Perion Reports First Quarter 2019 Results

Perion Network Ltd. (NASDAQ: PERI), a global technology company that
delivers synchronized digital marketing solutions for advertisers and
publishers through the world’s largest channels – digital advertising,
social media, and search, announced today its financial results for the
first quarter ended March 31, 2019.

Financial Highlights*

(In millions, except per share data)

* Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP measures follows.

Doron Gerstel, Perion’s CEO stated, “Our ongoing efforts to drive
innovation and deepen partnerships in our Search business, is winning in
the market. By leveraging our strategic relationship with Microsoft
Bing, exploring new monetization opportunities and increasing search
demand, the new leadership at CodeFuel has delivered its third
consecutive quarter of sequential growth and the first quarter of
year-over-year growth in five years; we expect this positive trend to
continue.”

“This significant progress has meaningfully expanded the immediate and
longer-term importance of our Search business,” added Mr. Gerstel. “Our
increased Search revenues and strong cash flow enable us to continue our
planned investments in our advertising offering, to further
differentiate Undertone in a growing but evolving market.”

“Undertones’ Synchronized Digital Branding solution was enhanced by the
acquisition of Captain Growth, which will provide the AI optimization
engine required to offer brands the critical ability to put their
best-performing units in front of the right users at the right time –
for unprecedented cross-channel engagement,” Mr. Gerstel continued. “We
are excited by the acceptance of our customers and believe in a unique
opportunity to differentiate Undertone in this space.”

Mr. Gerstel concluded, “As a result of the strong start of 2019, where
we achieved higher than planned first quarter Adjusted EBITDA combined
with our current visibility, we feel confident to increase our annual
guidance of Adjusted EBITDA from $22-$24 million to $24-$26 million. The
increased Adjusted EBITDA guidance and our improved free cash flow, a
result of our recent cost optimization efforts, and the current cash
position, we decided to early repay our bonds and further strengthen our
balance sheet.”

Financial Comparison for the First Quarter of 2019:

Revenues: Revenues declined by 12%, from $60.9 million in the
first quarter of 2018 to $53.8 million in the first quarter of 2019.
This decline was primarily a result of a 37% decline in Advertising
revenues as a result of the transition from selling formats to holistic
solution. Despite of the decline in revenues, our gross margin in the
Advertising business increased year over year as we prioritize margins
and profitability over sales. Search and other revenues increased 12% in
the first quarter of 2019 as a result of the addition of new publishers,
higher revenue-per-mile and increased number of searches.

Customer Acquisition Costs and Media Buy (“CAC”): CAC in
the first quarter of 2019 were $27.4 million, or 51% of revenues, as
compared to $31.9 million, or 52% of revenues in the first quarter of
2018.

Net Income: On a GAAP basis, net income in the first quarter of
2019 was $1.2 million, as compared to a net income of $0.1 million in
the first quarter of 2018.

Non-GAAP Net Income: In the first quarter of 2019, non-GAAP net
income was $3.3 million, or 6.0% of revenues, compared to the $3.0
million, or 5.0% of revenues, in the first quarter of 2018.

Adjusted EBITDA: In the first quarter of 2019, Adjusted EBITDA
was $5.1 million, or 9.5% of revenues, compared to $4.3 million, or 7.0%
of revenues, in the first quarter of 2018.

Cash and Cash Flow from Operations: As of March 31, 2019, cash
and cash equivalents and short-term deposit were $45.1 million. Cash
provided by operations in the first quarter of 2019 was $14.0 million,
compared to $14.6 million in the first quarter of 2018.

Short-term Debt, Long-term Debt and Convertible Debt: As of March
31, 2019, total debt was $31.0 million, compared to $40.5 million at
December 31, 2018.

Perion satisfies all the financial covenants associated with its public
debt.

2019 Guidance:

Management has increased its previously issued Adjusted EBITDA guidance
of $22 million to $24 million for the full year of 2019 to $24 million
to $26 million.

