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Taboola Beats Guidance in Q1 On All Metrics; Raises Mid-point for 2023; Announcing Up To $40M Buyback and $50M Debt Repayment

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  • Q1 2023 Revenues of $327.7M, Gross Profit of $89.6M, ex-TAC Gross Profit of $115.7M, Net loss of $31.3M and Adjusted EBITDA of $10.1M, exceeding the high end of all guidance metrics.
  • Net cash provided by operating activities of $17.5M and Free Cash Flow in Q1 2023 of $11.2M after net publisher prepayments of ($3.9M)** and $5.1M in cash interest payments.
  • Announcing share buyback program of up to $40M in 2023. Repaid $30M of long-term debt in April (totaling $91M since Q4 2022) and expect to continue to repay debt up to an additional $50M this year.
  • Updated 2023 guidance raises the mid-point: Revenues of $1,427M – $1,469M, Gross Profit of $418M – $436M, ex-TAC Gross Profit of $529M – $546M, Adjusted EBITDA of $65M – $80M. Positive Free Cash Flow.
  • 2024 guidance assumes investments will begin to pay off: at least $200M Adjusted EBITDA, at least $100M Free Cash Flow.

NEW YORK, May 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Taboola (Nasdaq: TBLA), a global leader in powering recommendations for the open web, helping people discover things they may like, today announced its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2023.

“We had a strong performance in Q1, beating the high end of our guidance across all metrics. This was primarily driven by the core business tracking ahead of our expectations, helped by key publisher partners like Condé Nast, Univision, The Blaze, Kicker in Germany and others along with continued strength from eCommerce. We’re also seeing Taboola News outperforming our internal expectations,” said Adam Singolda, CEO and Founder, Taboola.

“From where we are now, we are hyper focused on what we need to do to execute on our objectives and mission. Once the Yahoo integration is 100% live we expect to be at a $2.5B revenue run-rate. This will still be a small portion of the $70B Open Web market, so there remains a lot of growth for us to capture. To do that we are laser focused on four company priorities – performance advertising, ecommerce, bidding, and Yahoo. We have all we need to execute and generate our financial objectives. These are times to remain focused, stay very close to our partners and customers, and execute – that’s all we care about now,” continued Singolda.

For more commentary on the quarter, please refer to Taboola’s Q1 2023 Shareholder Letter, which was furnished to the SEC and also posted on Taboola’s website today at https://investors.taboola.com.

First Quarter Results Summary

(dollars in millions, except per share data) Three months ended
March 31,
       
    2023     2022          
  Unaudited   % change YoY   Guidance
Revenues $ 327.7     $ 354.7     (7.6 %)   $299 – $325
Gross profit $ 89.6     $ 112.0     (20.0 %)   $76 – $88
Net income (loss) $ (31.3 )   $ 3.9     NM    
EPS diluted (1) $ (0.09 )   $ 0.01     NM    
Ratio of net income (loss) to gross profit   (35.0 %)     3.5 %        
Cash flow provided by operating activities $ 17.5     $ 8.1     115.7 %    
Cash, cash equivalents, short-term deposits and investments $ 274.4     $ 318.0     (13.7 %)    
               
Non-GAAP Financial Data*              
ex-TAC Gross Profit $ 115.7     $ 138.2     (16.3 %)   $103 – $115
Adjusted EBITDA $ 10.1     $ 34.9     (71.0 %)   ($6) – $6
Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss) (2) $ (4.1 )   $ 22.1     (118.6 %)   ($23) – ($11)
Ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to ex-TAC Gross Profit   8.7 %     25.2 %        
Free Cash Flow $ 11.2     $ 1.2     815.2 %    

1 The weighted-average shares used in the computation of the diluted EPS for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are 333,424,276 and 260,036,934, respectively.
2 Three months ended March 31, 2022 have been adjusted to exclude the impact of foreign currency exchange rates to be consistent with current period presentation. 

Business Highlights for Q1 2023

  • Revenue from new publisher partners continues to be an area of strength – Publisher wins from competitors included L’Express, Condé Nast, Kicker, Funke, and DuMont.
  • Renewed relationships with many well-known publishers including Sinclair, Advance Local, O Dia, Slate France, and Seven West Media.
  • Received approval from Israeli regulators to finalize the Yahoo deal; transitioned into the next phase of integration, the build and test phase.
  • Launched TIME and Advance Local on Taboola Turnkey Commerce, publishing over 100 finance articles on TIME with subsequent launch of the TIME eCommerce section planned for May.
  • Further deployed AI to enhance our Life Time Value (LTV) vision, a holistic approach that enhances publisher revenue and empowers diversification of channels (eCommerce, subscription, native, bidding and video).
  • Continued to see eCommerce strength in the bottom of funnel channel from key partners such as Walmart, Wayfair, and Macy’s.
  • Rolled out Generative AI in beta form on Taboola Ads which suggests data-driven titles and thumbnails to creatives, accelerating the speed and efficiency of launching campaigns.

