Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Patrick McCann, CFA, Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Q4 miss. The company reported disappointing Q4 results with revenue of $41.0 million and adj. EBITDA of $2.3 million. Both figures were well below our estimates of $67.9 million and $6.4 million, respectively. The underperformance was largely driven by system changes that the company made to its Sell-side segment during the quarter.
Re-positioning for the future. During the quarter, the SSP underwent technological changes to enable it to process ad impressions using alternative IDs. This transformation was necessary for the company to prepare for the impending cookie deprecation, which Google is expected to implement later this year.
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*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.
HOUSTON, March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced that the earnings call originally scheduled for March 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET will be postponed to March 26, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET to provide additional time to complete the audit of its financial statements.
About Direct Digital Holdings Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage on average over 125,000 clients monthly, generating over 300 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
HOUSTON, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced that the Company will report financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023 ended December 31, 2023 on Thursday, March 21, 2024 after the U.S. stock market closes.
Management will host a conference call and webcast on the same day at 5:00 PM ET to discuss the results. The live webcast and replay can be accessed at https://ir.directdigitalholdings.com/.
About Direct Digital Holdings Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage on average over 125,000 clients monthly, generating over 300 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
Integration Between Holding Group’s Colossus SSP and FreeWheel to Provide Enhanced Connections to Demand to Increase Ability for Advertisers to Reach Audiences at Scale on CTV
HOUSTON and NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange 142, LLC (“Orange 142”), announced a new partnership with FreeWheel, a global technology platform for the television advertising industry.
The agreement builds on Direct Digital Holdings’ buy- and sell-side relationship with Beeswax, FreeWheel’s programmatic buying platform.
This new deal will allow the holding group’s Colossus SSP to directly connect to FreeWheel’s premium CTV inventory and server technology. Colossus SSP provides brands with access to a truly inclusive audience, tapping into a range of multicultural/diverse publishers and general market media – and this partnership will open pathways to top-tier CTV inventory for both. The partnership will bring together expertise, resources, cutting-edge technology, and robust content to drive demand from top advertisers.
“This agreement will significantly grow the high-quality CTV inventory available through Colossus SSP,” said Mark D. Walker, Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman at Direct Digital Holdings. “FreeWheel is able to unify all demand channels into one optimal ad decision to maximize the end-viewer experience. Their capabilities complement the performance, efficiencies and transparency that brands and media buyers have come to value at Colossus SSP.”
“Today’s TV ad marketplace is very fragmented and complex, and so, one of our key focus areas is to continually find new ways to simplify and streamline the ad buying process,” said Katy Loria, Chief Revenue Officer, FreeWheel. “We recognize today’s consumers increasingly gravitate towards CTV and our audiences are becoming more diverse. It is our hope that, by teaming up with Colossus SSP, we can help connect publishers to multicultural audiences – at scale – on premium content.”
“We have worked collaboratively with both Colossus SSP and FreeWheel, and we’re excited to tap into their new partnership as they continue to diversify and scale their collective offerings,” said Michael Piner, EVP, Advanced Advertising, Mediahub. “High-quality CTV inventory is a top priority for our clients, and this partnership will deliver that while expanding our ability to reach robust, diverse audiences through a diverse-owned partner.”
Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and which are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties.
As used below, “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Direct Digital Holdings. We use words such as “could,” “would,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “expect,” “likely,” “believe,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, but not all forward-looking statements include these words. All statements contained in this release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements.
All of our forward-looking statements involve estimates and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our industry experience and our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, many factors could affect our actual operating and financial performance and cause our performance to differ materially from the performance expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: our dependence on the overall demand for advertising, which could be influenced by economic downturns; any slow-down or unanticipated development in the market for programmatic advertising campaigns; the effects of health epidemics, such as the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic; operational and performance issues with our platform, whether real or perceived, including a failure to respond to technological changes or to upgrade our technology systems; any significant inadvertent disclosure or breach of confidential and/or personal information we hold, or of the security of our or our customers’, suppliers’ or other partners’ computer systems; any unavailability or non-performance of the non-proprietary technology, software, products and services that we use; unfavorable publicity and negative public perception about our industry, particularly concerns regarding data privacy and security relating to our industry’s technology and practices, and any perceived failure to comply with laws and industry self-regulation; restrictions on the use of third-party “cookies,” mobile device IDs or other tracking technologies, which could diminish our platform’s effectiveness; any inability to compete in our intensely competitive market; any significant fluctuations caused by our high customer concentration; any violation of legal and regulatory requirements or any misconduct by our employees, subcontractors, agents or business partners; any strain on our resources, diversion of our management’s attention or impact on our ability to attract and retain qualified board members as a result of being a public company; our dependence, as a holding company, of receiving distributions from Direct Digital Holdings, LLC to pay our taxes, expenses and dividends; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” and other sections of our filings with the SEC that we make from time to time. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of these assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual operating and financial performance may vary in material respects from the performance projected in these forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances, and we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
About FreeWheel FreeWheel empowers all segments of The New TV Ecosystem. We are structured to provide the full breadth of solutions the advertising industry needs to achieve their goals. We provide the technology, data enablement and convergent marketplaces required to ensure buyers and sellers can transact across all screens, across all data types, and all sales channels, in order to ensure the ultimate goal – results for marketers. With offices in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, London, Paris, Beijing, and across the globe, FreeWheel, A Comcast Company, stands to advocate for the entire industry through the FreeWheel Council for Premium Video. For more information, please visit freewheel.com, and follow us on X and LinkedIn.
