Tucows Q1 2021 results: combined domains and Ting Internet revenue increases

Tucows Inc. reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021. All figures are in U.S. dollars.

Financial Results
Net revenue for the first quarter of 2021 was $70.9 million compared with $84.0 million for the first quarter of 2020. The majority of the decrease was the result of the absence of Ting Mobile MVNO revenue in the first quarter of 2021 following the Company’s sale of its Ting Mobile customer relationships to DISH and the related earn out being recognized as Other Income. Excluding the Mobile Services business, net revenue for the combined Domains and Ting Internet businesses for the first quarter of 2021 increased 4% from the first quarter of 2020.

Gross profit for the first quarter of 2021 was $17.5 million compared with $25.2 million for the first quarter of 2020. The decrease in gross profit is attributable to the same factors as the decrease in revenue. Excluding the Mobile Services business, gross margin for the combined Domains and Ting Internet businesses for the first quarter of 2021 increased 13% from the first quarter of 2020.

Net income for the first quarter of 2021 was $2.1 million, or $0.20 per share, a decrease of 24% from $2.8 million, or $0.27 per share, for the first quarter of 2020 due to higher Fiber network related depreciation and slighter higher effective annual tax rate.

Adjusted EBITDA1 for the first quarter of 2021 remained flat at $12.7 million, an increase of less than 1% compared to the first quarter of 2020.

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the first quarter of 2021 were $8.3 million, unchanged from that at the end of the fourth quarter of 2020 and down from $12.4 million at the end of the first quarter of 2020.

“The first quarter was a very solid start to 2021 with revenue and gross margin from our Domains and Ting Internet businesses combined, increasing 4% and 13% year over year, respectively.” said Elliot Noss, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tucows Inc. “In our Domains Services business, as growth in new registration volumes continued to decelerate toward normalized levels as expected post the pandemic surge, we are clearly benefiting from our focus on profitability with Adjusted EBITDA up 20% year-over-year. The new iteration of the Mobile Services business continues to move forward on plan with our legacy customer base performing as expected with DISH. And it was one of our best quarters ever of progress in the Ting Internet business as we set new records across all of our key metrics, most notably, by far our largest quarterly capital expenditures as we accelerate investment in 2021, as well as our highest ever quarter for additions in
serviceable addresses.”