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X @The Economist
The Economist· 2025-07-31 12:40
Industry Trends - World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been the dominant force in American professional wrestling for a long time [1] - Recently, WWE's franchise has been faltering [1] - Indie and alternative wrestling shows are experiencing a boom [1]
Live Ventures to Issue Fiscal Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Hold Earnings Conference Call on August 7, 2025
Globenewswire· 2025-07-31 12:30
Company Overview - Live Ventures Incorporated is a diversified holding company focused on value-oriented acquisitions of domestic middle-market companies [2] - The company's acquisition strategy is sector agnostic, targeting well-run, closely held businesses with a proven track record of earnings growth and cash flow generation [2] - Live Ventures aims to partner with management teams of acquired businesses to enhance stockholder value through a disciplined buy-build-hold long-term strategy [2] - Founded in 1968, the company was refocused into a diversified holding company in 2011 under the leadership of CEO Jon Isaac [2] - The current portfolio includes subsidiaries in the textile, flooring, tools, steel, and entertainment industries [2] Upcoming Financial Results - Live Ventures will release its financial results for the fiscal third quarter ended June 30, 2025, before the market opens on August 7, 2025 [1] - A conference call to discuss the results is scheduled for August 7, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) [1] - Investors can access a recording of the discussion on the company's Investor Relations page after the call [1]
X @The Economist
The Economist· 2025-07-30 22:01
A generation ago, wrestling fans could only watch what was on television, which meant WWE. Now new wrestling leagues can promote themselves on YouTube. In this world, weird can work https://t.co/4V29e830oF ...
Electronic Arts Q1 Earnings Decline Year Over Year, Revenues Increase
ZACKS· 2025-07-30 16:41
Core Insights - Electronic Arts (EA) reported a first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of 25 cents per share, a decrease of 51.9% year over year, with revenues rising 0.7% to $1.67 billion, driven by an increase in full-game revenues [1][10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings was 10 cents per share, while the revenue consensus was $1.24 billion [1] - Net bookings for the fiscal first quarter were $1.3 billion, reflecting a 2.9% year-over-year increase [1] Revenue Breakdown - Full-game net bookings reached $214 million, marking a 27% year-over-year increase, while live services net bookings were $1.08 billion, down 1% year over year [2] - Full-game revenues constituted 17.3% of total revenues, increasing 15.6% year over year to $289 million, with full-game download revenues rising 23% to $233 million; however, revenues from packaged goods declined 7% to $56 million [3] - Live services and other revenues, making up 82.7% of total revenues, decreased 2% year over year to $1.38 billion [3] Platform Performance - Revenues from consoles remained stable year over year at approximately $1 billion, while revenues from PC & Other increased 2% to $374 million; mobile platform revenues were unchanged at $290 million [4] Operating Performance - EA's GAAP gross profit decreased 0.4% year over year to $1.39 billion, with gross margin contracting by 90 basis points to 83.3% [5] - Operating expenses rose 8.5% year over year to $1.12 billion, increasing as a percentage of revenues from 62.2% to 67.1% [5] - GAAP operating income fell 25.5% year over year to $271 million, with the operating margin contracting from 21.9% to 16.2% [6] Financial Position - As of June 30, 2025, EA had $1.63 billion in cash and short-term investments, down from $2.25 billion as of March 31, 2025 [7] - Net cash provided by operating activities was $17 million for the quarter and $1.98 billion for the trailing 12 months [7] - EA repurchased 3 million shares for $375 million during the quarter, totaling 17.8 million shares for $2.5 billion over the trailing 12 months [7] Dividend and Guidance - The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of 19 cents per share, payable on September 17, 2025, to stockholders of record as of August 27, 2025 [8] - For fiscal 2026, EA expects revenues between $7.1 billion and $7.5 billion, with earnings per share projected between $3.09 and $3.79; net bookings are anticipated to be between $7.6 billion and $8 billion [10][11]
Must-Watch Streaming Stocks Powering Digital Content Wave
ZACKS· 2025-07-30 15:45
