From Perion Network CEO Highlights AI-Driven Innovations and Growth Strategy in Advertising Technology · · Proactive Investors
“We've accumulated during the years we've accumulated quite a lot of cash; we have a bit over $380 million in cash, and we're doing a lot of buybacks — we announced roughly six months ago $75 million worth of buybacks and we're halfway through.”
On , Tal Jacobson, CEO at Perion Network, spoke about cash reserves during Perion Network CEO Highlights AI-Driven Innovations and Growth Strategy in Advertising Technology on Proactive Investors.
Tal Jacobson, CEO of Perion Network, has discussed the company's focus on AI-driven advertising technology and its strategy to grow beyond its search advertising business. In interviews, Jacobson stated that Perion's search segment "is not our strategy" and that the company anticipates growth in other areas, including connected TV, retail, out-of-home, and audio solutions. He highlighted a partnership with A360 Media that provides advertisers on platforms like Us Weekly with advanced analytics, and described a generative AI product called Wave that writes and voices audio ads using retailer data. Jacobson also noted that Perion has over $380 million in cash, is conducting $75 million in stock buybacks, and plans to be active in mergers and acquisitions. Jacobson has commented on broader industry trends, describing advertising as "the fuel of the economy" and stating that AI will solve the "chaos of omnichannel" by breaking silos between closed gardens and the open web. He attributed Snap's revenue challenges to content that was not "brand safe" for advertisers, and pointed to Meta as a company that has effectively addressed sensitive content. Reflecting on his career, Jacobson said he learned that "you don't invest in ideas — you invest in people," and that the ability to adapt to change is more important than strength.