Q2 2026 Alma Media Oyj Earnings Call

August 12, 2026

Speaker #1: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this interim report session for Alma Media's second quarter and the first half of 2026. My name is Elina Kukkonen, and I'm responsible for communications and brand here at Alma.

Elina Kukkonen: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this interim report session of Alma Media's Q2 and H1 2026. My name is Elina Kukkonen, and I am responsible for the communications and brand here in Alma. We will proceed as usual, and first to go on stage will be our CEO, Mr. Kai Telanne. He will present the overall result of Alma Media and highlight the performance of each of our business segments: Alma Career, Alma Marketplaces, and Alma News Media. After Kai's presentation, our CFO, Mrs. Taru Lehtinen, will present the financial position of Alma Media today. Then Mr. Kai Telanne returns about the operating environment and our strategy going forward in the era of AI.

Elina Kukkonen: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this Interim Report session of Alma Media's Q2 and H1 2026. My name is Elina Kukkonen, and I am responsible for the communications and brand here in Alma. We will proceed as usual, and first to go on stage will be our CEO, Mr. Kai Telanne. He will present the overall result of Alma Media and highlight the performance of each of our business segments: Alma Career, Alma Marketplaces, and Alma News Media. After Kai's presentation, our CFO, Mrs. Taru Lehtinen, will present the financial position of Alma Media today. Then Mr. Kai Telanne returns about the operating environment and our strategy going forward in the era of AI.

Speaker #1: We will proceed as usual, and first to go on stage will be our CEO, Mr. Kai Telanne. He will present the overall results of Alma Media and highlight the performance of each of our business segments: Alma Career, Alma Marketplaces, and Alma News Media.

Speaker #1: After Kai's presentation, our CFO, Mrs. Taru Lehtinen, will present the financial position of Alma Media today. Then, Mr. Kai Telanne will return to discuss the operating environment and our strategy going forward in the era of AI.

Speaker #1: And after these presentations, we have plenty of time for questions and answers. We will first take questions here on the premises in Alma House, and then we will have questions from online, moderated by our Director for Investor Relations, Mr. Teemu Salmi.

Elina Kukkonen: After these presentations, we have plenty of time for the questions and answers. We will first take the questions here at the premises in Alma House. Then we have the questions from online moderated by our director for investor relations, Mr. Teemu Salmi. Okay, warmly welcome, everyone, to follow us today. Nice to have you here and nice to have you online. I think with this short introduction, we are good, ready, set to go. So please, Mr. Telanne, the stage is yours.

Speaker #1: Okay, warmly welcome everyone to follow us today. Nice to have you here, and nice to have you online. And I think with these short introductions, we are good, ready, set to go.

Speaker #1: So please, Mr. Telanne, the stage is yours.

Speaker #2: Thank you, Elina, and good morning. Welcome on my behalf as well, and welcome back to work from summer holidays for those who have returned, as we have—full of energy and ready for the second half of the year.

Kai Telanne: Thank you, Elina, and good morning and welcome on my behalf as well. Welcome back to work from summer holidays for those who have returned, as we have, full of energy and ready for the H2 of the year. I will concentrate more on the Q2 numbers and achievements, and I think as Taru as well. As you noticed, you maybe noticed already, Alma Media delivered again a strong quarter. The big news here is that the strength came from all over the businesses, I would say, broad, which actually tells us that the strategic choices and the execution works really well.

Speaker #2: I will concentrate more on the second quarter numbers and achievements, and I think Taru will as well. As you noticed, or maybe noticed already, Alma Media delivered again a strong quarter.

Speaker #2: And the big news here is that the strength came from all over the businesses, I would say, abroad—which actually tells us that the strategic choices and the execution work pretty well.

Speaker #2: We have set our revenue targets to 5% in our long-term targets, and now we are delivering according to the targets, with revenue growing 5% during the second quarter.

Kai Telanne: We have set our revenue targets to 5% in long-term targets. Now we are delivering according to the targets, revenue growing 5% during the Q2, growth to EUR 87 million and adjusted profit accordingly 15.6% up to EUR 24.4 million to 27.7%, which is well on track, I would say. We are quite confident that the good development should be continued. Most of the revenue growth came from organic growth. As you might remember, we have had some acquisitions also comparable for this quarter. The revenues and the acquisitions, they are working accordingly and according to our plan and expectations, and that is a good sign for our ability to integrate the new businesses. Of course, classifieds and digital services and media are the main drivers for the growth and the profitability improvement.

Speaker #2: Growth to €87 million and adjusted profit accordingly, 15.6%, up to €24.4 million, to 27.7%. Which is well on track, I would say, and we are quite confident that the good development should be continued.

Speaker #2: Most of the revenue growth came from organic growth. As you might remember, we have had some acquisitions also comparable for this quarter, but the revenues and the acquisitions—they are working accordingly and according to our plans and expectations, and that's a good sign for our ability to integrate the new businesses.

Speaker #2: Of course, digital classifieds and digital services and media are the main drivers for the growth and the profitability improvement. The share of the digital business is up, now over 87%.

Kai Telanne: The share of the digital business up over to 87%, so 13% left for the digital transformation, so to say. We are well on track on that. I would say that we can do this. Because of the good results, good cash flow, the financial positions that Tero will go deeper into the details later, it is really strong and getting stronger. The leverage going down and the equity ratio nicely up, which is, of course, a good foundation for further purposes and further investments if we find good targets. As said, the quality of the quarter comes from the breadth of the development, meaning that all the segments were able to grow and increase their profitability.

Speaker #2: So, 13% left for the transformation to digital transformation, so to say, so we are well on track on that. And I would say that we can do this.

Speaker #2: Because of the good cash flow, good results, good cash flow, the financial positions that Taru will go deeper into the details later, it's really strong and getting stronger.

Speaker #2: The revenue leverage is getting and going down, and the equity ratio is nicely up, which is of course a good foundation for further purposes and further investments if we find good targets.

Speaker #2: And as said, the quality of the quarter comes from the breadth of the development, meaning that all the segments were able to grow and increase their profitability.

Speaker #2: From this slide, you can see that the marketplace again has been the driver for growth and profitability improvement, but other segments are doing their job evenly and according to the plan, or even better.

Kai Telanne: From this slide, you can see that the Marketplaces again has been the driver for the growth and the profitability improvement, but other segments are doing their job evenly and according to the plan, or even better. On the right side of the slide, you can see where the growth comes from. It comes from classified businesses and digital services, the biggest growth, of course. The classified part, it comes from the Alma Career Czech Republic businesses and then, of course, Alma Marketplaces businesses in Finland and Sweden. So that is the driver for the growth during the Q2. But a very good sign for the whole company is, of course, that the advertising market in Finland, especially the digital advertising market, has started to pick up slightly. Our performance in that market has been extremely good.

Speaker #2: On the right side of the slide, you can see where the growth comes from. It comes from classified businesses and digital services. The biggest growth, of course, in the classified part comes from the Careerjet businesses and then, of course, marketplaces businesses in Finland and Sweden.

Speaker #2: So that is the driver for the growth during the second quarter. But the good sign, a very good sign for the whole company, is of course that the advertising market in Finland, especially the digital advertising market, has started to pick up slightly.

Speaker #2: And our performance in that market has been excellent, and the figures are telling us about the growth and the good possibility to grow even more in the future.

Kai Telanne: The figures are telling us the growth and the good possibility to grow even more in the future. Of course, the digital content that has been the core of the development initiatives inside the media segment has continued to perform. So the digital subscription base has grown, and for that we have been able to mitigate the slight decline of the print business, and by that the profitability going up. So I am really happy with the overall performance of the company while every segment is doing their job properly. Okay, let us go deeper into the business segment so we can have a little bit more details. Just to remind you, the way we run the business, we have three business segments. Alma Career led by Vesa-Pekka Kirsi, Alma Marketplaces led by Santtu Elsinen, Alma News Media led by Juha-Petri Loimovuori. Here are the main numbers, revenues, and profitability.

Speaker #2: And of course, the digital content has been the core of the development initiatives inside the media segment, and has continued to perform. So the digital subscription base has grown, and with that we've been able to mitigate the slight decline of the print business. By doing so, profitability has gone up.

Speaker #2: So, I'm really happy with the overall performance of the company, while every segment is doing their job properly. Okay, let's go deeper into the business segments so we can have a little bit more detail.

Speaker #2: Just to remind you, the way we run the business: we have three business segments—Alma Carrier, led by Vesa-Pekka Kirsi; Marketplaces, led by Santtu Elsinen; and News Media, led by Juha-Petri Loimavuori.

Speaker #2: And here are the core, the main numbers—revenues and profitability. Starting from the career and recruitment services in 10 countries: in Scandinavia, the Baltic countries, Central Eastern Europe, and so on.

Kai Telanne: Start from the Alma Career. Recruitment services in 10 countries in Scandinavia, Baltic countries, Central, Eastern Europe, and so on. 5.5% revenue growth and around 5% profitability growth. So we were able to defend the good margin of 42% despite the investments that we have made and have on board for the common recruitment platform development and the cloud migration. We have extra overlapping costs for those. This year we should be able to get rid of most of those by the end of the year, and that will increase the margins even further. There are differences in the different regional markets, as we can see from here. The driver for the growth and the profitability improvement has been, again, Career Central, where all the customer segments have grown, started to recruit. Career North, like the Baltic countries, we have seen a slight market development.

Speaker #2: Five point five percent revenue growth and around five percent profitability growth. So we were able to defend the good margin of 42%, despite the investments that we have made and have on board for the common recruitment platform development.

Speaker #2: And the cloud migration—we have extra overlapping costs for those this year, and we should be able to get rid of most of those by the end of the year. That will increase the margins even further.

Speaker #2: There are differences in the different regional markets, as we can see from here. The driver for the growth and the profitability improvement has been again Carrier Central, where all the customer segments have grown, started to recruit, and Carrier North, like the Baltic countries, where we have seen a slight market development.

Kai Telanne: The problem is Finland, where the demand for labor has been on a very low side. Hopefully, that will change while we have seen gradual development already in the market, but not quite visible yet. In South, the business is quite okay-ish. We have some difficulties in getting the service sector labor in place, and that is the restrict for our growth at the moment in there. But very good development. I am really happy that all the segments are doing pretty good and according to the plans. The main message here is that good ability to retain margins despite the investments and the classifieds, the core of the business started to grow with 6.7%. Later we can see that the invoicing, so the sales has started to grow also. We have been able to decrease some major costs like personal costs.

Speaker #2: The problem is Finland, where the demand for labor has been on a very low side. Hopefully, that will change. While we have seen gradual development already in the market, it is not quite visible yet.

Speaker #2: And then in the South, the business is quite okay, as we have some difficulties in getting the service sector labor in place, and that is the restriction for our growth at the moment there.

Speaker #2: But very good development. I’m really happy that all the segments are doing pretty well and according to the plans. So the main message here is that we have a good ability to retain margins despite the investments, and the classified core of the business continued to grow by 6.7%.

Speaker #2: And later, we can see that the invoicing—so the sales—has started to grow also. We have been able to decrease some major costs, like personnel costs, and by the end of the year we will be able to decrease also the ICT cost that we have in place at the moment for the development.

