Latest news with #digitalentertainment
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Here Is What You Need To Know Before Investing In Sea Limited (SE)
Sea Limited (NYSE:SE) is among the 13 Best Global Stocks to Buy Right Now. The consumer internet company, through its subsidiaries, operates three core businesses of e-commerce, digital entertainment, and digital financial services. The company delivered strong results during the first quarter of fiscal 2025, with all three businesses reporting improved profitability. In e-commerce, Shopee posted a record-high GMV and gross order volume. The digital financial services business, SeaMoney, which is now rebranded as Monee, had a 50% year-over-year increase in both revenue and adjusted EBITDA. The digital entertainment segment, Garena, also had a stellar beginning to the year, registering its best quarter since 2021. Overall, Sea Limited (NYSE:SE)'s GAAP revenue stood at $4.8 billion, growing almost 30% from the prior year, while total net income was reported at $410.8 million, improving from a net loss of $23 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Following the results, several firms, including JPMorgan, Benchmark, and Barclays, hiked their price targets for the stock. Wall Street analysts have a consensus Buy rating for Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), with a one-year average share price target of $178.66, representing a 15% upside potential from its current trading value. First-quarter results also buoyed investors. Lakehouse Global Growth Fund stated the following regarding Sea Limited (NYSE:SE) in its May 2025 investor letter: 'Sea Limited (NYSE:SE) delivered another impressive result, with sustained momentum driving solid top-line growth and continued progress on profitability. Group revenue grew 30% to US$4.8 billion, driven by strong performance from the company's e-commerce platform, Shopee, and its fintech business, Monee. Shopee further extended its market leadership across Asia and Brazil, with record GMV rising 22% to US$28.6 billion and continued improvement in its take rate, up 60 basis points to 12.3%. Monee accelerated its growth with their loan book rising 77% to US$5.8 billion, driven by a >50% increase in active borrowers to over 28 million whilst maintaining sound credit quality. Combined with strong operating leverage across all business units, this growth helped lift adjusted EBITDA 136% to US$947 million and continues to demonstrate Sea's ability to deliver further profitable growth.' Sea Limited (NYSE:SE)'s shares have gained 44.45% year-to-date as of the close of business on July 22. While we acknowledge the potential of SE as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 10 Best Small Cap Defense Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds and 13 Best Booming Stocks to Buy Now. Disclosure: None. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Netflix Stock Still a Smart Buy After Q2 Earnings?
Valued at $514.6 billion, Netflix (NFLX) is no longer just a streaming giant. To maintain its leadership in a competitive and rapidly changing digital entertainment space, it is actively transforming into a next-generation entertainment platform that will leverage generative AI, expand into gaming, and explore partnerships with YouTube creators. Last week, Netflix reported a strong second quarter, increasing its global subscriber base while showing resilience in a highly competitive and saturated streaming landscape. NFLX is up 37.4% year-to-date, outperforming the broader market, and Wall Street believes the streaming giant has more room to grow. More News from Barchart It's Never 'Happened in the History of Tech to Any Company Before': OpenAI's Sam Altman Says ChatGPT is Growing at an Unprecedented Rate This Penny Stock Wants to Become the MicroStrategy of Dogecoin Option Volatility And Earnings Report For July 21 - 25 Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. A Stronger Q2 Amid Headwinds Despite broader economic uncertainties, Netflix has not seen any significant shifts in consumer behavior in the last quarter. During the Q2 earnings call, management emphasized that key indicators such as subscriber retention, engagement, and plan mix had remained stable and in line with expectations, despite recent price changes. In the second quarter, Netflix grew revenue by 16% year-over-year to $11.07 billion. According to the management, 'hit series like Squid Game S3, Sirens, Ginny & Georgia S3, The Eternaut and Secrets We Keep, and popular films like Tyler Perry's STRAW and Exterritorial' drove this increase. Diluted net income of $7.19 per share increased by an impressive 47% compared to the prior-year quarter. Both revenue and earnings surpassed the consensus estimates. Operating margins also increased to 34% from 27% in the second quarter of 2024. Netflix raised its full-year revenue guidance, citing currency exchange tailwinds and increased confidence in its core business performance. The company now expects revenue between $44.8 billion and $45.2 billion, up from the previous estimate of $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion. This implies year-over-year growth of 15% to 16%. According to CFO Spencer Neumann, much of the $1 billion increase at the midpoint is due to favorable foreign exchange movements caused by a weakening US dollar. Neumann also noted that the underlying business fundamentals are improving. Membership growth picked up at the end of Q2 and is expected to continue, aided by a robust content slate in the second half of the year. This growth is being fueled by both