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ATRenew Inc. Reports Unaudited Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

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SHANGHAI, Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ATRenew Inc. (“ATRenew” or the “Company”) (NYSE: RERE), a leading technology-driven pre-owned consumer electronics transactions and services platform in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2024. 

Third Quarter 2024 Highlights

Total net revenues grew by 24.4% to RMB4,051.2 million (US$577.3 million) from RMB3,256.8 million in the third quarter of 2023.Income from operations was RMB24.9 million (US$3.5 million), compared to a loss from operations of RMB28.1 million in the third quarter of 2023. Adjusted income from operations (non-GAAP)[1] was RMB104.0 million (US$14.8 million), compared to RMB73.8 million in the third quarter of 2023.Number of consumer products transacted[2] was 9.1 million compared to 8.2 million in the third quarter of 2023.

Mr. Kerry Xuefeng Chen, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of ATRenew, commented, “We are delighted to report that our total net revenues reached RMB4.05 billion in the third quarter of 2024, representing a robust year-over-year growth of 24.4%. We are particularly encouraged by the widespread adoption of our consumer electronics trade-in services, which provide consumers with a seamless experience and competitive pricing. Our AHS stores maintain their industry-leading position, serving as the preferred destination for users to recycle reusable consumer products and purchase quality-assured, value-for-money pre-owned electronic devices.”

Mr. Rex Chen, Chief Financial Officer of ATRenew, added, “The third quarter marked another milestone in our path to enhanced profitability, as we achieved positive GAAP income from operations and our non-GAAP income from operations exceeded RMB100 million for the first time. These results reflect our successful initiatives to optimize operating expenses and the diminishing impact of amortization expenses from historical acquisitions. We also demonstrated our commitment to shareholder returns by repurchasing over US$12 million of our shares during the quarter. Looking ahead, we remain focused on driving operational efficiency and delivering sustainable value to our users and shareholders.”

[1]. See “Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” for more information.

[2]. “Number of consumer products transacted” represents the number of consumer products distributed to merchants and consumers through transactions on the Company’s PJT Marketplace, Paipai Marketplace and other channels the Company operates in a given period, prior to returns and cancellations, excluding the number of consumer products collected through AHS Recycle; a single consumer product may be counted more than once according to the number of times it is transacted on PJT Marketplace, Paipai Marketplace and other channels the Company operates through the distribution process to end consumer.

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

REVENUE

Total net revenues increased by 24.4% to RMB4,051.2 million (US$577.3 million) from RMB3,256.8 million in the same period of 2023.

Net product revenues increased by 25.6% to RMB3,672.2 million (US$523.3 million) from RMB2,924.0 million in the same period of 2023. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in the sales of pre-owned consumer electronics both through the Company’s online and offline channels.Net service revenues increased by 13.9% to RMB379.0 million (US$54.0 million), compared to RMB332.8 million in the same period of 2023. This increase was primarily due to an increase in the service revenue generated from PJT Marketplace and multi-category recycling business.

OPERATING COSTS AND EXPENSES

Operating costs and expenses were RMB4,028.1 million (US$574.0 million), compared to RMB3,307.5 million in the same period of 2023, representing an increase of 21.8%.

Merchandise costs were RMB3,242.8 million (US$462.1 million), compared to RMB2,611.0 million in the same period of 2023, representing an increase of 24.2%. This was primarily due to the growth in product sales.Fulfillment expenses were RMB347.3 million (US$49.5 million), compared to RMB287.7 million in the same period of 2023, representing an increase of 20.7%. The increase was primarily due to (i) an increase in personnel costs and logistics expenses as the Company conducted more recycling and transaction activities compared with the same period of 2023, and (ii) an increase in operation center related expenses as the Company expanded its store networks in the third quarter of 2024.Selling and marketing expenses were RMB315.3 million (US$44.9 million), compared to RMB299.5 million in the same period of 2023, representing an increase of 5.3%. The increase was primarily due to  (i) an increase in advertising expenses and promotional campaign related expenses, and (ii) an increase in share-based compensation expenses. The increase was partially offset by a decrease in amortization of intangible assets and deferred cost resulting from assets and business acquisitions as the maturity of some intangible assets and deferred cost in the third quarter of 2023.General and administrative expenses were RMB69.3 million (US$9.9 million), compared to RMB69.8 million in the same period of 2023, representing a decrease of 0.7%, primarily due to a decrease in share-based compensation expenses. The decrease was partially offset by an increase in other personnel cost.Technology and content expenses were RMB53.4 million (US$7.6 million), compared to RMB39.4 million in the same period of 2023, representing an increase of 35.5%. The increase was primarily due to an increase in personnel costs in connection with the ongoing maintenance of the Company’s operation centers and system.

INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS

Income from operations was RMB24.9 million (US$3.5 million), compared to a loss from operations of RMB28.1 million in the same period of 2023.

