Podcasts about Yoy

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture Hawaii is now pushing the climate agenda by placing a tax on tourists. Watch tourism drop off. Its all about taxing the people. Feds favorite inflation indicator shows that inflation has gone down. The Fed is now trapped, their plan has failed. They will try again. Appeals court has now allowed Trump to continue with the tariffs, China violated the tariffs agreement. The [DS] is playing their hand and they are showing the world what a real insurrection looks like. Trump is playing the long game, he knows the people must see it so the people move to remove those individuals that support the judicial coup. Trump is following the constitution and proving to the country that the [DS] is putting the country into a constitutional crisis. This is not about a band-aid fix, this is about reclaiming the government and taking the power back. The [DS] is beging destroyed. Economy https://twitter.com/TomFitton/status/1928227336010228155   Despite Tariff-flation Fearmongering, Fed's Favorite Inflation Indicator Tumbles To Four-Year Low The Fed's favorite inflation indicator - Core PCE - fell once again in April to its lowest since April 2021 at +2.5% YoY... Source: Bloomberg Services inflation is slowing rapidly... Source: Bloomberg Headline PCE fell to +2.1%...   Finally, for all the terror of tariffs in the soft survey data, spending continues to increase and incomes are growing strongly... ...it's gonna be hard for Powell to justify the 'pause' now. Source: zerohedge.com Core Inflation Falls To Lowest Rate In Four Years Compared with a year ago, prices are up just 2.1 percent. That just one-tenth above the two percent rate of inflation the Fed says it targets. In March, prices were up 2.3 percent from a year earlier. Core prices, a measure that excludes food and energy, also rose 0.1 percent. Over the past year, core prices are up 2.5 percent, the smallest year-over-year increase since March of 2021. Source: breitbart.com https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1928445800717168981 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1928494968869380555 John Deere to Invest $20 Billion in America – New Assembly Lines, Factories, and US Steel  A major announcement from John Deere is giving more hope for a future with a prosperous economy. According to the company website, John Deere will invest $20 billion in the United States over the next decade, with hometowns where these investments will go seeing a projected $25 billion impact. Factories in Tennessee, North Carolina, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois will see new expansions, new assembly lines, or new factories altogether. Additionally, the company boasted a majority of the raw steel used in these factories will be from the United States. A more specific breakdown showed new assemble lines in Waterloo, Iowa; an expansion to the factory in Greenville, Tennessee; a new excavator factory in Kernersville, North Carolina; a 60,000-square-foot expansion to the factory in Moline, Illinois; and a 120,000-square foot expansion in Missouri. John Deere included in their release that 75 percent of all products sol...

This week, the hosts break down a first-ever for the podcast—a Massachusetts quarry generating millions in cash flow and loaded with real estate and equipment.Business Listing - https://www.bizquest.com/business-for-sale/quarry-gravel-and-wall-stone-in-new-england-municipal-accounts/BW2188901/Sponsors:Check out Capital Pad – the marketplace for small business acquisitions where operators and investors meet: https://www.capitalpad.comLooking to explore franchise ownership? Check out Connor's site and all his resources: https://connorgroce.comEpisode Description:In this episode, the hosts examine a uniquely asset-heavy small business—a quarry in Massachusetts listed at $17M with $2.7M in cash flow. With a 68-acre land parcel, $6M in equipment, and 5.5 million tons of stone still underground, this business comes with significant upside and risk. They dig into USDA loan potential, specialty product vs. commodity rock dynamics, the implications of fluctuating demand, and how this type of deal might appeal to family offices. There's even a fun detour into San Antonio's wild Fiesta tradition. If you've ever wondered what it's like to buy a hole in the ground that prints money—this is your episode.Key Highlights:- Why a quarry deal is a first for the podcast in 400+ episodes- Understanding asset intensity and CapEx risk in quarry businesses- Revenue mix between government contracts and private clients- How to use USDA loans for large rural acquisitions- Real estate as a built-in exit option once the rock is gone- The role of family offices and what financing could look like- A 53% YoY profit spike—explained or not?- Why it's critical to hire a specialty buy-side advisor for niche deals- Bonus: a deep dive into San Antonio's Fiesta and corny coronationsSubscribe to weekly our Newsletter and get curated deals in your inboxAdvertise with us by clicking here Do you love Acquanon and want to see our smiling faces? Subscribe to our Youtube channel. Do you enjoy our content? Rate our show! Follow us on Twitter @acquanon Learnings about small business acquisitions and operations. For inquiries or suggestions, email us at contact@acquanon.com

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 Corn/Soybean Conditions and Progress1:37 Ohio Problems4:06 Wheat Progress and Conditions5:27 Wheat Price Action8:18 China Wheat Update9:26 Corn Shipments are Strong10:53 Trump CFTC Pick

En este episodio cubrimos los eventos más relevantes antes de la apertura del mercado: • Wall Street sube por pausa arancelaria de Trump: Futuros al alza: $SPX +1.6%, $US100 +1.7%, $INDU +1.4%. Trump retrasa aranceles del 50% a la UE hasta el 9 de julio, lo que alivia el sentimiento del mercado tras una semana negativa. Hoy se publican pedidos de bienes duraderos de abril (estimado: -7.6%) y núcleo (-0.1%), además de la confianza del consumidor de mayo (previsto: 87.1). También se esperan los precios de viviendas S&P Case-Shiller y FHFA. Atentos al reporte de $NVDA este miércoles. • Tesla se desploma en Europa: $TSLA vendió solo 7,261 vehículos eléctricos en abril en Europa (-49% YoY), mientras el sector creció 34.1%. La marca pierde terreno por la controversia política de Musk, el auge de los híbridos (35% del mercado) y la competencia feroz de BYD y otros fabricantes. A pesar de ello, las acciones suben +2.7% premarket. • WeRide acelera en Medio Oriente: $WRD anunció su expansión a Arabia Saudita, con planes de lanzar robotaxis en Riad y AlUla en alianza con la Autoridad General de Transporte. La operación se integrará a la app de $UBER y se espera el despliegue completo para fines de 2025. La empresa también amplía su red a 15 ciudades más junto a $UBER en los próximos cinco años. $WRD +5.7% premarket a $9.63. • AstraZeneca avanza con Imfinzi en cáncer de vejiga: $AZN recibió respaldo positivo del panel de la EMA para su inmunoterapia Imfinzi en combinación con quimioterapia para tratar el MIBC resecable. El estudio fase 3 NIAGARA mostró beneficios en supervivencia libre de eventos y general. Se espera la decisión final de la Comisión Europea. Una jornada con alivio geopolítico, expansión tecnológica y avances farmacéuticos. ¡No te lo pierdas!

On today's episode, Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler talks with Lead Analyst Logan Mohtashami about housing data, mortgage rates and Trump's tweet about releasing Fannie and Freddie from conservatorship. Related to this episode: Trump says he's giving ‘serious consideration' to releasing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac | HousingWire Purchase applications see 16 weeks of positive YOY growth | HousingWire ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HousingWire | YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More info about HousingWire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enjoy the episode! The HousingWire Daily podcast brings the full picture of the most compelling stories in the housing market reported across HousingWire. Each morning, listen to editor in chief Sarah Wheeler talk to leading industry voices and get a deeper look behind the scenes of the top mortgage and real estate stories. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mat's World Series Dream Mark Thanks the USAWNT players who were on the show to discuss bullying young girls in baseballRays lose Marlins seriesRays feeling like Super Dave on a Roller Coaster Marlins, Cal Quantrill pitches the first Immaculate Inning of the year. 9 pitches – 9 strikesPedro Martinez style Immaculate Inning would include 1 Hit By PitchRays Offense recently has been lacking with some of the younger playersVeterans Brandon Lowe & Yandy Diaz have put up more offensivelyTaylor Walls and men left on base LOBCurtis Mead offense is firing up – broke out of .98 yesterday with 3 AB's 2 Hits & 1 HR against the AstrosRays had 7 of 9 players with hits against the Astros in Wednesday's gameBen Rortvedt – flatline at bat – who could be Rays 2nd catcherKevin Cash is handcuffed with the lineup he has todayElements of a great game – 2 Home Runs back to back with Josh Lowe & Brandon Lowe, Manager ejection with Kevin CashCash's ejection as he questions Astros & Umpires long it took for Astros to make an appealDo manager ejections motivate the team playersTaj Bradley had a solid outing & had good communication with the catcherRyan Pepiot is also showing more promiseLooking forward to Shane McClanahan & Ha-Seong Kim return to the team. Who will be sent down when they returnWill there be room for Johnny DeLuca to return to RaysFCL Rays rehabbing expect a Roster Crunch with the RaysIsaac Paredes returns as an Astro to hit Home Runs against the RaysMat breaks down YOY increase in growing attendance – Mets increase of 289,000 more fans. Detroit Tigers, Dodgers and Athletics follow behind the MetsTotal of 372,000 more fans this year in attendance across MLBCity Connect – Wallet Connect - A lot of love and sales for the game including merchandiseMat recommends Grit & Glow lighting at the new stadium for RaysRivalry weekend numbersJuan Soto and the Yankees show their backs to Soto in the outfieldSubway Series Streaming - registering as the third (May 17th) and fourth (May 16th) most-watched games ever on MLB.TV.merchandise sales increased +45% during Rivalry WeekendTampa Bay Rays Hall of Fame – Evan Longoria will be joining Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff, Don Zimmer, Dave WillsMark would add Erik Neander & Joe Maddon to the Rays Hall of Fame.How fans may see players and coaches who move to another teamRays are 3 games out of a Wild Card spot How many wins will the addition of Shane McClanahan & Ha-Seong KimOrioles traded away so much talent it has hurt their ability to winThe value of Brandon Hyde beyond the O'sA look back at the Liberatore– Arozarena tradeJust a reminder, if you enjoyed this show, go ahead like and subscribe to BaseballBiz On Deck. Also you can find Mat at M-A-T-G-E-R-M-A-I-N dot B Sky social. That's Mat at M-A-T-G-E-R-M-A-I-N dot B, Sky social or Mark at  Baseball Biz on Deck dot B Sky Social. You may also find Baseball Biz on Deck, at iHeart Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and at baseball biz on deck dot comSpecial Thanks to XTaKe-R-U-X for the music Rocking Forward, 

