Shares of Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO 3.35%) were flying higher on Friday. The company's stock gained 14.4% as of 12:25 p.m. ET and was up as much as 14.7% earlier in the day. The leap comes as the S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.09%) lost 0.8% and the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 0.02%) lost 1.2% in the day's trading.
The video game maker reported better-than-expected numbers for its Q3 2025 -- ending on Dec. 31 -- after the market closed on Thursday. Take-Two also confirmed the release of a key game is still on track for the fall.
The numbers
The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.72 for the quarter, coming in well above the expected $0.58. The company expects a significant jump in EPS for the current quarter, setting guidance of $1.37 per share, again exceeding Wall Street's consensus of $1.22 a share.
Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick explained that the strong numbers came from "significant outperformance" of one of Take-Two's more valuable games, NBA 2K, and that this next year was "shaping up to be one of the strongest ever for Take-Two."
Gamers rejoice
The company has a strong lineup of games releasing in the next year that will undoubtedly drive sales. One game, however, is likely to be a true blockbuster, Grand Theft Auto 6. The next installment of the legendary series is hotly anticipated, and gamers were eager to see if its release date would be pushed back -- a not-too-uncommon phenomenon in modern "AAA" gaming.
Company leadership allayed these fears, however, confirming a fall 2025 release. The news, in combination with an already strong earnings report, sent shares higher.
