MRDN
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Earnings documents stored for MRDN.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-05-01Results: Meridian Holdings Inc. Beat Earnings Expectations And Analysts Now Have New Forecasts
Simply Wall St.
Results: Meridian Holdings Inc. Beat Earnings Expectations And Analysts Now Have New Forecasts
The investors in Meridian Holdings Inc.'s (NASDAQ:MRDN) will be rubbing their hands together with glee today, after the share price leapt 57% to US$9.89 in the week following its quarterly results. Revenues were US$50m, approximately in line with whatthe analysts expected, although statutory earnings per share (EPS) crushed expectations, coming in at US$0.18, an impressive 800% ahead of estimates. The analysts typically update their forecasts at each earnings report, and we can judge from their estimates whether their view of the company has changed or if there are any new concerns to be aware of. We thought readers would find it interesting to see the analysts latest (statutory) post-earnings forecasts for next year. AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for Meridian Holdings from three analysts is for revenues of US$210.5m in 2026. If met, it would imply a notable 11% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Earnings are expected to improve, with Meridian Holdings forecast to report a statutory profit of US$0.66 per share. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of US$207.2m and earnings per share (EPS) of US$0.44 in 2026. Although the revenue estimates have not really changed, we can see there's been a considerable lift to earnings per share expectations, suggesting that the analysts have become more bullish after the latest result. Check out our latest analysis for Meridian Holdings The average the analysts price target fell 31% to US$19.73, suggesting thatthe analysts have other concerns, and the improved earnings per share outlook was not enough to allay them. It could also be instructive to look at the range of analyst estimates, to evaluate how different the outlier opinions are from the mean. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Meridian Holdings at US$26.00 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$16.20. These price targets show that analysts do have some differing views on the business, but the estimates do not vary enough to suggest to us that some are betting on wild success or utter failure. Looking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can ma...
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-29Meridian Holdings (NASDAQ:MRDN) Q1 Results Reflect Growing Profitability and Balance Sheet Stability
ACCESS Newswire
Meridian Holdings (NASDAQ:MRDN) Q1 Results Reflect Growing Profitability and Balance Sheet Stability
An overview of the financial results disclosed by Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MRDN) for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. HOUSTON, TX / ACCESS Newswire / April 28, 2026 / Meridian Holdings (NASDAQ:MRDN) has reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2026, offering investors a detailed view into the company's operational trajectory, financial positioning, and evolving growth profile. A review of the disclosed figures suggests a quarter defined by improving profitability, continued revenue expansion, and a materially strengthened balance sheet, even as certain structural and reporting considerations remain relevant for interpretation. Top-Line Growth and Profitability Trends For the quarter ended March 31, 2026, Meridian Holdings reported revenue of $50.1 million, representing a 17% increase compared with the same period last year and aligning with previously communicated expectations. Net income attributable to the company reached $2.3 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, marking a notable shift from a net loss recorded in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA came in at $6.3 million, reflecting 26% year-over-year growth and exceeding earlier indicated levels. This corresponds to an adjusted EBITDA margin of 12.6%, pointing to gradual margin improvement as the business scales. Operating cash flow for the quarter was reported at $5.2 million, further supporting the company's improving financial profile. Balance Sheet and Leverage Position Balance sheet data indicates a continued focus on deleveraging and capital discipline. As of March 31, 2026, cash and cash equivalents stood at $16.2 million, while total debt declined to $29.7 million from $64.4 million in the prior-year period. Net debt was reduced to $13.4 million, compared with $35.4 million a year earlier. On an annualized basis, net debt leverage was reported at 0.53x, reflecting a significant improvement in financial flexibility and positioning relative to previous periods. Segment Performance and Business Mix The Meridianbet segment remained the primary revenue contributor, generating $34.9 million in revenue, up 26% year-over-year and accounting for nearly 70% of total group revenue. The segment reported a gross margin of 69.3% and operating income of $6.6 million. The RKings and Classics for a Cause segment delivered combined revenue of $12.1 million, reflecting moderate year-over-...
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-28Meridian Holdings Reports Q1 2026 Financial Results
NewMediaWire
Meridian Holdings Reports Q1 2026 Financial Results
Revenue Up 17% Year-Over-Year to $50.1 Million Returns to Profitability with Net Income of $2.2 Million Adjusted EBITDA Up 26% Year-Over-Year to $6.3 Million, Exceeding Guidance Strengthened Balance Sheet With Cash of $16.2 Million and Net Debt Reduced 62% Year-Over-Year LAS VEGAS, NV - April 28, 2026 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN) ("Meridian" or the "Company"), a global B2B/B2C operator and licensor of online sports betting and gaming platforms across 25+ regulated markets, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. The Company delivered revenue in line with guidance, exceeded its Adjusted EBITDA target, and returned to GAAP profitability - the first such quarter under the Meridian Holdings brand - while materially strengthening its balance sheet. First Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights Revenue of $50.1 million, an increase of $7.4 million or 17% year over year, in line with prior guidance and reflecting continued scale in core Meridianbet operations. Gross profit of $28.1 million, up 16% year over year, with gross margin of 56.2% broadly consistent with the prior-year period. Returned to GAAP profitability with net income of $2.2 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $(0.3) million, or $(0.02) per diluted share, in the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA of $6.3 million, up 26% year over year, exceeding previously-issued guidance of $6.1 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded approximately 86 bps to 12.6%. Balance sheet strength: cash of $16.2 million, total debt of $29.7 million (-54% YoY), net debt of $13.4 million (-62% YoY), and net debt leverage of 0.53x - the strongest capital structure in Company history. Operating cash flow of $5.2 million, supporting ongoing deleveraging and disciplined reinvestment in technology and regulated-market expansion. William Scott, Interim CEO of Meridian, commented, "Q1 2026 marks our first GAAP-profitable quarter under the Meridian Holdings brand and reflects the disciplined execution of our growth plan. We delivered revenue in line with guidance, exceeded our Adjusted EBITDA target, and continued to strengthen the balance sheet - all while expanding our licensed footprint and investing in proprietary technology. We remain focused on scaled execution across our 25+ markets, continued technology integration, and disciplined capital a...
