q3 2011
Latest
Nintendo posts first half loss in earnings report, slashes forecast yet again
Nintendo's latest earnings report may be one of its most forgettable. The company posted a net loss of ¥70.27 billion ($923 million) this morning, in a report covering the first six months of the fiscal year ending on September 30th. That's significantly deeper than the ¥2.01 billion loss Nintendo posted during the same period last year, though Nintendo attributed the result, in part, to a strengthened yen and sagging demand for its 3DS console. Revenue, meanwhile, fell by 40.6 percent on the year, to ¥215.74 billion ($2.84 billion), as the manufacturer reported an operating loss of ¥57.34 billion. Things are looking so bleak, in fact, that Nintendo has decided to slash its financial projections yet again, predicting a net loss of ¥20 billion for the full year (ending in March 2012), compared with the ¥20 billion in profits it projected only in July. And, as Bloomberg notes, if these prognostications hold true, it would mark Nintendo's first annual loss in a full 30 years. Ouch. Check out the full report for yourself at the source link, below.
Sprint announces Q3 earnings: net subs reach five year high, net losses at $300 million
Sprint has just unveiled its Q3 earnings report, and it's looking pretty bittersweet. According to the company, net operating revenues reached $8.3 billion during the quarter (about two percent higher than Q3 2010), while additions of new wireless net subscribers reached a five year high, with 1.3 million customers hopping onboard. Of those 1.3 million, 304,000 were of the postpaid variety, 485,000 were prepaid and about 835,000 were wholesale. Sprint lost about 44,000 net postpaid customers this quarter, but that's a major improvement over last quarter, when a little over 100,000 jumped ship, and marks a 59 percent improvement over last year's report. At the same time, however, the carrier reported net losses of $301 million -- lower than Q2's figures, but not exactly encouraging, either. As far as the future goes, the folks at Overland Park expect to end the year with even more new subscribers, though it remains to be seen whether that long-awaited LTE rollout can make much of a dent in its bottom line. Check out the press release in full, after the break. Update: Listening in on the earnings call it's clear Sprint is really counting on the iPhone to help it run with the big dogs. According to some convoluted metaphor, the carrier is the Oakland A's in Moneyball and Apple's handset is A-Rod (who never spent a day with the Athletics... but we digress). Still, Sprint expects more loyalty and bigger profits from customers who choose the iPhone -- at least for the next four years, after which it'll have to negotiate a new deal with the Cupertino crew. Update 2: Sprint also clarified that, in addition to its deal with LightSquared, it will be working with Clearwire to deliver LTE network coverage. The carrier has reached a preliminary agreement with its WiMAX partner, but expects to announce a wholesale deal soon. Update 3: We already knew that the iPhone 4S launch was the company's best launch ever for a family, but now the company's confirming that it was its best launch ever for any device.
LG posts a net loss for Q3, loses ground in mobile sales
The Q3 numbers for LG are in, showing its cellphone unit lost money for the sixth straight quarter, with profits coming from the home appliance and air conditioning units. On the home entertainment side, it shipped more flat panel TVs than ever before (6.8 million) and despite lower revenues managed to improve operating profit by selling more of its high end Cinema 3D and LED-lit HDTVs. Unfortunately for the mobile division, sales were down 8.5 percent from last year and the company recorded a $128.47 million operating loss. Making things worse, Reuters reports its rival Samsung is expected to report strong profit in mobiles on Friday, and pass Apple as the world's biggest smartphone seller on the back of its Galaxy S line. We don't know if LG will be able to turn things around anytime soon, but giving the Optimus LTE an Ice Cream Sandwich finish and shipping it sooner rather than later couldn't hurt.
Amazon focusing on 'lifetime' Kindle revenue, anticipating record device sales for Q4
Today's Amazon earnings were decidedly split -- the company revealed both a 44-percent increase in net sales and a 73-percent decrease in net income. So, why the discrepancy? It may at least partially be due to the much discussed suggestion that the company actually loses money for each Kindle sold -- a trend which, if true, has likely only been compounded by the release of the uber-cheap ad-supported version of the device. The company addressed the matter in part, suggesting that it is focused on "the lifetime value [of the Kindle], not just the economics of the devices and accessories." The total economic picture of the Kindle includes the device itself, accessories, downloaded content and ad-revenue. Things are apparently looking up for the company, as well, with Amazon anticipating "a record quarter in terms of device sales" for Q4. The positivity is a reflection, in part, of greater than anticipated Kindle pre-orders. Says CEO Jeff Bezos, "In the three weeks since launch, orders for electronic ink Kindles are double the previous launch. And based on what we're seeing with Kindle Fire pre-orders, we're increasing capacity and building millions more than we'd already planned."
