News Corp Reports Record Profitability on Strong Q4 Performance
Media conglomerate sees 11% revenue growth, driven by Dow Jones, digital real estate, and book publishing.
News Corp announced record profitability and an 11% increase in fourth-quarter revenue, reaching $2.34 billion and surpassing analyst expectations. The media giant attributed this success to significant growth in its Dow Jones division, digital real estate ventures, and book publishing operations.
The company reported $230 million in profit from continuing operations for the quarter, a 167% increase compared to the previous year. Adjusted earnings per share stood at 35 cents, exceeding the 24 cents anticipated by FactSet analysts.
"We concluded Fiscal 2026 with an exceptional fourth quarter performance," stated News Corp CEO Robert Thomson. "Our record performance is a product of sustained focus on, and reinvestment in, News Corp’s core growth engines and our transformation to a digital-first company underpinned by insightful and trusted content."
Divisional Performance
The Dow Jones unit, which includes The Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch, saw its revenue climb 7% to $644 million during the quarter. The real estate division experienced a 19% increase in revenue, totaling $553 million, while book publishing revenue rose 15% to $566 million.
For the full fiscal year 2026, News Corp's net income from continuing operations grew 15% to $743 million, with adjusted diluted earnings per share at $1.18. Annual revenue increased by 7% to $9.03 billion.
Artificial Intelligence Partnerships
Thomson also highlighted News Corp's engagement with artificial intelligence, emphasizing the importance of high-quality data inputs. He mentioned existing content partnerships with OpenAI and Meta, and indicated advanced discussions with other companies.
"We believe that makes News Corp an absolutely critical participant in the emerging AI ecosystem," Thomson said. "Without our journalists, our authors, our data, our brands and our professional expertise, users would be drowning in a slimy sea of AI slop."
He also addressed the issue of content pilfering, stating, "However, under our woo and sue approach, we are taking aggressive action against those who pilfer and profit from our work. We will pursue those pilferers, and companies that are clients of these crass kleptomaniacs should know they are patently in possession of stolen goods."