Live Nation sees strong ticket sales as monopoly lawsuit looms

Live Nation reported stronger-than-expected revenue and robust concert attendance last year, but a monopoly lawsuit in the US still looms over the entertainment giant.

The firm's financial results, released on Thursday, showed revenue in 2025 rose to $25.2bn (£18.7bn), up 9% from the previous year, while operating profit jumped by more than 50% to $1.3bn.

In a sign of demand for live music events, Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, said 159 million fans attended its concerts last year, up from 151 million the year before.

But the bumper results come against a backdrop of a legal battle: The firm has been accused of using illegal tactics to maintain a monopoly over the live music industry.

On a call with analysts, Live Nation executives touted sustained momentum in ticket sales so far this year. They pointed to record sales for upcoming tours by artists including Harry Styles and Bruno Mars.

Roughly 67 million fans have purchased tickets in early 2026, the company said - a double-digit increase from the same period last year.

"With a deep pipeline of large-scale shows and ticket demand continuing its ascent, we are positioned for another year of double-digit operating income," chief executive Michael Rapino said in a statement.

Live Nation Entertainment shares were up by more than 3.5% in after-hours trade.

As the entertainment firm continues to post blockbuster revenues and profits, it faces ongoing backlash - in the US and beyond - over skyrocketing ticket prices.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) sued Live Nation in 2024 in a bid to break up the company, arguing that its practices had kept out competitors, and led to higher ticket prices and worse service for customers.

That case is expected to head to trial in federal court next month. The resignation earlier this month of the DoJ's top antitrust official, however, raised questions about the future of the lawsuit.

Along with Ticketmaster, which it purchased in 2010, Live Nation puts on concerts, sells tickets and owns venues, serving multiple roles that US regulators said had turned it into a "gatekeeper" for the industry.

The company has denied the US government's allegations.

Ticketmaster and Live Nation have repeatedly faced criticism from those who say the firm artificially inflates the cost of tickets with fees and service charges.

Calls from fans and lawmakers to probe Live Nation's dominance of the live music industry grew louder in the aftermath of Taylor Swift's 2022 Eras Tour.

The company's system was overwhelmed by demand, forcing Ticketmaster to eventually apologise to Swift and her fans during a US Senate hearing.