Match Group Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Results

Company focused on execution of Investor Day plan including harnessing product innovations, especially with AI, to create more personalized, engaging, and authentic dating experiences

DALLAS, Feb. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2024.

"We had a strong finish to the year and are seeing solid peak season new user trends. We met our full-year 2024 AOI margin target through disciplined financial management. We're focused on executing the plan we laid out at Investor Day: driving innovation to spur user growth, generating strong free cash flow, and returning significant capital to shareholders. Our 2025 outlook remains unchanged since Investor Day on a FX neutral basis, though the strengthening U.S. dollar continues to put pressure on as reported results," said Steven Bailey, Incoming CFO.

Total Company Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Total Revenue of $3.5 billion grew 3% year-over-year ("Y/Y"), up 6% on a
        foreign exchange ("FX") neutral basis ("FXN"), driven by an 8% Y/Y
        increase in RPP to $19.12, partially offset by a 5% Y/Y decline in
        Payers to 14.9 million.
        --  Excluding Hakuna and other of our live streaming services, Total
            Revenue was up 5% Y/Y, up 7% Y/Y FXN.
    --  Operating Income of $823 million declined 10% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Income Margin of 24%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $1.3 billion was flat Y/Y, representing an
        Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 36%.
    --  Operating Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow were $933 million and $882
        million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2024. We deployed
        85% of our free cash flow during the year for share repurchases. The
        last Apple payment of 2024, which we had expected in December, was
        received in early January 2025.
    --  The Company repurchased $753 million of stock in the year representing
        22.2 million shares. As of February 4, 2025, $1.75 billion remained
        available for repurchase under the current repurchase programs.
    --  Diluted shares outstanding(1) were 260.0 million as of January 31, 2025,
        a decrease of 7%, since January 26, 2024.

Total Company Q4 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Total Revenue of $860 million declined 1% Y/Y, up 1% FXN, driven by a 4%
        Y/Y decline in Payers to 14.6 million, partially offset by a 3% Y/Y
        increase in RPP to $19.29.
        --  Excluding Hakuna and other of our live streaming services, Total
            Revenue was up 1% Y/Y, up 3% Y/Y FXN.
    --  Operating Income of $223 million declined 14% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Income Margin of 26%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $324 million declined 10% Y/Y, representing
        an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 38%.
    --  The Company repurchased $117 million of stock in the quarter, 3.1
        million shares, at an average price of $37.38 per share.

The following table summarizes total company consolidated financial results for the three months ended and the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.


                                                                                Three Months Ended December 31,                Years Ended December 31,



     
              (Dollars in millions, except RPP, Payers in thousands)   2024   2023                        Y/Y Change   2024    2023                  Y/Y Change



     Total Revenue                                                       $860   $866                             (1) % $3,479  $3,365                         3 %



     Direct Revenue                                                      $845   $851                             (1) % $3,418  $3,308                         3 %



     Operating Income                                                    $223   $260                            (14) %   $823    $917                      (10) %



     Operating Income Margin                                             26 %  30 %                                    24 %   27 %



     Adjusted Operating Income                                           $324   $362                            (10) % $1,252  $1,259                         - %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin                                    38 %  42 %                                    36 %   37 %



     Payers                                                            14,607 15,186                             (4) % 14,898  15,602                       (5) %



     RPP                                                               $19.29 $18.67                               3 % $19.12  $17.67                         8 %

A webcast of our fourth quarter 2024 results will be available at https://ir.mtch.com, along with our Executive Commentary and Supplemental Financial Materials. The webcast will begin on February 5, 2025 at 8:30 AM (ET). This press release, including the reconciliations of certain non-GAAP measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures, is also available on that site.

Business Unit Performance

Tinder Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Direct Revenue of $1.9 billion grew 1% Y/Y, up 4% FXN, driven by an 8%
        Y/Y increase in RPP to $16.68, largely offset by a 7% Y/Y decline in
        Payers to 9.7 million.
    --  Operating Income of $889 million declined 7% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Income Margin of 45%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $1.0 billion declined 3% Y/Y, representing
        an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 51%.

Tinder Q4 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Direct Revenue of $476 million declined 3% Y/Y, down 1% FXN, driven by a
        5% decline in Payers to 9.5 million, partially offset by a 1% Y/Y
        increase in RPP to $16.72.
    --  Operating Income of $226 million declined 5% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Income Margin of 46%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $259 million declined 2% Y/Y, representing
        an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 53%.

Tinder Operational Highlights

    --  Solid Peak Season New User Trends: Dating peak season new user trends
        have been solid in both the U.S. and international markets.
    --  Fostering a Clean Ecosystem: Tinder plans to continue its efforts to
        improve its ecosystem, including expansion of its face photo requirement
        and the use of biometrics to validate users. Early tests have shown a
        reduction in interactions with bad actors, as well as improvements in
        users' perception of authenticity.
    --  Improving User Outcomes: In Q1 2025, Tinder intends to test AI-curated
        recommendations to deliver more personalized and engaging matches and
        broaden the availability of the new Friends in Common feature.
    --  Bringing the Fun Back to Dating: In Q2 2025, Tinder plans to begin
        testing its double-dating feature for users to match with other pairs of
        friends, which we expect to appeal especially to women and Gen Z seeking
        safer, lower-pressure ways to date. Tinder also intends to test an
        AI-enabled discovery experience, which we expect to enhance the matching
        experience for Tinder users.

The following table summarizes Tinder's financial results for the three months ended and the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.