Conference Call:

Perion management will host a conference call to discuss the results
today at 9 a.m. ET. Details are as follows:

• Conference ID: 5831485
• Dial-in number from within the United States: 1-888-394-8218
• Dial-in number from Israel: 1-809-212-883
• Dial-in number (other international): 1-323-701-0225
• Playback available until May 22, 2019 by calling 1-844-512-2921
  (United States) or 1-412-317-6671 (international). Please use PIN code
  5831485 for the replay.
• Link to the live webcast accessible at https://www.perion.com/ir-info/

About Perion Network Ltd.

Perion is a global technology company that delivers advertising
solutions to brands and publishers. Perion is committed to providing
data-driven execution, from high-impact ad formats to branded search and
a unified social and mobile programmatic platform. More information
about Perion may be found at www.perion.com,
and follow Perion on Twitter @perionnetwork.

Non-GAAP measures

Non-GAAP financial measures consist of GAAP financial measures adjusted
to exclude acquisition related expenses, share-based compensation
expenses, restructuring costs, loss from discontinued operations,
accretion of acquisition related contingent consideration, impairment of
goodwill, amortization and impairment of acquired intangible assets and
the related taxes thereon, non-recurring expenses, foreign exchange
gains (losses) associated with ASC-842, as well as certain accounting
entries under the business combination accounting rules that require us
to recognize a legal performance obligation related to revenue
arrangements of an acquired entity based on its fair value at the date
of acquisition. Additionally, in September 2014, the Company issued
convertible bonds denominated in New Israeli Shekels and at the same
time entered into a derivative arrangement (SWAP) that economically
exchanges the convertible bonds as if they were denominated in US
dollars when the bonds were issued. The Company excludes from its GAAP
financial measures the fair value revaluations of both, the convertible
bonds and the related derivative instrument, and by doing so, the
non-GAAP measures reflect the Company’s results as if the convertible
bonds were originally issued and denominated in US dollars, which is the
Company’s functional currency. Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes,
Depreciation and Amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”) is defined as
operating income excluding stock-based compensation expenses,
depreciation, restructuring costs, acquisition related items consisting
of amortization of intangible assets and goodwill and intangible asset
impairments, acquisition related expenses, gains and losses recognized
on changes in the fair value of contingent consideration arrangements
and certain accounting entries under the business combination accounting
rules that require us to recognize a legal performance obligation
related to revenue arrangements of an acquired entity based on its fair
value at the date of acquisition.

The purpose of such adjustments is to give an indication of our
performance exclusive of non-cash charges and other items that are
considered by management to be outside of our core operating results.
These non-GAAP measures are among the primary factors management uses in
planning for and forecasting future periods. Furthermore, the non-GAAP
measures are regularly used internally to understand, manage and
evaluate our business and make operating decisions, and we believe that
they are useful to investors as a consistent and comparable measure of
the ongoing performance of our business. However, our non-GAAP financial
measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute
for comparable GAAP measures, and should be read only in conjunction
with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with
GAAP. Additionally, these non-GAAP financial measures may differ
materially from the non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.
A reconciliation between results on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis is
provided in the last table of this press release.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains historical information and forward-looking
statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the business, financial condition and
results of operations of Perion. The words “will”, “believe,” “expect,”
“intend,” “plan,” “should” and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current
views, assumptions and expectations of Perion with respect to future
events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could
cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Perion to be
materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements, or financial information, including, among others, the
failure to realize the anticipated benefits of companies and businesses
we acquired and may acquire in the future, risks entailed in integrating
the companies and businesses we acquire, including employee retention
and customer acceptance; the risk that such transactions will divert
management and other resources from the ongoing operations of the
business or otherwise disrupt the conduct of those businesses, potential
litigation associated with such transactions, and general risks
associated with the business of Perion including intense and frequent
changes in the markets in which the businesses operate and in general
economic and business conditions, loss of key customers, unpredictable
sales cycles, competitive pressures, market acceptance of new products,
inability to meet efficiency and cost reduction objectives, changes in
business strategy and various other factors, whether referenced or not
referenced in this press release. Various other risks and uncertainties
may affect Perion and its results of operations, as described in reports
filed by Perion with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to
time, including its annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on March 19, 2019. Perion does not
assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514006147/en/