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Tag: Public Relations

  • Stock-index futures gain ground after three-week losing streak

    Stock-index futures gain ground after three-week losing streak

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    U.S. stock futures moved higher early Monday, as Wall Street looks to snap a three-week losing streak.

    How are stock-index futures trading

    • S&P 500 futures
      ES00,
      +0.51%

      rose 15 points, or 0.3% to 4397

    • Dow Jones Industrial Average futures
      YM00,
      +0.36%

      gained 79 points, or 0.2% to 34644

    • Nasdaq 100 futures
      NQ00,
      +0.70%

      rose 86 points, or 0.5% to 14830

    On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA
    rose 26 points, or 0.07%, to 34501, the S&P 500
    SPX
    declined 1 points, or 0.01%, to 4370, and the Nasdaq Composite
    COMP
    dropped 26 points, or 0.2%, to 13291.

    What’s driving markets

    Futures are striving to find their footing as Wall Street comes off a three-week losing streak.

    “Global markets have recently experienced a series of stumbles due to concerns about China’s economy and higher sovereign bond yields. Last week the S&P 500 dropped 2.1 %, worryingly, with every sector ending in the red,” noted Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI asset management.

    Neither of those factors are providing much succor early Monday. A trimming of interest rates over the weekend by China’s central bank has underwhelmed the market, while the 10-year Treasury yield is up about 4 basis points to 4.29%, holding near 15-year highs.

    The rising borrowing costs have been a particular problems for some of the big technology stocks that tend to lead the market, according to Innes.

    “Last week, several prominent stocks within the S&P 500, such as
    GOOGL,
    -1.89%
    ,

    TSLA,
    -1.70%
    ,

    META,
    -0.65%
    ,

    AMZN,
    -0.57%
    ,

    MSFT,
    -0.13%
    ,

    AAPL,
    +0.28%
    ,
    and
    NVDA,
    -0.10%
    ,
    all underperformed compared to the broader market index. This dip in performance is attributed to the recent surge in interest rates…This upward rate movement has exerted downward pressure on longer-duration assets,” Innes added.

    With that in mind, the reception afforded Nvidia’s results, due on Wednesday, may shape market sentiment for a while. The chipmaker is among the stragglers of an earnings season that has generally beaten forecasts but failed to deliver additional bullish propulsion to the market.

    “This picture simply means that the fear of a further Fed tightening, prospects of higher interest rates, combined [with] the set of bad news from China simply didn’t let investors enjoy the better-than-expected earnings,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

    However, Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat, reckons the recent sell-off will be halted at or before Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell makes a speech at the Jackson Hole symposium at the end of the week.

    “Over our many conversations with institutional investors in the past week, the vast majority cite the rise in interest rates as the most concerning for equities,” Lee wrote in a note published over the weekend.

    And he thinks the Fed is worried by the surge in 10-year yields, too, because it represents a meaningful tightening of financial conditions for markets, companies and households.

    “I think the Fed likely says something dovish-ish [sic]. Why? Does Fed want to risk another ‘something breaking’ ala Feb 2023? While some look back at August 2022 when Fed Chair Powell’s statement was hawkish and marked the local top in 2022 (stocks fell -19% next 8 weeks), we think the context is the opposite.” Lee concluded

    Zoom video Communications
    ZM,
    +1.42%

    will report results after Monday’s closing bell. There are no top drawer U.S. economic data due Monday.

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  • ‘Magnificent Seven’ stocks are losing some of their shine, but their bonds are doing fine

    ‘Magnificent Seven’ stocks are losing some of their shine, but their bonds are doing fine

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    The so-called Magnificent Seven grouping of technology stocks lost some of its luster this week after four of the seven moved into correction territory, meaning their stocks have fallen at least 10% from their recent peaks.

    The corporate-bond market, in contrast, seems to like all seven names.

    The group is made up of Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    -0.65%
    ,
    Apple Inc.
    AAPL,
    +0.28%
    ,
    Microsoft Corp.
    MSFT,
    -0.13%
    ,
    Nvidia Corp.
    NVDA,
    -0.10%
    ,
    Amazon. com Inc.
    AMZN,
    -0.57%
    ,
    Google parent Alphabet Inc.
    GOOGL,
    -1.89%

    GOOG,
    -1.80%

    and Tesla Inc.
    TSLA,
    -1.70%
    .

    One caveat: Tesla has no outstanding bonds. In the past, the electric-car maker issued convertible bonds, but they have all been converted into equity.

    The group is credited with helping drive the stock market’s gains in the first half of the year, driven by excitement about artificial intelligence. But the rally has stalled in recent weeks as investors have fretted over the potential for U.S. interest-rate increases, surging Treasury yields and China worries, with property developer Evergrande filing for U.S. bankruptcy protection late Thursday.

    On Thursday, Meta followed Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia into correction territory, as MarketWatch’s Emily Bary reported. Tesla, meanwhile, is in a bear market, meaning it’s down more than 20% from its recent peak.

    ReadHave AI stocks like Nvidia reached bubble territory? Here’s what history can tell us.

    The following series of charts from data-solutions provider BondCliQ Media Services show how many bonds each company has issued by maturity and how they have traded as the stocks have pulled back.

    The first chart shows that Microsoft has by far the most bonds, mostly in the 30-year bucket. The software and cloud giant has more than $50 billion in long-term debt, according to its 2023 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Outstanding Magnificent Seven debt by maturity bucket.


    Source: BondCliQ Media Services

    This chart shows trading volumes over the last 10 days, divided by trade type. The green shows customer buying, while the red is customer selling. The blue shows dealer-to-dealer flows. Microsoft, for example, has seen almost $1.3 billion in customer buying from dealers in the last 10 days and $960 million in customer sales to dealers.

    Magnificent Seven debt trading volumes (last 10 days).


    Source: BondCliQ Media Services

    This chart shows that every name in the group has enjoyed better net buying in the last 10 days, with Microsoft leading the way.

    Net customer flow of Magnificent Seven debt (last 10 days).


    Source: BondCliQ Media Services

    This chart shows spread performance over the last 50 days for an intermediate-term bond from each of the seven issuers. Most have tightened or remained steady over the period.

    Historical spread performance of Magnificent Seven debt.


    Source: BondCliQ Media Services

    Read also: Red flags waving for tech stocks as AI bounce fades, China fears escalate

    Apple’s stock entered correction Wednesday upon falling more than 10% from its July 31 peak of $196.45. The company sells mainly discretionary products, and right now “consumers are still being pinched” and thinking more carefully about where they spend their money, according to Matt Stucky, senior portfolio manager for equities at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management.

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  • How Web 3.0 Will Revolutionize the Public Relations Industry | Entrepreneur

    How Web 3.0 Will Revolutionize the Public Relations Industry | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The rise of Web 3.0 is set to transform all industries. Public relations (PR) is no exception. With the emergence of decentralized technologies like blockchain, Web 3.0 brings new possibilities for PR professionals to connect with their audiences in ways previously thought impossible.

    Blockchain technology, for instance, can enable PR practitioners to create secure and transparent channels of communication that protect user privacy by giving individuals greater control over their personal data. This can build deeper trust between brands and their audiences, leading to more meaningful relationships.

    Meanwhile, Web 3.0 technologies such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) offer a unique way to engage audiences by creating digital assets that have value and scarcity, which can be used to incentivize participation and reward engagement. NFTs can be used to create unique digital experiences and reward audiences for their engagement and loyalty.

    Some companies have started testing the waters of incorporating Web 3.0 technologies into their communications campaigns. Established businesses started developing digital assets on the metaverse or creating corporate NFTs.

    What are the top strategies for PR professionals to harness Web 3.0 technologies in their communications campaigns?

    Related: 3 Tips to Take Advantage of the Future Web 3.0 Decentralized Infrastructure

    1. Leverage NFTs to create a unique audience experience

    One of the primary attractions of NFTs is their capacity to tell brand stories in innovative ways. Public relations professionals can incorporate stories into NFTs and deliver them through collectible assets. NFT-compatible PR campaigns give consumers access to brand content, exclusive events, digital assets and special offers. Brands can now collaborate with their customers more closely than ever, rewarding them for their loyalty and attention.

    Nike, for example, has acquired virtual goods company RTFKT which specializes in digital sneakers. By leveraging RTFKT’s virtual sneaker drops on its Web 3.0 marketplace, Nike creates new digital collectibles Air Force Ones that are positioned as more than just NFTs; but virtual creations. This approach fosters a sense of belonging and personalized interaction, strengthening the bond between Nike and its dedicated fanbase.

    2. Build a niche community on the metaverse

    Brands can leverage the metaverse to build a niche community by tapping into its unique privacy features. As consumers become increasingly privacy-conscious, the metaverse’s decentralized nature and anonymity options offer a safe and secure space for users to engage with others who share similar interests. By creating a branded presence within the metaverse that prioritizes user privacy, brands can cultivate a loyal following among niche communities.

    Teaming up with People of Crypto Lab (POC), major metaverse platform, The Sandbox, has co-launched launched the Valley of Belonging, a safe and vibrant space that celebrates diversity and inclusivity. The immersive experience allows platform members to participate in an LGBTQIA+ Pride Parade and explore various activities and meet diverse personalities. This initiative showcases the potential of the metaverse in fostering social change and creating a welcoming environment for marginalized communities.

