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LENDINGTREE REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2024 RESULTS

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Insurance Segment Continues Strong Rebound Driving 15% Revenue Growth

Consolidated revenue of $210.1 millionGAAP net income of $7.8 million or $0.58 per diluted shareVariable marketing margin of $70.9 millionAdjusted EBITDA of $23.5 millionAdjusted net income per share of $0.54

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ: TREE), operator of LendingTree.com, the nation’s leading online financial services marketplace, today announced results for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

The company has posted a letter to shareholders on the company’s website at investors.lendingtree.com.

“Our Insurance segment generated exceptional growth in the second quarter with revenue more than doubling from the prior year period.  We expect our leading market position will result in meaningfully larger revenue generation through the remainder of this year,” said Doug Lebda, Chairman and CEO.  “Our company continues to benefit from the diversity of our business model.  As Insurance continues to grow both revenue and VMD, we are leaning into our highest margin Consumer segment to acquire more high-intent customers for our lender partners.”

Scott Peyree, President and COO, commented, “The growth in our Insurance business during the quarter well surpassed our expectations, and led us to beat the high end of our quarterly revenue guidance.  For most of the last two years, our team focused on matching the highest quality consumers searching for insurance policies with limited carrier demand.  We are now seeing the benefit of that focus.  We have been employing that same strategy in our Consumer business, improving our relationship with our network lenders by helping them close more loans with our consumers to position ourselves ahead of any future improvement in lending conditions.”

Jason Bengel, CFO, added, “I am very excited to assume CFO responsibilities at LendingTree.  Having previously served as the leader of our Finance department, as well as driving our efficiency and internal strategy initiatives, I know our team is well positioned to continue improving our balance sheet and harvesting operating leverage by operating with focus and discipline. During the quarter we were able to repurchase $161 million of our 2025 convertible notes for $152 million, capturing a $9 million discount.  The combination of cash on the balance sheet,  future free cash flow and the remaining $50M of debt available from our Apollo financing will allow us to comfortably retire these notes by maturity next year.”

Second Quarter 2024 Business Results

Home segment revenue of $32.2 million decreased 23% over second quarter 2023 and produced segment profit of $9.3 million, down 30% over the same period.Within Home, revenue from Home Equity of $22.0 million decreased 13% over prior year.Consumer segment revenue of $55.9 million declined 32% over second quarter 2023.Within Consumer, personal loans revenue of $26.9 million declined 4% over prior year.Revenue from our small business offering decreased 12% over prior year.Insurance segment revenue of $122.1 million increased 109% over second quarter 2023 and translated into segment profit of $36.4 million, up 47% over the same period.

 

LendingTree Summary Financial Metrics

(In millions, except per share amounts)

Three Months Ended
June 30,

Y/Y

Three Months Ended
March 31,

Q/Q

2024

2023

% Change

2024

% Change

Total revenue

$     210.1

$    182.5

15 %

$                     167.8

25 %

Income before income taxes

$         9.4

$        0.1

— %

$                         1.6

— %

Income tax expense

$       (1.6)

$       (0.2)

— %

$                        (0.6)

— %

Net income (loss)

$         7.8

$       (0.1)

— %

$                         1.0

— %

Net income (loss) % of revenue

4 %

— %

1 %

Income (loss) per share

Basic

$       0.58

$    (0.01)

$                       0.08

Diluted

$       0.58

$    (0.01)

$                       0.08

Variable marketing margin

Total revenue

$     210.1

$    182.5

15 %

$                     167.8

25 %

Variable marketing expense (1) (2)

$   (139.2)

$  (106.0)

31 %

$                     (98.4)

41 %

Variable marketing margin (2)

$       70.9

$      76.5

(7) %

$                       69.4

2 %

Variable marketing margin % of revenue (2)

34 %

42 %

41 %

Adjusted EBITDA (2)

$       23.5

$      26.7

(12) %

$                       21.6

9 %

Adjusted EBITDA % of revenue (2)

11 %

15 %

13 %

Adjusted net income (2)

$         7.2

$      14.7

(51) %

$                         9.2

(22) %

Adjusted net income per share (2)

$       0.54

$      1.14

(53) %

$                       0.70

(23) %

(1)

Represents the portion of selling and marketing expense attributable to variable costs paid for advertising, direct marketing and related expenses.  Excludes overhead, fixed costs and personnel-related expenses. 

(2)

Variable marketing expense, variable marketing margin, variable marketing margin % of revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA % of revenue, adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share are non-GAAP measures. Please see “LendingTree’s Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures to GAAP” and “LendingTree’s Principles of Financial Reporting” below for more information.