returning fan-favorite titles and new releases, such as Wednesday Season 2, the Stranger Things finale, Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore 2, and Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, along with the highly anticipated Canelo-Crawford live boxing match, which is seen to have driven subscriber engagement and stickiness. Big Bets, Payoffs Could Be Bigger Regarding advertising, management stated that it is becoming an increasingly important contributor to Netflix's revenue. In April, the company launched Netflix Ad Suite, its proprietary ad tech platform, making it easier for advertisers to buy inventory and improve targeting. Netflix has now completely migrated to this system in all markets worldwide. With revenue increasing and operating expenses remaining stable, Netflix is transferring the majority of the upside directly to the bottom line. The company increased its full-year operating margin guidance to 30%, from 29% previously. Interestingly, the increase in profit guidance comes amid a significant increase in spending on content and marketing in the second half of 2025. Netflix intends to ramp up new releases and live events in Q3 and Q4, which are traditionally the peak periods for content consumption. The company sees generative AI as a creative accelerator rather than a cost-cutting tool. Netflix's co-CEO, Theodore Sarandos, emphasized that AI-powered tools help real creators do better, faster work rather than replacing them. Furthermore, management stressed that Netflix is not attempting to replicate YouTube's user-generated model. Instead, it sees opportunities for curated partnerships that elevate creator content to complement its overall brand and UI design. With regard to gaming, while monetization isn't immediate, Netflix is confident about the total addressable market for gaming and plans to scale when the time comes. Netflix's balance sheet remains strong and more shareholder-friendly. The company ended the second quarter with $8.2 billion in cash and cash equivalents and $14.5 billion in gross debt. It also generated free cash flow of $2.3 billion, allowing it to repurchase shares worth $1.6 billion. For the full year 2025, analysts expect revenue to increase at the same rate as the company's projections, with further growth of 12.6% in 2026. Earnings are expected to increase by 32.1% and 22% over the next two years. Currently, Netflix stock trades at a premium of 46x forward 2025 earnings, relatively lower than its five-year average price-to-earnings ratio of 50.3x. The streaming market remains fiercely competitive, with Disney (DIS), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), and others fighting for market share. Netflix retains significant competitive advantages due to its global scale across more than 190 countries and over 300 million paid memberships. Is Netflix Stock a Buy Now? Overall, Netflix stock is a 'Moderate Buy' on Wall Street. Of the 45 analysts covering the stock, 27 recommend a 'Strong Buy,' three rate it as a 'Moderate Buy,' and 15 suggest holding. Based on an average price target of $1,253.30, Wall Street anticipates potential upside of around 2.5% over the next 12 months. The Street-high estimate of $1,600 indicates the stock could gain as much as 31% this year. Netflix's Q2 earnings show a fundamentally strong business firing on multiple cylinders. Subscriber growth remains robust, margins are expanding, and monetization avenues like ads, pricing, and international markets are accelerating. Netflix stock isn't just a smart buy for now. From improving its AI capabilities to redefining engagement through games and creator content, Netflix is evolving quickly but carefully, making it an excellent long-term addition to any diverse portfolio. However, given that the stock is trading at a premium, risk-averse investors may want to wait for a better entry point around the $900 level. On the date of publication, Sushree Mohanty did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Zawya
MENATech Entertainment powers Middle East's esports rise with education, tournaments, and national collaboration
Dubai, UAE – As the Middle East cements its place on the global esports map, MENATech Entertainment (a GGTech company), an international esports and gaming company, is playing a central role in accelerating the region's digital entertainment ambitions. With Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading government-backed strategies to grow gaming into a multi-billion-dollar sector, MENATech is bridging global best practices with local talent development, grassroots tournaments, and strategic partnerships. Saudi Arabia's National Gaming and Esports Strategy projects US$13.3 billion in economic impact by 2030. As part of its broader 2030 economic transformation, the Kingdom plans to create 39,000 esports-related jobs, driven by large-scale investments and a national push to become a global hub for competitive gaming. Meanwhile, the UAE's Dubai Programme for Gaming 2033 aims to position the city among the world's top 10 gaming hubs by 2033, contributing $1 billion to GDP and creating 30,000 new jobs. These initiatives have created fertile ground for companies like MENATech to scale up their impact. 'The Middle East is no longer a frontier market for gaming and esports; it's an engine of innovation, talent, and long-term opportunity,' said Mario Pérez, CEO of MENATech Entertainment. 