__Red pill or blue pill, Nio?...__ This six-year-old luxury EV maker is on both. __[Nio](https://robinhood.com/stocks/NIO)__, sometimes called "the Tesla of China," has been on a wild ride this year. Kicking off 2020, Nio had a bad rap as a cash-bleeder: 

- __Red pill:__ In December 2019, Nio stock had plunged more than 70% since going public in 2018. The company had lost $6B since its launch and was almost out of cash. Now...
- __Blue pill:__ *Nio stock has soared ~700%* since April 29, when it got a $1B cash injection from Chinese government-backed investors.
- __New pill:__ The stock is up 30% this week thanks to analyst [upgrades](https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/15/investing/nio-stock-intl-hnk/index.html) on "strong order backlogs" and growth momentum.

__Not quite Musky...__ Unlike Tesla, which recently [reported](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/6511HaDUMXpAxjp2bEBL6w/articles/30QY0VGpvgwP9J9BKSTkLB) four-straight profitable quarters, Nio has never notched a profit. In 2019, it delivered just [~20K](https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2020/10/14/should-you-pick-nio-over-tesla/#31a28b0e767b) cars compared to Tesla's ~367K.  But Nio has a cool differentiator:

- __Battery Swapping:__ Nio's Battery-as-a-Service lets you swap your EV battery for a freshly charged one at one of its 130+ stations (instead of waiting for it to juice up).
- __The subscription costs ~$145/month,__ but you get $10K off the price of the actual car (since the battery is the most expensive part).  


Swap

__The lifestyle brand factor is a huge part of it...__ Like Tesla, Nio has built a cult following. Before it ever sold a car, it spent millions on cranking out Nio hats and merch. It also created "Nio Houses," sleek showroom-clubhouses for Nio owners to chill in.  Nio and Tesla have both grown by fueling deep brand love. 


Nio stock has surged, but we’re more interested in its battery subscription

__Eat, sleep number, repeat...__ OG mattress company __[Sleep Number](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SNBR)__ just woke from a deep slumber. Sleep's quarterly profit nearly doubled from last year, and sales popped 12% as we all worked from bed. The stock soared yesterday on the news. But this is really a Health & Wellness story...

- __If you can track it, you can techify it.__ Sleep Number shifted to selling *only* snooze-tracking Smart Beds in 2018 and has been making a wellness play since. 
- __Sounds familiar.__ D2C mattress company __[Casper](https://robinhood.com/stocks/CSPR)__ called sleep the “3rd pillar of wellness” after nutrition and fitness. 
- __The OG is beating the newbie.__ Sleep Number is way ahead of millennial-friendly Casper on snooze-tech, and its stock is beating Casper's this year, too. 

__"Life-changing"...__ How Sleep's CEO [describes](https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2020/10/14/sleep-number-corp-snbr-q3-2020-earnings-call-trans/) the 360 Smart Beds. She says they've "improved nearly 13 million lives and counting" (that's deep). These beds make sure your Zzzs get on the WiFi:

- __Tracking:__ The bed tracks your heart rate, breathing, and sleep/wake cycles, stalking your every movement.
- __Temperature control:__ The bed creates your "personal microclimate," balancing surface temp while warming your feet. 
- __SleepIQ Score:__ You get  a SleepIQ score along with a monthly in-app wellness report (70 to 100 = siesta master).


_When your Sleep Number Score is worse than your ACT score_

Snooze

__Sleep Number embodies the Power of the Pivot...__  After going full-smart-bed in 2018, Sleep Number completed its transformation from declining old mattress company to techy growing "wellness" company. That's helped it [notch](https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2020/10/15/sleep-number-shares-surge-after-third-quarter.html) double-digit demand growth for the past three years.  


The power of the pivot: Sleep Number thrives on techy WiFi Smart Beds 

Dow Jones

S&P 500

Nasdaq

Bitcoin

🚗  Nio's EV battery subscription

__In the criminal chicken world...__ everyone has a bone to pick. __[Pilgrim's Pride](https://robinhood.com/stocks/PPC)__, the US' 2nd largest chicken processor, has [reached](https://www.wsj.com/articles/pilgrim-s-pride-reaches-plea-agreement-with-justice-department-on-chicken-price-fixing-allegations-11602649655) a plea deal with the DoJ on poultry price-fixing charges. It'll have to pay a $110M fine, and is expected to plead guilty. Price fixing: an (illegal) agreement among competitors that raises or lowers prices to their benefit. 

- __Example:__ If one toilet paper company charges $5/roll, we'll buy from a cheaper company (and the pricier one loses). If *every TP maker* decides to charge $5/roll, we have no choice (and the TP kings make bank).
- __Eggs-ample:__ That's basically what Pilgrim and other companies allegedly did with chicken, pushing up prices for chains like Popeyes, __[Walmart](https://robinhood.com/stocks/WMT)__, and other buyers (including us).

__That's clucked up...__ Right. And it's bigger than just Pilgrim's. From 2012 to 2019, multiple US chicken companies (including nugget legend __[Tyson](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TSN)__) allegedly coordinated to suppress competition. The DoJ says that chicken salespeople were calling each other across companies to talk price. Hypothetical eg: *"Hey Bob, with KFC we're going no less than 5 cents/wing, right?"*

_Can I fix you some chicken?_

Cluck

__This relates to Big Techies...__ Big Tech companies have been getting major heat from regulators over anti-competitive practices. The difference with tech staples like __[Amazon](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AMZN)__ and __[Facebook](https://robinhood.com/stocks/FB)__ is that they don't need to be in cahoots, because the competition basically doesn't exist.

This big chicken price-fixing scandal means a $110M fine for Pilgrim's Pride

__Don't ask for the AUX cord in this one...__ Uber Freight connects drivers (of massive semi-trucks) with high-volume riders (kegs of Heineken or your new furniture). In Silicon Valley speak, it's "the Uber of Logistics" — literally. Last year, __[Uber](https://robinhood.com/stocks/UBER)__ said Freight was its fastest-growing business. It looks like that momentum is still rolling...

