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Introduction & Market Context
Vivid Seats Inc. (NASDAQ:SEAT) presented its Q1 2025 financial results on May 6, 2025, revealing significant declines across all key performance metrics amid what the company described as a "competitive environment." The ticketing platform’s stock has been under pressure, trading at $2.79 as of May 5, 2025, with premarket trading on May 6 indicating a further 6.45% decline to $2.61.
The company’s Q1 results continue a downward trend observed in the previous quarter, when Vivid Seats reported mixed results that triggered a nearly 10% stock decline. The ticketing industry faces ongoing challenges related to consumer spending patterns and intense competition among secondary market platforms.
Quarterly Performance Highlights
Vivid Seats reported a Marketplace Gross Order Value (GOV) of $820 million for Q1 2025, representing a substantial 20.2% decline from the $1.03 billion reported in Q1 2024. Total (EPA:TTEF) revenue fell 14.1% year-over-year to $164 million, compared to $191 million in the same period last year. The company also posted a net loss of $9.8 million, a significant reversal from the $10.7 million profit in Q1 2024.
As shown in the following financial overview from the presentation:
The company’s adjusted EBITDA, a key profitability metric, dropped to $22 million (13% margin) from $39 million (20% margin) in the prior-year quarter, representing a 43.6% decline. This deterioration in profitability reflects the competitive pressures the company faces in maintaining market share while preserving unit economics.
Detailed Financial Analysis
The five-quarter trend in Marketplace GOV and revenues shows a consistent downward trajectory, with Q1 2025 marking the lowest point in both metrics over the period. The sequential decline from Q4 2024 is particularly notable, with GOV falling 17.5% from $994 million and revenue dropping 18% from $200 million.
The following chart illustrates this declining trend:
Similarly, the company’s profitability metrics have deteriorated significantly. Adjusted EBITDA has fallen from $39 million in Q1 2024 to $22 million in Q1 2025, while net income has shifted from a positive $10.7 million to a negative $9.8 million over the same period.
This profitability trend is clearly depicted in the following chart:
A detailed breakdown of Marketplace revenues by event category reveals uniform declines across all segments, with concerts down 15% year-over-year to $58.2 million, sports down 18% to $38.6 million, theater down 17% to $31.5 million, and other events down 19% to $5.5 million. This broad-based decline suggests industry-wide challenges rather than category-specific issues.
The company’s average order size has remained relatively stable at $357 in Q1 2025 compared to $358 in Q1 2024, indicating that the revenue decline is primarily volume-driven rather than due to lower transaction values.
Strategic Initiatives
Despite the challenging financial results, Vivid Seats emphasized its focus on long-term growth and strategic positioning. The company highlighted three key strategic priorities as shown in the following slide:
Management stressed their belief in the "long-term secular growth in live events" despite current economic uncertainty, and indicated they are "executing with discipline" while still "investing for growth." The company specifically mentioned investments in platform differentiation to build long-term competitive advantages.
The company also highlighted its strong balance sheet position with approximately 1x last twelve months (LTM) net leverage as of December 31, 2024, providing strategic flexibility for potential investments or acquisitions.
Forward-Looking Statements
Looking ahead, Vivid Seats remains cautiously optimistic about the industry’s long-term resilience while acknowledging near-term challenges. The company is pursuing what it describes as "a balance across volume and unit economics in a competitive environment."
In its previous earnings call, Vivid Seats projected 2025 revenue between $730 million and $810 million, with Marketplace GOV expected to range from $3.7 billion to $4.1 billion. The Q1 2025 results of $164 million in revenue and $820 million in GOV suggest the company will need to see significant improvement in subsequent quarters to reach even the lower end of these guidance ranges.
CEO Stan Chia had previously highlighted "compelling secular tailwinds in live events" while emphasizing the company’s focus on building an engaging ecosystem of products. The Q1 2025 presentation reinforces this message, with management expressing confidence in the company’s ability to navigate current challenges while positioning for future growth.
The competitive ticketing landscape and macroeconomic pressures on consumer discretionary spending will likely continue to challenge Vivid Seats in the near term, but management remains focused on its long-term strategy of platform differentiation and market expansion.
Full presentation:
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