Finance
ProSieben's Core Profit Drops Due to Weak German Ad Market
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 26, 2026
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ProSiebenSat.1’s adjusted EBITDA fell 28% to €403 million in 2025 amid a soft German-speaking ad market, missing its own €420–450 million guidance, while ad revenue in DACH’s entertainment unit dropped around 8–9%; the company expects modest 2026 revenue and significant EBITDA improvement via cost c
ProSieben’s Core Profit Drops 28% in 2025 as German Ad Market Weakens
ProSiebenSat.1 Faces Ongoing Challenges Amid Weak Advertising Market
By Emanuele Berro and Cian Muenster
2025 Financial Performance and Market Conditions
March 26 (Reuters) - Media group ProSiebenSat.1 reported a 28% fall in its adjusted 2025 core profit on Thursday, as it continues to struggle with low advertising revenues and uncertainty in its home market of Germany.
Adjusted EBITDA and Revenue Decline
The company, controlled by Italy's MFE after a 2025 acquisition, said its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were 403 million euros ($466 million) last year, down from 557 million euros in 2024 and below its own guidance of 420-450 million euros.
Impact of Weak TV Advertising Environment
ProSieben has struggled with a weak TV advertising environment for several quarters, as consumer restraint in a difficult macroeconomic environment was met with cautious spending by TV advertisers, which forced the company to cut its 2025 outlook twice.
Advertising revenue for the entertainment unit in the German, Austrian and Swiss markets fell 8% compared to the prior year.
Outlook and Strategic Initiatives
2026 Forecast and Cost Reduction Measures
For 2026, the broadcaster forecast slightly lower reported revenue compared with last year's 3.68 billion euros, as it expects any improvement in TV advertising to happen only in the second half of the year.
It said EBITDA would rise significantly, helped by continued cost reductions. It did not provide a guidance for the adjusted number that would exclude one-off effects that negatively affected 2025 earnings.
Portfolio Streamlining and Asset Sales
Following MFE's acquisition and the appointment of industry veteran Marco Giordani as ProSieben's CEO, the broadcaster has sharpened its focus on its core entertainment operations and moved to streamline its portfolio and reduce debt.
The German group said earlier on Thursday it had sold comparison portals billiger-mietwagen.de and CamperDays for undisclosed amounts. It has also offloaded marketing company esome, retail media specialist Kairion and weather forecast platform Wetter.com since Giordani took the helm.
($1 = 0.8651 euros)
(Reporting by Emanuele Berro and Cian Muenster in Gdansk, editing by Milla NIssi-Prussak)
Key Takeaways
- •Adjusted EBITDA dropped from €557 million in 2024 to €403 million in 2025, missing guidance of €420–450 million (Reuters report) and confirmed by unaudited data showing a €15 million shortfall on the lower end of guidance (prosiebensat1.com).
- •Entertainment advertising revenue in German-speaking markets (DACH) declined by c. 8–9%, reflecting continued weakness in TV ad spending (investing.com).
- •For 2026, ProSieben expects slightly lower reported revenues (below €3.68 billion in 2025) but forecasts significantly higher EBITDA driven by cost reductions; adjusted 2026 EBITDA guidance excluding one-offs was not provided (ppc.land).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about ProSieben's core profit drops due to weak German ad market
1Why did ProSieben's core profit drop in 2025?
ProSieben's core profit dropped due to weak advertising revenues and uncertainty in the German market.
2How much was ProSiebenSat.1's adjusted EBITDA in 2025?
The adjusted EBITDA was 403 million euros in 2025, down from 557 million euros in 2024.
3What actions has ProSieben taken to address declining profits?
ProSieben has focused on cost reductions, streamlined its portfolio, reduced debt, and sold several non-core businesses.
4Who currently controls ProSiebenSat.1?
ProSiebenSat.1 is controlled by Italy's MFE following a 2025 acquisition.
5What outlook did ProSieben give for 2026?
ProSieben forecasts slightly lower reported revenue for 2026 and expects EBITDA to rise significantly due to continued cost reductions.