iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) grows Q1 2026 revenue but posts $95.6M loss
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
iHeartMedia, Inc. reported higher first quarter 2026 revenue but continued to post a net loss. Consolidated revenue reached $884.2 million, up 9.6% from Q1 2025, driven mainly by 18.0% growth in the Digital Audio Group and 12.2% growth in Audio & Media Services.
GAAP operating income improved to $1.5 million from a loss of $25.4 million, but Adjusted EBITDA fell to $92.6 million from $104.6 million, as higher non‑cash trade and barter expenses and digital content costs weighed on margins. The company reported a net loss of $95.6 million, though this was narrower than the prior year’s $280.9 million loss.
Free Cash Flow was negative at ($114.5 million), and cash used for operating activities increased to $92.5 million, reflecting interest payment timing and receivables. iHeartMedia ended March 31, 2026 with $135.1 million in cash, total debt of $5.04 billion and Net Debt of $4.67 billion. Management reaffirmed full‑year 2026 guidance for $800 million Adjusted EBITDA and $200 million Free Cash Flow, and forecast low‑single‑digit Q2 revenue growth and Q2 Adjusted EBITDA of $140–$160 million.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insights
Solid revenue growth and guidance, but leverage and cash use remain key constraints.
iHeartMedia delivered Q1 2026 revenue of $884.2M, up 9.6% year over year, with the Digital Audio Group up 18.0% and podcast revenue up 26.9%. However, Adjusted EBITDA declined to $92.6M, an 11.4% drop, as higher non‑cash trade expenses and digital content costs compressed margins.
The company still posted a net loss of $95.6M and negative Free Cash Flow of ($114.5M). Liquidity stood at $135.1M in cash and $494.6M in total available liquidity as of March 31, 2026, against $5.04B of total debt and Net Debt of $4.67B, highlighting a highly leveraged balance sheet.
Management reaffirmed full‑year 2026 guidance of $800M Adjusted EBITDA and $200M Free Cash Flow, and projected Q2 2026 Adjusted EBITDA of $140M–$160M with consolidated revenue growing low single digits. They also announced $50M of new annualized cost savings starting in the second half of 2026, on top of $100M of previously announced in‑year savings, and expect minimal cash taxes in 2026.
8-K Event Classification
2 items: 2.02, 9.01
2 items
Item 2.02
Results of Operations and Financial Condition
Financial
Disclosure of earnings results, typically an earnings press release or preliminary financials.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Q1 2026 Revenue: $884.2M
Q1 2026 Adjusted EBITDA: $92.6M
Q1 2026 Net loss: $95.6M
+5 more
8 metrics
Q1 2026 Revenue
$884.2M
Consolidated revenue, up 9.6% year over year
Q1 2026 Adjusted EBITDA
$92.6M
Down 11.4% vs Q1 2025
Q1 2026 Net loss
$95.6M
Net loss attributable to the company
Free Cash Flow Q1 2026
($114.5M)
Free Cash Flow vs ($80.7M) prior year
Cash balance
$135.1M
Cash as of March 31, 2026
Total debt
$5.04B
Total debt as of March 31, 2026
Digital Audio Group revenue
$327.1M
Q1 2026 segment revenue, up 18.0% YoY
Full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guide
$800M
Management’s full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA outlook
Key Terms
Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow, total available liquidity, Net Debt, +2 more
6 terms
Adjusted EBITDA financial
"Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of $93 million, compared to $105 million in Q1 2025"
Adjusted EBITDA is a way companies measure how much money they make from their core operations, like running a business, by removing certain costs or income that aren’t part of regular business activities. It helps investors see how well a company is doing without distractions from unusual expenses or gains, making it easier to compare companies or track performance over time.
Free Cash Flow financial
"Free Cash Flow of $(114) million"
Free cash flow is the amount of money a company has left over after paying all its expenses and investing in its business, like buying equipment or updating facilities. It shows how much cash is available to reward shareholders, pay down debt, or save for future growth. This helps investors understand if a company is financially healthy and able to grow.
total available liquidity financial
"Cash balance and total available liquidity2 of $135 million and $495 million"
The total amount of cash, short-term investments and other funding a company can access quickly — including unused credit lines and committed financing — that can be used to meet obligations or seize opportunities on short notice. Investors watch this like a household’s combined bank balance and available credit: it shows how easily the company can pay bills, ride out revenue drops or fund short-term growth, so low liquidity raises the risk of financial stress.
