Category: Media and Entertainment

Release – Motorsport Games Postpones Third Quarter 2022 Earnings Release And Conference Call

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Research, News, and Market Data on MSGM

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

MIAMI, Nov. 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”), a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, today announced that it is postponing its earnings release and conference call for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022, previously scheduled for November 10, 2022. The Company will issue a press release announcing the new date and time for the postponed earnings call.

About Motorsport Games:
Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, is a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. Combining innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers, Motorsport Games strives to make the joy of racing accessible to everyone. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile, including NASCAR, INDYCAR, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), as well as the industry leading rFactor 2 and KartKraft simulations. rFactor 2 also serves as the official sim racing platform of Formula E, while also powering F1 Arcade through a partnership with Kindred Concepts. Motorsport Games is an award-winning esports partner of choice for 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula E, BTCC, the FIA World Rallycross Championship and the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, among others. Motorsport Games is building a virtual racing ecosystem where each product drives excitement, every esports event is an adventure and every story inspires.

Contacts:
Investors:
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f71962d9-5910-47cb-8bea-fb840519e22e

Release – Motorsport Games Announces Completion Of Previously Announced 1-For-10 Reverse Stock Split

Posted on by [email protected]

Research, News, and Market Data on MSGM

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

MIAMI, Nov. 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games” or the “Company”) announced today that the 1-for-10 reverse stock split of the Company’s Class A and Class B common stock will become effective as of 12:01 a.m. EST on November 10, 2022 (the “Effective Time”).

Motorsport Games is effecting the reverse stock split by filing a charter amendment with the Delaware Secretary of State. The reverse stock split was previously approved by the Company’s Board of Directors and stockholders pursuant to Sections 228 and 242 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

The Company’s Class A common stock will begin trading on the NASDAQ on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens tomorrow, November 10, 2022, under a new CUSIP number, 62011B 201.

As a result of the reverse stock split, each 10 shares of the Company’s Class A and Class B common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will be automatically combined into 1 share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively, subject to the elimination of fractional shares, as described below.

The same 1-for-10 reverse stock split ratio is being used to effect the reverse stock split of both Motorsport Games Class A and Class B common stock, and accordingly, all stockholders will be affected proportionately. The reverse stock split will reduce the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock from approximately 11,673,587 shares of Class A common stock and 7,000,000 shares of Class B common stock to approximately 1,167,358 and 700,000 shares, respectively.

The number of shares of Class A common stock subject to the Company’s outstanding employee and director stock options, as well as the relevant exercise price per share, will be proportionately adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split. Accordingly, the approximately 821,962 outstanding stock options will be reduced to approximately 82,196 outstanding stock options. The number of shares authorized for issuance under the Company’s stock plan also will be reduced from 1,000,000 shares of Class A common stock to 100,000 shares of Class A common stock using the same 1-for-10 split ratio.

Motorsport Games has retained its transfer agent, Worldwide Stock Transfer, LLC (“WST”), to act as exchange agent for the reverse stock split. WST will manage the exchange of old, pre-reverse stock split shares for new post-split shares. Stockholders who hold their shares in “street name” will be contacted by their banks or brokers with any instructions. For further information, stockholders and securities brokers should contact WST at (201) 820-2008.

Motorsport Games will not issue any fractional shares of its Class A or Class B common stock as a result of the reverse stock split. Instead, as soon as practicable after the Effective Time, WST will distribute payments to the record holders’ respective accounts pro rata in lieu of fractional shares based on the applicable NASDAQ closing trading price. Stockholders will not be entitled to receive interest for the period of time between the Effective Time and the date the stockholder receives their cash payment, if any, in lieu of fractional shares.

Upon the Effective Time, each certificate, if any representing shares of Motorsport Games common stock immediately prior to the reverse stock split will be deemed to represent the number of full shares of common stock resulting from the reverse stock split. Stockholders holding their shares in book entry form are not required to take any action, as their shares will be adjusted directly by WST.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, unexpected developments with respect to the reverse stock split, including, without limitation, future decreases in the price of the Company’s Class A common stock whether due to, among other things, the announcement of the reverse stock split, the Company’s inability to make its Class A common stock more attractive to a broader range of institutional or other investors. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2022, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:

Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (ir.motorsportgames.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media and blogs, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company and our products. It is possible that the information we post on our websites, social media and blogs could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the websites, social media channels and blogs, including the following (which list we will update from time to time on our investor relations website):

   Websites   Social Media 
   motorsportgames.com   Twitter: @msportgames & @traxiongg
   traxion.gg   Instagram: msportgames & traxiongg
   motorsport.com   Facebook: Motorsport Games & traxiongg
    LinkedIn: Motorsport Games
    Twitch: traxiongg
    Reddit: traxiongg

The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Contacts:
Investors:
[email protected]

A graphic accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/97ac0d50-2611-4b90-a129-2a29f1d7fdb7

E.W. Scripps (SSP) – Powering Through The Economic Headwinds

Posted on by [email protected]


Wednesday, November 09, 2022

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is a diversified media company focused on creating a better-informed world. As one of the nation’s largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of 61 stations in 41 markets. The Scripps Networks reach nearly every American through the national news outlets Court TV and Newsy and popular entertainment brands ION, Bounce, Defy TV, Grit, ION Mystery, Laff and TrueReal. Scripps is the nation’s largest holder of broadcast spectrum. Scripps runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, “Give light and the people will find their own way.”

Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Patrick McCann, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Q3 miss. The company reported Q3 revenue of $612.1 million, below our estimate of $638.5 million. Adj. EBITDA of $149.1 million missed our forecast of $170.5. The disappointing quarter was due to lower-than-expected Political revenue.

Political below expectations.  The company recorded $63.2 million in Political revenue, compared with our forecast of $90.0 million. Management attributed the slowed Political revenue pace to spending falloffs in Florida and Montana as certain races became less competitive than initially expected. Political dollars shifted to more competitive markets where the company did not have a large TV station footprint. Notably, Political was still up strongly over the prior election cycle.


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This Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Big Techs Changing Fortunes, Will they Turn Around?

Posted on by [email protected]
Image Credit: Tracy LeBlanc (Pexels)

Why Meta’s Share Price Collapse is Good News for the Future of Social Media

Facebook may not be the original social media platform, but it has stood the test of time – until recently. Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, saw its value plummet by around $80 billion (£69 billion) in just one day at the end of October after its third-quarter profits halved amid the global slowdown. Meta is now valued at around $270 billion compared with more than $1 trillion last year.

Several issues have caused investors to turn away from the social media giant, including falling advertising revenue, a conflict with Apple over its app store charging policy, and competition for younger audiences from newer platforms such as TikTok.

Meta’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has also used his majority control to double down on his ambitions for the “metaverse”, a virtual reality project on which he has already spent more than $100 billion – with questionable results, according to the initial investor and media reaction. Zuckerberg has promised even more investment in the metaverse next year.

It’s tempting to describe this spending spree as a billionaire’s “insane fantasy”, but there is a simpler explanation. As dominant platforms compete for a limited amount of advertising revenue, regulation – particularly when it differs between countries or regions – has created space for more competitors. This is good news for new social media companies, but it also means that the only way Meta is likely to be able to keep its dominant position is by placing a massive bet on the technology of the future. Zuckerberg believes that means the metaverse, but this remains to be seen.

