Catena Media: New management team sees positive momentum from transformed operating model as casino delivers initial rebound
Catena Media plc Interim Report January - June 2024
April-June 2024- Revenue from continuing operations was EUR 12.8m (14.9), a decrease of 14 percent.
- Revenue in North America decreased 11 percent to EUR 11.2m (12.5), equivalent to 88 percent (84) of group revenue from continuing operations.
- New depositing customers (NDCs) from continuing operations totalled 31,475 (37,935), a decrease of 17 percent.
- Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations decreased 67 percent to EUR 0.7m (2.1), corresponding to an adjusted EBITDA margin of 5 percent (14).
- EBITDA from continuing operations, including items affecting comparability of EUR 1.3m (-0.2), totalled EUR -0.6m (2.3), equivalent to an EBITDA margin of -4 percent (16).
- Earnings per share from continuing operations totalled EUR -0.04 (-0.03) before dilution and EUR -0.04 (-0.02) after dilution.
- Cash and cash equivalents were EUR 18.9m (38.0) on 30 June.
- Outstanding shares totalled 78,773,422 and outstanding warrants were 27,022,940 on 30 June.
- Revenue from continuing operations was EUR 28.8m (46.4), a decrease of 38 percent.
- Revenue in North America decreased 38 percent to EUR 25.5m (41.5), equivalent to 89 percent (89) of group revenue from continuing operations.
- New depositing customers (NDCs) from continuing operations totalled 75,552 (112,121), a decrease of 33 percent.
- Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations decreased 88 percent to EUR 2.5m (20.8), corresponding to an adjusted EBITDA margin of 9 percent (45).
- EBITDA from continuing operations, including items affecting comparability of EUR 2.2m (0.5), totalled EUR 0.3m (20.2), equivalent to an EBITDA margin of 1 percent (44).
- Earnings per share from continuing operations totalled EUR -0.07(0.12) before dilution and EUR -0.06 (0.08) after dilution.
- Cash and cash equivalents were EUR 18.9m (38.0) on 30 June.
- Outstanding shares totalled 78,773,422 and outstanding warrants were 27,022,940 on 30 June.
- Edward Midolo appointed CTO, effective 1 April.
- Michael Gerrow appointed CFO, effective 15 April.
- On 20 June, the group issued a Q2 earnings update after assessing preliminary financial results for May and evaluating the reduced effectiveness of some strategic media partnerships caused by changes in organic search policies.
Significant events after the period
- Manuel Stan assumed his position as CEO on 1 July. Pierre Cadena was appointed COO.
CEO Manuel Stan comments
I am delighted to have joined Catena Media as new CEO as of 1 July. In my first weeks I have seen first-hand the strength and potential of our products and the talents and ambition of our people. I look forward to working with the new board of directors and the entire Catena team to drive the company forward.
My thanks to the previous management and CEO and to the former board and chairman for handing over a restructured business with lower debt, and to Pierre Cadena for standing in as interim CEO during Q2 and driving a number of key initiatives that we are now working together to implement.
Today, my top priority is embedding our new operating model and optimising our products as we return to growth. I see high energy levels as we start this new chapter. Since 1 April, four out of five members of the executive management team are new in their roles. By year-end the makeover will be complete with the appointment of a new general counsel.
A significant step in Q2 was to replace the former geographical organisational structure with a product-based operating model. We also acted to rightsize cost and now have the right people in the right places. Led by COO Pierre Cadena and CFO Michael Gerrow, these fundamental changes and our all-new management team will allow us to be more focused on the key priorities, more aligned across the organisation and better equipped to develop key business relationships with our customers. I look forward to seeing the fruit of these efforts in the coming quarters.
Our Q2 results were in line with the earnings update issued in June. They reflected the changes in search engine policies that impacted some media partnerships for affiliates, including Catena Media. While the changes had an immediate negative effect, we saw a positive impact over our owned and operated products later in the quarter. During the quarter, we also renegotiated some media partnerships and withdrew from others where results were suboptimal. Media partnerships remain of interest provided they offer the right financial and commercial terms.
In Q2, our most important search terms ranked steadily higher. Such progress takes time to be reflected in revenue, but it gives me confidence that our core organic search capability is on the right path. To that end, and for enhanced transparency, we have added a new search performance metric on page 3 of this report.
Revenue growth continued in North American casino, both year-over-year and from Q1. This relates in part to the sharpened product focus and the targeted investments made into our flagship brands during 2024. It also reflects strong growth in our sweepstakes casino business.
The launch of a Spanish-language version of Bonus.com during the quarter was our first initiative to target the Hispanic market in North America. This demographic offers significant long-term potential, given that around 15 percent of Americans speak Spanish as their first language.
In sports, we intend to replicate the targeted brand-focused investments that have lifted the casino business in recent months. Q2 is seasonally slow, and in line with our previously communicated forecast we expect a stronger second half to the year, particularly after the start of the American football season in September.
Other highlights in the quarter included the soft launch of our subaffiliation platform, Mrktplays. This is a first step towards our goal to build a market-leading marketplace for the industry - one that brings value and expertise by offering a platform that provides a dynamic ecosystem where affiliates and operators can connect and drive growth.
Catena Media has a strong portfolio of outstanding products and a highly motivated team of experts in their fields. In my opinion, the group has previously tried to do too many things and spread its resources too thinly, resulting in under-optimisation of core products. The new board and management agree on the need for a laser-sharp operating focus. We are now in a stronger position to concentrate on the core products and drive revenue. To that end, we have completed an extensive prioritisation exercise and, as a first step, we are clearing many low-performing domains to allow our teams to focus on the top products.
I am excited by the challenges ahead and optimistic of the future as we maximise our products' potential, particularly in the casino segment where we see strong opportunities for growth. I believe Catena Media is well positioned to become a leading partner for the iGaming industry in North America.
Presentation of Catena Media's results
CEO Manuel Stan and CFO Michael Gerrow will present the Q2 2024 report in a combined webcast and teleconference on 14 August 2024 at 09:00 CEST.
Webcast
Via the webcast you are able to ask written questions. If you wish to participate via webcast, please use the following link:
https://ir.financialhearings.com/catena-media-q2-report-2024
Teleconference
Via teleconference you are able to ask questions verbally. If you wish to participate in the call, please register on the link below. After registration you will be provided phone numbers and a conference ID to access the conference:
https://conference.financialhearings.com/teleconference/?id=50048939
The presentation will be available on the website:
https://www.catenamedia.com/investors/financial-reports-and-presentations
Contact details for further information:
Investor Relations
Email: ir@catenamedia.com
Manuel Stan, CEO
Email: manuel.stan@catenamedia.com
Michael Gerrow, CFO
Email: michael.gerrow@catenamedia.com
This information is information that Catena Media plc is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Market Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons, on 14 August 2024 at 07:00 CEST.
About Catena Media
Catena Media is a leaderin generating high-value leads for operators of online casino and sports betting platforms. The group's large portfolio of brands guides users to customer websites and enriches the experience of players worldwide. Headquartered in Malta, the group employs over 200 people globally. The share (CTM) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm Mid Cap. For further information see catenamedia.com.