                                                                                      Three Months Ended December 31,                    Years Ended December 31,



     
                (Dollars in millions, except RPP, Payers in thousands)   2024   2023                            Y/Y Change   2024    2023                      Y/Y Change



     Total Revenue                                                         $488   $506                                 (3) % $1,991  $1,964                             1 %



     Direct Revenue                                                        $476   $493                                 (3) % $1,941  $1,918                             1 %



     Operating Income                                                      $226   $238                                 (5) %   $889    $956                           (7) %



     Operating Income Margin                                               46 %  47 %                                        45 %   49 %



     Adjusted Operating Income                                             $259   $265                                 (2) % $1,017  $1,049                           (3) %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin                                      53 %  52 %                                        51 %   53 %



     Payers                                                               9,491  9,968                                 (5) %  9,696  10,375                           (7) %



     RPP                                                                 $16.72 $16.49                                   1 % $16.68  $15.40                             8 %

Hinge Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Direct Revenue of $550 million grew 39% Y/Y, driven by a 23% Y/Y
        increase in Payers to 1.5 million and a 13% Y/Y increase in RPP to
        $29.94.
    --  Operating Income of $121 million increased 64% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Income Margin of 22%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $166 million, increased 55% Y/Y,
        representing an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 30%.

Hinge Q4 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Direct Revenue of $148 million grew 27% Y/Y, driven by a 19% Y/Y
        increase in Payers to 1.6 million and a 7% Y/Y increase in RPP to
        $30.42.
    --  Operating Income of $31 million increased 14% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Income Margin of 21%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $44 million increased 10% Y/Y, representing
        an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 30%.

Hinge Operational Highlights

    --  New Campaign Helping Drive U.S. New User Outperformance: Hinge's new
        U.S. marketing campaign, "It's Funny We Met on Hinge," has helped drive
        strong peak season new user trends since its introduction, with
        particular strength among women.
    --  Upcoming Global Rollout of New Algorithm: Hinge's revamped
        recommendation algorithm aims to improve match quality by leveraging
        nuanced user data. Initial tests showed double-digit improvements in new
        matches per user. A global launch is planned for March 2025.
    --  AI-Powered User Coaching: Prompt Feedback, which launched in January
        2025, has improved user profiles and prompt quality. This feature, as
        well as Photo Finder, are expected to be included in the onboarding
        process in H1.
    --  Additional International Expansion: Hinge plans to expand into Mexico
        and Brazil in the second half of 2025.

The following table summarizes Hinge's financial results for the three months ended and the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.


                                                                                      Three Months Ended December 31,                    Years Ended December 31,



     
                (Dollars in millions, except RPP, Payers in thousands)   2024   2023                            Y/Y Change   2024    2023                      Y/Y Change



     Total Revenue                                                         $148   $116                                  27 %   $550    $396                            39 %



     Direct Revenue                                                        $148   $116                                  27 %   $550    $396                            39 %



     Operating Income                                                       $31    $27                                  14 %   $121     $74                            64 %



     Operating Income Margin                                               21 %  23 %                                        22 %   19 %



     Adjusted Operating Income                                              $44    $40                                  10 %   $166    $108                            55 %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin                                      30 %  34 %                                        30 %   27 %



     Payers                                                               1,619  1,362                                  19 %  1,532   1,242                            23 %



     RPP                                                                 $30.42 $28.42                                   7 % $29.94  $26.61                            13 %

Evergreen & Emerging ("E&E") Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Direct Revenue of $643 million declined 7% Y/Y driven by a 13% Y/Y
        decline in Payers to 2.7 million, partially offset by a 7% Y/Y increase
        in RPP to $20.10.
        --  Excluding live streaming services, which we shut down in mid-2024,
            Direct Revenue was down 3% Y/Y, down 3% Y/Y FXN.
    --  Operating Income of $66 million decreased 20% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Income Margin of 10%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $170 million increased 4% Y/Y, representing
        an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 26%.

E&E Q4 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Direct Revenue of $155 million, declined 8% Y/Y, driven by a 14% Y/Y
        decrease in Payers to 2.5 million, partially offset by a 7% Y/Y increase
        in RPP to $20.80.
        --  Excluding live streaming services, Direct Revenue was down 3% Y/Y,
            down 3% Y/Y FXN.
    --  Operating Income of $26 million increased 107% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Income Margin of 16%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $48 million increased 29% Y/Y, representing
        an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 31%.

E&E Operational Highlights

    --  Platform Consolidation and Efficiencies: Salams, Plenty of Fish, and
        Meetic are on track to migrate to the shared tech platform by 2025
        year-end, which is expected to continue unlocking efficiencies and
        operational benefits across E&E brands.
    --  Growth Inflection Point: Emerging brands' revenue growth is expected to
        increasingly offset Evergreen brands' revenue declines throughout 2025.
    --  Driving Engagement and Innovation: Social mode, first introduced on
        Yuzu, is now being tested on Chispa and BLK. The feature is showing
        higher engagement among women and offering us new insights into social
        features in dating apps.

The following table summarizes Evergreen and Emerging's financial results for the three months ended and the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.


                                                                                      Three Months Ended December 31,                    Years Ended December 31,



     
                (Dollars in millions, except RPP, Payers in thousands)   2024   2023                            Y/Y Change   2024    2023                      Y/Y Change



     Total Revenue                                                         $158   $171                                 (7) %   $654    $701                           (7) %



     Direct Revenue                                                        $155   $168                                 (8) %   $643    $691                           (7) %



     Operating Income                                                       $26    $13                                 107 %    $66     $82                          (20) %



     Operating Income Margin                                               16 %   7 %                                        10 %   12 %



     Adjusted Operating Income                                              $48    $37                                  29 %   $170    $164                             4 %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin                                      31 %  22 %                                        26 %   23 %



     Payers                                                               2,485  2,887                                (14) %  2,666   3,066                          (13) %



     RPP                                                                 $20.80 $19.38                                   7 % $20.10  $18.79                             7 %

Match Group Asia ("MG Asia") Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Direct Revenue of $284 million declined 6% Y/Y, up 2% Y/Y FXN, driven by
        a 14% Y/Y decline in RPP to $23.56, partially offset by a 9% Y/Y
        increase in Payers to 1.0 million.
        --  Excluding Hakuna, which we shut down in mid-2024, Direct Revenue was
            down 3% Y/Y, up 6% Y/Y FXN.
    --  Operating Loss of $32 million increased 273% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Loss Margin of 11%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $61 million declined 2% Y/Y, representing
        an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 21%.