- __$3.3B:__ How much Uber Freight is worth after [raising](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/02/uber-freight-raises-500-million-valuation-rises-to-3point3-billion.html) $500M this month. PE firm __Greenbriar Equity__ brought the cash, but Uber keeps majority ownership.
- __65K:__ How many carriers Freight [has](https://www.geekwire.com/2020/convoy-rival-uber-freight-raises-500m-valuing-trucking-logistics-business-3-3b/) in its network since launching in 2017. They work with big shippers like Bud-maker __[AB InBev](https://robinhood.com/stocks/BUD)__ and __[Nestle](https://robinhood.com/stocks/NSRGY)__.
- __+11.1%:__ How much job postings in __Indeed__'s driving category (including trucking) are [up](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-markets-53c4a248-4e4e-4246-be38-c9e1a4082f4b.html?chunk=2&utm_term=twsocialshare#story2) since the start of February. 

__Not a truckload of options...__ Trucking is generally inflexible and expensive — companies need contracts and lead-time to make their shipments. With delivery booming during the pandemic, retailers have been struggling to expand their trucking operations quickly enough. Uber Freight makes that easier and faster (#techify): gig drivers can literally [book](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHbm6YDOW_Y) a load and get paid right in the app.


Truckload

__Freight is Uber's dark horse...__ to offset losses and grow outside the complicated world of ride-hail. Uber's Ride bookings [plunged](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/3Gv0VpT4uNg7cUzDCeIsgl/articles/7guRHFjUJ23HYwesJ8IzAq) 73% last quarter on germ-avoidance and "everything is closed, anyway" syndrome. Now if Prop 22 doesn't pass in California, rides will [suffer](https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-lyft-have-a-lot-riding-on-election-day-11602586800) even more. Logistics is a pandemic-friendly bet. 

Uber bets on Freight for the long-haul – it’s already worth $3.3B

__Check your 401(k) or brokerage account...__ Odds are high that you've got some $$$ in a __[BlackRock](https://robinhood.com/stocks/BLK)__ fund, since it's *the world's largest money manager* with $7.8T in assets under management ([AUM](https://learn.robinhood.com/articles/4l7spnri1tITVHbqyPZsON/what-are-assets-under-management-aum/)) — that's worth almost 4 stimulus packages. Much of that is dominated by index-tracking [ETFs](https://learn.robinhood.com/articles/QkpPOCYYd2fMe76837dvG/what-is-an-exchange-traded-fund/), aka "baskets" of stocks that can track an index like the S&P 500. But some funds are more startup-y:

- __Electric vehicle startup Arrival__ just raised $118M from BlackRock funds, [reportedly](https://www.wsj.com/articles/blackrock-bets-on-electric-vehicle-startup-arrival-with-118-million-investment-11602655201?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosgenerate&stream=top) giving the British EV maker a $3.5B valuation. __Hyundai__ and __[UPS](https://robinhood.com/stocks/UPS)__ also invested.
- __Green and lean:__ Arrival claims its electric-run city buses and vans can travel 300 miles without recharging and lower ownership costs by 50%. 

__*Not so green*...__ BlackRock is also [reportedly](https://www.reuters.com/article/saudi-aramco-blackrock-ma/saudi-aramco-and-blackrock-others-discussing-deal-worth-over-10-bln-sources-idINL8N2H412R) looking to invest in a $10B+ __Saudi Aramco__ oil pipeline deal. On the sustainability spectrum, BlackRock had a quinoa salad for lunch with Arrival and fried dough for dinner with Aramco fossil fuels.  


Diversify

__BlackRock wants to diversify (and hedge)...__ instead of depending only on one food group. Diversification is meant to reduce risk by spreading investments across sectors/companies that aren't correlated. With the oil investment, BlackRock would also be hedging against potential downturns in EVs. If the oil biz loses, the EV biz is probably doing well (and vice versa).


BlackRock looks to diversify with electric vehicles and Saudi pipelines 

🐔 The big chicken price scandal

__Life could be a screen...__ __[Apple](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AAPL)__'s seeing to it. The Fruit already killed the audio jack and the home button (RIP). Now, don't expect free headphones or even a charger to come with the *biggest iPhone screen ever* (FYI, Apple measures screen sizes [diagonally](https://www.apple.com/iphone-12/specs/)). The new iPhone 12 lineup:

- __Pro Max:__ Beats every iPhone with its big screen energy. At 6.7-in, it's larger than half an iPad. It's also the priciest of the 12s, starting at $1,099. 
- __Pro (no Max):__ For normal-sized hands, there's the $999+ 6.1-in screen Pro. 
- __Normie:__ The base model also has a 6.1-in screen and starts at $799.
- __Mini:__ This *adorable* $699 model has a 5.4-in screen for that back-pocket fit. 

__Throw some wheels on it...__ And you've got yourself a self-driving iPhone. Unlike the two-eyed Normie and Mini, the Pros have three cameras. But the Pros *also* have lidar sensors, which shine lasers at objects to measure their distances. 

- __It's the same tech that self-driving cars__ [use](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/29ds6WlAgMlOhg7Oijd1cN/articles/58NEUhYEwHV18PxKsFJgpz/) to build out 3D maps of environments (to avoid plowing into a tree). 
- __Apple's using it for augmented reality (AR),__ so that you can move digital furniture around in your new room, or put your friends' Snap filters to shame. 


_When Apple goes overboard with the Augmented Reality_

Drop

__This could be the biggest wave of iPhone upgrades...__ iPhones used to make up 70% of Apple’s revenue. Last quarter, they made up just ~44% of total sales. But now all four iPhone 12 models are 5G-enabled. That faster tech could convince millions to cave for better streaming, chatting, and browsing (which we're doing more than ever).


