IZEA Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: IZEA), a premier provider of
influencer marketing technology, data, and services for the world’s
leading brands, reported its financial and operational results for
the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023.
Q4 2023 Financial
Summary Compared to Q4 2022
- Total revenue
increased 1.0% to $8.9 million, compared to $8.8 million
- Total costs and
expenses increased 8.5% to $11.1 million, compared to $10.2
million
- Net loss was $1.5
million, compared to a net loss of $0.9 million
- Adjusted EBITDA*
for the quarter was a loss of $1.1 million, compared to a loss of
$0.3 million
- Cash, cash
equivalents and investments as of December 31, 2023 totaled
$64.2 million with no long-term debt
Q4 2023 Operational
Highlights
- IZEA named "Best
Influencer Marketing Company" in 2023 MarTech Breakthrough Awards
Program
- Expanded sales
presence into the South Korea market
- Launched Offers,
Creator Experience, and Offer Negotiation in IZEA Flex
- Launched GPT-4 and
AI Video Generation Tool in FormAI in IZEA's Creator
Marketplace
FY 2023 Financial Summary Compared to FY
2022
- Total revenue
decreased 12% to $36.2 million, compared to $41.1 million
- Net loss was $7.3
million, compared to a net loss of $4.5 million
- Adjusted EBITDA*
was a loss of $5.5 million, compared to a loss of $2.8 million
* Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial
measure. For the definition and reconciliation of this measure,
refer to “Use of Key Metrics and Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”
Management Commentary
“Last year we made comprehensive strategic
adjustments to better position ourselves for 2024 and beyond,”
commented Ted Murphy, Founder and CEO of IZEA. “This included
shifts in organizational frameworks, as well as updates to our
platforms and pricing strategies. We made these challenging yet
necessary transitions to improve our operations, setting the stage
for an upcoming era of ambitious global expansion through both
organic and inorganic initiatives. I'm happy to report that we are
beginning to see the positive outcomes of these changes in the
first quarter of this year.”
“Year-over-year managed services bookings growth
has returned in Q1 of 2024, fueled by a strong pipeline in Q4 of
2023, and an all-time record breaking pipeline in Q1 of 2024. Not
only have we seen a pipeline record in terms of dollar value, we
have also seen a jump in terms of number of opportunities, which is
core to our revenue diversification strategy moving forward. While
Managed Services represents the overwhelming majority of revenue,
SaaS revenue has begun to rebound after hitting a low point in Q3
of 2023. We ended 2023 with a record count of active SaaS
customers, and that trend has continued into the first
quarter.”
“We are excited and optimistic about the years
ahead, and believe that IZEA is well positioned to capitalize on
global opportunities in the creator economy.”
Q4 2023 Financial
Results
Total revenue in the fourth quarter of 2023
increased 1.0% to $8.9 million, compared to $8.8 million in
the fourth quarter of 2022. Revenue from Managed Services increased
by 4.2% to $8.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, from $8.4
million in the same period in 2022. In January 2023, we announced
that we had begun parting ways with one large customer (the
"non-recurring customer"), which is now complete. Managed Services
revenue from this non-recurring customer totaled $0.4 million
during the fourth quarter of 2023, $1.3 million or 79.0% lower than
in 2022. Managed Services revenue from new and existing customers
(our "ongoing customers"), excluding our non-recurring customer,
totaled $8.4 million in the fourth quarter, $1.7 million or 25.1%
higher than in 2022, primarily due to stronger bookings from these
ongoing customers during the second and third quarters of 2023.
Managed Services bookings totaled $7.6 million
during the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to $7.9 million during
the same period in 2022, largely due to the loss of our
non-recurring customer.
Revenue from SaaS Services decreased by $0.3
million, or 70.0%, in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the
same period in 2022. During the second quarter of 2023, we
completed the transition from our legacy IZEAx platform to Flex and
The Creator Marketplace, which both have lower per-user revenue
models designed to drive subscriber growth.
