fuboTV - Earnings Call - Q2 2025

Executive Summary

• Fubo delivered its first-ever positive Adjusted EBITDA ($20.7M; 5.4% margin) while revenue and subscribers exceeded guidance in both North America and Rest of World, and GAAP net loss narrowed materially year over year.
• Revenue beat Wall Street consensus, and normalized EPS exceeded expectations; the company paused forward guidance and withdrew its 2025 profitability target due to the pending Disney/Hulu + Live TV combination, creating a near-term narrative shift toward deal/regulatory milestones rather than quarterly targets.
• North America revenue was $371.3M (−3% YoY) with 1.356M paid subs (−6.5% YoY); ROW revenue was $8.7M (+4.7% YoY) with 349k subs (−12.5% YoY), both above guidance, aided by disciplined marketing, PPV launch, and DAZN content partnerships.
• Advertising trends were mixed: NA ad revenue declined 2% YoY to $25.5M due to loss of ad-insertable content (WBD/Univision), offset by strength in retail/e-commerce and tech categories; management flagged modest tariff-related auto headwinds and continued double-digit growth in FAST ad channels.
• Near-term stock catalysts: regulatory progress on the Hulu + Live TV combination, launch of Fubo Sports skinny service on Sept 2, and continued product innovation (PPV, personalized features).

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

• First-ever positive Adjusted EBITDA: $20.7M; 5.4% margin, reflecting operating leverage and cost discipline.
• Guidance outperformance: NA revenue $371.3M and subs 1.356M; ROW revenue $8.7M and subs 349k, all exceeding prior guidance.
• Strategic product/content moves: PPV launch broadens funnel; DAZN partnerships in U.S./Canada; personalized features (Catch Up to Live, Game Highlights, Timeline Markers) lifting engagement.
  • “The second quarter of 2025 marked a pivotal milestone in Fubo’s business” — David Gandler, CEO.

What Went Wrong

• Advertising softness: NA ad revenue −2% YoY driven by loss of ad-insertable content (WBD/Univision).
• Subscriber declines YoY: NA subs −6.5% and ROW subs −12.5%, illustrating continued content portfolio and market competitiveness headwinds.
• Free cash flow remained negative (−$37.7M), and net cash used in operations was −$34.6M, though both improved YoY modestly.

Transcript

Speaker 6

Thank you for standing by. My name is Kate, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to FuboTV's 2Q25 earnings call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speaker's remarks, there will be a question and answer session. If you would like to ask a question during this time, simply press star followed by the number one on your telephone keypad. If you would like to withdraw your question, press star one again. Thank you. I would now like to turn the call over to Ameet Padte, SVP, FP&A, Corporate Development, and Investor Relations. Please go ahead.

Speaker 2

Thank you for joining us to discuss FuboTV's second quarter 2025 results. With me today is David Gandler, Co-Founder and CEO of FuboTV, and John Janedis, CFO of FuboTV. Full details of our results and additional management commentary are available in our earnings release and letter to shareholders, which can be found on the Investor Relations section of our website at ir.fubo.tv. Before we begin, let me quickly review the format of today's call. David will start with some brief remarks on the quarter and our business, and John will cover the financials. We will then turn the call over to the analysts for Q&A.

I would like to remind everyone that the following discussion may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal Securities Laws, including but not limited to statements regarding our financial condition, anticipated financial performance, business strategy and plans, including our pending business combination, and our products and subscription packages, market, industry, and consumer trends, and expectations regarding growth and profitability. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements are discussed in our SEC filings. Except as otherwise noted, the results we are presenting today are on a continuing operations basis, excluding the historical results of our former gaming segment, which are accounted for as discontinued operations. During the call, we may also refer to certain non-GAAP financial measures.

Reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are also available in our Q2 2025 earnings shareholder letter, which is available on our website at ir.fubo.tv. Please note as well that during Q&A, the company will not provide any information related to the pending business combination with Hulu + Live TV and ongoing regulatory matters beyond what we have already shared. With that, I will turn the call over to David.

Speaker 7

Thank you, Ameet, and good morning, everyone. We appreciate you joining us today to discuss FuboTV's second quarter 2025 results. We are pleased to report that the second quarter represented FuboTV's first quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA, an important milestone for our business. This achievement is the result of FuboTV's focused execution, our ability to deliver on consumer needs, and our commitment to value and relevance despite a fragmented and friction-filled streaming marketplace. Our global streaming business exceeded both revenue and subscriber expectations in the second quarter. In North America, we delivered total revenue of $371 million, down 3% year over year, and 1,356,000 paid subscribers, down 6.5% year over year. In the rest of the world, we closed the quarter with total revenue of $8.7 million, up 4.7% year over year, and 349,000 paid subscribers, down 12.5% year over year.

