Warner Music Group (WMG) reported a 10% increase in quarterly revenue on Thursday (Feb. 5) as music from artists like Alex Warren and sombr contributed to broad-based recorded music, publishing and streaming revenue growth.
“[The year] is off to a strong start as our creative success continues to fuel consistent market share growth and financial performance,” said WMG CEO Robert Kyncl in a statement. “We have an exciting slate of new music ahead and are leading the charge with AI to drive a step change in value creation for artists, songwriters, and shareholders, ensuring that WMG is well-positioned for long-term success.”
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Taking several one-off factors into consideration, including the roll-off of BMG as a distribution client, WMG posted $1.84 billion in total revenue, up from $1.67 billion a year ago, for the quarter ended Dec. 31.
Overall digital revenue rose 10%, with streaming revenue up 10.7%. Recorded music digital revenue rose 10.9%, and music publishing streaming revenue rose 12.8% after factoring in settlements with digital streaming partners and BMG’s contract termination. Revenue from streaming subscriptions rose by 9% with those factors considered, reflecting WMG’s growing market share and the chart performance of its artists. In the fourth quarter, TD Bank analysts estimated that Alex Warren held a 3.9% share of the Billboard Hot 100 and a 2.8% share of the Billboard Global 200, while sombr had 1.9% of the Hot 100 and 2.3% of the Billboard Global 200.
Overall recorded music revenue rose 10% to $1.48 billion, as a 10.5% increase in digital revenue to $976 million more than offset a $14 million decline in revenue from physical music sales. Revenue from artist services and expanded rights rose to $231 million, driven by higher concert promotion revenue — mainly in France — and a $9 million benefit from foreign currency exchange rates. Overall operating income for the recorded music division was up nearly 40% to $329 million for the quarter, with an operating margin of 22.2% compared to 17.7% a year ago.
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Adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA), a measure of how much cash the core businesses make, rose 24.8% to $403 million, and adjusted OIBDA margin rose to 27.2% from 24.0%. Those increases were primarily driven by cost cuts and favorable foreign exchange rates.
WMG is at the tail end of a years-long cost-cutting campaign that aims to reduce annual expenses by $300 million a year through a combination of layoffs and administration and real estate reductions. Kyncl has said the money saved is being reinvested in discovering and supporting new artists and acquiring companies that can enhance the company’s offerings.
Publishing music revenue rose 12% to $362 million for the quarter due to higher digital, synchronization, performance and mechanical revenue. Digital revenue rose by nearly 4% to $215 million, and sync revenue rose more than 50% to $60 million, thanks to higher TV and commercial licensing activity and a $6 million combined benefit from copyright infringement settlements and the acquisition of Tempo Music.
Overall, music publishing operating income rose 18% to $65 million, while adjusted OIBDA for the division rose about 23% to $102 million with a margin of 28.2%, up from 25.7% a year ago.
WMG CFO Armin Zerza called Thursday’s quarterly results evidence of a rare “significant transformation in … a short time frame by delivering accelerated growth and profitability.”
