EX-99.1 2 d309631dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

FOR DISTRIBUTION

February 29, 2012

4:00 p.m. Eastern

Market Leader® Delivers 39% Revenue Growth for 2011

Significant growth and operating leverage expected to continue in 2012

KIRKLAND, Wash. – February 29, 2012 – Market Leader, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEDR) today announced continued growth and significant financial and operational progress for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2011.

Strong Revenue Growth Continues

During 2011, Market Leader increased annual revenue by 39% to $34 million. The company also posted its eighth consecutive quarter of revenue growth by delivering revenue of $9.5 million, an increase of 39% over the $6.8 million for the fourth quarter of last year. Fourth quarter net loss was reduced from $4.3 million a year ago to $4.1 million in 2011, despite incurring a $1.45 million contract termination charge in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Dramatic EBITDA Improvement

Market Leader demonstrated continuous financial and operational progress throughout the year, reducing its fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA loss to $800,000 from a loss of $3.1 million a year ago. This $2.3 million improvement represented an 85% Adjusted EBITDA contribution rate on incremental revenue.

“2011 was a pivotal year for Market Leader, a year in which we demonstrated both significant revenue growth and operating leverage. At the same time, the success we are seeing with our strategic initiatives has laid the groundwork for significant continued growth and industry leadership in the quarters and years to come,” said CEO Ian Morris.

The strength of Market Leader’s products, combined with its broad access to real estate professionals enabled the company to achieve these positive results in a challenging market environment. Despite a prolonged downturn in housing, real estate professionals still spend $29 billion on marketing and technology services each year, providing Market Leader with a compelling market opportunity.

Unmatched Access to Real Estate Professionals

During 2011, Market Leader increased the number of real estate professionals that utilize its software platform to more than 100,000 from 19,000 at the beginning of the year. Much of this growth was driven by the first quarter launch of the real estate industry’s first ever and award-winning, end-to-end software platform.

Later in the year, Market Leader acquired SharperAgent, the industry’s leading online marketing, print, and design solution. This strategic acquisition further broadened Market Leader’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform and added strong customer relationships with some of the industry’s most prominent brokerage companies and their more than 30,000 real estate agents across North America.


In addition, Market Leader completed its acquisition of ActiveRain, the leading social network for real estate professionals. This acquisition provides Market Leader with a vibrant community of more than 200,000 real estate professionals.

These actions drove dramatic user growth and now provide Market Leader with access to nearly a third of all real estate professionals in North America, a number that is believed unmatched by any company in the category.

Unparalleled Software and Technology Leadership

With the completion of its acquisitions of SharperAgent and ActiveRain, Market Leader is integrating the leading online marketing, print, and design solution, as well as the leading social media and blogging platform into its award-winning SaaS platform. The integration of this core functionality establishes Market Leader as the only provider of a single, end-to-end solution addressing all of the marketing and technology needs of real estate companies and their agents. This competitive advantage uniquely positions Market Leader to increase its reach, as many of North America’s leading real estate franchises and brokerage companies seek broad-based technology solutions to help them recruit and retain leading sales professionals.

Aggressive Expansion into Marketing Services

As Market Leader continues to build upon its leadership in technology services, the company will also be aggressively pursuing the billions spent annually by real estate professionals on marketing and advertising. The company already enables thousands of brokerage companies and their agents to acquire new customers through targeted marketing programs and advertising services, and will be building upon this base throughout 2012.

With the acquisition of RealEstate.com during the third quarter, Market Leader can now leverage the powerful name recognition and steady source of organic traffic that this site provides to further extend the marketing solutions it offers to real estate professionals. In the coming months, Market Leader plans to establish RealEstate.com as an engaging destination for future home buyers and sellers, while creating differentiated opportunities for real estate professionals to prominently showcase themselves in the neighborhoods in which they work. This initial launch is expected to be followed by a series of enhancements throughout 2012.

Based on the strong early response by real estate professionals to the initial offering, Market Leader now expects RealEstate.com to emerge as a key source of revenue growth for the company as early as the second half of this year.

Market Leader Now Uniquely Positioned For Industry Leadership

The company believes this series of strategic moves positions it for industry leadership and the opportunity to dramatically grow its revenue and market share. To do this, Market Leader intends to leverage its software platform, as well as its ability to provide customers with a broad range of targeted marketing solutions, and further expand its relationships with 300,000 real estate professionals across North America. Market Leader believes that this combination of assets positions it for industry leadership and success in the months and years to come.


