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Fox(FOX) - 2026 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript
2026-02-04 14:32
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenues for the second quarter reached $5.18 billion, a 2% increase from the prior year quarter [14] - Adjusted EBITDA was $692 million, down from $781 million in the prior year quarter due to higher expenses [15] - Net income attributable to stockholders was $229 million or $0.52 per share, compared to $373 million or $0.81 per share in the prior year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cable segment revenues were $2.28 billion with an Adjusted EBITDA of $687 million, both representing a 5% growth year-over-year [16] - Television segment reported revenues of $2.94 billion, with advertising revenues unchanged due to the absence of last year's political advertising [17] - Distribution revenue grew 4% during the quarter, with subscriber declines improving sequentially [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Advertising revenue grew 1% despite a difficult comparison to last year's political cycle, driven by strong linear pricing and robust revenue growth at Tubi [14] - FOX News Digital saw a 170% increase in social media views over the prior year [8] - Tubi achieved its most streamed quarter of all time, with total view time growing 27% year-over-year [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company emphasizes a strategy focused on live sports and news, alongside the growth of Tubi and FOX One [11] - FOX One has exceeded expectations with strong consumer engagement, particularly among sports fans [39] - The company is committed to maintaining a strong balance sheet and delivering sustained growth and shareholder value [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted robust advertising market conditions and expects continued strength in political advertising as the midterm elections approach [25] - The company is optimistic about the upcoming FIFA Men's World Cup and its potential profitability [27] - Management expressed confidence in the strategic direction and the ability to offset increased costs in the NFL contracts [33] Other Important Information - The company repurchased an additional $1.8 billion in shares, bringing the total cumulative amount repurchased to $8.4 billion since the buyback program began [19] - A semiannual dividend of $0.28 per share was announced, contributing to a total cumulative cash return to shareholders of approximately $10.4 billion [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss the standout performance in cable advertising? - Management highlighted a robust advertising market for Fox News, with a significant increase in new advertisers and strong scatter pricing [25] Question: How do you plan to offset increased costs in the NFL? - Management indicated that they can offset some costs by balancing their sports portfolio and expect a robust political advertising cycle to benefit them [33] Question: What is the performance outlook for FOX One? - Management reported that FOX One has exceeded expectations, with a significant portion of its audience being sports fans, and they are on track to meet subscriber benchmarks [39] Question: Can you elaborate on the improvement in subscriber declines? - Management noted a 6.3% decline in subscribers, which is an improvement, and attributed it to the emergence of skinny bundles in the cable universe [45] Question: What are the growth drivers for Tubi? - Management stated that Tubi's growth is driven by a 27% increase in total view time and strong advertising trends, particularly among younger audiences [48]
Fox(FOX) - 2026 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript
2026-02-04 14:30
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenues for the second quarter reached $5.18 billion, a 2% increase from the prior year quarter [14] - Adjusted EBITDA was $692 million, down from $781 million in the prior year quarter, due to higher expenses [15] - Net income attributable to stockholders was $229 million or $0.52 per share, compared to $373 million or $0.81 per share in the prior year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cable segment revenues were $2.28 billion with an Adjusted EBITDA of $687 million, both representing a 5% growth year-over-year [16] - Television segment reported revenues of $2.94 billion, with advertising revenues unchanged due to the absence of last year's political advertising [17] - Distribution revenue grew 4% during the quarter, with subscriber declines improving sequentially [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Advertising revenue grew 1% despite tough comparisons to last year's political cycle, driven by strong linear pricing and robust revenue growth at Tubi [14] - FOX News Digital saw a 170% increase in social media views over the prior year, indicating strong audience engagement [9] - Tubi achieved its most streamed quarter ever, with total view time growing 27% year-over-year [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company emphasizes a strategy focused on live sports and news, alongside the growth of Tubi and FOX One, to reinforce