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-28Golden Matrix Group Q1 Earnings Call Highlights
MarketBeat
Golden Matrix Group Q1 Earnings Call Highlights
First GAAP-profitable quarter: Meridian reported Q1 2026 revenue of $50.1 million (up 17% YoY), adjusted EBITDA of $6.3 million (up 26%, 12.6% margin) and net income of $2.2 million versus a loss a year ago. Meridianbet led growth: Meridianbet generated about $34.9 million (≈70% of revenue) with registrations up 41%, active users up 21% and depositors up 27%, while Expanse Studios expanded to 1,519 distribution sites and 77 titles and the company continues investing in AI for personalization and risk/pricing. Stronger balance sheet and outlook: Cash was $16.2 million, total debt fell to $29.7 million and net debt declined 62% YoY to $13.4 million; management guided Q2 revenue of $51–$53 million and cited the World Cup as a potential but unpredictable growth catalyst. Interested in Meridian Holdings Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. Meridian Holdings reported first-quarter 2026 results that marked its first GAAP-profitable quarter under the Meridian Holdings brand, driven by double-digit revenue growth, expanded profitability, and continued debt reduction. Interim Chief Executive Officer William Scott said the quarter represented a milestone for the company, calling it “the first quarter in which we reported GAAP profitability under Meridian Holdings brand.” → Pipelines and Automation: 2 Energy Plays Built for Any Oil Price For Q1 2026, Meridian posted revenue of $50.1 million, up 17% from $42.7 million in the prior-year quarter and in line with guidance previously issued on the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call, according to Chief Financial Officer Rich Christensen. Adjusted EBITDA was $6.3 million, up 26% year over year, representing a 12.6% margin. Scott noted that the company exceeded its prior adjusted EBITDA guidance of $6.1 million. Meridian reported net income of $2.2 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $300,000, or $0.02 per diluted share, in Q1 2025. Christensen said income from operations was $3.2 million, a $3.3 million improvement from a small operating loss in the year-ago period, attributing the change to operating leverage as revenue scaled alongside cost discipline. → Homebuilder Earnings: D.R. Horton Sticks Out as Pulte & NVR Sales Tank Gross profit was $28.1 million, with a 56.2% gross margin, compared with 56.6% in Q1 2025. Christensen said margins were “consistent with the prior period,” with the mix sh...
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-27Meridian Holdings to Announce First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
NewMediaWire
Meridian Holdings to Announce First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
LAS VEGAS, NV - April 27, 2026 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN) ("Meridian Holdings" or the "Company"), a leading global operator and licensor of online sports betting and gaming platforms across over 20 regulated markets, today announced the Company will report its first quarter 2026 financial results before the market opens on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Management will host a conference call the same day at 8:00 AM ET to discuss the results. The live audio webcast and an accompanying investor presentation will be made available on Meridian Holdings' investor relations website at https://meridian-holdings.com/investors/. About Meridian Holdings Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN), based in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an established B2B and B2C gaming technology company operating across multiple international markets. The Company's B2C division is represented by Meridianbet Group, a leading online sports betting and gaming operator founded in 2001, licensed in multiple jurisdictions across Europe, Africa, and South America. MRDN's B2B division, comprised of game developer Expanse Studios and iGaming platform GMAG, develops, licenses and distributes proprietary gaming platforms to an extensive list of global clients. Meridian Holding's other subsidiaries include RKings Competitions, which operates a high-volume eCommerce site enabling end users to enter paid-for competitions on its proprietary platform in authorized markets., Mexplay, a regulated online casino in Mexico, and Classics for a Cause, Australia's leading subscription-based digital memberships and trade promotion lottery. The Company's sophisticated software automatically declines any gaming or redemption requests from within the United States, in strict compliance with current U.S. law. For more information, visit www.meridian-holdings.com or email us at [email protected] Contact: Investors & Press [email protected] View the original release on www.newmediawire.com
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-01Meridian Holdings Inc (MRDN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue Amidst ...
