Warner Bros. Discovery is cutting its profit expectations for the year, saying it will likely incur costs as high as US$500 million tied to the ongoing Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strike.
The U.S. film and television industries remain paralyzed by the dual strikes. The writers strike began in May and the actors joined them on July 14.
Warner Bros. Discovery owns HBO and Max, CNN, TNT and a host of other entertainment outlets, including DC Comics.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it now expects 2023 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to be between US$10.5 billion to US$11 billion, down from US$11 billion to $11.5 billion.
“While (Warner Bros. Discovery) is hopeful that these strikes will be resolved soon, it cannot predict when the strikes will ultimately end. With both guilds still on strike today, the company now assumes the financial impact to (Warner Bros. Discovery) of these strikes will persist through the end of 2023,” the company stated.
Shares of Warner Bros., based in New York City, rose about two per cent Tuesday.
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