RT Rebecca Rettig (@RebeccaRettig1)My quick tl;dr on Breakpoint: the cultural movement around @solana -w the tech to back it up-cannot be replicated. The energy, innovation & quality of the ppl was unlike anything I've experienced. Feels representative of the ecosystem & also like we're still really early. https://t.co/xx8gxqoD3w ...

Good afternoon everyone. Throughout my career, I was privileged enough to work in various innovation ecosystems across the world. And recently, I've been concerned about something that I would like to talk to you about today. Recently, I was on the judging panel of a startup pitch competition. Altogether 40 startups, the majority in e-commerce and fintech and one only one focused on sustainability. Now, who do you think walked away with the funding? It was not the sustainability one. We celebrate AI apps th ...

This is how my story began. Not in a laboratory, not in a boardroom, but with a paintbrush in my hand in a group of children in Zanzibar who had forgotten how to smile. We didn't share a language, but we shared something deeper.The need to heal. As colors began to fill in the room, I saw something extraordinary. Children who had been quiet started to laugh.Tears turned into pictures. and the pain turned into a possibility. And I learned something that day I'll never forget.Healing isn't only about medicine. ...

Core Idea - The best ideas come from a "writer's room mindset," where creativity is a team sport, emphasizing collaboration and a playful approach to idea generation [4] - A writer's room mindset can be adopted by any team in any industry to enhance creativity and problem-solving [9][17][18] Key Principles - "Write drunk, edit sober" means separating idea generation (playful mindset) from idea judgment (practical mindset) [6][7] - Think like a comic (open, playful, "what if") before judging like a critic to unlock creative doors [13] - Quantity of ideas leads to quality; creating a low-stakes environment encourages wild and innovative thinking [15][16] Practical Application - Kick off team meetings with "what if" warm-ups to stimulate creative thinking [19][20] - Reframe obstacles into opportunities by widening perspective, as demonstrated by the wax figure example [21] - Collaboration is a superpower that bridges people and ideas, fostering creativity [7] Supporting Data - A 1968 NASA study showed that 98% of five-year-olds scored at the level of creative genius, but this dropped to 2% by adulthood, suggesting creativity is unlearned [8] - University of Texas study: a group focused on generating a high quantity of ideas came up with more original, useful, and creative ideas [15]

Company Insights - Nike is undergoing a turnaround under new CEO Elliott Hill, focusing on innovation and brand strength, with expectations for tangible progress by 2026 [1][2][3] - The company faces a $1.5 billion tariff cost but is expected to manage this through effective sourcing and pricing strategies, leveraging its strong brand portfolio [6][7] - The Cortez shoe, a vintage model, is gaining interest, indicating a potential market for retro products alongside innovative offerings [8] Industry Trends - Major sporting events like the Winter Olympics and the World Cup are anticipated to drive consumer interest and sales in the athletic sector, benefiting companies like Nike [9][10][12] - The last World Cup saw a 25% increase in Nike's footwear sales, highlighting the significant revenue potential associated with such events [12] - The upcoming World Cup in the US presents a unique opportunity for the industry, with expectations for increased marketing efforts from Nike [13] Retail Performance - TJX has demonstrated strong performance with a 6% comparable store sales increase, attributed to its experienced management team and effective vendor relationships [4][5] - The company's focus on value and a "treasure hunt" shopping experience continues to resonate with consumers, contributing to its success in both apparel and home categories [5]

Are you worried. These drip, drip bits of information that maybe the revenue streams on able to be booked tomorrow. It has to be wait it out a little bit more in terms of the returns on investment.No, I think the long term trends are still in place. I actually thought that Broadcom's numbers were quite good and people were just, I think, very nervous at the end of the year, particularly with some bad news we've seen, such as from Oracle. And and I think it's really more just end of year jitters rather than ...

