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AppLovin Corp

For the period ended Dec 31, 2025. Filed Feb 19, 2026.

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About this filing

A company's yearly report to the SEC, with audited financial statements. It is the fullest account a company gives of its business, its finances and the risks it sees.

FY2025 · Filed Feb 19, 2026

APP$391.22+9.9%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026

What changed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis?

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Previous report: 10-K

Period ended 2024-12-31; filed 2025-02-27.

0001751008-25-000018

Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Current report: 10-K

Period ended 2025-12-31; filed 2026-02-19.

0001751008-26-000010

Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The baseline is this issuer’s latest earlier reporting period of the same form that was filed before the current report. A previous 10-Q is a different quarter, not a year-over-year comparison. Amendments are excluded.

Compared 155 previous paragraphs and 119 current paragraphs.

46 unchanged; 47 reworded; 26 added; 62 removed; 0 previous and 0 current paragraphs rearranged.

Tables are not compared: 17 previous and 15 current tables excluded. Dates, whitespace, punctuation and numbering changes are ignored; changes to financial figures remain significant.

A changed paragraph is not evidence that risk increased or decreased. An unchanged paragraph does not establish that risk stayed the same.

Added paragraphs (26)

Current report

On May 7, 2025, we, along with our subsidiaries Morocco, Inc. and AppLovin GmbH (collectively, the “Sellers”) entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Tripledot and its subsidiaries Eton Games Inc. ("Eton") and Tripledot Group Holdings Limited (collectively, with Tripledot, the “Purchasers”) relating to the sale of our Apps business. On June 30, 2025, we and Tripledot entered into an amendment to the Agreement to provide, among other things, that in lieu of the issuance of a secured promissory note by Eton to us or our designated affiliate to fund a portion of the full Cash Consideration (as defined in the Agreement), Tripledot may elect to pay such amount in cash.

Current report

On June 30, 2025, we consummated the sale of the Apps business to the Purchasers for $400 million in cash, subject to closing adjustments, and equity consideration representing approximately 20% of Tripledot’s fully-diluted equity at the time of closing. No promissory note was issued as part of the transaction. Following the sale of the Apps business, we operate as a single operating and reportable segment. Results related to our Apps business are presented as discontinued operations in our consolidated financial statements. See Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 3 – Discontinued Operations of the Notes to consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Current report

We generate substantially all of our revenue from fees collected from advertisers spending on Axon Ads Manager, which are determined dynamically based on advertisers’ campaign goals. Revenue from other services was not material. Revenue does not include the results of our former Apps business, which is classified as discontinued operations.

Current report

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, our revenue increased by $2.3 billion, or 70%, from the prior year period primarily due to improved Axon Ads Manager performance, where the volume of installations increased 3% and net revenue per installation increased 72% compared to the prior year period.

Current report

Cost of revenue in 2024 increased by $164.0 million, or 46%, compared to 2023, due primarily to an increase of $141.3 million in expenses associated with operating our network infrastructure driven by the growth in our operations.

Current report

Research and development expenses in 2025 decreased by $148.2 million, or 40%, compared to 2024, due primarily to a decrease of $151.1 million in personnel-related expenses related to a decrease in stock-based compensation related payroll costs.

Current report

Research and development expenses in 2024 increased by $40.9 million, or 12%, compared to 2023, due primarily to an increase of $39.8 million in personnel-related expenses related to an increase in stock-based compensation related payroll costs.

Current report

General and administrative expenses in 2024 increased by $14.0 million, or 9% compared to 2023, due primarily to an increase of $9.5 million in indirect tax costs and an increase of $5.5 million in personnel-related expenses related to an increase in stock-based compensation related payroll costs, partially offset by a decrease of $6.3 million in bad debt expense.

Current report

In 2025, interest expense and loss on settlement of debt decreased by $110.2 million, or 35%, compared to 2024. Interest expense decreased $78.7 million as a result of lower interest rates under our senior unsecured notes compared to the interest rates under our prior credit agreement. The decrease was also due to a loss on extinguishment of debt of $28.4 million in the prior year period.

Current report

In 2025, provision for income taxes increased by $497.3 million compared to 2024. The increase in tax provision was primarily driven by higher pre-tax book income, global minimum tax, a decrease in stock-based compensation benefits, and a decrease in research and development credits, partially offset by an increase in deduction benefits related to foreign-derived intangible income.

Current report

In 2024, provision for income taxes decreased by $21.4 million compared to 2023. The decrease in tax provision was primarily driven by an increase in stock-based compensation benefits, an increase in research and development credits, and a favorable shift in jurisdictional mix partially offset by higher pre-tax book income.

Current report

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) was enacted in the U.S. The OBBBA includes significant provisions, such as the permanent extension of certain expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, modifications to the international tax framework and the restoration of favorable tax treatment for certain business provisions. We evaluated the provisions of OBBBA effective in 2025 and its impact on the consolidated financial statements was immaterial.

Current report

Net cash provided by investing activities was $358.4 million for 2025, primarily driven by $407.3 million in proceeds from the divestiture of our Apps business, net of cash divested, which were partially offset by $28.3 million related to purchase of intangible assets and $20.2 million in purchases of non-marketable equity securities.

Current report

In 2025, we repurchased and retired 5.5 million shares of Class A common stock for $2.2 billion and our board of directors authorized an incremental increase to our stock repurchase program totaling $3.2 billion. As of December 31, 2025, $3.3 billion remained available for repurchases under the program. The program has no expiration date, does not obligate us to repurchase any specific amount of stock, and may be modified, suspended, or terminated at any time at our discretion. For additional information, see Note 10—Equity to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Current report

As of December 31, 2025, we had non-cancelable lease payment obligations of $173.9 million, consisting of $140.3 million for server and network equipment leases and $33.7 million for office leases, of which $37.7 million is payable within twelve months. For additional information, see Note 8—Leases to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Current report

We account for investments under the equity method when we have the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the financial and operating policies of an investee, unless the fair value option is elected. Equity method investments are initially recorded at cost and subsequently adjusted for our proportionate share of the investee’s net income or loss and the amortization of basis differences arising from the excess of investment cost over our share of the investee’s underlying net assets. We record our share of the investee’s results and related basis difference amortization one quarter in arrears in other income (expense), net in our consolidated statements of operations.