 

LendingTree Segment Results

(In millions)

Three Months Ended
June 30,

Y/Y

Three Months Ended
March 31,

Q/Q

2024

2023

% Change

2024

% Change

Home (1)

Revenue

$       32.2

$      41.6

(23) %

$                       30.4

6 %

Segment profit

$         9.3

$      13.3

(30) %

$                         9.6

(3) %

Segment profit % of revenue

29 %

32 %

32 %

Consumer (2)

Revenue

$       55.9

$      82.5

(32) %

$                       51.5

9 %

Segment profit

$       26.9

$      40.7

(34) %

$                       27.4

(2) %

Segment profit % of revenue

48 %

49 %

53 %

Insurance (3)

Revenue

$     122.1

$      58.4

109 %

$                       85.9

42 %

Segment profit

$       36.4

$      24.8

47 %

$                       33.4

9 %

Segment profit % of revenue

30 %

42 %

39 %

Other (4)

Revenue

$          —

$          —

— %

$                           —

— %

(Loss)

$       (0.1)

$       (0.3)

67 %

$                           —

— %

Total revenue

$     210.1

$    182.5

15 %

$                     167.8

25 %

Total segment profit

$       72.5

$      78.5

(8) %

$                       70.5

3 %

     Brand marketing expense (5)

$       (1.6)

$       (2.0)

(20) %

$                        (1.1)

45 %

Variable marketing margin

$       70.9

$      76.5

(7) %

$                       69.4

2 %

Variable marketing margin % of revenue

34 %

42 %

41 %

(1)

The Home segment includes the following products: purchase mortgage, refinance mortgage, and home equity loans.

(2)

The Consumer segment includes the following products: credit cards, personal loans, small business loans, student loans, auto loans, deposit accounts and debt settlement. We ceased offering credit repair with the closing of Ovation at the end of Q2 2023.

(3)

The Insurance segment consists of insurance quote products and sales of insurance policies.

(4)

The Other category primarily includes marketing revenue and related expenses not allocated to a specific segment.

(5)

Brand marketing expense represents the portion of selling and marketing expense attributable to variable costs paid for advertising, direct marketing and related expenses that are not assignable to the segments’ products. This measure excludes overhead, fixed costs and personnel-related expenses.

Financial Outlook*

Today we are updating our outlook for full-year 2024 and introducing our outlook for the third quarter.

Full-year 2024:

Revenue of $830 – $870 million compared to the prior range of $690 – $720 millionVariable Marketing Margin of $280 – $300 millionAdjusted EBITDA of $85 – $95 million

Third-quarter 2024:

Revenue: $230 – $260 millionVariable Marketing Margin: $73 – $80 millionAdjusted EBITDA: $23 – $27 million

*LendingTree is not able to provide a reconciliation of projected variable marketing margin or adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable expected GAAP results due to the unknown effect, timing and potential significance of the effects of legal matters and tax considerations. Expenses associated with legal matters and tax considerations have in the past, and may in the future, significantly affect GAAP results in a particular period.   

Quarterly Conference Call

A conference call to discuss LendingTree’s second quarter 2024 financial results will be webcast live today, July 25, 2024 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time (ET). The live audiocast is open to the public and will be available on LendingTree’s investor relations website at investors.lendingtree.com. Following completion of the call, a recorded replay of the webcast will be available on the website.

LENDINGTREE’S RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO GAAP

Variable Marketing Expense

Below is a reconciliation of selling and marketing expense, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to variable marketing expense. See “LendingTree’s Principles of Financial Reporting” for further discussion of the Company’s use of this non-GAAP measure.

Three Months Ended

June 30,
2024

March 31,
2024

June 30,
2023

(in thousands)

Selling and marketing expense

$      148,387

$      108,176

$      116,065

Non-variable selling and marketing expense (1)

(9,140)

(9,855)

(10,107)

Variable marketing expense

$      139,247

$        98,321

$      105,958

(1)

Represents the portion of selling and marketing expense not attributable to variable costs paid for advertising, direct marketing and related expenses. Includes overhead, fixed costs and personnel-related expenses.

LENDINGTREE’S RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO GAAP

Variable Marketing Margin

Below is a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable table GAAP measure, to variable marketing margin and net income (loss) % of revenue to variable marketing margin % of revenue. See “LendingTree’s Principles of Financial Reporting” for further discussion of the Company’s use of these non-GAAP measures.

Three Months Ended

June 30,
2024

March 31,
2024

June 30,
2023

(in thousands, except percentages)

Net income (loss)

$          7,752

$          1,016

$          (115)

Net income (loss) % of revenue

4 %

1 %

— %

Adjustments to reconcile to variable marketing margin:

Cost of revenue

8,411

8,545

9,302

Non-variable selling and marketing expense (1)

9,140

9,855

10,107

General and administrative expense

27,118

25,796

29,160

Product development

10,374

11,857

10,601

Depreciation

4,601

4,667

4,684

Amortization of intangibles

1,467

1,489

1,982

Restructuring and severance

202

23

3,558

Litigation settlements and contingencies

(7)

36

488

Interest expense (income), net

1,201

6,638

6,940

Other income

(1,052)

(1,034)

(439)

Income tax expense

1,686

559

227

Variable marketing margin

$        70,893

$        69,447

$        76,495

Variable marketing margin % of revenue

34 %

41 %

42 %

(1)

Represents the portion of selling and marketing expense not attributable to variable costs paid for advertising, direct marketing and related expenses. Includes overhead, fixed costs and personnel-related expenses.

LENDINGTREE’S RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO GAAP

Adjusted EBITDA

Below is a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable table GAAP measure, to adjusted EBITDA and net income (loss) % of revenue to adjusted EBITDA % of revenue. See “LendingTree’s Principles of Financial Reporting” for further discussion of the Company’s use of these non-GAAP measures.

