Tips Music Valuation Multiples

Netflix’s relatively simple business model involves only one business, its streaming service. It has the biggest television entertainment subscriber base in both the United States and the collective international market, with more than 300 million subscribers globally. Netflix has exposure to nearly the entire global population outside of China. The firm has traditionally avoided a regular slate of live programming or sports content, instead focusing on on-demand access to episodic television, movies, and documentaries. The firm introduced ad-supported subscription plans in 2022, giving the firm exposure to the advertising market in addition to the subscription fees that have historically accounted for nearly all its revenue.

Disney operates in three global business segments: entertainment, sports, and experiences. Entertainment and experiences both benefit from the firm’s ownership of iconic franchises and characters. Entertainment includes the ABC broadcast network, several cable television networks, and the Disney+ and Hulu streaming services. Within the segment, Disney also engages in movie and television production and distribution, with content licensed to movie theaters, other content providers, or, increasingly, kept in-house for use on Disney’s own streaming platform and television networks. The sports segment houses the ESPN family of TV networks and streaming services. Experiences contains Disney’s theme parks, cruises, and vacation destinations and also engages in merchandise licensing.

Spotify is the leading global music streaming service, with over 750 million monthly active users and nearly 300 million paying subscribers, with the latter constituting the firm’s premium segment. Most of the firm’s revenue and nearly all its gross profit come from subscribers, who pay a monthly fee to access a music library that includes most of the most popular songs ever recorded, including all from the major record labels. The firm also offers access to audiobooks and integrates podcasts within its standard music app. Podcast content is not exclusive and is typically free to access on other platforms. Ad-supported users can access a similar music catalog, but cannot customize a similar on-demand experience.

Live Nation is the largest live entertainment company in the world, serving as a concert promoter, venue operator, and ticketing platform. In addition, the firm generates revenue from sponsorships and advertising. With offices in 51 countries, Live Nation promotes concerts globally and it owned, operated, or had exclusive booking rights to more than 400 venues worldwide at the end of 2025, which the firm says makes it the second-largest operator of music venues globally. In 2025, Live Nation promoted nearly 55,000 events, drawing roughly 160 million fans. Ticketmaster is a dominant global ticketing service, selling nearly 650 million tickets in 2025.

Paramount Skydance operates in three global business segments: TV media, filmed entertainment, and direct to consumer. The TV media business includes television production studios and various broadcast and cable networks, including CBS, 15 owned CBS affiliates, Paramount, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, and VH1. Filmed entertainment consists multiple film studios, most importantly Paramount Pictures. The film studios produce and distribute movies that they license to movie theaters and other media outlets. Direct to consumer includes the Paramount+, Pluto TV, and BET+ streaming services. Much of the content on Paramount’s streaming platforms is created by the production studios housed within the firm’s other two business segments.

Universal Music is the largest of the three major record companies. Recorded music accounts for most of the firm’s revenue, with the segment housing more than a dozen record labels, including notable names like Interscope, Capital Music, Motown Records, and Def Jam. Some of the most successful current artists signed to record deals with Universal include Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, and Morgan Wallen. Most of Universal’s remaining revenue comes from its publishing segment, which generates revenue for songwriters and composers, including some of Universal’s recording artists as well as songwriters and composers who do not record music themselves or are attached to other labels. Universal’s publishing group has nearly 4.5 million owned or administered titles in its catalog.

Liberty Media is an American media and motorsport holding company headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, whose shares trade on Nasdaq as Formula One Group tracking stocks. Its main assets are Formula One, which it acquired in January 2017, and MotoGP organiser Dorna Sports, in which it took an 84% stake in July 2025. Both series earn revenue from race promotion fees paid by circuit hosts, media rights sold to broadcasters and streamers, and sponsorship, hospitality and licensing. In 2025 Formula One revenue rose 14% to $3.9 billion with operating income of $632 million, and MotoGP revenue rose 14% to $573 million. The original Liberty Media was spun off from Tele-Communications Inc. in 1991 under John Malone, who is now chairman emeritus; Robert Bennett is chairman and Derek Chang chief executive. The group has repeatedly reshaped itself through tracking stocks and spin-offs, splitting off the Atlanta Braves in 2023, combining its SiriusXM interest into a separate listed company in September 2024 and separating Liberty Live, holder of its Live Nation stake, in December 2025.

