Second Quarter 2025 Highlights:
- Gross revenues of $30.5 million for the quarter, up 11% versus the prior year period
- Operating income of $8.8 million for the quarter, up 8% versus the prior year period
- Operating profit margin of 29.9%, versus 30.4% for the prior year period
- Net income of $7.3 million, up 8% versus the prior year period, and quarterly diluted GAAP EPS of $0.60, up 7%
- Total cash returned to shareholders during the quarter of $2.2 million, in the form of dividends
- Announcing third quarter 2025 dividend of $0.18 per share
- 556 OTCQX® and 1,073 OTCQB® companies at quarter end
- 18 graduates to a national securities exchange during the quarter
- 113 subscribers to OTC Link ECN as of June 30, 2025, versus 114 as of June 30, 2024
- 137 unique OTC Link subscribers as of June 30, 2025, versus 140 as of June 30, 2024
- Approximately 63,000 average daily trades during the quarter versus approximately 35,000 during the prior year period
- Launched OTCID™ with 1,035 OTCID companies as of July 1, 2025
NEW YORK, Aug. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2025.
“During the second quarter, our team completed the work for the successful launch of our OTCID Basic Market on July 1, 2025,” said R. Cromwell Coulson, President and Chief Executive Officer. “This evolution of our markets expands the opportunities available for public companies to support informed and efficient trading of their securities. Engaged public companies, who are committed to ongoing transparency, are critical to improving market quality. The future of investor relations is digital and having consistent and compliant information on investor screens and in broker machines will drive visibility and valuations.”
“Our business delivered top and bottom line growth in the second quarter,” said Antonia Georgieva, Chief Financial Officer. “We saw increased revenues across our business lines, with OTC Link benefitting from continued elevated trading volumes, and Market Data Licensing benefitting from price increases and subscriber growth. Our Corporate Services business saw continued improvement in sales. We remain committed to continuously enhancing our offerings, driving growth in users and usage of our products, and delivering long-term value to our shareholders.”
Second Quarter 2025 compared to Second Quarter 2024
Financial Highlights
Three Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except shares and per share data) | 2025 | 2024 | % change | $ change | ||||||||||
OTC Link | $ | 6,447 | $ | 5,408 | 19 | % | 1,039 | |||||||
Market data licensing | 12,316 | 10,782 | 14 | % | 1,534 | |||||||||
Corporate services | 11,742 | 11,372 | 3 | % | 370 | |||||||||
Gross Revenues | 30,505 | 27,562 | 11 | % | 2,943 | |||||||||
Net revenues | 29,507 | 26,771 | 10 | % | 2,736 | |||||||||
Revenues less transaction-based expenses | 27,215 | 25,222 | 8 | % | 1,993 | |||||||||
Operating expenses | 18,384 | 17,082 | 8 | % | 1,302 | |||||||||
Income from operations | 8,831 | 8,140 | 8 | % | 691 | |||||||||
Operating profit margin | 29.9% | 30.4% | ||||||||||||
Income before provision for income taxes | 9,047 | 8,324 | 9 | % | 723 | |||||||||
Net income | $ | 7,300 | $ | 6,733 | 8 | % | 567 | |||||||
Diluted earnings per share | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.56 | 7 | % | ||||||||
Adjusted diluted earnings per share | $ | 0.92 | $ | 0.85 | 8 | % | ||||||||
Weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted | 11,830,514 | 11,838,453 | - | |||||||||||
- Gross revenues of $30.5 million, up 11% over the prior year quarter. Revenues less transaction-based expenses up 8%.
- OTC Link revenues up 19%. Transaction-based revenues from OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB up 40% due to a higher volume of shares traded on those platforms. Contributing to the overall increase in OTC Link revenues were also an increase in OTC Link ATS messages revenue due to a higher number of messages, an increase in certain connectivity revenue due to growth in the number of connection licenses, and higher QAP service revenue related to the higher volume of trading activity.
- Market Data Licensing revenues up 14%. Redistributor-based revenues increased 20%, with professional user revenues increasing 28%, partially offset by a decline in non-professional user revenues of 31% quarter over quarter. Revenues from direct sold licenses increased 16% primarily due to price increases for certain licenses and growth in subscribers. Revenues from data and compliance solutions remained essentially unchanged, with lower revenue from EDGAR Online offset by increases in revenues from data services and our Blue Sky data product.
