Nintendo Co Stock (OTC:NTDOY), Trade Ideas

Nintendo Co

Nintendo started its video game console business in 1983 by launching the NES, and started its portable console business in 1989 by launching the Game Boy. Since then, the firm has focused on expanding the gaming population by delivering unique entertainment experiences on its original console systems; the Wii and Nintendo DS are its most popular hardware. However, Nintendo not only makes game consoles, but also owns world-renowned IPs such as Super Mario, Pokemon, and Zelda, which have been a source of cash flow for 40 years. 2020 was the 35th anniversary of Super Mario, Nintendo's most famous character.

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Nintendo Co. (OTC: NTDOY) appears an attractive pick, as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.

What Makes Nintendo a New Buy Stock

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Google employees arrested for protesting contract with Israel, Elon Musk accepts challenge from Russian space agency, and more.

Let&#39;s Spill The Tea: Top Consumer Tech News From Last Week That You Should Know

Nintendo Photo by photo_gonzo on Shutterstock

Unveiling Nintendo&#39;s April 2024 Indie World Showcase: What&#39;s In Store

NINTENDO CO LTD UNSP/ADR by Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Nintendo Co Ltd

Nintendo Co. (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) appears an attractive pick, as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.
The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company&#39;s changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.
Since a changing earnings picture is a powerful factor influencing near-term stock price movements, the Zacks rating system is very useful for individual investors. They may find it difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, as these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.
Therefore, the Zacks rating upgrade for Nintendo basically reflects positivity about its earnings outlook that could translate into buying pressure and an increase in its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock Prices
The change in a company&#39;s future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, and the near-term price movement of its stock are proven to be strongly correlated. That&#39;s partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company&#39;s shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their transaction of large amounts of shares then leads to price movement for the stock.
For Nintendo, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade fundamentally mean an improvement in the company&#39;s underlying business. And investors&#39; appreciation of this improving business trend should push the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions
As empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, tracking such revisions for making an investment decision could be truly rewarding. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988.
Earnings Estimate Revisions for Nintendo
For the fiscal year ending March 2024, this company is expected to earn $0.66 per share, which is a change of -4.4% from the year-ago reported number.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Nintendo. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 4%.
Bottom Line
Unlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of &#39;buy&#39; and &#39;sell&#39; ratings for its entire universe of more than 4000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a &#39;Strong Buy&#39; rating and the next 15% get a &#39;Buy&#39; rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
The upgrade of Nintendo to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2260449/what-makes-nintendo-ntdoy-a-new-buy-stock?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-tale_of_the_tape|yseop_template_12_zacks_rank_upgrade-2260449">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Here&#8217;s what happened in the world of consumer tech in the last week:
Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google employees were reportedly arrested and placed on administrative leave after they staged 10-hour sit-ins at offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California, to protest the $1.2 billion <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38299326/several-google-employees-arrested-in-protest-over-1-2b-israel-contract-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cloud contract with Israel</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38286752/elon-musk-reacts-as-marc-andreessen-says-google-is-literally-run-by-employee-mobs-with-chinese-spies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Reacts As Marc Andreessen Says Google Is &#8216;Literally Run By Employee Mobs&#8217; With &#8216;Chinese Spies&#8217; Scooping Up AI Chip Designs</a>
SpaceX founder Elon Musk accepted a challenge from the Russian space agency chief, Yuri Borisov, who said Roscosmos&#8217;s Amur rocket can be reused up to five times <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38288858/elon-musk-says-bring-it-on-after-russian-space-chief-touts-amur-rocket-says-it-can-be-reused-up-to-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more than the Falcon 9</a>.
A Texas judge stopped the investigation of the media watchdog group Media Matters by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, dealing a second blow to<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38243800/another-setback-for-elon-musk-after-ccdh-lawsuit-thrown-out-media-matters-wins-injunction-against-te" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Elon Musk in recent weeks</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38307505/tesla-stock-fell-over-9-after-past-4-earnings-reports-fund-manager-offers-advice-on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Stock Fell Over 9% After Past 4 Earnings Reports: Fund Manager Offers Advice On How Elon Musk Can Break Woeful Streak</a>
Gaming
Sony Group Corporation&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NYSE">SONY</a>) is gearing up for the release of a more powerful version of its&nbsp;PlayStation 5 (PS5)&nbsp;console, possibly by the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/04/38255686/sonys-ps5-pro-release-reports-say-developers-are-getting-ready-for-new-console" rel="noreferrer noopener">end of this year</a>.&nbsp;
The official Star Wars Twitter account just dropped a teaser trailer for an upcoming crossover event with Epic Games&#8217; Fortnite, set to kick off on May 3, one day before Star Wars Day. HYPEX suggested lightsabers, force powers, and a Chewbacca skin, fueling fan<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/04/38257897/star-wars-day-arrives-to-fortnite-with-epic-crossover" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> excitement for the collaboration</a>.
Related:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/04/38246949/bafta-games-awards-2024-guess-which-video-game-took-5-prizes-home" rel="noreferrer noopener">BAFTA Games Awards 2024: Guess Which Video Game Took 5 Prizes Home</a>
Nintendo Co&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) showcased adorable indie games like Little Kitty, Big City, Lorelei, and the Laser Eyes, offering diverse&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/04/38302723/unveiling-nintendos-april-2024-indie-world-showcase-whats-in-store" rel="noreferrer noopener">experiences for players</a>.
Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EA#NASDAQ">EA</a>) unveiled plans for an open-world &#8220;Black Panther&#8221; game developed by Cliffhanger Games <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/EA?.tsrc=fin-srch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">through a recent job listing</a>.
Former Microsoft Blizzard President Mike Ybarra has an interesting idea: He suggested adding a tipping feature to video games. Not everyone will like the idea, but the former Blizzard president believes it&#8217;s different from other situations <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38259444/ready-to-tip-your-favorite-game-developers-former-blizzard-president-says-you-should" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">when tipping feels forced</a>.
Smartphones
Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) reportedly experienced a significant decline in&nbsp;iPhone&nbsp;shipments, while its&nbsp;Android&nbsp;competitors saw a rise. Notably, Apple&#8217;s iPhone shipments fell by nearly 10% in the first quarter, while the global smartphone market saw a 7.8% increase in shipments,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38241349/apples-iphone-shipments-dip-10-while-overall-market-grows-7-8-samsung-reclaims-top-spot" rel="noreferrer noopener">reaching 289.4 million units</a>.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38240620/potential-iphone-killer-humane-ai-pins-design-interface-inherently-flawed-says-gurman-can-merely-be" rel="noreferrer noopener">Potential iPhone Killer? Humane AI Pin&#8217;s Design, Interface &#8216;Inherently Flawed,&#8217; Says Gurman: &#8216;Can Merely Be An Extra Accessory&#8217;</a>
Apple&nbsp;CEO Cook revealed potential plans to explore manufacturing opportunities in Indonesia. This announcement follows his meeting with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38290331/tim-cook-eyes-apple-manufacturing-expansion-in-indonesia-after-talks-with-president-theres-a-lot-of" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indonesian President&nbsp;Joko Widodo</a>.
Chinese tech giant&nbsp;Huawei Technologies Co.&nbsp;has launched its latest series of smartphones, the Pura 70, to further challenge&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;in the high-end segment of the Chinese&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38308198/apples-falling-iphone-sales-have-another-challenge-to-deal-with-as-huawei-launches-new-phones" rel="noreferrer noopener">market amid falling iPhone sales</a>.
Meta
Meta Platforms Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) revealed that its new large language model,&nbsp;Llama 3, has surpassed other AI models in benchmark tests. However,&nbsp;OpenAI&#8217;s&nbsp;latest flagship model,&nbsp;GPT-4, is notably&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38330339/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-says-llama-3-beats-googles-gemini-mistral-and-jeff-bezos-backed-anthropics-cla" rel="noreferrer noopener">missing from its comparison</a>. It will integrate real-time search&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38330972/metas-ai-assistant-now-integrates-real-time-google-search-bing-results-expert-calls-it-the-smart" rel="noreferrer noopener">results from Google and Bing</a>.
Anduril Industries&nbsp;and&nbsp;Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey&nbsp;accused Meta&nbsp;&nbsp;CTO&nbsp;Andrew Bosworth&nbsp;of lying and spreading&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38246351/meta-cto-gets-called-out-by-founder-of-company-building-electronic-border-wall-you-arent-credible" rel="noreferrer noopener">false information about him</a>.
Social Media
Elon Musk&nbsp;has donated to and promoted secure messaging app&nbsp;Signal&nbsp;to take on&nbsp;WhatsApp, but another rival is closing the gap with the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38311930/elon-musk-backed-signal-to-take-on-mark-zuckerbergs-whatsapp-but-another-rival-says-its-spreading-li" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta Platforms Inc.-owned&nbsp;service</a>.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38311301/telegram-founder-tells-tucker-carlson-that-billion-user-platform-operates-lean-hr-free-with-only-30" rel="noreferrer noopener">Telegram Founder Tells Tucker Carlson That Billion-User Platform Operates Lean, HR-Free With Only 30 Staff: &#8216;I Am The Only Product Manager&#8217;</a>
Apple&nbsp;has removed WhatsApp and Threads from its China App Store in response&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38328967/apple-bows-to-chinas-security-concerns-pulls-2-meta-products-from-app-store" rel="noreferrer noopener">to a Chinese government order</a>.
Music
Apple Music&#8216;s&nbsp;teams have collaborated with&nbsp;Taylor Swift&nbsp;to prepare her upcoming album and promotional campaign well&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38242128/apple-teams-engaged-deeply-with-taylor-swift-on-the-tortured-poets-department-album-weve-re" rel="noreferrer noopener">before the release date</a>.
Spotify Technologies SA&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) has been investing in artificial intelligence and machine learning for over a decade, and its latest AI DJ feature is a significant step towards personalizing the music streaming experience for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38242691/can-spotifys-ai-dj-push-you-out-of-your-musical-comfort-zone-experts-say-recommender-system" rel="noreferrer noopener">600 million subscribers</a>.
The release of Amazon&#8217;s Prime Video &#8220;Fallout&#8221; TV series has sparked a significant resurgence in player numbers across Microsoft&#8217;s Bethesda&#8217;s Fallout video game franchise, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38260627/prime-videos-fallout-series-sparks-record-game-revival-fallout-76-hits-all-time-high" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">even for titles released years ago</a>.
Tech
Amazon.com, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) Twitch is set to launch its new TikTok-style discovery feed after a year of testing, bringing separate feeds for clips and livestreams to all users&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/04/38323296/twitchs-tiktok-style-feed-clips-livestreams-seamless-browsing" rel="noreferrer noopener">by the end of this month</a>.
Popular tech YouTuber MKBHD, or Marques Brownlee, kicked off a storm on social media after his Humane AI Pin review. He called it the &#8220;worst product&#8221; he has ever reviewed, weeks <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38291724/do-bad-reviews-kill-companies-mkbhd-reacts-after-humane-ai-pin-video-sparks-concern-on-social-media" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">after his Fisker Ocean SUV review</a>.
Artificial Intelligence
Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch threw shade at rival OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, saying that the pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI) is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38266018/mistral-ceo-shades-openais-sam-altman-says-obsession-with-reaching-agi-is-about-creating-god" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">just an attempt at &#8220;creating God.</a>&#8220;
Elon Musk&nbsp;expressed concern over the potential dangers of AI being trained to lie for political correctness and suggested that it could be &#8220;very dangerous&#8221;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38265325/elon-musk-warns-ais-potential-to-lie-for-political-correctness-poses-threat-to-humanity-would-be-ver" rel="noreferrer noopener">and &#8220;kill millions&#8221; in the process</a>.
Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38310022/former-openai-researcher-who-predicted-theres-a-50-chance-ai-could-kill-us-all-is-now-heading-us-ai" rel="noreferrer noopener">Former OpenAI Researcher Who Predicted There&#8217;s A 50% Chance AI Could Kill Us All Is Now Heading US AI Safety Institute</a>
JPMorgan &amp; Chase Co.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>) CEO&nbsp;Jamie Dimon&nbsp;has outlined his vision for the future of money in an AI-driven world, emphasizing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI)&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38308489/jamie-dimon-likens-ai-to-the-printing-press-says-it-will-be-a-huge-aid-to-recognize-patterns-of-succ" rel="noreferrer noopener">to revolutionize the financial sector</a>.
Microsoft Corp.&#8217;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)&nbsp;significant $13 billion investment in&nbsp;OpenAI&nbsp;will not undergo a formal investigation by the European Union&#8217;s merger watchdogs, alleviating concerns&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/04/38299939/eu-clears-microsofts-13b-openai-investment-from-formal-probe-a-relief-for-tech-giants" rel="noreferrer noopener">about potential regulatory interventions</a>.&nbsp;
Photo via Pixabay

