ELECTRONIC ARTS INC. (EA)
SIC breadcrumb: Services > Business Services > SIC 7372 Services-Prepackaged Software
SEC company page: https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=712515. Latest filing source: 0001628280-26-033617.
Informational only - descriptive public-record data, not investment advice.
Selected Fundamentals
| Metric | Value | Unit | FY | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 7,531,000,000 | USD | 2026 | 2026-05-11 |
| Net income | 887,000,000 | USD | 2026 | 2026-05-11 |
| Assets | 13,131,000,000 | USD | 2026 | 2026-05-11 |
Financials
Annual standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-05-11. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0000712515.json. Derived margins, ratios, and free cash flow are computed from the extracted annual SEC facts.
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 4,845,000,000 | 5,150,000,000 | 4,950,000,000 | 5,537,000,000 | 5,629,000,000 | 6,991,000,000 | 7,426,000,000 | 7,562,000,000 | 7,463,000,000 | 7,531,000,000 |
| Net income | 967,000,000 | 1,043,000,000 | 1,019,000,000 | 3,039,000,000 | 837,000,000 | 789,000,000 | 802,000,000 | 1,273,000,000 | 1,121,000,000 | 887,000,000 |
| Operating income | 1,224,000,000 | 1,434,000,000 | 996,000,000 | 1,445,000,000 | 1,046,000,000 | 1,129,000,000 | 1,332,000,000 | 1,518,000,000 | 1,520,000,000 | 1,162,000,000 |
| Gross profit | 3,547,000,000 | 3,873,000,000 | 3,628,000,000 | 4,168,000,000 | 4,135,000,000 | 5,132,000,000 | 5,634,000,000 | 5,852,000,000 | 5,920,000,000 | 5,947,000,000 |
| Diluted EPS | 3.08 | 3.34 | 3.33 | 10.30 | 2.87 | 2.76 | 2.88 | 4.68 | 4.25 | 3.51 |
| Operating cash flow | 1,547,000,000 | 1,797,000,000 | 1,934,000,000 | 1,899,000,000 | 1,550,000,000 | 2,315,000,000 | 2,079,000,000 | 2,553,000,000 | ||
| Dividends paid | 0.00 | 98,000,000 | 193,000,000 | 210,000,000 | 205,000,000 | 199,000,000 | 191,000,000 | |||
| Share buybacks | 508,000,000 | 601,000,000 | 1,192,000,000 | 1,207,000,000 | 729,000,000 | 1,300,000,000 | 1,295,000,000 | 1,300,000,000 | 2,508,000,000 | 769,000,000 |
| Assets | 7,718,000,000 | 8,584,000,000 | 8,957,000,000 | 11,112,000,000 | 13,288,000,000 | 13,800,000,000 | 13,459,000,000 | 13,420,000,000 | 12,368,000,000 | 13,131,000,000 |
| Liabilities | 3,658,000,000 | 3,989,000,000 | 3,626,000,000 | 3,651,000,000 | 5,448,000,000 | 6,175,000,000 | 6,166,000,000 | 5,907,000,000 | 5,982,000,000 | 6,367,000,000 |
| Stockholders' equity | 4,060,000,000 | 4,595,000,000 | 5,331,000,000 | 7,461,000,000 | 7,840,000,000 | 7,625,000,000 | 7,293,000,000 | 7,513,000,000 | 6,386,000,000 | 6,764,000,000 |
Ratios
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net margin | 19.96% | 20.25% | 20.59% | 54.89% | 14.87% | 11.29% | 10.80% | 16.83% | 15.02% | 11.78% |
| Operating margin | 25.26% | 27.84% | 20.12% | 26.10% | 18.58% | 16.15% | 17.94% | 20.07% | 20.37% | 15.43% |
| Return on equity | 23.82% | 22.70% | 19.11% | 40.73% | 10.68% | 10.35% | 11.00% | 16.94% | 17.55% | 13.11% |
| Return on assets | 12.53% | 12.15% | 11.38% | 27.35% | 6.30% | 5.72% | 5.96% | 9.49% | 9.06% | 6.76% |
| Liabilities / equity | 0.90 | 0.87 | 0.68 | 0.49 | 0.69 | 0.81 | 0.85 | 0.79 | 0.94 | 0.94 |
| Current ratio | 2.15 | 2.41 | 2.82 | 2.45 | 2.43 | 1.18 | 1.21 | 1.37 | 0.95 | 1.05 |
Financial Charts
Quarterly
Quarterly standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-05-11. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0000712515.json.
| Quarter | End Date | Revenue | Net Income | Diluted EPS | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-Q3 | 2021-12-31 | 0.23 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q2 | 2022-09-30 | 1.07 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q3 | 2022-12-31 | 0.73 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q4 | 2023-03-31 | -12,000,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | ||
| 2023-Q1 | 2023-06-30 | 1.47 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2024-Q2 | 2023-09-30 | 399,000,000 | 1.47 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2024-Q3 | 2023-12-31 | 290,000,000 | 1.07 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2024-Q4 | 2024-03-31 | 182,000,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | ||
| 2025-Q1 | 2024-06-30 | 280,000,000 | 1.04 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2025-Q2 | 2024-09-30 | 294,000,000 | 1.11 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2025-Q3 | 2024-12-31 | 293,000,000 | 1.11 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2025-Q4 | 2025-03-31 | 254,000,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | ||
| 2026-Q1 | 2025-06-30 | 201,000,000 | 0.79 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2026-Q2 | 2025-09-30 | 1,839,000,000 | 137,000,000 | 0.54 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2026-Q3 | 2025-12-31 | 1,901,000,000 | 88,000,000 | 0.35 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2026-Q4 | 2026-03-31 | 461,000,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD |
Quarterly Charts
Macro Cross-References
- CPIAUCSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average
- UNRATE - Unemployment Rate
- FEDFUNDS - Federal Funds Effective Rate
- CES0500000003 - Average Hourly Earnings of All Employees, Total Private
- DFEDTARU - Federal Funds Target Range - Upper Limit
- DFEDTARL - Federal Funds Target Range - Lower Limit
- DGS3MO - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 3-Month Constant Maturity
- DGS2 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 2-Year Constant Maturity
- DGS10 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 10-Year Constant Maturity
- DGS30 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 30-Year Constant Maturity
- T10Y2Y - 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Minus 2-Year Treasury Constant Maturity
- CPILFESL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items Less Food and Energy
- CPIUFDSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Food
- CPIENGSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Energy
- CUSR0000SAH1 - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Shelter
- PCEPI - Personal Consumption Expenditures: Chain-type Price Index
- PCEPILFE - Personal Consumption Expenditures Excluding Food and Energy: Chain-type Price Index
- PPIACO - Producer Price Index by Commodity: All Commodities
- T10YIE - 10-Year Breakeven Inflation Rate
- U6RATE - Total Unemployed, Plus All Marginally Attached Workers Plus Total Employed Part Time for Economic Reasons
- PAYEMS - All Employees, Total Nonfarm
- CIVPART - Labor Force Participation Rate
- EMRATIO - Employment-Population Ratio
- UNEMPLOY - Unemployed
- CE16OV - Employment Level
- ICSA - Initial Claims
- JTSJOL - Job Openings: Total Nonfarm
- JTSQUR - Quits: Total Nonfarm
- GDPC1 - Real Gross Domestic Product
- A191RL1Q225SBEA - Real Gross Domestic Product: Percent Change from Preceding Period
- INDPRO - Industrial Production: Total Index
- TCU - Capacity Utilization: Total Index
- HOUST - New Privately-Owned Housing Units Started: Total Units
- PERMIT - New Privately-Owned Housing Units Authorized in Permit-Issuing Places: Total Units
- RSAFS - Advance Retail Sales: Retail Trade
- PCE - Personal Consumption Expenditures
- DSPIC96 - Real Disposable Personal Income
- PSAVERT - Personal Saving Rate
- M2SL - M2
- BOPGSTB - U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services: Balance
- MSPUS - Median Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States
- HSN1F - New One Family Houses Sold: United States
- RHORUSQ156N - Homeownership Rate in the United States
- TTLCONS - Total Construction Spending: Total Construction in the United States
- RRVRUSQ156N - Rental Vacancy Rate in the United States
- TOTALSL - Total Consumer Credit Owned and Securitized
- REVOLSL - Revolving Consumer Credit Owned and Securitized
- DRCCLACBS - Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks
- GDP - Gross Domestic Product
- GPDI - Gross Private Domestic Investment
- GCE - Government Consumption Expenditures and Gross Investment
- PCEC - Personal Consumption Expenditures
- NETEXP - Net Exports of Goods and Services
- GFDEBTN - Federal Debt: Total Public Debt
- GFDEGDQ188S - Federal Debt: Total Public Debt as Percent of Gross Domestic Product
- FYFSD - Federal Surplus or Deficit
- FGRECPT - Federal Government Current Receipts
- FGEXPND - Federal Government: Current Expenditures
- MANEMP - All Employees, Manufacturing
- USCONS - All Employees, Construction
- USTRADE - All Employees, Retail Trade
- USFIRE - All Employees, Financial Activities
- USGOVT - All Employees, Government
- AWHAETP - Average Weekly Hours of All Employees, Total Private
- DGORDER - Manufacturers' New Orders: Durable Goods
- NEWORDER - Manufacturers' New Orders: Nondefense Capital Goods Excluding Aircraft
- BUSINV - Total Business Inventories
- EXPGS - Exports of Goods and Services
- IMPGS - Imports of Goods and Services
- IR - Import Price Index (End Use): All Commodities
- PPIFIS - Producer Price Index by Commodity: Final Demand
Latest quarter (10-Q)
Latest 10-Q source: 0001628280-26-005101.
Item 2.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
CAUTIONARY NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements. We use words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “predict”, “seek”, “goal”, “will”, “may”, “likely”, “should”, “could”, “continue”, “potential” (and the negative of any of these terms), “future” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to projections of our future financial performance, trends in our business, projections of markets relevant to our business, the Merger (as defined herein), uncertain events and assumptions and other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements consist of, among other things, statements related to our business, operations and financial results, industry prospects, our future financial performance, and our business plans and objectives, and may include certain assumptions that underlie the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and reflect management’s current expectations. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include those discussed in Part II, Item 1A of this Quarterly Report under the heading “Risk Factors”, as well as in other documents we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. We assume no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason, except as required by law.
OVERVIEW
The following overview is a high-level discussion of our operating results, as well as some of the trends and drivers that affect our business. Management believes that an understanding of these trends and drivers provides important context for our results for the three months ended December 31, 2025, as well as our future prospects. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be a substitute for the detailed discussion and analysis provided elsewhere in this Form 10-Q, including in the remainder of “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”),” “Risk Factors,” and the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes. Additional information can be found in the “Business” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 as filed with the SEC on May 13, 2025 and in other documents we have filed with the SEC.
Proposed Merger
On September 28, 2025, we entered into a Merger Agreement pursuant to and subject to the terms and conditions of which we will be acquired by the Consortium. For further details on this proposed transaction, see Note 1 of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and "Part II—Item 1A. Risk Factors" contained elsewhere in this Form 10-Q.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. We develop, market, publish and deliver games, content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. We create innovative games and experiences that deliver high-quality interactive entertainment and drive engagement across our global network of hundreds of millions of players. Through our live services offerings, we offer high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our full games. We are focusing on building games and experiences that grow the global online communities around our key franchises; deepening engagement through connecting interactive storytelling to key intellectual property; and harnessing our communities to grow in, around, and beyond our games.
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Financial Results
Our key financial results for our fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2025 were as follows:
•Total net revenue was $1,901 million, up 1 percent year-over-year.
•Live services and other net revenue was $1,269 million, down 1 percent year-over-year.
•Gross margin was 73.8 percent, down 2 percentage points year-over-year.
•Operating expenses were $1,276 million, up 22 percent year-over-year.
•Operating income was $127 million, down 66 percent year-over-year.
•Net income was $88 million with diluted earnings per share of $0.35.
•Net cash provided by operating activities was $1,826 million, up 55 percent year-over-year.
•Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $2,899 million.
•We returned $47 million to stockholders through our quarterly cash dividend program.
Trends in Our Business
Live Services Business. We offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and to extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our full games and free-to-play games. Our net revenue attributable to live services and other was $5,330 million, $5,449 million, and $5,603 million for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively, and we expect that live services net revenue will continue to be material to our business. Within live services and other, net revenue attributable to extra content was $4,116 million, $4,379 million, and $4,436 million for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Growth in live services net revenue, including extra content may not be linear due to the competitive landscape, consumer buying patterns, and other factors. Our most popular live services are the extra content in the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises. Ultimate Team allows players to collect current and former players in order to build and compete as a personalized team. Live services net revenue generated from extra content purchased within Ultimate Team, a substantial portion of which was derived from FC Ultimate Team, is material to our business.
Digital Delivery of Games. In our industry, players increasingly purchase games digitally as opposed to purchasing physical discs. While this trend, as applied to our business, may not be linear due to a mix of products during a fiscal year, consumer buying patterns and other factors, over time we expect players to continue to purchase a higher proportion of our games digitally. As a result, we expect net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads to increase over time and net revenue attributable to sales of packaged goods to decrease.
Our net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads was $1,478 million, $1,343 million, and $1,262 million during fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively; while our net revenue attributable to packaged goods sales was $524 million, $672 million, and $675 million in fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. In addition, as measured based on total units sold on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 rather than by net revenue, we estimate that 78 percent, 73 percent, and 68 percent of our total units sold during fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, were sold digitally. Digital full game units are based on sales information provided by Microsoft and Sony; packaged goods units sold through are estimated by obtaining data from significant retail and distribution partners in North America, Europe and Asia, and applying internal sales estimates with respect to retail partners from which we do not obtain data. We believe that these percentages are reasonable estimates of the proportion of our games that are digitally downloaded in relation to our total number of units sold for the applicable period of measurement.
Increases in consumer adoption of digital purchase of games combined with increases in our live services revenue generally results in expansion of our gross margin, as costs associated with selling a game digitally are generally less than selling the same game through traditional retail and distribution channels.
Increased Competition. Competition in our business is intense. Our competitors range from established interactive entertainment companies to emerging start-ups. In addition, we compete with large, diversified companies that have strengthened their interactive entertainment capabilities. Our competitors have access to certain resources such as larger budgets, tools, technologies, or IP portfolios that can lead to greater consumer success and shift player time and engagement away from our products and services. In addition, our leading position within the interactive entertainment industry makes us a prime target for recruiting our executives, as well as key creative and technical talent, resulting in retention challenges and increased cost to retain and incentivize our key people.
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Concentration of Sales Among the Most Popular Games. In our industry, we see a large portion of games sales concentrated on the most popular titles. Similarly, a significant portion of our revenue has been derived from games based on a few popular titles, such as EA SPORTS FC, EA SPORTS College Football, EA SPORTS Madden NFL, Apex Legends, Battlefield, and The Sims. In particular, we have historically derived a significant portion of our net revenue from our global football franchise, the annualized version of which is consistently one of the best-selling games in the marketplace.
Net Bookings. In order to improve transparency into our business, we disclose an operating performance metric, net bookings. Net bookings is defined as the net amount of products and services sold digitally or sold-in physically in the period. Net bookings is calculated by adding total net revenue to the change in deferred net revenue for online-enabled games.
The following is a calculation of our total net bookings for the periods presented:
| Three Months Ended December 31, | Nine Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| Net revenue | $ | 1,901 | $ | 1,883 | $ | 5,411 | $ | 5,568 | ||||||
| Change in deferred net revenue (online-enabled games) | 1,145 | 332 | 751 | (12) | ||||||||||
| Net bookings | $ | 3,046 | $ | 2,215 | $ | 6,162 | $ | 5,556 |
Net bookings were $3,046 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, primarily driven by sales related to our global football, Battlefield, and American football franchises. Net bookings increased $831 million, or 38 percent, as compared to the three months ended December 31, 2024, primarily due to the release of Battlefield 6 and a year-over-year increase in sales from our global football franchise, partially offset by a decrease in sales from the prior year release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Live services and other net bookings were $1,904 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, and increased $322 million, or 20 percent, as compared to the three months ended December 31, 2024. The increase in live services and other net bookings was primarily due to increased sales of extra content from Ultimate Team within our global football franchise and from Battlefield 6, partially offset by decreased sales of extra content from Ultimate Team within EA SPORTS College Football and The Sims 4. Full game net bookings were $1,142 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, and increased $509 million, or 80 percent, as compared to the three months ended December 31, 2024, primarily due to the release of Battlefield 6, partially offset by the prior year release of D
[Excerpt truncated for page length; source filing is linked above.]
Latest 10-K MD&A
Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
OVERVIEW
The following overview is a high-level discussion of our operating results, as well as some of the trends and drivers that affect our business. Management believes that an understanding of these trends and drivers provides important context for our results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, as well as our future prospects. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be a substitute for the detailed discussion and analysis provided elsewhere in this Form 10-K, including in the “Business” section and the “Risk Factors” above, the remainder of “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”)” or the Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes.
Proposed Merger
On September 28, 2025, we entered into a Merger Agreement pursuant to and subject to the terms and conditions of which we will be acquired by the Consortium. For further details on this proposed transaction, see Note 1 of the Consolidated Financial Statements and "Part I—Item 1A. Risk Factors" contained elsewhere in this Form 10-K.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. We develop, market, publish and deliver games, content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. We create innovative games and experiences that deliver high-quality interactive entertainment and drive engagement across our global network of hundreds of millions of players. Through our live services offerings, we offer high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our full games. We are focusing on building games and experiences that grow the global online communities around our key franchises; deepening engagement through connecting interactive storytelling to key intellectual property; and harnessing our communities to grow in, around, and beyond our games.
Financial Results
Our key financial results for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 were as follows:
•Total net revenue was $7,531 million, up 1 percent year-over-year.
•Live services and other net revenue was $5,383 million, down 1 percent year-over-year.
•Gross margin was 79 percent, flat year-over-year.
•Operating expenses were $4,785 million, up 9 percent year-over-year.
•Operating income was $1,162 million, down 24 percent year-over-year.
•Net income was $887 million with diluted earnings per share of $3.51.
•Net cash provided by operating activities was $2,553 million, up 23 percent year-over-year.
•Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $2,980 million.
•We returned $941 million to stockholders through our capital return programs, repurchasing 5.3 million shares for approximately $750 million and returning $191 million through our quarterly cash dividend program.
Trends in Our Business
Live Services Business. We offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and to extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our full games and free-to-play games. Our net revenue attributable to live services and other was $5,383 million, $5,461 million, and $5,547 million for fiscal years 2026, 2025, and 2024, respectively, and we expect that live services net revenue will continue to be material to our business. Within live services and other, net revenue attributable to extra content was $4,091 million, $4,365 million, and $4,463 million for fiscal years 2026, 2025, and 2024, respectively. Growth in live services net revenue, including extra content may not be linear due to the competitive landscape, consumer buying patterns, and other factors. Our most popular live services are the extra content in the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises. Ultimate Team allows players to collect current and former players in order to build and compete as a personalized team. Live services net revenue generated from extra content purchased within Ultimate Team, a substantial portion of which was derived from FC Ultimate Team, is material to our business.
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Digital Delivery of Games. In our industry, players increasingly purchase games digitally as opposed to purchasing physical discs. While this trend, as applied to our business, may not be linear due to a mix of products during a fiscal year, consumer buying patterns and other factors, over time we expect players to continue to purchase a higher proportion of our games digitally. As a result, we expect net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads to increase over time and net revenue attributable to sales of packaged goods to decrease.
Our net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads was $1,708 million, $1,478 million, and $1,343 million during fiscal years 2026, 2025, and 2024, respectively; while our net revenue attributable to packaged goods sales was $440 million, $524 million, and $672 million in fiscal years 2026, 2025, and 2024, respectively. In addition, as measured based on total units sold on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 rather than by net revenue, we estimate that 81 percent, 78 percent, and 73 percent of our total units sold during fiscal years 2026, 2025, and 2024, were sold digitally. Digital full game units are based on sales information provided by Microsoft and Sony; packaged goods units sold through are estimated by obtaining data from significant retail and distribution partners in North America, Europe and Asia, and applying internal sales estimates with respect to retail partners from which we do not obtain data. We believe that these percentages are reasonable estimates of the proportion of our games that are digitally downloaded in relation to our total number of units sold for the applicable period of measurement.
Increases in consumer adoption of digital purchase of games combined with increases in our live services revenue generally results in expansion of our gross margin, as costs associated with selling a game digitally are generally less than selling the same game through traditional retail and distribution channels.
Increased Competition. Competition in our business is intense. Our competitors range from established interactive entertainment companies to emerging start-ups. In addition, we compete with large, diversified companies that have strengthened their interactive entertainment capabilities. Our competitors have access to certain resources such as larger budgets, tools, technologies, or IP portfolios that can lead to greater consumer success and shift player time and engagement away from our products and services. In addition, our leading position within the interactive entertainment industry makes us a prime target for recruiting our executives, as well as key creative and technical talent, resulting in retention challenges and increased cost to retain and incentivize our key people.
Concentration of Sales Among the Most Popular Games. In our industry, we see a large portion of games sales concentrated on the most popular titles. Similarly, a significant portion of our revenue has been derived from games based on a few popular titles, such as EA SPORTS FC, EA SPORTS College Football, EA SPORTS Madden NFL, Apex Legends, Battlefield, and The Sims. In particular, we have historically derived a significant portion of our net revenue from our global football franchise, the annualized version of which is consistently one of the best-selling games in the marketplace.
Net Bookings. In order to improve transparency into our business, we disclose an operating performance metric, net bookings. Net bookings is defined as the net amount of products and services sold digitally or sold-in physically in the period. Net bookings is calculated by adding total net revenue to the change in deferred net revenue for online-enabled games.
The following is a calculation of our total net bookings for the periods presented:
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2026 | 2025 | ||||
| Net revenue | $ | 7,531 | $ | 7,463 | ||
| Change in deferred net revenue (online-enabled games) | 495 | (108) | ||||
| Net bookings | $ | 8,026 | $ | 7,355 |
Net bookings were $8,026 million for fiscal year 2026 primarily driven by sales related to our global football, Battlefield, and American football franchises. Net bookings increased $671 million or 9 percent as compared to fiscal year 2025 primarily due to the release of Battlefield 6 and a year-over-year increase in sales from our global football franchise, partially offset by a year-over-year decrease in sales from EA SPORTS College Football, the prior year release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and The Sims franchise. Live services and other net bookings were $5,630 million for fiscal year 2026, and increased $292 million or 5 percent as compared to fiscal year 2025. The increase in live services and other net bookings was primarily due to increased sales of extra content within our global football franchise and from Battlefield 6, partially offset by decreased sales of extra content from Ultimate Team within EA SPORTS College Football, and The Sims 4. Full game net bookings were $2,396 million for fiscal year 2026, and increased $379 million or 19 percent as compared to fiscal year 2025 primarily due to the release of Battlefield 6, partially offset by a year-over-year decline in EA SPORTS College Football, and the prior year release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
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CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, contingent assets and liabilities, and revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. The policies discussed below are considered by management to be critical because they are not only important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, but also because application and interpretation of these policies requires both management judgment and estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain and unknown. As a result, actual results may differ materially from our estimates.