- Corporate Services revenues up 3%. Revenues from our OTCQX and OTCQB markets increased 2% and 4%, respectively, reflecting price increases effective from the beginning of the year, which offset a lower number of companies on the OTCQX and OTCQB markets. Revenues from our Disclosure & News Service® (“DNS”) product increased 13% due to price increases and a higher number of companies subscribing to DNS in anticipation of the July 1, 2025 launch of OTCID. The previously announced retirement of OTCIQ Basic partially offset these increases.
- Operating expenses increased 8%. The increase was primarily driven by a 6% increase in compensation and benefits, 21% increase in professional and consulting fees, and 12% increase in IT infrastructure and information services.
- Operating income and net income each increased 8%, to $8.8 million and $7.3 million, respectively.
- Adjusted EBITDA, which excludes non-cash stock-based compensation expense, increased 8% to $11.1 million, or $0.92 per adjusted diluted share.
Dividend Declaration – Quarterly Cash Dividend
OTC Markets Group announced today that its Board of Directors authorized and approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.18 per share of Class A Common Stock. The quarterly cash dividend is payable on September 18, 2025, to stockholders of record on September 4, 2025. The ex-dividend date is September 4, 2025.
Stock Buyback Program
The Company is authorized to purchase shares from time to time on the open market, from employees and consultants, and through block trades, in compliance with applicable law. The Company did not repurchase any shares during the second quarter of 2025.
On March 11, 2025, the Board of Directors refreshed the Company’s stock repurchase program, giving the Company authorization to repurchase up to 300,000 shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to disclosing results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company also discloses certain non-GAAP results of operations, including adjusted EBITDA and adjusted diluted earnings per share that either exclude or include amounts that are described in the reconciliation table of GAAP to non-GAAP information provided at the end of this release. Non-GAAP financial measures do not replace and are not superior to the presentation of GAAP financial results but are provided to improve overall understanding of the Company’s current financial performance. Management believes that this non-GAAP information is useful to both management and investors regarding certain additional financial and business trends related to the operating results. Management uses this non-GAAP information, along with GAAP information, in evaluating its historical operating performance.
Second Quarter 2025 Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, during which management will discuss the financial results in further detail. The call and webcast may be accessed as follows:
Webcast:
The conference webcast and management presentation can be accessed at the following link (replay available until August 6, 2026):
https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/waw98toy
Live Call:
Participants intending to ask a question during the live call and Q&A session should also register in advance at:
https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI31042b021603457a9584c1a5fd9643b9
Upon registration, participants will receive a dial-in number along with a unique PIN number that can be used to access the live call. Live call participants may also select a “Call Me” option.
The Quarterly Report, earnings release, transcript of the earnings call, and management presentation will also be available in the Investor Relations section of the corporate website at www.otcmarkets.com/about/investor-relations.
About OTC Markets Group Inc.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market, OTCID Basic Market, and Pink Limited™ Market.
Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.
OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATS® are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.
To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.
Investor Contact:
Antonia Georgieva
Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (212) 220-2215
Email: ir@otcmarkets.com
Media Contact:
OTC Markets Group Inc.
