Get started

Stockstrading

Barrick Gold (GOLD): Up 33%—Time to Take Profits?What a rise by Barrick Gold since we bought some shares at the end of February 2024. Patience pays off most of the time, and so it has with Barrick Gold. We are now up over 33% with this stock, and we’re very happy with this last-second entry before the stock took off. Gold continues to rise, and Barrick Gold is following suit. However, after every rise, a setback—whether major or minor—will happen sooner or later, and we’re definitely not getting greedy here. We’re going to take our first profit now and move our stop loss to break even. If we decide to reenter with a second position, we’ll let you know with a new limit. For now, we’re just enjoying this setup and the profit. Let’s keep this going 🔥
NYSE:GOLDLong
by freeguy_by_wmc
NVIDIA at a Crossroads: Breakout to $150+ or a Dip to $138 Morning, trading family! Hope you’re all doing well. Let’s chat about NVDA—things are shaping up, and it feels like we’re at a bit of a crossroads. I’ve got a few scenarios in mind, so let’s walk through them together. Scenario 1: If we can break above this trendline, NVDA could gather some steam and make a nice run into the 150s. That would be a pretty strong move, and if momentum holds, we could keep cruising higher from there. Scenario 2: There’s also the chance we dip down into the 139-138 zone first. If buyers show up here, it might just be a little reset—kind of like taking a breath before pushing higher again. Scenario 3: If the market decides to break below 138, we could see a deeper pullback toward 136. It might feel like a bigger drop, but that could be the market giving us a better entry point before it starts building back up. The key here is not to get ahead of things—just let the market show us its hand. It’s all about staying patient and prepared. What do you guys think? Do we break up, or do we get a dip first? I’d love to hear your thoughts—drop a comment below and let’s talk it through. Mindbloome Trading/ Kris Trade What You See
NASDAQ:NVDA
by Mindbloome-Trading
Can Tencent salvage Ubisoft's sinking ship?Ubisoft’s stock pumped 35% couple of days ago following a Bloomberg report suggesting that Tencent may either acquire the company or take it private Although the French gaming company didn’t confirm or deny the speculation, it did state that it’s considering "all strategic options" for the benefit of its stakeholders and will notify the market when necessary If Tencent proceeds, it would mark another significant acquisition in a wave of major gaming deals over recent years: - Activision Blizzard acquired by Microsoft for $69 billion in 2023. - Zynga acquired by Take-Two for $12.7 billion in 2022. - ZeniMax Media acquired by Microsoft for $7.5 billion in 2021. - Savvy Games acquired by Scopely for $4.9 billion in 2023. - Bungie acquired by Sony for $3.7 billion in 2022. - Glu Mobile acquired by EA for $2.4 billion in 2021. - Keywords Studios acquired by EQT for $2.4 billion in 2024. Ubisoft’s valuation sits at just $2 billion, nearly 90% below its peak in 2021! The stock fell by more than 40% in September alone, so this recent surge is only a brief reprieve. Given its diminished value, a potential buyer offering a premium wouldn’t necessarily be a massive win. So, how should we interpret this news, and what can we anticipate for future gaming M&A activity? Let’s break it down. Key Points 1.Ubisoft’s Challenges 2.Potential Buyers 3.IP Gold Rush 4.Future of Gaming M&A 1. Ubisoft’s Challenges Ubisoft has faced setbacks including canceled games, delays, and a dip in quality in the post-pandemic era. Let’s take a look at the fiscal year 2024, which ends in March. Consider this metric reflects the total amount spent by users within a period, covering game sales, in-game purchases, subscriptions, and downloadable content (DLC). It’s an important measure of business performance, with net bookings recognized as revenue over time, depending on content delivery and user engagement Key takeaways: Digital-first: 86% of Ubisoft's net bookings come from digital sales (premium, free-to-play, and subscriptions). It was 12% in 2013, illustrating the transformative past decade. Far behind on mobile: Ubisoft has trailed its peers, with only 7% of revenue coming from mobile. In contrast, nearly half of the industry’s revenue comes from smartphones. Margins improved after cost-cutting: Digital games are a high gross margin business, particularly with the back catalog (title released in previous years) making up nearly two-thirds of net bookings. Targeted restructurings impacted FY23, making the short-term margin trend misleading. Ubisoft laid off 1,700 employees between September 2022 and March 2024, roughly 6% of its workforce. Short-lived turnaround: FY23 was a challenging year, with Net bookings collapsing by 18% with the underperformance of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope and Just Dance 2023. In FY24, Net bookings rebounded sharply, growing 34% with the successful release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and