THQ posts $431 million loss for fiscal year

THQ has posted a $431 million loss for the 12 months ending March this year, down from $35.3 million in fiscal 2008.

Sales were down to $830.0 million from $1,030.5 million in the year previous.

Q4 sales held relatively steady, at $170.3 million, compared with $187.0 million in the corresponding previous period.

Losses for the quarter, however, extended significantly, down to $96.9 million, or $1.44 per share from the $34.5 million in FY '08.

Press release after the drop.

THQ Reports Fiscal 2009 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results
Business Realignment Substantially Completed Resulting in $220 Million Annual Cost Savings Q4 GAAP Results Include $44.7 Million of Business Realignment Charges Company to Expand Leadership in Fighting Category with Launch of UFC 2009 Undisputed on May 19

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 6, 2009-- THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2009.

Full Year Results

For the twelve months ended March 31, 2009, THQ reported net sales of $830.0 million, compared with net sales of $1,030.5 million a year ago. On a non-GAAP basis, the company reported fiscal 2009 net sales of $812.6 million, compared with $1,061.0 million in the prior year.

For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the company reported a net loss of $431.1 million, or $6.45 per share. In the prior year, the company reported a net loss of $35.3 million, or $0.53 per share. On a non-GAAP basis, the company reported a fiscal 2009 net loss of $101.8 million, or $1.52 per share. In the prior year, the company reported a non-GAAP net loss of $13.6 million, or $0.20 per share. A reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP results is provided in the accompanying financial tables.

“In light of a challenging fiscal 2009, we have substantially completed a significant realignment of our business to position THQ for profitability and positive cash flow in fiscal 2010,” said Brian Farrell, THQ president and CEO. “We have taken decisive actions to achieve our cost saving objectives, eliminating $220 million in cash expenditures while at the same time implementing a focused product strategy. We are investing in the brands and products with the highest potential to drive THQ’s long-term profitable growth.”

Fourth Quarter Results

For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, THQ reported net sales of $170.3 million, compared with $187.0 million for the same period a year ago. On a non-GAAP basis, the company reported net sales of $154.3 million, compared with $217.6 million for the same period a year ago. Sales were driven primarily by new releases WWE® Legends of Wrestlemania® and Warhammer® 40,000™ Dawn of War® II.

For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, the company reported a net loss of $96.9 million, or $1.44 per share. For the same period a year ago, THQ reported a net loss of $34.5 million, or $0.52 per share. On a non-GAAP basis, the company reported a fiscal 2009 fourth quarter net loss of $36.4 million, or $0.54 per share. For the same period a year ago, the company reported a non-GAAP net loss of $24.8 million, or $0.37 per share. A reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP results is provided in the accompanying financial tables.

Strategic Plan

In November 2008, the company announced a more focused product strategy and an updated strategic plan. The company’s product strategy focuses on 1) developing a select number of high quality owned intellectual properties targeted at the core gamer, such as Saints Row® 2 and the upcoming Red Faction®: Guerrilla™ and Darksiders™; 2) extending THQ’s leadership in the fighting category with such brands as WWE and Ultimate Fighting Championship; 3) reinvigorating the product portfolio and improving profitability in the company’s kids business; 4) building strong mass appeal/family game franchises like de Blob®, Drawn to Life® and Big Beach Sports™; and 5) extending successful brands into emerging online markets with games such as Company of Heroes® Online and the company’s Warhammer® 40,000™ MMORPG. The company also announced plans to align its organization and cost structure to support this strategy.

Business Realignment

During the fiscal fourth quarter, the company recorded approximately $44.7 million in non-GAAP business realignment expenses, which included cash costs of approximately $4.5 million, including severance and other employee-related costs, and lease and other contract termination costs; and $40.2 million in non-cash impairment charges related to the cancellation of titles and long-lived assets associated with studio closures. The company expects to report additional charges of up to $10 million in fiscal 2010 as certain projects are completed and facilities are vacated. The charges will be excluded from the company’s non-GAAP results.

The company has substantially completed actions necessary to achieve its business realignment plan to reduce planned fiscal 2010 spending by $220 million, which included headcount reductions of approximately 600 people, or 24% of its workforce.

The company continues to maintain a strong studio system with eight internal development studios and more than 1,200 people in its product development organization.

Fiscal 2009 Product Highlights

* Building on its successful Saints Row franchise, THQ has shipped more than 2.8 million units of Saints Row 2
* THQ achieved its goal of improving product quality, as evidenced by the 80+ Metacritic scores for all of its key original games released in fiscal 2009
* Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II debuted as the best selling PC game across major video game markets worldwide, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain and Australia (According to the NPD Group, Inc., ELSPA/GfK Chart-Track and GfK.)
* THQ launched a successful brand extension with WWE Legends of Wrestlemania
* THQ established new casual franchises de Blob and Big Beach Sports

“We delivered on our product quality promise with Saints Row 2, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009, de Blob, Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II and other fiscal 2009 titles,” said Farrell. “Our upcoming product pipeline continues to emphasize our commitment to delivering high quality entertainment for gamers. We look forward to the upcoming launch of our first games based on the popular Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the exciting new version of our Red Faction franchise.”