Adjusted income from operations (non-GAAP) was RMB104.0 million (US$14.8 million), compared to RMB73.8 million in the same period of 2023.

NET INCOME (LOSS)

Net income was RMB17.9 million (US$2.6 million), compared to a net loss of RMB44.2 million in the same period of 2023.

Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) was RMB90.1 million (US$12.8 million), compared to RMB47.6 million in the same period of 2023.

BASIC AND DILUTED NET INCOME PER ORDINARY SHARE

Basic and diluted net income per ordinary share were RMB0.11 (US$0.02), compared to basic and diluted net loss of RMB0.27 in the same period of 2023.

Adjusted basic and diluted net income per ordinary share (non-GAAP) were RMB0.56 (US$0.08) and RMB0.55 (US$0.08), compared to RMB0.30 and RMB0.29 in the same period of 2023.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, RESTRICTED CASH, SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS AND FUNDS RECEIVABLE FROM THIRD PARTY PAYMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS

Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments and funds receivable from third party payment service providers were RMB2,350.5 million (US$334.9 million) as of September 30, 2024, as compared to RMB2,854.4 million as of December 31, 2023.

Business Outlook

For the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company currently expects its total revenues to be between RMB4,740.0 million and RMB4,840.0 million, representing an increase of 22.4% to 24.9% year-over-year. This forecast only reflects the Company’s current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change.

Recent Development

On August 29, 2024, ATRenew announced an improvement in its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) score as assessed by S&P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment in 2024, placing it in the 93rd percentile among its global RTS retailing industry peers. This is primarily attributable to ATRenew’s commitment to ESG, particularly greater transparency in its climate strategy, human capital management, and business ethics.

During the third quarter of 2024, ATRenew repurchased a total of approximately 4.9 million ADSs for approximately US$12.1 million under its current share repurchase program which authorizes the Company to repurchase up to US$50 million worth of its shares (including ADSs) through June 27, 2025. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had repurchased a total of approximately 8.2 million ADSs for approximately US$20.1 million under this share repurchase program.

Conference Call Information

The Company’s management will hold a conference call on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 07:00 A.M. Eastern Time (or 08:00 P.M. Beijing Time on the same day) to discuss the financial results. Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers:

International:

1-412-317-6061

United States Toll Free:

1-888-317-6003

Mainland China Toll Free:

4001-206115

Hong Kong Toll Free:

800-963976

Access Code:

3668505

The replay will be accessible through November 27, 2024 by dialing the following numbers:

International:

1-412-317-0088

United States Toll Free:

1-877-344-7529

Access Code:                    

3972162

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company’s investor relations website at ir.atrenew.com.

About ATRenew Inc.

Headquartered in Shanghai, ATRenew Inc. operates a leading technology-driven pre-owned consumer electronics transactions and services platform in China under the brand ATRenew. Since its inception in 2011, ATRenew has been on a mission to give a second life to all idle goods, addressing the environmental impact of pre-owned consumer electronics by facilitating recycling and trade-in services, and distributing the devices to prolong their lifecycle. ATRenew’s open platform integrates C2B, B2B, and B2C capabilities to empower its online and offline services. Through its end-to-end coverage of the entire value chain and its proprietary inspection, grading, and pricing technologies, ATRenew sets the standard for China’s pre-owned consumer electronics industry. ATRenew is a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business.

Exchange Rate Information

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars are made at a rate of RMB7.0176 to US$1.00, the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as of September 30, 2024.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company also uses certain non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating its business. For example, the Company uses adjusted income from operations, adjusted net income and adjusted net income per ordinary share as supplemental measures to review and assess its financial and operating performance. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Adjusted income from operations is loss from operations excluding the share-based compensation expenses and amortization of intangible assets and deferred cost resulting from assets and business acquisitions. Adjusted net income is net loss excluding the share-based compensation expenses and amortization of intangible assets and deferred cost resulting from assets and business acquisitions and tax effects of amortization of intangible assets and deferred cost resulting from assets and business acquisitions. Adjusted net income per ordinary share is adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by weighted average number of shares used in calculating net loss per ordinary share.

The Company presents non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by the Company’s management to evaluate the Company’s financial and operating performance and formulate business plans. The Company believes that adjusted income from operations and adjusted net income help identify underlying trends in the Company’s business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of certain expenses that are included in loss from operations and net loss. The Company also believes that the use of non-GAAP financial measures facilitates investors’ assessment of the Company’s operating performance. The Company believes that adjusted income from operations and adjusted net income provide useful information about the Company’s operating results, enhance the overall understanding of the Company’s past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company’s management in its financial and operational decision making.

