The 15 best moisturizers for acne-prone skin that won"t make you break out
Finding the right moisturizer that hydrates but doesn't clog pores is tricky. We spoke with experts to gather the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin. When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn moreTackle blemishes while maintaining hydration with the best face moisturizers for acne-prone skin.Amazon; Sephora/Business InsiderEveryone needs a good face moisturizer in their skincare regimen, no matter how many hydrating serums and active ingredients you use. It's a crucial skincare step for all skin types — especially dry skin and acne-prone skin — that thirst for the extra moisture to protect the skin barrier. For acne-prone skin, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Nkem Ugonabo shares with Business Insider that she likes lightweight moisturizers that are non-comedogenic to avoid clogged pores on the skin. After sifting through all the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin, speaking with an expert, and testing a few selections ourselves, we're ready to crown the Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer as the overall best option. This lightweight moisturizer works well on all skin types and won't irritate with the nourishing formulation of ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalene. With the low price tag, you can stock up on this moisturizer without breaking the bank, and the quickly-absorbing formula keeps skin flake-free in the winter and greasy-free in the summer. If you're looking to revamp your skincare routine, keep reading to discover more of the best face moisturizers for acne-prone skin that match your specific skin type and desired consistency.Our top picks for the best moisturizers for acne-prone skinBest overall: Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer - See at AmazonBest drugstore: e.l.f. SKIN Blemish Breakthrough Acne Calming Water Cream - See at AmazonBest luxury: Erno Laszlo Soothing Relief Hydration Emulsion - See at AmazonBest for sensitive skin: SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Soothing Cream - See at AmazonBest for dry skin: Shani Darden Skin Care Hydration Peptide Cream - See at SephoraBest for oily skin: Dieux Skin Air Angel Gel Cream - See at SephoraBest for melanated skin: Grown Alchemist Skin Renewal Day Cream - See at AmazonBest for mature skin: CLEARstem HYDRAGLOW™ Stem Cell Moisturizer - See at AmazonBest for dull skin: Peace Out Daily Blemish Repairing Moisturizer - See at SephoraBest lightweight: COSRX AC Collection Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer - See at AmazonBest hydrating: Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Intensive Moisturizer with Peptides + Squalane - See at SephoraBest for breakouts: Kiehl's Expertly Clear Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin with Salicylic Acid - See at SephoraBest mattifying: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Mattifying Moisturizer for Oily Skin - See at AmazonBest tinted: Ami Colé Skin-Enhancing Tinted Moisturizer - See at SephoraBest with SPF: PanOxyl AM Oil Control Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen - See at UltaBest overallStock up on this dermatologist-approved moisturizer that our expert, Dr. Ugonabo, also recommends for those with acne-prone skin. This moisturizer for acne-prone skin gets the "best overall" award from us for its simplistic formula that's free of parabens, fragrances, and pore-clogging ingredients like lanolin. All skin types can benefit from using this moisturizer, especially if the rest of your routine is already filled with nourishing ingredients (squalene, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides) with a creamy texture that softens the skin's barrier without product overload. You can apply this moisturizer twice daily (or whenever your skin thirsts for relief) without fearing irritation or looking like a greasy donut. Best drugstoreOne of the more bothersome (beauty-centric) feelings is unpacking from a long day of travel only to realize you're almost out of your favorite moisturizer (or worse; you left it at home). Whenever in doubt, and if you're looking for an inexpensive option, go to your closest drugstore or pharmacy and seek out e.l.f. Specifically, reach for this lightweight moisturizer that applies like a water cream to quickly absorb into the skin while leaving the face soft. A balance of salicylic acid, niacinamide, and tranexamic acid makes up this green-colored acne moisturizer to control excessive sebum production, prevent new blemishes, and even out the skin tone.Best luxuryTreat yourself to an upscale skincare routine with this luxury skincare from the truly iconic brand Erno Laszlo, which has been connecting the science of skincare and skin health since 1927. All skin types can benefit from this lightweight cream that minimizes dryness with the ceramide-rich formulation. However, sensitive skin types will especially appreciate the soothing natural ingredients of red sage, ginger, and Bisabolol (German chamomile). Housed in a thick glass bottle with an easy-touch pump, you'll want to keep this luxury skincare item on display like the star-studded clientele of Erno Laszlo probably did (and do).Best for sensitive skinWhen it comes to the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin, you'll hear a lot about skin barrier health because it's really that important. For sensitive skin types easily irritated by thick creams or certain ingredients, pick up a bottle (or two) of the Madagascar Centella Soothing Cream from the Korean skincare brand Skin1004. The lightweight formula is non-sticky and sits smoothly on the skin without clumping or pilling with other layered products. Skin will feel nourished and stay moisturized, while the Centella asiatica extract (a known acne-fighting ingredient) cares for blemishes on and beneath the surface.Best for dry skinAttention dry skin folks, this is the moisturizer you need to add to your shopping cart for the winter (and beyond). After testing this moisturizer in the dead of winter, Business Insider's Associate Style & Beauty Editor, Gabrielle Chase, was impressed after two uses (morning and night) of this creamy moisturizer. "This medium-weight, non-greasy formula is completely oil-free, so it's safe to wear if you're prone to hormonal breakouts like I am. It also didn't congest the clogged pores on my nose in the slightest," shares Chase. This moisturizer from Shani Darden softens the skin with Hydrosella, peptides, and squalene for an oil-free formulation that leaves skin perfectly balanced between moisturized and soothed for acne treatment.Best for oily skinThe last thing oily skin types need is an oily moisturizer clogging pores and causing more blemishes in its wake. And to confirm what you've probably heard before, yes, oily skin types need moisturizer. That's why this gel cream from Gen-Z's beloved brand Dieux Skin is one of the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin and is a top pick in our guide on the best moisturizers for oily skin. Its jelly-like texture wraps skin in glycerin, ceramides, and amino acids to plump and firm skin without flooding an already oily complexion. Our testers praised this moisturizer for its lightweight texture that quickly absorbs into the skin while keeping the complexion hydrated and flake-free, even in below-freezing temperatures.Best for melanated skinAccording to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), melanated skin is prone to dark spots and hyperpigmentation due to blemishes and other forms of acne. If you're dealing with post-acne marks from picking at pimples or sun spots from extended sun exposure, add this rich facial cream to your daily routine. Grown Alchemist designed this moisturizer for all skin types; however, those with melanated skin will appreciate the added niacinamide to reduce dark spots along with the moisturizing reishi mushroom and antioxidants to protect skin from free radicals produced by UV rays. Skin will feel nourished throughout the day as the skin barrier is replenished with nutrients after consistent use.Best for mature skinNot only is the CLEARstem facial cream a favorite of this contributing writer, but folks on TikTok are also praising this formula as one of the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin. Its thin and lightweight formula soothes redness as the bakuchiol promotes cell turnover for a brighter, more even texture. While anti-aging isn't real, the added bakuchiol (retinol alternative), squalene, and ceramides brighten and plump the skin, giving the appearance of a youthful complexion.Best for dull skinDull skin can happen to anyone, especially if you don't care for your skin after exposing it to everyday environmental stressors like smoke, humidity, and UV rays. Remedy this with a hydrating moisturizer, like this one from Peace Out Skincare, to lock in moisture for a healthy barrier, protected from the elements. After the first use, you'll notice skin feeling softer and more hydrated thanks to the added ceramides and squalene. And with continued use, redness and blemishes are reduced with the help of the added bakuchiol. Don't forget to wash your face daily to keep skin dullness away. Pair this moisturizer with the Peace Out Skincare Blemish Balm, one of the best pimple patches for recurrent pimples, for an acne-fighting duo.Best lightweightCOSRX takes acne care seriously — looking at you Acne Pimple Master Patch, a Tik-Tok obsessed product —so it's no shock that their moisturizers are also made for acne-prone skin. This lightweight formula is one of the best moisturizers for acne-prone skin because of its ability to help soothe and treat acne without a thick formula coating the skin. The brand's formulation of Centella Asiatica recovers the skin without irritation, while the lightweight formula calms sensitive skin.Best hydratingIf your acne skincare routine includes salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or retinol, your complexion is probably thirsty for hydration. Combat dehydration with this moisturizer from Laneige that nourishes skin to minimize irritation and strengthen the complexion. Hero ingredients squalene and hyaluronic acid offer skin-softening abilities to promote a healthy skin barrier with each use. The rich texture absorbs quickly with the water-like consistency that melts into the skin as it's massaged across the face.Best for breakoutsReduce blemishes with this targeted treatment infused with salicylic acid for surface acne, niacinamide for post-acne marks, and glycerin for moisture. After giving this acne treatment a test drive, this contributing writer can confirm that the thin texture may feel drying on some skin types and recommends using an additional moisturizer (like Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane) during cold months. During your day or night routine, apply a thin layer of this lightweight gel on the areas most affected by acne.Best for mattifyingSince oily skin is prone to acne, you'll want to avoid heavy skincare products that clog your pores and leave your skin looking shiny. That's where this mattifying moisturizer from La Roche-Posay comes in with the formulation of zinc pidolate to neutralize excessive oils on the face without drying out the skin. Skin will feel hydrated after each use, and blemishes can heal without causing more.Best tintedMakeup infused with skincare, like this tinted moisturizer, has gained popularity in the beauty industry, with more and more shoppers opting for a combination product to streamline their routine. This moisturizer from Black-owned beauty brand Ami Colé, is formulated with enriching ingredients like baobab seed extract to hydrate the skin, pumpkin seed extract to calm the skin, and hibiscus flower extract to protect the skin from free radicals (unstable atoms that damage the skin). With six skin-enhancing shades, this moisturizer works for various skin tones while covering blemishes without a cakey texture clogging pores.Best with SPFReach for this oil control SPF moisturizer on the extra hot days that may leave you sweating off your regular sunscreen. The combination of broad-spectrum sunscreen with skin-loving ingredients makes this moisturizer a go-to for those who prefer fewer skincare layers but still need sun protection. Remember, everyone needs sunscreen daily, and this moisturizer protects from UV rays without leaving behind a white cast. Acne-prone skin will appreciate the quickly absorbing formulation of hyaluronic acid and antioxidants to keep skin nourished without irritating any existing blemishes.What to look forIngredients:Dr. Ugonabo recommends looking for facial moisturizers infused with ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid, as these ingredients offer nourishment while keeping the skin hydrated. The best moisturizers for acne-prone skin provide deep moisturization to repair the skin while exfoliating ingredients treat blemishes, dark spots, and acne marks. And for those with oily skin, "It might be helpful to use a matte moisturizer that contains [acne-fighting] ingredients such as salicylic acid," shares Dr. Ugonabo. Avoid using comedogenic skincare ingredients, like coconut oil, lanolin, or silicone, along with alcohol, which can dry out the skin, according to the AAD.Consistency:Facial moisturizers are available in a plethora of consistencies and textures that you'll want to be conscious of when picking a face cream for acne-prone skin. Gel and gel cream options like the Dieux Skin Air Angel Gel Cream are made to quickly absorb into the skin while leaving the epidermis supple and soft. Meanwhile, rich creams like Shani Darden Skin Care Hydration Peptide Cream are on the thicker side to provide deep moisture for dry skin without clogging pores. Since this skin type is prone to both dryness and oiliness, it's important to find a lightweight moisturizer that won't clog your pores but is creamy for nourishment and hydration of the skin barrier. If you're prone to excessive oil that keeps the blemishes coming, use a mattifying formula (like La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat) made with some form of non-drying astringent to absorb oil on the skin. Sometimes, your acne-prone skin is on the dry side, and you'll want a moisturizer with a dewy formula (like Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Soothing Cream) that's formulated with ceramides to nourish the outer layer of the skin for that glass skin look. FAQsWhat type of face cream is best for acne-prone skin?Facial moisturizers are usually described as three different types: Emollients, humectants, and occlusives. It's important to pick the right type of moisturizer as the different formulations can impact the varying skin types. An emollient moisturizer, like the Erno Laszlo Soothing Relief Hydration Emulsion, is best used for dry skin types that need extra soothing and hydration. If you have acne-prone skin, you'll want to avoid using occlusive moisturizers that often have a thicker, greasier texture on the skin. These products are most regularly used to lock in moisture as opposed to adding moisture. Finally, according to the Cleveland Clinic, humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin are more lightweight than occlusives, making them ideal for oily skin types that need moisture without the greasy texture. How often should you apply a moisturizer if you have acne-prone skin?Depending on the specific product you're using, you'll want to apply a moisturizer for acne-prone skin at least twice a day. This skincare rule is the same regardless of your skin type or concerns, and yes, that means oily skin, too. That's why it's vital to use a moisturizer that is good for daily application. Can too much moisturizer make acne worse?When applying your moisturizer for acne-prone skin, be mindful that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If you overuse your moisturizer (especially if it's thick in consistency), you risk clogging your pores, wasting product, and damaging your skin barrier with the product overload. Dr. Ugonabo adds, "It's imperative that acne-prone patients look for non-comedogenic moisturizers, meaning that won't clog their pores, so this way it doesn't contribute further to their acne."Excessive product can lead to heightened sebum production and greasy skin, making acne breakouts worse. On the other hand, if you don't use moisturizer at all, your acne can get worse. "Moisturizing is still important for acne-prone skin as it helps build a healthy skin barrier," confirms Dr. Ugonabo. Think of skincare as the Goldilocks story; you don't want to use too much or too little of any product. Is hyaluronic acid good for acne?Hyaluronic acid is most likely already in the formulation of your favorite products for several good reasons. This skincare ingredient has been studied for its reparative and hydrating benefits for acne-prone skin and aging skin. As a form of humectant, hyaluronic acid in acne skincare helps moisturize the skin without clogging pores, reducing blemishes in return. All skin types can benefit from using a hyaluronic acid moisturizer or hyaluronic acid serum to add deep hydration without leaving behind a greasy texture.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Wednesday links: a new revenue model
MarketsSome of the most speculative sectors are perking up. (allstarcharts.com)Bitcoin hit its highest level since November 2021. (blockworks.co)StrategyRubin Miller, "Investing on hopes and hunches — making emotional decisions — is why so few portfolios earn the actual market return." (fortunesandfrictions.com)The rise of passive investing hasn't broken the markets. (behaviouralinvestment.com)Why the 60/40 portfolio isn't going anywhere. (disciplinefunds.com)What happens if you invest at a stock market top? (awealthofcommonsense.com)Private creditPrivate credit fundraising is slowing. (on.ft.com)Private credit valuations are all over the board. (bloomberg.com)StartupsStripe employees just sold shares at a $65 billion valuation. (wsj.com)Oishii just raised a big new round of capital. (asia.nikkei.com)Has TikTok's influence already peaked? (slate.com)How did Vice Media go bust? (hollywoodreporter.com)AppleJust how expensive is Apple ($AAPL) stock? (ft.com)Why Apple ($AAPL) is ditching its iCar efforts. (wired.com)What other form factors could Apple ($AAPL) pursue? (spyglass.org)Apple ($AAPL) is selling the Vision Pro all wrong. (macworld.com)Weight loss drugsData on a new Viking Therapeutics ($VKTX) weight loss drug are promising. (biopharmadive.com)Americans are generally in favor of the new class of weight loss drugs. (pewresearch.org)There's no easy way to quit Ozempic, and like drugs. (wsj.com)EconomyWhat is the freight industry tell us about the economy? (bonddad.blogspot.com)2024 Q1 GDP nowcasts are trending around 2% (capitalspectator.com)How increased immigration is boosting the economy. (axios.com)Earlier on Abnormal ReturnsPersonal finance links: a healthy relationship with money. (abnormalreturns.com)What you missed in our Tuesday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)Research links: information and noise. (abnormalreturns.com)Are you a financial adviser looking for some out-of-the-box thinking? Then check out our weekly e-mail newsletter. (newsletter.abnormalreturns.com)Mixed mediaFive insights from Malissa Clark's "Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business–and How to Fix It." (nextbigideaclub.com)A role model isn't someone who you just copy. (bonddad.blogspot.com)On the difference between effectiveness and efficiency. (resextensa.co).....»»