Warner Music is the third-largest of the three major record companies. Recorded music accounts for most of the firm’s revenue, with the segment housing notable record labels including Atlantic Records, Warner Records, Elektra Records. Some of the most successful current artists signed to record deals with Warner include Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Cardi B, and Dua Lipa. Warner’s remaining revenue comes from its publishing business, where Warner Chappell represents more than 180,000 songwriters and composers, some of whom are also Warner recording artists but many of whom are not recording artists or are attached to other labels. Warner Chappell controls more than 1 million musical compositions. Access Industries controls 98% of Warner’s voting rights, while holding a 72% economic interest.

Tencent Music is the largest online music streaming platform in China, established in 2016 through the merger of QQ Music, Kuwo Music, and Kugou Music. Tencent, its largest shareholder, holds over 50% of the shares and more than 90% of the voting rights. Beyond streaming services, Tencent Music generates revenue through a diverse range of offerings, including podcasts, livestreaming, concerts, and karaoke.

TKO Group Holdings Inc is a sports and sports entertainment company that operates combat sports and sports entertainment companies. It owns and manages valuable sports and entertainment intellectual property. The company distributes content and monetizes its intellectual property through four activities: Media rights, production, and content, Live events and hospitality, Partnerships and marketing and Consumer products licensing, The company has two reportable segments, UFC and WWE. The company generates majority of revenue from the UFC segment. The UFC segment revenue consists of media rights fees associated with the distribution of its programming content, ticket sales, and site fees associated with the business's international live events.

Founded in 1932, Toho traces its roots to Kobayashi Ichizo's Takarazuka Revue enterprise, building the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater as its flagship stage for musical theater. Today, Toho is Japan's largest film distribution and exhibition company, operating the Toho Cinemas chain and best known for its Godzilla franchise. In 2012, Toho launched an in-house anime unit. Toho also runs a real estate segment, earning stable income mainly from office, retail, and hotel properties in prime central Tokyo locations such as Hibiya and Yurakucho.

Bilibili is a Chinese online entertainment platform best known for its YouTube-like video-sharing service. Founded in 2009, it initially focused on long-form content centered around anime, comics, and gaming, or ACG, catering primarily to Generation Z users. Over time, the platform has expanded its content ecosystem to cover a broader range of interests, successfully attracting a more diverse audience beyond its original Gen Z base.

TBS Holdings Inc is a Japanese media and broadcasting holding company that operates television businesses through its subsidiaries. The company operates through three reportable segments: Media & Content Business, Lifestyle Business, and Real Estate & Other Business. The Media & Content Business includes television and radio broadcasting, event planning, video software production, and distribution. The Lifestyle Business handles general merchandise retail, beauty and wellness services, private tutoring, and early childhood education. The Real Estate & Other Business segment involves land and building rentals. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Media & content business segment.

HYBE is a music-based entertainment lifestyle platform company. The company operates through three segments: Music, Platform, and Technology-based Future Growth. The Music segment focuses on creating artists and music IP. The Platform segment aggregates content and delivers it directly to fans. The Technology-based Future Growth segment explores and develops new business opportunities arising from shifts in the digital and industrial landscape. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Music segment.

RTL Group SA is a broadcasting television company with interests in television channels, video-on-demand platforms, and radio stations. The company has three main areas of business: broadcast, streaming, content, and digital. Broadcast includes television and radio; content includes content production and distribution, and digital includes online video and advertisement technology. Business segments include Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, Groupe M6, Fremantle, RTL Nederland, and Other segments. The company's business units operate in Europe, predominantly in Germany, France, the United States, the UK, and Other regions.

Beijing Enlight Media Co Ltd is a China-based company engages in the provision of multimedia video content services. Its main business is TV programs and film investment, making and distributing. TV programs including regular TV programs and acting activities broadcasted on television. Acting activities generally are broadcasted on television, belonging to the special type of TV program and drama series.