We have filed a preliminary proxy statement seeking shareholder approval of our agreement with The Walt Disney Company to combine FuboTV with Hulu + Live TV. As previously stated, we continue to be excited about the potential to increase competition and consumer choice in the pay-TV space. The anticipated timeline to close this transaction is currently the fourth quarter of calendar year 2025 or the first quarter of calendar year 2026. Closing remains subject to regulatory approvals, FuboTV shareholder approval, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. FuboTV has a demonstrated history of fighting for consumer choice, and we continue to focus on super-serving customers with flexible content options at appropriate price points. In the coming weeks, we will launch Fubo Sports, a skinny content service for sports fans. We look forward to sharing more details soon.

FuboTV's recent launch of Pay-per-View further underscores our commitment to offering flexible content experiences. This new feature allows both subscribers and non-subscribers to purchase access to premium live events, including boxing, wrestling, and soccer on a one-off basis. By opening the door to a broader audience, Pay-per-View not only expands FuboTV's reach but also creates a strategic pathway to convert casual viewers into monthly subscribers. Our strategy to introduce the FuboTV experience to new audiences is exemplified by our recent content partnership with DAZN in the U.S. Through this collaboration, Fubo Sports Network, our free ad-supported streaming TV channel, has expanded its distribution to DAZN's platform, increasing visibility and reach. In turn, FuboTV subscribers now enjoy access to a premium content package that includes the DAZN One channel, featuring select exclusive sports rights. Notably, FuboTV was first to market with this offering, reinforcing our leadership in sports streaming.

At FuboTV, we believe premium content must stand alongside product quality and user experience. Our recent launches of personalized features like catch-up to live, game highlights, and timeline markers optimize the live sports viewing experience on FuboTV and complement our strategy of delivering the moments that matter, such as scoring plays in addition to full game access. These and other engaging features enable our customers to consume content the way they choose and have driven a steady lift in time spent on FuboTV. In closing, the second quarter was a milestone for FuboTV, marked by our first-ever quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA. We continue to focus on delivering a premium sports streaming experience at scale with flexibility and choice for every consumer. We look forward to keeping you updated on our progress.

I will now turn the call over to John Janedis, CFO, to discuss our financial results in greater detail. John?

Speaker 0

Thank you, David. Our second quarter financial results reflect continued execution against our strategic priorities and profitability goals. Our performance once again demonstrates the value of our aggregated content model and technology-driven platform. As disclosed last week in the announcement of our preliminary second quarter 2025 results, the company meaningfully exceeded revenue and subscriber guidance. We delivered North America revenue of $371 million and North America paid subscribers of 1.36 million. We are pleased with our ability to deliver outperformance in the second quarter versus expectations. Ad revenue in North America totaled $25.5 million, a 2% year-over-year decline, primarily due to the loss of certain ad insertable content from Warner Bros. Discovery and TelevisaUnivision. Turning to the rest of the world, revenue was $8.7 million, and our subscriber count was 349,000, with both metrics also exceeding guidance.

Net loss narrowed to $8 million or $0.02 per share, compared to a loss of $25.8 million or $0.08 per share a year ago. We are also extremely pleased to report a second quarter adjusted EBITDA of $20.7 million, an improvement of more than $30 million year over year. As David mentioned, this marks a major milestone as our first-ever quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA. This underscores our ongoing focus on driving operating leverage in the model to best position the company for long-term growth. Net cash used in operating activities in the quarter was $34.6 million, and free cash flow declined by $2.4 million year over year to negative $37.7 million. We ended the quarter with over $285 million in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, providing ample financial flexibility. In closing, I want to emphasize how proud we are of this quarter's performance and the momentum we've sustained.

We are energized by what we believe we can achieve through our pending business combination with Hulu + Live TV and look forward to updating you on our progress. With that, I'll turn it over to the operator for Q&A.

Speaker 6

At this time, I would like to remind everyone in order to ask a question, please press star, then the number one on your telephone keypad. We request that you limit yourself to one question and one follow-up. We will pause for just a moment to compile the Q&A roster. Your first question comes from the line of Patrick William Sholl with Barrington Research. Your line is open.

Hi. Thank you. Congrats on the EBITDA profitability. In terms of the third quarter, can you maybe just talk about some of the puts and takes and how we should formulate subscriber expectations for the quarter? With the launch of products from competitors and your expected launch of a skinnier product, with the competitive environment, how should we think about the marketing efforts both to support your service relative to the traditional seasonal pattern? Thank you.

