Catena, a major participant in the digital lead acquisition market, faced a difficult beginning to 2023 as both income and earnings from its current business activities fell in the initial quarter.
Income from these primary operations decreased by 5%, while earnings experienced a steeper decline, dropping by 35%. This reduction in profitability, even excluding discontinued business segments, raises questions about the company’s effectiveness and capacity to manage evolving market conditions.
The company announced revenue of €35 million (roughly $37.9 million) from continuing business activities. However, factoring in discontinued operations, like the sold AskGamblers brand, presents a slightly less negative view with total revenue reaching €36.2 million, although still indicating a 20% year-over-year reduction.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) for continuing operations saw a 7% decrease, settling at €20.5 million compared to the corresponding period in 2022. Including discontinued operations, EBITDA totaled €19.4 million, marking a more substantial 24% fall.
Net income for the quarter from continuing operations witnessed a significant reduction of 35%, reaching €11.6 million. The inclusion of discontinued operations, however, resulted in a net income of €22.9 million, unexpectedly demonstrating a 10% year-over-year rise. This difference emphasizes the influence of one-time occurrences related to the discontinued operations on the company’s overall financial results.
The presented information also included a comparison with Better Collective, a main competitor. While Catena’s revenue from continuing operations was considerably lower, less than half of Better Collective’s, the incorporation of discontinued operations’ financial figures tipped the balance in Catena’s favor, displaying higher net income. However, even with this inclusion, Catena’s EBITDA remained 41% lower than Better Collective’s, suggesting potential variations in business strategies and expense frameworks.
Catena Media’s Chief Executive, Michael Daly, recognized a minor decrease in the company’s income relative to the prosperous initial quarter of the preceding year. This outcome, he clarified, was foreseen. The introduction of internet sports wagering in New York and Louisiana in early 2022 had generated exceptionally elevated profits, establishing a challenging benchmark.
Positive developments emerged, nonetheless. The North American division leveraged the authorization of digital sports gambling in Ohio on January 1st, coinciding with the Super Bowl. This calculated maneuver yielded one of Catena’s most triumphant launches to date, although Daly conceded it fell short of the financial pinnacles observed in New York.
Furthermore, Catena designated a new temporary Chief Financial Officer subsequent to the exit of Peter Messners in February 2023.