MG Asia Q4 2024 Financial Highlights

    --  Direct Revenue of $67 million declined 9% Y/Y, down 5% Y/Y FXN, driven
        by a 13% Y/Y decline in RPP to $21.95, partially offset by a 4% Y/Y
        increase in Payers to 1.0 million.
        --  Excluding Hakuna, Direct Revenue was down 1% Y/Y, up 4% Y/Y FXN.
    --  Operating Loss of $0.4 million declined 94% Y/Y, representing an
        Operating Loss Margin of 1%.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $16 million increased 24% Y/Y, representing
        an Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 24%.

MG Asia Operational Highlights

    --  Azar Market Expansion: Azar's 2025 strategy focuses on expanding in
        European markets and the U.S., given that its 1:1 video chat experience
        is particularly resonating with Gen Z users looking for a fun, lower
        pressure way to connect.
    --  Pairs' Growth Strategy: Pairs is focused on driving growth through
        product-focused marketing, boosting Payers and RPP through monetization
        initiatives, and expanding the app in Asia, with a planned Korea launch
        in Q1 2025.

The following table summarizes MG Asia's financial results for the three months ended and the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.


                                                                                     Three Months Ended December 31,                         Years Ended December 31,



     
                (Dollars in millions, except RPP, Payers in thousands)       2024      2023                       Y/Y Change     2024     2023                     Y/Y Change



     Total Revenue                                                              $67       $74                           (10) %     $285     $303                          (6) %



     Direct Revenue                                                             $67       $74                            (9) %     $284     $303                          (6) %



     Operating Loss                                                      
     $      -     $(7)                          (94) %    $(32)    $(9)                         273 %



     Operating Loss Margin                                                    (1) %    (9) %                                   (11) %   (3) %



     Adjusted Operating Income                                                  $16       $13                             24 %      $61      $62                          (2) %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin                                          24 %     17 %                                     21 %    20 %



     Payers                                                                   1,012       969                              4 %    1,004      919                            9 %



     RPP                                                                     $21.95    $25.32                           (13) %   $23.56   $27.50                         (14) %

Dividend Declaration

Match Group's Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.19 per share of the company's common stock. The dividend is payable on April 17, 2025 to stockholders of record as of April 3, 2025.

Financial Outlook

For Q1 2025 and Full year 2025, Match Group expects:

Q1 2025

    --  Total Revenue of $820 to $830 million, down 3% to 5% Y/Y.
        --  On an FXN basis and excluding Hakuna and other of our live streaming
            services, Total Revenue to be flat to up 1% Y/Y.
        --  FX to be a three-point Y/Y headwind and the exit of Hakuna and other
            of our live streaming services to be just under a two-point Y/Y
            headwind. The extra day in Q1'24 because of leap year is an
            additional one-point Y/Y headwind.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $260 to $265 million, down 5% to 7% Y/Y.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income Margin of 32% at the mid-point of the ranges.

Full Year 2025

    --  Total Revenue of $3,375 to $3,500 million, down 3% to up 1% Y/Y.
        --  On an FXN basis and excluding Hakuna and other of our live streaming
            services, Total Revenue to be flat to up 4% Y/Y.
        --  FX to be a slightly more than two-point Y/Y headwind and the exit of
            Hakuna and other of our live streaming services to be an additional
            one-point Y/Y headwind.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income of $1,232 to $1,278 million, or roughly flat
        AOI Y/Y at the midpoint of the range.
    --  Adjusted Operating Income Margin of at least 36.5%.
    --  Stock-based compensation expense of $305 to $315 million.
    --  Capital expenditures of $45 to $55 million.
    --  FCF of $1,000 million to $1,030 million, representing ~81% FCF
        conversion of AOI at the mid-point of the ranges.
    --  Effective income tax rate in the low-20%s.
    --  Use of at least 75% of FCF for share repurchases and to target returning
        at least 100% of FCF to shareholders through dividends and share
        repurchases.
    --  Reduction of diluted shares outstanding by 5% to 7% over the course of
        2025.

Financial Results

Consolidated Operating Costs and Expenses


                                                                  
          
       Three Months Ended December 31,



     
                (Dollars in thousands)            2024           % of       2023                          % of Y/Y Change
                                                          Revenue                                   Revenue



     Cost of revenue                            $236,414           27 %   $208,112                          24 %       14 %



     Selling and marketing expense               145,515           17 %    158,898                          18 %      (8) %



     General and administrative expense          114,371           13 %    108,205                          12 %        6 %



     Product development expense                 109,138           13 %     97,571                          11 %       12 %



     Depreciation                                 20,584            2 %     19,380                           2 %        6 %



     Impairment and amortization of intangibles   10,766            1 %     13,810                           2 %     (22) %



     Total operating costs and expenses         $636,788           74 %   $605,976                          70 %        5 %

Liquidity and Capital Resources

During the year ended December 31, 2024, we generated operating cash flow of $933 million and Free Cash Flow of $882 million.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2024, we repurchased 3.1 million shares of our common stock for $117 million on a trade date basis at an average price of $37.38. For the full year 2024, we repurchased 22.2 million shares of our common stock for $753 million at an average price of $33.86.

On December 10, 2024, our board of directors authorized a new repurchase program of up to $1.5 billion in aggregate value of shares of Match Group common stock which will take effect when the $247 million available under the previous share repurchase program authorization is exhausted. In total, we have $1.75 billion in aggregate value of shares of Match Group stock available under our share repurchase programs as of February 4, 2025.

