Reddit Inc
For the period ended Sep 30, 2024. Filed Oct 30, 2024.
View on SEC.govAbout this filing
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.
Sep 30, 2024 · Filed Oct 30, 2024
RDDT$95.10+1.4%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026
What changed in Risk Factors?
Read the current filingPrevious report: 10-Q
Period ended 2024-06-30; filed 2024-08-07.
0001713445-24-000054
Item 1A. Risk FactorsCurrent report: 10-Q
Period ended 2024-09-30; filed 2024-10-30.
0001713445-24-000102
Item 1A. Risk FactorsThe baseline is this issuer’s latest earlier reporting period of the same form that was filed before the current report. A previous 10-Q is a different quarter, not a year-over-year comparison. Amendments are excluded.
Compared 436 previous paragraphs and 425 current paragraphs.
404 unchanged; 20 reworded; 1 added; 11 removed; 1 previous and 0 current paragraphs rearranged.
Tables are not compared: 0 previous and 0 current tables excluded. Dates, whitespace, punctuation and numbering changes are ignored; changes to financial figures remain significant.
A changed paragraph is not evidence that risk increased or decreased. An unchanged paragraph does not establish that risk stayed the same.
Added paragraphs (1)
Current report
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock could depress the market price of our Class A common stock.
Removed paragraphs (11)
Previous report
A substantial portion of the outstanding shares of our common stock after our initial public offering are restricted from immediate resale, but may be sold on a stock exchange in the near future. The large number of shares of our common stock eligible for public sale or subject to rights requiring us to register them for public sale could depress the market price of our Class A common stock.
Previous report
We and all of our directors and executive officers, the selling stockholders, and certain other record holders that together represent approximately 82% of our outstanding Class A common stock and securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our Class A common stock, calculated as of immediately prior to our initial public offering, are subject to lock-up agreements with the underwriters of our initial public offering agreeing that, subject to certain exceptions, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, on behalf of the underwriters, we and they will not, in accordance with the terms of such agreements during the period ending on the opening of trading on the earlier of (i) the third trading day immediately following our public release of earnings for the quarter ending June 30, 2024 and (ii) 180 days after the date of our Prospectus (such period, the “Lock-up Period”):
Previous report
(1)offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase, lend, make any short sale, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our Class A common stock and securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our Class A common stock;
Previous report
(2)enter into any swap, hedging transaction, or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our Class A common stock, whether any such transaction described above is to be settled by delivery of our Class A common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise;
Previous report
(3)publicly disclose the intention to take any of the actions restricted by clause (1) or (2) above; or
Previous report
(4)make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of our Class A common stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A common stock.
Previous report
Furthermore, (i) an additional approximately 1% of our outstanding Class A common stock and securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our Class A common stock, as calculated immediately prior to our initial public offering, are subject to the market standoff provisions in our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, pursuant to which such holders agreed to not lend, offer, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our Class A common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A common stock, or enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such Class A common stock during the Lock-up Period and (ii) an additional approximately 17% of our outstanding Class A common stock and securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our Class A common stock, as calculated immediately prior to our initial public offering, are subject to restrictions contained in market standoff agreements with us that include restrictions on the sale, transfer, or other disposition of shares during the Lock-up Period.
Previous report
As a result of the foregoing, substantially all of our outstanding Class A common stock and securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our Class A common stock are subject to a lock-up agreement or market standoff provisions during the Lock-up Period. We have agreed to enforce all such market standoff restrictions on behalf of the underwriters and not to amend or waive any such market standoff provisions during the Lock-up Period without the prior consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, on behalf of the underwriters, provided that we may release shares from such restrictions to the extent such shares would be entitled to release under the form of lock-up agreement with the underwriters signed by our directors and executive officers, the selling stockholders, and certain other record holders of our securities as described herein.
Previous report
Upon the expiration of the Lock-up Period, substantially all of the securities subject to such lock-up and market standoff restrictions will become eligible for sale, subject to compliance with applicable securities laws. Furthermore, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, on behalf of the underwriters, may waive the lock-up agreements and market standoff agreements in whole or in part at any time.
