Spotify has recently released its second-quarter earnings report, showcasing impressive metrics in terms of subscriber count and total user base.
The company’s subscription numbers have surged, with a notable 17% year-over-year increase, boasting a current global total of 220 million paying subscribers.
You May Also Like: Instagram Introduces Creator Subscriptions To Global Audience
The overall monthly active users on the platform have reached an impressive 551 million, with 331 million users utilizing the ad-supported free accounts.This quarter alone has seen an unprecedented addition of 36 million new active users, signifying Spotify’s remarkable growth.
While the majority remains on the free account, some transition into paid subscriptions, contributing to the 39.9% representation of premium subscribers within Spotify’s user base.
Though Spotify’s growth is undeniable, the increasing ratio of free users poses a challenge in terms of monetization. Premium users generate a much more favorable gross margin of 28.4%, while the gross margin on free users is currently at -5.7%.
However, after accounting for write-off charges on content assets and contract termination, the adjusted ad-supported margin improves to +5.7%.
Despite these figures, Spotify’s overall gross margin of 24.1% falls short of expectations, as analysts had estimated it to be around 25.5%, as reported by Yahoo Finance.
In terms of revenue, the company managed to generate nearly €3.2 billion ($3.5 billion at current exchange rates) in the most recent quarter, reflecting an 11% year-over-year increase. However, Spotify also recorded an operating loss of €247 million ($274 million).
After considering the impact of recent layoffs and associated charges, Spotify claims an adjusted operating loss of €112 million ($124 million). It is hopeful that future quarters will show an improvement in operating losses unless the company undergoes another round of layoffs.
Nonetheless, the losses have resulted in a 9.30% drop in pre-market trading, with Spotify shares currently trading at $148.50 per share. Due to this, in a significant move, Spotify finally decided to raise its prices for premium plans.
You May Also Like: LateNiteSoft Launches Photon: A New Professional Image Capture App For IOS
The individual premium plan will now cost $10.99 per month, up from $9.99. Similarly, the duo plan will be priced at $14.99 instead of $12.99, while the family plan will cost $16.99 instead of $15.99.
These price hikes will also be reflected in other markets, including much of the European Union, the U.K., and several countries in South and Central America, Asia, and Oceania.
