Broadcaster RTL sees revenue rise boosted by streaming growth in Germany

Bertelsmann SE & Co KGaA

20/03/2025 07:00

March 20 (Reuters) - European media group RTL RRTL.DE forecast higher revenue for 2025 on Thursday, after it reported stable full-year results aided by higher streaming revenue and portfolio effects.

The company, majority-owned by German media group Bertelsmann BTGGg.F, expects to post revenue of about 6.45 billion euros ($7.03 billion) in 2025, compared with 6.25 billion last year.

It also forecast adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (EBITA) of about 780 million euros for the year, versus 721 million in 2024.

Annual streaming revenue grew 42% to 403 million euros, driven by a significant increase in paying subscribers and higher subscription prices in Germany.

The company also saw a rapid growth in advertising revenue from its RTL+ service in Germany and M6+ in France, it said.

"We reached turning points in our streaming services and content production business. As a result, we expect to significantly increase our operating profits in the coming years," CEO Thomas Rabe said in a statement.

RTL is "firmly on track" to reach profitability in the streaming business by 2026, Rabe added.

The group expects to obtain regulatory approvals for the sale of RTL Nederland, agreed in late 2023, and to close the 1.1 billion euro transaction in the second quarter of this year.

It also proposed an annual dividend of 2.50 euros per share.

($1 = 0.9179 euros)

 (Reporting by Klaus Lauer, writing by Elizaveta Gladun and Anastasiia Kozlova; editing by Milla Nissi)

 ((Evizaveta.Gladun@thomsonreuters.com; Anastasiia.Kozlova@thomsonreuters.com))