As of December 31, 2024, we had $971 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments and $3.9 billion of long-term debt, $3.5 billion of which is fixed rate debt, including $1.2 billion of Exchangeable Senior Notes. Our $500 million revolving credit facility was undrawn as of December 31, 2024. Match Group's trailing twelve-month leverage[2] as of December 31, 2024 was 3.1x on a gross basis and 2.3x on a net basis.

On January 21, 2025, we paid a dividend of $0.19 per share to holders of record on January 6, 2025. The total cash payout was $48 million.

On January 21, 2025, we repaid the outstanding $425 million balance on our Term Loan with cash on hand.

GAAP Financial Statements

Consolidated Statement of Operations


                                                                                         Three Months Ended December 31,                  Years Ended December 31,


                                                                                   2024        2023               2024               2023


                                                                             
             
         (In thousands, except per share data)



     Revenue                                                                  $860,176    $866,228         $3,479,373         $3,364,504



     Operating costs and expenses:



     Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)        236,414     208,112            991,273            954,014



     Selling and marketing expense                                             145,515     158,898            622,100            586,262



     General and administrative expense                                        114,371     108,205            438,839            413,609



     Product development expense                                               109,138      97,571            442,175            384,185



     Depreciation                                                               20,584      19,380             87,499             61,807



     Impairments and amortization of intangibles                                10,766      13,810             74,175             47,731



     Total operating costs and expenses                                        636,788     605,976          2,656,061          2,447,608



     Operating income                                                          223,388     260,252            823,312            916,896



     Interest expense                                                         (39,560)   (40,414)         (160,071)         (159,887)



     Other income, net                                                          13,716       5,043             40,815             19,772



     Earnings before income taxes                                              197,544     224,881            704,056            776,781



     Income tax (provision) benefit                                           (39,266)      4,799          (152,743)         (125,309)



     
                Net earnings                                                 158,278     229,680            551,313            651,472



     Net loss (earnings) attributable to noncontrolling interests                   18        (22)              (37)                67



     Net earnings attributable to Match Group, Inc. shareholders              $158,296    $229,658           $551,276           $651,539





     Net earnings per share attributable to Match Group, Inc. shareholders:



     Basic                                                                       $0.63       $0.85              $2.12              $2.36



     Diluted                                                                     $0.59       $0.81              $2.02              $2.26





     Basic shares outstanding                                                  251,715     270,576            260,299            275,773



     Diluted shares outstanding                                                272,549     288,205            279,063            293,284





     
                Stock-based compensation expense by function:



     Cost of revenue                                                            $1,748      $1,423             $7,015             $5,934



     Selling and marketing expense                                               3,225       2,885             12,620              9,730



     General and administrative expense                                         27,686      29,443            103,554             98,510



     Product development expense                                                36,547      34,403            144,192            117,925



     Total stock-based compensation expense                                    $69,206     $68,154           $267,381           $232,099

Consolidated Balance Sheet


                                                                                   December 31, 2024                December 31, 2023


                                                                                  
              
           (In thousands)


                                    
              
                ASSETS



     Cash and cash equivalents                                                             $965,993                          $862,440



     Short-term investments                                                                   4,734                             6,200



     Accounts receivable, net                                                               324,963                           298,648



     Other current assets                                                                   102,072                           104,023



     Total current assets                                                                 1,397,762                         1,271,311





     Property and equipment, net                                                            158,189                           194,525



     Goodwill                                                                             2,310,730                         2,342,612



     Intangible assets, net                                                                 215,448                           305,746



     Deferred income taxes                                                                  262,557                           259,803



     Other non-current assets                                                               121,085                           133,889



     
                TOTAL ASSETS                                                           $4,465,771                        $4,507,886




                     
              
                LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY



     
                LIABILITIES



     Accounts payable                                                                       $18,262                           $13,187



     Deferred revenue                                                                       166,142                           211,282



     Accrued expenses and other current liabilities                                         365,057                           307,299



     Total current liabilities                                                              549,461                           531,768





     Long-term debt, net                                                                  3,848,983                         3,842,242



     Income taxes payable                                                                    33,332                            24,860



     Deferred income taxes                                                                   11,770                            26,302



     Other long-term liabilities                                                             85,882                           101,787





     Commitments and contingencies





     
                SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY



     Common stock                                                                               294                               290



     Additional paid-in capital                                                           8,756,482                         8,529,200



     Retained deficit                                                                   (6,579,753)                      (7,131,029)



     Accumulated other comprehensive loss                                                 (449,611)                        (385,471)



     Treasury stock                                                                     (1,791,071)                      (1,032,538)



     Total Match Group, Inc. shareholders' equity                                          (63,659)                         (19,548)



     Noncontrolling interests                                                                     2                               475



     Total shareholders' equity                                                            (63,657)                         (19,073)



     
                TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY                             $4,465,771                        $4,507,886

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows


                                                                                                    Years Ended December 31,


                                                                                               2024            2023


                                                                                                    (In thousands)



     
                Cash flows from operating activities:



     
                Net earnings                                                            $551,313        $651,472



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



     Stock-based compensation expense                                                      267,381         232,099



     Depreciation                                                                           87,499          61,807



     Impairments and amortization of intangibles                                            74,175          47,731



     Deferred income taxes                                                                (14,952)         26,612



     Other adjustments, net                                                                  2,019           9,932



     Changes in assets and liabilities



     Accounts receivable                                                                  (29,788)      (107,412)



     Other assets                                                                           25,337          25,055



     Accounts payable and other liabilities                                                (9,395)        (5,961)



     Income taxes payable and receivable                                                    22,213         (3,337)



     Deferred revenue                                                                     (43,083)       (41,207)



