DLPN Stock: Insider Activity, Filings & Research
Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. (DLPN) — Drillr’s hub for DLPN insider activity, SEC filings, earnings signals and AI research. Over the trailing 3 months, DLPN insiders filed 14 open-market buys and 0 sales (SEC Form 4).
DLPN insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,900 | $1.25 |
| May 26, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,800 | $1.28 |
| May 20, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 4,100 | $1.18 |
| May 12, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,400 | $1.46 |
| May 4, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,400 | $1.46 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,400 | $1.46 |
| Apr 21, 2026 | Espensen Michaeldirector | Buy | 6,623 | — |
| Apr 20, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,200 | $1.52 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,200 | $1.54 |
| Apr 8, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,150 | $1.57 |
| Apr 1, 2026 | Bass Hilariedirector | Grant | 6,623 | — |
| Apr 1, 2026 | O'Dowd William IVdirector, officer: Chief Executive Officer | Buy | 3,100 | $1.57 |
| Apr 1, 2026 | Stanham Nicholasdirector | Grant | 6,623 | — |
| Apr 1, 2026 | Famadas Nelsondirector | Grant | 6,623 | — |
| Apr 1, 2026 | Grillo Claudia Anndirector | Grant | 6,623 | — |
Source: DLPN SEC Form 4 filings, latest Jun 1, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. company profile
Overview
Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLPN) is a Florida-based independent entertainment marketing and content development company founded in 2006. Originally incorporated as Dolphin Digital Media, the company rebranded to Dolphin Entertainment in 2017 as it evolved from a digital media distributor into a comprehensive entertainment services provider. Today, Dolphin operates as a holding company with multiple subsidiaries specializing in public relations, influencer marketing, content production, and strategic entertainment marketing services across various industries including film, television, music, hospitality, and emerging sectors like women's sports and gaming.
Business
Dolphin Entertainment operates in the entertainment marketing and content services industry, functioning as a full-service provider that helps brands, celebrities, and entertainment properties reach their target audiences through strategic communications and content creation. The company's business is structured around several key subsidiaries, each serving different market segments within the broader entertainment ecosystem. The company's Entertainment Publicity and Marketing segment represents approximately 75-80% of total revenue and includes several specialized agencies. 42West is a premier entertainment public relations firm that handles publicity campaigns for major film and television productions, securing media coverage and managing award season campaigns. Shore Fire Media focuses exclusively on music industry public relations, representing recording artists, music festivals, and entertainment venues. The Door specializes in hospitality, lifestyle, and culinary public relations, working with restaurants, hotels, and consumer brands. The Digital Department encompasses the company's influencer marketing operations, representing approximately 20-25% of revenue. This division manages relationships with social media influencers across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, creating sponsored content campaigns for major brands. The department has expanded into specialized verticals including skincare, young adult audiences, and recently launched an affiliate marketing division that manages commission-based sales programs for influencers. The Content Production segment generates revenue through film and documentary production, most notably the Blue Angels IMAX documentary which has generated significant licensing revenue. The company also operates Special Projects, which handles high-profile event management and celebrity booking services for corporate events and brand activations. Recent strategic expansions include Always Alpha, the company's entry into women's sports management led by Olympic champion Allyson Felix, and various venture investments in consumer products like Staple Gin spirits brand developed in partnership with celebrity chef Rachael Ray.
Revenue model
Dolphin Entertainment generates revenue through multiple business models across its various subsidiaries and service offerings. The core Entertainment Publicity and Marketing segment operates on a traditional agency model, charging monthly retainer fees and project-based fees for public relations services, strategic communications, and marketing campaigns. Clients include major film studios, television networks, recording artists, restaurants, hotels, and consumer brands who pay for ongoing publicity services and campaign management. The Digital Department's influencer marketing division generates revenue through several mechanisms: management fees from influencer talent (typically 10-20% of influencer earnings), campaign fees from brands seeking influencer partnerships, and commission-based revenue from the newly launched affiliate marketing program where Dolphin takes a percentage of sales generated through influencer promotional links. Content production revenue comes from film and documentary licensing deals, distribution agreements, and production partnerships. The Blue Angels documentary, for example, generated $3.4 million in licensing revenue from IMAX theatrical distribution and Amazon Prime streaming rights. The company's venture investments and consumer products generate revenue through equity stakes and profit-sharing arrangements. Staple Gin, developed with Rachael Ray, generates revenue through product sales and licensing, while Always Alpha sports management earns commissions from athlete endorsement deals and brand partnerships. Several factors influence Dolphin's profit margins. Positive margin drivers include the scalability of digital marketing services, cross-selling opportunities between subsidiaries, and the high-margin nature of influencer marketing compared to traditional PR services. The company benefits from operating leverage as revenue grows since many costs are fixed. Margin pressures come from talent acquisition costs in competitive markets, the cyclical nature of entertainment industry spending (particularly around award seasons), and the need for continuous investment in new talent and technology platforms. Economic downturns can reduce corporate marketing budgets, while increased competition in influencer marketing may compress commission rates over time.
