Fox(US:FOX)2025-10-30 13:00Financial 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]