Tag Archives: ntes

Microsoft’s Addictive Video Game ‘Minecraft’ Reaches China

Microsoft ( MSFT ) has signed a deal with NetEase ( NTES ) to distribute the wildly popular video game “Minecraft” in China. Under the five-year deal, Chinese online services firm NetEase will introduce versions of the sandbox, or world-building, game for personal computers and mobile devices in China. “Minecraft” already has more than 100 million registered players worldwide. “We are excited to bring Minecraft to Chinese audiences, and expect our large online community to embrace this pre-eminent game,” NetEase founder and CEO William Ding said in a statement . Microsoft bought “Minecraft” developer Mojang for $2.5 billion in September 2014. Tencent Eyes Supercell Investment In other gaming news, Chinese Internet company Tencent Holdings ( TCEHY ) is in talks with SoftBank ( SFTBY ) to buy the Japanese telecom giant’s majority stake in Supercell, the Finland-based maker of some of the world’s most popular mobile games, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday . SoftBank owns 73% of Supercell, which last year was valued at $5.25 billion, the Journal said. Supercell is best known for its combat games “Clash of Clans” and “Clash Royale.” Tencent is a leader in PC games thanks to its purchase of U.S.-based Riot Games, maker of “League of Legends.” And last year, it bought minority stakes in mobile game publishers Glu Mobile ( GLUU ) and Pocket Gems. RELATED: Britney Spears Game Lifts Glu, But Big Publishers Winning

NetEase, Sina, Weibo Ready For China Earnings Closeup

Continuing a string of earnings reports from China Internet companies, NetEase ( NTES ), Sina ( SINA ) and Weibo ( WB ) are set to report first-quarter earnings after the close Wednesday. JD.com ( JD ), one of China’s largest Internet companies, posted mixed Q1 earnings early Monday and gave an outlook slightly short of views. Its shares were among many U.S.-traded techs that fell Monday after Chinese markets retreated overnight on renewed concerns about that nation’s economic recovery. JD, China’s largest online direct sales company, reported revenue of $8.4 billion, slightly above the consensus and up 48% in local currency year over year. But its Q2 guidance was slightly below consensus. China e-commerce giant Alibaba ( BABA ) reported fiscal Q4 earnings  last Thursday. Alibaba showed a 30% increase in revenue to $3.75 billion, beating the Wall Street consensus and marking the company’s highest growth rate in the past four quarters. China gaming company NetEase is expected to see earnings rise 55% in local currency to $2.29 a share, according to a poll by Thomson Reuters. Revenue is expected to jump 115% to $1.2 billion, year over year. NetEase stock, which is down 26% this year, was trading near 143.60, up 3%, during afternoon trading in the stock market today . NetEase is hitting resistance at its 50-day line Sina, which operates the largest Chinese-language Web portal, is expected to post a loss of 4 cents a share, swinging from a 4 cent profit year over year. Revenue is expected to rise 5% in local currency to $277.5 million. Sina stock, which hit a low this year of 39.58 on Feb. 11, was trading near 49.50, up 1%. Weibo, which operates a microblog site similar to Twitter ( TWTR ), is projected to show an 18% increase in revenue to $113.6 million. Weibo is projected to see earnings of one penny a share, vs. nearly break-even a year earlier. Weibo was a part of Sina before its IPO in 2014, and Sina remains a majority shareholder. Weibo this year hit a low of 12.09 on Feb. 21. Weibo stock was near 23.25, up 8%.

Will These 3 Hot Chinese Techs Follow Alibaba Or JD With Earnings?

Alibaba rival JD.com ( JD ) was crumbling to a three-month low Monday after reporting light Q2 revenue guidance. Meanwhile, Alibaba ( BABA ) edged higher Monday intraday after jumping 4% last week on its earnings report, with the Chinese e-commerce giant now setting its sights on $1 trillion in gross merchandise volume in four years. Chinese stocks in general were getting hit hard in the stock market today amid a broad sell-off in Shanghai. JD shares were gapping down  9.7% in giant volume, hitting their lowest level since mid-February. The stock is now trading about 40% below its high reached last June. IBD Take: How to JD.com, Weibo and other Chinese Internet giants stack up? Find out at IBD Stock Checkup Alibaba is trading about 16% below its 52-week high. The stock was able to find support at its 50-day line ahead of its report and is now trading just under a 79.94 buy point within a larger pattern. Fellow Chinese tech stocks NetEase ( NTES ), Sina ( SINA ) and Weibo ( WB ) are all due to issue their quarterly reports after the close on Wednesday. Gaming company NetEase is expected to see earnings rise 56% in local currency, with revenue jumping 118%. NetEase is hitting resistance at its 50-day line. Shares are about 25% below their late December high, down about 1% in intraday trade. Internet portal Sina is expected to swing to a loss of 4 cents a share, while revenue edges up 2%. Shares are dropping back below buy range from a cup-with-handle base in intraday trade, losing 4.4%. The stock is about 20% below its June high. And social platform Weibo is projected to see earnings grow 300% to 4 cents a share, while revenue jumps 18%. Weibo was a part of Sina before its IPO in 2014. Sina remains a majority shareholder, while Alibaba owns a 30% stake. The stock was trading past the 20% profit-taking zone after breaking out of a cup-with-handle base a month ago. Shares are now extended about 13% from the buy point, dropping 5% Monday.