From Red Herring:
herring.com
BANDAI
Nasdaq: BNDCY | CEO: Takashi Mogi | Tokyo, Japan | +81/03-3847-5005 | www.bandai.com | Founded: 1950 | Employees: 944
Market/product: Develops interactive games, software, and toys. Products include the Tamagotchi virtual pet (an LCD encased in a plastic egg, generally attached to a key chain) and a CD-ROM-based Internet access device that adds Web surfing and email capabilities to TVs. System software is contained in the CD-ROM instead of a hard disk, so device can work independently of PCs. With Microsoft, codeveloped Surf Monkey, a child-oriented suite of online products for Windows 95, including a Web browser based on IE 4.0, email, and chat with built-in parental protection. Plans to release a CD-ROM version of the Tamagotchi for the PC before year-end. Competes with WebTV, Network Computer, and Sun Microsystems.
Finance/strategy: Revenues for fiscal 1997 (ended March) were Y98.7 billion ($816.7 million), a decrease of 6.4 percent from 1996. Net income fell to Y4.3 billion from Y5.2 billion in the same period. Strategic partners include Apple Computer, Motorola, and MediaLive. President previously headed Bandai Visual and was appointed to current position when former president resigned. |