The Crew Motorfest. FY25 Collapses in a Week: After the underperformance of Star Wars Outlaws (released at the end of August and originally expected to be a blockbuster) and the delayed launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows from November to February, Ubisoft revised its FY25 net bookings forecast down to €1.95 billion, a 16% decline year-over-year (compared to the "solid growth" expected earlier). The company now anticipates barely breaking even on an adjusted basis. The decision to delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows just weeks before its scheduled release was influenced by the poor reception of *Star Wars Outlaws*. However, the three-month delay might not be enough to resolve concerns over game quality or criticisms from the Japanese community regarding historical and cultural inaccuracies. But that’s not all! In addition to these financial and operational difficulties, Ubisoft has faced allegations of a toxic workplace. Several former executives from the *Assassin’s Creed* studio were arrested as part of an investigation into sexual assault and harassment. This situation mirrors the downfall of Activision Blizzard in the months leading up to its acquisition by Microsoft, which leads us to potential buyers for Ubisoft. 2. Potential Buyers Ubisoft remains a family-run company, largely overseen by its founders. The latest annual report reveals the following voting rights: - The Guillemot family controls 20.5% - Tencent owns 9.2% In September, minority shareholder AJ Investments claimed it had gained backing from 10% of shareholders and called for Ubisoft to be sold or taken private, estimating a fair value of €40 to €45 per share. With shares currently trading at €13, this seems highly optimistic. So, who are the likely candidates for a Ubisoft buyout? Key Players: -Tencent: Already a significant shareholder, Tencent could increase its stake or seek majority control. As the largest gaming company globally by revenue, Tencent has a history of acquisitions, such as its purchase of Finnish publisher Supercell (*Clash of Clans*) for $8.6 billion in 2016. However, Tencent's aggressive expansion has drawn regulatory scrutiny, especially in the US and Europe, which could complicate any attempt to acquire majority control of Ubisoft. Guillemot Family: The founding family might be interested in reclaiming greater control of Ubisoft and steering it in a new direction. To finance the buyout, they could collaborate with a private equity firm or a strategic investor. However, given Ubisoft's current size and the significant cost associated with a buyout, it could be difficult for the Guillemot family to pursue this path on their own. Other Potential Investors: Private equity firms or strategic investors within the gaming sector might also join a buyout consortium. These investors could be drawn to Ubisoft’s valuable intellectual property (IP) and see potential for a turnaround under new leadership. Gaming Companies: Besides Tencent, the largest gaming revenue players in 2023 are highlighted in the visual. -Apple and Google: Although both tech giants have been expanding into gaming, acquiring Ubisoft seems unlikely given their current antitrust scrutiny. -NetEase, EA, and TakeTwo: These companies would find an Ubisoft acquisition to be a straightforward studio consolidation. NetEase, in particular, might find it appealing to broaden its console and PC presence in the West, but Tencent’s involvement could complicate this. -Sony and Microsoft: As first-party publishers, both would benefit from boosting their subscription services with exclusive content. They’ve aggressively acquired studios in recent years. Given that the Activision Blizzard deal was approved, there’s no reason a Ubisoft acquisition couldn’t pass as well. In their latest fiscal year, gaming accounted for 32% of Sony’s revenue and less than 9% of Microsoft’s. 3. IP Gold Rush In the gaming industry, intellectual property (IP) is crucial. Iconic franchises like *Call of Duty*, *Mario*, and *Grand Theft Auto* are multi-billion-dollar assets that significantly impact a company’s future. As a result, many companies are eager to acquire established IPs or gain access to the teams behind them. Why is IP so valuable? -Lower risk: Developing a new AAA game can cost hundreds of millions and take years, with no guarantee of success. Acquiring a popular IP allows companies to tap into an existing fanbase and reduces the risk of failure. -Brand power: Consumers are more inclined to purchase games with familiar characters, worlds, or studios behind them. Well-known creators like Hideo Kojima (*Metal Gear*) and Hidetaka Miyazaki (*Elden Ring*) are just as significant. -Content scalability: Famous IPs can generate revenue through sequels, spin-offs, and licensing deals. Large publishers have the infrastructure to maximize returns across multiple channels. This strategy isn’t unique to gaming. Media giants follow similar patterns: -Amazon’s acquisition of MGM: In 2021, Amazon acquired