GREAT LEAP BACKWARD? LeapFrog is leaping--the wrong way. Last week, shares for the publicly-traded educational entertainment company (LF) dived to its lowest level in over six years. (Its stock is at $1.47 at the time of writing.) It's not a good sign for the educational gaming industry, which is gathering this week in Los Angeles at E3, the mega-expo for video games (where EdSurge's Tony Wan is on scene to file a report.)
Founded in 1994, the Emeryville, CA-based company that was once a powerhouse in the edutainment industry has struggled to grow its footprint, despite efforts to launch its own educational game console and create its own kid-safe Internet browser. Leapfrog's 2014 Q4 results were disappointing, reporting a 36 percent decline in sales. Analysts are not optimistic; a headline from financial media outlet, Seeking Alpha, suggests "Even a Kiss from a Princess Can't Save LeapFrog."