I compared the new wings at Popeyes to Wingstop. I couldn"t believe who won — and by a near-landslide.
Business Insider reviews chicken wings at Wingstop, a leader in the space, against similar wings at Popeyes. Popeyes made wings a permanent menu item in late November 2023. Business Insider correspondent Nancy Luna, who covers the restaurant industry, reviews the chicken wings at Popeyes and Wingstop.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderPopeyes made wings a permanent part of its fried chicken menu in late November.It enters a category dominated by Wingstop, which has about 1,800 locations in the US. I compared Wingstop to Popeyes and was stunned by the results.Wingstop is the King of Wings in the fast-food world.The chain, which has more than 1,800 locations in the US, is unstoppable. In its latest quarter, sales increased 26.5% to $885 million. Each store makes about $1.8 million annually. Wingstop's digital sales are off the charts, accounting for nearly 67% of sales.So, when Popeyes expanded its permanent menu to include chicken wings in late November, it seemed fitting to see how they stacked up to the No. 1 player in the category.Going in, I expected a landslide win by Wingstop.That didn't happen.Here's what I found out:Wingstop sells 12 flavors of wings. Popeyes offers five flavors.We compared four flavors at Wingstop to similar flavors at Popeyes.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderTo ensure a fair battle, I scoured the Wingstop menu and compared only the wings that were similar in flavor profiles to the wings sold at Popeyes.The Popeyes vs. Wingstop matchups went as follows:Roasted Garlic Parmesan vs. Garlic Parmesan.Honey BBQ vs. Hickory Smoked BBQ.Ghost Pepper vs. Louisiana Rub.Sweet 'N Spicy vs. Spicy Korean Q.Wingstop's prices per wing are a tad higher than Popeyes.Wingstop prices are a tad higher per wing than Popeyes.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderAt Popeyes, six a la carte wings are $6.99, or roughly $1.17 per wing. Popeyes won't let you order two different wing flavors in a single six-piece box.At Wingstop, the smallest a la carte box is 10 pieces for $12.99. That's about $1.30 per wing. Wingstop allowed me to split flavors. So I ordered five Garlic Parmesan wings and five Hickory Smoked BBQ wings.Both chains took about 20 minutes to prepare my order.(Note: I ordered from a Popeyes and Wingstop less than a mile from each other in Santa Ana, California. Prices may vary where you live.)The Roasted Garlic Parmesan wings at Popeyes were crazy delicious.Roasted Garlic wings at Popeyes show red flakes, indicating I might feel some heat.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe asiago cheese mixed into the sauce gave the wings a nice smoky flavor. The cheesy garlic sauce was soaked in the deep-fried coating of the wing, making for a delicious crunchy bite. There's a bit of unexpected heat that comes with these wings, as well.The wings at Popeyes are also a very nice size.I thought the Garlic Parmesan wings at Wingstop would be superior to Popeyes because it's such a classic flavor. The Garlic Parmesan wings at Wingstop were heavily dusted in cheese.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderBut the wings were a total letdown, from presentation to taste. The wings are noticeably smaller than Popeyes. I had to work hard to get a solid bite with a lot of meat on the bone.I couldn't get over the clumps of Parmesan cheese laying on top of each Wingstop wing.I didn't like the clumps of Parmesan on Wingstop's garlic wings.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe Parmesan cheese was clearly dusted on top of the wing with a shaker. At Popeyes, the cheese was part of the sauce, so you could taste it with every bite.The Wingstop wing doesn't have thick breading, so it had no crunchy texture like Popeyes. The clumpy grated cheese barely clings to the wing. Half of the Wingstop grated cheese fell to the table or on my shirt.Winner: PopeyesThe Honey BBQ wings at Popeyes were sticky, but finger-licking good. The Honey BBQ wings at Popeyes are tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe Honey BBQ wings at Popeyes are tossed in a sauce made with a mix of tamarind, sweet honey, and molasses. The honey made these wings a sticky mess.The tamarind and honey gave this barbecue sauce a creative kick.I liked the innovation here. It wasn't a boring barbecue sauce.Wingstop's barbecue wings were plain, but delicious.The Hickory Smoked BBQ wings at Wingstop were mighty sticky.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe Wingstop wings came slathered in tangy sweet barbecue sauce with a hint of smoky flavor. I love smoky-flavored food, so these wings were pleasing to my palate.But, the Wingstop chicken wings are much smaller with less meat compared to Popeyes. I'm also not a fan of Wingstop's thinly coated breading.Winner: It was close, but Popeyes won this round.Popeyes said the Sweet 'N Spicy wings, tested earlier this year, are the chain's "best performing product since the infamous Chicken Sandwich." The Sweet 'N Spicy wings are swimming in chili oil.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThat statement speaks volumes, as the chain's chicken sandwich sparked a chicken sandwich war with Chick-fil-A in 2019. Other fast-food chains produced chicken sandwiches to compete, including KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's.Could Popeyes' wings spark a similar chicken battle?If the Sweet 'N Spicy wings are leading the charge, I say, "Yes." After my first bite, I could see why it was an overnight success.The wings are bathed in a pool of chili oil. It was sticky tangy goodness in one bite. It was like eating orange chicken but with a lot more heat.The Spicy Korean Q wings at Wingstop have a similar flavor and heat profile to the Sweet 'N Spicy wings. Wingstop's Spicy Korean wings were similar in flavor to the Sweet 'N Spicy wings at Popeyes.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe Spicy Korean Q wings are described on Wingstop's menu as a "sweet and spicy" wing made with ginger, garlic, sriracha, and crushed red pepper.The heat level is three flames out of five on the Wingstop scale.It was nearly identical in taste to Popeyes' Sweet 'N Spicy wings.But the Popeyes Sweet 'N Spicy wing had more heat and bolder flavors.Winner: Popeyes.The next matchup pits the not-so-hot Ghost Pepper wings at Popeyes against Wingstop's Louisiana Rub wings. There's no real heat in the Ghost Pepper wings.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderBelieve it or not, the Ghost Pepper wings at Popeyes were not hot.They are not tossed in any sauce. The heat comes from marinating the chicken for 12 hours in ghost pepper spices. It's the least spicy of the five Popeyes chicken wings. They were a big letdown, as I prepared my palate for some scorching heat.The Louisiana Rub wings at Wingstop were lightly coated in a Cajun seasoning. They were the best wings I tried at Wingstop.Wingstop's Louisiana Rub wings were the best of the four we tasted.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe Louisiana Rub wings had the perfect amount of heat. The seasoning on the breading also wasn't an afterthought like the Parmesan crumbles on the garlic wings.Winner: Finally, a win for Wingstop.Here's why Wingstop loses to chicken wings newcomer Popeyes.The new chicken wings at Popeyes pack a lot of heat.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderI know. I'm just as astounded as you are. I really came into this battle thinking Wingstop would win this chicken wing battle by a landslide.Instead, it was a near sweep by Popeyes. Their wings are meaty, crispy flavor bombs ready to spark another chicken war.Still, there's no denying Wingstop is a pro at chicken wings. When I visited on a Friday night, the place was hopping. A dozen employees were working, taking orders, frying wings, tossing wings in sauce, expediting delivery orders, and cleaning tables.The chain is a well-oiled machine.But, Popeyes is a mighty newcomer in the chicken wings space, and Wingstop should be worried.Popeyes is a well-known brand with 3,000 restaurants in the US. It is owned by Restaurant Brands International, the parent of Burger King. RBI is investing heavily in improving operations at Popeyes, and leaning into the chain's spicy-infused fried-chicken menu.Popeyes is on a roll. This year, Popeyes became the No. 2 fried-chicken player in the US, leapfrogging over KFC. Popeyes is fearless about entering a new category dominated by others. They proved that with their chicken sandwich.I can't wait for the social media slingshots to begin as Popeyes' wings gain more traction among fast food eaters.Are you a fast-food insider with insight to share? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via email at nluna@insider.com or via Signal encrypted at 714-875-6218.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
The 5 best meal delivery services in 2024, tested and reviewed
The best prepared meal delivery services save you time and energy. Here are our top picks that we tested, from allergy-sensitive to budget options. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn moreThe best prepared meal delivery services bring restaurant-quality dishes to your table with minimal effort.Lily Alig/InsiderAfter a long day of work, the last thing you want to deal with is figuring out dinner. The best meal delivery services offer delicious, nutritious meals in a matter of minutes with little or no preparation on your part. They are much more affordable than takeout and are faster and easier than even the best meal kits.We taste-tested 84 meals and snacks from 12 brands to find the best meal delivery services. We both tested Factor and agree that it's the best overall. It had the best texture and flavor, stored easily, and had good portion sizes. For a budget option, consider Daily Harvest, with most meals costing less than $10, and you can pick from affordable à la carte options, including soups, smoothies, lattes, and more.The top picks for best meal delivery servicesBest overall: FactorFactor's meals were the most delicious that we tested, reheating with minimal loss of texture or flavor.Best allergen-friendly: SunbasketIf you have food allergies or stick to a specific diet, Sunbasket is your best bet with its selection of meals for a range of food restrictions. Best cheap: Daily HarvestWhile a bit more expensive than some other services (and still not exactly budget-friendly), Daily Harvest offers the best value because it has the most flexible plans and customizable boxes, in addition to nutritious and filling meals.Best vegetarian: MosaicMosaic meals are so flavorful and filling that I forgot they were entirely plant-based.Best for beginners: TovalaTovala meals are among the best we've tasted and are easy to make with minimal prep, as long as you have the proprietary toaster oven.Best overall: FactorTwo meals from Factor: blackened Mahi Mahi with pineapple salsa (left) artichoke and spinach grilled chicken (right).Lily Alig/InsiderPricing: Subscriptions start at 6 meals for $13 per meal and go up to 18 meals for $11 per mealShipping locations: 48 contiguous statesSubscription: Boxes arrive weekly, but you can skip a week anytime. A la carte: NoServing size: One adultAvailable dietary options: Vegan, vegetarian, ketoSample dishes: Creamy tomato pork chop, vegan Thai green curry, keto poblano bowlPros: Good portion sizes, multiple protein options, meals are low carb (if that's your thing)Cons: Limited allergy-friendly options, meals are low carb (if that's not your thing)Even though Factor was one of the last services we tested, it quickly rose to the top of our list. Simply put, these meals tasted great and were reasonably priced. Factor doesn't have a huge vegetarian or vegan selection – they offer about three dishes per menu. The calorie smart and keto options are much more fleshed out. In general, the meals tend to be protein forward (with generously-sized protein portions) and lower in starches and carbs.Factor meals don't come frozen and are meant to be eaten within seven days of arriving, but they are freezer-friendly. I froze half of the meals with reasonable success – the garlic pork tenderloin was not tough or flavorless after defrosting, but the accompanying asiago cauliflower mash was a little watery. One of the reasons Factor meals were so successful is because the chefs clearly recognize the limitations of reheated food. The prepared meals featured foods that do well when microwaved or frozen, like creamed spinach, polenta, and shrimp in a cream sauce. None of the meals featured crunchy elements, a texture almost impossible to maintain in a microwave. This resulted in an overall more successful menu, showing that microwaved food can be healthy and diverse. Factor has a rotating weekly menu, and they add two to three new meals every rotation. I liked that the packages were easy to store, all the same size and flat on the top and bottom. The heating instructions were the same for each meal. From frozen, I just added three to six more minutes to the microwave time.Best allergen-friendly: SunbasketTwo meals from Sunbasket: Beef Stroganoff (left) and Sichuan dan dan noodles (right)James Brains/Business InsiderPricing: Meals start at $9.99 and go up to $14.59 with a 4-meal minimum orderShipping locations: 46 