Townsquare Media Q3 earnings: Pushing for $100M digital businesses

Townsquare Media released its Q3 earnings this morning in an upbeat conference call with investors. Townsquare CEO Bill Wilson (keynote speaker at RAIN Summit  Dallas in the September Radio Show) hosted the call. Chief Financial Office Stuart Rosenstein explained the deep-dive financials.

Net revenue for the quarter was up nearly eight percent year-over-year, exceeding expectations, with adjusted EBITDA spiking 12.9% (both numbers excluding political revenue). Accordingly, Townsquare has raised its forward-looking guidance from $98-100M to $100-102M.

TSQ stock is up 8% as of this writing, in the call’s  aftermath trading.

Investors heard a big focus on digital, as has been the theme of the TSQ calls since Wilson was installed as CEO. The company’s two main stand-apart digital businesses — Townsquare Interactive (digital marketing services for small businesses) and Townsquare Ignite (proprietary programmatic digital advertising platform) — were both projected to be $100M businesses in in two to four years. (This projection is not new, but was reaffirmed in the morning call.)

There was some investor interest in Townsquare Interactive, its potential growth and addressable markets. It’s important to remember that Townsquare operates its radio stations — and most of its stand-alone digital business — in small-to-mid markets outside of the top 50. That differentiator is key to the company’s competitive posture. Bill Wilson noted that Townsquare now serves 10,000 clients (small and midsize businesses, or SMBs) with the Interactive service, in an addressable market of 500,000 SMBs within the regions where Townsquare has radio stations. Outside of those regions, about five-million SMBs fit the company’s client profile, according to internal research using census information and business profiling sources.

As if to emphasize the intense digital focus, Townsquare continued rolling up its live event business, which is now mostly discontinued.

“2019 is turning out to be a transformative year for Townsquare Media,” Bill Wilson said.

Related Posts

Spotify Q1: 1B Euros; total revenue +20%; 615 monthly users

Spotify’s Q1 earnings report provides clear bragging points for Spotify. Click for details and a financial data graphic.

RAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 24

— Basic Education (Ad Results Media)

— Lots Of Win (The Webbys)

— La Mejor (Triton Digital)

You Missed

Spotify Q1: 1B Euros; total revenue +20%; 615 monthly users

Steve Goldstein: Navigating The Real Risks Of AI-Audio

Steve Goldstein: Navigating The Real Risks Of AI-Audio

Audacy Sports launches today, solving a “clunky” problem and better serving advertisers

Audacy Sports launches today, solving a “clunky” problem and better serving advertisers

RAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 24

RAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 24

Acast annual report: Defending and defining the podcast ad market

Acast annual report: Defending and defining the podcast ad market

Spotify exits the IAB; podcasting particularly affected; a signal of extraordinay self-sufficiency

Spotify exits the IAB; podcasting particularly affected; a signal of extraordinay self-sufficiency
Enjoy great online radio at AccuRadio!