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Earnings documents stored for CREX.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-08-13Creative Realities Inc (CREX) (Q2 2026) Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue Surge and ...
GuruFocus.com
Creative Realities Inc (CREX) (Q2 2026) Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue Surge and ...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Revenue: $21.5 million in Q2 2026, up 65% year-over-year from $13 million, including $7.4 million from CDM. Gross Profit: $8.3 million in Q2 2026, compared to $5.0 million in the prior year period. Gross Margin: 38.6% in Q2 2026, versus 38.5% in Q2 2025. Hardware Revenue: $7.5 million in Q2 2026, versus $7.1 million in the prior year period. Service Revenue: $14 million in Q2 2026, more than doubled from $6 million in fiscal 2025. Hardware Gross Margin: 17.2% in Q2 2026, compared to 25.1% in the prior year period. Service Gross Margin: 50.1% in Q2 2026, versus 54.4% in Q2 2025. Net Loss: $4.6 million attributable to common shareholders for Q2 2026, compared to a net loss of $1.8 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA: $2 million in Q2 2026, versus $1.1 million in the prior year period. Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR): $20.5 million as of June 30, 2026, up from $20.1 million last quarter. Cash Position: Approximately $10.7 million as of June 30, 2026, versus $1.6 million at the start of 2026. Debt: $46.6 million at the end of Q2 2026, compared to $44 million at the beginning of the fiscal year. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with CREX. Is CREX fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: August 13, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Record Q2 revenue of $21.5 million, up 65% year-over-year, with expectations for Q3 to be the largest quarter in company history. Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $2 million in Q2, up from $1.1 million in the prior year period. Successfully integrated CDM, realizing approximately 75% of the $10 million annualized synergy target. Removal of the going concern language from financial statements, reflecting improved liquidity and confidence in future cash flows. Strong customer wins and pipeline, including major deals with Albertsons, Tennessee Titans, AMC, and two new contracts in final stages. Net loss widened to $4.6 million in Q2 2026, compared to a $1.8 million loss in the prior year period. Hardware gross margins declined to 17.2% from 25.1% year-over-year due to product mix and inflationary pressures. Service gross margins decreased to 50.1% from 54.4% due to the expiration of higher-margin contracts. G&A expenses increased significantly to $9 million, dri…Read full documentShow less
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Revenue: $21.5 million in Q2 2026, up 65% year-over-year from $13 million, including $7.4 million from CDM. Gross Profit: $8.3 million in Q2 2026, compared to $5.0 million in the prior year period. Gross Margin: 38.6% in Q2 2026, versus 38.5% in Q2 2025. Hardware Revenue: $7.5 million in Q2 2026, versus $7.1 million in the prior year period. Service Revenue: $14 million in Q2 2026, more than doubled from $6 million in fiscal 2025. Hardware Gross Margin: 17.2% in Q2 2026, compared to 25.1% in the prior year period. Service Gross Margin: 50.1% in Q2 2026, versus 54.4% in Q2 2025. Net Loss: $4.6 million attributable to common shareholders for Q2 2026, compared to a net loss of $1.8 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA: $2 million in Q2 2026, versus $1.1 million in the prior year period. Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR): $20.5 million as of June 30, 2026, up from $20.1 million last quarter. Cash Position: Approximately $10.7 million as of June 30, 2026, versus $1.6 million at the start of 2026. Debt: $46.6 million at the end of Q2 2026, compared to $44 million at the beginning of the fiscal year. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with CREX. Is CREX fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: August 13, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Record Q2 revenue of $21.5 million, up 65% year-over-year, with expectations for Q3 to be the largest quarter in company history. Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $2 million in Q2, up from $1.1 million in the prior year period. Successfully integrated CDM, realizing approximately 75% of the $10 million annualized synergy target. Removal of the going concern language from financial statements, reflecting improved liquidity and confidence in future cash flows. Strong customer wins and pipeline, including major deals with Albertsons, Tennessee Titans, AMC, and two new contracts in final stages. Net loss widened to $4.6 million in Q2 2026, compared to a $1.8 million loss in the prior year period. Hardware gross margins declined to 17.2% from 25.1% year-over-year due to product mix and inflationary pressures. Service gross margins decreased to 50.1% from 54.4% due to the expiration of higher-margin contracts. G&A expenses increased significantly to $9 million, driven by $3.8 million in CDM-related costs, impacting profitability. Debt increased to $46.6 million from $44 million at the start of the year, despite a recent equity raise. Q: Can you talk about what work has been done with Albertsons so far and what impact this large retail media network deal has on the sales pipeline?A: Rick Mills, CEO: We have converted about 3,000 screens across 220 to 250 locations, currently running about a million ads a day. We will take over the full deployment of players and technology over the next 30 days. This strengthens our position as one of the top three providers of retail media networks in North America. Having a customer like Albertsons, along with 7-Eleven, Macy's, and Best Buy using our ad tech, is expected to accelerate our retail media network pipeline. Q: Given the deals you've already won and the deployment pipeline, how does this change your visibility and predictability for 2027?A: Rick Mills, CEO: With seven, eight, or nine additional customers coming on that are doing deployments or SaaS on a consistent monthly basis, we believe we have entered a new stage where revenue entering 2027 will be much more predictable. We are incredibly bullish about 2027. We expect Q3 to be the largest quarter in the company's history, and Q4 to be significantly larger than Q3. Q: With the stronger second-half ramp in revenue, how do you see the split between services and hardware?A: Rick Mills, CEO: We see SaaS continuing to grow from a services perspective. There is some hardware in the second-half growth, but most of it is services related. Tamara Kashowa, CFO, clarified that Q3 will have a higher percentage of hardware revenues given the installs planned, particularly the Tennessee Titans, but Q4 will get back to the level seen in Q2 as the large media revenue base comes online. Q: How are you adjusting prices given inflation and supply chain issues? Will hardware margins recover, and what are the pricing trends on the service side?A: Rick Mills, CEO: There has been some downward pressure on service pricing due to competitors suffering in the marketplace, but we've been able to withstand that. Hardware margins will continue to be under pressure through the balance of this year, but we expect to expand them again in 2027. Q: One of your two pending negotiations is expected to be delivered by the end of September. Is that because you have screens in inventory?A: Rick Mills, CEO: That one is a conversion, not new installs. The customer already has hardware and players in place. We've developed scripts to remotely take over all of their locations, deploying our CMS and new content, which will be done by the end of September. We then expect to pick up new builds and new store openings throughout 2027. Q: Is there a longer-term target gross margin you are after?A: Rick Mills, CEO: Ideally, as we enter 2027, we'd like to get back out of the 30s% into the 40s%. Tamara Kashowa, CFO, added that as the SaaS base builds, we can get back closer to that 40%-plus target, but we'll still be short of that this year. The $4 million of seeded SaaS that turns on January 1 alone could push the composite margin up two points. Q: Any comments on Culver's and the lottery business?A: Rick Mills, CEO: Culver's continues to go well. We continue to deploy every month and are installing new drive-thrus. There is a three-year target to complete all of their restaurants. For the lottery, we are in significant discussions with seven or eight additional lotteries. North Carolina has talked about significant expansion in 2027, and we expect to have announcements closer to year-end about lottery expansion. Q: Regarding SG&A being at $9 million, where do you need to be revenue-wise to cover that, and are there plans to improve efficiency?A: Rick Mills, CEO: We expect the next two quarters to add significant ongoing revenue, getting us north of $25 million, closer to $30 million, if not exceeding $30 million on a quarterly basis. We've taken out $7.5 million in synergies that will show up as we enter 2027, and we have a couple million of additional costs to take out throughout 2027 as we migrate customers from third-party platforms to our own. Tamara Kashowa, CFO, noted that G&A includes a large non-cash amortization expense for leases in the mall network that fluctuates throughout the year. Q: Can you discuss the challenges facing a competitor and the early discussions you're having with customers in the pipeline?A: Rick Mills, CEO: We have two customers in contracting stages right now. One came from that competitor, the other was on a different platform. The pipeline was enhanced as that competitor ran into trouble. We expect to be closing multiple new logos on a quarterly basis going forward. Q: If you had margins in the low 40% range, would you need another $6 million in revenues to break even on an operating basis?A: Tamara Kashowa, CFO: Yes, that's reasonable to assume. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-08-13Creative Realities, Inc. Q2 2026 Earnings Call Summary
Moby
Creative Realities, Inc. Q2 2026 Earnings Call Summary
Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Achieved record Q2 revenue of $21.5 million, a 65% year-over-year increase, primarily driven by the integration of CDM and new installations across the legacy business. Completed the majority of CDM integration, realizing approximately 75% of the targeted $10 million in annualized synergies to date. Attributed service revenue growth to the inclusion of $7 million from CDM and positive momentum in legacy CRI installs, despite the expiration of some high-margin contracts. Reported hardware gross margin compression to 17.2% due to product mix, while service margins remained robust at 50.1% despite competitive pricing pressures. Strengthened the balance sheet through a $12 million equity offering, which management intends to use for deleveraging and funding future growth initiatives. Successfully alleviated the 'going concern' qualification on financial statements through a comprehensive financial model reviewed and approved by auditors. Shifted executive focus toward strategic growth areas as new C-suite leadership takes over daily operations to scale the enterprise customer base. Anticipates Q3 2026 will be the largest revenue quarter in company history, with Q4 expected to significantly exceed Q3 levels. Projects an automatic increase in ARR starting January 1, 2027, as approximately $4 million to $5 million in current backlog begins generating recurring revenue. Expects consolidated gross margins to return to the 40% range in 2027 as high-margin SaaS revenue becomes a larger portion of the total mix. Plans to migrate customers from third-party platforms to proprietary CMS platforms in 2027 to eliminate external costs and improve operational efficiency. Assumes continued upward trajectory in the retail media network pipeline, leveraging the Albertsons deployment as a primary reference for blue-chip brands. Albertsons Deployment: Currently running 3,000 screens across 250 locations, representing what management believes is the largest retail media network deployment in the U.S. this year. Tennessee Titans Partnership: On track to realize the majority of the $8.5 million digital signage and IPTV installation revenue within the 2026 calendar year. AMC Theatres Expansion: Moving to full deployment this month acro…Read full documentShow less
Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Achieved record Q2 revenue of $21.5 million, a 65% year-over-year increase, primarily driven by the integration of CDM and new installations across the legacy business. Completed the majority of CDM integration, realizing approximately 75% of the targeted $10 million in annualized synergies to date. Attributed service revenue growth to the inclusion of $7 million from CDM and positive momentum in legacy CRI installs, despite the expiration of some high-margin contracts. Reported hardware gross margin compression to 17.2% due to product mix, while service margins remained robust at 50.1% despite competitive pricing pressures. Strengthened the balance sheet through a $12 million equity offering, which management intends to use for deleveraging and funding future growth initiatives. Successfully alleviated the 'going concern' qualification on financial statements through a comprehensive financial model reviewed and approved by auditors. Shifted executive focus toward strategic growth areas as new C-suite leadership takes over daily operations to scale the enterprise customer base. Anticipates Q3 2026 will be the largest revenue quarter in company history, with Q4 expected to significantly exceed Q3 levels. Projects an automatic increase in ARR starting January 1, 2027, as approximately $4 million to $5 million in current backlog begins generating recurring revenue. Expects consolidated gross margins to return to the 40% range in 2027 as high-margin SaaS revenue becomes a larger portion of the total mix. Plans to migrate customers from third-party platforms to proprietary CMS platforms in 2027 to eliminate external costs and improve operational efficiency. Assumes continued upward trajectory in the retail media network pipeline, leveraging the Albertsons deployment as a primary reference for blue-chip brands. Albertsons Deployment: Currently running 3,000 screens across 250 locations, representing what management believes is the largest retail media network deployment in the U.S. this year. Tennessee Titans Partnership: On track to realize the majority of the $8.5 million digital signage and IPTV installation revenue within the 2026 calendar year. AMC Theatres Expansion: Moving to full deployment this month across 285 locations in partnership with National CineMedia using proprietary CMS and AdTech stacks. Contracting Stage Wins: Finalizing agreements with a 900-location national cellular organization and a 1,000-unit QSR, both involving conversions to CRI's platform. Management stated the Albertsons deal strengthens their position as a top-3 provider in North America and serves as a critical reference for other blue-chip brands. Confirmed the network is already successful, running approximately 1 million ads per day across the initial 3,000 converted screens. One stock. Nvidia-level potential. 30M+ investors trust Moby to find it first. Get the pick. Tap here. Noted that challenges facing a specific competitor have enhanced CRI's pipeline, leading to at least one recent customer conversion from that competitor's platform. Management expects to continue closing multiple new 'logos' on a quarterly basis due to this market shift. Q3 is expected to have a higher percentage of hardware revenue due to specific large-scale installs like the Tennessee Titans stadium. Q4 is projected to shift back toward services and media revenue, mirroring the seasonal patterns seen in the CDM business in previous years. Acknowledged downward pricing pressure on services caused by struggling competitors losing market share, though CRI has largely withstood these pressures. Hardware margins are expected to remain under pressure through year-end, with relief and expansion anticipated in 2027. Explained that a pending 1,000-location win involves a software-only conversion using custom scripts to take over existing hardware remotely by the end of September. This strategy allows for rapid SaaS growth without the need for immediate large-scale hardware deployments.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-08-13Creative Realities Reports Fiscal 2026 Second Quarter Results
GlobeNewswire
Creative Realities Reports Fiscal 2026 Second Quarter Results
Record Second Quarter Revenue and Improved Outlook as Company Continues Transformation LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Realities, Inc. (“Creative Realities,” “CRI,” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CREX), a leading provider of digital signage, media and AdTech solutions, today announced its financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended June 30, 2026. Highlights: Second quarter revenue of $21.5 million versus $13.0 million in the prior-year period. Gross profit of $8.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 versus $5.0 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. Adjusted EBITDA* of $2.0 million for the second quarter of 2026 versus $1.1 million in the prior-year period. Annualized recurring revenue (“ARR”)** of approximately $20.5 million at the end of the second quarter versus $20.1 million as of March 31, 2026. The Company successfully completed a public offering that raised net proceeds of approximately $12.2 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and the exercise of the underwriter's overallotment option, for growth capital and to reduce debt. Creative Realities has been selected by a leading national grocery chain, with over 2,000 stores, to deploy one of the most sophisticated Retail Media Networks in North America. The initial rollout is anticipated to include over 800 locations this year, where CRI will provide the hardware, CMS and AdTech applications in a contract estimated at greater than $10 million in aggregate – generating upwards of $4 million in ARR by the end of 2027. “Second quarter results point to the progress we’ve made growing the business and consolidating our entire organization, including CDM, to transform the Company into a higher-performing enterprise,” said Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer. “Compared to both last year and the first quarter of fiscal 2026, we saw revenue expansion, margin improvement, and increased Adjusted EBITDA. This reflects both the hard work of our staff as well as the strong, enduring demand for our services – which we believe will only accelerate going forward. We booked several new wins this quarter, including being selected as the digital signage provider for the Tennessee Titans' New Nissan Stadium. In addition, we have substantial opportunities in our pipeline and in the next 30 days expect…Read full documentShow less
