The CBS Corporation set records in the fourth quarter for operating income and adjusted operating income, the company said Thursday, but the results were short of some analysts’ expectations and its share price fell in after-hours trading.
The adjusted net earnings of $414 million produced earnings of 64 cents a share, also a quarterly record for CBS, though some analysts had forecast income as high as 69 cents.
CBS, which reported full-year results for 2012 as well as for the quarter ending Dec. 31, also announced an additional stock buyback of $1 billion. That brings the total amount of stock CBS has committed to repurchasing for the current year to $2.2 billion.
Over all, CBS demonstrated improved results in most financial categories and divisions. Revenues for the quarter rose to $3.7 billion, up 2 percent from $3.61 billion for the comparable quarter in 2011.
The company reported net income of $393 million, or 60 cents a share, up 6.2 percent from $370 million, or 55 cents a share, in the fourth quarter of 2011.
CBS cited increases in advertising revenue in the quarter, partly driven by political commercials in an election year. The CBS broadcast network continues to be the most watched in television and will most likely beat all its competitors in the significant ratings categories for the current season.
The company also had increases from subscription fees, driven by improvement in its cable networks. Showtime, the pay-cable channel owned by CBS, has experienced growth in subscriptions, thanks in part to its award-winning drama “Homeland.” CBS has pressed for years for increased compensation from cable systems for the rights to carry CBS broadcast stations, and Thursday the company reported that retransmission fees were also up for the quarter, part of 9 percent growth overall in affiliate and subscription fees.
Adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization increased 6 percent to $866 million, from $814 million the year before. Operating income increased 12 percent to $726 million, up from $647 million.
For the full year CBS also produced some encouraging results. The company reported revenue of $14.09 billion, up 3 percent from $13.64 billion in 2011. Adjusted income increased to $3.49 billion from $3.16 billion. Operating income of $2.98 billion was up from $2.62 billion in 2011. All represented new highs for CBS.
One troubling area was publishing. Revenue decreased at CBS’s Simon & Schuster unit, to $215 million from $229 million in 2011. CBS attributed the drop to decreasing print book sales that could not be offset by increasing e-book sales.
CBS reported its financial results after the stock market closed. In after-hours trading, its stock fell 44 cents, to $42.50.
Media Decoder Blog: CBS Reports Record Operating Income for 4th Quarter
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Media Decoder Blog: CBS Reports Record Operating Income for 4th Quarter
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Media Decoder Blog: CBS Reports Record Operating Income for 4th Quarter
