Core Insights - Fox Corporation achieved record advertising revenue in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, totaling $3.74 billion, a 5% increase from the previous year [1][6][12] - The company reported a significant rise in advertising revenue, reaching over $1.4 billion, marking the highest in Fox News Media history [5][10] - Fox's cable networks saw advertising revenue increase to $345 million, up from $321 million in the same quarter last year, driven by higher news pricing [6][10] Advertising Revenue Performance - Advertising revenue grew by 6% during the quarter, despite the absence of last year's political revenue, with strong performance in news, sports, entertainment, and Tubi [2][10] - The total revenue for Fox's cable network programming was $1.66 billion, reflecting a 4% increase from the prior year [6][12] - Fox News Channel maintained a leading position in viewership, outperforming competitors ABC, CBS, and NBC in weekday primetime viewers year to date [7][10] Share Repurchase and Stock Performance - Fox Corporation announced a $1.5 billion accelerated share repurchase transaction, which includes $700 million of Class A Common Stock and $800 million of Class B Common Stock [11][12] - The company's shares have increased over 33% this year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 16% rise [12]

Core Insights - Fox reported a revenue increase of 4.9% to $3.74 billion in its most recent quarter, surpassing Wall Street estimates of $3.57 billion [1][15] - The company experienced a 6% rise in advertising revenues for the three months ending September 30 [1] - Fox's profit decreased to $599 million, or $1.32 per share, down from $827 million, or $1.78 per share, in the same quarter last year [5] Revenue Breakdown - Fox's cable business, which includes Fox News, Fox Business, and Fox Sports 1, generated $1.66 billion in revenue, reflecting a 4.1% increase from the previous year [3] - The television division reported a revenue increase of 5% to $2.05 billion [4] - The Tubi streaming service, news division, and NFL offerings were significant contributors to advertising revenue [3] Profit and Earnings - Excluding one-time items, Fox reported earnings of $1.51 per share, exceeding analyst expectations of $1.11 [9] - Net income was reported at $609 million, down from $832 million the previous year [5] Strategic Developments - Fox launched its new streaming service, Fox One, which combines programming from Fox News and Fox Sports for $19.99 a month, with adoption exceeding expectations [13] - The company announced a $1.5 billion share buyback program, intending to repurchase $700 million of Class A common stock and $800 million of Class B common stock [13][14]

