NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 15, 2023 / Zedge, Inc. (NYSE:ZDGE), a leader in building marketplaces and games around digital content that enable self-expression, today announced results for its second quarter fiscal year 2023, ended January 31, 2023.

"Our second quarter was a mixed one as we navigated geopolitical, economic and industry-specific challenges, and we were not immune to the forces impacting gaming and other advertising-based business models," said Jonathan Reich, chief executive officer. "Despite this, we saw nominal revenue growth, remained roughly break-even and generated positive Adjusted EBITDA, while seeing growth from Emojipedia and Zedge Premium.

"Due to the current environment, we are implementing a set of cost cutting initiatives designed to yield $2.5 - $3.0 million in annualized savings. We expect that this decision will allow us to remain at roughly break-even while positioning the business for profitable growth as conditions improve."

Second Quarter Highlights

Financial (fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022)

Revenue increased 1.0% to $7.0 million;
Net income and earnings per share of $1.6 million and $0.11, respectively;
Adjusted EBITDA of $1.4 million;
Zedge Premium Gross Transaction Value (GTV)²increased 1.0% to $0.4 million.

Second Quarter Select Financial Metrics: FY23 versus FY22*

(in $M except for EPS)

Q2 '23

Q2 '22

Change

FY23 YTD

FY22 YTD

Change

Total Revenue

7.0

6.9

1.0%

13.9

12.9

7.3%

Advertising Revenue

4.6

5.7

-19.0%

9.1

10.6

-13.9%

Digital goods and services

1.2

0.0

2.6

0.0

Subscription Revenue

0.9

1.0

-8.3%

1.8

1.9

-7.7%

Other Revenue

0.2

-5.3%

0.4

-3.0%

Operating Income

1.5

3.1

-53.0%

1.3

5.7

-77.9%

Operating Margin

20.9%

44.9%

9.1%

44.0%

Net Income

1.6

2.3

-30.9%

1.4

4.4

-67.2%

Diluted Earnings Per Share

0.11

0.16

-31.3%

0.10

0.30

-66.7%

Adjusted EBITDA

1.4

3.9

-63.1%

2.4

7.3

-67.3%

Cash Flow from Operations

0.0

3.0

-98.7%

1.1

5.7

-80.6%

nm = not measurable/meaningful

*numbers may not add due to rounding

Select Second Quarter Zedge App Metrics: FY23 versus FY22*

(in MM except for ARPMAU and where noted)

Q2 '23

Q2 '22

Change

Total Installs - Cumulative

596.0

541.0

10.2

MAU

32.2

36.3

-11.3

Well-developed Markets

7.4

8.5

-12.9

Emerging Markets

24.8

27.8

-10.8

Active Subscriptions (in 000s)

654

762

-14.2

ARPMAU

0.052

0.060

-13.0

Zedge Premium - Gross Transaction Value (GTV)

0.44

0.43

1.0

*numbers may not add due to rounding

¹Throughout this release, Adjusted EBITDA is a Non-GAAP financial measure intended to provide useful information that supplements Zedge's results in accordance with GAAP. Please refer to the Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure at the end of this release for an explanation of Zedge's formulation of Adjusted EBITDA and reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

² We use the following business metrics in this release because we believe they are useful in evaluating Zedge as an investment.

Monthly active users, or MAU, captures the number of unique users that used our Zedge App during the previous 30-days of the relevant period, is useful for evaluating consumer engagement with our App which correlates to advertising revenue as more users drive more ad impressions for sale. It also allows readers and potential advertisers to evaluate the size of our user base.
Zedge Premium Gross Transaction Value, or GTV, is the total dollar amount of transactions conducted through the Zedge Premium Marketplace. As Zedge Premium is an internal focus for growth, we believe that this metric will help investors evaluate the progress we are making in growing this part of our business.
Average Revenue Per Monthly Active User for our Zedge App, or ARPMAU, is a useful statistic in evaluating how well we are monetizing our user base.
An Active Subscription is a subscription that has commenced and not been canceled, including paused subscriptions, and subscriptions in free trials, grace periods, or account hold.
Total Installs - Cumulative is a measure of the cumulative number of times our Zedge App has been downloaded since inception.

