TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECACPO Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world, today announced financial results for the first quarter 2022.
“Despite the positive performance of revenue in the quarter, the company’s net sales are still below levels prior to the health contingency due to Covid-19,” commented Rafael Rodríguez, CEO of TV Azteca.
“In this context, in the coming months, we will seek to boost the production and acquisition of content, the investment in maintenance and equipment and hiring human resources, suspended during the health contingency, and which are necessary to overcome the great challenges for the year and offer the most competitive programming to audiences, in order to strengthen the revenue generation and preserve the operational and financial viability of the company.”
“Regarding our balance sheet, TV Azteca continues with the constructive dialogue with the holders of the notes denominated in foreign currency, which began the previous year, to allow the reorganization of its debt, in line with the context and situation of the company, and has the firm conviction that favorable agreements can be reached in the near future for all parties and for the development of Mexican television,” added Mr. Rodríguez.
First quarter results
Net sales for the period were Ps.2,915 million, 14% above the Ps.2,563 million for the same quarter of the previous year. Total costs and expenses increased 13% to Ps.2,237 million, from Ps.1,978 million in the previous year.
As a result, TV Azteca reported EBITDA of Ps.678 million, compared to Ps.584 million a year ago. The company generated an operating income of Ps.480 million, from a profit of Ps.417 million the previous year.
EBITDA: Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization.
The number of CPOs outstanding as of March 31, 2022 was 2,986 million, unchanged from the previous year.
Net sales
The company’s advertising sales in Mexico grew 14%, to Ps.2,867 million, from Ps.2,513 million a year earlier.
The sum of revenues from TV Azteca Guatemala and TV Azteca Honduras, as well as the company’s content sales outside of Mexico, was Ps.48 million, compared to Ps.50 million the previous year.
Costs and SG&A Expenses
Total costs and expenses increased 13% in the quarter as a result of a 14% growth in production, programming and transmission costs — to Ps.2,061 million, from Ps.1,804 million a year ago — together with a 1% increase in selling and administrative expenses, to Ps.176 million, compared to Ps.174 million in the previous year.
The increase in costs — consistent with the growth in income — reflects the production of content and the acquisition of exhibition rights required by the company’s different platforms in the period.
The increase in selling and administrative expenses is the result of higher personnel, fees and travel expenses, partially offset by a reduction in operating expenses and services.
EBITDA and net results
The company’s EBITDA was Ps.678 million, compared to Ps.584 million in the same period of the previous year. TV Azteca reported operating income of Ps.480 million, from Ps.417 million a year ago.
The main variations below EBITDA were as follows:
Reduction of Ps.103 million in other financial expenses that reflect expenses related to the cancellation of foreign exchange hedges and interest on the company’s cost-bearing debt a year ago.
Foreign exchange gain of Ps.229 million, compared to a foreign exchange loss of Ps.209 million in the same quarter of 2021 as a result of a dollar net liability monetary position, together with the appreciation of the exchange rate of the peso against the dollar this period, compared to depreciation the previous year.
Reduction of Ps.99 million in the balance of discontinued operations due to losses related to the discontinued operation of Azteca Comunicaciones Perú this quarter, compared to profit from the operations of the company a year ago.
TV Azteca recorded a net income of Ps.285 million in the quarter, from a net loss of Ps.281 million the previous year.
Balance Sheet
As of March 31, 2022, TV Azteca’s debt with cost was Ps.12,432 million, compared to Ps.12,548 million from the previous year.
The balance of cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter was Ps.949 million, compared to Ps.1,671 million a year ago. The company’s net debt as of March 31, 2022 was Ps.11,483 million, from Ps.10,877 million the previous year.
The restricted cash balance — which reflects the amount to cover payments for content exhibition rights and other short-term obligations of the company — was Ps.1,655 million, compared to Ps.246 million a year ago.
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