Paramount sees strong streaming numbers in Q2
Paramount sees strong streaming numbers in Q2
The rest of the company’s earnings report was more mixed, but Paramount leaders are confident in the company’s future steps.
In the midst of legal chaos, Paramount Skydance still has to perform everyday corporate tasks like issuing quarterly earnings reports. The company has now shared its earnings results for the second quarter of 2026, and the data shows that while Paramount+ had a good three-month period, its gains weren’t quite enough to offset losses from other segments of the global entertainment company.
Key Details:
- Jumping forward: Paramount+ added 2 million customers in Q2, reaching 81.6 million.
- Bottom line: Net income fell to $41 million in the quarter.
- Confident message: Paramount CEO David Ellison remains confident that Paramount’s merger with WBD will close.
Paramount+ added 2 million subscribers in the second quarter, hitting a grand total of 81.6 million. That’s more than double the number of customers the streamer picked up in Q1, and it helped streaming revenue rise by 9% to $2.5 billion across the company. Paramount Skydance executives say Q2 was the streamer’s lowest period in terms of churn in its history.
Studio revenue rose 16% quarter-over-quarter, but fell year-over-year. Linear revenue slipped 9% to $3.1 billion, and advertising revenue dropped 14%. Affiliate revenue fell 6% for Paramount in the quarter, reflecting continued pay-TV subscriber losses thanks to cord-cutting.
In a letter to shareholders, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison said that executives “fully expect” the company’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery to close. The lawsuit now faces multiple lawsuits, and Paramount has agreed to pause the deal’s closure until those suits can be resolved, or until June 2027 — whichever comes first.
This week, the judge presiding over a lawsuit brought by 12 state attorneys general set a trial date of March, despite Paramount’s lobbying for a November date. The case will draw a huge amount of attention, but lawyers for both sides now have several months to prepare their best arguments to determine the merger’s ultimate fate.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.