The social gaming firm, Playtika, experienced a successful second quarter despite a decline in their overall revenue. They generated greater earnings compared to the previous year, even with a decrease in sales.
Playtika’s ability to reduce expenses contributed to their increased profitability despite lower sales figures. They maintain a strong financial standing and are actively seeking acquisitions. Recently, they acquired Youda Games, the developer of the popular game “King of Poker.”
Playtika’s president and chief financial officer, Craig Abrahams, attributed their positive performance to their adaptability to the evolving mobile gaming landscape. They are leveraging their technology and brand recognition to encourage more players to make in-app purchases.
Playtika’s revenue from social casino games decreased during the second quarter. They generated $642.8 million in the second quarter.
Playtikas earnings fell by 2.5 percent annually to €600 million (€587.6 million).
Playtika did not divulge all the specifics of its financial performance, but it did release some data. This included a 9.9 percent decrease in social casino game revenue, a 3.7 percent rise in casual game revenue, and a 6.3 percent increase in Blitz Bingo.
Average daily paying users dipped by 1.0 percent to 307,000. Conversely, the average paying user conversion rate rose by 3.2 percent annually.
Net profit increased due to lower costs.
The decline in revenue was offset by lower costs. Operating costs decreased by 11.4 percent to $503.6 million, with reductions in research and development, sales and marketing, and general and administrative expenses.
Playtika also generated positive income of $23.1 million from interest. As a result, pre-tax profit increased by 68.5 percent to $116.1 million. The developer paid $40.4 million in taxes, leaving a net profit of $75.7 million, an increase of 108.0 percent.
The developer also recorded a $14.8 million change in fair value of derivative instruments and a $0.2 million foreign exchange loss. As a result, comprehensive net income increased by 340.5 percent to $90.3 million.
In addition, adjusted EBITDA for the quarter increased by 6.7 percent to $215 million.
Playtikas performance in the first half of the year was similar.
The first six months of the year ending June 30 followed a similar pattern. Revenue decreased by 2.8 percent to $1.3 billion, but costs decreased by 10.4 percent to $1.01 billion.
Playtika noted interest income of $51.7 million, meaning pre-tax profit reached $239.9 million, an increase of 48.3 percent. The developer paid $80.1 million in taxes, leaving a net profit of $159.8 million, an increase of 33.6 percent.
Including 2.
Playtikas net earnings climbed to $169.7 million, a 41.9% surge from the corresponding period last year, driven by a favorable impact of $9 million from currency exchange rate shifts and a fair value of $7 million from derivative financial instruments. Adjusted EBITDA also climbed by 9.7% to $437.7 million.
For the entire year, Playtika stated its outlook remains largely unchanged. Revenue is anticipated to land at the lower end of Playtikas previously set range of $2.57 billion to $2.62 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be at the higher end of the $805 million to $830 million range. The developer also stated capital expenditures will be between $100 million and $105 million, lower than the previously projected $115 million to $120 million.
“Our operational expertise and advanced technological capabilities are the key drivers behind our strong profitability and robust cash flow,” said Playtika CEO Robert Antokol. “By combining our talent with the transformative power of our proprietary technology, we are unlocking the full potential of our game offerings and are well-positioned to enhance the value of acquired assets, such as our recent acquisition of the Texas Hold’em game series.”
Playtikas strategy is undergoing a shift.
These outcomes follow Playtikas implementation of a series of cost-cutting measures.
Late last year, the company announced plans to cut approximately 600 employees, or 15% of its workforce. The company stated this was part of a phased exit from its “non-core products.”
Playtika declared in March that they would halt the development of new games for a period until it became financially feasible.
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