statesSubscription: WeeklyÀ la carte: NoServing size: One adultAvailable dietary options: Gluten-free, paleo, Mediterranean, vegetarian, low carb, pescetarian, diabetes-friendly, keto-friendlySample dishes: Sweet pea and broccoli risotto; chicken and red rice bowl with sweet potatoes and corn jalapeño relish; burrito bowl with achiote-citrus braised pork, corn, and black beansPros: Allergy and dietary restriction friendly, good portion sizes, can choose a mix of prepared meals and kits, freezes well, easy storageCons: Could have a larger menuSunbasket is our pick for individuals on special diets in our guide to the best meal kits. Its focus on providing allergen-sensitive options carries over to its recently launched prepared meals. Most meals are gluten-free, but you can also pick from paleo, Mediterranean, vegetarian, carb-conscious, pescatarian, diabetes-friendly, and keto-friendly options.You can choose a plan with 4 to 10 meals a week delivered fresh to your door. There's a rotating selection of meal options, and each meal comes with one serving that I found was plenty to fill me up. I liked that you can mix and match prepared meals and meal kits in the same box, giving you options when you feel like cooking.For a fresh meal, the Sunbasket prepared meals took a little longer in the microwave than other brands, about five minutes. Yet, the results were simply delicious. My favorite was the vegan Sichuan dan dan noodles that I microwaved from frozen. I was blown away by how spot-on the texture was when it came out, though it was slightly under salted. The meals stack easily in your fridge or freezer and reheat well in the microwave or oven. I didn't notice any degradation in quality after freezing.Best cheap: Daily HarvestTwo meals from Daily Harvest: a strawberry and peach smoothie (left) and a sweet potato and wild rice bowl (right).Lily Alig/InsiderPricing: Items start at $5.99 and go up to $11.99, no order minimum costShipping locations: 95% of the USSubscription: Weekly or monthlyA la carte: NoServing size: One adult, one small familyAvailable dietary options: All meals are vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-freeSample dishes: Sweet potato and miso soup, chickpea and coconut curry harvest bake, blueberry and lemon oat bowlPros: Allergy sensitive, large menu, snacks and meals availableCons: Smaller portionsDaily Harvest has one of the most well-rounded menus out there for being entirely vegan. Though the menu doesn't rotate, it will take you a while to get through all 31 smoothies, 21 harvest bowls, and the other eight menu categories before you start repeating. The offerings range from plant-based "mylks" and vegan ice creams to flatbreads and soups. I sampled two smoothies, two harvest bowls, an oat bowl, a harvest bake, a soup, and a pint of snack bites. Both of the smoothies had well-balanced flavors. The fruit was cut into small pieces that blended easily, and the texture was thick enough to make it a light breakfast or a satisfying snack instead of just a fruit drink. Overall, the Daily Harvest portions were smaller than those of other services. The oat, chia, and forager bowls are about the same size, more like hearty snacks than meals. The harvest bakes, harvest bowls, flatbreads, and soups have larger portions. All of the meals are packed with nutritional powerhouses, like gigante beans, kale, and even nutritional yeast. However, after trying two harvest bowls, I'm not sure if someone with a big appetite would be satisfied after one. Each item has a set price, so the total price is based on what you put in your box. The smallest is a box of six, but there are discounts for larger orders. What makes Daily Harvest so adaptable is that there are minimum order quantities, but not prices. If you wanted, you could fill a 14-item box with forager bowls, oat bowls, and chia bowls for less than $80. Not to mention, shipping is always free.Editors note: Daily Harvest has recalled the French Lentil and Leek Crumble meals. If you received those meals, Daily Harvest will have emailed you about this issue. Best vegetarian: MosaicTwo meals from Mosaic: Italian "sausage" and pumpkin lasagna (left) and mac & greens (right).Lily Alig/InsiderPricing: Items start at $5.99 and go up to $19.95, order minimum of $70Shipping locations: Most major metro areas in the U.S.Subscription: Weekly, biweekly, monthly A la carte: NoServing size: One adult, a small family of two adults and one young child Available dietary options: Wheat-free, vegan, vegetarianSample dishes: Ginger sesame noodles, North African veggies and couscous, lasagna primaveraPros: Multiple portion size options, variety of flavors and cuisine styles Cons: Some texture issues, soup had a burnt flavorI'm not vegan, but I would order a Mosaic box for myself anyway. The flavors were vibrant and the textures weren't majorly altered by the freezing process. Out of all the services I tested, one of the few meals that really wowed me was Mosaic's gouda and sausage oat bowl. I have always been wary of savory oatmeal, but the balance of the salty toppings with the sweeter oats was perfect. Many of Mosaic's meals reheat in the microwave, but some of the family meals, like the veggie pot pie, come in aluminum baking dishes that can't be microwaved and instead require an hour or more in the oven. It's not exactly ready to eat when you have to preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and cook something for an hour, though still basically no-prep. I put the veggie pot pie in the oven, did yoga and vacuumed, and then I had a delicious meal waiting for me and no clean-up. The pot pie was well-seasoned and filling.Mosaic also has partnerships with gourmet chefs. The Mac and Greens dish was created by Chef Greg Baxtrom, of Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Olmstead, but this was actually the dish that fell flat for me. Reheated vegetables will always lose some crunch, so this dish turned out a bit mushy. I like the ordering interface a lot. It shows your cart on the side with the order minimum, adjusting as you add meals. This is especially useful because Mosaic has five meal options with unique prices. There are icons under each meal to show you basic allergy and ingredient information, and when you click for more info, you get a pop-up window instead of leaving the page.Best for beginners: TovalaThe Buffalo Chicken Flatbread from Tovala requires some light prep work.James Brains/Business InsiderPricing: Starts at $12.99 per meal and goes up to $22.98 for fancy steaks, with a 4-meal minimum orderShipping locations: Anywhere in the 48 contiguous statesSubscription: WeeklyA la carte: NoServing size: One adultAvailable dietary options: Low calories, low carb, gluten-friendly, Mediterranean, vegetarian Sample dishes: Bacon BBQ cheddar chicken melt & potato wedges, eggplant caponata pasta, sesame-crusted chicken breast with crunchy veggie salad in sweet sesame dressingPros: Good portion sizes, several protein options, plenty of allergen-friendly choices, large menuCons: Meals don't freeze well, not microwavable, don't store easily, some meal prepTovala is a unique meal delivery service: its meals are designed for use in its proprietary toaster oven, which only costs $49 when you order meals six times. Of course, you can use the Tovala oven to cook anything you make in a regular oven. In fact, it does such a good job of cooking that it earned a spot in our best air fryer toaster oven guide.The Tovala meals aren't completely prepared, but take five minutes or less to put together. You typically cook the main ingredients, mix them together, and then add sauces and garnishes before serving. When it's time to cook, you don't actually set the toaster oven settings yourself. Each meal's prep card has a QR code the toaster oven scans to start cooking automatically — eliminating extra work and possible human errors. You can choose to have 4 to 16 meals delivered each week and skip a delivery at any time. There are up to 30 meal options to choose from per week, including breakfast options. The site makes filtering meals that fit your dietary and allergy needs easy.The Tovala meals were among the best tasting in my tests. The Mie Goreng-inspired shrimp and noodles were perfect, with the texture and flavor on point. I was particularly impressed that it didn't skimp on the shrimp, a pricey protein. Two light eaters could share most of the meals: I was overstuffed when I ate the whole thing.Tovala is not without its drawbacks. The meals aren't designed for freezing or microwaving. They're also a little annoying to store since the trays are bulky and the proteins are packaged separately. Still, this is an excellent option for people looking to dip their toe in home cooking, without much meal prep.How we tested prepared meal servicesMy fridge stacked with pre-made meals at the height of testing for this guide.Lily Alig/InsiderI tested 56 meals and snacks from eight different brands for this guide. We acknowledge that personal taste played a big role in our experience of these services. To counter that in our testing, we focused on less subjective measures of quality: texture, flavor and seasoning, ease of use, and price.Texture: Reheating always has the risk of changing food's texture. Some services provide frozen or freezer-friendly meals, while others require you to eat them within a week. Either way, each service involved reheating already cooked food. We looked for unpleasantly altered textures: mushy pasta, dried-out meat, and limp vegetables.Flavor and seasoning: Regardless of personal preference, we do not want our meals to be bland. If I felt like I needed to add salt or if I couldn't identify the main flavors, then I considered the dish under-seasoned.Ease of use: One of the main things we considered was how much lead time a meal required. Could we heat it within minutes or did we need to preheat the oven and bake it? We also looked at how easy these meals were to store. Meals with flat bases and lids were easier to stack in a full freezer or tuck away in the fridge.Price: We priced out each service by calculating the total cost of a box of 12 meals plus shipping to Brooklyn, NY. When services had different prices per meal, we calculated based on the same number of meals per category. For example, we priced out Daily Harvest by building a 12-item box with one item from each category and then two of the middle-priced items.Meal delivery service FAQsWho should consider premade meal delivery?If you have limited time or desire to cook or just need a quick dinner solution on busy weeks, premade meals are a great solution. Most services have flexible subscription and/or a la carte options, so you can experiment with a service and see if it suits your lifestyle. However, none of the services we tested are budget-friendly, so remember that they will be more expensive than cooking at home or meal prep.How much does premade meal delivery cost?Items start at $5.99 for snacks or smoothies and can go up to $20 for a full meal. This varies based on the service, but a general rule of thumb is that the more you order, the cheaper it will be per meal. Daily Harvest offers the best value of the services we tested because it has the most flexible plans and no order minimum.What's the difference between premade and frozen meals?Generally, both premade and frozen meals are fully cooked and then packaged with dry ice and other insulation to be safely transported. Frozen meals can be stored longer than fresh premade ones, though you can freeze some premade meals.What are the benefits of meal delivery services?The biggest benefit of meal delivery services is it saves time. Rather than grocery shopping and preparing a meal yourself, you just pop the meal in the microwave or oven, and it's ready within minutes. It's also a great way to get out of a rut and try new foods. You may even reduce food waste as fewer ingredients go unused in your refrigerator or pantry. Lastly, meal delivery services can be useful for portion control and nutritious eating.Are prepared meals cheaper than going to the grocery store?When you consider ingredients alone, prepared meals aren't really cheaper. However, a lot more goes into a meal than just the ingredients. Depending on how much you value your time, prepared meal services are worth it when you factor in the time it takes to find recipes, make a grocery list, go shopping, put the groceries away, and actually prepare the food. Another way to reduce meal prep time is to shop at one of the best online grocery stores.How can I cancel my meal delivery service?The process for canceling meal delivery services varies. If you're having trouble, visit the service's website and see if your question is answered in the FAQs section. If not, consider contacting customer service. Generally, you must log into your account, click on account or plan settings, and select pause or deactivate your account. Which company is best for people with allergies?Sunbasket is our pick for people with allergies because you can easily find meals to suit your needs. However, Territory Foods is also great because its meals are free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugars. We didn't include Territory in our guide because it's expensive, and the texture and flavor of its meals were among the worst in our tests.Read the original article on Insider.....»»
