Lions Gate (LGF) Misses On Q4 Earnings, Tops Sales Estimate

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. LGF.A reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2017 quarterly numbers, wherein the company posted earnings per share of 28 cents, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny.

On the revenue front, Lions Gate witnessed a sharp increase of 58.8% year over year to $1,256.1 million and also surpassed the Zacks Consensus estimate of $1,206 million. This can primarily be attributed to a surge in Motion pictures revenues and Starz acquisition. However, on a pro forma basis revenues increased 3%.

The company’s adjusted EBITDA came in at $162.7 million, in comparison with $0.7 million reported in the prior-year quarter. On a pro forma basis adjusted EBITDA increased 27% year over year. The company’s filmed entertainment backlog was nearly $1.4 billion at the end of the fiscal fourth quarter.

Not much movement was witnessed in after-hours trading session yesterday. Moreover, the stock has declined 44.6% in the past six months, underperforming the Zacks categorized Movie/TV Production/Distribution industry’s decrease of 3.4%.

Segmental Performance (On Pro forma basis)

Motion Pictures’ revenues increased 7.3% year over year to $654 million on account of robust performance of La La Land, winner of six Academy Awards, John Wick: Chapter Two, and The Shack.

Segment profit came in at $52 million, up sharply from the year-ago-quarter of $2.5 million, primarily due to increase in revenues which more than offset direct operating expenses as well as marketing costs. Segment profit margins increased to 8.0% in the quarter from 0.4%.

Media Networks segment formed after the acquisition of Starz reported revenue of $370.8 million, up 1.4%. The segment profit increased 10.7% to $124.8 million. Operating profit margin expanded 290 basis points to 33.7%.

Television Production revenues dropped 3.5% to $242.6 million. Moreover, segment profit declined 69.1% to $13 million. Segment profit margin declined to 5.4% from 16.7% reported in the year-ago quarter.

Financial Details

Lions Gate ended the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $321.9 million, film obligations and production loans of $367.2 million and shareholders’ equity of $2,514.4 million. The company generated free cash flow of $189.4 million, in comparison with $92.9 million used in the prior-year quarter.

Lions Gate, which shares space with major studios like Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. (NASDAQ:FOXA) , is a film studio engaged in the production and distribution of motion pictures for theater and straight-to-video release as well as television programming for cable and broadcast networks.

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Lions Gate currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks worth considering include Cumulus Media Inc. (NASDAQ:CMLS) and NTN Buzztime, Inc. (NYSE:NTN) . Both the stocks hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Cumulus Media stock has surged more than 53% in the past one month.

NTN Buzztime shares have increased more than 20% in the past three months.

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