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☆ 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

☆ Apple's keynote event could give updates on new chips for laptops, says Needham's Laura Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailApple's keynote event could give updates on new chips for laptops, says Needham's Laura MartinLaura Martin, Needham senior analyst, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss expectations for Apple's keynote event, the forecast for the company's earnings, and more.

Persons: Needham's Laura Martin Laura Martin, Needham

☆ The market now sees Amazon as more of a cloud and generative AI company, says Needham's Laura Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe market now sees Amazon as more of a cloud and generative AI company, says Needham's Laura MartinLaura Martin, Needham Senior Analyst, joins 'Closing Bell Overtime' to talk Amazon earnings set to report Thursday after the market close.

Persons: Needham's Laura Martin Laura Martin, Needham

☆ Paramount's Shari Redstone is open for business, but business may not be open for her
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Paramount Global 's controlling shareholder is open to a merger or selling the company at the right price, according to people familiar with her thinking. Spokespeople for Redstone and Paramount Global declined to comment. Paramount Global's market value was below $8 billion as of Friday. Discovery could merge with Paramount Global, though putting together Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures may hold up deal approval with U.S. regulators. Paramount Global isn't actively working with an investment bank on a sale, according to people familiar with the matter.

Persons: Shari Redstone, David A, CNBC Shari, Jon Miller, SpongeBob, Guggenheim, Michael Morris, Morris, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, Bob Bakish, Bakish, Wells, Steven Cahall, Cahall, CNBC's David Faber, Lina Khan, Laura Martin, haven't, Simon, Simon & Schuster, Sumner Redstone, NAI, Jim Cramer Organizations: National Amusements, Paramount Global, Allen & Company Sun Valley, Grogan, CNBC, Paramount, Redstone, Integrated Media, Advancit, Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Showtime, NFL, Champions League, Viacom, Berkshire, Paramount Global's, Tech, Apple, YouTube, National Football, Federal Trade, Big Tech, Comcast, NBC, Fox, Disney, Needham & Co, Netflix, Bain, Co, Warner Bros, Sky, Scripps, Discovery, Simon &, MSD Partners Locations: Sun Valley , Idaho, Los Angeles , California, U.S

☆ Netflix's five-year drought: Stock only rises 4% since 2018 despite Nasdaq jumping 108%
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNetflix's five-year drought: Stock only rises 4% since 2018 despite Nasdaq jumping 108%Hosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC. Laura Martin, Needham senior internet and media analyst, gives her take on Netflix stock.

Persons: Brian Sullivan, “, Laura Martin, Needham Organizations: Nasdaq, CNBC, Netflix

☆ Disney park prices hikes going to be out of reach for many families, says Laura Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDisney park prices hikes going to be out of reach for many families, says Laura MartinHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC.

Persons: Laura Martin, Brian Sullivan, “ Organizations: CNBC

☆ It's still too early to buy Disney, says Needham's Laura Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIt's still too early to buy Disney, says Needham's Laura MartinHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC.

Persons: Needham's Laura Martin, Brian Sullivan, “ Organizations: Disney, CNBC

☆ Tentative writers deal: What's next for the media stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTentative writers deal: What's next for the media stocksLaura Martin, Needham senior analyst, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss what Hollywood writers' tentative deal with studios to end strike means, how media stocks will play out, and more.

Persons: What's, Laura Martin, Needham Organizations: Hollywood

☆ Watch CNBC’s full interview with Needham’s Laura Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC’s full interview with Needham’s Laura MartinLaura Martin, Needham senior analyst, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss what Hollywood writers' tentative deal with studios to end strike means, how media stocks will play out, and more.

