Activision-Blizzard (ATVI) has just announced their earnings numbers which were much better than expected. The company earned $0.49 per share on $2.5 billion in revenue on a non-GAAP basis, solidly above estimates of $0.44 per share on $2.23 billion in revenue.

Activision-Blizzard of course had a huge boost over the Christmas period with their leading game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

The company also announced that it would issue a $0.15 annual dividend, and is initiating a stock buyback of up to $1 billion.