Trended Financial Information*

(in $M except for EPS, ARPMAU, Paid Subscriptions)

Q122

Q222

Q322

Q422

Q123

Q223

FY
2021

FY
2022

FYTD
2023

Total Revenue

6.0

6.9

6.2

7.4

6.9

7.0

19.6

26.5

13.9

Advertising Revenue

4.9

5.7

4.8

4.9

4.5

4.6

15.7

20.3

9.1

Gaming Revenue

0.0

0.3

1.4

1.3

1.2

0.0

1.7

2.6

Subscription Revenue

1.0

0.9

3.2

3.7

1.8

Other Revenue

0.2

0.5

0.8

0.4

Operating (Loss) Income

2.6

3.1

1.3

4.8

(0.2

)

1.5

7.8

11.8

1.3

Net (Loss) Income

2.1

2.3

0.8

4.5

(0.2

)

1.6

8.2

9.7

1.4

Diluted (Loss) Earnings Per Share

0.14

0.16

0.05

0.31

(0.01

)

0.11

0.59

0.65

0.10

Adjusted EBITDA

3.3

4.0

2.9

2.2

1.0

1.4

9.9

12.4

2.4

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

54.7%

57.6%

46.0%

30.0%

13.8%

20.5%

50.7%

46.6%

17.2%

Cash Flow from Operations

2.7

3.0

5.6

0.2

1.1

0.0

10.1

11.5

1.1

MAU

34.2

36.3

32.1

32.0

31.9

32.2

Well-developed Markets

8.4

8.5

7.5

7.3

7.1

7.4

Emerging Markets

25.8

27.8

24.6

24.7

24.8

Active Subscriptions (in 000s)

763

762

713

692

674

654

752

713

654

ARPMAU

0.053

0.060

0.052

0.058

0.054

0.052

Zedge Premium - GTV

0.33

0.43

0.41

0.34

0.31

0.44

0.95

1.51

0.75

nm = not measurable/meaningful

*numbers may not add due to rounding

Fiscal 2023 Commentary

"In light of macroeconomic factors including inflation, recessionary fears, the ongoing war in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions resulting in a decline in new phone sales, the easing of Covid-19 restrictions and the resulting uptick in workers returning to the office and Apple's App Transparency Tracking (ATT) framework making paid iOS user acquisition less efficient and more expensive, we are not anticipating a return to growth in the short-term.

"In addition to implementing the $2.5 - $3.0 million in cost-savings measures, we are focusing our efforts on initiatives that we believe can position us for sustainable growth as the market starts to improve. For the Zedge marketplace, our top priorities are iterating with pAInt, our generative AI wallpaper maker, in order to improve take rates and engagement, overhauling customer onboarding and upgrading Zedge+, our subscription offering. We continue scaling paid Android user acquisition as the ROI justifies the investment.

"We are also advancing GuruShots with the launch of the Battles feature, which provides a casual gaming experience that enables newbies to begin competing in short-duration photo competitions that are limited in size and built on a coin-based economy. Additionally, as we navigate the challenges introduced by Apple's ATT framework, which has made it more expensive to acquire high-value iOS users, we are testing alternative acquisition channels in order to help drive new ROI-positive players to the game.

"As you know, generative AI art is exploding, and GuruShots recently conducted a soft launch for a standalone casual game focused on competitive AI art generation challenges that leverage the investment we have made in developing Battles . Although we are excited by the potential of where this game can take us, it will likely take several quarters to iterate, tune and scale.

"Finally, we plan to continue building on the momentum we are experiencing with Emojipedia and expect to release new features during the second half of our fiscal year.

"In all, we are focused on improving the things that we control and expect to come out of the current downturn in a stronger position than we have been in as a Company, with multiple avenues to exploit in order to deliver sustainable long-term profits and growth," concluded Reich.