MGM for $8.5 billion, gaining access to franchises like *James Bond* to enhance its Prime Video content. -Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm and Marvel: These acquisitions have delivered massive returns through movies, TV series, and licensing opportunities. Why now? -Consolidation pressure: Subscription services and cross-platform gaming are driving consolidation. Big companies want to secure valuable IPs to differentiate their services and attract loyal customers. Meanwhile, smaller studios are more open to selling early to avoid competing in an increasingly crowded and capital-intensive market. -Value in ownership: Owning IPs in gaming allows companies to create expansive worlds and engage players long-term through updates, expansions, and live services. This keeps players coming back and generates recurring revenue, which is harder to achieve in video content. -Cross media expansion: Popular games can expand into movies, TV series, or theme parks. For instance, *The Last of Us* became a hit HBO show, and Sony is developing TV adaptations for Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War. This leads to more revenue, a broader audience, and long-lasting IP appeal. The Ubisoft Angle Ubisoft’s IPs, like *Assassin’s Creed*, *Far Cry*, and *Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six*, have significant potential for future growth, despite recent struggles. However, realizing that potential might require new leadership or a fresh strategy, which a new owner could provide. Even though Ubisoft faces challenges, its strong portfolio might attract various buyers. For the right acquirer, Ubisoft's problems could represent a chance to buy low and rework its creative direction. As more studios seek to hedge their risks in this changing industry, we can expect more mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the future. 4. The Future of Gaming M&A The gaming industry is constantly evolving, and several trends are fueling a surge in mergers and acquisitions: -Mobile-first: Mobile gaming is the largest and fastest-growing segment, making companies with a strong mobile presence attractive. Examples include Playrix (Gardenscapes,Homescapes) and Scopely (MONOPOLY GO!,Stumble Guys) -Cross-platform: Cross-platform play is becoming the standard, and companies with expertise in this area are in high demand. Unity and Epic Games play vital roles with their popular game engines, while major studios are also building in-house solutions. - Cloud gaming: Still in its early stages, cloud gaming has the potential to revolutionize how games are played. Companies with cloud infrastructure are becoming more valuable, with leaders like Microsoft (Game Pass Ultimate), Sony (PlayStation Plus Premium), and NVIDIA (GeForce Now) pushing the trend. -Metaverse: Beyond AR/VR, virtual worlds like *Roblox* and *Fortnite* have created immersive, social spaces that keep players engaged beyond traditional gameplay. Companies developing these experiences are attractive targets for firms looking to capitalize on this trend. -Web3 & Blockchain: Web3 games enable decentralized ownership and in-game economies powered by blockchain. This trend lets players own and trade digital assets, opening new revenue streams and drawing interest from companies exploring the intersection of gaming and crypto. -AI driven studios: AI is already influencing game development, and its role will only grow. Companies with AI expertise, particularly in game design and player behavior analysis, are becoming highly sought after. As AI reduces development costs, budgets could shift towards live services and marketing. The Big Picture The gaming industry is consolidating, with major players acquiring valuable studios and IPs. While there will always be space for indie games—especially as AI lowers the barrier to entry—industry consolidation will likely strengthen the top companies and leave less room for those in the middle. If a company like Ubisoft, valued at over $12 billion in 2021, is struggling to survive on its own, the future looks bleak for many smaller studios
EURONEXT:UBI
by moonypto
4
WAAREE Short Trade Targets in Play, Massive Drop to 1571!WAAREE (15m time frame), Short Trade Entry: ₹1,763.00 Current Price: ₹1,571.00 All Targets Done! Key Levels: Entry: ₹1,763.00 – After confirming a strong bearish signal, short entry was executed. Stop-Loss (SL): ₹1,767.60 – Placed above key resistance to protect against potential reversals. Take Profit 1 (TP1): ₹1,757.30 – First target triggered, confirming downward movement. Take Profit 2 (TP2): ₹1,748.10 – Critical support level broken. Take Profit 3 (TP3): ₹1,738.90 – More aggressive downside level confirmed Take Profit 4 (TP4): ₹1,733.25 – Final target hit for deep correction in this trend. Trend Analysis: WAAREE’s price continues to plunge after a decisive break below multiple support levels, confirming strong selling pressure. With the current price at ₹1,571, this trade has captured a significant move, with further downside potential still in play.
