These are, in fact, just shoes (Rolf Vennenbernd/Getty Images)

Body and sole

Birkenstocks are not works of art, court rules

But the company’s revenue chart paints a pretty picture, as sales rose again in Q1.

2/21/25 11:03AM

Some controversial “ugly” shoes are making strides in the comfort over style space. UGGs are back in fashion, with the TikTok-viral Tasman slippers routinely selling out, and just last week, Crocs switched back into sports mode, with its stock surging 24% after a sales bump.

But it’s Birkenstock, the centuries-old shoemaker known for its buckled sandals and Boston clogs, that’s now making headlines. On Thursday, Germany’s top court ruled that Birkenstock’s distinct orthopedic designs are not, despite the company’s best arguments, works of art.

The ruling culminates a long legal battle, with Birkenstock first attempting to gain copyright protections to prevent copycat brands from selling similar products back in May 2023. Still, the court said that the shoes exhibited “pure craftsmanship using formal design elements” — and a glowing quarterly earnings report, also released yesterday, suggests that a growing number of sandal enthusiasts agree.

Buckle up

Birkenstock’s revenue was up 19% year on year to €362 million ($379 million) in Q1 FY25, beating expectations off the back of a strong holiday period; however, the company’s shares dipped yesterday and are down a further 2% this morning, as investors remain cautious about the cost of the brand’s aggressive expansion plan into the Asian market squeezing annual margins.

Still, if the past decade is anything to go by, the Birkenstock boom will march forward. Indeed, in 2024, Birkenstock’s revenue grew 21%, boosted by its high-end 1774 category that featured collaborations with designers like Manolo Blahnik and Rick Owens, along with a hot pink cameo in “Barbie” (2023).

J. Edward Moreno

2/10/26

Hims built a boundary-pushing health business. Now the legal risks are catching up.

Hims is close to trading as if it never began selling GLP-1s.

Nate Becker2/7/26

Hims to stop offering copy of Wegovy pill following FDA scrutiny

Hims & Hers said it has decided to stop offering its newly launched copycat version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill, after the telehealth company drew criticism from the Food and Drug Administration.

“Since launching the compounded semaglutide pill on our platform, we’ve had constructive conversations with stakeholders across the industry. As a result, we have decided to stop offering access to this treatment,” Hims wrote on X.

Shares of Hims are down double digits in premarket trading on Monday, while Novo Nordisk ADRs are up more than 6% as of 5:20 a.m. ET.

On Friday afternoon, the FDA said it would take “decisive steps” to restrict GLP-1 compounding. Department of Health and Human Services General Counsel Mike Stuart said on social media Friday he had referred Hims to the Department of Justice “for investigation for potential violations by Hims of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and applicable Title 18 provisions.”

Hims launched the product last week, a seeming copy of a recently released and patented drug, which immediately drew fire from Novo Nordisk and regulators.

Hims & Hers Comms on X

Shares of Hims are down double digits in premarket trading on Monday, while Novo Nordisk ADRs are up more than 6% as of 5:20 a.m. ET.

Hims launched the product last week, a seeming copy of a recently released and patented drug, which immediately drew fire from Novo Nordisk and regulators.

Hims, long flying under regulators’ radar, finally strikes a nerve with its Wegovy pill copy

It’s unclear if the pill Hims is selling works or if the FDA will allow it.

J. Edward Moreno2/6/26

$1.3M

Max Knoblauch2/6/26

There’s still plenty of money to be made in brainrot. The top 1,000 Roblox creators earned an average of $1.3 million in 2025 — up 50% from the year prior — according to CEO Dave Baszucki on the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call.

Roblox paid out $1.5 billion to creators last year, meaning its top 1,000 creators took home about 87% of the total pool.

Like other creator economy giants, Roblox rewards its biggest creators for their contributions to user engagement. Creator-made titles like “Grow a Garden” and “Steal a Brainrot” substantially boosted playing time over the course of the year. In September, the company increased its developer exchange rate, or the ratio of in-game currency to cash payout, by 8.5%.

Texas Governor Abbott And Google Make Economic Development Announcement In Midlothian

Alphabet could buy some pretty huge businesses with the amount of money it plans to spend this year

AI outlays have gone full nut-nut. Even Google, one of the most capital-efficient businesses of all time in its heyday, is spending like there’s no tomorrow.

Tom Jones2/6/26