Core Insights - Pinterest (PINS) and Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) are significant players in the social media and social commerce sectors, with Pinterest focusing on visual recommendations and Meta leveraging its extensive user base across multiple platforms [1][2][3] Group 1: Market Position and Growth - The global social commerce market is projected to reach $17.83 trillion by 2033, with a CAGR of 36.4% from 2025 to 2033, prompting Pinterest and META to enhance their market strategies [3] - Pinterest reported a record high of 578 million global monthly active users (MAUs) in Q2 2025, indicating consistent user growth across all regions [5] - META's Family Daily Active People (DAP) reached 3.48 billion in Q2 2025, reflecting a 6.4% year-over-year increase, showcasing its vast user engagement potential [9] Group 2: Financial Performance - Pinterest's total costs and expenses rose to $1 billion in Q2 2025, up from $875.1 million year-over-year, indicating increased operational costs [7] - META's cash and cash equivalents stood at $47.07 billion as of June 30, 2025, with a current ratio of 1.97, suggesting strong liquidity [12] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Pinterest faces intense competition from META, SNAP Inc., and others in the social commerce space, necessitating aggressive market expansion and innovation [7] - META is enhancing user engagement through AI-powered recommendations, resulting in a 5% increase in time spent on Facebook and a 6% increase on Instagram in Q2 2025 [11] Group 4: Valuation and Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Pinterest's 2025 sales implies a year-over-year growth of 15.62%, while META's sales growth estimate is 19.1% [14][16] - Over the past year, Pinterest's stock gained 10.5%, while META surged 41.3%, indicating stronger market performance for META [17] Group 5: Strategic Initiatives - Pinterest is focusing on improving its advertising platform to attract consumer discretionary brands, while META is investing in AI capabilities to enhance engagement and advertising effectiveness [4][11] - Both companies are ranked 3 (Hold) by Zacks, with upward estimate revisions for META indicating growing investor confidence [19]

Core Viewpoint - Xcel Brands, Inc. reported a significant decline in revenue for the second quarter of 2025, primarily due to the divestiture of the Lori Goldstein brand, while the company is focusing on strengthening its balance sheet and launching new creator/influencer brands in the near future [2][3][5]. Financial Results - Total revenue for Q2 2025 was $1.3 million, a decrease of approximately $1.6 million (-55%) from Q2 2024, attributed to the decline in net licensing revenue following the divestiture of the Lori Goldstein brand [3][7]. - Direct operating costs and expenses decreased by approximately $1.2 million (-39%) year-over-year to $1.9 million, reflecting cost reductions and the impact of the employee retention tax credit [4][8]. - The net loss attributable to Xcel Brands stockholders for Q2 2025 was approximately $4.0 million, or $(1.66) per share, compared to a net income of $0.2 million, or $0.08 per share, in the prior year [5][11]. - Adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2025 was negative $0.3 million, compared to negative $0.04 million in the prior year, indicating a 45% year-over-year improvement when adjusting for the prior year’s contribution from the Lori Goldstein brand [6][12]. Year-to-Date Performance - For the six-month period ended June 30, 2025, total revenue was $2.7 million, a decrease of approximately $2.5 million (-48%) from the same period in 2024, again driven by the decline in net licensing revenue [7][11]. - The net loss attributable to Xcel Brands stockholders for the six months was approximately $6.8 million, or $(2.84) per share, compared to a net loss of $6.1 million, or $(2.78) per share, for the same period in 2024 [11][12]. - Year-to-date Adjusted EBITDA for 2025 was negative $1.0 million, an improvement from negative $1.6 million for the first six months of 2024, representing a 38% improvement [9][12]. Balance Sheet and Financing - As of June 30, 2025, the company had stockholders' equity of approximately $22.5 million, unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of approximately $1.0 million, and long-term debt of $11.8 million [13][29]. - In August 2025, Xcel closed a public equity offering and a concurrent private placement for combined gross proceeds of approximately $2.6 million, enhancing the company's liquidity [14]. Social Media and Brand Development - The company's social media following increased from 5 million to 43 million in Q2 2025, reflecting the impact of new influencer brand announcements [9]. - Xcel Brands is focused on developing new creator/influencer brands, with planned launches starting later this year and into 2026 [2].

