__Willie Nelson's suddenly an investor...__ Way back in 1868, __[Scotts Miracle-Gro](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SMG)__ was founded in Marysville, Ohio. And its mission was simple: help people grow plants. And sales to gardening homeowners and landscaping legends rose 10% last quarter. But overall sales were charged by the other grass — [Cannabis](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-scotts-miracle-gro-stock-194700866.html).

__Hydroponics = growing things indoors without soil...__ According to Scotts investor [presentation](https://scottsmiraclegro.gcs-web.com/static-files/870428b7-b0d2-42ba-9097-90b668378b02), it helps "specialty crops" grow indoors with lighting, nutrients, and other greenhouse-y things. Sales in that division boomed 49% last quarter, courtesy of cannabis (best grown indoors). It even paid $450M to acquire __Sunlight Supply__, which produces sun-emulating lamps (sales in hydroponics grew 138% if you include that).

Cultivate

__Trends are like onions...__ Layers. So many layers. Cannabis has booming growth potential as the stigma of marijuana use fades and legalization continues. Companies like Scotts hope for a piece of that growth action by enabling the enablers — aka supplying growers with the stuff they need to cultivate the cannabis. 

Scotts Miracle-Gro is kind of a pot company

__Turn it up...__ Shares of Swedish music streamer __[Spotify](https://robinhood.com/stocks/SPOT)__ dipped on word it added fewer paying subscribers last quarter than expected. Here's what Spotify's 232M-strong moshpit of "monthly active users" looks like: 

- __The freebies: 129M (up 27%)__ tolerate an ad every few songs so they don't need to pay any cash money.
- __The premiums: 108M (up 31%)__ pay monthly for ultimate listening control.
- __Average revenue per user: $5.42__. That's a combo of ads and monthly subscription, and it's been declining as Spotify entices broke college students to sign up. 

__Growth is strong, young Skywalker...__ CEO Daniel Ek [believes](https://www.wsj.com/articles/spotify-reports-subscriber-growth-amid-industry-podcast-boom-11564567368) his company's 31% user growth is double __[Apple](https://robinhood.com/stocks/AAPL)__ Music's growth rate. And the percentage of users who canceled their subscription — aka the "churn rate" — hit a record low 4.6%. It's still making a loss though as it focuses on the race against Apple for eardrums.

Stream

__It's not music. It's "listen"...__ Spotify prioritized podcasts for key reasons. First, it's easier to work with pod creators than 4 powerful record labels representing most music artists. Second, Spotify's pod listeners stay in the app longer (*and we assume are better looking*). So Spotify acquired Gimlet's collection of pods in February, along with 2 other pod-cquisitions. Add in some in-app nudging and Spotify has [doubled](https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/31/20748337/spotify-earnings-q2-2019-podcasting-growth-users-subscribers) its number of pod listeners since the start of 2019. 

__PS:__ You can "[festify](https://salty-beach-42139.herokuapp.com/)" the stuff you listen to into a music fest-style lineup poster (don't know how *Les Mis* soundtrack got in there). 

Spotify hits 232M users globally — but podcasts were the star

__Investors wanted two ponies...__ But the Fed only gave them one. America's central bank just did something it hasn't done in a decade: [Cut interest rates](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/07/31/federal-reserve-cuts-interest-rate-quarter-point-effort-keep-economy-track/). Fed Chairman Jerome "Jerry" Powell said he's lowering the nation's rates by 0.25%. Doesn't look like much, but the impact is big — if you've got a savings account, car loan, or student debt, this might affect you.

__Time-travel back to 2008...__ That's the last time the Fed lowered rates. With the financial crisis growing, rates were dropped to near zero and stayed there for years to encourage borrowing and boost economic growth. It encouraged us to invest in stocks or other things instead of letting money just sit in savings accounts. *This time,* the Fed lowered rates for 2 other reasons:

1. __The trade war:__ Jerry's concerned it could hurt the US economy, so he's preemptively encouraging market-boosting borrowing with lower rates.
2. __Inflation:__ Prices aren't rising much. And a healthy economy should have about 2% inflation.

Rates

__December was the big pivot...__ For years, the economy's had its post-crisis mojo back, so the Fed had been *increasing* interest rates since 2015. But in December, the Fed changed its tone (see the 2 reasons above). Since then, investors have pumped up the S&P 500 by 29% on expectations rates would drop — But stocks fell yesterday because investors expected even *more* rate drops to come. Jerry hinted 1 was enough.

The Fed's historic move just dropped stocks big

Dow Jones

S&P 500

Nasdaq

Bitcoin

10-Yr US Treasury

"_Just pretend a 2nd interest rate cut is coming_"

The Fed gave us a pony. Investors wanted 2 ponies.

__Home court advantage is over...__ __[Under Armour's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/ua)__ sales abroad are up, but its share of the US activewear market has [slipped](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/30/under-armours-north-america-problem-hasnt-gone-away.html) from 6.4% to 5.6%. Its share of footwear fell, too. The stock had been up 55% this year, but just suffered its worst day in 2 years. Someone please protect this house.

__Too much “ath” not enough “leisure"...__ Under Armour doubled-down on super technical apparel to dominate the sweat-wicking athlete lifestyle. But consumers want more fashion weaved into their workout gear so that they're brunch-ready. Now analysts think UA is a “[long way](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/under-armour-shares-plummet-as-efforts-in-north-america-continue-to-fall-short-2019-07-30)” behind its rivals. Here's what they're up to:
- __Lululemon:__ Launching experiential stores and adding branded shampoos.
- __Puma:__ Selena Gomez landed her own collaboration collection.
- __Nike:__ Taking stands on social issues.
- __Adidas:__ Beyoncé is designing sneakers.

Sweat

__Time to rebrand Under Armour...__ We noticed this quote from founder/CEO Kevin Plank: Under Armour's marketing needs to get "[louder](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/30/under-armour-q2-2019-earnings.html)." Actually, it's the opposite — UA needs to get smarter. Perfect case: Under Armour's relationship with women. It's invested in female-focused marketing, but brand equity among women has barely [budged](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/under-armour-shares-plummet-as-efforts-in-north-america-continue-to-fall-short-2019-07-30). More isn't always more.

Under Armour drops 14% because it ignored the athleisure life

__'Siri, what am I?'...__ Not an iPhone company. After years of dominating __[Apple's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/aapl)__ financial statements, a milestone was just hit: *The iPhone now makes up less than 50% of Apple's sales for the first time since 2012*. Big moment. Let it sink in. And the next iPhone coming this fall [probably](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/30/technology/apple-earnings-iphone.html) won't have the futuristic 5G internet-of-everything network (it's not coming until 2020 for Apple).