     
                Net cash provided by operating activities                                932,719         896,791



     
                Cash flows from investing activities:



     Capital expenditures                                                                 (50,578)       (67,412)



     Other, net                                                                            (7,960)        (9,169)



     
                Net cash used in investing activities                                   (58,538)       (76,581)



     
                Cash flows from financing activities:



     Proceeds from issuance of common stock pursuant to stock-based awards                  13,584          19,916



     Withholding taxes paid on behalf of employees on net settled stock-based awards      (11,441)        (5,933)



     Purchase of treasury stock                                                          (752,674)      (546,198)



     Purchase of noncontrolling interests                                                  (1,291)        (1,872)



     Other, net                                                                            (6,482)             19



     
                Net cash used in financing activities                                  (758,304)      (534,068)



     
                Total cash provided                                                      115,877         286,142



     Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash       (12,324)          3,782



     
                Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash              103,553         289,924



     Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period                    862,440         572,516



     
                Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period            $965,993        $862,440

Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures

Reconciliation of Operating Income (Loss) to Adjusted Operating Income


                                                                      
             
       Three Months Ended December 31, 2024


                                                      Tinder   Hinge      E&E                 MG Asia                           Corporate &            Eliminations     Total Match
                                                                                                                                                                            Group
                                                                                                                     unallocated
                                                                                                                        costs


                                                                             
        
            (Dollars in thousands)



     
                Operating Income (Loss)          $226,346  $30,556   $26,021                   $(418)                             $(59,117)  
      $                 -        $223,388



     Stock-based compensation expense                23,584   12,695    12,944                    5,135                                 14,848                                   69,206



     Depreciation                                     9,235      621     5,822                    3,877                                  1,029                                   20,584



     Amortization of intangibles                                       3,471                    7,295                                                                         10,766



     
                Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) $259,165  $43,872   $48,258                  $15,889                              $(43,240)  
      $                 -        $323,944





     Revenue                                       $488,341 $147,688  $158,094                  $66,754        
              $                  -                  $(701)        $860,176



     Operating Income (Loss) Margin                    46 %    21 %     16 %                   (1) %                         
              NA           
              NA            26 %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin                  53 %    30 %     31 %                    24 %                         
              NA           
              NA            38 %


                                                               
             
       Three Months Ended December 31, 2023


                                               Tinder   Hinge      E&E                 MG Asia                           Corporate &              Eliminations     Total Match
                                                                                                                                                                       Group
                                                                                                              unallocated
                                                                                                                 costs


                                                                      
        
            (Dollars in thousands)



     
                Operating Income (Loss)   $238,476  $26,855   $12,599                 $(6,539)                             $(11,139)  
       $                 -         $260,252



     Stock-based compensation expense         17,865   12,440    14,055                    7,280                                 16,514                                     68,154



     Depreciation                              8,750      521     5,238                    3,763                                  1,108                                     19,380



     Amortization of intangibles                                5,457                    8,353                                                                           13,810



     
                Adjusted Operating Income $265,091  $39,816   $37,349                  $12,857                                 $6,483   
       $                 -         $361,596





     Revenue                                $505,721 $116,136  $170,567                  $73,804        
              $                  -  
       $                 -         $866,228



     Operating Income (Loss) Margin             47 %    23 %      7 %                   (9) %                         
              NA             
              NA            30 %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin           52 %    34 %     22 %                    17 %                         
              NA             
              NA            42 %

Reconciliation of Operating Income (Loss) to Adjusted Operating Income (Continued)


                                                                           
         
       Year Ended December 31, 2024


                                                        Tinder   Hinge     E&E             MG Asia                           Corporate &            Eliminations     Total Match
                                                                                                                                                                         Group
                                                                                                                  unallocated
                                                                                                                     costs


                                                                              
        
        (Dollars in thousands)



     
                Operating Income (Loss)            $889,222 $121,482  $66,088            $(32,345)                            $(221,135)  
      $                 -        $823,312



     Stock-based compensation expense                  90,141   42,673   54,922               25,818                                 53,827                                  267,381



     Depreciation                                      37,660    2,323   21,732               20,834                                  4,950                                   87,499



     Impairments and amortization of intangibles                       27,676               46,499                                                                         74,175



     
                Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) $1,017,023 $166,478 $170,418              $60,806                             $(162,358)  
      $                 -      $1,252,367





     Revenue                                       $1,991,137 $550,435 $654,168             $284,522        
              $                  -                  $(889)      $3,479,373



     Operating Income (Loss) Margin                      45 %    22 %    10 %              (11) %                         
              NA           
              NA            24 %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin                    51 %    30 %    26 %                21 %                         
              NA           
              NA            36 %


                                                                           
         
       Year Ended December 31, 2023


                                                        Tinder   Hinge     E&E             MG Asia                           Corporate &            Eliminations    Total Match
                                                                                                                                                                        Group
                                                                                                                  unallocated
                                                                                                                     costs


                                                                              
        
        (Dollars in thousands)



     
                Operating Income (Loss)            $955,519  $74,261  $82,460             $(8,675)                            $(186,669)  
      $                -        $916,896



     Stock-based compensation expense                  68,644   31,459   50,268               23,399                                 58,329                                 232,099



     Depreciation                                      25,197    1,926   18,732               11,671                                  4,281                                  61,807



     Impairments and amortization of intangibles                       12,336               35,395                                                                        47,731



     
                Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) $1,049,360 $107,646 $163,796              $61,790                             $(124,059)  
      $                -      $1,258,533





     Revenue                                       $1,963,610 $396,485 $700,925             $303,484        
              $                  -  
      $                -      $3,364,504



     Operating Income (Loss) Margin                      49 %    19 %    12 %               (3) %                         
              NA           
              NA           27 %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin                    53 %    27 %    23 %                20 %                         
              NA           
              NA           37 %

