Jeff Walker: Thank you, Paul, and good afternoon, everyone. We appreciate you joining us today. I want to begin by framing the second quarter in very clear terms because the most important takeaway this quarter is the continued strength and durability of our earnings profile. During the second quarter, Alliance delivered another period of meaningful profitability. Net income increased year over year to $9.4 million, adjusted EBITDA rose to $18.5 million, and gross margin expanded by 210 basis points to 12.8 ...

Group 1 - Baron Real Estate Fund delivered strong performance in Q3 2025, appreciating 10.25% compared to the MSCI US REIT Index's 4.49% and the MSCI USA IMI Extended Real Estate Index's 5.65% [1] - The fund highlighted Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:FND) as a key stock, which experienced a one-month return of -14.20% and a 52-week loss of 40.63% [2] - Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. had a market capitalization of $6.55 billion as of November 11, 2025, with shares closing at $60.79 [2] Group 2 - Following a significant decline in shares during the first half of 2025, Baron Real Estate Fund began acquiring shares of Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. [3] - Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. was held by 46 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q2 2025, an increase from 44 in the previous quarter [4] - The company's sales for Q3 grew by 5.5% to $1.180 billion, indicating potential for investment despite the current challenges [4]

Partnerships & Marketing - DoorDash partners with Cardi B to offer signed CDs or vinyls of her new album, "Am I the Drama" [1] - The partnership includes a virtual shop called the Cardi B Cardi Bodega, featuring Cardi B's favorite snacks and beverages [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In fiscal 2025, the company reported net income of $15.1 million, a 229% increase from the previous year [6][11] - Adjusted EBITDA grew 51% to $36.5 million, with gross margin improving from 11.7% to 12.5% year-over-year [6][11] - Earnings per share rose to $0.30, more than tripling from $0.09 in fiscal 2024 [6][11] - For Q4, net income was $5.8 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, compared to $2.5 million, or $0.05 per share in the prior year [7][9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q4 net revenue was $227.8 million, down from $236.9 million in Q4 fiscal 2024, while gross profit increased 34% year-over-year to $36 million [9][10] - Direct-to-consumer fulfillment accounted for 37% of gross revenue, up from 36% in fiscal 2024, reflecting broader retailer adoption [18][19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company has built a differentiated platform to lead in the collectibles and physical media market, with over 340,000 SKUs and relationships across 35,000 retail storefronts [5][6] - Exclusive partnerships accounted for more than $350 million in revenue, or over a third of total sales [13][52] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on exclusive distribution and licensing strategies to access unique, in-demand products, enhancing margins and profits [13][52] - The strategy includes scaling high-margin categories, deepening exclusive content partnerships, and strengthening the fulfillment model [22][23] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the sustainability of margins and profitability, expecting continued growth driven by strong consumer demand and exclusive content partnerships [8][23] - The company is preparing for significant new releases in fiscal 2026, including franchises like DC Comics, Disney, and Marvel [16][22] Other Important Information - The company has made significant progress on its balance sheet, reducing revolver debt by 22% and generating $26.8 million in cash flow from operating activities [7][11] - Automation and warehouse optimization have led to measurable cost savings and improved operational efficiency [20][21] Q&A Session Summary Question: How should investors think about your ability to sign similar deals with other studios? - Management is actively working on long-term opportunities in the consolidation of physical DVD distribution [25][26] Question: How are you impacted by tariffs, and what efforts are you undertaking to mitigate the impact? - The company has minimal impact from tariffs in music and video, but some price increases are seen in collectible products due to tariffs on items manufactured in China [27][28] Question: Can you talk about your preferences regarding capital allocation? - The company focuses on paying down debt and reinvesting cash into strategic acquisitions and internal investments for growth [29] Question: How sustainable is the lift from the Paramount Pictures exclusive license? - The company expects incremental growth from the Paramount deal, with a focus on expanding sales opportunities across various channels [33][34] Question: What does it mean to be selected as Walmart's video category advisor? - This designation allows the company to assist Walmart with overall planning in the video category, enhancing its strategic partnership [36] Question: Can you share the profile of your current M&A pipeline? - The company is actively engaged in multiple acquisition conversations, focusing on strategic fits and operational synergies [38][39] Question: How much of the margin expansion is structural versus cyclical? - The margin enhancement is attributed to structural improvements and significant cost savings from operational efficiencies [41] Question: How is AI going to help the business? - AI initiatives are aimed at improving sales efficiency and operational processes, with ongoing training and integration into various functions [42][44] Question: How do you balance investing in legacy categories versus building out higher growth segments? - The company continues to see growth in legacy categories like vinyl while also investing in new