Kai Telanne: By the end of the year, we will be able to decrease also the ICT cost that we have in place at the moment for the development. That is good. Very good performance. As said, the future looks pretty good as well. We wait for the invoicing, meaning sales in our case, to continue the growth. The Central European markets seem to be quite good at the moment and developing. The big question remains the Finnish market, as said. The services are working pretty good. We have good quality, high quality and good load of data there as well. Secondly, the driver for our Q2 growth and profitability improvement is the marketplaces. Just to remind you, we have marketplaces in Finland and Sweden.

Speaker #2: So that's good. Very good performance. And as said, the future looks pretty good as well. So we wait for the invoicing, meaning sales in our case, to continue the growth.

Speaker #2: The Central European markets seem to be quite good at the moment and developing. The big question remains the Finnish market, as said. And the services are working pretty well.

Speaker #2: So, we have good quality, high quality, and a good load of data there as well. Secondly, the driver for our second quarter growth and profitability improvement is the marketplaces.

Speaker #2: Just to remind you, we have marketplaces in Finland and Sweden. In Finland, the core is houses and premises and inside services, comparison services. And in Sweden, we have commercial premises.

Kai Telanne: In Finland, the core is houses and premises and insight services, comparison services, and in Sweden, we have commercial premises for business purposes. The Swedish market has continued the growth and the drive as we have seen already earlier. We are doing extremely well there. The revenue 9.2% up, of which the organic growth 6.7%. The acquired businesses have been integrated properly into the current businesses and we have been able to leverage the business. We enjoy the synergies at the moment, and that is why the profitability hand in hand with the revenue growth is going nicely up. All the businesses, as you can see from the slide on the center of this slide, going nicely up: real estate, mobility, comparison services, and insight services. 6% jump in profitability, around 6%, how do you say it in English? Percentages, percent points from 28.8% to 34.6%.

Speaker #2: For business purposes. And the Swedish market has continued to grow and drive as we have seen already earlier. We are doing extremely well there.

Speaker #2: So, the revenue is 9.2% up, of which the organic growth is 6.7%. So, the acquired businesses have been integrated properly into the current businesses, and we have been able to leverage the business.

Speaker #2: We are, we enjoy the synergies at the moment. And that's why the profitability, hand in hand with the revenue growth, is going nicely up.

Speaker #2: All the businesses, as you can see from the slide in the center of this slide, are going nicely up—real estate, mobility, commerce services, and inside services.

Speaker #2: Six percent jump in profitability—around six percent, six, how do you say it in English, percentage points—from 28.8% to 34.6%. It's quite a good sign of our disciplined strategy execution and ability to drive the synergies.

Kai Telanne: It is quite a good sign of our disciplined strategy execution and ability to drive the synergies. What to say? The digital services, of course, where we have invested and acquired new businesses is the biggest growth driver here percentages-wise. The classifieds the second biggest one, which is the core of the Alma Marketplaces business, of course. This is really important for us to see that the core businesses are growing now even more than we actually expected despite the subdued market where we are operating. As we know, the housing businesses, housing premises, especially in Finland and the car business is on a very low level still. But also in these circumstances, we can do pretty okay business. A few slides about the market, which is, of course, important to understand and for us also to follow closely.

Speaker #2: What to say. The digital services, of course, where we have invested and acquired new businesses, is the biggest growth driver here percentage-wise. And the classifieds is the second biggest one, which is the core of the marketplaces business, of course, and this is really important for us—to see that the core businesses are growing now even more than we actually expected.

Speaker #2: Despite the subdued market where we are operating, as we know, the housing business and premises, especially in Finland, and the car business are still on a very low level.

Speaker #2: But also, in these circumstances, we can do pretty okay business. A few slides about the market, which is, of course, important to understand and for us also to follow closely.

Kai Telanne: The consumer confidence is still on a very low level, as we know in Finland, and that's, of course, highly connected into the housing market development. As we can see, this is quite sad picture of the market development, while the housing market is still 17.4% below comparable figures, so last year's Q2. That tells us quite a lot about the consumer confidence. But there are good signs also, so we can come back to that. But the other message here is that there are actions in the marketplaces of ours, the lower part of this slide. Meaning about 4% more listings. There's a bit buyers market still in the market. So it's a good time actually to buy house if you are aiming at that.

Speaker #2: Consumer confidence is still at a very low level, as we know, in Finland. And that's, of course, highly connected to the housing market development. As we can see, this is quite a set picture of the market development, while the housing market is still 17.4 percent below comparable figures.

Speaker #2: So, last year's second quarter—that tells us quite a lot about consumer confidence. But there are good signs also, so we can come back to that.

Speaker #2: But then the other message here is that there are actions in our marketplaces. The lower part of this slide means about 4% more listings.

Speaker #2: There's a bit of a buyers' market still in the market, so it's actually a good time to buy a house if you are aiming at that. And we can reach the buyers and sellers.

Kai Telanne: We can reach the buyers and sellers, so there's a lot of activity and a good reach of our service going up 9.22%. So the services of ours are working pretty well. The same with the mobility market. Unfortunately, the new car sales has not really picked up. There's a slight increase in new car sales. Because of the lack of the renewal of the fleet in Finland, there's too little to sell or buy of the used cars, and the market is quite stable, so to say. For the services, the lack of content, so to say, when you don't get new cars into the market. So we are just actually moving the old cars inside the services. The buyers and sellers, of course, need more stuff there to act. But the reach is really good. So the marketplaces are working pretty well.

Speaker #2: So there's a lot of activity and a good reach of our service, going up 9.2 percent. So the services of ours are working pretty well.

Speaker #2: And the same with the mobility market. Unfortunately, the new car sales have not really picked up. There is a slight increase in new car sales.

Speaker #2: And because of the lack of renewal of the fleet in Finland, there's too little to sell or buy of the used cars. And the market is quite stable, so to say.

Speaker #2: And for the services, the lack of content, so to say, when you don't get new cars into the market. So we are just actually moving the old cars inside the services, and the buyers and sellers, of course, need more staff there to act.

Speaker #2: But the reach is really good, so the marketplaces are working pretty well. We can reach all the buyers and sellers, and the service mix or the portfolio is increasing all the time.

Kai Telanne: So we can reach all the buyers and sellers, and the service mix or the portfolio is increasing all the time so we can do all the transactions on digital platform. Which is, of course, very good for the buyer, sellers, and for us as well. Thirdly, last but not least, extremely good performance again on our News Media segment. Tenth consecutive improvement in profitability is telling us that the portfolio restructuring and the choices have been right. The execution is extremely good. Good cost discipline. The implementation of AI in that segment is also very well on track. The digital transformation seems to be working perfectly. The print business, as we know, the market and ours as well, is declining slightly. But we can now say that we can mitigate the decline with the good development of digital content and digital advertising.

Speaker #2: So we can do all the transactions on the digital platform, which is, of course, very good for the buyers, sellers, and for us as well.

Speaker #2: And then, thirdly, last but not least, extremely good performance again on our news media segment. The 10th consecutive improvement in profitability is telling us that the portfolio restructuring and the choices have been right.

Speaker #2: The execution is extremely good. Good cost discipline. The implementation of AI in that segment is also very well on track. And the digital transformation seems to be working.

Speaker #2: Perfectly. The print business, as we know, the market and ours as well, is declining slightly. But we can now say that we can mitigate the decline with the good development of digital content.

Speaker #2: And digital advertising, which drives the profitability up and drives the content and print-related costs down. And that's why, with the good mix, good execution, cost discipline, and digital transformation, the profitability grows as we have planned and even expected, or even better.

Kai Telanne: Which drives the profitability up and drives the content print-related costs down, and that's why with the good mix, good execution, cost discipline, and digital transformation, the profitability grows as we have planned and even expected or even better. So we can say that media business is now on digital format. Media business is growing profitable business. There's a high demand of journalism, as we know, of course, with the help of the news that we hear all the time from abroad. Our reach is really good in the main markets. So there's a good foundation for the further media business as well. We have talked about the ad market, which is heavily related on the overall economic development and the GDP development and confidence and so on. Now we have seen slight improvement in Finnish ad market already. Hopefully, that continues.

Speaker #2: So we can say that media business is now on digital format media business is growing profitable business. There's a high demand of journalism as we know of course with the help of the news that we hear all the time from abroad.

Speaker #2: And our reach is really good in the main markets, so there's a good foundation for the further media business as well. We have talked about the ad market, which is heavily related to the overall economic development and the GDP development and confidence, and so on.

Speaker #2: Now, we have seen slight improvement in the Finnish ad market already. Hopefully, that continues and we have benefited, of course, from the slight change in the market.

Kai Telanne: We have benefited, of course, from the slight change in the market. We have been able to grow a little bit more than the market, meaning that we have gained market share and our performance has been really good on the digital side as we have seen and will continue. Now it's Taru's turn to go deeper into the financials and the balance sheet issues. I will return with the underlying market development later and the strategy that we will continue. Please.

Speaker #2: We have been able to grow a little bit more than the market, meaning that we have gained market share, and our performance has been really good on the digital side, as we have seen.

Speaker #2: And we'll continue. So now it's Taru's turn to go deeper into the financials and the balance sheet. I will return with the underlying market development later and the strategy that we will continue.

Speaker #2: Please.

Speaker #1: Thank you, Kai, and welcome to our analyst call also on my behalf. Like Kai presented, we have a good performance in our businesses in the second quarter, and this is of course clearly showing in our financial position.

Taru Lehtinen: Thank you, Kai, and welcome to our analyst info also from my behalf. Like Kai presented, we have a good performance in our businesses in Q2, and this is, of course, clearly showing in our financial position. Q2 was probably the quarter of deleveraging for our balance sheet. We paid EUR 40 million dividend during the quarter and also repaid the loans, and with that, ended up with a stronger balance sheet. Let me go through a couple of the details. Our interest-bearing net debt amounting EUR 125 million in the end of June, which was EUR 33 million less than in the previous year. Our net debt is developing now really nicely. Like you can see, of course, the balance is higher than it was in the end of March due to the dividend payment.

Speaker #1: The second quarter was probably the quarter of deleveraging for our balance sheet. We paid €40 million in dividends during the quarter and also repaid the loans.

Speaker #1: And with that, we ended up with a stronger balance sheet. But let me go through a couple of the details. So our interest-bearing net debt amounted to €125 million at the end of June, which was €33 million less than in the previous year.

Speaker #1: Our net debt is developing now really nicely, and like you can see, of course, the balance is higher than it was at the end of March due to the dividend payment.

Speaker #1: But on the other hand, we are clearly below the previous year, as of the end of June. We repaid our debt by €15 million during Q2 and also raised €10 million in commercial paper.

Taru Lehtinen: On the other hand, we are clearly below the previous year end of June. We repaid our debt by EUR 15 million during Q2 and also raised a EUR 10 million commercial paper, or issued EUR 10 million commercial paper. In connection with that, we also repaid EUR 2 million of financial lease liabilities. It's also worth mentioning that we renewed our interest rate derivative agreement during Q2. Previously, we had two agreements, one amounting EUR 50 million and another one amounting EUR 30 million, and now we combined these two by one single agreement of EUR 60 million ending in the end of 2028. Our average interest rate was in the previous year level, so no surprises coming from there. Our balance sheet KPIs are developing really nicely. The equity ratio amounting going up like 52%, and the gearing going down by 2.52% also.

