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Beth Sidhu

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The co-founders of Goodstuff Communications have sold their independent media agency to Stagwell, the US-listed “challenger” holding company.

Andrew Stephens and Ben Hayes, who set up Goodstuff in London in 2004, told Campaign the deal would enable them to add digital, data and technology capabilities and grow the agency’s business in the UK, as part of their strategic ambition to take their company from “Good to Great”.

Goodstuff – the UK’s second-biggest independent media agency and the 14th largest overall, with an estimated £208m in annual billings in 2020, according to Campaign’s School Reports – will retain its brand.

Stephens and Hayes have also committed to the company for five years as part of their earn-out.

The deal was agreed just days before Christmas. Financial terms were not disclosed but Goodstuff is likely to have sold for more than £30m on the basis that it reported profit before exceptional items, known as Ebitda, of £3.4m in the year before the pandemic, and typically an agency will sell for about 10 times annual profits.

Companies House filings show Stephens and Hayes controlled all the shares of Goodstuff Holdings but it is thought their combined stake ended up being closer to 75%, because eight other senior executives had share options that vest following the sale.

The eight partners are Simeon Adams, Bobby Din, Sam Drake, Paul Gayfer, Laura Moorcraft, Megan Stuart, Genevieve Tompkins and Simon Wilden.

Goodstuff employs about 130 people and has created a deal bonus pot to reward other staff with proceeds from the sale.

The agency will become part of Stagwell Media Network, the media arm, which has 3,000 staff and claims to manage close to $5bn (£3.7bn) in annual spend globally.

Mark Penn, a former Microsoft and WPP executive, founded Stagwell in 2015. It has since acquired dozens of agencies, including MDC Partners, the owner of creative shops 72andSunny and Anomaly and media agency Assembly. Stagwell has about 10,000 employees around the world.

Stephens and Hayes said: “Goodstuff’s unswerving mission is to be the world’s most inventive media agency, and to help accelerate our next phase, we wanted to join a network that could bring world-class capabilities in data, technology, and digital.

“In Stagwell, we’ve not only found these services, but also a partner that perfectly aligns with our culture of entrepreneurialism, invention, and progress. We’ve been hugely impressed by Stagwell’s challenger status and ambitions, their senior leadership team, and the breadth of world-class modern marketing brands in the group.”

Penn, who is chairman and chief executive of Stagwell, said: “We welcome Goodstuff as a critical part of our strategy to create a truly global and competitive media operation.

“When we created Stagwell Media Network [in September 2021], we set out to build a collaborative and coherent network of global media agencies that are on the leading edge of media, data, and technology. The addition of Goodstuff, with their unrivalled track record of innovation, continues to deliver on our vision of transforming marketing.”

It is understood that Goodstuff and Assembly worked together on pitching for at least one – unnamed – client last year, which encouraged both sides to consider an M&A deal.

James Townsend, global chief executive of Stagwell Media Network, said: “What attracted us to the agency were their world-class leadership and unwavering focus on people, culture, and the work.

“After a series of successful collaborations with Assembly in the UK, we see the potential for our network to build something truly differentiated, progressive, and exciting in the marketplace.”

Sale reflects Goodstuff’s need for digital, data and tech capabilities

Stephens, who is 50, and Hayes, 54, met in their twenties at Saatchi & Saatchi, before moving to Manning Gottlieb OMD, where they incubated Goodstuff – initially as a planning agency, before expanding into buying in 2011.

Omnicom, the parent company of Manning Gottlieb OMD, retained a minority stake until 2017, when Stephens and Hayes took 100% control.

The agency has won a reputation for its creative and collaborative approach, attracting clients such as Cazoo, Ovo, On the Beach and Yorkshire Tea, winning Grands Prix at both the Media Week Awards and Campaign Media Awards in 2019 and 2020, and staging the annual Goodstuff Media Showcase, where media owners are invited to pitch ideas to creative agencies.

