WWE sent out the following today…
WWE today announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2013. Revenues increased $10.7 million or 8%, to $152.3 million from $141.6 million in the prior year quarter driven by the increased production and licensing of television content as well as increased ticket revenue from the Company’s premiere event, WrestleMania, partially offset by the timing of one less pay-per-view event in the quarter. Operating income, however, declined to $8.8 million as compared to $19.6 million in the prior year quarter reflecting increased staffing expenses to support our various strategic initiatives. Net income was $5.2 million, or $0.07 per share, as compared to $11.9 million, or $0.16 per share, in the prior year quarter.
“In the second quarter, we continued to make investments in both staffing and talent to support our long-term growth objectives. These initiatives, including the recent opening of a world-class performance training facility, and the highest grossing WrestleMania in our Company’s history, demonstrate our commitment to develop our talent, build our brands, and provide a solid foundation for future growth,” stated Vince McMahon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to believe that these investments will enhance our ability to create new programs and to distribute all of our content in a way that optimizes its value, through the renewal of key television contracts and the potential launch of a WWE network.”
“Although our earnings declined in the quarter, we believe that the investments we are making will maximize the return to shareholders over time,” added George Barrios, Chief Financial Officer. “We believe that our 2013 results, excluding the impact of film impairments, will fall within the lower end of the range previously communicated, which was ‘plus or minus 10 percent’ from our 2012 OIBDA results of $63 million.”
