DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. reported a strong first quarter primarily from continued box office from “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.” The Glendale-based studio’s latest feature film release “Monsters Vs. Aliens” did not figure in to the quarterly earnings except for from merchandising as the movie hit theaters just days before the end of the quarter. For the quarter ending March 31, DreamWorks Animation reported a net income of $62.3 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, on revenues of $263.5 million. For the same period in 2008, the company reported net income of $26.1 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, on revenues of $157.2 million. “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” brought in $147.5 million in revenue for the quarter from international box office receipts and DVD sales. The total worldwide box office is $595 million. This was the second quarter in a row that DreamWorks Animation released a DVD to strong sales. The studio ended 2008 with the DVD release of “Kung Fu Panda.” “Just as it does in theaters, family content – and CG animated hits in particular – continues to outperform the industry as a whole,” said studio COO Ann Daly. Mark R. Madler