Speaker #1: We also issued €10 million in commercial paper. In connection with that, we repaid €2 million of financial lease liabilities. It's also worth mentioning that we renewed our interest rate derivative agreement during Q2.

Speaker #1: So previously, we had two agreements: one amounting to €50 million and another one amounting to €30 million, and now we have combined these into a single agreement of €60 million ending at the end of the year 2028.

Speaker #1: Our average interest rate was at the previous year level, so no surprises coming from there. Our balance sheet KPIs are developing really nicely, with the equity ratio going up to 52 percent and the gearing going down by 250 percent also.

Speaker #1: So the balance is moving really according to the plan and our balance sheet is supporting our investments and future growth investments. Also, the cash flow during Q2 showed more modest development at the quarter level.

Taru Lehtinen: The balance sheet's moving really according to the plan, and our balance sheet's supporting our investments and future growth investments. Also, the cash flow during Q2, there was more modest development in the quarter level. The operative cash flow for Q2 was EUR 15.6 million, while in the previous year ending up to EUR 15.5 million. Like you remember, our Q1 cash flow was really strong. Now the cumulative increase in our operative cash flow is more than EUR 7 million, and there's no specific reasoning behind that, just the normal fluctuation and seasonality between working capital. Like you can see from the bridge on the right-hand side, the change in the working capital is really stable as a full year effect.

Speaker #1: So the operative cash flow for Q2 was €15.6 million, while in the previous year it ended up at €15.5 million. But, as you remember, our first quarter cash flow was really strong.

Speaker #1: So now the cumulative increase in our operative cash flow is more than €7 million. And there's no specific reasoning behind that—just normal fluctuation and seasonality between working capital.

Speaker #1: And like you can see from the bridge on the right-hand side, the change in the working capital is really stable as a full-year effect.

Speaker #1: So the main contributor to our cash flow is our good operative result, contributing €5 million. In the first half of the year, the tax is paid and, of course, increases a bit due to the increase of the result.

Taru Lehtinen: The main contributor for our cash flow is our good operating result contributing EUR 5 million in the H1 of the year. The taxes paid, of course, increase a bit due to the increase of the result. But on the other hand, it is explained that the seasonality between the tax payments between years and quarters. The free cash flow in Q2 was EUR 14.7 million compared to previous year, EUR 13.8 million. And actually, the free cash flow for the H1 of the year almost doubled. Behind of this is, of course, the good operative result, but also explained by the investments. During 2026, we have done only small investments as a CapEx investments to our product development, and we haven't been executing any M&A acquisition during the 2026, and this is explaining the really strong free cash flow for 2026.

Speaker #1: But on the other hand, it is explained that the seasonality between the tax payments varies between years and quarters. The free cash flow in the second quarter was €14.7 million, compared to the previous year's €13.8 million.

Speaker #1: And actually, the free cash flow for the first half of the year almost doubled. So, the reason behind this is, of course, the good operative result.

Speaker #1: But this is also explained by the investments. So, during 2026, we have done only small investments as capex investments to our product development. And we haven't been executing any M&A acquisitions during 2026, and this is explaining the really strong free cash flow for 2026.

Speaker #1: I would like to remind you that we are actively developing our services and products, but we are mostly showing these expenses as OPEX. So, this doesn't mean that we are not developing our services.

Taru Lehtinen: Still reminding you that we are actually actively developing our services and products, but we are mostly showing these expenses as an OpEx. This doesn't mean that we are not developing our services. It is more about the message that we are showing those as an expense. Also, it is worth mentioning that our depreciations are lower than in the previous year because of the purchase price allocation amortization, which are more or less EUR 1 million less than in the previous year, as described earlier. Then moving to earning per share, we had a really strong quarter from the earning per share perspective, ending up to EUR 0.22 compared to EUR 0.18 previous year. The good operative result is the biggest contributor behind of this, but of course, the adjusted items are also explaining.

Speaker #1: It's more about the message that we are showing those as an expense. And also, it is worth mentioning that our depreciations are lower than in the previous year because of the purchase price allocation amortization, which is more or less €1 million less than in the previous year.

Speaker #1: As described earlier, and then moving to earnings per share, we had a really strong quarter from the earnings per share perspective, ending up at €0.22 compared to €0.18 in the previous year.

Speaker #1: The good operative result is the biggest contributor behind this. But of course, the adjusted items are also explanatory. So during 2026, we haven't had—or in the second quarter, we had only €200,000 in adjusted items, compared to €1.2 million in the previous year.

Taru Lehtinen: During 2026, we haven't had, or in Q2 we had only 200,000 adjusted items compared to EUR 1.2 million in the previous year. This means also that our adjusted operating profit equals in practice to our reported numbers. There wasn't any exceptional changes in the interest items or financial items in Q2. Our interest rate cost was a little bit lower than in the previous year due to the fact that our principal amounts were lower and also the exchange rates were more positive compared to negative ones in the previous year. In that sense, our return on equity and return on invest are progressing really well, ending up to return on equity 33% and return on invest to 21%. Really extremely good result on this. Then finally, concluding our business results compared to our long-term financial targets.

Speaker #1: And this means also that our adjusted operating profit equals, in practice, our reported numbers. And there weren't any exceptional changes in the interest items or financial items in the second quarter. Our interest rate cost was a little bit lower than in the previous year due to the fact that our principal amounts were lower, and also the exchange rates were more positive compared to negative ones in the previous year.

Speaker #1: So in that sense, our return on equity and return on invest are progressing really well, ending up to return on equity 33 percent and return on invest to 21 percent—really extremely good result on this.

Speaker #1: And then finally, concluding our business results compared to our long-term financial targets. So, this was the quarter that we were able to gain our revenue growth target—5 percent—and what is extremely good news now is that most of this is coming organically.

Taru Lehtinen: This was the quarter that we were able to gain our revenue growth target 5%, and which is extremely good news now is that most of this is coming organically. In Q2, the organic development was 2%, and in the cumulative numbers, it was 3.6%. As Kai already mentioned, the main contributors behind the revenue growth is the classified revenue and the digital services. They share equally the development on this. It is also worth mentioning that our digital revenue as a total grew 6.6%. This, of course, the decline of print and other offline products were then offsetting, for example, the development in Alma News Media. In Alma News Media, the increase of digital revenue was 2.3% in the H1 of the 2026. This is clearly also shown in our profitability. Our long-term target is to gain 30% profitability adjusted operating profit margin.

Speaker #1: So, in the second quarter, the organic development was 2 percent, and in the cumulative numbers it was 3.6 percent. And, like I already mentioned, the main contributors behind the revenue growth are the classified revenue and the digital services; they share equally in this development.

Speaker #1: And it is also worth mentioning that our digital revenue as a total grew 6.6 percent, and this, of course, was offset by the decline of print and other offline products, for example, in the development of news media.

Speaker #1: In news media, the increase of digital revenue was 2.3 percent in the first half of 2026. And this is clearly also shown in our profitability.

Speaker #1: Our long-term target is to reach a 30 percent profitability-adjusted operating profit margin. During the last 12 months, we are now at 26.4 percent. And I would say that there are three components behind that.

Taru Lehtinen: During the last 12 months, we are now in 26.4%. I would say that there are three components behind that. Of course, our business is growing in digital products, which has the better margin development and declining in the print and offline products with the lower margin. Then, of course, the active cost management and discipline cost actions that we are doing. But of course, keeping in mind that we have this technical PPA amortization explaining the factor. The role for that is one-third or less. Then finally, our goal is to keep our leverage below 2.5. Currently, we are in the 1.2, which means that there is a good room for investments in our balance sheet. Okay, then back to Kai. That is all for me.

Speaker #1: Of course, our business is growing in digital products, which have better margin development, and declining in the print and offline products with the lower margin.

Speaker #1: Then, of course, the active cost management and disciplined cost actions that we are taking—while keeping in mind that we have this technical PPA amortization explaining the factor.

Speaker #1: The role for that is one-third or less. And then, finally, our goal is to keep our leverage below 2.5. Currently, we are at 1.2, which means that there's good room for investments on our balance sheet.

Speaker #1: Okay then, back to Kai. That's all from me.

Speaker #2: Thank you, Taru. As noted, strong cash flow, healthy balance sheet—a good foundation for going forward. But before we go to the strategy, let's have a look at the operating environment, and that is, of course, a big discussion.

Kai Telanne: Thank you, Taru. As noted, strong cash flow, healthy balance sheet, good foundation for going forward. But before we go to the strategy, let us have a look at the operating environment. That is, of course, a big discussion. We can debate quite a lot that this slight recovery, is this sustainable or not? We start from the Finnish market. As we have noticed, the business confidence has already started to increase. It started from the export businesses manufacturing, and now the services and retail have followed. The only problem and the biggest problem is, of course, seem to be the construction. While the new houses construction sales and the market has been on a very low side, and that is highly related on the consumer confidence that is still on a low side.

Speaker #2: We can debate quite a lot whether this slight recovery is sustainable or not. We start from the Finnish market. As we have noticed, business confidence has already started to increase.

Speaker #2: It started from the export businesses, manufacturing, and now the services and retail have followed. The only problem, and the biggest problem, is of course—and seems to be—the construction.

Speaker #2: While the new house construction sales and the market have been on a very low side. And that's highly related to the consumer confidence.

Speaker #2: That is still on the low side. But if we believe that the steady pickup from July is sustainable, then the future would look better, right?

Kai Telanne: But if we believe that the studied pick up from July is sustainable, the future would look better, right? While the industry's confidence, the business' confidence, like for the retail services and manufacturing have already picked up, we have seen that the investments for the businesses has already started, like for advertising and hopefully for the labor as well. But that comes hopefully later. So there are gradual signs or signs of gradual recovery also on the Finnish economy and consumer confidence. So the rest of the later part of the year looks from this point of view, a little bit better than the first part of the year. So we hope that the recovery that we have been waiting for years now has started. Remains to be seen. But then the other markets, of course, we have very important operating markets in the Central Europe.

Speaker #2: And while the industries confidence the businesses confidence like for the retail services and manufacturing have already picked up. We have seen that the investments for the businesses has already started.

Speaker #2: Like for advertising, and hopefully for the labor as well, but that comes hopefully later. So, there are gradual signs, or signs of gradual recovery, also in the Finnish economy and consumer confidence.

Speaker #2: So the rest of the later part of the year looks, from this point of view, a little bit better than the first part of the year.

Speaker #2: So, we hope that the recovery that we have been waiting for for years now has started. Remains to be seen. But then, the other markets—of course we have very important operating markets in Central Europe.

Speaker #2: It seems that the GDP estimates are okay. They are better than they were last year, mostly, and getting better. So we have seen that, like for the Czech market, the businesses have started to grow.