Significant Growth Expected for 2012

Market Leader expects to extend the strong revenue growth it achieved in 2011 into 2012, while demonstrating continued operating leverage. As a result, the company expects to achieve positive Adjusted EBITDA by the end of the first half of 2012 and expects to report positive Adjusted EBITDA for the full year.

Conference Call

The company will host a conference call and live Webcast to discuss fourth quarter and 2011 annual results on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. To listen to the live conference call, please dial (719) 325-2204. A live Webcast of the call will be available from the Investor Relations section of the company’s Web site at www.investor.marketleader.com. An audio replay of the call will also be available to investors beginning on February 29 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time and ending on March 5 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time by dialing (719) 457-0820 and entering the passcode 1959964#.

About Market Leader, Inc.

Market Leader, founded in 1999, provides innovative online technology and marketing solutions for real estate professionals across the United States and Canada. The company serves more than 100,000 real estate agents, brokerages and franchisors, offering complete end-to-end solutions that enable them to grow and manage their businesses. Market Leader’s subscription-based real estate marketing software—including websites, contact management, a marketing center, and lead generation services—helps customers generate a steady stream of prospects, plus provides the systems and training they need to convert those prospects into clients. In addition, the company’s national consumer real estate sites, including www.RealEstate.com, give its customers access to millions of future home buyers and sellers, while providing consumers with free access to the information they seek.

For more information on Market Leader visit www.MarketLeader.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements relating to the company’s anticipated plans, products, services, and financial performance. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean the statement is not forward-looking. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the company’s actual results include its ability to retain and increase its customer base, to continue to grow revenues, to continue to maintain current customer retention levels, to respond to competitive threats and real estate market conditions, to reduce lead generation expenses, to develop new products, to develop new revenue sources from its RealEstate.com assets, to achieve positive Adjusted EBITDA by the end of the first half of 2012 and for the full year, and to expand into new lines of business. Please refer to the company’s most recent Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more detailed description of these and other risks that could materially affect actual results. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of today’s date and the company assumes no obligation to update any such statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.


Non-GAAP Measure

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure provided as a complement to results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Adjusted EBITDA is not a substitute for measures determined in accordance with GAAP, and may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA as reported by other companies. Our use of the term “Adjusted EBITDA” refers to a financial measure defined as earnings or loss before net interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, net loss attributable to non-controlling interest, loss on asset disposition, contract termination charge and stock-based compensation. We believe Adjusted EBITDA to be relevant and useful information to our investors as this measure is an integral part of our internal management reporting and planning process and is the primary measure used by our management to evaluate operating performance. Following is the reconciliation of net loss, the most comparable GAAP measure, to Adjusted EBITDA, for each of the periods presented (in thousands, unaudited):

 

     Three months ended  
     December 31,
2011
    September 30,
2011
    December 31,
2010
 

Net loss available to shareholders

   $ (4,094     (2,961   $ (4,297

Adjustments:

      

Stock-based compensation

     412        337        382   

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

     625        655        593   

Amortization of intangible assets

     890        374        334   

Loss on asset disposition

     —          174        —     

Contract termination charge

     1,450        —          —     

Interest income, net

     (1     (15     (35

Income tax (benefit) expense

     (36     3        3   

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

     (17     (91     (79
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ (771   $ (1,524   $ (3,099
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 


Market Leader, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(In thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

 

     Three months ended
December 31,
    Twelve months ended
December 31,
 
     2011     2010     2011     2010  

Revenues

   $ 9,484      $ 6,844      $ 34,025      $ 24,430   

Expenses:

        

Sales and marketing (1)

     6,638        7,588        27,757        23,908   

Technology and product development (1)

     2,272        1,288        8,209        5,358   

General and administrative (1)

     1,757        1,449        6,840        5,920   

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

     625        593        2,537        2,522   

Amortization of intangible assets

     890        334        1,788        1,772   

Loss on asset disposition

     —          —          174        —     

Contract termination charge

     1,450        —          1,450        —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

     13,632        11,252        48,755        39,480   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     (4,148     (4,408     (14,730     (15,050

Equity in loss of unconsolidated subsidiary

     —          —          —          (254

Gain on remeasurement of investment in subsidiary

     —          —          —          750   

Interest income, net

     1        35        60        202   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before income tax expense