We tried Popeyes" new wings. They"re crazy delicious and could spark another fast-food chicken war.
We review Popeyes' five new permanent wing flavors, including the Ghost Pepper. Nancy Luna, Business Insider's food correspondent, reviews the new wings at Popeyes.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderAfter testing wings earlier this year, Popeyes made them a permanent menu item in late November.The chain now serves five spicy wing varieties, including one slathered in Cajun hot sauce.I tried all of them – even Ghost Pepper. They are packed with heat and could spark a wing war.Popeyes made wings a permanent menu item after the overnight success of its Ghost Pepper and Sweet 'N Spicy wings earlier this year.They expanded the line in late November to include three new flavors, intending to crash into the "wing game."I tried all five.Popeyes, which ignited the chicken sandwich wars in 2019, is not just crashing into this wing party. The chain is bulldozing into a sector, led by Wingstop, with five distinctly innovative flavors.There's no plain Jane in the bunch. Nearly all of them pack a ton of heat, including entry-level wings like the Roasted Garlic Parmesan.Here's how they stacked up.Popeyes made wings a permanent part of the menu in late November.Popeyes said the Sweet 'N Spicy wings, left, became the highest-performing product since the launch of its chicken sandwich.PopeyesPopeyes launched its chicken wings experiment in January with the debut of Ghost Pepper wings. The item returned for a limited time in May.Then, the chain introduced a second wing flavor in August: Sweet 'N Spicy.Response to the two wing flavors, especially the Sweet 'N Spicy, prompted Popeyes to expand the wing lineup and make them a permanent part of the menu last month.Amy Alarcon, the chain's head chef and vice president of culinary innovation, said the Sweet 'N Spicy wings became "the highest performing product since the chicken sandwich."In November, the culinary team added three new flavors: Honey BBQ, Roasted Garlic Parmesan, and Signature Hot.I ordered all five flavors at Popeyes in Southern California. It took about 20 minutes for our order to arrive at the table. The new chicken wings at Popeyes pack a lot of heat, except for the Ghost Pepper, far right. Nancy Luna/Business InsiderA six-piece a la carte order cost $6.99. Unfortunately, there's no mix and matching.My order seemed to take the kitchen off guard. It took about 20 minutes to prepare my order of all five flavors.In a nice hospitality touch, a manager came up to me to let me know that my order would be done in about four minutes. He told me after I was sitting around for about 15 minutes.I didn't mind waiting because I knew it meant that the kitchen staff was preparing my wings to order. With the exception of the Ghost Pepper wings, each flavor is tossed in its own unique sauce.I ate them in order of the suggested heat levels – from least spicy to most spicy. On each table, Popeyes promotes the wings and their spice levels.Nancy Luna /Business InsiderI was perplexed to see that the Ghost Pepper wings were listed in the middle of the heat scale. I figured they'd be up at the top.I started with the Roasted Garlic Parmesan wings. I was really looking forward to this one. Roasted Garlic wings at Popeyes show red flakes, indicating I might feel some heat.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderI don't eat wings a lot, but when I do eat them, I typically order garlic Parmesan wings. I love the savory combo of garlic and cheese on the breading.But I immediately got a little nervous when I noticed red chili flakes on the wings. I got nervous seeing red marks on the Roasted Garlic Parmesan wings.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe wings looked absolutely beautiful, slathered in a super rich-looking garlic and cheese sauce.Before grabbing a wing, I immediately noticed red marks on the fried breading.What is that? It looks like chili flakes. Is this entry-level wing going to burn my mouth, I asked myself.So I took a bite. It was crazy delicious. The asiago cheese gave the wings a smoky flavor. If you wanted more sauce, there was plenty pooled in the to-go container.You could eat the creamy béchamel-style sauce with a spoon.But, my swooning stopped after a few seconds when the heat kicked in from the wings. Wow. This is not what I expected from a roasted garlic Parmesan wing. But, this is Popeyes, so I guess they can't do anything without adding a bit of Louisiana heat.The Honey BBQ wings at Popeyes are tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce.The Honey BBQ wings at Popeyes are tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe Honey BBQ wings are one of the new flavors added to the chain's wing lineup. Again, the wings are attractive. The breading is crispy and crunchy and lathered in a tangy but smoky barbecue sauce.The sauce is made with a mix of tamarind, sweet honey, and molasses. Not surprisingly, the honey made these wings a sticky mess.Grab a stack of napkins for this one, or be prepared to lick a few fingers.Like the Roasted Garlic Parmesan wings, the Honey BBQ came with some heat. But they weren't as hot as the Roasted Garlic wings. If you're looking for less heat, I'd order this one.The cashier looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if I had to sign a waiver to eat the Ghost Pepper wings. The Ghost Pepper wings were first introduced in January 2023. They returned in May. PopeyesSome restaurants require waivers when ordering scorching hot chicken tenders or wings. That's what I encountered during my review of Dave's Hot Chicken in early 2023.I thought the Ghost Pepper wings at Popeyes would be the hottest item on the wing menu. It's not. Its heat level lands in the middle of the Popeyes scale.When I ordered, I hadn't seen the Popeyes heat scale yet.So, when I asked the cashier about signing a waiver for the Ghost Pepper wings, he looked at me like I was nuts.I took one look at the Ghost Pepper wings, and thought I had received the wrong order. They looked so plain. There's no real heat in the Ghost Pepper wings.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderUnlike the other wings, the Ghost Pepper wings are not slathered in any spicy sauce.Instead, the flavor on this wing is in the actual chicken. The manager told me it was marinated for 12 hours in ghost pepper spices.That explains why it didn't look intimidating. I was expecting a wing with hues of deep red or orange breading, indicators of spices blended into the outer coating. But the ghost pepper spices are not in the breading.I was not intimidated by these wings at all. They were very approachable. But that's what made them a letdown. I couldn't taste any heat.I would suggest eating these over the Roasted Garlic Parmesan wings if you're nervous about getting too much heat.Sweet 'N Spicy wings debuted as a limited-time offer in August and were an overnight success, the chain said. The Sweet 'N Spicy wings are served in a pool of chili oil.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderPopeyes said in November that the Sweet 'N Spicy wings became the "best performing product since the infamous Chicken Sandwich."Well, the chain's Chicken Sandwich spurred a battle among the nation's top chicken chains, including Chick-fil-A and KFC. Even the burger titans – McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's – got into the game with fried chicken sandwiches.So, I expected a lot from these wings, and they delivered.The Sweet 'N Spicy wings are swimming in chili oil.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe wings came swimming in a pool of sauce that looked like the kind of chili oil served as a condiment at Chinese restaurants.I was excited and scared at the same time. In terms of heat levels, this is the second-hottest wing flavor at Popeyes.It was sticky, tangy goodness in one bite. This is a boldly flavored wing that reminds me of orange chicken but with a lot more heat.I can see why it is a fan favorite.The hottest item on the wings menu is the Signature Hot wings. I was intimidated by the look of the Signature Hot wings at Popeyes.Nancy Luna/Business InsiderThe color of the wings, which came in a pool of orange sauce, looked frightening.Bright orange and red hues are indicators of heavy heat.One bite triggered a wave of mouth-scorching heat. It started with my lips, followed by the roof of my mouth, and throat. I could even feel a sensation in my teeth.I grabbed my water for some relief.My dining partner ate two wings, as he loved the flavor of the Cajun sauce. But it's a sneaky kind of heat. Hours later, he felt the pain of that decision. "It did me in," he said.This wing was too hot for us, but if your digestive system can handle the chain's signature Cajun hot sauce, you'll love every bite.Popeyes' new wing menu is on brand. They are packed with bold flavors and could spark a new kind of fast food chicken war.The new wings at Popeyes come in five flavors.PopeyesAlarcon, the chain's head chef, said her team has been working three years to get this lineup of wings right.Well, Bravo. They did a fantastic job.If you're a fan of the bold flavors and crispy hand-battered breading at Popeyes, these wings will not disappoint. They're a fun extension of the menu. They're on brand, and should please any wing aficionado.But are they better than Wingstop?That review is up next. Stay tuned.Are you a fast-food insider with insight to share? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via email at nluna@insider.com or via Signal encrypted at 714-875-6218.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Sci-fi writer who got caught review-bombing her rival authors fesses up, loses book deal
A review-bombing scandal engulfed BookTok, leading to an author getting dropped by her publisher. Cait Corrain said a psychological breakdown pushed her to create fake profiles leaving negative reviews.asiandelight/Getty ImagesThe side of TikTok for book-lovers, BookTok, has been engulfed in a review bombing scandal this month.A sci-fi author has admitted to leaving negative reviews on books from other authors.Cait Corrain has since been dropped by both her publisher and literary agent.An investigation that began on BookTok has ended with an author confessing and losing her book deal.Author Cait Corrain issued a lengthy apology on Tuesday in which she admitted to review-bombing, or leaving negative reviews under fake accounts, her fellow authors. Corrain's debut novel, "A Crown of Starlight," was set to be published by Del Rey Publishing in 2024, but the company said Tuesday that it has no plans to pursue "any other works on that contract."According to her statement on X, formerly Twitter, Corrain logged into at least eight different Goodreads profiles on December 2 and "boosted the rating of my book, bombed the ratings of several fellow debut authors, and left reviews that ranged from kind of mean to downright abusive."Canadian author Xiran Jay Zhao posted a Google document titled, "Review Bomb Receipts" with screenshots of the alleged reviews, and chaos ensued in the book communities of X and TikTok."I can't believe Del Rey spent half a million dollars on this when they could have spent half a million dollars on anything else. Sorry not sorry," one of the fake reviews read. @xiranjayzhao A full explanation of reviewbombgate. #booktok #caitcorrain #crownofstarlight ♬ original sound - Xiran Jay Zhao Corrain named four authors she targeted — two of which were under the same publisher — but said "it's possible there are a couple other authors.""I felt no ill will towards any of them, it was just my fear about how my book would be received running out of control," Corrin said in her statement.Business Insider has reached out to Del Rey and representatives for Corrain, along with the authors she named in her statement, for additional comment.Corrain attributed the web of fake critics to a "psychological breakdown" brought on by poor mental health, addiction, and a new medication in her statement to X.The author has since been dropped by her literary agent Becca Podos, and book subscription service Illumicrate said "A Crown of Starlight" would no longer be included in its May 2024 box.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Japanese elders are being left behind to face bear attacks
In 2023, Japan saw 212 attacks from brown and asiatic bears. Many of them were in the rural Akita prefecture. An Ussuri brown bear and a cub eat salmon after catching it from the beach of Sea of Okhotsk near the town of Rausu on Saturday, September 28, 2019, in Hokkaido, Japan.Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty ImagesJapan is seeing an increase in bear attacks among residents. One reason could be the fact that old people are being left behind in rural areas. Climate change is another contributing factor, experts said. An extreme surge in Japanese bear attacks in the island nation's northern Akita prefecture could be partly attributed to elderly people being left behind in the rural region, CNN reported.In 2023, the country's Ministry of Environment reported a record-breaking number: 212 people faced attacks from brown and Asiatic bears in the country, and six of these attacks resulted in deaths, the country's broadcaster, NHK, reported. Additionally, residents reported an increased number of sightings in urban areas.The hardest hit region is Akita, a north-east rural prefecture surrounded by forests and mountains, where the Ministry of Environment said a third of the bear attacks have occurred.So why are the bears attacking there so frequently? Experts told CNN that it could be a result of Japan's aging population. Nearly one-third of the country's population is over the age of 65.Per CNN, the increasing elderly population, coupled with the fact that younger people are moving away from the countryside, means that there are fewer capable hands to tend the land. Tsutomu Mano, a senior research fellow at the Hokkaido Research Organization told the outlet that "abandonment of cultivated land and overgrowth along riversides" can attract bears.There are numbers to indicate that elderly populations are also facing the brunt of these bear attacks — in October, 61 of the 71 bear attacks reported included people over the age of 60, CNN reported, citing NHK statistics.Mano also told CNN climate change is likely affecting the bear's food supply of beech nuts and acorns, making it more necessary for them to scavenge new areas — including human settlements — for food.The country is looking for solutions to curb the bear attacks. In Akita, bounties are being put on bears and encouraging local hunters to kill them. The city of Takikawa previously installed motion-sensing wolves that create a loud noise when triggered by a bear.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Segregated Classrooms Spark Controversy As Proponents Criticize "White Standard"
