BSkyB Profits Up 93% To £106m – Over 5 Million Subscribers

BSkyB has today announced pre-tax profits of £106 million, an increase of 93% year on year for the six months to 31 December 1995. Turnover was up by 30% to £464 million.

Sam Chisholm, chief executive and managing director of BSkyB said, “The last quarter of 1995 was our best ever; net subscriber growth of 354,000 was a record and we signed up our five millionth customer. We have increased profits and grown our subscriber base.”

All major revenue areas showed increases; Direct To Home subscription revenue was up 26% at £338m, benefiting both from growth in number of subscribers and an increase in the level of revenue per subscriber. Cable subscription revenue was up 61% from the same period last year, and advertising revenue up 19%.

In terms of subscribers, the net growth of 354,000 was up by 17% on last year. The net increase of DTH subscribers was 278,000; new dish sales were 3% higher than last year. Cancellation levels amongst DTH customers are at the same level as last year.