Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. (NASDAQ:CDRO) Q3 2023 Earnings Conference Call November 15, 2023 8:30 AM ET
Company Participants
Guillermo Lancha – Director of IR
Aviv Sher – CEO
Oscar Iglesias – CFO
Conference Call Participants
Pat McCann – Noble Capital Markets
Jeff Stantial – Stifel
Operator
Thank you for standing by, and welcome to the Codere Online Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results Call. I would now like to welcome Guillermo Lancha, Head of Investor Relations to begin the call. Guillermo, please go ahead.
Guillermo Lancha
Thanks, operator, and welcome, everyone, to Codere Online’s earnings call for the third quarter of 2023. Today, you will hear from our CEO, Aviv Sher; and CFO, Oscar Iglesias. Our Executive Vice Chairman, Moshe Edree, will also join us in the Q&A section.
Before turning the call over to Aviv, I’d like to remind everyone that during this call, we will be referring to a presentation we uploaded to our website earlier today, which includes non-GAAP financial metrics, such as net – revenue or adjusted EBITDA, for which you can find reconciliations in the appendix of the presentation.
Let me also remind you that our accounting information is prepared under IFRS accounting standards and that throughout this presentation, all monetary figures will be in euro unless expressed otherwise. Finally, please note that a replay and transcript of this call will be available on our website at codereonline.com, where you can also sign up for our investor Email Alerts.
With that, I will go ahead and pass the call on to Aviv.
Aviv Sher
Thanks, Guillermo, and thanks, everyone, for joining the call today. I’m thrilled to be sharing our third quarter 2023 earnings and dive into yet another record-setting quarter for our company.
During this quarter, we continued to focus on enhancing both our Sport and Casino product offering and providing our customers the best experience, enabling us to once again surpass expectations. But we are not stopping here and remain fully focused on sustaining, if not improving upon this momentum, especially now that we have a clear line of sight to becoming a portable company next year.
Jumping into the highlights of the third quarter of 2023. On Page 7, we delivered $43 million in net gaming revenue, a 41% growth versus the prior year quarter despite a lower-than-usual sector-wide sport betting margin toward the end of the quarter, which at least for us, was partially offset by a higher level of amounts wagered by our customers
In the quarter, we also continued to see further increase in the contribution from the Casino segment, which accounted for 58% of our net gaming revenue this quarter. This growth was driven by both our recent effort to acquire more casino first players and continue to focus on managing our existing portfolio of casino customers, together with the usual seasonal slowdown in store during the quarter.
The growth in net gaming revenue was driven by a 19% increase in our active customers to nearly 124,000 together with a significant 19% increase in average monthly spend per customer to €116. Mexico drove most of the increase in active customers with 38% more than in the third quarter of 2022.
In terms of customer acquisitions, first time deposits declined by 20% versus last year, with 69,000 in the quarter. This decrease was driven by substantial decline, both in Colombia and in Argentina. But as we have discussed with you in the past, this is a result of our decision to prioritize investment in our core Spanish and Mexican markets, which combined contributed 11,000 FTDs more than in Q3 last year.
But beyond the impressive top line growth, we continue to see very attractive return on investment across the markets. In terms of CPA, we had a blended €200 CPA per player- flat versus the prior year quarter and largely consistent with our average cost since 2022. But perhaps, what is most relevant about this set of earnings is that everything that we have done and continue to do is coming together in a way that will allow us to continue delivering on the plan we set out almost 2 years ago.
Also this quarter, we are posting for the first time since going public breakeven adjusted EBITDA compared with a negative €13 million we had last year. And with these results, we take yet another meaningful step in our path to profitability.
With this, I will now turn the call over to Oscar to gather the financial highlights of this quarter.
Oscar Iglesias
Thanks, Aviv. Before diving into the numbers for the quarter, I wanted to remind everyone that as we anticipated in our call last quarter, we are now reflecting on a pro forma basis the impact from the nondeductible value-added taxes in Colombia, which have resulted in a reduction in the reported adjusted EBITDA for 2022 of approximately $1 million.
