Q4 2024 Cineverse Corp Earnings Call

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Cameron: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Cineverse's fourth quarter fiscal year 2024 financial results conference call. My name is Cameron, and I'll be your moderator for today.

Christopher J. McGurk: Good day, everyone. Welcome to Cineverse's fourth quarter fiscal year 2024 financial results conference call.

Cameron: Currently, all participants are in a listen-only mode. We will have a question and answer session following management's prepared remarks, at which time participants can press the star followed by the number one to ask a question. If anyone needs operator help, press star zero. Please note that this call is being recorded. I would now like to turn the call over to your host, Gary Loffredo, Chief Legal Officer, Secretary, and Senior Advisor for Cineverse. Please go ahead.

Cameron: My name is Cameron and I'll be your moderator for today.

Cameron: Currently, all participants are in a listen-only mode. We will have a question and answer session following management's prepared remarks at which time participants can press star followed by the number one to ask a question.

Cameron: If anyone needs operator help, press star zero. Please note that this call is being recorded. I would now like to turn the call over to your host, Gary Loffredo, Chief Legal Officer, Secretary and Senior Advisor for Cineverse. Please go ahead.

Gary S. Loffredo: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us for the Cineverse Fiscal 2024 Fourth Quarter and Year End Financial Results Conference Call. The press release announcing Cineverse's results for the fiscal fourth quarter and year-end, March 31st, 2024, is available in the investor section of the company's website at www.cineverse.com. A replay of this broadcast will also be made available on Cineverse's website after the conclusion of this call.

Gary S. Loffredo: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us for the Cineverse Fiscal 2024 4th Quarter and Year-End Financial Results Conference Call.

Speaker Change: The press release announcing Cineverse's results for the fiscal fourth quarter and year-end, March 31st, 2024, is available at the Investor section of the company's website at www.cineverse.com.

Speaker Change: A replay of this broadcast will also be made available at Cineverse's website after the conclusion of this call. Before we begin, I would like to point out that certain statements made on today's call contain forward-looking statements.

Gary S. Loffredo: Before we begin, I would like to point out that certain statements made on today's call contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. The company's periodic reports that are filed with the SEC describe potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's business and financial results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. All the information discussed on this call is as of today, July 1st, 2024, and Cineverse does not assume any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Gary S. Loffredo: In addition, certain financial information presented in this call represents non-GAAP financial measures, and we encourage you to read our disclosures and the reconciliation tables to applicable gap measures in our earnings release carefully as you consider these measures.

Speaker Change: These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions.

Speaker Change: The company's periodic reports that are filed with the SEC describe potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's business and financial results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements.

Speaker Change: All the information discussed on this call is as of today, July 1st, 2024. And Cineverse does not assume any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Speaker Change: In addition, certain financial information presented in this call represent non-GAAP financial measures, and we encourage you to read our disclosures and the reconciliation tables to applicable GAAP measures in our earnings release carefully as you consider these metrics.

Gary S. Loffredo: I'm Gary Loffredo, Chief Legal Officer, Secretary, and Senior Advisor. With me today are Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO, and Erick Opeka, President and Chief Strategy Officer.

Speaker Change: I'm Gary Loffredo, Chief Legal Officer, Secretary, and Senior Advisor at Cineverse.

Speaker Change: With me today are Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO .

Speaker Change: Erick Opeka, President and Chief Strategy Officer, Mark Lindsey, Chief Financial Officer, Mark Torres, Chief People Officer, and Yolanda Macias, Chief Content Officer, all of whom will be available for questions following the prepared remarks.

Christopher J. McGurk: On today's call, Chris will discuss our fourth quarter and full year fiscal year 2024 highlights.

Christopher J. McGurk: the latest operational developments, Outlook, and long-term growth strategy.

Christopher J. McGurk: Mark will follow with a review of our front results for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31st, 2024. And Erick will provide some detail on our streaming business results and operating initiatives before we open the floor to questions.

Gary S. Loffredo: Mark Lindsey, Chief Financial Officer, Mark Torres, Chief People Officer, and Yolanda Macias, Chief Content Officer, all of whom will be available for questions following the prepared remarks. On today's call, Chris will discuss our fourth quarter and full year fiscal year 2024 highlights, the latest operational developments, outlook, and long-term growth strategy. Mark will follow with a review of our front results for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31st, 2024, and Erick will provide some detail on our streaming business results and operating initiatives before we open the floor to questions. I will now turn the call over to Chris McGurk, to begin.

Christopher J. McGurk: I will now turn the call over to Chris McGurk to begin.

Christopher J. McGurk: Thanks, Gary, and thanks everyone for joining us today on this call. As we have emphasized repeatedly, fiscal year 2024 was an important transition year for the company. Having finally moved beyond any material financial impacts from our legacy digital cinema equipment business and also having established a recurring cash-generating film franchise with Terrifier 2 in the prior fiscal year, we focus this year on a concerted drive towards sustained profitability to set a strong foundation for our future growth.

Christopher J. McGurk: Thanks, Gary, and thanks everyone for joining us today on this call.

Christopher J. McGurk: As we have emphasized repeatedly, fiscal year 2024 was an important transition year for the company.

Christopher J. McGurk: Having finally moved beyond any material financial impacts from our legacy digital cinema equipment business.

Christopher J. McGurk: and also having established a recurring cash-generating film franchise with Terrifier 2 in the prior fiscal year, we focus this year on a concerted drive towards sustained profitability to set a strong foundation for our future growth.

Christopher J. McGurk: Our full year and fourth quarter results both reflect the success of that effort. We generated vastly improved operating margins by dramatically streamlining our cost structure, optimizing our streaming channel portfolio, and focusing on higher-margin new revenue streams. This resulted in positive and growing adjusted EBITDA and an accelerating trend toward positive and sustainable annual net income. Excluding key non-cash impacts and non-operating factors, most significantly the goodwill impairment that was triggered by our market capitalization being significantly below our book value, we reduced our net loss by $4.8 million, or 58%, to $3.4 million for the full year.

Christopher J. McGurk: Our full year and fourth quarter results both reflect the success of that effort.

Christopher J. McGurk: We generated vastly improved operating margins by dramatically streamlining our cost structure.

Christopher J. McGurk: optimizing our streaming channel portfolio and focusing on higher margin new revenue streams.

Christopher J. McGurk: This resulted in positive and growing adjusted EBITDA and an accelerating trend toward positive and sustainable annual net income.

Christopher J. McGurk: Excluding key non-cash impacts and non-operating factors.

Christopher J. McGurk: Most significantly, the goodwill impairment that was triggered by our market capitalization being significantly below our book value.

Christopher J. McGurk: We reduced our net loss by $4.8 million, or 58%, to $3.4 million for the full year. And we were virtually break-even on net income in this last reported quarter.

Christopher J. McGurk: And we were virtually breakeven on net income in this last reported quarter. We generated full-year adjusted EBITDA of $4.4 million, an increase of $4.3 million over the prior year. And we accomplished all this despite losing very significant revenues from the runoff of our legacy digital cinema equipment business and lapping the success of the horror phenomenon Terrifier 2, which also produced a very sizable upside last year. We increased our operating margins substantially. 61% from 47% in the prior year. We even hit a 79% margin in the fourth quarter.

Christopher J. McGurk: We generated four-year adjusted EBITDA of $4.4 million, an increase of $4.3 million over the prior year.

Christopher J. McGurk: And we accomplished all this despite losing very significant revenues from the runoff of our legacy digital cinema equipment business and lapping the success of the horror phenomenon Terrifier 2, which also produced a very sizable upside last year.

Christopher J. McGurk: We increased our operating margins substantially to 61% from 47% in the prior year.

Christopher J. McGurk: We even hit a 79% margin in the fourth quarter.

Christopher J. McGurk: This was primarily driven by our streaming channel optimization efforts where we culled lower-margin channels and also from SG&A savings generated by our Cineverse Services India operation. Cineverse Services is a unique competitive advantage for the company, where we can offshore, not outsource, domestic positions to a trusted, battle-tested division of the company, generating very significant cost savings, along with improved efficiencies and workflow. At this point, more than half of our total workforce is now located in India, and we intend to continue to leverage this operation by moving even more positions there from our own domestic business and also providing services for other companies.

Christopher J. McGurk: This was primarily driven by our streaming channel optimization efforts, where we culled lower margin channels, and also from SG&A savings generated by our Cineverse Services India operation.

Speaker Change: Cineverse Services is a unique competitive advantage for the company where we can offshore, not outsource, domestic positions to a trusted, battle- tested division of the company.

Speaker Change: generating very significant cost savings along with improved efficiencies and workflows.

Speaker Change: At this point, more than half of our total workforce is now located in India and we intend to continue to leverage this operation by moving even more positions there from our own domestic business and also providing services for other companies.