Current report

We evaluate equity method investments for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable and record an impairment loss when a decline in fair value below carrying value is determined to be other than temporary. Indicators of potential impairment include, among other factors, the investee’s financial results and operating trends, implied values from transactions involving the investee’s securities, the severity and duration of any decline in value, and our intent and ability to hold the investment. If an impairment is determined to be other than temporary, we determine the investment’s fair value and record an impairment charge for the difference between fair value and carrying value. Determining fair value, particularly for investments in privately held companies, requires significant judgment and the use of estimates and assumptions. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could affect the fair value determination and the amount of any impairment charges.

Current report

Significant management judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, including the determination of deferred tax assets and liabilities. We consider both positive and negative evidence regarding the realizability of deferred tax assets in assessing the need for valuation allowances, and if necessary, adjust the valuation allowance so that the net deferred tax assets are recorded only to the extent we conclude it is more likely than not that these deferred tax assets will be realized.

Current report

In evaluating the exposure associated with various tax filing positions, we accrue an income tax liability when such positions do not meet the more-likely-than-not threshold for recognition. We consider changes in facts and circumstances, such as new regulations or recent judicial opinions, as well as the status of audit activities by taxing authorities.

Current report

While we believe we have adequately reserved for our uncertain tax positions, no assurance can be given that the final tax outcome of these matters will not be different. To the extent that the final tax outcome of these matters is different than the amounts recorded, such differences will affect the provision for income taxes and the effective tax rate in the period in which such determination is made.
Removed paragraphs (62)

Previous report

For 2024, our revenue grew 43% year-over-year from 2023, from $3.3 billion in 2023 to $4.7 billion in 2024. For 2023, our revenue grew 17% year-over-year from 2022, from $2.8 billion in 2022 to $3.3 billion in 2023. We generated net income of $1.6 billion in 2024, net income of $356.7 million in 2023, and net loss of $192.9 million in 2022. We generated Adjusted EBITDA of $2.7 billion, $1.5 billion, and $1.1 billion in 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. Additionally, we have generated strong cash flows, with net cash provided by operating activities of $2.1 billion, $1.1 billion, and $412.8 million in 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. Given our strong financial position, we have been able to reinvest in our expansion and growth, and repurchase and withhold shares of our Class A common stock. See the section titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss), the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP.

Previous report

On February 12, 2025, we announced that we entered into a term sheet for the sale of our mobile gaming business to a privately held company (the “Acquirer”) for total consideration of $900.0 million (the “Term Sheet”). The Term Sheet provides for the total consideration to consist of $400.0 million in shares of the Acquirer’s common equity and $500.0 million in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. The Term Sheet also provides that the Acquirer will borrow up to $250.0 million of the cash portion of the total consideration and that, if the Acquirer is unable to obtain such financing, we agree to provide financing in such amount to the Acquirer through the issuance of a promissory note. The Term Sheet is non-binding, except with respect to an agreement by the parties to use commercially reasonable best efforts in good faith to negotiate and finalize definitive agreements for the proposed transaction, a prohibition on us from engaging in discussions or negotiations with any third party other than the Acquirer regarding the sale of our mobile gaming business for a specified period, and customary terms such as fees and expenses, governing law, and termination.

Previous report

We collect revenue from Advertising and our Apps. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, Advertising Revenue represented 68% of total revenue and Apps Revenue represented 32% of total revenue.

Previous report

We report our operating results through two reportable segments: Advertising and Apps.

Previous report

Our CODM, the Chief Executive Officer, evaluates performance of each segment based on several factors, of which the financial measures are segment revenue and segment adjusted EBITDA, as defined in Note 14 to our consolidated financial statements.

Previous report

The Advertising and Apps segments provide a view into the organization of our business and generate revenue as follows:

Previous report

Apps Revenue is generated when a user of one of our Apps makes an in-app purchase (“IAP") and when clients purchase the digital advertising inventory of our portfolio of Apps ("IAA"). We are able to grow our Apps Revenue by adding more apps to our Apps portfolio and increasing engagement on our existing Apps.

Previous report

Our Apps are generally free-to-play mobile games and generate IAP Revenue through IAPs. IAPs consist of virtual goods used to enhance gameplay, accelerate access to certain features or levels, and augment other mobile game progression opportunities for the user. IAPs drive more engagement and better economics from our Apps. The vast majority of our IAP Revenue flows through two app stores, Apple App Store and Google Play, which charge us a standard commission on IAPs. IAP Revenue represented 68% of total Apps Revenue for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024.

Previous report

During the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, we had an average of 1.6 million Monthly Active Payers ("MAPs") across our portfolio of Apps. Over that period, we had an Average Revenue Per Monthly Active Payer ("ARPMAP") of $51. See “Key Metrics” below for additional information on how we calculate MAPs and ARPMAP.

Previous report

IAA clients that purchase advertising inventory from our Apps are able to target highly relevant users from our diverse and global portfolio of over 200 mobile games. Our clients leverage a broad set of high-performing mobile ad formats, including playable and rewarded video, and are able to match these ads with relevant users resulting in a better return on their advertising spend. By increasing the number of users and their engagement, as well as better matching ads with the appropriate target audience, we are able to increase our revenue from IAA clients that purchase advertising inventory from our Apps. IAA Revenue represented 32% of total Apps Revenue for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024.

Previous report

We review the following key metrics on a regular basis in order to evaluate the health of our business, identify trends affecting our performance, prepare financial projections, and make strategic decisions.