Cost of revenue decreased to $4.7 million, or
53.1% of revenue, in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to $5.7
million, or 65.3% of revenue, in the same period of 2022, primarily
due to higher lower-margin contract deliveries to our non-recurring
customer in the prior-year quarter. The percentage cost of revenue
on ongoing customer deliveries was in range with recent historical
averages.
Costs and expenses other than the cost of
revenue totaled $6.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2023, 42.5%
above the prior-year quarter. Sales and marketing costs were $2.6
million during the fourth quarter of 2023, 18.0% higher than the
prior-year quarter, primarily due to increased spend on trade shows
and brand awareness efforts. General and administrative costs
totaled $3.6 million during the quarter, $1.8 million or 97.6%
higher than the prior-year quarter, due primarily to higher human
capital and contractor costs and non-cash stock-based compensation
costs.
Net loss in the fourth quarter of 2023 was $1.5
million, or $(0.09) per share, as compared to a net loss of $0.9
million, or $(0.06) per share in the fourth quarter of 2022, based
on 16.4 million and 15.5 million average shares outstanding,
respectively, as adjusted for the four-for-one reverse split
effected in June 2023.
Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below, a non-GAAP
measure management uses as a proxy for operating cash flow) totaled
a loss of $1.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with
a loss of $0.3 million in the same period in 2022, decreasing $0.8
million due primarily to lower net income. Adjusted EBITDA as a
percentage of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2023 was a loss of
9.0% compared to a loss of 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2022.
As of December 31, 2023, our cash and
investments totaled $64.2 million. The company has no long-term
debt borrowings outstanding.
Conference Call
IZEA will hold a conference call to discuss its
fourth quarter 2023 results on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
EDT. IZEA's Chairman and CEO Ted Murphy, CFO Peter Biere, and COO
Ryan Schram will host the call, followed by a question and answer
period.
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024Time: 5:00 p.m.
EDTToll-free dial-in number: 1-877-407-4018International dial-in
number: 1-201-689-8471
Please call the conference telephone number five
(5) minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your
name and organization. A replay of the call will be made available
approximately 3 hours after the conference ends until Monday, April
8, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
Toll-free replay number:
1-844-512-2921International replay number: 1-412-317-6671Replay ID:
13744273
About IZEA Worldwide, Inc.
IZEA Worldwide, Inc. (“IZEA”) is a marketing
technology company providing software and professional services
that enable brands to collaborate and transact with the full
spectrum of today’s top social influencers and content creators.
The company serves as a champion for the growing Creator Economy,
enabling individuals to monetize their content, creativity, and
influence. IZEA launched the industry’s first-ever influencer
marketing platform in 2006 and has since facilitated nearly 4
million transactions between online buyers and sellers. Leading
brands and agencies partner with IZEA to increase digital
engagement, diversify brand voice, scale content production, and
drive a measurable return on investment.
Use of Key Metrics and Non-GAAP
Financial Measures
Managed Services bookings measure all sales
orders received, less cancellations received, or refunds given
during the same period. Sales order contracts vary in complexity
with each customer and range from custom content delivery to
integrated marketing services; our contracts generally run from
several months for smaller contracts to twelve months for larger
contracts. We recognize revenue from our Managed Services contracts
based on a percentage of completion basis as we deliver the content
or services over time, which can vary greatly from a few weeks to a
year. For this reason, Managed Services bookings, while an overall
indicator of the health of our business, may not be used to predict
quarterly revenues and could be subject to future adjustments.
Managed Services bookings is a useful metric as
it reflects the amount of orders received in one period, even
though revenue may be reflected over time. Management uses the
Managed Services bookings metric to plan its operating staff,
identify key customer group trends, enlighten go-to-market
activities, and inform its product development efforts.
EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure under the
Securities and Exchange Commission rules commonly defined as
earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.
IZEA defines “Adjusted EBITDA” as earnings or loss before interest,
taxes, depreciation and amortization, non-cash stock-based
compensation, gain or loss on asset disposals or impairment, and
certain other unusual or non-cash income and expense items such as
gains or losses on settlement of liabilities and exchanges, and
changes in the fair value of derivatives, if applicable.
