Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2006 Financial Results
Results Include $26.3 Million Charge for Asset Write-Offs and Studio Closures
Federal Trade Commission Concludes
Inquiry
New York, NY - June 8, 2006 - Take-Two
Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today announced
financial results for its second quarter ended April 30,
2006.
Net revenues for the second quarter were $265.1 million
compared to $222.1 million for the second quarter of fiscal
2005. Net loss for the quarter was $50.4 million or $0.71 per
share compared to a net loss of $8.2 million or $0.12 per
share in the prior year's second quarter. The fiscal 2006
second quarter results include a charge of $26.3 million, or
$0.24 per share on a tax effected basis, for asset write-offs
and studio closures related to the Company's cost saving
initiatives as described below.
Net revenues for the six months ended April 30, 2006 were
$530.1 million compared to $724.5 million for the same period
a year ago. Net loss for the first six months was $79.5
million compared to net income of $47.1 million in the
comparable period last year. Net loss per share was $1.12 for
the first six months compared to net income per diluted share
of $0.67 in the prior year's first six months. In addition to
the charge discussed above for the Company's asset write-offs
and studio closures, Take-Two's loss per share for the three
and six months ended April 30, 2006 includes the impact of
adopting SFAS 123®, requiring the expensing of employee stock
options beginning on November 1, 2005.
In addition to the challenging comparison to the strong sales
of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in the comparable period
last year, Take-Two attributed the lower year to date results
to continued retail weakness for video game software and
lower retail pricing during the holiday selling season in
both North America and Europe, as the industry began to
transition to new hardware platforms. While revenues for the
second quarter of fiscal 2006 exceeded levels in the prior
year second quarter, the Company's profitability in the
recent quarter was impacted by a variety of factors,
including the significant percentage of publishing revenues
from co-published and licensed titles which generally have
lower margins than internally owned, internally developed
titles.
Responding to the current difficult business environment and
market conditions, the Company has taken steps to reduce
costs, resulting in asset write-offs and studio closings.
Take-Two realized non-cash charges in the second quarter of
$24.3 million related to the write-off of several titles in
development and certain trademarks and acquired intangibles,
and incurred severance and other costs of $2 million from the
closure of two development studios. The Company expects to
incur additional costs of approximately $3 million in the
third quarter related to the closure of a third development
studio, and approximately $3 million in the aggregate during
the third and fourth quarters for the relocation of the
Company's international publishing headquarters to Geneva,
Switzerland. The Company continues to expect to return to
profitability in its fourth quarter of fiscal 2006.
Conclusion of FTC Inquiry
Take-Two also announced that the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) has concluded its previously announced inquiry
regarding the advertising claims for Grand Theft Auto: San
Andreas following the re-rating of the title by the
Entertainment Software Rating Board. In June, Take-Two and
its wholly-owned publishing label Rockstar Games, entered
into an Agreement with the FTC containing a Consent Order
under which the Company agreed to settle all outstanding
matters pending before the FTC. No penalties or fines have
been assessed under the Consent Order. Among other things,
the Consent Order provides that the Company shall not
misrepresent a video game's ratings or content descriptors
and that the Company shall implement a system to ensure that
all game content is reviewed in connection with submissions
to ratings authorities. The Consent Order and an accompanying
Complaint are subject to a 30-day period for public comment
ending July 10, 2006 and final approval by the FTC.
Second Quarter Highlights
Take-Two's second quarter results were led by sales of The
Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion for PC and the Xbox
360 video game and entertainment system from
Microsoft, a title co-published by 2K and Bethesda Softworks.
Other leading 2K titles in the quarter included Major League
Baseball® 2K6, Top Spin 2 and 24: The Game. Rockstar Games'
largest contributors to the quarter's results included Grand
Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories for the PSP
(PlayStation®Portable) system, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, a
Greatest Hits title, and Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition REMIX
for the PlayStation 2, also a Greatest Hits title.
Revenues at the Company's Jack of All Games distribution
business decreased year over year in the second quarter due
primarily to reduced sales of current generation hardware and
software products and a decrease in average selling prices of
interactive entertainment products as the industry
transitions to next-generation platforms. However, hardware
and accessory revenues increased year over year due to the
introduction and increased availability of Xbox 360
hardware.
