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Apple Losing Over $1 Billion Annually on Streaming Service, Report Says

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Apple (AAPL.O) is reportedly losing more than $1 billion annually on its streaming service, Apple TV+, according to a report by The Information on Thursday. The tech giant has invested over $5 billion per year on content since launching the service in 2019 but has cut its content spending by approximately $500 million in the past year.

Apple TV+, known for original shows like “Ted Lasso,” “The Morning Show,” and “Severance,” has struggled to keep up with competitors such as Netflix (NFLX.O), Disney+ (DIS.N), and Amazon Prime Video (AMZN.O) in terms of subscriber count. While Netflix leads the pack with 301.63 million subscribers, Apple TV+ is estimated to have reached 40.4 million subscribers by the end of 2024, according to Visible Alpha analysts.

Despite its struggles, Apple TV+ has been recognized for its quality productions, earning over 2,500 nominations and 538 awards, as highlighted by CEO Tim Cook in a January earnings call. The company has also bundled Apple TV+ with services like iCloud and Apple Music through its Apple One program, and it is available as part of a bundle with Comcast’s Peacock and Netflix at a discounted price of $15 per month.

Snap Beats Profit Estimates on Advertising Platform Strength

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Snap Inc. (SNAP) exceeded Wall Street’s quarterly profit expectations on Tuesday, benefiting from significant improvements to its advertising platform. This growth helped boost its shares by 6% in after-hours trading. Amid growing uncertainty about a potential ban of TikTok in the U.S., analysts believe Snap could capitalize on the situation.

CEO Evan Spiegel stated that the uncertainty surrounding TikTok has been beneficial to Snap, as advertisers are focused on diversifying their ad spend and contingency planning. Snap is also considering increasing the price of its Snapchat+ subscription service to further raise its average revenue per user. The company reported a significant jump in Snapchat+ subscribers, which doubled to 14 million in the fourth quarter.

Snap has been heavily investing in artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to create more personalized ads. A notable shift in its strategy has been an emphasis on direct response ads, designed to prompt specific actions like app downloads or website visits, particularly as brand awareness ads show signs of weakness. These efforts have allowed Snap to tap into small- and mid-sized businesses, which have become the largest contributors to the company’s advertising revenue growth in 2024.

The company is also planning to expand its advertising formats, such as Sponsored Snaps (video ads in users’ inboxes) and Promoted Places (business location highlights on Snap Map), into additional markets.

“Snap’s diligent work on its ad platform and diversifying its revenue streams through subscriptions have paid off,” said Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at eMarketer.

Snap reported adjusted earnings per share of 16 cents for the fourth quarter, surpassing analysts’ average estimate of 14 cents. The company also saw a 9% increase in daily active users, reaching 453 million, slightly surpassing the expected 450.8 million. For the first quarter of 2024, Snap forecasts revenue between $1.33 billion and $1.36 billion, with adjusted EBITDA expected to range between $40 million and $75 million, which is slightly below analyst expectations of $78.1 million.

Quarterly revenue rose 14% to $1.56 billion, marginally surpassing the average forecast of $1.55 billion.