daln-20241112x8k
false000141389800014138982024-11-122024-11-12

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549  

FORM 8-K 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 12, 2024

 

DallasNews CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Commission file number: 1-33741

 

Texas

 

38-3765318

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

P. O. Box 224866, Dallas, Texas 75222-4866

 

(214977-8869

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol

Name of each exchange on which registered

Series A Common Stock, $0.01 par value

DALN

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  


Item 2.02.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On November 12, 2024, DallasNews Corporation announced its consolidated financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2024. A copy of the announcement press release is furnished with this report as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit Number

Description

99.1

Press Release issued by DallasNews Corporation on November 12, 2024

104

 

Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

 



SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: November 12, 2024

 

 

DALLASNEWS CORPORATION

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Catherine G. Collins

 

 

 

Catherine G. Collins

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

EX 99.1-Q3 2024 Earnings Release

Exhibit 99.1

Picture 1



DallasNews Corporation Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results





DALLAS –  DallasNews Corporation (Nasdaq: DALN) (the “Company”) today reported a third quarter 2024 net loss of $3.9 million, or $(0.73) per share, and an operating loss of $4.1 million.  In the third quarter of 2023,  the Company reported a  net loss  of  $1.4 million, or $(0.26) per share, and an operating loss of $1.6 million.  The third quarter 2024 net loss includes severance expense of $3.0 million, primarily due to the Company’s anticipated headcount reductions related to the previously announced transition to a smaller printing facility.

For the third quarter of 2024, on a non-GAAP basis, DallasNews reported operating loss adjusted for certain items (adjusted operating loss)  of $0.7 million, an improvement of $0.2 million or 18.5 percent when compared to an adjusted operating loss of $0.9 million reported in the third quarter of 2023. The improvement is due to expense savings of $3.5 million, partially offset by a total revenue decline of $3.4 million that is primarily attributable to the Company exiting its shared mail program and discontinuing its print-only niche publications.

Grant Moise, Chief Executive Officer, said, The third quarter $0.2 million year-over-year financial improvement in adjusted operating loss reflects our continued focus on returning to sustainable profitability. I discussed in the second quarter 2024 investor call, that while we have not reached sustainable operating profitability, we are making progress. The third quarter was highlighted by Medium Giant’s advertising and marketing services revenue growth of $0.4 million adjusting for the termination of the shared mail program and print-only niche publications in August 2023.


 

DallasNews Corporation Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

November 12, 2024

Page 2

 

 

I noted in our last investor call that we were reviewing our strategy to optimize subscription volume and pricing. In the third quarter, we modified our digital subscription strategy to a volume-centric strategy. This change successfully ended our 14-month volume decline, with the growth exceeding our expectations since we implemented the new pricing. This strategic change will take time to be reflected in revenue growth, but we are pleased with how consumers are responding to the new pricing in its early stages.

Third Quarter Results





Total revenue was $31.1 million in the third quarter of 2024,  a decrease of $3.4 million or 9.7 percent when compared to the third quarter of 2023.

Revenue from advertising and marketing services, including print and digital revenues, was $12.0 million in the  third quarter of 2024,  a decrease of $2.7 million or 18.5 percent when compared to the $14.7 million reported for the third quarter of 2023. The decline is primarily due to a $3.1 million decrease in print advertising revenue resulting from the Company ending its shared mail program and print-only niche publications at the end of August 2023. All remaining advertising and marketing services revenue improved $0.4 million.

Circulation revenue was $16.1 million in the third quarter of 2024,  a decrease of $0.1 million or 0.8 percent when compared to the $16.2 million reported for the third quarter of 2023.  The digital-only subscription revenue increase of $0.4 million or 8.8 percent mostly offset the print circulation revenue decline of $0.5 million or 4.2 percent.

Printing, distribution and other revenue was $3.1 million, a decrease of $0.5 million or 14.0 percent when compared to the third quarter of 2023,  primarily due to declines in revenue from commercial printing and distribution, and mailed advertisements for business customers.


 

DallasNews Corporation Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

November 12, 2024

Page 3

 

 

Total consolidated operating expense in the third quarter of 2024, on a GAAP basis, was $35.3 million, an improvement of $0.9 million or 2.4 percent when compared to the third quarter of 2023. The improvement is primarily due to expense savings of $1.9 million in distribution and $1.1 million in newsprint, partially offset by expense increases of $1.5 million in employee compensation and benefits, including severance, and $0.7 million in outside services.

On a non-GAAP basis, adjusted operating expense was $31.9 million, an improvement of $3.5 million or 10.0 percent when compared to the third quarter of 2023. Excluding severance, employee compensation and benefits expense improved $1.2 million.

