Square Enix has posted its financial results for the third quarter of the fiscal year 2003/2004 today. According to the figures released in Tokyo today, the company posted a net profit of 4.1 billion yen ($38.68 million US) on of sales of 21 billion yen ($198.1 million US). This time the most popular item in Square Enix's portfolio however was not a game, but rather the manga series Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Full Metal Alchemist). So far eight million copies have been sold in Japan. Its game adaption, which was released in Japan on December 25th, has sold 200,000 copies. For the full fiscal year ending on March 31st, Square Enix expects sales of 56 billion yen ($528.25 million US) and a net profit of 8.1 billion yen ($76.41 million US), sticking to earlier projections. The loss of investment in retailer DigiCube, which filed for bankruptcy last year, has cost Square Enix 760 million yen ($7.17 million US).

• Bloomberg Japan