MADISON SQUARE GARDEN ENTERTAINMENT CORP. REPORTS FISCAL 2025 SECOND QUARTER RESULTS

Christmas Spectacular Production Delivers Another Year of Record-Setting Revenues

Approximately 1.1 Million Tickets Sold During 91^st Holiday Season

$25 Million in MSGE Class A Shares Repurchased During Fiscal 2025 Second Quarter

NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (NYSE:MSGE) ("MSG Entertainment" or the "Company") today reported financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2024.

The fiscal 2025 second quarter was highlighted by another record-setting run for the Christmas Spectacular. In its 91st holiday season, approximately 1.1 million tickets were sold across 200 shows, as compared to over 1 million tickets sold over 193 shows last season. During the quarter, the Company also welcomed a wide variety of other live events across its portfolio of venues, including the return of the New York Knicks ("Knicks") and New York Rangers ("Rangers") to the Madison Square Garden Arena ("The Garden") for the start of their 2024-25 regular seasons. In addition, in December, the Company announced that it had repurchased approximately $25 million of its MSGE Class A common stock.

For the fiscal 2025 second quarter, the Company reported revenues of $407.4 million, an increase of $4.8 million, or 1%, as compared to the prior year quarter. In addition, the Company reported operating income of $139.0 million, an increase of $1.6 million, or 1%, and adjusted operating income of $164.0 million, an increase of $3.9 million, or 2%, both as compared to the prior year quarter.⁽¹⁾ Fiscal 2025 second quarter operating income included $4.5 million and adjusted operating income included $3.1 million, respectively, in executive management transition costs. Excluding these costs, operating income would have been $143.5 million, an increase of 4%, and adjusted operating income would have been $167.2 million, an increase of 4%, both as compared to the prior year period.

Executive Chairman and CEO James L. Dolan said, "We continue to see strong demand for our live entertainment offerings, highlighted by another record-setting run for the Christmas Spectacular production. We remain confident in the strength of our business and expect to deliver solid adjusted operating income growth this fiscal year."

Results for the Three and Six Months Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

Entertainment Offerings, Arena License Fees and Other Leasing

Fiscal 2025 second quarter revenues from entertainment offerings of $318.3 million were essentially unchanged as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to lower-event related revenues, largely offset by an increase in revenues from the Christmas Spectacular production and higher revenues subject to the sharing of economics with MSG Sports pursuant to the Arena License Agreements.

• Event-related revenues decreased $22.5 million, primarily due to lower revenues from concerts and, to a lesser extent, lower revenues from other live entertainment and sporting events held at the Company's venues. The decrease in revenues from concerts reflects lower per-concert revenues, primarily due to a shift in the mix of events at The Garden from promoted events to rentals, and a decrease in the number of concerts at The Garden, both as compared to the prior year quarter.
• Revenues from the Christmas Spectacular production increased $15.1 million, primarily due to higher ticket-related revenues, which reflected higher per-show revenue and, to a lesser extent, two additional performances as compared to the prior year quarter.
• Revenues subject to the sharing of economics with MSG Sports pursuant to the Arena License Agreements increased $7.7 million, primarily due to higher suite license fee revenues as compared to the prior year quarter.

Fiscal 2025 second quarter arena license fees and other leasing revenues of $29.8 million increased $4.2 million, or 16%, as compared to the prior year period, due to a combined three more Knicks and Rangers games played at The Garden in the current year period and an increase in other leasing revenues.

Fiscal 2025 second quarter direct operating expenses associated with entertainment offerings, arena license fees and other leasing of $164.3 million decreased $7.7 million, or 4%, as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to lower event-related expenses, partially offset by an increase in expenses related to the sharing of economics with MSG Sports pursuant to the Arena License Agreements.

• Event-related expenses decreased $13.7 million, primarily due to lower per-concert expenses due to a shift in the mix of events at The Garden from promoted events to rentals and, to a lesser extent, a decrease in the number of concerts at The Garden, partially offset by higher expenses for other live entertainment and sporting events.
• Expenses associated with the sharing of economics with MSG Sports pursuant to the Arena License Agreements increased $6.6 million, primarily due to higher expenses incurred as a result of the increase in suite license fee revenues.

Food, Beverage and Merchandise

Fiscal 2025 second quarter food, beverage and merchandise revenues of $59.3 million increased $0.6 million, or 1%, as compared to the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to (i) the impact of a combined three more Knicks and Rangers games played at The Garden and two additional Christmas Spectacular performances, both as compared to the prior year quarter, (ii) higher per-event revenues across both the Knicks and Rangers games at The Garden and the Christmas Spectacular production as well as (iii) other revenue increases, partially offset by (iv) lower food and beverage sales at concerts, primarily at The Garden.

Fiscal 2025 second quarter food, beverage and merchandise direct operating expenses of $32.8 million increased $2.0 million, or 7%, as compared to the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to an increase in food and beverage sales at Knicks and Rangers games at The Garden and at the Christmas Spectacular production as well as other cost increases, partially offset by a decrease in food and beverage costs related to concerts, primarily at The Garden.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Fiscal 2025 second quarter selling, general and administrative expenses of $57.2 million increased $8.8 million, or 18%, as compared to the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to (i) higher employee compensation and benefits, including the impact of executive management transition costs of $4.5 million recognized in the current year quarter; and (ii) higher rent expense, both as compared to the prior year quarter.

Operating Income and Adjusted Operating Income

Fiscal 2025 second quarter operating income of $139.0 million increased $1.6 million, or 1%, as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to lower direct operating expenses and higher revenues, partially offset by the increase in selling, general and administrative expenses. Fiscal 2025 second quarter adjusted operating income of $164.0 million increased $3.9 million, or 2%, as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to lower direct operating expenses and higher revenues, partially offset by an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses. 

Other Matters

During the fiscal 2025 second quarter, the Company paid down the full outstanding principal balance of $55 million under its revolving credit facility.

On December 3, 2024, the Company announced that it repurchased 681,593 shares of MSGE Class A common stock at an average price of $36.68 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $25 million from November 20, 2024 through December 2, 2024. Since the Company was spun off from Sphere Entertainment Co. in April 2023, the Company has repurchased 5,046,960 shares of MSGE Class A common stock for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $165 million. The Company has approximately $85 million remaining under its existing share repurchase authorization.

About Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment) is a leader in live entertainment, delivering unforgettable experiences while forging deep connections with diverse and passionate audiences. The Company's portfolio includes a collection of world-renowned venues – New York's Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and Beacon Theatre; and The Chicago Theatre – that showcase a broad array of sporting events, concerts, family shows, and special events for millions of guests annually. In addition, the Company features the original production, the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, which has been a holiday tradition for more than 90 years. More information is available at www.msgentertainment.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

During the fiscal 2024 third quarter the Company amended its definition of adjusted operating income so that the impact of the non-cash portion of operating lease revenue related to the Company's Arena License Agreements with MSG Sports is no longer excluded in all periods presented.

We define adjusted operating income (loss), which is a non-GAAP financial measure, as operating income (loss) excluding (i) depreciation, amortization and impairments of property and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets, (ii) share-based compensation expense or benefit, (iii) restructuring charges or credits, (iv) merger, spin-off, and acquisition-related costs, including merger-related litigation expenses, (v) gains or losses on sales or dispositions of businesses and associated settlements, (vi) the impact of purchase accounting adjustments related to business acquisitions, (vii) amortization for capitalized cloud computing arrangement costs and (viii) gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the executive deferred compensation plan. We believe that the exclusion of share-based compensation expense or benefit allows investors to better track the performance of the various operating units of our business without regard to the settlement of an obligation that is not expected to be made in cash. We eliminate merger, spin-off, and acquisition-related transaction costs, when applicable, because the Company does not consider such costs to be indicative of the ongoing operating performance of the Company as they result from an event that is of a non-recurring nature, thereby enhancing comparability. In addition, management believes that the exclusion of gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the executive deferred compensation plan, provides investors with a clearer picture of the Company's operating performance given that, in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the executive deferred compensation plan are recognized in Operating (income) loss whereas gains and losses related to the remeasurement of the assets under the executive deferred compensation plan, which are equal to and therefore fully offset the gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities, are recognized in Other income (expense), net, which is not reflected in Operating income (loss).

We believe adjusted operating income (loss) is an appropriate measure for evaluating the operating performance of the Company on a consolidated and combined basis. Adjusted operating income (loss) and similar measures with similar titles are common performance measures used by investors and analysts to analyze our performance. Internally, we use revenues and adjusted operating income (loss) as the most important indicators of our business performance, and evaluate management's effectiveness with specific reference to these indicators. Adjusted operating income (loss) should be viewed as a supplement to and not a substitute for operating income (loss), net income (loss), cash flows from operating activities, and other measures of performance and/or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. Since adjusted operating income (loss) is not a measure of performance calculated in accordance with GAAP, this measure may not be comparable to similar measures with similar titles used by other companies. For a reconciliation of operating income (loss) to adjusted operating income (loss), please see page 6 of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results, developments or events may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including financial community perceptions of the Company and its business, operations, financial condition and the industries in which it operates and the factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein.

Contacts:

Conference Call Information:

The conference call will be Webcast live today at 10:00a.m. ET at investor.msgentertainment.com

Conference call dial-in number is 888-660-6386 / Conference ID Number 8020251

Conference call replay number is 800-770-2030 / Conference ID Number 8020251 until February 13, 2025

Investor presentation available at investor.msgentertainment.com/events-and-presentations

 

 

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN ENTERTAINMENT CORP.

ADJUSTMENTS TO RECONCILE OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) TO

ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

The following is a description of the adjustments to operating income in arriving at adjusted operating income as described in this earnings release:

• Depreciation and amortization. This adjustment eliminates depreciation and amortization of property and equipment and intangible assets.
• Share-based compensation. This adjustment eliminates the compensation expense relating to restricted stock units and stock options granted under the Company's Employee Stock Plan and the Company's Non-Employee Director Plan.
• Restructuring charges. This adjustment eliminates costs related to termination benefits provided to certain corporate executives and employees.
• Merger, spin-off, and acquisition-related costs. This adjustment eliminates costs related to mergers, spin-offs and acquisitions, including merger-related litigation expenses.
• Amortization for capitalized cloud computing arrangement costs. This adjustment eliminates amortization of capitalized cloud computing arrangement costs.
• Remeasurement of deferred compensation plan liabilities. This adjustment eliminates the impact of gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the executive deferred compensation plan.

 

 

 

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SOURCE Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.