Net Debt financial
"Year End 2026 Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA ("net leverage")4 to be in mid-fives"
Net debt is the total amount a company owes after subtracting the cash and assets it has that can be used to pay off that debt. It shows how much debt is truly a burden, helping investors understand if a company is financially healthy or heavily borrowed. Think of it like calculating how much money you owe after using your savings to pay part of it.
restructuring expenses financial
"Restructuring expenses primarily include expenses incurred in connection with cost-saving initiatives"
Restructuring expenses are one-time costs a company incurs when it reorganizes how it operates — for example, closing locations, laying off employees, reducing the recorded value of assets, or ending contracts — to cut costs or shift strategy. Investors pay attention because these charges lower reported profits now but can indicate steps to improve future cash flow and competitiveness, like paying for renovations to make a house easier to run or sell later.
political revenue financial
"The Company presents revenue, excluding the effects of political revenue."
Earnings Snapshot
Revenue: $884.2M · Guidance included
Q1 2026
Revenue
$884.2M
+9.6% YoY
Operating income
$1.5M
from $25.4M loss YoY
Adjusted EBITDA
$92.6M
-11.4% YoY
Net loss
$95.6M
from $280.9M loss YoY
Free Cash Flow
($114.5M)
vs ($80.7M) prior year
Guidance
Q2 2026 consolidated revenue expected to increase low single digits with Adjusted EBITDA of $140M–$160M; full year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA expected at $800M and Free Cash Flow at $200M.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 11, 2026
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||||
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (210 ) 253-5000
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
☐ If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition
On May 11, 2026 , iHeartMedia, Inc. issued a press release announcing its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information in this report, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information, including Exhibit 99.1, be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
| 99.1 | Press Release issued by iHeartMedia, Inc. dated | |||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. | |||||||
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| IHEARTMEDIA, INC. | ||||||||
Date: | By: | /s/ MICHAEL B. MCGUINNESS | ||||||
| Michael B. McGuinness | ||||||||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||||||||
| (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | ||||||||
Exhibit 99.1
IHEARTMEDIA, INC. REPORTS
RESULTS FOR 2026 FIRST QUARTER
New York, NY, May 11, 2026 – iHeartMedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: IHRT) today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.
Financial Highlights:1
Q1 2026 Consolidated Results
▪Q1 Revenue of $884 million, up 9.6% (Excluding Q1 Political Revenue, Q1 Revenue up 9.3%)
▪GAAP Operating income of $1.5 million, compared to a GAAP Operating loss of $25 million in Q1 2025, improvement of 105.8%
▪Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of $93 million, compared to $105 million in Q1 2025, down 11.4%
▪Cash used for operating activities of $93 million
▪Free Cash Flow of $(114) million
▪Cash balance and total available liquidity2 of $135 million and $495 million, respectively, as of March 31, 2026
Q1 2026 Digital Audio Group Results
▪Digital Audio Group Revenue of $327 million up 18%
•Podcast Revenue of $147 million up 27%
•Digital Revenue excluding Podcast of $180 million up 12%
▪Segment Adjusted EBITDA of $87 million flat
•Digital Audio Group Adjusted EBITDA margin of 26.5%
Q1 2026 Multiplatform Group Results
▪Multiplatform Group Revenue of $493 million up 4%
•Excluding Multiplatform Group Q1 Political Revenue, Multiplatform Group Q1 Revenue up 4%
▪Segment Adjusted EBITDA of $47 million down 33%
•Multiplatform Group Adjusted EBITDA margin of 9.5%
Q2 2026 Guidance
▪Consolidated Revenue expected to increase low-single digits
▪Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA3 expected to be approximately $140 million to $160 million
Full Year 2026 Guidance
▪Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA3 expected to be approximately $800 million
▪Free Cash Flow of approximately $200 million
▪Announced that will pay minimal cash taxes in 2026
▪Announced a new cost savings program of $50 million of annualized cost savings, beginning in second half 2026; in addition to $100 million of in-year 2026 savings previously announced
▪Total Programmatic Revenue of approximately $200 million, up approximately 50%
▪Year End 2026 Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA ("net leverage")4 to be in mid-fives
1 Unless otherwise noted, all results are based on year over year comparisons.
2 Total available liquidity is defined as cash and cash equivalents plus available borrowings under our ABL Facility. We use total available liquidity to evaluate our capacity to access cash to meet obligations and fund operations.
3 A full reconciliation of forecasted Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow or net leverage on a non-GAAP basis to the respective most-directly comparable GAAP metrics cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying with reasonable accuracy significant items required for the reconciliations, including gains or losses on investments, extinguishment of debt, equity in nonconsolidated affiliates, impairment charges, stock based compensation, restructuring, and the Company’s cash and cash equivalents balance and Net cash provided by operating activities.