Previous report

Monthly Active Payers ("MAPs"). We define a MAP as a unique mobile device active on one of our Apps in a month that completed at least one IAP during that time period. A consumer who makes IAPs within two separate Apps on the same mobile device in a monthly period will be counted as two MAPs. MAPs for a particular time period longer than one month are the average MAPs for each month during that period. We estimate the number of MAPs by aggregating certain data from third-party attribution partners.

Previous report

Average Revenue Per Monthly Active Payer ("ARPMAP"). We define ARPMAP as (i) the total IAP Revenue derived from our Apps in a monthly period, divided by (ii) MAPs in that same period. ARPMAP for a particular time period longer than one month is the average ARPMAP for each month during that period. ARPMAP shows how efficiently we are monetizing each MAP.

Previous report

The following table shows our Monthly Active Payers and Average Revenue Per Monthly Active Payer for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022:

Previous report

Our key metrics are not based on any standardized industry methodology and are not necessarily calculated in the same manner or comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Similarly, our key metrics may differ from estimates published by third parties or from similarly titled metrics of our competitors due to differences in methodology. The numbers that we use to calculate MAPs and ARPMAP are based on internal data. While these numbers are based on what we believe to be reasonable judgments and estimates for the applicable period of measurement, there are inherent challenges in measuring usage and engagement. We regularly review and may adjust our processes for calculating our internal metrics to improve their accuracy.

Previous report

2 In association with the MoPub acquisition, we incurred certain costs to incentivize publishers to migrate to our MAX mediation solution, including existing publishers of MoPub as well as publishers on other competitor offerings. We have not historically incurred significant publisher migration costs, nor do we currently intend to incur significant publisher migration costs in the future. As such, we have removed the impact of these costs from Adjusted EBITDA.

Previous report

3 Reflects one-time transition services provided by Twitter to AppLovin.

Previous report

In the past, our clients have generally increased their usage of our Advertising solutions and Apps, and as a result, growth from existing clients has been a primary driver of our revenue growth. We must continue to retain our existing clients and expand their spend with us over time to continue to grow our revenue, increase profitability and drive greater cash flow.

Previous report

Our future success depends in part on our ability to acquire new clients. In 2024, 43% of our revenue was generated from outside of the United States. We believe that the global opportunity is significant and will continue to expand as developers and advertisers outside the United States adopt our Advertising solutions and advertise on our Apps. We also see opportunities to acquire new clients outside of mobile gaming, as the capabilities of our Advertising solutions are relevant to the broader advertising ecosystem. We are investing in direct sales, product development, education, and other capabilities to drive increased awareness and adoption of our Advertising solutions and Apps, which investments may impact our profitability in the near term as we seek further scale.

Previous report

We continue to explore strategic partnership opportunities related to our Software Platform and the expansion of the markets it serves and we may from time to time evaluate strategic acquisitions and partnerships opportunistically. From the beginning of 2018 through 2024, we have invested approximately $4.1 billion in 33 strategic acquisitions and partnerships with mobile app developers and for technologies or relationships to enhance our Advertising solutions, including the acquisition of MAX in 2018, Adjust in April 2021, MoPub in January 2022, and Wurl in April 2022. We believe our future results of operations will be affected by our ability to continue to identify and execute such strategic transactions that are accretive to our growth and profitability.

Previous report

New tools for developers, industry standards, and platforms may emerge in the future. We believe our focus on the advertising ecosystem has allowed us to understand the needs of our clients and our relentless innovation has enabled us to quickly adapt to changes in the industry and pioneer new solutions. We must continue to innovate and stay ahead of developments in the advertising and mobile app ecosystems in order for our business to succeed and our results of operations to continue to improve.

Previous report

We generate Advertising Revenue primarily from fees collected from advertisers spending on AppDiscovery, typically on a performance basis, then shared with our advertising publishers, typically on a cost per impression basis. Advertising Revenue also includes fees generated based on a percentage of client spend through MAX and subscription fees for Adjust's measurement and analytics marketing platform. Revenue from other services under Advertising was not material.

Previous report

We generate Apps Revenue from IAPs made by the users within our Apps and from IAA generated from advertisers that purchase advertising inventory from our diverse portfolio of Apps. IAA Revenue from our Apps was 32%, 31%, and 33% of total Apps Revenue in 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

Previous report

We plan to continue to invest in sales and marketing to grow our Advertising customer base and increase brand awareness. We expect sales and marketing expenses to fluctuate period-over-period as we launch new games. We also expect our sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of revenue to fluctuate period- over-period in the near term as we invest to grow our customer base and increase brand awareness, and to decrease over the long term as we benefit from greater scale.

Previous report

We plan to continue to invest in research and development to continue to enhance our Advertising solutions and to improve existing games and develop new games. We expect our research and development expenses as a percentage of revenue to fluctuate period-over-period in the near term as we invest to enhance our Advertising solutions and improve our existing Apps and develop new Apps, and to decrease over the long term as we benefit from greater scale.

Previous report

We plan to continue to invest in our general and administrative function to support the growth of our business. We expect our general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue to fluctuate period-over-period in the near term as we invest to support the growth of our business, and to decrease over the long term as we benefit from greater scale.

Previous report

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, our Apps Revenue increased by $43.9 million, or 3%, from the prior year period. Our IAA Revenue from Apps increased by $30.2 million, or 7%, compared to the prior year period, due to a 34% increase in the volume of advertising impressions, partially offset by a 20% decrease in price per advertising impression. We do not recognize IAA Revenue from transactions with our studios. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, our IAP Revenue from Apps increased by $13.6 million, or 1%, from the prior year period, primarily due to a 3% increase in price per in-app purchase, partially offset by a 2% decrease in the volume of in-app purchases. We do not recognize IAA Revenue from transactions with our studios.

Previous report

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, our Advertising Revenue increased by $792.6 million, or 76%, from the prior year period primarily due to publisher bonuses of $209.6 million accounted for as a reduction to revenue in the prior year period. The increase in Advertising Revenue was also due to improved AppDiscovery performance, where installations increased 17% and net revenue per installation increased 35% compared to the prior year period. We do not recognize Advertising Revenue from transactions with our studios.