Let's Spill The Tea: Top Consumer Tech News From Last Week That You Should Know

Nintendo ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) recently<a href="https://www.nintendo.com/us/indie-world/"> unveiled</a> a diverse array of charming indie titles in their latest Indie World showcase, spanning <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">various genres and styles. </a>
Despite the absence of anticipated updates like Hollow Knight: Silksong, the showcase still managed to captivate with its delightful offerings. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/04/38300454/apple-greenlights-delta-emulator-dive-into-retro-gaming-on-your-iphone-today">Apple Greenlights Delta Emulator: Dive Into Retro Gaming On Your iPhone Today</a>
From heartwarming adventures to quirky simulations, here&#8217;s a roundup of the games featured:
<ol>
<li>Little Kitty, Big City (May 9) &#8211; Take on the role of a playful feline exploring a bustling city, engaging in adorable cat antics and helping other animals along the way.</li>
<li>Yars Rising (Coming later this year) &#8211; Embark on an exploration-led action-adventure as Yar, navigating through multiple environments to uncover the secrets behind a mega-corporation.</li>
<li>Refind Self: The Personality Test Game (Summer release) &#8211; Guide an android on an exploration-based journey to discover their identity, making decisions that shape their personality along the way.</li>
<li>Sticky Business (Available now) &#8211; Manage a sticker shop, creating custom labels and fulfilling customer requests while learning about their personalities.</li>
<li>Antonblast (Timed exclusive release on November 12) &#8211; Dive into a high-speed action-platformer, wielding a powerful hammer to reclaim stolen collectibles from the devil.</li>
<li>Valley Peaks (Scheduled for release this year) &#8211; Play as an anthropomorphic frog technician, climbing and swinging through a lofi world to set up radio towers and fulfill town requests.</li>
<li>Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Launching on May 16) &#8211; Solve puzzles in a nightmarishly surreal adventure set in an old central European hotel, uncovering mysteries along the way.</li>
<li>Europa (Expected this year) &#8211; Explore the terraformed moon of Jupiter as an android named Zee, solving puzzles and uncovering the fate of humanity.</li>
<li>TMNT Splintered Fate (Arriving on Switch in July) &#8211; Embark on a roguelike adventure inspired by Hades, battling iconic villains as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in drop-in, drop-out multiplayer.</li>
<li>Cat Quest III (Coming on August 8) &#8211; Join the adorable cats on a swashbuckling adventure across the Purribean, battling pi-rats and leveling up with a friend.</li>
<li>Stitch (Exclusive release on launch day) &#8211; Engage in therapeutic puzzle-solving through handmade embroidery, creating beautiful designs with a variety of challenges.</li>
<li>SteamWorld Heist II (Launching on August 8) &#8211; Strategize in tense turn-based gunfights and engage in real-time naval combat as you lead your SteamBots through thrilling missions.</li>
</ol>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38259444/ready-to-tip-your-favorite-game-developers-former-blizzard-president-says-you-should">Ready To Tip Your Favorite Game Developers? Former Blizzard President Says You Should</a>
Image credits: Shutterstock

Unveiling Nintendo's April 2024 Indie World Showcase: What's In Store

At the 20th BAFTA Games Awards, Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3 took center stage, clinching five wins, including the prestigious <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36684817/this-best-selling-game-outsold-modern-warfare-3-in-us-can-you-guess-which-one">Best Game title. </a>
&#8220;I still can&#8217;t believe we&#8217;re standing here&#8230; thank you everybody,&#8221; Swen Vincke, the head of Larian Studios, said, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68792891">reported.</a>
Lead writer Sarah Baylus shared her sentiments, calling it &#8220;an honor and a privilege.&#8221; Meanwhile, Borislav Slavov, composer for Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3, couldn&#8217;t hold back tears as he thanked the audience for &#8220;this special moment in [his] life,&#8221; emphasizing the importance of putting heart into music.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/03/37882963/sad-news-for-baldurs-gate-3-fans-larian-studios-ends-downloadable-content-sequel-plans-moves-beyon">Sad News For Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3 Fans: Larian Studios Ends Downloadable Content, Sequel Plans; Moves Beyond &#8216;Dungeons &amp; Dragons&#8217;</a>
Nintendo ADR&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) Super Mario Bros. Wonder grabbed two awards, while Electronic Arts Inc&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EA#NASDAQ">EA</a>) Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, despite six nominations, left empty-handed. 
Viewfinder, a photography-based puzzler, garnered attention as the best British game. The event also highlighted industry growth, with UKIE reporting a rise in game software sales to £5.18bn in the UK last year.
Nexon Co Ltd&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEXOF#OTC">NEXOF</a>) Dave the Diver, though missing the top prize, celebrated victory in game design, with director Jaeho Hwang humorously remarking: &#8220;We just beat Zelda&#8230; now I&#8217;m bringing this heavy mask back to Korea!&#8221; 
Amidst accolades, the ceremony reflected on the industry&#8217;s challenges, with host Phil Wang acknowledging <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36601387/2024-gaming-industry-shakeup-over-2-700-layoffs-revealed-in-past-11-days">job cuts within major game companies. </a>
Nevertheless, presenters highlighted the artistic merit of game design, emphasizing its importance as an art form. 
The event concluded on a poignant note, paying tribute to industry figures with a moving performance of &#8220;Late Goodbye&#8221; from Max Payne 2.
Here&#8217;s The Full List Of The Bafta Game Awards Winners
<ul>
<li>Best Game: Baldur's Gate 3</li>
<li>Narrative: Baldur's Gate 3</li>
<li>Performer in a Leading Role: Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales in Marvel's Spider-Man 2</li>
<li>Performer in a Supporting Role: Andrew Wincott as Raphael in Baldur's Gate 3</li>
<li>Music: Baldur's Gate 3</li>
<li>Audio Achievement: Alan Wake 2</li>
<li>Artistic Achievement: Alan Wake 2</li>
<li>British Game: Viewfinder</li>
<li>Debut Game: Venba</li>
<li>Evolving Game: Cyberpunk 2077</li>
<li>Family: Super Mario Bros. Wonder</li>
<li>Game Beyond Entertainment: Tchia</li>
<li>Game Design: Dave the Diver</li>
<li>Multiplayer: Super Mario Bros. Wonder</li>
<li>New Intellectual Property: Viewfinder</li>
<li>Technical Achievement: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom</li>
<li>EE Players' Choice: Baldur's Gate 3</li>
</ul>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38031656/this-is-one-of-the-most-profitable-video-game-makers-youve-probably-never-heard-of-how-it-made-120m">This Is One Of The Most Profitable Video Game Makers You&#8217;ve Probably Never Heard Of: How It Made $120M In Net Profit Last Year</a>
Image courtesy of BAFTA.

NEXOF

BAFTA Games Awards 2024: Guess Which Video Game Took 5 Prizes Home

Pocketpair, the creators of Palworld, have unleashed their most extensive update yet, version 0.2.0.6, packed with exciting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/03/37941530/how-tencents-new-mobile-ventures-aim-to-mimic-palworlds-global-success">new features. </a>
The headline addition is the introduction of the game&#8217;s first raid boss, Bellanoir, along with a bunch of fresh content and items.
Now, players can summon Raid Boss Pals using slabs at the Summoning Altar. But beware, these creatures are incredibly powerful and can&#8217;t be captured, so teaming up with your base Pals is essential for taking them down. Defeating Raid Boss Pals might even score you some valuable Pals Eggs.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37289960/from-meme-to-mainstream-palworld-celebrates-25-million-players-despite-or-because-of-pok-mon-plagi">From Meme To Mainstream: Palworld Celebrates 25 Million Players Despite (Or Because?) Of Pokémon Plagiarism Controversy</a>
The update doesn&#8217;t stop there; it brings in a range of new items like Training Manuals for boosting your Pals&#8217; experience, Recovery Meds for gradual HP recovery, and the handy Homeward Thundercloud for quick base travel.
There are also various tweaks and additions across the game, including changes to Pals, UI improvements, balancing adjustments, bug fixes, and measures to prevent cheating. Bases have been given a makeover too, allowing players more control, like forcing Pals to work or canceling their breaks.
Despite its popularity, Palworld hasn&#8217;t been without controversy. Accusations of it being a Pokémon clone have led to some heated discussions, with Nintendo ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) even taking action against the game. But despite the challenges, Palworld continues to grow, with its dedicated player base eagerly anticipating future updates and expansions.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/03/37755269/palworld-success-overwhelms-too-big-for-our-studio-but-pocketpair-open-to-acquisitions">Palworld&#8217; Success Overwhelms: &#8216;Too Big for Our Studio,&#8217; But Pocketpair Open To Acquisitions</a>
Image courtesy of Pocketpair via Steam.

Palworld's Latest Update Unleashes Bellanoir: The Ultimate Raid Boss Challenge

Lara Croft, the iconic heroine of the Embracer Group ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EBCRY#OTC">EBCRY</a>) Tomb Raider series, has been hailed as the most legendary character in gaming by the BAFTA Gaming Awards, edging out beloved icons like <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">Mario and Sonic. </a>
In a recent <a href="https://www.bafta.org/games/most-iconic-game-character-of-all-time">poll</a> by BAFTA, where over 4,000 votes were cast, Croft emerged as the clear favorite.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/08/34031282/from-tombs-to-warfare-lara-croft-debuts-in-call-of-duty-crossover">From Tombs To Warfare: Lara Croft Debuts In Call Of Duty Crossover</a>
Since her debut in 1996&#8217;s Tomb Raider for the Sega Saturn, Croft captivated audiences across various mediums, from video games to film adaptations and even live immersive experiences in London.
In the rankings, Nintendo ADR&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) Mario ranked second, Hitman&#8217;s Agent 47 in third, Sega Sammy Holdings Inc &#8211; ADR&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>) Sonic the Hedgehog secured fourth place, followed by LittleBigPlanet&#8217;s Sackboy in fifth, and Pac-Man in sixth. 
Link from The Legend of Zelda claimed the seventh spot, while Master Chief and Kratos battled it out for eighth and ninth place, respectively. 
A surprise contender, Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3&#8217;s Shadowheart, clinched the 10th spot despite the game&#8217;s recent release.
The remaining entries on the list include some expected names, such as Sony Group Corp.&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NYSE">SONY</a>) The Last of Us&#8217; Ellie and Crash Bandicoot, alongside others that raised eyebrows. 
However, one thing remains clear: Lara Croft&#8217;s top position is universally acknowledged as well-deserved.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/22/03/26051368/10-best-selling-video-game-franchises-of-all-time-tetris-call-of-duty-super-mario-and-more">10 Best-Selling Video Game Franchises Of All Time: Tetris, Call Of Duty, Super Mario And More</a>
Image created with photos from Unsplash.

