Chegg, Inc. (NYSE:CHGG), the leading student-first connected
learning platform, today reported financial results for the three
months ended September 30, 2024.
“While the global education industry continues to experience
tremendous change, in Q3, we showed early progress against our
strategic plan and delivered better-than-expected revenue and
adjusted EBITDA. However, recent technology shifts and generative
AI have created significant headwinds, and as a result, we are
undertaking an additional restructuring,” said Nathan Schultz,
Chief Executive Officer & President of Chegg, Inc. “There
continues to be a market of students looking for the high-quality,
proven, and differentiated learning expertise Chegg provides, and
we believe our brand and product experience are resilient and will
endure.”
In November 2024, our Board of Directors approved a $300.0
million increase to our existing securities repurchase program
authorizing the repurchase of our common stock and/or convertible
notes, through open market purchases, block trades, and/or
privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 plans,
in compliance with applicable securities laws and other legal
requirements. The timing, volume, and nature of the repurchases
will be determined by management based on the capital needs of the
business, market conditions, applicable legal requirements, and
other factors. After the November 2024 increase, we have $303.7
million remaining under the securities repurchase program, which
has no expiration date and will continue until otherwise suspended,
terminated or modified at any time for any reason by our board of
directors.
Third Quarter 2024
Highlights
- Total Net Revenues of $136.6 million, a decrease of 13%
year-over-year
- Subscription Services Revenues of $119.8 million, a
decrease of 14% year-over-year
- Gross Margin of 68%
- Non-GAAP Gross Margin of 70%
- Net Loss was $212.6 million
- Non-GAAP Net Income was $9.8 million
- Adjusted EBITDA was $22.3 million
- 3.8 million Subscription Services subscribers, a
decrease of 13% year-over-year
Total net revenues include revenues from Subscription Services
and Skills and Other. Subscription Services includes revenues from
our Chegg Study Pack, Chegg Study, Chegg Writing, Chegg Math, and
Busuu offerings. Skills and Other includes revenues from Chegg
Skills, Advertising, and any other revenues not included in
Subscription Services.
For more information about non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP gross
margin and adjusted EBITDA, and a reconciliation of non-GAAP net
income to net (loss) income, gross margin to non-GAAP gross margin
and adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) income, see the sections of this
press release titled, “Use of Non-GAAP Measures,” “Reconciliation
of Net (Loss) Income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA,” and
“Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”
Business Outlook
Fourth Quarter 2024
- Total Net Revenues in the range of $141 million to $143
million
- Subscription Services Revenues in the range of $126
million to $128 million
- Gross Margin between 67% and 68%
- Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $32 million to $34
million
For more information about the use of forward-looking non-GAAP
measures, a reconciliation of forward-looking net loss to EBITDA
and adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter 2024, see the below
sections of the press release titled “Use of Non-GAAP Measures,”
and “Reconciliation of Forward-Looking Net Loss to EBITDA and
Adjusted EBITDA.”
An updated investor presentation and an investor data sheet can
be found on Chegg’s Investor Relations website
https://investor.chegg.com.
Prepared Remarks - Nathan Schultz, CEO
& President Chegg, Inc.
Thank you, Tracey. Hello everyone and thank you for joining
Chegg’s third-quarter earnings call. I’ll start today by walking
you through our Q3 results, and then discuss important shifts in
our competitive landscape and what they mean for our business going
forward.
In Q3, while the global education industry continues to
experience tremendous change, we have shown early progress against
the strategic plan we outlined in June. As a result of this work,
in Q3 we delivered better-than-expected revenue of $137 million and
$22 million in adjusted EBITDA. Engagement remained high with the
number of questions asked in the quarter up 79% year-over-year and
our Q3 Chegg Study and Study Pack monthly retention rate increased
30 basis points year-over-year.
However, technology shifts have created headwinds for our
industry and Chegg’s business specifically. Recent advancements in
the AI search experience and the adoption of free and paid
generative AI services by students, have resulted in challenges for
Chegg. These factors are adversely affecting our business outlook
and are requiring us to refocus and adjust the size of our
business.
Even in the face of adversity, there continues to be a large
market of students looking for the high-quality, proven learning
experience that Chegg provides. We will continue to
enthusiastically serve this audience, and I remain optimistic in
the outlook for us to extend our brand, individualize our product
and weather these challenges.
The first impact I’d like to discuss is Google’s broad rollout
of its AI Overviews search experience, or AIO, which displays
AI-generated content at the top of a search results page. This
experience keeps users on Google’s search results page instead of
leading them onto third-party sites such as Chegg. This rollout has
been rapid, and while we’ve been monitoring the development of AIO
all year, it was not until mid-August that this search experience
significantly expanded. It’s our belief that the prevalence of AIO
will only continue to increase, and that Google, in its attempt to
maintain market share, is shifting from being a search origination
point to the destination, disintermediating content sites like
Chegg.
Second, across our industry, there has been a continued increase
in the adoption of free and paid generative AI products. It has
been widely reported and substantiated in industry research, that
students are increasingly turning to generative AI for academic
support, such as homework and exams. This issue impacts the
education ecosystem at large, including universities and education
technology companies broadly where students see generative AI
products like Chat GPT as strong alternatives to vertically
specialized solutions for education, such as Chegg.
These factors, the speed and scale of Google’s AIO rollout and
student adoption of generative AI products, have negatively
impacted our industry and our business. We have seen a sharp
decline in overall traffic, and therefore, a decline in our outlook
on revenue. Global non-subscriber traffic to Chegg declined
year-over-year 8% in Q2, 19% in Q3, and we exited Q3 with trends
looking even more unfavorable, at negative 37% year-over-year for
the month of October.
