17 July 2020
XLMedia PLC
("XLMedia" or the "Company" or the "Group")
101GreatGoals.com
XLMedia (AIM: XLM), a leading global digital performance publisher, today announces it has completed a buy-out of the remaining interests of the founders in its premium website, 101GreatGoals.com ("the Website"). The consideration is not material in the context of the Group. The Company believes this simplified control structure will help accelerate the development of the Website in current and future geographies, including North America, where the opportunity is significant and growing.
101GreatGoals.com is a good example of the type of asset that XLMedia will concentrate on, as it consolidates and rebalances its publishing portfolio, with an emphasis on content-rich, highly engaging sites in regulated and high-potential markets.
In 2019, the vast majority of the Website's revenue came from customer deals within the UK, while around 75% of the traffic to 101GreatGoals.com originated outside the UK. The simplified operating structure will help to grow and monetise the traffic to the Website, in the UK and beyond, with a particular focus on the European football audience and the sizeable US soccer market.
Stuart Simms, Chief Executive Officer of XLMedia, commented:
" 101GreatGoals.com has built a loyal and growing user base through engaging, up-to-date and highly informative content. This provides a very solid foundation for extending the reach of this asset into additional markets. It is also indicative of the type of website that XLMedia will seek to develop as we execute on our strategy, based on a balanced portfolio of high-quality assets in attractive markets. "
For further information, please contact:
XLMedia plc |
|
Stuart Simms, Chief Executive Officer |
|
www.xlmedia.com |
|
|
|
Vigo Communications |
Tel: 020 7390 0233 |
Jeremy Garcia |
|
www.vigocomms.com |
|
|
|
Cenkos Securities plc (Nomad and Joint broker) |
Tel: 020 7397 8900 |
Giles Balleny / Max Gould |
|
www.cenkos.com |
|
|
|
Berenberg (Joint broker) |
Tel: 020 3207 7800 |
Chris Bowman / Mark Whitmore / Simon Cardron |
|
www.berenberg.com |
|
Notes:
XLMedia is a leading global digital performance publisher. Operating globally across a variety of verticals including online gambling, personal finance, sports and technology, the Group uses proprietary tools and methodologies to identify and target high value clients for platform operators.
XLMedia has a clear transformation strategy, which will enable it to shape the future of the performance publishing industry. As previously communicated, the Company has set three Strategic Goals:
· Consolidation of publishing assets
o The Company will consolidate its range of publishing assets, focusing its resources on a core set of premium sites in its chosen markets. XLMedia will seek to build stronger relationships with consumers through content-rich, engaging websites, underpinned by intelligent market-leading technology which enhances the yield from each interaction. This rebalancing of the portfolio will be supported by organic investment, disposals and acquisitions.
· Investment in US Sports and Personal Finance
o XLMedia has identified North America as a core target market, where it has already established a solid foothold in Personal Finance, led by content-rich websites which are gaining traction. The Company will seek to further develop its Personal Finance presence and significantly increase its investment in the burgeoning US Sports market through partnerships and acquisitions.
· Further Investment in regulated markets
o The Company is seeking to generate an increasing proportion of its revenue from more stable, regulated markets, both within current serviced verticals, such as gambling and personal finance and, over time, within additional target segments, where its core skills and scale can provide competitive advantage.