Core Viewpoint - Verb Technology Company, Inc. has successfully closed a $558 million private placement to support the acquisition of Toncoin, the native cryptocurrency of The Open Network blockchain, aiming to become the largest publicly traded treasury reserve of Toncoin [1][3]. Company Strategy - The majority of the net proceeds from the PIPE transaction will be used to acquire Toncoin, which will serve as the primary treasury reserve asset for the company [3]. - The company plans to generate sustainable staking rewards from its Toncoin holdings to manage and grow its exposure in a cash flow positive manner [3]. - Verb Technology Company intends to rebrand as TON Strategy Co. to reflect its new focus on digital assets while continuing to operate its existing business units [3]. Investment Participation - The PIPE transaction involved approximately 58.7 million shares of common stock and participation from over 110 institutional and crypto-native investors, including notable firms such as Vy Capital, Blockchain.com, and Ribbit Capital [2]. - The transaction was led by Kingsway Capital, which played a significant role in the placement [2]. Leadership and Advisory Team - The company will be led by a team with extensive experience in digital assets, including Executive Chairman Manuel Stotz, who has over 15 years of investment experience in the blockchain ecosystem [5]. - CEO Veronika Kapustina has a background in capital markets and blockchain, having previously served as a Senior Advisor to the TON Foundation [5]. - CFO Sarah Olsen brings expertise from her previous role at JP Morgan, focusing on blockchain and tokenized assets [5]. Company Overview - Verb Technology Company operates in the social commerce space, leveraging technology and video marketing to enhance customer engagement and conversion rates [7]. - The company has developed a multi-vendor, livestream social shopping platform, integrating advanced AI capabilities for content creation and audience interaction [7].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Shopify reported Q2 revenue of $2.7 billion, up 31% year over year, with a free cash flow margin of 16% [6][10][59] - Gross profit grew 25%, with overall gross margin at 48.6%, down from 51.1% in the prior year [54][56] - Operating income for the quarter was $291 million, representing an 11% operating income margin, compared to 9% last year [58] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Offline GMV increased by 29%, driven primarily by larger retailers joining the platform [31][49] - Merchant solutions revenue rose by 37%, while subscription solutions revenue grew by 17% [51][52] - GMV in Q2 was $88 billion, up 31%, with North America and Europe showing strong performance [47][48] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International GMV was up 42% year over year, with Europe leading the growth [6][36] - Cross-border GMV remained consistent at 15% of total GMV in Q2 [62] - Shopify Payments penetration reached 64%, up from 61% last year [22][51] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Shopify aims to expand its reach across all geographies, particularly in Europe, and is focused on building a unified commerce platform [6][10] - The company is investing in AI and product innovations to enhance the shopping experience and streamline operations for merchants [13][21] - Shopify is committed to supporting entrepreneurs worldwide, with a focus on international expansion and product localization [35][36] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the merchant base has remained resilient despite macroeconomic challenges, with strong performance continuing into Q3 [60][61] - The company expects Q3 revenue growth in the mid to high 20s year over year, driven by continued growth in merchant solutions [63] - Management highlighted the importance of ongoing investments in product development and marketing to sustain growth [66][68] Other Important Information - Shopify launched several new products, including Universal Cart and CheckoutKit, aimed at enhancing the shopping experience through AI integration [15][93] - The company has expanded its payments product into 16 new countries this year, nearly doubling its market accessibility [22][24] - Shopify Capital is now available in Germany and the Netherlands, providing more merchants with access to growth funding [36][57] Q&A Session Summary Question: How would you characterize the demand in the US and any potential pull forward for consumers? - Management indicated that there has not been a significant pull forward of demand, with consistent performance observed in Q2 and July [70][72] Question: What is the status of international growth and product localization? - Management acknowledged strong international growth, particularly in Europe, and emphasized ongoing efforts to enhance product offerings for international markets [75][78] Question: How does the company view long-term growth potential? - Management expressed confidence in maintaining growth rates above 25% due to past investments and expanding product offerings [82][86] Question: Will Universal Cart and Checkout Kit be available for the holiday season? - Management confirmed ongoing development of these products, aiming for integration into AI platforms to enhance shopping experiences [90][93]