GuruFocus.com
Meridian Holdings Inc (MRDN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue Amidst ...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Release Date: March 31, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Meridian Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:MRDN) achieved record revenue of $49.6 million for the fourth quarter, marking an 8% increase over the previous year. The company closed 2025 with a record annual revenue of $182.9 million, up 21% from the prior year. Meridian Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:MRDN) significantly reduced its debt by $36.3 million in 2025, resulting in a 59% year-over-year decline in net debt to $16.7 million. Meridianbet, a subsidiary of Meridian Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:MRDN), delivered strong performance with a 15% year-over-year revenue increase in the fourth quarter. The company successfully completed its rebranding to Meridian Holdings, aligning its corporate identity with its most recognized brand. Meridian Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:MRDN) reported a substantial net loss of $88.4 million for the fourth quarter, primarily due to non-cash goodwill and intangible impairments totaling $91.8 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $4.6 million, falling short of the company's near-term expectations of 12% due to lower sports betting margins and higher marketing and administrative costs. The company's gross profit margin declined by 90 basis points to 57.5% compared to the previous year, reflecting lower revenue and a shift to earlier-stage markets. Operating expenses increased significantly by $95 million in the fourth quarter, driven by impairment charges and executive transition costs. Meridian Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:MRDN) experienced a decline in share price during the fourth quarter, triggering the impairment of goodwill and intangible assets. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Signs with MRDN. Is MRDN fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Q: Can you elaborate on the factors that led to the significant net loss in the fourth quarter? A: William Scott, Interim CEO, explained that the net loss of $88.4 million was primarily due to non-cash goodwill and intangible impairments totaling $91.8 million. These impairments were triggered by a sustained decline in the company's share price, which necessitated an interim quantitative impairment test under US GAAP standards. Q: What are the strategic priorities for Meridianbet in 2026? A: Zoran Milosevic, CEO of Meridianbet...
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-03-31Meridian Holdings Reports Record Fourth Quarter Revenue of $49.6 Million and Record Full-Year 2025 Financial Revenue of $182.9 Million
NewMediaWire
Meridian Holdings Reports Record Fourth Quarter Revenue of $49.6 Million and Record Full-Year 2025 Financial Revenue of $182.9 Million
LAS VEGAS, NV - March 31, 2026 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN) ("Meridian" or the "Company"), a global operator and licensor of online sports betting and gaming platforms, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2025. This marks the Company's first earnings release under the Meridian Holdings name, following a strategic rebrand that unifies its corporate identity under its most widely recognized global brand. Fourth Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights Revenue was $49.6 million during the fourth quarter, an increase of 8% over the prior year. Gross Profit increased 6% from the prior year to $28.5 million. The Company reported a net loss of $88.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2025, or $7.09 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $2.1 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in the prior year. The net loss was primarily driven by a $91.8 million(1) non-cash goodwill and intangible asset impairment charge triggered by a sustained decline in our share price. Adjusted EBITDA(1) was $4.6 million for the quarter compared to $6.5 million in the prior year period. This decline was due to the additional investment in selling and marketing expenses targeted at driving customer growth. Full-Year 2025 Financial Highlights Full-year revenue was $182.9 million, an increase of 21% compared to 2024. Gross Profit increased 17% from the prior year to $103.5 million. The Company reported a net loss of $92 million1 for 2025, or $7.76 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $1.4 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, in 2024. Adjusted EBITDA1 of $19.4 million compared to $22.2 million in the prior year period. As of December 31, 2025, the Company had cash of $18.1 million and a net debt leverage ratio of less than 0.9x. with total debt declining 51% to $34.7 million. William Scott, Interim CEO of Meridian, commented, "FY2025 was a year of significant progress. We delivered record revenue, reduced debt by more than half, and completed our rebrand to Meridian Holdings. As we enter 2026, our priorities remain strong execution across markets, continued technology integration, and disciplined capital allocation. We believe our business fundamentals are robust, and our opportunity pipeline across both core and emerging markets continues to grow." Q1 2026 Preliminary Outlook Revenue: $50 million, repr...
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-03-19Meridian Holdings to Announce Fourth Quarter & Full Year 2025 Financial Results
NewMediaWire
Meridian Holdings to Announce Fourth Quarter & Full Year 2025 Financial Results
LAS VEGAS, NV - March 18, 2026 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN) ("Meridian Holdings" or the "Company"), a leading global operator and licensor of online sports betting and gaming platforms across 25+ regulated markets, today announced the Company will report its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results before the market opens on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Management will host a conference call the same day at 8:00 AM ET to discuss the results. The live audio webcast and an accompanying investor presentation will be made available on Meridian Holdings' investor relations website at https://meridian-holdings.com/investors/. When the release is issued, shareholders and interested parties may also access the webcast via the following link: https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1756154&tp_key=7f0183d811 About Meridian Holdings Inc. Meridian Holdings Inc. based in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an established B2B and B2C gaming technology company operating