Mizuho Analysts Went To E3; Here's How They're Investing Now

A new report by Mizuho analyst Neil Doshi looks at the current investment opportunities in Internet stocks.

One of the subsectors that Doshi discusses is the interactive entertainment business. In the report, Doshi explains Mizuho’s top three stock picks in the space.

Positive Impressions From E3

Mizuho analysts attended the E3 conference earlier this month in Los Angeles and met with management teams from all the major companies in attendance. Overall, analysts were impressed by what they heard and see a promising slate of games on the horizon this year.

Electronic Arts Inc EA-Buy, $75 target

Doshi was most impressed by what he saw from EA at the conference. He praises BattleFront, Mirror’s Edge, and Star Wars Battlefront as three games that particularly stood out.

In addition, Doshi sees upside to margins at EA, which could propel the stock higher.

“The stock is up materially, but after meeting with management, we feel confident in the company’s product strategy and ability to generate continued margin leverage over the next 12-18 months,” Doshi writes.

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc TTWO-Buy, $32 target

Doshi likes Take-Two’s strong pipeline of games and the company’s increasing focus on digital gaming experiences. He describes BattleBorn as “exciting and fun to play,” and believes it will appeal to Borderland fans.

Activision Blizzard Inc ATVI-Buy, $29 target

Doshi has high hopes for Destiny and Call of Duty Black Ops III and also likes the company’s stronghold with free-to-play (FTP) games such as Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm and Call of Duty Online.

The company already has the highest margin profile of any publisher, and new FTP games should continue to bolster margins.