Apple's new iPhones include 5G, AR lasers, and no charger

__Diet Coke or OJ?...__ __[Delta](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DAL)__ CEO Ed Bastian will take a double whiskey neat with that earnings report. July to September is usually Delta's peak travel quarter, but instead of swimming in Mykonos you were streaming *My Octopus Teacher*. Do you want the bad news or good news first, Ed? 

- __Bad (terrible):__ Delta lost $5.4B last quarter, compared to a $1.5B profit for the same quarter *last* year. It [burned](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/13/delta-air-lines-dal-results-q3-2020.html) through $11B in the last two quarters. 
- __Good (better):__ Delta cut its cash burn to $18M/day last quarter from *$27M/day* in the previous one. It retired dozens of planes to trim costs.

__First to land...__ While Delta's passenger sales were down 83%, Bastian says there are signs that demand is picking up going into the holidays. Plus, its co-branded Amex card is doing [better](https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-is-bad-for-delta-is-worse-for-other-airlines-11602610356) than competitors, helping offset flight losses. Delta was the first airline to report — and it might go downhill from here:

- __Delta was more profitable than other airlines__ going into the crisis, so it has avoided involuntary job cuts (so far). 
- __American and United are cutting 32K jobs__ since federal airline aid expired on October 1st. 


__Reopening stocks fly together...__ These travel, hospitality, and movie theater stocks benefit disproportionately from murmurings of a return to normalcy. But when one falls, the others usually follow. American and United shares plopped on the Delta earnings. More anti-reopening news bruised other stocks yesterday, too: __[Carnival](https://robinhood.com/stocks/CCL)__, __[AMC](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AMC)__, and __[Marriott](https://robinhood.com/stocks/MAR)__. Like airlines, these companies are hoping stimulus medicine and/or a vaccine will come to the rescue (ASAP).

Delta loses big:  it could be an even bigger warning for other "Reopening Stocks"

📱 The iPhone-palooza wrap

__Forget ringing the NYSE bell...__ this IPO is more of a 1st-pitch type event. Boston Red Sox owner John Henry is [reportedly](https://www.wsj.com/articles/red-sox-owner-in-talks-for-deal-with-redball-acquisition-11602286661?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=3) in talks to take the Sox public (SOX stock?) through an $8B deal. Henry's holding company __Fenway Sports Group__ also co-owns Liverpool, the English soccer team whose fans might be even more heated than Boston fanatics (intense). 

- __Meet [RedBall Acquisition Corp](https://robinhood.com/stocks/RBAC):__ That's the SPAC — aka, the public company without a company — that would merge with Fenway to take the Sox public. 
- __SPACs go public__ for the sole purpose of one day acquiring a *real* company and taking it public via marriage (romantic). 
- __RedBall raised $575M__ in August to buy sports-related businesses — based on its name, it probably always had eyes for the Sox.

__Paging Xander Bogaerts...__ A publicly-traded sports company is kind of like a Bogey monster — *very rare sighting*. Almost all 123 teams across the NBA, MLB, NFL, and NHL are privately held. Most have one very wealthy owner (or multiple ones). But the Sox could soon be owned by anyone with $1 to put in a brokerage account. Talks are still in early innings, though.


_Sox stock Opening Day_

Bogey

__Going public means pulling off the cloak...__ *of financial secrecy*. When a company becomes publicly traded, it's required to file reports with the SEC detailing its financial performance (plus other juicy info). Retail investors (like us) can access these deets for decision-making purposes. If the deal goes through, Sox fan-vestors will finally get a view into the team's ballin' (*or not*) finances.

The Red Sox could become a public stock in an $8B merger

__When DoorDash texts you more than your friends...__ Text "STOP." Cloud company __[Twilio](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TWLO)__ helps *other* companies communicate with customers — think: text notifications, emails, support calls. Twilio hides personal info so you can call your delivery driver without knowing their 617 area code. You don't *see* Twilio, but you definitely just used it. Its [customers](https://www.twilio.com/customers) include: 

- __Uber__: When you rush for that "Honda Civic is 2 minutes away" text.
-  __Instacart:__ When you call your shopper to say they got the wrong almond butter. 
- __DoorDash:__ When you get the play-by-play of taco's life journey. 

__Nailed it...__ ICYMI, it's a good time to be in remote communications. Twilio stock jumped last week after the company [raised](https://s21.q4cdn.com/963721274/files/doc_presentations/2020/10/2020-Twilio-Investor-Day-FINAL-WEBSITE.pdf) its sales expectations for the quarter, and has more than *tripled* in value this year on continued growth.

- __200K+:__ How many customers Twilio had last quarter, 4X more than in 2017. 
- __$401M:__ Twilio's sales last quarter, up from $115M in the last quarter of 2017. Buuut: it's still not profitable. 
- __$3.2B:__ How much Twilio's [dropping](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/12/twilio-stock-jumps-in-premarket-on-3point2-billion-segment-acquisition.html) on customer data startup __Segment__. Twilio stock hit an all-time high on yesterday's news.


Stop

__Like selling shovels in a gold rush...__ Companies like __[Shopify](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SHOP)__ and Doordash are corona-conomy winners, but they're using *Twilio* to support their pandemic surges. That makes Twilio a winner (by the transitive property). Companies don't reinvent the wheel to build all their own tools — they tap *others* for help. But with great opportunity comes great competition: __Microsoft__ just [launched](https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/22/microsoft-challenges-twilio-with-the-launch-of-azure-communication-services/) a calling/messaging service that competes with Twilio head-on.