Record Second Quarter Revenue and Improved Outlook as Company Continues Transformation LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Realities, Inc. (“Creative Realities,” “CRI,” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CREX), a leading provider of digital signage, media and AdTech solutions, today announced its financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended June 30, 2026. Highlights: Second quarter revenue of $21.5 million versus $13.0 million in the prior-year period. Gross profit of $8.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 versus $5.0 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. Adjusted EBITDA* of $2.0 million for the second quarter of 2026 versus $1.1 million in the prior-year period. Annualized recurring revenue (“ARR”)** of approximately $20.5 million at the end of the second quarter versus $20.1 million as of March 31, 2026. The Company successfully completed a public offering that raised net proceeds of approximately $12.2 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and the exercise of the underwriter's overallotment option, for growth capital and to reduce debt. Creative Realities has been selected by a leading national grocery chain, with over 2,000 stores, to deploy one of the most sophisticated Retail Media Networks in North America. The initial rollout is anticipated to include over 800 locations this year, where CRI will provide the hardware, CMS and AdTech applications in a contract estimated at greater than $10 million in aggregate – generating upwards of $4 million in ARR by the end of 2027. “Second quarter results point to the progress we’ve made growing the business and consolidating our entire organization, including CDM, to transform the Company into a higher-performing enterprise,” said Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer. “Compared to both last year and the first quarter of fiscal 2026, we saw revenue expansion, margin improvement, and increased Adjusted EBITDA. This reflects both the hard work of our staff as well as the strong, enduring demand for our services – which we believe will only accelerate going forward. We booked several new wins this quarter, including being selected as the digital signage provider for the Tennessee Titans' New Nissan Stadium. In addition, we have substantial opportunities in our pipeline and in the next 30 days expect to announce two additional new clients with greater than 1,000 locations each. Given these successes and recognition in the marketplace as the clear leader in providing CMS and AdTech applications at scale, our future is bright. Creative Realities remains on a path to record performance this year – positioning us well for fiscal 2027 and beyond.” *Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. A reconciliation is provided in the tables of this press release.**Annualized Recurring Revenue, or ARR, is a non-GAAP operating metric that is described below. 2026 Second Quarter Financial Results Sales were $21.5 million for the fiscal 2026 second quarter as compared to $13.0 million in the same period in fiscal 2025, with approximately $7.4 million in the current year quarter from the acquisition of Cineplex Digital Media (“CDM”). Hardware sales rose to $7.5 million, versus $7.1 million in the prior-year period, while service revenue more than doubled to $14.0 million from $6.0 million in fiscal 2025, reflecting the CDM transaction as well as deployment timing. As previously noted, some sales originally planned for the first quarter were pushed into the current period due to adverse weather conditions in the former. Consolidated gross profit was $8.3 million for the fiscal 2026 second quarter versus $5.0 million in the prior-year period, and consolidated gross margin was 38.6% versus 38.5% in the fiscal 2025 second quarter. Gross margin on hardware revenue was 17.1% in fiscal 2026 as compared to 25.1% in the prior-year period, while gross margin on services amounted to 50.0%, versus 54.4% in the fiscal 2025 second quarter. Hardware gross margin decreased year-over-year primarily due to mix, while service gross margin declined due to the expiration of certain customer contracts in 2025. The Company ended the 2026 second quarter with ARR of approximately $20.5 million. Sales and marketing expenses in the second quarter rose to $2.0 million, versus $1.2 million in the prior-year period, while general and administrative (G&A) expenses increased to $9.0 million versus $5.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, primarily a result of the inclusion of CDM. The Company posted an operating loss of approximately $2.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to an operating loss of $1.3 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. CRI reported a net loss of $4.2 million and a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $4.3 million, or $(0.41) per diluted share, in the quarter ended June 30, 2026 versus a net loss of $1.8 million, or $(0.17) per diluted share, in the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA (defined later in this release) was $2.0 million in the second quarter of 2026 as compared to $1.1 million in the prior-year period. Balance SheetAs of June 30, 2026, the Company had cash on hand of approximately $10.7 million, versus $1.6 million at December 31, 2025. The Company had outstanding debt of approximately $46.6 million versus $44.0 million at the start of the fiscal year. Conference Call DetailsThe Company will host a conference call to review the results of the second quarter of 2026, and provide additional commentary about recent performance, today, August 13, at 9:00 am Eastern Time, which will include prepared remarks and materials from management, followed by a live Q&A. The call will be hosted by Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Tamra Koshewa, Chief Financial Officer, and George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to the call, participants should register at https://bit.ly/CREXearnings2Q2026. Once registered, participants can use the weblink provided in the registration email to participate in the live webcast. An archived edition of the earnings conference call will be posted on the Company’s website after the call and will remain available for one year. Use of Non-GAAP MeasuresThe Company prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company discloses information regarding “EBITDA” and “Adjusted EBITDA.” The Company defines “EBITDA” as earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization of intangibles. The Company defines “Adjusted EBITDA” as EBITDA excluding stock-based compensation, fair value adjustments and both cash and non-cash non-recurring gains and charges. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures of performance defined in accordance with GAAP. However, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are used internally in planning and evaluating the Company’s operating performance. Accordingly, management believes that disclosure of these metrics offers investors, bankers and other stakeholders an additional view of the Company’s operations that, when coupled with the GAAP results, provides a more complete understanding of the Company’s financial results. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income/(loss) or to net cash used in operating activities as measures of operating results or liquidity. Our calculation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies, and the measures exclude financial information that some may consider important in evaluating the Company’s performance. A reconciliation of GAAP net income/(loss) to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is included in the accompanying financial schedules. For further information, please refer to the Company’s filings available online at www.sec.gov, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Annualized recurring revenue, or “ARR,” represents the annualized revenue run rate of our subscription (1) software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) contracts, (2) maintenance and support of perpetual license contracts, and (3) content management service contracts at the end of the final calendar month included in a reporting period, assuming these contracts are renewed on their existing terms for customers that are under subscription contracts with us. This gives us an indication of the revenue that can be earned in the following 12-month period from our existing client base, assuming no cancellations or price changes occur during that period. We believe that ARR is a key operating metric to measure our business because it is driven by our ability to acquire new subscription customers and to maintain and expand our relationship with existing subscription customers. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue as ARR is a performance metric and is not intended to be combined with any of these items. For further information, please refer to the Company’s filings available online at www.sec.gov, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About Creative Realities, Inc.Creative Realities designs, develops and deploys digital signage-based experiences for enterprise-level networks utilizing its Clarity™, ReflectView™, and iShowroom™ Content Management System (CMS) platforms. The Company is actively providing recurring SaaS and support services across diverse vertical markets, including, but not limited to, retail, automotive, digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising networks, convenience stores, foodservice/QSR, gaming, theater, and stadium venues. In addition, the Company assists clients in utilizing place-based digital media to achieve business objectives such as increased revenue, enhanced customer experiences, and improved productivity. This includes the design, deployment, and day-to-day management of retail media networks to monetize on-premise foot traffic utilizing its AdLogic™ and CPM+™ programmatic advertising platforms. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and includes, among other things, discussions of our business strategies, product releases, future operations and capital resources. Words such as "estimates," "projects," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results. They are based on the opinions, estimates and beliefs of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these risks are discussed in the “Risk Factors” section contained in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and in any subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: our ability to integrate the acquired business of Cineplex Digital Media Inc. (“CDM”) into our own, maintain or improve the financial performance of CDM’s business and realize anticipated synergies, our strategy for customer retention, growth, product development, market position, financial results and reserves, our ability to execute on our business plan, our ability to retain key personnel, our ability to remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, our ability to realize the revenues included in our future guidance and backlog reports, our ability to satisfy our upcoming debt obligations and other liabilities, the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern, potential litigation, supply chain shortages, and general economic and market conditions impacting demand for our products and services. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances after the date hereof. All forward looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Contacts Media:Idea [email protected] Investor Relations:Chris [email protected] [email protected]://investors.cri.com/ RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET LOSS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA(in thousands, unaudited) Creative Realities, Inc. prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company discloses information regarding “EBITDA” and “Adjusted EBITDA.” CRI defines “EBITDA” as earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization of intangibles. CRI defines “Adjusted EBITDA” as EBITDA excluding stock-based compensation, fair value adjustments and both cash and non-cash non-recurring gains and charges. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures and should not be considered as a substitute for net income (loss), operating income (loss) or any other performance measure derived in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) or as an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities as a measure of CRI’s profitability or liquidity. CRI’s management believes EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are useful financial metrics because they allow external users of CRI’s financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies, to more effectively evaluate CRI’s operating performance, compare the results of its operations from period to period and against CRI’s peers and because it highlights trends in CRI’s business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on GAAP measures. CRI also presents EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA because it believes EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are important supplemental measures of its performance that are frequently used by others in evaluating companies in its industry. Because EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA exclude some, but not all, items that affect net income (loss) and may vary among companies, the EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA CRI presents may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. The following table presents a reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA from net (loss) income, CRI’s most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.
TranscriptFY2026 Q22026-08-13FY2026 Q2 earnings call transcript
Earnings source - 81 paragraphs
FY2026 Q2 earnings call transcript
Good morning. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to Creative Realities' 2026 second quarter earnings conference call. This call will be recorded and a copy will be available on the company's website at cri.com following its completion. Creative Realities has prepared remarks summarizing the interim reports for the quarter, along with additional industry and company updates. Joining the call today is Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Tamra Koshewa, Chief Financial Officer, and George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Corporate Development. Ms. Koshewa, you may begin.
Thank you, and good morning, everyone. Welcome to our earnings call for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that remarks today will include forward-looking statements. The words anticipated, will, believes, expects, intends, plans, estimates, projects, should, may, propose, and similar expressions or the negative versions of such words or expressions as they relate to us, our management, our operations, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such statements. Factors that could cause these results to differ materially are set forth in our Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements that we make on this call are based on assumptions and information as of today, and we undertake no obligation to update these statements after today. During this call, we will present both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures.
We believe the use of certain non-GAAP measures, such as adjusted EBITDA, ARR, and several other important key performance indicators, represent meaningful ways to track our performance. A reconciliation of GAAP to certain non-GAAP measures is included in our public filings and in our earnings release that was issued this morning. It is now my pleasure to introduce Rick Mills, CEO of Creative Realities. Rick?
Thanks, Tamra. Good morning, everybody. We appreciate you joining today's call. I'll start by giving some highlights of our quarterly financials and other recent developments. We posted revenue of $21.5 million in Q2 versus $13 million in the prior year period, including roughly $7.4 million from CDM. This is our best ever Q2 quarter revenue number and the second-largest revenue quarter ever in the history of CRI. We are pleased with the strong top-line growth and improved gross margins, which we expect this top-line growth and margin enhancement to continue for the balance of the year. Our second quarter gross profit was $8.3 million as compared to $5.0 million in fiscal 2025 quarter, and our consolidated gross margin was 38.6% versus 38.5% in the prior year period.
All trends are pointing in the right direction, and we believe we have tremendous upward momentum into the second half of the year. As of June 30, we had an annual recurring run rate, or ARR, of $20.5 million, up from $20.1 million last quarter. As we previously discussed, we have somewhere between $4 million and $5 million in backlog of ARR that will show up as we turn the clock and start 2027. So on January 1, that number automatically goes up significantly. Net loss attributable to common shareholders was $4.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, compared to a net loss of $1.8 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $2 million for the second quarter of 2026 versus $1.1 million last year.
Our financial results are improving, and our team is putting in the hard work to increase operating efficiencies and leverage opportunities across our much larger, technologically advanced, customer-centric organization. We have now completed the majority of the integration with CDM. We announced earlier this year, we expect to realize synergies of at least $10 million on an annualized basis. Currently, our run rate is approximately 75% of the total synergy number, or approximately $7.5 million has been realized. This will help us to drive adjusted EBITDA margins in the quarters to come as we scale revenue. As we grow our adjusted EBITDA, we expect to use the free cash flow to further de-lever the balance sheet, as many of you know, exactly as we have done in the past.
The bottom line is we remain on track for the best year ever as we anticipate Q3 will be the largest quarter of revenue in the company's history. We expect Q3 this quarter to significantly exceed Q4 2025 when we achieved $23.9 million in revenue. One other comment to note, we are also confident that Q4 will significantly exceed Q3 2026. So next two quarters, upward trajectory, tremendous growth. One other thing to note, we recently completed a follow-on offering, raising approximately $12 million in net proceeds to help strengthen the balance sheet and provide capital for future growth. One additional note about the capital raise. I personally, as the CEO, purchased 5% of the shares in the offering, and several other members of the leadership team participated in the offering. Clearly, we believe in and are committed to growing this business.
CRI is on track to be well-positioned for the next two quarters and 2027. I will come back in a minute to talk about some customer update, but will now turn it over to Tamra to share some additional comments on our second quarter financials. Tamra?
Thanks, Rick. An overview of our financial results for the second quarter of 2026 was provided in our earnings release filed this morning, which include the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2026, the statement of operations and cash flows for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026, and a detailed reconciliation of net income to EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, as well as the preceding four quarters. We anticipate filing the Form 10-Q for the second quarter tomorrow. While Rick provided our operating results briefly, let me provide more context related to our performance and outlook. Looking at the income statement, as Rick mentioned, second quarter sales rose to $21.5 million. This is an increase of $5.1 million compared to the first quarter and 65% higher than the same quarter in 2025.
CDM contributed $7.4 million during the quarter or 35% of the total. Sales from our legacy CRI business increased approximately 8% year-over-year, driven by new installs across multiple new customers, including catching up on some of the installs that were delayed from Q1. Hardware sales rose to $7.5 million versus $7.1 million in the prior year period, reflecting both new deployments and the inclusion of CDM. Service revenue more than doubled to $14 million from $6 million in fiscal 2025, reflecting $7 million of CDM service sales and positive growth in the legacy CRI business from new installs. Consolidated gross profit was $8.3 million in the second quarter of 2026 versus $5 million in the prior year period, and consolidated gross margin was 38.6% versus 38.5% in the second quarter of 2025.
Gross margin on hardware revenue was 17.2% during the quarter as compared to 25.1% in the prior year period, while gross margin on services amounted to 50.1% versus 54.4% in the second quarter of 2025. Hardware gross margins decreased year-over-year primarily due to mix, while service gross margin declined due to the expiration of higher margin customer contracts in 2025. We anticipate gross margin to increase quarter-over-quarter as we realize sales growth from new business. Sales and marketing expenses in the second quarter rose to $2 million versus $1.2 million in the prior year period, with CDM contributing approximately $500,000. General and administrative expenses were $9 million in the second quarter, compared to $5.2 million in fiscal 2025, the increase driven by $3.8 million in CDM expenses during the quarter. Legacy CRI G&A expenses were down approximately $400,000 year-over-year.
