RE: Drop25 Jul 2024 12:44
Universal Music Group (UMG.AS)
Universal Music Group (UMG) lost as much as 29% on Thursday after reporting a slowdown in its subscription and streaming segment in the second quarter.
Despite revealing better than expected revenue, thanks to merchandising, analysts downgraded the company amid concerns over its streaming income.
Revenue rose to €2.9bn (£2.5bn) in the three months to June, with its top sellers including releases by Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish.
However, analysts at Citi, Barclays, Guggenheim and Kepler Cheuvreux all lowered their ratings, with Citi saying streaming and subscription growth was meaningfully below what had been expected. It raised concerns about volatility between the music giant’s different lines of revenue.
Commenting on the results, UMG´s Chairman and CEO, Sir Lucian Grainge, said: "Our continued strong revenue growth this quarter demonstrates that we are, by design, a multifaceted music entertainment company that places our artists at the centre of everything we do.
“Our unique structure, which is both innovative and constantly evolving, enables us to support our recording artists and songwriters with an ever-expanding array of revenue sources, reinforced by new products and the exciting next phase of development of streaming services.”