Revenue Recognition
We derive revenue principally from sales of our games, and related extra content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. Our product and service offerings include, but are not limited to, the following:
•full games with both online and offline functionality (“Games with Services”), which generally includes (1) the initial game delivered digitally or via physical disc at the time of sale and typically provide access to offline core game content (“software license”); (2) updates on a when-and-if-available basis, such as software patches or updates, and/or additional free content to be delivered in the future (“future update rights”); and (3) a hosted connection for online playability (“online hosting”);
•full games with online-only functionality which require an Internet connection to access all gameplay and functionality (“Online-Hosted Service Games”);
•extra content related to Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games which provides access to additional in-game content;
•subscriptions, such as EA Play and EA Play Pro, that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits typically for a recurring monthly or annual fee; and
•licensing to third parties to distribute and host our games and content.
We evaluate and recognize revenue by:
•identifying the contract(s) with the customer;
•identifying the performance obligations in the contract;
•determining the transaction price;
•allocating the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and
•recognizing revenue as each performance obligation is satisfied through the transfer of a promised good or service to a customer (i.e., “transfer of control”).
Certain of our full game and/or extra content are sold to resellers with a contingency that the full game and/or extra content cannot be resold prior to a specific date (“Street Date Contingency”). We recognize revenue for transactions that have a Street Date Contingency when the Street Date Contingency is removed and the full game and/or extra content can be resold by the reseller. For digital full game and/or extra content downloads sold to customers, we recognize revenue when the full game and/or extra content is made available for download to the customer.
Online-Enabled Games
Games with Services. Our sales of Games with Services are evaluated to determine whether the software license, future update rights and the online hosting are distinct and separable. Sales of Games with Services are generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting.
Since we do not sell the performance obligations on a stand-alone basis, we consider market conditions and other observable inputs to estimate the stand-alone selling price for each performance obligation. For Games with Services, generally 75 percent of the sales price is allocated to the software license performance obligation and recognized at a point in time when control of the license has been transferred to the customer. The remaining 25 percent is allocated to the future update rights and the online hosting performance obligations and recognized ratably as the service is provided (over the Estimated Offering Period).
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Online-Hosted Service Games. Sales of our Online-Hosted Service Games are determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online hosting service. We recognize revenue from these arrangements ratably as the service is provided (over the Estimated Offering Period).
Extra Content. Revenue received from sales of downloadable content are derived primarily from the sale of virtual currencies and digital in-game content that are designed to extend and enhance players’ game experience. Sales of extra content are accounted for in a manner consistent with the treatment for our Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games as discussed above, depending upon whether or not the extra content has offline functionality. That is, if the extra content has offline functionality, then the extra content is accounted for similarly to Games with Services (generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting). If the extra content does not have offline functionality, then the extra content is determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online-hosted service.
Subscriptions
Sales of our subscriptions are determined to have one performance obligation: the online hosting. We recognize revenue from these arrangements ratably over the subscription term as the performance obligation is satisfied.
Licensing Revenue
We utilize third-party licensees to distribute and host our games and content in accordance with license agreements, for which the licensees typically pay us a fixed minimum guarantee and/or sales-based royalties. These arrangements typically include multiple performance obligations, such as a time-based license of software and future update rights. We recognize as revenue a portion of the minimum guarantee when we transfer control of the license of software (generally upon commercial launch) and the remaining portion ratably over the contractual term in which we provide the licensee with future update rights. Any sales-based royalties are generally recognized as the related sales occur by the licensee.
Significant Judgments around Revenue Arrangements
Identifying performance obligations. Performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on the goods and services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct, (i.e., the customer can benefit from the goods or services either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available), and are distinct in the context of the contract (i.e., it is separately identifiable from other goods or services in the contract). To the extent a contract includes multiple promises, we must apply judgment to determine whether those promises are separate and distinct performance obligations. If these criteria are not met, the promises are accounted for as a combined performance obligation.
Determining the transaction price. The transaction price is determined based on the consideration that we will be entitled to receive in exchange for transferring our goods and services to the customer. Determining the transaction price often requires judgment, based on an assessment of contractual terms and business practices. It further includes review of variable consideration such as discounts, sales returns, price protection, and rebates, which is estimated at the time of the transaction. In addition, the transaction price does not include an estimate of the variable consideration related to sales-based royalties. Sales-based royalties are recognized as the sales occur.
Allocating the transaction price. Allocating the transaction price requires that we determine an estimate of the relative stand-alone selling price for each distinct performance obligation. Determining the relative stand-alone selling price is inherently subjective, especially in situations where we do not sell the performance obligation on a stand-alone basis (which occurs in the majority of our transactions). In those situations, we determine the relative stand-alone selling price based on various observable inputs using all information that is reasonably available. Examples of observable inputs and information include: historical internal pricing data, cost plus margin analysis, pre-release versus post-release costs, and pricing data from competitors to the extent the data is available. The results of our analysis resulted in a specific percentage of the transaction price being allocated to each performance obligation.
Determining the Estimated Offering Period. The offering period is the period in which we offer to provide the future update rights and/or online hosting for the game and related extra content sold. Because the offering period is not an explicitly defined period, we must make an estimate of the offering period for the service-related performance obligations (i.e., future update rights and online hosting). Determining the Estimated Offering Period is inherently subjective and is subject to regular revision. Generally, we consider the average period of time customers are online when estimating the offering period. We also consider the estimated period of time between the date a game unit is sold to a reseller and the date the reseller sells the game unit to the customer (i.e., time in channel). Based on these two factors, we then consider the method of distribution. For example, games
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and extra content sold at retail would have a composite offering period equal to the online gameplay period plus time in channel as opposed to digitally-distributed games and extra content which are delivered immediately via digital download and therefore, the offering period is estimated to be only the online gameplay period.
Additionally, we consider results from prior analyses, known and expected online gameplay trends, as well as disclosed service periods for competitors’ games in determining the Estimated Offering Period for future sales. We believe this provides a reasonable depiction of the transfer of future update rights and online hosting to our customers, as it is the best representation of the time period during which our games and extra content are experienced. We recognize revenue for future update rights and online hosting performance obligations ratably on a straight-line basis over this period as there is a consistent pattern of delivery for these performance obligations. Revenue for service-related performance obligations for digitally-distributed games and extra content is recognized over an estimated eight-month period beginning in the month of sale, and revenue for service-related performance obligations for games and extra content sold through retail is recognized over an estimated ten-month period beginning in the month of sale. Prior to July 1, 2025, revenue for service-related performance obligations for our mobile free-to-play games was recognized generally over an eight-month period, and for our PC and console free-to-play games was recognized generally over a twelve-month period, in each case beginning in the month of sale.
During the three months ended September 30, 2025, we completed our annual evaluation of the Estimated Offering Period, and as a result, for sales beginning July 1, 2025, the revenue that we recognize for the service-related performance obligation related to our mobile free-to-play and PC and console free-to-play games is recognized generally over an eleven-month period beginning in the month of sale. This change in Estimated Offering Period did not impact the amount of net bookings or the operating cash flows that we report. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, this change to our Estimated Offering Period resulted in an estimated net decrease in net revenue of $74 million and net income of $56 million, and a decrease of $0.22 diluted earnings per share.
Principal Agent Considerations
We evaluate sales to end customers of our full games and related content via third-party storefronts, including digital storefronts such as Microsoft’s Xbox Store, Sony’s PlayStation Store, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store, in order to determine whether or not we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer, which we consider in determining if revenue should be reported gross or net of fees retained by the third-party storefront. An entity is the principal if it controls a good or service before it is transferred to the end customer. Key indicators that we evaluate in determining gross versus net treatment include but are not limited to the following:
•the underlying contract terms and conditions between the various parties to the transaction;
•which party is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide the specified good or service to the end customer;
•which party has discretion in establishing the price for the specified good or service; and
•which party has title risk before the specified good or service has been transferred to the end customer.
Based on an evaluation of the above indicators, except as discussed below, we have determined that generally the third party is considered the principal to end customers for the sale of our full games and related content. We therefore report revenue related to these arrangements net of the fees retained by the storefront. However, for sales arrangements via Apple App Store and Google Play Store, EA is considered the principal to the end customer and thus, we report revenue on a gross basis and mobile platform fees are reported within cost of revenue.
Income Taxes
We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for both (1) the expected impact of differences between the financial statement amount and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and (2) the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax losses and tax credit carryforwards. We do not recognize any deferred taxes related to the U.S. taxes on foreign earnings as we recognize these taxes as a period cost.
We record a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets when it is considered more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. In making this determination, we are required to give significant weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. It is generally difficult to conclude that a valuation allowance is not needed when there is significant negative evidence, such as cumulative losses in recent years. Forecasts of future taxable income are considered to be less objective than past results. Therefore, cumulative losses weigh heavily in the overall assessment.
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In addition to considering forecasts of future taxable income, we are also required to evaluate and quantify other possible sources of taxable income in order to assess the realization of our deferred tax assets, namely the reversal of existing deferred tax liabilities, the carryback of losses and credits as allowed under current tax law, and the implementation of tax planning strategies. Evaluating and quantifying these amounts involves significant judgments. Each source of income must be evaluated based on all positive and negative evidence and this evaluation may involve assumptions about future activity. Certain taxable temporary differences that are not expected to reverse during the carry forward periods permitted by tax law cannot be considered as a source of future taxable income that may be available to realize the benefit of deferred tax assets.
Every quarter, we perform a realizability analysis to evaluate whether it is more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our Swiss deferred tax asset realizability analysis relies upon future Swiss taxable income, and considers all available sources of Swiss income based on positive and negative evidence. We give more weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. However, estimating future Swiss taxable income requires judgment, specifically related to assumptions about expected growth rates of future Swiss taxable income, which are based primarily on third party market and industry growth data. Actual results that differ materially from those estimates could have a material impact on our valuation allowance assessment. Swiss interest rates have an impact on the valuation allowance and are based on published Swiss guidance, which generally occurs in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. We have adjusted our valuation allowance for changes in the published interest rates in the past and we may do so again in the future. Switzerland has a seven-year carryforward period and does not permit the carry back of losses. Any significant changes to the Swiss interest rates or tax laws on loss carryforward period could result in a material impact to the valuation allowance and to our Consolidated Financial Statements. Actions we take in connection with acquisitions could also impact the utilization of our Swiss deferred tax asset.
As part of the process of preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements, we are required to estimate our income taxes in each jurisdiction in which we operate prior to the completion and filing of tax returns for such periods. This process requires estimating both our geographic mix of income and our uncertain tax positions in each jurisdiction where we operate. These estimates require us to make judgments about the likely application of the tax law to our situation, as well as with respect to other matters, such as anticipating the positions that we will take on tax returns prior to preparing the returns and the outcomes of disputes with tax authorities. The ultimate resolution of these issues may take extended periods of time due to examinations by tax authorities and statutes of limitations. In addition, changes in our business, including acquisitions, changes in our international corporate structure, changes in the geographic location of business functions or assets, changes in the geographic mix and amount of income, as well as changes in our agreements with tax authorities, valuation allowances, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in the estimated and actual level of annual pre-tax income can affect the overall effective tax rate.
IMPACT OF RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
The information under the subheading “Recently Issued Accounting Standards” in Note 1 — Description of Business and Basis of Presentation to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Our fiscal year is reported on a 52- or 53-week period that ends on the Saturday nearest March 31. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 contained 52 weeks and ended on March 28, 2026. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 contained 52 weeks and ended on March 29, 2025. For simplicity of disclosure, all fiscal periods are referred to as ending on a calendar month end.
Net Revenue
Net revenue consists of sales generated from (1) full games sold as digital downloads or as packaged goods and designed for play on game consoles and PCs, (2) live services which primarily includes sales of extra content for console, PC, and mobile games, (3) subscriptions that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits, and (4) licensing our games to third parties to distribute and host our games and content.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2026 to Fiscal Year 2025
Net Revenue
Net revenue for fiscal year 2026 was $7,531 million, primarily driven by sales related to our global football, American football, and Battlefield franchises. Net revenue for fiscal year 2026 increased $68 million, as compared to fiscal year 2025. This increase was driven by a $667 million increase in net revenue primarily due to the release of Battlefield 6, partially offset by a $599 million decrease in net revenue primarily from our American football franchise, decreased sales of extra content for Apex Legends, and the prior year release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Net Revenue by Composition
Our net revenue by composition for fiscal years 2026 and 2025 was as follows (in millions):
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2025 | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||
| Net revenue: | ||||||||||||||
| Full game downloads | $ | 1,708 | $ | 1,478 | $ | 230 | 16 | % | ||||||
| Packaged goods | 440 | 524 | (84) | (16) | % | |||||||||
| Full game | $ | 2,148 | $ | 2,002 | $ | 146 | 7 | % | ||||||
| Live services and other | $ | 5,383 | $ | 5,461 | $ | (78) | (1) | % | ||||||
| Total net revenue | $ | 7,531 | $ | 7,463 | $ | 68 | 1 | % |
Full Game Net Revenue
Full game net revenue includes full game downloads and packaged goods. Full game downloads primarily include revenue from digital sales of full games on console, PC, and certain licensing revenue. Packaged goods primarily include revenue from full games that are sold physically through distribution arrangements, mass market retailers, and specialty stores.
Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2026 was $2,148 million, primarily driven by EA SPORTS FC 26, Battlefield 6, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26, and EA SPORTS FC 25. Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2026 increased $146 million, or 7 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2025. This increase was primarily due to the release of Battlefield 6, partially offset by a year-over-year decline in EA SPORTS College Football, the prior year release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and EA SPORTS FC.
Live Services and Other Net Revenue
Live services and other net revenue primarily includes revenue from sales of extra content for console, PC, and mobile games, certain licensing revenue, subscriptions, and advertising.
Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2026 was $5,383 million, primarily driven by sales of extra content for our global football, American football, and The Sims franchises. Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2026 decreased
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$78 million, or 1 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2025. This decrease was primarily driven by decreased sales of extra content for Apex Legends, and Ultimate Team within EA SPORTS Madden NFL, partially offset by increased sales of extra content within our global football franchise.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists of (1) certain royalty expenses for sports organizations, movie studios, independent software developers, and others (2) mobile platform fees associated with our mobile revenue (for transactions in which we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer), (3) data center, bandwidth and server costs associated with hosting our online games and websites, (4) inventory costs, including manufacturing royalties, (5) payment processing fees, (6) amortization and impairments of certain intangible assets, and (7) personnel-related costs.
Cost of revenue for fiscal years 2026 and 2025 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2026 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2025 | % of Net Revenue | % Change | Change as a % of Net Revenue | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 1,584 | 21 | % | $ | 1,543 | 21 | % | 3 | % | — | % |
Cost of revenue increased by $41 million during fiscal year 2026 as compared to fiscal year 2025. The increase was primarily due to a net increase in royalty costs driven by the impacts from foreign exchange, and higher online hosting fees, primarily driven by the release of Battlefield 6. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in product-related costs primarily due to our global football and American football franchises, partially offset by Battlefield 6.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist of expenses incurred by our production studios for personnel-related costs, related overhead costs, external third-party development costs, contracted services, and depreciation. Research and development expenses for our online products include expenses incurred by our studios consisting of direct development and related overhead costs in connection with the development and production of our online games. Research and development expenses also include expenses associated with our digital platform, software licenses and maintenance, and management overhead.
Research and development expenses for fiscal years 2026 and 2025 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2026 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2025 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 2,828 | 38 | % | $ | 2,569 | 34 | % | $ | 259 | 10 | % |
Research and development expenses increased by $259 million, or 10 percent, in fiscal year 2026, as compared to fiscal year 2025. This increase was primarily due to a $144 million increase in personnel-related costs as part of our continued investment in our studios, and an increase in variable compensation, a $53 million increase in studio-related contracted services, and a $45 million increase in digital infrastructure costs.
Marketing and Sales
Marketing and sales expenses consist of advertising, marketing and promotional expenses, personnel-related costs, and related overhead costs.
Marketing and sales expenses for fiscal years 2026 and 2025 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2026 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2025 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 1,128 | 15 | % | $ | 962 | 13 | % | $ | 166 | 17 | % |
Marketing and sales expenses increased by $166 million, or 17 percent, in fiscal year 2026, as compared to fiscal year 2025. This increase was primarily due to higher advertising and marketing spending related to the release of Battlefield 6, partially offset by a decrease in advertising and marketing spending for Apex Legends.
General and Administrative
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General and administrative expenses consist of personnel and related expenses of executive and administrative staff, corporate functions such as finance, legal, human resources, and information technology (“IT”), related overhead costs, fees for professional services, and allowances for doubtful accounts.
General and administrative expenses for fiscal years 2026 and 2025 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2026 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2025 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 763 | 10 | % | $ | 745 | 10 | % | $ | 18 | 2 | % |
General and administrative expenses increased by $18 million, or 2 percent, in fiscal year 2026, as compared to fiscal year 2025. This increase was primarily due to $28 million of fees and other direct expenses related to the Merger, partially offset by a $7 million decrease in IT related costs.
Income Taxes
Provision for income taxes for fiscal years 2026 and 2025 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2026 | Effective Tax Rate | March 31, 2025 | Effective Tax Rate | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 293 | 24.8 | % | $ | 484 | 30.2 | % |
Our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 was 24.8 percent as compared to 30.2 percent in fiscal year 2025.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026, we recognized $24 million of tax benefit from higher excess stock-based compensation in various jurisdictions. Excluding the effect of the excess stock-based compensation, the effective tax rate for fiscal year 2026 would have been 26.9 percent.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, we recognized a $51 million tax charge to increase the valuation allowance on Swiss deferred tax assets as a result of various factors including our business operations, geographical income mix, and an increase in the Swiss interest rates. Excluding the effect of the change in valuation allowance, the effective tax rate for fiscal year 2025 would have been 27.0 percent.
Our effective tax rates for future periods will continue to depend on a variety of factors, including changes in our business, such as acquisitions and intercompany transactions, our corporate structure, the geographic location of business functions or assets, the geographic mix of income, our agreements with tax authorities, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in our annual pre-tax income or loss. We anticipate that the impact of excess tax benefits and changes in valuation allowances may result in significant fluctuations to our effective tax rate in the future.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2025 to Fiscal Year 2024
For the comparison of fiscal year 2025 to fiscal year 2024, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on May 13, 2025 under the subheading “Comparison of Fiscal Year 2025 to Fiscal Year 2024.”
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LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2026 | 2025 | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 2,864 | $ | 2,136 | $ | 728 | ||||
| Short-term investments | 116 | 112 | 4 | |||||||
| Total | $ | 2,980 | $ | 2,248 | $ | 732 | ||||
| Percentage of total assets | 23 | % | 18 | % | ||||||
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2026 | 2025 | Change | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 2,553 | $ | 2,079 | $ | 474 | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | (276) | 37 | (313) | |||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (1,568) | (2,863) | 1,295 | |||||||
| Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents | 19 | (17) | 36 | |||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | $ | 728 | $ | (764) | $ | 1,492 |
For the comparison of fiscal year 2025 to fiscal year 2024, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on May 13, 2025 under the subheading “Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
Changes in Cash Flow
Operating Activities. Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $474 million during fiscal year 2026, as compared to fiscal year 2025, primarily driven by higher cash collections from sales and lower cash payments for income taxes, partially offset by lower cash inflows from hedging activities, higher personnel-related payments, and higher royalty, marketing and advertising payments.
Investing Activities. Net cash used in investing activities increased by $313 million during fiscal year 2026, as compared to fiscal year 2025, primarily driven by a $566 million decrease in proceeds from maturities and sales of short-term investments, partially offset by $279 million of reduced purchases of short-term and other investments.
Financing Activities. Net cash used in financing activities decreased by $1,295 million during fiscal year 2026, as compared to fiscal year 2025, primarily driven by a $1,739 million decrease in cash paid for common stock repurchases and related excise taxes, partially offset by a $400 million repayment of senior notes, and a $57 million increase in cash paid to taxing authorities for withholding taxes related to stock-based compensation.
Short-term Investments
Due to our mix of fixed and variable rate securities, our short-term investment portfolio is susceptible to changes in short-term interest rates. As of March 31, 2026, our short-term investments had net unrealized losses of less than $1 million or less than 1 percent of total short-term investments. From time to time, we may liquidate some or all of our short-term investments to fund operational needs or other activities, such as capital expenditures, business acquisitions or debt repayment obligations.
Senior Notes
In February 2021, we issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2031 Notes and $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2051 Notes. The effective interest rate is 1.98% for the 2031 Notes and 3.04% for the 2051 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on February 15 and August 15 of each year.
See Note 11 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Senior Notes, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
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Credit Facility
On March 22, 2023, we entered into a $500 million unsecured revolving credit facility (the "Credit Facility") with a syndicate of banks. The Credit Facility terminates on March 22, 2028 unless the maturity is extended in accordance with its terms. As of March 31, 2026, no amounts were outstanding. The Credit Facility contains an option to arrange with existing lenders and/or new lenders to provide up to an aggregate of $500 million in additional commitments for revolving loans. Proceeds of loans made under the Credit Facility may be used for general corporate purposes. See Note 11 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Credit Facility, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
Financial Condition
Our material cash requirements, including commitments for capital expenditure, as of March 31, 2026 are set forth in our Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7. We believe that our cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, cash generated from operations and available financing facilities will be sufficient to meet these material cash requirements, which include licensing intellectual property from sports organizations and players associations used in our EA SPORTS titles and third-party content, debt repayment obligations, and to fund our operating requirements for the next 12 months and beyond. Our operating requirements include working capital requirements, capital expenditures, our capital return programs, and potentially, future acquisitions or strategic investments. We may choose at any time to raise additional capital to repay debt, strengthen our financial position, facilitate expansion, pursue strategic acquisitions and investments, and/or to take advantage of business opportunities as they arise. There can be no assurance, however, that such additional capital will be available to us on favorable terms, if at all, or that it will not result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders.
During fiscal year 2026, we returned $941 million to stockholders through our capital return programs, which include repurchasing 5.3 million shares for approximately $750 million and paying $191 million through our quarterly cash dividend program.
Our foreign subsidiaries are generally subject to U.S. tax, and to the extent earnings from these subsidiaries can be repatriated without a material tax cost, such earnings will not be indefinitely reinvested. As of March 31, 2026, approximately $796 million of our cash and cash equivalents were domiciled in foreign tax jurisdictions. All of our foreign cash is available for repatriation without a material tax cost.
