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☆ Britain says Microsoft's Activision deal could harm gamers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Britain's antitrust regulator said on Wednesday its in-depth probe had found that Xbox maker Microsoft's (MSFT.O) $69-billion purchase of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) raised competition concerns about cloud and console gaming. Reporting by Paul Sandle and Aby Jose Koilparambil; editing by Michael HoldenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Britain says Microsoft's 'Call of Duty' deal could harm gamers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Activision games "Call of Duty" are pictured in a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File PhotoSummarySummary Companies Deal raises concerns- regulatorAcquisition threatens Xbox and PlayStation rivalryMicrosoft says committed to addressing concernsLONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Britain's antitrust regulator said Microsoft's (MSFT.O) $69-billion purchase of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) could harm gamers by weakening the rivalry between Xbox and Sony's PlayStation. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the deal could result in higher prices, fewer choices and less innovation for millions of gamers, as well as stifling competition in the growing cloud gaming market. In December, the United States moved to block the deal, citing Microsoft's record of hoarding valuable gaming content. Microsoft, which has pledged to keep "Call of Duty" on PlayStation, said it would address the CMA's concerns.

☆ Jim Cramer's top 10 things to watch in the stock market Wednesday: Biden address, video games, Uber earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Alphabet (GOOGL), also a Club stock, unveiled AI chatbot, rival Bard. Earnings guidance 52 cents per share to 56 cents versus prior guidance 44 cents per share to 48 cents. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade.

☆ Activision aims to help UK regulator 'better understand our industry'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard said on Wednesday it hoped it could help Britain's competition regulator better understand the gaming industry after it said the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft could harm gamers. "These are provisional findings, which means the CMA sets forth its concerns in writing, and both parties have a chance to respond," a spokesperson said. "We hope between now and April we will be able to help the CMA better understand our industry to ensure they can achieve their stated mandate to promote an environment where people can be confident they are getting great choices and fair deals, where competitive, fair-dealing business can innovate and thrive, and where the whole UK economy can grow productively and sustainably." Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by William JamesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UK competition regulator warns Microsoft’s Activision deal could harm millions of gamers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard could harm competition by letting Microsoft restrict Activision’s video games to proprietary platforms such as Xbox, UK officials said Wednesday, in the latest challenge to the tech giant’s blockbuster acquisition. The UK’s competition regulator said the proposed deal, which would make Microsoft (MSFT) the world’s third-largest video game publisher, could hurt tens of millions of gamers in the country by leading to higher prices or fewer choices. The provisional finding by the UK Competition and Markets Authority is another sign of growing opposition to the deal by antitrust regulators worldwide. In December, the US Federal Trade Commission sued to block the acquisition over similar claims, and the European Union is also evaluating the deal. Cloud gaming services grant players access to video games without the need for downloading the games to a local PC or console.

☆ Microsoft's $69 billion Activision takeover in doubt as UK regulator raises competition concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The British competition regulator says Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard could harm competition in the U.K. gaming market and that it may move to block the deal. The Competition and Markets Authority published a provisional decision on the deal Wednesday, stating the takeover raises competition concerns and may result in higher prices, fewer choices and less innovation. This "could substantially reduce the competition between Xbox and PlayStation in the UK, in turn harming UK gamers," the watchdog added. Activision Blizzard shares were down 3.4% in U.S. pre-market trading Wednesday, following the CMA announcement. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick also sent an internal memo to employees Wednesday, saying that the company was "confident that the law – and the facts – are on our side."

☆ Duty Calls Activision Blizzard Back to the Top
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

It probably would have been more helpful to Microsoft if Activision Blizzard had put out another clunker. Alas, that didn’t happen. Fourth-quarter results from Activision late Monday showed that “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II” revived the blockbuster franchise after the previous year’s serious misfire. That, combined with strength in the company’s “World of Warcraft” and “Overwatch” franchises, and the ever-consistent mobile mainstay “Candy Crush,” drove net bookings to $3.6 billion in the fourth quarter—beating Wall Street’s projections by 12%, according to FactSet. Bookings also surged 43% year over year, making for Activision’s best growth in at least five years for that important metric during the crucial holiday season.

☆ Cramer gives his thoughts on Activision Blizzard's most recent quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | 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 EmailCramer gives his thoughts on Activision Blizzard's most recent quarterCramer offered his take on the company's most recent quarterly earnings results.

☆ Jim Cramer gives his take on Activision Blizzard and Take-Two Interactive
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | 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 EmailJim Cramer gives his take on Activision Blizzard and Take-Two InteractiveCramer gave his take on the two companies' most recent quarterly earnings results.