Christopher J. McGurk: The long-term goal is to make Cineverse Services India a new profit center for the company, not just our own unique cost-saving advantage. In total, we reduced our SG&A by $8.9 million this year, and we'll continue to identify opportunities to further streamline across all of our business.

Speaker Change: The long-term goal is to make Cineverse Services India a new profit center for the company, not just our own unique cost-saving advantage.

Speaker Change: In total, we reduced our SG&A by $8.9 million this year and will continue to identify opportunities to further streamline across all of our businesses.

Christopher J. McGurk: Importantly, and fully cognizant of what we believe is a vastly undervalued stock equity price, one that triggered our goodwill impairment since it is well below book value, we began to implement our previously announced stock repurchase program subsequent to year end. We believe that by repurchasing our significantly undervalued shares, we are taking advantage of a key value creation opportunity for the company that will prove itself as we execute our strategic growth and profitability plan. We repurchased 184,000 shares through June 30th and fully intend to continue to utilize the repurchase program to support our stock price on a go-forward basis during the non-blackout period.

Speaker Change: Importantly, and fully cognizant of what we believe is a vastly undervalued stock equity price, one that triggered our goodwill impairment since it is well below book value, we began to implement our previously announced stock repurchase program subsequent to year end.

Speaker Change: We believe that by repurchasing our significantly undervalued shares that we are taking advantage of a key value creation opportunity for the company that will prove itself as we execute our strategic growth and profitability plan.

Speaker Change: We repurchased 184,000 shares through June 30, and fully intend to continue to utilize the repurchase program to support our stock price on a go-forward basis during non-blackout periods.

Christopher J. McGurk: In just a minute, Mark will discuss our financial performance in more detail, and then Erick will review our operational performance and new developments and initiatives to drive revenue and margin growth in advertising, technology, AI, and podcasts. However, before I turn it over to them, I would like to briefly touch on an initiative that our entire company is very excited about and working to maximize. And that's the upcoming release of the next installment of our horror franchise phenomenon, Terrifier 3. Terrifier 2 caught the film community totally by surprise when we released it directly in October 2022. Produced for just $250,000, it ended up earning over $15 million at the worldwide box office.

Speaker Change: In just a minute, Mark will discuss our financial performance in more detail, and then Erick will review our operational performance and new developments and initiatives to drive revenue and margin growth in advertising, technology, AI, and podcasts.

Speaker Change: However, before I turn it over to them, I would like to briefly touch on an initiative that our entire company is very excited about and working to maximize.

Erick Opeka: And that's the upcoming release of the next installment of our horror franchise phenomenon, Terrifier 3.

Erick Opeka: Terrafire 2 caught the film community totally by surprise when we released it directly in October 2022.

Erick Opeka: Produced for just $250,000, it ended up doing over $15 million at the worldwide box office.

Christopher J. McGurk: Generating buzz in the New York Times, People Magazine, and on the Howard Stern Show, among many others, it was one of the best-reviewed horror movies of that year and generated substantial ancillary revenues on DVD, VOD, and on our ScreenBox core streaming service. Our bloody disgusting horror division led the charge in marketing the movie across social media and through editorial content and other promotions in an incredibly cost-effective way, fully leveraging our over 80 million monthly streaming viewers and all of the other assets of the company.

Erick Opeka: generating buzz in the New York Times, People Magazine, and on the Howard Stern Show, among many others. It was one of the best reviewed horror movies of that year and generated substantial ancillary revenues in DVD, VOD, and our ScreenBox core streaming service.

Speaker Change: Our bloody, disgusting horror division led the charge in marketing the movie across social media and through editorial content and other promotions in an incredibly cost-effective way.

Speaker Change: Fully leveraging our over 80 million monthly streaming viewers and all of the other assets of the company.

Christopher J. McGurk: We intend to use that very same playbook to mobilize the entire company to do the exact same thing in marketing and distributing Terrafire 3, which will be released on October 11th of this year as a wide release this time on over 2000 screens. The difference this time is that we now really know what we have in terms of art, fan base, and market anticipation. USA Today has already named Terrafire 3 as one of the most highly anticipated horror films of 2024.

Speaker Change: We intend to use that very same playbook to mobilize the entire company to do the exact same thing in marketing and distributing Terrafire 3, which will be released on October 11th of this year as a wide release this time on over 2,000 screens.

Speaker Change: The difference this time is that we now really know what we have in terms of an R&D fanbase and market anticipation.

Speaker Change: USA Today has already named Terrifier 3 as one of the most highly anticipated horror films of 2024 and we prepared a high-impact marketing campaign

Christopher J. McGurk: And we prepared a high-impact marketing campaign to take advantage of all that built-up anticipation, leveraging all of our unique advantages as a streaming and tech-based content company. The movie business is always highly unpredictable. However, from what we've seen of Terrifier 3 so far, we are very hopeful that if we mobilize the company like we did on Terrifier 2, we can continue to benefit from a recurring movie franchise that has an incredibly favorable risk-reward profile.

Speaker Change: to take advantage of all that built-up anticipation, leveraging all of our unique advantages as a streaming and tech-based content company.

Speaker Change: The movie business is always highly unpredictable. However, from what we've seen of Terrifier 3 so far,

Speaker Change: We are very hopeful that if we mobilize the company like we did on Terrifier 2, we can continue to benefit from a recurring movie franchise that has an incredibly favorable risk-reward profile.

Christopher J. McGurk: We believe this franchise phenomenon can potentially provide significant and ongoing upside, not just for our horror and streaming business, but also as a recurring cash cow for the company that will support our investments in content, channels, and technology. And with that, I'll now turn things over to Mark.

Speaker Change: We believe this franchise phenomenon can potentially provide significant and ongoing upside, not just for our horror and streaming business, but also as a recurring cash cow for the company that will support our investments in content, channels, and technology.

Speaker Change: And with that, I'll now turn things over to Mark. Mark.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: For the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, 2024, Cineverse reported total revenues of $9.9 million, compared to $12.5 million in the prior year period. And for fiscal year 24, total revenues were $49.1 million, compared to $68 million in the prior year. As a reminder, fiscal year 2023 included material non-recurring revenue of approximately $4 million related to Terrafire 2, and $12 million related to our legacy digital cinema business, which were not present in fiscal year 24.

Mark: Thank you, Chris.

Mark: For the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, 2024, Cineverse reported total revenues of $9.9 million compared to $12.5 million in the prior year period, and for fiscal year 24, total revenues were $49.1 million compared to $68 million in the prior year.

Mark: As a reminder, Fiscal Year 2023 included material non-recurring revenue of approximately $4 million related to Terrafire 2 and $12 million related to our legacy digital cinema business, which were not present in Fiscal Year 2024.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: When excluding the impact of Terrafire 2 and digital cinema, the decrease in revenue was primarily due to the impact of our advertising revenue from the intentional elimination of certain lower margin channels via portfolio optimization and reallocating those resources to higher performing and higher margin streaming properties, which is important to our goal of achieving sustainable profitability in the near term. We are cautiously optimistic about double-digit revenue growth in fiscal year 25 as the economy improves, interest rates decline, and with the expected improvement in the advertising market during a political year.

Mark: When excluding the impact of Terrafire 2 and Digital Cinema, the decrease in revenue was primarily due to the impact of our advertising revenue.

Mark: from the intentional elimination of certain lower margin channels via portfolio optimization and reallocating those resources to higher performing and higher margin streaming properties, which is important to our goal of achieving sustainable profitability in the near term.

Mark: We are cautiously optimistic for double-digit revenue growth in fiscal year 25 as the economy improves, interest rates decline, and with the expected improvement in the advertising market in a political year.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: Subscription-based revenues increased 3% to $3.4 million for the quarter and 25% to $13.5 million for the fiscal year, driven by the continued success of our enthusiast streaming services. Advertising-based revenues declined 10% to $2.9 million for the quarter and 34% to $12.5 million for the full year, primarily due to our channel optimization efforts and the continued impact of the current economic environment on advertising. During the fourth quarter, we hired a new SVP of Advertising, and we are already seeing a material improvement in our direct ad sales results. Erick will provide additional details on the operational drivers behind those financial results. As Chris mentioned,

Mark: Subscription-based revenues increased 3% to 3.4 million for the quarter and 25% to 13.5 million for the fiscal year, driven by the continued success for our enthusiast streaming services.

Mark: Advertising-based revenues declined 10% to $2.9 million for the quarter, and 34% to $12.5 million for the full year, primarily due to our channel optimization efforts and the continued impact of the current economic environment on advertising spend.

Mark: During the fourth quarter, we hired a new SVP of Advertising, and we are already seeing a material improvement in our direct ad sales results. Erick will provide additional details on the operational drivers behind those financial results.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: Our direct operating margin for the quarter was 79 percent, an increase from 48% in the prior year quarter, which is in excess of our previously reported guidance of 45 to 50% for fiscal year 24. Our improved direct operating margin is a direct result of our cost optimization initiatives referred to earlier, in addition to a one-time benefit in our estimated royalty-related accruals during the fourth quarter. We expect our direct operating margin in future quarters to return to our previously stated targeted margins of 45 to 50%.

