Fiscal Fourth Quarter Results (comparisons are to the quarter ended March 31, 2009)
GAAP net revenue for the fourth quarter was $979 million, up $119 million as compared with $860 million in the prior year. During the quarter, EA had a net benefit of $129 million related to the recoElectrognition of deferred net revenue for certain online-enabled packaged goods games and digital content.
Non-GAAP net revenue was $850 million, up $241 million as compared with $609 million for the prior year. Sales were driven by Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Mass Effect 2, Dante’s Inferno and digital businesses.
GAAP net income for the quarter was $30 million, as compared with a net loss of $42 million for the prior year. Diluted earnings per share were $0.09 as compared with diluted loss per share of ($0.13) for the prior year.
Non-GAAP net income was $23 million as compared with non-GAAP net loss of $120 million a year ago. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share was $0.07 as compared with non-GAAP diluted loss per share of ($0.37) for the prior year.
“We had an excellent fourth quarter, driving record-breaking non-GAAP revenue in the fiscal year,” said John Riccitiello, Chief Executive Officer. “Battlefield: Bad Company 2 outperformed, which contributed to revenue at the high end of our guidance range, and we exceeded our expectations on the bottom line.”
“We are affirming our FY11 and Q1 non-GAAP guidance and expect to grow profitability in the year ahead,” said Eric Brown, Chief Financial Officer. “Our digital businesses are expected to grow approximately 30%.”
Full Fiscal Year Results (comparisons are to the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009)
GAAP net revenue for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010 was $3.654 billion as compared with $4.212 billion for the prior year. The Company ended the year with $766 million in deferred net revenue from packaged goods and digital content – up $505 million from a year ago.
Non-GAAP net revenue was $4.159 billion, up two percent as compared with $4.086 billion for the prior year.
GAAP net loss for the year was $677 million as compared with a net loss of $1.088 billion for the prior year. Diluted loss per share was ($2.08) as compared with a diluted loss per share of ($3.40) for the prior year. Fiscal 2010 GAAP results include a $140 million restructuring charge associated with the fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2010 restructuring plans.
Non-GAAP net income was $145 million as compared with net loss of $96 million a year ago. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share were $0.44 as compared with diluted loss per share of ($0.30) for the prior year.
Trailing-twelve-month operating cash flow was $152 million as compared with $12 million a year ago. The Company ended the year with cash and short-term investments of $1.7 billion.
Fiscal 2010 Highlights
- EA leads the industry in quality with 20 titles earning a Metacritic rating of 80 or above.
- EA is ranked #1 publisher with 19 percent segment share, up 1.7 points from the prior year, with four of the top 20 games in North America and four of the top 20 games in Europe.
- EA is ranked #1 publisher on the PlayStation3, Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation2. EA is the #1 third party publisher on the Wii and PSP platforms.
- EA was named to the 2010 Fortune 500 company list in April 2010.
- Five EA titles sold more than four million units in the fiscal year: FIFA 10, Madden NFL 10, The Sims 3, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and Need for Speed Shift.
- EA strengthenedits portfolio by launching new intellectual property – EA SPORTS Active, Dragon Age, and Dante’s Inferno.
- EA’s non-GAAP digital revenue, which includes online and wireless, was $570 million, up 33 percent year-over-year.
- EA Mobile, the world’s leading publisher of games for wireless, delivered non-GAAP revenue of $212 million for fiscal 2010 – up 12 percent year-over-year.
- Battlefield 1943 sold over 1.5 million units to date and is the best-selling download-only game on PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Arcade.
- EA has sold over eight million units worldwide of Hasbro branded family and kids video games to date.
- The Sims franchise has sold over 125 million units worldwide to date.
- FIFA 10 has sold over 10 million units since launch.
Business Outlook
The following forward-looking statements, as well as those made above, reflect expectations as of May 11, 2010. Results may be materially different and are affected by many factors, including: development delays on EA’s products; competition in the industry; the health of the economy in the U.S. and abroad and the related impact on discretionary consumer spending; changes in anticipated costs; expected savings and impact on EA’s operations of the Company’s cost reduction plan; consumer demand for console hardware and the ability of the console manufacturers to produce an adequate supply of consoles to meet that demand; changes in foreign exchange rates; the financial impact of potential future acquisitions by EA; the popular appeal of EA’s products; EA’s effective tax rate; and other factors detailed in this release and in EA’s annual and quarterly SEC filings.
EA is affirming its full year FY11 and Q1 non-GAAP guidance.
First Quarter Fiscal Year 2011 Expectations – Ending June 30, 2010
- GAAP net revenue is expected to be approximately $710 to $750 million.
- Non-GAAP net revenue is expected to be approximately $460 to $500 million.
- GAAP diluted earnings/(loss) per share is expected to be approximately a ($0.05) loss to a $0.05 profit.
- Non-GAAP diluted loss per share is expected to be approximately ($0.35) to ($0.40).