    Related: The World Of Web3: A Beginner’s Guide To A Space That’s Set To Change The World As The Internet Once Did

    3. Integrate metaverse into your online and offline presence

    M2O2O (metaverse to online to offline) is a strategic approach that aims to create a seamless user experience across different platforms. It involves using the metaverse as a starting point and transitioning to online and offline platforms. This approach can be used to create immersive experiences that allow users to engage with brands and products in a more personalized way. By connecting the metaverse to online and offline experiences, brands can create a cohesive and memorable user experience that fosters loyalty and engagement.

    Last year, Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” summer campaign in Mainland China, Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong showcased a remarkable fusion of audience connectivity in both the Web 3.0 domain and the physical realm. The campaign transformed Coke bottles into connection points for friends. It also featured a “Metaverse Music Festival” where users customized avatars and engaged in music battles and a WeChat-embedded game with social sharing elements. The campaign bridged the virtual and physical realms, creating memorable moments for Coca-Cola fans.

    The emergence of Web 3.0 technologies marks a new era of engagement for PR professionals. With the inclusion of NFTs, metaverse and other cutting-edge Web 3.0 technologies, brands now have the tools to create unprecedented experiences and forge deeper connections with their audiences.

    As the new age of Web 3.0 continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative applications that will revolutionize the way brands engage with their customers.

    The future of PR is here, and it’s time for us to embrace it and unlock the full potential of Web 3.0. With limitless possibilities and new frontiers to explore, the only question remains: Is the sky still a limit?

    Related: Boost Your Business’s Online Presence By Leveraging These Web3 Marketing Trends and Tactics

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    Brian Yeung

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  • Nasdaq falls to 6-week low as rising bond yields weigh on ‘Magnificent 7’ stocks

    Nasdaq falls to 6-week low as rising bond yields weigh on ‘Magnificent 7’ stocks

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    U.S. stocks traded lower for a third straight day on Thursday as rising bond yields spurred weakness in some of the so-called Magnificent Seven megacap stocks, helping to drive the Nasdaq to a six-week low.

    How are stocks trading

    • The S&P 500
      SPX
      was down 2 points, or 0.1%, to 4,401.

    • The Dow Jones Industrial Average
      DJIA
      shed 42 points, or 0.1%, to 34,725.

    • The Nasdaq Composite
      COMP
      fell by 46 points, or 0.3%, to 13,428.

    The Dow and S&P 500 were on track to extend a losing streak to a third straight session as major indexes headed for another week in the red. The S&P 500 hasn’t fallen for three weeks in a row since February, FactSet data show.

    What’s driving markets

    Bonds have resumed command of the stock market of late as higher yields lash shares of megacap technology stocks, undermining their status as the undisputed market leaders.

    Long-dated Treasury yields continued to rise Thursday, with the 10-year yield
    BX:TMUBMUSD10Y
    touching its highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, rising north of 4.31%. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

    Rising yields helped heap more pressure on shares of some of this year’s highflying tech stocks, including Tesla Inc.
    TSLA,
    -0.34%
    ,
    Apple Inc.
    AAPL,
    -0.91%

    and Microsoft Corp.
    MSFT,
    -0.01%

    The elite group of megacap tech stocks which also includes Amazon.com Inc., Meta Platforms Corp.
    META,
    -0.24%

    and Alphabet Inc.’s Class A
    GOOGL,
    +2.42%

    and Class C
    GOOG,
    +2.48%

    shares has been credited with driving much of the Nasdaq Composite’s nearly 30% run-up year-to-date. But their market dominance has faded in recent weeks as investors have favored other cyclical sectors like energy and materials stocks. Those two sectors were the best performers on the S&P 500 on Thursday.

    “That’s a theme that’s been bubbling up here over the last three to four weeks, but there’s more of an exclamation point on it now,” said David Keller, chief market strategist at Stockcharts.com, during a phone interview with MarketWatch.

    “First you had Microsoft and Apple breaking down a few weeks ago, now you’re getting Meta breaking below its 50-day moving average.”

    Keller added that rising bond yields tend to have a bigger impact on growth stocks like technology names, while sectors like energy are more resilient.

    “Energy can do just fine in a rising rate environment. energy and materials should probably do better in a relative basis,” he said.

    Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s July meeting released Wednesday afternoon were being blamed for the latest leg higher in global bond yields. They showed that Fed policy makers could continue raising interest rates amid concerns that inflation could reaccelerate, potentially pushing bond yields even higher.

    “It’s really uncertain where terminal interest rates will land given the economy isn’t giving us a decisive picture of being too strong or too weak. It’s keeping the window open for more rate hikes potentially,” said Mohannad Aama, a portfolio manager at Beam Capital Management, during a phone interview with MarketWatch.

    Corporate earnings were also in focus as investors received results from Cisco Systems
    CSCO,
    +4.06%

    and retail giant Walmart Inc.
    WMT,
    -1.74%
    .
    Cisco reported strong quarterly results after Wednesday’s close. Walmart also reported stronger than expected earnings, helping to offset some concerns about the strength of the consumer spurred by Target Corp.’s
    TGT,
    +1.94%

    lackluster earnings and guidance from Wednesday.

    Shares of Cisco rose 2.6%, while Walmart shares turned lower, down 1.2%.

    Economic updates released Thursday helped support the notion that the U.S. economy is growing at a faster pace than economists had expected, potentially complicating the Fed’s efforts to tamp down inflation.

    First-time jobless-benefit claims fell by 11,000 to 239,000 last week, a sign that layoffs in the U.S. labor market remain low. The Philadelphia Fed factory index also shot higher to 12 in August, up from negative 13.5 during the prior month, a sign that manufacturers in the U.S. could be exiting a slump.

    Companies in focus

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  • Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg: The stupidest story of the summer appears over

    Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg: The stupidest story of the summer appears over

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    The stupidest story of the summer may be over. Finally, mercifully.

    Mark Zuckerberg, billionaire and chief executive of Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    -1.34%
    ,
    on Sunday appeared to pull the grown-up card — or at least the less-immature card — to scuttle a cage fight with Elon Musk, the even richer billionaire, Tesla Inc.
    TSLA,
    -1.10%

    CEO and X owner.

    From the start, it was a story that appeared to live mostly in Musk’s imagination. Yet it still sparked a media frenzy, as the prospect of two emotionally stunted billionaires publicly pummeling each other was not without some appeal.

    But the proposed MMA-style fight apparently met its demise the same way it was born — through a lot of online bluster.

    Weeks after proposing the fight, then resorting to multiple delaying tactics while noting how out of shape and unprepared he was, Musk apparently reached out to Zuckerberg over the weekend asking for a “practice bout” first.

    Author and journalist Walter Isaacson — who is currently writing a biography of Musk — tweeted a text exchange Sunday that he said Musk had sent him.

    “Wanna do a practice bout at your house next week?” a text apparently from Musk reads. The reply, purportedly from Zuckerberg: “If you still want to do a real MMA fight, then you should train on your own and let me know when you’re ready to compete. I don’t want to keep hyping something that will never happen, so you should either decide you’re going to do this and do it soon, or we should move on.”

    In real news: Tesla cuts prices for some Model Y versions in China, as price war ramps back up

    Zuckerberg later posted a more public burn on Meta’s Threads — the Twitter/X rival that sparked this whole thing to begin with — saying: “I think we can all agree that Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on…If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I’m going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously.”

    It was unclear what the two billionaires now plan to do with their spare time, if not fight each other.

    In completely unrelated news, fellow mega-billionaire and Amazon.com Inc.
    AMZN,
    -0.11%

    founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée announced a $100 million donation Friday to Maui wildfire relief efforts.

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  • Don’t Give a Sales Pitch to a Journalist — Tell Them Your Story. Here’s Why. | Entrepreneur

    Don’t Give a Sales Pitch to a Journalist — Tell Them Your Story. Here’s Why. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As entrepreneurs, it’s in our blood to always be selling. But when it comes to public relations, pump the brakes on the sales pitch when speaking with reporters.

    Over the years, I’ve watched entrepreneurs, CEOs and business owners jump right into their sales pitches with reporters. I suspect they see this media interview as another opportunity to sell their products to a larger audience.

    That’s not how it works with journalists. Reporters tell stories for a living. They don’t want to hear subjective information on why your product or service is better than others, even if it comes from a client testimonial — they want to hear the story.

    Related: 5 Secrets to Talking to the Media (And Not Sounding Like a Fool)

    Don’t talk about ‘how the sausage is made’

    A popular mistake I see even the smartest entrepreneurs make: They want to tell how the sausage is made. Unless you’re speaking with a trade reporter writing for an industry-specific audience, stay away from the backstory.

    Let me give you an example: A few years ago, I worked with a physician who continued to start each interview with how his surgical procedure worked. I took science and biology classes in college — like most journalists — but I don’t think any of us remember the medical jargon. Journalists don’t want to hear a long lecture on anatomy.

    With most articles, writers have only 1,200-1,500 words to tell the entire story, and if you’re lucky, they will give you 20 minutes to talk at most. In TV, it’s even shorter, with 120 seconds for most on-air segments — so don’t waste the first 10 minutes going in-depth on how the sausage is made. Instead, focus this valuable time on explaining how your procedure is more advanced or different from previous approaches. Start your conversation with the end result; not the beginning.

    This approach applies to any industry — tech, health care, politics, etc. If you’re selling a new mobile app, don’t go into the coding or cloud experience. Keep the conversation focused on the client benefit and value-add from your product, and stay away from any industry lingo. It only confuses the reporter.

    PR sells the story — not the product

    This might sound counterintuitive on the surface, but if you’re hiring a publicist or PR agency, you want to see results that grow your business. That’s understandable, and it will happen. Our expectations are aligned.