Kai Telanne: It seems that the GDP estimates are okay. They are better than they were last year, mostly, and getting better. So we have seen that for the Czech market, the businesses have started to grow. Especially for the smaller countries, the growth rates are bigger there, but the revenues and the money is smaller for our purposes. So no big deal or big problems seem to be there. The unemployment rates in Central Europe and Czech Republic, there we have the lowest unemployment rate in Europe. It seems to be there. In Finland and Sweden, especially in Finland, we have the problem remaining, but hopefully it will ease up. So no big changes there. So quite a good market for us to maneuver. So that is it.

Speaker #2: And especially for the smaller countries, the growth rates are bigger there. But the revenues and the money are smaller for our purposes, so no big deal or big problems seem to be there.

Speaker #2: The unemployment rates in Central Europe and the Czech Republic—where we have the lowest unemployment rate in Europe—seem to be there. In Finland and Sweden, especially in Finland, we still have the problem remaining, but hopefully it will ease up.

Speaker #2: So no big changes there, so quite a good market for us to maneuver. So that's it. Hopefully, we don't get more hiccups from the global arena, like with the Ukrainian situation.

Kai Telanne: Hopefully, we do not get more hiccups from global arena, like with the Ukrainian situation getting worse or other hiccups, like for inflation or interest rates. It seems that the consumers, and especially the businesses, they are quite used to the current level at the moment. You do not hear too much talk about the level of interest rates for the investments or the inflation. That is quite good. I think, is it too early to say that we have resolved the inflation and interest rate problem or not? But for the investments, the current level is quite okay. Let us have a few words about our strategy. How do we go forward while we are at this stage with a good balance sheet and good cash flow? The journey will continue. Let us concentrate on the last step, 2020 forward.

Speaker #2: Getting worse or other hiccups like for inflation or interest rates. I think it or it seems that the consumers and especially the businesses they are quite used to the current level at the moment.

Speaker #2: So, you don't hear too much talk about the level of interest rates for the investments or the inflation, so that is quite good. So, I think, is it too early to say that we have resolved the inflation and interest rate problem or not?

Speaker #2: But for the investments, the current level is quite—let me say a few words about our strategy. How do we go forward while we are at this stage, with a good balance sheet and good cash flow.

Speaker #2: So the journey will continue. Let's concentrate on the last step, 2020 forward. As we know, we are close to finalizing the digital transformation.

Kai Telanne: As we know, we are close to finalizing the digital transformation, 13% something else than digital business at the moment. We can say that it has been done and it is almost finished. Now we are in the second or the next phase, which is the AI adoption and platform integration. We are applying the AI, the newest technology into our services to increase the customer value, to increase the productivity, to increase the quality of the services and the reach. We are streamlining or automating the processes of ours and also for the benefit of customers. Meaning that we are creating entire end-to-end platforms with the help of AI so that you could do the business in our digital platform in a cost-effective way, with a high-quality way, so that the matchmaking will get better and better all the time.

Speaker #2: 13% is something other than digital business at the moment. So we can say that it has been done, and it's almost finished. Now we are in the second, or the next, phase, which is the AI adoption and platform integration.

Speaker #2: So we are applying AI, the newest technology, to our services to increase customer value, to increase productivity, to enhance the quality of the services, and to expand our reach.

Speaker #2: So we are streamlining or automating our processes, and also doing this for the benefit of customers. This means we are creating entire end-to-end platforms with the help of AI.

Speaker #2: So that you can do business on our digital platform in a cost-effective way and with high quality. This way, the matchmaking will get better and better all the time.

Speaker #2: And of course, we will continue to grow with the help of AI, or M&A—sorry, with the help of AI as well, but with the help of M&A—while the balance sheet is getting stronger and stronger.

Kai Telanne: Of course, we will continue to grow with the help of AI or the M&A, sorry, or help of AI as well. But with the help of M&A while the balance sheet is getting stronger and stronger, so we have plenty of room for investments, and we have a good relationship with the banks as well. We hopefully can get loans if and when we need. That is the case. We will continue or even speed up the transformation. We are relying on the strongholds of the company. Those are, of course, strong brands, leading positions, the newest technology, long customer relationships, data and data capabilities, and domain-specific expertise. I would say that for our purposes and in the businesses where we are in, we have all the needed resources that we need to flourish in coming years as well.

Speaker #2: So we have plenty of room for investments, and we have a good relationship with the banks as well. So we hopefully can get loans if and when we need them.

Speaker #2: So, that is the case, so we'll continue, or even speed up, the transformation. We are relying on the strongholds of the company, and those are, of course, strong brands.

Speaker #2: Leading positions, the newest technology, long customer relationships, data and data capabilities, and domain-specific expertise. I would say that, for our purposes and in the businesses where we are in, we have all the needed resources that we need to flourish in coming years as well.

Speaker #2: So, to summarize the strategy, we continue to transform to the next step, which is the AI-helped businesses. We continue to grow with new businesses on businesses, and maybe new areas as well.

Kai Telanne: To summarize the strategy, we continue to transform to the next step, which is the AI-helped businesses. We continue to grow with new businesses, add-on businesses, and maybe new areas as well. We are able to scale, to integrate the new businesses into the current ones, use the common data, common platforms, and do it on a very productive and profitable way. To be a little bit more concrete in the AI development, we just talked in the morning with the personnel that where are we, what is the stance at the moment, and how do we drive the future further. It is summarized like this. We are well on track with the increasing internal productivity. Every Alma Media has the tools at use.

Speaker #2: And we are able to scale to integrate the new businesses into the current ones, use the common data platforms, and do it in a very productive and profitable way.

Speaker #2: And to be a little bit more concrete in the AI development, we just talked in the morning with the personnel about where we are—what is the stance at the moment.

Speaker #2: And how do we drive the future further? It is summarized like this: we are well on track with increasing internal productivity, so everyone at Alma Media has the tools at their disposal.

Speaker #2: We are quite well on track with applying the tools for process development inside the teams, so automating processes inside the company in order to jump into improving customer experience and value for the customers.

Kai Telanne: We are quite well on track with applying the tools for process development inside the teams. Automating processes inside the company in order to jump into improving customer experience and value for the customer. We are moving the skills and the initiatives and the investments in order to help the customers doing better business and seeing the productivity increments in their businesses. Embedded platforms has been the key for increase the customer engagement. Then finally, when we are educated enough and good enough, we will be in new business models for the future for coming years. We have some new businesses already there, but the revenues are still to come. That's it. As we know the discovery of our customers' information discovery, product discovery, media discovery is reshaping. We all know that from a personal perspective.

Speaker #2: So, these are the initiatives and the investments in order to help the customers do better business and see productivity increments in their businesses.

Speaker #2: Embedded platforms have been the key for increasing customer engagement. And then finally, when we are educated enough and good enough, we will be in new business models, but that is the future for the coming years.

Speaker #2: We have some new businesses already there, but the revenues are still to come. That's it. So, as we know, the discovery of our customers' information—discovery, product discovery, media discoveries—is reshaping.

Speaker #2: We all know that from our personal perspective. And we know that the winners in the market need to have high-quality data. In order to succeed, they need to have the ability to use the data; they need to have end-to-end platforms to serve the customers in use of the data. And in order to do that, you need to have the domain-specific best expertise.

Kai Telanne: We know that the winners in the market, they need to have high-quality data in order to succeed. They need to have the ability to use the data. They need to have end-to-end platforms to serve the customers in use of the data. In order to do that, you need to have the domain-specific best expertise. All those is the ones that Alma is built on. We have strong brands. We have strong customer relationships. We have a lot of data, like 3 million locked-in customers inside the group. We have ability to learn and the mentality to learn quickly. That's where we built on the current and the coming success. Of course, we invest enough into this. While we have a strong cash flow balance sheet, we invest enough in order to apply all the technology.

Speaker #2: And all those are the ones that Alma is built on. So we have strong brands. We have long customer relationships. We have a lot of data, like three million locked-in customers inside the group.

Speaker #2: And we have the ability to learn and the mentality to learn quickly, and that's where we've built on the current and the coming success. And of course, we invest enough into this—while we have a strong cash flow balance sheet, we invest enough in order to apply all the technology.

Speaker #2: So, very good strategy and plans in place. We are a little bit careful about the market developments still. So, it remains to be seen if the consumer confidence development is sustainable.

Kai Telanne: Well, very good strategy and plans in place. We are a bit careful about the market developers still, so it remains to be seen, is the consumer confidence development sustainable? Hopefully it is. We can see that we can keep the revenue level of last year, and as we can see that the operating profit is going to improve from the last year. That is where we stand at the moment. As we have noticed, there are signs of gradual recovery, but we need a little bit more indications for that to be sustainable before we can make a different stance. To summarize, I would say that this was a good sign of our strategy to work. A profitable growth in all segments. Digital transformation almost finalized or ending to its life cycle as a project. Record high margin in Alma News Media. Extremely good growth in Alma Marketplaces.

Speaker #2: Hopefully, it is. We can see that we can keep the revenue level of last year, and as we can see, the operating profit is going to improve from last year.

Speaker #2: So that is where we stand at the moment. As we have noticed, there are signs of gradual recovery, but we need a little bit more indication for that to be sustainable before we can take a different stance.

Speaker #2: But to summarize, I would say that this was a good sign of our strategy at work—a profitable growth in all segments. Digital transformation is almost finalized, or at the end of its lifecycle as a project.

Speaker #2: Record-high margin in news media, extremely good growth in Marketplaces, good ability to sustain the profitability in Career, and good growth starting in Central Europe.

Kai Telanne: Good ability to sustain the profitability in Alma Career and good growth starting in Central Europe. A clear position in AI development and ability to use the technology. That is the picture at the moment. This is not a one-off, actually. The Q2, from my point of view, it's not a one-off. It's about structural change and the sign of our strategy. Right choices in the market and extremely good execution of the strategy. Well-disciplined execution of chosen path. That's Elina, was that my part? Yes. That was my part. Happy to answer your questions that you might have. I noticed that there are some online and maybe some also from the audience. Here we have actually the business segment leaders. I leave all the segment-specific questions for those who are experts, domain experts, as I said, on the arena. Well, thank you. Please.

Speaker #2: And a clear position in AI development and ability to use the technology. So that is the picture at the moment. This is not a one-off, actually.

Speaker #2: The second quarter, from my point of view, is not a one-off. It's about structural change and the design of our strategy, making the right choices in the market, and extremely good execution of the strategy.

Speaker #2: Well-disciplined execution of the chosen path. So that's Elina. Was that my part? Yes, that was my part. Happy to answer any questions that you might have.

Speaker #2: I noticed that there are some online, and maybe some also from the audience. We have actually the business segment leaders, so I will leave all the segment-specific questions for those who are the domain experts, as I said, on the arena.

Speaker #2: Well thank you. Please.

Speaker #1: Hello, this is Mikko Rangas from SCB. Thank you for the presentation. You already explained a bit of the reasoning behind the guidance, but I would like to continue on the topic.

Nikko Ruokangas: Hello. This is Nikko Ruokangas from SEB. Thank you for the presentation. You already explained personal a bit behind the guidance, but I still continue on the topic and ask about the sales guidance. You are guiding that to be flat year-on-year this year after being up 5% in H1. Do you think that H1 5% was growth in your wording. If you would grow 5%.

Speaker #1: And to ask about the sales guidance, you are guiding that to be flat year-on-year this year after being up 5% in H1. So, do you think that the H1 5% was growth, in your wording?

