IAC(US:IAC)2026-02-04 14:32Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a solid fourth quarter with digital revenue growth of 14%, driven by strong execution across advertising, performance marketing, and licensing [5][14] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter grew 9% in digital, with digital margins at 26% [16] - For the full year, total revenue reached $1.8 billion, with digital revenue accounting for $1.1 billion and growing 10% year-over-year [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Advertising revenue grew by 9% despite a 13% decline in core sessions, indicating success in the off-platform strategy [14] - Performance marketing saw a 17% increase during the holiday period, reflecting strong consumer engagement [14] - Licensing revenue surged by 36%, aided by partnerships with Apple News and Meta [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The print segment experienced a decline of 23%, attributed to a prior period's political advertising revenue and ongoing sectoral declines [16] - Core web sessions fell by 13% year-over-year, primarily due to a 50% drop in Google Search referrals over the last two years [20] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on transforming traditional content businesses into new consumer products and revenue streams that are less susceptible to disintermediation [6][12] - New product initiatives include Southern Living and Food & Wine, aimed at creating unique consumer experiences and leveraging existing brand strengths [6][8] - The strategy emphasizes off-platform audience engagement, with non-session-based revenue now comprising about 38% of total digital revenue and growing 37% year-over-year [22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's growth trajectory, particularly in the face of AI disruption, and highlighted the strength of their brands [5][12] - The outlook for 2026 is optimistic, with expectations for People Inc to exceed conservative guidance due to strong momentum [34] - The company plans to continue evaluating buybacks and is mindful of the current undervaluation of IAC [13] Other Important Information - The company will stop providing quarterly guidance to focus on long-term value creation, while still offering annual guidance [27] - The expected litigation expenses related to Google AdTech litigation are projected at approximately $15 million for the year [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the key drivers of non-session-based revenue growth? - Management indicated that the growth is driven by diversifying traffic sources and developing new distribution channels, moving away from reliance on Google [36][38] Question: What are IAC's M&A aspirations? - Management expressed interest in finding unique opportunities but noted that currently, there are no exciting prospects on the horizon [51][53] Question: How scalable are the new curated experiences? - Management emphasized the importance of direct relationships with audiences and advertisers, highlighting successful new initiatives like MyRecipes and the People app [64][66] Question: What is the outlook for the Care segment? - The Care segment is expected to return to growth by midyear, with ongoing improvements in product offerings and marketing investments [25] Question: Can you provide insights on the ad market? - Management rated the current ad market as a six out of ten, noting solid performance in health, pharma, and travel sectors, while some macro-exposed sectors are facing challenges [95]