We have taken all of this into account, and consequently, we do
not expect to meet our 2025 goals of 30% adjusted EBITDA margin and
$100 million in free cash flow.
Earlier this year, we undertook a strategic restructuring based
on the environment in which we were operating. Since then, these
new factors have come into play with immense speed and impact. As a
result, we are undertaking an additional restructuring to further
manage costs and align with the market.
Effective immediately, we are initiating a broad restructuring
that will impact all groups across the company:
- We will reduce headcount by an additional 21%.
- We anticipate that these actions, along with additional
operating expense savings, will result in annualized non-GAAP cost
savings of $60-$70 million in 2025.
- The cost savings from the restructuring announced in June,
coupled with the restructuring announced today, will result in a
combined non-GAAP savings of $100-$120 million in 2025.
Even with this, we remain optimistic that there is an audience
for Chegg. While it’s clear that some students will favor
generative AI options, we believe there is still a large market of
students who care about learning and are seeking products that
improve their competency and outcomes. In an August 2024
quantitative study, we found that over 75% of high school and
college students in North America show a high to medium willingness
to pay for online educational tools if they significantly improve
academic performance. Therefore, we believe there continues to be a
student audience that is looking for high-quality content and
proven learning expertise.
This is what differentiates Chegg from other generative AI tools
today and why millions of learners depend on Chegg to provide
meaningful learning experiences with the highest quality content
possible. Fifteen years of deep expertise in understanding
students, applying advanced learning science to the subjects and
topics students learn, providing an archive of 132 million
high-quality solutions, and human-supported output has created deep
trust and awareness for Chegg. That’s why students continue to come
directly to Chegg, even as the competitive environment evolves.
We have taken steps towards the strategic plan we laid out in
June. We remain committed to developing a verticalized and
individualized experience for education and supporting students
throughout their entire learning journey, starting with academic
support and eventually functional support.
Let me acknowledge the progress we have made on our strategic
plan in the third quarter:
- We launched our “Small steps, big wins” brand marketing
campaign, which is showing early signs of progress, with
year-over-year improvements in click-thru-rate and conversion rate
across many of our paid marketing channels.
- We introduced a content quality and satisfaction guarantee
differentiating our service against generative AI and building
trust and loyalty with our subscribers. While it is still early, it
is driving a lift in new subscriber conversion rate.
- We implemented an ‘AI Arena’ that allows us to evaluate and
introduce new frontier AI models in real-time to deliver the most
accurate solutions for students and integrate AI into the full
learning journey.
- We upgraded our QnA experience to align with our drive towards
providing an individualized and adaptive learning solution. This
effort has already shown an improvement in user engagement and
retention.
- We launched an app on Discord as well as an Extension on Chrome
to reach students where they are already spending time. These
efforts connect students' study activities across sites, engage
them with our product, create new pathways for product-driven
growth, which we expect will reduce our reliance on SEO.
- We moved to a new vendor-based commerce platform, which will
reduce our costs, provide flexibility and allow us to move faster
as we continue to evolve our pricing and packaging programs.
- And finally, we launched four direct-to-institution
partnerships, providing access to Chegg Study paid for by the
institutional partner. These pilots allow us to gather valuable
insights on how Chegg can enhance classroom learning, supporting
our goal to diversify our customer acquisition and revenue streams,
while strengthening Chegg's role in improving student learning
outcomes.
As we head into the spring semester, you will continue to see
our commitment to building and generating momentum with our brand,
traffic, and product capabilities:
- We will continue to raise brand awareness with a new spring
brand campaign. Our creative strategy builds on Chegg's long legacy
of empowering students and our unique caring approach. The plan
will activate across the full funnel, which we believe will bring
new users in, create strong consideration and connection, and
ultimately drive conversion. Based on what we learned this fall
from Small Steps Big Wins, we believe this strategy will bring both
audience expansion and acquisition efficiency.
- On the product front, we will continue delivering
individualized learning solutions, specifically focusing on
expanding into two of the most highly relevant use cases: practice
and solution comparison. These are durable needs and core learner
behaviors that support learning.
While we acknowledge the significance of the headwinds we
covered earlier, Chegg has a deep legacy of serving students and we
believe our brand and product experiences are resilient. We remain
optimistic and will continue to be there for the students who have
grown to rely on us. As you’ve heard, we are already taking steps
to strengthen our experience and increase efficiency across the
business.
This is a multi-year plan that will require patience, and we
will continue to manage our expenses prudently as the competitive
landscape evolves. We will keep focused on doing the right thing
for our investors, our team, and the students we serve.
Before I end, I want to thank our employees around the world for
their hard work and dedication. Their efforts and talents have
helped support students and bring learning to life, and while this
is a trying time for us all, I am confident that we will get
through it.
With that, I’ll turn it over to David.
Prepared Remarks - David Longo, CFO
Chegg, Inc.
Thank you, Nathan and good afternoon.
Today, I will present our financial performance for the third
quarter of 2024 and the company’s outlook for Q4.
We delivered a solid third quarter. During the quarter, we
remained focused on executing our strategic plan to deliver our
AI-driven experience to students around the world, while we
continued to prudently manage our expenses. We exceeded our Q3
guidance on both revenue and adjusted EBITDA, and our balance sheet
remains healthy.
In the third quarter, total revenue was $137 million, down 13%
year-over-year, including Subscription Services revenue of $120
million, which was down 14% year-over-year. We had 3.8 million
subscribers in the quarter, representing a decline of 13%.