Entertainment

EBCRY

SGAMY

This Is The Most Iconic Character In Gaming, Surpassing Mario, Hitman, Sonic, Says BAFTA Gaming Awards

Ed Wu, senior vice president of Pokémon Go, opened up about the game&#8217;s journey and what lies ahead, expressing excitement about its ongoing growth. 
In a <a href="https://www.eurogamer.net/niantic-pokemon-go-healthy-and-growing-as-it-approaches-its-next-decade">chat</a> with Eurogamer, Wu reflected on Pokémon Go&#8217;s impending 10th anniversary: &#8220;It&#8217;s bananas to think this thing is going to be going into its next decade soon.&#8221; 
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/01/30610195/the-unbelievable-story-of-the-pok-mon-go-grandpa-the-74-year-old-cycling-around-with-64-dev"> The Unbelievable Story Of The &#8216;Pokémon Go Grandpa,&#8217; The 74-Year-Old Cycling Around With 64 Devices Attached To His Bicycle</a>
Developed and published by Niantic Inc., under its parent company Alphabet, in partnership with Nintendo ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) and The Pokémon Company, the game was released in 2016.
Wu emphasized Niantic&#8217;s dedication to maintaining the game&#8217;s vibrancy, stating: &#8220;We&#8217;re putting a lot of investment into ensuring it&#8217;s a great game and has really firm foundations for the next 10 years.&#8221;
Looking ahead, Wu teased some exciting updates, mentioning plans to revamp the Avatar system. He hinted at &#8220;updated assets&#8221; and a &#8220;modern system that can offer more customization,&#8221; suggesting players have something to look forward to.
As for what&#8217;s in store for 2024, Wu kept the specifics under wraps but promised: &#8220;We will continue to deliver huge, major features, and we have several lined up for later this year.&#8221; He emphasized the team&#8217;s commitment to keeping the game fresh while staying true to its roots.
Acknowledging the game&#8217;s technical challenges, Wu said, &#8220;We can always do better.&#8221; He discussed the complexities of managing the game&#8217;s infrastructure and highlighted improvements made over the years to ensure a smoother experience for players.
On the topic of monetization, Wu addressed the introduction of in-game event tickets, acknowledging varying availability. He stressed the importance of striking a balance between monetization and delivering enjoyable experiences for players.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/07/33101151/pok-mon-go-studio-niantic-announces-230-layoffs">Pokémon Go Studio Niantic Announces 230 Layoffs</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Pokémon Go To 'Deliver Huge, Major Features' Later This Year, Teases Insider

Russia is venturing into establishing its own gaming industry, complete with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">consoles.</a>
Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to explore this avenue, specifically mentioning the development of both stationary and portable consoles, as well as an operating system and cloud infrastructure for game delivery.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/07/33466265/scrambling-to-win-ukraine-kremlin-is-feeding-russian-war-propaganda-through-minecraft-world-of-tanks">Scrambling To Win Ukraine, Kremlin Is Feeding Russian War Propaganda Through Minecraft, World Of Tanks</a>
This move comes as major game companies such as Sony Group Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NYSE">SONY</a>), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Nintendo ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) halted sales to Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
Despite this, local vendors continue to find ways to import foreign consoles. 
Putin now perceives this as an opportunity to cultivate a domestic industry amidst Western sanctions.
According to local media reports, (<a href="https://uk.pcmag.com/migrated-84555-gaming/151641/putin-wants-russia-to-create-its-own-video-game-consoles">via</a> PCMagUK) Putin stated during a socio-economic meeting: &#8220;The government should consider the issue of creating a video game industry in Russia, including the production of stationary and portable game consoles.&#8221;
The government has until June 15 to delve into the proposal, with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin overseeing the effort. However, challenges loom, including a dearth of expertise and the necessity for advanced chips, which may be restricted by the U.S. Establishing a console ecosystem also necessitates a vibrant community of developers.
Reports from newspaper Kommersant <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/6595900">suggest </a>VK, a Russian technology company, may spearhead the endeavor, though creating consoles from scratch could &#8220;take up to 10 years,&#8221; the article added.
Alternatively, Russia might explore collaboration with China to produce a portable console akin to Valve's Steam Deck.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/05/32198538/how-a-cs-go-map-is-bringing-uncensored-news-of-the-war-in-ukraine-to-russian-gamers">How A &#8216;CS:GO&#8217; Map Is Bringing Uncensored News Of The War In Ukraine To Russian Gamers</a>
Photos: Shutterstock

Government

Global

Putin Directs Russian Government To Create Domestic Gaming Industry

Nintendo of America is undergoing significant changes in its testing department amidst a reported slowdown in game development and the apparent delay of the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/36893757/nintendo-switch-2-prospects-can-it-outshine-the-original-asks-analysts"> Switch 2.</a>
<a href="https://kotaku.com/nintendo-switch-2-layoffs-testing-zelda-totk-1851369539">According</a> to a report by Kotaku, Nintendo has confirmed a restructuring of its internal testing, involving the termination of some contractor assignments and the creation of new full-time employee positions.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/03/37468541/nintendo-strikes-down-yuzu-emulator-in-2-4-million-settlement-what-does-this-mean-for-game-preserv">Nintendo Strikes Down Yuzu Emulator In $2.4M Settlement: What Does This Mean For Game Preservation?</a>
Nintendo ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) stated: &quot;For all assignments that are ending, the contractors&rsquo; agencies, with [Nintendo of America&#39;s] support, will offer severance packages and provide assistance during their transition.&quot;
&quot;For those contractor associates who will be leaving us, we are tremendously grateful for the important contributions they&rsquo;ve made to our business, and we extend our heartfelt thanks for their hard work and service to Nintendo,&quot; the Japanese company added.
Contractors suggest that Nintendo is experiencing a &quot;lull&quot; in its testing department due to the absence of major first-party game releases on the horizon and a lack of hands-on testing for the upcoming Switch successor, initially rumored for a late 2024 release.
While the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed, sources suggest that over 100 workers may be impacted, with those transitioning to full-time roles being redirected away from software testing.
Nintendo&#39;s restructuring follows a trend of industry-wide layoffs, with competitors like Sony Group Corp. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sony#NYSE">SONY</a>) and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) also experiencing significant staff reductions. Microsoft recently laid off 1,900 employees following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, while Sony cut approximately 900 jobs, affecting developers from studios like Insomniac, Naughty Dog, and Guerrilla.
Despite these challenges, Nintendo has released titles like Princess Peach Showtime and announced plans for a remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. However, the company&#39;s testing department changes suggest internal adjustments amid broader industry shifts.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37315458/this-is-the-reason-behind-nintendo-switch-2s-delay-to-march-2025-report-says">This Is The Reason Behind Nintendo Switch 2&#39;s Delay To March 2025, Report Says</a>
Image credits:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/henry_st_john">Henry St John</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock.

Gaming Industry Layoffs: Nintendo Confirms Testing Department Cuts

Circana analyst Mat Piscatella delivered a mixed outlook for the gaming industry, expressing both anticipation and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36747478/game-industry-braces-for-year-of-closures-in-2024-report-says">caution for the future.</a>
What Happened: Highlighting the imminent release of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc&#39;s (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ttwo#NASDAQ">TTWO</a>) Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA6), Piscatella remarked, in a recent <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/2024-game-spending-down-2-is-circana-analysts-most-optimistic-outlook">interview </a>with GamesIndustry.biz: &quot;There&#39;s probably never been a more important thing to ever release in the industry, so no pressure.&quot;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37215819/just-in-time-for-gta-6-sony-will-likely-launch-ps5-pro-in-2024-analysts-predict">Just In Time For GTA 6? Sony Will &#39;Likely&quot; Launch PS5 Pro In 2024, Analysts Predict</a>
However, amidst the excitement for GTA 6, Piscatella also addressed the broader uncertainties facing the industry.
He foresees potential challenges ahead, projecting a decline of 2% to 10% in consumer spending.
&quot;There&#39;s so much uncertainty when you look at the sales data or look to project this year,&quot; Piscatella noted, reflecting on the lack of major releases and disruptions in hardware schedules.
Piscatella pointed out the industry&#39;s reliance on blockbuster titles, noting that recent releases like Helldivers 2 and Palworld haven&#39;t matched the success of previous hits such as Warner Bros. Discovery Inc&#39;s (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wbd#NASDAQ">WBD</a>) Hogwarts Legacy. The absence of highly anticipated games like GTA 6 and delays in hardware releases contribute to the prevailing uncertainty.
Moreover, the analyst&nbsp;expressed skepticism about mid-generation console refreshes: &quot;Are those happening? I don&#39;t know ... I&#39;m under a billion NDAs and no one&#39;s told me, so I don&#39;t know.&quot;
Piscatella noted that even if such revisions occur, they typically don&#39;t have a significant impact, stating:&nbsp;&quot;What they&#39;re best at doing is bridging ... It&#39;s a first-party play, a manufacturing play more than it is a consumer boost.&quot;
Piscatella also acknowledged the challenges faced by gaming retail and discussed the ongoing shift from physical to digital media. He stressed the absence of a new Nintendo ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) hardware release this year, suggesting it could exacerbate the decline in physical retail.
&quot;With no new Nintendo hardware this year, it&#39;s going to accelerate because Nintendo is right at the 50-50 cusp when it comes to physical/digital,&quot; he added.
Why It Matters: Despite these challenges, Piscatella remains cautiously optimistic about the industry&#39;s future, envisioning a return to growth in the long term.
&quot;It&#39;s been a very strange five years in this market,&quot; he said. &quot;But it&#39;s kind of a thing where we&#39;ve regressed to the long-term trend and now we should be starting to get toward [following] that trend again as we go to 2025.&quot;
&quot;I think it&#39;s short-term pain,&quot; he concluded. &quot;But it&#39;s going to be a little bit painful for this year.&quot;
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37040574/6-take-two-analysts-address-gta-vi-prospects-after-q3-earnings-rockstar-commits-to-2025-launch">6 Take-Two Analysts Address GTA VI Prospects After Q3 Earnings: &#39;Rockstar Commits To 2025 Launch&#39;</a>
Photos:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/Rokas+Tenys">Rokas Tenys</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock.

