IBD Caps Off Another Record Year

Company more than doubles year-over-year growth, making substantial gains across every key revenue stream

Exceptional investor engagement underscores IBD’s value regardless of market conditions

LOS ANGELES--()--Investor’s Business Daily (IBD), a leading financial news and research organization, today announced that it has achieved another year of record growth. Just two years after changing its model, moving from a daily to a weekly print publication schedule and shifting more focus towards 24/7 digital content, IBD has dramatically accelerated growth across each of its primary revenue drivers: subscriptions, advertising, and licensing, syndication and digital courses, doubling year-over-year growth in each of these categories. Additionally, IBD’s operating income is up 65% year-over-year, and its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) reflect a 30% increase. The sharp uptick in performance across its portfolio, which encompasses investing news, products, and educational services, is particularly notable given the volatility of the markets in 2018.

“When the markets are doing well, many companies will show gains, but for us to grow across every area of our business within the context of choppy markets is a testament to IBD’s ultimate value,” said Jerry Ferrara, President of IBD. “By honing in on the tools that investors need to be successful, regardless of conditions and investors’ experience levels, IBD has shown it has staying power.”

IBD affirmed its position as one of the world’s leading resources on financial news, research and investing analytics by relying on unbiased data to dictate market coverage and analysis. This stands in contrast to other media companies that depend largely on outside commentary or sponsored content to fill space or serve as clickbait. As a result, IBD Digital subscriptions are up more than 14% percent in 2018 despite an average subscription price that is approximately three times that of its competitors. One particular driver for subscription growth has been consumer discovery through Apple News, which resulted in a 51% increase in audience through this channel over the last year. Additionally, organic search traffic is up 152%.

IBD has also seen particularly significant user engagement from its mobile offerings. Monthly active users for the IBD app, a finalist for Mediapost’s Appy Awards, are up 61% year-over-year while its premium MarketSmith by IBD app’s monthly active users increased by 91% year-over-year. IBD’s compelling, user-friendly app experience opened the door to a new audience of subscribers, and revenue from the respective apps increasingly has come from subscriptions versus advertising. Mobile is also driving social media growth, which is up 35% over 2017.

IBD’s ability to grow across the board just two years after changing its model could serve as a roadmap to other media companies. By maintaining a laser focus on its niche, diversifying its suite of products to fully serve specific audience needs, and upholding a standard for quality and unbiased research, IBD has thrived and found appeal with investors across demographics and experience levels.

In addition to outstanding content, commentary, and research, IBD has added a slew of resources specifically for novice investors. Its How to Invest video series has been particularly well received, while everyone from new customers to veteran investors having benefited from IBD’s exceptional coaching sessions, events, and webinars. In fact, IBD set a new standard for webinar attendance and engagement this year. With attendance up 45% over 2017, IBD recently attracted more than 10,000 investors to its 2 Wizards of Wall Street Reveal Their Strategies webinar in November, marking it as amongst the highest viewed webinars IBD has ever held.

“By engaging at our events and within the IBD community, while diving into our proprietary research and data-based content, subscribers are navigating the markets better than the general public,” noted Ferrara. “In turbulent times, it’s really important for investors to have this type of support system. By setting easy-to-follow rules and staying consistent, IBD helps investors successfully navigate both up and down markets.”

To experience all that IBD has to offer and understand why the company has attracted such a prized audience of high net worth and millennial subscribers and customers, please visit www.investors.com.

About IBD

Investor's Business Daily (IBD) is a leading financial news and research organization recognized for proprietary stock screens, comparative performance ratings and a record of identifying stock leaders as they emerge. The company takes a data-first approach to investing, educating investors about how to invest successfully using tested methods and sound research. IBD has honed its approach over the last 50 years to help investors make smarter decisions. Its stock lists have outperformed the S&P, and its presidential poll, the most accurate over the past four election cycles, was one of only two national polls to accurately predict the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election. IBD offers a number of interactive stock research tools and provides information for investors of every level. To learn more about all that IBD has available, please visit www.investors.com.

© 2018 Investor's Business Daily, Inc. All rights reserved. Investor's Business Daily, IBD, CAN SLIM and their corresponding logos are registered trademarks of Investor's Business Daily, Inc.

Contacts

Marisa Lam
GMK Communications for IBD
marisa@gmkcommunications.com
650.544.3350

Contacts

Marisa Lam
GMK Communications for IBD
marisa@gmkcommunications.com
650.544.3350