Record Revenue of $5 Million and Adjusted EBITDA of $1.9 Million
Answers Corporation (NASDAQ: ANSW), creators of the leading answer
engine Answers.com® which includes the properties ReferenceAnswers™ and
WikiAnswers®, today reported unaudited financial results for its second
quarter ended June 30, 2009.
Chairman and CEO Robert S. Rosenschein commented, "Answers had another
excellent quarter, hitting record revenues, with an adjusted EBITDA
margin of 38%. These results highlight the strength of our business
model and the continued growth of WikiAnswers. According to comScore,
even in the summer month of June, our combined sites reached 26.2
million unique U.S. visitors, putting us at #31. We are looking forward
to launching the international versions of WikiAnswers, and we remain
very upbeat about the rest of 2009."
Q2 2009 Financial Results
-
Revenues were $5.00 million in Q2 2009, an increase of 6% compared to
$4.75 million in Q1 2009, and an increase of 67% compared to $3.00
million in Q2 2008.
-
WikiAnswers revenues were $3.40 million in Q2 2009, an increase of 8%
compared to $3.16 million in Q1 2009, and an increase of 127% compared
to $1.50 million in Q2 2008.
-
ReferenceAnswers revenues were $1.59 million in Q2 2009, an increase
of 1% compared to $1.57 million in Q1 2009, and an increase of 7%
compared to $1.49 million in Q2 2008.
-
Adjusted operating expenses in Q2 2009, were $3.11 million, an
increase of 4% compared to $3.00 million in Q1 2009, and a decrease of
15% compared to $3.67 million in Q2 2008.
-
Adjusted EBITDA in Q2 2009 was $1.90 million, an increase of $0.16
million compared to $1.74 million in Q1 2009 and an increase of $2.57
million compared to negative $0.67 million in Q2 2008.
-
GAAP operating income in Q2 2009 was $1.20 million, an increase of
$0.10 million compared to $1.10 million GAAP operating income in Q1
2009 and an increase of $5.81 million compared to $4.61 million GAAP
operating loss in Q2 2008. GAAP operating loss in Q2 2008 included
$3.14 million for the write off of the Brainboost Answer Engine.
-
GAAP net loss in Q2 2009 was $3.62 million, a decrease of $6.66
million, compared to $3.04 million GAAP net income in Q1 2009 and an
improvement of $1.00 million compared to $4.62 million GAAP net loss
in Q2 2008.
See Appendix A of this earnings release for the 2008 and 2009 quarterly
traffic, revenue and RPM data of our two Web properties.
Business Outlook – Third Quarter and Full Year 2009
The following business outlook is based on the Company’s current
information and expectations as of August 4, 2009. Answers undertakes no
obligation to update the outlook, or any portion thereof, prior to the
release of the Company’s next earnings announcement, notwithstanding
subsequent developments; however, Answers may update the outlook or any
portion thereof at any time at its discretion.
|
|
Three months ending
September 30, 2009
|
|
Twelve months ending
December 31, 2009
|
|
|
(in thousands)
|
|
(in thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Revenue
|
$4,600 - $5,200
|
|
$20,500 - $21,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
|
|
|
|
|
GAAP Operating income
|
$450 – $950
|
|
$4,300 – $5,000
|
|
Adjustment to GAAP Operating income:
|
|
|
|
|
Stock-based compensation
|
400
|
|
1,550
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
400
|
|
1,350
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$1,250 – $1,750
|
|
$7,200 – $7,900
|
Conference Call
Answers Corporation will host a conference call web cast today, August
4, 2009, at 8:30 A.M. (Eastern Time) to be broadcast over the Internet
at http://ir.answers.com.
To participate via telephone, please dial 877-440-5784 and
request the Answers call. A replay will be available on the site shortly
after the call.
About Answers Corporation
Answers Corporation (NASDAQ: ANSW) owns and operates Answers.com which
includes the properties ReferenceAnswers
and WikiAnswers.
The award-winning ReferenceAnswers includes content on millions of
topics from over 250 licensed sources from leading publishers, including
Houghton Mifflin Company, Barron's and Encyclopedia Britannica.
ReferenceAnswers is also available for mobile devices at http://mobile.answers.com.
