1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. You're listening to the 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Intelligence Podcast. Catch us live weekdays at ten am 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: Eastern on Apple Car playing Android Auto with the Bloomberg 4 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,440 Speaker 1: Business App. Listen on demand wherever you get your podcasts, 5 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: or watch us live on YouTube. 6 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: Billy Lipteltz joining us. Obviously, the memestocks. This was all 7 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 2: the rage but GameStop today, so they came out with 8 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 2: earnings kind of unexpectedly. They also were in the market 9 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: issuing shares. I feel like it took them a minute 10 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 2: to get it together. 11 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 3: No did, and that's really been the thing we've been 12 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 3: writing about it this week. We wrote I Believe on 13 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 3: Wednesday basically saying the window to capitalize was narrowing, if 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 3: not closing, because GameStop their quarter ended a few weeks ago, 15 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 3: so they needed preliminary results before they could file to 16 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 3: potentially sell shares. They did all of that this morning, 17 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 3: but Alex, as you point out, the stock was trading 18 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 3: north of fifty bucks on Tuesday. Before the even got 19 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 3: a chance to sell, it crashed back below twenty eight. 20 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 3: So now we're seeing selling pressure down twenty seven percent. 21 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 3: Fifty five million shares have traded so far. Again, an 22 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 3: ATM allows them and allows their bank to sell up 23 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 3: to forty five million chairs, not necessarily a sign that 24 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 3: they have, but reading between the lines would mean that 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 3: they probably are. 26 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 4: Do we have any better idea here? Who any of 27 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 4: these fifty five million share people are? 28 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 3: Like? 29 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 4: Who's trading this stuff? Again? Is it going to go 30 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 4: back to your thoughts about that the quant hedge funds 31 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 4: that are kind of really generating the activity. 32 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, and we're still not seeing really the volume that 33 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 3: we saw on Fidelity, on interactive brokers, on some of 34 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 3: the retail platforms that we did see back in twenty 35 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 3: twenty one. 36 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 4: And that's that's data. You guys can see the publican see. 37 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 3: You can see it if you have an account, so 38 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 3: like I had to create a Fidelity it used to 39 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 3: not be behind the paywall. 40 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 5: They put it behind the paywall. 41 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 3: But like, if you have an account, you can see 42 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 3: what on a given day people are buying and selling. 43 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 5: It's just the orders, but it's mixed at SPENSA. I 44 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 5: do not want a personal account. 45 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 4: Oh, I thought you were just did it for reporting? 46 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 3: No, I do now expense a premium exitcount, though that 47 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 3: was a recent edition nice, good small ones. 48 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: CRETA won't mind the big the small ones matter. Do 49 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 2: we know why it didn't last longer? Is this just 50 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 2: basically there's weren't as many shorts out there? Is that 51 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 2: why the Memestock rally was a hot minute. 52 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 5: It's a really different backdrop. 53 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 3: So not only do you not have people stuck at 54 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 3: home looking for entertainment, flush with stimulus checks, short interest 55 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 3: is about twenty five percent. It used to be north 56 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 3: of one hundred back in the peak mania. A lot 57 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 3: of Again, the buying and selling that we saw Monday 58 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 3: and Tuesday seemed to have Wall Street's fingerprints, so it 59 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 3: never really got retail traders back in like back in 60 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 3: twenty twenty one. And also you had a quiet Monday 61 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 3: and Tuesday session ahead of the inflation data on Wednesday. 62 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 3: And then you add in the fact that investors, retail 63 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 3: traders probably bought in and were sitting on big paper losses, 64 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:54,639 Speaker 3: so you provide an exit rant for them. 65 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 5: Why would they not take advantage? 66 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 6: Did Bill Gross make money on this with his straddle? 67 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:00,079 Speaker 5: He still is those expired today. 68 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 3: I haven't talked to him since he told you he 69 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 3: laid out the initial trade, so he might have closed 70 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 3: it or tapered it down, but that straddle still is 71 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 3: very much in played in the in the money, assuming 72 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 3: shares don't. 73 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 4: So he bought calls and puts at forty dollars, right. 74 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 5: He sold you logged in, So now I'm off the terminal. 75 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 3: Oh but you were using my log I sat down 76 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 3: where you. 77 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 5: Were marriage off. 78 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 6: Though. 79 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 4: There's a certain person, a morning anchor that leaves his 80 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 4: Twitter account open. 81 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 6: Does I find that helpful? 82 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 7: Yes? 83 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: I know. 84 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 6: Let me. 85 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 4: I want to go to another area here. But we 86 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 4: were just talking about Reddit and how that was such 87 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 4: a great ipo and they had some good news today, 88 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 4: pop on the stock up again. Here we have a 89 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 4: number of really good IPOs performing over the last couple 90 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 4: of months. I got David Solomon up on stages saying, 91 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 4: the backlogs building. We're all my IPOs. 92 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 5: I need to see five or six a week. The 93 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 5: backlog has been building for three years. 94 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 3: Of every banker you talked to is like, the backlog's 95 00:03:58,960 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 3: been better than it's ever been. 96 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 4: I want to see days when we have four printing, 97 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 4: like on a Thursday. 98 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, well, don't hold your breath. 99 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 6: So what are we waiting for here? At this point? 100 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 3: Well, the real thought is is drawing back investors. 101 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 5: So you have read it performing well. 102 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 3: You have a stera of labs, Viking, Bougie cruises for 103 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 3: lack of a better frame, all performing well. 104 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 5: But you have to get deals that are priced well. 105 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 3: To Paul's point, make the investors money, make the sponsors happy, 106 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 3: and perform well. And that's really still kind of weaning 107 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 3: back into the system. There is still uncertainty around how 108 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 3: much of a slowdown what we have in the summer, 109 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 3: just because bankers and investors are on vacation. We do 110 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 3: have an election in November. It seems like we will 111 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 3: have a more active than usual June July than historically speaking. 112 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 3: But the big focus still is on that post Labor 113 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 3: Day window, which will be kind of compressed because you 114 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 3: want to get out before the election, but also when 115 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 3: people are actually at their desks and you can go 116 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 3: visit t Row and Fidelity and have a real pitche. 