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Shutterstock, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 17 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year revenue rose 6%: Full-year 2025 revenue was $989.9 million, up $54.7 million or 6% from 2024. Content revenue rose 4% to $786.7 million, while Data, Distribution, and Services grew 16% to $203.3 million. Source
  • Fourth-quarter revenue fell 12%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $220.2 million, down $30.1 million or 12% from $250.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Content fell on customer acquisition: Content revenue was $189.6 million, down $23.0 million or 11%, and 86% of fourth-quarter revenue. The company attributed the decline to new customer acquisition. Source
  • Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA down 21%: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA was $46.8 million, down $12.3 million or 21%. The adjusted EBITDA margin was 21.2%, against 23.6%, and the company cited lower revenue. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow up $40.8 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $149.5 million for 2025, up $40.8 million. The company attributed the increase primarily to working capital changes, including receivables and data deal collection timing. Source
  • Dividend raised to $0.36: The board declared a $0.36 per share dividend on January 26, 2026, up from the $0.33 per share paid in the fourth quarter. It is payable March 19, 2026. Source
  • Merger approvals still pending: The CEO said the company continues working with Getty Images and regulators to secure approvals. The release gives no closing date. Source
  • No guidance this quarter: Because of the pending transaction, the company is not hosting a conference call or providing financial guidance with its full year and fourth-quarter 2025 results. Source

“I’m thrilled to announce that Shutterstock achieved record setting Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA in 2025. Revenue grew 6% driven by double digit growth of our Data, Distribution, and Services business”

Paul Hennessy, the Company's Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Quarterly cash dividend SourcePayable March 19, 2026$0.36 per shareRaised from $0.33 per share

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The declared quarterly dividend rose to $0.36 per share from the $0.33 per share paid in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Guidance kept: No financial guidance was provided with the fourth-quarter results, as was the case with the third-quarter results.
  • Ended: The closing conditions description no longer lists extension or refinancing of Getty Images' debt obligations, which the third-quarter release included.
  • New: The release describes specialized AI Services, including data creation and enrichment, as part of the investment in the Data, Distribution and Services business. Source

Full-year results and growth drivers

  • Full-year revenue rose 6%: Full-year 2025 revenue was $989.9 million, up $54.7 million or 6% from 2024. Content revenue rose 4% to $786.7 million, while Data, Distribution, and Services grew 16% to $203.3 million. Source
  • Envato drove Content growth: The company attributed the Content increase to Envato, which was consolidated for a full year in 2025 against a partial year in 2024. Content growth was offset by new customer acquisition. Source
  • Net income and EPS rose: Net income was $45.5 million, or $1.25 per diluted share, against $35.9 million, or $1.01, in 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 10%: Adjusted EBITDA was $271.8 million, up $24.7 million or 10%, and the margin was 27.5% against 26.4%. The company cited Envato and data deal revenue. Source
  • Adjusted EPS slightly lower: Adjusted net income was $140.5 million against $138.7 million, and adjusted diluted EPS was $3.87 against $3.89. Merger costs, interest expense and income tax expense were cited as offsets. Source

Fourth-quarter revenue and segments

  • Fourth-quarter revenue fell 12%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $220.2 million, down $30.1 million or 12% from $250.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Content fell on customer acquisition: Content revenue was $189.6 million, down $23.0 million or 11%, and 86% of fourth-quarter revenue. The company attributed the decline to new customer acquisition. Source
  • Data, Distribution, Services fell 19%: Data, Distribution, and Services revenue was $30.7 million, down $7.1 million or 19%, and 14% of fourth-quarter revenue. Source
  • Prior-quarter data deal timing: The third-quarter release said that quarter's revenue benefited from data deal revenue recognition timing, which varies with metadata delivery.

“These achievements were despite continued challenges in our Content business.”

Paul Hennessy, the Company's Chief Executive Officer

Subscribers, downloads and customers

  • Subscribers fell to 1.03 million: Subscribers at year-end were 1,032,000, against 1,088,000 a year earlier. Fourth-quarter subscriber revenue was $104.7 million, against $107.7 million. Source
  • Average revenue per customer rose: Average revenue per customer over the last twelve months was $281, against $255 a year earlier. The figure includes Envato historical results. Source
  • Fourth-quarter paid downloads declined: Paid downloads were 107.9 million in the fourth quarter, against 125.8 million, and 453.1 million for the full year against 456.7 million. Source

