News Corporation recently reported financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2014.
The company reported fiscal 2015 second quarter total revenues of $2.28 billion, a 2 percent increase as compared to prior year second quarter revenues of $2.24 billion. The majority of the revenue increase reflects strength in the book publishing and digital real estate services segments, partially offset by lower advertising revenues at the news and information services segment and negative foreign currency fluctuations. Adjusted revenues (as defined in Note 1) were flat compared to the prior year.
“The development of the new News Corp continued apace in the second quarter as we began the transformation of the just-acquired realtor.com®, which has certainly exceeded our expectations in traffic growth in recent weeks,” says Chief Executive Robert Thomson. “We were clearly buffeted by currency headwinds, but the strength of our brands, the breadth of our reach, the intensifying focus on cost discipline and the power of our portfolio meant that we saw continued growth in revenue and increasing upside in our long-term prospects. Our digital personality has evolved quickly, with realtor.com® having given us a new and influential platform, digital subscribers on the rise at our news mastheads, robust growth at REA, and healthy e-book sales at HarperCollins. The vision we outlined for the company is becoming a reality, and while we have much work ahead, the foundations we have laid over the past 18 months put us in a strong position for enduring success and increased shareholder value.”
The company reported second quarter Total Segment EBITDA of $328 million compared to $327 million in the prior year. These results include $13 million and $19 million in fees and costs – net of indemnification – related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters (as defined below) in the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, as well as $16 million of one-time transaction costs in the second quarter of fiscal 2015 related to the acquisition of Move, Inc. Strong revenue performances in the book publishing and digital real estate services, combined with lower expenses related to the capitalization of Amplify Learning’s software development costs, were offset by declines at the News and Information Services segment and negative foreign currency fluctuations. Adjusted Total Segment EBITDA (as defined in Note 1) increased 4 percent compared to the prior year.
Net income available to News Corporation stockholders was $142 million as compared to $150 million in the prior year, primarily due to a higher effective tax rate and lower interest income. Adjusted net income available to News Corporation stockholders (as defined in Note 3) was $154 million compared to $179 million in the prior year. Impairment and restructuring charges were $17 million and $36 million in the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Net income available to News Corporation stockholders per share was $0.24 as compared to $0.26 in the prior year. Adjusted EPS (as defined in Note 3) were $0.26 compared to $0.31 in the prior year.
Free cash flow available to News Corporation improved by $58 million in the six months ended December 31, 2014 to $275 million.
For more information, visit http://newscorp.com.
