Lionsgate Earnings, Revenues Decline in Q4

SANTA MONICA/VANCOUVER: Lionsgate reported net income of $19.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, a decline of nearly 60 percent from the year-ago period.

Revenue for the period was $646 million, which is a 10 percent drop.

For its fiscal 2015, the studio posted annual net income of $182 million, which is up 20 percent. Revenue of $2.4 billion in the fiscal year declined 9 percent from $2.63 billion in the prior year, due primarily to smaller theatrical and home entertainment slates of wide theatrical releases, which offset gains in television production revenue. Overall motion picture segment revenue in the fiscal year was $1.82 billion, a decline of 17 percent compared to the prior year. Television revenue included in the motion picture segment in the fiscal year was $270.2 million, an increase of 20 percent on the prior year, as a strong slate of theatrical wide releases reaching their pay-TV windows included The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Divergent, Red 2 and Ender's Game and compared favorably to the prior year slate. Revenue for the TV production segment rose to a record $579.5 million in the fiscal year, an increase of 30 percent. This reflects strong gains in all categories—domestic television licensing and syndication, international television revenue and home entertainment revenue from television production.

"We're pleased to report very strong financial results in fiscal 2015, bolstered by a stellar performance from our television business, complemented by a great year on the strategic front as well," said Lionsgate's CEO, Jon Feltheimer.  "With the launch of new strategic initiatives ranging from location-based entertainment and OTT platforms to video games and virtual reality, exciting new partnerships in China, a robust portfolio of current and future film franchises and the strongest balance sheet in the company's history, we're very well positioned to capitalize on opportunities throughout our global environment."