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DEAG reports record Q1 sales, but remains in the red
June1
DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG has reported a record-breaking start to 2025 with strong growth in revenue, ticket sales, and EBITDA. However, despite these positive operational indicators, the company remains unprofitable, ending the first quarter with a net loss of €2.8 million.
Revenue rose 29.6% year-over-year to €67.0 million in the first quarter of 2025, marking DEAG’s strongest Q1 sales performance to date. EBITDA also improved by 20.7% to €3.5 million. More than 5.6 million tickets for events in 2025 had already been sold by the end of March—an increase of 700,000 compared to the same time last year.
Group CEO Detlef Kornett said “The first quarter marked a perfect start to the year for DEAG. The first few months of the current year have already demonstrated that we offer an outstanding portfolio of events for our audiences across Europe and that our investments in growth and strategic transformation projects have set the right course. These measures are already delivering initial economic success in the current year. We will continue to focus on this in the future.”
Yet, the company’s financial bottom line paints a more sobering picture. Gross profit rose only slightly from €12.1 million to €12.3 million, while the gross margin dropped sharply from 23.5% to 18.3%. After depreciation and amortization of €4.3 million, EBIT stood at negative €0.7 million (Q1 2024: €-0.5 million). The financial result improved marginally from €-2.1 million to €-1.9 million, but the consolidated net loss still widened to €2.8 million, compared to €2.5 million in the same quarter last year. The result attributable to shareholders amounted to €-3.0 million (previous year: €-2.6 million).
Segment performance was mixed. The Live Touring segment saw revenue surge to €42.0 million, up €15.6 million from the previous year, but EBITDA in the segment halved to just €1.2 million. Meanwhile, Entertainment Services recorded a slight revenue decline to €29.5 million, but its EBITDA rose to €2.7 million.
DEAG is undergoing internal restructuring to better align with its post-transformation strategy. As part of this, longtime board member Christian Diekmann will step down from the Executive Board on May 31, 2025, by mutual agreement after 19 years with the company. DEAG will move forward with a streamlined three-member Executive Board, backed by a team of Executive Vice Presidents.
Despite the negative earnings, the company remains optimistic about the rest of the year. Its packed event calendar features major international acts, including Ed Sheeran, Sam Fender, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest. Other highlights include Cirque du Soleil in Geneva, literary events with Priscilla Presley and astronaut-author Chris Hadfield, and the GIANNI VERSACE Retrospective in London.
DEAG is targeting the sale of 12 million tickets in 2025, aiming to beat last year’s record by approximately 1 million. Festival season is set to boost momentum with events like the 30th anniversary of Nature One, Sion sous les Étoiles, and the Kessel Festival, while classical music performances by the Berlin Philharmonic and Hans Zimmer are also on the lineup.
While the company continues to invest heavily in growth and expansion, DEAG`s first-quarter results underscore the challenge of converting top-line success into bottom-line profitability. Nevertheless, management remains confident in achieving a “strong increase in earnings and a moderate increase in revenue” for the full year.
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