ProSiebenSat.1 posts record revenues in Q2 2021, adjusted EBITDA increases more than sevenfold The Group is confirming its preliminary results for the second quarter of 2021 published in advance on July 19, 2021: revenue growth of 48% to EUR 1,048 million, adjusted EBITDA increases more than sevenfold to EUR 166 million
Significant growth in advertising revenues as main driver for the extremely strong recovery compared to the pandemic-impacted previous year's quarter; at the same time, the Group's diversification strategy is continuing to pay off
Clear improvement of profitability, cash flow, and debt, also thanks to consistent management on the basis of these figures
Growth of adjusted net income from minus EUR 52 million to EUR 63 million; adjusted operating free cash flow increases more than sixfold to EUR 87 million
Reduction of net financial debt by EUR 197 million despite dividend payment; leverage ratio decreases from 3.6x to 2.6x
As announced, further increase of full-year outlook: growth of revenues to between EUR 4.400 billion and EUR 4.500 billion (previously: EUR 4.250 billion to EUR 4.450 billion) and of adjusted EBITDA to around EUR 820 million with a variance of plus/minus EUR 20 million (previously: EUR 750 million to EUR 800 million)
As consequence, improvement of adjusted operating free cash flow for 2021 in an at least mid-double-digit million euro range compared to the previous year expected (previously: in a mid-double-digit million euro range around the previous years figure of EUR 424 million)
Unterf hring, August 5, 2021. ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE is continuing to drive forward its sustainable strategy and this operational progress is also reflected in the Group's financial performance: ProSiebenSat.1 Group recorded a dynamic recovery in its portfolio in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the pandemic-impacted previous year's quarter, and is confirming the figures published in advance on July 19, 2021. The Group generated record revenues with an increase of 48% to EUR 1,048 million (previous year: EUR 709 million) - the highest figure ever achieved by ProSiebenSat.1 in a second quarter. Main driver was the very strong growth in the advertising business, which has recovered even more strongly than expected from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the significant revenue increase was also carried by other areas that had also still been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the previous quarters. Thus, in the Entertainment segment the content production business also posted strong revenue growth again, while there were likewise clear signs of recovery in the Commerce & Ventures segment. In the Dating segment, the live video business remains an important growth driver with the integration of The Meet Group.
After the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic had still been noticeable in the Group's first quarter of 2021, the strong second quarter now also characterized the half-year period: In the months between January and June 2021, ProSiebenSat.1 increased its revenues by 22% to EUR 1,986 million (previous year: EUR 1,634 million). At the same time, ProSiebenSat.1 s successful diversification strategy is also reflected in the composition of Group revenues: In the first half of 2021, the share of Entertainment advertising revenues from the region of Germany, Austria and Switzerland accounted for only 44% (previous year: 47%) of the Groups total revenues.
Rainer Beaujean, Chairman of the Executive Board of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE: In addition to the recovery in advertising business, we also saw positive developments in our Dating and Commerce & Ventures business in the second quarter. This shows that our diversification strategy is paying off and that we are on the right track in our development to a digital group. We are convinced that we will close 2021 very positively in terms of both revenues and earnings and have therefore further increased our full-year targets, as already announced. All three segments are creating value for the entire Group and, with this increasingly synergistic, focused, and profitable set-up, ProSiebenSat.1 is performing better than pure, traditional media companies. At the same time, we are focusing on the key figures of profitability, cash flow, and debt as well as our P7S1 ROCE and are continuing to work on improving them significantly and sustainably.
Operating performance
External revenues in the Entertainment segment rose dynamically by 55% to EUR 736 million in the second quarter of 2021 (previous year: EUR 476 million). In the previous year's quarter, the segment had been particularly impacted by the effects of the pandemic. As a result of now lower COVID-19 infections and the associated easing of restrictions in private and public life, especially in the German-speaking region, the advertising market is picking up again significantly. In this context, advertising revenues in the Entertainment segment saw a clear recovery with an increase of 55%. Also the content production business recovered from the effects of COVID-19 in the second quarter, with revenues from program production and program sales more than doubling in comparison to the previous year. At the same time, distribution revenues rose by 9% due to further increasing HD user numbers. On a half-year basis, the segment's external revenues grew by 18% to EUR 1,346 million (previous year: EUR 1,139 million) thanks to the strong development in the second quarter.
In the second quarter of 2021, the Dating segment generated external revenues of EUR 139 million and thus EUR 81 million more than in the previous-year quarter (previous year: EUR 58 million). This increase is characterized by the acquisition of The Meet Group, which has been complementing the Dating portfolio synergistically since September 2020 and is developi
