Nexstar 1Q Revenue Moves Up 1.8%

Nexstar Media Group this morning reported financial results for the first quarter that included net revenue of $626.6 million, up 1.8% from $615.3 million in 1Q 2018.

The revenue numbers break down to:

• Local revenue of $188.2 million, a decrease of 2.6% from a year ago.
• National revenue of $63.7 million, down 5%.
• Retransmission consent revenue of $314 million, an increase of 13.8%.
• Political revenue of $1.3 million, down 86%.
• Digital revenue of $53 million, down 16%.
• Trade and barter/other revenue of $6.7 million, down 4.6%.

First quarter net income totaled $56.9 million, up 20.2%. Broadcast cash flow totaled $207.8 million, up 1.6%.

Perry A. Sook, Nexstar chairman, president and CEO, said: “Our record first quarter 2019 results, before one-time expenses, reflect another period of operating and growth momentum and represent the start of a very exciting year for Nexstar as we balance our focus on current operations, including preparations for the 2020 election cycle and a significant level of retransmission consent agreement renewals, with the expected completion of the highly accretive Tribune Media transaction later this year.

“We generated record first quarter net revenue, despite the absence of non-recurring political and Olympic revenue, which led to record first quarter operating income, net income, BCF, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow of $125.8 million before $5.4 million of one-time transaction expenses. For the quarter, we delivered about 20% of every net revenue dollar to the free cash flow line allowing us to invest in our local media platform and content as well as initiatives to drive shareholder returns. Reflecting our return of capital, leverage reduction and total shareholder return focus, during the first quarter we paid down funded debt by approximately $92.0 million while returning approximately $21.0 million to shareholders through our recently upsized quarterly cash dividend.

“During and just subsequent to the end of the first quarter we announced three definitive divestiture agreements marking further progress with our comprehensive regulatory compliance plan which moves us closer to completing the strategic and financially compelling Tribune Media transaction. In aggregate, and concurrent with the closing of the Tribune transaction later this year, we will divest a total of 21 stations in 16 markets for gross proceeds of $1.36 billion.

“The total gross proceeds from the proposed station divestitures exceed our initial estimate by approximately 36%, while the cash flow to be divested, inclusive of the elimination of certain synergies, is less than those in our prior projections. As a result, our borrowings and leverage will be lower than anticipated at closing which collectively serves to reinforce our confidence that the Tribune transaction will result in approximately 46% growth in Nexstar’s average annual free cash flow in the 2018/2019 cycle to approximately $900 million.

“First quarter television advertising revenue excluding political advertising declined by $8.5 million or 3.3%, reflecting approximately $20.0 million of Winter Olympics net revenue recorded in the comparable 2018 period, which was non-recurring in 2019. Excluding political, TV ad spending increased by low single digits on a percentage basis in January and March, partially offset by a high single digit decline in February related to the absence of Olympic ad spending. Importantly, our local teams remain on track to meet our full year expectations for non-political television advertising revenue growth in the low single-digit range.

“Combined first quarter digital media and retransmission fee revenue of $366.8 million rose 8.3% over the prior-year period and accounted for 58.5% of net revenue compared to 55.1% of net revenue in the 2018 first quarter, illustrating again the positive and ongoing shift in our revenue mix. Retransmission fee revenue increased by $38.0 million or 13.8% over the prior-year period, reflecting recent renewals of distribution agreements with multichannel video programming distributors, and contributions from distribution agreements with various OTT providers.

“With retransmission consent agreements representing approximately 10.0% of our subscriber base renewed in late 2018 and more than 70% to be renewed by 2019 year-end, continued revenue growth from this source remains highly visible for 2019 and beyond. First quarter 2019 digital revenue declined by approximately $10.0 million or 15.9%, primarily due to marketplace changes which affected select demand-side platform customer buying with local customer buying trends remaining on track, as well as approximately $1.0 million of cyclical Winter Olympics net digital revenue recorded in comparable 2018 period.

“The rise in first quarter station direct operating expenses (net of trade expense) primarily reflects the growth in budgeted increases in network affiliation expense. The $4.0 million or 3.4% decline in SG&A expense primarily reflects the decrease in variable costs of our legacy stations related to special political programming and sales that occurred in the 2018 first quarter. First quarter corporate expense excluding non-cash compensation and one-time transaction expenses was essentially flat, and in line with our expectations.

“Overall, we believe our first quarter results continue to highlight the value of the strategy we’ve successfully executed for over 23 years. During this period, the company has grown from a single station to become an industry leader based on our disciplined approach to completing accretive acquisitions, a focus on enhancing the operating results of acquired stations and digital media properties, and an organization-wide commitment to localism. At the same time, our development of complementary retransmission and digital revenue streams have materially diversified our revenue mix and we continue to focus on implementing new standards and technologies to monetize the unrivaled reach, trust and influence of our leading local platforms.

“We also we continue to raise our commitment to support the evolving needs of the viewers, businesses and local communities that we serve each day by working with our network partners and distributors to deliver our content anywhere, anytime and on any device. This approach has positioned Nexstar to continue investing in our business and our employees, while reducing leverage and returning capital to shareholders.

“Since the beginning, Nexstar has remained true to our mission of upholding the public interest principles of localism, diversity and unbiased broadcast journalism. In the face of our unregulated competition, our company and industry continue to support the preservation of democratic life in America by putting in the hard work and making the investments necessary to deliver the local stories that matter to our local communities who rely on our stations to sort the facts from falsehoods.

“As Nexstar stands at the precipice of completing our transformative acquisition of Tribune Media making us the largest company in local television broadcasting, we have identified many opportunities in acquired markets to add more local programming and enhance overall community involvement. Similar to the Media General transaction, the resources of the combined company will allow us to once again expand our Washington DC news bureau, as well as fund and create additional news bureaus in state capitals across our footprint and make other enhancements focused on expanding audience reach and engagement.

“Looking ahead, with significant and growing free cash flow and the expected closing later this year of the Tribune Media transaction, Nexstar is positioned with the financial capacity and flexibility to reduce leverage while returning capital to shareholders and in January we announced a 20% increase in the amount of our quarterly cash dividend. “As we begin to benefit from initial contributions from Tribune later this year, the continued double-digit growth of combined retransmission and digital revenue, a large number of distribution contract renewals at 2019 year-end and the return of the political cycle with the upcoming 2020 presidential election, we have excellent visibility to delivering on our free cash flow and leverage targets and a clear path for the continued near- and long-term enhancement of shareholder value.”

Read the company’s report here.