BSE:WAAREERTLShort
by ProfitsNinja
Advanced Micro Devices | AMD Team RED is READY As with any competitor, a quarterly earnings report from a peer can provide great insight into the market. For Advanced Micro Devices, the Q2'23 earnings report from Intel provides great views on the surging demand for AI chips and a rebound in PC demand crucial for AMD The most immediate signal from Intel beating Q2'23 estimates and guiding up for Q3 is the rebound in PC demand. Most importantly, the inventory correction appears over with OEMs no longer digesting chip inventory.Back in Q3'22, AMD shocked the market by cutting PC revenue estimates by $1 billion. The company quickly went from $2 billion in quarterly CPU sales for PCs to less than $1 billion. Intel still reported Q2 Client Computing revenue was down 12% YoY to $6.8 billion, but the number was up $1.0 billion sequentially. The chip giant guided up Q3 revenue to $13.4 billion, up $0.5 billion sequentially.In Q1'23, AMD reported that client revenues had fallen further to only $739 million. AMD CPU revenues are now far over $1 billion per quarter below the peak levels providing substantial upside potential when the PC market normalizes. Intel discussed a mixed picture for their business in the near term due to AI. The chip giant is seeing a wallet share shift from the sever CPU spend towards AI chips.The move is both good and bad for AMD. The company has the MI300 AI GPU chip hitting the market in Q4 providing a strong competitor to the booming demand for the H100 from Nvidia, but the chip isn't out on the market yet. In the near term, AMD may see some suppressed data center demand while heading into 2024. Ultimately, the company should see upside from AI demand for the MI300 along with the Alveo AI accelerator.On the Q2'23 earnings call, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger suggested the AI pipeline for 2024 had surged to $1 billion: In my formal remarks, we said we now have over $1 billion of pipeline, 6x in the last quarter. Going back a few months, Morgan Stanley had estimated the AI potential for AMD was only $400 million with upside potential to $1.2 billion. The Intel forecasts would suggest the AI potential for AMD is far higher next year when the MI300 is in full-scale production. Nvidia guided up current quarter sales estimates by 50% to over $11 billion. The company suggested data center sales would reach $7+ billion in the quarter. AMD has only seen data center sales reach $1.3 billion in quarterly sales leaving a huge gap from Nvidia. Even Intel still hit $4.0 billion in data center sales during Q2'23, though the amount is down nearly 20% form 2022 levels due in part to losing market share to AMD. The big issue for AMD is whether data center sales growth stalls causing a miss to 2H sales targets while booming AI demand ultimately boosts sales starting in Q1'24, or maybe Q4. The chip company peaked at quarterly sales of $6.6 billion back Q2'22 and the current quarterly analyst estimates aren't very aggressive. A rebound in PC demand to more normalized levels places AMD back at the Q4'23 revenue target of $6.5 billion alone. A PC rebound to normal digestion ($2 billion quarterly run rate) along with higher data center or AI demand leads to vastly higher revenues in 2024. The current analysts aren't even factoring in much growth in the Q2'24 revenue estimate of $6.76 billion. The amount is just 4% upside from Q2'22 despite potentially surging demand from AMD entering the AI GPU space. AMD is set to report earrings after the close on August 1. Investors should focus less on the Q2 numbers or even Q3 guidance and focus more on a return to more normalized revenue levels plus the upside from AI.Our view has long held that AMD has the earnings potential of $5 to $6 and the AI opportunity is all upside to this view. The key investor takeaway is that AMD is still $50 below all time highs while Nvidia has soared over $100 above the late 2021 highs. Investors should use the current weakness in AMD to load up on the stock while leaving some capital to buy any weakness following Q2 earnings due to the potential for near term disappointment leading to long term opportunities.