Previous report

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, our Apps Revenue decreased by $326.6 million, or 18%, from the prior year period. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, our IAP Revenue from Apps decreased by $190.1 million, or 16%, from the prior year period, primarily due to a 12% decrease in the volume of IAPs and a 5% decrease in price per IAP. Our IAA Revenue from Apps decreased by $136.4 million, or 23%, compared to the prior year period, due to a 45% decrease in price per advertising impression, partially offset by a 39% increase in the volume of advertising impressions. We do not recognize IAA Revenue from transactions with our studios.

Previous report

Cost of revenue in 2023 decreased by $196.9 million, or 16%, compared to 2022. The decrease in 2023 was primarily due to a decrease of $192.3 million in amortization and impairment of intangible assets resulting from the sale of certain assets within our Apps segment during the second half of 2022 and a decrease of $50.0 million in third-party payment processing fees as a result of the decline in IAP revenue, offset by an increase in expenses associated with operating our network infrastructure driven by the growth in our Software Platform operations of $42.7 million.

Previous report

Sales and marketing expenses in 2023 decreased by $88.8 million, or 10%, compared to 2022 primarily due to a $126.5 million decrease in user acquisition costs and a $12.3 million decrease in professional services costs associated with the strategic review and optimization of our Apps segment, offset by a $47.5 million increase in personnel-related expense primarily due to an increase in stock-based compensation.

Previous report

Research and development expenses in 2024 increased by $46.3 million, or 8%, compared to 2023. The increase was primarily due to an increase of $44.9 million in personnel-related expenses related to an increase in stock-based compensation related payroll costs.

Previous report

Research and development expenses in 2023 increased by $84.8 million, or 17%, compared to 2022. The increase was primarily due to an increase of $145.5 million in personnel-related expenses related to an increase in stock-based compensation expense as a result of an increase in headcount, offset by a decrease of $67.1 million in professional services costs due to the optimization and sale of certain assets within our Apps segment.

Previous report

In 2023, interest expense and loss on settlement of debt increased by $103.8 million, or 60%, compared to 2022. This increase was primary driven by $99.5 million due to an increase in interest rate and $4.3 million in loss on settlement of debt resulting from a debt refinancing transaction during the period.

Showing the first 40 of 62 passages. Open the source sections for the rest.

Reworded paragraphs (47)

Previous wording

Our mission is to create meaningful connections between companies and their ideal customers. We provide end-to-end software and AI-powered solutions for businesses to reach, monetize and grow their global audience. We also operate a portfolio of owned mobile apps and accelerated our market penetration through an active acquisition and partnership strategy. Our scaled business model is intricately linked to the advertising ecosystem, providing a durable competitive advantage. We generate revenue when our advertisers achieve their return on spend targets with our Advertising solutions, ensuring that their success directly fuels our growth.

Current wording

Our mission is to create meaningful connections between companies and their ideal customers. We provide end-to-end AI-powered advertising solutions for businesses to reach, monetize and grow their global audience. Our scaled business model is intricately linked to the advertising ecosystem, providing a durable competitive advantage. We generate revenue when our advertisers achieve their return on advertising spend targets with our advertising solutions, ensuring that their success directly fuels our growth.

Previous wording

Since our founding in 2011, we have been focused on building Advertising solutions for advertisers to improve the marketing and monetization of their content. Our founders, who were mobile app developers themselves, quickly realized the real impediment to success and growth in the advertising ecosystem was a discovery and monetization problem—breaking through the congested app stores to efficiently find users and successfully grow their business. Their first-hand experience with these challenges led to the development of our infrastructure and Advertising solutions. We capitalized on our success and understanding of the mobile app ecosystem by entering into the mobile game apps industry in 2018. Our global diversified portfolio of apps now consist of over 200 free-to-play mobile games across five genres, run by ten studios.

Current wording

Since our founding in 2011, we have been focused on building advertising solutions for advertisers to improve the marketing and monetization of their content. Our founders, who were mobile app developers themselves, quickly realized the real impediment to success and growth in the advertising ecosystem was a discovery and monetization problem—breaking through the congested app stores to efficiently find users and successfully grow their business. Their first-hand experience with these challenges led to the development of our infrastructure and advertising solutions.

Previous wording

We primarily generate Advertising Revenue from fees paid by advertisers who use our Advertising solutions to grow and monetize their content. We are able to grow our Advertising Revenue by improving our various technologies.

Current wording

We primarily generate revenue from fees paid by advertisers who use our advertising solutions to grow and monetize their content. We are able to grow our revenue by improving our various technologies, including improvements to our Axon AI recommendation engine.

Previous wording

Advertising clients include a wide variety of advertisers, from indie developer studios to some of the largest global internet platforms, such as Facebook and Google. We see multiple opportunities to gain new Advertising clients, and to increase spend from existing clients, as we help them grow their businesses and make them more successful.

Current wording

Advertising clients include a wide variety of advertisers, from indie developer studios to some of the largest global internet platforms, such as Meta and Google. We see multiple opportunities to gain new clients, and to increase spend from existing clients, as we help them grow their businesses and make them more successful.

Previous wording

Our Advertising solutions include AppDiscovery, MAX, Adjust, and Wurl. Clients use AppDiscovery to automate, optimize, and manage their user acquisition investments. They set marketing and user growth goals, and AppDiscovery optimizes their ad spend in an effort to achieve their return on advertising spend targets and other marketing objectives. AppDiscovery comprises the vast majority of Advertising Revenue. Revenue is generated from our advertisers, typically on a performance-basis, and shared with our advertising publishers, typically on a cost per impression model.

Current wording

Our advertising solutions include Axon Ads Manager, MAX, Adjust, and Wurl. Clients use Axon Ads Manager to automate, optimize, and manage their user acquisition investments. They set marketing and user growth goals, and Axon Ads Manager optimizes their ad spend in an effort to achieve their return on advertising spend targets and other marketing objectives. Axon Ads Manager comprises the vast majority of revenue. The revenue we generate from Axon Ads Manageris determined dynamically based on advertisers’ campaign goals.