We remain on track to achieve the $10 million of synergies that Rick mentioned and other cost reductions that have previously been announced for fiscal 2026, while also investing in the business to accelerate growth going forward. We posted an operating loss of approximately $2.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, compared to an operating loss of $1.3 million in fiscal 2024, reflecting the items I just discussed. CRI reported a net loss of $4.2 million and a net loss attributable to common shareholders of $4.6 million or $0.43 per diluted share in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, versus a net loss of $1.8 million or $0.17 per diluted share in the prior year period.
Adjusted EBITDA rose to $2 million in the second quarter of 2026 as compared to $1.1 million in the prior year period, and a loss of $494,000 in the first quarter. While adjusted EBITDA greatly improved over Q1 results, we continue to anticipate that it and associated cash flows will further improve during the second half of fiscal 2026, given the forecasted business growth and cost initiatives previously discussed. In terms of the balance sheet, as of June 30th, 2026, the company had cash on hand of approximately $10.7 million versus $1.6 million at the start of 2026. As Rick mentioned, we completed an equity offering that raised net proceeds of approximately $12 million to provide capital for growth and strengthen the balance sheet. Our debt stood at $46.6 million at the end of the second quarter as compared to $44 million at the beginning of the fiscal year.
We had approximately $12.8 million of available liquidity under our revolving credit facility as of June 30th, 2026. We intend to use positive operating cash generation and the equity proceeds to support our growth projections, fund capital expenditures, and lower our debt when possible. We remain dedicated to maintaining an optimized capital structure in support of financial flexibility. We believe, given our recent capital raise and general positive outlook for the business, we are in a strong position to continue supporting this growth while strengthening the balance sheet. One other item to mention. We provided a comprehensive financial model and corresponding documentation to our auditors in support of alleviating the going concern that has been on our financial statements for multiple periods. The auditors have reviewed our analysis and have concluded that the going concern is no longer needed.
When our 10-Q is released tomorrow morning, the going concern language will not be there. We are confident in the plan we have laid out for the second half of 2026 and 2027 that models our ability to generate profitable growth and adequate cash flow and liquidity to sustain the business. I will now turn it back to Rick for additional comments around customer activities.
Thanks, Tamra. Great news about the removal of the going concern. Thanks for all the hard work. Okay, now some customer updates. I previously announced that we were selected as the official digital signage provider for the Tennessee Titans and the new Nissan Stadium under construction in Nashville, Tennessee. As a reminder, this is about an $8.5 million deal that includes the installation of thousands of displays in a full IPTV solution throughout the venue. We are on track for most of this revenue to be realized in 2026. Additional perspective on the retail media network grocery client. I can now say that this new customer is Albertsons, an incredible brand, well-known company with thousands of locations across the U.S. To our knowledge, it is the largest retail media network being deployed in the United States this year. This is being measured by screen count.
Why is Albertsons investing in this in-store media network? Why do in-store media networks work? All the reasons we have discussed on prior calls, but in Albertsons, think along these lines. 2,200 stores, 20 well-known store banners in 35 states. Think of the names Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, premium brands with locations all across the country. They get 36 million customers per week, which equates to 543 million annual customer trips. Tremendous network. We are thrilled to be part of it, and excited they are using our entire ad tech stack, our CMS, all the things we talked about previously. Another customer, AMC. As a reminder, April 13th, we announced a project to expand and modernize AMC Theatres in lobby media footprint across about 285 locations nationwide. This is a partnership between CRI and National CineMedia. They are the leading cinema advertising platform in the U.S.
This media network utilizes our CMS platforms, including ReflectView, and then our AdLogic ad tech solution to provide ad serving for all the screens. We have completed the test locations and are moving to full deployment this month. As we mentioned in the earnings press release, we are in the contract stage with two additional customers. One is a national cellular organization which operates more than 900 retail locations across 45 states. The other is a fast-growing QSR, which today operates more than 1,000 restaurants across 22 states. Both customers are converting existing screens with plans for significant growth over the next few years. These conversions, actually one conversion, will be completed by the end of September. The other conversion will be completed by the end of the year. They will help us grow our SaaS revenue in 2027. One additional customer to talk about.
We are in the process of migrating all of the Lexus Toyota dealerships in Canada to our CMS platform. This engagement includes significant creative work to be delivered by our team. It includes approximately 300 locations, and it will generate a couple hundred thousand USD a year in SaaS and creative services. In closing, I want to take a moment and point out to everyone our plans to go big, scale up, and focus on the enterprise customer is working. We believe we have reached the stage where our profitability will grow quickly as we layer on additional business. Our sales pipeline is strong and most importantly, continues to grow significantly. The combined teams in the U.S. and Canada are working well together and frankly, delivering exceptional customer value. The reception from the customer to the new combined CRI has been significant.
I want to do a quick shout-out to the new members of our C-suite who joined CRI in the last seven months. Dan McAllister, Jackie Walker, and Tamra on this call. They are all having a significant impact in the business. As they take over the daily operations, and they truly are starting to run the business, I am turning my focus on strategic growth areas in the marketplace where CRI will have an advantage over our much smaller competitors. Expect more to come in the future as I talk about that in future quarters. With that, we will now move to the Q&A portion of the call. Please go ahead, operator.
Certainly. As a reminder, to ask a question, please press star 1 1 on your telephone and wait for your name to be announced. To withdraw your question, please press star 1 1 again. Please stand by while we compile our Q&A roster. Our first question will be coming from the line of Jason Kreyer of Craig-Hallum. Your line is open, Jason.
Great. Thanks, guys. Rick, great to hear all the deal flow that's happening. Particularly on the Albertsons front, good to hear things are moving in the right direction there. Can you maybe talk about what work, if any, has been done thus far? When you look at getting a big deal like that in the retail media sector, what does that do for prospects in the pipeline? Do you think that opens up more retail media opportunities, or does that accelerate conversations you're already having?
Certainly does. I'll come back to that, but I'll answer the first part of your question first. As of today, we have converted about 3,000 screens, and we're currently running at 3,000 screens across 220 to 250 locations. We take over the deployment of those screens and the deployment of players and all the technology here. Over the next 30 days, that'll transition to us from, they've had a plethora of suppliers doing it. It'll all consolidate, and we'll finish out the rest of phase 1. Currently today, they're running about 1 million ads a day, Jason. It's very successful for them. They're excited. They're using our CMS, our ad tech, et cetera. In terms of what it does for the pipeline, I got to tell you, it strengthens our position.
As you know, we like claim that we're one of the top three providers of retail media networks in the U.S. or North America today, the U.S. and Canada. Certainly having a customer like Albertsons backs it up. We, again, have three or four customers today that have chosen our ad tech. You've got Albertsons, of course. 7-Eleven using our ad tech at now over 2,000 stores. Macy's. Best Buy's adopted our ad tech. With growing references of that type of blue-chip brands, we expect that to accelerate our retail media network pipeline.
That's great. We've also heard a lot about the challenges facing one of your competitors. It seems like that would create a great opportunity for Creative Realities. Can you just talk about the early discussions that you're having with customers in the pipeline and what the prospects look like there?
As I stated on the call earlier, Jason, here we have two customers who are in contracting stages right now. Both have to be converted. One actually came from that competitor. The other was not. The other was a new, came from a different platform. We are gaining customers. We do expect the pipeline was enhanced as that customer ran into some trouble, or that other supplier or competitor of ours ran into trouble. It certainly has helped our pipeline. But we do expect to be closing multiple quote logos on a quarterly basis on a go-forward basis. We're excited about it.
Terrific. Last question from me. Given the deals that you've already won, the deployment pipeline you have today, if we combine that with the things that you have in your pipeline that you just alluded to, wondering if you can talk about how that changes your visibility as we look toward 2027 and gives you maybe a little bit better predictability around the financials.
It certainly gives us better predictability because when you have seven, eight, nine additional customers come on that are doing deployments or SaaS, if you will, on a consistent monthly basis, we think we have entered the new stage where our revenue, as we enter 2027, will be much more predictable than it has in the past. We've been working on this for many years for this to catch up, and I would tell you that it's finally here. It's finally caught up or catching up. We are incredibly bullish about 2027. I would also point out the comments I made earlier. We expect our Q3 to be the largest quarter in the company's history. Oh, by the way, we expect Q4 to be significantly larger than Q3. That tells you there is pending revenue coming our way.
All right. Great to hear. Thanks a lot, Rick.
Thank you, Jason.
Our next question will come from the line of Brian Kinstlinger of Alliance Global Partners. Your line is open, Brian.
Hey, Brian.
And your line is open.
Brian's never this quiet.
Okay.
Go ahead.
Can you hear me?
There you go.
Hello?
We hear you now, Brian.
Huh, interesting. I never hit mute, and I was on mute. Sorry about that. I was saying hi to you, Rick. On the strong rewards and second half ramp in revenue, I am curious with what is known, how you see the split between services and hardware.
We see the SaaS continuing to grow from a services perspective, Brian. There is some hardware in the second half growth, but most of it is all services related, which leads to, in theory, you should see the composite margin of the company increase in Q3, but even particularly Q4.
Yeah. That margin's improving on mix. Maybe you could touch on, there were a few comments on each of the pieces, the services and the hardware. Obviously, there's inflation, supply chain issues. How are you adjusting prices? Will we see margin recover at all in hardware specifically? On the service side, maybe speak to pricing trends.
Pricing trends on the services, there's been some downward pressure, Brian, just due to when you have competitors suffering in the marketplace as they lose market share or their business falters, that tends to put pressure on price. We've been able to withstand that to a great extent, but it's always a challenge. In terms of hardware, we expect hardware margins to continue to be under pressure through the balance of this year. We do expect in 2027 to get some additional relief in hardware margins. We believe we will expand them again in 2027.
Got it. Just one more question just to make sure I heard it right. One or two pending negotiations or wins, it's August, and you expect to deliver by the end of September. Is it because you have the screens in inventory? I'm just trying to reconcile expecting to complete an installation that quickly.
That one is their quote or is no installs, its conversion of every one of their stores over to our platform. So they already have hardware in place. They already have players in place. We've developed scripts to go take over every one of their 1,000 locations, quote, remotely, and it will deploy our CMS and all new content, and that literally will be done by the end of September. Now, out of that customer in November, December, I then expect to pick up new builds and new construction, new store openings all throughout 2027. But there is no large hardware chunk that goes with the initial conversion. Make sense, Brian?
Totally. Thank you so much. Great focus on all the awards.
Yep.
Brian, let me just clarify a couple things that Rick was talking about with respect to your question on service versus hardware in the second half. We do expect that the third quarter is going to have a higher percentage of hardware revenues given the installs that we're planning for the third quarter, in particular, the Tennessee Titans. But in the fourth quarter, we expect it to get back to the level that it was in Q2. Also because in the fourth quarter, remember, we have a large media revenue base that will come online that we'll experience similar to what we did last year with the CDM media business.
Great. Understood. Thank you.
Our next question will be coming from the line of Jon Hickman of Ladenburg. Your line is open.
Hi. On the margin side of things, is there some longer-term target gross margin that you are after that you could share with us?
Jon, I think ideally, we'd like to, as we enter 2027, get back out of the 30s, back into the 40s. Tamara, I'll let you add any comments, but just generally, we've had margin compression of 5 or 6, and we're trying to get that back as we enter 2027 through enhanced product mix, et cetera. Tamara, anything to add?
Yeah, I think that's correct. We have seen both the inflation as well as the mix of our revenues bring the margins down compared to last year. As we build that SaaS space, then we can start to get back closer to that 40% plus target. But we're still going to be short of that this year. Certainly, in the second half we'll see some improvements, but really not until 2027 when we get more of that SaaS revenue flowing through the P&L, then we'll start to get a lift on the margin rate.
Yeah. I would-
If you had-
Jon, let me just add one fact.
Go ahead.
The point is, if you think to my earlier comments, we've got about 4 million, certainly 3.5 million to 4 million of seeded SaaS already that is, we'll quote, "magically turn on" on January 1. So that in itself brings incredible high margin to the mix right away, so that alone could push us up. We haven't done the math. Could push us up, the composite up 2 points, the moment that turns on January 1. Go ahead and ask your question. Sorry.
Okay, if you have the kind of margins you would like in the, say, low 40% range, if you had that now, you would need another $6 million or so in revenues to break even on an operation basis. Do I have that? Does that math work out?
Yeah, I think that's reasonable to assume.
Okay. Any comments on Culver's and on the lottery stuff that's going on?
Culver's, it continues to go well. We continue to deploy every month. We are installing new drive-throughs. There is, I think, a three-year target to complete all of their restaurants. That's their target, not ours. We are certainly well on track. In terms of the lottery, we're seeing a lot of traction. We're in significant discussions with seven, eight additional lotteries right now. North Carolina Education Lottery has talked about some significant expansion in 2027. I don't have orders today as we speak, but they continue to be extremely pleased and are looking to, and continue to grow their lottery network in 2027. We would expect to have some announcements as we get closer to year-end about a lottery expansion in 2027.
Okay. Thank you.
Our next question will be coming from the line of Kevin Sheldon, a private investor. Your line is open.
Hello?
Hey, Kevin.
How are you, sir?
Doing great. Yourself?
All things considered, not bad.
Good.
Just quick, I guess it's a two-part question or multiple, but regarding the SG&A being at $9 million, where do you need to be revenue-wise to be able to cover that? Or are there plans to improve efficiency so that that number isn't as large?
It's really a combination of both. We expect the next two quarters to add significant ongoing revenue to the business that we will certainly be north of 25, closer to 30, if not exceed $30 million on a quarterly basis. We believe that's in the imminent future, Kevin. Number two, we've taken out $7.5 million. It has not all showed up, but it's already been done. It will show up as we enter 2027. We've got a couple million of additional costs that we want to take out throughout 2027 as we migrate. We have customers on other networks. They're not running our software today. They're our customer, but they're running on third-party platforms that do cost us money. The goal is to migrate them over to our platforms in 2027.
It is a combination of taking some SG&A out, leaving our expenses flat as the top line grows fairly significantly here over the next 3, 4 quarters.
Thank you. I am good.
Just one other thing I would like to mention with respect to the G&A. What rolls in there is a fairly large amortization accounting expense for leases that we have in our mall network, and that amortization changes as we go throughout the year, and it is a non-cash amortization that is just required for the way that we book that. That certainly increases in certain periods of the year and then decreases back down. It is not related to actual hard G&A costs that we can take out.
Thanks for the clarification.
Yeah, well said, Tamara.
I would now like to turn the call back to Rick for closing remarks.
Okay. I just do want to do a quick shout-out. I am going to give special thanks. At CRI, we have about 230 employees now. I want to thank all of them for their incredible effort this year. I use the term, what a great, sometimes crazy journey, this acquisition of CDM and putting the companies together and emerging as one of the top three competitors in North America. It has been pretty special. It has been fun, but we couldn't have gotten without the hard work of all the CRI employees, so special shout-out to them. Let me conclude the call by thanking all our shareholders, clients, and partners for your continuing efforts, commitment, and support as we work together to transform CRI into the leading brand in digital signage solutions. We look forward to speaking with you again next quarter. Thanks.
