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☆ Apple supplier Foxconn posts surprise 11% jump in third-quarter profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Ceng Shou Yi | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesApple iPhone supplier Foxconn, officially known as Hon Hai, on Tuesday reported third-quarter profit rose 11.27% from a year ago, beating analysts' expectations despite an ongoing consumer electronics slump. Foxconn reported a NT$38.75 billion net profit in the same period a year ago. watch now"Volumes declined year-on-year largely due to slower than expected recovery in consumer demand. Research firm Canalys said last week that the global smartphone market is seeing a slowdown in its decline. The ongoing electronics slump has badly impacted the global smartphone market.

Persons: Hai Group's, Ceng Shou Yi, Hai, Foxconn, Canalys, Amber Liu, Liu Organizations: Getty, Apple, Hai Technology Group, Counterpoint Research, Research, Huawei Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Mainland China

☆ Chinese chipmaker YMTC sues Micron alleging patent infringement
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 12 (Reuters) - Chinese chipmaker Yangtze Memory Technologies Co (YMTC) has filed a lawsuit against U.S. rival Micron Technology (MU.O) alleging infringement of eight of its patents. YMTC filed the lawsuit against Micron and unit Micron Consumer Products Group on Nov. 9 at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. According to the lawsuit, Micron turned to YMTC's patented technology to fend off competition from YMTC and to gain and protect market share. In May, China said Micron products failed a network security review and barred purchase of them by operators of key infrastructure. ($1 = 7.2934 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Anirudh Saligrama and Brenda Goh; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Aly, YMTC, YMTC's, Anirudh Saligrama, Brenda Goh, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Micron, REUTERS, Memory Technologies, U.S, Micron Technology, Micron Consumer Products Group, Northern, Northern District of, South, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Toshiba, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Northern District, Northern District of California, U.S, Fujian, Xian

☆ China's largest chipmaker SMIC posts a 80% drop in third-quarter profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, CHINA - DECEMBER 04: A logo hangs on the building of the Beijing branch of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) on December 4, 2020 in Beijing, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)China's largest chipmaker SMIC on Thursday posted a 80% drop in third-quarter profit as global demand weakness hit foundries hard. Net income for the quarter plunged 80% compared to a year ago — larger than the 64% drop posted in second quarter 2019, according to company figures. Net income for that period was $93.98 million, far below analysts' expectations of $165.1 million. SMIC is China's biggest foundry, manufacturing semiconductor chips that other firms design.

Organizations: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, Getty, Semiconductor Manufacturing, Co, Samsung, TSMC Locations: BEIJING, CHINA, Beijing, China, South, U.S

☆ Singles Day: China’s e-commerce giants try to lure reluctant consumers with ‘truly low’ prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Singles Day festival, also known as “Double 11,” was created by Alibaba in 2009 and has turned into a weeks-long shopping bonanza in China. To lure them, e-commerce platforms are offering rock bottom prices this Singles Day. “While the government is looking for solid consumption growth, consumer spending is hampered by both lower household income growth and weak consumer confidence,” said Louis Kuijs, chief Asia economist at S&P Global Ratings. This is a real downgrade in consumption,” the user said, adding she hadn’t yet spent any money during the current Singles Day. “Some promotions are fake,” said another user under the name “Nyanko.” “Merchants have raised prices before cutting them for Singles Day.

Persons: ”, Alibaba, Alibaba’s, JD.com’s, Pinduoduo’s, ” “, Alicia Yap, Zhejiang province Hu Xiaofei, Louis Kuijs, ” Kuijs, Jacob Cooke, “, ” Cooke, Cooke, John Donahoe, Lululemon Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Companies, Citi, “, China’s, Technologies, Bain and Company, Pinduoduo, Nike, . Company, Starbucks Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, Asia

☆ Warren Buffett's company is so massive it's like a mini US economy - and its latest earnings may stoke recession fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The famed investor's company reported lower revenues and profits in several divisions last quarter. Here's a roundup of Berkshire's weak spots last quarter:BNSF Railway - operating revenues fell by 12% and earnings by 15%. Manufacturing: consumer products - revenues fell by 2% in the third quarter and 13% in the nine months to September. AdvertisementAdvertisementBuffett foreshadowed the challenges, warning in May that most of Berkshire's businesses would report profit declines this year. While the US has escaped recession so far, Berkshire's earnings suggest there are some cracks in the economy.