Previous report
The forms and specific restrictive provisions within these market standoff provisions vary between security holders. For example, some of these market standoff agreements do not specifically restrict hedging transactions and others may be subject to different interpretations between us and security holders as to whether they restrict hedging. Sales, short sales, or hedging transactions involving our equity securities, whether before or after our initial public offering and whether or not we believe them to be prohibited, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.
Previous report
Record holders of our securities are typically the parties to the lock-up agreements and to the market standoff agreements referred to above, while holders of beneficial interests in our shares who are not also record holders in respect of such shares are not typically subject to any such agreements or other similar restrictions. Accordingly, we believe that holders of beneficial interests who are not record holders and are not bound by market standoff or lock-up agreements could enter into transactions with respect to those beneficial interests that negatively impact the market price of our Class A common stock.
Reworded paragraphs (20)
Previous wording
•We have a history of net losses and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
Current wording
•We have a history of net losses and we may not be able to maintain profitability in the future.
Previous wording
We have a history of net losses and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
Current wording
We have a history of net losses and we may not be able to maintain profitability in the future.
Previous wording
We have incurred net losses since our inception, and we may incur net losses in the future. We incurred net losses of $(90.8) million and $(585.2) million for the year ended December 31, 2023 and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively. As of June 30, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $(1.3) billion. We also expect our operating expenses to increase in future periods, and if our revenue growth does not increase to more than offset these anticipated increases in our operating expenses, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects will be harmed, and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability. While we have recently undertaken cost reduction measures, we expect our costs and expenses to increase in future periods as we intend to continue to make significant investments to broaden our user base, develop and implement new products, market new and existing products and promote our brand, expand our technical infrastructure, and hire additional employees (with a related expected increase in payroll and stock-based compensation expense). Some of these investments may generate only limited revenue and reduce our operating margin. If our investments are not successful, our ability to increase revenue may be adversely affected. In addition to the expected costs to grow our business, we also expect to incur additional legal, accounting, and other expenses as a newly public company. If we fail to increase our revenue to exceed the increases in our operating expenses, we will not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
Current wording
Although we had net income of $29.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, we have previously incurred net losses since our inception, and we may incur net losses in the future. We incurred net losses of $(90.8) million and $(555.3) million for the year ended December 31, 2023 and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively. As of September 30, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $(1.3) billion. We also expect our operating expenses to increase in future periods, and if our revenue growth does not increase to more than offset these anticipated increases in our operating expenses, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects will be harmed, and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability. While we have recently undertaken cost reduction measures, we expect our costs and expenses to increase in future periods as we intend to continue to make significant investments to broaden our user base, develop and implement new products, market new and existing products and promote our brand, expand our technical infrastructure, and hire additional employees (with a related expected increase in payroll and stock-based compensation expense). Some of these investments may generate only limited revenue and reduce our operating margin. If our investments are not successful, our ability to increase revenue may be adversely affected. In addition to the expected costs to grow our business, we also expect to incur additional legal, accounting, and other expenses as a newly public company. If we fail to increase our revenue to exceed the increases in our operating expenses, we will not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
Previous wording
As we continue to grow our advertiser base, our revenue depends on our ability to effectively serve enough advertisements that meet the objectives of our advertisers while maintaining a high-quality, relevant, reliable, trustworthy, and innovative user experience. If we are unable to do this on our platform due to either a decline in DAUq, or changes in our products or services or Redditor behavior that reduce our ability to display as many advertisements as our advertisers may request, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects would be adversely affected. Our advertising business can be inventory constrained at times, and the attendant impact on the supply and pricing of our advertising inventory could affect the financial performance of our business. We could find ourselves unable to match customer advertising specifications with available inventory, leaving us unable to deliver the advertising inventory requested and receiving less revenue than otherwise expected.
Current wording
As we continue to grow our advertiser base, our revenue depends on our ability to effectively serve enough advertisements that meet the objectives of our advertisers while maintaining a high-quality, relevant, reliable, trustworthy, and innovative user experience. If we are unable to do this on our platform due to either a decline in DAUq, or changes in our products or services or Redditor behavior that reduce our ability to display as many advertisements as our advertisers may request, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects would be adversely affected. Our advertising business can be inventory constrained at times, and the attendant impact on the supply and pricing of our advertising inventory could affect the financial performance of our business. We could find ourselves unable to match customer advertising specifications with available inventory, leaving us unable to deliver the advertising inventory requested and receiving less revenue than otherwise expected. This also could put upward pressure on advertising prices and potentially impact the return advertisers get on their spend, which in turn could affect future advertiser spending. To scale the growth of our advertising services, we will have to successfully develop and target ad products tailored to the interests of our advertising customers and our user base, which may require additional user data. If we are unable to do this with the data, technology, and resources available to us, we may need to rely more heavily on alternative revenue sources to grow our business.