Segregated Classrooms Spark Controversy As Proponents Criticize 'White Standard' School districts across the country, primarily in major, Democrat-run cities such as Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Oakland, have been offering segregated classes in the hopes of battling a decades-long, race-based achievement gap. Illustration: Taylor Callory for Education Week As the Wall Street Journal reports, Evanston Township, a suburb of Chicago, is the latest to introduce the controversial strategy designed to enhance the education experience of students of color - particularly in advanced placement courses. The local school's 3,600-student high school is 44% white, 24% black, 20% hispanic and 5% asian in a mix of wealthy families and lower income families. Some have suggested that the voluntary segregation of black, latino, and white students raises crucial questions about the progress made since the Civil Rights Movement. "Our black students are, for lack of a better word…at the bottom, consistently still. And they are being outperformed consistently,” said Monique Parsons, Evanston school board vice president, adding "It's not good." A white standard? According to Dena Luna, who leads black student-achievement initiatives in Minneapolis Public Schools, "A lot of times within our education system, black students are expected to conform to a white standard," underscoring what proponents have argued is a need for spaces where students of color can thrive - which, for some reason, Indian and Asian students of color don't typically require. The district offers middle- and high-school students electives focused on African-American history and social-emotional support, taught by teachers of color. Created in 2015 for Black boys, the format has expanded to Black girls and will soon expand to Latino students. An internal study showed improved attendance for Black boys in the program in 2017 and average GPAs of 2.27, compared with 2.14 for Black males districtwide. "In our spaces, you don’t have to shed one ounce of yourself because everything about our space is rooted in blackness," said Luna. Evanston's so-called 'affinity classes,' labeled AXLE for black students and GANAS for latino students, have been met with a blend of praise and skepticism. Students in these classes have reported feeling more accepted and represented. "I feel like I represent me and not the whole black race in this AP class," said one AXLE student, expressing a newfound sense of individuality in the learning environment. "It’s a safe space. In AP classes that are mostly white, I feel like if I answer wrong, I am representing all black kids. I stay quiet in those classes." This year there are at least 105 students enrolled in GNAS math courses, while another 72 are enrolled in AXLE math courses, and 14 in AXLE sophomore English class. A 2019 study on the original program for Black boys offered by the Oakland Unified School District found that students who took the affinity class were slightly less likely to drop out of school. The district also offers elective and advisory classes designated for Latino, Asian Pacific Islander and Arab students, said Jerome Gourdine, director of targeted strategies for the district’s office of equity. Evanston is taking the strategy one step further, offering courses for Black and Latino students in core math classes: algebra 2, precalculus and AP calculus, as well as an English seminar. Evanston’s classes for Black students are known as AXLE, an acronym for Advancing Excellence, Lifting Everyone, and those for Latino students are called GANAS, from a Spanish expression that means “giving it all you’ve got.” -WSJ Meanwhile, both the legality and the social impact of re-segregating classrooms is a topic of fierce debate. "Integration is a positive social good," said Max Eden, an education researcher at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute, who believes these 'affinity classes' undermine the goal of the Civil Rights Act. "We want students to be colorblind and to treat each other only on the basis of who they are as human beings." But will it help test scores? In Evanston, around 75% of white students in 11th and 12th grade enroll in AP classes according to district data, vs. around 25% of black students and around a third of latino students. Of those, in the 2021-22 school year, 80% of white AP test takers earned a score of 3 or higher - the benchmark typically required for college credit, vs 61% of latinos and 48% of black AP students. As these initiatives continue, their impact on educational equity, racial integration, and societal implications will be closely monitored. Of course, unless students - regardless of race, are willing to devote hours of their lives to studying, preparing, and grinding out homework, we suspect this is just going to stoke widening racial divides. Tyler Durden Sun, 11/26/2023 - 20:25.....»»
Saturday links: greedy jobs
On Saturdays we catch up with the non-finance related items that we didn’t get to earlier in the week. You can check... EVsTraditional auto dealers don't really want you to buy an EV. (washingtonpost.com)EVs are fewer miles than the typical ICE vehicle. (scientificamerican.com)Why totaled Teslas ($TSLA) in the U.S. are showing up in Ukraine. (vox.com)Public EV chargers are a crap shoot, at best. (wsj.com)EnergyThe offshore wind industry is at a crossroads. (eenews.net)Connections to the grid just keep growing in the U.S. (wsj.com)WildfiresLow-intensity burning reduces the risk of massive wildfires for years. (sciencedaily.com)When forests burn they lose their ability to hold earth in place, increasing the risk of landslides. (hcn.org)Wildfires are also warming the tundra. (hcn.org)EnvironmentClimate change affects pretty much everything in the U.S. (cnn.com)Letting forest grow more will help store addititional carbon. (newscientist.com)Warming temperatures increase the odds of avalanches. (wired.com)Recycled gold now makes up under 30% of the global supply. (asia.nikkei.com)Cats kill a lot more birds than windmills. (bloomberg.com)AnimalsA long-beaked echidna has finally been caught on camera. (sciencedaily.com)The Pacific garbage patch is essentially a new marine ecosystem. (knowablemagazine.org)TravelHow did commercial air travel get so bad? (salon.com)Why your (small) city has been bypassed by the airlines. (politico.com)The best and worst U.S. airports of 2023. (wsj.com)BehaviorHow to avoid catastrophizing. (nextavenue.org)How 'micro-actions' can boost your mood. (npr.org)When in doubt invite that extra person along. (vox.com)Why you shouldn't write your memoir. (theatlantic.com)MosquitoesClimate change in the U.S. means shifting insect-borne diseases. (grist.org)The FDA has approved the world's first vaccine for chikungunya, which is mosquito-borne. (bbc.com)Public healthAmerican women now outlive men by some 6 years. (newscientist.com)Covid-19 vaccine recommendations need some more nuance. (vox.com)MedicineInfluenza cases are ramping up. (statnews.com)The body and the brain are more connected than we think. (nature.com)The UK has approved Casgevy, a treatment for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia, two blood disorders. (statnews.com)Is the future of medicine an umanned pod? (techcrunch.com)How often do children get sick? Often... (emilyoster.substack.com)CannabisSpain's cannabis laws are confused, just as in the U.S. (politico.com)Cannabis has different effects on adolescents and older adults. (newscientist.com)FoodWhat makes a food 'ultra-processed'? (wsj.com)White truffle prices continue to go higher. (nytimes.com)Rural farmers are in need of broadband. (modernfarmer.com)SportsMLB's new rules changed everything...for the better. (theathletic.com)The A's will do just fine in Las Vegas. (natesilver.net)College kids are gambling on sports. (theconversation.com)Why things don't end well for authoritarian coaches like Bobby Knight. (nymag.com)MediaA peek at what a combined Hulu+Disney streaming service could look like. (theverge.com)Hannah Rosin talks with David Sims and Shirley Li about Hollywood, post-strikes. (theatlantic.com)CollegeAnn Garcia, “Why college” is more important than “which college.” (thecollegefinanciallady.com)An excerpt from Ben Wildavsky’s forthcoming book, "The Career Arts: Making the Most of College, Credentials, and Connections." (theatlantic.com)Five insights from "Apprentice Nation: How the “Earn and Learn” Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America" by Ryan Neal. (nextbigideaclub.com)Why America's elite universities are all tied up in knots. (marginalrevolution.com)Earlier on Abnormal ReturnsWhat you missed in our Friday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)Podcast links: the death of radio. (abnormalreturns.com)Over a lifetime, you can accumulate a lot of stuff. The chances are nobody wants any of it. (abnormalreturns.com)Are you a financial adviser looking for some out-of-the-box thinking? Then check out our weekly e-mail newsletter. (newsletter.abnormalreturns.com)Mixed mediaHospitality is relevant for more industries than those typically thought of as hospitality. (whyisthisinteresting.substack.com)Do the work. Let the results speak for themselves. (ryanholiday.net)Why are some jobs so 'greedy'? (timharford.com).....»»
Xometry, Inc. (NASDAQ:XMTR) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript
Xometry, Inc. (NASDAQ:XMTR) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript November 9, 2023 Xometry, Inc. beats earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $-0.05, expectations were $-0.14. Operator: Good day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Xometry Q3 2023 Earnings Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. After the speakers’ presentation, there […] Xometry, Inc. (NASDAQ:XMTR) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript November 9, 2023 Xometry, Inc. beats earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $-0.05, expectations were $-0.14. Operator: Good day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Xometry Q3 2023 Earnings Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. After the speakers’ presentation, there will be a question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] Please be advised that today’s conference is being recorded. I would now like to hand the conference over to your first speaker today, Shawn Milne, VP of Investor Relations. Shawn Milne: Good morning and thank you for joining us on Xometry Q3 2023 earnings call. Joining me are Randy Altschuler, our Chief Executive Officer; and Jim Rallo, our Chief Financial Officer. During today’s call, we will review our financial results for the third quarter of 2023 and discuss our guidance for the fourth quarter and full year 2023. During today’s call, we will make forward-looking statements, including statements related to the expected performance of our business, future financial results, strategy, long-term growth, and overall future prospects. Such statements may be identified by terms such as believe, expect, intend, and may. These statements are subjected to risks and uncertainties which could cause them to differ materially from actual results. Information concerning those risks is available in our earnings press release distributed before the market opened today, and in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission including our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 that will be filed later today. We caution you to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and undertake no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or changes in our expectations. We’d also like to point out that on today’s call, we will report GAAP and non-GAAP results. We use these non-GAAP financial measures internally for financial and operating decision making purposes. And as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. Non-GAAP financial measures are presented in addition to and not as a substitute or superior to measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with US GAAP. To see the reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures, please refer to our earnings press release distributed today in our investor presentation, both of which are available on the Investors section of our website at investors.xometry.com. A replay of today’s call will also be posted on our website. With that, I’d like to turn the call over to Randy. Randy Altschuler: Thank you, Shawn. Good morning everyone, and thank you for joining our Q3 2023 earnings call. In Q3, we had record financial results including our highest revenue and gross profit in Xometry history, we reduced our adjusted EBITDA loss by 51% from the prior quarter on our path to profitability. Behind those strong results with record additions of active buyers and orders, and leverage and all of our operating expenses. With momentum from Q3 carrying into Q4. We are successfully executing what we set out to do in the beginning of this year. Returning to our historical marketplace revenue growth of 40% plus, expand gross margins, improve operating efficiencies, and reduced fixed costs. So we could go from a $11.8 million adjusted EBITDA loss in Q1, to potentially break even in Q4. This positions Xometry for robust growth in full year adjusted EBITDA profitability in 2024. We continue to innovate and expand. In October, we launched Teamspace, a collaboration tool to augment our enterprise sales efforts and increase our organic buyer growth. Additionally, today we announced a new exciting partnership with Google Cloud to leverage Vertex AI to accelerate instant quoting for new markets on Xometry’s AI-powered marketplace. I will outline each in more detail later in the call. Here are some of the financial highlights from Q3 and their expected impact on Q4. Let’s start with revenue. We grew revenue 15% year-over-year to $119 million, driven by strong 22% year-over-year growth in marketplace revenue offset by 16% year-over-year decline in supplier services revenue, primarily due to the discontinuation of our sale of tools and materials. Marketplace revenue included 78% year-over-year growth in our International segment, primarily in our European markets. We had forecast even more revenue growth in international in Q3, but some of that has been pushed into Q4, due to the timing of certain orders. U.S. marketplace Q3 revenue was also strong, with the highest sequential quarterly growth in the last 12 months, growing $9 million quarter-over-quarter from Q2 of this year. In both the U.S. and internationally, growth was across many customer verticals, including general manufacturing, industrial equipment, aerospace and defense. Growth remained strong in injection molding as recent investments in technology and processes are driving an expanding pipeline of business. Underlying activity in the marketplace is strong with active buyers and orders in Q3, growing over 40% year-over-year. In Q4, we expect marketplace revenue growth in active buyer growth to converge, as quarterly revenue per active buyer remained stable year-over-year. Digital power overall marketplace growth of approximately 40% in Q4. Coupled with relatively flat quarter-over-quarter supplier services revenue. We expect overall revenue growth in Q4 in the range of 30%. Next is gross profit. Gross profit increased 13% year-over-year to $46.2 million, driven by 25% growth in marketplace gross profit. Over the last two years, we’ve expanded marketplace gross margins by 550 basis points. In Q4, we expect marketplace gross margins to increase sequentially quarter-over-quarter, driven by