We have a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 on file with the SEC. This shelf registration statement, which includes a base prospectus, allows us at any time to offer any combination of securities described in the prospectus in one or more offerings. Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement accompanying the base prospectus, we would use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered pursuant to the shelf registration statement for general corporate purposes, which may include funding for working capital, financing capital expenditures, research and development, marketing and distribution efforts, and if opportunities arise, for acquisitions or strategic alliances. Pending such uses, we may invest the net proceeds in interest bearing securities. In addition, we may conduct concurrent or other financings at any time.
Our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity could be affected by various risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, customer demand and acceptance of our products, our ability to collect our accounts receivable as they become due, successfully achieving our product release schedules and attaining our forecasted sales objectives, economic conditions in the United States and abroad, the impact of acquisitions and other strategic transactions in which we may engage, the impact of competition, the seasonal and cyclical nature of our business and operating results, and the other risks described in the “Risk Factors” section, included in Part I, Item 1A of this report.
As of March 31, 2026, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
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MD&A history
Prior-year 10-K MD&A spans are extracted from SEC filings with the same bounded parser used for the latest filing. The latest 10-K appears above; prior years are below.
FY 2025 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0000712515-25-000022.
Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
OVERVIEW
The following overview is a high-level discussion of our operating results, as well as some of the trends and drivers that affect our business. Management believes that an understanding of these trends and drivers provides important context for our results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, as well as our future prospects. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be a substitute for the detailed discussion and analysis provided elsewhere in this Form 10-K, including in the “Business” section and the “Risk Factors” above, the remainder of “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”)” or the Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. We develop, market, publish and deliver games, content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. We create innovative games and experiences that deliver high-quality interactive entertainment and drive engagement across our global network of hundreds of millions of players. Through our live services offerings, we offer high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our full games. We are focusing on building games and experiences that grow the global online communities around our key franchises; deepening engagement through connecting interactive storytelling to key intellectual property; and harnessing our communities to grow in, around, and beyond our games.
Financial Results
Our key financial results for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 were as follows:
•Total net revenue was $7,463 million, down 1 percent year-over-year.
•Live services and other net revenue was $5,461 million, down 2 percent year-over-year.
•Gross margin was 79.3 percent, up 2 percentage points year-over-year.
•Operating expenses were $4,400 million, up 2 percent year-over-year.
•Operating income was $1,520 million, flat year-over-year.
•Net income was $1,121 million with diluted earnings per share of $4.25.
•Net cash provided by operating activities was $2,079 million, down 10 percent year-over-year.
•Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $2,248 million.
•We returned $2,699 million to stockholders through our capital return programs, repurchasing 17.6 million shares for approximately $2,500 million and returning $199 million through our quarterly cash dividend program.
Trends in Our Business
Live Services Business. We offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and to extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our full games and free-to-play games. Our net revenue attributable to live services and other was $5,461 million, $5,547 million, and $5,489 million for fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively, and we expect that live services net revenue will continue to be material to our business. Within live services and other, net revenue attributable to extra content was $4,365 million, $4,463 million, and $4,277 million for fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Growth in live services net revenue, including extra content may not be linear due to the competitive landscape, consumer buying patterns, and other factors. Our most popular live services are the extra content in the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises. Ultimate Team allows players to collect current and former players in order to build and compete as a personalized team. Live services net revenue generated from extra content purchased within Ultimate Team, a substantial portion of which was derived from FC Ultimate Team, is material to our business.
Digital Delivery of Games. In our industry, players increasingly purchase games digitally as opposed to purchasing physical discs. While this trend, as applied to our business, may not be linear due to a mix of products during a fiscal year, consumer buying patterns and other factors, over time we expect players to continue to purchase a higher proportion of our games digitally. As a result, we expect net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads to increase over time and net revenue attributable to sales of packaged goods to decrease.
Our net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads was $1,478 million, $1,343 million, and $1,262 million during fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively; while our net revenue attributable to packaged goods sales was $524 million,
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$672 million, and $675 million in fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. In addition, as measured based on total units sold on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 rather than by net revenue, we estimate that 78 percent, 73 percent, and 68 percent of our total units sold during fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, were sold digitally. Digital full game units are based on sales information provided by Microsoft and Sony; packaged goods units sold through are estimated by obtaining data from significant retail and distribution partners in North America, Europe and Asia, and applying internal sales estimates with respect to retail partners from which we do not obtain data. We believe that these percentages are reasonable estimates of the proportion of our games that are digitally downloaded in relation to our total number of units sold for the applicable period of measurement.
Increases in consumer adoption of digital purchase of games combined with increases in our live services revenue generally results in expansion of our gross margin, as costs associated with selling a game digitally are generally less than selling the same game through traditional retail and distribution channels.
Increased Competition. Competition in our business is intense. Our competitors range from established interactive entertainment companies to emerging start-ups. In addition, we compete with large, diversified companies that have strengthened their interactive entertainment capabilities. Our competitors have access to certain resources such as larger budgets, tools, technologies, or IP portfolios that can lead to greater consumer success and shift player time and engagement away from our products and services. In addition, our leading position within the interactive entertainment industry makes us a prime target for recruiting our executives, as well as key creative and technical talent, resulting in retention challenges and increased cost to retain and incentivize our key people.
Concentration of Sales Among the Most Popular Games. In our industry, we see a large portion of games sales concentrated on the most popular titles. Similarly, a significant portion of our revenue has been derived from games based on a few popular titles, such as EA SPORTS FC, EA SPORTS College Football, EA SPORTS Madden NFL, Apex Legends, Battlefield, and The Sims. In particular, we have historically derived a significant portion of our net revenue from our global football franchise, the annualized version of which is consistently one of the best-selling games in the marketplace.
Net Bookings. In order to improve transparency into our business, we disclose an operating performance metric, net bookings. Net bookings is defined as the net amount of products and services sold digitally or sold-in physically in the period. Net bookings is calculated by adding total net revenue to the change in deferred net revenue for online-enabled games.
The following is a calculation of our total net bookings for the periods presented:
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||
| Net revenue | $ | 7,463 | $ | 7,562 | ||
| Change in deferred net revenue (online-enabled games) | (108) | (132) | ||||
| Net bookings | $ | 7,355 | $ | 7,430 |
Net bookings were $7,355 million for fiscal year 2025 primarily driven by sales related to our global football, American football, and The Sims franchises. Net bookings decreased $75 million or 1 percent as compared to fiscal year 2024 primarily due to the prior year release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, a year-over-year decrease in sales of extra content for Apex Legends, and a year-over-year decrease in sales related to our global football franchise, partially offset by increased sales from our American football franchises, driven by EA SPORTS College Football 25, and the release of Split Fiction. Live services and other net bookings were $5,338 million for fiscal year 2025, and decreased $87 million or 2 percent as compared to fiscal year 2024. The decrease in live services and other net bookings was due primarily to decreased sales of extra content from Apex Legends and from Ultimate Team within our global football franchise, partially offset by increased sales of extra content from Ultimate Team within our American football franchises, driven by EA SPORTS College Football 25, and global football mobile extra content sales. Full game net bookings were $2,017 million for fiscal year 2025, and increased $12 million or less than 1 percent as compared to fiscal year 2024 primarily due to a year-over-year increase in sales of our American football franchises, driven by EA SPORTS College Football 25, and the releases of Split Fiction and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, partially offset by the prior year release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, legacy FIFA titles within our global football franchise, and softness in EA SPORTS FC 25 full game sales.
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CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, contingent assets and liabilities, and revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. The policies discussed below are considered by management to be critical because they are not only important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, but also because application and interpretation of these policies requires both management judgment and estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain and unknown. As a result, actual results may differ materially from our estimates.
Revenue Recognition
We derive revenue principally from sales of our games, and related extra content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. Our product and service offerings include, but are not limited to, the following:
•full games with both online and offline functionality (“Games with Services”), which generally includes (1) the initial game delivered digitally or via physical disc at the time of sale and typically provide access to offline core game content (“software license”); (2) updates on a when-and-if-available basis, such as software patches or updates, and/or additional free content to be delivered in the future (“future update rights”); and (3) a hosted connection for online playability (“online hosting”);
•full games with online-only functionality which require an Internet connection to access all gameplay and functionality (“Online-Hosted Service Games”);
•extra content related to Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games which provides access to additional in-game content;
•subscriptions, such as EA Play and EA Play Pro, that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits typically for a recurring monthly or annual fee; and
•licensing to third parties to distribute and host our games and content.
We evaluate and recognize revenue by:
•identifying the contract(s) with the customer;
•identifying the performance obligations in the contract;
•determining the transaction price;
•allocating the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and
•recognizing revenue as each performance obligation is satisfied through the transfer of a promised good or service to a customer (i.e., “transfer of control”).
Certain of our full game and/or extra content are sold to resellers with a contingency that the full game and/or extra content cannot be resold prior to a specific date (“Street Date Contingency”). We recognize revenue for transactions that have a Street Date Contingency when the Street Date Contingency is removed and the full game and/or extra content can be resold by the reseller. For digital full game and/or extra content downloads sold to customers, we recognize revenue when the full game and/or extra content is made available for download to the customer.
Online-Enabled Games
Games with Services. Our sales of Games with Services are evaluated to determine whether the software license, future update rights and the online hosting are distinct and separable. Sales of Games with Services are generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting.
Since we do not sell the performance obligations on a stand-alone basis, we consider market conditions and other observable inputs to estimate the stand-alone selling price for each performance obligation. For Games with Services, generally 75 percent of the sales price is allocated to the software license performance obligation and recognized at a point in time when control of the license has been transferred to the customer. The remaining 25 percent is allocated to the future update rights and the online hosting performance obligations and recognized ratably as the service is provided (over the Estimated Offering Period).
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Online-Hosted Service Games. Sales of our Online-Hosted Service Games are determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online hosting. We recognize revenue from these arrangements ratably as the service is provided (over the Estimated Offering Period).
Extra Content. Revenue received from sales of downloadable content are derived primarily from the sale of virtual currencies and digital in-game content that are designed to extend and enhance players’ game experience. Sales of extra content are accounted for in a manner consistent with the treatment for our Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games as discussed above, depending upon whether or not the extra content has offline functionality. That is, if the extra content has offline functionality, then the extra content is accounted for similarly to Games with Services (generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting). If the extra content does not have offline functionality, then the extra content is determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online-hosted service.
Subscriptions
Sales of our subscriptions are determined to have one performance obligation: the online hosting. We recognize revenue from these arrangements ratably over the subscription term as the performance obligation is satisfied.
Licensing Revenue
We utilize third-party licensees to distribute and host our games and content in accordance with license agreements, for which the licensees typically pay us a fixed minimum guarantee and/or sales-based royalties. These arrangements typically include multiple performance obligations, such as a time-based license of software and future update rights. We recognize as revenue a portion of the minimum guarantee when we transfer control of the license of software (generally upon commercial launch) and the remaining portion ratably over the contractual term in which we provide the licensee with future update rights. Any sales-based royalties are generally recognized as the related sales occur by the licensee.
Significant Judgments around Revenue Arrangements
Identifying performance obligations. Performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on the goods and services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct, (i.e., the customer can benefit from the goods or services either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available), and are distinct in the context of the contract (i.e., it is separately identifiable from other goods or services in the contract). To the extent a contract includes multiple promises, we must apply judgment to determine whether those promises are separate and distinct performance obligations. If these criteria are not met, the promises are accounted for as a combined performance obligation.
Determining the transaction price. The transaction price is determined based on the consideration that we will be entitled to receive in exchange for transferring our goods and services to the customer. Determining the transaction price often requires judgment, based on an assessment of contractual terms and business practices. It further includes review of variable consideration such as discounts, sales returns, price protection, and rebates, which is estimated at the time of the transaction. In addition, the transaction price does not include an estimate of the variable consideration related to sales-based royalties. Sales-based royalties are recognized as the sales occur.
Allocating the transaction price. Allocating the transaction price requires that we determine an estimate of the relative stand-alone selling price for each distinct performance obligation. Determining the relative stand-alone selling price is inherently subjective, especially in situations where we do not sell the performance obligation on a stand-alone basis (which occurs in the majority of our transactions). In those situations, we determine the relative stand-alone selling price based on various observable inputs using all information that is reasonably available. Examples of observable inputs and information include: historical internal pricing data, cost plus margin analysis, pre-release versus post-release costs, and pricing data from competitors to the extent the data is available. The results of our analysis resulted in a specific percentage of the transaction price being allocated to each performance obligation.
Determining the Estimated Offering Period. The offering period is the period in which we offer to provide the future update rights and/or online hosting for the game and related extra content sold. Because the offering period is not an explicitly defined period, we must make an estimate of the offering period for the service-related performance obligations (i.e., future update rights and online hosting). Determining the Estimated Offering Period is inherently subjective and is subject to regular revision. Generally, we consider the average period of time customers are online when estimating the offering period. We also consider the estimated period of time between the date a game unit is sold to a reseller and the date the reseller sells the game unit to the customer (i.e., time in channel). Based on these two factors, we then consider the method of distribution. For example, games
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and extra content sold at retail would have a composite offering period equal to the online gameplay period plus time in channel as opposed to digitally-distributed games and extra content which are delivered immediately via digital download and therefore, the offering period is estimated to be only the online gameplay period.
Additionally, we consider results from prior analyses, known and expected online gameplay trends, as well as disclosed service periods for competitors’ games in determining the Estimated Offering Period for future sales. We believe this provides a reasonable depiction of the transfer of future update rights and online hosting to our customers, as it is the best representation of the time period during which our games and extra content are experienced. We recognize revenue for future update rights and online hosting performance obligations ratably on a straight-line basis over this period as there is a consistent pattern of delivery for these performance obligations. Revenue for service-related performance obligations for digitally-distributed games and extra content is recognized over an estimated eight-month period beginning in the month of sale, revenue for service-related performance obligations for games and extra content sold through retail is recognized over an estimated ten-month period beginning in the month of sale, and revenue for service related performance obligations related to our PC and console free-to-play games is recognized generally over a twelve-month period beginning in the month of sale.
Principal Agent Considerations
We evaluate sales to end customers of our full games and related content via third-party storefronts, including digital storefronts such as Microsoft’s Xbox Store, Sony’s PlayStation Store, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store, in order to determine whether or not we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer, which we consider in determining if revenue should be reported gross or net of fees retained by the third-party storefront. An entity is the principal if it controls a good or service before it is transferred to the end customer. Key indicators that we evaluate in determining gross versus net treatment include but are not limited to the following:
•the underlying contract terms and conditions between the various parties to the transaction;
•which party is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide the specified good or service to the end customer;
•which party has discretion in establishing the price for the specified good or service; and
•which party has title risk before the specified good or service has been transferred to the end customer.
Based on an evaluation of the above indicators, except as discussed below, we have determined that generally the third party is considered the principal to end customers for the sale of our full games and related content. We therefore report revenue related to these arrangements net of the fees retained by the storefront. However, for sales arrangements via Apple App Store and Google Play Store, EA is considered the principal to the end customer and thus, we report revenue on a gross basis and mobile platform fees are reported within cost of revenue.
Income Taxes
We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for both (1) the expected impact of differences between the financial statement amount and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and (2) the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax losses and tax credit carryforwards. We do not recognize any deferred taxes related to the U.S. taxes on foreign earnings as we recognize these taxes as a period cost.
We record a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets when it is considered more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. In making this determination, we are required to give significant weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. It is generally difficult to conclude that a valuation allowance is not needed when there is significant negative evidence, such as cumulative losses in recent years. Forecasts of future taxable income are considered to be less objective than past results. Therefore, cumulative losses weigh heavily in the overall assessment.
In addition to considering forecasts of future taxable income, we are also required to evaluate and quantify other possible sources of taxable income in order to assess the realization of our deferred tax assets, namely the reversal of existing deferred tax liabilities, the carryback of losses and credits as allowed under current tax law, and the implementation of tax planning strategies. Evaluating and quantifying these amounts involves significant judgments. Each source of income must be evaluated based on all positive and negative evidence and this evaluation may involve assumptions about future activity. Certain taxable temporary differences that are not expected to reverse during the carry forward periods permitted by tax law cannot be considered as a source of future taxable income that may be available to realize the benefit of deferred tax assets.
Every quarter, we perform a realizability analysis to evaluate whether it is more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our Swiss deferred tax asset realizability analysis relies upon future Swiss taxable
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income, and considers all available sources of Swiss income based on positive and negative evidence. We give more weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. However, estimating future Swiss taxable income requires judgment, specifically related to assumptions about expected growth rates of future Swiss taxable income, which are based primarily on third party market and industry growth data. Actual results that differ materially from those estimates could have a material impact on our valuation allowance assessment. Swiss interest rates have an impact on the valuation allowance and are based on published Swiss guidance, which generally occurs in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. Any significant changes to such interest rates could result in a material impact to the valuation allowance and to our Consolidated Financial Statements. We have adjusted our valuation allowance for changes in the published interest rates in the past and we may do so again in the future. Switzerland has a seven-year carryforward period and does not permit the carry back of losses. Actions we take in connection with acquisitions could also impact the utilization of our Swiss deferred tax asset.
As part of the process of preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements, we are required to estimate our income taxes in each jurisdiction in which we operate prior to the completion and filing of tax returns for such periods. This process requires estimating both our geographic mix of income and our uncertain tax positions in each jurisdiction where we operate. These estimates require us to make judgments about the likely application of the tax law to our situation, as well as with respect to other matters, such as anticipating the positions that we will take on tax returns prior to preparing the returns and the outcomes of disputes with tax authorities. The ultimate resolution of these issues may take extended periods of time due to examinations by tax authorities and statutes of limitations. In addition, changes in our business, including acquisitions, changes in our international corporate structure, changes in the geographic location of business functions or assets, changes in the geographic mix and amount of income, as well as changes in our agreements with tax authorities, valuation allowances, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in the estimated and actual level of annual pre-tax income can affect the overall effective tax rate.
IMPACT OF RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
The information under the subheading “Recently Issued Accounting Standards” in Note 1 — Description of Business and Basis of Presentation to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Our fiscal year is reported on a 52- or 53-week period that ends on the Saturday nearest March 31. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 contained 52 weeks and ended on March 29, 2025. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 contained 52 weeks and ended on March 30, 2024. For simplicity of disclosure, all fiscal periods are referred to as ending on a calendar month end.
Net Revenue
Net revenue consists of sales generated from (1) full games sold as digital downloads or as packaged goods and designed for play on game consoles and PCs, (2) live services which primarily includes sales of extra content for console, PC, and mobile games, (3) subscriptions that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits, and (4) licensing our games to third parties to distribute and host our games and content.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2025 to Fiscal Year 2024
Net Revenue
Net revenue for fiscal year 2025 was $7,463 million, primarily driven by sales related to our global football and American football franchises, Apex Legends, and The Sims 4. Net revenue for fiscal year 2025 decreased $99 million, as compared to fiscal year 2024. This decrease was driven by a $789 million decrease in net revenue primarily due to decreased sales of extra content for Apex Legends and the prior year release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, partially offset by a $690 million increase in net revenue primarily from our American football franchises, driven by EA SPORTS College Football 25.
Net Revenue by Composition
Our net revenue by composition for fiscal years 2025 and 2024 was as follows (in millions):
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||
| Net revenue: | ||||||||||||||
| Full game downloads | $ | 1,478 | $ | 1,343 | $ | 135 | 10 | % | ||||||
| Packaged goods | 524 | 672 | (148) | (22) | % | |||||||||
| Full game | $ | 2,002 | $ | 2,015 | $ | (13) | (1) | % | ||||||
| Live services and other | $ | 5,461 | $ | 5,547 | $ | (86) | (2) | % | ||||||
| Total net revenue | $ | 7,463 | $ | 7,562 | $ | (99) | (1) | % |
Full Game Net Revenue
Full game net revenue includes full game downloads and packaged goods. Full game downloads primarily include revenue from digital sales of full games on console, PC, and certain licensing revenue. Packaged goods primarily includes revenue from full games that are sold physically to mass market retailers, specialty stores and through distribution arrangements.
Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2025 was $2,002 million, primarily driven by EA SPORTS FC 25, EA SPORTS College Football 25, EA SPORTS FC 24, and EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25. Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2025 decreased $13 million, or 1 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2024. This decrease was primarily driven by the prior year release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and legacy FIFA titles within our global football franchise, partially offset by our American football franchises driven by EA SPORTS College Football 25 and our EA SPORTS FC franchise.
Live Services and Other Net Revenue
Live services and other net revenue primarily includes revenue from sales of extra content for console, PC, and mobile games, certain licensing revenue, subscriptions, and advertising.
Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2025 was $5,461 million, primarily driven by sales of extra content for our global football and American football franchises, Apex Legends, and The Sims 4. Live services and other net revenue for fiscal
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year 2025 decreased $86 million, or 2 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2024. This decrease was primarily driven by decreased sales of extra content for Apex Legends and from sunset mobile titles, partially offset by an increase in net revenue primarily driven by sales of extra content for Ultimate Team within our American football and global football franchises
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists of (1) certain royalty expenses for sports organizations, movie studios, independent software developers, and others (2) mobile platform fees associated with our mobile revenue (for transactions in which we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer), (3) data center, bandwidth and server costs associated with hosting our online games and websites, (4) inventory costs, including manufacturing royalties, (5) payment processing fees, (6) amortization and impairments of certain intangible assets, and (7) personnel-related costs.
Cost of revenue for fiscal years 2025 and 2024 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2025 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | % Change | Change as a % of Net Revenue | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 1,543 | 21 | % | $ | 1,710 | 23 | % | (10) | % | (2) | % |
Cost of revenue decreased by $167 million, and by 2 percent as a percentage of total net revenue, during fiscal year 2025 as compared to fiscal year 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a year-over-year decrease in product related and royalty costs associated with our EA SPORTS FC franchise, a decrease in platform and online hosting fees, and a decrease in acquisition-related intangible asset amortization and impairment, partially offset by a net increase in royalty costs due to the mix of sales from other royalty bearing titles.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist of expenses incurred by our production studios for personnel-related costs, related overhead costs, external third-party development costs, contracted services, and depreciation. Research and development expenses for our online products include expenses incurred by our studios consisting of direct development and related overhead costs in connection with the development and production of our online games. Research and development expenses also include expenses associated with our digital platform, software licenses and maintenance, and management overhead.
Research and development expenses for fiscal years 2025 and 2024 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2025 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 2,569 | 34 | % | $ | 2,420 | 32 | % | $ | 149 | 6 | % |
Research and development expenses increased by $149 million, or 6 percent, in fiscal year 2025, as compared to fiscal year 2024. This increase was primarily due to a $67 million increase in personnel-related costs as part of our continued investment in our studios, a $39 million increase in stock-based compensation, and an $11 million increase in contracted services.
Marketing and Sales
Marketing and sales expenses consist of advertising, marketing and promotional expenses, personnel-related costs, and related overhead costs, net of qualified advertising cost reimbursements from third parties.
Marketing and sales expenses for fiscal years 2025 and 2024 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2025 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 962 | 13 | % | $ | 1,019 | 13 | % | $ | (57) | (6) | % |
Marketing and sales expenses decreased by $57 million, or 6 percent, in fiscal year 2025, as compared to fiscal year 2024. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in advertising and promotional spending related to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Apex Legends, partially offset by an increase in advertising and promotional spending related to the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in fiscal year 2025.
