Shutterstock Q4 Revenue at $220.2M, Below Consensus
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 17 2026
0mins
Should l Buy SSTK?
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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Analyst Views on SSTK
Wall Street analysts forecast SSTK stock price to rise
2 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 16.800
Low
28.85
Averages
28.85
High
28.85
Current: 16.800
Low
28.85
Averages
28.85
High
28.85
About SSTK
Shutterstock, Inc. provides a global creative platform for connecting brands and businesses to quality content. Its content is distributed to customers under various brands: Shutterstock; Pond5; TurboSquid; PicMonkey; PremiumBeat; Splash News; Bigstock; Envato and Offset. The Shutterstock brand includes various content types, such as image, footage, music and editorial. Pond5 is a video-first content marketplace which expands the Company’s content offerings across footage, image and music. TurboSquid operates a marketplace that offers more than one million 3D models, and a 2-dimensional marketplace derived from 3D objects. PicMonkey is an online graphic design and image editing platform. PremiumBeat offers music tracks and provides producers, filmmakers, and marketers the ability to search handpicked production music from the composers. Splash News provides editorial image and video content across celebrity and red carpet events. Envato offers digital creative assets and templates.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Waiting Period Expiration: The applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott Rodino Act has expired, allowing the two companies to begin merger preparations ahead of the final decision from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
- Market Reaction: Although the merger news initially boosted the stock prices of both companies, Getty Images has now experienced its eighth consecutive day of decline, while Shutterstock's shares have also dipped slightly, indicating market caution regarding the merger's prospects.
- Future Outlook: In a joint statement, both companies expressed optimism regarding the CMA's final decision, hoping it will align with the DOJ and other global regulators, based on the merits of the transaction and market realities.
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- Stock Surge: Following the merger announcement, Getty's stock price soared by 32.96% to 98 cents per share, reflecting strong market optimism about the merger's prospects and potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Expected Synergies: The companies anticipate achieving substantial synergies in sales, general and administrative expenses, and capital expenditures post-merger, which will enhance overall operational efficiency and profitability.
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See More
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Response to Interim Report: The company expects to file its response to the CMA's interim report in line with the established timeline.
See More
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- 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.
See More
