SAN FRANCISCO - Wag! Group Co. (NASDAQ: PET), a company focused on pet services and products, announced preliminary results for its second quarter of 2024 today, revealing a net loss alongside record adjusted EBITDA figures. The company is also updating its full-year financial guidance.
The unaudited financial data indicates revenues between $18.5 million and $19 million for the quarter. Despite this, Wag! experienced a net loss in the range of $2.2 million to $2.4 million. However, the adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP metric, showed a positive range of $1.5 million to $1.7 million, marking an 8% adjusted EBITDA margin at the midpoint.
Wag! emphasized its ongoing efforts to enhance free cash flow and strengthen its balance sheet, as highlighted by CFO Alec Davidian. The company has been optimizing its spending, particularly in sales and marketing, which dropped from 67% of revenue in Q1 to an estimated 59% in Q2.
Additionally, Wag! has transitioned to a fully remote workforce and implemented AI and automation solutions, reducing its headcount by more than 10% in 2024.
CEO Garrett Smallwood stressed the importance of consistent free cash flow growth to address existing debt obligations, with the company's debt prepayment penalty set to expire in August 2024.
For the full year ending December 31, 2024, Wag! has revised its guidance, now expecting revenue in the range of $92 million to $102 million, down 12% from its previous forecast. However, adjusted EBITDA guidance has been increased by 50% from the midpoint of previous estimates, now ranging from $4 million to $8 million.
The company anticipates that the holiday season will boost demand for overnight services, while severe weather may affect service demand. Pet adoptions during holidays are also expected to increase demand for pet insurance and wellness plans. Wag! is also factoring in macroeconomic trends, including consumer confidence and interest rates, into its financial performance forecasts.
This news is based on a press release statement from Wag! Group Co.
In other recent news, Wag! Group has seen significant developments in its financial performance and strategic initiatives. DA Davidson has adjusted the price target for Wag! Group shares to $3.50 from $6.00, maintaining a Buy recommendation. The firm anticipates a growth acceleration for Wag! Group in the latter half of 2024, driven by recent product launches and new services such as Furscription and WeCompare.
The firm projects Wag! Group's 2024 revenue to reach $109.3 million, marking a 30.3% year-over-year increase, and an adjusted EBITDA of $5.0 million, a significant improvement from the previous year. These expectations are supported by the company's strategic initiatives and product rollouts set to gain traction later in the year.
In its first quarter of 2024, Wag! reported a 13% year-over-year increase in revenue, reaching $23.2 million, primarily due to its wellness business. Wag! Group's full-year revenue forecast for 2024 is projected to be between $105 million and $115 million, a 25% to 37% increase over 2023. The company also anticipates positive free cash flows in the second half of 2024.
InvestingPro Insights
Wag! Group Co. (NASDAQ: PET) continues to navigate through a challenging financial landscape, as indicated by the preliminary results for Q2 2024. With a focus on pet services and products, the company has reported a net loss despite achieving record adjusted EBITDA figures. Here are some InvestingPro Insights that shed light on the company's financial health and market performance:
InvestingPro Data highlights that Wag! has a market capitalization of $62.96 million and has experienced a substantial revenue growth of 31.43% over the last twelve months as of Q1 2024. This growth is a testament to the company's expanding operations and may offer a silver lining despite the reported net loss. The gross profit margin stands impressively at 76.79%, indicating that the company is effective at controlling its cost of goods sold relative to its sales.
However, the company's P/E ratio is currently negative at -4.55, reflecting investor concerns over profitability. This aligns with one of the InvestingPro Tips that analysts do not anticipate the company will be profitable this year. Additionally, the price of Wag!'s shares has fallen significantly over the last three months by 25.12%, which could indicate market skepticism about the company's short-term growth prospects.
InvestingPro Tips suggest that Wag! operates with a moderate level of debt, which is an important consideration given the company's focus on enhancing free cash flow and addressing debt obligations. Moreover, the company's impressive gross profit margins could provide some cushion as it navigates through its financial challenges.
For investors looking to dive deeper into Wag! Group Co.'s financials and market potential, there are additional InvestingPro Tips available. By using the coupon code PRONEWS24, readers can get up to 10% off a yearly Pro and a yearly or biyearly Pro+ subscription for more in-depth analysis and tips. Currently, there are 6 additional tips listed in InvestingPro for Wag! Group Co., offering valuable insights for making informed investment decisions.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.