General and Administrative
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General and administrative expenses consist of personnel and related expenses of executive and administrative staff, corporate functions such as finance, legal, human resources, and information technology (“IT”), related overhead costs, fees for professional services, and allowances for doubtful accounts.
General and administrative expenses for fiscal years 2025 and 2024 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2025 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 745 | 10 | % | $ | 691 | 9 | % | $ | 54 | 8 | % |
General and administrative expenses increased by $54 million, or 8 percent, in fiscal year 2025, as compared to fiscal year 2024. This increase was primarily due to a $20 million increase in personnel-related costs, a $9 million increase in stock-based compensation, and a $13 million increase in IT and facility-related costs.
Income Taxes
Provision for income taxes for fiscal years 2025 and 2024 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2025 | Effective Tax Rate | March 31, 2024 | Effective Tax Rate | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 484 | 30.2 | % | $ | 316 | 19.9 | % |
Our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 was 30.2 percent as compared to 19.9 percent in fiscal year 2024.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, we recognized a $51 million tax charge to increase the valuation allowance on Swiss deferred tax assets as a result of various factors including our business operations, geographical income mix, and an increase in the Swiss interest rates. Excluding the effect of the change in valuation allowance, the effective tax rate for fiscal year 2025 would have been 27.0 percent.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, we recognized a $92 million tax benefit to remeasure our Swiss deferred tax assets as a result of an increase in the Swiss statutory tax rate. In addition, we recognized a lower period cost for U.S. tax on our non-U.S. earnings, including a cumulative one-time benefit, due to R&D capitalization guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury during the fiscal year. Excluding the effects of these items, the effective tax rate for fiscal year 2024 would have been 26.7 percent.
Our effective tax rates for future periods will continue to depend on a variety of factors, including changes in our business, such as acquisitions and intercompany transactions, our corporate structure, the geographic location of business functions or assets, the geographic mix of income, our agreements with tax authorities, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in our annual pre-tax income or loss. We anticipate that the impact of excess tax benefits, tax deficiencies, and changes in valuation allowances may result in significant fluctuations to our effective tax rate in the future.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2024 to Fiscal Year 2023
For the comparison of fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2023, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on May 22, 2024 under the subheading “Comparison of Fiscal Year 2024 to Fiscal Year 2023.”
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LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 2,136 | $ | 2,900 | $ | (764) | ||||
| Short-term investments | 112 | 362 | (250) | |||||||
| Total | $ | 2,248 | $ | 3,262 | $ | (1,014) | ||||
| Percentage of total assets | 18 | % | 24 | % | ||||||
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2025 | 2024 | Change | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 2,079 | $ | 2,315 | $ | (236) | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | 37 | (207) | 244 | |||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (2,863) | (1,624) | (1,239) | |||||||
| Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents | (17) | (8) | (9) | |||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | $ | (764) | $ | 476 | $ | (1,240) |
For the comparison of fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2023, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on May 22, 2024 under the subheading “Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
Changes in Cash Flow
Operating Activities. Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $236 million during fiscal year 2025, as compared to fiscal year 2024, primarily driven by lower cash collections from sales and higher cash payments for income taxes, partially offset by lower royalty, marketing, and advertising payments.
Investing Activities. Net cash provided by investing activities increased by $244 million during fiscal year 2025, as compared to fiscal year 2024, primarily driven by a $203 million decrease in the purchase of short-term investments and a $63 million increase in proceeds from maturities and sales of short-term investments, partially offset by a $22 million increase in capital expenditures.
Financing Activities. Net cash used in financing activities increased by $1,239 million during fiscal year 2025, as compared to fiscal year 2024, primarily due to a $1,208 million increase in common stock repurchases and excise tax payments, and a $38 million increase in cash paid to taxing authorities in connection with withholding taxes for stock-based compensation.
Short-term Investments
Due to our mix of fixed and variable rate securities, our short-term investment portfolio is susceptible to changes in short-term interest rates. As of March 31, 2025, our short-term investments had net unrealized gains of less than $1 million or less than 1 percent of total short-term investments. From time to time, we may liquidate some or all of our short-term investments to fund operational needs or other activities, such as capital expenditures, business acquisitions or stock repurchase programs.
Senior Notes
In February 2021, we issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2031 Notes and $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2051 Notes. The effective interest rate is 1.98% for the 2031 Notes and 3.04% for the 2051 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on February 15 and August 15 of each year.
In February 2016, we issued $400 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes. The effective interest rate is 4.97% for the 2026 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on March 1 and September 1 of each year.
See Note 12 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Senior Notes, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
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Credit Facility
On March 22, 2023, we entered into a $500 million unsecured revolving credit facility (the "Credit Facility") with a syndicate of banks. The Credit Facility terminates on March 22, 2028 unless the maturity is extended in accordance with its terms. As of March 31, 2025, no amounts were outstanding. The Credit Facility contains an option to arrange with existing lenders and/or new lenders to provide up to an aggregate of $500 million in additional commitments for revolving loans. Proceeds of loans made under the Credit Facility may be used for general corporate purposes. See Note 12 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Credit Facility, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
Financial Condition
Our material cash requirements, including commitments for capital expenditure, as of March 31, 2025 are set forth in our Note 14 — Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7. We expect capital expenditures to be approximately $225 million in fiscal year 2026 primarily due to investments in hardware, software, and real estate. We believe that our cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, cash generated from operations and available financing facilities will be sufficient to meet these material cash requirements, which include licensing intellectual property from sports organizations and players associations used in our EA SPORTS titles and third-party content, debt repayment obligations of $1.9 billion, and to fund our operating requirements for the next 12 months and beyond. Our operating requirements include working capital requirements, capital expenditures, our capital return programs, and potentially, future acquisitions or strategic investments. We may choose at any time to raise additional capital to repay debt, strengthen our financial position, facilitate expansion, repurchase our stock, pursue strategic acquisitions and investments, and/or to take advantage of business opportunities as they arise. There can be no assurance, however, that such additional capital will be available to us on favorable terms, if at all, or that it will not result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders.
During fiscal year 2025, we returned $2,699 million to stockholders through our capital return programs, repurchasing 17.6 million shares for approximately $2,500 million and returning $199 million through our quarterly cash dividend program.
Our foreign subsidiaries are generally subject to U.S. tax, and to the extent earnings from these subsidiaries can be repatriated without a material tax cost, such earnings will not be indefinitely reinvested. As of March 31, 2025, approximately $1.1 billion of our cash and cash equivalents were domiciled in foreign tax jurisdictions. All of our foreign cash is available for repatriation without a material tax cost.
We have a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 on file with the SEC. This shelf registration statement, which includes a base prospectus, allows us at any time to offer any combination of securities described in the prospectus in one or more offerings. Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement accompanying the base prospectus, we would use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered pursuant to the shelf registration statement for general corporate purposes, which may include funding for working capital, financing capital expenditures, research and development, marketing and distribution efforts, and if opportunities arise, for acquisitions or strategic alliances. Pending such uses, we may invest the net proceeds in interest bearing securities. In addition, we may conduct concurrent or other financings at any time.
Our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity could be affected by various risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, customer demand and acceptance of our products, our ability to collect our accounts receivable as they become due, successfully achieving our product release schedules and attaining our forecasted sales objectives, economic conditions in the United States and abroad, the impact of acquisitions and other strategic transactions in which we may engage, the impact of competition, the seasonal and cyclical nature of our business and operating results, and the other risks described in the “Risk Factors” section, included in Part I, Item 1A of this report.
As of March 31, 2025, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
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FY 2024 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0000712515-24-000023.
Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
OVERVIEW
The following overview is a high-level discussion of our operating results, as well as some of the trends and drivers that affect our business. Management believes that an understanding of these trends and drivers provides important context for our results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, as well as our future prospects. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be a substitute for the detailed discussion and analysis provided elsewhere in this Form 10-K, including in the “Business” section and the “Risk Factors” above, the remainder of “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”)” or the Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. We develop, market, publish and deliver games, content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. At our core is a portfolio of intellectual property from which we create innovative games and experiences that deliver high-quality entertainment and drive engagement across our network of hundreds of millions of unique active accounts. Our portfolio includes brands that we either wholly own (such as Apex Legends, Battlefield, and The Sims) or license from others (such as the licenses within EA SPORTS FC and EA SPORTS Madden NFL). Through our live services offerings, we offer high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players, and extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our full games. We are focusing on building games and experiences that grow the global online communities around our key franchises; deepening engagement through connecting interactive storytelling to key intellectual property; and building re-occurring revenue from scaling our live services and growth in our annualized sports franchises, our console, PC and mobile catalog titles.
Financial Results
Our key financial results for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 were as follows:
•Total net revenue was $7,562 million, up 2 percent year-over-year.
•Live services and other net revenue was $5,547 million, up 1 percent year-over-year.
•Gross margin was 77.4 percent, up 2 percentage points year-over-year.
•Operating expenses were $4,334 million, up 1 percent year-over-year.
•Operating income was $1,518 million, up 14 percent year-over-year.
•Net income was $1,273 million with diluted earnings per share of $4.68.
•Net cash provided by operating activities was $2,315 million, up 49 percent year-over-year.
•Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $3,262 million.
•We repurchased 10.0 million shares of our common stock for $1,300 million.
•We paid cash dividends of $205 million during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024.
Trends in Our Business
Live Services Business. We offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and to extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our full games and free-to-play games. Our net revenue attributable to live services and other was $5,547 million, $5,489 million, and $4,998 million for fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively, and we expect that live services net revenue will continue to be material to our business. Within live services and other, net revenue attributable to extra content was $4,463 million, $4,277 million, and $3,910 million for fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. Extra content net revenue has increased as more players engage with our games and services, and purchase additional content designed to provide value to players and extend and enhance gameplay. Our most popular live services are the extra content purchased for the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises, that allows players to collect current and former professional players in order to build and compete as a personalized team, and extra content purchased for our Apex Legends franchise. Live services net revenue generated from extra content purchased within the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises, a substantial portion of which is derived from Ultimate Team within our global football franchise and from our Apex Legends franchise, is material to our business.
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Digital Delivery of Games. In our industry, players increasingly purchase games digitally as opposed to purchasing physical discs. While this trend, as applied to our business, may not be linear due to a mix of products during a fiscal year, consumer buying patterns and other factors, over time we expect players to purchase an increasingly higher proportion of our games digitally. As a result, we expect net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads to increase over time and net revenue attributable to sales of packaged goods to decrease.
Our net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads was $1,343 million, $1,262 million, and $1,282 million during fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively; while our net revenue attributable to packaged goods sales was $672 million, $675 million, and $711 million in fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. In addition, as measured based on total units sold on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 rather than by net revenue, we estimate that 73 percent, 68 percent, and 65 percent of our total units sold during fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, were sold digitally. Digital full game units are based on sales information provided by Microsoft and Sony; packaged goods units sold through are estimated by obtaining data from significant retail and distribution partners in North America, Europe and Asia, and applying internal sales estimates with respect to retail partners from which we do not obtain data. We believe that these percentages are reasonable estimates of the proportion of our games that are digitally downloaded in relation to our total number of units sold for the applicable period of measurement.
Increases in consumer adoption of digital purchase of games combined with increases in our live services revenue generally results in expansion of our gross margin, as costs associated with selling a game digitally is generally less than selling the same game through traditional retail and distribution channels.
Increased Competition. Competition in our business is intense. Our competitors range from established interactive entertainment companies to emerging start-ups. In addition, the gaming, technology/internet, and entertainment industries are converging, and we compete with large, diversified technology companies in those industries. Their greater financial or other resources may provide larger budgets to develop and market tools, technologies, products and services that gain consumer success and shift player time and engagement away from our products and services. In addition, our leading position within the interactive entertainment industry makes us a prime target for recruiting our executives, as well as key creative and technical talent, resulting in retention challenges and increased cost to retain and incentivize our key people.
Concentration of Sales Among the Most Popular Games. In our industry, we see a large portion of games sales concentrated on the most popular titles. Similarly, a significant portion of our revenue historically has been derived from games based on a few popular franchises, such as EA SPORTS FC, EA SPORTS Madden NFL, Apex Legends, Battlefield, and The Sims. In particular, we have historically derived a significant portion of our net revenue from our global football franchise, the annualized version of which is consistently one of the best-selling games in the marketplace. We transitioned our global football franchise to a new EA SPORTS FC brand in the second quarter of fiscal 2024. Our continued vision for the future of EA SPORTS FC is to create and innovate across platforms, geographies, and business models to expand our global football experiences and entertain even more fans around the world.
Re-occurring Revenue Sources. Our business model includes revenue that we deem re-occurring in nature, such as revenue from our live services, annualized sports franchises (e.g., EA SPORTS FC, EA SPORTS Madden NFL), and our console, PC and mobile catalog titles (i.e., titles that did not launch in the current fiscal year). We have been able to forecast revenue from these areas of our business with greater relative confidence than for new games, services and business models. As we continue to incorporate new business models and modalities of play into our games, our goal is to continue to look for opportunities to expand the re-occurring portion of our business.
Free-to-Play and Free-to-Enter Games. We offer games in some of our largest franchises, including Apex Legends, The Sims 4, and the PC and mobile version of our EA SPORTS FC franchise, through a business model that allows consumers to access games with no-upfront cost. These games are then monetized through a live service associated with the game, particularly extra content sales. These business models are dominant in the mobile gaming industry and are becoming increasingly accepted in the online PC and console market. We expect to continue offering games through these business models across console, PC and mobile and expect extra content revenue generated through these business models to continue to be an important part of our business.
Restructuring. In February 2024, our Board of Directors approved a restructuring plan (the “2024 Restructuring Plan”) focused on aligning our portfolio, investments, and resources in support of our strategic priorities and growth initiatives. This plan reflects actions driven by portfolio rationalization, including costs associated with licensor commitments, as well as reductions in real estate and headcount. The actions associated with this plan are expected to be substantially completed by December 31, 2024.
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Net Bookings. In order to improve transparency into our business, we disclose an operating performance metric, net bookings. Net bookings is defined as the net amount of products and services sold digitally or sold-in physically in the period. Net bookings is calculated by adding total net revenue to the change in deferred net revenue for online-enabled games.
The following is a calculation of our total net bookings for the periods presented:
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Total net revenue | $ | 7,562 | $ | 7,426 | ||
| Change in deferred net revenue (online-enabled games) | (132) | (85) | ||||
| Net bookings | $ | 7,430 | $ | 7,341 |
Net bookings were $7,430 million for fiscal year 2024 primarily driven by sales related to EA SPORTS FC 24, FIFA 23, Apex Legends, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 24, and The Sims 4. Net bookings increased $89 million or 1 percent as compared to fiscal year 2023 primarily due to a year-over-year increase in sales related to our global football franchise, driven by EA SPORTS FC 24, partially offset by decreased sales of extra content for Apex Legends, and fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, net of hedging activities. Live services and other net bookings were $5,425 million for fiscal year 2024, and decreased $105 million or 2 percent as compared to fiscal year 2023. The decrease in live services and other net bookings was due primarily to decreased sales of extra content for Apex Legends, and fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, net of hedging activities, partially offset by a year-over-year increase in extra content sales for Ultimate Team within our global football franchise, driven by EA SPORTS FC 24. Full game net bookings were $2,005 million for fiscal year 2024, and increased $194 million or 11 percent as compared to fiscal year 2023 primarily due to the releases of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and UFC 5, partially offset by the prior year releases of Dead Space Remake and Need for Speed Unbound.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, contingent assets and liabilities, and revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. The policies discussed below are considered by management to be critical because they are not only important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, but also because application and interpretation of these policies requires both management judgment and estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain and unknown. As a result, actual results may differ materially from our estimates.
Revenue Recognition
We derive revenue principally from sales of our games, and related extra content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. Our product and service offerings include, but are not limited to, the following:
•full games with both online and offline functionality (“Games with Services”), which generally includes (1) the initial game delivered digitally or via physical disc at the time of sale and typically provide access to offline core game content (“software license”); (2) updates on a when-and-if-available basis, such as software patches or updates, and/or additional free content to be delivered in the future (“future update rights”); and (3) a hosted connection for online playability (“online hosting”);
•full games with online-only functionality which require an Internet connection to access all gameplay and functionality (“Online-Hosted Service Games”);
•extra content related to Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games which provides access to additional in-game content;
•subscriptions, such as EA Play and EA Play Pro, that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits typically for a recurring monthly or annual fee; and
•licensing to third parties to distribute and host our games and content.
We evaluate and recognize revenue by:
•identifying the contract(s) with the customer;
•identifying the performance obligations in the contract;
•determining the transaction price;
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•allocating the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and
•recognizing revenue as each performance obligation is satisfied through the transfer of a promised good or service to a customer (i.e., “transfer of control”).
Certain of our full game and/or extra content are sold to resellers with a contingency that the full game and/or extra content cannot be resold prior to a specific date (“Street Date Contingency”). We recognize revenue for transactions that have a Street Date Contingency when the Street Date Contingency is removed and the full game and/or extra content can be resold by the reseller. For digital full game and/or extra content downloads sold to customers, we recognize revenue when the full game and/or extra content is made available for download to the customer.
Online-Enabled Games
Games with Services. Our sales of Games with Services are evaluated to determine whether the software license, future update rights and the online hosting are distinct and separable. Sales of Games with Services are generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting.
Since we do not sell the performance obligations on a stand-alone basis, we consider market conditions and other observable inputs to estimate the stand-alone selling price for each performance obligation. For Games with Services, generally 75 percent of the sales price is allocated to the software license performance obligation and recognized at a point in time when control of the license has been transferred to the customer. The remaining 25 percent is allocated to the future update rights and the online hosting performance obligations and recognized ratably as the service is provided (over the Estimated Offering Period).
Online-Hosted Service Games. Sales of our Online-Hosted Service Games are determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online hosting. We recognize revenue from these arrangements ratably as the service is provided (over the Estimated Offering Period).
Extra Content. Revenue received from sales of downloadable content are derived primarily from the sale of virtual currencies and digital in-game content that are designed to extend and enhance players’ game experience. Sales of extra content are accounted for in a manner consistent with the treatment for our Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games as discussed above, depending upon whether or not the extra content has offline functionality. That is, if the extra content has offline functionality, then the extra content is accounted for similarly to Games with Services (generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting). If the extra content does not have offline functionality, then the extra content is determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online-hosted service.
Subscriptions
Sales of our subscriptions are determined to have one performance obligation: the online hosting. We recognize revenue from these arrangements ratably over the subscription term as the performance obligation is satisfied.
Licensing Revenue
We utilize third-party licensees to distribute and host our games and content in accordance with license agreements, for which the licensees typically pay us a fixed minimum guarantee and/or sales-based royalties. These arrangements typically include multiple performance obligations, such as a time-based license of software and future update rights. We recognize as revenue a portion of the minimum guarantee when we transfer control of the license of software (generally upon commercial launch) and the remaining portion ratably over the contractual term in which we provide the licensee with future update rights. Any sales-based royalties are generally recognized as the related sales occur by the licensee.
Significant Judgments around Revenue Arrangements
Identifying performance obligations. Performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on the goods and services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct, (i.e., the customer can benefit from the goods or services either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available), and are distinct in the context of the contract (i.e., it is separately identifiable from other goods or services in the contract). To the extent a contract includes multiple promises, we must apply judgment to determine whether those promises are separate and distinct performance obligations. If these criteria are not met, the promises are accounted for as a combined performance obligation.
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Determining the transaction price. The transaction price is determined based on the consideration that we will be entitled to receive in exchange for transferring our goods and services to the customer. Determining the transaction price often requires judgment, based on an assessment of contractual terms and business practices. It further includes review of variable consideration such as discounts, sales returns, price protection, and rebates, which is estimated at the time of the transaction. In addition, the transaction price does not include an estimate of the variable consideration related to sales-based royalties. Sales-based royalties are recognized as the sales occur.
Allocating the transaction price. Allocating the transaction price requires that we determine an estimate of the relative stand-alone selling price for each distinct performance obligation. Determining the relative stand-alone selling price is inherently subjective, especially in situations where we do not sell the performance obligation on a stand-alone basis (which occurs in the majority of our transactions). In those situations, we determine the relative stand-alone selling price based on various observable inputs using all information that is reasonably available. Examples of observable inputs and information include: historical internal pricing data, cost plus margin analysis, pre-release versus post-release costs, and pricing data from competitors to the extent the data is available. The results of our analysis resulted in a specific percentage of the transaction price being allocated to each performance obligation.
Determining the Estimated Offering Period. The offering period is the period in which we offer to provide the future update rights and/or online hosting for the game and related extra content sold. Because the offering period is not an explicitly defined period, we must make an estimate of the offering period for the service-related performance obligations (i.e., future update rights and online hosting). Determining the Estimated Offering Period is inherently subjective and is subject to regular revision. Generally, we consider the average period of time customers are online when estimating the offering period. We also consider the estimated period of time between the date a game unit is sold to a reseller and the date the reseller sells the game unit to the customer (i.e., time in channel). Based on these two factors, we then consider the method of distribution. For example, games and extra content sold at retail would have a composite offering period equal to the online gameplay period plus time in channel as opposed to digitally-distributed games and extra content which are delivered immediately via digital download and therefore, the offering period is estimated to be only the online gameplay period.
Additionally, we consider results from prior analyses, known and expected online gameplay trends, as well as disclosed service periods for competitors’ games in determining the Estimated Offering Period for future sales. We believe this provides a reasonable depiction of the transfer of future update rights and online hosting to our customers, as it is the best representation of the time period during which our games and extra content are experienced. We recognize revenue for future update rights and online hosting performance obligations ratably on a straight-line basis over this period as there is a consistent pattern of delivery for these performance obligations. Revenue for service-related performance obligations for digitally-distributed games and extra content is recognized over an estimated eight-month period beginning in the month of sale, revenue for service-related performance obligations for games and extra content sold through retail is recognized over an estimated ten-month period beginning in the month of sale, and revenue for service related performance obligations related to our PC and console free-to-play games is recognized generally over a twelve-month period beginning in the month of sale.
Principal Agent Considerations
We evaluate sales to end customers of our full games and related content via third-party storefronts, including digital storefronts such as Microsoft’s Xbox Store, Sony’s PlayStation Store, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store, in order to determine whether or not we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer, which we consider in determining if revenue should be reported gross or net of fees retained by the third-party storefront. An entity is the principal if it controls a good or service before it is transferred to the end customer. Key indicators that we evaluate in determining gross versus net treatment include but are not limited to the following:
•the underlying contract terms and conditions between the various parties to the transaction;
•which party is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide the specified good or service to the end customer;
•which party has discretion in establishing the price for the specified good or service; and
•which party has title risk before the specified good or service has been transferred to the end customer.
