WWE Announces 2017 Q3 Financials: Revenue & WWE Network Subscribers Increase

– WWE announced their 2017 Q3 financials today, hyping increases in revenue, WWE Network subscribers, new advertisers and the launch of more localized content…

* Revenue increased 14% to $186.4 million based primarily on the strong performance of the Company’s media, licensing and live event businesses.

* Operating income was $33.9 million. Adjusted and reported OIBDA reached $40.4 million, representing an all-time record quarter on a reported basis.

* WWE Network’s average paid subscribers increased to 1.52 million over the third quarter 2017 (compared to 1.48 million this time last year), consistent with the Company’s guidance (For the fourth quarter 2017, the Company projects average paid subscribers to WWE Network of 1.47 million).

* Launched WWE Network in China with PPTV (a Suning media company). The service showcases WWE’s major live events, ground-breaking original series, documentaries and classic matches.

* Launched localized weekly TV shows in Mexico and Central America. WWE Saturday Night, produced in Spanish with Fox Sports Mexico, will feature highlights of Raw and SmackDown.

* Through the first nine months of 2017, digital engagement continued to grow with video views up 23% to 14.2 billion and social media engagements up 5% to 912 million from the prior year.

* NBCU secured 20 new advertisers for WWE programs in the 2017-18 upfront, adding 70 over the past 3 years, and reaching a total of nearly 200 advertisers for WWE shows.