STAGWELL INC Stock Price, News & Analysis

Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) has appointed John Kahan as its first-ever Chief AI Officer, reporting directly to Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. Kahan brings nearly 40 years of experience in data and artificial intelligence from his tenure at Microsoft and IBM.

Most recently serving as Vice President and Chief Data Analytics Officer at Microsoft, Kahan played a important role in developing key data platforms that contributed to Microsoft's growth into a $3 trillion company. In his new role, he will lead the integration and development of artificial intelligence across Stagwell's global network.

Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) announces ambitious growth plans during its 2025 Virtual Investor Day, targeting $5 billion in annual revenue by the end of 2029. The company unveils its '5 x 5' initiative, aiming for $5B revenue and $1B adjusted EBITDA within five years, without expanding debt ratios.

Key announcements include: implementation of $80-100 million in cost savings through AI technologies over 24 months; elimination of two-class share structure by converting Class C to Class A shares; business restructuring into five units: Marketing Services, Media and Commerce, Advocacy, Digital Transformation, and Stagwell Marketing Cloud.

Additional highlights include a partnership with Palantir for enhanced data capabilities, appointment of John Kahan as Chief AI Officer, and FY25 guidance projecting 8% total growth in net revenue with adjusted EBITDA between $410-460 million and adjusted EPS of $0.75-0.88.

The March 2025 Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, conducted by Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), reveals Trump's approval rating at 49%, dropping 3 points from February. Despite the decline, 54% of voters believe Trump is performing better than Biden did as President. The poll shows strong support for Trump's policies on deportation (80%), border closure (74%), and government waste elimination (72%).

The survey indicates 38% of voters view the U.S. economy positively, with inflation remaining the top concern for 43% of voters. The Democratic Party's approval remains low at 37%, with 71% of voters calling for new moderate leadership. On fiscal matters, 79% prefer reducing government expenditures over tax increases to balance the budget.

The poll also covered immigration policies, constitutional rights, and foreign policy, showing 77% support for Israel and mixed attitudes toward trade tariffs. The survey was conducted among 2,746 registered voters on March 26-27, 2025.

Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) has announced plans to increase its news media ad spend by 22% year-over-year in 2025. The announcement coincides with the company's second annual Future of News UK summit and new research findings from over 500 EMEA CEOs and Board Directors.

The research, conducted by Stagwell's HarrisX, reveals that 89% of EMEA executives closely follow news, reading an average of five articles daily. Key findings show that 80% view news media as a powerful stakeholder communication tool, and 85% consider it a good investment. Additionally, 86% believe news media advertising positively impacts reputation among both the general public and financial investors.

The study also highlighted concerns about brand safety protocols, with 71% of executives believing these measures are overapplied, potentially harming both media outlets and advertisers. Regional variations show particularly strong support for news media advertising in the GCC, where 92% of leaders view it as a good investment.

Code and Theory, a Stagwell (STGW) company, announces its new Enterprise Experience Transformation practice at Adobe Summit 2025, focusing on AI-driven digital experiences. Led by Chief Transformation Officer Cory Haldeman, the practice introduces their Enterprise Experience System (EXS) framework to enhance personalization and customer engagement at scale.

As a first-time Diamond sponsor at Adobe Summit (March 18-20), the company will demonstrate how their solutions accelerate GenAI's impact on customer experience and content supply chain. The event features presentations on personalization strategies, brand identity integration with AI, and special appearances by sports celebrities Carmelo Anthony and Kelsey Plum.

The initiative builds on Code and Theory's decade-long partnership with Adobe, aiming to bridge consulting, systems integration, and creative agency capabilities through AI-powered solutions.

Code and Theory, a Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) company, has been named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies 2025 in two categories: Design and Teamwork. The creative and technology network, uniquely balanced with 50% creative professionals and 50% engineers, was recognized for several transformative projects:

Notable achievements include rebuilding NBC's Big Board, which helped MSNBC achieve record viewership; transforming the NFL app resulting in 5 million weekly users and 2.3 billion minutes of game streaming; revamping the Minnesota Star Tribune's digital experience, reaching 32% of monthly subscriber goals within 24 hours; and launching YETI's interactive platform with 28% engagement rate.

The company also announced its new Enterprise Experience Transformation (EXT) practice, led by former Accenture executive Adriana Rubio, addressing AI disruption challenges in the consulting ecosystem.

Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) has announced its latest lineup for SPORT BEACH 2025, featuring an impressive roster of athletes and brand partnerships. The event will expand its presence through SPORT BEACH Clubhouses at major industry and sporting events worldwide.

Notable athlete partners include Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, football analyst Akbar Gbajabiamila, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes, snowboarder Scotty James, NBA veterans Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose, and NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe.

New brand partners joining the event include Epidemic Sound, Fanatics, Meta, New York Life Insurance, Peloton, and Premion. These join previously announced partners such as Ad Results Media, The Athletic, Channel Factory, The Chicago Bulls, and others.

GALE, a Stagwell (STGW) company, has secured two major industry awards in 2025: Ad Age's Business Transformation Agency of the Year and Adweek's U.S. Media Agency of the Year. The agency demonstrated significant client success, including a 20% increase in cross-line-of-business revenue for Hard Rock's Unity loyalty program and generating $91 million in revenue through a CRM program for a QSR client.

Notable achievements include increasing yearly revenue by 59% for a car rental company and reversing declining dairy milk sales. GALE's success is attributed to their integrated approach combining strategy, creativity, media, and technology, highlighted by the launch of their AI platform Alchemy.Ai for media optimization. Founded in 2014, GALE operates from multiple global locations and has received numerous industry accolades.

Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) has strengthened its Asia-Pacific presence through the acquisition of ADK GLOBAL in early 2025 and hosted a leadership summit in Bangkok from March 5-7, 2025. The acquisition expands Stagwell's APAC footprint to over 2,000 team members across 14 countries and aims to enhance their AI-powered digital marketing capabilities.

During the Bangkok summit, senior leaders from both ADK and Stagwell engaged in discussions focusing on integration, collaboration, and APAC's role in global success. The company also relaunched its Global Affiliate Program to strengthen full-service and specialty digital solutions for clients worldwide.

Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn highlighted the company's regional expansion to 2,500 people and emphasized the importance of maintaining a collaborative culture while preserving each agency's unique character.