Amazon net sales up, net income down for Q3 2011
Amazon pulled back the financial curtain for Q3 2011, revealing $10.88 billion in net sales for the quarter, a 44 percent jump over this time last year. Net income, on the other hand, decreased 73 percent year over year, down to $63 million. The quarter also saw the company's "biggest order day ever for Kindle," according to CEO Jeff Bezos -- September 28th, the introduction of three new reader devices from the company. The company's Q4 report will likely be affected by the coming launch of the Kindle Touch and the long-awaited Fire tablet.
ARM doubles Q3 profit, sees surge in revenue, is understandably pleased
The news just keeps getting better and better for ARM Holdings. Today, the chip designer reported third quarter net profits of £31.5 million ($50.4 million), more than double the £14.8 million it reported during Q3 2010. Revenue, meanwhile, rose to $192.3 million -- a 22 percent increase over the previous year, and a slightly higher figure than previously expected. In a statement, chief executive Warren East attributed these results to a "continued high level of design activity, with many new customers licensing ARM technology for the first time, driven by end-market requirements for smarter, low-power chips." Indeed, a total of one billion ARM mobile chips were shipped this quarter (up ten percent from last year), and the company expects to rake in about $763 million in total revenue, by the end of 2011. Find figures and facts galore, at the source link below.
Canon posts higher profits in Q3 earnings report, lowers outlook over Thai flood concerns
Things are looking pretty rosy for Canon these days, though there may be some difficulty on the horizon. Today, the camera maker published a rather strong Q3 earnings report, just a few months after posting relatively ho-hum Q2 results. According to the company, operating profit grew by 17.4 percent to ¥122.55 billion ($1.6 billion) this quarter, compared with ¥104.42 billion ($1.37 billion) a year ago. Net profit, meanwhile, increased by 14.2 percent over the year, reaching ¥77.9 billion ($1.02 billion) during the quarter, versus ¥68.20 billion during Q3 2010. These results come at a time when the yen is strong, and therefore detrimental to Japanese exporters, though Canon attributed much of its success to strong growth in emerging markets, including China and India. For the year, however, Canon lowered its net-profit outlook to ¥230 billion ($3.02 billion) from ¥260 billion ($3.4 billion), on assumptions that the yen will maintain its strength, and on fears that recent flooding in Thailand may impact production. In fact, the manufacturer said the flooding may cut annual sales by ¥50 billion ($657 million) and operating profit by ¥20 billion. Check out the full report, at the source link below.
Nokia Q3 2011 earnings: operating profit sinks 60 percent, but sales beat estimates
Man, can Nokia World get here any faster? Nokia needs Windows Phone in perhaps the worst possible way, and if you had any doubt whatsoever on that, just take a look at the outfit's woeful Q3 2011 earnings. Right off the top, net sales dropped 13 percent year-over-year (and three percent from Q2), while operating profit plummeted a staggering 60 percent year-over-year (and 36 percent since the prior quarter). All told, the company recorded net sales of €9 billion ($12.35 billion), and while things are gloomy in comparison to the glory days, it still has a whopping €5.1 billion ($7 billion) in its coffers. And the good news doesn't end there. The company's shares actually surged on word that the losses weren't as bad as anticipated, and that overall sales beat estimates. Only in a stock market can the loss of €68 million ($93 million) be "positive," but hey -- we're sure Nokia will take all the silver linings it can find. Of course, things should be on the up-and-up after a spate of WP7-based Nokia devices are revealed later this month in London, but it still remains to be seen how soon the company can ship, and if it can penetrate a smartphone market that's gaining iOS and Android loyalists by the truckload each day. Hit the links below for more percentages than the average simpleton can shake a stick at.
