Taxes Take Toll On Crown Media Q4 Earnings

By Jon Lafayette
published

Crown Media Holdings announced lower fourth-quarter earnings despite a double-digit increase in revenue because of provisions for taxes.

Net income fell to $26.7 million, or 7 cents a share, from $70 million, or 19 cents a share, a year ago because the company made a $17.2 million provision for taxes this quarter versus a $44.8 tax benefit a year ago. EBITDA was $56.1 million for the quarter, compared to $38.5 million a year ago.
Revenue rose 16% to $118.4 million. Advertising revenue increased 17% to $97.3 million. Programming costs were flat.

“Crown Media experienced strong ratings growth and operating results in fourth quarter and full year 2013, driven by our strategy to expand and enhance our original programming slates for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel,” Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, said in a statement. “We are well-positioned at the outset of 2014 to build on the momentum we saw last year and further drive our bottom line.”

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.