Pre-tax profits at Entertainment One (ETO) may have fallen, due to higher marketing costs and a £2.5m one-off charge related to its proposed acquisition of Alliance Films, but the content owner and distributor is confident of a much stronger second half.
For one thing, there are some 100 film releases planned, which include the final instalment of the hit Twilight Saga franchise. A number of popular TV series are also boosting revenue such as Call Me Fitz, Rookie Blue and Hell on Wheels. Each of these series has been re-commissioned. US licensing and merchandising of Peppa Pig is also going much better than chief executive Darren Throop anticipated. "Peppa Pig has been well received, which is promising for both US and international growth," he says.