Previous wording
Given the breadth of interests represented on our platform, global events, such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine or the recent escalation of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, can have a profound impact on Reddit’s communities and moderators, even when the impact on our business, results of operations, and financial condition is limited. As an example, Reddit has no offices in either Russia or Ukraine, does not accept advertisements targeting Russia or that originate from any Russian-based entity, government, or private citizen, and has limited traffic and users in both countries given our early localization efforts. Nevertheless, the conflict has required our internal teams to shore up our site-wide defenses and provide support, resources, and specialized tooling to those impacted communities. While Reddit will continue to make our platform available for people to connect, support each other, access reliable information, and express their authentic opinions and feelings during difficult times, we cannot ensure that all of our efforts to support our communities will be successful.
Current wording
Given the breadth of interests represented on our platform, global events, such as the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East, can have a profound impact on Reddit’s communities and moderators, even when the impact on our business, results of operations, and financial condition is limited. As an example, Reddit has no offices in either Russia or Ukraine, does not accept advertisements targeting Russia or that originate from any Russian-based entity, government, or private citizen, and has limited traffic and users in both countries given our early localization efforts. Nevertheless, the conflict has required our internal teams to shore up our site-wide defenses and provide support, resources, and specialized tooling to those impacted communities. While Reddit will continue to make our platform available for people to connect, support each other, access reliable information, and express their authentic opinions and feelings during difficult times, we cannot ensure that all of our efforts to support our communities will be successful.
Previous wording
The licensing of data for machine learning and AI training purposes is a novel business model without an established track record, which makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter in seeking to execute on this opportunity. Although we have negotiated data agreements with a small number of partners that are medium-term in length, to date, substantially all of the contract value associated with our licensing revenue is derived from two of our partners, and these arrangements may not be renewed, or they may be renewed based on less favorable terms, such as using fewer services at lower pricing. Our data license agreements are subject to terms and conditions, including API performance requirements, that we may be unable to meet. In addition, our existing data licensing agreements may be terminated, not renewed, or renewed on less favorable terms. The commercial market for large language models may not develop or may be limited by regulation or other factors, and accordingly, the value of data for AI training purposes may be reduced over time, and we may also not be able to secure arrangements on similar terms, or at all, with any other licensees. While our data licensing arrangements include protections against abuse and misuse of Reddit data, we may be unable to adequately control the misbehavior of partners or adequately protect our reputation externally and with respect to our communities.
Current wording
The licensing of data for machine learning and AI training purposes is a novel business model without an established track record, which makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter in seeking to execute on this opportunity. Although we have negotiated data agreements with a number of partners that are medium-term in length, to date, substantially all of the contract value associated with our licensing revenue is derived from two of our partners, and these arrangements may not be renewed, or they may be renewed based on less favorable terms, such as using fewer services at lower pricing. Our data license agreements are subject to terms and conditions, including API performance requirements, that we may be unable to meet. In addition, our existing data licensing agreements may be terminated, not renewed, or renewed on less favorable terms. The commercial market for large language models may not develop or may be limited by regulation or other factors, and accordingly, the value of data for AI training purposes may be reduced over time, and we may also not be able to secure arrangements on similar terms, or at all, with any other licensees. While our data licensing arrangements include protections against abuse and misuse of Reddit data, we may be unable to adequately control the misbehavior of partners or adequately protect our reputation externally and with respect to our communities.
Previous wording
Our mission—to bring community, belonging, and empowerment to everyone in the world—and company values are a significant part of our business strategy and who we are as a company. We believe that Redditors value our commitment to our mission of open discourse. However, because we hold ourselves to such high standards, and because we believe Redditors and our moderators have high expectations of us, we may be more severely affected by negative reports or publicity if we fail, or are perceived to have failed, to live up to our mission. As a result, our brand and reputation may be negatively affected by actions we take that are viewed as contrary to that mission. In addition, adhering to our mission may negatively affect our reputation. For example, we received public scrutiny for failing to remove certain content related to the 2020 U.S. presidential election. In these or other circumstances, the damage to our reputation may be greater than to other companies that do not share similar values with us, and it may take us longer to recover from such an incident and gain back the trust of Redditors.
