Sprout Social Announces First Quarter 2021 Financial Results Above Guidance Range

Rhea-AI Summary

Sprout Social (SPT) reported strong Q1 2021 results with total revenue of $40.8 million, up 34% year-over-year, and a record 28,122 customers. The company achieved positive free cash flow for the first time, with operating loss improving significantly. Adjusted revenue guidance for FY 2021 has been raised to between $176 million and $177 million, reflecting a growth of 32% to 33%. Despite a GAAP net loss of $6.4 million, the outlook remains optimistic, bolstered by strong customer acquisition and retention.

Positive

• Total revenue increased to $40.8 million, up 34% from Q1 2020.
• Customer base grew to 28,122, up from 24,083 in Q1 2020.
• Achieved positive free cash flow for the first time, totaling $3.4 million.
• Raised 2021 revenue guidance to $176-$177 million, indicating 32%-33% growth.

Negative

• GAAP net loss of $6.4 million, though improved from $10.5 million in Q1 2020.
• Non-GAAP operating loss remains at ($2.3) million, indicating ongoing operational challenges.

Raises 2021 Guidance
First Quarter Total Revenue of $40.8 Million
28,122 Customers as of March 31, 2021

CHICAGO, May 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sprout Social, Inc. (“Sprout Social”, the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPT), an industry-leading provider of cloud-based social media management software, today announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2021.

“Our growth rate is continuing to accelerate, reinforcing confidence in our strategy, our opportunity and the investments we’re making in our future,” said Justyn Howard, Sprout Social’s CEO and co-founder. “Social sits at the center of digital strategy for the next evolution of business. During Q1, we added a record number of net-new customers and generated positive free cash flow for the first time. We’re making aggressive investments behind growth and momentum in our business that has never been stronger.”

“We’re incredibly proud of the team for continually raising the bar and delivering for our customers, especially given the backdrop of the past year.”

First Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights

Revenue

• Total revenue was $40.8 million, up 34% compared to the first quarter of 2020.
• Organic revenue (excluding the impact of legacy Simply Measured revenue) was up 35% compared to the first quarter of 2020.
• Total ARR was $172.0 million, up 38% compared to the first quarter of 2020.
• Organic ARR was $171.0 million, up 39% compared to the first quarter of 2020.
• We expect the impact from legacy Simply Measured to be immaterial to revenue and ARR moving forward.
  

Operating Loss

• GAAP operating loss was ($6.2) million, compared to ($10.9) million in the first quarter of 2020.
• Non-GAAP operating loss was ($2.3) million, compared to ($7.4) million in the first quarter of 2020.

Net Loss

• GAAP net loss was ($6.4) million, compared to ($10.5) million in the first quarter of 2020.
• Non-GAAP net loss was ($2.5) million, compared to ($7.0) million in the first quarter of 2020.
• GAAP net loss per share was ($0.12) based on 53.4 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, compared to ($0.21) based on 50.1 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding in the first quarter of 2020.
• Non-GAAP net loss per share was ($0.05) based on 53.4 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, compared to ($0.14) based on 50.1 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding in the first quarter of 2020.

Cash

• Cash and equivalents and marketable securities totaled $167.8 million as of March 31, 2021, up from $163.9 million as of December 31, 2020.
• Net cash generated by operating activities was $3.6 million, compared to ($4.5) million in the first quarter of 2020.
• Free cash flow was $3.4 million, compared to ($4.8) million in the first quarter of 2020.

See “Customer Metrics” and “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for how Sprout Social defines total ARR, organic ARR, non-GAAP operating loss, non-GAAP net loss, non-GAAP net loss per share and free cash flow and the financial tables that accompany this release for reconciliations of these measures to their closest comparable GAAP measures.

Customer Metrics

• Grew number of customers to 28,122 as of March 31, 2021, up from 26,718 customers as of December 31, 2020, and up from 24,083 customers as of March 31, 2020.
• Grew number of customers contributing over $10,000 in ARR to 3,514 customers as of March 31, 2021, up 46% compared to March 31, 2020.