In March 2023, I created a piece of content that thoroughly examined the UK-only limited time offer branded pre-workout supplement that Gymshark created earlier that year by basically partnering with UK sports nutrition brand Applied Nutrition. And at the very end of that content, I mentioned that “I didn't think we'd be seeing Gymshark create a permanent supplement line or even tons of these LTO launches...at least in the short-term.” But since we're well past that timeframe mentioned, Gymshark just created another LTO supplement, and the activewear categorical boundaries have been decimated lately by investment decisions from ALO Yoga, NOBULL, and Reebok...I thought it was time to relook at my previous consideration if Gymshark should launch a line of sports nutrition supplements. And "from Nike to lululemon to Alo, these activewear brands aren't just selling apparel…they're selling a lifestyle.” Essentially, it's my belief that in today's marketplace, younger consumers (especially) are increasingly looking for visionary brands that are radically and bravely changing both our individual and global cultures with exciting and bold new lifestyle choices. So, if you weren't picking up what I was putting down…strategic narrative boldness is attractive and brand distinctiveness is highly defensible from a competitive landscape perspective but has become increasingly rare and difficult to achieve, as it requires both an artistic and scientific approach to create a unifying, central idea with the right combination and orchestration of all brand elements. Yet, as I mentioned earlier, several activewear brands have recently made strategic investments that sought to innovate around their consumer's specific lifestyles (and altered legacy categorical boundaries). But what about Gymshark? Why hasn't the activewear brand evolved past traditional product category constraints to own a larger slice of its customers' identity? And before anyone points towards company size (based on annual revenue), Gymshark reported growing 9% YoY and generated just over $800 million in revenue during its latest fiscal year…a number that exceeds or puts it in relatively close proximity to those previously mentioned activewear brands. Instead, I think Gymshark struggled to continually show up as its unmistakable self, as the activewear brand attempted to gain more acceptance across the adoption curve. Said another way…Gymshark got lost during its pursuit of more customers. And I think that became a major factor into why founder Ben Francis returned as CEO in August 2021, despite Gymshark successfully scaling from a smaller brand. So, after embarking on an almost four-year journey…there seems to be singularity and focus once again with the marketing and brand building strategy. And its revived brand distinctiveness harkens back to why Ben Francis originally founded Gymshark in the first place…realizing “no one really made clothes for the bodybuilding scene.” So, even though launching “Gymshark Nutrition” would undoubtedly create a loss of focus on the core business…and the current landscape is arguably even more challenging (and uncertain) for the apparel industry, I'm convinced Gymshark could successfully evolve past traditional product category constraints to own a larger slice of its customers' identity. Doss is the first Adaptive Resource Platform (ARP). Book a live demo here.

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 US Weather Update2:25 US Crop Progress6:51 Argentina Flooding10:09 China is Chirping11:21 Corn Shipments are Strong13:07 Meal Flash Sale

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1048: Today we're diving into Honda's EV strategy rethink and dealer drama in California, a mid-May dip in wholesale used vehicle prices, and the growing reality that side hustles aren't just extra—they're essential.Honda is pumping the brakes on its aggressive EV strategy, cutting EV R&D investment by 30% and slashing its 2030 EV sales forecast by more than 1 million vehicles. Instead, hybrids are back in the spotlight.Honda now expects just 700,000 to 750,000 EVs sold in 2030, down from 2 million.EV R&D cut from ¥10T ($69B) to ¥7T ($48B); with 13 next-gen hybrid models to debut starting 2027 with improved fuel economy and cost.“It has become increasingly clear that the environmental regulations... are becoming relaxed. I think the EV penetration period will be pushed back by about 5-6 years.” said CEO Toshihiro Mibe.Meanwhile, California's dealer association has issued a cease and desist letter to Sony Honda Mobility, challenging their direct-to-consumer sales strategy for the Afeela 1 EV.American Honda claims no role in Sony Honda Mobility's sales plans.Wholesale used-vehicle prices dipped in the first half of May, giving back some of April's unusually strong gains. The market shows signs of normalization, even as demand for used vehicles remains steady.The Manheim Index fell to 205.9, down 1.1% from April but still up 4.4% YoY.Three-year-old vehicles depreciated less than average, down just 0.6%.Luxury and SUV segments led YoY gains; compact cars were the only group to decline.EVs rose 2.0% YoY but saw a 2.0% drop vs April, steeper than non-EVs.“As the tariff situation evolves and the frenzy of buying activity for new vehicles calms down, we expect wholesale pricing trends to remain more normal through Q2,” said Cox Automotive's Jeremy Robb.Side hustles aren't just a way to save for that vacation anymore—they're becoming an economic necessity for many Americans. With living costs rising and economic uncertainty looming, millions are turning to extra work just to stay afloat.44% of Americans now report having a side hustle; 43% of them rely on it to pay for basic living expenses.Bankrate data shows 71% earn under $500/month, with only 9% making over $2,000.Top gigs include web design, video editing, ride-hailing, delivery driving, and even voiceover work.Some are using side gigs to build AI-proof income streams in trades, tutoring, or specialized services.NetCredit reports AI-based gigs on Fiverr average $44.50/day—low but growing fast.Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

MusclePharm might seem the same to you…but it's radically different from my POV! But for anyone new to these quarterly content pieces, FitLife Brands sells more than 250 SKUs across 13 supplement brands…each with a slightly different product portfolio and sales channel strategy. In total, the FitLife Brands portfolio is sold through more than 20K retail locations globally. But throughout this content, you'll hear me categorize the FitLife Brands portfolio into three segments: Legacy FitLife Brands, Mimi's Rock Corporation, and MusclePharm. In the first quarter of 2025, FitLife Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: FTLF) had revenues of $15.9 million...which was down 4% YoY. But while there's strategic initiatives going on that involve the legacy FitLife Brands and Mimi's Rock segments, the most intriguing activity within FitLife Brands is also currently its smallest segment (i.e. MusclePharm). In the first quarter of 2025, MusclePharm segment revenue was just under $2.0 million...which decreased 6% YoY. And maybe you're hearing that result…thinking to yourself “that's not too terrible,” but I'll explain just how terrible that internal thought actually is about these MusclePharm quarterly numbers. I was quite confident that FitLife Brands understood it's a marathon (and not a sprint) with MusclePharm. Moreover, the last 5-7 years of MusclePharm brand mismanagement had provided a sizable amount of unlocked value that was just waiting to come out. Furthermore, doing the required “hard work” upfront to rebuild the foundation of MusclePharm for the long haul would inherently unlock enough short-term financial results to appease shareholders around the acquisition ROI. Yet…that's not happening right now! Instead, FitLife Brands has surprised me (and not in a good way), believing it would be better served in reaching arbitrary segment-level financial goals by not learning from various past MusclePharm experiences (like what became major underlying drivers of its bankruptcy) or how FitLife Brands is chasing a ready-to-drink beverage mirage with zero “route-to-market” expertise. When product-based differentiation proves unable to provide a long-term defensible moat within low barriers-to-entry CPG categories like sports nutrition, distinctiveness can transform a product from commodity into a perfect experiential foundation for brand storytelling. It's the strategic substance with signature style that sets your CPG brand apart from the landscape of lesser alternatives. And throughout the initial first-half of the “athletes' company” existence, MusclePharm had a distinctive brand identity that absolutely defined and then delivered its authentic self. But when FitLife Brands acquired MusclePharm in late-2023, it wrongfully assumed MusclePharm still had ample distinctiveness in the marketplace…or at least a sufficient amount to trigger emotional responses with enough consumers to justify its current strategic gameplan. That was a miscalculation…one that I believe will require FitLife Brands to thoroughly contemplate its strategic decision to “sprint the race without knowing its distance.” Finally, I end on a more positive note...examining the Russell 2000 Index inclusion possibility and likely M&A announcements coming soon with FitLife Brands.Doss is the first Adaptive Resource Platform (ARP). Book a live demo here.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe [CB]/fake news have lost control of the narrative. Everything they have predicted has not come true, the opposite happened. The Fed is using the narrative that prices will go up, this will be their downfall. Trump is bringing in investments from all over the world, he has the magic wand. Trump signals he is about to end the endless. The [DS] has lost control. The patriots are now in the process of cleaning the house to prepare for accountability. Ed Martin says the DOJ is worse than anyone could imagine and it needs a cleaning. The system is being exposed to the people. The [DS] are trying to fight back but they are losing every battle. The [DS] protection has been removed, the system is being dismantled world wide.   Economy https://twitter.com/ChrisMartzWX/status/1922306644441960458 TAKE A LISTEN https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1922388935524733256 https://twitter.com/SecRollins/status/1922709867644485643 U.S. Egg Prices PLUMMET 12.7% — Biggest Monthly Drop Since 1984  U.S. egg prices nosedived by 12.7% in April, marking the steepest monthly decline since March 1984, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data released Tuesday. The average price for a dozen Grade A eggs fell to $5.12, down from a record $6.23 in March. According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Five of the six major grocery store food group indexes decreased in April. Driven primarily by a 12.7-percent decrease in the index for eggs, the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs fell 1.6 percent in April after rising in recent months. The fruits and vegetables index decreased 0.4 percent over the month and the cereals and bakery products index declined 0.5 percent. […] Source: thegatewaypundit.com (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/BehizyTweets/status/1922464964167586107   Federal Reserve leaves key rate unchanged as it sees risk of higher prices, unemployment The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday, brushing off President Donald Trump's demands to lower borrowing costs, and said that the risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen. Source:  tucson.com  https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1922320582676283608 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1922414047779008843  Furthermore, Treasury reported that customs duties rose $9 billion year-over-year in April to a record $16 billion. In the first 7 months of Fiscal Year 2025, the US budget deficit is now up $194 billion YoY, to $1.05 trillion, the third-largest on record. The budget deficit remains a major crisis. https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1922319866809164207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1922319866809164207%7Ctwgr%5E17aac9fb1b1c57996847b455468feb1bec0fa6fb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.