its leadership position [12] - FOX One is positioned as a premier destination for live sports and news streaming, with targeted marketing to cord-cutters [6] - The company is committed to maintaining a strong balance sheet and delivering sustained growth and shareholder value through share buybacks and dividends [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted a robust advertising market and expects continued strength in political advertising as the midterm elections approach [25] - The company anticipates profitability from the upcoming FIFA Men's World Cup, driven by strong advertiser interest [26] - Management expressed confidence in the strategic direction and the ability to connect with audiences across various platforms [12] Other Important Information - The company repurchased an additional $1.8 billion in shares, bringing the total repurchased to $8.4 billion since the buyback program began [19] - A semiannual dividend of $0.28 per share was announced, contributing to a total cumulative cash return to shareholders of approximately $10.4 billion [19] Q&A Session Questions and Answers Question: Can you discuss cable advertising performance and expectations for the political cycle? - The advertising market for Fox News has been robust, with 200 new advertisers added this half, reflecting strong demand [24] - The company expects to benefit from a robust political advertising cycle, particularly at local stations [25] Question: How does the company plan to offset increased costs associated with the NFL? - The company is confident in its ability to offset costs by balancing its sports portfolio and leveraging its strong content [30] Question: What is the performance of FOX One and its impact on the P&L? - FOX One has exceeded expectations, with a significant portion of its audience being sports fans, and the platform's costs are recorded in the corporate segment [38][40] Question: Can you elaborate on the improvement in subscriber declines and the drivers behind it? - The subscriber decline improved to 6.3%, driven by the emergence of skinny bundles in the cable universe [45] - The company is optimistic about the impact of skinny bundles on subscriber retention [46] Question: What are the growth drivers for Tubi's advertising revenue? - Tubi's revenue growth of 19% was driven by a 27% increase in total view time and strong advertiser demand [48]
Fox(FOX) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-05-12 13:32
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total company advertising revenue grew 65% in the quarter, driven by a record-breaking Super Bowl generating over $800 million in gross advertising revenue [7][16] - Total revenues increased by 27%, with record free cash flow achieved [16] - Adjusted EBITDA was $856 million, down from $891 million in the prior year quarter due to higher expenses [17] - Net income attributable to Fox stockholders was $346 million, or $0.75 per share, compared to $666 million, or $1.40 per share in the prior year [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cable Network Programming segment saw 11% revenue growth and 7% EBITDA growth, with cable advertising revenues up 26% [18] - Television segment delivered 40% revenue growth, with advertising revenues increasing 77% due to the Super Bowl [19] - Tubi experienced a 35% year-on-year revenue growth, with total viewing time up 24% year-over-year in April [12][41] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fox News finished the quarter as the most-watched cable network, with total day audience growing 48% and prime time ratings up over 30% [9][10] - Fox Sports ranked as the industry leader in live sports event viewership, accumulating 3.3 billion hours of sports event viewing, 17% better than the closest competitor [11] - Digital consumption trends for Fox News showed an 18% year-on-year growth in page views, reaching a record 11 billion views [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on launching a direct-to-consumer service named Fox One, targeting the cordless market and aiming to avoid cannibalizing traditional cable subscribers [15][66] - Fox aims to leverage its strong assets in live sports and news programming to attract advertisers, with a disciplined approach to capital allocation [8][15] - The company is committed to maintaining strong relationships with traditional cable distributors while expanding its digital offerings [50][52] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted no impact from the macro environment on business performance, with strong ratings and engagement [8] - The company is optimistic about the upcoming fiscal year, despite the absence of political advertising in fiscal 2026 [29] - Management expressed confidence in Tubi's growth trajectory and its potential to become a mainstream service [41][75] Other Important Information - The company repurchased an additional $800 million in shares, bringing the total repurchased to $6.4 billion since the buyback program began [21] - The company ended the quarter with approximately $4.8 billion in cash and $7.2 billion in debt, maintaining a strong balance sheet [21][43] Q&A Session Summary Question: Inquiry about FOX One