Earnings Announcement and Supplemental Information

Zedge's earnings release will be filed on Form 8-K and posted on the Zedge investor relations website ( investor.zedge.net ) at approximately 4:10 p.m. Eastern on March 15, 2023. Management will host an earnings conference call beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Management's presentation of the results, outlook and strategy will be followed by Q&A with investors.

Live Call Information:

Toll Free: 888-506-0062
International: 973-528-0011
Participant Access Code: 748705
Webcast: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2205/47829

Replay:

Toll Free: 877-481-4010
International: 919-882-2331
Replay Passcode: 47829

About Zedge

Zedge builds marketplaces and games around digital content that people use to express themselves. We monetize our user base through advertising, subscriptions, and a virtual token-based economy. Our leading products are the GuruShots photography game and Zedge's freemium digital content marketplace, which today offers mobile phone wallpapers, video wallpapers, ringtones, and notification sounds. The synergy between the game and the marketplace unlocks additional engagement and enables our community to earn money from their artwork. We also own Emojipedia, a website that is the leading source of information about emojis. In May 2022, we served more than 40 million users. For more information, visit https://www.investor.zedge.net/

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements above that are not purely about historical facts, including, but not limited to, those in which we use the words "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "target" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment of what may happen in the future, actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these statements due to numerous important factors. Our filings with the SEC provide detailed information on such statements and risks and should be consulted along with this release. To the extent permitted under applicable law, we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Contact:

Brian Siegel IRC, MBA
Senior Managing Director
Hayden IR
(346) 396-8696
ir@zedge.net

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except par value data)

	January 31,			July 31,
	2023			2022
	(Unaudited)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	17,459		$	17,085
Trade accounts receivable		2,788			2,411
Prepaid expenses and other receivables		1,334			396
Total current assets		21,581			19,892
Property and equipment, net		1,933			1,660
Intangible assets, net		19,866			21,025
Goodwill		10,716			10,788
Deferred tax assets, net		828			861
Other assets		326			400
Total assets	$	55,250		$	54,626
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	$	1,381		$	1,180
Deferred acquisition payment payable		-			962
Contingent consideration-current portion		-			215
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities		3,174			2,898
Deferred revenues		2,805			3,402
Total current liabilities		7,360			8,657
Term Loan, net of deferred financing costs		1,983			-
Contingent consideration-long term portion		-			1,728
Other liabilities		-			53
Total liabilities		9,343			10,438
Commitments and contingencies (Note 10)
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $.01 par value; authorized shares-2,400; no shares issued and outstanding		-			-
Class A common stock, $.01 par value; authorized shares-2,600; 525 shares issued and outstanding at January 31, 2023 and July 31, 2022		5			5
Class B common stock, $.01 par value; authorized shares-40,000; 14,674 shares issued and 14,152 shares outstanding at January 31, 2023, and 13,951 shares issued and 13,877 outstanding at July 31, 2022		147			139
Additional paid-in capital		44,979			43,609
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(1,498	)		(1,391	)
Retained earnings		3,597			2,160
Treasury stock, 522 shares at January 31, 2023 and 74 shares at July 31, 2022, at cost		(1,323	)		(334	)
Total stockholders' equity		45,907			44,188
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	55,250		$	54,626

ZEDGE, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME
(in thousands, except per share data)

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	January 31						January 31
	2023			2022			2023			2022
Revenues, net	$	6,983		$	6,915		$	13,883			12,943
Costs and expenses:
Direct cost of revenues (excluding amortization of capitalized software and technology development costs which is included below)		632			342			1,264			652
Selling, general and administrative		5,871			3,106			11,697			5,838
Depreciation and amortization		815			360			1,608			758
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		(1,793	)		-			(1,943	)		-
Income from operations		1,458			3,107			1,257			5,695
Interest and other income, net		77			14			112			27
Net gain (loss) resulting from foreign exchange transactions		160			(85	)		84			(95	)
Income before income taxes		1,695			3,036			1,453			5,627
Provision for income taxes		89			711			16			1,247
Net income	$	1,606		$	2,325		$	1,437		$	4,380
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Changes in foreign currency translation adjustment		152			(222	)		(107	)		(80	)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)		152			(222	)		(107	)		(80	)
Total comprehensive income	$	1,758		$	2,103		$	1,330		$	4,300
Income per share attributable to Zedge, Inc. common stockholders:
Basic	$	0.11		$	0.16		$	0.10		$	0.31
Diluted	$	0.11		$	0.16		$	0.10		$	0.29
Weighted-average number of shares used in calculation of (loss) income per share:
Basic		14,087			14,297			14,208			14,289
Diluted		14,259			14,971			14,440			15,007

