Pluralsight Announces Second Quarter 2020 Results

SILICON SLOPES, Utah, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pluralsight, Inc. (NASDAQ: PS), the enterprise technology skills and engineering management platform, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020.

"Our commitment to our customers and each other has never been stronger despite these extraordinary circumstances. I’m proud to see this commitment reflected in our financial performance for the quarter, and I’m confident that our platform will continue to help companies and individuals adapt to the changing remote work environments around the globe," said Aaron Skonnard, co-founder and CEO of Pluralsight. “This need, coupled with our commitment to our customers and our world-class, highly differentiated product offerings allowed us to excel in the current environment."

Second Quarter Financial Highlights

  • Billings - Q2 2020 billings were $89.0 million, an increase of 11% period over period. Q2 2020 billings from business customers were $77.7 million, an increase of 12% period over period.

  • Revenue - Q2 2020 revenue was $94.8 million, an increase of 25% period over period.

  • Gross margin - Q2 2020 gross margin was 79%, compared to 77% in Q2 2019. Q2 2020 non-GAAP gross margin was 81%, compared to 78% in Q2 2019.

  • Net loss per share - GAAP net loss per share for Q2 2020 was $0.28, compared to $0.30 in Q2 2019. Adjusted pro forma net loss per share for Q2 2020 was $0.02, compared to $0.06 in Q2 2019.

  • Cash flows - Cash used in operations was $9.3 million for Q2 2020, compared to $7.2 million in Q2 2019. Free cash flow was negative $18.0 million for Q2 2020, compared to negative $11.1 million in Q2 2019.

For information regarding the non-GAAP financial measures discussed in this press release, please see the section titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures.” Reconciliations between GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures are provided in the tables of this press release.

Financial Outlook

The following forward-looking statements reflect Pluralsight's expectations as of July 29, 2020.

Third Quarter 2020 Guidance

  • Revenue is expected to be in the range of $95.0 million to $96.0 million.

  • Adjusted pro forma net loss per share is expected to be in the range of $0.05 to $0.06, assuming weighted-average shares outstanding of approximately 144 million.

Full Year 2020 Guidance

  • Revenue is expected to be in the range of $375.0 million to $390.0 million.

  • Adjusted pro forma net loss per share is expected to be in the range of $0.19 to $0.27, assuming weighted-average shares outstanding of approximately 143.5 million.

Guidance for non-GAAP financial measures excludes equity-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions, amortization of debt discount and issuance costs, and, as applicable, other special items, which may be significant. Pluralsight has not reconciled its expectations as to adjusted pro forma net loss per share to their most directly comparable GAAP measures because certain items cannot be reasonably predicted. Accordingly, a reconciliation for expectations of adjusted pro forma net loss per share is not available without unreasonable effort.

Pluralsight’s guidance for the third quarter and full year 2020 reflects its expectations for the periods after taking into account the impact of COVID-19. However, the crisis that this pandemic has created is very fluid, and the situation is constantly evolving. As such, Pluralsight’s actual results may differ materially from such guidance based on a variety of factors, including Pluralsight’s ability to execute its business during this crisis, the impact of the crisis on Pluralsight’s suppliers, customers and partners, governmental action taken in response to COVID-19, and other factors.

Conference Call Information

Pluralsight will host a conference call for analysts and investors to discuss its second quarter 2020 results and outlook for its third quarter and full year 2020, today at 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time).

Date:

July 29, 2020

Time:

2:30 p.m. MT (4:30 p.m. ET)

Webcast:

https://investors.pluralsight.com/

Dial-in number:

(877) 350-6732 or (629) 228-0693, conference ID: 1883129

A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be accessible from the Pluralsight website at investors.pluralsight.com. A telephonic replay of the call will be available three hours after the call, will run for seven days, and may be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 or (404) 537-3406 and entering the passcode 1883129.

About Pluralsight

Pluralsight is the leading technology skills and engineering management platform. Trusted by forward-thinking companies of every size in every industry, Pluralsight helps individuals and businesses transform with technology through its Skills and Flow products. Skills helps build technology skills at scale with expert-authored courses on today’s most important technologies, including cloud, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and security, among others. Skills also offers analytics and Skill IQ and Role IQ assessments. Flow complements Skills by providing visibility and analytics into software development workflows to accelerate the delivery of products and services.

Pluralsight and the Pluralsight logo are trademarks of Pluralsight, LLC in the United States and in jurisdictions throughout the world.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties, including the quotations of management and statements regarding our future financial and operating performance, and our financial outlook for the third quarter and full year 2020. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release, including: our ability to attract and retain customers; our ability to expand our course library and develop new platform features; the demand for, and market acceptance of our platform; competition; our ability to improve sales management and execution; our expectations of the potential impact the COVID-19 pandemic may have on our business; and other market, political, economic, and business conditions.

Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect our financial results are included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on March 2, 2020 and in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on July 29, 2020, which is available on our website at investors.pluralsight.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth in other filings that we make with the SEC from time to time. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.

Key Business Metrics

Billings. Billings represents total revenue plus the change in deferred revenue in the period, as presented in our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, less the change in contract assets and unbilled accounts receivable in the period. Billings in any particular period represents amounts invoiced to customers and reflects subscription renewals and upsells to existing customers plus sales to new customers. We use billings to measure our ability to sell subscriptions to our platform to both new and existing customers. We use billings from business customers and our percentage of billings from business customers to measure and monitor our ability to sell subscriptions to our platform to business customers.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Pluralsight has provided in this press release financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). Pluralsight uses the non-GAAP financial measures of non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating loss, adjusted pro forma net loss, adjusted pro forma net loss per share, and free cash flow in analyzing its financial results and believes that the use of these metrics is useful to investors as an additional tool to evaluate ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing Pluralsight’s financial results with other companies in its industry, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures.

The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP financial measures and should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of our historical non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures have been provided in the financial statement tables included in this press release, and investors are encouraged to review these reconciliations.

Non-GAAP gross profit. We define non-GAAP gross profit as gross profit plus equity-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions.

Non-GAAP gross margin. We define non-GAAP gross margin as non-GAAP gross profit divided by our revenue.

Non-GAAP operating expenses. We define non-GAAP operating expenses as operating expenses less equity-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions, and, as applicable, other special items.

Non-GAAP operating loss. We define non-GAAP operating loss as loss from operations plus equity-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions, and, as applicable, other special items.

Adjusted pro forma net loss and adjusted pro forma net loss per share. We define adjusted pro forma net loss as net loss attributable to Pluralsight, Inc. adjusted for the reallocation of loss attributable to non-controlling interests from the assumed exchange of LLC Units of Pluralsight Holdings for newly-issued shares of Class A common stock of Pluralsight, Inc. and further adjusted for equity-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangible assets, employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions, amortization of debt discount and issuance costs, and, as applicable, other special items. We define adjusted pro forma net loss per share as adjusted pro forma net loss divided by the weighted-average shares of Class A common stock outstanding, assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Units of Pluralsight Holdings for newly-issued shares of Class A common stock of Pluralsight, Inc.

Free cash flow. We define free cash flow as cash provided by (used in) operating activities less purchases of property and equipment and purchases of our content library.


PLURALSIGHT, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Revenue

$

94,765

$

75,862

$

187,411

$

145,479

Cost of revenue(1)(2)

19,717

17,803

38,725

34,515

Gross profit

75,048

58,059

148,686

110,964

Operating expenses(1)(2):

Sales and marketing

57,759

50,046

120,174

94,217

Technology and content

29,514

24,819

59,658

45,090

General and administrative

22,996

20,575

46,367

42,766

Total operating expenses

110,269

95,440

226,199

182,073

Loss from operations

(35,221

)

(37,381

)

(77,513

)

(71,109

)

Other income (expense):

Interest expense

(7,241

)

(7,346

)

(14,390

)

(9,024

)

Other income, net

2,267

4,106

4,437

5,782

Loss before income taxes

(40,195

)

(40,621

)

(87,466

)

(74,351

)

Income tax benefit (expense)

465

(143

)

223

(297

)

Net loss

$

(39,730

)

$

(40,764

)

$

(87,243

)

$

(74,648

)

Less: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests

(9,801

)

(11,637

)

(21,995

)

(26,446

)

Net loss attributable to Pluralsight, Inc.

$

(29,929

)

$

(29,127

)

$

(65,248

)

$

(48,202

)

Net loss per share, basic and diluted(3)

$

(0.28

)

$

(0.30

)

$

(0.62

)

$

(0.56

)

Weighted-average shares of Class A common stock used in computing basic and diluted net loss per share

107,153

97,608

105,899

86,827

(1) Includes equity-based compensation as follows:

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Cost of revenue

$

296

$

133

$

566

$

217

Sales and marketing

10,878

7,952

20,400

14,228

Technology and content

6,884

5,137

13,220

8,847

General and administrative

8,367

9,510

17,817

19,708

Total equity-based compensation

$

26,425

$

22,732

$

52,003

$

43,000

(2) Includes amortization of acquired intangible assets as follows:

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Cost of revenue

$

1,209

$

702

$

2,418

$

1,227

Sales and marketing

50

29

100

29

Technology and content

161

176

337

353

Total amortization of acquired intangible assets

$

1,420

$

907

$

2,855

$

1,609


PLURALSIGHT, INC.

