Catena Media Launches Strategic Review, Considers Asset Sales

Gambling affiliate operator Catena Media published a press release today to signify that third-party interests to acquire certain Catena Media assets triggered a strategic review of the business.

Sales of Assets Effect Evaluation

In the official statement, Catena Media outlined the board’s commitment to continuously evaluate any strategic initiatives for the company, including “potential transactions, structural changes, and other strategic initiatives” that could maximize shareholder value and increase the company’s worth in the long term.

Due to noticed interest from third parties to acquire certain assets of the company, such as the financial trading segment-placed AskGamblers brand, as well other of the company’s global brands, the board of directors at Catena Media decided to initiate a strategic review.

Broad in its nature, the review will look to consider “all feasible alternatives and assets of the group to ensure an optimal outcome,” and as part of the review, Catena Media may evaluate the potential impact on the business from the sales of certain assets, including the AskGamblers brand, as well as another type of structural transaction.

“Catena Media wishes to emphasize that no decision has been taken with respect to the strategic review and that it may conclude that the best alternative is to make no changes in the near term,” the official company statement concluded.

Financial Trading Segment Contracting

The lead generator for companies from the financial trading, online gambling and sports betting industries recently posted its first quarter 2022 earnings report, smashing its record of quarterly revenue, having generated year-over-year revenue growth of 11% against a very strong previous comparable period.

Catena Media’s adjusted EBITDA in the quarter increased by only 2% despite the more than 4x lower value of items affecting comparability in Q1 2022, due to the increase in costs and expenses of between 18% and 29%.

The financial trading segment in the quarter represented only a 2% share of the company’s total revenues and just 1% of its adjusted EBITDA and the segment registered in the quarter decreases in revenue and adjusted EBITDA of 24% and 68%, respectively, as the number of new depositing customers shrank from 1,170 in Q1 2021 to just 255 now.