Current wording
Our mission—to bring community, belonging, and empowerment to everyone in the world—and company values are a significant part of our business strategy and who we are as a company. We believe that Redditors value our commitment to our mission of open discourse. However, because we hold ourselves to such high standards, and because we believe Redditors and our moderators have high expectations of us, we may be more severely affected by negative reports or publicity if we fail, or are perceived to have failed, to live up to our mission. As a result, our brand and reputation may be negatively affected by actions we take that are viewed as contrary to that mission. In addition, adhering to our mission may negatively affect our reputation. For example, we remain under continued public scrutiny with regard to the moderation of content related to global elections, including in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. In these or other circumstances, the damage to our reputation may be greater than to other companies that do not share similar values with us, and it may take us longer to recover from such an incident and gain back the trust of Redditors.
Previous wording
A significant natural disaster or other catastrophic event, such as an earthquake, fire, flood, power outage, telecommunications failure, cyberattack, war, terrorist attack, sabotage, other intentional acts of vandalism or misconduct, geopolitical event, pandemic or other public health crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, or other catastrophic occurrence could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic led to certain business disruptions, including travel bans and restrictions, shelter-in-place orders, and the postponement or cancellation of major events, which affected the economy as a whole, and, although we saw increased growth in our user base during the COVID-19 pandemic, a future pandemic or similar health event could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects. We have offices and a significant number of employees in the San Francisco Bay Area, a region known for seismic activity. Furthermore, escalation of geopolitical tensions, including as a result of escalations in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, or the recent escalation of Middle East conflict involving Israel , could have a broader impact that expands into other markets where we do business, which could adversely affect our business, vendors, partners, Redditors, or the economy as a whole. Despite any precautions we may take, the occurrence of a natural disaster or other unanticipated problems could result in lengthy interruptions in our services or disruptions in our activities or the activities of our vendors, partners, Redditors, or the economy as a whole. All of the aforementioned risks may be further increased if our disaster recovery plans prove to be inadequate. We do not carry business interruption insurance sufficient to compensate us for the potentially significant losses, including the potential harm to our business that may result from interruptions in our ability to provide our products and services. Any such natural disaster or man-made problem could adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects.
Current wording
A significant natural disaster or other catastrophic event, such as an earthquake, fire, flood, power outage, telecommunications failure, cyberattack, war, terrorist attack, sabotage, other intentional acts of vandalism or misconduct, geopolitical event, pandemic or other public health crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, or other catastrophic occurrence could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic led to certain business disruptions, including travel bans and restrictions, shelter-in-place orders, and the postponement or cancellation of major events, which affected the economy as a whole, and, although we saw increased growth in our user base during the COVID-19 pandemic, a future pandemic or similar health event could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects. We have offices and a significant number of employees in the San Francisco Bay Area, a region known for seismic activity. Furthermore, escalation of geopolitical tensions, including as a result of escalations in the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East, could have a broader impact that expands into other markets where we do business, which could adversely affect our business, vendors, partners, Redditors, or the economy as a whole. Despite any precautions we may take, the occurrence of a natural disaster or other unanticipated problems could result in lengthy interruptions in our services or disruptions in our activities or the activities of our vendors, partners, Redditors, or the economy as a whole. All of the aforementioned risks may be further increased if our disaster recovery plans prove to be inadequate. We do not carry business interruption insurance sufficient to compensate us for the potentially significant losses, including the potential harm to our business that may result from interruptions in our ability to provide our products and services. Any such natural disaster or man-made problem could adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects.
Previous wording
We anticipate that our ongoing efforts related to data privacy, safety, security, and content review will identify instances of misuse of user data or other undesirable activity by third parties on our platform.
Current wording
We anticipate that our ongoing efforts related to data privacy, safety, security, and content review will identify instances of misuse of user data or other undesirable activity by third parties on and off our platform.