across multiple international markets. The Company's B2C division is represented by Meridianbet Group, a leading online sports betting and gaming operator founded in 2001, licensed in multiple jurisdictions across Europe, Africa, and South America. MRDN's B2B division, comprised of game developer Expanse Studios and iGaming platform GMAG, develops, licenses and distributes proprietary gaming platforms to an extensive list of global clients. Meridian Holdings' other subsidiaries include RKings Competitions, a high-volume UK-based raffle ticker business, Mexplay, a regulated online casino in Mexico, and Classics for a Cause, Australia's leading subscription-based digital memberships and trade promotion lotteries. The Company's sophisticated software automatically declines any gaming or redemption requests from within the United States, in strict compliance with current U.S. law. For more information, visit www.meridian-holdings.com Connect with us X- https://x.com/meridianbet_ofc Investors & Press: Rich Christensen [email protected] Brett Milotte [email protected]
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-03-11After Ticker Transition, Meridian Holdings (NASDAQ: MRDN) Enters Earnings Season With Renewed Investor Focus
ACCESS Newswire
After Ticker Transition, Meridian Holdings (NASDAQ: MRDN) Enters Earnings Season With Renewed Investor Focus
LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / March 10, 2026 / Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MRDN), formerly Golden Matrix Group, recently completed its corporate rebranding and began trading under its new ticker symbol earlier this month. While ticker changes often mark symbolic shifts, the transition may signal something more structural in this case. With the name change now complete, investor attention appears to be shifting toward fundamentals, operational execution, and the company's upcoming earnings report expected toward the end of March. From Rebranding to Performance Metrics The rebranding aligns the public entity with Meridianbet Group, the international gaming operator acquired in 2024 that significantly expanded the company's geographic footprint across Europe, Africa, and South America. Now that the corporate restructuring phase has largely concluded, the next key catalyst may be financial performance. In prior filings, Meridian reported: 15% year-over-year quarterly revenue growth 32% year-over-year growth in adjusted EBITDA A return to positive net income Debt reduction of approximately 37%, bringing leverage to roughly 1.2x adjusted EBITDA That leverage level sits below many larger peers in the gaming sector, suggesting a comparatively conservative balance sheet structure. Investors may be watching closely to see whether margin stability and earnings momentum continue in the upcoming report. A Hybrid Operating Model Meridian operates a dual-structure platform combining: B2C international gaming operations, led by Meridianbet B2B technology and content licensing, including Expanse Studios and the GMAG platform This hybrid model provides diversification across revenue streams while reducing dependence on a single jurisdiction. One area that could draw attention is Brazil. The country has transitioned from an unregulated environment toward a formal regulatory framework, potentially reducing structural uncertainty for licensed operators. Meridian has previously reported strong user acquisition metrics in the region, including substantial increases in registrations and deposit activity. Meanwhile, the company's vertically integrated structure particularly through in-house game development may support gross margin expansion by reducing reliance on third-party royalty payments. Earnings as the Next Inflection Point With the ticker transition complete, the upc...
TranscriptFY2024 Q32024-11-12FY2024 Q3 earnings call transcript
Earnings source - 6 paragraphs
FY2024 Q3 earnings call transcript
Thank you and good morning, everyone. Welcome to Golden Matrix Group's Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Call. We appreciate you joining us today. On today's call are Brian Goodman, CEO and Co-Founder of Golden Matrix Group; Zoran Milošević, CEO of Merdianbet. Brian and Zoran will provide an overview of Golden Matrix's Q3 financial and operational results. At the conclusion of this call, the recording and supporting resources will be available at the Golden Matrix Group's website. As a reminder, today's call will contain forward-looking statements. Certain statements made on this conference call, including our responses to questions, may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements are based on various assumptions about future events, including market and economic conditions, business prospects, technological developments, and regulatory changes. While we believe these assumptions are reasonable, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. For a complete discussion of these factors, please refer to our most recent 10-Q filing and other public disclosures. Non-GAAP measures will be discussed, and reconciliation of these numbers can also be found in our recently filed 10-Q and earnings press release available on our website. Please note this event is being recorded. [Operator Instructions]. I will now hand over to Brian Goodman, CEO and Co-Founder of Golden Matrix Group.
Thank you and good morning everyone. Welcome to Golden Matrix Group’s Q3 2024 earnings call. We appreciate you joining us today. On today's call are Brian Goodman, CEO and Co-Founder of Golden Matrix Group and Zoran Milošević, CEO of Merdianbet. Brian and Zoran will provide an overview of Golden Matrix's Q3 financial and operational results. At the conclusion of this call, the recording and supporting resources will be available at the Golden Matrix Group's website. As a reminder, today's call will contain forward-looking statements. Certain statements made on this conference call, including our responses to questions, may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements are based on various assumptions about future events, including market and economic conditions, business prospects, technological developments, and regulatory changes. While we believe these assumptions are reasonable, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. For a complete discussion of these factors, please refer to our most recent 10-Q filing and other public disclosures. Non-GAAP measures will be discussed, and reconciliation of these numbers can also be found in our recently filed 10-Q and earnings press release available on our website. I will now hand the call over to Brian Goodman, CEO and Co-Founder of Golden Matrix Group. Brian?