4 We define Net Debt as Total Debt less Cash and cash equivalents and Debt Premium.
1
Statement from Senior Management
“We generated first quarter revenues of $884 million, up 9.6% compared to the prior-year quarter, and Adjusted EBITDA of $93 million,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, Inc. “We believe that 2026, helped by the additional revenue that comes from the mid-term election cycle, will be a significant year in terms of Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow generation for iHeart.”
“In the first quarter, the Digital Audio Group continued its strong momentum, with revenues up 18% year over year, slightly ahead of our guidance, while our Podcasting revenues grew 26.9% compared to prior year, above our guidance,” said Rich Bressler, President and COO of iHeartMedia, Inc. “We are announcing a new savings initiative that will generate an additional $50 million of annualized savings, in addition to our previously announced $100 million of in-year 2026 savings, as well as now paying minimal cash taxes in 2026, which we expect will have a $150 to $200 million impact over the next 3 years. And today we are reaffirming our Full Year Adjusted EBITDA guide of $800 million and our Free Cash Flow guide of $200 million.”
2
Consolidated Results of Operations
First Quarter 2026 Consolidated Results
Our consolidated revenue increased $77.1 million, or 9.6%, during the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period of 2025. Digital Audio revenue increased $49.9 million, or 18.0%, driven primarily by continuing increases in demand for digital and podcast advertising, as well as increased non-cash trade revenue resulting from strategic marketing initiatives. Multiplatform Group revenue increased $20.5 million, or 4.3%, primarily resulting from an increase in non-cash trade revenue resulting from strategic marketing initiatives, partially offset by a decrease in broadcast advertising in connection with continued uncertain market conditions. Audio & Media Services revenue increased $7.3 million, or 12.2%, primarily as a result of strong demand for digital advertising.
Consolidated direct operating expenses increased $18.7 million, or 5.3%, during the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period of 2025. The increase was primarily driven by higher variable content costs, including higher third-party digital costs related to the increase in digital revenues, partially offset by a decrease in employee compensation cost related to our modernization initiatives.
Consolidated Selling, General & Administrative ("SG&A") expenses increased $45.4 million, or 11.9%, during the three months ended March 31, 2026 compared to the same period of 2025. The increase was driven primarily by an increase in non-cash trade and barter expense associated with revenues generated by strategic marketing initiatives entered into in the prior year, partially offset by decreased cash-settled share-based compensation expense driven by changes in our stock price.
Our consolidated GAAP Operating income was $1.5 million compared to GAAP Operating loss of $25.4 million in the first quarter of 2025.
Adjusted EBITDA decreased to $92.6 million from $104.6 million in the first quarter of 2025.
Cash used for operating activities was $92.5 million, compared to cash used for operating activities $60.9 million in the prior year period. This increase was primarily driven by the timing of receivable collections, as well as the timing of interest payments. Accrued interest was paid in the fourth quarter of 2024 for the debt exchange transaction that would have been paid in the first quarter of 2025 under the old debt terms. Free Cash Flow was ($114.5) million, compared to ($80.7) million in the prior year period.
3
Business Segments: Results of Operations
First Quarter 2026 Multiplatform Group Results
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | % | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | Change | |||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 493,463 | $ | 472,978 | 4.3 | % | |||||||||||
Operating expenses1 | 446,499 | 402,971 | 10.8 | % | |||||||||||||
| Segment Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 46,964 | $ | 70,007 | (32.9) | % | |||||||||||
| Segment Adjusted EBITDA margin | 9.5 | % | 14.8 | % | |||||||||||||
1 Operating expenses consist of Direct operating expenses and SG&A expenses, excluding Restructuring expenses.
Revenue from our Multiplatform Group was up $20.5 million, or 4.3% YoY, primarily resulting from an increase in non-cash trade revenue resulting from strategic marketing initiatives, partially offset by a decrease in broadcast advertising in connection with continued uncertain market conditions. Broadcast revenue increased $20.7 million, or 6.1% YoY, driven by an increase in non-cash trade revenue resulting from strategic marketing initiatives, partially offset by lower spot revenue. Networks decreased $2.2 million, or 2.2% YoY. Revenue from Sponsorship and Events decreased $0.6 million, or 2.2% YoY.
Operating expenses increased $43.5 million, or 10.8% YoY, driven primarily by higher trade and barter expenses resulting from strategic marketing initiatives.
Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin decreased YoY to 9.5% from 14.8%.
First Quarter 2026 Digital Audio Group Results
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | % | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | Change | |||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 327,142 | $ | 277,287 | 18.0 | % | |||||||||||
Operating expenses1 | 240,327 | 190,204 | 26.4 | % | |||||||||||||
| Segment Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 86,815 | $ | 87,083 | (0.3) | % | |||||||||||
| Segment Adjusted EBITDA margin | 26.5 | % | 31.4 | % | |||||||||||||
1 Operating expenses consist of Direct operating expenses and SG&A expenses, excluding Restructuring expenses.
Revenue from our Digital Audio Group increased $49.9 million, or 18.0% YoY, driven by Podcast revenue, which increased $31.2 million, or 26.9% YoY, to $147.2 million, primarily due to a continued increase in demand for podcasting from advertisers, and Digital, excluding Podcast revenue, which increased $18.7 million, or 11.6% YoY, to $179.9 million, primarily due to an increase in demand for digital advertising, as well as increased non-cash trade revenue resulting from strategic marketing initiatives.
Operating expenses increased $50.1 million, or 26.4% YoY, primarily driven by higher variable content costs, including third-party digital costs related to the increase in revenues, and higher non-cash trade expense resulting from strategic marketing initiatives.
Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin decreased YoY to 26.5% from 31.4%.
4
First Quarter 2026 Audio & Media Services Group Results
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | % | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | Change | |||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 66,581 | $ | 59,323 | 12.2 | % | |||||||||||
Operating expenses1 | 42,134 | 43,525 | (3.2) | % | |||||||||||||
| Segment Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 24,447 | $ | 15,798 | 54.7 | % | |||||||||||
| Segment Adjusted EBITDA margin | 36.7 | % | 26.6 | % | |||||||||||||
1 Operating expenses consist of Direct operating expenses and SG&A expenses, excluding Restructuring expenses.
Revenue from our Audio & Media Services Group increased $7.3 million, or 12.2% YoY, primarily due to an increase in digital revenues.
Operating expenses decreased $1.4 million, or 3.2% YoY, due to a decrease in employee compensation cost due to our modernization initiatives.
Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin increased YoY to 36.7% from 26.6%.
GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures: Consolidated
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 884,200 | $ | 807,101 | |||||||
| Operating income (loss) | 1,486 | (25,434) | |||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA1 | 92,633 | 104,588 | |||||||||
| Net loss | (95,618) | (280,883) | |||||||||
Cash used for operating activities2 | (92,540) | (60,944) | |||||||||
Free cash flow1 | (114,453) | (80,674) | |||||||||
______________________________________________________
1.See the end of this press release for reconciliations of (i) Adjusted EBITDA to Operating income (loss), (ii) Adjusted EBITDA to Net loss, (iii) Free Cash Flow to Cash used for operating activities, and (iv) revenue, excluding political advertising revenue, to revenue. See also the definitions of Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow, Adjusted EBITDA margin, and Net Debt under the Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information section in this release.
2.We made cash interest payments of $114.2 million in the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to $76.6 million in the three months ended March 31, 2025. The increase is primarily due to the timing of interest payments as accrued interest was paid in the fourth quarter of 2024 upon closing of the debt exchange transaction that would have been paid in 2025 under the old debt terms.
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2026 presentation of financial information throughout the press release.
5
Liquidity and Financial Position
As of March 31, 2026, we had $135.1 million of cash on our balance sheet. For the three months ended March 31, 2026, cash used for operating activities was $92.5 million, cash used for investing activities was $23.5 million and cash used for financing activities was $19.6 million.
Capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2026 were $21.9 million compared to $19.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025.
As of March 31, 2026, the Company had $5,037.0 million of total debt and $4,672.2 million of Net Debt.1
Cash balance and total available liquidity2 were $135.1 million and $494.6 million, respectively, as of March 31, 2026 which reflects $50.0 million of outstanding borrowings under our ABL facility at that time.
1 We define Net Debt as Total Debt less Cash and cash equivalents and Debt Premium.
2 Total available liquidity is defined as cash and cash equivalents plus available borrowings under our ABL Facility. We use total available liquidity to evaluate our capacity to access cash to meet obligations and fund operations.
