*AAC posts groovy Q1

Toronto’s Alliance Atlantis Communications credits some of its first-quarter jump in revenue to the success of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. aac garnered $163.3 million in revenue during the first quarter of its fiscal year (ending June 30, 1999). This quarter’s figure compares with the $124.6 million generated by Alliance and Atlantis independently before their landmark merger last year. (All comparatives with last year’s first quarter are given on a pro forma combined basis as if the merger had occurred April 1, 1998.)

aac’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization rose 38% to $17.9 million from $13 million for the same quarter in 1998, with net earnings at $7.1 million, up from $4.8 million last year.

First-quarter motion picture revenue leapt 62% to $61.4 million, up from $38 million in 1998. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me contributed with more than $14 million at the box office over its mid-June opening weekend.

*Lions Gate’s film division delivers for Q1

Lions Gate Entertainment saw revenue jump 55% to $28.2 million in the first quarter of its fiscal year from $18.2 million for the same quarter in 1998. Most of that revenue came from a strong motion picture division that garnered $22 million (up 49% from $14.8 million in 1998) along with $12.9 million in video revenue (from $3.3 million in first quarter 1998).

Net loss totaled $3.4 million, with an additional operating loss of $1.2 million suffered as a result of Lions Gate’s 45% equity interest in Mandalay Pictures. Total loss per share is $0.15 for first quarter ’99. Lions Gate hopes Mandalay will deliver strong box-office receipts when the Tim Burton feature Sleepy Hollow is released in Lions Gate’s third quarter.

*Mainframe reports successful quarter

Vancouver’s Mainframe Entertainment boasts a significant increase in first-quarter revenue for its 2000 fiscal year, thanks for the most part to the delivery of 13 half-hours during the period. Revenue rose to $6.85 million from $128,000 in the first quarter in 1999. Also of note is that Mainframe’s net loss for first quarter 2000 is $860,000 ($0.06 per share), compared with 1999’s first quarter net loss of $3.9 million ($0.28 per share).