117 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 4: There are days back in the day when Morgan Stanley 118 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 4: Goldman's as a credit Swisser song, we do have to 119 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 4: get on the phone and say, all right, guys, we're 120 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 4: all going to be in New York on Thursday. We 121 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 4: got to coordinate this are you do your lunch at 122 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 4: the Four Seasons eleven, I'll do mine at the Intercontinental twelve? 123 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 4: You do years. That's how busy it was, you know. 124 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 4: And and because you get those those windows, I. 125 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 6: Feel like I haven't this window. 126 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 3: Well that's and when I talk to investors in bankers, 127 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 3: the big argument that they make is the window has 128 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 3: always been open for good companies. It's just that good 129 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 3: companies who have access to the private markets maybe don't 130 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 3: want to go out just yet and be. 131 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 5: The first here. 132 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 4: I mean, these Pea guys whining. They've been sitting in 133 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 4: these things for five, six, seven, eight, ten years. 134 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 5: They're looking for an exit. 135 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 4: Well, like, okay, if you don't want to like you know, 136 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 4: if you don't want to take the streets mark, then 137 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 4: let's hit it. Let's go. 138 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 5: Well, that's the big issue on a down round. You 139 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 5: have to call it a down round. 140 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 3: You have to cave a little bit on valuation, especially 141 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 3: because a lot of to your point, a lot of 142 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 3: these pe assets are heavily straddled with debt, and investors 143 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 3: don't want debt right now. They want clean uh stories 144 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 3: they can be sold to them. Viking was one that's 145 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 3: interesting that has a large detlog, but it's viewed as 146 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 3: kind of being recession proof because it's wealthy people, older 147 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 3: people taking cruises. 148 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 2: Interesting, you just did a flux there. He called it 149 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 2: a flex before wealthy people taking cruises. All right, Bailey, 150 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 2: thanks a lot, super appreciated. 151 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 6: Happy weekend. 152 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 2: Billy Lipschaltz joining us Ipo market as well as the 153 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 2: Meme stocks. 154 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Intelligence Podcast. Catch us live 155 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: weekdays at ten am Eastern on Apple car Play and 156 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business. You can also listen 157 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,239 Speaker 1: live on Amazon Alexa from our flagship New York station 158 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 1: just say Alexa playing Bloomberg eleven thirty. 159 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 2: It has been definitely a week. We had some nice records. 160 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 2: We haven't seen this kind of move in months for 161 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 2: the S and P. 162 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 6: So what do you do? 163 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: On a headline level, we may continue to be a 164 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 2: little bit boring, but underneath there's some really individual stock 165 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 2: moves that are gaining a lot of traction here. So 166 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 2: let's get more with Shelby McFadden, investment analyst at Motley 167 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 2: Full Asset Management. She is joining us. So, Shelby, are 168 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 2: we in a world where like the headline level is 169 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 2: going to continue to grind higher, but it's going to 170 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 2: be those individual names where you get the action, you know. 171 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 6: I think that's absolutely possible. 172 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 8: And part of it is we've seen the evidence of 173 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 8: that happening for not just one year, but two years, right. 174 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 8: We've seen it go from the S and P five 175 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 8: hundred to sort of the S and P seven to 176 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 8: the SMP four, And so it's not completely unreasonable to 177 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 8: have to pop the hood and really see, breaking into 178 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,239 Speaker 8: sectors and industries, what's really going on in the market. 179 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 8: And so if you're sort of just interesting in owning 180 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 8: the overall market and being okay with it being driven 181 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 8: by fewer than ten stocks, sure, but the inverse is 182 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 8: not necessarily true that how those top ten are doing 183 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 8: is necessarily representative of the overall market. 184 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 4: Shelby, we had a I guess a weaker than expected 185 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 4: retail sales number yesterday, yet combined with some pretty strong 186 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 4: sales numbers out of Walmart. How do you square those 187 00:07:57,440 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 4: two things? How do you view the consumer out there? 188 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 8: I think when we sort of look at those two things, 189 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 8: we see the fact that consumers are looking for value. 190 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 8: And so when we do look at Walmart. We consider 191 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 8: the fact that general merchandise for that retailer is still 192 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 8: weaker than they would like to see, and a lot 193 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 8: of the performance comes from the necessities like food and 194 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 8: different staples. 195 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 5: So when we see those. 196 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 8: Weaker retail sales, we're realizing that discretionary income is still 197 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 8: being pressured quite a bit, and that when people are 198 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 8: looking to spend what discretionary income they have, they're looking 199 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 8: to get value. So in the past they may have 200 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 8: been a little bit indifferent about saying, let's just go 201 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 8: ahead and order the TV from this online retailer or 202 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 8: pick it up from this standard big box retailer. Now 203 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 8: they're considering, you know what, let's check out Walmart. I 204 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 8: think they actually have a lot of value that they 205 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:43,959 Speaker 8: can offer us. 206 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 2: For those of you who didn't hear yesterday's show, Paul 207 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:47,959 Speaker 2: is going to a Walmart for the first time in 208 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 2: a long time. 209 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 6: Is going to some channel checks. 210 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 2: Tomorrow, right, Yep, it's going to be huge. So Walmart 211 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 2: stock at a fifty two week high today. Is this 212 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: priced in? Or is there more upside here? You think 213 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 2: to Walmart? 214 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 8: I think part of what we're also seeing in the 215 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:02,839 Speaker 8: sort of little Walmart run up is the fact that 216 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 8: they've made that decision i think within the last couple 217 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 8: of weeks to close a lot of their health clinics. 218 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 8: And they're also having some staff reduction and they're cracking 219 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 8: down on folks working remotely, so they're doing some of 220 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 8: that op X as well. So what we're seeing now 221 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 8: is the effect of the bottom line boost. So at 222 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 8: first Walmart was able to sort of hold onto their 223 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 8: top line for a bit longer than others. 224 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 5: I think what's being priced. 