Speaker 0

Sure. Maybe I'll start. This is John Janedis. I think maybe David Gandler will jump in too. Let me just start on July. Look, that finished in line in terms of the month with what we expected in terms of subscribers. What I would tell you, though, with the fall sports season starting soon, we would expect to see the typical seasonal uptick alongside reactivations. In terms of puts and takes, we're mindful that the market is competitive. The team spends a lot of time looking at SAC conversion and churn. David, I'm not sure you have much to add on that.

Speaker 7

Yeah, I would say, as you said in July, I think July, we're seeing some relatively strong retention as it relates to our core English product. Because we've been so focused on more effective and efficient marketing, we believe that will lead to greater retention from this particular cohort going into the football season. We're going to continue to maintain an effective and efficient approach to marketing in the third quarter because we do feel that there is that tailwind that we typically see in the season.

Okay, thank you.

Speaker 6

Your next question comes from the line of Laura Anne Martin with Needham. Your line is open.

Hey. Good morning. David, I would like to go to the French acquisition. The industrial logic there, not only were they great tech guys, but we also have really great free streaming service. You were going to try to bring some of that know-how into FuboTV to offer free. Can you update us on what's happening with the French assets? Did it actually come true? Did it actually help you? I can't, you haven't done that much with free services in front of the paywall in the end, right? Can you update us on whether the logic sort of worked there? If not, why not? If so, how?

Speaker 7

Thank you, Laura. I think there were a few pieces to that acquisition that we talked about. One was, you know, our CTO, our current CTO, led the Molotov streaming platform. We've integrated the technology teams. We've been very focused on unifying our technology stack, which will give us a significant edge as we look to continue to drive value across the rest of the world. I know we've been very focused on France, but at the same time, as you know, we've been really focused on achieving our profitability targets. That has been the priority. I will say in France that, you know, we're in the midst of discussing French properties, sports properties in particular. I just don't want to talk about the ones that we're in the process of negotiating.

We believe that there will be some significant sports rights that will likely come online in the coming few weeks. We are very focused on that. I do believe that there's a significant opportunity there. The technology stack is now capable of handling multiple services that we develop. I'm very bullish on that. The other thing is we haven't really provided Molotov with a lot of the ad tech that we've been developing over the last couple of years. All of that, we believe, will become available to Molotov sometime in either end of fourth quarter or certainly around first quarter of 2026.

Interesting, David. The other one is, this is not you. This is me. The Walt Disney Company, in my opinion, has decided to collapse. They just told us that their launch of the new ESPN flagship service, ESPN+, is going to cost $30. In that, you will get free Disney+ and Hulu. They are collapsing all of their streaming services into this new ESPN flagship app. That's me. My question for you is, theoretical only, if you had an open book with unlimited access to all sports, having nothing to do with FuboTV's past, but just a much broader range of sports, and you could overlay your tech aspirations onto a consumer experience, what would you say would be the ideal sort of upgraded consumer experience over what's in the marketplace today to give your offering, your go-to-market, a competitive advantage?

Yeah, look, I think we've been very focused on two things. One, we wanted to develop a super aggregated service where we can comfortably sell standalone offerings, which we've started to do, as well as a more broad sports offering, whether it's the service or the bundle. I think that that's where we're still headed. We've seen a nice uptick on the standalone offers that we've put out there. It's become very clear that consumers are very focused on spending less rather than more. We see that in the data, at least across Latino and some of our standalone sports bundles. As it relates to a more broader opportunity, I do think that there continues to be a lot of fragmentation and confusion for consumers in the market.

We will be implementing, actually, I think we implemented as of today, and emails will be going out over the next few days, the authentication to ESPN+. My sense is that a broader package will appeal to many people. Lots of folks don't have interest in looking for programming. They're not sure where it can be found. The market's evolving quickly. I think we've been, not only have we been proactive, but we've also been reactive very quickly to ensure that we remain at the forefront for consumers. Broadly speaking, I do think that there's a need in the market for broad packages. As we've always said, the goal is to deliver value to consumers along the demand curve at different price points. That's what we'll continue to focus on. Again, as it relates to ESPN, I think everyone's looking for the right strategy.

This is just another example of a company that's looking to leverage all of its assets and create a better price-to-value equation for consumers in such a competitive environment.

Speaker 6

Your next question comes from the line of Alicia Spring Reese with Baird. Your line is open.