About Direct Digital Holdings Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage on average over 125,000 clients monthly, generating over 300 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
Colossus SSP’s Inclusive Marketplace Approach to Further Advance SHE Media’s Work in Fueling Growth of Women-Owned & Diverse-Owned Properties
HOUSTON and NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses, LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), announced today that SHE Media, the top 10 lifestyle media group that includes SheKnows, Flow Space, StyleCaster, Soaps and BlogHer, has selected Colossus SSP as a new supply-side platform partner. Colossus SSP has a strong track-record in connecting advertisers with a truly inclusive audience, at scale, tapping into a range of multicultural / diverse publishers, as well as top-tier general market media.
Colossus SSP will serve as a programmatic exchange sell-side partner for SHE Media’s flagship brands and other properties, all of which are focused on providing useful and inspiring high-quality content for women, reaching a total audience of 74+ million users per month[1]. Key to the partnership, Colossus SSP will provide access to inventory across SHE Media’s Meaningful Marketplaces – a robust community of independent, premium, women-owned and diverse-owned publishers that SHE Media assists with monetization, operations and educational services.
“The tens of millions of women that visit SHE Media properties and engage with its content are a tremendous asset to advertisers across category sectors,” said Mark D. Walker, CEO and Co-Founder, Direct Digital Holdings. “Not only do women represent more than half of the U.S. population, they are responsible for 85 percent of the day-to-day spending decisions and 80 percent of all healthcare choices for the family. Partnering with SHE Media will open Colossus SSP’s pipeline of advertisers to this valuable audience. In addition, it’s an honor to work with a company that also champions inclusivity across the media and marketing ecosystem.”
“SHE Media’s strategic partnership with Direct Digital Holding’s Colossus SSP will further solidify both companies’ deep-seated commitment to the economic growth of women-owned and diverse-owned media,” said Kate Calabrese, SVP, Media Solutions, SHE Media. “This integration will deliver an additional pathway to match advertisers with both the audiences they intend to reach and with the independent publishers whose businesses they are dedicated to support.”
“We are excited to be working with SHE Media because it is such a perfect fit for Colossus SSP. Their dynamic female-focused content and coveted female audience are very much aligned with the needs of the advertisers that we serve,” added Lashawnda Goffin, CEO, Colossus SSP.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and which are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties.
As used below, “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Direct Digital Holdings. We use words such as “could,” “would,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “expect,” “likely,” “believe,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, but not all forward-looking statements include these words. All statements contained in this release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements.
All of our forward-looking statements involve estimates and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our industry experience and our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, many factors could affect our actual operating and financial performance and cause our performance to differ materially from the performance expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: our dependence on the overall demand for advertising, which could be influenced by economic downturns; any slow-down or unanticipated development in the market for programmatic advertising campaigns; the effects of health epidemics, such as the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic; operational and performance issues with our platform, whether real or perceived, including a failure to respond to technological changes or to upgrade our technology systems; any significant inadvertent disclosure or breach of confidential and/or personal information we hold, or of the security of our or our customers’, suppliers’ or other partners’ computer systems; any unavailability or non-performance of the non-proprietary technology, software, products and services that we use; unfavorable publicity and negative public perception about our industry, particularly concerns regarding data privacy and security relating to our industry’s technology and practices, and any perceived failure to comply with laws and industry self-regulation; restrictions on the use of third-party “cookies,” mobile device IDs or other tracking technologies, which could diminish our platform’s effectiveness; any inability to compete in our intensely competitive market; any significant fluctuations caused by our high customer concentration; any violation of legal and regulatory requirements or any misconduct by our employees, subcontractors, agents or business partners; any strain on our resources, diversion of our management’s attention or impact on our ability to attract and retain qualified board members as a result of being a public company; our dependence, as a holding company, of receiving distributions from Direct Digital Holdings, LLC to pay our taxes, expenses and dividends; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” and other sections of our filings with the SEC that we make from time to time. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of these assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual operating and financial performance may vary in material respects from the performance projected in these forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances, and we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
About SHE Media As a top 10 lifestyle media company reaching 74+ million monthly visitors, SHE Media focuses on the power of content and community to move our culture forward. SHE Media believes that media companies can and should be a force for good in the world. The company’s rich editorial ranges from health, food, and family to career and entertainment. SHE Media’s flagship brands, SheKnows, Flow Space, StyleCaster, Soaps and BlogHer, produce award-winning lifestyle content and events that reflect the passion and purpose of the company. In addition to the flagship brands, the SHE Media Collective supports thousands of independent publishers and content creators with technology, education, and monetization opportunities to grow their businesses.
