Comscore Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Results

FY Revenue of $376.4 million, up 2.6% from 2021
FY Net Loss of $66.6 million versus $50.0 million in 2021
FY Adjusted EBITDA of $37.0 million, up 16.1% from 2021

RESTON, Va., February 28, 2023 - Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022.

FY 2022 Financial Highlights

  • Revenue for 2022 was $376.4 million compared to $367.0 million in 2021
  • Net loss of $66.6 million compared to $50.0 million in 2021, resulting primarily from a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $46.3 million and restructuring costs of $5.8 million in Q3 2022
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $37.0 million compared to $31.9 million in 2021
  • Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of $20.4 million versus $22.3 million as of December 31, 2021

Q4 2022 Financial Highlights

  • Revenue for the fourth quarter was $98.2 million compared to $96.5 million in Q4 2021
  • Net income of $0.1 million compared to $2.9 million in Q4 2021
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $12.0 million compared to $12.4 million in Q4 2021

2023 Financial Outlook

  • Revenue expected to grow low to mid single digits over 2022
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin expected to be in the double digits for 2023

Recent Developments

  • Adopted as exclusive currency provider across Scripps' footprint in their 41 local markets as of January 1, 2023
  • Secured long-term renewals with NBCU for national and local television
  • Secured expansion and long-term renewal across the entire Gray Television broadcasting footprint
  • Signed 11 new independent agencies in Q4 2022, including Berkshire Hathaway Automotive that represents over 100 Tier 3 dealers across 10 markets, Buonasera Media Services that represents Harris Teeter in the Southeast, and Intermedia Advertising Group that represents TitleMax and CarShield nationwide
  • Renewed measurement partnership with JOY-CPW, Inc., producer of "Game Time with Boomer Esiason," to provide local TV measurement spanning all 210 U.S. markets
  • Similar to last year, selected by YouTube to identify the incremental advertising reach across YouTube before, during and after the Super Bowl linear TV broadcast for 15 major brands
  • Expanded partnership with Adform to roll out Predictive Audiences globally, providing "Cookie-free" audience targeting to identify precise audiences, optimize campaigns and maximize budgets
  • New digital business wins including The Barbarian Group, Slate, The Grid and Blavity, Inc.

"2022 was a year of major change for Comscore and I'm extremely proud of what our teams have been able to accomplish," said Jon Carpenter, CEO of Comscore. "As I've mentioned, our focus has been on speed, execution and profitability. In 2022 we launched Comscore TV Pulse, which delivers local TV data within 48 hours, and we introduced our new Total Digital user interface that provides a combined view of our digital and social data. We also made strategic decisions related to our cost structure that enabled us to achieve adjusted EBITDA of $37 million, the highest we've had in many years. We did what we said we were going to do, and that has given us momentum as we head into 2023. As the company that provides the most complete view of audiences for both content and ads, I believe we are well positioned for continued success."

Fourth Quarter Summary Results
Revenue in the fourth quarter was $98.2 million, up 1.8% from $96.5 million in Q4 2021, driven by double-digit growth in Cross Platform Solutions revenue from local and national TV measurement. We saw a decline in Digital Ad Solutions revenue from Q4 2021 primarily as a result of slower ad spend, which impacted Activation and other digital products.

Our core operating expenses, which include cost of revenues, sales and marketing, research and development and general and administrative expenses, were $87.9 million, down 5.4% compared to $92.9 million in Q4 2021.

Net income for the quarter was $0.1 million, compared to net income of $2.9 million in Q4 2021. After accounting for dividends on our convertible preferred stock, loss per share attributable to common shares was $(0.04), compared to loss per share of $(0.01) in Q4 2021.

Adjusted EBITDA was $12.0 million, compared to $12.4 million in Q4 2021, resulting in adjusted EBITDA margins of 12.2% and 12.9%, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin exclude stock-based compensation, impairment charges, change in fair value of contingent consideration, warrants liability, debt extinguishment costs, amortization of cloud-computing implementation costs, restructuring costs and other items as presented in the accompanying tables.

