Video Game Platform Roblox to Make Wall Street Debut

Online gaming service Roblox. Lionel Bonaventure | AFP | Getty Images
Online gaming service Roblox. Lionel Bonaventure | AFP | Getty Images
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Video Game Platform Roblox to Make Wall Street Debut

Online gaming service Roblox. Lionel Bonaventure | AFP | Getty Images
Online gaming service Roblox. Lionel Bonaventure | AFP | Getty Images

Gaming platform Roblox -- which has skyrocketed in popularity among kids and teens during the coronavirus pandemic -- will make its Wall Street debut Wednesday as a direct listing.

The company's shares will be listed under the symbol RBLX on the New York Stock Exchange.

By opting to go public as a direct listing, like companies such as Spotify, Slack and Palantir have done, Roblox will not be able to issue new shares on the exchange and therefore will not raise capital.

Instead existing shareholders -- such as founders, employees and initial investors -- will be able to sell their portions on the market.

The company plans to sell nearly 199 million shares.

The NYSE set a reference price of $45 per share on Tuesday, though the real price will depend on demand.

Roblox was valued at $29.5 billion at a fundraising round in late January.

The platform allows users to create their own video games and gives them a share of related revenue.

It counted close to 33 million daily players in 2020, and revenue soared 82 percent to $924 million.

But the company is not currently profitable, due to the expenses it incurs on tech infrastructure, data protection and paying game developers.



Apple Supplier IQE to Launch Strategic Review as It Warns of Flat Revenue This Year

Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. (Reuters)
Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. (Reuters)
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Apple Supplier IQE to Launch Strategic Review as It Warns of Flat Revenue This Year

Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. (Reuters)
Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. (Reuters)

British semiconductor wafer maker IQE said on Monday it would start a strategic review of its assets and consider a full sale of its Taiwan operations, as it warned that group revenue would not grow this year due to a weaker-than-expected sector recovery.

The Apple supplier had announced in July plans to launch an initial public offering for its Taiwan business on the local stock exchange, while retaining control of the unit, but said on Monday that it was now looking at all options.

Shares of the company skidded 15% to 9.02 pence in early trading. They have dropped about 54% this year.

"We will continue to further optimize our operations, restructuring and right-sizing our business," an IQE spokesperson said.

The company, which last month announced the immediate departure of CEO Americo Lemos, has been navigating a challenging financial environment with a sluggish recovery in the semiconductor industry and the growing significance of supply chain security over cost, amplified by rising US-China tensions.

Its peers, including US-based Apple supplier Skyworks Solutions and Chipmaker Qorvo, have all reported soft quarters and guidance over the quarter.

IQE had earlier expected both annual revenue and adjusted core profit to grow.

IQE, whose 'epi-wafers' are used in the Apple iPhone's facial recognition sensors, said it expects 2024 revenue to be around 115 million pounds ($145.27 million), or flat year-on-year.

An LSEG poll of three analysts had forecast full-year revenue of 132.59 million pounds.

IQE said it expects full year adjusted core profit of at least 5 million pounds. Analysts, on average, had forecast core profit of about 12.5 million pounds, according to the LSEG poll.