The non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools. One of the key limitations of using non-GAAP financial measures is that they do not reflect all items of income and expense that affect the Company’s operations. The share-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets and deferred cost resulting from assets and business acquisitions and tax effects of amortization of intangible assets and deferred cost resulting from assets and business acquisitions have been and may continue to be incurred in the Company’s business and is not reflected in the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures. Further, the non-GAAP measures may differ from the non-GAAP measures used by other companies, including peer companies, potentially limiting the comparability of their financial results to the Company’s. In light of the foregoing limitations, the non-GAAP financial measures for the period should not be considered in isolation from or as an alternative to income from operations, net income, and net income attributable to ordinary shareholders per share, or other financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

The Company compensates for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measures, which should be considered when evaluating the Company’s performance. For reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, please see the section of the accompanying tables titled, “Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results.”

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to” and similar statements. Among other things, quotations in this announcement, contain forward-looking statements. ATRenew may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about ATRenew’s beliefs, plans and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: ATRenew’s strategies; ATRenew’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; ATRenew’s ability to maintain its relationship with major strategic investors; its ability to facilitate pre-owned consumer electronics transactions and provide relevant services; its ability to maintain and enhance the recognition and reputation of its brand; general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in ATRenew’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and ATRenew does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Investor Relations Contact

In China:
ATRenew Inc.
Investor Relations
Email: ir@atrenew.com 

In the United States:
ICR LLC.
Email: atrenew@icrinc.com
Tel: +1-212-537-0461

 

 

ATRENEW INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share and otherwise noted)

As of December 31,

As of September 30,

2023

2024

RMB

RMB

US$

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

1,978,696

1,347,338

191,994

Restricted cash

210,000

132,000

18,810

Short-term investments

410,547

630,123

89,792

Amount due from related parties, net

89,592

218,771

31,175

Inventories

1,017,155

678,026

96,618

Funds receivable from third party payment service
providers

253,107

241,047

34,349

Prepayments and other receivables, net

567,622

754,617

107,532

Total current assets

4,526,719

4,001,922

570,270

Non-current assets:

Long-term investments

467,095

558,221

79,546

Property and equipment, net

148,223

159,236

22,691

Intangible assets, net

270,631

100,496

14,321

Other non-current assets

80,411

149,115

21,249

Total non-current assets

966,360

967,068

137,807

TOTAL ASSETS

5,493,079

4,968,990

708,077

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Short-term borrowings

349,931

307,291

43,789

Accounts payable

532,293

105,314

15,007

Contract liabilities

119,715

81,571

11,624

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

465,123

478,145

68,135

Accrued payroll and welfare

146,371

148,945

21,224

Amount due to related parties

78,032

116,255

16,566

Total current liabilities

1,691,465

1,237,521

176,345

Non-current liabilities:

Operating lease liabilities, non-current

22,495

80,366

11,452

Deferred tax liabilities

67,658

42,099

5,999

Total non-current liabilities

90,153

122,465

17,451

TOTAL LIABILITIES

1,781,618

1,359,986

193,796

TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

3,711,461

3,609,004

514,281

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’
EQUITY

5,493,079

4,968,990

708,077

 

ATRENEW INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share and otherwise noted)

Three months ended September 30,

Nine months ended September 30,

2023

2024

2023

2024

RMB

RMB

US$

RMB

RMB

US$

Net revenues

Net product revenues

2,923,970

3,672,239

523,290

8,135,824

10,383,813

1,479,682

Net service revenues

332,787

378,999

54,007

956,386

1,095,264

156,074

Operating (expenses) income (1)(2)

Merchandise costs

(2,611,018)

(3,242,843)

(462,101)

(7,188,902)

(9,181,300)

(1,308,325)

Fulfillment expenses

(287,704)

(347,270)

(49,486)

(822,913)

(985,325)

(140,408)

Selling and marketing expenses

(299,491)

(315,293)

(44,929)

(933,835)

(990,607)

(141,160)

General and administrative expenses

(69,826)

(69,302)

(9,875)

(203,794)

(215,671)

(30,733)

Technology and content expenses

(39,430)

(53,396)

(7,609)

(131,905)

(153,391)

(21,858)

Other operating income, net

22,640

1,751

250

32,512

23,082

3,289

Income (loss) from operations

(28,072)

24,885

3,547

(156,627)

(24,135)

(3,439)

Interest expense

(2,186)

(3,615)

(515)

(5,498)

(12,332)

(1,757)

Interest income

11,083

8,686

1,238

24,658

20,611

2,937

Other (loss) income, net

(4,428)

47

7

(6,719)

(41,305)

(5,886)

Income (loss) before income taxes and share
of loss in equity method investments

(23,603)

30,003

4,277

(144,186)

(57,161)

(8,145)

Income tax benefits

10,047

5,949

848

33,607

24,536

3,496

Share of loss in equity method investments

(30,632)

(18,069)

(2,575)

(48,449)

(53,028)

(7,556)

Net income (loss)

(44,188)

17,883

2,550

(159,028)

(85,653)

(12,205)

