The past ten years worth of Take-Two financial reports may not be reliable and the company incorrectly granted and documented stock options, a special investigatory committee found.
While the Special Committee, which was established by Take-Two's Board of Directors to investigate post stock option grants and the accounting surrounding them, have yet to determine how much money is involved, they did say that all financial statements, earnings releases and "similar communications" issued from 1997 through April 30, 2006 should not be relied on.
The committee added that they did not find misconduct by the Company's current Executive Officers.
Take-Two also announced that they have met with the NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel about the letter they received saying that the company could be delisted for not filing their most recent fiscal statement on time. The company requested an extension of time, but have not heard a response yet.
While it remains to be seen just how much significant the readjustment is going to be for the company, I'd wager a guess that news that a decade's worth of financial reports are now worth about as much as Take-Two's stock is going to do some major damage to the company.
New York, NY - December 11, 2006 - Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today announced that a Special Committee of its Board of Directors has reported its preliminary findings on the Company's stock option granting practices and procedures to the Board of Directors.
As previously announced, the Special Committee was established by Take-Two's Board of Directors to conduct an independent investigation relating to past stock option grants, the timing of such grants and related accounting matters. The Special Committee consists of three independent members of Take-Two's Board of Directors, and is being assisted in the investigation by outside legal counsel Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP and independent accountants BDO Seidman, LLP.
The Special Committee conducted a thorough investigation, including a review and analysis of documents and emails, and interviews of current and former officers, directors, employees and advisors to Take-Two. The Special Committee found that there were improprieties in the process of granting and documenting stock options and that incorrect measurement dates for certain stock option grants were used for financial accounting purposes. The Special Committee expects to prepare a final report detailing both its findings and recommendations for remedial actions.
While Take-Two and its independent auditors are currently reviewing the findings of the Special Committee, the Board of Directors and management have concluded that the Company will need to restate historical financial statements to record non-cash charges for compensation expense relating to past stock option grants. Although the amount of such charges and the resulting tax and accounting impact has not yet been determined, all consolidated financial statements, earnings releases and similar communications issued by the Company containing financial information for periods beginning 1997 through April 30, 2006 should no longer be relied upon. Any non-cash stock-based compensation expense recorded will not affect the Company's previously reported cash positions or revenues.
The investigation did not find misconduct by the Company's current Executive Officers, including Paul Eibeler, Take-Two's Chief Executive Officer and President, and Karl Winters, Take-Two's Chief Financial Officer.
Additionally, Take-Two has met with the NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel regarding the previously announced NASDAQ Staff Determination letters indicating that the Company is not in compliance with NASDAQ filing requirements because, due to the Special Committee's ongoing stock options investigation, the Company has delayed the filing of its Form 10-Q for the fiscal third quarter ended July 31, 2006, and has delayed the solicitation of proxies and its annual shareholders' meeting for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005. At the meeting with the NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel, Take-Two requested an extension of time to file its Form 10-Q, solicit proxies and hold an annual meeting. The Company's shares will remain listed under the ticker symbol TTWO on The NASDAQ Global Select Market pending a decision by the Panel on the Company's request.
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