Viacom Q4 Results Beat Estimates (VIA)

Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA), the New York City-based entertainment content company, reported better than expected fourth-quarter financial results, driven by the success of Paramount film “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”. The company also boosted its stock buyback program.

For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, Viacom reported total revenue of $4 billion, representing an increase of 22% over the same period in the previous year. Analysts were expecting the company to report fourth-quarter revenue of $3.75 billion.

Although the company’s total revenue for the quarter rose sharply, its advertising revenue growth weakened on a sequential basis, indicating that advertisers are slashing budgets due to the ongoing economic uncertainty. Advertising revenue at the company’s cable networks increased 7% in the U.S. in the fourth quarter, which is down from the 12% revenue growth registered in the U.S. in the third quarter. Internationally, the company’s advertising revenue growth was 7% in the fourth quarter, down from 14% growth reported in the third quarter.

Viacom’s third-quarter results were lifted by strong performance from its entertainment unit, Paramount Pictures. The company reported a 46% increase in revenue at Paramount Pictures. Meanwhile, revenue at cable networks rose 8% in the fourth quarter.

Excluding one-time items, Viacom reported earnings of $1.06 per share, which is above analysts’ estimate of $1.02 per share.

For the full year, the company’s revenue increased 12% to $14.91 billion. Full-year adjusted operating income increased 13% to $3.85 billion.

Philippe Dauman, President and CEO of Viacom, said that 2011 was an outstanding year, highlighted by significant creative milestones, strong top-line growth and expanded profitability across every division of the company. Dauman said that creatively, the company is at the top of its game.

Viacom also boosted its share repurchase program from $4 billion to $10 billion. During the fiscal year 2011, Viacom repurchased 55.7 million shares of its common stock at an aggregate price of $2.5 billion.

Post Written By: Ed Liston Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing in his yacht.