This story was originally published on CFO.com. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO.com newsletter. Stephanie Lewis | Forbes Stephanie Lewis was promoted to the finance chief of Forbes. Lewis joined the media company in 2008 as a financial analyst and has held several leadership roles throughout her tenure, including director of financial reporting and controller. She has been in her most recent role of senior vice president of finance since 2023. Before that, she worked at ...

The former wife of media titan Rupert Murdoch and mother of their children James, Elisabeth and Lachlan, has died aged 81.Anne de Peyster, formerly Anna Murdoch, died in Palm Beach, Florida, following a long illness, according to reports in the Murdoch-owned New York Post.In its coverage of her death, the paper said “many worlds loved Anna”.“Devoted mother, handsome lady, sharp wit, love of writing and lifetime commitment to helping children in need.” The Murdochs met in Sydney in the 1960s. (AP PHOTO)Ms De ...

Core Insights - Ekspress Grupp's revenue continued to grow in Q4 and for the full year 2025, driven by investments in conference business, ticket sales, and digital outdoor screens, alongside strong growth in digital subscriptions [1][9] Revenue Performance - Q4 2025 revenue increased by EUR 0.4 million (+2%) year-over-year, totaling EUR 23.9 million, while the full year revenue rose by EUR 4.1 million (+5%) to EUR 80.2 million [1][8] - The main contributors to revenue growth included the Estonian Training and Conference Centre and UAB Kenton Baltic, along with Delfi Lithuania's AI project and growth in digital subscriptions and ticket sales [1][9] Digital Revenue Growth - Digital revenue for the full year increased by 5%, with nearly 18,000 new digital subscriptions (+7%), reaching a total of 256,000 subscriptions by the end of Q4 2025 [2][11] - Digital revenue accounted for 86% of total revenue at the end of Q4 2025, up from 85% the previous year [11][22] Ticket Sales and Outdoor Screens - Revenue from ticket sales platforms increased by 6% in Q4, while outdoor screen revenue grew by 16%, supported by an expanded network of screens [3][22] Profitability Metrics - Q4 2025 EBITDA totaled EUR 5.3 million, a 1% increase year-over-year, with a margin of 22% [4][13] - Full year EBITDA also increased by 1% to EUR 10.8 million, with a margin of 13% [4][13] Net Profit and Loss - The consolidated net loss for Q4 2025 was EUR 0.9 million, a decrease of EUR 4.0 million from the previous year, while the full year net profit totaled EUR 1.0 million, down by EUR 2.2 million [5][16] - Excluding one-off expenses, the net profit for Q4 was EUR 3.3 million (+6%), and for the full year, it was EUR 3.2 million, approximately the same as last year [5][15][16] Cash Position and Liquidity - As of December 31, 2025, the Group had available cash of EUR 14.0 million, up from EUR 9.0 million the previous year, indicating strong liquidity [7][17] - The Group's net debt decreased to EUR 13.1 million from EUR 19.6 million in the previous year [17] Acquisitions and Strategic Growth - In December 2025, the Group acquired Liikluslab Baltic OÜ, aiming to expand its digital business and enter a new market segment [6]

Core Viewpoint - News Corporation is actively building defenses against the threat posed by artificial intelligence to its media assets, emphasizing the importance of proprietary content and legal strategies to protect intellectual property [1][5][7]. Financial Performance - News Corp reported a 6% increase in second quarter revenue to $US2.4 billion ($A3.4 billion), aligning with analysts' forecasts, driven by its Dow Jones information services and digital real estate services [8]. - Quarterly underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization reached $US521 million, a 9% increase compared to the previous year [9]. - For the half-year period ending December 31, revenue rose 7% to $US1.2 billion ($A1.7 billion), with underlying earnings also increasing by 7% to $US861 million ($A1.2 billion) [9]. Digital Strategy and Subscriber Growth - The company is experiencing growth in digital subscriber numbers, with 1.2 million digital subscribers in Australia and nearly one million news masthead subscribers by the end of December [14]. - Circulation and subscription revenue have increased due to higher pricing in the UK and Australia, contributing positively to earnings results [14]. Legal and Competitive Landscape - News Corp's CEO highlighted a recent $US1.5 billion lawsuit settlement against AI company Anthropic for copyright infringements, which will benefit the company and its authors [5][6]. - The company has established a partnership with OpenAI to enhance its editorial products, positioning itself as a creator of premium content in contrast to AI-generated material [7]. Market Challenges - While Dow Jones remains a strong asset, other media properties in the UK and Australia have faced challenges, with flat quarterly revenue and a 4% decline in underlying earnings due to a tough print advertising market [10].

Core Insights - Symbolic.ai has signed a significant deal with News Corp to utilize its AI platform for enhancing financial journalism through Dow Jones Newswires [1][3] - The AI platform developed by Symbolic.ai claims to improve productivity by up to 90% for complex research tasks, streamlining editorial workflows [2] Company Developments - News Corp, which owns major assets like MarketWatch, the New York Post, and the WSJ, is actively integrating AI into its operations [1][3] - In 2024, News Corp entered a multi-year partnership with OpenAI to license its material, indicating a strategic move towards AI collaboration [3] Technology Impact - Symbolic.ai's platform aims to enhance various editorial processes, including newsletter creation, audio transcription, fact-checking, and SEO optimization [2]

