ViacomCBS Reports Q3 2021 Earnings Results

NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

• Total Company Revenue Increased 13% Year-Over-Year, Reflecting Growth Across All Revenue Streams
• Quarterly Global Streaming Revenue Surpassed $1 Billion for the First Time, with Growth of 62% Year-Over-Year, Driven by Strength in Subscriptions and Advertising
• Added 4.3M Global Streaming Subscribers to Reach Nearly 47M in the Quarter, and Achieved 79% Year-Over-Year Growth in Streaming Subscription Revenue
• Subscriber Acquisition and Consumption on Paramount+ Fueled By a Diverse Global Content Offering, Including A Quiet Place Part II, Paw Patrol: The Movie, the Return of the NFL, and the New CBS Fall Season
• Generated 48% Year-Over-Year Growth in Streaming Advertising Revenue, Largely Driven by Pluto TV, Which Grew Global Monthly Active Users (MAUs) to Over 54M and Revenue by 99% Year-Over-Year
• Announced Broad Distribution Agreement with T-Mobile to Provide Its Customers with Paramount+

STATEMENT FROM BOB BAKISH PRESIDENT & CEO

"ViacomCBS continued to show tremendous momentum across the business as we executed against our strategy. We added 4.3M global streaming subscribers, raising our total to nearly 47M, driven by the scaling of the diverse content offering on Paramount+. Looking forward, we're thrilled about the fresh array of content coming to Paramount+ in the next few months and can't wait to share it with our global audience. Our strategy is clearly working and we'll continue to use the power of global content, distribution and market expansion to drive scale."

OVERVIEW OF Q3 REVENUE

REVENUE BY TYPE

• Advertising revenue grew 1% year-over-year, reflecting an improved advertising marketplace, partially offset by lower linear impressions, lower political advertising, and the absence of CNET Media Group ("CMG") as a result of its sale in the fourth quarter of 2020.
• Affiliate revenue increased 2% year-over-year, reflecting higher reverse compensation and expanded distribution.
• Streaming revenue rose 62% year-over-year:
• Streaming advertising revenue grew 48% year-over-year, driven by growth in advertising on Pluto TV and Paramount+.
• Streaming subscription revenue grew 79% year-over-year, reflecting strong subscriber growth from the company's subscription services.
• Theatrical revenue reflects the releases of Paw Patrol: The Movie, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, and the second quarter release of A Quiet Place Part II, while the prior-year period was impacted by the closure or reduced capacity of movie theaters in response to COVID-19.
• Licensing and other revenue, which includes fees from the licensing of our internally produced television and film programming across third party platforms, as well as fees generated from home entertainment, consumer products, and live events, increased 18% year-over-year.

GLOBAL STREAMING HIGHLIGHTS

• Global streaming subscribers rose to nearly 47M, adding 4.3M subscribers in the quarter.
• Subscriber additions in the quarter were led by Paramount+.
• Domestically, Paramount+ saw strong subscriber sign-ups and engagement from a variety of content, including A Quiet Place Part II, Paw Patrol: The Movie, as well as the start of the NFL season.
• Internationally, Paramount+ launches to date have had strong momentum, led by progress in Latin America, Brazil, Australia and Canada.
• SHOWTIME OTT benefited from originals, including Billions, American Rust and The Chi.
• Announced the signing of SkyShowtime, a joint venture with Comcast that will include premium and original content from both companies.
• SkyShowtime will reach more than 20 European territories encompassing 90 million homes.
• Pluto TV revenue grew 99% year-over-year, as MAUs increased to over 54M in the quarter, helped by international growth.

REPORTING SEGMENTS

TV ENTERTAINMENT

• In Q3, CBS was the most-watched network in Daytime and Late Night. Hits like The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and Big Brother were leaders in their respective categories among key demos.
• Revenue grew 24% year-over-year, primarily driven by higher licensing, streaming, and affiliate revenue, partially offset by lower advertising revenue.
• Advertising revenue decreased 2% year-over-year, primarily reflecting an unfavorable comparison to the prior-year revenue benefit from political advertising and the absence of CMG, partially offset by an improved advertising market in 2021.
• Affiliate revenue grew 4% year-over-year, driven by growth in reverse compensation.
• Streaming revenue rose 81% year-over-year, reflecting subscriber and advertising growth at Paramount+.
• Licensing and other revenue increased 79% year-over-year, driven by the timing of program availability primarily due to COVID-19 production shutdowns in the prior-year, and a higher volume of domestic licensing.
• Adjusted OIBDA decreased 21% year-over-year, reflecting the company's increased investment in Paramount+.