Turning now to the financial performance. Consolidated net gaming revenue grew 41% to over $43 million in the third quarter, driven primarily by our Mexican business, which grew by an impressive 63% to $21 million, together with an equally impressive 27% growth in Spain to nearly $19 million. And with these results, Mexico has now firmly established itself as our largest business by revenue.
Adjusted EBITDA was breakeven in the third quarter and included a record high quarterly contribution of €8 million from Spain, 71% more than in Q3 last year. Mexico also showed a meaningful improvement with an adjusted EBITDA loss of 2.6 million versus the negative $8.1 million in the prior year period.
Colombia and the rest of the markets also reduced their losses materially on the back of the reduced level of investment as commented earlier. All in all, this breakeven adjusted EBITDA represents a €13 million improvement versus the prior year quarter and reflects the significant progress we are making in furtherance of our sustainable growth objective.
Looking now at our P&L on Page 10. The 13 million improvement in adjusted EBITDA in the quarter was driven by the combination of significant growth in the gaming revenue, together with a nearly 5 million reduction of marketing investment in the quarter, along with the slower growth and certain other operating expenses as compared to the growth in revenue.
Turning to the Spanish operating and financial metrics. Net gaming revenue in the third quarter increased 27% versus the prior year, driven by a 17% increase in the number of active customers and a 9% increase in spend per active on the back of a strong casino business, which accounted for 55% of our revenue in the quarter.
In Mexico, net gaming revenue reached 21 million in the third quarter, ahead of Spain for the second consecutive quarter and an increase of 63% year-on-year and 17% sequentially. This strong performance was driven by a 38% increase in the number of active customers and an 18% higher spend per active customer.
Moving to Colombia, net gaming revenue remained around the 2 million mark in the third quarter. We continue to focus our efforts in Colombia on improving both the quality of our customer acquisitions and our portfolio of active customers without deploying significant marketing investment.
Turning to the balance sheet. As of September 30, we had 43 million of total cash on the balance sheet, of which approximately 37 million was available. In terms of our net working capital position, we ended the quarter with negative 19 million or around 12% of our last 12-month net gaming revenue, which we believe reflects a normalized level of working capital for this business.
On Page 16, you have our cash flow statement for the first 9 months, together with further details regarding the variation in net working capital. In the first 9 months of 2023, we have utilized in total approximately 10 million of available cash and the year-to-date FX impact on cash balances has reduced our position in euro terms by $1 million.
Turning now to our 2023 outlook on Page 18. We are increasing the net gaming revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance we provided in August when we reported Q2 earnings. We now expect to generate between 155 million and 165 million in net gaming revenue, which reflects a 10% improvement in our guidance at the mid versus the initial 2023 outlook we provided in February.
For adjusted EBITDA, we now expect a range of negative 10 million to 18 million and otherwise continue to expect that we will be adjusted EBITDA and cash flow positive for the full year in 2024.
In regards to specific net gaming revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance for 2024, we will be providing that information when we report Q4 earnings in February. That’s all from my end. I will now hand it back over to Aviv for closing remarks.
Aviv Sher
Thanks, Oscar. Before we turn to Q&A, I would like to thank the Codere Online team for their hard work and unwavering commitment to the business. I would also like to say on behalf of our company and of course, by myself, our support and gratitude to our colleagues in Israel who are working under extremely difficult conditions, and especially to our 4 employees who have been called up to military duty. As always, thanks to the analysts, investors and other participants for your interest in Codere Online. We look forward to speaking with you again soon.
With that said, we’ll turn it back to the operator to open up the call to Q&A.
Question-and-Answer Session
Operator
[Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from the line of Pat McCann with Noble Capital Markets. Please go ahead.