    But an interview with a reporter is not the time to ask for the sale. These interviews should be focused on the client or customer. You can highlight this message by focusing on the five Ws of journalism: who, what, when, where and why.

    • Who is your product or service helping?
    • What is different about your product or service?
    • Why should we care?
    • Where is this being used?

    This is just a blueprint and in no way the only approach to your story messaging. At the very least, if you ask these questions before your interview, it will keep you focused on the story versus the sale.

    Related: 5 Media Strategies Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know

    PR won’t save your business

    I get worried when I hear potential clients tell me they are hoping PR can save their business. It’s even more distressing when you hear fear in their tone.

    PR is not going to save your business. If your business is hemorrhaging money before you hire a PR agency, it’s likely a larger issue than publicity alone. Any publicist who says PR can save your business is probably engaging in the same entrepreneurial approach rooted in our blood.

    So what value does PR bring if it can’t save your business?

    PR will bring your product or service more exposure. If news outlets are talking about your storyline, it will always be more credible than any advertisement. And unlike ad campaigns where the promotion ends when the budget ends, media stories continue to reach eyeballs long after the PR campaign is over. In many ways, the cost decreases over time.

    Google doesn’t reveal much about its search algorithm, but they do publicly admit to putting a priority on quality content and news exposure. If Entrepreneur or the New York Times is writing about your business, search algorithms will rightly prioritize your business with search. It gives your brand the added exposure needed for the search lift.

    Just remember, the effects of PR don’t always happen overnight. A targeted media campaign will drive traffic to your website or store, but your end product still needs to be interesting. And that’s probably the most important point to remember: Brag about what is interesting, not what you’re selling.

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    Mark Macias

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  • The long-simmering rumor of Apple buying Disney is resurfacing as Bob Iger looks to sell assets

    The long-simmering rumor of Apple buying Disney is resurfacing as Bob Iger looks to sell assets

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    Analysts got to the point early and often during a conference call late Wednesday: What are Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger’s M&A plans, particularly following reports that former Disney executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, now co-CEOs of Blackstone-backed Candle Media, have been retained in a “consulting capacity” to decide ESPN’s fate?

    There is even the unthinkable, unsinkable decades-old rumor floating about again: Could Apple Inc.
    AAPL,
    -0.90%

    acquire Disney
    DIS,
    -0.73%
    ,
    as one Hollywood executive floated to the Hollywood Reporter?

    The prospect of an Apple-Disney combo seems far-fetched in a heated regulatory climate, where the Federal Trade Commission is attempting to crack down on Big Tech acquisitions, but it could happen should Disney sell off assets and Apple gobbles up Disney’s direct-to-consumer business that includes streaming service Disney+, some media analysts speculate. Apple could conceivably even buy ABC, which reportedly is on the block. But the path is long and circuitous.

    Yet the rumors persist, dating back to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ reverence for the Disney brand, and the increasingly overlapping businesses of both companies over the years.

    When pressed by analysts during a conference call late Wednesday, Iger declined to discuss the future of Disney’s structure or possible asset sales. When asked if Disney might “plausibly” be snapped up by one company — read Apple — an exasperated Iger said he would not “speculate” on the sale of Disney to a technology company or anyone else, given the current global stance of regulators. The FTC has aggressively challenged mergers from the likes of Microsoft Corp.
    MSFT,
    -1.17%

    and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    -2.38%
    ,
    with limited success.

    Since Iger hinted at the potential sale of Disney’s assets in an interview with CNBC last month, rumors have swirled around ESPN.

    ESPN and related properties likely could command at least one-third of Disney’s current depressed market cap of about $150 billion, say some media watchers, though Iger has denied ESPN is for sale. He has acknowledged “the sports leader” is seeking “strategic partners” — possibly with the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL — to generate revenue. Late Tuesday, ESPN stuck up a deal with Penn Entertainment Inc.
    PENN,
    +9.10%

    to create ESPN Bet, a digital sportsbook to launch in the fall in 16 states.

    Read more: Penn dumps Barstool for ESPN-branded sports-gambling service

    Another possible property being dangled is ABC. But with rights to the NBA Finals and two Super Bowls in the next eight years, it is unclear who would acquire the network and how Disney would replace lucrative sports revenue.

    Other properties on the block include cable channels Freeform and Disney Channel, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

    “If an asset sale happens, will the proceeds be deployed into fortifying its balance sheet or beefing up its remaining operations?” Rick Munarriz, senior media analyst at The Motley Fool, said in an email.

    Disney, which is in the midst of a $5.5 billion cost-cutting campaign, is exploring several avenues to prop up sales as linear TV ads shrink, Disney+ subscriptions decline and attendance at Walt Disney World wanes.

    Read more: Disney posts smaller streaming loss amid cost-cutting moves, stock slips

    Shares of Disney are trading at half their highs from a few years ago, in large part because of dwindling sales and profits at ESPN and Disney’s other cable networks.

    Enter Mayer, who previously ran Disney’s strategic planning group for years and engineered a trifecta of mega deals: The acquisition of the aforementioned Pixar Animation Studios from Steve Jobs for $7.4 billion in 2006, the purchase of Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion in 2009, and the acquisition of Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion in 2012. Mayer also led the $71.3 billion acquisition of 20th Century Fox’s entertainment assets in 2019, which has drawn mixed reviews.

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  • 3 Steps to Get Your Brand Featured in Any Publication | Entrepreneur

    3 Steps to Get Your Brand Featured in Any Publication | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    For any entrepreneur, establishing a strong presence in the media is crucial for brand growth and success. Getting featured in prominent publications helps create buzz around your brand and can significantly boost your company’s visibility, credibility and customer base. However, securing media coverage is not an overnight process; it requires a well-planned, long-term strategy focused on building meaningful relationships with writers and editors. I’ve followed this process while building my DTC cat brand tuft + paw, and it’s paid serious dividends.

    Related: 5 Ways to Get Media Coverage for Your Brand

    The importance of PR for brand growth

    Public relations plays a pivotal role in shaping your brand’s image and expanding its reach. A well-crafted media presence can elevate your business above competitors, attracting new customers and potential investors. It is essential to view PR as an ongoing investment in your company’s future rather than a one-time promotional tactic.

    Building long-term relationships with writers and editors

    Rather than adopting a hit-and-run approach to media coverage, focus on building lasting relationships with journalists, bloggers and editors. Once you have a good rapport going, engage with them on social media, share their articles, and provide valuable feedback. Show genuine interest in their work, and avoid bombarding them with self-promotional messages. Remember, successful PR is symbiotic — it’s about collaboration, not just seeking one-sided benefits.

    Step 1: Create a master contact sheet

    Organize your media contacts by creating a master sheet that includes information such as names, emails, publication affiliations and notes on previous interactions. Keep track of who you’ve already contacted, and identify the high-priority contacts. This will help you stay organized and maintain a personalized approach when reaching out to writers and editors.

    Step 2: Monitor competitor coverage

    Stay informed about your competitors’ media coverage using tools like Ahrefs. Set up alerts to be notified whenever a competitor receives a link from a notable website. This provides valuable intel on which publications and writers are willing to create content about your industry/niche and gives you a starting point for your PR outreach. Over time, you’ll also develop a sense for your competitor’s PR strategies, which is valuable in its own right.

    Related: 5 Ways to Build and Maintain Valuable Relationships With Journalists

    Step 3: Reach out to authors and editors directly

    When a publication features your competitors, seize the opportunity to reach out to the authors or editors directly. Use tools like Rocket Reach to find their contact information through LinkedIn. Here’s where the actual relationship building starts. Craft a concise and genuine email introducing yourself, your business and your desire for coverage. Offer free products with no strings attached to pique their interest and encourage engagement.

    Remember, writers and editors are inundated with free products, and their job is to determine which ones are worth their time. If you have a good product that stands out from the competition, they will be inclined to review it or include it in their content.

    Step 4: Keep your email short and meaningful

    When contacting writers and editors, keep your email short and to the point. Avoid lengthy pitches, and focus on building a connection instead. A simple and genuine message can go a long way in forging a lasting relationship. Here’s an example:

    Hi X, I’m Jackson. I run a DTC cat brand and I’m looking for coverage from good writers/editors. Can I send you a free product no strings?

    In two sentences, I’m letting them know who I am, the purpose of this email and what I can offer them. Instead of spending time on compliments, I simply ask for coverage from “good writers/editors,” which expresses my admiration for their work.

    The “no strings attached” inclusion is a crucial aspect of this strategy. Don’t go in expecting something right away. As a stranger, it’s best to do them a favor first, let the product do the talking and see where it leads.

    Related: How to Build Strong Relationships With the Media (and Why It’s Vital to Your Success)

    The goal: Building lasting relationships

    Understand that immediate media coverage might not be achieved through initial outreach. The primary goal is to build rapport and trust with writers and editors. If your product resonates with them, they might cover your brand in the future or even recommend you to their colleagues. Focus on creating a lasting bond, as this can lead to more significant opportunities down the road.

    Securing media coverage for your brand is a powerful way to elevate its reputation and attract new customers. However, successful long-term PR is not about seeking quick coverage but rather building strong, lasting relationships with writers and editors. By following the steps laid out here and employing a well-planned approach, creating a master contact sheet, monitoring competitor coverage and crafting meaningful outreach emails, you can increase your chances of getting featured in any publication.

    Plugging away at this manual PR work over months and years will create a snowball effect that can lead to even greater rewards. Remember, genuine connections and mutual benefits form the foundation of fruitful PR endeavors that pay off in the long run.

