Latest news with #WarnerBrosDiscovery
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Stock Market Today: WBD Continues Uptrend Amid Ongoing Optimism Over June's Streaming Split Decision
Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) shares climbed 2.07% to close at $12.84 on Thursday, outpacing broader market gains as investors continue to respond positively to developments regarding the company's linear division spin-off. Trading volume surged to approximately 110.5 million shares, nearly double the 50-day average of 66.7 million, indicating heightened interest and conviction behind the price movement. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both traded near all-time highs but posted more modest gains of around 0.54% and 0.74% respectively. Industry peers showed positive movement as well, with Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) rising 1.99% to $122.21 and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) gaining 0.87% to $34.70, though neither matched WBD's relative performance. Technically, WBD shares are trading near their 52-week high, reinforcing a bullish breakout pattern that has attracted additional investor attention. The dramatic volume spike of approximately two times normal levels suggests possible institutional participation (hedge funds) as the company advances its strategic initiatives. Today's momentum and trading activity signal ongoing investor confidence in Warner Bros. Discovery's evolving media business strategy. Should you invest $1,000 in Warner Bros. Discovery right now? Before you buy stock in Warner Bros. Discovery, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Warner Bros. Discovery 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 $674,281!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,050,415!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,058% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 179% 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 15, 2025 JesterAI is a Foolish AI, based on a variety of Large Language Models (LLMs) and proprietary Motley Fool systems. All articles published by JesterAI are reviewed by our editorial team, and The Motley Fool takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this article. JesterAI cannot own stocks and so it has no positions in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Walt Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery. The Motley Fool recommends Comcast. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NFLX vs. WBD: Which Entertainment Stock Has an Edge Right Now?
The streaming landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with Netflix NFLX and Warner Bros. Discovery WBD representing two distinct approaches to entertainment distribution. Netflix has established itself as the global streaming leader with more than 700 million viewers worldwide, while Warner Bros. Discovery combines traditional media assets with streaming ambitions through its Max platform and extensive content companies face similar challenges in an increasingly competitive market, including content costs, subscriber acquisition, and the need to balance growth with profitability. Their recent quarterly results and strategic announcements provide valuable insights into their respective trajectories and investment potential. Let's delve deep and closely compare the fundamentals of the two stocks to determine which one is a better investment now. Netflix delivered impressive first-quarter results that reinforce its position as the streaming industry's dominant force. The company reported 13% revenue growth to $10.54 billion, with operating income surging 27% year over year, demonstrating strong operational leverage. The company has set an ambitious target to double its revenues by 2030 and achieve a $1 trillion market capitalization. Netflix's growth strategy includes expanding its content library, developing live programming options, enhancing its gaming division, and building its advertising company's advertising tier has emerged as a significant growth driver, with management projecting advertising revenues to double in 2025. The recent launch of Netflix's proprietary Ad Suite in the United States marks a crucial step toward monetization independence and enhanced targeting capabilities. Over 55% of new subscribers in ad-supported markets are choosing this option, indicating strong consumer acceptance of the value remains Netflix's core strength, with a robust slate including live events, original series, and films across multiple genres and languages. The company's investment in local content production across 50 countries creates a sustainable competitive advantage while building cultural relevance in key markets. Recent successes like WWE programming and upcoming boxing matches demonstrate Netflix's ability to expand beyond traditional streaming ahead, Netflix's guidance projects 15.4% revenue growth for the second quarter, with operating margins expected to improve to 33%. The company maintains its full-year revenue guidance of $43.5-$44.5 billion while targeting $8 billion in free cash flow, reflecting strong cash generation capabilities that support continued content investment and shareholder Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is pegged at $25.42 per share, indicating 28.19% growth year over year. Netflix, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Netflix, Inc. Quote Find the latest earnings estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar. Warner Bros. Discovery faces a more complex strategic landscape as it