Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software reported better than expected earnings Tuesday. NBA 2K21 and NBA 2K20, Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online, Social Point’s mobile games, Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, Borderlands 3, and NBA Online boosted $TTWO.
Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software reported better than expected earnings Tuesday. NBA 2K21 and NBA 2K20, Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online, Social Point’s mobile games, Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, Borderlands 3, and NBA Online boosted $TTWO..
TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE – NASDAQ: TTWO Reported Earnings After Close Tuesday
$1.44 Beat Exp $0.68 EPS and $839.40M Beat $659.6 Million Forecast in Revenue
The lockdown and ecurrent consumer spending (which is generated from ongoing consumer engagement and include s virtual currency, add-on content and in-game purchases) accounted for largest share of total GAAP net revenue.
Earnings
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.(NASDAQ:TTWO) reported fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $218.8 million from $122.2 million or $1.07 per share a year earlier. On a per-share basis $1.88 and adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to $1.44 per share. The results beat Wall Street expectations with the average estimate of 21 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 68 cents per share.
Revenue was $839.4 million in the period. Net booking moved up 8% annually to an adjusted revenue $784.53 million also surpassing Street forecasts. Twenty-one analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $659.6 million and up from $760.5 million in the corresponding period of 2020.
TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE, INC NASDAQ: TTWO
Market Reaction 173.01▲ 5.32 (+3.17%) After Hours · May 18, 2021
Highlights
Business and Product Highlights Since January 1, 2021:
Take-Two:
Take-Two maintained its commitment to giving back to its communities. During fiscal year 2021, across our Company and labels, we donated nearly $20 million to provide support to approximately 200 organizations throughout the world, and we will continue these efforts. Our donations have supported charities dedicated to COVID-19 relief efforts, as well as initiatives to enhance diversity and inclusion within our industry and to help eradicate racial injustice within our communities.
Rockstar Games:
Released new free content updates for Grand Theft Auto Online, including casino story missions, new stunt races, and more. Additionally, many new exotic vehicles were introduced, including the BF Weevil car, the Maibatsu Manchez Scout motorcycle, the Vapid Slamtruck, the Vetir military truck, the Mammoth Squaddie truck, the Dinka Verus Off-Road vehicle, and the Nagasaki Weaponized Dinghy. Released new free content updates for Red Dead Online including: Debuted the first “A New Source of Employment” missions, available for solo players and delivered via telegram. Introduced the Outlaw Pass No. 5 and its new rewards, which include clothing, emotes, camp items such as flags and a canine companion, Moonshine Shack décor, horse manes and mustaches, and photo studio backdrops. Additionally, new Wheeler, Rawson & Co. Club Rank Rewards were introduced for all players to unlock, including clothing, weapon modifications, filters for the advanced camera, and a new emote. Throughout the fiscal year, Rockstar Games will continue to support both Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online with more content updates to keep new and returning players excited and engaged.
2K:
Continued to expand the breadth of NBA 2K offerings with the launch of the NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition on Apple Arcade, delivering an all-new basketball simulation game experience to Apple’s video game subscription service, available on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac devices. Acquired HookBang, LLC’s Austin-based video game division, which will become part of Visual Concepts, the distinguished, wholly-owned studio and developer of the iconic NBA 2K video game franchise. The acquired team, under the new name of Visual Concepts Austin, will expand its efforts on the NBA 2K franchise, including platform development and live services support. PGA TOUR 2K21 released the Clubhouse Pass Season 2 and launched its newest game mode, Divot Derby, which features a “battle golf” style competition where players can compete with up to 20 other players. To drive continued momentum in golf, 2K entered into an exclusive, long term partnership with Tiger Woods, one of the most iconic and celebrated figures in golf history. Woods’ partnership with 2K includes rights for his name and likeness to appear exclusively in the PGA TOUR 2K franchise, as well as any other golf games published by 2K during the partnership term. Woods will play an active role in the video game landscape as an Executive Director and consultant with PGA TOUR 2K, while 2K will also partner with Woods’ TGR Foundation, which provides award-winning STEM curricula and college-access programs to offer underserved students the tools needed to thrive in school and beyond. Acquired privately-held HB Studios Multimedia Ltd., developers of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful PGA TOUR 2K21, as well as The Golf Club franchise. During the WrestleMania 37 broadcast on April 10, 2021, 2K and Visual Concepts revealed the first teaser video for WWE 2K22, which will launch later this calendar year. The teaser video stars Rey Mysterio, a high-flying lucha libre legend and one of the most exciting and decorated Superstars in WWE history. WWE 2K Battlegrounds released its fifth and final roster update, which added legendary WWE names including Mr. McMahon, Paige, Ricky Steamboat, British Bulldog, Mr. Perfect, Doink the Clown, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and Vader. Introduced exciting new content for Season 7 of WWE SuperCard, including the debut of the WrestleMania 37 card tier and new features to the game. WWE SuperCard also celebrated the 25th anniversary of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s WWE debut with new items and events, such as a brand- new “Stone Cold” Steve Austin cardback, Austin’s iconic jean shorts and more. Released the Borderlands 3: Director’s Cut add-on, which is available for purchase separately and available to download for owners of Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition or Season Pass 2. The Director’s Cut add-on delivered a brand-new raid boss, story-driven murder mystery missions, daily and weekly challenges with unique themed rewards, and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes content. In addition, Tales from the Borderlands – a critically acclaimed, narrative-driven adventure game set within the Borderlands universe – was officially re-released on consoles and PC, and was also released on Switch for the first time, bringing an essential chapter of the Borderlands narrative to new audiences. Launched the Vietnam & Kublai Khan Pack and the Portugal Pack for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, completing the full season of content from Firaxis Games’ New Frontier Pass. The packs bring new leaders, civilizations, optional game modes and more to Civilization VI.
