logo
Ubisoft Stock (UBSFY) Slips on New Leadership Changes

Ubisoft Stock (UBSFY) Slips on New Leadership Changes

Ubisoft (UBSFY) stock was down on Thursday after the video game company appointed leaders for its new spin-off. Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot are the new co-CEOs of the company's spin-off with Tencent (TCEHY).
Elevate Your Investing Strategy:
Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence.
Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week.
Derennes is joining the Ubisoft and Tencent spin-off, leaving his role as the managing director for Ubisoft's North America business. Guillemot is the son of Ubisoft co-founder Yves Guillemot. Guillemot addressed claims of nepotism, saying, 'Yes, I'm Yves' son. That's not something I hide from. But my appointment isn't only about family ties; it's about what Ubisoft needs at this moment.'
Ubisoft and Tencent have created the new spin-off to change the game developer's operating model. This spin-off now holds the rights to the Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six brands. These are some of Ubisoft's biggest series, and this change will allow a better focus on them.
Ubisoft Stock Movement Today
Ubisoft stock was down 0.7% on Thursday, signaling possible displeasure from investors over its picks to lead its new spin-off with Tencent. The shares have also fallen 22.46% year-to-date and were down 56.41% over the past 12 months.
The poor performance of Ubisoft's stock over the last year was the result of ongoing struggles at the video game developer. There was speculation earlier this year that it was about to file for bankruptcy. However, that appears to have been avoided thanks to Tencent's $1.25 billion investment in the company.
Is Ubisoft Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold?
Turning to Wall Street, the analysts' consensus rating for Ubisoft (UBI) is Hold, based on two Buy, six Hold, and three Sell ratings over the past three months. With that comes an average UBI stock price target of €11.31, representing a potential 20.01% upside for the shares.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What Happened to Baidu (BIDU) Stock This Year?
What Happened to Baidu (BIDU) Stock This Year?

Yahoo

time20 hours ago

  • Yahoo

What Happened to Baidu (BIDU) Stock This Year?

Key Points Baidu's stock has dropped nearly 75% from its all-time high. Its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud businesses are expanding, but its advertising business is shriveling. The company looks cheap, but it could deserve its discount valuation. 10 stocks we like better than Baidu › Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU), the largest online search engine provider in China, was once considered a great growth stock. It went public in 2005, and its annual revenue grew at a CAGR of 45% from 319 million yuan in 2005 to 124.5 billion yuan ($19.5 billion) in 2021. The Chinese tech giant experienced a major growth spurt after cybersecurity and censorship issues drove Alphabet's Google to shutter its search engine in mainland China in 2010. Its stock closed at a record high of $339.91 on Feb. 19, 2021, which represented a 12,489% gain from its split-adjusted IPO price of $2.70 per share. But from 2021 to 2024, Baidu's revenue only grew at a CAGR of 2%. Its ad sales cooled off as it dealt with fierce macro headwinds in China and intense competition from ByteDance's Douyin (known as TikTok in overseas markets), Tencent's Weixin (also known as WeChat), and other nimbler apps that changed how people conducted online searches. That's why its stock now trades at about $88. It's up less than 4% year to date, even as lower interest rates and milder macro headwinds drove many investors back toward tech stocks. Let's see why Baidu isn't impressing the bulls -- and what it would take for its stock to soar again. The biggest challenges for Baidu Back in 2021, Baidu generated 78% of its revenue from its online marketing services segment, which sells traditional search-based and display ads. That business is struggling to stay relevant as more internet users shift their searches to the newer mobile apps. To offset that pressure, Baidu expanded its AI Cloud platform to boost its non-online marketing services revenue. That business grew much faster than its online marketing business over the following years. In 2024, Baidu only generated 55% of its revenue from its online marketing services, while 24% of its revenue came from its non-online marketing services. The rest mainly came from its streaming video platform iQiyi (NASDAQ: IQ), which struggled over the past year as it launched fewer hit shows and attracted fewer advertisers. Metric 2021 2022 2023 2024 Q1 2025 Online marketing services revenue growth (YOY) 12% (6%) 8% (3%) (6%) Non-online marketing services revenue growth (YOY) 71% 22% 9% 12% 40% Total revenue growth 16% (1%) 9% (1%) 3% Data source: Baidu. RMB terms. YOY = Year over year. Baidu's non-online marketing services segment is growing rapidly as the AI boom drives more businesses to its AI Cloud platform -- which bundles together its ERNIE large language model (LLM) for generative AI applications, self-developed AI chips (including its Kunlun 800) for servers, data storage and analytics tools, and cloud infrastructure services. Its AI Cloud is also tethered to Apollo, its open-source software platform for driverless vehicles. Baidu's goal is to keep expanding its non-online marketing services segment to curb its dependence on its fading online marketing services segment. It's also been reportedly mulling a full spinoff or divestment of iQiyi over the past few years. That sale would free up a lot of cash for the expansion of its AI Cloud business. Why didn't Baidu's stock impress the bulls this year? For 2025, analysts expect Baidu's revenue to stay nearly flat as its EPS drops 17%. Its online marketing services and iQiyi segments should remain weak, but its AI Cloud business could grow rapidly enough to offset those declines. However, its earnings will be reduced by its higher investments in its AI Cloud platform, driverless vehicles, and fresh media content for iQiyi. That mix of flat revenue growth and rising expenses, along with the macro pressure from the unresolved tariffs and trade issues between China and the U.S., made Baidu a tough stock to love. Baidu's stock seems cheap at 12 times this year's earnings, but it might deserve that discount valuation. Meanwhile, China's e-commerce and cloud leader Alibaba -- which is growing faster and more broadly diversified -- might be a better value at 17 times this year's earnings. For 2026, analysts expect Baidu's revenue and EPS to grow 5% and 3%, respectively. That stabilization would be a step in the right direction, but Baidu would still be a slow-growth stock with limited upside potential. Unless Baidu finds fresh ways to ignite its growth -- possibly by spinning off its weaker segments -- it will likely stay in the penalty box. Should you buy stock in Baidu right now? Before you buy stock in Baidu, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Baidu wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $625,254!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,090,257!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,036% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 181% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025 Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Baidu, and Tencent. The Motley Fool recommends Alibaba Group and iQIYI. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. What Happened to Baidu (BIDU) Stock This Year? was originally published by The Motley Fool 登入存取你的投資組合

