CHICAGO, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Activision Blizzard Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), Microsoft Corp (Nasdaq: MSFT), Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: EA) and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (Nasdaq: TTWO).
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101027/ZIRLOGO)
Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513
Here are highlights from Friday's Analyst Blog:
Activision's Diablo III to Hit Stores
Come May 15, the evil forces are going to invade the "Sanctuary" with the release of Diablo III by Activision Blizzard Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI). In the pulsating and riveting quest to banish the forces of evil, players can step into the shoes of any of the five characters: barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk or demon hunter.
The Diablo franchise (Diablo and Diablo II) has sold more than 20 million copies so far and the upcoming version is likely to add another 5 million, according to Cowen & Company. The game will be available through retailers in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Macau, thus making it a global launch.
The game will be digitally available on the Battle.net website and pre-order sales are already in full swing. Apart from English, the game will be available in varied languages such as Latin American Spanish, European Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Korean and Traditional Chinese.
The game will be available in different versions for Microsoft Corp's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. It will also be made available for Apple Inc.'s (Nasdaq: AAPL) Macintosh. The game is priced at $59.99 for both online and DVD-ROM versions.
We believe that the release of Activision's famous franchise games and their subsequent content enhancements will continue to benefit the company in the forthcoming quarters, driving its top-line growth.
We expect that the company's continued initiatives to expand in the digital online business segment will pay rich dividends over the next 12-18 months. A healthy product pipeline for 2012 will also boost Activision's top-line growth in the long term.
However, Activision continues to face tough competition from Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: EA) and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (Nasdaq: TTWO), which will act as a headwind going forward. Activision's limited presence in the social and mobile gaming platforms will also impact its performance in near term.
Moreover, the whole video game industry has been plagued by weak consumer spending and troubled economic conditions. According to market research firm, The NPD Group, US sales for February 2012 was down 20.0% from the comparable year-ago period to $1.06 billion. Despite the drop in revenues, Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 held on to its position as the top-selling video game for the fourth month in a row in February 2012.
In the long run, we maintain our Neutral rating. We currently have a Zacks #3 Rank for Activision Blizzard Inc., which implies a Hold rating in the short term (1-3 months).
Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leon Zacks. As a PhD from MIT Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.
Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts
Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
[email protected]
http://www.zacks.com
SOURCE Zacks Investment Research, Inc.
Share this article