navigates the separation into two distinct entities, namely Streaming & Studios and Global Linear Networks. This restructuring, expected to complete by mid-2026, aims to unlock shareholder value by allowing each business to focus on its core strengths and pursue targeted growth company's streaming segment, centered around Max, showed resilience with 122.3 million subscribers and positive momentum in content performance. Recent successes include popular series and strong international expansion, with Max now available in 77 markets. The platform benefits from HBO's premium content reputation and Warner Bros. Discovery's extensive film library, providing a differentiated value WBD's financial profile presents challenges. First-quarter revenues declined 10% to $9 billion, reflecting ongoing pressures in traditional linear television and the company's transition to streaming-first operations. The company carries a significant debt burden of $38 billion, though management has been actively reducing leverage through debt repayments and refinancing planned separation strategy could create value by allowing the streaming business to operate with greater flexibility while the linear networks business focuses on cash generation. Global Linear Networks continues to generate substantial cash flow, providing financial stability during the transition period. The combined entity's vast content library and production capabilities across multiple studios represent long-term assets that could drive future Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is pegged at a loss of 4 cents per share, narrower than loss of $4.62 per share reported in the year-ago period. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Quote Netflix trades at a significant premium with a forward price-to-sales ratio of 11.33x, reflecting investor confidence in its growth trajectory and streaming dominance. In contrast, WBD trades at a discounted 0.77x forward price-to-sales ratio, indicating market skepticism about its restructuring strategy and debt burden. This valuation gap underscores different investor perceptions of each company's future prospects. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Netflix's superior stock performance reinforces this sentiment, with shares surging 41.6% year to date compared with WBD's more modest 13.6% gain and the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector's 10.2% rise. The premium valuation for Netflix appears justified given its consistent execution, while WBD's discounted multiple reflects ongoing transformation risks and financial complexities. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Netflix demonstrates superior fundamental strength through consistent revenue growth, expanding margins, and strong cash generation capabilities. The company's global streaming leadership, successful advertising tier launch, and robust content pipeline position it for continued outperformance. WBD's strategic restructuring, while potentially value-creating, introduces execution risks and timeline uncertainties that may limit near-term upside. Netflix's clearer path to profitability growth, combined with its proven ability to adapt to market changes, makes it a more attractive investment opportunity. Investors should buy Netflix stock to capitalize on its streaming dominance and improving financial metrics, while holding or waiting for better entry points on WBD until the separation strategy shows clearer progress. NFLX currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), whereas WBD has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Globe and Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
NFLX vs. WBD: Which Entertainment Stock Has an Edge Right Now?
The streaming landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with Netflix NFLX and Warner Bros. Discovery WBD representing two distinct approaches to entertainment distribution. Netflix has established itself as the global streaming leader with more than 700 million viewers worldwide, while Warner Bros. Discovery combines traditional media assets with streaming ambitions through its Max platform and extensive content library. Both companies face similar challenges in an increasingly competitive market, including content costs, subscriber acquisition, and the need to balance growth with profitability. Their recent quarterly results and strategic announcements provide valuable insights into their respective trajectories and investment potential. Let's delve deep and closely compare the fundamentals of the two stocks to determine which one is a better investment now. The Case for NFLX Stock Netflix delivered impressive first-quarter results that reinforce its position as the streaming industry's dominant force. The company reported 13% revenue growth to $10.54 billion, with operating income surging 27% year over year, demonstrating strong operational leverage. The company has set an ambitious target to double its revenues by 2030 and achieve a $1 trillion market capitalization. Netflix's growth strategy includes expanding its content library, developing live programming options, enhancing its gaming division, and building its advertising business. The company's advertising tier has emerged as a significant growth driver, with management projecting advertising revenues to double in 2025. The recent launch of Netflix's proprietary Ad Suite in the United States marks a crucial step toward monetization independence and enhanced targeting capabilities. Over 55% of new subscribers in ad-supported markets are choosing this option, indicating