EX-99.1 2 a5614895ex99_1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1

Exhibit 99.1

JAKKS Pacific® Reports Fourth Quarter and Year-End Results for 2007

--- Record Sales and Earnings Achieved in 2007 ---

--- $30 Million Stock Buy-Back Authorized ---

--- Company Projects Continued Growth for 2008 ---

MALIBU, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK), a leading toy and consumer products company, announces results for the Company’s fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2007.

Fourth quarter 2007 net sales increased 19.6% to $285.1 million, compared to $238.3 million recorded in the comparable period last year. Net income for the fourth quarter increased 48.3% to $34.4 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, compared to $23.2 million, or $0.73 per diluted share reported in the fourth quarter of 2006.

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased 12.0% to $857.1 million, compared to $765.4 million during the same period in 2006. Net income for 2007 increased 24.3% to $90.0 million, or $2.80 per diluted share, compared to earnings of $72.4 million, or $2.30 per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2006.

“We had a more robust fourth quarter than expected, driven by strong sales of our Disney® toys, action figures and Plug It In & Play electronic game products, as well as our video game joint venture. We continue to see strong sell-through in the first quarter of 2008, that we believe is due to a combination of gift card purchases and the popularity of the Disney tween pop star Hannah Montana™," said Jack Friedman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, JAKKS Pacific. "We report these earnings from the New York International Toy Fair, where the enthusiastic response to our 2008 line that we heard from retailers at the two recent major toy shows in Dallas and Hong Kong has continued. Based on this response, we anticipate 2008 will be another strong year for JAKKS Pacific.”

JAKKS’ President and Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Berman added, “We are very pleased with our performance in 2007, and have strong momentum in our top licensed and non-licensed brands, which we believe will continue to drive our business this year. We have many new innovative toys based on the Disney hit Hannah Montana including new collectible fashion dolls, role play, electronics products and interactive play sets, as well as many other new products based on other classic and new Disney properties. We are optimistic about the potential for our new EyeClops™ Night Vision™ Goggles and portable, recordable EyeClops BioniCam™, as well as WWE® and Pokémon® action figures, Puppy in My Pocket® and Nickelodeon® toys, and other new electronic product extensions.”


Berman concluded, “Also highlighting our roster are several new initiatives including our new kids gourmet food products led by our Cupcake Maker™, our Spa Factory™ line, toys based on Neopets®, NASCAR®, Discovery Kids®, Nickelodeon SLIME!™ and SpongeBob SquarePants®, and our new Ulti-Motion™ gaming system that combines plug and play and role play accessories with the hugely popular category of wireless motion games. These products and more give us enthusiasm for the rest of this year and beyond.”

Cash flow from operations in 2007 was $87.7 million, and our financial position remains very strong. As of December 31, 2007, our working capital was $356.7 million, including cash and equivalents of $241.3 million. We continue to evaluate potential acquisition opportunities and expect to continue to grow our business by actively pursuing complementary acquisitions and executing on internal growth initiatives, including creating new products and securing new licenses, to provide continued growth for JAKKS Pacific.

In addition, JAKKS’ Board of Directors authorized a stock buy-back program of up to $30 million of the Company’s common stock.

Friedman concluded, “We are confident about our prospects for 2008 and believe we will get through some uncertainties related to cost increases and production issues that are affecting our industry and others who manufacture in China. We are forecasting net sales and net income to each increase a minimum of 4% in 2008.”

Conference Call

JAKKS Pacific will host a conference call on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 8 a.m. Eastern where the Company will discuss the 2007 earnings in more detail. You can also listen to the call live via the Internet at www.jakks.com, where the call will also be archived for 30 days. A telephone playback will be available from 9:00 a.m. Eastern on February 20, 2008 through 11:59 p.m. Eastern on March 20, 2008. The playback can be accessed by calling 800-642-1687 or 706-645-9291 for international callers, passcode “33075182.”

About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK) is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and consumer products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories. The products are sold under various brand names including JAKKS Pacific®, Play Along®, Flying Colors®, Creative Designs International™, Road Champs®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Trendmasters®, Toymax®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a Kite®, Color Workshop®, JAKKS Pets™ and Plug It In & Play TV Games™. JAKKS and THQ Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment video games. For further information, visit www.jakks.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about JAKKS Pacific's business based partly on assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above, changes in demand for JAKKS' products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and difficulties with integrating acquired businesses. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and JAKKS undertakes no obligation to update any of them to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.


JAKKS Pacific, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
         
December 31, December 31,
2007 2006
(In thousands)
 
ASSETS
 
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 241,250 $ 184,489
Marketable securities 218 210
Accounts receivable, net 174,451 153,116
Inventory, net 75,486 76,788
Deferred income taxes 12,811 10,592
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   21,733     26,543  
Total current assets   525,949     451,738  
 
Property and equipment 59,480 49,781
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization   38,073     32,898  
Property and equipment, net   21,407     16,883  
 
Deferred income taxes 976 -
Goodwill, net 353,340 337,999
Trademarks & other assets, net 45,768 60,401
Investment in video game joint venture   36,090     14,873  
Total assets $ 983,530   $ 881,894  
 
 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 121,372 $ 120,238
Reserve for sales returns and allowances 26,036 32,589
Income taxes payable   21,863     18,548  
Total current liabilities   169,271     171,375  
 
Long term debt 98,000 98,000
Other liabilities 6,432 854
Income taxes payable 8,161 -
Deferred income taxes   6,536     2,377  
  119,129     101,231  
Total liabilities 288,400 272,606
 
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, $.001 par value 28 28
Additional paid-in capital 312,127 300,255
Retained earnings 386,421 312,432
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   (3,446 )   (3,427 )
  695,130     609,288  
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 983,530   $ 881,894  

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Fourth Quarter Earnings Announcement, 2007
Condensed Statements of Income (Unaudited)
 
     

Three Months Ended
December 31,

 

Twelve Months Ended
December 31,

2007   2006 2007   2006
(In thousands, expect per share data)
 
Net sales $ 285,085 $ 238,311 $ 857,085 $ 765,386
Less cost of sales
Cost of goods 139,874 124,419 436,407 393,965
Royalty expense 33,606 23,756 88,244 70,634
Amortization of tools and molds   2,808     1,667     8,784     5,993  
Cost of sales   176,288     149,842     533,435     470,592  
Gross profit 108,797 88,469 323,650 294,794
Direct selling expenses 30,365 30,662 71,321 78,794
Selling, general and administrative expenses 41,438 29,854 128,459 105,650
Depreciation and amortization   3,864     5,052     15,872     18,038  
Income from operations 33,130 22,901 107,998 92,312
Other income (expense):
Profit (loss) from video game joint venture 18,063 12,494 21,180 13,226
Interest income 1,699 1,400 6,819 4,930
Interest expense (1,602 ) (1,133 ) (5,456 ) (4,533 )
Other expense   -     -     -     -  
Income before provision for income taxes 51,290 35,662 130,541 105,935
Provision for income taxes   16,889     12,477     40,550     33,560  
Net income $ 34,401   $ 23,185   $ 89,991   $ 72,375  
Earnings per share - diluted $ 1.06 $ 0.73 $ 2.80 $ 2.30
Shares used in earnings per share - diluted 33,251 32,803 33,149 32,714

CONTACT:
JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
Genna Rosenberg, 310-455-6235
or
Joel Bennett, 310-455-6210