Unless you’re living under a rock, you bore witness this past weekend to the return of America’s most watched sport – NFL football. With that return, we mark the passage of an important benchmark in the process of culturally adapting, assimilating, and healing with respect to the Covid pandemic health crisis.
We need our sports. And investors should take notice as well. No matter how predictable this moment is, in theory, seeing it live on your big screen is a different level of appreciation. That has enormous implications for our cultural context. When you watch sports, you want to play sports. The energy permeates all layers of society.
The return of major sports over streaming services takes us across a threshold that should spark a shift in consumer behavior, whether its watching pay-per-view events, going to the gym, heading to the driving range, shooting some hoops, or ordering new equipment.
With that in mind, we take a look at some of the most interesting stocks in the space, including: Draftkings Inc (Nasdaq:DKNG), Dicks Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE:DKS), B2Digital Inc (OTCMKTS:BTDG), and Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE).
Draftkings Inc (Nasdaq:DKNG) trumpets itself as a digital sports entertainment and gaming company. The company provides users with daily sports, sports betting, and iGaming opportunities.
It is also involved in the design and development of sports betting and casino gaming platform software for online and retail sportsbook, and casino gaming products. The company distributes its product offerings through various channels, including traditional websites, direct app downloads, and direct-to-consumer digital platforms.
Draftkings Inc (Nasdaq:DKNG) most recently announced that Erik Bradbury has been named the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer and principal accounting officer effective September 10, 2020, reporting to Jason Park, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Bradbury, who brings more than 16 years of experience in corporate accounting to DraftKings, was most recently a Partner with Ernst & Young and served as a Professional Accounting Fellow at Financial Executives International.
“We are thrilled to have Erik join DraftKings at this exciting time,” said Jason Park, DraftKings Chief Financial Officer. “Erik brings a breadth of expertise working with public companies applying U.S. GAAP, IFRS, and SEC reporting requirements, which will enhance our already strong corporate accounting team and help scale this function as the Company continues to grow.”
If you’re long this stock, then you’re liking how the stock has responded to the announcement. DKNG shares have been moving higher over the past week overall, pushing about 8% to the upside on above average trading volume. Shares of the stock have powered higher over the past month, rallying roughly 15% in that time on strong overall action.
Draftkings Inc (Nasdaq:DKNG) brought in over $71 million in its last quarterly financial data.
Dicks Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE:DKS) operates as a sporting goods retailer primarily in the eastern United States. It provides hardlines, including sporting goods equipment, fitness equipment, golf equipment, and hunting and fishing gear products; apparel; and footwear and accessories.
The company also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, Field & Stream, and other specialty concept stores; and e-commerce websites, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, and live scorekeeping. As of May 02, 2020, it operated 726 DICK’S Sporting Goods stores.
Dicks Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE:DKS) just announced that it will expand its nationwide footprint with the opening of one DICK’S Sporting Goods store, one combination DICK’S and Golf Galaxy location, and one Golf Galaxy store in September. These new stores will bring approximately 150 collective jobs to communities through the hiring of full-time, part-time and temporary associates for the stores.
According to the company’s release, DICK’S Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy locations will offer top-of-the-line in-store services and exclusive offerings in apparel, footwear and equipment from the Company’s own private brands, such as DSG, Tommy Armour, CALIA by Carrie Underwood, Field & Stream and Fitness Gear, as well as popular national vendors like Nike, adidas, YETI, The North Face, Callaway and TaylorMade.
If you’re long this stock, then you’re liking how the stock has responded to the announcement. DKS shares have been moving higher over the past week overall, pushing about 3% to the upside on above average trading volume.
Dicks Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE:DKS) pulled in sales of $2.7B in its last reported quarterly financials, representing top line growth of 20.1%. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($1.1B against $2.3B, respectively).
B2Digital Inc (OTCMKTS:BTDG) sits in an extremely interesting niche, with a verticalization of the MMA industry – admittedly, playing second fiddle respectfully to the UFC – now underway. The story for this company is that it is “the premier development league in MMA”. That’s a pretty good spot. Especially considering that the company is verticalizing on the media side, creating strong marketing and distribution agreements to showcase its top talent across the country and around the world.
The company operates live events, pay-per-view media, gyms, and other resources to maximize the development of future stars in the MMA sport. B2Digital operates a number of fighting events brands, including Pinnacle, HRMMA, Strikehard, and others, and has developed and deployed the systems and technologies for the operation of the B2 Fighting Series. This includes social media marketing, event management, digital ticketing sales, digital video distribution, digital marketing, PPV, FTV, merchandise sales, brand management, and financial control systems. B2Digital owns all rights for TV, internet, social media, media, merchandising and trademarks, and branding for the B2Digital companies.
B2Digital Inc (OTCMKTS:BTDG) most recently announced that it has signed a development agreement to distribute its fights over Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and the Android platform. The Company expects the B2 Fighting Series App to launch this fall allowing much of its already scheduled LIVE MMA Event Fall Season to air over the three biggest OTT platforms in the world.
“B2 is extremely excited to jump into the explosive OTT TV business over the coming months,” commented Greg P. Bell, Chairman & CEO of B2Digital. “Our B2 Fighting Series App for Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and the Android platforms will put B2 Digital in a unique position at the forefront of the emerging multifaceted media distribution paradigm, offering one of the most exciting forms of content and establishing ourselves as leaders in both the live sports and content distribution markets.”
The context for this announcement is a bit of a bid, with shares acting well over the past five days, up about 18% in that timeframe.
B2Digital Inc (OTCMKTS:BTDG) pulled in sales of $169K in its last reported quarterly financials, representing top line growth of 155%. In addition, the company is stocking over $75K on hand liquid cash assets. But the big numbers appear to be ahead as it scales up in a rapidly growing marketplace that’s likely to only get stronger as we gradually move past the pandemic.
Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) designs, develops, markets, and sells athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories worldwide. The company offers NIKE brand products in six categories, including running, NIKE basketball, the Jordan brand, football, training, and sportswear.
It also markets products designed for kids, as well as for other athletic and recreational uses, such as American football, baseball, cricket, golf, lacrosse, skateboarding, tennis, volleyball, walking, wrestling, and other outdoor activities; and apparel with licensed college and professional team and league logos, as well as sells sports apparel.
Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) recently announced a series of senior leadership changes supporting the company’s Consumer Direct Acceleration (CDA). The CDA, announced in June 2020, is a new digitally empowered phase of NIKE’s strategy to unlock long-term growth and profitability. The CDA will create a more premium, consistent, and seamless consumer experience across NIKE’s owned and strategic partner ecosystem, align around a new simpler consumer construct and also unify investments in an end-to-end technology foundation to accelerate our digital transformation.
According to the company’s release, the leadership changes, combined with a strategic alignment of NIKE’s operating model against the CDA, will create even greater focus and agility that will be enabled by a nimbler, flatter organization in service of consumers. To drive this focus, NIKE will streamline its organization, including its Corporate Leadership Team (CLT).
If you’re long this stock, then you’re liking how the stock has responded to the announcement. NKE shares have been moving higher over the past week overall, pushing about 5% to the upside on above average trading volume. Shares of the stock have powered higher over the past month, rallying roughly 11% in that time on strong overall action.
Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) managed to rope in revenues totaling $6.3B in overall sales during the company’s most recently reported quarterly financial data – a figure that represents a rate of top line growth of -38%, as compared to year-ago data in comparable terms. In addition, the company has a strong balance sheet, with cash levels far exceeding current liabilities ($8.8B against $8.3B).
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