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Shutterstock, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue fell 18 percent: Revenue was $199.2 million against $242.6 million a year earlier. Constant-currency revenue declined 19 percent. Source
  • Net result moved to a loss: The company reported a net loss of $47.6 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, against net income of $18.7 million, or $0.53, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA down 33 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $42.7 million, down $20.7 million, and management attributed the decline primarily to lower revenue. Source
  • Content revenue fell 12 percent: Content revenue was $178.1 million, down 12 percent, and management attributed the decline mainly to weaker new customer acquisition. Content made up 89 percent of revenue. Source
  • Data, Distribution and Services down 47 percent: Data, Distribution and Services revenue was $21.0 million, down 47 percent, and represented 11 percent of revenue. Source
  • Legal contingency and severance charges: The results include $28.0 million of legal contingency expenses and $6.1 million of workforce optimization expenses. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 21.4 percent: The adjusted EBITDA margin was 21.4 percent, down from 26.1 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Cash balance decreased: Cash and cash equivalents were $162.5 million at March 31, 2026, down from $178.2 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow down $10.3 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $13.1 million. Operating cash flow was $17.4 million. Source

“During the first quarter, we maintained a strong focus on operational discipline and cost management, delivering $43 million in Adjusted EBITDA in the face of ongoing industry headwinds.”

Paul Hennessy, the Company's Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Dividend SourceDividend payable June 18, 2026 (record date June 4, 2026)$0.36 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period for the Getty Images merger expired on February 23, 2026, without conditions. Source
  • New: On February 19, 2026, the UK Competition and Markets Authority issued an interim report provisionally finding a possible substantial lessening of competition in UK editorial. Source
  • New: On April 16, 2026, the CMA published a summary of its interim report on remedies. The CMA said a sale of Rex Features, Backgrid and Splash News would likely be acceptable. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue fell 18 percent: Revenue was $199.2 million against $242.6 million a year earlier. Constant-currency revenue declined 19 percent. Source
  • Net result moved to a loss: The company reported a net loss of $47.6 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, against net income of $18.7 million, or $0.53, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA down 33 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $42.7 million, down $20.7 million, and management attributed the decline primarily to lower revenue. Source
  • Adjusted EPS down to $0.58: Adjusted net income was $20.7 million, and adjusted net income per diluted share was $0.58, compared with $1.03 a year earlier. Source
  • No guidance given this quarter: The company said it would not hold a conference call or provide financial guidance with these results, given the pending Getty Images transaction. Source

Segments and product offerings

  • Content revenue fell 12 percent: Content revenue was $178.1 million, down 12 percent, and management attributed the decline mainly to weaker new customer acquisition. Content made up 89 percent of revenue. Source
  • Data, Distribution and Services down 47 percent: Data, Distribution and Services revenue was $21.0 million, down 47 percent, and represented 11 percent of revenue. Source
  • Content reason cited: new customers: The company cited weakness in new customer acquisition as the main driver of the Content decline. Source

“We remain highly confident in the long-term trajectory of our Data Licensing and AI Services division.”

Paul Hennessy, the Company's Chief Executive Officer

Customers and subscribers

  • Subscriber count declined again: Subscribers were 993 thousand at March 31, 2026, down from 1,032 thousand at December 31, 2025 and from 1,079 thousand a year earlier. Source
  • Revenue per customer rose: Trailing twelve-month average revenue per customer was $284, up from $244, while subscriber revenue fell to $103.8 million from $109.9 million. Source

Costs and operating expenses

  • Costs did not fall with revenue: Total operating expenses were $230.1 million, against $232.4 million, and the operating result moved to a loss of $31.0 million. Source
  • Legal contingency and severance charges: The results include $28.0 million of legal contingency expenses and $6.1 million of workforce optimization expenses. Source
  • Recurring Giphy retention costs: The company incurred $3.3 million of recurring Giphy retention compensation within operating expenses, which it did not exclude from adjusted measures. Source

“Like Getty Images, we disagree with the CMA’s most recent assessment and do not believe the merger would substantially lessen competition in Editorial content in the UK.”

Paul Hennessy, the Company's Chief Executive Officer

Margins and other income

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 21.4 percent: The adjusted EBITDA margin was 21.4 percent, down from 26.1 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Net loss margin of 23.9 percent: The net loss margin was 23.9 percent, compared with a net income margin of 7.7 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Meitu investment loss: Other expense included $15.3 million of unrealized losses on the company's investment in Meitu, Inc. Source

Demand, billings and data deal timing

  • Data deal timing weighed on revenue: Management said first-quarter revenue reflected a slower start in Content than expected and the timing of revenue recognition on data licensing deals. Source
  • Paid downloads declined: Paid downloads were 104.1 million, against 120.9 million a year earlier. Source
  • Billings down about 20 percent: Total billings were $194.8 million, against $243.4 million a year earlier, after a $4.3 million change in total deferred revenue. Source

Cash flow and liquidity

  • Cash balance decreased: Cash and cash equivalents were $162.5 million at March 31, 2026, down from $178.2 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow down $10.3 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $13.1 million. Operating cash flow was $17.4 million. Source
  • Merger expenses hit cash flow: Cash flows were reduced by $7.2 million of expenses related to the proposed Getty Images merger. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Dividend paid in the quarter: The company declared and paid a dividend of $0.36 per share, totaling $12.8 million, in the quarter. Source
  • Capital spending and content acquisition: Investing outflows of $11.8 million covered capital expenditures and content acquisition. Source
  • Tax withholding on equity awards: The company paid $6.4 million in settlement of tax withholding obligations on employee stock-based compensation awards. Source

Strategy: data licensing and AI services

  • Investing in commercial execution: Management said it is investing now to expand commercial execution, with a pipeline of major deals in progress. Source
  • Positioning for AI training data: Management said the aim is to position the company as the go-to provider for end-to-end AI model training data and related services. Source

Getty Images merger and editorial exposure

  • Editorial revenue base disclosed: Global 2025 Editorial revenue was $32.7 million, of which $11.7 million related to Rex Features and Shutterstock brands and $21.0 million to Backgrid and Splash branded content. Source
  • UK editorial revenue in 2025: 2025 Editorial revenue from UK customers was $10.6 million, of which $5.4 million related to Rex Features and Shutterstock brands and $5.2 million to Backgrid and Splash. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 April 2026

  • CMA final report deadline: The statutory deadline for the CMA to publish its final report on the merger is June 14, 2026. Source
  • Data licensing pipeline in progress: Management said a robust pipeline of major data licensing deals is currently in progress. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Subscribers (end of period) Source993,000
Subscriber revenue Source$103.8 million
Average revenue per customer (last twelve months) Source$284
Paid downloads Source104.1 million
Total billings Source$194.8 million

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: The CMA is further consulting on remedies, including a view that Rex Features, Backgrid and Splash News could be sold to different buyers. Source
  • Demand: Management cited ongoing industry headwinds and weaker new customer acquisition in Content. Source
  • Financial: Legal contingency expenses of $28.0 million were recorded in the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Data licensing revenue recognition may vary from quarter to quarter with the delivery timing of metadata licenses. Source
  • External: The company's investment in Meitu, Inc. produced unrealized losses in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The company said it remains committed to the proposed merger and will keep engaging with the CMA. 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.