We believe that Adjusted EBITDA provides useful
information to investors as it primarily excludes non-cash
transactions and provides consistency to facilitate
period-to-period comparisons.
All companies do not calculate bookings, and
Adjusted EBITDA in the same manner. These metrics and financial
measures, as presented by IZEA, may be different from those
presented by other companies. Moreover, these metrics and financial
measures have limitations as analytical tools. You should not
consider them in isolation or as a substitute for an analysis of
our results of operations as reported under GAAP. The financial
tables included in this press release present a reconciliation of
adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP measure.
Safe Harbor Statement
All statements in this release that are not
based on historical fact are “forward-looking” and intended to
qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our
future plans, strategies, and expectations, can generally be
identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “may,”
“will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “hope,”
“estimate,” “optimistic,” “believe,” “intend,” “ought to,”
"likely," "projects," “plans,” "pursue," "strategy" or "future," or
the negative of these words or other words or expressions of
similar meaning. Examples of forward-looking statements include,
among others, statements we make regarding expectations concerning
product development and platform launches, future financial
performance and operating results, including regarding recognition
of bookings as revenues, growth, or maintenance of customer
relationships, and expectations concerning IZEA’s business
strategy. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and
uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially
from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various
factors, including, among others, the following: competitive
conditions in the content and social sponsorship segment in which
IZEA operates; failure to popularize one or more of the marketplace
platforms of IZEA; our ability to maintain disclosure controls and
procedures and internal control over financial reporting; our
ability to satisfy the requirements for continued listing of our
common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market; changing economic
conditions that are less favorable than expected; and other risks
and uncertainties described in IZEA’s periodic reports filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking
statements made in this release speak only as of the date of this
release, and IZEA assumes no obligation to update any such
forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in
expectations, except as otherwise required by law.
Press Contact
Nicole O'HaraIZEA Worldwide, Inc.Phone:
407-674-6911Email: ir@izea.com
|
IZEA Worldwide, Inc.Unaudited Consolidated
Balance Sheets |
|
|
|
|
|
December 31,2023 |
|
December 31,2022 |
Assets |
|
|
|
Current assets: |
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
37,446,728 |
|
|
$ |
24,600,960 |
|
Accounts receivable, net |
|
5,012,373 |
|
|
|
5,664,727 |
|
Prepaid expenses |
|
739,988 |
|
|
|
3,927,453 |
|
Short term investments |
|
17,126,057 |
|
|
|
16,106,758 |
|
Other current assets |
|
26,257 |
|
|
|
66,441 |
|
Total current assets |
|
60,351,403 |
|
|
|
50,366,339 |
|
|
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation |
|
205,377 |
|
|
|
156,774 |
|
Goodwill |
|
5,280,372 |
|
|
|
4,016,722 |
|
Intangible assets, net |
|
1,749,441 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Digital assets |
|
162,905 |
|
|
|
64,953 |
|
Software development costs, net |
|
2,056,972 |
|
|
|
1,774,033 |
|
Long term investments |
|
9,618,996 |
|
|
|
29,296,069 |
|
Total assets |
$ |
79,425,466 |
|
|
$ |
85,674,890 |
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity |
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
Accounts payable |
|
1,504,348 |
|
|
|
1,968,322 |
|
Accrued expenses |
|
3,083,460 |
|
|
|
2,130,702 |
|
Contract liabilities |
|
8,891,205 |
|
|
|
11,247,746 |
|
Contingent liability |
|
114,400 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Total current liabilities |