The @SECGov & @SECPaulSAtkins are leading the way & committed to modernizing U.S. financial markets so participants can benefit from the security & efficiency tokenization provides.We’re committed to powering the infrastructure that brings the U.S. financial system onchain.Paul Atkins (@SECPaulSAtkins):As I told @MariaBartiromo last week, U.S. financial markets are poised to move on-chain. Under my leadership, @SECGov is prioritizing innovation and embracing new technologies to enable this on-chain future, ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales of maintenance products reached $591 million, up 6% compared to the prior year [34] - Gross margin improved to 55.1%, an increase of 170 basis points from last year [34] - Operating income rose to $103.8 million, reflecting an 8% increase [34] - Adjusted net income was $79.1 million, a 12% increase over the prior year, excluding a one-time tax income adjustment [34] - Adjusted diluted EPS was $5.82 per share, a 14% increase over the prior year, without the tax adjustment [35] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales of premium formats of the Multi-Use WD-40 Product increased by 8%, approximately $18 million over the prior year [24] - Sales of WD-40 Specialist were up 11%, or $7 million, to $82 million [25] - The WD-40 Specialist brand has a five-year compound annual growth rate of 14% [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. market represents 35% of global revenues and has been the fastest-growing market globally in dollar terms over the past five years, with maintenance product growth of $54 million, representing a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% [19] - Mexico's business tripled from $6.8 million to $23.5 million in FY25, with expectations of reaching $30-$40 million in the coming years [20] - Brazil achieved sales of $15 million in its first full year as a direct market, a more than seven-fold increase [21] - China has consistently delivered strong double-digit growth, with a strategy of expanding distribution [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on geographic expansion of its core multi-use product, targeting a long-term sales opportunity of over $1.9 billion from FY25 sales of $478 million [17] - The strategy includes a 4x4 Framework with four Must-Win Battles and four strategic enablers to drive operational excellence [17][30] - The company aims to divest most household brands and focus on significant organic growth opportunities [27] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in growth opportunities, noting that only 25% of global growth potential has been realized [17] - The company anticipates mid to high single-digit revenue growth, with specific targets for different regions: 5%-8% in the Americas, 8%-11% in EMEA, and 10%-13% in Asia-Pacific [27] - The employee engagement score reached a record 95%, reflecting a strong culture and opportunities for growth [28] Other Important Information - The company has a disciplined capital allocation strategy, targeting over 50% of earnings for dividends and maintaining a strong payout ratio [36] - The board of directors approved an extension of the current share repurchase plan through the end of FY26, with $30 million remaining under the current authorization [38] Q&A Session Summary Question: Were there any questions from the virtual audience? - There were no questions from the virtual audience during the meeting [42]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales of maintenance products reached $591 million, up 6% compared to the prior year [34] - Gross margin improved to 55.1%, an increase of 170 basis points from last year [34] - Operating income rose to $103.8 million, reflecting an 8% increase [34] - Adjusted net income was $79.1 million, a 12% increase over the prior year, excluding a one-time tax income adjustment [34] - Adjusted diluted EPS was $5.82 per share, a 14% increase over the prior year, without the tax adjustment [35] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales of premium formats of the Multi-Use WD-40 Product increased by 8%, approximately $18 million over the prior year [24] - Sales of WD-40 Specialist were up 11%, or $7 million, to $82 million [25] - The core multi-use product generated overall 6% growth in FY25 [23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The US market represents 35% of global revenues and has been the fastest growing market in dollar terms over the past five years, with maintenance product growth of $54 million, a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% [19] - Mexico's business grew from $6.8 million to $23.5 million in FY25, with expectations of reaching $30-$40 million in the coming years [20] - Brazil achieved sales of $15 million in its first full year as a direct market, a more than seven-fold increase [21] - China has consistently delivered strong double-digit growth, while India is now the second-largest market in terms of unit sales after the USA [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on geographic expansion of its core multi-use product as a primary growth opportunity [17] - The 4x4 Framework strategy includes four Must-Win Battles and four strategic enablers to drive operational excellence [17] - The company aims to leverage its iconic brand to drive innovation and maintain relevance in various markets [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth potential, estimating the opportunity to quadruple current sales from FY25 sales of $478 million to over $1.9 billion [17] - The company anticipates mid to high single-digit growth across its divisions, with specific targets for the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific segments [27] - The employee engagement score reached a record 95%, indicating a strong organizational culture [28] Other Important Information - The company has a disciplined capital allocation strategy, targeting revenue and earnings growth in the mid to high single digits, with a strong focus on returning cash to stockholders [36][37] - The board of directors approved an extension of the current share repurchase plan through the end of FY26, with $30 million remaining under the current authorization [38] Q&A Session Summary Question: Were there any questions from the virtual audience? - There were no questions from the virtual audience during the meeting [42]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales of maintenance products reached $591 million, up 6% compared to the prior year [32] - Gross margin improved to 55.1%, an increase of 170 basis points from last year [32] - Operating income rose to $103.8 million, reflecting an 8% increase [32] - Adjusted net income was $79.1 million, a 12% increase over the prior year, excluding a one-time tax income adjustment [32][33] - Adjusted diluted EPS was $5.82 per share, a 14% increase over the prior year, without the tax adjustment [33] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales of premium formats of the Multi-Use WD-40 Product increased by 8%, approximately $18 million over the prior year [22] - Sales of WD-40 Specialist were up 11%, or $7 million, to $82 million [24] - The WD-40 Specialist brand has a five-year compound annual growth rate of 14% [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. market represents 35% of global revenues and has been the fastest growing market globally in dollar terms over the past five years, with maintenance product growth of $54 million, a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% [18] - Mexico's business tripled from $6.8 million to $23.5 million in FY25, with expectations of reaching $30-$40 million in the coming years [19] - Brazil achieved sales of $15 million in its first full year as a direct market, a more than seven-fold increase [20] - China has consistently delivered strong double-digit growth, with a strategy of expanding distribution [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on geographic expansion of its core multi-use product as a primary growth opportunity [16] - The 4x4 Framework includes four Must-Win Battles and four strategic enablers to drive operational excellence [16] - The company aims to leverage its iconic brand to create new value and drive growth [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth potential, estimating the opportunity to quadruple current sales from FY25 sales of $478 million to over $1.9 billion [16] - The company anticipates mid to high single-digit growth, with specific targets for different regions: 5%-8% in the Americas, 8%-11% in EMEA, and 10%-13% in Asia-Pacific [26] - The company emphasizes the importance of employee engagement, achieving a record 95% engagement score [27] Other Important Information - The company has a strong balance sheet with predictable free cash flow and a target return on invested capital of 25% or more [32] - The board of directors raised the dividend by more than 8%, maintaining a strong payout ratio [35] - The company has paid dividends without interruption for over 40 years [35] Q&A Session Summary - There were no questions from the virtual audience during the meeting [39]