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Qualys Announces Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Published

2 years ago

on

Revenue Growth of 8% Year-Over-Year 
GAAP EPS: $1.24; Non-GAAP EPS: $1.56
Raises 2024 Revenue Guidance to $602.9–$605.9 million
Raises 2024 GAAP EPS Guidance to $4.31–$4.41
Raises 2024 Non-GAAP EPS Guidance to $5.81–$5.91

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Nov. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Qualys, Inc. (NASDAQ: QLYS), a leading provider of disruptive cloud-based IT, security and compliance solutions, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024. For the quarter, the Company reported revenues of $153.9 million, net income under United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”) of $46.2 million, non-GAAP net income of $58.0 million, Adjusted EBITDA of $69.7 million, GAAP net income per diluted share of $1.24, and non-GAAP net income per diluted share of $1.56.

“Q3 was another strong quarter of rapid innovation for Qualys, reflecting our ongoing commitment to technology leadership, cybersecurity transformation, and successful outcomes for customers,” said Sumedh Thakar, Qualys’ president and CEO. “With the release of several new capabilities, including our Enterprise TruRisk Management solution, TruRisk Eliminate, and Qualys TotalAI we have further strengthened our strategic position as the partner of choice for customers looking to rearchitect and consolidate their security tools to solve modern security challenges while simplifying their operational defenses. We believe we can continue to grow long-term, maintain best-in-class profitability, and invest in key initiatives aimed at further extending the gap between Qualys and the competition.”

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

Revenues: Revenues for the third quarter of 2024 increased by 8% to $153.9 million compared to $142.0 million for the same quarter in 2023.

Gross Profit: GAAP gross profit for the third quarter of 2024 increased by 8% to $125.0 million compared to $115.3 million for the same quarter in 2023. GAAP gross margin was 81% for both the third quarter of 2024 and the same quarter in 2023. Non-GAAP gross profit for the third quarter of 2024 increased by 8% to $127.8 million compared to $118.0 million for the same quarter in 2023. Non-GAAP gross margin was 83% for both the third quarter of 2024 and the same quarter in 2023.

Operating Income: GAAP operating income for the third quarter of 2024 increased by 3% to $45.0 million compared to $43.6 million for the same quarter in 2023. As a percentage of revenues, GAAP operating income was 29% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 31% for the same quarter in 2023. Non-GAAP operating income for the third quarter of 2024 increased by 5% to $66.0 million compared to $62.9 million for the same quarter in 2023. As a percentage of revenues, non-GAAP operating income was 43% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 44% for the same quarter in 2023.

Net Income: GAAP net income for the third quarter of 2024 decreased by 1% to $46.2 million, or $1.24 per diluted share, compared to $46.5 million, or $1.24 per diluted share, for the same quarter in 2023. As a percentage of revenues, GAAP net income was 30% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 33% for the same quarter in 2023. Non-GAAP net income for the third quarter of 2024 was $58.0 million, or $1.56 per diluted share, compared to $56.7 million, or $1.51 per diluted share, for the same quarter in 2023. As a percentage of revenues, non-GAAP net income was 38% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 40% for the same quarter in 2023.

Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP financial measure) for the third quarter of 2024 increased by 1% to $69.7 million compared to $68.8 million for the same quarter in 2023. As a percentage of revenues, Adjusted EBITDA was 45% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 48% for the same quarter in 2023.

Operating Cash Flow: Operating cash flow for the third quarter of 2024 decreased by 34% to $61.0 million compared to $92.4 million for the same quarter in 2023. As a percentage of revenues, operating cash flow was 40% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 65% for the same quarter in 2023.

Third Quarter 2024 Business Highlights

Launched Qualys’ TruRisk Eliminate, a remediation solution extending beyond patching by providing patchless patching, targeted isolation, and other mitigation strategies to help organizations reduce risk.Expanded our portfolio by introducing Qualys TotalAI, designed to address the growing challenges and risks of securing generative AI and large language model (LLM) applications to detect data leaks, injection issues, and model theft.The 2024 GigaOm Radar Report for Continuous Vulnerability Management ranked Qualys’ VMDR as a leading vulnerability management solution for the fourth straight year. It noted VMDR stands apart from the competition as a “comprehensive risk-based approach to vulnerability management.”Gartner recognized TotalCloud among solutions named in its July 2024 Marketguide for Cloud Native Application Protection Platforms.Qualys’ CyberSecurity Asset Management ranked as a strong performer among top vendors in the Forrester Wave for Attack Surface Management in its debut in the report.Introduced updates to our Web Application Security solution including context-aware TruRisk prioritization, advanced API security features, and a redesigned user interface offering guided workflows and feedback loops. These updates address the growing complexity of securing web applications and APIs in digital environments.

