TKO (US:TKO)2025-11-05 23:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated revenue of $1.12 billion in Q3 2025, with adjusted EBITDA of $360 million and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 32% [13][14] - Year-over-year revenue decreased by 27%, while adjusted EBITDA increased by 59%, and adjusted EBITDA margin improved from 15% in the prior year period [14] - Free cash flow for the quarter was $399 million, with a conversion rate of adjusted EBITDA at 111% [23][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - UFC segment revenue was $325 million, a decrease of 8%, with adjusted EBITDA of $166 million, down 15% [15][16] - WWE segment revenue increased by 23% to $402 million, with adjusted EBITDA rising by 19% to $208 million [17][18] - IMG segment revenue decreased by 59% to $337 million, but adjusted EBITDA improved significantly from -$7 million to $61 million [20][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - UFC's media rights production and content revenue decreased by 7% to $201 million, while WWE's media rights production and content revenue increased by 9% to $249 million [15][18] - WWE's live events revenue increased by 61% to $83 million, driven by higher ticket sales and site fee revenue [17] - The company secured significant media rights agreements, including a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount for UFC and a five-year partnership with ESPN for WWE [5][7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maximizing shareholder value, preparing for UFC's Paramount debut, and launching Zuffa Boxing in 2026 [11][30] - Strategic priorities include sustaining strong performance across all businesses, capitalizing on new growth opportunities, and enhancing global partnerships [11][30] - The company aims to achieve $450 million in high-margin partnership revenue by 2025 and targets $1 billion in total company partnership revenue by around 2030 [31] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the company's momentum, citing strong demand for premium sports content and experiences [5][11] - The company raised its full-year 2025 guidance for revenue to $4.69 billion-$4.72 billion and adjusted EBITDA to $1.57 billion-$1.58 billion [26] - Management highlighted the importance of site fees and global partnerships as significant revenue drivers for 2026 and beyond [30][66] Other Important Information - The company announced a 100% increase in its quarterly cash dividend program, with a payment of approximately $150 million made under the new program [24] - A $1 billion stock buyback program was launched, with an ASR agreement to repurchase $800 million of Class A Common Stock [24][25] Q&A Session Summary Question: Discussion on UFC media rights and international opportunities - Management emphasized the importance of execution and operational expansion, focusing on maximizing media rights opportunities internationally [37][39] Question: WWE live events revenue growth - Management noted that both premium live events and weekly events contributed to revenue growth, with high capacity and appropriate pricing strategies [40][41] Question: Distribution model with Paramount and pay-per-view model - Management clarified that while some markets still utilize pay-per-view, the focus is on expanding distribution through subscription models [46] Question: Incremental flow-through margin percentage and fighter pay structure - Management indicated that the new media rights deal would be margin accretive, with plans for increased fighter pay in line with historical margins [48][49] Question: Opportunities in boxing and potential for larger investments - Management expressed a strong appetite for boxing, focusing on super fights and the Zuffa Boxing league, while remaining cautious about distractions from core operations [52][56] Question: Site fees as a revenue driver - Management highlighted the potential for significant revenue from site fees, particularly with upcoming events in Saudi Arabia and ongoing discussions with various municipalities [64][66]