Persons: Needham’s Laura Martin Laura Martin, Needham Organizations: Hollywood

☆ Disney CEO says company will 'quiet the noise' in culture wars -analyst
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Items with a rainbow-coloured design are seen in a Pride section of a gift shop at the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida, U.S. July 30, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 20 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N) CEO Bob Iger told investors the company will "quiet the noise" in a culture war that has pitted social conservatives against the global media and entertainment conglomerate, according to an analyst note on Wednesday. Iger previously said the company planned to spend $17 billion in investment at Walt Disney World over the next 10 years. At the time, Iger was responding to an investor who said the company was becoming too concerned with social issues. “Our primary mission needs to be to entertain ... and to have a positive impact on the world,” Iger said at the time.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Laura Martin, Disney, Wall, Ron DeSantis, “, Iger, Halle, Ariel, ” Iger, Dawn Chmielewski, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Walt Disney, REUTERS, Needham, Walt Disney World, Disney, ESPN, Central, Universal Orlando, Parks, Pixar Animation, Thomson Locations: Orlando , Florida, U.S, Florida, Central Florida, Halle Bailey, Los Angeles

☆ As Hollywood strikes press on, Wall Street weighs in on the outlook for TV, streaming stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

At the same time, legacy media companies face off against another well-known demon: cord-cutting. Technology companies such as Apple and Amazon can lean on their respective hardware and e-commerce businesses, said Paul Fanelli, a research analyst at Gabelli Funds. Even so, Wall Street sees only a handful of pure-play winners in the TV and streaming space winning consumer attention over the long run. Already, the technology companies have shown some promise. Consumers are increasingly forgoing pay TV packages from cable companies and opting for bundles from companies like Alphabet, he said.

Persons: Rosenblatt, Barton Crockett, It's, Netflix's, Ken Leon, Hollywood's, Leon, Jamie Lumley, Paul Fanelli, it's, Apple's, Amazon's, That's, Needham, Laura Martin, Martin, —, John Hodulik, CNBC's, bode, Crockett, NBCUniversal's Peacock, Brandon Nispel, Nispel, Disney's hasn't, Fanelli, that's Organizations: Netflix, Apple, Paramount, Sky, Third, Gabelli, Warner, UBS, ESPN, Fox, NFL, Hulu, YouTube, KeyBanc, Comcast, Disney, Warner Bros, Max, DIS, Rosenblatt, ABC, Nexstar, CNBC Locations: France, United Kingdom

☆ AI infrastructure will be the backbone of U.S. business in 10-years, says Needham's Laura Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAI infrastructure will be the backbone of U.S. business in 10-years, says Needham's Laura MartinLaura Martin, senior media analyst at Needham, and CNBC's Steve Kovach join 'The Exchange' to discuss US-China relations, weakness in consumer demand for Apple devices in China, and the bull case for Apple's virtual reality headset.

Persons: Needham's Laura Martin Laura Martin, Steve Kovach Organizations: Needham, Apple Locations: China

☆ A bunch of current and former Disney execs reportedly think Bob Iger's 'end game' is to sell the company to Apple
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Kylie Kirschner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Former and current Disney execs told CNBC they think Bob Iger's plan is to one day sell to Apple. Analysts have speculated about an Apple acquisition of Disney for years. Iger himself wrote that he thinks the two companies would have combined if Steve Jobs were still alive. The Disney CEO has already made clear that the door is open for potential sales of non-core Disney assets, including ABC and cable networks like FX and National Geographic. Iger himself had a long-standing relationship with Steve Jobs, as did Disney with Apple.

Persons: Disney execs, Bob Iger's, Iger, Steve Jobs, Bob Iger, Bob Chapek —, He's, he's, Jobs, Steve, Laura Martin, — Martin Organizations: Disney, CNBC, Apple, Analysts, Service, SAG, ABC, FX, Geographic, ESPN, Pixar, Apple TV, Walt Disney Company Locations: Wall, Silicon, Needham

☆ Wall Street analyst sees 3 companies as the next $3 trillion stocks due to AI. Here's our take
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Needham's Laura Martin sees Club names Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL) and Microsoft (MSFT) as "front-runners" in the race of tech firms competing in generative AI. While positive on Apple, Martin thinks it will be "dwarfed by generative AI" firms. "High-quality data that is most relevant will allow generative AI to create the best new content and products and or save costs faster through better online customer service," Needham wrote. MSFT YTD mountain Microsoft YTD performance In the coming quarters, Microsoft will increase capital expenditures to invest in Microsoft Cloud growth and demand for AI services. 2 AI stock in the portfolio, followed by Nvidia), and would consider adding to the Club's MSFT position on a pullback as indicated by the Club's 1 rating .