Previous wording

Advertising clients use MAX to optimize purchases of app advertising inventory. The MAX tool provides insights to manage against key performance indicators, understand the long-term value of users, and help manage profitability. Revenue from MAX is generated based on a percentage of client spend. As more advertising networks move to in-app real-time bidding, we expect growth in the adoption of, and revenue from, MAX.

Current wording

Advertising networks use MAX to optimize purchases of app advertising inventory. The MAX tool provides insights to manage against key performance indicators, understand the long-term value of users, and help manage profitability. Revenue from MAX is generated based on a percentage of client spend. As more advertising networks move to in-app real-time bidding, we expect growth in the adoption of, and revenue from, MAX.

Previous wording

Advertising clients use Wurl's CTV platform to distribute streaming video, maximize Advertising Revenue, and acquire and retain viewers or subscribers. Revenue from Wurl is primarily generated from content companies, typically on a usage-based model.

Current wording

Advertising clients use Wurl's CTV platform to distribute streaming video, maximize revenue, and acquire and retain viewers or subscribers. Revenue from Wurl is primarily generated from content companies, streamers, and advertisers, typically on a usage-based and/or CPM model.

Previous wording

We define Adjusted EBITDA for a particular period as net income (loss) before interest expense and loss on settlement of debt, other income, net (excluding certain recurring items), provision for (benefit from) income taxes, amortization, depreciation and write-offs and as further adjusted for stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expense and transaction bonus, publisher bonuses, MoPub acquisition transition services, restructuring costs, loss on disposal of long-lived assets, and non-operating foreign exchange (gain) losses. We define Adjusted EBITDA margin as Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenue for the same period.

Current wording

We define Adjusted EBITDA for a particular period as net income adjusted for loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes, interest expense and loss on settlement of debt, other income, net (excluding certain recurring items), provision for income taxes, amortization, depreciation and write-offs and as further adjusted for stock-based compensation, transaction-related expense, restructuring costs, and non-operating foreign exchange (gain) loss, as well as certain other items that we believe are not reflective of our core operating performance. We define Adjusted EBITDA margin as Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenue for the same period.

Previous wording

The following table provides our Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin for 2024, 2023, and 2022, and a reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA:

Current wording

The following table provides our Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin for 2025, 2024, and 2023, and a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA:

Previous wording

We define Free Cash Flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment and principal payment of finance leases. We use Free Cash Flow to help manage the health of our business, prepare budgets and for capital allocation purposes. We believe Free Cash Flow provides useful supplemental information to help investors understand underlying trends in our business and our liquidity. Free cash flow has certain limitations, including that it does not reflect our future contractual commitments. Our definition may differ from the definitions used by other companies and therefore comparability may be limited. In addition, other companies may not publish Free Cash Flow or similar metrics. Thus, our Free Cash Flow should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or in isolation from, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Current wording

We define Free Cash Flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment and principal payment of finance leases. We use Free Cash Flow to help manage the health of our business, prepare budgets and for capital allocation purposes. We believe Free Cash Flow provides useful supplemental information to help investors understand underlying trends in our business and our liquidity. Free Cash Flow also reflects cash flows from both continuing and discontinued operations. Our definition may differ from the definitions used by other companies and therefore comparability may be limited. In addition, other companies may not publish Free Cash Flow or similar metrics. Thus, our Free Cash Flow should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or in isolation from, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Previous wording

We believe that the future success of our business depends on many factors, including the factors described below. While each of these factors presents significant opportunities for our business, they also pose important challenges that we must successfully address in order to continue to grow profitably while maintaining strong cash flow.

Current wording

We believe that the future success of our business depends on many factors, including the factors described below.

Previous wording

We have made, and intend to continue to make, significant investments in our Advertising solutions to enhance their effectiveness and value proposition for our clients. We expect that these investments will require spending on research and development, and acquisitions and partnerships related to technology components and products. We believe investments in our technology, including our AI-powered advertising engine AXON, AppDiscovery, Adjust, and MAX, will further improve effectiveness for advertisers. In addition, we plan to continue to invest in the AI-based, self-learning capabilities of our advertising recommendation engine, AXON. Our investments will also allow us to enter into and expand into new verticals outside of gaming, such as e-commerce, CTV, original equipment manufacturer ("OEM"), and carrier-related markets. While our investments in research and development and acquisitions and partnerships may not result in revenue in the near term, we believe these investments position us to increase our revenue over time.

Current wording

We have made, and intend to continue to make, significant investments in our advertising solutions to enhance their effectiveness and value proposition for our clients. We expect to continue to invest in our technology and solutions and to incur related costs, including costs to attract and retain critical engineering talent, such as stock-based compensation, as well as datacenter costs as we continue to launch enhancements to our Axon AI recommendation engine. We believe investments in our technology will further improve effectiveness for advertisers. Our investments will also allow us to continue to enter into and expand into new verticals outside of gaming, such as e-commerce and CTV. We also continue to opportunistically explore strategic transactions related to our advertising solutions and the expansion of the markets we serve.

Previous wording

We rely on existing clients for a significant portion of our revenue. As we improve our Advertising solutions and Apps, we can attract additional spend from these clients. Our clients include indie studio developers and some of the largest advertising platforms in the world. We believe there is significant room for us to further expand our relationships with these clients and increase their usage of our Advertising solutions.

Current wording

We rely on existing clients for a significant portion of our revenue. As we improve our advertising solutions, we can attract additional spend from these clients. Our clients include indie studio developers and some of the largest advertising platforms in the world. We believe there is significant room for us to further expand our relationships with existing clients and increase their usage of our advertising solutions, as well as to onboard new clients both inside and outside of mobile gaming. We expect to continue to invest in sales and marketing to enhance awareness of the Axon brand and drive new client acquisition.

