SES Returns to Growth in Q1 2017

SES headquarters

In its financial results for the first quarter of 2017, SES announced revenue of 540.6 million euros ($589.5 million), a 12.2 percent increase over the same period last year. Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization margin was 66.2 percent and operating profit margin 34.5 percent (versus 67.6 and 32.2 respectively for Q1 2016). Net profit attributable to shareholders increased 11.5 percent to 128.4 million euros ($140 million).

In April, the board of directors approved a restructuring of SES’ go-to-market organization model with the creation of two focused communities: SES Video and SES Networks.

The biggest share of revenue came from the video division at 65 percent. As of March 31, the SES global fleet carried 7,610 total TV channels, which was 4 percent higher than March 31, 2016. SES’s High-Definition (HD) TV channel count grew by 6 percent, year-on-year, to 2,496 channels, while the SES satellite network now also carries 22 commercial Ultra-HD channels.

Most recently, SES added seven additional U.S. cable operators to its Ultra-HD trials and launched the first commercial services with Highlands Cable Group and Marquette-Adams.