Group Earnings

  • For ProSiebenSat.1, 2016 is a new record year with revenues of EUR 3,799 million and recurring EBITDA of EUR 1,018 million.
  • In recent months, the Group enlarged its portfolio and expanded as a result of strategic acquisitions, which had a major effect on the development of revenues and costs. ProSiebenSat.1 is focusing on investments that synergistically complement the portfolio and that are suitable for TV advertising.

ProSiebenSat.1 Group increased its consolidated revenues for 2016 to EUR 3,799 million. This is an increase of 17 % or EUR 538 million compared to the financial year 2015 and represents a new record high. In the financial year 2016 as well, the revenue growth was supported by all segments.

The segments Digital Ventures & Commerce and Content Production & Global Sales performed particularly dynamically (+65 % and +38 % respectively). These segments made the largest contributions to growth at EUR 303 million and EUR 99 million respectively. In the Broadcasting German-speaking TV segment, external revenues rose by 3 % or EUR 58 million to EUR 2,210 million. They therefore contributed 58 % of consolidated revenues (previous year: 66 %).

Group revenue share by segment (Fig. 60)

Group revenue share by segment (pie chart)Group revenue share by segment (pie chart)

Other operating income amounted to EUR 34 million after EUR 25 million in the comparative period. The increase primarily reflects income from the sale of subsidiaries.

Total costs comprise the cost of sales, selling expenses, administrative expenses, and other operating expenses, further information can be found in the Notes, Note 6-9, from page 202 onwards.

Notes

In recent months, the Group has expanded its Company portfolio through acquisitions. In this context, total costs increased by 20 % or EUR 501 million to EUR 3,056 million (Fig. 61):

  • The majority of the year-on-year cost increase was due to a rise in the cost of sales by EUR 256 million or 15 % to EUR 2,020 million. The main reason was the expansion of the digital portfolio, whereby the cost level was primarily determined by the consolidation of the multi-channel network (MCN) Studio71 (previously: Collective Digital Studio; CDS) and various commerce platforms. In addition, acquisitions in the Content Production & Global Sales segment affected cost development. At the same time, the consumption of programming assets — the Group’s largest cost item — rose to EUR 915 million (previous year: EUR 896 million).
  • Due to the expansion of the portfolio in the digital sector, selling expenses also increased by 40 % or EUR 148 million to EUR 520 million.
  • Administrative expenses amounted to EUR 506 million, corresponding to an increase of 23 % or EUR 93 million. Higher personnel expenses were the main reason for the increase in administrative expenses. In addition, higher amortization of purchase price allocations occurred due to portfolio measures. Depreciation of property, plant and equipment also led to an increase in administrative expenses.

Total costs (Fig. 61)

Total costs (bar chart)Total costs (bar chart)

Depreciation and amortization increased primarily due to acquisitions and growth. Against this background, amortization from purchase price allocations in particular increased by EUR 23 million to EUR 55 million. In total, depreciation and amortization, which are part of the total costs, went up by EUR 54 million to EUR 206 million. Before depreciation, amortization and expense adjustments, operating costs amounted to EUR 2,804 million (previous year: EUR 2,355 million). This equates to an increase of 19 % compared to the financial year 2015. The cost item relevant for recurring EBITDA is operating costs. The following table shows a reconciliation of operating costs from total costs (Fig. 62):

Reconciliation of operating costs (Fig. 62)

 

 

 

 

 

EUR m

 

2016

 

2015

1

Depreciation/amortization and impairment of other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment.

Total costs

 

3,056

 

2,555

Expense adjustments

 

46

 

50

Depreciation and amortization1

 

206

 

151

Operating costs

 

2,804

 

2,355

Recurring EBITDA adjusted for reconciling items increased by 10 % to EUR 1,018 million (previous year: EUR 926 million). The corresponding recurring EBITDA margin was 26.8 % (previous year: 28.4 %). The margin development reflects mix effects from the distribution of revenues by segment: The Group’s target is to generate additional revenue potential, particularly in the digital industry, and to become more independent overall from the highly profitable but economically sensitive free TV business. The digital business is growing very dynamically, but is subject to different earning structures than TV. In 2016, the Group generated a revenue share totaling EUR 1,589 million (previous year: EUR 1,109 million) or 42 % (previous year: 34 %) from outside of the Broadcasting German-speaking segment. This was a higher share than in 2015. The Digital Entertainment, Digital Ventures & Commerce and Content Production & Global Sales segments’ contribution to external recurring EBITDA rose to EUR 347 million (previous year: EUR 265 million).