This concludes today's conference call. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-08-12Earnings To Watch: Creative Realities Inc (CREX) Q2 2026 -- GF Value Sees 117% Upside
GuruFocus.com
Earnings To Watch: Creative Realities Inc (CREX) Q2 2026 -- GF Value Sees 117% Upside
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) is set to release its Q2 2026 earnings on Aug 13, 2026. The consensus estimate for Q2 2026 revenue is 21.74 million, and the earnings are expected to come in at -0.24 per share. The full year 2026's revenue is expected to be $101.55 million and the earnings are expected to be $-0.53 per share. More detailed estimate data can be found on the Forecast page Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with CREX. Is CREX fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Revenue estimates for Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) have increased from $100.86 million to $101.55 million for the full year 2026 and increased from $112.51 million to $114.34 million for 2027 over the past 90 days. Earnings estimates for Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) have declined from $-0.1 per share to $-0.53 per share for the full year 2026 and declined from $0.26 per share to $0.01 per share for 2027 over the past 90 days. In the previous quarter of 2026-03-31, Creative Realities Inc's (NASDAQ:CREX) actual revenue was $16.35 million, which missed analysts' revenue expectations of $16.516 million by -1.02%. Creative Realities Inc's (NASDAQ:CREX) actual earnings were $-0.74 per share, which missed analysts' earnings expectations of $-0.245 per share by -202.04%. After releasing the results, Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) was up by 4.11% in one day. Based on the one-year price targets offered by 4 analysts, the average target price for Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) is $8.13 with a high estimate of $10 and a low estimate of $7. The average target implies an upside of 170.83% from the current price of $3. Based on GuruFocus estimates, the estimated GF Value for Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) in one year is $6.51, suggesting an upside of 117% from the current price of $3. Based on the consensus recommendation from 4 brokerage firms, Creative Realities Inc's (NASDAQ:CREX) average brokerage recommendation is currently 1.8, indicating a "Outperform" status. The rating scale ranges from 1 to 5, where 1 signifies Strong Buy, and 5 denotes Sell.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-08-04Creative Realities, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Release Date and Conference Call Information
GlobeNewswire
Creative Realities, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Release Date and Conference Call Information
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Realities, Inc. ("Creative Realities," "CRI," or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CREX), a leading provider of digital signage and media solutions, announced today that it will release its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2026 before the market open on Thursday, August 13, 2026. A conference call to review the results is scheduled for Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 9:00 am Eastern Time, which will include prepared remarks and materials from management followed by a live Q&A. The call will be hosted by Rick Mills, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tamra Koshewa, Chief Financial Officer and George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to the call, participants should register at https://bit.ly/CREXearnings2Q2026. Once registered, participants can use the weblink provided in the registration email to participate in the live webcast. An archived edition of the earnings conference call will be posted on our website and will remain available for one year. About Creative Realities, Inc.Creative Realities designs, develops and deploys digital signage-based experiences for enterprise-level networks utilizing its Clarity™, ReflectView™, and iShowroom™ Content Management System (CMS) platforms. The Company is actively providing recurring SaaS and support services across diverse vertical markets, including but not limited to retail, automotive, digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising networks, convenience stores, foodservice/QSR, gaming, theater, and stadium venues. In addition, the Company assists clients in utilizing place-based digital media to achieve business objectives such as increased revenue, enhanced customer experiences, and improved productivity. This includes the design, deployment, and day to day management of Retail Media Networks to monetize on-premise foot traffic utilizing its AdLogic™ and AdLogic CPM+™ programmatic advertising platforms. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and includes, among other things, discussions of our business strategies, product releases, future operations and capital resources. Words such as…Read full documentShow less
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Realities, Inc. ("Creative Realities," "CRI," or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CREX), a leading provider of digital signage and media solutions, announced today that it will release its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2026 before the market open on Thursday, August 13, 2026. A conference call to review the results is scheduled for Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 9:00 am Eastern Time, which will include prepared remarks and materials from management followed by a live Q&A. The call will be hosted by Rick Mills, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tamra Koshewa, Chief Financial Officer and George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to the call, participants should register at https://bit.ly/CREXearnings2Q2026. Once registered, participants can use the weblink provided in the registration email to participate in the live webcast. An archived edition of the earnings conference call will be posted on our website and will remain available for one year. About Creative Realities, Inc.Creative Realities designs, develops and deploys digital signage-based experiences for enterprise-level networks utilizing its Clarity™, ReflectView™, and iShowroom™ Content Management System (CMS) platforms. The Company is actively providing recurring SaaS and support services across diverse vertical markets, including but not limited to retail, automotive, digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising networks, convenience stores, foodservice/QSR, gaming, theater, and stadium venues. In addition, the Company assists clients in utilizing place-based digital media to achieve business objectives such as increased revenue, enhanced customer experiences, and improved productivity. This includes the design, deployment, and day to day management of Retail Media Networks to monetize on-premise foot traffic utilizing its AdLogic™ and AdLogic CPM+™ programmatic advertising platforms. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and includes, among other things, discussions of our business strategies, product releases, future operations and capital resources. Words such as "estimates," "projects," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results. They are based on the opinions, estimates and beliefs of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these risks are discussed in the “Risk Factors” section contained in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the Company’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: our ability to integrate the acquired business operations of Cineplex Digital Media Inc. (“CDM”) into our own, maintain or improve the financial performance of CDM’s business and realize anticipated synergies, our strategy for customer retention, growth, product development, market position, financial results and reserves, our ability to execute on our business plan, our ability to retain key personnel, our ability to remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, our ability to realize the revenues included in our future guidance and backlog reports, our ability to satisfy our upcoming debt obligations and other liabilities, the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern, potential litigation, supply chain shortages, and general economic and market conditions impacting demand for our products and services. Readers should not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Contacts: Media:Idea [email protected] Investor Relations:Chris Witty, Darrow [email protected] [email protected]://investors.cri.com
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-05-16Creative Realities Inc (CREX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Revenue Surge Amidst Challenges
GuruFocus.com
Creative Realities Inc (CREX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Revenue Surge Amidst Challenges
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Revenue: $16.3 million in Q1 2026, up from $9.7 million in Q1 2025. Gross Profit: $5.6 million in Q1 2026, compared to $4.5 million in Q1 2025. Gross Margin: 34.2% in Q1 2026, down from 45.7% in Q1 2025. Net Loss: $7.9 million for Q1 2026, compared to net income of $3.4 million in Q1 2025. Adjusted EBITDA: Negative $0.5 million in Q1 2026, compared to positive $0.5 million in Q1 2025. Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR): $20.1 million as of March 31, 2026, with an additional $4 million contracted to start at year-end. Cash on Hand: $2.3 million as of March 31, 2026. Debt: $47.5 million as of March 31, 2026. Sales and Marketing Expenses: $2.9 million in Q1 2026, up from $1.2 million in Q1 2025. General and Administrative Expenses: $8.9 million in Q1 2026, up from $3.9 million in Q1 2025. Hardware Revenue: $4.6 million in Q1 2026, up from $3.4 million in Q1 2025. Service Revenue: $11.8 million in Q1 2026, up from $6.3 million in Q1 2025. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 8 Warning Signs with CREX. Is CREX fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: May 15, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) reported a significant increase in revenue for Q1 2026, reaching $16.3 million compared to $9.7 million in the prior year period. The company secured a major contract as the official digital signage provider for the Tennessee Titans and the new Nissan Stadium, valued at $8.5 million. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) announced a partnership with Dairy Queen in North America, which is expected to expand annual revenue by $1 million to $2 million. The company is in the final stages of contracting for a significant retail media network deployment, which could result in substantial sales of hardware, SaaS, and AdTech revenue. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) remains on track to achieve premerger cost savings of at least $10 million on an annualized basis by the end of 2026. The company's Q1 2026 revenue was negatively impacted by approximately $4 million due to extreme cold weather in the Southeast US, delaying new construction projects. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) reported a net loss of $7.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to net income of $3.4 million in the pr…Read full documentShow less
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Revenue: $16.3 million in Q1 2026, up from $9.7 million in Q1 2025. Gross Profit: $5.6 million in Q1 2026, compared to $4.5 million in Q1 2025. Gross Margin: 34.2% in Q1 2026, down from 45.7% in Q1 2025. Net Loss: $7.9 million for Q1 2026, compared to net income of $3.4 million in Q1 2025. Adjusted EBITDA: Negative $0.5 million in Q1 2026, compared to positive $0.5 million in Q1 2025. Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR): $20.1 million as of March 31, 2026, with an additional $4 million contracted to start at year-end. Cash on Hand: $2.3 million as of March 31, 2026. Debt: $47.5 million as of March 31, 2026. Sales and Marketing Expenses: $2.9 million in Q1 2026, up from $1.2 million in Q1 2025. General and Administrative Expenses: $8.9 million in Q1 2026, up from $3.9 million in Q1 2025. Hardware Revenue: $4.6 million in Q1 2026, up from $3.4 million in Q1 2025. Service Revenue: $11.8 million in Q1 2026, up from $6.3 million in Q1 2025. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 8 Warning Signs with CREX. Is CREX fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: May 15, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) reported a significant increase in revenue for Q1 2026, reaching $16.3 million compared to $9.7 million in the prior year period. The company secured a major contract as the official digital signage provider for the Tennessee Titans and the new Nissan Stadium, valued at $8.5 million. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) announced a partnership with Dairy Queen in North America, which is expected to expand annual revenue by $1 million to $2 million. The company is in the final stages of contracting for a significant retail media network deployment, which could result in substantial sales of hardware, SaaS, and AdTech revenue. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) remains on track to achieve premerger cost savings of at least $10 million on an annualized basis by the end of 2026. The company's Q1 2026 revenue was negatively impacted by approximately $4 million due to extreme cold weather in the Southeast US, delaying new construction projects. Creative Realities Inc (NASDAQ:CREX) reported a net loss of $7.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to net income of $3.4 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA was negative $0.5 million for Q1 2026, a decline from a positive $0.5 million in the previous year. The company's gross margin decreased to 34.2% from 45.7% in the prior year period, affected by a onetime event involving the termination of a CDM legacy subcontractor. Sales and marketing expenses rose significantly to $2.9 million in Q1 2026 from $1.2 million in the prior year, contributing to the operating loss. Q: Can you discuss the opportunity in football stadiums following your win with the Tennessee Titans? A: Richard Mills, CEO: We are pleased to have landed the Tennessee Titans stadium, marking our second NFL stadium project. Our first was with the Dallas Cowboys, where we manage 3,300 screens. Cracking the NFL is significant, and we are pursuing multiple other NFL teams for stadium upgrades or menu board operations. Our IPTV group is on track to double this year. Q: Regarding the Retail Media Network (RMN) opportunity, is this a new customer, and when do you expect the project to start? A: Richard Mills, CEO: The process is no longer competitive; we have received a verbal award. We anticipate deploying in June or shipping products in June and deploying in July. We took over the project from a competitor and successfully completed a total store takeover recently. Q: What are the potential costs and benefits of the RMN deal for CRI? A: Richard Mills, CEO: The referenceability of this project is significant. If successful, it will be a top-tier retail media network with full closed-loop attribution at the cash register, a first in the US. This positions CRI as a leader in retail media networks. Q: Can you size the Total Contract Value (TCV) and recurring revenue opportunity for the RMN project? A: Richard Mills, CEO: This year, we expect to deploy 10,000 screens and 20,000 data-gathering devices, expanding to 60,000 devices by mid-2027. The ongoing SaaS revenue is expected to be in the $6 million to $8 million range when fully deployed. Q: What is the current revenue contribution from the Dairy Queen contract, and how does it compare to previous contributions? A: Richard Mills, CEO: Previously, the revenue was about $2 million to $2.5 million annually. With the expansion to include Drive-Thru, we expect it to grow to $4 million to $5 million, driven by additional SaaS and hardware installations. Q: What percentage of QSRs in North America have digital drive-thrus, and what is the growth potential? A: Richard Mills, CEO: There are approximately 210,000 to 220,000 QSRs with drive-thrus in the US, with less than 40% penetration of digital drive-thrus. McDonald's and Taco Bell, who have fully rolled out digital, make up the largest component of the installed base. Q: How does CRI engage with franchisees who did not initially opt into digital programs? A: Richard Mills, CEO: We work jointly with the franchisor to engage franchisees who have not installed digital solutions. Installing digital improves throughput and profitability, benefiting both franchisees and franchisors. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-05-15Creative Realities Reports Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results
GlobeNewswire
Creative Realities Reports Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results
Company on Path for Growth Acceleration and Record Year of Performance LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Realities, Inc. (“Creative Realities,” “CRI,” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CREX), a leading provider of digital signage, media and AdTech solutions, today announced its financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended March 31, 2026. Highlights: First quarter revenue of $16.3 million versus $9.7 million in the prior-year period. Gross profit of $5.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 versus $4.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2025. Adjusted EBITDA* of $(0.5) million for the first quarter of 2026 versus $0.5 million in the prior-year period. Annualized recurring revenue (“ARR”)** of approximately $20.1 million at both the end of the first quarter and as of December 31, 2025. “The first quarter played out largely as expected, with top line growth year-over-year but, as previously discussed, revenue was negatively impacted by several winter storms and other seasonal factors across much of our operating footprint,” said Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer. “We expect the remainder of fiscal 2026 to show stronger sales based on our current book of business, a strong pipeline of new opportunities and growth from the acquisition of CDM. With the integration of this transaction substantially complete, we are investing in our people and business development initiatives with the goals of accelerating the Company’s revenue trajectory and improving profit margins through both synergy realization and cost leverage. We’re excited by the growth we see on the horizon, and the second quarter is already off to a great start in terms of new installations and customer engagement. Overall, we continue to be positioned for our best year ever and look forward to achieving a higher level of success in the quarters to come.” *Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. A reconciliation is provided in the tables of this press release. **Annualized Recurring Revenue is a non-GAAP operating metric 2026 First Quarter Financial Results Sales were $16.3 million for the fiscal 2026 first quarter as compared to $9.7 million in the same period in fiscal 2025, with approximately $7.9 million in the current year quarter from the acquisition of Cineplex Digital Media (“CDM”). Hardware revenue rose to $4.6 million, versus $3.4 million in…Read full documentShow less
