San Mateo, Calif.-based Roblox (RBLX) is a popular video game platform that is considered a play on the emerging metaverse, a next-generation version of the internet. Is Roblox stock a buy in the current stock market rally?
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On Nov. 9, Roblox said it lost 50 cents per share on revenue of $517.7 million, missing top- and bottom-line estimates. Analysts expected the company to lose 32 cents per share on sales of $593.4 million, per consensus estimates. Sales grew 2% vs. the year-ago period. Roblox shares plunged 21% in response.
Roblox stock declined nearly 1% Friday, trading around 31.75 a share.
RBLX Stock IPO
The Roblox stock initial public offering (IPO) via direct listing occurred on March 10, 2021 with a suggested price of 45 per share. With a direct listing, no new shares in the company are created and sold. Nor did the Roblox IPO raise any capital. Instead, current investors begin selling already existing shares based on demand when trading opens.
On March 10, 2021, Roblox stock closed at 69.50, more than 54% above the 45 IPO price. A huge price percentage increase on the IPO day indicates strong institutional backing.
The company’s eponymous “Roblox” game is the biggest mobile game of 2020 in the U.S. in terms of revenue, according to Sensor Tower. It surpassed “Candy Crush,” which had been the top game for the past three years.
What makes Roblox different from other online game platforms is that it lets users create their own games. Developers receive 30% of the proceeds generated from a game, such as the sale of virtual outfits and avatars.
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Roblox Stock Is A Metaverse Investing Play
What is the metaverse? The metaverse is considered a next-generation version of the internet. Technologists describe the metaverse as a persistent, shared, 3D virtual environment. There, people meet for activities ranging from playing games to conducting business. It incorporates such technologies as virtual reality and augmented reality.
Mark Zuckerberg, now the chief executive of Facebook parent Meta Platforms (META), describes the metaverse as “an embodied internet that you’re inside of rather than just looking at.”
“The metaverse is bigger than gaming,” said Christina Wootton, Roblox vice president of brand partnerships. “We’re ushering in this new category of human co-experience. It’s an immersive place where people can come and connect with one another and have shared virtual experiences. They can do things together, such as work, learn, play, shop and experience entertainment.”
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Metaverse Stocks To Buy And Watch
Meta Platforms, Microsoft (MSFT) and Nvidia (NVDA) are among the top metaverse stocks to watch in the metaverse space.
Meta Platforms is nearly 70% off its 52-week high. The company has invested heavily in virtual reality and augmented reality as it builds Zuckerberg’s vision of the metaverse.
Microsoft is planning metaverse apps for gaming, like possible transformations of “Halo”, “Minecraft” and “Microsoft Flight Simulator” into full 3D worlds. The Dow Jones stock is sharply below its long-term 200-day line.
Nvidia is below its 200-day line. Shares are more than 50% off their 52-week high. On Nov. 9, 2021 Chief Executive Jensen Huang touted Nvidia Omniverse, a virtual world simulation and collaboration platform for 3D workflows.
Roblox Stock News
On Sept. 1, 2021 Roblox announced the launch of Vans World, an interactive Vans skateboarding world experience. Vans World is a metaverse playground where players can perform tricks and customize Vans gear and apparel, while hanging out with their friends.
On Nov. 18, 2021, Nike launched an immersive world experience — called Nikeland — on Roblox. Players will be able to enter a digital showroom to dress their avatar in Nike apparel and check out the company’s latest products.
On Nov. 19, 2021 Roblox held a well-received analyst day event in which Roblox executives discussed the company’s penetration of new markets such as education and music. The company also said it believes all consumer brands will need a Roblox strategy in the next three to five years.
Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak reiterated his overweight rating on Roblox stock and raised his price target to 150 from 88.
On Feb. 9, The National Football League launched NFL Tycoon to engage the next generation of NFL football fans in the Metaverse. The NFL will be the first official major sports league to offer a persistent experience on Roblox. NFL Tycoon lets fans build, play, and learn in their own NFL-centered world through a combination of the popular tycoon and simulator genres on Roblox.
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RBLX Stock Price And Technical Analysis
In November 2021, Roblox stock surged, breaking out past a 103.97 buy point in a consolidation — according to IBD MarketSmith chart analysis. The catalyst was the company’s strong earnings. But after a huge pullback in shares, the stock is trading more than 75% off its 52-week high.
Bearishly, the stock’s relative strength line is far from its old highs because of the stock’s poor price performance. The RS line measures a stock’s price performance vs. the broad market.
According to the IBD Stock Checkup, RBLX stock has a weak 9 out of a perfect 99 IBD Composite Rating. The Composite Rating — an easy way to identify top growth stocks — is a blend of key fundamental and technical metrics to help investors gauge a stock’s strengths.
RBLX stock hit an all-time low on May 10 at 21.65.
