Year-End Report for the Fiscal Year 20052005
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Year-End Report for the Fiscal Year 20052005 Digital Illusions CE AB (publ) Continued success and improved profits Operating profit over SEK 57m for 2005 Net Revenues – SEK m • Net revenues for the full-year 2005 amounted to SEK 225.7m 70 (SEK 209.3m), representing an increase of 8 percent compared with 60 2004. Total operating revenues were SEK 226.7m (SEK 213.7m). 50 • Profit after financial items in 2005 amounted to SEK 61.8m (SEK 40.3m), 40 5 200 representing a rise of 53 percent compared with 2004. This improvement 30 2004 2005 2004 2003 2005 2004 2005 is primarily attributable to higher royalty revenues from the Battlefield 2 2004 arter arter 20 arter game. The pre-tax profit margin in 2005 was 27 percent (19 percent). 10 cond quarter st quarter Fir Se Third quarter Third Fourth quarter Second quarter quarter Second Third quarter quarter Third First quarter quarter First Fourth qu Fourth • Profit after tax in 2005 amounted to SEK 44.2m (SEK 28.6m), 0 qu Fourth representing SEK 4.37 per share (SEK 2.83). Profit after financial items – SEK m • Net revenues for the fourth quarter 2005 amounted to SEK 61.8m 30 (SEK 36.6m). Profit after financial items for the fourth quarter 2005 was SEK 16.1m (SEK –9.4m), and the profit after tax amounted to SEK 11.3m (SEK –7.1m). 20 • Royalties stood for 55 percent of Digital Illusions' total revenues in 2005. 5 2005 00 2004 2 2004 2003 2005 2004 2005 10 2004 arter arter • Sales of Battlefield 2, which was launched at the end of June 2005, have arter continued to be very good. Up to December 31, the game had sold st quarter Fir 1,900,000 units. The Battlefield 2 Special Forces expansion pack was Second quarter Third quarter Third Fourth quarter Second quarter quarter Second Third quarter quarter Third First quarter quarter First Fourth qu Fourth Fourth qu Fourth launched in November. Up to the end of 2005, the game had sold 0 650,000 units, which exceeds the Company's expectations. The products in the Battlefield series have sold an overall total of about 9.2 million –10 units. Graphs are adjusted according to IFRS. 2 DICE Year-End Report for the Fiscal Year 2005 Financial comments well as financial currency effects during released in November and that has sold Net revenues for 2005 amounted to the period. extremely well. SEK 225.7m (SEK 209.3m). Total oper- Digital Illusions is reporting as per IFRS Costs in the fourth quarter 2005 were ating revenues amounted to SEK 226.7m as of January 1, 2005. Comparative figures in line with the same period 2004. The (SEK 213.7m), representing an increase for the full-year and the fourth quarter pre-tax profit margin for the period was of 6 percent compared with the same 2004 have been adjusted to comply with 26 percent (– 26 percent). period 2004. The strong revenues in 2005 IFRS. Further details are set out in the are attributable to Digital Illusions' best- table on page 9. Projects and royalty selling Battlefield 2 and its Special Forces The Company's liquid funds amounted revenues expansion pack. The pre-tax profit margin to SEK 209.6m as at December 31, 2005. 55 percent (SEK 124.6m) of Digital in 2005 was 27 percent (19 percent). This amount is SEK 78.2m higher than Illusions' total revenues came from royal- Operating costs in 2005 fell by 4 percent the level of SEK 131.5m as at December ties in 2005 – generated primarily by the compared with 2004. This decrease is due 31, 2004 and is primarily attributable to Battlefield series. In the fourth quarter partly to external sub-consultants not being final payments of major projects in 2005 2005, royalties represented 69 percent used to the same extent as last year, and as well as good royalty revenues during (SEK 42.7m) of Digital Illusions' total partly due to costs related to the move of the year. revenues. the Gothenburg office having burdened Battlefield 2 was released in June 2005, 2004. Fourth quarter 2005 which generated extremely good royalty Digital Illusions recruited and contracted Net revenues in the fourth quarter 2005 revenues in the three last quarters of the about thirty people in the last quarter of amounted to SEK 61.8m (SEK 36.6m). year. These revenues were further strength- 2005. This recruitment process is part of Total operating revenues were SEK 62.0m ened by the Battlefield 2 Special Forces the new expansive phase that the Company (SEK 36.8m), representing an increase of expansion pack which was successfully has started and will continue in 2006. 