Industry Overview - The entertainment industry has shifted dramatically from traditional cable television to digital, on-demand streaming over the past 20 years, with significant milestones including the launch of YouTube in 2005 and Netflix in 2007 [2] - Streaming technology provides instant access to content across various devices, attracting consumers with flexibility, fewer ads, and binge-watching capabilities, leading to substantial investments in exclusive content [3] - The global streaming market is projected to reach $190 billion annually by 2029, driven by Subscription Video-on-Demand, Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV, and hybrid models, with live sports and interactive content enhancing engagement [4] Netflix - Netflix has an estimated global audience exceeding 700 million, with high engagement averaging two hours of watch time per user daily, supported by strategic partnerships with telecom companies [7] - The company aims to double its revenues and reach a $1 trillion market cap by 2030, focusing on expanding its content library, live programming, gaming, and advertising business [8] - The ad-supported tier has gained traction, with over 55% of new subscribers opting for it, and management expects to generate $9 billion in annual ad revenues by 2030 [9] - Netflix's exclusive rights to NFL and FIFA content, along with its diverse original programming, solidify its leadership in the streaming market [10] Roku - Roku holds a leading position in TV streaming by hours watched across North America, evolving from a streaming device maker to a comprehensive streaming ecosystem [11] - The company is experiencing growth in streaming households, driven by demand for its devices and partnerships with major TV brands [12] - Roku benefits from strong advertising growth linked to The Roku Channel, with traditional TV advertisers migrating to streaming and investments in its advertising technology [13] - The platform's user engagement is robust, with 125 million U.S. users accessing its Home Screen daily, enhancing subscription growth through personalized features and content discovery [14] Disney - Disney entered the streaming market in 2019 with Disney+, quickly building a substantial subscriber base across its three flagship services: Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu [15] - Each platform targets different demographics, with Disney+ showcasing a vast content library, ESPN+ focusing on live sports, and Hulu offering a mix of original and licensed content [16] - Strategic partnerships, such as with ITV in the UK and Amazon for advertising integration, enhance Disney's monetization capabilities and subscriber value [18] - Disney's profitable streaming model allows for reinvestment in high-impact content, improving engagement and driving revenues across its various business segments [19]
Walt Disney (DIS) Earnings Expected to Grow: Should You Buy?
ZACKS· 2025-07-30 15:08
Walt Disney (DIS) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2025. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price. The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on August 6. On ...
X @Bloomberg
Bloomberg· 2025-07-29 18:55
Bad Vibes Forever, the brand associated with deceased Florida rapper XXXTentacion, received a private credit loan as the artist’s estate releases a posthumous song and rolls out a new clothing line https://t.co/rkpJpXSbtI ...
Warner Bros. Discovery announces post-split companies will be 'Warner Bros.
CNBC· 2025-07-28 17:48
Core Viewpoint - Warner Bros. Discovery is preparing to split into two publicly traded companies by mid-2026, with distinct names and leadership teams for each division [1][3]. Group 1: Company Structure and Leadership - The streaming and studios division will be named "Warner Bros." and will include movie properties like DC Studios and HBO Max [1]. - The global networks segment will be called "Discovery Global," encompassing entertainment, sports, and news networks such as CNN and Discovery+ [1]. - David Zaslav will lead Warner Bros., while Gunnar Wiedenfels will become CEO of Discovery Global [4]. Group 2: Strategic Context - The split is a response to the industry-wide shift from traditional cable to streaming services [3]. - This move follows a similar strategy by Comcast to separate its cable assets, indicating a trend in the industry [3]. - The new names reflect the historical entities prior to the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. in 2022 [3]. Group 3: Business Performance and Future Outlook - The company has made significant progress in launching a profitable global streaming service and revitalizing its studios [2]. - Zaslav emphasized the strength of the company's storytelling IP and the commitment of its creative and corporate leaders to drive future growth [5].
X @Bloomberg
Bloomberg· 2025-07-28 17:10
Business Restructuring - Warner Bros Discovery announced the names of two companies resulting from a planned separation of the streaming and studios business from its cable-TV networks [1]