The founding partners have prided themselves on Goodstuff’s independent ownership, but there was speculation that they were considering a sale in autumn 2019 and the rumours resurfaced in the same period of 2021.

Their decision to sell now appears to be significant as clients increasingly look for one agency partner that can offer full-funnel, omnichannel planning and buying across both digital and traditional media.

Goodstuff is known for its expertise in communications planning and broadcast TV, whereas Stagwell’s media capabilities are chiefly in digital and performance marketing. Stagwell acquired specialists such as Forward3D and PMX and subsequently merged them with Assembly, a traditional media agency.

Stephens and Hayes explained the rationale for the sale in a company blog post, describing it as “a recognition that whilst we’re one of the UK’s leading media agencies now, the digital, data and technology industry around us is changing at such pace that, if we’re to realise our stated mission [to move from ‘Good to Great’], we must similarly change, and evolve our offering”.

Goodstuff initially talked to several “digital specialists” about the idea of an “informal” partnership, before moving to discussions about a sale, according to the blogpost.

Stephens added they were certain that they did not want to sell to one of the established agency giants or a private equity investor because that would not help Goodstuff to achieve its ambitions.

Headroom for growth in the UK 

Goodstuff Communications is Stagwell’s first acquisition since the merger of MDC Partners completed in August 2021 through a reverse takeover. The company is listed on the New York stock market.

Penn has talked about building Stagwell into “a digital-first alternative to traditional agency holding companies”. It is one of several “challenger” groups – including S4 Capital, You & Mr Jones and Dept – to have emerged in recent years.

He told investors at Stagwell’s Q3 results that “making sure that we have on[line] and offline media on a global basis” and winning “global contracts” were among his priorities.

Acquiring Goodstuff allows Stagwell to bring together offline and online media in Europe in the same way that it has already done in the US, Townsend told Campaign, stressing the growing need to combine brand building and performance marketing in a single offer that he called “brand performance”.

Stagwell Media Network will have nearly 500 staff in Europe. Assembly employs about 350 people, plus 130 are joining from Goodstuff.

While Goodstuff is expected to support Stagwell Media Network on work across Europe, Stephens and Hayes said their primary focus remains the UK.

There is headroom for growth as they look to compete with bigger rivals, they said, citing Publicis Groupe’s Zenith, WPP’s Essence and Manning Gottlieb OMD as examples of some of the UK’s top 10 media agencies that they rate.

Goodstuff was advised by corporate advisory firm Clarity, law firm Osborne Clarke and accountants Moore Kingston Smith.

Clarity previously worked on Adam & Eve’s sale to Omnicom’s DDB and M&C Saatchi’s sale of Walker Media to Publicis Groupe. Walker Media had a similar profile to Goodstuff and sold at a multiple of 9.2 times annual profits.

Stephens and Hayes stressed in their blog post that “all the good bits of Goodstuff remain unchanged” following the sale.

The post said: “Andrew, Ben and the partners are committed for the long term… our brand, our values, our culture and our relentless focus on inventive work will not shift an inch but as of today, we also have access to world-class digital and data talent, services and technology to bring omnichannel brilliance to the most progressive client brands.”

As part of the sale process, Goodstuff has exited its minority interests in Love Sugar Science and Sixteen By Nine, two agencies that it supported in a start-up initiative, called Startstuff, in 2019.

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Beth Sidhu

FEATURING

Stagwell Inc. (STGW) today announced strong revenue in the third quarter, driven by its recent MDC Partners merger and growth across most segments.

Stagwell’s total revenue reached $466.6 million in the third quarter ending September 30, up from $228.1 million in the same period last year, an increase of 104.6%. The company’s pro forma organic net revenue was up 22.8% in the third quarter.

The pro forma revenue calculation assumes that the company solidified its merger with MDC at the beginning of the year, instead of in August.

“The strength displayed across our businesses reinforced our conviction and the power of the new Stagwell platform, and makes one thing abundantly clear—the combination is working,” Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn said on an earnings call Wednesday.

