World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) issued its latest quarterly report yesterday. The home of John Cena and Triple H is having a difficult time growing from the looks of it. And what exactly is going on with the film division?

According to TheFly, WWE's Q4 reported profit of 11 cents per share beat the estimate by two pennies. I'm not terribly pleased by that. To begin with, the company made 15 cents per share in the year-ago period. Plus, adjusted operating income, as highlighted in the corporate press release, dipped 22%.

Continue reading World Wrestling Entertainment's Quarter: All About the Movies

World Wrestling Entertainment's Quarter: All About the Movies originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) hit a 52-week low of $11.50 on some dispiriting news concerning earnings guidance. And I should say that, at the time of this writing, there were about three hours to go before the end of the session, meaning there is always the possibility that once this piece is published, the 52-week low could have changed (shareholders certainly hope that is not the case).

According to Reuters, WWE's projection for Q4 income to fall somewhere between 8 and 10 cents per share is well below the 16 cents per share that Wall Street was counting on. At one point during the afternoon, I saw a quote of $12.25 go by on the screen, indicating a drop of over 9% for the shares.

Continue reading World Wrestling Entertainment Plunges: Trade the Stock?

World Wrestling Entertainment Plunges: Trade the Stock? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) got some good news Wednesday. According to StreetInsider.com, Roth Capital is calling the stock a buy now instead of neutral. At a little before 10 a.m., the shares were higher by 2.2%, coming in at a quote of $14.33.

The 52-week low for the stock is $12.86 while the 52-week high is $18.95. I would love to see WWE begin to edge closer to that 52-week high; I'm not sure if this upgrade will do the trick, but it will probably serve to remind investors to check out this multimedia entity. It does possess a valuable portfolio of programs, and one could certainly argue that, from a long-term perspective, it has potential.

Continue reading World Wrestling Entertainment Receives Upgrade: Buy or Sell?

World Wrestling Entertainment Receives Upgrade: Buy or Sell? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Verizon (VZ), FEMSA (FMX), Vornado (VNO), Duke Realty (DRE) and AvalonBay (AVB) to buy from neutral, as well as Carnival (CCL) to conviction buy from buy, at Goldman.
• Symantec (SYMC) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Copano Energy (CPNO), DCP Midstream (DPM) and Inergy (NRGY) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• SYNNEX (SNX) to strong buy from buy at Needham.
• Eli Lilly (LLY) to hold from sell at Hapoalim.
• World Wrestling (WWE) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AKS, CCL, EOG, GE, GS, LLY, SNDK, T, TLB, TUP, VZ, WWE ...

Analyst Calls: AKS, CCL, EOG, GE, GS, LLY, SNDK, T, TLB, TUP, VZ, WWE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading World Wrestling Entertainment's Q3: Buy or Sell the Numbers?

World Wrestling Entertainment's Q3: Buy or Sell the Numbers? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Is World Wrestling Entertainment's Stock a Sell?

Is World Wrestling Entertainment's Stock a Sell? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I have to admit, I didn't notice until late this week that World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) Legendary film, which opened yesterday, was some sort of drama. Maybe I was aware of it, somewhere in the back of my mind, but honestly, I've suddenly been hit by the notion that WWE's celluloid division made one heck of a strange business decision in green lighting the project.

Let me say upfront that I have not seen the movie. But I've read several reviews, such as the one in the Los Angeles Times. They don't make me want to see the flick.

Continue reading WWE's 'Legendary': An Odd Choice for a Movie Strategy

WWE's 'Legendary': An Odd Choice for a Movie Strategy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I'm going to offer up brief opinions on some of the events from the past trading week. Maybe you had your eye on one or two of them as well.

Playboy (PLA) reported a net loss in its second quarter. The red ink came out to 16 cents per share this time around; last year, the loss was 26 cents per share. You know what? It doesn't really matter if management was able to narrow the bleeding. Playboy is purely an arbitrage play now, with Hugh Hefner making a bid to take control of the business (a competing bid has been made by FriendFinder, which owns Penthouse). I would avoid making a buy here, since the arbitrage game can be a difficult one to win.

Continue reading Thoughts on Market Stories from the Week

Thoughts on Market Stories from the Week originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After climbing up to a high around $19 in April, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) looks like it may be headed for a smackdown on its stock price.

Following a disappointing earnings announcement yesterday -- analysts were expecting earnings of $0.14 per share and the company reported earnings of $0.08 per share -- the stock gapped lower and is now sitting at a key support level at $15.

Looking back as far as last November, it appears this level of support could be the neckline of a head-and-shoulders reversal pattern.

Continue reading WWE Is Headed for a Smackdown

WWE Is Headed for a Smackdown originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's tough to buy stocks these days. No one knows when the next drop in the major indexes is going to happen. As many have said, it probably will be a tough summer.

Over the weekend, I was looking through some media articles discussing World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) YouTube strategy (you can check out the corporate press release to get more information about the subject). It made me want to examine WWE's current investment potential.

Continue reading World Wrestling Entertainment: A Good Stock for Tough Times?

World Wrestling Entertainment: A Good Stock for Tough Times? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shareholders of Disney (DIS) are looking forward to a little boost this

Yet, I have a thought to propose to the media industry: Should Disney charge viewers to see the finale?

Continue reading Should Disney Have Charged for the 'Lost' Finale?

Should Disney Have Charged for the 'Lost' Finale? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Wow, what a trading day! World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), like many stocks, was being punished because of macro fears in the global marketplace. At one point, my intraday screen showed a drop all the way down to $12.86. Did that really happen? Is a rerun of the kind of price action we saw during the credit crisis in the offing?

