Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.: Q1 FY2027 earnings call
What management said about Q1 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 4 lowered, 11 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.
Key takeaways
- Net Bookings fell 3 percent: Total Net Bookings were $1.39 billion, down 3% from $1.42 billion a year earlier. Net Bookings from recurrent consumer spending fell 1% and made up 84% of the total. Source
- Net loss was $34.1 million: GAAP net loss was $34.1 million, or $0.18 per share, against $11.9 million, or $0.07 per share, a year earlier. Source
- Mobile revenue fell, console rose: Mobile net revenue was $762.3 million, 50% of the total, down from $801.7 million (53%). Console net revenue was $640.5 million, 42%, up from $550.6 million (37%). Source
- EBITDA was $167.0 million: Non-GAAP EBITDA was $167.0 million, against $225.5 million a year earlier, per the reconciliation that adds back taxes, interest, depreciation and acquired intangible amortization. Source
- Operating cash outflow widened: Net cash used in operating activities was $168.8 million, against $44.7 million a year earlier. Source
- Debt mix shifted to short term: Short-term debt, net was $629.9 million at June 30, against $30.0 million at March 31. Long-term debt, net was $1,889.8 million, against $2,488.0 million. Source
- Net Bookings expectation reiterated: Management reiterated its fiscal 2027 Net Bookings expectation and cited the November 19 launch of Grand Theft Auto VI alongside continued portfolio execution. Source
- Second-quarter guidance first issued: Initial guidance was issued for the quarter ending September 30, 2026, covering net revenue, operating expenses, a GAAP net loss and Net Bookings. Source
“Our excellent first quarter results reflect the power of our portfolio and disciplined execution across all of our labels.”
Strauss Zelnick, Chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive
Guidance
| Area | Period | Figure | Against last quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total net revenue Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $7,900 to $8,100 | Kept |
| Cost of revenue Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $3,538 to $3,658 | Raised from $3,504 to $3,626 |
| Operating expenses Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $4,150 to $4,170 | Lowered from $4,180 to $4,200 |
| Interest and other, net Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $53 | Raised from $50 |
| Income before income taxes Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $159 to $219 | Lowered from $166 to $224 |
| Net income Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $104 to $143 | |
| Diluted net income per share Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $0.55 to $0.75 | Kept |
| Net cash provided by operating activities Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | over $1,000 | Kept |
| Capital expenditures Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | approximately $290 | Raised from approximately $200 |
| Non-GAAP EBITDA Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $993 to $1,053 | Lowered from $1,013 to $1,070 |
| Net Bookings Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | $8,000 to $8,200 | Kept |
| Share count, GAAP and management diluted Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | 189.4 million | Lowered from 189.7 million |
| Management reporting tax rate Source | fiscal year ending March 31, 2027 | 18% | Kept |
| Total net revenue Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $1,420 to $1,470 | New |
| Cost of revenue Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $622 to $638 | New |
| Operating expenses Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $1,009 to $1,019 | New |
| Interest and other, net Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $13 | New |
| (Loss) income before income taxes Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $(224) to $(200) | New |
| Net (loss) income Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $(157) to $(140) | New |
| Net (loss) income per share Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $(0.84) to $(0.75) | New |
| Non-GAAP EBITDA Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $(20) to $4 | New |
| Net Bookings Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | $1,620 to $1,670 | New |
| Share count, GAAP net loss per share Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | 187.1 million | New |
| Share count, management reporting diluted Source | three months ending September 30, 2026 | 188.5 million | New |
What changed from last quarter
- Guidance raised: Capital expenditures expectation raised to approximately $290 million from approximately $200 million. Source
- Guidance raised: Full-year cost of revenue range raised at both ends, to $3,538 to $3,658 million from $3,504 to $3,626 million. Source
- Guidance lowered: Full-year operating expense range lowered to $4,150 to $4,170 million from $4,180 to $4,200 million. Source
- Guidance lowered: Full-year pre-tax income range lowered to $159 to $219 million from $166 to $224 million. Source
- Guidance lowered: Full-year non-GAAP EBITDA range lowered to $993 to $1,053 million from $1,013 to $1,070 million. Source
- New guidance: Initial guidance issued for the fiscal second quarter ending September 30, 2026. Source
- Guidance kept: Fiscal 2027 Net Bookings expectation of $8.0 billion to $8.2 billion is reiterated; net revenue, diluted EPS and operating cash flow ranges are also unchanged. Source
- New: NBA 2K27 release date set for September 4, 2026; the prior release listed it as TBA September 2026. Source
Quarter results and growth drivers
- Net Bookings fell 3 percent: Total Net Bookings were $1.39 billion, down 3% from $1.42 billion a year earlier. Net Bookings from recurrent consumer spending fell 1% and made up 84% of the total. Source
- GAAP net revenue rose to $1.53 billion: GAAP net revenue was $1.53 billion against $1.50 billion a year earlier. Recurrent consumer spending revenue rose 3% and made up 84% of total GAAP net revenue. Source
- Net loss was $34.1 million: GAAP net loss was $34.1 million, or $0.18 per share, against $11.9 million, or $0.07 per share, a year earlier. Source