In this episode of That Entrepreneur Show, host Vincent A. Lanci sits down with Matt Putra, founder of Eightx.co and one of the sharpest financial minds in the world of e-commerce and consumer brands. With a background as a senior partner and CFO in private equity and over a decade of experience as a fractional CFO, Matt brings unmatched insight into transforming financial chaos into scalable growth.We dive deep into:How Matt turned failing businesses into 300% YoY success storiesThe mindset shift from employee to founder — and why he chose the hard roadThe power of financial scorecards and weekly reviews to stay ahead of costly problemsPractical advice on hiring (and letting go) the right team membersEarly-stage financial tips for entrepreneurs who hate accounting (but know they need it)Whether you're scaling fast or still on the fence about entrepreneurship, Matt delivers real, actionable advice for building a financially sustainable business.

On today's episode of The Hydrogen Podcast, we dive into three major stories reshaping the global hydrogen landscape:

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 US Weather3:42 Biofuel and Tax Bill5:41 Iowa Eminent Domain8:54 US Loses Soy Market Share10:54 China Soybean Import Forecast12:13 Inflation Update

This week on Inside the Economy, we dive into the current state of wage growth, job prospects, inflation trends, Federal Reserve activity, and emerging trade agreements. Wage growth, which experienced downward pressure following the Fed's interest rate hikes starting in 2022, appears to be stabilizing. Currently, the average monthly wage per U.S. worker is around $7,000. How does this figure compare with wages in the E.U. and other nations? On the inflation front, the cost of borrowing (interest rates) exceeds the rate of inflation (CPI), a potentially positive signal for the economy. Is there mounting pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut rates this summer? Meanwhile, trade negotiations are gaining momentum. How significant is it for the U.S. to secure a balanced trade agreement with China? What elements of the recent E.U. deal stand out as particularly beneficial for the U.S.? And which other countries might be priorities in America's trade strategy? Tune in to learn more! Key Takeaways: • Core PCE Inflation at 2.6% (YOY) • 10-year bond yield at 4.37% • ISM Services at 51.6

This week on Inside the Economy, we dive into the current state of wage growth, job prospects, inflation trends, Federal Reserve activity, and emerging trade agreements. Wage growth, which experienced downward pressure following the Fed's interest rate hikes starting in 2022, appears to be stabilizing. Currently, the average monthly wage per U.S. worker is around $7,000. How does this figure compare with wages in the E.U. and other nations? On the inflation front, the cost of borrowing (interest rates) exceeds the rate of inflation (CPI), a potentially positive signal for the economy. Is there mounting pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut rates this summer? Meanwhile, trade negotiations are gaining momentum. How significant is it for the U.S. to secure a balanced trade agreement with China? What elements of the recent E.U. deal stand out as particularly beneficial for the U.S.? And which other countries might be priorities in America's trade strategy? Tune in to learn more!   Key Takeaways: Core PCE Inflation at 2.6% (YOY) 10-year bond yield at 4.37% ISM Services at 51.6

India vs. US: Trade Tensions Heat UpIndia is ready to hit back with $1.91 billion in tariffs on key US goods—like almonds, petrochemicals, and medical devices—if steel and aluminium duties aren't withdrawn by June 8. The trigger? Trump's extension of safeguard duties. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal heads to Washington on May 16 to try and broker a deal. With $7.6B in exports on the line and a 90-day tariff pause set to expire on July 8, India's playing hardball while still betting on a Free Trade Agreement. Airtel's Q4 Rings Loud Bharti Airtel posted a stunning 432% jump in Q4FY25 net profit at ₹11,022 crore, riding high on tariff hikes and a one-time tax gain. Revenue rose 27% to ₹47,876 crore, while ARPU hit ₹245. With 590.5 million users, the company also sealed a satellite internet pact with Elon Musk's Starlink. A ₹16/share final dividend caps off a blockbuster year. Tata's Mixed Drive Tata Motors saw Q4 profit drop 51% YoY to ₹8,470 crore, but FY25 revenue hit a record ₹4.39 lakh crore. JLR's PBT soared to a decade-high £2.5 billion, and Tata's EV arm turned EBITDA positive. Challenges persist in passenger vehicles, but the company remains debt-free and optimistic. A ₹6 dividend and a key Investor Day on June 16 are on the radar. Hero's Global EV Push Hero MotoCorp's FY25 net profit rose 16% to ₹4,610 crore. Exports jumped 44%, and EV sales rocketed 175%, with its Vida brand doubling market share. But rivals like Honda and TVS are growing faster. Hero plans European expansion and is betting big on EVs and new three-wheeler plays via Euler Motors. Cipla Steady Amid Policy Storm Cipla shrugged off US pharma tariff fears and posted a 30% jump in Q4 profit to ₹1,222 crore. FY25 revenue grew 8% to ₹27,548 crore. The US remains key, now forming 29% of revenue, while India remains the long-term play. With GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic going off patent soon, Cipla's gearing up with in-house and partner products for the next leg of growth.

Wall St closed mostly higher again on Tuesday as soft inflation data and progress on the trade talk front continue to boost investor sentiment. The S&P500 rose 0.72%, the Nasdaq gained 1.61% and the Dow Jones fell 0.64% as United Health declined 17% to pressure the benchmark index. US CPI data for April came in at an increase of 2.3% on an annual basis which was lower than economists' were expecting and indicate the US inflation journey remains under control despite fears of tariffs boosting CPI.In Europe overnight, markets in the region closed slightly higher as uncertainty over global trade outlook remains positive amid China and the US agreeing to a temporary deal. The STOXX 600 rose 0.07%, Germany's DAX added 0.23% to close at another fresh record high, the French CAC gained 0.3%, and, in the UK, the FTSE 100 ended the day flat.Across the Asia region on Tuesday, markets closed mixed as investor outlook beyond the 90-day US China tariff deal remains uncertain. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.87%, China's CSI index rose 0.15%, India's Nifty 50 fell 1.27% and Japan's Nikkei ended the day down 1.43%.The local market hit an 11-week high yesterday, ending Tuesday's session up 0.43%, taking lead from the global market rally on Monday as investors welcomed the latest deal tariff between China and the US.With the outlook for lower tariffs on imports into the US from China and vice versa, investors regained appetite for risk and growth stocks, while investors sold out of safe-haven assets like the banks and gold.Mining giants recovered yesterday with the rising price of oil and iron ore fuelling investor appetite for BHP (ASX:BHP), Woodside (ASX:WDS), Rio (ASX:RIO) and Santos (ASX:STO).Location tracking tech giant Life 360 (ASX:360) soared over 10% yesterday after releasing record Q1 results including a 33% increase in total subscription revenue to US$81.9m, a 32% increase in total revenue to US$103.6m and positive operating cash flow of US$12.1m, up 13% YoY, and the company ended the quarter with cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of US$170.4m. What to watch todayOn the commodities front this morning oil is trading 2.76% higher at US$63.66/barrel, gold is up 0.41% at US$3249/ounce and iron ore is up 1.22% at US$99.75/tonne.The Aussie dollar has strengthened against the greenback overnight to buy 64.76 US cents, 95.50 Japanese Yen, 48.69 British Pence and 1 New Zealand dollar and 9 cents.Ahead of the midweek trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day up 0.22%. Before the bell this morning CBA (ASX:CBA) released its Q3 trading update including cash profit for the quarter of $2.6bn which is flat on 1H25 quarterly average and up 6% on the PCP, while operating income rose 1% and operating expenses also rose 1%. Net interest income for the big bank rose 1% while the net interest margin was stable.Trading ideas:Bell Potter has increased the 12-month price target on JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH) following the release of the company's Q3 trading update including sales up 6% on the PCP, while outlook for Q4 remains strong and the company remains as one of the most productive retailers globally.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on AMP (ASX:AMP) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 50-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $1.32 to the range of $1.56 to $1.62 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

