LNW.O

Light Wonder Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

authorIntellectia.AI

2024-11-133mins

Light & Wonder Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Light & Wonder, Inc. (NASDAQ and ASX: LNW) has announced its financial results for the third quarter ending September 30, 2024, showcasing continued momentum with consolidated revenue growth.

Key Financial Metrics

Financial Metric Q3 2024 Actual Q3 2023 Actual Year-Over-Year Change (%) Wall Street Consensus Estimates
Revenue $817 million $731 million 12% $821.21 million
Earnings Per Share (EPS) $0.71 $0.81 -12% $1.09

The company reported a 12% increase in consolidated revenue to $817 million compared to the prior year period, marking its 14th consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth. However, EPS decreased to $0.71 from $0.81 due to higher restructuring and legal costs. While falling short of Wall Street expectations, Light & Wonder's revenue performance was driven by strong results across all segments.

Revenue Performance by Segment

Segment Q3 2024 Revenue Year-Over-Year Change (%)
Gaming $537 million 15%
SciPlay $206 million 5%
iGaming $74 million 6%
  • The Gaming segment led with a 15% revenue increase, driven by a 38% growth in global gaming machine sales and consistent performance in North American operations.
  • SciPlay reported a 5% increase due to strong payer metrics in its social casino business.
  • iGaming revenue experienced a 6% rise, with significant movement in North American operations.

Key Developments and Operational Highlights

  • Gaming Machine Sales: 38% growth in sales.
  • S&P/ASX 100 Index Inclusion: Added on September 25, 2024.
  • Shareholder Returns: $44 million returned to shareholders through repurchases.
  • Dragon Train Litigation: Addressing impact with diversified game offerings; 95% of affected units replaced or converted.
  • Net Debt Leverage Ratio: Improved to 2.9x within the targeted range.

Executive Commentary

Matt Wilson, President and CEO, highlighted the strength of the company's diverse gaming portfolio and the success of its scalable R&D platform. Oliver Chow, CFO, emphasized cash generation and strategic financial plans that include continued R&D, capex investments, and a focused share repurchase program, reinforcing the 2025 AEBITDA target of $1.4 billion.

Capital Management Activities

The company repurchased approximately 0.4 million shares, amounting to $44 million in capital returns. There were no announced changes in dividends or additional share repurchase programs.

Forward Guidance

Light & Wonder reaffirmed its 2025 AEBITDA target of $1.4 billion and expects AEBITDA growth to be above 10% for the full year 2024.

Stock Price Movement

Following the earnings release, Light & Wonder's stock experienced a slight decline, with an after-event price change of -0.83%.

This comprehensive earnings report underscores Light & Wonder's continued trajectory towards sustained growth and strategic milestones despite facing certain operational challenges.

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