NASDAQ:AMDLong
by moonypto
12
IMAX (IMAX) Analysis Company Overview: IMAX is well-positioned to benefit from the ongoing recovery in the entertainment industry. As a leader in premium large-format cinema experiences, IMAX leverages its asset-light business model to generate strong returns through system installations and global expansion. The company’s focus on providing immersive, high-quality viewing experiences has proven successful, with blockbusters like Top Gun: Maverick drawing moviegoers back to theaters in droves. Key Catalysts: System Installations and Backlog Growth: IMAX has seen a significant rise in system installations, contributing to an expanding backlog. This growth reflects the increasing demand for premium viewing experiences, as theaters capitalize on the higher ticket prices that IMAX screens can command. Asset-Light Business Model: IMAX’s asset-light approach reduces capital expenditure while maximizing returns, making it a more scalable and efficient business. This model allows the company to focus on expanding its footprint and enhancing its technology, driving long-term growth. Shift Towards Blockbusters: As the movie industry increasingly focuses on big-budget films, IMAX is set to benefit from its niche in premium cinema experiences. The success of films like Top Gun: Maverick underscores the demand for immersive theater experiences, positioning IMAX as a key player in this evolving market. Investment Outlook: Bullish Outlook: We are bullish on NYSE:IMAX if it holds above the $19.00-$20.00 range. Upside Potential: The upside target for IMAX is set at $30.00-$31.00, driven by the growth in system installations, a strong backlog, and the resurgence of blockbuster films. 🎥 IMAX—immersive experiences leading the future of cinema! #IMAX #CinemaRevival 🚀🎬
NYSE:IMAXLong
by Richtv_official
Tencent Holdings LtdIs Tencent Stock a Buy Now? Tencent posted its third quarter earnings report on Nov. 16. The Chinese tech giant's revenue fell 2% year over year to 140.1 billion yuan ($19.8 billion), which represented its second consecutive quarter of declining revenue since its IPO in 2004. Its net profit rose 1% to 39.9 billion yuan ($5.6 billion). On an adjusted basis, which excludes its investments and other one-time items, its net profit grew 2% to 32.3 billion yuan ($4.5 billion). Those growth rates seem anemic, but Tencent's stock had already been cut in half over the past two years amid concerns about China's tightening regulations, slowing economic growth, and COVID19 lockdowns. So is it the right time to take the contrarian view and buy Tencent as a turnaround play? Let's review its core businesses and valuations to decide. Tencent generated 31% of its third quarter revenue from its video game business. Domestic games, which include its blockbuster game Honor of Kings, accounted for 73% of that total. The remaining 27% came from overseas hits like League of Legends, Valorant, and PUBG Mobile.Its domestic gaming revenue fell 7% year over year, representing its third consecutive quarter of shrinking revenue, as it grappled with tighter playtime restrictions for minors in China over the past year. Those restrictions also coincided with a temporary suspension on new video game approvals in China, which started last July and ended this April.Its international gaming revenue rose 3% year over year, accelerating from its 1% decline in the second quarter, as new games like Tower of Fantasy and Goddess of Victory: Nikke attracted new players. Unfortunately, its overseas growth still couldn't offset its declining domestic revenue. As a result, Tencent's total VAS (value-added service) revenue which includes its gaming divisions, social media platforms, and streaming media subscriptions -- declined by 3% in the third quarter but still accounted for more than half of its top line. This core business might gradually stabilize as Tencent expands its international gaming business, but it will likely remain under intense pressure as long as the Chinese government continues to scrutinize the gaming industry. 200$ was one of the biggest support and great opportunity to buying the dip. 300-320$ is a big resistance level for tencent and if bulls win that battle then 350$ is next but can we back 250 or even 200$ again? YES
HKEX:700
by moonypto
11