Company on Path for Growth Acceleration and Record Year of Performance LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Realities, Inc. (“Creative Realities,” “CRI,” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CREX), a leading provider of digital signage, media and AdTech solutions, today announced its financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended March 31, 2026. Highlights: First quarter revenue of $16.3 million versus $9.7 million in the prior-year period. Gross profit of $5.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 versus $4.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2025. Adjusted EBITDA* of $(0.5) million for the first quarter of 2026 versus $0.5 million in the prior-year period. Annualized recurring revenue (“ARR”)** of approximately $20.1 million at both the end of the first quarter and as of December 31, 2025. “The first quarter played out largely as expected, with top line growth year-over-year but, as previously discussed, revenue was negatively impacted by several winter storms and other seasonal factors across much of our operating footprint,” said Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer. “We expect the remainder of fiscal 2026 to show stronger sales based on our current book of business, a strong pipeline of new opportunities and growth from the acquisition of CDM. With the integration of this transaction substantially complete, we are investing in our people and business development initiatives with the goals of accelerating the Company’s revenue trajectory and improving profit margins through both synergy realization and cost leverage. We’re excited by the growth we see on the horizon, and the second quarter is already off to a great start in terms of new installations and customer engagement. Overall, we continue to be positioned for our best year ever and look forward to achieving a higher level of success in the quarters to come.” *Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. A reconciliation is provided in the tables of this press release. **Annualized Recurring Revenue is a non-GAAP operating metric 2026 First Quarter Financial Results Sales were $16.3 million for the fiscal 2026 first quarter as compared to $9.7 million in the same period in fiscal 2025, with approximately $7.9 million in the current year quarter from the acquisition of Cineplex Digital Media (“CDM”). Hardware revenue rose to $4.6 million, versus $3.4 million in the prior-year period, while service revenue increased to $11.8 million from $6.3 million in fiscal 2025, largely reflecting the impact of the CDM transaction as well as deployment timing. Total sales declined sequentially from the fiscal 2025 fourth quarter due to normal seasonal factors along with installation delays tied to extreme weather conditions impacting parts of North America. Consolidated gross profit was $5.6 million for the fiscal 2026 first quarter versus $4.5 million in the prior-year period, and consolidated gross margin was 34.2% versus 45.7% in the fiscal 2025 first quarter, reflecting a higher percentage of lower-margin hardware revenue compared to the prior-year period. Gross margin on hardware revenue was 14.0% in fiscal 2026 as compared to 32.1% in the prior-year period, while gross margin on services amounted to 42.0%, versus 53.0% in the fiscal 2025 first quarter. Hardware gross margin decreased year-over-year primarily due to an unusually high mix of QSR deployments during the period and significant one-time costs ($0.5 million) associated with transitioning away from an outsourced installer of a large CDM customer. Service gross margin declined year-over-year largely due to the expiration of certain customer contracts in 2025. The Company ended the 2026 first quarter with ARR of approximately $20.1 million. Sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter rose to $2.9 million, versus $1.2 million in the prior-year period, while general and administrative (G&A) expenses increased to $8.9 million versus $3.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, primarily a result of the inclusion of CDM. The Company posted an operating loss of approximately $6.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to an operating loss of $0.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2025. CRI reported a net loss of $7.5 million and a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $7.9 million, or $(0.74) per diluted share, in the quarter ended March 31, 2026 versus net income of $3.4 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, in the prior-year period. The fiscal 2025 first quarter included a $4.8 million gain on the settlement of a contingent liability. Adjusted EBITDA (defined later in this release) was $(0.5) million in the first quarter of 2026 as compared to $0.5 million in the prior-year period. Balance Sheet As of March 31, 2026, the Company had cash on hand of approximately $1.8 million, versus $1.6 million at December 31, 2025. The Company had outstanding debt of approximately $47.5 million versus $44.0 million at the start of the fiscal year. Conference Call Details The Company will host a conference call to review the results of the first quarter of 2026, and provide additional commentary about recent performance, on May 15 at 9:00 am Eastern Time, which will include prepared remarks and materials from management, followed by a live Q&A. The call will be hosted by Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Tamra Koshewa, Chief Financial Officer, and George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to the call, participants should register at https://bit.ly/CREXearnings1Q2026. Once registered, participants can use the weblink provided in the registration email to participate in the live webcast. An archived edition of the earnings conference call will also be posted on the Company’s website later today and will remain available for one year. Use of Non-GAAP Measures The Company prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company discloses information regarding “EBITDA” and “Adjusted EBITDA.” The Company defines “EBITDA” as earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization of intangibles. The Company defines “Adjusted EBITDA” as EBITDA excluding stock-based compensation, fair value adjustments and both cash and non-cash non-recurring gains and charges. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures of performance defined in accordance with GAAP. However, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are used internally in planning and evaluating the Company’s operating performance. Accordingly, management believes that disclosure of these metrics offers investors, bankers and other stakeholders an additional view of the Company’s operations that, when coupled with the GAAP results, provides a more complete understanding of the Company’s financial results. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income/(loss) or to net cash used in operating activities as measures of operating results or liquidity. Our calculation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies, and the measures exclude financial information that some may consider important in evaluating the Company’s performance. A reconciliation of GAAP net income/(loss) to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is included in the accompanying financial schedules. For further information, please refer to the Company’s filings available online at www.sec.gov, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Annualized recurring revenue, or “ARR,” represents the annualized revenue run rate of our subscription (1) software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) contracts, (2) maintenance and support of perpetual license contracts, and (3) content management service contracts at the end of the final calendar month included in a reporting period, assuming these contracts are renewed on their existing terms for customers that are under subscription contracts with us. This gives us an indication of the revenue that can be earned in the following 12-month period from our existing client base, assuming no cancellations or price changes occur during that period. We believe that ARR is a key operating metric to measure our business because it is driven by our ability to acquire new subscription customers and to maintain and expand our relationship with existing subscription customers. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue as ARR is a performance metric and is not intended to be combined with any of these items. For further information, please refer to the Company’s filings available online at www.sec.gov, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About Creative Realities, Inc. Creative Realities designs, develops and deploys digital signage-based experiences for enterprise-level networks utilizing its Clarity™, ReflectView™, and iShowroom™ Content Management System (CMS) platforms. The Company is actively providing recurring SaaS and support services across diverse vertical markets, including, but not limited to, retail, automotive, digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising networks, convenience stores, foodservice/QSR, gaming, theater, and stadium venues. In addition, the Company assists clients in utilizing place-based digital media to achieve business objectives such as increased revenue, enhanced customer experiences, and improved productivity. This includes the design, deployment, and day-to-day management of retail media networks to monetize on-premise foot traffic utilizing its AdLogic™ and CPM+™ programmatic advertising platforms. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and includes, among other things, discussions of our business strategies, product releases, future operations and capital resources. Words such as "estimates," "projects," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results. They are based on the opinions, estimates and beliefs of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these risks are discussed in the “Risk Factors” section contained in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the Company’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: our ability to integrate the recently acquired business of Cineplex Digital Media Inc. (“CDM”) into our own, maintain or improve the financial performance of CDM’s business and realize anticipated synergies, our strategy for customer retention, growth, product development, market position, financial results and reserves, our ability to execute on our business plan, our ability to retain key personnel, our ability to remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, our ability to realize the revenues included in our future guidance and backlog reports, our ability to satisfy our upcoming debt obligations and other liabilities, the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern, potential litigation, supply chain shortages, and general economic and market conditions impacting demand for our products and services. Readers should not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Contacts Media: Idea Grove [email protected] Investor Relations: Chris Witty [email protected] 646-438-9385 [email protected] https://investors.cri.com/ RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET LOSS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA (in thousands, unaudited) Creative Realities, Inc. prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company discloses information regarding “EBITDA” and “Adjusted EBITDA.” CRI defines “EBITDA” as earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization of intangibles. CRI defines “Adjusted EBITDA” as EBITDA excluding stock-based compensation, fair value adjustments and both cash and non-cash non-recurring gains and charges. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures and should not be considered as a substitute for net income (loss), operating income (loss) or any other performance measure derived in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) or as an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities as a measure of CRI’s profitability or liquidity. CRI’s management believes EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are useful financial metrics because they allow external users of CRI’s financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies, to more effectively evaluate CRI’s operating performance, compare the results of its operations from period to period and against CRI’s peers and because it highlights trends in CRI’s business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on GAAP measures. CRI also presents EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA because it believes EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are important supplemental measures of its performance that are frequently used by others in evaluating companies in its industry. Because EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA exclude some, but not all, items that affect net income (loss) and may vary among companies, the EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA CRI presents may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. The following table presents a reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA from net (loss) income, CRI’s most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.
TranscriptFY2026 Q12026-05-15FY2026 Q1 earnings call transcript
Earnings source - 57 paragraphs
FY2026 Q1 earnings call transcript
Good morning. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to Creative Realities' 2026 first quarter earnings conference call. This call will be recorded, and a copy will be available on the company's website at cri.com following its completion. Creative Realities has prepared remarks summarizing the interim results for the quarter, along with additional industry and company updates. Joining the call today is Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Tamra Koshewa, Chief Financial Officer, and George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Corporate Development. Mrs. Koshewa, you may proceed.
Thank you, and good morning, everyone. Welcome to our earnings call for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that remarks today will include forward-looking statements. The words anticipated, will, believes, expects, intends, plans, estimates, projects, should, may, propose, and similar expressions or the negative versions of such words or expressions as they relate to us, our management, or operations, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such statements. Factors that could cause these results to differ materially are set forth in our Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements that we make on this call are based on assumptions as of today, and we undertake no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events.
During this call, we will present both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. We believe the use of certain non-GAAP measures, such as adjusted EBITDA and several other important key performance indicators, represent meaningful ways to track our performance. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures is included in our public filings and in our earnings release that was issued this morning. It is now my pleasure to introduce Rick Mills, CEO of Creative Realities.
Thanks, Tamra. Good morning, everybody. We appreciate you joining today's call. I'll start by giving some highlights of our quarterly financials and some, you know, other recent developments. Tamra will go over the results in greater detail, but we posted revenue of $16.3 million in Q1 versus $9.7 million in the prior year period, including $7.9 million from our CDM acquisition. Our revenue in Q1 was negatively affected by approximately $4 million in revenue. This was due to the extreme cold weather across the Southeast U.S., well, typically it slows down all new construction, and more specifically, in North Carolina in February, due to a major snowstorm that paralyzed most of the state. Our first quarter gross profit was $5.6 million as compared to $4.5 million in fiscal 2025.
Our consolidated gross margin was 34.2% versus 45.7% in the prior year period. The gross profit and gross margin were affected by a one-time event as we terminated a CDM legacy subcontractor, which reduced gross margin by approximately a $500,000. The approximate $4 million of revenue, it's not lost, it's just delayed. February and March new location openings were pushed out until April and May. We had 500 locations we were installing for a lottery customer that were going to be installed in Q1. This revenue shifted from Q1 into Q2, some of the locations will shift from Q2 to Q3. We expect our second quarter results to improve compared to the first quarter, with the remainder of 2026 showing growth acceleration and margin expansion.
As of March 31st, we had an annual recurring revenue run rate, or ARR as we call it, of $20.1 million, with an additional $4 million of ARR contracted and in place already. That ARR will start at year-end. Net loss attributed to common shareholders was $7.9 million for the three months ended March 31st, compared to net income of $3.4 million for the three months ended March 31st, 2026. Adjusted EBITDA was -$0.5 million for the first quarter of 2026 versus a positive $0.5 million last year. While the first quarter had some weather challenges, as we discussed, we also completed the consolidation and reorganization of the entire CRI and CDM combined workforce, including all sales, operational, and support functions. To all the folks at newly combined CRI, I just wanna say job well done.
Wow, it was a lot of tough work. The final integration challenge in the migration of the legacy is the migration of the legacy CDM financial accounting systems onto our NetSuite ERP platform. That will be completed at the end of Q2. I suspect my CFO, Tamra, is losing a little bit of sleep. There will be some late nights ahead. However, I've seen her in action. I've seen the plan. We have done this multiple times before, and I have absolute confidence this will happen on time and the results will be first rate. Let me again state with a very bullish attitude, we remain on track for our best year ever with the company revenue exceeding $100 million and adjusted EBITDA margins reaching the high teens in the coming quarters.
We remain on track to realize the pre-merger combination cost savings of at least $10 million on an annualized basis by the end of 2026. Not all of that will show up this year as we are still in process of executing on those cost synergies. In March, we had achieved over 60% of the goal, and each month we achieve one more step in that journey. As a reminder, once all synergies are realized, adjusted EBITDA margins are expected to be above 20% and free cash flow generation will allow us to pay down debt and delever the balance sheet as we have done every time we completed an acquisition. I'll come back in a minute or so when Tamra's done to talk about some customer updates and a significant new retail media network.
I'll turn it over to Tamra to share some additional comments on our financials.
Thanks, Rick. An overview of our financial results for the first quarter of 2026 was provided in our earnings release and our Form 10-Q, which included the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2026, the statement of operations and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, and a detailed reconciliation of net income to EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended March 31, as well as the preceding four quarters. Rick reviewed our operating results briefly, let me provide more context related to our performance and our outlook. In terms of the income statement, first quarter revenue rose to $16.3 million versus $9.7 million in the same period in 2025, with approximately $7.9 million or 48% coming from CDM. Revenue from our legacy CRI business decreased approximately 15% year-over-year.
While there were new installs in the quarter, there was a decrease in our SaaS from expiration of certain customer contracts in 2025. As Rick mentioned, several large planned installations were delayed in the quarter due to snowstorms and other poor weather conditions across much of North America. We expect to catch up on these installs in the second and third quarters, driving a healthy uptick in business both sequentially and year-over-year. Hardware revenue in the first quarter rose to $4.6 million versus $3.4 million in the prior year period, reflecting both new deployments and the inclusion of CDM. Service revenues increased 86% to $11.8 million from $6.3 million in fiscal 2025, reflecting the CDM acquisition, offset partially by expired customer contracts.
Consolidated gross profit was $5.6 million for the fiscal 2026 first quarter versus $4.5 million in the prior year period. Consolidated gross margin was 34.2% versus 45.7% in the fiscal 2025 first quarter. Gross margin on hardware revenue was 14% in Q1 of fiscal 2026 as compared to 32.1% in the prior year period due to an unusually higher mix of QSR deployments and certain one-time costs of approximately a $500,000 associated with transitioning away from an outsourced CDM installer. Gross margin on service amounted to 42% versus 53% in the fiscal 2025 first quarter, driven by the expiration of certain customer contracts in 2025. We anticipate an increase in margins going forward due to revenue growth, synergy realization, and improved operating cost leverage across the company.
Sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter rose to $2.9 million versus $1.2 million in the prior year period, while general and administrative expenses increased to $8.9 million versus $3.9 million in fiscal 2025, primarily reflecting the acquisition of CDM, which contributed approximately $3.8 million of G&A expense. However, as Rick indicated, we remain on track to achieving the $10 million of synergies previously announced for fiscal 2026. We also continue to invest in our media business and other technology initiatives meant to drive increased growth across the company. We posted an operating loss of approximately $6.2 million in the first quarter of 2026 compared to an operating loss of $700,000 in fiscal 2025, reflecting the items I just discussed.
CRI reported a net loss of $7.5 million and a net loss attributable to common shareholders of $7.9 million or $0.74 per diluted common share in the quarter ended March 31 versus net income of $3.4 million or $0.32 per diluted common share in the prior year period. As a reminder, the fiscal 2025 first quarter included a $4.8 million gain on the settlement of our prior contingent liability with the former stockholders of Reflect Systems, Inc. Adjusted EBITDA was -$500,000 in the first quarter of 2026 as compared to $500,000 income in the prior year period. We anticipate EBITDA and cash flow to improve for the remainder of fiscal 2026, given the forecasted business growth and cost initiatives previously discussed.