225 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 8: In now is the fact that they are leaning out 226 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 8: in ways that they don't usually take on. They traditionally 227 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 8: just kind of cut their hourly workforce, but now they're 228 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 8: really looking at the big picture of investment, and I 229 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 8: think that's the sort of pop in the stock we 230 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 8: saw yesterday. 231 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 4: So Shelby, I guess one of the questions here is, 232 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 4: I guess the lower end of consumer, how are they 233 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 4: dealing with? Where are they going with their dollars? Is 234 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 4: it to are they staying with Walmart target, They're going 235 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 4: down to the dollar stores? How is the lower end 236 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 4: consumer how are they spending their discretionary income. 237 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 8: I think what we've seen in a combination of between 238 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 8: Walmart and they're sort of not retailers but manufacturers that 239 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 8: have branded material. Is that consumers are choosing brands even 240 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 8: at the lower end where there is the most premiumization 241 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 8: that they require, But then they are choosing more of 242 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 8: a Walmart over a Target at the lower end because 243 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 8: at this point you can't really stop how much food 244 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 8: you're going to need. You can try and make your 245 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 8: clothing and other sort of discretionary items last a little 246 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 8: bit longer, stretch them a bit longer, but food is 247 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 8: just such a requirement. And so when we then combine 248 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 8: that with what we saw from the financials companies, we're 249 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 8: seeing that at the lower end they are just using 250 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 8: less credit, trying to get paid off what they can, 251 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 8: and so if they're just working with cash, it's going 252 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 8: to be all right, let's get all the discretionary stuff 253 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 8: that we have to get on top of the staples 254 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 8: we need at a place like Walmart. And I'm not 255 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 8: quite sure that we're seeing that absolute trade down into say, 256 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 8: food shopping at dollar stores quite yet. I don't think 257 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 8: we're there just yet. 258 00:10:58,440 --> 00:10:58,680 Speaker 6: I don't. 259 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 2: No, man, food shopping a dollar stores feels like you 260 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 2: are asking for expired stuff. 261 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 5: Uh, it's a tough. 262 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 4: Read and the person at the checkout because you don't 263 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:11,559 Speaker 4: want that, sir, like. 264 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 2: It's green, Why do you fund something that's green. To 265 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,199 Speaker 2: that point, Shelby, there's tons of retail action next week, right, 266 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 2: get Macy's, Target, you do, get the dollar stores, Ross stores, like, 267 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 2: get the specialty guys. 268 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 6: What's going to be a macro signal. 269 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 8: For you here? To me, I think it's actually going 270 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 8: to be these sort of the sort of middle to 271 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 8: lower end, the Ross, the Burlington, the Dollar stores, letting 272 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 8: us know how much of a higher income customer share 273 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 8: they're picking up, because it's been very obvious that they 274 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 8: were going to get more of the middle to lower end. 275 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 8: That's the whole point of their of their retail premise. 276 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: Right. 277 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,319 Speaker 8: So the question now is how much of the upper 278 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 8: end consumer are you raining in for Ross? Are you 279 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 8: capturing some of the consumer that was going to Marshals 280 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 8: or even Nordstrom Rack? Similar for Burlington? And then when 281 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 8: we look at Target, are they able to capture or 282 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 8: hold on to any middle income to lower income share 283 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 8: because we do know that they have a little bit 284 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 8: more of a premium product. 285 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 2: Just so we're clear here in the journal, today, there 286 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 2: was an article about Tjmax and why it's awesome because 287 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,439 Speaker 2: they were like anyone who's anyone can now go and 288 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 2: buy like super high designers for like a third of 289 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 2: the price. I love TJ Max. It's like in my blood. 290 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 2: But I mean it was in the journal. I'm just saying, 291 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 2: so now it's already happening. But now, like you know, 292 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 2: real people with like serious money, like real housewives people 293 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 2: are doing it, but them out of the year. 294 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 6: Know that according from the. 295 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 4: Journal, very good what the journal has it? Yeah, I'm 296 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,079 Speaker 4: going with it a Shelby And in some of your 297 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 4: stock picks here, one of them is ken View. Just 298 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 4: remind her that was to spin out from Johnson and 299 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 4: Johnson I guess talk to us about Kenview. 300 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 3: Yeah. 301 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 8: What's interesting about ken View is they sort of followed 302 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 8: in a trend that a lot of pharmaceutical companies were 303 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 8: doing where they went ahead and separated their consumer brands. 304 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 8: So we're talking about, you know, the tail and alls 305 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 8: of the world into a completely separate company. And what 306 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 8: interested me about that going into earning season was whether 307 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 8: or not they would be able to sort of maintain 308 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 8: that demand on premiumization when we think about the fact 309 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 8: that if I need tile at all, I could just 310 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 8: buy a seat of minifit and it's cheaper. And what 311 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 8: they showed us in earnings is that they've been able 312 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 8: to do it. So the brands that they've cultivated have 313 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 8: held onto people to spend that extra dollar or dollar 314 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 8: fifty on baby wipes, on feminine products, on pain and 315 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 8: other healthcare. So that was a great signal to us 316 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 8: that to some degree, with the right mix of pricing, 317 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 8: you're able to hold onto people for even brand named staples, 318 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 8: And I think that is really important. 319 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 2: Your last pick here that you have on the notes 320 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 2: here is master Card. Why do you like this dog 321 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:42,839 Speaker 2: versus some of the other guys. 322 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 5: Yeah. 323 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 8: One of the things we love about MasterCard really in 324 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 8: general is that they're really just a toll taker, right, 325 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 8: so even in a sort of downturn, the rails still 326 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 8: have to be used to process payment. The other thing 327 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 8: is really their weight to credit compared to debit. So 328 00:13:57,760 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 8: we do know that a while ago we had that 329 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 8: legislation that really compressed on debit fees. So when we 330 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 8: look at their competitor, we see that they've got that 331 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 8: better mix to that sort of higher fee for using 332 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 8: the credit rails, and also knowing that consumers leaning a 333 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 8: little bit more on credit in these types of times, 334 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 8: at least in the middle to upper end, generates more 335 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 8: fees for MasterCards. So when we think about the credit 336 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 8: to debit mix, plus their international opportunities, we feel that 337 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 8: they're really well positioned when it comes to the payment 338 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 8: network space. 