Based on an evaluation of the above indicators, except as discussed below, we have determined that generally the third party is considered the principal to end customers for the sale of our full games and related content. We therefore report revenue related to these arrangements net of the fees retained by the storefront. However, for sales arrangements via Apple App Store and Google Play Store, EA is considered the principal to the end customer and thus, we report revenue on a gross basis and mobile platform fees are reported within cost of revenue.
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Income Taxes
We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for both (1) the expected impact of differences between the financial statement amount and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and (2) the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax losses and tax credit carryforwards. We do not recognize any deferred taxes related to the U.S. taxes on foreign earnings as we recognize these taxes as a period cost.
We record a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets when it is considered more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. In making this determination, we are required to give significant weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. It is generally difficult to conclude that a valuation allowance is not needed when there is significant negative evidence, such as cumulative losses in recent years. Forecasts of future taxable income are considered to be less objective than past results. Therefore, cumulative losses weigh heavily in the overall assessment.
In addition to considering forecasts of future taxable income, we are also required to evaluate and quantify other possible sources of taxable income in order to assess the realization of our deferred tax assets, namely the reversal of existing deferred tax liabilities, the carryback of losses and credits as allowed under current tax law, and the implementation of tax planning strategies. Evaluating and quantifying these amounts involves significant judgments. Each source of income must be evaluated based on all positive and negative evidence and this evaluation may involve assumptions about future activity. Certain taxable temporary differences that are not expected to reverse during the carry forward periods permitted by tax law cannot be considered as a source of future taxable income that may be available to realize the benefit of deferred tax assets.
Every quarter, we perform a realizability analysis to evaluate whether it is more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our Swiss deferred tax asset realizability analysis relies upon future Swiss taxable income as the primary source of taxable income but considers all available sources of Swiss income based on the positive and negative evidence. We give more weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. However, estimating future Swiss taxable income requires judgment, specifically related to assumptions about expected growth rates of future Swiss taxable income, which are based primarily on third party market and industry growth data. Actual results that differ materially from those estimates could have a material impact on our valuation allowance assessment. Swiss interest rates have an impact on the valuation allowance and are based on published Swiss guidance, which generally occurs in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. Any significant changes to such interest rates could result in a material impact to the valuation allowance and to our Consolidated Financial Statements. We have adjusted our valuation allowance for changes in the published interest rates in the past and we may do so again in the future. Switzerland has a seven-year carryforward period and does not permit the carry back of losses. Actions we take in connection with acquisitions could also impact the utilization of our Swiss deferred tax asset.
As part of the process of preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements, we are required to estimate our income taxes in each jurisdiction in which we operate prior to the completion and filing of tax returns for such periods. This process requires estimating both our geographic mix of income and our uncertain tax positions in each jurisdiction where we operate. These estimates require us to make judgments about the likely application of the tax law to our situation, as well as with respect to other matters, such as anticipating the positions that we will take on tax returns prior to preparing the returns and the outcomes of disputes with tax authorities. The ultimate resolution of these issues may take extended periods of time due to examinations by tax authorities and statutes of limitations. In addition, changes in our business, including acquisitions, changes in our international corporate structure, changes in the geographic location of business functions or assets, changes in the geographic mix and amount of income, as well as changes in our agreements with tax authorities, valuation allowances, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in the estimated and actual level of annual pre-tax income can affect the overall effective tax rate.
IMPACT OF RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
The information under the subheading “Impact of Recently Issued Accounting Standards” in Note 1 — Description of Business and Basis of Presentation to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Our fiscal year is reported on a 52- or 53-week period that ends on the Saturday nearest March 31. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 contained 52 weeks and ended on March 30, 2024. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 contained 52 weeks and ended on April 1, 2023. For simplicity of disclosure, all fiscal periods are referred to as ending on a calendar month end.
Net Revenue
Net revenue consists of sales generated from (1) full games sold as digital downloads or as packaged goods and designed for play on game consoles and PCs, (2) live services which primarily includes sales of extra content for console, PC, and mobile games, (3) subscriptions that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits, and (4) licensing our games to third parties to distribute and host our games.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2024 to Fiscal Year 2023
Net Revenue
Net revenue for fiscal year 2024 was $7,562 million, primarily driven by sales related to FIFA 23, EA SPORTS FC 24, Apex Legends, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 24, and The Sims 4. Net revenue for fiscal year 2024 increased $136 million, as compared to fiscal year 2023. This increase was driven by a $2,105 million increase in net revenue primarily driven by EA SPORTS FC 24 and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, partially offset by a $1,969 million decrease in net revenue primarily due to our legacy FIFA franchise, Apex Legends, and Battlefield 2042.
Net Revenue by Composition
Our net revenue by composition for fiscal years 2024 and 2023 was as follows (in millions):
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||
| Net revenue: | ||||||||||||||
| Full game downloads | $ | 1,343 | $ | 1,262 | $ | 81 | 6 | % | ||||||
| Packaged goods | 672 | 675 | (3) | — | % | |||||||||
| Full game | $ | 2,015 | $ | 1,937 | $ | 78 | 4 | % | ||||||
| Live services and other | $ | 5,547 | $ | 5,489 | $ | 58 | 1 | % | ||||||
| Total net revenue | $ | 7,562 | $ | 7,426 | $ | 136 | 2 | % |
Full Game Net Revenue
Full game net revenue includes full game downloads and packaged goods. Full game downloads primarily includes revenue from digital sales of full games on console, PC, and certain licensing revenue. Packaged goods primarily includes revenue from software that is sold physically through traditional channels such as brick and mortar retailers.
Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2024 was $2,015 million, primarily driven by EA SPORTS FC 24, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, EA SPORTS Madden NFL 24, and FIFA 23. Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2024 increased $78 million, or 4 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2023. This increase was primarily driven by the release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, partially offset by Battlefield 2042.
Live Services and Other Net Revenue
Live services and other net revenue primarily includes revenue from sales of extra content for console, PC, and mobile games, certain licensing revenue, subscriptions, and advertising.
Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2024 was $5,547 million, primarily driven by sales of extra content for FIFA 23, EA SPORTS FC 24, Apex Legends, The Sims 4, and our global football mobile business. Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2024 increased $58 million, or 1 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2023. This increase was primarily driven by
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sales of extra content for Ultimate Team within our global football franchise, partially offset by a decrease in net revenue primarily due to decreased sales of extra content for Apex Legends, and within our casual mobile catalog portfolio.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists of (1) certain royalty expenses for celebrities, professional sports leagues, movie studios and other organizations, and independent software developers, (2) mobile platform fees associated with our mobile revenue (for transactions in which we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer), (3) data center, bandwidth and server costs associated with hosting our online games and websites, (4) inventory costs, including manufacturing royalties, (5) payment processing fees, (6) amortization and impairments of certain intangible assets, and (7) personnel-related costs.
Cost of revenue for fiscal years 2024 and 2023 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | % Change | Change as a % of Net Revenue | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 1,710 | 23 | % | $ | 1,792 | 24 | % | (5) | % | (1) | % |
Cost of revenue decreased by $82 million during fiscal year 2024, as compared to fiscal year 2023. The decrease was primarily due to a net decrease in royalty and other product related costs associated with EA SPORTS FC 24, a decrease in acquisition-related intangible asset amortization and impairments, and a decrease in platform and hosting fees, partially offset by an increase in inventory costs from the release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist of expenses incurred by our production studios for personnel-related costs, related overhead costs, external third-party development costs, contracted services, and depreciation. Research and development expenses for our online products include expenses incurred by our studios consisting of direct development and related overhead costs in connection with the development and production of our online games. Research and development expenses also include expenses associated with our digital platform, software licenses and maintenance, and management overhead.
Research and development expenses for fiscal years 2024 and 2023 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 2,420 | 32 | % | $ | 2,328 | 31 | % | $ | 92 | 4 | % |
Research and development expenses increased by $92 million, or 4 percent, in fiscal year 2024, as compared to fiscal year 2023. This increase was primarily due to a $51 million increase in stock-based compensation, a $45 million increase in personnel-related costs primarily due to an increase in variable compensation and related expenses, offset by a $12 million decrease in studio related contracted services.
Marketing and Sales
Marketing and sales expenses consist of advertising, marketing and promotional expenses, personnel-related costs, and related overhead costs, net of qualified advertising cost reimbursements from third parties.
Marketing and sales expenses for fiscal years 2024 and 2023 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 1,019 | 13 | % | $ | 978 | 13 | % | $ | 41 | 4 | % |
Marketing and sales expenses increased by $41 million, or 4 percent, in fiscal year 2024, as compared to fiscal year 2023. This increase was primarily due to a $82 million increase largely related to rebranding investments associated with the launch of EA SPORTS FC 24, offset by a $40 million decrease in advertising and promotional spending related to the prior year release of Apex Legends Mobile.
General and Administrative
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General and administrative expenses consist of personnel and related expenses of executive and administrative staff, corporate functions such as finance, legal, human resources, and information technology (“IT”), related overhead costs, fees for professional services such as legal and accounting, and allowances for doubtful accounts.
General and administrative expenses for fiscal years 2024 and 2023 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 691 | 9 | % | $ | 727 | 10 | % | $ | (36) | (5) | % |
General and administrative expenses decreased by $36 million, or 5 percent, in fiscal year 2024, as compared to fiscal year 2023. This decrease was primarily due to $44 million of accelerated amortization and depreciation associated with office space reductions related to our fiscal 2023 Restructuring Plan.
Restructuring
Restructuring expenses for fiscal years 2024 and 2023 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2024 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 62 | 1 | % | $ | 111 | 1 | % | $ | (49) | (44) | % |
Restructuring expenses decreased by $49 million, or 44 percent, in fiscal year 2024, as compared to fiscal year 2023. This decrease was primarily due to lower charges associated with our fiscal 2024 Restructuring Plan in comparison to our fiscal 2023 Restructuring Plan, driven by a $68 million decrease related to impairment charges associated with acquisition-related intangible assets and other charges, and an $11 million decrease related to employee severance and employee-related costs, offset by a $30 million increase in costs associated with licensor commitments.
Income Taxes
Provision for income taxes for fiscal years 2024 and 2023 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2024 | Effective Tax Rate | March 31, 2023 | Effective Tax Rate | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 316 | 19.9 | % | $ | 524 | 39.5 | % |
Our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 was 19.9 percent as compared to 39.5 percent for the same period in fiscal year 2023.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, we recognized a $92 million tax benefit to remeasure our Swiss deferred tax assets as a result of an increase in the Swiss statutory tax rate. In addition, we recognized a lower period cost for U.S. tax on our non-U.S. earnings, including a cumulative one-time benefit, due to R&D capitalization guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury during the fiscal year. Excluding the effects of these items, the effective tax rate for fiscal year 2024 would have been 29.5%.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, we recognized a $118 million tax charge to increase the valuation allowance on Swiss deferred tax assets, primarily as a result of an increase in Swiss interest rates. The change in valuation allowance had the effect of increasing our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 by 8.9 percentage points.
Our effective tax rates for future periods will continue to depend on a variety of factors, including changes in our business, such as acquisitions and intercompany transactions, our corporate structure, the geographic location of business functions or assets, the geographic mix of income, our agreements with tax authorities, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in our annual pre-tax income or loss. We anticipate that the impact of excess tax benefits, tax deficiencies, and changes in valuation allowances may result in significant fluctuations to our effective tax rate in the future.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2023 to Fiscal Year 2022
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For the comparison of fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2022, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 24, 2023 under the subheading “Comparison of Fiscal Year 2023 to Fiscal Year 2022.”
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2024 | 2023 | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 2,900 | $ | 2,424 | $ | 476 | ||||
| Short-term investments | 362 | 343 | 19 | |||||||
| Total | $ | 3,262 | $ | 2,767 | $ | 495 | ||||
| Percentage of total assets | 24 | % | 21 | % | ||||||
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2024 | 2023 | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 2,315 | $ | 1,550 | $ | 765 | ||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (207) | (217) | 10 | |||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (1,624) | (1,600) | (24) | |||||||
| Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents | (8) | (41) | 33 | |||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | $ | 476 | $ | (308) | $ | 784 |
For the comparison of fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2022, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 24, 2023 under the subheading “Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
Changes in Cash Flow
Operating Activities. Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $765 million during fiscal year 2024, as compared to fiscal year 2023, primarily driven by higher cash collections due to timing and year-over-year growth in our business, and lower cash payments for income taxes, partially offset by cash outflows from hedging activities.
Investing Activities. Net cash used in investing activities decreased by $10 million during fiscal year 2024, as compared to fiscal year 2023, primarily driven by a $237 million increase in proceeds from maturities and sales of short-term investments, and a $8 million decrease in capital expenditures, partially offset by a $235 million increase in the purchase of short-term investments.
Financing Activities. Net cash used in financing activities increased by $24 million during fiscal year 2024, as compared to fiscal year 2023, primarily due to a $21 million increase in cash paid to taxing authorities in connection with withholding taxes for stock-based compensation.
Short-term Investments
Due to our mix of fixed and variable rate securities, our short-term investment portfolio is susceptible to changes in short-term interest rates. As of March 31, 2024, our short-term investments had net unrealized gains of less than $1 million or less than 1 percent of total short-term investments. From time to time, we may liquidate some or all of our short-term investments to fund operational needs or other activities, such as capital expenditures, business acquisitions or stock repurchase programs.
Senior Notes
In February 2021, we issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2031 Notes and $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2051 Notes. The effective interest rate is 1.98% for the 2031 Notes and 3.04% for the 2051 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on February 15 and August 15 of each year.
In February 2016, we issued $400 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes. The effective interest rate is 4.97% for the 2026 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on March 1 and September 1 of each year.
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See Note 12 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Senior Notes, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
Credit Facility
On March 22, 2023, we entered into a $500 million unsecured revolving credit facility (the "Credit Facility") with a syndicate of banks. The Credit Facility terminates on March 22, 2028 unless the maturity is extended in accordance with its terms. As of March 31, 2024, no amounts were outstanding. The Credit Facility contains an option to arrange with existing lenders and/or new lenders to provide up to an aggregate of $500 million in additional commitments for revolving loans. Proceeds of loans made under the Credit Facility may be used for general corporate purposes. See Note 12 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Credit Facility, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
Financial Condition
Our material cash requirements, including commitments for capital expenditure, as of March 31, 2024 are set forth in our Note 14 — Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7. We expect capital expenditures to be approximately $200 million in fiscal year 2025 primarily due to investments in hardware, software, and real estate and facilities. We believe that our cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, cash generated from operations and available financing facilities will be sufficient to meet these material cash requirements, which include licensing intellectual property from professional sports organizations and players associations used in our EA SPORTS titles (e.g., EA SPORTS FC, NFL Properties LLC, NFL Players Association and NFL Players Inc.) and third-party content and celebrities (e.g., Disney Interactive), debt repayment obligations of $1.9 billion, and to fund our operating requirements for the next 12 months and beyond. Our operating requirements include working capital requirements, capital expenditures, our stock repurchase program, quarterly cash dividend, which is currently $0.19 per share, subject to declaration by our Board of Directors or a designated Committee of the Board of Directors, and potentially, future acquisitions or strategic investments. We may choose at any time to raise additional capital to repay debt, strengthen our financial position, facilitate expansion, repurchase our stock, pursue strategic acquisitions and investments, and/or to take advantage of business opportunities as they arise. There can be no assurance, however, that such additional capital will be available to us on favorable terms, if at all, or that it will not result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders.
During fiscal year 2024, we returned $1,505 million to stockholders through our capital return programs, repurchasing 10.0 million shares for approximately $1,300 million and returning $205 million through our quarterly cash dividend program.
Our foreign subsidiaries are generally subject to U.S. tax, and to the extent earnings from these subsidiaries can be repatriated without a material tax cost, such earnings will not be indefinitely reinvested. As of March 31, 2024, approximately $1,121 million of our cash and cash equivalents were domiciled in foreign tax jurisdictions. All of our foreign cash is available for repatriation without a material tax cost.
We have a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 on file with the SEC. This shelf registration statement, which includes a base prospectus, allows us at any time to offer any combination of securities described in the prospectus in one or more offerings. Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement accompanying the base prospectus, we would use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered pursuant to the shelf registration statement for general corporate purposes, which may include funding for working capital, financing capital expenditures, research and development, marketing and distribution efforts, and if opportunities arise, for acquisitions or strategic alliances. Pending such uses, we may invest the net proceeds in interest bearing securities. In addition, we may conduct concurrent or other financings at any time.
Our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity could be affected by various risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, customer demand and acceptance of our products, our ability to collect our accounts receivable as they become due, successfully achieving our product release schedules and attaining our forecasted sales objectives, economic conditions in the United States and abroad, the impact of acquisitions and other strategic transactions in which we may engage, the impact of competition, the seasonal and cyclical nature of our business and operating results, and the other risks described in the “Risk Factors” section, included in Part I, Item 1A of this report.
As of March 31, 2024, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
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FY 2023 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0000712515-23-000028.
Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
OVERVIEW
The following overview is a high-level discussion of our operating results, as well as some of the trends and drivers that affect our business. Management believes that an understanding of these trends and drivers provides important context for our results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, as well as our future prospects. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be a substitute for the detailed discussion and analysis provided elsewhere in this Form 10-K, including in the “Business” section and the “Risk Factors” above, the remainder of “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”)” or the Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. We develop, market, publish and deliver games, content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. At our core is a portfolio of intellectual property from which we create innovative games and experiences that deliver high-quality entertainment and drive engagement across our network of hundreds of millions of unique active accounts. Our portfolio includes brands that we either wholly own (such as Apex Legends, Battlefield, and The Sims) or license from others (such as Madden NFL, Star Wars, and the 300+ licenses within our global football ecosystem). Through our live services offerings, we offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players, and extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our base games. We are focusing on building games and experiences that grow the global online communities around our key franchises; reaching more players through connecting interactive storytelling to key intellectual property; and building re-occurring revenue from our annualized sports franchises, our console, PC and mobile catalog titles, and our live services.
Financial Results
Our key financial results for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 were as follows:
•Total net revenue was $7,426 million, up 6 percent year-over-year.
•Live services and other net revenue was $5,489 million, up 10 percent year-over-year.
•Gross margin was 75.9 percent, up 2.5 percentage points year-over-year.
•Operating expenses were $4,302 million, up 7 percent year-over-year.
•Operating income was $1,332 million, up 18 percent year-over-year.
•Net income was $802 million, up 2 percent year-over-year.
•Diluted earnings per share was $2.88, up 4 percent year-over-year.
•Operating cash flow was $1,550 million, down 18 percent year-over-year.
•Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $2,767 million.
•We repurchased 10.4 million shares of our common stock for $1,295 million.
•We paid cash dividends of $210 million during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023.
Trends in Our Business
Live Services Business. We offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and to extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our base games and free-to-play games. Our net revenue attributable to live services and other was $5,489 million, $4,998 million, and $4,016 million for fiscal years 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively, and we expect that live services net revenue will continue to be material to our business. Within live services and other, net revenue attributable to extra content was $4,277 million, $3,910 million, and $3,068 million for fiscal years 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively. Extra content net revenue has increased as more players engage with our games and services, and purchase additional content designed to provide value to players and extend and enhance gameplay. Our most popular live services are the extra content purchased for the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises and extra content purchased for our Apex Legends franchise. Ultimate Team allows players to collect current and former professional players in order to build and compete as a personalized team. Live services net revenue generated from extra content purchased within the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises, a substantial portion of which was derived from FIFA Ultimate Team, and from our Apex Legends franchise, is material to our business.
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Digital Delivery of Games. In our industry, players increasingly purchase games digitally as opposed to purchasing physical discs. While this trend, as applied to our business, may not be linear due to a mix of products during a fiscal year, consumer buying patterns and other factors, over time we expect players to purchase an increasingly higher proportion of our games digitally. As a result, we expect net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads to increase over time and net revenue attributable to sales of packaged goods to decrease.
Our net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads was $1,262 million, $1,282 million, and $918 million during fiscal years 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively; while our net revenue attributable to packaged goods sales was $675 million, $711 million, and $695 million in fiscal year 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively. In addition, as measured based on total units sold on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 rather than by net revenue, we estimate that 68 percent, 65 percent, and 62 percent of our total units sold during fiscal years 2023, 2022, and 2021 were sold digitally. Digital full game units are based on sales information provided by Microsoft and Sony; packaged goods units sold through are estimated by obtaining data from significant retail partners in North America, Europe and Asia, and applying internal sales estimates with respect to retail partners from which we do not obtain data. We believe that these percentages are reasonable estimates of the proportion of our games that are digitally downloaded in relation to our total number of units sold for the applicable period of measurement.
Increases in consumer adoption of digital purchase of games combined with increases in our live services revenue generally results in expansion of our gross margin, as costs associated with selling a game digitally is generally less than selling the same game through traditional retail and distribution channels.
Increased Competition. Competition in our business is intense. Our competitors range from established interactive entertainment companies to emerging start-ups. In addition, the gaming, technology/internet, and entertainment industries have converged in recent years and larger, well-funded technology companies have strengthened their interactive entertainment capabilities resulting in more direct competition with us. Their greater financial or other resources may provide larger budgets to develop and market tools, technologies, products and services that gain consumer success and shift player time and engagement away from our products and services. In addition, our leading position within the interactive entertainment industry makes us a prime target for recruiting our executives, as well as key creative and technical talent, resulting in retention challenges and increased cost to retain and incentivize our key people.
In the past several years, our industry has undergone a period of increased consolidation which increases competitive pressure on us as interactive entertainment companies grow through acquisition or as larger, well-funded technology companies strengthen their interactive entertainment capabilities.
Concentration of Sales Among the Most Popular Games. In all major segments of our industry, we see a large portion of games sales concentrated on the most popular titles. Similarly, a significant portion of our revenue historically has been derived from games based on a few popular franchises, several of which we have released on an annual or bi-annual basis. In particular, we have historically derived a significant portion of our net revenue from our global football franchise, the annualized version of which is consistently one of the best-selling games in the marketplace. We have invested in over 300 individual partnerships and licenses to create our global football ecosystem and starting in fiscal year 2024, our global football franchise will transition to a new EA SPORTS FC brand. Our vision for the future of interactive football with EA SPORTS FC is to create the largest football club in the world, and we believe this is the right opportunity for us so that we can continue delivering innovation and growing to connect more fans on a global scale.
Re-occurring Revenue Sources. Our business model includes revenue that we deem re-occurring in nature, such as revenue from our live services, annualized sports franchises (e.g., global football, Madden NFL), and our console, PC and mobile catalog titles (i.e., titles that did not launch in the current fiscal year). We have been able to forecast revenue from these areas of our business with greater relative confidence than for new games, services and business models. As we continue to incorporate new business models and modalities of play into our games, our goal is to continue to look for opportunities to expand the re-occurring portion of our business.