Persons: Laura Martin, Martin, AAPL, Jim Cramer, Jim, Apple, Tim Cook, Needham, Baird, Morgan Stanley, Jim Cramer's, Doce Organizations: Microsoft, Apple, Nasdaq, Big Tech, Nvidia, Broadcom, Oracle, Google, YouTube, Services, Amazon, CNBC, Mobile World Congress Locations: Needham, Barcelona, Spain

☆ 'Disney has to cave', says Needham's Laura Martin as Disney-Charter battle heats up
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'Disney has to cave', says Needham's Laura Martin as Disney-Charter battle heats upHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC.

Persons: Needham's Laura Martin, Brian Sullivan, “ Organizations: Disney, CNBC

☆ It's a smart play to neutralize Amazon, says Needham's Laura Martin on reported ESPN partnership
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIt's a smart play to neutralize Amazon, says Needham's Laura Martin on reported ESPN partnershipHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC.

Persons: Needham's Laura Martin, Brian Sullivan, “ Organizations: ESPN, CNBC

☆ Disney's future, a hot topic among Hollywood elite
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Executive Chairman of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger arrives at the world premiere for the film 'The King's Man' at Leicester Square in London, Britain December 6, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File PhotoAug 14 (Reuters) - Hollywood's favorite parlor game of the week: What will Bob Iger do next? Another veteran media executive predicted Disney would spin off the television asset to its shareholders as a separate, publicly traded company by 2024, with private equity potentially playing a role. "You sell the parts, then sell what's left," said the veteran. Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by Kenneth Li and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bob Iger, Hannah McKay, Walt Disney, Iger, Jeff Bewkes, what's, It's, Laura Martin, Dawn Chmielewski, Kenneth Li, Richard Chang Organizations: Walt Disney Company, Leicester Square, REUTERS, U.S ., Walt, CNBC, Reuters, ESPN, Disney, ABC, Disney Channel, NBA, Comcast, Hulu, Time Warner, Google, Facebook, Apple, Netflix, MGM, Needham, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Culver City, New York City, U.S, Hulu, Hollywood, Los Angeles

☆ Disney's earnings showed incremental improvements, says Needham's Laura Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDisney's earnings showed incremental improvements, says Needham's Laura MartinLaura Martin, Needham senior analyst, and Mark Douglas, founder and CEO of MNTN, join 'The Exchange' to discuss Disney's latest earnings results, Disney's effort to reinvigorate brand loyalty, and more.

Persons: Needham's Laura Martin Laura Martin, Needham, Mark Douglas Organizations: MNTN

☆ Google, Microsoft, and Meta can't stop talking about A.I. — here's why Apple rarely mentions it
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Stefani Reynolds | AFP | Getty ImagesMicrosoft, Google and Meta are rallying everyone around AI, even though the future is murkyGoogle launched Bard AI, it's own chatbot to rival Microsoft and OpenAI's ChatGPT. Google, for example, has announced its plans to revamp its search engine using an AI model called Search Generative Experience. Google and Pichai say that the company's text-generating AI models will make its search engine better and could even answer questions that normal Google search can't. Zuckerberg was effusive about AI technology and its applications in virtual reality, ad targeting and recommending content from accounts users don't follow. UBS analyst Lloyd Walmsley wrote this week that generative AI was still an "overhang" over Google.

Persons: Tim Cook, Narendra Modi, Stefani Reynolds, ChatGPT, Jonathan Raa, OpenAI's, Amy Hood, we'll, Nadella, Pichai, it's, Zuckerberg, Meta, Bing, Gartner, Mark Murphy, Laura Martin, Lloyd Walmsley, monetization, Walmsley, Scott Olson Organizations: India's, White, AFP, Getty, Microsoft, Google, Nurphoto, Meta, Apple, Big Tech, Nvidia, Venture, JPMorgan, UBS Locations: Washington ,, iPhones, Brussels, Belgium, Chicago