Pat McCann
Hey, guys. Congrats on the quarter. A couple of questions here. First of all, just looking at the detailed figures you released for EBITDA. It appears there was a bit of a drop off in the distributed/headquarter operating expenses, and that had an important impact on EBITDA being breakeven for the quarter. So I was wondering if you could just help me understand the components of that and why that the loss associated with that line item was down so significantly in Q3?
Aviv Sher
Hi, Pat. Are you referring specifically to the quarter, the 600,000 below the prior year period? or some other figure? I imagine you’re on Slide 9 in the segment reporting distributed B2B and HQ OpEx? Or are you referring to something else?
Pat McCann
Yes, that’s correct.
Aviv Sher
Yes. Look, I think that increasing over time, where we can, and I think this is something that since we lease back, we’ve been looking at any undistributed expenses that over time, we have the ability to identify specifically what B2C units they relate to. We seek to push that into the business units themselves.
So I can’t give you a specific answer on that 0.5 million improvement versus the prior year quarter. But generally, that’s what would be the case is that we are increasingly able to have that reflected otherwise in the B2C and the segment level adjusted EBITDA for years.
Pat McCann
Got you. Okay. And then with Spain, you mentioned that the increase in spend per active as well as active users contributing to the strong performance. I’m just wondering do you have a sense on the factors driving that strong performance in Spain. And has it changed your expectations for Spain given the restrictions. I’m just trying to understand the situation there with how Spain seems to continue to grow and contribute meaningfully to the overall business?
Oscar Iglesias
Aviv, do you want to answer…
Aviv Sher
Yes, I will take it. So a few things around this question. First of all, we saw because the regulator is publishing the numbers that organically, the market is growing double figures quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year. So organically, there is a growth in the online betting business, and we are enjoying this organic growth as well because I think we are strongly positioned with our brand, whether it’s in the street or that we are operating with for the last few years.
Plus, we are all the time improving our platform, the stability and the offering mainly on the casino part where we see the growth. So I think those two things are the ones that are driving a higher spectral customer. Maybe the third thing that’s worth mentioning is because of the regulation and the harsh conditions in the market, maybe it’s just an assumption. Some of the small to medium level companies are pulling out, and we are enjoying more activity with our current players because they are not playing in other places, but this is just an assumption. The first two parts that I mentioned, whether it’s organic growth or improvement to the products, I think those for sure, are driving the higher temperate.
Pat McCann
Great. Thank you. I will pass it on.
Operator
Our next question comes from the line of Jeff Stantial with Stifel. Please go ahead.
Jeff Stantial
Good morning. Thanks for taking the questions. Maybe starting to go off here on guidance revisions. It looks like the midpoint implies about 38 million for Q4 NGL translating to about $6 million in adjusted EBITDA losses. That does imply some moderation quarter-on-quarter, where I believe the sports calendar tends to favor Q4. So Aster, could you just provide some color there? And then this might be included in your answer, but EBITDA margins for the Spanish business were well over 40% in the quarter. Were there any onetime benefits bolstering this? Or is this just kind of purely a function of mix?
Aviv Sher
Yes. On the, let’s say, directional guidance for Q4, as you know, and not just last year because of the World Cup, I think Q4 is typically a quarter where we take advantage of opportunities to spend a little bit more than, let’s say, the run rate throughout the year in addition to it being a strong quarter from a sports standpoint. So I think that will be the same of this year in the first 9 months, I think we’ve been spending just shy of 20 million per quarter. I think going into Q4, we’ll probably spend a little bit more than that.
I think our overall objective this year without giving kind of a specific eye for numbers is to bring total marketing spend to something like 50% of total NGR. So I think we’re on track to do that. But we will be spending a little bit more than usual in the Q4, which we’ll be generating part of what you’re seeing in the adjusted EBITDA guide given the 7.6% that we have in the 9-month period.
So I think that’s principally the reason for the range that we’re giving on the adjusted EBITDA front and a little bit of conservatism given that you were 45 days in, but there’s still 45 important trading days here to go in the quarter.