Tech’s Changing Fortunes

Even with its recent troubles, Meta owns the largest social network in the world. Those recent results that caused investors to flee in their droves still showed total revenues of $27 billion and profits of $4.4 billion.

To maintain its position as the market leader in the past, Meta has typically bought its most promising competitors as early as possible. Integrating these newly acquired startups into the company’s ecosystem helped to maximize advertising revenue and preclude competition.

Research shows that digital markets are typically dominated by a single firm, but also that these firms tend to be much more specialized than the major companies of the past. Meta is only active in social media and makes money almost exclusively by selling advertising.

Attempts by such firms to expand into other areas typically fail – know anyone with a Facebook phone? And while you may not remember Google’s attempt at social media, iPhone users are probably at least aware of Apple’s maps app.

So Facebook relies on consumers using devices produced by other tech companies to make money. But as global social media advertising revenue slows down, this is becoming more difficult. Apple has begun charging Meta for the revenue it makes from iPhone users, for example. And research shows that, when two companies compete to make money from the same captive source, their successive markups not only push prices higher for consumers but also keep profits lower for both firms.

Global Domination Fail

Meta’s strategy has, until recently, allowed it to rule social media in western markets – but not in China, a country of more than 300 million social media users. Since 2009, Facebook has been blocked by the country’s “great firewall”, the largest and most sophisticated system of censorship in the world.

Reported attempts to adapt Facebook to suit Chinese government media control have never been successful. And so, Chinese company ByteDance was able to launch a news platform called Toutiao in 2012 without having to compete with a dominant social network. In 2016, ByteDance launched Douyin, a social media platform for publishing short videos, which was subsequently released to the rest of the world in 2018 as TikTok.

Despite not being profitable, ByteDance’s market capitalization is now estimated at around $300 billion – versus Meta’s current £270 billion valuation. It is also popular among younger users, that tend to be much more avid social media users.

Meta cannot simply buy TikTok: it is too big, not publicly traded and under tight control by the Chinese government. Zuckerberg’s firm has instead tried to compete by launching similar features on Instagram. Ironically, the only large market where this strategy is really working is India, a country that banned TikTok in 2021 due to a military conflict with China.

Fair Competition

At the same time that TikTok has been expanding beyond Meta’s reach, western regulators have also started to examine the impact of the lack of competition in digital markets on innovation. While research shows that the winner-take-all nature of highly innovative markets is typically good for consumers, this is only true when all companies get a fair chance to become dominant.

In addition to recent rulings against tech company dominance by its highest court, the European Union also recently introduced the Digital Markets Act. This outlaws many practices used by dominant firms to preserve their status in a market.

This article was republished with permission from The Conversation, a news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It represents the research-based findings and thoughts of Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University.

Release – Engine Gaming’s Stream Hatchet Releases Its Third Quarter 2022 Report, Highlighting Video Game Live Streaming Viewership Above Peak Pandemic Levels

Posted on by [email protected]

Research, News, and Market Data on GAME

11/08/2022

Report offers unparalleled insights into audience consumption of gaming and esports content, which continues to attract the most difficult demographic for companies to access

Insights highlight unique, untapped media activation opportunities as engagement continues to increase within the industry

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2022 / Video gaming and esports live streaming analytics company, Stream Hatchet, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Engine Gaming and Media, Inc. (GAME) (“Engine” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:GAME)(TSXV:GAME), today announced that it has published its Video Game Streaming Trends Third Quarter 2022 Report. This essential read provides an in-depth study on the current state of the live streaming and video games industry, offering unparalleled insights into the performance of the industry, as well as top performing creators, games, releases and more. Importantly, these insights highlight the opportunity to tap into an audience increasingly hard to reach for brands.

The Stream Hatchet team works with a consortium of industry-leading analysts and business leaders to understand and report on key trends related to the impact of live streaming audiences on gaming creators, esports and the broader video games industry.

Key findings include:

  • Viewership is nearly double pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, esports viewership is up 40% year-over-year compared to Q3 2021 last year; the industry has seen consistent growth over the last 4 years.
  • Facebook Gaming lost meaningful marketing share in Q3 ‘22, dropping from 14% in Q3 ‘21 to 5%. Amazon-owned Twitch continues to increase its market share to 72%, holding a steady command of the streaming landscape, while YouTube Gaming grew modestly to 15%, reclaiming its second largest market share position.
  • VTubers (Virtual YouTubers), a term to describe virtual avatars that stream content on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, continue to grow in live streaming now representing 50% of the top female streaming creators in Q3. The top 10 VTubers grew an average of 30% in Q3 2022 as compared to Q2 2022.
  • Gambling live streaming viewership on Twitch hit its peak in Q3 2022. Since, the platform announced a ban on streaming unlicensed gambling sites in the U.S. The ban went into effect in October, and Stream Hatchet will continue to monitor the impact into Q4 2022.

“The collection of this data is extremely valuable as it not only illustrates Stream Hatchet’s ability to provide market leading data across the video game and live-streaming landscape, but also offers marketers, researchers, and analyst actionable insights on how best to reach the 18- to 35-year-old demographic, which continues to be increasingly difficult to reach,” said Eduard Monstserrat, CEO at Stream Hatchet. “As brands strategize on how to connect with this hard-to-reach demographic, they are able to leverage our insights to better understand the top performing streamers and media properties. We power insightful, informed decisions leading to innovation and growth through the aggregation of dynamic, granular data.”

The Video Game Streaming Trends 2022 Third Quarter Report is free to download from: Q3 2022 Live Streaming Report (streamhatchet.com)

About Stream Hatchet
Stream Hatchet is the market leader in live-streaming viewership data analytics for the world’s leading video game streaming platforms. Stream Hatchet provides deep insights to leading brands, creator networks, esports leagues, game publishers, and other businesses measuring the impact of video game live streaming. Stream Hatchet is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Engine Gaming and Media.

About Engine Gaming and Media, Inc.
Engine Gaming and Media, Inc. (NASDAQ:GAME) (TSXV:GAME) provides unparalleled live streaming data and social analytics, influencer relationship management and monetization, and programmatic advertising to support the world’s largest video gaming companies, brand marketers, ecommerce companies, media publishers and agencies to drive new streams of revenue. The company’s subsidiaries include Stream Hatchet, the global leader in gaming video distribution analytics; Sideqik, a social influencer marketing discovery, analytics, and activation platform; and Frankly Media, a digital publishing platform used to create, distribute, and monetize content across all digital channels. Engine generates revenue through a combination of software-as-a-service subscription fees, managed services, and programmatic advertising. For more information, please visit www.enginegaming.com.

Company Contact:
Lou Schwartz
647-725-7765

Stream Hatchet PR:
Amanda Brooks
Stream Hatchet
[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:
Shannon Devine
MZ North America
Main: 203-741-8811
[email protected]

SOURCE: Engine Gaming & Media Holdings, Inc.



