WMG Fiscal Report

WMG BY THE NUMBERS: Warner Music Group Q4 revenue climbed 2% to $731 million from the same quarter the year before, while full year income slipped 3% to $2.78 billion from $2.86 billion in 2011. Digital revenue gains included 15% for the quarter (to $241 million) and 13% for the year (to $925 million), representing a third of WMG’s take. The company's net losses declined in the quarter to $18 million, vs. $103 million in the fourth quarter of 2011; for the year, losses fell to $112 million from $205 million in 2011. Recorded music grew 4% to $605 million in the quarter; while annual revenue dipped 3% to $2.27 billion. Music publishing revenue in the quarter dropped 6% to $133 million and declined 4% to $524 million for the year. Said WMG CEO Stephen Cooper: "Warner Music Group is positioned to capitalize on the industry's more stable recent trends. Among our important achievements, we grew global digital and physical recorded music sales on an aggregate basis, for the quarter and the fiscal year. And we saved twenty bucks not having to buy Lyor latkes for the office holiday party." (12/14p)