Free-to-Play and Free-to-Enter Games. We offer games in some of our largest franchises, including the PC version of our global football franchise, The Sims 4, and Apex Legends, through business models that allow consumers to access games with no-upfront cost. These games are then monetized through a live service associated with the game, particularly extra content sales. These business models are dominant in the mobile gaming industry and are becoming increasingly accepted in the online PC and console market. We expect to continue offering games through these business models across console, PC and mobile and expect extra content revenue generated through these business models to continue to be an important part of our business.
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Restructuring. In March 2023, our Board of Directors approved a restructuring plan (the "2023 Restructuring Plan" or the “Plan”) focused on prioritizing investments to the Company's growth opportunities and optimizing its real estate portfolio. The Plan includes actions driven by portfolio rationalization, including intellectual property impairment charges and headcount reductions, in addition to office space reductions. The actions associated with the Plan are expected to be substantially complete by September 30, 2023.
Net Bookings. In order to improve transparency into our business, we disclose an operating performance metric, net bookings. Net bookings is defined as the net amount of products and services sold digitally or sold-in physically in the period. Net bookings is calculated by adding total net revenue to the change in deferred net revenue for online-enabled games.
The following is a calculation of our total net bookings for the periods presented:
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2023 | 2022 | ||||
| Total net revenue | $ | 7,426 | $ | 6,991 | ||
| Change in deferred net revenue (online-enabled games) | (85) | 524 | ||||
| Net bookings | $ | 7,341 | $ | 7,515 |
Net bookings were $7,341 million for fiscal year 2023 primarily driven by sales related to our FIFA and Madden franchises, Apex Legends, and The Sims 4. Net bookings decreased $174 million or 2 percent as compared to fiscal year 2022 primarily due to the prior year release of Battlefield 2042, and a $244 million impact related to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, net of hedging activities, partially offset by strength in our FIFA franchise. Live services and other net bookings were $5,530 million for fiscal year 2023, and increased $160 million or 3 percent as compared to fiscal year 2022. The increase in live services and other net bookings was due primarily to strength in our FIFA franchise across all platforms (console, PC, and mobile), and the addition of Golf Clash. This strength was partially offset by fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, net of hedging activities, and softness in sales of extra content within the rest of our mobile catalog portfolio. Full game net bookings were $1,811 million for fiscal year 2023, and decreased $334 million or 16 percent as compared to fiscal year 2022 primarily due to the prior year releases of Battlefield 2042 and Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster, partially offset by the release of Dead Space Remake and sales related to our FIFA franchise.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, contingent assets and liabilities, and revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. The policies discussed below are considered by management to be critical because they are not only important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, but also because application and interpretation of these policies requires both management judgment and estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain and unknown. As a result, actual results may differ materially from our estimates.
Revenue Recognition
We derive revenue principally from sales of our games, and related extra content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. Our product and service offerings include, but are not limited to, the following:
•full games with both online and offline functionality (“Games with Services”), which generally includes (1) the initial game delivered digitally or via physical disc at the time of sale and typically provide access to offline core game content (“software license”); (2) updates on a when-and-if-available basis, such as software patches or updates, and/or additional free content to be delivered in the future (“future update rights”); and (3) a hosted connection for online playability (“online hosting”);
•full games with online-only functionality which require an Internet connection to access all gameplay and functionality (“Online-Hosted Service Games”);
•extra content related to Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games which provides access to additional in-game content;
•subscriptions, such as EA Play and EA Play Pro, that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits typically for a recurring monthly or annual fee; and
•licensing to third parties to distribute and host our games and content.
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We evaluate and recognize revenue by:
•identifying the contract(s) with the customer;
•identifying the performance obligations in the contract;
•determining the transaction price;
•allocating the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and
•recognizing revenue as each performance obligation is satisfied through the transfer of a promised good or service to a customer (i.e., “transfer of control”).
Certain of our full game and/or extra content are sold to resellers with a contingency that the full game and/or extra content cannot be resold prior to a specific date (“Street Date Contingency”). We recognize revenue for transactions that have a Street Date Contingency when the Street Date Contingency is removed and the full game and/or extra content can be resold by the reseller. For digital full game and/or extra content downloads sold to customers, we recognize revenue when the full game and/or extra content is made available for download to the customer.
Online-Enabled Games
Games with Services. Our sales of Games with Services are evaluated to determine whether the software license, future update rights and the online hosting are distinct and separable. Sales of Games with Services are generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting.
Since we do not sell the performance obligations on a stand-alone basis, we consider market conditions and other observable inputs to estimate the stand-alone selling price for each performance obligation. For Games with Services, generally 75 percent of the sales price is allocated to the software license performance obligation and recognized at a point in time when control of the license has been transferred to the customer. The remaining 25 percent is allocated to the future update rights and the online hosting performance obligations and recognized ratably as the service is provided (over the Estimated Offering Period).
Online-Hosted Service Games. Sales of our Online-Hosted Service Games are determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online hosting. We recognize revenue from these arrangements as the service is provided.
Extra Content. Revenue received from sales of downloadable content are derived primarily from the sale of virtual currencies and digital in-game content that are designed to extend and enhance players’ game experience. Sales of extra content are accounted for in a manner consistent with the treatment for our Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games as discussed above, depending upon whether or not the extra content has offline functionality. That is, if the extra content has offline functionality, then the extra content is accounted for similarly to Games with Services (generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting). If the extra content does not have offline functionality, then the extra content is determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online-hosted service.
Subscriptions
Sales of our subscriptions are deemed to be one performance obligation and we recognize revenue from these arrangements ratably over the subscription term as the performance obligation is satisfied.
Licensing Revenue
We utilize third-party licensees to distribute and host our games and content in accordance with license agreements, for which the licensees typically pay us a fixed minimum guarantee and/or sales-based royalties. These arrangements typically include multiple performance obligations, such as a time-based license of software and future update rights. We recognize as revenue a portion of the minimum guarantee when we transfer control of the license of software (generally upon commercial launch) and the remaining portion ratably over the contractual term in which we provide the licensee with future update rights. Any sales-based royalties are generally recognized as the related sales occur by the licensee.
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Significant Judgments around Revenue Arrangements
Identifying performance obligations. Performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on the goods and services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct, (i.e., the customer can benefit from the goods or services either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available), and are distinct in the context of the contract (i.e., it is separately identifiable from other goods or services in the contract). To the extent a contract includes multiple promises, we must apply judgment to determine whether those promises are separate and distinct performance obligations. If these criteria are not met, the promises are accounted for as a combined performance obligation.
Determining the transaction price. The transaction price is determined based on the consideration that we will be entitled to receive in exchange for transferring our goods and services to the customer. Determining the transaction price often requires judgment, based on an assessment of contractual terms and business practices. It further includes review of variable consideration such as discounts, sales returns, price protection, and rebates, which is estimated at the time of the transaction. In addition, the transaction price does not include an estimate of the variable consideration related to sales-based royalties. Sales-based royalties are recognized as the sales occur.
Allocating the transaction price. Allocating the transaction price requires that we determine an estimate of the relative stand-alone selling price for each distinct performance obligation. Determining the relative stand-alone selling price is inherently subjective, especially in situations where we do not sell the performance obligation on a stand-alone basis (which occurs in the majority of our transactions). In those situations, we determine the relative stand-alone selling price based on various observable inputs using all information that is reasonably available. Examples of observable inputs and information include: historical internal pricing data, cost plus margin analysis, pre-release versus post-release costs, and pricing data from competitors to the extent the data is available. The results of our analysis resulted in a specific percentage of the transaction price being allocated to each performance obligation.
Determining the Estimated Offering Period. The offering period is the period in which we offer to provide the future update rights and/or online hosting for the game and related extra content sold. Because the offering period is not an explicitly defined period, we must make an estimate of the offering period for the service-related performance obligations (i.e., future update rights and online hosting). Determining the Estimated Offering Period is inherently subjective and is subject to regular revision. Generally, we consider the average period of time customers are online when estimating the offering period. We also consider the estimated period of time between the date a game unit is sold to a reseller and the date the reseller sells the game unit to the customer (i.e., time in channel). Based on these two factors, we then consider the method of distribution. For example, games and extra content sold at retail would have a composite offering period equal to the online gameplay period plus time in channel as opposed to digitally-distributed games and extra content which are delivered immediately via digital download and therefore, the offering period is estimated to be only the online gameplay period.
Additionally, we consider results from prior analyses, known and expected online gameplay trends, as well as disclosed service periods for competitors’ games in determining the Estimated Offering Period for future sales. We believe this provides a reasonable depiction of the transfer of future update rights and online hosting to our customers, as it is the best representation of the time period during which our games and extra content are experienced. We recognize revenue for future update rights and online hosting performance obligations ratably on a straight-line basis over this period as there is a consistent pattern of delivery for these performance obligations. Revenue for service-related performance obligations for games and extra content sold through retail is recognized over an estimated ten-month period beginning in the month of sale, revenue for service-related performance obligations for digitally-distributed games and extra content is recognized over an estimated eight-month period beginning in the month of sale.
During the three months ended September 30, 2021, we completed our annual evaluation of the Estimated Offering Period and noted consumers are playing certain of our Online Hosted Service Games, such as PC and console free-to-play games, for longer periods of time than in previous years. This extended consumer gameplay is due to players engaging with services we provide that are designed to enhance and extend gameplay, and as such, concluded that the Estimated Offering Period for such games should be lengthened. As a result, for all new sales after July 1, 2021, the revenue that we recognize for service-related performance obligations related to our PC and console free-to-play games is recognized generally over a twelve-month period. The fiscal year 2022 change in Estimated Offering Period did not impact the amount of net bookings or the operating cash flows that we report. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, this increase to our Estimated Offering Period resulted in increases in net revenue of $103 million, net income of $79 million, and diluted earnings per share of $0.28. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, this increase to our Estimated Offering Period resulted in decreases in net revenue of $131 million, net income of $100 million, and diluted earnings per share of $0.35.
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Principal Agent Considerations
We evaluate sales to end customers of our full games and related content via third-party storefronts, including digital storefronts such as Microsoft’s Xbox Store, Sony’s PlayStation Store, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store, in order to determine whether or not we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer, which we consider in determining if revenue should be reported gross or net of fees retained by the third-party storefront. An entity is the principal if it controls a good or service before it is transferred to the end customer. Key indicators that we evaluate in determining gross versus net treatment include but are not limited to the following:
•the underlying contract terms and conditions between the various parties to the transaction;
•which party is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide the specified good or service to the end customer;
•which party has discretion in establishing the price for the specified good or service; and
•which party has inventory risk before the specified good or service has been transferred to the end customer.
Based on an evaluation of the above indicators, except as discussed below, we have determined that generally the third party is considered the principal to end customers for the sale of our full games and related content. We therefore report revenue related to these arrangements net of the fees retained by the storefront. However, for sales arrangements via Apple App Store and Google Play Store, EA is considered the principal to the end customer and thus, we report revenue on a gross basis and mobile platform fees are reported within cost of revenue.
Income Taxes
We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for both (1) the expected impact of differences between the financial statement amount and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and (2) the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax losses and tax credit carryforwards. We do not recognize any deferred taxes related to the U.S. taxes on foreign earnings as we recognize these taxes as a period cost.
We record a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets when it is considered more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. In making this determination, we are required to give significant weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. It is generally difficult to conclude that a valuation allowance is not needed when there is significant negative evidence, such as cumulative losses in recent years. Forecasts of future taxable income are considered to be less objective than past results. Therefore, cumulative losses weigh heavily in the overall assessment.
In addition to considering forecasts of future taxable income, we are also required to evaluate and quantify other possible sources of taxable income in order to assess the realization of our deferred tax assets, namely the reversal of existing deferred tax liabilities, the carryback of losses and credits as allowed under current tax law, and the implementation of tax planning strategies. Evaluating and quantifying these amounts involves significant judgments. Each source of income must be evaluated based on all positive and negative evidence and this evaluation may involve assumptions about future activity. Certain taxable temporary differences that are not expected to reverse during the carry forward periods permitted by tax law cannot be considered as a source of future taxable income that may be available to realize the benefit of deferred tax assets.
Every quarter, we perform a realizability analysis to evaluate whether it is more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our Swiss deferred tax asset realizability analysis relies upon future Swiss taxable income as the primary source of taxable income but considers all available sources of Swiss income based on the positive and negative evidence. We give more weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. However, estimating future Swiss taxable income requires judgment, specifically related to assumptions about expected growth rates of future Swiss taxable income, which are based primarily on third party market and industry growth data. Actual results that differ materially from those estimates could have a material impact on our valuation allowance assessment. Swiss interest rates have an impact on the valuation allowance and are based on published Swiss guidance, which generally occurs in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. Any significant changes to such interest rates could result in a material impact to the valuation allowance and to our Consolidated Financial Statements. We have adjusted our valuation allowance for changes in the published interest rates in the past and it is probable that we will do so again based on current global interest rate trends. Switzerland has a seven-year carryforward period and does not permit the carry back of losses. Actions we take in connection with acquisitions could also impact the utilization of our Swiss deferred tax asset.
As part of the process of preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements, we are required to estimate our income taxes in each jurisdiction in which we operate prior to the completion and filing of tax returns for such periods. This process requires
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estimating both our geographic mix of income and our uncertain tax positions in each jurisdiction where we operate. These estimates require us to make judgments about the likely application of the tax law to our situation, as well as with respect to other matters, such as anticipating the positions that we will take on tax returns prior to our preparing the returns and the outcomes of disputes with tax authorities. The ultimate resolution of these issues may take extended periods of time due to examinations by tax authorities and statutes of limitations. In addition, changes in our business, including acquisitions, changes in our international corporate structure, changes in the geographic location of business functions or assets, changes in the geographic mix and amount of income, as well as changes in our agreements with tax authorities, valuation allowances, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in the estimated and actual level of annual pre-tax income can affect the overall effective tax rate.
IMPACT OF RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
The information under the subheading “Impact of Recently Issued Accounting Standards” in Note 1 — Description of Business and Basis of Presentation to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Our fiscal year is reported on a 52- or 53-week period that ends on the Saturday nearest March 31. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 contained 52 weeks and ended on April 1, 2023. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 contained 52 weeks and ended on April 2, 2022. For simplicity of disclosure, all fiscal periods are referred to as ending on a calendar month end.
Net Revenue
Net revenue consists of sales generated from (1) full games sold as digital downloads or as packaged goods and designed for play on game consoles, PCs and mobile phones and tablets (2) live services associated with these games, such as extra-content, (3) subscriptions that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits, and (4) licensing our games to third parties to distribute and host our games.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2023 to Fiscal Year 2022
Net Revenue
Net revenue for fiscal year 2023 was $7,426 million, primarily driven by sales related to FIFA 23, FIFA 22, Apex Legends, The Sims 4, and Madden NFL 23. Net revenue for fiscal year 2023 increased $435 million, as compared to fiscal year 2022. This increase was driven by an $868 million increase in net revenue primarily driven by year-over-year growth in the FIFA franchise and sales of extra content for Apex Legends, and the addition of Golf Clash, partially offset by a $433 million decrease in net revenue primarily due to the prior year release of Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster, the Star Wars franchise, and The Sims 4.
Net Revenue by Composition
Our net revenue by composition for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 was as follows (in millions):
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||
| Net revenue: | ||||||||||||||
| Full game downloads | $ | 1,262 | $ | 1,282 | $ | (20) | (2) | % | ||||||
| Packaged goods | 675 | 711 | (36) | (5) | % | |||||||||
| Full game | $ | 1,937 | $ | 1,993 | $ | (56) | (3) | % | ||||||
| Live services and other | $ | 5,489 | $ | 4,998 | $ | 491 | 10 | % | ||||||
| Total net revenue | $ | 7,426 | $ | 6,991 | $ | 435 | 6 | % |
Full Game Net Revenue
Full game net revenue includes full game downloads and packaged goods. Full game downloads primarily includes revenue from digital sales of full games on console, PC, mobile phones and tablets. Packaged goods primarily includes revenue from software that is sold physically through traditional channels such as brick and mortar retailers and certain licensing revenue.
Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2023 was $1,937 million, primarily driven by FIFA 23, Madden NFL 23, Battlefield 2042, and FIFA 22. Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2023 decreased $56 million, or 3 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2022. This decrease was primarily due to the prior year releases of Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster and It Takes Two, and The Sims 4, partially offset by the release of Dead Space Remake and growth in the FIFA franchise.
Live Services and Other Net Revenue
Live services and other net revenue primarily includes revenue from sales of extra content for console, PC, and mobile games, certain licensing revenue, subscriptions, and advertising.
Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2023 was $5,489 million, primarily driven by sales of extra content for FIFA Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, The Sims 4, and Madden Ultimate Team. Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2023 increased $491 million, or 10 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2022. This increase was primarily driven by sales of
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extra content for Apex Legends, extra content and licensing for our FIFA franchise, and the addition of Golf Clash, partially offset by the Star Wars franchise.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists of (1) certain royalty expenses for celebrities, professional sports leagues, movie studios and other organizations, and independent software developers, (2) mobile platform fees associated with our mobile revenue (for transactions in which we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer), (3) data center, bandwidth and server costs associated with hosting our online games and websites, (4) inventory costs, including manufacturing royalties, (5) payment processing fees, (6) amortization and impairment of certain intangible assets, (7) personnel-related costs, and (8) warehousing and distribution costs.
Cost of revenue for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | % Change | Change as a % of Net Revenue | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 1,792 | 24 | % | $ | 1,859 | 27 | % | (4) | % | (3) | % |
Cost of revenue decreased by $67 million during fiscal year 2023, as compared to fiscal year 2022. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in inventory costs driven by the prior year releases of Battlefield 2042 and Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster and the FIFA franchise, and lower royalty costs due to the mix in sales from royalty bearing titles, partially offset by an increase in platform and hosting fees.
Cost of revenue as a percentage of total net revenue decreased by 3 percent during fiscal year 2023, as compared to fiscal year 2022. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in inventory costs driven by the prior year releases of Battlefield 2042 and Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster, lower royalty costs due to the mix in sales form royalty bearing titles, and a decrease in the proportion of sales derived from packaged goods, partially offset by an increase in platform and hosting fees.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist of expenses incurred by our production studios for personnel-related costs, related overhead costs, external third-party development costs, contracted services, and depreciation. Research and development expenses for our online products include expenses incurred by our studios consisting of direct development and related overhead costs in connection with the development and production of our online games. Research and development expenses also include expenses associated with our digital platform, software licenses and maintenance, and management overhead.
Research and development expenses for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 2,328 | 31 | % | $ | 2,186 | 31 | % | $ | 142 | 6 | % |
Research and development expenses increased by $142 million, or 6 percent, in fiscal year 2023, as compared to fiscal year 2022. This increase was primarily due to a net $56 million increase in personnel-related costs primarily resulting from continued investment in our studios, offset by decreased variable compensation and related costs, a $30 million increase due to hedging activities, and a $14 million increase in studio related contracted services.
Marketing and Sales
Marketing and sales expenses consist of advertising, marketing and promotional expenses, personnel-related costs, and related overhead costs, net of qualified advertising cost reimbursements from third parties.
Marketing and sales expenses for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 978 | 13 | % | $ | 961 | 14 | % | $ | 17 | 2 | % |
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Marketing and sales expenses increased by $17 million, or 2 percent, in fiscal year 2023, as compared to fiscal year 2022. This increase was primarily due to an increase in advertising and promotional spending related to the release of our Apex Legends Mobile title in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 and our FIFA franchise, partially offset by a decrease in advertising and promotional spending primarily related to our mobile portfolio, and Battlefield 2042, Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster and It Takes Two, which were released in prior fiscal years.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses consist of personnel and related expenses of executive and administrative staff, corporate functions such as finance, legal, human resources, and information technology (“IT”), related overhead costs, fees for professional services such as legal and accounting, and allowances for doubtful accounts.
General and administrative expenses for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 727 | 10 | % | $ | 673 | 10 | % | $ | 54 | 8 | % |
General and administrative expenses increased by $54 million, or 8 percent, in fiscal year 2023, as compared to fiscal year 2022. This increase was primarily due to $44 million of accelerated amortization and depreciation associated with office space reductions related to our fiscal 2023 Restructuring Plan, a $14 million increase in personnel-related costs primarily resulting from an increase in headcount, offset by a $36 million decrease in contracted services driven by prior year acquisition-related transaction and integration costs.
Restructuring
Restructuring expenses for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2023 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 111 | 1 | % | $ | — | — | % | $ | 111 | — | % |
Restructuring expenses of $111 million were incurred in fiscal year 2023 related to our fiscal 2023 Restructuring Plan, of which, $68 million related to impairment charges associated with acquisition-related intangible assets and other charges, and $43 million related to employee severance and employee-related costs.
Income Taxes
Provision for income taxes for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2023 | Effective Tax Rate | March 31, 2022 | Effective Tax Rate | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 524 | 39.5 | % | $ | 292 | 27.0 | % |
Our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 was 39.5 percent as compared to 27.0 percent for the same period in fiscal year 2022.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, we recognized a $118 million tax charge to increase the valuation allowance on Swiss deferred tax assets, primarily as a result of an increase in Swiss interest rates. The change in valuation allowance had the effect of increasing our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 by 8.9 percentage points.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, we completed intra-entity sales of intellectual property rights related to recent acquisitions to our U.S. and Swiss intellectual property owners (the “Acquired IP intra-entity sales”). The transactions resulted in overall taxable gains. Under U.S. GAAP, any profit resulting from the Acquired IP intra-entity sales was eliminated upon consolidation. However, the transactions resulted in a step-up of the U.S. and Swiss tax-deductible basis in the transferred intellectual property rights and, accordingly, created a temporary difference between the book basis and the tax basis of such intellectual property rights. As a result, we recognized a $64 million net tax benefit for the current and deferred tax impacts of the sales.
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In addition, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, we recognized a $29 million tax charge to increase the valuation allowance on Swiss deferred tax assets that are not more likely than not to be realized. The Acquired IP intra-entity sales and the change in valuation allowance had the effect of reducing our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 by 3.2 percentage points.
Our effective tax rates for future periods will continue to depend on a variety of factors, including changes in our business, such as acquisitions and intercompany transactions, our corporate structure, the geographic location of business functions or assets, the geographic mix of income, our agreements with tax authorities, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in our annual pre-tax income or loss. We anticipate that the impact of excess tax benefits, tax deficiencies, and changes in valuation allowances may result in significant fluctuations to our effective tax rate in the future.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2022 to Fiscal Year 2021
For the comparison of fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2021, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 25, 2022 under the subheading “Comparison of Fiscal Year 2022 to Fiscal Year 2021.”
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2023 | 2022 | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 2,424 | $ | 2,732 | $ | (308) | ||||
| Short-term investments | 343 | 330 | 13 | |||||||
| Total | $ | 2,767 | $ | 3,062 | $ | (295) | ||||
| Percentage of total assets | 21 | % | 22 | % | ||||||
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 1,550 | $ | 1,899 | $ | (349) | ||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (217) | (2,804) | 2,587 | |||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (1,600) | (1,620) | 20 | |||||||
| Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents | (41) | (3) | (38) | |||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | $ | (308) | $ | (2,528) | $ | 2,220 |
For the comparison of fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2021, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 25, 2022 under the subheading “Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
Changes in Cash Flow
Operating Activities. Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $349 million during fiscal year 2023, as compared to fiscal year 2022, primarily driven by lower cash receipts and higher personnel-related payments primarily from continued investment in our studios, partially offset by cash inflows from hedging activities and a decrease in prepayments for contracted services.
