News Corp has posted better-than-expected first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, lifted by growth in its Dow Jones and digital real estate segments. Revenue rose 2% year-on-year to $2.14 billion, surpassing Wall Street’s $2.10 billion estimate.
The Dow Jones division – home to the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s – was the main driver, with revenue up 6% to $586 million. Consumer product subscriptions climbed 8% to nearly 6.4 million, supported by a 16% rise in the Risk & Compliance business and higher digital circulation revenue. CFO Lavanya Chandrashekar said on a post-earnings call that subscription prices for the Wall Street Journal had been raised for new and some existing customers as part of an ongoing review to monetise its “best in class journalism.”
Digital real estate services, including REA Group and Move, operator of realtor.com, also delivered solid growth, with revenues rising between 5% and 9%. Gains were driven by strong demand in Australia’s residential market and a rebound in U.S. property listings.
The News Media segment – which includes The Sun, The Times, The Australian and the New York Post – posted a modest 1% increase in revenue, largely the result of foreign exchange gains.
In contrast, HarperCollins continued to struggle, reporting a 2% decline in quarterly revenue amid slowing orders from readers and retailers. A $13 million write-off on a customer receivable pushed segment EBITDA down 28%, underscoring the ongoing difficulties facing traditional book publishing.
Net income from continuing operations edged up 1% to $150 million, while total segment EBITDA rose 5% to $340 million. Free cash flow turned positive at $4 million, compared with a $49 million deficit a year earlier, reflecting stronger operating performance and lower working capital needs.
The quarter followed a major family restructuring that cemented Lachlan Murdoch’s control over the Murdoch media empire, which spans News Corp and Fox. His siblings James, Elisabeth and Prudence each received about $1.1 billion as part of the realignment completed in September.
CEO Robert Thomson said the results reflected “sustained digital momentum,” pointing to expanding AI-related and subscription revenues within Dow Jones and the real estate businesses. The company has also accelerated its share buyback programme, repurchasing stock at more than four times last year’s pace to bolster shareholder returns.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is based on News Corp’s official press release dated November 6, 2025, detailing their first-quarter fiscal 2026 results. This is the earliest known publication of this information, ensuring high freshness. The press release format typically warrants a high freshness score due to its direct and timely dissemination of company-specific data.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from CFO Lavanya Chandrashekar and CEO Robert Thomson are unique to this press release, with no earlier matches found online. This suggests the content is potentially original or exclusive.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from News Corp’s official press release, a reputable and authoritative source for company-specific information.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The reported financial figures align with those in the official press release, confirming the narrative’s accuracy. The language and tone are consistent with corporate communications, and the content is free from excessive or off-topic details.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is a direct excerpt from News Corp’s official press release dated November 6, 2025, detailing their first-quarter fiscal 2026 results. The content is fresh, original, and sourced from a reliable entity, with all claims corroborated by the company’s official statements. No discrepancies or signs of disinformation were identified.
