Core Insights - Live Ventures Incorporated's portfolio company, Vintage Stock, is experiencing strong growth in the Retail-Entertainment segment, with a 9% revenue increase and a 230 basis point rise in operating margin to 14.0% for the nine months ending June 30, 2025 [1] - Vintage Stock has achieved thirteen consecutive months of positive year-over-year comparable store sales, indicating sustained momentum in the retail sector [2] - The company benefits from a strategic advantage through long-standing vendor relationships, proprietary buying systems, and a hyper-localized inventory model [2] Company Performance - Vintage Stock's success is attributed to its philosophy of curating and preserving cultural artifacts, which aligns with the growing consumer demand for physical media and collectibles [3] - The company has seen a surge in consumer interest driven by social media trends, particularly on platforms like TikTok, which has increased in-store traffic [4] - Recent operational enhancements and the resurgence of analog culture among Gen Z have positioned Vintage Stock for growth in both revenue and EBITDA [5] Market Trends - The global trading card market is projected to reach $20 billion by 2030, with significant sales of Pokémon cards on platforms like eBay and Whatnot [7] - Vinyl record sales in the U.S. grew by over 21.7% last year, surpassing CD sales for the first time since the 1980s [7] - Certain retro video game cartridges and collectibles are now commanding five- and six-figure sales in secondary markets, reflecting a robust demand for vintage items [7] Future Outlook - Vintage Stock plans to expand its store count, enhance online-to-offline capabilities, and explore licensing partnerships with major entertainment brands to capitalize on the growing consumer appetite for vintage and collectible media [6]

Group 1: Monster Beverage - In 1993, Monster Beverage, then known as Hansen's Natural, was a little-known juice and soda maker with stock trading around $0.05 per share [3] - A $1,000 investment at that time would have purchased approximately 20,000 shares, which are now worth about $1,291,800 as the stock trades at $64.59 per share [3] Group 2: Marvel Entertainment - Marvel faced significant challenges in the early 1990s, including a collapse in comic book sales and a bankruptcy filing in 1996 [4][6] - A $1,000 investment when Marvel's stock was around $1 would have bought about 1,000 shares, which turned into $30,000 in cash and 745 Disney shares after Disney's acquisition in 2009 [5] - The current value of those Disney shares, trading at $114 each, adds up to $84,194, leading to a total value of approximately $114,194 from the original investment [5] Group 3: Qualcomm - Qualcomm was relatively unknown in 1993, with its stock trading near $1 per share [7] - A $1,000 investment at that time would have bought about 1,000 shares, which are now valued at approximately $169,310 as Qualcomm trades at $169.31 per share [8]

Company Overview & Strategy - Webtune is a digital entertainment company specializing in vertically integrated comic books for mobile consumption [1] - Webtune partners with Disney to build a platform housing Disney's comic book IP [2] - Webtune aims to create a digital destination with access to 35,000 comics from Pixar, Star Wars, and Disney [5] - Webtune's content resonates with Gen Z and transforms into small screen adaptations, merchandise, and video games [7][8] - Webtune sees web comics as digital storyboards that can extend beyond the platform [8] Market Opportunity & Growth - Webtune has 24 million creators globally serving 155 million monthly active users [4] - Webtune stories are adapted into movies on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services [7] - Webtune highlights the cross-over IP opportunity, citing examples like "Sideline" and "Marry My Husband" [9][10] Financial Performance - Webtune's cross-over IP opportunity currently accounts for less than 10% of the company's $1.4 billion in revenue from the previous year [11] Partnership Impact - Disney is taking a 2% equity stake in Webtune [2] - The Disney partnership led to Webtune's stock popping almost 40% [2]