Its merger with MDC fueled Stagwell’s ascent to being a prominent player in the agency ecosystem that can compete with major holding companies WPP, Omnicom Group, Interpublic Group of Companies, Dentsu, and Publicis Groupe. Well-known agencies under the Stagwell umbrella include 72andSunny, Assembly, Anomaly, Donar, Code and Theory, Media Kitchen and Crispin Porter Bogusky. The merger with MDC allowed Stagwell to work under a single P&L and leverage talent from across its expanding network.

This is the first quarter that Stagwell reported consolidated earnings. Stagwell and MDC finalized the merger on Aug. 2, and the company’s market cap now sits at $2.4 billion.

Originally released on

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Third Quarter GAAP Revenue growth of 104.6%

Third Quarter Pro Forma Organic Net Revenue growth of 22.8%, 27.9% excluding Advocacy

Third Quarter Net Loss attributable to Stagwell was $2.1 million

Third Quarter Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA of $100 million

Company Raises Full Year Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA outlook

REPORTED THIRD QUARTER & YTD HIGHLIGHTS:

• GAAP revenue of $466.6 million in the third quarter versus $228.1 million in the prior year period, an increase of 104.6%; and $857.4 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2021 versus $575.0 million in the prior year period, an increase of 49.1%.
• Net revenue of $409.1 million in the third quarter versus $152.9 million in the prior year period, an increase of 167.6%; and $749.2 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2021 versus $434.1 million in the prior year period, an increase of 72.6%.
• Net loss attributable to Stagwell Inc. common shareholders of $2.1 million in the third quarter of 2021 versus net income of $17.8 million in the prior year period; and income of $14.1 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2021 versus $34.1 million in the prior year period.
• Adjusted EBITDA of $87.5 million in the third quarter versus $37.1 million in the prior year period, an increase of 135.8%; and $150.1 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2021 versus $79.0 million in the prior year period, an increase of 90.0%.

PRO FORMA REPORTED THIRD QUARTER & YTD STAGWELL INC. HIGHLIGHTS:

• Pro Forma GAAP revenue of $568.3 million in the third quarter versus $511.5 million in the prior year period, an increase of 11.1%; and $1,612.4 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2021 versus $1,445.8 million in the prior year period, an increase of 11.5%.
• Pro Forma net revenue of $498.1 million in the third quarter versus $397.8 million in the prior year period, an increase of 25.2%; and $1,407.1 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2021 versus $1,185.4 million in the prior year period, an increase of 18.7%.
• Pro Forma organic net revenue increased 22.8% in the third quarter and 15.6% for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.
• Pro Forma adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $100.3 million versus $89.3 million in the prior year period, an increase of 12.4%. Pro forma adjusted EBITDA Margin was 20.1%, compared to 22.4% in the prior year period. Excluding the impact of the advocacy business, adjusted EBITDA margins would have been 20.1% in the third quarter of 2021 and 19.3% the third quarter of
• Pro Forma adjusted EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $275.3 million versus $205.9 million in the prior year period, an increase of 33.7%. Adjusted EBITDA Margin was 19.6%, compared to 17.4% in the prior year period.
• Net New Business wins totaled $63.7 million in the third quarter.

New York, NY, November 3, 2021 (NASDAQ: STGW) – Stagwell Inc. (“Stagwell”) today announced financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021.

“Stagwell’s third quarter results make one thing very clear: the combination is working. We delivered pro forma organic net revenue growth of 23%, a pro forma adjusted EBITDA margin over 20%, and are pleased to raise our full year adjusted EBITDA guidance on the basis of our results to date,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stagwell. “Our growth this quarter was driven by double-digit, pro forma net revenue growth across nearly all our client offerings, including digital transformation, communications, media and data analytics. On a year-over-year basis excluding the advocacy business, pro forma organic net revenue grew 28%. With net new business of $64 million, this is a strong first quarter as a newly combined company.”

