(all amounts are expressed in millions of U.S. dollars, excluding per share amounts and unless otherwise stated)

TORONTO, November 17, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Real Matters Inc. (TSX: REAL) ("Real Matters" or the "Company"), a leading network management services platform for the mortgage and insurance industries, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

"We were pleased to report Adjusted EBITDA(A) of $0.6 million in Q4, ending the year with another positive quarter, notwithstanding that U.S. mortgage origination volumes in Fiscal 2023 were the lowest on record in the last 28 years," said Real Matters Chief Executive Officer Brian Lang. "We launched six new clients, and new channels in U.S. Appraisal and U.S. Title, including the second channel with our Tier 1 lender in U.S. Title, in the fourth quarter. We also maintained a strong balance sheet, with more than $42 million in cash at year end and no outstanding debt."

"In fiscal 2023, Real Matters focused on preparing for scale by optimizing our network, platform and our team, permanently transforming our cost base and making the business more efficient. We have a greater share of our clients’ business in more channels and across more products than ever, which will help accelerate our results when the market turns. We remain focused on our fiscal 2025 objectives."

Q4 2023 Highlights

Positive Adjusted EBITDA(A) of $0.6 million and net income of $1.6 million Launched 1 new lender, 1 new channel with a Tier 1 lender in U.S. Appraisal Launched 2 new lenders, 1 new channel with a Tier 1 lender in U.S. Title Launched 3 new clients in Canada

Fiscal2023 Highlights

U.S. Appraisal revenues of $120.8 million with an increase in Net Revenue(A) margin of 530 basis points to 27.4% - in the range of our Fiscal 2025 target Reduced consolidated operating expenses by 41% Launched 5 new lenders, 4 new channels in U.S. Appraisal Launched 5 new lenders and 3 new channels in U.S. Title Launched 10 new clients in Canada, 6 new channels Cash and cash equivalents of $42.3 million and no outstanding debt



Financial and Operational Summary

(millions of dollars) Quarter ended Year ended % 2023 2023 2023 2023 2022 % Change 2023 2022 Change Q4 Q3 Q2 Q1 Q4 Quarter

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Year Consolidated Revenue $ 42.2 $ 46.0 $ 37.6 $ 38.2 $ 58.2 -8% -28 % $ 163.9 $ 339.6 -52 % Net Revenue(A) $ 11.2 $ 12.1 $ 9.9 $ 9.8 $ 14.4 -8% -22 % $ 43.0 $ 85.4 -50 % Adjusted EBITDA(A) $ 0.6 $ 1.7 $ (1.7 ) $ (2.9 ) $ (1.1 ) -64% 153 % $ (2.4 ) $ 7.4 -132 % Net income (loss) $ 1.6 $ (0.6 ) $ (2.6 ) $ (4.6 ) $ (10.0 ) 362% 116 % $ (6.2 ) $ (9.3 ) 33 % Net income (loss) per diluted share $ 0.02 $ (0.01 ) $ (0.04 ) $ (0.06 ) $ (0.14 ) 300% 114 % $ (0.08 ) $ (0.12 ) 33 % Adjusted Net income (loss)(A) $ 0.8 $ 1.0 $ (1.9 ) $ (2.1 ) $ - -14% % $ (2.2 ) $ 2.5 -188 % Adjusted Net income (loss)(A) per diluted share $ 0.01 $ 0.01 $ (0.03 ) $ (0.03 ) $ - 0% % $ (0.03 ) $ 0.03 -200 % U.S. Appraisal segment Revenue $ 31.2 $ 33.5 $ 28.0 $ 28.3 $ 43.9 -7% -29 % $ 120.8 $ 250.9 -52 % Net Revenue(A) $ 8.6 $ 9.2 $ 7.7 $ 7.6 $ 11.1 -7% -23 % $ 33.1 $ 55.5 -40 % Net Revenue(A) margin 27.5 % 27.5 % 27.6 % 27.0 % 25.4 % 27.4 % 22.1 % Adjusted EBITDA(A) $ 3.9 $ 4.8 $ 3.1 $ 2.3 $ 4.5 -18% -14 % $ 14.1 $ 27.0 -48 % Adjusted EBITDA(A) margin 46.0 % 52.0 % 40.6 % 30.4 % 41.0 % 42.8 % 48.6 % U.S. Title segment Revenue $ 2.3 $ 2.6 $ 2.2 $ 2.4 $ 4.0 -11% -41 % $ 9.6 $ 36.5 -74 % Net Revenue(A) $ 1.0 $ 1.2 $ 0.8 $ 0.8 $ 1.8 -11% -40 % $ 3.9 $ 23.0 -83 % Net Revenue(A) margin 45.0 % 45.2 % 36.8 % 34.7 % 44.1 % 40.6 % 63.1 % Adjusted EBITDA(A) $ (1.6 ) $ (1.6 ) $ (2.3 ) $ (2.9 ) $ (2.9 ) 0% 46 % $ (8.3 ) $ (8.1 ) -3 % Adjusted EBITDA(A) margin -150.4 % -133.6 % -279.3 % -353.4 % -167.5 % -215.6 % -35.1 % Canadian segment Revenue $ 8.7 $ 9.9 $ 7.4 $ 7.5 $ 10.3 -12% -16 % $ 33.5 $ 52.2 -36 % Net Revenue(A) $ 1.6 $ 1.7 $ 1.4 $ 1.4 $ 1.5 -11% 6 % $ 6.0 $ 6.9 -12 % Net Revenue(A) margin 17.9 % 17.6 % 18.7 % 17.9 % 14.3 % 18.0 % 13.2 % Adjusted EBITDA(A) $ 1.2 $ 1.3 $ 1.0 $ 0.9 $ 1.0 -12% 18 % $ 4.2 $ 4.5 -5 % Adjusted EBITDA(A) margin 72.9 % 73.7 % 69.8 % 64.2 % 65.0 % 70.5 % 65.2 % Corporate segment Adjusted EBITDA(A) $ (2.9 ) $ (2.8 ) $ (3.5 ) $ (3.2 ) $ (3.7 ) -2% 22 % $ (12.4 ) $ (16.0 ) 22 %

