Copyright Benzinga
In a move that could be called nothing less than foreshadowing, Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) has raised the price of its streaming platform a month after its CEO said it was underpriced. The increased prices for consumers come as the media company is also exploring selling itself to the highest bidder. • WBD stock is challenging resistance. See the full breakdown here. HBO Max Prices Increase Warner Bros. Discovery is the latest media company to raise the prices of its streaming plans, with a change that took place on Oct. 21. The company's HBO Max plans now cost $10.99 per month for the Basic plan (with ads) and $18.49 for the Standard plan (without ads), up $1 and $1.50 per month, respectively, as reported by Variety. Other plans and bundles also raised their monthly prices, along with annual subscription plans. The changes have new subscribers now seeing these increased prices and monthly subscribers paying the higher price on their next billing cycle. This marks the third price increase for HBO Max in the past three years, with the most recent increases happening in June 2024 and January 2023. HBO Max launched in 2020. Warner Bros. Discovery follows Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS), Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) and Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX), which have all raised streaming plan prices in recent months. Those following Warner Bros. Discovery may remember that CEO David Zaslav said HBO Max was underpriced compared to the competition last month at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference. “The fact that this is quality — and that’s true across our company, motion picture, TV production and streaming quality — we all think that gives us a chance to raise price,” Zaslav said at the time. The Warner Bros. Discovery CEO said HBO Max will be in “150 million homes” or more in 2026. The platform had 125.7 million subscribers globally in the second quarter. “We think we’re way underpriced," Zaslav said at the time. HBO Max was already one of the most expensive streaming platforms for both the ad-supported and ad-free plans. With the latest price increases, HBO Max is even more expensive for consumers. Read Also: Tesla, Warner Bros. Discovery Get Partial Victory In AI Image Lawsuit From ‘Blade Runner’ Production Company Warner Bros. Discovery Explores Sale News of the price increases for HBO Max comes as the parent company said it would review potential alternatives ahead of a planned split into two companies, one for the film and TV studios and one with cable channels. That split is planned to be completed in mid-2026, but may change with the likes of Paramount Skydance (NASDAQ:PSKY) bidding on the company. Warner Bros. Discovery said it received unsolicited offers from multiple parties, as reports say the company has turned down multiple offers from Paramount. "It's no surprise that the significant value of our portfolio is receiving increased recognition by others in the market," Zaslav said. The Warner Bros. Discovery CEO said a review of strategic alternatives is the best path to "unlock the full value of our assets." So while HBO Max customers are set to pay more for streaming, they could end up seeing the platform become part of more bundles or change prices in the future with a new owner. Warner Bros. Discovery Stock Soars In 2025 Warner Bros. Discovery stock closed Wednesday up 0.98% to $20.53, hitting a new 52-week high of $21.22 during the intraday. Shares are up 92.6% year-to-date in 2025 and up over 170% in the last year. Read Next: Netflix’s Ted Sarandos And Greg Peters Downplay Warner Bros. Discovery Merger Threat: ‘We Have Been More Builders Than Buyers’ Photo: Shutterstock
