WW Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Results

• FY 2021 End of Period Subscribers of 4.2 million
  
  
• Q4 2021 Revenues of $276 million
  
  
• FY 2021 Revenues of $1.2 billion
  
  
• Q4 2021 Gross Margin of 61.2%; excluding one-time charges, Q4 2021 adjusted gross margin of 61.3%
  
  
• FY 2021 Gross Margin of 59.9%; excluding one-time charges, FY 2021 adjusted gross margin increased 300 basis points year-over-year to 61.2%
  
  
• Q4 2021 Operating Income of $54 million; excluding one-time charges, Q4 2021 adjusted operating income of $55 million
  
  
• FY 2021 Operating Income of $196 million; excluding one-time charges, FY 2021 adjusted operating income of $216 million
  
  
• Q1 2022 Guidance: Revenues of approximately $300 million and net loss per share in the range of $0.26 to $0.31
  
  
• As previously announced, Sima Sistani, Co-Founder and former CEO of Houseparty and a senior leader at Epic Games, to join WW as CEO on March 21, 2022
  

NEW YORK, March 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ: WW) today announced its results for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2021.

“I am extremely proud of the work that our global teams accomplished throughout my tenure as CEO, including the successful launch of PersonalPoints™ and particularly during the dynamic environment of the past two years,” said Mindy Grossman, the Company’s President and CEO. “I am confident that under the leadership of Sima Sistani WW will continue to innovate, act with purpose, and expand its impact around the world.”

Amy O’Keefe, the Company’s CFO, said, “We closed out 2021 with financial performance in the range of our most recent guidance. While the launch of PersonalPoints in November lifted member recruitment compared to trailing trends, challenging category demand in Q4 pressured signups overall. This trend has continued so far in 2022, therefore, we are planning cautiously and controlling costs tightly in an uncertain demand environment. For Q1 2022, we expect revenues to be approximately $300 million and net loss per share in the range of $0.26 to $0.31.”

Q4 2021 Consolidated Results

Q4 2021 Business and Financial Highlights

• End of Period Subscribers in Q4 2021 were down 5.8% versus the prior year period, driven by declines in all major geographic markets. Q4 2021 End of Period Digital Subscribers decreased 7.1% and End of Period Workshops + Digital Subscribers increased 1.0% versus the prior year period.
  
  
• Total Paid Weeks in Q4 2021 were down 11.1% versus the prior year period, driven by declines in all major geographic markets. Q4 2021 Digital Paid Weeks decreased 11.8% and Workshops + Digital Paid Weeks decreased 7.7% versus the prior year period.
  
  
• Revenues in Q4 2021 were $275.8 million. On a constant currency basis, Q4 2021 revenues decreased 14.2% versus the prior year period.
  
  
  • Subscription Revenues in Q4 2021 were $247.9 million. On a constant currency basis, these revenues decreased 12.9% versus the prior year period, driven by declines in both Digital Subscription Revenues and Workshops + Digital Fees as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 environment on consumer sentiment.
    
    
  • Product Sales and Other in Q4 2021 were $27.8 million. On a constant currency basis, these revenues decreased 24.2% versus the prior year period, primarily due to lower e-commerce sales in the quarter.
    
    
• Gross Profit in Q4 2021 was $168.9 million. Adjusted gross profit in Q4 2021 was $169.2 million, which excluded $0.3 million of restructuring charges. Gross profit in Q4 2020 was $182.1 million. Adjusted gross profit in Q4 2020, which excluded the impact of $15.7 million of restructuring charges, was $197.8 million.
  
  
  • Gross Margin in Q4 2021 was 61.2%. Adjusted gross margin was 61.3%, largely consistent with the prior year period adjusted gross margin of 61.2%, reflecting a consistent mix of Digital subscribers and Workshops + Digital subscribers compared to the prior year period.
    
    
• Operating Income in Q4 2021 was $54.1 million. Adjusted operating income in Q4 2021, which excluded the net impact of $0.6 million of restructuring charges, was $54.6 million. Operating income in Q4 2020 was $47.7 million. Adjusted operating income in Q4 2020, which excluded the impact of $19.6 million of restructuring charges, was $67.3 million.
  