Persons: Warren, Berkshire Hathaway, Here's, —, Clayton, Buffett Organizations: Service, BNSF Railway, Manufacturing, Clayton Homes, Federal Reserve Locations: Berkshire, Forest

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Disney, Tesla, Instacart, Arm, Rivian, Target & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Here are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Goldman Sachs initiates Apellis Pharmaceuticals as buy Goldman initiated the biotech company with a buy and says it sees "continued execution." Bank of America reiterates Disney as buy Bank of America said it's standing by its buy rating after Wednesday's earnings report. Goldman Sachs reiterates Arm as overweight Goldman said it's sticking with its buy rating after the stock's earnings report on Wednesday. Goldman Sachs reiterates Instacart as buy Goldman said it's sticking with its buy rating on the grocery delivery company after Instacart's earnings report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley reiterates Rivian as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's sticking with its overweight rating on the electric vehicle company. "

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Tesla, WK Kellogg, Kellogg, Wolfe, Instacart, Morgan Stanley, Rivian, Eli Lilly, MRK's Keytruda, Evercore, it's bullish, Parker, Wells, it's, Hein Schumacher Organizations: Apellis Pharmaceuticals, HSBC, Tesla, Barclays, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Disney, ARM, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche, Merck, pharma, TAP, Industrial, Nvidia, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Bud, Offshore, Unilever, OW, Citi Locations: North America, Montrose

Toy figures of people are seen in front of the displayed Disney + logo, in this illustration taken January 20, 2022. For the fiscal fourth quarter ended Sept. 30, Disney reported adjusted per-share earnings of 82 cents, topping an average forecast of 70 cents, according to LSEG data. The company said it added nearly 7 million Disney+ streaming subscribers in the quarter, with the inclusion of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar together boast 150.2 million subscribers, ahead of Visible Alpha's estimate of 147.4 million. "Our results this quarter reflect the significant progress we've made over the past year," Iger said in a statement.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Walt Disney, Bob, Kevin Lansberry, Iger, Disney, Nelson Peltz, Trian, Paolo Pescatore, Paul Verna, Verna, We've, Dawn Chmielewski, Lisa Richwine, Chavi Mehta, Peter Henderson, Sayantani Ghosh, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, ABC, Disney, Guardians, Trian, Management, Warner Bros Discovery, SAG, Insider Intelligence, Hulu, ESPN, Shanghai Disney, Walt Disney, Disney's Entertainment, Star, Big Ten, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, Hong Kong, Florida, India, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

☆ Turkish parliament dumps Coke, Nestle from menus over alleged Israel support
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan greets lawmakers of his AK Party in the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Turkey, October 25, 2023. "The products of companies that support Israel will not be sold in restaurants, cafeterias and tea houses in the parliament campus," Turkey's Grand National Assembly said, without identifying the companies. Neither the parliament statement nor the source specified how Coca-Cola and Nestle supported Israel's war effort. Over the past month, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his government have sharply criticised Israel's assault on Gaza and Western support for Jerusalem. Israel has bombarded Gaza since a Hamas raid on southern Israel a month ago, when its fighters killed 1,400 people and seized 240 hostages.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Murat Cetinmuhurdar, Numan Kurtulmus, Nestle, Israel, Huseyin Hayatsever, Daren Butler, Alex Richardson, Jonathan Spicer Organizations: AK Party, REUTERS, Rights, Nestle, Israel, National Assembly, Cola, Palestinian, Hamas, stevedores, Ece, Thomson Locations: Turkish, Ankara, Turkey, Handout, Rights ANKARA, Gaza, Israel, Barcelona, Jerusalem

☆ Food production is accelerating the climate crisis, but AI and other emerging technologies could turn things around
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Hazel Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Many common consumer food products are derived from fossil fuels. AdvertisementAdvertisementMultinational consumer food brands, including the fast-food giants McDonald's and Burger King, are under increasing pressure to decarbonize their supply chains and meet global net-zero and ESG goals. Many common ingredients used in consumer products are derived from fossil fuels or produced through unsustainable farming methods. AdvertisementAdvertisementHoxton Farms, a London-based biotech company, is working on creating cultivated fat as a sustainable alternative to traditional animal fats. Regulatory challenges and the path forwardWhile the potential for sustainable and alternative food products is promising, regulatory challenges exist.