Second Quarter and Full Year 2023 Guidance

For the Second Quarter and Full Year 2023, the Company currently expects:

  Q2 2023
Guidance
  FY 2023
Guidance
  Unaudited
  (dollars in millions)
Revenues $296 – $322   $1,427 – $1,469
Gross profit $78 – $88   $418 – $436
ex-TAC Gross Profit* $105 – $115   $529 – $546
Adjusted EBITDA* ($4) – $6   $65 – $80
Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss)* ($26) – ($16) ($5) – $10
       

Although we provide guidance for Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss), we are not able to provide guidance for projected net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Certain elements of net income (loss), including share-based compensation expenses and warrant valuations, are not predictable due to the high variability and difficulty of making accurate forecasts. As a result, it is impractical for us to provide guidance on net income (loss) or to reconcile our Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss) guidance without unreasonable efforts. Consequently, no disclosure of projected net income (loss) is included. For the same reasons, we are unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information.

Authorization to Buyback Ordinary Shares

On May 9, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the buyback of up to $40 million of the Company’s ordinary shares. Any share buybacks under the program may be made from time to time in the open market, including through trading plans intended to qualify under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The timing and amount of any share buybacks will be subject to market conditions and other factors determined by the Company. The Company may suspend, modify or discontinue the program at any time in its sole discretion without prior notice. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

Under Israeli law, the Company’s ability to buyback ordinary shares must be within a maximum dollar amount authorized by the Tel Aviv District Court Economic Department (the “Israeli court”). The maximum amount includes both share buybacks and net issuances to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to equity-based compensation. The Israeli court approval typically expires in six months. The Company previously obtained Israeli court approvals for such activities, and expects to continue to make successive requests for the foreseeable future absent unusual circumstances. In anticipation of the May 16, 2023 expiration of the Company’s most recent $50 million approval, on April 17 2023, the Company requested the Israeli court to provide another $50 million of authority. The Company will announce the Israeli court’s decision promptly once it is obtained. The decision is currently expected by the end of this month or shortly thereafter. 

Webcast Details

Taboola’s senior management team will discuss the Company’s earnings on a call that will take place on May 10, 2023, at 8:30 AM ET. The call can be accessed via webcast at https://investors.taboola.com. To access the call by phone, please go to this link to register https://register.vevent.com/register/BI425cebdda8864199aaeeb8bd8ccc5cf2 and you will be provided with dial in details. The webcast will be available for replay for one year, through the close of business on May 10, 2024.

*About Non-GAAP Financial Information

This press release includes ex-TAC Gross Profit, Adjusted EBITDA, Ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to ex-TAC Gross Profit, Free Cash Flow, Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss), which are non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures are not measures of financial performance in accordance with GAAP and may exclude items that are significant in understanding and assessing the Company’s financial results. Therefore, these measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to revenues, gross profit, net income (loss), cash flows from operations or other measures of profitability, liquidity or performance under GAAP. You should be aware that the Company’s presentation of these measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures used by other companies.

The Company believes non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information to management and investors regarding future financial and business trends relating to the Company. The Company believes that the use of these measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating operating results and trends and in comparing the Company’s financial measures with other similar companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. Non-GAAP financial measures are subject to inherent limitations because they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which items are excluded or included in calculating them, which may vary from period to period. Please refer to the appendix at the end of this press release for reconciliations to the most directly comparable measures in accordance with GAAP.