Speaker #1: So that if you would grow 5%.

Kai Telanne: Remains to be seen. Now we are cautious with the end of the year, of course, the comparables are something, but we wait for the signs of the consumer confidence to be again in the market. If the plans of the businesses are going to be sustainable, then the growth might be as it has. But we really don't know. The most difficult part to estimate is the advertising market. We have seen fluctuation on daily, weekly, and monthly basis in the ad market. But now it seems to be okay. Remains to be seen, does that sustain. I don't know.

Speaker #2: Ready to be seen. Now, we are cautious with the end of the year. Of course, the comparables are something, but we wait for the signs of consumer confidence to be again in the market.

Speaker #2: So, if the plans of the businesses are going to be sustainable, then the growth might continue as it has, but we really don't know.

Speaker #2: The most difficult part to estimate is the advertising market. And we have seen fluctuation on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis in the ad market.

Speaker #2: But now it seems to be okay. Remains to be seen—does that sustain? I don't know.

Speaker #1: All right, thanks. We'll look forward to that. Then, on another topic, you said that you aim to help your clients improve their business with AI and new features you are bringing.

Nikko Ruokangas: All right. Thanks. We'll look forward to that. On another topic, you said that you aim to help your clients to improve their business with AI and new features you are bringing. Do you think that has been already visible in your business or sales average price per user you are gaining or is the financial impact to you maybe a bit further away.

Speaker #1: So do you think that has already been visible in your business or sales average price per user you are gaining, or is the financial impact to you maybe a bit further away?

Speaker #2: Both. So, we have already implemented some extensions to our services with the help of AI. The rest of the year will show that we will have new add-ons to the services as well.

Kai Telanne: Both. We have already some extensions in the services done with the help of AI and the rest of the year will show that we'll have new add-ons to the services as well. There are actually two ways. To increase the quality and the matchmaking ability of the services is one, so that you can see higher customer value when using our service or then increase the productivity or the cost-effectiveness of using our services. That comes from the platforms that we are developing. We have developed the entire digital platforms for the use of houses and premises market, like for the agents or private customers with the digital like DIAS or other services. You can do the transaction from discovery to the transaction with our services. You already have the productivity benefits or the cost benefits on the customer side.

Speaker #2: So there are actually two ways. One is to increase the quality and the matchmaking ability of the services, so that you can see higher customer value when using our service.

Speaker #2: Or then increase the productivity or the cost effectiveness of using our services. And that comes from the platforms that we are developing. Like we have developed the entire digital platforms for the use of houses and premises market like for the agents or private customers with the digital dias or other services.

Speaker #2: So, you can do the transaction fully from discovery to the transaction with our services. So, you already have the product benefits, productivity benefits, or the cost benefits on the customer side.

Speaker #2: And of course, we have streamlined our operations and are already streamlining our operations with the help of AI. So, the productivity gains are already seen in our own work.

Kai Telanne: We have streamlined our operations and are streamlining already our operations with the help of AI. The productivity gains are already seen in our own work. We have been able to move some of the productivity gains to the customers as well, and the products will be heavily improved in coming quarters with the help of AI. We do not actually, how to say? We do not split the productivity gains specifically to AI or something else. We do this as a whole process, and we do not make a distinction between the productivity gains, is this coming from the AI or from something else. We are improving the industrial processes inside the company and some of the productivity gains come from the AI, some comes from the streamlining the way of working, and we are talking about redesign of work inside the company. So both.

Speaker #2: We have been able to pass some of the productivity gains on to the customers as well. And, of course, the products will be heavily improved in the coming quarters with the help of AI.

Speaker #2: But we don't actually know how to say—we don't split the productivity gains specifically to AI or something else. We do this as a whole process and we don't make a distinction between the productivity gains that are coming from AI or from something else.

Speaker #2: We are improving the industrial processes inside the company, and some of the productivity gains come from the help from AI. I have some gains from streamlining the way of working, and we are talking about redesign of work inside the company.

Speaker #2: So both. So we have seen and we will see more in the coming quarters, from the productivity side and from the product quality side.

Kai Telanne: We have seen and we will see more in the coming quarters from productivity side and from product quality side.

Speaker #1: All right, thanks. And then, last one from me—regarding mobility volumes. I guess that the 7.5% decline is a bigger decline than what the market transactions have been.

Nikko Ruokangas: All right, thanks. Then last one from me regarding mobility volumes. I guess that the 7.5% decline is bigger decline than what the market transactions have been. Can you explain a bit what is behind that?

Speaker #1: So, can you explain a bit what is behind that?

Speaker #2: Okay. But there was something else in the year as well, so you can go into the details more.

Kai Telanne: Okay. Santtu Elsinen, you are there as well, so you can go into the details more. Let us check first if I answer your question a bit later. You said that the 17.4-

Speaker #3: Yeah, let me check and I'll answer your question a bit later.

Speaker #2: So, you said that the 17.4.

Speaker #1: 7.5.

Nikko Ruokangas: 7.5

Speaker #2: 7.5% decline in the market. Yeah. Yeah.

Kai Telanne: 7.5% decline in the market. Yeah. Number of activities. Okay. Yeah. The second part.

Speaker #3: The number of activities.

Speaker #2: Okay. Yeah.

Nikko Ruokangas: I guess that in the meanwhile, that is all from me.

Speaker #1: But I guess that, in the meantime, that's all from me.

Nikko Ruokangas: I guess that in the meanwhile, that is all from me.

Speaker #2: Okay, thank you very much. Yeah.

Kai Telanne: Okay. Thank you very much. Yeah.

Speaker #4: Hi, this is Pia Rosqvist from DNB Carnegie. I have a few questions, and I'm still coming back to the guidance. Your adjusted EBIT grew by 17% year-on-year in the first half.

Pia Rosqvist-Heinsalmi: Hi, this is Pia Rosqvist-Heinsalmi from DNB Carnegie. I have a few questions, and I am still coming back to the guidance.

Pia Rosqvist-Heinsalmi: Your adjusted EBIT grew by 17% year-on-year in the H1. Keeping in mind your comment on continued or even maybe accelerating productivity improvements in the coming quarter, how should we view this 17% earnings growth in the H1? Is this representative for the full year, or are there specific factors we should keep in mind that will lead to lower growth in earnings in the H2 compared to the H1?

Speaker #4: So now, keeping in mind your comment on continued, or even maybe accelerating, productivity improvement in the coming quarter, how should we view this 17% earnings growth in the first half?

Speaker #4: Is this representative for the full year, or are there specific factors we should keep in mind now that will lead to lower growth in earnings in the second half compared to the first half?

Speaker #2: No. Well, it remains to be seen whether the market is fluctuating more or less. The good signs now—we had, I would say, during the second quarter, every segment performed extremely well, and it's quite a rare situation where everybody overperformed or at least performed according to the plans and the strategy.

Kai Telanne: Well, it remains to be seen while the market is fluctuating more or less. The good signs we had, I would say that during Q2, every segment performed extremely well and quite rare situation while everybody overperformed or at least performed according to the plans and the strategy. If that continues, then the growth might be as you said. Then we have the underlying market, which we cannot actually decide is it going to grow or not. Now it seems that there is a gradual recovery in the market, and if that continues, we might even be able to speed up. We do not put that in our estimation or on numbers yet.

Speaker #2: So, if that continues, then the growth might be as you said. But then we have the underlying market, which we can't actually decide is going to grow or not.

Speaker #2: Now it seems that there is a gradual recovery in the market, and if that continues, we might even be able to speed up. But we don't put that in our estimates or numbers yet.

Speaker #4: Thank you. Regarding the advertising market and the kind of positive news we saw in June, what do you see currently? Is this strength across the board, or was there something specific happening in June which led to the market being positive?

Pia Rosqvist-Heinsalmi: Thank you. Then the advertising market and the kind of positive news we saw in June, what do you see currently? Is this a strength across the board or was this something specific happening in June which led to that the market was positive?

Kai Telanne: Yeah. Tiina can answer that. She is the expert here.

Speaker #2: Yeah, Tina can answer that. She's the expert here.

Speaker #4: So, in June, we saw a slight recovery, and it seems that it comes from finance but also from some other industries. For us, we've been able to gain some market share, as Kai mentioned earlier.

Tiina Kurki: June we saw a slight recovery, and it seems that it comes from finance, but also from some other industries. For us, we have been able to gain some market share, as Kai told earlier, so outperformed digital market during Q2. As Kai already told, it is very difficult to say about the coming quarters how the market will actually work. That seems to be seen. We of course hope that it will grow a little bit more than it has been for the H1, but we do not give the estimate at the moment.

Speaker #4: So, outperformed digital market during the quarter two. And as Kai already told, it's very difficult to say about the coming quarters how the market will actually work.

Speaker #4: So, that seems to be seen. Of course, we hope that it will grow a little bit more than it has during the first half-year.

Speaker #4: But we don't give the estimate at the moment.

Speaker #2: So the good signs from an advertising perspective are, of course, that the services and retail sector in Finland has started to pick up. So the expectations for the business there are better than they've been.

Kai Telanne: The good signs from advertising perspective is, of course, that the services and retail sector in Finland has started to pick up. The expectations for the businesses there are better than they have been. The market seems to be recovering, and usually that brings the advertising along, if that happens. The problem for us is, of course, the big housing market in Finland. Is that going to stay on a low level or not? Hopefully not. Then the car market. For those, the change might not be that quick as for some other markets, because these investments for private persons, like houses or premises or cars, they are big investments, and that might take time before the time changes for that. It might be a little bit longer than a month or two. Hopefully it happens.

Speaker #2: So, the market seems to be recovering, and usually that brings advertising along if that happens. The problem for us is, of course, the big housing market in Finland.

Speaker #2: Is that going to stay on a low level or not? Hopefully not. And then the car market. And for those, the change might not be as quick as for some other markets, because these investments for private persons—like houses, premises, or cars—are big investments, and it might take time before the situation changes for that.

Speaker #2: It might be a little bit longer than a month or two. Hopefully, it happens.

Speaker #4: Thank you. And then, to your balance sheet and maybe part of your strategy being acquisitions—how would you describe your M&A pipeline? Is it more active than before?

Pia Rosqvist-Heinsalmi: Thank you. Then, to your balance sheet, and maybe part of your strategy being acquisitions, how would you describe your M&A pipeline? Is it more active than before? I think you mentioned something about transformation. Could you comment upon your view or your ambition to make kind of transformative acquisitions? Should we expect transformative acquisitions for Alma Media or more like what you have done so far, adding to your services?

Speaker #4: And I think you mentioned something about transformation. Could you comment upon your view or your ambition to make transformative acquisitions? Should we expect transformative acquisitions for Alma Media or more like what you have done so far, adding to your services?

Speaker #2: Hopefully both. So, of course, we are continuing with this kind of bolt-on acquisition in order to support the current core, and that is definitely happening.

Kai Telanne: Hopefully both. Of course, we continue with this kind of bolt-on acquisition in order to support the current core. That has definitely happened. The big ones, the transformative ones, of course, you need the counterparty and good targets. The idea is, of course, that we are looking for that. We are doing our homework, of course, on that. Now we start to have room for doing bigger investments, so we could spend a little bit more than during the last five years. You might remember that we have done this kind of investments every fifth year, around every fifth year. It is good to understand that in the business areas we are working at, the profitability profile are quite high. We are not aiming at into a low profitability businesses.

