Music streaming business Pandora reported earnings after the bell on Thursday.
Adjusted earnings per share were negative six cents, better than the negative eight cents that Yahoo Finance analysts were predicting.
Revenue was $378.6 million, an 8 percent year-over-year increase from last year. Yet it’s beneath the $380.57 million that analysts were expecting. Shares quickly dipped nearly 6 percent in initial after-hours trading.
Advertising accounted for the bulk of Pandora’s revenue and at $275.7 million was a 1 percent year-over-year increase from last year.
Pandora said that it had an increase in paid subscribers, from 4.01 million in the third quarter of 2016 to 5.19 million in the third quarter of 2017.
“After just a short time here at Pandora, it’s clear to me we have a tremendous opportunity to meet the full spectrum of our listeners’ and advertisers’ needs,” said Roger Lynch, president and CEO of Pandora, in a statement. “We have significant scale, distribution and products that deliver a superior listening experience. We will leverage these strengths to become a more integral part of our listeners’ lives and reinforce our position as the definitive source for audio advertising.”
Lynch just became CEO of Pandora in September.
Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room
Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400.
Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit
1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately
Offer ends March 13.
Listener hours were down, however. This quarter had 5.15 billion hours listened, compared to 5.40 billion at the same time last year.
Pandora has had a volatile ride on the stock market since it went public in 2011.
Its challenges are partly due to competition with Spotify and Apple Music. It’s also because it has to pay costly royalty fees.
Pandora closed Thursday at $7.41. The company has a market cap of $1.8 billion.