When appropriate, we intend to use the cash generation to delever our balance sheet and strengthen our financial flexibility as we've done in the past. This remains a key long-term priority for the company. In terms of the balance sheet, as of March 31, 2026, the company had cash on hand of approximately $2.3 million versus $1.6 million at the start of 2026. Our debt stood at $47.5 million at the end of the first quarter as compared to $44 million at the beginning of the fiscal year. We had approximately $13 million remaining in available liquidity under our revolving credit facility as of March 31, 2026. As I just mentioned, we remain dedicated to using cash generation when possible to lower our debt and migrate to an optimized capital structure in support of financial flexibility.
However, we will also continue to invest in the business to drive growth and improve technology applications across the organization. I will turn it back to Rick for additional comments around customer-specific activities.
Thanks, Tamra. Let's talk about some customer updates. I'd like to announce that we are the official digital signage provider for the Tennessee Titans in the new Nissan Stadium, which is under construction in Nashville, Tennessee. We talked about this previously, this is an $8.5 million deal. It includes thousands of displays and a full IPTV solution throughout the entire venue. Most of this revenue will be recognized in 2026. I think the official stadium opening's in February, we expect a little bit to trail into January, February, you know, punch list as the stadium gets open. We'd like to announce Dairy Queen in North America, not only the U.S., also Canada. This is the QSR that we did not have the contract signed when we reported our Q4 results.
We acquired this business as a result of a very exhausting, tough RFP process, which ultimately culminated in us being awarded the business. We were actually awarded and given the verbal award the same month as our closing of the CDM acquisition. Here's what makes this unique. The prior provider of Dairy Queen was Cineplex Digital Media, or CDM. We expect to expand the annual revenue, probably gonna grow between $1 million-$2 million a year, on an annual basis, mostly primarily driven by our drive-thru product. As of today, there's 4,700, approximately, locations across the U.S. and Canada. As we've evaluated, only two have digital drive-thrus. The demand for that product is pretty significant inside this account. Another customer, I guess third, if you will.
April 13th, we announced a project to expand and modernize the AMC Theatres in-lobby media footprint across 285 locations nationwide. I want to give a little additional color on that event or that announcement. This is a partnership between CRI and National CineMedia. National CineMedia is the leading cinema advertising platform in the U.S. This new initiative will turn the lobby at the participating theaters into a network of digital displays that will deliver the high-impact video, brand storytelling, and interactive experiences. These upgrades create a premium video platform that expands opportunities for advertisers to reach audiences both in the auditorium and throughout the entire theater location. We will install this network, it's approximately 1,200 screens and large format LEDs throughout the rest of 2026. This media network utilizes our CMS platform, including our Reflect CMS and our AdLogic ad tech solution.
Expected revenue of this is $6 million-$7 million. We expect to realize most, if not all, this year. Think of the growth of this network to other cinema theater chains or locations such as Cinemark and some of the other competitors in is what we expect will ultimately happen. Next customer. I want to talk about 7 Brew. This account continues to grow. My last conversation with our account team indicated that in discussion with the customer, 7 Brew, they are on track to open 750 new locations this year. Each location's about $8,000 to us when it gets first opened. It is the ongoing SaaS that keeps growing with each new location. Finally, I want to talk about a retail media network.
We are in the final contracting stages of a significant retail media network deployment. I can't yet discuss specifics. What I can tell you is this would result in a substantial sales of additional hardware, SaaS, and ad tech revenue. As we understand it today, this would be the largest retail media networks deployed in 2026, measured by the number of screens across the U.S. Think of it, in this year alone, it would be about 10,000 screens, plus an additional 20,000 data-gathering devices. By year-end, we would be monitoring about 30,000 devices. By mid-2027, it would be in excess or approximately 60,000 devices. This solidifies CRI as the leading retail media network provider in North America, and there's certainly more to come about this announcement as we finalize the contracts over the next three, four weeks.
I hope everyone can grasp the significant change in CRI as an operating entity. Let's review then. Number one, our position in the marketplace. I think it's very clear we are now clearly one of the leaders, if not the leader in the U.S. Number two, the revenue growth. Rapid expansion of revenue. We expect it to rapidly expand throughout the balance of this year. Number three, the management team. I wanna repeat that, the management team. I talked a lot about it on our last call, but it is a first-class management team in place running the business. Number four, operational excellence. We continue to excel in deployment when weather doesn't get in our way. Last but not least, the financial discipline and commitment to de-lever the balance sheet. We are very focused on that.
Our pipeline remains robust. We expect to continue to land many new opportunities. We're in excellent position to post higher growth and improved operating results going forward. Again, we remain on track for our best year ever. With that, we'll now move to the Q&A portion of the call. Operator, I'll turn it back to you.
If you'd like to ask a question at this time, please press star one one on your touchtone phone and wait for your name to be announced. To withdraw your question, please press star one one again. Our first question comes from Jason Kreyer with Craig-Hallum.
Wonderful. Thank you for taking my questions. Lots of good content in there. Rick, maybe we'll start on stadiums. You talked about the win with the Tennessee Titans, so congratulations on that.
We've seen you have success in multiple leagues, right? You've already had success in basketball and hockey and others. It seems like when you've landed one, you do a really good job of finding two or three or five other teams in that league that need help, need a refresh. Maybe talk about the opportunity in football and your ability to expand beyond now kinda landing a deal with the Titans. Thanks.
Sure. Thanks, Jason. You know, we were really pleased to land this stadium. It's the second stadium where our software solutions that we deploy are controlling all of the screens. Of course, our first one in the NFL was Dallas Cowboys, where we continue to manage 3,300 screens throughout the building. We're excited to have the Titans. Cracking the NFL is a big deal. We are in pursuit of multiple other NFL teams for either, A, upgrades of the entire stadium refresh, or where we're seeing quicker penetration is taking over the menu board operations within those stadiums. It continues to grow. I think we talked the last conference call that that business unit, our IPTV group, would probably double this year, that currently appears to be on track.
Great. I'll shift to the RMN opportunity that you'd highlighted at the end there. Maybe just a couple quick, you know, quick questions if you can expand on that. You know, is this a customer that you're already familiar with, that you've worked with in the past? Is the process still competitive at this point? If you get that win, when would you expect that to start to kick off?
Okay. The Number one, the process is no longer competitive. We have received a verbal award. We are committed. We probably have certainly north of 10 people, almost full-time, working on preparing for this project. We anticipate deploying in June, or potentially shipping product in June and deploying in July. This is coming fast and furious. We actually did a total store takeover because this project started with somebody else in the industry as a competitor who fell down. They came to us, we actually did a complete total store takeover, I believe it was Wednesday of this week. That was a success, and we expect to take over the remaining test stores, in the month of June and begin full rollout in July.
You know, I mean, this seems like this could be a kind of a transformational deal for CRI. Can you talk about maybe first additional costs that you may have to take on to onboard a deal like that? Then with that, you know, what does this mean in terms of onboarding or in terms of reference ability, putting CRI on the map and really scaling up your retail media business?
Well, we think it's huge. I mean, the reference ability of this is second to none. It would be considered let's be clear, Jason, we gotta go execute, right? I gotta go get it done. Let's assume we're successful, and I think we will be, and we go get it done. This will be considered the top-shelf first-class retail media network with full closed loop attribution at the cash register for this retailer. Nobody else has done that in the U.S., and here we are at the forefront of getting that done.
Good luck as you close out negotiations there. Thanks for the time, Rick.
Yep. Thank you.
Our next question comes from Brian Kinstlinger with Alliance Global Partners.
Great. Thanks so much. Congrats on all the great business development. In terms of the retail media network follow-up, maybe you can size what a TCV looks like for 60,000 devices, of which it sounds like 10,000 are screens. What may be a ballpark, what a recurring revenue opportunity looks like for something that large?
Great question. You know, in terms of it, put it in size, this year we think it's 10,000 screens and about 20,000 data gathering analytic devices will be deployed, right, to map out the shopper journey as they, as they manage through a retail environment. All totaled, by mid-2027, the customer expects it to be about 60,000 devices, which is roughly 25,000 screens, and then 35,000 data gathering devices. In terms of range of magnitude of ongoing SaaS, we would expect that to be in the $6 million-$8 million range. Still being a little bit adjusted and negotiated as we finalize the contract, but we expect it will add $6 million-$8 million, we believe, when it is fully deployed.
Great.
Yep.
Sounds great. In terms of Dairy Queen, what was the current revenue contribution as it related to CDM? Maybe, you know, that'll help us size the actual contract value on top of that.
I'm converting from Canadian, Brian, forgive me if I'm a little bit off. Before it was about $2 million-$2.5 million a year. That was a combination of SaaS and then indoor deployments because CDM was doing the indoor menu boards. As it now has expanded and includes the drive-thru, we expect that CAD 2 million-CAD 2.5 million. Tamra, I believe that number was about right, correct?
That's in U.S., though.
Yeah, in U.S., right.
Yeah.
But it's, it was historically $2 million-$2.5 million. We now expect it to be somewhere in the $4 million-$5 million. That growth rate, Brian, is driven predominantly, well, some additional SaaS, but mostly just the actual pure hardware of drive-thru going in. Obviously the benefit, every time a drive-thru goes in, it's somewhere between three and seven screens get added to the SaaS pool for every drive-thru. The difference of three to seven, it just depends, is it a single drive-thru or a double?
Great. Last question from me on the drive-thru business. When you think about North America, what percentage of QSR has drive-thru digital now? Are we halfway through that?
No.
In the market? Are we not?
That's a great question. Again, this is maybe a little bit dated material because I haven't looked at it in the last six months or so. There's approximately 220,000, 210,000 QSRs that with drive-thru in the U.S. We believe the penetration today is less than 40%. We believe they're 60% of the market. When you look at it, the two people that are the most dominant is McDonald's and Taco Bell, who fully rolled out digital. They actually make up the largest component of the installed base of the, you know, 40% that's out there installed.
Got it. All right. Great. Thanks for taking my questions.
Sure. Thanks.
I'm showing no further phone questions at this time. Do we have any questions over the web?
Yes. Thank you. Rick, we have a question from Kevin Sheldon via email as to whether for customers with a franchisee system or a coalition approach to retail media networks, Creative Realities or the customer continues to follow up with those franchisees or other prospects that did not opt in for a program when initially presented with an opportunity to do so.
Great, great question, George and Kevin. Thank you for that. The answer is yes. We typically When we first engage with a customer, of course, there's pent-up demand, and there's a strong upfront rollout process as we fulfill the demand. Once that demand kind of calms down a little bit, yeah, we meet with the franchisor. We go over the list of who are the franchisees that have multiple locations that did not opt in or has not installed digital. Typically, it's joint work between us and the franchisor to have discussions, meet with that franchisee, and ultimately get them to opt into the program. Installing digital in the drive-thru specifically or indoor, it improves throughput, it improves profitability, and improved profitability at the franchisee benefits not only the franchisee but the franchisor.
It's really a joint effort. Yes, we do that.
Great. Thanks, Rick. There are no other questions via email.
Okay. Well, first, you know, finally, I wanna, you know, conclude the call. I wanna thank all our shareholders, clients, partners, and employees. Again, this was a real interesting quarter for our company as we combined 250 people into one organization and did the reorganization. Again, I just wanna say, you know, a shout-out to all the CRI employees for all the hard work. This has fundamentally changed our company, and we expect to do nothing but continue to grow from here forward. Thanks for joining the call. We look forward to speaking to you with again next quarter.