In terms of the EBITDA margin in Spain, Jeff, as you know, given the — that we have our business domiciled in — in Malia [ph] we benefit from some favorable tax rates, not just on the gaming tax front, but also in terms of VAT corporate income and the rest. So what you’re really seeing is the benefit of two things: one, that relatively low, I think, on an effective basis, including some upfronts we pay something like 12%, 13% on NGR that we pay in gaming taxes, plus some of the operating leverage that we have in different parts of the business platform and other parts of the business.
So when we went out to the market before we actually listed, we have kind of a long-term blended objective, given the mix that we consider at that time of something like a 25%. But obviously, Spain, given the lower tax rate is that is obviously at a higher kind of target EBITDA margin.
So I think there’s – there were no real nonrecurring items in the quarter other than good trading results, good performance on both sides of the business, both sports and casino, notwithstanding some of the weakness we had in sports margin, especially there in September.
So the business is performing well for all the reasons have mentioned, and it’s one that we’re focused on, which it’s no longer our top market by revenue, but by value, obviously, it is. So it’s one that we’re very focused on together with Mexico.
Jeff Stantial
Great. That’s helpful. I’d encourage – and then maybe sticking with the Spanish business for a follow-up. I believe there is a draft proposal for some potential incremental deposit limits for iCasino [ph] as well potentially some restrictions for operators who are not domiciled in Europe, can you just update us on these latest changes being considered? Any thoughts on sort of profitability? And if this comes to promotion, how you see potential impact to your business, whether positive or negative?
Aviv Sher
Of course, any more regulation, we see it as mostly a negative influence. What we are aware of is some restrictions that will come to time sessions over the roulette and the Black Jack which didn’t exist before. Other than that, the royal decree [ph] is still not published, and we are still waiting to see how they are going to manage or though we’re going to impose those new things that they are thinking about. They still have technological technological barriers that they need to pass and creating some kind of a central platform and so on.
We don’t see it coming in, I think, the next year. But for sure, there are discussions that will make the environment more hostile for the regulated business. Of course, we always say that overregulation puts the players to go to play in the black market. And eventually, the country is losing tax over that and control over the players.
So in terms of position, we think it might have some impact. So far, all the regulations and all the barriers that they put, we didn’t see this impact. We are not sure that in the coming year, we will see any impact based on that. We do have a lot of technological work around that. and being able to cater all those requirements takes a great effort, but I think we will be able to do so.
Jeff Stantial
Okay. Great. And if I could just squeeze in a couple more here and shift gears over to Mexico. It appears your largest competitor there is currently in a legal dispute with their technology provider who is also definitely your provider for that market. Just curious if you’re seeing any sort of market share spillover as a result of this? Or if not, if there is potentially a medium-term opportunity here?\
Oscar Iglesias
No, we are not dealing with this dispute. We saw on the newspaper, what the dispute is about. We don’t believe – we are seeing our business growing whether it’s still are from our competitors or inorganic growth of the market, it’s hard for us to say because we see their results, and they are also growing significantly.
So for our position, we are, I think, increasing the market share, but I don’t – I’m not sure that it’s on the expense of our competitors. Regarding the dispute that they have with their platform provider, we have nothing to do with that or we have no info more than what you have in the news. It doesn’t – I don’t think it affects any of our business or their business. It’s just some kind of a dispute that they want to solve in court for some reason.
Jeff Stantial
Okay. Great. Understood. That’s helpful. One more, if I may. Could you just provide an update on the planned Mendoza launch as well as the path to a potential province-wide license for Baatar is [ph]?
Oscar Iglesias
Yes. Yes. Look, in terms of the province of nodes consistent with what we said in the past. We’re still actively pursuing a license to launch and operate in the province, nothing to report today. In Mendota, as you know, we’ve been awarded a license or not yet up and running but expect to be, I would say, operating in the front half of next year.
So it’s taken us a little bit more time than we would have initially expected, especially given some of the other priorities we have related to some of the things you mentioned in terms of regulation Spain and other platform technology ports that we’ve had in other parts of our business. But we are — we have a deal — a team working on that and expect to be up and operating here relatively shortly.
