--- description: The network's shares slid 12 percent on news of underwhelming first quarter profits and overwhelming costs title: AMC's Profits Slip in Search for 'Walking Dead' Successor image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ea1f55e34756be1/69868e7ce8524baace602c94/184247791.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # AMC Profits Slip in Search for Next _Walking Dead_\-Sized Hit  by [Dan Kedmey](/author/dan-kedmey/)  ## Dan Kedmey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 8, 2014 6:19 PM CUT  "The Walking Dead" Panel at New York Comic Con at Jacob Javits Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City. "The Walking Dead" Panel at New York Comic Con at Jacob Javits Center on October 12, 2013 in New York City.Laura Cavanaugh— Getty Images  by [Dan Kedmey](/author/dan-kedmey/)  ## Dan Kedmey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 8, 2014 6:19 PM CUT AMC networks has one genuine blockbuster show under its belt with the smash success of _The Walking Dead_, but its costly search for another hit has put shareholders on edge. The network’s sales climbed 37% last quarter to $524.6 million, but its expenses galloped at even faster clip, climbing 48% to $376.9 million. It has invested heavily in a new line-up of shows, including a _Breaking Bad_ spinoff, which analysts fear could take a zombie-like chomp out of the company’s profit margins. It’s unlikely _Better Call Saul_ will reach the popularity of _The Walking Dead_, which became the [top-rated Sunday night show](http://entertainment.time.com/2013/10/29/not-dead-yet-walking-dead-renewed-for-5th-season/ "undefined") among viewers aged 18 to 49 during its fourth season last fall. AMC’s shares fell 12% on news of the first quarter earnings, Bloomberg [reports](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-08/amc-profits-dented-by-costs-to-find-next-walking-dead-.html "undefined"), following a record 18% drop on Wednesday. \[[_Bloomberg_](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-08/amc-profits-dented-by-costs-to-find-next-walking-dead-.html "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/92628/amc-profits-walking-dead/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/92628/amc-profits-walking-dead/"},"headline":"AMC Profits Slip in Search for Next Walking Dead-Sized Hit","datePublished":"2014-05-08T18:19:47.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T07:44:07.760Z","description":"The network's shares slid 12 percent on news of overwhelming costs and underwhelming profits, as it continues to seek a show with viewing figures to rival its zombie mega-hit","url":"https://time.com/92628/amc-profits-walking-dead/","keywords":["Television","breaking bad","AMC","Shares","Walking Dead","Profits"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ea1f55e34756be1/69868e7ce8524baace602c94/184247791.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dan Kedmey","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/dan-kedmey/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ea1f55e34756be1/69868e7ce8524baace602c94/184247791.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"\"The Walking Dead\" Panel At New York Comic Con","caption":"\"The Walking Dead\" Panel At New York Comic Con","creditText":"Laura Cavanaugh— Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/92628/amc-profits-walking-dead/","name":"AMC Profits Slip in Search for Next Walking Dead-Sized Hit"}}]}] ```