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(RTTNews) - Asian stock markets are trading mixed on Tuesday, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight, as traders remain cautious ahead of key US inflation data, including producer and consumer price inflation, due later in the day that could offer more clarity on the

(RTTNews) - Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER) agreed to acquire Delivery Hero's foodpanda delivery business in Taiwan for $950 million in cash. The acquisition is targeted to close in the first half of 2025.

GameStop, the popular gaming and console empire, has seen shares rise by 110%. This surge in the gaming company’s stock since the frenzies heights it hit during the Covid-19 pandemic. GameStop Stock soars The surge in investment in GameStop (GME) can be traced back to Keith

(RTTNews) - Stereotaxis (STXS) agreed to acquire Access Point Technologies EP or APT, a privately-held Minnesota-based developer of innovative electrophysiology catheters.

(RTTNews) - Indian shares are seen opening slightly higher on Tuesday after data showed India's retail inflation eased marginally to an 11-month low of 4.83 percent on an annual basis in April from 4.85 percent in the previous month.

Disney stock ( NYSE:DIS ) appears to have weak prospects following a rather soft Q2 earnings report. While the entertainment giant did demonstrate some positive progress in its strategic evolution during the quarter, with retained momentum in its parks and profitability improvements across the board, challenges persist. Notably, its legacy TV channels are struggling, and its Direct-to-Consumer division faces stiff competition, hindering its potential. Thus, my stance on the stock remains neutral. Entertainment Segment: Legacy TV on Decline, DTC Faces Stiff Competition Disney’s Entertainment segment, which makes up about 44% of the company’s revenue mix, had an underwhelming period in Q2. Segment revenues declined by 5% to $9.8 billion for the quarter, as declines in its Linear Networks division and content sales/licensing couldn’t be offset by some growth driven in the DTC business. See below. Source: Q1 Earnings Report, Author More specifically, Linear Networks posted revenues of $2.77 billion, down 8% from last year, due to both domestic and international challenges. On the domestic front, Linear Networks faced hardships due to declining subscribers, which, in turn, was due to the non-renewal of carriage of certain networks. A drop in ad revenue following lower impressions due to softer average viewership also negatively impacted this segment. Clearly, Disney Channel, National Geographic, and ESPN, among other channels, keep losing appeal. The bullish perspective might argue that Disney effectively addresses the inevitable decline of traditional television by strengthening its DTC arm within the Entertainment segment through the expansion of Disney+. Nevertheless, it’s essential to highlight two key considerations in this context. The first consideration here is that even though DTC revenues grew by 14% in Q2, this was mainly due to higher pricing, as Disney+ actually lost subscribers compared to last year. Worldwide subscribers fell to 153.6 million, down from 157.8 million last year. Disney is clearly struggling against stiff competition in this field. Evidently, Netflix ( NASDAQ:NFLX ) revved its subscriber growth to 16% year-over-year during the same period, to 269.6 million members. This is despite having already captured a much larger chunk of the market. The second consideration is that DTC revenue falls significantly short of the profitability seen in Linear Networks. Consequently, while Disney may manage to substitute Linear Networks’ revenue with DTC earnings, replicating the same profit margins would prove challenging. Although the DTC sector has shown improvement, transitioning from a $587 million operating loss to a $47 million operating profit in Q2 of this year, it’s evident that the business is still hovering around the breakeven point. Parks Take on the Heavy Lifting, Driving Up Profitability Shifting gears to the brighter side of Disney’s Q2, we see its remarkable performance in the Parks & Experiences division. Revenues from Parks & Experiences grew by 10% year-over-year to $8.4 billion, as you can see below. This was due to better Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line results. In turn, these businesses benefited from higher guest spending due to higher average ticket prices. The fact that Disney keeps increasing its ticket prices while still attracting massive crowds is absolutely phenomenal. Source: Q1 Earnings Report, Author Therefore, Disney was able to achieve a higher operating income from parks, which increased by 12% to $2.29 billion. Combined with DTC cutting down its operating losses, as I mentioned previously, and overall efforts to improve profitability, you can see how Disney’s total operating income grew by 17% to $3.85 billion. Unconvincing Bull Case Not Inspiring Confidence at Current Valuation Despite seeing some improvements in Disney’s bottom line in its Q2 report, the overall investment case fails to inspire confidence given its current valuation. The outlook for the Entertainment segment appears grim as traditional channels lose traction and Disney’s DTC fails to rise above the competition. Further, the stagnant state of the Sports segment merits little attention. Lastly, the Experiences segment appears solid. Yet, a question remains: how long can Disney keep raising prices before facing demand constraints? Given this picture, I don’t see the stock having further upside from its current levels. At about 22.3 times this year’s expected adjusted EPS, I would argue Disney is fairly valued at best, if not modestly overvalued. Given that interest rates remain high and Disney fails to produce a decent earnings yield and/or dividend yield, this risk is worth considering. Is DIS Stock a Buy, According to Wall Street? Peeking at Wall Street’s outlook on the stock, Walt Disney features a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 22 Buys and two Holds assigned in the past three months. Despite my more cautious view, at $133.55, the average  Disney stock price projection implies 26.2% upside potential. The Takeaway In my view, Disney’s Q2 results were a mixed bag. While the Experiences segment shined through strong performance in Parks, the Entertainment segment faces worrisome challenges, particularly when it comes to the decline of legacy TV and stiff competition in the DTC space. Considering these factors alongside Disney’s current valuation, my outlook on the stock remains neutral, as uncertainties linger over its future. Disclosure

