Coffee Chat with Jake

So, I was hanging out with my buddy Jake the other day, grabbing a coffee. Jake's this total finance nerd, always talking about the stock market and stuff. We ended up chatting about Eli Lilly's latest earnings report, which had just come out.

Impressive Revenue Growth

Jake was stoked about the report! Eli Lilly absolutely crushed it this quarter, with sales jumping a crazy 36%. Their big-name drugs like Mounjaro, Zepbound, and Verzenio were killing it. It wasn't just a little win – everyone in finance was talking about it.

A Milestone in Alzheimer's Treatment

The coolest thing in the whole report was that they got approval for Kisunla to treat Alzheimer's. It's a huge deal for everyone, not just Eli Lilly. Jake's grandma had Alzheimer's, so he was super pumped about it. It gave him hope for other families going through the same thing.

Bold Revenue Guidance

But it wasn't just about the numbers and new drugs. Eli Lilly also raised their full-year revenue guidance by $3 billion, which is a pretty bold move. It shows their confidence in the continued growth and success of their products. Jake and I joked about how we wished we could raise our own "revenue guidance" by a few billion dollars!

Earnings Per Share Soar

The earnings per share (EPS) also saw a significant increase, jumping 68% to $3.28 on a reported basis. This kind of growth is impressive and speaks volumes about the company's strategic direction and execution.

Okay, so you know Tesla, right? Those sleek electric cars that everyone's talking about? Well, there's a whole other side to them. They're not just about zooming around in style. Tesla's also got this energy thing going on. Let's dive in.

Soaking Up the Sun

Think of your roof as a giant battery pack. Not really, but close. That’s what Tesla’s solar roof is all about. It looks very cool, like futuristic shingles, and converts sunlight into free electricity. It’s like having your own power plant, without pollution or sky-high costs.

Power Packed

Now what do you do with all that extra energy when the sun isn’t shining? That’s where the Powerpack comes in. It’s a particularly large battery, but it’s way cooler. Think of it as a large electricity bank for your home or business. You no longer have to worry about power outages or those crazy power bills. When the sun slinks away, leaving solar panels lonely, the Powerpacks step in. They store excess energy, like diligent squirrels hoarding acorns for winter. And when the grid stumbles, they swoop in, powering hospitals, homes, and even that one guy's vintage arcade collection.

The Megapack Saga

But wait, there's more! Tesla unleashed the Megapack—a beastly sibling to the Powerpack. Think of it as the Hagrid of energy storage. These giants sprawl across open fields, silently soaking up sunlight during the day. When the night descends, they unleash their stored might, keeping cities aglow. It's like having a superhero team—Solar Panels, Powerpacks, and Megapacks—saving the day, one kilowatt-hour at a time.

The Autobahn to Grid Independence

Tesla’s energy business is not limited to devices; It’s about freedom. Imagine a world where your home generates electricity, dances with the sun, and provides great ventilation. No more shackles to utility bills; no more fretting during blackouts. It's like telling the grid, "Hey, thanks for the memories, but I've got this." And that's what Tesla whispers to every homeowner: "You're not just a consumer; you're an energy pioneer."

Once upon a time in the heart of Silicon Valley, there existed a company that wove intricate circuits and digital dreams. Its name? Broadcom Inc. (AVGO).

The Rise of AVGO: A Tale of Chips and Ambition

At Broadcom HQ, things were buzzing. Engineers were everywhere, all crowded around blueprints, their eyes practically glowing with ideas. They were basically building the tiny brains that run our phones, connect our houses to the internet, and even talk to those space things zooming way up in the sky. These tiny silicon marvels held the promise of a connected future—a world where data flowed seamlessly, like electrons dancing through copper wires.

But Broadcom wasn't just about circuits; it was about ambition. Its founder, Henry Samueli, had a vision: to build bridges between people, devices, and distant galaxies. Okay, maybe not galaxies, but you get the idea. Samueli believed in the magic of connectivity—the way a Wi-Fi signal could unite a coffee shop in Ohio with a teahouse in Tokyo.

