Genius Brands Set to Join Russell 3000® Index

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., June 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Brands International, Inc. (“Genius Brands” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: GNUS), a global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia entertainment content for children, announces it is set to join the broad-market Russell 3000® Index at the conclusion of the 2021 Russell indexes annual reconstitution, effective when the US market opens on June 28, 2021, according to a preliminary list of additions posted on June 4, 2021.

The annual Russell indexes reconstitution captures the 4,000 largest US stocks as of May 7, ranking them by total market capitalization. Membership in the US all-cap Russell 3000® Index, which remains in place for one year, means Genius Brands will also be included in the Russell 2000® Index as well as the appropriate growth and value style indexes. FTSE Russell determines membership for its Russell indexes primarily by objective, market-capitalization rankings and style attributes.

Andy Heyward, CEO of Genius Brands, commented, “We’re pleased to be included in the Russell 3000 and Russell 2000 Indexes, as we believe this reflects the dramatic growth we have experienced over the past year. In particular, our recently launched tentpole brand, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, has now surpassed 28 million views, averaging now over 4 million views per episode, making this one of the most highly viewed new cartoon launches in history. We are particularly excited about the launch of Superhero Kindergarten on Alibaba's Youku Kids platform in China, with over 140 million subscribers, at the end of the year. Additionally, our new kids streaming platform, Kartoon Channel!, is experiencing rapid growth, with viewer satisfaction rankings exceeding those of Netflix, Disney+, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and YouTube Kids, in both the Apple and the Google app stores. This free, streaming AVOD platform for kids now has reach to all US TV households and over 300 million devices. We look forward to building on our growth with the launch of exciting upcoming productions, such as Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal, and KC Pop Quiz, as well as Season 3 and a new toy launch around the hit series Rainbow Rangers on Kartoon Channel!, with episodes available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video Direct, as well as HBO MAX and Nick Lat Am in Latin America. We believe inclusion in the Russell 3000® index will provide broader visibility with the global investment community, as we remain laser focused on growing and driving value for shareholders.”

Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies. Approximately $10.6 trillion in assets are benchmarked against Russell’s US indexes. Russell indexes are part of FTSE Russell, a leading global index provider. For more information on the Russell 3000® Index and the Russell indexes reconstitution, go to the “Russell Reconstitution” section on the FTSE Russell website.

About Genius Brands International
Genius Brands International, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNUS) is a leading global kids media company developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for media and retail distribution. The Company’s ‘content with a purpose’ portfolio includes Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel!; Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal on Kartoon Channel!; Rainbow Rangers on Kartoon Channel! and Netflix; Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, on Netflix; award-winning toddler brand Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM series Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and entrepreneurship series Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club. Through licensing agreements with leading partners, characters from Genius Brands’ IP also appear on a wide range of consumer products for the worldwide retail marketplace. The Company’s Kartoon Channel! and Kartoon Classroom! are available in over 100 million U.S. television households via a broad range of distribution platforms, including Comcast, Cox, DISH, Sling TV, Amazon Prime, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Apple iOS, Android TV, Android Mobil, Google Play, Xumo, Roku, Tubi, YouTube, KartoonChannel.com, Samsung Smart TVs and LG TVs. For additional information, please visit www.gnusbrands.com.

About FTSE Russell:
FTSE Russell is a global index leader that provides innovative benchmarking, analytics and data solutions for investors worldwide. FTSE Russell calculates thousands of indexes that measure and benchmark markets and asset classes in more than 70 countries, covering 98% of the investable market globally.

FTSE Russell index expertise and products are used extensively by institutional and retail investors globally. Approximately $17.9 trillion is currently benchmarked to FTSE Russell indexes. For over 30 years, leading asset owners, asset managers, ETF providers and investment banks have chosen FTSE Russell indexes to benchmark their investment performance and create ETFs, structured products and index-based derivatives.

A core set of universal principles guides FTSE Russell index design and management: a transparent rules-based methodology is informed by independent committees of leading market participants. FTSE Russell is focused on applying the highest industry standards in index design and governance and embraces the IOSCO Principles. FTSE Russell is also focused on index innovation and customer partnerships as it seeks to enhance the breadth, depth and reach of its offering.

FTSE Russell is wholly owned by London Stock Exchange Group. For more information, visit www.ftserussel.com.

Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, our ability to generate revenue or achieve profitability; our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all; the potential issuance of a significant number of shares, which will dilute our equity holders; fluctuations in the results of our operations from period to period; general economic and financial conditions; our ability to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of content and within the retail market; our reliance on and relationships with third-party production and animation studios; our ability to market and advertise our products; our reliance on third-parties to promote our products; our ability to keep pace with technological advances; our ability to protect our intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

MEDIA CONTACT:
pr@gnusbrands.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:                                                                        
ir@gnusbrands.com

Released June 8, 2021