Previous wording

Growth and structure of the mobile app and advertising ecosystems

Previous wording

Our business and results of operations will be impacted by industry factors that drive the overall performance of the mobile app and advertising ecosystems. Mobile app developers, including AppLovin, rely on third-party platforms, such as the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, among others, to distribute games, collect payments made for IAPs, and target users with relevant advertising. We expect this to continue for the foreseeable future. These third-party platforms have significant market power and discretion to set platform fees, select which apps to promote, and decide how much consumer information to provide to advertising networks that enable our Advertising solutions to target users with personalized and relevant advertising and allocate marketing campaigns in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Any changes made in the policies of third-party platforms could drive rapid change across the mobile app and advertising ecosystems. For example, in April 2021, Apple started implementing its application tracking transparency framework that, among other things, requires users' opt-in consent for certain types of tracking. While this transparency framework has not had a significant impact on our overall business, it may do so in the future, including with respect to the effectiveness of our advertising practices and/or our ability to efficiently generate revenue for our Apps. We rely in part on Identifier for Advertisers ("IDFA") to provide us with data that helps our Advertising solutions better market and monetize Apps. In light of the IDFA and transparency changes, we made changes to our data collection practices. To the extent we are unable to utilize IDFA or a similar offering, or if the transparency changes and any related opt-in or other requirements result in decreases in the availability or utility of data relating to Apps, our Advertising solutions may not be as effective, we may not be able to continue to efficiently generate revenue for our Apps, and our revenue and results of operations may be harmed. Additionally, Apple implemented new requirements for consumer disclosures regarding privacy and data processing practices in December 2020, which has resulted in increased compliance requirements and could result in decreased usage of our Apps. Apple incorporated new SDK privacy controls into iOS 17, which was released in September 2023, including privacy manifests and signatures designed to allow app developers to outline the data practices for SDKs embedded in their apps, manage tracking domains within SDKs, and curb device fingerprinting by requiring app developers to select allowed reasons for using data received through certain APIs. In February 2022, Google announced its Privacy Sandbox initiative for Android, a multi-year effort expected to restrict tracking activity and limit advertisers' ability to collect app and user data across Android devices. In January 2024, Google commenced rolling out a Chrome feature, called Track…

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Current wording

Our business and results of operations are and will continue to be impacted by industry factors that drive the overall performance and growth of the mobile app and advertising ecosystems. Mobile app developers rely on third-party platforms, such as the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, among others, to distribute apps, collect payments made for in-app purchases, and target users with relevant advertising. These third-party platforms have significant market power and discretion to set platform fees, select which apps to promote, and decide how much consumer information to provide to advertising networks that enable our advertising solutions to target users with personalized and relevant advertising and allocate marketing campaigns in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Any changes made to the policies of these third party platforms can drive rapid change across the mobile app and advertising ecosystems. Both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store have made various changes to their policies in recent years, as further discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors–Risks Related to Our Business, Operations and Industry–-If third-party platforms change their policies in a way that harms our business, including the design and effectiveness of our advertising solutions, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.” The mobile app and advertising ecosystems also continue to be subject to an evolving legal and regulatory landscape, including with respect to data protection, privacy, and AI. We must continue to innovate and stay ahead of developments in the advertising and mobile app ecosystems in order for our business to succeed and our results of operations to continue to improve.

Previous wording

Cost of revenue. Cost of revenue consists primarily of payment processing fees related to IAP Revenue, amortization of acquired technology-related intangible assets, amortization offinance lease right-of-use assets related to certain servers and networking equipment and data center costs related primarily to third-party cloud computing services. The fees for IAPs are processed and collected by third-party distribution partners. We expect our cost of revenue to increase in absolute dollars over the long term as our business and revenue continue to grow. We also expect our cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue to fluctuate period-over-period.

Current wording

Cost of revenue. Cost of revenue consists primarily of amortization of acquired technology-related intangible assets, amortization offinance lease right-of-use assets related to certain servers and networking equipment and datacenter costs related primarily to third-party cloud computing services.

Previous wording

Sales and marketing. Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of user acquisition costs, marketing programs and other advertising expenses, professional services costs related to the marketing of apps by third parties, personnel-related expenses including salaries, employee benefits, and stock-based compensation for employees engaged in sales and marketing activities, amortization of acquired user-related intangible assets, travel and allocated facilities and information technology costs.

Current wording

Sales and marketing. Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of marketing programs and other advertising expenses, professional services costs, personnel-related expenses including salaries, employee benefits, and stock-based compensation for employees engaged in sales and marketing activities, amortization of acquired user-related intangible assets, travel and allocated facilities and information technology costs.

Previous wording

Research and development. Research and development expenses consist primarily of product development costs, including personnel-related expenses such as salaries, employee benefits, and stock-based compensation for employees engaged in research and development activities, professional services costs related to development of new apps by third parties, consulting costs, regulatory compliance costs, and allocated facilities and information technology costs.

Current wording

Research and development. Research and development expenses consist primarily of product development costs, including personnel-related expenses such as salaries, employee benefits, and stock-based compensation for employees engaged in research and development activities, professional services costs, consulting costs, and allocated facilities and information technology costs.

Previous wording

General and administrative. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of costs incurred to support our business, including personnel-related expenses such as salaries, employee benefits, and stock-based compensation for employees engaged in finance, accounting, legal, human resources and administration, professional services fees for legal, accounting, recruiting, and administrative services (including acquisition-related expenses), insurance, travel, and allocated facilities and information technology costs.

Current wording

General and administrative. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of costs incurred to support our business, including personnel-related expenses such as salaries, employee benefits, and stock-based compensation for employees engaged in finance, accounting, legal, human resources and administration, professional services fees for legal, accounting, recruiting, and administrative services (including acquisition or other transaction-related expenses), insurance, travel, and allocated facilities and information technology costs.

