DISH Network Reports Fourth Quarter 2007 Financial Results and Conf call Thread.

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH Network Reports Fourth Quarter 2007 Financial Results

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Feb. 26, 2008 – DISH Network Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH), formerly EchoStar Communications Corporation, reported total revenue of $2.89 billion for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, a 12 percent increase compared with $2.58 billion for the corresponding period in 2006.

Net income totaled $175 million for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, compared with $153 million during the corresponding period in 2006. Basic earnings per share were $.39 for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, compared with basic earnings per share of $.35 during the corresponding period in 2006.

For the year ended Dec. 31, 2007, DISH Network reported total revenue of $11.09 billion compared with $9.82 billion for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, an increase of 13 percent. DISH Network’s net income for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007, totaled $756 million, compared with $608 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006. Basic earnings per share were $1.69 for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007, compared with basic earnings per share of $1.37 during the corresponding period in 2006.

DISH Network added approximately 85,000 net new subscribers during the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, giving the company approximately 13.78 million subscribers as of that date, an increase of 675,000 subscribers compared to the number of subscribers as of Dec. 31, 2006.

DISH Network completed the spin-off of its technology and certain infrastructure assets, including its set-top box business and certain satellites, through the distribution of shares in EchoStar Corporation on Jan. 1, 2008. Following the spin-off, DISH Network retains its pay-TV business. In connection with the spin-off, EchoStar Communications Corporation changed its name to “DISH Network Corporation.”

Detailed financial data and other information are available in DISH Network’s Form 10-K for the annual period ended Dec. 31, 2007, filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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About DISH Network Corporation

DISH Network Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH) provides more than 13.78 million satellite TV customers with industry-leading customer satisfaction, which has surpassed major cable companies for seven years running. DISH Network customers also enjoy access to a premier line of award-winning Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), hundreds of video and audio channels, the most International channels in the U.S., industry-leading Interactive TV applications, Latino programming, and the best sports and movies in HD. DISH Network offers a variety of package and price options including the lowest all-digital price in America, the DishDVR Advantage Package, high-speed Internet service, and a free upgrade to the best HD DVR in the industry. DISH Network is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) and is a Fortune 300 company. Visit DISH Network or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474) for more information.

DISH Network will host its Fourth Quarter 2007 earnings conference call today at noon ET. The dial-in number is (800) 616-6729.

 

[mdonnelly]

Dish Network Corp. 2007 Annual Report:

http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/DISH/238730147x0xS1140361%2D08%2D4989/1001082/filing.pdf

 

[Greg Bimson]

DISH Network added approximately 85,000 net new subscribers during the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, giving the company approximately 13.78 million subscribers as of that date, an increase of 675,000 subscribers compared to the number of subscribers as of Dec. 31, 2006.

Ouch. And DirecTV only did 200K more for the year.

Subscriber growth is definitely slowing now.

 

[TulsaCoker]

Dish vs. DirecTV
Qt. Sub Add. 85k vs. 275k
Qt. Profit 175mil vs. 1.1 billion
Churn 1.7 vs. 1.4

 

[tigerfan33]

Dish vs. DirecTV
Qt. Sub Add. 85k vs. 275k
Qt. Profit 175mil vs. 1.1 billion
Churn 1.7 vs. 1.4

Charlie. Can you take a look at these numbers and wonder why????

 

[Hall]

They're lying ! They're lying ! With the HUGE number of people who LEFT E* because of no new HD, there's no way they made more money than the year before and that they have an increase in customers !

 

[tigerfan33]

They're lying ! They're lying ! With the HUGE number of people who LEFT E* because of no new HD, there's no way they made more money than the year before and that they have an increase in customers !

LOL. Are you talking Enron and Healthsouth here?

 

[goaliebob99]

Wow the numbers are that bad. Charlie needs to wake up!

But then again dish has over 100 HD channles... Yea right stop the enron counting!

 

[mdonnelly]

Is anybody going to monitor the earnings call at noon ET? Wonder what questions the analysts will have for Charlie, given the numbers reported by Direct and Dish, and what Charlie's response will be.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The number to call in and listen is (877) 500-5931

 

[Hall]

Wow the numbers are that bad. Charlie needs to wake up!

You must be looking at different numbers than everyone else.... They have a revenue increase over the same quarter from last year. They have a revenue increase in 2007 vs 2006 total. They gained add'l customers from last year.

 

[pdxsam]

They're lying ! They're lying ! With the HUGE number of people who LEFT E* because of no new HD, there's no way they made more money than the year before and that they have an increase in customers !

if you factor in customer hardware acquisition costs.. it's barely possible. They're counting the dollars for hardware upgrades in overall , so it's possible.

 

[Hall]

The number to call in and listen is (877) 500-5931

Just to let people know, these calls are typically rather boring.... The average person will fall asleep trying to listen.

 

[pdxsam]

The number to call in and listen is (877) 500-5931

Are they streaming it? I couldn't find a link to it on the investor page.

 

[jacmyoung]

I know everyone here is going to say told you so Charlie if you don't add those new HD's.

Unfortunately this trend has been there before DirecTV added any new HD's, so let's not think ourselves more important than we really are

DirecTV has been more successful in reducing churn and adding net new subs probably because they have been more aggressive in new sub promotions, giving out more deals to try to keep exisintg subs from leaving, and trying to focuse on high end subs. HD is only a small factor among them all.

 

[sullivbt]

Ummm, I think they're some people posting in this thread who don't get sarcasm

 

[goaliebob99]

You must be looking at different numbers than everyone else.... They have a revenue increase over the same quarter from last year. They have a revenue increase in 2007 vs 2006 total. They gained add'l customers from last year.

Hall Im glad to see E*'s spin department got to you!, No im looking at directvs numbers vs thiers. Directv is kicking their ass with lower churn, more profit, and greator subscriber growth. Also, I can remember from past that the subscribers gained was alot more than 84,000. It was in the triple digits. Also, the only reason why charlie has been churning profits is because he's raising prices while not adding any programming. Where as D* has been adding programming and still whooping all over charlie. If E* would have remained in the HD war then maybe that churn and would be lower and the subscriber growth would be more than 84,000.

 

[mdonnelly]

Hall Im glad to see E*'s spin department got to you!, No im looking at directvs numbers vs thiers. Directv is kicking their ass with lower churn, more profit, and greator subscriber growth. Also, I can remember from past that the subscribers gained was alot more than 84,000. It was in the triple digits. Also, the only reason why charlie has been churning profits is because he's raising prices while not adding any programming. Where as D* has been adding programming and still whooping all over charlie. If E* would have remained in the HD war then maybe that churn and would be lower and the subscriber growth would be more than 84,000.

Let's be a little bit fair with Charlie. It's not like he didn't plan to have more capacity for new HD by now. Failures at ILS and Sea-Launch didn't help with their plans for capacity growth.

 

[richiephx]

While quarterly information is interesting, unless I have a financial interest in either company, I could care less what the results are. I pay for programming, and I get it.

 

[jacmyoung]

Keep in mind that higher profit can be the result of less new sub addition too because adding a new sub costs a lot of money upfront, which actually cuts in the profit. I think they only begin to make money on a new sub after the first year.

For example DirecTV said it cost them $760 upfront to gain a new sub, so had they not added the 250k net new sub last quarter, in theory their profit could go up by another 190 million in Q4. DISH is similar.