Intel earnings beat company records: $14.3 billion revenue, $3.7 billion net income
Apple may not have fared as well as expected in its own Q4, but just up the road in Silicon Valley Intel managed to exceed analyst predictions, posting record revenue of $14.3 billion -- up $3.2 billion, or 29 percent year-over-year. The company also set new records for microprocessor units shipped, and expects further growth over the next quarter, with notebook computer sales driving $14.7 billion in predicted Q4 revenue. Jump past the break for an in-depth look at the company's Q3, along with its outlook for the next quarter.
Sony Ericsson posts lower Q3 profits, will shift 'entire portfolio' to smartphones in 2012
It's been a rough couple of quarters for Sony Ericsson, but things are looking slightly rosier, according to its Q3 earnings report. Today, the company announced break even year-on-year results for the third quarter of 2011, blaming the outcome on lower profit margins and higher taxes, which rose from €12 million to €17 million over the course of a year. According to the report, net profits fell to zero this quarter after reaching €49 million ($67.26 million) during Q3 2010, while sales dropped to €1.59 billion ($2.18 billion) from €1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) last year. It's not exactly an encouraging trend, but it's certainly an improvement over the last quarter, when Sony Ericsson posted a net loss of €50 million. As far as its portfolio goes, the company says its Xperia smartphones now comprise 80 percent of all sales, with some 22 million handsets already shipped to consumers. President and CEO Bert Nordberg, meanwhile, confirmed that his company will focus on this market with even more intensity, next year: "We will continue to invest in the smartphone market, shifting the entire portfolio to smartphones during 2012." You can dig through the numbers for yourself, in the full PR after the break.
MotoHeroz flips out on WiiWare September 15
RedLynx's weirdest stunt racing game, MotoHeroz, has finally been dated. The WiiWare-exclusive, exaggerated truck racer will allow you to race trucks on the moon next Thursday, September 15, for $15. It'll be a simultaneous European and American release. The new trailer, above, shows you just what the game is about, including the aforementioned lunar truckin'. There's a variety of flip-friendly vehicles and outrageous, looping (and loopy) tracks, playable in single-player and local multiplayer. In addition, daily challenges will be available online.
Space Invaders Infinity Gene propagates to Android tomorrow
After engagements on iOS, PSN, and XBLA, the techno-trippy, genetics-themed shmup Space Invaders Infinity Gene is mutating into an Android game. The shooter will be available for purchase tomorrow on the Android Market for $5. If you're an Android adherent, and at all interested in the idea of a shooter that slowly "evolves" new abilities, visual styles, and gameplay elements as you play it, you'll want to check this out. Not only because we think it's a novel shooter with accessible touch controls, but also so you can use your money to influence Square Enix to port Reisuke Ishida's follow-up game, the amazing Groove Coaster.
Sega reveals Brick People and Samurai Bloodshow for iOS
Sega's two newest iPhone games are really only similar in that Sega announced them at roughly the same time -- they make for a weird juxtaposition. Brick People is an adaptation of a cute arcade game about stacking physical blocks to guide on-screen characters -- of course, now, the blocks are virtual too. Samurai Bloodshow is a card-based war game made in a traditional Japanese art style. Do you want to see pastel bricks or vintage murder? Your choice! You can catch a Samurai Bloodshow today on iPhone or iPad for two bucks. Brick People will finally climb up to the App Store sometime this fall.%Gallery-132163%%Gallery-132310%
Hidden Treasure: Guardian Heroes out this week on XBLA [update: no it isn't!]
Hey, remember earlier today, when we said you'd have time to get through Radiant Silvergun on XBLA before Guardian Heroes came out? Well, we were mistaken -- it'll be impossible to finish Radiant Silvergun before then. Major Nelson just announced the release date for Guardian Heroes, and it's ... tomorrow. The questionably (and optionally) remastered Saturn brawler shares a release date with Rock of Ages, The Baconing, Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection, and the Ugly Americans game. It's like another Summer of Arcade in one single day. Update: Major Nelson just tweeted that the listing was a mistake, and Guardian Heroes won't actually be out tomorrow.
