BSkyB said it was on track to reach positive cashflow by the end of the year after signing up 940,000 new subscribers in the financial year to the end of June. The UK satellite television operator said it now has a total of 5.45 million subscribers.
The station, which is backed by Rupert Murdoch, posted a pre-tax loss of £214 million sterling, compared to previous figure of £127.9 million before goodwill and exceptional items.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation (EBITDA) and exceptional items rose by 67% to £224 million sterling from a previous £134 million. Analysts had been forecasting EBITDA of between £171 and £212 million.
BSkyB also said churn, which measures the percentage of subscribers that leave the service, remained largely flat on the previous quarter at 10%. Quarterly annualised average revenue per user rose to £313.
By the end of last month, BSkyB said it had 5.3 million digital subscribers. Total direct-to-home subscribers rose by 150,000 in the final quarter.
The company said that its total revenues increased by 25% to £2.3 billion while operating profit before goodwill and exceptionals rose by 88% to £160 million.
