Sabio Reports Strong 43% YoY Revenue Growth in Q1 2025

Rhea-AI Summary

Sabio Holdings (SABOF) reported strong Q1 2025 financial results with revenue growing 43% YoY to US$9.1 million. The company's core ad-supported streaming revenue increased 40% to $6.8 million, outpacing the industry's projected 13% growth. Repeat customers represented 91% of Q1 revenue, showcasing strong client retention. Despite investments in Sales Force expansion and IT infrastructure leading to an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $1.6 million, the company strengthened its balance sheet with cash increasing to $3.8 million. Gross profit margin improved to 61%, up from 59% in Q1 2024. The company secured $15 million in upfront media commitments for 2025 and expanded internationally, particularly in the UK with triple-digit growth. Notable developments include the launch of Creator TV and partnerships with Sling TV and Plex, reaching over 20 million viewers globally.

Positive

• Revenue grew 43% YoY to $9.1 million, marking fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth
• Ad-supported streaming revenue increased 40% YoY to $6.8 million, outpacing industry growth of 13%
• High customer retention with 91% revenue from repeat customers, up from 85% in Q1 2024
• Gross profit margin improved to 61% from 59% YoY
• Cash balance increased to $3.8 million from $3.3 million in Q4 2024
• Secured $15 million in upfront media commitments for 2025, up from $12 million in 2024
• Received $583,069 in ERTC claims payment post-quarter

Negative

• Adjusted EBITDA loss increased to $1.6 million from $1.3 million YoY
• Net loss widened to $2.29 million from $2.01 million YoY
• Approximately $0.8 million increase in cloud computing costs
• Seasonal business model with lower revenue generation expected in first half of the year

• Revenue increased to US$9.1 million from US$6.4 million in Q1 2024, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth and consistent with a 39% CAGR since 2020
• Ad-supported streaming revenue² (Sabio's dominant business) increased 40% to $6.8 million, compared to $4.9 million in Q1 2024 – significantly outpacing the 13% forecasted growth rate in the US$26.6 billion US Connected TV market at-large for 2025¹
• Reflecting recent Sales Force expansion and one-time IT investments, Adjusted EBITDA² loss was US$1.6 million (18% of sales) vs. a US$1.3 million loss (20% of sales) in Q1 2024
• Repeat customers represented 91% of Q1 2025 revenue with the most diversified vertical and geographic revenue mix in Sabio's history
• Continued strengthening of balance sheet with cash increasing to US$3.8 million from US$3.3 million in Q4 2024 and Sabio's debt balance also trending lower
• Conference call to be hosted on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. ET

TORONTO, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabio Holdings Inc. (TSXV: SBIO) (OTCQB: SABOF) (the "Company" or "Sabio"), a Los Angeles-based ad-tech company specializing in helping top global brands reach, engage, and validate (R.E.V.) streaming TV audiences, announced its unaudited financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended March 31, 2025. Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars.

"Our team delivered a strong start to 2025, demonstrating ongoing momentum in our business with a 43% increase in year-over-year revenue and increased predictability in our sales model, with 91% of revenues coming from repeat customers," commented Aziz Rahimtoola, Sabio's CEO. "Notably, this performance was achieved across multiple verticals and geographies, including our rapidly growing international business – reflecting our ability to grow much faster than the forecasted growth of the US Connected TV market at-large. Moreover, while strengthening our balance sheet with cash generated from operations, we made sizable growth-driving investments. These included strategic Sales Force hiring and the migration of legacy systems to our scalable AWS platform, the latter enabling us to further benefit from AI-driven efficiencies. As these investments begin to deliver returns, we're currently on track to continue our double-digit growth into the second quarter and deliver another record fiscal year."

Business Outlook

In the first quarter, Sabio achieved 43% YoY revenue growth. This success was driven by strong advertiser demand, broader client adoption in key verticals, and expansion into new geographies in combination with product offerings introduced in 2024 and previous investments made. The Company's ad-supported streaming business surged 40% during the quarter, highlighting Sabio's ability to capture market share -significantly outpacing the 13% growth rate in the US Connected TV market at-large. Management believes that, with brands and marketers increasingly moving away from linear TV and traditional marketing, ad-supported streaming is becoming more central to their advertising strategies.

