EX-99.1 2 dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

LOGO

FOR DISTRIBUTION

March 8, 2011

4:00 p.m. Eastern

Market Leader® Delivers 15% Quarterly Revenue Growth

KIRKLAND, Wash. – March 8, 2011 – Market Leader, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEDR) today announced results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2010.

Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights:

 

   

Revenue of $6.8 million was up 15% over $6.0 million in the third quarter, reflecting continued growth of the company’s software-as-a-service based products, including the revenue contribution from a newly consolidated subsidiary

 

   

Net loss of $4.3 million compared to net loss of $3.4 million in the third quarter that included a $750,000 gain on valuation of investment in subsidiary

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA loss of $3.1 million compared to an adjusted EBITDA loss of $2.5 million in the third quarter, driven primarily by increased customer acquisition

“2010 was an inflection point for Market Leader with revenue growth that was driven by the continued success of our rapidly-growing, software-as-a-service based products,” said CEO, Ian Morris.

Powerful Software-as-a-Service Platform for the Entire Real Estate Industry

Market Leader’s core software-as-a-service platform now provides real estate agents, brokerage companies, and even entire franchise systems tools to help them grow and manage their real estate business.

This comprehensive platform enables real estate professionals to create and operate their websites, including complete MLS integration; generate traffic and leads; manage and engage with their prospects and clients; and design, create, and manage all of their marketing campaigns. All of this is provided on one seamlessly integrated, easy-to-use business system.

Market Leader’s platform also provides franchise networks and leading brokerage companies with the ability to create exclusive, customer-branded business solutions that can also be integrated with third party applications.

Keller Williams Signs the Largest Deal in Market Leader History

On January 10, 2011, Market Leader announced that it was selected by Keller Williams Realty International, the nation’s third-largest real estate franchisor, to

 

Page 1 of 7


provide a franchise-wide real estate marketing and business platform under a five year agreement that represents the largest deal in the company’s history.

In February, Market Leader successfully fulfilled the first phase of this agreement by making its platform available to nearly 80,000 Keller Williams agents across the United States and Canada. As a result, Market Leader significantly increased its user base and its ability to upsell premium software and services in the future.

During a four-day franchise event last month, more than 2,000 Keller Williams agents signed up for a promotional offer for the company’s Market Leader Professional Edition product, a new premium offering for real estate agents. This strong response validates the company’s confidence in its ability to generate high margin revenue from premium offerings. This revenue coupled with the guaranteed payments set out in the agreement is expected to significantly contribute to revenue growth starting in the second half of 2011.

Record Signings of New High Value Broker and Team Customers

Market Leader had record signings in the fourth quarter of more than two hundred new broker and team customers.

While initial revenue from these offers only partially offsets the cost of customer acquisition, the experience with similar customers acquired during 2009 and 2010 validates the company’s investment to acquire these high value customers.

Successful Mobile Software-as-a-Service Company Acquired

Market Leader announced in January 2011 the acquisition of KWKLY, LLC (“kwkly”) — a mobile software-as-a-service lead generation platform that provides home buyers with real-time access to property information on their mobile phones, while at the same time connecting real estate professional companies and their agents with those home buyers. Kwkly has grown rapidly and is now being used by some of the real estate industry’s largest and most prominent brokerage companies including

RE/MAX, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Baird & Warner, Century 21, Prudential, Intero Real Estate and more.

Business Outlook

Market Leader expects to build upon its four quarters of consecutive revenue growth with continued quarterly revenue growth throughout 2011.

The company believes that this revenue growth, as well as an increasing shift to high-margin software-as-a-service revenue, will lead to significantly diminished adjusted EBITDA losses in the second half of 2011.

Conference Call

The company will host a conference call and live Webcast to discuss fourth quarter and 2010 results on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. To listen to the live conference call, please dial (719) 325-2158. A live Webcast of the call will be available from the Investor Relations section of the company’s Web site at http://www.investor.marketleader.com. An audio replay of the call will also be available to investors beginning on March 8 at 7:30 PM Eastern time and ending on March 12 at 7:30 PM Eastern time by dialing (719) 457-0820 and entering the passcode 1095120#.

