FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) Strategic Review In Focus As Board.org Divested For $103 Million Or 7x Sales, Company Surpasses Adjusted EBITDA Guidance

FiscalNote NOTE is a leading provider of policy and global intelligence insights that operates through a blend of data and technology. The company was founded in 2013 and has been at the forefront of offering essential tools and insights for strategic decision-making ever since. FiscalNote has a global presence catering to an extensive client base, including names like CQ, FrontierView, Oxford Analytica and VoterVoice. The company recently shared its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results that shed more light on its performance and the direction it is headed in 2024.

Strategic Review

Following the announcement of FiscalNote's formation of a Special Committee in November and receipt of inbound interests, the Board along with their advisors commenced a strategic review process to evaluate all strategic options available to the company. Strategic reviews aim to maximize shareholder value. 

Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights

FiscalNote’s financial performance in the fourth quarter showcased its growth trajectory toward profitability. The company reported a 9% increase in revenue totaling $34.3 million, which was largely driven by its proprietary Security Intelligence and Analysis Service (SIAS) subscription platform and in line with its November 2023 guidance. The company also reported a gross profit of $28.3 million with a gross margin of 83% on a non-GAAP basis . 

Adjusted EBITDA was $3 million, surpassing the guided figure of approximately $2.5 million and marking a 157% year-over-year increase from a loss of $5.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. FiscalNote reported a GAAP net loss of $51 million for the quarter, which represented an improvement over the previous year. 

Other operational metrics for the fourth quarter included a 10% increase in run-rate revenue to $140 million, with organic run-rate revenue rising 4% to $130 million. Meanwhile, annual recurring revenue increased by 11% to $126 million, with organic ARR of $119 million; a 6% increase. Finally, the revenue retention rate for the quarter was 99%.

Full-Year 2023 Results And Highlights

In 2023, FiscalNote reported a 17% increase in revenue to $132.6 million, largely fueled by an 18% increase in subscription revenue, which accounted for 90% of the total. Although the company recorded a net loss of $115.5 million for the year, this was partly due to $72.8 million in net non-cash items – expenses like depreciation and stock-based compensation that don’t involve actual cash outflow. The company also narrowed its adjusted EBITDA loss to $7.5 million from a $24.5 million loss in 2022.

In terms of operational highlights, FiscalNote took meaningful steps to solidify its leadership in global policy and market intelligence, achieving milestones such as securing contracts with major U.S. and global brands, expanding its public sector footprint and enhancing partnerships with influential trade associations and advocacy groups. The company also focused on operational efficiency, implementing a cost reduction plan that saved approximately $25 million.

Significant strategic initiatives for the year included collaborations with OpenAI and other tech giants, the expansion of its global policy coverage to over 80 countries and the acquisition of Dragonfly, a provider of geopolitical intelligence. FiscalNote launched AI products to enhance policy and risk management workflows, expanded its patent portfolio and received several awards for its SaaS solutions.

Sale Of Board.org 

In addition to its financial results, another significant development from FiscalNote was its sale of the peer-to-peer executive community platform Board.org to Executive Platforms for total consideration of $103 million, including $95 million in cash. Board.org was a non-core, separately run business from FiscalNote.

The transaction allows FiscalNote to significantly deleverage its capital structure by reducing senior debt and it highlights the significant value implied by the look-through multiple from Board.org. CEO Tim Hwang said it was a demonstration of FiscalNote’s undervaluation in public markets and its ability to deploy capital and drive returns.

The sale of Board.org represented roughly 10% of FiscalNote’s full-year 2023 revenue and was executed as a strategic step to concentrate on its core expertise in policy, regulatory and geopolitical intelligence as it further expands its AI-enabled intelligence solutions. 

FiscalNote’s March Forward

FiscalNote’s recent financial results and the strategic sale of Board.org illustrate the company’s ongoing efforts to optimize its operations and focus on its core competencies. By streamlining its product strategy and strengthening its balance sheet, FiscalNote argues that it is positioning itself for sustainable growth and continued innovation in the policy and global intelligence sectors. As the company moves forward, it remains committed to leveraging AI and technology to provide actionable insights, with a clear focus on enhancing profitability and operational efficiency.

Featured photo by Aditya Joshi on Unsplash.

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