As the Company enhances its operating infrastructure, management believes its sales trajectory is becoming increasingly predictable, helping mitigate risks in Sabio's revenue model, as illustrated by:

• A robust 39% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2020;
• Remarkable rates of reoccurring revenue - 91% of Q1 2025 consolidated revenues (excluding political and advocacy ad sales) ¹ came from repeat customers, up from 85% in Q1 2024 and 79% in Q1 2023, reflecting the unique capabilities of the App Science™ platform and its increasingly rich data set;
• Increased sales pipeline visibility - securing approximately $15 million in upfront media commitments for 2025 (vs. $12 million in 2024);
• The ongoing addition of top-tier clients – 25% of brands spending in Q1 2025 were new to Sabio; and
• The most diversified vertical and geographic revenue mix in Sabio's history, with no vertical² representing more than 19% of sales.

The Company has begun applying its sales model to geographies outside the U.S., including the United Kingdom, whose revenues continues to compound at triple-digit growth, while expanding its global product offerings. Sabio plans to continually assess new product channels and verticals, as well as other potential opportunities that will add value or complement its market position and product mix within the ad-supported streaming space.

Looking ahead, Sabio is currently on track to surpass its record-setting 2024 sales performance. Due to the seasonal nature of the Company's business, revenue generation in the first half of the fiscal year is expected to be lower than in the second half (in 2024, consolidated revenues for the third and fourth quarters were 125% higher than those of the first and second quarters). Similar to the strong 2024 reported financial results, Management anticipates that the investments made to support year-over-year growth may marginally offset incremental revenues in the first half of the year, with a turn to Adjusted EBITDA² profitability in the latter half.  In spite of this cost cyclicality, Sabio's double-digit growth in Q1 2025 indicates strong momentum as it moves toward the second half of the fiscal year. With an expanded Sales Force and improved IT infrastructure in place, Sabio expects double-digit consolidated revenue gains to continue into Q2 2025.

Business Highlights

• On January 30, 2025, the Company launched Creator TV, its owned-and-operated Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) channel that targets the valuable Gen Z and millennial audiences. Creator TV spotlights multi-talented, diverse creators, bridging the gap between social media storytelling and today's streaming TV content. As part of this launch, global streaming media company, Plex, will distribute Creator TV internationally. Creator TV is pivotal to the Company's strategy to expand into large international markets such as India.
• On February 11, 2025, the Company announced that its App Science platform's household graph (a specialized database) now comprises 80 million households, representing 70% of all U.S. streaming households. This milestone highlights the platform's ability to track and analyze streaming TV audiences through a vast dataset that includes mobile devices, connected TVs, and other streaming platforms. The household graph is a privacy-compliant, continuously updated database that captures rich consumer behavior while adhering to evolving regulatory standards, enabling advertisers to precisely target audience segments.
• On February 20, 2025, the Company announced a partnership with Sling TV, a leading streaming service and subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, for distribution of its Creator Television (Creator TV) Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) channel on its platform, Sling Freestream. This partnership marks a significant step in the expansion of Creator TV's reach, ensuring that the diverse and authentic voices it showcases can connect with the broad U.S.-based audiences on Sling Freestream. Combined with Plex's international audience, Creator TV's potential reach is now available to over 20 million U.S. and international viewers.
• The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act") provided an employee retention tax credit ("ERTC") which was a refundable tax credit against certain employment taxes. The Consolidated Appropriations Act extended and expanded the availability of the ERTC through December 31, 2021. Subsequent to the end of the quarter, the Company received payments from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service aggregating to $583,069 from ERTC claims covering the first and second quarters of 2021, inclusive of accrued interest. As this payment was received subsequent to Q1 2025, it is not included in the reported cash balance.
• On May 16, 2025, the TSX Venture Exchange accepted a notice filed by the Company to implement a Normal Course Issuer Bid, whereupon the Company may, during the 12-month period commencing May 24, 2025 and ending May 23, 2026, purchase up to 883,550 shares in total, being 5% of the total number of 17,671,006 shares outstanding as at April 30.

