« Bruce Willis, self-proclaimed "devout fan" of TiVo | Main | No new Windows Media Center in 2005 (sorta) »

TiVo's Q4 earnings

TiVo had their fourth quarter earnings report and as you would have seen if you had clicked the link, they laid out the good stuff in an easy-to-digest bulleted list:

• Total subscription base grows to over 3 million
• Service revenues 73% higher than Q4 of last year
• Operating cash flow increases by one-third to $17.8 million
• Company plans enhanced service offerings during the year

What the big print giveth, the fine print taketh away. Their revenues and subscriptions are up, but so are their costs.

In the year ended Jan. 31, the company lost $80 million, or 99 cents a share, on revenue of $172 million. In the previous year, it lost $32 million, or 48 cents a share, on revenue of $141.1 million.

The reason that losses are up is because TiVo has been more aggressive about rebates (which we covered earlier) and acquiring new customers. (Photo from rgusick)

Update: Reactions from the blogosphere:
Ars Technica: TiVo bullish on the future, "PC experience"

What really piqued my interest were brief comments about a TiVo-branded service on the PC. The company didn't say anything beyond the fact that they are looking into this, but it would fit well with their broadband plans.

Thomas Hawk: TiVo Pauses Company Costs and Growth

Ramsay stressed profitability by year-end as the single most important element for the company in the upcoming year. Expect to see less advertising, marketing and rebates.

Om Malik: TiVo: battered, bruised and bewildered

What the company needs is: open sourcing its entire platform, so that it can attract more developers. If it doesn’t its adios TiVo.

MegaZone: Random notes from the con-call

They talked up the Tahiiti effort as bringing more value to the service this year, and highlighted three main thrusts:
- Support, through TiVoToGo, for multiple portable media devices.
- a TiVo branded experience on the PC (Ed.Note: *THIS* has me very curious, but no details were presented.)
- Broadband content delivery

by George Hotelling March 10, 2005 in TiVo

Comments