EA’s September quarter net bookings clear $2.08B, up14% on strength of football

Electronic Arts reported that its net bookings for the second fiscal quarter ended September 30 were $2.079 billion, up 14% on the strength of American football.

That number exceeded the top end of EA’s own guidance range of $2.05 billion. The company is raising its net bookings guidance range for the fiscal year (ending March 31, 2025) to $7.5 billion to $7.8 billion, up 1% to 5% year over year.

American Football is on track to exceed $1 billion in net bookings for FY25, with total hours played in FYQ2 up over 140% from a year ago. EA also saw new players in the community more than double year over year.

Momentum continues in global football as the franchise saw live service growth across all platforms in FYQ2, and total franchise net bookings in FY25 are on track to grow over a record FY24.

And EA said The Sims 4 continues to expand, with more than 15 million players joining the game over the past year. Increased engagement led to higher-than-expected net bookings for the franchise in FYQ2.  

“EA delivered another strong quarter with record Q2 net bookings, driven by our incredible teams, broad portfolio and technology leadership,” said Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA, in a statement. “The momentum in our business reinforces our strategic vision to deliver innovative experiences and interactive entertainment that deepens and expands engagement across our global communities.”

It’s been a big couple of years for EA in many ways as the company brought back the EA Sports College Football game after a falling out with the NCAA, following up on its launch of EA Sports soccer after leaving behind the FIFA franchise.

“Q2 was another successful quarter for EA, exceeding the high end of our guidance range. As a result, we are also raising our FY25 outlook,” said Stuart Canfield, CFO of EA, in a statement. “We remain confident in our ability to drive long-term value creation through increased scale, driving top-line growth, improved margins, and greater cash flow as shared at our Investor Day.”

Through September, EA Sports College Football 25 was the best-selling HD title in North America and gives EA three of the top ten HD bestsellers in North America. Global football saw live service growth across all platforms in FYQ2, and total franchise net bookings in FY25 are on track to grow over a record FY24.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $234 million for the quarter and $2.198 billion for the trailing twelve months. EA repurchased 2.6 million shares for $375 million during the quarter under the stock repurchase program, bringing the total for the trailing twelve months to 10.2 million shares for $1.400 billion.

For the fiscal year, net income is expected to be approximately $1.962 billion to $2.123 billion. Diluted earnings per share is expected to be approximately $7.35 to $7.95. Operating cash flow is expected to be approximately $2.075 billion to $2.275 billion.

In the current third fiscal quarter, EA just launched Dragon Age: Veilguard from BioWare after years of development. The company said revenue for the third fiscal quarter ending December 31 is expected to be approximately $1.875 billion to $2.025 billion. Net income is expected to be approximately $2.4 billion to $2.55 billion. Diluted earnings per share is expected to be approximately $3.25 to $3.45.