Comscore Takes Another Stock Market Hit

Comscore's troubles keep coming — at least for investors.

On Thursday, the price of the media-measurement company's shares endured another massive decline, dropping 13% to close at $3.70, a new 52-week low.

A couple of weeks ago, analysts took issue with a deeply discounted $20 million deal struck with a private-equity company that troubled investors, resulting in a 10% stock price drop on the day of the news.

Comscore's stock is down 74% since the first of the year, and 83% year over year.

Analysts worry the company still has to contend with fundamental problems, a relatively heavy debt load and thin-to-no profits.

In 2018, Comscore revenue totaled $415.9 million, up from $403.5 million in 2018. It posted net losses of $159.3 million, cutting its 2017 net loss of $289.7 million virtually in half.

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Its long-term debt has ballooned to $178.5 million in 2018, versus $2.1 million in 2017. In 2016, Comscore completed the acquisition for Rentrak for $768 million.

In 2016, the company said it rectified concerns over accounting practices around revenue recognition and restated a few years of financial statements. According to reports, Comscore explored a sale last year, with no takers. In March, two senior executives — CEO Bryan Wiener and President Sarah Hofstetter — departed.

Marketers are still counting on Comscore and its rival, Nielsen, to develop stronger and more easily accessible measures for growing cross-platform measurement.

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