Rebecca Day

Though consumer spending intentions are largely “stable” after issuance of $1,400 stimulus checks, the economic package “should provide another leg of growth within consumer sectors,” Cowen wrote investors Friday on the impact of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill signed into law March 11. A Cowen survey of about 2,500 U.S. consumers showed households expect to spend about the same in the upcoming month vs. the previous month: 17% plan to spend less, 14% more. Cowen expects a disproportionate amount of spending to come from lower-income and displaced employees receiving "outsized" benefits from the fiscal package. Employees laid off during COVID-19 had significantly higher spending intentions at 36% vs. a 14% average, said Cowen. Twenty-two percent of laid-off consumers intend to spend less. On how they expect to spend stimulus funds, 23% said to pay down debt; 17% on food, household supplies and personal care; “other” items (13%); mortgage/rent (10%); clothes/shoes (4%); and healthcare expenses (4%). Cowen noted a considerable uptick in travelers through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints beginning mid-March. It forecasts 1.1 million to 1.6 million TSA travelers around Memorial Day weekend. A year ago, Cowen analysts didn’t expect a third round of stimulus and think it will take time for people to repair personal balance sheets, especially those who lost jobs. “As it happens, the US government has been very supportive of both its citizens and of the airlines, and as a result, we believe people have some money with which to travel, and they are.” Analysts envision a “jailbreak” this summer among consumers who have been cooped up at home. They see Americans traveling domestically to national parks, beaches, golf resorts and other places with outdoor activities where they can continue social distancing.

Warner Bros' decision to release its 2021 film slate simultaneously to theaters and its HBO Max subscription VOD service was an “overcommitment,” Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter told a virtual Digital Entertainment Group Expo Wednesday. “AT&T bit off way more than they could chew when they bought Time-Warner.” Pachter said the media company is “trying to package HBO Max and sell it and maybe later sell the studio.” AT&T is trying to shore up the value of HBO Max “because they think they’re going to get a Netflix multiple on that,” he said. The company is making "bad decisions for the creatives,” he said, trying to maximize profit for the content "by shoving it onto HBO Max.”

Despite more than a 30%-plus jump in video streaming in 2020, as consumers ratcheted up their viewing time during stay-at-home orders, there’s still a large revenue opportunity in transactional video, Eddie Cunningham, Universal Pictures & Warner Media president-Studio Distribution Services (S.D.S), told a virtual Digital Entertainment Group Expo Wednesday.

Americans are feeling “good” but cautious, said a Tuesday Resonate report, citing a survey fielded Feb. 22-March 10, after 107 million COVID-19 vaccines had been administered. The number of people worrying about pandemic health consequences to an "extremely large extent” dropped by 2.7 percentage points from early February to 16.4%. Those “completely likely” to get a vaccine rose 19.2% from November and 3.1 points from February to 45.7%, it said. About 38.2% were slightly to very likely to get a vaccine; 16.1% were not at all likely to get one vs. 17.3% last month and slightly over 20% in December.

Universal Electronics Inc. executives pointed to LG’s UEI home dashboard as an example of its vision combining home entertainment and smart home on a Friday investor webcast. The dashboard -- viewable on smart TVs and second screens -- displayed TVs, Bluetooth surround speakers and connected appliances, as the remote control maker looks to capitalize on the growing smart home market, a $4 billion opportunity, via its Nevo Butler gateway and QuickSet software.

Amazon’s score last week in NFL long-term media rights distribution agreements is a “big win” for the tech giant, LightShed Partners wrote investors Friday. The long-term media distribution rights agreements with Amazon, CBS, ESPN/ABC, Fox and NBC take effect in 2023 and run through 2033, said the NFL Thursday.

Hisense premium 2021 TVs are certified WiSA Ready, said WiSA Thursday. But Hisense told us details about which TVs would integrate the wireless sound technology “are still under wraps.” It plans a media event for spring, it said.

CEDIA Expo will return in September as an in-person event, emailed Jason McGraw, group vice president of show owner Emerald, Thursday. The 2020 Expo, planned for September in Denver, was canceled due to the pandemic. The 2021 show is set for Sept. 1-3 in Indianapolis, with registration beginning June 9. “After months of COVID-19 pandemic meeting restrictions, vaccines are finally being distributed in mass and live events are beginning to come back safely,” McGraw said, saying Emerald and Indianapolis “are committed to putting on healthy and safe shows.” Indianapolis has hosted 58 live events with over 130,000 attendees since July, and The Indiana Convention Center invested over $7 million in health and safety upgrades, he said. Crestron, Digital Projection, Elan, Harman, Lutron, Origin Acoustics, Samsung, Savant, SnapAV/Control4, Sound United, URC and Yamaha are among nearly 200 exhibitors that contracted to participate in the September show in Indianapolis, McGraw said. Emerald expects over 350 brands to exhibit. Emerald is working with CEDIA on planning for Expo, which is scheduled to have about 100 live and streamed education sessions, plus “dozens" of case studies, product application briefs and industry thought leadership sessions. Highlighted growth segments will include smart appliances and connected living solutions, lighting, outdoor living, "resimercial," security and work from home, he said. Trade show company Emerald canceled 94 shows last year, leading to a 65% revenue drop (see 2102180039).

Discovery and monetization are among challenges streaming sports services face in the post-pandemic world, a Brightcove webinar heard Thursday. Even as fans worldwide turned to watching shows about sports in the absence of live sports during the pandemic, streamers, too, saw a decline in time spent watching sports content, said Brightcove analyst Jim O’Neill.

Consumer technology shipments showed some resiliency amid large-scale disruption to production lines and supply chains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, said ABI Research Wednesday. Shipments will “gradually recover in 2021 as the impact of the pandemic starts to wane, consumer confidence returns, and device supply chains bounce back to near-pre-COVID levels,” said analyst Khin Sandi Lynn.