Three Months Ended

June 30,
2024

March 31,
2024

June 30,
2023

(in thousands, except percentages)

Net income (loss)

$          7,752

$          1,016

$          (115)

Net income (loss) % of revenue

4 %

1 %

— %

Adjustments to reconcile to adjusted EBITDA:

Amortization of intangibles

1,467

1,489

1,982

Depreciation

4,601

4,667

4,684

Restructuring and severance

202

23

3,558

Loss on impairments and disposal of assets

413

368

140

Loss on impairment of investments

—

—

1,440

Non-cash compensation

7,437

7,789

9,204

Acquisition expense

—

—

4

Litigation settlements and contingencies

(7)

36

488

Interest expense (income), net

1,201

6,638

6,940

Dividend income

(1,225)

(1,034)

(1,879)

Income tax expense

1,686

559

227

Adjusted EBITDA

$        23,527

$        21,551

$        26,673

Adjusted EBITDA % of revenue

11 %

13 %

15 %

LENDINGTREE’S RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO GAAP

Adjusted Net Income

Below is a reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable table GAAP measure, to adjusted net income and net income (loss) per diluted share to adjusted net income per share. See “LendingTree’s Principles of Financial Reporting” for further discussion of the Company’s use of these non-GAAP measures.

Three Months Ended

June 30,
2024

March 31,
2024

June 30,
2023

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

Net income (loss)

$          7,752

$          1,016

$          (115)

Adjustments to reconcile to adjusted net income:

Restructuring and severance

202

23

3,558

Loss on impairments and disposal of assets

413

368

140

Loss on impairment of investments

—

—

1,440

Non-cash compensation

7,437

7,789

9,204

Acquisition expense

—

—

4

Litigation settlements and contingencies

(7)

36

488

Gain on extinguishment of debt

(8,619)

—

—

Adjusted net income

$          7,178

$          9,232

$        14,719

Net income (loss) per diluted share

$            0.58

$            0.08

$         (0.01)

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to adjusted net income

(0.04)

0.62

1.15

Adjustments to reconcile effect of dilutive securities

—

—

—

Adjusted net income per share

$            0.54

$            0.70

$            1.14

Adjusted weighted average diluted shares outstanding

13,407

13,276

12,928

Effect of dilutive securities

—

—

13

Weighted average diluted shares outstanding

13,407

13,276

12,915

Effect of dilutive securities

150

176

—

Weighted average basic shares outstanding

13,257

13,100

12,915

LENDINGTREE’S PRINCIPLES OF FINANCIAL REPORTING

LendingTree reports the following non-GAAP measures as supplemental to GAAP:

Variable marketing expenseVariable marketing marginVariable marketing margin % of revenueEarnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization, as adjusted for certain items discussed below (“Adjusted EBITDA”)Adjusted EBITDA % of revenueAdjusted net incomeAdjusted net income per share

Variable marketing expense, variable marketing margin and variable marketing margin % of revenue are related measures of the effectiveness of the Company’s marketing efforts. Variable marketing margin is a measure of the efficiency of the Company’s operating model, measuring revenue after subtracting variable marketing expense. Variable marketing expense represents the portion of selling and marketing expense attributable to variable costs paid for advertising, direct marketing, and related expenses, and excludes overhead, fixed costs, and personnel related expenses.  The Company’s operating model is highly sensitive to the amount and efficiency of variable marketing expenditures, and the Company’s proprietary systems are able to make rapidly changing decisions concerning the deployment of variable marketing expenditures (primarily but not exclusively online and mobile advertising placement) based on proprietary and sophisticated analytics.

Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA % of revenue are primary metrics by which LendingTree evaluates the operating performance of its businesses, on which its marketing expenditures and internal budgets are based and, in the case of adjusted EBITDA, by which management and many employees are compensated in most years.

Adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share supplement GAAP net income and GAAP net income per diluted share by enabling investors to make period to period comparisons of those components of the most directly comparable GAAP measures that management believes better reflect the underlying financial performance of the Company’s business operations during particular financial reporting periods. Adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share exclude certain amounts, such as non-cash compensation, non-cash asset impairment charges, gain/loss on disposal of assets, gain/loss on investments, restructuring and severance, litigation settlements and contingencies, acquisition and disposition income or expenses including with respect to changes in fair value of contingent consideration, gain/loss on extinguishment of debt, contributions to the LendingTree Foundation, one-time items which are recognized and recorded under GAAP in particular periods but which might be viewed as not necessarily coinciding with the underlying business operations for the periods in which they are so recognized and recorded, the effects to income taxes of the aforementioned adjustments, any excess tax benefit or expense associated with stock-based compensation recorded in net income in conjunction with FASB pronouncement ASU 2016-09, and income tax (benefit) expense from a full valuation allowance. LendingTree believes that adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share are useful financial indicators that provide a different view of the financial performance of the Company than adjusted EBITDA (the primary metric by which LendingTree evaluates the operating performance of its businesses) and the GAAP measures of net income and GAAP net income per diluted share.

These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results. LendingTree provides and encourages investors to examine the reconciling adjustments between the GAAP and non-GAAP measures set forth above.

