5th May 2026 05:00
Interim report January - March 2026
First quarter 2026
Net sales in the quarter amounted to SEK 645.0m (535.4), corresponding to net sales growth of 20% (30%). The growth was primarily driven by the North American region where net sales grew by 26% (65%).Organic net sales growth was 31% (26%).EBITDA for the quarter was SEK 29.1m (-8.0), resulting in an EBITDA margin of 5% (-2%).Operating profit amounted to SEK 4.7m (-30.9), resulting in an EBIT margin of 1% (-6%).The adjusted operating profit amounted to SEK 4.7m (-26.1), reflecting an adjusted EBIT margin of 1% (-5%).The result for the period amounted to SEK 16.9m (-92.7).Earnings per share for the period before dilution amounted to SEK 0.09 (-0.51). Earnings per share after dilution amounted to SEK 0.09 (-0.51).Cash flow from operating activities amounted to SEK 39.6m (28.9).The number of listens amounted to 1,121 (1,109), corresponding to a 1% increase versus the same period last year.The Average Revenue Per Listen (ARPL) increased to SEK 0.58 (0.48), reflecting an increase of 19%.Other significant events in Q1
In January, Acast entered into a partnership with Perfect Day Media for ad sales, under which Acast gained exclusive responsibility for the distribution and sale of brand-made ads for all podcasts from Perfect Day Media.Acast entered into a partnership with publisher Slate in early February, becoming the exclusive partner for advertising sales and distribution of Slate's podcast network. The agreement adds more than 1.5 million weekly listens to Acast's marketplace and strengthens the company's growth in the United StatesIn February, Acast announced it is among the first to work with Apple to distribute video podcasts to Apple Podcasts using HLS, enabling Acast to monetize video podcast content for creators and advertisers on the platform.Comment from the CEO: Strong profitable growthThe strong revenue performance in Q1 2026 marks a significant milestone for Acast: our first ever profitable first quarter. Powered by sustained double-digit organic growth across all regions and continued operational discipline, we have demonstrated that our business model scales efficiently. As we move through 2026, our enhanced market position and expanding omnichannel capabilities provide a powerful platform to capture market share as podcast revenue continues to catch up to its audience reach and attention.
CONTINUED EXPANSION WITH 31% ORGANIC REVENUE GROWTHWe concluded Q1 2026 with group revenue growth of 20% Y/Y and organic growth of 31%, a strong start to the year that demonstrates the continued strength of our business across all regions. North America was the main driver, achieving 26% growth and 43% organic growth. Europe grew 16% with 23% organic growth, and Other Markets delivered 22% growth with 26% organic growth.
WE HAVE ENTERED 2026 ON A STRONG NOTE WITH A PROFITABLE Q1Q1 2026 marks a defining moment: our first-ever profitable first quarter. EBITDA reached SEK 29m, corresponding to a 5% margin, up from SEK -8m in Q1 2025. Operating profit turned positive at SEK 5m, representing a 1% margin. This profitability milestone was driven by disciplined cost management, with total operating expenses growing just 2% Y/Y against 20% revenue growth.
Positive cash flow development has followed the improving profitability, with operating cash flow reaching SEK 40m in Q1. Our balance sheet remains strong with a cash position of SEK 602m, providing us with a solid foundation for continued investment in the business.
DELIVERING ON OUR MONETIZATION STRATEGYOur monetization strategy continues to demonstrate strong performance. ARPL reached SEK 0.58 for the quarter, up 19% Y/Y, and listens grew 1%. This demonstrates that we can grow revenue by making each listen more valuable. We continue to see the benefits of our focus on highly monetizable content and our ability to connect creators with advertisers at scale.
Our partnership with Slate â€" connecting its content with advertisers across the US and global markets â€" and our ad sales partnership with Perfect Day Media in Sweden are good examples of how we continue to expand our network with high-value content.
BUILDING FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARSAcast has built a unique position in the market, enabling us to take advantage of rapidly evolving trends. Our ongoing investment in technology positions us to dominate an increasingly complex podcasting landscape, and we have a fortified, experienced senior leadership team and structure built for the future.
Podcasting is rapidly growing into a key pillar of the Influencer Economy. We have the scale, the relationships, and the products to claim a mature leadership role globally. We have secured video podcast distribution partnerships across the three major platforms, Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts, cementing Acast’s position as a fully platform-agnostic video and audio distribution company â€" meaning our customers will upload their content once and reach their audience everywhere.
Our investments in omnichannel capabilities also position us well to continue our shift toward upstream engagement, allowing us to influence budgets earlier and secure larger bookings from a broader base of advertisers.
We enter the rest of 2026 with a proven model, a healthy balance sheet, and conviction in our ability to drive the global podcast advertising market forward. I am proud of what the entire Acast team has delivered, and we look ahead with confidence.
Greg GlendayCEO
Report presentationCEO Greg Glenday and CFO Anders H¤gg will present the report in a webcast today May 5 at 10:00 CET. The presentation will be held in English and there will be the opportunity to ask questions during the presentation. Link to the presentation: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/m5v5zxak/
Link to the reportThe Interim Report is attached to this press release and available on https://investors.acast.com/
For more information
Anders H¤ggCFO and deputy CEOE-mail: [email protected]
Investor Relations:Sofia MarkovicTel: +46 73 808 44 39E-mail: [email protected]
About Acast
Acast is the global authority on podcasting, building the infrastructure that serves as the single point of entry for the whole industry. This enables creators to grow and monetize across audio, video, social, and beyond, and brands to buy at scale - without walls or borders. As the world’s largest pure-play podcast company, we connect 140,000+ storytellers with 4,000+ advertisers globally. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ACAST).
This information is information that Acast is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 2026-05-05 07:00 CEST.
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