This concludes today's conference call. Thank you for participating. You may now disconnect.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-05-12Creative Realities, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2026 Earnings Release Date and Conference Call Information
GlobeNewswire
Creative Realities, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2026 Earnings Release Date and Conference Call Information
LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Realities, Inc. ("Creative Realities," "CRI," or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CREX), a leading provider of digital signage, media and AdTech solutions, announced today that it will release its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2026 before the market opens on Friday, May 15, 2026. A conference call to review the results is scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026, at 9:00 am Eastern Time, which will include prepared remarks and materials from management followed by a live Q&A. The call will be hosted by Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer, George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer, and Tamra Koshewa, Chief Financial Officer. Prior to the call, participants should register at https://bit.ly/CREXearnings1Q2026. Once registered, participants can use the weblink provided in the registration email to participate in the live webcast. An archived edition of the earnings conference call will be posted on our website and will remain available for one year. About Creative Realities, Inc. Creative Realities designs, develops and deploys digital signage-based experiences for enterprise-level networks utilizing its Clarity™, ReflectView™, and iShowroom™ Content Management System (CMS) platforms. The Company is actively providing recurring SaaS and support services across diverse vertical markets, including but not limited to retail, automotive, digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising networks, convenience stores, foodservice/QSR, gaming, theater, and stadium venues. In addition, the Company assists clients in utilizing place-based digital media to achieve business objectives such as increased revenue, enhanced customer experiences, and improved productivity. This includes the design, deployment, and day to day management of Retail Media Networks to monetize on-premise foot traffic utilizing its AdLogic™ and AdLogic CPM+™ programmatic advertising platforms. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and includes, among other things, discussions of our business strategies, product releases, future operations and capital resources. Words such as "estimates,…Read full documentShow less
LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Creative Realities, Inc. ("Creative Realities," "CRI," or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CREX), a leading provider of digital signage, media and AdTech solutions, announced today that it will release its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2026 before the market opens on Friday, May 15, 2026. A conference call to review the results is scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026, at 9:00 am Eastern Time, which will include prepared remarks and materials from management followed by a live Q&A. The call will be hosted by Rick Mills, Chief Executive Officer, George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer, and Tamra Koshewa, Chief Financial Officer. Prior to the call, participants should register at https://bit.ly/CREXearnings1Q2026. Once registered, participants can use the weblink provided in the registration email to participate in the live webcast. An archived edition of the earnings conference call will be posted on our website and will remain available for one year. About Creative Realities, Inc. Creative Realities designs, develops and deploys digital signage-based experiences for enterprise-level networks utilizing its Clarity™, ReflectView™, and iShowroom™ Content Management System (CMS) platforms. The Company is actively providing recurring SaaS and support services across diverse vertical markets, including but not limited to retail, automotive, digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising networks, convenience stores, foodservice/QSR, gaming, theater, and stadium venues. In addition, the Company assists clients in utilizing place-based digital media to achieve business objectives such as increased revenue, enhanced customer experiences, and improved productivity. This includes the design, deployment, and day to day management of Retail Media Networks to monetize on-premise foot traffic utilizing its AdLogic™ and AdLogic CPM+™ programmatic advertising platforms. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and includes, among other things, discussions of our business strategies, product releases, future operations and capital resources. Words such as "estimates," "projects," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results. They are based on the opinions, estimates and beliefs of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these risks are discussed in the “Risk Factors” section contained in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the Company’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: our ability to integrate the recently acquired business of Cineplex Digital Media Inc. (“CDM”) into our own, maintain or improve the financial performance of CDM’s business and realize anticipated synergies, our strategy for customer retention, growth, product development, market position, financial results and reserves, our ability to execute on our business plan, our ability to retain key personnel, our ability to remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, our ability to realize the revenues included in our future guidance and backlog reports, our ability to satisfy our upcoming debt obligations and other liabilities, the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern, potential litigation, supply chain shortages, and general economic and market conditions impacting demand for our products and services. Readers should not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Contacts Media: Idea Grove [email protected] Investor Relations: Chris Witty, Darrow Associates 646-438-9385 [email protected] [email protected] https://investors.cri.com
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-22CREX Q2 2025 Earnings Transcript
Motley Fool
CREX Q2 2025 Earnings Transcript
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at 9 a.m. ET Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Richard C. Mills Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Corporate Development — George Sautter Interim Chief Financial Officer — David Ryan Mudd Operator: Good morning. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to Creative Realitie's 2025 Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call. This call will be recorded, and a copy will be available on the company's website at cri.com following its completion. Creative Realities has prepared remarks summarizing the interim results of the quarter, along with additional industry and company updates. Joining the call today is Rick Mills, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Corporate Development; and Ryan Mudd, Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Mudd, you may proceed. David Ryan Mudd: Thank you, and good morning, everyone. Welcome to our earnings call for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that remarks today will include forward-looking statements. The words anticipated, will, believes, expects, intends, plans, estimates, projects, should, may, propose and similar expressions or the negative version of such words or expressions as they relate to us or our management are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such statements. Factors that could cause these results to differ materially are set forth in our Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements we make on this call are based on assumptions as of today, and we undertake no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events. During this call, we will present both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures is included in our public filings and in our earnings release that was issued this morning. We believe the use of certain non-GAAP measures such as adjusted EBITDA and several other important KPIs represent meaningful ways to track our performance. It is now my pleasure to introduce Rick Mills, CEO of Creative Realities. Richard C. Mills: Thanks, Ryan. Good morning, everybody. Thank you for joining the call. I'll start by giving some details of our Q2 financials. We posted revenue…Read full documentShow less
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at 9 a.m. ET Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Richard C. Mills Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Corporate Development — George Sautter Interim Chief Financial Officer — David Ryan Mudd Operator: Good morning. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to Creative Realitie's 2025 Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call. This call will be recorded, and a copy will be available on the company's website at cri.com following its completion. Creative Realities has prepared remarks summarizing the interim results of the quarter, along with additional industry and company updates. Joining the call today is Rick Mills, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; George Sautter, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Corporate Development; and Ryan Mudd, Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Mudd, you may proceed. David Ryan Mudd: Thank you, and good morning, everyone. Welcome to our earnings call for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that remarks today will include forward-looking statements. The words anticipated, will, believes, expects, intends, plans, estimates, projects, should, may, propose and similar expressions or the negative version of such words or expressions as they relate to us or our management are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such statements. Factors that could cause these results to differ materially are set forth in our Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements we make on this call are based on assumptions as of today, and we undertake no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events. During this call, we will present both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures is included in our public filings and in our earnings release that was issued this morning. We believe the use of certain non-GAAP measures such as adjusted EBITDA and several other important KPIs represent meaningful ways to track our performance. It is now my pleasure to introduce Rick Mills, CEO of Creative Realities. Richard C. Mills: Thanks, Ryan. Good morning, everybody. Thank you for joining the call. I'll start by giving some details of our Q2 financials. We posted revenue of $13 million in the second quarter, up 34% versus Q1 and roughly flat year-over-year. While gross profit was $5 million, in 2025 Q2 versus $6.8 million in Q2 2024. Q2 2024 gross margin of 6.8% was inflated due to the inclusion of $815,000 in media sales revenue as we exited the media sales business. Our consolidated gross margin was 39% versus 52% in the prior year period, with the lower profitability largely due to changes in revenue mix of more hardware versus services. This was driven by a few customers who chose to purchase hardware in advance due to the uncertainty of tariffs. We expect margins to rise in the third and fourth quarters as we are installing those products previously purchased in bulk. As of June 30, 2025, we had an annual recurring revenue run rate, or ARR, of $18.1 million versus $17.3 million at the end of the first quarter. As we have previously discussed, new deployments have a follow-on effect of growing SaaS-based ARR. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $1.2 million for the second quarter of 2025 from $0.5 million in Q1 and was down slightly versus last year's $1.5 million. We anticipate this will improve further going forward as revenue increases and we continue to manage overhead expenses. In fact, we expect adjusted EBITDA as a percent of revenue rising back to 15% by year-end. Notably, we were able to reduce approximately $3.1 million in debt this quarter due to operating cash generated during the period. While some short-term working capital issues impacted Q1, as previously discussed, we're pleased to now be able to once again focus on strategically using cash flow to pay down debt and delever the company whenever possible. Let me take this opportunity to address a question that we sometimes get. We have a lot of credit with a sweep account. At the end of Q2, the balance on that account was $16.1 million, down $3.1 million from the end of Q1 due to the cash generation that I just outlined. At the end of Q2, we had $600,000 in cash on hand with additional availability of $6 million. We do not keep excess cash on hand and the cash we have on hand at any point is not a proxy for our true working capital capacity. As stated last quarter, we have a very robust pipeline of opportunities on which we're bidding, reflecting strong demand for our technology as well as generally good economic conditions within our customer base. During Q2, we announced a significant engagement with a well-known upscale quick service restaurant chain with over 1,000 locations across more than 25 states. We're currently implementing a pilot program in select locations during Q3 and Q4 and expect a national rollout to begin immediately following the completion of the pilot. This is another example of our ability to digitally transform an establishment menu boards inside and out, shifting from static displays to dynamic digital engagement while increasing basket size and profitability and increase throughput in the drive-thru operations. We are delivering a 100% turnkey solution, all powered by our proprietary CMS platform, Clarity, along with consulting, content strategy, hardware provisioning, deployment support and ongoing day 2 service. I'll keep everyone updated on the progress of this important implementation, which will result in a more agile connected restaurant environment that meets guest expectations and provides flexibility for enhanced applications in the future. Our AdLogic CPM+ platform continues to impress customers due to its power and flexibility, gives clients the tools to deliver targeted campaigns at significantly reduced cost, combining programming capabilities with a self-serve interface that simplifies campaign execution, enhances targeting precision and eliminates unnecessary intermediation fees. This past quarter, we saw increased traction and interest from existing and new customers. We currently have three customers who are in the testing evaluation phase of the platform, which, if chosen, would power their in-store retail media networks. We have been in the Retail Media Network business for some time and are currently delivering greater than 25 million ads daily. We expect in-store Retail Media Network to grow our revenue and recurring SaaS in 2026 and beyond. The bottom line is that we remain on track for another year of solid performance. As stated last quarter we expect revenue to accelerate in the second half backlog to grow and margins to improve, putting us in position for tremendous results in 2026. I'll turn it back over to Ryan to share some additional comments on our financials. David Ryan Mudd: Thank you, Rick. An overview of our financial results for the second quarter of 2025 was provided in our earnings release and Form 10-Q, which included the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2025, the statements of operations for the 3 and 6 months ended June 30, 2025, the statement of cash flows for the 6 months ended June 30, 2025, and a detailed reconciliation of net income to EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, as well as the preceding 4 quarters. While Rick reviewed our operational results in detail, let me provide a couple of points of context related to our balance sheet. As of June 30, 2025, the company had cash on hand of approximately $600,000 versus $1 million at the start of 2025. As previously mentioned, our consolidated balance sheet reflects minimal cash on hand as the company has set up a sweep instrument to apply cash against the revolving debt facility to further manage our interest expense. Our gross and net debt stood at approximately $20.1 million and $19.5 million, respectively, at the end of the second quarter as compared to $13 million and $12 million, respectively, at the start of 2025. Our debt level was reduced by approximately $3.1 million during the period, as Rick previously discussed, due to operating cash flow as we continue to delever the company whenever possible to strengthen the balance sheet. At the end of the second quarter, our leverage on a gross and net basis was 4.53 and 4.4, respectively, versus 2.59 and 2.39 at the beginning of fiscal 2025. The increase in the leverage was caused by the settlement of the contingent liability in Q1 of 2025. We see this as continuing to improve going forward and remain dedicated to managing our debt as we evaluate and migrate to an optimized capital structure in support of our growth. I will now turn it back to Rick for additional comments on our results and customer activities. Richard C. Mills: Thanks, Ryan. In closing here, our engagement with prospects is at an all-time high. We are pleased with the pipeline and the sheer number of discussions going on with potential prospects. We continue to focus on our primary four vertical markets: QSR, C-store, retail, sports and entertainment. The demand for improved drive-thru performance in the QSR vertical continues to accelerate. We have introduced our latest drive-thru hardware and software solution, which features a 1-by-3 55-inch digital display at a market price of $14,999 fully installed. This represents a new price point in the drive-thru industry and a price reduction of 20% below most of our competitors. This will allow the smaller mid-market regional QSRs to adopt and implement digital drive-thrus. In the C-store vertical, our long-time customer, 7-Eleven, stated in a news release on August 6, -- it plans to open 1,100 new restaurants in its U.S. stores by 2030. The aggressive investment in restaurants is part of an updated transformation plan released by the retailers' Tokyo-based parent company, Seven & i Holdings. In addition to adding more than 1,000 restaurants over the next five years, 7-Eleven said it intends to open a total of 1,300 new larger format stores during that time frame, all of them with an enhanced focus on food service. Assuming this occurs and 7-Eleven continues as a customer, we would expect this to add an additional 17,000-plus displays, generating $30 million in revenue and an additional $5 million annually in SaaS over a 5-year period. One additional note on the C-store vertical, we did deploy our first C-store in Mexico. This is a proof of concept for Circle K Mexico. More to come on that opportunity in 2026. As the transition to digital continues to move forward in our key verticals, the adoption and conversion opportunities continue to grow in scope and complexity. This leads to increasingly long sales cycles and requires patience and persistence. As CRI's market share and influence continues to grow, we expect to be the provider of choice. Other areas of continued growth are coming from our live venue IPTV team. Along with growing our existing live venue customers through seasonal projects, highlights of Q2 would include the conversion of a large D1 college campus stretching across six athletic venues, the expansion of club level enhancements for two different NHL arenas and one NBA arena. And finally, the successful IPTV deployment to our first soccer stadium in Mexico. Menu board mobile phone to screen language translation for an NFL stadium that will be a host venue for several World Cup matches. And by the way, it's the first stadium to deploy this type of fan experience in the U.S. And finally, the award of two additional Minor League Baseball stadiums. With more than 12 net new logos or customers in the first half of the year, we expect to continue to secure our portion of the live venue market by providing IPTV solutions, digital signage and content strategies throughout the United States as well as we will build on the recent wins in Canada and Mexico. One additional network we have previously announced is the Digi Point Media Network. This is a retail media network on ICE boxes across groceries and C-stores. The anticipated deployment, which we originally estimated to begin in Q3 is behind schedule. We now expect this network to begin deployment in Q4 of this year. This is expected to be approximately 2,000 sites and generate in excess of $4 million in hardware and installation revenue with additional SaaS revenue from our CMS and ad tech software solutions. One quick update on our SOC Type 2 certification. We achieved SOC 2 Type 1 compliance in Q1 and have now achieved SOC 2 Type 2 certification. This compliance is a valuable credential that demonstrates the trustworthiness and credibility of our products to enterprise customer. This is yet another indicator of our acceleration in the marketplace. We remained well positioned in the digital transformation landscape and look forward to delivering further improved operating results. With that, we'll now move to the Q&A portion of the call. Please go ahead, operator. Operator: [Operator Instructions] And my first question today will be coming from the line of Jason Kreyer of Craig-Hallum. Jason Michael Kreyer: Great. So Rick, for the last few quarters, we've talked about this growing pipeline and a bunch of volume kind of getting jammed up at the one yard line. It was great to see last quarter, you get that QSR win. Just curious if you can give general updates on the progression of those deals through the pipeline and any visibility in any unlock? Richard C. Mills: Jason, great question. Everything continues to move forward. They move forward, it seems like an inch at a time. The quality of our top 10 is really spectacular. But we just simply do not have anything that we are comfortable announcing at this time, but we do expect to make some announcements in this calendar year. Jason Michael Kreyer: That's good to hear. So when you talk about the acceleration in the back half of the year in terms of revenue and profitability, what is that predicated on? Is that visibility that you have to those deals getting through? Is that pipeline of new wins that are going to roll out? Like just trying to understand what gives you that confidence. Richard C. Mills: What gives us the confidence is when we announced the QSR wins last quarter or the quarter before, those -- all of those are now piling up. We had expected to be installing some of those right at the end of Q2. That didn't happen. It turned out in that particular instance that every one of those restaurants had to actually pour a new