Recent Customer Highlights

• During the first quarter, we had the opportunity to help new customers like Performance Food Groups, Danaher, Oliver Wyman, Heidrick & Struggles and Brother International. We executed growth deals with great brands like McKesson, Cole Haan, Hanes Brands, Tumi, Sur La Table, Grammarly and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

Recent Business Highlights

Sprout Social:

• Was recently recognized as one of Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Technology [blog post]
• Commissioned research from Harris Poll that found 91% of business executives anticipate their company’s social media budget will increase over the next three years [press release]

Second Quarter and 2021 Financial Outlook

For the second quarter of 2021, the Company currently expects:

• Total revenue between $43.0 and $43.1 million, or overall growth of 37%.
• Non-GAAP operating loss between ($5.4) million and ($5.0) million.
• Non-GAAP net loss per share of between ($0.10) and ($0.09) based on approximately 53.6 million weighted average basic shares of common stock outstanding.

“We are pleased to deliver positive quarterly free cash flow for the first time,” said Joe Del Preto, CFO. “This underscores the attractiveness of our unit economics and compelling efficiencies in our business model. Our teams are executing well and we are also pleased to raise our annual forecast.”

For the full year 2021, the Company is updating guidance to reflect the following:

• Total revenue between $176 to $177 million, or overall growth of 32% to 33%.
• Non-GAAP operating loss between ($18.5) and ($18.0) million.
• At the midpoint of these ranges, this implies an (10.3%) operating margin and more than 500bps of year-over-year operating margin improvement.
• Non-GAAP net loss per share of between ($0.35) and ($0.34) based on approximately 53.8 million weighted average basic shares of common stock outstanding.

The Company’s second quarter and 2021 financial outlook is based on a number of assumptions that are subject to change and many of which are outside the Company’s control, including the impact of COVID-19 on our financial performance and customer demand. If actual results vary from these assumptions, the Company’s expectations may change. There can be no assurance that the Company will achieve these results.

The Company does not provide guidance for operating loss, the most directly comparable GAAP measure to non-GAAP operating loss, or net loss per share, the most directly comparable GAAP measure to non-GAAP net loss per share, and similarly cannot provide a reconciliation between its forecasted non-GAAP operating loss and non-GAAP net loss per share and these comparable GAAP measures without unreasonable effort due to the unavailability of reliable estimates for certain items. These items are not within the Company’s control and may vary greatly between periods and could significantly impact future financial results.

Conference Call Information

The financial results and business highlights will be discussed on a conference call and webcast scheduled at 4:00 p.m. Central Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) today, May 4, 2021. Online registration for this event conference call can be found at http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/5735789. The live webcast of the conference call can be accessed from Sprout Social’s investor relations website at http://investors.sproutsocial.com.

Following completion of the events, a webcast replay will also be available at http://investors.sproutsocial.com for 12 months.