Reconciliation of Operating Income to Adjusted Operating Income used in Leverage Ratios


                                                  Twelve months ended


                                                           12/31/2024




                                                     (In thousands)



     
                Operating Income                           823,312



     Stock-based compensation expense                        267,381



     Depreciation                                             87,499



     Impairments and amortization of intangibles              74,175



     
                Adjusted Operating Income               $1,252,367

Reconciliation of Operating Cash Flow to Free Cash Flow


                                                         Years Ended December 31,


                                                    2024      2023




                                                         (In thousands)



     Net cash provided by operating activities $932,719  $896,791



     Capital expenditures                      (50,578) (67,412)



     
                Free Cash Flow               $882,141  $829,379

Reconciliation of Forecasted Operating Income to Forecasted Adjusted Operating Income


                                                                             Three Months Ended                          Year Ended
                                                                          March 31, 2025                        December 31, 2025


                                                                           
              
             (In millions)



     
                Operating Income                                     
              $155 to $160               
            $802 to $828



     Stock-based compensation expense                                                       70                           305 to 315



     Depreciation and impairments and amortization of intangibles                           35                           125 to 135



     
                Adjusted Operating Income                            
              $260 to $265            
           $1,232 to $1,278





     Revenue                                                           
              $820 to $830            
           $3,375 to $3,500



     Operating Income Margin (at the mid-point of the ranges)                             19 %                                24 %



     Adjusted Operating Income Margin (at the mid-point of the ranges)                    32 %                              36.5 %

Reconciliation of Forecasted Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Forecasted Free Cash Flow


                                                           Year Ended
                                                  December 31, 2025


                                                         (In millions)



     Net cash provided by operating activities 
         $1,055 to $1,075



     Capital expenditures                            
              45-55



     
                Free Cash Flow               
         $1,000 to $1,030

Reconciliation of GAAP Revenue to Non-GAAP Revenue, Excluding Foreign Exchange Effects


                                                               Three Months Ended December 31,                                                         Years Ended December 31,


                                                    2024 
     
     $ Change                          % Change          2023           2024    
              
         $ Change               % Change      2023


                                                                          
              
               (Dollars in millions, rounding differences may occur)



           Total Revenue, as reported            $860.2       $(6.1)                             (1) %        $866.2       $3,479.4                       $114.9                     3 %  $3,364.5



           Foreign exchange effects                14.8                                                                       73.8



           Total Revenue, excluding foreign      $875.0         $8.8                                1 %        $866.2       $3,553.1                       $188.6                     6 %  $3,364.5
      exchange effects





           Total Revenue, excluding Hakuna and   $860.1         $8.6                                1 %        $851.5       $3,453.2                       $154.8                     5 %  $3,298.5
      other of our live streaming services,
      as reported



           Foreign exchange effects                14.9                                                                       72.7



           Total Revenue, excluding Hakuna and   $874.9        $23.4                                3 %        $851.5       $3,525.9                       $227.5                     7 %  $3,298.5
      other of our live streaming services,
      excluding foreign exchange effects





           Direct Revenue, as reported           $845.4       $(5.4)                             (1) %        $850.8       $3,418.0                       $109.8                     3 %  $3,308.1



           Foreign exchange effects                14.5                                                                       72.8



           Direct Revenue, excluding foreign     $859.9         $9.1                                1 %        $850.8       $3,490.8                       $182.7                     6 %  $3,308.1
      exchange effects





           Tinder Direct Revenue, as reported    $476.0      $(17.2)                             (3) %        $493.2       $1,940.6                        $23.0                     1 %  $1,917.6



           Foreign exchange effects                11.0                                                                       45.6



           Tinder Direct Revenue, excluding      $487.0       $(6.3)                             (1) %        $493.2       $1,986.2                        $68.6                     4 %  $1,917.6
      foreign exchange effects





           Hinge Direct Revenue, as reported     $147.7        $31.6                               27 %        $116.1         $550.4                       $154.0                    39 %    $396.5



           Foreign exchange effects               (0.1)                                                                     (0.4)



           Hinge Direct Revenue, excluding       $147.6        $31.5                               27 %        $116.1         $550.1                       $153.6                    39 %    $396.5
      foreign exchange effects





           E&E Direct Revenue, as reported       $155.1      $(12.8)                             (8) %        $167.8         $643.0                      $(48.4)                  (7) %    $691.4



           Foreign exchange effects                 0.3                                                                        1.5



           E&E Direct Revenue, excluding         $155.4      $(12.4)                             (7) %        $167.8         $644.5                      $(47.0)                  (7) %    $691.4
      foreign exchange effects





           E&E, excluding live streaming, Direct $155.0       $(4.4)                             (3) %        $159.4         $633.2                      $(19.5)                  (3) %    $652.7
      Revenue, as reported



           Foreign exchange effects                 0.3                                                                        1.5



           E&E, excluding live streaming, Direct $155.3       $(4.1)                             (3) %        $159.4         $634.6                      $(18.1)                  (3) %    $652.7
      Revenue, excluding foreign
      exchange effects





           MG Asia Direct Revenue, as reported    $66.6       $(6.9)                             (9) %         $73.6         $283.9                      $(18.7)                  (6) %    $302.6



           Foreign exchange effects                 3.3                                                                       26.2



           MG Asia Direct Revenue, excluding      $69.9       $(3.6)                             (5) %         $73.6         $310.1                         $7.5                     2 %    $302.6
      foreign exchange effects





           MG Asia, excluding Hakuna, Direct      $66.6       $(0.7)                             (1) %         $67.3         $267.6                       $(7.7)                  (3) %    $275.3
      Revenue, as reported



           Foreign exchange effects                 3.3                                                                       25.1



           MG Asia, excluding Hakuna, Direct      $69.9         $2.6                                4 %         $67.3         $292.7                        $17.4                     6 %    $275.3
      Revenue, excluding foreign
      exchange effects

Dilutive Securities

Match Group has various tranches of dilutive securities. The table below details these securities and their potentially dilutive impact (shares in millions; rounding differences may occur).