Conference Call and Webcast A conference call to review the results will take place at 10:00 a.m. (ET) on Friday, November 17, 2023, hosted by Chief Executive Officer Brian Lang and Chief Financial Officer Rodrigo Pinto. An accompanying slide presentation will be posted to the Investor section of our website shortly before the call.

To access the call:

Participant Local (Toronto): (416) 764-8658 Participant Toll Free Dial-In Number: (888) 886-7786 Conference ID: 03515726

To listen to the live webcast of the call: 
Go to: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/724333131

The webcast will be archived and a transcript of the call will be available in the Investor section of our website following the call.

(A) Non-GAAP Measures The non-GAAP measures used in this Press Release, including Net Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. These non-GAAP measures are more fully defined and discussed in the Company’s MD&A for the year ended September 30, 2023 under the heading "Non-GAAP measures", which is incorporated by reference in this Press Release and available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Real Matters financial results for the year ended September 30, 2023 are included in the annual audited consolidated financial statements and the accompanying MD&A, each of which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. In addition, supplemental information is available on our website at www.realmatters.com.

Net Revenue represents the difference between revenues and transaction costs. Net Revenue margin is calculated as Net Revenue divided by Revenues. The reconciling items between net income or loss and Net Revenue were as follows:

Quarter ended Year ended Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 September
30, 2023 September
30, 2022 Net income (loss) $ 1.6 $ (0.6 ) $ (2.6 ) $ (4.6 ) $ (10.0 ) $ (6.2 ) $ (9.3 ) Operating expenses 10.9 10.7 11.9 13.2 15.7 46.8 79.5 Amortization 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 3.9 4.5 Loss on disposal of property and equipment - - - - 0.4 - 0.6 Other non-operating costs - - - - - - 0.1 Restructuring expenses - - 0.4 1.3 1.0 1.7 1.5 Impairment of goodwill - - - - 17.3 - 17.3 Interest expense 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.3 Interest income (0.3 ) (0.2 ) (0.2 ) (0.1 ) (0.1 ) (0.8 ) (0.1 ) Net foreign exchange (gain) loss (1.8 ) 1.8 0.1 1.0 (5.0 ) 1.0 (5.7 ) Gain on fair value of derivatives (0.1 ) (0.5 ) (0.3 ) - - (0.8 ) - Gain on fair value of warrants - - - - - - (0.2 ) Income tax recovery (0.1 ) (0.2 ) (0.5 ) (2.1 ) (6.1 ) (2.9 ) (3.1 ) Net Revenue $ 11.2 $ 12.1 $ 9.9 $ 9.8 $ 14.4 $ 43.0 $ 85.4