     (4,147     (4,373     (14,670     (14,352

Income tax (benefit) expense

     (36     3        (27     10   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss before noncontrolling interest

     (4,111     (4,376     (14,643     (14,362

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

     (17     (79     (398     (79
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss available to Market Leader

   $ (4,094   $ (4,297   $ (14,245   $ (14,283
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss per share - basic and diluted

   $ (0.16   $ (0.17   $ (0.56   $ (0.58
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Number of shares used in per share calculations

     25,380        24,823        25,222        24,661   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)    Stock-based compensation is included in the expense line items above in the following amounts:

       

     2011     2010     2011     2010  

Sales and marketing

   $ 209      $ 158      $ 680      $ 529   

Technology and product development

     40        30        180        193   

General and administrative

     163        194        639        1,083   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
   $ 412      $ 382      $ 1,499      $ 1,805   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 


Market Leader, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except share data)

(unaudited)

 

     December 31,
2011
    December 31,
2010
 

Assets

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 7,958      $ 16,687   

Short-term investments

     15,141        28,628   

Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $36 and $12, respectively

     729        30   

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     1,733        1,249   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     25,561        46,594   

Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $19,187 and $17,047

     4,507        3,856   

Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $9,987 and $8,199

     10,762        2,326   

Goodwill

     1,861        954   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 42,691      $ 53,730   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 1,120      $ 1,157   

Accrued compensation and benefits

     2,599        1,809   

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     2,319        1,175   

Deferred rent, current portion

     230        214   

Deferred revenue

     1,056        517   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     7,324        4,872   

Deferred rent, less current portion

     249        527   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     7,573        5,399   

Shareholders’ equity:

    

Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, stated at amounts paid in; authorized 30,000,000 shares; none issued and outstanding

     —          —     

Common stock, par value $0.001 per share, stated at amounts paid in; authorized 120,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 25,397,448 and 24,873,120 shares at December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively

     74,073        71,889   

Accumulated deficit

     (38,955     (24,710
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Market Leader, Inc. shareholders’ equity

     35,118        47,179   

Noncontrolling interest in subsidiary

     —          1,152   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity and noncontrolling interest

     35,118        48,331   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities, shareholders’ equity and noncontrolling interest

   $ 42,691      $ 53,730   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 


Market Leader, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     Twelve months  ended
December 31,
 
     2011     2010  

Cash flows from operating activities:

    

Net loss

   $ (14,643   $ (14,362

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

    

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

     2,537        2,522   

Amortization of intangible assets

     1,788        1,772   

Stock-based compensation

     1,499        1,805   

Gain on remeasurement of investment in subsidiary

     —          (750

Loss on asset disposition

     174        —     

Equity in loss of unconsolidated subsidiary

     —          254   

Changes in certain assets and liabilities, net of assets acquired and liabilities assumed Accounts receivable, net of allowance

     (563     26   

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (105     (318

Prepaid income taxes

     (1     4,918   

Other noncurrent assets

     —          43   

Accounts payable

     (378     35   

Accrued compensation and benefits

     720        172   

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     907        413   

Deferred rent

     (262     (226

Deferred revenue

     539        101   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (7,788     (3,595
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

    

Purchases of short-term investments

     (20,329     (40,107

Sales & maturities of short-term investments

     33,647        37,528   

Purchases of property and equipment

     (2,857     (1,933

Acquisition of RealEstate.com

     (8,250     —     

Acquisition of Sharper Agent, net of cash acquired

     (1,656     —     

Acquisition of KWKLY

     (750     —     

Acquisition of controlling interest in ActiveRain, net of cash acquired

     —          (394
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

     (195     (4,906
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

    

Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in ActiveRain

     (446     —     

Value of common stock tendered in satisfaction of employees’ income taxes on vesting of employee restricted stock

     (260     (343

Principal payment on note payable

     (60     —     

Proceeds from exercises of stock options

     20        97   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in financing activities

     (746     (246
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

     (8,729     (8,747

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     16,687        25,434   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 7,958      $ 16,687   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 


Investor Contact:

Mark Lamb

Director of Investor Relations

Market Leader, Inc.

425.952.5801

markl@marketleader.com

Press Contact:

Matt Heinz

Heinz Marketing for Market Leader, Inc.

877.291.0006

matt@heinzmarketing.com