CEO Jeff Hirsch said Starz sees a place for itself in the current M&A landscape by picking off linear networks that aren’t valuable to giant owners but could be repositioned to add value to the newly independent company. He has hinted at that before but expanded on a call after quarterly earnings that Starz wants to diversify from pure SVOD (streaming) to AVOD (streaming with ads) but can’t “because of the nature of the adult nature of our content and the amount of content we have” relative to the giant pl ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Starz reported total revenue of $321 million for the quarter, an increase of $1.2 million sequentially [12] - Adjusted OIBDA was $22 million, down $11 million sequentially due to higher advertising and marketing costs [13] - The company ended the quarter with total net debt of $588 million, with leverage on a trailing 12-month basis at 3.4 times [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. OTT subscribers increased by 110,000, ending the quarter with 12.3 million [11] - North American total subscribers reached 19.2 million, with a sequential increase of 120,000 [12] - OTT revenue rose by $1.7 million to $223 million, while linear and other revenue slightly decreased to $98 million [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. OTT subscriber growth was driven by the successful debut of "Outlander: Blood of My Blood" and the premiere of "Ballerina" [11][8] - OTT engagement reached a 12-month high, indicating strong performance in content [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to grow its core business by increasing margins to 20% by the end of 2028 and converting 70% of adjusted OIBDA to unleveraged free cash flow [3] - A structural change in the Canadian operation was announced, moving to a content licensing agreement with Bell Canada to generate international licensing revenue [4] - Starz is focused on owning half of its content slate by 2027, which is expected to improve margins and reduce costs [5][21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to deliver on their plan despite significant headwinds in the media industry [10] - The company anticipates continued revenue and U.S. OTT subscriber growth in the fourth quarter, aiming for approximately $200 million of adjusted OIBDA for the year [11][8] - Management highlighted the potential for increased consolidation in the media landscape, positioning Starz to capitalize on M&A opportunities [6] Other Important Information - The company plans to decrease content investment year over year, which is expected to improve free cash flow in 2026 [9] - The partnership with Bell Canada and the co-commission on "Fightland" are expected to be modestly accretive to adjusted OIBDA and free cash flow in 2026 [6] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you explain the cost savings and international revenue from producing your own shows? - Management indicated that owning IP allows for cost control and the potential for incremental revenue through international licensing [17][19] Question: Any updates on other shows announced alongside "Fightland"? - Management confirmed progress on several shows, with plans to have half the slate owned by Starz by 2027 [20][21] Question: Can you walk us through the EBITDA guidance for Q4? - Management expressed confidence in reaching the $200 million EBITDA target, needing approximately $52 million in Q4 [24][25] Question: What are the dynamics around churn and gross acquisitions? - Management noted that two-thirds of subscriber growth was from gross acquisitions, with churn at all-time lows [49] Question: Can you provide insights on the Canadian business model shift? - Management confirmed that the new licensing model is expected to provide stable revenue exceeding previous subscription revenues [52] Question: Is the $700 million cash spend outlook for 2026 still accurate? - Management affirmed that the expectation is to be just under $700 million in 2026, with further reductions anticipated in subsequent years [54]