339 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 4: All right, Shelby, thank you so much for joining us. 340 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 4: Shelby McFadden Investment analys that Motley Fool Asset Management joining 341 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 4: us from Alexandria, Virginia via zoom. You may show you 342 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 4: how cutting edge I am on fintech. When I go 343 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 4: buy my salad today for lunch, you can use Apple pay. 344 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 6: Hey, look at you. What happens to the water cash 345 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 6: in your pocket? 346 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 4: I still have the water cash. It just it lasts 347 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 4: a lot longer. Like when I was growing up, even 348 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 4: as a young adult, I would only use credit cards 349 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 4: for big purchase and special one off type of things, 350 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 4: not for day to day I use cash cut now. 351 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 4: It's it's the exact I think after in society. It's 352 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 4: just used it for everything. 353 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 9: I'm sorry. 354 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 6: Michael Bar Michael Bar, Oh my god. 355 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 9: First of all, he pulls out a lot of cash, 356 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 9: A couple of one hundred dollars bills. Absolutely, you know, 357 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 9: not the deed the boardwalk like I have in mind, 358 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 9: but wow, what happened to cash? 359 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 5: You know? 360 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 4: The only reason I have cash? And John Tucker can 361 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 4: back me up on this. You go down to the 362 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 4: Jersey Shore. That's a cash economy down. Do you walk 363 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 4: up to a Jersey Shore bar, you don't apple pay, 364 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 4: You throw a fifty or hondy on the bar and 365 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 4: that's how you announce your uh. 366 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 6: I also love the use a hundy because I say 367 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 6: that at home. My husband like refuses to talk to me. 368 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 2: But to that point, but actually, tipping is the problem. 369 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 2: Like if you don't have cash, I never carry cash anymore, 370 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 2: and then tipping is huge. Like if you go get 371 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: a Manny petty, it's like, oh god, you guys have 372 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:50,359 Speaker 2: venmo and then you're like scrambling and it's stressful. 373 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 4: It's a changing world out there in terms of world. 374 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 4: You have to be on top of this fintech And 375 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 4: a lot of people say it's just by Master Carter 376 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 4: resent that gets your exposure to fintech because it's all 377 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 4: got a over their systems. And remember take care of 378 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 4: your brant tenders, ladies and gentlemen. Exactly right. 379 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Intelligence Podcast. Catch us live 380 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: weekdays at ten am Eastern on Apple car Play and 381 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business App. Listen on demand 382 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts, or watch us live on YouTube. 383 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 2: Just get to tech. There's been some fun news. I 384 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 2: was taking a look at this Reddit open ai thing. 385 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 2: So apparently the deal between the two helps display Reddit 386 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 2: its content and also train open ai systems on its 387 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 2: partners data. So this is kind of what they promised 388 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 2: when the iPod and then maybe a little extra. Man 389 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 2: Deep Singh joins us now he is a Bloomberg Senior 390 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 2: technology analyst, mandeep give me some of the particulars here. 391 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 7: Well, they haven't told us who is paying whom. It's 392 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 7: just that I mean, look, man, we know Google pays 393 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 7: Reddit almost sixty million a year for its content, and 394 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 7: in return, I think Reddit benefits more in the sense that, yes, 395 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 7: they get paid, and they also get traffic from Google. 396 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 7: You know Google displaying reddits links on its search. But 397 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:19,439 Speaker 7: in this case, I think open ai probably needs Reddit 398 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:25,639 Speaker 7: data more simply because you have to constantly train these llms. 399 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 7: I mean, Reddit has almost one billion posts a year. 400 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 7: Look at the magnitude of the user generated content. So yes, 401 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 7: OpenAI has the most powerful LLM out there. But llms 402 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 7: needs these large data sets, and that's where Reddit is 403 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,360 Speaker 7: one of the most coveted data sets on the open Internet. 404 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 7: If you think about it, Twitter being another one. There 405 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 7: are other forums that generate a lot of user generated content, 406 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 7: but that's what you need to constantly train these Larzagrig models. 407 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:01,160 Speaker 7: And I thought Google's LM had an advantage because one 408 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 7: they were training on these Reddit data sets, which open 409 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 7: Ai didn't have license for. And also it establishes a 410 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 7: trend that you have to pay for content. Now it's 411 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 7: not free anymore, so every content provider will start charging 412 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 7: a licensing fee. 413 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:18,119 Speaker 6: Jump on. 414 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 4: You know what's impressive about mandeep so many things on 415 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 4: a Friday in studio. 416 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 6: I totally knew you were going to bring this up now. 417 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 4: So he basically leaves our bi effort in New York 418 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 4: because the senior management is safely asconced leading from the 419 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 4: RUAR in Princeton. So he's our guy here in the 420 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 4: world's financial capital. But what I love about the Reddit 421 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,040 Speaker 4: story is I love this Reddit manager team. They get 422 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 4: the gold star. 423 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: Now. 424 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 4: They went public saying they were going to do something, 425 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 4: and they did it, and the IPO shareholders are benefiting. 426 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 4: That is such a class move man. They want to 427 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 4: come back and sell more stock, I'll buy it. 428 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 7: The rays And look, I mean, compare them to a 429 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 7: company like Pinterests. Same number of daily active users, same 430 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 7: number of monthly active users. Pinterest rates that are twenty 431 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 7: five billion market gap. Reddit is still a ten billion 432 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 7: dollar market gap. Yes, there is a revenue gap. I mean, 433 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 7: obviously Pinterests generates three point five billion in revenue. Reddits 434 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 7: is much smaller. But in terms of engagement user trends, 435 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 7: everything looks similar. 436 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 2: So we'll get to Snowflake in a second. But I 437 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 2: have one more silly question. So when I'm going on 438 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 2: Google and I'm searching something now and then it gets 439 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,879 Speaker 2: me eventually to all the here's what Reddit's saying and 440 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 2: all those links, is that because of these kind of partnerships. 