Welcome everyone, and thank you for joining Golden Matrix' third quarter earnings call. Joining me today is Zoran Milošević, CEO of Merdianbet to update you on the progress across our business. On this call, we will cover operational highlights, financial performance, divisional performance, and the overall outlook for the company as we look towards the close of 2024. Starting with operational performance, I'm happy to report on the company's continued operational progress. The third quarter reflects our continued resilience and commitment to long-term growth, strengthening our industry position and executing on our business goals. In Q3, we continued our strategy of scaling the business, delivering broad based growth with strong contributions across our key markets, and also finalizing the Classics for a Cause acquisition, which will no doubt deliver solid revenues and added profits to Golden Matrix. Additionally, our recent performance in October of 2024 has clearly demonstrated and supported our bullish outlook for strong ongoing growth and sustainable results. Onto our financial highlights. The entire iGaming industry is booming and we are very proud to be part of this rapidly evolving segment of the market. We have yet again posted strong financial performance across the business. Third quarter consolidated revenues grew 85% to $41 million, a continuation of the strong trend shown in the last quarter. Year-to-date revenue grew by 55% to $105 million. Third quarter consolidated gross profit increased by 39% to $22.4 million and year-to-date gross profit also increased by 24% to $61.8 million. Third quarter consolidated adjusted EBITDA was $4.3. During Q3, we did encounter residual one off costs due to the completion and implementation of the Merdianbet acquisition and also the recent acquisition of Classics for a Cause. The company has continued to maintain a healthy balance sheet. As of September 30th, the company had over $38.4 million in cash and equivalents with short term debt of only $17.5 million. Shareholder equity of the company grew 60% to $94 million. Divisional performance. Turning to the individual business units where we have continued our strong momentum, I will begin with RKings competitions, our high performing and highly profitable UK based tournament business. RKings experienced a brief challenge with one of its customer acquisition channels, which marginally impacted the performance of our tournament business for Q3. However, we have now overcome this hurdle and we are already seeing an exceptionally strong recovery with the recent surge in ticket sales, revenues and increased profitability, and we expect this business to regain its record setting accomplishments. Revenue in October was already up on September by 11.1% and we expect a strong performance for this quarter with expectations for continued strong Q4 growth and for RKings to yet again make a substantial contribution to both profits and revenues for the entire group. GMAG, our B2B aggregator platform continues to deliver as we focus on increasing gross margins by diversifying our game portfolio and introducing popular high margin games. In the evolving landscape of iGaming where innovation is key, one of the most exciting and important developments in iGaming is the new Crash game category. And we are fortunate to have a diverse range of the world's most popular Crash games. The addition of high demand games and improvements in AI driven customer retention strategies have resulted in substantial increases in wagering volume and active player numbers on the GMAG platform. Third quarter wagering grew by 84% to $1.4 billion and year-to-date wagering also increased by a staggering 115% to $3.6 billion. We have been focusing on improving our gross margins in this business unit. Third quarter gross profit margin increased to 26.2% compared to 24.7% in the second quarter of 2024. We are encouraged by this recent momentum in generating higher margins in this business unit. On to Classics for a Cause, our newly acquired business in Australia, this recent acquisition has introduced a dynamic new segment to our portfolio, capturing new revenue streams, bottom line profitability, and expanding our customer base. We have seen enthusiastic player participation indicating strong market acceptance. This division is a unique differentiator for us, adding substantial brand value. And I'm pleased to announce that our Classics for a Cause division, which we acquired earlier this quarter, is already delivering significant contributions to the overall business. We anticipate continued success as we improve its technology and capability and integrate this business into our other divisions, leveraging its unique value proposition. Whilst Classics for a Cause did not trade for the full quarter as it was only acquired on August 1, 2024, the company has already contributed $2.1 million in revenues, $503,000 in EBITDA, and $253,000 in profit for only two months of the quarter. Our Mexican online casino, Mixed Play continues to scale. Cash deposits and active players are both trending upward, underscoring the growth potential in this market. We have a monthly average of over 14,000 active players in the third quarter compared to 9,000 in the second quarter, a 56% increase. Third quarter cash deposits of $1.5 million were 25% higher compared to $1.2 million in the second quarter of 2024. Third quarter gross gaming wagering of $15 million increased 67% compared to $9 million in the second quarter of this year. Third quarter gross gaming revenue of $575,000 jumped 36% compared to $422,000 in the second quarter. I'll now hand you over to Zoran, CEO of Merdianbet to talk through Merdianbet's results.
Thank you, Brian and welcome, everyone. I'm pleased to present Merdianbet's standout results and strong growth this quarter. Overall revenue growth in Q3 2024, Merdianbet delivered a strong financial performance with total revenue increasing by 16% compared to Q3 2023. This growth was driven by our online segment, which contributed a 19% increase, while the retail segment grew by 6%. Total deposits rose to $61.9 million marking a 13% increase from Q2 2024. New online registrations reached 125,000, achieving a notable 23% year-over-year growth. Online casino performance. In the third quarter, our online casino gross gaming revenue margin rose to 3.37%, the highest level since Q2 2023 and an improvement over last year's 2.22%. Quarterly turnover reached $356.4 million marking a strong 21% year-over-year increase. We achieved a robust 26% year-over-year growth fueled by addition of over 1500 new games. Superheli [ph] developed by our own in house Expanse Studio remained a top choice for players across our library of 6,500 games. Our iGaming portfolio was further strengthened with the integration of 600 additional games alongside the launch of new global tournament featuring up to a million price pool. Sports betting vertical. Sports betting revenue covering both online and retail saw a 7.4% increase year-over-year despite challenging outcomes in July and September. Our online sports GGR margin improved to 9.5%, up from 8.1% in Q3 2023 supported by targeted marketing during Europe 2024 and Olympics. Retail sports performance, in Q3 2024, our retail shops GGR margin reached a notable 10.3% with August achieving a record breaking 14.1%, the highest margin for this month on a record, highlighting our strong performance mid quarter. Retail casino growth. Retail