Previous wording
•copyright or similar laws around the world, including the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (“EU Copyright Directive”), which has been implemented recently by certain EU member states, and the News Media Bargaining Code drafted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, that introduce new constraining licensing regimes that could increase the liability of some content-sharing services with respect to content uploaded by their users, and may also require compensation negotiations with news agencies and publishers for the use of such content;
Current wording
•copyright or similar laws around the world, including the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (“EU Copyright Directive”), which has been implemented by certain EU member states, and the News Media Bargaining Code drafted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, that introduce new constraining licensing regimes that could increase the liability of some content-sharing services with respect to content uploaded by their users, and may also require compensation negotiations with news agencies and publishers for the use of such content;
Previous wording
East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America are considering or have implemented legislation imposing potentially significant penalties, including fines, service throttling, access bans, or advertising bans, for failure to remove certain types of content or follow certain processes. Content-related legislation and regulations also have required us in the past, and may require us in the future, to change our products or business practices, increase our costs, or otherwise impact our operations or our ability to provide services in certain geographies. For example, the EU Copyright Directive requires certain online services to obtain authorizations for copyrighted content or to implement measures to prevent the availability of that content, which may require us to make substantial investments in compliance processes. Member states’ laws implementing the EU Copyright Directive may also require online platforms to pay for content. In addition, the majority of the substantive provisions of the Digital Services Act in the EU took effect between 2023 and 2024, and have already, and will continue to, significantly increase our compliance costs and require changes to our processes and operations. Further, the European Electronic Communications Code, which EU member states are currently implementing into their national laws, has expanded the scope of the ePrivacy Directive’s security requirements and restrictions on communications data usage to certain over-the-top communications services. This expansion of the ePrivacy Directive may increase our compliance costs or require changes to our processes and operations. The UK Online Safety Bill, expected to take effect in 2024, may also significantly increase our compliance costs and proposes significant fines for certain breaches, up to the greater of GBP 18 million or 10% of our global, annual revenue. In the United States, changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act or state or federal content-related legislation that impacts the scope of Section 230, or otherwise relates to our liability with respect to content on our platform, have increased in the past, and may in the future increase, our costs or require significant changes to our products, business practices, or operations, which could adversely affect Redditor growth and engagement. Any of the foregoing events could adversely affect our business, results of operation, financial condition, and prospects.
Current wording
East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America are considering or have implemented legislation imposing potentially significant penalties, including fines, service throttling, access bans, or advertising bans, for failure to remove certain types of content or follow certain processes. Content-related legislation and regulations also have required us in the past, and may require us in the future, to change our products or business practices, increase our costs, or otherwise impact our operations or our ability to provide services in certain geographies. For example, the EU Copyright Directive requires certain online services to obtain authorizations for copyrighted content or to implement measures to prevent the availability of that content, which may require us to make substantial investments in compliance processes. Member states’ laws implementing the EU Copyright Directive may also require online platforms to pay for content. In addition, the majority of the substantive provisions of the Digital Services Act in the EU took effect between 2023 and 2024, and have already, and will continue to, significantly increase our compliance costs and require changes to our processes and operations. Further, the European Electronic Communications Code, which EU member states are currently implementing into their national laws, has expanded the scope of the ePrivacy Directive’s security requirements and restrictions on communications data usage to certain over-the-top communications services. This expansion of the ePrivacy Directive may increase our compliance costs or require changes to our processes and operations. The UK Online Safety Bill, expected to take effect in phases between 2024 and 2026, may also significantly increase our compliance costs and proposes significant fines for certain breaches, up to the greater of GBP 18 million or 10% of our global, annual revenue. In the United States, changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act or state or federal content-related legislation that impacts the scope of Section 230, or otherwise relates to our liability with respect to content on our platform, have increased in the past, and may in the future increase, our costs or require significant changes to our products, business practices, or operations, which could adversely affect Redditor growth and engagement. Any of the foregoing events could adversely affect our business, results of operation, financial condition, and prospects.