**About Cash Investment in Publisher Prepayments (Net)

We calculate cash investment in publisher prepayments (net) for a specific measurement period as the gross amount of cash publisher prepayments we made in that measurement period minus the amortization of publisher prepayments that were included in traffic acquisition cost during that measurement period, which were the result of cash publisher prepayments made in that measurement period and previous periods.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events including future financial or operating performance of Taboola.com Ltd. (the “Company”). In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “expect”, “guidance”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “target”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company and its management, are inherently uncertain. Uncertainties and risk factors that could affect the Company’s future performance and cause results to differ from the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to: the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Connexity acquisition and the business combination between the Company and ION Acquisition Corp. 1 Ltd. (together, the “Business Combinations”), which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the Company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and retain its management and key employees; the Company’s ability to successfully integrate the Connexity acquisition; costs related to the Business Combinations; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the Company’s estimates of expenses and profitability and underlying assumptions with respect to accounting presentations and purchase price and other adjustments; the extent to which we will voluntarily prepay additional long-term debt or buyback any of our ordinary shares pursuant to authority granted by the Company’s Board of Directors, which may depend upon market and economic conditions; other business opportunities and priorities; and, with respect to the buyback of our ordinary shares, the availability of sufficient continuing authority being approved and re-approved as necessary by the Tel Aviv District Court Economic Department to permit share buybacks (and our continued use of a net issuance mechanism to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to equity-based compensation on behalf of our directors, officers and other employees) or other factors; the Company’s ability to transition to and fully launch the native advertising service for Yahoo on the currently anticipated schedule or at all; the ability to generate or achieve the increase in Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow in 2024 or our expected revenue run-rate once Yahoo integration is live, in each case to the levels assumed in this press release or at all; ability to attract new digital properties and advertisers; ability to meet minimum guarantee requirements in contracts with digital properties; intense competition in the digital advertising space, including with competitors who have significantly more resources; ability to grow and scale the Company’s ad and content platform through new relationships with advertisers and digital properties; ability to secure high quality content from digital properties; ability to maintain relationships with current advertiser and digital property partners; ability to prioritize investments to improve profitability and free cash flow; ability to make continued investments in the Company’s AI-powered technology platform; the need to attract, train and retain highly-skilled technical workforce; changes in the regulation of, or market practice with respect to, “third party cookies” and its impact on digital advertising; continued engagement by users who interact with the Company’s platform on various digital properties; reliance on a limited number of partners for a significant portion of the Company’s revenue; changes in laws and regulations related to privacy, data protection, advertising regulation, competition and other areas related to digital advertising; ability to enforce, protect and maintain intellectual property rights; and risks related to the fact that we are incorporated in Israel and governed by Israeli law; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 under Part 1, Item 1A “Risk Factors” and in the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements except as may be required by law.

About Taboola
Taboola powers recommendations for the open web, helping people discover things they may like.

The Company’s platform, powered by artificial intelligence, is used by digital properties, including websites, devices and mobile apps, to drive monetization and user engagement. Taboola has long-term partnerships with some of the top digital properties in the world, including CNBC, BBC, NBC News, Business Insider, The Independent and El Mundo.

Approximately 18,000 advertisers use Taboola to reach over 500 million daily active users in a brand-safe environment. Following the acquisition of Connexity in 2021, Taboola is a leader in powering e-commerce recommendations, driving more than 1 million monthly transactions each month. Leading brands, including Walmart, Macy’s, Wayfair, Skechers and eBay are among key customers.

Learn more at www.taboola.com and follow @taboola on Twitter.

Investor Contact: Press Contact:
Rick Hoss Dave Struzzi
[email protected] [email protected]
       
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS      
U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share data      
  March 31,   December 31,
  2023   2022
  Unaudited    
ASSETS      
CURRENT ASSETS      
Cash and cash equivalents $ 218,849   $ 165,893
Short-term investments   55,582     96,914
Restricted deposits   1,091     750
Trade receivables (net of allowance for credit losses of $9,242 and $6,748 as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively)   212,346     256,708
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   73,531     73,643
Total current assets   561,399     593,908

NON-CURRENT ASSETS
     
Long-term prepaid expenses   41,262     42,945
Commercial agreement asset   289,451    
Restricted deposits   3,998     4,059
Deferred tax assets, net   3,218     3,821
Operating lease right of use assets   67,740     66,846
Property and equipment, net   71,731     73,019
Intangible assets, net   173,177     189,156
Goodwill   555,931     555,869
Total non-current assets   1,206,508     935,715
Total assets $ 1,767,907   $ 1,529,623
           
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share data
 
  March 31,   December 31,
    2023       2022  
  Unaudited    
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY      
CURRENT LIABILITIES      
Trade payables $ 223,040     $ 247,504  
Short-term operating lease liabilities   15,663       14,753  
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   95,182       102,965  
Current maturities of long-term loan   33,000       3,000  
Total current liabilities   366,885       368,222  
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES      
Long-term loan, net of current maturities   192,737       223,049  
Long-term operating lease liabilities   58,223       57,928  
Warrants liability   5,080       6,756  
Deferred tax liabilities, net   31,319       34,133  
Other long-term liabilities   5,000       5,000  
Total long-term liabilities   292,359       326,866  
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY      
Ordinary shares with no par value- Authorized: 700,000,000 as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022; 297,822,375 and 254,133,863 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.          
Non-voting Ordinary shares with no par value- Authorized: 46,000,000 as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022; 45,198,702 and 0 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.          
Additional paid-in capital   1,209,559       903,789  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (1,163 )     (834 )
Accumulated deficit   (99,733 )     (68,420 )
Total shareholders’ equity   1,108,663       834,535  
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 1,767,907     $ 1,529,623  
               