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    Jackson Cunningham

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  • Apple’s Tim Cook explains why he won’t showboat around AI

    Apple’s Tim Cook explains why he won’t showboat around AI

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    “We tend to announce things as they come to market, and that’s our M.O.”


    — Apple CEO Tim Cook

    If Apple Inc.’s Thursday earnings call sounded a bit different than other recent ones from Big Tech players, perhaps that was due to a noticeable lack of artificial-intelligence discussion.

    In fact, AI didn’t come up at all on Apple’s
    AAPL,
    -0.73%

    call until an analyst brought up the topic in the question-and-answer portion, commenting that Apple executives “don’t talk too much” about their AI strategy or investments, unlike many tech peers.

    See also: Apple sees sales decline for third quarter in a row — and says performance could be similar this quarter

    “If you take a step back, we view AI and machine learning as core fundamental technologies that are integral to virtually every product that we build,” Chief Executive Tim Cook replied. AI helps power recently announced software features like live voicemails and the ability to replicate your voice digitally, as well as somewhat older features like automatic crash detection and fall detection.

    AI technology has been “absolutely critical to us,” Cook said, and Apple has “been doing research across a wide range of AI technologies, including generative AI, for years,” something the company plans to continue.

    But don’t necessarily expect Apple to start showboating around its AI efforts going forward: Cook said that Apple’s “M.O.” simply is to announce products when they’re ready for consumers.

    “Apple’s reticence in being dragged into the AI hype is on-brand,” Forrester principal analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said in emailed comments. “A maniacal focus on what Apple does for its customers and not how it does it is rooted so deeply in the brand’s DNA.”

    In all, there were just six mentions of AI or artificial intelligence on Apple’s earnings call, all of which came during the Q&A exchange with Deutsche Bank analyst Sidney Ho. Compare that to 90 mentions of those terms on Alphabet Inc.’s
    GOOG,
    +0.10%

    GOOGL,
    +0.05%

    earnings call last week, 73 mentions on Microsoft Corp.’s
    MSFT,
    -0.26%
    ,
    and 62 mentions on Meta Platforms Inc.’s
    META,
    -0.36%
    ,
    according to MarketWatch’s review of transcripts provided by AlphaSense/Sentieo.

    Read: Microsoft and Google can’t stop talking about AI, and this chart proves it

    Amazon.com Inc.
    AMZN,
    +0.55%
    ,
    which joined Apple in posting results Thursday, falls somewhere in the middle. The topic of AI garnered 34 mentions on Amazon’s call.

    Whereas Apple has been consistent with its scant mentions of the technology, Amazon executives have been ramping up the rhetoric: AlphaSense/Sentieo data shows just one AI mention on the earnings call Amazon held in February 2022, and then no mentions until the term came up 12 times on its April 2023 call. Volume was of course up considerably from there on Thursday’s call.

    See also: The ‘stabilization’ of AWS may have been the most significant number for Amazon’s earnings

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  • How to Be Proactive (Instead of Reactive) in Shaping PR Narratives | Entrepreneur

    How to Be Proactive (Instead of Reactive) in Shaping PR Narratives | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The world we live in is a constant dance of change and adaptation, and no industry knows this better than public relations (PR). But in an era where information moves at the speed of light, PR professionals cannot simply react; they must anticipate. They must ‘futurecast.’

    Futurecasting, a blend of data analysis, expert opinion and intuition, offers an innovative path forward for PR professionals. It’s not about predicting exact outcomes; instead, it’s about identifying trends and potential scenarios as well as providing strategic foresight to shape an organization’s PR narrative proactively.

    What futurecasting entails

    The ever-evolving digital world necessitates a shift from traditional PR methods. Instead of crafting stories solely based on past events or current situations, we must incorporate a forward-looking lens. We must weave narratives that not only inform about the present but also illuminate possibilities for the future.

    This is not a simple task. It requires keen observation, in-depth research, strategic creativity and an understanding of socio-cultural dynamics. It means monitoring various fields — from economics to technology to politics to the environment — and discerning how emerging trends could influence public perception and behavior.

    For instance, as climate change takes center stage globally, companies and organizations must be prepared for increased public scrutiny about their environmental footprint. A futurecasting PR approach might involve creating a narrative about the company’s commitment to sustainability before any controversy arises. By doing so, they establish themselves as proactive leaders rather than reactive entities scrambling in the face of criticism.

    To successfully futurecast, PR professionals need to foster a culture of continuous learning, foster strong networks across various fields and become adept at distilling complex information into compelling, future-oriented narratives.

    Analytics tools are essential, but they need to be coupled with human insight. Futurecasting requires us to understand the data but also to interpret what it implies about our shared future. We must consider how various factors — from global economic trends to local cultural shifts — might intersect to shape the public’s perception of an organization or issue.

    Collaboration is also key in futurecasting. PR professionals must work closely with experts from diverse fields to gain a multi-dimensional perspective. In this light, the PR expert becomes not just a communicator but also a facilitator of dialogues, a catalyst for cross-disciplinary insights that fuel future-oriented narratives.

    How to integrate futurecasting into your PR toolkit

    While the concept of futurecasting is inspiring, the application can seem overwhelming. How do we bring the lofty ideals of futurecasting down to earth, incorporating it into everyday PR practice? Here are some practical strategies to help integrate futurecasting into your PR toolkit.

    1. Embrace interdisciplinary collaboration: In order to anticipate future trends, PR professionals need to understand a wide array of fields. Building strong relationships with experts in areas such as technology, climate science, sociology or economics can provide valuable insights that inform your futurecasting efforts. Attend cross-industry events, participate in online forums, and engage in conversations outside your comfort zone.

    2. Integrate data science: Futurecasting isn’t about gazing into a crystal ball, it’s about interpreting data to predict potential trends. Learn the basics of data science, or work with data scientists to understand how various pieces of information can come together to form a bigger picture. Leverage machine learning algorithms to process large amounts of data and uncover trends that might not be apparent at first glance.

    3. Cultivate a culture of continuous learning: Futurecasting requires an ongoing commitment to learning and curiosity. Encourage your team to stay informed about the latest news, research and developments in various fields. This could involve setting up internal knowledge-sharing sessions, subscribing to relevant publications or providing training in new areas.

    4. Practice scenario planning: One of the key techniques in futurecasting is scenario planning, where you create various plausible future situations and devise strategies for each. This exercise encourages innovative thinking and helps your team become more comfortable with uncertainty.

    5. Harness the power of storytelling: Futurecasting is as much about crafting compelling narratives as it is about analyzing trends. Once you’ve identified potential future scenarios, work on creating narratives around these. These stories should resonate with your audience and align with your organization’s values and vision.

    6. Prioritize agility: The future is unpredictable, and while futurecasting can give us a sense of direction, we need to remain flexible. Cultivate a culture of agility within your team, emphasizing quick decision-making and adaptability.

    7. Ethical considerations: As PR professionals, we have a responsibility to use futurecasting ethically. It’s not about creating fear or exploiting uncertainties, but about fostering understanding and empowering audiences to navigate the future.

    By integrating these strategies, PR professionals can shift from being reactive to being proactive, charting a course through uncertainty and shaping the narrative of tomorrow. Remember, the goal isn’t to predict the future with perfect accuracy. Instead, it’s about broadening our perspective, staying agile and keeping our narratives relevant in a rapidly changing world.

    When successfully implemented, futurecasting offers a competitive edge. By staying a step ahead of trends and public sentiment, organizations can better shape their narratives, strengthen their reputations and build stronger connections with their audiences.

    In conclusion, futurecasting represents an exciting frontier in PR. It challenges us to rethink our strategies, sharpen our insights and deepen our understanding of the world around us. As we look ahead, we must remember that the ultimate goal of PR is not just to react to change, but to be a part of it — to help shape the narratives that guide us into the future.

    In a world where change is the only constant, the most successful PR professionals will be those who can not just keep up with the pace of change but stay one step ahead. Futurecasting is the tool that allows us to do that. It’s not just about responding to the winds of change but setting our sails to navigate and influence the direction of those winds. And in doing so, we chart the uncharted in public relations.

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    Hanna Shanar

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  • The ‘narrow breadth’ chorus has fallen silent. What broadening participation in stock-market rally means for investors.

    The ‘narrow breadth’ chorus has fallen silent. What broadening participation in stock-market rally means for investors.

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    A wider swath of stocks have joined the S&P 500
    SPX,
    +0.15%
    ’s
    upswing after the so-called Magnificent Seven — Apple
    AAPL,
    +0.32%
    ,
    Amazon
    AMZN,
    +1.11%
    ,
    Alphabet
    GOOG,
    +0.08%
    ,
    Microsoft
    MSFT,
    -0.72%
    ,
    Meta
    META,
    -2.11%
    ,
    Nvidia
    NVDA,
    -0.04%

    and Tesla
    TSLA,
    +0.37%

    — single-handedly propelled the large-cap index into a bull market in early June, with the gauge now up more than 28% from its low notched last October and rising to new highs since April 2022, according to Dow Jones Market Data. 

    Hopes that the U.S. economy could pull off a soft landing and avoid a recession despite the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest-rate hikes, as well as receding inflation pressures and expectations for the end of the Fed’s monetary tightening campaign, have underpinned a notable expansion in market breadth over the past two months, according Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist at LPL Financial. 

    The S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index
    SP500EW,
    +0.27%
    ,
    which lagged behind the market-cap-weighted S&P 500 index for most of the year, has now kicked back into gear and staged an impressive comeback in July. The equal-weighted index and the S&P 500 each advanced 3.1% this month, according to FactSet data. 