441 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 7: I mean, look, Reddit again has the most authentic user 442 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,360 Speaker 7: content communities that people want to know. Like, they don't 443 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 7: want canned LLLM generated answers. People want real answers where 444 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 7: users are having an engagement and discussing a topic. And 445 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 7: that's why Google is prioritizing reddits results in their ten 446 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 7: blue links. I mean, yes, they are adding genera like 447 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 7: AI overviews and all that, but they are prioritizing Reddit 448 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 7: in their first ten links because they find these links 449 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 7: to be more engaging for their users. 450 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 4: And can let me just give these guys a pat 451 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 4: pat on the back here Reddit when public September seventeenth 452 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 4: to twenty twenty four to thirty four dollars to share 453 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 4: the stocks at sixty three and change here today up 454 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 4: eighty five percent. That's a nice trade. It's a nice investment. 455 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 4: They should be doing some more stock and more companies 456 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 4: should become in public. I don't know why the full 457 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 4: Gates aren't just gushing with IPOs. What is Snowflake and 458 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 4: what's their AI strategy? 459 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 7: Well, so, Snowflake is a layer that's on top of 460 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:42,719 Speaker 7: your hyperscalers. You'd remember hyperscalers gives you the compute the database. 461 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 7: So Snowflake is like, I will aggregate all your data 462 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 7: into a nice dashboard. That was their value proposition. They 463 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:54,959 Speaker 7: were immensely successful until this whole generative AI and LLLM 464 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,399 Speaker 7: wave popped up, which was very disruptive because one Snowflake 465 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,439 Speaker 7: didn't have any of their large anguid models that all 466 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 7: these companies, the hyperscalers have, And then obviously, abruptly their 467 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 7: CEO resigned and they appointed a new CEO, and his 468 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 7: playbook seems to be to develop an LLM because otherwise 469 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,120 Speaker 7: they're at the risk of getting disintermediated. Look, it's still 470 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:21,440 Speaker 7: a high growth company, still mid twenty percent growth, hugely impressive. 471 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 7: But for a while they couldn't put a step wrong. 472 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 7: They were growing forty percent plus and so suddenly that 473 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 7: growth decelerated, and I think it was because of the 474 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 7: not having an LLLM. So that's what they're trying to 475 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:35,120 Speaker 7: solve for here. 476 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 2: So they're in talks to acquire RecA. 477 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:38,439 Speaker 6: I'm saying that right. 478 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, Areca AI for more than a billion, so that 479 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 2: would solve their LLM problem. 480 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 7: I don't know if it's gonna solve because with llms, 481 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:51,120 Speaker 7: the clear leaders have been established, it's Open AI, Google, Mistral, 482 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 7: and Meta, the four or five players. All the smaller 483 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 7: players are finding it's too expensive to constantly train their llms. 484 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 7: So the con solidation is happening. And now obviously you 485 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 7: know they are getting sold, but in this case, Snowflake 486 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 7: bought them first. I'm sure Amazon is looking to buy somebody, 487 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 7: and so are other company Apple probably it is looking 488 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,960 Speaker 7: to buy someone as well, because that's what you need. 489 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 7: You need your own LLM. You can't rely on someone 490 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 7: else to provide the LLM if you're a large tech. 491 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:27,440 Speaker 4: How many large language model companies are there out there? 492 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 4: Is my son starting up one, then he's gonna get 493 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:31,679 Speaker 4: bought after like a gajillion dollars. 494 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 7: It's very hard to start an LLLM company one because 495 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 7: you need a lot of compute the Nvidia GPUs, you 496 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 7: need a lot of data like Reddit is one data set. 497 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:45,679 Speaker 7: You need thousands of data sets to create your LLLM 498 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 7: foundational model, and then you have to constantly train these models. 499 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 7: So this is an expensive proposition and I feel that's 500 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 7: why the hyperscalers are the ones who have the capex 501 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 7: and the d pockets to do this. 502 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 6: And okay, bear with me on this dumb question. 503 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 2: And we care about this because why because then I 504 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 2: can go on Google and then they tell me stuff. 505 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 7: Think of you know, co pilots and AI agents, all 506 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 7: these new concepts that are coming to the scene are 507 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 7: enabled by llms because llms have the IQ of an 508 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 7: average human being, and then it can be you know, 509 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 7: customized to do specific tasks according to you know, customer 510 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:29,880 Speaker 7: service or booking travel. But basically, behind the scenes, you've 511 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 7: got a very intelligent algorithm that has a knowledge of 512 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 7: you know, the volte and you can talk to it, 513 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 7: you can converse in it. It's not canned answers. It's 514 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 7: not a database that you're searching for. It's an intelligent person. 515 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 6: Okay, this is not like me asking Alexa what's the 516 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 6: weather like? 517 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 2: And she's not like, I don't understand your question. 518 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 4: Like. 519 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 5: It's not that No, God, it's much more sophisticated. 520 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:52,360 Speaker 10: All right. 521 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 4: I mean, whatever video next week and Vidia next week 522 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,640 Speaker 4: starts up ninety percentage year, they better Is this another 523 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 4: quarter where they have to knock it out of the ballpark? 524 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 7: I mean, the basic thing is are they under shipping demands? Still? 525 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 4: Are they under shipping demand? 526 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 7: Because everyone corroborates that vir supply constraint when it comes 527 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 7: to Nvidia GPUs, So they will keep writing this until 528 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 7: the you know, the demand environment is such a demand 529 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 7: exceed supply, and I think they have a good shot 530 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:27,120 Speaker 7: of beating and raising a game. 531 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 6: The options market is interesting. 532 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 2: Isn't pricing the same kind of exuberance that we've seen 533 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 2: in the past, which doesn't necessarily mean anything. It just 534 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 2: means that maybe positioning is in a particular place going 535 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 2: in and we're not expecting that exuberant call buying. 536 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 6: Man Deep, thank you so much. We appreciate you always. 537 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 2: Man keep saying. Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Technology and Lest. 538 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Intelligence Podcast, catch us live 539 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: weekdays at ten am Eastern on Apple car Play and 540 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business app. You can also 541 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: listen live on Amazon Alexa from our flagship New York 542 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: station just say Alexa playing Bloomberg eleven thirty. 543 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 2: This is Bloomberg Intelligence Radio. We bring you all the 544 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 2: top news and business, economics and finance through our lens 545 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:13,440 Speaker 2: of our Bloomberg Intelligence analysts. 546 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 6: They're four hundred of them worldwide. 