I just don't know; I do know, however, that you better be willing to take advantage of some of these buying opportunities (assuming an opportunity passes your own test of due diligence, it goes without saying). Looking at WWE, I have to believe today may have been a good time to start a position (if you are a long-term believer and didn't add to an already existing position, you should have!).

Continue reading Was WWE's Drop Today a Buying Opportunity?

Was WWE's Drop Today a Buying Opportunity? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 06 May 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Friday, Bank of America (BAC) and Mattel (MAT) reported first-quarter earnings data. How do these two look after their respective releases?

Let's go with the financial business first. Bank of America is a solid brand in the money-services arena. Over the last year, the stock has risen very nicely, as the BAC chart clearly shows. Shares of the company were quite close to the 52-week high of $19.86 on Thursday before the Q1 numbers were sent to the market.

Continue reading How Do Bank of America and Mattel Look After Their Reports?

How Do Bank of America and Mattel Look After Their Reports? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 17 Apr 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We all have our watch lists. I'm no different. Here are four companies that I monitor almost every single day, and a brief opinion on each of them.

Activision Blizzard (ATVI): I sold this one back in January. Some believe I was wrong to do so. I definitely comprehend the sentiment, because really, this is the best publisher in the sector. Compared to Electronic Arts (ERTS) and Take-Two Interactive (TTWO), Activision Blizzard has an enviable pipeline. Unfortunately, the video-game industry isn't firing on all cylinders; check out the most recent monthly-sales report, and you'll see what I mean. In addition, the company's Guitar Hero franchise isn't the fad it once was. I do want to get in on the stock again, though; lately, the price seems to be perking up. I'm not ready to send in the buy order just yet. I'm waiting for further strength to materialize in the shares.

Continue reading Stocks on My Watch List: ATVI, LGF, NTDOY, WWE

Stocks on My Watch List: ATVI, LGF, NTDOY, WWE originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) reported better-than-expected Q4 earnings and declared an annual dividend.
• Allstate Corp. (ALL) swung to better-than-expected Q4 earnings and also swung to a full-year profit.
• Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (BWLD) shares tumbled after it posted disappointing earnings tied to costs.
• The Cheesecake Factory Inc. (CAKE) posted better-than-expected Q4 earnings but sales were flat.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) earnings numbers for Q4 resulted in upgrades from two analysts.
• CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS) higher Q4 earnings matched the expectations of analysts, and shares rose.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Allstate, Marriott, PepsiCo, 3M, UBS, Viacom, WWE ...

Earnings Highlights: Allstate, Marriott, PepsiCo, 3M, UBS, Viacom, WWE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Option traders pushed up call option prices in the general entertainment industry and pushed up put option prices in the diversified utilities industry today.

Bullish Volatility Skews

• World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) -- part of the general entertainment industry -- came in at the top with a volatility skew of 1.18. This may come as a surprise as WWE is down 1.53% for the past month.

Continue reading Bullish and Bearish Volatility Skews: WWE, CBSH, MDU, NU, BPL, CBY

Bullish and Bearish Volatility Skews: WWE, CBSH, MDU, NU, BPL, CBY originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) story hasn't changed too much, in my opinion. It's holding up pretty well with its business model, but as far as unambiguous growth is concerned, management remains in a challenged position.

WWE released Q4 earnings to the market on Thursday, and the results were rather mediocre for the most part. Per-share profit dropped three pennies to 15 cents. Revenues saw a modest decline. Excluding items, adjusted operating income increased 9% on a dollar basis.

Continue reading World Wrestling Entertainment's Q4: Lower GAAP Profit, Higher Cash Flow

World Wrestling Entertainment's Q4: Lower GAAP Profit, Higher Cash Flow originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) hasn't fully succeeded with its film model. The company's slate has yet to produce a bona fide hit yet. Because of this, management has decided to change the strategy governing the operations of the WWE Studios asset.

WWE has elected to take over the marketing/distribution chores for its movies, ditching previous partners Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF) and News Corp. (NWS) in the process, as this article at Variety indicates. However, there's an even bigger change that all shareholders should focus on.

Continue reading World Wrestling Entertainment Is Serious About Movies

World Wrestling Entertainment Is Serious About Movies originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is a fun stock to keep tabs on. Not only is it linked to some crazy (and I mean that in a good way) content, but it sports one heck of a yield. As of this writing, WWE is yielding over 9%. Pretty cool, huh?

Yet, at the same time, investors worry over the company's programming. They have to; WWE lives and breathes by the excitement quotient of its various plots and skirmishes. Wall Street wants to see the ratings go as high as possible, and for that to happen, WWE has to deliver.

Continue reading Will a New Storyline Bolster WWE's Fortunes?

Will a New Storyline Bolster WWE's Fortunes? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from last week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• CBS Corp. (NYSE: CBS) reported that Q3 revenue was flat while earnings and cash flow declined.
• Clorox Co. (NYSE: CLX) reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings, helped by healthy gross margins.
• Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) posted better-than-expected Q3 earnings with modest revenue growth.
• Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF) Q3 revenue missed estimates but earnings came in better than expected.
• Expeditors International of Washington Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPD) traded lower after its Q3 earnings miss.
• Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) beat earnings estimates in the week after the Google Navigation launch.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: CBS, Comcast, News Corp., Time Warner, UBS, Viacom ...

Earnings highlights: CBS, Comcast, News Corp., Time Warner, UBS, Viacom ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.