For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – November 8, 2018 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Activision Blizzard .
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:
Activision Stock Gains Ahead of Earnings: What to Expect
Shares of Activision Blizzard gained about 1.3% on Wednesday, as investors eagerly anticipate the company’s latest earnings announcement after the bell tomorrow. ATVI is looking to pare recent losses ahead of the report, which could be a pivotal moment for the video game publisher considering recent releases and controversy surrounding it.
Activision shares gapped down at the start of the week after its Blizzard segment’s annual BlizzCon event. Wall Street was apparently reacting to the backlash Blizzard saw after revealing a new title in the Diablo franchise at the conference.
The new game, Diablo Immortal, is a mobile-only addition to the popular Diablo franchise, and while that likely made sense from a business perspective given the profitability of ATVI’s mobile segment, it frustrated traditional gamers. Core gaming audiences, especially those that have followed a particular property for years, tend to dislike when companies chase trends with their beloved franchises.
That said, Activision did just release one of the biggest games of the year, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and its King subsidiary recently rolled out the latest mobile smash hit, Candy Crush Friends Saga. All of this will likely be mentioned in the company’s guidance and management’s commentary tomorrow.
But what should investors expect from Thursday’s Q3 report itself? Let’s take a closer look.
Earnings Outlook
Activision Blizzard will release its third quarter fiscal 2018 earnings results after the market closes on Thursday. Here’s what analysts are expecting, according to our Zacks Consensus Estimates.
Earnings: ATVI is projected to report adjusted earnings of $0.51 per share, which represent a decline of 15% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions: Activision has witnessed three negative earnings estimate revisions and just one positive adjustment for the to-be-reported quarter within the last 60 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has dropped two cents over the duration of the quarter.
Revenue: Consensus estimates have ATVI’s Q3 revenue pegged at $1.67 billion. This would be down about 12% from the $1.90 billion it tallied in the comparable quarter last year.
Points to Consider
Video game releases are cyclical, so year-over-year comparisons are often not entirely helpful. Moreover, Activision had not missed EPS estimates in well over two years, so an expected earnings beat likely will not do much for the stock after the report is filed.
What investors are going to be looking for is positive guidance for the holiday quarter and goods news on the first month performances of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Candy Crush Friends Saga. We already know the former sold a slightly disappointing $500 million in its first three days, but a positive update from management is still possible.
There is also a chance an analyst might ask Activision executives about the negative reaction to Diablo Immortal. This could reveal whether the company expected the game to drive any growth, or whether the backlash might educate its mobile game strategy in the future.
A pullback in the stock caused simply by headline volatility ahead of the report might give ATVI some space to swing to the upside if its report and guidance impress. Nevertheless, the uncertainty here could be great enough to keep some investors away.
Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?
Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.
With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.
It's not the one you think.
See This Ticker Free >>
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News
Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year. See these high-potential stocks free >>.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
https://www.zacks.com/
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Image: Bigstock
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Activision Blizzard
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – November 8, 2018 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Activision Blizzard .
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:
Activision Stock Gains Ahead of Earnings: What to Expect
Shares of Activision Blizzard gained about 1.3% on Wednesday, as investors eagerly anticipate the company’s latest earnings announcement after the bell tomorrow. ATVI is looking to pare recent losses ahead of the report, which could be a pivotal moment for the video game publisher considering recent releases and controversy surrounding it.
Activision shares gapped down at the start of the week after its Blizzard segment’s annual BlizzCon event. Wall Street was apparently reacting to the backlash Blizzard saw after revealing a new title in the Diablo franchise at the conference.
The new game, Diablo Immortal, is a mobile-only addition to the popular Diablo franchise, and while that likely made sense from a business perspective given the profitability of ATVI’s mobile segment, it frustrated traditional gamers. Core gaming audiences, especially those that have followed a particular property for years, tend to dislike when companies chase trends with their beloved franchises.
That said, Activision did just release one of the biggest games of the year, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and its King subsidiary recently rolled out the latest mobile smash hit, Candy Crush Friends Saga. All of this will likely be mentioned in the company’s guidance and management’s commentary tomorrow.
But what should investors expect from Thursday’s Q3 report itself? Let’s take a closer look.
Earnings Outlook
Activision Blizzard will release its third quarter fiscal 2018 earnings results after the market closes on Thursday. Here’s what analysts are expecting, according to our Zacks Consensus Estimates.
Earnings: ATVI is projected to report adjusted earnings of $0.51 per share, which represent a decline of 15% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions: Activision has witnessed three negative earnings estimate revisions and just one positive adjustment for the to-be-reported quarter within the last 60 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has dropped two cents over the duration of the quarter.
Revenue: Consensus estimates have ATVI’s Q3 revenue pegged at $1.67 billion. This would be down about 12% from the $1.90 billion it tallied in the comparable quarter last year.
Points to Consider
Video game releases are cyclical, so year-over-year comparisons are often not entirely helpful. Moreover, Activision had not missed EPS estimates in well over two years, so an expected earnings beat likely will not do much for the stock after the report is filed.
What investors are going to be looking for is positive guidance for the holiday quarter and goods news on the first month performances of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Candy Crush Friends Saga. We already know the former sold a slightly disappointing $500 million in its first three days, but a positive update from management is still possible.
There is also a chance an analyst might ask Activision executives about the negative reaction to Diablo Immortal. This could reveal whether the company expected the game to drive any growth, or whether the backlash might educate its mobile game strategy in the future.
A pullback in the stock caused simply by headline volatility ahead of the report might give ATVI some space to swing to the upside if its report and guidance impress. Nevertheless, the uncertainty here could be great enough to keep some investors away.
Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?
Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.
With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.
It's not the one you think.
See This Ticker Free >>
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News
Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year. See these high-potential stocks free >>.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
https://www.zacks.com/
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.