  
• Effective Tax Rate in Q4 2021 was 9.9%, compared to 23.7% in the prior year period. The lower tax rate in the quarter was primarily related to a state tax rate decrease on certain deferred income.
  
  
• Net Income in Q4 2021 was $29.9 million compared to $12.6 million in the prior year period.
  
  
• Earnings per fully diluted share (EPS) in Q4 2021 was $0.42 compared to $0.18 in the prior year period.
  
  
  • Certain items affect year-over-year comparability.
    • Q4 2021 EPS was positively impacted by $0.07 per fully diluted share in the aggregate due to the net impact of the following items:
      • $0.09 per fully diluted share positive impact of a state tax decrease on certain deferred income.
      • $0.01 per fully diluted share net negative impact of restructuring charges.
      • $0.01 per fully diluted share negative impact of early extinguishment of debt charges.
    • Q4 2020 EPS was negatively impacted by $0.21 per fully diluted share due to restructuring charges.

Full Year 2021 Consolidated Results

Full Year 2021 Business and Financial Highlights

• Total Paid Weeks in fiscal 2021 were down 4.3% versus the prior year, driven by declines in Workshops + Digital Paid Weeks in all major geographic markets, partially offset by increases in Digital Paid Weeks across most major geographic markets. Fiscal 2021 Digital Paid Weeks increased 4.0% and Workshops + Digital Paid Weeks decreased 32.3% versus the prior year.
  
  
• Revenues in fiscal 2021 were $1,212.5 million. On a constant currency basis, fiscal 2021 revenues decreased 13.7% versus the prior year.
  
  
  • Subscription Revenues in fiscal 2021 were $1,063.0 million. On a constant currency basis, these revenues decreased 12.1% versus the prior year, primarily driven by declines in Workshops + Digital Fees as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 environment.
    
    
  • Product Sales and Other in fiscal 2021 were $149.4 million. On a constant currency basis, these revenues decreased 23.7% versus the prior year, primarily driven by declines in product sales as a result of the closure of studios and reduced operations related to COVID-19 as well as cycling against the revenue received in connection with the WW Presents: Oprah’s 2020 Vision tour in fiscal 2020.
    
    
• Gross Profit in fiscal 2021 was $726.4 million and adjusted gross profit in fiscal 2021 was $741.8 million, which excluded the net impact of $15.4 million of restructuring charges. Gross profit in fiscal 2020 was $777.8 million.
  
  
  • Gross Margin in fiscal 2021 was 59.9%. Adjusted gross margin was 61.2%, up from 58.1% in fiscal 2020 driven primarily by a mix shift to the Company’s higher margin Digital business.
    
    
• Operating Income in fiscal 2021 was $196.3 million and adjusted operating income in fiscal 2021 was $216.2 million, which excluded the net impact of $19.9 million of restructuring charges. Operating income in fiscal 2020 was $216.2 million.
  
  
• Effective Tax Rate in fiscal 2021 was 12.7% compared to 18.9% in the prior year.
  
  
• Net Income in fiscal 2021 was $66.9 million compared to $75.1 million in the prior year.
  
  
• Earnings per fully diluted share (EPS) in fiscal 2021 was $0.95 compared to $1.07 in the prior year.
  
  
  • Certain items affect year-over-year comparability.
    • Fiscal 2021 EPS was negatively impacted by $0.42 per fully diluted share in the aggregate due to the net impact of the following items:
      • $0.32 per fully diluted share aggregate negative impact from early extinguishment of debt charges, including those associated with the Company’s April 2021 debt refinancing.
      • $0.21 per fully diluted share net negative impact of restructuring charges.
      • $0.09 per fully diluted share positive impact of a state tax decrease on certain deferred income.
      • $0.02 per fully diluted share positive impact of tax benefits due to the reversal of a valuation allowance related to certain net operating losses now expected to be realized.
    • Fiscal 2020 EPS was negatively impacted by $0.63 per fully diluted share in the aggregate due to the net impact of the following items:
      • $0.35 per fully diluted share negative impact of restructuring charges.
      • $0.35 per fully diluted share negative impact from the one-time stock compensation expense associated with the previously disclosed option granted to Oprah Winfrey in connection with the Company extending its partnership with Ms. Winfrey.
      • $0.04 per fully diluted share negative impact from the goodwill impairment charge related to the Company’s Brazil operations.
      • $0.11 per fully diluted share benefit from the reversal of prior years’ global intangible low-taxed income, or GILTI, taxes that are no longer required.

