The Area Group’s Gross Revenue Triples and Studies 44% Income Improve for First Quarter of 2022

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Area Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: AREN) (the “Firm” or “The Area Group”), a tech-powered media firm with 40 owned and operated properties and greater than 200 manufacturers together with Sports activities Illustrated, TheStreet, Inc. (“TheStreet”), Parade Media (“Parade”), and HubPages, Inc. (“HubPages”) working on a single expertise platform, immediately introduced monetary outcomes for the primary quarter of 2022. The outcomes don’t embody any contribution from AMG/Parade, which was acquired subsequent to the primary quarter.

First Quarter of 2022 Monetary and Operational Highlights

First quarter of 2022 gross revenue share improved to 41% from 16% within the prior yr interval.
Complete income elevated by 44% to $48.2 million from $33.6 million within the prior yr interval.
Digital promoting income greater than doubled within the first quarter of 2022 to $21.6 million from $9.5 million within the prior yr interval.
Internet loss improved to $18.4 million within the first quarter of 2022 in comparison with a internet lack of $25.5 million within the first quarter of 2021.
Adjusted EBITDA* improved to a destructive $1.1 million for the primary quarter of 2022, as in comparison with a lack of $8.7 million for the primary quarter of 2021, and displays changes for noncash fees representing 81% of first quarter internet losses.

*This press launch consists of reference to non-GAAP monetary measures. Please see the heading “Use of Non-GAAP Monetary Measures” under for a extra full clarification.

Administration Commentary

Chairman and Chief Govt Officer of The Area Group Ross Levinsohn mentioned, “Within the first quarter, we drove substantial income development and greater than tripled our gross revenue, all whereas sustaining a one % improve in price of income which enabled us to meaningfully slender internet losses. This validates each our technique and platform benefits. We’re rising our viewers at a speedy tempo, and with it our income, and more and more promoting direct digital promoting, our highest worth advert models, throughout our total portfolio. Our “Playbook” is constructed round premium, proprietary content material and enhanced by viewers improvement initiatives throughout search, social and distribution. The viewers and knowledge capabilities makes us extra engaging to manufacturers, creating direct promoting alternatives that speed up development and broaden margins. The outcomes are clear: for the second quarter in a row, our income grew 44% in comparison with the prior yr intervals.”

Levinsohn added, “For each incremental greenback of digital income we generate, greater than 50% contributes to our gross revenue. Because of this, our internet loss and Adjusted EBITDA each improved considerably in what is often the weakest quarter of the yr. The acquisition of AMG/Parade will jumpstart our Way of life vertical this month, and we anticipate this to contribute to our development starting within the second quarter. Our platform is constructed to scale, as we are able to help considerably increased revenues, larger visitors, and extra platform-wide direct gross sales, with out growing our working bills. The outcome will likely be a steadily bettering profitability.”

Latest Enterprise Highlights

The Area Group accomplished its acquisition of AMG/Parade, a premium multimedia firm with manufacturers together with Parade Media, Relish, and Spry Dwelling, enabling the creation of the Firm’s new Way of life vertical and growth of The Area Group’s Sports activities vertical. The acquisition brings the Firm’s complete month-to-month common pageviews within the first quarter of 2022 to 565 million on a pro-forma foundation, in line with Google Analytics. The Area Group acquired 100% of the issued and excellent fairness pursuits of AMG/Parade for a purchase order worth of $16.3 million, internet of money acquired, together with the issuance of shares of widespread inventory of the Firm, topic to a customary working capital adjustment. As part of the acquisition, the Firm acquired internet proceeds of $2.2 million from the sale of an funding acquired.
The Area Group uplisted its widespread inventory to the NYSE American underneath the image “AREN.” In reference to the uplisting, the Firm accomplished a agency dedication underwritten public providing of 4,181,603 shares of its widespread inventory, which included the partial train of the underwriter’s overallotment, at a public providing worth of $8.25 per share. This resulted in internet proceeds to The Area Group of $30.5 million, after deducting underwriting reductions and commissions and different providing bills.
Within the first quarter of 2022, complete month-to-month common pageviews for the Firm, in line with Google Analytics, was 519 million, a rise of 67% as in comparison with the prior yr quarter. The rise in month-to-month common pageviews immediately benefited the Firm’s promoting impressions and together with enchancment in revenue-per-pageview contributed to the Firm’s development in complete income.

