Airbnb stock more than doubles after IPO, making it worth more than larger rival Booking

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Personal Finance.

Description: In the biggest IPO of the year so far, Airbnb Inc. shares more than doubled in their stock market debut Thursday morning, pushing the company’s valuation to nearly $90 billion. Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Dec 10, 2020 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/airbnb-stock-more-than-doubles-after-ipo-making-it-worth-more-than-larger-rival-booking-11607626276?mod=home-page Questions for discussion: Do you believe the IPO valuation makes sense? What justifies investors’ jumping in… Read more »

Uber Jettisons Flying Car Project

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Financial Planning, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: A day after handing its autonomous car project to a Silicon Valley start-up, Uber is ridding itself of another expensive operation. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Dec 08, 2020 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/08/technology/uber-jettisons-flying-car-project.html Questions for discussion: Why is Uber out? Did this venture ever really fit Uber’s business model? How should investors respond to these decisions?

Investors are going wild for Europe’s e-scooter start-ups after U.S. players stumbled

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis.

Description: LONDON — Europe’s electric scooter rental start-ups have been raking in the cash from investors this year, even as their American counterparts were hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Dec 07, 2020 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/07/vc-investors-are-wild-for-europes-e-scooter-rental-startups.html Questions for discussion: Why is funding more prominent in Europe than the US? Do… Read more »

Equity market bubble will ‘end in tears,’ Rosenberg warns

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Market Analysis, Personal Finance.

Description: Veteran Bay Street economist and strategist David Rosenberg is warning that a return to a more normalized interest rate environment could stop the record-breaking market rally in its tracks. Source: BNNBloomberg.com – video report Date: Dec 10, 2020 Link: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/equity-market-bubble-will-end-in-tears-rosenberg-warns-1.1533399 Questions for discussion: Summarize the scenario presented by David Rosenberg. Assuming this is likely,… Read more »

U.S., States Poised to Sue Facebook for Monopoly Abuse

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: Facebook Inc. will soon be hit by federal and state antitrust lawsuits accusing the social media giant of abusing its dominance and thwarting competition, according to three people familiar with the matter. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Dec 07, 2020 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-07/u-s-states-poised-to-sue-facebook-for-monopoly-abuse?srnd=markets-vp Questions for discussion: What does the report say about why FB is a target of… Read more »

About 150 Cadillac dealers take GM buyouts rather than invest in EVs

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Financial Planning, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: DETROIT – About 150 General Motors dealers have accepted buyouts and will stop selling Cadillacs as the Detroit automaker pivots the luxury brand to lead its all-electric vehicle efforts, a person familiar with the details confirmed to CNBC. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Dec 05, 2020 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/04/about-150-cadillac-dealers-take-gm-buyouts-rather-than-invest-in-evs.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.Mail Questions for discussion: Explain why some dealerships… Read more »

Opinion: Why the 2020s could favor market-timers over buy-and-hold U.S. stock investors

Posted by & filed under Growth & Valuation, Market Analysis, Personal Finance.

Description: International stocks, gold and bonds may be a better bet for the next decade Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Dec 01, 2020 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-the-2020s-could-favor-market-timers-over-buy-and-hold-us-stock-investors-2020-12-01?mod=home-page Questions for discussion: Summarize the analysis presented and recommendations to investors. Do you agree?

Airbnb Aims for About $35 Billion Value in Long-Awaited IPO

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Personal Finance.

Description: Airbnb Inc. and existing investors are seeking to raise as much as $2.6 billion in a long-awaited initial public offering expected to cap one of the busiest years ever for U.S. listings. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Dec 01, 2020 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-01/airbnb-sets-price-range-for-2-6-billion-initial-public-offering Questions for discussion: What does the article say about the value of the IPO and… Read more »

What Janet Yellen’s nomination as Treasury secretary means for U.S. policy on China and trade

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Personal Finance.

Description: Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen has been nominated by President-elect Joe Biden as his Treasury secretary — a position that would make her, if confirmed by the Senate, a critical figure in U.S. trade negotiations with China Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Dec 01, 2020 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/02/what-yellens-nomination-as-treasury-secretary-means-for-china-trade.html Questions for discussion: What does the article suggest is… Read more »

RBC beats Q4 expectations as capital markets profit soars 44%

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Personal Finance.

Description: Royal Bank of Canada surpassed profit expectations in the fourth quarter amid a surge in earnings from its trading and investment banking operations that helped mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the lender’s other branches. Source: BNNBloomberg.com – video report Date: Dec 02, 2020 Link: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/rbc-beats-q4-expectations-as-capital-markets-profit-soars-44-1.1530562 Questions for discussion: Summarize the highlights presented in… Read more »