TROY, Mich., Feb. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Altair (Nasdaq: ALTR), a global leader in computational intelligence, today released its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.

"Altair finished 2023 with a strong fourth quarter, notching record-high revenue and profit for the quarter and full-year," said James R. Scapa, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Altair. "We are seeing strong momentum across a number of verticals, where computational intelligence is becoming increasingly important. We are excited about our recent and upcoming product releases and believe that our investments in engineering AI are positioning us as a leader in this important and growing domain.”

"Our global team worked hard to achieve outstanding results for 2023, and we finished the year exceeding our profitability goals. We are thrilled to have surpassed the 20% adjusted EBITDA margin target for 2023 that we established three years ago," said Matt Brown, chief financial officer of Altair. “Our strong results despite somewhat difficult macroeconomic conditions demonstrate the importance of our products in solving our customers’ most important challenges. We are excited about the tremendous opportunity ahead of us as we continue to execute on our financial targets.”

Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights

• Software product revenue was $155.9 million compared to $145.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 7.6% in reported currency and 6.7% in constant currency
• Total revenue was $171.5 million compared to $160.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 6.9% in reported currency and 6.0% in constant currency
• Net income was $19.7 million compared to $12.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2022. Net income per share, diluted was $0.22 based on 89.0 million diluted weighted average common shares outstanding, compared to net income per share, diluted of $0.14 for the fourth quarter of 2022, based on 87.5 million diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. Net income margin was 11.5% compared to net income margin of 7.5% for the fourth quarter of 2022
• Non-GAAP net income was $41.1 million, compared to non-GAAP net income of $27.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 49.2%. Non-GAAP net income per share, diluted was $0.46 based on 89.0 million non-GAAP diluted common shares outstanding, compared to non-GAAP net income per share, diluted of $0.31 for the fourth quarter of 2022, based on 87.5 million non-GAAP diluted common shares outstanding
• Adjusted EBITDA was $53.6 million compared to $38.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 38.3%. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 31.2% compared to 24.1% for the fourth quarter of 2022
• Cash provided by operating activities was $21.7 million, compared to $13.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2022
• Free cash flow was $19.3 million, compared to $10.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2022.
  

Full Year 2023 Financial Highlights

• Software product revenue was $550.0 million compared to $506.5 million for the full year of 2022, an increase of 8.6% in reported currency and 9.8% in constant currency
• Total revenue was $612.7 million compared to $572.2 million for the full year of 2022, an increase of 7.1% in reported currency and 8.2% in constant currency
• Net loss was $(8.9) million compared to net loss of $(43.4) million for the full year of 2022. Net loss per share, diluted was $(0.11) based on 80.6 million diluted weighted average common shares outstanding, compared to net loss per share, diluted of $(0.55) for the full year of 2022, based on 79.5 million diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. Net loss margin was -1.5% compared to net loss margin of -7.6% for the full year of 2022
• Non-GAAP net income was $98.8 million, compared to non-GAAP net income of $75.6 million for the full year of 2022, an increase of 30.6%. Non-GAAP net income per share, diluted was $1.13 based on 87.6 million non-GAAP diluted common shares outstanding, compared to non-GAAP net income per share, diluted of $0.89 for the full year of 2022, based on 85.4 million non-GAAP diluted common shares outstanding
• Adjusted EBITDA was $129.1 million compared to $108.6 million for the full year of 2022, an increase of 18.9%. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 21.1% compared to 19.0% for the full year of 2022
• Cash provided by operating activities was $127.3 million, compared to $39.6 million for the full year of 2022
• Free cash flow was $117.1 million, compared to $29.9 million for the full year of 2022.
  

Business Outlook

Based on information available as of today, Altair is issuing the following guidance for the first quarter and full year 2024:

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains the following non-GAAP financial measures: Non-GAAP Net Income, Non-GAAP Net Income Per Share, Billings, Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow, Non-GAAP Gross Profit and Non-GAAP Operating Expense.

Altair believes that these non-GAAP measures of financial results provide useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to its financial condition and results of operations. The Company’s management uses these non-GAAP measures to compare the Company’s performance to that of prior periods for trend analysis, for purposes of determining executive and senior management incentive compensation and for budgeting and planning purposes. The Company also believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing the Company’s financial measures with other software companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors.

Non-GAAP net income excludes stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets related to acquisitions, restructuring charges, asset impairment charges, non-cash interest expense, other special items as identified by management and described elsewhere in this press release, and the impact of non-GAAP tax rate to income tax expense, which approximates our tax rate excluding discrete items and other specific events that can fluctuate from period to period.

Non-GAAP diluted common shares includes the diluted weighted average shares outstanding per GAAP regardless of whether the Company is in a loss position.

Billings consists of total revenue plus the change in deferred revenue, excluding deferred revenue from acquisitions.

Adjusted EBITDA represents net income adjusted for income tax expense, interest expense, interest income and other, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, restructuring charges, asset impairment charges and other special items as identified by management and described elsewhere in this press release.

Free cash flow consists of cash flow from operations less capital expenditures.

Non-GAAP gross profit represents gross profit adjusted for stock-based compensation expense, restructuring expense and other special items as identified by management and described elsewhere in this press release.

Non-GAAP operating expense represents operating expense excluding stock-based compensation expense, amortization, restructuring charges, asset impairment charges and other special items as identified by management and described elsewhere in this press release.

Company management does not consider these non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitation of these non-GAAP financial measures is that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recorded in the Company’s financial statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgment by management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. Altair urges investors to review the reconciliation of its non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures, which it includes in press releases announcing quarterly financial results, including this press release, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate the Company’s business.

Reconciliation tables of the most comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release are included with the financial tables at the end of this release.

