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Ribbon Communications Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results

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Record Quarterly Sales and Operating Income

Revenue Grows 11% YoY with Strong Demand from Service Providers, Enterprise Customers, and U.S. Federal Agencies

PLANO, Texas, Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a prominent supplier of real-time communications technology and IP optical networking solutions, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year of 2024. Ribbon Communications is dedicated to assisting the world’s largest service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure operators in modernizing and safeguarding their networks and services.

Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $251 million, compared to $226 million for the fourth quarter of 2023 and $210 million for the third quarter of 2024. GAAP Operating Income was $33 million, compared to $17 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. Quarterly Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA increased by 30% year over year to $55 million, or 22% of sales.

For the full year 2024, Revenue was $834 million, compared to $826 million for the full year 2023. GAAP Operating Income was $17 million, compared to a loss of ($24) million for 2023. Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA improved by 31% to $119 million, or 14% of sales. GAAP and Non-GAAP Gross Margins for the full year increased approximately 300 basis points to 53% and 56% respectively, with improvement in both operating segments.

“Our fourth quarter results were very strong across all key financial metrics, achieving record levels of revenue, near the top end of our guidance, and profitability, exceeding our guidance. We believe this is a clear validation of our strategy and a culmination of the effort over the last several years to diversify and drive profitable growth in both Service Provider and Enterprise markets,” stated Bruce McClelland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ribbon Communications.

“Revenue growth was underpinned by higher sales to U.S. Tier One Service Providers, U.S. Federal Defense agencies, and Enterprise customers. We also had solid contribution from U.S. Rural Broadband, Europe, and India. When combined with robust margins and our continued operational expense control, profitability improved more than 30% compared to 2023,” Mr. McClelland added. “It is especially satisfying to generate Adjusted EBITDA for the full year at the high end of our original guidance range despite the suspension of shipments to Eastern Europe. Our visibility has improved, and we anticipate further momentum in 2025 as the industry-wide focus on network modernization and the investment in fiber networks drives a strong growth cycle.”

Financial Highlights 1

Three months ended

Year ended

December 31,

December 31,

In millions, except per share amounts

2024

2023

2024

2023

GAAP Revenue

$         251

$         226

$         834

$         826

GAAP Net income (loss)

$             6

$             7

$          (54)

$          (66)

Non-GAAP Net income (loss)

$           28

$           22

$           44

$           36

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$           55

$           43

$         119

$           91

GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share 

$        0.04

$        0.04

$       (0.31)

$       (0.39)

Non-GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

$        0.16

$        0.12

$        0.25

$        0.21

Weighted average shares outstanding basic

175

172

174

170

Weighted average shares outstanding diluted

179

173

177

173

1 Please see the reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures and additional information about non-GAAP measures in the section entitled “Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in the attached schedules.

“The fourth quarter was a very strong finish for Ribbon and capped off a transformative year for the business. Improved earnings generation enabled us to successfully refinance our credit facility earlier in the year, and momentum accelerated with the launch of the voice network modernization program with Verizon. Increased business across both Enterprise and Service Providers resulted in a record level of sales in the fourth quarter along with a book-to-bill of 1.1x times. Cash from operations benefitted from higher collections, resulting in a year-end cash position of $90 million. I’m very excited about our growth prospects for 2025,” said John Townsend, Chief Financial Officer of Ribbon Communications.

Business Outlook2  
For 2025, the Company expects profitable growth in both operating segments, with continued momentum from network modernization across Service Providers, Enterprise, and Federal and Defense customers. We expect a normal seasonal pattern with the business accelerating as the year progresses.

For the full year 2025, the Company projects revenue of $870 million to $890 million. Non-GAAP gross margin is projected in a range of 54% to 55%. Adjusted EBITDA is projected in a range of $130 million to $140 million.

For the first quarter of 2025, the Company projects revenue of $185 million to $195 million. Non-GAAP gross margin is projected in a range of 53% to 53.5%. Adjusted EBITDA is projected in a range of $12 million to $18 million.

The Company’s outlook is based on current indications for its business, which are subject to change.

2 GAAP earnings guidance is not provided. Please see the reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures and additional information about the non-GAAP measures in the section entitled “Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in the attached schedules.