Financial Performance Outlook

Based on information as of today, November 5, 2024, Qualys is issuing the following financial guidance for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2024. The Company emphasizes that the guidance is subject to various important cautionary factors referenced in the sections entitled “Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Guidance: Management expects revenues for the fourth quarter of 2024 to be in the range of $154.5 million to $157.5 million, representing 7% to 9% growth over the same quarter in 2023. GAAP net income per diluted share is expected to be in the range of $0.84 to $0.94, which assumes an effective income tax rate of 21%. Non-GAAP net income per diluted share is expected to be in the range of $1.28 to $1.38, which assumes a non-GAAP effective income tax rate of 21%. Fourth quarter 2024 net income per diluted share estimates are based on approximately 36.9 million weighted average diluted shares outstanding for the quarter.

Full Year 2024 Guidance: Management now expects revenues for the full year of 2024 to be in the range of $602.9 million to $605.9 million, representing 9% growth over 2023. This compares to the previous guidance range of $597.5 million to $601.5 million. GAAP net income per diluted share is expected to be in the range of $4.31 to $4.41, up from the previous guidance range of $3.85 to $4.01. This assumes an effective income tax rate of 18%. Non-GAAP net income per diluted share is expected to be in the range of $5.81 to $5.91, up from the previous guidance range of $5.46 to $5.62. This assumes a non-GAAP effective income tax rate of 21%. Full year 2024 net income per diluted share estimates are based on approximately 37.4 million weighted average diluted shares outstanding.

Qualys has not reconciled non-GAAP net income per diluted share guidance to GAAP net income per diluted share guidance because Qualys does not provide guidance on the various reconciling cash and non-cash items between GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income (i.e., stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets from acquisitions and non-recurring items). The actual dollar amount of reconciling items in the fourth quarter and full year 2024 is likely to have a significant impact on the Company’s GAAP net income per diluted share in the fourth quarter and full year 2024. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP net income per diluted share guidance to the GAAP net income per diluted share guidance is not available without unreasonable effort.

Investor Conference Call

Qualys will host a conference call and live webcast to discuss its third quarter financial results at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time) on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. To access the conference call by phone, please register here. A live webcast of the earnings conference call, investor presentation and prepared remarks can be accessed at https://investor.qualys.com/events-presentations. A replay of the conference call will be available through the same webcast link following the end of the call.

Investor Contact

Blair King
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Development
(650) 538-2088
ir@qualys.com

About Qualys

Qualys, Inc. (NASDAQ: QLYS) is a leading provider of disruptive cloud-based Security, Compliance and IT solutions with more than 10,000 subscription customers worldwide, including a majority of the Forbes Global 100 and Fortune 100. Qualys helps organizations streamline and consolidate their security and compliance solutions onto a single platform for greater agility, better business outcomes, and substantial cost savings.

The Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Platform leverages a single agent to continuously deliver critical security intelligence while enabling enterprises to automate the full spectrum of vulnerability detection, compliance, and protection for IT systems, workloads and web applications across on premises, endpoints, servers, public and private clouds, containers, and mobile devices. Founded in 1999 as one of the first SaaS security companies, Qualys has strategic partnerships and seamlessly integrates its vulnerability management capabilities into security offerings from cloud service providers, including Amazon Web Services, the Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure, along with a number of leading managed service providers and global consulting organizations. For more information, please visit www.qualys.com.