Investing Activities. Net cash used in investing activities decreased by $2,587 million during fiscal year 2023, as compared to fiscal year 2022, primarily driven by payments of $3,391 million in connection with acquisitions completed in prior year, and a $149 million decrease in the purchase of short-term investments, partially offset by a $934 million increase in proceeds from maturities and sales of short-term investments.
Financing Activities. Net cash used in financing activities decreased by $20 million during fiscal year 2023, as compared to fiscal year 2022, primarily due to a $29 million reduction in cash paid to taxing authorities in connection with withholding taxes for stock-based compensation, partially offset by a $17 million increase in cash dividend payments.
Short-term Investments
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Due to our mix of fixed and variable rate securities, our short-term investment portfolio is susceptible to changes in short-term interest rates. As of March 31, 2023, our short-term investments had gross unrealized losses of $1 million or less than 1 percent of total short-term investments. From time to time, we may liquidate some or all of our short-term investments to fund operational needs or other activities, such as capital expenditures, business acquisitions or stock repurchase programs.
Senior Notes
In February 2021, we issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2031 Notes and $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2051 Notes. The effective interest rate is 1.98% for the 2031 Notes and 3.04% for the 2051 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on February 15 and August 15 of each year.
In February 2016, we issued $400 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes. The effective interest rate is 4.97% for the 2026 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on March 1 and September 1 of each year.
See Note 12 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Senior Notes, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
Credit Facility
On March 22, 2023, we entered into a $500 million unsecured revolving credit facility (the "Credit Facility") with a syndicate of banks. The Credit Facility terminates on March 22, 2028 unless the maturity is extended in accordance with its terms. As of March 31, 2023, no amounts were outstanding. The Credit Facility contains an option to arrange with existing lenders and/or new lenders to provide up to an aggregate of $500 million in additional commitments for revolving loans. Proceeds of loans made under the Credit Facility may be used for general corporate purposes. See Note 12 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Credit Facility, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
Financial Condition
Our material cash requirements, including commitments for capital expenditure, as of March 31, 2023 are set forth in our Note 14 — Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7. We expect capital expenditures to be approximately $275 million in fiscal year 2024 primarily due to facility buildouts. We believe that our cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, cash generated from operations and available financing facilities will be sufficient to meet these material cash requirements, which include licensing intellectual property from professional sports organizations and players associations used in our EA SPORTS titles (e.g., the 300+ licenses within our global football ecosystem, NFL Properties LLC, NFL Players Association and NFL Players Inc.) and third-party content and celebrities (e.g., Disney Interactive), debt repayment obligations of $1.9 billion, and to fund our operating requirements for the next 12 months and beyond. Our operating requirements include working capital requirements, capital expenditures, the remaining portion of our $2.6 billion share repurchase program, quarterly cash dividend, which is currently $0.19 per share, subject to declaration by our Board of Directors or a designated Committee of the Board of Directors, and potentially, future acquisitions or strategic investments. We may choose at any time to raise additional capital to repay debt, strengthen our financial position, facilitate expansion, repurchase our stock, pursue strategic acquisitions and investments, and/or to take advantage of business opportunities as they arise. There can be no assurance, however, that such additional capital will be available to us on favorable terms, if at all, or that it will not result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders.
During fiscal year 2023, we returned $1,505 million to stockholders through our capital return programs, repurchasing 10.4 million shares for approximately $1,295 million and returning $210 million through our quarterly cash dividend program which was initiated in November 2020.
Our foreign subsidiaries are generally subject to U.S. tax, and to the extent earnings from these subsidiaries can be repatriated without a material tax cost, such earnings will not be indefinitely reinvested. As of March 31, 2023, approximately $925 million of our cash and cash equivalents were domiciled in foreign tax jurisdictions. All of our foreign cash is available for repatriation without a material tax cost.
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We have a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 on file with the SEC. This shelf registration statement, which includes a base prospectus, allows us at any time to offer any combination of securities described in the prospectus in one or more offerings. Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement accompanying the base prospectus, we would use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered pursuant to the shelf registration statement for general corporate purposes, which may include funding for working capital, financing capital expenditures, research and development, marketing and distribution efforts, and if opportunities arise, for acquisitions or strategic alliances. Pending such uses, we may invest the net proceeds in interest-bearing securities. In addition, we may conduct concurrent or other financings at any time.
Our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity could be affected by various risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, customer demand and acceptance of our products, our ability to collect our accounts receivable as they become due, successfully achieving our product release schedules and attaining our forecasted sales objectives, economic conditions in the United States and abroad, the impact of acquisitions and other strategic transactions in which we may engage, the impact of competition, the seasonal and cyclical nature of our business and operating results, and the other risks described in the “Risk Factors” section, included in Part I, Item 1A of this report.
As of March 31, 2023, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
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FY 2022 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0000712515-22-000011.
Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
OVERVIEW
The following overview is a high-level discussion of our operating results, as well as some of the trends and drivers that affect our business. Management believes that an understanding of these trends and drivers provides important context for our results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, as well as our future prospects. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be a substitute for the detailed discussion and analysis provided elsewhere in this Form 10-K, including in the “Business” section and the “Risk Factors” above, the remainder of “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”)” or the Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. We develop, market, publish and deliver games, content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. At our core is a portfolio of intellectual property from which we create innovative games and content that enable us to build on-going and meaningful relationships with a community of players, creators and viewers. Our portfolio includes brands that we either wholly own (such as Apex Legends, Battlefield, and The Sims) or license from others (such as Madden, Star Wars, and the 300+ licenses within our global football ecosystem). Through our live services offerings, we offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players, and extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our base games and free-to-play games. In addition, we are focused on reaching more players whenever and wherever they want to play. We believe that we can add value to our network by making it easier for players to connect to a world of play by offering choice of business model, distribution channel and device.
Financial Results
Our key financial results for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 were as follows:
•Total net revenue was $6,991 million, up 24 percent year-over-year. On a constant currency basis, we estimate total net revenue would have been $6,883 million, up 22 percent year-over-year.
•Live services and other net revenue was $4,998 million, up 24 percent year-over-year.
•Gross margin was 73.4 percent, remained constant year-over-year.
•Operating expenses were $4,003 million, up 30 percent year-over-year. On a constant currency basis, we estimate that
operating expenses would have been $3,970 million, up 29 percent year-over-year.
•Operating income was $1,129 million, up 8 percent year-over-year.
•Net income was $789 million, down 6 percent year-over-year.
•Diluted earnings per share was $2.76, down 4 percent year-over-year.
•Operating cash flow was $1,899 million, down 2 percent year-over-year.
•Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $3,062 million.
•We repurchased approximately 9.5 million shares of our common stock for approximately $1,300 million.
•We paid cash dividends of $193 million during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.
•On May 9, 2022, we declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share of our common stock, payable June 22, 2022 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 8, 2022.
From time to time, we make comparisons of current periods to prior periods with reference to constant currency. Constant currency comparisons are based on translating local currency amounts in the current period at actual foreign exchange rates from the prior comparable period, net of the impact of hedging activities. We evaluate our financial performance on a constant currency basis in order to facilitate period-to-period comparisons without regard to the impact of changing foreign currency exchange rates.
Trends in Our Business
COVID-19 Impact. We continue to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to our people and our business. Since the initial outbreak, we have focused on actions to support our people, our players, and communities around the world that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The well-being of our people is our top priority as conditions continue to fluctuate around the world. We are re-opening our office locations and resuming business travel as it is appropriate to do so, consistent with the health and safety of our employees and in compliance with any local legal restrictions or requirements. During the pandemic, longer-term trends that benefit our business accelerated. Live services and other net revenue has increased and we have also experienced a significant increase in the percentage of our games purchased digitally over the past two fiscal years.
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These trends may not be indicative of results for future periods, particularly if the trend towards digital adoption decelerates, or as a result of global macroeconomic effects related or unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic. See the section titled “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report for further discussion of the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to our workforce and business.
Live Services Business. We offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and to extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our base games and free-to-play games. Our net revenue attributable to live services and other was $4,998 million, $4,016 million and $3,650 million for fiscal years 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and we expect that live services net revenue will continue to be material to our business. Within live services and other, net revenue attributable to extra content was $3,910 million, $3,068 million and $2,826 million for fiscal years 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Extra content net revenue has increased as more players engage with our games and services, and purchase additional content designed to provide value to players and extend and enhance gameplay. Our most popular live services are the extra content purchased for the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises and extra content purchased for our Apex Legends franchise. Ultimate Team allows players to collect current and former professional players in order to build and compete as a personalized team. Live services net revenue generated from extra content purchased within the Ultimate Team mode associated with our sports franchises, a substantial portion of which was derived from FIFA Ultimate Team, and for our Apex Legends franchise, is material to our business.
Digital Delivery of Games. In our industry, players increasingly purchase games digitally as opposed to purchasing physical discs. While this trend, as applied to our business, may not be linear because of product mix during a fiscal year, consumer buying patterns and other factors, over time we expect players to purchase an increasingly higher proportion of our games digitally; therefore we expect net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads to increase over time and net revenue attributable to sales of packaged goods to decrease.
Our net revenue attributable to digital full game downloads was $1,282 million, $918 million and $811 million during fiscal years 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively; while our net revenue attributable to packaged goods sales decreased from $1,076 million in fiscal year 2020 to $695 million in fiscal year 2021 and $711 million in fiscal year 2022. In addition, as measured based on total units sold on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 rather than by net revenue, we estimate that 65 percent, 62 percent, and 49 percent of our total units sold during fiscal years 2022, 2021 and 2020 were sold digitally. Digital full game units are based on sales information provided by Microsoft and Sony; packaged goods units sold through are estimated by obtaining data from significant retail partners in North America, Europe and Asia, and applying internal sales estimates with respect to retail partners from which we do not obtain data. We believe that these percentages are reasonable estimates of the proportion of our games that are digitally downloaded in relation to our total number of units sold for the applicable period of measurement.
Increases in consumer adoption of digital purchase of games combined with increases in our live services revenue generally results in expansion of our gross margin, as costs associated with selling a game digitally is generally less than selling the same game through traditional retail and distribution channels.
Increased Competition. Competition in our business is intense. Our competitors range from established interactive entertainment companies to emerging start-ups. In addition, the gaming, technology/internet, and entertainment industries have converged in recent years and larger, well-funded technology companies have strengthened their interactive entertainment capabilities resulting in more direct competition with us. For example, companies such as Amazon.com, Inc., Alphabet Inc., Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, and Netflix, Inc. have increased investment and resources dedicated to interactive entertainment capabilities. We expect them to continue to pursue and strengthen these businesses. Their greater financial or other resources may provide larger budgets to develop and market tools, technologies, products and services that gain consumer success and shift player time and engagement away from our products and services. In addition, our leading position within the interactive entertainment industry makes us a prime target for recruiting our executives, as well as key creative and technical talent, resulting in retention challenges and increased cost to retain and incentivize our key people.
Recently, our industry has undergone a period of increased consolidation which increases competitive pressure on us as interactive entertainment companies grow through acquisition – such as Take Two Interactive’s recent acquisition of Zynga – or as larger, well-funded technology companies strengthen their interactive entertainment capabilities – such as Microsoft’s recently announced definitive agreement to acquire Activision Blizzard.
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Free-to-Play Games. The global adoption of mobile devices and a business model for those devices that allows consumers to try new games with no up-front cost, and that are monetized through a live service associated with the game, particularly extra content sales, has led to significant sales growth in the mobile gaming industry. Similarly, sales of extra content are the primary driver of our mobile business. We are investing resources in our mobile business, seeking to maximize our mobile live services, innovate on mobile with our franchises, and through mergers and acquisitions activity have brought new mobile franchises and live services, as well as the teams and technologies responsible for them, to our mobile portfolio and organization. We expect these factors to drive growth in mobile net revenue in fiscal 2023. Likewise, the consumer acceptance of free-to-play, live service-based, online PC and console games has broadened our consumer base and has begun to expand into the console market. For example, within our business, we offer Apex Legends as a free-to-play, live service-based PC and console game. We expect extra content revenue generated from mobile, PC and console free-to-play games to continue to be an important part of our business.
Concentration of Sales Among the Most Popular Games. In all major segments of our industry, we see a large portion of games sales concentrated on the most popular titles. Similarly, a significant portion of our revenue historically has been derived from games based on a few popular franchises, several of which we have released on an annual or bi-annual basis. In particular, we have historically derived a significant portion of our net revenue from our global football franchise, the annualized version of which is consistently one of the best-selling games in the marketplace. We have invested in over 300 individual partnerships and licenses to create our global football ecosystem and starting in fiscal year 2024, our global football franchise will transition to a new EA SPORTS FC brand. Our vision for the future of interactive football with EA SPORTS FC is to create the largest football club in the world, and we believe this is the right opportunity for us so that we can continue delivering innovation and growing to connect more fans on a global scale for years to come.
Re-occurring Revenue Sources. Our business model includes revenue that we deem re-occurring in nature, such as revenue from our annualized sports franchises (e.g., global football, Madden NFL), our console, PC and mobile catalog titles (i.e., titles that did not launch in the current fiscal year), and our live services. We have been able to forecast revenue from these areas of our business with greater relative confidence than for new games, services and business models. As we continue to incorporate new business models and modalities of play into our games, our goal is to continue to look for opportunities to expand the re-occurring portion of our business.
Net Bookings. In order to improve transparency into our business, we disclose an operating performance metric, net bookings. Net bookings is defined as the net amount of products and services sold digitally or sold-in physically in the period. Net bookings is calculated by adding total net revenue to the change in deferred net revenue for online-enabled games.
The following is a calculation of our total net bookings for the periods presented:
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| Total net revenue | $ | 6,991 | $ | 5,629 | ||
| Change in deferred net revenue (online-enabled games) | 524 | 561 | ||||
| Net bookings | $ | 7,515 | $ | 6,190 |
Net bookings were $7,515 million for fiscal year 2022 primarily driven by sales related to our FIFA franchise, Apex Legends, Madden NFL 22, and The Sims 4. Net bookings increased $1,325 million or 21 percent as compared to fiscal year 2021 primarily due to increased year-over-year sales for Apex Legends and the FIFA franchise, and new games added to our portfolio through acquisitions activity, including F1 2021 and several mobile titles, partially offset by the Star Wars franchise and The Sims 4. Live services and other net bookings were $5,370 million for fiscal year 2022, and increased $778 million or 17 percent as compared to fiscal year 2021. The increase in live services and other net bookings was due primarily to an increase in sales of extra content for Apex Legends, sales of extra content for new games added to our mobile portfolio through acquisitions activity, and sales of extra content for FIFA Ultimate Team. Full game net bookings were $2,145 million for fiscal year 2022, and increased $547 million or 34 percent as compared to fiscal year 2021 primarily due to Battlefield 2042, the FIFA franchise, and F1 2021, partially offset by the Star Wars franchise and UFC 4.
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Mergers and Acquisitions
Acquisition of Glu Mobile. On April 29, 2021, we completed the acquisition of 100% of the equity interests of Glu Mobile Inc., a leading global developer and publisher of mobile games for a total purchase price of $2.0 billion, net of cash acquired of $332 million. The acquisition of Glu is expected to accelerate our mobile growth by creating a combined organization with ongoing live services across multiple games and genres. We also believe that the acquisition will create value by adding Glu’s expertise in casual sports and lifestyle genres to new titles based on our intellectual property. Glu was integrated into the Company for financial reporting purposes during the first fiscal quarter of fiscal year 2022.
Acquisition of Playdemic. On September 20, 2021, we completed the acquisition of 100% of the equity interests of Playdemic Limited, a private limited company incorporated in England and Wales for a total purchase price of $1.4 billion, net of cash acquired. The acquisition of Playdemic is intended to be another step in our strategy of continued leadership in sports and mobile expansion. Playdemic was integrated into the Company for financial reporting purposes during the second quarter of fiscal year 2022.
For more information about our acquisitions, see Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Note 7 — Business Combinations.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, contingent assets and liabilities, and revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. The policies discussed below are considered by management to be critical because they are not only important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, but also because application and interpretation of these policies requires both management judgment and estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain and unknown, including uncertainty in the current economic environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, actual results may differ materially from our estimates.
Revenue Recognition
We derive revenue principally from sales of our games, and related extra content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. Our product and service offerings include, but are not limited to, the following:
•full games with both online and offline functionality (“Games with Services”), which generally includes (1) the initial game delivered digitally or via physical disc at the time of sale and typically provide access to offline core game content (“software license”); (2) updates on a when-and-if-available basis, such as software patches or updates, and/or additional free content to be delivered in the future (“future update rights”); and (3) a hosted connection for online playability (“online hosting”);
•full games with online-only functionality which require an Internet connection to access all gameplay and functionality (“Online-Hosted Service Games”);
•extra content related to Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games which provides access to additional in-game content;
•subscriptions, such as EA Play and EA Play Pro, that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits typically for a recurring monthly or annual fee; and
•licensing to third parties to distribute and host our games and content.
We evaluate and recognize revenue by:
•identifying the contract(s) with the customer;
•identifying the performance obligations in the contract;
•determining the transaction price;
•allocating the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and
•recognizing revenue as each performance obligation is satisfied through the transfer of a promised good or service to a customer (i.e., “transfer of control”).
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Certain of our full game and/or extra content are sold to resellers with a contingency that the full game and/or extra content cannot be resold prior to a specific date (“Street Date Contingency”). We recognize revenue for transactions that have a Street Date Contingency when the Street Date Contingency is removed and the full game and/or extra content can be resold by the reseller. For digital full game and/or extra content downloads sold to customers, we recognize revenue when the full game and/or extra content is made available for download to the customer.
Online-Enabled Games
Games with Services. Our sales of Games with Services are evaluated to determine whether the software license, future update rights and the online hosting are distinct and separable. Sales of Games with Services are generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting.
Since we do not sell the performance obligations on a stand-alone basis, we consider market conditions and other observable inputs to estimate the stand-alone selling price for each performance obligation. For Games with Services, generally 75 percent of the sales price is allocated to the software license performance obligation and recognized at a point in time when control of the license has been transferred to the customer. The remaining 25 percent is allocated to the future update rights and the online hosting performance obligations and recognized ratably as the service is provided (over the Estimated Offering Period).
Online-Hosted Service Games. Sales of our Online-Hosted Service Games are determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online hosting. We recognize revenue from these arrangements as the service is provided.
Extra Content. Revenue received from sales of downloadable content are derived primarily from the sale of virtual currencies and digital in-game content that are designed to extend and enhance players’ game experience. Sales of extra content are accounted for in a manner consistent with the treatment for our Games with Services and Online-Hosted Service Games as discussed above, depending upon whether or not the extra content has offline functionality. That is, if the extra content has offline functionality, then the extra content is accounted for similarly to Games with Services (generally determined to have three distinct performance obligations: software license, future update rights, and the online hosting). If the extra content does not have offline functionality, then the extra content is determined to have one distinct performance obligation: the online-hosted service offering.
Subscriptions
Sales of our subscriptions are deemed to be one performance obligation and we recognize revenue from these arrangements ratably over the subscription term as the performance obligation is satisfied.
Licensing Revenue
We utilize third-party licensees to distribute and host our games and content in accordance with license agreements, for which the licensees typically pay us a fixed minimum guarantee and/or sales-based royalties. These arrangements typically include multiple performance obligations, such as a time-based license of software and future update rights. We recognize as revenue a portion of the minimum guarantee when we transfer control of the license of software (generally upon commercial launch) and the remaining portion ratably over the contractual term in which we provide the licensee with future update rights. Any sales-based royalties are generally recognized as the related sales occur by the licensee.
Significant Judgments around Revenue Arrangements
Identifying performance obligations. Performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on the goods and services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct, (i.e., the customer can benefit from the goods or services either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available), and are distinct in the context of the contract (i.e., it is separately identifiable from other goods or services in the contract). To the extent a contract includes multiple promises, we must apply judgment to determine whether those promises are separate and distinct performance obligations. If these criteria are not met, the promises are accounted for as a combined performance obligation.
Determining the transaction price. The transaction price is determined based on the consideration that we will be entitled to receive in exchange for transferring our goods and services to the customer. Determining the transaction price often requires judgment, based on an assessment of contractual terms and business practices. It further includes review of variable consideration such as discounts, sales returns, price protection, and rebates, which is estimated at the time of the transaction. In addition, the transaction price does not include an estimate of the variable consideration related to sales-based royalties. Sales-based royalties are recognized as the sales occur.
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Allocating the transaction price. Allocating the transaction price requires that we determine an estimate of the relative stand-alone selling price for each distinct performance obligation. Determining the relative stand-alone selling price is inherently subjective, especially in situations where we do not sell the performance obligation on a stand-alone basis (which occurs in the majority of our transactions). In those situations, we determine the relative stand-alone selling price based on various observable inputs using all information that is reasonably available. Examples of observable inputs and information include: historical internal pricing data, cost plus margin analysis, pre-release versus post-release costs, and pricing data from competitors to the extent the data is available. The results of our analysis resulted in a specific percentage of the transaction price being allocated to each performance obligation.
Determining the Estimated Offering Period. The offering period is the period in which we offer to provide the future update rights and/or online hosting for the game and related extra content sold. Because the offering period is not an explicitly defined period, we must make an estimate of the offering period for the service-related performance obligations (i.e., future update rights and online hosting). Determining the Estimated Offering Period is inherently subjective and is subject to regular revision. Generally, we consider the average period of time customers are online when estimating the offering period. We also consider the estimated period of time between the date a game unit is sold to a reseller and the date the reseller sells the game unit to the customer (i.e., time in channel). Based on these two factors, we then consider the method of distribution. For example, games and extra content sold at retail would have a composite offering period equal to the online gameplay period plus time in channel as opposed to digitally-distributed games and extra content which are delivered immediately via digital download and therefore, the offering period is estimated to be only the online gameplay period.
Additionally, we consider results from prior analyses, known and expected online gameplay trends, as well as disclosed service periods for competitors’ games in determining the Estimated Offering Period for future sales. We believe this provides a reasonable depiction of the transfer of future update rights and online hosting to our customers, as it is the best representation of the time period during which our games and extra content are experienced. We recognize revenue for future update rights and online hosting performance obligations ratably on a straight-line basis over this period as there is a consistent pattern of delivery for these performance obligations. Prior to July 1, 2020, these performance obligations were generally recognized over an estimated nine-month period beginning in the month after shipment for games and extra content sold through retail and an estimated six-month period for digitally-distributed games and extra content beginning in the month of sale.