WikiAnswers is a community-generated Social Knowledge Q&A platform,
leveraging wiki-based technologies. Through the contributions of
WikiAnswers' large and growing community, answers are constantly
improved and updated over time. WikiAnswers was ranked by comScore as
the fastest growing domain of the top 200, in the U.S. in terms of
unique monthly visitors in 2008. (answ-f)
For investment information, visit http://ir.answers.com.
Cautionary Statement
Some of the statements included in this press release are
forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties, including, but not limited to, statements regarding
future market opportunity and future financial performance. For those
statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for
forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Important factors may cause our actual
results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, our ability
to maintain or improve monetization, particularly in light of the
current challenging economic environment; our ability to maintain or
improve traffic; a decision by Google, currently the provider of the
vast majority of our search engine traffic, or other search engines, to
block our pages from users’ search results or otherwise adjust their
algorithms in a manner detrimental to us, as experienced in July 2007; a
potential termination of our Google Services Agreement, or a decision by
Google not to renew such agreement, or, alternatively, to renew it on
terms less favorable to us; a decision on our part to decrease the
number of ad elements displayed on our Web properties in the interest of
user experience; a failure of WikiAnswers to experience continued growth
in accordance with our expectations; the effects of facing liability for
any content displayed on our Web properties; potential claims that we
are infringing the intellectual property rights of any third party; an
increasingly competitive environment for our business; and other risk
factors identified from time to time in our SEC filings, including, but
not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K filed on March 9, 2009.
Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release speak
only as of the date of this press release. We do not intend to update
any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances that occur after the date hereof. This press release and
prior releases are available at ir.answers.com. The information in
Answers' website is not incorporated by reference into this press
release and is included as an inactive textual reference only.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release, and the accompanying tables, include both financial
measures in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles, or GAAP, as well as non-GAAP financial measures, including
“Adjusted EBITDA”. The tables attached to this press release include
reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest GAAP
financial measures. In addition, an “Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial
Measures” is set forth in Appendix B attached to this press release.
(Tables and Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures, to follow)
|
Answers Corporation
|
|
|
Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands,
except for share and per share data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three months ended June 30
|
|
Six months ended June 30
|
|
|
2009
|
|
2008
|
|
2009
|
|
2008
|
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advertising revenue
|
4,985
|
|
2,985
|
|
9,714
|
|
5,998
|
|
Answers service licensing
|
19
|
|
18
|
|
36
|
|
36
|
|
|
5,004
|
|
3,003
|
|
9,750
|
|
6,034
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Costs and expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of revenue
|
1,166
|
|
1,416
|
|
2,225
|
|
2,809
|
|
Research and development
|
817
|
|
929
|
|
1,690
|
|
1,804
|
|
Community development, sales and marketing
|
558
|
|
933
|
|
1,057
|
|
1,695
|
|
General and administrative
|
1,248
|
|
1,198
|
|
2,467
|
|
2,329
|
|
Write-off of the Brainboost Answer Engine
|
-
|
|
3,138
|
|
-
|
|
3,138
|
|
Termination fees and write-off of costs relating to
the terminated Lexico acquisition and abandoned
follow-on offering
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
2,543
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
3,789
|
|
7,614
|
|
7,439
|
|
14,318
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income (loss)
|
1,215
|
|
(4,611)
|
|
2,311
|
|
(8,284)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income (expense), net
|
(362)
|
|
18
|
|
(449)
|
|
73
|
|
Other income (expense), net
|
(9)
|
|
(11)
|
|
6
|
|
(49)
|
|
Loss resulting from fair value adjustments of
Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and warrant
to purchase units of Series B preferred stock and warrants
|
(4,385)
|
|
-
|
|
(2,375)
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes
|
(3,541)
|
|
