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GameStop (NYSE:GME) stock is back in the spotlight, jumping nearly 10% this morning to over $34its highest level since Juneafter a single tweet from Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty. On Christmas Day, Gill posted a cryptic photo of a wrapped gift box, sending his loyal followers into a speculative frenzy. That was enough to reignite the meme stock magic, with GameStop already up a staggering 78% in 2024. But here's the kicker: these gains have little to do with GameStop's fundamentals. Analysts predict a sixth straight quarter of declining revenue, with sales projected to drop to $1.48 billion. And yet, the retail frenzy continues.
Gill's influence in the meme stock world is nothing short of legendary. His return to social media earlier this year was a catalyst for massive stock swings, and his Christmas post is just the latest example. While GameStop's business faces stiff challengeslike declining physical game sales and failed ventures into NFTsGill's loyal following remains unfazed. Analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush sees things differently, sticking to an Underperform rating with a $10 price target. Pachter isn't just throwing shade; he points out that GameStop lacks a clear plan to pivot from its struggling retail model, despite sitting on a cash pile worth $10 a share.
So, what's the play here? GameStop has become the poster child for meme stock mania, where the stock price is driven less by financials and more by community hype. For investors, the big question is whether GameStop can evolve into something more sustainableor if this is just another short-term rally in a long saga of speculative moves. Either way, Roaring Kitty's tweets remain market-moving events, and for now, every post is a golden ticket for traders looking to ride the next wave.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.