SEOUL, South Korea, July 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GRAVITY Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq:GRVY - News) ("Gravity" or the "Company"), an online game developer and publisher based in South Korea, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
Revenues for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011 were KRW 13,810 million (US$ 12,802 thousand), representing a 15.0% decrease from KRW 16,249 million for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2010 ("QoQ") and a 24.2% increase from KRW 11,119 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010 ("YoY").
Review of financial results
Revenues
Royalty and licensing fee revenue for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011 was KRW 8,719 million (US$ 8,083 thousand), representing a 10.3% decrease QoQ from KRW 9,717 million and a 34.5% increase YoY from KRW 6,484 million. The decrease in royalty and licensing fee revenues QoQ was primarily due to decreased revenues from Ragnarok Online in the Japanese market and the strengthening of the Korean Won against the Japanese Yen. The increase in royalty and licensing fee revenues YoY was mainly attributable to the revenues from Dragonica resulting from our acquisition of Gravity Games Corp., formerly known as Barunson Interactive Corp. and the developer of Dragonica, on October 21, 2010, and increase in the revenues from Ragnarok Online in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau driven by the introduction of a renewed version of the game in September 2010 in the region.
Subscription revenue for the first quarter 2011 was KRW 3,310 million (US$ 3,069 thousand), representing a 19.1% increase QoQ and a 35.9% increase YoY compared to KRW 2,779 million and KRW 2,435 million, respectively. The increase QoQ and YoY mainly resulted from the increased revenues from Ragnarok Online in Korea due to our ceasing subscription-based fee model and offering the game with free-to-play servers, which only apply micro-transaction model encouraging our users in Korea to play the game without paying subscription fees or buying playing time and to purchase in-game items.
Mobile game revenue was KRW 1,700 million (US$ 1,576 thousand) for the first quarter 2011, representing a 49.2% decrease QoQ from KRW 3,346 million and a 7.6% decrease YoY from KRW 1,839 million.
Character merchandising and other revenue was KRW 81 million (US$ 74 thousand) for the first quarter 2011, representing a 80.1% decrease QoQ from KRW 407 million and a 77.6% decrease YoY from KRW 361 million.
Cost of Revenues and Operating Expenses
Cost of revenues was KRW 5,383 million (US$ 4,990 thousand) for the first quarter 2011, representing a 18.0% decrease QoQ from KRW 6,568 million and a 10.7% increase YoY from KRW 4,861 million. The Company's decreased cost of revenues QoQ was primarily attributable to decrease in outsourcing fees for NeoCyon, Inc., the Company's subsidiary in Korea for mobile game business, and decrease in salaries for the headquarters. The increase in cost of revenues YoY mainly resulted from increased salaries due to the acquisition of Gravity Games Corp. in October 2010.
Operating expenses were KRW 5,779 million (US$ 5,357 thousand) for the first quarter 2011, representing a 33.9% decrease QoQ from KRW 8,749 million and a 15.7% increase YoY from KRW 4,996 million. The decrease in operating expenses QoQ was primarily due to decrease in research and development expenses in the first quarter of 2011 as well as impairment loss on intangible assets for capitalized research and development cost of Canaan, which was incurred in the fourth quarter of 2010 but not in the first quarter of 2011. The increase in operating expenses YoY was mainly attributable to increase in research and development expenses, which was partly resulted from recognition of research and development expenses of Gravity Games due to the acquisition of Gravity Games Corp. in October 2010, and also increase in advertising expenses and commission paid.
Income before income tax expenses and others was KRW 3,002 million (US$ 2,783 thousand) for the first quarter of 2011, which represents a 131.8% increase QoQ from KRW 1,295 million and a 98.5% increase YoY from KRW 1,512 million.
As a result of the foregoing factors, Gravity recorded a net income attributable to parent company of KRW 2,408 million (US$ 2,232 thousand) for the first quarter of 2011 compared to a net income attributable to parent company of KRW 238 million for the fourth quarter of 2010 and KRW 381 million for the first quarter of 2010.
The balance of cash and cash equivalents and short-term financial instruments was KRW 57,006 million (US$ 52,847 thousand) as of March 31, 2011.
Note: For convenience purposes only, the KRW amounts have been expressed in the U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of KRW 1,078.7 to US$ 1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on June 24, 2011, as quoted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
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