What HBO does

HBO (legal entity: Home Box Office, Inc.) is a U.S.-headquartered premium entertainment company founded in 1972 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) following the 2022 WarnerMedia–Discovery merger. Its core business is the production, distribution, and monetization of premium television programming and films through two historical 24-hour premium TV services (HBO and Cinemax) and, principally today, the HBO Max streaming platform, which delivers content across smart TVs, mobile devices, gaming consoles, and web browsers in 155+ countries with branded services in 85+ countries.

HBO's product portfolio spans HBO Original Series (House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Euphoria, Succession, The White Lotus), HBO Original Documentaries (true crime, music, cultural topics), HBO Original Movies, HBO Specials (comedy stand-up), HBO Sports programming (Hard Knocks, Celtics City), and HBO Podcasts that extend flagship series. The underlying platform integrates live TV, on-demand content, exclusive originals, and 4K HDR delivery for select titles, with distribution also extended through major pay-TV providers (AT&T, DIRECTV, Hulu, Spectrum, Xfinity, etc.) and digital app stores (Amazon, Apple, Google, Roku, Samsung).

HBO's revenue model is primarily subscription-recurring from HBO Max ($10.99/month ad-supported, $18.50/month ad-free standard, $5.50/month student), complemented by licensing and production deals with international broadcasters and emerging streaming platforms in regions where HBO Max is not available. Go-to-market combines a direct-to-consumer model via hbomax.com and apps with multi-tier channel partnerships and event-driven marketing (red carpet premieres, cast press tours, festival presence). The company's customer base is horizontally segmented across premium entertainment consumers, fantasy/drama enthusiasts, documentary viewers, and sports documentary audiences, with no single anchor customer dominating revenue. HBO operates from its headquarters at 30 Hudson Yards, New York, with approximately 1,001–5,000 employees.

Name

HBO

Legal name

Home Box Office, Inc.

Website

https://hbo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

HBO is a wholly-owned Warner Bros. Discovery subsidiary that produces and distributes premium television series, films, documentaries, and sports content primarily through the HBO Max streaming platform, serving mass-market consumers in 155+ countries via subscription and channel-partner distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Video Streaming

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212)

SIC

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Premium Pay Cable Networks (MPABAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Network/Studio Streaming Channels (MPABAHAG), Digital Content & Media Subscriptions (CRAFAIAA), Pay-TV / Premium Window Distribution (MPADAJAH), International News & Current Affairs Broadcasters (MPABAEAD)

Keywords

• Premium cable television
• Streaming entertainment service
• Original series production
• Subscription video streaming
• Prestige television programming

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Streaming Subscriptions (HBO Max): Monthly subscription revenue from HBO Max streaming service. Plans start at $10.99/month for ad-supported version, $18.50/month for ad-free Standard tier, and $5.50/month for student discounts. HBO Max includes all HBO programming plus expanded Warner Bros. Discovery content.
2. Licensing and Production Deals: Revenue from licensing HBO original content to international broadcasters, international HBO services, and emerging streaming platforms in regions where HBO Max is not available.
3. Student and Promotional Discounts: Special pricing tiers for specific demographics including students at $5.50/month, driving subscriber acquisition among price-sensitive younger audiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HBO operates two 24-hour premium TV services — HBO and Cinemax — and the HBO Max streaming platform, distributing original series, films, documentaries, specials, sports programming, and companion podcasts. The company produces and licenses award-winning prestige content (e.g., House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, The White Lotus) for individual consumers via monthly subscriptions and bundled pay TV packages.

Product overview

HBO is a comprehensive entertainment platform operated by Warner Bros. Discovery, comprising HBO Max as its primary streaming service, which serves as the hub for all HBO programming. The offering includes HBO Original Series (award-winning dramas and comedies), HBO Original Documentaries (true crime, music, and cultural docuseries), HBO Original Movies, HBO Specials (comedy stand-up performances), HBO Sports programming, and companion HBO Podcasts that extend the viewing experience. The platform distributes content across HBO.com, HBO Max streaming app, HBO channel, and through provider partnerships, reaching viewers in over 155 countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HBO Max Streaming Service Direct-to-consumer streaming subscription service providing on-demand access to HBO Originals, Warner Bros. Discovery films and series, live sports, and breaking news, available globally via hbomax.com and device apps with multiple subscription tiers.
• HBO Original Series Curated slate of HBO-produced original television series (e.g., House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Euphoria, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The White Lotus, Succession) distributed via HBO channel and HBO Max for premium entertainment consumers.
• HBO Original Documentaries Feature documentaries and docuseries covering true crime, music, sports, and cultural subjects, produced and distributed by HBO across HBO channel and HBO Max.
• HBO Specials Comedy stand-up specials and music event programming featuring top comedians and performers, distributed via HBO and HBO Max.
• HBO Sports Sports documentary series and sports event programming including Hard Knocks, The Smashing Machine, Celtics City, and USMNT coverage, distributed via HBO and HBO Max.
• HBO Original Movies Original films produced or distributed by HBO including dramas, comedies, and documentaries, available on HBO channel and HBO Max.
• HBO Podcasts Official companion podcasts for HBO series offering behind-the-scenes interviews, cast conversations, and episode breakdowns for flagship shows.