☆ Analysts say Netflix investors should 'buy the pullback,' as password sharing 'supercharges' subscriber growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Wall Street analysts were positive on Netflix after its latest subscriber additions and largely dismissed concerns of that the monetization of paid sharing is too slow. The company added 5.9 million subscribers in the quarter in a sign that its password sharing crackdown and advertising tier is generating new subscribers. "2Q review: Password sharing supercharges subs Netflix (NFLX) reported healthy 2Q results, which reflected strong net adds of 5.9mn (vs. guidance of ~1.75mn and our 2.95mn est. ), indicating the initial rollout of password sharing has been very positive," the analyst wrote on Thursday. Wells Fargo's Steven Cahall said investors are "over-exuberant on paid sharing," though he reiterated an overweight rating on the stock.

Persons: Doug Anmuth, Anmuth, America's Jessica Reif Ehrlich, Wells Fargo's Steven Cahall, Needham's Laura Martin, NFLX, OTT, — CNBC's Michael Bloom, Alex Sherman Organizations: Netflix, " Bank, America's, DIS Locations: Wednesday's

☆ The creator economy is expected to double in ad revenue by 2027, says Deepwater's Gene Munster
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe creator economy is expected to double in ad revenue by 2027, says Deepwater's Gene MunsterCNBC's Alex Sherman, Deepwater's Gene Munster, Needham's Laura Martin join 'The Exchange' to discuss legacy media brands struggling to compete with Netflix, Netflix's password sharing crackdown, and growth from user-generated content.

Persons: Deepwater's Gene Munster, Alex Sherman, Needham's Laura Martin Organizations: Netflix

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Dollar Tree, Amazon, FedEx and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

People walk by a Dollar Tree store on December 11, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. FedEx — The delivery company fell 1.7% after quarterly revenue missed expectations and announced CFO Mike Lenz would retire on July 31. Adjusted earnings were better than expected at $4.94 per share against the anticipated $4.89, while forward guidance was around flat. Advanced Micro Devices — Shares of the chipmaker pulled back nearly 5%, on track for their biggest intraday loss in two weeks. Dollar Tree — Shares of Dollar Tree popped more than 3% after the discount retailer reiterated its fiscal second-quarter 2023 earnings guidance.

Persons: Mike Lenz, MicroStrategy, Tesla, Rivian, Goldman, OneSpaWorld, Walt Disney, Needham, Laura Martin, Bob Iger, Raymond James, Uniqure, hemophilia, Yun Li, Michelle Fox, Jesse Pound, Sarah Min, Brian Evans Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Amazon, FedEx, Securities and Exchange Commission, Barclays, GlaxoSmithKline —, Petrobras —, Walt Disney —, AMD Locations: Brooklyn, New York City, bitcoin, Netherlands

☆ The return of Bob Iger: Disney CEO makes moves that should please investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

When Iger returned as CEO of Disney back in November 2022 , he promised to implement cost reductions and clean up the House of Mouse. Disney ditches metaverse The news: CNBC confirmed on Tuesday that Disney is getting rid of a small division focused on deploying metaverse initiatives. Disney's metaverse layoffs are part of Iger's broader corporate restructuring plan. Under Iger, Disney bought Marvel from Perlmutter in 2009 in a $4 billion deal. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ Apple's streaming service is starting to get serious, says Needham's Laura Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailApple's streaming service is starting to get serious, says Needham's Laura MartinLaura Martin, senior media analyst at Needham joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss her thoughts on why the firm says there would be upside for Apple if it buys Disney using shares.

☆ TikTok's potential ban in U.S. could be boon for Meta and Snap
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesInvestors in Meta , Snap and other U.S. digital media companies have been looking for signs of a rebound after a tumultuous 2022. Meta climbed 1% on Wednesday, and Snap was unchanged. She said that Meta's Facebook, Snap and Google's YouTube could be "huge beneficiaries" if the ban ultimately takes place. watch now"A U.S. ban on TikTok is a ban on the export of American culture and values to the billion-plus people who use our service worldwide," a TikTok spokesperson said Wednesday. Andrew Boone, an analyst at JMP, said that Meta likely stands to benefit the most should TikTok face a U.S. ban.

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