Shutterstock Q4 Revenue at $220.2M, Below Consensus
Reports Q4 revenue $220.2M, consensus $252.34M. CEO Paul Hennessy said, "I'm thrilled to announce that Shutterstock achieved record setting Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA in 2025. Revenue grew 6% driven by double digit growth of our Data, Distribution, and Services business, while Adjusted EBITDA margins for the year matched a previous high of 27.5% and Adjusted Free Cash Flow significantly expanded year over year. These achievements were despite continued challenges in our Content business. I want to thank our employees and contributors for their focus and commitment during this past year. Looking forward to 2026, we will continue to simplify our Core Content business with products and pricing that meet our customers' needs in order to improve on current trends and we're excited to continue investing in our Data, Distribution and Services business by offering specialized AI Services, including data creation and enrichment, in addition to our world-class stock assets for model training." With regards to the pending merger with Getty Images, Hennessy said, ''We continue to work alongside Getty Images and with the regulatory authorities to secure the necessary approvals for this transaction.''
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- Earnings Miss: Shutterstock reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.67, falling short by $0.46, indicating a significant decline in profitability that could negatively impact investor confidence.
- Revenue Decline: The company’s Q4 revenue of $220.2 million represents a 12% year-over-year decrease, missing expectations by $32.14 million, reflecting challenges from weak market demand and intensified competition.
- Content Revenue Drop: Revenue from content offerings decreased by $23 million, or 11%, to $189.6 million, accounting for 86% of total revenue, highlighting weaknesses in new customer acquisition that may hinder future growth prospects.
- Data and Services Revenue Fall: Revenue from data, distribution, and services declined by $7.1 million, or 19%, to $30.7 million, representing 14% of Q4 revenue, indicating pressure on the company’s diversification efforts in revenue streams.
- Revenue Growth: Shutterstock achieved a full-year revenue of $989.9 million in 2025, marking a 6% increase, with double-digit growth in its Data, Distribution, and Services segment, demonstrating the company's success in diversifying its revenue streams.
- Adjusted EBITDA: The adjusted EBITDA for 2025 reached $271.8 million, a 10% increase from 2024, reflecting the full-year contribution from Envato and growth in data deal revenues, enhancing the company's profitability.
- Content Business Challenges: Despite a 4% year-over-year increase in content product revenue to $786.7 million, the fourth quarter saw an 11% decline in content revenue, indicating ongoing weaknesses in new customer acquisition that could impact future market share.
- Merger Progress: The merger with Getty Images is still underway, expected to create a leading visual content company, although it faces regulatory approval challenges, highlighting the company's strategic positioning in industry consolidation.
- Increased Appeal of Dividend Stocks: Amid market turbulence and uncertainty, many investors are turning to high dividend-yielding stocks, which typically have strong free cash flows and reward shareholders with substantial payouts, thereby boosting investor confidence.
- Analyst Rating Overview: Benzinga provides the latest analyst insights on high-yield stocks, allowing investors to review ratings on their favorite stocks by visiting the Analyst Stock Ratings page, which aids in informed decision-making.
- High-Yield Stock Recommendations: In the communication services sector, Shutterstock Inc (NYSE:SSTK), Omnicom Group Inc (NYSE:OMC), and Comcast Corp (NASDAQ:CMCSA) are highlighted as attractive high-yield stocks, reflecting market trust in these companies.
- Analyst Accuracy: Benzinga's database enables traders to sort ratings by analyst accuracy, helping investors find the most reliable investment advice, thus making more informed decisions in a volatile market.
- Analyst Rating Update: Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne maintains an Equal-Weight rating on Verizon, lowering the price target from $48 to $47, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's future performance.
- Market Reaction: JP Morgan analyst Sebastiano Petti keeps a Neutral rating while reducing the price target from $49 to $47, reflecting concerns about Verizon's growth potential in the market.
- Business Collaboration Progress: Verizon Business has reached a commercial agreement with Kodiak AI, integrating Verizon's connectivity and IoT data capabilities into Kodiak's driverless trucking solutions, thereby expanding its applications in the autonomous driving sector.
- Dividend Appeal: With a dividend yield of 6.90%, Verizon attracts investors seeking stable returns during market turbulence, showcasing its competitiveness among high-yield stocks.
Heritage Foundation's Role: The Heritage Foundation has historically been a key player in the conservative movement, providing policies and support to Republican presidents since Ronald Reagan's era.
Leadership Changes: Under the leadership of Kevin Roberts, who became president in 2021, the foundation has shifted towards a more individualistic approach, aligning closely with the Make America Great Again movement.
Internal Divisions: There are growing divisions within the Heritage Foundation, with many staffers expressing concerns about the current direction and leadership style, which they perceive as less cohesive than before.
Impact on Trump's Coalition: The fractures within the Heritage Foundation reflect broader challenges facing Donald Trump's coalition as he prepares for the 2024 election, especially in light of recent Democratic electoral successes.
Merger Investigation: Getty Images' proposed merger with Shutterstock has moved to a Phase 2 investigation by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, following antitrust concerns despite Getty's proposed remedies.
Legal Victory Against Stability AI: Getty Images won a court case against Stability AI, confirming that the AI's model infringed on Getty's trademarks and established a precedent for copyright infringement by AI models.
Concerns Over AI and Copyright: The ruling highlighted the challenges creators face in protecting their work from AI, prompting Getty to call for stricter disclosure rules to safeguard intellectual property rights.
Stock Performance: Following these developments, Getty Images shares fell 3.06% in premarket trading, reflecting investor concerns over the merger and ongoing legal issues.