Upcoming Conference Schedule

March 3-6, 2025: Mobile World CongressMarch 17-20, 2025: Enterprise ConnectMarch 30-April 3, 2025: Optical Fiber Communication Conference and ExhibitionMay 21-22, 2025: B. Riley Securities 25th Annual Institutional Investor Conference

About Ribbon 
Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN) delivers communications software, IP and optical networking solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors globally. We engage deeply with our customers, helping them modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today’s smart, always-on and data-hungry world. Our innovative, end-to-end solutions portfolio delivers unparalleled scale, performance, and agility, including core to edge software-centric solutions, cloud-native offers, leading-edge security and analytics tools, along with IP and optical networking solutions for 5G and broadband internet. We maintain a keen focus on our commitments to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters, offering an annual Sustainability Report to our stakeholders. To learn more about Ribbon visit rbbn.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.  All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this release, including without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s projected financial results for the first quarter of 2025 and beyond; market share growth; increases in shareholder value; plans and objectives for future operations, including cost reductions; the impact of the wars in Israel and Ukraine; customer spending and engagement and momentum; and plans for future product development and manufacturing and the expected benefits therefrom, are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “anticipates”, “believes”, “could”, “estimates”, “expects”, “expectations”, “intends”, “may”, “plans”, “projects” and other similar language, whether in the negative or affirmative, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.

Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding its business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are unknown and/or difficult to predict and that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, unpredictable fluctuations in quarterly revenue and operating results; the impact of restructuring and cost-containment activities; increases in tariffs, trade restrictions or taxes on the Company’s products; supply chain disruptions resulting from component availability and/or geopolitical instabilities and disputes (including those related to the wars in Israel and Ukraine); the closure, on a temporary basis, of the Company’s offices or those of the Company’s contract manufacturer in Israel as a result of the war and the impact of military call-ups of the Company’s employees in Israel; material litigation; the impact of fluctuations in interest rates; material cybersecurity and data intrusion incidents, including any security breaches resulting in the theft, transfer, or unauthorized disclosure of customer, employee, or Company information; the Company’s ability to comply with applicable domestic and foreign information security and privacy laws, regulations and technology platform rules or other obligations related to data private and security; failure to compete successfully against telecommunications equipment and networking companies; failure to grow the Company’s customer base or generate recurring business from existing customers; credit risks; the timing of customer purchasing decisions and the Company’s recognition of revenues; macroeconomic conditions, including inflation; the ability to adapt to rapid technological and market changes; the ability to generate positive returns on the Company’s research and development; the ability to protect Company intellectual property rights and obtain necessary licenses; the ability to maintain partner, reseller, distribution and vendor support and supply relationships; the potential for defects in the Company’s products; risks related to the terms of the Company’s credit agreement; higher risks in international operations and markets; currency fluctuations; unanticipated averse changes in legal, regulatory or tax laws; future accounting pronouncements or changes in the Company’s accounting policies; and/or failure or circumvention of the Company’s controls and procedures. We therefore caution you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements.

These factors are not intended to be an all-encompassing list of risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company’s business and results from operations. Additional information regarding these and other factors can be found in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release speaks only as of the date on which this release was first issued. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement publicly or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Company’s management uses several different financial measures, both GAAP and non-GAAP, in analyzing and assessing the overall performance of its business, making operating decisions, planning and forecasting future periods, and determining payments under compensation programs. The Company considers the use of non-GAAP financial measures helpful in assessing the core performance of its continuing operations and when planning and forecasting future periods. The Company’s annual financial plan is prepared on a non-GAAP basis and is approved by its board of directors. In addition, budgeting and forecasting for revenue and expenses are conducted on a non-GAAP basis, and actual results on a non-GAAP basis are assessed against the annual financial plan. The Company defines continuing operations as the ongoing results of its business adjusted for certain expenses and credits, as described below. The Company believes that providing non-GAAP information to investors allows them to view the Company’s financial results in the way its management views them and helps investors to better understand the Company’s core financial and operating performance and evaluate the efficacy of the methodology and information used by its management to evaluate and measure such performance.

While the Company’s management uses non-GAAP financial measures as tools to enhance its understanding of certain aspects of the Company’s financial performance, management does not consider these measures to be a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP measures. In addition, the Company’s presentations of these measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered alternatives for, or in isolation from, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Investors are cautioned that there are material limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures. In particular, many of the adjustments to the Company’s financial measures reflect the exclusion of items that are recurring and will be reflected in its financial results for the foreseeable future.

Stock-Based Compensation
The expense related to stock-based awards is generally not controllable in the short-term and can vary significantly based on the timing, size and nature of awards granted. The Company believes that presenting non-GAAP operating results that exclude stock-based compensation provides investors with visibility and insight into its management’s method of analysis and its core operating performance.

Amortization of Acquired Technology (including software licenses); Amortization of Acquired Intangible Assets
Amortization amounts are inconsistent in frequency and amount and are significantly impacted by the timing and size of acquisitions. Amortization of acquired technology is reported separately within Cost of revenue and Amortization of acquired intangible assets is reported separately within Operating expenses. These items are reported collectively as Amortization of acquired intangible assets in the accompanying reconciliations of non-GAAP and GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that excluding non-cash amortization of these intangible assets facilitates the comparison of its financial results to its historical operating results and to other companies in its industry as if the acquired intangible assets had been developed internally rather than acquired.