__Apple is now a 2-part company...__ iPhones vs. everything else.

- __iPhone sales fell 12%:__ ⬇️That number is way down because the price has [surged](https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/30/apples-revenue-growth-slows-as-q3-iphone-sales-dip/) to "should-I-just-get-a-laptop" levels, and people don't feel the need to iUpgrade as often.
- __Everything else (especially accessories) jumped 17%:__ ⬆️ Mac, iPad, wearables, and services (Apple Music, Apple News+) are helping drive recurring revenues.
- *__Fun fact:__* That wearables biz? It includes AirPods and Apple Watch. And the whole wearables division is now the size of a [Fortune 200](https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-q3-2019-earnings-wearables-business-closer-to-surpassing-mac-2019-7) company.


Evolved

__Apple has 1 innovative new thing right now...__ (and we already kinda knew about it). The joint credit card with Goldman Sachs. We now know the titanium-clad (there's also a digital version) humble-brag collaboration [will arrive](https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/30/20747618/apple-confirms-apple-card-august-launch) in August. In Apple's world of slowing iPhones and growing services, it's creatively focused on privacy:

- There's __no card number__ — it updates with a new one every transaction so even Goldman can't track your shopping.
- And it __doesn't sell__ that data to anyone else.
- Plus, it's all 2-factor authenticated — aka __finger or facial recognition__.

Apple is no longer an iPhone company — and the stock jumped 4%

__Your sink cabinet has a soul...__ and it's filled with Tide, Febreeze, Bounty, and Tampax. They're some of the VIP brands behind __[Procter & Gamble](https://robinhood.com/stocks/pg)__. The stock rose 4% after its earnings were released, but P&G also reported one huge number: a $5.4B loss — that's because it [reevaluated and adjusted](https://www.wsj.com/articles/procter-gamble-posts-strong-sales-growth-writes-down-gillette-business-11564488591) the value of its Gillette razor brand big-time:

- __2005:__ P&G acquires Gillette for a smooth *$57B*.
- __Right now:__ P&G has adjusted Gillette's valuation down by hefty *$8B*.

__Blame beards...__ P&G claims "lower shaving frequency" is behind Gillette's decline, jumping on the "because Millennials" bandwagon. Shaving happens less often ([down](https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/editorcharts/PROCTERGAMBLE-RESULTS/0H001QEMC7LY/index.html) 11% in the last 5 years) and with cheaper razors — __Dollar Shave Club__ (now owned by Unilever) and __Harry's__ (acquired by Edgewell Personal Care) have snagged Gillette's market share. Sophisticated, "Mach-filled," 20-blade razors are out.

Pricing

__Pricing is power...__ Despite #GilletteProblems, we mentioned P&G's stock rose 4%. That's because sales surged 7% — the biggest jump in over a decade. Half that rise comes from P&G charging higher prices from detergent to tampons (the other half is just selling more of them). The conglomerate has been raising prices, but consumers keep paying. That's power you can't buy.


Shaving just cost Procter & Gamble $8B because Gillette couldn't keep up

"_I will protect this house_"

Apple’s iPhone milestone: <50%

__Plant-based bae...__ It's __[Beyond Meat](https://robinhood.com/stocks/bynd)__. And while the biggest new stock of 2019 was up 794% from its IPO price on Monday, shares dropped 14% after its 2nd ever earnings report was released after-hours. It made a lot bigger loss than investors expected. But Beyond was focused on the positives on its plate:

- __Sales:__ They nearly quadrupled to $67M.
- __Partnerships:__ Breakfast sammies with Dunkin', burgers with Tim Hortons, tacos with Del Taco, and meal kits with Blue Apron.
- __Pipeline:__ Pea-based bacon and steak are in the works.
- __Projections:__ It upped its sales forecasts for this year because grill season is happening. 

__1 problem...__ *Beyond's giving away more Beyond*. Shares plummeted as soon as execs announced they would issue *more* shares of the company. Like an [Initial Public Offering](https://learn.robinhood.com/articles/6UsdUrlnUvxiDpDT4D2bup/what-is-an-initial-public-offering-ipo/?utm_source=snacks&utm_campaign=email_Daily&utm_content=IPO&utm_term=What%20is%20an%20IPO), Beyond is raising new $$$ for the biz by selling new shares — it's just not "initial" anymore. This "secondary" offering dilutes the value of existing shareholders' stock, and they're not thrilled CEO Ethan Brown and other big shareholders are selling stock in this offering too.

Munch

__Nice problem to have...__ Beyond is strategically issuing new shares while its stock price is high — short-term, it hurts the price, but Beyond thinks it'll create long-term value. It'll spend the new money on new factories so it can [access](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/29/beyond-meat-hype-rivals-that-of-bitcoin-and-could-share-the-same-fate.html) the 98% of plant-based meat-eaters who also buy meat — "The Reducetarians."

Beyond Meat plummets 14% after a good/bad earnings combo

__New HR training...__ The FBI is prosecuting a former __Amazon__ employee for stealing data from Amazon's servers (she's under arrest). The data belonged to __[Capital One](https://robinhood.com/stocks/COF)__, which [announced](http://press.capitalone.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=251626&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2405043) the bad news Monday, sending shares down 3%. It's a win for the FBI — we don't often see hackers get ID'd (much less arrested). Now they just need to find the getaway USB stick.  

__What's in your wallet?...__ The hacker knows. Capital One is the #5 provider of credit cards in the US, offering up bank accounts too to people and businesses — so the victims are widespread.

- __Who's affected:__ Anyone/anything that applied for credit cards between 2005 and 2019.
- __How they're affected:__ Mailing address, DOB, email, phone numbers, and self-reported income are all out there. For a smaller number (~140K) they got SSNs, too. The bank said no passwords or credit card numbers were taken. 
- __What to do if you're affected:__ Capital One believes "it is unlikely that the information was used for fraud or disseminated". More info [here](https://www.capitalone.com/facts2019/).

Steal

__Is this a cloud story? An Amazon story?...__ In Seattle, they're charging the alleged hacker for breaking into the physical servers humming along with Capital One's data (we're picturing Mission:Impossible vibes). It's not reassuring that a disgruntled employee at the top cloud company can steal customer files. That's because virtually all big companies rent server space from Amazon, Google, Microsoft, or other cloud providers. 

