What happened
Roblox (RBLX -0.59%) shareholders lost ground to a falling market on Thursday. The video game platform stock fell 7% by 3 p.m. ET, compared to a 2.8% slump in the S&P 500. The decline added to significant short-term losses for Roblox stock, which is down over 60% so far in 2022.
It was sparked by increasing Wall Street concern about its growth outlook in a slowing global economy.
So what
Roblox didn't announce any news to spur the stock move. Its last operating update back in mid-September showed solid growth in key metrics like user additions and platform engagement. Yet Wall Street is more concerned about Roblox's increasing losses as spending slows in the digital advertising market. These pressures would accelerate in an economic contraction.
The sharp decline in the wider market on Thursday reflected increasing fears on the part of investors that a recession is on the way, too, and Roblox's stock tends to see exaggerated moves lower on down days like this.
Now what
Roblox's next detailed earnings update will occur in early November. Investors at that time will be scrutinizing the report for signs that the business can move toward profitability without sacrificing growth.
New monetization initiatives, like digital apparel sales, might help push spending higher. The platform has seen a flood of new content, too, which many keep users engaged.
Yet the entertainment stock is likely to continue underperforming the market at a time when Wall Street is driven by fear. Roblox hasn't established a stable flow of earnings, making it a riskier holding during economic downturns.
Wall Street has been wrong many times before in predicting such a downturn. And Roblox's platform is a leading video game and digital entertainment hub. However, shareholders should still expect the stock to remain volatile, in both directions, when markets make big moves like the one that investors endured on Thursday.
