1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business Week. I'm Karl Masser. Every day 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: we're bringing you the latest news from the world's of 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: business and finance, plus technology, politics. So much going on 4 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: in the world of politics, economics, and it's all harnessing 5 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: the power of Business Week reporters and editors. If you 6 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 1: can download Bloomberg Business Week on iTunes, SoundCloud, or Bloomberg 7 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: dot com. If you can also listen to a radio 8 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: show at two pm Eastern on Bloomberg Radio and be 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 1: sure to watch us too on YouTube by searching Bloomberg 10 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: Global News. There is a lot going on talk about 11 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: a self testing kit for home that happening in the 12 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: United States. Over in Europe, though, you did see a 13 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: protest over Germany strategy to quell the virus turning violent. 14 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: So yeah, it's really rough out there and this is 15 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: a place environment we all know far too well. Back 16 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: with us to see what she is seeing and concerned 17 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: about is a Lissa rap CEO of the healthcare solutions 18 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: company Surgical Solutions. She is with us on the phone 19 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: from Deerfield, Illinois. Um, Alissa, good to have you here. 20 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: How are you And when you see these headlines, uh, 21 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: you're out there in the Midwest. I mean, that's really 22 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: been a tough spot. It has, Caroline, thanks for having 23 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: me back being a rise and surge across the country. Candidly, 24 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: are incidences of exposure or even positivity in our own 25 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: company amongst our tuner and fifty employees across nine states 26 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: and thirty five hospitals is pretty much even. We've seen 27 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: additional you know, exposure or positivity in New York, Kinnesseed, Texas, Kentucky, 28 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: and it is obviously back. I'm not an epidemiologist, as 29 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 1: you know, so I know that the viral load of 30 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 1: the virus changes over time and it makes it easier 31 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: to transmit. So hopefully people who are getting this version 32 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: of this horrible COVID nineteen flu are not gonna be 33 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: as sick if they're healthy and young. But it is 34 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: still it is back that the numbers are real. We're 35 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: seeing it across the country well, and it's interesting. We 36 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: just talked a story. We just talked about a story 37 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: Charlie Pellet and I about how COVID is really, you know, 38 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: ravaging those long term care centers and we know that's 39 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: where the elderly population is. We understand those numbers, but 40 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: I've just talking to it individual here at Bloomberg and 41 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: uh talked about her nephew succumbing to the virus. So 42 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 1: we do understand that as much as we know some 43 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: of COVID nineteen is predictable, we also know that there 44 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: are outliers and we don't know still a lot about 45 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: this virus. Having said that, the vaccine and the developments 46 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: we've had over the last week and a half from 47 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: Fiser and from Maderna, what's your takeaway there? I find 48 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 1: it incredibly encouraging. I think the vaccines are going to 49 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 1: be game changers, needless to say. And the only real 50 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: question of my mind as a health care service provider 51 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: is a question around distributions. They need to be stored 52 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: between UH fifty and hundred blow fahrenheit. Then obviously we 53 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: need the military and FedEx and UPS working together on 54 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: a on a combined distribution strategy that leverages single sites 55 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: that have these massive freezers as well as mobile sites. 56 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: And I think creativity and real genius in terms of 57 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: logistics and planning is going to be what needs to 58 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: happen between now and say April May June, when we 59 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: get to true general pop relation roll out of the virus. 60 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: But for frontline healthcare workers, I'm still pretty bullish and 61 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: optimistic because if those vaccines can start happening in our 62 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: major metropolis and major sites in December, the second shot 63 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: in January, whether it's the Visor Maderna or any other vaccine, 64 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: that means that if we can get first responders and 65 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: frontline healthcare workers vaccinated, then the most at risk, then 66 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 1: the then the rollout further. There should be an abatement 67 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: of the spread and it should meet it provides some 68 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: relief to our healthcare system. Well, and you've got to 69 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: be thinking unless about your workers specifically, right and making 70 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: sure that they are frontline workers. Uh, and they need 71 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: to have access to this vaccine. Um. You know, I'm 72 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: curious how you're approaching it. Would you make sure that 73 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: they are among the first to get it? Are your 74 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: workers comfortable getting it? And are you concerned about having 75 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: access ultimately to the vaccine as we kind of try 76 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: and figure out the distribution and logistics problems of getting 77 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: the vaccine out a great Those are all great questions. 