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System1 (SST)
NYSE:SST
US Market

System1 (SST) AI Stock Analysis

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System1

(NYSE:SST)

41Neutral
System1's overall stock score reflects significant financial struggles, characterized by declining revenue and high leverage. These factors are compounded by a negative valuation and technical indicators pointing to a bearish trend. While there is some optimism from the earnings call regarding EBITDA growth and product performance, ongoing compliance issues with the NYSE add to the uncertainty, resulting in a low overall score.

System1 (SST) vs. S&P 500 (SPY)

System1 Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionSystem1, Inc. develops technology and data science to operate responsive acquisition marketing platform. The company also operates a real-time coupon code search engine and directory that offers coupon destinations for online shoppers. It serves customers in the areas of health, subscription, finance, insurance, business and technology, travel, auto, and other direct-to-consumer businesses. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Los Angeles, California.
How the Company Makes MoneySystem1 generates revenue through a performance marketing model that focuses on acquiring and monetizing user traffic. Its primary revenue streams include search advertising, where they earn by directing traffic to partner websites and receiving a share of the advertising revenue generated. Additionally, System1 engages in affiliate marketing, earning commissions by promoting and driving traffic to third-party products and services. The company's earnings are also bolstered by partnerships with major search engines and digital advertising networks, which facilitate the delivery of targeted advertisements to users. These partnerships, alongside their technology platform, play a crucial role in optimizing ad spend and maximizing return on investment for advertisers.

System1 Financial Statement Overview

Summary
System1 is struggling with declining revenue, persistent losses, and high leverage. The company faces profitability challenges as reflected in negative margins and cash flows. Addressing these issues is crucial for financial stability and future growth.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
System1's revenue has been declining significantly, evidenced by a 14.44% decrease from 2023 to 2024. The company also faces negative net and EBIT margins, indicating operational challenges and poor profitability. Gross profit margin improved in 2024, but the company remains unprofitable overall.
Balance Sheet
35
Negative
The company's balance sheet reflects high leverage, with a total debt of $3.454 million against a modest equity base, resulting in a low debt-to-equity ratio. Equity has decreased significantly over recent years, and the equity ratio is low, posing financial risk.
Cash Flow
40
Negative
System1 shows a negative free cash flow trend, with a slight increase in 2024 but still negative overall. Operating cash flow remains negative, leading to poor cash flow coverage of net income. The company needs to improve cash generation for sustainability.
Breakdown
Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
343.93M401.97M826.65M688.39M475.98M
Gross Profit
152.36M46.72M305.54M675.06M134.98M
EBIT
-88.60M-85.99M50.83M-13.33M42.62M
EBITDA
14.00M-4.48M-427.61M64.72M52.92M
Net Income Common Stockholders
-74.67M-227.22M33.00M21.03M16.36M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
63.61M135.34M24.61M53.15K29.01M
Total Assets
459.13M605.47M1.16B517.62M218.68M
Total Debt
3.45M355.42M422.55M450.00K179.97M
Net Debt
-60.15M220.07M397.94M396.85K150.96M
Total Liabilities
374.13M436.15M687.67M60.43M266.91M
Stockholders Equity
80.26M135.28M383.98M457.19M-48.23M
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
-5.29M-32.70M-17.66M-7.78M40.42M
Operating Cash Flow
-5.25M-24.74M-7.29M-1.24M46.55M
Investing Cash Flow
-6.25M203.18M-454.45M-6.54M68.17M
Financing Cash Flow
-63.96M-74.07M-27.73M450.00K-128.07M

System1 Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price0.38
Price Trends
50DMA
0.56
Negative
100DMA
0.74
Negative
200DMA
0.99
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.06
Positive
RSI
32.61
Neutral
STOCH
11.90
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For SST, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 0.38 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 0.44, below the 50-day MA of 0.56, and below the 200-day MA of 0.99, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.06 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 32.61 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 11.90 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for SST.