Monetary Outcomes for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 In comparison with the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021

Income was $48.2 million for the primary quarter of fiscal 2022, a rise of 44%, in comparison with $33.6 million within the first quarter of fiscal 2021. The rise was primarily as a consequence of an 82% improve in complete digital income to $31.6 million within the first quarter of 2022, which included a $12.1 million, or 127%, improve in digital promoting income. Digital promoting development was pushed by increased visitors throughout our owned and operated properties and FanNation within the first quarter of fiscal 2022 as in comparison with the prior yr interval, and a rise in yield-per-pageview. Complete print income elevated 3% to $16.7 million within the first quarter of fiscal 2022 from $16.2 million within the first quarter of fiscal 2021, pushed by development in print subscriptions and newsstand, partially offset by decrease print promoting income.

Gross revenue greater than tripled to $19.7 million within the first quarter of 2022, representing a 41% gross revenue share in comparison with a gross revenue of $5.4 million, representing a 16% gross revenue within the first quarter of 2021. Value of income remained comparatively flat growing by only one%, persevering with to replicate the rising energy of our digital promoting enterprise.

Complete working bills had been $35.2 million within the first quarter of 2022 in comparison with $27.1 million within the first quarter of 2021. The rise was primarily pushed by a rise of $5.2 million associated to payroll, together with associated advantages and stock-based compensation and a rise of $1.9 million in circulation bills which mirrored the residual influence of the marketing campaign to extend Sports activities Illustrated subscriptions within the fourth quarter of 2020. Included inside working bills is $5.2 million of stock-based compensation which is a noncash merchandise and represented a rise of $1.6 million within the first quarter of 2022 as in comparison with the prior yr interval.

Internet loss improved to $18.4 million for the primary quarter of 2022 as in comparison with $25.5 million within the prior yr interval. The primary quarter of 2022 included $15.0 million of noncash fees in comparison with $12.8 million of noncash fees within the first quarter of the prior yr.

Adjusted EBITDA* for the primary quarter of fiscal 2022, which is often the weakest quarter of the yr, was destructive $1.1 million, in comparison with a lack of $8.7 million for the primary quarter of fiscal 2021, representing a $7.6 million enchancment.

*Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP monetary measure. A disclaimer and reconciliation are offered under.

Steadiness Sheet and Liquidity as of March 31, 2022

Money and money equivalents had been $22.5 million at March 31, 2022, in comparison with $9.3 million at December 31, 2021, which included the receipt of $30.5 million in internet proceeds from a agency dedication underwritten providing of the Firm’s widespread inventory accomplished through the first quarter of 2022. Subsequent to the top of the quarter, The Area Group paid $10 million, internet of money acquired, for the acquisition of AMG/Parade at closing.

Convention Name

Ross Levinsohn, The Area Group’s Chief Govt Officer and Doug Smith, Chief Monetary Officer, will host a convention name and reside webcast to evaluation the quarterly outcomes and supply a company replace immediately, Could 4, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. ET. To entry the decision, please dial 888-506-0062 (toll free) or 973-528-0011 and if requested, reference convention ID 388900. The convention name may also be webcast reside on the Investor Relations part of The Area Group’s web site at https://buyers.thearenagroup.internet/news-and-events/occasions.

Following the conclusion of the reside name, a replay of the webcast will likely be accessible on the Investor Relations part of the Firm’s web site for at the very least 90 days. A telephonic replay of the convention name may also be accessible from 7 p.m. ET on Could 4, 2022 till 11:59 p.m. ET on Could 18, 2022 by dialing 877-481-4010 (United States) or 919-882-2331 (worldwide) and utilizing the passcode 45346.

About The Area Group

The Area Group creates strong digital locations that delight customers with highly effective journalism and information in regards to the issues they love – their favourite sports activities groups, recommendation on investing, the within scoop on private finance, and the newest on way of life necessities. With highly effective expertise, editorial experience, knowledge administration, and advertising and marketing savvy, the transformative firm permits manufacturers like Sports activities Illustrated, TheStreet and Parade to ship extremely related content material and experiences that customers love. To be taught extra, go to www.thearenagroup.internet.

Use of Non-GAAP Monetary Measures

We report our monetary leads to accordance with usually accepted accounting rules in the US of America (“GAAP”); nevertheless, administration believes that sure non-GAAP monetary measures present customers of our monetary data with helpful supplemental data that permits a greater comparability of our efficiency throughout intervals. This press launch consists of references to Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP monetary measure. We imagine Adjusted EBITDA gives visibility to the underlying persevering with working efficiency by excluding the influence of sure objects which can be noncash in nature or not associated to our core enterprise operations. We calculate Adjusted EBITDA as internet loss, adjusted for (i) curiosity expense (ii) revenue taxes, (iii) depreciation and amortization, (iv) stock-based compensation, (v) change in spinoff valuations, (vi) liquidated damages, (vii) loss on disposition of property, (viii) loss on impairment of lease, (ix) loss on lease termination, (x) achieve upon debt extinguishment, (xi) skilled and vendor charges, and (xii) worker restructuring funds.

