Disney (DIS), a major media company that competes with CBS (CBS), General Electric's (GE) NBC Universal, News Corp. (NWS), Sony (SNE), Time Warner (TWX), and Viacom (VIA), offered up fiscal Q1 data after the bell on Tuesday. From the looks of things, the Mouse had a good quarter.

According to my earnings preview, the call was for net income to come in at 39 cents per share on an adjusted basis. Disney actually made 47 cents per share. Not only was that a more than acceptable beat, but it represents growth of 15%.

Continue reading Disney Starts Off the New Fiscal Year with Solid Results

Disney Starts Off the New Fiscal Year with Solid Results originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We all knew News Corp.'s (NWS) Avatar would cede the top spot to some film someday. To be honest, I didn't think Sony's (SNE) Dear John would be the one to do it.

According to Box Office Mojo, John grossed roughly $32 million at domestic theaters. That was more than enough to put the sci-fi flick in second place. However, no one should feel sad for News Corp.; Avatar's worldwide haul now stands at over $2.2 billion.

Continue reading Should 'Avatar' Be Rushed to DVD Now That It Is in Second Place?

Should 'Avatar' Be Rushed to DVD Now That It Is in Second Place? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Comcast (CMCSA) published fourth-quarter numbers earlier today. On a reported basis, net income more than doubled to 33 cents per share. According to Reuters, the cable company earned 29 cents per share on an adjusted basis, beating estimates by two pennies.

Management loves to promote its ability to generate free cash flow. There was an increase in this metric of just under 21% for the twelve-month period. I love free-cash generation, and I appreciate this example of growth, but one thing should be pointed out: operational cash flow was flat. As the earnings release stated, a reduction in capital expenditures was mostly responsible for the expansion. Free cash flow was down 11% for the fourth quarter itself, sorry to say.

Continue reading Comcast Down on Q4 Release

Comcast Down on Q4 Release originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News Corp. (NWS), the media conglomerate that competes with Disney (DIS), Time Warner (TWX), and General Electric's (GE) NBC Universal, posted Q2 data after the bell on Tuesday. Shareholders should have few complaints on this one.

Revenues went up 10%, and earnings on an adjusted basis jumped well over 60% to 25 cents per share. According to Reuters, the estimate was 20 cents per share. Besides the beat, cash from operations was a lot better in the current six-month period. In the comparable frame, cash was used to fund operating activities.

Continue reading News Corp. Reports Fantastic Second Quarter

News Corp. Reports Fantastic Second Quarter originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NBC Universal, which recently was the subject of a proposed transaction between General Electric (GE) and Comcast (CMCSA), is having a serious problem with The Jay Leno Show. It's not performing well in the ratings. But wait, there's more, as a typical infomercial narrator might intone: The Tonight Show isn't faring any better under the aegis of Conan O'Brien.

Worse, the issues with the 10 PM Leno programming asset go beyond just his ratings. The show is exerting a negative halo effect over the local newscasts. If you don't have a strong lead-in, then the content that follows will suffer.

Continue reading The Leno/O'Brien Puzzle: What Should NBC Do?

The Leno/O'Brien Puzzle: What Should NBC Do? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The DVD market continues to disappoint. There's an article over at The Hollywood Reporter discussing the industry and its sorry state. According to the piece, sales of discs are down 13% at the end of the third quarter.

Interestingly enough, the article goes on to give a positive spin to the news by pointing out that the Blu-ray format is gaining traction, and that digital distribution and rental of discs are also acting as offsetting elements. While that may be true, I'm not so sure I can be as positive, because I still believe that the studios have a long way to go in terms of answering the DVD issue.

Continue reading A resolution for Hollywood in the new year: Get home video moving again

A resolution for Hollywood in the new year: Get home video moving again originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I'm sure many observers believe Disney is gearing up for a prosperous 2010. If you pull up a one-year chart over at AOL quotes, you'll note the remarkable uptrend the shares have been in; this uptrend is not only appealing to traders, but to investors as well. Investors like me.

Continue reading Disney receives new price target -- should I be impressed?