Phone: (212) 896-4428
Email: media@otcmarkets.com
OTC MARKETS GROUP INC. | |||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME | |||||||
(in thousands, except share and per share information) | |||||||
Three Months Ended June 30, | |||||||
2025 | 2024 | ||||||
OTC Link | $ | 6,447 | $ | 5,408 | |||
Market data licensing | 12,316 | 10,782 | |||||
Corporate services | 11,742 | 11,372 | |||||
Gross revenues | 30,505 | 27,562 | |||||
Redistribution fees and rebates | (998 | ) | (791 | ) | |||
Net revenues | 29,507 | 26,771 | |||||
Transaction-based expenses | (2,292 | ) | (1,549 | ) | |||
Revenues less transaction-based expenses | 27,215 | 25,222 | |||||
Operating expenses | |||||||
Compensation and benefits | 11,573 | 10,934 | |||||
IT Infrastructure and information services | 2,858 | 2,545 | |||||
Professional and consulting fees | 1,842 | 1,521 | |||||
Marketing and advertising | 438 | 362 | |||||
Occupancy costs | 668 | 576 | |||||
Depreciation and amortization | 656 | 682 | |||||
General, administrative and other | 349 | 462 | |||||
Total operating expenses | 18,384 | 17,082 | |||||
Income from operations | 8,831 | 8,140 | |||||
Other income | |||||||
Other income | 216 | 184 | |||||
Income before provision for income taxes | 9,047 | 8,324 | |||||
Provision for income taxes | 1,747 | 1,591 | |||||
Net Income | $ | 7,300 | $ | 6,733 | |||
Earnings per share | |||||||
Basic | $ | 0.61 | $ | 0.56 | |||
Diluted | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.56 | |||
Basic weighted average shares outstanding | 11,769,861 | 11,723,459 | |||||
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding | 11,830,514 | 11,838,453 | |||||
Non-GAAP Reconciliation | |||||||
Three Months Ended June 30, | |||||||
2025 | 2024 | ||||||
Net Income | $ | 7,300 | $ | 6,733 | |||
Excluding: | |||||||
Interest expense (income) | (215 | ) | (187 | ) | |||
Provision for income taxes | 1,747 | 1,591 | |||||
Depreciation and amortization | 656 | 682 | |||||
Stock-based compensation expense | 1,627 | 1,496 | |||||
Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 11,115 | $ | 10,315 | |||
Adjusted diluted earnings per share | $ | 0.92 | $ | 0.85 | |||
Note: We use non-GAAP financial measures of operating performance. Non-GAAP measures do not replace and are not superior to the presentation of our GAAP financial results, but are provided to improve overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance. | |||||||
OTC MARKETS GROUP INC. | |||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS | |||||||
(in thousands, except share and per share information) | |||||||
June 30, | December 31, | ||||||
2025 | 2024 | ||||||
Assets | |||||||
Current assets | |||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 36,796 | $ | 34,522 | |||
Short-term investments | 4,860 | 4,513 | |||||
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $343 and $326 | 8,515 | 8,097 | |||||
Prepaid income taxes | 750 | 244 | |||||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 2,808 | 2,237 | |||||
Total current assets | 53,729 | 49,613 | |||||
Property and equipment, net | 6,229 | 7,096 | |||||
Operating lease right-of-use assets | 10,239 | 10,951 | |||||
Deferred tax assets, net | 11,031 | 10,120 | |||||
Goodwill | 3,984 | 3,984 | |||||
Intangible assets, net | 6,538 | 6,829 | |||||
Long-term restricted cash | 1,606 | 1,606 | |||||
Other assets | 460 | 543 | |||||
Total Assets | $ | 93,816 | $ | 90,742 | |||
Liabilities and stockholders' equity | |||||||
Current liabilities | |||||||
Accounts payable | $ | 1,102 | $ | 1,175 | |||
Income taxes payable | 3 | 54 | |||||
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | 10,269 | 13,425 | |||||
Deferred revenue | 26,930 | 29,084 | |||||
Total current liabilities | 38,304 | 43,738 | |||||
Income tax reserve | 1,007 | 927 | |||||
Operating lease liabilities | 9,564 | 10,360 | |||||
Total Liabilities | 48,875 | 55,025 | |||||
Commitments and contingencies | |||||||
Stockholders' equity | |||||||
Common stock - par value $0.01 per share | |||||||
Class A - 17,000,000 authorized, 12,909,365 issued, 12,017,933 outstanding at June 30, 2025; 12,815,075 issued, 11,979,165 outstanding at December 31, 2024 | 129 | 128 | |||||
Additional paid-in capital | 38,270 | 35,127 | |||||
Retained earnings | 32,214 | 23,200 | |||||
Treasury stock - 891,432 shares at June 30, 2025 and 835,910 shares at December 31, 2024 | (25,672 | ) | (22,738 | ) | |||
Total Stockholders' Equity | 44,941 | 35,717 | |||||
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity | 93,816 | 90,742 | |||||