slot machine revenue increased 17.5% year-over-year in Q3 2024, driven by the addition of 120 new machines. Brazilian license progress update. Our Brazilian entity, Meridian Gaming Brazil, has advanced another round in the country, countries excluded federal shortlisting process or a statewide sports betting and iGaming license. We demonstrated both operational and financial capacity and met all required criteria, placing us among 89 companies selected at the federal level. We are confident in our ability to successfully complete all remaining phases of the licensing process by the end of 2024. Continued success of Expanse Studios. Expanse Studios, our in house iGaming development vertical achieved strong growth and industry recognition in Q3. We added over 100 new partners, expanding our portfolio to 50 proprietary games, player activity surged with total spins in September reaching $72.3 million twice the count from Q3 2023. Our active player base grew to 135,000 in September, marking 135% increase year-over-year. The revenue increased by 167% compared to Q3 2023. This quarter, Expanse Studios launched new games specifically designed for social casino category, an explosively popular segment in the U.S, while previous titles remain fully compatible with this fast growing market as well. The studio was shortlisted for best slot provider and rising star at Sigma East Europe Event, reinforcing our position in the iGaming sector. Atlas rollout, we have now transitioned over 80% of our core operations to Atlas, our fifth generation platform for sports betting and online casino. Atlas’ scalable micro service based architecture allows seamless deployment across major markets. Our preparations for full deployment of our system in Brazil are also underway as we advance in the country's exclusive licensing process. Meridian 3 [ph] in Q3, a strong AI statement. In Q3, we introduced two AI powered tools that are reshaping our user engagement through highly personalized recommendations with measurable improvements in player activity and retention. These are number one, AI Casino Recommender. Our system now leverages player behavior and preferences to deliver precise game recommendations, resulting in over 10% increase in engagement with recommended games and 9% boost in interactions with the new game titles. Number two, AI Bet recommender designed for real time sports betting. This tool analyzes extensive sports data to deliver personalized bet suggestions tailored to individual player behaviors. It is fully integrated with our CRM tools, improving user segmentation, engagement, retention and player experience. Strong community bonds. In Q3 2024, Meridian executed 68 CSR initiatives across Europe, Africa, and Latin America, reinforcing our brand community impact and driving long-term shareholders value. Key actions included targeted healthcare donations, educational support, responsible gaming campaigns, and environmental efforts. Additionally, the Merdianbet Foundation awarded global scholarship for the fifth consecutive year, now supporting dozens of top students across all markets we operate, further strengthening our market presence and talent pipeline. In conclusion, at Merdianbet, we are focused on closing 2024 with record setting performance and sustained momentum into the future. I will now hand back to Brian Goodman.
Thank you, Zoran. I will now finish up with the outlook for Golden Matrix. Whilst we have achieved top line revenue growth and strong increase in gross margin in the third quarter and encountered some trailing one off costs incurred in the Merdianbet consolidation and the integration of the newly acquired Classics for a Cause, this is now behind us and we are operating the business more efficiently with a focus on reduced costs and improved profitability. We are laser focused on implementing cost efficiencies and cost rationalization across the company. This is primarily being achieved by reducing overall costs in terms of product synergies and removing redundancies. On the operational front, we are improving sales and marketing through broader distribution, increased sales and marketing, and we are also identifying products and distribution synergies to maximize efficiency and build higher sales with improved margins. We are optimizing our operations across the globe and implementing tighter cost controls. We are excited about what the future holds for the business and we see a large number of opportunities ahead of us. As mentioned, we have started the fourth quarter strongly and we are on track to set new records. We have a clear strategy, a strong balance sheet, and a world class team behind us, and we remain confident in the company's future prospects. We are well positioned to settle debts as needed, pursue accretive acquisitions, and continue to support our expansive growth strategy. Thank you everyone for joining the call.
The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today's presentation. You may now disconnect.
TranscriptFY2024 Q22024-08-14FY2024 Q2 earnings call transcript
Earnings source - 6 paragraphs
FY2024 Q2 earnings call transcript
Good day, and welcome to the Golden Matrix Group Second Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call and Webcast. All participants will be in a listen-only mode. [Operator Instructions] Please note today's event is being recorded. I would now like to turn the conference over to Brett Milotte, Senior Vice President of ICR. Please go ahead.
Thank you, and welcome, everyone, to Golden Matrix Group's second quarter 2024 earnings call. Joining us today is Brian Goodman, CEO of Golden Matrix Group; and Zoran Milosevic, CEO of Meridianbet. On this call, we will review Golden Matrix financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2024. Today's call will contain forward-looking statements, and I will read some brief cautionary remarks regarding certain statements that may be made on this call. Certain statements made on this conference call and our response to various questions may constitute forward-looking information or future-oriented financial information within the meaning of the applicable security law. Statements about expected growth, prospective results, strategic outlook and financial operating expectations, opportunities and projections rely on several assumptions concerning future events, including market and economic conditions, business prospects or opportunity, future plan or strategy, technological development and anticipated events, trends and regulatory changes that may affect the corporation and its subsidiaries and in respective customers, industries. While we believe these assumptions may be reasonable, they are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which outside – are outside the company's control and which could cause the actual results, performance or achievement of the company to be materially different. There can be no assurances that these assumptions or estimates are accurate or that any of these expectations will prove accurate. For a complete discussion of these factors, please refer to our recently filed 10-Q, press release and other publicly available disclosures. Non-GAAP measures will also be discussed, and reconciliation of these numbers can be found in the recently filed 10-Q in the earnings press release that can also be found on the Golden Matrix Group Investor Relations website. I will now hand the call over to Brian Goodman, CEO and Co-Founder of Golden Matrix Group.