Definition of LendingTree’s Non-GAAP Measures

Variable marketing margin is defined as revenue less variable marketing expense. Variable marketing expense is defined as the expense attributable to variable costs paid for advertising, direct marketing and related expenses, and excluding overhead, fixed costs and personnel-related expenses. The majority of these variable advertising costs are expressly intended to drive traffic to our websites and these variable advertising costs are included in selling and marketing expense on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and consolidated income.

EBITDA is defined as net income from continuing operations excluding interest, income taxes, amortization of intangibles and depreciation.

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA excluding (1) non-cash compensation expense, (2) non-cash impairment charges, (3) gain/loss on disposal of assets, (4) gain/loss on investments, (5) restructuring and severance expenses, (6) litigation settlements and contingencies, (7) acquisitions and dispositions income or expense (including with respect to changes in fair value of contingent consideration), (8) contributions to the LendingTree Foundation (9) dividend income, and (10) one-time items.

Adjusted net income is defined as net income (loss) excluding (1) non-cash compensation expense, (2) non-cash impairment charges, (3) gain/loss on disposal of assets, (4) gain/loss on investments, (5) restructuring and severance expenses, (6) litigation settlements and contingencies, (7) acquisitions and dispositions income or expense (including with respect to changes in fair value of contingent consideration), (8) gain/loss on extinguishment of debt, (9) contributions to the LendingTree Foundation, (10) one-time items, (11) the effects to income taxes of the aforementioned adjustments, (12) any excess tax benefit or expense associated with stock-based compensation recorded in net income in conjunction with FASB pronouncement ASU 2016-09, and (13) income tax (benefit) expense from a full valuation allowance.

Adjusted net income per share is defined as adjusted net income divided by the adjusted weighted average diluted shares outstanding. For periods which the Company reports GAAP loss from continuing operations, the effects of potentially dilutive securities are excluded from the calculation of net loss per diluted share from continuing operations because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive. In periods where the Company reports GAAP loss from continuing operations but reports positive non-GAAP adjusted net income, the effects of potentially dilutive securities are included in the denominator for calculating adjusted net income per share if their inclusion would be dilutive.

LendingTree endeavors to compensate for the limitations of these non-GAAP measures by also providing the comparable GAAP measures with equal or greater prominence and descriptions of the reconciling items, including quantifying such items, to derive the non-GAAP measures. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

One-Time Items

Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income are adjusted for one-time items, if applicable. Items are considered one-time in nature if they are non-recurring, infrequent or unusual, and have not occurred in the past two years or are not expected to recur in the next two years, in accordance with SEC rules. For the periods presented in this report, there are no adjustments for one-time items.

Non-Cash Expenses That Are Excluded From LendingTree’s Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income

Non-cash compensation expense consists principally of expense associated with the grants of restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options. These expenses are not paid in cash and LendingTree includes the related shares in its calculations of fully diluted shares outstanding. Upon settlement of restricted stock units, exercise of certain stock options or vesting of restricted stock awards, the awards may be settled on a net basis, with LendingTree remitting the required tax withholding amounts from its current funds. Cash expenditures for employer payroll taxes on non-cash compensation are included within adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income.

Amortization of intangibles are non-cash expenses relating primarily to acquisitions. At the time of an acquisition, the intangible assets of the acquired company, such as purchase agreements, technology and customer relationships, are valued and amortized over their estimated lives.  Amortization of intangibles are only excluded from adjusted EBITDA.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

The matters contained in the discussion above may be considered to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations or anticipations of LendingTree and members of our management team. Factors currently known to management that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the following: adverse conditions in the primary and secondary mortgage markets and in the economy, particularly interest rates and inflation; default rates on loans, particularly unsecured loans; demand by investors for unsecured personal loans; the effect of such demand on interest rates for personal loans and consumer demand for personal loans; seasonality of results; potential liabilities to secondary market purchasers; changes in the Company’s relationships with network partners, including dependence on certain key network partners; breaches of network security or the misappropriation or misuse of personal consumer information; failure to provide competitive service; failure to maintain brand recognition; ability to attract and retain consumers in a cost-effective manner; the effects of potential acquisitions of other businesses, including the ability to integrate them successfully with LendingTree’s existing operations; accounting rules related to excess tax benefits or expenses on stock-based compensation that could materially affect earnings in future periods; ability to develop new products and services and enhance existing ones; competition; effects of changing laws, rules or regulations on our business model; allegations of failure to comply with existing or changing laws, rules or regulations, or to obtain and maintain required licenses; failure of network partners or other affiliated parties to comply with regulatory requirements; failure to maintain the integrity of systems and infrastructure; liabilities as a result of privacy regulations; failure to adequately protect intellectual property rights or allegations of infringement of intellectual property rights; and changes in management. These and additional factors to be considered are set forth under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2023, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2024, and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. LendingTree undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results or expectations.

About LendingTree, Inc.

LendingTree, Inc. is the parent of LendingTree, LLC and several companies owned by LendingTree, LLC (collectively, “LendingTree” or the “Company”).

