Unlock stock picks and a broker-level newsfeed that powers Wall Street.

WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Announces Select Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Preliminary Estimated Results and Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Earnings Call & Webcast

In This Article:

WEBTOON Entertainment Inc.
WEBTOON Entertainment Inc.

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: WBTN) (“WEBTOON Entertainment,” or “the Company”), a leading global entertainment company and home to some of the world’s largest storytelling platforms, today announced select preliminary, estimated and unaudited results for its fourth quarter and full year 2024 ended December 31, 2024 ahead of parent company, NAVER Corporation’s earnings release today.

Fiscal Year 2024 Select Preliminary Estimated Financial Results:

  • Total revenue of approximately $1.347 billion

  • Revenue on a constant currency basis of approximately $1.433 billion

  • Net income range of approximately $(158) to $(152) million

  • Adjusted EBITDA range of approximately $67 to $68 million

Fourth Quarter 2024 Select Preliminary Estimated Financial Results:

  • Total revenue of approximately $351 million

  • Revenue on a constant currency basis of approximately $367 million

  • Net income range of approximately $(107) to $(101) million

  • Adjusted EBITDA range of approximately $(4.5) to $(3.5) million

  • Cash and cash equivalents of approximately $572 million plus another $26 million of short-term deposits included in Other current assets

Junkoo Kim, Founder and CEO said, “We are pleased to share that we have achieved a full year of growth and profitability in 2024. We increased our revenue by over 12% on a constant currency basis from fiscal year 2023. We delivered our second consecutive year of Adjusted EBITDA profitability, with over $67 million in 2024, which grew over 600% from $8.7 million in 2023. While foreign exchange rates presented a headwind in the fourth quarter, we are pleased to have demonstrated another quarter of approximately 10% revenue growth on a constant currency basis. We believe our fundamentals and strategy remain sound, and look forward to sharing more details on our upcoming earnings call.”

The US dollar appreciated significantly against the Korean Won and the Japanese Yen during the fourth quarter, two currencies that represent almost 90% of WEBTOON Entertainment’s total revenue. At the time of the third quarter 2024 earnings call, WEBTOON Entertainment shared that the US dollar had already strengthened compared to the exchange rates that were used as a basis for the Company’s guidance. The US dollar continued to strengthen after the earnings call. While currency translation was the primary factor that weighed on revenue growth, the Company also experienced some short-term engagement impacts from political turbulence in Korea.

Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024 was primarily impacted by actuarial losses on retiree benefits, a non-cash, non-operating expense based on a third-party evaluation, as well as the effects of currency translation and lower gross profit in Korea due to a shift in revenue mix. Actuarial loss had an approximately $6 million impact to Adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter.