Warner Music Group has issued its monetary outcomes for the three months ended December 31, 2025 (calendar This fall 2025 – the corporate’s fiscal Q1 2026).
Based on WMG’s fiscal Q1 (calendar This fall) outcomes, Warner noticed its quarterly international company-wide revenues attain USD $1.84 billion (throughout recorded music, music publishing, and different actions).
Whole income was up 7.1% YoY at fixed forex.
WARNER’S CALENDAR This fall 2025 IN SUMMARY (% IN CONSTANT CURRENCY):
- Warner Music Group’s total revenues had been up 7.1% YoY at fixed forex to $1.84 billion in calendar This fall;
- Recorded music revenues had been up 6.6% YoY at fixed forex to $1.48 billion.
- Inside that determine, recorded music streaming revenues had been up 9.1% YoY at fixed forex to $960 million.
- Recorded music subscription streaming revenues had been up 10.9% YoY at fixed forex.
- Music publishing revenues – at Warner Chappell Music – had been up 9.4% YoY at fixed forex to $362 million.
WMG stated right now (February 5) that its “high-single-digit income development displays broad-based energy throughout Recorded Music and Music Publishing”.
WMG famous {that a} digital income settlement of $12 million within the quarter, mixed with the continued impression of the termination of a distribution settlement with BMG, affected its Recorded Music income.
The BMG Termination resulted in $6 million much less Recorded Music digital income in comparison with the prior-year quarter.
Moreover, Music Publishing income within the prior-year quarter included $17 million of income acknowledged in reference to historic matched royalties processed by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (the “MLC Historic Matched Royalties”).
Excluding this stuff, WMG reported that its whole income was up 7.4% YoY at fixed forex.
Recorded Music income was additionally impacted by a digital income settlement of $12 million within the quarter and a $7 million downward income “true-up” within the prior-year quarter.
“2026 is off to a robust begin as our artistic success continues to gasoline constant market share development and monetary efficiency,” stated Robert Kyncl, CEO, Warner Music Group.
“We have now an thrilling slate of recent music forward and are main the cost with AI to drive a step change in worth creation for artists, songwriters, and shareholders, guaranteeing that WMG is well-positioned for long-term success.”
Robert Kyncl, Warner Music Group
He added: “We have now an thrilling slate of recent music forward and are main the cost with AI to drive a step change in worth creation for artists, songwriters, and shareholders, guaranteeing that WMG is well-positioned for long-term success.”
RECORDED MUSIC
Warner Music Group’s recorded music revenues had been up 6.6% YoY at fixed forex in calendar This fall to $1.48 billion.
Based on WMG, this efficiency was “pushed by will increase throughout digital, artist providers and expanded-rights and licensing income, partially offset by a lower in bodily income”.
Excluding the impacts of the DSP True-Up and Settlement Funds and the BMG Termination, Recorded Music income elevated 5.7% YoY at fixed forex.
Warner’s recorded music streaming income (together with ad-supported and subscription) was up 9.1% YoY (at fixed forex) to $960 million (see under).
WMG additionally breaks that streaming determine down in its stability sheet to focus on the efficiency of its subscription streaming and ad-supported streaming revenues, respectively.
The corporate’s revenues from recorded music subscription streaming reached $721 million in calendar This fall, up 10.9% YoY at fixed forex.
WMG generated $239 million in ad-supported recorded music streaming revenues in calendar This fall, which was up 3.9% YoY at fixed forex.
(Subscription income, adjusted by $12 million for the DSP True-Up and Settlement Funds and $5 million for the BMG Termination, elevated 8.7% YoY. Advert-supported income, adjusted by $1 million for the BMG Termination, elevated 4.4% YoY.)
The corporate stated in its submitting on Thursday that the “improve in subscription income displays optimistic market share tendencies and chart efficiency, whereas the rise in ad-supported income displays robust efficiency within the quarter”.
Elsewhere in Recorded Music, WMG’s Artist providers and expanded-rights income elevated 12.7% YoY at fixed forex to $231 million, pushed “primarily attributable to greater live performance promotion income primarily in France, and the favorable impression of international forex alternate charges”.
Recorded Music licensing income elevated 7.1% YoY at fixed forex to $121 million, “pushed by greater licensing exercise and a $2 million improve in copyright infringement settlements within the quarter”.
Bodily income decreased 11.1% YoY at fixed forex to $152 million, “primarily pushed by robust releases in Japan and Korea within the prior-year quarter”.
Main sellers within the quarter included Alex Warren, sombr, Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, and Teddy Swims.
Music Publishing
Warner’s international music publishing division – Warner Chappell Music – noticed its quarterly revenues improve by 9.4% YoY at fixed forex to $362 million.
WMG reported that the rise was “pushed by development throughout digital, synchronization, efficiency and mechanical income”. Excluding the impression of the MLC Historic Matched Royalties, Music Publishing income was up 15.3% YoY at fixed forex.
Music publishing streaming income elevated 1.4% YoY at fixed forex to $212 million; nonetheless, adjusted for the impression of the MLC Historic Matched Royalties, streaming income elevated 10.4% YoY at fixed forex, “pushed by the impression of recent offers and renewals”.
Efficiency income elevated 10.3% YoY at fixed forex to $64 million, “attributable to development from concert events, radio and dwell occasions”.
Synchronization income elevated 53.8% YoY at fixed forex to $60 million, “pushed by greater tv and industrial licensing exercise, a $3 million improve in copyright infringement settlements, and the $3 million impression of the Firm’s acquisition of Tempo Music”.
Mechanical income elevated 20.0% YoY at fixed forex to $18 million, “pushed by the timing of distributions”.
WMG: PROFITABILITY IN CALENDAR This fall 2025
- WMG’s web revenue stood at $175 million versus $241 million within the prior-year quarter.
- Working revenue stood at $288 million versus $214 million within the prior-year quarter, up 26.3% YoY at fixed forex
- The agency’s quarterly Adjusted OIBDA was $463 million versus $363 million within the prior-year quarter, up 22.2% YoY at fixed forex
- Adjusted OIBDA margin elevated 3.1 share factors to 25.2% from 22.1% within the prior-year quarter.
WMG famous that the lower in web revenue was “because of the impression of alternate charges on the Firm’s Euro-denominated debt leading to a $1 million loss within the quarter in comparison with a $61 million achieve within the prior-year quarter”, in addition to forex alternate actions on intercompany loans and hedging exercise.
“We’re delivering on our guarantees by combining important transformation with accelerated development and profitability, marking our third consecutive quarter of broad-based success.”
Armin Zerza, Warner Music Group
“We’re delivering on our guarantees by combining important transformation with accelerated development and profitability, marking our third consecutive quarter of broad-based success,” stated Armin Zerza, CFO, Warner Music Group.
“By fortifying our core via strategic investments and pioneering moral AI partnerships, now we have established a strong basis to drive sustainable, long-term worth for our artists and shareholders alike. That is only the start of our momentum, and we’re well-positioned to speed up our development even additional in 2026.”
All share adjustments referenced on this article are at fixed forex until in any other case acknowledged.Music Enterprise Worldwide
