10-QPeriod: Q3 FY2022

Roblox Corp Quarterly Report for Q3 Ended Sep 30, 2022

Filed November 9, 2022For Securities:RBLX

Summary

Roblox Corporation (RBLX) reported its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022. The company experienced a notable increase in revenue, up 2% year-over-year to $517.7 million for the quarter, and a significant 22% increase year-over-year to $1.65 billion for the nine-month period. This growth was primarily driven by continued revenue recognition from prior period bookings and an increase in daily active users (DAUs). However, monetization per DAU saw a slight decrease due to DAUs growing at a faster rate than bookings. The company also reported a substantial increase in operating expenses, particularly in infrastructure, trust & safety, and research & development, reflecting ongoing investments in platform enhancement and user growth. Despite revenue growth, Roblox continued to operate at a net loss. The net loss attributable to common stockholders widened to $297.8 million for the quarter, compared to $74.0 million in the prior year. This was largely driven by the significant increase in operating expenses and a change in accounting estimate related to the paying user life, which reduced revenue by $111 million in the quarter. While bookings showed a healthy 10% increase in the quarter, free cash flow turned negative year-over-year for the nine-month period, highlighting the pressure from increased operational investments. Investors should monitor the company's ability to translate user growth into profitable operations amidst continued expansion.

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$517.71M
Cost of Revenue$126.44M
Gross Profit$391.27M
R&D Expenses$235.55M
Operating Expenses$817.71M
Operating Income-$300.01M
Interest Expense$10.01M
Net Income-$297.80M
EPS (Basic)$-0.50
EPS (Diluted)$-0.50
Shares Outstanding (Basic)597.78M
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)597.78M

Key Highlights

  • 1Revenue increased by 2% to $517.7 million in Q3 2022 compared to Q3 2021, and by 22% to $1.65 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2022.
  • 2Bookings increased by 10% to $701.7 million in Q3 2022 compared to Q3 2021, indicating strong user transaction activity.
  • 3Daily Active Users (DAUs) continued to grow, increasing from approximately 675,000 to 768,000 in Q3 2022 compared to the prior year's comparable period.
  • 4Net loss attributable to common stockholders widened significantly to $297.8 million in Q3 2022 from $74.0 million in Q3 2021.
  • 5Operating expenses, particularly in Infrastructure & Trust & Safety (+63% YoY for Q3) and Research & Development (+70% YoY for Q3), increased significantly due to investments in platform and user growth.
  • 6Free cash flow turned negative at $(20.4) million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, a significant decrease from $480.7 million in the prior year's comparable period.
  • 7The company updated its paying user life estimate to 28 months, which reduced revenue by $111 million and cost of revenue by $25.5 million in Q3 2022.

Frequently Asked Questions

Roblox reported a revenue of $517.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022, representing a 2% increase compared to $509.3 million in the same period of the prior year. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, revenue increased by 22% to $1.65 billion from $1.35 billion in the prior year period.

Roblox saw significant increases in operating expenses. Total cost and expenses rose to $817.7 million in Q3 2022 from $586.8 million in Q3 2021. Key drivers of this increase were Infrastructure and trust & safety expenses (up 63% YoY) and Research and development expenses (up 70% YoY), reflecting substantial investments in the platform and user growth. Stock-based compensation also increased significantly across all expense categories.

Roblox updated its paying user life estimate to 28 months in Q3 2022. This change resulted in a decrease in revenue of $111.0 million and a decrease in cost of revenue of $25.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the change reduced revenue by $329.7 million and cost of revenue by $76.4 million.

Roblox continued to report net losses. The net loss attributable to common stockholders for Q3 2022 was $297.8 million, a significant increase from $74.0 million in Q3 2021. Free cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, turned negative at $(20.4) million, a stark contrast to the $480.7 million generated in the same period of 2021. This indicates increased investment in growth initiatives impacting short-term profitability and cash generation.