Japanese publisher Capcom today released its fiscal results for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2009. Sales grew 5.9% to 49.99 billion yen ($551 million), while net income skyrocketed 865.9% to 1.73 billion yen ($19 million). Capcom noted that the Japanese economy did not really see any recovery during the nine-month period, and consumer spending seemed to be in a slump, but the company greatly benefited from a "corporate tax refund for prior fiscal years based on the agreement between US and Japanese tax authorities concerning the revision on transfer pricing taxation."
The publisher noted that it only released a few flagship titles during the nine months, but net sales in the home video game division still grew by more than 25% and operating income grew 58.8% thanks in part to Monster Hunter Freedom Unite PSP the Best and Monster Hunter Tri (Wii) - the former "grew favorably," while the latter "achieved healthy growth." Mega Man Exe: Operate Shooting Star (DS) also saw steady sales, Ace Attorney investigations: Miles Edgeworth (DS) "performed satisfactorily," and Resident Evil 5 "continued to grow supported by its incessant popularity." Capcom singled out Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (Wii) and Okami (Wii) for their slow sales.
Capcom's arcade operations saw sales fall 11% but operating income was up more than 295% thanks to a "profitability improvement strategy." The publisher's contents expansion segment, which includes mobile games, experienced a sales dip of 10.9% and operating an operating loss of 299 million yen. Still, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney for mobile showed "healthy growth," and the iPhone/iPod Touch version of Ghosts'n Goblins Gold Knights and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney "gained new users and achieved projected sales in general."
Capcom recently acknowledged that it will make fewer Wii games in 2010, and the publisher outlined its upcoming release slate, which includes Monster Hunter coming to Xbox 360.