6
Revenue Streams
The tables below present the comparison of our historical revenue streams (including political revenue) for the periods presented:
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | % | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | Change | |||||||||||||||
| Broadcast Radio | $ | 361,435 | $ | 340,736 | 6.1 | % | |||||||||||
| Networks | 97,245 | 99,463 | (2.2) | % | |||||||||||||
| Sponsorship and Events | 27,988 | 28,621 | (2.2) | % | |||||||||||||
| Other | 6,795 | 4,158 | 63.4 | % | |||||||||||||
| Multiplatform Group | 493,463 | 472,978 | 4.3 | % | |||||||||||||
| Digital ex. Podcast | 179,948 | 161,251 | 11.6 | % | |||||||||||||
| Podcast | 147,194 | 116,036 | 26.9 | % | |||||||||||||
| Digital Audio Group | 327,142 | 277,287 | 18.0 | % | |||||||||||||
| Audio & Media Services Group | 66,581 | 59,323 | 12.2 | % | |||||||||||||
| Eliminations | (2,986) | (2,487) | |||||||||||||||
| Revenue, total | $ | 884,200 | $ | 807,101 | 9.6 | % | |||||||||||
7
Conference Call
iHeartMedia, Inc. will host a conference call to discuss results and business outlook on May 11, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The conference call number is (888) 596-4144 (U.S. callers) and +1 (646) 968-2525 (International callers) and the passcode for both is 8885116. A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Investors homepage of iHeartMedia's website investors.iheartmedia.com. After the live conference call, a replay will be available for a period of thirty days. The replay numbers are (800) 770-2030 (U.S. callers) and +1 (609) 800-9909 (International callers) and the passcode for both is 8885116. An archive of the webcast will be available beginning 24 hours after the call for a period of thirty days.
About iHeartMedia, Inc.
iHeartMedia (Nasdaq: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.
With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the Company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network; and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.
The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the Company’s growing podcasting business -- iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings -- as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 500+ platforms and thousands of devices; the Company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.
The Company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world's leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.
For further information, please contact:
Media
Wendy Goldberg
Chief Communications Officer
(212) 377-1105
wendygoldberg@iheartmedia.com
Investors
Andrey Hart
SVP of Investor Relations
(703) 956-0115
andreyhart@iheartmedia.com
8
Certain statements herein constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of iHeartMedia, Inc. and its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The words or phrases “guidance,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimates,” “forecast” and similar words or expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s anticipated growth and continued investments; our expected costs savings; utilization of new technologies, programmatic platforms, and revenue opportunities; improving operational efficiency; future advertising demand; trends in the advertising industry; strategies, goals and initiatives; our anticipated financial condition and performance, including our outlook as to second quarter and full year 2026 consolidated results of operations; our cash tax expectations; the impact of the mid-term election cycle on our future results; and our future liquidity and net leverage. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other important factors, some of which are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. Various risks that could cause future results to differ from those expressed by the forward-looking statements included in this press release include, but are not limited to: risks related to global economic or political uncertainty and our dependence on advertising revenues; competition, including increased competition from alternative media platforms and technologies; dependence upon our brand and the performance of on-air talent, program hosts and management; fluctuations in operating costs; technological and industry changes and innovations; shifts in population and other demographics; risks related to our use of artificial intelligence, impact of acquisitions, dispositions and other strategic transactions; risks related to our indebtedness; legislative or regulatory requirements; impact of legislation, and royalty audits on music licensing and royalties; regulations and concerns regarding privacy and data protection and breaches of information security measures; risks related to scrutiny and regulation of environmental, social and governance matters, risks related to our Class A common stock; regulations impacting our business and the ownership of our securities; and risks related to adverse political effects, acts or threats of terrorism or military conflicts. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on the Company’s future results, performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date hereof. Additional risks that could cause future results to differ from those expressed by any forward-looking statement are described in the Company’s reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including in the section entitled “Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors” of iHeartMedia, Inc.’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K and “Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors” of iHeartMedia, Inc.’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise.
9
APPENDIX
TABLE 1 - Comparison of operating performance
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | % | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | Change | |||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 884,200 | $ | 807,101 | 9.6 | % | |||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | |||||||||||||||||
| Direct operating expenses (excludes depreciation and amortization) | 375,067 | 356,326 | 5.3 | % | |||||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative expenses (excludes depreciation and amortization) | 426,192 | 380,794 | 11.9 | % | |||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 81,377 | 91,901 | |||||||||||||||
| Impairment charges | — | 2,855 | |||||||||||||||
| Other operating expense | 78 | 659 | |||||||||||||||
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 1,486 | $ | (25,434) | |||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 81,377 | 91,901 | |||||||||||||||
| Impairment charges | — | 2,855 | |||||||||||||||
| Other operating expense | 78 | 659 | |||||||||||||||
| Restructuring expenses | 9,333 | 25,578 | |||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 359 | 9,029 | |||||||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA1 | $ | 92,633 | $ | 104,588 | (11.4) | % | |||||||||||
1See the end of this press release for reconciliations of (i) Adjusted EBITDA to Operating income (loss), and (ii) Adjusted EBITDA to Net loss. See also the definitions of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin under the Supplemental Disclosure section in this release.
