Astro's 1Q profit falls 21% on lower subscription and ad revenue
Revenue for the quarter slipped to RM703.09 million, down 9% from RM772.53 million in the same period last year, the pay-TV operator said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia today.
The group attributed the revenue decline to a 6% drop in television subscription revenue and a 13% fall in advertising revenue.
Despite the softer top line, Astro said engagement on its platform remained robust, with customers spending 82% of their viewing time on local content, up three percentage points quarter-on-quarter.
'We produce 10,000 hours of new content annually to satisfy this demand, ranging from well-known signatures and dramas to thought-provoking Astro Originals, animation and movies,' it said.
The group is also expanding efforts to monetise its intellectual properties (IPs) across multiple platforms — including cinemas, streaming, digital, licensing, advertising, and live experiences — to optimise content returns.
However, Astro said content piracy remains its biggest threat and stressed it is continuing efforts to combat illegal streaming. It noted that courts across Malaysia had recently ruled in its favour in a number of piracy-related cases, awarding statutory damages and tougher penalties against illegal streaming device (ISD) sellers and F&B operators streaming its content without permission.
'We will continue to lobby for further regulatory reform and enforcement activity, not just to protect Astro, but to safeguard the future of the Malaysian creative industry,' it said.
Astro added that it is maintaining a cautious outlook amid macroeconomic uncertainty, internal reforms and external headwinds, with a continued focus on cost discipline and operational resilience. — TMR
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