As the second fastest growing category within the entire grocery store surpasses 50% household penetration…have attractive fragmentation opportunities now been unlocked within RTD protein beverages? BellRing Brands (NYSE: BRBR) is a portfolio that owns a collection of convenient nutrition brands like Premier Protein and Dymatize Nutrition, which was previously wholly-owned by Post Holdings. A fast-paced and busy lifestyle is pushing consumers to switch to quick and healthy meal options. This has resulted in above average categorical growth rates and increased household penetration of RTD protein shakes that promote active lifestyles. Additionally, powders are becoming more mainstream, and category proliferation has created an environment where more consumers are purchasing both every day and performance nutrition positioned protein products at grocery stores and mass retailers. Bellring Brands had a strong 2025 Q2 with net sales reaching $588 million, which was up 18.9% YoY. Premier Protein (~90% of BellRing Brands total revenue) grew 22% YoY, which came from mostly volume increases. Dymatize Nutrition was up 3% YoY, stemming from volume increases within international markets and new product introductions. In response to these elevated sports nutrition competitive threats, BellRing Brands has attempted to invest further into Dymatize brand marketing and restarting product innovation. Though, I'd say neither effort has resulted in meaningful success yet. Moreover, I provide three deep dives into the functional CPG portfolio's "hero SKU families" of Premier Protein RTD protein shakes and Premier Protein and Dymatize protein powders. But my latest first principles thinking content will examine two emerging product innovation concepts that are becoming more popular (both in terms of product launches and customer demand). The first is around a richer and creamier RTD protein beverage…Premier Protein is calling its version “Indulgence” and BellRing Brands leadership noted on the earnings call that this new subline has demonstrated impressive incrementality, bringing in a considerable number of consumers new to the brand and category. Similarly, Quest Nutrition is also recently launched its “more indulgent” RTD protein beverages subline…calling it “Protein Milkshake.” But what you'll also notice about the Quest Protein Milkshake is that the protein content is much higher than the “unwritten 30 grams of protein rule.” So, now you're seeing competitors, that have brand equity will outside the performance nutrition buyer segment, start to push the upper limits of protein content. And finally, on the flipside…competitors are also testing the lower limits and seeking to attach protein with other beverage categories like carbonated soft drinks and water. So, what does this all mean? And I think there's still A LOT of opportunity to innovate within RTD protein beverages market, which will open up the category to more buyers, different use occasions, and more day parts. Doss is the first Adaptive Resource Platform (ARP). Book a live demo here.

Just when CELSIUS was beginning to drown…Alani Nu had the ring-shaped flotation device ready to save the energy drink brand. Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ: CELH) had quarterly revenue of $329.3 million, which was down 7% YoY. And while that activity now marks the third straight quarter of falling YoY revenue…the addition of Alani Nu next quarter will guarantee positive YoY growth restarted (albeit mostly from the non-comparable acquisition-related aspect). According to Circana last 13-week data, CELSIUS decreased by 3% YoY...but sustained place as the third-largest energy drink brand in the category with a dollar share of 10.9%. And I don't want gloss over this accomplishment…as CELSIUS became the first brand in over a decade not named Red Bull or Monster Energy that was able to capture more than a 10% share in the U.S. energy drinks market. Celsius energy drinks has seen massive growth in convenience stores, foodservice (e.g. fast food restaurants), mass retailers like Walmart, the club channel in retailers like Costco, and the Amazon marketplace. Additionally, the early international market development groundwork is starting to formalize with CELSIUS with performance continuing to exceed initial expectations in those recently expanded markets. It's my opinion that international expansion presents significant opportunity for incremental growth over the next three to five years. With Celsius at basically full distribution now…the TDP growth will have to come from increased items carried per store. Going forward, Celsius will increase items per store through a combination of product strategies like flavor, format, pack size, and variant expansion. Additionally, CELISUS will continue scaling up the new Essentials lineup that has exceeded the company's expectations. Moreover, they will seek more store placements like leveraging cold display activity in Celsius-branded coolers. If you missed the massive news from February, CELSIUS Holdings announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Alani Nu for a net purchase price of $1.65 billion. And the big news was that CELSIUS announced that, according to Circana last 52-week data for the period ending April 13, 2025…Alani Nu surpassed $1 billion in retail sales. But heading into next quarter, the combined brand platform of CELSIUS Holdings will have just over 16% category share (trailing only the Monster Energy combined brand platform and Red Bull). Also, because of the insane 70%+ YoY growth rate of Alani Nu, the combined brand platform of CELSIUS Holdings would be considered the fastest growing energy drink brand portfolio of the top 10 categorical competitors. But with the Alani Nu acquisition now closed…CELSIUS Holdings becomes an even more dynamically interesting company positioned favorably long-term. Lastly, with a great balance sheet...Celsius Holdings keeps strategic optionality available within (what I believe is) this market volatility fueled opportunistic period.

En este episodio repasamos las claves que mueven al mercado este viernes: • Wall Street avanza tras acuerdo EE.UU.–Reino Unido: Futuros al alza con $SPX +0.2%, $US100 +0.3% y $INDU plano. El mercado se apoya en el anuncio del acuerdo comercial y en señales de que Trump podría reducir aranceles a China durante nuevas conversaciones. La jornada económica se centra en discursos de la Fed. • Boeing celebra pedido récord de IAG: $BA repunta tras la compra de 32 aviones 787-10 por parte de British Airways y 21 Airbus A330neo para Iberia. El pedido es parte de un plan de renovación de flota ligado al nuevo acuerdo comercial. Se esperan más compras por hasta $10B según funcionarios de EE.UU. • TSMC marca récord de ingresos: $TSM reporta crecimiento del +48.1% YoY en abril, alcanzando NT$349.57B. Fuerte demanda por chips de IA y compras anticipadas ante temores de aranceles impulsan el salto mensual del +22.2%. La compañía mantiene su guía de crecimiento de +25% para 2025 en USD. • Nvidia adapta su oferta para China: $NVDA lanzará una versión reducida de su chip H20 para cumplir con restricciones de exportación de EE.UU. y seguir operando en el mercado chino, que representa el 13% de sus ventas. El chip tendrá menor rendimiento y memoria, cediendo terreno ante Huawei. Un episodio con foco en comercio internacional, semiconductores y la competencia global en inteligencia artificial.

En este episodio cubrimos lo más relevante antes de la apertura de Wall Street: • Wall Street se anima por reunión EE.UU.–China: Futuros al alza: $SPX, $US100 y $INDU +0.6%. La expectativa de avances comerciales se suma a la espera por la decisión de tasas de la Fed. Se anticipa que el FOMC mantenga tasas sin cambios, pero el foco está en las palabras de Jerome Powell tras la presión pública de Trump por recortes. • Cisco impulsa su apuesta cuántica: $CSCO presentó su chip Quantum Network Entanglement y abrirá un laboratorio en California. Tecnología de baja energía, operativa a temperatura ambiente y con hasta 200M pares de entrelazamiento por segundo. Se suma a la carrera cuántica junto a $GOOG, $MSFT, $AMZN y $NVDA. • CoreWeave fortalece su músculo financiero: $CRWV eleva su línea de crédito de $650M a $1.5B con bancos como JPMorgan y Goldman Sachs. Busca expandir infraestructura de nube enfocada en IA. Pese a tensiones pasadas por deuda, las entidades muestran confianza en su crecimiento futuro. • Novo Nordisk ajusta guía, pero sube: $NVO reportó ingresos por $11.9B (+19% YoY) en Q1 2025, aunque ventas de Wegovy decepcionaron. Aun así, la acción sube al anticipar recuperación en ventas tras el cierre de vacíos regulatorios en EE.UU. Nueva guía: +13%-21% en ventas para el año. Un episodio cargado de noticias clave antes de que arranque el mercado. ¡No te lo pierdas!

En este episodio cubrimos lo más relevante antes de la apertura de Wall Street: • Wall Street se anima por reunión EE.UU.–China: Futuros al alza: $SPX, $US100 y $INDU +0.6%. La expectativa de avances comerciales se suma a la espera por la decisión de tasas de la Fed. Se anticipa que el FOMC mantenga tasas sin cambios, pero el foco está en las palabras de Jerome Powell tras la presión pública de Trump por recortes. • Cisco impulsa su apuesta cuántica: $CSCO presentó su chip Quantum Network Entanglement y abrirá un laboratorio en California. Tecnología de baja energía, operativa a temperatura ambiente y con hasta 200M pares de entrelazamiento por segundo. Se suma a la carrera cuántica junto a $GOOG, $MSFT, $AMZN y $NVDA. • CoreWeave fortalece su músculo financiero: $CRWV eleva su línea de crédito de $650M a $1.5B con bancos como JPMorgan y Goldman Sachs. Busca expandir infraestructura de nube enfocada en IA. Pese a tensiones pasadas por deuda, las entidades muestran confianza en su crecimiento futuro. • Novo Nordisk ajusta guía, pero sube: $NVO reportó ingresos por $11.9B (+19% YoY) en Q1 2025, aunque ventas de Wegovy decepcionaron. Aun así, la acción sube al anticipar recuperación en ventas tras el cierre de vacíos regulatorios en EE.UU. Nueva guía: +13%–21% en ventas para el año. ¡Dale play y entérate de todo lo que mueve el mercado hoy!