Net income (loss) per ordinary share:

Basic

(0.27)

0.11

0.02

(0.99)

(0.53)

(0.08)

Diluted

(0.27)

0.11

0.02

(0.99)

(0.53)

(0.08)

Weighted average number of shares used in
calculating net income (loss) per ordinary
share

Basic

161,338,983

161,405,774

161,405,774

161,393,190

162,011,110

162,011,110

Diluted

161,338,983

164,258,720

164,258,720

161,393,190

162,011,110

162,011,110

Net income (loss)

(44,188)

17,883

2,550

(159,028)

(85,653)

(12,205)

Foreign currency translation adjustments

(5,676)

(7,093)

(1,011)

15,897

(7,183)

(1,024)

Total comprehensive income (loss)

(49,864)

10,790

1,539

(143,131)

(92,836)

(13,229)

 

ATRENEW INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (CONTINUED)

(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share and otherwise noted)

Three months ended September 30,

Nine months ended September 30,

2023

2024

2023

2024

RMB

RMB

US$

RMB

RMB

US$

(1) Includes share-based compensation
expenses as follows:

Fulfillment expenses

(5,362)

(3,021)

(430)

(17,910)

(15,992)

(2,279)

Selling and marketing expenses

(5,165)

(12,220)

(1,741)

(13,266)

(56,792)

(8,093)

General and administrative expenses

(19,239)

(13,854)

(1,974)

(56,182)

(45,924)

(6,544)

Technology and content expenses

(5,218)

(3,657)

(521)

(15,649)

(13,611)

(1,940)

(2) Includes amortization of intangible assets
and deferred cost resulting from assets and
business acquisitions as follows:

Selling and marketing expenses

(66,412)

(46,263)

(6,592)

(222,337)

(169,154)

(24,104)

Technology and content expenses

(482)

(130)

(19)

(1,446)

(981)

(140)

 

Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results

(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share and otherwise noted)

Three months ended September 30,

Nine months ended September 30,

2023

2024

2023

2024

RMB

RMB

US$

RMB

RMB

US$

Income (loss) from operations

(28,072)

24,885

3,547

(156,627)

(24,135)

(3,439)

Add:

Share-based compensation
expenses

34,984

32,752

4,666

103,007

132,319

18,856

Amortization of intangible assets
and deferred cost resulting from
assets and business acquisitions

66,894

46,393

6,611

223,783

170,135

24,244

Adjusted income from operations
(non-GAAP)

73,806

104,030

14,824

170,163

278,319

39,661

Net income (loss)

(44,188)

17,883

2,550

(159,028)

(85,653)

(12,205)

Add:

Share-based compensation
expenses

34,984

32,752

4,666

103,007

132,319

18,856

Amortization of intangible assets
and deferred cost resulting from
assets and business acquisitions

66,894

46,393

6,611

223,783

170,135

24,244

Less:

Tax effects of amortization of
intangible assets and deferred cost
resulting from assets and business
acquisitions

(10,047)

(6,972)

(994)

(33,607)

(25,559)

(3,642)

Adjusted net income (non-
GAAP)

47,643

90,056

12,833

134,155

191,242

27,253

Adjusted net income per
ordinary share (non-GAAP):

Basic

0.30

0.56

0.08

0.83

1.18

0.17

Diluted

0.29

0.55

0.08

0.80

1.16

0.17

Weighted average number of
shares used in calculating net
income per ordinary share

Basic

161,338,983

161,405,774

161,405,774

161,393,190

162,011,110

162,011,110

Diluted

166,112,358

164,258,720

164,258,720

167,609,332

165,040,389

165,040,389

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atrenew-inc-reports-unaudited-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-302311061.html

SOURCE ATRenew Inc.

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WideTrial Supports NIH-Funded Expanded Access Program for Investigational ALS Drug

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About WideTrial
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Media Contact :
WideTrail: Francis Greenleaf | Francis.greenleaf@widetrial.com
ZingPR for WideTrail: Tim Cox | tim@zingpr.com

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SOURCE WideTrial Inc.

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Wishpond Reports Q3-2024 Financial Results with a 79% Year-over-Year Improvement in Adjusted EBITDA

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Wishpond achieved Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $0.6 million in Q3-2024, an increase of 79% compared to Q3-2023 and the best Adjusted EBITDA level since 2022.Wishpond is pleased to report it achieved an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 11% in Q3-2024 as a result of cost optimizations and restructuring of its sales team.

