NERDWALLET INC
For the period ended Mar 31, 2025. Filed May 6, 2025.
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A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.
Mar 31, 2025 · Filed May 6, 2025
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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
- The Company and Basis of Presentation
The Company—NerdWallet, Inc., a Delaware corporation, was formed on December 29, 2011. NerdWallet, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Company) provide consumer-driven advice about personal finance through its platform by connecting individuals and small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) with providers of financial products.
Basis of Consolidation and Presentation—The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and applicable rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding interim financial reporting. Accordingly, the accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all disclosures normally required in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.
In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements, and include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the periods presented. The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain comparative amounts for the three and three months ended March 31, 2024 have been reclassified to conform to the financial statement presentation as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2025 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or any other future period.
Segments—The Company hasone operating segment. The measure of segment assets is presented as total assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.
Components of segment costs and expenses, along with a reconciliation to income (loss) from operations, are as follows:
| Three Months EndedMarch 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2025 | 2024 |
| Revenue | $209.2 | $161.9 |
| Costs and Expenses: | ||
| Performance marketing | 97.6 | 54.6 |
| Brand marketing | 37.4 | 27.0 |
| Personnel-related expenses1 | 41.5 | 48.0 |
| Stock-based compensation1 | 7.5 | 9.6 |
| Capitalized internally developed software costs | (5.1) | (6.2) |
| Depreciation and amortization | 12.6 | 11.9 |
| Other segment costs and expenses2 | 17.0 | 13.3 |
| Total costs and expenses | 208.5 | 158.2 |
| Income from operations | $0.7 | $3.7 |
(1) Gross of capitalized internally developed software costs.
(2) Primarily includes cost of revenue and non-personnel-related operating expenses (each excluding depreciation and amortization), restructuring charges, and acquisition-related retention and expenses.
Other segment items included in consolidated net income (loss) are presented in the condensed consolidated statements of operations, and comprised of other income (expense), net, and income tax provision (benefit).
Sales and Marketing—Components of sales and marketing expenses are as follows:
| Three Months EndedMarch 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2025 | 2024 |
| Performance marketing | $97.6 | $54.6 |
| Brand marketing | 37.4 | 27.0 |
| Organic and other marketing | 24.7 | 26.3 |
| Total sales and marketing | $159.7 | $107.9 |
Significant Accounting Policies—During the three months ended March 31, 2025, there have been no material changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies as disclosed in Note 1–The Company and its Significant Accounting Policies in the notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.
- Revenue
The following presents a disaggregation of the Company’s revenue based on product category:
| Three Months EndedMarch 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2025 | 2024 |
| Insurance | $74.0 | $21.4 |
| Credit cards | 38.0 | 50.0 |
| SMB products | 28.9 | 30.4 |
| Loans | 24.0 | 21.4 |
| Emerging verticals | 44.3 | 38.7 |
| Total revenue | $209.2 | $161.9 |
During the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company recognized $0.2 million and $4.1 million, respectively, of revenue that was deferred as of December 31, 2024 and 2023.
The contract asset recorded within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheet related to estimated variable consideration was $7.2 million and $6.8 million as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively.
- Fair Value Measurements
The Company’s assets that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis, by level, within the fair value hierarchy are summarized as follows:
| (in millions) | Quoted Pricesin ActiveMarkets(Level 1) | OtherObservableInputs(Level 2) | SignificantUnobservableInputs(Level 3) | TotalCarryingValue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assets: | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents—money market funds | $61.3 | $— | $— | $61.3 |
| Certificate of deposit | — | 2.2 | — | 2.2 |
| Mortgage loans held for sale | — | 7.0 | — | 7.0 |
| $61.3 | $9.2 | $— | $70.5 | |
| (in millions) | Quoted Pricesin ActiveMarkets(Level 1) | OtherObservableInputs(Level 2) | SignificantUnobservableInputs(Level 3) | TotalCarryingValue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assets: | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents—money market funds | $36.8 | $— | $— | $36.8 |
| Certificate of deposit | — | 2.2 | — | 2.2 |
| Mortgage loans held for sale | — | 2.6 | — | 2.6 |
| $36.8 | $4.8 | $— | $41.6 | |
- Significant Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Components
Property, equipment and software, net includes capitalized software development costs, net of accumulated amortization, of $36.8 million and $40.5 million as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The Company capitalized $5.1 million and $6.4 million of software development costs during the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The Company recorded amortization expense related to capitalized software development costs of $8.8 million and $8.0 million during the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities include unbilled accounts payable of $46.3 million and $33.7 million, short-term borrowings under a warehouse line of credit of $6.8 million and $2.5 million, and operating lease liabilities of $1.7 million and $2.3 million, as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively.