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 Corn Selloff3:00 Corn and Soybean Planting Pace7:04 Wheat Progress / Conditions8:13 Russian Wheat Pricing9:09 Tyson Slump11:24 Grain Shipments

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1037: Today we break down Ford's Q1 fallout as tariffs cast a $1.5B shadow, electrified vehicles surge to nearly 25% of new-car sales led by hybrids and non-Tesla EVs, and Waymo revs up its driverless ambitions with a new Arizona mega-factory and major city expansion plans.Show Notes with links:Ford is bracing for a bumpy ride in 2025 after revealing a steep Q1 net income drop and pulling its full-year earnings forecast. Mounting tariff costs and factory downtime from SUV redesigns weighed heavily on the automaker's performance, with more uncertainty ahead.Net income fell 65% to $471M.Ford expects 2025 tariffs to cut profits by $1.5B, despite $1B in planned offsets.CFO says Q1 tariffs cost $200M, mitigated partly by bonded carrier routes through Canada.Ford Pro earned $1.3B (down 56%); Model e lost $849M despite a 15% EV sales bump.CEO Jim Farley: “We are strengthening our underlying business with significantly better quality and our third straight quarter of year-over-year cost improvement, excluding the impact of tariffs.”Electrified vehicles accounted for nearly one in four new-car sales in Q1 2025, as hybrids led the growth and Tesla's dominance continued to wane. Buyers are moving fast—whether driven by rebates, tariffs, or just better options.EV sales hit 750,698 in Q1, up 29.6% YoY, with total electrified market share reaching 24.4%.Hybrids surged 44.1%, capturing 13.3% of all new-car sales, thanks largely to Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Ford, Lexus, and Kia—who together own 97% of the segment.Tesla's BEV share dipped to 44.2%, while non-Tesla BEVs jumped 47%.Florida EV sales rose 42.5%, while Texas surged 37.1%, outpacing growth in traditional EV strongholds.“A significant part of it is due to automakers tapping into what drivers want. The 2025 lineup offers 71 unique models (up from 54 in 2025) with improved specs and options for every lifestyle." said Recurrent's Liz Najman. Waymo is transitioning from test phase to mass production, expanding its ride-hailing footprint while anchoring its future with a high-capacity, AV-focused factory in Arizona.Waymo One now handles 250,000 weekly rides across Phoenix, LA, SF, and Austin with expansions into Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. planned in 2026A 239,000-square-foot factory in Mesa, AZ will build thousands of autonomous Jaguars annually, in partnership with Magna.The facility will feature a fully automated line and produce vehicles with Waymo's latest sixth-gen Driver tech.“The Waymo Driver integration plant in Mesa is the epicenter of our future growth plans,” said Ryan McNamara, Waymo's VP of operations.Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

If you're going to come at the “king of the online sports nutrition market,” you better not miss! THG (aka the company formerly known as The Hut Group) recently updated the public markets by releasing its 2025 Q1 trading statement. I'll be utilizing that financial information, along with notes I took listening to the earnings conference call, and any relevant publicly disclosed information to obviously update you on the recent performance of THG Nutrition division that includes the world's largest online sports nutrition brand MyProtein, but also utilize everything to provide insights surrounding the global supplement markets. For those unaware, after the THG Ingenuity demerger...THG would now be described as a global, cash generative, health and wellness consumer brands group. During the first quarter of 2025, divisional revenue for THG Nutrition was approximately $196 million, which was basically flat YoY. And while those aren't necessarily great results…THG leadership noted that the segment saw month-on-month sales improvement throughout the quarter. Moreover, momentum was said to be demonstrated in categories outside of the core protein range, especially in activewear, vitamins, bars, and snacks. But I'll dive into several strategic decisions impacting MyProtein including: its global digital sales channel strategy, retail partnerships in physical retail, global "in real life" community events (i.e. HYROX and MyProtein Move Club) and let's just say A LOT is riding on the success of the MyProtein global rebrand. But basically 18 months after the start of its initial staggered market rollout, the transitionary impacts from the rebrand are now behind Myprotein. THG leadership reaffirmed that customer feedback continues to be promising, with unaided brand recognition for MyProtein now at its highest level to date. More importantly though…THG Nutrition leadership needs to pay close attention to key commercial metrics over the next year because to continue moving upstream in positioning (and unlocking sales channel diversification opportunities within the U.S. market) it needs to ensure this rebranding decision is well received by and generates brand affinity with those less price-sensitive customers. Interestingly, THG leadership noted that MyVitamins, which makes up around 9% of the total THG Nutrition online revenue, delivered record quarterly growth. But what's maybe most intriguing is how different the customer demographics of MyVitamins are compared to MyProtein…and its possible synergistic value with the other THG branded products segment THG Beauty. Finally, about a week prior to this earnings release, the board of directors at THG rejected an unsolicited proposal to acquire Myprotein. According to reports, THG turned down the (upwards of $800 million) offer from Selkirk, an investment vehicle, saying it “fundamentally undervalued” the MyProtein business. Additionally, the deal structure carried significant execution complexity and risks...but maybe the most interesting element was that Selkirk is run by a former THG board member and backed by Kelso Group, an activist investor in THG.

S4:E169 The Weekly Update and an Interview with Tim Skapek, CTO of Protect3D, a provider of custom-fabricated orthopedic devices with 3D technology. They have grown over 100% YoY and count over 60 collegiate and professional sports teams as customers. Their next market move is expansion to serve the general population. Next week Paul and I will be talking about the Southern Startup Investment Thesis with guest co-host Josh Miller. Josh is CEO of Gradient Health, a Millennial and an Angel Investor. He's going to provide his perspective on Angel investing in the South as a Millennial and how a change in the ‘Accredited Investor' definition could impact GenZ and Millennials. Then in a followup episode, we'll be profiling some of the most interesting companies from the ATDC Spring Showcase that are candidates for the RollingSouth ATDC Fund. (interview recorded 4.24.25)Follow David and Paul: https://x.com/DGRollingSouth https://x.com/PalmettoAngel Connect On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgrisell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulclarkprivateequity/ We invite your feedback and suggestions at www.ventureinthesouth.com or email david@ventureinthesouth.com. Learn more about RollingSouth at rollingsouth.vc or email david@rollingsouth.vc.

Dear Glanbia board of directors…don't be afraid to give up what's good for what's great! Glanbia Plc (LON:GLB) is a multibillion-dollar global nutrition company that's currently comprised of three divisions that span across the B2B supply chain (i.e. Health & Nutrition and Dairy Nutrition) and branded products (Performance Nutrition). “Health & Nutrition” is a leading global ingredients solutions business, providing value added ingredient and flavor solutions to a range of attractive, high-growth end markets. In the first quarter of 2025, revenue increased by 24.9% YoY. “Dairy Nutrition” is the number one producer of American-style cheddar cheese in the U.S. market, but more importantly (for my audience) the number one producer of whey protein isolate…and provides a wide range of dairy and functional protein solutions. In the first quarter of 2025, revenue increased by 18.9%. The brands in the Glanbia Performance Nutrition portfolio include; Optimum Nutrition, BSN, think!, Isopure, Amazing Grass, and SlimFast. Glanbia Performance Nutrition had first quarter 2025 revenue that declined by 6.6% YoY, driven by a volume decrease of 5.8% and a price decrease of 0.8%. Additionally, I'll dive deeper into Glanbia Performance Nutrition geographical, sales channel, product format, and categorial performance. Optimum Nutrition, which was the initial M&A transaction in 2008 that created the GPN division, now represents 66% of the total revenue. In the last year, Optimum Nutrition generated revenue of approximately $1.2 billion. Moreover, Optimum Nutrition is the number one sports nutrition brand in the world and also the top sports nutrition brand in close to 20 different countries. As part of its group-wide transformation program announced last November, that seeks to generate annual cost savings of at least $50m by 2027, leadership noted that a GPN portfolio review to ensure focus can be placed on high-growth opportunities had determined the divesture decision on its Netherlands-based direct-to-consumer ecommerce business, Body & Fit (that was acquired in 2017), and its weight management brand SlimFast (that was acquired for $350 million in 2018). Also, if you don't follow the Irish financial news cycle, you might have missed that the activist investor Clearway Capital is back again! But this time…Clearway Capital is hoping to get support from Tirlán Co-op, which is Ireland's largest, farmer-owned agri-food and nutrition business. Also, Tirlán is the largest shareholder in Glanbia. But while I couldn't get access to the exact letter sent to Tirlán, urging it to support a plan to split up Glanbia…Clearway Capital did recently address the Glanbia board of directors at its annual general meeting, requesting the global nutrition company initiate a strategic review into potential disassembly. And just like three years ago, I'm still largely aligned with those Clearway Capital statements. But the major difference surrounds our motivation as to why we've been urging Glanbia to be split up into two (or three different businesses).

This week, we detail Roku's revenue growth of 16% YoY, with the number of streaming hours growing by 5.1B hours YoY. We also highlight Roku's announcement that more than a third of streaming households in the U.S. streamed monthly from its content row in Q1, with a total of more than 125 million people every day. We detail Fubo's earnings, with North America subscribers declining 2.7% YoY to 1.47M and a net profit for the quarter of $188.5M, due to the positive impact of the Venu Sports litigation. Finally, we touch on revenue numbers tied to AWS and Harmonic, some new TikTok data, and why Nielsen's new Gauge chart tied to ad-supported streaming services is flawed and misrepresents the streaming market. Podcast produced by Security Halt Media

The charts have changed! This is not a drill, the charts have changed!   The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Remaster has rocketed into 2nd place on the charts! Proving once again what we knew all along - the world craves good RPGs! And maybe not even good RPGs, but good games in general. And what's this? Coming in the top 10 is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! Truly we live in an age of wonders! Good games coming left and right and its all thanks to Xbox.   In fact, its thanks to Xbox that PlayStation can keep the lights on, as Microsoft Gaming becomes the top publisher on the PlayStation store for the last quarter. Sony must really love getting their 30% cut from all of Microsoft's hard work. Would certainly be a shame if Xbox decided to stopped being nice and focus on their own ecosystem...   In more good news - PC Game Pass hits a 45% YoY increase! So we live to see another day of articles telling us how unsustainable or unprofitable Game Pass is. Thanks gaming media! And speaking of Game Pass, Farcry 4 gets a 60FPS patch just in time for it's Game Pass debut. Like we said - good games are coming left and right. It's becoming so hard to keep up. RIP to everyone backlog everywhere.   And we finally have Hunted the Truth when it comes to Halo 5's infamous media campaign which was nothing like the game. In a tale as old as time, the Sales & Marketing guys didn't understand what they were selling, and so sold something that didn't exist. You would have thought that with this happening 10 years ago, Microsoft and everyone else would have learnt their lesson, but it seems not.   Do you have questions about the title of this episode? Of course you do.  Lee has been playing Avowed and he's been a-wowed with it. To find out more, you'll just have to listen...   Our world famous #AprilAchievementChallenge has come to an end. But you'll have to wait until next week to hear the official stats... (Thats what we call a tease in this industry)   The next event is in June and it's all about your backlog! For more info, check out the official #Back2YourBacklog page on our website for all the info. Then join our Discord to become a member of our amazing community.   -- For previous episodes, our socials, community events, and more, visit ⭐THE XBOXCAST OFFICIAL WEBSITE ⭐

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.0:00 EU Deforestation Law Impact2:56 Corn Belt Rains4:48 GDP Contraction8:46 China PMI9:46 Ethanol Production10:50 Flash Sale

OpeningGolfJustin Thomas on improving putting.MarketsGoogleEarnings on April 24, 2025MicrosoftRevenue up 13% and Operating income up 16%. MetaRevenue up 16% YoY and operating income up 27%!3.4 billion unique users they estimate. Investment thesis: Instagram and Reels. WhatsAppAIPhysical glassesPlay at 2:05. Morning routine. Dropping F-bomb! Socially awkward. “I'm really smooth!”  Does wonders for confidence!!  