View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/724500/Engine-Gamings-Stream-Hatchet-Releases-Its-Third-Quarter-2022-Report-Highlighting-Video-Game-Live-Streaming-Viewership-Above-Peak-Pandemic-Levels

Release – Engine Gaming & Media, Inc. Announces Timing of Fiscal Fourth Quarter 2022 and Fiscal Year 2022 Earnings Release and Conference Call

Posted on by [email protected]

Research, News, and Market Data on GAME

11/07/2022

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 7, 2022 / Engine Gaming and Media, Inc. (“Engine” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:GAME)(TSXV:GAME),a data-driven, gaming, media and influencer marketing platform company, today announced that it will issue a press release promptly after the market close on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, summarizing its financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2022 ended August 31, 2022. The Company will also host a conference call the same day at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its financial results in further detail. The call will conclude with Q&A from participants.

Date:Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Time:4:30 p.m. Eastern time
Dial-in:1-877-407-0784
International Dial-in:1-201-689-8560
Conference Code:13733976
Webcast:GAME Conference Call

Please dial in at least 10 minutes before the start of the call to ensure timely participation.

A playback of the call will be available through December 6, 2022, on Engine Gaming and Media, Inc.’s Investor Relations website at ir.enginemediainc.com

About Engine Gaming and Media, Inc.

Engine Gaming and Media, Inc. (NASDAQ:GAME)(TSXV:GAME) provides unparalleled live streaming data and social analytics, influencer relationship management and monetization, and programmatic advertising to support the world’s largest video gaming companies, brand marketers, ecommerce companies, media publishers and agencies to drive new streams of revenue. The company’s subsidiaries include Stream Hatchet, the global leader in gaming video distribution analytics; Sideqik, a social influencer marketing discovery, analytics, and activation platform; and Frankly Media, a digital publishing platform used to create, distribute, and monetize content across all digital channels. Engine generates revenue through a combination of software-as-a-service subscription fees, managed services, and programmatic advertising. For more information, please visit www.enginegaming.com.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Engine to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. In respect of the forward-looking information contained herein, Engine has provided such statements and information in reliance on certain assumptions that management believed to be reasonable at the time. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements stated herein to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information contained in this news release.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Engine does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf, except as required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Company Contact:

Lou Schwartz
647-725-7765

Investor Relations Contact:

Shannon Devine
MZ North America
Main: 203-741-8811
[email protected]

SOURCE: Engine Gaming & Media Holdings, Inc.



View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/724422/Engine-Gaming-Media-Inc-Announces-Timing-of-Fiscal-Fourth-Quarter-2022-and-Fiscal-Year-2022-Earnings-Release-and-Conference-Call

Choices Presented to Voters on Ballots are Presented to Investors as Opportunities

Posted on by [email protected]
Image Credit: Joe Shlabotnik (Flickr)

The Consequences of this Year’s Voting Should Create Opportunity for Investors

Once inconceivable in most voting districts throughout the U.S., ballots across the country this year will ask voters to decide on gambling measures, drug laws, and extra taxes based on defined demographics. While this is of interest to investors as it shows how trends are forming or continuing and can point to more potential for growth. Of the 130 ballot measures being decided upon on Tuesday, many will alter spending patterns and bolster industries.

What’s Being Decided Upon

Each year a number of states, including Maryland and Arkansas, are asking voters to decide upon legalizing recreational marijuana. Fully five states could move toward ending the use of involuntary prison labor. Nebraska and Nevada are asking voters if they should increase the minimum wage statewide. Gambling, firearms, and immigration are also the subject of state-level referendums.

A proposition in California would legalize online sports betting in that large potential market. Gaming companies, including DraftKings (DKNG) and FanDuel (DUEL) have poured nearly $160 million into the measure. It is not expected to pass, if it does, the news may cause a rally in these and other online gambling companies. Over $375 million has been spent by supporters and those against this measure.

Also being decided by California’s voters is a proposition that would raise taxes on personal incomes of $2 million or more. The revenue would be set aside to fund the state’s electric-vehicle production and help prevent wildfires. This is a very contentious measure that pit many from the same political party against each other.

In general environmental groups and companies perceived to benefit from a quicker evolving EV infrastructure support the “yes” campaign. Governor Newsom, and the California Teachers Association, a powerful state union, have joined business groups to oppose the measure, saying it would benefit a select number of large corporations as they transition to electric vehicles.

Recreational weed in Maryland? The pollsters seem to think it stands a good chance of passing. There are four other states (Arkansas, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota) where recreational cannabis is also on the ballot, those outcomes won’t be known until after the votes are counted.

To date, 19 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana. Colorado could become the second state behind Oregon to legalize the personal use of psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms and other plant-based hallucinogens.

Massachusetts voters get to decide if they raise their income taxes by 4% if they have personal incomes of $1 million or more. This would leave the total rate for that bracket to 9%. Should this pass and bring in additional funds, they are earmarked for education and transportation.

Voters in five states will weigh whether to explicitly outlaw involuntary servitude as part of the punishment for a crime. Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont will all consider these questions on the topic; there is a growing movement to change the 13th Amendment so it no longer allows slavery as a form of criminal punishment. This could potentially benefit the industry in these states.

On immigration, Ohio voters are considering whether to ban all local governments from allowing noncitizens to vote. San Francisco and New York have passed laws allowing noncitizens to vote for local offices and ballot measures. These face legal challenges.

Elsewhere, ballot measures will ask voters whether to extend certain benefits to immigrants in the country illegally, including the ability to obtain a driver’s license in Massachusetts and pay in-state college tuition in Arizona.

Take Away

They say elections have consequences. As various states elect to adopt or deny changes in the running of their state, investors may be able to position themselves to benefit from trends, changes, and additional funds being made available.

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor, Channelchek

Sources

https://www.wlwt.com/article/election-results-2022-ohio-kentucky-indiana-senate-governor/41781051

https://www.wsj.com/articles/midterm-elections-2022-results-ballot-measures-referenda-11667864143

https://www.wcvb.com/article/voter-information-massachusetts-election-2022-midterm/41890411

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/04/draftkings-shares-tumble-after-monthly-users-fall-short-of-estimates.html

Release – Motorsport Games Announces Content Update for Rfactor 2

Posted on by [email protected]

Research, News, and Market Data on MSGM

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

UPDATE BRINGS NEW CARS AND TRACKS TO THE PLATFORM, MARKING FIRST TIME CIRCUITS HAVE BEEN LASER-SCANNED INTO A COMMERCIAL SIM RACING PRODUCT

MIAMI, Nov. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”), a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world, announced today a content update to rFactor 2, one of the most authentic sim racing platforms available to racers around the world.

This quarter’s content update contains new cars for users to experience behind the wheel. Following the partnership between the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), Motorsport Games and Studio 397, a fifth real world car will be part of the roster – the BMW 330i M Sport NGTC BTCC (trailer here). The rear- wheel drive car – developed by West Surrey Racing – marks the manufacturer’s official entry into the BTCC. Further, the Vanwall Vandervell LMH (trailer here) will be added, built to Le Mans Hypercar specifications and created with data derived from the real car and the same engineering team.

