European TV production giant Banijay (Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror, MasterChef, Survivor) posted higher 2022 revenue and earnings helped by acquisitions and new hit shows, Amsterdam stock exchange-listed parent company FL Entertainment Group reported.
Banijay’s full-year revenue hit 3.20 billion euro ($3.4 billion), up 17 percent from 2.75 billion euro in 2021. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the Paris-headquartered production powerhouse, led by CEO Marco Bassetti and chairman Stéphane Courbit, rose 9 percent to 472 million euro ($502 million).
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Banijay’s content catalog expanded by 30 percent in 2022 to 160,000 hours. Its share of revenue from productions made for or distributed by local and global streaming platforms rose to 18 percent.
FL, whose other businesses include sports betting and gaming firm BetClic Everest, also touted that Banijay made “15 bolt-on acquisitions in 10 geographies” last year. Banijay has grown through acquisitions over the years, including its takeover of Zodiak Media in 2016 and Endemol Shine Group in 2020.
FL in July became listed on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange.
CEO François Riahi said that 2022 “was an outstanding year for FL Entertainment.” He added, “In content production and distribution, strong profitable growth is linked both to new shows, including scripted hits Marie Antoinette and SAS Rogue Heroes, and the continued evolution of our unscripted superbrand offering built on powerful (intellectual property), such as MasterChef, Big Brother and Survivor, which are relaunching in key markets and entering new territories.” Marie Antoinette has been a hit for the BBC and Canal+ and will premiere in the United States on PBS this weekend.
Riahi also touted that the expanded catalog would be “cementing our position as the number 1 global independent content producer.” And he signaled potential further dealmaking, saying: “We are perfectly positioned in this business to capture market consolidation opportunities going forward.”