Other liabilities—noncurrent includes operating lease liabilities of $3.8 million and $4.1 million as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively.
- Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Other Financial Arrangements—The Company has certain financial commitments and other arrangements including unused letters of credit, commitments under leases, and an outstanding warehouse line of credit. As of March 31, 2025, there were no material changes to the Company’s commitments and other financial arrangements as disclosed in Note 8–Commitments and Contingencies in the notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Litigation and Other Legal Matters—The Company is involved from time to time in litigation, claims, and proceedings. Periodically, the Company evaluates the status of each legal matter and assesses potential financial exposure. If the potential loss from any legal proceeding or litigation is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated, the Company accrues a liability for the estimated loss. Significant judgment is required to determine the probability of a loss and whether the amount of the loss is reasonably estimable. The outcome of any proceeding is not determinable in advance. As a result, the assessment of a potential liability and the amount of accruals recorded are based only on the information available at the time. As additional information becomes available, the Company reassesses the potential liability related to the legal proceeding or litigation, and may revise its estimates. Management is not currently aware of any matters that it expects will have a material effect on the financial position, results of operations, or cash flows of the Company. The Company has not accrued any material potential loss as of March 31, 2025 or December 31, 2024.
- Stockholders’ Equity
Share Repurchase Program—The Company maintains a plan, authorized by its Board of Directors in May 2023 with subsequent additional share repurchase authorizations as approved by the Board of Directors, under which the Company may repurchase shares of the Company’s Class A common stock (collectively, the Repurchase Program).
The Company did not repurchase any shares of Class A common stock during the three months ended March 31, 2025 or 2024. The remaining share repurchase authorization under the Repurchase Program is $25.0 million as of March 31, 2025.
Equity Incentive Plans—The 2021 Equity Incentive Plan and the predecessor 2012 Equity Incentive Plan, both as amended, along with the 2022 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (collectively, the Plans) comprise the equity incentive plans of the Company.
Under the terms of the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, the number of shares of Class A common stock reserved for issuance under the plan will automatically increase on January 1 of each calendar year, starting January 1, 2023 and ending on and including January 1, 2031, in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of shares of the Company’s capital stock outstanding on December 31 of the prior calendar year, unless the Company’s Board of Directors determines prior to the date of increase that there will be a lesser increase, or no increase. In accordance with these plan terms, the aggregate number of shares of Class A common stock reserved for issuance under the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan increased by 3.7 million shares effective January 1, 2025.
Stock Options—A summary of the Company’s stock option activity for its Plans is as follows:
| OutstandingStock Options(in thousands) | Weighted-AverageExercise Price | Weighted-AverageRemainingContractual Life(in years) | AggregateIntrinsic Value(in millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance as of December 31, 20241 | 3,283 | $12.40 | 6.2 | $7.1 |
| Granted2 | 1,672 | $10.07 | ||
| Exercised | (5) | $6.55 | ||
| Cancelled/forfeited2 | (149) | $14.52 | ||
| Balance as of March 31, 20251 | 4,801 | $11.53 | 6.7 | $1.9 |
| Vested and exercisable as of March 31, 2025 | 2,697 | $12.36 | 4.5 | $1.6 |
(1)Includes 0.2 million of stock options with both service-based and performance-based conditions.
(2)Includes 0.1 million of stock options with both service-based and performance-based conditions.
The weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2025 was $5.85 per share. The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised wasimmaterial for the three months ended March 31, 2025.
