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SI

SEACHANGE INTERNATIONAL INC (SEAC)·Q4 2023 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Q4 FY2023 delivered the highest quarterly revenue in three years at $10.2M, up 23% sequentially and 19% year-over-year; gross margin expanded to 73%, and GAAP net income reached $1.7M ($0.03), with adjusted EBITDA of $1.7M .
  • Strength was driven by acceptance of a Connected TV development project that triggered a material license fee; product revenue rose to $6.2M (61% of total), while service revenue moderated to $3.9M (39%) on timing of professional services acceptance in Q3 .
  • Management highlighted strategic launches (Xstream, VIDAA Free) and multiple Tier 1/Tier 2 renewals; exited Q4 with $13.4M cash, $1.2M marketable securities, and no debt—cash flow positive from operations in Q4 .
  • Wall Street consensus estimates via S&P Global were unavailable for SEAC this quarter; estimate comparison tables reflect “N/A” and note the absence of SPGI mapping [SpgiEstimatesError].

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Highest revenue and gross margin in three years: $10.2M revenue (+23% q/q, +19% y/y) and 73% gross margin, supported by Connected TV license acceptance .
  • Profitability inflection: GAAP net income $1.7M ($0.03) and adjusted EBITDA $1.7M; third consecutive quarter of positive non-GAAP income from operations .
  • Strategic product launches and partnerships: “Launched Xstream” and partnered with VIDAA to launch “VIDAA Free,” with distribution across millions of devices; “SeaChange is inside” per CEO remarks .

What Went Wrong

  • Services revenue fell sequentially to $3.9M (39% of total) from $6.1M due to timing of professional services acceptance in Q3; service gross margin moderated to 53% vs 75% in Q3 .
  • FY2023 GAAP loss from operations was -$11.7M, impacted by non-cash goodwill impairments of $5.8M (Q2) and $3.3M (Q3); no goodwill remains on the balance sheet .
  • No formal numeric guidance ranges were provided, limiting visibility on near-term revenue/margin trajectory despite positive strategic commentary .

Financial Results

Summary vs Prior Quarters (Q2 → Q3 → Q4 FY2023)

MetricQ2 FY2023Q3 FY2023Q4 FY2023
Revenue ($USD Millions)$7.324 $8.288 $10.158
Gross Profit ($USD Millions)$4.759 $5.155 $7.393
Gross Margin %65% 62% 73%
GAAP Net Income (Loss) ($USD Millions)$(6.451) $(3.684) $1.727
GAAP EPS ($USD)$(0.13) $(0.07) $0.03
Non-GAAP Income from Operations ($USD Millions)$0.011 $0.149 $1.596
Non-GAAP Ops per Share ($USD)$0.00 Breakeven ($0.00) $0.03
Adjusted EBITDA ($USD Millions)N/AN/A$1.659

Segment Breakdown

Segment Detail ($USD Millions)Q2 FY2023Q3 FY2023Q4 FY2023
Product Revenue$2.986 $2.183 $6.217
- License & Subscription$2.776 $1.430 $5.917
- Hardware$0.210 $0.753 $0.300
Service Revenue$4.338 $6.105 $3.941
- Maintenance & Support$3.288 $3.144 $2.477
- Professional Services & Other$1.050 $2.961 $1.464
Total Revenue$7.324 $8.288 $10.158

KPIs and Operating Metrics

KPIQ2 FY2023Q3 FY2023Q4 FY2023
Product GM % (Quarter)N/A26% 85%
Service GM % (Quarter)N/A75% 53%
US Revenue ($USD Millions)N/A$4.6 $6.8
International Revenue ($USD Millions)N/A$3.6 $3.3
Non-GAAP Operating Expenses ($USD Millions)$4.7 $5.0 $5.8
Cash & Cash Equivalents ($USD Millions)$14.336 $14.498 $13.415
Marketable Securities ($USD Millions)N/AN/A$1.244
DebtNone None None

Actuals vs Wall Street Consensus (S&P Global)

MetricQ4 FY2023 ActualQ4 FY2023 Consensus (S&P)Surprise
Revenue ($USD Millions)$10.158 N/A*N/A
EPS (Primary, $USD)$0.03 N/A*N/A

*SPGI/Capital IQ Wall Street consensus for SEAC was unavailable due to missing CIQ mapping; Values retrieved from S&P Global would normally appear here.