Capital One announces 106M credit card applications got hacked

__Welcome to the Senior PGA Tour...__ __[Pfizer](https://robinhood.com/stocks/pfe)__ has decided to get rid of its seasoned drugs that used to be hugely profitable, but have gone off-patent and aren't cut out for the big leagues anymore. We're talking its drugs whose patents have expired. And Pfizer's [merging](https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/29/business/pfizer-mylan-upjohn-merger/index.html) those oldies with fellow drugmaker __[Mylan](https://robinhood.com/stocks/myl)__, which specializes in has-been generic and off-patent drugs:

- __From Team Pfizer:__ Xanax (anxiety), Viagra (erectile dysfunction), and Lipitor (cholesterol)
- __From Team Mylan:__ EpiPens (allergies)
- __Team Name — TBD:__ The not-yet-named mixed will be a separate, publicly-traded company with $20B in annual sales, combining all the above.

__Patent protection = profit protection...__ Drugmakers thrive off patents — That protection from competition lets them develop a unique medicine and pretty much name their price. Once the patent expires, the competition arrives.

- __Viagra__ used to bring in $1.4B in sales annually for Pfizer. In 2017 competition came with __Hims__, __Roman__, and __[Teva Pharmaceutical's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TEVA)__ brazenly-named "[Generic Version Viagra](https://www.tevapharm.com/news/teva_announces_exclusive_launch_of_generic_viagra_tablets_in_the_united_states_12_17.aspx)".
- __Mylan__ has [lost](https://www.biospace.com/article/teva-eyes-25-percent-of-the-750-million-epipen-market-by-year-s-end/) profits and stock price after the generic version of __EpiPen__ (also by __Teva__) was approved last year.

Purge

__This is cheap drugs vs. expensive drugs...__ Pfizer's spinning off its classics so it can focus on more "lucrative" drugs that are patent-protected (it just bought an expensive cancer-treating one for $11B last month). But now Pfizer's losing its ol' faithful revenue generators. The pressure is on their scientists now to pass those clinical trials and unleash new blockbuster drugs.

Pfizer's new merger created a new company: Viagra + EpiPens

"_You sold all your Beyond Meat stock, Ted?_"

Beyond Meat's sophomore slump

__New metric, who dis?...__ __[Twitter](https://robinhood.com/stocks/twtr)__ has moved to a [new metric](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/26/twitter-q2-2019-earnings.html) it thinks will better reflect its worth as a company. Instead of just counting the number of Twitter users, the focus is on *monetizable* users. If you've logged into Twitter and seen an ad, then congrats — you're a monetized user. More of those helped drive ad revenue 21% higher last quarter and Twitter shares jumped 9%. 

__That 4pm oat milk latte ritual...__ __[Starbucks](https://robinhood.com/stocks/sbux)__ is thoroughly enjoying it. Shares surged on word that sales at each Starbucks rose 7% on average from last year — and driving that was afternoon visits, which grew for the [1st time](https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/25/investing/starbucks-earnings/index.html) in 3 years. "Coffee happy hours" are now a thing.

__"*That'll be extra for guac*"...__ (we know). Rising avocado prices pushed up __[Chipotle's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/cmg)__ costs last quarter (Mexican and Californian farmers can't [keep up](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/23/chipotle-earnings-q2-2019.html) with American avo-hunger). But shares of the fast-casual restaurant pioneer still hit a record high. Chipotle's greatest enemy is long lines, so it's been adding drive-through windows affectionately called "Chipotlanes." Plus its app and loyalty program have nearly doubled online orders.

Highs

Who's up...

__The streak is over...__ __[Amazon's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/amzn)__ 4-straight quarters of its [best profits](https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/25/tech/amazon-earnings/index.html) ever is officially done. Blame it on the shipping arms race — Prime delivery was upped from 2-day to 1-day delivery, jacking Amazon's shipping costs north by 36%. Expect similarly huge postage stamp bills from __Target__ and __Walmart__ when they report earnings in the new world of "we-demand-one-day-shipping."

__Delayed — ETA TBD...__ __[Southwest](https://robinhood.com/stocks/luv)__ had to cancel 20K flights last quarter, mostly because of Boeing's flawed 737 Max jets. Turns out Southwest was the biggest 737 Max customer with 34 in its fleet, 41 arriving this year, and hundreds more already ordered. The pain is causing it to [cut](https://www.wsj.com/articles/southwest-airlines-to-cease-operations-at-newark-airport-focus-on-laguardia-11564054566?mod=hp_lista_pos3) all its air service out of Newark airport. 

__Model 3 is eating Model S...__ Technically, __[Tesla](https://robinhood.com/stocks/tsla)__ set a record for cars sold over the last three months (95K). But shares [plummeted](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-q2-earnings-shock-to-wipe-52-billion-off-value-cto-leaves-2019-7-1028383743) 12% for their worst day of the year after we learned that "cannibalization" is eating profits. Tesla's lower cost (and arguably sleeker) Model 3 is snagging sales away from the classic Model S and Model X, which are pricier (and profitable-ier for Tesla).

Lows

...and who's down

__It's been 15 months of lobbying...__ since __[T-Mobile](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TMUS)__ and __[Sprint](https://robinhood.com/stocks/S)__ announced plans to merge. Last week the wireless companies got what they wanted: the Justice Dep't [blessed](https://www.npr.org/2019/07/26/745544033/t-mobile-and-sprint-merger-finally-wins-justice-departments-blessing) the merger. The final hurdle is 13 states + DC that are suing, but magenta-loving CEO John Legere is moving forward like it's a done deal — he says rural America will get more bars and it's a win for American 5G. Here's the new "Big 3+1" in wireless: 

1. __[AT&T](https://robinhood.com/stocks/T)__ = 100M customers 
2. __[Verizon](https://robinhood.com/stocks/VZ)__ = 100M customers
3. __*T-Mobile*__ = 90M customers (the "Sprint" name will be retired) 
4. __[Dish Network](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DISH)__ (including BOOST) — If the wireless industry is The Beatles, then Dish is its Ringo Starr.

__This marriage comes with 1 big condition...__ *There must be a 4th wireless company*. T-Mobile was forced to sell Boost Mobile to __[Dish Networks](https://robinhood.com/stocks/DISH)__ because regulators worried it would be too big after acquiring Sprint. So the new #4 is mostly low-cost prepaid plans. Here are some other mega-mergers that featured competition-salvaging conditions:

- __Big Beer:__ When __AB InBev__ merged with __SAB Miller__ for $104B, they had to sell Miller and Coors beer brands.
- __Big Entertainment:__ When __Disney__ acquired __Fox__, Fox Sports and YES Network had to go.