Competitive moat
Dolphin Entertainment operates in a highly competitive and fragmented industry with limited sustainable competitive advantages or moats. The company's primary competitive positioning stems from its integrated service offering that combines traditional public relations with modern digital marketing capabilities under one roof, allowing for cross-selling opportunities and comprehensive campaign management that smaller specialized agencies cannot match. The company has built valuable relationships and reputation within specific entertainment industry niches, particularly through its award-winning subsidiaries like 42West and Shore Fire Media, which have established track records with major studios and recording artists. These relationships create some client stickiness and referral opportunities, though clients can and do switch agencies regularly based on performance and cost considerations. Talent and expertise concentration provides temporary advantages, as the company has assembled experienced teams with industry connections and specialized knowledge. However, this is also a vulnerability since key personnel can leave and take clients or relationships with them, which is common in the agency business. The company's moat is relatively weak overall. The entertainment marketing industry has low barriers to entry, with new agencies and digital marketing firms regularly entering the market. Large advertising conglomerates like WPP, Omnicom, and Publicis offer similar services with significantly greater resources. Technology platforms continue to democratize influencer marketing, potentially reducing the need for intermediary agencies. Additionally, many brands are building in-house marketing capabilities, reducing dependence on external agencies. The cyclical and project-based nature of much of the business makes client relationships inherently unstable, limiting the durability of any competitive advantages.
Risks & safety
The margin of safety appears limited based on the company's financial profile and current valuation metrics. • Liquidity and solvency concerns: Current ratio of 0.76 indicates current liabilities exceed current assets by approximately $6.4 million. The company has been burning cash with negative free cash flow of -$1.7 million in Q1 2025 and -$159,000 for full year 2024. • Debt burden: Debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79 shows significant leverage. Total liabilities of $49.3 million substantially exceed the company's market capitalization of approximately $13 million. • Profitability challenges: The company has been consistently unprofitable with negative net income in recent quarters, though it achieved positive adjusted operating income of $900,000 in 2024. • Valuation metrics: Trading at negative P/E ratios due to losses, though price-to-book of 1.21 suggests shares trade near book value. Enterprise value to EBITDA is negative due to negative EBITDA. • Other considerations: Small market cap creates liquidity risk and vulnerability to volatility. The company operates in a cyclical, competitive industry with limited pricing power and client concentration risks.
Recent development
Over the past few years, Dolphin Entertainment has pursued an aggressive expansion strategy aimed at diversifying beyond traditional public relations services into higher-growth digital marketing and venture opportunities. The most significant development has been the expansion of the Digital Department, which now represents 20-25% of total revenue through influencer marketing services and the recent launch of an affiliate marketing division targeting the $17 billion affiliate marketing market. In 2024, the company made a strategic entry into women's sports management through the launch of Always Alpha, led by Olympic champion Allyson Felix. This venture represents a partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment and aims to capitalize on the growing popularity and commercial opportunities in women's athletics, with plans to expand from track and field into soccer and basketball. The company has also diversified into content production and consumer products, most notably through the successful Blue Angels IMAX documentary that generated $3.4 million in licensing revenue, and the launch of Staple Gin in partnership with Rachael Ray, which has achieved distribution in 43 states and industry recognition as the highest-rated American gin. Strategic acquisitions have played a key role in the expansion, including Elle Communications to strengthen the impact and social responsibility PR capabilities, and the earlier acquisition of Special Projects to add high-end event management and celebrity booking services. The company has also formed partnerships with technology companies like Loti.ai for digital identity protection services, positioning itself at the intersection of entertainment and emerging technologies. Looking forward, management has indicated plans to launch 1-2 new ventures annually while focusing on organic growth across existing subsidiaries, with particular emphasis on scaling Always Alpha's athlete roster and expanding the affiliate marketing division's influencer network.
DLPN company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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