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS)
U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share data
 
  Three months ended
March 31,
    2023       2022  
  Unaudited
Revenues $ 327,686     $ 354,726  
Cost of revenues:      
Traffic acquisition cost   211,946       216,498  
Other cost of revenues   26,148       26,198  
Total cost of revenues   238,094       242,696  
Gross profit   89,592       112,030  
Operating expenses:      
Research and development   31,985       30,412  
Sales and marketing   60,569       61,368  
General and administrative   25,836       27,949  
Total operating expenses   118,390       119,729  
Operating loss   (28,798 )     (7,699 )
Finance income (expenses), net   (3,154 )     11,195  
Income (loss) before income taxes   (31,952 )     3,496  
Income tax benefit   639       392  
Net income (loss) $ (31,313 )   $ 3,888  
       
Net income (loss) per share attributable to Ordinary and Non-voting Ordinary shareholders, basic $ (0.09 )   $ 0.02  
Weighted-average shares used in computing net income (loss) per share attributable to Ordinary and Non-voting Ordinary shareholders, basic   333,424,276       247,378,428  
Net income (loss) per share attributable to Ordinary and Non-voting Ordinary shareholders, diluted $ (0.09 )   $ 0.01  
Weighted-average shares used in computing net income (loss) per share attributable to Ordinary and Non-voting Ordinary shareholders, diluted   333,424,276       260,036,934  
               
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
U.S. dollars in thousands
 
  Three months ended
March 31,
    2023       2022  
  Unaudited
Net income (loss) $ (31,313 )   $ 3,888  
Other comprehensive income (loss):      
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale marketable securities   327        
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments, net   (656 )     (230 )
Other comprehensive income (loss)   (329 )     (230 )
Comprehensive income (loss) $ (31,642 )   $ 3,658  
               
SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION BREAK-DOWN BY EXPENSE LINE
U.S. dollars in thousands
 
  Three months ended
March 31,
  2023   2022
  Unaudited
Cost of revenues $ 1,044   $ 703
Research and development   5,844     6,102
Sales and marketing   4,285     5,300
General and administrative   4,909     7,724
Total share-based compensation expenses $ 16,082   $ 19,829
           
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION BREAK-DOWN BY EXPENSE LINE
U.S. dollars in thousands
  Three months ended
March 31,
  2023   2022
  Unaudited
Cost of revenues $ 8,298   $ 8,101
Research and development   605     645
Sales and marketing   13,526     13,503
General and administrative   172     427
Total depreciation and amortization expense $ 22,601   $ 22,676
           
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
U.S. dollars in thousands
 
  Three months ended
March 31,
    2023       2022  
  Unaudited
Cash flows from operating activities      
Net income (loss) $ (31,313 )   $ 3,888  
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows provided by operating activities:      
Depreciation and amortization   22,601       22,676  
Share-based compensation expenses   16,082       19,829  
Net loss (gain) from financing expenses   (328 )     671  
Revaluation of the Warrants liability   (1,676 )     (14,042 )
Amortization of loan and credit facility issuance costs   500       358  
Amortization of premium and accretion of discount on short-term investments, net   (281 )      
Change in operating assets and liabilities:      
Decrease in trade receivables, net   44,362       45,935  
Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses and other current assets and long-term prepaid expenses   721       (3,317 )
Decrease in trade payables   (22,807 )     (45,864 )
Decrease in accrued expenses and other current liabilities and other long-term liabilities   (13,439 )     (16,544 )
Increase (decrease) in deferred taxes, net   2,790       (4,086 )
Change in operating lease right of use assets   4,151       2,895  
Change in operating lease liabilities   (3,839 )     (4,276 )
Net cash provided by operating activities   17,524       8,123  
Cash flows from investing activities      
Purchase of property and equipment, including capitalized internal-use software   (6,350 )     (6,902 )
Cash paid in connection with acquisitions, net of cash acquired         (620 )
Investments in restricted deposits   (280 )      
Investment in short-term deposits         (40,026 )
Proceeds from sales and maturities of short-term investments   41,940        
Payments of cash in escrow for acquisition of a subsidiary         (2,100 )
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities   35,310       (49,648 )
Cash flows from financing activities      
Exercise of options and vested RSUs   1,335       3,399  
Payment of tax withholding for share-based compensation expenses   (791 )     (1,845 )
Repayment of long-term loan   (750 )     (750 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   (206 )     804  
Exchange rate differences on balances of cash and cash equivalents   328       (671 )
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   52,956       (41,392 )
Cash and cash equivalents – at the beginning of the period   165,893       319,319  
Cash and cash equivalents – at end of the period $ 218,849     $ 277,927  
  Three months ended
March 31,
  2023   2022
  Unaudited
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid during the year for:      
Income taxes $ 4,258   $ 2,418
Interest $ 5,067   $ 3,570
Non-cash investing and financing activities:      
Purchase of property and equipment, including capitalized internal-use software $ 36   $ 1,809
Share-based compensation included in capitalized internal-use software $ 652   $ 517
Creation of operating lease right-of-use assets $ 5,045   $
           