Capital One is looking at ways to expand the use of AI-based agents on the heels of launching its agentic AI-based tool, Chat Concierge, earlier this year.Chat Concierge answers customer queries and can help with tasks such as comparing available vehicles and exploring financing options online before consumers head to a dealership.  In building its tech stack, Capital One reviewed how consumers use AI-based tools, the types of questions they ask, and how digital communication can be used to drive customers into the dealership, Annie Fallows, head of the bank's dealer-facing Navigator Platform, told Auto Finance News. Navigator Platform, launched in 2023, allows dealers to access information such as inventory searches and pre-qualification to provide more accurate financing offers to customers. “We made an intentional choice that we wanted to lead with being helpful versus lead with immediately trying to collect [a customer's] name and contact info,” she said. “Our dealers are able to take all that information about what's happened on the chat to pick up in store and get to that car sale that everyone is working for. This is just the beginning of the journey.” The bank is reviewing ways to improve Chat Concierge and apply it to other operations both internally and externally, Fallows said, “whether that's making our associates more effective [or] looking at additional places in the dealer process that would benefit from this type of interaction.  “We're at the beginning of a new journey, and it starts with making sure that our models and our technology are working the way that they're intended and providing high-quality interactions.” Capital One's auto originations rose 22.4% year over year in the first quarter to $9.2 billion, while the bank's auto book ticked up 5.2% YoY to $77.7 billion, according to the bank's April 22 earnings supplement. During this special episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” podcast, Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris and Capital One's Fallows discuss the latest trends in customer experience, dealer relations and technology. 

James Cameron-Wilson says UK box office is up 83% YoY. He recommends three films in the chart. Ryan Coogler's Sinners at #2 is an outstanding piece of filmmaking which defies caegorisation but brings to mind Tarantino. It's a powerful, sensual and immersive experience that stays with you. #3 The Penguin Lessons isn't the feelgood family film you might expect but a wise, charming and funny political thriller starring Steve Coogan set in 1970s Argentina. At #5 Alex Gardland's Warfare aims to be the most realistic war film ever and succeeds. It's a terrific film but harrowing. On Amazon Prime Holland, with Nicole Kidman, tries to be a comedic black thriller like Fargo but doesn't quite work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Don't you love the smell of a corporate takeover right after legacy brand portfolios experience cycles of weakness? On April 16, the board of directors of Science in Sport released a statement that confirmed it had received a possible takeover offer from the private equity firm bd-capital. Moreover, it noted that discussions were at an advanced stage…but there could be no certainty that a firm offer (with acceptable terms) will be made. But then about 24 hours after the takeover interest emerged, the legacy sports nutrition brand portfolio announced that it reached agreement on the terms of an all-cash acquisition by bd-capital. But while Science in Sport and PhD Nutrition are still two highly regarded supplement brands, the relentless pursuit of top line growth, during primarily the “Great Shutdown” era, led to some poor historic strategic decisions and an inflated operating structure. So, in the latter portion of 2023, Science in Sport established a new leadership team, performed a full business review, and reset strategic focus. And while these tough strategic decisions provided a more stable platform for future growth, and Science in Sport saw both operational and financial performance improvements…revenue did decline 17.5% YoY to around $69 million in 2024. And based on the Science in Sport Plc closing share price on April 15, the takeover offer by bd-capital represented a 24% premium…valuing the company at about $109 million. But while revenue and EDITDA multiples are a bit wonky, I'd suggest judging the purchase price beyond a set of financial metrics. Firstly, Science in Sport isn't the typical supplement company found everywhere within the U.S. market that deploys an “asset light business model” and essentially is a marketing company. In fact, three years ago, Science in Sport invested ~$10 million to build a state-of-the-art consolidated manufacturing and logistics hub. Next, the private equity firm had closely followed Science in Sport for several years…and believed the declining revenue period presented an opportunity to acquire two strongly positioned sports nutrition brands. And since Science in Sport is within the early stage of a strategic reset, bd-capital likely established enough confidence in early turnaround indicators, that along with its operator-led investment model, sector-specific expertise to support the development of the business (it also owns Symprove and Bonusan), and access to additional capital…could unlock growth potential over a reasonable timeframe. But then, the final portion on my latest first principles content will predict how bd-capital will unlock this next phase of Science in Sport Plc growth potential? And this includes the taking full advantage of the growing endurance nutrition niche of the supplement industry, geographical expansion, and omnichannel footprint expansion. Lastly, I'm fully aware that this corporate takeover isn't the largest, but at just over the $100M mark…it arguably represents a more typical exit event size (especially for a legacy sports nutrition brand portfolio that doesn't generate the bulk of its sales activity from functional foods and/or functional beverages). Unfortunately, the recent collection of billion-dollar M&A transactions, that involved brands that were incubated within the supplement industry, has started to wrongfully set an expectation of what success looks like. So, while those M&A transactions should be applauded…don't miss other categorical learning opportunities (like this one) by only obsessing over outliers.

If you remember from about two weeks ago…within the opening portion of another content piece about the specialty retail brand, I stated that “while we patiently wait for the approved chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring proposal involving Franchise Group, which is the portfolio company that owns The Vitamin Shoppe.” And I recognized that a big announcement would be coming soon because I've closely watched the court proceedings, which was a promise I made to my audience within that original Franchise Group Chapter 11 bankruptcy from more than six months ago. Moreover, at the very end of that November 2024 content, I mentioned that "while it's highly-unlikely…The Vitamin Shoppe could be owned by a group that isn't the current debt holders. And if that happens…well, this content series will get a whole lot more interesting!" But here we are! On April 16, 2025, Kingswood Capital Management and Performance Investment Partners announced that they had collectively entered into a definitive agreement to acquire The Vitamin Shoppe from Franchise Group. And subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close later within this current quarter. But I already know what everyone is going to think next…how much? Well…along with assuming liabilities, the private equity firms will make a cash payment of $193.5 million to purchase the assets of The Vitamin Shoppe. But after learning that information…you might be thinking, isn't that acquisition price quite low for a specialty retail brand that was generating over a billion dollars in revenue, reporting YoY growth, and achieving operational profitability in the trailing twelve months before the May 2023 Franchise Group management buyout? If I had all the updated financial information, I could answer definitively…but compared to the revenue or EBITDA multiples of CPG brands that you usually hear me breakdown, retail trade businesses are much lower. Yet, we can assume the private equity firms involved got a great deal, especially because of the Franchise Group bankruptcy situation. Though, if The Vitamin Shoppe was never off-limits, and the Franchise Group were always looking to make deals…why not sell it before the bankruptcy filing (you know) when you arguably have more leverage to increase the potential purchase price? Well…as we've learned through this bankruptcy process, Franchise Group did indeed gauge market interest and initiated a broad search for any potential buyers in connection with a potential sale of The Vitamin Shoppe on a few occasions, but no actionable proposals were received. And before I dive into any of my strategic commentary or predictions, it's probably contextually relevant to understand the asset purchase agreement stated that The Vitamin Shoppe was currently not growing revenue and failing to meet the Franchise Group profitability targets. So, this is not a specialty retailer that was thriving (or obviously in a place of strength) heading into a challenging consumer spending year…within a category reverting back to growth rates seen prior to the “Great Shutdown” era. But for the final part of my latest first principles thinking content, I'll analyze how the new ownership potentially impacts The Vitamin Shoppe. Also, I'll look for any established patterns of action within the private equity buyers...like when Kingswood Capital Management acquired G Fuel in 2023, it replaced the CEO. And that's exactly what it will officially do when The Vitamin Shoppe transaction closes...bringing back the previous CEO Sharon Leite.

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.

What do you call the beverage category that includes Olipop and Poppi? Gut health beverages, prebiotic drinks, functional soda, or do you have something more creative? To be completely honest, that lack of naming clarity might be the biggest problem this beverage category is experiencing right now…which means life is pretty darn good (especially for those beforementioned market share leaders that are still doubling retail sales YoY). But who do you call when you have a problem [clip]? No, not them…how about Walmart! Well…the mass retailer recently announced the introduction of its newest category designation called Modern Soda. While this merchandising set will predominately feature modern soda brands already sold at Walmart, the centralized location will draw more attention to healthy alternatives with refreshed marketing approaches that appeal more with younger consumers.