Intel Corporation | INTCIntel reported second quarter earnings on Thursday, showing a return to profitability after two straight quarters of losses and issuing a stronger-than-expected forecast. the stock rose 7% in extended trading. Here’s how Intel did versus Refinitiv consensus expectations for the quarter ended July 1: Earnings per share: 13 cents, adjusted, versus a loss of 3 cents expected by Refinitiv. Revenue: $12.9 billion, versus $12.13 billion expected by Refinitiv. For the third quarter, Intel expects earnings of 20 cents per share, adjusted, on revenue of $13.4 billion at the midpoint, versus analyst expectations of 16 cents per share on $13.23 billion in sales. Intel posted net income of $1.5 billion, or 35 cents per share, versus a net loss of $454 million, or a loss of 11 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. Revenue fell 15% to $12.9 billion from $15.3 billion a year ago, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of declining sales. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said on a call with analysts the company still sees “persistent weakness” in all segments of its business through year-end, and that server chip sales won’t recover until the fourth quarter. He also said that cloud companies were focusing more on securing graphics processors for artificial intelligence instead of Intel’s central processors. David Zinsner, Intel’s finance chief, said in a statement that part of the reason the report was stronger than expected was because of the progress the company has made toward slashing $3 billion in costs this year. Earlier this year, Intel slashed its dividend and announced plans to save $10 billion per year by 2025, including through layoffs. “We have now exited nine lines of business since Gelsinger rejoined the company, with a combined annual savings of more than $1.7 billion,” said Zinsner. Revenue in Intel’s Client Computing group, which includes the company’s laptop and desktop processor shipments, fell 12% to $6.8 billion. The overall PC market has been slumping for over a year. Intel’s server chip division, which is reported as Data Center and AI, saw sales decline 15% to $4 billion plus Intel’s Network and Edge division, which sells networking products for telecommunications, recorded a 38% decline in revenue to $1.4 billion.moreover Mobileye, a publicly traded Intel subsidiary focusing on self-driving cars, saw sales slip 1% on an annual basis to $454 million and Intel Foundry Services, the business that makes chips for other companies, reported $232 million in revenue. Intel’s gross margin was nearly 40% on an adjusted basis, topping the company’s previous forecast of 37.5%. Investors want to see gross margins expand even as the company invests heavily in manufacturing capability. In the first quarter, the company posted its largest loss ever as the PC and server markets slumped and demand declined for its central processors. Intel’s results on Thursday beat the forecast that management gave for the second quarter at the time. Intel management has said the turnaround will take time and that the company is aiming to match TSMC’s chip-manufacturing prowess by 2026, which would enable it to bid to make the most advanced mobile processors for other companies, a strategy the company calls “five nodes in four years.” Intel said on Thursday that it remained on track to hit those goals. Nvidia has had an amazing run, but any emerging technology, such as AI, which is bottlenecked by a single company will have issues in growth. Consulting firm McKinsey has pegged the AI market to be worth $1 trillion by 2030, but also that it was in an experimental and in early phases of commercial deployment. While Nvidia will likely retain its leadership in GPU hardware as applied to AI for the foreseeable future, it is likely that other hardware solutions for AI systems will also be successful as AI matures. While technologist may quibble on specifics, all major AI hardware today are based on GPU architectures, and as such I will use the terms and concepts of AI hardware and GPU architecture somewhat interchangeably. One likely candidate for AI related growth may be AMD (AMD), which has had GPU products since acquiring ATI in 2006.However, unlike Nvidia, which had a clear vision for of general-purpose GPU products (GPGPU), historically, AMD had largely kept its focus on the traditional gaming applications. AMD has developed an AI architecture called XDNA, and an AI accelerator called Alveo and announced its MI300, an integrated chip with GPU acceleration for high-performance computing and machine learning. How AMD can and may evolve in the AI may be subject of a different article. Another contender for success in the AI applications using GPU is Intel, who is the focus of this article. Intel has maintained a consistent, if low key focus on GPU hardware focused on AI applications over the last decade. Intel’s integrated HD Graphics is built into most modern processor ICs; however, these are insufficient compared to dedicated GPUs for high-end inferencing or machine learning tasks. It has 2 primary GPU architectures in production release: In 2019 Intel Corporation acquired Habana