Disney receives new price target -- should I be impressed? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Disney (DIS), the media company behind Mickey Mouse and Buzz Lightyear, and whose colleagues in the industry include CBS (CBS), General Electric's (GE) NBC Universal, News Corp. (NWS), Sony Corporation (SNE), Time Warner (TWX), and Viacom (VIA), reported results for Q4 and the full fiscal year on Thursday after the bell. While the bottom line came in ahead of expectations, I have to say that the release was disappointing to this shareholder.

Earnings on an adjusted basis for the quarter came in at 46 cents per share, higher than the number predicted by analysts. Unfortunately, as I go through the data, I don't think I'm too comforted by such income performance.

Continue reading Disney's Q4: Bob Iger beats Wall Street, but he needs a better plan for the studio

Disney's Q4: Bob Iger beats Wall Street, but he needs a better plan for the studio originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Disney (DIS), a media business that competes with Viacom (VIA), CBS (CBS), News Corp. (NWS), and General Electric's (GE) NBC Universal, will be talking up its fourth-quarter numbers on Thursday after the bell. Are you a shareholder? If so, are you excited? Well, don't get too excited, because we might not be getting any growth, even if the Mouse beats on the bottom line. According to Earnings.com, the call is for 40 cents per share versus the 43 cents per share made in the comparable period.

You know what, though? For the most part, I'm not so concerned with exactly how much Disney makes this quarter. I'm a shareholder, and I want to see management at least come in at the estimate, of course, but I'll be more interested in the conference call. Way more interested this time around, in fact.

Continue reading Disney to report earnings Thursday: Should investors be excited?

Disney to report earnings Thursday: Should investors be excited? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When I discussed Lions Gate Entertainment's (LGF) first-quarter results, I noted the disappointing statement of cash flows. Unfortunately, the company didn't do much better in the second quarter. For the six-month period, Lions Gate used over $160 million for operations compared to the roughly $40 million used in the similar frame one year ago.

Of course, cash flow doesn't always get the most coverage. Investors tend to get more excited by a swing to profitability. On that count, Lions Gate scored admirably, earning 26 cents per diluted share versus losing 44 cents per diluted share twelve months prior. Earnings.com indicates that analysts were really underestimating the Q2 income potential here: the call was for 6 cents per share.

Continue reading Lions Gate Entertainment: Still waiting for cash flow

Lions Gate Entertainment: Still waiting for cash flow originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS), the big media conglomerate that competes with Disney (NYSE: DIS), Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), and General Electric's (NYSE: GE) NBC Universal, issued Q1 data on Wednesday after regular trading was over. Revenues declined 4%, but earnings per share went up 10% to 22 cents. According to Bloomberg, that was enough to beat analysts by four pennies.

That's pretty decent for the company, but there are a couple of spots in need of serious help. It goes without saying that the newspaper industry is having a rough time, so it's not so hard to understand why the news groups experienced a significant decline in operating income.

Continue reading News Corp. beats forecasts, but television business is weak

News Corp. beats forecasts, but television business is weak originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Adjusted earnings per share grew over 20% to 28 cents per share. According to our earnings preview, the market was looking for 25 cents per share. Operating cash flow increased a little under 3%, but free cash flow went up almost 20%, aided by a smaller amount of capital expenditures compared to the previous year's similar quarter. I'm sure shareholders are more than satisfied with the growth rate of the green stuff over the past three months. Comcast saw excellent expansion of free cash over the last nine months, too.

Continue reading Comcast grows free cash in Q3, but when will it do a deal?

Comcast grows free cash in Q3, but when will it do a deal? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the advertising market could be ready for an upswing. Michael Morris, an analyst at UBS, is making a connection between improved sales at retail stores and a robust environment for commercials and the like. His reasoning is sound: if retail businesses are doing better, then they might want want to take advantage of new cash levels to invest in marketing initiatives aimed at bringing in traffic.

Indeed, the advertising industry has been in the dumps. Any good news is welcome. Media entities such as Disney (NYSE: DIS), Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), Viacom (NYSE: VIA), CBS (NYSE: CBS), News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS), and General Electric's (NYSE: GE) NBC Universal, are counting on increased opportunities to sell their respective inventories at better prices.

Continue reading Will media companies benefit from a better advertising climate?

Will media companies benefit from a better advertising climate? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) is feeling a little heat from studios Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS), and General Electric's (NYSE: GE) NBC Universal. The major media companies would all like to make more money from Netflix's business model, according to BusinessWeek.