Persons: —, Twig, Russ Tucker, Tucker, Ed Steele, Steele, Shivin Kohli, Kohli Organizations: Service, Department, Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, USDA, Access Locations: Burger, Hoxton, London

☆ Bob Iger's return as Disney's CEO once sparked hope inside the company. Now, insiders are anxious and losing faith.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Lucia Moses | Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

"There was a lot of excitement and hope at the return of Bob Iger a year ago," a current Disney staffer told Insider. Uncertainty about the company's future and about who's deciding what on the creative side has left execs in a state of inertia, according to an entertainment lawyer with knowledge of Disney's business. The declining linear TV business culminated in a standoff with Charter Communications over terms for a new contract for carrying Disney's cable channels. And Disney's streaming business, which was supposed to make up for the decline in cable revenues, has lost $11 billion since Disney+ launched in 2019. Churn is a top concern in Disney streaming, some employees said.

Persons: Goofy, what's, Bob Iger, Bob Chapek, He's, confidants, Zenia Mucha, Alan Braverman, Alan Horn, Jayne Parker, Christine McCarthy —, Mickey, Ariel, grumbled, Iger's, It's, he's, Iger, Paul Verna, Chapek, Bob, it's, Ron DeSantis —, Iger —, Nelson Peltz, he'd, hasn't, Verna, Disney, Ike Perlmutter, Peltz, Perlmutter, Ike, Disney's, Paul Singer, Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs, Puck, Stagg's Blackstone, Intelligence's Verna Organizations: Walt Disney Co, Disney, ABC, Hollywood, CNBC, Writers Guild of America, Wall, Insider Intelligence, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Century Fox, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Communications, Florida Gov, Hulu, ESPN Iger, FX, Geographic, ESPN, Apple, Electronic, Elliott Investment Management, Bloomberg, Mayer Locations: Burbank, Hollywood, Florida's, Iger

☆ Wall Street analysts fall back in love with Starbucks. We're glad to see them coming around
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Barclays on Monday raised its price target on Starbucks to $123 a share, up from $116, while maintaining an overweight rating on the stock. The call came after analysts at the bank met with Starbucks executives, who reportedly painted a bullish picture looking out to fiscal year 2024. Meanwhile, Wedbush on Monday also raised its price target on Starbucks, to $106 a share, up from $100, while reiterating a neutral rating on the stock. RBC Capital raised its price target to $111 a share, up from $99, with a sector perform rating. And Citi on Sunday took its price target to $110 a share, up from $100, maintaining a neutral rating on the stock.

Persons: Laxman Narasimhan, Narasimhan, Jim Cramer, Wedbush, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Jakub Porzyck Organizations: Street, Barclays, Starbucks, RBC Capital, Citi, Sunday, CNBC, Nurphoto, Getty Locations: China, Charleroi, Belgium

(AP) — Warren Buffett's company has reported a nearly $13 billion loss in the third quarter as the paper value of its investments fell, but the companies it owns — particularly the insurers — generally performed well. Berkshire Hathaway said Saturday that it lost $12.8 billion, or $8,824 per Class A share, in the quarter. That's significantly bigger than the $2.8 billion loss, or $1,907 per Class A share, that it reported a year ago. A year ago, the insurers reported a $1.1 billion loss in the third quarter. The biggest driver in that increase in expenses was a $1.3 billion loss related to wildfires at its PacifiCorp unit.

Persons: — Warren, Berkshire Hathaway, Berkshire didn't, Buffett, See's, hasn't, Josh Funk Organizations: Berkshire, Apple, Accounting, FactSet Research, BNSF, hathaway Locations: OMAHA, Neb, Berkshire, Omaha , Nebraska, berkshire

☆ The Ozempic effect has battered this weight loss stock, but Morgan Stanley says it's a top pick
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Sequence gives subscribers access to GLP-1 medications such as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic. Schenk said the concern about the drop in WW's average revenue per user "seems overblown" and has created a buying opportunity for the stock. Stabilizing core business WW has been focused on stabilizing its core weight loss business. Both developments are a positive for WW's Sequence business. Schenk estimates that around 6 million current or lapsed WW subscribers would qualify for treatment with obesity medication.

