• Free Cash Flow: Year-to-date free cash flow is $293 million.
• Revenue: Third quarter consolidated revenue was $600 million, a decrease of 3% excluding 25/7 Media in the prior period.
• Adjusted Operating Income (AOI): $131 million, representing a 22% margin.
• Domestic Operations Revenue: Decreased 2% to $530 million.
• Subscription Revenue: $316 million, decreased 5% due to linear subscriber declines.
• Streaming Revenue Growth: Increased 7%, ending the quarter with 11.8 million streaming subscribers.
• Content Licensing Revenue: Increased 31% to $81 million.
• Advertising Revenue: $133 million, declined 10% due to lower linear ratings.
• International Revenue: $74 million, decreased 6% excluding 25/7 Media in the prior period.
• International Advertising Revenue Growth: Increased 16%.
• Net Debt: Approximately $1.6 billion with a consolidated net leverage ratio of 3 times.
• Total Liquidity: Approximately $1 billion, including $816 million of cash on the balance sheet.
• Full Year Revenue Outlook: Expected to be approximately $2.4 billion.
• Full Year AOI Outlook: Expected to be $550 million to $575 million.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Signs with AMCX.

Release Date: November 08, 2024

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

Positive Points

• AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) reported significant progress in generating free cash flow, with $293 million year-to-date, on track to achieve $0.5 billion over two years.
• The company successfully renewed several major affiliate agreements, including an early renewal with Charter, enhancing its partnership strategy.
• AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) launched an innovative partnership with Netflix, resulting in increased exposure and engagement for its content on the platform.
• The company expanded its presence in FAST channels, launching 15 channels on Amazon platforms, which helps reach younger viewers and supplement linear distribution.
• AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) acquired the remaining 50% of the BBC America joint venture, gaining full operational control and eliminating cash distributions to noncontrolling interests.

Negative Points

• AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) experienced a 3% decrease in consolidated revenue for the third quarter, excluding 25/7 Media in the prior period.
• Subscription revenue decreased by 5% due to linear subscriber declines, resulting in a 13% decline in affiliate revenue.
• Advertising revenue declined by 10%, largely due to lower linear ratings, despite continued digital growth.
• The company faces ongoing linear revenue headwinds, impacting its domestic operations adjusted operating income.
• AMC Networks Inc (NASDAQ:AMCX) is navigating a complex media environment with industry-wide secular trends affecting its business model.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you provide an update on the ad-supported tier for streaming and its impact on your subscriber base? A: Kim Kelleher, Chief Commercial Officer, explained that the ad-supported tier has shown promising growth since its launch last year. It is part of a targeted approach that combines digital inventory from various distributions, including FAST and AVOD. The strategy focuses on maintaining a first sales position across all platforms, which has led to consistent quarter-over-quarter growth in digital revenue. Kristin Dolan, CEO, added that they are comfortable with the current split between premium and ad-supported tiers, and the ad-supported option allows subscribers to flex down while keeping the service affordable.

Q: How do you plan to utilize the rights to The Walking Dead when they return to AMC Networks? A: Kristin Dolan, CEO, mentioned that The Walking Dead is a significant part of their catalog, and they are planning strategically for its return. Dan McDermott, President of Entertainment & AMC Studios, added that having the full universe of Walking Dead shows will offer various monetization opportunities. They aim to be strategic in maximizing the value of these rights while serving the fans.

Q: How do you balance being a studio and a distribution company, especially with the success of your content on platforms like Netflix? A: Kristin Dolan, CEO, emphasized the importance of new seasons on AMC+ for subscriber acquisition. Dan McDermott, President of Entertainment & AMC Studios, highlighted that owning content rights allows them to strategically sell to third-party platforms. They have successfully produced content like Silo for Apple and plan to continue building their library of assets while balancing distribution on their own platforms and others.

Q: Can you elaborate on the growth in content licensing revenue and its sustainability? A: Kristin Dolan, CEO, clarified that Netflix is not the primary driver of content licensing growth. The strategy involves broad distribution and monetization of owned IP across various platforms. Kim Kelleher, Chief Commercial Officer, added that they focus on nonexclusive deals to monetize content multiple times, ensuring protection of content value by retaining premieres and new seasons.

Q: What are the key factors contributing to your strong free cash flow performance, and are there any notable items for the fourth quarter? A: Patrick O'Connell, CFO, stated that the strong free cash flow is due to strategic management of the business and not necessarily tied to specific items. The two-year guidance of $0.5 billion in free cash flow reflects their confidence in achieving these numbers. Kristin Dolan, CEO, added that profitability is driven by refining and improving operations, not cuts, with a focus on efficient marketing and strategic use of data.

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