The Da Vinci Code Holds Very Well On Monday

The Da Vinci Code grossed $8.9 million Monday. That is very strong, 11th all-time for a Monday according to MovieCityNews.com, trailing only franchises like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. I had been thinking the $77 million opening might lead to a low $200 million domestic run but based on the Monday figure, a […]

Central European Media Enterprises: Shares Under Pressure

Central European Media Enterprises (CETV) shares fell 6% on Monday to close at $58.50. The stock got as low as $55.30, down more than 11%, before recovering. I was nibbling in the morning so I could add to positions in a few new client accounts where I was averaging down. You can take my willingness […]

Central European Media Enterprises: Market Not Company Issues

Central European Media Enterprises (CETV) shares fell 6% on Monday to close at $58.50. The stock got as low as $55.30, down more than 11%, before recovering. I was nibbling in the morning so I could add to positions in a few new client accounts where I was averaging down. You can take my willingness […]

Weekend Box Office Report: The Da Vinci Code Comes Through

Despite poor reviews, The Da Vinci Code exceeded estimates with weekend ticket sales of $77 million in North American theatres. The weekend gross exceeded estimates in place prior to poor reviews out of Cannes. Along with a solid performance from Over The Hedge and reasonable business from other films in wide release, the year-over-year decline […]

Why Traditional Media Companies Don’t Get The Internet

Can you name a single big success on the internet that was built off an already established brand? I suppose news sites like MSNBC.com, CNN.com, and NYTimes.com might qualify but even there the younger demographics that are driving the net are increasingly getting their news from blogs or links in the communities they call home. […]

“Sears Profit, Shares Surge; Doubts Linger”

The headline of this post is what appeared in the Chicago Tribune this morning. The article goes on to quote three retailing experts, each of whom takes a negative view of the company. As I have noted previously, Sears Holding (SHLD) is being run for the shareholders. This means Sears the stock is a far […]

Sears Holdings 1Q06 Earnings Preview

Sears Holdings (SHLD) will have reported earnings by the time you read this. Since I get a lot out of writing previews by setting my own expectations and understanding the setup in the shares, I am posting a preview anyhow. Hopefully, this note will help you put the reported figures in perspective. SHLD accelerated its […]

Poseidon Sinks The Box Office But It Will Float

Poseidon sunk the box office as the big budget film flopped, bringing in just $20 million and opening in second place. Poor performance from Poseidon was the primary cause for an 8.4% decline in box receipts versus the same weekend a year ago. The negative comp broke a six weekend winning streak and the weak […]

Viacom: Better But Needs More Growth

Viacom (VIAB) reported a solid quarter, which I would characterize as slightly above expectations. Viacom’s good results follow better than expected results at Disney and News Corp, possibly a sign that fundamentals are improving for the diversified entertainment companies. At a minimum, I think that analyst estimates are now achievable as they have adjusted to […]

Will M&A Save Media Stocks?

Well, that didn’t last very long! Newspaper and radio stocks soared on Monday in response to Jeff Smulyan’s plan to take Emmis Broadcasting private. EMMS shares quickly went above the offer price and investors jumper on radio and newspaper stocks, apparently seeing the EMMS deal as a sign of value for depressed traditional media assets. […]