Litigation Costs
In connection with certain ongoing litigation where Ribbon is the defendant (as described in Note 26 to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023), the Company has incurred litigation costs that began in 2023. Also, on October 14, 2024, a settlement in principle was reached on one of these legal matters and the Company accrued the $5 million settlement in the third quarter of 2024. These costs are included as a component of general and administrative expense. The Company believes that such costs are not part of its core business or ongoing operations, are unplanned, and generally are not within its control. Accordingly, the Company believes that excluding litigation costs related to these specific legal matters facilitates the comparison of the Company’s financial results to its historical operating results and to other companies in its industry.

Acquisition-, Disposal- and Integration-Related
The Company considers certain acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related costs to be unrelated to the organic continuing operations of the Company and its acquired businesses. Such costs are generally not relevant to assessing or estimating the long-term performance of the acquired assets. The Company excludes such acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related costs to allow more accurate comparisons of its financial results to its historical operations and the financial results of less acquisitive peer companies and allows management and investors to consider the ongoing operations of the business both with and without such expenses.

Restructuring and Related
The Company has recorded restructuring and related expense to streamline operations and reduce operating costs by closing and consolidating certain facilities and reducing its worldwide workforce. The Company believes that excluding restructuring and related expense facilitates the comparison of its financial results to its historical operating results and to other companies in its industry, as there are no future revenue streams or other benefits associated with these costs.

Preferred Stock and Warrant Liability Mark-to-Market Adjustment
The Company recorded adjustments to the fair value of its Series A Preferred Stock and Warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock in Other (expense) income, net. Both of these instruments were issued in March 2023 in connection with the Company’s private placement and have been classified as liabilities and marked to market each reporting period until the Series A Preferred Stock was fully redeemed on June 25, 2024. The Warrant liability remains outstanding and will continue to be marked to market each reporting period. The Company excluded these gains and losses from the change in the fair value of these liabilities because it believes that such gains or losses were not part of its core business or ongoing operations.

Tax Indemnification Write-Off
In connection with the Company’s acquisition of ECI Telecom Group Ltd. in 2020, a portion of the shares of our common stock that were issued as consideration were held in escrow for potential future tax liabilities. This $6 million tax indemnity asset, consisting of 2 million shares of common stock held in escrow, was written off upon its expiration on December 31, 2024. The Company believes that excluding this tax indemnification write-off facilitates the comparison of the Company’s financial results to its historical operating results and to other companies in its industry.

Tax Effect of Non-GAAP Adjustments
The Non-GAAP income tax provision is presented based on an estimated tax rate applied against forecasted annual non-GAAP income. The Non-GAAP income tax provision assumes no available net operating losses or valuation allowances for the U.S. because of reporting significant cumulative non-GAAP income over the past several years. The Company is reporting its non-GAAP quarterly income taxes by computing an annual rate for the Company and applying that single rate (rather than multiple rates by jurisdiction) to its consolidated quarterly results. The Company expects that this methodology will provide a consistent rate throughout the year and allow investors to better understand the impact of income taxes on its results. Due to the methodology applied to its estimated annual tax rate, the Company’s estimated tax rate on non-GAAP income will differ from its GAAP tax rate and from its actual tax liabilities.

Adjusted EBITDA
The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental measure to review and assess its performance. The Company calculates Adjusted EBITDA by excluding from income (loss) from operations: depreciation; stock-based compensation; amortization of acquired intangible assets; certain litigation costs; acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related expense; and restructuring and related expense. In general, the Company excludes the expenses that it considers to be non-cash and/or not a part of its ongoing operations. The Company may exclude other items in the future that have those characteristics. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that is used by the investing community for comparative and valuation purposes. The Company discloses this metric to support and facilitate dialogue with research analysts and investors. Other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than the Company does, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.

Conference Call Details:
Conference call to discuss the Company’s financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.

Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m. (ET)

Dial-In Information:
US/Canada: 877-407-2991
International: 201-389-0925
Instant Telephone Access: Call me™ 

Live (Listen-Only) Webcast:
Available via the Investor Relations website, where a replay will also be available shortly following the conference call.

For more details on financial results, please visit investors.ribboncommunications.com.

Investor Relations
+1 (978) 614-8050
ir@rbbn.com

Media Contact
Catherine Berthier
+1 (646) 741-1974
cberthier@rbbn.com

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except percentages and per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 Three months ended 

December 31,

September 30,

December 31,

2024

2024

2023

Revenue:

Product

$         148,335

$               112,151

$         125,984

Service

103,024

98,087

100,417

Total revenue

251,359

210,238

226,401

Cost of revenue:

Product

68,483

59,405

61,183

Service

37,316

34,893

37,205

Amortization of acquired technology

5,487

6,323

6,305

Total cost of revenue

111,286

100,621

104,693

Gross profit

140,073

109,617

121,708

Gross margin

55.7 %

52.1 %

53.8 %

Operating expenses:

Research and development

45,044

45,645

45,351

Sales and marketing

37,070

33,060

35,361

General and administrative

17,060

21,588

13,686

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

6,298

6,457

6,861

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

1,494

Restructuring and related

1,381

3,794

2,285

Total operating expenses

106,853

110,544

105,038

Income (loss) from operations

33,220

(927)

16,670

Interest expense, net

(12,003)

(11,952)

(6,989)

Other (expense) income, net

(13,159)

1,056

(3,232)

Income (loss) before income taxes

8,058

(11,823)

6,449

Income tax benefit (provision)

(1,694)

(1,599)

630

Net income (loss)

$             6,364

$               (13,422)

$             7,079

Earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

$               0.04

$                   (0.08)

$               0.04

Diluted

$               0.04

$                   (0.08)

$               0.04

Weighted average shares used to compute earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

175,321

174,613

171,755

Diluted

178,703

174,613

172,990

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except percentages and per share amounts)

(unaudited)

Year ended

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

Revenue:

Product

$         447,229

$         445,150

Service

386,652

381,189

Total revenue

833,881

826,339

Cost of revenue:

Product

228,527

250,609

Service

140,949

139,357

Amortization of acquired technology

24,893

28,290

Total cost of revenue

394,369

418,256

Gross profit

439,512

408,083

Gross margin

52.7 %

49.4 %

Operating expenses:

Research and development

179,941

190,660

Sales and marketing

137,830

137,460

General and administrative

68,740

54,962

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

25,969

28,601

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

4,476

Restructuring and related

10,160

16,209

Total operating expenses

422,640

432,368

Income (loss) from operations

16,872

(24,285)

Interest expense, net

(33,821)

(27,320)

Other (expense) income, net

(29,119)

(3,768)

Income (loss) before income taxes

(46,068)

(55,373)

Income tax benefit (provision)

(8,167)

(10,833)

Net income (loss)

$         (54,235)

$         (66,206)

Earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

$             (0.31)

$             (0.39)

Diluted

$             (0.31)

$             (0.39)

Weighted average shares used to compute earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

174,044

170,408

Diluted

174,044

170,408

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$           87,770

$           26,494

Restricted cash

2,709

136

Accounts receivable, net

254,718

268,421

Inventory

79,179

77,521

Other current assets

39,286

46,146

Total current assets

463,662

418,718

Property and equipment, net

60,364

41,820

Intangible assets, net

187,537

238,087

Goodwill

300,892

300,892

Deferred income taxes

88,982

69,761

Operating lease right-of-use assets

34,544

39,783

Other assets

26,573

35,092

$      1,162,554

$      1,144,153

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

Current liabilities:

Current portion of term debt

$             6,125

$           35,102

Accounts payable

87,759

85,164

Accrued expenses and other

106,251

91,687

Operating lease liabilities

9,443

15,739

Deferred revenue

119,295

113,381

Total current liabilities

328,873

341,073

Long-term debt, net of current

330,726

197,482

Warrant liability

8,064

5,295

Preferred stock liability

53,337

Operating lease liabilities, net of current

37,376

38,711

Deferred revenue, net of current

20,991

19,218

Deferred income taxes

5,941

5,616

Other long-term liabilities

25,962

30,658

Total liabilities

757,933

691,390

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholders’ equity:

Common stock

18

17

Additional paid-in capital

1,970,708

1,958,909

Accumulated deficit

(1,574,185)

(1,519,950)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

8,080

13,787

Total stockholders’ equity

404,621

452,763

$      1,162,554

$      1,144,153

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

Year ended

 December 31, 

 December 31, 

2024

2023

Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income (loss)

$           (54,235)

$           (66,206)

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

13,539

14,105

Amortization of intangible assets

50,862

56,891

Amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount

4,847

3,241

Amortization of accumulated other comprehensive gain related to interest rate swap

(8,196)

(5,575)

Stock-based compensation

16,086

21,806

Deferred income taxes

(16,887)

(9,196)

Gain on sale of swap

(7,301)

Change in fair value of warrant liability

2,769

(201)

Change in fair value of preferred stock liability

8,091

1,548

Dividends accrued on preferred stock liability

2,743

3,935

Payment of dividends accrued on preferred stock liability

(6,686)

Foreign currency exchange (gains) losses

5,741

(44)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

12,420

5,726

Inventory

(3,616)

(10,701)

Other operating assets

30,459

34,834

Accounts payable

(6,016)

(10,498)

Accrued expenses and other long-term liabilities

(9,367)

(14,684)

Deferred revenue

7,686

(593)

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

50,240

17,087

Cash flows from investing activities:

Purchases of property and equipment

(22,406)

(9,381)

Purchases of software licenses

(462)

(100)

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

(22,868)

(9,481)

Cash flows from financing activities:

Borrowings under revolving line of credit

44,106

97,000

Principal payments on revolving line of credit

(44,106)

(97,000)

Proceeds from issuance of term debt

342,300

Principal payments of term debt

(237,145)

(95,058)

Payment of debt issuance costs

(6,312)

(1,685)

Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock and warrant liabilities

53,350

Payment of preferred stock liability

(56,850)

Proceeds from the exercise of stock options

21

15

Payment of tax obligations related to vested stock awards and units

(4,308)

(4,481)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

37,706

(47,859)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

(1,229)

(379)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

63,849

(40,632)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year

26,630

67,262

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

$             90,479

$             26,630

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Supplemental Information

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

The following tables provide the details of stock-based compensation included as components of other line items in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and the line items in which these amounts are reported.  