Our non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA is probably not similar to a equally titled measure utilized by different corporations, has limitations as an analytical instrument, and shouldn’t be thought-about in isolation, or as an alternative to evaluation of our working outcomes as reported underneath GAAP. Moreover, we don’t take into account our non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA as superior to, or an alternative to, the equal measures calculated and introduced in accordance with GAAP.

Ahead Trying Statements

This press launch consists of statements that represent forward-looking statements. Ahead-looking statements could also be recognized by way of phrases resembling “forecast,” “steering,” “plan,” “estimate,” “will,” “would,” “challenge,” “keep,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “anticipate,” “prospect,” “technique,” “future,” “possible,” “might,” “ought to,” “imagine,” “proceed,” “alternative,” “potential,” and different related expressions that predict or point out future occasions or tendencies or that aren’t statements of historic issues. These forward-looking statements are based mostly on data accessible on the time the statements are made and/or administration’s good religion perception as of that point with respect to future occasions, and are topic to dangers and uncertainties that would trigger precise outcomes to vary materially from these expressed in or recommended by the forward-looking statements. Components that would trigger or contribute to such variations embody, however will not be restricted to, the period and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic and influence on the demand for the Firm merchandise; the flexibility of the Firm to broaden its verticals; the Firm’s capability to develop its subscribers; the Firm’s capability to develop its promoting income; basic financial uncertainty in key international markets and a worsening of worldwide financial circumstances or low ranges of financial development; the results of steps that the Firm might take to scale back working prices; the lack of the Firm to maintain worthwhile gross sales development; circumstances or developments which will make the Firm unable to implement or notice the anticipated advantages, or which will improve the prices, of its present and deliberate enterprise initiatives; and people components detailed by The Area Group Holdings, Inc. in its public filings with the Securities and Change Fee, together with its Annual Report on Type 10-Okay and Quarterly Studies on Type 10-Q. Ought to a number of of those dangers, uncertainties, or information materialize, or ought to underlying assumptions show incorrect, precise outcomes might fluctuate materially from these indicated or anticipated by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Accordingly, you might be cautioned to not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which communicate solely as of the date they’re made. Ahead-looking statements shouldn’t be learn as a assure of future efficiency or outcomes and won’t essentially be correct indications of the occasions at, or by, which such efficiency or outcomes will likely be achieved. Besides as required underneath the federal securities legal guidelines and the principles and laws of the Securities and Change Fee, we should not have any intention or obligation to replace publicly any forward-looking statements, whether or not on account of new data, future occasions, or in any other case.

THE ARENA GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

	March 31, 2022 (unaudited)			December 31, 2021
	($ in 1000’s, besides share knowledge)
Belongings
Present property:
Money and money equivalents	$	22,480		$	9,349
Restricted money		502			502
Accounts receivable, internet		19,998			21,660
Subscription acquisition prices, present portion		24,940			30,162
Royalty charges		7,500			11,250
Prepayments and different present property		4,972			4,748
Complete present property		80,392			77,671
Property and gear, internet		593			636
Working lease right-of-use property		493			528
Platform improvement, internet		10,013			9,299
Subscription acquisition prices, internet of present portion		7,307			8,235
Acquired and different intangible property, internet		52,255			57,356
Different long-term property		587			639
Goodwill		19,619			19,619
Complete property	$	171,259		$	173,983
Liabilities, mezzanine fairness and stockholders’ deficiency
Present liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	7,070		$	11,982
Accrued bills and different		17,425			24,011
Line of credit score		9,291			11,988
Unearned income		48,519			54,030
Subscription refund legal responsibility		2,534			3,087
Working lease legal responsibility		387			374
Liquidated damages payable		5,369			5,197
Present portion of long-term debt		5,847			5,744
Complete present liabilities		96,442			116,413
Unearned income, internet of present portion		12,362			15,277
Working lease legal responsibility, internet of present portion		683			785
Liquidating damages payable, internet of present portion		–			7,008
Different long-term liabilities		7,527			7,556
Deferred tax liabilities		376			362
Lengthy-term debt		64,929			64,373
Complete liabilities		182,319			211,774
Commitments and contingencies
Mezzanine fairness:
Sequence G redeemable and convertible most well-liked inventory, $0.01 par worth, $1,000 per share liquidation worth and 1,800 shares designated; mixture liquidation worth: $168; Sequence G shares issued and excellent: 168; widespread shares issuable upon conversion: 8,582 at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021		168			168
Sequence H convertible most well-liked inventory, $0.01 par worth, $1,000 per share liquidation worth and 23,000 shares designated; mixture liquidation worth: $14,556 and $15,066; Sequence H shares issued and excellent: 14,556 and 15,066; widespread shares issuable upon conversion: 2,004,971 and a pair of,075,200 at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively		13,207			13,718
Complete mezzanine fairness		13,375			13,886
Stockholders’ deficiency:
Frequent inventory, $0.01 par worth, licensed 1,000,000,000 shares; issued and excellent: 17,502,102 and 12,632,947 shares at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively		175			126
Frequent inventory to be issued		–			–
Extra paid-in capital		246,052			200,410
Accrued deficit		(270,662	)		(252,213	)
Complete stockholders’ deficiency		(24,435	)		(51,677	)
Complete liabilities, mezzanine fairness and stockholders’ deficiency	$	171,259		$	173,983

