SiriusXM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) faced a setback today as its stock took a hit following the release of its first-quarter earnings report. While the company exceeded revenue expectations, its full-year guidance fell short of projections, and its growth trajectory remained lackluster.
The stock was down 4.9% as of midday, reflecting investor concerns about SiriusXM’s ability to drive growth in the face of declining self-pay subscribers and overall revenue. The company lost 359,000 self-pay subscribers, bringing its total to 33 million, due to a drop in trial starts and higher monthly churn rates.
Despite a 1% decrease in overall revenue to $2.16 billion, SiriusXM’s revenue specifically fell by 1% to $1.7 billion. However, Pandora saw slightly better growth, with ad revenue increasing by 7% while subscription revenue dropped by 1%.
On the positive side, adjusted EBITDA rose by 4% to $650 million, and earnings per share improved from $0.06 to $0.07 compared to the same quarter last year. CEO Jennifer Witz expressed satisfaction with the company’s financial performance, highlighting record ad revenue and strong consumer engagement with new content.
Looking ahead, SiriusXM reiterated its 2024 guidance, projecting revenue of $8.75 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $2.7 billion, and free cash flow of $1.2 billion. While these figures are solid, concerns about growth persist, keeping the stock under pressure.
Investors are advised to carefully consider the company’s performance and outlook before making investment decisions, as SiriusXM’s stock may continue to face challenges until it demonstrates sustained growth.