TTWO

GTA 6 Is Most Important Title In Gaming Industry: Analyst

Japanese equities are experiencing a revival after outperforming most of their global peers for the last 18 months. This is fruitful news for investors like Warren Buffett, who placed his money in the Japanese market as early as August 2020.
After 25 years, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 index hit a new all-time high. In contrast to the Nasdaq or S&amp;P 500, this performance wasn&#8217;t a result of a handful of highly valued stocks. And, this doesn&#8217;t mean analysts don&#8217;t have favorites. <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Markets/Goldman-names-Seven-Samurai-of-market-boosting-Japanese-stocks">Per</a> Nikkei Asia, Goldman Sachs rounded up seven names that stood out, baptizing them as the "Seven Samurai" — in comparison to the U.S. market darlings, the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/02/36897355/what-are-the-magnificent-7-stocks-why-do-they-dominate-the-market"> Magnificent Seven</a>.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">What Are The Seven Samurai Stocks?</h1>
The following companies make up the Seven Samurai stock group.&nbsp;
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tokyo Electron Limited (OTCPK: TOELF)</h3>
Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) is a company engaged in the manufacture and sale of electronic products for industrial uses. Its focus is on semiconductor and flat panel display (FPD) production equipment. Almost all semiconductor chips in the world go through the company&#8217;s equipment during the production process.
TEL is a vital part of the semiconductor market, so it trades similarly to semiconductor stocks at a P/E ratio of 48. The company has a net profit margin of 19.4% and an excellent balance sheet with 0 debt in almost a decade. While the company pays a dividend, it yields 1% — in line with the industry but not notable.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mitsubishi Corporation (OTCPK: MTSUY)</h3>
Mitsubishi is the largest Japanese trading company with diverse revenue streams, including petroleum production, chemicals and minerals, the food industry, power solutions and automotive and mobility products.
Mitsubishi is among the vital Japanese conglomerates but trading at a reasonable P/E ratio of around 14x. The company has a net profit margin of 4.61%, and the management has been reducing its debt, building a strong balance sheet. The firm also pays a dividend yielding 1.5% but has a rather low 32% payout ratio, indicating sustainability and future growth potential.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TM#NYSE">TM</a>)</h3>
Toyota is the leading automotive company and the best-selling automaker in 2023, with 11.23 million cars sold. Despite reaching multi-year highs, its stock still trades around 10 times its earnings. Furthermore, it boasts a 10.3% net profit margin, which is above the industry average.
Although Toyota has notable debt on its balance sheet, its short-term assets cover both its short-term and long-term liabilities. The recent issues with the Worker&#8217;s Union demanding the biggest yearly raise in 31 years (5.85%) could only exacerbate the debt issue. The company also pays a stable 1.9% dividend, which has been steadily increasing.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Nintendo ADR (OTCPK: NTDOY)</h3>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/nintendo">Nintendo</a> develops, manufactures and sells electronic home entertainment products. The company originally produced handmade hanafuda playing cards before venturing into video gaming as early as 1977. It developed best-selling TV and hand-held game consoles like NES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Wii and Nintendo Switch. It also owns IP to numerous major franchises, with Mario and The Legend of Zelda recognized internationally.
Nintendo trades around 19.4x its earnings and has a notable net profit margin of 29%. The company&#8217;s balance sheet is pristine, with 0 debt and over $13,5 billion in cash. The company also pays a 2.5% dividend, which is above the industry average (1.9%), but the payments have been volatile over the last decade.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. (OTCPK: FRCOF)</h3>
Fast Retailing is Japan&#8217;s largest apparel retailer, operating notable fashion brands, including UNIQLO, GU and Theory. It manufactures and retails clothing for men, women, children and babies, as well as offers shoes and other goods, selling through over 3,500 stores globally and online.
Its stock trades at 41.5x its earnings and its net profit margin of 11.15% is above the industry average of 7%— likely due to its size and ability to leverage the economics of scale. The firm's balance sheet looks excellent, with over $10 billion in cash and just $1.6 billion in debt. Fast Retailing also pays a 0.8% dividend, which has been growing, but it has yet to reach a notable yield.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Sony Group Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NYSE">SONY</a>)</h3>
Sony is a conglomerate best known for manufacturing consumer electronic products. It is one of the most recognized Japanese brands, and it has also ventured into the software, video, music and home entertainment industries.
Sony&#8217;s stock trades around 18.7x its earnings, with a net profit margin of 6.5%. The company generally kept a tidy balance sheet but took on more debt recently, mainly to finance the $3.7 billion acquisition of the gaming company Bungie. Although Sony also pays a dividend, it yields a modest 0.6%.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MUFG#NYSE">MUFG</a>)</h3>
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group operates as the bank holding company for MUFG Bank, Ltd. and provides various financial services in Japan and internationally. It is Japan's largest financial group and one of the largest global financial companies, with total assets of around $2.82 trillion as of December 2023.
The stock trades around 11.7x its earnings and has a net profit margin of over 38%, which is remarkable for its size. Due to its business structure, financial institutions require a slightly different evaluation. Mitsubishi's asset-to-equity ratio is around 20x, indicating satisfactory use of debt to fund the operations. 
The company has low-risk liabilities, as the majority of them come from customer deposits — which is safer than borrowing externally. Furthermore, Mitsubishi has a good loans-to-assets ratio, as outstanding loans, which are less liquid than other financial assets, come up to only 29%. Finally, the level of bad loans, which are unlikely to be repaid, is just 1.4%.
The stock also pays a stable dividend of 2.7%, which has increased over the past decade. As the payout ratio is just 29%, there is plenty of room to continue growing.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Seven Samurai Vs. The Magnificent Seven</h1>
While the Magnificent Seven mostly covers the tech industry, Seven Samurai is a more diversified group, offering similar returns at lower valuations and higher yields.
In comparison to the Magnificent Seven&#8217;s average P/E ratio of around 45, Seven Samurai average around 23x their earnings, paying an average dividend of 1.5%. Furthermore, most of these Japanese companies have conservative balance sheets with significant cash reserves for dividends, buybacks or timely acquisitions.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Does Warren Buffett Invest In The Seven Samurai?</h1>
Warren Buffett slowly built a position in all of the five notable <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/02/37300646/berkshire-hathaways-q4-operating-earnings-surge-28-warren-buffet-pays-touching-tribute-to-late-char">Japanese trading companies</a>. Those include Itochu, Sumitomo, Mitsui &amp; Co, Marubeni, and one member of the Seven Samurai, Mitsubishi Corp.
After taking an initial stake of 5% through Berkshire&#8217;s subsidiary, National Indemnity Company, Buffett now owns 9.9% in the conglomerate. Per the latest Berkshire Hathaway report, Buffett invested $10.63 billion in those five companies. By the end of 2023, that stake was worth $19.6 billion, representing an unrealized gain of 61%.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">How To Invest In The Seven Samurai</h1>
Outside of investing directly in Japanese stocks, a few ETFs offer <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-japan-etf">good exposure to Japanese equities</a>. Since Seven Samurai represent some of the largest Japanese companies, they are well-represented in these funds.
1.&nbsp; &nbsp; iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWJ#NYSE">EWJ</a>) &#8211; tracks about 85% of the Japanese stock market, with four out of five top holdings coming from the Seven Samurai.
2.&nbsp; &nbsp; iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HEWJ#NYSE">HEWJ</a>)&nbsp; – seeks to reduce the currency impact while investing in large and mid-cap Japanese equities.
3.&nbsp; &nbsp; iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWJV#NASDAQ">EWJV</a>) &#8211; offers exposure to large and mid-cap Japanese equities with lower valuations based on fundamentals.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/02/37373981/11-granolas-stocks-outperform-magnificent-7-with-lower-volatility-higher-yields">11 &#8216;Granolas&#8217; Stocks Outperform Magnificent 7 With Lower Volatility, Higher Yields</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Asia

Equities

ETFs

EWJV

FRCOF

HEWJ

MTSUY

MUFG

TOELF

'Seven Samurai' Stocks: Goldman Sachs Picks Leading Japanese Equities — How Do They Compare To The Magnificent Seven?

Today marks the annual celebration of one of the most iconic video franchises and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/05/32166821/the-super-mario-bros-movie-is-the-first-2023-film-to-reach-1b-10th-animated-film-in-history">characters of all time.</a>
What Happened:&nbsp;Mario Day is celebrated annually on March 10. The holiday celebrates one of the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/22/03/26051368/10-best-selling-video-game-franchises-of-all-time-tetris-call-of-duty-super-mario-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;bestselling video game franchises</a>&nbsp;of all time with a unique take on the calendar day.
The date March 10 written in abbreviated form spells out Mario, with the &#8220;1&#8221; and zero replaced by the letters &#8220;I&#8221; and &#8220;O.&#8221;
Nintendo Co (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) which owns the franchise, began&nbsp;<a href="https://nationaltoday.com/mario-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">celebrating&nbsp;</a>the holiday in 2016.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MAR10Day?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MAR10Day</a> everyone! How will you be celebrating the Mushroom Kingdom's mustachioed hero today? <a href="https://t.co/Ht2VbJc2B6">pic.twitter.com/Ht2VbJc2B6</a>
&mdash; Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) <a href="https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1634177341990510594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Mario made his debut in the 1981 video game "Donkey Kong." Nintendo would give Mario his own game with the 1983 release "Mario Bros." starring Mario and Luigi. Mario was created by&nbsp;Shigeru Miyamoto, the Japanese video game designer who also created Donkey Kong, Starfox and The Legend of Zelda.
The introduction of Mario would help Nintendo boost its presence as a&nbsp;video game company, which traces its history back to 1889 as a playing card company.&nbsp;
Each year on the holiday, Nintendo and many retailers offer discounted Mario and Nintendo games and items to celebrate the legend of the video game character. This includes deals on Nintendo Switch consoles and gaming bundles, Lego sets&nbsp;and more Mario-related items.&nbsp;
Related Link: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/21/09/14472367/this-day-in-market-history-nintendo-is-founded-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This Day In Market History: Nintendo Is Founded</a>
What's Next For Mario?&nbsp;Along with being an icon in video games, Nintendo is working hard to further monetize the legend of Mario.
Mario and other Nintendo characters are part of a push to expand the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/22/06/27547403/heres-when-you-can-enjoy-the-super-mario-kart-ride-at-a-us-theme-park" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Universal Studios theme parks</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;Comcast Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>). <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/cmcsa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>
Comcast and its Illumination unit also partnered with Nintendo to bring Mario and his friends back to the big screen.
"The Super Mario Bros" movie starring&nbsp;Chris Pratt, Seth Rogen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black&nbsp;and&nbsp;Keegan-Michael Key was released in theaters in 2023. The movie <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt6718170/?ref_=bo_se_r_1">grossed </a>$574.9 million domestically and $787.0 million internationally for a global total of $1.36 billion.
The animated film was the second-highest grossing film domestically and worldwide, trailing only the &#8220;Barbie&#8221; movie. 
The movie was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/03/31291241/nintendo-the-super-mario-bros-movies-final-trailer-drops-and-its-dark-theres-no-escape-the-" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scheduled for a December 2022 release</a>&nbsp;before being pushed back. The film marked the first theatrical Mario movie since the 1993 live action movie "Super Mario Bros."
"The Super Mario Bros" was the first live action movie based on a Nintendo video game since 2019's "Detective Pikachu."
Nintendo&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/22/07/28093475/nintendo-acquires-a-movie-company-are-we-getting-more-video-game-movies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced the acquisition&nbsp;</a>of animation studio Dynamo Pictures in 2022. The company said it would rename the company Nintendo Pictures, which could suggest Nintendo plans to bring more iconic characters to the big screen.
More Mario movies could be coming for sequels and spinoffs. Nintendo also has a live-action Zelda movie in the works, adding to its library of iconic characters that will see the big screen. 
This article was previously published by Benzinga and has been updated.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/01/36522359/whats-next-after-mario-movie-success-zelda-movie-coming-mario-creator-hints-at-more-films">What&#8217;s Next After Mario Movie Success? Zelda Movie Coming, Mario Creator Hints At More Films</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Education

CMCSA

Why Is March 10 Celebrated As Mario Day? The History Of The Iconic Video Game Character