547 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 2: They covered two thousand companies and one hundred and thirty industries. 548 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 6: We got you covered. We just talked about retail. 549 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 2: We saw Walmart, we got Macy's targets and dollar stores 550 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 2: also coming up. So we go nerdy because we can 551 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 2: do that on Bloomberg Intelligence Radio and we can talk 552 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 2: to a forest and paper products analyst. It's a box analyst. 553 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,120 Speaker 2: Our box is shipping. Where's the demand? How's it going? 554 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 2: Ryan Fox is a Bloomberg Intelligence market analyst for forest 555 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 2: and paper products and he joins us. Now, Ryan, we 556 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: are super excited to talk to you about this. How's 557 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 2: the box business? 558 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 10: Well, the boxing business is not seen as best days. 559 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 10: We had the worst first quarter in the last eight years. 560 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 10: Box shipments are down over the last two years almost 561 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 10: ten percent. And maybe there's some silver lining because the 562 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:04,160 Speaker 10: second quarter, statistically speaking of the last thirty years has 563 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 10: more often than not been a better quarter than the first. 564 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 10: So we do see maybe there's going to be an increase. 565 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 10: On average increase was three point two percent, like I said, 566 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 10: over the last thirty years. However, given the backdrop that 567 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 10: we're seeing in the broader economy, we think we're going 568 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 10: to see a more muted increase, maybe more like one 569 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 10: percent sequentially, which would still be a year over year 570 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 10: to client of about one percent. 571 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 4: So Ryan, I know you and other analysts investors look 572 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 4: at the year on year kind of growth rates and 573 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 4: that's kind of big. Just give us a sense of 574 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 4: the absolute numbers, like how many boxes whatever units you use, 575 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,199 Speaker 4: are being used, like today versus twenty nineteen. 576 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 10: Yeah, so in one of the best terms is in 577 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 10: billions of square feet. Right, so when you were to 578 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 10: if you were to take a box and unfold it 579 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 10: and lay it out flat, you know, you just do 580 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 10: link them with and all that. 581 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:00,360 Speaker 4: So comes my job to break them down of course. 582 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 10: Understood, Well, yeah, you got a flatinum and then put 583 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:03,360 Speaker 10: them in your recycling. 584 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 4: Is that just throws them in their recycling? Well, trying 585 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 4: to think out of the side of the box. 586 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 2: Oh no, no, no. 587 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 4: No, right, all right, right, let's get back to it 588 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:17,440 Speaker 4: just again today's demand versus you know, pre pandemic. 589 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 10: Yeah. So in twenty nineteen that volume was like three 590 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 10: hundred and ninety three billion square feet, right, a big, 591 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 10: big number. During the pandemic, it grew to four hundred 592 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 10: and sixteen billion square feet. Last year it fell to 593 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 10: three eighty and this year our projections, our mid year 594 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 10: outlook says it's going to fall again to about three 595 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 10: seventy six. Yes, again a slight decline over last year. 596 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 10: We're just not seeing super strong economic signals and our 597 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 10: box so our box producers. You know, Green Markets is 598 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 10: a Bloomberg company. They go out and they survey box 599 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 10: producers all across the US, and they have a good signal. 600 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 10: Right The signal right now is that second quarter could 601 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:01,160 Speaker 10: be up as much, which is three and a half percent, 602 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 10: which is in line with the statistic statistics we've seen 603 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 10: over time. However, again, first quarter was down substantially, so 604 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 10: we think there's some optimism rror and we would we 605 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 10: would guide down based on that known optimism error. 606 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 2: Ryan, this is a really dumb question, but I feel 607 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,159 Speaker 2: like the trend is don't ship stuff in a box 608 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 2: like I can order from different places. That shoes, I 609 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 2: agree that they're in a shoe box, but you don't 610 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 2: put them like another box. You just ship that shoe box. 611 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 2: Is that eating into this market at all? 612 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 10: It certainly is. And I could talk for an hour 613 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 10: about this but I won't. But yes, you're exactly right. 614 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 10: There is a there's a definite move by brands to 615 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 10: reduce their waste and become more sustainable. So you are 616 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 10: seeing companies like Amazon ulize paper bags and things like that. 617 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 4: So talk to us about the green options out there. 618 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 4: What are the green options? 619 00:28:57,080 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 10: Well, it depends on what you mean by green, right, 620 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 10: So they are well, so there are two main initiatives, right, 621 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 10: So the first green initiative is to find something that's 622 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 10: more circular in nature, like a paper bag, because most 623 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 10: people identify paper as a more sustainable, more circular option. Now, 624 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 10: if you're looking at the data, that paper may have 625 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 10: a higher greenhouse gas emission index. So while it's more circular, 626 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 10: it's going to have it's it's trade offs. If you're 627 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 10: looking for chasing a greenhouse gas initiative, maybe you're going 628 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 10: to a plastic something that's lighter in weight. Very broadly speaking, 629 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 10: greenhouse gas emissions follow weight, So if you're using a 630 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 10: very light weight paper or plastic bag, it will likely 631 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 10: have a lower GHG emission, but it's less circular. So 632 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 10: it really depends on the goal of the company. 633 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 2: Are people willing to pay more for greener packaging? 634 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 6: Do we know that? 635 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 2: Is? 636 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 10: They say they are, They say they are, but no one, 637 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 10: no one's really, no one really is. I mean, at 638 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 10: the end of the day, it's I think it's all 639 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 10: it's just opinion and it doesn't really mean anything. 640 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 4: So what did some of the big what are the 641 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 4: companies that you follow that if if thats just want 642 00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 4: to get exposure to this, where should they look? 643 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 10: Well, I mean on the on the Bloomberg terminal are 644 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 10: our packaging dashboard? PACKG is the call numbers there we 645 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 10: follow International Paper, West Rock Packaging Corporation of America are 646 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 10: the big three in the US. They represent about a 647 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 10: forty five billion dollars market cap. 648 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 2: What represents the best kind of value? Like, how are 649 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 2: these guys sort of trading right now? What's priced? 