Q1 Activated Media Spend Up 12%
Q1 Contribution ex-TAC in Line and Adjusted EBITDA Above Guidance
NEW YORK – May 4, 2022 – Criteo S.A. (NASDAQ: CRTO) (“Criteo” or the “Company”), the commerce media company, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022.
First Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights:
The following table summarizes our consolidated financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2022:
“We are off to a solid start in 2022 and continue to move full steam ahead to scale our Commerce Media Platform and Retail Media capabilities. With our unique access to over $1 trillion of e-commerce sales, 16 years of commerce-focused AI expertise, reaching 725 million daily active users, we’re enabling our clients to capitalize on the next big evolution in advertising,” said Megan Clarken, Chief Executive Officer.
Operating Highlights
• Retail Media Contribution ex-TAC grew 48% year-over-year at constant currency2, and same-retailer Contribution ex-TAC3 for Retail Media increased 51% year-over-year.
• Marketing Solutions Contribution ex-TAC grew 2% year-over-year at constant currency2.
• We expanded our platform adoption with large marketplaces and retailers, including Flipkart and eBay.
• We signed a global partnership with Ascential and a U.S. partnership with another large agency holding company to accelerate the demand and supply growth of our Retail Media business.
• Criteo’s activated media spend4 by the Commerce Media Platform for marketers and media owners was over $2.7 billion in the last 12 months and $645 million in Q1, growing 12% at constant currency2.
• We had 725 million Daily Active Users (DAUs), over 60% of which on the web are addressable through media owners we have direct access to, as we continue to build Criteo’s first-party commerce media network.
• Brian Gleason was appointed Chief Revenue Officer to lead Criteo’s global commercial organization.
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1 Contribution ex-TAC, Contribution ex-TAC margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted diluted EPS and Free Cash Flow are not measures calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
2 Constant currency measures exclude the impact of foreign currency fluctuations and is computed by applying the 2021 average exchange rates for the relevant period to 2022 figures.
3 Same-client profitability or Contribution ex-TAC is the profitability or Contribution ex-TAC generated by clients that were live with us in a given quarter and are still live with us the same quarter in the following year.
4 Activated media spend is defined as the sum of our Marketing Solutions revenue and the media spend activated on behalf of our Retail Media clients.
Financial Summary
Revenue for Q1 2022 was $511 million, gross profit was $184 million and Contribution ex-TAC was $217 million. Net income for Q1 was $21 million, or $0.32 per share on a diluted basis. Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 was $63 million, resulting in an adjusted diluted EPS of $0.53. At constant currency, Revenue for Q1 decreased by 1%, gross profit increased 8% and Contribution ex-TAC increased by 6%. Cash flow from operating activities was $75 million and Free Cash Flow was $69 million, up 9% in Q1, representing a Free Cash Flow conversion rate of 110% of Adjusted EBITDA. As of March 31, 2022, we had $621 million in cash and marketable securities on our balance sheet.
Sarah Glickman, Chief Financial Officer, said, “We delivered solid top-line performance, profitability and free cash flow in the first quarter despite a slower macro environment and the suspension of our Russia operations. During the quarter, we resumed the execution of our share repurchase program which was extended earlier this year as part of our commitment to drive shareholder value. Overall, we are confident in our growth outlook as we continue to scale and execute on our Commerce Media Platform strategy.”
First Quarter 2022 Results
Revenue, Gross Profit and Contribution ex-TAC
Revenue decreased by 6% year-over-year in Q1 2022, or 1% at constant currency, to $511 million (Q1 2021: $541 million). Gross profit increased by 3% year-over-year in Q1 2022, or 8% at constant currency, to $184 million (Q1 2021: $179 million). Gross profit as a percentage of revenue, or gross profit margin, was 36% (Q1 2021: 33%). Contribution ex-TAC in the first quarter increased 2% year-over-year, or 6% at constant currency, to $217 million (Q1 2021: $213 million). Contribution ex-TAC as a percentage of revenue, or Contribution ex-TAC margin, was 42% (Q1 2021: 39%), up 280 basis points year-over-year, largely driven by Retail Media and the acceleration of our client transition to the Company’s platform.