During the three months ended September 30, 2020, we completed our annual evaluation of the Estimated Offering Period and as a result, for sales after July 1, 2020, revenue for service-related performance obligations for games and extra content sold through retail are recognized over an estimated ten-month period beginning in the month of sale, and revenue for service-related performance obligations for digitally-distributed games and extra content is recognized over an estimated eight-month period beginning in the month of sale. The fiscal year 2021 change in Estimated Offering period did not impact the amount of net bookings or the operating cash flows that we report. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, this change to our Estimated Offering Period resulted in an increase in net revenue of $331 million and net income of $252 million, and an increase of $0.88 diluted earnings per share. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, this change to our Estimated Offering Period resulted in a decrease in net revenue of $333 million and net income of $280 million, and a decrease of $0.96 diluted earnings per share.
During the three months ended September 30, 2021, we completed our annual evaluation of the Estimated Offering Period. We have noted consumers are playing certain of our Online Hosted Service Games, such as PC and console free-to-play games, for longer periods of time than in prior years as players engage with services we provide that are designed to enhance and extend gameplay, and as such, have concluded that the Estimated Offering Period for such games should be lengthened. As a result, for all new sales after July 1, 2021, the revenue that we recognize for service-related performance obligations related to our PC and console free-to-play games is recognized generally over a twelve-month period. This change in Estimated Offering Period did not impact the amount of net bookings or the operating cash flows that we report. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, this change to our Estimated Offering Period resulted in a decrease in net revenue of $131 million and net income of $100 million, and a decrease of $0.35 diluted earnings per share.
Principal Agent Considerations
We evaluate sales to end customers of our full games and related content via third-party storefronts, including digital storefronts such as Microsoft’s Xbox Store, Sony’s PlayStation Store, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store, in order to determine whether or not we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer, which we consider in determining if revenue should be reported gross or net of fees retained by the third-party storefront. An entity is the principal if it controls a good or service before it is transferred to the end customer. Key indicators that we evaluate in determining gross versus net treatment include but are not limited to the following:
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•the underlying contract terms and conditions between the various parties to the transaction;
•which party is primarily responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide the specified good or service to the end customer;
•which party has inventory risk before the specified good or service has been transferred to the end customer; and
•which party has discretion in establishing the price for the specified good or service.
Based on an evaluation of the above indicators, except as discussed below, we have determined that generally the third party is considered the principal to end customers for the sale of our full games and related content. We therefore report revenue related to these arrangements net of the fees retained by the storefront. However, for sales arrangements via Apple App Store and Google Play Store, EA is considered the principal to the end customer and thus, we report revenue on a gross basis and mobile platform fees are reported within cost of revenue.
Fair Value Estimates
Business Combinations. We must estimate the fair value of assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and acquired in-process technology in a business combination. Our assessment of the estimated fair value of each of these can have a material effect on our reported results as intangible assets are amortized over various estimated useful lives. Furthermore, the estimated fair value assigned to an acquired asset or liability has a direct impact on the amount we recognize as goodwill, which is an asset that is not amortized. Accounting for business combinations requires us to make significant estimates and assumptions with respect to intangible assets.
Although we believe the assumptions and estimates we have made are reasonable, they are based in part on historical experience, market conditions, and information obtained from the management of the acquired companies and are inherently uncertain and unpredictable. Examples of critical estimates used in valuing certain of the intangible assets and in determining the useful lives for the assets we have acquired or may acquire in the future include, but are not limited to:
•future expected revenues and cash flows;
•expected use of the acquired assets;
•the acquired company’s trade name and trademarks, as well as assumptions about the period of time the acquired trade name and trademarks will continue to be used in our portfolio;
•expected costs to develop in-process research and development into commercially viable products and estimated cash flows from the projects when completed;
•discount rates used to determine the present value of estimated future cash flows, which are typically derived from a weighted-average cost of capital analysis and adjusted to reflect inherent risks.
Such estimates are inherently difficult and subjective and can have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements. Unanticipated events and circumstances may occur which may affect the accuracy or validity of such assumptions, estimates, or actual results.
Income Taxes
We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for both (1) the expected impact of differences between the financial statement amount and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and (2) the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax losses and tax credit carryforwards. We do not recognize any deferred taxes related to the U.S. taxes on foreign earnings as we recognize these taxes as a period cost.
We record a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets when it is considered more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. In making this determination, we are required to give significant weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. It is generally difficult to conclude that a valuation allowance is not needed when there is significant negative evidence, such as cumulative losses in recent years. Forecasts of future taxable income are considered to be less objective than past results. Therefore, cumulative losses weigh heavily in the overall assessment.
In addition to considering forecasts of future taxable income, we are also required to evaluate and quantify other possible sources of taxable income in order to assess the realization of our deferred tax assets, namely the reversal of existing deferred tax liabilities, the carryback of losses and credits as allowed under current tax law, and the implementation of tax planning
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strategies. Evaluating and quantifying these amounts involves significant judgments. Each source of income must be evaluated based on all positive and negative evidence and this evaluation may involve assumptions about future activity. Certain taxable temporary differences that are not expected to reverse during the carry forward periods permitted by tax law cannot be considered as a source of future taxable income that may be available to realize the benefit of deferred tax assets.
Every quarter, we perform a realizability analysis to evaluate whether it is more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. Our Swiss deferred tax asset realizability analysis relies upon future Swiss taxable income as the primary source of taxable income but considers all available sources of Swiss income based on the positive and negative evidence. We give more weight to evidence that can be objectively verified. However, there is judgment involved in estimating future Swiss taxable income, specifically related to assumptions about expected growth rates of future Swiss taxable income, which are based primarily on third party market and industry growth data. Actual results that differ materially from those estimates could have a material impact on our valuation allowance assessment. Although objectively verifiable, Swiss interest rates have an impact on the valuation allowance and are based on published Swiss guidance. Any significant changes to such interest rates could result in a material impact to the valuation allowance. Switzerland has a seven-year carryforward period and does not permit the carry back of losses. Changes in Estimated Offering Period and actions we take in connection with acquisitions could also impact the utilization of our Swiss deferred tax asset.
As part of the process of preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements, we are required to estimate our income taxes in each jurisdiction in which we operate prior to the completion and filing of tax returns for such periods. This process requires estimating both our geographic mix of income and our uncertain tax positions in each jurisdiction where we operate. These estimates require us to make judgments about the likely application of the tax law to our situation, as well as with respect to other matters, such as anticipating the positions that we will take on tax returns prior to our preparing the returns and the outcomes of disputes with tax authorities. The ultimate resolution of these issues may take extended periods of time due to examinations by tax authorities and statutes of limitations. In addition, changes in our business, including acquisitions, changes in our international corporate structure, changes in the geographic location of business functions or assets, changes in the geographic mix and amount of income, as well as changes in our agreements with tax authorities, valuation allowances, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in the estimated and actual level of annual pre-tax income can affect the overall effective tax rate.
IMPACT OF RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
The information under the subheading “Impact of Recently Issued Accounting Standards” in Note 1 — Description of Business and Basis of Presentation to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Our fiscal year is reported on a 52- or 53-week period that ends on the Saturday nearest March 31. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 contained 52 weeks and ended on April 2, 2022. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 contained 53 weeks and ended on April 3, 2021. For simplicity of disclosure, all fiscal periods are referred to as ending on a calendar month end.
Net Revenue
Net revenue consists of sales generated from (1) full games sold as digital downloads or as packaged goods and designed for play on game consoles, PCs and mobile phones and tablets (2) live services associated with these games, such as extra-content, (3) subscriptions that generally offer access to a selection of full games, in-game content, online services and other benefits, and (4) licensing our games to third parties to distribute and host our games.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2022 to Fiscal Year 2021
Net Revenue
Net revenue for fiscal year 2022 was $6,991 million, primarily driven by sales related to our FIFA and Madden franchises, Apex Legends, and The Sims 4. Net revenue for fiscal year 2022 increased $1,362 million, as compared to fiscal year 2021. This increase was driven by a $1,839 million increase in net revenue primarily driven by increased year-over-year sales for the FIFA franchise and Apex Legends, new games added to our portfolio through acquisitions activity, including F1 2021 and several mobile titles, and Battlefield 2042. This increase was partially offset by a $477 million decrease in net revenue primarily from the Star Wars, The Sims, Need for Speed and UFC franchises.
Net Revenue by Composition
As our business has evolved, and management focuses less on the differentiation between our packaged goods business and our digital business and more on our full game sales and live services that extend and enhance gameplay, we present net revenue by composition to align with this management view.
Our net revenue by composition for fiscal years 2022 and 2021 was as follows (in millions):
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2021 | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||
| Net revenue: | ||||||||||||||
| Full game downloads | $ | 1,282 | $ | 918 | $ | 364 | 40 | % | ||||||
| Packaged goods | 711 | 695 | 16 | 2 | % | |||||||||
| Full game | $ | 1,993 | $ | 1,613 | $ | 380 | 24 | % | ||||||
| Live services and other | $ | 4,998 | $ | 4,016 | $ | 982 | 24 | % | ||||||
| Total net revenue | $ | 6,991 | $ | 5,629 | $ | 1,362 | 24 | % |
Full Game Net Revenue
Full game net revenue includes full game downloads and packaged goods. Full game downloads includes revenue from digital sales of full games on console, PC, and mobile phones and tablets. Packaged goods includes revenue from software that is sold physically. This includes (1) net revenue from game software sold physically through traditional channels such as brick and mortar retailers, and (2) software licensing revenue from third parties (for example, makers of console platforms, personal computers or computer accessories) who include certain of our full games for sale with their products (for example, Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”) bundles).
Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2022 was $1,993 million, primarily driven by sales related to our FIFA franchise, Madden NFL 22, Battlefield 2042, and It Takes Two. Full game net revenue for fiscal year 2022 increased $380 million, or 24 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2021. This increase was primarily driven by a $364 million increase in full game downloads net revenue primarily driven by year-over-year growth in the FIFA franchise, Battlefield 2042, It Takes Two, and Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster, partially offset by the Star Wars franchise.
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Live Services and Other Net Revenue
Live services and other net revenue includes revenue from sales of extra content for console, PC and mobile games, licensing revenue from third-party publishing partners who distribute our games digitally, subscriptions, advertising, and non-software licensing.
Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2022 was $4,998 million, primarily driven by sales of extra content for FIFA Ultimate Team, Apex Legends, The Sims 4, Madden Ultimate Team, and Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes. Live services and other net revenue for fiscal year 2022 increased $982 million, or 24 percent, as compared to fiscal year 2021. This increase was primarily driven by sales of extra content for FIFA Ultimate Team, Apex Legends and new games added to our mobile portfolio through acquisitions activity, partially offset by a year-over-year decrease in sales of extra content for The Sims 4.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists of (1) certain royalty expenses for celebrities, professional sports leagues, movie studios and other organizations, and independent software developers, (2) mobile platform fees associated with our mobile revenue (for transactions in which we are acting as the principal in the sale to the end customer), (3) data center, bandwidth and server costs associated with hosting our online games and websites, (4) inventory costs, (5) payment processing fees, (6) amortization and impairment of certain intangible assets, (7) personnel-related costs, (8) manufacturing royalties, and (9) warehousing and distribution costs.
Cost of revenue for fiscal years 2022 and 2021 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2021 | % of Net Revenue | % Change | Change as a % of Net Revenue | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 1,859 | 27 | % | $ | 1,494 | 27 | % | 24 | % | — | % |
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue increased by $365 million, or 24 percent during fiscal year 2022, as compared to fiscal year 2021. This increase was primarily due to an increase in platform and hosting fees due to new games added to our mobile portfolio through acquisitions activity and higher engagement with Apex Legends, an increase in acquisition-related intangible amortization, and an increase in royalty costs driven by It Takes Two and the growth in the FIFA franchise.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist of expenses incurred by our production studios for personnel-related costs, related overhead costs, external third-party development costs, contracted services, depreciation and any impairment of prepaid royalties for pre-launch products. Research and development expenses for our online products include expenses incurred by our studios consisting of direct development and related overhead costs in connection with the development and production of our online games. Research and development expenses also include expenses associated with our digital platform, software licenses and maintenance, and management overhead.
Research and development expenses for fiscal years 2022 and 2021 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2021 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 2,186 | 31 | % | $ | 1,778 | 32 | % | $ | 408 | 23 | % |
Research and development expenses increased by $408 million, or 23 percent, in fiscal year 2022, as compared to fiscal year 2021. This increase was primarily due to a $229 million increase in personnel-related costs primarily resulting from headcount due to acquisitions and continued investment in our studios, a $71 million increase in stock-based compensation, a $60 million increase in studio-related contracted services, and a $31 million increase in facility-related costs.
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Marketing and Sales
Marketing and sales expenses consist of advertising, marketing and promotional expenses, personnel-related costs, and related overhead costs, net of qualified advertising cost reimbursements from third parties.
Marketing and sales expenses for fiscal years 2022 and 2021 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2021 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 961 | 14 | % | $ | 689 | 12 | % | $ | 272 | 39 | % |
Marketing and sales expenses increased by $272 million, or 39 percent, in fiscal year 2022, as compared to fiscal year 2021. This increase was primarily due to an increase in advertising and promotional spending primarily on our mobile titles, Battlefield 2042, and Apex Legends.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses consist of personnel and related expenses of executive and administrative staff, corporate functions such as finance, legal, human resources, and information technology (“IT”), related overhead costs, fees for professional services such as legal and accounting, and allowances for doubtful accounts.
General and administrative expenses for fiscal years 2022 and 2021 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2021 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 673 | 10 | % | $ | 592 | 11 | % | $ | 81 | 14 | % |
General and administrative expenses increased by $81 million, or 14 percent, in fiscal year 2022, as compared to fiscal year 2021. This increase was primarily due to a $22 million increase in acquisition-related transaction and integration costs, a $16 million increase in personnel-related costs primarily resulting from an increase in headcount, a $15 million increase in IT-related costs, a $13 million increase in stock-based compensation, and a $7 million increase in contracted services.
Amortization and Impairment of Intangibles
Amortization and impairment of intangibles for fiscal years 2022 and 2021 were as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2022 | % of Net Revenue | March 31, 2021 | % of Net Revenue | $ Change | % Change | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 183 | 3 | % | $ | 30 | 1 | % | $ | 153 | 510 | % |
Amortization and impairment of intangibles increased by $153 million in fiscal year 2022, as compared to fiscal year 2021, due to an increase in acquired intangible assets from recent acquisitions, and impairment charges of $34 million recorded in fiscal year 2022.
Income Taxes
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes for fiscal years 2022 and 2021 was as follows (in millions):
| March 31, 2022 | Effective Tax Rate | March 31, 2021 | Effective Tax Rate | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | 292 | 27.0 | % | $ | 180 | 17.7 | % |
Our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 was 27.0 percent as compared to 17.7 percent for the same period in fiscal year 2021.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, we completed intra-entity sales of intellectual property rights related to recent acquisitions to our U.S. and Swiss intellectual property owners (the “Acquired IP intra-entity sales”). The transactions resulted in overall taxable gains. Under U.S. GAAP, any profit resulting from the Acquired IP intra-entity sales was eliminated upon
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consolidation. However, the transactions resulted in a step-up of the U.S. and Swiss tax-deductible basis in the transferred intellectual property rights and, accordingly, created a temporary difference between the book basis and the tax basis of such intellectual property rights. As a result, we recognized a $64 million net tax benefit for the current and deferred tax impacts of the sales.
In addition, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, we recognized a $29 million tax charge to increase the valuation allowance on Swiss deferred tax assets that are not more likely than not to be realized. The Acquired IP intra-entity sales and the change in valuation allowance had the effect of reducing our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 by 3.2 percentage points.
Our effective tax rate and resulting provision for income taxes for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 includes a $141 million tax benefit for changes in uncertain tax positions and the valuation allowance related to our Swiss deferred tax assets. This benefit had the effect of reducing our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 by 13.9 percentage points.
Our effective tax rates for future periods will continue to depend on a variety of factors, including changes in our business, such as acquisitions and intercompany transactions, our corporate structure, the geographic location of business functions or assets, the geographic mix of income, our agreements with tax authorities, applicable accounting rules, applicable tax laws and regulations, rulings and interpretations thereof, developments in tax audit and other matters, and variations in our annual pre-tax income or loss. We anticipate that the impact of excess tax benefits, tax deficiencies, and changes in valuation allowances may result in significant fluctuations to our effective tax rate in the future.
Comparison of Fiscal Year 2021 to Fiscal Year 2020
For the comparison of fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2020, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 26, 2021 under the subheading “Comparison of Fiscal Year 2021 to Fiscal Year 2020.”
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In millions) | 2022 | 2021 | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 2,732 | $ | 5,260 | $ | (2,528) | ||||
| Short-term investments | 330 | 1,106 | (776) | |||||||
| Total | $ | 3,062 | $ | 6,366 | $ | (3,304) | ||||
| Percentage of total assets | 22 | % | 48 | % | ||||||
| Year Ended March 31, | ||||||||||
| (In millions) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 1,899 | $ | 1,934 | $ | (35) | ||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (2,804) | (505) | (2,299) | |||||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (1,620) | (15) | (1,605) | |||||||
| Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents | (3) | 78 | (81) | |||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | $ | (2,528) | $ | 1,492 | $ | (4,020) |
For the comparison of fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2020, refer to Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 26, 2021 under the subheading “Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
Changes in Cash Flow
Operating Activities. Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $35 million during fiscal year 2022, as compared to fiscal year 2021, primarily driven by higher cash payments for income taxes, higher personnel-related payments primarily from an increase in headcount, higher marketing and advertising payments, higher cash payments for royalties, and higher cash payments for platform and hosting fees. These decreases were offset by higher cash generated due to improved performance as we executed against our strategic pillars and increased engagement with our products and services which led to growth in our business.
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Investing Activities. Net cash used in investing activities increased by $2,299 million during fiscal year 2022, as compared to fiscal year 2021, primarily driven by a $2,357 million decrease in proceeds from maturities and sales of short-term investments, higher payments of $2,152 million in connection with acquisitions completed during fiscal year 2022, and a $64 million increase in capital expenditures. These increases were offset by a $2,274 million decrease in the purchase of short-term investments.
Financing Activities. Net cash used in financing activities increased by $1,605 million during fiscal year 2022, as compared to fiscal year 2021, primarily driven by net proceeds from the issuance of the 2031 Notes and 2051 Notes for $1,478 million during fiscal year 2021, a $571 million increase in the repurchase and retirement of our common stock, a $95 million increase in cash dividend payments during fiscal year 2022, and a $52 million increase in cash paid to taxing authorities in connection with employee withholding taxes for stock-based compensation. These increases were offset by a repayment of $600 million of our 2021 Notes during fiscal year 2021.
Short-term Investments
Due to our mix of fixed and variable rate securities, our short-term investment portfolio is susceptible to changes in short-term interest rates. As of March 31, 2022, our short-term investments had gross unrealized losses of $2 million, or less than 1 percent of the total in short-term investments. From time to time, we may liquidate some or all of our short-term investments to fund operational needs or other activities, such as capital expenditures, business acquisitions or stock repurchase programs.
Senior Notes
In February 2021, we issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2031 Notes and $750 million aggregate principal amount of the 2051 Notes. The effective interest rate is 1.98% for the 2031 Notes and 3.04% for the 2051 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on February 15 and August 15 of each year.
In February 2016, we issued $400 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes. The effective interest rate is 4.97% for the 2026 Notes. Interest is payable semiannually in arrears, on March 1 and September 1 of each year.
See Note 12 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Senior Notes, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
Credit Facility
On August 29, 2019, we entered into a $500 million unsecured revolving credit facility (“Credit Facility”) with a syndicate of banks. The Credit Facility terminates on August 29, 2024 unless the maturity is extended in accordance with its terms. As of March 31, 2022, no amounts were outstanding under the Credit Facility. See Note 12 — Financing Arrangements to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K as it relates to our Credit Facility, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.
Financial Condition
Our material cash requirements as of March 31, 2022 are set forth in our Note 14 — Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 7. We expect capital expenditures to be approximately $200 million in fiscal year 2023 due to facility buildouts. We believe that our cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, cash generated from operations and available financing facilities will be sufficient to meet these material cash requirements, which include licensing intellectual property from professional sports leagues and players associations used in our EA SPORTS titles (e.g., the 300+ licenses within our global football ecosystem, NFL Properties LLC, NFL Players Association and NFL Players Inc. on behalf of OneTeam Partners, LLC) and third-party content and celebrities (e.g., Disney Interactive), debt repayment obligations of $1.9 billion, and to fund our operating requirements for the next 12 months and beyond. Our operating requirements include working capital requirements, capital expenditures, the remaining portion of our $2.6 billion share repurchase program, quarterly cash dividend, which is currently $0.19 per share, subject to declaration by our Board of Directors or a designated Committee of the Board of Directors, and potentially, future acquisitions or strategic investments. We may choose at any time to raise additional capital to repay debt, strengthen our financial position, facilitate expansion, repurchase our stock, pursue strategic acquisitions and investments, and/or to take advantage of business opportunities as they arise. There can be no assurance, however, that such additional capital will be available to us on favorable terms, if at all, or that it will not result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders.
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During fiscal year 2022, we returned $1,493 million to stockholders through our capital return programs, repurchasing approximately 9.5 million shares for approximately $1,300 million and $193 million through our quarterly cash dividend program which was initiated in November 2020.
During fiscal year 2022, we also completed mergers and acquisitions activity, including the acquisitions of 100% of the equity interests of Glu and Playdemic for cash considerations of $2.0 billion and $1.4 billion, net of cash acquired, respectively, and one other immaterial acquisition.
Our foreign subsidiaries are generally subject to U.S. tax, and to the extent earnings from these subsidiaries can be repatriated without a material tax cost, such earnings will not be indefinitely reinvested. As of March 31, 2022, approximately $2.0 billion of our cash and cash equivalents were domiciled in foreign tax jurisdictions. All of our foreign cash is available for repatriation without a material tax cost.
We have a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 on file with the SEC. This shelf registration statement, which includes a base prospectus, allows us at any time to offer any combination of securities described in the prospectus in one or more offerings. Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement accompanying the base prospectus, we would use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered pursuant to the shelf registration statement for general corporate purposes, which may include funding for working capital, financing capital expenditures, research and development, marketing and distribution efforts, and if opportunities arise, for acquisitions or strategic alliances. Pending such uses, we may invest the net proceeds in interest-bearing securities. In addition, we may conduct concurrent or other financings at any time.
Our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity could be affected by various risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, customer demand and acceptance of our products, our ability to collect our accounts receivable as they become due, successfully achieving our product release schedules and attaining our forecasted sales objectives, economic and geopolitical conditions in the United States and abroad, the impact of acquisitions and other strategic transactions in which we may engage, the impact of competition, the seasonal and cyclical nature of our business and operating results, and the other risks described in the “Risk Factors” section, included in Part I, Item 1A of this report.
As of March 31, 2022, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
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