# ITV Reports 2025 Results as Streaming Growth Offsets Advertising Pressure

- Link: https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/itv-reports-2025-results-as-streaming-growth-offsets-advertising-pressure/4121242936
- Published: 2026-03-05T08:14:55+00:00
- Author: Jacob Brown

**[ITV plc](https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/ftse-company/itv-plc/itv.l) 
Full-Year results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2025**

**_Carolyn McCall, ITV Chief Executive, said:_**

_“ITV delivered a good performance in 2025, ahead of current market expectations
and against a challenging market backdrop.  With a strong digital platform, we have
successfully capitalised on growth opportunities, delivered resilient profits and
generated good levels of cash._

_“Our results demonstrate the scale of our transformation as we continue to successfully
execute our More Than TV strategy. As part of the strategy, in 2022 we set intentionally
ambitious targets and have been adapting as necessary in a rapidly evolving media
and entertainment market. These targets are helping us transform ITV – creating 
a much more entrepreneurial, ambitious culture. Our strategy is yielding clear results,
generating strong outcomes across both ITV Studios and M&E. And in doing so, we 
have achieved a key strategic goal with two-thirds of our revenues now coming from
ITV Studios and our digital M&E business._

_“ITV Studios continues to outperform the wider market, a testament to its world-
class talent, global scale, diversification, and unique IP library. At the same 
time, ITVX is successfully driving profitable growth in digital viewing and revenue.
This growth is underpinned by the reach and strong cash generation of our broadcast
business. We have an exceptional content line-up for 2026, and are the only commercial
streamer and broadcaster in the UK with rights to both the significantly expanded
Men’s Football World Cup, and every England Men’s rugby match._

_“In line with ITV’s dividend policy, the Board is proposing a 5.0p per share full
year ordinary dividend, bringing the total paid for this financial year to around
£190m._

_“We have created two resilient and attractive businesses, and ITV today is a demonstrably
leaner, more agile and increasingly digital business, well adapted to deliver future
growth. As we head into 2026 and beyond, we are focused on delivering continued 
strategic progress, driving profitable growth and strong cash generation, underpinned
by our unwavering value creation strategy.”_

**Highlights:**

**Full year 2025 – financial performance ahead of current market expectations**

Group total external revenue was up 1% and Group total revenue was flat year on 
year, with 5% growth in ITV Studios’ total revenues and 10% growth in digital revenues,
offsetting the decline in linear advertising against a strong 2024 comparative. 
Group adjusted EBITA was down only 1% year-on-year, with tight cost management largely
offsetting the decline in TAR. Group adjusted EPS was down 11% to 8.5p.

ITV Studios reported a strong performance with 10% growth in external revenue, reflecting
strong demand from global streaming platforms. In addition, we generated double-
digit revenue growth in Zoo 55, as we maximised the value of our high-value content
library through digital distribution. ITV Studios’ adjusted EBITA was £297m (2024:
£299m), with an adjusted EBITA margin of 13.9% (2024: 14.7%), which reflects the
change in revenue mix year-on-year as previously guided.

M&E delivered a solid performance in 2025, as ITVX continues to drive strong viewing,
up 16%, and digital advertising revenues, up 12%.  Total revenue was down 5%, as
a result of a 5% decline in ITV TAR (vs guidance of down 6%), against a strong advertising
performance in 2024, driven by the Men’s Euros. M&E adjusted EBITA was down 6%, 
due to the decrease in TAR offset by significant cost savings.

In total across the Group, we achieved £63m of permanent non-content cost savings
which funded investments and offset inflation, along with £15m of temporary savings
in M&E in response to the softer advertising demand in Q4 2025, as previously guided.
In total, ITV has now delivered £253m of permanent cost savings since the start 
of 2019.

Following our announcement in November 2025, we remain in discussions with Sky regarding
a possible sale of the M&E business. There can be no certainty as to whether a transaction
will take place and an update will be made in due course.

**Outlook – Confident in delivering profitable revenue growth in ITV Studios and
ITVX, with continued cost management and strong cash generation, underpinned by 
our leading linear broadcast business**

ITV Studios is on track for another year of good growth in total revenue in 2026,
ahead of the market, driven by external revenue. Full-year adjusted EBITA margin
is expected to be at the lower end of the 13% to 15% range, reflecting the revenue
mix in the year.  Revenue, margin and profit will be weighted to H2, due to the 
phasing of scripted deliveries and timing of high-margin licensing deals.

We expect M&E to continue to generate strong, profitable digital advertising revenue
growth driven by the success of ITVX, which has already recouped its entire investment,
four years earlier than expected. We will continue to expand our non-advertising
digital revenues, building on our progress to date.

Q1 TAR is forecast to be down around 2%, which is better than we expected. As is
normal, advertisers are holding back budgets in order to spend in Q2 and Q3 around
the expanded Men’s Football World Cup. We are showing 19 more matches than in 2022,
and with more matches at peak time. We are confident that the football will deliver
a strong advertising performance.

As part of the continuing cost-saving programme, we will deliver a further £20m 
of additional permanent non-content cost savings in 2026 as we continue to create
a leaner business. We expect our total content spend to be around £1.225bn in 2026,
as we continue to optimise our content spend to best reflect viewer dynamics.

**2025 Group Financial Performance**

| **Twelve months to 31 December** | **2025**** ****£m** | **2024**** ****£m** | **Change****               ****£m** | **  Change**** ****%** | 
| ** ITV Studios total revenue** | **2,130** | **2,038** | **92** | **5** | 
| Total advertising revenue | 1,723 | 1,820 | (97) | (5) | 
| M&E non-advertising revenue | 268 | 282 | (14) | (5) | 
| **M&E total revenue** | **1,991** | **2,102** | **(111)** | **(5)** | 
| **Total group revenue** | **4,121** | **4,140** | **(19)** | **–** | 
| Internal revenue^([[3]](https://www.londonstockexchange.com/#_ftn3)) | (610) | (652) | 42 | 6 | 
| **Group external revenue** | **3,511** | **3,488** | **23** | **1** | 
| **Total non-advertising revenue** | **2,398** | **2,320** | **78** | **3** | 
| ITV Studios adjusted EBITA | 297 | 299 | (2) | (1) | 
| M&E adjusted EBITA | 234 | 250 | (16) | (6) | 
| **Adjusted EBITA** | **531** | **549** | **(18)** | **(3)** | 
| Unrealised profit in stock adjustment | 3 | (7) | 10 | 143 | 
| **Group adjusted EBITA** | **534** | **542** | **(8)** | **(1)** | 
| **Group adjusted EBITA margin** | **15.2%** | **15.5%** | **–** | **(0.3)% points** | 
| **Profit before tax (statutory)** | **338** | **521** | **(183)** | **(35)** | 
| **Profit before tax (adjusted)** | **448** | **472** | **(24)** | **(5)** | 
| **Adjusted EPS** | **8.5p** | **9.6p** | **(1.1)p** | **(11)** | 
| **Statutory EPS** | **5.9p** | **10.4p** | **(4.5)p** | **(43)** | 
| **Net debt as at 31 December** | **(566)** | **(431)** | **(135)** | **(31)** | 
| **Reported net debt to adjusted EBITDA leverage** | **1.0x** | **0.7x** | **–** | **–** |

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