650 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 3: In? 651 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 10: A great question? That's way above my scope. So I'm 652 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 10: more of a market analyst and follow the bigger industry trends, supply, 653 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 10: demand and pricing. I don't really get into the stocks 654 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 10: themselves or the companies themselves. 655 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 6: That's fair enough. 656 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:44,520 Speaker 4: So can I make an inference about inflation out there 657 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,479 Speaker 4: by looking at volumes of packages being shipped and all 658 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 4: that kind of stuff? 659 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 10: Absolutely? 660 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 6: What is it? 661 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 4: So? How does that work? 662 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 1: Yeah? 663 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 10: Well, well so there is there's some discrepancy. So right now, 664 00:30:58,000 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 10: if you were to look at like some of the 665 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 10: federal data, a real PCE for goods, for instance, that 666 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 10: number is still very very high relative to the fact 667 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 10: that consumer goods are not trending very well. I mean, 668 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 10: if a very high number ninety percent plus of consumer 669 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 10: goods ride in a corgated box and that volume is 670 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 10: down ten percent essentially over the last two years, how 671 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 10: in the world is our goods spending still up? If 672 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 10: if it's a real number and it's an adjusted for inflation, 673 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 10: there's there's a disconnect there, and I have some speculation 674 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 10: on why that is. I think, you know, historically speaking, 675 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 10: when you think of things like software. Thirty years ago, 676 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 10: software came, it was an actual thing, it was a 677 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 10: disc that may still be one of the items. It's 678 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 10: accounted as a good, but it's no longer a good. 679 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:47,600 Speaker 10: It's it's a downloadable thing, it's a software as a service, 680 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 10: it's a something else. And so there's probably some noise 681 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 10: in there that's not allowing us to see some of 682 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 10: this clearly. 683 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 6: That's really interesting. 684 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 2: Thanks a lot, Ryan, this was great. We both really 685 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 2: loved this segment. A Ryan Fox, Boomberg Intelligence Analyst, covers 686 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 2: paper packaging trends, sort of diving in to all of that. 687 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Intelligence Podcast. Catch us live 688 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 1: weekdays at ten am Eastern on applecar Play and Android 689 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 1: Auto with the Bloomberg Business App. You can also listen 690 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,880 Speaker 1: live on Amazon Alexa from our flagship New York station. 691 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 1: Just say Alexa play Bloomberg eleven thirty. 692 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 2: I'm Alex the alongside Paul Sweeney. This is Bloomberg Intelligence Radio. 693 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 2: We cover all the top news and economics and finance 694 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 2: through a lens of our Bloomberg Intelligence analysts. They cover 695 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 2: two thousand companies one hundred and thirty industries worldwide, and 696 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,080 Speaker 2: there's about four hundred of them and a large chunk 697 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 2: of them actually cover ESG. So let's rewind to about 698 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:47,120 Speaker 2: four years ago, middle of COVID. Everyone was talking about ESG. 699 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 2: Blackrock was talking about allocating a bunch to ESG. 700 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 6: This was where all the money was supposed to be flowing. 701 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 2: A new report from Sin Contractor She's Bloomberg Intelligence senior 702 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 2: ESG strategists says that liquidation of US ESG ETFs reached 703 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 2: almost thirty percent of all closings so far this year 704 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 2: and could continue amid some slowing our flows, particularly if 705 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 2: the backlash we've now seen in the US on ESG continues. Geen, 706 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 2: great to see you, thank you for joining in studio. 707 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:19,800 Speaker 2: So I guess let's take a step back for a second, 708 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 2: and ESG it's environmental, social and governance. Right, where did 709 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 2: that go so wrong? Like how do we get from 710 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 2: twenty twenty to here? 711 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 11: So Alex, just to you know, paint a few numbers. 712 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 11: In the first quarter, we saw about four billion in outflows. 713 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 11: I mean, compare this to twenty twenty one, which is 714 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 11: about I want to say, close to fifty billion in influats. Now, 715 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 11: I wouldn't call it where we went wrong. I think 716 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 11: what we're seeing today is slowing flows because you know, 717 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 11: the market is maturing. But at the same time, these 718 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 11: outflows that we're seeing, they're very concentrated to a few funds, 719 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:59,360 Speaker 11: so actually no il repurpose. Where we went wrong is 720 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 11: that that rise in assets was very concentrated to a 721 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:06,200 Speaker 11: few funds and a few investors. So it's very noticeable 722 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:08,320 Speaker 11: when that comes out, and that's what we're seeing. 723 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:12,279 Speaker 4: So who are those investors or those investor types and 724 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 4: why are they pulling the money out? 725 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 11: So one example is ESGU. It's the icehes ESG aware 726 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,640 Speaker 11: it's probably the largest ESG ETF in the world. Last 727 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:26,400 Speaker 11: year it's saw about nine billion in outflows, and we 728 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,359 Speaker 11: attribute this to model portfolio changes, So you know, that 729 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 11: could be allocative or it could be due to ESG. 730 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 11: For example, you know, an investor doesn't want equity anyone, 731 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:38,759 Speaker 11: they just want cash. They just you know, sell out 732 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 11: of equity. So whether it's ESG, whether it's not, to 733 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 11: be honest, we don't know. A lot of these outflows 734 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 11: are also from European investors. I wan't attribute at that 735 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:49,440 Speaker 11: to the backlash. 736 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 2: Meaning that the backlash has been more in the US 737 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 2: versus say, in Europe. Correct, you do we need to 738 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:59,240 Speaker 2: separate the the S and the G, separate the social 739 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 2: from the government's from the environmental or at least separate 740 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 2: the environmental part. 741 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,760 Speaker 11: I would say no, I mean, I know that's an argument, 742 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:09,200 Speaker 11: but I still think that ESG is about material rising 743 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 11: opportunities to a particular company. For some it's E, for 744 00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:14,520 Speaker 11: some it's S. So it's going to be very hard 745 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 11: to talk about this separately. 746 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:20,439 Speaker 4: To what extent is the environment for flows in ESG 747 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 4: in the US versus Europe or US versus the rest world? 748 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:24,960 Speaker 4: How are they different? 749 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 11: Very different? Okay, so again the US four billion and 750 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 11: outflows the first quarter, you're a total flows for about 751 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 11: six billion in in flows so the rest of it 752 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:39,800 Speaker 11: was almost entirely Europe. So Europe continues to sort of it. 753 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:42,800 Speaker 4: Like everything in this country, it's been politicized. 754 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 11: Yes, okay, well the slowing influence is the politics. But 755 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:51,280 Speaker 11: the outflows are this concentration. Sorry, Alex, but I was gonna. 