As of September 30,  2024,  the Company had 534 employees, a headcount decrease of 74 or 12.2 percent when compared to the prior year period,  resulting from the 2023 Voluntary Severance Program participants and additional first quarter headcount reductions at Medium Giant. Cash and cash equivalents were $14.0 million at September 30, 2024, and the Company had no debt.


 

DallasNews Corporation Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

November 12, 2024

Page 4

 

 

Segment Information





In the second quarter of 2024, based on changes made in the reporting package used by the Company’s Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) for purposes of allocating resources and assessing performance, the Company determined it has two reportable segments. The two reportable segments are the following:

·

TDMN primarily generates revenue from subscriptions and retail sales of The Dallas Morning News, and sales of advertising within its newspaper and on related digital platforms by Medium Giant’s cross-functional sales team. 

·

Agency generates revenue from the services offered by the Company’s full-service advertising agency, Medium Giant.

In addition to the reportable segments, the Company has a Corporate and Other category that includes expenses not directly attributable to a specific reportable segment.

The CODM, who is the Chief Executive Officer, uses adjusted operating income (loss) for the purposes of evaluating performance and allocating resources.  Adjusted operating income (loss) by reportable segment and for the Corporate and Other category is included in the exhibits to this release.  




 

DallasNews Corporation Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

November 12, 2024

Page 5

 

 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures





Reconciliations of operating loss to adjusted operating loss, and total operating costs and expense to adjusted operating expense are included in the exhibits to this release.

The Company calculates adjusted operating loss by adjusting operating loss to exclude depreciation, severance expense, (gain) loss on sale/disposal of assets, and asset impairments (“adjusted operating loss”). The Company believes that inclusion of certain noncash expenses and other items in the results makes for more difficult comparisons between years and with peer group companies.

Adjusted operating income (loss) is not a measure of financial performance under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Management uses adjusted operating income (loss) and similar measures in internal analyses as supplemental measures of the Company’s financial performance, and for performance comparisons versus its peer group of companies. Management uses this non-GAAP financial measure for the purposes of evaluating consolidated Company performance. The Company therefore believes that the non-GAAP measure presented provides useful information to investors by allowing them to view the Company’s business through the eyes of management and the Board of Directors, facilitating comparison of results across historical periods and providing a focus on the underlying ongoing operating performance of its business. Adjusted operating income (loss) should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income (loss), cash flows provided by (used for) operating activities or other comparable measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Additionally, this non-GAAP measure may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures of other companies.





 


 

DallasNews Corporation Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

November 12, 2024

Page 6

 

 

Financial Results Conference Call





DallasNews Corporation will conduct a conference call on Thursday,  November 14, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. CST to discuss financial results. The conference call will be available via webcast by accessing the Company’s website at investor.dallasnewscorporation.com/events.  An archive of the webcast will be available at dallasnewscorporation.com in the Investor Relations section.

To access the conference call, dial 1-844-291-6362 and enter the following access code when prompted: 4239907.  A replay line will be available at 1-866-207-1041 from  12:00 p.m. CST on November 14, 2024 until 11:59 p.m. CST on November 20, 2024.  The access code for the replay is 5933346.


 

DallasNews Corporation Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

November 12, 2024

Page 7

 

 

About DallasNews Corporation





DallasNews Corporation is the Dallas-based holding company of The Dallas Morning News and Medium Giant. The Dallas Morning News is Texas leading daily newspaper with an excellent journalistic reputation, intense regional focus and close community ties. With offices in Dallas and Tulsa, Medium Giant is a full-service advertising agency dedicated to designing, creating and delivering stories that drive customers to act. For additional information, visit dallasnewscorporation.com or email invest@dallasnews.com



Statements in this communication concerning the Company’s business outlook or future economic performance, revenues, expenses, cash balance, investments, business initiatives, working capital, dividends, future financings, and other financial and non-financial items that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” as the term is defined under applicable federal securities laws. Words such as “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “can,” “could,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “may,” “project,” “plan,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and their opposites and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in forward-looking statements. Such risks, trends and uncertainties are, in most instances, beyond the Company’s control, and include changes in advertising demand and other economic conditions; volatility in the North Texas real estate market; the timeline for transitioning print operations; consumers’ tastes; newsprint and distribution prices; program costs; the Company’s ability to successfully execute the Return to Growth Plan; the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with the continued listing requirements of The Nasdaq Capital Market; the success of the Company’s digital strategy; labor relations; cybersecurity incidents; and technological obsolescence. Among other risks, there can be no guarantee that the board of directors will approve dividends in the future or that the Company’s financial projections are accurate, as well as other risks described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company’s other public disclosures and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements, which are as of the date of this communication, are not updated to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statement.