    The equal weighting eliminates the distortion of the megacap components and significantly changes several sector weightings in the S&P 500, including technology, which drops from around 29% on the SPX to only 13% on the equal-weighted index, said Turnquist in a Friday note. Meanwhile, the industrials sector has the biggest increase in weight, jumping from 9% on the SPX to 16% on the equal-weighted index.

    Another way to quantify and compare market breadth is to look at the percentage of stocks on an index trading above their longer-term 200-day moving average (dma), Turnquist said. In general, if a stock is trading above its 200 dma, it is considered to be in an uptrend, and if the price is below the 200 dma, it is considered in a downtrend. Furthermore, a higher percentage of stocks above their 200 dma implies buying pressure is more widespread — suggesting the market’s advance is likely sustainable.

    The chart below shows that 73% of stocks within the S&P 500 are trading above their 200 dma as of July 27, which compares to only 48% at the end of 2022. Moreover, the composition of breadth leadership has turned increasingly bullish. The highest sector readings include technology, industrials, energy, and consumer discretionary.

    “So not only is breadth on the index robust, but cyclical stocks are also leading,” said Turnquist. 

    SOURCE: LPL RESEARCH, BLOOMBERG

    Wall Street often views broadening participation in the stock-market rally as a measure of health and a constructive sign of the sustainability of the bull market. 

    Jimmy Lee, founder and chief executive officer of The Wealth Consulting Group said he is seeing “a lot of money” flowing into areas that are not the Magnificent Seven such as stocks in the industrials, financials, materials, energy and even real-estate sectors.

    The S&P 500’s industrials sector
    SP500.20,
    +0.23%

    climbed 2.9% in July, while the financials sector
    SP500.40,
    +0.44%

    advanced over 4.7% this month. The S&P 500’s energy sector
    SP500.10,
    +2.00%
    ,
    which had been the biggest laggard when the rest of the markets exited the bear market in June, jumped 7.3% month to date after the U.S. oil benchmark
    CL.1,
    -0.20%

    CL00,
    -0.20%

    closed above $80 a barrel for the first time since April. 

    Meanwhile, the tech-heavy S&P 500’s communication-services sector
    SP500.50,
    -0.03%

    rose 6.7% in July, while the consumer-discretionary sector
    SP500.25,
    +0.56%

    gained 2.4% and the information-technology sector
    SP500.45,
    +0.13%

    was up 2.6%, according to FactSet data. 

    See: Stocks are on a seemingly unstoppable hot streak, but this bond-market ‘tipping point’ could see it end in a hurry

    Stephen Hoedt, managing director of equity and fixed income research at Key Private Bank, told MarketWatch in an interview that he doesn’t see “any reason to get bearish here with the fundamentals that are underlying,” which gives investors reason to rotate toward the more cyclical areas such as energy, financials and industrials, while broadening the market away from just being concentrated in the megacap technology names. 

    “The growth has been a surprise this year for everyone, so that’s what the market got wrong coming into this year. When I look at growth, nominal GDP growth translates directly into earnings and we’ve seen earnings continue to surprise on the upside,” Hoedt said. 

    Hoedt pointed to the direction of the 12-month forward earnings estimate for the S&P 500 as an important indicator. “As long as the direction of the 12-month forward earnings number for the S&P 500 is going up, it’s really, really difficult to be bearish on the stock market,” he said. “It seems to me that we may start to see another inflection higher in forward earnings revisions that take into account this stronger growth environment that we’re in.” 

    However, the broadening of the stock-market rally and the bullish sentiment were also driving some on Wall Street to believe stocks are overbought and due for a correction. 

    Lee said there’s still too much pessimism out there and too much concern that some investors haven’t chased the market yet. “In the second half of this year, when the Fed does stop raising rates and if the economy stays out of recession, you can see major money — trillions of dollars moving from the money market into equities and other risk assets,” he told MarketWatch in a phone interview on Friday.

    “When that happens, it’s probably going to push valuations even further. So I would imagine when that happens is when you can expect more of a correction to occur, but I think that we still have more room to go before that happens.” 

    U.S. stocks ended higher on Monday, finishing up July on a positive note. Three major stock indexes rallied this month, with the S&P 500 up 3.1% and booking its fifth monthly gain. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite
    COMP,
    +0.21%

    gained 4.1% month to date, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA,
    +0.28%

    advanced 3.4%, according to Dow Jones Market Data. 

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  • Amazon and Apple to headline Q2 earnings this week

    Amazon and Apple to headline Q2 earnings this week

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    When Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc. report quarterly results on Thursday, we’ll get a look at two big companies, with big expectations, trying to do smaller things — or at least less exciting things, or things that might be more inconveniencing to customers — to stay bigger.

    For Apple
    AAPL,
    +1.35%
    ,
    D.A. Davidson analyst Tom Forte said, the focus will be on the iPhone, as always, as well as demand abroad and a new VR headset, as its stock hovers near record highs and its market value holds above $3 trillion. And he said that Amazon
    AMZN,
    +3.09%
    ,
    meanwhile, could face questions about the impact of cost cuts on e-commerce growth, and what AI could do to boost slower growth in its cloud business.

    The results from those companies, which are big enough to make or break a single quarter’s worth for the S&P 500 Index
    SPX,
    +0.99%
    ,
    will follow those from the other tech giants like Microsoft Corp.
    MSFT,
    +2.31%

    and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    +4.42%
    .
    And they’ll arrive as Wall Street starts to get a tad more realistic about AI: Microsoft shares fell after management said the expansion of its AI capabilities would be “gradual” — and gradually more expensive.

    D.A. Davidson analyst Tom Forte, in a research note this month, said Amazon, like other big tech companies, was taking more steps to control its costs. That might help margins, he said. But he said he’d be watching for any impact to e-commerce sales growth, following thousands of layoffs and pulling back on its expansion of Amazon Fresh.

    Amazon began tacking on servicing fees onto some Amazon Fresh delivery orders this year. And Forte noted what he said were other tweaks to service: Charging for a home pickup of a defective smoke alarm that used to be free, and incentives to wait longer during Prime Day.

    “In our view, Amazon is playing a ‘game of chicken’ and banking on other e-commerce companies not to offer a superior service, instead of its historical approach of working backwards with a customer-obsessed approach,” D.A. Davidson analyst Tom Forte said in a research note.

    He added later: “We believe there is something to be said about the experience of having an Amazon-branded delivery vehicle show up at your house EVERY day. Having one show up once a week or twice is not the same.”

    At Apple, Forte said in a separate note, the iPhone, whose sales were still solid, had turned into more of a consumer staple than a discretionary buy. He also said he’d be looking for more detail about the upcoming iPhone 15 — likely to be modestly fancier than previous iPhones — the recovery in China and growth in India. Apple last month also unveiled its Vision Pro VR headset — for $3,499. Forte said he had his doubts.

    “We believe Apple will have to overcome a number of structural challenges to achieve mass adoption for its AR/VR headset,” he said.

    This week in earnings

    Apple and Amazon will report as more companies than normal report quarterly profit ahead of estimates, according to a FactSet report on Friday. For the week ahead, 170 S&P 500 companies report results, with four from the Dow, the repot said.

    Results from Uber Technologies Inc.
    UBER,
    +3.28%

    and DoorDash Inc.
    DASH,
    +4.20%

    will offer an update on the gig economy and how far app-based deliveries can go, while results from Kraft Heinz Inc.
    KHC,
    -0.11%

    will offer an update on food prices and how much they might ease from the highs seen in recent months.

    With the “Barbie” movie lifting rival Mattel Inc.
    MAT,
    -2.40%
    ,
    results from Hasbro Inc
    HAS,
    -0.29%

    during the week will offer a glance at the rest of the toy industry, where demand hasn’t exactly been great, and what entertainment options Hasbro has up its sleeve to keep apace with its archrival. Drug maker Pfizer Inc.
    PFE,
    -0.36%

    reports, as does video-game maker Electronic Arts Inc.
    EA,
    +0.25%
    .
    Starbucks Corp.
    SBUX,
    +0.47%

    reports as well.

    The call to put on your calendar

    “Barbie,” the Hollywood strike and Warner Bros. Discovery: Mattel has said it wants to turn “Barbie” into a content franchise. Now we’ll hear what Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.
    WBD,
    +4.07%
    ,
    the media conglomerate that produced the film, thinks about the film’s results and its prospects, as studios increasingly pump out sequels or offshoots of well-known, established character universes like “Star Wars,” Marvel and DC. The company — which reports oversees Warner Bros. CNN, TNT and the streaming service Max — reports quarterly results on Thursday. But even as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” carry the parts of the entertainment industry that are still functioning through the Hollywood strike, Wall Street will likely be focused on contingency plans, and any sense of whether more viewers are turning to streaming with productions on pause.

    The number to watch

    Payments and crypto volumes: Results this week from trading app Robinhood Markets Inc.
    HOOD,
    +4.09%

    and crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc.
    COIN,
    +2.23%
    ,
    along with PayPal Holdings Inc.
    PYPL,
    +2.71%

    and Block
    SQ,
    +3.42%
    ,
    will land at the intersection of rebounding markets and job-market concerns.

    UBS analysts predicted solid growth and cost control for Block, and “steady” e-commerce trends for PayPal. But BofA analysts said PayPal’s search for a new chief executive, following the announcement of Dan Schulman’s retirement at the end of the year, would become more important, adding that “we think investors should rightfully expect the CEO search to conclude in the near-term.” While Bitcoin’s rebound helped Coinbase, the company and others in the industry face the prospect of tougher regulations. Robinhood and PayPal report on Wednesday. Coinbase and Block report on Thursday.

