Play Meter

UPDATE EDITION
May26, 1978
Volume 4, Number 10
Bally nets record earnings
Bally achieved record revenues,
net income , and earnings per share
in the first quarter of 1978, according
to William T. O'Donnell, chairman
and president of the Chicago firm.
For the quarter ended March 31,
1978, Bally's revenues were a record
$74,334,000 , 39 percent above
1977's previous first quarter record
of $53,353,000 . Net income for the
first quarter of 1978 rose 125
percent to a record $7,487,000
compared to $3,334,000 in last
year's comparable period . Until now,
last year's was the best first quarter in
Bally's history. First quarter 1978
earnings per share , also a record,
were 62 cents or 121 percent above
the previous first quarter record 28
cents registered in 1977.
The 1978 period includes a net
foreign currency exchange gain of
$320 ,000 (three cents per share).
The corresponding period of 1977
reflects a loss of $160,000 (one cent
per share) .
In reviewing first quarter opera-
tions, O'Donnell singled out three
product areas which paved the way
to the record results.
"Shipments of pinball machines
were sharply higher. versus a year
ago," O'Donnell stated, "reflecting
the substantially increased share of
the pinball market which Bally gained
during 1977 following the intro-
duction of our new all solid-state line
of equipment. The higher volume,
along with advances in manu-
facturing efficiencies also led to
significantly higher profit margins for
the quarter ."
"As for slot machine sales,"
O'Donnell noted, "we are continuing
to experience strong demand for our
Silver Dollar slot machine which did
so well for us in 1977. In addition,
we are now making shipments to
several new casinos in Nevada . This
combination of strong replacement
demand and the requirements for
new casinos is continuing into the
current quarter at an even greater
rate than was experienced in the
record first quarter."
The Navy, Atari learns, is not just a job
(There's fun and games too)
Atari recently attended the first
Fleet Habitability Symposium spon -
sored by the U.S . Navy in San
Diego . As a result, coin -operated
video games may soon be stationed
on board ships to add to the leisure
time recreation of sailors .
The objective of the symposium
was "to develop ideas and proposals
that will strengthen the quality of life
aboard U.S . Navy ships ," indicated
Vice Admiral R .P . Coogan. Atari
representatives met with Navy man-
agers and Fleet personnel to make
formal recommendations to enrich
the habitability of shipboard life .
The proposal to add coin-ope-
rated video games on ships as part of
the recreational facilities program
was viewed as an excellent op-
portunity to improve the program .
Captain R. P . Perry , director of
Special Services for SuPers; was
enthusiastic about the concept. "The
games can provide excellent recrea -
tion for sailors . They can also be
effective · as therapeutic and skill
development aids ," he noted in the
Recreation Workshop .
Several drawbacks were acknowl-
edged concerning the implementa-
tion of the program . The most crucial
of these is the minimal availability of
space on ships . To alleviate this
potential problem , it was recom -
mended that they primarily use
space-saving wall games and table
games which are multi -purpose. The
use of tokens was suggested to help
control cash as well as offering an
opportunity for special prices and
promotions of games on the ship .
Special safety requirements will also
be identified and met .
Atari's Fred McCord sits down to a table game with a U.S. Navy
representative at the first Fleet Habitability Symposium in San Diego. Navy
officials were enthusiastic about the p roposal to use coin-op video games
on ships.