{
  "id": 261944,
  "title": "Starz Q2 Net Loss Widens on Linear TV Decline, Universal Output Deal Exit Charge",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/starz-q2-net-loss-widens-on-linear-tv-decline-universal-output-deal",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T11:16:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TheWrap",
    "slug": "thewrap",
    "url": "https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/business/starz-earnings-q2-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Starz reported a widening net loss of $189.4 million, or $11.27 per share, in the second quarter, driven largely by a $147 million restructuring charge from exiting a Universal film deal. Excluding the charge, the company would have lost $42.2 million, or $2.27 per share, which improved compared to a $42.5 million loss a year earlier. Total revenue fell 3.6% to $307.9 million, while streaming revenue grew slightly, marking its first increase since late 2024. Linear TV revenue dropped 12% to $87 million. Despite the losses, Starz remains on track to convert 70% of its adjusted operating income into free cash flow. The company raised its forecast for both metrics and anticipates positive year-over-year streaming revenue growth for the year. Starz also launched partnerships with Peacock and Crunchyroll, expanding its reach to Comcast's 48 million Peacock subscribers. Management remains confident in the company's trajectory, with plans for additional content releases and potential M&A opportunities to accelerate growth and reduce leverage.",
  "summary": "Starz reported a widening net loss of $189.4 million for Q2 2025, primarily due to a $147 million restructuring charge related to its exit from a Universal Pay-2 film deal. Excluding this charge, the company's loss narrowed to $42.2 million, or $2.27 per share, compared to a $42.5 million loss in the same period last year. The company's total revenue fell 3.6% to $307.9 million, with its linear TV business experiencing a 12% drop to $87 million as pay TV audiences decline. However, streaming revenue showed progress, with a 0.1% increase to $221.3 million, marking the first quarter of year-over-year growth since the fourth quarter of 2024. Starz anticipates converting 70% of its adjusted operating income into free cash flow and raised its forecast for both metrics, expecting positive year-over-year streaming revenue growth for the year.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}