WILD WildBrain Ltd

Q1 2025 Highlights

• Revenue was $111.0 million, compared to $105.5 million in Q1 2024.
• Net loss was $10.6 million, compared with net loss of $15.5 million in Q1 2024.
• Adjusted EBITDA¹ was $15.3 million, compared to $18.9 million in Q1 2024.
• Cash provided by operating activities was $25.8 million, compared to cash used in operating activities of $3.0 million in Q1 2024.
• Free Cash Flow¹ was positive $4.8 million, compared to negative $25.4 million in Q1 2024.

TORONTO, Nov. 7, 2024 /CNW/ - WildBrain Ltd. ("WildBrain" or the "Company") (TSX: WILD), a global leader in kids' and family entertainment, today reported its first quarter ("Q1 2025") results for the period ended September 30, 2024.

Josh Scherba, WildBrain President and CEO, said: "We started Fiscal Year 2025 with strong growth in Global Licensing, led by our iconic brands—Peanuts, Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies. The work we've been doing to simplify our business and focus on our key brands, especially building new fandom and engagement for Strawberry and Teletubbies, is showing greenshoots in our results as consumers reengage with these beloved brands. In our production business, the pipeline continues to build, and that activity will fuel earnings growth later in this fiscal year, and more importantly, in Fiscal Year 2026 and beyond. We are harnessing momentum across our business and are well positioned to deliver growth in both revenue and profitability this fiscal year."

Nick Gawne, WildBrain CFO, added: "As we announced in July, we are pleased to have successfully refinanced our debt, extended our maturity and repaid the convertible debentures. The strength in Global Licensing this quarter highlighted our strategy focusing on key franchises, and we continue to execute on our priorities of simplifying our business, reducing leverage over time and prioritizing on our high-growth areas of the business while managing our operating efficiency."

Fiscal Year 2025 Outlook

The Company reaffirms its previously announced outlook for Fiscal Year 2025. We expect:

• Revenue growth of approximately 10 to 15%, and
• Adjusted EBITDA growth of approximately 5 to 10%.

Q1 2025 Financial Highlights

In Q1 2025, revenue increased 5% to $111.0 million, compared to $105.5 million in Q1 2024.

Content Creation and Audience Engagement revenue decreased 14% to $40.8 million in Q1 2025, compared to $47.2 million in Q1 2024. Production revenue was lower year-over-year as a result of fewer productions in the studios as compared to the prior year as well as timing of live action productions. Audience Engagement partially offset the drop in Content Creation revenues with growth in music licensing and YouTube network revenues.

Global Licensing revenue increased 27% to $62.9 million in Q1 2025, compared to $49.5 million in Q1 2024. Revenue in the quarter was driven by strong growth in Peanuts, growth within our global licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG, as well as strong growth in WildBrain's owned brands, Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies.

Gross margin for Q1 2025 was 47%, compared to gross margin of 49% in Q1 2024. Gross margin for Q4 2024 was $52.7 million, an increase of $0.9 million, compared to $51.8 million for Q1 2024. 

Cash provided by operating activities in Q1 2025 was $25.8 million, compared to $3.0 million cash used in operating activities in Q1 2024. Free Cash Flow was positive $4.8 million in Q1 2025, compared with Free Cash Flow of negative $25.4 million in Q1 2024.

Adjusted EBITDA declined 19% to $15.3 million in Q1 2025, compared with $18.9 million in Q1 2024. Higher gross margin dollars were offset by higher SG&A, reflecting the recovery of a previously reserved bad debt of $2.8 million in Q1 2024.

Q1 2025 net loss was $10.6 million compared to net loss of $15.5 million in Q1 2024. The change was primarily driven by higher gross margin dollars, offset by higher SG&A and higher interest costs.

Q1 2025 Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call on November 8, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. ET to discuss the results.

To immediately join the call by phone on that date without operator assistance, please use the following URL to receive a toll-free automated instant call back connecting you into the conference:

https://link.meetingpanel.com/?id=11401

Alternatively, you may dial direct to be entered into the call by an operator, referencing conference ID 11401 at +1 888-510-2154 in North America or +1 437-900-0527 internationally.

If dialing in, please allow 10 minutes to be connected to the conference call.

Replay will be available after the call on +1 (888) 660-6345 or +1 (289) 819-1450, under passcode 11401#, until November 15, 2024.