Thank you, and welcome, everyone, to our second quarter 2024 earnings call. I'm pleased to announce that this is our first earnings report since our successful combination with Meridianbet. And joining me on today's call is Meridianbet's CEO, Zoran Milosevic. On this call, we will review Golden Matrix' operational highlights, financial performance, divisional performance and the overall outlook for the company. Our second quarter delivered exceptional results, driven by operational success across all business units. We have maintained half performance through product diversity and cross-platform initiatives, and our dedicated team has executed on all of our short-term objectives. I am pleased to report that the consolidation of Meridianbet has been seamless, and we have gained strong momentum as a result of the recent acquisition, as evidenced by our successful results since the transformation. We have now confirmed ourselves as a major player in the sports betting and iGaming industry with a robust road map, and we expect to continue achieving strong growth in all sectors of the business. We have not only built on historical momentum but plan to continue to build on new found tailwind as a result of the now completed consolidation. Before we move on to the financial highlights, I'd like to clarify some important items. Due to the relative size of the Meridianbet business in comparison to the Golden Matrix Group, Meridianbet was deemed the accounting acquirer. As a result and in terms of the financial reporting, it is important to note that the financials I'm about to present are a comparison of the consolidated company's results against Meridianbet's historical financials and performance and not against GMGI's historical performance. It is also important to note that a comparison of the consolidated company's performance against Golden Matrix' historical performance would have resulted in much higher growth trends and improved results. However, in terms of GAAP accounting and Meridianbet being the accounting acquirer, the comparisons I will present are correctly stated and are reflective of our new structure. On to financial highlights. As I'm sure everyone is aware, sports betting and iGaming are the fastest-growing segments in gaming, and we are very proud to be part of this rapidly evolving sector. We have posted strong financial performance across the business. Second quarter consolidated revenue grew 75% to $39.4 million, a continuation of the strong trends shown in the last quarter, whilst year-to-date revenue grew by 41% to $64.3 million. Net income in this quarter was $15,000. This was impacted by non-cash items as well as considerable one-off acquisition costs and restructuring and implementation costs related to the recent acquisition. Second quarter consolidated adjusted EBITDA was consistent at $5.4 million after recognizing the non-cash items, one-off costs, the completion and implementation of the Meridianbet acquisition. Second quarter consolidated gross profit increased by 31% to $21.7 million, and year-to-date gross profit also increased by 17% to $39.4 million. Our balance sheet. The company has continued to maintain a healthy balance sheet. As at the 31st of July, the company had over $40 million in cash and equivalents, a 96% increase over December 2023 of $20.4 million. Our debt position remains healthy as well with a net debt leverage ratio of only 1.6. Shareholder equity at the company grew 52% to $89.7 million. Now turning to the business units, where we have continued strong momentum. I'll begin with our high-performing tournament platform, R Kings Competitions. R Kings and its related company, GMG Assets, posted yet another record second quarter with revenues of over $9.6 million, an increase of over 43% over last year. Players now total 386,000 as of 30 June 2024 and over 53,000 new players have been acquired year-to-date. Acquisition costs remain at a very low level of only $7.60 per player. Total active players now total 140,000. A remarkable total of over 5 million tickets have been sold year-to-date through 1.1 million purchases. Turning to GMAG, our B2B aggregator gaming platform. Our recent focus has been on improving our gross margins in this business unit. We are achieving this by distributing our newly acquired state-of-the-art gaming portfolio, Expanse games, through our large number of clientele. We are diversifying our overall portfolio of games by adding the highly popular crash games, which have shown very strong performance in both the revenue generation and high margins. Second quarter wagering grew by 124% to $1.2 billion, and year-to-date wagering also increased by staggering 141% to $2.2 billion. Second quarter gross gaming revenue generated on the GMAG platform grew by 187% to $38 million, and year-to-date growth gaming revenue on the GMAG system grew by 186% to $68 million. We now have over two million active players on our GMAG system, and we continue to sign new operators on a regular basis. We are currently implementing AI tools and state-of-the-art loyalty systems into the GMAG system to improve customer retention and results and revenues, and we expect the positive trend to continue. Now on to our MexPlay, Mexican-licensed casino. Whilst MexPlay is a relatively new casino operation, it has already shown solid growth trends. We have a monthly average of over 9,000 active players. Second quarter cash deposits increased 297% to $1.2 million. Second quarter wagering grew by 100% to $9.3 million, and gross gaming revenues grew by 154% to $422,000. I'll now hand you over to Zoran Milosevic, CEO of Meridianbet, to talk about the Meridianbet results.
