continued to show strength, contributing to the overall revenue growth [4][34] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to focus on three strategic initiatives in 2025: leading in services, driving advertiser value, and transforming the consumer experience, leveraging AI capabilities [10][40] - Following the acquisition of RepairPal, the company aims to accelerate growth in the auto services category and enhance its offerings for multilocation services businesses [12][41] - The company is committed to maintaining a disciplined approach to expense management while investing in high-return areas to drive profitability [19][23] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the services segment, noting strong performance and growth potential despite macroeconomic challenges [66][97] - The company anticipates that the trends observed in 2024 will persist into 2025, with continued pressure on RRNO and strong performance in services [25][55] - Management highlighted the importance of AI in transforming the consumer experience and enhancing operational efficiency [78][82] Other Important Information - The company acquired RepairPal for approximately $80 million, which is expected to contribute positively to the auto services category [24][120] - The company repurchased $251 million worth of shares in 2024, demonstrating a commitment to returning capital to shareholders [53] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the abilities to invest behind demand generation in RRNO? - Management acknowledged headwinds in RRNO due to inflationary pressures but emphasized ongoing investments in services to capture future opportunities [63][64] Question: What are the key investment areas for growth in services? - Management highlighted strong growth in services, particularly home services, and the introduction of new features like the leads API to enhance service offerings [66][67] Question: What is the contribution of RepairPal to revenue guidance? - Management indicated that RepairPal's performance is integrated into overall guidance but did not provide specific figures [101][122] Question: How is the competitive landscape affecting restaurant and retail performance? - Management attributed challenges in the restaurant and retail sectors to macroeconomic factors rather than competitive pressures [131]