our machine learning algorithms and the growth of our network of suppliers. Finally, is our adjusted EBITDA, as I noted earlier, in Q3 we further improved our operating leverage, reducing our adjusted EBITDA loss from Q2 by 51% or $4.4 million. This is a result of higher revenue and gross profits increased operating efficiency and cuts we’ve made in our fixed costs. In Q3, we balanced our advertising investments against profitability goals with advertising spend, down 7% year-over-year. Our marketplace unit economics continue to improve, driven by expanding gross margins, and increasing advertising efficiencies, partly driven by the strong growth in our SEO traffic. We reduced our cost to acquire a net new active buyer by 27% year-over-year. Powering our strong Q3 financial results and the outlook for Q4 with progress we made in different areas of our business. Here are some of the highlights. One, after a successful pilot with several large customers in Q3, in Q4 we integrated Teamspace into the Xometry platform for all of our buyers to use. Teamspace moves the Xometry marketplace from a focus on individual buyers and parts to procurement teams managing assemblies and products. Teamspace further expands our enterprise solutions and land and expand strategy. We expect Teamspace to drive organic user growth on the marketplace and further drive advertising efficiency. The early feedback is positive. With rapid adoption including over 300 teams created since launch. Two, we continue to expand aggressively internationally, customers and orders are ramping at a solid pace in recently launched markets, including the United Kingdom. In Q3, we had Portuguese to our European site and launched new automated inspection reports for buyers. In early Q4, Xometry Asia in collaboration with Alibaba Group’s 1688.com launched our instant quoting technology on 1688 B2B wholesale marketplace mobile app. Through xometry.eu, xometry.uk and xometry.asia we have leveraged Xometry’s core technology to provide localized marketplaces in 14 different languages with networks of suppliers across Europe and Asia, as well as North America. Three, we made further progress expanding our marketplace menu with new processes materials, finishes, and certifications. In Q3, we launched a new certification on the platform AS9100 which is an important quality management standard for the global aerospace industry. This further expands our capabilities in this vertical and is particularly relevant for customers ordering flight parts. Fourth, we continue to modernize advertising products and expand self-service options on the Thomasnet platform making it easier for suppliers to start their advertising journey. In Q3, we made further investments to move to a pay-for-performance advertising model on Thomasnet.com. Five, today we announced a partnership with Google Cloud leveraging Vertex AI to help accelerate deployment of new auto quoting models within Xometry’s AI-powered Instant Quoting Engine. Since our inception, we’ve been utilizing AI to instantly quote a growing number of categories in our marketplace. Leveraging Vertex AI, Xometry expect to accelerate the deployment of new auto quoting models. With the data we have for hundreds of additional unique categories including many on Thomasnet, we can further grow our customer share wallet, in the giant custom manufacturing market. This partnership represents a formidable combination. Xometry is a technology company disrupting an addressable market that can be measured in multi-trillion dollars and millions of buyers. As we continue to expand the application of our AI, increase the breadth of what we can offer and grow our international footprint. We are serving more and more buyers. Likewise, as we continue to gain market share. We expect more and more suppliers to participate, accepting jobs from buyers, advertising on Thomasnet and using our work center software. Capitalizing on those trends. We not only expect accelerating revenue growth in Q4 this year, we expect robust growth in 2024, and for many years thereafter. We went public in 2021 with the goal of driving significant shareholder value, by building a large disruptive leading technology company in one of the largest global industries. The shift to digital, which has happened in so many other industries is inevitable in custom manufacturing. We are the market leader and every day. We continue to expand our competitive moat by improving upon our proprietary pricing and matching algorithms, growing our data lake, enlarging our network of buyers and suppliers, and increasing our global footprint. Throughout 2023. Our sequential revenue growth and profitability have improved each quarter. In Q4, we expect accelerating revenue growth of approximately 30% and the potential to be adjusted EBITDA breakeven settings Xometry app for a powerful 2024. With that I will now turn the call over to our CFO, Jim Rallo. Jim Rallo: Thanks, Randy, and good morning everyone. As Randy mentioned, Q3 was a record revenue and gross profit quarter for Xometry and we significantly reduced our adjusted EBITDA loss quarter-over-quarter by 51%. Q3 revenue increased 15% year-over-year to $119 million, driven by strong marketplace growth Q3 marketplace revenue was $102 million in supplier services revenue was $16.5 million, reflecting the discontinuation of the sale of supplies. Q3 revenue growth, adjusting for the exit of the supplies business increased 17% year-over-year. Q3 marketplace revenue increased 22% year-over-year driven by a strong growth in the number of active buyers, partly offset by lower average revenue per buyer on a year-over-year basis. Q3 active buyers increased 43% year-over-year to 52,467 with a record net addition of 4,173 active buyers. Our active buyer and order growth, were much stronger than our reported marketplace revenue growth rate in Q3. In Q4, we expect marketplace revenue growth, and active buyer growth to converge. As quarterly revenue per active buyer remained stable year-over-year, this will drive overall marketplace revenue growth of approximately 40% in Q4 year-over-year. In Q3, the percentage of revenue from existing accounts was 96% underscoring the efficiency, and transparency of our business model that leads to increasing account stickiness, and spend over time. Once an account joins our platform, we aim to expand the relationship and increase engagement, and spending activities from the account over time. The number of accounts with last 12 months spend of at least $50,000 on our platform reached 1,223 at the end of Q3, up 26% year-over-year. In Q3, we accelerated the growth of net new accounts with LTM spend of at least $50,000 with 64 versus 50 in Q2. Supplier services revenue declined 16% year-over-year in Q3, we discontinued the sale of supplies in the U.S. in Q2, which negatively impacted supplier services revenue by approximately $2 million year-over-year in Q3. Our core advertising and marketing services revenue remained stable in Q3 quarter-over-quarter. The number of active paying suppliers for Q3, 2023 was 7,415 on a trailing 12-month basis, a decrease of 2% year-over-year. Excluding the impact of the exit of the supplies business, active paying suppliers increased 4% year-over-year. Active paying suppliers is the number of suppliers who have purchased one or more of our supplier services including digital marketing or financial services during the last 12 months. Q3 gross profit was $46.2 million, an increase of 13% year-over-year. Total gross profit margin was 38.9%. Q3 gross margin for marketplace was 31.1%, up 70 basis points year-over-year. Q3 marketplace gross profit dollars increased 25% year-over-year. We are focused on driving marketplace gross profit dollar growth. In Q3, incremental marketplace gross margin was 34% year-over-year providing further visibility to our long-term gross margin expectations of 35% to 40%. We expect marketplace gross margin to expand sequentially from Q3 to Q4. Q3 gross margin for supplier services was an all-time high of 87.2% driven by the high gross margin of Thomas Marketing and advertising services and growing financial services. Supplier services gross margin increased 740 basis points quarter-over-quarter due to the discontinuation of the sales of supplies, which carried a significant lower gross margin. Moving onto Q3 operating costs. Q3 total non-GAAP operating expenses increased 6% year-over-year to $50.5 million. Q3 non-GAAP operating expenses declined $2 million quarter-over-quarter reflecting the full quarter impact of the 4% reduction in workforce and consolidation of office space, we announced in Q2, 2023. Additionally based on our cost savings and operating efficiency initiatives. We are seeing improving profitability in our Thomas Advertising and marketing services business. Within our operating expenses, sales and marketing is our largest component. In Q3, non-GAAP sales and marketing expenses increased 9% to $21.2 million, as compared to $19.5 million in Q3, 2022. This increase in non-GAAP sales and marketing expense on a year-over-year basis, was driven by hiring of additional salespeople to support growth in our land and expand strategy. We delivered record growth in new-net active buyers in Q3, leveraging increasing brand awareness and efficient marketing. Q3 advertising spend decreased 7% year-over-year as we continue to balance growth and profitability goals. Q3 adjusted EBITDA loss was $4.2 million or 3.5% of revenue, compared with 6.3% of revenue in Q3, 2022. Turning to segment reporting. In Q3, revenue from our U.S. and international operating segments was $103 million and $15.5 million respectively. As Randy mentioned earlier, we saw strong order growth in Europe, we had forecast even more European revenue growth in Q3, but some of that has been pushed into Q4, due to the timing of certain orders. We therefore expect particularly strong quarter-over-quarter international revenue growth in Q4. Segment loss from our U.S. and international operating segments for Q3 was $7.9 million and $4.1 million respectively. At the end of the third quarter, cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities were $276.8 million. Now moving on to guidance. We are widening our revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance range, slightly given the rapid growth and increasing size of our business. In particular for revenue. Our range encompasses the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar, which creates a potential incremental headwind in Q4 revenue versus our prior guidance on a spot basis. We expect Q4, 2023, revenue in the range of $126 million to $130 million, representing year-over-year growth of 28% to 32%. We expect marketplace revenue growth to accelerate in Q4 on a year-over-year basis to the 40% range. As previously mentioned in Q4, we expect our marketplace revenue growth to largely converge with the active buyer growth rates that we have consistently delivered this year. In Q4, we expect adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of breakeven to a loss of $2 million. Q4 adjusted EBITDA loss will be lower quarter-over-quarter driven by sequential growth in marketplace revenue improving marketplace gross profit, increased operating efficiency, and further measures to tighten operating expenses. We are continuing to invest in key growth initiatives, including enterprise sales and international. In Q4, we expect stock-based compensation expense to be approximately $5 million to $6 million, which we will exclude from adjusted EBITDA. With that operator, can you please open up the call for questions. See also 12 Countries That Produce the Best Music and 15 Biggest Home Appliance Companies in the World. Q&A Session Follow Xometry Inc. Follow Xometry Inc. We may use your email to send marketing emails about our services. Click here to read our privacy policy. Operator: Thank you very much. [Operator Instructions] Our first question today comes from Brian Drab with William Blair. Your line is open. Brian, your line is open. Shawn Milne: Operator, we can come back to Brian in a second if he is not on. Operator: Pardon me. Shawn Milne: We can come back to Brian in a second. If he jumps back. Let’s go to the next caller. Operator: Okay. Our next caller is Nick Jones from JMP Securities. Your line is open. Nick Jones: Great, thank you for taking the questions. I have two, I guess first on kind of the buyer growth, can you speak to how much the Teamspace is contributing to the buyer growth, I think in the short order there was over 300 teams have been created. Just kind of structurally change the type of kind of net adds, we should expect on the active buyer number. And then I guess a follow-up on this would be you know what is the spending behavior of active buyers coming in through Teamspace, do they spend similarly, if you’re going to increase, maybe the net adds from this solution. Does this maybe weigh on marketplace revenue per active buyer near term as you kind of ratchet up the number of active buyers adding? Thanks. Randy Altschuler: Thanks, Nick. It’s Randy and great question. So we didn’t release Teamspace until October. So in Q3, it was still in beta with just a handful of customers, so the record net add in Q3 was not, because of Teamspace but we certainly think that Teamspace in Q4 and beyond will contribute to net active, the growth in active buyers. At this point, we don’t expect there to be any change negative change in revenue per quarter from active buyers to Teamspace potential upside, but at this point. We certainly don’t expect any downside from it. Shawn Milne: Yes, Nick. It’s, Shawn, Just add in Q3. What we saw as Randy said record net additions. We’re seeing really strong growth in SEO traffic. One of the things we called out on the call was that our cost of a net new active buyer was down 27% year-over-year, so seeing very strong efficiency in advertising. We’re also seeing very good growth in Europe as well. And just seeing across the board. Our brand awareness is improving and you should continue to see very healthy net adds going forward. Nick Jones: If I said, to this is quick follow-up on international, you are still strong year-over-year growth, but sequentially, it was kind of flat in 3Q anything to call out on what’s happening internationally are things may be slowing down a little bit, on a sequential basis or just any extra color there would be great? Thanks. Randy Altschuler: Yes, no Nick. Business is very healthy in international and again this year as we talk about [ph] international is primarily Europe order growth and buyer growth is very strong. It was really just a timing issue. So, as we call out on the call. You’re going to see some really strong quarter-over-quarter revenue growth in international, particularly in Europe in Q4. So everything is going great. It’s more of a timing issue and you should see a nice uptick in Q4. Shawn Milne: Yes, it’s Shawn, just to double-click on that. I mean, again that was a very slight timing issue. Although revenues are recognized in October. And we have good visibility there. We expect strong sequential growth, as Randy said top of the funnel in Europe in Q3 year-over-year was very strong in terms of buyer and order growth......»»