Mark: As Chris mentioned, our direct operating margin for the quarter was 79%, an increase of $1.3 billion.

Mark: sorry, an increase from 48% in the

Mark: which is in excess of our previously reported guidance of 45 to 50% for fiscal year 24.

Mark: Our improved direct operating margin is a direct result of our cost optimization initiatives referred to earlier, in addition to a one-time benefit in our estimated royalty-related accruals during the fourth quarter. We expect our direct operating margin in future quarters to return to our previously stated targeted margins of 45 to 50 percent.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: SG&A expenses decreased $1 million, or 13%, for the quarter compared to the prior year quarter, and $8.9 million, or 24%, for the year compared to the prior year. Again, this improvement is a direct result of the cost optimization initiatives discussed previously. We expect our SG&A expenses to remain relatively flat into fiscal year 25, even with expected revenue growth as we continue to leverage offshoring efforts in Cineverse Services India.

Mark: SG&A expenses decreased 1 million or 13% for the quarter compared to the prior year quarter and 8.9 million or 24% for the year compared to the prior year.

Mark: Again, this improvement is a direct result of the cost optimization initiatives discussed previously. We expect our SG&E expenses to remain relatively flat in the fiscal year 25, even with expected revenue growth as we continue to leverage offshoring efforts in Cineverse Services India.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: As Chris mentioned, the company recorded a $14 million non-cash, non-recurring impairment to Goodwill. The Goodwill impairment was required by U.S. GAAP as a result of our market capitalization being significantly below our book value. This triggered a required impairment assessment under US GAAP.

Mark: As Chris mentioned, the company recorded a $14 million non-cash, non-recurring impairment to Goodwill. The Goodwill impairment was required by U.S. GAAP as a result of our market capitalization being significantly below our book value.

Mark: This triggered a required impairment assessment under US GAAP. Again, this is non-cash, non-recurring.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: Again, this is non-cash, non-recurring. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $1.6 million compared to negative $0.9 million for the same quarter last year, and $4.4 million for the full year 24 compared to $0.1 million for the prior year, reflecting the continued impact of our cost savings initiatives, even in a down revenue year. We had $5.2 million in cash and cash equivalents on our balance sheet as of March 31, and $6.3 million outstanding in our working capital position.

Mark: Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was 1.6 million compared to negative 0.9 million for the same quarter last year.

Mark: and $4.4 million for the full year 24 compared to $0.1 million for the prior year reflecting the continued impact of our cost savings initiatives even in a down revenue year.

Mark: We had $5.2 million in cash and cash equivalents on our balance sheet as of March 31, and $6.3 million outstanding on our working capital facility.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: Subsequent to year end, we extended the maturity date of our working capital facility with EastWest Bank to September 2025. As you recall, last quarter, we also expanded the size of our facility from 5 million to 7.5 million. We appreciate our relationship with EastWest Bank and the confidence they are showing by extending the maturity date and expanding the size of our facility, which increases our financial flexibility and liquidity and is a testament to our improving financial position and creditworthiness.

Mark: Subsequent to year-end, we extended the maturity date of our working capital facility with EastWest Bank to September 2025.

Mark: As you recall, last quarter, we also expanded the size of our facility from 5 million to 7.5 million.

Mark: We appreciate our relationship with EastWest Bank and the confidence they are showing by extending the maturity date and expanding the size of our facility, which increases our financial flexibility and liquidity, and is a testament to our improving financial position and creditworthiness.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: During the year, our cash flow used in operations was $10.6 million, of which $7.8 million was related to investments in our content portfolio via advanced and or minimum guarantee payments, the largest being for Terrafire 3. For the fourth quarter, our cash flow used in operations was $881,000 when excluding our content portfolio spend, showing just how close we are to being sustainably cash flow positive.

Mark: During the year, our cash flow used in operations was $10.6 million, of which $7.8 million is related to investments in our content portfolio.

Mark: via advance and or minimum guarantee payments.

Mark: the largest being for Terrafire 3.

Mark: For the fourth quarter, our cash flow used in operations was $881,000 when excluding our content portfolio spend, showing just how close we are to being sustainably cash flow positive. We expect to be operating cash flow positive for the full fiscal year 2025.

Mark Wayne Lindsey: We expect to be operating cash flow positive for the full fiscal year 2025. I also want to remind everyone that during the fourth quarter, our board of directors approved a one-year extension of our stock repurchase program. Our stock repurchase program was approved to purchase 500,000 shares and now expires on March 1, 2025. Subsequent to year end, we repurchased 184,000 shares under this program. With a book value of $32 million and a market cap of around $11 million, we continue to believe our stock is significantly undervalued and will continue to repurchase shares under our program during open trading windows and as cash availability permits. With that said, I'll turn the floor over to Erick to discuss the market environment and our growth.

Mark: I also want to remind everyone that during the fourth quarter, our board of directors approved a one-year extension of our stock repurchase program.

Mark: Our stock repurchase program was approved to purchase 500,000 shares and now expires in March 1, 2025. Subsequent to year-end, we repurchased 184,000 shares under this program.

Mark: With a book value of $32 million and a market cap of around $11 million, we continue to believe our stock is significantly undervalued and will continue to repurchase shares under our program during open trading windows and as cash availability permits.

Mark: With that, I'll turn the floor over to Erick to discuss the market environment and our growth initiatives.

Erick Opeka: Thank you, Mark. Last quarter, I discussed our progress with Matchpoint, our proprietary streaming technology platform. We continue to see strong demand for MatchPoint's capabilities, particularly in enabling streaming companies to effectively manage and monetize their content libraries at scale on a SaaS basis. Since last quarter, additional opportunities have arisen where MatchPoint grants us a clear competitive advantage. In a very short time, we're now making significant strides in leveraging MatchPoint to meet the growing need for high-quality training material in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Erick Opeka: Thank you, Mark. Last quarter I discussed our progress with MatchPoint, our proprietary streaming technology platform.

Erick Opeka: We continue to see strong demand for MatchPoint's capabilities, particularly in enabling streaming companies to effectively manage and monetize their content libraries at scale on a SaaS basis.

Erick Opeka: Since last quarter, additional opportunities have arisen where MatchPoint grants us a clear competitive advantage.

Erick Opeka: In a very short time, we're now making significant strides in leveraging MatchPoint to meet the growing need for high-quality training material in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Erick Opeka: These large language models or LLMs that are powering major AI company products require exceedingly large volumes of video to teach them everything about the world around them. For example, these LLMs need to be trained on everything from how a horse runs through the woods, to the flow of pedestrians crossing a busy street intersection, or the movement and sounds of how an ocean wave crashes on a sandy beach, and so on.

Erick Opeka: These large language models, or LLMs, that are powering major AI company products require exceedingly large volumes of video to teach them everything about the world around us.

Erick Opeka: These LLMs need to be trained on everything from how a horse runs through the woods, to a flow of pedestrians crossing a busy street intersection, or the movement and sounds of how an ocean wave crashes on a sandy beach, and so on.

Erick Opeka: The most effective way of doing so requires movie and television content, which, by its own nature, encompasses the full human experience in extremely high quality and consistency. By combining our vast independent film library, proprietary content distribution technology, and extensive experience as a content aggregator, we find ourselves uniquely positioned to provide these leading AI developers with the most expansive and high-quality video training data sets available without the legal encumbrances hindering the major Hollywood studios.

Erick Opeka: The most effective way of doing so requires movie and television content, which, by its own nature, encompasses the full human experience in extremely high quality and consistency.

Speaker Change: By combining our vast independent film library, proprietary content distribution technology, and extensive experience as a content aggregator, we find ourselves uniquely positioned to provide these leading AI developers with the most expansive and high-quality video training data sets available.

Speaker Change: without the legal encumbrances hindering the major Hollywood studios.

Erick Opeka: Industry research projects that the market for AI training data could reach $5 billion by 2030, with video data playing a major, crucial role. We believe this presents an enormous opportunity for Cineverse, and we are actively engaged with leading LLM developers today and our extensive roster of content licensors to serve as a key supplier within the AI training data space. Over the past quarter, we significantly expanded our MatchPoint sales team, bringing on Brandon Topping as our new head of matchpoint sales. Brandon is an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience in rapidly growing SaaS businesses, and has an impressive network of key relationships that will be invaluable as we focus on scaling matchpoints.

Speaker Change: Industry research projects that the market for AI training data could reach 5 billion by 2030 with video data playing a major crucial role.

Christopher McGurk: We believe to present an enormous opportunity for Cineverse, and we are actively engaged with leading LOM developers today, and our extensive roster of content licensors to serve as a key supplier within the AI training database.