At the same time, EBITDA rose by a substantial 12 % to EUR 982 million as a result of the positive revenue momentum (previous year: EUR 881 million). It includes reconciling items of minus EUR 35 million (previous year: EUR –44 million), which comprise various expenses and income. For 2016, expenses of EUR 46 million were recognized, of which in particular EUR 22 million in connection with reorganizations (previous year: EUR 19 million), EUR 16 million for M&A projects (previous year: EUR 20 million) and EUR 4 million for legal claims (previous year: EUR 1 million). In addition, other reconciling effects of EUR 11 million, primarily for severance payments in connection with the termination of Executive Board activities and to cover tax risks, are included as expenses in the reconciling items. This item also includes cost-reducing measurement effects for cash-settled share-based payment in the amount of EUR 9 million. This is offset by income adjustments of EUR 11 million, of which EUR 9 million is attributable to deconsolidation effects (previous year: EUR 1 million), mainly from the sale of the Games business at EUR 6 million. The expenses for reorganization are primarily attributable to the Broadcasting German-Speaking segment, while the M&A-related reconciling items mainly relate to the Digital Ventures & Commerce segment.

Reconciliation of recurring EBITDA (Fig. 63)

 

 

 

 

 

EUR m

 

2016

 

2015

1

Depreciation/amortization and impairment of other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment.

2

Expense adjustments of EUR 46 million (previous year: EUR 50 million) less income adjustments of EUR 11 million (previous year: EUR 5 million).

Profit before income taxes

 

658

 

604

Financial result

 

–119

 

–126

EBIT

 

777

 

730

Depreciation and amortization1

 

206

 

151

thereof from purchase price allocations

 

55

 

32

EBITDA

 

982

 

881

Reconciling items (net)2

 

35

 

44

Recurring EBITDA

 

1,018

 

926

Notes, Notes 11 – 13 “Interest Result,” “Result from Investments Accounted for Using the Equity Method and Other Financial Result,” “Income taxes,” page 203.

Notes

The financial result comprises the interest result, the other financial result and income from investments accounted for using the equity method and amounted to minus EUR 119 million (previous year: EUR –126 million). The main reason for this improvement is the development of the other financial result, which amounted to minus EUR 34 million (previous year: EUR –45 million) and is dominated by opposite items.

Firstly, the other financial result reflects positive valuation adjustments to the shares in ZeniMax of EUR 30 million; ProSiebenSat.1 Group sold its shares in ZeniMax as part of the reorganization of the Games business. Secondly, the Group reports lower impairments on financial investments of minus EUR 44 million (previous year: EUR –63 million). In contrast, valuation adjustments of earn-out and put option liabilities total minus EUR 24 million (previous year: EUR 4 million). In addition, the other financial result for 2015 included comparatively high income from the remeasurement of shares, which were previously accounted for using the equity method. Here, the acquisition of control over SMARTSTREAM.TV and Collective Digital Studio (CDS; now Studio71) and Amorelie resulted in income totaling EUR 35 million in 2015. By contrast, a positive measurement effect on the shares of Stylight of EUR 9 million was recognized in the financial year 2016: ProSiebenSat.1 Group has increased its share to 100 % in Juli 2016.

Due to higher revenues and the improvement of the financial result, pre-tax profit increased to EUR 658 million. This represents growth of 9 % or EUR 55 million compared to the previous year. Income tax expense amounted to EUR 206 million (previous year: EUR 208 million); the tax rate was 31.3 % (previous year: 34.4 %).