Quantifiable outcome

• House of the Dragon Season 3 achieved 97% Rotten Tomatoes rating, matching highest-rated Game of Thrones seasons
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• CalmminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Mindfulness app Calm partnered with HBO's House of the Dragon Season 3 to create a Season 3-promoting soundscape of King's Landing. The collaboration features calming ambient sounds from the fictional capital city, including peaceful elements like townspeople chatter, blacksmith tinkering, and church bells, designed for relaxation purposes and potential use as tabletop gaming background noise.
• GoveeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Govee, a smart lighting company headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, announced official collaboration with HBO as the Smart Lighting Partner for House of the Dragon Season 3. The partnership launched themed light scenes (Dracarys, Fire & Blood, Green Reign) and app skins across Govee's TV Backlight product series, utilizing camera-based color matching technology to sync ambient lighting with on-screen content. Season 3 premiered June 21, 2026.
• A24coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026A24 is collaborating with HBO on multiple projects including a Knicks documentary series directed by Ben Stiller and 'Angel Heart' drama series starring Zac Efron. A24 serves as co-producer on these projects with full cooperation from MSG and NBA for the documentary, providing expanded content library for HBO's prestige programming slate.
• NBA (National Basketball Association)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 June 2026The NBA is providing unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the New York Knicks for HBO's documentary series, including locker rooms and training facilities. This rare access was approved by James Dolan of Madison Square Garden for Ben Stiller's documentary about the Knicks' historic championship season.
• Madison Square Garden (MSG)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 June 2026Madison Square Garden approved full access to areas usually off-limits during championship seasons, including locker rooms and training facilities, for HBO's Knicks documentary being produced with A24 and directed by Ben Stiller.
• Higher Ground Productions (Barack and Michelle Obama)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Higher Ground Productions, the production company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, co-produced 'Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness' with HBO. The seven-episode limited comedy series features Larry David using his signature tongue-in-cheek style to probe America's past, with Obama appearing in one sketch and providing an on-screen introduction. Premiered June 26, 2026 at 9 PM on HBO and HBO Max.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Netflix: Global subscription streaming service and the dominant premium SVOD competitor. Directly comparable to HBO Max in streaming delivery, original prestige programming, and international expansion, with Netflix operating at significantly larger scale.
• Disney+: Disney's flagship premium streaming service combining franchise IP (Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar) with original prestige programming. Directly comparable as a competing premium SVOD relying on tentpole originals and franchise extensions.
• Apple TV+: Apple's premium subscription streaming service focused on award-winning originals (Severance, Slow Horses, Ted Lasso). Closely comparable to HBO Max in premium positioning, prestige original strategy, and tiered pricing.
• Paramount+: ViacomCBS's flagship streaming service bundling CBS, Paramount Pictures, Showtime content with originals. Comparable as a competing premium SVOD within a larger media conglomerate, with overlapping franchise and prestige strategy.
• Amazon Prime Video: Amazon's streaming service included with Prime, increasingly investing in prestige originals (The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, The Boys). Directly comparable as a major premium SVOD competing for original content dollars and subscribers.
• Showtime: Premium cable and streaming network owned by Paramount, focused on prestige originals (Dexter, Billions, Homeland). Closely comparable to HBO as a competing premium pay-cable network with a similar prestige-originals positioning and tiered pricing model.
• Starz: Premium cable and streaming service owned by Lionsgate, distributing originals and theatrical films. Comparable to HBO/Cinemax as a premium pay-cable network with subscription streaming extension and similar pricing tiering.
• Peacock: NBCUniversal's streaming service with ad-supported and premium tiers, distributing NBC originals, Universal films, and WWE content. Comparable as a competing SVOD within a larger media conglomerate leveraging IP and originals.
• Hulu: Disney-controlled streaming service offering on-demand TV, films, and originals with ad-supported and ad-free tiers. Comparable to HBO Max as a competing SVOD with multi-tier pricing and original programming, distributed through the same pay-TV bundling partners.

Broad incumbents

• FX (Disney): Disney-owned premium cable and Hulu-licensed original programming brand (Shogun, The Bear, Fargo). Comparable to HBO as a prestige cable-originals brand, though operating within Disney's broader portfolio rather than as a standalone premium network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HBO
• Facebookfacebook.com/HBO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hbo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HBO