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  • Digital advertising is Meta and Google’s world, and everyone else is coping with it

    Digital advertising is Meta and Google’s world, and everyone else is coping with it

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    There are two certainties in the tech world when it comes to digital advertising: Google and Meta. And then there’s everyone else.

    Through economic thick and thin, Google and Meta are the gold standards by virtue of broad reach (billions of people globally), product dominance (in search and social media, respectively) and in their positions in the lightning-fast AI race. This week’s earnings results for Alphabet Inc.
    GOOGL,
    +2.46%

    GOOG,
    +2.42%

    and Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    +4.42%

    proved that emphatically once again.

    Both companies rebounded from recent wobbly digital ads sales of their own through gigantic consumer reach and aggressive plans to parlay AI into ad sales. Google has developed (or dabbled) in some form of AI for at least seven years, and in a conference call with analysts Wednesday, Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said his company will focus in the near term on AI to develop agents, ad features in existing products like Instagram and Reels, and internal productivity and efficiency. “We want to scale them, but they are hard to forecast,” he admitted.

    Read more: Meta’s stock jumps after AI, ad momentum drive earnings and revenue higher

    And: Alphabet earnings push stock up 6%, fueled by strong ad sales and strides in AI

    Conversely, for companies consigned to the also-ran category, such as Snap Inc.
    SNAP,
    +3.39%

    and X — the former Twitter — the news was bleak. Snap forecast disappointing third-quarter sales amid a spending push to draw advertisers.

    “We continue to believe it will take multiple quarters of improved execution for many investors to get more comfortable with the story longer term,” JP Morgan analysts said in a note on Snap earlier this month.

    Digital-advertising leader Google sought to remind everyone it has been doing AI a long time while Microsoft Corp.
    MSFT,
    +2.31%
    ,
    a major investor in ChatGPT pioneer OpenAI, tempered its approach, Josh Wetzel, chief revenue officer at OneSignal, said in an interview. “AI’s greatest immediate value may be for Facebook advertising,” he said, pointing to it as an efficient and effective tool after Facebook encountered issues with data-privacy changes Apple Inc.
    AAPL,
    +1.35%

    made to mobile devices.

    Read more: Alphabet earnings remind Wall Street of Google’s AI prowess

    “Meta’s solid quarter adds further evidence to the view that advertisers are choosing to spend their budget on the so-called market leaders, such as Facebook and Instagram, at the expense of the smaller social-media networks, like Snap,” said Jesse Cohen, senior analyst at Investing.com.

    Jon Oberlander, executive vice president of social at digital-marketing agency Tinuiti, added: “It is, to some extent, still Meta/Google’s game, especially for performance advertisers, as the ROI and scale advertisers can find in the mid-lower funnel gap above other platforms.”

    At the same time, Forrester analyst Kelsey Chickering said linear television ad revenue will slow between now and 2027 to about $65 billion from $70 billion as traditional TV continues to lose the under-25 crowd that has fled to streaming services and creator-heavy platforms like Snapchat and TikTok.

    Digital advertising is on track to grow in the high single digits, or more, in 2023, slightly ahead of June’s forecast estimates from GroupM and Magna of around 8% each, according to Brian Wieser, head of Madison and Wall, a media and advertising consultancy for investors.

    Most of that growth will benefit Google, Meta, and Microsoft’s LinkedIn, according to data from Emburse. Conversely, Emburse found ad spending on Twitter/X has plunged 54% from a year ago in May, before Elon Musk bought the company.

    “Google, Meta and LinkedIn are platforms where people go to consume information, search for ideas, or give context to what they experiencing in their personal or work lives,” Emburse Chief Experience Officer Johann Wrede said.

    While Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai boasted Wednesday of “continued leadership in AI and our excellence in engineering and innovation are driving the next evolution of Search” and other services, as well as improved YouTube ad sales, Meta’s addition of potential X-killer Threads could dramatically inflate its ad sales going forward.

    Zuckerberg sees potential in Threads long term despite a plunge in its user sign-ups because X is hemorrhaging advertising clients, and this week reportedly slashed ad costs to lure business customers.

    “The launch of Threads holds great promise for Meta. While there are currently no ads on the app, it’s inevitable that they will come and the ability to use data from other Meta properties for targeting is a highly lucrative proposition for brands,” Aaron Goldman, chief marketing officer at Mediaocean, said in an email.

    That translates to more near-term pain for smaller platforms such as Snap and X, which are posting negative growth, Michael Nathanson of SVB MoffettNathanson warned in a note Wednesday.

    “The truth is that Alphabet started integrating machine learning and artificial intelligence into their products and ad solutions close to a decade ago,” he said. Snap and others are scrambling to catch up.

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  • Meta’s stock jumps after AI, ad momentum drive earnings, revenue jump

    Meta’s stock jumps after AI, ad momentum drive earnings, revenue jump

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    Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. is raking in digital ads, as its earnings attest, and Wall Street is rewarding it. The company’s stock rose about 7% in after-hours trading Wednesday.

    Meta
    META,
    +1.39%

    reported fiscal second-quarter net income of $7.79 billion, or $2.98 a share, compared with net income of $6.7 billion, or $2.46 a share, in the year-ago quarter.

    Revenue climbed 11% to $32 billion from $28.8 billion in the year-ago quarter.

    Analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected on average net income of $2.91 a share on revenue of $31.1billion.

    Also see: Zuck beats Musk at his own game with Meta’s year of efficiency

    A rebound in advertising, the monetization of Instagram and Reels, and AI-fueled ad targeting and measurement contributed to the quarter’s performance. Meta’s better-than-expected performance comes on the heels of a similarly strong quarter from Google parent
    GOOGL,
    +5.78%

    GOOG,
    +5.59%

    Alphabet Inc. and poor results from Snap Inc.
    SNAP,
    -14.23%
    .

    “We had a good quarter. We continue to see strong engagement across our apps and we have the most exciting roadmap I’ve seen in a while with Llama 2, Threads, Reels, new AI products in the pipeline, and the launch of Quest 3 this fall,” Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement announcing the results. AI has been an increasingly dominant story line for Meta, which has quickly shifted its focus from the metaverse. Zuckerberg said AI remains the company’s near-term focus, with metaverse poised to have a long-term impact.

    “In many ways, the two are interrelated,” Zuckerberg said of AI and metaverse in a conference call with analysts. He also spotlighted the potential of Threads, a Twitter-like service that launched earlier this month with much fanfare. “When it gets to hundreds of millions of users, we’ll see how it monetizes,” he said. “It is a long road ahead.”

    Meta executives forecast third-quarter revenue of $32 billion to $34.5 billion, while analysts on average were expecting $31.2 billion, according to FactSet.

    Facebook had 2.06 billion daily active users, up 5% from a year ago, and the “family” of Meta apps — which includes Instagram — reported daily active users of 3.07 billion, up 7%.

    There were blips amid the hoopla, however. Meta says it expects 2023 total expenses will be in the range of $88 billion to $91 billion, compared to the prior range of $86 billion to $90 billion because of legal-related expenses in the second quarter. And Meta’s headcount dropped 14% from a year ago to 71,469 as of June 30. Zuckerberg said Meta’s austerity program will continue into 2024.

    Meta’s stock improved 1.4% to $298.57 in the regular session. The stock has sky-rocketed 148% so far this year, while the broader S&P 500 index 
    SPX,
    -0.02%

     has increased 19%.

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  • Sales forecast sinks Snap stock, and execs say more investments are likely ahead to improve platform

    Sales forecast sinks Snap stock, and execs say more investments are likely ahead to improve platform

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    Like other social-media platforms, Snap has struggled with a slowdown in the digital ad market.


    AFP/Getty Images

    Shares of Snap Inc. slid in after-hours trade Tuesday after the social-media platform forecast third-quarter sales that were below expectations, amid concerns about a wobbly digital advertising backdrop and the company’s spending push to improve the way people interact and advertise when they log on.

    Snap
    SNAP,
    -1.34%

    said it expects third-quarter revenue of $1.07 billion to $1.13 billion. The midpoint of that range was below FactSet estimates for $1.13 billion.

    Shares tumbled 18.4% after hours on Tuesday.

    “From a revenue perspective, our business remains in a period of rapid transition as we work to improve our advertising platform, while forward visibility of advertising demand remains limited,” executives said in Snap’s earnings release.

    Like other social-media platforms, Snap has struggled with a slowdown in the digital ad market, amid advertiser wariness of a recession. Snap has also faced competition from the likes of Tiktok and Instagram and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    +0.98%
    .

    Snap has invested heavily strengthening its advertising platform, to serve users with more relevant ads and bring more impact to the businesses trying to advertise. It has also been spending to boost user engagement. Management, during Snap’s earnings call on Tuesday, said it would likely make “a further step up in investment here in Q3” to accelerate the progress being made on those efforts.

    Executives said during the earnings call that engagement with Snapchat friend stories in the U.S. had started to fall more slowly, with viewership trending better than they had forecast. And they said time spent watching Spotlight — a part of the site that helps users explore and discover content — more than tripled year over year.

    JPMorgan analysts, in a note earlier this month, said they continued to monitor Snap’s “heightened infrastructure costs.” But they said that the digital ad market had “stabilized” in the second quarter and that advertisers weren’t feeling as cautious, despite worries over the state of the economy.

    “That said, we continue to believe it will take multiple quarters of improved execution for many investors to get more comfortable with the story longer-term,” the analysts said.

