From today’s earnings release:

“At Shopzilla, the online comparison shopping service acquired by Scripps in June 2005, segment profit for the fourth quarter was $20.3 million on revenue of $63.2 million. In the fourth quarter of 2004 Shopzilla recorded $5.6 million of segment profit on $25.1 million of revenue.

Ok, that’s an amazing quarter. I had estimated that revenue would be $52.8m (or 50% higher than in Q3). Actual Q4 number was 80% higher than Q3. The profit margin also increased and outperformed my expectations. I had estimated 27%. Actual number was 32%.

Total revenue for the year comes in at aproximately $155m. I had estimated aproximately $144m.

As for year over year comparisons, Q4 2005 represented (aproximately) a 152% increase in Q4 2004 revenue and (aproximately) a 263% increase in Q4 2004 segment profit. Looks like the exposure on the Scripps Networks paid off

More from the release:
“We’re also encouraged by the exceptional financial performance at our newest business, Shopzilla,” Lowe said. “Shopzilla directly benefited during the holiday season from the growing number of consumers who are doing their shopping online. Revenue and segment profit at Shopzilla were up sharply during the fourth quarter, exceeding our expectations and reaffirming for us our belief that online consumers are quickly discovering its power as an easy-to-use shopping service.”

“Shopzilla is expected to generate segment profit of about $10 million in the first quarter.”

That $10m figure would be an aprx. 59% increase over Q1 2005 when the company had a segment profit of $6.3m. Assuming similar margins to Q1 2005 of 23.4%, that would mean expected Q1 revenues of $42.7m. [I'll provide more concrete numbers soon.] Not too shabby…although it would represent the first quarter to quarter decline in revenues since I started tracking results back in Q1 2004…although with such a stellar Q4 2005, a drop in Q1 2006 revenues would be expected…and actually be normal for a retailer (Q4 jumps, Q1 drops significantly, Q2 rises a little bit, Q3 rises more, and then Q4 ourperforms the previous year’s Q4).

I’ll listen to the call which starts at 7am and let you know if I learn anything else.

Related Posts:
Shopping.com Earnings - No Show - January 18, 2006
PriceGrabber Deal from an Earnings Perspective - December 14, 2005 (I look at Shopzilla earnings)
Comparison of Shopping.com, Shopzilla, and PriceGrabber Deals - December 14, 2005
Scripps Provides 2006 Guidance for Shopzilla - December 5, 2005
Shopzilla - A Sharp Focus on Techology - November 21, 2005