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GameStop's Q4: A Tale of Two Metrics

MarketDash
The video game retailer posted a revenue miss but an earnings beat, while its cash pile swelled to a staggering $9 billion.

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So, GameStop Corp (GME) reported its fourth-quarter numbers Tuesday after the bell. If you're trying to figure out what it all means, well, you're not alone. The report is a classic case of "pick your metric."

On one hand, the company missed on the top line. Revenue came in at $1.10 billion, which was well below what analysts were looking for and down about 14% from the same quarter last year. The breakdown shows where the pain was: sales of hardware and accessories, along with software, both took a step back. Collectibles, however, were a bright spot, growing year-over-year.

On the other hand, GameStop managed to beat earnings expectations, posting adjusted earnings of 49 cents per share. Operating income also improved significantly from the prior year. It's the kind of mixed bag that leaves you wondering about the underlying health of the core business.

But here's the number that really jumps off the page: cash. GameStop ended the quarter with approximately $9 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. For context, that's a mountain of money for a company of its size. Tucked within that total is $368.4 million worth of Bitcoin. The company has been quietly amassing this war chest, and it now represents a massive, liquid balance sheet.

As has become its recent habit, GameStop did not host a conference call to discuss the results. Investors looking for management's take on the quarter, the cash position, or the future strategy were left to parse the press release on their own.

Following the report, GameStop shares edged higher in after-hours trading. It seems the market is still trying to decide whether to focus on the earnings beat and the giant cash pile, or the declining revenue in its traditional video game segments.

GameStop's Q4: A Tale of Two Metrics

MarketDash
The video game retailer posted a revenue miss but an earnings beat, while its cash pile swelled to a staggering $9 billion.

Get Gamestop Corporation - Class A Alerts

Weekly insights + SMS alerts

So, GameStop Corp (GME) reported its fourth-quarter numbers Tuesday after the bell. If you're trying to figure out what it all means, well, you're not alone. The report is a classic case of "pick your metric."

On one hand, the company missed on the top line. Revenue came in at $1.10 billion, which was well below what analysts were looking for and down about 14% from the same quarter last year. The breakdown shows where the pain was: sales of hardware and accessories, along with software, both took a step back. Collectibles, however, were a bright spot, growing year-over-year.

On the other hand, GameStop managed to beat earnings expectations, posting adjusted earnings of 49 cents per share. Operating income also improved significantly from the prior year. It's the kind of mixed bag that leaves you wondering about the underlying health of the core business.

But here's the number that really jumps off the page: cash. GameStop ended the quarter with approximately $9 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. For context, that's a mountain of money for a company of its size. Tucked within that total is $368.4 million worth of Bitcoin. The company has been quietly amassing this war chest, and it now represents a massive, liquid balance sheet.

As has become its recent habit, GameStop did not host a conference call to discuss the results. Investors looking for management's take on the quarter, the cash position, or the future strategy were left to parse the press release on their own.

Following the report, GameStop shares edged higher in after-hours trading. It seems the market is still trying to decide whether to focus on the earnings beat and the giant cash pile, or the declining revenue in its traditional video game segments.