SHE Media has a longstanding commitment to the advancement of equity and inclusion through media. In 2021, SHE Media launched Meaningful Marketplaces enabling advertisers to buy media at scale from a community of women and minority-owned publishers, ensuring that independent media receives the economic support to thrive. SHE Media is also dedicated to advancing women’s health. In 2023, SHE Media launched Flow Space, an all-new digital and live media platform providing content, community, and commerce in service of women’s whole life health. Part of Penske Media Corporation (PMC), SHE Media is based in New York, with offices in Los Angeles. Follow SHE Media on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
About Direct Digital Holdings Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage on average over 125,000 clients monthly, generating over 300 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
The media landscape is rapidly shifting, with many legacy formats like pay TV seeing accelerating declines. But amid this turmoil, radio has showed surprising resilience according to a recent report. Terrestrial radio revenue and listenership has held relatively steady over the past decade even as cable TV crumbled.
This contrast highlights radio’s enduring role delivering localized, personality-driven and interactive content. While digital disruption has hindered other mediums, broadcasters see internet streaming and podcasts as opportunities to expand radio, not threats. Already, leading players are blending new digital formats with traditional over-the-air offerings.
The stubborn stability of radio presents a growth opportunity for investors amid the broader challenges facing legacy media. Traditional TV and print advertising revenue continues falling sharply, down 18% and 14% respectively in 2023 per GroupM estimates. But radio ad spending is only projected to slip 6% this year.
Plus, radio has room to run just to regain pre-pandemic ad levels. Industry leader iHeartMedia saw a 23% decline in broadcast revenue from 2019 to 2023. As the ad market rebounds post-Covid, radio looks relatively attractive compared to more distressed legacy formats.
This backdrop has powered a radio resurgence among new industry entrants spotting untapped potential. Direct Digital Holdings, which went public in 2022, and focuses on bringing digital marketing services to the marketplace.
Direct Digital believes this digital model can drive growth even as terrestrial broadcasting plateaus. The company aims to capture ad budgets shifting online through its provision of website, social media and other digital services to small businesses alongside traditional radio spots.
Another radio-centric new media play, Cumulus Media, is the country’s third largest radio broadcaster, reaching over 250 million monthly listeners nationwide. The company aims to grow by broadening its podcast portfolio and expanding digital marketing.
Cumulus sees its vast broadcast reach as a foundation to build a larger digital advertising presence. Its extensive owned-and-operated radio station network provides proprietary access to a loyal listener base that rivals tech platforms. The company is positioning itself as the radio industry’s digital transformation leader.
Radio’s resilience indicates it retains inherent competitive advantages that persist through technological changes. Broadcasters recognize and leverage their unique strengths even as they adapt business models. The localism and personality that define radio continue driving engagement.
Plus, radio’s cost structure is finely tuned after a century on the air. Mature players keep tight control of expenses and operate profitably on thinner margins than many digital media outlets. This helps incumbents squeeze more value from legacy radio as they make measured moves into emerging formats.
Investors must still approach new radio-centered media endeavors with eyes wide open. Industry ad revenues remain under pressure. Music streaming and podcasts pose competition for listeners’ time. Consolidation carries integration risks and may face regulatory hurdles.
But traditional radio has survived the disruptive forces that felled newspapers and gutted cable TV. This time-tested durability, combined with digital growth prospects, makes radio-oriented media a relatively bright spot for investors in a tumultuous industry.
Backed by resilient legacy radio assets and focused digital strategies, companies like Direct Digital and Cumulus Media, and many others, offer upside potential. Though uncertainty remains, their radio footholds provide a stable base absent in other legacy media formats ravaged by technological change.
For investors seeking growth media plays beyond tech giants, radio’s lingering relevance points to pockets of opportunity. New digital/broadcast hybrid models show promise for revitalizing radio’s mature but enduring advertising business. With the right vision and execution, radio-centric firms could unlock more value and continue this legacy medium’s surprising success story.
Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Patrick McCann, CFA, Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Noblecon19. On December 5th, management presented at Noblecon19 at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton, Florida, to the investment community. The presentation conducted by Mr. Mark Walker, CEO, and Diana Diaz, CFO, highlighted the company’s favorable growth trends and dynamic value proposition. In our view, the company is well positioned to execute its favorable growth initiatives.
Favorable growth trends. The company grew Q3 revenue by an impressive 125.5%, from the prior year period. The strong performance was attributed to the firm’s sell-side programmatic advertising business. Notably, the number of sell-side customers stayed relatively stable, and ad spend per customer increased significantly.
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*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.
HOUSTON, Nov. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced that management will participate in the Noble Capital Markets 19th Annual Emerging Growth Equity Conference on December 3-5, 2023 at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL.
The conference will consist of one-on-one and small group meetings providing investors the opportunity to hear from and meet with Direct Digital Holdings’ management team. For more information, or to schedule a meeting with management, please contact your Noble representative.