78 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: I feel confident in our frontline healthcare workers ability to 79 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: get access to the vaccine because we follow each hospital's 80 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: protocol for all things clinical. When we work with our 81 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: hospital partners, and if their frontline teams are going to 82 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: be asked to vaccinate, ours will too. And so if 83 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: it's being provided to hospitals across the country for their 84 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: frontline workers, I am hopeful and confident we will get 85 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 1: that access. And I think that the first twenty million 86 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: UH doses of the vaccine seemed pretty locked and loaded 87 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: for December. So again, if we can make sure that 88 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: that happens and nothing stops it, I think the frontline 89 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: and first responder should be in good, good shape. It's 90 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: really that next wave of rollout, Carol, that I personally 91 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: am curious about. Once our frontline healthcare workers are taken 92 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: care of, and the countries, after the prioritization for the 93 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: for the elderly and the most at risk, how then 94 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: do we ensure that mass distribution happens. I'm confident by 95 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: the spring will have mass production of vaccine. Mass distribution 96 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: becomes a bigger challenge. Yeah, listen, I think about that too, 97 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: in terms of it getting out, and you know, we've 98 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: been done a lot of reporting about that's kind of 99 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: our next big headache. And because you know, countries have 100 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: relationships and deals with various UM drug makers and so 101 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: so you really do wonder, you know, what kind of 102 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: horse trading might ultimately be going, you know, going on. 103 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: And that kind of terrifies me, especially when I think 104 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: about people who really need it. When I think about 105 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: developing markets, I mean, it's really going to be, I think, 106 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: a logistics nightmare. Globally, it's going to be challenging. And remember, 107 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: the regular food vaccine can be stored at thirty seven 108 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 1: degrees terrified and below, and and even that sometimes poses challenges, 109 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 1: and this hundred degree below is a real thing. But 110 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: I know that the biggest sites of points of distribution 111 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: are already shoring up for those capabilities. I'm confident that 112 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,840 Speaker 1: in our country specifically, the ingenuity around distributional logistics means 113 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: that we should be able to come up with a 114 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: mobile UM mechanism for distributing even this very unusually cold vaccine. 115 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: So I'm hopeful. I think that we'll see a lot 116 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: of opening up come next summer. So listen, I know 117 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: we've talked about schools. I know last time around we 118 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: talked about UM and I think you you said that 119 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: you don't think children are super spreaders. Because we were 120 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: talking about schools reopening. I have to say, you know, 121 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 1: it's interesting, I'm getting a lot of emails from around 122 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: the newsroom about city looks New York City schools are closing. 123 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: I actually think cities are being smart that as soon 124 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 1: as they start to see numbers go up, UH in 125 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: certainly just around the country. As soon as they start 126 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 1: to see those numbers go up, I mean, New York 127 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: remembers how bad it was, and I think they quickly 128 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 1: moved to say we gotta we gotta pull back, and 129 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: that's how we hopefully can maybe prevent this from becoming 130 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: New York City back in March, April and May. Yeah. There. 131 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 1: You know, there are two different questions, right Carol. One 132 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 1: is our children super spreaders, and there's an abundance of data, 133 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: and you've had many people on your show that have 134 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: talked about how they may or may not be and right, 135 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: we aren't. But there are other stakeholders. And stakeholders are 136 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: teachers and the elderly family members of UH children in 137 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: schools who are living in multigenerational, generational households. So I 138 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 1: think it's the answer to whether to keep them open 139 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: or closes is a function from whose stakeholders eyes you're looking, 140 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 1: And I think that it's likely, um and probable that 141 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: many public schools will end up closing post Thanksgiving, pre 142 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: winter break quote unquote, or even right after winter break, because, 143 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: as we discussed earlier, this vaccine access is likely going 144 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: to be healthcare workers and first responders first, and then 145 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: hopefully in the second wave as soon as January, even 146 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: teachers and others who we consider a central workers. So 147 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: I'm hopeful that once teachers are have access more broadly 148 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: to the vaccine, then they'll be even greater comfort with 149 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: keeping the schools open. But I think it's likely that 150 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: to continue to quote flatten the curve. You can agree 151 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: or disagree, but I think it's likely that schools will 152 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: close for some portion of winter. Yeah, And I guess 153 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: what I was kind of saying is right. I think 154 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: I agree with you because just my own experience with 155 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: my daughter in school, like the schools have been. I feel, 156 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: like knock on wood, we're not necesarily talking about colleges 157 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: and universities. They have had their own strug as um, 158 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:04,239 Speaker 1: but I think at large things have actually gone gone 159 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: fairly well. And I guess what I'm is interesting, is 160 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: that you're seeing, whether it's the West coast, whether it's here, 161 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: major cities who saw it so badly in the springtime, 162 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: Like we remember this, It wasn't that long ago, right, 163 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: and we don't want to go back to it, so 164 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: that you start to as soon as you start to 165 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: see those numbers go up, you kind of rain things 166 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: in just as hopefully slow it down and more importantly 167 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: hopefully to stop it from spiking once again into that 168 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: kind of out of control area. Yeah, and I think 169 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: that it's also a function of how things have been managed. Right, 170 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: If we're in a hybrid learning environment in our public 171 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: school district here in the suburbs of Chicago, and you know, 172 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: all the children have plexiglass shields, everyone's mass or classrooms 173 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: eight students or less. We we certainly may end up 174 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: in a virtual learning mode for a portion of winter, 175 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: just like most public schools. But none of the transmission 176 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: in our our suburban school district has happened within the schools. 