UFC’s New Pact With Paramount Skydance Lifts TKO’s Q1 Earnings
The company said a $51.2 million UFC media-rights increase helped lift adjusted EBITDA 32% as live-events revenue softened.
- TKO Group Holdings reported Q1 revenue of $1.6 billion, a 26 percent increase year over year, driven by the new seven-year Paramount media rights deal that began in January for the UFC division.
- Revenue at the IMG unit surged 38 percent to $655.4 million, driven by sales at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, while WWE revenue grew 22 percent following distribution agreements with Netflix and ESPN.
- Adjusted EBITDA climbed 32 percent to $550 million, prompting the board to authorize a $1 billion stock buyback that CEO Ariel Emanuel said underscores the company's "conviction in TKO and its long-term value."
- President and COO Mark Shapiro pointed to upcoming summer events, including the UFC Freedom 250 at the White House and the FIFA World Cup partnership, as key drivers for audience growth this quarter.
- TKO reaffirmed its full-year financial targets, projecting revenue between $5.675 billion and $5.775 billion for 2026 as the company expects continued momentum across its entertainment portfolio throughout the year.
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Ari Emanuel-Run TKO Group Holdings Posts Mixed Q1 Results As Paramount Rights Deal Boosts UFC
TKO Group Holdings met Wall Street analysts’ revenue expectations in the first quarter, but earnings per share either narrowly beat or fell just short of estimates. Total revenue at the Ari Emanuel-led sports and live entertainment company rose 26% from the year-ago period to reach $1.597 billion. Earnings per share came in at $1.12 on a diluted basis, up from 69 cents in the 2025 frame. Analysts from S&P Global had put the earnings bar at $1.…
TKO Reports $1.597 Billion in Revenue and $249.8 Million Net Income for Q1 2026
TKO announced first quarter 2026 financial results, recording $1.597 billion in revenue and net income of $249.8 million, with Adjusted EBITDA of $549.8 million. The results point to robust profitability across the company’s portfolio during the period. WWE generated $475.7 million of the quarter’s revenue, underscoring TKO’s diversified revenue base and continued commercial strength amid […] Source
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