About Direct Digital Holdings Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Year-to-date, Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions have managed on average over 125,000 clients monthly, generating over 300 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
HOUSTON, Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced the Company has placed 108th on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500™, a ranking of the 500 fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech and energy tech companies in North America, now in its 29th year. During the measurement period, Direct Digital Holdings grew 1,325%, making it the 8th ranked company in Deloitte’s Digital Content / Media / Entertainment division. The Company placed among the top 20% of all companies on the list and was ranked #6 in Texas.
“We are honored to be included on this prestigious list of fellow industry-leading companies, and I would personally like to thank Deloitte for recognizing our company,” said Mark D. Walker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Direct Digital Holdings. “This recognition is a testament to the strength and effectiveness of our business model as well as our technological capabilities and highly diversified customer base. We remain committed to providing best-in-class advertising solutions to our partners as our number of clients, average client-size and total impressions per month all continue to increase.”
The Company attributes its significant growth to current market dynamics benefitting its technology-driven and differentiated approach to advertising solutions. On November 9, 2023, the Company reported its third quarter earnings ended September 30, 2023. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side advertising segment revenue grew to $51.6 million or 174% growth over the $18.9 million of sell-side revenue in the same period of 2022. The Company’s buy-side advertising segment revenue grew to $7.9 million or 10% growth over the $7.1 million of buy-side revenue in the same period of 2022.
Direct Digital Holdings’ subsidiaries bring distinct offerings to the ecosystem, contributing to the Company’s advancement. Colossus SSP is focused on connecting brands of all sizes with a full range of diverse and multicultural audiences, as well as the general market, serving as a one-stop-shop for media inventory needs. On the buy-side, with Huddled Masses and Orange142, the Company provides data-driven digital marketing solutions to businesses in the underserved SMB and middle market landscape. Those two buy-side companies also work seamlessly with Colossus SSP to bring the benefits of its inclusive marketplace and approach to SMB and middle market clients – with significant results.
“We are pleased that the recent strategic and operational investments in our technology stack have resulted in industry-leading growth across our sell-side advertising platforms,” said Anu Pillai, Direct Digital Holdings’ Chief Technology Officer. “As we also continue to capitalize on the shift in media spend from traditional to digital, as well as the growing media spend targeted at the middle market, the result has been advertising solutions that are utilized by businesses across all industries due to the strength of our technology stack and our proven, differentiated approach. We are proud to collaborate with fellow leaders in the industry such as Amazon Publisher Services, FreeWheel’s Beeswax and HPE GreenLake, and look forward to continuing to offer the high-quality advertising solutions we have become known and trusted to provide.”
Statements from Deloitte “Each year, I look forward to reviewing the progress and innovations of our Technology Fast 500 winners as these companies truly demonstrate how important new ideas are to progressing our society and the world, especially during difficult times,” said Paul Silverglate, Vice Chair, Deloitte LLP and U.S. Technology Sector Leader. “While software and services and life sciences continue to dominate the top 10, I am encouraged to see other categories making their mark. Congratulations to all the winners who show us how creativity, hard work and perseverance can lead to success.”
“As a growing company, it’s always rewarding to be recognized for the ongoing commitment it takes to navigate obstacles, transform when necessary and ultimately create a thriving business,” said Christie Simons, partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP and industry leader for technology, media and telecommunications within Deloitte’s audit and assurance practice. “Over the nearly 30 years we’ve been compiling the Technology Fast 500 we’ve seen new categories emerge, growth rates explode, and certain regional markets shine from the bright talent they attract. We are proud of all the winners for achieving this well-deserved honor.”
About Direct Digital Holdings Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage on average over 125,000 clients monthly, generating over 300 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
About the 2023 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Now in its 29th year, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 provides a ranking of the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies — both public and private — in North America. Technology Fast 500 award winners are selected based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2019 to 2022.
In order to be eligible for Technology Fast 500 recognition, companies must own proprietary intellectual property or technology that is sold to customers in products that contribute to a majority of the company’s operating revenues. Companies must have base-year operating revenues of at least US$50,000, and current-year operating revenues of at least US$5 million. Additionally, companies must be in business for a minimum of four years and be headquartered within North America.
Third Quarter 2023 Revenue Up 129% Year-Over-Year to $59.5 Million
Company Raises Full-Year 2023 Revenue Guidance to $170 Million – $190 Million
HOUSTON, Nov. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2023.
Mark D. Walker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “In recent quarters, we have made significant investments in our technology stack, advertising platform and operational structure. We initially expected to see the impact of these investments in 2024, however, we are pleased to report that these benefits have arrived much earlier in 2023. Our strong technology partnerships and our overarching business strategy have enabled us to meet a growing number of customers’ demands and further the capabilities of our sell-side technology platform. On both the sell-side and the buy-side, increased spend from our buying partners has resulted in an associated increase in our impression count and organic growth profile with a direct positive impact on net income and adjusted EBITDA(1).”
