Monster Worldwide CEO Tim Yates tried to put a positive spin on declining revenue numbers for the third quarter of 2015. “We are gratified that we achieved our 18-22 percent EBITDA margin goal a full quarter earlier than expected and adjusted EPS were at the high end of our guidance range,” he said in a release after the latest Monster earnings were announced this week. And that “our new product strategy continued to gain traction with wider customer acceptance on a global basis.”
Happy face aside, the revenue numbers can’t be ignored, and Monster saw revenue drop 7 percent (in actual rates) to $167 million compared with the same quarter last year. Looking at the last nine months, the percentage drop in revenue was a bit worse – 8 percent – from $550 million to $508 million, Monster said.
Unpacking the revenue numbers a bit: Monster’s Careers North America operation decreased 4 percent year over year. (As of the first quarter of 2015, Internet advertising and fees revenues are now within this category.) Monster Careers International decreased 13 percent in actual rates.
Nevertheless, Yates said he is “extremely confident of Monster’s ability to drive increased revenue [and], as a sign of this confidence,” Monster’s board has authorized a $75 million stock buyback. This was enabled in part by “the monetization of JobKorea,” a Monster site now designated “a discontinued operation.”
Monster is continuing on a path to reduce costs, including a commitment it made in February to reduce its workforce by about 300 positions, to sell off certain assets and in general to control expenses. Will it help with Q4’s revenue? We’ll let you know in another 3 months.
Here’s the full Monster release.