LendingTree is one of the nation’s largest, most experienced online financial platforms, created to give consumers the power to win financially.  LendingTree provides customers with access to the best offers on loans, credit cards, insurance and more through its network of approximately 400 financial partners.  Since its founding, LendingTree has helped millions of customers obtain financing, save money, and improve their financial and credit health in their personal journeys. With a portfolio of innovative products and tools and personalized financial recommendations, LendingTree helps customers achieve everyday financial wins.

LendingTree, Inc. is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. For more information, please visit www.lendingtree.com. 

Investor Relations Contact:
investors@lendingtree.com

Media Contact:
press@lendingtree.com         

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SOURCE LendingTree, Inc.

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Come Back to Firefox: Mozilla launches its most ambitious campaign yet to bring people back to the independent alternative to big tech browsers

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on

October 25, 2026

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As tracking and unwanted AI reshape the web, Firefox reunites the internet’s original viral icons to make the case for a browser that puts people back in control.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In its new campaign, Come Back to Firefox, the independent browser by Mozilla reunites personalities behind some of the early internet’s biggest viral videos and memes for one simple message: The internet you loved is still here, and Firefox is the easiest way back.

This multi-market campaign is aimed at people who once used Firefox and left. While it nods to the past, Firefox continues to evolve, giving people more reasons to love and rediscover it today. It arrives after a transformative year for the browser:

Business growth and partnerships: A dedicated Enterprise browser giving organizations expert support and control over their data. Technical partnerships with NVIDIA and Mistral, extending what Firefox can do from gaming to AI.

Increased protection and control: New products and features shipped including a free built-in VPN to help keep browsing private, with no extra download or cost. AI Controls, to let people decide when and whether to use AI, and an Ad Blocker for Firefox on iOS for fewer ads and trackers.

Brand and culture: A new modern design, a first sports partnership with Wrexham AFC and World Cup presence connecting Firefox to one of the year’s biggest cultural moments.

“Firefox was there then, we’re here now, and what we stand for matters more than ever,” said John Solomon, Chief Marketing Officer at Mozilla. “People who left Firefox years ago will find a browser that’s more private and gives them more control, including over AI.”

The Campaign

Come Back to Firefox brings together some of the world’s most memorable internet icons: Numa Numa Guy, Bad Luck Brian, Overly Attached Girlfriend, Kelly of “Shoes” fame, Where the Hell Is Matt?, Annoying Orange, Apparently Kid, Tay Zonday, Chuck Testa, Success Kid, and Evolution of Dance. Each takes on a modern frustration with humor:

Overly Attached Girlfriend may have wanted to know everything about you, but your browser shouldn’t.Dancing Matt boogied all over the world, without any corporations tracking him or selling his personal data.And while Annoying Orange is still incredibly annoying, he’s not as annoying as forced AI features.

The campaign launches in the United States Sunday, October 25th, with two distinct 30-second commercials airing on NBC. Next, it rolls out in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

“Being on set was a reminder of why those moments mattered,” said Solomon. “Ordinary people making things on the internet that made it feel so surprising and fun, and that’s the feeling we wanted to bring back.”

The campaign was created by award-winning independent agency We Believers, and brought to life by directing collective Sunny Sixteen and production company nobodys. Together, they meticulously recreated each performance, look, and even the sets from the original videos, taking each internet personality back to where their story began.

“We wanted an idea that truly belongs to Firefox, a challenger browser that helped shape the internet’s golden years and stayed independent as Big Tech took over,” said Gustavo Lauria, Founder and CCO at We Believers.

The campaign is one of Firefox’s most ambitious yet but is rooted in what has always set the browser apart from Big Tech: its commitment to putting people before profits and giving them more control over their online experience. Now, Firefox says it’s never been a better time for people who once used the browser to take another look.

About Firefox

Firefox is a web browser developed by Mozilla, built to give people more choice and control over their online experience. With built-in tracking protection, customization options, and a commitment to an open internet, Firefox offers an alternative to browsers developed by the world’s largest technology companies. Learn more at firefox.com/welcomeback.

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SOURCE Mozilla

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Best AI Tools for Small Business Marketing (2026): CapCut Featured for Creating Professional Video and Visual Content by Expert Consumers

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October 25, 2026

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NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Expert Consumers has recognized CapCut in its 2026 coverage of the best AI tools for small business marketing, highlighting the platform’s collection of AI-powered features for creating and editing video, images, audio, and other visual content. The recognition reflects growing interest in tools that support practical marketing activities, including campaign development, promotional content production, and adapting creative assets for different digital channels.

Best AI Marketing Tools

Seedance 2.0 – an AI video generation model that creates videos from text prompts or imagesSeedream – an AI image generation model that creates high-quality visuals from text prompts

Small businesses face growing pressure to maintain an active digital presence while managing limited time and resources. From product photography and promotional videos to social media graphics and campaign materials, effective marketing depends on a steady supply of relevant, engaging content. Artificial intelligence is creating new ways to simplify these tasks and help businesses turn creative ideas into usable marketing assets.

CapCut provides a range of AI-assisted capabilities that support several stages of content production. These include prompt-based video generation, AI image creation, background removal, image expansion, music generation, and photo animation. For small businesses managing marketing internally, these functions offer options for developing creative assets without relying entirely on manual production processes.

