Tucows Delivers Strong Q1 with Gains in Revenue, Gross Profit and Adjusted EBITDA

Rhea-AI Summary

Tucows (NASDAQ: TCX) reported strong Q1 2025 financial results with improvements across key metrics. Revenue increased 8.2% to $94.6 million from $87.5 million in Q1 2024. Gross profit rose 28.5% to $23.5 million, while Adjusted EBITDA surged 225% to $13.7 million from $4.2 million year-over-year. The company significantly narrowed its net loss to $15.1 million ($1.37 per share) compared to a $26.5 million loss ($2.42 per share) in Q1 2024. All three business segments - Ting Internet Services, Wavelo Platform Services, and Tucows Domain Services - contributed to the growth. The company ended Q1 2025 with $55.0 million in cash and equivalents, down from $73.2 million in Q4 2024, while continuing to reduce debt and invest in growth.

Positive

• Revenue growth of 8.2% YoY to $94.6 million
• Significant gross profit increase of 28.5% to $23.5 million
• 225% improvement in Adjusted EBITDA to $13.7 million
• 43% reduction in net loss from $26.5M to $15.1M
• Growth across all three business segments
• Successful debt reduction through syndicated debt payments

Negative

• Net loss of $15.1 million despite improvements
• Cash and equivalents decreased to $55.0M from $73.2M in Q4 2024
• Negative operating cash flow of $11.25M, worsening from -$5.68M in Q1 2024

Insights

Financial Analyst

Tucows shows strong recovery with triple-digit Adjusted EBITDA growth despite ongoing challenges with net losses and cash burn.

Tucows delivered substantial improvements in Q1 2025, reporting 8.2% year-over-year revenue growth to $94.6 million, while gross profit jumped 28.5% to $23.5 million, indicating strengthening margins. The standout metric was Adjusted EBITDA, which surged 225% to $13.7 million from $4.2 million in Q1 2024.

Examining the segments reveals different performance profiles. Tucows Domain Services remains the profit center, generating $65.3 million in revenue with $11.5 million in Adjusted EBITDA. Wavelo Platform Services showed strong momentum with revenue of $11.4 million and $4.4 million in Adjusted EBITDA. Ting Internet Services grew revenue to $16.3 million and dramatically improved its Adjusted EBITDA to -$854,000 from -$9.5 million in Q1 2024.

Despite operational improvements, significant challenges persist. The company still posted a net loss of $15.1 million, though improved 43% from the previous year. Interest expense rose to $13.6 million, effectively consuming the entire Adjusted EBITDA. Cash reserves declined to $55.0 million from $73.2 million in the previous quarter, with operating cash flow worsening to negative $11.3 million from negative $5.7 million year-over-year.

The simultaneous focus on debt reduction and growth investment presents a delicate balancing act, reflected in the declining cash position. The company's efforts to optimize costs, including the 2024 Ting capital efficiency plan, are yielding results, but the path to actual profitability requires continued execution on both growth and cost management fronts.

TORONTO, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Tucows Inc. (NASDAQ: TCX) (TSX: TC), a global internet services leader, today reported its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. All figures are in U.S. dollars.

"On the heels of four years of strong revenue growth, we are very pleased with our first quarter results," said Elliot Noss, President and CEO of Tucows. "All three of our businesses delivered year-over-year gains, with an 8% increase in consolidated revenue, a 29% increase in gross profit, and a more than threefold improvement in Adjusted EBITDA compared to Q1 last year. Importantly, we achieved a substantial year-over-year reduction in net loss through strong revenue growth and cost optimization initiatives. We also continued to deleverage the business with payments on our syndicated debt. The progress we are making across the organization positions us well for continued improvement in 2025 and beyond."

Financial Results

Consolidated net revenue for the first quarter of 2025 increased 8.2% to $94.6 million from $87.5 million for the first quarter of 2024, driven by strong year-over-year revenue gains from all three Tucows businesses.

