T Vampugani Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform, Max, has achieved a significant milestone, amassing over 116 million global subscribers and reporting a substantial profit increase in the fourth quarter of 2024. The company attributes this growth to its strategic international expansion and the successful rebranding of HBO Max to Max.
In the final quarter of 2024, the Direct-to-Consumer segment, which includes Max and Discovery+, added 6.4 million subscribers, bringing the total to 116.9 million. This surge contributed to a profit of $409 million for the streaming division, a notable turnaround from the $55 million loss reported in the same period the previous year.
The company’s ambitious goal is to reach at least 150 million global subscribers by the end of 2026. This target is bolstered by Max’s rollout in over 70 countries, with plans to launch in Australia by March 2025 and further expansions into Germany and Italy in early 2026.
A significant driver of this growth has been the ad-supported tier of Max. The introduction of this tier led to a 27% increase in advertising revenue in the last quarter of 2024. Additionally, the average revenue per user (ARPU) in the domestic market saw a slight uptick, rising from $11.65 to $11.77.
Despite these positive developments in the streaming sector, Warner Bros. Discovery faced challenges in its traditional television networks division. The company reported an 11% decline in advertising revenues, attributed to decreasing linear TV viewership and a soft advertising market.
Looking ahead, Warner Bros. Discovery plans to continue its global expansion and enhance its content offerings to remain competitive in the dynamic streaming landscape.
