HOBOKEN, N.J. - Wiley (NYSE: WLY and WLYB), a global leader in research and education, has announced the appointment of Christopher Caridi as Interim Chief Financial Officer effective today. Caridi will take over the role from Christina Van Tassell, who is set to leave the company on October 1, 2024.
Caridi brings over three decades of experience in corporate finance, including his tenure at Wiley since 2017 as Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer. His track record includes the establishment of a highly effective global accounting team and a streamlined financial shared services operation. Prior to joining Wiley, he held various executive positions at Thomson Reuters (NYSE:TRI).
Wiley's President and CEO, Matt Kissner, expressed confidence in Caridi's ability to maintain the company's operational efficiency and financial growth as they continue to invest in their core research and learning sectors, as well as in GenAI growth opportunities. Kissner also acknowledged Van Tassell's contributions since her start in November 2021, particularly through significant organizational changes and the value creation plan.
The company has started a comprehensive search for a permanent CFO while ensuring a smooth transition with Caridi's interim leadership. Wiley recently reported substantial revenue and earnings growth for the first quarter and has reaffirmed its fiscal outlook for 2025 and targets for 2026.
Wiley, with a history spanning over two centuries, is known for its extensive publishing and educational services. The company focuses on meeting the needs of various customers and partners, including researchers, students, and professionals.
This management transition is expected to not disrupt the company's momentum, as indicated by strong leading indicators, employee engagement, and financial performance. The information for this article is based on a press release statement from Wiley.
In other recent news, Wiley, a global research and learning company, has reported encouraging Q1 results for fiscal year 2025. The company's adjusted revenue increased by 6% to $390 million, while adjusted EBITDA rose by 22% to $73 million, largely driven by growth in research and learning segments, and significant contributions from AI content licensing projects.
Wiley also highlighted the completion of its value creation plan ahead of schedule, which resulted in $130 million in cost savings and the closure of all divestitures. Despite a drop in Q2 revenue due to the timing of journal subscription receipts, the company remains optimistic about its fiscal 2025 outlook.
Wiley is continuously investing in enterprise modernization, expecting an additional $25 million in cost savings for fiscal 2026 and beyond. The company's long-term cash flow goal is to maintain a steady state of at least $200 million.
In terms of future expectations, Wiley is engaged in discussions for further AI licensing agreements and is focused on monetizing AI tools for recurring revenue. These recent developments underscore Wiley's strategic focus on AI and its commitment to delivering value to its shareholders.
InvestingPro Insights
As Wiley (NYSE: WLY) undergoes a leadership transition with Christopher Caridi stepping in as Interim Chief Financial Officer, the financial metrics and analyst insights from InvestingPro provide a broader context for evaluating the company's current position. Wiley's market capitalization stands at $2.54 billion, reflecting the market's valuation of the company. Despite recent challenges, Wiley has demonstrated a commitment to its shareholders, as evidenced by a dividend yield of 3.02% as of the last dividend ex-date on July 9, 2024, and the company's impressive record of raising its dividend for 25 consecutive years.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Wiley has seen a significant return over the last week, with a 1-week price total return of 8.32%. This short-term performance complements the strong returns over the last three and six months, with 18.13% and 28.6% returns respectively. Additionally, the company is trading near its 52-week high, at 95% of this peak value, which may indicate investor confidence in its current strategy and leadership.
However, there are some areas where Wiley faces challenges. Analysts anticipate a sales decline in the current year, with revenue growth reported at -7.94% for the last twelve months as of Q1 2025. This is coupled with a quarterly revenue decline of 10.47% for Q1 2025. These figures suggest that while Wiley has a strong foundation and is maintaining investor confidence, there are aspects of its financial performance that may require attention from the new interim CFO and the management team.
For investors seeking more comprehensive insights, there are additional InvestingPro Tips available, which delve deeper into the company's financial health and future outlook. Interested readers can find these tips and more detailed analytics on InvestingPro's dedicated Wiley page at https://www.investing.com/pro/WLY.
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