Live Nation Entertainment (LYV) Misses Q2 EPS by 59c, Revenues Plunge 98%

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) reported Q2 EPS of ($2.67), $0.59 worse than the analyst estimate of ($2.08). Revenue for the quarter came in at $74.1 million versus the consensus estimate of $268.37 million.

• 6% of Fans Opting to Keep Tickets for Rescheduled Shows
• 19 Million Tickets Sold to More Than 4,000 Concerts and Festivals Scheduled for 2021
• $800 Million Cost Reduction Program Target in 2020
• $1.4 Billion Cash Management Program Target in 2020

Over the past three months, our top priority has been strengthening our financial position to ensure that we have the liquidity and flexibility to get through an extended period with no live events. Our expectation is that live events will return at scale in the summer of 2021, with ticket sales ramping up in the quarters leading up to these shows.

Confidence in the Future of Live

Importantly, we remain confident that fans will return to live events when it is safe to do so. Our strongest indicator of demand is that fans are holding on to their tickets, even when given the option of a refund. Through the end of the second quarter, 86% of concert fans are keeping their tickets for rescheduled shows, demonstrating their continued desire to attend concerts in the future despite the current uncertainty.

Our expectations for a robust outdoor summer season in 2021 are also reinforced by the two-thirds of fans keeping their tickets for canceled festivals so they can go to next year\'s show, along with strong early ticket sales for festivals in the UK next summer – for example, Download and Isle of Wight are pacing well ahead of last year.

Between the tickets held by fans for rescheduled shows and these festival onsales, we have already sold 19 million tickets to more than four thousand concerts and festivals scheduled for 2021, creating a strong baseload of demand that is pacing well ahead of this point last year. At the same time, surveys continue to show that concerts remain fans\' highest priority social event when it is safe to gather, with almost 90% of fans globally planning on attending concerts again.

Keeping Artists and Fans Connected

Understanding that it will be some time before we put on concerts at scale, we are innovating to find new and creative ways to help keep artists and fans connected in the meantime. Virtual concerts have proven to be in huge demand with fans, so we established the \"Live From Home\" platform to provide a convenient place for fans of all types to find performances from their favorite artists.

In the second quarter, we had 67 million fans view over 18 thousand concerts and festivals globally. Among our highlights, this past weekend we streamed 150 performances for our Virtual Lollapalooza Festival. Given the tremendous popularity of these shows, we are seeing the potential for live streaming to become an additional long-term component of our concert business, allowing fans in other cities, or those who can\'t attend, to enjoy the concert as well.

At the same time, recognizing fans want to get back to attending concerts in person as soon as possible, we\'ve launched socially distanced shows when and where permitted, including New Zealand, France, Denmark, Spain, Germany and Finland, as well as several cities across the United States.

Return to Live

While this is a challenging time for everyone – the live events business in particular – there are a few things that I am confident about: we are well positioned to weather this crisis, and we will get through this; when it is safe to return, we will have an abundance of fans and artists ready to enjoy live music again; and Live Nation will do everything in its power to meet our responsibilities to artists, fans, our employees and everyone else affected by this shutdown by bringing back as much live music as fast as possible when it is responsible to do so.

Michael Rapino President and Chief Executive OfficerLive Nation Entertainment, Inc.

For earnings history and earnings-related data on Live Nation Entertainment (LYV) click here.

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