__3 companies will now handle 95% of American phone plans...__ T-Mobile used to be that pesky 4th that undercut Verizon and AT&T prices (it was great for consumers). Now with just 3 players, it's [much easier](https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-the-t-mobile-takeover-of-sprint-means-for-your-wireless-bill-11564156044) for each to focus on profits by raising prices, and not worry as much about competition. The new reality: 3 is a big difference from 4.

 The wireless "Big 3+1" — T-Mobile & Sprint stocks spike on merger approval

_Wall Street's excited for the big wireless merger. Consumers are tbd._

The new "Wireless Big 3" (+1 Ringo Starr)

__Fact...__ Internet growth is slowing. That freaked out Google's parent, __[Alphabet](https://robinhood.com/stocks/GOOG)__, when revenues inched up just 13% last quarter. It was depression-worthy for Google investors, who were used to 25% revenue growth. So the bar was low this time, but Google cleared it (and then some) with a 19% surge in revenues.

- __Fun Fact:__ Google's budget-friendly $400 __Pixel 3A__ helped [double](https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/25/8930755/google-alphabet-q2-2019-earnings-hardware-pixel-sales-cloud-revenue-boost) sales of its smartphones.

__Webster's should strike the word "search" from the internet...__ Google's dominance in online search is [astounding](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-google-retains-more-than-90-of-market-share-2018-4) (93% of worldwide searches) — and so are the ad dollars it harvests year after year. Now it's dishing out some of the $63B in profits it's made the past 3 years by buying-back shares of itself — That can make each remaining share worth more in the near term.

Searched

__This 21-year-old has 2 problems...__ Investors look at Alphabet's ~$800B market value and think: *should this be worth more or less?* Google faces 2 major obstacles to up its growth game:

1. __Shockingly slowing internet growth:__ Mary Meeker's famous Internet Trends Report [showed](https://www.bondcap.com/report/itr19/#view/1) that internet users around the globe are growing at just 6% annually. That's the slowest growth ever, so Google's making up for it by sticking more ads in Google Maps and YouTube.
2. __Major antitrust vibes:__ The federal government started [an investigation](https://www.axios.com/antitrust-vise-tightens-on-tech-doj-google-facebook-amazon-23bd3cf8-2a47-4696-95a3-dcbe31dc2593.html) this week into Google and its gigantic internet friends for allegedly just being way too dominant for society. 

Google jumps 8%  — despite Earth's internet growth slowdown

__Warning...__ __[Hershey's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/hsy)__ latest earnings report revealed that it's raising candy prices, which will probably hit your office choco-bowl budget soon. It also enjoyed $1.8B in quarterly revenues, which beat expectations. But one detail [stood out](https://hershey.gcs-web.com/static-files/5a8c6dde-0f5e-4ab5-9bad-65cceac88710) to us at Snacks: “Growth was led by our powerful Reese’s franchise.” Please continue, Hershey.

__An 87-calorie triple threat...__ Reese's are 90 years old, but Hershey's has given them a facelift by introducing new versions. They call it "innovation." We call it "repackaging and reshaping." But it's working. Here's what they came up with this year:
- __Reese's [Thins](https://www.hersheys.com/reeses/en_us/thins.html):__ Pretty straightforward — the peanut butter cups are 40% narrower.
- __Reese's [Lovers](https://www.hersheys.com/reeses/en_us/lovers.html):__ Instead of a 50/50 chocolate/PB split, there's more chocolate in some, more peanut butter in others.
- __[Variety Pack](https://www.elitedaily.com/p/this-reeses-candy-bar-30-count-variety-pack-is-like-a-dream-come-true-18194765):__ This one's a straight-up packaging trick — 5 bars of 6 types (and one is just a regular Reese's cup...*filled with Reese's Pieces*).

Packaged

__Hershey has an acquisition craving...__ There's only so much repackaging of nut butter and cocoa a century-old company can pull off. So it's looking to buy new brands. Last fall, the chocolate legend acquired Pirate's Booty to get into non-sugar-laden snacks. And Hershey's president thinks acquisitions of newer, innovativ-er brands now play a "[major role](https://www.fooddive.com/news/hershey-targeting-ma-in-bid-to-boost-presence-in-the-burgeoning-snack-spac/538472/)" in its future.

Creative Reese's just powered Hershey up 2%

__Between NorCal and SoCal...__ lies the Governor of California. Four car companies secretly met up with him to negotiate a compromise on minimum MPG fuel efficiency. You borderline needed to whip out a pocket Constitution to understand this one. 

__Cars cause pollution...__ Econ 101 says that governments tax pollution or put limits on it. President Obama [ordered](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/climate/automakers-rejecting-trump-pollution-rule-strike-a-deal-with-california.html) that car companies increase their minimum average fuel economy to __54.5 mpg__ by 2025. President Trump doesn't believe that's necessary and prefers __37 mpg__. That's why California planned to exercise its *waiver* from federal fuel economy laws to keep stricter standards, and 13 states want to follow its lead. 

- __The nightmare scenario:__ Car companies might have had to create two lineups of cars — one for the 36 states following Trump's rules, one for the 14 more dedicated to fighting climate change. 
- __Instead they compromised:__ Ford, Honda, VW, and BMW made a pact with California to follow a (very efficient) __51 mpg__ nationwide by 2026. More automakers are expected to follow.

Negotiations

__This is why car companies want trade deals...__ Drastically different fuel standards between "teams" of states would've given carmakers tons to comply with — sometimes 2 assembly lines are needed instead of 1. Trade deals can fix that. Take the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (a US/Asia trade deal that fell apart). It would've unified standards between the US and Japan, but politics killed it. Car companies are intervening to unify the US.

4 car companies secretly met with California for an environmental deal

"_What do you mean the internet is slowing down_"

Google harvests 90% of the internet

__Fun fact...__ __[Facebook's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/FB)__ stock price is just 5.5% away from its record high. That's despite Wednesday's big [official settlement](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/07/ftc-imposes-5-billion-penalty-sweeping-new-privacy-restrictions) with US regulators for handing over 87M users' personal details to Cambridge Analytica. 

__Facebook knew this was coming...__ So it guestimated back in April for investors that a $3B-$5B fine was coming. It even put money aside to prep for the government's hammer. A+ for FB's forecasting department.

- __The fine: $5B.__ Even though that's a record fine from the FTC, it's equal to less than 1% of Facebook's net worth (when measured by its $577B value by [market capitalization](https://learn.robinhood.com/articles/GByCbiOluG2kcWs1AF6m5/what-is-market-capitalization/#_Understanding_market_capitalization)).
- __Strings attached: Hardly any__. A huge criticism is that the privacy of 2B humans is controlled by 1 human — Mark Zuckerberg — who owns majority voting power at FB. This settlement installs a new "independent privacy committee" within the board that he'll have to check in with monthly.
- __Personal accountability: A tad__. Zuck must personally certify (with a real-life signature) every quarter that his company is following every privacy order from the settlement. Pinky swear.

Like

__BTW, Facebook also announced profits. Big ones...__ In the Western world, we're obsessed with Facebook-owned Instagram, which doesn't have Zuck brand baggage. In the rest of the world, Facebook's rep is fine and people use WhatsApp and Facebook at a carpal tunnel-inducing pace. Facebook's investigations aren't over, but they've barely slowed it down so far. Here are the Q2 [highlights](https://s21.q4cdn.com/399680738/files/doc_financials/2019/Q2/Q2-2019-Earnings-Presentation-07.24.2019.pdf).   

- __Revenues up 28%__ to $16.9B 
- __Operating profit up 14%__ to $6.6B (if you exclude the big fine)
- __Monthly users up 8%__ to 2.4B


Facebook's living its best life (as it shrugs off the $5B fine)

__How many hogs does it take to make a breakfast sandwich?...__ Trick question. At __[Dunkin'](https://robinhood.com/stocks/dnkn)__, it's none for the newest addition. Through a partnership with plant-based __[Beyond Meat](https://robinhood.com/stocks/bynd)__, the coffee icon is piloting a meat-free sausage sammie. It hits 163 Manhattan locations next Wednesday (yes, there are that many there), [joining](https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/24/business/dunkin-beyond-meat/index.html) fellow chains Hardee's, Carl's Jr., and Tim Hortons by putting Beyond on the menu.

__2 key ingredients...__ highlight why this particular partnership is special for both brands.

1. __Breakfast:__ It's the only meal in fast food that's actually [growing](https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/blog/2019/why-the-breakfast-daypart-is-sunny-side-up/) (breakfast sales rose 1% last year, but were flat for all the other meals) — So Dunkin' is giving Beyond Meat prime-time menu real estate. 
2. __Price:__ $4.29. That'll get you one Beyond Sausage sandwich. And it's the same price you'd pay for any other Dunkin' sandwich — Dunkin' isn't charging a premium for fancy non-meat meat (Beyond's CEO nailed it with 👇this👇 quote):

*“It takes a lot of money to buy a Tesla — It takes $4.29 to buy this. And you can basically be making the same statement about who you are, what you care about, where your values are.”*

Chew

__Dunkin’ is America's food *democratizer*...__ The chain takes exclusive trends and brings them mainstream. Case study: espresso. After Starbucks and your local obscure-bean artisan coffee shop dominated unpronounceable espresso options, Dunkin' jumped in last year — [now](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dunkin-donuts-is-becoming-the-target-of-espresso-194143731.html) it's trained 100K employees on 9K espresso machines to make sub-$4 lattes. It's the same goal for plant-based meats.

Dunkin' launches a sausage partnership with Beyond Meat, revealing its core virtue

__95K brand new Tesla owners are happy...__ Shareholders not so much. __[Tesla](https://robinhood.com/stocks/TSLA)__ stock dropped 13% after Elon announced that all those cars sold in the 2nd quarter cost the company more than they sold for — a loss of $408M last quarter. We're here to explain how a record quarter of sales could be so 😔.

__Tesla is eating itself...__ Cannibalization. It's an aggressive term for when one of your products is so good that it's eating sales of another. For a while, Tesla's only models were the high-end S and X, starting at $72K and $77K. "High-end" translates to "I-don't-care-how-much-it-costs" customers, which translates to profits. Now Tesla's pushing its cheaper Model 3 (starting at $39K) to become the 1st mass-production electric car company — and the 3 is eating S sales.

- __Exhibit A:__ In California, where parents dream of their kids' first self-driving ride, the number of Model S registrations at the DMV [fell 54%](https://www.wsj.com/articles/tesla-faces-eroding-sales-of-higher-end-vehicles-amid-model-3-gains-11563905728) last quarter — and the number of cheaper Model 3 registrations *doubled*.

Cannibalize

__*The Model 3 is too good*...__ That's the problem. Styles, looks, performance — Squint your eyes and the Model 3 looks like a Model S. But it's way cheaper. Companies can avoid cannibalization by clearly differentiating products to make the more expensive one objectively better. Now Tesla needs to learn how to not just sell a ton of cars, but do it profitably.

Tesla's record sales quarter... turned out to be unprofitable

_"Who wants a ride in my Model 3?"_

Tesla is cannibalizing Tesla

__Save me, Spiderman...__ Or send __[Hasbro](https://robinhood.com/stocks/HAS)__. The Rhode Island-based toy legend jumped 10% Tuesday after its 2nd quarter earnings. It announced it's shifting some of its toy production to India and Vietnam to avoid tariffs — it aims to [reduce](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/23/hasbro-to-cut-china-production-of-its-toys-looks-to-india-and-vietnam.html) the amount made in China from 67% to 50%. But let's talk about its toy collection.

__Hasbro's, like, a HUGE Marvel fan...__ For over 10 years, it's been the exclusive toymaker of Marvel superheroes. The 23 movies made since '08 have helped fill the piggy bank. Now that *Avengers: Endgame* happened, Marvel has announced "Phase 4" of its superhero content, tailored for Disney+ (which launches in November). Here's a [preview](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/20/marvel-announces-movie-slate-heres-when-they-are-coming-to-theaters.html) of what Hasbro will turn into toys:

- *__Black Widow__*, a spy/assassin film with Scarlett Johansson.
- *__The Eternals__*, a movie with Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek about a (wait for it) alien race that protects Earth from annihilation.
- *__Blade__*, with Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali as a sunglass-loving vampire hunter. 


Play

__Hasbro doesn't just borrow Disney's characters...__ It's expected to extend its Disney deal that includes all Star Wars and Marvel toys (expiring in 2020). But licensing other companies' characters is only 22% of Hasbro's revenue. Its OG characters are actually doing better — *franchise* sales rose 14% last quarter compared to just 3% for licensed. Give some extra allowance to Play-Doh, Transformers, My Little Pony, and Magic The Gathering.

Hasbro surges 10%  (it's not just The Avengers)

__Technically...__ the coffee chain reports earnings tomorrow. But we thought this storyline was more interesting: __[Starbucks](https://robinhood.com/stocks/sbux)__ wants to turn its app brilliance into a monetized revenue stream. It just [invested](https://investor.starbucks.com/press-releases/financial-releases/press-release-details/2019/Starbucks-Backs-Restaurant-Tech-Company-in-Creation-of-End-to-End-Digital-Platform-for-Restaurant-Industry/default.aspx) in tech startup __Brightloom__ with plans to build a software service that covers all the back-end mobile needs of a restaurant.

__"*Waiter, we'll take it all to-go*"...__ That's the idea for Starbucks — mix together all the core elements of a successful mobile app into a [single product](https://www.fastcompany.com/90380135/starbucks-wants-to-create-the-aws-for-restaurants), then serve *that* up to other chains through Brightloom. Here's what the service could include (and who it could replace):

- __Loyalty program:__ LevelUp is the app currently handling your fast-casual loyalty points with some chains, including Just Salad and Pokéworks.
- __Mobile payments:__ Square is the preferred payment enabler of your local fancy-bean coffee shop.
- __Customer relationship management:__ Salesforce is the global giant of CRM software so your go-to spot knows your "the usual" order.

Commit

__Quote the Joker on this one...__ *“If you’re good at something, don’t do it for free."* Starbucks' app has become your best friend's true best friend — 17M Americans are using it, and 40% of Starbucks' US sales happen through it. Starbucks could make money off this venti-sized opportunity — 69% of US restaurants [don't](https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-takes-stake-in-tech-company-brightloom-11563826211) even accept mobile payments currently. An app though is crucial for speeding up the line, incentivizing loyalty, and learning more about customers.

Starbucks may start selling its mobile app knowledge to restaurants

__Some numbers matter more than others...__ Take __[Coca-Cola's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/KO)__ revenues last quarter. They were expected by Wall Street to be $9.99B — They were actually $10.0B. But that's not why the stock flew up 6% Tuesday. The real reason is Coke [upgraded](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/23/coca-cola-earnings-q2-2019.html) its sales growth expectations for 2019 from 4% to 5%. For a company as huge as Coke, that extra percentage point is big.

__Coke's the [5th most](https://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-17-most-powerful-brands-in-the-world-2018-10#4-microsoft-9272-billion-14) valuable brand on earth...__ But in the US, it needs a brand-aid. Word's gotten out that carbonated water is probably better for you when not mixed with sweet syrup or aspartame. It didn't experience growth in its classic Coca-Cola brand, and the plan to revive it feels desperate: Bring the 80's back with [product placements](https://www.cokestore.com/new-coke-and-stranger-things-1985-limited-edition-collector-s-pack) in *Stranger Things* Season 3. 


__Coke has now discovered "good energy"...__ A key company goal is to "expand energy" (the natural kind). Coke acquired __Costa Coffee__ in the UK for $4.9B, and  Coca-Cola Energy has been launched in 14 countries (no ETA yet for the US) — its caffeine comes from natural sources. Plus, its Diet Coke spin-off, aka Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, has grown double-digit percentage amounts for 7 straight quarters.

Coca-Cola figures out what energy is good energy

"_Don't touch my toys, brah_"

Starbucks wants to sell its app brains

__Hungry and lazy?...__ There's an app for that. __[Uber](https://robinhood.com/stocks/uber)__ is piloting a *membership* service in San Francisco and Chicago. For $24.99 a month, users will [get](https://mashable.com/article/uber-ride-eats-bike-scooter-pass/) a fixed discount on each Uber ride, free delivery on Uber Eats, and 30 minutes of JUMP bike-share and scooter rides per day for free. 

__Variety gets 5 stars...__ Technically, Lyft has a monthly subscription too (an unlimited pass called "[All Access](https://blog.lyft.com/posts/subscribe-and-save-with-the-all-access-plan)"). But Uber's competitive advantage is all the logistics options for a *variety* of daily needs packed into one monthly charge. Lyft doesn't have that. Need to drive far? Uber's membership covers it. Just need to scoot around the corner? It's covered. Want a gyro STAT? All included.

Subscribed

__"Prime-ification" is happening...__ Amazon brought the club concept to a mass audience with $119/year (or $12.99/month) Prime. Uber's  pulling the same move because it knows that once you commit, you're a sticky customer. Already paid the month's Uber membership fee? You won't even open Lyft (unless Uber's surge pricing is crazy). Membership programs thrive on that guilt — and the recurring, consistent revenue they drive may get more business models Prime-ifying.

PS: What will get "Prime-ified" next? Tweet your guess [@RobinhoodSnacks](https://twitter.com/RobinhoodSnacks).

Uber launches a membership service fueled by its core advantage over Lyft

__"*I hate that chip store*...__ *I wish there were another in town.*" That's the thinking behind __[Apple's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/aapl)__ reported [interest](https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-in-advanced-talks-to-buy-intels-smartphone-modem-chip-business-11563830356) in acquiring the smartphone chip division at __[Intel](https://robinhood.com/stocks/intc)__. Intel is/was really good at making computer chips, but not so good at mobile chips for smartphones. Here's Intel's rocky relationship with Apple for the iPhone:

- __2007 — 2016:__ __[Qualcomm](https://robinhood.com/stocks/qcom)__ was Apple's go-to modem provider.
- __2016 — April 2019:__ Apple put its arm around Intel, hoping it could offer the same chips as Qualcomm for a lower price. 
- __April 16, 2019:__ Apple begrudgingly [settled](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/technology/apple-qualcomm-settle.html) lawsuits with Qualcomm, and agreed to use its chips again for at least 6 years. 
- __Also April 16, 2019:__ Since Apple broke up with it, Intel announced it was done with smartphone modems.

__We're talking about the "bottleneck"...__ iPhones start as raw materials and end fitting nicely on your palm. In between there's a value chain, including workers, factories, stores... and modems. Qualcomm is the [only](https://www.cnet.com/news/intel-will-exit-5g-modem-business-hours-after-apple-qualcomm-settle/) chip company able to offer the modems for 5G phones, so Apple has no choice but to work with them.

In-source

__This is about busting Qualcomm's bottleneck...__ Qualcomm's stock fell 3% after the [WSJ's report](https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-in-advanced-talks-to-buy-intels-smartphone-modem-chip-business-11563830356) — if Apple's able to resurrect Intel's patents, research, and engineers into a functioning 5G chip assembly line, Qualcomm will lose the power it has over the iPhone. If not, Qualcomm will keep naming its chip price. 

