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Marchex Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 13 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 3 new, 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue fell year over year: Revenue was $10.6 million, down from $11.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed: Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $0.1 million, including $0.7 million of reorganization and acquisition costs; excluding those, the result is a gain of $0.6 million. Source
  • Two joint products sold: Marchex and Archenia jointly sell AI-verified outcomes, paid per event, and Conversational AI Agents that increase bookings and appointment rates. Source
  • Half of presented customers bought: Presentations reached nearly one third of the top 100; about half of those bought a product on a recurring or paid pilot basis. Source
  • Second half acceleration expected: Management cites first-party data and vertical expertise as key to potentially meaningful business acceleration in the second half, assuming the Archenia closing. Source
  • Operating expenses declined: Total operating expenses were $12.0 million, down from $13.3 million, with loss from operations of $1.4 million versus $1.9 million. Source
  • Stock purchase agreement signed: The company signed a stock purchase agreement on May 8, 2026 to acquire all of Archenia's stock from its sellers. Source

“We believe Marchex is a meaningful AI beneficiary based on how rapidly we are now able to leverage AI to develop and deploy new products into our customer base”

Troy Hartless, President of Marchex

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcesecond quarter of 2026sequential increase from first quarter 2026Kept
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcesecond quarter of 2026$1.6 to $1.8 millionRaised from more than $1 million
Revenue Sourcethird quarter of 2026sequential increase, potentially accelerating over second quarter 2026 levelsNew
Adjusted EBITDA, stand-alone Sourcethird quarter of 2026$2 million range or moreNew
Adjusted EBITDA, combined with Archenia Sourcethird quarter of 2026 (if Archenia transaction closed by then)$2.5 million range or more; annualized run rate $10 million or moreNew
Revenue run rate growth Sourcecourse of 2026, from 2025 year-end levels10% rangeKept
Adjusted EBITDA margin Source202610% or moreKept
Combined company revenue run rate Sourcecourse of 2026approximately $15 million quarterly, or approximately $60 million annualized; growth in 15-20% rangeKept
Archenia transaction closing SourceJuly 2026July 2026

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Second quarter Adjusted EBITDA guidance raised to $1.6 to $1.8 million from more than $1 million. Source
  • New guidance: Initial third quarter 2026 guidance given for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA, stand-alone and combined with Archenia. Source
  • New: On May 8, 2026 the company signed a stock purchase agreement for 100% of Archenia, following the November 2025 agreement in principle. Source
  • Ended: The prior release's Archenia estimate for 2025 revenue and positive Adjusted EBITDA is not repeated in the current release.

First quarter results

  • Revenue fell year over year: Revenue was $10.6 million, down from $11.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net loss narrowed: Net loss was $1.7 million, or $(0.04) per diluted share, against a net loss of $2.0 million, or $(0.05), a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed: Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $0.1 million, including $0.7 million of reorganization and acquisition costs; excluding those, the result is a gain of $0.6 million. Source
  • Revenue below fourth quarter: Revenue was $10.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, so first quarter revenue was lower sequentially.

Joint products and customer uptake

  • Two joint products sold: Marchex and Archenia jointly sell AI-verified outcomes, paid per event, and Conversational AI Agents that increase bookings and appointment rates. Source
  • Top 100 customers drive revenue: The top 100 customers represent about 90% of revenue and have been the initial focus for presenting the joint products. Source
  • Half of presented customers bought: Presentations reached nearly one third of the top 100; about half of those bought a product on a recurring or paid pilot basis. Source
  • Early adoption in home and auto: The prior release cited early positive adoption of the combined solutions by existing customers in the Home Services and Auto Services verticals.

“Marchex believes the combined ability to sell insights, actions and outcomes would meaningfully expand its addressable market.”