Other Items

• Cash balance as of January 1, 2022 was $153.8 million. On that same date, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under its $175.0 million revolving credit facility.
• Debt Prepayments: In December 2021, the Company made voluntary prepayments at par of $52.5 million in respect of its outstanding term loans under its term loan facility.

2022 Guidance

The Company is providing Q1 2022 guidance, as follows:

• Revenues are expected to be approximately $300 million.
• Net loss per share is expected to be in the range of $0.26 to $0.31.

The Company is not providing full year 2022 guidance today.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Conference Call and Webcast
The Company has scheduled a conference call today at 5:00 p.m. ET.  During the conference call, Mindy Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nicholas Hotchkin, Chief Operating Officer, and Amy O’Keefe, Chief Financial Officer, will discuss the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2021 results and answer questions from the investment community.

The live webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s corporate website, corporate.ww.com, in the Investors section under Presentations and Events. Supplemental investor materials will also be available in the same location prior to the start of the webcast. A replay of the webcast will be available on this site for approximately 90 days.

Statement regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The following provides information regarding non-GAAP financial measures used in this earnings release and today’s scheduled conference call:

To supplement the Company's consolidated results presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), the Company has disclosed non-GAAP financial measures of operating results that exclude or adjust certain items. Gross profit, gross profit margin, operating income, operating income margin, and selling, general and administrative expenses are discussed both as reported (on a GAAP basis) and as adjusted (on a non-GAAP basis), as applicable, with respect to (i) the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 to exclude the impact of charges associated with the Company’s previously disclosed 2021 organizational restructuring plan (“2021 restructuring charges”); (ii) the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2021 to exclude the net impact of (x) 2021 restructuring charges and (y) the reversal of certain of the charges associated with the Company’s previously disclosed 2020 organizational restructuring plan; (iii) the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 to exclude the impact of charges associated with the Company’s previously disclosed 2020 organizational restructuring plan (the “2020 restructuring charges”); and (iv) full year fiscal 2020 to exclude the impact of (x) the one-time stock compensation expense associated with the previously disclosed option granted to Oprah Winfrey in connection with the Company extending its partnership with Ms. Winfrey (the “Winfrey Stock Compensation expense”), (y) the 2020 restructuring charges and (z) the impairment charge for the Company’s goodwill related to its Brazil reporting unit. We generally refer to such non-GAAP measures as follows: (i) with respect to the adjustments for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2021, as applicable, as excluding or adjusting for the impact or net impact of restructuring charges; and (ii) with respect to the adjustments for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2020, as applicable, as excluding or adjusting for the impact of the Winfrey Stock Compensation expense, the restructuring charges and/or the goodwill impairment charge. The Company also presents in the attachments to this release the non-GAAP financial measures earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation (“EBITDAS”), earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, early extinguishment of debt, restructuring charges (including the net impact where applicable) and goodwill impairment (“Adjusted EBITDAS”), net debt, and a net debt to Adjusted EBITDAS ratio. In addition, the Company presents certain of its financial results on a constant currency basis in addition to GAAP results. Constant currency information compares results between periods as if exchange rates had remained constant period-over-period. The Company calculates constant currency by calculating current-year results using prior-year foreign currency exchange rates.

Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information for its and investors' evaluation of the Company's business performance and are useful for period-over-period comparisons of the performance of the Company's business. While management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating the Company's business, this information should be considered as supplemental in nature and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures may not be the same as similarly entitled measures reported by other companies. See "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" attached to this release and reconciliations, if any, included elsewhere in this release for a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.