Apple is reportedly buying Intel's chip business for $1B

__The bureau of credit...__ Sounds like a government agency. It's not. It's __[Equifax](https://robinhood.com/stocks/EFX)__, the for-profit company best known for exposing over 147M Americans' sensitive personal information. Yesterday, it settled a bunch of lawsuits and investigations, offering victims some free stuff:

- __$25/hour:__ If you spent time with credit card customer service or learning how to manage a password manager, you can bill Equifax for it — up to $20K. 
- __10 years:__ Free credit monitoring service for a decade, which is worth ~$10/month.
- __$7B:__ That's the max amount Equifax could end up paying if all 147M victims take action (the company only expects 7M to make claims — FYI, you can learn more at [equifaxbreachsettlement.com](https://www.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/)). 

__Your money history matters...__ [Three companies](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/know-your-data-our-latest-list-consumer-reporting-companies/) keep track of Americans' money reputation — your credit score. If they make a mistake, you could suffer from high interest rates, a problem that's tough to correct. So far though, the data that Equifax failed to protect hasn't shown up on the black markets where stolen data is typically sold.

Breach

__Equifax has pretty much recovered...__ The Atlanta-based company's stock price dropped from $145 to $93 in the two weeks after reports that its data door was left open. But shares have climbed back to $138 (as of Monday). Equifax was driving irresponsibly with a baby on board (your data), but politicians haven't done much new regulating to make sure it won't happen again. 

Equifax settles for a hefty $650M (or more) with 147M Americans for its data breach

_Mooching off 1 Uber Pass subscription_

Prime, but for Uber

__Tinder is making the first move...__ It's finding a way around the app store “tax”  that Google charges. To get premium features like "Tinder Gold" (Super Likes, read receipts, and other aggressive dating tools), you pay with your credit card on file through the Google Play store — and Google takes a 30% cut (it's similar with Apple apps). *That's a hefty toll*. So Tinder will [encourage](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-19/tinder-bypasses-google-play-joining-revolt-against-app-store-fee) users to go around the app store and pay it directly. Shares of Tinder-owner __[Match](https://robinhood.com/stocks/mtch)__ jumped 5% on the plan that sneakily avoids Google's 30% fee.

__Hakuna matata...__ __[Disney](https://robinhood.com/stocks/dis)__ entertained itself with two fresh records over the weekend: *The Lion King's* $185M haul in North America was the best opening weekend for a Disney remake — and then *Avengers: Endgame* finally passed *Avatar* as top grossing hit ever — $2.789B worth of movie tickets sold. With another *Star Wars* coming (shocker), Disney's on pace to earn $9B at the box office this year (which would also be a record).

__Big banks are the window to your wallet's soul...__ Spending on __[Citi](https://robinhood.com/stocks/c)__ credit cards [jumped](https://www.wsj.com/articles/citigroup-reports-profit-revenue-boost-11563192294) 8% last quarter while splurging on __[JP Morgan](https://robinhood.com/stocks/jpm)__ cards popped 11%. __[Goldman Sachs](https://robinhood.com/stocks/GS)__ wants in on that consumer spending so badly that it has [invested](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/16/goldman-main-street-transformation-costs.html) $1.3B on its retail banking project "Marcus" (and a new credit card partnership with __Apple__ hits this summer). In a world of volatile markets, interest rate uncertainty, and a trade war, your savings, checking, and credit accounts are banks' warm and fuzzy blanket.

__*Narcos* Season 3 was bad...__ This was even more painful. __[Netflix](https://robinhood.com/stocks/nflx)__ suffered its [worst](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/07/netflix-lost-us-subscribers-in-q2-over-price-hikes-how-can-it-win-them-back/) earnings miss ever after US Netflix subscribers actually decreased by 126K in the past year. Netflix simply didn't pump out enough headline original content over the last three months to entice new sign-ups. Plus, the monthly price rose by 2 bucks over the quarter. And now it's about to lose *Friends* and *The Office*, its 2 most popular shows.

__Can't blame gluten...__ Blame delivery. __[Domino's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/dpz)__ plummeted 9% on word that sales only rose 3% last quarter. The CEO [blamed](https://www.barrons.com/articles/dominos-stock-food-delivery-apps-arket-share-grub-hub-uber-doordash-51563375097) the slowdown on competition from "3rd party delivery aggregators," aka __DoorDash__, __[Uber Eats](https://robinhood.com/stocks/UBER)__, __Postmates__, and __[Grubhub](https://robinhood.com/stocks/GRUB)__. He mentioned them 19 times in the earnings call as the apps open up your delivery palette to non-pizza options.

__To quote LL Cool J...__ *Don't call it a comeback.* __[iHeartMedia](https://robinhood.com/stocks/ihrt)__ had $20B of debt and its last playlist ended in bankruptcy. Now it's been given a 2nd chance by a judge, and its shares just [started](https://variety.com/2019/music/news/iheartmedia-stock-drops-nasdaq-debut-1203271620/) trading again on the Nasdaq exchange. Its new mission is obsessed with "companionship," aka the daily devotion listeners have to talk radio and podcasts. In addition to concert hosting and sticking ads into the audio you hear, iHeartMedia wants to dethrone NPR as America's top podcast publisher (it's currently #2).

__Not a fun number to tally...__ In addition to scrutiny and lost trust, the safety issues that contributed to two downed planes full of passengers have cost __[Boeing](https://robinhood.com/stocks/ba)__ a lot of money already:

- __For customer reimbursements:__ The airlines that bought 737 Max planes *were planning to fly them*. Since they haven't since March, Boeing said last week it [put aside](https://investors.boeing.com/investors/investor-news/press-release-details/2019/Boeing-to-Recognize-Charge-and-Increased-Costs-in-Second-Quarter-Due-to-737-MAX-Grounding/default.aspx) $5.6B to reimburse them.
- __For lost sales:__ Since March 13th, not a single 737 Max has been delivered. Instead of turning into $2.7B of revenue for Boeing, the planes are filling up company parking lots ([literally](https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-737-max-employee-parking-lot-packed-2019-6)).
- __For the victims:__ The Ethiopian Airlines crash killed 157 people. The Lion Air crash killed 189 more. Boeing is paying their families through a $100M fund.  
- *__Grand total: $8.4B__*

__How does that giant number compare?...__ We took a stroll down the hall of corporate shame to find out.

- __Volkswagen__ [paid](https://money.cnn.com/2017/09/29/investing/volkswagen-diesel-cost-30-billion/index.html) __$30B__ for cheating regulators and customers about "clean" diesel cars. 
- __Facebook__ was just [fined](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/technology/facebook-ftc-fine.html) __$5B__ for letting Cambridge Analytica manipulate 87M users' votes in the 2016 election.
- __Wells Fargo__ was [punished](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/12/28/wells-fargo-fake-accounts-settlement/2432088002/) __$575M__ for opening fake accounts for millions of unknowing customers.
- __Bank of America__, __JP Morgan__, and __Citi__ (among other huge banks) paid __$16.5B__, __$13B__, and __$7B__ for setting up the perfect kindling — subprime mortgage loans — for a 2008 financial system fiasco. 

