[PR] MarketWatch.com Announces First Quarter 2004 Financial Results

"MarketWatch.com, Inc. [...] today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2004. The Company's total revenues increased 60% to $17.8 million for the first quarter 2004, compared to $11.1 million for the same period a year ago. Due to certain charges totaling $1.3 million related to the acquisition of Pinnacor Inc. and other unusual costs, first quarter 2004 net loss was ($325,000) or ($0.01) per share, compared to $35,000, or $0.00 per share, for the first quarter 2003. The Company reported first quarter 2004 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $1.1 million, compared to $1.0 million for the same period of 2003. [...]

Advertising revenues, which include online, and radio and television broadcast, sales, totaled $7.7 million in the first quarter 2004, an increase of 48% from the first quarter 2003, and up slightly from the fourth quarter 2003. The strength in advertising revenues was driven primarily by advertisers in the financial services sector, while at the same time the Company obtained new and renewed contracts from advertisers in the travel and automobile sectors. [...]

Subscription revenues, which consist of fees collected for the Company's newsletters, were $397,000, an increase of 23% over the $323,000 reported the same period a year ago."

Here's another company reporting smaller relative growth in subscriptions as opposed to advertising, out of a smaller revenue base (i.e. when it should be easier, all other things equal, to show stronger growth).