Subscription Services ARPU was down 2% year-over-year, a one-point
improvement from Q2 2024. Overall monthly retention for Chegg Study
and Study Pack remained strong and was up 30 basis points
year-over-year. Skills and Other revenue was $17 million, a
decrease of 6% year-over-year. And we delivered adjusted EBITDA of
$22 million which represented a margin of 16%.
We had two notable items this quarter. First, we recorded an
impairment charge against our goodwill. As a result of continued
industry pressure and declines in our market capitalization, and as
required by accounting rules, we completed an impairment test on
our goodwill which resulted in a $196 million non-cash impairment
charge that was excluded from our Q3 adjusted EBITDA. Second, we
reached a settlement agreement to resolve the Leventhal class
action securities lawsuit. We recorded $55 million for the
estimated contingent liability for the loss, along with a $55
million receivable for the insurance proceeds we expect to receive.
These amounts had no impact on our Q3 adjusted EBITDA. While we
strongly disagree with the premise of the case and deny all
allegations of wrongdoing, the decision to settle the lawsuit was
driven by the cost and burden of ongoing protracted class action
litigation and the monetary costs of defending the case. We are
happy to have this matter resolved.
Free cash flow was $24 million in the third quarter. Capital
expenditures were $15.8 million in the quarter, down 32%
year-over-year, of which $10 million were content costs. As we
harness the power of AI, CapEx content costs were down 28%
year-over-year, while the number of questions asked increased
79%.
Looking at the balance sheet, we ended the quarter with cash and
investments of $631 million and a net cash balance of $30
million.
Today, we announced that our Board of Directors has authorized
an increase of $300 million as part of our securities repurchase
program. The program will allow us to buy back our convertible
notes and/or common stock. Chegg had approximately $3.7 million
remaining from its previously announced program.
As Nathan discussed earlier, we are executing a restructuring
plan to better align our cost structure with recent industry
challenges and the negative impact on our business. While these
difficult decisions are essential for Chegg's future, we recognize
the unfortunate impact they may have on many of our employees and
their families.
Our restructuring will impact 319 employees, or approximately
21% of the company. In 2025, the company expects to realize
non-GAAP expense savings of $60-$70 million from these employee
departures, real estate savings, as well as other cost
rationalizations. Chegg expects to incur a $22-$26 million charge
related to the restructuring. Of this charge, $18-$22 million will
be incurred in cash representing mostly severance payments, with
the remaining amount representing non-cash charges. We expect that
a substantial portion of the cash and non-cash charges will be
incurred in the fourth quarter. We anticipate these activities and
substantially all charges will be completed by June 30, 2025. The
cost savings from the restructuring announced in June, coupled with
the restructuring announced today, will result in a combined
non-GAAP savings of $100-$120 million in 2025.
Moving on to Q4 guidance, we expect:
- Total revenue between $141 and $143 million, with Subscription
Services revenue between $126 and $128 million;
- Gross margin to be in the range of 67 to 68 percent;
- And adjusted EBITDA between $32 and $34 million.
In closing, while our business outlook has significantly
softened versus our prior expectations, and these numbers are not
where we want them to be, like many companies in the ed-tech space,
we are dealing with the challenges of a dynamically changing AI
landscape. We are working to expand our best-in-class verticalized
experience for students focused on improving their outcomes,
however, it will take time to adjust to the new opportunity and see
the benefits in our business results. In the meantime, we are
committed to maintaining transparency about the industry and our
business trends.
With that, I will turn the call over to the operator for your
questions.
Conference Call and Webcast
Information
To access the call, please dial 1-877-407-4018, or outside the
U.S. +1-201-689-8471, five minutes prior to 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time
(or 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time). A live webcast of the call will also
be available at https://investor.chegg.com under the Events &
Presentations menu. An audio replay will be available beginning at
4:30 p.m. Pacific Time (or 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time) on November 12,
2024, until 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time (or 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time) on
November 19, 2024, by calling 1-844-512-2921, or outside the U.S.
+1-412-317-6671, with Conference ID 13749504. An audio archive of
the call will also be available at https://investor.chegg.com.
Use of Investor Relations Website for
Regulation FD Purposes
Chegg also uses its media center website,
https://www.chegg.com/press, as a means of disclosing material
non-public information and for complying with its disclosure
obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should
monitor https://www.chegg.com/press, in addition to following press
releases, Securities and Exchange Commission filings and public
conference calls and webcasts.
About Chegg
Chegg provides individualized learning support to students as
they pursue their educational journeys. Available on demand 24/7
and powered by over a decade of learning insights, the Chegg
platform offers students AI-powered academic support thoughtfully
designed for education coupled with access to a vast network of
subject matter experts who ensure quality. No matter the goal,
level, or style, Chegg helps millions of students around the world
learn with confidence by helping them build essential academic,
life, and job skills to achieve success. Chegg is a publicly held
company based in Santa Clara, California and trades on the NYSE
under the symbol CHGG. For more information, visit
www.chegg.com.
Use of Non-GAAP Measures
To supplement Chegg’s financial results presented in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States
(GAAP), this press release and the accompanying tables and the
related earnings conference call contain non-GAAP financial
measures, including adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP cost of revenues,
non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating
expenses, non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP net income,
non-GAAP weighted average shares, non-GAAP net income per share,
and free cash flow. For reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial
measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures,
please see the section of the accompanying tables titled,
“Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Income to EBITDA and Adjusted
EBITDA,” “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures,”
“Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to
Free Cash Flow,” and “Reconciliation of Forward-Looking Net Loss to
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.”
