The clock is ticking on contract negotiations between Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) and Alphabet's (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) YouTube. If the two parties don't come to terms on an extension, the YouTube app will be removed from Roku's hub on Thursday. Existing users on Roku will still be able to access YouTube and YouTube TV from the old app, but new users will no longer have access to the popular streaming platform.

Alphabet stock has fared a lot better than Roku since the two sides started negotiating in public, but that has little to do with this particular stand-off. Alphabet is naturally a well diversified tech empire, and as a leader worldwide in both search and online advertising, it's not going to live or die based on its visibility through a single streaming platform. Roku has disappointed investors with uninspiring viewership trends and near-term concerns on supply-chain constraints and rising costs for its hardware business. 

The tussle between the two parties still matters. As bad as things have gotten for Roku investors -- with the stock hitting a new 52-week low on Monday morning -- things can get even worse if the breakup with Google's YouTube becomes official. It's also easy to see shares of Roku finally catching a break and shooting higher if YouTube and Roku come to terms on keeping the app on the country's most popular streaming operating system. Either way, Roku is going to be a big mover this week.

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Source Fool.com