THE ARENA GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2022			2021
	($ in 1000’s, besides per share knowledge)
Income	$	48,243		$	33,615
Value of income (consists of amortization of developed expertise and platform improvement for 2022 and 2021 of $2,311 and $2,167, respectively)		28,497			28,208
Gross revenue		19,746			5,407
Working bills
Promoting and advertising and marketing		17,216			17,529
Normal and administrative		13,514			5,638
Depreciation and amortization		4,202			3,963
Loss on impairment of property		257			–
Complete working bills		35,189			27,130
Loss from operations		(15,443	)		(21,723	)
Different bills
Change in valuation of warrant spinoff liabilities		–			(665	)
Curiosity expense		(2,820	)		(2,820	)
Liquidated damages		(172	)		(255	)
Complete different bills		(2,992	)		(3,740	)
Loss earlier than revenue taxes		(18,435	)		(25,463	)
Revenue taxes		(14	)		–
Internet loss	$	(18,449	)	$	(25,463	)
Fundamental and diluted internet loss per widespread share	$	(1.20	)	$	(2.44	)
Weighted common variety of widespread shares excellent – primary and diluted		15,381,306			10,456,052

THE ARENA GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2022			2021
	($ in 1000’s)
Money flows from working actions
Internet loss	$	(18,449	)	$	(25,463	)
Changes to reconcile internet loss to internet money utilized in working actions:
Depreciation of property and gear		114			110
Amortization of platform improvement and intangible property		6,399			6,020
Amortization of debt reductions		660			694
Loss on impairment of property		257			–
Change in valuation of warrant spinoff liabilities		–			665
Accrued curiosity		–			1,866
Liquidated damages		172			255
Inventory-based compensation		7,367			5,099
Deferred revenue taxes		14			–
Different		183			(509	)
Change in working property and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		1,594			2,917
Subscription acquisition prices		6,150			(8,349	)
Royalty charges		3,750			3,750
Prepayments and different present property		(224	)		(1,630	)
Different long-term property		52			(238	)
Accounts payable		(4,912	)		1,920
Accrued bills and different		(7,444	)		1,821
Unearned income		(8,358	)		9,039
Subscription refund legal responsibility		(553	)		737
Working lease liabilities		(54	)		(215	)
Different long-term liabilities		(29	)		–
Internet money utilized in working actions		(13,311	)		(1,511	)
Money flows from investing actions
Purchases of property and gear		(71	)		(98	)
Capitalized platform improvement		(1,582	)		(868	)
Internet money utilized in investing actions		(1,653	)		(966	)
Money flows from financing actions
Repayments underneath line of credit score, internet of borrowings		(2,697	)		(1,752	)
Proceeds from public providing of widespread inventory, internet of providing prices		32,058			–
Fee of tax withholdings of widespread inventory withheld		(556	)		–
Fee of restricted inventory liabilities		(710	)		(280	)
Internet money offered by (used for) financing actions		28,095			(2,032	)
Internet improve (lower) in money, money equivalents, and restricted money		13,131			(4,509	)
Money, money equivalents, and restricted money – starting of interval		9,851			9,535
Money, money equivalents, and restricted money – finish of interval	$	22,982		$	5,026
Money, money equivalents, and restricted money
Money and money equivalents	$	22,480		$	4,525
Restricted money		502			501
Complete money, money equivalents, and restricted money	$	22,982		$	5,026
Supplemental disclosure of money stream data
Money paid for curiosity	$	2,160		$	260
Money paid for revenue taxes		–			–
Noncash investing and financing actions
Reclassification of stock-based compensation to platform improvement	$	687		$	309
Providing prices included in accrued bills and different		1,568			–
Issuance of widespread inventory in reference to settlement of liquidated damages		7,008			–
Issuance of widespread inventory upon conversion of collection H most well-liked inventory		511			–

