4Kids Entertainment

4Kids Entertainment Reports 2010 First Quarter Results

Monday 10 May 2010

 
NEW YORK, May 10, 2010 – 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE), the global children’s entertainment and merchandise licensing company, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.
 
Net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2010 totaled $4.2 million, compared to $9.3 million for the same period in 2009. The Company’s net loss attributable to 4Kids Entertainment for the three months ended March 31, 2010 was $(3.5) million, or $(0.26) per diluted share, as compared to a net loss of $(2.0) million, or $(0.15) per diluted share, for the same period in 2009.
 
As of March 31, 2010, the Company had approximately $9.3 million in cash and $11.7 million in investment securities at their fair market value.
 
The Company announced that it had received a non-binding indication of interest from a third party to acquire 4Kids for a price representing a premium over the recent closing prices for the Company’s common stock, subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence and negotiation of definitive agreements during a requested exclusivity period. The Special Committee of the Board of Directors formed in 2009 in connection with the Board of Directors’ evaluation of strategic alternatives has authorized the Company’s management to provide the potential acquirer with due diligence information regarding the Company’s assets and operations and intends to enter into discussions with the potential acquirer regarding exclusivity and the acquirer’s indication of interest. There can be no assurance that any transaction with the potential acquirer will be concluded.
 
The Company also announced that its market capitalization had slipped below the minimum $15 million market capitalization that New York Stock Exchange listed companies are required to maintain in order to remain listed and that the Company’s shares could be delisted at any time.
 
“In the first quarter of 2010, our revenue decreased from the comparable period in 2009 due to lower licensing revenue and reduced television advertising revenue. Although first quarter 2010 Yu-Gi-Oh! revenues were essentially flat, the Company received reduced licensing revenues from several properties formerly represented by the Company," said Alfred R. Kahn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 4Kids Entertainment. 
 
“Our first quarter results benefited from the cost cutting measures we put into place over the past year, with SG&A down 41%. Although our reported loss was $3.5 million, our cash loss from operations in our traditionally weak first quarter without giving effect to the $3.6 million tax refund we received, was $400,000,” said Alfred R. Kahn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 4Kids Entertainment. 
 
“Although 4Kids is a smaller, more streamlined company, we continue to have the necessary skills, experience and liquidity to promote our current properties, invest in new properties and generally rebuild the business. We believe that we have a promising pipeline of new properties, some of which will debut at next month's Licensing Show in Las Vegas. With the dramatic reductions to our cost structure, we can become profitable if any of our new properties gain traction," concluded Mr. Kahn.
 
About 4Kids Entertainment, Inc.
With U.S. headquarters in New York City, regional offices for its trading card business in San Diego, California and international offices in London, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) is a global organization devoted to the creation, development, production, broadcasting, distribution, licensing and manufacturing of children’s entertainment products.
 
Through its subsidiaries, 4Kids produces animated television series and films, distributes 4Kids’ produced or licensed animated television series for the domestic and international television and home video markets, licenses merchandising rights worldwide to 4Kids’ owned or represented properties, operates Websites to support 4Kids’ owned or represented properties, and produces and markets collectible trading card games. Additionally, the Company programs and sells the national advertising time in “TheCW4Kids” five-hour Saturday morning block on The CW television network.
 
Additional information is available on the www.4KidsEntertainment.com corporate Website and at the www.4Kids.tv game station site.
 
The information contained in this press release, other than historical information, consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Important factors beyond the Company's control, including general economic conditions, consumer spending levels, competition from toy companies, motion picture studios and other licensing companies, the uncertainty of public response to the Company's properties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations.
 
