Tag Archives: dis

Netflix coming up aces with ‘House of Cards’ season premiere

Netflix (NFLX) stock hit an all-time high Thursday on the eve of the second-season premiere of its critically acclaimed drama “House of Cards.” Netflix stock was up 2%, near 438, in afternoon trading on the stock market today. Earlier in the session, Netflix stock hit a record high of 439.35. Netflix stock is up 19% year to date, after jumping 298% last year. Netflix also is riding a wave of content acquisition deals and strong subscriber gains. On Thursday, Netflix announced an exclusive licensing deal with the Walt Disney Co.’s (DIS) Lucasfilm Animation and Disney/ABC Television Group to bring the sixth and final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” to Netflix subscribers. The 13-episode season, dubbed “The Lost Missions,” will be available for streaming in the U.S. and Canada on March 7. The multiyear agreement also makes Netflix the exclusive subscription service for the entire “Star Wars: The…

3D Systems Deeper Into Consumer Field After Deal

3D Systems (DDD) is pushing further into the consumer market, on Friday announcing the acquisition of Gentle Giant Studios, a provider of 3D modeling for the entertainment and toy industry. Gentle Giant develops and manufactures licensed 3D printed characters, toys and collectibles from a variety of franchise properties, including Marvel, Disney (DIS), “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter” and “Avatar.” The company is based in Burbank, Calif., home of

Apple needs big new product to drive stock price, analyst says

Apple ‘s (AAPL) iPhone distribution deal with  China Mobile (CHL)  this week is all well and good. But what Apple really needs to drive its stock price higher is a big new product or service category, Pacific Crest Securities says. “Although Apple ‘s (AAPL) balance sheet and strong ties into its customer base should prevent material downside, we see little to drive upside from current levels unless the company can launch a massively profitable new product or service category,” Pacific Crest analyst Andy Hargreaves said in a research note Monday. One possibility is an online pay-TV service to compete with cable, he said. To become a “virtual MVPD” (multichannel video programming distributor), Apple would need to sign deals with major premium content providers like AMC Networks (AMCX), Discovery Communications (DISCA), Viacom (VIA) and Walt Disney (DIS). Hargreaves also mentioned advertising and a mobile payment system as possible services that could drive Apple stock…