Results for digital subscriptions of AS Ekspress Grupp in the 2nd quarter of 2021

The number of digital subscriptions of the largest Baltic media group, AS Ekspress Grupp increased by 76% across the Baltic States year-over-year (16% in the 2^nd quarter, 36% in the first six month) and totalled 110 253 at the end of June.

• The number of digital subscriptions of AS Ekspress Meedia that publishes the news portal Delfi, newspapers Eesti Päevaleht, Maaleht, Eesti Ekspress and several popular magazines increased by 65% year-over-year (17% in the 2^nd quarter and 39% in the first six months) and totalled 69 082.

• The number of digital subscriptions of AS Õhtuleht, 50% of which is owned by Ekspress Grupp, increased by 33% year-over-year (7% in the 2^nd quarter and 17% in the first six months) and totalled 16 102.

• In Latvia, the number of digital subscriptions of Delfi A/S almost doubled (23% in the 2^nd quarter, 16% in the first six months) and totalled 12 977.

• In Lithuania, the number of digital subscriptions of Delfi increased by almost five times (22% in the 2^nd quarter and 83% in the first six months) and totalled 12 092.

The Chairman of the Management Board of Ekspress Grupp Mari-Liis Rüütsalu commented:

“In the 2^nd quarter of 2021, rapid digital subscription growth continued in all the countries in which Ekspress Grupp operates. The interest of readers in high-quality content is increasing and paid digital content is becoming the norm.

The addition of digital subscriptions had a positive impact on the results of operations of Ekspress Grupp, confirming that its long-term strategic direction is appropriate. Ekspress Grupp has set the digital subscription growth as one of its key objectives as it will provide a differentiated and an increasingly stronger digital revenue base for the Group’s media outlets.

While it has already become a norm in Estonia that people who value availability of information have digital subscriptions of some news contents, it is not yet customary in Lithuania and Latvia and their markets are still in the development stage. For us, this clearly represents a potential for further growth.

We are also actively working on developing technical solutions to make subscribing and reading more convenient. It is important for us to extend the lifetime of subscriptions, which can only be achieved through attractive and diverse content.“

Detailed overview of digital subscriptions

	30.06.2021	31.03.2021	change	31.12.2020	change	30.06.2020	change
AS Ekspress Meedia	69 082	59 183	17%	49 696	39%	41 801	65%
AS Õhtuleht Kirjastus	16 102	15 005	7%	13 820	17%	12 090	33%
Delfi AS (Latvia)	12 977	10 559	23%	11 143	16%	6 226	108%
Delfi UAB (Lithuania)	12 092	9 892	22%	6 595	83%	2 444	395%
Total Ekspress Grupp	110 253	94 639	16%	81 254	36%	62 561	76%
Total market (Estonia)*	-	149 980	-	126 601	-	100 745	-
Market share of Ekspress Grupp (Estonia)*	-	49%	-	50%	-	53%	-

*since the 2^nd quarter of 2021, it is no longer possible to report the market and market share, as one of the major companies on the market does not provide its information to the Estonian Association of Media Companies.

Signe Kukin
CFO of the Group
AS Ekspress Grupp
Telephone: +372 669 8381
E-mail address: signe.kukin@egrupp.ee

AS Ekspress Grupp is the leading media group in the Baltic States whose key activities include web media content production, publishing of newspapers and magazines and provision of printing services in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Ekspress Grupp that launched its operations in 1989 employs almost 1600 people, owns leading web media portals in the Baltic States and publishes the most popular daily and weekly newspapers as well as the majority of the most popular magazines in Estonia.