Core Viewpoint - Verb Technology Company, Inc. is positioning itself to become the first publicly traded treasury reserve of Toncoin ($TON) through an upsized and oversubscribed private placement (PIPE transaction) [1][2][7] Group 1: PIPE Transaction Details - The company has entered into a PIPE transaction for approximately 58.7 million shares at a price of $9.51 per share, aiming for gross proceeds of about $558 million [2][7] - The majority of the net proceeds will be used to acquire $TON, establishing it as the primary treasury reserve asset [2][9] - The transaction is expected to close around August 7, 2025, subject to customary conditions [2][9] Group 2: Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem - The TON blockchain will exclusively power Telegram's ecosystem, facilitating transactions for millions of creators and developers [3][4] - Telegram has over one billion monthly active users, making it a significant platform for $TON [3][7] - The company will benefit from a strategic partnership with Kingsway Capital and Blockchain.com, enhancing its institutional and crypto expertise [5][6][7] Group 3: Leadership and Expertise - The incoming leadership team includes Manuel Stotz as Executive Chairman, who has significant experience in the crypto industry [6][7] - Peter Smith, CEO of Blockchain.com, will serve as a special advisor, bringing additional expertise to the company [5][13] Group 4: Market Position and Future Plans - The company aims to be one of the largest holders of $TON globally, generating sustainable staking rewards [2][4] - The updated treasury strategy will be effective immediately after the transaction closes, emphasizing transparency and compliance [9][14] - The company plans to provide updates on the acquisition of $TON and governance measures in the coming weeks [9]

Core Insights - Xcel Brands has entered a licensing partnership with K9 Wear Inc. to develop a new pet brand called Trust. Respect. Love by Cesar Millan, combining K9 Wear's expertise in pet accessories with Xcel's brand-building capabilities [1][4] - The new brand will focus on high-quality pet products, including toys, training tools, and grooming tools, aimed at enhancing the pet ownership experience [2][3] - Cesar Millan's philosophy of trust, respect, and love will be integral to the product design, ensuring a focus on the well-being of both pets and their owners [3][5] Company Overview - Xcel Brands, Inc. is a media and consumer products company specializing in the design, licensing, and marketing of various consumer products, with a focus on social commerce [6] - The company has generated over $5 billion in retail sales through livestreaming and interactive television, reaching over 43 million social media followers [6] - K9 Wear is known for its innovative pet apparel and accessories, including the world's first interchangeable apparel harness, and collaborates with various fashion brands [7] Industry Context - The pet industry is experiencing significant growth, prompting Xcel Brands to expand its portfolio with high-quality pet accessories [4] - The new brand will be showcased at the Global Pet Expo in March 2026, indicating a strategic approach to market entry and brand visibility [5]

Industry Overview - Ecommerce sales in Q1 2025 grew by 6.1% compared to Q1 2024, while total retail sales increased by 4.5%, with ecommerce accounting for approximately 16.2% of total U.S. retail sales [1] - The ecommerce industry is experiencing a shift towards digital influencers and advanced technologies such as AR/VR, social commerce, generative AI, and the Metaverse [4][5] - The Zacks Internet - Commerce industry ranks 51, placing it in the top 21% of nearly 250 Zacks industries, indicating positive near-term prospects [8][9] Current Trends - The retail experience is increasingly blending online and offline activities, with consumers preferring faster delivery and pickup options [7] - Subscription models for repeat-use items are gaining traction, making it easier for consumers to order and for retailers to plan [7] - Social commerce is becoming popular, particularly among Gen-Z, with platforms like TikTok leading the way [14] Performance Metrics - The Zacks Electronic - Commerce Industry has gained 18% over the past year, outperforming the broader Zacks Retail and Wholesale Sector (16.5%) and the S&P 500 (11.9%) [12] - The industry is currently trading at a price-to-forward earnings (P/E) ratio of 24.6X, which is a premium of 8.6% to the S&P 500 and a discount of 0.8% to the broader retail sector [16] Company Highlights Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) - Groupon operates an online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers across various sectors, with over 76% of its 2024 revenue coming from the U.S. [19] - The company has shown a positive trend in earnings estimates, with the 2025 estimate moving from a loss of $0.18 to a profit of $0.30 per share [21] - Groupon's shares have increased by 146.9% over the past year, primarily in the last two months [22] CarGurus, Inc. (CARG) - CarGurus offers an online marketplace for new and used cars, with 93% of its 2024 revenue generated in the U.S. [25] - The company has no debt and is focused on improving dealer profitability through data-driven solutions, which is driving its market share [27] - Analysts estimate a 25% earnings growth for 2025, with revenues expected to increase by 5% [28]