Speaker Change: We believe this presents an enormous opportunity for Cineverse, and we are actively engaged with leading LLM developers today and our extensive roster of content licensors to serve as a key supplier within the AI training data space.

Christopher McGurk: Over the past quarter, we significantly expanded our match point sales team, bringing on Brandon Topping as our new head of Match Point Sales. Brandon is an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience, rapidly growing SaaS businesses, and an impressive network of key relationships that will be invaluable as we focus on scaling Match Point. Our sales efforts have centered around Dispatch, our powerful content orchestration solution, with an emphasis on enabling customers to maximize their advertising revenue. We have built a robust pipeline of promising leads and anticipate closing our first key sales from these initiatives in the very near future.

Speaker Change: Over the past quarter, we significantly expanded our Matchpoint sales team.

Speaker Change: bringing on Brandon Topping as our new head of Matchpoint sales. Brandon is an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience, rapidly growing SaaS businesses, has an impressive network of key relationships that will be invaluable as we focus on scaling Matchpoint.

Erick Opeka: Our sales efforts have centered around Dispatch, our powerful content orchestration solution with an emphasis on enabling customers to maximize their advertising revenue. We've built a robust pipeline of promising leads and anticipate closing our first key sales from these initiatives in the very near future. I also want to provide a quick update on CineSearch, our AI-powered video search and discovery platform that I previewed last quarter. CineSearch is currently in a limited beta release as we fine-tune the underlying models and algorithms to deliver the highest quality user experience.

Speaker Change: Our sales efforts have centered around Dispatch, our powerful content orchestration solution, with an emphasis on enabling customers to maximize their advertising revenue.

Speaker Change: We have built a robust pipeline of promising leads and anticipate closing our first key sales from these initiatives in the very near future.

Christopher McGurk: I also want to provide a quick update on CineSearch, our AI-powered video search discovery platform that I've previewed last quarter. CineSearch is currently in limited beta release as we fine-tune the underlying model and algorithms to deliver the highest quality user experience. We've also picked off a series of base-to-development sprints, which are focused on adding voice-in, voice-out support, enabling the service to be integrated into televisions. In addition, we're implementing additional integrations that will further enhance the search personalization capabilities by importing a user's viewing history from key streaming services to aid the built-in machine learning capabilities. We've taken user feedback to help refine the product interface and added additional functionality that will be unveiling this summer.

Speaker Change: I also want to provide a quick update on CineSearch, our AI-powered video search and discovery platform that I previewed last quarter.

Speaker Change: CineSearch is currently in limited beta release as we fine-tune the underlying models and algorithms to deliver the highest quality user experience.

Erick Opeka: We've also kicked off a series of Phase 2 development sprints, which are focused on adding voice-in, voice-out support, enabling the service to be integrated into televisions, and integrating additional metadata partners for more nuanced content recommendations. In addition, we're implementing additional integrations that will further enhance the search personalization capabilities by importing a user's viewing history from key streaming services to aid the built-in machine learning capabilities. We've taken user feedback to help refine the product interface and added additional functionality that we'll be unveiling this summer.

Speaker Change: We've also kicked off a series of Phase 2 development sprints, which are focused on adding voice in, voice out support, enabling the service to be integrated into televisions, and integrating additional metadata partners for more nuanced content recommendations.

Speaker Change: In addition, we're implementing additional integrations that will further enhance the search personalization capabilities by importing a user's viewing history from key streaming services to aid the built-in machine learning capabilities.

Speaker Change: We've taken user feedback to help refine the product interface and added additional functionality that we'll be unveiling this summer.

Erick Opeka: Looking ahead, we're laying the groundwork to make CineSearch available through various cloud marketplaces later this year, which will provide another avenue to drive product adoption and revenue. We're also exploring the possibility of offering the entire suite of MatchPoint products through these marketplaces and are currently in the evaluation process. Now, let me provide you an update on our streaming performance and new initiatives from the past quarter. Our digital and streaming business reached $9.1 million during the quarter, up 24.7% over the prior year.

Christopher McGurk: Looking ahead, we're laying the groundwork to make CineSearch available through various cloud marketplaces later this year, which will provide another avenue to drive product adoption and revenue. We're also exploring the possibility of offering the entire suite of Matchpoint products through these marketplaces, and currently in the evaluation process.

Speaker Change: Looking ahead, we're laying the groundwork to make CineSearch available through various cloud marketplaces later this year, which will provide another avenue to drive product adoption and revenue.

Speaker Change: We're also exploring the possibility of offering the entire suite of MatchPoint products through these marketplaces and are currently in the evaluation process.

Erick Opeka: This was driven by growth in our subscription, podcasting, and digital distribution revenues from monetizing our $80,000 plus title library. Subscription revenues saw an increase to $3.4 million, up 3% over last year. Our overall subscriber count reached approximately 1.44 million subscribers, a growth of over 16% over the prior year quarter. This was predominantly due to growth in subscribers during the quarter on Dove, Midnight Pulp, and the Retro Crush streaming service. We expect to see a significant increase in subscribers through the launch of Terrafire 3 in the back half of the year, as well as additional contribution for the launch of our Cineverse branded service on Amazon channels in the coming months.

Christopher McGurk: Now, let me provide you an update on our streaming performance and new initiatives from the past quarter. Our digital and streaming business reached 9.1 million during the quarter, of 24.7% of the prior year quarter. This was driven by growth in our subscription, podcasting, and digital distribution revenues for monetizing our 80,000-plus title library. Subscription revenues sign increased to 3.4 million, up to 3% over last year. Our overall subscriber count has reached approximately 1.44 million subs, a growth of over 16% over the prior year quarter. This was predominantly due to growth and subscribers during the quarter on Dove, Midnight Pulp, and the RetroCrush streaming services.

Speaker Change: Now, let me provide you an update on our streaming performance and new initiatives from the past quarter.

Speaker Change: Our digital and streaming business reached $9.1 million during the quarter, up 24.7% over the prior year quarter.

Speaker Change: This was driven by growth in our subscription, podcasting, and digital distribution revenues from monetizing our $80,000 plus title library.

Speaker Change: Subscription revenues saw an increase to 3.4 million, up 3% over last year. Our overall subscriber count has reached approximately 1.44 million subs, a growth of over 16% over the prior year quarter.

Speaker Change: This was predominantly due to growth in subscribers during the quarter on Dove, Midnight Pulp, and the Retro Crush streaming services.

Christopher McGurk: We expect to see a significant increase in subscribers through the launch of Terrifier 3 in the back half of the year, as well as additional contribution for the launch of our Cineverse branded service on Amazon Channels in the coming months. Terrifier 2 added approximately several hundred thousand subscribers upon launch, and we anticipate exceeding that number with a highly anticipated third installment of the franchise due to improvements in our release strategy during this release.

Speaker Change: We expect to see a significant increase in subscribers through the launch of Terrafire 3 in the back half of the year, as well as additional contribution from the launch of our Cineverse branded service on Amazon channels in the coming months.

Erick Opeka: Terrafire 2 added approximately several hundred thousand subscribers upon launch, and we anticipate exceeding that number with a highly anticipated third installment of the franchise due to improvements in our release strategy during this release. However, ad base revenues experienced a dip to $2.9 million, a decrease of 10% over the prior year.

Speaker Change: Terrafire 2 added approximately several hundred thousand subscribers upon launch and we anticipate exceeding that number with the highly anticipated third installment of the franchise due to improvements in our release strategy during this release.

Christopher McGurk: Advased revenues experienced the dip to 2.9 million, a decrease of 10% over the prior year.

Speaker Change: Ad base revenues experienced a dip to 2.9 million, a decrease of 10% over the prior year.

Erick Opeka: This decline reflects the impact from channel portfolio optimization, as discussed earlier, as well as the macro impact on programmatic due to a large amount of inventory released in the beginning of the year that has hurt CPMs and fill rate. This, however, was offset by a 62% increase in podcasting-related revenues, which reached $765K during the quarter. Given we have just started our efforts to scale monetization in that business on top of a very large user base of more than 12 million listeners per month, we believe this vertical will not only offset some of the short-term programmatic CTV softness, but it will also be the fastest-growing part of our ad business in the second half of this year.

Speaker Change: This decline reflects the impact from channel portfolio optimization, as discussed earlier, as well as the macro impact on programmatic due to a large amount of inventory released in the beginning of the year that have hurt CPMs and fill rates.

Speaker Change: This, however, was offset by a 62% increase in podcasting-related revenues, which reached

Speaker Change: 765K during the quarter.

Speaker Change: Given we have just started our efforts to scale monetization in that business on top of a very large user base of more than 12 million listeners per month, we believe this vertical will not only offset some of the short-term programmatic CTV softness, but it will also be the fastest-growing part of our ad business in the second half of this year.