Yuan De Facto Peg To The Dollar Looks Here To Stay
Yuan De Facto Peg To The Dollar Looks Here To Stay By George Lei, Bloomberg Markets Live reporter and strategist The US dollar suffered its worse selloff since mid-July last week, bringing some relief to China’s policymakers. With the world’s second-largest economy effectively pegging the yuan to the greenback, Beijing can ride the likely wave of dollar weakness that will also see the Chinese currency depreciate on a trade-weighted basis. Dollar-yuan has traded around 7.30 since mid-August in both onshore and offshore markets: fluctuations, either upward or downward, have been less than 1%. The steady hand of PBOC helped suppress one-month implied volatility on the onshore yuan below 3%, to the lowest since February 2022. In offshore trading, where PBOC has relatively less clout, one-month implied vol is now lower than 4%, at levels last seen in April 2022. PBOC’s favorite tool for stabilizing the dollar-yuan exchange rate is its daily fixing. The Chinese central bank has kept such a tight grip on the reference rate, sending its volatility to almost zero, something that last took place 13 years ago. From the onset of global financial crisis in 2008 to the middle of 2010, Chinese authorities essentially pegged their currency at 6.82 per dollar. Suppressing swings in the dollar-yuan exchange rate is the main route on the road to financial stability. But with it comes side effects that can create headwinds for an economy struggling to recover. Between mid-July and early-October, the Bloomberg dollar spot index rallied almost 7% from its 2023 low to high. While the yuan declined against the dollar over the same period, on a trade-weighted basis it advanced nearly 4%. That’s because the Chinese currency held up much better against the greenback than other currencies under the PBOC’s support. Now, should the weakening dollar trend persist, the yuan will likely follow suit on a trade-weighted basis, helping boost the country’s competitiveness. “It would be too early to declare victory in preserving RMB stability and PBOC will likely phase out its FX policy support gradually,” Ken Cheung, chief asian FX strategist at Mizuho Bank Ltd. said in a client email on Monday. While outflows from onshore equities have moderated recently, China’s property market is still not out of the woods yet and the growth outlook remains generally bearish, Cheung noted. While the PBOC has practically left yuan’s daily fixings flat, the currency has kept trading on the weaker side over the past couple months, sometimes pushing the boundaries set by policymakers (yuan is only permitted to deviate a maximum 2% away from the reference rate in onshore trading). If the PBOC were to loosen its grip, market equilibrium will probably imply a much weaker Chinese currency despite a falling US dollar. Bearish dollar moves are “likely to do much of the work” for the PBOC, which makes it less likely for policymakers to “give up on their defense of the currency,” according to a research report from JPMorgan on Friday. The US bank believes a large downside move in dollar-yuan is unlikely given the easing policy stance, and favors selling 3-month volatility for USD/CNH. Tyler Durden Mon, 11/06/2023 - 21:40.....»»
Longform links: remembering sentences
Thursdays are all about longform links on Abnormal Returns. You can check out last week’s linkfest including a look at the power... BooksAn excerpt from "Optimal Illusions: The False Promise of Optimization" by Coco Krumme. (engadget.com)An excerpt from Michael Wolff's new book, "The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty." (theankler.com)A Q&A with Taylor Lorenz author of "Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet." (vox.com)HealthIs the 'war on cancer' a failure? (thewalrus.ca)Hockey has yet to come to terms with its CTE issue. (nytimes.com)What are we to make of declining testosterone levels? (piratewires.com)ScienceOur understanding of Neanderthals is outdated. (theguardian.com)On the origins of the Indo-European language tree. (bigthink.com)Animal communication is more sophisticated than commonly thought. (nytimes.com)MoviesA profile of 80-year old director Martin Scorcese. (gq.com)How A24 turned into a cultural powerhouse. (thegeneralist.substack.com)LongreadsScrutiny has now turned to Sam Bankman-Fried's parents. (newyorker.com)How history will look back at the tenure of General Mark Milley. (theatlantic.com)A catch-22: the world needs more air conditioning. More air conditioning fuels climate change. (washingtonpost.com)The state of the global wristwatch market. (asiancenturystocks.com)You can thank private equity for the mainstreaming of AR-15s. (wsj.com)A profile of OpenAI founder Sam Altman. (nymag.com)Why economics professors are paid more than sociology professors. (noahpinion.blog)How to manage the different phases of a creative career. (moretothat.com)The downside of AP classes. (newrepublic.com).....»»
Hedge Fund and Insider Trading News: Steve Cohen, Cathie Wood, Caledonia Investments, Vapotherm Inc (VAPO), Inhibrx, Inc. (INBX), and More
What’s Next For Bitcoin ETFs? Cathie Wood, ARK Invest Experts Weigh In (Investors.com) The cryptocurrency industry eagerly awaits the next decision from the Securities and Exchange Commission after a U.S. court ruling a week ago regarding Grayscale Investments (GBTC). Experts believe the ruling moves the U.S. another step closer to getting its first bitcoin exchange […] What’s Next For Bitcoin ETFs? Cathie Wood, ARK Invest Experts Weigh In (Investors.com) The cryptocurrency industry eagerly awaits the next decision from the Securities and Exchange Commission after a U.S. court ruling a week ago regarding Grayscale Investments (GBTC). Experts believe the ruling moves the U.S. another step closer to getting its first bitcoin exchange traded fund. “We’re really excited about some of the breakthroughs in the regulatory landscape when it comes to crypto,” Cathie Wood, ARK Invest CEO said during the “In The Know with Cathie Wood” podcast episode released late Friday. Steve Cohen’s Point72 Ventures Leads $15M Fundraising in Swiss Fintech GenTwo (Coin Desk) GenTwo, a fintech platform that specializes in securitization, raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by hedge fund luminary Steve Cohen’s Point72 Ventures, the company said on its website. The Zurich-based firm plans to use the funding to grow internationally and to develop its financial engineering platform. The company’s PRO platform lets investors securitize and bring to market any asset or investment strategy in the form of a bankable security. It allows for non-bankable assets including real estate, fine art or digital assets to be made accessible to all investors. Hedge Funds Block Commercial REIT Merger (The Wall Street Journal) Real-estate investment trusts Diversified Healthcare Trust and Office Properties Income Trust say they won’t move forward with the merger proposed by their manager RMR Group. The deal’s termination follows an opposition proxy campaign by hedge funds with large stakes in Diversified Healthcare, including DE Shaw, Flat Footed, H/2 Capital Partners and Lonestar Capital. The hedge funds said the transaction would burden Diversified Healthcare, which primarily owns retirement communities and medical facilities, with office properties that are struggling to keep tenants. That would protect fee revenue for RMR but hurt Diversified Healthcare shareholders, they said. Source: pexels Caledonia Hedge Fund Encourages Investors to Hold On to Controversial Zillow Investment (ClaytonCountyRegister) Caledonia, the hedge fund run by joint chief investment officers Will Vicars and Mike Messara, has urged its investors to hold and top up on their shares in North American real estate platform Zillow. Despite turmoil in the US property market, Caledonia remains confident in Zillow’s long-term potential. Mortgage rates in the US have reached their highest level in more than 20 years, leading to fewer homes on the market. As a result, some homeowners are unable to move due to the increased cost of switching to higher mortgages. However, Caledonia believes that this situation has created pent-up demand for house moves, which will eventually favor Zillow. Ex-GIC Bond Manager Launches Hedge Fund (Finews.asia) A former credit portfolio manager at Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC is reportedly launching a hedge fund in London. Ex-GIC bond manager Reuben Abrams will roll out a hedge fund in London, according to a «Reuters» report citing a client note from BNP Paribas. The fund – Adira Investment Management – is a long/short strategy focused on corporate credit and launch in the fourth quarter of this year......»»
NYU, Columbia And Other Top Med Schools Face Discrimination Complaints By White, Asian Teens
NYU, Columbia And Other Top Med Schools Face Discrimination Complaints By White, Asian Teens Six medical schools in New York state have been hit with civil rights complaints by white and asian teens who say the schools have made it easier for blacks and other races to join their introductory courses. According to the Daily Mail, Columbia, NYU and other top institutions now face probes by the federal Department of Education, after six letters of complaint were filed with the DoE's civil rights office in New York. The complaints, filed by the nonprofit Equal Protection Project (EPP), say the state's Science and Technology Entry Program (NY-STEP) makes it easier for some 7-12th graders to get a spot than others. Under the scheme, students who are black, Latino, Alaskan native or American Indian can seek a place. Others — including whites and Asians — have to also show they're 'economically disadvantaged' to apply. According to EPP founder William Jacobson, this "additional barrier to eligibility" is illegal. "Erecting additional barriers for some races and ethnic groups in and of itself is unlawful discrimination," he told the Mail. "Imagine if the roles were reversed, and these programs explicitly favored Asians and whites — there would be universal outrage and these medical schools would never accept such funding." According to the report, the discriminatory schemes are designed to give "highly motivated" secondary school students access to the state's top medical schools, where they can learn key skills and obtain a mentor - with the goal to "increase the number of historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students" in the medical field, according to Columbia's website. Jacobson says that the policy unfairly assumes that all asian and white kids have it easy. "The eligibility guidelines engage in the types of crude stereotypes that presume students of certain racial and ethnic groups are disadvantaged and in need of preference," he said. Albany Medical College's website features details of the NY-STEP scheme According to EPP, the schools should face fines or lose federal funding. The civil rights office is a 'neutral fact-finder' that aims to investigate complaints and propose resolutions, according to its website. The letters refer to the US Supreme Court's decision in June to strike down affirmative action in college admissions. The justices declared that race cannot be a factor in the process, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. EPP says it is against racial discrimination in college admissions. Most of its cases and complaints involve discrimination against whites. -Daily Mail Of note, black students made up one-tenth of those enrolled int he 2022-2023 year according to the report, while Latinos made up 12%. Tyler Durden Mon, 08/28/2023 - 20:00.....»»
Progressive Insurance Sued Over "Patently Unlawful" Racism For $25K Black-Only Business Grants
Progressive Insurance Sued Over 'Patently Unlawful' Racism For $25K Black-Only Business Grants Progressive insurance is being sued for "patently unlawful" racism over a program which awards exclusively black-owned businesses $25,000, while allegedly discriminating against businesses owned by white, asian, hispanic and anyone else who isn't black. Filed in an Ohio federal court on Wednesday by the conservative group America First Legal (AFL) - which is headed by former senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller - the class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of the owner of Freedom Truck Dispatch, Nathan Roberts, claims that Progressive racially discriminated against non-black small-business owners by offering the grants to 10 "black-owned small businesses to use toward the purchase of a commercial vehicle." The lawsuit claims that on May 24, Roberts - a customer of Progressive - received an email advertising "a grant opportunity for their [Progressive’s] commercial-trucking small-business owners," but that "Progressive decided that only black-owned businesses would be eligible for these grants," since "studies have shown how inequities have made it harder for black entrepreneurs to access capital." Progressive is joined by defendant Hello Alice, which it partnered with on the financial award extended to black-owned businesses with 10 or fewer employees and a turnaround below $5 million. The insurance company announced its 2023 winners in a Tuesday press release, which stated that "Progressive is stepping in to provide funding to Black entrepreneurs to help navigate their small business journey." According to Roberts' suit, the entire scheme was nothing more than "racially discriminatory grantmaking" with the "racially discriminatory requirement" to be black in order to qualify. AFL lawyer Gene Hamilton told the Daily Mail that the case was part of a larger pushback against big corporations injecting "racial considerations into every aspect of their business operations, employment practices, and so much more." The lawsuit asks that the court declare Progressive's grants illegal, and to award the plaintiffs "nominal" compensation and legal fees. Tyler Durden Sun, 08/20/2023 - 20:00.....»»