Previous wording
In addition, we are in the early stages of our data licensing efforts and are exploring data licensing opportunities where we believe the opportunity does not conflict with our values and the rights of Redditors. These programs may subject us to evolving approaches to the regulation of this data and implicates complex and developing data privacy and data protection, misappropriation, and intellectual property laws, rules, and regulations. For example, on March 14, 2024, we received a letter from the FTC advising us that the FTC’s staff is conducting a non-public inquiry focused on our sale, licensing, or sharing of user-generated content with third parties to train AI models. Given the novel nature of these technologies and commercial arrangements, we are not surprised that the FTC has expressed interest in this area. We do not believe that we have engaged in any unfair or deceptive trade practice. The FTC staff was interested in meeting with us to learn more about our plans and has requested information and documents from us as its inquiry continues. Regulatory engagements can be lengthy and unpredictable. Any regulatory engagement may cause us to incur substantial costs, and it is possible for any regulatory engagement to result in reputational harm or fines, cause us to discontinue or modify our products, services, features, or functionalities, require us to change our policies or practices, divert management and other resources from our business, or otherwise adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects.
Current wording
In addition, we are in the early stages of our data licensing efforts and are exploring data licensing opportunities where we believe the opportunity does not conflict with our values and the rights of Redditors. These programs may subject us to evolving approaches to the regulation of this data and implicate complex and developing data privacy and data protection, misappropriation, and intellectual property laws, rules, and regulations. For example, on March 14, 2024, we received a letter from the FTC advising us that the FTC’s staff is conducting a non-public inquiry focused on our sale, licensing, or sharing of user-generated content with third parties to train AI models. Given the novel nature of these technologies and commercial arrangements, we are not surprised that the FTC has expressed interest in this area. We do not believe that we have engaged in any unfair or deceptive trade practice. The FTC staff was interested in meeting with us to learn more about our plans and has requested information and documents from us as its inquiry continues. Regulatory engagements can be lengthy and unpredictable. Any regulatory engagement may cause us to incur substantial costs, and it is possible for any regulatory engagement to result in reputational harm or fines, cause us to discontinue or modify our products, services, features, or functionalities, require us to change our policies or practices, divert management and other resources from our business, or otherwise adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects.
Previous wording
We hold cryptocurrencies and experiment with blockchain technology, which may subject us to exchange risk and additional tax, legal, and regulatory requirements.
Current wording
We have held cryptocurrencies and experimented with blockchain technology, and may do so in the future, which may subject us to exchange risk and additional tax, legal, and regulatory requirements.
Previous wording
We invested some of our excess cash reserves in Bitcoin and Ether and also acquired Ether and Matic as a form of payment for sales of certain virtual goods, which we may continue to do in the future. Ether and Matic received from the sales of virtual goods was not material for the year ended December 31, 2023 or the six months ended June 30, 2024. We also acquired and hold digital assets that are cryptocurrencies for use by our product and engineering teams, which is limited to specific uses. The prices of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether, and Matic have been and may continue to be highly volatile, and our ability to sell cryptocurrencies for fiat currencies or other cryptocurrencies may be subject to unanticipated suspensions in trading, as well as exchange rate risk, which we may choose not to (or may be unable to) partially or fully hedge against. As of June 30, 2024, we did not hold digital assets other than Bitcoin and Ether for treasury purposes, and our investment policy requires approval by our board of directors for any investments in cryptocurrencies. Our investments in cryptocurrencies for treasury purposes are limited to Bitcoin, Ether, and any other cryptocurrency that the SEC, Commodities Futures Trading Commission, or high-ranking members of the staff of such regulatory bodies may, through public statements or guidance, identify as likely not being a security. Such determinations, however, are risk-based judgments made by us, and while such judgments are informed by regulatory developments, any such determination does not constitute a legal standard or determination binding on any regulatory body.
Current wording
We previously invested some of our excess cash reserves in Bitcoin and Ether and continue to acquire Ether and Matic as a form of payment for sales of certain virtual goods. Ether and Matic received from the sales of virtual goods was not material for the year ended December 31, 2023 or the nine months ended September 30, 2024. We also acquired and hold digital assets that are cryptocurrencies for use by our product and engineering teams, which is limited to specific uses. The prices of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether, and Matic have been and may continue to be highly volatile, and our ability to sell cryptocurrencies for fiat currencies or other cryptocurrencies may be subject to unanticipated suspensions in trading, as well as exchange rate risk, which we may choose not to (or may be unable to) partially or fully hedge against. As of September 30, 2024, we sold all Bitcoin and Ether we previously held for treasury purposes. Our investment policy requires approval by our board of directors for any future investments in cryptocurrencies. Any investments by us in cryptocurrencies for treasury purposes are limited to Bitcoin, Ether, and any other cryptocurrency that the SEC, Commodities Futures Trading Commission, or high-ranking members of the staff of such regulatory bodies may, through public statements or guidance, identify as likely not being a security. Such determinations, however, are risk-based judgments made by us, and while such judgments are informed by regulatory developments, any such determination does not constitute a legal standard or determination binding on any regulatory body.