Frank Lanuto, Chief Financial Officer, commented: “The Company reported strong third quarter pro forma results with GAAP revenue of $568 million, net revenue of $498 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $100 million. Organic pro forma net revenue growth of 23% for the quarter, as well as growth from 2019 of 14%, are evidence of the Company’s recovery from the pandemic and transition to a new phase of overall growth.”

Third Quarter and Year-to-Date 2021 Pro Forma Financial Results

Pro Forma net revenue for the third quarter of 2021 was $498.1 million versus $397.8 million for the third quarter of 2020, an increase of 25.2%.

Pro Forma organic net revenue increased 22.8%, and foreign exchange and acquisitions, net of dispositions, had a positive impact of 0.7% and 1.6%, respectively. Organic net revenue increased primarily due to a continuation of the recovery in spending by clients begun in the first quarter.

Net New Business wins in the third quarter of 2021 totaled $63.7 million.

Pro Forma adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2021 was $100.3 million versus $89.3 million for the third quarter of 2020, an increase of 12.4%, primarily driven by strong revenue growth. Pro Forma adjusted EBITDA margin in the third quarter of 2021 was 20.1%, down from 22.4% compared to the same period in 2020. Excluding the impact of the advocacy business, adjusted EBITDA margins would have been 20.1% for the third quarter of 2021 and 19.3% for the third quarter of 2020.

Pro Forma net revenue for the first nine months of 2021 was $1,407.1 million versus $1,185.4 million in the prior year period.

Pro Forma organic net revenue for the nine months ended 2021 increased by 15.6% and foreign exchange and acquisitions, net of dispositions, had a positive impact of 1.3% and 1.8%, respectively.

Pro Forma adjusted EBITDA for the first nine months of 2021 was $275.3 million versus $205.9 million in the first nine months of 2020, an increase of 33.7%. This led to an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 19.6% versus 17.4% in prior year period.

Financial Outlook

2021 financial guidance is as follows:

• Revenue for 2021, on a pro forma basis giving effect to the combination as if it was completed on January 1, 2021, is estimated to be $2.150 to $2.180 billion, including approximately $755 million for legacy MDC for the seven-month period ended July 31, 2021.

• Adjusted EBITDA for 2021, on a pro forma basis giving effect to the combination as if it was completed on January 1, 2021, is estimated to be $370 to $380 million, including approximately $124 million for legacy MDC for the seven-month period ended July 31, 2021.

• Guidance assumes no impact from foreign exchange or acquisitions or dispositions.

Conference Call

Management will host a video webcast and conference call on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. (ET) to discuss results for Stagwell Inc. for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021.  The video webcast will be accessible at https://kvgo.com/corporate-services/stagwell-group-earnings-call-q3. An investor presentation has been posted on our website at www.stagwellglobal.com and may be referred to during the conference call.

A recording of the conference call will be accessible one hour after the call and available for ninety days at www.stagwellglobal.com.

Stagwell Inc.

Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 20+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

Basis of Presentation

The acquisition of MDC Partners (MDC) by Stagwell Marketing Group (SMG) was completed on August 2, 2021. The results of MDC are included within the Statement of Operations for the period beginning on the date of the acquisition through the end of the respective period presented and the results of SMG are included for the entire period presented.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to its reported results, Stagwell Inc has included in this earnings release certain financial results that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defines as “non-GAAP Financial Measures.”  Management believes that such non-GAAP financial measures, when read in conjunction with the Company’s reported results, can provide useful supplemental information for investors analyzing period to period comparisons of the Company’s results. Such non-GAAP financial measures include the following:

Pro Forma Results: The Pro Forma amounts presented for each period were prepared by combining the historical standalone statements of operations for each of legacy MDC and SMG. The unaudited pro forma results are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not purport to represent what the actual consolidated results of operations or consolidated financial condition would have been had the combination actually occurred on the date indicated, nor do they purport to project the future consolidated results of operations or consolidated financial condition for any future period or as of any future date. The Company has excluded a quantitative reconciliation of adjusted Pro Forma EBITDA to net income under the “unreasonable efforts” exception in Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B) of Regulation S-K.