No one is really satisfied these days with the DVD industry. Growth in home video is no longer what it used to be. So content makers perceive a need to engage new strategies to offset the this lack of expansion. It would be nice if those strategies were confined to innovation in movie development and the reduction of project budgets. Instead, trying to negotiate more beneficial deals with distributors such as Netflix will probably be the focus of media execs.

Continue reading Content companies want more money from Netflix

Content companies want more money from Netflix originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Is Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) getting ready to buy General Electric's (NYSE: GE) NBC Universal? Hard to say. According to our sister site DailyFinance, it looks like the rumor of this theoretical event might be just that -- a rumor, nothing more. Then again, maybe there's something to it.

It seems likely, though, that Comcast does want to clinch a deal with some big media company. Remember when Comcast wanted to buy Disney (NYSE: DIS)? Quite frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if it ends up taking NBC Universal off GE's corporate hands. But which group of shareholders would this benefit the most?

Continue reading Should Comcast and NBC Universal do a deal?

Should Comcast and NBC Universal do a deal? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well, I still feel this is a risky move, but I do have to say that an article by Scott Collins over at the Los Angeles Times has piqued my interest in the expected economical benefit that Leno-at-10 might imply. Leno might not bring in a ton of eyeballs, but his profit margin could be acceptable given the lower capital necessary to fund his extravaganza.

Continue reading Should GE shareholders be happy about 'The Jay Leno Show'?

Should GE shareholders be happy about 'The Jay Leno Show'? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Funny People, distributed by General Electric's (NYSE: GE) Universal Studios, was the number one film this weekend. I don't know whether or not the critics liked it but, from a financial viewpoint, it failed.

According to Boxofficemojo, People grossed $23 million as of early estimates. Cool; that's enough money to beat Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) incredibly competitive Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which came in second with $17 million. Disney's (NYSE: DIS) G-Force is also credited with roughly $17 million, and has been given third place for now (final numbers will solidify the rankings when they are made available).

Continue reading GE's NBC Universal probably not laughing over opening of 'Funny People'

GE's NBC Universal probably not laughing over opening of 'Funny People' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Did you catch General Electric's (NYSE: GE) second-quarter earnings report on Friday? If you're a shareholder, you might be glad you didn't. I happen to be a shareholder, and I saw them. They weren't pleasant. However, it must be kept in mind that the globe is still gripped by a recession, and that an industrial giant like GE will take time to turn itself around.

Total net sales dropped 17%. Net income from continuing operations came in at 26 cents per share. That represented a horrible 47% drop on the bottom line. If you look at the individual operating segments, you'll note that revenues dropped across the board. And with the exception of the division devoted to energy infrastructure, every segment reported profit declines. Energy infrastructure actually expanded its income by 13%.

Continue reading General Electric's sales and profit drop in Q2, NBC Universal still needs help

General Electric's sales and profit drop in Q2, NBC Universal still needs help originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to Boxofficemojo, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was the top film at the domestic box office over the three-day weekend. I'm sure this didn't surprise Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) shareholders. The latest installment of the popular fantasy series took in about $79 million as of early estimates. However, Prince actually opened last Wednesday. If you add in monies derived from the Wednesday and Thursday showings, you've got a gross of about $159 million so far.

This compares favorably to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which opened in July 2007. Phoenix made just under $140 million during its five-day debut. I like such growth. It shows that the franchise retains a good quantity of demand.

Continue reading Time Warner's wizard works wonders yet again at the box office

Time Warner's wizard works wonders yet again at the box office originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Reporter article, which talks about the TMZ.com post that brought an email Bay wrote in May to the world's attention, says that Bay believes the quality of the marketing support so far on the second Transformers is way below par. He feels no buzz equity surrounding the movie. He doesn't think that an appropriate zeitgeist of support has been synthetically manufactured by the powers that be at Paramount. And he wonders if it might have to do with money: "I cannot figure if this is a cash issue with your company?" Further, he proffers: "Right now we are not an event. We are just a sequel, which is different."

Continue reading Viacom and Michael Bay: Stop whining, Mike

Viacom and Michael Bay: Stop whining, Mike originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.