(4,604)
|
|
(507)
|
|
(8,260)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax expense, net
|
(78)
|
|
(15)
|
|
(72)
|
|
(26)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Loss
|
(3,619)
|
|
(4,619)
|
|
(579)
|
|
(8,286)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted net loss per common share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
(0.51)
|
|
(0.59)
|
|
(0.17)
|
|
(1.06)
|
|
Diluted
|
(0.53)
|
|
N/A
|
|
(0.18)
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of shares used in computing net loss per common share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
7,888,530
|
|
7,859,890
|
|
7,880,645
|
|
7,859,890
|
|
Diluted
|
7,920,468
|
|
N/A
|
|
7,896,614
|
|
N/A
|
|
Answers Corporation
|
|
|
Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP
Financial Measures to the nearest comparable GAAP
Measures (in thousands, except for share and per share
data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three months ended
|
|
|
June 30,
2009
|
|
March 31,
2009
|
|
June 30,
2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted Cost of Revenue
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of revenue
|
$1,166
|
|
$1,059
|
|
$1,416
|
|
Stock-based compensation expense
|
(35)
|
|
(34)
|
|
(42)
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
(186)
|
|
(137)
|
|
(260)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$945
|
|
$888
|
|
$1,114
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted Research and Development
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development
|
$817
|
|
$873
|
|
$929
|
|
Stock-based compensation expense
|
(84)
|
|
(83)
|
|
(96)
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
(32)
|
|
(33)
|
|
(34)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$701
|
|
$757
|
|
$799
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted Community Development, Sales and Marketing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Community development, sales and marketing
|
$558
|
|
$499
|
|
$933
|
|
Stock-based compensation expense
|
(33)
|
|
(33)
|
|
(67)
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
(15)
|
|
(18)
|
|
(22)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$510
|
|
$448
|
|
$844
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted General and Administrative
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General and administrative
|
$1,248
|
|
$1,219
|
|
$1,198
|
|
Stock-based compensation expense
|
(229)
|
|
(236)
|
|
(215)
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
(66)
|
|
(73)
|
|
(67)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$953
|
|
$910
|
|
$916
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted Operating Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses
|
$3,789
|
|
$3,650
|
|
$7,614
|
|
Stock-based compensation expense
|
(381)
|
|
(386)
|
|
(420)
|
|
Write-off of the Brainboost Answers Engine
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
(3,138)
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
(299)
|
|
(261)
|
|
(383)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$3,109
|
|
$3,003
|
|
$3,673
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
$(3,619)
|
|
$3,041
|
|
$(4,619)
|
|
Income tax (benefit) expense
|
78
|
|
(6)
|
|
15
|
|
(Gain) loss resulting from fair value adjustment of Series A
Warrants, Series B Warrants and warrant to purchase
units of Series B preferred stock and warrants
|
4,385
|
|
(2,010)
|
|
-
|
|
Other (income) expense
|
9
|
|
(15)
|
|
11
|
|
Interest (income) expense
|
362
|
|
87
|
|
(18)
|
|
Stock-based compensation expense
|
381
|
|
386
|
|
420
|
|
Write-off of the Brainboost Answers Engine
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
3,138
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
299
|
|
261
|
|
383
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$1,895
|
|
$1,744
|
|
$(670)
|
See discussion regarding Adjusted EBITDA in Appendix B of this earnings
release for an explanation of the reconciling items noted above.
Answers Corporation Condensed Consolidated Balance
Sheets (in thousands, except for share and per share
data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 30
|
|
December 31
|
|
|
2009
|
|
2008
|
|
|
$
|
|
$
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets:
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
20,405
|
|
11,739
|
|
Accounts receivable
|
1,767
|
|
1,680
|
|
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
|
723
|
|
818
|
|
Deferred tax asset
|
11
|
|
-
|
|
Total current assets
|
22,906
|
|
14,237
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term deposits (restricted)
|
264
|
|
257
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deposits in respect of employee severance obligations
|
1,530
|
|
1,337
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net of $2,491 and $2,083 accumulated
depreciation as of
June 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, respectively
|