APPENDIX A: Non-GAAP Reconciliation

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2023 AND 2022 (Unaudited)

The following table provides a reconciliation of revenues to ex-TAC Gross Profit.

  Three months ended
March 31,
  2023   2022
  (dollars in thousands)
Revenues $ 327,686 $ 354,726
Traffic acquisition cost   211,946     216,498
Other cost of revenues   26,148     26,198
Gross profit $ 89,592   $ 112,030
Add back: Other cost of revenues   26,148   26,198
ex-TAC Gross Profit $ 115,740 $ 138,228
           

The following table provides a reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA.

  Three months ended
March 31,
    2023       2022  
  (dollars in thousands)
Net income (loss) $ (31,313 )   $ 3,888  
Adjusted to exclude the following:
Finance (income) expenses, net   3,154       (11,195 )
Income tax benefit   (639 )     (392 )
Depreciation and amortization   22,601     22,676  
Share-based compensation expenses   13,527     17,039  
Holdback compensation expenses (1)   2,555       2,790  
M&A and other costs (2)   237     50  
Adjusted EBITDA $ 10,122   $ 34,856  

1 Represents share-based compensation due to holdback of Taboola Ordinary shares issuable under compensatory arrangements relating to Connexity acquisition.
2 Includes commercial agreement asset acquisition costs.

We calculate Ratio of net income (loss) to gross profit as net income (loss) divided by gross profit. We calculate the Ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to ex-TAC Gross Profit, a non-GAAP measure, as Adjusted EBITDA divided by ex-TAC Gross Profit. We believe that the Ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to ex-TAC Gross Profit is useful because TAC is what we must pay digital properties to obtain the right to place advertising on their websites, and we believe focusing on ex-TAC Gross Profit better reflects the profitability of our business. The following table reconciles Ratio of net income (loss) to gross profit and Ratio of Adjusted EBITDA to ex-TAC Gross Profit for the period shown.

  Three months ended
March 31,
    2023       2022  
  (dollars in thousands)
Gross profit $ 89,592     $ 112,030  
Net income (loss) $ (31,313 )   $ 3,888  
Ratio of net income (loss) to gross profit   (35.0 %)     3.5 %
       
ex-TAC Gross Profit $ 115,740   $ 138,228  
Adjusted EBITDA $ 10,122   $ 34,856  
Ratio of Adjusted EBITDA margin to ex-TAC Gross Profit   8.7 %     25.2 %
               

The following table provides a reconciliation of net income (loss) to Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss)*.

  Three months ended
March 31,
    2023       2022  
  (dollars in thousands)
Net income (loss) $ (31,313 )   $ 3,888  
Amortization of acquired intangibles   15,969       15,780  
Share-based compensation expenses   13,527       17,039  
Holdback compensation expenses (1)   2,555       2,790  
M&A and other costs (2)   237       50  
Revaluation of Warrants   (1,676 )     (14,042 )
Foreign currency exchange rate losses (3)   429       216  
Income tax effects   (3,829 )     (3,626 )
Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss) $ (4,101 )   $ 22,095  

* Three months ended March 31, 2022 have been adjusted to exclude the impact of foreign currency exchange rates to be consistent with current period presentation.

1 Represents share-based compensation due to holdback of Taboola Ordinary shares issuable under compensatory arrangements relating to Connexity acquisition.
2 Includes commercial agreement asset acquisition costs.
3 Represents income or loss related to the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities to the Company’s functional currency using exchange rates in effect at the end of the reporting period.

The following table provides a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to Free Cash Flow.

  Three months ended
March 31,
    2023       2022  
  (dollars in thousands)
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 17,524     $ 8,123  
Purchases of property and equipment, including capitalized internal-use software   (6,350 )     (6,902 )
Free Cash Flows $ 11,174     $ 1,221  
               

APPENDIX A: Non-GAAP Guidance Reconciliation

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES FOR Q2 2023 AND FULL YEAR 2023 GUIDANCE

(Unaudited)

The following table provides a reconciliation of projected Gross profit to ex-TAC Gross profit guidance.

