Disney+ (Plus) and the Top Streaming Stocks to Buy in 2019

The streaming space is becoming more and more competitive as Apple and Disney have now launched their streaming service. A few days ago, Disney+ announced it signed up 10 million subscribers on a single day, the first day it launched.

Amazon Prime and Netflix are also strong players with a good offering of original content. They also have the advantage of already being popular for several years. The secular trend of moving from cable to streaming still poses a big opportunity for growth and the battle to get market share is expected to become more intense.

Top Streaming Stocks

Apple (AAPL-Q)
The recent launch of Apple+ was received with mixed results but there are more original content in the pipeline. The transition from hardware to service is coming along nicely and many analysts still consider it a buy or a top pick.

Apple (AAPL-Q) — Stockchase

The market is oversold, no doubt, but Apple is an outlier in megacap tech, but it hasn't off like the sector (or the market) has.

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Walt Disney (DIS-N)
Disney+ launched on November 12 to much anticipation. They reported good numbers from their Dutch test. The company can leverage their content to attract subscribers and are the best equipped to compete with Netflix.

Walt Disney Co. (DIS-N) — Stockchase

Integrated into movies, TV, streaming, toys, merchandise, theme parks. Excellent franchise value good for earning revenue. Large amounts of content already produced. Ad supported version of Disney Plus launching. Raising pricing next year will help bottom line. Current share price presenting good buying opportunity for investors.

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Netflix Inc. (NFLX-Q)
One of the first largely known streaming service across the world. There are concerns of increased competition in the space and analysts are worried the company is losing its first mover advantage. Nevertheless, cable cutting trends will help Netflix gain additional subscribers.

Netflix Inc. (NFLX-Q) — Stockchase

Stockchase Research Editor: Michael O'Reilly NFLX is introducing a new ad-based subscription tier that it expects will add subscribers and aid the bottom line. Recent earnings beat expectations and support a ROE of 30%. It has used some cash reserves to prudently retire debt. We recommend placing a stop loss at $200, looking to achieve…

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Amazon.com (AMZN-Q)
A very diverse company that offers streaming through it’s Amazon Prime Video service. The subscription segment is growing and paying off, allowing them more consistent and growing revenue.

Amazon.com (AMZN-Q) — Stockchase

A go-to stock. Delivery of boxes is part of the old economy. AWS is really important going forward, as it's part of the new economy. Fine at these prices.

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Roku Inc (ROKU-Q)
A unique play in the streaming space as it acts as a conduit for several thousand different apps. It’s a volatile stock but they facilitate the move from cable to streaming.

Roku Inc (ROKU-Q) — Stockchase

Like Snap, when there's no growth or earnings, then you guide down, then miss on earnings and revenues, there's no place for this company in the market. No surprise it's down 25%. All the streamers have come down. Roku is actually a great company, but how do you value it?

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Canada Streaming Movers

Cineplex Inc (CGX-T)
The company is reporting earnings today. They are diversifying away from cinema which has added to debt but helped them diversify. There is a general downward trend to the movement. However, many investors buy this stock for the dividends.

Cineplex Inc (CGX-T) — Stockchase

Tricky sector to invest in at the moment(headwinds with the emergence of streaming technology). Large global cinema operators going bankrupt. Consumers looking to reduce spending with higher interest rates and inflation. Hard time to be in this business.

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Shaw Communication (B) (SJR.B-T)
Its recent move into streaming weighed on Shaw due to increased competition in the wireless space as well as streaming. It pays a good dividend near 4% and is in a safer oligopolistic industry.

Shaw Communication (B) (SJR.B-T) — Stockchase

(A Top Pick Aug 26/21, Down 5%) Last year, he considered this safe with some upside, but that hasn't happened. The Rogers deal has gone slower than expected, but it should close. He sold half his position at $38.50 last March, at a $22 ACB. The deal should close at end-2023.

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Rogers Communications (B) (RCI.B-T)
Rogers is a diversified telecom company that also offers Anyplace TV that lets subscribers watch tv on demand. They missed on earnings and the stock price pulled back so it could be a good chance to buy it on sale.

Rogers Communications (B) (RCI.B-T) — Stockchase

Question is whether the Shaw deal will close. Competition Bureau is lukewarm. Rogers keeps making more concessions, and the deal keeps getting pushed out. Don't invest today. Prefers BCE for stability.

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BCE Inc. (BCE-T)
The BCE Premium TV channel let’s customers watch sports online. They pay out a good dividend that is considered safe. They recently reported earnings that were on par with expectations.

BCE Inc. (BCE-T) — Stockchase

Stability, fairly good dividend yield. Diversified through media, wireless, TV, and fibre optic. An excellent investment right now.

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Quebecor Inc (B) (QBR.B-T)
Through Vidéotron, the company offers club illico that let’s subscribers stream content, mostly focusing on French Canadian content. This telco has a strong presence in Quebec and is also active in Ontario.

Quebecor Inc (B) (QBR.B-T) — Stockchase

Defensive telecom and cable. Regional. Dominant cable operator. New cell phone competitor with 21% market share, but the fastest growing. Small sports/entertainment division. No commodity exposure and minimal wage inflation, as it's capital- and tech-intensive. Strong balance sheet. Interesting reinvestment catalysts out of Rogers-Shaw deal. Yield is 4.11%. (Analysts’ price target is $35.31)

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