Research Alert: Wmg: Strong Q2 Fy 26 Results With Double-digit Revenue Growth, Margin Expansion
CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:WMG delivered strong Q2 FY 26 results with EPS of $0.35 (consensus $0.29) versus $0.32 a year ago, and revenue of $1.73B (consensus $1.48B), up 17% Y/Y. Revenue growth accelerated to 17%, the strongest in recent quarters, with record revenue driven by double-digit growth in Recorded Music (+17%) and Music Publishing (+14%) segments. Market share gains and streaming momentum support our thesis, with streaming revenue up 20% to over $1.18B and digital revenue increasing 17% to $975M. Management expressed confidence in the FY 26 outlook, expecting cost savings to contribute 150-200 bps of margin improvement while continuing to invest in AI-related revenue streams. We expect continued operational leverage as margin expansion of 250 bps exceeded full-year guidance. WMG's balance sheet remains highly leveraged with total debt at $4.7B against cash of $741M, though free cash flow improved to $99M versus $33M a year ago, supporting continued artist investments and shareholder returns.