Core Insights - The total number of digital subscriptions for AS Ekspress Grupp increased by 7% year-over-year, reaching 255,964 by the end of December 2025, despite economic challenges in the Baltic States [1][2]. Subscription Growth Overview - The overall digital subscription growth in the Baltic States was 7%, with a deceleration to 5% in the fourth quarter due to low consumer confidence and cautious spending [1][3]. - In Estonia, Delfi Meedia achieved a stable growth of 9%, totaling over 124,000 subscribers, indicating strong performance in a mature market [4]. - The number of digital subscriptions for AS Õhtuleht Kirjastus decreased by 4% year-over-year, totaling 24,284, primarily due to changes in a major business customer's contract [5][7]. - Geenius Meedia saw a significant drop of 15% in subscriptions, totaling 6,224, attributed to changes in accounting principles rather than revenue impact [5][7]. - In Latvia, Delfi A/S experienced a 14% increase in subscriptions, totaling 40,090, with a notable 22% growth in the fourth quarter [6][7]. - Delfi UAB in Lithuania reported a 12% increase in subscriptions, totaling 49,378, while Lrytas UAB saw a 3% decrease, totaling 11,351 [6][7]. Future Projections - The company aims to increase digital subscriptions to 340,000 in the Baltic countries by the end of 2026, aligning with its long-term strategic goals established in early 2022 [9].

Group 1 - AS Delfi Meedia, a subsidiary of AS Ekspress Grupp, has elected Karin Vene as a new member of the Management Board until January 6, 2029, responsible for managing new business areas [1] - The Management Board of Delfi Meedia will consist of Erik Heinsaar (Chairman), Erle Laak-Sepp, Tarvo Ulejev, Urmo Soonvald, Piret Põldoja, Sander Maasik, and Karin Vene starting January 7, 2026 [1] Group 2 - Delfi Meedia AS is recognized as Estonia's fastest and most innovative media company, operating the largest news portal Delfi and publishing various newspapers and magazines [2] - The mission of Delfi Meedia is to promote democracy and contribute to a more open, informed, and digitally advanced Estonia [2] - AS Ekspress Grupp is the leading Baltic media group, involved in web media content production, publishing, and operating an electronic ticket sales platform [2] - The Group was established in 1989 and currently employs about 1,000 people [2]

Core Viewpoint - AS Ekspress Grupp, a leading Baltic media group, will publish its consolidated financial results and quarterly results of digital subscriptions in 2026 according to a specified schedule [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Reporting Schedule - The results for digital subscriptions for Q4 2025 will be published on January 12, 2026 [2] - The unaudited interim report for the 12 months and Q4 of 2025 will be released on February 20, 2026 [2] - The audited Annual Report for 2025 is scheduled for April 1, 2026 [2] - Results for digital subscriptions for Q1 2026 will be available on April 10, 2026 [2] - The unaudited interim report for the first three months and Q1 of 2026 will be published on April 30, 2026 [2] - Results for digital subscriptions for Q2 2026 will be released on July 10, 2026 [2] - The unaudited interim report for the first six months and Q2 of 2026 will be available on July 31, 2026 [2] - Results for digital subscriptions for Q3 2026 will be published on October 12, 2026 [2] - The unaudited interim report for the first nine months and Q3 of 2026 will be released on October 30, 2026 [2] - All reports will be published before the start of the trading day at 8:00 a.m. local Eastern European time (EET) [2] Group 2: Company Overview - AS Ekspress Grupp is the leading Baltic media group involved in web media content production, publishing newspapers, magazines, and books [3] - The Group operates an electronic ticket sales platform and ticket sales offices in Latvia and Estonia [3] - It offers digital outdoor screen services in Estonia and Latvia and organizes conferences, trainings, and events primarily in Estonia and Lithuania, as well as in Latvia [3] - Established in 1989, the Group employs approximately 1,000 people [3]

Company Overview - AS Ekspress Grupp is the leading Baltic media group, involved in web media content production, publishing newspapers, magazines, and books, as well as operating an electronic ticket sales platform in Latvia and Estonia [7] - The group also organizes conferences, training, and events primarily in Estonia and Lithuania, and employs approximately 1,000 people [7] Takeover Bid Details - HHL Rühm Osaühing made a voluntary takeover bid for all shares of Ekspress Grupp not already owned by the Bidder, with a purchase price of EUR 1.25 per share [1][2] - The Estonian Financial Supervision and Resolution Authority approved the bid on 24 November 2025, with the bid period running from 25 November 2025 to 22 December 2025 [2] Shareholder Participation - Shareholders participating in the bid decided to sell a total of 6,982,181 shares, representing approximately 22.55% of all shares [3] - After the bid, the Bidder will own a total of 29,757,623 shares, amounting to 96.12% of all shares of Ekspress Grupp [5] Settlement and Future Actions - Payment for the shares and transfer to the Bidder will occur by 31 December 2025 [4] - The Bidder plans to prepare a takeover report to justify the transfer of shares held by minority shareholders and will request a general meeting to decide on the takeover and termination of trading on Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange [6]

Group 1 - AS Ekspress Grupp has entered into a contract to acquire 100% of shares in the traffic training platform Liikluslab Baltic OÜ on 19 December 2025 [1] - Liikluslab Baltic OÜ, founded in 2019, provides traffic education materials and services to individuals and driving schools, and has two subsidiaries: Teooria OÜ and Liikluslab Tervis OÜ [2] - The acquisition aims to grow the digital business and expand into a new area, supporting Ekspress Grupp's long-term goal of increasing revenues from digital subscriptions and services, while also creating opportunities for international expansion [3] Group 2 - The transaction's price and terms are undisclosed, and it is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, partly financed by a bank loan from AS SEB Pank [4] - The transaction is not classified as significant under NASDAQ Tallinn Stock Exchange regulations, and there is no personal interest from the Group's Management and Supervisory Boards in the transaction [4] - AS Ekspress Grupp is a leading Baltic media group involved in web media content production, publishing, electronic ticket sales, and organizing events, employing around 1000 people since its establishment in 1989 [5]