About Sprout Social

Sprout Social offers deep social media listening and analytics, social management, customer care and advocacy solutions to more than 28,000 brands and agencies worldwide. Sprout’s unified platform integrates the power of social throughout every aspect of a business and enables social leaders at every level to extract valuable data and insights that drive their business forward. Headquartered in Chicago, Sprout operates across major social media networks, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “outlook,” “long-term model,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “can,” “predict,” “potential,” “strategy, “target,” “explore,” “continue,” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements may relate to the impact on our business and the businesses of our prospective and existing customers of the COVID-19 pandemic, our market size and growth strategy, our estimated and projected costs, margins, revenue, expenditures and customer and financial growth rates, our Q2 and 2021 financial outlook, our plans and objectives for future operations, growth, initiatives or strategies. By their nature, these statements are subject to numerous uncertainties and risks, including factors beyond our control, that could cause actual results, performance or achievement to differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These assumptions, uncertainties and risks include that, among others, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the governmental actions taken to combat the pandemic may materially affect how we and our customers operate our businesses, and the duration and extent to which this threatens our future results of operations and overall financial performance remains uncertain, any decline in new customers, renewals or upgrades, our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our prospects and future results of operations, we operate in competitive markets, we may not be able to sustain our revenue growth rate in the future, our business would be harmed by any significant interruptions, delays or outages in services from our platform or certain social media platforms, changing regulations relating to privacy, information security and data protection could increase our costs, affect or limit how we collect and use personal information and harm our brand, and a cybersecurity-related attack, significant data breach or disruption of the information technology systems or networks could negatively affect our business. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements are included under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on February 24, 2021, as well as any other future quarterly and current reports that we file with the SEC. Moreover, you should interpret many of the risks identified in those reports as being heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to Sprout Social at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. Sprout Social assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, except as required by law.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We have provided in this press release certain financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Our management uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing our financial results and believes that use of these non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors as an additional tool to evaluate ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing our financial results with other companies in our industry, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP and should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of our historical non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures has been provided in the financial statement tables included in this press release, and investors are encouraged to review these reconciliations.

Non-GAAP gross margin. We define non-GAAP gross margin as GAAP gross profit, excluding stock-based compensation expense. We believe non-GAAP gross margin provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as it eliminates the effect of stock-based compensation, which is often unrelated to overall operating performance.

Non-GAAP operating loss. We define non-GAAP operating loss as GAAP loss from operations, excluding stock-based compensation expense. We believe non-GAAP operating loss provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as it eliminates the effect of stock-based compensation, which is often unrelated to overall operating performance.

Non-GAAP net loss. We define non-GAAP net loss as GAAP net loss and comprehensive loss, excluding stock-based compensation expense. We believe non-GAAP net loss provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as this non-GAAP financial measure eliminates the effect of stock-based compensation, which is often unrelated to overall operating performance.

Non-GAAP net loss per share. We define non-GAAP net loss per share as GAAP net loss per share attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted, excluding stock-based compensation expense. We believe non-GAAP net loss per share provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as this non-GAAP financial measure eliminates the effect of stock-based compensation, which is often unrelated to overall operating performance.

Free cash flow. We define free cash flow as net cash used in operating activities less purchases of property and equipment. Free cash flow does not reflect our future contractual obligations or represent the total increase or decrease in our cash balance for a given period. We believe free cash flow is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides information to management and investors about the amount of cash used in our core operations that, after purchases of property and equipment, is not available for strategic initiatives.

Free cash flow margin. We define free cash flow margin as free cash flow as a percentage of revenue.

Customer Metrics

Number of customers. We define a customer as a unique account, multiple accounts containing a common non-personal email domain or multiple accounts governed by a single agreement. Number of customers excludes customers exclusively using legacy products obtained through the acquisition of Simply Measured. We believe that the number of customers using our platform is an indicator not only of our market penetration, but also of our potential for future growth as our customers often expand their adoption of our platform over time based on an increased awareness of the value of our platform and products.

Number of customers contributing more than $10,000 in ARR. We define number of customers contributing more than $10,000 in ARR as those on a paid subscription plan that had more than $10,000 in ARR as of a period end. We view the number of customers that contribute more than $10,000 in ARR as a measure of our ability to scale with our customers and attract larger organizations. We believe this represents potential for future growth, including expanding within our current customer base.

Total annual recurring revenue (“total ARR”). We define total ARR as the annualized revenue run-rate of subscription agreements from all customers as of the last date of the specified period. We believe total ARR is an indicator of the scale of our entire platform while mitigating fluctuations due to seasonality and contract term.

Organic ARR. We define organic ARR as total ARR excluding the impact of recurring revenue generated from legacy Simply Measured products. We believe organic ARR is an indicator of the scale and visibility of our core platform while mitigating fluctuations due to seasonality and contract term.

