Netflix seems to have accidentally hit it right. What's going on here. Why does nobody know nothing right now.Only about 12% of Americans now go to the movies at least once a month and about a quarter of Americans don't go to the movies at all. So movie going is going down. Movie studios rely on old names that we all know, which means that a movie like K-pop Demon Hunters, they don't know what to do with it because it's new and they're afraid to take that chance and put it in theaters.What are people in ent ...

Group 1 - Robinhood and AppLovin are set to join the S&P 500 Index, indicating their growing significance in the market [1] - Amazon, Netflix, Shopify, Capital One, and Elbit Systems are highlighted as stocks to watch, as they are nearing new highs after recent pullbacks [1] - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are currently in a power trend, suggesting a favorable environment for stock purchases [1] Group 2 - The stock market is experiencing a rebound, with the Dow Jones gaining 350 points, as investors await a pivotal jobs report [4] - Amazon's satellite internet service has secured a major airline partnership, promising speeds of 1 Gbps [4] - Quantum computing stocks are advancing, with European leaders making strides in the global race [4]

Summary of Kuaishou Technology Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Kuaishou Technology (1024.HK) - **Event**: Asia Leaders Conference 2025 - **Date**: September 4, 2025 - **Location**: Hong Kong Key Industry Insights Kling AI - **Revenue Composition**: 70% of Kling AI's revenue comes from professional users, including AI freelancers, creators, and studios, while 30% is generated from API partnerships with over 20,000 enterprise clients [5] - **Geographical Revenue Distribution**: 70% of revenue is from overseas regions, and 30% is domestic [5] - **Competitive Landscape**: There are three major players in the AI video generation industry, each with distinct advantages. Kling AI focuses on professional users and has competitive advantages in user base, controllability, and real-world reflection in both input and output [5] - **User Retention**: Management noted infrequent user switching to other platforms unless a significantly stronger or cheaper model emerges [5] - **Gross Margin**: Kling AI's gross margin is currently positive and expected to grow, although high amortization from training chips remains a challenge. Management anticipates continued narrowing of losses [5] - **Capex and Computing Power**: Capex and computing power are not bottlenecks, with sufficient training chips available. Inference chips are lower-performance and sourced domestically [5] E-commerce and Advertising Monetization - **Overall Take Rate**: Kuaishou's overall take rate is less than 4%, with approximately 1% from e-commerce commissions and 2-3% from e-commerce ads [9] - **Livestreaming E-commerce**: Accounts for over 60% of total GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) with a take rate of 4% [9] - **Shelf-based E-commerce**: Represents 32% of total GMV in Q2 2025, with a lower take rate of less than 2% [9] - **Service Tools for Merchants**: The company is enhancing service tools for merchants, allowing cost savings from content creation to be redirected towards purchasing traffic on Kuaishou [9] - **Long-term Take Rate Potential**: Management believes the platform's take rate can exceed 5% in the long term, benchmarking against peers [9] Financial Projections and Risks - **Price Target**: Kuaishou is rated as a "Buy" with a 12-month target price of HK$83, representing an upside of 18.7% from the current price of HK$69.90 [8] - **Market Capitalization**: HK$298.1 billion / $38.2 billion [8] - **Revenue Forecasts**: Projected revenues for the next few years are Rmb 126.9 billion in 2025, Rmb 142.8 billion in 2026, Rmb 157.6 billion in 2027, and Rmb 172.6 billion in 2028 [8] - **Key Risks**: 1. Slower-than-expected recovery in ad budgets [7] 2. Weaker-than-expected monetization [7] 3. Slower growth in user engagement [7] 4. Lower-than-expected profitability [7] 5. Weaker-than-expected progress in AI [7] Conclusion Kuaishou Technology is focusing on enhancing its AI capabilities and monetization strategies in e-commerce and advertising. The company is optimistic about its growth potential, despite facing competitive pressures and market risks. The management's insights into user retention and service enhancements for merchants indicate a strategic approach to maintaining and growing its user base and revenue streams.

Group 1 - Baird initiated coverage on TKO Group Holdings with an Outperform rating and a $225 price target, citing strong positioning in the evolving media landscape [1] - The analysts highlighted the company's recent media rights agreements for UFC and WWE, noting that the deals provided greater visibility into long-term performance while also strengthening brand value [1] - Additional upside drivers for TKO include potential growth from boxing, site fees, dynamic pricing, and new partnerships [1] Group 2 - Baird concluded that TKO was well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities and maintained it would remain an attractive asset for investors [2]

