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."
Disney content has gone dark on YouTube TV, leaving subscribers of the Google-owned live streaming platform without access to major networks like ESPN and ABC. That’s because the companies have failed to reach a new licensing deal to keep Disney channels on YouTube TV. Depending on how long it lasts, the dispute could particularly impact coverage of U.S. college football matchups over the weekend — on top of other news and entertainment disruptions that have already arrived. In the meantime, YouTube TV subscribers who want to watch Disney channels could have little choice other than turning to the company’s own platforms, which come with their own price tags.
President Donald Trump said he has decided to lower his combined tariff rates on imports of Chinese goods to 47% after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on curbing fentanyl trafficking.
Universal Music Group and AI platform Udio have settled a copyright lawsuit and will collaborate on a new music creation and streaming platform. The companies announced on Wednesday that they reached a compensatory legal settlement and new licensing agreements. These agreements aim to provide more revenue opportunities for Universal's artists and songwriters. The rise of AI song generation tools like Udio has disrupted the music streaming industry, leading to accusations from record labels. This deal marks the first since Universal and others sued Udio and Suno last year. Financial terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.