177 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: It's happened from people bringing it in from the outside. 178 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 1: So that is I think many parents great comfort at 179 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: schools are safe, kids are safe in schools. It's the 180 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: community spread is going to be what it is. But 181 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: again I stand by my earlier claim that I don't 182 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: personally believe from the data i've read that children under 183 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: ten are super spreaders by and large themselves. But I 184 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: understand when taking into account multiple stakeholder groups why schools 185 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: may choose and districts public districts may choose to close 186 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: for a portion of winter until these vaccines are more 187 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: widely disseminated. Right, Well said, hey, listen, Um, I want 188 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: to go back to something you said to listen because 189 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: I think it's really important and we've only got about 190 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: a minute or so left here about you said, logistically, 191 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: we're gonna need military and partnership with fed X. People 192 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: have been saying since March April that we are at war, 193 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: it's a health war, and we need kind of a 194 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: military you know, a military aspect and reaction to it, 195 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: if you will, and we really kind of haven't gotten that. 196 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: Do you think a new administration will move in that direction? 197 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: I think that it's likely that a new administration would 198 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: be willing to leverage all tools at its disposal, including 199 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: the US military, to ensure the broadest dissemination of this 200 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: vaccine as quickly as possible. And I also believe that 201 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: our US military is probably uniquely qualified to provide support 202 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: to commercial parties like that X and ups in that way. 203 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 1: So I really hope for a public private partnership in 204 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: terms of distribution of the vaccine. I think it gives 205 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: us the greatest probability of the greatest dissemination the fast. 206 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: If we don't get that, what what what what? Then? 207 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 1: Just quickly, I'm not thinking about again. I'm thinking positively, Carol, 208 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: We're gonna get it down so we can have more 209 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: normal lives by next time. Uh hallelujah. I'm off I'm 210 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: an optimist too, and I'd like to get back to 211 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: a more normal life. Um, Alyssa, thank you so much 212 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: for finding time once again for us. Alissa rap she 213 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: is chief executive officer of Surgical Solutions, joining us on 214 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 1: the phone from Deerfield, Illinois, and again uh, watching those 215 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: virus headlines, but optimistic about the vaccine and ultimately, if 216 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: we do it right in terms of how we get 217 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: it out logistically and the distribution, we can move much 218 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: closer and much uh faster to a more normal life. 219 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: So that's what we're kind of all hoping for this 220 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,839 Speaker 1: is Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Messer from Bloomberg Radio. 221 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week and the cover story 222 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 1: this week, And I gotta say, I don't know if 223 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 1: I can say this, Jill Weber. Can I just say 224 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: I got a peek at the cover art you did 225 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: last night. I have to say it truly encapsulates the 226 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:29,680 Speaker 1: essence of this story. Yeah, it's a fun one. Um. 227 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: And this is one that, um, I think we were 228 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 1: we we've been interested in for a while because looks 229 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: like the staff of Business Week has a lot of 230 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: cats and dogs at home. Um, And there have been 231 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: acquisitions that were made during the pandemic. And if you 232 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: have a dog and go to a dog park like 233 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: I do, you also recognize that there were many, many, 234 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: many more dogs in this neighborhood than there were before 235 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: the pandemic. And one of the big beneficiar areas of 236 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: this has been Chewy, the online pet retailer that does 237 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: pet deliveries. And that's what our stories about, all right. 238 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: So of course, Bloomberg Business Week editor Joe Webber, sorry 239 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: I jumped the gun there, but I wanted to bring 240 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: you in because I love the cover. Uh, and let's 241 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: also bring in Bloomberg News Wealth for Porto, Andrew's mail 242 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,959 Speaker 1: in reporting for Business Week and on the phone from Orlando, Florida, 243 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: Joel on the phone from the remote access from Brooklyn, 244 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: it is and I gotta say, Joel, it's one of 245 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: those things in the shutdown that as I would walk 246 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: my dog Scout around the very quiet neighborhood, I would 247 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: see boxes of things and I often saw Chewy boxes 248 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: on the curb. Yeah, and you know they're coming to 249 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: our house. To um. It's actually in one of our 250 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: story meetings that turns out that you know, there's a 251 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: lot of co op apartments in New York City that 