Availability of Information on Sprout Social’s Website and Social Media Profiles

Investors and others should note that Sprout Social routinely announces material information to investors and the marketplace using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts and the Sprout Social Investors website. We also intend to use the social media profiles listed below as a means of disclosing information about us to our customers, investors and the public. While not all of the information that the Company posts to the Sprout Social Investors website or to social media profiles is of a material nature, some information could be deemed to be material. Accordingly, the Company encourages investors, the media, and others interested in Sprout Social to review the information that it shares at the Investors link located at the bottom of the page on www.sproutsocial.com and to regularly follow our social media profiles. Users may automatically receive email alerts and other information about Sprout Social when enrolling an email address by visiting “Email Alerts” in the “Shareholder Services” section of Sprout Social’s Investor website at https://investors.sproutsocial.com/.

Social Media Profiles:
www.twitter.com/SproutSocial
www.facebook.com/SproutSocialInc
www.linkedin.com/company/sprout-social-inc-/
www.instagram.com/sproutsocial

Sprout Social, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (Unaudited)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
	Three Months Ended March 31,
		2021				2020
Revenue
Subscription	$40,355				$30,329
Professional services and other		463				206
Total revenue		40,818				30,535
Cost of revenue(1)
Subscription		9,705				8,086
Professional services and other		292				122
Total cost of revenue		9,997				8,208
Gross profit		30,821				22,327
Operating expenses
Research and development(1)		8,272				7,281
Sales and marketing(1)		18,153				13,894
General and administrative(1)		10,615				12,096
Total operating expenses		37,040				33,271
Loss from operations		(6,219	)			(10,944	)
Interest expense		(72	)			(95	)
Interest income		52				460
Other income (expense), net		(119	)			102
Loss before income taxes		(6,358	)			(10,477	)
Income tax expense		9				3
Net loss and comprehensive loss	$(6,367		)		$(10,480		)
Net loss per share attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted	$(0.12		)		$(0.21		)
Weighted-average shares outstanding used to compute net loss per share, basic and diluted		53,432,658				50,143,971
(1) Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:
	Three Months Ended March 31,
		2021				2020
Cost of revenue	$184				$295
Research and development		717				484
Sales and marketing		1,752				469
General and administrative		1,256				2,274
Total stock-based compensation expense	$3,909				$3,522

Sprout Social, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
	March 31, 2021				December 31, 2020
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$102,303				$114,515
Marketable securities		65,490				49,364
Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $1,252 and $1,428 at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively		15,928				17,178
Deferred Commissions		9,551				8,622
Prepaid expenses and other assets		7,596				9,651
Total current assets		200,868				199,330
Property and equipment, net		14,352				14,925
Deferred commissions, net of current portion		9,775				8,757
Operating lease, right-of-use asset		9,942				10,132
Goodwill		2,299				2,299
Intangible assets, net		3,827				4,088
Other assets, net		130				138
Total assets	$241,193				$239,669
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	$705				$1,543
Deferred revenue		50,800				43,407
Operating lease liability		2,513				2,155
Accrued wages and payroll related benefits		6,370				9,885
Accrued expenses and other		7,202				6,587
Total current liabilities		67,590				63,577
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		207				355
Operating lease liability, net of current portion		22,987				23,638
Total liabilities		90,784				87,570
Stockholders’ equity
Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 47,199,895 and 44,387,761 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2021, respectively; 46,698,354 and 43,898,850 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020, respectively		4				4
Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; 25,000,000 shares authorized; 9,362,566 and 9,155,622 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2021, respectively; 9,574,566 and 9,367,622 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020, respectively		1				1
Additional paid-in capital		333,939				328,343
Treasury stock, at cost		(30,125	)			(29,206	)
Accumulated deficit		(153,410	)			(147,043	)
Total stockholders’ equity		150,409				152,099
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$241,193				$239,669

