STAGWELL INC. (NASDAQ: STGW) REPORTS RESULTS FOR THE THREE AND TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021

Originally released on

FEATURING

Record first full-year financial results at Stagwell Inc. were fueled by fast growing digital transformation and digital marketing services, expansion of global media and large client wins 

• GAAP Revenue growth of 95.5% in 4Q and 65.5% for the Full-Year

• Pro Forma Organic Net Revenue growth of 11.3% in 4Q and 14.5% for the Full-Year

• Ex-Advocacy Pro Forma Organic Net Revenue growth of 21.2% in 4Q and 18.0% for the Full-Year

• Net Income attributable to Stagwell of $0.8M in 4Q and Net Income of $21.0M for the Full-Year

• Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA of $103.6M in 4Q and $378.0M for the Full-Year

• Issues 2022 Pro Forma Net Revenue growth guidance of 18%-22% and 13%-17% ex-Advocacy

• Issues 2022 Adjusted EBITDA guidance of $450M – $480M and Pro Forma Free Cash Flow growth of ~30%

New York, NY, March 8, 2022 (NASDAQ: STGW) – Stagwell Inc. (“Stagwell”) today announced financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2021.

REPORTED FOURTH QUARTER & YTD HIGHLIGHTS:

• Fourth quarter revenue of $611.9 million, an increase of 95.5% versus the prior year period; full-year revenue of $1,469.4 million, an increase of 65.5% versus a year ago.
• Fourth quarter net revenue of $519.7 million, an increase of 160.9% versus the prior period; full-year net revenue of $1,268.9 million, an increase of 100.4% versus a year ago.
• Fourth quarter net income attributable to Stagwell Inc. common shareholders of $0.8 million versus net income of $22.2 million in the prior year period; full-year net income of $21.0 million versus $56.4 million in the prior year period.
• Fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA of $103.6 million, an increase of 61.3% versus the prior year period; full-year adjusted EBITDA of $253.7 million an increase of 2% versus a year ago.

PRO FORMA FOURTH QUARTER & YTD STAGWELL INC. HIGHLIGHTS:

• Fourth quarter Pro Forma revenue of $611.9 million, a decline of 4.6% versus the prior year period and an increase of 18.0% ex-Advocacy; full-year Pro Forma revenue of $2,224.3 million, an increase of 6.6% and an increase of 18.2% ex-Advocacy versus the prior year period.
• Fourth quarter Pro Forma net revenue of $519.7 million, an increase of 10.4% and 20.2% ex-Advocacy vs. a year ago; full-year Pro Forma net revenue of $1,926.8 million, an increase of 16.4% and 20.0% ex-Advocacy versus the prior year period.
• Fourth quarter Pro Forma organic net revenue increased 11.3% and 21.2% ex-Advocacy versus a year ago; full-year Pro Forma organic net revenue increased 14.5% and 18.0% ex-Advocacy versus a year ago.
• Fourth quarter Pro Forma adjusted EBITDA was $103.6 million, a decrease of 5.1% versus the prior year period and an increase of 31.2% ex-Advocacy; full-year Pro Forma adjusted EBITDA was $378.0 million, an increase of 19.6% versus the prior year period and an increase of 41.4% ex-Advocacy.
• Fourth quarter Pro Forma adjusted EBITDA margin was 19.9% of net revenue and full-year adjusted EBITDA margin was 19.6% of net revenue.
• Net New Business wins totaled $75 million in the fourth quarter.

“2021 was a breakthrough year for Stagwell. Our full-year results and 2022 outlook are a clear affirmation of the combination and Stagwell’s unique position as the challenger that will transform marketing,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We delivered pro forma organic net revenue growth of 14.5% for the year and an even more impressive 18% organic growth when excluding our Advocacy businesses, which lapped the 2020 election cycle.”

“Our record year was driven by tailwinds across our high concentration of leading digital capabilities, including digital transformation, influencer and global performance marketing; as well as a rapid acceleration in large contract wins,” Penn continued. “Our robust 2022 outlook reflects our expectation for continued digital strength; continued acceleration in scaled, integrated contract wins; and significant growth in the second-half in our Advocacy businesses driven by an anticipated record year of spend during the 2022 U.S. mid-term elections.”

Frank Lanuto, Chief Financial Officer, commented: “The Company reported strong fourth quarter net revenue of $520 million, representing pro forma net revenue growth of 10.4% year-over-year with 11.3% organic growth.  Strong operating performance led to pro forma adjusted EBITDA margins of 19.9% for the quarter. Effective cash flow management permitted our continued acquisitions of both minority interests in our fastest growing subsidiaries as well as the acquisition of Goodstuff in the UK while lowering our net leverage ratio from the prior quarter.”

Financial Outlook

2022 financial guidance is as follows:

• Pro Forma Net Revenue growth of 18% – 22%

• Pro Forma Net Revenue growth ex-Advocacy of 13% – 17%

• Adjusted EBITDA of $450 million – $480 million

• Pro Forma Free Cash Flow growth of approximately 30%

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

Webcast

Management will host a video webcast on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. (ET) to discuss results for Stagwell Inc. for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2021. The video webcast will be accessible at https://stagwellq4andfullyear2021earnings.open-exchange.net. An investor presentation has been posted on our website at www.stagwellglobal.com/investors 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.

About 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 34+ 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: 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) Free Cash Flow:  defined as Adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures, change in net working capital, cash taxes, interest, and distributions to minority interests, but excludes contingent M&A payments.

(5) 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.

Some of the factors that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows 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 combination of the Company’s business with the business of MDC (the “Business Combination” and, together with the related transactions, 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;
• 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 filings.