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ITV lifts profit resilience on Studios and digital growth as ad market softens

Story Highlights
  • ITV offset weaker linear advertising with growth at ITV Studios and digital platform ITVX, keeping 2025 profits resilient through cost savings and a stronger mix of non-advertising revenue.
  • The group is deepening its shift toward Studios and digital, exploring a potential sale of its M&E unit to Sky while targeting further growth and savings in 2026, supported by major sports rights.
  • Looking for the best stocks to buy? Follow the recommendations of top-performing analysts.
ITV lifts profit resilience on Studios and digital growth as ad market softens

Meet Samuel – Your Personal Investing Prophet

ITV plc ( (GB:ITV) ) has shared an update.

ITV plc reported full-year 2025 results slightly ahead of market expectations, with group external revenue up 1% to £3.51bn and total revenue flat, as growth in ITV Studios and digital offset a drop in linear TV advertising. Adjusted EBITA slipped just 1% to £534m despite weaker advertising, helped by £63m of permanent cost savings, while adjusted EPS fell 11% and net debt rose to £566m, leaving leverage at a modest 1.0x.

ITV Studios delivered 10% growth in external revenues, driven by strong demand from global streamers and digital exploitation of its content library, though margins softened due to mix. The Media & Entertainment division saw digital viewing on ITVX rise 16% and digital ad revenues climb 12%, but total M&E revenue declined 5% on lower TV advertising, even as cost cuts limited the profit impact.

Management highlighted that two-thirds of group revenue now comes from ITV Studios and digital M&E, underscoring a strategic shift away from reliance on traditional broadcast advertising. The board proposed a full-year ordinary dividend of 5.0p per share, about £190m in total, and reaffirmed its “More Than TV” transformation programme aimed at building a leaner, more agile, and increasingly digital business.

ITV said it remains in talks with Sky over a potential sale of the M&E business, though there is no certainty a deal will occur, a move that could significantly reshape the group’s portfolio and earnings profile. Looking to 2026, the company expects further profitable revenue growth from ITV Studios and ITVX, additional permanent cost savings of £20m, content spend of roughly £1.225bn, and a strong advertising boost from expanded coverage of the Men’s Football World Cup and England rugby matches.

The most recent analyst rating on (GB:ITV) stock is a Hold with a £0.84 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on ITV plc stock, see the GB:ITV Stock Forecast page.

Spark’s Take on GB:ITV Stock

According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, GB:ITV is a Outperform.

ITV plc’s overall stock score is driven by strong corporate event performance and positive technical indicators. The company’s financial performance is stable but faces challenges in revenue growth and cash flow management. Valuation is reasonable with an attractive dividend yield, providing a balanced investment opportunity.

To see Spark’s full report on GB:ITV stock, click here.

More about ITV plc

ITV plc is a UK-based media and entertainment group, combining a large free-to-air broadcast network with a fast-growing digital streaming platform, ITVX, and a global content production arm, ITV Studios. The company focuses on creating, producing and distributing TV content and formats worldwide, while monetising audiences through advertising, digital subscriptions and content licensing.

Average Trading Volume: 8,182,257

Technical Sentiment Signal: Buy

Current Market Cap: £2.86B

For detailed information about ITV stock, go to TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page.

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