financial highlights the year in review. “safe harbor” disclosure certain statements included in...
TRANSCRIPT
“Safe Harbor” Disclosure
Certain statements included in this presentation constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward looking
statements. Such factors include, among others, the following: the impact of conditions in the entertainment, information and
communications industries; risks associated with the economic, political and regulatory policies of local governments and laws and policies of Canada; the potential impact of increased competition in the Company’s markets; and other factors which are described in
the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Overview of the market
• 2002 was a tumultuous year
• economic impact of the events of Sept. 11th
• capital markets impacted by an erosion of investor confidence – Enron, Worldcom
• Global ad recession – especially in Europe
• Sector uncertainty fuelled by Vivendi and TW/AOL
Response to conditions
Aggressive three-point plan
• Reduce our debt by $100 - $150 million
• Accelerate our pace to achieve consolidated EBITDA margins of 30%
• Focus on rationalizing our core assets
We delivered on the plan…
• Reduced debt from $800 million in Q1 to $630 million at year-end
• Improved our industry leading operating margins in television and radio
• Significantly reduced headcount and restructured our operations for improved efficiency and effectiveness
• Disposed of non-core assets such as Klutz, The Comedy Network and Viewer’s Choice while adding strategic assets such as W and Locomotion
…in difficult market conditions for content
• Worst market conditions in 30 years
• Supply of product was at an all-time high
• Demand dropped with a reduction in the number of buyers
• Revenue per episode dropped 30%
•Despite record levels of new productions
•Despite a strengthened competitive position
•Despite improved EBITDA for our production, distribution and merchandising divisions
Nelvana write-down
Market Focus
•Negative reaction to Nelvana
- Share price down by 30%
•Positive reaction to debt issue
- Notes continue to trade at a premium
Corus share price performance vs. Cdn. peers
-35%
-30%
-25%
-20%
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
Aug. 31 2002 vs. 2001
Corus
Alliance
CHUM Astral
Corus share price performance vs. U.S. peers
-70%
-60%
-50%
-40%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
Aug. 31 2002 vs. 2001
Corus DisneyAOL TimeWarner Viacom Clear
ChannelEmmis
Operating performance review
Revenue $284 million +24%
EBITDA $90 million +22%
Margin 31.6%
Our television assets once again delivered excellent results
Television peer comparison
CORUS ASTRAL CHUM
EBITDA $90m $89m $27m
MARGIN 31.6% 27.9% 7.5%
Television margins are superior to CHUM and Astral
Source: Annual Reports
Television peer comparison
CORUS ASTRAL CHUM
REVENUE +24% +19% +22%
EBITDA +22% +32% -16%
Television also measures up on revenue and EBITDA growth
Source: Annual Reports
Television achievements
• Relaunched WTN as W
– Audience numbers up 50%
• Relaunched Pay TV business
– Subscribers up 22%
• Launched 5 digital channels
• Acquired a 50% interest in Locomotion
• Increased our interest in Telelatino to 50.5%
Operating performance
Revenue $211 million +10%
EBITDA $53 million +10%
Margin 25%
The consolidation and relaunch of our Radio stations are also delivering improved results
Radio peer comparison
CORU
S
ROGERS ASTRAL CHUM EMMIS* CLEARCHANNEL*
EBITDA $53m $34M $8m $11m $114m $1.6b
MARGIN 25% 21% 17% 10% 44% 41%
Our radio margins are superior to both CHUM and Astral but not as good as some of the U.S. companies
*U.S. dollars
Source: Annual Reports/Public Documents
Radio peer comparison
CORU
S
ASTRAL CHUM EMMIS* CLEARCHANNEL*
REVENUE +10% +2.7% +3.0% +7.1% +42.4%
EBITDA +10% -3.2% -28.0% +6.6% +29.6
Radio also performed well on revenue and EBITDA growth
Source: Annual Reports/Public Documents
Radio achievements
• Reduced annual operating costs• Focus on cost control• Consolidation of management
– Established MBO and strategic plan process for performance based management
– System wide programming and market evaluation– Rationalized assets– Created Corus Sales University
Difficult year for Content…
• $350m write-down over the year
• Revenue per episode dropped 30%
• Collapse of the German market
• Consolidation of Canadian book
retailers
…but some successes• Positive outlook for merchandising
– Beyblade and Rescue Heroes
• Increase in episode production
• Lower cost of production
• Maintained strong U.S. presence– 24 series on air in the States
• 30% increase in library sales
• Disposition of Klutz on favourable terms