Qualys, Qualys VMDR® and the Qualys logo are proprietary trademarks of Qualys, Inc. All other products or names may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, quotations of management and statements related to: the benefits of our existing, new and upcoming products, features, integrations, acquisitions, collaborations and joint solutions, and their impact upon our long-term growth; our ability to advance our value proposition and competitive differentiation in the market; our ability to address demand trends; our ability to maintain and strengthen our category leadership; our ability to solve modern security challenges at scale; our strategies and ability to achieve and maintain durable profitable growth; our guidance for revenues, GAAP EPS and non-GAAP EPS for the fourth quarter and full year 2024; and our expectations for the number of weighted average diluted shares outstanding and the GAAP and non-GAAP effective income tax rate for the fourth quarter and full year 2024. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks include our ability to continue to develop platform capabilities and solutions; the ability of our platform and solutions to perform as intended; customer acceptance and purchase of our existing solutions and new solutions; real or perceived defects, errors or vulnerabilities in our products or services; our ability to retain existing customers and generate new customers; the budgeting cycles and seasonal buying patterns of our customers; general market, political, economic and business conditions in the United States as well as globally; our ability to manage costs as we increase our customer base and the number of our platform solutions; the market for cloud solutions for IT security and compliance not increasing at the rate we expect; competition from other products and services; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; unexpected fluctuations in our effective income tax rate on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis; our ability to effectively manage our rapid growth and our ability to anticipate future market needs and opportunities; and any unanticipated accounting charges. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Qualys as of the date hereof, and Qualys disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with GAAP, Qualys provides investors with certain non-GAAP financial measures, including non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income per diluted share, Adjusted EBITDA (defined as earnings before interest expense, interest income and other income (expense), net, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, and stock-based compensation) and non-GAAP free cash flows (defined as cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment, net of proceeds from disposal).

In computing non-GAAP financial measures, Qualys excludes the effects of stock-based compensation expense, amortization of intangible assets from acquisitions, non-recurring items and for non-GAAP net income, certain tax effects. Qualys believes that these non-GAAP financial measures help illustrate underlying trends in its business that could otherwise be masked by the effect of the income or expenses that are excluded in non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income per diluted share, Adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP free cash flows.

Furthermore, Qualys uses some of these non-GAAP financial measures to establish budgets and operational goals for managing its business and evaluating its performance. Qualys believes that non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income per diluted share, Adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP free cash flows provide additional tools for investors to use in comparing its recurring core business operating results over multiple periods with other companies in its industry.

Although Qualys does not focus on or use quarterly billings in managing or monitoring the performance of its business, Qualys provides calculated current billings (defined as total revenues recognized in a period plus the sequential change in current deferred revenue in the corresponding period) for the convenience of investors and analysts in building their own financial models.

In order to provide a more complete picture of recurring core operating business results, the Company’s non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per diluted share include adjustments for non-recurring income tax items and certain tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments to achieve the effective income tax rate on a non-GAAP basis. The Company’s non-GAAP effective tax rate may differ from the GAAP effective income tax rate as a result of these income tax adjustments. The Company believes its estimated non-GAAP effective income tax rate of 21% in 2024 is a reasonable estimate under its current global operating structure and core business operations. The Company may adjust this rate during the year to take into account events or trends that it believes materially impact the estimated annual rate. The non-GAAP effective income tax rate could be subject to change for a number of reasons, including but not limited to, significant changes resulting from tax legislation, material changes in geographic mix of revenues and expenses and other significant events.

The presentation of this non-GAAP financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures discussed in this press release to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures is included with the financial statements contained in this press release. Management uses both GAAP and non-GAAP information in evaluating and operating its business internally and as such has determined that it is important to provide this information to investors.

 

Qualys, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended
September 30,

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

Revenues

$         153,867

$         141,996

$         448,380

$         409,888

Cost of revenues (1)

28,832

26,739

82,445

80,355

Gross profit

125,035

115,257

365,935

329,533

Operating expenses:

Research and development (1)

28,901

27,782

83,550

83,001

Sales and marketing (1)

32,686

27,881

94,240

79,750

General and administrative (1)

18,494

15,999

50,362

45,182

Total operating expenses

80,081

71,662

228,152

207,933

Income from operations

44,954

43,595

137,783

121,600

Other income (expense), net:

Interest income

6,764

5,136

19,590

11,342

Other income (expense), net

605

(708)

(1,381)

(1,883)

Total other income, net

7,369

4,428

18,209

9,459

Income before income taxes

52,323

48,023

155,992

131,059

Income tax provision

6,111

1,508

26,277

20,057

Net income

$           46,212

$           46,515

$         129,715

$         111,002

Net income per share:

Basic

$                1.26

$                1.27

$                3.52

$                3.01

Diluted

$                1.24

$                1.24

$                3.46

$                2.96

Weighted average shares used in computing net income per share:

Basic

36,762

36,766

36,877

36,891

Diluted

37,136

37,448

37,441

37,516

(1) Includes stock-based compensation as follows:

Cost of revenues

$              2,081

$              1,946

$              5,967

$              5,255

Research and development

5,448

5,671

15,911

15,734

Sales and marketing

3,649

3,229

11,020

8,580

General and administrative

9,159

7,676

23,556

20,991

Total stock-based compensation, net of amounts capitalized

$           20,337

$           18,522

$           56,454

$           50,560

 

Qualys, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

September 30,
2024

December 31,
2023

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$         235,430

$         203,665

Restricted cash

—

1,500

Short-term marketable securities

150,913

221,893

Accounts receivable, net

114,967

146,226

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

35,307

26,714

Total current assets

536,617

599,998

Long-term marketable securities

186,680

56,644

Property and equipment, net

27,343

32,599

Operating leases – right of use asset

41,294

22,391

Deferred tax assets, net

77,730

62,761

Intangible assets, net

7,451

9,715

Goodwill

7,447

7,447

Noncurrent restricted cash

1,200

1,200

Other noncurrent assets

22,561

19,863

Total assets

$         908,323

$         812,618

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$              1,422

$                 988

Accrued liabilities

39,960

43,096

Deferred revenues, current

337,821

333,267

Operating lease liabilities, current

9,333

11,857

Total current liabilities

388,536

389,208

Deferred revenues, noncurrent

23,116

31,671

Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent

38,266

16,885

Other noncurrent liabilities

8,810

6,680

Total liabilities

458,728

444,444

Stockholders’ equity:

Common stock

37

37

Additional paid-in capital

642,435

597,921

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(293)

(1,704)

Accumulated deficit

(192,584)

(228,080)

Total stockholders’ equity

449,595

368,174

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$         908,323

$         812,618

 

Qualys, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

2024

2023

Cash flow from operating activities:

Net income

$         129,715

$         111,002

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization expense

14,410

21,140

Provision for credit losses

411

230

Loss on non-marketable securities

—

533

Stock-based compensation, net of amounts capitalized

56,454

50,560

Accretion of discount on marketable securities, net

(5,231)

(3,502)

Deferred income taxes

(15,374)

(11,561)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

30,848

18,137

Prepaid expenses and other assets

(9,900)

(4,804)

Accounts payable

391

(1,428)

Accrued liabilities and other noncurrent liabilities

(1,351)

8,211

Deferred revenues

(4,001)

22,248

Net cash provided by operating activities

196,372

210,766

Cash flow from investing activities:

Purchases of marketable securities

(305,952)

(252,438)

Sales and maturities of marketable securities

252,940

212,202

Purchases of property and equipment

(6,497)

(7,263)

Net cash used in investing activities

(59,509)

(47,499)

Cash flow from financing activities:

Repurchase of common stock

(97,188)

(147,725)

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

8,311

28,384

Payments for taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards

(23,093)

(14,998)

Proceeds from issuance of common stock through employee stock purchase plan

6,872

6,077

Payment of acquisition-related holdback

(1,500)

—

Net cash used in financing activities

(106,598)

(128,262)

Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

30,265

35,005

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period

206,365

176,419

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period

$         236,630

$         211,424

 

Qualys, Inc.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP DISCLOSURES

ADJUSTED EBITDA

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except percentages)

Three Months Ended
September 30,

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

Net income

$        46,212

$        46,515

$      129,715

$      111,002

Net income as a percentage of revenues

30 %

33 %

29 %

27 %

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

3,670

5,922

12,146

18,824

Amortization of intangible assets

721

772

2,264

2,316

Income tax provision

6,111

1,508

26,277

20,057

Stock-based compensation

20,337

18,522

56,454

50,560

Total other income, net

(7,369)

(4,428)

(18,209)

(9,459)

Adjusted EBITDA

$        69,682

$        68,811

$      208,647

$      193,300

Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues

45 %

48 %

47 %

47 %

 

Qualys, Inc.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP DISCLOSURES

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended
September 30,

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

GAAP Cost of revenues

$           28,832

$           26,739

$           82,445

$           80,355

Less: Stock-based compensation

(2,081)

