comScore(SCOR) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for 2024 was $356 million, down 4.1% from$ 371.3 million in 2023, but above earlier guidance [24] - Adjusted EBITDA for the year was $42.4 million, down 3.8% from 2023, resulting in an adjusted EBITDA margin of 11.9% [26] - Fourth quarter revenue was$ 94.9 million, nearly flat compared to $95.1 million in the same quarter last year, with adjusted EBITDA of$ 17.2 million, up 4.4% year-over-year [28][30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Content and ad measurement revenue for 2024 was $301.1 million, down 2.8% from 2023, driven by lower revenue from syndicated audience offerings [24] - Cross-platform revenue reached$ 40.5 million, up 20% compared to the prior year, with significant growth in the second half of 2024 [25] - Movies business generated $37.1 million in revenue for 2024, up 5% from the prior year [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company saw increased advertising spend transacting on its measurement currency in Q4, marking the highest level in its history [16] - The national TV and syndicated digital products faced pricing pressures impacting revenue recovery [24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to establish itself as a global leader in audience measurement across platforms, focusing on cross-platform solutions and currency capabilities [7][19] - New product launches, such as Comscore content measurement, are expected to drive growth, with strong interest from enterprise clients [21] - The company anticipates continued high double-digit growth from its cross-platform solutions in 2025 [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the momentum built in Q4 carrying into 2025, despite the first quarter typically being the lowest for ad spend [44] - The company expects challenges in legacy media channels and unpredictable demand for custom digital products, but remains optimistic about cross-platform growth [36] Other Important Information - The company secured new financing of$ 60 million, which includes a $45 million term loan and a$ 15 million revolving facility, enhancing its cash position to $33.5 million [35] - A restructuring of the data license agreement with Charter is expected to save over$ 35 million over the remaining term of the agreement [34] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the current state of volatility in results? - Management noted good momentum from Q4 into 2025, with no significant macroeconomic factors affecting performance [43][45] Question: Does increased uncertainty create more opportunities for ProximaC? - Management believes that ProximaC's ID-free solution will benefit from increased consumer privacy regulations and uncertainty in the digital ecosystem [47] Question: What are the drivers behind increased currency utilization in Q4? - Management indicated that both internal efforts and external market pressures contributed to greater currency adoption, particularly with new agency contracts [49][50]