The audio and transcript will also be archived on our website approximately three business days following the event.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Relations: Kathleen Persaud - VP, Investor Relations, WildBrain
kathleen.persaud@wildbrain.com
+1 212-405-6089

Media: Shaun Smith - Sr. Director, Global Communications & Public Relations, WildBrain
shaun.smith@wildbrain.com
+1 416-977-7230

About WildBrain

At WildBrain we inspire imaginations through the wonder of storytelling. As a leader in 360° franchise management, we are experts in content creation, audience engagement and global licensing, cultivating and growing love for our own and partner brands around the world. With approximately 14,000 half-hours of kids' and family content  in our library—one of the world's most extensive—we are home to such treasured franchises as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Inspector Gadget and Degrassi. WildBrain's mission is to create exceptional entertainment experiences that captivate and delight fans both young and young at heart.

Our studios produce such award-winning series as The Snoopy Show; Snoopy in Space; Camp Snoopy; Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City; Sonic Prime; Chip and Potato; Teletubbies Let's Go! and many more. Enjoyed in more than 150 countries on over 500 platforms, our content is everywhere kids and families view entertainment, including YouTube, where our network has garnered over 1.5 trillion minutes of watch time. Our television group owns and operates some of Canada's most-loved family entertainment channels. WildBrain CPLG, our leading consumer-products and location-based entertainment agency, represents our owned and partner properties in every major territory worldwide. 

WildBrain is headquartered in Canada with offices worldwide and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WILD). Visit us at wildbrain.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects WildBrain's current assumptions and expectations regarding future events as at the time they are made. The words "will", "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are often intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond WildBrain's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: changes in general economic, business and political conditions. WildBrain undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Non-IFRS Measures

In addition to the results reported in accordance with IFRS as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, the Company uses various non-GAAP financial measures, which are not recognized under IFRS, as supplemental indicators of our operating performance and financial position. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided to enhance the user's understanding of our historical and current financial performance and our prospects for the future. Management believes that these measures provide useful information in that they exclude amounts that are not indicative of our core operating results and ongoing operations and provide a consistent basis for comparison between periods. The following discussion explains the Company's use of certain non-GAAP financial measures, which are Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA attributable to the Shareholders of the Company, Gross Margin and Free Cash Flow.

Investors are cautioned that these non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as an alternative measure to net income or loss, or other measures as determined in accordance with GAAP, or as an indicator of the Company's financial performance or a measure of liquidity and cash flows.

"Adjusted EBITDA" means earnings (loss) before net finance costs, income taxes, amortization of property & equipment and right-of-use and intangible assets, amortization of acquired and library content, equity-settled share-based compensation expense, changes in fair value of embedded derivatives, gain/loss on foreign exchange, reorganization, development and other expenses, impairment of certain investments in film and television programs/acquired and library content/P&E/intangible assets/goodwill, and also includes adjustments for other identified charges, as specified in the accompanying tables. Adjusted EBITDA is not an earnings measure recognized by GAAP and does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP; accordingly, Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management believes that certain lenders, investors and analysts use Adjusted EBITDA to measure a company's ability to service debt and meet other payment obligations, and as a common valuation measurement in the media and entertainment industry. Further, certain of our debt covenants use Adjusted EBITDA in the calculation. The most comparable GAAP measure is earnings before income taxes.

"Adjusted EBITDA attributable to the Shareholders of the Company" means Adjusted EBITDA excluding the portion of Adjusted EBITDA attributable to non-controlling interests.

"Gross Margin" means revenue less direct production costs and expense of film and television produced. Gross Margin is not an earnings measure recognized by GAAP and does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP; accordingly, Gross Margin may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management believes Gross Margin is a useful measure of profitability before considering operating and other expenses and can be used to assess the Company's ability to generate positive net earnings and cash flows. The most comparable GAAP measure is gross profit.

"Free Cash Flow" means operating cash flow less distributions to non-controlling interests, changes in interim production financing, cash interest paid on our long-term debt, bank indebtedness, and lease liabilities, and principal repayments on our lease liabilities. Free Cash Flow does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP; accordingly, Free Cash Flow may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management believes Free Cash Flow is a useful measure of the Company's ability to repay debt, finance strategic business acquisitions and investments, pay dividends, and repurchase shares. The most comparable GAAP measure is cash from operating activities.

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SOURCE WildBrain Ltd.