252 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: aren't supposed to have pets, and Chewy Boxes are outing 253 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: them because it's like, oh, look delivery exactly. UM. So 254 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 1: the story of Chewi though, I think it's it's one 255 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: of these amazing ones because you know, the company has 256 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 1: been around for for nine years. UH started basically by 257 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: a couple of guys who just realized they were going 258 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: to get into the jewelry business and then realized, wait 259 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: a second, there could be a bigger opportunity and pets, 260 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: and they basically scrapped it out for nine years and 261 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: in the process of that sort of faded from the 262 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: company and the company now has a has a new CEO. 263 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: And the story sort of starts with Andrews crunching some 264 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: numbers and realizing that he's actually incredibly highly compensated. How 265 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: how highly compensated is Andres about a hundred eight million team. 266 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: That's what brought me onto to this story. I am, 267 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: we ran our highest paid CEOs list this summer and 268 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: sume it's sing. Made a d eight million last year. 269 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 1: And I turned to my editor and said, who in 270 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 1: the world assume it'sing? And it turns out to see 271 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 1: the CEO of Chewy And that's yeah, that's where it 272 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,079 Speaker 1: all started, right, And it's kind of like, what is 273 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: to I have to say. We have a market guest 274 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 1: who comes on and every time she's like, by Chewy, 275 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: by Chewy, by Chewi. I mean, this is a business, 276 00:13:57,360 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: you know, and you put it in the story and 277 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: there's that it's very much kind of akin to Amazon 278 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:07,239 Speaker 1: in its early days. Yeah, it really is. It's it's 279 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: what sets it apart from Amazon. Amazon was a model 280 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: for much of the the quickness, the ease, and the pricing, 281 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 1: but will really sets to a part is the fact 282 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: that you actually have a customer service number to call, 283 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: and if you call it, there's a person that responds 284 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: to you within six seconds and it's willing to talk 285 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: to you four hours. If that's what you feel like 286 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: about your pet, about pet food, about the fact that 287 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 1: you know anything, I've heard stories of customer service agains. 288 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: You have literally been on the phone for several hours 289 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: with with pet owners that call in. One of the things, Carol, 290 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: that I think is really interesting about the businesses. You know, 291 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: Amazon when it started, it had that one area of 292 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: expertise that it just nailed, which was books. It's like, 293 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: how do we bring as many books as we possibly 294 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: can online and do um e commerce as a as 295 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: a bookstore right right? And I think we actually kind 296 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: of like it's almost like they surveyed the landscape and said, 297 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: what's the thing that we could have recurring payments with 298 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: that Amazon hasn't thought to do yet, and how do 299 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: we figure out what that is and then do it 300 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: at warp speed effectively? And they recognize that pets, So 301 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: this thing, it's the number in the story, nine billion 302 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: dollars a year being spent by Americans on pets. If 303 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: you could get one slice of that, it's a great business. 304 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: And what they figured out was that there's a lot 305 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: of things that you can do that are recurring payments, 306 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: whether it's dog food deliveries or medications, and all of 307 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: those things are just cruise controlled. That's a subscription revenue model, 308 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: and it has just allowed them to go sort of 309 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: warp speed. And they were on a pretty good trajectory 310 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: before the pandemic, and then the pandemic really played to it. 311 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: And so Andrews tell us about what they how how 312 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: they've really capital capitalized on everything this year. Yeah, they've 313 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: already in the first two quarters they added more customers 314 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: than in all of the prior fiscal years, and they're 315 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 1: on track to finally turned EBIT down positive this year. 316 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: And they are also on track to hit roughly seven 317 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: billion dollars of revenue from if I don't misremember, around 318 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: four point nine. So it's it's really super charged them 319 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: this year. And they were sort of kind of like Peloton, 320 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:28,479 Speaker 1: just perfectly in position to take advantage of the coronavirus. 321 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: We've been buying our scout, she's a little Irish terrier man. 322 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: She's been getting toys, you know, and we we've got 323 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: a subscription thing that we do every month too, and 324 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: it's like, yep, we just we don't even think twice 325 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: about it. We're like, it's essential. It's kind of crazy. 326 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: So wait a minute, though, we said they were like 327 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: kind of Amazon right in many ways, and it sounds 328 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: like there are two also like Amazon for a long time. 329 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: They're not profitable, not yet. And you know, that's a 330 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: story that is not too unfamiliar these days, that you 331 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: set assign profitability and instead focus on growing very quickly. 332 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: And that's what they did, and founder Ryan Cohen and 333 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: his team they actually ripped the page out of Amazon's 334 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 1: playbook and said, we're going to plow every dollar or 335 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: free cash flow that we get into marketing and customer acquisition. 