Bank of America Corp DE Purchases 61,468 Shares of Starz Entertainment Corp. $STRZ

Key Points

• Bank of America acquired 61,468 Starz Entertainment shares valued at approximately $1.77 million, representing about 0.36% of the company. Several other institutional investors also initiated or increased positions.
• Starz reported a significant quarterly loss of $11.27 per share, far below the expected $0.59 loss, on revenue of $307.9 million. The stock opened at $22.85, while analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average $32.71 price target.
• Operational risks remain as Verizon Fios customers have lost access to STARZ channels, on-demand content and the app amid a carriage dispute, potentially affecting subscribers and revenue. Meanwhile, CEO Jeffrey Hirsch and another insider purchased shares, and insider ownership stands at 22.62%.

Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new position in shares of Starz Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ:STRZ - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 61,468 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,774,000. Bank of America Corp DE owned about 0.36% of Starz Entertainment at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in shares of Starz Entertainment in the second quarter valued at $34,000. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL raised its holdings in shares of Starz Entertainment by 4.3% in the 1st quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 72,411 shares of the company's stock valued at $833,000 after purchasing an additional 3,000 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its stake in Starz Entertainment by 11.6% in the 1st quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 40,747 shares of the company's stock valued at $469,000 after purchasing an additional 4,243 shares during the last quarter. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in Starz Entertainment in the 2nd quarter valued at about $196,000. Finally, Huber Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Starz Entertainment by 7.2% during the fourth quarter. Huber Capital Management LLC now owns 146,826 shares of the company's stock worth $1,718,000 after purchasing an additional 9,863 shares during the period.

Starz Entertainment Stock Performance

Shares of Starz Entertainment stock opened at $22.85 on Friday. The company's 50 day moving average price is $25.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $23.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $391.19 million, a P/E ratio of -0.90 and a beta of 2.55. Starz Entertainment Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $8.40 and a fifty-two week high of $32.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.05, a current ratio of 0.25 and a quick ratio of 0.25.

Starz Entertainment (NASDAQ:STRZ - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 7th. The company reported ($11.27) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.59) by ($10.68). Starz Entertainment had a negative return on equity of 25.64% and a negative net margin of 33.98%.The company had revenue of $307.90 million for the quarter. On average, equities analysts forecast that Starz Entertainment Corp. will post -6.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Jeffrey Hirsch acquired 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of $24.80 per share, with a total value of $248,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 65,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,612,000. This represents a 18.18% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider James M. Kapenstein acquired 1,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $25.73 per share, with a total value of $25,730.00. Following the acquisition, the insider owned 12,302 shares in the company, valued at $316,530.46. The trade was a 8.85% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 22.62% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup initiated coverage on Starz Entertainment in a report on Monday, September 14th. They set an "outperform" rating on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded Starz Entertainment from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Saturday, July 25th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Starz Entertainment in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Morgan Stanley set a $30.00 price objective on Starz Entertainment in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Finally, B. Riley Financial began coverage on Starz Entertainment in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. They set a "buy" rating and a $45.00 target price for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $32.71.

Key Headlines Impacting Starz Entertainment

Here are the key news stories impacting Starz Entertainment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: STARZ will serve as the inaugural presenting sponsor of the HBCU First LOOK Film & TV Festival at Howard University from November 5–7. The event supports brand visibility and relationships with emerging creators, although its direct financial impact is likely limited. HBCU First Look Film and TV Festival announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Starz Entertainment Corp. said it will release third-quarter 2026 results after the market closes on October 29 and host an analyst and investor conference call. Investors will look for updates on the Verizon dispute, subscriber trends and the company’s financial outlook. STARZ third-quarter earnings announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Verizon Fios customers have lost STARZ’s linear channels, on-demand content and app access after negotiations stalled. A prolonged blackout could reduce audience access and revenue, while restoring service may require concessions on carriage fees or terms. Verizon Fios customers lose access to STARZ
• Negative Sentiment: The dispute has attracted negative publicity, including criticism from rapper and “Power” star 50 Cent, who urged fans to switch providers. The publicity may increase pressure on STARZ and Verizon but also highlights potential customer dissatisfaction and churn risk. 50 Cent criticizes Verizon over STARZ blackout

Starz Entertainment Company Profile

Starz Entertainment is a premium subscription entertainment company that provides original series, feature films and other programming through television networks and direct-to-consumer streaming services. Its offerings are marketed under the STARZ and STARZ Encore brands and are distributed through pay-TV providers, digital platforms and the Starz streaming app.

The company is known for original programming, including series associated with the “Power” universe, as well as acquired and licensed movies and television content.

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