Labs, an Israel-based developer of programmable deep learning accelerators for the data center for approximately $2 billion. Habana Labs’ Gaudi AI product line from its inception focused on AI deep learning processor technologies, rather than as GPU that has been extended to AI applications. As a result, Gaudi microarchitecture was designed from the start for the acceleration of training and inferencing. In 2022 Intel announced Gaudi2 and Greco processors for AI deep learning applications, implemented in 7-nanometer (TSMC) technology and manufactured on Habana’s high-efficiency architecture. Habana Labs benchmarked Gaudi2’s training throughput performance for the ResNet-50 computer vision model and the BERT natural language processing model delivering twice the training throughput over the Nvidia high end A100-80GB GPU. So, Gaudi appears to give Intel a competitive chip for AI applications. Concurrent with the Habana Labs’ Gaudi development, Intel has internally developed the Xe GPU family, as dedicated graphics card to address high-end inferencing or machine learning tasks as well as more traditional high-end gaming. Iris® Xe GPU family consists of a series of microarchitectures, ranging from integrated/low power (Xe-LP) to enthusiast/high performance gaming (Xe-HPG), data center/AI (Xe-HP) and high-performance computing (Xe-HPC). The architecture has been commercialized in Intel® Data Center GPU Flex Series (formerly codenamed Arctic Sound) and Intel® Arc GPU cards. There is some question on Xe GPU future and evolution. Intel has shown less commitment to the traditional GPU space compared to Gaudi. Nonetheless, it does demonstrate Intel ability to design and field complex GPU products as its business requires. Intel has many other AI projects underway. The Sapphire Rapids chips implements AI specific acceleration blocks including technology called AMX (Advanced Matrix Extensions), which provides acceleration inside the CPU for efficient matrix multiplications used in on-chip inferencing and machine learning processing by speeding up data movement and compression. Intel has supporting technologies such as Optane, which while cancelled as a production line, is available for their needs of a high-performance non-volatile memory, one of the intrinsic components in any AI product. Based on the above, Intel appears to have competitive hardware solutions, however if we look at Nvidia success in AI, it is a result of a much a software and systems focus as it is the GPGPU hardware itself. Can Intel compete on that front. Ignoring for the moment that Intel has a huge software engineer (approx. 15,000) resource, it also has- access to one of the leading success stories in perhaps the most competitive AI application – self driving cars. Mobileye, who was acquired by Intel in 2017, has been an early adopter and leader, with over 20 years of experience in automotive automated driving and vision systems. As such, Mobileye has a deep resource of AI domain information that should be relevant to many applications. Mobileye has announced that it is working closely with Habana, as related divisions within Intel. While Intel is in the process of re-spinning out Mobileye as public company, Mobileye Global Inc. (MBLY), at present Intel still owns over 95% of shares, keeping it effectively an Intel division. In looking at Intel, we have a company with the history, resources, and technology to compete with Nvidia and infrastructure. They have made significant investment and commitment to the emerging AI market, in times when they have exited other profitable businesses. It should also be understood that AI related product are a small percentage of overall Intel revenues (INTC revenue are more than twice NVDA, even if NVDA has 6x its market cap), and continues to keep its primary business focus on its processor and foundry business. Hopefully for shareholders, Intel continues to push their AI technology and business efforts. Their current position is that this is strategic, but Intel is in a very fluid time and priorities may change based on business, finances, and of course the general interest and enthusiasm for AI. It is always worth noting that AI as a technical concept is mature, and appears to be cyclical, with interest in the technical community rising and falling in hype and interest once every decade or so. I remember working on AI applications, at the time labeled as expert systems in the 1980s. If we are currently at a high hype point, this may be temporary, based on near term success and disappointment in what AI does achieve. Of course, as always, “this time is different” and the building blocks of effective AI systems currently exist, where for previous iterations, it was more speculative.