The Stock Market Tango: AVGO's Dance with Investors

Fast-forward to Wall Street. AVGO's stock price swirled like a tango—sometimes graceful, sometimes wild. Investors watched, hearts racing, as the numbers pirouetted across screens. The Nasdaq cheered, and the S&P 500 nodded in approval. AVGO had become a star performer, dazzling the financial world.

Institutional investors, those mysterious titans of finance, whispered secrets in boardrooms. They held AVGO close, like a prized possession. Mutual funds, pension funds—they all wanted a piece of the action. And why not? Broadcom's earnings per share (EPS) danced to a tune of $23.20, a melody that resonated across trading floors.

Insiders' Whispers and Retail Rebels

But wait, there's more! Insiders—those elusive company executives—had their own moves. They bought and sold shares, their transactions etched in SEC filings. A CEO's purchase signaled confidence; a CFO's sale raised eyebrows. It was a stock market soap opera, complete with plot twists and cliffhangers.

And then there were the retail rebels—the everyday investors. They chatted on Reddit, tweeted stock tips, and rode the AVGO rollercoaster. Some held diamond hands, refusing to let go even when the market dipped. Others panicked, their paper gains slipping through trembling fingers. Currently, famed inside trader Nancy Pelosi has purchased twenty call options with a strike price of $800 that expire in a year.

Short Squeezes and Moonshots

Short interest loomed like a shadow. Bears bet against AVGO, hoping for a stumble. But sometimes, the market flipped the script. A short squeeze—a sudden surge in price—sent shorts scrambling. It was David versus Goliath, with pixels and algorithms replacing slingshots.

As for the moonshots? Well, AVGO didn't literally shoot to the moon, but it reached new heights. $1,851.62 per share—a record! The stock soared, leaving contrails of financial stardust.

All right, so tech stocks are like, super hot right now, and Dell (ticker symbol DELL) is totally in the spotlight. Everyone's excited about AI, and that's driving Dell's stock price way up. But should you buy it? Let's figure it out!

The AI Hype

Dell's stock has been on a wild ride, up a whopping 213% in the past year! This is all thanks to the buzz around their new AI servers. These super-powered machines use fancy Nvidia chips and are supposed to change how data centers work, which would be great for Dell's business. But is it all just talk, or is there something real here?

The Reality Check

Morningstar equity analyst William Kerwin provides a reality check. While AI servers are indeed a growth driver, they constitute less than 2% of Dell's sales. These GPU-enabled servers cater to businesses hosting smaller AI-based tools within their data centers—not the heavy hitters like OpenAI. Moreover, the high cost of GPU chips eats into Dell's margins.

The Bottom Line

One analyst, Kerwin, thinks Dell's stock is only worth around $55, which is way less than its price right now. So, even though everyone's excited about AI, they might be getting a little carried away about how much money it'll make Dell. Keep an eye on Dell, but maybe hold off on buying for now.

Personal Take

As an investor, I've learned that hype can be intoxicating. But it's essential to separate the noise from the substance. Dell's AI journey is intriguing, but let's not forget the fundamentals. Perhaps it's time to balance excitement with a dose of skepticism.

As the dust settles after the 2024 election, tax policy emerges as a hot topic. Both major political parties—Democrats and Republicans—laid out their visions for the future. Let’s break down their ideas and explore how they can impact everyday Americans.

The Democrats' Blueprint

1. Corporate Taxes

President Biden wants to raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% next year. This would mean businesses gotta pay more in taxes. The idea is to get more money for the government and help even things out for everyone. Some folks say this will hurt businesses, but others think it's needed to pay for stuff like social programs.

2. Capital Gains and Dividends

Biden's plan targets capital gains and dividends. Taxpayers with income in excess of $1 million will be taxed at regular income on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends. In addition, he would face taxes on the $5 million withdrawal of unrealized capital gains upon death. The goal? Making sure the richest contribute their fair share.

3. Tax Credits and Deductions

The Child Tax Credit would become fully refundable on a permanent basis, providing much-needed relief for families. Young children would receive an increased credit of $3,600, while older children would get $3,000. These changes, though temporary, aim to alleviate financial strain.

