Electronic Arts dips after better-than-expected earnings but a disappointing sales outlook

Video game juggernaut Electronic Arts reported results after the bell on Tuesday for its fiscal first quarter ending in June, and the publisher delivered a strong Q1.

The maker of franchises like Madden NFL, College Football, and Sports FC (formerly FIFA) posted earnings per share of $0.79, exceeding analyst expectations of $0.11.

EA’s net bookings were $1.29 billion, up from $1.26 billion last year. The company’s internal projections pinned bookings for the quarter at between $1.18 billion and $1.28 billion, while Wall Street expected $1.25 billion.

EA noted better-than-expected performance from its EA Sports catalog and its live service game, “Apex Legends.”

The publisher said it expects net bookings of between $1.8 billion and $1.9 billion in its current quarter ending in September. Analysts polled by FactSet expected sales of $2.01 billion. EA forecasts full-year net bookings of between $7.6 billion and $8 billion, also below analysts’ consensus. EA shares were down about 1.5% in after-hours trading.

Despite EA’s most intimidating competitor, Take-Two’s “Grand Theft Auto 6,” being delayed out of its 2026 fiscal year, the publisher’s shares have flailed this year. The stock is up just 1.3% year to date as of Tuesday’s close, lagging the S&P 500.