10
TABLE 2 - Statements of Operations
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 884,200 | $ | 807,101 | |||||||
| Operating expenses: | |||||||||||
| Direct operating expenses (excludes depreciation and amortization) | 375,067 | 356,326 | |||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative expenses (excludes depreciation and amortization) | 426,192 | 380,794 | |||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 81,377 | 91,901 | |||||||||
| Impairment charges | — | 2,855 | |||||||||
| Other operating expense | 78 | 659 | |||||||||
| Operating income (loss) | 1,486 | (25,434) | |||||||||
| Interest expense, net | 95,898 | 100,386 | |||||||||
| Loss on investments, net | (545) | (18,594) | |||||||||
| Equity in earnings (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliates | (52) | 50 | |||||||||
| Loss on extinguishment of debt | — | (1,197) | |||||||||
| Other income (expense), net | (320) | 37 | |||||||||
| Loss before income taxes | (95,329) | (145,524) | |||||||||
| Income tax expense | (289) | (135,359) | |||||||||
| Net loss | (95,618) | (280,883) | |||||||||
| Less amount attributable to noncontrolling interest | (395) | 341 | |||||||||
| Net loss attributable to the Company | $ | (95,223) | $ | (281,224) | |||||||
TABLE 3 - Selected Balance Sheet Information
| (In millions) | March 31, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | |||||||||
| Cash | $ | 135.1 | $ | 270.9 | |||||||
| Total Current Assets | 1,285.5 | 1,459.3 | |||||||||
| Net Property, Plant and Equipment | 384.6 | 398.2 | |||||||||
| Total Assets | 4,887.9 | 5,126.0 | |||||||||
| Current Liabilities (excluding current portion of long-term debt) | 789.6 | 894.0 | |||||||||
| Long-term Debt (including current portion of long-term debt) | 5,037.0 | 5,053.1 | |||||||||
| Stockholders' Deficit | (1,922.0) | (1,827.0) | |||||||||
11
Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information
The following tables set forth the Company’s Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, revenues excluding political advertising revenue, Free Cash Flow for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, and Net Debt as of March 31, 2026. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as consolidated Operating income (loss) adjusted to exclude restructuring expenses included within Direct operating expenses and SG&A expenses, and share-based compensation expenses included within SG&A expenses, as well as the following line items presented in our Statements of Operations: Depreciation and amortization, Impairment charges, and Other operating expense. Alternatively, Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as Net loss, adjusted to exclude Income tax expense, Interest expense, net, Depreciation and amortization, Loss on investments, net, Other (income) expense, net, Equity in (earnings) loss of nonconsolidated affiliates, Impairment charges, Other operating expense, Share-based compensation expense, and Restructuring expenses. Restructuring expenses primarily include expenses incurred in connection with cost-saving initiatives, as well as certain expenses, which, in the view of management, are outside the ordinary course of business or otherwise not representative of the Company's operations during a normal business cycle. Adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA divided by Revenue.
The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin, among other measures, to evaluate the Company’s operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA is among the primary measures used by management for the planning and forecasting of future periods, as well as for measuring performance for compensation of executives and other members of management. We believe this measure is an important indicator of the Company’s operational strength and performance of its business because it provides a link between operational performance and operating income.
The Company believes the presentation of these measures is relevant and useful for investors because it allows investors to view performance in a manner similar to the method used by the Company’s management. The Company believes it helps improve investors’ ability to understand the Company’s operating performance and makes it easier to compare the Company’s results with other companies that have different capital structures or tax rates. In addition, the Company believes this measure is also among the primary measures used externally by the Company’s investors, analysts and peers in its industry for purposes of valuation and comparing the operating performance of the Company to other companies in its industry.
Since Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, it should not be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for, Operating income (loss) as an indicator of operating performance and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA is not necessarily a measure of the Company’s ability to fund its cash needs. As it excludes certain financial information compared with Operating income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, users of this financial information should consider the types of events and transactions which are excluded.