                                                                                Average Exercise 1/31/2025
                                                                          Price



       Share Price                                                                                 $35.70



       Absolute Shares                                                                              251.6





       
                
                  Equity Awards

    ---


       Options                                                                           $17.98        0.6



       RSUs and subsidiary denominated equity awards                                                  7.9



       
                Total Dilution - Equity Awards                                                    8.5



       
                
                  Outstanding Warrants

    ---


       Warrants expiring on September 15, 2026 (6.6 million outstanding)                $133.98



       Warrants expiring on April 15, 2030 (6.9 million outstanding)                    $134.04



       
                Total Dilution - Outstanding Warrants





       
                Total Dilution                                                                    8.5



       % Dilution                                                                                   3.3 %



       
                Total Diluted Shares Outstanding                                                260.0

______________________

The dilutive securities presentation above is calculated using the methods and assumptions described below; these are different from GAAP dilution, which is calculated based on the treasury stock method.

Options -- The table above assumes the options are settled net of the option exercise price and employee withholding taxes, as is our practice effective January 2025, and the dilutive effect is presented as the net shares that would be issued upon exercise. Withholding taxes paid by the Company on behalf of the employees upon exercise is estimated to be $20.7 million, assuming the stock price in the table above and a 50% estimated employee withholding tax rate.

RSUs and subsidiary denominated equity awards -- The table above assumes RSUs are settled net of employee withholding taxes, as is our practice effective January 2025, and the dilutive effect is presented as the net number of shares that would be issued upon vesting. Withholding taxes paid by the Company on behalf of the employees upon vesting is estimated to be $281.8 million, assuming the stock price in the table above and a 50% withholding rate.

All performance-based and market-based awards reflect the expected shares that will vest based on current performance or market estimates. The table assumes no change in the fair value estimate of the subsidiary denominated equity awards from the values used for GAAP purposes at December 31, 2024.

Exchangeable Senior Notes -- The Company has two series of Exchangeable Senior Notes outstanding. In the event of an exchange, each series of Exchangeable Senior Notes can be settled in cash, shares, or a combination of cash and shares. At the time of each Exchangeable Senior Notes issuance, the Company purchased call options with a strike price equal to the exchange price of each series of Exchangeable Senior Notes ("Note Hedge"), which can be used to offset the dilution of each series of the Exchangeable Senior Notes. No dilution is reflected in the table above for any of the Exchangeable Senior Notes because it is the Company's intention to settle the Exchangeable Senior Notes with cash equal to the face amount of the notes; any shares issued would be offset by shares received upon exercise of the Note Hedge.

Warrants -- At the time of the issuance of each series of Exchangeable Senior Notes, the Company also sold warrants for the number of shares with the strike prices reflected in the table above. The cash generated from the exercise of the warrants is assumed to be used to repurchase Match Group shares and the resulting net dilution, if any, is reflected in the table above.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Match Group reports Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Operating Income Margin, Free Cash Flow, and Revenue Excluding Foreign Exchange Effects, all of which are supplemental measures to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). The Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Operating Income Margin, and Free Cash Flow measures are among the primary metrics by which we evaluate the performance of our business, on which our internal budget is based and by which management is compensated. Revenue Excluding Foreign Exchange Effects provides a comparable framework for assessing the performance of our business without the effect of exchange rate differences when compared to prior periods. We believe that investors should have access to the same set of tools that we use in analyzing our results. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP but should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results. Match Group endeavors to compensate for the limitations of the non-GAAP measures presented by providing the comparable GAAP measures and descriptions of the reconciling items, including quantifying such items, to derive the non-GAAP measures. We encourage investors to examine the reconciling adjustments between the GAAP and non-GAAP measures, which we describe below. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year.

Definitions of Non-GAAP Measures

Adjusted Operating Income is defined as operating income excluding: (1) stock-based compensation expense; (2) depreciation; and (3) acquisition-related items consisting of (i) amortization of intangible assets and impairments of goodwill and intangible assets, if applicable, and (ii) gains and losses recognized on changes in the fair value of contingent consideration arrangements, as applicable. We believe Adjusted Operating Income is useful to analysts and investors as this measure allows a more meaningful comparison between our performance and that of our competitors. The above items are excluded from our Adjusted Operating Income measure because they are non-cash in nature. Adjusted Operating Income has certain limitations because it excludes certain expenses.

Adjusted Operating Income Margin is defined as Adjusted Operating Income divided by revenues. We believe Adjusted Operating Income Margin is useful for analysts and investors as this measure allows a more meaningful comparison between our performance and that of our competitors. Adjusted Operating Income Margin has certain limitations in that it does not take into account the impact to our consolidated statement of operations of certain expenses.

Free Cash Flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, less capital expenditures. We believe Free Cash Flow is useful to investors because it represents the cash that our operating businesses generate, before taking into account non-operational cash movements. Free Cash Flow has certain limitations in that it does not represent the total increase or decrease in the cash balance for the period, nor does it represent the residual cash flow for discretionary expenditures. Therefore, we think it is important to evaluate Free Cash Flow along with our consolidated statement of cash flows.

We look at Free Cash Flow as a measure of the strength and performance of our businesses, not for valuation purposes. In our view, applying "multiples" to Free Cash Flow is inappropriate because it is subject to timing, seasonality and one-time events. We manage our business for cash, and we think it is of utmost importance to maximize cash - but our primary valuation metric is Adjusted Operating Income.

