Time Warner Inc. reported higher earnings as cost cuts at Turner Broadcasting boosted operating income. Profits were lower at HBO as it spent on marketing and technology to launch HBO Now.
Second-quarter net income rose 14% to $971 million, or $1.16 a share, from $850 million, or 95 cents a share, a year ago.
Revenue rose 8% to $7.3 billion.
The results were ahead of Wall Street expectations. The company also reaffirmed its guidance for full-year results.
At Time Warner’s Turner Broadcasting unit, adjusted operating income rose 20% to $1.1 billion as revenue rose and costs — including programming costs — declined. Turner’s revenue rose 3% to $2.8 billion.
Ad revenue was down 1% because of the strong dollar. Domestic ad revenue was up because of growth at its news networks and strong March Madness sales. Those gains offset the absence of NASCAR programming and having fewer NBA playoff games.
Adjusted operating income fell 8% at HBO, which had higher marketing and technology costs because of the launch of the HBO Now streaming service. Revenue at HBO was up 1% to $1.4 billion.
Read more at broadcastingcable.com.