 Three months ended 

 Year ended 

December 31,

September 30,

December 31,

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2024

2023

2024

2023

Stock-based compensation

Cost of revenue – product

$                66

$                64

$              125

$              300

$              510

Cost of revenue – service

288

291

550

1,325

2,147

Cost of revenue

354

355

675

1,625

2,657

Research and development

737

745

1,112

3,166

4,933

Sales and marketing

1,178

1,108

1,438

4,397

7,111

General and administrative

1,756

1,837

1,667

6,898

7,105

Operating expense

3,671

3,690

4,217

14,461

19,149

Total stock-based compensation

$           4,025

$           4,045

$           4,892

$         16,086

$         21,806

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP and GAAP Financial Measures

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 Three months ended 

December 31,

September 30,

December 31,

2024

2024

2023

GAAP Gross margin

55.7 %

52.1 %

53.8 %

Stock-based compensation

0.2 %

0.2 %

0.3 %

Amortization of acquired technology

2.2 %

3.0 %

2.7 %

Non-GAAP Gross margin

58.1 %

55.3 %

56.8 %

GAAP Net income (loss)

$             6,364

$         (13,422)

$             7,079

Stock-based compensation

4,025

4,045

4,892

Amortization of intangible assets

11,785

12,780

13,166

Litigation costs

1,583

6,896

538

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

1,494

Restructuring and related

1,381

3,794

2,285

Preferred stock and warrant liability mark-to-market adjustment

2,478

(583)

3,724

Tax indemnification write-off

6,313

Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments

(5,648)

(5,024)

(11,606)

Non-GAAP Net income (loss)

$           28,281

$             8,486

$           21,572

GAAP Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$               0.04

$             (0.08)

$               0.04

Stock-based compensation

0.02

0.02

0.03

Amortization of intangible assets

0.06

0.08

0.08

Litigation costs

0.01

0.04

 * 

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

0.01

Restructuring and related

0.01

0.02

0.01

Preferred stock and warrant liability mark-to-market adjustment

0.01

 * 

0.02

Tax indemnification write-off

0.04

Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments

(0.03)

(0.03)

(0.07)

Non-GAAP Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$               0.16

$               0.05

$               0.12

Weighted average shares used to compute diluted earnings (loss) per share

 Shares used to compute GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

175,321

174,613

171,755

 Shares used to compute Non-GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

178,703

177,028

172,990

GAAP Income (loss) from operations

$           33,220

$              (927)

$           16,670

Depreciation

3,408

3,361

3,502

Stock-based compensation

4,025

4,045

4,892

Amortization of intangible assets

11,785

12,780

13,166

Litigation costs

1,583

6,896

538

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

1,494

Restructuring and related

1,381

3,794

2,285

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$           55,402

$           29,949

$           42,547

* Less than $0.01 impact on earnings (loss) per share.

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP and GAAP Financial Measures

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

Year ended

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

GAAP Gross Margin

52.7 %

49.4 %

Stock-based compensation

0.2 %

0.3 %

Amortization of acquired technology

3.0 %

3.4 %

Non-GAAP Gross Margin

55.9 %

53.1 %

GAAP Net income (loss)

$         (54,235)

$         (66,206)

Stock-based compensation

16,086

21,806

Amortization of intangible assets

50,862

56,891

Litigation costs

11,198

1,307

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

4,476

Restructuring and related

10,160

16,209

Preferred stock and warrant liability mark-to-market adjustment

13,604

5,282

Preferred stock and warrant liability issuance costs

3,545

Tax indemnification write-off

6,313

Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments

(9,796)

(7,462)

Non-GAAP Net income (loss)

$           44,192

$           35,848

GAAP Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$             (0.31)

$             (0.39)

Stock-based compensation

0.09

0.13

Amortization of intangible assets

0.29

0.33

Litigation costs

0.06

0.01

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

0.03

Restructuring and related

0.06

0.09

Preferred stock and warrant liability mark-to-market adjustment

0.08

0.03

Preferred stock and warrant liability issuance costs

0.02

Tax indemnification write-off

0.04

Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments

(0.06)

(0.04)

Non-GAAP Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$               0.25

$               0.21

Weighted average shares used to compute diluted earnings (loss) per share

 Shares used to compute GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

174,044

170,408

 Shares used to compute Non-GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

177,306

172,947

GAAP Income (loss) from operations

$           16,872

$         (24,285)

Depreciation

13,539

14,105

Stock-based compensation

16,086

21,806

Amortization of intangible assets

50,862

56,891

Litigation costs

11,198

1,307

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

4,476

Restructuring and related

10,160

16,209

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$         118,717

$           90,509

* Less than $0.01 impact on earnings (loss) per share.