ZEDGE, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)

	Six Months Ended
	January 31,
	2023			2022

Operating activities
Net income	$	1,437		$	4,380
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation		30			23
Amortization of intangible assets		1,158			224
Amortization of capitalized software and technology development costs		420			511
Amortization of deferred financing costs		1			-
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		(1,943	)		-
Stock-based compensation		1,378			808
Deferred income taxes		33			(50	)

Change in assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable		(377	)		(741	)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		(938	)		(244	)
Other assets		22			1
Trade accounts payable and accrued expenses		497			806
Deferred revenue		(597	)		(39	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		1,121			5,679
Investing activities
Final payments for asset acquisitions		(962	)		-
Capitalized software and technology development costs		(668	)		(305	)
Purchase of property and equipment		(53	)		(18	)
Net cash used in investing activities		(1,683	)		(323	)
Financing activities
Proceeds from term loan payable		2,000			-
Payment of deferred financing costs		(18	)		-
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		-			7
Purchase of treasury stock in connection with share buyback program and restricted stock vesting		(989	)		(232	)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		993			(225	)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(57	)		(23	)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents		374			5,108
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		17,085			24,908
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$	17,459		$	30,016

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Cash payments made for income taxes	$	711		$	309
Cash payments made for interest expenses	$	31		$	-

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Acquistion of Emojipedia through release of escrow funds of $4,776, plus additional amounts due to seller of $1,923 and legal fees of $12	$	-		$	6,711
Accounts receivable from certain Emojipedia websites collected by Seller	$	-		$	45

Use of Adjusted EBITDA as a Non-GAAP Measure

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock compensation expense, transaction-related expenses and other non-recurring expenses. This metric represents a measure that we believe is customarily used by investors and analysts to evaluate the financial performance of companies in addition to the GAAP measures that we present. Our management also believes that this measure is useful in evaluating our core operating results. However, Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and should not be considered an alternative to net income or operating income as an indicator of our operating performance or to net cash provided by operating activities as a measure of our liquidity.

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net (Loss) Income

Q122

Q222

Q322

Q422

Q123

Q223

FY 2021

FY 2022

YTD FY2023

Net (Loss) Income

2.1

2.3

0.8

4.5

(0.2

)

1.6

8.2

9.7

1.4

Excluding:

Interest and other income (expense), net

(0.0

)

(0.0

)

(0.0

)

(0.0

)

(0.0

)

(0.1

)

(0.0

)

(0.0

)

(0.1

)

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes

0.5

0.7

0.4

0.2

(0.1

)

0.1

(0.2

)

1.9

0.0

Depreciation and amortization

0.4

0.8

1.3

2.0

1.6

EBITDA

3.0

3.4

1.6

5.5

0.5

2.4

9.3

13.5

2.9

Change in fair value of contingent consideration

0.0

(4.0

)

(0.2

)

(1.8

)

0.0

(4.0

)

(1.9

)

Stock-based compensation

0.3

0.5

0.6

0.8

0.7

1.9

1.4

Transaction costs related to business combination

0.0

0.1

0.7

0.0

0.9

0.0

Adjusted EBITDA

3.3

4.0

2.9

2.2

1.0

1.4

9.9

12.4

2.4

*numbers may not add due to rounding

SOURCE: Zedge, Inc.

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Zedge Announces Second Quarter Fiscal 2023 Results