Nexstar is the largest television station owner-operator in the United States with over 200 stations in 116 markets, reaching 220 million people. Of its 200 stations, 155 are affiliated with the four national broadcast networks: CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC. Pending approval, Nexstar’s merger with Tegna would bring Nexstar’s station total to 259 in 133 markets, reaching 80% of the US population. Nexstar also owns NewsNation (formerly WGN), a cable news network, 75% of the fifth national broadcaster, the CW, and a 31% stake in Food Network and Cooking Channel.

Nippon Television Holdings Inc is a broadcasting and television company. It is engaged in media, content, life and health-related, and real estate businesses. The company operates through three reportable segments: the Media and Content Business, which handles television advertising, video distribution, pay-TV, retail, and film production; the Life and Health Related Business, which operates comprehensive sports clubs; and the Real Estate Related Business, which manages real estate rental, building operations, and solar power generation. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Media and Content Business segment.

Oriental Pearl Group Co Ltd operates a media integration and distribution platform in China. The various business units of the company comprise Channel Products Operation, Video Shopping, and E-Commerce, Culture and Entertainment Themed Tourism, Mobile Transmissions and Video Games among others.

JOYY Inc is a technology company. The Company operates several social products, including Bigo Live for live streaming, Likee for short-form videos, Hago for multiplayer social networking, an instant messaging product, and others. The Company operates through two segments: BIGO and All other. The BIGO segment consists of several social entertainment platforms, including Bigo Live, Likee, imo, and others. The All other segment consist of Hago, Shopline, and certain audio live streaming platforms.

China Film Group Co Ltd is engaged in film and television production, film distribution, film screening, and film and television service business. The company's business includes six sectors: creation, distribution, screening, technology, services, and innovation, covering film and TV series production, post-product management; domestic and imported film promotion and distribution; cinema investment, theater chain management; film technology research and development, film and television equipment production and sales and technical services; film and television production, ticketing platform and financial leasing services and other fields.

Xinhua Winshare Publishing & Media Co Ltd is engaged in integrated cultural operations specializing in the creative content production of publications, education services, cultural consumption services, supply chain services, and capital operation. Its activities are editorial and publishing of publications, sales of publications in physical stores and the internet, distribution of textbooks and supplementary materials, education information and equipment services, etc. It is through two operating segments; the Publication segment, which includes publishing books, periodicals, and audiovisual products, and the Distribution segment, which comprises the distribution of textbooks and supplementary materials. The group generates a majority of its revenue from the Distribution segment.

Banijay Group NV media and entertainment company. It has over 130 production companies across 25 territories, a multi-genre catalogue boasting over 226,000 hours of original standout programming, and a complementary live entertainment business. It produces both scripted and non-scripted content across all genres, including reality, entertainment and talk shows, game shows, factual entertainment, documentary, drama, animation (or kids) and comedy.

Toei Animation Co Ltd is a Japanese animation company. It is engaged in the planning and production of animation products for theaters and televisions (TVs), the sale of broadcasting rights, as well as the sale of packaged software rights of the Company's animation products with a focus on digital versatile discs (DVDs). The company develops characters into diverse types of merchandise such as toys, games, stationery goods, food products, clothing, and for campaigns and promotions. It produces works of animation mainly of television series along with other types of work such as theatrical features and original video animation.

FUJI Media Holdings Inc operates as a certified broadcasting holding company engaged in media, content, and related businesses. The company has two reportable segments: Media & Content Business, which involves broadcasting, film and animation production, music publishing, advertising, and mail-order sales; and Urban Development & Tourism Business, which engages in building rental, real estate transactions, and hotel and resort management. The company earns the majority of its revenue in Japan.

Canal+ SA is a media and entertainment company that also operates short-form video streaming platforms with Dailymotion. It operates in three business segments: Europe, Africa, and Asia, and Content Production, Distribution, and Other. Key revenue is generated from Europe, which includes subscription-TV, advertising-based television, and OTT businesses across France, the Overseas Territories, Poland, and also in Central Europe and the Benelux through M7, and the Group's FTTH business in the Overseas Territories.