Twilio, the company that's secretly texting you, hits new highs on a $3B splurge

⚾️ The Red Sox IPO

__Defining the relationship...__ *with the law*. Marijuana stocks got high last week on two hits of legalization news (sorry, had to). __[Aurora Cannabis](https://robinhood.com/stocks/ACB)__ shares popped 9% while __[Canopy Growth](https://robinhood.com/stocks/CGC)__ and __[Tilray](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TLRY)__ surged over 24%. The pro-weed news:

- __Sen. Kamala Harris__ said Joe Biden would [decriminalize](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cannabis-stocks-idUSKBN26T3IH) marijuana at the federal level (if elected) during the VP debate on Wednesday.  
- __Vermont Governor Phil Scott__ said he would let the [legalization](https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/520373-vermont-to-legalize-recreational-marijuana) of recreational marijuana move forward in his state. 

__Hash out the deets...__ While recreational pot use is legal in 11 US states, marijuana is still an illegal [Schedule I](https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling) drug at the federal level, along with LSD and heroin. That's why it's basically impossible for *American* cannabis stocks to trade on US exchanges. Aurora, Canopy, and Tilray (which trade on US exchanges) are Canadian. Expanding the legal pot market is key to their success — especially since the past two years have been a [buzz kill](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/3TPLYshPco821e473TlZwS/articles/3uw7AxyVGXLWeEmtpMqQbQ)...

- __The late 2018 "weed bubble" has popped.__ Demand for weed in legalized places hasn't met hyped hopes. Pot companies over-produced and lost billions.
- __Since the 2018 highs,__ Aurora and Tilray shares have lost ~95% of their  value and Canopy has dropped 65%.  

_The Vermont woods are looking green this fall_

__Investors feel uncomfy in the legal gray area…__  Since soaring on legalization in Canada, cannabis stocks have taken a hit partly because companies haven’t DTR’d with the US government. Their illegal federal status not only complicates costs and access to capital, but also limits the size of their market. Last week’s boost suggests weed needs to become federally legit for canna-companies to reach the next level. 


Cannabis stocks have their best day in months on legalization-friendly news

__Channeling Jimmy Neutron...__ with the jeanius energy. __[Levi's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/LEVI)__ offset corona-losses last quarter with a 52% surge in online sales. The jean legend's *total* sales fell 27% from last year, but it notched a profit and the stock popped on positive momentum. Also — Levi's just launched a "[recommerce](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/6CeTU6j7yjNpeG4NHlfTr/articles/NolZPqOkShbND9vp856qV/)" site to sell your old jeans. Denim-recycling is sustainable *and* bankable: Levi's can cash in on the same pair of hip-huggers five times (instead of Poshmark).  

__Not left on read...__ Cloud company __[Twilio](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TWLO)__ helps *other* companies talk to customers (think: text notifications, emails, support calls). Clearly, it's a good time to be in  remote communications: Twilio stock jumped last week after the company raised its sales expectations for the quarter, and has nearly *doubled* this year on growth. But __[Microsoft](https://robinhood.com/stocks/MSFT)__'s new calling/messaging service brings XL-sized competition. Twilio's [reported](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2020/10/09/twilio-to-acquire-cloud-startup-segment-for-3-billion/#3d9f49ee2020) $3.2B acquisition of customer data startup __Segment__ could help it level up — just throw in a [burrito](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2019/02/01/why-twilio-acquired-sendgrid/#568c7230624b) to seal the deal.


Highs

Who's up...

__Like the NBA Finals...__ __[DraftKings](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DKNG)__ brought the tension. The sports betting stock had soared since September as live sports (*besides* Russian ping-pong) returned. But the stock dunked 20% last week on news that DraftKings is [selling](https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-draftkings-is-down-7-today-2020-10-05) 16M new shares. These fresh shares [dilute](https://learn.robinhood.com/articles/5rlezLS4uMuf3cZTyEAo38/what-is-stock-dilution/) the value of *existing* stock, so stockholders will own less of the overall company. Also potential nail-biters: company insiders are cashing out on [$832M](https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/10/09/why-draftkings-shares-fell-56-on-friday/) of stock, and at least three NFL teams reported new COVID-19 cases last week. 

__Empty out the wine cellar...__ and throw on the "sad tunez" playlist. Santa Barbara-based __[Sonos](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SONO)__ got dumped by __[Apple](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AAPL)__. The Fruit is done selling headphones/speakers from "outsiders" like Sonos, __[Logitech](https://robinhood.com/stocks/LOGI)__, and __Bose__ — Apple's going 100% [DIY-audio](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/3wmLgc8fwRYPVg8wdct89J/articles/5TsQO3S2fw0jH3UFvBnFKn/). That kills speculation that Apple could acquire Sonos, like it snatched up Beats in 2014. Sonos stock dropped 11% last week on the breakup. Pssst: Apple's new speakers and over-the-ear headphones  could show up at its big hardware [event](https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/06/apple-will-announce-the-next-iphone-on-october-13/) *tomorrow*.


Lows

...and who's down

🍃 Canopy's cannabis comeback 

__Outdoing everyone (10 times over)...__ Yesterday, __[JPMorgan Chase](https://robinhood.com/stocks/JPM)__ announced that it'll spend *$30B* over the next five years to help close the racial wealth gap. That's the [biggest](https://www.axios.com/jpmorgan-commits-30-billion-racial-wealth-gap-95186920-1949-4864-a11f-82a7d2cce057.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top) monetary commitment any company has made to advance racial equity *by far*.

- __~$1B:__ How much __[Citi](https://robinhood.com/stocks/C)__ and __[Bank of America](https://robinhood.com/stocks/BAC)__ each pledged to racial equity causes since George Floyd's death in May. 
- __$3.3B:__ How much the 100 largest US *combined* had pledged, including Citi, BoA, and 46 others (that was the biggest amount *in history* committed to these causes).  
- __$30B:__  Chase's pledge makes up ~90% of the $33.5B committed by Fortune 100 companies since May.