68 percent compared with the same period released in November 2005. Moving costs of about SEK 4-5m will also 2004. The rise in revenues in the fourth Project income represented SEK 101.1m burden 2006, implying that costs will quarter 2005 is above all attributable to (45 percent) of total revenues in 2005, increase in 2006 compared with 2005. royalty revenues from Battlefield 2, which and SEK 19.1m (31 percent) in the fourth Financial items in 2005 amounted to has continued to witness good sales since quarter. The Battlefield 2 expansion pack, approximately SEK 4.1m, consisting of its release at the end of June, and its which was planned to be released in the earnings on the Company's cash assets as Special Forces expansion pack which was spring of 2006, has been replaced by two Year-End Report for the Fiscal Year 2005 3 Operations in 2005 Investments Digital Illusions prioritizes development Digital Illusions announced at the end of assignments where the ownership rights December 2005 that the Company will to the brand names remain within the further invest up to SEK 50 million in Company. This business model implies 2006 and 2007 in technological develop- lower margins in the development phase ment related to PCs and the next genera- but greater potential for good revenues in tion of consoles. In 2005, Digital Illusions the form of royalties – where the Battle- invested about SEK 15 million in techno- field series is a successful example. logical development for the new platforms Digital Illusions' business model is to and PCs. In addition, customary invest- develop games with its own brand names. ments in games projects will be made as in The games are then marketed, distributed previous years. Development of the next and sold by a publisher. Digital Illusions generation's consoles requires greater receives a fixed production budget from resources than for today's hardware. the publisher for the development of a Digital Illusions will strengthen its posi- game. The Company also receives part of tion to enable the Company to become the sales revenues in the form of royalties, one of the leading developers of games for provided the game achieves certain sales the next generation's platforms, Sony Play- levels. Royalties are calculated as a per- station 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360. The centage of the price per sold unit, and are Company will also continue to invest in first received after the already paid pro- the development of PC games. duction budget has been covered and All games developers must make consid- deducted. erable investments in order to be success- The Company further invested in a ful in the long-term. Digital Illusions' number of projects during the year with investments are therefore far from unique. booster packs. The change to booster the objective of improving products and Investments in the new platforms will packs implied that project income in the thereby providing prerequisites to imply lower profit margins in the develop- fourth quarter 2005 was slightly lower increase related future royalty revenues. ment projects over the coming years. The than the previous quarter due to a smaller Digital Illusions closed the Company's technology and tools being developed will development budget. It is believed how- New York office in June 2005. This was however be re-used in the production of ever that this will be counter-balanced by motivated by prerequisites having changed, subsequent games for the same platform increased royalty revenues in the first half- and that the Company's future plans had generation. year 2006. Investments have also been made consequently been modified compared Xbox 360 was released in December on an ongoing basis in various projects. with when the company Trauma Studios 2005. Playstation 3 is expected to be Project income is expected to rise in the was acquired in September 2004. The released in 2006/2007. first quarter 2006 compared with the last Trauma business contained values in the quarter of 2005. form of rights to brand names and a new New premises The major part of Digital Illusions' game concept. Furthermore, the employ- Digital Illusions plans for continued income is generated in US dollars. Future ees at the New York studio contributed growth, and the number of employees will contracted payments are hedged on a con- with ideas and improvements to the Battle- rise continuously during the forthcoming tinuous basis for Swedish operations, field 2 game. years. The Company therefore needs larger where costs are incurred in Swedish kronor. The amount of 300,000 US dollars was and more flexible premises. Digital Illusions Contracts for Digital Illusions' production paid for the acquisition of Trauma Studios signed a new lease in the summer of 2005, in Canada are not normally hedged. in September 2004. In conjunction with and the Stockholm office will move in June Contracted payments are hedged as and the purchase, it was also agreed that an 2006 to what is known as "Glashuset" when new contracts are signed.