The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not
intended to be considered in isolation from, as a substitute for,
or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in
accordance with GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP financial
measures used by other companies. Chegg defines (1) adjusted EBITDA
as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization
or EBITDA, adjusted for share-based compensation expense, other
income, net, acquisition-related compensation costs, impairment
expense, restructuring charges, content and related assets charge
and transitional logistic charges; (2) non-GAAP cost of revenues as
cost of revenues excluding amortization of intangible assets,
share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related compensation
costs, restructuring charges, content and related assets charge,
and transitional logistic charges; (3) non-GAAP gross profit as
gross profit excluding amortization of intangible assets,
share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related compensation
costs, restructuring charges, content and related assets charge,
and transitional logistic charges; (4) non-GAAP gross margin is
defined as non-GAAP gross profit divided by net revenues, (5)
non-GAAP operating expenses as operating expenses excluding
share-based compensation expense, amortization of intangible
assets, acquisition-related compensation costs, restructuring
charges, impairment expense, impairment of lease related assets,
and loss contingency; (6) non-GAAP income from operations as loss
from operations excluding share-based compensation expense,
amortization of intangible assets, acquisition-related compensation
costs, restructuring charges, impairment expense, content and
related assets charge, impairment of lease related assets, loss
contingency, and transitional logistic charges; (7) non-GAAP net
income as net (loss) income excluding share-based compensation
expense, amortization of intangible assets, acquisition-related
compensation costs, amortization of debt issuance costs, the income
tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments, restructuring charges,
impairment expense, content and related assets charge, impairment
of lease related assets, gain on sale of strategic equity
investment, gain on early extinguishment of debt, loss contingency
and transitional logistic charges; (8) non-GAAP weighted average
shares outstanding as weighted average shares outstanding adjusted
for the effect of shares for stock plan activity and shares related
to our convertible senior notes, to the extent such shares are not
already included in our weighted average shares outstanding; (9)
non-GAAP net income per share is defined as non-GAAP net income
divided by non-GAAP weighted average shares outstanding; and (10)
free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities
adjusted for purchases of property and equipment. To the extent
additional significant non-recurring items arise in the future,
Chegg may consider whether to exclude such items in calculating the
non-GAAP financial measures it uses.
Chegg believes that these non-GAAP financial measures, when
taken together with the corresponding GAAP financial measures,
provide meaningful supplemental information regarding Chegg’s
performance by excluding items that may not be indicative of
Chegg’s core business, operating results or future outlook. Chegg
management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing
Chegg’s operating results, as well as when planning, forecasting
and analyzing future periods and believes that such measures
enhance investors’ overall understanding of our current financial
performance. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate
comparisons of Chegg’s performance to prior periods.
As presented in the “Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Income to
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA,” “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP
Financial Measures,” “Reconciliation of Forward-Looking Net Loss to
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA,” and “Reconciliation of Net Cash
Provided by Operating Activities to Free Cash Flow,” tables below,
each of the non-GAAP financial measures excludes or includes one or
more of the following items:
Share-based compensation expense.
Share-based compensation expense is a non-cash expense that
varies in amount from period to period and is dependent on market
forces that are often beyond Chegg's control. As a result,
management excludes this item from Chegg's internal operating
forecasts and models. Management believes that non-GAAP measures
adjusted for share-based compensation expense provide investors
with a basis to measure Chegg's core performance against the
performance of other companies without the variability created by
share-based compensation as a result of the variety of equity
awards used by other companies and the varying methodologies and
assumptions used.
Amortization of intangible assets.
Chegg amortizes intangible assets, including those that
contribute to generating revenues, that it acquires in conjunction
with acquisitions, which results in non‑cash expenses that may not
otherwise have been incurred. Chegg believes excluding the expense
associated with intangible assets from non-GAAP measures allows for
a more accurate assessment of its ongoing operations and provides
investors with a better comparison of period-over-period operating
results. No corresponding adjustments have been made related to
revenues generated from acquired intangible assets.
Acquisition-related compensation costs.
Acquisition-related compensation costs include compensation
expense resulting from the employment retention of certain key
employees established in accordance with the terms of the
acquisitions. In most cases, these acquisition-related compensation
costs are not factored into management's evaluation of potential
acquisitions or Chegg's performance after completion of
acquisitions, because they are not related to Chegg's core
operating performance. In addition, the frequency and amount of
such charges can vary significantly based on the size and timing of
acquisitions and the maturities of the businesses being acquired.
Excluding acquisition-related compensation costs from non-GAAP
measures provides investors with a basis to compare Chegg’s results
against those of other companies without the variability caused by
purchase accounting.
Amortization of debt issuance costs.
The difference between the effective interest expense and the
contractual interest expense are excluded from management's
assessment of our operating performance because management believes
that these non-cash expenses are not indicative of ongoing
operating performance. Chegg believes that the exclusion of the
non-cash interest expense provides investors with a better
comparison of period-over-period operating results.
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments.
We utilize a non-GAAP effective tax rate for evaluating our
operating results, which is based on our current mid-term
projections. This non-GAAP tax rate could change for various
reasons including, but not limited to, significant changes
resulting from tax legislation, changes to our corporate structure
and other significant events. Chegg believes that the inclusion of
the income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments provides investors
with a better comparison of period-over-period operating
results.
Restructuring charges.
Restructuring charges represent expenses incurred in conjunction
with a reduction in workforce. Chegg believes that it is
appropriate to exclude them from non-GAAP financial measures
because they are nonrecurring and the result of an event that is
not considered a core-operating activity. Chegg believes that it is
appropriate to exclude the restructuring charges from non-GAAP
financial measures because it provides investors with a better
comparison of period-over-period operating results.
