Tomb Raider owner Embracer's CFO to step down as Q4 sales miss forecast
Adds shares in paragraph 3, CEO comments in 5-7 and 10, sales miss in 1 and 8, analyst comment in 11
By Jesus Calero and Agnieszka Olenska
May 23 (Reuters) -Swedish games developer Embracer EMBRACb.ST said its finance chief would step down due to personal reasons, after the Tomb Raider franchise owner's fourth-quarter sales missed market expectations on Thursday.
Embracer, like other gaming groups, benefited from growing demand for video games during COVID-related lockdowns, but has since been hit by development delays, falling demand and poor reception for some of its titles.
Its shares, which have lost 80% of their value since their peak in 2021, were trading 8% lower at 0837 GMT.
Chief Financial Officer Johan Ekström will be replaced by deputy CFO Müge Bouillon on Sept. 1, but will remain with Embracer until March 31, 2025, the group said in a statement.
"Ekström will be in a supportive role, assisting with the separation of Embracer into three separate companies, ensuring they are executed on time with the right people," CEO Lars Wingefors told Reuters in an interview.
He did not rule out that Ekström could return to the company in an unspecified role in the future.
Wingefors, who is also the largest shareholder of Embracer, said it was too early to discuss the specifics of his own role following the split, but assured he would maintain a significant influence in the group.
Embracer, which is developing a multiplayer online game based on fantasy series The Lord of The Rings, said its revenue fell 5% to 8.9 billion Swedish crowns ($827 million) in the quarter through March. That was 5.4% below analysts' average forecast provided by the company.
Its adjusted operating profit grew 56% to 1.4 billion Swedish crowns in the same period, in line with expectations.
Wingefors said the restructuring drive Embracer embarked on last year, which included selling game studios such as Gearbox and Saber Interactive, was over and there were no plans for further major divestments.
Jefferies analysts wrote that Embracer's performance was underwhelming across its businesses, while the outlook remains uncertain due to leadership changes and reorganisation.
($1 = 10.7347 Swedish crowns)
Reporting by Jesus Calero and Agnieszka Olenska in Gdansk; editing by Milla Nissi
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
