Accomplished Leader from Activision Blizzard and Procter & Gamble NEW YORK, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Warner Music Group Corp. (Nasdaq: WMG) today announced that Armin Zerza is joining the company as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective May 5, reporting to CEO Robert Kyncl. Zerza brings extensive global financial, commercial, and operational leadership experience, most recently serving as CFO of Activision Blizzard, while it was traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange. At the sam ...

Financial Results Announcement - Warner Music Group Corp. will release its financial results for the second quarter ended March 31, 2025, on May 8, 2025 [1] - An earnings conference call is scheduled for the same day at 8:30 a.m. ET [1] Conference Call Access - Registration is required to access the conference call, and participants will receive unique dial-in details via email [2] - It is recommended to join the call 10 minutes early or to use the webcast option if no questions are anticipated [2] - A replay of the conference call will be available on the company's website [2] Company Overview - Warner Music Group operates in over 70 countries and includes a variety of renowned labels and a music publishing arm with a catalog of over one million copyrights [3] - The company supports the independent community through ADA and has an artist services division called WMX [3]

Core Insights - The Harmony Program raised nearly $800,000 at its annual gala to support music education in under-served communities in New York City [1] - Warner Music Group (WMG) has been a partner of the Harmony Program since 2015, providing financial support and mentorship to students [2][4] - Josh Groban, a Grammy-nominated artist, emphasized the importance of arts education in fostering understanding and collaboration among young people [2] Company Contributions - WMG's President of Global Catalog, Kevin Gore, highlighted the significance of music education in building community and encouraging artistic expression [2] - The partnership between WMG and the Harmony Program has included career mentorship, industry internships, and collaborative performances with renowned artists [2] - WMG operates in over 70 countries and includes a diverse range of labels and music publishing arms, showcasing its extensive influence in the music industry [3] Harmony Program Overview - The Harmony Program provides free instruments, intensive music instruction, and orchestral training to children from under-served communities [4] - The organization aims to promote self-confidence, creativity, social development, and academic success among its students [4] - The program also addresses the shortage of well-trained music teachers by preparing accomplished musicians to teach in public schools and community centers [4]

Group 1 - Warner Music Group's CEO Robert Kyncl will participate in a Q&A session at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on March 6, 2025, at 9:15am PT [1] - A live webcast of the session will be accessible to the public via Warner Music Group's Investor Relations homepage, with a replay available afterward [2] - Warner Music Group operates in over 70 countries and includes a diverse range of renowned labels and a music publishing arm with over one million copyrights [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total company revenue and adjusted OIBDA grew 41% respectively [12] - Adjusted OIBDA margin decreased by 390 basis points to 21.8% [29] - Total revenue declined 4% and adjusted OIBDA declined 18% [30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Recorded music revenue decreased 6% but grew 4% on an adjusted basis [30] - Subscription streaming grew 7%, reflecting expected deceleration from previous year's double-digit growth [12][31] - Music publishing total revenue increased 7%, with digital and streaming both growing by 6% and 7% respectively [34] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - FX headwinds created a roughly 200 basis point headwind to adjusted OIBDA margin due to the strengthening of the dollar against key currencies [13] - Licensing revenue decreased 39% compared to the prior year quarter, but increased 6% when adjusted for a prior licensing agreement extension [32] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to increase market share, grow the overall value of music, and enhance operational efficiency [14][19] - Recent acquisitions, such as Tempo Music, are part of a strategy to gain control over valuable catalogs and improve financial profiles [24][25] - The company is focused on collaborative innovation with DSPs to expand the music ecosystem [20][21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the future despite temporary macro trends affecting the industry [11][26] - The music industry is described as healthy and resilient, with expectations for continued growth driven by new DSP deals [39][40] Other Important Information - The company has a cash balance of $802 million and total debt of $4 billion, with a weighted average cost of debt at 4.2% [37] - The restructuring program is on track, delivering results as planned [38] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on the new Spotify deal and its impact on revenue growth - Management highlighted a three-pronged strategy focusing on increasing market share, expanding the overall value of music, and enhancing efficiency [46][47] Question: Clarification on foreign exchange impacts - The foreign exchange impact is primarily due to 58% of revenue being in non-dollar currencies, affecting OIBDA [49] Question: Timing of new fan experiences and product offerings - Management indicated that not all partners need to be aligned for new product rollouts, allowing for flexibility in innovation [58] Question: Trends in subscription streaming and future expectations - The company expects high single-digit growth in subscription streaming, driven by subscriber growth and volume [73][76] Question: Monetization strategies for Superfans - Management acknowledged the untapped potential in Superfan monetization and is exploring various strategies [94][99] Question: Impact of Tempo acquisition on financials - The acquisition is expected to enhance control over the catalog and improve financial performance over time [60][61]