Core Insights - Fox News Media has attracted 350 new national advertisers in 2025, resulting in the highest ad revenue quarter in the company's history [2] - Fox News maintained strong ratings, averaging 3.281 million viewers in weekday prime, leading all cable and broadcast networks [3] - The network's prime time audience in October was 2.3 million viewers, while competitors CNN and MSNBC reached record lows [4] Advertising Performance - Ad revenue for Fox News increased by 7% to $345 million, while the Fox broadcast network and local television stations saw a 6% rise to $1.07 billion [7] - The company charges advertisers less than ABC, CBS, and NBC, making it an attractive option for new advertisers [5] - Many new national advertisers are increasing their spending, contributing to a positive outlook for the company [6] Financial Results - Fox Corp exceeded Wall Street expectations for the fiscal first quarter, reporting adjusted earnings of $1.51 per share and total revenue of $3.7 billion, surpassing the consensus of $1.06 EPS and $3.58 billion revenue [6]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue growth of 5% and EBITDA growth of 2% in Q1 fiscal 2026 [4][12] - Advertising revenue increased by 6%, despite the absence of last year's political revenue [4][12] - Net income attributable to stockholders was $599 million or $1.32 per share, compared to $827 million or $1.78 per share in the previous year [13] - Adjusted net income was $686 million and adjusted EPS was $1.51, a year-over-year increase of 4% [13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cable Networks revenue grew by 4%, with advertising revenues up 7% driven by Fox News [13][14] - Television segment revenue increased by 5%, with advertising revenues up 6% due to Tubi's growth and strong sports pricing [14][15] - Tubi achieved 27% revenue growth, driven by an 18% increase in total view time, and reached profitability [9][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Subscriber declines remained below 7% for the third consecutive quarter [4] - Fox Sports averaged almost 22 million viewers for NFL games, a 12% increase over last season [7] - Fox News maintained its status as the most watched cable network, achieving the highest first quarter ad revenue in its history [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company launched Fox One, with strong early subscriber uptake and engagement [5][22] - Focus on distribution agnosticism, ensuring content reaches as many households as possible [5] - Plans for M&A activity in the future, with a disciplined approach to investment [51] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the positive outlook for Fox, supported by a strong advertising market and leadership in news and sports [10][11] - The company anticipates continued total company distribution revenue growth for the full year [15] - Management highlighted the importance of partnerships in driving growth for Fox One [62] Other Important Information - The company announced a $1.5 billion accelerated share repurchase (ASR) transaction [11][16] - Free cash flow was negative $234 million in the quarter, consistent with seasonal working capital cycles [16][17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on Fox One's subscriber uptake and engagement - Management noted that early subscriber uptake has exceeded expectations, with a healthy mix of sports and news viewing driving engagement [22][23] Question: Strength in Fox News pricing and advertising potential - Management highlighted a 63% share in total day and 65% in prime time for Fox News, with strong pricing driven by new national clients [30][31] Question: Key drivers of stable subscriber erosion trends - Management indicated that reduced subscriber erosion is due to the flexibility of skinny bundles and the success of digital distributors [42][43] Question: Details on the accelerated share repurchase program - The ASR will involve buying back shares with a split between Class A and B stocks, taking advantage of pricing efficiencies [44][45]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fox Corporation reported a revenue growth of 5% and EBITDA growth of 2% for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 [4][12] - Advertising revenue increased by 6%, while distribution revenue grew by 3% [4][12] - Net income attributable to stockholders was $599 million, or $1.32 per share, compared to $827 million, or $1.78 per share, in the previous year [13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cable Networks revenue grew by 4%, with advertising revenues up 7% driven by strong pricing at Fox News [13][15] - Television segment revenue increased by 5%, with advertising revenues up 6% due to growth at Tubi and strong sports pricing [15][16] - Tubi achieved 27% revenue growth, driven by an 18% increase in total view time, and reached profitability [8][9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fox News maintained its status as the most-watched cable network, achieving the highest first-quarter ad revenue in its history [9][10] - The NFL on Fox averaged almost 22 million viewers, a 12% increase over last season, marking Fox's best start to an NFL season ever [6][7] - College football viewership also increased, with Fox's Big Noon Saturday averaging over 6 million viewers, up 22% from the previous season [7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company launched Fox One, which has seen strong early subscriber uptake and engagement, indicating a positive outlook for its direct-to-consumer strategy [5][24] - Fox Corporation is focused on ensuring its content reaches as many households as possible, emphasizing a distribution-agnostic approach [5] - The company plans to continue investing in digital initiatives while moderating overall net investment due to Tubi's profitability [8][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the positive outlook for Fox, supported by a strong advertising market and leadership in news and sports [10] - The company anticipates continued distribution revenue growth, driven by stable to improving subscriber erosion trends [16][70] - Management highlighted the importance of M&A activity for future growth, while maintaining a disciplined approach to investments [81] Other Important Information - The company announced a $1.5 billion accelerated share repurchase (ASR) transaction, reflecting confidence in its business outlook [10][17] - Free cash flow was reported as negative $234 million, consistent with the seasonality of the working capital cycle [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on Fox One's subscriber uptake and engagement - Management noted that Fox One's early uptake has exceeded expectations, with a healthy mix of sports and news viewing driving engagement [24][26] Question: Strength in Fox News pricing and advertising - The strength in Fox News pricing is attributed to a significant market share and the efficiency of advertising costs compared to broadcast networks [40][44] Question: Key drivers of distribution growth and subscriber erosion trends - Management indicated that reduced subscriber erosion is benefiting from skinny bundles and digital distributors, with Fox One being additive to subscriber numbers [64][66] Question: Details on the accelerated share repurchase (ASR) program - The ASR program will involve a mix of Class A and Class B shares, with the decision based on trading efficiencies [70][72]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses a dinner hosted by President Trump at the White House with Rupert Murdoch and key figures from his media empire, despite an ongoing defamation lawsuit involving Murdoch's Wall Street Journal reporting on Trump [1][4]. Group 1: Dinner Details - The dinner took place at the White House and included notable guests such as Murdoch's wife, Elena Zhukova, and various editors and executives from Murdoch's media outlets [2]. - The group reportedly enjoyed chicken and gravy during the dinner [3]. Group 2: Legal Context - The dinner occurred shortly before Trump's legal team filed a response to Murdoch's lawyers, who requested the dismissal of Trump's defamation lawsuit [4]. - The lawsuit is a significant deviation from the generally supportive relationship between Trump and Murdoch's media outlets, which have historically promoted Trump's policies [4]. Group 3: Background of the Dispute - The defamation lawsuit stems from a July 17 report by the Wall Street Journal, which claimed that Trump had sent a risqué birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein, a former associate [5]. - At the time of the letter, Trump was friends with Epstein, but their relationship soured later on [5].