Financial Highlights

• Consolidated revenues increased 43% to $9.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $6.4 million in Q1 2024. Growth was driven by performance across multiple verticals and geographies, including telecom, quick-service restaurants, travel & tourism, automotive, technology, and finance.
• Ad-supported streaming revenue² increased 40% to $6.8 million, compared to $4.9 million in Q1 2024. This represents 75% of the Company's Q1 2025 sales mix, compared to 77% in Q1 2024.
• Mobile display ad revenue² increased 58% to $2.0 million, compared to $1.3 million in Q1 2024. This performance benefited from cross-selling the Company's ad-supported streaming offerings.
• Adjusted EBITDA² showed a loss of $1.6 million in Q1 2025, compared to a loss of $1.3 million in Q1 2024. The increased loss was primarily driven by an approximate $0.8 million increase in cloud computing costs, which included one-time investments that will enhance the Company's data security, capture AI-driven efficiencies, and facilitate a robust data platform for continued growth. Going forward, Management expects its cloud costs to normalize. First quarter OPEX also included investments made in the Company's Sales Force and new product offerings since Q1 2024. Sabio's Sales Force grew nearly 50% in the twelve months ending March 31, 2025, with most hires made in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025.
• Gross profit margin increased to 61% in Q1 2025, compared to 59% in Q1 2024, as Sabio continued to leverage its end-to-end technology stack, including the App Science platform's audience segments and analytics, and Sabio SSP ad slots.
• Driven by cash generated from operations, Sabio ended Q1 2025 with a cash balance of $3.8 million, compared to $3.3 million as of December 31, 2024, and $2.3 million as of December 31, 2023.
• Total debt load was decreased by approximately $0.2 million compared to December 31, 2024, reflecting a reduction in the balance of the Company's credit facility with SLR Digital Finance. The facility enables the Company to borrow against eligible accounts receivable before they are collected from Sabio's customer base, largely composed of the most significant U.S. brands and advertising agencies. When accounts receivables are collected on, the amounts received are first directly paid towards the outstanding loan balance, which the Company can then use for working capital purposes through subsequent withdrawals, subject to availability under the facility. As a result, the facility is continuously being repaid as accounts receivables on sales are collected on.

^{______________________
1} Sabio revenue growth in Q1 2025 was triple the growth rate for the ad-supported streaming TV industry as a whole, as described in Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), "US CTV advertising forecast to grow 13% to $26.6B in 2025", https://www.streamtvinsider.com/advertising/us-ctv-advertising-forecast-grow-13-266b-2025. 
² See "Use of Non-IFRS Measures" below.

Selected Financials 

The tables below set out selected financial information relating to Sabio and should be read in conjunction with Sabio's unaudited consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, and MD&A for the three ended March 31, 2025, and March 31, 2024, copies of which can be found under Sabio's profile on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca.

	For the three months ended
	March 31, 2025	March 31, 2024
	$	$
Revenue	9,087,266	6,351,533
Gross profit	5,556,419	3,762,004
Gross margin	61 %	59 %
Adjusted EBITDA(2)	(1,601,577)	(1,308,784)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents during the period	520,053	(292,116)
Cash and cash equivalents - end of the period	3,820,492	2,319,996

 

	For the three months ended
	March 31, 2025	March 31, 2024
	$	$
Income (Loss) for the period	(2,293,202)	(2,012,107)
Finance Costs	295,561	314,346
Interest earned	(9,899)	(8,092)
Amortization of intangible Assets	44,860	51,147
Stock-based compensation	54,685	46,177
Loss on lease termination	20,275	-
Gain on lease modification	(7,317)	-
Amortization of lease	141,449	179,552
Income taxes	12,765	11,949
Foreign exchange differences	2,881	2,043
State and local taxes	29,105	19,868
Severance expenses	107,260	86,333
Adjusted EBITDA	(1,601,577)	(1,308,784)

2 See "Use of Non-IFRS Measures" below.

The financial disclosures in this news release are subject to a number of cautionary statements, assumptions, contingencies and risks as set forth in this news release. The foregoing outlook and expectations constitute forward-looking statements and financial outlook and are qualified in their entirety by the "Forward-Looking Statements" cautionary statement below. Readers are cautioned that this release if for information purposes only and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Notice of Conference Call

Sabio will hold a conference call on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss its financial results and other corporate developments.

• To access the live webinar, please register here register here (us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UJX9mI1ySk69Czh3mKo9ZQ).
• An archived replay of the webcast will be available on the Financial Information section of Sabio's corporate website (sabioholding.com/investors/financial-information).

Use of Non-IFRS Measures
This press release makes reference to certain non-IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) measures including, but not limited to, Adjusted EBITDA and consolidated revenues (excluding political and advocacy ad sales) ¹. These measures do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and therefore they may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of financial information reported under IFRS. Rather, these non-IFRS measures are provided as additional information to complement IFRS measures by providing a further understanding of operations from management's perspective.  

Management uses adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, and amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA") as a key financial metric to evaluate Sabio's operating performance as a complement to results provided in accordance with IFRS. The term "Adjusted EBITDA", as defined by management, refers to net income (loss) before adjusting earnings for finance costs, income taxes, stock-based compensation, amortization, non-recurring items, and severance costs. Refer to reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA under the "Selected Financials" section of this release and in the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024, copies of which can be found under Sabio Holdings Inc.'s profile on SEDAR Plus at sedarplus.ca.