  Q2 2023
Guidance
FY 2023
Guidance
  Unaudited
  (dollars in millions)
Revenues $296 – $322   $1,427 – $1,469
Traffic acquisition cost ($191) – ($207)   ($898) – ($923)
Other cost of revenues ($27) – ($27)   ($110) – ($111)
Gross profit $78 – $88   $418 – $436
Add back: Other cost of revenues $27 – $27 $110 – $111
ex-TAC Gross Profit $105 – $115 $529 – $546
       

Although we provide a projection for Free Cash Flow, we are not able to provide a projection for net cash provided by operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Certain elements of net cash provided by operating activities, including taxes and timing of collections and payments, are not predictable therefore projecting an accurate forecast is difficult. As a result, it is impractical for us to provide projections on net cash provided by operating activities or to reconcile our Free Cash Flow projections without unreasonable efforts. Consequently, no disclosure of projected net cash provided by operating activities is included. For the same reasons, we are unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information.

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Artificial Intelligence

Cybersecurity veteran Simon Church Joins CyXcel as Chief Strategy Officer

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LONDON, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CyXcel, a leading cybersecurity business with operations in the UK and North America, announces the appointment of Simon Church as Chief Strategy Officer. A 35-year veteran of the technology industry, Church brings a wealth of cyber expertise and commercial development to the role. Church’s appointment solidifies CyXcel as a pioneering force in combining security, regulatory, and legal expertise for established companies and those expanding into new markets, ensuring protection and recovery of their critical business assets.

As Chief Strategy Officer, Church will spearhead CyXcel’s strategic initiatives to drive innovation, foster partnerships, and accelerate growth opportunities. His appointment underscores CyXcel’s commitment to fortifying its strategic offering and enhancing its position as a leader at the nexus of risk analysis, response management and incident resolution. His vast experience in go-to-market strategies and M&A will be instrumental in driving CyXcel’s growth and expansion initiatives.
Church has held executive leadership positions at market-leading cybersecurity and technology companies such as Maxive Cyber Security (acquired by Thales), Optiv, Vodafone, NTT Security, Verisign, and NetIQ. His experience includes strategic roles  in identity management, networking, and managed services and he brings a strong track record of delivering commercial growth, including leading on commercial acquisitions. 
In addition to his role at CyXcel, Church serves as Chair of Xalient, a UK-headquartered converged cyber, identity, and networking managed services company. He is also a Board member and strategic advisor to Redshift, as well as a Board member at beqom. Furthermore, Church serves on the Advisory Board of Glasswall, a UK-based security technology company.
Ed Lewis, CyXcel Co-Founder and Managing Partner commented:
“Simon’s unparalleled expertise and proven track record will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and deliver pioneering solutions to our clients worldwide. With Simon’s strategic leadership, we are poised to achieve new heights in our mission to safeguard enterprises and navigate the complex geopolitical, regulatory and legal implications of ever-evolving cyber threats.”
Simon Church said:
“I’m thrilled to be joining such an experienced and ambitious team and the CyXcel offer is unlike any I’ve ever seen. CyXcel has already established itself as a trusted partner in empowering organisational awareness and responsiveness to the financial, existential, and strategic complexities of global cyber threats. I look forward to delivering rapid growth around the world by developing and executing initiatives that provide unparalleled protection and value to our clients.”
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IBM Introduces New Microsoft Copilot Capabilities to Fuel AI-Powered Business Transformation

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ARMONK, N.Y., May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the availability of IBM Copilot Runway, a new offering from IBM Consulting designed to help enterprises create, customize, deploy and manage copilots including Copilot for Microsoft 365. With the new offering, clients will be able to seamlessly integrate copilots’ generative AI into their organizations in order to enhance productivity and drive business success. IBM Consulting has also formed a dedicated practice of consultants with Microsoft copilot skills, credentials and expertise to guide clients on their AI transformation journey.