Impairment expense.
Impairment expense represents the impairment of goodwill,
intangible assets, and property and equipment. Chegg believes that
it is appropriate to exclude them from non-GAAP financial measures
because they are the result of discrete events that are not
considered core-operating activities and are not indicative of our
ongoing operating performance. Chegg believes that it is
appropriate to exclude the impairment expense from non-GAAP
financial measures because it provides investors with a better
comparison of period-over-period operating results.
To conform with current quarter presentation, $3.6 million of
impairment expense included within content and related assets
charge during the three months and nine months ended September 30,
2023 has been reclassified to impairment expense. This change in
presentation does not affect previously reported results.
Impairment of lease related assets.
The impairment of lease related assets represents impairment
charge recorded on the ROU asset and leasehold improvements
associated with the closure of our offices. The impairment of lease
related assets is the result of an event that is not considered a
core-operating activity and we believe its exclusion provides
investors with a better comparison of period-over-period operating
results.
Content and related assets charge.
The content and related assets charge represents a write off of
certain content and related assets. The content and related assets
charge is excluded from non-GAAP financial measures because it is
the result of a discrete event that is not considered
core-operating activities. Chegg believes that it is appropriate to
exclude the content and related assets charge from non-GAAP
financial measures because it enables the comparison of
period-over-period operating results.
Gain on sale of strategic equity investment.
The gain on sale of strategic equity investment represents a
one-time event to record the sale of our equity investment in Sound
Ventures. We believe that it is appropriate to exclude the gain
from non-GAAP financial measure because it is the result of an
event that is not considered a core-operating activity and we
believe its exclusion provides investors with a better comparison
of period-over-period operating results.
Gain on early extinguishment of debt.
The difference between the carrying amount of early extinguished
debt and the reacquisition price is excluded from management's
assessment of our operating performance because management believes
that these non-cash gains are not indicative of ongoing operating
performance. Chegg believes that the exclusion of the gain on early
extinguishment of debt provides investors with a better comparison
of period-over-period operating results.
Loss contingency.
We record a contingent liability for a loss contingency related
to legal matters when a loss is both probable and reasonably
estimable. The loss contingency is excluded from non-GAAP financial
measures because they are the result of discrete events that are
not considered core-operating activities. Chegg believes that it is
appropriate to exclude the loss contingency from non-GAAP financial
measures because it enables the comparison of period-over-period
operating results.
Transitional logistics charges.
The transitional logistics charges represent incremental
expenses incurred as we transition our print textbooks to a third
party. Chegg believes that it is appropriate to exclude them from
non-GAAP financial measures because it is the result of an event
that is not considered a core-operating activity and we believe its
exclusion provides investors with a better comparison of
period-over-period operating results.
Effect of shares for stock plan activity.
The effect of shares for stock plan activity represents the
dilutive impact of outstanding stock options, RSUs, and PSUs
calculated under the treasury stock method.
Effect of shares related to convertible senior notes.
The effect of shares related to convertible senior notes
represents the dilutive impact of our convertible senior notes, to
the extent such shares are not already included in our weighted
average shares outstanding as they were antidilutive on a GAAP
basis.
Free cash flow.
Free cash flow represents net cash provided by operating
activities adjusted for purchases of property and equipment. Chegg
considers free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides
useful information to management and investors about the amount of
cash generated by the business after the purchases of property and
equipment, which can then be used to, among other things, invest in
Chegg's business and make strategic acquisitions. A limitation of
the utility of free cash flow as a measure of financial performance
is that it does not represent the total increase or decrease in
Chegg's cash balance for the period.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which include, without limitation,
that there continues to be a large market of students looking for
the high-quality, proven, and differentiated learning expertise and
experience that Chegg provides, that we will continue to
enthusiastically serve this audience, our ability to extend our
brand, individualize our product and weather current and future
business challenges, that our brand and product experience will
endure, our intention to implement a program to purchase up to $300
million of our common stock and/or convertible notes, the expected
timing, volume and nature of such securities repurchase program,
the expiration of the program, our belief that the prevalence of
AIO will continue to increase, that Google is shifting from being a
search origination point to the destination, the disintermediation
of content sites like Chegg, the impact of generative AI for
academic support on the education ecosystem at large, including
universities and education technology companies broadly, students'
view that generative AI products like Chat GPT is a strong
alternative to Chegg, our expectation that we will not meet our
2025 goals of 30% adjusted EBITDA margin and $100 million in free
cash flow, the speed and scale of Google's AIO rollout, the student
adoption of generative AI products, statements regarding Chegg's
restructuring plan, reduction in force, the number of employees
impacted, the amount of the charges in connection with the actions,
the timing that such charges will be incurred, the impact of the
actions on our non-GAAP financial measures, the amount of the cost
savings and the timing of those savings, that there is an audience
for Chegg, what differentiates Chegg from other generative I tools,
why millions of learners depend on Chegg, why students come
directly to Chegg, even as the competitive environment evolves, our
commitment to developing a verticalized and individualized
experience for education, supporting students throughout their
entire learning journey, starting with academic support and
eventually functional support, our expectation that our efforts on
Discord and Chrome to reach students where they are will engage
them with our product, create new pathways for product-driven
growth, and reduce our reliance on SEO, that our new vendor-based
commerce platform will reduce our costs, provide flexibility and
allow us to move faster as we continue to evolve our pricing and
packaging programs, our ability to diversify our customer
acquisition and revenue streams while strengthening Chegg's role in
improving student learning outcomes, our commitment to building and
generating momentum with our brand, traffic, and product
capabilities, our ability to raise brand awareness with a new
spring brand campaign and that this campaign will bring new users
in, create strong consideration and connection, and ultimately
drive conversion, that we will bring both audience expansion and
acquisition efficiency based on what we learned from prior brand
