Earnings: Scripps Q4 Income Down 8 Percent; Interactive Down 7.8 Percent On uSwitch Weakness

Scripps (NYSE: SSP), which is in the process of splitting down the middle, reported Q4 revenue of $679 million, down slightly year-on-year from $683 million. Net income declined 8 percent to $123 million ($.75/share) from $133.9 million ($.80/share). The company’s businesses are going in different directions. Scripps Networks revenue grew 13.7 percent, to $318 million, while the newspaper and broadcast businesses declined by 9.6 percent and 18.0 percent respectively. Interactive revenue declined 7.8 percent, which the company attributed entirely to UK-based U-Switch. In light of the weakness of this business, the company will take an unspecified impairment charge relating to this acquisition. Interactive revs ex-uSwitch were not given out. But it did say that quarterly revenue at Shopzilla, which had been weak, improved in the quarter. Other highlights:

— Online ad revenue at Scripps Networks grew 22 percent to $21.6 million.

— Newspaper ad revenue declined 9.6 percent to $165 million. You can blame the usual suspects: weak classifieds, housing weakness in California and Florida, fewer employment ads. Online ad revenue at the newspapers was up a modest 6.6 percent, to $9.2 million.

Release | Webcast | Transcript (via SeekingAlpha)

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