MBC Group, the Middle East and North Africa’s leading media and entertainment conglomerate, reported a 37.8% year-on-year revenue surge to SAR3 billion ($800 million) for the first half of 2025, driven by strong growth across all business segments. Net profit rose 41.1% to SAR335.4 million ($89.4 million), with margins improving to 11.1%.
On a quarterly basis, revenue in Q2 2025 climbed 2.5% to $263.4 million, while net profit fell 38.3% compared with last year, when Ramadan’s early-April timing boosted seasonal advertising. The company also cited geopolitical volatility as a drag on advertiser sentiment.
The Broadcast, Operations, Content and Advertising (BOCA) segment remained MBC’s largest earner, with first-half revenues up 29.6% to $463.4 million and net profit rising 23.7% to $83.7 million. Broadcast & Technical Services revenue soared 52.7% to $197.3 million, buoyed by major government and institutional contracts.
Shahid, the group’s streaming platform, saw revenues climb 25% to $185.8 million, with SVOD up 24.4% to $144.1 million following a password-sharing crackdown. The streamer posted a net profit of $720,000, reversing a $6.2 million loss a year earlier.
The Media & Entertainment Initiatives unit nearly doubled revenue to $159.3 million, while tripling net profit to $5 million, boosted by major programming projects and higher management fees.
Content highlights in the half included the Saudi-Turkish drama “Ommi,” pan-Arab thriller “Aser” and Ramadan hit “Share’ Al A’sha,” which took nine trophies at the 2025 Al Dana Drama Awards. Comedy series “Yawmiyyat Rajol Anis” won best comedy series at the same ceremony.
MBC closed Q2 with more than 150 projects in its pipeline, over 90% produced in Saudi Arabia.
“Our first-half results demonstrate the strength and resilience of MBC Group’s diversified business model,” said CEO Mike Sneesby. “We delivered solid revenue growth across our core segments, supported by premium content, digital scale, and disciplined execution.”
“As we continue to expand our footprint across the region, our strategic focus remains unchanged: invest in scalable, high-impact content, grow our digital platforms, and lead the evolution of Arab media,” Sneesby added.
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