News Corp Reports Second Quarter Results for Fiscal 2024

News Corp Reports Second Quarter Results for Fiscal 2024

Fiscal 2024 Second Quarter Key Financial Highlights

Second quarter revenues were $2.59 billion, a 3% increase compared to $2.52 billion in the prior year, driven by growth at the Digital Real Estate Services, Dow Jones and Book Publishing segments

Net income in the quarter was $183 million, compared to net income of $94 million in the prior year

Second quarter Total Segment EBITDA was $473 million, compared to $409 million in the prior year

In the quarter, reported EPS were $0.27 as compared to $0.12 in the prior year Adjusted EPS were $0.26 compared to $0.14 in the prior year

Dow Jones achieved its highest quarterly revenues and Segment EBITDA since its acquisition in 2007, driven by strength in professional information business revenues, which rose 13% compared to the prior year

REA Group posted record quarterly revenues of $292 million, a 22% increase compared to the prior year, primarily driven by robust Australian residential performance

Book Publishing revenues grew 4%, while Segment EBITDA increased 67%, driven by higher digital sales, which benefited from strong audiobooks performance, and improved return rates

NEW YORK, NY - February 7, 2024 - News Corporation ( News Corp or the Company ) (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) today reported financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2023.

Commenting on the results, Chief Executive Robert Thomson said:

News Corp again saw growth in both revenue and profitability this quarter as we continue to realize the collective benefit of our strategic shift to digital and subscription revenues, and away from sometimes volatile advertising revenues.

Our net income rose to $183 million from $94 million in the same quarter last year and our reported EPS was 27 cents, compared to 12 cents for the same period last year, driven by a 16% surge in Total Segment EBITDA. We had particularly robust results across the three core pillars of our business - Dow Jones, Book Publishing and Digital Real Estate Services - and believe there are strong prospects for further growth as difficult macro conditions ease in some of our markets.

We expect to be a core content provider for Generative AI companies, who need the highest quality, timely content to ensure the relevance and accuracy of their products. We patently prefer negotiation to litigation, courtship to courtrooms. But let's be clear, in my view those who repurpose without approval are stealing and are undermining the very act of creativity - counterfeiting is not creating, and the AI world is replete with content counterfeiters.

I also want to draw attention to the plight of our colleague Evan Gershkovich, who continues to be unjustly detained in a Moscow prison, solely for being a highly professional journalist. We hope that justice will prevail and thank all who publicly, and not so publicly, have been working to secure his emancipation.

SECOND QUARTER RESULTS

The Company reported fiscal 2024 second quarter total revenues of $2.59 billion, a 3% increase compared to $2.52 billion in the prior year period, primarily driven by higher Australian residential revenues at REA Group, continued strong growth in the professional information business at the Dow Jones segment, increased digital sales and improved returns due to better sell through of inventory at the Book Publishing segment and a $13 million, or 1%, positive impact from foreign currency fluctuations. The increase was partly offset by lower revenues at Move due to continued challenging housing market conditions in the U.S. and lower advertising revenues at the News Media segment. Adjusted Revenues (which excludes the foreign currency impact, acquisitions and divestitures as defined in Note 2) were up 2% compared to the prior year.

Net income for the quarter was $183 million, a 95% increase compared to net income of $94 million in the prior year, driven by higher Total Segment EBITDA, as discussed below, improved equity losses of affiliates and higher Other, net. These impacts were partially offset by higher income tax expense.

The Company reported second quarter Total Segment EBITDA of $473 million, a 16% increase compared to $409 million in the prior year primarily due to higher revenues, as discussed above, lower costs at the Book Publishing segment and gross cost savings related to the announced 5% headcount reduction initiative. The increase was partly offset by higher sports programming rights costs at the Subscription Video Services segment. Adjusted Total Segment EBITDA (as defined in Note 2) increased 14%.

Net income per share attributable to News Corporation stockholders was $0.27 as compared to $0.12 in the prior year.

Adjusted EPS (as defined in Note 3) were $0.26 compared to $0.14 in the prior year.

Please click here for the full Earnings Release information.

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About News Corp

News Corp (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content and other products and services. The company comprises businesses across a range of media, including: digital real estate services, subscription video services in Australia, news and information services and book publishing. Headquartered in New York, News Corp operates primarily in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and its content and other products and services are distributed and consumed worldwide. More information is available at: http://www.newscorp.com.

Contacts

News Corp Investor Relations

Michael Florin

212-416-3363

mflorin@newscorp.com

Anthony Rudolf

212-416-3040

arudolf@newscorp.com

News Corp Corporate Communications

Jim Kennedy

212-416-4064

jkennedy@newscorp.com

LINK:	https://newscorp.com/2024/02/07/news-corp-reports-second-quarter-resul...
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