Upcoming Products
Fiscal 2006 third quarter releases that have already shipped
include Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis for Xbox 360.
Rockstar also released Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
for PlayStation 2 in North America; the title will be in
European stores on June 23rd. 2K shipped The Da Vinci Code
for current generation console systems and PC in conjunction
with the release of the Columbia Pictures feature film in
May. 2K's third quarter lineup also includes Prey for PC and
Xbox 360, along with Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords,
the first expansion pack for the critically acclaimed Sid
Meier's Civilization IV, and CivCity: Rome, both for
PC.
Additional products planned for 2006 from Rockstar Games
include Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories for the PSP,
scheduled for October release, an additional PSP title based
on another premier brand, and Bully.
2K's fall/winter releases include Sid Meier's Railroads!,
Stronghold Legends and Dungeon Siege II: Broken World, all
for PC; Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony for the PSP; and
Family Guy for current generation console systems, based on
the hit Twentieth Century Fox television series. 2K Sports
has various titles planned including NBA 2K7, NHL 2K7,
College Hoops 2K7, and additional products based on the Major
League Baseball license. Global Star is planning Family Feud
for multiple platforms, among other titles.
For 2007 and 2008, the Company anticipates a strong next
generation lineup from Rockstar Games including the
simultaneous launch of Grand Theft Auto IV on PlayStation®3
computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 in October 2007,
along with sequels to several of Rockstar's other successful
franchises. Additionally, Rockstar will provide exclusive
episodic content for Xbox Live®. 2K's 2007 releases will
include the PC and next generation console title BioShock
from 2K's Irrational Games development studio; The Darkness
for next generation platforms based on the popular Top Cow
Productions' comic book franchise; and Ghost Rider for
current generation systems, based on the Marvel Super Hero
and upcoming feature film scheduled for release in spring
2007. For 2007 and 2008, 2K Sports anticipates a solid lineup
of sports titles based on licenses with Major League
Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National
Hockey League and the National Collegiate Athletic
Association, as well as proprietary unlicensed sports brands
including tennis and boxing games.
Management Comments
Paul Eibeler, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated,
"While near-term financial results continue to be impacted by
the console transition, we are confident that we have
positioned Take-Two for the long-term by streamlining our
organization while maintaining an extremely talented global
development team. We will continue to focus on creating
compelling content, operating in a cost-efficient manner as
we navigate the console transition, and aligning our
resources to drive improved financial performance in 2007 and
beyond."
Conference Call
Take-Two will host a conference call today at 4:30 pm Eastern
Time to review fiscal 2006 second quarter results. The call
can be accessed by dialing (877) 407-0984 or (201) 689-8577.
A live listen-only webcast of the call is available by
visiting http://ir.take2games.com and
a replay will be available following the call at the same
location.
About Take-Two Interactive Software,
Inc.
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive
Software, Inc. is an integrated global developer, marketer,
distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment
software games and accessories for the PC, PlayStation® game
console, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system,
PSP (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox® and Xbox
360 video game and entertainment systems from
Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS and
Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops
products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K
and 2K Sports, and Global Star Software; and distributes
products in North America through its Jack of All Games
subsidiary. Take-Two also manufactures and markets video game
accessories in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific
region through its Joytech subsidiary. The Company maintains
sales and marketing offices in Cincinnati, New York, Toronto,
London, Paris, Munich, Madrid, Milan, Sydney, Breda
(Netherlands), Auckland, Shanghai and Tokyo. Take-Two's
common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol
TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit
our website at www.take2games.com.
All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the
property of their respective holders.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains
forward-looking statements made in reliance upon the safe
harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. The statements contained herein
which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking
statements under federal securities laws. Such
forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our
management as well as assumptions made by and information
currently available to them. The Company has no obligation to
update such forward-looking statements. Actual results may
vary significantly from these forward-looking statements
based on a variety of factors. These important factors are
described in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
January 31, 2006 in the section entitled "Cautionary
Statement and Risk Factors".