Forward-Looking Statements

 

Page 2 of 7


This release contains forward-looking statements relating to the company’s anticipated plans, products, services, and financial performance. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean the statement is not forward-looking. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the company’s actual results include its ability to retain and increase its customer base, to continue to grow revenues from the company’s software-as-a-service products, to continue to maintain current customer retention levels, to maintain conversion rates of customers acquired through promotional offers, to respond to competitive threats and real estate market conditions, to manage lead generation and other costs, to develop new products, and to expand into new lines of business. Please refer to the company’s most recent Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more detailed description of these and other risks that could materially affect actual results. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of today’s date and the company assumes no obligation to update any such statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

Non-GAAP Measure

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure provided as a complement to results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Adjusted EBITDA is not a substitute for measures determined in accordance with GAAP, and may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA as reported by other companies. Our use of the term “Adjusted EBITDA” refers to a financial measure defined as earnings or loss before net interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, equity in loss of an unconsolidated subsidiary, gain on valuation of investment in subsidiary and stock-based compensation. We believe Adjusted EBITDA to be relevant and useful information to our investors as this measure is an integral part of our internal management reporting and planning process and is the primary measure used by our management to evaluate operating performance. See below for a reconciliation of net loss, the most comparable GAAP measure, to Adjusted EBITDA.

Market Leader, Inc.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE AND RECONCILIATION

(In thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     Three months ended     Twelve months ended  
     December 31, 2010     September 30, 2010     December 31, 2009     December 31, 2010     December 31, 2009  

Net loss attributable to Market Leader

   $ (4,297   $ (3,409   $ 1,438      $ (14,283   $ (7,371

Adjustments

          

Interest income and expenses, net

     (35     (40     (42     (202     (241

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

     (79         (79     —     

Gain on valuation of investment in subsidiary

     —          (750     —          (750     —     

Equity in (income) loss of unconsolidated subsidiary

     —          63        (8     254        244   

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

     593        646        661        2,522        2,837   

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

     334        480        479        1,772        1,922   

Stock-based compensation

     382        476        479        1,805        2,363   

Income tax (benefit) expense

     3        3        (4,788     10        (4,782
                                        

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ (3,099   $ (2,531   $ (1,781   $ (8,951   $ (5,028
                                        

 

Page 3 of 7


About Market Leader, Inc.

Market Leader (NASDAQ: LEDR) provides real estate professionals with innovative marketing and technology solutions that enable them to grow and manage their business. Founded in 1999 by a second-generation real estate agent, Market Leader provides real estate agents, agent teams, and brokerage companies with subscription-based real estate marketing software and advertising products that enable them to generate a steady stream of prospects, as well as the tools and training they need to convert these prospects into clients.

With a long history of innovation, Market Leader pioneered online lead generation for real estate professionals a decade ago and today is the leading marketing partner to the real estate industry. The company also provides consumers with free access to the information and tools they need throughout the home buying and selling process, such as determining house values by address, and providing access to real estate listings, through its national consumer real estate sites. These websites enable Market Leader to provide its customers with access to millions of future home buyers and sellers while providing these consumers with free access to the information they seek throughout the home buying and selling process.

For more information on Market Leader visit www.MarketLeader.com.

Investor Contact:

Mark Lamb

Director of Investor Relations

Market Leader, Inc.

425.952.5801

markl@marketleader.com

Press Contact:

Matt Heinz

Heinz Marketing for Market Leader, Inc.

877.291.0006

matt@heinzmarketing.com

 

Page 4 of 7


Market Leader, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

 

     Three months ended December 31,     Twelve months ended December 31,  
     2010     2009     2010     2009  

Revenues

   $ 6,844      $ 5,643      $ 24,430      $ 23,935   

Expenses:

        

Sales and marketing (1)

     7,588        5,084        23,908        19,297   

Technology and product development (1)

     1,288        1,255        5,358        5,114   

General and administrative (1)

     1,449        1,564        5,920        6,915   

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

     593        661        2,522        2,837   

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

     334        479        1,772        1,922   
                                

Total expenses

     11,252        9,043        39,480        36,085   
                                

Loss from operations

     (4,408     (3,400     (15,050     (12,150

Gain on valuation of investment in subsidiary

     —          —          750        —     

Equity in (income) loss of unconsolidated subsidiary

     —          8        (254     (244

Interest income and expenses, net

     35        42        202        241   
                                

Loss before income tax expense

     (4,373     (3,350     (14,352     (12,153

Income tax (benefit) expense

     3        (4,788     10        (4,782
                                

Net loss

     (4,376     1,438        (14,362     (7,371

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

     (79     —          (79     —     
                                

Net income (loss) attributable to Market Leader

   $ (4,297   $ 1,438      $ (14,283   $ (7,371
                                

Net income (loss) per share attributable to Market Leader - basic and diluted:

   $ (0.17   $ 0.06      $ (0.58   $ (0.30
                                

Number of shares used in per share calculations

     24,823        24,767        24,661        24,189   
                                

(1)    Stock-based compensation is included in the expense line items above in the following amounts:

       

     2010     2009     2010     2009  

Sales and marketing

   $ 158      $ 137      $ 529      $ 714   

Technology and product development

     30        39        193        109   

General and administrative

     194        303        1,083        1,540   
                                
   $ 382      $ 479      $ 1,805      $ 2,363   
                                

 

Page 5 of 7


Market Leader, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except share data)

(unaudited)

 

     December 31,
2010
    December 31,
2009
 

Assets

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 16,687      $ 25,434   

Short-term investments

     28,628        25,999   

Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance of $12 and $29

     30        39   

Income tax receivable

     —          4,920   

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     1,249        918   
                

Total current assets

     46,594        57,310   

Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $17,047 and $14,433

     3,856        4,472   

Goodwill

     954        —     

Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $8,199 and $6,427

     2,326        2,265   

Investment in unconsolidated subsidiary

     —          340   
                

Total assets

   $ 53,730      $ 64,387   
                

Liabilities, Shareholders’ Equity and Noncontrolling Interest

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 1,157      $ 916   

Accrued compensation and benefits

     1,809        1,494   

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     1,175        812   

Deferred rent, current portion

     214        214   

Deferred revenue

     517        405   
                

Total current liabilities

     4,872        3,841   

Deferred rent, less current portion

     527        753   
                

Total liabilities

     5,399        4,594   

Shareholders’ equity and noncontrolling interest:

    

Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, stated at amounts paid in; authorized 30,000,000 shares; none issued and outstanding

     —          —     

Common stock, par value $0.001 per share, stated at amounts paid in; authorized 120,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 24,873,120 and 24,409,431 shares at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively

     71,889        70,220   

Accumulated deficit

     (24,710     (10,427
                

Total Market Leader, Inc. shareholders’ equity

     47,179        59,793   

Noncontrolling interest in subsidiary

     1,152        —     
                

Total shareholders’ equity

     48,331        59,793   
                

Total liabilities, shareholders’ equity and noncontrolling interest

   $ 53,730      $ 64,387   
                

 

Page 6 of 7


Market Leader, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     Twelve months ended December 31,  
     2010     2009  

Cash flows from operating activities:

    

Net loss

   $ (14,362   $ (7,371

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

    

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

     2,522        2,837   

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

     1,772        1,922   

Stock-based compensation

     1,805        2,363   

Gain on valuation of investment in subsidiary

     (750     —     

Equity in loss of unconsolidated subsidiary

     254        244   

Changes in certain assets and liabilities

    

Trade accounts receivable

     26        40   

Income tax receivable

     4,918        (4,918

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (318     560   

Other noncurrent assets

     43        —     

Accounts payable

     35        130   

Accrued compensation and benefits

     172        (273

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

     413        (278

Deferred rent

     (226     375   

Deferred revenue

     101        31   
                

Net cash used in operating activities

     (3,595     (4,338
                

Cash flows from investing activities:

    

Purchases of short-term investments

     (40,107     (41,169

Sales of short-term investments

     37,528        26,200   

Purchases of property and equipment

     (1,933     (2,569

Investment in ActiveRain, net of cash acquired

     (394     —     

Payments related to the Realty Generator acquisition

     —          (155
                

Net cash used in investing activities

     (4,906     (17,693
                

Cash flows from financing activities:

    

Payment of taxes due upon vesting of restricted stock

     (343     (275

Proceeds from exercises of stock options

     97        72   
                

Net cash used in financing activities

     (246     (203
                

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

     (8,747     (22,234

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     25,434        47,668   
                

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 16,687      $ 25,434   
                

 

Page 7 of 7