Troy Hartless, President of Marchex

Guidance and closing conditions

  • Combined third quarter depends on closing: The combined third quarter Adjusted EBITDA figure applies only if the Archenia transaction is approved and closed by the third quarter; the stand-alone figure is separate. Source
  • Second half acceleration expected: Management cites first-party data and vertical expertise as key to potentially meaningful business acceleration in the second half, assuming the Archenia closing. Source
  • Quarterly revenue increases through 2026: Management anticipates quarterly revenue will continue to increase during 2026. Source
  • Focus moves to growth and margins: With the platform migration done, management said the company is positioned in 2026 to focus on revenue growth and margin expansion.

Operating costs and efficiency

  • Operating expenses declined: Total operating expenses were $12.0 million, down from $13.3 million, with loss from operations of $1.4 million versus $1.9 million. Source
  • General and administrative cost fell: General and administrative expense was $2.1 million, against $3.1 million a year earlier; product development and sales and marketing were also lower. Source
  • AI cited for efficiency: Management said AI is making the business more agile and efficient to operate. Source
  • Net interest and other expense rose: Interest expense and other, net was $174 thousand, compared with $3 thousand in the first quarter of 2025. Source

“Marchex believes its ability to sell these and other combined solutions, which reflect the bundling of insights, actions and outcomes, to its installed customer base will be a meaningful sales catalyst in 2026 and beyond.”

Marchex Inc., press release

Balance sheet and share count

  • Cash declined in quarter: Cash and cash equivalents were $9.0 million at March 31, 2026, down from $9.9 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Equity fell on accumulated deficit: Total stockholders' equity was $28.9 million, down from $30.1 million, as the accumulated deficit increased by the quarter's net loss. Source
  • Diluted share count rose: Diluted share count used for the loss per share calculation was 43.96 million, up from 43.72 million a year earlier. Source

Archenia acquisition terms

  • Stock purchase agreement signed: The company signed a stock purchase agreement on May 8, 2026 to acquire all of Archenia's stock from its sellers. Source
  • Special committee approved deal: Independent directors on a special committee approved the agreement because some sellers are related parties; Craig-Hallum gave a fairness opinion on the price. Source
  • Archenia's business described: Archenia is described as a performance-based customer qualification and acquisition company that sells AI-verified, outcome-based results. Source
  • Bundling into enterprise customers: Management believes it could offer or bundle Archenia's outcome-based solutions to many of Marchex's insights-based enterprise customers. Source

Platform and AI product strategy

  • Platform migration completed: The final platform switchover was in December 2025, moving about 1,000 customers to the new platform, with some resulting revenue dilution.
  • Product suite expanded over year: Over the past year the company launched a unified user interface, new vertical AI capabilities and other products and features on the new platform.
  • AI seen speeding pay-per-event shift: Management said rapid AI development is accelerating the industry's move to pay-per-event models, which it says fits the combined company's capabilities. Source

Coming up, as management said on 13 May 2026

  • Archenia closing expected: The company expects the Archenia transaction to close in July 2026. Source
  • Stockholder approval required: Closing depends on majority approval by disinterested stockholders and other closing conditions. Source
  • Proxy statement to be filed: The company intends to file a proxy statement and other relevant documents with the SEC for the transaction. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Large customers SourceTop 100 customers represent approximately 90% of revenue
Customer countapproximately 1,000 customers migrated to new platform

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Revenue in the first quarter reflected dilution from the final platform switchover in December 2025.
  • External: Management said the company operates in a rapidly evolving and dynamic industry with uncertainties. Source
  • Regulatory: The transaction requires approval by a majority of disinterested stockholders, given related-party sellers. Source
  • Financial: The combined third quarter Adjusted EBITDA figure is conditional on the Archenia transaction closing by the third quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management raised second quarter Adjusted EBITDA guidance and referenced the prior guidance of more than $1 million. Source
  • Not stated: Management reiterated expected revenue growth on a run rate basis in the 10% range from 2025 year-end levels. Source
  • Not stated: Management reiterated expected 2026 Adjusted EBITDA margins of 10% or more. Source
  • Not stated: The closing timing is now given as July 2026; the prior release anticipated June 2026. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.