Upcoming 'mid-core' Zynga titles will help shares gain traction - analyst

Despite the fact that social game giant Zynga's shares have declined 37.6 percent since the beginning of 2012, analyst firm Baird Equity Research still believes that the company's stock will bounce back thanks to upcoming game releases and its relationship with Facebook. After Zynga went public back in December and subsequently saw its shares selling for under the $10 initial share price, Baird's Colin Sebastian originally said that Zynga's proven ability to attract millions of users meant that it would eventually get back on track. Now, even after the company saw its stock hit an all time low earlier this month following Facebook's public offering, Sebastian says that summer releases from Zynga will see it rise again and reach a share price target of $13. Zynga shares currently stand at just below $6 each. "This summer, we believe that Zynga will announce a new game slate, including 'mid-core' titles that should appeal to a broader audience of gamers, as well as sequels to existing franchises, such as Farmville," said Sebastian. He also noted that Facebook's recent focus on mobile platforms can only be a good thing for Zynga, allowing the studio to gain traction on smartphones and tablets. Zynga is showing its "biggest incremental growth" in the mobile sector, the analyst noted. Where Facebook is concerned, Sebastian said that some game developers are shifting away from Facebook given Zynga's standing as "most favored nation" on the social network, hence Zynga will have more opportunities for user acquisition.