Previous wording
Our Class B common stock has ten votes per share, our Class A common stock has one vote per share, and our Class C common stock has no votes per share. Because of the ten-to-one voting ratio between our Class B and Class A common stock, the holders of our Class B common stock collectively continue to control a significant percentage of the combined voting power of our common stock and therefore are able to control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval until a substantial number of such outstanding shares of Class B common stock have converted into shares of our Class A common stock. Furthermore, in connection with our initial public offering, Steven Huffman, our Chief Executive Officer and President and a member of our board of directors, entered into a voting agreement with each of (i) Advance and (ii) Tencent Cloud Europe B.V. and Jojoba Investment Limited that provides, among other things, that Mr. Huffman is entitled to vote all of the securities beneficially owned by such stockholders and certain of their affiliates, in Mr. Huffman’s sole discretion, on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, subject to certain exceptions. As of June 30, 2024, pursuant to such voting agreements, Mr. Huffman was entitled to vote shares representing approximately 50% of the voting power of our outstanding Class A and Class B common stock. Pursuant to the terms of the voting agreement with Advance, Mr. Huffman is also entitled to vote all of the securities beneficially owned by Advance in favor of directors designated by Advance and director candidates nominated or identified by Mr. Huffman.
Current wording
Our Class B common stock has ten votes per share, our Class A common stock has one vote per share, and our Class C common stock has no votes per share. Because of the ten-to-one voting ratio between our Class B and Class A common stock, the holders of our Class B common stock collectively continue to control a significant percentage of the combined voting power of our common stock and therefore are able to control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval until a substantial number of such outstanding shares of Class B common stock have converted into shares of our Class A common stock. Furthermore, in connection with our initial public offering, Steven Huffman, our Chief Executive Officer and President and a member of our board of directors, entered into a voting agreement with each of (i) Advance and (ii) Tencent Cloud Europe B.V. and Jojoba Investment Limited that provides, among other things, that Mr. Huffman is entitled to vote all of the securities beneficially owned by such stockholders and certain of their affiliates, in Mr. Huffman’s sole discretion, on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, subject to certain exceptions. As of September 30, 2024, pursuant to such voting agreements, Mr. Huffman was entitled to vote shares representing approximately 69% of the voting power of our outstanding Class A and Class B common stock. As a result, we are eligible to be a “controlled company” under the rules of NYSE, which exempts companies from certain corporate governance rules relating to the independence of the board of directors and its committees. Although we are eligible to use these exemptions, we do not currently expect to avail ourselves of any of these exemptions. However, if we were to use some or all of these exemptions in the future, investors may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of NYSE and our “controlled company” status could make our Class A common stock less attractive to some investors or otherwise adversely affect its trading price. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the voting agreement with Advance, Mr. Huffman is also entitled to vote all of the securities beneficially owned by Advance in favor of directors designated by Advance and director candidates nominated or identified by Mr. Huffman.
Previous wording
Future transfers by holders of our Class B common stock will generally result in those shares converting to Class A common stock, subject to limited exceptions, as set forth in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, including transfers to family members, certain trusts for estate planning purposes, entities under common control with or controlled by such holder of our Class B common stock, and, with respect to Advance, any Advance Entity (as such term is defined in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation). The conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock will have the effect, over time, of increasing the relative voting power of those holders of our Class B common stock who retain their shares in the long term. As a result, it is possible that one or more of the persons or entities holding our Class B common stock could gain significant voting control as other holders of Class B common stock sell or otherwise convert their shares into Class A common stock. In addition, the conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock would dilute holders of Class A common stock, in terms of voting power within the Class A common stock. Any future issuances of common stock would also be dilutive to holders of Class A common stock. For example, because our Class C common stock carries no voting rights (except as otherwise required by law), if we issue Class C common stock in the future, the holders of Class B common stock may be able to hold significant voting control over most matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders for a longer period of time than would be the case if we issued Class A common stock rather than Class C common stock in such transactions.
