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Enders Analysis provides a subscription research service covering the media, entertainment, mobile and fixed telecommunications industries in Europe, with a special focus on new technologies and media.

Our research is independent and evidence-based, covering all sides of the market: consumers, leading companies, industry trends, forecasts and public policy & regulation. A complete list of our research can be found here.

 

Rigorous Fearless Independent

Mobile service revenue growth slowed again this quarter—now at +3%—as the impact of the 2022 price rises waned further, but a strong B2B performance for some compensated for consumer weakness.

Q2’s boost from bumper price rises will unwind over the following quarters as customers re-contract and face much lower increases next spring due to the inflation outlook.

Given the temporary nature of in-contract price rises, and the more permanent nature of elevated cost bases, new-customer pricing now appears to be edging upwards, and the case for consolidation is strengthened.

Enders is clear: there is nothing the CBI can do to convince her research firm to reinstate the membership that she cancelled in the wake of the allegations.

“I don’t want to wait for any changes. I just fundamentally believe that there is nothing to be gained.”

Furthermore, she said she felt “completely let down” by the lobbying efforts of the CBI, which Enders Analysis joined before the EU referendum in the hope of amplifying the voice of business and influencing trade issues. “They simply did not have influence on government policy. Do they now?”

The government has suspended all official contact with the CBI pending the outcome of the confidence vote.

Alice Enders, a music industry analyst at the London-based Enders Analysis, said that under the watch of Masuch, BMG had “constantly grown” as the former economics student had prioritised sound financial management and taken advantage of the benefits of being owned by the cash-rich Bertelsmann.

“A lot of it is not organic growth — it’s through investment,” she said. But she added that Bertelsmann had “put a lot of money” behind Masuch because of BMG’s “very attractive” earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation margin of more than 22 per cent last year."

As younger viewers continue to migrate from linear TV to online video-sharing platforms, engaging with the audiences on these platforms is no longer simply an opportunity, but a necessity.

However, this ecosystem offers broadcasters limited monetisation opportunities, reduced audience data and worse attribution than the more lucrative broadcast TV model.

In this fragmented media landscape, broadcasters must maximise their digital reach and exploit incremental revenue opportunities, although linear channels and owned-and-operated platforms will continue to provide the bulk of revenues.

BT hit all its targets for the 2022/23 financial year, ending the year with a (predicted) consumer service revenue growth slowdown but a surprisingly strong B2B performance fully compensating.

Investors were disappointed in the outlook for cashflow in 2023/24, with tax benefits being absorbed by the cost of faster-than-expected full fibre adoption, ignoring that this is good news rather than bad.

Next quarter the company will get a substantial boost from the price rises, and in the longer term an even more substantial boost from the completion of the full fibre build is looking increasingly secure.