The BusinessWeek 50 Ranking
34
Electronic Arts
The world's largest independent video-game publisher went on the offensive in 2004. After facing its toughest competition in years in its core sports-games business, the Redwood City (Calif.) company paid $800 million for exclusive rights to make games using players and team logos from the National Football League. The creator of the lucrative Madden Football, James Bond, and Harry Potter game franchises also purchased a big stake in French publisher Ubisoft. But its stock was sent tumbling after the Mar. 21 news that fiscal year earnings would miss projections because of rising competition.
Company Info
| 2004 Rank | 10 |
| STOCK INFO | ERTS |
| Market Value | $19.8 BILLION |
| Total Return | (1-yr.) 36.7%
(3-yr.) 139.7% |
| 2004 sales | $3.2 BILLION |
| Sales Growth | (1-yr.) 12%
(3-yr.) 25.3% |
| Net income | $586.6 MILLION |
| Net Income Growth | (1-yr.) 18%
(3-yr.) 138.2% |
| Net Margin* | 18.5% |
| Return on Equity* | 17.6% |
| Industry | SOFTWARE & SERVICES |
| CORPORATE WEB SITE | |
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*Trailing 12 months
Company data as of 2/28/05 provided by Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
Electronic Arts, Inc. engages in the development, publishing, and distribution of interactive software for home video game systems, personal computers, and the Internet, worldwide. It publishes products in various categories, such as sports, action, strategy, simulations, role playing, and adventure. The company offers interactive software games in three categories: EA studio products, co-publishing products, and distribution products. It also offers free games on its Web site under four brands: Pogo, EA GAMES, EA SPORTS, and EA SPORTS BIG. The company’s products are designed to play on consoles and handhelds, and are published under license from the manufacturers. Electronic Arts markets products produced by EA Studios under the EA GAMES, EA SPORTS, and EA SPORTS BIG brands. The company has strategic partnership with Crytek GmbH. Electronic Arts was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California.
No. of Employees
4,800
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