As part of the new offering, IBM will work with clients to build custom copilots that can be tailored to fit the needs of specific business scenarios and efficiently deployed to help reduce the time and effort often required for implementations. IBM will initially focus on helping clients across priority use cases, including customer and field service, employee experience, and procurement and finance – as well as specific industries, like financial services, retail and CPG, government, and supply chain. These use cases will include:
The Procurement and Finance Contract Copilot which assists specialists in extracting valuable insights from contracts.The Customer Service and Field Service Copilot which gives agents and technicians access to self-service options and a time-saving generative AI search.The Employee Experience Copilot which is designed to enhance employee engagement.                                                                            IBM and Microsoft already serve clients across a variety of industries with a range of AI solutions and services. In fact, IBM Consulting worked with Virgin Money to develop and launch Redi, a conversational virtual assistant that helps credit card customers in the Virgin Money credit card app. Redi, powered by Virgin Money’s suite of Microsoft Copilots, is a testament to the power of partnership.
“Our customers tell us how much they enjoy interacting with Redi in the Credit Card app,” said Adam Paice, Head of Digital Proposition, Virgin Money. “Our partnership with IBM has helped us to get the most out of Microsoft Copilot to find a balance between innovation and control.”  
IBM Consulting is also scaling its Microsoft copilot capabilities and capacity across its network of Global Innovation Centers on each continent. For example, these capabilities are being used to co-create solutions with clients at IBM Consulting’s new IBM-Microsoft Experience Zone in Bangalore, India – a first of its kind in our collaboration.
At the Experience Zone, clients from around the world and across industries are working together with IBM Consulting in various technology stations to co-ideate and co-create generative AI-powered solutions – leveraging Microsoft technologies, including Copilot. Later this year, IBM Consulting plans to open additional IBM-Microsoft Experience Zones in Romania, U.K. and U.S., where clients in these regions can explore the power of Copilot. In addition IBM and Microsoft hosted a second client-focused hackathon with 800 participants, including clients and experts to build solutions leveraging Microsoft copilot – with winners to be announced this quarter.
“As IBM and Microsoft strengthen our partnership, we’re poised to empower more clients with Microsoft Copilot, supercharging productivity and boosting creativity through the power of generative AI,” said John Granger, Senior Vice President, IBM Consulting. “Our dedicated IBM Consulting Microsoft practice, along with Copilot-focused Experience Zones around the world, help us meet clients where they are and bring them the right generative-AI-enabled solutions for their businesses.”
“Clients need the right partners and technology to scale AI responsibly across the enterprise,” said Dinis Couto, General Manager of Global Partner Solutions for Microsoft. “With IBM’s dedicated group of Microsoft Copilot experts, we’re confident we can help more clients unlock the full potential of generative AI for their businesses.”
IBM purchased Copilot for Microsoft 365 for its practitioners. To continue building on the partnership, IBM has also invested in growing its team of experts and capabilities through acquisitions, like Neudesic and Bluetab.
IBM Consulting practitioners work with a range of leading AI software technologies and multiple models from both IBM and its strategic partners like Microsoft. IBM data and AI consultants typically employ multiple models, each applied to a specific use case. Different models can be optimized for specific tasks, enhancing performance and efficiency.
Microsoft is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.
About IBMIBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.
Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
Media Contact:IBMCarolyn [email protected]
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Inceptio-Powered Autonomous Trucks Surpass 100 Million Kilometers in Safe Commercial Operations

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Major Milestone Advances Autonomous Heavy-Duty Truck Commercialization
SHANGHAI, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Inceptio Technology (“Inceptio,” or the “Company”), an industry leading developer of autonomous driving technologies for heavy-duty trucks, today announced that heavy-duty trucks powered by the Inceptio Autonomous Driving System and its Truck Navigate-on-Autopilot (T-NOA) capabilities have surpassed the significant milestone of 100 million kilometers in safe commercial operations, reinforcing Inceptio’s global leadership in the commercialization of autonomous trucks.