Speaker #2: And the big ones, the transformative ones, of course you need the counterparty and good targets. But the idea is, of course, that we are looking for that.

Speaker #2: We are doing our homework, of course, on that. And now we are starting to have room to make bigger investments. So we could spend a little bit more than during the last five years.

Speaker #2: You might remember that we have done this kind of investments every fifth year—around every fifth year. So it's good to understand that in the business areas we are working at.

Speaker #2: The profitability profile is quite high. Quite high. So we are not aiming at low profitability businesses. And while the profitability profile is high, the prices are usually quite high.

Kai Telanne: While the profitability profile is high, the prices are usually quite high, of course, naturally. So we need to have power for that, and step by step our power and the pocket is getting better and better, and the ability to do this kind of transformative moves is getting better. Of course, Alma, we will use the resources cleverly when there's the chance, and you can count on that.

Speaker #2: Of course, naturally. So we have led to have power. For that, and step by step, our power and the pocket is getting better and better, and the ability to do this kind of transformative moves is getting better.

Speaker #2: Of course, Alma will use the resources cleverly when there's the chance, and you can count on that.

Speaker #4: Thank you. Then finally, may I ask maybe Taru about the non-allocated operations — the costs in EBIT. They have hovered around €4 million now on a quarterly basis over the past three quarters.

Pia Rosqvist-Heinsalmi: Thank you. Then finally, may I ask maybe Taru on the non-allocated operations, the costs in EBIT, they have hovered around EUR 4 million now on a quarterly basis over the past three quarters. In Q2, I think the costs were up by EUR 1 million year-on-year. So is this representative, this EUR 4 million level, for the coming quarters as well?

Speaker #4: And in Q2, I think the costs were up by €1 million year-on-year. So, is this €4 million level representative for the coming quarters as well?

Speaker #3: Yeah, not fully. So, we have some sort of non-allocated costs that have been increasing during the first quarter. Some are related to IT expenses that have been part of our shared function–related non-allocated costs.

Taru Lehtinen: Well, not fully. So we have some non-allocated costs that have been increasing during the first quarter. Some related to IT expenses that has been the part of our shared function related non-allocated costs, and that's the reason more like this kind of- Not like one time, but having this comparability not fully comparable. Then there's, of course, we are not allocating all these personal plans to our businesses and due to the fact that our businesses has been growing nicely, also the cost for those plans has been increasing.

Speaker #3: And that's the reason—more like this kind of, not like one time, but having this comparability not fully comparable. And then, of course, we are not allocating all these kinds of personnel plans to our businesses, and due to the fact that our businesses have been growing nicely, also the cost for those plans has been increasing.

Speaker #2: So, to summarize that question, a short answer is that without the numbers, we haven't, and we don't have any plan to increase the central management staff or other resources.

Kai Telanne: To summarize that question, a short answer is that without the numbers, we haven't and we don't have any plan to increase the central management staff or other resources. So we are really disciplined in that. All the cost that you can see there are the ones that we share or the activities where the cost comes are actually the ones that we share with the businesses altogether. So we do the common platforms or underlying infrastructure.

Speaker #2: So we are really, really disciplined in that. So all the costs that you can see there are the ones that we share, or the activities where the costs come from are actually the ones that we share with the businesses altogether.

Speaker #2: So we do the common, like common platforms or underlying infrastructure.

Speaker #4: So, just to make it clear, should we expect 4 million for the coming quarters as well?

Pia Rosqvist-Heinsalmi: So, just to make it clear, should we expect EUR 4 million for the coming quarters as well or

Speaker #3: No, no. You should not expect that yet.

Kai Telanne: No, you should not expect that.

Taru Lehtinen: No, you should not expect that.

Speaker #4: Thank you.

Taru Lehtinen: Yeah. Thank you.

Pia Rosqvist-Heinsalmi: Yeah. Thank you.

Speaker #2: This is Indress. One more question related to career and invoicing development. We see an uptick in the slide where you have the graph on invoicing.

Petri Gostowski: Petri Gostowski from Inderes. One more question related to Career and the invoicing development. We see an uptick in the slide where you have the graph on invoicing. If you could talk about the momentum there in demand, how did you see it in Q2 and lately?

Speaker #2: If you could talk about the momentum there in demand. How did you see it in Q2 and lately?

Speaker #1: Let's get the slide up. So as Kai pointed out, markets differ from each other. The current growth is driven especially by the Czech market, which is growing well even in its own situation. The market itself is at a high. The GDPR is growing. At the same time, we see, for the first time in a couple of years, our own volume growth in the Czech market.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: Let's get the slide up. As Kai pointed out, markets differ from each other. The current growth is driven especially by Czech market, which is growing well. Even it's in its own situation that the market itself is in a high, the GDP is growing. At the same time, we see for the first time in a couple of years, our own volume growth in Czech market. The volume growth, however, is less than our own invoicing growth, so we are increasing ARPA, which comes from our new packaging in Czech market. It comes from new services that we've introduced, services like Nettix. It's a combination of factors. But it's not only driven by Czech market, even though it's the strongest market. The Baltics, especially Latvia and Estonia, are recovering well. At the moment, we have markets that are more flattish.

Speaker #1: The volume growth, however, is less than our own invoicing growth. So we are increasing ARPA, which comes from our new packaging in the Czech market.

Speaker #1: It comes from new services that we've introduced—services like Nelly South. It's a combination of factors, but it's not only driven by the Czech market, even though it's the strongest market.

Speaker #1: The Baltics, especially Latvia and Estonia, are recovering well. At the moment, we have markets that are more flattish. Slovakia and Croatia are the ones that we are fighting to start to get into growth.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: Slovakia and Croatia are the ones that we are fighting to start get them into the growth. Then there are small markets that are also in decline. Kai mentioned Finland. Lithuania is one of those as well. It's a mix of these markets, but the tech growth at the moment is so strong that it helps the whole group to grow, but there are also other supporting markets to do the same.

Speaker #1: And then there are small markets that are also in decline. Kai mentioned Finland; Lithuania is one of those as well. So it's a mix of these markets, but the Czech growth at the moment is so strong that it helps the whole group to grow.

Speaker #1: But there are also other supporting markets to do the same.

Speaker #4: Okay. Any more questions? Does Santo want to add something?

Taru Lehtinen: Okay. Any more questions? Does Santtu want to add on something?

Santtu Elsinen: Still waiting for-

Santtu Elsinen: Yep.

Speaker #2: Yes. The change that you asked about actually occurred last year, so I am taking a bit of time.

Santtu Elsinen: The change that you are on actually occurred July last year. I am getting a bit of

Kai Telanne: Okay. You take your time. We move on to the online questions. If you pass the microphone for Teemu. Thank you.

Speaker #4: Okay, you take your time. We'll move on to the online questions, so if you could pass the microphone to Teemu. Thank you.

Speaker #2: Thank you. We have plenty of online questions, which is also obviously a good thing. First of all, Sanna, if you’re out there, I hope you’re already happy with the guidance questions, because this is very much what Pia asked.

Teemu Salmi: Thank you. We have plenty of online questions, which is also obviously a good thing. First of all, Sanna, if you are out there, I hope you are happy already with the guidance questions, because this is very much what will be asked. Please let me know if you are not that unhappy. If you are unhappy, let me know and we will do that again. Going to Sanna Perälä from Nordea Markets. Her questions goes as follows. Let's start with Career. In Career, the EBIT margin was stable year-on-year despite sales growth. What are the key levers to expand margins in the near future? Vesku. I know the answer, but you can answer.

Speaker #2: So, but please let me know if you're not unhappy. If you are unhappy, let me know and we'll do that again. But now, going to Sanna Perälä from Nordea Market.

Speaker #2: Her question is as follows: Let's start with Career. In Career, the EBIT margin was stable year on year despite sales growth. What are the key levers to expand margins in the near future?

Speaker #1: Let's go. I know the answer, but you can answer. Thank you. As Kai pointed out, we did protect the profitability at the moment, keeping it the same.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: Thank you. As Kai pointed out, we did protect the profitability at the moment, keeping it the same. The reason behind is are the investments that we are doing mainly in two fronts. One is that we are investing in cloud technology, moving all of our local services and server bases into an Amazon cloud environment. The most heavy lifting was done on that last year and this year. This year, our tech environment is then all in Amazon, and that helps us to reduce some double costing. The second investment area is our common platform, which means that our job boards are run by central system, not by local systems. In this, we are still in progress. This year, we have seen our tech systems be running from the common platform, and integration of the other countries continue this year.

Speaker #1: The reason behind this is the investments that we are making, mainly on two fronts. One is that we are investing in cloud technology, moving all of our local services and server bases into an Amazon cloud environment.

Speaker #1: The most heavy lifting was done on that last year and this year. This year, our Czech environment is then all in Amazon, and that helps us to reduce some double costing.

Speaker #1: Then the second investment area is our common platform, which means that our job boards are run by a central system, not by local systems. In this, we are still in progress.

Speaker #1: This year, we have seen our Czech systems be running from the common platform, and integration of the other countries will continue this year and next year, maybe lasting into the beginning of '28.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: Next year may be last in the beginning of 2028. These are the areas of us decreasing our investments in upcoming quarters and years, helping us to then leverage the profitability.

Speaker #1: So, these are the areas where we are decreasing our investments in the upcoming quarters and years, helping us to then leverage profitability.

Speaker #2: Good. So let's go. Actually, you can keep the microphone for a little bit longer. So, Sanna also asked, in euro terms, how large ECT cost savings are we talking about by the end of the year in Career?

Teemu Salmi: Good. Vesku, actually, you can keep the microphone for a little bit longer. Sanna also asked, in euro terms, how large ICT cost savings are we talking about by the end of the year in Career? This might go to Taru or to you. What do you reckon?

Teemu Salmi: Good. Vesa, actually, you can keep the microphone for a little bit longer. Sanna also asked, in euro terms, how large ICT cost savings are we talking about by the end of the year in Career? This might go to Taru or to you. What do you reckon?

Speaker #2: Now, this might go to Taru, or to you. What do you reckon?

Speaker #1: I will let Taru take that one.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: I will let Taru take that one.

Taru Lehtinen: Okay. Thank you. Can you repeat the question, please?

Speaker #3: Okay, thank you. Can you repeat the question, please?

Speaker #2: Yes. In euro terms, how large are the ICT cost savings we're talking about by the end of the year? In carryover.

Teemu Salmi: Yes. In EUR terms, how large ICT cost savings are we talking about by the end of the year?

Taru Lehtinen: This year.

Teemu Salmi: In Career?

Speaker #3: This year.

Taru Lehtinen: This year.

Speaker #2: Yes, at the end of the year.

Taru Lehtinen: Yes.

Speaker #3: Yeah. Yeah. We are not expecting that high ICT cost decreases during this year. The main contributor will be the effect starting in Q2 2027 onwards.

Taru Lehtinen: Yeah. We are not expecting that high ICT cost decreases during this year. The main contributor will be effect on 2027 onwards.