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – Wishpond Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: WISH) (OTCQX: WPNDF) (the “Company” or “Wishpond”), a provider of marketing-focused online business solutions, announces it has filed its interim consolidated financial statements (the “Interim Financial Statements”) and management’s discussion and analysis (the “MD&A”) for Q3-2024, representing the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024. Copies of the Interim Financial Statements and MD&A are available on the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Ali Tajskandar, Wishpond’s Founder and CEO commented, “I am pleased to report that Wishpond has achieved Adjusted EBITDA of $571,228 and an Adjusted EBITDA margin of over 11% in Q3-2024, marking the Company’s most profitable quarter since 2022. Achieving double-digit EBITDA margin is a rare accomplishment for a software company of our size, and I am incredibly proud of our team for reaching this significant milestone. Our dedication to reducing costs and driving greater efficiencies throughout our business has led to substantial improvements in both profitability and cash flow. Further to this, I am excited to share that Wishpond generated cash flows from operations of positive $0.2 million during Q3-2024. Improving our Adjusted EBITDA and cash flow generation has been a core focus for the Company in 2024 and we reiterate this commitment and mandate as we head into 2025.”

Ali Tajskandar further adds, “Wishpond is making exciting strides with its new flagship product, SalesCloser AI (“SalesCloser”), a revolutionary virtual sales agent which leverages artificial intelligence to conduct sales calls and product demos. We are actively exploring new sales outreach programs and potential channel partnerships to expand SalesCloser’s reach, unlock new customer opportunities, and drive broader adoption of the platform. Recently, we announced a collaboration with Roomvu Technologies Inc. (“Roomvu”), a leading real estate marketing platform used by over 220,000 real estate agents, to leverage SalesCloser in enhancing lead follow-up and boosting sales conversions. Collaborations like these are an excellent example of how a partner can provide us with greater and more efficient access to a potential customer base. Furthermore, we are seeing a steady increase in bookings for SalesCloser demos each day. As we broaden the platform’s rollout, we anticipate that SalesCloser will be a key contributor in driving new growth to our business in 2025.”

Adrian Lim, Wishpond’s Chief Financial Officer commented, “Despite a decline in quarterly revenue, Wishpond was able to achieve very strong margins and cash flows in Q3-2024. Wishpond’s revenue decline in Q3-2024 was attributable to the transition of its sales team driven by cost optimization efforts and the integration of SalesCloser into its sales processes. In the long term, we anticipate using SalesCloser to grow the Company’s own internal sales capacity, reduce hiring costs, and further increase margins and profitability. In addition, revenue was negatively impacted due to a decrease in spending from Wishpond’s legacy customer for email delivery services. While this customer contributed to Wishpond’s revenue, these sales were not as profitable compared to the newer business generated through our Propel IQ platform (“Propel IQ”). As a result, this offset of less profitable revenue enabled Wishpond to achieve its most profitable quarter in two years, growing Adjusted EBITDA margin to 11% and improving the Company’s gross margin to 69%. Looking ahead, we expect our gross margins to continue trending upwards as adoption of Propel IQ grows, and we begin ramping up sales of our new SalesCloser solution.”

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights:

Wishpond achieved quarterly revenue of $5,055,738 during Q3-2024 (Q3-2023: $5,763,847).Revenue was impacted by a decline in revenue from the Company’s legacy customer of email delivery services which reduced its spending from $338,359 in Q3-2023 to $48,969 in Q3-2024.Wishpond achieved a gross profit of $3,490,107 in Q3-2024 (Q3-2023: $3,825,821).Wishpond achieved a gross margin percentage of 69% during Q3-2024 (Q3-2023: 66%).During Q3-2024, Wishpond achieved positive Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $571,228 (Q3-2023: $319,001), representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 11%, and an increase of 79% from Q3-2023.As at September 30, 2024, Wishpond had $1,084,978 in cash and had drawn down $1,300,535 from its credit facility (December 31, 2023: cash of $1,424,585 and $994,658 credit facility balance outstanding). The reduction in net cash was caused in part by earnout payments for businesses acquired in 2022, investment in SalesCloser marketing activities, and changes in working capital.

Third Quarter 2024 Business Highlights:

On July 8, 2024, the Company announced the appointment of Adrian Lim as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mr. Lim has responsibility for all finance, accounting, financial reporting, audit, tax and capital planning functions.On July 10, 2024, the Company announced that the renewal of its Notice of an Intention it filed to make a Normal Course Issuer Bid (“NCIB”) was approved by the TSX Venture Exchange. Under the renewed NCIB, the Company may, during the 12-month period commencing July 15, 2024, and ending July 14, 2025, purchase up to 2,707,931 Shares in total, being 5% of the total number of 54,158,620 Shares outstanding as at June 26, 2024.On August 1, 2024, the Company successfully renewed its credit facility with a major Canadian bank. The renewed credit facility maintains the secured revolving operating line with a borrowing capacity of up to $6,000,000.On August 8, 2024, the Company announced the launch of a new rewards distribution program through its Viral Loops product platform. The new program launched with successful integrations with the Stripe App Marketplace, Tremendous, and Sendoso allowing Viral Loops customers to use their referral rewards on any of these platforms, which the Company believes will increase Average Order Value(1) and Customer Lifetime Value(1). The program is expected to drive increased customer engagement and strengthen Wishpond’s overall market position and capabilities in the referral marketing space.On August 19, 2024, the Company announced the launch of a new Integrations Marketplace for its AI-powered virtual sales agent, SalesCloser AI. The Integrations Marketplace is designed to seamlessly integrate SalesCloser with a wide range of tools, including CRM systems, email marketing platforms, and task management software, enhancing efficiency and sales effectiveness through advanced workflow automation.

