Earnings preview: MI-Fallout to boost Viacom results in Q4

Two blockbusters – A Quiet Place and Book Club – had provided a significant boost to Viacom (VIAB) earnings during the third quarter. The media giant reported earnings of $1.18 per share, surpassing analysts’ estimate of $1.07 per share. However, revenues of $3.24 had missed street consensus of $3.27 billion.

As the company reports fourth-quarter results on Friday, November 16, analysts expect earnings of 95 cents per share on a revenue of $3.34 billion. The success of Mission Impossible: Fallout during the quarter is expected to show up in earnings growth.

Licensing revenues should also see a spike during the period, helped by the new shows launched by Paramount TV on streaming platforms including Netflix (NFLX) and Amazon (AMZN) Prime Video.  Meanwhile, Nickelodeon is gradually improving ratings, primarily riding on Double Dare and other similar shows.

The New-York headquartered media conglomerate is also aggressively putting money into creating original content for its Comedy Central and MTV brands. While these initiatives are expected to weigh on its margins, they are essential to survive the cut-throat competition in the media industry.

Investors will be looking for updates on Viacom’s success in its international expansion plans. The company has been carrying out various deals with European mobile careers, besides launching Nickelodeon in Japan. Investors will be interested to know how much these growth strategies have so far helped the balance sheet.

Viacom beats earnings expectations; misses on revenue

VIAB stock has increased 30% in the past one year, though the growth hasn’t been very consistent. Analysts have an average price target of $34.60 on the stock, which is at an 8% upside from the current trading price. Out of the six analysts covering the stock, four have a HOLD rating, while the other two recommend BUY.

Follow our Google News edition to get the latest stock market, earnings, and financial news at your fingertips