- For purposes of calculating first quarter fiscal year 2011 earnings/(loss) per share, the Company estimates a share count of 328 million for loss per share computations and 330 million for earnings per share computations.
- Expected non-GAAP net income excludes the following items from expected GAAP net income:
- Non-GAAP net revenue is expected to be approximately $250 million lower than GAAP net revenue due to the impact of the change in deferred net revenue (packaged goods and digital content);
- Approximately $50 million of estimated stock-based compensation;
- Approximately $15-20 million of amortization of intangible assets;
- Approximately $5 million of restructuring charges; and
- $50 to $60 million in the difference between the Company’s GAAP and non-GAAP tax expenses.
Fiscal Year 2011 Expectations – Ending March 31, 2011
- GAAP net revenue is expected to be approximately $3.35 to $3.60 billion, down from prior expectations of $3.45 to $3.70 billion due primarily to revisions to our release schedule. Non-GAAP net revenue is expected to be approximately $3.65 to $3.90 billion.
- GAAP operating expense is expected to be approximately $2.3 billion and non-GAAP operating expense is expected to be approximately $2 billion.
- Other income and expense is expected to be approximately $5 million.
- GAAP diluted loss per share is expected to be approximately ($0.85) to ($1.15), down from prior expectations of ($0.60) to ($0.90), again due primarily to changes to our release schedule.
- Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share are expected to be approximately $0.50 to $0.70.
- For purposes of calculating fiscal year 2011 earnings/(loss) per share, the Company estimates a share count of 329 million for loss per share computations and 331 million for earnings per share computations.
- Expected non-GAAP net income excludes the following items from expected GAAP net loss:
- Non-GAAP net revenue is expected to be approximately $300 million higher than GAAP revenue due to the impact of the change in deferred net revenue (packaged goods and digital content);
- Approximately $200 million of estimated stock-based compensation;
- Approximately $70 million of amortization of intangible assets;
- $10 to $15 million of restructuring charges; and
- ($44) to ($72) million in the difference between the Company’s GAAP and non-GAAP tax expenses.
- The fiscal year 2011 launch schedule is expected to be more consistent with years prior to fiscal year 2010, with non-GAAP revenue to be allocated as follows during the fiscal year:
- Q1: approximately 13%
- Q2: approximately 21%
- Q3: approximately 42%
- Q4: approximately 24%
Key Titles – Fiscal Year 2011:
Label | Title | Platforms | ||||||||
Q1 | ||||||||||
Games | Skate 3 | Console | ─ | ─ | ||||||
Green Day: Rock Band(1) | Console | ─ | ─ | |||||||
All Points Bulletin(1) | ─ | ─ | PC | |||||||
Sports | 2010 FIFA World Cup: South Africa | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | ||||||
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Online | ─ | ─ | PC | |||||||
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11 | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | |||||||
Q2 | ||||||||||
Games | Need for Speed World | ─ | ─ | PC | ||||||
Sports | NCAA Football 11 | Console | ─ | ─ | ||||||
EA SPORTS FIFA Online | ─ | ─ | PC | |||||||
Madden NFL 11 | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | |||||||
FIFA 11 | Console | Handheld/mobile | PC | |||||||
NHL 11 | Console | ─ | ─ | |||||||
Play | MySims SkyHeroes | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | ||||||
Q3 | ||||||||||
Games | Medal of Honor | Console | Handheld/mobile | PC | ||||||
Crysis 2(2) | Console | ─ | PC | |||||||
Need For Speed TBA | Console | Handheld/mobile | PC | |||||||
EA Partners Game TBA(1) | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | |||||||
Sports | EA SPORTS MMA | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | ||||||
FIFA Manager 11(2) | ─ | ─ | PC | |||||||
NBA Jam | Console | ─ | ─ | |||||||
NBA LIVE 11 | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | |||||||
EA SPORTS Active Title TBA | Console | ─ | ─ | |||||||
EA SPORTS Active 2.0 | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | |||||||
Play | FAMILY GAME NIGHT 3 | Console | ─ | ─ | ||||||
LITTLEST PET SHOP 3 Biggest Stars | ─ | Handheld/mobile | ─ | |||||||
MONOPOLY Streets | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | |||||||
Harry Potter TBA | Console | Handheld/mobile | PC | |||||||
EA Play Game TBA | Console | ─ | PC | |||||||
The Sims 3 | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | |||||||
Q4 | ||||||||||
Games | Dead Space 2 | Console | Handheld/mobile | PC | ||||||
Dragon Age Title TBA | Console | Handheld/mobile | PC | |||||||
Bulletstorm(2) | Console | ─ | PC | |||||||
Need For Speed TBA | Console | ─ | PC | |||||||
Sports | Fighting Title TBA | Console | Handheld/mobile | ─ | ||||||
Play | New Sims Title TBA | ─ | ─ | PC | ||||||
Spore Title TBA | ─ | ─ | PC |