Management believes that the items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA are not connected to and do not represent the operating performance of Sabio. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA is useful supplemental information as it provides an indication of the results generated by Sabio's main business activities prior to taking into consideration how those activities are financed and taxed as well as expenses related to stock-based compensation, depreciation, amortization, restructuring costs, other expense (income), and foreign exchange (gain) loss. Accordingly, management believes that this measure may also be useful to investors in enhancing their understanding of Sabio's operating performance. It is a key measure used by Sabio's management and board of directors to understand and evaluate Sabio's operating performance, to prepare annual budgets, and to help develop operating plans.

Revenues excluding political and advocacy ad sales is a supplementary financial measure that represents the Company's total consolidated revenue as reported in its financial statements, excluding revenues derived from political and advocacy advertising campaigns.  Revenues by vertical is a supplementary financial measure that represents the proportion of the Company's total consolidated revenue as reported in its financial statements contributed through brands operating within a referenced industry vertical.

Ad-supported streaming sales and mobile display sales are supplementary financial measures that represent the proportion of the Company's consolidated revenue as reported in its financial statements contributed by the Company's ad-supported and mobile display product offerings, as is also presented in the Company's MD&A for the three ended March 31, 2025, and March 31, 2024, copies of which can be found under Sabio's profile on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca.

About Sabio
‍Sabio Holdings (TSXV: SBIO, OTCQB: SABOF) is a technology and services leader in the fast-growing ad-supported streaming space. Its cloud-based, end-to-end technology stack works with top blue-chip, global brands and the agencies that represent them to reach, engage, and validate (R.E.V.) streaming audiences.

Sabio consists of a proprietary ad-serving technology platform that partners with the top ad-supported streaming platforms and apps in the world, App Science™, a non-cookie-based software as a service (SAAS) analytics and insights platform with AI natural language capabilities, and Creator Television®(Creator TV), the first creator-led streaming network and content studio dedicated to bringing the authenticity and energy of social media storytelling to TV.

For more information, visit: sabio.inc

Forward-Looking Statements 
This press release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, which is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "intends," "will," "should," "expects," "continue," "estimate," "forecasts," or the negative thereof and other similar expressions. All statements herein other than statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking information,including but not limited to statements in respect of: the success of new product offerings; results, including sales, expenses, and customer retention, of the ad-supported streaming sales; the Company's outlook for 2025, including expected revenue gains; expected double-digit growth in Q2 2025 and expansion into international markets; the anticipated normalization of cloud computing costs; the expected return to profitability in the latter half of 2025; the impact of recent investments (including Sales Force expansion and IT infrastructure migration) on future performance; and sales trajectory becoming increasingly predictable. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations, or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Material assumptions used to develop the forward-looking information in this press release include, but are not limited to: continued customer demand in core markets, successful execution of new product rollouts, stabilization of input costs including cloud infrastructure, retention of key personnel, no material changes in applicable regulatory frameworks, and general economic conditions remaining consistent with management expectations. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking information in this press release are reasonable, such forward-looking information has been based on expectations, factors, and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control, including the other risk factors disclosed in the Company's annual information form and management's discussion and analysis (MD&A), which are  publicly available on SEDAR Plus at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to herein will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and is made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information: Sajid Premji, Chief Financial Officer, investor@sabio.inc, Phone: 1.844.974.2662; Sam Wang, Investor Relations, investor@sabio.inc

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SOURCE Sabio Inc.

FAQ

What was SABOF's revenue growth in Q1 2025?

Sabio reported a 43% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 2025, reaching $9.1 million compared to $6.4 million in Q1 2024.

How much did Sabio's ad-supported streaming revenue grow in Q1 2025?

Sabio's ad-supported streaming revenue grew 40% to $6.8 million in Q1 2025, compared to $4.9 million in Q1 2024, representing 75% of total sales.

What was SABOF's customer retention rate in Q1 2025?

Sabio achieved a 91% repeat customer rate in Q1 2025, up from 85% in Q1 2024, demonstrating strong customer retention.

What was Sabio's Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025?

Sabio reported an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $1.6 million in Q1 2025, compared to a loss of $1.3 million in Q1 2024, primarily due to increased investments in cloud computing and sales force expansion.

How much cash does SABOF have on its balance sheet?

Sabio ended Q1 2025 with a cash balance of $3.8 million, up from $3.3 million as of December 31, 2024.