Previous wording

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes. We are subject to income taxes in the United States and foreign jurisdictions in which we do business. These foreign jurisdictions have different statutory tax rates than those in the United States. Additionally, certain of our foreign earnings may also be taxable in the United States. Accordingly, our effective tax rate will vary depending on the relative proportion of foreign to domestic income, impacts from acquisition restructuring, deduction benefits related to foreign-derived intangible income, future changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, and changes in tax laws. Additionally, our effective tax rate can vary based on the amount of pre-tax income or loss.

Current wording

Provision for income taxes. We are subject to income taxes in the United States and foreign jurisdictions in which we do business. These foreign jurisdictions have different statutory tax rates than those in the United States. Additionally, certain of our foreign earnings may also be taxable in the United States. Accordingly, our effective tax rate will vary depending on the relative proportion of foreign to domestic income, impacts from acquisition restructuring, deduction benefits related to foreign-derived intangible income, future changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, and changes in tax laws. Additionally, our effective tax rate can vary based on the amount of pre-tax income or loss.

Previous wording

In this section, we discuss the results of our operations for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the year ended December 31, 2023.

Current wording

In this section, we discuss the results of our operations for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to the year ended December 31, 2024, as well as a comparison for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the year ended December 31, 2023.

Previous wording

The following tables summarize our consolidated statement of operations:

Current wording

The following tables summarize our historical consolidated statement of operations:

Previous wording

2 Includes amortization expense related to acquired intangibles as follows:

Current wording

2 Includes amortization expense related to intangible assets as follows:

Previous wording

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, our Advertising Revenue increased by $1.4 billion, or 75%, from the prior year period primarily due to improved AppDiscovery performance, where the volume of installations increased 50% and net revenue per installation increased 22% compared to the prior year period. We do not recognize Advertising Revenue from transactions with our studios.

Current wording

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, our revenue increased by $1.4 billion, or 75%, from the prior year period primarily due to improved Axon Ads Manager performance, where the volume of installations increased 50% and net revenue per installation increased 22% compared to the prior year period.

Previous wording

Cost of revenue in 2024 increased by $107.6 million, or 10%, compared to 2023. The increase in 2024 was primarily due to an increase in expenses associated with operating our network infrastructure driven by the growth in our Advertising operations of $141.4 million, partially offset by a decrease of $44.5 million in amortization and impairment of intangible assets resulting from the end of the useful life of certain intangible assets.

Current wording

Cost of revenue in 2025 increased by $144.5 million, or 28%, compared to 2024, due primarily to an increase of $150.2 million in expenses associated with operating our network infrastructure driven by the growth in our operations.

Previous wording

General and administrative expenses in 2024 increased by $28.5 million, or 19% compared to 2023. The increase was primarily due to $12.7 million in personnel-related expenses related to an increase in stock-based compensation related payroll costs and an increase of $11.7 million in legal-related costs.

Current wording

Sales and marketing expenses in 2025 decreased by $49.2 million, or 19%, compared to 2024 due primarily to a decrease of $57.1 million in personnel-related expenses related to a decrease in stock-based compensation related payroll costs and a reduction in headcount.

Previous wording

Sales and marketing expenses in 2024 increased by $18.5 million, or 2%, compared to 2023 due primarily to an increase of $10.3 million in depreciation and amortization driven by write-offs of certain intangible assets, an increase of $9.4 million increase in personnel-related expenses primarily related to an increase in stock-based compensation related payroll costs and an increase of $9.6 million in professional services costs associated with the marketing of apps by third parties. This was partially offset by a decrease of $17.9 million in user acquisition costs.

Current wording

Sales and marketing expenses in 2024 increased by $24.8 million, or 11%, compared to 2023 due primarily to an increase of $12.8 million in personnel-related expenses related to an increase in stock-based compensation related payroll costs and an increase of $4.8 million in marketing costs.

Previous wording

General and administrative expenses in 2023 decreased by $29.0 million, or 16% compared to 2022. The decrease was primarily due to $12.7 million in acquisition-related costs in 2022 and a decrease of $6.7 million in professional services costs primarily associated with acquisition support.

Current wording

General and administrative expenses in 2025 increased by $68.6 million, or 42% compared to 2024, due primarily to an increase of $31.6 million in professional services costs primarily associated with transaction support and an increase of $24.5 million in bad debt expense primarily related to new initiatives.

Previous wording

In 2024, interest expense and loss on settlement of debt increased by $42.6 million, or 15%, compared to 2023. This increase was due to loss on extinguishment of debt of $28.4 million in the current period. In addition, the prior year period includes a net gain of $15.8 million related to interest rate swaps.

Current wording

In 2024, interest expense and loss on settlement of debt increased by $43.7 million, or 16%, compared to 2023. This increase was due to loss on extinguishment of debt of $28.4 million in 2024. In addition, the prior year period included a net gain of $15.8 million related to interest rate swaps.

Previous wording

In 2023, other income, net decreased by $6.4 million compared to 2022. The decrease was primarily due to the loss on fair value remeasurement of $20.7 million from the impairment of non-marketable equity securities and an expense resulting from a debt refinancing transaction of $11.0 million, offset by an increase in interest income of $23.2 million and an increase in net foreign currency gains and losses of $4.4 million.

Current wording

In 2025, other income, net decreased by $10.2 million compared to 2024, due primarily to a net fair value remeasurement loss of $34.8 million related to our investments in non-marketable equity securities in the current period and an increase in net foreign currency losses of $2.5 million. This is partially offset by an increase in interest income of $18.2 million driven by an increase in cash and a decrease in certain third-party costs of $6.6 million incurred in connection with the refinancing of term loans in the prior year period.

Previous wording

In 2024, other income, net increased by $12.8 million compared to 2023. The increase was primarily due to the loss on fair value remeasurement of $20.7 million from the impairment of non-marketable equity securities in the prior year period, partially offset by a decrease in interest income of $10.2 million due to a reduction in average cash balances held during the period.

Current wording

In 2024, other income, net increased by $15.5 million compared to 2023. The increase was primarily due to the loss on fair value remeasurement of $24.2 million from the impairment of non-marketable equity securities in the prior year period, partially offset by a decrease in interest income of $9.1 million due to a reduction in average cash balances held during the period.