Full-Year Summary Results
Revenue for 2022 was $376.4 million, up 2.6% compared to $367.0 million in 2021, driven by double-digit growth in Cross Platform Solutions revenue from local and national TV measurement and the continued rebound in our Movies business. Within Cross Platform Solutions, local and national TV revenue grew 25.7% and 12.6%, respectively, over 2021. We saw a decline in Digital Ad Solutions revenue from 2021 as a result of lower revenue from our international digital measurement offering along with slower ad spend, which impacted Activation and other digital products.

Our core operating expenses, which include cost of revenues, sales and marketing, research and development and general and administrative expenses, were $371.9 million, up 0.3% compared to $370.8 million in 2021.

Net loss for the year was $66.6 million, compared to net loss of $50.0 million in 2021. Included in net loss for 2022 were a non-cash impairment charge of $46.3 million related to goodwill and restructuring costs of $5.8 million recorded in Q3 2022. Included in net loss for 2021 was a $15.3 million non-cash charge related to the convertible preferred stock transaction closed in Q1 2021. After accounting for dividends on convertible preferred stock, loss per share attributable to common shares was $(0.89), compared to loss per share of $(0.78) in 2021.

Adjusted EBITDA was $37.0 million, compared to $31.9 million in 2021, resulting in adjusted EBITDA margins of 9.8% and 8.7%, respectively.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity
As of December 31, 2022, cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $20.4 million. Total debt principal, including $16.0 million in outstanding borrowings under our senior secured revolving credit agreement, was $19.4 million.

2023 Outlook
Based on current trends and expectations, we believe 2023 revenue will increase low to mid single digits over 2022, driven by continued growth in Cross Platform Solutions from our local and national TV offerings and growth in Digital Ad Solutions as we focus on product integrations and new product innovation. We expect an adjusted EBITDA margin in the double digits for 2023.

We do not provide GAAP net income (loss) on a forward-looking basis because we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty our future stock-based compensation expense, fair value adjustments, variable interest expense, litigation and restructuring expense and any unusual gains or losses without unreasonable effort. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors, and could be material to results computed in accordance with GAAP. For this reason, we are unable without unreasonable effort to provide a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA or adjusted EBITDA margin to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, GAAP net income (loss), on a forward-looking basis.

Conference Call Information for Today, Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. ET
Management will host a conference call to discuss the results on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. ET. The live audio webcast along with supplemental information will be accessible at ir.comscore.com/events-presentations. Participants can obtain dial-in information by registering for the call at the same web address and are advised to register in advance of the call to avoid delays. Following the conference call, a replay will be available via webcast at ir.comscore.com/events-presentations.

About Comscore
Comscore is a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms. With a data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, over-the-top and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore allows media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make business decisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the industry's emerging, third-party source for reliable and comprehensive cross-platform measurement.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal and state securities laws, including, without limitation, our expectations, forecasts, plans and opinions regarding expected revenue growth and adjusted EBITDA margin for 2023, the impact of new customer contracts and partnerships on our business and revenue prospects, evolving economic and industry trends, currency opportunities, product integration and innovation, and restructuring plans and cost-reduction initiatives. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ materially from expectations, including, but not limited to, changes in our business and customer, partner and vendor relationships; external market conditions and competition; changes or declines in ad spending or other macroeconomic factors; evolving privacy and regulatory standards; and our ability to achieve our expected strategic, financial and operational plans, including the restructuring plan we announced in September 2022. For additional discussion of risk factors, please refer to our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings that we make from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. We do not intend or undertake, and expressly disclaim, any duty or obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To provide investors with additional information regarding our financial results, we are disclosing in this press release adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin, which are non-GAAP financial measures used by our management to understand and evaluate our core operating performance and trends. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results, as they permit our investors to view our core business performance using the same metrics that management uses to evaluate our performance. Nevertheless, our use of these non-GAAP financial measures has limitations as an analytical tool, and investors should not consider these measures in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Instead, you should consider these measures alongside GAAP-based financial performance measures, net income (loss), various cash flow metrics, and our other GAAP financial results. Set forth below are reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, net income (loss). These reconciliations should be carefully evaluated.

Q4 and full year 2022 Earnings Report.pdf

Media
Marie Scoutas
Comscore, Inc.
press@comscore.com

Investors
John Tinker
Comscore, Inc.
(212) 203-2129
jtinker@comscore.com

More About

Corporate News