Electronic Arts stock rises as analysts cheer latest quarterly numbers

Shares of Electronic Arts Inc. are up 2.7% in premarket trading after several analysts cheered the video-game publisher's better-than-expected quarter. "EA was little affected by the sudden popularity of Fortnite," wrote Oppenheimer's Andrew Uerkwitz, who raised his price target to $140 from $130. "Its 31% year-over-year growth in live service bookings proves that its sports-oriented, differentiated game portfolio and focus on live updates can maintain core player engagement and spending despite hyped new games." KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Evan Wingren said the company hinted that it might make certain titles available on EA's subscription services more quickly. These titles might be a part of a "new, higher-priced tier," Wingren said, which could help achieve "the ultimate goal of getting as many players as possible onto games and participating in live services." EA shares are up 29% over the past 12 months, while the S&P 500 has gained 11%.