4KIDS CONTACT:        
Samuel R. Newborn
4Kids Entertainment
(646) 822-4235
snewborn@4kidsent.com
 
INVESTOR CONTACTS:                                  
Todd Fromer / Garth Russell                              
KCSA Strategic Communications                       
(212) 896-1215 / (212) 896-1250                         
tfromer@kcsa.com / grussell@kcsa.com            
 
 
(Financial tables below)

4KIDS ENTERTAINMENT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
MARCH 31, 2010 and DECEMBER 31, 2009
(In thousands of dollars, except share data)
 
 
ASSETS:
 
March 31, 2010
 
December 31, 2009
 
Current assets:
 
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
   Cash and cash equivalents
 
$
9,299
 
$
3,621
 
   Accounts receivable – net
 
 
9,560
 
 
14,470
 
   Inventories – net
 
 
1,149
 
 
1,273
 
   Income taxes receivable
 
 
447
 
 
4,044
 
   Prepaid expenses and other current assets
 
 
2,451
 
 
2,612
 
Total current assets
 
 
22,906
 
 
26,020
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Property and equipment – net
 
 
2,546
 
 
2,898
 
   Long term investments
 
 
11,713
 
 
14,180
 
   Accounts receivable - noncurrent, net
 
 
89
 
 
153
 
   Film and television costs – net
 
 
6,381
 
 
6,832
 
Other assets - net (includes related party amounts of $935 and $1,215,                                     respectively)
 
 
6,189
 
 
6,570
 
Total assets
 
$
49,824
 
$
56,653
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Due to licensors
 
$
6,108
 
$
6,578
 
   Accounts payable and accrued expenses
 
 
10,752
 
 
12,304
 
   Deferred revenue
 
 
1,988
 
 
2,279
 
Total current liabilities
 
 
18,848
 
 
21,161
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deferred rent        
 
 
378
 
 
375
 
Total liabilities
 
 
19,226
 
 
21,536
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Commitments and contingencies
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4Kids Entertainment, Inc. shareholders’ equity
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
      Preferred stock, $.01 par value – authorized 3,000,000 shares; none issued
 
 
 
 
 
      Common stock, $.01 par value - authorized 40,000,000 shares;
       issued 15,411,099 shares; outstanding 
       13,352,053 shares; in both 2010 and 2009
 
 
154
 
 
154
 
      Additional paid-in capital
 
 
66,991
 
 
66,991
 
      Accumulated other comprehensive loss
 
     
(4,690
)
 
(4,644
)
      Retained earnings
 
 
15,819
 
 
19,298
 
       
 
 
78,274
 
 
81,799
 
Less cost of 2,059,046 treasury shares in both 2010 and 2009
 
 
36,434
 
 
36,434
 
Total shareholders’ equity of 4Kids Entertainment, Inc.
 
 
41,840
 
 
45,365
 
Noncontrolling interests
 
 
(11,242
)
 
(10,248
)
Total equity
 
 
30,598
 
 
35,117
 
Total liabilities and equity
 
$
49,824
 
$
56,653
 
4KIDS ENTERTAINMENT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)
THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2010 AND 2009
(In thousands of dollars, except share data)
 
 
 
Three Months Ended
 
 
 
March 31,
 
 
 
2010
 
 
2009
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net revenues:
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Service revenue
$
4,230
 
$
8,895
 
   Product revenue
 
7
 
 
437
 
          Total net revenues
 
4,237
 
 
9,332
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Costs and expenses:
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Selling, general and administrative                                   
 
7,097
 
 
12,031
 
   Cost of sales of trading cards                                                
 
364
 
 
502
 
   Amortization of television and film costs                                
 
1,358
 
 
1,191
 
          Total costs and expenses                                        
 
8,819
 
 
13,724
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loss from operations                                        
 
(4,582
)
 
(4,392
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest income
 
105
 
 
401
 
Impairment of investment securities
 
 
 
(89
)
Total other income                                                                    
 
105
 
 
312
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loss before income taxes                                   
 
(4,477
)
 
(4,080
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Benefit from income taxes                        
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net loss
 
(4,477
)
 
(4,080
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
 
998
 
 
2,040
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net loss attributable to 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. 
$
(3,479
)
$
(2,040
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Per share amounts:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic loss per share attributable to 4Kids Entertainment Inc. common shareholders                      
$
(0.26
)
$
(0.15
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Diluted loss per share attributable to 4Kids Entertainment Inc. common shareholders                         
$
(0.26
)
$
(0.15
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted average common shares  
 
 
 
 
 
 
      outstanding - basic                                              
 
13,352,053
 
 
13,227,019
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted average common shares 
 
 
 
 
 
 
      outstanding - diluted                                         
 
13,352,053
 
 
13,227,019