RTL Group reported on Tuesday that its operating profit in the third quarter increased by 5.8 percent year-on-year, primarily due to a slight increase in advertising revenue in its largest market, Germany.
Earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA) reached 165 million euros, according to a statement published on the official website. The group’s revenues in the same period increased by 5.5 percent to nearly 1.3 billion euros, thanks to higher television advertising revenues in the media group RTL Deutschland and growing revenues in FremantleMedia, the statement further noted.
In the first nine months of this year, revenues reached 4.11 billion euros, which was four percent higher compared to the same period last year. At RTL, they attribute this strengthening largely to the revenue growth in the media group RTL Deutschland and FremantleMedia, as well as the impact of exchange rate differences.
EBITA for the period from January to September decreased by 9.8 percent to 671 million euros, as the higher profit contribution from German television operations was offset by challenging market conditions in other countries, increased investments in program production, and portfolio-related factors, such as the sale of Dutch radio stations, according to RTL Group’s statement.
RTL Group, majority-owned by media conglomerate Bertelsmann, confirmed earlier forecasts for full-year operating profit presented at the end of August. It expects continued strong EBITA, although weaker compared to last year’s record levels, citing the intensified difficult economic environment as the reason.