Erick Opeka: Additionally, we continue to shift our ad revenue mix away from open market programmatic to programmatic guaranteed, private marketplace, and direct advertising deals. We now have strong sales leadership in place and a national sales team with a robust pipeline, and we expect to see the fruits of these efforts drive revenue growth over the next several quarters. During the quarter, we continued to focus on achieving sustainable profitability in streaming, and we continued to exceed our gross margin targets, reaching 59% in our streaming business.

Speaker Change: Additionally, we continue to shift our ad revenue mix away from open market programmatic to programmatic guaranteed, private marketplace, and direct advertising deals.

Speaker Change: We now have strong sales leadership in place, and a national sales team with a robust pipeline, and we expect to see the fruits of these efforts drive revenue growth over the next several quarters.

Speaker Change: During the quarter, we continue to focus on achieving sustainable profitability in streaming, and we continue to exceed our gross margin targets, reaching 59% in our streaming business.

Erick Opeka: We expect to further improve those margins as we further optimize our content spend and also make changes to our vendor and operating relationships. We still think there's another $1.2 to $1.5 million in additional operating expense reductions we can make over the next few quarters.

Speaker Change: We expect to further improve those margins as we further optimize our content spend and also make changes to our vendor and operating relationships.

Speaker Change: We still think there's another $1.2 to $1.5 million in additional operating expense reductions we can make over the next few quarters.

Erick Opeka: Both of these changes, we believe, will keep operating margins firmly at or above our target range of the mid-50s for the streaming business. At those levels, we expect to maintain positive operating income as the fruits of our sales-focused initiatives bear out. On the distribution front, we made considerable progress expanding the reach of both our audio and video content during the quarter. We secured carriage agreements for the Dog Whisperer channel with nearly all major hardware manufacturers and fast streaming services in North America, and expect to achieve 100% coverage within the next quarter.

Speaker Change: Both of these changes, we believe, will keep operating margins firmly at or above our target range of the mid-50s for the streaming business. At those levels, we expect to maintain positive operating income as the fruits of our sales-focused initiatives bear out.

Speaker Change: On the distribution front, we made considerable progress expanding the reach of both our audio and video content during the quarter.

Speaker Change: We secured carriage agreements for the DogWhisperer channel with nearly all major hardware manufacturers and fast streaming services in North America and expect to achieve 100% coverage within the next quarter.

Erick Opeka: The channel has outperformed our top channels by up to 40% on key platforms, and we expect it will quickly become one, if not our highest revenue-generating fast channel. We plan to fully localize and distribute this channel globally as various territorial rights revert to us in the coming quarter. We also achieved initial contractual placements for the Sid and Marty Kroff Channel and GoPro. And given the strong market demand for both retro content and sports programming, we expect significant distribution expansion by the end of the year.

Speaker Change: The channel has outperformed our top channels by up to 40% on key platforms, and we expect it will quickly become one, if not our highest revenue fast channel.

Speaker Change: We plan to fully localize and distribute this channel globally as various territorial rights revert to us in the coming quarters.

Speaker Change: We also achieved initial contractual placements for the Sid and Marty Kroff Channel and GoPro, and given the strong market demand for both retro content and sports programming, we expect significant distribution expansion by the end of the year.

Erick Opeka: Additionally, our Kids vertical has seen tremendous success, with nearly 45 million streamed in its first month. We anticipate further growth in this business and are developing new advertising products focused on monetizing kids and family. On the direct sales front, as noted, we tripled the size of our direct advertising sales force with experienced executives and, in the quarter, closed major campaigns with focus features including Amazon Prime Video, SimpliSafe, Home Security, 20th Century Fox, Masterclass, 824 Studios, and many more.

Speaker Change: Additionally, our kids vertical has seen tremendous success with nearly 45 million streamed in its first month.

Speaker Change: We anticipate further growth in this business are developing new advertising products focused on monetizing kids and family content.

Speaker Change: On the direct sales front, as noted, we tripled the size of our direct advertising sales force with experienced executives, and in the quarter closed major campaigns with Focus Features, Amazon Prime Video, SimpliSafe Home Security, 20th Century Fox, Masterclass, 824 Studios, and many more.

Erick Opeka: We expect to see a significant percentage of our inventory shift to higher-margin direct sales over the next few quarters, particularly in Q2 and Q3. Additionally, we're expanding our sales team to handle the rapidly growing footprint of our podcast network, which currently ranks number seven in North America in terms of download volume at 12 million monthly downloads. We believe there is significant revenue upside in this business that we'll be able to realize as we focus on increasing monetization over the next several quarters.

Speaker Change: We expect to see a significant percentage of our inventory shift to higher margin direct sales over the next few quarters, particularly in Q2 and Q3.

Speaker Change: Additionally, we're expanding our sales team to handle the rapidly growing footprint of our podcast network, which currently ranks number seven in North America in terms of download volume at 12 million monthly downloads.

Speaker Change: We believe there is significant revenue upside in this business that we'll be able to realize as we focus on increasing monetization of the next several quarters.

Erick Opeka: In summary, we continue to make exciting progress across our technology, streaming, and content initiatives. With the growing demand for AI training data, the expansion of our MatchPoint sales team, the ongoing development of CineSearch, the successful launch and distribution of new channels and verticals, and our focus on direct sales and podcast monetization, we are well positioned to drive significant growth and value creation. We look forward to sharing further updates on these fronts in the coming quarter. With that, Operator, let's open it up for Q&A.

Speaker Change: In summary, we continue to make exciting progress across our technology, streaming, and content initiatives with the growing demand for AI training data, the expansion of our MatchPoint sales team, the ongoing development of CineSearch,

Speaker Change: a successful launch and distribution of new channels and verticals, and our focus on direct sales and podcast monetization, we are well positioned to drive significant growth and value creation. We look forward to sharing further updates on these fronts in the coming quarters.

Speaker Change: With that, Operator, let's open it up for Q&A.

Operator: Perfect. We will now begin the question and answer session. If you would like to ask a question, please press star followed by one on your telephone keypad. If, for any reason, you would like to remove that question, please press star followed by two. Again, to ask a question, press star one. And as a reminder, if you are using a speakerphone, please remember to pick up your handset before asking a question, and we will pause here briefly as questions are registered. And the first question is from the line of Dan Kurnos with The Benchmark Company.

Speaker Change: Perfect. We will now begin the question and answer session. If you would like to ask a question, please press star followed by one on your telephone keypad. If for any reason you would like to remove that question, please press star followed by two again to ask a question.

Speaker Change: press star 1. And as a reminder, if you are using a speakerphone, please remember to pick up your handset before asking a question. And we will pause here briefly as questions are registered.

Speaker Change: And the first question is from the line of Dan Kurnos with The Benchmark Company.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: Great, thank you. Good afternoon, and I appreciate all the color on the call, guys.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: You may proceed.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: Great. Thank you. Good afternoon and appreciate all the color on the call, guys. Chris, I just want to go back to your comments, your opening comments.

Christopher J. McGurk: Chris, I just want to go back to your comments, your opening comments about Terrafire 3 and then some areas where you might lean in. You know, obviously, it's early to kind of size that. You've given us some yardsticks, both as it relates to Terrafire 2 and, obviously, the expanded screens. But if there's any way for us to think about either, you know, quantitatively how much bigger and or better this might be, and then, as you mentioned, given that this is sort of a long-tailed franchise and you've got a lot of these growth initiatives coming up, how much of that might you reinvest and what would be sort of your key priorities?

Daniel Louis Kurnos: [inaudible]

Daniel Louis Kurnos: Either, you know...

Daniel Louis Kurnos: Quantitatively, how much bigger and or better this might be, and then subsequently, as you mentioned, given that this is sort of a long-tailed franchise and you've got a lot of these growth initiatives coming up, how much of that might you reinvest and what would be sort of your key priorities this year? Thanks.

Christopher J. McGurk: That was a very long question, Dan. Thank you.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: That was a very long question, Dan. Thank you. So Terrifier, you know, as I said, we think...

Christopher J. McGurk: So Terrifier, you know, as I said, we think we know what we have this time, and so we've reacted accordingly in terms of developing a marketing and distribution plan that we hope is going to provide bigger returns, not just in the theaters, but also across the whole spectrum. You know, Erick mentioned Screambox, VOD, DVD, on and on and on, and I think it's important to note, even though this one We should break even on this given our plan, but that's well below the box office we generated on the last one.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: We know what we have this time, and so we've reacted accordingly in terms of developing a marketing and distribution plan.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: that we hope is going to provide bigger returns, not just in theatrical, but also across the whole spectrum. You know, Erick mentioned Screambox, VOD, DVD, on and on and on. And I think it's important to note, even though this one was more expensive for us than the last one,

Daniel Louis Kurnos: We have a break-even on this, given our plan, that's well below the box office we generated on the last one.