AI Video Generation Supports Promotional Campaigns

Video is an important format for demonstrating products, explaining services, and introducing new offerings. Small businesses can use video across social media, websites, digital advertisements, and online product pages. Producing content regularly, however, can require considerable planning and editing.

CapCut’s Seedance 2.0 AI video generator offers a prompt-based approach to video creation. Users can describe a creative concept and generate video content that serves as a starting point for further editing.

For a small retailer preparing a product promotion, AI-generated video can help explore different visual approaches before a final concept is selected. A service provider could use the same process to develop ideas for an explainer or an introductory campaign.

Prompt-based generation can reduce the effort involved in developing initial concepts. Generated material still requires review to ensure the finished video accurately represents the business, communicates the intended message, and follows relevant brand guidelines.

AI Image Creation Helps Develop Marketing Materials

Visual content plays a central role in how businesses present products and services online. Promotional graphics, campaign imagery, and social media visuals need to communicate a clear message while maintaining a recognizable style.

CapCut’s Seedream AI image generator enables users to generate images from text prompts. The tool can support concept drafts, campaign planning, and experimentation with different visual directions before final assets are prepared.

For example, a small business planning a seasonal campaign could explore different visual themes and compositions during the early planning stage. These drafts can help establish a creative direction before additional time is spent refining the final materials.

CapCut’s GPT Image 2 provides another option for generating images from natural language instructions. The feature can support the development of promotional imagery, marketing graphics, and other visual assets.

AI image generation gives businesses more opportunities to test creative ideas during campaign development. However, generated images should be checked for visual errors, accurate product representation, and consistency with the intended brand identity before publication.

Image Editing Simplifies Content Preparation

Creating new marketing assets is only part of the production process. Existing photographs and graphics often need adjustments before they are suitable for different platforms.

CapCut’s AI background removal tool helps isolate subjects from their original backgrounds. This can simplify the preparation of product photographs, promotional graphics, and other images that require a different visual setting.

For a small retailer, background removal can make it easier to prepare product images for online listings or promotional materials. Separated subjects can be incorporated into new compositions without recreating the entire image.

The AI Image Extender addresses a separate challenge: adapting images to different dimensions. The tool generates additional visual content beyond an image’s original boundaries, helping users adjust compositions without relying entirely on cropping or stretching.

A campaign may require square graphics for social media, vertical visuals for mobile viewing, and horizontal banners for a website. Image expansion provides another option for adapting existing assets to those formats.

These editing capabilities can help reduce repetitive production work while supporting a more consistent presentation across marketing channels.

AI Audio and Photo Animation Expand Creative Options

Marketing content often combines visuals, movement, and sound. Music can establish a mood, support storytelling, and help create a more complete video presentation.

CapCut’s SeedMusic AI audio generator supports AI-assisted music creation based on prompts. The feature can help develop audio for promotional videos, product demonstrations, and social media content.

Generated music offers a starting point for matching audio to a campaign’s intended atmosphere. Before publication, businesses should review the output and confirm that the applicable usage terms cover the intended commercial application.

CapCut also provides a Photo-to-3D tool that transforms still images into more dynamic visual presentations. This capability can help repurpose existing photography for promotional videos, social posts, and digital campaigns.

For small businesses with an existing collection of product images, adding movement can provide another way to present familiar assets. The approach also expands the range of creative formats available without requiring every campaign to begin with new photography.

Connecting AI Tools to Everyday Marketing Workflows

The practical value of AI-powered creative tools depends on how effectively they address specific marketing needs. Small businesses do not necessarily need every available feature for every campaign. Selecting tools according to content requirements can help keep production focused.

A retailer might begin with Seedream to explore campaign concepts, then use GPT Image 2 to generate supporting visuals. Background removal can help prepare product photography, while AI Image Extender can adapt selected assets to different layouts. Seedance 2.0 can support video concept development, with SeedMusic offering an option for accompanying audio.

A service-based business might prioritize short promotional videos, explanatory graphics, and social media content instead. The same collection of tools can support different production requirements depending on the business model and campaign objectives.

Using AI does not remove the need for creative direction or quality control. Content should be checked for factual accuracy, appropriate product representation, brand consistency, and compliance with advertising requirements. Human review also helps ensure that generated assets serve a clear marketing purpose rather than adding unnecessary material to a campaign.

AI-Assisted Marketing for Small Businesses

Interest in the best AI tools for small business marketing reflects the need for practical ways to produce and adapt digital content. Businesses must balance the demand for regular campaign updates with the resources available for creative production.

Expert Consumers’ recognition of CapCut highlights the platform’s range of AI-assisted functions for video generation, image creation, editing, audio production, and photo animation. These capabilities offer small businesses several options for developing marketing materials across digital channels.

As AI becomes more integrated into content production, effective use will depend on matching the right tools to specific tasks. With clear campaign objectives, careful editing, and appropriate review, CapCut’s creative features can help businesses develop marketing assets while reducing some of the repetitive work involved in preparing content for publication.

Visit the Expert Consumers site for the full review.