About WW International, Inc.
WW (formerly Weight Watchers) is a human-centric technology company powered by the world's leading commercial weight management program. As a global wellness company, we inspire millions of people to adopt healthy habits for real life. Through our comprehensive digital app, expert Coaches and engaging experiences, members follow our proven, sustainable, science-based program focused on food, activity, mindset and sleep. Leveraging nearly six decades of expertise in nutritional and behavioral change science, providing real human connection and building inspired communities, our purpose is to democratize and deliver holistic wellness for all. To learn more about the WW approach to healthy living, please visit ww.com. For more information about our global business, visit our corporate website at corporate.ww.com.

This news release and any attachments include “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, in particular, revenue and earnings guidance and any statements about the Company’s plans, strategies, objectives, and prospects and the impact of the COVID-19 virus. The Company generally uses the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “intend,” “aim” and similar expressions in this news release and any attachments to identify forward-looking statements. The Company bases these forward-looking statements on its current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, among other things: the impact of the ongoing global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus on the Company’s business and liquidity and on the business and consumer environment and markets in which the Company operates; competition from other weight management and wellness industry participants or the development of more effective or more favorably perceived weight management methods; the Company’s failure to continue to retain and grow its subscriber base; the Company’s ability to continue to develop new, innovative services and products and enhance its existing services and products or the failure of its services, products or brands to continue to appeal to the market, or the Company’s ability to successfully expand into new channels of distribution or respond to consumer trends or sentiment; the ability to successfully implement strategic initiatives; the effectiveness and efficiency of the Company’s advertising and marketing programs, including the strength of its social media presence; the impact on the Company’s reputation of actions taken by its franchisees, licensees, suppliers and other partners; the recognition of asset impairment charges; the loss of key personnel, strategic partners or consultants or failure to effectively manage and motivate the Company’s workforce; the Company’s chief executive officer transition; the inability to renew certain of the Company’s licenses, or the inability to do so on terms that are favorable to the Company; the expiration or early termination by the Company of leases; uncertainties related to a downturn in general economic conditions or consumer confidence; the Company’s ability to successfully make acquisitions or enter into joint ventures or collaborations, including its ability to successfully integrate, operate or realize the anticipated benefits of such businesses; the seasonal nature of the Company’s business; the impact of events that discourage or impede people from gathering with others or impede accessing resources; the Company’s failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting; the impact of the Company’s substantial amount of debt, debt service obligations and debt covenants, and the Company’s exposure to variable rate indebtedness; the ability to generate sufficient cash to service the Company’s debt and satisfy its other liquidity requirements; uncertainties regarding the satisfactory operation of the Company’s technology or systems; the impact of data security breaches and other malicious acts or privacy concerns, including the costs of compliance with evolving privacy laws and regulations; the Company’s ability to enforce its intellectual property rights both domestically and internationally, as well as the impact of its involvement in any claims related to intellectual property rights; risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s international operations, including regulatory, economic, political, social, intellectual property and foreign currency risks; the outcomes of litigation or regulatory actions; the impact of existing and future laws and regulations; the possibility that the interests of Artal Group S.A., the largest holder of the Company’s common stock and a shareholder with significant influence over the Company, will conflict with the Company’s interests or the interests of other holders of the Company’s common stock; the impact that the sale of substantial amounts of the Company’s common stock by existing large shareholders, or the perception that such sales could occur, could have on the market price of the Company’s common stock; and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. You should understand that many important factors, including those discussed herein, could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from those expressed or suggested in any forward-looking statement. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new information or events or circumstances that occur after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise. Readers are advised to review the Company’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (which are available on the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov and via the Company’s website at corporate.ww.com).

For more information, contact:
Investors:
Corey Kinger        
VP Investor Relations
corey.kinger@ww.com

Media:
Joe Quenqua
Chief Communications Officer
joe.quenqua@ww.com

Nicole Penn
VP Corporate Communications
nicole.penn@ww.com