• Marketing Solutions revenue decreased 4%, or increased 1% at constant currency, and Marketing Solutions Contribution ex-TAC decreased 3%, or increased 2% at constant currency, driven by healthy demand from Retail clients, partially offset by anticipated identity and privacy changes and the suspension of the Company’s operations in Russia.
• Retail Media revenue decreased 19%, or 18% at constant currency, reflecting the impact related to the ongoing client migration to the Company’s platform. Retail Media Contribution ex-TAC increased 46%, or 48% at constant currency, driven by continued strength in Retail Media onsite, new client integrations and growing network effects of the platform.
Net Income and Adjusted Net Income
Net income was $21 million in Q1 2022 (Q1 2021: $23 million). Net income margin as a percentage of revenue was 4% (Q1 2021: 4%). Net income available to shareholders of Criteo was $21 million, or $0.32 per share on a diluted basis (Q1 2021: $22 million, or $0.35 per share on a diluted basis).
Adjusted net income, or net income adjusted to eliminate the impact of equity awards compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, acquisition-related costs, restructuring related and transformation costs and the tax impact of these adjustments, was $34 million, or $0.53 per share on a diluted basis (Q1 2021: $43 million, or $0.67 per share on a diluted basis).
Adjusted EBITDA and Operating Expenses
Adjusted EBITDA was $63 million, above the high end of the Company’s guidance, representing a decrease of 17% year-over-year, or 12% at constant currency, (Q1 2021: $76 million). This was driven by growth investments including a higher headcount, partially offset by higher Contribution ex-TAC over the period. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of Contribution ex-TAC, or Adjusted EBITDA margin, was 29% (Q1 2021: 36%).
Operating expenses increased 8% year-over-year to $156 million (Q1 2021: $144 million), mostly driven by higher headcount-related expense, including equity awards compensation expense, balanced with effective cost management. Operating expenses, excluding the impact of equity awards compensation expense, pension costs, acquisition-related costs, restructuring related and transformation costs, and depreciation and amortization, which we refer to as Non-GAAP operating expenses, increased by 15% or $18 million, to $136 million (Q1 2021: $118 million).
Cash Flow, Cash and Financial Liquidity Position
Cash flow from operating activities decreased 3% year-over-year to $75 million in Q1 2022 (Q1 2021: $77 million).
Free Cash Flow, defined as cash flow from operating activities less acquisition of intangible assets, property, plant and equipment and change in accounts payable related to intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, increased 9% to $69 million in Q1 2022 (Q1 2021: $64 million), driving a Free Cash Flow conversion rate of 110% of Adjusted EBITDA in 2021 (Q1 2021: 84%).
Cash and cash equivalents increased $74 million compared to December 31, 2021 to $589 million, after spending approximately $8 million on share repurchases in the first quarter of 2022.
As of March 31, 2022, the Company had total financial liquidity of approximately $1 billion, including its cash position, marketable securities, Revolving Credit Facility and treasury shares reserved for M&A.
2022 Business Outlook
The following forward-looking statements reflect Criteo’s expectations as of May 4, 2022.
Second quarter 2022 guidance:
• We expect Contribution ex-TAC between $220 million and $224 million, or year-over-year growth at constant-currency of +4% to +6%.
• We expect Adjusted EBITDA between $49 million and $53 million.
Fiscal year 2022 guidance:
• We now expect Contribution ex-TAC to grow by 8% to 10% at constant currency, reflecting the suspension of our Russia operations and lower Contribution ex-TAC for Europe due to higher traffic acquisition costs for global supply contracts denominated in USD.
• We continue to expect an Adjusted EBITDA margin of approximately 32% of Contribution ex-TAC and a Free Cash Flow conversion rate of about 45% of Adjusted EBITDA.