The Republicans' Counterproposal

1. Tariffs and Exemptions

Former President Trump's camp has floated the idea of replacing income taxes with tariffs. While this might simplify the tax system, it raises concerns about international trade relations. Trump also proposes exempting tips from income taxes—a move that could benefit service industry workers.

2. Steel, Aluminum, and Green Energy

On the trade front, Trump suggests maintaining current Section 301 tariffs while raising tariffs on an additional $18 billion worth of steel, aluminum, and green energy and medical goods. The goal is to protect domestic industries and jobs.

A Personal Perspective

As a small business owner, I've grappled with the impact of tax policies. While higher corporate taxes might strain my bottom line, I appreciate the focus on fairness and social welfare. On the other hand, tariff-based systems could disrupt global supply chains, affecting my business's operations.

Social Media Post Sparks Another Rally

It’s not every day in the world of stocks that a single social media post can send Wall Street into a tizzy. But to be Roaring Kitty, the rules of the game seem to bend a bit. Today, the markets witnessed a spectacle as GameStop's shares took a joyride on the roller-coaster of meme stock mania, all thanks to a cryptic yet potent post by the one and only Roaring Kitty.

More Than Just a Meme

Let's set the scene: It's a regular trading day, and the buzz around GameStop had been, well, more of a murmur lately. Enter Roaring Kitty, the trader who became a legend in the meme stock saga, with a Reddit post that was anything but ordinary. The post? A screenshot that sent the message boards ablaze with speculation. The result? GameStop shares closed nearly 75% higher the next day.

The Power of Social Media

But wait, there's more. This isn't just a tale of stocks and screenshots. It's about the power of influence and the underdog story that keeps on giving. Known in the real world as Keith Gill, the roaring cat has become something of a folk hero in the business community. His apparent opinion of the video game retailer, highlighted in the letter, was enough to trigger wild pre-sale trading.

Roaring Kitty: The King of Meme Stocks

And the numbers? They're as eye-popping as the rally itself. We're talking about a position that's purportedly worth a cool $175 million³. That's not just chump change; that's a war chest that could make even the most stoic of hedge fund managers do a double-take.

So, what is the moral of the story? In the age of social media and retail trading, stock market dynamics can change in the blink of an eye—or at the click of a "post" button. Roaring Kitty’s latest move is a reminder that in stocks, sometimes a wild card isn’t just part of the deck; his hands are dealing the cards.

Buckle up, tech fans! Microsoft just unveiled a brand new kind of Windows PC at their fancy new digs, and it's all about AI. They're calling them Copilot+ PCs, and let me tell you, these machines are seriously brainy.

Here's the lowdown:

Super Speed: Copilot+ PCs blow the doors off other laptops. Ditch the charger anxiety! Copilot+ PCs boast mind-bending speed (over 40 trillion operations per second!), leaving even the latest MacBook Air in the dust. And the best part? You still get all-day battery life.

AI Smarts: These PCs aren't just speedy; they're brainiacs. Imagine a computer that remembers everything you've ever seen on it, helps you find anything instantly, and even creates cool AI images for you. That's the magic of Copilot+. Plus, it translates conversations in real-time, so language barriers become a thing of the past.

Style Meets Smarts: Copilot+ PCs come in a variety of styles, with options from Microsoft's Surface line and leading brands like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung. Pre-orders are available now with prices starting at $999, and general availability begins June 18th.

The Beginning

This regular dude with a day job saw something special in GameStop way back in 2019. He thought the stock was way undervalued, so he started buying options like crazy. Basically, he bet the stock would go up, big time. And guess what? He was right!

The Reddit Forum and YouTube Fame

Keith didn't keep his insights to himself. As Roaring Kitty, he shared regular updates on WallStreetBets, a Reddit forum. His YouTube channel echoed his enthusiasm, touting GameStop as a solid investment. Then, in August 2020, something crazy happened. A big-shot investor named Ryan Cohen bought a ton of GameStop stock, and the price went nuts! Keith's original $53,000 investment ballooned to a cool $1 million.