1,997
|
|
1,234
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other assets:
|
|
|
|
|
Intangible assets, net of $839 and $769 accumulated amortization as
of June 30, 2009
and December 31, 2008, respectively
|
875
|
|
994
|
|
Goodwill
|
437
|
|
437
|
|
Prepaid expenses, long-term, and other assets
|
198
|
|
220
|
|
Deferred tax asset, long term
|
41
|
|
-
|
|
Total other assets
|
1,551
|
|
1,651
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
28,248
|
|
18,716
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable
|
434
|
|
537
|
|
Accrued expenses
|
689
|
|
751
|
|
Accrued compensation
|
924
|
|
628
|
|
Warrant to purchase units of Series B preferred stock and warrants
|
-
|
|
8,698
|
|
Capital lease obligation – current portion
|
80
|
|
78
|
|
Deferred revenues
|
4
|
|
16
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
2,131
|
|
10,708
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
Liability in respect of employee severance obligations
|
1,681
|
|
1,534
|
|
Capital lease obligation, net of current portion
|
65
|
|
106
|
|
Deferred tax liability
|
32
|
|
26
|
|
Series A and Series B Warrants
|
7,749
|
|
-
|
|
Total long-term liabilities
|
9,527
|
|
1,666
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments and contingencies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Series A and B convertible preferred stock: $0.01 par value;
stated value and liquidation
preference of $100 per share; 6% cumulative annual dividend;
130,000 and 60,000 shares
authorized, issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2009 and
December 31, 2008, respectively
|
1,210
|
|
624
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders' equity:
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock: $0.01 par value; 870,000 and 940,000 shares
authorized as of June 30, 2009
and December 31, 2008, respectively, none issued
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
Common stock; $0.001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized;
7,924,358 and 7,870,538 shares
issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008,
respectively
|
8
|
|
8
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
89,201
|
|
77,091
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
|
16
|
|
(28)
|
|
Accumulated deficit
|
(73,845)
|
|
(71,353)
|
|
Total stockholders' equity
|
15,380
|
|
5,718
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
|
28,248
|
|
18,716
|
Appendix A
|
|
2008
|
|
2009
|
|
|
Q1
|
|
Q2
|
|
Q3
|
|
Q4
|
|
Q1
|
|
Q2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ad Revenue ($ - in thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ReferenceAnswers
|
1,828
|
|
1,485
|
|
1,579
|
|
1,730
|
|
1,567
|
|
1,585
|
|
WikiAnswers
|
1,185
|
|
1,500
|
|
1,960
|
|
2,879
|
|
3,162
|
|
3,400
|
|
Total
|
3,013
|
|
2,985
|
|
3,539
|
|
4,609
|
|
4,729
|
|
4,985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ReferenceAnswers
|
61%
|
|
50%
|
|
45%
|
|
38%
|
|
33%
|
|
32%
|
|
WikiAnswers
|
39%
|
|
50%
|
|
55%
|
|
62%
|
|
67%
|
|
68%
|
|
Total
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Traffic – Average Daily Page Views
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ReferenceAnswers
|
3,225,000
|
|
2,641,000
|
|
2,666,000
|
|
3,027,000
|
|
2,982,000
|
|
2,965,000
|
|
WikiAnswers
|
1,885,000
|
|
2,318,000
|
|
3,094,000
|
|
4,350,000
|
|
5,337,000
|
|
6,082,000
|
|
Total
|
5,110,000
|
|
4,959,000
|
|
5,760,000
|
|
7,377,000
|
|
8,319,000
|
|
9,047,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ReferenceAnswers
|
63%
|
|
53%
|
|
46%
|
|
41%
|
|
36%
|
|
33%
|
|
WikiAnswers
|
37%
|
|
47%
|
|
54%
|
|
59%
|
|
64%
|
|
67%
|
|
Total
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
100%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RPM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ReferenceAnswers
|
$6.23
|
|
$6.18
|
|
$6.44
|
|
$6.21
|
|
$5.84
|
|
$5.87
|
|
WikiAnswers
|
$6.91
|
|
$7.11
|
|
$6.89
|
|
$7.19
|
|
$6.58
|
|
$6.14
|
Appendix B
Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This earnings release and the accompanying financial tables include both
financial measures in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles, or GAAP, as well as non-GAAP financial measures. The
non-GAAP financial measure we refer to, Adjusted EBITDA, represents net
earnings before interest, gain (loss) resulting from fair value
adjustment of Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and warrant to
purchase units of Series B preferred stock and warrants, taxes,
depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, foreign currency
exchange rate differences and certain non-recurring revenues and
expenses. We also refer to Adjusted Cost of Revenue, Adjusted Research
and Development, Adjusted Community Development, Sales and Marketing,
Adjusted General and Administrative and Adjusted Operating Expenses,
which are our GAAP expenses, adjusted for the expense items we exclude
from Adjusted EBITDA.