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP and GAAP Financial Measures

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

Trailing Twelve Months

December 31,

September 30,

December 31,

2024

2024

2023

GAAP Income (loss) from operations

$           16,872

$                322

$         (24,285)

Depreciation

13,539

13,633

14,105

Stock-based compensation

16,086

16,953

21,806

Amortization of intangible assets

50,862

52,243

56,891

Litigation costs

11,198

10,153

1,307

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

1,494

4,476

Restructuring and related

10,160

11,064

16,209

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$         118,717

$         105,862

$           90,509

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP and GAAP Financial Measures – Outlook

(unaudited)

 Three months ending  

 Year ending  

March 31, 2025

December 31, 2025

Midpoint (1)

Range

Midpoint (1)

Range

Revenue ($ millions)

$               190

 +/- $5M

$               880

+/- $10M

Gross margin:

GAAP outlook

50.25 %

52.0 %

Stock-based compensation

0.20 %

0.2 %

Amortization of acquired technology

2.80 %

2.3 %

Non-GAAP outlook

53.25 %

 +/- 0.25%

54.5 %

+/- 0.5%

Adjusted EBITDA ($ millions):

GAAP income (loss) from operations

$              (6.4)

$              49.7

Depreciation

3.6

15.8

Stock-based compensation

4.0

16.2

Amortization of intangible assets

11.5

44.1

Litigation costs

0.3

1.2

Restructuring and related

2.0

8.0

Non-GAAP outlook

$              15.0

 +/- $3M

$            135.0

+/- $5M

(1) Q1 2025 and FY 2025 outlook represents the midpoint of the expected ranges

 

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SOURCE Ribbon Communications Inc.

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Hilco Global Engaged by Stan Lee Holdings to Sell Rare & Valuable Intellectual Property Portfolio

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NEW YORK, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hilco Global, a diversified financial services company that delivers expert professional services and capital solutions to help clients maximize value and drive performance across the business lifecycle, is pleased to announce that its IP Services practice has been engaged by Stan Lee Holdings, Ltd. (“SLH”) to sell a legendary portfolio of intellectual property developed by Stan Lee, the iconic “father of the super hero.” Known as the Omniverse Collection created by Stan Lee, the portfolio represents a treasure trove of original characters and source material developed by Stan when he was leading Marvel Comics and when he built Stan Lee Entertainment – the first super hero animation studio created for the Internet age. This rare and valuable collection of Intellectual Property encompasses dozens of compelling super heroes and stories conceived by Stan from 1999 to 2001 as well as a franchise comprising over 50 well-known characters – the only franchise of Marvel-created characters not owned by Marvel. Full details of the collection, including the individual characters, franchises, and story properties it comprises, will be released in the coming weeks.

Through this collaboration, Hilco Global will work alongside SLH and former EVP of Marvel Entertainment Shirrel Rhoades to find a new home for a body of largely underleveraged super hero and other characters, as well as world-building intellectual property. Numerous supporting  scripts, episodes, and development materials spanning Stan Lee’s career are also part of the offering.

“The Omniverse Collection created by Stan Lee is one of the most significant super hero IP offerings of the decade,” said Eric Hurwitz, Senior Director of the Hilco Global IP Services practice. “This large, diverse portfolio presents the opportunity to capitalize on untapped material with an unmatched pedigree. A buyer essentially has a blank slate to bring these characters to fans worldwide and expand on Stan Lee’s legacy. Hilco Global is thrilled to bring these assets to market, leveraging deep experience across intellectual property and media valuation, licensing, and transaction execution.”

Among the intellectual property being offered is a hidden gem; a connected entertainment universe of Stan Lee’s own creation. “This one-of-a-kind IP collection illustrates just how far ahead Stan was in understanding the future of entertainment,” observed Shirrel Rhoades, who was handpicked by Stan Lee to succeed him as publisher of Marvel. “What we’re bringing to market isn’t a collection of isolated ideas. It’s pieces of one larger vision, a living digital universe in which characters can be created, experienced, and expanded across every form of media.”

Parties can reach out to Ehurwitz@hilcoglobal.com to register interest. More information about the offering, the individual properties within the collection, and the sale process will become available soon.