New tracks will be added into the platform as well, all of which mark the first time any of them have been laser (LIDAR) scanned into a commercially available product. British circuits Thruxton (Hampshire) and Croft (North Yorkshire) have been laser-scanned into rFactor 2, alongside the ExCeL London Circuit, featuring an innovative indoor/outdoor layout. Adding to the British circuits, the Bahrain International Circuit will make its debut in rFactor 2 and will feature a full day/night cycle and four distinct track layouts. More information about each track can be found here:

  • Thruxton – The fastest circuit in the United Kingdom, home to the daunting Church Corner. Founded in 1968, it is used by leading real-world national motorsport championships. This year, the BTCC visited the circuit twice and it will return in 2023, June 3rd and 4th. It first held a round at the venue 43 years ago. Trailer found here: https://youtu.be/-AV4IpCGx44
  • Croft Circuit – The only permanent national-level circuit in the Northeast of England. It is known for its mix of high-speed curves and a tight final sector, culminating in one of the slowest corners in UK motorsport – in direct contrast to Thruxton. Trailer found here: https://youtu.be/hPMVA0lmooA
  • ExCeL London Circuit – First created and used by Formula E in 2021, the world-first venue in London mixes tight hairpins and narrow confines within an indoor section. It debuted virtually during the Formula E: Accelerate esports competition in July 2022, won by Frede Rasmussen. Trailer found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv2zrOCOXFE
  • Bahrain International Circuit – The venue used for series such as Formula 1 and the FIA World Endurance Series made its rFactor 2 debut within the opening 2022-23 Le Mans Virtual Series round in September 2022, won by Floyd Vanwall-Burst (LMP) and Oracle Red Bull Racing (GTE). Four layouts are included: Grand Prix, Endurance, Outer and Paddock. Trailer found here: https://youtu.be/hvOFlUO5YpY

“As rFactor 2 continues to expand and define what top simulation platforms should look like, we are excited for our fans to get behind the wheel and race with new cars and on new tracks with this update,” said Zach Griffin, Director of Technology at Motorsport Games. “Through our partnership with the BTCC and by being the official esports partner of Formula E, as well as rFactor 2 being the official simulation platform of Formula E, we are able to bring to life the elements of real-world racing into the simulation and provide an authentic experience for all. The new laser-scanned tracks, the first time they have been implemented into a product to this scale, also marks a new chapter for sim racing and we are proud to be at the forefront of this innovation.”

Several quality-of-life updates to rFactor 2 will be launching today as well, including:

  • Thoroughly revised AI performance (smoother and more naturalistic)
  • Track limit system updates
  • Increased virtual reality (VR) exposure
  • User interface tweaks (increased navigation speed)
  • Increased package installation speed
  • Headlight pulse option

The new content and changes follow the addition of a native in-game store, which removed the need to exit the platform, showcasing bundle offers and previously purchased content which was implemented in October 2022.

Fans have already gotten a taste of the latest BTCC content to be added at the four race activations this year (Snetterton, Thruxton, Silverstone National and Brands Hatch GP). The latest car and track additions to rFactor 2 bring the totals to six layouts and five car types respectively from the BTCC represented in the simulation, including the two Brands Hatch layouts.

The pricing breakdown for the newly released content is as follows:

  • Q4 pack: approximate price = €27.99 (31.5% Off)
    • Includes: BMW 330i M Sport BTCC, Vanwall Vandervell LMH, Bahrain International Circuit, Croft Circuit, Thruxton Circuit, ExCeL London Circuit
  • British Track Pack: approximate price = €19.99 (37.5% off)
    • Croft Circuit, Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Thruxton Circuit
  • Individual Items
    • Vanwall Vandervell LMH – €4.99
    • BMW 330i M Sport BTCC – €4.99
    • Vauxhall Astra BTCC – €4.99
    • Croft Circuit – €6.99
    • Thruxton Circuit – €6.99
    • ExCeL London Circuit – €7.99
    • Bahrain International Circuit – €8.99

About Motorsport Games:
Motorsport Games, a Motorsport Network company, is a leading racing game developer, publisher and esports ecosystem provider of official motorsport racing series throughout the world. Combining innovative and engaging video games with exciting esports competitions and content for racing fans and gamers, Motorsport Games strives to make the joy of racing accessible to everyone. The Company is the officially licensed video game developer and publisher for iconic motorsport racing series across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and mobile, including NASCAR, INDYCAR, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the British Touring Car Championship (“BTCC”), as well as the industry leading rFactor 2 and KartKraft simulations. rFactor 2 also serves as the official sim racing platform of Formula E, while also powering F1 Arcade through a partnership with Kindred Concepts. Motorsport Games is an award-winning esports partner of choice for 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula E, BTCC, the FIA World Rallycross Championship and the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, among others. Motorsport Games is building a virtual racing ecosystem where each product drives excitement, every esports event is an adventure and every story inspires.

Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are provided pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “expected,” “plans,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the expected benefits of the content updates to rFactor 2, related products and features and the positive attributes of the platform, such as the Company’s belief that rFactor 2 is one of the most authentic sim racing platforms available to racers around the world. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Motorsport Games and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: difficulties, delays in or unanticipated events that may impact the timing and expected benefits of the rFactor 2 updates and/or related products and features, such as due to unexpected release delays. Factors other than those referred to above could also cause Motorsport Games’ results to differ materially from expected results. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in Motorsport Games’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC during 2022, as well as in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Motorsport Games anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions and expectations to change. Motorsport Games assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Motorsport Games’ plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. Additionally, the business and financial materials and any other statement or disclosure on, or made available through, Motorsport Games’ website or other websites referenced or linked to this press release shall not be incorporated by reference into this press release.

Website and Social Media Disclosure:
Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (ir.motorsportgames.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media and blogs, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company and our products. It is possible that the information we post on our websites, social media and blogs could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the websites, social media channels and blogs, including the following (which list we will update from time to time on our investor relations website):

WebsitesSocial Media
motorsportgames.comTwitter: @msportgames & @traxiongg
traxion.ggInstagram: msportgames & traxiongg
motorsport.comFacebook: Motorsport Games & traxiongg
 LinkedIn: Motorsport Games
 Twitch: traxiongg
 Reddit: traxiongg

The contents of these websites and social media channels are not part of, nor will they be incorporated by reference into, this press release.

Press:
ASTRSK PR
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/287f4dad-b23b-4377-ab0f-d11d26c5defa 

Gray Television (GTN) – Learns A Hard Lesson On Forecasting Political

Posted on by [email protected]


Monday, November 07, 2022

Gray Television is a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets in the United States. Our television stations serve 113 television markets that collectively reach approximately 36 percent of US television households. This portfolio includes 80 markets with the top-rated television station and 100 markets with the first and/or second highest rated television station. We also own video program companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Honey, PowerNation Studios and Third Rail Studios.

Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Patrick McCann, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Q3 below expectations. The company reported Q3 revenue of $909 million, 4% below our estimate of $948 million. The revenue variance was due to lower than expected Political advertising. Adj. EBITDA of $336 million was 11% below our estimate of $377 million, surprisingly good given the absence of $50 million in high margin revenue.