(1) Organic Revenue: “Organic revenue growth” and “organic revenue decline” refer to the positive or negative results, respectively, of subtracting both the foreign exchange and acquisition (disposition) components from total revenue growth. The acquisition (disposition) component is calculated by aggregating prior period revenue for any acquired businesses, less the prior period revenue of any businesses that were disposed of during the current period. The organic revenue growth (decline) component reflects the constant currency impact of (a) the change in revenue of the partner firms that the Company has held throughout each of the comparable periods presented, and (b) “non-GAAP acquisitions (dispositions), net”. Non-GAAP acquisitions (dispositions), net consists of (i) for acquisitions during the current year, the revenue effect from such acquisition as if the acquisition had been owned during the equivalent period in the prior year and (ii) for acquisitions during the previous year, the revenue effect from such acquisitions as if they had been owned during that entire year (or same period as the current reportable period), taking into account their respective pre-acquisition revenues for the applicable periods, and (iii) for dispositions, the revenue effect from such disposition as if they had been disposed of during the equivalent period in the prior year.

(2) Net New Business: Estimate of annualized revenue for new wins less annualized revenue for losses incurred in the period.

(3) Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA is defined as Net income excluding non-operating income or expense to achieve operating income, plus depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, deferred acquisition consideration adjustments, and other items. Other items include restructuring costs, acquisition-related expenses, and non-recurring items.

(4) Financial Guidance:  The Company provides guidance on a non-GAAP basis as it cannot predict certain elements which are included in reported GAAP results.

Included in this earnings release are tables reconciling reported Stagwell Inc. results to arrive at certain of these non-GAAP financial measures.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts, including without limitation the information under the heading “Financial Outlook” and statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, earnings (loss) guidance, recent business and economic trends, potential acquisitions, and estimates of amounts for redeemable noncontrolling interests and deferred acquisition consideration, constitute forward-looking statements. Words such as “estimates”, “expects”, “contemplates”, “will”, “anticipates”, “projects”, “plans”, “intends”, “believes”, “forecasts”, “may”, “should”, and variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and are subject to change based on a number of factors, including those outlined in this section.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events, if any.

      Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

• risks associated with international, national and regional unfavorable economic conditions that could affect the Company or its clients, including as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic (“COVID-19”);
• the effects of the outbreak of COVID-19, including the measures to reduce its spread, and the impact on the economy and demand for our services, which may precipitate or exacerbate other risks and uncertainties;
• an inability to realize expected benefits of the redomiciliation of the Company from the federal jurisdiction of Canada to the State of Delaware (the “Redomiciliation”) and the subsequent combination of the Company’s business with the business of the subsidiaries of Stagwell Media LP (“Stagwell”) that own and operate a portfolio of marketing services companies (the “Business Combination” and, together with the Redomiciliation, the “Transactions”);
• adverse tax consequences in connection with the Transactions for the Company, its operations and its shareholders, that may differ from the expectations of the Company, including that future changes in tax law, potential increases to corporate tax rates in the United States and disagreements with the tax authorities on the Company’s determination of value and computations of its attributes may result in increased tax costs;
• the occurrence of material Canadian federal income tax (including material “emigration tax”) as a result of the Transactions;
• the impact of uncertainty associated with the Transactions on the Company’s businesses;
• direct or indirect costs associated with the Transactions, which could be greater than expected;
• risks associated with severe effects of international, national and regional economic conditions;
• the Company’s ability to attract new clients and retain existing clients;
• reduction in client spending and changes in client advertising, marketing and corporate communications requirements;
• financial failure of the Company’s clients;
• the Company’s ability to retain and attract key employees;
• the Company’s ability to achieve the full amount of its stated cost saving initiatives;
• the Company’s implementation of strategic initiatives;
• the Company’s ability to remain in compliance with its debt agreements and the Company’s ability to finance its contingent payment obligations when due and payable, including but not limited to those relating to redeemable noncontrolling interests and deferred acquisition consideration;
• the successful completion and integration of acquisitions which complement and expand the Company’s business capabilities; and
• foreign currency fluctuations.