(RTTNews) - M/I Homes Inc. (MHO) said that its board approved a new share repurchase authorization, pursuant to which the company may purchase up to $250 million of its common shares.

(RTTNews) - Adding to the gains in the previous two sessions, the Japanese stock market is slightly higher on Tuesday, with the Nikkei 225 moving above the 38,200 level, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight, with gains is index heavyweights and exporters.

(RTTNews) - Humana Inc. (HUM) announced that Jim Rechtin will assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer effective July 1, 2024.

(RTTNews) - The Thai stock market has ticked higher in two straight sessions, rising just 3 points or 0.2 percent in that span. The Stock Exchange of Thailand now sits just above the 1,370-point plateau although it may fade on Tuesday.

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(RTTNews) - The Indonesia stock market on Monday snapped the two-day slide in which it had eased almost 50 points or 0.7 percent. The Jakarta Composite Index now sits just beneath the 7,100-point plateau although it may head south again on Tuesday.

(RTTNews) - Giving up some of the gains in the previous two sessions, the Australian stock market is modestly lower on Tuesday, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is staying above the 7,700 level, with losses gold miners and technology

(RTTNews) - The Hong Kong stock market has moved higher in three straight sessions, rallying almost 800 points or 4.4 percent along the way. The Hang Seng Index now sits just above the 19,110-point plateau although investors may lock in gains on Tuesday.

(RTTNews) - Merchants Bancorp (MBIN) announced the pricing of underwritten public offering of 2.40 million shares of its common stock, without par value, at a public offering price of $43.00 per share.

Discover why Eli Lilly is considered a 'strong buy' as it capitalizes on the growing demand for diabetes and obesity treatments, backed by its robust financial performance and promising future prospects.

(RTTNews) - The China stock market on Monday snapped the two-day winning streak in which it had gathered more than 25 points or 0.7 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index now sits just beneath the 3,150-point plateau and it may take further damage on Tuesday.

(RTTNews) - Cue Health Inc. (HLTH) said it has received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or FDA about its Emergency Use Authorized (EUA) COVID-19 test. The company is currently evaluating the letter and determining its response, with more information to

(RTTNews) - The Taiwan stock market has tracked higher in back-to-back sessions, advancing almost 300 points or 1.5 percent along the way. The Taiwan Stock Exchange now sits just above the 20,850-point plateau although it may run out of steam on Tuesday.

Long-term investing is one of the keys to sustainable returns in the stock market. This strategy overlooks near-term volatility, giving time for a company's fundamental qualities to shine through.