About CapCut

CapCut is an AI-powered photo and video editing platform designed to make high-quality video creation accessible across devices. The platform supports creators, businesses, and everyday users with tools for video editing, AI video generation, captions, templates, audio, and visual editing. CapCut is available across mobile, web, desktop, and iPad experiences, helping users create, edit, and prepare video content for social media, marketing, education, and personal projects.

About Better Business Advice: Better Business Advice covers the news and strategies driving modern business success. The information provided by Better Business Advice does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials are for general informational purposes only. As an affiliate, Better Business Advice may earn commissions from services mentioned in the links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-ai-tools-for-small-business-marketing-2026-capcut-featured-for-creating-professional-video-and-visual-content-by-expert-consumers-302918043.html

SOURCE ExpertConsumers.org

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Technology

Beyond GRC: DigitalXForce Pioneers AI-Powered Risk Operations with Global X-ROC™ Rollout

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October 25, 2026

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Enterprise TRiSCM™ innovator advances Continuous Control Assurance, cyber risk quantification and real-time Risk Operations across global enterprises, transforming traditional GRC into proactive Digital Trust

DALLAS, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DigitalXForce, the AI-native Enterprise Trust, Risk, Security and Compliance Management (TRiSCM™) platform, today announced the continued global rollout of X-ROC™ (XForce Risk Operations Center), its AI-powered approach to continuous enterprise risk operations.

The expansion builds on DigitalXForce’s recognition as a Leader in two IDC MarketScape assessments, its 2026 Cyber Defense Magazine innovation honors, and increasing enterprise demand for automated, continuous approaches to managing cybersecurity, governance, risk and compliance.

Unlike traditional Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) platforms that primarily document risks and manage periodic assessments, DigitalXForce’s X-ROC combines Continuous Control Assurance (CCA), Continuous Control Monitoring (CCM), Cyber Risk Quantification (CRQ), AI-powered risk intelligence and remediation orchestration into an integrated risk operations model.

The objective is to help enterprises move beyond knowing whether controls are documented to continuously understand whether controls are operating effectively, which exposures matter most, and what action should be taken next.

New Research Reveals Why Traditional Security Scores Are Not Enough

The company’s DigitalXForce Security Posture Benchmark 2026, analyzing published security control responses from 2,112 companies, reveals a significant disconnect between high-level compliance scores and underlying security exposure.

Key findings include:

98.9% median control implementation: The median company reported 98.9% of applicable security controls in place, yet significant control gaps remained.54.9% reported data protection gaps: More than half of companies reported at least one missing control in the Data Protection and Encryption domain.52.0% reported encryption and key management gaps: Among 2,098 companies responding, 52.0% reported at least one control not in place.42.3% reported configuration and asset management gaps: Demonstrating continued exposure in foundational security practices.26.7% reported full control implementation: More than one-quarter reported all applicable controls in place under the benchmark’s assessment model.

The benchmark evaluated responses against DigitalXForce’s proprietary model of 94 controls across 12 domains, with mappings to NIST SP 800-53, NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 and CIS Controls v8.1.

These findings highlight an important enterprise risk challenge: a high security or compliance score does not necessarily reveal which remaining control failures could create the greatest business impact.

DigitalXForce developed X-ROC to address this challenge by connecting control failures and changing risk conditions with supporting evidence, quantified business impact and accountable remediation workflows.

Read the research: https://digitalxforce.com/research/security-posture-benchmark-2026/

X-ROC: Bringing Operational Intelligence to Enterprise Risk

A Risk Operations Center (ROC) is an operating model designed to continuously identify, assess, prioritize, monitor and reduce enterprise risk.

While a traditional Security Operations Center (SOC) focuses on security threats and incidents, a Risk Operations Center focuses on the organization’s broader exposure, control effectiveness, business impact and risk remediation.

DigitalXForce X-ROC™ brings these capabilities together through an integrated operating model:

1. Continuous Risk Discovery and Monitoring

X-ROC ingests security posture changes, control failures, third-party risk events and other enterprise risk signals, connecting them with the underlying evidence.

2. Continuous Control Assurance and Automation

DigitalXForce CCA continuously validates control effectiveness through evidence collection, automated testing and ongoing monitoring. CCM provides the monitoring capability within CCA, tracking control conditions and associated risk signals.

3. AI-Powered Risk Intelligence

DigitalXForce’s proprietary AI engines, AI JedAI and XForce GPT, analyze risk signals, correlate related findings, support prioritization and generate business-oriented risk narratives and executive reporting, with analyst review.

4. Cyber Risk Quantification

Rather than prioritizing findings solely by technical severity, X-ROC incorporates quantified financial exposure and business impact to help organizations identify which risks deserve attention first.

5. Remediation Orchestration and Validation

X-ROC assigns risk ownership, tracks remediation against defined timelines and supports integration with enterprise workflow platforms such as ServiceNow and Jira.

Findings are validated through control retesting before closure, creating an evidence-based approach to risk reduction.

6. Executive Digital Trust Intelligence

X-ROC connects operational risk findings with broader enterprise trust, security, compliance and resilience reporting, helping CISOs, CROs, compliance leaders and boards understand the organization’s changing risk posture.

CEO Perspective: Redefining Enterprise Risk Operations

“X-ROC is redefining enterprise risk operations. By combining AI, continuous control assurance and risk intelligence, we’re helping global enterprises move from reacting to risk to staying ahead of it.”