336 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: And but he points out in the story that at 337 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: any point they could have turned off that marketings pigots, 338 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 1: and the company would have been profitable even back in 339 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:29,439 Speaker 1: So it's really about you know, running and getting scale 340 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: um as long as you can, as long as your 341 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: careful ways allows you to do that. And that's what 342 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,439 Speaker 1: they that's what they've done, and that's why they're so 343 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: big today. And and actually I love it because the 344 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: CEO brought this up when when you guys kind of 345 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: put it to him, is this this fly wheel? Um, 346 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 1: this this idea that it's a vaunted when that Amazon's 347 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 1: really excelled is sort of like, once you can start 348 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 1: spinning off cash, it feeds all the other aspirations that 349 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,919 Speaker 1: you that you have. What did he have to say 350 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: about his flywheel, Well, they essentially saying that it's I mean, 351 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 1: it's a very surty model. As long as you have 352 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: as long as you're not burning too much cash, then 353 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 1: then that's something that you can keep up. And as 354 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 1: long as you keep acquiring customers at a fast enough clip, 355 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: then then that fly will keeps up. And thanks to shoot, 356 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: Chewi's focused on autoship and the fact that people have 357 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: to return to them every once in a while to 358 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: buy cat litter and food and and so on, and 359 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 1: and you can put that on automation. Um, that really 360 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 1: helps to underwrite this whole model and it works anders 361 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,679 Speaker 1: really quickly. So Smit saying, the CEO of chewies up 362 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,120 Speaker 1: there with Elon Musk Apples, Tim Cook, some other well 363 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: known CEOs as among the highest paid. Does he deserve 364 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: to be there considering what he's done at the company 365 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 1: and just got about thirty seconds. Well, I think if 366 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: you're if you bought you right after the I p oh, 367 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: and you still hold it now, I'm sure you're very 368 00:18:55,840 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: happy regardless of how much he got paid. Um. We 369 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: spoke to some former employees who pointed out that the 370 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: company with an excellent shape already when he took over. 371 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: Interesting kind of feel kind of feel bummed out for 372 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: the two founders though. Man Um, it's a great, great read, 373 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 1: And I told you you've got to check out the 374 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: cover because I think I'm gonna go home and frame 375 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: it because it's just adorable. You're listening to Bloomberg Business 376 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: Week with Carol Messer on Bloomberg Radio. All right, so 377 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: this story definitely caught my attention. I was reading in 378 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 1: pretty early this morning on my way into one Lexington 379 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: here at Bloomberg headquarters. It's a top story in my 380 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: view at this hour, since as we watch closely COVID 381 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: nineteens impact on our economy and its recovery, which has 382 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,199 Speaker 1: been so well described I think by Peter atwater over 383 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 1: at William Mary as the K shaped recovery, which illustrates 384 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: some Americans, they have been largely untouched by the pandemic. 385 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: For others, the lower leg of the k it has 386 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: been catastrophic. And maybe there's some folks in between that 387 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,400 Speaker 1: as some of the relief efforts start to come undone 388 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 1: and stop, they're going to be in a tough way. 389 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,199 Speaker 1: This story is among the most read on the Bloomberg. 390 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: It is about the year end fis school clifs that 391 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: are approaching for millions of Americans. Let's get into a 392 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: three picker. She's US economy reporter at Bloomberg and she 393 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: is joining us on the phone in New York City. Read. Um, 394 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: this is an important story. I really do think everybody 395 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:15,679 Speaker 1: has to stop listen because if we're worried about kind 396 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 1: of where we are because of COVID, if we're worried 397 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: about what's going to happen in the economy, especially with 398 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: a lack of stimulus, you really lay it out what's 399 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: at risk. So first of all, give us the big picture. Yeah, 400 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 1: of course, and thank you for so much for having 401 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 1: me on to talk about this story. Sure, um, so 402 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: I guess the big The big picture of this is 403 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 1: that there is a wide range of programs that are 404 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,159 Speaker 1: scheduled to expire at the end of the year, and 405 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: they range everything from UM to federal Unemployment Insurance Plan programs, 406 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 1: to a national addiction moratorium to a freeze on student loans. 407 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: And you know, as you were talking about this case 408 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: shaped recovery, that the people that are really going to 409 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: feel the brunt of the pain from these acts rations 410 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 1: are really those who are currently still out of work. 411 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,200 Speaker 1: And UM these programs, you know, they have a wide 412 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 1: range of youth, but I would say the biggest impact 413 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: is definitely going to be from the expiration of those 414 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: two unemployment insurance programs. Twelve million people, you say, right, 415 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: we'd roughly twelve million, yes. So the Century Foundation UM 416 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 1: put out a report this morning where they estimated it 417 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: would be about twelve million people that would be cut 418 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:32,480 Speaker 1: off from their unemployment insurance on December twenty six. And 419 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 