Pricetag

__Boeing's future looks fine...__ Stock prices reflect future profits, and Wall Street clearly thinks Boeing can dust this one off. The reason is competition (the lack of it) — Comparing Boeing's stock drop to Volkswagen's makes it clear.

- 🚗 __[Volkswagen's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/VWAGY) shares fell 60%__ in the months after Diesel-gate. That's because there are dozens of car companies that customers could switch to.
- ✈️ __[Boeing's](https://robinhood.com/stocks/BA) stock is down *only 11%*__ since the 2nd plane crash in March. That's because there's only 1 planemaker customers could switch to – __Airbus__ — and its orders are booked out for almost 8 years. 



Boeing's 737 Max crisis has cost it $8.4B. Here's how that compares.

_Boeing trying to keep everyone happy_

Boeing-gate cost $8.4B. We compare that to other "gates."

__Amazon <> Microsoft...__ They're cross-lake tech rivals in Seattle. Amazon set sales records earlier with Prime Day — Now it's Bill Gates' baby's turn: __[Microsoft](https://robinhood.com/stocks/MSFT)__ profits spiked 49% to a [record](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/18/microsoft-earnings-q4-2019.html) high last quarter. And it remains the world's only $1T (trillion with a "T") publicly-traded company as the stock rose 3% after the report. 

__It's thanks to the "profit triangle"...__ You probably notice Microsoft products at work. But it's so much more than that. Here's how its $33.7B of revenue last quarter was almost perfectly divided 33/33/33:

- 👔 __Productivity & business processing:__ This includes Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), messaging (Outlook and Teams), and LinkedIn (acquired in 2016).
- ☁️ __Intelligent Cloud:__ Companies that have apps or websites (that's most of 'em) need processing power. These days they rent it via servers from tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, or Google. 
- 🎮 __Personal computing:__ Regular folk don't rent processing power as much as companies do. We buy computers, tablets, and an Xbox or two.

__Microsoft owned chapter 1 and chapter 3 of computers...__ but completely missed chapter 2.

1. __Personal Computers.__ Paul Allen and Bill Gates founded Microsoft and quickly dominated computers (with Windows) and TPS reports (with Word/Excel/PowerPoint). 
2. __Mobile.__ Bill Gates [confessed](https://www.inc.com/chris-matyszczyk/bill-gates-just-confessed-his-greatest-ever-mistake-he-still-hasnt-got-over-it.html) his biggest business mistake: letting __[Google](https://robinhood.com/stocks/GOOG)__ become the default operating system for smartphones with Android. 
3. __Cloud.__ Under new CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft is #1 again thanks to growth in cloud services and subscription products, like Office 365.

Microsoft sets a profit record ($13B), so we'll update you on what it actually does

__It's the comeback tour...__ For nearly a decade, America's biggest radio broadcaster was drowning in corporate debt. Then bankruptcy. Now __[iHeartMedia](https://robinhood.com/stocks/ihrt)__ re-debuted on the [Nasdaq stock exchange](https://learn.robinhood.com/articles/1GXPrecRfkSNp0aBblBSsL/what-is-the-nasdaq/) yesterday (the stock slipped 3.5% on day 1). The return was kindly made possible by a bankruptcy judge who [expunged](https://www.wsj.com/articles/iheartmedia-returns-to-public-markets-11563447601) (great word) $10B of those debts. Prior to that, it was paying almost $2B per year (1/3 of revenue) in interest payments alone. 

__iHeartMedia is Jackson Maine (from A Star Is Born) — and podcasts are Ally...__ iHeart's radio reaches 275M users monthly in the US — that's almost all Americans over the age of 6, which iHeart boldly claims is a vaster reach than Google. But a driver of its comeback is podcasts:

- Users who pod __spend more time listening overall__ than just-music listeners do.
- And iHeartMedia is the __[#2](http://analytics.podtrac.com/podcast-publisher-rankings) pod publisher behind only NPR__, with shows like "Stuff You Should Know" and "The Ron Burgundy Show".

Sounds

__"Companionship" is now the real star...__ Talk radio shows and podcasts (which the CEO calls "radio on demand") foster relationships with listeners. IHeartMedia [even dropped](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1400891/000119312519096030/d694706ds1.htm) the term "companionship" 21 times in its S-1, the critical filing document for companies that want to trade on stock exchanges like Nasdaq or the NYSE. Engaged listeners are more valuable for the company that's already reaching nearly the entire country.

iHeartMedia falls on 1st day of trading (and rebound from bankruptcy)

__Dress for the earnings report you want...__ not the one you have. __[Skechers](https://robinhood.com/stocks/skx)__ is channeling it. Your go-to middle school shoe option's overall sales jumped 11% last quarter. But it's basically become a foreign company — nearly 60% of those sales [were overseas](https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/19/07/14099050/skechers-sharply-higher-after-q2-earnings-beat), where sales surged about 20%.

__Influencers not wanted...__ Skechers' US growth strategy may be less extensive as it expands abroad, but it's got one theme: C-list celebs who can side hustle as shoe ambassadors.

- Ex-QB __Tony Romo__ is the new face of Skechers' feet (his wife is in on the deal too), headlining the brand's 2-year turnaround.
- He's flanked by retired childhood sports icons like __Joe Montana__ and __David Ortiz__ who still try to feel active.
- Golfers are playing too — __Brooke Henderson__ and __Russell Knox__ are repping Skechers golf spikes.


Looks

__Avoiding trends is Skechers' trend...__ With more than 3,000 style options, the company is focused on giving a little something to everyone — not the next "it" thing that one friend of yours always has first. That mass-market strategy is captured by this single quote from the CFO: “Our core demographic isn’t the teenage fashionista.” You do you.