Revenue Excluding Foreign Exchange Effects is calculated by translating current period revenues using prior period exchange rates. The percentage change in Revenue Excluding Foreign Exchange Effects is calculated by determining the change in current period revenues over prior period revenues where current period revenues are translated using prior period exchange rates. We believe the impact of foreign exchange rates on Match Group, due to its global reach, may be an important factor in understanding period over period comparisons if movement in rates is significant. Since our results are reported in U.S. dollars, international revenues are favorably impacted as the U.S. dollar weakens relative to other currencies, and unfavorably impacted as the U.S. dollar strengthens relative to other currencies. We believe the presentation of revenue excluding foreign exchange effects in addition to reported revenue helps improve the ability to understand Match Group's performance because it excludes the impact of foreign currency volatility that is not indicative of Match Group's core operating results.

Non-Cash Expenses That Are Excluded From Our Non-GAAP Measures

Stock-based compensation expense consists principally of expense associated with the grants of RSUs, performance-based RSUs, and market-based awards. These expenses are not paid in cash, and we include the related shares in our fully diluted shares outstanding using the treasury stock method; however, performance-based RSUs and market-based awards are included only to the extent the applicable performance or market condition(s) have been met (assuming the end of the reporting period is the end of the contingency period). To the extent stock-based awards are settled on a net basis, we remit the required tax-withholding amounts from our current funds.

Depreciation is a non-cash expense relating to our property and equipment and is computed using the straight-line method to allocate the cost of depreciable assets to operations over their estimated useful lives, or, in the case of leasehold improvements, the lease term, if shorter.

Amortization of intangible assets and impairments of goodwill and intangible assets are non-cash expenses related primarily to acquisitions. At the time of an acquisition, the identifiable definite-lived intangible assets of the acquired company, such as customer lists, trade names and technology, are valued and amortized over their estimated lives. Value is also assigned to (i) acquired indefinite-lived intangible assets, which consist of trade names and trademarks, and (ii) goodwill, which are not subject to amortization. An impairment is recorded when the carrying value of an intangible asset or goodwill exceeds its fair value. We believe that intangible assets represent costs incurred by the acquired company to build value prior to acquisition and the related amortization and impairment charges of intangible assets or goodwill, if applicable, are not ongoing costs of doing business.

Additional Definitions

Tinder consists of the world-wide activity of the brand Tinder(®).

Hinge consists of the world-wide activity of the brand Hinge(®).

Evergreen & Emerging ("E&E") consists of the world-wide activity of our Evergreen brands including Match(®), Meetic(®), OkCupid(®), Plenty Of Fish(®), and a number of demographically focused brands and our Emerging brands including BLK(®), Chispa(TM), The League(®), Archer(®), Upward(®), Yuzu(TM), and other smaller brands.

Match Group Asia ("MG Asia") consists of the world-wide activity of the brands Pairs(®) and Azar(®).

Direct Revenue is revenue that is received directly from end users of our services and includes both subscription and à la carte revenue.

Indirect Revenue is revenue that is not received directly from end users of our services, substantially all of which is advertising revenue.

Payers are unique users at a brand level in a given month from whom we earned Direct Revenue. When presented as a quarter-to-date or year-to-date value, Payers represents the average of the monthly values for the respective period presented. At a consolidated level and a business unit level to the extent a business unit consists of multiple brands, duplicate Payers may exist when we earn revenue from the same individual at multiple brands in a given month, as we are unable to identify unique individuals across brands in the Match Group portfolio.

Revenue Per Payer ("RPP") is the average monthly revenue earned from a Payer and is Direct Revenue for a period divided by the Payers in the period, further divided by the number of months in the period.

Leverage on a gross basis is calculated as principal debt balance divided by Adjusted Operating Income for the period referenced.

Leverage on a net basis is calculated as principal debt balance less cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments divided by Adjusted Operating Income for the period referenced.

Other Information

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

This press release and our conference call, which will be held at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on February 5, 2025, may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements that are not historical facts are "forward looking statements." The use of words such as "anticipates," "estimates," "expects," "plans" and "believes," among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to: Match Group's future financial performance, Match Group's business prospects and strategy, anticipated trends, and other similar matters. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions about future events, which are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including, among others: our ability to maintain or grow the size of our user base and convert users to paying users, competition, the limited operating history of some of our brands, our ability to attract users to our services through cost-effective marketing and related efforts, our ability to distribute our services through third parties and offset related fees, risks relating to our use of artificial intelligence, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, the integrity and scalability of our systems and infrastructure (and those of third parties) and our ability to adapt ours to changes in a timely and cost-effective manner, our ability to protect our systems from cyberattacks and to protect personal and confidential user information, impacts to our offices and employees from more frequent extreme weather events, risks relating to certain of our international operations and acquisitions, damage to our brands' reputations as a result of inappropriate actions by users of our services, and macroeconomic conditions. Certain of these and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in Match Group's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other unknown or unpredictable factors that could also adversely affect Match Group's business, financial condition and results of operations may arise from time to time. In light of these risks and uncertainties, these forward-looking statements may not prove to be accurate. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which only reflect the views of Match Group management as of the date of this press release. Match Group does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements.

About Match Group

Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH), through its portfolio companies, is a leading provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections. Our global portfolio of brands includes Tinder(®), Hinge(®), Match(®), Meetic(®), OkCupid(®), Pairs(TM), PlentyOfFish(®), Azar(®), BLK(®), and more, each built to increase our users' likelihood of connecting with others. Through our trusted brands, we provide tailored services to meet the varying preferences of our users. Our services are available in over 40 languages to our users all over the world.



     _____________________________



     
                (1) As defined on page 16 of this press release.



     
                (2) Leverage is calculated utilizing the non-GAAP measure Adjusted Operating Income as the denominator. For a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measure for each period presented, see page 14.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/match-group-announces-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-results-302368094.html

SOURCE Match Group