Speaker #1: That is correct. Let me just continue quickly. The structure is such that this year we are basically building up Amazon cloud space with our infrastructure, moving from locally hosted platforms.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: That is correct. Let me just continue quickly. The structure is so that this year we are basically building up Amazon cloud space with our infrastructure from local hosted platforms, and the local hosted platforms will be driven down to zero in Czechia by the end of the year. Double costing is more or less the full year impact.

Speaker #1: And the locally hosted platforms will be driven down to zero in Czechia by the end of the year. So double costing is more or less for the full year.

Speaker #1: Impact.

Speaker #2: So, we are talking about next year's costs being higher than this year's costs. We have actually disclosed or talked about the number, and it's close to €1 million from the cloud migration.

Kai Telanne: We are talking about next year's costs more than this year's cost. We have actually disclosed or talked about the number, and it is close to EUR 1 million from the cloud migration. Now we have overlapping costs close to that, and by the end of 2027, from that part, we will get rid of those. Then the time shows us how much do we need to spend or invest into other areas, like for developing the common platform further. That is then the planning process for the coming years. But the good thing is that we are more or less in schedule with the transformation from local to common platform, and that process is developing according to plan. Vessku, am I correct? Yes. Good. All right.

Speaker #2: So now we have overlapping costs close to that, and by the end of '27, from that part we will get rid of those.

Speaker #2: Then the time shows us how much we need to spend or invest into other areas, like for developing the common platform further. That is then the planning process for the coming years.

Speaker #2: But the good thing is that we are more or less on schedule with the transformation from local to common platform, and that process is developing according to plan.

Speaker #2: Let's go, my correct. Yes, good. All right. Is the microphone still closed? Because this is also exciting—who's going to answer? But this is also from Sanna.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: Is the microphone still close? Because this is also exciting who is going to answer it. But this is also from Sanna, also on Career. In which geographies do you still see room for pricing and productization actions, and when should we expect them to realize? If I got the question correct, where do we see still room for productization, meaning maybe product development? The answer is in everywhere. The time is really moving, also recruitment business. That means, and it goes back to Kai's previous point, we also do have to invest in the platform and the future features. AI is coming into recruiting heavily. We are keeping ourselves in that pace, but that requires investments. However, as I mentioned, Czechia is growing the best, and it is because of a great productization, if we can use that word, in Czech.

Speaker #2: Also, on career, in which geographies do you still see room for pricing and productization actions, and when should we expect them to be realized?

Speaker #1: If I got the question correct, where do we see still room for productization, meaning maybe product development? The answer is everywhere. The times are really, really moving—also in the recruitment business.

Speaker #1: And that means, and that goes back to Kai's previous point, we also do have to invest in the platform and future features. AI is coming into recruiting heavily.

Speaker #1: We are keeping ourselves at that pace, but that requires investments. However, as I mentioned, Czechia is growing the best, and it's because of a great product—productization, if you can use that word—in Czech.

Speaker #1: We have the best portfolio, the best monetization of that portfolio, and now with the platform we are actually able to take those features and the monetization to other regions and countries.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: We have the best portfolio, the best monetization of that portfolio, and now with the platform, we are actually able to take those features and the monetization to other regions and countries, starting from the beginning of next year. That itself should bring us ARPA benefits and also other benefits, volume benefits, even in the countries where the platform is taking place. That doesn't take away the need to keep investing in the features of the future.

Speaker #1: Starting from the beginning of next year. So that itself should bring us ARPA benefits, and also other volume benefits, even in the countries where the platform is taking place.

Speaker #1: But that doesn't take away the need to keep investing in the features of the future.

Speaker #2: One thing, or idea, or way of thinking is that we can actually reveal the way of thinking at the moment. On that side, we have been serving the companies really well.

Kai Telanne: One thing or idea or way of thinking is we can actually reveal the way of thinking at the moment on that side is that we've been serving really well the companies for the labor activities and demands for years. The paying customers. The services platforms are really good for the companies. We have to admit that we are focused on there and for them, but the services for employees, they are maybe not that developed that they should be in our mind, or at least in that perspective, and we have to concentrate more on that side. We'll do a lot in order to serve the whole scene better than we do at the moment. We can easily see that the new investments and the focus will shift more on serving the private customers, right, Vessku? You can continue.

Speaker #2: For the labor activities and demands for years, so the paying customers, the services in our platforms are really good for the companies. But we have to admit that we are focused on them and for them, but the services for employees—

Speaker #2: They are maybe not that developed that they should be in our mind, or at least in the perspective, and we have to concentrate more on that side. And we do—we will do a lot in order to serve the whole scene.

Speaker #2: Better than we do at the moment, and we can easily see that the new investments and the focus will shift more on serving the private customers, right, Vesco?

Speaker #2: You can continue.

Speaker #1: Correct. In the era of AI, data quality is a big question. And it's not enough to offer just blind traffic to the customers.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: Correct. In the era of AI, the data quality is a big question.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: It's not enough to offer just blind traffic to the customers. More and more, it's a question of what do you know about the job seekers and high-quality information you are providing. Our investments have to be growing in the area of job seeker data and job seeker services for us to be able to gain better data on the job seekers and serve in that way, not just the customers, but their ATS systems, the AI itself, and so forth.

Speaker #1: More and more, it's a question of what do you know about the job seekers and the high-quality information you are providing. So our investments have to be growing in the area of job seeker data and job seeker services for us to be able to gain better data on the job seekers and serve in that way, not just the customers but their ATS systems, the AI itself, and so forth.

Speaker #2: Yep. Okay, let's move on to housing. Diaz grew in Q2. Is this mainly market share gains, or do you see signs of increasing action in the market?

Kai Telanne: Yep. Okay. Let's move on to the housing. DIAS grew in Q2. Is this mainly market share gains, or do you see signs of increasing action in the market?

Teemu Salmi: Santtu. Jorgen Ashner.

Speaker #1: So, is this on? You can—good. So, I would say that it's more of a market share gain; people are more keen to do property trades this way.

Santtu Elsinen: Is this on, Jorgen?

Kai Telanne: Yes.

Santtu Elsinen: Well, I would say that it's more of a market share gain. People are more keen to do property trades this way than the actual market growing. If you look into the overall trade figures in Finland, they have been declining for many months. Although we saw some small rebound during July, still the figures are over -10%. We have had good successes during July. People are more keen to trade from their summer cottages than actually go to the bank, so it helps us a bit.

Speaker #1: ...than the actual market growing. So, if you look into the overall trade figures in Finland, they have been declining for many months, and although we saw some small rebound during July, still the figures are over minus 10%.

Speaker #1: So, but we have had good successes during July. People are more keen to trade from their summer cottages than actually go to the bank.

Speaker #1: So it helps us a bit.

Speaker #2: So, the transformation in the housing market is happening from the traditional way of doing the transaction to the digital platforms, and that is obvious. Of course, we knew that would happen, and that's why we invested in the area.

Kai Telanne: The transformation in the housing market is happening from the traditional way of doing the transaction to the digital platforms, and that is obvious. Of course, we knew that that will happen, and that's why we invested in there. The area. Okay.

Speaker #2: Okay, okay. A few more from Sanna. We've partly covered this, but I'm going to ask it aloud anyways. Let's see if we can add to that question.

Teemu Salmi: Okay. A few more from Sanna, and we partly covered it, but I am going to ask it aloud anyways. Let's see if we can add to that question. How much room of improvement do you still see from normal cost discipline across the group? When will these benefits start to diminish so that we would be looking more at the benefits from AI development?

Speaker #2: How much room for improvement do you still see from normal cost discipline across the group, and when will these benefits start to diminish so that we would be looking more at the benefits from AI development?

Speaker #1: So we are developing the way of working. So, redesigning the work, and that of course contains the process development and the tech development hand in hand.

Kai Telanne: We are developing the way of working, so redesigning the work, and that of course, contains the process development and the tech development hand in hand. It is really difficult to say that this comes from the normal way of improving the processes and this comes from the AI. This is a combination, but the Alma way is that we will improve all the time and every day. This is a continuous improvement that we are going to continue. I do not see that ending ever. That will happen, and we see that happens here all the time. This is a really result-oriented company, so everybody understands that in order to keep in the forefront, you have to do things better all the time.

Speaker #1: So it's really difficult to say that this comes from the normal way of improving the processes and this comes from AI. This is a combination, but the Alma way is that we will improve all the time and every day.

Speaker #1: This is a continuous improvement that we're going to continue. I don't see that ending ever, so that will happen. It happens here all the time.

Speaker #1: This is a really results-oriented company, so everybody understands that in order to stay at the forefront, you have to do things better all the time.

Speaker #1: So now the focus is on redesigning work so that we can apply the newest technology together with human capacity in the best possible way, and we have a lot of initiatives in that.

Kai Telanne: Now the focus is on redesigning work so that we can apply the newest technology together with the human capacity the best possible way, and we have a lot of initiatives in that. That, of course, touches the leadership. How do we lead the business in the new era? What does it mean when you try to redesign the work? How to redesign the work and how do you lead the business where you have the human capacity and the agencies and agents around you? It is a different game. But for Sanna, I would say that the normal productivity game does not end ever. We try to speed up the productivity improvement with the help of AI. That is to summarize the way.

Speaker #1: And that, of course, touches on leadership. How do we lead the business in the new era? What does it mean when you try to redesign the work?

Speaker #1: How do you redesign the work? And how do you lead the business when you have the human capacity, the agencies, and the agents around you?

Speaker #1: It's a different game. But for Sanna, I would say that the normal productivity game doesn't ever end, and we try to speed up the productivity improvements with the help of AI.

Speaker #1: That is to summarize the way. So, and we all understand and we know from your own organizations that there are parts of the organization, or individuals, that are these kind of 10x people, and then they are the ones who start to take the new technology and everything in between.

Kai Telanne: And we all understand, and we know from your own organizations that they are part of the organization or individuals that are this kind of 10x people, and then they are the ones who start to take the new technology and everything in between. The question is that how do you get the whole teams or the whole businesses in the forefront together so that we can show that now this works as we planned and we can deliver the customer value as planned and expected as a team for the customer, not as an individual. That is the leadership issue more or less, not a resource issue. We have all the money to spend for the AI and the deployment. That is not the problem. It is about human understanding and capacity to lead and apply.

Speaker #1: And the question is: how do you get the whole teams, or the whole businesses, at the forefront together so that we can show that now this works as we planned and we can deliver the customer value as planned and expected as a team.

Speaker #1: For the customer, not as an individual. And that's the leadership issue, more or less—not a resource issue. We have all the money to spend for the AI and the deployment.

Speaker #1: That's not the problem. It's about human understanding, capacity to lead, and apply.

Speaker #2: Thank you. And the final one from Sanna Perä, Nordea Markets. You still have around 4 percentage points to your margin target. What part of this is still in your own hands, and how much do you need help from the market?

Teemu Salmi: Thank you. The final one from Sanna Perälä, Nordea Markets. You still have around 4 percentage points to your margin target. What part of this is still in your own hands, and how much do you need help from the market?

Speaker #1: We don't count on—we don't need—the market in the long term. So I would say that all this, to the target of 30%, is in our own hands.