In a display of creativity and tech-savvy that&rsquo;s as playful as it is advanced, the gearheads over at the Toyota Engineering Society have channeled their passion into crafting a motorcycle that looks like it rode straight out of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/23/06/32661081/behind-the-voice-of-pokemons-ash-ketchum-sarah-natochenny-says-goodbye-to-her-iconic-role-after-">Pok&eacute;mon Violet.</a>
This isn&rsquo;t just any motorcycle; it&rsquo;s a prototype that pays homage to Miraidon, the futuristic dragon Pok&eacute;mon known for its shape-shifting abilities across land, sea, and air, Kotaku <a href="https://kotaku.com/pokemon-violet-miraidon-motorcycle-toyota-engineering-1851315866">reported.</a>
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/08/33994594/dark-secrets-of-competitive-pok-mon-revealed-50-of-pro-players-cheat-survey-says">Dark Secrets Of Competitive Pok&eacute;mon Revealed - 50% Of Pro Players Cheat, Survey Says</a>
Just like Miraidon, the star of Nintendo ADR&#39;s (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) game and the player&rsquo;s go-to ride for exploring its vast open world, this bike is a marvel of design that echoes the Pok&eacute;mon&#39;s versatility.
While this particular set of wheels may not hit the market for Pok&eacute;mon trainers worldwide, it stands as a testament to Toyota Motor Corp&#39;s (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tm#NYSE">TM</a>) imaginative craftsmanship.
The Miraidon motorcycle captures the spirit of the game, where it not only zips around but is central to a story that weaves through time and unveils a lineage of Pok&eacute;mon from the future.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">You know I&rsquo;ve never been into riding motorcycles but this&hellip; this might just make me. 
Toyota is apparently making a Miraidon motorcycle. 
Can you imagine riding through your city on one of these!?!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pokemon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pokemon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PokemonScarletViolet?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PokemonScarletViolet</a> <a href="https://t.co/QgIIdN3vB1">https://t.co/QgIIdN3vB1</a> <a href="https://t.co/BH3iSfdJZ9">pic.twitter.com/BH3iSfdJZ9</a>
&mdash; SoulSilverArt (@soulsilverart) <a href="https://twitter.com/soulsilverart/status/1765426012722987300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>And this isn&rsquo;t Toyota&#39;s first rodeo when it comes to quirky innovations. The company&#39;s Engineering Society is known for dipping its toes in a variety of projects, from robots with a knack for soccer to initiatives aimed at fostering interest in science and technology among children.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/01/30610195/the-unbelievable-story-of-the-pok-mon-go-grandpa-the-74-year-old-cycling-around-with-64-dev">Unbelievable Story Of The &#39;Pok&eacute;mon Go Grandpa,&#39; The 74-Year-Old Cycling Around With 64 Devices Attached To His Bicycle</a>
Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/piro4d-2707530/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1593048">PIRO</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1593048">Pixabay</a>

Must-See: How Toyota Brought A Pokémon To Life With Its Miraidon Motorcycle

Tropic Haze LLC has agreed to settle a legal dispute with Nintendo ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) by paying the Tokyo-based video game company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36647933/gaming-subscriptions-should-gamers-get-comfortable-not-owning-their-video-games-ubisoft-executive-">$2.4 million</a>.
The company will also cease all activities related to its Yuzu emulator, including hosting, distributing code, and promotion, according to a court filing presented on Monday, March 4, in the District Court of Rhode Island <a href="https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1764717475600433400?s=46">spotted</a> by Game File&#39;s Stephen Totilo.&nbsp;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37375657/yuzu-emulator-under-fire-nintendo-sues-over-alleged-1-million-pre-release-zelda-downloads">Yuzu Emulator Under Fire: Nintendo Sues Over Alleged 1 Million Pre-Release Zelda Downloads</a>
Tropic Haze will also plans to surrender the domain name yuzu-emu.org to Nintendo and delete all copies of Yuzu and related circumvention tools.
&quot;We started the projects in good faith, out of passion for Nintendo and its consoles and games, and were not intending to cause harm,&quot; Tropic Haze stated. &quot;But we see now that because our projects can circumvent Nintendo&rsquo;s technological protection measures and allow users to play games outside of authorized hardware, they have led to extensive piracy.&quot;
&quot;We have come to the decision that we cannot continue to allow this to occur. Piracy was never our intention, and we believe that piracy of video games and video game consoles should end,&quot; Tropic Haze emphasized.
The agreement, pending court approval, has broader implications beyond the demise of Yuzu, as it could jeopardize the future of Switch emulation altogether.
The motion for final judgment, agreed upon by both parties, asserts that Yuzu violated copyright laws, even though it didn&#39;t contain Nintendo code. If accepted by the court, this could establish a precedent that threatens other Switch emulators.
While emulator proponents argue for their role in preserving older titles, critics see them as facilitating piracy.
Nintendo&#39;s lawsuit claimed that Yuzu enabled over a million people to play leaked of the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom before its release, impacting sales.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/10/35400581/dont-kid-yourself-former-playstation-ceo-sounds-alarm-on-video-game-industry">&#39;Don&#39;t Kid Yourself&#39;: Former PlayStation CEO Sounds Alarm On Video Game Industry</a>
Image created with photos from Shutterstock.

Legal

Nintendo Strikes Down Yuzu Emulator In $2.4M Settlement: What Does This Mean For Game Preservation?

Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IMMR#NASDAQ">IMMR</a>), a leading developer and provider of patents for haptics, today announced that it has renewed a license with Nintendo Co., Ltd. to continue to make Immersion's patents available to Nintendo and its affiliates.
"We are delighted to continue to grant Nintendo a license to our patents for haptic technologies," said Eric Singer, Immersion's President and CEO.

IMMR

Immersion Signs License Agreement With Nintendo To Continue To Make Immersion's Patents Available To Nintendo And Its Affiliates

Nintendo ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) filed a lawsuit against the developers of the Yuzu emulator for the Nintendo Switch, accusing them of facilitating the illegal download of over one million copies of &quot;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/01/36522359/whats-next-after-mario-movie-success-zelda-movie-coming-mario-creator-hints-at-more-films">The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom&quot; before its official release.</a>
Filed on Feb. 26 in the U.S&gt; District Court of Rhode Island, the suit alleges that Tropic Haze, the company that developed the emulator, allowed users to unlawfully decrypt and play Nintendo Switch games without purchasing them.
The complaint emphasizes that there is no legal way to use Yuzu for this purpose, The Verge <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/27/24085075/nintendo-switch-emulator-yuzu-lawsuit">reported.</a>
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37315458/this-is-the-reason-behind-nintendo-switch-2s-delay-to-march-2025-report-says">This Is The Reason Behind Nintendo Switch 2&#39;s Delay To March 2025, Report Says</a>
The suit reads: &quot;Today, Yuzu provides any Internet user in the world with the means to unlawfully decrypt and play virtually any Nintendo Switch game &mdash; including Nintendo&rsquo;s current generation and most popular games &mdash; without ever paying a dime for a Nintendo console or for that game.&quot;
Moreover, Nintendo&#39;s lawsuit alleges violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by circumventing Nintendo Switch encryption to enable the play of copyrighted games. The company seeks to seize control of Yuzu&#39;s domain and online presence, alongside financial damages.
While legal precedent allows console reverse engineering, modern emulators face challenges due to complex encryption and copyrighted BIOSes.
Nintendo is demanding Tropic Haze pay damages of $150,000 for each copyrighted work, along with actual damages and profits gained from the violations.
The suit highlights Yuzu&#39;s Patreon page, where developers reportedly earn $30,000 monthly by offering subscribers early access and special features, bypassing Nintendo&#39;s anti-piracy measures.
Moreover, the suit contends that Yuzu&#39;s website provides instructions on acquiring cryptographic keys to decrypt Nintendo games illegally, noting a surge in Patreon membership prior to the release of &quot;Tears of the Kingdom,&quot; which led to story and gameplay leaks.
This isn&#39;t Nintendo&#39;s first legal action against emulator creators; in 2019, they sued RomUniverse for copyright and trademark infringement, winning $2.1 million in damages in 2021. Previously, they received over $12 million from LoveRETRO and LoveROMS in 2018.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37289960/from-meme-to-mainstream-palworld-celebrates-25-million-players-despite-or-because-of-pok-mon-plagi">From Meme To Mainstream: Palworld Celebrates 25 Million Players Despite (Or Because?) Of Pok&eacute;mon Plagiarism Controversy</a>
Image created using photos from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/nito100">into</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/henry_st_john">Henry Sy John</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock.

Yuzu Emulator Under Fire: Nintendo Sues Over Alleged 1 Million Pre-Release Zelda Downloads

Microsoft Corp&#39;s (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) game Pentiment, previously exclusive to Xbox, is running at 120 frames per second (FPS) on Sony Group Corp.&#39;s (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sony#NYSE">SONY</a>) PlayStation 5 (PS5) but only at 60FPS on Xbox Series X/S <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">due to a bug.</a>
The game&#39;s higher FPS on PS5, despite being a narrative-focused 2D game, disappointed some Xbox fans.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37248807/xboxs-phil-spencer-announces-day-one-release-of-all-activision-games-on-xbox-game-pass-is-call-of-">Xbox&#39;s Phil Spencer Announces Day-One Release Of All Activision Games On Xbox Game Pass: Is Call Of Duty Included?</a>
Josh Sawyer, Obsidian Studio&#39;s design director, attributed the issue to a bug, <a href="https://twitter.com/jesawyer/status/1762185009954492824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1762185009954492824%7Ctwgr%5Ee58420ebf4dde5a3054a79bef01dde1f0b8a8a83%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkotaku.com%2Fembed%2Finset%2Fiframe%3Fid%3Dtwitter-1762185009954492824autosize%3D1">explaining</a> on X: &quot;120fps will be enabled for XBOX in the next patch. It being disabled is just a bug.&quot;
This explanation did little to quell dissatisfaction, with some questioning why the patch wasn&#39;t released earlier since the game launched in November 2022.
The incident added&nbsp;to concerns among dedicated Xbox fans about Microsoft&#39;s commitment to the platform. While it&#39;s a minor issue involving an older game, it underscored&nbsp;broader anxieties about Microsoft&#39;s focus on Xbox&nbsp;amid recent rumors of Microsoft porting its games to other platforms such as&nbsp;PS5 and Nintendo ADR&#39;s (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) Switch.
While Xbox confirmed some games would be ported, it denied major titles such as&nbsp;Starfield coming to PS5. Pentiment&#39;s unexpected release on PS5 and Switch had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37013590/gamestops-tweet-adds-fuel-to-panic-over-xboxs-future-whats-next-for-the-brand">further fueled speculation.</a>
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37168873/xbox-promises-largest-technical-leap-yet-in-gaming-hardware-plus-4-titles-launching-on-other-conso">Xbox Promises &#39;Largest Technical Leap&#39; Yet In Gaming Hardware, Plus: 4 Titles Launching On Other Consoles</a>
Photo: Obsidian via Steam.

This Former Xbox Exclusive Game Runs More Frames Per Second On PS5 Than On Microsoft's Console, Raises Eyebrows

A recent report indicated&nbsp;the release of Nintendo ADR&#39;s (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) Nintendo Switch 2 is not expected until<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/02/37198379/nintendo-shares-take-a-hit-as-rumored-switch-2-handheld-console-faces-potential-delay"> March 2025, at the earliest.</a>
&quot;Many in the industry expected it to be released in 2024, but Nintendo prioritized securing initial stock of successor machines and the lineup of popular software at the time of release, including measures to prevent resale,&quot; Japanese publication Nikkei <a href="https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUF196OV0Z10C24A2000000/">said.</a>
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/36893757/nintendo-switch-2-prospects-can-it-outshine-the-original-asks-analysts">&nbsp;Nintendo Switch 2 Prospects: Can It Outshine The Original, Analysts Ask</a>
It&#39;s worth remembering that scalpers were a problem that plagued the initial launch of the Switch in March 2017.
Moreover, the report confirmed&nbsp;much of the speculation circulating about the successor to the popular Nintendo Switch, noting&nbsp;it would&nbsp;likely feature similar hybrid functionality but with a larger screen.
Nikkei also assured&nbsp;the upcoming console would&nbsp;be able to handle games that feature higher-definition image quality. The report also emphasized&nbsp;March 2025 was the earliest feasible release date, hinting that it might not align with Nintendo&#39;s next financial year.
This delay could&nbsp;come as a surprise given the mounting pressure on Nintendo to unveil the successor to the nearly seven-year-old Switch.
Despite a slight decline in sales, Nintendo reported steady performance for the Switch, with 13.74 million units sold in the first nine months of the financial year.
The console&#39;s total sales have reached 139.36 million units, making it one of the bestselling consoles of all time, trailing only the Nintendo DS and the PlayStation 2. Moreover, the Switch continued&nbsp;to attract a large user base, with 122 million recorded players during the 2023 calendar year.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/09/34735293/nintendo-switch-2-to-deliver-playstation-4-level-performance-leaked-documents-reveal">Nintendo Switch 2 To Deliver PlayStation 4-Level Performance, Leaked Documents Reveal</a>
Photo:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/Wachiwit">Wachiwit</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock.