Gross profit for the first quarter of 2025 increased 28.5% to $23.5 million from $18.3 million from the first quarter of 2024. The increase in gross profit was driven by strong year-over-year gains from all three Tucows businesses.

Net loss for the first quarter of 2025 narrowed significantly to $15.1 million, or a loss of $1.37 per share, compared to a net loss of $26.5 million, or a loss of $2.42 per share, for the first quarter of 2024, reflecting improved operational efficiency and revenue momentum. Adjusted net income¹ (loss) and Adjusted EPS¹ in Q1 2025 are ($14.9 million) and ($1.35) per share compared to Q1 2024 Adjusted net income¹  (loss) of ($23.4 million) and Adjusted EPS¹ of ($2.14) per share.

Adjusted EBITDA¹ for the first quarter of 2025 climbed 225% to $13.7 million from $4.2 million for the first quarter of 2024, highlighting the strength of our operating leverage. The year-over-year increase was driven by growth of revenues from all three businesses, margin gains, and company-wide cost-reduction efforts, including the 2024 Ting capital efficiency plan.

We ended the first quarter of 2025 with cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents of $55.0 million, while continuing to reduce debt and invest in growth. This compares with $73.2 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024 and $79.4 million at the end of the first quarter of 2024.

Summary Financial Results
(In Thousands of US Dollars, except Per Share data)

	3 Months ended March 31
	2025 (unaudited)	2024 (unaudited)	% Change (unaudited)
Net Revenues	94,609	87,457	8 %
Gross Profit	23,531	18,316	28 %
Income Earned on Sale of Transferred Assets, net	2,741	3,621	(24) %
Net Income (Loss)	(15,133)	(26,484)	43 %
Adjusted Net Income (Loss)¹	(14,914)	(23,380)	36 %
Basic earnings (Loss) per common share	(1.37)	(2.42)	43 %
Adjusted Basic earnings (Loss) per common share¹	(1.35)	(2.14)	37 %
Adjusted EBITDA¹	13,671	4,202	225 %
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(11,251)	(5,678)	(98) %

1 Non-GAAP financial measures are described below and reconciled to GAAP measures in the accompanying tables.

Summary of Revenues, Gross Profit and Adjusted EBITDA
(In Thousands of US Dollars)

	Revenue		Gross Profit		Adj. EBITDA¹
	3 Months ended March 31		3 Months ended March 31		3 Months ended March 31
	2025 (unaudited)	2024 (unaudited)	2025 (unaudited)	2024 (unaudited)	2025 (unaudited)	2024 (unaudited)
Ting Internet Services:
Fiber Internet Services	16,315	14,102	10,478	8,742	(854)	(9,537)
Wavelo Platform Services:
Platform Services	11,396	9,365	11,259	9,033	4,449
Other Professional Services	0	25	0	6
Total Wavelo Platform Services	11,396	9,390	11,259	9,039		2,787
Tucows Domain Services:
Wholesale
Domain Services	50,004	48,151	9,623	9,488
Value Added Services	5,903	4,703	5,423	4,156
Total Wholesale	55,907	52,854	15,046	13,644
Retail	9,348	9,028	5,169	4,892
Total Tucows Domain Services	65,255	61,882	20,215	18,536	11,540	10,011
Corporate:
Mobile Services and Eliminations	1,643	2,083	(2,504)	(654)	(1,464)	941
Network Expenses:
Network, other costs	n/a	n/a	(4,971)	(7,064)	n/a	n/a
Network, depreciation of property and equipment	n/a	n/a	(10,376)	(9,865)	n/a	n/a
Network, amortization of intangible assets	n/a	n/a	(366)	(365)	n/a	n/a
Network, impairment	n/a	n/a	(204)	(53)	n/a	n/a
Total Network Expenses	n/a	n/a	(15,917)	(17,347)	n/a	n/a
Total	94,609	87,457	23,531	18,316	13,671	4,202