ITV PLC is a broadcasting television company that owns, creates, and distributes the content on its platforms. The company's international content business, ITV Studios, produces programming for ITV's channels as well as other British broadcasters. The company's segment includes ITV Studios and Media and Entertainment. It generates maximum revenue from the ITV Studios segment.

Lionsgate Studios Corp. is a Canadian-American film and television production and distribution conglomerate, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, and primarily based in Santa Monica, California. It was formed on 14 May 2024, when Starz Entertainment, formerly known as Lionsgate, spun off its film and television businesses and merged them with Screaming Eagle Corporation. Lionsgate was an early backer of Immortals: its Interactive Ventures president Peter Y. Levin was among the investors who helped found the esports team in October 2015. It remained an existing shareholder in the Series B. Immortals Gaming Club, the esports and gaming holding company formerly called Immortals LLC, closed a $30 million Series B in May 2019 and bought the Brazilian matchmaking platform Gamers Club; it also owns the teams Immortals, Los Angeles Valiant and MIBR.

China Literature Ltd is an investment holding company. The company along with its subsidiaries provides online reading services, copyright commercialization, writer cultivation and brokerage, and operation of text work reading. It generates its revenue from Online reading through self-owned platform products. it operates in two segments: Online business and Intellectual property operations and others. The Online business segment that derives the majority of revenue comprises online paid reading, online advertising, and game publishing. The Intellectual property operations and other segment include licensing and distribution of film and television properties, copyrights licensing, sales of adaptation rights and scripts, sales of physical books, and in-house online games operations.

Perfect World Co Ltd is an entertainment company based in China, engaging in the production, distribution, and marketing of film and television content, content related advertising and merchandising business, as well as talent management business.

Imax Corp is a technology platform for entertainment and events. Through its proprietary software, auditorium architecture, patented intellectual property, and specialized equipment, IMAX offers end-to-end solution to create superior, immersive content experiences for which the IMAX brand is globally renowned. The Company has two reportable segments being Content Solutions and Technology Products and Services. The Company leverages its proprietary technology and engineering in all aspects of its business, which principally consists of the IMAX film remastering and the sale or lease of premium IMAX theater systems.

COL Global Co Ltd is a digital cultural content industry group in China. Its core businesses include digital content production, copyright distribution, IP derivatives, and intellectual property protection.

Zhejiang Huace Film & TV Co Ltd operates as a film and television production company. It focuses on the creation of TV dramas, films, and various kinds of fine arts.

Prime Focus Ltd is an international media and entertainment services company providing integrated post-production activities including visual effects, animation, stereo 2D to 3D conversion, and digital intermediate services. The company caters to the film, television, and digital content industries, offering end-to-end creative, technology, production, and post-production services. It operates across multiple cities globally, including prominent hubs in India, North America, Europe, and Australia, enabling seamless collaboration across time zones. Prime Focus generates revenue majorly through its media services and technology platforms, serving content creators with solutions that optimize workflows, enhance creative output, and reduce costs.

Toei Co Ltd engaged in the production of theatrical movies, TV dramas, direct-to-video productions, and anime, as well as a diverse range of businesses based on film production. The company releases both domestic and foreign movies, including its own films directly managed theaters and cinema complexes operated by the subsidiary T-Joy Co., Ltd. It also offers a digital cinema system providing packaged video software, such as DVD and Blu-ray discs. Its video distribution services engage in the sales of content to distribution media and the distribution of movies on iTunes in Japan. It operates more than ten official mobile websites via three major carriers namely NTT DOCOMO, au, and SoftBank.

Cloud Music is the second-largest online music service provider in China, founded in 2013 by NetEase. NetEase currently holds approximately 58% of Cloud Music’s equity stake and controls 90% of its voting power. The platform’s business model is similar to its main competitor, Tencent Music, as both offer music streaming services along with social entertainment features like live streaming to engage users and drive additional revenue.

China Star Entertainment Ltd is an investment holding company. It operates in three segments namely Film related business operations engaged in investment, production, distribution and licensing of films and television drama series and provision of other film related services including artist management services; Property development and investment operations engaged in investment and development of properties; and Multi-media and entertainment business operations engaged in development, promotion and operation in multi-channel network e-commerce platform and development and sales of private label products. Majority of the revenue is derived from Property development and investment operations segment. Geographically, it derives maximum revenue from Macau.