footer for their drive-thru. So that is now getting caught up in the next month, we begin deploying a significant quantity of new sites. So it's been kind of just held up. And then when that comes, when that catches up, we'll be installing just tremendous amounts of locations. So there's that. There's a couple of stadium announcements. So those are the things that give us confidence. And just to be clear, Jason, we don't -- if we get some wins this year that we announced, we -- these things from announcement to actually deploying generally takes a number of months. Jason Michael Kreyer: Got it. Okay. Last question for me. So if you look across the different verticals that you serve, where do you see the most pressure on businesses to kind of modernize their technology and adopt the digital solutions that you guys can provide? Richard C. Mills: Clearly, that would be QSR drive-thru. The post-pandemic, the drive-thru in the QSR business really matters. Transitioning to digital can improve drive-thru times 10, 15, 20 seconds per car. Well, you add that up to six hours of a packed drive-thru line queue, it really makes a significant difference in revenue for the QSR operator. So tremendous pressure, if you will, for them to update and innovate. So that's number one in the QSR. Number two, I would tell you, retail media networks, everybody is circling it. In-store digital is a game changer. However, in-store digital takes a tremendous investment in your physical retail presence, and it takes a tremendous amount of time to get ready to deploy it just internally, forget a supplier like myself. So we're talking with 3, 4 -- we have three pilots underway now or three test cases, probably got six other retailers in the queue. And we believe in 2026, we will actually execute or land our first large new Retail Media Network. And those Retail Media Networks, Jason, are in the tens of millions of dollars of deployment. Jason Michael Kreyer: Looking forward to tearing more about those as they come through. Operator: And the next question will be coming from the line of Brian Kinstlinger of Alliance Global Partners. Brian David Kinstlinger: Just a follow-up. I was confused. The QSR installs in the second half of the year that give you confidence, is that 1,000 store location that you recently announced because I thought that was a pilot? Or is that a different one? I'm just trying to understand what the driver of that is. Richard C. Mills: No, that's -- the driver of that, Brian, is the customer. Yes, we are deploying 50 POC locations, but we already have a queue of locations behind that. We're already getting sign-ups, deposits, et cetera. So that's not like we're going to deploy x number of locations and then they're going to evaluate. That's not how that is being framed. It's really they're going full steam ahead because that project from the customer was delayed a year. So they feel like they're already a year behind. So that is moving forward with relatively consistent speed once we got through the construction hiccup of everybody has to pour new footers at the drive-thru. Brian David Kinstlinger: Got it. And then I think last time we talked, there was an initial survey that had 600 locations on board or opting in. Has there been another survey? Has there been more commitments? Just kind of where are you with opt-ins? Richard C. Mills: I don't have an update on that, Brian, but it's still very consistent. So I can reach out to you and get an update, but I believe it is very consistent. Brian David Kinstlinger: Okay. And then as it relates to sports and entertainment, clearly, we've got baseball, the only really sport going on right now, NHL and NBA obviously, are in the off-season. Does that drive increased installs opportunities in the short term? Or is the sales cycle too long in the installation process? I'm just trying to understand how that impacts revenues in the short term? Richard C. Mills: Yes. No, we would expect to -- in the off-season for those sports is typically when we have engagements. We have a number of proposals out, and it just depends upon who finds budget. And those happen relatively quickly. It would be they make a decision, sign it and 60 days later, we're actually installing. It's not like they sign in nine months later. Those tend to happen relatively quickly. Brian David Kinstlinger: And my last question is, you clearly had customers buying screens ahead of tariffs. How are tariffs now that are in place impacting decisions? Is it leading to longer sales cycles? Is it not impacting that much? Just trying to frame for how that changes, if at all, the discussions you're having right now. Richard C. Mills: We had a couple of customers who were concerned around the uncertainty of tariffs. So a couple of customers made some bulk-buys of screens just to give them some comfort through the balance of this year. Number one. Number two, at this point in time, none of the manufacturers whose screens we deploy have risen -- have raised their price due to tariffs at this time. Now I believe we are ultimately coming to the end of the tariff -- our tariffs on the uncertainty period. It appears that there is some finalization of tariffs spreading across the various countries. So there could be some impacts in the future. We just do not know what they are. Operator: [Operator Instructions] And the next question is coming from the line of Jon Hickman of Ladenburg. Jon Robert Hickman: Rick, could you -- I want to follow up on Brian's question. The pre-buys of the screens, does that put pressure on the next couple of quarters on the hardware side? Richard C. Mills: It certainly puts a little bit of pressure on the hardware side, Jon, not going to -- but it also -- you'll see increased services because of we're now deploying screens in subsequent quarters, right, that we didn't take the services revenue because we hadn't performed the service yet. Jon Robert Hickman: Okay. So that doesn't affect your guidance for increased revenues over the back half of this year? Richard C. Mills: Not significantly. No. Jon Robert Hickman: Okay. So could you -- I think I missed it, but the 7-Eleven deployments, that's over -- you're counting on that over a 5-year period? Richard C. Mills: Yes. Jon Robert Hickman: The new--Okay. Richard C. Mills: So that was an announcement 7-Eleven made, okay? They put new -- once the bid from Couche-Tard, whatever the takeover ended, right, didn't happen. 7-Eleven put new management on August 6. 7-Eleven made a number of announcements to the market over the leadership, if you will. And so it was 1,100 new restaurants, I believe, inside the 7-Eleven stores, which we service today and then 1,300 additional locations that they call new enhanced stores. Now they started the new enhanced store footprint in 2024. So we've been installing new enhanced store footprints for about the last year, 1.5 years, approximately. Jon Robert Hickman: Okay. So you're expecting that to happen over the next kind of some measured way over the next five years? Richard C. Mills: That is correct. Yes, they've been a very consistent customer. As we have mentioned in the past, every single business day in the -- here in the U.S., we typically would install one new -- or between 1 and 3 stores every single business day. That's either a new store location or a remodel or a restaurant brand popping up inside of an enhanced 7-Eleven. Jon Robert Hickman: Okay. And then any word -- any updates that you want to share on the Bowling Alley customer? Richard C. Mills: The Bowling Alley customer has in effect -- I want to say they are currently not rolling out any additional sites I believe the Bowling -- we've deployed $330 million to $350 million ballpark is the range. I believe they have -- because it has taken them the Bowling Center project, they have taken so long to roll it out. I believe that has potentially caused some funding issues between them and the private equity partner, but I'm not involved in those discussions. But we currently have no Bowling centers on the schedule on a go- forward basis. Operator: And our next question will come from the line of Howard Halpern of Taglich Brothers. Howard Allen Halpern: Congratulations on a great Q2. In terms of the digital retail networks, your expectations for 2026, what type of leverage can we expect even if one large deployment occurs? Richard C. Mills: When you say what kind of leverage? Howard Allen Halpern: How does it drop to the bottom line or operating line? Richard C. Mills: Significant. I mean, because, again, we know of two Retail Media Networks currently on the books for folks across the United States. So we know of two being rolled out. Each of them, well, one was an expected $180 million project over 24 months. The other is a $100 million project being rolled out in a 6-month period. So we obviously did not win those. We came very close second on one of them. So those are the first two we know that are being broadly deployed in the U.S., but you can see the dollar volume is highly concentrated and there would be tremendous flow-through to the bottom line just because of pure volume. Howard Allen Halpern: Okay. And -- so circling back, I guess, maybe to ARR, with deployments occurring now and the day 2 revenue coming in, in the second half, should we expect by the run rate by the end of the year somewhere north of $19 million? Richard C. Mills: That's a great question. We've had some lumpiness in the ARR as some -- we had one customer that had a medical network that had been deployed in the field for a number of years, and they decided to end of life some of their experiences in their customer locations. So at this point in time, we're not predicting or not giving forecast around potential growth of ARR. Howard Allen Halpern: Okay. Okay. Now in terms of the Circle K in Mexico, how important is that project? And how important is that project to potentially moving to other countries in Latin America? Richard C. Mills: We would not -- we are in discussions with a couple of other retailers that have operations across Central America, but nothing specific. So -- and for example, that's a true POC where they want to understand how the network in that store, the signage in that network moves their revenue needle and basket size. So for example, we do not expect any additional Circle K deployments until potentially 2026 in Mexico. But also, I would note -- I mean, we've done certainly this quarter, past quarter, we did a Mexican stadium. I think it was a soccer stadium, is IPTV. So we've got several bids in on multiple stadiums in and around in Mexico. So we expect a combination of sports and entertainment and C-store will be the focus in Mexico. Operator: And the next question will be coming from the line of [ Kevin Sullivan ], private investor. Unidentified Analyst: I wanted to touch based on the last call, you had mentioned about being aggressive in the acquisition marketplace. And now I was wondering if there was any update on anything like that, that's occurring? Richard C. Mills: Kevin, it's a great question. We have been very blunt about our desire to accomplish an acquisition. And I would tell you that we are -- we still have the same mindset. It's got to be the right fit for the company. And it is still our desire to accomplish something this year, but I have nothing that we could discuss. Nothing to discuss at this time. Unidentified Analyst: I appreciate that. The second question real quick. Based upon your debt reduction over the second quarter, can you -- is it safe to project that out through the end of the year and you're looking at probably another $6 million taken off the debt? Richard C. Mills: I don't know if we would reduce debt that drastically throughout the rest of the year. That's just the timing between payables and receivables. We do -- we generated cash in Q2. We expect to generate cash in future quarters. And we have -- we don't have any increased investment plans -- so whatever cash we generate will be used to reduce our credit facility. And then I'd also ask George Sautter, who is our Chief Strategy Officer. George, anything to add or comment on that? George Sautter: No. As we stated, Kevin, great. Thank you for the questions. As we've stated, we continue to work towards what we deem to be the optimal cap structure. And it is a function of our working capital needs and reinvestment into the business, obviously, to drive organic growth. But it's fair to say that if there's any excess cash, and we talked about that earlier on the call, that essentially, we're going to be paying down the balance on the line of credit. We pursued a very disciplined strategy and financial management over the past couple of years to decrease our leverage, and that works hand in glove with pursuing those strategic opportunities that you alluded to. So we obviously want all the tools in the tool chest to pursue both strategic and organic growth. And part of that playbook is maintaining an appropriate leverage ratio. But we also know that debt is one of the most inexpensive ways to finance the activities of the company. So it's not a 0 debt thing. It's the optimal cap structure, but a great question. Unidentified Analyst: And my last question is, you talked about the SOC 2 compliance. Based upon your competition, how many of your competitors do you think are at that same level of SOC 2 compliance versus yourselves percentage-wise or number-wise, I'm fairly flexible. Richard C. Mills: That's a great question, Kevin. And this answer would -- is coming from my gut. I don't have anything other than that to tell you. The top 2 or 3 or 4 competitive CMSs have -- are at the same level and have achieved it. Where you will see companies that have not achieved it is all of the mom-and-pop CMSs around the country. It's an $8 million, $10 million CMS company that's got $7 million, $8 million in revenue, they just simply do not have enough staying power to get that type of certification. So the bottom 80% don't. The top 20%, which is 4 or 5 or 6 of us have achieved it. That's what my gut is telling me. George Sautter: And Rick, maybe I should add on to that because we do deem it to be a competitive advantage. And per Rick's comments, the fact that so many companies that are in the industry will never achieve it, simply don't have the resources, don't have the competencies to achieve it means that for the types of enterprise clients that we're dealing with, the types of processes that we're in, particularly with respect to retail media networks, it's just the smaller population of industry constituents who can actually go after that type of business. So there are a number of smaller companies out there that actually do have very large customers. And we think when those opportunities are presented again when those contracts expire, that we're going to be in a terrific position to compete tenaciously with that business. Unidentified Analyst: I totally agree that I believe it is a competitive advantage. I don't disagree with that. And my last question is, do you have a speculation as to when you'll first get to your breakeven quarter? Richard C. Mills: We think as we exit this year, Kevin, we will have achieved that. And it's through a combination of increased revenue and also operating efficiency. You look at our last six quarters, we've continued to manage our SG&A expenses down. And it's not managing people out of the business. What it is? It's a consolidation of our multiple systems into one. We talked a lot about a year, 1.5 years ago, the conversion to NetSuite. So today, we're already full lap. We're in our second year on our full ERP, our shipping software and our shipping solutions. So all of those things, we're managing those and becoming much more efficient along with revenue growth has us achieving that as we exit this year. Operator: And this does conclude today's Q&A session. I would like to go ahead and turn the call back over to Rick Mills for closing remarks. Please go ahead. Richard C. Mills: Well, first, let me conclude the call by thanking all the shareholders, clients, partners and our employees for the continuing efforts, commitment and support as we work together to transform CRI into the leading brand in digital signage solutions. We look forward to speaking with everyone again in the next quarter. Thank you. Operator: Thank you all for joining today's conference call. This does conclude today's meeting. You may now disconnect. Before you buy stock in Creative Realities, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Creative Realities wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. 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As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. CREX Q2 2025 Earnings Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-15Creative Realities, Inc. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Summary
Moby
Creative Realities, Inc. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Summary
The acquisition of CDM in November 2025 more than doubled the company's size, significantly increasing market penetration in Canada and strengthening retail media network capabilities. Management is transitioning the company into a software-first platform powered by data analytics and AI, moving away from a hardware-centric legacy model. The sales organization was restructured into six specialized vertical teams, tripling the sales force to 42 personnel to drive targeted growth in high-value markets. Revenue growth in Q4 was primarily driven by the CDM contribution, while legacy business saw a 6% decline due to project timing and decreased hardware activity. Gross margin expansion to 47.9% reflects an improved service mix and the positive structural impact of integrating CDM's higher-margin business lines. The company added key leadership in finance, revenue, and experience roles to manage the complex integration of CDM and accelerate the consulting practice. Management successfully eliminated potential stock overhang by repurchasing 1.7 million outstanding warrants from Slipstream in February. Management maintains a 2026 revenue target exceeding $100 million with adjusted EBITDA margins in the mid-teens, and expects margins to surpass 20% once all synergies are realized. The company anticipates achieving $10 million in annualized synergies by the end of 2026, with over 60% of that goal already secured. Q1 2026 revenue of approximately $4 million was delayed into Q2 and Q3 due to historic winter weather disrupting construction and installations across North America. Strategic focus is shifting toward deleveraging the balance sheet through significant free cash flow generation once integration-related investments stabilize. The IPTV division is projected to double its revenue to over $17 million in 2026, supported by a new $8 million stadium project and Major League Baseball refreshes. Indebtedness increased to $43.3 million at year-end, primarily to finance the CDM acquisition through a $36 million term loan; the acquisition was further supported by $30 million in preferred equity. G&A expenses included $1.2 million in one-time costs related to legal, accounting, and transaction fees for the CDM closing. The company utilizes a cash sweep instrument against its revolving debt facility to minimize interest expense, maintaining a lean cash balance of $1.6 milli…Read full documentShow less
The acquisition of CDM in November 2025 more than doubled the company's size, significantly increasing market penetration in Canada and strengthening retail media network capabilities. Management is transitioning the company into a software-first platform powered by data analytics and AI, moving away from a hardware-centric legacy model. The sales organization was restructured into six specialized vertical teams, tripling the sales force to 42 personnel to drive targeted growth in high-value markets. Revenue growth in Q4 was primarily driven by the CDM contribution, while legacy business saw a 6% decline due to project timing and decreased hardware activity. Gross margin expansion to 47.9% reflects an improved service mix and the positive structural impact of integrating CDM's higher-margin business lines. The company added key leadership in finance, revenue, and experience roles to manage the complex integration of CDM and accelerate the consulting practice. Management successfully eliminated potential stock overhang by repurchasing 1.7 million outstanding warrants from Slipstream in February. Management maintains a 2026 revenue target exceeding $100 million with adjusted EBITDA margins in the mid-teens, and expects margins to surpass 20% once all synergies are realized. The company anticipates achieving $10 million in annualized synergies by the end of 2026, with over 60% of that goal already secured. Q1 2026 revenue of approximately $4 million was delayed into Q2 and Q3 due to historic winter weather disrupting construction and installations across North America. Strategic focus is shifting toward deleveraging the balance sheet through significant free cash flow generation once integration-related investments stabilize. The IPTV division is projected to double its revenue to over $17 million in 2026, supported by a new $8 million stadium project and Major League Baseball refreshes. Indebtedness increased to $43.3 million at year-end, primarily to finance the CDM acquisition through a $36 million term loan; the acquisition was further supported by $30 million in preferred equity. G&A expenses included $1.2 million in one-time costs related to legal, accounting, and transaction fees for the CDM closing. The company utilizes a cash sweep instrument against its revolving debt facility to minimize interest expense, maintaining a lean cash balance of $1.6 million. A $6 million media network project with AMC Theatres will utilize proprietary Reflect CMS and AdLogic software, featuring a five-year revenue-sharing model. Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Management stated they are now viewed at the 'top of the food chain' in the QSR vertical, enabling serious conversations with large brands that were previously inaccessible. The company's increased stature as a market leader provides a strategic advantage for end-users seeking stable, large-scale suppliers. A contract for over 4,000 QSR locations is expected to be signed within weeks after a lengthy negotiation process following an RFP win. Retail media network tests are underway with a major grocer, a large C-store chain, and luxury beauty retailers, with 3-4 deployments expected in late 2026. While 7-8 large RFPs were expected in 2026, they have yet to materialize, though the company is actively participating in one and discussing West Coast opportunities. Management is using data from the North Carolina Lottery deployment to prove 'significant lift' in ticket sales to potential customers. Management expects the impact of 600 store closures to be 'de minimis' as new store openings typically feature larger formats with more digital signage needs. The company is in the final stages of a three-year contract renewal with 7-Eleven and does not anticipate a change in its preferred vendor status. One stock. Nvidia-level potential. 30M+ investors trust Moby to find it first. Get the pick. Tap here.

