Getty Images’ third quarter results aligned with Wall Street’s revenue expectations, with management attributing performance to ongoing strength in its subscription business and a recovery in Creative segment revenue following a year dominated by major editorial events. CEO Craig Peters noted that “Creative was aided by normalization of premium access revenue allocations,” as consumption returned to pre-event patterns post-Olympics. CFO Jennifer Leyden highlighted persistent agency declines and continued softness in the broadcast and production subsegments, which have yet to rebound following industry-wide strikes.
Is now the time to buy GETY? Find out in our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).
Getty Images (GETY) Q3 CY2025 Highlights:
- Revenue: $240 million vs analyst estimates of $240 million (flat year on year, in line)
- Adjusted EPS: $0.08 vs analyst estimates of $0.04 (84.5% beat)
- Adjusted EBITDA: $78.71 million vs analyst estimates of $72.37 million (32.8% margin, 8.8% beat)
- The company reconfirmed its revenue guidance for the full year of $946.5 million at the midpoint
- EBITDA guidance for the full year is $292 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $282.3 million
- Operating Margin: 18.8%, down from 23.9% in the same quarter last year
- Market Capitalization: $619.6 million
While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.
Our Top 5 Analyst Questions From Getty Images’s Q3 Earnings Call
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Jake Kalek (Citi): asked about the specifics of the Perplexity AI partnership and its revenue impact. CEO Craig Peters said details were confidential but described it as a licensing deal similar to past technology partnerships, noting potential for material revenue in the future.
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Jake Kalek (Citi): inquired about iStock’s AI feature bundling and its effect on customer acquisition and retention. Peters responded that bundling generative AI tools adds value for existing customers but is too early to assess its impact on new customer growth.
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Jake Kalek (Citi): requested a deeper look at corporate and media segment health. CFO Jennifer Leyden acknowledged media remains in slight decline due to production subsegments, while corporate is broadly stable and near 100% retention for large clients.
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Mark Zgutowicz (Benchmark): asked about premium access subscription retention rates. Peters stated that premium access has the highest retention across all subscriptions, with performance holding steady versus prior periods.
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Mark Zgutowicz (Benchmark): sought clarity on the drivers of Creative segment recovery. Leyden explained that normalization of premium access revenue allocations and an upfront revenue deal with a major client were the primary factors, cautioning that Creative growth is likely to moderate next quarter.
Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters
In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will track (1) progress on AI content licensing agreements and evidence of material revenue contribution, (2) ongoing trends in premium access subscription renewals and retention, and (3) updates on the Shutterstock merger’s regulatory review. Shifts in agency business trends and further clarity on one-off compliance costs will also be important for assessing operational momentum.
Getty Images currently trades at $1.52, down from $1.73 just before the earnings. At this price, is it a buy or sell? Find out in our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).
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