Political below forecast. The quarterly miss was due primarily to lower-than-expected Political revenue, $144 million compared with our estimate of $194 million. Political advertising shifted toward some of the tight races in larger markets. Nonetheless, for the first nine months of the year, Political revenue was just 3.5% below the cyclical high Presidential election of 2020, on a combined historic basis. 


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This Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Salem Media Group (SALM) – A Tough Quarter Ahead

Posted on by cpatches


Friday, November 04, 2022

Salem Media Group is America’s leading multimedia company specializing in Christian and conservative content, with media properties comprising radio, digital media and book and newsletter publishing. Each day Salem serves a loyal and dedicated audience of listeners and readers numbering in the millions nationally. With its unique programming focus, Salem provides compelling content, fresh commentary and relevant information from some of the most respected figures across the Christian and conservative media landscape.

Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Patrick McCann, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Q3 meets expectations. The company reported Q3 revenue of $66.9 million, in line with our estimate of $66.6 million. Adj. EBITDA of $6.1 million was slightly better than our forecast of $5.5 million, illustrated in Figure #1 Q3 Variance. Notably, we are adjusting EBITDA for a one-time legal settlement fee paid by the company during the quarter.


Weak Q4 pacing. Management guided Q4 revenue down 3-5% year-over-year compared with our expectation of 7% growth. Management cited a weak Publishing outlook as well as an ongoing pullback in the company’s #1 broadcast advertising category (mortgage companies) as primary factors in the challenged outlook.


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This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Entravision Communications (EVC) – A Breakout Year For Political

Posted on by cpatches


Friday, November 04, 2022

Entravision Communications Corporation is a diversified Spanish-language media company utilizing a combination of television and radio operations to reach Hispanic consumers across the United States, as well as the border markets of Mexico. Entravision owns and/or operates 53 primary television stations and is the largest affiliate group of both the top-ranked Univision television network and Univision’s TeleFutura network, with television stations in 20 of the nation’s top 50 Hispanic markets. The Company also operates one of the nation’s largest groups of primarily Spanish-language radio stations, consisting of 48 owned and operated radio stations.

Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Patrick McCann, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Solid Q3 results. Q3 revenue of $241 million increased 21% versus the prior year period, better than our $234.1 million estimate. Digital revenues accounted for much of the upside variance while stronger than expected Political advertising contributed as well. Adj. EBITDA was $25.9 million, up 12% year over year, slightly below our $27.3 million estimate, which was impacted by currency exchange rates. 

Digital continues its impressive growth. Digital revenues increased 29%, driven by strong performance of the company’s digital ad agency business in Latin America. Additionally, the recent acquisitions of 365 Digital and MediaDonuts were not fully accounted for in in Q3 of 2021, leading to further upside in the quarter.


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This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Release – Entravision Communications Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2022 ResultsRelease

Posted on by [email protected]

Research, News, and Market Data on EVC

11/03/2022

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Entravision Communications Corporation (NYSE: EVC), a leading global advertising solutions, media and technology company, today announced financial results for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2022.

Third Quarter 2022 Highlights

  • Record third quarter advertising revenue
  • Net revenue up 21% over the prior-year quarter
  • Net income attributable to common stockholders down 23% over the prior-year quarter
  • Consolidated adjusted EBITDA up 12% over the prior-year quarter
  • Operating cash flow up 62% over the prior-year quarter
  • Free cash flow down 31% over the prior-year quarter
  • Quarterly cash dividend of $0.025 per share

“Entravision continued to see progress in the third quarter of 2022, with revenue up 21% versus the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA also improved double-digits, increasing 12% year-over-year,” said Walter Ulloa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Entravision’s strength throughout the quarter was again driven by our digital segment, where revenue improved 29% versus the third quarter of 2021. In our television and audio businesses, political ad spend, in particular, continued to perform strongly.”

Mr. Ulloa continued, “Entravision’s solid performance in the third quarter, together with our progress year-to-date, demonstrates the resiliency and growth of our business in a tough macro environment. We continue to strategically expand across the globe and now have operations in 40 countries across five continents in service of more than 7,000 clients. We are thoughtfully positioning our digital teams in emerging economies where Entravision’s unique offerings have a key first-mover advantage and where a critical mass of connected consumers exists alongside a growing advertising industry. We remain optimistic in finding multiple growth opportunities around the world for our digital business and look forward to sharing our progress as we continue to grow and expand globally.”

Quarterly Cash Dividend

The Company announced today that its Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend to shareholders of $0.025 per share on the Company’s Class A, Class B and Class U common stock, in an aggregate amount of approximately $2.1 million. The quarterly dividend will be payable on December 30, 2022 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 15, 2022, and the common stock will trade ex-dividend on December 14, 2022. The Company currently anticipates that future cash dividends will be paid on a quarterly basis; however, any decision to pay future cash dividends will be subject to approval by the Board.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined by SEC Regulation G. The GAAP financial measure most directly comparable to each of these non-GAAP financial measures, and a table reconciling each of these non-GAAP financial measures to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is included beginning on page 10.

Net revenue in the third quarter of 2022 totaled $241.0 million, up 21% from $199.0 million in the prior-year period. Of the overall increase, approximately $42.8 million was attributable to our digital segment and was primarily due to advertising revenue growth from our digital commercial partnerships business, and due to our investment in a variable interest entity during the third quarter of 2022 and our acquisition of 365 Digital during the fourth quarter of 2021, neither of which contributed to net revenue in the comparable period ended September 30, 2021. In addition, of the overall increase, approximately $0.1 million was attributable to our audio segment, primarily due to increases in political advertising revenue and local advertising revenue, partially offset by a decrease in national advertising revenue. The overall increase was partially offset by a decrease of approximately $0.8 million attributable to our television segment, primarily due to decreases in local and national advertising revenue, and a decrease in retransmission consent revenue. These decreases were mainly attributed to the expiration of our Univision and UniMás network affiliation agreements in Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C. on December 31, 2021. The decrease in our television segment revenue was partially offset by increases in political advertising revenue and spectrum usage rights revenue.

Cost of revenue in the third quarter of 2022 totaled $157.1 million, up 26% from $124.3 million in the prior-year period. The increase was primarily due to increased cost of revenue related to advertising revenue growth from our digital commercial partnerships business, and due to our investment in a variable interest entity during the third quarter of 2022 and our acquisition of 365 Digital during the fourth quarter of 2021, neither of which incurred cost of revenue for us in the comparable period ended September 30, 2021.

Operating expenses in the third quarter of 2022 totaled $49.3 million, up 14% from $43.1 million in the prior-year period. Of the overall increase, approximately $5.9 million was attributable to our digital segment and was primarily due to an increase in expenses associated with the increase in digital advertising revenue, an increase in salary expense and our investment in a variable interest entity during the third quarter of 2022 and our acquisition of 365 Digital during the fourth quarter of 2021, which did not incur operating expenses for us in the comparable period. Additionally, of the overall increase in operating expenses, approximately $0.4 million was attributable to our audio segment primarily due to an increase in expenses associated with the increase in local advertising revenue. The overall increase in operating expenses was partially offset by a decrease of approximately $0.1 million that was attributable to our television segment primarily due to a decrease in expenses associated with the decrease in local and national advertising revenue, partially offset by an increase in rent expense and an increase in bad debt expense.