The per-share fair value of each stock option granted was determined on the date of grant using the following weighted-average assumptions:
| Three Months EndedMarch 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Expected volatility | 57.7% | 58.1% |
| Expected term (in years) | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| Risk-free interest rate | 4.2% | 4.2% |
Restricted Stock Units—A summary of the Company’s outstanding nonvested restricted stock units (RSUs) for its Plans is as follows:
| Number of Units(in thousands) | Weighted-AverageGrant-DateFair Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Nonvested as of December 31, 20241 | 4,621 | $12.57 |
| Granted1 | 680 | $9.48 |
| Vested | (431) | $14.06 |
| Forfeited | (320) | $14.33 |
| Nonvested as of March 31, 20251 | 4,550 | $11.84 |
(1)Includes less than 0.1 million of RSUs with both service-based and performance-based conditions.
The total fair value of shares that vested under RSUs was $4.4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2025.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan—The terms of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) provide for automatic increases in the number of shares reserved for issuance on January 1 of each calendar year, beginning in 2023 and through 2031, subject to terms of the ESPP. In accordance with these plan terms, the aggregate number of Class A common stock authorized for issuance under the ESPP increased by 0.7 million effective January 1, 2025. Prior to capitalizing amounts related to software development costs, the Company recognized stock-based compensation related to the ESPP of $0.3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2025. The Company did not recognize any stock-based compensation related to the ESPP during the three months ended March 31, 2024, as the previous ESPP purchase period ended on December 31, 2023, and the next ESPP purchase began on May 1, 2024.
Stock-Based Compensation—The Company recognized stock-based compensation under the Plans and ESPP as follows:
| Three Months EndedMarch 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2025 | 2024 |
| Research and development | $2.1 | $2.6 |
| Sales and marketing | 2.1 | 2.5 |
| General and administrative | 2.5 | 3.6 |
| Total stock-based compensation | $6.7 | $8.7 |
In addition, stock-based compensation capitalized related to software development costs was $0.8 million and $0.9 million during the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
- Income Taxes
The Company’s tax provision for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was determined using an estimated annual effective tax rate (AETR) which is adjusted for discrete items occurring during the periods presented. The Company’s tax provision for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was determined using a discrete effective tax rate method, as allowed by ASC Topic 740-270, Income Taxes, Interim Reporting, as the Company had determined that small changes in estimated “ordinary” income would have resulted in significant changes in the estimated annual effective tax rate.
The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2025 differs from the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate of 21% primarily due to discrete items related to stock-based compensation and uncertain tax positions. The primary difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the statutory federal income tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was the full valuation allowance previously maintained on the Company’s federal, state and foreign deferred tax attributes. During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company concluded that it was more likely than not that the Company will be able to fully realize its net U.S. Federal and majority state deferred tax assets, with a significant improvement in the Company’s profitability, coupled with anticipated future earnings, deemed to provide positive evidence to support sufficient taxable income in future periods, and accordingly recorded a valuation allowance release. The Company continues to maintain a valuation allowance on its California deferred tax assets, which consist primarily of tax credits, as of March 31, 2025. The Company’s judgment regarding the likelihood of realization of its deferred tax assets could change in future periods, which could result in a material impact in the Company’s income tax provision in the period of change.
- Net Income Per Basic and Diluted Share
The following table provides the basic and diluted per share computations for net income attributable to common stockholders:
| Three Months EndedMarch 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions, except per share amounts) | 2025 | 2024 |
| Numerator: | ||
| Net income attributable to common stockholders—basic and diluted | $0.2 | $1.1 |
| Denominator: | ||
| Weighted-average shares of common stock—basic | 74.2 | 77.2 |
| Effect of dilutive RSUs, stock options and ESPP shares | 1.9 | 3.3 |
| Weighted-average shares of common stock—diluted | 76.1 | 80.5 |
| Net income per share attributable to common stockholders: | ||
| Basic | $0.00 | $0.01 |
| Diluted | $0.00 | $0.01 |
The following common stock equivalents were excluded from the computation of diluted net income per share because including them would have been antidilutive:
| Three Months EndedMarch 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2025 | 2024 |
| Shares subject to outstanding stock options and RSUs | 4.3 | 2.5 |
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