News Corp has reported a robust end to FY25, driven by strong performances from its digital real estate and information services divisions, and underscoring the company’s strategic focus on digital-first growth.
The company posted $US8.5 billion ($13.1 billion) in revenue for the year to June 30, up 2 per cent, and earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation of $US1.42 billion, up 14 per cent.
Selling Foxtel marked a key portfolio adjustment, allowing News Corp to streamline its focus and accelerate investment in higher-growth assets. The company also announced a US$1 billion share buyback, reinforcing its commitment to shareholder returns.
Dow Jones continues to lead the company’s transformation, with revenue rising nearly seven per cent to US$604 million in the fourth quarter.
Growth was driven by an increase in digital subscriptions, which now exceed six million across its suite of products, including The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and MarketWatch. The results confirm Dow Jones’ role as a critical driver of recurring, high-margin revenue.
REA performance
REA Group also delivered strong performance, with segment revenue up four per cent and profit rising 13 per cent. The company remains a pillar of News Corp’s Australian operations, benefiting from sustained interest in property platforms and ongoing product innovation.
Performance in other areas of the business was more mixed. HarperCollins faced continued headwinds and the broader news media segment remained under pressure. However, these challenges were outweighed by the resilience and scale of the digital divisions.
Robert Thomson
Chief executive Robert Thomson framed the results as evidence of a transformed company, one that has “sharpened its focus” and is positioned to deliver profitable, scalable growth.
CFO Susan Panuccio reiterated that 94 per cent of FY25 Q4 profits came from the company’s two digital pillars, an indication of where investment and leadership attention will remain concentrated.
Sale of Foxtel
Highlighting the sale of Foxtel, Thomson then mentioned the key areas of growth in the business.
“We remain dedicated to driving value across our three pillars, Dow Jones, Digital Real Estate Services and Book Publishing – which accounted for the vast majority of our total segment EBITDA for the year.
“The recent sale of Foxtel Group to our partners at DAZN further focused our portfolio and bolstered our cash position, while the teams have made savvy acquisitions for all three of the core businesses over the past year.”
Looking ahead, Dow Jones is expected to maintain margin expansion as its B2B portfolio grows, while Digital Real Estate Services will benefit from ongoing product upgrades and platform improvements, particularly in Australia, where REA’s dominance continues.
During his earnings remarks, Thomson also raised concerns about generative AI and what he described as “the biggest theft in media history.”
He criticised AI companies for “training” their models on content created by publishers without consent or compensation. Thomson also referenced Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of AI scraping, noting that “even the former President is now a copyright crusader.”
While the comment drew some attention for its tone, it underscored News Corp’s ongoing push to negotiate commercial licensing deals with AI platforms. “We have had fruitful discussions with responsible generative AI companies and believe there is scope for sensible, mutually beneficial agreements,” he said.
The remarks come amid growing global scrutiny over the intersection of artificial intelligence and intellectual property rights.