Vancouver: Mainframe Entertainment of Vancouver recorded earnings of $2.4 million ($0.14 per share) on revenue of $39.9 million, making fiscal 2001 (ended March 31) its best year yet. Fiscal 2000, by comparison, reported earnings of $840,000 ($0.05 per share) on revenue of $32 million.

In the most recent year, Mainframe produced 50 television episodes (27 for Heavy Gear and 23 for Action Man) and its first direct-to-video production, Casper’s Haunted Christmas.

New CEO Lou Novak says Mainframe is finally able to take ‘full advantage’ of the merchandising and licensing opportunities presented by the company’s proprietary productions.

‘Our business expansion begins with the relaunch of ReBoot in fall 2001,’ he says. ‘Irwin Toys is producing an expanded ReBoot action figure line and we recently signed a licensing agreement with Infogrames to produce new ReBoot computer games. This is the first in a large stable of digital properties Mainframe intends to exploit across a variety of media platforms.’

The first of two ReBoot MOWs is in production.

Mainframe is also wrapping the final three episodes of the 26-episode order of Action Man for Hasbro Properties Group, and is continuing production on the remaining 13 episodes of the 40-episode order of Heavy Gear for Sony Pictures subsidiary Adelaide Productions.

The 3D Barbie in The Nutcracker, the company’s second direct-to-video production, is in its final weeks of production

And Mainframe, in conjunction with Fleischer Studios, is developing and producing a new animated series based on Betty Boop.

Mainframe shares traded in the $1.03 per share range on July 18, compared to the year high of $2.49 per share and the year low of $0.81 per share. *

-www.mainframe.ca