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Activision Blizzard’s recently announced the availability of Voyage to the Sunken City, the latest expansion for its popular franchise Hearthstone.
The first Hearthstone expansion of the Year of the Hydra introduces 135 all-new cards and submerges players in the aqueous ruins of Zin-Azshari, the capital city of the Naga race from World of Warcraft.
The upcoming game will strengthen Activision’s gaming portfolio, which includes popular franchises like Call of Duty (COD), Hearthstone, World of Warcraft (WoW) and Candy Crush. Activision keeps building upon its portfolio by innovating and adding content to franchises.
In December 2021, Activision announced the release of Fractured in Alterac Valley, an expansion of its hit card game Hearthstone, which features its 135 all-new collectible cards.
Portfolio Strength Drives Prospects
Activision’s top line has been benefitting from an expanding user base of its popular franchises, including Call of Duty, Hearthstone, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush franchises.
The two new Hearthstone expansions released over the span of four months further expands Activision’s gaming portfolio, thereby increasing revenue and booking prospects for the current quarter.
In the last reported quarter, consolidated revenues declined 19.7% year over year to $2.26 billion.
In the last reported December quarter, overall Monthly Active Users (MAUs) were 397 million, up 7% year over year.
Activision Blizzard’s net bookings fell 18.5% year over year to $2.49 billion. In-game net bookings were $1.24 billion, down 6.3% year over year. The growing popularity is expected to boost the company’s in-game spending, thereby driving net booking in the near term.
Within the Warcraft franchise, fourth-quarter World of Warcraft reach and engagement continued to benefit from the combination of the Modern game and Classic under a single subscription.
In 2021, World of Warcraft delivered its strongest engagement and net bookings outside of a Modern expansion year in a decade. In 2021, World of Warcraft delivered its strongest engagement and net bookings outside of a Modern expansion year in a decade.
Hearthstone’s fourth-quarter net bookings rose year over year, driven by a steady cadence of new content.
Activision’s studio expansion plans have continued to add development resources worldwide. The company plans to continue ongoing live operations and will be adding new, unannounced titles in the Call of Duty universe.
The company has an exciting pipeline of content planned for 2022. Activision expects to drive renewed expansion in the Call of Duty franchise later in the year with groundbreaking all-new experiences. Blizzard is planning substantial new content for key franchises and King expects to build on its momentum with further innovative live operations across its portfolio.
Zacks Rank And Stocks To Consider
Activision Blizzard currently holds a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Activision Blizzard shares have returned 19.6% in the year-to-date period compared with the Zacks Toys - Games - Hobbies industry’s return of 0.6% and the Consumer Discretionary sector’s fall of 15.7%.
Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors have declined 10.8% compared with the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Products industry’s decrease of 28.1% and the Consumer Discretionary sector’s fall of 15.7% in the year-to-date period.
Funko’s shares have declined 7.3% compared with the Zacks Consumer Products - Discretionary industry’s fall of 26.5% and the Consumer Discretionary sector’s drop of 15.7% in the year-to-date period.
The Target Hospitality stock has surged 64.1% against the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry’s decline of 12.2% and the Consumer Discretionary sector’s fall of 15.7% in the year-to-date period.
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Activision Blizzard (ATVI) Launches Hearthstone Expansion
Activision Blizzard’s recently announced the availability of Voyage to the Sunken City, the latest expansion for its popular franchise Hearthstone.
The first Hearthstone expansion of the Year of the Hydra introduces 135 all-new cards and submerges players in the aqueous ruins of Zin-Azshari, the capital city of the Naga race from World of Warcraft.
The upcoming game will strengthen Activision’s gaming portfolio, which includes popular franchises like Call of Duty (COD), Hearthstone, World of Warcraft (WoW) and Candy Crush. Activision keeps building upon its portfolio by innovating and adding content to franchises.
In December 2021, Activision announced the release of Fractured in Alterac Valley, an expansion of its hit card game Hearthstone, which features its 135 all-new collectible cards.
Portfolio Strength Drives Prospects
Activision’s top line has been benefitting from an expanding user base of its popular franchises, including Call of Duty, Hearthstone, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush franchises.
The two new Hearthstone expansions released over the span of four months further expands Activision’s gaming portfolio, thereby increasing revenue and booking prospects for the current quarter.
Activision Blizzard, Inc Price and Consensus
Activision Blizzard, Inc price-consensus-chart | Activision Blizzard, Inc Quote
In the last reported quarter, consolidated revenues declined 19.7% year over year to $2.26 billion.
In the last reported December quarter, overall Monthly Active Users (MAUs) were 397 million, up 7% year over year.
Activision Blizzard’s net bookings fell 18.5% year over year to $2.49 billion. In-game net bookings were $1.24 billion, down 6.3% year over year. The growing popularity is expected to boost the company’s in-game spending, thereby driving net booking in the near term.
Within the Warcraft franchise, fourth-quarter World of Warcraft reach and engagement continued to benefit from the combination of the Modern game and Classic under a single subscription.
In 2021, World of Warcraft delivered its strongest engagement and net bookings outside of a Modern expansion year in a decade. In 2021, World of Warcraft delivered its strongest engagement and net bookings outside of a Modern expansion year in a decade.
Hearthstone’s fourth-quarter net bookings rose year over year, driven by a steady cadence of new content.
Activision’s studio expansion plans have continued to add development resources worldwide. The company plans to continue ongoing live operations and will be adding new, unannounced titles in the Call of Duty universe.
The company has an exciting pipeline of content planned for 2022. Activision expects to drive renewed expansion in the Call of Duty franchise later in the year with groundbreaking all-new experiences. Blizzard is planning substantial new content for key franchises and King expects to build on its momentum with further innovative live operations across its portfolio.
Zacks Rank And Stocks To Consider
Activision Blizzard currently holds a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Activision Blizzard shares have returned 19.6% in the year-to-date period compared with the Zacks Toys - Games - Hobbies industry’s return of 0.6% and the Consumer Discretionary sector’s fall of 15.7%.
Some better-ranked stocks in the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector are Academy Sports and Outdoors (ASO - Free Report) , Target Hospitality (TH - Free Report) , and Funko (FNKO - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors have declined 10.8% compared with the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Products industry’s decrease of 28.1% and the Consumer Discretionary sector’s fall of 15.7% in the year-to-date period.
Funko’s shares have declined 7.3% compared with the Zacks Consumer Products - Discretionary industry’s fall of 26.5% and the Consumer Discretionary sector’s drop of 15.7% in the year-to-date period.
The Target Hospitality stock has surged 64.1% against the Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry’s decline of 12.2% and the Consumer Discretionary sector’s fall of 15.7% in the year-to-date period.