With its touch screen input system, the Nintendo DS makes portable gaming more accessible than ever to the casual gamer or non-gamer. The same applies to the Wii, with the motion-sensing controls opening up the console world to non-traditional markets.
Nintendo’s latest generation of hardware brings innovation and ease-of-use to the videogame world – not unlike what Apple has done with its iPods and other products. In fact, Nintendo’s similar-to-Apple approach has investors salivating at the Japanese game company’s potential.
Financial firm Goldman Sachs earlier this week gave Nintendo stock a “buy” rating, boosting shares to an all-time high of 64,800 yen ($556) before closing the day at 64,300 ($552). Goldman Sachs forecasts that Nintendo shares could reach 71,000 yen, according to
Reuters.
"We believe Nintendo's talent in creating new markets, evident from the launch of the DS and Wii, could bring it close to the level of Apple, whose high valuations are due in large part to its innovative business model," Goldman said in a report.
Just as Apple was able to take the portable music player market away from Sony, industry onlookers believe that Nintendo with its Wii is snatching away market share previously held by the PlayStation.
A
recent report figures Nintendo sold about 1.6 million units of the Wii over 26 weeks through September 23 in Japan, while Sony sold 385,492 PlayStation units over the same period.
Thanks to stellar sales of its hardware, Nintendo is now ranked as the third most valuable company in Japan, trailing only Toyota Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. In September,
Reuters reported that Nintendo had the
second most valuable active stock in Japan. Since the launch of the Wii, Nintendo’s value has
shot past mass market companies such as NTT telephone and Honda Motors.
Source
Nintendo Compared to Apple, Stock Value Hits Record High
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