Catena Media is making big changes to get its business back on track. The company saw falling revenue in Q1 2025 and decided to act. Its new efficiency push is all about Catena Media cost cuts and restructuring for future growth.

  • Revenue from continuing operations dropped 39% year-on-year to EUR 9.8 million. Most of this came from North America, which also saw a 39% decrease to EUR 8.8 million. New depositing customers fell sharply, down 50% to 21,918.

  • Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations came in at EUR 0.9 million, a 51% drop. The adjusted EBITDA margin dropped to 9% from 12%. Overall EBITDA also fell, but the margin remained flat at 6%.

  • To address profitability issues, Catena Media announced on 13 May it would cut more than 50 roles, reducing total headcount by around 25%. These Catena Media cost cuts are expected to lower annual costs by EUR 4.5–5.0 million. The company also deferred interest payments on its hybrid capital security.

  • CEO Manuel Stan said Q1 was disappointing, with a revenue dip of 3% from Q4 2024—the smallest drop in recent quarters. However, adjusted EBITDA fell 60% from the previous quarter, driven by a shift to lower-margin subaffiliation and slightly higher personnel costs. “We still have substantial work ahead to fully stabilise the business,” he noted.

  • Alongside the layoffs, Catena Media also removed one layer of management to flatten its structure. These actions aim to boost agility and efficiency. Subscriptions to older software systems were cancelled, and the tech stack shifted fully to Microsoft-based tools, saving another estimated EUR 0.8 million a year.

  • The company plans to build a tech-enabled centre of excellence to drive automation across departments. This move is part of a broader plan to improve decision-making and execution speed. Investment in automation and smarter tools is seen as crucial for scalable, long-term revenue growth.

  • Q1 saw mixed results on the revenue front, with organic search volatility still affecting performance in North America. On the positive side, subaffiliation and lifecycle marketing hit record highs, showing progress in reducing reliance on organic traffic.

  • Catena Media continues to focus on North America, where it sees the most potential. Operations outside the region performed poorly and are not a priority. In Casino, regulatory developments in social sweepstakes are being monitored as the company builds its presence in anticipation of clearer rules.