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
RevenueFY2024None providedNone providedMaintained: No formal numeric guidance
Gross MarginFY2024None providedNone providedMaintained: No formal numeric guidance
Operating ExpensesFY2024None providedNone providedMaintained: No formal numeric guidance
EBITDA/FCFFY2024None providedNone providedMaintained: No formal numeric guidance; management emphasized profitable growth focus

Note: Company did not issue formal numeric ranges in Q4 press release or the call; commentary emphasized SaaS/recurring revenue growth and strategic product launches .

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicQ2 FY2023 (Jul 31)Q3 FY2023 (Oct 31)Q4 FY2023 (Jan 31)Trend
Connected TV/VIDAADevelopment+ engagement underway; onboarding StreamVid customers Selected by Fox Sports Mexico; renewed Tier 1 LATAM/EMEA; building SaaS recurring revenue Material license fee from Connected TV product; launch of VIDAA Free leveraging Xstream; “SeaChange is inside” Strengthening; transformational positioning
Xstream platformN/AN/ALaunched Xstream for content monetization, ad insertion; big-data targeting New growth vector
StreamVid (SaaS)Onboarding 3 customers by Q4; FIFA World Cup support New StreamVid customers launched; building SaaS revenues Source Digital launch (metaverse events on LG); additional EMEA media launch imminent Expanding deployments
Revenue mix & marginsRev $7.3M; GM 65% Rev $8.3M; GM 62% Rev $10.2M; GM 73%; product GM 85%, service GM 53% Improving sequentially
Regional trendsN/ABuilding Tier 1 LATAM/EMEA; renewals US 67% ($6.8M); International 33% ($3.3M) US mix up
Cost discipline/ImpairmentsNon-GAAP op income ~$0.0M; goodwill impairment $5.8M Positive non-GAAP; goodwill impairment $3.3M Positive GAAP and non-GAAP; goodwill fully impaired Cleaner GAAP base

Management Commentary

  • CEO: “The fourth quarter marked an exceptionally strong finish... growing the top line 19% year-over-year to $32.5 million... generating positive adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter and fiscal year... We took our Xstream platform to a new level...” .
  • CEO: “If you visit nearly any Walmart, Best Buy or Costco... you will see VIDAA free TV... Your takeaway should be that SeaChange is inside.” .
  • President: “Launch of Xstream... designed to maximize ad revenue on connected TVs... VIDAA Free rolled out on millions of VIDAA-powered smart TVs...” .
  • CFO: “Q4 product gross margin was 85% vs 26% in Q3... service gross margin was 53% vs 75%... Q4 GAAP income from operations was $1.2M... cash $13.4M and $1.2M in marketable securities; no debt.” .

Q&A Highlights

  • Transformational nature of VIDAA: Management emphasized VIDAA as “very much transformational,” focusing resources across sales/R&D/ops to grow market share in Connected TV ad-tech .
  • Balance sheet and free cash flow: CFO noted $14.7M cash and cash equivalents including marketable securities and no debt, positioning for profitable growth and positive cash flows .
  • Team scaling and leadership: President detailed a 100+ in-house Warsaw R&D team and global ops team organized to scale quickly; recently integrated two dozen developers for VIDAA project .

Estimates Context

  • S&P Global Wall Street consensus for SEAC was unavailable due to missing CIQ mapping, preventing comparison to revenue and EPS estimates this quarter [SpgiEstimatesError].
  • Without formal external consensus, investor adjustments may rely on company’s indicated drivers: Connected TV license acceptance, recurring SaaS expansion, and product launches (Xstream, VIDAA Free) .

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Q4 inflection: sequential acceleration in revenue and margin with GAAP profitability indicates improving execution; watch for sustainability beyond project-related license fees .
  • Mix shift toward high-margin product licenses and SaaS suggests structural margin leverage, though service revenue timing can drive quarter-to-quarter volatility .
  • Strategic positioning in Connected TV ad-tech (VIDAA Free, Xstream) is a credible growth catalyst; evidence of distribution scale across millions of devices supports emerging revenue streams .
  • Cleaned-up balance sheet (no goodwill, no debt) and solid cash provide optionality for investment or strategic actions; management continues to cite “strategic alternatives” amid industry tailwinds .
  • Near-term trading: absence of formal guidance and SPGI consensus may heighten sensitivity to deal timing and license recognition; monitor contract wins/renewals, SaaS deployments, and product GM persistence .
  • Medium-term thesis: recurring SaaS growth (StreamVid/Xstream), operator renewals across regions, and connected TV monetization should drive higher-quality revenue and margin expansion if execution persists .
  • Risk checks: service revenue timing, macro/inflationary cost pressures, and project concentration noted in forward-looking risk language; balanced view warranted as the model transitions .