Activision Blizzard: Conservative 3Q18 Guidance Concerns Investors

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) reported 3Q18 revenues matching estimates with EPS ahead of expectations. However, implied 4Q18 guidance was weaker than expected, sending the shares sharply lower. While the guidance was likely conservative given the highly competitive holiday season this year, 3Q18 results were not good enough to support the stock in a punishing environment for […]

Activision Blizzard Reports Strong 2Q18 Results and Typically Conservative Guidance

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) beat estimates for 2Q18 sales and earnings, but provided mixed guidance commentary for the back half of the year. Guidance for the third quarter was well below expectations, partially due to increased marketing expenses ahead of a busy and highly competitive holiday season launch slate. Full year guidance was increased but remains […]

Activision Blizzard Starts 2018 with a ‘Beat and Raise’ Quarter

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) reported 1Q18 results above expectations, but provided underwhelming guidance for 2Q18. The full year outlook for 2018 was increased slightly, but still remains below street expectations. ATVI is typically quite conservative with guidance, and combined with the back-half weighted content slate compared to 2017, we expect results to surpass guidance for the […]

Activision Blizzard Resets the Bar Lower for 2018

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) once again beat expectations upon announcing 4Q17 and 2017 results. However, guidance for 1Q18 and 2018 were mixed, with full year guidance generally in line with expectations while 1Q18 guidance appeared a bit light. ATVI has demonstrated a consistent pattern of issuing conservative guidance and then outperforming each quarter. Northlake believes ATVI […]

Activision Blizzard Experiences Step Change in Shift to Digital

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) reported better-than-expected top and bottom line 3Q17 results. The strong quarter flowed through to increases in 2017 sales and earnings guidance. Important game launches including Destiny 2 and Call of Duty:WWII appear to have gone well so far. Other key franchises such as Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush continue to […]

Activision Blizzard Reports Strong Second Quarter Results

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) reported strong second quarter results with sales and profits substantially higher than expected. While guidance for the third quarter and full year were raised from previous levels, it appears investors expected a larger increase. ATVI has typically provided conservative guidance in the past, and this appears to be the case again this […]

Activision Blizzard Making Progress on E-Sports and Digital Advertising

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) reported a strong quarter, beating consensus sales and profit expectations. Full year guidance was increased from prior levels but remained below consensus. In past quarters, ATVI has tended to offer conservative guidance leading to upside surprises when they report actual results. Investors focused on strength in the Blizzard and KING segments, while […]

Relief Rally Pushes Activision Blizzard to Record High

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) reported strong sales and profits with FY17 guidance modestly below Street expectations. It appears the conservative guidance was better than most investors expected, as ATVI rallied almost 19% to a new record high of $47.64. ATVI remains on track to benefit from several secular tailwinds, including the growth of higher-margin full-game digital […]

Activision Blizzard Reports a Solid Quarter

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) reported good quarterly results that beat investor expectations, while raising guidance for the fourth quarter. The stock reacted with a mild selloff, as the increased fourth quarter guidance did not quite meet Street expectations. Aside from the slightly conservative fourth quarter guidance, ATVI appears to be on track to benefit from several […]

Momentum Building at Activision Blizzard

Activision Blizzard (ATVI) reported a second straight quarter of sales, earnings, and forward guidance above consensus estimates. Strength in the quarter was largely attributed to the successful launch of Blizzard’s newest game, Overwatch, which already has over 15 million players globally. Continuing momentum across key franchises, signaled by strong pre-orders for the next expansions of […]