__Pull up the stats...__ In 2016, the net worth of a typical white family was [~10X](https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/02/27/examining-the-black-white-wealth-gap/) greater than that of a typical Black family ($171K vs. $17K). The legacy of slavery, discrimination and the [fact](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/19/lenders-deny-mortgages-for-blacks-at-a-rate-80percent-higher-than-whites.html) that Black families are more likely to be denied mortgages all contribute to this massive gap in generational wealth-building. So:

- __$14B:__ What Chase has earmarked for new housing loans to Black and Latino borrowers.
- __$8B:__ Dedicated to increasing affordable housing and homeownership in underserved communities.
- __$8B:__ The rest goes to mortgage refinancing, small biz lending, and philanthropy. 


Billions

__The purpose of the corporation has changed...__ For decades, public companies were all about returning value to shareholders through profits. Generally, more profit = more dividends and/or higher stock price. The $30B that Chase pledged to spend over the next 5 years represents ~83% of its total 2019 profit ($36B). But it might just be enough to change JPM’s image of "big bad corporation" into "big good corporation." That's strategic.

JPMorgan Chase pledges a massive $30B to fight the racial wealth gap

__Googling "how to be special"...__ First, change your name. __[Dollar General](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DG)__ is tired of selling you $2 necessities like Cool Whip and Drano. So the discount chain is launching "Popshelf" (*so fun, so fresh*) — a store aimed at higher-end shoppers who still love a good deal. Inside, it [looks](https://www.wsj.com/articles/dollar-general-to-open-stores-aimed-at-wealthier-shoppers-11602149401?mod=business_lead_pos4) like a mashup of Ulta Beauty and Blick Art Supplies. Hence...

- __The crowd:__ Popshelf is geared toward suburban women with household incomes of $50K-$125K/year, compared to *Dollar General's* core customers from $40K households. 
-  __The goods:__ Popshelf will feature "nice-to-have" goodies (think: home decor and beauty products), rather than showcasing 24-packs of TP at the entrance ("need-to-have"). 

__The thrill of the hunt...__ DG wants to cash in on the "affordable splurge" treasure hunt [experience](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/1FKKdbQjIpHVV86ywmUIjB/articles/6YscPrg1Mp9jGaNkCngApy) that  __[TJ Maxx](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TJX)__ thrives on. Most Popshelf items will cost less than $5 and will be changed out on the reg to surprise customers (*and encourage more  visits*). Instead of rushing out of one of DG's ~16K stores with Clorox, you're spending an hour in Popshelf browsing scented candles and charcuterie trays. The fun experience leads to more spending.

Drano

__Nail the target, *then expand it*...__ Dollar General is living its best life with its lower-income target customers. Wallets are corona-hurting, so DG's thrifty basics are winning. Sales jumped 19% last quarter and DG stock hit at an all-time high yesterday. This growth means it's a perfect time for DG to reach beyond its tapped-out customer base to  wealthier shoppers. 

Dollar General targets wealthier suburban women with "Popshelf" 

__The good kind of ghosted...__ Grocery hero __[Kroger](https://robinhood.com/stocks/KR)__ is getting into the Halloween spirit with the [debut](https://thespoon.tech/kroger-partners-with-clustertruck-for-in-store-ghost-kitchens/) of two "ghost kitchens" — aka, delivery-only restaurants. Kroger is pivoting from generic pasta and frozen pizza to e-nnovation with Casper-like kitchens.

__Left on red (cabbage)...__ Kroger's collabing with __ClusterTruck__ (lol), a ghost restaurant service that'll set up its kitchen in two Kroger stores. It's a smart, low-lift way for Kroger to test out the prepped meals delivery/pick-up concept. Meals have more profit-potential than groceries: Bread + avocado = $3. Avocado toast = $12. Womp.

- __What Cluster does:__ Basically, all the work. It makes the menu, orders ingredients, cooks the food, and delivers. Kroger shoppers get free delivery 
- __What Kroger does:__ It gives Cluster 1K sq ft of space in its 160K sq ft stores to make the morsel magic happen. Niiice.


_Casper the Friendly Ghost Kitchen_

Ghosted

__The lines between grocery and restaurant are getting hazy...__ Kroger is a grocery chain trying to get into prepped meal delivery. Ironically, restaurant delivery services like __Doordash__ are now getting into grocery delivery, too. We've seen this trend accelerate in the pandemic — restaurants closed for in-store dining, and started selling grocery items like olive oil and bread to survive. Now companies are seeing that the more food-related-anything you can drop at a doorstep, the better. 


Old-school Kroger pivots from generic groceries to techy "ghost kitchens"

 🏦  Chase's $30B racial equity pledge

__*Breakfast is back, baby*...__ At least, according to Mickey D’s index. __[McDonald’s](https://robinhood.com/stocks/MCD)__ is adding baked goods to its permanent menu for the 1st time in eight years. The star pastries: apple fritter, blueberry muffin and cinnamon roll. This news might sound like empty calories – but it's actually a pretty big deal for McD's, which has focused on [*trimming*](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-mcdonalds-idUSKBN21D060) its menu during the pandemic:

- __Breakfast was the most disrupted meal__ of the corona-conomy. You ditched the Starbs bagel for WFH cereal, so a.m. sales at major chains plunged.
- __Lost breakfast traffic__ accounted for *over half* of McDonald’s US sales declines in May. Meanwhile:  __[General Mills](https://robinhood.com/stocks/GIS)__ and __[Pepsi](https://robinhood.com/stocks/PEP)__ thrived as you [stocked](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/5ZMX8rSbgb8xnNJMPBF9JM/articles/3bCrUxRRyFig8myZmlZwys/) on Lucky Charms and Quaker Oats again.  

__Breakkie is the most important meal of the day...__ for fast-food restaurants. Chains from Taco Bell to Shake Shack have [dished out](https://www.wsj.com/articles/fast-food-chains-heat-up-breakfast-fight-11571678889) big to make it a priority. __[Starbucks](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SBUX)__ and __[Dunkin'](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DNKN)__ have been upselling protein-stuffed breakfast sandwiches. Wendy’s breakfast launched nationwide before lockdowns, and it already made up 8% of the chain's sales last quarter.

