On Thursday, May 9, 2024, Outbrain Inc. (OB:NASDAQ) reported its earnings before the market opened, revealing an earnings per share (EPS) of -$0.10, which surpassed the estimated EPS of -$0.14. This performance indicates a better-than-expected outcome, showcasing the company’s ability to minimize losses more effectively than analysts had predicted. Despite this positive surprise in earnings, the company’s revenue for the period was $216.96 million, slightly below the anticipated $220.96 million. This discrepancy between earnings performance and revenue figures suggests a complex financial landscape for Outbrain, where cost management might be outpacing revenue growth.
The reported quarterly loss of $0.10 per share outperforming the Zacks Consensus Estimate, which anticipated a loss of $0.14 per share, represents a positive surprise of 28.57% compared to consensus estimates. This achievement is notable as it marks the third time in the last four quarters that Outbrain has exceeded consensus earnings per share (EPS) estimates. However, it’s important to note a slight deterioration from the previous year’s loss of $0.09 per share, indicating a year-over-year increase in losses, albeit smaller than what analysts had expected.
In terms of revenue, Outbrain’s performance slightly exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.27% for the quarter ending March 2024, with a revenue figure of $52.15 million. This achievement of surpassing consensus revenue estimates three times in the last four quarters demonstrates the company’s consistent ability to generate sales. Despite this, the revenue figure is nearly on par with the revenue from the same period a year ago, which was $52.2 million, suggesting a stabilization in Outbrain’s revenue streams rather than significant growth.
The company’s financial health and operational efficiency are further illuminated by its valuation metrics. With a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 20.74, investors seem to have a moderate expectation of future earnings growth, indicating a willingness to pay $20.74 for every dollar of Outbrain’s earnings. The price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of roughly 0.24 and an enterprise value to sales (EV/Sales) ratio of about 0.31 reflect the market’s valuation of each dollar of sales at a fraction of its price, suggesting that the market may be undervaluing the company’s sales potential. Additionally, the enterprise value to operating cash flow (EV/OCF) ratio of approximately 6.62 highlights the company’s efficiency in generating cash flow from its operations, a critical aspect for sustaining growth and managing investments.
Outbrain’s liquidity and financial stability are further supported by its debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio of about 0.61, indicating a balanced approach to financing its operations through debt and equity. This balanced financial strategy is crucial for maintaining flexibility and ensuring long-term sustainability. The current ratio of approximately 1.37 suggests that Outbrain has a healthy liquidity position, capable of covering its short-term obligations, which is essential for day-to-day operations and for seizing growth opportunities as they arise.