Private Division:
On February 10, 2021, Private Division and Obsidian Entertainment released The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon, the first narrative-led expansion for the critically acclaimed, darkly humorous sci-fi RPG for Switch. The expansion was released previously for PlayStation4, Xbox One, and PC. The second and final expansion, The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos, launched on March 17, 2021 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and will launch on Switch later in calendar 2021. Both expansions are available individually or at a discount as part of The Outer Worlds Expansion Pass. Private Division announced that it will launch OlliOlli World this winter for Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Developed by Roll7, this skateboarding action-platformer marks a bold new direction for the critically acclaimed franchise. Roll7 is a BAFTA and multi-award-winning London based independent studio famous for re-defining genres and creating remarkable games including OlliOlli, OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood, Laser League, and NOT A HERO. ‘
Social Point/Playdots:
Across many of their mobile games, Social Points and Playdots launched new features, scavenger hunts, and marketing activations to drive player engagement. Both studios will continue to introduce new enhancements to their games in the coming year to further optimize the player experience.
Outlook
Looking ahead for the current quarter ending in July, Take-Two said it expects revenue in the range of $625 million to $675 million. The company expects full-year earnings to be $1.95 to $2.20 per share, with revenue ranging from $3.2 billion to $3.3 billion.
What is impressive with $TTWO is both Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online remain among the company biggest contributors nearly five years after they were first launched for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. NBA 2K18, WWE 2K18, WWE SuperCard and Mafia III all were top contributors Red Dead Redemption 2 was an exciting addition for fiscal year 2019.
About Take Two
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a developer, publisher and marketer of entertainment for consumers around the world. The Company develops and publishes products through its labels, Rockstar Games and 2K. It operates through publishing segment. It has a portfolio of software content for the hardware platforms in a range of genres, including action, adventure, family/casual, racing, role-playing, shooter, sports and strategy, which it distributes across the world.
The Company’s products are designed for console gaming systems, such as PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4; Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets. Rockstar Games is the developer and publisher of Grand Theft Auto, as well as other franchises, including L.A. Noire, Max Payne, Midnight Club and Red Dead. 2K publishes owned and licensed titles across a range of genres. It has internal development studios in Canada, China, Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Grand Theft Auto V includes access to Grand Theft Auto Online, which initially launched in 2013. Rockstar Games is also known for developing brands in other genres, including the LA Noire, Bully and Manhunt franchises. Rockstar Games continues to expand on the company’s established franchises by developing sequels, offering downloadable add-on episodes, content and virtual currency, and releasing titles for smartphones and tablets.
Software titles published by the company’s Rockstar Games label are primarily internally developed. It expects Rockstar Games, its wholly-owned publisher of the Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, Midnight Club, Red Dead, and other franchises, to continue to operate in the action/adventure product category and create groundbreaking entertainment by utilizing its existing titles, as well as developing new brands.
TTWO’s 2K label has published various entertainment properties across all key platforms and across a range of genres, including shooter, action, role-playing, strategy, sports and family/casual entertainment.
2K’s internally owned and developed franchises include the critically acclaimed, multi-million unit selling BioShock, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization and XCOM Enemy Unknown series. 2K also publishes highly externally developed franchises, such as Borderlands and Evolve. 2K’s realistic sports simulation titles, including the company’s primary NBA 2K series.
Source: TTWO, Alphastreet,
From The TradersCommunity Research Desk