☆ Jim Cramer says Activision Blizzard is a buy, but wait on Take-Two Interactive
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In this article ATVITTWO Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTwatch nowCNBC's Jim Cramer on Tuesday said Activision Blizzard is better positioned in the short term than rival Take-Two Interactive. Activision BlizzardLoading chart..."I think Activision Blizzard is on fire right here. I almost hope the Microsoft merger falls apart as soon as possible, so that you'll get a better buying opportunity," he said. Shares of Take-Two Interactive rose about 7.9% Tuesday, making a comeback after falling Monday on a quarterly revenue miss. Cramer noted that the company's warning of shifting consumer behavior due to tough macroeconomic conditions was worrisome.

☆ Microsoft's cloud business, a key pillar of the Club's investment case, stands to gain from the AI craze
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"But the one good thing here is the business model side of this, because it builds on the cloud." Nadella's comments Tuesday came shortly after Microsoft unveiled its strategy to reshape its internet search engine , Bing, by incorporating generative AI capabilities. Equipped with generative AI capabilities, Bing will be able to respond to users' queries with human-like written answers. On Monday, competitor Alphabet (GOOGL) announced its response to the ChatGPT craze , a generative AI service called Bard. The Club take The rivalry between Microsoft and Google has now spilled into generative AI, which is still in its early days.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Chegg, Baidu, Bed Bath & Beyond, Hertz and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The company gave first-quarter and full-year revenue guidance that was below analyst expectations, according to Refinitiv. Bed Bath & Beyond — Shares plunged 30% after Bed Bath & Beyond announced a public offering to raise roughly $1 billion. Hertz — Shares gained more than 4% after Hertz reported results that beat earnings per share and revenue expectations, according to FactSet. DuPont de Nemours — Shares declined 2% after DuPont de Nemours posted earnings results from its most recent quarter. Leggett & Platt — Shares fell more than 1% after Leggett & Platt reported disappointing earnings results, according to consensus expectations on FactSet.

☆ Activision Blizzard CEO explains why Tencent and ByteDance are the best companies in the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | 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 EmailActivision Blizzard CEO explains why Tencent and ByteDance are the best companies in the worldActivision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the company's quarterly earnings results, why it'll take some time for the video game industry to find clear winners, and more.

☆ Jim Cramer's top 10 things to watch in the market Tuesday: Fedspeak, video games, memesters
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But puts first-quarter EBITDA guide at $710 million versus $762 million expected. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

☆ Futures fall with eyes on earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies reporting quarterly results this week include Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and PepsiCo Inc (PEP.O), while Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N), Lowe's Cos Inc (LOW.N), Activision Blizzard Inc (ATVI.O) and Cummins Inc (CMI.N) report results later in the day. Halfway through the earnings of the S&P 500 companies, 69.6% have reported results above expectations, according to Refinitiv. Overall, analysts still expect quarterly earnings of S&P 500 firms declining 2.7%. Job growth in the U.S. accelerated sharply in January, with nonfarm payrolls surging by 517,000 jobs, well above an estimate of 185,000. ET, Dow e-minis were down 237 points, or 0.7%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 37 points, or 0.89%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 144.25 points, or 1.14%.

☆ Tech CEOs screwed up, and it's time to hold them accountable
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Matt Weinberger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'm Matt Weinberger, deputy editor of Insider's tech analysis team, filling in for Diamond Naga Siu. Is it time for CEOs to start losing their jobs? Ed Zitron argues for Insider that the thousands of tech workers who lost their jobs in recent months are actually just taking the fall for the real problem in Silicon Valley — CEOs who aren't up to the task of leadership. He praised the CEOs of Apple and Intel for recently taking pay cuts as their companies hit tougher times. Late Friday afternoon, a federal jury officially ruled that the Tesla CEO's infamous "funding secured" tweet didn't harm shareholders, making him not liable for damages.

☆ Here's why 2023's stock rally could fizzle out and end up burning bullish investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Now let's turn to the stock market. Traders gather on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, March 18, 2016. The surging stock market suggests that investors are fairly optimistic these days. In a Friday note, strategists said the stock market is set to peak in the next two weeks because inflation could come roaring back. US stock futures fall early Monday, after Friday's strong US jobs report fueled speculation that interest rates will rise further.

☆ 'Call of Duty' steers Activision sales in tough quarter for game makers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 6 (Reuters) - Videogame publisher Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) beat Wall Street estimates for fourth-quarter adjusted sales on Monday, thanks to the success of the latest game in its "Call of Duty" franchise. The company expects its full-year adjusted sales to grow at least in high-single digits, bolstered by the launch of games including "Diablo IV." Adjusted sales in the quarter ended Dec. 31 came in at $3.57 billion, compared with analysts' average estimate of $3.16 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Activision's $69-billion takeover by Microsoft is being challenged by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and being investigated by EU authorities. Fourth quarter net income fell to $403 million, or 51 cents per share, from $564 million, or 72 cents per share, a year earlier.