    For the second quarter, Snap reported a net loss of $377 million, or 24 cents a share, compared with $422 million, or 26 cents a share, in the same quarter last year. Revenue fell to $1.07 billion, compared with $1.11 billion in the prior-year quarter.

    Analysts polled by FactSet expected Snap to report a per-share loss of 25 cents a share, on revenue of $1.05 billion.

    Daily active users rose 14% year over year to 397 million.

    Evan Spiegel, Snap’s chief executive, said during Tuesday’s call that despite the competition from larger social platforms, it still had some advantages — namely, communication with friends and family.

    “We actually think providing this place for friends and family to communicate has only become more important as more and more platforms focus on public social-media-style features where people feel like they have to compete for popularity, compete for likes and comments,” Spiegel said.

    “It’s never been more important to actually build deeper relationships with your friends and family,” he added.

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  • Alphabet earnings push stock up 6%; CFO Ruth Porat to become president, chief investment officer

    Alphabet earnings push stock up 6%; CFO Ruth Porat to become president, chief investment officer

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    Google parent Alphabet Inc.’s stock jumped 6% in after-hours trading Tuesday after the company beat estimates on the top and bottom line, and announced the transition of Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat to president and chief investment officer in September.

    Fueled by strong advertising sales, Alphabet
    GOOGL,
    +0.56%

     
    GOOG,
    +0.75%

    racked up fiscal second-quarter net income of $18.4 billion, or $1.44 a share, compared with net income of $16 billion, or $1.21 a share, in the same quarter a year ago.

    Total revenue was $74.6 billion, compared with $69.7 billion a year ago. Sales minus traffic-acquisition costs were $62.06 billion, vs. $57.5 billion last year.

    Analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected on average net earnings of $1.34 a share on revenue of $72.85 billion and ex-TAC revenue of $60.25 billion.

    “There’s exciting momentum across our products and the company, which drove strong results this quarter,” Alphabet Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said in a statement. “Our continued leadership in AI and our excellence in engineering
    and innovation are driving the next evolution of Search, and improving all our services.”

    During a conference call Tuesday afternoon, he highlighted the intertwining of advertising and Alphabet’s strides in generative AI. He added the company continues to consolidate and align operations to streamline spending.

    Shares of Alphabet have advanced 39% so far this year largely on the strength of generative AI and its potential. The broader S&P 500 index 
    SPX,
    +0.28%

    is up 19%. Alphabet’s stock inched up 0.6% to $122.21 in the regular session Tuesday.

    Google’s total advertising sales improved to $58.14 billion from $56.3 billion a year ago, and edged analysts’ average expectations of $57.45 billion. Google Cloud hauled in $8 billion, compared with $6.3 billion last year. YouTube ad sales rebounded to $7.7 billion from $7.34 billion a year ago.

    “The proverbial floodgates aren’t opening yet but clients are starting to see pockets of opportunity and are willing to invest for a direct return,” Aaron Levy, vice president of paid search at Tinuiti, said in an email.

    Porat, who has played an essential role in Google’s advertising success since she became CFO in 2015, will start her new role on Sept. 1. She will be responsible for Alphabet’s investments in its Other Bets portfolio, and the company’s investments in countries and communities around the world. Porat will continue to report to Pichai.

    “We see technology can make so much of a difference in people’s lives… and in economic growth globally,” Porat said during the conference call late Tuesday.

    The monetization of AI continues to be an obsession of investors and Wall Street. Microsoft Corp.’s
    MSFT,
    +1.70%

    AI version, Bing, hit the market first, but Google’s competing entry, Bard, is making headway, according to analysts. Alphabet is ramping up AI initiatives to improve operational efficiency and productivity.

    When asked on the call about AI monetization, Pichai said the technology expands the company’s total addressable market, brings in potential new customers, deepens the versatility of its product portfolio, and differentiates core products such as cybersecurity.

    AI’s importance was underscored by a Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday that Google co-founder Sergey Brin has been spotted at the company’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters in recent weeks working with AI researchers on a large-scale project. Brin has been largely out of sight after stepping down from an executive role at parent company Alphabet in 2019.

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  • AMC, Chevron, Tesla, Domino’s, Microsoft, and More Stock Market Movers

    AMC, Chevron, Tesla, Domino’s, Microsoft, and More Stock Market Movers

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  • With Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet earnings hanging on AI, more investors are asking: ‘How are you going to pay for that?’

    With Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet earnings hanging on AI, more investors are asking: ‘How are you going to pay for that?’

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    Shares of big tech companies have coasted through this year on AI euphoria, but as Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. prepare to report results this week, some investors are starting to ask how much those AI advancements might actually cost.

    Those questions have surfaced after several months during simply saying “AI” on earnings calls appeared to be enough for investors. If the economy sours though — as some expect in the second half of this year or next year — big tech’s AI ambitions could go with it.

    “Given the exorbitant costs associated with the development, hosting and serving of AI products, many investors are concerned about the potential for [fiscal 2024] commentary regarding a material increase,” Jefferies analyst Brent Thill wrote, according to a MarketWatch earnings preview for Microsoft’s
    MSFT,
    -0.89%

    results.

    Microsoft and Alphabet Inc.
    GOOGL,
    +0.69%

    GOOG,
    +0.65%
    ,
    which both report on Tuesday, have been in heated competition in the world of online search and digital advertisements, as Microsoft leans more on its massive investments in research lab OpenAI to muscle up its own search capabilities. But a Deutsche Bank analyst said that so far, Google appears to have the upper hand in that battle.

    Still, for Microsoft, after a broader pullback in IT spending earlier this year, analysts have found more to like about its cloud-computing business — namely market-share gains, generally-sturdy demand, and whatever ways AI can fit into the equation. Wolfe Research analyst Alex Zukin, in a recent note, said he believed “the focus will turn from what is good enough, to how good can it be,” as Microsoft moves deeper into AI.

    “How good can it be?” might also be a question for Meta
    META,
    -2.73%
    ,
    which reports second-quarter results on Wednesday.

    Shares of the social-media company have more than doubled in value so far this year. JMP analyst Andrew Boone, in a recent note, cited likely improvements in Meta’s digital ad segment, better engagement, and a broader advertising backdrop that “appears to be stable” after a slowdown in spending, Still, there are signs that the initial user attraction to Threads, Meta’s answer to Twitter, has fizzled.

    This week in earnings

    For the week ahead, 166 companies in the S&P 500 index report results, including 12 from the Dow, according to FactSet. Among them are Domino’s Pizza Inc.
    DPZ,
    -0.62%
    ,
    which now plans to deliver pizza via Uber Eats after years of chafing at third-party delivery apps. Industrials General Electric Co.
    GE,
    -0.82%

    and 3M Co.
    MMM,
    +0.04%

    also report, after 3M agreed to pay $10.3 billion to settle accusations it was responsible for so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water.

    Quick-service restaurant chains Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.
    CMG,
    +0.20%

    and McDonald’s Corp.
    MCD,
    -0.51%

    also report, with BofA analysts expecting an “almost normal” quarter for the industry, after spending at chain restaurants grew last month and costs for some ingredients started to ease following two years of supply disruptions. Auto makers General Motors Co.
    GM,
    -1.81%

    and Ford Motor Co.
    F,
    -0.71%

    also report, and while parts shortages that have constrained vehicle production have shown signs of fading, so has electric-vehicle “euphoria.”

    The calls to put on your calendar

    Visa, Mastercard: Earlier this month executives from the big banks said U.S. consumers are generally doing OK despite still-rampant inflation, although perhaps less OK than in prior months. This week credit-card giants Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. report results on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. The profit, sales and credit-card volume figures from Visa
    V,
    -0.15%

    and Mastercard
    MA,
    -0.14%

    will offer more specifics on consumer spending, as vacations and concerts compete with more expensive and more pressing needs, like groceries and other bills.

    Shares of Visa and Mastercard are up so far this year, but some analysts said there could be more room investors to step in. SVB MoffettNathanson analyst Lisa Ellis recently said shares of both companies were hovering at “unusually attractive” levels.

    The number to watch

    Mattel outlook, and anything ‘Barbie’-related: The “Barbie” movie hit theaters nationwide on Friday. And after an epic marketing campaign, Mattel Inc.’s investors, banking on the film to drive a rebound for the toy maker during the second half of this year, will be zeroed in on the box-office results following the film’s debut on Friday.

    Expectations for the film are huge. And when Mattel
    MAT,
    -0.42%

    reports second-quarter results on Wednesday, executives could offer the first answers to some big questions: Has the film helped revive toy sales? Sales for anything else? Will the “Barbenheimer” effect help or hurt financials?

    The film — directed by Greta Gerwig, written Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling — brings together two writers with indie bona fides and two actors with mainstream starpower. Reviews so far have been favorable, and Barbie is already Mattel’s most profitable franchise. But the movie isn’t directly geared toward children, movie theaters have struggled to get back on track after pandemic lockdowns, and toy demand through this year has been weak after ballooning during the pandemic. And some analysts don’t expect “Barbie” to do much for Mattel’s stock.

    Emily Bary and Jon Swartz contributed reporting to this story.

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  • Your Public Messaging Strategy Starts With Your Inner Circle | Entrepreneur

    Your Public Messaging Strategy Starts With Your Inner Circle | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Public messaging strategy for any startup or business must include a broad, audience-capturing strategy designed to build and keep a solid customer base. As entrepreneurs and startups, hours are spent planning strategies for public messaging and brand awareness. While time and money are well spent, in many cases, it assumes your family, friends, closest colleagues and collaborators, vendor partners, and other verticals understand what you do. Guess what: They probably do not. In many cases, clear messaging should start here.