 


 

 

DallasNews Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

In thousands, except share and per share amounts (unaudited)

 

2024

 

2023

 

2024

 

2023

Net Operating Revenue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advertising and marketing services

 

$

11,977 

 

$

14,699 

 

$

36,407 

 

$

46,231 

Circulation

 

 

16,062 

 

 

16,194 

 

 

48,543 

 

 

48,201 

Printing, distribution and other

 

 

3,101 

 

 

3,606 

 

 

9,353 

 

 

11,281 

Total net operating revenue

 

 

31,140 

 

 

34,499 

 

 

94,303 

 

 

105,713 

Operating Costs and Expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee compensation and benefits

 

 

18,048 

 

 

16,565 

 

 

48,903 

 

 

51,174 

Other production, distribution and operating costs

 

 

15,498 

 

 

16,778 

 

 

45,603 

 

 

52,099 

Newsprint, ink and other supplies

 

 

1,301 

 

 

2,382 

 

 

3,887 

 

 

6,912 

Depreciation

 

 

411 

 

 

388 

 

 

1,216 

 

 

1,118 

Total operating costs and expense

 

 

35,258 

 

 

36,113 

 

 

99,609 

 

 

111,303 

Operating loss

 

 

(4,118)

 

 

(1,614)

 

 

(5,306)

 

 

(5,590)

Other income, net

 

 

536 

 

 

342 

 

 

1,788 

 

 

1,082 

Loss Before Income Taxes

 

 

(3,582)

 

 

(1,272)

 

 

(3,518)

 

 

(4,508)

Income tax provision

 

 

345 

 

 

139 

 

 

322 

 

 

397 

Net Loss

 

$

(3,927)

 

$

(1,411)

 

$

(3,840)

 

$

(4,905)



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Per Share Basis (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

(0.73)

 

$

(0.26)

 

$

(0.72)

 

$

(0.92)

Diluted

 

$

(0.73)

 

$

(0.26)

 

$

(0.72)

 

$

(0.92)

Number of common shares used in the per share calculation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

5,352,490 

 

 

5,352,490 

 

 

5,352,490 

 

 

5,352,490 

Diluted

 

 

5,352,490 

 

 

5,352,490 

 

 

5,352,490 

 

 

5,352,490 





(1)

The Company’s Series A and Series B common stock equally share in the distributed and undistributed earnings. There were no options or RSUs outstanding as of September 30,  2024 and 2023, that would result in dilution of shares or the calculation of EPS under the two-class method as prescribed under ASC 260 – Earnings Per Share.

 


 

 

DallasNews Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets





 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 



 

September 30,

 

December 31,

In thousands (unaudited)

 

2024

 

2023

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

13,988 

 

$

11,697 

Short-term investments

 

 

 —

 

 

10,781 

Accounts receivable, net

 

 

11,236 

 

 

9,923 

Other current assets

 

 

4,702 

 

 

4,532 

Total current assets

 

 

29,926 

 

 

36,933 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

 

11,504 

 

 

7,099 

Operating lease right-of-use assets

 

 

18,034 

 

 

16,141 

Deferred income taxes, net

 

 

253 

 

 

271 

Other assets

 

 

1,885 

 

 

1,790 

Total assets

 

$

61,602 

 

$

62,234 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

5,018 

 

$

3,963 

Accrued compensation and other current liabilities

 

 

13,068 

 

 

10,449 

Contract liabilities

 

 

9,396 

 

 

9,511 

Total current liabilities

 

 

27,482 

 

 

23,923 

Long-term pension liabilities

 

 

15,593 

 

 

17,353 

Long-term operating lease liabilities

 

 

18,124 

 

 

16,924 

Other liabilities

 

 

979 

 

 

1,076 

Total liabilities

 

 

62,178 

 

 

59,276 

Contingent liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total shareholders' equity

 

 

(576)

 

 

2,958 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

$

61,602 

 

$

62,234 

 


 

 

DallasNews Corporation and Subsidiaries

Revenue by Reportable Segment







 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

In thousands (unaudited)

 

2024

 

2023

 

2024

 

2023

TDMN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print advertising (1)

 

$

5,404 

 

$

9,082 

 

$

17,601 

 

$

28,672 

Digital advertising (2)

 

 

2,156 

 

 

2,108 

 

 

6,388 

 

 