Alpha Group (Alpha Group Co., Ltd., 奥飞娱乐) is a Chinese animation, toy and entertainment company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange since September 2009 under code 002292. It was founded in December 1993 by Cai Dongqing as Auldey Toys and later traded as Guangdong Alpha Animation and Culture before adopting its current name in 2016; its headquarters is in the Chenghai district of Shantou, Guangdong. The company creates and licenses animated IP, producing animated films and television series and distributing them through its media businesses, and it designs, manufactures and sells toys and building-block sets linked to its characters. Subsidiaries include Auldey Toys, Creative Power Entertaining, Alpha Pictures and Korea's David Toys and Entertainment and it has developed video games. Revenue comes from toy sales, IP licensing and content distribution. Cai Dongqing is chairman and general manager.

TV Asahi Holdings Corporation is a Japanese multimedia group. Ranging from its primary business of broadcast TV, the company owns and manages music publishing and miscellaneous businesses. The Television Broadcasting segment is involved in the production and broadcasting of TV programs. The Music Publishing segment attends to music copyrights and related rights as well as the artist management and recording businesses and through the Others segment, it is engaged in event management and the sale of digital goods such as DVDs. The company derives its revenue from TV Broadcasting Business.

Shanghai Film Co Ltd engages in film distribution and screening activities in China. It also engages in the copyright sales and investment, development and management of cinemas and theaters.

Vivendi SE is an integrated content, media, and communications group. The company has established itself as a key player in content, media, and entertainment by developing a portfolio of listed and unlisted assets, each a leader in its market. It is present in the video game sector with Gameloft, and also holds a certain percentage of stakes in other companies such as Universal Music Group, Banijay, TIM, MediaForEurope, Telefonica, and Prisca. Its business segments include Gameloft, which derives maximum revenue, and Share of UMG, Corporate, and Other. Geographically, the group generates maximum revenue from North America, followed by EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, Africa), Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

Visual China Group Co Ltd is engaged in providing digital visual content and visual solutions to customers in media, commercial, and consumer sectors. It services include Copyright removal, rights protection agent, Sports, Entertainment and Digital marketing, and Special shooting.

Damai Entertainment Holdings Ltd is an integrated platform with content and technology as the core, covering content production, promotion and distribution, IP merchandising, licensing and commercial management, cinema and entertainment event ticketing management, and internet data services for the entertainment industry. Its segments are Live entertainment content and technology business, IP merchandizing, Film content and technology business, Drama series production. Majority of revenue comes from Live entertainment content and technology business which engaged in the full life cycle of live performances from the venue operations to the organization, investment, the production and promotion of the performance contents, performance ticketing, on-site services, ticketing system, etc.

Hengdian Entertainment Co Ltd operates as a film production company. It offers film production, film marketing and other services. The activities are carried out through the region of China.

Metropole Television SA is a media holding company that owns several television channels, magazines, publications, and movie production firms. Metropole Television SA's flagship channel is M6, a multimedia television network that displays a wide variety of content and includes dramas, news, comedies, films, and documentaries. Furthermore, Metropole owns production houses and operates digital content publications. It has four reportable segments which includes Television, Radio, Production & Audiovisual Rights and Diversification involves distribution of niche products, other online revenues, Interactions division. The company generates the vast majority of its revenue from France and also from Television segment.

S.M Entertainment Co is engaged in the media industry in Korea. Its business involves recording and production of music. It also distributes its music and videos through the medium of internet. Apart from its core operations, the company ventures into management, casting and training for artists.

Television Francaise 1 SA is a television broadcasting company. The firm operates numerous television channels, including TF1, which is the company's flagship channel that broadcasts a variety of television programming. Additionally, the company controls other channels such as LCI, which focuses on news and current events, and Eurosport, the company's sports broadcasting segment. It is also involved in television and film production, publishing, as well as social media services. The company derives maximum revenue through Television. The company generates the vast majority of its revenue in France.

Bona Film Group Co Ltd is engaged in the film distribution business in China. The company's main business is film investment, distribution, cinema management, and cinema projection.