Thank you, Brian, and welcome, everyone. We are excited to share our strong quarterly results marked by significant achievements and promising opportunities. Let's first review Meridian's key performance indicators for this quarter, which reflect our strong performance, ongoing growth and market expansion. Revenue growth. In Q2, our revenues saw a robust increase of 11.4% compared to Q2 2023. The online segment led with 14% rise, while retail grew by 6%. Total deposits amounted to US$59.2 million, reflecting 16% growth compared to Q2 2023. The number of new online registration also increased to 136,000, marking a 17% year-over-year growth. Online casino success. The online casino sector recorded 17% revenue growth in Q2 2024 compared to Q2 2023, significantly bolstered by the addition of approximately 1,500 new games. A standard achievement in Q2 was the game Super Heli from our Expanse Studios, which ranked second in the player engagement among all others offered. This is particularly impressive given the extensive library of 6,500 games from various providers. Sports betting. Sports betting revenue, including both in retail and online, rose by 7.3% in Q2 2024 compared to Q2 2023. Despite tough outcomes in April and May, we maintained robust growth. Our online sports gross gaming revenue margin for Q2 2024 improved to 9.9%, up from 8.3% posted in retrospective of Q2 2023, thanks to targeted marketing during European soccer championship. Retail sports performance. The second quarter of 2024 retail sports gross gaming revenue margin dropped to 13% from 14.4% in Q2 2023, influenced by unfavorable football results during the month of April and May in the second quarter of 2024. However, June set a new monthly record of 16% GGR, above the average for the first half of 2024. Online casino margin. The online casino margin in Q2 2024 slightly decreased to 3.07% from 3.52% in Q2 2023. This was due to a 34% rise in amount of wagers and our expanded game library. Retail growth. Revenue from retail slot machines in Q2 2024 grew by 16% year-over-year, driven by addition of 120 new machines, enhancing our offerings and customer satisfaction. New jurisdictions. Since becoming part of Golden Matrix in April this year, Meridianbet continues to expand its global footprint. Leveraging our combined strength, we believe we are poised for a next major market entry, Brazil. As one of the select global operators with pending federal licenses, we believe we are uniquely positioned to access Brazilian substantial market projected at approximately US$20 billion with a potential player base of 106 million by 2025. We believe that this access ensures that we are well positioned to leverage potential substantial growth opportunities across one of the planet's fastest-growing betting and gaming market. Our strategic expansion hasn't stopped there, of course. We have secured our new licenses in Peru, and the iGaming industry is valued at US$1.2 billion and is growing at 6.4% annually and South Africa, where digital gaming revenue is expected to reach $828.5 million in 2024. We expect our upward trajectory to continue and believe that we are not just participating in the global gaming market. We are actively shaping it. Investment in tech and AI. This quarter has been marked by our continued investment in AI as well. That's why we are thrilled to highlight our latest innovation, an AI-powered casino game recommender that is already transforming player experiences and driving results steering wise. In just one month, we have seen 3% increase in engagement with recommended games, a 9% boost of new – for new games introduced by AI. It's innovations like this that we anticipate will keep us at the forefront of our industry and position us for continued success. I'm also pleased to announce that we have transitioned our core market operations to our new software platform called Atlas. This marks the most significant software upgrade in our history and represents the final phase of a five-year journey to completely overhaul our gaming infrastructure. With Atlas, we believe we are now positioned to compete with industry leaders like bet365 and Betano, who also utilize the latest generation software. We are on track to complete transition in all remaining countries by Q3 of 2024. Expanse Studios. Expanse Studios is making significant strides in expanding its market presence. We are in the process of entering competitive U.S. iGaming market by applying for the New Jersey casino service industry enterprise license. The application process is well underway and pending final confirmation. Additionally, we have secured a license for Bulgarian market and pursuing iLicense in Croatia and Romania. We believe that these regulatory advancements are key to expanding our footprint in Europe. Notably, Expanse Studios achieved a 30% revenue increase in Q2 2024 compared to Q1 2024, highlighting our strong performance and growth trajectory. This growth is further emphasized by our high-profile participation in major industry events such as SiGMA Americas in São Paulo, SBC North America in New Jersey and SiGMA Asia in Manila as well as completing our integration with SOFTSWISS, supporting our communities and creating impact. On the corporate social responsibility front, Meridian Group remains dedicated to making a positive impact. In the first half of 2024, we were actively engaged in various initiatives, setting us on excellent trajectory to exceed last year record of 225 CSR campaigns. Highlights include our “Scan. Help. campaign, which uses QR codes to fund essential equipment for our – for maternity hospitals in Europe; our participation in global efforts for flood relief in Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil; and our Betting Awareness initiative aimed at educating communities about our business and its potential risks. These efforts alongside donations to local children homes and environmental cleanups underscore our commitment to community support and sustainability. This report is a snapshot of the positive impact we made in Q2 2024, reflecting our ongoing dedication to social responsibility. As we look ahead, we are excited to build on these achievements and continue strengthening our market position while delivering value to our stakeholders. We are confident that the strategic initiatives and investments we've made will keep driving our growth and success in coming quarters. Thank you all for continued support and for being part of this journey. Let's keep this momentum going and move forward together. I will now turn you back to Brian.
Thank you, Zoran. I'd like to finish up by emphasizing our belief that we are extremely well positioned to capture the opportunities ahead of us and to maintain significant growth. It goes without saying that we have streamlined and transformed the company. And most importantly, we have a robust balance sheet with significant cash on hand. As at the 31st of July, we had over $40 million in cash, giving us the flexibility not only to be in a position to settle any current debt but also most importantly, we are in a position to make accretive acquisitions and to settle any derivative debt if the need arises. These quarterly results are just improving points of the expected consolidated results to come, and we are continuing to progress towards our targeted annual revenues of over $150 million per annum and adjusted EBITDA of over $13 million per annum by 2025. As part of our strategy, we plan to continue to scale the company via acquisitions and by investing in new markets in order to expand our global footprint. We will continue to take a disciplined approach towards M&A as we have done to date, only planning to deploy capital towards profitable, cash positive and robust businesses. We have an extremely diversified business, what we believe are unmatched market positions as well as cross-platform capabilities. And we plan to focus on operational excellence, driving enhanced shareholder value, and we expect continued and sustainable double-digit growth with healthy margins. Our industry-leading talent across our business units and their disciplined and high-performance culture is no doubt one of the key to our success. And as such, we will continue to invest in our talent. As I wrap up, I'd like to thank all of our employees for their ongoing hard work and dedication. In closing, I'd like to say that these quarterly results are a validation of our expected results to come, and I am very excited about the future. Thanks, everyone, for listening to our call.
This concludes today's conference call and webcast. You may now disconnect your lines.