OpeningAppreciation for life and feeling good.Punta Mita. W. Golf Masters: Rory completed a career grand slam.Men's Golf Career Grand Slam WinnersJeff Bezos Blue Origin sends women to spaceMarketsPeople are freaking, but is it that bad? NO!!NetflixWas at a $1058. After market $10063 years ago in June was $170!!!  Almost a 6x return!!!Revenue up 12.5% YoY. I like at least 10%. Greg says will double Ad-tier revenue in 2025 (big statement). Price targets:Wedbush $1150JP $1025Morgan Stanley $1150Tesla$776b market cap. $240 stock price. Was $428. Biggest news coming is Cybercab in June in Austin…just wait.  Sales:Tesla's Market Leadership:Tesla sold approximately 128,100 EVs in the U.S. during Q1 2025, outperforming the combined sales of the next 10 EV brands. Teslas Super Charger in LA. Two 45 ft screens.Giga Texas production now uses FSD Unsupervised to deliver cars from end of line to the outbound logistics lot. Over 50,000 driverless miles have been accrued between California and Texas factories so far.NEWS: Five years after debuting Indiana's first @Tesla police car, the Bargersville Police Department says it has saved them nearly $500,000 in maintenance and repairs.Joe Rogan now tweeting about Tesla: I had my Tesla model S drive me home the other day with FSD, and it's fucking wild. Changes lanes to avoid slow traffic, stops at red lights and stop signs, hits the blinkers and turns for you. It's bananas.My FSD works great!!!NvidiaBlog on $500b investment and building in ArizonaWalmart & Amazon - Drone DeliveryUniversitiesColumbia University:With an endowment of $14.8 billionHarvard University:With an endowment of $53 billion.Govt Govt TransparencyThe Washington Times claimed that Trump's nearly 100 questions answered in three 2025 cabinet meetings is nearly 20 times the number answered by Biden during cabinet meetings over his entire four-year termDOGE24.5k people over 115 years old claimed $59M in benefits28k people between 1 and 5 years old claimed $254M in benefits9.7k people with birth dates over 15 years in the future claimed RecommendationsBrecka on Joe Rogan: Den of Thieves on Netflix. White LotusPlay guitar! 

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1020: We're breaking down retail sales insights for March (not just auto) driven by pre-tariff buying sprees as we dive into data from Cars Commerce's latest Q1 report. We also talk about a household brand that helps people build things, diving into helping them be more engaged gamers. Show Notes with links:Market data is in for March and it was the 6th highest March for new car sales since 1976 largely driven by pre-tariff buying. Our friends at Cars Commerce is making these insights available for free in their Q1 Industry Insights ReportMarch sales grew 11% YoY, pushing the Q1 average up 4.8% YoY despite January and February being up only 1%Average new-car prices hold steady at ~$49,000 for the last 18 months which is holding at 30% higher than pre-pandemic levels.Trade-in values are expected to rise in the coming months, fueled by anticipated increases in new-car prices driven by tariffs.$30-$49K cars are now the fastest growing segment as tariffs threaten sub-$30K Inventory89% of sub-30k vehicles are made outside the USOnly the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and the soon to be discontinued Chevy Malibu are made in the USTesla and non-Tesla EV search intensity is trending toward parity for the first time as Tesla searches dropped 11% YoYRetail sales made a strong rebound in March, rising 1.4% from February to $734.9 billion, with automotive leading the pack. But inflation fears and consumer sentiment paint a more complex picture for future spending.Retail sales jumped 4.6% year over year, with a sharp March rebound after February's weak 0.2% gain.Auto and parts dealers led the way, up 5.3%, tightening new and used vehicle inventories.Inflation dropped for the first time since May 2020, but tariffs threaten future price hikes.Consumer sentiment fell 11% in April to 50.8, the fourth straight monthly decline.“The consumer is not feeling great given the confusion of policy announcements from Washington,” said NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz.Lowe's is embedding itself directly into the sports gaming world through EA Sports titles as the home improvement giant targets younger, gaming-savvy audiences where they already spend time.Lowe's branding will appear in games like Madden, College Football 26, and EA Sports FC.A “Stadium Pulse” feature will showcase Lowe's during intense in-game moments.Players can earn in-game perks tied to MyLowe's Rewards in future Ultimate Team challenges.eMarketer found that interstitial ads, or full-screen advertisements displayed during natural breaks in a user's experience — such as between levels in a game — are often skipped by gamers, but opt-in video ads “that offer an incentive to click, like an in-game reward, can succeed, but it depends on how valuable the reward is.”Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

During Episode 25 of Biotalk, Geoff Meyerson, CEO of Locust Walk, unpacks our 2025 Q1 Report: Global Trends in Biopharma Transactions Report, covering capital markets, strategic deals, and regional trends. Market Overview: The XBI fell 14% YoY, underperforming the NBI. Biotech weakness stemmed from tariff fears, FDA turnover, and HHS layoffs—pressuring small caps. Capital Markets: Capital raised dropped 33% from Q4. IPOs briefly reopened—large caps gained, small caps declined. Follow-ons fell 60%. PIPEs were weak, except Immunovant's $450M. Venture: Slight dip from Q4 but ahead of all 2023 quarters. Late-stage rounds led, with 11 mega-rounds (Eikon $351M, Kardigan $300M) making up over half the total. M&A & Licensing: M&A hit $25.2B across 13 deals, focused on Ph2+ assets (e.g., J&J/Intra-Cellular). Licensing stayed strong, favoring clinical-stage programs. Europe: Strategic deal value reached $13B, led by Zealand-Roche and Gubra-AbbVie. Venture hit $1.2B—90% in Series A rounds like Verdiva ($411M) and Windward ($200M). Outlook: Regulatory uncertainty and rates may delay M&A, though late-stage and commercial deals could gain momentum. Listen now to gain insights into the evolving biopharma landscape, explore our report, and we welcome the opportunity to discuss its contents with you.

Quest Chips are getting called up to the Big League…and that should make established players like Doritos nervous! In this latest episode, I'll utilize the Q2 2025 Simply Good Foods Company (NASDAQ: SMPL) earnings report, earnings call, and supplemental presentations that were filed on 4/9/2025 as the backdrop to provide broad nutritional snacking market insights. In fiscal Q2 2025, Atkins Nutritionals brand dragged down the overall portfolio performance, as Quest Nutrition beat categorical competitors in tracked channel retail takeaway (up 13% YoY). What's at the heart of the Quest Nutrition success? Quest Nutrition is still known for the original Quest Bar. And that means the company needs the bar business to be healthy for any of this innovation risk to make sense. But Quest Nutrition has proven it's one of the few brands that can successfully extend across multiple product forms...and its customer base expects them to come into an indulgent snacking category and flip it into great tasting (high protein, low sugar) offerings. The snacks segment of Quest Nutrition, which now accounts for half of all retail sales...and if we analyze one layer deeper, the salty side of the Quest snacks segment had quarterly retail takeaway growth of about 45%. The Quest Nutrition salty snacks platform now represents about 35% of the total Quest Nutrition net sales and provide a substantial share of new users to the brand. And I've been a broken record when it comes to stating that salty snacks are where the excitement (and focus) should be placed within Quest Nutrition, as the platform generates over $300 million in retail sales. And while that's super impressive…I believe there's a realistic path to doubling retail sales over the near-term. How? The single most important piece of this strategic growth playbook will revolve around expanding physical availability of the Quest salty snacks platform. So, utilizing its “categorical leadership” for leverage, Quest Nutrition has made “increasing the physical availability” of products a significant initiative within the organization…and recently landed a Quest chips mainline snacking aisle test within a large mass retailer. And if proven successful, I believe it would create a massive “snowball effect” that leads to increased display support, merchandising everywhere, and even new sales channel penetration. Also, I run through what's causing the weak brand performance at Atkins and explain actions the company is taking to change it…especially against the backdrop of GLP-1 weight loss solutions. In my opinion, you're going to see weight management brands like Atkins (and others) get repositioned on the right side of GLP-1 second-order effects through both product innovation (e.g. Atkins strong)...but most of the “innovation” will come in the targeted communication marketing strategies. Finally, OWYN had quarterly retail takeaway growth of 52% YoY...coming from a balance of distribution gains and velocity growth. Moreover, OWYN has significantly accelerated performance across all major sales channels (including ecommerce) and all key retail customers.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger PictureCEO Jamie Dimon is calling it, recession is coming. We are already in a recession, Trump will pull us out of it. Ds trying to stop Trump's tariffs. Countries ready to negotiate, Trump pauses tariffs for those countries. China and the EU fight back with reciprocal tariffs, this will not end well for them. Trump main target is the Fed. The [DS] is still trying to use judges to stop Trump's agenda, in the end this will fail. They are trying to use judges in the correct jurisdiction. Trump has set the timeline for the [DS] treasonous acts. Trump will show how the [DS] committed treasonous against the US. In the end Trump will have the final move, checkmate.   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1909947842845614115   https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/1909935573772738708 Schumer: We Want to Take Tariff Authority from Trump We Allowed Biden to Have Because Trump's ‘Going So Overboard'  Chuck Schumer (D-NY) r  “Congress has always had the power to deal with tariffs, and we've always had these fights in the past on some of the tariff issues as well. But now that Trump is going so overboard, Congress can, has every legal authority to take those powers back, and that's what we aim to do.”  Source: breitbart.com https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1909961646929301808 China is the Auto Capital of the World  China is the world's largest car producer and exporter. A little-known fact is that China first became the world's largest car exporter back in 2023, with low-cost EV companies BYD and Chery in the spotlight. The nation's auto sector has been steadily expanding since then, with Chinese brands reaching an all-time high of 69.4% of domestic passenger vehicle market share in Q1 2025. Overall, China exported 5.86 million vehicles in 2024, a 19.3% annual increase. Mexico, Russia, Brazil, and the UAE were the top buyers. China sold 4.96 million passenger vehicles (19.7% YoY increase), 900,000 commercial vehicles (17.5% YoY increase), and 1.28 million new energy vehicles, as well as 987,000 battery-electric vehicles. Japan is the world's second-largest car exporter, exporting 4.22 million vehicles in 2024. This marked a -4.5% decline from 2023. Toyota remains Japan's leading vehicle, accounting for $312.28 billion in revenue and 830,048 million vehicles. Germany is holding onto third place in auto exports. In 2024, Germany exported 3.4 million passenger cars, marking a 2.5% annual increase. Around 25.9% of all vehicles exported from Germany last year were electric. Volkswagen Group remains Germany's star, generating $354.86 billion in revenue for the year. Source: armstrongeconomics.com Scott Bessent Reminds China They Need Access To US Market Far More Than America Needs Access To Their Economy Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that China's decision to retaliate against President Donald Trump's tariffs will ultimately backfire. China announced it is raising tariffs on American goods from 34% to 84% in response to Trump hiking tariffs on Chinese goods from 54% to 104%,   Bessent  thats because China exports far more to the U.S. than it imports, it has more to lose in a trade war. China exported $438.9 billion worth of goods to the United States in 2024 while the U.S. exported $143.5 billion to China, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Consumer spending in America makes up nearly 70% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

