Despite a drop in third-quarter revenue, Acxiom Corp. CEO John Meyer said that client wallets were “loosening” during an earnings call.
Acxiom generated $283.8 million during its fiscal third quarter for 2010, down from $301 million in third quarter 2009. For the year to date, the company’s revenue fell from $917.2 million during the first nine months of fiscal 2009 to $810.9 million during the most recent nine months.
Additionally, Acxiom reported income from operations of $29.9 million, compared with an operating loss of $8.6 million a year ago. A year ago, the company’s results included a $43.2 million loss from unusual expenses. For the first nine months of its current year, Acxiom reported income of $63.6 million, up from $51.3 million.
Freed from the unusual expenses of a year ago, Acxiom’s net earnings for its third quarter were $14.2 million, compared with a net loss of $11.4 million a year ago. For the first nine months of the year, earnings rose from $15.1 million a year ago to $27.9 million.
The Eavesdropper’s Take: All right, Farmville addicts, wanna see what green shoots look like in the real world? During an earnings conference call, Acxiom CEO John Meyer noted that, despite the year-over-year drop in revenue, clients’ “marketing wallets” seemed to be “loosening.” He cited strong fourth-quarter sales as evidence, with the average size of individuals up “substantially”. Strong client sectors included manufacturing and distribution, retail and travel, with Marriott Vacation Club International inking a contract extension.