strong consumer acceptance of the value proposition. Content remains Netflix's core strength, with a robust slate including live events, original series, and films across multiple genres and languages. The company's investment in local content production across 50 countries creates a sustainable competitive advantage while building cultural relevance in key markets. Recent successes like WWE programming and upcoming boxing matches demonstrate Netflix's ability to expand beyond traditional streaming content. Looking ahead, Netflix's guidance projects 15.4% revenue growth for the second quarter, with operating margins expected to improve to 33%. The company maintains its full-year revenue guidance of $43.5-$44.5 billion while targeting $8 billion in free cash flow, reflecting strong cash generation capabilities that support continued content investment and shareholder returns. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is pegged at $25.42 per share, indicating 28.19% growth year over year. Find the latest earnings estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar. The Case for WBD Stock Warner Bros. Discovery faces a more complex strategic landscape as it navigates the separation into two distinct entities, namely Streaming & Studios and Global Linear Networks. This restructuring, expected to complete by mid-2026, aims to unlock shareholder value by allowing each business to focus on its core strengths and pursue targeted growth strategies. The company's streaming segment, centered around Max, showed resilience with 122.3 million subscribers and positive momentum in content performance. Recent successes include popular series and strong international expansion, with Max now available in 77 markets. The platform benefits from HBO's premium content reputation and Warner Bros. Discovery's extensive film library, providing a differentiated value proposition. However, WBD's financial profile presents challenges. First-quarter revenues declined 10% to $9 billion, reflecting ongoing pressures in traditional linear television and the company's transition to streaming-first operations. The company carries a significant debt burden of $38 billion, though management has been actively reducing leverage through debt repayments and refinancing activities. The planned separation strategy could create value by allowing the streaming business to operate with greater flexibility while the linear networks business focuses on cash generation. Global Linear Networks continues to generate substantial cash flow, providing financial stability during the transition period. The combined entity's vast content library and production capabilities across multiple studios represent long-term assets that could drive future growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is pegged at a loss of 4 cents per share, narrower than loss of $4.62 per share reported in the year-ago period. Valuation and Price Performance Netflix trades at a significant premium with a forward price-to-sales ratio of 11.33x, reflecting investor confidence in its growth trajectory and streaming dominance. In contrast, WBD trades at a discounted 0.77x forward price-to-sales ratio, indicating market skepticism about its restructuring strategy and debt burden. This valuation gap underscores different investor perceptions of each company's future prospects. NFLX vs. WBD: P/S F12M Ratio Netflix's superior stock performance reinforces this sentiment, with shares surging 41.6% year to date compared with WBD's more modest 13.6% gain and the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector's 10.2% rise. The premium valuation for Netflix appears justified given its consistent execution, while WBD's discounted multiple reflects ongoing transformation risks and financial complexities. NFLX Outperforms WBD in YTD Conclusion Netflix demonstrates superior fundamental strength through consistent revenue growth, expanding margins, and strong cash generation capabilities. The company's global streaming leadership, successful advertising tier launch, and robust content pipeline position it for continued outperformance. WBD's strategic restructuring, while potentially value-creating, introduces execution risks and timeline uncertainties that may limit near-term upside. Netflix's clearer path to profitability growth, combined with its proven ability to adapt to market changes, makes it a more attractive investment opportunity. Investors should buy Netflix stock to capitalize on its streaming dominance and improving financial metrics, while holding or waiting for better entry points on WBD until the separation strategy shows clearer progress. NFLX currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), whereas WBD has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops." Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.5% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Netflix, Inc. (NFLX): Free Stock Analysis Report Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD): Free Stock Analysis Report
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why ‘South Park' has vanished from streaming sites, explained