(1,946)

(5,967)

(5,255)

Less: Amortization of intangible assets

(705)

(747)

(2,198)

(2,241)

Non-GAAP Cost of revenues

$           26,046

$           24,046

$           74,280

$           72,859

GAAP Gross profit

$         125,035

$         115,257

$         365,935

$         329,533

Plus: Stock-based compensation

2,081

1,946

5,967

5,255

Plus: Amortization of intangible assets

705

747

2,198

2,241

Non-GAAP Gross Profit

$         127,821

$         117,950

$         374,100

$         337,029

GAAP Research and development

$           28,901

$           27,782

$           83,550

$           83,001

Less: Stock-based compensation

(5,448)

(5,671)

(15,911)

(15,734)

Less: Amortization of intangible assets

(16)

(25)

(66)

(75)

Non-GAAP Research and development

$           23,437

$           22,086

$           67,573

$           67,192

GAAP Sales and marketing

$           32,686

$           27,881

$           94,240

$           79,750

Less: Stock-based compensation

(3,649)

(3,229)

(11,020)

(8,580)

Non-GAAP Sales and marketing

$           29,037

$           24,652

$           83,220

$           71,170

GAAP General and administrative

$           18,494

$           15,999

$           50,362

$           45,182

Less: Stock-based compensation

(9,159)

(7,676)

(23,556)

(20,991)

Non-GAAP General and administrative

$              9,335

$              8,323

$           26,806

$           24,191

GAAP Operating expenses

$           80,081

$           71,662

$         228,152

$         207,933

Less: Stock-based compensation

(18,256)

(16,576)

(50,487)

(45,305)

Less: Amortization of intangible assets

(16)

(25)

(66)

(75)

Non-GAAP Operating expenses

$           61,809

$           55,061

$         177,599

$         162,553

GAAP Income from operations

$           44,954

$           43,595

$         137,783

$         121,600

Plus: Stock-based compensation

20,337

18,522

56,454

50,560

Plus: Amortization of intangible assets

721

772

2,264

2,316

Non-GAAP Income from operations

$           66,012

$           62,889

$         196,501

$         174,476

GAAP Net income

$           46,212

$           46,515

$         129,715

$         111,002

Plus: Stock-based compensation

20,337

18,522

56,454

50,560

Plus: Amortization of intangible assets

721

772

2,264

2,316

Less: Tax adjustment

(9,299)

(9,129)

(18,812)

(18,569)

Non-GAAP Net income

$           57,971

$           56,680

$         169,621

$         145,309

GAAP Net income per share:

Basic

$                1.26

$                1.27

$                3.52

$                3.01

Diluted

$                1.24

$                1.24

$                3.46

$                2.96

Non-GAAP Net income per share:

Basic

$                1.58

$                1.54

$                4.60

$                3.94

Diluted

$                1.56

$                1.51

$                4.53

$                3.87

Weighted average shares used in GAAP and non-GAAP net income per share:

Basic

36,762

36,766

36,877

36,891

Diluted

37,136

37,448

37,441

37,516

 

Qualys, Inc.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP DISCLOSURES

FREE CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

2024

2023

GAAP Cash flows provided by operating activities

$         196,372

$         210,766

Less:

Purchases of property and equipment, net of proceeds from disposal

(6,497)

(7,263)

Non-GAAP Free cash flows

$         189,875

$         203,503

 

Qualys, Inc.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP DISCLOSURES

CALCULATED CURRENT BILLINGS

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except percentages)

Three Months Ended
September 30,

2024

2023

GAAP Revenue

$      153,867

$      141,996

GAAP Revenue growth compared to same quarter of prior year

8 %

13 %

Plus: Current deferred revenue at September 30

337,821

307,179

Less: Current deferred revenue at June 30

(324,334)

(302,446)

Non-GAAP Calculated current billings

$      167,354

$      146,729

Calculated current billings growth compared to same quarter of prior year

14 %

14 %

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qualys-announces-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-302296710.html

SOURCE Qualys, Inc.

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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.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/come-back-to-firefox-mozilla-launches-its-most-ambitious-campaign-yet-to-bring-people-back-to-the-independent-alternative-to-big-tech-browsers-302918568.html

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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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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