Starbucks Shortlists Dozen Firms Including Tencent for China Investment
Starbucks Shortlists Dozen Firms Including Tencent for China Investment

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Starbucks Shortlists Dozen Firms Including Tencent for China Investment

(Bloomberg) -- Starbucks Corp. has shortlisted about a dozen parties including private equity firms and technology companies into the second round of a process to invest in its China business, people familiar with the situation said. The World's Data Center Capital Has Residents Surrounded An Abandoned Art-Deco Landmark in Buffalo Awaits Revival We Should All Be Biking Along the Beach Budapest's Most Historic Site Gets a Controversial Rebuild San Francisco in Talks With Vanderbilt for Downtown Campus Boyu Capital, Carlyle Group Inc., EQT AB, FountainVest Partners, KKR & Co., Hillhouse Investment and Primavera Capital are among the private equity firms invited to participate, along with tech giants Inc. and Tencent Holdings Ltd., the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information. The shortlisted firms will be given access to the coffee chain's China financials so they can evaluate and prepare bids in the coming months, the people said. Fresh backing and more local expertise could help Starbucks expand its store count and further develop its supply chain in China, as well as enhance mobile platforms and brand strategies for Chinese consumers, according to the people. The search for a partner in China is 'not about capital,' Starbucks Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol said on a July 29 earnings call with analysts. 'What this is about is how do we ensure that the Starbucks brand is in a much better place in the future.' Niccol has previously said the China business could grow to 20,000 stores from roughly 7,800. China is the Seattle-based chain's second-biggest market, but Starbucks has fallen behind local rivals such as Luckin Coffee Inc., which have boomed with much cheaper alternatives and frequent product launches. Starbucks has started to follow suit by incorporating lower-priced and tailored offerings such as fruit teas and sugar-free alternatives to its China menus. And there are signs of some improvement, with same-store sales rising in the latest quarter for the first time since the end of 2023, the company said this week. The process to introduce new backers in China attracted more than 20 potential investors in total, Niccol said on the call with analysts. Starbucks wants to retain a 'meaningful' stake in the business, he said. Bloomberg News first reported in May that Starbucks was reviewing its China operations. By July, the company had received proposals from prospective investors with an eye on taking a controlling stake in the business. The company has said it isn't considering a full sale. Deliberations are ongoing and may not lead to a transaction. Other industry and financial investors could also join at later stage when talks are more advanced, the people said. Starbucks declined to comment. Representatives for EQT, FountainVest, Hillhouse, KKR and Primavera also declined to comment. Boyu, Carlyle, and Tencent didn't respond to requests for comment. --With assistance from Echo Wong, Zheping Huang, Bei Hu and Claire Che. Russia Builds a New Web Around Kremlin's Handpicked Super App Everyone Loves to Hate Wind Power. Scotland Found a Way to Make It Pay Off It's Not Just Tokyo and Kyoto: Tourists Descend on Rural Japan Cage-Free Eggs Are Booming in the US, Despite Cost and Trump's Efforts How Podcast-Obsessed Tech Investors Made a New Media Industry ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