marketing campaigns, that our product will continue to deliver
individualized learning solutions, that our brand and product
experiences are resilient, our ability to strengthen our student
experience and increase efficiency across the business and to
manage our expenses prudently as the competitive landscape evolves,
the amount of the insurance proceeds that we expect to receive in
the Leventhal class action securities lawsuit, our Q4 guidance,
including total revenue, Subscription Services revenue, gross
margin, and adjusted EBITDA, the time it will take to adjust to
Chegg's new opportunity and see the benefits in our business
results, as well as those included in the investor presentation
referenced above, those included in the “Prepared Remarks” sections
above, and all statements about Chegg’s outlook under “Business
Outlook.” The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,”
“intend,” “project,” “endeavor,” “will,” “should,” “future,”
“transition,” “outlook” and similar expressions, as they relate to
Chegg, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These
statements are not guarantees of future performance, and are based
on management’s expectations as of the date of this press release
and assumptions that are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks
and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results,
performance or achievements to differ materially from any future
results, performance or achievements. Important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or
implied by these forward-looking statements include the following:
the effects of AI technology on Chegg’s business and the economy
generally; Chegg’s ability to attract new learners to, and retain
existing learners on, our learning platform; Chegg's innovation and
offering of new products and services in response to technology and
market developments, including AI; Chegg’s brand and reputation;
the uncertainty surrounding the evolving educational landscape;
enrollment and student behavior, including the impact of AI;
Chegg’s ability to expand internationally; the efficacy of Chegg's
efforts to drive user traffic, including search engine
optimization, social media campaigns, and other marketing; the
success of Chegg’s new product offerings, including 360 degrees of
individualized academic and functional support; competition in all
aspects of Chegg’s business, including with respect to AI and
Chegg's expectation that such competition will increase; Chegg’s
ability to maintain its services and systems without interruption,
including as a result of technical issues, cybersecurity threats,
or cyber-attacks; third-party payment processing risks; adoption of
government regulation of education unfavorable to Chegg; the rate
of adoption of Chegg’s offerings; mobile app stores and mobile
operating systems making Chegg’s apps and mobile website available
to students and to grow Chegg’s user base and increase their
engagement; colleges and governments restricting online access or
access to Chegg’s services; Chegg’s ability to strategically take
advantage of new opportunities; competitive developments, including
pricing pressures and other services targeting students; Chegg’s
ability to build and expand its services offerings; Chegg’s ability
to integrate acquired businesses and assets; the impact of
seasonality and student behavior on the business; the outcome of
any current litigation and investigations; misuse of Chegg’s
platform and content; Chegg’s ability to effectively control
operating costs; regulatory changes, in particular concerning
privacy, marketing, and education; changes in the education market,
including as a result of AI technology; and general economic,
political and industry conditions, including inflation, recession
and war. All information provided in this release and in the
conference call is as of the date hereof, and Chegg undertakes no
duty to update this information except as required by law. These
and other important risk factors are described more fully in
documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including Chegg's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2023 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on February 20, 2024 and Chegg's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on November 12, 2024, and could
cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.
CHEGG, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE
SHEETS
(in thousands, except for
number of shares and par value)
(unaudited)
September 30,
2024
December 31,
2023
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$
152,073
$
135,757
Short-term investments
209,003
194,257
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of
$208 and $376 at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023,
respectively
23,749
31,404
Prepaid expenses
24,706
20,980
Other current assets
86,980
32,437
Total current assets
496,511
414,835
Long-term investments
270,161
249,547
Property and equipment, net
177,882
183,073
Goodwill, net
—
631,995
Intangible assets, net
11,424
52,430
Right of use assets
29,071
25,130
Deferred tax assets, net
2,308
141,843
Other assets
15,315
28,382
Total assets
$
1,002,672
$
1,727,235
Liabilities and stockholders'
equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable
$
18,124
$
28,184
Deferred revenue
44,355
55,336
Accrued liabilities
125,138
77,863
Current portion of convertible senior
notes, net
358,222
357,079
Total current liabilities
545,839
518,462
Long-term liabilities
Convertible senior notes, net
243,242
242,758
Long-term operating lease liabilities
23,665
18,063
Other long-term liabilities
4,945
3,334
Total long-term liabilities
271,852
264,155
Total liabilities
817,691
782,617
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value per
share, 10,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and
outstanding
—
—
Common stock, $0.001 par value per share:
400,000,000 shares authorized; 103,967,436 and 102,823,700 shares
issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023,
respectively
104
103
Additional paid-in capital
1,098,242
1,031,627
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(30,049
)
(34,739
)
Accumulated deficit
(883,316
)
(52,373
)
Total stockholders' equity
184,981
944,618
Total liabilities and stockholders'
equity
$
1,002,672
$
1,727,235
CHEGG, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except per
share amounts)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Net revenues
$
136,593
$
157,854
$
474,090
$
528,308
Cost of revenues(1)
43,420
83,575
135,328
180,137
Gross profit
93,173
74,279
338,762
348,171
Operating expenses:
Research and development(1)
41,337
46,202
129,423
145,981
Sales and marketing(1)
26,508
28,872
80,428
96,845
General and administrative(1)
51,910
53,475
161,460
182,757
Impairment expense
195,708
3,600
677,239
3,600
Total operating expenses
315,463
132,149
1,048,550
429,183
Loss from operations
(222,290
)
(57,870
)
(709,788
)
(81,012
)
Interest expense and other income,
net:
Interest expense
(658
)
(733
)
(1,959
)
(3,115
)
Other income, net
7,586
40,492
25,485
116,671
Total interest expense and other income,
net
6,928
39,759
23,526
113,556
(Loss) income before benefit from
(provision for) income taxes
(215,362
)
(18,111
)
(686,262
)
32,544
Benefit from (provision for) income
taxes
2,723
(172
)
(144,681
)
(24,029
)
Net (loss) income
$
(212,639
)
$
(18,283
)
$
(830,943
)
$
8,515
Net (loss) income per share
Basic
$
(2.05
)
$
(0.16
)
$
(8.08
)
$
0.07
Diluted
$
(2.05
)
$
(0.16
)
$
(8.08
)
$
(0.24
)
Weighted average shares used to compute
net (loss) income per share
Basic
103,723
115,407
102,893
119,001
Diluted
103,723
115,407
102,893
121,876
(1) Includes share-based compensation
expense and restructuring charges as follows:
.............................................................................................................