Previous wording

As of December 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of $741.4 million, consisting primarily of cash on deposit with banks and short-term liquid investments in money market deposit accounts. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents, cash flows expected to be generated by our operations, and, if necessary, our borrowing capacity under our 2024 Credit Agreement that provides for $1.0 billion of unsecured revolving credit facility, would be sufficient to satisfy our anticipated working capital and capital expenditures needs for at least the next 12 months. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our revenue growth rate; sales and marketing activities; timing and extent of spending to support our research and development efforts; capital expenditures to purchase hardware and software; our continued need to invest in our IT infrastructure to support our growth; and the volume and timing of our stock repurchases. In addition, we may enter into additional strategic partnerships as well as agreements to acquire or invest in teams and technologies, including intellectual property rights, which could increase our cash requirements. As a result of these and other factors, we may be required to seek additional equity or debt financing sooner than we currently anticipate. See the section titled “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Financial and Accounting Matters” for more information regarding risks related to liquidity and capital resources.

Current wording

As of December 31, 2025, we had cash and cash equivalents of $2.5 billion, consisting primarily ofcash held in checking and interest-bearing deposit accounts, as well as investments in money market funds. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents, cash flows expected to be generated by our operations, and, if necessary, our borrowing capacity under our 2024 Credit Agreement that provides for a $1.0 billion unsecured revolving credit facility, would be sufficient to satisfy our anticipated working capital and capital expenditures needs for at least the next 12 months. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our revenue growth rate; sales and marketing activities; timing and extent of spending to support our research and development efforts; capital expenditures to purchase hardware and software; our continued need to invest in our IT infrastructure to support our growth; and the volume and timing of our stock repurchases. In addition, we may enter into additional strategic investments in teams and technologies, including intellectual property rights, which could increase our cash requirements. As a result of these and other factors, we may be required to seek additional equity or debt financing sooner than we currently anticipate, or we may opportunistically seek additional financing. See the section titled “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Financial and Accounting Matters” for more information regarding risks related to liquidity and capital resources.

Previous wording

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods indicated:

Current wording

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods indicated (all periods include cash flows from continuing and discontinued operations):

Previous wording

Net cash provided by operating activities was $1.1 billion for 2023, primarily consisting of $356.7 million of net income, adjusted for certain non-cash items, such as $489.0 million of amortization, depreciation and write-offs, $363.1 million of stock- based compensation expense, $28.0 million of impairment of non-marketable equity securities, $17.8 million of change in operating right of use asset, and $9.4 million of amortization of debt issuance costs and discount partially offset by a net increase in the operating assets and liabilities of $208.7 million.

Current wording

Net cash provided by operating activities was $4.0 billion for 2025, primarily consisting of $3.3 billion of net income, adjusted for certain non-cash items, such as $210.4 million of stock-based compensation, $194.8 million of amortization, depreciation and write-offs, $188.9 million of goodwill impairment, $50.0 million of impairment of non-marketable equity securities, and a net increase in the operating assets and liabilities of $77.9 million, partially offset by a gain from the divestiture of our Apps business, net of transaction costs, of $106.2 million.

Previous wording

Net cash provided by operating activities was $2.1 billion for 2024, primarily consisting of $1.6 billion of net income, adjusted for certain non-cash items, such as $448.7 million of amortization, depreciation and write-offs, $369.4 million of stock-based compensation expense, $28.4 million of loss on settlement of debt, $12.7 million of change in operating right of use asset, partially offset by a net decrease in the operating assets and liabilities of $349.5 million.

Current wording

Net cash provided by operating activities was $2.1 billion for 2024, primarily consisting of $1.6 billion of net income, adjusted for certain non-cash items, such as $448.7 million of amortization, depreciation and write-offs, and $369.4 million of stock-based compensation, partially offset by a net decrease in the operating assets and liabilities of $349.5 million.

Previous wording

The improvement in cash flows from operating activities during 2024 compared to 2023 was primarily due to an increase in cash collection from our customers driven by the increase in revenue, partially offset by higher cash operating expenses, primarily related to data center and payroll related costs, as well as higher interest payments due to an increase of debt.

Current wording

The improvement in cash flows from operating activities during 2025 compared to 2024 was primarily due to an increase in cash collection from our customers driven by revenue growth and a decrease of interest payments on debt as a result of lower interest rates, partially offset by higher cash operating expenses primarily associated with operating our network infrastructure, as well as higher income tax payments due to revenue growth.

Previous wording

Net cash used in investing activities was $106.8 million for 2024, primarily consisting of $77.0 million in purchases of non-marketable investments and $25.6 million related to contingent considerations for prior acquisitions and capitalized software development costs.

Current wording

Net cash used in investing activities was $106.8 million for 2024, primarily consisting of $77.0 million in purchases of non-marketable equity securities and $25.6 million related to purchase of intangible assets.

Previous wording

Net cash used in financing activities was $1.6 billion for 2023, primarily consisting of $1.2 billion of stock repurchases, $498.0 million of principal repayments of debt, and $246.4 million of payments for withholding taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards, partially offset by $395.3 million of proceeds from issuance of debt.

Current wording

Net cash used in financing activities was $2.6 billion for 2025, primarily driven by $2.2 billion in stock repurchases under our share repurchase program and $392.4 million in payments for withholding taxes related to the net share settlement of equity awards.

Previous wording

Net cash used in financing activities was $1.7 billion for 2024, primarily consisting of $4.2 billion of principal repayments of debt, $1.1 billion of payments for withholding taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards, and $981.3 million of stock repurchases, partially offset by $4.6 billion of proceeds from issuance of debt.

Current wording

Net cash used in financing activities was $1.7 billion for 2024, primarily consisting of $4.2 billion in principal repayments of debt, $1.1 billion in payments for withholding taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards, and $981.3 million of stock repurchases, partially offset by $4.6 billion of proceeds from issuance of debt.

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