Current wording
Future transfers by holders of our Class B common stock will generally result in those shares converting to Class A common stock, subject to limited exceptions, as set forth in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, including transfers to family members, certain trusts for estate planning purposes, entities under common control with or controlled by such holder of our Class B common stock, and, with respect to Advance, any Advance Entity (as such term is defined in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation). The conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock will have the effect, over time, of increasing the relative voting power of those holders of our Class B common stock who retain their shares in the long term. In addition, the conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock would dilute holders of Class A common stock, in terms of voting power within the Class A common stock. Any future issuances of common stock would also be dilutive to holders of Class A common stock. For example, because our Class C common stock carries no voting rights (except as otherwise required by law), if we issue Class C common stock in the future, the holders of Class B common stock may be able to hold significant voting control over most matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders for a longer period of time than would be the case if we issued Class A common stock rather than Class C common stock in such transactions.
Previous wording
The market price of our Class A common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares of our Class A common stock in the public market, and the perception that these sales could occur may also depress the market price of our Class A common stock. As of June 30, 2024, we had 62,479,462 shares of Class A common stock outstanding, 103,154,629 shares of Class B common stock outstanding, no shares of Class C common stock outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.
Current wording
The market price of our Class A common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares of our Class A common stock in the public market, and the perception that these sales could occur may also depress the market price of our Class A common stock. As of September 30 2024, we had 116,913,495 shares of Class A common stock outstanding, 57,241,263 shares of Class B common stock outstanding, no shares of Class C common stock outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.
Previous wording
As of immediately following the closing of our initial public offering in March 2024, stockholders owning an aggregate of 107,123,949 shares of our common stock are entitled, under our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, to certain rights with respect to the registration of the Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of such shares under the Securities Act. Any registration statement we file to register additional shares, whether as a result of registration rights or otherwise, could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline or be volatile.
Current wording
Certain stockholders owning shares of our common stock are entitled, under our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, to certain rights with respect to the registration of their Class A common stock, including shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of shares of Class B common stock under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Any registration statement we file to register additional shares, whether as a result of registration rights or otherwise, could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline or be volatile.
Previous wording
Further, we had 25,497,896 options outstanding that, if fully exercised, would result in the issuance of 19,087,522 shares of Class A common stock and 6,410,374 shares of Class B common stock, as well as 12,620,086 shares of Class A common stock and 1,335,312 shares of Class B common stock issuable upon vesting of outstanding RSUs and PRSUs, which have been registered on Form S-8 under the Securities Act. These shares can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to applicable vesting requirements, compliance by affiliates with Rule 144, and other restrictions provided under the terms of the applicable plan and/or the award agreements entered into with participants. In addition, we intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 covering shares of our common stock issued pursuant to our equity incentive plans permitting the resale of such shares in the public market without restriction under the Securities Act.
Current wording
Further, as of September 30, 2024, we had 18,658,940 options outstanding that, if fully exercised, would result in the issuance of 14,503,023 shares of Class A common stock and 4,155,917 shares of Class B common stock, as well as 13,193,757 shares of Class A common stock and 635,484 shares of Class B common stock issuable upon vesting of outstanding RSUs and PRSUs, which have been registered on Form S-8 under the Securities Act. These shares can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to applicable vesting requirements, compliance by affiliates with Rule 144, and other restrictions provided under the terms of the applicable plan and/or the award agreements entered into with participants.
Previous wording
Sales of our shares of Class A common stock as restrictions end or pursuant to registration rights may make it more difficult for us to sell securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate. These sales also could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to fall and make it more difficult for you to sell shares of our Class A common stock.
Current wording
Sales of our shares of Class A common stock pursuant to registration rights or otherwise may make it more difficult for us to sell securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate. These sales also could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to fall and make it more difficult for you to sell shares of our Class A common stock.
Rearranged previous paragraphs (1)
Previous report — wording carried elsewhere
This also could put upward pressure on advertising prices and potentially impact the return advertisers get on their spend, which in turn could affect future advertiser spending. To scale the growth of our advertising services, we will have to successfully develop and target ad products tailored to the interests of our advertising customers and our user base, which may require additional user data. If we are unable to do this with the data, technology, and resources available to us, we may need to rely more heavily on alternative revenue sources to grow our business.