and its pricing strategy - Management indicated that FOX One will target the cordless market and will not be priced at a discount, aiming for healthy pricing aligned with wholesale rates [26] Question: Update on brand advertising demand on Fox News - Over 200 new advertisers have been attracted since the election, with direct response advertising up over 30% and scatter pricing up over 50% [34][36] Question: Path to profitability for Tubi and capital allocation strategy - Tubi's revenue improved by 35% with a focus on engagement, and the company plans to continue investing in Tubi while maintaining a strong balance sheet [41][43] Question: Strategy around direct-to-consumer offerings and affiliate revenue growth - The company remains supportive of traditional cable distribution while launching a D2C service targeting cord-nevers, with a focus on maintaining affiliate relationships [50][52] Question: Digital investments and future plans for the Fox Lot - Digital investments are expected to decrease slightly, and the company plans to fill the office space vacated by Disney with high-demand sound stages [71][75]
Fox(FOX) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-05-12 13:32
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total company advertising revenue grew 65% in the quarter, driven by a record-breaking Super Bowl generating over $800 million in gross advertising revenue [7] - Total revenues increased by 27%, with record free cash flow achieved [16] - Adjusted EBITDA was $856 million, down from $891 million in the prior year quarter, primarily due to higher expenses [17] - Net income attributable to Fox stockholders was $346 million, or $0.75 per share, compared to $666 million, or $1.40 per share, in the prior year [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cable Network Programming segment saw 11% revenue growth and 7% EBITDA growth, with cable advertising revenues up 26% [18] - Television segment delivered 40% revenue growth, with advertising revenues increasing 77% due to the Super Bowl [19] - Tubi experienced a 35% year-on-year revenue growth, with total viewing time up 24% year-over-year in April [12][41] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fox News finished the quarter as the most-watched cable network, with total day audience growing 48% and prime time ratings up over 30% [9][10] - Fox Sports ranked as the industry leader in live sports event viewership, accumulating 3.3 billion hours of sports event viewing, 17% better than the closest competitor [11] - Digital consumption trends showed Fox News digital grew page views 18% year-on-year to a record 11 billion views [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on launching a direct-to-consumer service named Fox One, targeting the cordless market and planning partnerships with other distributors [15][66] - The strategy emphasizes maintaining strong relationships with traditional cable distributors while expanding digital offerings [50] - The company aims to leverage its strong operating momentum and financial results to deliver long-term value for shareholders [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted no impact from the macro environment on business performance, with strong ratings and engagement [8] - Confidence in the advertising business remains high, particularly with Fox News and Tubi showing solid demand [29] - The company anticipates continued growth in affiliate revenue and advertising, despite the absence of political advertising in the upcoming fiscal year [29] Other Important Information - The company repurchased an additional $800 million in shares, bringing the total repurchased to $6.4 billion since the buyback program began [21] - The balance sheet remains strong, with approximately $4.8 billion in cash and $7.2 billion in debt [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Inquiry about FOX One and its pricing strategy - Management indicated that FOX One will target the cordless market and pricing will be healthy, not discounted, with plans for partnerships to broaden distribution [26] Question: Thoughts on fiscal 2026 outlook - Management highlighted the absence of political advertising as a factor for fiscal 2026, but noted strong tailwinds from advertising and affiliate revenue growth [29] Question: Update on brand advertising demand on Fox News - Over 200 new advertisers have been added since the election, with direct response advertising up over 30% and scatter pricing up over 50% [34][36] Question: Path to profitability for Tubi and capital allocation - Tubi's revenue improved by 35% with significant engagement, and the company plans to continue investing in Tubi while maintaining a strong balance sheet [41][44] Question: Strategy around direct-to-consumer and affiliate revenue growth - Management remains supportive of traditional cable distribution while launching a D2C service targeting cord-nevers, with a focus on maintaining affiliate relationships [50][52] Question: Digital investments and future plans for the Fox Lot - Digital investments are expected to decrease slightly, and the company plans to fill the office space vacated by Disney with high-demand sound stages [71][77]