GameStop, AMC Share Costs Fall in Blow to Meme-Inventory Buyers

Each firms reported information final week that damage their inventory worth. GameStop mentioned its quarterly loss had widened from a yr in the past, because the videogame retailer has sought to construct up its e-commerce enterprise and enhance customer support.

AMC disclosed late Thursday that its chief govt officer and chief monetary officer bought a mixed $10.2 million of inventory, main the corporate’s shares to hunch almost 7% on Friday. The movie-chain operator additionally faces challenges from the brand new Omicron variant of Covid-19, which has stirred fears of latest lockdowns that would maintain clients away from theaters.

Information recommend that particular person buyers continued to purchase the shares amid final week’s selloff. At the same time as AMC completed final week down 5.4% and GameStop misplaced 7.8%, particular person buyers plowed a web $32.5 million and $4.2 million into the shares, respectively, for the week, in keeping with information from Vanda Analysis.

Some particular person buyers continued to cheer the shares in Reddit boards on Monday, with many saying they have been shopping for extra shares on the dip.

GameStop and AMC have emerged this yr as the 2 largest “meme shares”—shares fashionable amongst buyers lively on social media who try and act in live performance to push their worth larger.

Many of those buyers say that GameStop and AMC are being held down by Wall Road quick sellers betting in opposition to the businesses’ shares. The shares have repeatedly surged and collapsed this yr.

Regardless of Monday’s declines, GameStop shares are value greater than seven occasions than they have been on the finish of 2020, whereas AMC shares are over ten occasions extra invaluable than they have been on the finish of final yr.

—Caitlin McCabe contributed to this text.

Write to Alexander Osipovich at alexander.osipovich@dowjones.com