Keith Smith, President, added, “The growth seen in this quarter, as well as the past year, has been fueled by a combination of our strategic investments and partnerships, our differentiated approach to advertising solutions, as well as a set of market dynamics which have been highly beneficial to our position in the industry. We have capitalized on the shift in ad spend towards digital media on both the sell- and buy-side and will continue to grow our presence in the space through our recent partnerships and advancements of our technology stack. We remain committed to executing on the same growth and investment initiatives that led us to the strong third quarter results we are reporting today.”
Third Quarter 2023 Business Highlights
For the third quarter ended September 30, 2023, Direct Digital Holdings processed over 400 billion monthly impressions through its sell-side advertising segment, an increase of 220% over the same period of 2022.
In addition, the Company’s sell-side advertising platforms received over 34 billion monthly bid responses in the third quarter of 2023, an increase of over 210% over the same period in 2022. Sell-side revenue per advertiser for the third quarter of 2023 increased 241% compared to the same period of 2022.
The Company’s buy-side advertising segment served approximately 228 customers in the third quarter of 2023 and buy-side revenue per customer increased 14% compared to the same period of 2022.
Third Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights:
Revenue was $59.5 million in the third quarter of 2023, an increase of $33.5 million, or 129% over the $26.0 million in the same period of 2022.
Sell-side advertising segment revenue grew to $51.6 million and contributed $32.8 million of the increase, or 174% growth over the $18.9 million of sell-side revenue in the same period of 2022.
Buy-side advertising segment revenue grew to $7.9 million and contributed $0.7 million of the increase, or 10% growth over the $7.1 million of buy-side revenue in the same period of 2022.
Consolidated operating income in the third quarter of 2023 was $4.5 million compared to consolidated operating income of $1.8 million in the same period of 2022, an increase of 144% year-over-year.
Net income was $3.4 million in the third quarter of 2023, compared to net income of $0.8 million in the same period of 2022, an increase of 313% year-over-year.
Adjusted EBITDA(1) was $5.4 million in the third quarter of 2023, compared to $2.4 million in the same period of 2022, an increase of 123% year-over-year.
Financial Outlook
Assuming the U.S. economy does not experience any major economic conditions that deteriorate or otherwise significantly reduce advertiser demand, we are increasing our previously issued estimate as disclosed in our second quarter 2023 update:
For fiscal year 2023, we expect revenue to be in the range of $170 million to $190 million, or 101% year-over-year growth at the mid-point.
“We are thrilled to announce the raising of our fiscal year 2023 revenue guidance to $180 million at the midpoint, a 101% increase over full-year 2022 results. This increase reflects our belief in our ability to execute on our various growth strategies, demonstrates the strength of our operating leverage and highlights the favorable market trends that we expect to continue for the remainder of this year,” commented Diana Diaz, Chief Financial Officer.
Conference Call and Webcast Details
Direct Digital will host a conference call on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company’s third quarter 2023 financial results. The live webcast and replay can be accessed at https://ir.directdigitalholdings.com/. Please access the website at least fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. For those who cannot access the webcast, a replay will be available at https://ir.directdigitalholdings.com/ for a period of twelve months.
Footnotes
(1) “Adjusted EBITDA” is a non-GAAP financial measure. The section titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below describes our usage of non-GAAP financial measures and provides reconciliations between historical GAAP and non-GAAP information contained in this press release.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and which are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties.
As used below, “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to the Company. We use words such as “could,” “would,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “expect,” “likely,” “believe,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, but not all forward-looking statements include these words. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements.
All of our forward-looking statements involve estimates and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our industry experience and our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, many factors could affect our actual operating and financial performance and cause our performance to differ materially from the performance expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: our dependence on the overall demand for advertising, which could be influenced by economic downturns; any slow-down or unanticipated development in the market for programmatic advertising campaigns; the effects of health epidemics; operational and performance issues with our platform, whether real or perceived, including a failure to respond to technological changes or to upgrade our technology systems; any significant inadvertent disclosure or breach of confidential and/or personal information we hold, or of the security of our or our customers’, suppliers’ or other partners’ computer systems; any unavailability or non-performance of the non-proprietary technology, software, products and services that we use; unfavorable publicity and negative public perception about our industry, particularly concerns regarding data privacy and security relating to our industry’s technology and practices, and any perceived failure to comply with laws and industry self-regulation; restrictions on the use of third-party “cookies,” mobile device IDs or other tracking technologies, which could diminish our platform’s effectiveness; any inability to compete in our intensely competitive market; any significant fluctuations caused by our high customer concentration; our limited operating history, which could result in our past results not being indicative of future operating performance; any violation of legal and regulatory requirements or any misconduct by our employees, subcontractors, agents or business partners; any strain on our resources, diversion of our management’s attention or impact on our ability to attract and retain qualified board members as a result of being a public company; our dependence, as a holding company, on receiving distributions from Direct Digital Holdings, LLC to pay our taxes, expenses and dividends; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” and other sections of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that we make from time to time. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of these assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual operating and financial performance may vary in material respects from the performance projected in these forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances, and we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
About Direct Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage on average over 125,000 clients monthly, generating over 300 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)
September 30, 2023
December 31, 2022
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
$
5,481,949
$
4,047,453
Accounts receivable, net
54,637,634
26,354,114
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
1,426,925
883,322
Total current assets
61,546,508
31,284,889
Property, equipment and software, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $219,386 and $34,218, respectively
625,028
673,218
Goodwill
6,519,636
6,519,636
Intangible assets, net
12,172,396
13,637,759
Deferred tax asset, net
5,082,424
5,164,776
Operating lease right-of-use assets
674,846
798,774
Other long-term assets
127,492
46,987
Total assets
$
86,748,330
$
58,126,039
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable
$
45,021,034
$
17,695,404
Accrued liabilities
4,071,128
4,777,764
Liability related to tax receivable agreement, current portion
41,141
182,571
Notes payable, current portion
1,146,250
655,000
Deferred revenues
1,044,069
546,710
Operating lease liabilities, current portion
49,977
91,989
Income taxes payable
113,355
174,438
Related party payables
1,428,093
1,448,333
Total current liabilities
52,915,047
25,572,209
Notes payable, net of short-term portion and deferred financing cost of $1,722,716 and $2,115,161, respectively
22,323,534
22,913,589
Economic Injury Disaster Loan
150,000
150,000
Liability related to tax receivable agreement, net of current portion
4,245,234
4,149,619
Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion
717,632
745,340
Total liabilities
80,351,447
53,530,757
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Note 9)
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Class A common stock, $0.001 par value per share, 160,000,000 shares authorized, 2,991,792 and 2,900,000 shares issued and outstanding, respectively
2,992
2,900
Class B common stock, $0.001 par value per share, 20,000,000 shares authorized, 11,278,000 shares issued and outstanding
11,278
11,278
Additional paid-in capital
8,782,092
8,224,365
Accumulated deficit
(2,399,479)
(3,643,261)
Total stockholders’ equity
6,396,883
4,595,282
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$
86,748,330
$
58,126,039
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited)
For the Three Months Ended
For the Nine Months Ended
September 30,
September 30,
2023
2022
2023
2022
Revenues
Buy-side advertising
$
7,850,058
$
7,130,736
$
27,092,816
$
22,283,044
Sell-side advertising
51,622,066
18,854,639
89,006,018
36,333,976
Total revenues
59,472,124
25,985,375
116,098,834
58,617,020
Cost of revenues
Buy-side advertising
3,113,491
2,471,170
10,650,541
7,694,987
Sell-side advertising
44,605,815
16,053,461
77,189,787
30,344,670
Total cost of revenues
47,719,306
18,524,631
87,840,328
38,039,657
Gross profit
11,752,818
7,460,744
28,258,506
20,577,363
Operating expenses
Compensation, taxes and benefits
4,747,081
3,845,918
12,934,406
9,895,646
General and administrative
2,512,330
1,770,002
8,717,584
5,187,875
Total operating expenses
7,259,411
5,615,920
21,651,990
15,083,521
Income from operations
4,493,407
1,844,824
6,606,516
5,493,842
Other income (expense)
Other income
83,331
—
175,472
47,982
Forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loan
—
—
—
287,143
Loss on redemption of non-participating preferred units
—
—
—
(590,689)
Contingent loss on early termination of line of credit
—
—
(299,770)
—
Interest expense
(1,059,890)
(905,605)
(3,104,684)
(2,269,643)
Total other expense
(976,559)
(905,605)
(3,228,982)
(2,525,207)
Income before taxes
3,516,848
939,219
3,377,534
2,968,635
Tax expense
165,994
128,436
165,658
215,112
Net income
$
3,350,854
$
810,783
$
3,211,876
$
2,753,523
Net income per common share:
Basic
$
0.23
$
0.06
$
0.23
$
0.23
Diluted
$
0.23
$
0.06
$
0.22
$
0.23
Weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding:
Basic
14,268,168
14,178,000
14,216,211
11,846,601
Diluted
14,827,165
14,545,241
14,817,770
11,996,969
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited)
For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
2023
2022
Cash Flows Provided By Operating Activities:
Net income
$
3,211,876
$
2,753,523
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization of deferred financing costs
434,847
463,008
Amortization of intangible assets
1,465,363
1,465,364
Amortization of right-of-use assets
123,928
94,974
Amortization of capitalized software
159,057
—
Depreciation of property and equipment
26,112
—
Stock-based compensation
545,504
85,437
Forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loan
—
(287,143)
Deferred income taxes
82,352
(40,591)
Payment on tax receivable agreement
(45,815)
—
Loss on redemption of non-participating preferred units
—
590,689
Contingent loss on early termination of line of credit
299,770
—
Bad debt expense
97,740
2,717
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
(28,381,260)
(13,520,067)
Prepaid expenses and other assets
(524,098)
482,190
Accounts payable
27,325,629
10,008,327
Accrued liabilities
(513,138)
1,555,037
Income taxes payable
(61,083)
94,440
Deferred revenues
497,359
(201,907)
Operating lease liability
(69,720)
(75,396)
Related party payable
—
(70,801)
Net cash provided by operating activities
4,674,423
3,399,801
Cash Flows Used In Investing Activities:
Cash paid for capitalized software and property and equipment
(136,978)
—
Net cash used in investing activities
(136,978)
—
Cash Flows Used In Financing Activities:
Proceeds from note payable
—
4,260,000
Payments on term loan
(491,250)
(412,500)
Payments of litigation settlement
(193,500)
—
Payments on lines of credit
—
(400,000)
Payment of deferred financing costs
(442,181)
(525,295)
Proceeds from Issuance of Class A common stock, net of transaction costs
—
11,167,043
Redemption of common units
—
(7,200,000)
Redemption of non-participating preferred units
—
(7,046,251)
Proceeds from options exercised
215
—
Proceeds from warrants exercised
12,100
—
Distributions to members
(1,988,333)
(916,433)
Net cash used in financing activities
(3,102,949)
(1,073,436)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
1,434,496
2,326,365
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period
4,047,453
4,684,431
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period
$
5,481,949
$
7,010,796
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:
Cash paid for taxes
$
348,862
$
133,401
Cash paid for interest
$
2,667,283
$
1,744,365
Non-cash Financing Activities:
Transaction costs related to issuances of Class A shares included in accrued liabilities
$
—
$
1,000,000
Outside basis difference in partnership
$
—
$
3,234,000
Tax receivable agreement payable to Direct Digital Management, LLC
$
—
$
278,900
Tax benefit on tax receivable agreement
$
—
$
485,100
Issuance related to vesting of restricted stock units, net of tax withholdings
$
90
$
—
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
In addition to our results determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), including, in particular operating income, net cash provided by operating activities, and net income, we believe that earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), as adjusted for stock compensation expense, loss on early termination of line of credit, and loss on early extinguishment of debt, and loss on early redemption of non-participating preferred units (“Adjusted EBITDA”), a non-GAAP financial measure, is useful in evaluating our operating performance. The most directly comparable GAAP measure to Adjusted EBITDA is net income (loss).
In addition to operating income and net income, we use Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of operational efficiency. We believe that this non-GAAP financial measure is useful to investors for period-to-period comparisons of our business and in understanding and evaluating our operating results for the following reasons:
Adjusted EBITDA is widely used by investors and securities analysts to measure a company’s operating performance without regard to items such as depreciation and amortization, interest expense, provision for income taxes, and certain one-time items such as acquisition transaction costs and gains from settlements or loan forgiveness that can vary substantially from company to company depending upon their financing, capital structures and the method by which assets were acquired;
Our management uses Adjusted EBITDA in conjunction with GAAP financial measures for planning purposes, including the preparation of our annual operating budget, as a measure of operating performance and the effectiveness of our business strategies and in communications with our board of directors concerning our financial performance; and
Adjusted EBITDA provides consistency and comparability with our past financial performance, facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, and also facilitates comparisons with other peer companies, many of which use similar non-GAAP financial measures to supplement their GAAP results.
Our use of this non-GAAP financial measure has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our financial results as reported under GAAP. The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) for each of the periods presented:
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL METRICS (unaudited)
For the Three Months Ended September 30,
For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
2023
2022
2023
2022
Net income
$
3,350,854
$
810,783
$
3,211,876
$
2,753,523
Add back (deduct):
Interest expense
1,059,890
905,605
3,104,684
2,269,643
Amortization of intangible assets
488,455
488,455
1,465,364
1,465,364
Stock-based compensation
241,491
70,030
545,504
85,438
Depreciation and amortization of capitalized software, property and equipment
63,689
—
185,169
—
Contingent loss on early termination of line of credit
—
—
299,770
—
Tax expense
165,994
128,436
165,658
215,112
Forgiveness of PPP loan
—
—
—
(287,163)
Loss on early redemption of non-participating preferred units
Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Patrick McCann, CFA, Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Impressive results. The company posted revenue of $59.5 million and adj. EBITDA of $5.4 million, both well above our expectations. Revenues accelerated sequentially, up 125.5% in the latest quarter, up from 66.5% in Q2. Notably, Sell-side revenue grew a whopping 174% over the prior year period.
Investments paying off. In our view, the especially strong quarter indicates that the company’s growth investments and tech platform are paying off sooner than expected. Importantly, the Sell-side segment processed 400 billion monthly impressions, due to increased capacity.
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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.
HOUSTON, Oct. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced that it completed the redemption of its outstanding warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) that remained outstanding following 5:00 p.m. New York City Time on October 30, 2023 (the “Redemption Date”), for a cash redemption price of $0.35 per Warrant. A notice of redemption was distributed on October 23, 2023 to the registered holders of outstanding Warrants announcing the redemption pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agency Agreement, dated as of February 15, 2022, by and between the Company and Equiniti Trust Company, LLC (formerly known as American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, LLC), governing the Warrants. The redemption follows the expiration and closing of the Company’s offer to each holder of outstanding Warrants to purchase any and all outstanding Warrants for $1.20 in cash per Warrant, without interest.