|
13,593,413 |
|
|
|
15,346,770 |
|
|
|
|
|
Finance obligation, less
current portion |
|
63,419 |
|
|
|
62,173 |
|
Deferred purchase price, less
current portion |
|
60,600 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Deferred Tax Liability |
|
394,646 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Total liabilities |
|
14,112,078 |
|
|
|
15,408,943 |
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments and
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders’ equity: |
|
|
|
Preferred stock; $.0001 par value; 2,500,000 shares authorized; no
shares issued and outstanding |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Common stock; $0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized;
shares issued: 16,602,155 and 15,603,597, respectively; shares
outstanding: 16,236,300 and 15,603,597, respectively |
|
1,660 |
|
|
|
1,560 |
|
Treasury stock at cost: 365,855 and 0 shares at December 31, 2023
and December 31, 2022, respectively |
|
(1,019,997 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
152,027,110 |
|
|
|
149,148,248 |
|
Accumulated deficit |
|
(85,444,794 |
) |
|
|
(78,103,066 |
) |
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) |
|
(250,591 |
) |
|
|
(780,795 |
) |
Total stockholders’ equity |
|
65,313,388 |
|
|
|
70,265,947 |
|
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity |
$ |
79,425,466 |
|
|
$ |
85,674,890 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IZEA Worldwide, Inc.Unaudited Consolidated
Statements of Operations |
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended December 31, |
|
Twelve Months Ended December 31, |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
Revenue |
$ |
8,892,916 |
|
|
$ |
8,802,255 |
|
|
$ |
36,214,598 |
|
|
$ |
41,095,937 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Costs and expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of revenue |
|
4,721,329 |
|
|
|
5,748,623 |
|
|
|
21,621,445 |
|
|
|
24,737,699 |
|
Sales and marketing |
|
2,610,521 |
|
|
|
2,211,654 |
|
|
|
10,547,322 |
|
|
|
9,523,894 |
|
General and administrative |
|
3,610,670 |
|
|
|
1,826,942 |
|
|
|
13,214,978 |
|
|
|
11,637,044 |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
138,897 |
|
|
|
423,305 |
|
|
|
713,135 |
|
|
|
828,161 |
|
Total costs and expenses |
|
11,081,417 |
|
|
|
10,210,524 |
|
|
|
46,096,880 |
|
|
|
46,726,798 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss from operations |
|
(2,188,501 |
) |
|
|
(1,408,269 |
) |
|
|
(9,882,282 |
) |
|
|
(5,630,861 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income (expense): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest expense |
|
(1,853 |
) |
|
|
1,795 |
|
|
|
(8,226 |
) |
|
|
(799 |
) |
Other income (expense), net |
|
657,593 |
|
|
|
489,341 |
|
|
|
2,535,044 |
|
|
|
1,162,162 |
|
Deferred tax benefit |
|
6,104 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
6,104 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Total other income (expense), net |
|
661,844 |
|
|
|
491,136 |
|
|
|
2,532,922 |
|
|
|
1,161,363 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
$ |
(1,526,657 |
) |
|
$ |
(917,133 |
) |
|
$ |
(7,349,360 |
) |
|
$ |
(4,469,498 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares
outstanding – basic and diluted |
|
16,368,216 |
|
|
|
15,549,845 |
|
|
|
16,368,216 |
|
|
|
15,549,845 |
|
Basic and diluted loss per
common share |
$ |
(0.09 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.06 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.45 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.29 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IZEA Worldwide, Inc.Unaudited Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Loss |
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended December 31, |
|
Twelve Months Ended December 31, |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
Net loss |
$ |
(1,526,657 |
) |
|
$ |
(917,133 |
) |
|
$ |
(7,349,360 |
) |
|
$ |
(4,469,498 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive
income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unrealized (gain) loss on securities held |