Share-based compensation expense:
Cost of revenues
$
471
$
598
$
1,450
$
1,685
Research and development
7,492
11,027
23,824
33,909
Sales and marketing
2,100
2,435
5,966
7,116
General and administrative
11,868
17,870
38,027
58,886
Total share-based compensation expense
$
21,931
$
31,930
$
69,267
$
101,596
.............................................................................................................
Restructuring charges:
Cost of revenues
$
12
$
—
$
203
$
12
Research and development
827
—
2,909
1,692
Sales and marketing
—
—
906
1,228
General and administrative
1,273
—
4,822
2,772
Total restructuring charges
$
2,112
$
—
$
8,840
$
5,704
CHEGG, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
Cash flows from operating
activities
Net (loss) income
$
(830,943
)
$
8,515
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income
to net cash provided by operating activities:
Share-based compensation expense
69,267
101,596
Depreciation and amortization expense
58,966
108,945
Deferred income taxes
141,103
20,929
Operating lease expense, net
4,647
4,535
Amortization of debt issuance costs
1,628
2,610
Loss from write-off of property and
equipment
2,024
3,578
Impairment expense
677,239
3,600
Gain on early extinguishment of debt
—
(85,926
)
Loss contingency
5,100
7,000
Impairment on lease related assets
2,189
—
Other non-cash items
222
(389
)
Change in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
8,019
(6,908
)
Prepaid expenses and other current
assets
(55,725
)
558
Other assets
(469
)
8,671
Accounts payable
(8,308
)
4,820
Deferred revenue
(11,763
)
2,539
Accrued liabilities
46,849
(6,149
)
Other liabilities
(2,968
)
(9,810
)
Net cash provided by operating
activities
107,077
168,714
Cash flows from investing
activities
Purchases of property and equipment
(61,659
)
(57,298
)
Proceeds from disposition of textbooks
—
9,787
Purchases of investments
(134,213
)
(585,275
)
Maturities of investments
96,907
561,197
Proceeds from sale of investments
—
238,681
Proceeds from sale of strategic equity
investment
15,500
—
Purchase of strategic equity
investment
—
(11,853
)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing
activities
(83,465
)
155,239
Cash flows from financing
activities
Proceeds from common stock issued under
stock plans, net
2,191
3,108
Payment of taxes related to the net share
settlement of equity awards
(8,648
)
(13,857
)
Repurchase of common stock
—
(186,368
)
Repayment of convertible senior notes
—
(505,986
)
Proceeds from exercise of convertible
senior notes capped call
—
297
Net cash used in financing activities
(6,457
)
(702,806
)
Effect of exchange rate changes
(149
)
(379
)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash
equivalents and restricted cash
17,006
(379,232
)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted
cash, beginning of period
137,976
475,854
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted
cash, end of period
$
154,982
$
96,622
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
Supplemental cash flow data:
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest
$
449
$
741
Income taxes, net of refunds
$
3,531
$
8,368
Cash paid for amounts included in the
measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from operating
leases
$
6,329
$
7,037
Right of use assets obtained in exchange
for lease obligations:
Operating leases
$
9,686
$
12,407
Non-cash investing and financing
activities:
Accrued purchases of long-lived assets
$
4,771
$
5,879
September 30,
2024
2023
Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents
and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents
$
152,073
$
94,419
Restricted cash included in other current
assets
454
60
Restricted cash included in other
assets
2,455
2,143
Total cash, cash equivalents and
restricted cash
$
154,982
$
96,622
CHEGG, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF NET (LOSS)
INCOME TO EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Net (loss) income
$
(212,639
)
$
(18,283
)
$
(830,943
)
$
8,515
Interest expense
658
733
1,959
3,115
Provision for income taxes
(2,723
)
172
144,681
24,029
Depreciation and amortization expense
19,573
56,918
58,966
108,945
EBITDA
(195,131
)
39,540
(625,337
)
144,604
Share-based compensation expense
21,931
31,930
69,267
101,596
Other income, net
(7,586
)
(40,492
)
(25,485
)
(116,671
)
Acquisition-related compensation costs
132
209
560
6,086
Restructuring charges
2,112
—
8,840
5,704
Impairment expense
195,708
3,600
677,239
3,600
Impairment of lease related assets
—
—
2,189
—
Content and related assets charge
—
4,047
729
4,047
Loss contingency
5,100
—
5,100
7,000
Transitional logistics charges
—
—
—
253
Adjusted EBITDA
$
22,266
$
38,834
$
113,102
$
156,219
CHEGG, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(in thousands, except
percentages and per share amounts)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Cost of revenues