Corporate expenses in the third quarter of 2022 totaled $9.5 million, up 31% from $7.3 million in the prior-year period. The increase was primarily due to increases in non-cash stock-based compensation and an increase in salaries.

Net revenue for the nine-month period of 2022 totaled $659.9 million, up 25% from $526.3 million in the prior-year period. Of the overall increase, approximately $139.1 million was attributable to our digital segment and was primarily due to advertising revenue growth from our digital commercial partnerships business. In addition, the increase in net revenue in our digital segment was due to our investment in a variable interest entity and our acquisition of 365 Digital during the third quarter of 2022 and fourth quarter of 2021, respectively, neither of which contributed to net revenue in the comparable period ended September 30, 2021, and due to our acquisition of MediaDonuts during the third of 2021, which only partially contributed to net revenue in the comparable period ended September 30, 2021. Additionally, of the overall increase, approximately $2.1 million was attributable to our audio segment, primarily due to increases in political advertising revenue and local advertising revenue, partially offset by a decrease in national advertising revenue. The overall increase was partially offset by a decrease of approximately $7.7 million attributable to our television segment, primarily due to decreases in local and national advertising revenue, and a decrease in retransmission consent revenue. These decreases were mainly attributed to the expiration of our Univision and UniMás network affiliation agreements in Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C. on December 31, 2021. The decrease in our television segment revenue was partially offset by increases in political advertising revenue and spectrum usage rights revenue.

Cost of revenue for the nine-month period of 2022 totaled $432.0 million, up 36% from $318.1 million in the prior-year period. The increase was primarily due to increased cost of revenue related to advertising revenue growth from our digital commercial partnerships business, and due to our investment in a variable interest entity and our acquisition of 365 Digital during the third quarter of 2022 and fourth quarter of 2021, respectively, neither of which incurred cost of revenue for us in the comparable period ended September 30, 2021, and due to our acquisition of MediaDonuts during the third of 2021, which only partially incurred cost of revenue for us in the comparable period ended September 30, 2021.

Operating expenses for the nine-month period of 2022 totaled $140.5 million, up 12% from $125.0 million in the prior-year period. Of the overall increase, approximately $15.5 million was attributable to our digital segment and was primarily due to an increase in expenses associated with the increase in digital advertising revenue and an increase in salary expense. In addition, the increase in operating expenses in our digital segment was due to our investment in a variable interest entity and our acquisition of 365 Digital during the third quarter of 2022 and fourth quarter of 2021, respectively, neither of which incurred operating expenses for us in the comparable period ended September 30, 2021, and due to our acquisition of MediaDonuts during the third of 2021, which only partially incurred operating expenses for us in the comparable period ended September 30, 2021. Additionally, of the overall increase in operating expenses, approximately $0.6 million was attributable to our audio segment primarily due to an increase in expenses associated with the increase in local advertising revenue. The overall increase in operating expenses was partially offset by a decrease of approximately $0.6 million that was attributable to our television segment primarily due to a decrease in expenses associated with the decrease in local and national advertising revenue, partially offset by an increase in rent expense and bad debt expense.

Corporate expenses for the nine-month period of 2022 totaled $26.8 million, up 23% from $21.8 million in the prior-year period. The increase was primarily due to increases in non-cash stock-based compensation and an increase in salaries.

Balance Sheet and Related Metrics

Cash and marketable securities as of September 30, 2022 totaled approximately $164.8 million. Total debt under the Company’s credit agreement was $210.0 million. Net of $75 million of cash and marketable securities, total leverage as defined in the Company’s credit agreement was 1.4 times as of September 30, 2022. Net of total cash and marketable securities, total leverage was 0.5 times.

Notice of Conference Call

Entravision Communications Corporation will hold a conference call to discuss its third quarter 2022 results on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. To access the conference call, please dial (844) 836-8739 (U.S.) or (412) 317-5440 (Int’l) ten minutes prior to the start time and reference Conference ID number 10171311. The call will also be available via live webcast on the investor relations portion of the Company’s website located at www.entravision.com.

About Entravision Communications Corporation

Entravision is a leading global advertising, media and ad-tech solutions company connecting brands to consumers by representing top platforms and publishers. Our dynamic portfolio includes digital, television and audio offerings. Digital, our largest revenue segment, is comprised of four business units: our digital sales representation business; Smadex, our programmatic ad purchasing platform; our branding and mobile performance solutions business; and our digital audio business. Through our digital sales representation business, we connect global media companies such as Meta, Twitter, TikTok and Spotify with advertisers in primarily emerging growth markets worldwide. Smadex is our mobile-first demand side platform, enabling advertisers to execute performance campaigns using machine learning. We also offer a branding and mobile performance solutions business, which provides managed services to advertisers looking to connect with global consumers, primarily on mobile devices, and our digital audio business provides digital audio advertising solutions for advertisers in the Americas. In addition to digital, Entravision has 49 television stations and is the largest affiliate group of the Univision and UniMás television networks. Entravision also manages 45 primarily Spanish-language radio stations that feature nationally recognized, Emmy award-winning talent. Shares of Entravision Class A Common Stock trade on the NYSE under ticker: EVC. Learn more about our offerings at entravision.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results and performance in future periods to be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this press release. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from these expectations, and the Company disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements made by the Company. From time to time, these risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Christopher T. Young
Chief Financial Officer
Entravision Communications Corporation
310-447-3870

Kimberly Esterkin
ADDO Investor Relations
310-829-5400
[email protected]

Source: Entravision Communications Corporation

Release – Salem Media Group, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2022 Total Revenue of $66.9 Million

Posted on by [email protected]

Research, News, and Market Data on SALM

November 03, 2022 4:05pm EDT

IRVING, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Salem Media Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SALM) released its results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022.

Third Quarter 2022 Results

For the quarter ended September 30, 2022 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2021:

Consolidated

  • Total revenue increased 1.3% to $66.9 million from $66.0 million;
  • Total operating expenses increased 50.7% to $75.6 million from $50.2 million;
  • Operating expenses, excluding stock-based compensation expense, debt modification costs, gains and losses on the sale or disposition of assets, legal settlement, impairments, depreciation expense and amortization expense (1) increased 10.3% to $60.8 million from $55.2 million;
  • The company had an operating loss of $8.8 million compared to operating income of $15.8 million;
  • The company recognized $0.1 million in film distribution income from an unconsolidated equity investment;
  • The company had a net loss of $11.9 million, or $0.44 net loss per share compared to net income of $22.1 million, or $0.81 net income per diluted share;
  • EBITDA (1) decreased to $(5.7) million from $30.2 million; and
  • Adjusted EBITDA (1) decreased 78.8% to $2.3 million from $10.8 million.

Broadcast

  • Net broadcast revenue increased 3.1% to $51.1 million from $49.6 million;
  • Station Operating Income (“SOI”) (1) decreased 17.9% to $10.0 million from $12.1 million;
  • Same Station (1) net broadcast revenue increased 3.2% to $51.1 million from $49.5 million; and
  • Same Station SOI (1) decreased 16.7% to $10.1 million from $12.1 million.