☆ These stocks owned by Warren Buffett are poised for big gains, according to Wall Street analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

CNBC looked for high-conviction names held in Buffett's stock portfolio through the end of September, according to the Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio Tracker . The Omaha-based conglomerate owned $471 million worth of Brazilian fintech Nu Holdings at the end of the third quarter. Wall Street analysts are bullish on the company, expecting the stock to rise more than 20% over the next year. However, Berkshire trimmed the stake by 12% in the third quarter as regulatory headwinds on the deal rose. Berkshire owned a $1.2 billion stake in the company as of September.

☆ A flurry of earnings reports, Fed rate hike, signs of a bull market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Earnings season continues next week, with Club holdings Linde (LIN), Emerson Electric (EMR) and Walt Disney (DIS) all set to report. Similarly, shares of Meta Platforms (META) have surged over 20% since CEO Mark Zuckerberg reassured investors Wednesday evening that 2023 would be the technology giant's "year of efficiency." The bull case is further supported by continued signs inflation is easing, a still-robust job market and the breadth of market-buying activity since the start of the year. Lastly on Wednesday, the Fed's Federal Open Market Committee raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points, in line with expectations. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ Activision Blizzard Paying $35 Million to Resolve SEC Investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Dave Michaels | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Activision Blizzard has settled an investigation without admitting or denying SEC allegations. WASHINGTON— Activision Blizzard Inc. agreed to pay $35 million to settle regulatory claims tied to its process for deciding how its disclosures to investors should reflect employee complaints about workplace misconduct. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s investigation also alleged that Activision violated a whistleblower-protection rule. The company settled the probe without admitting or denying the SEC’s allegations.

☆ Activision Blizzard pays SEC $35 million to settle probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 8, 2022, in Sun Valley, Idaho. "Mr. Kotick would not have been informed of every report of misconduct at every Activision Blizzard company, nor would he reasonably be expected to have been updated on all personnel issues," an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said at the time. The SEC filing claimed Activision Blizzard required "a significant number" of departing employees who signed separation agreements to tell Activision Blizzard if regulators tried to contact them, or even if those employees wished to make a complaint of their own. "As the order recognizes, we have enhanced our disclosure processes with regard to workplace reporting and updated our separation contract language," an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said on Friday. 2022 for $18 million over related claims of retaliation in connection with sexual harassment claims.

☆ Earnings and Fed Chair Powell will again drive markets in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

With few economic releases and the earnings season starting to wind down, an appearance by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell Tuesday could be among the newsiest events for markets in the week ahead. The Fed chair is speaking at the Economic Club of Washington D.C. at midday Tuesday. If he wanted to walk back anything, he could have done it then," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley. Economists said Friday's surprisingly strong jobs report should encourage the Fed to push forward with planned rate hikes. Earnings, earnings, earnings But there continues to be earnings news.

[1/2] The Activision booth is shown at the E3 2017 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California, U.S. June 13, 2017. REUTERS/ Mike Blake/File PhotoWASHINGTON/NEW YORK, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Activision Blizzard Inc (ATVI.O) has agreed to pay $35 million to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charges that it failed to have systems in place to properly handle employee complaints and violated whistleblower protection rules, the regulator said on Friday. The SEC said the company knew employee retention issues were "a particularly important risk in its business" but did not have adequate measures in place to manage workplace misconduct complaints between 2018 and 2021. Representatives for Activision Blizzard, which did not admit or deny the SEC's charges, said in a statement they were "pleased to have amicably resolved this matter" and had "enhanced" their workplace reporting and contract language. Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), which makes Xbox, had made a $69 billion bid to acquire Activision Blizzard, but the Federal Trade Commission asked a judge in December to block the transaction.

☆ Buy this Chinese tech giant to play a $284 billion video gaming opportunity: Goldman Sachs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. giants Activision Blizzard and Roblox have long been investor favorites for exposure to the video gaming sector, but Goldman Sachs has an alternative pick to play the sector. Alternative pick Against this backdrop, Goldman is betting on tech giant Tencent to play the sector's rapid growth in China – the world's largest online game market. Tencent is expected to grow its game revenue by 9% annually into 2024, according to Goldman, with international gaming revenue making up about 30% of Tencent's total revenue by 2030. While a number of factors have undermined global games revenue growth in 2022, Goldman expects the market to rebound by 5% and 7% in 2023 and 2024, respectively. As such, the bank said the industry is set for exponential growth into 2026 and has forecast global online game revenue to expand at a compounded rate of 4.4% annually to $284 billion in 2026.

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