'From launching GAMERGY MENA to building educational programs and regional leagues, our on-the-ground work across the region reflects the scale of what's possible here. Our global know-how, local partnerships, and community-driven development are helping ensure that the region is leading the global esports conversation. With visionary policies, tech-savvy youth, and rapidly expanding digital infrastructure, this is a dynamic launchpad for scaling the global gaming industry, now valued at $200 billion.' Aligning with national economic visions, in early 2025, MENATech brought one of the world's most iconic gaming festivals, GAMERGY, to the region for the first time. Held in Cairo, GAMERGY MENA drew over 40,000 attendees and featured top-tier tournaments in titles like Valorant, PUBG Mobile, League of Legends, and Rocket League. Supported by the Egyptian Ministry of Youth & Sports, IMKAN Misr, Samsung, and Red Bull, the event marked a pivotal moment for regional esports, with prize pools exceeding EGP 2 million. In partnership with Riot Games, the gaming firm launched the Strike Arabia Championship, the first official regional Valorant league. Spanning the GCC, Levant, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa, the competition included both amateur and professional divisions, with top players advancing to European LAN finals. This structure created a bridge between regional players and international stages, giving local talent a platform to shine. In Saudi Arabia, MENATech contributed to the initial creation of the Saudi Esports Academy, laying the groundwork for a more formal and on-site educational model. The company also leads the UNIVERSITY Esports program across the MENA region, empowering students through workshops and careers in broadcasting, event management, and digital marketing. Historically backed by global brands like Amazon and HP Omen, the initiative is one of the few in the region linking competitive gaming with long-term career pathways. With one of the world's youngest populations, the appetite for competitive gaming is massive in the region. That demand is matched by cultural momentum, where gaming is considered a viable, respected career. Dubai is already home to over 350 gaming companies, including 260 specialised developers. Major events like the Dubai Esports Festival and the development of innovation hubs such as the DMCC Gaming Centre are supported by the issuance of gaming-related resident visas. MENATech continues to differentiate itself by integrating deeply into the region's ecosystem. Rather than operate as an external player, the company works alongside public and private entities to build lasting programs and infrastructure. Its approach is not just to host events, but to develop skills, create jobs, and inspire innovation. With the Esports World Cup returning to Riyadh in 2025 and more international gaming firms entering the Gulf, the spotlight on the Middle East has never been stronger. MENATech is focused on scaling its education programs, growing its tournament portfolio, and building a sustainable esports economy. Through strategic alignment with national initiatives, mega events, and investments in talent development, the company is helping position the gaming industry as a key driver of economic diversification and cultural innovation across the Middle East. About GGTech Entertainment GGTech Entertainment is an international company operating in Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East and North Africa, dedicated to the development of innovative leisure, entertainment and educational projects through gaming, esports and technology. Focusing on innovation, applied technology and interactive environments, the company offers a wide range of technological solutions to promote the development of society and provide its users with a highly customisable and high quality gaming experience.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Microsoft Abruptly Ceases Digital Movie and TV Sales
Microsoft, after nearly two decades, has exited the business of selling digital TV and movies. Without advance warning, Microsoft's Movies & TV app as of Friday has stopped sales and rentals for movies and TV shows. 'Important: Microsoft no longer offers new entertainment content for purchase, including movies and TV shows, on Microsoft Store on Windows, and the Microsoft Store on Xbox,' the tech giant says in a support notice on its site. More from Variety Xbox Series X/S Deals: The Next-Gen Gaming Consoles Are Discounted for Prime Day PlayStation's 'Helldivers 2' Coming to Xbox in August Microsoft Scraps 'Perfect Dark' Reboot, 'Everwild' and Other Games, Closes Studio The Initiative The notice did not provide any explanation for the decision. Variety has reached out to Microsoft reps for additional info. The company's discontinuation of movie and TV sales and rentals was spotted earlier by tech site Windows Central. Customers who have previously purchased content through the Microsoft Movies & TV storefront can continue to access it on an Xbox or Windows device, the notice says. Microsoft is not offering refunds; citing the Microsoft Store Terms of Sale, 'Movies and TV shows are ineligible for refunds.' Microsoft originally launched a movies and TV storefront for its Zune device in 2006. That evolved into the Xbox Video store in 2012 before getting renamed Microsoft Movies & TV in 2015. Meanwhile, Microsoft's support site says users cannot directly transfer your purchased TV shows and movies to another service. U.S. customers can sign up for the Movies Anywhere cloud service to 'connect select purchased movies' with participating retailers, according to Microsoft. Those include Apple, Amazon Prime Video, Fandango, Google Play/YouTube and Comcast's Xfinity, according to the Movies Anywhere website. Studios that participate in Movies Anywhere, which is operated by Disney, are Disney/Fox, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Snail, Inc. Announces Intent to Explore Proprietary USD-Backed Stablecoin