_"Nope— I hit Mickey D's before_"

McMuffin

__A donut-shaped recovery?...__ There are lots of ways you can gauge how the economy is doing, from unemployment numbers to GDP data. Donuts might be worth adding to the list. Rising chain-store breakfast sales suggest people are commuting more and hoarding less. The fact that McDonald's and Taco Bell are [investing](https://www.delish.com/food-news/a34272440/taco-bell-breakfast-returns/) to revive breakfast could be a sign of sweeter times.  

McDonald's brings back baked goods after 8 years: it's the donut-shaped recovery

__Sapphire and faded jeans...__ __[Levi](https://robinhood.com/stocks/LEVI)__'s didn't quite get its dreams last quarter, but it *did* offset big corona losses with a profit-boosting [52%](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/06/levi-strauss-co-levi-q3-fiscal-2020-sales-fall-27percent.html) surge in e-commerce. Digital sales made up 1/4th of the denim icon's revenue (vs. just ~1/10th last year). Total sales still fell 27%, but Levi's stock popped after earnings on the positive momentum. Also: 

- __Women’s apparel surprisingly thrived,__ making up 37% of total sales, up almost double from 2015. Brand ambassadors like Hailey Bieber have been keeping Levi’s well-dressed (not distressed).

__Jeanius idea...__ Levi's just launched a "recommerce" [site](https://www.secondhand.levi.com/) for second-hand jeans/jackets. You drop off your old Levi's at a store  in exchange for a gift card. Levi's cleans and sells them, and the lucky buyer doesn’t have to dig through  flea market bins  for that Insta-perfect pair. While this could threaten demand for new jeans, it's actually a win-win:

- __Bankable:__ According to Levi's, 60% of Gen Z consumers shop second-hand.  Levi's can cater to them without the extra cost of making  more clothes. That way *Levi's* gets paid instead of Poshmark.
-  __Green:__  If everybody bought one item used instead of new, we’d save 449M pounds of waste/year, Levi's says. Denim recycling is the perfect fit to boost Levi’s rugged, sustainable image (#neverwashthem).

Unwash

__Avoid the "discount spiral of death"...__ By controlling the full “life cycle” of its denim, Levi's can reduce overstocking on pricey new clothes. When inventory piles up, companies discount — that  hits profits. Levi's CEO says he's "cautiously optimistic” they won’t tumble into never-ending promotions. With recommerce, Levi's could cash in on the same pair of hip-huggers five times over.

Levi's saves itself with e-commerce — now it wants your old jeans for "Recommerce" 

🥯 McDonald's brings back Breakfast Wars 

__The only jam in this store...__ is apple. Like a bad-tempered college RA, __[Apple](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AAPL)__'s shutting down the speakers (*except for its own*). Apple has long sold 3rd-party hardware on its site — now it's giving "outsider" audio devices the boot. It's also telling employees to remove them from physical stores, leaving 0 memories of the brands it's breaking up with:

- __[Sonos](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SONO)__’ smart speaker had to move out of Apple's stores, pushing Sonos stock down 7% yesterday.
- __[Logitech](https://robinhood.com/stocks/LOGI)__’s speakers also got the boot, driving the stock down 6% while "Sad Tunez" played.
- __Bose__'s headphones and speakers were dumped, too. 

__*You came in like a wrecking ball*...__ For a while, there was [speculation](https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/06/22/sonos-stock-spikes-today-on-apple-acquisition-rumo.aspx) that Apple could acquire Sonos, just like it snatched up __Beats__ in 2014 (#putaringonit). The potential of an Apple-cquisition boosted Sonos stock. Apple just killed that dream, so Sonos stock plunged. Apple is clearing out its drawers to make space for its new (Apple-only) audio babies:

- __AirPods Studio:__  Apple's 1st over-ear headphones could turn up at its big hardware [event](https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/06/apple-will-announce-the-next-iphone-on-october-13/) on October 13th.
- __HomePod:__ Apple is also expected to drop a smaller version of its smart speaker.


Apple to every 3rd party provider: "It's not you... it's me."

__Apple is moving toward ultimate self-reliance...__ It's a strong, independent company (FYI: the most valuable *in the world*), so it's taking a DIY approach. In 2014, it stopped selling __Fitbit__ wearables after Apple Watch launched. This year, it dropped __Bang & Olufsen__ devices. Soon, it'll [start](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53142989) making Macs with its *own* Apple-crafted chips (sorry, __[Intel](https://robinhood.com/stocks/INTC)__).

Apple cuts ties with Sonos and other audio retailers — it's going 100% DIY 

__No Fake Friends...__ __[The RealReal](https://robinhood.com/stocks/REAL)__ cares more about "no fake bags." The luxury consignment startup can sniff out a knockoff Celine Mini purse from a mile away (the *C* looks a little off). It IPO'd last year, bringing its online marketplace for verified 2nd-hand luxury goods public. It's now worth $1.3B and has over [17M](https://www.vogue.com/article/gucci-the-realreal-partnership-secondhand-consignment) users, though sales have struggled during the pandemic (no one sees your Yeezys on Zoom). How it works:

- __For sellers:__ Those Louboutin pumps cost you $900, so you're probably not dropping them off at Goodwill. TRR checks that they're legit, prices them, then sells them for you.
- __For The RealReal:__ TRR takes a big [cut](https://www.therealreal.com/commission-chart) of your sale — generally around 40%-50%, depending on the item price/category. Then it pays you the rest in commission. 
- __For buyers:__ Buyers want that stainless steel Rolex at a discount, and want to be sure that it's not a Fauxlex — though, TRR [doesn't](https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardkestenbaum/2019/10/23/if-fake-bags-are-being-sold-on-the-realreal-how-can-the-resale-business-ever-succeed/#ac1f0366acb3) have a perfect record catching imposters.

