By Alex Veiga

A hefty tax benefit helped drive GameStop’s fiscal fourth-quarter profit sharply higher, but the video-game retailer’s sales declined despite a surge in its online business. The company's latest results fell short of Wall Street’s expectations.

The company, whose stock price soared in January after a social media-fueled frenzy, said Tuesday that it would suspend providing earnings guidance as it focuses on an effort to transform into a more online-focused retailer.

The Grapevine, Texas, company reported a net income of $80.5 million, or $1.19 per share, for the three months ended January 30. That compares with a net income of $21 million, or 32 cents per share, a year earlier.

The latest results include a nearly $70 million tax benefit. Adjusted for that and other one-time items, the company’s earnings amounted to $1.34 per share, versus $1.27 a year earlier.

Revenue fell to $2.12 billion, from $2.19 billion. Analysts were expecting adjusted earnings of $1.35 per share on $2.21 billion in revenue, according to FactSet.

The company said global e-commerce sales made up 34% of net sales in the fourth quarter compared with 12% in the year-ago quarter. As GameStop attempts to transition more of its business online, the company recently named board member Ryan Cohen to spearhead that transition.

GameStop shares were little changed in after-hours trading. They fell 6.6% to $181.75 in the regular trading session.

Share:
More In Business
Is U.S. Restaurants’ Breakfast Boom Contributing to High Egg Prices?
It’s a chicken-and-egg problem: Restaurants are struggling with record-high U.S. egg prices, but their omelets, scrambles and huevos rancheros may be part of the problem. Breakfast is booming at U.S. eateries. First Watch, a restaurant chain that serves breakfast, brunch and lunch, nearly quadrupled its locations over the past decade to 570. Fast-food chains like Starbucks and Wendy's added more egg-filled breakfast items. In normal times, egg producers could meet the demand. But a bird flu outbreak that has forced them to slaughter their flocks is making supplies scarcer and pushing up prices. Some restaurants like Waffle House have added a surcharge to offset their costs.
Trump Administration Shutters Consumer Protection Agency
The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down the agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal. Russell Vought is the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought directed the CFPB in a Saturday night email to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama created it following the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
Load More