Digital Media

  • Digital media revenue decreased 4.3% to $10.2 million from $10.6 million; and
  • Digital Media Operating Income (1) decreased 21.9% to $1.9 million from $2.4 million.

Publishing

  • Publishing revenue decreased 3.7% to $5.5 million from $5.7 million; and
  • Publishing Operating Loss (1) was $1.0 million as compared to publishing operating income of $0.5 million.

Included in the results for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 are:

  • A $7.7 million ($5.7 million, net of tax, or $0.21 per share) impairment charge to the value of broadcast licenses in Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Greenville, Honolulu, Little Rock, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, and San Francisco;
  • A $0.1 million loss on the disposal of assets;
  • A $3.8 million ($2.8 million, net of tax, or $0.10 per share) legal settlement expense; and
  • A $0.1 million non-cash compensation charge related to the expensing of stock options.

Included in the results for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 are:

  • A $2.3 million ($1.7 million, net of tax, or $0.06 per share) charge for debt modification costs. On September 10, 2021, the company refinanced $112.8 million of the 2024 Notes by exchanging into $114.7 million (reflecting a call premium of 1.688%) of 2028 Notes. The transaction was assessed on a lender-specific level and was accounted for as a debt modification in accordance with ASC 470 with $2.3 million of fees paid to third parties included in operating expenses for the period;
  • A $11.2 million ($8.3 million, net of tax, or $0.30 per diluted share) gain on the forgiveness of PPP loans;
  • A $0.1 million loss from the early retirement of long-term debt associated with the 2024 Notes;
  • A $10.6 million ($7.8 million, net of tax, or $0.29 per diluted share) net gain on the disposition of assets relates to a $10.5 million pre-tax gain on the sale of land in Lewisville, Texas, and $0.1 million pre-tax gain on the sale of the Hilary Kramer Financial Newsletter and related assets as well as various other fixed asset disposals; and
  • A $0.1 million non-cash compensation charge ($0.1 million, net of tax) related to the expensing of stock options.

Per share numbers are calculated based on 27,216,787 diluted weighted average shares for the quarter ended September 30, 2022, and 27,280,949 diluted weighted average shares for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.

Year to Date 2022 Results

For the nine months ended September 30, 2022 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2021:

Consolidated

  • Total revenue increased 4.8% to $198.2 million from $189.1 million;
  • Total operating expenses increased 19.2% to $194.6 million from $163.3 million;
  • Operating expenses, excluding stock-based compensation expense, debt modification costs, gains and losses on the sale or disposition of assets, legal settlement, impairments, depreciation expense and amortization expense (1) increased 9.2% to $176.6 million from $161.6 million;
  • The company’s operating income decreased 86.4% to $3.5 million from $25.8 million;
  • The company recognized $4.0 million in film distribution income from an unconsolidated equity investment;
  • The company had a net loss of $1.0 million, or $0.04 net loss per share compared to net income of $24.7 million, or $0.91 net income per diluted share;
  • EBITDA (1) decreased 63.6% to $17.0 million from $46.7 million; and
  • Adjusted EBITDA (1) decreased 24.3% to $20.8 million from $27.5 million.

Broadcast

  • Net broadcast revenue increased 8.3% to $152.0 million from $140.4 million;
  • SOI (1) decreased 6.8% to $31.2 million from $33.5 million;
  • Same station (1) net broadcast revenue increased 8.1% to $151.6 million from $140.2 million; and
  • Same station SOI (1) decreased 6.7% to $31.3 million from $33.6 million.

Digital media

  • Digital media revenue increased 2.3% to $31.3 million from $30.6 million; and
  • Digital media operating income (1) increased 16.7% to $6.2 million from $5.3 million.

Publishing

  • Publishing revenue decreased 18.0% to $14.8 million from $18.1 million; and
  • Publishing Operating Loss (1) was $1.6 million compared to publishing operating income of $1.2 million.

Included in the results for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 are:

  • A $11.7 million ($8.6 million, net of tax, or $0.32 per share) impairment charge to the value of broadcast licenses in Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Greenville, Honolulu, Little Rock, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento and San Francisco;
  • A $8.5 million ($6.3 million, net of tax, or $0.23 per diluted share) net gain on the disposition of assets relates primarily to the $6.5 million pre-tax gain on the sale of land used in the company’s Denver, Colorado broadcast operations, the $1.8 million pre-tax gain on sale of land used in the company’s Phoenix, Arizona broadcast operations, and $0.5 million pre-tax gain on the sale of the company’s radio stations in Louisville, Kentucky offset by various fixed asset disposals;
  • A $18,000 loss on the early retirement of long-term debt associated with the 2024 Notes;
  • A $4.8 million ($3.5 million, net of tax, or $0.13 per share) legal settlement expense;
  • A $0.1 million ($0.1 million, net of tax) goodwill impairment charge;
  • A $0.2 million ($0.2 million, net of tax, or $0.01 per share) charge for debt modification costs; and
  • A $0.2 million non-cash compensation charge ($0.2 million, net of tax, or $0.01 per share) related to the expensing of stock options.

Included in the results for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 are:

  • A $2.3 million ($1.7 million, net of tax, or $0.06 per share) charge for debt modification costs. On September 10, 2021, the company refinanced $112.8 million of the 2024 Notes by exchanging into $114.7 million (reflecting a call premium of 1.688%) of 2028 Notes. The transaction was assessed on a lender-specific level and was accounted for as a debt modification in accordance with ASC 470 with $2.3 million of fees paid to third parties included in operating expenses for the period;
  • A $11.2 million ($8.3 million, net of tax, or $0.30 per diluted share) gain on the forgiveness of PPP loans;
  • A $0.1 million loss from the early retirement of long-term debt associated with the 2024 Notes;
  • A $10.6 million ($7.8 million, net of tax, or $0.29 per diluted share) net gain on the disposition of assets relating to a $10.5 million pre-tax gain on the sale of land in Lewisville, Texas, a $0.5 million pre-tax gain on the sale of Singing News Magazine and Singing News Radio and a $0.1 million pre-tax gain on the sale of the Hilary Kramer Financial Newsletter and related assets offset by $0.4 million additional loss recorded at closing on the sale of radio station WKAT-AM and FM translator in Miami, Florida and various fixed asset disposals; and
  • A $0.2 million non-cash compensation charge ($0.2 million, net of tax, or $0.01 per share) related to the expensing of stock options.

Per share numbers are calculated based on 27,202,983 diluted weighted average shares for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, and 27,217,382 diluted weighted average shares for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.

Balance Sheet

As of September 30, 2022, the company had $114.7 million outstanding on the 7.125% senior secured notes due 2028 (“2028 Notes”) and $44.7 million outstanding on 6.75% senior secured notes due 2024 (“2024 Notes”).

Acquisitions and Divestitures

The following transactions were completed since July 1, 2022:

  • On October 1, 2022, the company acquired websites and the related assets of DayTradeSPY for $0.6 million in cash. As part of the purchase agreement, the company may pay up to an additional $1.0 million of cash in contingent earn-out consideration within one-year of the closing date based on the achievement of certain revenue benchmarks.