About Hilco Global:  Hilco Global, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation USA, is a diversified financial services company that delivers integrated professional services and capital solutions that help clients maximize value and drive performance across the retail, commercial and industrial, real estate, manufacturing, and intellectual property sectors. Hilco Global provides a range of customized solutions to healthy, stressed, and distressed companies to resolve complex situations and enhance long-term enterprise value. Hilco Global works to deliver the best possible result by aligning interests with clients and providing strategic advice and, in many instances, the capital required to transact. Hilco Global is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has more than 810 professionals operating on four continents. Visit www.hilcoglobal.com

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SOURCE Hilco Trading, LLC

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GR0 to Acquire Ultimate AI’s Deployment Division and Launch GR0 AI, Turning Brands’ Existing Customer Data Into Revenue

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The new company pairs GR0’s performance marketing distribution with Ultimate Deployment’s AI agents and customer intelligence to build AI revenue systems for DTC and ecommerce brands; in one early deployment, AI-led customer conversations were associated with more than $350,000 in sales.

LOS ANGELES, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — GR0, the Los Angeles-based digital marketing agency, today announced plans to acquire Ultimate Deployment and launch GR0 AI, a new company that builds and deploys AI revenue systems for direct-to-consumer (DTC) and ecommerce brands. GR0 AI combines GR0’s performance marketing expertise, client relationships and sales infrastructure with Ultimate Deployment’s technology and experience deploying AI agents inside operating businesses.

“AI is creating an entirely new performance channel for brands,” said Jon Zacharias, co-founder and president of GR0. “Most companies already have the traffic, customer data and demand. What they’re missing is an intelligent system that knows who to contact, what to say and when to say it. GR0 AI turns the customer signals brands already own into personalized conversations and measurable revenue.”

The approach is already producing results. In one early deployment, AI-led customer conversations were associated with more than $350,000 in sales during a period in which the brand generated approximately $1 million in total revenue. GR0 AI deployments include attribution and incrementality reporting so brands can measure both assisted and directly generated revenue.

GR0 AI deploys inside a brand’s existing commerce, CRM, email, SMS, phone and customer-data infrastructure. Its systems:

Identify and prioritize high-intent customers and prospects Personalize outreach and follow-up based on customer behavior and company data Conduct two-way conversations across messaging channels, recovering revenue from abandoned carts, dormant customers and unconverted leads Escalate complex or high-value opportunities to human sales and support teams Measure the revenue associated with AI-driven interactions

“Most brands do not have a demand problem.  They already have thousands of customers and prospects sitting inside their systems,” said Ben Ganz, founder of Ultimate Deployment. “We build the company brain, unify the data and deploy AI employees that act on that intelligence. The opportunity falls into two buckets: recover the demand a brand has already earned, and make sure no new opportunity slips through the cracks. GR0 gives us the distribution, market access and operating experience to bring this to hundreds of brands.”

Ganz has spent his career at the intersection of entertainment and technology. He began as a producer on American Idol before moving into digital leadership at Fox, then founded VEGO Pictures, a digital production and technology company that worked with major entertainment and consumer brands and served as in-house production partner to Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network. He also co-founded a virtual events company that produced digital graduation experiences for hundreds of thousands of students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From there, Ganz and his team moved to the frontier of consumer AI, creating what FOX News called Hollywood’s first AI interactive voice experience. They powered AI personalities for creators with a combined audience of 100 million followers and engineered the world’s first AI assembly line for replicating personalities at scale, work the Hollywood Reporter recognized as the “Real-life Her.”  Ultimate Deployment then turned that conversational AI expertise toward the enterprise, building systems that connect company knowledge, customer data, and operational software with AI agents capable of performing real, meaningful business work.

“Ben and his team have built something with the potential to become a major new revenue channel for ecommerce companies,” Zacharias said. “We have seen very few offerings create this level of excitement among sophisticated performance marketers.”

Every GR0 AI engagement begins with an intensive discovery and implementation process: the team interviews key employees, maps the company’s systems and builds a centralized intelligence layer around the business. Lead scoring and prioritization are connected to the brand’s CRM before customer-facing AI agents go live.

“The technical opportunity is clear, and our job is to make it just as clear commercially,” said Kevin Miller, founder and CEO of GR0. “A brand that works with GR0 AI will know exactly what is being installed, how quickly it goes live and what revenue it is producing.”

The acquisition is expected to close this quarter, subject to completion of definitive agreements. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Brands interested in early GR0 AI deployments can learn more at www.gr0.com.

About GR0

GR0 is a full-service digital marketing agency that helps DTC and ecommerce brands accelerate growth through data-driven performance marketing, creative strategy and emerging technology. Co-founded by Kevin Miller and Jon Zacharias, GR0 provides services across SEO, Generative Engine Optimization, paid media, email, SMS, creative, affiliate and marketplace growth, and was among the first agencies to build a dedicated GEO practice, which is recognized by VentureBeat as one of America’s premier Generative Engine Optimization agencies. GR0 is headquartered in Los Angeles. Learn more at GR0.com.