Business Highlights Subsequent to September 30, 2024:

On October 23, 2024, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Roomvu, a leading real estate marketing platform used by over 220,000 real estate agents, to utilize SalesCloser to enhance lead follow-up and sales conversion for Roomvu. This collaboration is anticipated to empower real estate agents to significantly improve the efficiency of managing leads, with aims to ultimately drive sales higher at the same time as improving the client experience.

Outlook:

For 2025, Wishpond’s focus is on profitable growth. The Company expects to improve upon the Adjusted EBITDA levels achieved in 2024. The Company is also expanding the utilization of its SalesCloser virtual sales agent in its sales processes in order to drive new sales of Wishpond products. SalesCloser will be used to help grow Wishpond’s own internal sales capacity, reduce hiring costs, and further increase margins and profitability. In addition to using SalesCloser to sell Wispond’s own products, the Company is also ramping up its SalesCloser revenue generated from external customers.

Management is pleased to introduce the Company’s key goals for 2025:

Accelerate organic revenue growth and increase Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)(1).Achieve positive Adjusted EBITDA in each quarter in 2025.Increase utilization of SalesCloser in internal sales processes to drive sales of Wishpond’s own products.Accelerate revenue growth of SalesCloser to external customers.Improve margins, decrease churn and increase long-term customer value.

Webinar Conference Call Details:

As previously announced, Wishpond will be hosting a webinar conference call to discuss its Q3-2024 financial results today at 10:00 AM (PT) / 1:00 PM (ET).

To register for the webinar, please visit the following URL: https://bit.ly/wp_q3

Date:                           November 20, 2024
Time:                           10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET)
Dial-in:                        +1 778 907 2071 (Vancouver local)
                                   +1 647 374 4685 (Toronto local)
Meeting ID #:              886 0009 0567

Please connect 5 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure time for any software download that may be required.

Selected Financial Highlights: 

The tables below set out selected financial information relating to Wishpond and should be read in conjunction with Wishpond’s Interim Financial Statements and MD&A.

Three-months
ended

September 30,
2024
 $

Three-months
ended

September 30,
2023
 $

 Nine-months
ended

September 30,
2024
 $

Nine-months
ended

September 30,
2023
 $

Revenue

5,055,738

5,763,847

16,934,710

17,027,081

Gross profit

3,490,107

3,825,821

11,561,777

11,195,550

Gross margin

69 %

66 %

68 %

66 %

Adjusted EBITDA(1)

571,228

319,001

1,403,142

744,000

Credit facility – end of period

(1,300,535)

–

(1,300,535)

–

Cash – end of the period

1,084,978

909,796

1,084,978

909,796

Net decrease in cash during the
period net of credit facility

 

(68,609)

 

(188,489)

 

(645,484)

 

(1,782,848)

Reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA

Three-months
ended

September 30,
2024
 $

Three-months
ended

September 30,
2023
 $

 Nine-months
ended

September 30,
2024
 $

Nine-months
ended

September 30,
2023
 $

Income (Loss) before income
taxes

 

86,180

 

329,154

 

(505,046)

 

(1,106,096)

Depreciation and amortization

411,504

390,353

1,228,151

1,139,504

Interest income

–

–

–

(2,728)

Interest expense

36,557

8,990

115,276

8,990

Remeasurement of contingent
consideration liability

–

 

–

–

 

(22,232)

Other expenses

107,019

111,764

259,601

376,009

Stock based compensation
expense

 

(70,032)

 

(521,260)

 

305,160

 

350,553

Adjusted EBITDA

571,228

319,001

1,403,142

744,000

Footnotes:

(1)

Adjusted EBITDA, MRR, Annualized Revenue Run-Rate(1), Average Order Value, Customer Churn Rate(1) and LTV are not financial measures recognized by International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other entities. See “Cautionary Statements – Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information and definitions of each non-GAAP term used in this press release.

On Behalf of the Board of Wishpond
“Ali Tajskandar”
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

About Wishpond Technologies Ltd.       