NASDAQ:INTC
by moonypto
4
NTDOY | NINTENDO & Nintendo Switch 2 🍄The next Nintendo console might arrive in 2024 Nintendo has reportedly demonstrated the Nintendo Switch 2 behind closed doors at Gamescom last month.some trusted developers got an early look at the Switch 2 and some tech demos of how games run on the unannounced system. There was reportedly a demo of an improved version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild that’s designed to run on the more advanced hardware inside the Nintendo Switch 2, VGC corroborated the claims and revealed that Nintendo also showcased Epic Games’ The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 tech demo running on the type of hardware Nintendo is targeting for its next console. The demo reportedly used Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology with ray tracing enabled, suggesting Nintendo and Nvidia are working on a significant chip upgrade for this next-gen console. in July that a new Nintendo Switch is being planned for a 2024 release. With 43 years of making immensely popular video games under its belt, you'd think that the video game pioneers at Nintendo probably have the business of success fully figured out. But companies must change with the times and, according to Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser, that means finding a way to engage people with the legacy brand that might never pick up a video game controller. Bowser spoke about what the company learned this year during the Nintendo Live event in Seattle, Wa. on Sept 1, referencing the enormous box office success of the "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" as one of its key indicators that Nintendo has the ability to reach an audience beyond those that naturally reach for a controller. "We launched The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which very quickly became the second-largest box office grossing animated film of all time at $1.3 billion," Bowser said. "We launched The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which, 18 million units later after a very brief period of time, it's one of our fastest launch titles ever, and then the event today. So it's really this drumbeat of activities, entertainment-based activities where we're trying to find ways to continue to introduce more and more people, not just players, but people to Nintendo IP… So that's what we're excited about." Bowser also spoke about the launch of Super Nintendo World at Universal Hollywood, which delivered an impressive 25% bump to Comcast's Q1 earnings this year. "And if I think about folding into the bigger strategy, this year has really been a very unique, and I dare say banner year for Nintendo in a lot of ways," Bowser said.Nintendo also continues to benefit from the sales of its aging Nintendo Switch console, with 129.53 million units sold worldwide. That makes it the company's second best-selling console of all time, right behind the handheld Nintendo DS, which sold 154.2 million units before it was discontinued in 2014. The success of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" drove rumors that another big feature film based on Nintendo's flagship Legend of Zelda series was coming as well, but Nintendo hasn't made a formal announcement about that ... yet. Gaming is in the midst of an M&A arms race. The protracted pandemic has made sure of that. Companies from all sides of the market, Microsoft, Take Two, Sony to name a few, are cutting deals to secure content. The volume and scale of those deals point to where gaming is heading - the precipice of major shake-ups across its core commercial and distribution models. Microsoft's eye bulging $69 billion deal for Activision is a testament to that shift. Costly as the deal is, it's arguably a small price to pay to secure some of the biggest franchises in gaming: Call of Duty, Warcraft, Candy Crush and Overwatch. Even more so, considering those titles span a community of 400 million active monthly players. In other words, the deal is the boldest sign yet that content is the future of gaming, not consoles. Should you invest in Nintendo? The question comes down to whether you are willing to pay about SGX:40B for Nintendo's IP and potential earnings powers. To me, a company that continues to produce in-demand and profitable content is worth that price tag, especially after having generated a net profit of 432.7B yen, or $2.97B in FY2023. That's a P/E of about 13.5 after subtracting out Nintendo's current assets - not a hefty sum given everything Nintendo has going for it. Nintendo's strategy seems to be working, with The Super Mario Bros. Movie not only performing well on its own but also providing a boost to other Nintendo offerings. While there are concerns, there are also plenty of catalysts moving ahead. I am excited to see new Nintendo initiatives including more theatrical releases of their IP and their (positive) effects on the rest of the company's products.
OTC:NTDOYLong
by moonypto