VIZIO reports 3Q 2021 results

Tuesday, November 9th, 2021 
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VIZIO logo

VIZIO Holding Corp. Reports Q3 2021 Financial Results

  • Platform+ net revenue increased 134% year-over-year to $85.9 million
  • SmartCast Active accounts increased 35% year-over-year to 14.4 million
  • Average Revenue Per User increased 91% year-over-year to $19.89

IRVINE, Calif. — VIZIO Holding Corp. (NYSE: VZIO) today announced the following results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021, as compared to the corresponding period of last year:

  • Net revenue of $588.3 million, compared to $582.2 million
  • Platform+ net revenue grew 134% to $85.9 million
  • Gross profit of $82.9 million, compared to $88.8 million
  • Platform+ gross profit grew 88% to $57.3 million
  • SmartCast Active Accounts grew 35% to 14.4 million
  • SmartCast Hours increased 16% to 3.6 billion
  • Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) grew 91% to $19.89

“I’m proud of the strength of our Third Quarter results, as the investments we’ve made in our Platform+ business continue to bear fruit,” said William Wang, CEO of VIZIO. “Our dual revenue model is a competitive advantage, and it allows us to leverage our Device business to drive rapidly growing, high-margin revenue within our Platform+ business. Because VIZIO delivers the entire entertainment experience — from the hardware and software, to the content and ads — we are able to deliver an attractive value proposition to consumers, advertisers, and content partners alike. We are here to define the future of the Smart TV business.”

Business highlights include:

  • #2 bestselling TV brand in the US
  • #1 bestselling sound bar brand in the US
  • Increased premium (M Series, P Series and OLED) units shipped by 107% quarter-over-quarter
  • Successfully closed 2022 upfront negotiations and secured brand and agency commitments over $100 million
  • Grew direct advertising client base by over 50% and average revenue per advertiser by over 200%
  • Expanded our app partnerships to include HBO Max, fuboTV, BET+, PBS, and Funimation
  • Launched WatchFree+, our updated free, ad-supported streaming service with greater ad inventory control
  • Released VIZIO Features, our data-driven sponsorship offering that leverages our first party viewership data

Selected Quarterly Financial Results
(Unaudited, in millions, except percentages and ARPU)

                                    Three Months Ended Sept. 30,
                                    ----------------------------
                                        2021      2020  % Change
                                    --------  --------  --------
Financial Highlights:
Net revenue:
 Device                             $  502.5  $  545.5     (8) %
 Platform+                              85.9      36.7     134 %
Total net revenue                      588.3     582.2       1 %
Gross profit:
 Device                                 25.6      58.2    (56) %
 Platform+                              57.3      30.6      88 %
Total gross profit                      82.9      88.8     (7) %
 Operating expenses                     97.5      43.4     125 %
Net (loss) income                   $ (18.6)  $   35.1   (153) %
Adjusted EBITDA                     $   23.4  $   47.2    (50) %

Operational Metrics:
 Smart TV Shipments                      1.4       2.1    (36) %
 SmartCast Active Accounts (as of)      14.4      10.7      35 %
 Total VIZIO Hours                     7,320     5,905      24 %
 SmartCast Hours                       3,620     3,116      16 %
 SmartCast ARPU                     $  19.89  $  10.44      91 %

Key Operational and Financial Metrics

We review certain key operational and financial metrics to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business, formulate business plans and make strategic decisions. We regularly review and may adjust our processes for calculating our internal metrics to improve their accuracy.

Smart TV Shipments. We define Smart TV Shipments as the number of Smart TV units shipped to retailers or direct to consumers in a given period. Smart TV Shipments currently drive the majority of our revenue and provide the foundation for increased adoption of our SmartCast operating system and the growth of our Platform+ revenue. The growth rate between Smart TV units shipped and Device net revenue is not directly correlated because VIZIO’s Device net revenue can be impacted by other variables, such as the series and sizes of Smart TVs sold during the period, the introduction of new products as well as the number of sound bars shipped.

SmartCast Active Accounts. We define SmartCast Active Accounts as the number of VIZIO Smart TVs where a user has activated the SmartCast operating system through an internet connection at least once in the past 30 days. We believe that the number of SmartCast Active Accounts is an important metric to measure the size of our engaged user base, the attractiveness and usability of our operating system, and subsequent monetization opportunities to increase our Platform+ net revenue.

Total VIZIO Hours. We define Total VIZIO Hours as the aggregate amount of time users spend utilizing our Smart TVs in any capacity. We believe this usage metric is critical to understanding our total potential monetization opportunities.

SmartCast Hours. We define SmartCast Hours as the aggregate amount of time viewers engage with our SmartCast platform to stream content or access other applications. This metric reflects the size of the audience engaged with our operating system as well as indicates the growth and awareness of our platform. It is also a measure of the success of our offerings in addressing increased user demand for OTT streaming. Greater user engagement translates into increased revenue opportunities as we earn a significant portion of our Platform+ net revenue through advertising, which is influenced by the amount of time users spend on our platform.

SmartCast ARPU. We define SmartCast ARPU as total Platform+ net revenue, less revenue attributable to legacy VIZIO V.I.A. Plus units, during the preceding four quarters divided by the average of (i) the number of SmartCast Active Accounts at the end of the current period; and (ii) the number of SmartCast Active Accounts at the end of the corresponding prior year period. SmartCast ARPU indicates the level at which we are monetizing our SmartCast Active Account user base. Growth in SmartCast ARPU is driven significantly by our ability to add users to our platform and our ability to monetize those users.

Device gross profit. We define Device gross profit as Device net revenue less Device cost of goods sold in a given period. Device gross profit is directly influenced by consumer demand, device offerings, and our ability to maintain a cost-efficient supply chain.

Platform+ gross profit. We define Platform+ gross profit as Platform+ net revenue less Platform+ cost of goods sold in a given period. As we continue to grow and scale our business, we expect Platform+ gross profit to increase over the long term.

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