initiatives [46][47] Question: What gives you confidence Handmade by Robots can break out? - The brand has a strong design and licensing potential, with a robust growth strategy and existing operational infrastructure to support it [48][50] Question: Why is exclusivity such a big advantage for Alliance? - Exclusive partnerships allow the company to become the sole supplier for major retailers, enhancing sales opportunities and competitive positioning [52][54]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In fiscal 2025, the company reported net income of $15.1 million, a 229% increase from the previous year [6][11] - Adjusted EBITDA grew 51% to $36.5 million, with gross margin improving from 11.7% to 12.5% year-over-year [6][11] - Earnings per share rose to $0.30, more than tripling from $0.09 in fiscal 2024 [6][11] - For Q4, net income was $5.8 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, compared to $2.5 million, or $0.05 per share in the prior year [9][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q4 net revenue was $227.8 million, down from $236.9 million in Q4 fiscal 2024, while gross profit increased 34% year-over-year to $36 million [9][10] - The company achieved a gross margin of 15.8% in Q4, up from 11.4% in the prior year [9][10] - Direct-to-consumer fulfillment accounted for 37% of gross revenue, up from 36% in fiscal 2024, reflecting broader retailer adoption [18][19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company has established exclusive partnerships that accounted for over $350 million in revenue, representing more than a third of total sales [13][52] - The exclusive distribution agreement with Paramount Pictures is expected to contribute significantly to sales growth in fiscal 2026 [35] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding exclusive content partnerships and enhancing its fulfillment model to drive growth [22][23] - The strategy includes scaling high-margin categories and leveraging automation and AI to improve operational efficiency [20][21] - The company aims to lead in the collectibles and physical media market by building a differentiated platform [8][17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the sustainability of margin improvements and profitability as the company enters fiscal 2026 [23] - The company anticipates strong consumer demand heading into the holiday season, supported by exclusive content releases [8][16] - Management highlighted the importance of exclusive partnerships in driving competitive advantage and revenue growth [13][52] Other Important Information - The company reduced revolver debt by 22% and improved inventory alignment, ending the year with $26.8 million in cash flow from operating activities [7][11] - Automation investments and warehouse consolidation have led to measurable cost savings and improved operational efficiency [10][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: How should investors think about your ability to sign similar deals with other studios? - The company is actively pursuing long-term opportunities in the consolidation of physical DVD distribution and is engaged in ongoing conversations with other studios [26] Question: How are you impacted by tariffs, and what efforts are you undertaking to mitigate the impact? - The company has minimal impact from tariffs in music and video, but some price increases have been observed in collectible products due to tariffs on items manufactured in China [27][28] Question: Can you talk about your preferences regarding capital allocation? - The company prioritizes paying down debt and reinvesting in strategic acquisitions and internal investments to support growth [29] Question: How sustainable is the lift you've seen from the Paramount Pictures exclusive license? - The company expects to see continued growth from the Paramount deal, with incremental impacts anticipated in fiscal 2026 [34] Question: What does it mean for the company being selected by Walmart as its video category advisor? - This designation allows the company to assist Walmart with strategic planning and operations in the video category, enhancing its partnership with a major retailer [36] Question: Can you share the profile of your current M&A pipeline? - The company is actively engaged in multiple acquisition conversations and evaluates opportunities based on strategic fit and operational synergy [38][39] Question: How much of the margin expansion is structural versus cyclical or one-time factors? - The margin enhancement is attributed to structural improvements and cost savings from operational efficiencies, not one-time factors [41] Question: How is AI going to help the business? - The company is implementing AI initiatives to improve sales efficiency and operational processes, focusing on enhancing the capabilities of its sales team [42][44] Question: How do you balance investing in legacy categories versus building out higher growth segments? - The company continues to invest in legacy categories while also pursuing growth opportunities in higher-margin segments [46][47] Question: What gives you confidence Handmade by Robots can really break out? - The company sees significant potential in the Handmade by Robots brand due to its unique design and licensing opportunities, supported by existing operational infrastructure [48][50] Question: Why is exclusivity such a big advantage for Alliance Entertainment? - Exclusivity allows the company to become the preferred supplier for major retailers, enhancing sales opportunities and competitive positioning in the market [52][55]

Image Generation & Prompting - The user prompt focused on creating a realistic photograph of a vinyl cover on a wooden table [1] - The AI image generation model produced unexpected text on the banana within the image, which was not part of the original prompt [1] AI Behavior & Surrealism - The AI's behavior is described as "unbelievable" and "surreal" due to the unexpected text generation [1]