Key Business Metrics and Non-GAAP Financial Measures
(dollars in thousands)
(unaudited)

Key Business Metrics

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Billings

$

89,034

$

80,552

$

179,312

$

158,480

Billings from business customers

$

77,695

$

69,104

$

158,167

$

136,260

% of billings from business customers

87

%

86

%

88

%

86

%

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Reconciliation of gross profit to non-GAAP gross profit:

Gross profit

$

75,048

$

58,059

$

148,686

$

110,964

Equity-based compensation

296

133

566

217

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

1,209

702

2,418

1,227

Employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions

15

13

32

16

Non-GAAP gross profit

$

76,568

$

58,907

$

151,702

$

112,424

Gross margin

79

%

77

%

79

%

76

%

Non-GAAP gross margin

81

%

78

%

81

%

77

%


Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Reconciliation of operating expenses to non-GAAP operating expenses:

Sales and marketing

$

57,759

$

50,046

$

120,174

$

94,217

Less: Equity-based compensation

(10,878

)

(7,952

)

(20,400

)

(14,228

)

Less: Amortization of acquired intangible assets

(50

)

(29

)

(100

)

(29

)

Less: Employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions

(329

)

(533

)

(821

)

(1,141

)

Non-GAAP sales and marketing

$

46,502

$

41,532

$

98,853

$

78,819

Sales and marketing as a percentage of revenue

61

%

66

%

64

%

65

%

Non-GAAP sales and marketing as a percentage of revenue

49

%

55

%

53

%

54

%

Technology and content

$

29,514

$

24,819

$

59,658

$

45,090

Less: Equity-based compensation

(6,884

)

(5,137

)

(13,220

)

(8,847

)

Less: Amortization of acquired intangible assets

(161

)

(176

)

(337

)

(353

)

Less: Employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions

(381

)

(434

)

(852

)

(914

)

Non-GAAP technology and content

$

22,088

$

19,072

$

45,249

$

34,976

Technology and content as a percentage of revenue

31

%

33

%

32

%

31

%

Non-GAAP technology and content as a percentage of revenue

23

%

25

%

24

%

24

%

General and administrative

$

22,996

$

20,575

$

46,367

$

42,766

Less: Equity-based compensation

(8,367

)

(9,510

)

(17,817

)

(19,708

)

Less: Employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions

(272

)

(349

)

(670

)

(702

)

Less: Secondary offering costs

(1,260

)

(1,260

)

(918

)

Less: Acquisition-related costs

(835

)

(835

)

Non-GAAP general and administrative

$

13,097

$

9,881

$

26,620

$

20,603

General and administrative as a percentage of revenue

24

%

27

%

25

%

29

%

Non-GAAP general and administrative as a percentage of revenue

14

%

13

%

14

%

14

%

Reconciliation of loss from operations to non-GAAP operating loss:

Loss from operations

$

(35,221

)

$

(37,381

)

$

(77,513

)

$

(71,109

)

Equity-based compensation

26,425

22,732

52,003

43,000

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

1,420

907

2,855

1,609

Employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions

997

1,329

2,375

2,773

Secondary offering costs

1,260

1,260

918

Acquisition-related costs

835

835

Non-GAAP operating loss

$

(5,119

)

$

(11,578

)

$

(19,020

)

$

(21,974

)


Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Adjusted pro forma net loss per share

Numerator:

Net loss attributable to Pluralsight, Inc.

$

(29,929

)

$

(29,127

)

$

(65,248

)

$

(48,202

)

Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests

(9,801

)

(11,637

)

(21,995

)

(26,446

)

Equity-based compensation

26,425

22,732

52,003

43,000

Amortization of acquired intangibles

1,420

907

2,855

1,609

Employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions

997

1,329

2,375

2,773

Secondary offering costs

1,260

1,260

918

Acquisition-related costs

835

835

Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs

6,684

6,749

13,275

8,294

Adjusted pro forma net loss

$

(2,944

)

$

(8,212

)

$

(15,475

)

$

(17,219

)

Denominator:

Weighted-average shares of Class A common stock outstanding

107,153

97,608

105,899

86,827

Weighted-average LLC Units of Pluralsight Holdings that are convertible into Class A common stock

35,276

39,006

35,702

48,923

Adjusted pro forma weighted-average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted

142,429

136,614

141,601

135,750

Adjusted pro forma net loss per share

$

(0.02

)

$

(0.06

)

$

(0.11

)

$

(0.13

)


Reconciliation of net cash (used in) provided by operating activities to free cash flow:

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

$

(9,250

)

$

(7,184

)

$

9,045

$

(1,648

)

Less: Purchases of property and equipment

(6,626

)

(2,457

)

(20,520

)

(4,590

)

Less: Purchases of content library

(2,113

)