For weeks, there have been rumblings online about an ongoing dispute related to South Park's streaming rights, most notably resulting in the two-week delay of Season 27 and a public statement from creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. But last week, the issue grew to a global scale as South Park became completely unavailable to stream outside the U.S. A source told The Hollywood Reporter that Paramount's international license for the four-time Emmy-winning show expired, but that negotiations to restore the series to Paramount+ were ongoing. More from Gold Derby 'The Young and the Restless' leads Daytime Emmy predictions for Best Drama Series 'Adolescence,' 'The Penguin,' 'Disclaimer,' and more last-minute Emmy nominations predictions for Best Limited/Movie Directing So what is going on? Here's everything you need to know about the drama behind South Park's streaming issues. Last week, the main series of South Park that airs on Comedy Central disappeared from Paramount+ for all territories outside the U.S. The seven specials made specifically for the platform, however, remain available. The reason for the vanishing act is part of a larger drama playing out behind the scenes of the series with the parent comedy of Comedy Central, Paramount. With the licensing deal on the show set to expire in two years, Parker and Stone have been meeting with other media companies, shopping around the rights for South Park at places like Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix. According to a legal letter acquired by The Hollywood Reporter, a lawyer representing the show creators accused Paramount's next potential president of attempting to alter the terms of these potential deals behind their backs in a way that would benefit the corporation in the midst of a merger. The conflict seemed to lead directly into the two-week delay of Season 27, which was supposed to have premiered on July 9, but is now scheduled for July 23. Once the new season was officially delayed, the creators issued a statement via the South Park's social media accounts, directly blaming the merger on the lack of new South Park. The removal of South Park from Paramount+ in international territories is just the latest development in the still-unresolved dispute. A source told THR that global access to the show would hopefully be restored soon, but with a timeline uncertain, fans are likely watching the potential premiere date of July 23 to see how this all plays out. Best of Gold Derby Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2, including the departure of Tracy Ifeachor's Dr. Collins Everything to know about 'Too Much,' Lena Dunham's Netflix TV show starring Megan Stalter that's kinda, sorta 'based on a true story' Cristin Milioti, Amanda Seyfried, Michelle Williams, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actress interviews Click here to read the full article.
Screen Geek
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
WB Reportedly Canceled DC Movie For Being "Too Woke"
David Zaslav has faced backlash for a number of his decisions while managing Warner Bros. Discovery. However, a reason for one of his previous decisions has been reportedly revealed, and now an all-new wave of backlash is starting. Specifically, it looks like he reportedly had Warner Bros. Discovery cancel a DC movie for being 'too woke.' It's no secret that the studio's direction for DC was all over the place at one time. The studio did not yet have James Gunn and Peter Safran to lead their superhero franchise with a cohesive plan, and after their DCEU movies started to flop, it became clear that things needed to change. For starters, the studio couldn't decide on what to do with Henry Cavill's Superman, and it wasn't until James Gunn was brought onboard that the character was reinvented for the new film starring David Corenswet. Prior to this, however, another plan was almost put into place until Zaslav had the concept scrapped. Now that the newest Superman movie has been released, it's been reported that one previously-floated idea, to make a movie with a Black Superman, was canceled because Zaslav didn't like the idea. While the character has been portrayed as a Black character in various comics, this would have been the first time for a feature film to do so. At such an uncertain time for the brand, however, it looks like Zaslav didn't want to risk doing something that different – or woke, if this report regarding the unmade DC project is accurate. This version of the character is said to have been the focus of a screenplay from writer Ta-Nehisi Coates. J.J. Abrams was also said to be producing the project as part of his deal between Bad Robot and Warner Bros., only one project from which has so far been released. As shared via The Wall Street Journal, however, the project was ultimately axed by David Zaslav. The CEO is said to have called this Black Superman idea 'too woke' to be made, and as a result, the potential film was completely scrapped. For those wondering about the plot, it was said to have revolved around the Black version of Kal-El growing up on Earth in the 1930s. Of course, during this period, America was festering with racism that would have certainly given Kal-El a very different view of life on Earth. A view that Zaslav allegedly didn't want to have on the big screen. The Wall Street Journal does go over different routes that Zaslav and Warner Bros. Discovery considered when trying to correct the issues with their live-action DCEU franchise. However, nothing apparently worked until James Gunn and Peter Safran came onboard. Now that their new movie Superman has so far been a hit, it seems like they made the right choice on that front, though many fans are no doubt upset hearing that a Black Superman movie was reportedly axed because Zaslav didn't want anything 'woke.' Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional DC news as we have it. For now, James Gunn's Superman which fully launches the DCU is currently playing in theaters.
