ZipRecruiter(US:ZIP)2025-11-05 23:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue in Q3 2025 was $115 million, representing a 2% decline year-over-year but a 2% increase sequentially, exceeding the midpoint of guidance [10] - Quarterly paid employers reached 67,000, increasing 3% year-over-year and 1% sequentially, marking the first year-over-year growth since Q1 2022 [10][11] - Revenue per paid employer for Q3 2025 was $1,717, down 4% year-over-year but up 1% sequentially [11] - Net loss in Q3 2025 was $9.8 million, with adjusted EBITDA of $9.2 million, resulting in an adjusted EBITDA margin of 8% [11] - Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaled $411 million as of September 30, 2025 [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Performance-based revenue grew 12% quarter-over-quarter, making up 24% of total revenue in Q3 2025, up from 22% in the prior quarter [11] - Quarterly paid employers increased by 1% sequentially and 3% year-over-year, indicating strong brand value despite a subdued hiring market [7][11] - Enterprise customer adoption of automated campaign performance optimization increased by 19% quarter-over-quarter [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Job seeker visits from generative AI models increased by 140% sequentially, indicating a growing channel of job seeker traffic [5][9] - Breakroom, a workplace rating platform, published over 10,000 employer profiles, up from 8,000 in the prior quarter, powered by over 1 million ratings from workers [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on product and technology investments to drive better matching and engagement across its marketplace [7] - The strategy includes optimizing for AI-driven discovery and enhancing the job seeker application experience through tools like ZipApply [5][6] - The company aims to capture market share as the labor market recovers, leveraging its strong brand and product offerings [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted a persistently soft labor market but highlighted consistent revenue growth and paid employer growth from Q1 to Q3 2025 [4] - The guidance for Q4 2025 anticipates revenue between $109 million and $115 million, representing a 1% year-over-year increase [11][12] - Management expects continued stability in the hiring environment, with normal seasonal slowness during the holiday periods [12] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 2.2 million shares for a total of $10 million during Q3 2025 [11] - The adjusted EBITDA guidance midpoint for Q4 2025 is $14 million, implying a full-year adjusted EBITDA margin of 9% [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Market reception for products like automated campaign optimization and ZipIntro - Management indicated that product strategy is working, with evidence of revenue and utilization growth despite macro challenges [14][15] Question: Macro view and guidance for Q4 - Management observed a modest decline in hiring but expects the current market trend to continue into Q4 [19][21] Question: Q4 margin strength versus earlier mid-single-digit characterization - Management explained that Q4 margins reflect typical seasonal patterns in marketing investments, with a focus on high ROI opportunities [22] Question: Drivers of quarterly paid employer trends - Growth is attributed to both new paid employers and reactivations of former employers, reflecting strong customer acquisition and engagement [32][33] Question: Conversion quality from generative AI traffic - Management noted that the quality of traffic from generative AI is on par with traditional sources, with ongoing optimization efforts [34][36]