Grindr (GRND) - 2024 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 increased by 27% year-over-year to $89 million with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 45% [18] - Direct revenue increased 25% year-over-year to $77 million driven by the adoption of the Unlimited Weekly tier and better merchandising [18] - Average monthly active users increased 8% over the prior year to 14.6 million, while average paying users increased 15% to 1.11 million, resulting in a payer penetration of 7.6% [19] - Indirect revenue for Q3 grew 43% year-over-year to $12 million, driven by strong demand in advertising [19] - Operating expenses, excluding cost of revenue, were $38 million in Q3, up 7% year-over-year [20] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 was $40 million, equating to a 45% adjusted EBITDA margin compared to 46% a year ago [20] - The company ended the quarter with $39.1 million in cash and cash equivalents and generated positive free cash flow of $27.9 million, a conversion rate of 69% from adjusted EBITDA [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The success of the Weekly Unlimited subscription offering contributed significantly to revenue growth [6][7] - The Interest tab feature led to over a 150% increase in user engagement with the Viewed Me feature [10] - The Right Now feature was expanded to the Washington, D.C. metro area, enhancing user engagement and potential monetization [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The advertising revenue exceeded expectations due to increased demand from third-party advertising partners [7] - The company noted a strong performance across all business lines, including indirect revenue growth [34] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on building and launching innovative features that enhance user engagement before monetization [13] - The product roadmap includes scaling the Right Now feature and adding more functionalities to improve user experience [9][26] - The company aims to maintain a robust free user base while optimizing monetization strategies for paid users [39][48] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the company's growth trajectory, raising revenue guidance for the year to 29% or greater [6][22] - The focus remains on user experience improvements and addressing technical debt accumulated from previous management [62][67] - Management is committed to ensuring high product quality and addressing bugs to enhance user satisfaction [66][67] Other Important Information - The company has made significant progress in resolving legacy bugs and improving app stability, which is expected to support user conversion over time [12] - The company is exploring new ad formats and enhancing existing ones to drive higher CPM and revenue growth [34][35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Opportunities to accelerate investment and timelines - Management is pleased with current product development and is on track or ahead of schedule with public commitments, with plans for additional features beyond the roadmap [25][27] Question: Insights from the Right Now product rollout - The Right Now feature is designed for users wanting immediate connections, with plans to add more features based on user feedback [30][32] Question: Balancing pricing and merchandising with user sensitivity - The company maintains a robust free offering while exploring ways to enhance the value of paid tiers without alienating free users [39][48] Question: Impact of the Unlimited Weekly tier on payer conversion - The Unlimited Weekly tier has driven higher conversion rates with low cannibalization of existing subscriptions [54] Question: Addressing technical debt and user experience - The company has made significant strides in addressing technical debt and improving the app's infrastructure, which is expected to enhance user experience [62][66]