This Is The Reason Behind Nintendo Switch 2's Delay To March 2025, Report Says

-Nikkei
&nbsp;
<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Media-Entertainment/Nintendo-to-launch-Switch-console-successor-in-March-2025-at-earliest" title="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Media-Entertainment/Nintendo-to-launch-Switch-console-successor-in-March-2025-at-earliest">https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Media-Entertainment/Nintendo-to-launch-Switch-console-successor-in-March-2025-at-earliest</a>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Nintendo To Launch Switch Console Successor In March 2025 At Earliest

Palworld, a game often likened to &quot;Pok&eacute;mon With Guns,&quot; has reached a remarkable milestone of over 25 million players within a month of its early access launch.
Developed by Pocketpair, the open-world survival game has achieved this feat across both Valve&#39;s Steam and Microsoft Corp.&#39;s (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) Xbox platforms, Kotaku <a href="https://kotaku.com/palworld-continues-to-grow-as-it-shoots-past-25-million-1851279807">reported.</a>
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36783112/palworld-surpasses-fortnite-in-daily-xbox-players-but-faces-cheating-woe">Palworld Surpasses Fortnite In Daily Xbox Players But Faces Cheating Woe</a>
Steam sales alone have accounted for nearly 15 million copies, with an additional 10 million players on Xbox and Windows through the Game Preview program on Xbox Game Pass.
Despite a slight decline in momentum, Palworld remains a significant release, dominating the gaming scene for the past two months.
Its journey from internet meme to a bona fide hit has been extraordinary, with a rapid influx of players&nbsp;reaching around 20 million by the end of January.
But, along with its success came scrutiny, particularly regarding concerns about its use of AI and the striking resemblance of its creatures, known as &quot;pals,&quot; to Pok&eacute;mon.
Developers even <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36720816/steam-hit-palworld-sells-5m-copies-despite-death-threats-pok-mon-plagiarism-claims">faced death threats </a>amidst accusations of plagiarism due to the similarities, despite Pocketpair&#39;s assertion that Palworld draws inspiration from survival crafting games like Ark Survival Evolved and Valheim.
Addressing the issue, CEO Takuro Mizobe said on X: &quot;I have received a variety of opinions regarding Palworld, but all productions related to Palworld are supervised by multiple people, including myself, and I am responsible for the production. I would appreciate it if you would refrain from slandering the artists involved in Palworld.&quot;
Nintendo ADR&#39;s (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>) The Pok&eacute;mon Company issued a statement on Jan.&nbsp;24, 5 days after the game&#39;s launch. In the statement, the company vows to &quot;take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights.&quot;
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37015019/this-game-outperformed-call-of-duty-and-palworld-on-steam-a-look-at-sonys-first-simultaneous-ps5-a">This Game Outperformed Call Of Duty, Palworld On Steam: A Look At Sony&#39;s First Simultaneous PS5, PC Release</a>
Photo: Pocketpair via Steam.

From Meme To Mainstream: Palworld Celebrates 25 Million Players Despite (Or Because?) Of Pokémon Plagiarism Controversy

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Nintendo (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ntdoy-stock-quote/">NTDOY</a>) layoffs are coming for contractors who work in product testing for Nintendo of America.



The Nintendo of America layoffs come as the company <a href="https://www.techradar.com/gaming/nintendo-of-america-to-lay-off-contractors-ahead-of-switch-2s-release-according-to-report">reorganizes its Product Testing division</a>. It&rsquo;s doing so to better align Nintendo of America&rsquo;s model with its interregional procedures.



According to recent reports, as many as 100 contractors may be affected by the Nintendo layoffs. However, the video game company also confirmed that some of its contractors will be transitioning into full-time employee positions.



Contractors who aren&rsquo;t being offered full-time roles are still getting support from Nintendo of America. That includes severance packages and other assistance.



<h2>Nintendo Joins Video Game Layoffs</h2>



Nintendo is nowhere close to being the only video game company that has announced layoffs recently. There have been <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-confirms-testing-layoffs-amid-first-party-lull-and-reports-of-switch-2-delay">several layoffs throughout 2024</a> that have affected many game developers.



The layoffs are also affecting the major hardware makers as well. Nintendo, Sony&rsquo;s (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sony-stock-quote/">SONY</a>) PlayStation and Microsoft&rsquo;s (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/msft-stock-quote/">MSFT</a>) Xbox have all been cutting jobs this year.



In Nintendo&rsquo;s case, these cuts may be connected to reported delays for its Switch 2 video game console. Current estimates have the company releasing the Switch 2 sometime in 2025.



NTDOY stock is down slightly as of Thursday morning.



Investors looking for all of the latest stock market stories are in luck!



We have all of the hottest stock market news worth reading about on Thursday! Among that is what&rsquo;s happening with shares of QuantumScape&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/qs-stock-quote/">QS</a>), MicroStrategy&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mstr-stock-quote/">MSTR</a>) and GCT Semiconductor&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/gcts-stock-quote/">GCTS</a>) stock today. All of that news is ready to go down below!



<h2>More Thursday Stock Market News</h2>



<ul><li><a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/qs-stock-charges-up-as-quantumscape-delivers-on-2024-goals/">QS Stock Charges Up as QuantumScape Delivers on 2024 Goals</a></li>



<li><a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/kerrisdale-capital-slams-microstrategy-mstr-stock-in-new-short-report/">Kerrisdale Capital Slams MicroStrategy (MSTR) Stock in New Short Report</a></li>



<li><a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/gcts-stock-gct-semiconductor-pops-nearly-600-in-first-trading-day/">GCTS Stock: GCT Semiconductor Pops Nearly 600% in First Trading Day</a></li>
</ul>On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the&nbsp;InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
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	The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/nintendo-layoffs-2024-what-to-know-about-the-latest-nintendo-job-cuts/">Nintendo Layoffs 2024: What to Know About the Latest Nintendo Job Cuts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Nintendo Layoffs 2024: What to Know About the Latest Nintendo Job Cuts

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Sega, a division of Sega Sammy (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sgamy-stock-quote/">SGAMY</a>), has announced layoffs as the video game company sells off one of its development studios.



Sega has announced <a href="https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/03/sega-sells-relic-entertainment-and-announces-layoffs-across-multiple-teams">that 240 employees</a> will be affected by this latest round of layoffs. The company says that this will include workers at its Sega Europe, Creative Assembly and Sega Hardlight divisions.



The latest news notes that Sega Hardlight is going to be the group least affected by these layoffs. Instead, Sega Europe and Creative Assembly will bear the brunt of this burden.



Sega Europe head Jurgen Post said the following about the layoffs in a letter obtained by NintendoLife.




&ldquo;We need to streamline, focus on what we are good at, and position ourselves as best we can for the road ahead. In order to do that, we need to respond to the changing economic landscape and the challenges we&rsquo;re facing in the way we develop our products and bring them to market.&ldquo;




In addition to this, Sega is selling Relic Entertainment. This will have it acting as <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/layoffs-hit-sega-europe-total-war-developer-creative-assembly-and-sonic-dream-team-developer-hardlight-sega-sells-relic-entertainment">an independent game developer</a> with support from an unnamed investor.



<h2>Sega Joins Video Game Layoffs</h2>



Sega joins a growing list of video game companies that have announced layoffs recently. That includes Nintendo&nbsp;(OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ntdoy-stock-quote/">NTDOY</a>), which <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/nintendo-layoffs-2024-what-to-know-about-the-latest-nintendo-job-cuts/">just announced job cuts</a> for its product testing team today.



Other major developers have also announced job cuts recently. Sony&rsquo;s&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sony-stock-quote/">SONY</a>) PlayStation and&nbsp;Microsoft&rsquo;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/msft-stock-quote/">MSFT</a>) Xbox are mong these, as are other development studios.



SGAMY stock isn&rsquo;t seeing much movement today.



Investors will want to keep reading for even more of the latest stock market news.



We have all of the biggest stories worth reading about on Thursday! A few examples include what&rsquo;s going on with AMC Entertainment&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/amc-stock-quote/">AMC</a>), QuantumScape&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/qs-stock-quote/">QS</a>) and MicroStrategy&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mstr-stock-quote/">MSTR</a>) stock today. All of that news is available at the following links!



<h2>More Stock Market News for Thursday</h2>



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</ul>On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the&nbsp;InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
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	The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/sega-layoffs-2024-what-to-know-about-the-latest-sega-job-cuts/">Sega Layoffs 2024: What to Know About the Latest Sega Job Cuts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Sega Layoffs 2024: What to Know About the Latest Sega Job Cuts

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft&rsquo;s (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/msft-stock-quote/">MSFT</a>) recent earnings report focused heavily on the Big Tech company&rsquo;s artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud segments. MSFT stock investors &mdash; and the tech world as a whole &mdash; simply cannot hear enough about AI right now. However, one beleaguered division of the company had its results banished to the <a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https://c.s-microsoft.com/en-us/CMSFiles/SlidesFY24Q2.pptx?version=54533b17-bad3-2205-929f-0e19422e921f">end of the presentation slides</a> almost as an afterthought: Gaming. Considering how much trouble Microsoft went through last year to close the Activision-Blizzard acquisition and how outsized of an impact the acquisition had on the company&rsquo;s revenue, this is quite surprising.



What&rsquo;s even more surprising is that Microsoft rewarded its Gaming division, which includes its Xbox and first-party developers Activision, Blizzard, ZeniMax and others, with <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/25/24049050/microsoft-activision-blizzard-layoffs">layoffs in January</a>. To be fair, layoffs after a merger or acquisition are, unfortunately, nothing new.



But these layoffs were, at least to some extent, different. They heralded a major shakeup in not just Microsoft&rsquo;s Gaming division, but the broader industry.



<h2>MSFT Stock: A Changing Industry, Changing Strategy</h2>



Turning back the clock a decade to 2014, the top three largest video game companies were <a href="https://www.alistdaily.com/strategy/top-25-public-companies-generated-54-1-billion-in-2014-game-revenues/#:~:text=The%2010%20percent%20annual%20growth,excellent%20growth%3A%20%2B37%20percent">almost precisely the same</a>: Tencent (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tcehy-stock-quote/">TCEHY</a>), Sony (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sony-stock-quote/">SONY</a>) and Microsoft. With last year&rsquo;s Activision-Blizzard merger, Microsoft leapfrogged itself to the top of the list. This merger also heralded a new strategy by Microsoft for dominating the gaming industry: Focus on the hits.



Hardware sales had already been slowly losing relevance for quite some time, and the heydays of the Xbox 360 were long over. In fact, Sony&rsquo;s PlayStation line has <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1101872/unit-sales-video-game-consoles/">outsold</a> every generation of Xbox to date. Microsoft&rsquo;s gaming division reported a measly 1% increase in hardware sales for the second quarter of 2024.



As many investors might recall, during the merger, there had been a fierce legal battle waged between Microsoft and Activision on one side and Sony and antitrust regulators on the other. One of the big sticking points was the concern that Activision&rsquo;s incredibly popular (and lucrative) Call of Duty franchise would become an Xbox exclusive. After legal back and forth and lots of corporate drama, Microsoft and Sony <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/16/23792215/sony-microsoft-call-of-duty-cod-deal-signed">came to an agreement</a> to keep Call of Duty on Sony&rsquo;s consoles.