1 Non-GAAP financial measures are described below and reconciled to GAAP measures in the accompanying tables.

Notes: 

1. Tucows reports all financial information required in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

Along with this information, to assist financial statement users in an assessment of our historical performance, the Company discloses non-GAAP financial measures in press releases and on investor conference calls and related events, as the Company believes that the non-GAAP information enhances investors' overall understanding of our financial performance, and should be read in addition to, rather than instead of, the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Non-GAAP financial measures do not reflect a comprehensive system of accounting and may differ from non-GAAP financial measures with the same or similar captions that are used by other companies and/or analysts and may differ from period to period. The Company endeavors to compensate for these limitations by providing the relevant disclosure of the items excluded in the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income based on U.S. GAAP; Adjusted net income to GAAP net income; and adjusted basic earnings per share to GAAP basic earnings per share, which should be considered when evaluating the Company's results. Tucows strongly encourages investors to review its financial information in its entirety and not to rely on a single financial measure.

Adjusted EBITDA

The Company believes that the provision of this supplemental non-GAAP measure allows investors to evaluate the operational and financial performance of the Company's core business using similar evaluation measures to those used by management. The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA to measure its performance and prepare its budgets. Since Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial performance measure, the Company's calculation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies; and should not be considered in isolation, as a substitute for, or superior to measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. Because Adjusted EBITDA is calculated before certain recurring cash charges, including interest expense and taxes, and is not adjusted for capital expenditures or other recurring cash requirements of the business, it should not be considered as a liquidity measure.

The Company's Adjusted EBITDA definition excludes depreciation, impairment and loss on disposition of property and equipment, amortization of intangible assets, income tax provision, interest expense (net), stock-based compensation, asset impairment, gains and losses from unrealized foreign currency transactions, loss on debt extinguishment and costs that are not indicative of on-going performance (profitability), including acquisition and transition costs. Gains and losses from unrealized foreign currency transactions removes the unrealized effect of the change in the mark-to-market values on outstanding unhedged foreign currency contracts, as well as the unrealized effect from the translation of monetary accounts denominated in non-U.S. dollars to U.S. dollars.

The following table reconciles net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA (in thousands of US dollars):

	3 Months ended March 31
	2025 (unaudited)	2024 (unaudited)
Net income (Loss) for the period	(15,133)	(26,484)
Less:
Provision (recovery) for income taxes	2,166	1,774
Depreciation of property and equipment	10,460	9,987
Impairment of property and equipment	204	53
Amortization of intangible assets	1,205	1,679
Interest expense, net	13,613	11,879
Stock-based compensation	1,505	1,873
Unrealized loss (gain) on foreign exchange revaluation of foreign denominated monetary assets and liabilities	(364)	390
Acquisition and transition costs*	15	3,051
Adjusted EBITDA	13,671	4,202

* Acquisition and transition costs represent transaction-related expenses and transitional expenses. Expenses include severance or transitional costs associated with department, operational or overall company restructuring efforts, including geographic alignments.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Common Share (Adjusted EPS)

The Company believes that the provision of this supplemental non-GAAP measure allows investors to best evaluate our operating results and understand the operating trends of our core business without the effect of acquisition and transition costs, impairment expenses and losses on extinguishment of debt. Acquisition and transition costs represent transaction-related expenses and transitional expenses. Expenses include severance or transitional costs associated with department, operational or overall company restructuring efforts, including geographic alignments. Since adjusted net income and adjusted EPS are non-GAAP financial performance measures, the Company's calculation of adjusted net income and adjusted EPS may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies; and should not be considered in isolation, as a substitute for, or superior to measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The Company's adjusted net income and adjusted EPS definitions exclude from the calculation of reported GAAP net income and GAAP EPS, the effect of the following items: impairment of property and expenses, acquisition and transition costs (including restructuring charges) and loss on debt extinguishment.

