GMA NETWORK DECLARES CASH DIVIDEND BIGGER THAN LAST YEARS' EARNINGS!

GMA Network Inc.’s board of directors yesterday approved the release of cash dividends totalling P1.215 billion at P0.25 per share.

In a statement, GMA said the cash dividends are payable on May 19, 2015 to shareholders on record as of April 24, 2015.  

The P1.215 billion dividends represent a payout ratio of 120 percent in relation to the company’s 2014 net income. Since its initial public offering in 2007, GMA has returned a total of P15.456 billion to its shareholders.

“2014 was both challenging and rewarding. On one hand, our consolidated revenues dropped 8 percent to P11.939 billion, while net income settled at P1.010 billion primarily due to the absence of political advertisements,” said Felipe L. Gozon, GMA chairman and chief executive officer.  

“On the other, our efforts to efficiently manage our costs resulted in flat operating expenses of P10.569 billion with a 7 percent reduction in our production cost without compromising the quality of our programs,” he added.

Gozon expressed optimism for 2015, seeing marked improvements at the onset of the year.  

“If the first three months are any indication, it reinforces our view that it will be a much better year for the company. Likewise, we see exciting times ahead for our viewers as we launch new, game-changing programs in the coming months,” he said.

GMA said it sustained its lead in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila for the full year of 2014. Based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, GMA cemented its total day household shares supremacy in the two areas, while leading across all day parts including the primetime slot.

GMA added its flagship AM station DZBB had a banner year in 2014 as it became number one in Mega Manila in the second quarter, due to stronger news and public affairs programming and efforts to garner and keep the trust of its listeners through its brand of Serbisyong Totoo.

The company said it continues to gain ground worldwide as its international business unit generated revenues of P1.070 billion, following the increase in subscribers of GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International by 4 percent, 8 percent and 59 percent, respectively.

Audiences in Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Nigeria, among others, continue to enjoy popular Kapuso programs as GMA Worldwide, its global content distribution and acquisition arm, sold an aggregate 2,052 hours of locally-produced programs and movies, the company noted. 

GMA New Media, Inc.’s online advertising revenues surged by 79 percent versus 2013, driven by the sustained growth in page views and unique browsers for both GMA News Online and the GMA Network Portal, GMA’s official entertainment website. 

The increase is also attributed to the strategic and aggressive use of social media and to enhancements that have made the websites more intuitive, relevant and reader-friendly, the company said.

GMA won its fourth George Foster Peabody Award for its special coverage of typhoon Yolanda in 2014, noting it remains to be the only news and public affairs organization in the country to have received this most coveted award for broadcast excellence.

SOURCE