1: for these people, this has been an extraordinary lifeline during 420 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: the pandemic. And it's it's two parts. There's the folks 421 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: that you know, prior to now wouldn't typically be eligible 422 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: for PEN for jobless benefits, and those are the people 423 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: who are on a program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistant PUA, 424 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 1: so that's your gig workers, your self employed workers. UM. 425 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 1: And and they have gotten these programs at these you know, 426 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: a check each week that has helped support them during 427 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 1: this this time where you know a lot of people 428 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 1: aren't taking ubers and a lot of these jobs don't 429 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: have the same kind of demand UM that they normally 430 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 1: would UM. And then the other program is very similar 431 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: to what we've seen in past recessions. UM. It's called 432 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,880 Speaker 1: p e u C for short, but essentially it's an 433 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: extension of jobless benefits for those who have exhausted their 434 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: regular state benefits. So we saw this in the two 435 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: thousand and seven to two thousand and nine recession as well. UM. 436 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 1: But whether people have used up the full number of 437 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: weeks that they have or not, unless Congress acts it's 438 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,400 Speaker 1: it's set to expire at the end of December as well. 439 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 1: Read and I want to go to some of the 440 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: other UM. You know, specific programs that you say you 441 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: know will come to an end and that really put 442 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: a lot of Americans at risk. But the one thing 443 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: I like about your story is, Yep, you go through 444 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: these you lay at the numbers, you lay at the research, 445 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 1: but you also talked to America and what it means. Like, 446 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: tell me about Larry Long of Willow Grow, Pennsylvania. Yeah, 447 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,399 Speaker 1: of course, And and I'd like to say that there 448 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 1: were more people that UM first space purposes me couldn't 449 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: fit them into the story, but Larry was someone that 450 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: really stuck out to me. UM. I I tried with him, 451 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 1: and he's one of UM. He's receiving the t U 452 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: A that UM that unemployment assistance for for those aren't 453 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: who aren't typically eligible. But UM he is a sixty 454 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,120 Speaker 1: three year old black man UM in a town that's 455 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: a little bit outside of Philadelphia. And before the pandemic 456 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 1: he made his income by basically hoping to plan charity 457 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: events and UM corporate parties. And as you can imagine, 458 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 1: as soon as pan as the pandemic hit, he said 459 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: that for a couple of weeks he was just receiving 460 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: cancelation email after cancelation email and UM, so since then 461 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: he has been getting these pandemic unemployment assistance payments. And 462 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: for the summer it worked out okay because UM the 463 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: Cares Act, which was the main fiscal relief bill that 464 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 1: was passed back in March, UM provided this extra six 465 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: dollars a week and unemployment assistance, and when he had 466 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 1: that extra six hundred dollars, he was able to make 467 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: it work. Um. But as soon as those six hundred 468 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: dollar payments ended and expired at the end of July, 469 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 1: the bills have just been piling up. Um. So when 470 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,439 Speaker 1: I was talking to him about what I mean, what 471 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 1: day to day looks like him for right now, he 472 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: you know, said that with the amount that he's getting, 473 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: he's really just trying to put food on the table. Um. 474 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 1: And he's has negotiated with his his landlord to try 475 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:54,200 Speaker 1: to make an agreement payment. But um, he's he's really 476 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: nervous about this, the culmination of running out of anyway, 477 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:03,960 Speaker 1: but also of the eviction more national eviction moratorium expiring 478 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:06,120 Speaker 1: at the end of the year as well. Right, you said, 479 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: he's he's worried about losing his home and he's also 480 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: worried he's you know, as you write in your story, 481 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 1: he's an older black man with a touch of diabetes. 482 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: So he's scared to death just about survival. Hey just 483 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: quickly just got about thirty or forty seconds here on 484 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 1: the tenant evictions. What do we need to know about that? Yes, 485 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 1: so on the evictions front UM. This is basically it 486 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: has been a national um, a national policy to keep 487 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,719 Speaker 1: people in their homes and prevent landlords from evicting their 488 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 1: tenants when they couldn't fully pay UM. And that has 489 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: been a saving grace for a lot of people. UM. 490 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,120 Speaker 1: But the problem now now, of course, is that eviction 491 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: moratorium is UM set to expire at the end of 492 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 1: the year. So people are heading into January, perhaps with 493 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 1: several months behind of of not having fully paid their 494 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 1: rent or not have paid their rent at all UM 495 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: and could very much base eviction because the fact that yeah, 496 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: their bills to pay as well. Yeah. Yeah, We've talked 497 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:06,640 Speaker 1: about that with a lot of folks in the real 498 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: estate industry. The problem is, you know, you know, I 499 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:10,640 Speaker 1: think about December thirty one, right, people are often like, oh, 500 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: a new year, you know, thinking about what's to come promising, 501 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: and then for many that's a deadline that could be 502 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 1: really really tough. UM. I'm gonna put your story out 503 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: on Twitter because you go into all the programs and 504 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 1: all the specifics. So thank you so much. Read really 505 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: appreciate you bringing it to us. Read pick it. She's 506 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,199 Speaker 1: US Economy reporter Epploomberg News on the phone from New 507 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 1: York broad mac Journal. But you let me drive, no, no, no, 508 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: d please l I want to drive. Strive the questions, 509 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:04,959 Speaker 1: yeahs the drive of the globes well dry us down radios. 