6,440 

Agency

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marketing and media services (2)

 

 

4,417 

 

 

3,509 

 

 

12,418 

 

 

11,119 

Advertising and Marketing Services

$

11,977 

 

$

14,699 

 

$

36,407 

 

$

46,231 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TDMN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print circulation

 

 

11,460 

 

 

11,964 

 

 

34,819 

 

 

36,489 

Digital circulation

 

 

4,602 

 

 

4,230 

 

 

13,724 

 

 

11,712 

Circulation

$

16,062 

 

$

16,194 

 

$

48,543 

 

$

48,201 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TDMN

 

 

3,101 

 

 

3,499 

 

 

9,353 

 

 

10,856 

Agency

 

 

 —

 

 

107 

 

 

 —

 

 

425 

Printing, Distribution and Other

$

3,101 

 

$

3,606 

 

$

9,353 

 

$

11,281 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Revenue

 

$

31,140 

 

$

34,499 

 

$

94,303 

 

$

105,713 





(1)

Includes $3,099 and $10,748 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively, of revenue generated from the Company’s shared mail program to deliver weekly preprints, as well as advertising in the print-only editions of its niche publications. At the end of August 2023, the Company made the strategic decisions to exit its shared mail program and discontinue print-only editions of its niche publications.

(2)

Prior to the segment reporting change, digital advertising, and marketing and media services revenues were reported in aggregate.



 


 

 

DallasNews Corporation - Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Reconciliation of Operating Loss to Adjusted Operating Loss







 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

In thousands (unaudited)

 

2024

 

2023

 

2024

 

2023

Total net operating revenue

 

$

31,140 

 

$

34,499 

 

$

94,303 

 

$

105,713 

Total operating costs and expense

 

 

35,258 

 

 

36,113 

 

 

99,609 

 

 

111,303 

Operating Loss

 

$

(4,118)

 

$

(1,614)

 

$

(5,306)

 

$

(5,590)



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total operating costs and expense

 

$

35,258 

 

$

36,113 

 

$

99,609 

 

$

111,303 

Less:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation

 

 

411 

 

 

388 

 

 

1,216 

 

 

1,118 

Severance expense

 

 

2,982 

 

 

336 

 

 

3,758 

 

 

1,161 

Adjusted Operating Expense

 

$

31,865 

 

$

35,389 

 

$

94,635 

 

$

109,024 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total net operating revenue

 

$

31,140 

 

$

34,499 

 

$

94,303 

 

$

105,713 

Adjusted operating expense

 

 

31,865 

 

 

35,389 

 

 

94,635 

 

 

109,024 

Adjusted Operating Loss

 

$

(725)

 

$

(890)

 

$

(332)

 

$

(3,311)





 


 

 

DallasNews Corporation - Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) by Reportable Segment, and Corporate and Other





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

In thousands (unaudited)

 

2024

 

2023

 

2024

 

2023

TDMN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total net operating revenue

 

$

26,723 

 

$

30,883 

 

$

81,885 

 

$

94,169 

Adjusted operating expense

 

 

21,965 

 

 

25,877 

 

 

65,562 

 

 

80,974 

Adjusted Operating Income

 

$

4,758 

 

$

5,006 

 

$

16,323 

 

$

13,195 

Agency

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total net operating revenue

 

$

4,417 

 

$

3,616 

 

$

12,418 

 

$

11,544 

Adjusted operating expense

 

 

4,372 

 

 

4,288 

 

 

12,744 

 

 

13,160 

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)

 

$

45 

 

$

(672)

 

$

(326)

 

$

(1,616)

Corporate and Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total net operating revenue

 

$

 —

 

$

 —

 

$

 —

 

$

 —

Adjusted operating expense

 

 

5,528 

 

 

5,224 

 

 

16,329 

 

 

14,890 

Adjusted Operating Loss

 

$

(5,528)

 

$

(5,224)

 

$

(16,329)

 

$

(14,890)



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Adjusted Operating Loss

 

$

(725)

 

$

(890)

 

$

(332)

 

$

(3,311)

Excluded expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation

 

 

411 

 

 

388 

 

 

1,216 

 

 

1,118 

Severance expense

 

 

2,982 

 

 

336 

 

 

3,758 

 

 

1,161 

Operating Loss

 

$

(4,118)

 

$

(1,614)

 

$

(5,306)

 

$

(5,590)

Other income, net

 

 

536 

 

 

342 

 

 

1,788 

 

 

1,082 

Loss Before Income Taxes

 

$

(3,582)

 

$

(1,272)

 

$

(3,518)

 

$

(4,508)