__Like a vintage Birkin bag...__ TRR just [landed](https://www.vogue.com/article/gucci-the-realreal-partnership-secondhand-consignment) a big fish. It's launching a clutch partnership with __Gucci__, offering a dedicated Gucci e-shop with consignors’ items *and* merch provided directly by Gucci itself. Also: for every “G”-stamped item sold, TRR will plant a tree (claaassic "throw in a tree" move). TRR stock [jumped](https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/why-the-realreal-stock-jumped-nearly-12-in-early-trading-today-2020-10-05) on Gucci's nod of approval.

Birkin

__The trend is your friend...__ *More like frenemy*. For years, designer labels have resisted second-hand markets for fear that they'll hurt full-price sales. Luxury brands have even [burned](https://www.newsweek.com/luxury-brands-prefer-burn-millions-dollars-worth-clothes-over-letting-wrong-1032088) millions of dollars worth of unsold clothes to remain exclusive. Since labels didn't disrupt themselves, companies like TRR and __Thredup__ sprang up with more sustainable, more accessible fashion. Now, Gucci wants in on that trend (well — at least the *sustainable image* part).


Gucci partners with The RealReal — it's a thrifty shift for the luxe label

🎶 Apple does DIY audio 

__Christmas came early for Elon...__ __[Tesla](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TSLA)__ delivered a record number of vehicles last quarter, accelerating its recovery after the pandemic slowdown. It's still (very) far from its [goal](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/4SQQIJGVDV1ZMsRwO23SPV/articles/KG8dXhyGvKBAcw3zvZLNj) of 20M vehicles/year, but the growth is impressive:

- __Tesla delivered 139K vehicles__ during the quarter ending September 30. That’s a 44% increase from the same quarter *last* year.
- __~90% of deliveries__ consisted of the $35K+ Model 3 or the $50K+ Model Y crossover. *Just 10%* of deliveries consisted of the $75K+ Model S or X.

__Sounds S3XY...__ That's Tesla Model S, 3, X, and Y (classic Elon humor). Deliveries last quarter were *dominated* by Tesla's new cheaper models, which cannibalized sales of the original luxe models. For most people, the pricier models are just too... pricey. *Especially* when they can now become Tesla owners through a cheaper (still sweet) ride.

- __Cannibalization:__ The terrifying term for when a company's new product is so attractive that it devours sales of its other products. 
- __The con:__ Companies fear cannibalization because it often steals sales from more profitable products. 
- __The pro:__ Lower-cost versions of products drive more sales volume and guard against competitive disruption (#disruptyoself).


Devour

__Tesla achieved cannibalization success...__ Last year, cannibalization was a *problem* for Tesla. In July 2019, Tesla [posted](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/3zxtMPGvxRsDKcOXjFQyhC/articles/3oavs96KNk4v8YXxGs47Y1/) record deliveries but *lost* $408M because its top-selling Model 3s sold for less than what they cost to make. Now that Tesla has reduced the cost of car batteries, it can actually *profit* on those Model 3 & Y sales — it  [posted](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/6511HaDUMXpAxjp2bEBL6w/articles/30QY0VGpvgwP9J9BKSTkLB) 4 straight quarters of profit, and is expected to report a 5th this month. 


Tesla hits a delivery record thanks to its cheaper models (it's cannibalizing itself)

__Hit 'em with the double entendre...__  __Cooler Screens__ just raised [$80M](https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/05/cooler-screens-series-c/) to bring interactive screens to cooler aisles. Basically, the idea is to turn your 7-Eleven fridge doors into digital [billboards](https://www.coolerscreens.com/demo). While it may sound like a Facebook ad stuck on a fridge, Cooler Screens has two key differentiators:

- __In-store:__ Most retail sales still come from physical stores, but there aren't actually ads *in* stores (they're all chilling on __Amazon__ or __Facebook__ #adparty).
- __IoT-enabled:__ The screen knows when your Walgreens is out of Mountain Dew, so it'll showcase Coke instead. Or it can highlight the tub of Häagen-Dazs that literally just went on sale. 

__Cooler story, bro...__ If this sounds like something out of a "Black Mirror" episode, that's because it kind of is. Cooler Screens offers merchants AI-powered inventory tracking, plus real-time pricing and sales data. 

- __*For customers*:__ According to its CEO, you could ask the screen to show you all the vegan ice cream, or to see the calories in a DiGiorno frozen pizza (579). 
- __Also:__ In addition to flashing nutritional facts, the screen lets you make digital payments on the spot. It doesn't collect your personal info, though (*thaaanks*). 


_Cooler Screen control center: "Hit her with the Mountain Dew"_

Future

__Point-of-Sale ads are powerful...__ If you're in a grocery store, you're there to buy something (RIP free samples). Cooler's ads are getting you  at the exact place/time when your purchasing intent is hottest. Cooler says that products behind digital doors sell 2X to 10X more. It's already in 50 __[Walgreens](https://robinhood.com/stocks/WBA)__, and is planning to expand to 2.5K more.

Cooler Screens is turning cooler aisle doors into AI-enabled digital billboards

__Not your usual cocktail...__ On Friday night, we learned that President Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. While he was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Medical Center (he was admitted Friday and left yesterday), he was treated with a high dose of an experimental antibody "cocktail" from American biotech company __[Regeneron](https://robinhood.com/stocks/REGN)__. 

- __The treatment isn't FDA-approved yet__, but it's in the final phase of human testing. Trump's doctor made a "compassionate use" request to get individual approval from the FDA.
- __Regeneron stock soared 7%__ on Monday on news of the presidential treatment, and is up 62% for the year. 