About Ultimate Deployment

Ultimate Deployment builds AI employees for growing companies. Founded by Ben Ganz, the company captures how a business operates, organizes its institutional knowledge, connects its systems and deploys AI agents that perform real operational work across sales, customer experience, marketing, finance and internal teams.

Before its enterprise focus, Ultimate Deployment’s team built consumer AI at entertainment scale, creating Hollywood’s first interactive voice experience, powering AI personalities for creators with a combined audience of 100 million followers and engineering the world’s first AI assembly line for replicating personalities’ work featured by Fox News and recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as the real-life Her.

About Ultimate AI

Ultimate AI, founded by Ben Ganz, is a holding company building AI across consumer and enterprise. It launched during the first wave of consumer generative AI as an early AI super app, bringing more than 100 AI tools and assistants into a single consumer platform that peaked within the top 10 of its Apple App Store category, according to company data. The company then expanded into creator AI, developing technology that lets public figures build interactive AI experiences around their personality, voice, knowledge and content. In 2024, Ultimate AI created Pookie Tools (widely known as the Hawk Tuah AI app), whose launch generated more than 400 million organic social media views and more than 10,000 downloads in its first seven days with no paid marketing, according to company data. It went on to develop real-time voice and personality products, including an experience Fox News described as Hollywood’s first real-time AI experience.

Ultimate Deployment, the enterprise arm that GR0 is acquiring, formed in March 2026 following the release of frontier agentic models from Anthropic and OpenAI, and applies that technology inside operating companies. It builds AI employees that capture how a business operates, unify its data and systems, and perform real operational work across sales, customer experience, marketing, finance and internal teams.

Company: GR0
Media Contact Name: GR0 Agency
Media Contact Email: press@gr0.com
Phone: +1 (310) 439-1887
Address: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Website: https://gr0.com/

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SOURCE GR0.com LLC

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Tech Mahindra and Cisco Partner to Bring AI-Driven Security Service Edge to Global Enterprises

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PUNE, India, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, announced a partnership with Cisco to deliver an AI-driven Security Service Edge (SSE) offering for global enterprises. The joint offering will help enterprises reduce security complexity, improve visibility and control, deliver seamless user access, and strengthen resilience as they scale cloud, hybrid work, and AI adoption.

The partnership combines Tech Mahindra’s global managed services, integration, and delivery expertise with Cisco’s industry-leading Security Service Edge (SSE) platform (Cisco Secure Access) to provide unified, cloud-native security and seamless zero-trust access across users, devices, networks, and locations. For Tech Mahindra, the partnership strengthens its cybersecurity portfolio with differentiated, high-value managed security services, expands its addressable market, and accelerates pipeline growth in cloud security.

Saket Singh, SVP & Business Head – Digital Core Services (Cloud, Infrastructure, Network and Cyber Security Services), Tech Mahindra, said, “As enterprises increasingly operate in hybrid and distributed environments, security must evolve from siloed controls to unified, cloud-native platforms. Fragmented tools, inconsistent user experiences, and rising threats are creating visibility and control gaps as applications are accessed from anywhere. Through our partnership with Cisco, we are combining advanced SSE capabilities with Tech Mahindra’s managed services expertise to simplify operations, strengthen zero-trust enforcement, and deliver consistent, AI-powered protection at scale.”

By integrating a secure web gateway, cloud access security broker (CASB), zero trust network access (ZTNA), firewall-as-a-service, data loss prevention (DLP), and much more into a single platform, the offering simplifies security operations and delivers AI-powered protection. Enterprises benefit from end-to-end visibility, faster deployment, and a streamlined path to modernizing their security architecture while accelerating secure cloud adoption and cyber resilience. Additionally, as enterprises inevitably step into the agentic era, this solution provides robust and rapidly expanding protections for the use of generative AI and AI agents.

Raj Chopra, SVP & Chief Product Officer, Cisco Security Business Group, said, “Enterprises don’t need another tool to stitch into an already complex security stack. They need a simpler way to secure how work actually happens across users, devices, applications, clouds, and increasingly AI agents. Cisco Secure Access brings zero trust, identity context, and AI-powered protection into one cloud-delivered platform, helping teams enforce policy consistently while giving users seamless access from anywhere. Together with Tech Mahindra’s global managed services and integration expertise, we can help organizations modernize security operations, accelerate secure cloud and AI adoption, and move with confidence in the agentic era.”

The integrated SSE solution reinforces Tech Mahindra and Cisco’s leadership in unified cloud-security, helping enterprises simplify secure access, strengthen resilience and accelerate digital transformation in an increasingly distributed and AI-driven world.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tech-mahindra-and-cisco-partner-to-bring-ai-driven-security-service-edge-to-global-enterprises-302834077.html

SOURCE Tech Mahindra

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