Marvel profit tops Street

Marvel Entertainment Inc's (MVL.N) quarterly profit topped market estimates on strength at its licensing segment and continued demand for the home video versions of "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk," its first self-produced films released last year.

The media company -- whose businesses include publishing, licensing and movies -- raised its 2009 sales outlook, as well as the lower end of its earnings outlook for the year, based on the robust first quarter and a decline in the anticipated full-year tax rate.

First-quarter net income fell to $44.5 million, or 57 cents a share, from $45.2 million, or 58 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 75 percent to $197 million.

Analysts were looking for earnings of 37 cents a share, excluding exceptional items, on revenue of $138.2 million, according to Reuters Estimates.

For 2009, the company forecast earnings of $1.10 to $1.35 a share, lifting the lower end of its previous forecast by 10 cents a share.

Shares of Marvel -- which has a portfolio of over 5000 characters, including Spider-Man and X-Men -- closed at $31.10 Monday on the New York Stock Exchange. They have gained 13 percent in the last month.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNewsUS/idUKTRE5442OJ20090505

Marvel delays The Avengers, Thor releases

Media company Marvel Entertainment Inc said it rescheduled the release dates of some of its self-produced feature film properties through 2012.

As per the revised schedule, the release date of the multi-character superhero film 'The Avengers' has been extended by about a year to May 4, 2012, from July 15, 2011.

'Thor', the big-screen adaptation of one of Marvel's popular comic book characters, will now release on June 17, 2011, instead of July 16, 2010, the company said.

"It maximizes the visibility of our single character-focused films, leading to the highly anticipated release of the multi-character The Avengers film in 2012," David Maisel, chairman of Marvel Studios, said in a statement.

The company now plans to release 'The First Avenger: Captain America' on July 22, 2011, instead of May 6, 2011.

However, 'Iron Man 2' will be released as scheduled on May 7, 2010, Marvel said.

Marvel also confirmed that Sony Pictures will release 'Spider-Man 4' on May 6, 2011. Marvel has licensed theatrical rights of Spider-Man, its most popular character, to the unit of Sony.

Shares of Marvel closed at $24.55 Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange.

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE52B31F20090312

Marvel sued for $750M in movie profits

Shareholders of an ill-fated Stan Lee venture are seeking more than $750 million in profits from films based on Marvel comic characters such as "Spider-Man," "X-Men" and "Iron Man."

The lawsuit was filed Monday in a Manhattan federal court on behalf of four shareholders of Stan Lee Media, Inc. Defendants include Lee, his wife, New York-based Marvel Entertainment, Inc., and former Marvel CEO Avi Arad.

The lawsuit claims profits from Lee's comic creations belong to the company, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2006. The suit claims Lee and others ignored the company and shareholder's interests.

Lee could not immediately be reached for comment. Marvel said through a spokesman that the lawsuit is filled with "ridiculous claims." - AP