(1,504

)

(3,793

)

(2,441

)

Free cash flow

$

(17,989

)

$

(11,145

)

$

(15,268

)

$

(8,679

)


PLURALSIGHT, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands)
(unaudited)

June 30,
2020

December 31,
2019

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

87,982

$

90,515

Short-term investments

318,483

332,234

Accounts receivable, net

61,578

101,576

Deferred contract acquisition costs

17,745

18,331

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

14,764

14,174

Total current assets

500,552

556,830

Restricted cash and cash equivalents

21,622

28,916

Long-term investments

122,224

105,805

Property and equipment, net

60,788

22,896

Right-of-use assets

62,982

15,804

Content library, net

11,017

8,958

Intangible assets, net

19,787

22,631

Goodwill

262,532

262,532

Deferred contract acquisition costs, noncurrent

7,164

5,982

Other assets

1,709

1,599

Total assets

$

1,070,377

$

1,031,953

Liabilities and stockholders' equity

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$

5,985

$

10,615

Accrued expenses

38,950

40,703

Accrued author fees

11,711

11,694

Lease liabilities

7,752

5,752

Deferred revenue

207,575

215,137

Total current liabilities

271,973

283,901

Deferred revenue, noncurrent

18,813

19,517

Convertible senior notes, net

483,503

470,228

Lease liabilities, noncurrent

76,340

11,167

Other liabilities

70

980

Total liabilities

850,699

785,793

Stockholders' equity:

Preferred stock

Class A common stock

11

10

Class B common stock

2

2

Class C common stock

1

1

Additional paid-in capital

693,768

641,128

Accumulated other comprehensive income

1,154

225

Accumulated deficit

(523,629

)

(458,381

)

Total stockholders’ equity attributable to Pluralsight, Inc.

171,307

182,985

Non-controlling interests

48,371

63,175

Total stockholders’ equity

219,678

246,160

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

1,070,377

$

1,031,953


PLURALSIGHT, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
(unaudited)

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

Operating activities

Net loss

$

(39,730

)

$

(40,764

)

$

(87,243

)

$

(74,648

)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:

Depreciation of property and equipment

3,225

2,332

5,868

4,579

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

1,420

907

2,855

1,609

Amortization of course creation costs

820

611

1,581

1,190

Equity-based compensation

26,425

22,732

52,003

43,000

Amortization of deferred contract acquisition costs

6,316

5,444

12,767

11,311

Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs

6,684

6,749

13,275

8,294

Investment discount and premium amortization, net

(52

)

(706

)

(428

)

(706

)

Other

32

275

693

300

Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquired assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

(1,107

)

(4,276

)

38,093

7,116

Deferred contract acquisition costs

(7,492

)

(5,579

)

(13,363

)

(11,430

)

Prepaid expenses and other assets

(497

)

(2,243

)

(211

)

(4,044

)

Right-of-use assets

1,548

1,643

3,038

2,927

Accounts payable

(2,139

)

18

(4,606

)

1,053

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

1,719

2,030

(4,612

)

(3,129

)

Accrued author fees

114

564

16

1,299

Lease liabilities

(949

)

(1,636

)

(2,874

)

(3,372

)

Deferred revenue

(5,587

)

4,715

(7,807

)

13,003

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

(9,250

)

(7,184

)

9,045

(1,648

)

Investing activities

Purchases of property and equipment

(6,626

)

(2,457

)

(20,520

)

(4,590

)

Purchases of content library

(2,113

)

(1,504

)

(3,793

)

(2,441

)

Cash paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired

(163,871

)

(163,871

)

Purchases of investments

(155,150

)

(317,080

)

(317,012

)

(317,080

)

Proceeds from sales of investments

4,967

4,967

Proceeds from maturities of investments

155,070

315,605

Net cash used in investing activities

(8,819

)

(479,945

)

(25,720

)

(483,015

)

Financing activities

Proceeds from issuance of common stock from employee equity plans

10,179

12,010

10,878

14,631

Taxes paid related to net share settlement

(1,523

)

(3,873

)

Proceeds from issuance of convertible senior notes, net of discount and issuance costs

(1,009

)

616,654

Purchase of capped calls related to issuance of convertible senior notes

(69,432

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

8,656

11,001

7,005

561,853

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents

110

(4

)

(157

)

22

Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents

(9,303

)

(476,132

)

(9,827

)

77,212

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

118,907

764,415

119,431

211,071

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents, end of period

$

109,604

$

288,283

$

109,604

$

288,283

Investor Relations Contact:
Mark McReynolds
Investor Relations
Pluralsight
801-784-9007
ir@pluralsight.com

Media Contact:
DJ Anderson
Communications/Press
Pluralsight
801-784-9007
dj@pluralsight.com


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