All right. Thanks, guys. Thanks for taking my questions. I appreciate that. Congratulations on the positive EBITDA you printed in the quarter. If I could, I'd like to start by asking about the ad trends in the quarter. Obviously, you had a nice uptick in the ad ARPU year over year. That was really nice to see. I'm wondering if you've seen a slowdown in the ad bookings related perhaps to the tariff pressure on consumer brands and if, by what you surmise, the Fubo Sports Network FAST Channel is working to offset those trends, if that's the piece that's offsetting it, or if there are other factors, if you could highlight those.

Speaker 0

Yeah. Hey, Alicia. This is John. There are a few things in there. If I missed anything, let me know. I'll start by saying on the tower front, I think I called out auto softness last quarter, particularly in foreign auto. I would say that's continued. I wouldn't call the overall decline in dollars significant. I would say maybe it's a 1% plus drag in terms of the total portfolio on growth. Outside of auto, nothing stands out as it relates to, call it, tariff-driven. More broadly on the consumer, what I would tell you is that as I look at some of the stronger categories and some of the larger categories, retail e-com is one of our top five categories, and it was up double digits. Tech was up strong double digits. I would say nothing too obvious there as it relates to the tariff piece.

More broadly on 3Q, I think too soon to call. July, as you know, is our smallest month of the quarter. I don't know that we have a strong read on back to school yet. With the sports calendar hitting later this month, I'd say we'll have a better sense of the quarter by mid to late August. One last thing I'd also add is, sorry, go.

I was just wondering if you could highlight, at least qualitatively, how the Fast Channel is contributing.

Yeah, sure. On the Fast Channels, I think what David and I have said in the past is that in terms of the totality of it, the dollars are in the mid to high singles and the growth is in the strong doubles. Over time, that number has grown, meaning as a percentage of the total. Now Fast Channels are, call it, high single digits approaching low doubles and still growing strong double digits. A modest positive talent, if you will, to the overall ad growth.

Speaker 6

Your next question comes from the line of Joseph Louis Spiezio with BTIG. Your line is open.

Hey, guys. Thanks for the question. In absence of guidance this quarter, I was just kind of hoping to get you thinking around the directional trend for EBITDA from here. If we strip out some of the one-time costs that were in the quarter, we still land at a pretty good number. I was just curious if this is maybe the new normal in terms of EBITDA profitability or if there are some seasonal fluctuations that we should keep in mind looking forward. Thanks.

Speaker 0

Yeah, sure. I'll take that. This is John. Look, I would say that, as you know, our business has been and remains seasonal. Historically speaking, Q2 has been our strongest adjusted EBITDA quarter of the year. In the back half of the year, while we grow our subs sequentially, meaningfully, typically, there's also marketing costs associated with that. I would say that the normal seasonal trends as it relates to profitability directionally should continue.

Got it. Thanks very much.

You're welcome.

Speaker 6

Your next question comes from the line of Douglas Middleton Arthur with Goober Research. Your line is open.

Yeah, thanks. Question either for David or John. Just interested in your take on the sub guide that you, the original sub guide for Q2 and then the revised sub guide a couple of weeks ago. What were the sort of puts and takes on that? A follow-up in terms of these broad relationships that you have terminated over the last several quarters, where are we in terms of the arc of those like Univision? Where do you see that sort of annualizing? Thanks.

Speaker 0

John, maybe I'll start with the sub guide. To your point, we guide more or less to where we're forecasted in terms of pacing. We came in, call it 100,000 or so ahead relative to the original guide. I would say it was a couple of things there. One was that we continue to see strong interest in the Latino product, given the price reduction there post the Univision drop. We've also seen better retention trends in terms of churn across the portfolio for the quarter.

Yeah. Just to add to that, as John said, we have had a very difficult year that I think we've performed exceptionally well in with respect to the number of content channels and partners that have been dropped since June of last year, as you've rightly stated, Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as TelevisaUnivision. I think, again, as I said earlier, it's very clear consumers are price sensitive at this point. They're looking for a tremendous amount of value. We have seen, although we ended up not able to get to a deal with TelevisaUnivision, we've still seen a pretty strong conversion uptick on our Latino packages, which John briefly mentioned in his earlier comment. We think that those deals will ultimately work themselves out. I think right now we're situated well. We've been able to stabilize the advertising business after losing a significant number of advertising-enabled channels.

We've started to put together some standalone offers. We're very focused on our skinny sports service that we've called Fubo Sports. We're really looking for a price-value equation. I think over time, particularly over the next year with some of the changes that are going to happen at the traditional media company side, we're keeping our options open. We think those things will work themselves out in due time.

Speaker 6

Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes today's call. Thank you all for joining. You may now disconnect.