This achievement underscores how L3 and L2+ autonomous heavy-duty trucks have been successfully deployed across the line-haul logistics sector, including express delivery, less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation, as well as contract logistics. This also reflects the significant value that autonomous trucks offer logistics operators. 
Accelerating the Adoption of Autonomous Trucks Across the Line-Haul Logistics Sector
Inceptio-powered trucks surpassed 50 million kilometers of safe commercial operations in August 2023. Building on this success, Inceptio rapidly expanded the number of compatible truck models and surpassed the 100-million-kilometer mark by the end of April 2024.
Inceptio’s Autonomous Driving System covers 83% of China’s national highways connecting 7 major economic zones. Over the course of the 100 million kilometers, a total of 1,864 drivers safely used Inceptio-powered L3 and L2+ trucks in their daily operations.
Current customers include all the top logistics companies in China such as ZTO Express (NYSE: ZTO and HKEX: 2057), YTO Express (HKEX: 6123), STO Express (SZSE: 002468), JD Logistics (HKEX: 2618), and SF Express (SHE: 002352). Inceptio has also established an extensive footprint across the contract logistics segment including cold chain, automotive, beverages, and fast-moving consumer goods among many others, serving global brands like Budweiser and Nestlé. Inceptio’s autonomous driving technology caters to a diverse user base—from big logistics companies to small fleets and individual operators.
Inceptio has partnered with several leading Chinese truck manufacturers to pre-load mass produced trucks with the Inceptio Autonomous Driving System. These partnerships have expanded the number of trucks Inceptio powers and include popular models from Dongfeng, Sinotruk, Foton and Liuqi that are available in both 4×2 and 6×4 axle configurations to meet the diverse needs of the line-haul logistics sector.
Paving the Way for Greater Commercialization with Safer, More Efficient, and Profitable Operations
Over the course of 100 million kilometers, Inceptio has demonstrated how its autonomous driving technology and its T-NOA capabilities are paving the way for greater commercial deployment across the line-haul logistics with safer, more efficient, and profitable operations.
The majority of the routes large express delivery companies in China use exceed 500 kilometers in length. Two drivers are commonly assigned to each traditional truck on these routes and take shifts driving in order to minimize fatigue and ensure safety when meeting tight shipping schedules. Inceptio’s solution makes driving much less physically and mentally exhausting as it handles more than 90% of the journey. Express delivery companies have been able to significantly reduce the number of drivers per truck and labor costs on these same routes as a result. On routes ranging from 500 to 1,200 kilometers, Inceptio has realized a direct shift from two drivers per truck to one, resulting in a significant 40% to 50% reduction in labor costs. On routes that exceed 1,200 kilometers where an autonomous truck relay model has been deployed, a traditional assignment of 6-8 drivers per three trucks has been reduced to 5. Likewise, a traditional assignment of 8-10 drivers per 4 trucks has been reduced to 6, resulting in a substantial decrease in labor costs and improved driver satisfaction.
The benefits are equally strong for contract logistic companies, both large and small. Huatai Logistics for example, a contract logistics company specializing in automotive parts transport on routes that average 1,500 kilometers, has seen its driver-to-truck ratio decrease from two to one by using Inceptio-powered trucks. Combined with a reduction of 3-5 liters in fuel consumption per 100 kilometers, total cost of ownership per kilometer decreased by 7-15%. The stellar safety record and enhanced driving comfort offered by autonomous trucks improved fleet-attendance rates significantly and increased monthly kilometers per truck by as much as 10%.
Some individual operators have also seen increases of 10-20% in monthly kilometers per truck and 2,500-5,500 RMB in monthly net income due to the fundamental improvement of safety and driving comfort offered by Inceptio-powered autonomous trucks. The fuel-saving benefits of autonomous trucks are particularly attractive for individual operators.
Leveraging Data Assets to Enhance Inceptio’s Autonomous Driving Technology
Inceptio leverages its powerful, data-driven R&D system to rapidly iterate and enhance its autonomous driving technology. This system, which incorporates accurate and efficient data capturing, automated cloud processing, advanced scenario mining, and automatic annotation, allows Inceptio to continuously refine its industry-leading T-NOA algorithm in real-time. This focus on real-world data is a key driver of Inceptio’s competitive edge in the autonomous driving technology landscape.
Julian Ma, founder and CEO of Inceptio Technology, commented, “Inceptio’s autonomous driving technology and its T-NOA capabilities are making significant progress in their commercialization, allowing us to rapidly surpass the 100-million-kilometer milestone after hitting 50 million kilometers only eight months ago. The impact our technology is having on the logistics industry is profound. The commercial deployment of Inceptio-powered autonomous trucks across the line-haul logistics sector is exciting, but what’s truly inspiring is the creativity and innovation our customers bring to the table. This user-driven approach is pushing the boundaries of how these autonomous trucks are used, opening up new ways to deploy our technology. The more data we gather, the faster we will be able to enhance our algorithms and improve our full-stack solution. We will continue working closely with our truck OEM partners to offer even greater safety, efficiency, and profitability to logistics customers.”
About Inceptio Technology
Inceptio Technology is an industry leading developer of autonomous driving technologies for heavy-duty trucks. Its flagship technology is the Inceptio Autonomous Driving System, a proprietary full-stack solution. Inceptio partnered with leading OEMs to roll out the industry’s first mass-produced L3 autonomous trucks in late 2021. These trucks are operated nationwide in China by customers across the line-haul logistics sector including express delivery, less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation, and contract logistics. Inceptio is at the cutting edge of developing fully driverless trucks. In 2022 it became the first company in China to receive a public road-testing permit for driverless autonomous heavy-duty trucks.
For more information on Inceptio Technology, visit https://en.inceptio.ai/ 

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