EQS-News: Highlight Group publishes results for fiscal year 2024

Highlight Group publishes results for fiscal year 2024

• Consolidated sales amounted to CHF 404.1 million in the reporting year, due to foreign currency effects and production-related factors (previous year: CHF 421.3 million)
• EBIT is at CHF -6.4 million
• The equity ratio decreased to 24.3 % as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: 26.8 %)

Pratteln, April 30, 2025 – The Highlight Group generates solid consolidated sales in 2024.

Group development in fiscal 2024

• In the opinion of the company, the business performance of the Highlight Group was satisfactory overall in 2024. At CHF 404.1 million, Group sales were 4.1 % below the previous year’s figure of CHF 421.3 million.
• The Film and Sport and Event segments both generated lower external sales than in the previous year due to foreign currency effects and production-related factors.
• The operating profit (EBIT) fell to CHF –6.4 million (previous year: CHF 6.9 million).
• With net result attributable to shareholders of CHF –27.7 million, compared with CHF –10.6 million in the previous year, earnings per share decreased from CHF –0.19 to CHF –0.49 year-on-year.

Development of the operating segments in 2024

Film segment

• A total of ten in-house and co-productions were made in the area of theatrical production. Filming took place for the in-house production “Der Spitzname” and the Constantin co-production “Momo” in 2024. In addition, the theatrical film version of the audience favorite “Pumuckl und das grosse Missverständnis”, the co-production “The Physician 2” and “Das Kanu des Manitu”, the sequel of one of the most successful German films in history, were produced.
  In theatrical distribution, a total of seven films were released in German movie theaters in 2024, including “Chantal and the Magic Kingdom” (“Chantal im Märchenland”) and “Der Spitzname”. In the TV exploitation/license trading business area, numerous license sales of in-house and third-party productions were again realized in 2024, with established partners as well as with new ones. In the free-TV area, the initial licenses for “Der Nachname”, “Monster Hunter”, “Welcome to Raccoon City” and “Liebesdings” had a particularly relevant impact on sales.
• Sales in the Film segment fell by 0.9 % to CHF 251.4 million in the year under review (previous year: CHF 253.6 million). Other segment income, which is largely influenced by capitalized film productions, rose by 69.0 % to CHF 144.6 million (previous year: CHF 85.5 million). At the same time, segment expenses also increased, by 17.2 % overall to CHF 387.2 million (previous year: CHF 330.5 million). At CHF 9.5 million, segment earnings were 9.2 % above the previous year’s level (previous year: CHF 8.7 million).

Sport and event segment

• In 2024, the TEAM Group focused on supporting UEFA in concluding the third and final season of the 2021/22 to 2023/24 commercial cycle.
• In the reporting period, Sport1 Medien AG focused on further optimizing its rights portfolio, improving existing and creating new digital offers and marketing environments, as well as cross-platform content utilization, networking and capitalization.
• Highlight Event AG concluded the 2024 financial year on a very successful note. Sales, management and contract implementation activities in the sponsorship area (Eurovision Song Contest and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) as well as general consulting activities and media sales (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra only) proceeded very positively.
• External sales in the Sports and Event segment amounted to CHF 152.7 million, down 9.0 % on the previous year (CHF 167.7 million). Segment expenses decreased slightly from CHF 170.9 million to CHF 168.3 million, while other income fell from CHF 6.4 million to CHF 4.8 million.

Targets for fiscal 2025

Inflation, rising energy prices, consumer behavior and the current political crises are creating increased planning uncertainty for fiscal 2025. The Board of Directors cannot rule out an impact on the Highlight Group’s operating activities.

As in the previous year, the Board of Directors is monitoring the current situation and regularly reviews the measures taken. The Highlight Group plans to return to stable and economically successful business operations with significant growth potential, thanks in part to a strong cinema program in the Film segment, including “Das Kanu des Manitu” and the teen comedy “Mädchen, Mädchen” as well as the highly successful UEFA club competitions in the Sports and Events segment.

The Annual General Meeting for fiscal 2024 is scheduled to take place on June 25, 2025.

From today, the annual report for 2024 can be downloaded from www.highlight-communications.ch in German and English.