|
(262,726 |
) |
|
|
(83,800 |
) |
|
|
(530,204 |
) |
|
|
780,795 |
|
Total other comprehensive
income (loss) |
|
(262,726 |
) |
|
|
(83,800 |
) |
|
|
(530,204 |
) |
|
|
780,795 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive income
(loss) |
$ |
(1,263,931 |
) |
|
$ |
(833,333 |
) |
|
$ |
(6,819,156 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,250,293 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IZEA Worldwide, Inc.Revenue
Details |
|
Revenue
details by type: |
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended December 31, |
|
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
$ Change |
|
% Change |
Managed Services Revenue |
$ |
8,781,826 |
|
98.8 |
% |
|
$ |
8,431,636 |
|
95.8 |
% |
|
$ |
350,190 |
|
|
4.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marketplace Spend Fees |
|
4,812 |
|
0.1 |
% |
|
|
83,566 |
|
0.9 |
% |
|
|
(78,754 |
) |
|
(94.2 |
)% |
License Fees |
|
99,687 |
|
1.1 |
% |
|
|
270,480 |
|
3.1 |
% |
|
|
(170,793 |
) |
|
(63.1 |
)% |
Other Fees |
|
6,592 |
|
0.1 |
% |
|
|
16,573 |
|
0.2 |
% |
|
|
(9,981 |
) |
|
(60.2 |
)% |
SaaS Services Revenue |
|
111,091 |
|
1.2 |
% |
|
|
370,619 |
|
4.2 |
% |
|
|
(259,528 |
) |
|
(70.0 |
)% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Revenue |
$ |
8,892,917 |
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
8,802,255 |
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
90,662 |
|
|
1.0 |
% |
|
Twelve Months Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
$ Change |
|
% Change |
|
Managed Services Revenue |
$ |
35,740,685 |
|
98.7 |
% |
|
$ |
39,456,986 |
|
96.0 |
% |
|
$ |
(3,716,301 |
) |
|
(9.4 |
)% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marketplace Spend Fees |
|
44,985 |
|
0.1 |
% |
|
|
205,809 |
|
0.5 |
% |
|
|
(160,824 |
) |
|
(78.1 |
)% |
License Fees |
|
404,625 |
|
1.1 |
% |
|
|
1,301,198 |
|
3.2 |
% |
|
|
(896,573 |
) |
|
(68.9 |
)% |
Other Fees |
|
24,303 |
|
0.1 |
% |
|
|
131,944 |
|
0.3 |
% |
|
|
(107,641 |
) |
|
(81.6 |
)% |
SaaS Services Revenue |
|
473,913 |
|
1.3 |
% |
|
|
1,638,951 |
|
4.0 |
% |
|
|
(1,165,038 |
) |
|
(71.1 |
)% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Revenue |
$ |
36,214,598 |
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
41,095,937 |
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
(4,881,339 |
) |
|
(11.9 |
)% |
|
IZEA Worldwide, Inc.Reconciliation of GAAP
Net loss to Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA |
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended December 31, |
|
Twelve Months Ended December 31, |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
Net loss |
$ |
(1,526,657 |
) |
|
$ |
(917,133 |
) |
|
$ |
(7,349,360 |
) |
|
$ |
(4,469,498 |
) |
Impairment of digital assets |
|
— |
|
|
|
6,502 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
148,310 |
|
Adjustment to fair value of digital assets |
|
(90,320 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(90,320 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
Non-cash stock-based compensation |
|
308,017 |
|
|
|
182,759 |
|
|
|
950,769 |
|
|
|
610,772 |
|
Non-cash stock issued for payment of services |
|
75,003 |
|
|
|
31,258 |
|
|
|
300,015 |
|
|
|
125,000 |
|
Interest expense |
|
1,853 |
|
|
|
(1,795 |
) |
|
|
8,226 |
|
|
|
799 |
|
Deferred tax liability |
|
(6,104 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(6,104 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
138,897 |
|
|
|
423,305 |
|
|
|
713,135 |
|
|
|
828,161 |
|
Other non-cash items |
|
(4,809 |
) |
|
|
(26,229 |
) |
|
|
(4,505 |
) |
|
|
(7,674 |
) |
Adjusted EBITDA |
$ |
(1,104,120 |
) |
|
$ |
(301,333 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,478,144 |
) |
|
$ |
(2,764,130 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
$ |
8,892,916 |
|
|
$ |
8,802,255 |
|
|
$ |
36,214,598 |
|
|
$ |
41,095,937 |
|
Adjusted EBITDA as a % of Revenue |
|
(12.4 |
)% |
|
|
(3.4 |
)% |
|
|
(15.1 |
)% |
|
|
(6.7 |
)% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IZEA Worldwide (NASDAQ:IZEA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
IZEA Worldwide (NASDAQ:IZEA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024