The following table reconciles adjusted net income and adjusted EPS to GAAP net income (In thousands of US dollars, except Per Share data):

	3 Months ended March 31
	2025 (unaudited)	2024 (unaudited)
Net Income (Loss) for the period	(15,133)	(26,484)
Less:
Acquisition and transition costs*	15	3,051
Impairment of property and equipment	204	53
Adjusted Net Income (Loss)¹ for the period	(14,914)	(23,380)
Adjusted Basic Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share¹	(1.35)	(2.14)

* Acquisition and transition costs represent transaction-related expenses and transitional expenses. Expenses include severance or transitional costs associated with department, operational or overall company restructuring efforts, including geographic alignments.

Management Commentary

Concurrent with the dissemination of its quarterly financial results news release at 5:05 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 8, 2025, management's pre-recorded audio commentary (and transcript), discussing the quarter and outlook for the Company will be posted to the Tucows website at http://www.tucows.com/investors/financials.

Following management's prepared commentary, for the subsequent seven days, until Thursday, May 15, 2025, shareholders, analysts and prospective investors can submit questions to Tucows' management at ir@tucows.com. Management will post responses to questions in an audio recording and transcript to the Company's website at http://www.tucows.com/investors/financials, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at approximately 5 p.m. ET. All questions will receive a response, however, questions of a more specific nature may be responded to directly.

About Tucows

Tucows helps connect more people to the benefit of internet access through communications service technology, domain services, and fiber-optic internet infrastructure. Ting (https://ting.com) delivers fixed fiber Internet access with outstanding customer support. Wavelo (https://wavelo.com) is a telecommunications software suite for service providers that simplifies the management of mobile and internet network access; provisioning, billing and subscription; developer tools; and more. Tucows Domains (https://tucowsdomains.com) manages approximately 24 million domain names and millions of value-added services through a global reseller network of over 35,000 web hosts and ISPs. Hover (https://hover.com) makes it easy for individuals and small businesses to manage their domain names and email addresses. More information can be found on Tucows' corporate website (https://tucows.com).

Tucows, Ting, Wavelo, and Hover are registered trademarks of Tucows Inc. or its subsidiaries.

This release includes forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our expectations regarding our future financial results and, including, without limitation, our expectations regarding our ability to realize synergies from the Enom acquisition and our expectation for growth of Ting Internet. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Information about other potential factors that could affect Tucows' business, results of operations and financial condition is included in the Risk Factors sections of Tucows' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to Tucows as of the date they are made. Tucows assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tucows-delivers-strong-q1-with-gains-in-revenue-gross-profit-and-adjusted-ebitda-302450654.html

SOURCE Tucows Inc.

FAQ

What were Tucows (TCX) key financial results for Q1 2025?

Tucows reported Q1 2025 revenue of $94.6M (+8.2% YoY), gross profit of $23.5M (+28.5% YoY), and Adjusted EBITDA of $13.7M (+225% YoY). Net loss improved to $15.1M from $26.5M in Q1 2024.

How much did Tucows (TCX) reduce its net loss in Q1 2025?

Tucows reduced its net loss by 43%, from $26.5 million ($2.42 per share) in Q1 2024 to $15.1 million ($1.37 per share) in Q1 2025.

What is Tucows (TCX) cash position as of Q1 2025?

Tucows ended Q1 2025 with $55.0 million in cash and cash equivalents, down from $73.2 million in Q4 2024 and $79.4 million in Q1 2024.

How did Tucows (TCX) business segments perform in Q1 2025?

All three business segments (Ting Internet Services, Wavelo Platform Services, and Tucows Domain Services) delivered year-over-year revenue gains, contributing to the overall 8.2% revenue growth.

What was Tucows (TCX) Adjusted EBITDA growth in Q1 2025?

Tucows' Adjusted EBITDA grew 225% to $13.7 million in Q1 2025, compared to $4.2 million in Q1 2024, driven by revenue growth, margin gains, and cost-reduction efforts.