Persons: Sima Sistani, Morgan Stanley, Lauren Schenk, Eli Lilly, Schenk, Lilly, Novo Organizations: International, Nordisk's Wegovy, FDA, 3Q, and Drug Administration, Novo Nordisk Locations: Friday's, Novo

☆ How Apple's thinking about AI spending and deployment differs from Big Tech rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

And, of course, we've been doing research across a wide range of AI technologies, including generative AI, for years," he said. The upgraded camera uses machine-learning AI to tell the difference between a person and an animal in the frame. Laura Martin, a tech analyst at Needham, is among those who say Apple is "far behind" its big tech rivals. The early edge in generative AI is paying off for rivals, as was evidenced by Microsoft's recent earnings report. "We believe they are on the cusp of what will be the introduction of an AI App Store over the next year," he said.

Persons: Brendan Burke, That's, Tim Cook, Cook, we've, Siri, Apple, it's, Laura Martin, Martin, I'm, Ives, that's, what's, OpenAI, Google's Bard, Burke, Claude Organizations: Apple, Microsoft, Google, Vision Pro, Amazon Web Services, Bloomberg, Meta, Financial Times Locations: Cupertino, California, Seattle, Paris, Beijing, Anthropic

☆ How FaZe Clan's future owner hopes to rein in pissed-off talent and build a sustainable influencer business
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Several of its top talent have revolted against the company on social media over the past year. Beginning in late 2022, Nordan "FaZe Rain" Shat posted a series of YouTube videos criticizing FaZe's leadership and spending decisions. He would oversee the brand alongside Thomas "FaZe Temperrr" Oliveira, FaZe's proposed president, and Yousef "FaZe Apex" Abdelfattah, set to become FaZe's COO. GameSquare CEO Justin Kenna, a former CFO at FaZe, said he knew he needed buy-in from FaZe talent for the deal to move forward. GameSquare wrote in a press release announcing its FaZe deal that it expects to record more than $18 million in savings by cutting "duplicate corporate costs" and other expenses following a merger.

Persons: Shat, FaZe's, influencer Richard, FaZe, Bengtson, GameSquare, Thomas, Oliveira, Yousef, Justin Kenna, Kenna, Bengston, Lee Trink, Tyler, Ninja, Blevins, we're Organizations: FaZe, Nasdaq, Ninja Labs

☆ With Gen Z, millennials now the biggest ‘dupe’ shoppers, online culture has ‘flipped the script,’ analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

So-called girl math is not the only trend spurred by users on the short-form video app TikTok. "Dupes," short for "duplicate," are cheaper alternatives to premium or luxury consumer products, and they are increasingly popular among Gen Z and millennial shoppers and app users. While nearly one-third of adults, 31%, have intentionally purchased a dupe of a premium product at some point, Gen Z and millennials have higher participation rates: roughly 49% and 44%, respectively, according to Morning Consult. "The online culture of dupe shopping, accelerated by TikTok especially in the last few years, has flipped the script," said Ellyn Briggs, brands analyst at Morning Consult. While shoppers may miss out on the experience luxury products provide, dupes are less expensive versions that help consumers save money and test an item before splurging on the real thing.

Persons: Z, Gen, Ellyn Briggs, that's, Marisa Meltzer, Meltzer, Emily Weiss's Glossier Organizations: TikTok, Morning, Finance Locations: New York

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Amazon, Intel, Enphase Energy and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Amazon — Amazon's stock surged 7% after the e-commerce giant reported strong third-quarter results and showed a 13% jump in revenue for the period. Intel — The chip stock popped 7% after posting third-quarter results Thursday that topped Wall Street's expectations and offered strong guidance for the current period. Chipotle Mexican Grill — Shares of the restaurant chain rose more than 3% in premarket trading after the company's third-quarter earnings topped expectations. Stanley Black & Decker beat third-quarter earnings expectations , citing "strong momentum" with its cost reduction program. Colgate-Palmolive topped third-quarter earnings expectations on the top and bottom lines and hiked its organic sales growth outlook.