Platform, region and channel mix
- Mobile revenue fell, console rose: Mobile net revenue was $762.3 million, 50% of the total, down from $801.7 million (53%). Console net revenue was $640.5 million, 42%, up from $550.6 million (37%). Source
- PC and other revenue declined: PC and other net revenue was $131.1 million, 8% of the total, against $151.5 million (10%) a year earlier. Source
- Bookings by platform shifted to console: Net Bookings by platform were mobile $739.5 million (53%), console $525.2 million (38%) and PC and other $121.2 million (9%), against $792.8 million, $474.4 million and $155.9 million. Source
- United States share of revenue steady: United States net revenue was $920.0 million, 60% of the total, up from $900.4 million. International net revenue was $613.9 million, 40%, up from $603.4 million. Source
- Digital channel dominates revenue: Digital online net revenue was $1,507.3 million, 98% of the total, against $1,476.6 million (98%) a year earlier. Source
“we are reiterating our Fiscal 2027 Net Bookings outlook of $8.0 to $8.2 billion”
Strauss Zelnick, Chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive
Titles, releases and largest contributors
- Named largest Net Bookings contributors: The largest contributors to Net Bookings were NBA 2K, the Grand Theft Auto series, Toon Blast, Match Factory!, Empires & Puzzles, Red Dead Redemption series, Words With Friends, Color Block Jam, WWE 2K, Zynga Poker and Toy Blast. Source
- Summer update released July 14: The Grand Theft Auto Online Kortz Center Heist Summer Update was released on July 14, 2026 across PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Source
Operating costs and expense mix
- Cost of revenue rose on development: Total cost of revenue was $651.4 million against $558.8 million a year earlier. Software development costs and royalties rose to $135.1 million from $30.1 million. Source
- Operating expense lines moved differently: Selling and marketing fell to $369.7 million from $409.2 million. Research and development rose to $273.8 million and general and administrative to $226.3 million. Source
- Stock-based compensation rose: Stock-based compensation was $86.0 million against $40.7 million a year earlier, as shown in the cash flow statement. Source
“we expect to sustain this new level of scale and generate strong cash flows, setting us on a path to deliver continued growth and long-term shareholder returns”
Strauss Zelnick, Chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive
Operating result and EBITDA
- Operating result moved to a loss: Loss from operations was $35.5 million, against income of $21.6 million a year earlier. Gross profit was $882.5 million, against $945.0 million. Source
- EBITDA was $167.0 million: Non-GAAP EBITDA was $167.0 million, against $225.5 million a year earlier, per the reconciliation that adds back taxes, interest, depreciation and acquired intangible amortization. Source
Cash, debt and capital
- Operating cash outflow widened: Net cash used in operating activities was $168.8 million, against $44.7 million a year earlier. Source
- Cash balance declined in quarter: Cash and cash equivalents were $1,364.9 million at June 30, 2026, down from $1,545.5 million at March 31, 2026. Short-term investments were $461.7 million. Source
- Debt mix shifted to short term: Short-term debt, net was $629.9 million at June 30, against $30.0 million at March 31. Long-term debt, net was $1,889.8 million, against $2,488.0 million. Source
- No debt repaid this quarter: Common stock issuance was $31.8 million, against $1,219.6 million a year earlier. No debt was repaid this quarter, against $600.0 million a year earlier. Source
- Capital spending and acquisitions: Purchases of fixed assets were $25.0 million, against $25.1 million. Asset acquisitions were $15.8 million, against $4.4 million. Source
- Treasury stock held flat: Treasury stock was $(1,020.6) million at both dates, with 23.7 million shares held at both dates. Source
Fiscal 2027 and second-quarter guidance
- Net Bookings expectation reiterated: Management reiterated its fiscal 2027 Net Bookings expectation and cited the November 19 launch of Grand Theft Auto VI alongside continued portfolio execution. Source
- Cost and profit ranges revised: Management lowered the full-year ranges for operating expenses, pre-tax income and non-GAAP EBITDA, and raised the ranges for cost of revenue and capital expenditures. Source
- Second-quarter guidance first issued: Initial guidance was issued for the quarter ending September 30, 2026, covering net revenue, operating expenses, a GAAP net loss and Net Bookings. Source
Strategy and portfolio approach
- Live services and pipeline focus: Key assumptions cite an ongoing focus on the live services portfolio and the new game pipeline, along with performance on current-generation systems. Source
- Stated strategy: hit experiences on every platform: The company describes its strategy as creating hit entertainment experiences across platforms relevant to its audience, through a variety of business models. Source
Coming up, as management said on 7 August 2026
- Grand Theft Auto VI launch: Grand Theft Auto VI is listed for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, 2026. Source
- Form 10-Q to carry final figures: Final data for the quarter will appear in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2026. Source
- Titles still without release dates: 2K PGA TOUR 2K27 and 2K WWE 2K27 are listed as TBA, as are other titles in the announced lineup. Source
Risks management discussed
- Operational: Management listed mobile player acquisition costs and live services execution among factors affecting performance. Source
- Demand: Assumptions depend on continued growth in the installed base of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. Source
- External: Guidance assumes the current economic backdrop continues and that titles are delivered on time. Source
Earlier plans management reported on
- Ahead: The company reported first-quarter Net Bookings as slightly above its guidance range. Source
- Not stated: Management reiterated this fiscal 2027 Net Bookings expectation without describing its progress against it. Source
Other quarters
Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.