— Lalit Ahluwalia, Founder & CEO, DigitalXForce

Global Enterprise Adoption of Continuous Risk Operations

DigitalXForce is advancing the adoption of X-ROC across its international enterprise customer ecosystem, supporting organizations seeking to consolidate fragmented governance, cybersecurity, compliance and risk management operations.

X-ROC supports two operating models:

Enterprise-operated Risk Operations Center: Organizations operate X-ROC directly using DigitalXForce’s platform, workflows, integrations and risk intelligence capabilities.Managed Risk Operations: DigitalXForce operates the risk operations layer as a managed service, providing continuous monitoring, prioritization and reporting while customers retain ownership of remediation actions.

The platform supports cloud and hybrid deployment architectures, enabling organizations to address enterprise security, operational and regional data residency requirements.

This flexibility is particularly relevant to multinational organizations managing complex regulatory requirements, multiple business units, distributed technology environments and third-party ecosystems.

Independent Industry Recognition Reinforces DigitalXForce’s Momentum

DigitalXForce’s X-ROC strategy builds on broader industry recognition of the company’s Enterprise TRiSCM™ platform and AI-powered risk management innovation.

Dual IDC MarketScape Leader Recognition

DigitalXForce was positioned as a Leader in:

IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Governance, Risk, and Compliance Software Vendor Assessment, 2025 (Doc #US53615325, June 2025).IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Third-Party Risk Management Software 2026 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US53007725, September 2026).

These assessments evaluated vendor capabilities and strategies in their respective markets.

DigitalXForce’s recognition across both GRC and Third-Party Risk Management reflects its positioning across interconnected enterprise risk disciplines, supported by a unified platform architecture.

Cyber Defense Magazine Innovation Honors

DigitalXForce has also received recognition through the 2026 Cyber Defense Magazine Global InfoSec Awards, including innovation honors associated with AI TRiSCM, Automated GRC with Continuous Control Assurance, and X-ROC.

These recognitions contribute to DigitalXForce’s growing industry profile as it advances AI-powered governance, risk management and continuous assurance.

From GRC to Enterprise TRiSCM™: One Platform for Digital Trust

DigitalXForce’s Enterprise TRiSCM™ platform integrates 15 modules on a unified data layer, supporting more than 50 compliance frameworks and 250 technology integrations.

The architecture enables security, compliance, audit, risk and third-party risk teams to work from connected controls, shared evidence and continuously updated risk information rather than isolated tools and periodic assessments.

The platform is designed to enable five fundamental shifts:

From Periodic GRC → Continuous Control Assurance

From Fragmented Security Tools → Unified Enterprise Risk Intelligence

From Technical Severity → Quantified Business Risk

From Manual Remediation Tracking → Evidence-Based Risk Operations

From Compliance Reporting → Continuous Digital Trust

X-ROC serves as the operational layer of this strategy, connecting enterprise risk signals with prioritization, accountability and validated remediation.

Building the Future of AI-Powered Risk Operations

As enterprises accelerate adoption of cloud services, AI, autonomous technologies and complex third-party ecosystems, risk exposure is becoming increasingly dynamic.

DigitalXForce believes enterprise risk management must evolve accordingly.

The company’s vision is to make risk management a continuous operational capability rather than a periodic reporting exercise.

Through X-ROC, Continuous Control Assurance, AI-powered analysis and cyber risk quantification, DigitalXForce is working to establish a new operating model in which enterprises can identify emerging exposures, prioritize them based on business impact and verify that corrective actions are effective.

The SOC manages security incidents. X-ROC manages enterprise risk.

The future of GRC is not another dashboard. It is continuous, intelligent Risk Operations

About DigitalXForce — We Stop Risk Before It Strikes.

DigitalXForce, Industry’s first AI-Powered Enterprise TRiSCM (Trust, Risk, Security and Compliance Management) Platform, is pioneering the next generation of Automated GRC with Continuous Trust Assurance by converging AI, cybersecurity, compliance, operational resilience, and posture management into one unified Risk Intelligence platform. Designed with a modular and composable architecture, DigitalXForce delivers an integrated suite of capabilities spanning automated GRC, Enterprise Security Risk Posture Management (ESRPM), Third-Party Risk Management, Cyber Resilience, and Regulatory Compliance.

At the core of DigitalXForce is its AI-powered engine, which leverages intelligent agents, machine learning models, and a dynamic control library to autonomously monitor controls, map evidence, assess risks, and generate real-time insights. Trusted by global enterprises across healthcare, finance, critical infrastructure, and technology sectors, DigitalXForce delivers measurable value by reducing manual effort, accelerating audit readiness, and improving organizational resilience in today’s fast-evolving threat and compliance landscape.

Learn more about DigitalXForce at https://digitalxforce.com

Additional Resources

X-ROC Platform: https://digitalxforce.com/products/ai-powered-xforce-risk-operations-center/2026 Security Posture Benchmark: https://digitalxforce.com/research/security-posture-benchmark-2026/What Is a Risk Operations Center: https://digitalxforce.com/what-is-a-risk-operations-center/

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SOURCE DigitalXForce Corporation

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