Core Insights - Fox Corporation is a significant player in the U.S. mass media sector, focusing on broadcast television, news, and sports, with a market capitalization of $25 billion [1][2] Financial Performance - For the fourth quarter, Fox Corporation reported revenues of $3.3 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of approximately 6% [6] - Adjusted net income for the quarter was $581 million, or $1.27 per share, compared to $423 million, or $0.90 per share, in the same quarter the previous year [6] Stock Performance - FOX stock reached a 52-week high of $57.02 on September 8 and is currently trading 2.8% below this peak [3] - Over the past three months, FOX stock has increased by 7.8%, slightly underperforming the Dow Jones Industrials Average, which gained 8.7% during the same period [3] - Year-to-date, FOX has delivered a return of 21.2%, outperforming the Dow Jones' 8.8% gains [4] - Over the past 52 weeks, FOX stock surged by 46.6%, compared to a 9.9% increase in the Dow Jones [4] Market Position - As a large-cap stock, Fox Corporation demonstrates financial strength, resilient performance, and significant market influence, confirming its competitive positioning within the media industry [2] - The stock has maintained bullish momentum, consistently staying above its 200-day moving average and largely above its 50-day moving average, indicating strong market resilience [5]

Core Insights - Lachlan Murdoch's recent financial maneuvers indicate a significant consolidation of power within Fox Corp. and News Corp., controlling approximately one-third of the voting shares in both companies [1][2] - The establishment of a new holding company, LGC HoldCo, involved a $1 billion loan from JPMorgan Chase to facilitate the buyout of his siblings' stakes, with a total transaction value of $3.3 billion [2][3] - The resolution of the family trust dispute allows Lachlan to solidify his leadership role, following a court ruling that favored his siblings in a challenge against their father's attempts to concentrate power [4][5] Company Performance - Fox Corp. reported a 7% increase in advertising revenue to $1.1 billion in the latest quarter, contributing to an overall revenue of $3.3 billion and a net income of $720 million, which doubled year-over-year [15] - The growth in Fox's revenue is attributed to its streaming service Tubi and Fox News, with projections indicating significant future revenue from non-cable TV sources [16] - News Corp. exceeded analyst expectations with $2.1 billion in revenue, driven by a 6.7% increase in quarterly revenue at Dow Jones and a 9% rise in digital-only subscriptions [18] Strategic Moves - Lachlan's leadership has seen successful acquisitions, such as the majority stake in fintech Credible and the ad-supported streaming service Tubi, which has grown to over 100 million monthly users [12][13] - The digital real estate unit, including REA Group, reported a 4% year-over-year revenue increase, indicating a stable performance in a mature media environment [19] - Discussions around a potential merger between News Corp. and Fox Corp. were deemed "not optimal" for shareholders, reflecting ongoing concerns about asset valuation and market performance [20][21]

Core Viewpoint - The settlement over the Murdoch Family Trust is seen as positive news for investors, providing clarity and continuity to the company's strategy [1][2] Group 1: Strategic Clarity - The agreement offers clarity about the company's future strategy, indicating that it will be consistent and sustainable [2] - The deal follows a Nevada court's rejection of an attempt to amend the family trust, solidifying leadership and maintaining the group's conservative orientation [2] Group 2: Financial Implications - Rupert Murdoch's children, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence, will sell their holdings in Fox and News Corp over six months, each receiving $1.1 billion [3] - The sale of shares at a roughly 4.5% discount raised $1.37 billion [3] Group 3: Ownership Structure - A new trust benefiting Lachlan Murdoch and his siblings will hold 36% of Fox's Class B shares and 33% of News Corp's Class B shares [4] - Lachlan Murdoch stated that the company's strategy, established in 2019 after selling the majority of its entertainment assets to Disney, has proven successful [4]

Core Points - A legal battle involving Rupert Murdoch has concluded with a multibillion-dollar settlement, transferring control of Fox News and The Wall Street Journal to his son Lachlan Murdoch [1][2] - The settlement restructures the Murdoch Family Trust, changing the voting control from equal shares among Rupert's children to Lachlan having majority control [3][4] - Lachlan Murdoch will remain as chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation, while Rupert will take on a ceremonial role as chairman emeritus [4] - Other siblings, Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch, and James Murdoch, will exit the trust and receive substantial cash payouts, totaling approximately $1.1 billion each [5][6] - The total value of the settlement is reported to be $3.3 billion, with proceeds coming from the sale of Fox Corporation and News Corp shares [6] - The remaining assets of the old trust will be allocated to new trusts benefiting Lachlan Murdoch and Rupert's youngest daughters, Grace and Chloe [7]