Pending Transactions

  • On September 29, 2022, the company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (“APA”) to acquire radio station WMYM-AM and an FM translator in Miami, Florida for $5.0 million. The company paid $0.3 million of cash into an escrow account and plans to operate the radio stations under a Time Brokerage Agreement beginning on November 16, 2022.
  • On September 22, 2022, the company entered into an APA to acquire radio stations WWFE-AM, WRHC-AM and two FM translators in Miami, Florida for $5.0 million.
  • On June 2, 2021, the company entered into an APA to acquire radio station KKOL-AM in Seattle, Washington for $0.5 million. The company paid $0.1 million of cash into an escrow account and began operating the station under a Local Marketing Agreement on June 7, 2021.

Conference Call Information

Salem will host a teleconference to discuss its results on November 3, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time. To access the teleconference, please dial (888) 770-7291, and then ask to be joined into the Salem Media Group Third Quarter 2022 call or listen via the investor relations portion of the company’s website, located at investor.salemmedia.com. A replay of the teleconference will be available through November 17, 2022 and can be heard by dialing (800) 770-2030, passcode 2413416 or on the investor relations portion of the company’s website, located at investor.salemmedia.com.

Follow us on Twitter @SalemMediaGrp.

Fourth Quarter 2022 Outlook

For the fourth quarter of 2022, the company is projecting total revenue to decrease between 3% and 5% from fourth quarter 2021 total revenue of $69.1 million. This decrease is due largely to the fact that Regnery had an extremely strong fourth quarter in book sales last year. The company is also projecting operating expenses before gains or losses on the sale or disposal of assets, stock-based compensation expense, legal settlement, changes in the estimated fair value of contingent earn-out consideration, impairments, depreciation expense and amortization expense (“Recurring Operating Expenses”) to increase between 4% and 7% compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 Recurring Operating Expenses of $58.3 million.

A reconciliation of Recurring Operating Expenses to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable efforts on a forward-looking basis due to the potential high variability, complexity and low visibility with respect to the charges excluded from this non-GAAP financial measure, in particular, the change in the estimated fair value of earn-out consideration, impairments and gains or losses from the disposition of fixed assets. The company expects the variability of the above charges may have a significant, and potentially unpredictable, impact on its future GAAP financial results.

About Salem Media Group, Inc.

Salem Media Group is America’s leading multimedia company specializing in Christian and conservative content, with media properties comprising radio, digital media and book and newsletter publishing. Each day Salem serves a loyal and dedicated audience of listeners and readers numbering in the millions nationally. With its unique programming focus, Salem provides compelling content, fresh commentary and relevant information from some of the most respected figures across the Christian and conservative media landscape. Learn more about Salem Media Group, Inc. at www.salemmedia.com, Facebook and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements used in this press release that relate to future plans, events, financial results, prospects or performance are forward-looking statements as defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the ability of Salem to close and integrate announced transactions, market acceptance of Salem’s radio station formats, competition from new technologies, inflation and other adverse economic conditions, and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Salem’s reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and other filings filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Salem undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, changed circumstances or unanticipated events.

(1) Regulation G

Management uses certain non-GAAP financial measures defined below in communications with investors, analysts, rating agencies, banks and others to assist such parties in understanding the impact of various items on its financial statements. The company uses these non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate financial results, develop budgets, manage expenditures and as a measure of performance under compensation programs.

The company’s presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as a substitute for or superior to the most directly comparable financial measures as reported in accordance with GAAP.

Regulation G defines and prescribes the conditions under which certain non-GAAP financial information may be presented in this earnings release. The company closely monitors EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Station Operating Income (“SOI”), Same Station net broadcast revenue, Same Station broadcast operating expenses, Same Station Operating Income, Digital Media Operating Income, Publishing Operating Income (Loss), and operating expenses excluding gains or losses on the disposition of assets, stock-based compensation, changes in the estimated fair value of contingent earn-out consideration, impairments, depreciation and amortization, all of which are non-GAAP financial measures. The company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about its core operating results, and thus, are appropriate to enhance the overall understanding of its financial performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are intended to provide management and investors a more complete understanding of its underlying operational results, trends and performance.

The company defines Station Operating Income (“SOI”) as net broadcast revenue minus broadcast operating expenses. The company defines Digital Media Operating Income as net Digital Media Revenue minus Digital Media Operating Expenses. The company defines Publishing Operating Income (Loss) as net Publishing Revenue minus Publishing Operating Expenses. The company defines EBITDA as net income before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. The company defines Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA before gains or losses on the disposition of assets, before debt modification costs, before changes in the estimated fair value of contingent earn-out consideration, before impairments, before net miscellaneous income and expenses, before (gain) loss on early retirement of long-term debt and before non-cash compensation expense. SOI, Digital Media Operating Income, Publishing Operating Income (Loss), EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are commonly used by the broadcast and media industry as important measures of performance and are used by investors and analysts who report on the industry to provide meaningful comparisons between broadcasters. SOI, Digital Media Operating Income, Publishing Operating Income (Loss), EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures of liquidity or of performance in accordance with GAAP and should be viewed as a supplement to and not a substitute for or superior to its results of operations and financial condition presented in accordance with GAAP. The company’s definitions of SOI, Digital Media Operating Income, Publishing Operating Income (Loss), EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

The company defines Same Station net broadcast revenue as broadcast revenue from its radio stations and networks that the company owns or operates in the same format on the first and last day of each quarter, as well as the corresponding quarter of the prior year. The company defines Same Station broadcast operating expenses as broadcast operating expenses from its radio stations and networks that the company owns or operates in the same format on the first and last day of each quarter, as well as the corresponding quarter of the prior year. The company defines Same Station SOI as Same Station net broadcast revenue less Same Station broadcast operating expenses. Same Station operating results include those stations that the company owns or operates in the same format on the first and last day of each quarter, as well as the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Same Station operating results for a full calendar year are calculated as the sum of the Same Station-results for each of the four quarters of that year. The company uses Same Station operating results, a non-GAAP financial measure, both in presenting its results to stockholders and the investment community, and in its internal evaluations and management of the business. The company believes that Same Station operating results provide a meaningful comparison of period over period performance of its core broadcast operations as this measure excludes the impact of new stations, the impact of stations the company no longer owns or operates, and the impact of stations operating under a new programming format. The company’s presentation of Same Station operating results are not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. The company’s definition of Same Station operating results is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

For all non-GAAP financial measures, investors should consider the limitations associated with these metrics, including the potential lack of comparability of these measures from one company to another.

The Supplemental Information tables that follow the condensed consolidated financial statements provide reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures that the company uses in this earnings release to the most directly comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. The company uses non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate financial performance, develop budgets, manage expenditures, and determine employee compensation. The company’s presentation of this additional information is not to be considered as a substitute for or superior to the directly comparable measures as reported in accordance with GAAP.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221101006096/en/

Evan D. Masyr
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(805) 384-4512
[email protected]

Source: Salem Media Group, Inc.