Christopher J. McGurk: And we fully expect to generate at least as much box office revenue as the last one, and hopefully significantly more. Of course, there's a multiplier effect on that when you perform that well at the box office with the ancillaries. I'm not gonna give you specific financial information or return information. We never do that in any particular property.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: And we fully expect to generate at least as much box office revenue as the last one, and hopefully significantly more. Of course, there's a multiplier effect on that when you perform that well at the box office with the ancillaries. I'm not going to give you.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: specific

Daniel Louis Kurnos: financial information, return information. We never do that at any particular property.

Christopher J. McGurk: But I think, you know, ultimately, going forward, each tariff buyer that we release, and hopefully there'll be more beyond the next one, can generate... You know, enough cash for us that's comparable to one or two of the equity raises that we've done historically. And the bulk of that money will be spent on the key initiatives we've been talking about for the second part of your question, the podcast business, developing new technology and AI tools, and new content and channel investments.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: But I think, you know, ultimately going forward, each terrifier that we release, and hopefully there'll be more beyond the next one, can generate...

Speaker Change: You know enough cash for us that's comparable to one or two of the equity raises that we've done historically

Speaker Change: And the bulk of that money will be spent back against the key initiatives we've been talking about in the second part of your question.

Speaker Change: podcast business, developing new technology and AI tools.

Speaker Change: You know, and...

Speaker Change: and new content and channel investments.

Christopher J. McGurk: We talked about culling channels, but we've really sort of established ourselves in the marketplace as the leading independent streaming and technology company that exists out there right now. People are looking at how well Dog Blister is performing.

Speaker Change: You know, we talked about calling channels, but.

Speaker Change: You know, we've really sort of established ourselves in the marketplace as the leading independent company.

Speaker Change: streaming and technology company that exists out there right now. People are looking at how well the dog blister is performing. And we have conversations going on right now with some very, very high quality

Christopher J. McGurk: And we have conversations going on right now with some very, very high-quality, and entertainment people who have ideas about, you know, bigger platforms, above and beyond just a single channel approach. So hopefully, we can get one or two of those over the line as well. So we're going to, we'll take the money from our cash cow, and hopefully, it all works out. Again, as I said, the movie business is unpredictable, but we think with a risk-reward profile on Terrifier, the upside is far greater than the downside, and we'll reinvest that money back into content and streaming channels, technology, making sure we have the best sales team in place as well, and so those really are our priorities going forward.

Speaker Change: Entertainment people who have ideas about, you know, bigger channels, platforms, above and beyond just a single channel approach. So hopefully we can get one or two of those over the line as well. So we're going to, we'll take the money from our cash cow and hopefully it all works out.

Speaker Change: And again, as I said, the movie business is unpredictable.

Speaker Change: But we think with a risk-reward profile on Terrifier, the upside is far greater than the downside.

Speaker Change: And we'll reinvest that money back on content and streaming channels, technology, making sure we have the best sales team in place as well of people. And so those really are our priorities going forward.

Christopher J. McGurk: That's super helpful. Can you just dig a little bit deeper into these kinds of podcasts? I mean, the financials this quarter suggest that, and what you put in your press release shows that you guys are accelerating pretty substantially. And you gave us some more metrics around how big it is, you know, relative to the market size. But, you know, this is growing very fast. It's been a tough area to monetize, but just help us think through your ambitions there.

Operator: That's super helpful.

Operator: Can you just take a little bit deeper into kind of podcasts? I mean, the financials this quarter suggest, and what you put in your press release shows that you guys are accelerating pretty substantially, and you gave us some more mattress around how big it is, you know, relative to the market size. But, you know that this is growing very fast. It's been a top area monetized, but just help us think through your ambitions there. Well, it hasn't been a tough area for us in the monetized because, again, the risk of the work profile of the podcast that we're doing, since we're not paying Joe Rogist or anybody's talent, that is, is very, very strong.

Speaker Change: That's super helpful. Can you just dig a little bit deeper into kind of podcasts? I mean the financials this quarter suggest that and what you put in your in the press release show that you guys are accelerating pretty substantially and you gave us some more metrics around how big it is you know relative to the market size but

Speaker Change: You know, this is growing very fast. It's been a tough area to monetize, but just help us think through your ambitions there.

Christopher J. McGurk: Well, it hasn't been a tough area for us to monetize because, again, the Risk Reward Profile, the podcast that we're doing, since we're not paying Joe Rogan or anybody for talent, is very, very strong, and that's why we've invested in the business, and we've built it so quickly. But I'll let Erick respond to the podcast question, because that's an area that he Erikk?

Speaker Change: Well, it hasn't been a tough area for us to monetize because, again, the risk-aware profile of the podcast that we're doing, since we're not paying Joe Rogan or anybody's talent, is...

Erick Opeka: And that's why we've invested in the business, and we've built it so quickly. But I'll let Eric respond to the podcast question, because that's my area that he manages as particularly focused on. Eric.

Speaker Change: Very, very strong, and that's why we've invested in the business, and we've built it so quickly. But I'll let Erick respond to the podcast question, because that's an area that he manages and is particularly focused on. Erick?

Erick Opeka: Sure. So, you know, I think you're right. You know, historically, the podcast business had been relatively slow to mature. I think one of the things that, you know, is different about our approach is, you know, most of the networks out there are large networks that are comparably sized up, right? So, you know, just to give context as in the number seven range in our download range. You know, we're kind of sandwiched in the monthly download range between Disney and NBC in terms of monthly downloads. monetization wise we were newbies in terms of being, you know, at the scale where we could start to command the CPMs and premiums that the big players are.

Erick Opeka: Sure. So.

Erick Opeka: You know, I think you're right, historically, the podcast business has been relatively slow to mature. I think one of the things that are different about our approach is that, you know, most of the networks out there are large networks that are comparably sized to us, right? So, you know, just to give context, as in the number seven range, in our download range, we're kind of sandwiched in the monthly download range between Disney and NBC in terms of monthly downloads.

Erick Opeka: Sure. So, you know, I think you're right, you know, historically the podcast business had been relatively slow to mature. I think one of the things that, you know, is different about our approach is

Speaker Change: You know, most of the networks out there are...

Erick Opeka: large networks that are comparably sized to us right so you know just to give context as in the number seven range in our download range

Erick Opeka: You know, we're kind of sandwiched in the monthly download range between Disney and NBC in terms of monthly downloads.

Erick Opeka: Monetization-wise, we're newbies in terms of being, you know, at the scale where we could start to command the CPMs and premiums that the big players are commanding. But I think our strategy is pretty simple. You know, we're getting really good. We have a really good and experienced team. You heard from us, you heard in our prepared remarks.

Erick Opeka: Monetization wise

Speaker Change: were newbies.

Speaker Change: in terms of being, you know, at the scale where we could start to command.

Speaker Change: the CPMs and premiums that the big players are.

Erick Opeka: But I think our strategy is pretty simple. You know, we're, we're getting really good. We have a really good and experienced team you heard from. You know, you heard in our prepared remarks. You know, we've been leaning into the entertainment sector. Advertising entertainment around targeted entertainment verticals is a really good strategy. And one of the things that we're finding is bungling podcasts with CTV and display plus, plus activations like live events and other things, live streams. Those kinds of things are very appealing to advertisers, and it's a much easier sell and just selling CTV or just selling podcasts.

Speaker Change: But I think our strategy is pretty simple, you know, we're getting really good, we have a really good and experienced team, you heard from, you know, you heard in our prepared remarks.

Erick Opeka: You know, we've been leaning into the entertainment sector. Advertising on targeted entertainment verticals is a really good strategy. And one of the things that we're finding is bundling podcasts with CTV and display plus activations like live events and other things, like live streams. Those kinds of things are very appealing to advertisers, and it's a much easier sell than just selling CTV or just selling podcasts. And so the other thing is that our shows have very deep, devoted listener bases.

Speaker Change: You know, we've been leaning into the entertainment sector, advertising entertainment around targeted entertainment verticals.

Speaker Change: is a really good strategy. And one of the things that we're finding is bundling.

Speaker Change: podcast with CTV.

Speaker Change: and display, plus activations like live events and other things, live streams.

Speaker Change: Those kinds of things are very appealing to advertisers and it's a much easier sell than just selling CTV or just selling podcasts. And so the other thing is, our shows have very deep, devoted listener bases. We particularly focus on

Erick Opeka: And so the other thing is our shows have a very deep devoted listener basis. We particularly focus on, you know, our biggest shows are either non fiction or very high quality producer-driven weekly, weekly shows. These shows, I think, are very different from a lot of the kind of talking head kind of talk radio style podcast that are out there either engaged, you know, we're doing with, you know, a network of, you know, 40-something shows. As many as more than our peers that have hundreds of shows in terms of value volume. So we think that the steady state revenue out of this base is quite substantial, and we're, you know, we're monetizing a very small percentage of it.

Erick Opeka: We particularly focus on, you know, our biggest shows are either nonfiction or very high-quality producer-driven weekly shows. These shows, I think, are very different from a lot of the kind of talking head, kind of talk radio-style podcasts that are out there. These are engaged.