The above guidance for the second quarter and fiscal year ending December 31, 2022 assumes the following exchange rates for the main currencies impacting our business: a U.S. dollar-euro rate of 0.885, a U.S. dollar-Japanese Yen rate of 117, a U.S. dollar-British pound rate of 0.761, a U.S. dollar-Korean Won rate of 1,190 and a U.S. dollar-Brazilian real rate of 5.30.
The above guidance does not include the acquisition of IPONWEB and assumes that no additional acquisitions are completed during the second quarter of 2022 or the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.
Reconciliations of Contribution ex-TAC, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin guidance to the closest corresponding U.S. GAAP measures are not available without unreasonable efforts on a forward-looking basis due to the high variability, complexity and low visibility with respect to the charges excluded from these non-GAAP measures; in particular, the measures and effects of equity awards compensation expense specific to equity compensation awards that are directly impacted by unpredictable fluctuations in our share price. The variability of the above charges could potentially have a significant impact on our future U.S. GAAP financial results.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release and its attachments include the following financial measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”): Contribution ex-TAC, Contribution ex-TAC margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted diluted EPS, Free Cash Flow and Non-GAAP Operating Expenses. These measures are not calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Contribution ex-TAC is a profitability measure akin to gross profit. It is calculated by deducting traffic acquisition costs from revenue and reconciled to gross profit through the exclusion of other costs of revenue. Contribution ex-TAC is not a measure calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We have included Contribution ex-TAC because it is a key measure used by our management and board of directors to evaluate operating performance, generate future operating plans and make strategic decisions. In particular, we believe that this measure can provide useful measures for period-to-period comparisons of our business.
Accordingly, we believe that Contribution ex-TAC provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our results of operations in the same manner as our management and board of directors.
Adjusted EBITDA is our consolidated earnings before financial income (expense), income taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted to eliminate the impact of equity awards compensation expense, pension service costs and restructuring related and transformation costs.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are key measures used by our management and board of directors to understand and evaluate our core operating performance and trends, to prepare and approve our annual budget and to develop short- and long-term operational plans. In particular, we believe that by eliminating equity awards compensation expense, pension service costs, depreciation and amortization expense, acquisition-related costs and restructuring related and transformation costs, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin can provide useful measures for period-to-period comparisons of our business. Accordingly, we believe that Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin provide useful information to investors and the market generally in understanding and evaluating our results of operations in the same manner as our management and board of directors.
Adjusted Net Income is our net income adjusted to eliminate the impact of equity awards compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, restructuring related and transformation costs and the tax impact of these adjustments. Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted diluted EPS are key measures used by our management and board of directors to evaluate operating performance, generate future operating plans and make strategic decisions regarding the allocation of capital.
In particular, we believe that by eliminating equity awards compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, restructuring related and transformation costs and the tax impact of these adjustments, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted diluted EPS can provide useful measures for period-to-period comparisons of our business. Accordingly, we believe that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted diluted EPS provide useful information to investors and the market generally in understanding and evaluating our results of operations in the same manner as our management and board of directors.
Free Cash Flow is defined as cash flow from operating activities less acquisition of intangible assets, property, plant and equipment and change in accounts payable related to intangible assets, property, plant and equipment. Free Cash Flow Conversion is defined as free cash flow divided by Adjusted EBITDA. Free Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow Conversion are key measures used by our management and board of directors to evaluate the Company’s ability to generate cash. Accordingly, we believe that Free Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow Conversion permit a more complete and comprehensive analysis of our available cash flows.
Non-GAAP Operating Expenses are our consolidated operating expenses adjusted to eliminate the impact of depreciation and amortization, equity awards compensation expense, pension service costs, and restructuring related and transformation costs. The Company uses Non-GAAP Operating Expenses to understand and compare operating results across accounting periods, for internal budgeting and forecasting purposes, for short-term and long-term operational plans, and to assess and measure our financial performance and the ability of our operations to generate cash. We believe Non-GAAP Operating Expenses reflects our ongoing operating expenses in a manner that allows for meaningful period-to-period comparisons and analysis of trends in our business. As a result, we believe that Non-GAAP Operating Expenses provides useful information to investors in understanding and evaluating our core operating performance and trends in the same manner as our management and in comparing financial results across periods. In addition, Non-GAAP Operating Expenses is a key component in calculating Adjusted EBITDA, which is one of the key measures the Company uses to provide its quarterly and annual business outlook to the investment community.
