Description of the Business	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Description of the Business
Description of the Business	1. Description of the Business BuzzFeed, Inc. (referred to herein, collectively with its subsidiaries, as “BuzzFeed” or the “Company”) is a global media company with social, content-driven publishing technology. BuzzFeed provides breaking news, original reporting, entertainment, and video across its owned and operated brands and the social web to its global audience. BuzzFeed derives its revenue primarily from content, advertising and commerce sold to leading brands. The Company has one reportable segment. On December 3, 2021 (the “Closing Date”), the Company consummated the previously announced business combinations in connection with (i) that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated June 24, 2021 (as amended, the “Merger Agreement”), by and among 890 5th Avenue Partners, Inc. (“890”), certain wholly-owned subsidiaries of 890, and BuzzFeed, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Legacy BuzzFeed”); and (ii) the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2021 (as amended, the “C Acquisition Purchase Agreement”), by and among Legacy BuzzFeed, CM Partners, LLC, Complex Media, Inc., Verizon CMP Holdings LLC and HDS II, Inc., pursuant to which the Company acquired 100% of the membership interests of CM Partners, LLC. CM Partners, LLC, together with Complex Media, Inc., is referred to herein as “Complex Networks.” The transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the acquisition of Complex Networks, are hereinafter referred to as the “Business Combination.” In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, 890 was renamed “BuzzFeed, Inc.” The shares and corresponding capital amounts and earnings per share related to Legacy BuzzFeed redeemable convertible preferred stock (other than Series F Preferred Stock and Series G Preferred Stock) and Legacy BuzzFeed common stock prior to the Business Combination have been retroactively recast as shares reflecting the Exchange Ratio of 0.306 established in the Business Combination. Shares of Legacy BuzzFeed Series F Preferred Stock and Series G Preferred Stock have been restated based on the exchange into 30,880,000 shares of BuzzFeed Class A common stock established in the Business Combination. In addition, pursuant to subscription agreements entered into in connection with the Merger Agreement, the Company issued, and certain investors purchased, $150.0 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured convertible notes due 2026 concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination (the “Notes”). Liquidity As of and for the six months ended June 30, 2022, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $68.2 million. However, the Company has a history of losses, and had an accumulated deficit of $390.8 million as of June 30, 2022. The Company has cash available on hand and management believes its existing capital resources will be sufficient to support the Company’s operations and meet its obligations as they become due within one year from the date these condensed consolidated financial statements are issued. COVID-19 In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the viral strain of COVID-19 a global pandemic and recommended containment and mitigation measures worldwide. The spread of COVID-19 and the resulting economic contraction has resulted in increased business uncertainty and significantly impacted the Company’s business and results of operations. The Company believes the COVID-19 pandemic drove a shift in commerce from offline to online, including an increase in online shopping, which we believe contributed to the rapid growth we experienced in our commerce revenue for fiscal 2020. However, the growth of the Company’s commerce revenue decelerated during 2021 and continued to decelerate in the first half of 2022 as shelter-in-place orders were lifted, consumers returned to shopping in stores, and retailers struggled with supply chain disruptions and labor shortages. The continued duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving strains of COVID-19 is uncertain, rapidly changing, and difficult to predict. The degree to which COVID-19-related disruptions impact the Company’s future results will depend on future developments, which are outside of the Company’s control, including, but not limited to, the duration of the pandemic, its severity, the success of actions taken to contain or prevent the virus or treat its impact, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. The Company’s growth rate has been, and may continue to be, impacted by additional macroeconomic factors beyond its control, such as inflation and its effect on interest rates, retail businesses reopening, increased consumer spending on travel and other discretionary items, and the absence of new U.S. and other government economic stimulus programs, among other things.

Description of the Business

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

1. Description of the Business

BuzzFeed, Inc. (referred to herein, collectively with its subsidiaries, as “BuzzFeed” or the “Company”) is a global media company with social, content-driven publishing technology. BuzzFeed provides breaking news, original reporting, entertainment, and video across its owned and operated brands and the social web to its global audience. BuzzFeed derives its revenue primarily from content, advertising and commerce sold to leading brands. The Company has one reportable segment.

On December 3, 2021 (the “Closing Date”), the Company consummated the previously announced business combinations in connection with (i) that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated June 24, 2021 (as amended, the “Merger Agreement”), by and among 890 5th Avenue Partners, Inc. (“890”), certain wholly-owned subsidiaries of 890, and BuzzFeed, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Legacy BuzzFeed”); and (ii) the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2021 (as amended, the “C Acquisition Purchase Agreement”), by and among Legacy BuzzFeed, CM Partners, LLC, Complex Media, Inc., Verizon CMP Holdings LLC and HDS II, Inc., pursuant to which the Company acquired 100% of the membership interests of CM Partners, LLC. CM Partners, LLC, together with Complex Media, Inc., is referred to herein as “Complex Networks.” The transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the acquisition of Complex Networks, are hereinafter referred to as the “Business Combination.” In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, 890 was renamed “BuzzFeed, Inc.”

The shares and corresponding capital amounts and earnings per share related to Legacy BuzzFeed redeemable convertible preferred stock (other than Series F Preferred Stock and Series G Preferred Stock) and Legacy BuzzFeed common stock prior to the Business Combination have been retroactively recast as shares reflecting the Exchange Ratio of 0.306 established in the Business Combination. Shares of Legacy BuzzFeed Series F Preferred Stock and Series G Preferred Stock have been restated based on the exchange into 30,880,000 shares of BuzzFeed Class A common stock established in the Business Combination.

In addition, pursuant to subscription agreements entered into in connection with the Merger Agreement, the Company issued, and certain investors purchased, $150.0 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured convertible notes due 2026 concurrently with the closing of the Business Combination (the “Notes”).

Liquidity

As of and for the six months ended June 30, 2022, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $68.2 million. However, the Company has a history of losses, and had an accumulated deficit of $390.8 million as of June 30, 2022. The Company has cash available on hand and management believes its existing capital resources will be sufficient to support the Company’s operations and meet its obligations as they become due within one year from the date these condensed consolidated financial statements are issued.

COVID-19

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the viral strain of COVID-19 a global pandemic and recommended containment and mitigation measures worldwide. The spread of COVID-19 and the resulting economic contraction has resulted in increased business uncertainty and significantly impacted the Company’s business and results of operations.

The Company believes the COVID-19 pandemic drove a shift in commerce from offline to online, including an increase in online shopping, which we believe contributed to the rapid growth we experienced in our commerce revenue for fiscal 2020. However, the growth of the Company’s commerce revenue decelerated during 2021 and continued to decelerate in the first half of 2022 as shelter-in-place orders were lifted, consumers returned to shopping in stores, and retailers struggled with supply chain disruptions and labor shortages.

The continued duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving strains of COVID-19 is uncertain, rapidly changing, and difficult to predict. The degree to which COVID-19-related disruptions impact the Company’s future results will depend on future developments, which are outside of the Company’s control, including, but not limited to, the duration of the pandemic, its severity, the success of actions taken to contain or prevent the virus or treat its impact, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. The Company’s growth rate has been, and may continue to be, impacted by additional macroeconomic factors beyond its control, such as inflation and its effect on interest rates, retail businesses reopening, increased

consumer spending on travel and other discretionary items, and the absence of new U.S. and other government economic stimulus programs, among other things.