Tuesday links: a lot of luck
StrategyDon't make your investments based on who is in the White House. (retirementresearcher.com)When do dividend-focused strategies outperform? (morningstar.com)SemiconductorsArm Holdings is planning investments from Apple, Samsung and Intel on its IPO. (asia.nikkei.com)Taiwan Semi ($TSM) is building a big chip factory in Germany. (retirementresearcher.com)Weight lossIn a study, Novo Nordisk’s ($NVO) Wegovy not only helped people lose weight but also reduced their risk of cardiovascular events. (biopharmadive.com)A large portion of the population is interested in obesity drugs, but don't want to do injectables. (nytimes.com)As evidence piles up, insurers will have a problem not paying for the new weight loss drugs. (bloomberg.com)Venture capitalSome sectors, like co-working, that turned out to be 'winner-take-none.' (hunterwalk.com)Chinese VCs are pulling back from the U.S. (scmp.com)News mediaWhy the media needs to be more credulous when covering Elon Musk. (platformer.news)Puck News just raised a new round (~$10 million) of capital. (axios.com)EconomyWhat does measures of 'economic uncertainty' actually measure? (ritholtz.com)Twitter's changes may wreck it as a sentiment tool. (economist.com)Lotteries are 'state-sponsored scams.' (whyisthisinteresting.substack.com)Earlier on Abnormal ReturnsResearch links: learning in a bear market. (abnormalreturns.com)What you missed in our Monday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)Adviser links: next generation investors. (abnormalreturns.com)Are you a financial adviser looking for some out-of-the-box thinking? Then check out our weekly e-mail newsletter. (newsletter.abnormalreturns.com)Mixed mediaKKR ($KKR) is buying book publisher Simon & Schuster. (variety.com)How to become a better reader in adulthood. (vox.com).....»»
Friday links: troubling economic effects
StrategyWhy you can't hedge inflation in the short run. (whitecoatinvestor.com)A Q&A with William Bernstein author of "The Four Pillars of Investing." (wsj.com)Don't confuse collectibles with investments. (investmentnews.com)AppleServices and wearables are the standouts for Apple ($AAPL). (sixcolors.com)Why Apple ($AAPL) is shifting iPhone production to India. (asia.nikkei.com)Apple's new Vision Pro is going to need content. (theverge.com)CompaniesNetflix ($NFLX) changed how content is made. Hence the Hollywood strikes. (theatlantic.com)Cold drinks make up some 75% of Starbucks ($SBUX) sales. (qsrmagazine.com)Do you really want to get your healthcare from Dollar General ($DG)? (prospect.org)Private equity, i.e. KKR ($KKR) is circling publisher Simon & Schuster. (wsj.com)ReadingMorgan Housel, "A good reading filter is more art than science. You’ll have to find one that works for you." (collabfund.com)Simon Sarris, "You should start many books and complete few. You should never feel beholden to completing them, there are simply too many worthwhile works to read." (map.simonsarris.com)EconomyThe July NFP report showed a 187k jump in jobs and a 3.5% unemployment rate. (calculatedriskblog.com)There is continued deceleration in the jobs market. (bonddad.blogspot.com)The American economy is normalizing. (carsongroup.com)The U.S. economy has reached a new, post-pandemic phase. (ft.com)Earlier on Abnormal ReturnsPodcast links: having better conversations. (abnormalreturns.com)What you missed in our Thursday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)Longform links: the case for optimism. (abnormalreturns.com)Make a plan for your stuff, before someone else has to. (abnormalreturns.com)Are you a financial adviser looking for some out-of-the-box thinking? Then check out our weekly e-mail newsletter. (newsletter.abnormalreturns.com)Mixed mediaAn example of how doing a simple task immediately could save a lot of hassle down the road. (josephcwells.com)Why you should treat your to-do list more like a menu. (ckarchive.com)More people are simply avoiding the news. (msn.com).....»»
Saturday links: suppressed complaints
On Saturdays we catch up with the non-finance related items that we didn’t get to earlier in the week. You can check... TeslaTesla ($TSLA) has long tried to suppress complaints about vehicle range. (reuters.com)Long term Tesla ($TSLA) owners still love their vehicles. (bloomberg.com)EVsA consortium of automakers is planning to build out a U.S. charging network. (bloomberg.com)GM ($GM) is struggling on the battery manufacturing front. (nytimes.com)EV makers are upping their goals to create family-style vehicles. (wsj.com)TransportFive ways the U.S. car buying experience has changed. (wsj.com)There is a shortage of truck parking spots. (slate.com)Teens and e-bikes can be a deadly combination. (nytimes.com)EnergyStartup Fervo Energy has demonstrated a viable geothermal energy system. (engadget.com)How offshore wind is transforming these East coast ports. (wsj.com)As fossil fuel assets are stranded they also need to be cleaned up. (vox.com)A look at some bladeless wind turbines. (wsj.com)WaterCalifornia's reservoirs are filling back up again. (washingtonpost.com)Do coastal home owners (and buyers) have the climate data they need to make informed decisions? (bloomberg.com)How Chinese dams affect countries downstream. (asia.nikkei.com)Recycled wastewater is the future. (reasonstobecheerful.world)EnvironmentYou can't hide from heat, so you have to adapt. (scientificamerican.com)Why geoengineering solutions should not be off the table. (marginalrevolution.com)Forests are losing their ability to store carbon. (scientificamerican.com)TravelWhat you need to know about tarmac delays. (wsj.com)Amsterdam will bar cruise ships from docking in the city center. (nytimes.com)Why Clear is controversial. (msn.com)PsychedelicsCan patients get the benefits of psychedelics without the trip? (vox.com)Psychedelics could hold promise for treating anorexia. (newscientist.com)Why Tyler Cowen doesn't use psychedelics. (marginalrevolution.com)BehaviorWhy the youth suicide rate may be overstated. (marginalrevolution.com)You are doing your vacation all wrong. (theatlantic.com)In praise of being lazy. (fastcompany.com)HealthModerna ($MRNA) and Merck ($MRK) are pushing forward with a melanoma mRNA vaccine. (biopharmadive.com)How statins can reduce cardiovascular risk for patients with HIV. (statnews.com)As many as 450,000 Americans may be living with alpha-gal syndrome. (nytimes.com)What it looks like to treat a population with obesity drugs at-scale. (slate.com)Who should get the new RSV vaccines? (washingtonpost.com)FitnessExtreme heat makes taking that daily walk challenging. (slate.com)On the importance of upping your non-exercise activity thermogenesis. (npr.org)DrugsCannabis has a sustainability problem. (modernfarmer.com)Herbal supplement Kratom is blamed for causing a number of deaths. (npr.org)Teenagers love their energy drinks way too much. (theguardian.com)FoodA new avocado breed is coming to market. (axios.com)Vegan diets account for fewer carbon emissions. (phys.org)Can you trust the labels on tinned fish? (modernfarmer.com)What is baby corn anyway? (mentalfloss.com)DiningWhat 'The Bear' gets right about Chicago. (nytimes.com)What happens when Dave Portnoy walks into your pizza place. (slate.com)When different states start to eat dinner. (flowingdata.com)DrinkThe drop in alcohol consumption from the Middle Ages to modern society is stunning. (lefineder.substack.com)How Modelo Especial became the best-selling beer in America. (nytimes.com)The states where alcohol-related deaths are on the rise. (washingtonpost.com)Would you drink beer from recycled wastewater? (nytimes.com)SportsDaniel Snyder was arguably the worst owner in U.S. pro sports, yet still walked away with a $5 billion profit. (huddleup.substack.com)Why league investments in ESPN would be a poisoned chalice. (bloomberg.com)What are we to make of Saudi Arabia's investment in soccer? (variety.com)CollegesDavid Deming, "The bottom line is that going to an Ivy-Plus college really matters, especially for high-status positions in society." (forklightning.substack.com)Change these twelve colleges and you change the country. (msn.com)Legacy and wealth are intertwined. (nytimes.com)Earlier on Abnormal ReturnsWhat you missed in our Friday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)Podcast links: how to say no better. (abnormalreturns.com)Are you a financial adviser looking for some out-of-the-box thinking? Then check out our weekly e-mail newsletter. (newsletter.abnormalreturns.com)Mixed mediaWhy so many people feel comfortable posting videos of strangers online. (wired.com)How workers adjust when they switch to a four day workweek. (wsj.com)Quiet luxury works only for those who know what to listen for. (nytimes.com).....»»
Wednesday links: the market’s other plans
MarketsA look at all the signs of risk-on behavior. (wsj.com)Some clues that showed the way to a better 2023 for the stock market. (carsongroup.com)Microsoft's ($MSFT) stock is at an all-time high. (cnbc.com)The VIX is at it lowest post-Covid level. (axios.com)CashCash often looks best, when it is the worst investment. (thisisthetop.substack.com)Reinvestment risk is real. (peterlazaroff.com)FinanceDistressed debt investors have more inventory coming down the pike. (bloomberg.com)Nasdaq ($NDAQ) is hitting pause on its crypto custody plans. (coindesk.com)Oddity Tech ($ODD) priced above the range. (wsj.com)Venture capitalIs the venture capital model based on predatory pricing? (businessinsider.com)New startups have a limited amount of time to dig a moat. (notboring.co)ETFsHow the Innovator US Equity Principal Protected ETF is different. (ft.com)A single-stock ETF now has more than $1 billion in AUM. (etf.com)TeslaTesla's ($TSLA) board is having to repay $735 million after being sued. (arstechnica.com)What is Tesla's ($TSLA) self-driving technology worth, if anything? (ft.com)FoodChipotle ($CMG) is now targeting smaller towns. (wsj.com)America loves hot dogs. Why don't more fast food restaurants serve them? (marketwatch.com)Dairy Queen rules the ice cream roost around most of the country. (axios.com)There is a truce in the 'Taco Tuesday' wars. (wsj.com)GlobalBritain is a developing country. (sambowman.co)Japan has started to increase retirement ages. (asia.nikkei.com)HousingThere are few houses for sale. That's why homebuilders are booming. (wsj.com)Falling rents are baking in lower inflation down the road. (bloomberg.com)Your home should reflect you, not HGTV. (washingtonpost.com)EconomyThe Citi U.S. economic surprise index is soaring. (axios.com)What the inverted yield curve is really telling us. (disciplinefunds.com)Earlier on Abnormal ReturnsPersonal finance links: unfair comparisons. (abnormalreturns.com)What you missed in our Tuesday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)Research links: the promise of outperformance. (abnormalreturns.com)Are you a financial adviser looking for some out-of-the-box thinking? Then check out our weekly e-mail newsletter. (newsletter.abnormalreturns.com)Mixed mediaThree ways that taking a vacation helps well-being. (hbr.org).....»»
Tuesday links: a geopolitical rift
BooksAn excerpt from Scott Patterson's "Chaos Kings: How Wall Street Traders Make Billions in the New Age of Crisis." (fortune.com)Insights from "The Uncertainty Solution: How to Invest with Confidence in the Face of the Unknown" by John Jennings. (cxoadvisory.com)Five insights from Scott Patterson's "Chaos Kings: How Wall Street Traders Make Billions in the New Age of Crisis." (nextbigideaclub.com)AIThe OpenAI-Microsoft ($MSFT) partnership is not without conflict. (wsj.com)How Salesforce ($CRM) is position itself for the AI revolution. (fastcompany.com)Accenture ($ACN) is planning to spend big on AI. (venturebeat.com)FinanceDissension inside Goldman Sachs ($GS) is growing. (wsj.com)Why this activist investor is facing off with John Malone over Comscore ($SCOR). (institutionalinvestor.com)FraudDid fintech lenders abet widespread PPP fraud? (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)Investigators are still toting up the costs of Covid-19 pandemic relief fraud. (apnews.com)JapanWhat Japanese officials are doing to boost the stock prices of depressed companies. (mailchi.mp)Citadel is reopening its office in Japan. (asia.nikkei.com)DemographyDerek Thompson talks with Andrew Yeo about falling global fertility rates. (theringer.com)Marriage registrations in China keep falling. (semafor.com)EconomyYear-over-year consumer inflation ran at 4.0% in May. (calculatedriskblog.com)Falling shelter prices will drive the next leg down in CPI. (bonddad.blogspot.com)What a plain vanilla term spread model says about the prospects for a recession. (econbrowser.com)Earlier on Abnormal ReturnsResearch links: time period sensitivity. (abnormalreturns.com)What you missed in our Monday linkfest. (abnormalreturns.com)Adviser links: paying for advice. (abnormalreturns.com)Are you a financial adviser looking for some out-of-the-box thinking? Then check out our weekly e-mail newsletter. (newsletter.abnormalreturns.com)Mixed mediaWhy platform owners keep making the same mistake. (om.co)The Athletic is turning its back on its founding ethos. (defector.com)Reddit is at war with itself. (platformer.news).....»»