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Skydance faces a challenging and costly turnaround as it integrates Skydance and Paramount Global, with analysts indicating that execution will take years [1][2]. Group 1: Integration and Restructuring Challenges - The merger of Skydance and Paramount closed on August 7, 2025, after a lengthy regulatory review and years of sale attempts, leading to operational challenges due to prior underfunding [3]. - Analysts draw parallels to Warner Bros. Discovery's prolonged integration, suggesting that Paramount Skydance will encounter a similarly complex restructuring path [2]. Group 2: Financial Outlook and Projections - Bank of America Securities analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich initiated coverage with an Underperform rating and a price forecast of $11, citing significant investment needs and the requirement for investor patience [1][2]. - Ehrlich forecasts a calendar 2026 EBITDA of $3.06 billion, which is significantly below management's projection of $4.1 billion, influenced by the $750 million UFC rights deal and modest subscriber growth [6]. Group 3: Cost Management and Synergies - Management has set a target of $2 billion in cost savings to help offset heavy content spending, which is seen as achievable based on recent industry precedents [5]. - However, incremental rights costs and unprofitable streaming are expected to weigh on near-to-medium-term earnings [5]. Group 4: Market Position and Valuation - The stock is currently trading at a premium compared to peers like Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros., with the valuation considered "rich" given limited financial visibility and challenges in linear TV [6]. - Linear OIBDA is declining at approximately 10% CAGR, raising concerns about the sustainability of CBS's sports and news importance [7]. Group 5: Content Spending and Strategic Moves - Recent high-priced deals for content rights, such as South Park and UFC, indicate that management will aggressively spend to stabilize and grow the platform, which may create near-term financial drag [8].

It is being lauded as the Netflix of AI. Amazon backed Fable Studio AI platform showrunner allows users to generate entire TV episodes or scenes. They can even insert themselves into stories by typing just a few words. The company right now is announcing its most ambitious project yet. It's using a new model suite to reconstruct Orson Wells classic, the magnificent Ambers. We were curious to know what showrunner could do with Squawkbox. So, without giving them any help or content, they came up with somethin ...

Core Insights - Media moguls John Malone and Barry Diller discussed their past attempt to acquire Paramount Pictures during a panel session, reflecting on the challenges they faced and the eventual loss to Sumner Redstone [1][3][5] Group 1: Historical Context - Malone and Diller's bid for Paramount Pictures occurred over three decades ago, amidst a competitive landscape that included regulatory hurdles and legal challenges [3] - Sumner Redstone, then head of Viacom, employed a legal strategy against Malone, suing him personally for alleged SEC violations related to the bid, which ultimately derailed their efforts [3][4] Group 2: Financial Implications - Malone's company, TeleCommunications Inc. (TCI), was forced to withdraw a $500 million pledge for the Paramount deal due to Federal Trade Commission requirements, allowing Redstone to increase his bid to $10.7 billion [4] - Diller's reluctance to bring in Bell South as a controlling partner contributed to the failure of their acquisition attempt, which Malone described as a "great disappointment" [4][5] Group 3: Personal Reflections - Diller acknowledged Malone's "humanity" and expressed that receiving an apology note from Malone after the failed deal was a rare occurrence in their industry [5] - Malone's new book, "Born to Be Wired," details his extensive career and insights into the media industry, spanning over six decades [2][5]

Core Viewpoint - Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has filed a lawsuit against Midjourney, alleging the unauthorized use of its copyrighted content in generative AI, joining other media companies like Disney and NBCUniversal in similar legal actions [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, claiming that Midjourney is engaged in the "theft" of WBD's intellectual property [1]. - WBD's attorneys argue that Midjourney operates a commercial subscription service that utilizes illegal copies of WBD's copyrighted works, allowing users to generate and distribute infringing images and videos without consent [2]. - The lawsuit highlights that users can generate images of iconic characters like Superman and Batman through Midjourney's service, which constitutes blatant copyright infringement [3]. Group 2: Company Statements - A spokesperson for WBD emphasized the importance of protecting their stories and characters, stating that the lawsuit aims to safeguard their content, partners, and investments [3]. - Midjourney's representatives have previously claimed that their use of copyrighted material for training AI models falls under fair use, arguing that the platform is designed for user expression and creativity [4].

Paramount Skydance signed a three-year agreement to distribute Legendary Entertainment’s upcoming films in cinemas, the latest in a flurry of deals for the studio since new management took over https://t.co/UjyDfH1bPQ ...

Core Points - David Ellison is implementing significant changes at Paramount following its acquisition by Skydance, including a mandatory return to the office five days a week starting January 5, 2026 [1][2] - The changes aim to build a stronger, more connected, and agile organization to enhance competitiveness and achieve long-term success [2] - Paramount is expected to lay off between 2,000 and 3,000 employees as part of cost-cutting measures, with $2 billion in costs targeted for reduction due to advertising losses and challenges in the traditional cable network industry [3] Company Changes - Phase one of the back-to-work plan will require employees in Los Angeles and New York to return to a full five-day work week in early 2026 [4] - Phase two will extend this requirement to offices outside of Los Angeles and New York, including international locations, with a similar buyout program planned for 2026 [4] - The company acknowledges the significant nature of these changes and is committed to supporting employees during the transition [5]