Sprout Social, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
	Three Months Ended March 31,
		2021				2020
Cash flows from operating activities
Net loss	$(6,367		)		$(10,480		)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
Depreciation of property and equipment		737				725
Amortization of line of credit issuance costs		43				65
Amortization of premium on marketable securities		177				-
Amortization of acquired intangible assets		261				357
Amortization of deferred commissions		2,583				1,627
Amortization of right-of-use operating lease asset		190				309
Stock-based compensation expense		3,909				3,522
Provision for accounts receivable allowances		144				910
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Accounts receivable		1,106				(2,122	)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		2,152				(313	)
Deferred commissions		(4,529	)			(2,500	)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		(3,738	)			(305	)
Deferred revenue		7,245				4,299
Lease liabilities		(293	)			(597	)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities		3,620				(4,503	)
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment		(173	)			(313	)
Purchases of marketable securities		(25,903	)			-
Proceeds from maturity of marketable securities		9,600				-
Net cash (used in) investing activities		(16,476	)			(313	)
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from underwriters’ purchase of over-allotment shares, related to the Company’s initial public offering, net of underwriters’ discounts and commissions		-				9,954
Payments for line of credit issuance costs		(124	)			(132	)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		23				142
Proceeds from disgorgement of stockholders short-swing profits		1,664				-
Employee taxes paid related to the net share settlement of stock-based awards		(919	)			(3,082	)
Net cash provided by financing activities		644				6,882
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		(12,212	)			2,066
Cash and cash equivalents
Beginning of period		114,515				135,310
End of period	$102,303				$137,376

The following schedule reflects our non-GAAP financial measures and reconciles our non-GAAP financial measures to the related GAAP financial measures (in thousands, except per share data):

Summary of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
	Three Months Ended March 31,
		2021				2020
Non-GAAP gross margin	$31,005				$22,622
Non-GAAP operating loss	$(2,310		)		$(7,422		)
Non-GAAP net loss		(2,458	)			(6,958	)
Non-GAAP net loss per share		(0.05	)			(0.14	)
Free cash flow	$3,447				$(4,816		)
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
	Three Months Ended March 31,
		2021				2020
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP gross margin
Gross profit	$30,821				$22,327
Stock-based compensation expense		184				295
Non-GAAP gross margin	$31,005				$22,622
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP operating loss
Loss from operations	$(6,219		)		$(10,944		)
Stock-based compensation expense		3,909				3,522
Non-GAAP operating loss	$(2,310		)		$(7,422		)
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP net loss
Net loss and comprehensive loss	$(6,367		)		$(10,480		)
Stock-based compensation expense		3,909				3,522
Non-GAAP net loss	$(2,458		)		$(6,958		)
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP net loss per share
Net loss per share attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted	$(0.12		)		$(0.21		)
Stock-based compensation expense per share		0.07				0.07
Non-GAAP net loss per share	$(0.05		)		$(0.14		)

Reconciliation of free cash flow
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$3,620				$(4,503		)
Purchases of property and equipment		(173	)			(313	)
Free cash flow	$3,447				$(4,816		)

FAQ

What were Sprout Social's Q1 2021 results including revenue and customer growth?

Sprout Social reported Q1 2021 revenue of $40.8 million, with a customer base growth to 28,122, up from 24,083 year-over-year.

What is Sprout Social's updated revenue guidance for 2021?

The updated revenue guidance for 2021 is between $176 million and $177 million, representing a growth of 32% to 33%.

Did Sprout Social achieve positive cash flow in Q1 2021?

Yes, Sprout Social achieved positive free cash flow of $3.4 million in Q1 2021.

What was the net loss reported by Sprout Social for Q1 2021?

Sprout Social reported a GAAP net loss of $6.4 million for Q1 2021.

How did Sprout Social's operating loss change compared to the previous year?

The GAAP operating loss improved to ($6.2) million in Q1 2021, compared to ($10.9) million in Q1 2020.