What happened
TV network giant Discovery (DISCA +0.00%) shed 12% last month compared to a 3% decrease in the S&P 500, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Data source: YCharts.
That drop contributed to a tough run for shareholders, with the stock trailing the broader market by a wide margin over the past five years.
So what
Investors had plenty of news to digest in March. Some of the stock's decline, for example, likely had to do with the $1.3 billion write-off that Discovery announced in late February. That news took some shine off a fourth-quarter earnings report that included encouraging growth in its core advertising business.
Image source: Getty Images.
Then, in early March, Discovery completed its $15 billion acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive to become one of the biggest pay-tv networks in the world.
Now what
Discovery is hoping that this bold buyout will help it navigate a TV advertising landscape that's being pressured as consumers drift away from cable television packages and toward internet-delivered entertainment. With Scripps under its control, the company boasts a massive library of content and the means to produce new shows at a pace that few rivals can match. Now it's up to Discovery to capitalize on those assets.
