ZipRecruiter(US:ZIP)2026-02-25 23:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q4 2025 revenue reached $112 million, representing a 1% year-over-year growth, marking the first quarter of year-over-year growth since Q3 2022 [12][19] - Adjusted EBITDA in Q4 2025 was $16.2 million, equating to a margin of 15%, an increase from 13% in Q4 2024 and 8% in Q3 2025 [20] - Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaled $409.1 million as of December 31, 2025 [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Performance marketing revenue increased by 9% year-over-year in Q4 2025, up from 5% growth in Q3 2025 [17] - The number of quarterly paid employers was over 59,000 in Q4 2025, a 2% increase year-over-year but a 12% decrease sequentially [19] - Revenue per paid employer was $1,889, down 2% year-over-year but up 10% sequentially [20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Job openings declined by 10% year-over-year, indicating a soft hiring demand in Q4 2025 [5][34] - Despite the overall hiring slowdown, healthcare remained resilient while retail, food service, and education showed weakness [34] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company launched "Be Seen First," a product aimed at enhancing job seekers' visibility to employers, which has shown promising results [5][13] - The focus remains on leveraging AI technology to improve matching processes and enhance user experience, with significant investments made in this area [10][61] - The company aims to achieve flat year-over-year revenue in 2026, with a targeted expansion of Adjusted EBITDA margins from 9% in 2025 to 14% in 2026 [8][24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that hiring demand in Q4 2025 was below normal seasonal expectations, but trends in early Q1 2026 have shown improvement [6][28] - The company believes that economic factors, rather than AI displacement, are primarily driving current labor market trends [9] - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate the current labor market and capitalize on growth opportunities [24] Other Important Information - The CFO announced his departure after over a decade with the company, with the President stepping in as interim CFO [10][11] - The company has initiated a search for a permanent CFO to ensure a seamless transition [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Characterization of employer demand environment - Management observed a slowdown in SMB demand during Q4 but noted a rebound in early Q1 2026, with SMB demand appearing slightly better than the previous year [26][28] Question: Traffic from LLMs and its impact - Management indicated that while LLM traffic is growing, traditional sources still dominate in terms of engagement and conversion [36][37] Question: Growth cadence throughout the year - Management expects Q1 to be a low point, with gradual improvement anticipated as the year progresses, driven by enterprise performance [41][43] Question: Capital allocation strategy - The company prioritizes organic growth, followed by M&A opportunities, and then return of capital, including stock repurchases [45][46] Question: Changes in employer candidate sourcing - Management confirmed that while resumes remain important, new features like "Be Seen First" are allowing candidates to express enthusiasm and stand out in the application process [49][55]