Profits Expected In Sky Finals

Final results from broadcaster BSkyB are expected to show the rewards of three years of investment, according to analysts ABN AMRO. The company is due to release its full year results on 25 July. Despite the seasonal slowdown in the fourth quarter ABN said “we expect the figures to reveal the extent to which BSkyB’s underlying profitability has turned the corner.”

ABN AMRO has forecast pre tax profit of £201.4m, compared to £127.9m last year. This is despite an expected £10m decline in wholesale revenues, which its thought will be offset by an increase in advertising revenues from £240m last year to £276m this year, thanks to increased penetration of Sky’s channels.

BSkyB is expected to announce that it reached a subscriber base of 5.375m by the end of June, a year on year increase of 860,000, and growth of 75,000 over the final, traditionally quiet, quarter. Of this total, around 140k are expected to be remaining analogue customers.

ABN AMRO: 020 7678 0281 BSkyB: 020 7705 3000 www.sky.com

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