 Investors should carefully consider these risk factors, other risk factors described herein, and the additional risk factors outlined in more detail in Exhibit 99.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on August 10, 2021, and accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov., under the caption “Risk Factors,” and in the Company’s other SEC

Originally released on

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Michaela Pewarski

FEATURING

NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) announced today the Company will report financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2021 on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, before the market open.

Stagwell will host a video webcast to review those results the same day at 8:30 AM (ET). The webcast will be accessible via this link.

A replay of the webcast will be available following the event at Stagwell’s website, www.stagwellglobal.com 

About Stagwell Inc.
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 24+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients

Originally released on

CONTACT

Michaela Pewarski

FEATURING

NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) announced today the agenda for its fall investor introduction event on November 8, 2021. Credentialed press are invited to register. Visit this link to reserve a spot.

The event will feature four presentations:

–   Stagwell’s Strategic Direction with Chairman and CEO Mark Penn, joined by President Jay Leveton and Integrated Solutions lead Julia Hammond
–   Our Growth Engine, featuring YML CEO Ashish Toshniwal, Code and Theory CEO Dan Gardner, Stagwell Media Network Chief Product Officer Brad Simms and Targeted Victory CEO Zac Moffatt.
–   Investment & Financials, presented by Stagwell Chief Investment Officer Jason Reid and Chief Financial Officer Frank Lanuto.
–   Future of the Consumer Economy, a fireside chat with former Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers and Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn, moderated by the Wall Street Journal’s Gerry Baker.

The event will be hosted at Stagwell’s global campus at 1 World Trade Center in Manhattan, N.Y., and a portion of the event will be streamed live via video webcast. Vaccinations will be required for in-person attendees. A recording of the presentation will be available after the event on Stagwell’s website, www.stagwellglobal.com.

ABOUT STAGWELL

Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 20+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

Originally released on

CONTACT

Michaela Pewarski

FEATURING

Former United States Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers to join special in-person discussion hosted at 1 World Trade Center

NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) announced today it has rescheduled its fall investor introduction event from September 20, 2021 to November 8, 2021. Credentialed press are invited to register. Visit this link to reserve a spot.

In addition to presentations from Stagwell’s management team, the event will feature a special in-person discussion with former United States Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers. Summers previously served as Chief Economist of the World Bank, and under President Barack Obama was Director of the National Economic Council. Summers is currently Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University.

The event will be hosted at Stagwell’s global campus at 1 World Trade Center in Manhattan, N.Y., and streamed live via video webcast. Vaccinations will be required for in-person attendees. A recording of the presentation will be available after the event on Stagwell’s website, www.stagwellglobal.com.

Last month, Stagwell Marketing Group LLC and MDC Partners combined to form Stagwell, a top-10 global marketing services company built to transform marketing.

About Stagwell Inc.
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 24+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients

Originally released on

CONTACT

Michaela Pewarski

FEATURING

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell Inc. (Nasdaq: STGW) today announced the Company elected to convert all outstanding shares of its Series 6 Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series 6 Preferred Stock”) and its Series 8 Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series 8 Preferred Stock”). A Notice of Conversion was provided to each holder of record of the Company’s Series 6 and Series 8 Preferred Stock on September 23, 2021. The conversion will take place and be effective on October 7, 2021 (the “Conversion Date”).

Pursuant to the Series 6 Notice, all 50,000 outstanding shares of Series 6 Preferred Stock will be converted into 12,086,700 shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), on the Conversion Date. Pursuant to the Series 8 Notice, all 73,849 outstanding shares of Series 8 Preferred Stock will be converted into 20,948,746 shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock.