The Warrants were listed for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “DRCTW.” In connection with the redemption, the Warrants ceased trading on Nasdaq and were delisted, with the trading halt announced after close of market on October 30, 2023. The Common Stock continues to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol “DRCT.”
About Direct Digital Holdings Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage on average over 136,000 clients monthly, generating approximately 250 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
Holding Group’s Colossus SSP Integrates with Basis to Increase Advertisers’ Programmatic Reach of Multicultural / Diverse Media Inventory
Buy-Side Company Huddled Masses Collaborates with Basis to Serve SMB & Middle-Market Advertisers
HOUSTON and CHICAGO, Oct. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced a new partnership with Basis Technologies (“Basis”), a global provider of programmatic advertising and media automation solutions.
As part of the agreement, Colossus SSP has directly integrated with the Basis media automation platform to enable more agencies and brands to increase diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by scaling spend on multicultural / diverse audiences and media, and minority-owned properties such as Blavity, Ebony and Univision.
In addition, Basis has been named a preferred demand-side platform (DSP) by Huddled Masses – which specializes in working with small- and mid-sized business (SMB) and middle-market business clients. With these types of advertisers often having smaller budgets, preventing them from accessing bigger technology platforms, this deal enables Basis to increase its reach with this set of underserved marketers.
“Basis Technologies is aligned with Direct Digital Holding’s focus on democratizing programmatic advertising for all,” said Mark Walker, CEO and Co-Founder, Direct Digital Holdings. “The omnichannel capabilities and wide scale of Basis will bolster Colossus SSP’s and Huddled Masses’ abilities. In turn, the relationship with Huddled Masses is also giving Basis expanded reach to an often overlooked – but extremely valuable – group of advertisers.”
“Direct Digital Holdings and Basis Technologies want to be part of the solution to overcome the barriers that underserved groups on the buy- and sell-side face in digital media,” said Tyler Kelly, President, Basis Technologies. “The need for the technology and services that Direct Digital Holdings offers is obvious, as they provide the heft and influence that can channel ad technology innovations for the benefit of a wider set of organizations.”
Currently, Colossus SSP represents 22,000 media properties – offering inventory from both multicultural / diverse and general market publishers. The company has 136,000 advertisers accessing its platform monthly, generating over 250 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media.
Huddled Masses is a marketing technology partner passionate about helping clients grow their business and serves as a long-term partner extension of the team, with decades of expertise to maximize the impact and efficiency of every client’s media investment as well as drive performance marketing.
About Basis Technologies
Basis Technologies is a global provider of programmatic advertising and media automation software and services for enterprises. The Basis platform improves omnichannel marketing performance by unifying programmatic and direct media buying, workflow automation, cross-channel campaign planning, universal reporting and business intelligence. It delivers a comprehensive selection of buying methods across all channels and devices, utilizing all major creative types and formats. Delivered through a world-class media services team or a SaaS model, Basis solves digital media complexity and drives profitability through a single system of record, seamless team collaboration, and actionable data-driven insights. Headquartered in Chicago with offices servicing North America, South America, and Europe, Basis Technologies has received numerous accolades for its commitment to employees and workplace culture. Learn more at https://basis.com.
About Direct Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses, and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The Company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage on average over 136,000 clients monthly, generating approximately 250 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app and other media channels.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and which are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties.
As used below, “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Direct Digital Holdings. We use words such as “could,” “would,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “expect,” “likely,” “believe,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, but not all forward-looking statements include these words. All statements contained in this release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements.
All of our forward-looking statements involve estimates and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our industry experience and our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, many factors could affect our actual operating and financial performance and cause our performance to differ materially from the performance expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: our dependence on the overall demand for advertising, which could be influenced by economic downturns; any slow-down or unanticipated development in the market for programmatic advertising campaigns; the effects of health epidemics, such as the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic; operational and performance issues with our platform, whether real or perceived, including a failure to respond to technological changes or to upgrade our technology systems; any significant inadvertent disclosure or breach of confidential and/or personal information we hold, or of the security of our or our customers’, suppliers’ or other partners’ computer systems; any unavailability or non-performance of the non-proprietary technology, software, products and services that we use; unfavorable publicity and negative public perception about our industry, particularly concerns regarding data privacy and security relating to our industry’s technology and practices, and any perceived failure to comply with laws and industry self-regulation; restrictions on the use of third-party “cookies,” mobile device IDs or other tracking technologies, which could diminish our platform’s effectiveness; any inability to compete in our intensely competitive market; any significant fluctuations caused by our high customer concentration; any violation of legal and regulatory requirements or any misconduct by our employees, subcontractors, agents or business partners; any strain on our resources, diversion of our management’s attention or impact on our ability to attract and retain qualified board members as a result of being a public company; our dependence, as a holding company, of receiving distributions from Direct Digital Holdings, LLC to pay our taxes, expenses and dividends; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” and other sections of our filings with the SEC that we make from time to time. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of these assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual operating and financial performance may vary in material respects from the performance projected in these forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances, and we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Media Contacts Laura Goldberg LBG Public Relations for Direct Digital Holdings laura@lbgpr.com +1-347-683-1859