Handwave lends a hand to retailers with its European alternative to Amazon's palm payments
Handwave lends a hand to retailers with its European alternative to Amazon's palm payments

TechCrunch

time2 days ago

  • TechCrunch

Handwave lends a hand to retailers with its European alternative to Amazon's palm payments

Paying with a handwave once sounded like science fiction, but contactless palm recognition service Amazon One has already been used more than 8 million times, according to the company. That's Amazon, though, which explains why it has been deployed in Amazon stores and more than 500 Whole Foods Market stores in the U.S., but only 150 third-party locations. Meanwhile, fintech startups like Latvia's Handwave are stepping onto the field, aiming to provide third-party retailers with a similar but independent solution for faster checkout while leveraging the giant's role in popularizing biometric payments in the West. (China has already begun adopting biometric palm payments, with Tencent working to bring its Weixin Palm Pay service into mainstream use.) Like Apple's Face ID, palm scanning uses more than static images: it analyzes palm vein patterns and also verifies that the user is physically present when they hover their hand over the scanner. This method works for secure contactless payments and also applies to broader identity verification scenarios — with players like Keyo also supporting secure building access and other applications. In contrast, Handwave is focusing specifically on retail — and since it doesn't own stores like Amazon, it had to seek partners, which required having a product. Three years in, and now with its own hardware and software, the Latvian startup is preparing for market pilots that will deploy its palm scanning devices at retail stores. Merchants who deploy the startup's tech would pay a transaction fee that Handwave claims will be on par with or lower than standard payments. According to Handwave, faster and cheaper checkouts could reduce costs. But unlike some cost-cutting measures, this solution aims to make things easier for customers — with the promise of no cards, no apps, no fingerprint scanners, and no facial scans — even for age verification and loyalty programs. Handwave's cofounders, CEO Janis Stirna and Sandis Osmanis-Usmanis, previously worked for one of the world's largest global payment providers, Worldline. Despite this connection, the team aims to build a wide ecosystem. 'Our plan is to collaborate with any financial institution or acquiring bank,' Stirna told TechCrunch. The startup has only partnered with a handful of financial institutions so far, 'but very big ones, especially in Europe,' Stirna said. This summer, the startup signed an agreement with Visa that could speed up the deployment of Handwave's solution in any country, according to its chief revenue officer, Oskars Laksevics. Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW While Handwave has its eyes on the U.S. market as well, Laksevics believes that it can be an advantage to start out in the European Union — 'the strictest market in the world' — and demonstrate compliance there before expanding. Being an independent European player could also help the startup keep an edge if or when Amazon decides to more aggressively offer Amazon One to third parties; or if JP Morgan rolls out its own palm payment experiment further. The startup can rely also on other arguments, including pricing. After financial partners told Handwave its devices need to be able to compete on price, the startup developed its own hardware and algorithms making them cheaper than others, Stirna said. Being based in Riga also enabled Handwave to operate with limited capital. The startup told TechCrunch its R&D process was funded through bootstrapping, a $780,000 angel investment round, and $267,000 in non-equity funding. This sum came from an EU-funded cybersecurity grant, as well as support from Latvia's LIAA Business Incubator and EU-backed accelerator Ready2Scale. As it gears up for its first pilots and obtaining regulatory certifications, Handwave has now secured a $4.2 million seed funding round led by Vilnius-based VC firm Practica Capital, with participation from FirstPick and Outlast Fund, also from Lithuania; and a Polish VC firm that also operates in the Baltics. The Baltic states have established themselves as a fintech hub, but also have scientific talent that's easier for a startup like Handwave to attract and afford than in Silicon Valley — including AI engineers. 'In the Baltics, there are not a lot of companies where you can get that extreme level of technical challenge to resolve,' Stirna said. As for Laksevics, who previously held a senior marketing role at Baltic bank Luminor Bank, where Stirna had also worked, he told TechCrunch that he was drawn by the vision. 'I left a very well paid corporate job to join this one, and I truly believe that we are building the next big global payment platform,' he said. Handwave seems ready to put its best hand forward — but only time will tell if the market will grab on and if biometric palm payments will truly take hold.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store