Wedbush Securities' Michael Pachter is without a doubt the most well-known financial analyst in the video games industry and even the smallest utterance from him is often pounced on and quoted dozens of times over... like now.
Take-Two Interactive (owner of Rockstar Games and NASDAQ listed company — TTWO) reports its Q3 2013 financials on Friday and Pachter thinks Rockstar might also announce the release date of Grand Theft Auto V at the same time. In a research note Pachter has said:
TTWO initially provided FY:13 EPS guidance in "excess of $2.00" in May 2011, a strong indication of GTA V's release, but conceded that it would not ship in FY:13 last August when it lowered EPS guidance for the year to $0.00 – 0.20. Investor confidence appears shaken by repeated, unexpected, and unjustified swings in profit and loss. If Rockstar is ready to confide in Take-Two management, we may learn the launch date next week.
What that essentially means is that TTWO shareholders have been spooked by their company's wild swings in revenue, and that in order to shore up some confidence, they might let everyone know when GTA 5 will be released (it being the most highly anticipated game in years and sure to bring in bucketloads of cash for Rockstar/TTWO).
Pachter, who's track record is not 100% (we'll be honest), also says he still believes a May release date is likely. This being within Rockstar's spring release window of course.
What do you think? Is Michael Pachter the oracle or the weatherman of the video games industry?