S4:E165 David opens withThe Weekly Update and then interviews Josh Miller, CEO of Gradient Health a data provider for medical AI. It's timely because Gradient Health has been growing revenue and customers over 100% YoY for several years and will soon reach profitability (again) in an era when AI has become the capital incinerator extraordinaire. I talk a lot about the AI Bubble on this pod and how so many big AI startups are not sustainable, so I wanted to flip the conversation to a positive perspective and talk about a type of AI startup that is sustainable and has a clear path to profitability and thus to liquidity. After all, that's what this show is about, informing founders, operators and investors about both the pitfalls and the opportunities of the innovation economy. (interview recorded 4.3.25)Follow David on LinkedIn or reach out to David on Twitter/X @DGRollingSouth for comments. Follow Paul on LinkedIn or reach out to Paul on Twitter/X @PalmettoAngel We invite your feedback and suggestions at www.ventureinthesouth.com or email david@ventureinthesouth.com. Learn more about RollingSouth at rollingsouth.vc or email david@rollingsouth.vc.

I don't need to explain to you how biologically imperative it is to stay hydrated, but despite that undeniable fact…us older generations somehow managed to not only survive but thrive without our beloved “emotional support water bottles.” But these reusable water bottles are more than a creature comfort…becoming a canvas for self-expression and personal statements of style among the newest generations. Though, like other status symbols…water bottles come with trends that fluctuate, with a new coveted “it” option rising above the rest every few years. But while I'm hardly a cultural expert on trendy water bottles, I can remember the first water bottle to be perhaps equated with a lifestyle was Nalgene. Next, everyone was carrying around a CamelBak water bottles. Then, a cluster of “trendy” insulated stainless steel bottles from brands like YETI, S'well, and Hydro Flask. As we passed into the current decade, Simple Modern really took control…along with the Stanley tumbler phenomenon . And then currently, I'd probably say the must-have water bottles are either Owala or Ello Cooper. Regardless, the constantly evolving landscape makes one thing clear…water bottle trends are firmly entrenched within our culture, reflecting a society that continually seeks to define itself. But has anyone considered how (beyond water bottle brand choice) further expressions of identity have been evolving from “what adorns the outside” to “what contents are inside”? In the age of TikTok, sharing creative use occasions of your wellness concoctions can be a vehicle to translate niche health trends and a reliable virality path. And in today's world, there are as many “powdered wellness supplements” as there are personalities, and your choices can say a lot about you. To go one step further…these (basically) aspirational mixtures have become (like water bottles) a symbol of status, representing flavor taste, lifestyle taste, and identity by association. But while the synergy between trendy water bottles and powdered hydration supplements might seem obvious, Simple Modern did something unusual when it recently launched TREVI hydration. But why are “stick pack electrolyte drinks” bringing all the boys to the yard? According to recent last 52-week retail data from Circana, dollar sales within the stick pack hydration drink mix category surpassed $1.5 billion (and grew around 20% YoY). And if you consider the various untracked sales channels like ecommerce, that total categorical market size would increase substantially…making it arguably one of the most intriguing functional beverage subcategories. But all this recent fragmented commercialization activity is possible because Liquid IV took one giant leap forward in democratizing the hydration category. In fact, without the “Liquid I.V. Effect” starting to take meaningful shape maybe 6-7 years ago, Simple Modern would not have a viable (let alone lucrative) marketplace to position TREVI hydration as a product for “everyday life.” Though, despite the strong effort by Simple Modern, I just don't believe we will see many more popular drinkware brands jumping into powdered wellness supplements (at least in the same manner of leveraging the drinkware brand equity). But when you understand that the entire supplement industry has mostly a “sea of sameness” composition…there's a chance that differentiation (and defensibility) could be derived from having a unique delivery system (and/or bottle form factor) like Cirkul or Gatorade Gx bottles.

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1007: Consumers hit showrooms ahead of tariff hikes, juicing March sales and making record months and Q1s. Dealers like Rhett Ricart and Zac Kinch fielded a flood of buyers with questions and Amazon dropped Nova Act—an AI agent that shops, browses, and books like a pro.Spurred by tariff fear, consumers flooded showrooms in late March, giving the U.S. auto market a surge just in time for Q1 closings. The urgency sparked record performances for brands and sent retail sales soaring.Ford was up 19%, with Hyundai (+15%) and Kia (+25%) posting their best ever March and Q1. GM posted a 17% Q1 jump, with Buick leading at +39%.Inventory shortages, especially in hybrids, are expected in Q2 as a result of early Q1 pull-forwards.The average March retail price hit $44,849, up $637 YoY.Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai and Genesis North America: “It's probably the best weekend that I've seen since Cash for Clunkers… Lots of people rushed in this weekend, especially, to try and beat the tariffs.”The looming reality of sweeping import tariffs sent ripple effects through the auto retail landscape over the weekend, as dealers fielded a surge of questions and customer visits. While many came to buy, others came simply to understand what's coming.Dealers are racing to educate consumers: inventory levels ticked up as brands rushed vehicles into the U.S. before the deadline.The Trump administration's 25% import tariff is set to hit over 7 million vehicles starting April 3.Automakers are taking a mixed approach to pricing ahead of the tariffs—some, like BMW, are temporarily holding prices steady on imported models, while others are reducing incentives despite rising inventory, anticipating that tariffs will naturally drive prices higher. Rhett Ricart, CEO, Ricart Automotive Group said “One out of four of the people who called in were talking about tariffs—‘Does this car have a tariff on it? A Hyundai? A Kia? A Nissan?' That's what they wanted to know about.”Zac Kinch, GM, Bob Rohrman Toyota said “This is gonna be, ‘Learn and fly by the seat of our pants'... I think the auto industry is going to have to figure it out.”Amazon is diving deeper into AI with Nova Act, a semi-autonomous agent designed to operate both online and in the real world. With capabilities like browsing, shopping, and task execution, Nova Act is aiming to be your new digital helper.Nova Act can complete tasks like finding rentals, placing orders, or filling out forms.Nova Act SDK lets developers build bots for hotel bookings, food orders, and more.It comes in text-generation tiers (Micro, Lite, Pro) and supports image (Canvas) and video (Reel) creation.“Nova.amazon.com puts the power of Amazon's frontier intelligence into the hands of every developer,” said Rohit Prasad, SVP of Amazon AGI.Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, sHosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle MountsierGet the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/ Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The old Federal Reserve system is imploding. The [CB] are in trouble. Trump is now putting all the pieces in place and he is dismantling the Federal Reserve System. Trump is continually added more pieces to the puzzle to remove the people from the system and create a new system that will fund the government. The [DS] is in a panic today, Pam Bondi continually threatened the [DS] with the Epstein client list and she was able to expose the sleepers in NY Fed office. Kash and Pam are now investigating. We are in an information war and this was a test to see what ammunition the [DS] has. Phase I complete of Epstein release, moving to the next phase.   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy Initial Unemployment Claims Spike by 22,000 Not DOGE Related Unemployment claims jumped but it's not Federal in nature.   In the week ending February 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 242,000, an increase of 22,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 219,000 to 220,000. The 4-week moving average was 224,000, an increase of 8,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 215,250 to 215,500. Initial Claims and 4-Week Average DOGE, Random, or Something Else? The Department of Labor data rules out DOGE. Source: mishtalk.com US Pending Home Sales Collapse To Record Lows Pending home sales tumbled 4.6% MoM in January (after dropping 4.2% MoM in December), dramatically worse than the 0.9% MoM decline expected and dragging YoY sales down 5.2%... Source: Bloomberg This drop pushed pending home sales index to its all-time lows...   Contract signings tumbled 9.2% in the South - the biggest home-selling region in the country - parts of which experienced historic snowfall. That marked the biggest drop since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Worse still, home prices continue to rise and squeeze would-be buyers. c Source: zerohedge.com Eli Lilly Announces Plan To Invest $27 Billion In America Amid Trump Tariff Threats Eli Lilly announced that it plans to more than double its U.S. manufacturing investment this year to $50 billion as President Trump threatens to place tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. The drug giant plans to begin building four domestic manufacturing locations in 2025 and add 13,000 high-wage manufacturing and construction jobs, according to a press release. The company claimed the plans account for the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing investment in U.S. history.