We use Adjusted EBITDA as an additional measure of our overall
performance for purposes of business decision-making, developing budgets
and managing expenditures. It is useful because it removes the impact of
our capital structure (interest expense and gain (loss) resulting from
fair value adjustment of Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and
warrant to purchase units of Series B preferred stock and warrants),
asset base (amortization and depreciation), stock-based compensation
expenses, taxes, foreign currency exchange rate differences and certain
non-recurring revenues and expenses from our results of operations. We
believe that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA provides useful
information to investors in their analysis of our results of operations
for reasons similar to the reasons why we find it useful and because
these measures enhance their overall understanding of the financial
performance and prospects of our ongoing business operations. By
reporting Adjusted EBITDA, we provide a basis for comparison of our
business operations between current, past and future periods, and peer
companies in our industry.
More specifically, we believe that removing these impacts is important
for several reasons:
-
Amortization of Intangible Assets. Adjusted EBITDA disregards
amortization of intangible assets. Specifically, we exclude (a)
amortization, and the write-off, of acquired technology from the
acquisition of Brainboost Technology, LLC, developer of the Brainboost
Answer Engine in December 2005; and (b) amortization of intangible
assets resulting from the acquisition of WikiAnswers and other related
assets in November 2006. These acquisitions resulted in operating
expenses that would not otherwise have been incurred. We believe that
excluding such expenses is significant to investors, due to the fact
that they derive from prior acquisition decisions and are not
necessarily indicative of future cash operating costs. In addition, we
believe that the amount of such expenses in any specific period may
not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business
operations. While we exclude the aforesaid expenses from Adjusted
EBITDA we do not exclude revenues derived as a result of such
acquisitions. The amount of revenue that resulted from the acquisition
of WikiAnswers and other related assets, for the three months ended
June 30, 2009, March 31, 2009, and June 30, 2008 was $3.4 million,
$3.16 million and $1.48 million, respectively. The amount of revenue
that resulted from the acquisition of technology from Brainboost is
not quantifiable due to the nature of its integration.
-
Stock-based Compensation Expense. Adjusted EBITDA disregards
expenses associated with stock-based compensation, a non-cash expense
arising from the grant of stock-based awards to employees and
directors. We believe that, because of the variety of equity awards
used by companies, the varying methodologies for determining
stock-based compensation expense, and the subjective assumptions
involved in those determinations, excluding stock-based compensation
from Adjusted EBITDA enhances the ability of management and investors
to compare financial results over multiple periods.
-
Depreciation, Interest, Gain (Loss) Resulting from Fair Value
Adjustment of Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and Warrant to
Purchase Units of Series B Preferred Stock and Warrants, Taxes and
Exchange Rate Differences. We believe that, excluding these items
from the Adjusted EBITDA measure provides investors with additional
information to measure our performance, by excluding potential
differences caused by variations in capital structures (affecting
interest expense), asset composition, and tax positions.
-
Terminated Lexico Acquisition and Follow-On Offering. Adjusted
EBITDA disregards $2,543 thousand in costs associated with our
terminated acquisition of Lexico and the cancellation of our follow-on
offering. We believe that, excluding these costs provides investors
with additional information to measure our performance, by excluding
events that are of a non-recurring nature.
Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of liquidity or financial performance
under GAAP and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a
substitute for, a measure of financial performance prepared in
accordance with GAAP. Investors are cautioned that there are inherent
limitations associated with the use of Adjusted EBITDA as an analytical
tool. Some of these limitations are:
-
Non-GAAP financial measures are not based on a comprehensive set of
accounting rules or principles;
-
Many of the adjustments to Adjusted EBITDA reflect the exclusion of
items that are recurring and will be reflected in our financial
results for the foreseeable future;
-
Other companies, including other companies in our industry, may
calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than us, thus limiting its
usefulness as a comparative tool;
-
Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the periodic costs of certain
tangible and intangible assets used in generating revenues in our
business;
-
Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect interest income from our investments
in cash and investment securities;
-
Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect foreign exchange net gains and losses;
-
Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect interest expense and other cost
relating to financing our business, including gains and losses
resulting from fair value adjustment of Redpoint Ventures’ Series A
Warrants, Series B Warrants and their warrant to purchase units of
Series B preferred stock and warrants;
-
Adjusted EBITDA excludes taxes, which is an integral cost of doing
business; and
-
Because Adjusted EBITDA does not include stock-based compensation, it
does not reflect the cost of granting employees equity awards, a key
factor in management’s ability to hire and retain employees.
We compensate for these limitations by providing specific information in
the reconciliation to the GAAP amounts excluded from Adjusted EBITDA.
Cameron Associates
John McNamara, 212-554-5485
john@cameronassoc.com