__Warp-er Speed...__ In July, Regeneron received $450M as part of Trump's "[Operation Warp Speed](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/2yiQjAPUMFj1LAGzjjtiR0/articles/5QsTxDVI2hgwiGCa3QkB6p)" to quickly develop COVID-19 vaccines and treatments — the US has invested over $10B in Warp Speed so far. If Trump recovers, that high-profile success could help fast-track approval for Regeneron's treatment. 

- __Regeneron [says](https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/05/investing/trump-regeneron/index.html) it's on track to make 300K doses__ of the treatment by the end of 2020. FDA approval could mean big business – especially now, when COVID cases are rising as colder weather drives people inside.

Treat

__This could be the ultimate Earned Media win...__ Earned media is basically free publicity (the opposite of paid media advertising). If Regeneron gets credited with *helping save the US President's life*, that's a significant unpaid win. It would be way more valuable to boosting brand perception than any ad Regeneron could buy.

Regeneron stock soars on Trump's dose — the ultimate PR opportunity

🚗 Tesla cannibalized itself

__The report card is in...__ and the US might have to retake Recovery 101. The US added a lower-than expected [661K](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/02/massively-concerning-jobs-report-sends-a-signal-that-the-economic-recovery-could-be-fading.html) jobs in September. Since this was the last jobs report before the election, let's take a stroll down memory lane:

- __3.5%:__ The unemployment rate in February, when the only masks we've ever worn are charcoal sheet masks. 
- __14.7%:__ The unemployment rate in April, after COVID lockdowns hit. The US economy lost nearly 22M jobs in March/April. 
- __13.3% to 11.1%:__ The unemployment rate fell from May to June as businesses reopened. The US added 2.5M jobs in May and *4.8M* jobs in June.
- __10.2% to 8.4%:__ Unemployment continued to decline as the US added 1.8M jobs in July and 1.4M jobs in August.

__Which brings us to September...__ 661K new jobs means a big slowdown in recovery. The unemployment rate fell to 7.9%, but that's mainly because 1.1M people dropped out of the labor force in September. [865K](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/02/865000-women-dropped-out-of-the-labor-force-in-september-2020.html) of those people were women. Many believe this was driven by the fact that kids are Zooming into school.

- __The good news:__ The US has added 11M jobs since May. The economy is [expected](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/30/us-gdp-q2-2020.html) to have bounced back in Q3 from a record 31% plunge in Q2.
- __The bad news:__ [12.6M](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf) Americans are still unemployed and Congress *still* hasn't agreed to a new stimulus package.


_Economy Parent-Teacher conference: "Good news or bad news 1st?"_

Money

__Even with a vaccine, economic medicine will be necessary...__ The $2.2T stimulus in March was largely responsible for driving recovery, but most of those benefits have now run out. With 9 companies in the final phase of testing, the [race](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/4vk973LuhKuULDy2YKL4WH/articles/D1lnvqMuFutEeJ9XdQtTa) for a COVID-19 vaccine is hot. Even so, the CDC [says](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-distribution-trump-administration/) vaccines likely won't be widely available to Americans until *summer 2021*. With the pace of recovery slowing, Congress should try to put party differences aside to inject some aid ASAP.

The State of the Recovery: unemployment, slowing job growth, and the 2nd stimulus

__Pass the AUX cord, mate...__ __[Uber](https://robinhood.com/stocks/UBER)__ stock jumped 5% for the week on two pieces of bloody good news. First, a London court [granted](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/47HXzr0bmqpHqzYPs79Mjf/articles/5XnQ0woqmNe2nNRpPn2bIT) it an 18-month license to keep operating in its largest Euro hub (3.5M riders). Uber was on London's naughty list due to app flaws that let drivers use fake identities, but the judge now considers it "fit and proper" to keep rolling. 2nd: Uber's Freight logistics biz [raised](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/02/uber-freight-raises-500-million-valuation-rises-to-3point3-billion.html) $500M at a $3.3B valuation, showing Uber can succeed outside the (complicated) world of ridehail.

__Back from a deep sleep...__ __[Bed Bath & Beyond](https://robinhood.com/stocks/BBBY)__ stock soared 40% last week after the retailer [posted](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/2GgmBzs6jDxEcWawl7lLBR/articles/3HqQgaiTqBrQPWUKh2nyL4) its 1st same-store sales gain since 2016. The dorm legend swung to a $218M profit after losing $139M  in the same period last year. Online sales soared 89% as e-nnovation investments paid off. This year, BB&B launched: "buy online, pick up in-store," curbside pickup, and (last week) same-day shipping with __Instacart__ and Shipt. Investors thought BB&B was declining (like __[Macy's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/M)__) — this earnings changed the narrative.

__On the DL...__ __[Palantir](https://robinhood.com/stocks/PLTR)__ stock fell 13% during its 1st publicly traded week. The secretive software company crunches data for big customers (the CIA was an early investor). Instead of the usual IPO, Palantir went public via a rare [Direct Listing](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/5v5XVtc1gTDCrGNZIuANTa/articles/4melLm5tbEOhCjxLIJrNEi/) (no new shares created, no fresh cash  raised). After 17 years, Palantir is still hugely [unprofitable](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/29ds6WlAgMlOhg7Oijd1cN/articles/5F3QZdPR4hudHfED23iam3/) — it lost $580M in 2019. Now its growth depends on a few massive players: its top 3 customers make up over 30% of its sales.

__Unmagical...__ __[Disney](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DIS)__ is laying off 28K employees across its Parks & Experiences division, which made up ~40% of its sales in 2019. Last quarter, Parks sales [plunged](https://snacks.robinhood.com/newsletters/5v5XVtc1gTDCrGNZIuANTa/articles/3h0LZtnjqoGjCvvpPglyvl/) 85%. Now some Disney parks have reopened with limited capacity, but the big CA ones are still shut (read: Disney's still losing major $$$). The only thing Mickey's smiling about: Disney's streaming networks (Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu) now have over 100M subscribers, and live sports are finally back.

🚗 Nio's EV battery subscription