$
43,420
$
83,575
$
135,328
$
180,137
Amortization of intangible assets
(1,423
)
(3,138
)
(7,636
)
(9,859
)
Share-based compensation expense
(471
)
(598
)
(1,450
)
(1,685
)
Acquisition-related compensation costs
(5
)
(5
)
(16
)
(17
)
Restructuring charges
(12
)
—
(203
)
(12
)
Content and related assets charge
—
(38,242
)
(729
)
(38,242
)
Transitional logistics charges
—
—
—
(253
)
Non-GAAP cost of revenues
$
41,509
$
41,592
$
125,294
$
130,069
Gross profit
$
93,173
$
74,279
$
338,762
$
348,171
Amortization of intangible assets
1,423
3,138
7,636
9,859
Share-based compensation expense
471
598
1,450
1,685
Acquisition-related compensation costs
5
5
16
17
Restructuring charges
12
—
203
12
Content and related assets charge
—
38,242
729
38,242
Transitional logistics charges
—
—
—
253
Non-GAAP gross profit
$
95,084
$
116,262
$
348,796
$
398,239
Gross margin %
68
%
47
%
71
%
66
%
Non-GAAP gross margin %
70
%
74
%
74
%
75
%
Operating expenses
$
315,463
$
132,149
$
1,048,550
$
429,183
Share-based compensation expense
(21,460
)
(31,332
)
(67,817
)
(99,911
)
Amortization of intangible assets
—
(2,935
)
(1,291
)
(8,823
)
Acquisition-related compensation costs
(127
)
(204
)
(544
)
(6,069
)
Restructuring charges
(2,100
)
—
(8,637
)
(5,692
)
Impairment expense
(195,708
)
(3,600
)
(677,239
)
(3,600
)
Impairment of lease related assets
—
—
(2,189
)
—
Loss contingency
(5,100
)
—
(5,100
)
(7,000
)
Non-GAAP operating expenses
$
90,968
$
94,078
$
285,733
$
298,088
Loss from operations
$
(222,290
)
$
(57,870
)
$
(709,788
)
$
(81,012
)
Share-based compensation expense
21,931
31,930
69,267
101,596
Amortization of intangible assets
1,423
6,073
8,927
18,682
Acquisition-related compensation costs
132
209
560
6,086
Restructuring charges
2,112
—
8,840
5,704
Impairment expense
195,708
3,600
677,239
3,600
Impairment of lease related assets
—
—
2,189
—
Content and related assets charge
—
38,242
729
38,242
Transitional logistics charges
—
—
—
253
Loss contingency
5,100
—
5,100
7,000
Non-GAAP income from operations
$
4,116
$
22,184
$
63,063
$
100,151
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Net (loss) income
$
(212,639
)
$
(18,283
)
$
(830,943
)
$
8,515
Share-based compensation expense
21,931
31,930
69,267
101,596
Amortization of intangible assets
1,423
6,073
8,927
18,682
Acquisition-related compensation costs
132
209
560
6,086
Amortization of debt issuance costs
547
622
1,628
2,610
Income tax effect of non-GAAP
adjustments
(4,468
)
(7,081
)
126,182
(7,265
)
Restructuring charges
2,112
—
8,840
5,704
Impairment expense
195,708
3,600
677,239
3,600
Impairment of lease related assets
—
—
2,189
—
Content and related assets charge
—
38,242
729
38,242
Gain on sale of strategic equity
investment
—
—
(3,783
)
—
Gain on early extinguishment of debt
—
(32,149
)
—
(85,926
)
Loss contingency
5,100
—
5,100
7,000
Transitional logistics charges
—
—
—
253
Non-GAAP net income
$
9,846
$
23,163
$
65,935
$
99,097
.............................................................................................................
Weighted average shares used to compute
net (loss) income per share, diluted
103,723
115,407
102,893
121,876
Effect of shares for stock plan
activity
67
198
885
424
Effect of shares related to convertible
senior notes
9,234
10,280
9,234
10,378
Non-GAAP weighted average shares used to
compute non-GAAP net income per share, diluted
113,024
125,885
113,012
132,678
Net (loss) income per share, diluted
$
(2.05
)
$
(0.16
)
$
(8.08
)
$
(0.24
)
Adjustments
2.14
0.34
8.66
0.99
Non-GAAP net income per share, diluted
$
0.09
$
0.18
$
0.58
$
0.75
CHEGG, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH
PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES TO FREE CASH FLOW
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
Net cash provided by operating
activities
$
107,077
$
168,714
Purchases of property and equipment
(61,659
)
(57,298
)
Proceeds from disposition of textbooks
—
9,787
Free cash flow
$
45,418
$
121,203
CHEGG, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF
FORWARD-LOOKING NET LOSS TO EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ending December
31, 2024
Net loss
$
(16,600
)
Interest expense, net
500
Provision for income taxes
(1,700
)
Depreciation and amortization expense
19,200
EBITDA
1,400
Share-based compensation expense
15,100
Other income, net
(7,200
)
Acquisition-related compensation costs
200
Restructuring charges
18,100
Impairment of lease related assets
3,800
Content and related assets charge
1,600
Adjusted EBITDA
$
33,000
* Adjusted EBITDA guidance for the three months ending December
31, 2024 represent the midpoint of the range of $32 million to $34
million, respectively.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241111756755/en/
Media Contact: Candace Sue, press@chegg.com
Investor Contact: Tracey Ford, IR@chegg.com
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