Core Insights - Spotify and Warner Music Group (WMG) have entered a multi-year agreement covering recorded music and music publishing, aimed at enhancing fan experiences and expanding content offerings [1][2] - The deal follows a similar agreement with Universal Music Group (UMG), positioning Spotify to attract more subscribers and increase revenue [2] - Spotify's CEO emphasized the commitment to innovation and investment in music offerings, with a focus on making paid subscriptions more appealing [3] - WMG's CEO highlighted the benefits for artists and fans, aiming for greater alignment between rights holders and streaming services [4] - Spotify reported its first full year of profitability, with a record operating income of €477 million ($509.48 million) for Q4 and a total of €1.4 billion ($1.495 billion) for the fiscal year 2024 [5] Company Developments - The new agreement with WMG will introduce a direct licensing model with Warner Chappell Music, which holds over 1 million copyrights [3] - Spotify plans to launch a "superfan" premium tier with additional features for subscribers, alongside a long-anticipated hi-fi tier [1][2] Financial Performance - Spotify achieved a record operating income of €477 million ($509.48 million) in Q4, contributing to a total of €1.4 billion ($1.495 billion) for the fiscal year 2024 [5] - The company added 35 million monthly active users (MAUs) in Q4, marking the largest net addition in its history, bringing the total to 675 million [5]

Core Insights - Warner Music Group Corp. (WMG) reported quarterly earnings of $0.45 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.34 per share, and up from $0.30 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of 32.35% [1] - The company posted revenues of $1.67 billion for the quarter ended December 2024, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.42%, although this is a decline from year-ago revenues of $1.75 billion [2] - Warner Music Group has outperformed the S&P 500, with shares increasing about 3.6% since the beginning of the year compared to the S&P 500's gain of 3.1% [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.28 on revenues of $1.53 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.30 on revenues of $6.52 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for Warner Music Group is mixed, leading to a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Film and Television Production and Distribution industry, to which Warner Music Group belongs, is currently in the top 12% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [8] - Another company in the same industry, TKO Group Holdings, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.22 per share, reflecting a year-over-year change of +344.4%, with revenues anticipated to be $612.6 million, down 0.2% from the previous year [9][10]

Financial Performance - For the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2024, the company reported a significant increase in revenue, reaching $1.2 billion, representing a 15% year-over-year growth[112]. - The company's Adjusted OIBDA for the same period was $300 million, reflecting a 10% increase compared to the previous year[112]. - Total revenues decreased by $82 million, or 5%, to $1,666 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $1,748 million for the same period in 2023[134]. - Recorded Music revenues decreased by $100 million, or 7%, to $1,345 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from $1,445 million for the same period in 2023[136]. - Digital revenues decreased by $22 million, or 2%, to $1,082 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from $1,104 million for the same period in 2023[135]. - Adjusted OIBDA decreased by $88 million, or 20%, to $363 million, with the Adjusted OIBDA margin declining to 22% from 26%[151]. - Operating income decreased by $140 million to $214 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from $354 million for the same period in 2023[159]. - Net income increased by $48 million to $241 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from $193 million for the same period in 2023[163]. - Adjusted EBITDA for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, was $1,519 million, up from $1,416 million in 2023, with the three months ended December 31, 2024, showing $383 million compared to $461 million in 2023[203]. Revenue Segments - The recorded music segment generated $900 million in revenue, accounting for 75% of total revenue, with a 12% increase from the prior year[114]. - The music publishing segment reported revenue of $300 million, which is a 20% increase year-over-year, driven by strong performance in digital licensing[114]. - Total Music Publishing revenues increased by $19 million, or 6%, to $323 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $304 million for the same period in 2023[133]. - Music Publishing revenues increased by $19 million, or 6%, to $323 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, from $304 million for the same period in 2023[172]. - International Music Publishing revenue increased by $18 million, or 14%, to $150 million, driven by growth in digital and performance revenues[141]. Cost Management - The company is focusing on reducing overhead costs and has implemented strategies that are expected to yield $50 million in annual savings[112]. - The company expects to incur total non-recurring restructuring charges of approximately $230 million, including $150 million of after-tax charges, as part of its Strategic Restructuring Plan[128]. - The company aims to allocate a majority of cost savings from the Strategic Restructuring Plan to increase investment in core Recorded Music and Music Publishing businesses[129]. - Total cost of revenues increased by $14 million, or 2%, to $894 million, with artist and repertoire costs rising by $34 million, or 6%[142]. - General and administrative expenses increased by $15 million, or 6%, to $284 million, largely due to unfavorable foreign currency exchange movements[146]. - Selling and marketing expenses decreased by $18 million, or 10%, to $158 million, reflecting lower variable marketing spend[147]. - Restructuring and impairment charges increased to $27 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to no charges in the same period in 2023[155][156]. Future Outlook - Future outlook indicates a projected revenue growth of 10-12% for the next fiscal year, driven by increased streaming adoption and new artist signings[112]. - Recent acquisitions, including 300 Entertainment, are expected to contribute an additional $100 million in revenue over the next year[116]. Shareholder Value - The company is committed to returning value to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, with plans to allocate $200 million for these purposes in the upcoming year[112]. - The company declared a cash dividend of $0.18 per share, resulting in total cash dividends of approximately $94 million paid to stockholders for the three months ended December 31, 2024[196]. - A new $100 million share repurchase program was authorized on November 14, 2024, intended to offset dilution from the Omnibus Incentive Plan[189]. - The company repurchased and retired 60,383 shares for $2 million during the three months ended December 31, 2024[190]. Debt and Liquidity - As of December 31, 2024, the company had $3.955 billion in debt, $802 million in cash and equivalents, resulting in a net debt of $3.153 billion[180]. - The total long-term debt, including the current portion, was $3.987 billion as of December 31, 2024, netting to $3.955 billion after accounting for issuance premium and deferred financing costs[191]. - Senior Secured Indebtedness as of December 31, 2024, was approximately $3.205 billion, resulting in a Leverage Ratio of 2.11x[203]. - The company continues to evaluate opportunities for debt repayment, dividends, and equity repurchases based on market conditions and financial liquidity[206]. - Management believes that operational cash flow and available credit will be sufficient to meet debt service and capital expenditure requirements in the foreseeable future[206]. Currency and Interest Rate Impact - Foreign currency forward exchange contracts outstanding as of December 31, 2024, included sales of $438 million and purchases of $260 million[209]. - A hypothetical 10% depreciation of the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies would decrease the fair value of foreign exchange forward contracts by $18 million[210]. - A 25 basis point increase or decrease in interest rates would affect the fair value of fixed-rate debt by approximately $30 million[212].

