The news continues to be bad for Nintendo (OTC: NTDOY) shareholders. The Wii is slowing down. While it remains a powerful force in gaming hardware, it's just not as compelling in terms of sales as it used to be.

Bloomberg tells the tale. The data for April sales show that the Wii sold less than half as many consoles in the U.S. this year as compared to April of 2008. Last month, the Wii moved 340,000 units. A year ago, the Wii sold over 700,000 units. That's a big difference. Now, don't get to thinking that Nintendo has now given up its crown. The Wii still outsells both the Sony (NYSE: SNE) PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Xbox 360 in domestic locations.

Continue reading Nintendo Wii has tough April -- will console be getting cheaper?

Nintendo Wii has tough April -- will console be getting cheaper? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 24 May 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and watch out for more Battle of the Brands posts.

Every time I walk through a mall (not too often these days), I see a new "hip" store of which I was previously unaware. I can always count on a few mainstays, though ... the cell-phone-accessory kiosk manned by overly enthusiastic employees, the tantalizing aroma from Auntie Anne's pretzels, and the always tasteful novelty shops. In most malls, I can typically scope out the latest yuppie fashions in either Gap (NYSE: GPS) or Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) (and often-times both). Despite the encroachment of Hot Topic (NASDAQ: HOTT), Pacific Sunwear of California (NASDAQ: PSUN), and other trendy competitors, these two venerable names have stood the test of time, providing relatively affordable threads for men, women, and kids.

In addition to its eponymous chain, which was started in 1969, GPS runs the Old Navy and Banana Republic chains. The retailer's most recent experiment, Forth & Towne (created to appeal to thirty-something career woman) was a bust and has now been abandoned after 18 months. Same-store sales trends have turned south of late, dropping five percent in fiscal year 2005 and slumping seven percent last year. And during the past 12-month cycle, GPS has seen its quarterly earnings drop more than 35 percent. The stock is well off its highs, having lost two-thirds of its value since early 2000. With technical resistance bearing down in the form of the equity's 10-month and 20-month moving averages, relief might not be in sight for a while.

Continue reading The Gap or Abercrombie & Fitch: Who is more tragically hip?

The Gap or Abercrombie & Fitch: Who is more tragically hip? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 07 Apr 2007 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and watch out for more Battle of the Brands posts.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I've been known to turn up my nose at (free) pitchers of Miller Lite, exclaiming "this [potential explicative] stuff taste like formaldehyde!" Many of my closest friends and family members, however, prefer the "tastes great/less filling" brew to any from Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD). Though everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, when it comes to the battle of the light lagers, I don't go quietly into the night with this one. Maybe it's because I was born and raised in St. Louis, which would arguably cease to function without BUD dollars. Maybe I simply prefer red to blue. Or perhaps it's because I'm not a huge fan of tasting formaldehyde (I kid!). Regardless, I stand my ground for my right to drink Bud Light, demanding it for shared pitchers and community coolers. In fact, I haven't even tasted Miller Lite in about seven years, but more on that later.

Celebrity Backers: "H.O.V.A." vs. the Nicest Divorced Guy in America

From the real men of genius to the man-law round table, both BUD and SABMiller (LSE: SAB), the London-based parent company of the Miller Lite brand, are powerful forces in the advertising business, and celebrity endorsements continue to roll in. Rap artist Jay-Z emerged from retirement ready to pitch Budweiser Select (a low-carb, 99-calorie offering) while Burt Reynolds, Jerome "The Bus" Bettis, and others sit on Miller's aforementioned round table. While not lending an endorsement in a traditional sense, who can forget Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson frequently kicking back with ice-cold cans of Miller Lite on the now-defunct (in every-which-way) Newlyweds? The brand allegiance added to Lachey's corn-fed all-American appeal (and I say that honestly as a BUD fan).

Continue reading Bud Light vs. Miller Lite: Battle of the Brands

Bud Light vs. Miller Lite: Battle of the Brands originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 06 Apr 2007 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Macau -- an 11-square-mile territory on the southern coast of the People's Republic of China -- is a "gaming hotbed," notes Beth Gaston Moon, an analyst with Schaeffer's Investment Research. Indeed, Macau saw 2006 gambling revenue up 22% to $6.95 billion. For the first time on record, its gaming revenue exceeded that of Las Vegas.

As the technical analyst -- known for her contrarian investment strategy -- points out, "These figures affirm Macau's status as a region to be reckoned with in the world of blackjack and baccarat." Here, she looks at the investment opportunities in the region:

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS) was the first stateside company to begin operations in Macau. Moon explains, "In 2004, the company built the Sands Macau, the largest casino in the world (in terms of the number of table games)."

Next in line was Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN), which she notes built the Wynn Macau in 2006. A third player, whose casino is slated for construction over the next year is the MGM Grand (NYSE: MGM).

Continue reading Macau: Global gaming gains

Macau: Global gaming gains originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Feb 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.