The developments described increased consolidated net profit from continuing operations by 14 % to EUR 452 million; in the same period of the previous year, this profit figure amounted to EUR 396 million. The earnings after taxes from discontinued operations amounted to minus EUR 42 million (previous year: EUR 0 million). It contains tax expenses of EUR 40 million. In the second quarter 2016, ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE settled an additional tax claim including interest and penalties for former companies in Sweden.

Further information on the earnings per share can be found in the Notes, “Summary of key accounting policies“ in the section “Earnings per share”, page 253.

Notes

At the same time, underlying net income increased by 10 % to EUR 513 million (previous year: EUR 466 million); the basic underlying earnings per share therefore rose 7 % to EUR 2.37 (previous year: EUR 2.18). Underlying net income is adjusted for various reconciling items, including amortization from purchase price allocations and impairments on financial investments (Fig. 64).

Reconciliation of underlying net income from continuing operations (Fig. 64)

 

 

 

 

 

EUR m, after taxes

 

2016

 

2015

Consolidated net profit (after non-controlling interests)

 

444

 

391

Amortization from purchase price allocations (after tax)

 

40

 

22

Taxes included therein

 

–18

 

–10

Impairments on other financial investments

 

43

 

39

Taxes included therein

 

–1

 

–/–

Remeasurement of interests accounted for using the equity method in connection with initial consolidations

 

–9

 

–26

Taxes included therein

 

–/–

 

9

Reassessment of tax risks

 

4

 

20

Taxes included therein

 

–1

 

16

Valuation effects from financial derivatives

 

3

 

–/–

Taxes included therein

 

–1

 

–/–

Valuation adjustment to shares in ZeniMax Media Inc.

 

–30

 

23

Taxes included therein

 

–/–

 

–/–

Put options/earn-outs

 

26

 

–3

Taxes included therein

 

–7

 

–3

Group Share Plan

 

–6

 

–/–

Taxes included therein

 

3

 

–/–

Other effects

 

–1

 

1

Taxes included therein

 

–4

 

–4

Underlying net income

 

513

 

466

Selected key figures of ProSiebenSat.1 Group for the financial year 2016 (Fig. 65)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ProSiebenSat.1
continuing operations

EUR m

 

2016

 

2015

Revenues

 

3,799

 

3,261

Operating costs1

 

2,804

 

2,355

Total costs

 

3,056

 

2,555

Cost of sales

 

2,020

 

1,764

Selling expenses

 

520

 

372

Administrative expenses

 

506

 

412

Other operating expenses

 

11

 

8

EBIT

 

777

 

730

Recurring EBITDA2

 

1,018

 

926

Reconciling items (net)3

 

–35

 

–44

EBITDA

 

982

 

881

Consolidated net profit attributable to shareholders of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE

 

444

 

391

Underlying net income4

 

513

 

466

Selected key figures of ProSiebenSat.1 Group for the fourth quarter of 2016 (Fig. 66)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ProSiebenSat.1
continuing operations

EUR m

 

Q4 2016

 

Q4 2015

1

Total costs excl. depreciation and amortization and expense adjustments.

2

EBITDA adjusted for reconciling items.

3

Expense adjustments netted against income adjustments.

4

Consolidated net profit after non-controlling interests from continuing activities before the effects of purchase price allocations and additional reconciling items.

Reporting on the Basis of Continuing Operations. Unless otherwise indicated, the analysis of the earnings, financial position and performance of the Group is based on continuing operations. This means that the earnings contributions and cash flows that arise in connection with disposals are not included in the individual items of the income statement or statement of cash flows, but are shown separately as the “Result from discontinued operations” and “Cash flow from discontinued operations” respectively in accordance with the provisions of IFRS 5.

Revenues

 

1,254

 

1,087

Operating costs1

 

872

 

735

Total costs

 

958

 

809

Cost of sales

 

628

 

545

Selling expenses

 

166

 

124

Administrative expenses

 

161

 

135

Other operating expenses

 

3

 

4

EBIT

 

307

 

289

Recurring EBITDA2

 

392

 

357

Reconciling items (net)3

 

–17

 

–14

EBITDA

 

375

 

343

Consolidated net profit attributable to shareholders of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE

 

174

 

138

Underlying net income4

 

219

 

194