Persons: Pat Gelsinger, Ford, Chipotle, LSEG, LSEG . Stanley Black, Decker, Stanley Black, Sanofi, Newell Brands, Cantor Fitzgerald, —, Jesse Pound, Tanaya Macheel, Pia Singh, Sarah Min Organizations: Intel, Enphase Energy, LSEG, Ford, UAW, Exxon Mobil, Chevron — Chevron, Chevron, Colgate, Palmolive, Sanofi — U.S, Newell, Charter Communications, Disney . Charter Communications, Hasbro, Bank of America, Automotive, Merck —, BMO Capital Markets, Merck

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Intel, Rivian, ResMed, Amazon, Enphase, Southwest & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

JPMorgan initiates TKO Group as overweight JPMorgan said the WWE and UFC combo company is a "sports champion." Bank of America downgrades Hasbro to neutral from buy Bank of America downgraded the toymaker after its earnings report on Thursday. " HSBC upgrades Intel to hold from sell HSBC upgraded Intel after its earnings report on Thursday. TD Cowen downgrades Southwest to market perform from outperform TD downgraded the stock after its "tough" earnings report on Thursday. " Goldman Sachs reiterates Amazon as buy Goldman said the stock remains attractive after its earnings report Thursday.

Persons: Cantor Fitzgerald, Rivian, Cantor, Stifel, we've, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Piper Sandler downgrades, Piper, Guggenheim, Raymond James, Roblox, TD Cowen, TD Cowen downgrades Hershey, it's bullish, Wells, Goldman Sachs, Goldman Organizations: Dominion, WWE, UFC, " Bank of America, Hasbro, Bank of America, Products, Energy, JPMorgan, HSBC, Intel, Inc, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche, Griffon Corp, Management, Hershey, BMO, Merck, Citi, Cisco, JPMorgan downgrades, Apple, of America

☆ Sanofi loses $21 bln in market value after dropping 2025 profit target
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Under a push to spend more on immunology and inflammation drug development, the company abandoned a target for a 32% operating profit margin for 2025 to focus on "long-term profitability". EPS would see a strong rebound in 2025 but not enough to sustain the previous margin target. CONSUMER STAND-ALONECEO Hudson said the core innovative drugs business had improved enough to soon do without the more predictable cash flows from consumer products. The logo of French drugmaker Sanofi is seen a the Sanofi Genzyme Polyclonals in Lyon, France, September 30, 2023. The timing of the potential consumer listing, which Sanofi said would be in the fourth quarter of 2024 or later, would be set to maximize shareholder value.

Persons: Hudson, Sanofi, drugmaker, Paul Hudson, Terence McManus, Johnson, we've, Gonzalo Fuentes, Roche, Dupixent, Ludwig Burger, Sherry Jacob, Phillips, Mark Potter, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Sanofi, Bellevue Asset Management, Reuters, Barclays, Johnson, GSK, Pfizer, Bayer, Polyclonals, REUTERS, Provention, Merck & Co, Thomson Locations: France, Bellevue, Lyon, Paris

☆ The 'Barbie' movie turning into a global phenomenon helped boost sales for the plastic doll – but not by as much as you might expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie pushed up sales for the iconic doll, Mattel execs say. Global gross billings in the quarter were up 14%, but this wasn't enough to offset poor performance in the first half of 2023. AdvertisementAdvertisementGreta Gerwig's "Barbie" blockbuster helped boost sales for the plastic doll following a poor performance in the first half of the year. North America made up around 58% of Barbie's total gross billings, and saw a much bigger rise — gross billings were up 26% to $349.9 million in the quarter. Global gross billings were down 6% in the year to September compared to the same period in 2022.

Persons: Greta Gerwig's, Mattel, —, Barbie, Ynon Kreiz, Kreiz, Barbie repositions Mattel, Gross, Anthony DiSilvestro, Mattel execs, Ruth Handler —, Rhea Perlman Organizations: Global, billings, Service, Mattel Locations: Hollywood, billings, America

☆ FaZe Clan's plummeting valuation shows how risky it can be to bet your company's future on influencers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Dan Whateley | Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

While esports as a category has broadly struggled with monetization , FaZe's difficulties stemmed more from its reliance on just a few influencers for revenue. The company makes money through revenue splits with its talent, brand partnerships, and esports winnings. For FaZe, that revenue is often concentrated on the backs of a few big stars. "This was too nascent of a business model to be publicly traded with too much 'key person risk' around influencers," Chapman said of FaZe. GameSquare has subsidiaries like merchandise brand Mission Supply Co., influencer-marketing platform Sidekiq, and streaming data analytics firm Stream Hatchet, all of which could potentially be applied to the FaZe brand.

