MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paramount’s Ananey Studios has announced a strategic partnership with Future Today, a leader in ad-supported streaming. The agreement will bring three of Ananey Studios’ acclaimed titles - The Malevolent Bride (horror-drama series, produced in partnership with A&E Studios and originally aired on KAN), Rising (youth drama, originally aired on YES), and Remnants (drama film, 2025 Rockie Awards winner for Best Youth Live Action and 2025 Chelsea Film Festiva ...

Core Viewpoint - Sabio Holdings has announced a brokered private placement offering of common shares, aiming to raise up to $4 million at a price of $0.43 per share, with Canaccord Genuity Corp. acting as the lead agent [1][6]. Group 1: Offering Details - The offering will consist of LIFE Shares, which will be available to select purchasers under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, allowing immediate trading without a hold period in Canada, except Québec [2]. - The offering document has been filed on SEDAR+ and is accessible for prospective investors to review before making investment decisions [3]. - LIFE Shares will also be offered to investors outside Canada, with sales to U.S. persons limited to "Accredited Investors" under specific regulations [4]. Group 2: Financial Terms - Agents involved in the offering will receive a cash commission of 6.0% of the gross proceeds and warrants equal to 6.0% of the number of LIFE Shares sold, with a reduced commission of 3.0% for President's List investors [5]. - The net proceeds from the offering are intended for general corporate purposes and working capital, with some funds allocated for international and creator TV investments [6]. Group 3: Timeline and Conditions - The closing of the offering is expected around November 5, 2025, subject to necessary approvals, including from the TSX Venture Exchange [7]. Group 4: Company Overview - Sabio Holdings is a leader in the ad-supported streaming space, providing a cloud-based technology stack that collaborates with global brands to engage streaming audiences [9]. - The company features a proprietary ad-serving technology platform and App Science™, a non-cookie-based analytics platform, along with Creator Television®, a creator-led streaming network [10].

Core Thesis - Fox Corporation is experiencing a bullish outlook primarily driven by the growth of its ad-supported streaming service, Tubi, which is gaining traction in the FAST market [1][5]. Tubi's Performance - Tubi's viewership share reached 2.2% in September 2025, marking a 22% increase from 1.8% in August 2024, indicating a new upward trend in viewership [2]. - The service has shown consistent engagement and market-leading performance, positioning Fox favorably against competitors like HBO Max, Paramount+, and Peacock [3][4]. Strategic Importance - Tubi's growth highlights Fox's effective ad-supported streaming strategy, capturing a significant audience segment in a competitive landscape [3]. - The combination of rising viewership and advertising revenue potential underscores Tubi's strategic importance to Fox, suggesting continued incremental value as the FAST sector expands [4]. Competitive Differentiation - Tubi represents a key competitive differentiator for Fox Corporation, showcasing underrecognized success within the broader streaming ecosystem [4].

Core Insights - 9 Story Media Group has partnered with Future Today to launch the first-ever Scholastic-branded streaming app, available on Roku and Amazon Fire TV, providing families with a free and safe platform for on-demand access to Scholastic programming [1][3]. Company Overview - 9 Story Media Group is a leading creator, producer, and distributor of children's media, now part of the Scholastic portfolio, recognized for its digital content strategy and AVOD distribution [7]. - Future Today is a leader in ad-supported streaming media, managing top free channels across various OTT platforms and providing technology solutions for content owners [8][9]. Content Offering - The Scholastic app features over 400 hours of premium content from iconic titles such as "Clifford the Big Red Dog," "The Magic School Bus," and "Goosebumps," targeting children ages 2-12 and their families [2][3]. Strategic Goals - The app is part of Scholastic's broader strategy to expand access to its catalog of children's series, leveraging synergies from its investment in 9 Story [3]. - The collaboration aims to meet the strong demand for quality nostalgic content, ensuring families have access to trusted stories that entertain and educate [5].

Core Insights - Roku shares are currently trading at a premium with a Value Score of D, reflecting a price-to-cash flow ratio of 42.86X, which is above the industry average of 34.28X [2][10] - The company generated $310.1 million in operating cash flow over the trailing twelve months as of March 31, 2025, indicating strong cash generation capabilities [3] - Roku's strategic initiatives, including partnerships and hardware expansion, are expected to drive engagement and subscription growth [6][9] Subscription Growth and Partnerships - Roku is enhancing its subscription efforts with personalized features and a seamless billing system, leading to tens of millions of billed subscriptions each month [6] - In Q1 2025, Roku acquired Frndly TV, adding over 50 live and on-demand channels, and partnered with Apple TV+ to offer free trials, aiming to boost user engagement [7] - The company is focusing on ad-supported streaming through tech upgrades and partnerships, including a new collaboration with Amazon Ads, which has shown a 40% increase in unique reach for advertisers [12] Hardware Expansion - Roku launched its first Roku-made TVs in Canada, featuring QLED 4K models and various smart features, enhancing the streaming experience [8] - This move allows Roku to control both hardware and software, deepening user engagement and strengthening its international presence [9] Financial Performance and Market Position - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Roku's 2025 loss is narrowed to 18 cents per share, with total revenues projected at $4.55 billion, indicating a year-over-year growth of 10.63% [13] - Roku shares have increased by 22.2% year-to-date, underperforming the industry growth of 30.9% but outperforming the consumer discretionary sector's return of 10.3% [14] - The company holds $2.26 billion in cash with no long-term debt, supporting innovation and operational needs [15] Competitive Landscape - Roku competes in a crowded ad-supported streaming market with major players like Netflix, Paramount Global, and Disney, which have seen significant user growth in their ad-supported tiers [11] - The company's strategic partnerships and tech-driven innovations are aimed at maintaining competitiveness in this rapidly evolving market [12] Conclusion - Roku's expanding subscription base, strategic hardware growth, and rising momentum in ad-supported streaming position the company for long-term success [19] - With strong fundamentals, zero long-term debt, and upward revisions in earnings estimates, Roku presents a compelling investment opportunity despite its premium valuation [19][20]