We define Free Cash Flow as Cash used for operating activities less capital expenditures, which is disclosed as Purchases of property, plant and equipment in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. We use Free Cash Flow, among other measures, to evaluate the Company’s liquidity and its ability to generate cash flow. We believe that Free Cash Flow is meaningful to investors because it provides them with a view of the Company’s liquidity after deducting capital expenditures, which are considered to be a necessary component of ongoing operations. In addition, we believe that Free Cash Flow helps improve investors' ability to compare our liquidity with that of other companies.
Since Free Cash Flow is not a measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, it should not be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for, Cash used for operating activities and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies. Free Cash Flow is not necessarily a measure of our ability to fund our cash needs.
The Company presents revenue, excluding the effects of political revenue. Due to the cyclical nature of the electoral system and the seasonality of the related political revenue, management believes presenting revenue, excluding the effects of political revenue, provides additional information to investors about the Company’s revenue growth from period to period.
We define Net Debt as Total Debt less Cash and cash equivalents and Debt Premium. The Company uses Net Debt to evaluate the Company's liquidity. We believe this measure is an important indicator of the Company's ability to service its long-term debt obligations.
Since these non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated in accordance with GAAP, they should not be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures as an indicator of operating performance or liquidity.
12
As required by the SEC rules, the Company provides reconciliations below to the most directly comparable measures reported under GAAP, including (i) Adjusted EBITDA to Operating income (loss), (ii) Adjusted EBITDA to Net loss, (iii) Free Cash Flow to Cash used for operating activities, (iv) revenue, excluding political advertising revenue, to revenue, and (v) Net Debt to Total Debt.
We have provided forecasted Consolidated Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance for the quarter ending June 30, 2026, which reflects targets for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. Our Earnings Call on May 11, 2026 may present additional guidance that includes Adjusted EBITDA. A full reconciliation of the forecasted Adjusted EBITDA to the respective most-directly comparable GAAP metrics cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying with reasonable accuracy significant items required for the reconciliations, including gains or losses on investments, extinguishment of debt, equity in nonconsolidated affiliates, impairment charges, stock based compensation, and restructuring as well as the Company's cash and cash equivalent balance.
Reconciliation of Operating income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 1,486 | $ | (25,434) | |||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 81,377 | 91,901 | |||||||||
| Impairment charges | — | 2,855 | |||||||||
| Other operating expense | 78 | 659 | |||||||||
| Restructuring expenses | 9,333 | 25,578 | |||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 359 | 9,029 | |||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 92,633 | $ | 104,588 | |||||||
13
Reconciliation of Net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||
| Net loss | $ | (95,618) | $ | (280,883) | |||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | 289 | 135,359 | |||||||||
| Interest expense, net | 95,898 | 100,386 | |||||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 81,377 | 91,901 | |||||||||
| EBITDA | $ | 81,946 | $ | 46,763 | |||||||
| Loss on investments, net | 545 | 18,594 | |||||||||
| Other expense, net | 320 | 1,160 | |||||||||
| Equity in (earnings) loss of nonconsolidated affiliates | 52 | (50) | |||||||||
Impairment charges | — | 2,855 | |||||||||
| Other operating expense | 78 | 659 | |||||||||
| Restructuring expenses | 9,333 | 25,578 | |||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 359 | 9,029 | |||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 92,633 | $ | 104,588 | |||||||
Reconciliation of Cash used for operating activities to Free Cash Flow
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||
| Cash used for operating activities | $ | (92,540) | $ | (60,944) | |||||||
| Purchases of property, plant and equipment | (21,913) | (19,730) | |||||||||
| Free cash flow | $ | (114,453) | $ | (80,674) | |||||||
14
Reconciliation of Revenue to Revenue excluding Political Advertising
| (In thousands) | Three Months Ended March 31, | % Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||||||||||
| Consolidated revenue | $ | 884,200 | $ | 807,101 | 9.6 | % | |||||||||||
| Excluding: Political revenue | (8,358) | (5,727) | |||||||||||||||
| Consolidated revenue, excluding political | $ | 875,842 | $ | 801,374 | 9.3 | % | |||||||||||
| Multiplatform Group revenue | $ | 493,463 | $ | 472,978 | 4.3 | % | |||||||||||
| Excluding: Political revenue | (6,037) | (3,621) | |||||||||||||||
| Multiplatform Group revenue, excluding political | $ | 487,426 | $ | 469,357 | 3.8 | % | |||||||||||