The Short Squeeze Phenomenon

A thing called a "short squeeze" happened, and GameStop's price went NUTS, skyrocketing to almost $500 a share! Keith's investment became a whopping $48 million. He admitted, "I thought this trade would be successful, but I never expected what happened over the past week."

Market Volatility and Unwavering Belief

The party didn't last forever, though. The stock price dropped a bunch in February, but Keith stayed true to GameStop. He actually bought even more shares, bringing his total to over 100,000! He also had a bunch of options contracts and extra cash on the side. This guy wasn't messing around.

April 2021: The Millionaire's Journey

Keith exercised 500 call options contracts, gaining 50,000 more shares at $12 each. Then he bought another 50,000 shares, pushing his total holdings to over $30 million. As of April 16, 2021, Keith's Reddit post hinted at nearly $20 million in gains, with GameStop's share price at $154.69.

Remember that whole "everything's getting more expensive" thing? Inflation? Yeah, it might be making a comeback. So, how do we deal with that as investors? That's where the "inflation trade" comes in.

Think of it like this: imagine your money is a bag of chips. Inflation is like someone slowly sneaking fries into that bag. You still have the same bag, but it's not worth as much.

The Inflation Trade

The inflation trade is about fighting back. It's about swapping your chips for things that tend to hold their value, or even go up, when prices rise. Here's the lowdown:

Swapping Your Portfolio: Investors ditch stuff that inflation eats away at (like cash) and grab things that tend to do well when prices climb. This could be stuff like gold, real estate, or even certain stocks.
Commodities as Bodyguards: Imagine gold as your financial bodyguard. When inflation goes up, gold prices often follow. So, it can help protect your money's worth.
Currency Dodgeball: Some folks use fancy financial tools to avoid getting whacked by inflation that weakens their currency. Basically, they bet on how currencies will trade against each other.
Interest Rates: The Party Crashers: Inflation can make central banks raise interest rates. This can be bad news for some investments, like bonds, but it's not all doom and gloom.

The stock market can actually handle some inflation okay. Companies might even make more money if they can raise their prices without scaring away customers. But, not all stocks are created equal. Some industries, like energy or materials, might even benefit from rising prices.

Here's the catch: if inflation gets too crazy, central banks might slam on the brakes with those interest rate hikes. This can hurt the stock market in general.

Indianapolis, IN – April 30, 2024, Eli Lilly just released its Q1 earnings report, and things are looking good! Summary of the main points:

Profits on the Rise: They made more money per share than analysts expected (that's good!). This was true for both their regular earnings and a special adjusted version that accounts for some extra costs.
Revenue Up Big Time: Overall sales jumped 26% compared to last year. A big reason for this is their new weight-loss drug Mounjaro, which is apparently super popular. Other meds like Zepbound, Verzenio, and Jardiance also did well.
The outlook is bright: Eli Lilly is feeling confident and has raised its forecast for how much revenue it will earn for the remainder of the year.

What's Driving the Growth?

Eli Lilly's strong performance can be attributed to several factors:

New meds in the works: They've got a bunch of promising new drugs on the way that look really effective for different diseases. This means more money coming in down the line!
Going global: Eli Lilly sells more drugs in other countries, helping them make more money.
Smart shopping: Other migraine brands are being acquired, resulting in an even larger selection of products for sale.

Challenges Ahead

Despite the positive results, Eli Lilly faces challenges:

Drug Battle Royale: The pharmaceutical industry is super competitive, so Eli Lilly has to fight hard for market share.
The Rules of the Game: Changes in government regulations and how much drugs cost could hurt their profits down the line.

In Conclusion

Eli Lilly's earnings report this quarter was basically a gold medal performance for investors. The company is feeling good about the future, and for good reason! Here's the scoop:

Stock Party: Investors were so hyped they drove the stock price up almost 8% before the market even opened!
Sales on Fire: Revenue jumped a whopping 26% thanks to their new weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, which is apparently a mega-hit. Other drugs like Zepbound, Verzenio, and Jardiance did great too.