RTL sees revenues climb, but net profit slips

International broadcaster RTL reported a 2.1% increase in revenue of €4.2 billion in the first nine months of the year. EBITA profit increased 5.6%, taking the total to €756 million. Net profit to shareholders, however, slipped to €443 million from  €464 million in the same period last year, with the company blaming a higher tax charge.

RTL said that the German RTL operation and performance of the wider digital businesses drove the revenue growth. Digital revenue was up 25% at €430 million.

The broadcast and media giant said TV ad markets were up in all of the markets in which it operatesaside from the Netherlands and Hungary.

Its largest operation is RTL Deutschland and it upped EBITA profit 2.4%, taking the total to €468 million with TV ads and digital driving the growth.

In France, RTL owns M6, upped EBITA profit to €173 million, from €136 million in the same period last year.

Turnover and profit decreased at production outfit FremantleMedia through the first nine months of the year, with RTL blaming exchange rate issues, the timing of new shows coming through and lower revenues from North America as American Idol finishes.

The company said the declines were offset by growth in Europe, driven by the consolidation of the production companies in which it has invested in the region. An increased investment in new content, meanwhile, was cited as another reason for reduced EBITA profit.

Revenue across the January to September period at the production and distribution giant was €962 million, a 5.1% decrease year-on-year. EBITDA profit slipped 4.7% across the same period, taking the total to €61 million.