“We feel confident the conversion of preferred shares is in the best interests of all Stagwell common shareholders as it eliminates any potential accretion,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO, Stagwell Inc. “This action helps to complete the process we embarked upon to streamline and simplify Stagwell’s capital structure, making this a more investable company for the long term.”

The shares of Class A Common Stock are being issued in reliance upon the exemption set forth in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for securities exchanged by the Company and existing security holders where no commission or other remuneration is paid or given directly or indirectly by the Company for soliciting such exchange.

About Stagwell Inc.
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 24+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, which include statements regarding the Company’s intentions or current expectations concerning, among other things, the completion, timing and potential benefits of the conversion of the Series 6 Preferred Stock and the Series 8 Preferred Stock. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward-looking statements.

(Source: Stagwell Inc.)

Originally released on

CONTACT

Beth Sidhu

FEATURING

NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — (NASDAQ:STGW): Stagwell announced it will visit the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, as it continues to celebrate the completion of the company’s launch in August. 

In honor of the occasion, Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell, will ring the Closing Bell. A live stream of the ceremony will be available on NASDAQ’s site at https://www.nasdaq.com/marketsite/bell-ringing-ceremony. 

Earlier this month, Stagwell Marketing Group LLC and MDC Partners Inc. combined to form Stagwell, a top-10 global marketing services company built to transform marketing.

About Stagwell Inc.
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 24+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients

For more information, visit www.stagwellglobal.com

Contact:

Beth Sidhu
beth.sidhu@stagwellglobal.com
(202) 423-4414

Originally released on

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Beth Sidhu

FEATURING

Stagwell Inc. brings together the digital-first capabilities of Stagwell Marketing Group with the creative talent of MDC Partners, creating a top 10 global marketing services company

Combined Company will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker STGW beginning on August 3

NEW YORK, Aug. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell Inc. (“Stagwell”) announced today that Stagwell Marketing Group Holdings LLC (“Stagwell Marketing Group”) and MDC Partners Inc. (“MDC”) have officially completed a business combination (the “Combination”) following a successful shareholder vote on July 26, 2021, creating a top 10 global marketing services company. The combined company is called Stagwell Inc. and will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “STGW” beginning Tuesday, August 3, 2021. Under the continued leadership of CEO Mark Penn, Stagwell’s roster of world-class clients will benefit from award-winning creative talent and the latest connected technologies to drive the most effective marketing outcomes.

“I am excited about the unique opportunity we have to build a new kind of holding company that can transform the industry and create enhanced opportunities for growth and value in the marketplace,” said Mark Penn, CEO, Stagwell. “Stagwell is born from the understanding that modern culture demands the highest levels of agility and creativity to drive unique, connected experiences. Given the depth of our combined talent, we are uniquely positioned to build new marketing solutions help our clients achieve their business results. Madison Avenue, get ready for Stagwell.”

Stagwell targets growth to $3 billion in revenue by 2025, including acquisitions, organic growth, and new products. Stagwell expects its next-level growth to be driven by four key drivers:

Leading-edge digital transformation: Stagwell boasts a digital engine that understands the fastest growing segments of the marketing and advertising industry, such as e-commerce, platform building, online advocacy, influencer marketing, and global performance marketing. 

Scaled creative performance: The combined company will break down the artificial divide between brand marketing and performance media to help clients deliver effective advertising at scale, powered by higher levels of creativity. 

Innovative SaaS digital marketing products: Stagwell will continue its investment in building SaaS marketing products that solve for key gaps in the marketing ecosystem based on industry know-how and engineering heft.

Integrated solutions at global scale: While the top four marketing holding companies have historically had a stranglehold on these opportunities, the combined company can easily create global teams with the potential to win contracts at the highest levels.