Adjusted EBITDA represents net income or loss before stock-based compensation expense, amortization, gain or loss on disposal of property and equipment, other non-operating costs, restructuring expenses, impairment of goodwill, interest expense, interest income, net foreign exchange gain or loss, gain or loss on fair value of derivatives, gain or loss on fair value of warrants and income tax expense or recovery. Adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA divided by Net Revenue. The reconciling items between net income or loss and Adjusted EBITDA were as follows:

Quarter ended Year ended Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 September
30, 2023 September
30, 2022 Net income (loss) $ 1.6 $ (0.6 ) $ (2.6 ) $ (4.6 ) $ (10.0 ) $ (6.2 ) $ (9.3 ) Stock-based compensation expense 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.2 1.4 1.5 Amortization 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 3.9 4.5 Loss on disposal of property and equipment - - - - 0.4 - 0.6 Other non-operating costs - - - - - - 0.1 Restructuring expenses - - 0.4 1.3 1.0 1.7 1.5 Impairment of goodwill - - - - 17.3 - 17.3 Interest expense 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.3 Interest income (0.3 ) (0.2 ) (0.2 ) (0.1 ) (0.1 ) (0.8 ) (0.1 ) Net foreign exchange (gain) loss (1.8 ) 1.8 0.1 1.0 (5.0 ) 1.0 (5.7 ) Gain on fair value of derivatives (0.1 ) (0.5 ) (0.3 ) - - (0.8 ) - Gain on fair value of warrants - - - - - - (0.2 ) Income tax recovery (0.1 ) (0.2 ) (0.5 ) (2.1 ) (6.1 ) (2.9 ) (3.1 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ 0.6 $ 1.7 $ (1.7 ) $ (2.9 ) $ (1.1 ) $ (2.4 ) $ 7.4

The reconciling items between net income or loss and Adjusted Net Income or Loss were as follows:

Quarter ended Year ended Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 September 
30, 2023 September
30, 2022 Net income (loss) $ 1.6 $ (0.6 ) $ (2.6 ) $ (4.6 ) $ (10.0 ) $ (6.2 ) $ (9.3 ) Stock-based compensation expense 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.2 1.4 1.5 Amortization of intangibles 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 1.6 1.4 Other non-operating costs - - - - - - 0.1 Restructuring expenses - - 0.4 1.3 1.0 1.7 1.5 Impairment of goodwill - - - - 17.3 - 17.3 Net foreign exchange (gain) loss (1.8 ) 1.8 0.1 1.0 (5.0 ) 1.0 (5.7 ) Gain on fair value of derivatives (0.1 ) (0.5 ) (0.3 ) - - (0.8 ) - Gain on fair value of warrants - - - - - - (0.2 ) Related tax effects 0.4 (0.4 ) (0.2 ) (0.7 ) (3.9 ) (0.9 ) (4.1 ) Adjusted Net Income (Loss) $ 0.8 $ 1.0 $ (1.9 ) $ (2.1 ) $ - $ (2.2 ) $ 2.5

Forward-Looking Information This Press Release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Words such as "could", "forecast", "target", "may", "will", "would", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "seek", "believe", "likely" and "predict" and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words.

The forward-looking information in this Press Release includes statements which reflect the current expectations of management with respect to our business and the industry in which we operate and is based on management’s experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that management believes appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. The forward-looking information reflects management’s beliefs based on information currently available to management, including information obtained from third party sources, and should not be read as a guarantee of the occurrence or timing of any future events, performance or results.

The forward-looking information in this Press Release is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or results anticipated by the forward-looking information. A comprehensive discussion of the factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations can be found in the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Information Form for the year ended September 30, 2022, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking information, which reflect our expectations only as of the date of this Press Release. Except as required by law, we do not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Real Matters Real Matters is a leading network management services provider for the mortgage lending and insurance industries. Real Matters’ platform combines its proprietary technology and network management capabilities with tens of thousands of independent qualified field professionals to create an efficient marketplace for the provision of mortgage lending and insurance industry services. Our clients include top 100 mortgage lenders in the U.S. and some of the largest banks and insurance companies in Canada. We are a leading independent provider of residential real estate appraisals to the mortgage market and a leading independent provider of title services in the U.S. Headquartered in Markham (ON), Real Matters has principal offices in Buffalo (NY) and Middletown (RI). Real Matters is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol REAL. For more information, visit www.realmatters.com.

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Contacts

Lyne Beauregard
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Real Matters
[email protected] 
416.994.5930