THE ARENA GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NET LOSS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA RECONCILIATION
(unaudited)

The next desk presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to internet loss, which is essentially the most immediately comparable GAAP measure, for the intervals indicated:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2022			2021
Internet loss	$	(18,449	)	$	(25,463	)
Add:
Curiosity expense (1)		2,820			2,820
Revenue taxes		14			–
Depreciation and amortization (2)		6,513			6,130
Inventory-based compensation (3)		7,367			5,099
Change in spinoff valuations		–			665
Liquidated damages (4)		172			255
Loss on impairment of property (5)		257			–
Skilled and vendor charges (6)		–			1,719
Worker restructuring funds (7)		174			61
Adjusted EBITDA	$	(1,132	)	$	(8,714	)

(1)		Represents curiosity expense of $2,820 and $2,820, for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Curiosity expense is said to our capital construction. Curiosity expense varies over time as a consequence of a wide range of financing transactions. Curiosity expense consists of $660 and $694 for amortization of debt reductions for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, that are a noncash merchandise and introduced in our condensed consolidated statements of money flows. Traders ought to word that curiosity expense will recur in future intervals.
(2)		Represents depreciation and amortization associated to our developed expertise and Platform included inside price of revenues of $2,311 and $2,167 and depreciation and amortization included inside working bills of $4,202 and $3,963 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. We imagine (i) the quantity of depreciation and amortization expense in any particular interval might in a roundabout way correlate to the underlying efficiency of our enterprise operations and (ii) such bills can fluctuate considerably between intervals on account of new acquisitions and full amortization of beforehand acquired tangible and intangible property. Traders ought to word that using tangible and intangible property contributed to income within the intervals introduced and can contribute to future income era and also needs to word that such expense will recur in future intervals.
(3)		Represents noncash prices arising from the grant of stock-based awards to staff, consultants and administrators. We imagine that excluding the impact of stock-based compensation from Adjusted EBITDA assists administration and buyers in making period-to-period comparisons in our working efficiency as a result of (i) the quantity of such bills in any particular interval might in a roundabout way correlate to the underlying efficiency of our enterprise operations, and (ii) such bills can fluctuate considerably between intervals on account of the timing of grants of latest stock-based awards, together with grants in reference to acquisitions. Moreover, we imagine that excluding stock-based compensation from Adjusted EBITDA assists administration and buyers in making significant comparisons between our working efficiency and the working efficiency of different corporations which will use totally different types of worker compensation or totally different valuation methodologies for his or her stock-based compensation. Traders ought to word that stock-based compensation is a key incentive provided to staff whose efforts contributed to the working leads to the intervals introduced and are anticipated to contribute to working leads to future intervals. Traders also needs to word that such bills will recur sooner or later.
(4)		Represents damages (or curiosity expense associated to accrued liquidated damages) we owe to sure of our buyers in non-public placements choices performed in fiscal years 2018 by 2020, pursuant to which we agreed to sure covenants within the respective securities buy agreements and registration rights agreements, together with the submitting of resale registration statements and turning into present in our reporting obligations, which we weren’t capable of well timed meet.
(5)		Represents our impairment of sure property that not are helpful.
(6)		Represents skilled and vendor charges recorded in reference to companies offered by consultants, accountants, attorneys, and different distributors associated to the preparation of periodic studies to ensure that us to grow to be present in our reporting obligations (“Delinquent Reporting Obligations Providers”). With respect to the Delinquent Reporting Obligations Providers, we incurred skilled and vendor charges within the first quarter of 2021 associated to the preparation of our annual studies for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (which contained the monetary data for the quarterly intervals throughout fiscal 2019), and our quarterly studies for fiscal 2020. The quantity of charges incurred in reference to the Delinquent Reporting Obligations Providers is adjusted based mostly on our greatest estimate of the quantity we anticipate we’d ordinarily incur to satisfy our reporting obligations pursuant to the Change Act.
(7)		Represents severance funds to our former Chief Govt Officer for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.