These growth drivers will be supported by Stagwell’s culture of collaboration, which leverages the best in connected technology to bring together agencies across disciplines. The combined company’s nearly 10,000 employees and affiliates bring a wealth of experience across creativity, digital transformation, data analysis and audience targeting to help identify, design and execute the right solutions for modern marketers. 

Stagwell now includes renowned brands including creative agencies such as 72andSunny, Anomaly, Doner and Forsman & Bodenfors, cutting edge digital transformation firms including Code and Theory, YML and Instrument, media powerhouses Assembly, ForwardPMX and GALE, public relations leaders Allison+Partners, SKDK and Hunter, and market research firms the Harris Poll and NRG. The combined company is expected to generate between $2.135 billion and $2.180 billion in total revenue and between $372 million and $387 million in Adjusted EBITDA in 2021 on a pro forma basis including $30 million of projected synergies. Stagwell’s clients include best-in-class marketers such as P&G, Nike, and Google.

“As we move forward as Stagwell, I could not be prouder of the incredible work our agencies have already achieved together on behalf of clients like Nike, Google and P&G,” said Penn. “As we enter this new phase of our partnership, I have no doubt we have the right talent, creativity and connected services to continue our combined legacy of industry-leading client work and truly transform the future of marketing.”

Designed and created by Doner, Stagwell’s new visual identity colorfully symbolizes the combination of MDC and the Stagwell Marketing Group, and the combination of creativity and connected experiences. Code and Theory designed Stagwell’s new website: www.stagwellglobal.com 

About Stagwell Inc.
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 30+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication may contain certain forward-looking statements (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the U.S. Exchange Act and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended.  Statements in this document that are not historical facts, including statements about Stagwell’s beliefs and expectations and recent business and economic trends, constitute forward-looking statements. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “target,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “potential,” “create,” “intend,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “may,” “foresee,” “plan,” “will,” “guidance,” “look,” “outlook,” “future,” “assume,” “forecast,” “focus,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other variations thereof and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of current plans, estimates and projections are subject to change based on a number of factors, including those outlined in this section. Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements related to: future financial performance and the future prospects of the business and operations of Stagwell; information concerning the Combination; and the anticipated benefits of the Combination. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including the risks identified in our filings with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside Stagwell’s control. Important factors that could cause actual results and expectations to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Stagwell’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year-ended December 31, 2020 under Item 1A and under the caption “Risk Factors” in Stagwell’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter-ended March 31, 2021 under Item 1A.

You can obtain copies of Stagwell’s filings under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, its profile on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or its website at www.stagwellglobal.com. Stagwell does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. All forward-looking statements in this communication are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

CONTACT:  
Beth Sidhu 
Stagwell Inc.
202.423.4414 
Beth.sidhu@stagwellglobal.com

SOURCE Stagwell Inc.; MDC Partners Inc.

Originally released on

FEATURING

NEW YORK, July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — (NASDAQ: MDCA) – MDC Partners Inc. (“MDC Partners” or the “Company”) and Stagwell Marketing Group LLC (“Stagwell”) announced today that both companies will report separate financial results for the three months ending June 30, 2021 on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, before market open.

MDC Partners and Stagwell will host a joint video webcast and conference call to review those separate financial results the same day at 8:30 AM (ET). The video webcast will be accessible at https://kvgo.com/openexchange-inc/mdca-stagwell-earnings-call.

About MDC Partners Inc.

MDC Partners is one of the most influential marketing and communications networks in the world. As “The Place Where Great Talent Lives,” MDC Partners is celebrated for its innovative advertising, public relations, branding, digital, social and event marketing agency partners, which are responsible for some of the most memorable and effective campaigns for the world’s most respected brands. By leveraging technology, data analytics, insights and strategic consulting solutions, MDC Partners drives creative excellence, business growth and measurable return on marketing investment for over 1,700 clients worldwide. For more information about MDC Partners and its partner firms, visit our website at mdc-partners.com, sign up for investor-related updates and alerts, and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Stagwell Marketing Group

SOURCE: MDC Partners Inc.