Costs, margins and earnings items

  • Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA down 21%: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA was $46.8 million, down $12.3 million or 21%. The adjusted EBITDA margin was 21.2%, against 23.6%, and the company cited lower revenue. Source
  • Fourth-quarter operating loss: Fourth-quarter income from operations was a loss of $2.4 million, against income of $13.1 million. Cost of revenue fell to $97.4 million from $112.4 million. Source
  • Meitu losses and merger fees hit net loss: The fourth-quarter net loss was $16.0 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, against $1.4 million. The company attributed it to Meitu unrealized losses and $7.3 million of merger professional fees. Source
  • Giphy recurring costs continued: The company recorded $4.0 million of recurring Giphy Retention Compensation expense in the fourth quarter within operating expenses. This amount was not excluded from adjusted measures. Source
  • Full-year G&A expense rose: Full-year general and administrative expense was $198.0 million, against $159.1 million a year earlier. Source

“we will continue to simplify our Core Content business with products and pricing that meet our customers' needs in order to improve on current trends”

Paul Hennessy, the Company's Chief Executive Officer

Cash flow and liquidity

  • Operating cash flow rose for 2025: Net cash from operating activities was $166.7 million for 2025, against $32.6 million in 2024. The company said timing of payments and receipts affects the figure. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow up $40.8 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $149.5 million for 2025, up $40.8 million. The company attributed the increase primarily to working capital changes, including receivables and data deal collection timing. Source
  • Capital spending and content rights: Capital expenditures were $42.9 million in 2025. The company also paid $6.5 million to acquire rights to distribute certain digital content into perpetuity. Source
  • Cash rose to $178.2 million: Cash and equivalents rose $66.9 million to $178.2 million. Financing outflows of $59.1 million included $46.5 million of dividends and $9.4 million of tax withholding on equity awards. Source
  • Credit Facility repaid in 2025: The company repaid $3.1 million on its Credit Facility during 2025. Long-term debt on the balance sheet was $116.6 million at year-end. Source

Capital returns and dividend

  • Dividend raised to $0.36: The board declared a $0.36 per share dividend on January 26, 2026, up from the $0.33 per share paid in the fourth quarter. It is payable March 19, 2026. Source
  • Dividends paid in 2025: Dividends paid totaled $46.5 million for 2025. Fourth-quarter dividends were $0.33 per share, or $11.7 million. Source
  • No share repurchases in 2025: The cash flow statement shows no treasury share repurchases in 2025, against $41.6 million in 2024. Source

Product and strategy investment

  • Generative AI added to unlimited plans: The prior-quarter release said AI image, video and audio generative models were being included in unlimited content products, which it said improves their value proposition.
  • Data business added new logos: The prior-quarter release said the company was attracting new logos and expanding relationships with existing customers in Data, Distribution, and Services.
  • Metadata and services drove growth: The company attributed Data, Distribution, and Services growth to metadata sales to new and existing customers, plus growth in Distribution and Services offerings. Source

Getty Images merger status

  • Merger approvals still pending: The CEO said the company continues working with Getty Images and regulators to secure approvals. The release gives no closing date. Source
  • No guidance this quarter: Because of the pending transaction, the company is not hosting a conference call or providing financial guidance with its full year and fourth-quarter 2025 results. Source
  • Stockholders approved merger in June: A majority of Shutterstock stockholders approved the merger agreement at a special meeting held on June 10, 2025. Source
  • Merger agreement announced January 2025: The merger agreement was announced January 7, 2025, to combine the two companies in a merger of equals transaction. Source

Coming up, as management said on 17 February 2026

  • Dividend payable March 19, 2026: The declared $0.36 per share dividend is payable March 19, 2026 to holders of record at the close of business on March 5, 2026. Source
  • Merger regulatory clearances to be sought: The third-quarter release said the company would work with Getty Images to expeditiously secure the necessary clearances. The fourth-quarter release gives no closing date.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Subscribers (end of period) Source1,032,000 at year-end 2025; 1,088,000 at year-end 2024
Subscriber revenue Source$104.7 million in Q4 2025; $429.8 million for full year 2025
Average revenue per customer (last twelve months) Source$281 in 2025; $255 in 2024
Paid downloads Source107.9 million in Q4 2025; 453.1 million for full year 2025
Total billings Source$221.6 million in Q4 2025; $977.4 million for full year 2025

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Completion of the Getty Images merger depends on customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals. Source
  • Demand: Content revenue fell because of reduced new customer acquisition, according to the company. Source
  • Financial: Unrealized losses on the Meitu investment and merger professional fees drove the fourth-quarter net loss. Source
  • Financial: The company noted operating cash flow can fluctuate from period to period because of payment and receipt timing. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The third-quarter release said the company remained committed to the merger and would keep engaging with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.
  • Not stated: The company said it would not host a call or give financial guidance with its full year and fourth-quarter 2025 results, as previously communicated. 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.