AMC Networks Inc (AMCX) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating Revenue Challenges with ...

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Sat, Feb 15, 2025, 12:04 AM 4 min read

Consolidated Revenue: $2.4 million for the full year 2024.
Consolidated Adjusted Operating Income (AOI): $563 million for the full year 2024.
Free Cash Flow: $331 million for the full year 2024; projected cumulative free cash flow of approximately $550 million over 2024-2025.
Fourth Quarter Revenue: $599 million.
Fourth Quarter Adjusted Operating Income: $129 million.
Domestic Operations Revenue: Decreased 9% to $2.1 million for the full year; decreased 11% to $520 million for the fourth quarter.
Streaming Subscribers: Ended the year with 12.4 million, an 8% year-over-year increase.
Domestic Operations Advertising Revenue: Decreased 11% for the year and 12% for the fourth quarter.
International Revenue: Decreased 3% for the full year; increased 2% for the fourth quarter, excluding certain adjustments.
Net Debt: $1.6 million with a consolidated net leverage ratio of 2.8 times.
Total Liquidity: Approximately $1 billion, including $785 million in cash.
2025 Revenue Outlook: Expected to decrease approximately 5% compared to 2024, implying total revenue of approximately $2.3 million.
2025 Free Cash Flow Outlook: Approximately $220 million for the full year.
2025 Consolidated AOI Outlook: Expected to be in the range of $400 million to $420 million.

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with AMCX.

Release Date: February 14, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) achieved its full-year guidance for 2024, with consolidated revenue of $2.4 million and free cash flow of $331 million.
The company reported strong free cash flow generation and increased its outlook to approximately $550 million over the '24-'25 period.
AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) successfully expanded its streaming partnerships, including a branded licensing agreement with Netflix, boosting viewer awareness and interest.
The company saw healthy streaming subscriber additions in the fourth quarter, driven by new bundles and partnerships.
AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) renewed agreements representing about half of its US linear footprint, including multiyear deals with major distributors like Charter and Verizon.

Negative Points

Consolidated operating loss was $40 million for the year, including impairment and restructuring charges.
Domestic operations revenues decreased by 9% for the full year, primarily due to linear subscriber declines.
Advertising revenue decreased by 11% for the year, impacted by lower linear ratings and a challenging ad market.
International subscription revenues declined 11% for the full year, partly due to the nonrenewal of a distribution agreement in the UK.
AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) expects total consolidated revenue for 2025 to decrease by approximately 5% compared to 2024.

Q & A Highlights

Q: How does the free cash flow outlook relate to cash spending, and what factors contributed to the lower-than-expected cash spend in 2024? A: Patrick O'Connell, CFO, explained that the strategy remains focused on balancing programming investments with profitability. The lower cash spend in 2024 was due to efficient production and content sharing across platforms. The slight decrease in 2025 cash programming spend is attributed to modest reductions in volume and delayed tax credit receivables.

Q: Can you elaborate on the streaming subscriber growth and the impact of bundled partnerships and the Netflix licensing deal? A: Patrick O'Connell noted that streaming subscriber growth was supported by bundled partnerships and the Netflix licensing deal. The company expects continued healthy streaming revenue growth in 2025, driven by price increases and unit volume. The Charter deal is included in the revenue guidance, with more details to come as it kicks in during Q1.

Q: What impact does licensing content to Netflix have on viewership and linear ad revenue? A: Kim Kelleher, Chief Commercial Officer, clarified that the Netflix partnership is not ad-supported. Kristin Dolan, CEO, added that while there's no direct correlation with linear viewership, the Netflix effect has driven significant increases in AMC-Plus acquisitions as viewers seek new seasons of shows they watched on Netflix.

Q: Are there specific projects being sold to third parties, or is content primarily for AMC's platforms? A: Dan McDermott, President of Entertainment and AMC Studios, stated that currently, content is produced mainly for AMC's platforms. However, the studio is open to producing for third parties when financially beneficial. The market remains receptive to AMC's programming, contributing to content licensing revenue growth.

Q: What steps are being taken to balance the decline in linear advertising with digital growth? A: Kim Kelleher highlighted innovations in advertising, such as programmatic buying and cross-platform packaging, to make inventory more valuable and accessible. The introduction of AMC-Plus ad-supported inventory and the upcoming Shudder ad tier are expected to enhance digital advertising growth, gradually offsetting linear declines.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

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