246,742 Shares in Electronic Arts Inc. $EA Bought by Melqart Asset Management UK Ltd

Melqart Asset Management UK Ltd purchased a new stake in Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm purchased 246,742 shares of the game software company’s stock, valued at approximately $50,417,000. Electronic Arts comprises approximately 5.0% of Melqart Asset Management UK Ltd’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th biggest holding.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of Electronic Arts by 9.4% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 3,420 shares of the game software company’s stock valued at $500,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC raised its stake in Electronic Arts by 167.0% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 19,306 shares of the game software company’s stock worth $2,790,000 after buying an additional 12,076 shares in the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Electronic Arts by 150.8% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 316 shares of the game software company’s stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 190 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC bought a new stake in Electronic Arts during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $2,323,000. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its position in Electronic Arts by 96.4% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,067 shares of the game software company’s stock valued at $490,000 after acquiring an additional 1,505 shares in the last quarter. 90.23% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Electronic Arts Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ EA opened at $203.02 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $202.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $202.38. Electronic Arts Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $146.97 and a fifty-two week high of $204.88. The company has a market capitalization of $50.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 58.17, a P/E/G ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a current ratio of 1.05.

Electronic Arts Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 27th will be given a dividend of $0.19 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 27th. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Electronic Arts’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.78%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings raised Electronic Arts from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Citigroup lifted their price target on Electronic Arts from $202.00 to $204.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Electronic Arts to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, June 6th. Finally, Argus lowered Electronic Arts from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 28th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $196.64.

Insider Activity at Electronic Arts

In other Electronic Arts news, CFO Stuart Canfield sold 1,500 shares of Electronic Arts stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $201.36, for a total value of $302,040.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 25,991 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,233,547.76. This trade represents a 5.46% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Jacob J. Schatz sold 5,000 shares of Electronic Arts stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $201.19, for a total value of $1,005,950.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 42,287 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,507,721.53. The trade was a 10.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders have sold 39,906 shares of company stock valued at $8,060,033 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.24% of the company’s stock.

Electronic Arts News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Electronic Arts this week:

• Positive Sentiment: EA launched EA Advertising, a new platform that places brands directly into gameplay and live experiences, potentially expanding the company’s monetization beyond game sales and recurring services. Electronic Arts Introduces EA Advertising, Launching Brands Directly Into Gameplay and Live Experiences
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple outlets highlighted EA’s new ad strategy, describing it as a push to integrate ads more naturally into sports and gameplay experiences; the news may support longer-term revenue growth, but investor reaction may depend on how players respond. Electronic Arts launches a new way to advertise directly into gameplay
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage also emphasized EA’s pending $55 billion buyout, which continues to provide deal-driven support for the stock as investors look for clarity on the transaction’s progress. Electronic Arts (EA) Shows Why Its $55 Billion Buyout Case Rests on More Than Deal Momentum
• Neutral Sentiment: Oak-Eagle AcquireCo extended the expiration and settlement dates for the tender offers and consent solicitations tied to EA’s senior notes, which signals the acquisition process is still moving but also highlights that the deal remains in progress rather than completed. Oak-Eagle AcquireCo, Inc. Announces Extension of the Expiration Time and Settlement Date

Electronic Arts Profile

Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ: EA) is a global interactive entertainment company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in 1982 by Trip Hawkins, EA develops, publishes and distributes video games and related content for a variety of platforms, including consoles, personal computers and mobile devices. The company combines in-house development, partnerships and studio acquisitions to create and maintain a portfolio of entertainment properties and live-service experiences for players worldwide.

EA’s product lineup spans several well-known franchises and genres.