Spy Mouse is Firemint's latest iOS joint, available now
We don't take very kindly to pesky rodents sneaking around our places of residence, and we like the concept of said rodents spying on us even less. Still, we can get down with some Firemint-developed iOS games and tell you about the studio's latest title: Spy Mouse, wherein a sneaky vermin codenamed "Agent Squeak" can navigate 72 different themed levels while avoiding enemies, grabbing cheese, and employing a variety of power-ups. Considering that Spy Mouse is from the folks who created Flight Control, it's not a huge surprise that it looks like a twist on that game's control scheme and central concept, albeit with many fewer paths to address. Firemint head Rob Murray claims that, after two years working on the new game, it's "Firemint's best game yet." It's available now for $0.99.%Gallery-131661%
Quarrel brings verbal warfare to iOS on Aug. 25
We've been looking forward to Denki's word game/war game mashup, Quarrel, for a long time, even long before playing it at E3 this year. Finally, after years of uncertainty about the game's fate, developer Denki announced a release date (for the iOS version at least) and it's this Thursday. Publisher Ignition confirmed to Joystiq that the date applies to North America, and not just the game's native European territory. Quarrel will be released as a universal (iPhone/iPad) app. Two versions will be available on the App Store, a free game called Quarrel and a paid version called Quarrel Deluxe. "Quarrel caters to those who are new to our lovely word game or otherwise want to try it before buying it," the developer explains. "If the trial pleases you and your budding interest turns into a real love for it, you can upgrade to the full Quarrel extravaganza within the app with one easy In-App Purchase." Quarrel Deluxe is simply the full version paid in advance. Quarrel challenges two players to build the longest word out of a jumble of letters in order to capture territory on a map. Ignition also plans to release it on console download services later this year.%Gallery-131083%
Elevator Action Deluxe descends to PSN on Aug. 31 [update: screens]
Taito is keeping fairly close to the source material in Elevator Action Deluxe, in a Bionic Commando Rearmed sort of way. The PSN game is essentially an HD update with the original side-view gameplay and the familiar rows-of-doors stage layout. Additions to the formula include new weapons, occasional high-speed elevators, and new (offline) multiplayer modes. Those modes include a deathmatch, and competitive modes in which players race to steal secret files from red doors. The secret files, according to the website, are now represented by "TAITO old game pamphlets!" We don't have to wait long at all to experience the new Action: it'll be out August 30th in North America and August 31st elsewhere, for $9.99/£7.99/€9.99. Update: Check out some new screens in our gallery.%Gallery-131057%
Disgaea 4, ClaDun X2, Atelier Totori dated
Disgaea 4 will explode like a spectral penguin onto PS3 on September 6. Publisher NIS America announced that and a few other release windows today on the PlayStation Blog. It'll be available in three different configurations, depending on how much extra stuff you want to pay for. Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland, a new alchemy-themed RPG for PS3 (and sequel to last year's Atelier Rorona), will be out on September 27. In this game, young Totori searches for her missing mother while defeating monsters, helping townspeople with quests, and learning the art of alchemy in order to synthesize items. And on PSP, ClaDun X2 will offer more pixelated action-RPG fun "at the end of August." This one promises more customization options than its predecessor, the amusingly named "ClaDun: This is an RPG." What isn't customizable is how you can buy it: it'll be released only on PSN.
Madden NFL 12, Need for Speed: Shift PSP bundle announced
We imagine anybody in the market for a PSP has already gone and tracked one down (or is simply waiting for the PlayStation Vita) but regardless EA and Sony have teamed up on a new bundle. As you may have gathered from the headline to this very post, the bundle comes with a copy of Madden NFL 12 and Need for Speed: Shift. It also throws in the requisite black PSP-3000 and a 2GB Memory Stick Pro Duo, all for $159.99. Sony will release the bundle on August 30, the same day that Madden will be released on basically every platform in existence including the PSP. [Thanks, Rahul]
3DS goes Flame Red in North America September 9
We can't be as cynical about Nintendo trying to boost hardware sales, just by releasing a new color, when the company's already taken such drastic measures with the 3DS. But it is releasing a new color too. On September 9, concurrent with Star Fox 64, Nintendo will release the "Flame Red" 3DS system in North America. It will, of course, be sold at the new $169.99 price point alongside the existing "Aqua Blue" and "Cosmo Black" systems. This color variant was originally released on July 14 in Japan, as the "Flare Red" system. Regardless of the name, we think you get the idea. It's a 3DS and it's red. Nintendo's press release also teases another eight Ubisoft 3DS releases by the end of the calendar year. That list includes possible standouts like Driver: Renegade, and, according to GameStop's upcoming games list, standard Ubifare like a 3DS version of Imagine: Fashion Designer.%Gallery-130332%
