The WWE announced its results for the first quarter of 2015. In a release from the company, it stated that revenues increased 40% to $176.2 million which is the highest quarterly revenue in WWE history. The results exceeded analyst expectations for the company.
After five consecutive quarters in the red, it’s the first quarter where the WWE has shown a positive operating income. As for the WWE Network, it reached 1.3 million total subscribers, a benchmark it announced the day after Wrestlemania. The WWE reports that its average of network subscribers is at 927,000 at the end of the first quarter. Again, the network’s free promotion, which was February this quarter, contributed to the Network’s growth as 154,000 subscribers converted from free to paid subscribers.
For its quarter ending March 31, 2015, it reported net income of $9.8 million ($0.13 per share) as compared to a net loss of $8.0 million ($0.11 per share) in the first quarter last year.
According to Chief Strategy & Financial Officer George Barrios the positive financial results were “driven primarily by the escalation of our [WWE] television rights fees and the expansion of the WWE Network subscribers.”
The WWE indicated that it will implement a five-part strategy the rest of 2015 for the Network. This includes 1) creating new content; 2) implementing high impact customer acquisition and retention programs; 3) introducing new features; 4) expanding distribution platforms, and 5) entering new geographies.
As for the rest of WWE business, each division, except WWE Studios ($1.5M vs. $4.3M) is up over this quarter last year. The total net revenues for this quarter were $176.2 as compared to $125.6 at the end of the quarter for 2014. The Network segment, which includes revenue generated from Network and PPV increased $19.2 million from the prior year quarter. The Network alone generated $28.6 million in revenue based on an average of 927,000 paid subscribers.
At the time of this writing, WWE stock is down slightly at $14.16 per share.
Payout Perspective:
A good quarter for the WWE. Beating the analyst expectations is a good achievement by the company. Wrestlemania was the likely key driver here especially when you look at the number of converted free to paid subscribers going into March, which was Wrestlemania month. Of course, we do not know how many dropped the network in April. We will see if the WWE can continue its positive momentum and see if its strategy for the network continues to net subscribers.
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