| Digital Audio Group revenue | $ | 327,142 | $ | 277,287 | 18.0 | % | |||||||||||
| Excluding: Political revenue | (955) | (518) | |||||||||||||||
| Digital Audio Group revenue, excluding political | $ | 326,187 | $ | 276,769 | 17.9 | % | |||||||||||
| Audio & Media Group Services revenue | $ | 66,581 | $ | 59,323 | 12.2 | % | |||||||||||
| Excluding: Political revenue | (1,366) | (1,588) | |||||||||||||||
| Audio & Media Services Group revenue, excluding political | $ | 65,215 | $ | 57,735 | 13.0 | % | |||||||||||
Reconciliation of Total Debt to Net Debt
| (In thousands) | March 31, 2026 | ||||
| Current portion of long-term debt | $ | 74,721 | |||
| Long-term debt | 4,962,285 | ||||
| Total debt | $ | 5,037,006 | |||
| Less: Debt premium | 229,798 | ||||
| Less: Cash and cash equivalents | 135,052 | ||||
| Net debt | $ | 4,672,156 | |||
15
Segment Results
The following tables present the Company's segment results for the Company for the periods presented:
| Segments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (In thousands) | Multiplatform Group | Digital Audio Group | Audio & Media Services Group | Corporate and other reconciling items | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Three Months Ended March 31, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 493,463 | $ | 327,142 | $ | 66,581 | $ | — | $ | (2,986) | $ | 884,200 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Less: Operating expenses(1) | 446,499 | 240,327 | 42,134 | 65,593 | (2,986) | 791,567 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 46,964 | $ | 86,815 | $ | 24,447 | $ | (65,593) | $ | — | $ | 92,633 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDA margin | 9.5 | % | 26.5 | % | 36.7 | % | 10.5 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | (81,377) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Impairment charges | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other operating expense | (78) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring expenses | (9,333) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | (359) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 1,486 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating margin | 0.2% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Segments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (In thousands) | Multiplatform Group | Digital Audio Group | Audio & Media Services Group | Corporate and other reconciling items | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 472,978 | $ | 277,287 | $ | 59,323 | $ | — | $ | (2,487) | $ | 807,101 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Less: Operating expenses(1) | 402,971 | 190,204 | 43,525 | 68,300 | (2,487) | 702,513 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 70,007 | $ | 87,083 | $ | 15,798 | $ | (68,300) | $ | — | $ | 104,588 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDA margin | 14.8 | % | 31.4 | % | 26.6 | % | 13.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | (91,901) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Impairment charges | (2,855) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other operating expense | (659) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring expenses | (25,578) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | (9,029) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating loss | $ | (25,434) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating margin | (3.2)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1)Operating expenses consist of Direct operating expenses and SG&A expenses, excluding Restructuring expenses and share-based compensation expenses.
16
FAQ
How did iHeartMedia (IHRT) perform financially in Q1 2026?
iHeartMedia reported Q1 2026 revenue of $884.2 million, up 9.6% year over year. GAAP operating income was $1.5 million, versus a $25.4 million loss last year, while Adjusted EBITDA declined to $92.6 million from $104.6 million.
What were iHeartMedia (IHRT)’s segment results for Q1 2026?
In Q1 2026, the Multiplatform Group generated $493.5 million revenue (up 4.3%), the Digital Audio Group $327.1 million (up 18.0%), and Audio & Media Services $66.6 million (up 12.2%). Adjusted EBITDA margins were 9.5%, 26.5%, and 36.7%, respectively.
What guidance did iHeartMedia (IHRT) give for Q2 2026 and full year 2026?
For Q2 2026, iHeartMedia expects consolidated revenue to grow low single digits and Adjusted EBITDA of about $140–$160 million. For full year 2026, it reaffirmed guidance of $800 million Adjusted EBITDA and $200 million Free Cash Flow.
What is iHeartMedia (IHRT)’s cash, liquidity and debt position as of March 31, 2026?
As of March 31, 2026, iHeartMedia held $135.1 million in cash and total available liquidity of $494.6 million. Total debt was $5.04 billion, and Net Debt (debt minus cash and debt premium) was approximately $4.67 billion.
How did iHeartMedia (IHRT)’s profitability metrics trend in Q1 2026?
Q1 2026 GAAP operating income improved to $1.5 million from a $25.4 million loss, but Adjusted EBITDA fell 11.4% to $92.6 million. The company recorded a net loss of $95.6 million, narrower than the $280.9 million loss a year earlier.
What cost savings and tax initiatives did iHeartMedia (IHRT) announce for 2026?
iHeartMedia announced a new $50 million annualized cost savings program starting in the second half of 2026, in addition to $100 million of in‑year 2026 savings previously announced. It also expects to pay minimal cash taxes in 2026.