Financial Highlights Warner Music Group and Spotify Today Announced New, Multi-Year Agreement, Covering Both Recorded Music and Music PublishingMusic Publishing Delivers Continued Growth Led by Strength in Performance and DigitalOperating Cash Flow Growth of 13% with Conversion of 91%Reaffirming Full-Year Recorded Music Subscription Streaming Revenue and Operating Cash Flow Conversion GuidanceTempo Music Investment Demonstrates Disciplined M&A Strategy Focused on Accretive Opportunities For the three months ...

Revenue Performance - Total revenue decreased by 5% to $1,666 million compared to $1,748 million in the prior-year quarter[4] - Recorded Music revenue declined by 7% to $1,345 million, while Music Publishing revenue increased by 6% to $323 million[5] - Digital revenue decreased by 2% to $873 million, while streaming revenue fell by 1.9%[7] - Total revenue for Warner Music Group decreased by 5% to $1,666 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $1,748 million in the prior year[31] - Recorded Music revenue decreased by 6% to $1.345 billion for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $1.445 billion in the same period of 2023[40] - Music Publishing revenue increased by 7% to $323 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $304 million in the same period of 2023[40] - International Recorded Music revenue remained stable at $813 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $818 million in the same period of 2023[40] Net Income and Operating Income - Net income rose by 25% to $241 million from $193 million in the prior-year quarter[4] - Net income attributable to Warner Music Group Corp. increased by 48% to $236 million, compared to $159 million in the prior year[31] - Operating income decreased by 40% to $214 million, with Adjusted OIBDA down by 20% to $363 million[4] - Adjusted OIBDA decreased by 20% to $363 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, down from $451 million in the prior year[36] - Adjusted OIBDA for Recorded Music - Digital License Renewal decreased to $6 million, a decline of 12% year-over-year[44] - Recorded Music Licensing Extension revenue was $68 million, down 75% compared to the previous year[44] Cash Flow and Financial Position - Operating cash flow grew by 13% to $332 million, with free cash flow increasing by 12% to $296 million[12] - The company reported a cash balance of $802 million and total debt of $3.955 billion as of December 31, 2024[11] - Cash and equivalents increased by 16% to $802 million as of December 31, 2024, compared to $694 million at the end of the previous quarter[32] - Total assets remained stable at $9,146 million, with total liabilities slightly decreasing to $8,449 million[32] - For the three months ended December 31, 2024, net cash provided by operating activities was $332 million, compared to $293 million for the same period in 2023, representing a 13.3% increase[47] - Free Cash Flow for the three months ended December 31, 2024, was $296 million, compared to $264 million in 2023, reflecting a 12.1% increase[47] Strategic Initiatives - A new multi-year agreement was announced with Spotify covering both recorded music and music publishing[4] - The company announced an agreement with Spotify to enhance audio-visual streaming and introduce a direct licensing model with Warner Chappell Music in several countries[24] - Warner Music Group acquired a controlling stake in Tempo Music Investments, which is expected to provide additional high-margin revenue over time[25] - Warner Music Group reaffirmed full-year recorded music subscription streaming revenue guidance[4] Challenges and Future Outlook - The company anticipates ongoing challenges in revenue from Recorded Music Download and Other Digital segments, with a total decline of $5 million[44] - The overall performance indicates a need for strategic acquisitions and investments to improve cash flow metrics[45] - The company is focused on enhancing Free Cash Flow as a measure of long-term value generation[46]