Kai Telanne: We do not count on or we do not need the market in long term. So I would say that all this to the target of 30% is on our own hands. It is about schedule more than ever. So we have a good plan to reach 30% target with our own initiatives. But of course, if the market helps us, we will get there sooner than we maybe expected.

Speaker #1: It's about schedule more than ever. So, we have a good plan to reach the 30% target with our own initiatives. But of course, if the market helps us, we will get there sooner than we may have expected.

Speaker #2: Thank you. Then, moving on, we have a question from Joona Harjamaa at OP Financial Group, and this goes to Taru, actually. Can you quantify how much realized synergy contributed to the Marketplace's EBIT improvement in Q2, and how large was this mix effect?

Teemu Salmi: Thank you. Moving on. We have questions from Joona Harjama, OP Financial Group, and this goes to Taru, actually. Can you quantify how much realized synergies contributed to Alma Marketplaces' EBIT improvement in Q2, and how large was this mix effect?

Speaker #3: Yes. So we were restructuring our operations in the last summer. So the effect for the synergies was fully seen in H1. And the annual effect is something around 1 million euro not exact amount but that's like the level of the synergies.

Taru Lehtinen: Yes. We were restructuring our operations in the last summer. The effect for the synergies was fully seen in H1. The annual effect is something around EUR 1 million, not exact amount, but that is like the level of the synergies. Then about the question about the product mix and the cost discipline action, of course, quite difficult to answer. But maybe I would advise to look at our revenue line. The classified revenues and digital service revenues are really scalable from the profitability point of view. Of course, there are some sales-related costs, but they are scalable. Then other items, for example, are really having a heavy cost load in a margin point of view. But this type of separation of good margin products and cost discipline actions, it is like half and half, I would say.

Speaker #3: And then, regarding the question about the mixed product mix and the cost discipline actions, of course it's quite difficult to answer. But maybe I would advise you to look at our revenue lines.

Speaker #3: So the classified revenues and digital service revenues are really scalable from the profitability point of view. Of course, there are some sales-related costs, but they are scalable.

Speaker #3: And then other items, for example, are really having a full, heavy cost load from a margin point of view. But this type of separation of good margin products and cost discipline actions, it's like half and half, I would say.

Speaker #2: Okay, thank you. Two questions from Joona. News media content sales grew 3% year-on-year, which is a clear step up in growth compared to previous quarters.

Teemu Salmi: Okay. Thank you. Two questions from Joona. News media content sales grew 3% year-on-year, which is a clear step-up in growth if compared to previous quarters. Can you give us some color? What was driving this? What changed between Q1 and Q2?

Speaker #2: Now, can you give us some color on what was driving this? What changed between Q1 and Q2?

Speaker #1: Good question. Is this on? Yes. So, I want first to remind everybody that we have been growing—we have been able to grow the digital content sales by 9 to 10 percent quarter by quarter, actually.

Kai Telanne: Good question. Is this on? Yes. I want first to remind everybody that we have been able to grow the digital content sales like 9% to 10% quarter by quarter, actually.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: Good question. Is this on? Yes. I want first to remind everybody that we have been able to grow the digital content sales like 9% to 10% quarter by quarter, actually.

Speaker #1: So the growth has been strong for a couple of years already. Last year, we passed the 50% threshold between digital and print, and that helps us in the future to get the content sales really growing again.

Kai Telanne: The growth has been strong a couple of years already.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: The growth has been strong a couple of years already.

Kai Telanne: Last year, we passed the 50% threshold between digital and print, that helps us in the future to get the content sales really growing again. Maybe this was a good intro, but there was also one smaller item in Q2, which was Iltalehti single copy sales, which underperformed in Q1, actually. So we lost some market share, but we got it back during Q2. Iltalehti single copy sales is still the biggest single content product in print that we have. That is quite interesting also because there have been these kind of market changes because of new products in crosswords. I do not know if that is a really right term for the ristisanat, but there is a lot of competition in ristisanat market right now.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: Last year, we passed the 50% threshold between digital and print, that helps us in the future to get the content sales really growing again. Maybe this was a good intro, but there was also one smaller item in Q2, which was Iltalehti single copy sales, which underperformed in Q1, actually. So we lost some market share, but we got it back during Q2. Iltalehti single copy sales is still the biggest single content product in print that we have. That is quite interesting also because there have been these kind of market changes because of new products in crosswords. I do not know if that is a really right term for the ristisanat, but there is a lot of competition in ristisanat market right now.

Speaker #1: And maybe this was a good intro, but there was also one smaller item in the second quarter, which was Iltalehti single copy sales, which underperformed in the first quarter, actually.

Speaker #1: So, we lost some market share, but we got it back during the second quarter, and Iltalehti single copy sales is still the biggest single content product in print that we have.

Speaker #1: So, and that's quite interesting also, because there have been these kinds of market changes because of new products in crosswords. I don't know if that is a real right term for the Risti Sanat, but there's a lot of competition in the Risti Sanat market right now.

Speaker #1: So, we did make some changes during the second quarter, and then we got it back. That's interesting. But the main thing is that digital is growing fast, and we did good new product development also, including, for example, Kauppalehti Premium, which is really doing good work right now.

Kai Telanne: We did some changes during Q2, then we got it back, but that is interesting. The main thing is that the digital is growing fast, we did-

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: We did some changes during Q2, then we got it back, but that is interesting. The main thing is that the digital is growing fast, we did-

Kai Telanne: good new product development also, including, for example, Kauppalehti Premium, which is really doing good work right now. So we are heading forward with the digital. Thank you.

Vesa-Pekka Kirsi: good new product development also, including, for example, Kauppalehti Premium, which is really doing good work right now. So we are heading forward with the digital. Thank you.

Speaker #1: So, we are heading forward with the digital. Thank you.

Speaker #2: Okay, let's go for the final question. This is also from Joona. Can you discuss your recent approach and pricing? Have you been more aggressive than earlier, or still a bit cautious as the market has not significantly picked up yet?

Teemu Salmi: Okay. Let us go for the final question. This is also from Joona Harjama. Can you discuss your recent approach on pricing? Have you been more aggressive than earlier or still a bit cautious as the market has not significantly picked up yet?

Speaker #1: Well, I can give the overall answer on the strategy and the way we are thinking and working. We are very careful and cautious with the list prices.

Kai Telanne: Well, I can give the overall answer of the strategy and the way we are thinking and working. We are very careful and cautious with the list prices. You can actually increase the list prices more or less with the rate of inflation, right? That is understandable that the list prices can get up if the market is favorable. The way of working with the prices and product is the productization. As Santtu, Vesku, and Jipe told you, we maneuver with the business portfolio all the time. For the Alma News Media, one of the profitability improvement is a reason of a good portfolio management. To say, we get rid of the underperforming print businesses or other businesses, and we increase the focus on growing profitable digital businesses. That brings up maybe the pricing as well.

Speaker #1: So, you can actually increase the list prices more or less in line with the rate of inflation. So, it's understandable that the list prices can go up if the market is favorable.

Speaker #1: But then, the way of working with the prices and products is productization. So, as Santtu and Vesku and JP told you, we maneuver with the business portfolio all the time.

Speaker #1: So one of the—like, for the news media, one of the profitability improvements is a result of good portfolio management. So, we, so to say, get rid of the underperforming print businesses or other businesses, and then we increase the focus on growing profitable digital businesses.

Speaker #1: So that brings up maybe the pricing as well, and then the productization. Like Vesku said, the main growth from the carrier didn't come only from the volume.

Kai Telanne: The productization. Like Vesku said that the growth from the Alma Career didn't come only from the volume. In Alma Career Czech Republic, there are slight volume increase, but most of, or at least half of maybe or more, two-thirds or something of the growth comes from the good product mix and the productization, product price development. With the packaging, as we can call it, the packaging. We encourage our customers to step up with the products to a higher value product. There is always room for this kind of product innovations and packaging in every business, and that's the main reason for our ability. We are not yet there. We are not the best ones in the world in the packaging and pricing, but we are getting there step by step. There's good understanding of our ways of doing that.

Speaker #1: They are in the Czech Republic. There is a slight volume increase, but most of, or at least half, maybe more—two thirds or something—of the growth comes from the good product mix and the productization, product price development.

Speaker #1: So with the baggaging, as we can call it—the baggaging—so we encourage our customers to step up with the products to a higher value product.

Speaker #1: So, there's always room for this kind of product innovations and packaging in every business. And that's the main reason for our ability.

Speaker #1: And we are not yet there. So we are not the best ones in the world in packaging and pricing, but we are getting there step by step.

Speaker #1: There's good understanding of our ways of doing that. We have to be price competitive, of course, so you have to be careful always that you don't do stupid things.

Kai Telanne: We have to be price competitive, of course, so you have to be careful always that you don't do stupid things. Increasing the quality of the prices with the good reach, you can increase the prices as well. To summarize, there is still room for price increases as well. Any other questions? Santtu, can-

Speaker #1: But with increasing the quality of the prices and the good reach, you can increase the prices as well. So, to summarize, there is still room for price increases as well.

Speaker #1: Any other questions? Santtu can.

Speaker #4: If there are no other questions, I'll let Santtu continue.

Teemu Salmi: No other questions. I let Santtu continue.

Speaker #1: Comment on the.

Kai Telanne: comment on the-

Speaker #2: Okay, so to comment on the earlier question about the overall volumes of the ads in mobility services: the change we have pretty much seen is a similar level of ads for the past 10 months or so.

Santtu Elsinen: Okay. To comment on the earlier question about the overall volumes of the ads in mobility services, the change, we have pretty much seen a similar level of ads for the past 10 months or so. The change year-on-year happened basically last autumn, and this is attributable mostly to heavy machinery and also to boats to a certain extent. The markets have been dire for the customers, so no change in cars on an overall level, but some fairly sizable changes with the heavy machinery and some changes in the boats. Also, the ads from the private individuals are on a bit more lower level than they have been a year ago. But the ads from the professional companies or dealerships, et cetera, are on the same level or been growing a bit.

Speaker #2: The change year on year happened basically last autumn, and this is attributable mostly to heavy machinery and also to boats to a certain extent.

Speaker #2: The markets have been dire for the customers. So, no change in cars on an overall level, but some fairly sizable changes with the heavy machinery, and some changes in the boats.

Speaker #2: Also to add, the private individuals are on a bit lower level than they were a year ago. But the ads from the professional companies or dealerships, etc., are on the same level or even growing a bit.

Speaker #1: Okay. Good.

Kai Telanne: Yeah, good.

Santtu Elsinen: And maybe to add to the private customers that actually we have been changing the business model there, which has affected there. As an overall, the average price has been increasing in connection with this change.

Speaker #3: And maybe to add to this.

Speaker #4: Private customers, actually, we have been changing the business model there, which has affected their... so overall, the average price has been increasing in connection with this change.

Speaker #2: All right. Other questions? Are there any? No other questions? In that case, I thank you very much for your attention and wish you all a pleasant week.

Kai Telanne: All right. Other questions, are there any? No other questions. In that case, I thank you very much for your attention and wish you all a pleasant week. We will see you next time with the Q3 interim report event. Thank you very much.

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Q2 2026 Alma Media Oyj Earnings Call

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