Integral Ad Science Holding Corp (NASDAQ:IAS) reported a 14% increase in fourth-quarter revenue to $153 million, with a 40% adjusted EBITDA margin.
The company achieved double-digit revenue growth across its measurement, optimization, and publisher businesses.
IAS successfully scaled its AI-driven Total Media Quality (TMQ) measurement product across major social media platforms, including Meta, YouTube, TikTok, Snap, Pinterest, and Reddit.
The company expanded its international footprint, with 32% of fourth-quarter revenue coming from markets outside the Americas.
IAS announced plans to expand into China, unlocking a significant advertising market with an estimated $140 billion in digital ad spend in 2024.
Negative Points
The company faces competitive pricing dynamics, particularly in RFP situations against Oracle's former customers.
IAS's measurement revenue growth was single-digit in the first quarter, below the overall revenue growth guidance.
The company is in a transitional period with an interim CFO, which may impact financial strategy and decision-making.
There are concerns about the broader ad tech market, with potential headwinds from political spending and shifts in social media content policies.
IAS's expansion into China is described as a long-term play, indicating potential challenges and uncertainties in penetrating this market.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Your main competitor mentioned political spending as a headwind. How did political spending impact your business, and what are your thoughts on CTV's shift towards real-time bidding? A: Political spending had limited impact, mainly affecting the lead-up to elections in November. We saw some headwinds on the advertiser side but benefited on the publisher side. Regarding CTV, the shift to real-time bidding is a tailwind for us, as we continue to invest in our CTV product offerings, particularly with Publica, which saw 30% year-over-year growth in Q4. - Lisa Utzschneider, CEO
Q: Can you discuss pricing trends in measurement, especially with new clients from Oracle, and did the pre-bid products on Meta contribute to measurement growth? A: We saw a high win rate with Oracle clients due to our product differentiation, though there were pricing dynamics during RFPs. The adoption of Total Media Quality (TMQ) across social platforms, including new ones like Snap and Pinterest, drove growth. Our pre-bid social optimization on Meta, launched in Q4, showed a 71% reduction in wasted ad spend, indicating strong early adoption. - Lisa Utzschneider, CEO
Q: How does the expansion of pre-bid solutions affect your visibility and long-term outlook? A: We are heavily investing in performance and programmatic capabilities, which enhances our visibility into both pre-bid and post-bid revenue forecasts. The adoption of Total Visibility, linking media quality signals with cost data, provides greater transparency and understanding of advertisers' planning, improving our revenue forecasting. - Lisa Utzschneider, CEO
Q: What is your outlook for growth across segments and formats in 2025? A: We expect double-digit growth in total advertiser revenue, with optimization performance improving in Q1. Measurement is expected to see single-digit growth initially, with improvement throughout the year. Publisher revenue is also expected to grow in double digits, outpacing forecasted CTV growth rates. - Jill Putman, Interim CFO
Q: How are recent changes in social media content policies affecting your client discussions and IAS's role? A: Changes in social media content policies have led to more discussions with clients about their social strategies. Our role in providing multimedia classification and trust in our technology is a tailwind for our business, as brands rely on us to navigate the evolving environment. - Lisa Utzschneider, CEO
Q: Can you elaborate on the progress with Oracle client integration and opportunities for upsell and cross-sell? A: We focused on integrating new Oracle clients in Q4 2024, with opportunities for upsell in brand safety and suitability solutions. The mid-market channel, where Oracle had a strong presence, offers additional runway for growth. We also secured more wins in luxury and financial services verticals. - Lisa Utzschneider, CEO
Q: How are you leveraging your data assets for performance measurement and activation? A: We are focused on performance activation by leveraging media quality signals and cost data. Our robust data assets allow us to layer media quality data with third-party audience signals and first-party brand signals, enhancing performance and activation capabilities. - Lisa Utzschneider, CEO
Q: What is your strategy for expanding into China, and how does it fit into your overall growth priorities? A: Our China strategy involves a test-and-learn approach with a focus on China In and China Out opportunities. We are planting seeds for long-term growth, focusing on verification solutions for global brands advertising in China and Chinese advertisers targeting consumers outside China. This expansion is part of our broader strategy to explore emerging markets. - Lisa Utzschneider, CEO
