Media Stocks Report Mixed Results Amid Market Challenges

NEW YORK, NY — As the earnings season wraps up, many media stocks have shown mixed results for the fourth quarter, reflecting broader challenges in the industry. Companies like fuboTV, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery reported their earnings recently, providing insights into their performance amidst shifting viewer habits.

fuboTV (NYSE:FUBO), originally launched as a soccer streaming service, reported revenues of $443.3 million, an increase of 8.1% year-over-year. This was in line with analysts’ expectations and marked the fastest revenue growth among the seven media stocks tracked. Despite the solid quarter, shares fell 15.7% to $2.98 as investor expectations remained high.

Disney (NYSE:DIS) posted revenues of $24.69 billion, a 4.8% increase from the previous year. The company beat analysts’ adjusted operating income and earnings per share estimates but still saw its stock drop 20% to $90.64 after the report.

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD), formed from the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, reported revenues of $10.03 billion but fell short of expectations, down 2.5% year-over-year. The stock fell 18.9%, trading at $8.51 after disappointing income results.

Scholastic (NASDAQ:SCHL), known for its children’s publishing, reported revenues of $335.4 million, up 3.6% from last year, which was lower than expected. The shares fell 8.2% to $17.24.

The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) reported revenues of $726.6 million, an increase of 7.5% year-over-year, which met expectations. However, it saw a 9.9% drop in stock price, now trading at $50.40, due to missing subscriber projections.

Overall, the media sector is navigating a challenging landscape. Economically, inflation is cooling and the stock market has seen positive trends, but uncertainties regarding future corporate policies and tax discussions may influence growth as 2025 approaches.

As investors look for potential winners, it remains to be seen which media companies will adapt successfully to the evolving digital landscape.