756 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:52,960 Speaker 2: Say, but but but also isn't it just that for 757 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 2: a while, ESG tracked tech because just on a pure 758 00:35:57,080 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 2: e level, and in S and G. 759 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 6: They just have employees. 760 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 2: They until the data center situation came up, they were 761 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 2: just emitting less carbon because they're not industrial companies. They're 762 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 2: not cyclical companies in that way. Well, now what so. 763 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,279 Speaker 11: Alex, if you're asking, you know, is this shriven by 764 00:36:15,320 --> 00:36:18,680 Speaker 11: performance because es she tends to a certain way, I 765 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 11: would say I don't think so. I mean, twenty twenty 766 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 11: two was a bad year. Yes, but last year ESG 767 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 11: ETFs were about performing with the market about fifty percent 768 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:31,759 Speaker 11: beat the market, which is average. But we still saw 769 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 11: so many outflows. It's that concentration from a few funds, 770 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:39,240 Speaker 11: not this you know, mass exodus because of a certain factor. 771 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:40,279 Speaker 5: Are there? 772 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 4: Do we know where we are in that fun and 773 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:44,440 Speaker 4: flow situation? The folks that have pulled it out. Are 774 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 4: we near or at or nowhere near that that the 775 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:48,840 Speaker 4: point of that being over? Do we know? 776 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 11: We don't know. I call it a bit of a pause. 777 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:55,279 Speaker 11: I mean, unless all this concentration risk unravels, I don't 778 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 11: know when we're going to stop seeing outflows at the 779 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 11: same time we're not really seeing in flows. 780 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:02,080 Speaker 2: So I guess how many products are out there now? 781 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 6: And how many products should there be? 782 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:09,280 Speaker 11: I right say roughly. I would say globally it's definitely 783 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 11: north of a thousand. In the US, it's probably not 784 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 11: of five hundred, again, very roughly. 785 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:16,720 Speaker 4: And mostly these are ETFs. 786 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 11: These are these are ETFs. Su yes, only ETFs, and 787 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 11: they spun across multiple things right esg. Gender, climate, clean energy, 788 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:28,279 Speaker 11: all these different themes. How many should there be? I 789 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:30,439 Speaker 11: don't know. And I would say, Alex, you know that's 790 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,239 Speaker 11: a little bit of a reason for these liquidations. There 791 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,840 Speaker 11: was such an oversupply in twenty twenty and twenty twenty 792 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 11: one that these uncompetitive strategies are shutting down. And that's normal. 793 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:46,239 Speaker 4: So if I will dan Off, portfolio manager of Fidelity Contrafund, 794 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:49,280 Speaker 4: who's done a great job for me, thank you, will 795 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 4: do those funds where to what extent are they factoring 796 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:58,440 Speaker 4: in ESG analysis into their investment criteria. Is it different 797 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:00,000 Speaker 4: today than it was two or three years ago? 798 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:03,719 Speaker 11: It depends. I mean, I think a lot of the 799 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 11: conversations are shifting a little bit. You have you know, 800 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:09,239 Speaker 11: dedicated ESG funds. Climate is in the name, es she 801 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:11,360 Speaker 11: is in the name, But then you have these broad 802 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:15,520 Speaker 11: esc integrated funds, and those are always you know, considering 803 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 11: risks and opportunities. But I think it's changed as data availability. 804 00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:21,760 Speaker 11: You have just a lot more data around climate change, 805 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:25,040 Speaker 11: around physical risks, So people are asking these more of 806 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:27,799 Speaker 11: all questions around, you know, things that I wouldn't have 807 00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:30,000 Speaker 11: asked probably either a few years back. 808 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 2: I guess my question always is until you can financially 809 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:38,239 Speaker 2: measure the benefit of a strategy that is focused on ESG, 810 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:41,040 Speaker 2: it's going to be very difficult and then make a 811 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:44,000 Speaker 2: case for an investor or CEO of why these strategies matter. 812 00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:46,960 Speaker 6: Have we been able to do that yet? 813 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 11: So my research is starting to answer that. So I'm 814 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:55,680 Speaker 11: starting to do industrial level analysis into what impacts risk 815 00:38:55,760 --> 00:39:00,680 Speaker 11: and returns. For example, in materials, in governance, we find 816 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:03,680 Speaker 11: lower drawdowns to lower risk. We still do you know, 817 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:07,560 Speaker 11: explore that and expand that, but I will stay within 818 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 11: the E and S. It's particularly hard because of the 819 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:13,839 Speaker 11: limited data historically, right, yeah, all. 820 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:16,160 Speaker 2: Right, Sheen, thanks a lot. She hain't contractor Bloomberg Intelligence 821 00:39:16,239 --> 00:39:19,160 Speaker 2: and your ESG a strategist. I think, at least for 822 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:22,200 Speaker 2: my work in energy transition space, there's no carbon price. 823 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:24,399 Speaker 2: So you can't do that on the environmental side because 824 00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:26,160 Speaker 2: you can't say, look, you admit. 825 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 6: This, it costs this. 826 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,319 Speaker 2: There's nothing concrete that. Then a CEO can go to 827 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:31,919 Speaker 2: the board or go to shareholders and be. 828 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:33,319 Speaker 6: Like, look, guys, this is why I'm doing this. 829 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:35,439 Speaker 4: Ah, it is a big problem. 830 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:36,080 Speaker 6: It's a big problem. 831 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:37,920 Speaker 2: Yes, and then how to do that and you have 832 00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:39,879 Speaker 2: to have everyone agree on it or else you're doing 833 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:42,680 Speaker 2: a cap and trade situation, which is very confusing. You're 834 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:44,799 Speaker 2: just gonna wind up importing something from say China or 835 00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:46,879 Speaker 2: India where it has higher emissions. And then why would 836 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:49,840 Speaker 2: you pay more for something that's internal in eternal, I 837 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 2: mean in country. I think that that's definitely a big problem. 838 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,360 Speaker 2: And also, how do you measure success of say diversity 839 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:58,240 Speaker 2: and inclusion. Is it a straight up numbers on your board? 840 00:39:58,239 --> 00:40:00,640 Speaker 2: But does that actually materially make a difference unless you're 841 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:01,640 Speaker 2: open to their ideas. 842 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:03,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, I can talk well. In data. You can go 843 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:07,000 Speaker 4: to the FA screen for any security and there's an 844 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:09,959 Speaker 4: ESG tab In addition to income statement, balance sheet, cash 845 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 4: flow statement, there's a separate tap for ESG and that's 846 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:14,840 Speaker 4: for Shaheen and a lot of other folks at Bloomberg's 847 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:17,520 Speaker 4: Global Data try to aggregate a lot of this data 848 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:20,240 Speaker 4: as we lets help out our clients for ESG analysis. 849 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:24,320 Speaker 1: I love that This is the Bloomberg Intelligence podcast, available 850 00:40:24,320 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 1: on Apples, Spotify, and anywhere else you'll get your podcasts. 851 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 1: Listen live each weekday, ten am to noon Eastern on 852 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:34,560 Speaker 1: Bloomberg dot com, the iHeartRadio app, tune In, and the 853 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:37,799 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business app. You can also watch us live every 854 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 1: weekday on YouTube and always on the Bloomberg terminal.