Canal+ Announces Its Listing Date on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Amid MultiChoice’s New Strategy
Canal+ to List on Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Marking a Historic Move
Canal+ is set to debut on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on June 3, becoming the first French company to achieve this milestone. The announcement came today as the company unveiled its Q1 results and provided a trading update.
CEO Maxime Saada emphasized the significance of the listing, stating that it “marks an important milestone” for the company. He explained that the listing will offer South African investors the chance to invest in a prominent global media and entertainment entity. Furthermore, it aims to “enhance the long-term liquidity and tradability of Canal+ shares” and fulfill commitments to South African Competition Authorities.
This upcoming move is classified as a “secondary inward listing,” complementing Canal+’s earlier listing on the London Stock Exchange in late 2024, during which time it was in the process of acquiring African media powerhouse MultiChoice.
The acquisition, finalized last summer, prompted Saada to indicate that the new group would pursue a public listing in South Africa. Since then, Canal+ has moved to streamline operations, shutting down the MultiChoice streaming service Showmax, which it labeled an “expensive failure,” while focusing on integration for future synergies.
In today’s Q1 report for the first quarter of 2026, Canal+ reported a 41% boost in revenue, amounting to €2.1 billion ($2.46 billion), largely attributed to the MultiChoice acquisition. Saada noted that “MultiChoice revenue continued to decline in line with our expectations,” and outlined the early stages of the “MultiChoice turnaround plan,” which includes recruiting new sales teams and enhancing commercial strategies.
Meanwhile, in Europe, revenue saw a slight decline to €1.1 billion. However, the content production and distribution sector, which includes titles such as Paddington, experienced a 9% rise in revenue to €172 million. Canal+ highlighted several successes, including the acclaim for Paddington the Musical and notable French box office hits like Guru and Children of the Resistance, as well as the acquisition of Italian distributor Lucky Red.
Reflecting on the progress, Saada remarked, “We have made a solid start to 2026 as we begin the operational execution phase of our strategy.” He confirmed ongoing cost synergies stemming from the MultiChoice acquisition, while reiterating the company’s full-year guidance for 2026.
Following the announcements, shares of Canal+ rose over 3% to 237p on the London Stock Exchange, rebounding from a prior dip after last month’s annual results.
