Share prices for streaming giant Roku continued to surge in after-hours trading Wednesday following the company's release of its quarterly earnings report. That's a positive sign for the company as competition heats up in the streaming space, with new services expected from both Disney and Apple in the coming months.
Roku announced that it is raising its full-year outlook to a midpoint of $1.085 billion, up from the range of $1.03 to $1.05 billion that the company set following the last quarter.
On earnings-per-share, Roku also beat expectations. Analysts had anticipated a 22 cent loss in earnings-per-share, but the company only lost 8 cents per share, a sign that it's edging closer to profitability.
The company stands to benefit as American households increasingly look to cut the cord, and transfer from cable bundles to online content subscriptions. Roku earns revenue from advertising on its platform, subscriptions to its content, and selling its operating system boxes, which connect to televisions.
The company reported that its total net revenues have risen to $250 million, up 59 percent year-over-year. Streaming hours are also up by half a billion from the first quarter, and a 72 percent rise from the second quarter last year. Average revenue per user is also up $2 from the first quarter.
"We're an essential partner, especially for new services, because we're the best place to grow audience. Not only do we have the biggest platform in the U.S., but we also have the most robust tool services to help them build viewership for their new services," Roku CFO Steve Louden told Cheddar in May. "They need to find a home on a place like Roku, and we have the most content out there right now."
The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again. The news outlet said Wednesday it won't be deterred by Trump's “false and inflammatory language” from writing about the 79-year-old president's health. The Times has done a handful of stories on that topic recently, including an opinion column that said Trump is “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.” In a Truth Social post, Trump said it might be treasonous for outlets like the Times to do “FAKE” reports about his health and "we should do something about it.” The Republican president already has a pending lawsuit against the newspaper for its past reports on his finances.
OpenAI has appointed Slack CEO Denise Dresser as its first chief of revenue. Dresser will oversee global revenue strategy and help businesses integrate AI into daily operations. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently emphasized improving ChatGPT, which now has over 800 million weekly users. Despite its success, OpenAI faces competition from companies like Google and concerns about profitability. The company earns money from premium ChatGPT subscriptions but hasn't ventured into advertising. Altman had recently announced delays in developing new products like AI agents and a personal assistant.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
U.S. sports betting is booming as NFL and college football fuel massive activity. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt breaks down trends, growth, and what’s next.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
Disney's changes to a program for disabled visitors are facing challenges in federal court and through a shareholder proposal. The Disability Access Service program, which allows disabled visitors to skip long lines, was overhauled last year. Disney now mostly limits the program to those with developmental disabilities like autism who have difficulty waiting in lines. The changes have sparked criticism from some disability advocates. A shareholder proposal submitted by disability advocates calls for an independent review of Disney's disability policies. Disney plans to block this proposal, claiming it's misleading. It's the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while stopping past abuses by some theme park guests.
With a merger this big, creators, studios, and theaters all face uncertain futures. Here’s what experts are worried about and what good could come from it.
With disengagement rising and hybrid work shifting, 'Everybody Matters' author Bob Chapman explains why treating people well could define the future of work.
We sat down with Ali Furman, U.S. Consumer Markets Industry Leader at consulting firm PwC to ask what trends she garnered from the initial data this year.
