Big profit, Big Fish for Aristocrat
STRONG growth in the Americas has helped boost Aristocrat Leisure’s annual profit, and the company will expand its digital gaming operations with the acquisition of Seattle-based social gaming company Big Fish Games for $US990 million ($A1.4 billion).
Aristocrat’s net profit for the year to September 30 has jumped 41.3 per cent to $495.1 million on the back of a strong performance across its global operations, especially in the Americas market, and significant growth in the digital business.
The poker machine supplier said it anticipates continued growth in fiscal 2018. Chief executive Trevor Croker says Aristocrat has delivered highquality results over the year despite mostly flat markets and increasing competition. “Industry-leading content, hardware and technology, coupled with effective execution focused on our highest-value opportunities, once again underpinned our performance,” Mr Croker said in a statement yesterday.
“Going forward, Aristocrat will continue to target highquality growth, with the benefit of our established performance momentum, broadening capabilities, strong balance sheet and growing recurring revenue base.” Aristocrat said the acquisition of Big Fish Games would make Aristocrat’s digital business the second biggest provider of social casino games by revenue globally.
Big Fish is a global publisher of free-to-play games that focus on specific segments, including social casino, social gaming and premium paid games. Its social gaming titles include Gummy Drop! and Fairway Solitaire.
Big Fish will operate as a stand-alone business alongside Aristocrat’s other social gaming operations.