Based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Wishpond is a provider of marketing-focused online business solutions. Wishpond is a leading provider of digital marketing solutions that empower entrepreneurs to achieve success online. The Company’s Propel IQ platform offers an “all-in-one” marketing suite that provides companies with marketing, promotion, lead generation, ad management, referral marketing, sales conversion and outbound sales automation capabilities in one integrated platform. Wishpond replaces disparate marketing solutions with an easy-to-use product, for a fraction of the cost. Wishpond serves over 4,000 customers who are primarily small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in a wide variety of industries. The Company has developed cutting-edge marketing technology solutions, including an AI powered website builder, an AI email automation tool, an AI Sales Agent and continues to add new AI enabled features and applications. The Company employs a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business model where most of the Company’s revenue is subscription-based recurring revenue which provides excellent revenue predictability and cash flow visibility. Wishpond is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker “WISH”, and on the OTCQX Best Market under the ticker “WPNDF”. For further information, visit: www.wishpond.com.

Cautionary Statements, Summary Information

Information presented in this press release is only a summary and does not purport to be a full representation of all figures, notes and discussions provided for in the Interim Financial Statements and MD&A. Readers are cautioned to read the entirety of the Interim Financial Statements and MD&A, and not to rely only on the information presented in this press release. In the event of conflict between the information in this press release on the one hand, and the Interim Financial Statements and MD&A on the other hand, the information in the Interim Financial Statements and MD&A shall govern.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In this press release, Wishpond has used the following terms (“Non-GAAP Financial Measures”) that are not defined by IFRS, but are used by management to evaluate the performance of Wishpond and its business, including: Adjusted EBITDA, MRR, Annualized Revenue Run-Rate, Average Order Value, Customer Churn Rate, LTV, gross profit, and gross margin. These measures may also be used by investors, financial institutions and credit rating agencies to assess Wishpond’s performance and ability to service debt. Non-GAAP Financial Measures do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Securities regulations require that Non-GAAP Financial Measures are clearly defined, qualified and reconciled to their most comparable IFRS financial measures. Except as otherwise indicated, these Non-GAAP Financial Measures are calculated and disclosed on a consistent basis from period to period. Specific items may only be relevant in certain periods. See the disclosure under the heading “Additional GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures” in Wishpond’s MD&A for a discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and certain reconciliations to GAAP financial measures. The intent of Non-GAAP Financial Measures is to provide additional useful information to investors and analysts, and the measures do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS. The measures should not, therefore, be considered in isolation or used as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Other issuers may calculate Non-GAAP Financial Measures differently. Non-GAAP Financial Measures are identified and defined as follows:

Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to net earnings, cash flow from operating activities or other measures of financial results determined in accordance with GAAP as an indicator of the Company’s performance. The Company defines “Adjusted EBITDA” as Income or Loss before income taxes less interest, depreciation and amortization, remeasurement of contingent consideration liability, filing fees, credit facility setup and renewal fees, earn-out remuneration, foreign currency losses (gains), acquisition related expenses, net other expenditures (income), and stock-based compensation. The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA is a meaningful financial metric as it measures cash generated from operations which the Company can use to fund working capital requirements, service future interest and principal debt repayments and fund future growth initiatives.Average Order Value: The Company defines Average Order Value, or AOV, as the aggregate dollar amount of all customer orders over a period of time divided by the aggregate number of orders during that same period. Management believes AOV to be a useful financial measure because it helps to track the impact of sales initiatives and product offerings on customer spending patternsMonthly Recurring Revenue: The Company uses Monthly Recurring Revenue, or MRR, as a directional indicator of subscription revenue going forward assuming customers maintain their subscription plan the following month. MRR is the total of all monthly subscription plan fees paid by customers in effect on the last day of that period. If customers pay for more than one month upfront, the amount is divided by the number of months in the subscription period. Discounts are deducted prior to the calculation and one-time payments and metered based charges are excluded.Annualized Revenue Run-Rate: The Company uses Annualized Revenue Run-Rate as an indicator of financial performance that takes the current revenue in the quarter and converts it to an annual figure to get the full-year equivalent.Customer churn rate: The Company defines Customer Churn Rate as the percentage of customers who have canceled their subscriptions over time. Management believes Customer Churn Rate  to be a useful financial measure because it provides further insight as to what products have the ability to generate continuous customer engagement and revenue.Customer Lifetime Value: The Company defines Customer Lifetime Value, or LTV, as the average revenue that a customer generates before they churn. Management believes LTV is useful as a forward looking estimate of the average revenue that a customer will generate throughout its lifespan as a customer with Wishpond.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements that are not reported financial results or other historical information are forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the Company, its subsidiaries and the industries in which they operate, including statements about, among other things, all information contained under the heading “Outlook” herein, references to expected results from future operations, future growth of the Company’s products and platforms, the future development and increased use of products incorporating artificial intelligence, including SalesCloser, improvement in the Company’s cash position and increased revenue generation, references to the growth of the Company’s product portfolio and future profitability, including whether additional products or features may be developed in the future, and the functionality and timing of such products, financial results or operational activities that may be undertaken by the Company, the results of the Company’s cost-savings, research and development and other initiatives, any future acquisitions or other activities done to grow the Company both organically or inorganically, expectations, beliefs, plans, future operations, the impact of broader economic factors including inflation and other general economic risks on the Company, business and acquisition strategies, opportunities, objectives, prospects, assumptions, including those related to trends and prospects, and future events and performance. Sentences and phrases containing or modified by words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “continue”, “estimate”, “intend”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “predict”, “potential”, “targets”, “projects”, “is designed to”, “strategy”, “should”, “believe”, “contemplate” and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions, are not historical facts and are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable and are based on, among other things, the expectations and analysis of current market trends and opportunities of management of the Company, such forward-looking statements have been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company’s control, including, but not limited to, risks associated with changes to Propel IQ and SalesCloser’s revenue and profitability, changes to customer preferences, competition, use cases for Propel IQ and SalesCloser, economic uncertainty and instability as a result of the ongoing inflation and supply chain issues, higher interest rate climate, tightening of credit availability and recessionary risks, pandemic related risks, wars, instability in global commodity and securities markets, shifts in consumer and institutional spending and marketing strategies, risks related to data breaches and privacy, the changing global market and competition for the products and services supplied by the Company, and the additional risk factors discussed in the continuous disclosure materials of the Company which are available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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SOURCE Wishpond Technologies Ltd.

