Sky reported revenues of GBP 5.72 billion in its fiscal first half to the end of December, up 5 percent compared to a year earlier, thanks above all to a surge of customers in the UK and Ireland. Operating profit rose by 12 percent to GBP 747 million, its best-ever first-half result, with EBITDA climbing 8 percent to GBP 1.05 billion.
Sky had 21.48 million retail customers at the end of December, up by 337,000 in a quarter and by 887,000 in a year. Paid-for products grew to 55.87 million, up from 51.95 million a year earlier, with the group adding 1.1 million in the three months to December. Sky described its performance as “very strong”, as it continued to transform the group, broadening its business and expanding into new markets and customer segments.
Sky said its Q2 performance in the UK and Ireland was its best in 10 years, growing its customer base by 205,000 in the period and adding 778,000 new paid-for products. In Germany and Austria Sky added 120,000 customers in the final three months of the year, bringing total customer growth over the past year to over 370,000 and making Germany one of Europe's fastest-growing pay TV markets. Revenue increased by 10 percent to GBP 693 million. In Italy Sky increased its customers by 12,000 in the quarter and added 23,000 paid-for products but revenue declined by 3 percent to GBP 953 million.
Sky also announced that Nicholas Ferguson is to step down as the company’s chairman and as a director after 12 years on the board, with Rupert Murdoch's son, James Murdoch, to return for a second stint as chairman. Murdoch was CEO and then chairman from 2003 to 2012 but resigned from the then BSkyB following a phone-hacking scandal.