Please refer to the supplemental financial tables provided in the appendix of this press release for a reconciliation of Contribution ex-TAC to gross profit, Adjusted EBITDA to net income, Adjusted Net Income to net income, Free Cash Flow to cash flow from operating activities, and Non-GAAP Operating Expenses to operating expenses, in each case, the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure. Our use of non-GAAP financial measures has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider such non-GAAP measures in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our financial results as reported under U.S. GAAP. Some of these limitations are: 1) other companies, including companies in our industry which have similar business arrangements, may address the impact of TAC differently; and 2) other companies may report Contribution ex-TAC, Contribution ex-TAC margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Free Cash Flow, Non-GAAP Operating Expenses or similarly titled measures but calculate them differently or over different regions, which reduces their usefulness as comparative measures. Because of these and other limitations, you should consider these measures alongside our U.S. GAAP financial results, including revenue and net income.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including projected financial results for the quarter ending June 30, 2022 and the year ending December 31, 2022, our expectations regarding our market opportunity and future growth prospects and other statements that are not historical facts and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: failure related to our technology and our ability to innovate and respond to changes in technology, uncertainty regarding the scope and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our employees, operations, revenue and cash flows, uncertainty regarding our ability to access a consistent supply of internet display advertising inventory and expand access to such inventory, including without limitation uncertainty regarding the timing and scope of proposed changes to and enhancements of the Chrome browser announced by Google, investments in new business opportunities and the timing of these investments, whether the projected benefits of acquisitions materialize as expected, including the successful completion of our acquisition of IPONWEB, uncertainty regarding international growth and expansion (including related to changes in a specific country’s or region’s political or economic conditions), the impact of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, including any resulting sanctions, the impact of competition, uncertainty regarding legislative, regulatory or self-regulatory developments regarding data privacy matters and the impact of efforts by other participants in our industry to comply therewith, the impact of consumer resistance to the collection and sharing of data, our ability to access data through third parties, failure to enhance our brand cost-effectively, recent growth rates not being indicative of future growth, our ability to manage growth, potential fluctuations in operating results, our ability to grow our base of clients, and the financial impact of maximizing Contribution ex-TAC, as well as risks related to future opportunities and plans, including the uncertainty of expected future financial performance and results and those risks detailed from time-to-time under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s SEC filings and reports, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 25, 2022, and in subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as well as future filings and reports by the Company. Importantly, at this time, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on Criteo’s business, financial condition, cash flow and results of operations. There are uncertainties about the duration and the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectations or otherwise.
Conference Call Information
Criteo’s senior management team will discuss the Company’s earnings on a call that will take place today, May 4, 2022, at 8:00 AM ET, 2:00 PM CET. The conference call will be webcast live on the Company’s website at https://criteo.investorroom.com/ and will subsequently be available for replay.
• United States: +1 855 209 8212
• International: +1 412 317 0788
• France: 080-510-2319
Please ask to be joined into the “Criteo” call.
About Criteo
Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) is the global technology company that provides the world’s leading Commerce Media Platform. 2,900 Criteo team members partner with 22,000 marketers and thousands of media owners around the globe to activate the world’s largest set of commerce data to drive better commerce outcomes. By powering trusted and impactful advertising, Criteo brings richer experiences to every consumer while supporting a fair and open internet that enables discovery, innovation and choice. For more information, please visit www.criteo.com.
Contacts
Criteo Investor Relations
Melanie Dambre, Director, Investor Relations, m.dambre@criteo.com
Criteo Public Relations
Jessica Meyers, Director PR, Americas, j.meyers@criteo.com
Download the PDF for financial information