Speaker Change: You know, our biggest shows are either non-fiction or very high-quality, producer-driven, weekly

Speaker Change: Weekly Shows. These shows, I think, are very different from a lot of the kind of talking head, kind of talk radio-style podcasts that are out there. These are engaged. You know, we're doing with, you know, a network of, you know, 40-something shows.

Erick Opeka: You know, we're doing with, you know, a network of, you know, 40-something shows, more than our peers that have hundreds of shows in terms of download volume. So we think that the steady-state revenue out of this base is quite substantial, and we're, you know, monetizing a very small percentage of it. So this year, we're really leveraging our direct sales team, ramping up our programmatic and host-read efforts pretty aggressively, and, you know, really just doing more of what we've been doing just at a bigger scale.

Speaker Change: more than our peers that have hundreds of shows.

Speaker Change: in terms of download volume.

Speaker Change: So we think that the steady state revenue out of this base

Speaker Change: is quite substantial and we're, you know, we're monetizing a very small percentage of it. So this year, it's really leveraging our direct sales team, ramping up our programmatic and host-led efforts pretty aggressively and, you know,

Erick Opeka: So this year, it's really leveraging our direct sales team, ramping up our programmatic and host read efforts pretty aggressively and, you know, really just doing doing more of what we've been doing just at a bigger scale.

Speaker Change: really just doing more of what we've been doing, just at a bigger scale.

Operator: Got it. Yeah, cross screen is all the rage, Erick, for sure.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: Got it. Yeah, cross-screen is all the rage, Erick, for sure. Last one for me, and then I'll step aside. I'll stick with you, Erick.

Operator: Last one for me, and then I'll step aside. I'll stick with you, Erick. You did give us some sizing or color around sort of the matchpoint indices before. Really appreciate the update today, and it sounds like, you know, you're nearing, you know, maybe the start of the next phase. It feels a little earlier than we would have anticipated, just kind of curious if that's the right way to think about it and, you know, how quickly, if at all, things have changed from a scaling perspective. Yeah, so I think one of the big market impetus is pulling a lot of business forward pretty rapidly.

Speaker Change: Got it. Yeah, cross-screen is all the rage, Erick, for sure. Last one for me, and then I'll step aside. I'll stick with you, Erick. You did give us some sizing or color around sort of the Matchpoint initiatives before. I really appreciate the update today, and it sounds like...

Daniel Louis Kurnos: You did give us some sizing or color around sort of the match point initiatives before. I really appreciate the update today, and it sounds like, you know, you're nearing, you know, maybe the start of the next phase. It feels a little earlier than we would have anticipated. Just kind of curious if that's the right way to think about it and, you know, how quickly, if at all, things have changed from a scaling perspective.

Speaker Change: You know, you're nearing, you know, maybe the start of the next phase. It feels a little earlier than we would have anticipated. Just kind of curious if that's the right way to think about it and, you know, how quickly, if at all, things have changed from a scaling perspective.

Erick Opeka: Yeah, so I think one of the big market impetuses is pulling a lot of business forward pretty rapidly. That that impetus is a market need for one of our core products, Dispatch, to give you a very high-level view of Dispatch, which is our orchestration platform that moves large volumes of content and does a lot of processing around that content to make it ready for monetization, whether you're enriching it with metadata for targeting or, you know, dynamic advertising placement, other things that we're doing to it, you know, There's a huge amount of demand for this, as most of the OEM platforms that started out in FAST are rapidly growing with, you know, all the inventory coming on board. Amazon and Netflix.

Speaker Change: Yeah, so I think one of the big...

Speaker Change: market impetus is is is pulling a lot of business forward pretty rapidly that that impetus is a market need for one of our core products of dispatch

Erick Opeka: That impetus is a market need for one of our core products of dispatch. To give you the very high-level view, dispatch. There's an orchestration platform that moves large volumes of content and does a lot of processing around that content to make it ready for monetization. Whether you're enriching it with metadata for targeting or, you know, dynamic advertising placement, other things that we're doing to it. You know, ranging from that to even the most advanced stuff we're going to AI. There's a huge amount of demand for this, as most of the OEM platforms that started out in fast are rapidly with, you know, all the inventory coming on board from Amazon and Netflix.

Speaker Change: to give you the very high-level view of Dispatch.

Speaker Change: is our orchestration platform that moves large volumes of content.

Speaker Change: and does a lot of processing around that content to make it ready for monetization, whether you're enriching it with metadata for targeting or, you know, dynamic advertising placement, other things that we're doing to it.

Speaker Change: you know, ranging from that to even the most advanced stuff we're doing in AI. There's a huge amount of demand for this, as most of the OEM platforms that started out in fast

Speaker Change: are rapidly with, you know, all of the inventory coming on board from...

Speaker Change: Amazon, and Netflix.

Erick Opeka: They're rapidly looking to scale up their competing AVOD offerings. So there's a huge market demand for tens of thousands of pieces of content for all of these major services, and none of them have an automated platform to do this.

Erick Opeka: There rapidly looking to scale up there, they're competing a lot of offerings. So there's a huge market demand to push tens of thousands of pieces of content for all of these major services. And then of them have an automated platform to do this. So we think there's a huge opportunity to pull that business forward. And so, you know, with we have the right sales team, there's a huge market demand in the right product, we think that's going to accelerate. So I'm just giving me, you know, there's a ticking clock to get everything done for the end of the year.

Speaker Change: They're rapidly looking to scale up their competing AVOD offerings, so there's a huge market demand.

Speaker Change: to push tens of thousands of pieces of content for all of these major services, and none of them have an automated platform to do this.

Erick Opeka: So we think there's a huge opportunity to pull that business forward. And so, you know, we have the right sales team. There's huge market demand and the right product. We think that's going to accelerate things, just given the fact that, you know, there's a ticking clock to get everything done for the end of the year. So we think that should be very advantageous to us.

Speaker Change: So we think there's a huge opportunity to pull.

Speaker Change: that business forward.

Speaker Change: And so, you know, we have the right sales team, there's a huge market demand and the right product, we think that's gonna accelerate.

Speaker Change: things, just given the, you know, there's a ticking clock to get everything done for the end of the year. So we think that should be very advantageous to us.

Erick Opeka: So we think that should be a very advantageous test.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: Got it, Erick. I appreciate it. Thank you. And thank you, Chris. Sounds like some good momentum on a much better call space.

Operator: Got it. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you, Chris. Sounds like some good momentum on a much better cost basis.

Speaker Change: Got it, Erick. I appreciate it. Thank you and thank you, Chris. Sounds like some good momentum on a much better cost basis.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: Thank you, Dan.

Kevin: The next question is from the line of Brian Kids Slinger with a Lion's Global Partners. You may proceed. Hi, this is Kevin and for Brian. Thanks for taking our questions. First, can you talk about the adoption by streaming platforms for your newest channel, such as the Dog Whisper, Read Eater and Sit and Worry Curve. And then, in addition to adoption, what about viewership?

Operator: The next question is from the line of Brian Kinstlinger with Alliance Global Partners. You may proceed.

Daniel Louis Kurnos: The next question is from the line of Brian Kinstlinger with Alliance Global Partners. You may proceed.

Kevin: Hi, this is Kevin for Bryan. Thanks for taking our questions. First, can you talk about the adoption by streaming platforms of your newest channels, such as Dog Whisperer, Meat Eater, and Sedamari? And then, in addition to adoption, what about viewership?

Kevin: Hi, this is Kevin for Bryan. Thanks for taking our questions. First, can you talk about the adoption by streaming platforms for your newest channels such as the Dog Whisperer, Meat Eater, and Sid and Mari Crooks?

Kevin: And then in addition to adoption, what about viewership?

Kevin: Do you want to take that, or? Yeah, sure, I'll take that. So for our newest channels, I gave a little bit of a preview. I'll give you a little more color on that. So dog whisper, really, we've always had the business we've had. We've always had the Bob Ross has sort of been the penultimate benchmark and flagship channel. So with dog whisper, and that's be really because of its evergreen nature. People watch multiple episodes, or they leave it on in the background as a companion. And so one of the things that we've been looking for is what's in that service that we have that fits that bill.

Erick Opeka: Do you want to take that, Eric? Yeah, sure. I'll take that. So, for our newest channels, I gave you a little bit of a preview. I'll give you a little more color on that.

Kevin: Do you want to take that, Eric? Yeah, sure, I'll take that. So...

Eric: For our newest channels, I gave a little bit of a preview. I'll give you a little more color on that. So Dog Whisperer, really, you know, we've always had, the business we've had, we've always had Bob Ross has sort of been the penultimate benchmark and flagship channel.

Erick Opeka: So Dog Whisperer, really, you know, we've always had, the business we've had, Bob Ross has sort of been the penultimate benchmark and flagship channel. So with Dog Whisperer, and that's really because of its evergreen nature, people watch multiple episodes, or they leave it on in the background as a companion. And so one of the things that we've been looking for is the next service that we have that fits that bill. And we believe we have that with The Dog Whisperer.