The thing is, Microsoft <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/16/23792215/sony-microsoft-call-of-duty-cod-deal-signed">never really wanted</a> to make Call of Duty a console exclusive. That was never the goal. As The Verge put it: &ldquo;Microsoft has always maintained it would keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, arguing it doesn&rsquo;t make financial sense to pull the game from Sony&rsquo;s consoles.&rdquo;



<h2>Okay, Maybe Not That Big of a Strategy Shift</h2>



Microsoft&rsquo;s goal in acquiring Activision-Blizzard was to grow its collection of highly lucrative intellectual property. The plan was not to hoard AAA titles to sell Xboxes, but to expand and conquer. We&rsquo;d already seen the precursor to this shift in 2021 when Microsoft acquired ZeniMax (specifically for Bethesda Studios, the makers of the Fallout franchise). When it came to the next step, gaming division CEO Phil Spencer wanted a <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/19/23880146/phil-spencer-microsoft-xbox-acquiring-nintendo">&ldquo;career moment&rdquo;</a> and even considered a wide range of potential targets, including Nintendo (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ntdoy-stock-quote/">NTDOY</a>) and Sega (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sgamy-stock-quote/">SGAMY</a>).



Now, this shift isn&rsquo;t exactly a dramatic change in strategy. Console producers have always wanted to put out top-selling AAA titles. Yet, over the past 20 years, companies like Microsoft have bought up developer after developer to try and get the next big hit.



If anything, Microsoft was a little slow, or perhaps methodical, in its acquisitions of studios. Rare, which made Golden Eye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie, was <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/2002/09/24/microsoft-acquires-video-game-powerhouse-rare-ltd/">acquired in 2002</a>. Bungie, of Halo and now Destiny fame, was acquired in 2000 but split off in 2007. Mojang, creators of the legendary blocky hit Minecraft, was acquired in 2014. Lastly, the two other biggest acquisitions &mdash; ZeniMax and Activision-Blizzard &mdash; have occurred in the last three years.



Sony has followed a far messier mergers and acquisitions strategy on a much larger scale. It even acquired Bungie in 2022 after 15 years of independence from Microsoft. As of August 2023, Sony has <a href="https://gamerant.com/every-first-party-sony-studio-games-currently-in-development/">21 first-party studios</a> compared to Microsoft&rsquo;s 15 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_Game_Studios">nine of which directly came from acquisitions</a>). And despite the almost unending news of layoffs in the industry, M&amp;A activity is expected to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/10/26/game-industry-deals-2024">pick up even more this year</a>.



Sony&rsquo;s experience should be a warning to Microsoft: Don&rsquo;t overdo it.



The international entertainment giant underwent its own round of layoffs in its gaming division at the beginning of March. It was quick to blame those laid off for mismanaging budgets, but Gamesindustry.biz&rsquo;s Brendan Sinclair puts the blame for the layoffs on senior leadership for <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/what-led-to-sony-laying-off-900-people-this-week-in-business">betting too hard</a> on expensive acquisitions and live-service and augmented reality R&amp;D.



Despite a contentious legal battle, the Activision-Blizzard merger seems to be working out well already for Microsoft and MSFT stock. Activision brought in $2.08 billion of revenue in Q2 2024, driving the majority of Microsoft&rsquo;s <a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https://c.s-microsoft.com/en-us/CMSFiles/SlidesFY24Q2.pptx?version=54533b17-bad3-2205-929f-0e19422e921f">49% gaming revenue increase</a>. That&rsquo;s impressive. However, leadership needs to be careful not to let it go to their heads here. Simply put, they should stick to the plan and not get greedy and overextend like their competition.



<h2>Hardware Is Out. Software Is In.</h2>



Gone are the days when hardware sales were the goal. Also gone is the strategy of taking a loss on hardware and making it up with first-party console-exclusive games or subscriptions. Now, Microsoft&rsquo;s strategy is to simply be everywhere with the biggest titles. Console exclusivity is a relic of the past.



The industry is changing and very volatile. Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wbd-stock-quote/">WBD</a>) wants to focus on <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/warner-bros-discusses-volatile-aaa-console-games-will-lean-into-free-to-play-and-mobile/1100-6521597/">&ldquo;free-to-play and mobile,&rdquo;</a> which might sound like d&eacute;j&agrave; vu to some, as that pretty much <a href="https://www.is.com/community/blog/the-history-of-mobile-gaming-monetization/">defined the industry</a> in the 2010s. Embracer Group (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/thqqf-stock-quote/">THQQF</a>) spent the last part of a decade gobbling up every studio it could find and is now <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/what-will-embracer-sell-next-this-week-in-business">paying the price</a> for its <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/take-two-to-acquire-gearbox-from-embracer-for-460-million">overextension</a>. Sega is spinning off Relic Entertainment, one of its few remaining crown jewels, and <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sega-sells-relic-and-will-cut-240-jobs-across-uk-studios">undergoing layoffs</a>. Independent studios and developers have been struggling to get financing for their projects.



With the competition suffering almost across the board, there&rsquo;s some wisdom in picking up a big name right now. And Microsoft made a very good buy with Activision-Blizzard. 



Thus, the recent layoffs suggest Microsoft really is, per its press release, &ldquo;focused on the best opportunities for growth.&rdquo; Putting aside the corporate speak, the company&rsquo;s Gaming division appears to be operating with not only the &ldquo;fiscal discipline&rdquo; that investors are looking for in the tech world right now, but a longer-term &ldquo;strategic discipline&rdquo; as well. For MSFT stock investors hedging their bets on Microsoft&rsquo;s AI and cloud endeavors, its Gaming division should provide some long-term solace.



On the date of publication, Andrew Bush held a LONG position in MSFT, SONY and WBD stocks. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com <a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Andrew Bush is a financial news editor for InvestorPlace and holds two degrees in International Affairs. He has worked in education, the tech sector and as a research analyst for a DC-based national security-focused consulting firm.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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	The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/msft-stock-microsofts-gaming-strategy-is-aaa/">MSFT Stock: Microsoft's Gaming Strategy Is AAA</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

MSFT Stock: Microsoft's Gaming Strategy Is AAA

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
March remained a solid stock season, and all signs point to continued strength if you&rsquo;re looking for stocks to buy in April. Though inflation seems mildly stickier than previously planned, most expect the planned rate cuts to go into effect later this year, creating continued market momentum that&rsquo;s surprisingly hard to shake.



We&rsquo;re mostly past fourth-quarter and end-of-year 2023 earnings reports, and, across the board, most popular companies performed in line with or beyond expectations. That relative performance further reinforces April&rsquo;s strong stock potential , even as we enter the comparatively slower period before summer spending begins in earnest.



<h2>GigaCloud Technology (GCT)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cloud-computing-300x169.jpg" alt="an image of a cloud imprinted on a circuit board lit up by blue circuit lights. AVCT stock. cloud computing stocks"><div>Source: Blackboard / Shutterstock</div></div>GigaCloud Technology&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/gct-stock-quote/">GCT</a>) shares remained volatile through March, but the stock seems to be settling into a slower (but sustainable) upward trajectory over the past few weeks and setting it up among the best stocks to buy in April. Following an impressive <a href="https://www.investors.com/news/technology/gigacloud-stock-gigacloud-earnings-q42023/">earnings report</a> earlier this month, the stock surged by 25% before retracting to below its pre-earnings level. Despite this volatility, GigaCloud&rsquo;s superior earnings spotlight its potential to persist as a high-momentum stock, promising significant upside for investors.



GigaCloud excels in providing a comprehensive B2B eCommerce solution that tackles the substantial challenges of product and inventory management, sourcing, and payment processing for medium-sized businesses. Its platform offers an active vendor marketplace, efficient shipment and freight management, warehouse storage, AI-powered fulfillment, and, importantly, secure cross-border payments. It&rsquo;s one of those stocks to buy in April.



Notably, GigaCloud&rsquo;s price-to-earnings ratio is a <a href="https://www.morningstar.com/stocks/xnas/gct/quote">modest 11x,</a> well below the tech sector&rsquo;s average of 36x. This discrepancy becomes even more striking when considering GigaCloud&rsquo;s earnings growth; the company has succeeded in doubling its earnings per share across the last five quarters. It has also sustained a strong free cash flow per share while trading at just 1.5x sales, underscoring its exceptional value.



<h2>Steel Dynamics (STLD)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/hand-purple-growth-stocks-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="Hand pointing upward next to upward trend stock chart in purple and blackish blue lighting, symbolizes growth stocks"><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Lemonsoup14</div></div>Value investors tend to view commodity-based companies as too risky, but Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/stld-stock-quote/">STLD</a>) proves an exception with its blend of traditional manufacturing and cutting-edge sustainability.



As America&rsquo;s third-largest steel producer, Steel Dynamics distinguishes itself not just through its scale but also via its commitment to sustainable manufacturing. The company&rsquo;s emphasis on <a href="https://www.steeldynamics.com/recycled-metals/">metal recycling</a> not only bolsters its profitability by ensuring high-quality metals remain in circulation within global value chains but also supports wider environmental objectives. With an attractive total yield of 8.14%, STLD draws value-focused investors with its compelling valuation. Additionally, Steel Dynamics consistently rewards its shareholders, evidenced by a recent <a href="https://equityset.com/company/stld?tag=stock-analysis&amp;tab=dividends">8% dividend</a> increase to $0.46 per share, marking five years of consecutive growth and maintaining a 100% quarterly payment rate during this time, highlighting its dedication to shareholder returns.



In 2023, Steel Dynamics celebrated its <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/b2icontent.irpass.cc/2197/192836.pdf">second-highest revenue</a> year, posting $18.8 billion in sales and $2.5 billion in net income. The company also showed its commitment to shareholder value by repurchasing 8% of its outstanding shares throughout the year, a substantial investment reflecting its confidence even amidst higher debt costs and the expensive nature of steel production. This makes Steel Dynamics a compelling choice for conservative investors looking for stocks to buy in April.



<h2>Steelcase (SCS)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/arrow-graphic-growth-stocks-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="Graphic of green and blue arrow against pale green background pointing up and to the right, symbolizing growth stocks"><div>Source: shutterstock.com/ex_artist</div></div>With an ex-dividend date on the horizon, high-end office furniture company Steelcase (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/scs-stock-quote/">SCS</a>) stands out among stocks to buy in April as a unique small-cap value play that wider markets overlook. The company is on a winning streak post-pandemic as it adapts to changing work-from-home trends. This success is highlighted by the company&rsquo;s recent <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/topstocks/steelcase-scs-declares-0-10-dividend/ar-AA1m3WJW">announcement</a> of a $0.10 quarterly dividend, which represents a 61% payout ratio and a 2.88% yield.



Steelcase has quickly regained its financial footing after a challenging pandemic period. Its latest quarterly report showed a net income of <a href="https://equityset.com/company/scs?tag=financials">$30.8 million</a>, more than double that of the same period in the previous year. Moreover, sales have remained consistent at around $800 million over the past five quarters, indicating that Steelcase is enhancing margins without compromising on quality.



In response to the shifting work-from-home landscape, Steelcase is repositioning itself to achieve 5-7% annual sales growth and a 5% free cash flow margin (as a percentage of revenue) over the next five years. Concurrently, the company has significantly reduced its debt to adapt to the higher-rate environment, thereby improving liquidity and minimizing interest expenses. These strategic moves position Steelcase as one of the most promising stocks to buy in April.



<h2>Nintendo (NTDOY)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/esports-gaming-300x169.jpg" alt="cloud gaming: Gamer Playing and Winning in First-Person Shooter Online Video Game on His Personal Computer. Strong Buy Gaming Stocks"><div>Source: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Nintendo (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ntdoy-stock-quote/">NTDOY</a>) may be branching out from its gaming foundation, setting it up as one of the stocks to buy in April set to capitalize on multiple emerging trends. The company has recently renewed its licensing for <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/immersion-signs-license-agreement-nintendo-140000586.html">haptic technology</a>, suggesting advancements in line with last year&rsquo;s rumors of a partnership with Google (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/goog-stock-quote/">GOOG</a>, NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/googl-stock-quote/">GOOGL</a>) to create a next-generation virtual reality headset. Though these rumors are unconfirmed, adding haptic feedback technology to Nintendo&rsquo;s repertoire hints at significant innovations underway.