Core Insights - Meta Platforms (META) is enhancing its presence in social commerce, utilizing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to promote and sell products or services [1] Social Commerce Landscape - According to Shopify, 89% of social media marketers prefer Facebook for social commerce sales, with one-third of social commerce buyers favoring Facebook for purchases [2] - Instagram is used by approximately 26% of the global population over 13, with shopping tags and shop tabs facilitating product discovery and purchases [2] - META has introduced AI tools for WhatsApp to assist businesses in customer engagement and product discovery [2] Business Initiatives - The Meta Verified initiative offers subscription plans for businesses, providing a verified badge, account support, and impersonation protection, which enhances consumer trust [3] - In Q1 2025, WhatsApp Business Platform and Meta Verified subscriptions contributed to a 34% year-over-year growth in Family of Apps other revenues, reaching $510 million [4] Marketing Tools - META has updated its Ads Manager to allow businesses to manage marketing strategies across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, optimizing budgets through its AI system [5] - The company plans to introduce Business AI for personalized product recommendations and customer follow-ups via WhatsApp [6] Advertising Revenue Growth - In June, META launched channel subscriptions and ads in WhatsApp's Status tab, which is used by 1.5 billion people daily, expected to attract more advertisers and drive ad revenues [7] - META's focus on AI integration across its platforms is enhancing user engagement and boosting ad revenues, with approximately 3.43 billion daily users [8] Stock Performance - META's shares have appreciated 22.8% year-to-date, outperforming the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector and advertising peers like Alphabet, Amazon, and Snap [9] - The company is expected to capture about 50% of projected global ad spending by 2028 [10] Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q2 2025 earnings is $5.73 per share, reflecting an 11.05% year-over-year increase [17] - The consensus for 2025 earnings is $25.31 per share, indicating a 6.08% increase over 2024's reported figure [18] Valuation Metrics - META shares are considered overvalued with a forward Price/Sales (P/S) ratio of 9.11X, compared to the broader sector's 6.65X and peers like Alphabet, Amazon, and Snap [19] Investment Outlook - META is investing heavily in AI infrastructure, with capital expenditures expected between $64 billion and $72 billion for 2025 [21] - Operating expenses are projected in the $114-$119 billion range, with an increase in headcount across various sectors [22]

Core Viewpoint - Verb Technology Company, Inc. is leveraging its MARKET.live division to host an exclusive livestream shopping event for BelliWelli on Walmart.com, highlighting the growing trend of livestream shopping in retail [1][4]. Company Overview - Verb Technology Company, Inc. operates in social commerce, social telehealth, and social crowdfunding, utilizing its various platforms including MARKET.live, LyveCom, VANITYPrescribed, and GoodGirlRx [5][6]. - The company aims to transform the retail landscape by providing advanced AI capabilities for real-time user engagement and content creation, enhancing the shopping experience [6]. Event Details - The livestream event for BelliWelli will take place on July 1, 2025, at 4:00 PM PT, marking the brand's debut on Walmart.com [2]. - The event will be produced from MARKET.live Studios in California, ensuring a high-quality livestream shopping experience [2][3]. Industry Trends - Livestream shopping is becoming increasingly popular among major brands and retailers as a method to boost customer engagement and conversion rates, creating a more personalized shopping experience [4].

Core Insights - The social commerce market in Greece is projected to grow by 11.9% annually, reaching approximately USD 2.94 billion in 2025, following a robust growth period from 2021 to 2024 with a CAGR of 17.4% [2] - The market is expected to continue its upward trajectory with a forecasted CAGR of 7.4% from 2025 to 2030, expanding from USD 2.63 billion in 2024 to around USD 4.21 billion by the end of 2030 [2] Market Dynamics - The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the social commerce sector in Greece, including over 50 KPIs that cover market size, growth dynamics, and market share statistics [3][4] - It breaks down market opportunities by various factors such as domestic vs cross-border sales, social platform types, payment methods, business models, consumer segments, and city types [4] Consumer Insights - The report offers insights into consumer behavior and retail spending dynamics, utilizing both value and volume KPIs to provide a detailed understanding of market dynamics [4][6] - It emphasizes the importance of understanding evolving consumer attitudes and behaviors to increase ROI and improve targeting strategies in the social commerce sector [6] Competitive Landscape - The report includes a snapshot of the competitive landscape within the social commerce sector, highlighting key players and their market shares in Greece [6][8] - It aims to assist companies in formulating strategies to gain market share by identifying growth categories and evaluating trends and risks unique to the market [6] Future Growth Segments - The report outlines future growth dynamics across various retail product categories, end-use consumer segments, devices, locations, and payment methods from 2021 to 2030 [7][9] - It also provides forecasts for social commerce market size and share by platforms and consumer demographics, enhancing strategic decision-making capabilities [8]