Jeff Stantial
Great. quarter.
Operator
Our next question comes from the line of Arthur Roulac [ph] with [indiscernible] Please go ahead.
Q – Unidentified Analyst
Hi, guys. Thank you for taking my questions. Can you maybe pull back a little bit from the details and look a little bit further out? We’re 2 years of being a public company. And it looks like the company should flip the free cash flow positive next year and probably somewhat meaningful relative to market cap. What are the uses of free cash flow going forward? Or what are you guys thinking about at the board level in terms of what you may use that for?
Oscar Iglesias
Do you guys want to take this to…
A – Unidentified Company Representative
In terms of cash flow, given the good results we are achieving, both in Spain and Mexico, I expect our plan to be – continue to invest in any excess cash that we generate next year in marketing spend in these markets. So basically, we continue our focus in those two markets. We see good ROI on the investment in marketing that we are doing there. We are able to maintain or even grow our market share there.
So basically, we want to continue on that momentum and continue to grow our revenues and our market share in those markets. So any free cash flow will be used for that. This is mainly the plan.
Q – Unidentified Analyst
Well, if you use all your free cash flow to reinvest in the business, you have no free cash flow. So if your EBITDA positive, that means you’re producing cash flow, which is moving to the balance sheet. And that, in turn, would start building on the balance sheet over time unless you’re going to reinvest 100% of – in theory, what you make driving the business to EBITDA neutral, which I know is not the case. So I’ll ask again. And really, it’s around the fact that you have a stock price that’s trading at $3. You’ll have perhaps more cash than market cap on the company in the next 12 months – is there, I guess, a thought about the valuation and have you guys at the Board level, looked at and said, hey, we have probably the least expensive online gaming business here that has a potential to be materially EBITDA positive free cash flow positive. What are we going to do with that free cash flow? And what are our views about where the public equity is it’s not a private business, there’s a public equity outstanding?
Oscar Iglesias
Yes. Art, just if I can just chime in. I think – look, I think we all agree that the share price of $3 a share is undervalued. But I think our view is the management team and the discussions we’re having at the Board level, I think there’s broad, broad consensus that the best use of cash going forward is given the opportunities, given the strength we’re seeing in these two core markets is to continue investing into that strength and building on that momentum.
So we think that directionally, next year, I think you’ll see similar levels of marketing investment that we had this year. But obviously, as we continue growing top line, that is actually decreasing from a percentage of sales standpoint. So this year, we’re something like 50% of NGR in terms of total marketing spend. That will continue. Our plan is to have that continue to tend down to more normalized level, setting aside any expansion markets that may emerge in the future that may be of interest to us.
So I think on a relative basis, the level of investment will decline, you’ll see that – that you’ve seen that this year. We talked about this late last year, the decision we took to lift our foot, sustainable growth. I don’t think anything has changed there. But I think we are finding that balance given that at least versus internal expectations, the business is performing better. We’re in a better position than where we thought we would be at the beginning of the year here, 11- almost 11 months in.
And given the opportunities we’re seeing, the unit economics and especially the strength in the – the relative popular strength that we’re seeing in the Casio side of the business, we think the best use of cash right now, always being mindful that we’re going to maintain a prudent level of minimum cash in the balance sheet in case things go wrong going forward, but the best use of cash right now is investing in Spain and Mexico.
Operator
[Operator Instructions] There are no further questions at this time. I would now like to turn the call over to Guillermo Lancha for closing remarks.
Guillermo Lancha
Thank you. So there are no further questions on the webcast either. So we can leave it here. As always, feel free to reach out to the team if you want to follow up on any questions or topics. And if not, we will be speaking again at the end of February with our full year 2023 results. Thank you, everybody, for connecting.
Operator
I’d like to thank our speakers for today’s presentation, and thank you all for joining us. This now concludes today’s call, and you may now disconnect.+
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