Eric: So, with Dog Wish, and that's really because of its evergreen nature, people watch multiple episodes or they leave it on in the background as a companion.

Eric: And so, one of the things that we've been looking for is what's the next service that we have that fits that bill. And we believe we have that with the Dog Whisperer. It is performing...

Kevin: And we believe we have that with the Dog Whisper. It is performing, you know, at or exceeding. Bob Ross and a lot, and all of our other channels, everywhere where we place it so far. And we think it's the right mix of content that is just bingeable and evergreen and kind of perfect as a fast way. So.

Erick Opeka: It is performing, you know, at or exceeding both Bob Ross and a lot and all of our other channels everywhere that we've placed it so far. And we think it's the right mix of content that is just bingeable and evergreen and kind of perfect as a fast play. So, I can't disclose the total streaming minutes on that or any individual property, but I can say that it is, we believe that it is our new number one property if it continues to perform this way. So that's that channel.

Eric: you know, at or exceeding both Bob Ross and a lot and all of our other channels everywhere that we've placed it so far. And we think it's the right mix of content that is just bingeable and evergreen and kind of perfect as a fast play.

Kevin: I can't disclose the total streaming minutes on that or any individual property, but I can say that it is, we believe, that is our new number one property if it continues to perform this way.

Eric: So, um...

Speaker Change: I can't disclose the total streaming minutes on that or any individual property, but I can say that we believe that is our new number one property if it continues to perform this way.

Kevin: So that's that channel; basically, we expect 100% carriage on that channel. We think it will be in this quarter, which is pretty fast for carriage distribution.

Speaker Change: So that's that channel.

Erick Opeka: Basically, we expect 100% carriage on that channel, and we think it'll be in this quarter, which is pretty fast for carriage distribution. Sid and Marty Croft, we are continuing to, we launched the first foray into the on-demand space, so we've had a couple announcements there, as well as packaging some of the very popular shows into third-party channels, so distribution is just really getting started on that one. The content there, while popular, appeals to an older nostalgia audience, so we're really focusing on the platforms where that fits and matches the demo.

Speaker Change: Basically we expect 100% carriage on that channel in this, you know, we think it'll be in this quarter, which is pretty fast for carriage distribution.

Kevin: Sid Marty Croft, we are continuing that we launched the first foray in the on-demand space, so we've had a couple announcements there, as well as packaging some of the very popular shows into third party channels, so the distribution is just really getting started on that one. It's, you know, the content there, while popular, is appealed to sort of an older nostalgia audience, so we're really focusing on the platforms where that fits and matches the demo. So we're starting, we would expect to see more traction over the next couple quarters leading into the fall and winter.

Speaker Change: Sid and Marty Kroft, we are...

Speaker Change: We are continuing to, we've launched the first foray in the on-demand space, so we've had a couple announcements there, as well as packaging some of the very popular shows.

Speaker Change: into third-party channels, so the distribution is just really getting started on that one.

Speaker Change: It's

Speaker Change: You know, the content there, while popular, appeals to sort of an older nostalgia audience, so we're really focusing on the platforms where that fits and matches the demo. So we're starting, we would expect to see more traction.

Erick Opeka: We would expect to see more traction over the next couple of quarters leading into the fall and winter. In terms of GoPro, we really just started distribution on that channel most recently, and for that channel, we've seen that as all of the major platforms really have increased their demand for sports and sports-related and adjacent content, that's really what GoPro is. It's really outdoor sports, so we're seeing an incredible amount of demand for that two-month period. We expect pretty considerable distribution by year-end.

Speaker Change: over the next couple of quarters leading into the fall and winter. In terms of GoPro, we really just started distribution on that channel most recently. And for that channel,

Kevin: On terms of GoPro, we really just started distribution on that channel most recently, and for that channel, you know, we've seen as all of the major platforms really have increased their demand for sports and sports related to adjacent content. That's really what GoPro is; it's really outdoor sports, so we're seeing an incredible amount of demand for that too, when we expect a pretty considerable distribution by your end. Meet either same situation, kind of fits that same bill, fits the cross section. That's kind of a fast growing and appealing; the performance has been very strong on the platforms that we've placed it, so we'll continue to see the ongoing distribution of that throughout the rest of the year.

Speaker Change: You know, we've seen

Speaker Change: As all of the major platforms really have increased their demand for sports and sports related and adjacent content, that's really what GoPro is. It's really outdoor sports, so we're seeing

Speaker Change: an incredible amount of demand for that stream when we expect to have pretty considerable distribution by year-end.

Erick Opeka: MeatEater, same situation, kind of fits that same bill, fits a cross-section that's kind of fast-growing and appealing. The performance has been very strong on the platforms that we've placed it on, so we'll continue to see the ongoing distribution of that throughout the rest.

Speaker Change: Meat Eater, same situation, kind of fits that same bill, fits a cross-section that's kind of fast-growing and appealing. The performance has been very strong on the platforms that we've placed it. So we'll continue to see the ongoing distribution of that.

Speaker Change: throughout the rest of the year.

Kevin: Great, thanks. Last quarter, you mentioned these new channels have the potential to add more than 10 million of annual revenue. Do you have more confidence you can achieve this with the new channel set, less confidence, or is your view unchanged and why?

Erick Opeka: Great, thanks. Last quarter, you mentioned these new channels have the potential to add more than 10 million euros of annual revenue. Do you think, do you have more confidence you can achieve this with the new channel set, less confidence, or is your view unchanged, and why?

Speaker Change: Great, thanks. Last quarter you mentioned these new channels have the potential to add more than 10 million of annual revenue. Do you think, do you have more confidence you can achieve this with the new channel set, less confidence, or is your view unchanged and why?

Erick Opeka: I would say on an annualized run rate. In a way, I don't think we're going to give guidance around the portfolio in terms of a dollar amount. I think we're getting too discreet on that.

Kevin: I would say, on an annualized run rate, I don't think we're going to give guidance around the portfolio in terms of a dollar amount. I think we're getting too discreet on that. I would say that, given the strength of Dog Whisperer and GoPro, I feel very strongly that these will be pretty big drivers in continuing to improve our top-line and gross margin. I would say that 10 million annualized number is probably a little further out than in this fiscal year, but I think given the mix of channels we have in new channels that we're going to be adding, I think that kind of an overall top-line number is in terms of new business.

Speaker Change: I would say on an annualized run rate,

Erick Opeka: I would say that given the strength of Dog Whisperer and GoPro, I feel very strongly that these will be pretty big drivers in, you know, improving and continuing to improve our top line gross margin. I would say, That 10 million annualized number is probably a little further out than in this fiscal year. But I think given the mix of channels we have and new channels that we're going to be adding, I think that kind of top line number in terms of new business is potentially possible in the near term when you take all the new business in totality into account.

Kevin: Great, thank you very much.

Speaker Change: In a way, I don't think we're going to give guidance around the portfolio in terms of a dollar amount. I think we're getting too discreet.

Speaker Change: I would say that given the strength of Dog Whisperer and GoPro, I feel very strongly that these will be pretty big drivers in continuing to improve our top line and gross margin. I would say...

Speaker Change: You know, that 10 million annualized number is probably a little further out than in this fiscal year. But I think given the mix of channels we have and new channels that we're going to be adding, I think

Speaker Change: That kind of an overall top line number is in terms of new business. In the near term, it's potentially possible when you take all the new business in totality into effect.

Kevin: In the near term, it's potentially possible when you take all the new businesses into tally into effect.

Kevin: Grant. Great.

Operator: Thank you very much.

Speaker Change: Great, thank you very much.

Operator: There are no further questions remaining, so I'll pass the conference back over to the management team for closing remarks.

Christopher McGurk: There are no further questions remaining, so I'll pass the first back over to the management team for closing remarks. Thanks, thanks, operator.

Speaker Change: There are no further questions remaining, so I'll pass the conference back over to the management team for closing remarks.

Christopher J. McGurk: Thanks. Thanks, Operator. This is Chris.

Christopher McGurk: This is Chris. Thank you all for joining us today. Please feel free to reach out to Julie Nostad if you have any additional questions. We look forward to speaking to you all again, and our next quarterly call. Thank you.

Christopher J. McGurk: Thanks. Thanks, Operator. This is Chris. Thank you all for joining us today. Please feel free to reach out to Julie Millstead if you have any additional questions.

Christopher J. McGurk: Thank you all for joining us today. Please feel free to reach out to Julie Millstead if you have any additional questions. We look forward to speaking to you all again on our next quarterly call.

Christopher J. McGurk: We look forward to speaking to you all again on our next quarterly call. Thank you.

Operator: That concludes today's conference call. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect your line.

Operator: That concludes today's conference call. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect your line.

Christopher J. McGurk: That concludes today's conference call. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect your line.