CABLE NETWORKS

• In Q3, ViacomCBS had the most programs among the top 25 original cable series among P18-49, P18-34 and K2-11, more than any other cable family, including the top two Kids programs with Paw Patrol and The Patrick Star Show.
• Revenue increased 13% year-over-year, reflecting growth across all revenue streams.
• Advertising revenue increased 6% year-over-year, largely driven by an improved advertising marketplace, partially offset by lower linear impressions.
• Affiliate revenue grew 1% year-over-year, reflecting expanded vMVPD distribution and rate increases, partially offset by subscriber declines.
• Streaming revenue increased 53% year-over-year, largely fueled by advertising revenue growth from Pluto TV, as well as growth in subscribers for subscription streaming services.
• Licensing and other revenue increased 23% year-over-year, primarily driven by the licensing of programming to Paramount+.
• Adjusted OIBDA increased 5% year-over-year, reflecting the above-mentioned revenue growth, partially offset by an increased investment in streaming services and a higher level of original programming.

FILMED ENTERTAINMENT

• Revenue declined 2% year-over-year, driven by lower licensing revenues, partially offset by the benefit of current quarter theatrical releases.
• Theatrical includes revenues from the third quarter releases of Paw Patrol: The Movie, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, and the second quarter release of A Quiet Place Part II, while the prior-year period was impacted by the by the closure or reduced capacity of movie theaters in response to COVID-19.
• Licensing and other revenue decreased 12% year-over-year due to lower volume of programming produced for third parties.
• Adjusted OIBDA declined $16 million year-over-year, reflecting lower profits from current year releases as a result of higher distribution costs, as well as distribution costs associated with anticipated releases.

BALANCE SHEET & LIQUIDITY

• As of September 30, 2021, the company had $4.8B of cash on its balance sheet and a committed $3.5B revolving credit facility that remains undrawn.

ABOUT VIACOMCBS

ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry's most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

VIAC-IR

CAUTIONARY NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This communication contains both historical and forward-looking statements, including statements related to our future results and performance. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals are or may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations concerning future results and events; generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "likely," "will," "may," "could," "estimate" or other similar words or phrases; and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: changes in consumer behavior, as well as evolving technologies, distribution platforms and packaging; the impact on our advertising revenues of changes in consumers' content viewership, deficiencies in audience measurement and advertising market conditions; our ability to maintain attractive brands and our reputation, and to offer popular programming and other content; increased costs for programming, films and other rights; competition for content, audiences, advertising and distribution; the potential for loss of carriage or other reduction in or the impact of negotiations for the distribution of our content; losses due to asset impairment charges for goodwill, intangible assets, FCC licenses and programming; the risks and costs associated with the integration of the CBS Corporation and Viacom Inc. businesses and investments in new businesses, products, services and technologies, including our streaming initiatives; evolving business continuity, cybersecurity, privacy and data protection and similar risks; content infringement; the impact of COVID-19 (and other widespread health emergencies or pandemics) and measures taken in response thereto; domestic and global political, economic and/or regulatory factors affecting our businesses generally; liabilities related to discontinued operations and former businesses; the loss of key talent and strikes and other union activity; potential conflicts of interest arising from our ownership structure with a controlling stockholder; and other factors described in our news releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. There may be additional risks, uncertainties and factors that we do not currently view as material or that are not necessarily known. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date of this communication, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES REGARDING NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(Unaudited; in millions, except per share amounts)

Results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 included certain items identified as affecting comparability. Adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization ("Adjusted OIBDA"), adjusted earnings from continuing operations before income taxes, adjusted provision for income taxes, adjusted net earnings from continuing operations attributable to ViacomCBS, and adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations (together, the "adjusted measures") exclude the impact of these items and are measures of performance not calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). We use these measures to, among other things, evaluate our operating performance. These measures are among the primary measures used by management for planning and forecasting of future periods, and they are important indicators of our operational strength and business performance. In addition, we use Adjusted OIBDA to, among other things, value prospective acquisitions. We believe these measures are relevant and useful for investors because they allow investors to view performance in a manner similar to the method used by our management; provide a clearer perspective on our underlying performance; and make it easier for investors, analysts and peers to compare our operating performance to other companies in our industry and to compare our year-over-year results.

Because the adjusted measures are measures of performance not calculated in accordance with GAAP, they should not be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for, operating income, earnings from continuing operations before income taxes, provision/benefit for income taxes, net earnings from continuing operations attributable to ViacomCBS or diluted EPS from continuing operations, as applicable, as indicators of operating performance. These measures, as we calculate them, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies.

The following tables reconcile the adjusted measures to their most directly comparable financial measures in accordance with GAAP.