Core Insights - Disney's partnership with Amazon Ads aims to enhance advertising capabilities, but investors are advised to wait before purchasing shares [2][10] - The integration allows Amazon DSP access to premium inventory across Disney's platforms, improving ad targeting and revenue optimization [3][4] - The partnership is set to launch in Q3 2025, with significant revenue contributions expected only in fiscal 2026 [5][10] Financial Performance - Disney reported a 7% increase in revenues to $23.6 billion for Q2 fiscal 2025, with adjusted earnings per share growing by 20% [6] - The Entertainment segment showed strong performance, with operating income rising 61%, driven by Direct-to-Consumer results [6] - The streaming business is moving towards profitability, with operating income reaching $336 million and a total of over 180 million subscriptions across Disney+ and Hulu [7] Market Position and Competitive Landscape - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 revenues is $94.89 billion, indicating a 3.86% year-over-year growth [8] - Disney faces significant competition in the streaming market, with rising content costs and challenges in subscription growth [11] - The company's shares have returned 6% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector [12] Valuation and Investment Outlook - Disney trades at a P/E ratio of 19.25, below the industry average of 20.26, reflecting mixed fundamentals [10][17] - The traditional linear television business is declining, with mixed results in the Linear Networks segment and a 12% decline in operating income in the Sports segment [16] - Current shareholders are advised to hold their positions, while prospective investors may consider waiting for a better entry point in fiscal 2026 [19][20]

Core Insights - Roku and Paramount Global are competing in the ad-supported streaming market, with Roku showing stronger growth and performance compared to Paramount Global [1][2] Roku's Performance - Roku's ad-supported streaming business saw a 17% year-over-year revenue growth, reaching $881 million, driven by video advertising and streaming services distribution [3] - The Roku Channel became the 2 app on the Roku platform in the U.S. by engagement, with streaming hours increasing by 84% year over year [4] - Roku's advertising capabilities have improved through integrations with platforms like Adobe, and it has made TV advertising more accessible to small businesses via its self-service Roku Ads Manager [5][6] Paramount Global's Performance - Paramount's ad-supported streaming ecosystem showed mixed results, with Paramount+ global watch time per user increasing by 17% year over year, while Pluto TV achieved a 26% year-over-year increase in global viewing time [7] - The company is investing in premium originals and franchise extensions to enhance monetization, supported by expanding ARPU and lower churn [8] - However, direct-to-consumer advertising revenues declined by 9% year over year, primarily due to increased supply in digital video inventory affecting pricing, especially for Pluto TV [9][10] Stock Performance and Valuation - Roku's shares have returned 21.1% over the past month, outperforming both the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector and the S&P 500 index [11] - In contrast, Paramount's shares gained only 8.8% over the same period, indicating underperformance [12] - Roku's price-to-cash flow ratio stands at 33.89X, significantly higher than Paramount's 11.92X, reflecting greater investor confidence in Roku's growth potential [13] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Roku's 2025 loss is 17 cents per share, with a projected revenue of $4.54 billion, indicating a year-over-year growth of 10.37% [16] - Conversely, Paramount's 2025 earnings estimate is $1.31 per share, revised downward by 19.63%, with projected revenues of $28.43 billion, suggesting a year-over-year decline of 2.67% [17] Investment Outlook - Roku is positioned as a stronger investment opportunity for 2025, with robust platform growth, innovative advertising tools, and increased engagement on The Roku Channel [18] - Paramount Global faces short-term challenges in digital advertising, with declining DTC ad revenues and market oversupply impacting sentiment [19] - Roku currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), while Paramount has a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell) [20]

Core Viewpoint - Roku is expected to report first-quarter 2025 results with total net revenues projected at $1.005 billion, reflecting a 14% year-over-year increase, driven by strong Platform revenue growth of 16% [1][8] Revenue Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter revenues is set at $1 billion, indicating a year-over-year growth of 13.96% [2] - The consensus estimate for Devices revenues is $127 million, while Platform revenues are expected to reach $877 million [13] Earnings Expectations - Roku anticipates a total gross profit of $450 million and adjusted EBITDA of $55 million for the first quarter [1] - The consensus mark for loss is estimated at 20 cents per share, representing a year-over-year growth of 42.86% [2] Earnings Surprise History - In the last reported quarter, Roku achieved an earnings surprise of 45.45%, with an average surprise of 55.07% over the trailing four quarters [5] Factors Influencing Results - Platform growth remains robust, with management estimating a 16% year-over-year increase, supported by streaming services distribution and advertising activities [8] - However, Devices revenues and gross profit were impacted by increased seasonal discounting, leading to excess inventory and slight pressure on gross margins [7][10] Competitive Landscape - Roku faces intensified competition in the advertising space as major players like Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Disney expand their ad-supported streaming offerings [11] - The absence of political advertising compared to the previous quarter may have also tempered advertising momentum [8] International Expansion - Roku's international growth into markets such as Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom is expected to drive user growth, although immediate revenue impact is limited as the focus is on scaling [12] Valuation Metrics - Roku currently trades at a price-to-cash flow ratio of 43.86X, significantly higher than the industry average of 31.54X, indicating high growth expectations but an unattractive valuation for value investors [18] Investment Considerations - While Roku shows strong platform fundamentals and user engagement, caution is advised due to elevated inventory levels, margin pressures, and competitive challenges in the ad-supported streaming market [21][22]