Culver City, United States, July 16th, 2025, ChainwireSnail, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNAL) ('Snail Games' or the 'Company'), a leading global independent developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment, announced its intention to explore pursuing a strategic digital asset initiative that includes the evaluation and feasibility for introduction of its own proprietary stablecoin. This initiative would be subject to a range of factors, including but not limited to, regulatory approvals, market conditions, technical feasibility, cybersecurity safeguards, financial controls, and internal governance. The Company believes that exploring stablecoin infrastructure may position it as an early mover within the digital entertainment industry. While no decisions have been made to integrate such technology into the Company's corporate strategy, it continues to evaluate and explore opportunities as part of its broader innovation roadmap. Recognizing the growing potential of crypto-based transactions in the digital entertainment and gaming industry, the Company is currently assessing the feasibility of developing and exploring its stablecoin with multiple external use cases, with no current timeline or commitment. To support this initiative, Snail Games has retained Dr. George Cao, an external consultant. Dr. Cao earned his PhD degree in Computer Science from the University of Chicago and is the Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of AscendEX, a full-stack cryptocurrency financial platform that offers simple solutions for investing, trading, and earning to global users. In addition, the Company also retained seasoned legal advisors, including a nationally recognized law firm ranked by Chambers FinTech Legal USA as a leading firm serving cryptocurrency and blockchain clients. 'This stablecoin exploration is a natural evolution of our innovation-led strategy and will support a broader effort to evaluate how blockchain-based technologies could be aligned with the Company's long-term goal to be at the forefront of digital transformation in the entertainment space,' said Snail, Inc. co-CEO Hai Shi. 'To support this initiative, we've engaged a nationally recognized law firm and a seasoned strategic advisor to support and guide the successful exploration of this opportunity. We are evaluating potential future phase hiring needs for professionals with specialized experience in blockchain, stablecoins, and digital asset strategy. While our focus continues to remain on gaming across our ARK franchise, indie titles, and other up-and-coming genres, this investigation into the crypto space and evaluation of the feasibility of launching our own stablecoin would mark a key step in advancing our vision of driving innovation across digital entertainment. We're excited to share continued updates as we reach meaningful milestones in our evaluation.' About Snail, Inc. Snail, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNAL) is a leading, global independent developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment for consumers around the world, with a premier portfolio of premium games designed for use on a variety of platforms, including consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. For more information, users can visit: Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "expect," "should," "plan," "intend," "may," "predict," "continue," "estimate" and "potential," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this press release and in our public filings with the SEC and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding (i) the evaluation and feasibility for introduction of Snail's own proprietary stablecoin and any future implementation, which will depend on multiple factors, including regulatory considerations, technical readiness, risk assessments and strategic alignment with Snail's core business, (ii) Snail as a pioneer among public companies within the digital entertainment industry to integrate stablecoin infrastructure directly into its corporate strategy, (iii) Snail showcasing its ongoing commitment to fostering creativity and innovation across its global portfolio, (iv) Snail's long-term investment in the next generation of gamers and creators, and (v) Gen Alpha projected to become the most digitally fluent and commercially influential generation to date. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed by the Company with the SEC on March 26, 2025 and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC, including the Company's Forms 10-Q filed with the SEC. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Disclaimer: This press release does not constitute an offer, sale or solicitation of an offer to buy any digital asset or security. The Company has not committed to a specific launch timeline or use case deployment. Any future implementation will depend on multiple factors, including regulatory considerations, technical readiness, risk assessments and strategic alignment with Snail's core business. Snail may determine at any time to abandon its current intent to explore the issuance of A proprietary US dollar-backed stablecoin. Investor Contact: John Yi and Steven Shinmachi Gateway Group, Inc. 949-574-3860 SNAL@ ContactMonty RoblesSnail Gamesmontyr@ | © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