    Instead, many entrepreneurs immediately feel tasked with getting what they perceive as the “best messaging” to as many as possible. Mistakes, such as ad spending with no clear direction or strategy are made. We have all seen the little league sponsorship, billboard ads and ineffective social media ad buys. Before any spends are made, the strategy must come first.

    For those lucky enough to start with referrals and a strong lead flow, build and own that before launching into costly campaigns, as it is almost always easier to build on an existing customer base than trying to spend time and money pursuing new audiences. While eventually necessary, maximize what you have before launching into new ad spends. For those who have to build from scratch or start with just a few core customers, it is vital that strategy comes first and consistency second. If what you do cannot be explained by your own family and closest friends and colleagues, how can the general public adequately explain or be compelled to purchase?

    Start with your inner circle

    First, you. Start over if you cannot explain the problem you solved in two to three sentences. Depending on how long it takes to explain, anything from key messaging to all-new brand strategy work may be needed. The fastest way to determine what is required is when working on the explanation or “elevator pitch,” how quickly can you get to the core of the message that the ideal customer will care about and visually see themselves benefiting, rather than the capabilities or capacity your business offers that you care about.

    Far too often, entrepreneurs and founders get stuck in their messaging, using an ongoing explanation of features, capacities and how great the company or customer service is rather than directly addressing the customer’s need or problem. Every part of key messaging must be narrowly focused on solving customer problems, making better solutions for their needs and making the path to those solutions easy to utilize.

    Second, speak with your inner circle. After multiple conversations, if your own family, friends and colleagues cannot adequately explain what you do and why you do it, how can a potential new investor or new customer?

    This is a practical and undervalued way to start developing key messages and different sets of “elevator pitches” for different audiences, depending on the spread and diversity of your customer base. The best way to start is to choose those not involved in the same industry yet understand how vital getting key messaging right is to your business. While they may already understand some elements of your business beforehand, how you solve problems and provide solutions typically is not understood.

    Consider this an inner circle focus group, and get them to ask questions and make suggestions. While not all will be helpful, you may be surprised by some of the responses, and if conducted properly, it will get you thinking about how much is being left on the table regarding sales with a lack of understanding from your customer base.

    Third, customer base. Your customer base should be your most vital referral partners, with vendors a close second. Do they fully understand everything offered by your business to purchase more than what they currently are and to start referring others?

    Too often, startups in growth mode want to push to gain more traction with a broader audience without first building on the existing audience currently purchasing. Start by asking this question: Has the purchasing power of the existing customer base been maximized, and is our public messaging strategy working to pursue this outcome? Does the existing customer base feel your brand’s value and see increased spending on higher-cost goods and services as an investment and a better purchase?

    How do key messaging, education of services and brand positioning employed by your business produce outcomes where existing customers would recommend not only purchasing from you but purchasing higher priced and better-valued goods and services repeatedly?

    Build with public messaging strategy

    Every successful marketing strategy must include a solid public messaging component that presents to the right audience the problems solved and the solutions offered. Without it, you may have the best solutions to save millions for other businesses or organizations. Yet, only some will understand how those solutions directly help or address their problems or needs.

    Public messaging must capture a feeling of value, preferably by finding a space where your brand is seen as the only or the best place to purchase. From there, messaging must own that value, hold onto it and consistently tell that story repeatedly.

    This is an area too essential to assume your brand has it right. Establish the core of the business, stay consistent and remember that you are not just selling products and services but a brand story. Tell it well and consistently.

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    Adam Horlock

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  • Here’s why Wall Street has fallen out of love with Tesla — for now

    Here’s why Wall Street has fallen out of love with Tesla — for now

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    Late on Wednesday, Tesla Inc.
    TSLA,
    -1.10%

    reported that quarterly sales were up 47% from a year earlier. But the stock tumbled 10% on Thursday.

    Tesla’s shares are still up 113% this year. The company is among a group of 13 in the S&P 500 that stand out with high growth expectations for sales, earnings and free cash flow through 2025.

    But less than half of analysts polled by FactSet rate Tesla a buy. Emily Bary explains what they are worried about.

    Traders have placed large short bets against Tesla and two of its rival EV makers — Rivian Automotive Inc.
    RIVN,
    -2.09%

    and Nio Inc.
    NIO,
    +2.52%
    .
    Claudia Assis looks into how well those trades have been working out.

    Cody Willard explains why he remains confident that Tesla and Rivian will dominate the EV market over the long term.

    Related coverage:

    Here’s what may propel U.S. stocks for years.

    Chipotle Mexican Grill is among 14 stocks named by Michael Brush for consideration by investors looking to ride along with long-term improvement of U.S. labor productivity.


    AP

    The S&P 500
    SPX,
    +0.03%

    has returned 19% this year, following its 18% decline in 2022. On the same basis, with dividends reinvested, the benchmark index is still down 2% since the end of 2021.

    What is going on? Michael Brush believes that a high level of corporate investment in new technology and equipment is setting the stage for a long phase of earnings growth for U.S. companies. He shares four developments behind the coming productivity boom and 14 stocks expected to benefit from it.

    A signal for the stock-market’s health


    Getty Images

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA,
    +0.01%

    is up 6% this year. The venerable index has trailed the S&P 500, but its closing level of 35,255.18 on Thursday was only 4% shy of its record close a 36,799.65 on Jan. 4, 2022. Joseph Adinolfi explains Dow Theory, which according to technical analysts is sending a strong bullish signal for the stock market.

    Other opinions about market sentiment:

    Even if you have resisted the idea of a Roth IRA, you may soon be forced to have one

    This year if you are age 50 or older and are already maxing-out your contribution to a 401(K), 403(B) or other qualified employer-sponsored tax-deferred retirement plan at $22,500, you can make an additional “catch up” tax deductible contribution of $7,500 for a total of $30,000. But starting in 2024, the catch up contribution will no longer be tax deductible if you earn at least $145,000 a year. You can still make the contribution with after-tax money into a Roth 401(K) account that your plan administrator may already have set up for you.

    Alessandra Malito provides more details and news about employers’ efforts to delay the rule’s implementation.

    Beth Pinker writes the Fix My Portfolio column. This week she digs into Roth IRA conversions, through which you can simplify your taxes down the line.

    A hot vote in Spain

    The center of Madrid on July 15, 2023. A brutal heat wave could affect turnout for the country’s general election on July 23.


    Uncredited

    Barbara Kollmeyer reports from Spain about a highly contested election on Sunday, with controversy over the government’s policies during the pandemic, parties’ social policies and the possibility of a coalition government that might rattle financial markets.

    Meta vs. Alphabet

    Shares of Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc. trade only slightly higher than the S&P 500 on a forward price-to-earnings bases, while Nvidia Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Apple Inc. trade much higher.


    FactSet

    Leslie Albrecht looks at Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    -2.73%
    ,
    which is Facebook’s holding company and has a hit on its hands with the new Threads social-media platform, and Google holding company Alphabet Inc.
    GOOGL,
    +0.69%
    ,
    to consider which stock is a better buy.

    Brett Arends: ‘I used to work at Nvidia. The stock I got is now half my portfolio. Should I sell?’

    The Ratings Game

    In The Ratings Game column, MarketWatch reporters track analysts’ thoughts about various stocks. Here’s a sampling of this week’s coverage:

    You don’t know every bad factor causing air travel to be nothing but harassment

    Getting there is half the fun.


    Getty Images

    The U.S. flying scene — from shortages of equipment and labor (and runways) to ill-staffed air-traffic control towers — is a well-known nightmare for U.S. travelers. But there is more to the story. Jeremy Binckes looks into other factors that may surprise you and cause great inconvenience this summer.

    The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates again next week

    The Federal Open Market Committee will meet next Tuesday and Wednesday, to be immediately followed by a policy announcement. Economists expect the central to raise the federal-funds rate by another quarter point. The question is whether or not this will end the Fed’s inflation-fighting rate cycle.

    More coverage of the Fed:

    How much would you pay for 100% downside protection in the stock market?


    MarketWatch illustration/iStockphoto

    Over the past 30 years, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
    SPY,

    has returned 1,650%, for an average annual return of 10%, with dividends reinvested, according to FactSet. But it hasn’t been a smooth ride. The ETF, which tracks the benchmark S&P 500, fell 18% last year and 37% during 2008, for example. And there have been even larger declines if the analysis isn’t confined to calendar years.

    But can you ride through market declines? Many studies have shown that most investors who try to time the market sell after a decline has started and buy back in well after a recovery is under way, which means their long-term performance can suffer significantly.

    In this week’s ETF Wrap column (and emailed newsletter), Isabel Wang describes a new buffered fund that can give you 100% downside protection over a two-year period, in return for a cap on your potential gains in the stock market. Here’s the price you would pay for the protection.

    The World Cup games have started

    Hannah Wilkinson scored the home team’s first goal against Norway during the first World Cup game in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 20.


    Getty Images

    The Women’s World Cup began Thursday with an upset victory by New Zealand over Norway.

    James Rogers reports on what is expected to be a much easier environment for FIFA and corporate sponsors than that of last year’s Men’s World Cup in Qatar.

    U.S. Soccer Federation President Cindy Parlow Cone participated in MarketWatch’s Best New Ideas in Money podcast and spoke about the long-term effort to achieve equal treatment for women soccer players.

    More coverage of the World Cup:

    Want more from MarketWatch? Sign up for this and other newsletters to get the latest news and advice on personal finance and investing.

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