About Altair

Altair is a global leader in computational intelligence that provides software and cloud solutions in simulation, high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics and AI. Altair enables organizations across all industries to compete more effectively and drive smarter decisions in an increasingly connected world – all while creating a greener, more sustainable future. For more information, visit https://www.altair.com/.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, our guidance for the first quarter and full year 2024, our statements regarding our expectations for 2024, and our reconciliations of projected non-GAAP financial measures. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “hope,” “target,” “project,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “intend,” variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond Altair’s control. Altair’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in our forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, the risks detailed in Altair’s quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as other documents that may be filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Altair’s views as of the date of this press release. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. Altair undertakes no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Altair’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Media Relations
Altair
Dave Simon
248-614-2400 ext. 332
dls@altair.com

Investor Relations
The Blueshirt Group
Monica Gould
212-871-3927
ir@altair.com

* Amounts include stock-based compensation expense as follows (in thousands):

Financial Results

The following table provides a reconciliation of Non-GAAP net income and Non-GAAP net income per share – diluted, to net income (loss) and net income (loss) per share – diluted, the most comparable GAAP financial measures:

(1)  The Company uses a non-GAAP effective tax rate of 26%.

(2)  The three months ended December 31, 2023, includes a $1.2 million loss from the mark-to-market adjustment of contingent consideration associated with the World Programming acquisition and $2.9 million currency gains on acquisition-related intercompany loans. The three months ended December 31, 2022, includes $6.9 million currency gains on acquisition-related intercompany loans and a $0.3 million loss from the mark-to-market adjustment of contingent consideration associated with the World Programming acquisition. The twelve months ended December 31, 2023, includes a $5.7 million loss from the mark-to-market adjustment of contingent consideration associated with the World Programming acquisition and $3.2 million currency gains on acquisition-related intercompany loans. The twelve months ended December 31, 2022, includes $16.6 million expense on repurchase of convertible senior notes, $6.8 million currency losses on acquisition-related intercompany loans, and a $7.2 million gain from the mark-to-market adjustment of contingent consideration associated with the World Programming acquisition.

The following table provides a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss), the most comparable GAAP financial measure:

(1)  The three months ended December 31, 2023, includes a $1.2 million loss from the mark-to-market adjustment of contingent consideration associated with the World Programming acquisition, $2.9 million currency gains on acquisition-related intercompany loans, and $5.2 million of interest income. The three months ended December 31, 2022, includes $6.9 million currency gains on acquisition-related intercompany loans, a $0.3 million loss from the mark-to-market adjustment of contingent consideration associated with the World Programming acquisition, and $2.1 million of interest income. The twelve months ended December 31, 2023, includes a $5.7 million loss from the mark-to-market adjustment of contingent consideration associated with the World Programming acquisition, $3.2 million currency gains on acquisition-related intercompany loans, and $16.9 million of interest income. The twelve months ended December 31, 2022, includes $16.6 million expense on repurchase of convertible senior notes, $6.8 million currency losses on acquisition-related intercompany loans, a $7.2 million gain from the mark-to-market adjustment of contingent consideration associated with the World Programming acquisition, and $4.1 million of interest income.

The following table provides a reconciliation of Free Cash Flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the most comparable GAAP financial measure:

(1)  The twelve months ended December 31, 2022, includes a $65.9 million payment in January 2022 for a damages judgment assumed as part of an acquisition in 2021.

The following table provides a reconciliation of Non-GAAP gross profit to gross profit, the most comparable GAAP financial measure, and a comparison of Non-GAAP gross margin (Non-GAAP gross profit as a percentage of total revenue) to gross margin (gross profit as a percentage of total revenue), the most comparable GAAP financial measure:

The following table provides a reconciliation of Non-GAAP operating expense to Total operating expense, the most comparable GAAP financial measure:

The following table provides a reconciliation of Billings to revenue, the most comparable GAAP financial measure:

The following table provides revenue, Billings and Adjusted EBITDA on a constant currency basis:

Change in Classification of Indirect Costs

Beginning in the first quarter of 2023, the Company refined its classification of certain indirect costs to reflect the way management is now reviewing the information in decision making and to improve comparability with peers. These indirect costs include certain IT, facilities, and depreciation expenses that were previously reported primarily in General and administrative expense. These indirect costs have now been reclassified to Research and development, Sales and marketing, and General and administrative expenses based on global headcount. Management believes this refined methodology better reflects the nature of the costs and financial performance of the Company.

As a result, the Company’s consolidated statements of operations have been recast for prior periods presented to reflect the effects of the changes to Research and development, Sales and marketing, and General and administrative expense. There was no net impact to total operating expenses, income from operations, net income or net income per share for any periods presented. The consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of comprehensive income, consolidated statements of changes in stockholders’ equity, and the consolidated statements of cash flows were not affected by changes in the presentation of these costs.

Each prior period that will be presented in the forthcoming Form 10-Q and Form 10-K filings will be recast to conform to current period presentation. The following tables provide the relevant financial results as previously reported, as recast for the current period and forthcoming filings, and the associated impacts of the changes. Within these tables, the references to periods such as “FY 2021” and “Q1 2022” refer to the corresponding periods as reported in the applicable Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, or Form 8-K filings.

The following table summarizes the changes made to the consolidated statements of operations (in thousands):

Business Outlook

The following table provides a reconciliation of projected Non-GAAP net income to projected net income, the most comparable GAAP financial measure:

(1) The Company uses a non-GAAP effective tax rate of 25%.

The following table provides a reconciliation of projected Adjusted EBITDA to projected net income, the most comparable GAAP financial measure:

The following table provides a reconciliation of projected Free Cash Flow to projected net cash provided by operating activities, the most comparable GAAP financial measure: