Warner Brothers, Time Warner's (TWX) movie entertainment arm, is going to launch part 2 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows in 3D during 2011. We take this opportunity to estimate the value of such movies from Time Warner's perspective. Time Warner competes with Viacom (VIA), News Corp. (NWS), CBS (CBS) and Disney (DIS) in the media and entertainment business.

Our price estimate for Time Warner's stock stands at $35.51, in line with market price.

Continue reading What the Final Harry Potter Film Means to Time Warner

What the Final Harry Potter Film Means to Time Warner originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Thoughts on IMAX

Thoughts on IMAX originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Disney Snags Mobile Gaming Startup Rocketpack

Disney Snags Mobile Gaming Startup Rocketpack originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to Box Office Mojo's early estimates for the four-day holiday weekend, Time Warner Inc.'s (TWX) thriller Unknown has taken the number-one position with a domestic haul of $25.6 million. The next two movies on the chart came close to that figure, but the more interesting thing about them is that they come courtesy of The Walt Disney Company (DIS).

In second place is Gnomeo and Juliet with $24.8 million. Pretty cool, actually. I didn't think the cartoon would necessarily hold up as well as it has in the second weekend.

Continue reading It's Disney vs. Time Warner at the Multiplex

It's Disney vs. Time Warner at the Multiplex originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CBS Corporation (CBS) issued its fourth-quarter report after the bell today. The results should make shareholders happy. Adjusted net income rose an incredible 77% to 46 cents per share, according to the press release. That number went beyond the estimate by two pennies as indicated by TheFly.

Considering how the stock has fared over the past twelve months, one would have expected a good earnings report. The 52-week low for the shares is $12.26 while the 52-week high is $22.25. The chart communicates a company backed by some solid momentum.

Continue reading CBS Tops Estimate in Q4: Buy the Stock?

CBS Tops Estimate in Q4: Buy the Stock? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Based on what I was reading going into the weekend, I thought the multiplex was going to be an unexciting place. I was therefore rather surprised to see what I thought were relatively impressive numbers attached to the top films.

According to early estimates for domestic grosses at Box Office Mojo, Sony's (SNE) Just Go With It, starring Adam Sandler, is so far credited with a first-place showing; the movie is believed to have made about $31 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period. But Viacom's (VIA.B) Justin Bieber: Never Say Never product isn't giving up without a fight. At the time of writing, it was in second place with $30.3 million. Essentially, it's a tie.

Continue reading Viacom's Bieber Film Gives Sony's Sandler Project a Fight

Viacom's Bieber Film Gives Sony's Sandler Project a Fight originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Disney (DIS) to buy from hold at Wunderlich.
• Pike Electric (PIKE) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Kindred Healthcare (KND) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• UBS (UBS) to hold from sell at Canaccord.
• Avery Dennison (AVY) and Take-Two (TTWO) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Mercer (MERC) to outperform from market perform at Raymond James.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AVY, CSUN, DIS, INTU, KBH, KEY, LEN, NVTL, UBS, USNA ...

Analyst Calls: AVY, CSUN, DIS, INTU, KBH, KEY, LEN, NVTL, UBS, USNA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Walt Disney Company (DIS) released results for its fiscal first quarter after the bell today. As a shareholder, I was very eager to see the data since the stock recently broke through the tough resistance level of $40. Would the recent rise in the stock be justified by the profit growth?

You know, that just may be the case. According to the corporate press release, on an adjusted basis, net income jumped 45% to 68 cents per share. Even better, the call was for 56 cents per share. That's a significant beat. As for the top line, it expanded by a healthy 10%.

Continue reading Disney Beats Q1 Estimates, Stock Rises -- Is It Overvalued?

Disney Beats Q1 Estimates, Stock Rises -- Is It Overvalued? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings season has been going pretty good so far, and Walt Disney (DIS) will get its chance to impress Wall Street this afternoon when it reports its fiscal first quarter results after the market closes.

Going into this afternoon's report, analysts are expecting to see the company report earnings of $0.56 per share, up from $0.47 during the same period last year.

Continue reading Disney Expected to Post Strong Q1 Results

Disney Expected to Post Strong Q1 Results originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Teams have been preparing their game plans and it's time to see which of the 60 teams will win. No, not the Packers or Steelers -- Go Pack! -- but PepsiCo (PEP), Anheuser-Busch (BUD), General Motors (GM) and all the other companies competing for the best spots in one of TV's most expensive marketing moments, costing an estimated $3 million dollars per 30 second spot.

For those not into football, the ads in the Super Bowl game can be more amusing than the game itself as advertising teams compete for attention, show their best efforts and even get rated by numerous online sites. Last year, Doritos (owned by PepsiCo), and E-Trade (ETFC) did well, and Anheuser-Busch seems to always have a Clydesdale horse in the running.

Continue reading Who Will Win the Super Bowl Ad Game This Year?

Who Will Win the Super Bowl Ad Game This Year? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Time Warner Set to Report Q4 Earnings

Time Warner Set to Report Q4 Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Viacom's B shares (VIA.B) hit a new 52-week high of $43 on Friday during the intraday session (it eventually closed at $42.28). This is a stock I watch fairly regularly, and it's looking like it wants to make a run to even higher heights.

The equity has done well since hitting a 52-week low of $27.89 nearly a year ago. The twelve-month chart shows the stock's escape from a sideways-trading pattern. You can't help but call the media company attractive from a technical viewpoint.

I also find the business to be interesting from a valuation perspective. Even with the appreciation in price, the shares are arguably not too expensive.

Continue reading Viacom Hits New 52-Week High

Viacom Hits New 52-Week High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Disney (DIS) recently broke out from a nine-week flat base, with a big expansion in volume," notes technician and breakout specialist Leo Fasciocco.

The editor of Ticker Tape Digest explains, "Although one needs to be patient with this stock, its recent push to a 10-year high is very bullish. Technically, it means there is no overhead resistance.

"This big cap play, with annual revenues of $38.1 billion, is most suitable for conservative investors. This is also a stock that could attract buying from big mutual funds.

Continue reading Disney (DIS): 'Picture Perfect' Breakout

Disney (DIS): 'Picture Perfect' Breakout originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last week, Disney (DIS) hit $40 per share. It's something I've been waiting a long time to see. I know many investors, as well as traders, have done well, depending on when they purchased the stock. I myself started a position back in 1998. As far as I'm concerned, the company didn't do what I thought it would over the past decade-plus.

I'm hoping all that's about to change. Now that the Mouse has returned to the $40 area, perhaps it's a sign that $50, $60, maybe even $70 aren't the impossible prices I once thought they were. No, I'm not suggesting we'll see $70 in 12 months, or even in 24 months; I won't even suggest $60. But $50? Hey, let's just say when I look at the chart, I'm encouraged that new resistance levels may be taken out.

Continue reading Will Disney Finally Break $40?

Will Disney Finally Break $40? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

IMAX (IMAX) finished 2010 with a wild trading day. With a little over two-and-a-half hours to go before the market bell, I had noticed that the stock was up an incredible 15.6% to $31.05. On heavy volume. Yes, heavy volume, on the last day of the year.

What was the reason? There was some speculation about a buyout. StreetInisder.com had reported that Sony (SNE) was possibly interested in buying the business. Disney (DIS) was also mentioned as a potential acquirer.

Continue reading IMAX: Interesting Trading Day

IMAX: Interesting Trading Day originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Little Fockers

Continue reading GE's 'Little Fockers' Beats Viacom's 'True Grit'

GE's 'Little Fockers' Beats Viacom's 'True Grit' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Disney (DIS) released Tron: Legacy this past weekend. I wrote down some of my thoughts about the project ahead of the results. Well, the results are now in -- I dare any shareholder to say they weren't disappointing.

Actually, I'm sure there are some shareholders out there who possess the ability to skillfully spin the opening statistic to a more golden hue. I'm not one of them; in fact, I have no desire to do so. According to Box Office Mojo, the Tron sequel made $44 million. You know what? A $44 million take from domestic theaters for the first three days is lousy when one juxtaposes the significant marketing investment put in place to support the film. Indeed, there was no way for anyone not to know that the picture was hitting theaters in the middle of December.

Continue reading Disney's 'Tron': Did the Mouse Win or Lose?

Disney's 'Tron': Did the Mouse Win or Lose? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here we go again. It's another big movie weekend for The Walt Disney Company (DIS). The sequel to a science-fiction classic from the early '80s hits theaters today. The marketing for Tron: Legacy is everywhere right now (or it appears that way, at least). There are many news pieces musing about the importance of the flick to the studio. Question is, what does Wall Street think?

At the moment (about ninety minutes away from the closing bell), shares of Disney are down a penny to $37. That's exactly one dollar away from the 52-week high. The market as a whole isn't too exciting this afternoon anyway, but still, I would have liked to have seen a little more buying interest in the stock ahead of the movie (I'm a shareholder of the company).

Continue reading Disney and the New 'Tron': Are Investors Excited?

Disney and the New 'Tron': Are Investors Excited? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Disney's Dividend Increase: Time to Buy?

Disney's Dividend Increase: Time to Buy? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to an item highlighted by TheFly, it appears as if News Corp. (NWS) may be interested in selling MySpace. There are no guarantees, of course, but I'll tell you this: I hope a sale happens. And the sooner the better.

Sure, in theory, MySpace was a great acquisition. It was the hot destination on the web for a while. Reality, however, has a way of interfering with even the best ideas. The Internet can evolve very quickly; CEOs need to be extremely cautious about what they decide to buy when they are playing this part of the media game.

Continue reading Will News Corp. Make the Right Decision Concerning MySpace?

Will News Corp. Make the Right Decision Concerning MySpace? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.