On Thursdays reports, Warner Bros. Discovery, under the leadership of CEO David Zaslav, revealed that they had amassed a total of 116.9 million global streaming subscribers by the end of 2024. This number is an increase from the 110.5 million subscribers they had at the end of September. The tally encompasses both Max and Discovery+ subscriptions.
The number of streaming subscriptions increased not just within the U.S., but also globally during the fourth quarter. In their shareholder newsletter, accompanying their earnings report, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) detailed a plan to reach a total of 150 million subscribers by the end of 2026.
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Streaming subscriptions saw growth in the United States and international markets during the fourth quarter. In their shareholder newsletter, which accompanied their earnings update, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) laid out a strategy to attain a subscriber base of 150 million by the end of 2026.
The revenue generated from the direct-to-consumer (DTC) sector experienced an upward trend during the quarter, fueled by user expansion and the inclusion of Max in subscription packages. In the most recent financial quarter, WarnerMedia (WBD) reported a profit of $409 million for its DTC segment, which encompasses both streaming and premium television services, marking a significant improvement from a loss of $55 million during the same period last year.
In contrast to a profit of $103 million in 2023 and a loss of $217 million in 2022, WBD’s Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) business recorded a significant increase in profit for the full year of 2024, totaling $677 million.
Previously, Zaslav indicated to Wall Street that the company’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) trends were persisting into the fourth quarter, anticipating robust revenue, subscriber, and profit growth. Although the firm has previously reported DTC revenue increases, subscriber growth, and quarterly profits, it now seems poised for further expansion and momentum, signifying a transition from discussing success to demonstrating it for WBD.
Investors on Wall Street have been searching for major film studios to develop their streaming services in a way that ensures long-term profitability, given Netflix’s current success and dominance in the streaming market.
Previously, WBD aimed to achieve over $1 billion in DTC EBITDA by 2025. However, Zaslav recently expressed confidence that the company will surpass this figure significantly, highlighting the positive outcomes from their strategic focus, investments, and patience on Max as the key factors for this expected growth.
Our projections indicate a steady increase in direct-to-consumer (DTC) subscribers through 2025, and we are confident that we can achieve at least 150 million global subscribers by the end of 2026. This growth is expected to be accompanied by robust DTC revenue and EBITDA growth. In a recent development, we’ve secured a nonexclusive deal with Sky in the U.K. and Ireland, allowing us to introduce Max to around 10 million of their existing subscribers by the second quarter of 2026. This arrangement also provides us with the opportunity to potentially reach Sky customers not currently served. Before this, we plan to launch in Germany and Italy during the first quarter of 2026, two markets that have a proven affinity for our content, thereby supporting our ongoing growth. In essence, our global expansion still has ample room to grow as Max becomes available in over 40% of the global market where it is currently unavailable.
On Wednesday, WBD leaders shared with MIP London that their goal is to rank among the top 3 streaming platforms, particularly with Max in regions where it’s accessible. They have also been working diligently on enhancing the efficiency of their studio operations. As Zaslav stated towards the end of last year, “In an industry marked by hits and misses, our studio business needs to offer more predictable success.
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2025-02-27 15:24