510 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: It is time for the drive to the close back 511 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,639 Speaker 1: with us as Craig Hodges, CEO and portfolio manager of 512 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: the Hodges Funds one point five billion dollars in assets 513 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,199 Speaker 1: under management, based in Dallas, and joining us on the 514 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: phone from there on a day Wednesday where we've got 515 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 1: stocks pretty much hovering out their loads of the sessions 516 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: who are down about, as Charlie mentioned, down about nine 517 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: tens of a percent on the Dow Jones Industrial Average 518 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: down two hundred seventy nine points, SMP five also down 519 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 1: almost nine tenths of a percent at thirty five seventy eight, 520 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: and the NASAC just down about half percent, down sixty 521 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 1: five points. So, Craig Hodges, nice to have you here. 522 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,680 Speaker 1: How are you doing? I know there's been some rough 523 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: COVID numbers out in Dallas. I've got a bunch of 524 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: family out in Texas. How are you doing? Yeah? Doing well. 525 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 1: We we know we've been pretty fortunate not to get 526 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 1: hit too hard, and I think I think it's you know, 527 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:55,880 Speaker 1: fairly under control here. But but the numbers you see 528 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,679 Speaker 1: do scare you. So you you have to continue to 529 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: take to take heed if you will, Yeah, exactly, Well 530 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: how do you have to What does it mean for 531 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 1: investors or they have to take heed as well? You know, 532 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 1: I think that they do. Um, we've we've had an 533 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 1: interesting situation. You know, we manage money, and we had 534 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 1: a lot of individual accounts, probably over six hundred and 535 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: I think throughout the industry what you saw around the 536 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:22,120 Speaker 1: election time, starting at about uh September, as people raise 537 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:25,919 Speaker 1: a pretty good cash position in their accounts, not to 538 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,919 Speaker 1: predict what would happen, but just because of the volatility 539 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:32,639 Speaker 1: and the uncertainty. Other well, there wasn't hardly any volatility, 540 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: and the market has continued to move up. So I 541 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: believe what's happened since the election, even though it's even 542 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: though it's uh, you know, hasn't been finalized, although everyone 543 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: knows what will happen, um, is that people are putting 544 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 1: that money back to work. So I think that's what's 545 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: driven the market here in the last you know, month 546 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 1: or so. That being said, I think it's probably a 547 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: little ahead of itself. Um. I did a I did 548 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: a conference call with a bunch of great money managers 549 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: last night, and the optimism was flowing. And anytime you 550 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 1: see that makes me want to run for the exactly exactly, 551 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 1: So I don't look for anything, you know, terrible, but 552 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: I think the market could be a little ahead of itself. 553 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: Why are money managers so enthusiastic? What were they saying 554 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 1: on that call? Well, there's been so much disruption in 555 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: there in the marketplace, and there's been the stocks that 556 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: have done fantastic this last year and a half, and 557 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 1: there's been stocks that have done horribly, and you're starting 558 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 1: to see the wall. Yeah, and and the and the 559 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 1: ones that have lagged that still have good, good business 560 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 1: opportunities are really starting to perform. So I think, and 561 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: and and that's what a lot of these people, and 562 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: not everyone is in the you know, the fang and 563 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: the top you know six stocks that have driven everything. Um, 564 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 1: there's another market out there that's kind of been the 565 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 1: have knots if you will, and so um, and that's 566 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 1: what that's what we're doing here at Hodes Funds and 567 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 1: Hodges Capital because there's a just a bevy of stocks 568 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 1: that have not participated that you're starting to see all 569 00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 1: of a sudden get some breath and start to move. 570 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: How frustrated though, are you guys to be in the 571 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 1: small cap space and I know they're starting to have 572 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:05,959 Speaker 1: their day a little bit, but I'm looking at your 573 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 1: Hodges small cap. Fine, you're up about three and a 574 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: half percent. Uh, it's been a struggle. It has been 575 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: a struggle for you know, going on three years. And 576 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 1: although I will say this, um I noticed that the 577 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 1: small cap performance the Russell two thousand, one of their 578 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: of the stocks in the Russell two thousand are above 579 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: their two day moving average on the chart and being 580 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 1: very technically you know, a positive. That's the most since 581 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: two thousand and thirteen. So it really looks like things 582 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: are starting to turn. And you know, these things go 583 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 1: in cycles, and it's very it's very understandable why the 584 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: large cap you know, stocks have moved so well. It's 585 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: been basically the E T F craze that's driven a 586 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: lot of that. But there will be a time and 587 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 1: place for small caps and we really and and they've 588 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 1: had really nice help performance for i'd say about the 589 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 1: past two months or so. All right, interesting, um, so 590 00:30:58,120 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: talk to us about some of the names, because my 591 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:02,239 Speaker 1: underest in is among the major themes that you are 592 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 1: interested in. It's kind of de urbanization and business is 593 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,239 Speaker 1: related to that. What specifically are you talking about. You're 594 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 1: talking about the exodus from from cities. Yeah, you're seeing 595 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: because you believe that's really gonna stick. Oh my gosh, Well, 596 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 1: you saw this in the seventies happen and it lasted 597 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: for for you know, anywhere from five day years depending 598 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: on the dad. But it was miserable in the cities. 599 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: There was economic there was crises, and so and so forth. 600 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 1: I mean, well, there's it's not just the the unrest 601 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 1: and the COVID that's driving people out. It's the fact 602 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: that all of a sudden, you don't have to have 603 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: an hour and a half commute to get to work. 604 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 1: You can work from home, or you can you can 605 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: live two states away and live wherever you want and 606 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 1: still work at whatever firm. I've seen where thirty percent 607 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,760 Speaker 1: of the companies out there are saying they'll never bring 608 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:50,480 Speaker 1: these people back into the office, they'll let them work remotely. 609 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 1: So that's going to drive people to the suburbs. And 610 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 1: you add on the fact that you have historically low 611 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: interest rates. The millennials, which is the biggest demographic in 612 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: the history of the world. You know, there's there now 613 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: at that age they're they're you know now at that 614 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: age where they're moving out, they're getting married, they're buying homes. 615 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 1: And it's also economic and that it's better, it's much 616 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: much better financially to own than to rent, especially with 617 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,640 Speaker 1: these low rates. And then we've got this shortage of housing. 618 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 1: So it's not just the housing stocks that we like, 619 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 1: it's everything related to those. And you're talking about your 620 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 1: retailers like home Depot and Lows and and you know 621 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:31,080 Speaker 1: companies that that do lawn and guarding and remodeling and 622 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: you know, things like that. Even like the home gym 623 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,720 Speaker 1: business is a phenomenal thing that's happened. Pet pets and 624 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 1: pets supplies and and all these things. The mattress business 625 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: is really booming right now. Um. And so there's many 626 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 1: ways to play this thing. And like I said, I 627 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 1: think this, I think this will last for years and 628 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:50,719 Speaker 1: not just not just be a you know, a flash 629 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:52,400 Speaker 1: in the pand if you will, all right, so if 630 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: you had to commit new money. One of the new 631 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: names or one of the names you like is Taylor Morrison. 632 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: You would be committing to money there, Yes, we would. 633 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: They're in great markets. Um. They it's one of the 634 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: least expensive trading a right around book value. And you've 635 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: seen most of these homeowners have made tremendous moves, and 636 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: it's made a good move. It's so far this year 637 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: we've seen. You're right, the homebuilders have really been on 638 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,120 Speaker 1: a rise. Low mortgage rate and as you said, some 639 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 1: of the trends of people uh moving out, and also 640 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: the supply has been down. Yeah, and and historically these 641 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 1: things are feast or famine, But like I said, I 642 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: think there's because of the shortage and because of about 643 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 1: three months supply of housing. I think this is a 644 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 1: trend that's gonna last for for a considerable time. So, 645 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:38,840 Speaker 1: and they're still very inexpensive. These stocks are some of 646 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 1: the most inexpensive the entire market. Yeah. Teller Morrison's got 647 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 1: a forward looking peve about not quite eleven, just under 648 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 1: it in a current peve about six point six um interesting, interesting, 649 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: just quickly thirty seconds. Rocket Mortgage, same story. Yeah, we 650 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:57,400 Speaker 1: believe Rocket will will be the dominant you know brand 651 00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:01,480 Speaker 1: in mortgage and refinancing, and they have laevable scale opportunities 652 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 1: in that company. And um, you know they're not just 653 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: a refinance firm. They're actually because of young people being 654 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 1: more comfortable with different thing on their phones, there's more 655 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 1: and more people going this route they think they're Their 656 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 1: market share will go from ten where it is now 657 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: by two thousand thirty, and that will be a juggernaut 658 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: of a company. Forty two billion dollar market cap company. 659 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 1: That's pretty remarkable. I'm gonna leave it there. UM, really 660 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Craig Hodges, CEO, portfolio manager of the Hodges Phones, 661 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 1: on the phone from Dallas. Thanks so much for listening 662 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 1: to Bloomberg Business Week. Download the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, 663 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 1: or at Bloomberg dot com, and be sort to check 664 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 1: out our daily radio show at two pm Eastern on 665 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Radio, and be sure to watch us too on 666 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: YouTube by searching Bloomberg Global News