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TTWOTake-Two Interactive Software, Sell4.4·$258.80+1.49%
TTWO · Why this verdict

Why Take-Two Interactive Software, (TTWO) is rated SELL

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictSELL
Overall score4.4/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroNEUTRAL

Thesis pillars

Despite GAAP operating losses, the company generates 22% free cash flow margins and 3.6% FCF yield, demonstrating that cash generation from existing games and recurring revenue streams is substantially better than reported earnings suggest.

Stable
Quality breakdown
Expectation
Free cash flow margin remains above 15% over the next 12 months, confirming the underlying cash generation is durable.

CounterHigh FCF margins in gaming can reflect under-investment in new titles; if the company needs to increase development spending for future launches, free cash flow could compress sharply.

Five franchises generate 54.3% of total sales and the top five customers account for 80.6% of revenue, creating extreme concentration that means a single underperforming title launch or the loss of a platform relationship could swing results dramatically.

Stable
Bear case
Expectation
Revenue from the top 5 franchises falls below 45% of total sales over the next 2 fiscal years as the catalog diversifies.

CounterMega-franchise concentration in gaming is normal; Grand Theft Auto-level titles generate recurring monetization for years after launch and justify higher revenue concentration than typical media companies.

The stock has triggered a death cross with the 200-day moving average slope flat and price at the lower end of its range, while the put/call ratio of 1.81 indicates more bearish than bullish options positioning, reflecting broad uncertainty about the timing of the next major title release.

Stable
Momentum breakdown
Expectation
The stock rises above its 200-day moving average on sustained volume within the next 5 months, signaling a trend reversal.

CounterGaming stocks often trade sideways for extended periods between major title launches, and a flat 200-day slope is less severe than a sharply declining one.

Analysts see 29% upside to $251.19, but the company has missed earnings in 2 of the last 4 quarters with the worst miss at negative 87%, creating a pattern of high analyst optimism that has not been consistently validated by reported results.

Stable
Sentiment
Expectation
The company delivers positive earnings surprises in at least 3 of the next 4 quarters, narrowing the gap between analyst targets and fundamental reality.

CounterThe two beat quarters showed very large positive surprises of 38% and 128%, suggesting that when the company executes, it does so decisively and could re-rate quickly on a successful title launch.

TrendMatrix Research · core thesis

Engine thesis — one sentence

Take-Two Interactive faces a death cross downtrend and below-floor business quality, with top five customers accounting for 80.6% of revenue and five franchises generating 54.3% of sales, though analysts see 29% upside and the company generates 22% free cash flow margins.

Falsifiable statement — pillar-level invalidators below. Engine-derived; not personalized advice.

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

4.6/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
P/S5.4
Fwd P/E4.9
PEG3.4
Analyst target4.0
  • Forward P/E: 25.6x
  • PEG: 3.56

Quality

3.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE0.0
ROA0.0
Gross margin7.5
Op margin0.9
Net margin0.0
Current ratio4.7
FCF quality6.0
Moat5.1
Piotroski F4.4
  • FCF-positive but moderate margins (FCF margin 22%, FCF yield 3.1%)
  • No competitive moat

Growth

4.0/10data confidence 33%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth4.0

Momentum

6.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI3.7
MACD10.0
OBV10.0
MA position7.5
Volume0.9
  • Overbought (RSI 86)
  • Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
  • Above 200-MA but MA slope flat/negative + RSI 86 (late-cycle distribution risk)

Sentiment

7.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
LLM sentiment6.0
Analyst rating9.0
Price target6.3

Insider

3.4/10data confidence 75%
ComponentSub-score
materiality3.0
insider conviction2.0
holder change5.1
  • Notable insider selling — $135,284,529 (0.286% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

1.1/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank1.4
quality rank1.4
growth rank1.4

Technical

3.5/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger1.0
support resistance0.0
52w position9.5

Risk (lower is worse)

5.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest7.5
days to cover7.7
volatility3.0
put call4.7
implied vol4.3
max pain risk3.0
beta7.2
debt equity5.9
  • Above max pain $125
  • Concentration risks: 3 HIGH, 1 MED (10-K Item 1A — sized via position_sizing, validated via buy_confidence)

Catalyst

7.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm5.0
earnings history10.0
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg10.0
news activity8.0
  • Perfect beat streak: 4Q

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Quality below minimum threshold.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L1:HARD_BLOCK
Passed (7)
  • MOMENTUM:6.4>=5.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • 8K:CLEAN
  • NEWS_BOOST:ANALYST:0.70
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:36d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (1)
  • ASYMMETRY:-0.1=NEGATIVE
Warning (1)
  • DEATH_CROSS:momentum=6.4>=5.0 recovering
Reward-to-Risk
-0.12
Upside
-1.8%
Downside
15.0%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupRecovery Death cross but MACD improving, RSI 86

EdgeNo clear edge No clear edge identified

SuitabilityModerate Balanced profile

Investment implication

The L1 gate blocked the positive-verdict path: a hard-floor threshold was breached, so dimensional pillars — including Catalyst at 7.6 could not lift the engine output above the verdict floor. Failed gate signal: ASYMMETRY:-0.1=NEGATIVE.

The strongest dimensions are Catalyst at 7.6, Sentiment at 7.2, and Momentum at 6.4; the weakest are Peer rank at 1.1, Quality at 3.2, and Insider at 3.4. The V9 engine flagged 1 failed gate with 1 warning, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of -0.12 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

What would invalidate the thesis

Falsifying conditions — when triggered, the corresponding pillar's thesis is invalidated.

  • P1Franchise Customer Concentration

    Trip ifRevenue from top 5 franchises rises above 60% of total sales in any reported period.

  • P2Death Cross Negative Momentum

    Trip ifStock price drops below $195, more than 9% below the current $216.23, accelerating the downtrend.

  • P3Fcf Quality Amid Gaap Losses

    Trip ifFree cash flow margin falls below 10% for at least 2 consecutive quarters.

  • P4Analyst Upside Vs Earnings Miss Risk

    Trip ifEPS surprise falls below 0% in at least 3 of the next 4 quarters.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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