System1 Risk Analysis

System1 disclosed 61 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. System1 reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

System1 Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
73
Outperform
$1.93B18.6610.43%-1.22%112.13%
67
Neutral
$366.15M31.211.75%-32.95%-89.11%
TTTTD
66
Neutral
$24.35B62.8815.37%25.63%118.49%
64
Neutral
$1.63B82.983.10%7.82%
62
Neutral
$8.08B13.633.82%3.13%3.58%-14.35%
50
Neutral
$296.12M-101.69%-15.51%-54.09%
SSSST
41
Neutral
$35.63M-69.29%-31.08%56.20%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
SST
System1
0.33
-1.89
-85.14%
PERI
Perion Network
8.13
-13.24
-61.96%
CRTO
Criteo SA
32.62
-2.30
-6.59%
MGNI
Magnite
9.70
-0.15
-1.52%
APPS
Digital Turbine
2.58
0.33
14.67%
TTD
Trade Desk
49.08
-35.48
-41.96%

System1 Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date: Mar 10, 2025 | % Change Since: -22.45% | Next Earnings Date: May 8, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
System1 reported strong growth in adjusted EBITDA and significant performance improvements in owned and operated products, including CouponFollow. However, the company faces challenges due to volatility in the Google Search Partner Network and a decline in overall revenue.
Highlights
Strong Growth in Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA increased by 79% year-over-year to $17.9 million, with a quarter-over-quarter growth of 73%.
Owned and Operated Products Performance
The owned and operated segment saw a 60% increase in revenue year-over-year and a 30% sequential increase, driven by products like Startpage, MapQuest, and CouponFollow.
CouponFollow's Strong Performance
CouponFollow had a strong holiday season with organic sessions up 129% year-over-year and browser extension users more than doubled.
International Revenue Growth
International revenue now represents 36% of total owned and operated revenue, up from 26% in Q4 2023.
Positive AI Integration Impact
Investment in AI has increased efficiency and scale across marketing operations, leading to better ad production and rapid changes in bid pricing.
Lowlights
Google Search Partner Network Volatility
System1 faces ongoing volatility due to Google changes, leading to a 26% sequential decline in advertising spend.
Revenue Decline
Q4 revenue was $75.6 million, representing a 21% year-over-year decrease and a 15% sequential decline.
Owned and Operated Revenue Decline
Total owned and operated revenue reached $65 million, reflecting a 19% year-over-year decline and a 9% sequential decrease.
Challenges with Google AFD and RSOC Transition
Google's decision to shift from AFD to RSOC is expected to cause short-term business and product disruption.
Company Guidance
During the fourth quarter of 2024, System1 reported $76 million in revenue and $45 million in gross profit, with an adjusted EBITDA of $17.9 million, marking a 79% year-over-year increase. The company's owned and operated products, such as Startpage, MapQuest, and CouponFollow, drove a 60% revenue increase compared to the previous year. However, marketing-driven businesses faced challenges due to volatility in Google's Search Partner Network, leading to a 26% sequential decline in advertising spend. The total revenue from owned and operated segments was $65 million, a 19% year-over-year decline, yet adjusted gross profit rose 20% to $32 million. Sessions across properties totaled 1.9 billion, up 79% year-over-year. International markets contributed 36% of the total owned and operated revenue, up from 26% in Q4 2023. System1 also highlighted a strategic shift toward Google's RSOC product, anticipating medium-term benefits despite short-term disruptions. For Q1 2025, System1 estimates its revenue to range between $69 million and $71 million and adjusted gross profit to grow 25% year-over-year.

System1 Corporate Events

Financial Disclosures
System1 Releases Q4 2024 Financial Information
Neutral
Mar 10, 2025

On March 10, 2025, System1, Inc. released supplemental financial information for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, on its website. The company also made an investor presentation available, which may be used for future investor engagements. These updates provide stakeholders with detailed insights into the company’s financial performance and strategic direction.

Delistings and Listing ChangesRegulatory Filings and Compliance
System1 Faces NYSE Compliance Challenge
Negative
Jan 10, 2025

System1, Inc. received a notification from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) regarding non-compliance with its listing standards, as the average closing price of its Class A Common Stock fell below $1.00 over a 30-day period. The company plans to rectify this issue within a six-month timeframe by maintaining a stock price above $1.00, ensuring continued trading on the NYSE, and exploring alternatives to regain compliance, thus averting immediate delisting.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.