Apart from its gaming ventures, Nintendo is leveraging its vast intellectual <a href="https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_franchises">property portfolio</a> through film licensing. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, released last year, was a blockbuster hit, generating over $1.4 billion at the global box office. Building on this success, Nintendo has announced an <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/11/07/nintendo-confirms-legend-of-zelda-live-action-film-adaptation/?sh=3fe617b5113b">adaptation</a> of Zelda, which is expected to achieve or even exceed the commercial success of the Mario film. Despite <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/nintendo-shares-slide-reports-delayed-switch-successor-release-2024-02-19/">hardware delays</a> that have postponed the release of its new console until early 2025, Nintendo&rsquo;s flagship products continue to enjoy popularity, positioning the company as as one of the best stocks to buy in April.



<h2>Stem (STEM)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/growthstocks1600-300x169.png" alt="Coins stack of money on saving, the step of the financial stock market, graph and rows of coins, business investment on a green background, Economy stock market growth of financial recovery. Growth stocks"><div>Source: C H A L N / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Stem (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/stem-stock-quote/">STEM</a>) distinguishes itself among <a href="https://investorplace.com/industries/energy/renewable-energy/solar/">solar stocks</a> and other stocks to buy in April by prioritizing AI technology and maintaining its appealing per-share pricing. The company enhances energy consumption efficiency for commercial and industrial clients via its premier software, <a href="https://www.stem.com/solutions/athena/">Athena</a>. This platform utilizes sophisticated analytics to automate energy decisions, facilitating considerable savings in costs and energy consumption.



Stem is capitalizing on the increasing demand for smart energy solutions by forging <a href="https://www.stem.com/partner-program/why-stem/">strategic partnerships</a> and venturing into new markets. Its commitment to an AI-driven strategy differentiates Stem in the fiercely competitive clean energy storage sector, offering a substantial competitive advantage.



Moreover, Stem&rsquo;s recent quarterly report points towards a t<a href="https://www.morningstar.com/stocks/stem-earnings-profitability-sight-moderating-our-long-term-outlook">rajectory of profitability</a>. Its concentration on enterprise solutions provides a safeguard against the volatility inherent in the residential solar market. Coupled with a valuation that stands out for its attractiveness among solar stock options, Stem emerges as an exceptional choice for investors looking to enrich their stock holdings in April.



<h2>SoFi Technologies (SOFI)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/sofi1600-1-300x169.png" alt="SoFi Technologies, Inc logo with stock market chart background. is an American online personal finance company and online bank."><div>Source: Poetra.RH / Shutterstock.com</div></div>SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sofi-stock-quote/">SOFI</a>) seems to have successfully established its unique position at the intersection of innovative fintech and traditional banking, making it one of the few solid <a href="https://investorplace.com/industries/financial/">financial stocks</a> to buy in April, considering ongoing Fed uncertainty.



In January, the company celebrated its <a href="https://s27.q4cdn.com/749715820/files/doc_financials/2023/q4/Q4-23-Investor-Presentation-2.pdf">first profitable quarter,</a> marking a modest earnings milestone of two cents per share. This significant step forward, particularly in the ongoing &ldquo;higher for longer&rdquo; economic climate, indicates that the stock is on track for growth as interest rates find a stable footing.



SoFi is expanding its product range beyond its foundational banking and lending services to reinforce its standing as a full-service financial provider. The company has broadened its investment platform to encompass alternative investments, offering investors access to unique assets like private credit and venture capital through managed funds.



However, not all outlooks on SoFi are rosy. Morgan Stanley recently <a href="https://www.notion.so/Get-Rich-Quick-With-These-7-Tech-Stocks-to-Buy-Now-37ea9ade30684fa2bedd0418e0dd41fd?pvs=21">downgraded</a> the stock, citing an overly optimistic view of the company achieving its 2026 profitability targets amid forecasts of potentially slower revenue growth in 2024.



Nonetheless, several factors contribute to a still-promising outlook for SoFi. With the stock trading significantly below its peak levels, it remains an attractive option for stocks to buy in April.



<h2>Symbotic (SYM)</h2>





Symbotic&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sym-stock-quote/">SYM</a>), a mid-cap company, is revolutionizing warehouse operations for major corporations such as Walmart (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wmt-stock-quote/">WMT</a>) and Target (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tgt-stock-quote/">TGT</a>). The company utilizes AI to streamline and enhance the efficiency of warehouse robotics platforms, enabling faster and safer selection, packing, and shipping of goods than traditional methods, all while saving significant costs for these companies. Although currently serving big-name brands, Symbotic&rsquo;s strategy to broaden its reach promises to catapult the robotics stock to new heights. It&rsquo;s one of those stocks to buy in April.



The company is innovating to make warehouse automation and robotics accessible to small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that previously could not afford the efficiencies available to giants like Walmart and Target. By targeting <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/07/a-big-ai-and-robotics-idea-that-has-attracted-walmart-and-softbank.html">multi-user warehouse</a> complexes and integrating automation as part of a leasing incentive, rather than selling directly to SMBs, Symbotic is tapping into the vast, largely untapped SMB market. This move could create a self-sustaining revenue model, transforming Symbotic into a powerhouse capable of generating significant long-term profit.



On the date of publication, Jeremy Flint held no positions in the securities mentioned. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the <a href="http://InvestorPlace.com">InvestorPlace.com</a> <a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Jeremy Flint, an MBA graduate and skilled finance writer, excels in content strategy for wealth managers and investment funds. Passionate about simplifying complex market concepts, he focuses on fixed-income investing, alternative investments, economic analysis, and the oil, gas, and utilities sectors. Jeremy&rsquo;s work can also be found at <a href="https://jeremyflint.work/">www.jeremyflint.work</a>.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/april-showers-bring-market-powers-7-stocks-to-snatch-up-this-spring/">April Showers Bring Market Powers: 7 Stocks to Snatch Up This Spring</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

April Showers Bring Market Powers: 7 Stocks to Snatch Up This Spring

Nintendo: Continued Growth May Be Difficult (Rating Downgrade)

Electronic Arts: A Solid Business But Shares Trade At A Rich Valuation

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<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Video game sales have been explosive. In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-consumer-video-game-spending-totaled-57-2-billion-in-2023--302055683.html">sales came in at $57.2 billion</a>, according to&nbsp;the Entertainment Software Association&nbsp;and&nbsp;Circana. That includes all types of gaming sales, including downloadable content, subscription spending across consoles, cloud, mobile, PC, virtual reality, gaming hardware and video game accessories. Even more impressive, that number was greater than the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-consumer-video-game-spending-totaled-57-2-billion-in-2023--302055683.html">$56.6 billion in sales for 2022</a>, which was solid news for some of the top gaming stocks.



&ldquo;Great content is what drives the video game market, and 2023&rsquo;s release slate was one of the best in industry history,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-consumer-video-game-spending-totaled-57-2-billion-in-2023--302055683.html">Mat Piscatella, executive director, video games at Circana</a>. &ldquo;While mobile, console and PC platforms remain the way most people engage with gaming today, new technologies are expanding the ways people can play. The future continues to be very bright.&rdquo;



Even better, there are many more games set for release this year, which could catapult sales even higher. We&rsquo;re also hoping to hear more about the industry&rsquo;s 800 lb. gorilla, Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA), which could crush sales expectations. Ahead of that, you may want to jump into some of the top gaming stocks &mdash; especially on dips.



<h2>Take-Two Interactive (TTWO)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ttwo1600-300x169.png" alt="Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (TTWO) is an American video game holding company. A smartphone with the Take-Two logo on the screen surrounded by gamepads."><div>Source: Sergei Elagin / Shutterstock.com</div></div>After testing a high of $171.59 on GTA hype,&nbsp;Take-Two Interactive&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ttwo-stock-quote/">TTWO</a>) plummeted to a recent low of $138.93 on the game&rsquo;s delay.&nbsp;



Unsure of when it will see the light of day, investors have soured on the name. However, with most of the negativity now priced in, oversold shares of TTWO are a bargain. Plus, it&rsquo;s slowly starting to pivot higher from over-extensions on RSI, MACD, and Williams&rsquo; %R. From its last traded price of $141.72, I&rsquo;d like to see it rally back to $171.59 with patience.



Analysts at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/taketwo-interactive-maintains-outperform-rating-with-185-pt-93CH-3391800">Oppenheimer also just reiterated an outperform rating on the stock</a>, with a price target of $185. The firm noted investor anticipation for GTA VI, upcoming earnings, and a potential adjustment to fiscal year 2025 guidance. And while TTWO did announce it would cut 5% of its workforce and slash some projects as part of its cost-reduction plans, it is expected to drive about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/take-two-interactive-cut-5-its-workforce-2024-04-16/">$165 million in annual cost savings</a>.



<h2>Electronic Arts (EA)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ea-1600-300x169.png" alt="EA games logo on a black brick background. EA stock."><div>Source: ricochet64 / Shutterstock</div></div>Electronic Arts&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ea-stock-quote/">EA</a>) is also technically oversold on RSI, MACD, and Williams&rsquo; %R. From its last traded price of $127.14, I&rsquo;d like to see it retest $144.25 near term. It&rsquo;s also cutting its headcount by 5% to cut costs, and just said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://seekingalpha.com/news/4088645-ea-raise-price-of-monthly-annual-ea-play-subscriptions-report">raise the price of its monthly and annual EA Play subscriptions</a>. The monthly subscription will jump by $1. The annual fee will rise $10 by May.



Earnings haven&rsquo;t been too shabby for EA. In its third quarter, the company&rsquo;s earnings per share was $1.07, which was 17 cents ahead of estimates. Net bookings were up 1.3% year over year to $2.37 billion. Free cash flow for the trailing 12 months came in at $2.2 billion from $1.164 billion a year earlier. Moving forward, EA expects to see EPS of between $4.21 and $4.68, which would be 54% at the midpoint from $2.88 a year earlier.



Much like TTWO, I&rsquo;d use weakness as an opportunity with the Electronic Arts stock.



<h2>VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/mobile-esports-300x169.jpg" alt="A mobile gamer cheering on her smartphone with neon background. MGAM stock"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>We can even use weakness in the&nbsp;VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/espo-stock-quote/">ESPO</a>) as an opportunity. Not only does the exchange-traded fund (ETF) offer solid diversification among top gaming stocks and eSports stocks, it also does so for less than $60 a share at the moment.&nbsp;



Better, after pulling back from a high of about $65 to about $58, it&rsquo;s just starting to pivot higher. It&rsquo;s also over-extended on RSI, MACD, and Williams&rsquo; %R and could rally back to $65.



With an expense ratio of 0.59%, the ESPO ETF holds 29 top video game and eSports stocks, including&nbsp;Nintendo&nbsp;(OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ntdoy-stock-quote/">NTDOY</a>),&nbsp;Advanced Micro Devices&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/amd-stock-quote/">AMD</a>), Electronic Arts,&nbsp;Roblox (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/rblx-stock-quote/">RBLX</a>),&nbsp;Tencent Holdings&nbsp;(OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tcehy-stock-quote/">TCEHY</a>), and&nbsp;Unity Software&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/u-stock-quote/">U</a>) to name a few. It also seeks to replicate the&nbsp;performance of the MVIS&nbsp;Global Video Gaming and eSports Index, which tracks the performance of stocks involved in video game development, esports, and related hardware and&nbsp;software,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vaneck.com/us/en/investments/video-gaming-esports-etf-espo/overview/">as noted by VanEck.com</a>.



On the date of publication, Ian Cooper did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>Ian Cooper, a contributor to InvestorPlace.com, has been analyzing stocks and options for web-based advisories since 1999.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/the-top-3-gaming-stocks-to-buy-in-april-2024/">The Top 3 Gaming Stocks to Buy in April 2024</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.