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Appcast Xtend Launches to Tackle Candidate Drop-Off and Boost Hiring Efficiency

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52 minutes ago

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November 20, 2024

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Appcast Xtend enables employers to maximize the effectiveness of their recruiting budget while improving the candidate experience

LEBANON, N.H., Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Appcast, the leading recruitment marketing platform powered by programmatic, today announced the launch of Appcast Xtend, a new offering designed to empower employers to tackle candidate drop-off, enhance the candidate experience and drive more hires.

Appcast Xtend is one of the many innovative solutions that has emerged from Appcast Labs, Appcast’s internal incubator with a mission of building the next generation of recruitment technology for employers.

“Appcast Xtend is the solution to a significant problem that most employers face, which is: on average, 95% of visitors to an employer’s career site or applicant tracking system abandon the process and don’t apply to an open role,” said Tom Chevalier, general manager of Appcast Labs. “I’m extremely proud of the team for building a solution that leverages the effectiveness of remarketing to engage more of the qualified career site and ATS visitors who would ordinarily disappear without a trace.”

Appcast Xtend creates better job seeker experiences within an employer’s existing HR tech stack. By employing a novel and easy-to-deploy “overlay” approach, Xtend’s experiences can:

Anticipate abandonment – Invites job seekers to engage as they’re about to leave the site and then promotes relevant job opportunities through a multi-channel remarketing approach, including email, SMS, and search and social media advertising.Recommend similar jobs – Helps job seekers discover positions with optimal commutes, flexible shift options, or similar roles that might be a better fit.Promote the employer’s brand – Timely and relevant distribution of employer brand content, such as videos, at the optimal moment when potential candidates are considering an employer’s job opportunities.Pre-qualify and expand the talent pool – Efficiently identifying the right candidates for the hardest-to-fill roles.Boost hiring event RSVPs – Real-time promotion to visitors in the employer’s ATS to maximize hiring event success.

“The results we’ve seen from our beta release have exceeded all expectations with some employers seeing a 20% lift in applications,” said Chevalier. “Customers love that it’s so simple – no work on their part, reduces burden on recruiter time and squeezes more results from the budget they’re already investing in recruitment advertising. And since it works with the employer’s existing career site and ATS, employers we’ve talked to about it say Xtend is a ‘no brainer.'”

“Within three months, DICK’S Sporting Goods has gained over 7,500 applications utilizing Appcast Xtend, worth over $60,000 in value,” said Rebecca Pulaski, recruitment marketing and operations manager at DICK’s Sporting Goods. “Implementing Xtend has allowed us to diversify our advertising sources to attract candidates in unique ways, while still producing completed applications in our ATS.”

Appcast Xtend is now available for general release and complements Appcast’s existing suite of solutions: AppcastOne, a candidate acquisition platform that harnesses the power of programmatic, search, social and traditional media into a single omni-channel enterprise solution, and Appcast Brand & Creative, a full suite of professional services from employer brand and strategy development to award-winning, cross-channel creatives.

For more information, visit: https://www.appcast.io/appcast-xtend

About Appcast
Appcast is the leading recruitment marketing platform powered by programmatic. With advanced technology, unmatched market data and a team of the industry’s best recruitment marketers, Appcast’s technology and services drive hiring outcomes for more than one thousand clients. Appcast is headquartered in Lebanon, N.H. with offices throughout North America and Europe. Appcast is a subsidiary of The Stepstone Group, a leading digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. To learn more, visit http://www.appcast.io.

Media Contact

Alexa Kalechofsky, Gabriel Marketing Group (for Appcast), 9784607013, alexak@gabrielmarketing.com

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SOURCE Appcast

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