Persons: Influencers, Clan, monetization, Michael Metzger, Josh Chapman, FaZe, Chapman, Justin Kenna, Kenna, we're Organizations: Drake, Konvoy Ventures, Clubhouse Media, YouTube Locations: influencers, GameSquare

☆ Hasbro cuts revenue view, joins Mattel to warn of cloudy holiday quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Savyata Mishra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 26 (Reuters) - Hasbro (HAS.O) cut its annual revenue forecast for the second time this year on weak toy demand and joined Barbie-maker Mattel to warn of choppy holiday-quarter sales, sending its shares down 12% before the bell. The Monopoly maker expects 2023 revenue to tumble 13% to 15% compared to a prior forecast of a 3% to 6% decline. Its third-quarter revenue and profit also missed market expectations, with revenue from its core toy business dropping 18% as shoppers cut back on non-essential spending. Hasbro saw a 40% surge in digital and licensed gaming revenue on strong demand for its "Monopoly Go" and "Baldur's Gate III" games. Analysts have warned that uncertain holiday spend and softer toy demand could prompt retailers to keep supply tight and offer steep discounts to avoid a pile-up like last year.

Persons: FAO Schwarz, Andrew Kelly, Barbie, Chris Cocks, James Zahn, Savyata Mishra, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Hasbro, Inc, FAO, REUTERS, Mattel, Consumer Products, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Bengaluru

Hasbro's third-quarter revenue performance missed Wall Street's expectations and the company cut its full-year revenue outlook again as signs of a possible industry slowdown in toy sales heading into the holiday season weighs on jittery investors. Holiday shopping is traditionally a critical selling season for toy companies and can comprise a large portion of their annual toy sales. Rival Mattel Inc. had a better third quarter, reporting on Wednesday that its sales rose 9% in the period. Still, experts are pointing to toy industry sales being down for the year to date and the third quarter as a concern. Mattel Chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz said during a conference call on Wednesday that the company anticipates the global toy industry will experience a mid single-digits decline in toy sales for the full year.

Persons: Barbie, Ynon Kreiz Organizations: Zacks Investment Research, Hasbro, Mattel Inc, Mattel Locations: Pawtucket, Rhode Island

☆ Sharon Terlep — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Sharon Terlep | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sharon TerlepSharon Terlep is a reporter covering the global aerospace industry and industrial manufacturers including Boeing and GE in The Wall Street Journal’s corporate bureau in New York. Sharon joined the Journal in 2008 in Detroit, where she covered the bankruptcy and restructuring of General Motors. In New York, she has covered consumer products giants such as P&G and retail pharmacy industries. Before that she covered deals on Wall Street and did sports investigations for the Journal. She started her career at the Lansing State Journal in Michigan and also worked at the Detroit News.

Persons: Sharon Terlep Sharon Terlep, Sharon Organizations: Boeing, GE, General Motors, Lansing State Journal, Detroit News Locations: New York, Detroit, Michigan

☆ Ticketmaster’s hidden fees remain common long after it vowed to scrap them
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Noah Pransky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In this photo illustration, A Ticketmaster ticket is shown on a cellphone on November 18, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Klobuchar asked the company to provide an update on its price transparency efforts by Oct. 31. Live Nation didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on her letter. New York, Connecticut and Tennessee have each passed ticket transparency laws, requiring all ticket sellers to display total prices upfront in searches. As a result, Live Nation doesn't let venues hide fees in those states.

Persons: Sen, Amy Klobuchar, Michael Rapino, Klobuchar, didn't, Kenny Loggins, Biden Organizations: Ticketmaster, Biden, NBC, NBC News, Live Nation Entertainment, Nation, Live Nation, Administration, White, Congress Locations: Miami , Florida, Los Angeles, New York , Connecticut, Tennessee

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