Group 1: Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Apple is approaching a $4 trillion market cap, with shares rising nearly 4% recently [2] - Strong demand for the iPhone 17 has been noted, with Loop Capital upgrading Apple to Buy and raising the price target to $315 from $226, while Evercore ISI added Apple to its Tactical Outperform List with a $290 price target [3] - The iPhone 17 series has outsold the iPhone 16 series by 14% in its first 10 days, with the base model driving a 33% increase in sell-out data compared to the iPhone 16 [4] Group 2: Unilever (UL) - Unilever is postponing the planned demerger of its ice cream business due to the U.S. government shutdown, which affects the SEC's ability to declare the registration statement effective for the listing [5] - Despite the delay, Unilever will still hold the general meeting of shareholders to vote on the proposed consolidation of its share capital as scheduled [6] Group 3: e.l.f. Beauty (ELF) - e.l.f. Beauty shares fell nearly 7% after reporting disappointing sales of rhode beauty, totaling $40.2 million for the quarter ending June 30, which was below investor expectations [7] - Analysts had projected that the $1 billion acquisition of rhode would add approximately $0.38 to FY25 earnings, but this may be reduced due to uncertain tariff conditions and recent disclosures [8]

Good morning. Seun Sodipo is the new chief financial officer at Plaid, a fintech startup that connects financial institutions. Sodipo brings a seasoned background in guiding high-growth businesses through strategic transformation and scaling.Seun Sodipo, CFO of Plaid Courtesy of PlaidPreviously, Sodipo served as CFO at Glossier, where she led the company’s evolution from a direct-to-consumer pioneer to a fast-growing omnichannel beauty brand across North America and Europe. Before Glossier, Sodipo was head ...

Kering is in talks to sell its beauty business to L’Oréal in a deal worth about $4 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal https://t.co/BOqXtRdTCD ...

Kering is in talks to sell its beauty business to L’Oréal in a deal that values the unit at roughly $4 billion https://t.co/39mXR91K8A ...

Brand Influence - Rhode has become one of beauty's more influential labels [1] - Rhode has changed the way many young women think about makeup and skin care [1] Key Person - Hailey Bieber is the founder of Rhode [1]

Core Insights - Global beauty giants are redefining growth strategies to reshape consumer experiences and set new industry benchmarks, with Estee Lauder Companies Inc. expected to generate topline growth as early as the fiscal first quarter starting in September, followed by a return to double-digit EBIT margins in FY27 and beyond according to Goldman Sachs [1] Company Analysis - Analyst Bonnie Herzog upgraded Estee Lauder's rating to Buy and raised the price target to $115, indicating confidence in the company's strategic vision "Beauty Reimagined" [2] - The management's consumer-first approach and focus on faster on-trend innovation aim to make Estee Lauder a more agile beauty company, although this has led to underperformance in recent years [3] - Estee Lauder's shares were up 5.81% at $92.74, nearing its 52-week high of $97.44 [3] Industry Trends - The prestige beauty industry has mid-single-digit long-term growth potential [5] - Stabilizing business trends in Estee Lauder's key China market, with mainland China sales expected to return to mid-single-digit growth in the latter half of 2025 [5] - Recovery in travel retail, particularly with Hainan returning to growth in May [5] - Anticipated market share gains in the U.S. in the latter half of 2025 after several years of contraction [5] - Strong savings are expected to drive a recovery in gross margins, supporting EBIT margin expansion in FY26 and beyond while fueling continued reinvestments [5]

Market Overview - US stocks are rebounding after a significant selloff that wiped out $2 trillion in value, with the Dow up approximately 540 points or 1.2% [3][4] - Despite the rebound, major indices remain in the red due to the depth of the previous selloff [2][3] - The NASDAQ is also experiencing gains, up about 1.9%, but still not recovering fully from prior losses [4] Trade Tensions and Tariffs - President Trump announced new tariffs on China due to export controls on rare earth minerals, but later reassured that a resolution would be found [4][25] - The market reacted negatively to the initial tariff announcement, reflecting concerns over renewed trade tensions [11][25] - Analysts suggest that the recent selloff may present a "buy the dip" opportunity, as sentiment indicators are moving towards more buying territory [12][19] Technology Sector - Broadcom's expanded partnership with OpenAI to build custom chips for data centers has positively impacted tech stocks, with Broadcom shares rising by 10% [6] - Other major tech stocks, including Nvidia, also saw gains, indicating a broad-based rally in the technology sector [6][7] Precious Metals Market - Gold and silver prices are reaching record highs, with gold trading above $4,100 per ounce and silver surpassing $50 [47] - The performance of precious metals is attributed to expectations of Fed rate cuts and increased industrial demand for silver [50][51] - Analysts predict that gold could reach a target of $5,200 by 2026, contingent on market corrections and investor behavior [62][63] Company-Specific Developments - Estee Lauder's stock rose after Goldman Sachs upgraded it to a buy rating, citing positive trends in the beauty industry and stabilizing business in China [68] - AMD's stock also saw an increase following bullish calls from analysts, with price targets raised significantly [69] - Beyond Meat's shares plummeted after announcing a debt swap that will dilute shareholders, reflecting ongoing challenges in the meat alternatives market [74] Consumer Behavior and Market Sentiment - Retail investors have been actively buying stocks, with $7 billion spent in the week of October 8th, indicating a potential shift in market sentiment [117] - Analysts caution that while the "buy the dip" mentality is prevalent, it may not be sustainable if underlying economic conditions worsen [119]

Group 1 - Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY) is considered one of the best penny stocks to buy according to hedge funds, with a Buy rating from RBC Capital analyst Nik Modi on October 3 [1] - On October 1, Canaccord Genuity analyst Susan Anderson reiterated a Hold rating with a price target of $4.00, while Bank of America Securities and Barclays maintained Sell ratings with a price target of $3.5 [2] - Coty operates a portfolio of brands in color cosmetics, fragrance, and skin and body care, including luxury brands like Gucci, Marc Jacobs, and Kylie Cosmetics [3] Group 2 - Coty's mass beauty products are primarily sold through various retail channels, including supermarkets, hypermarkets, drugstores, and e-commerce retailers [4]

Group 1: DraftKings - DraftKings has experienced a significant decline of nearly 40% from its highs earlier this year, primarily due to concerns over competition in sports-related prediction markets, rather than any negative actions by the company [2] - Despite the stock's performance, DraftKings reported a 37% increase in revenue to $1.5 billion last quarter, driven by strong engagement in its sportsbook and online casino businesses, with adjusted EBITDA surging 134% to $301 million [3] - The stock is trading at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 16.7 times 2026 consensus earnings estimates, indicating it may be undervalued given its rapid revenue growth and strong operating leverage [4] Group 2: E.l.f. Beauty - E.l.f. Beauty has been a standout in consumer growth, and its recent $1 billion acquisition of Rhode, a rapidly growing beauty brand, could significantly enhance its market position [6] - Rhode achieved over $200 million in sales in less than three years with minimal paid marketing, showcasing its organic growth potential [7] - E.l.f. has the opportunity to leverage its extensive retail and manufacturing network to expand Rhode's reach globally [7]

Market Overview - U.S. markets are experiencing declines, with all four major indexes at session lows: Russell 2000 (-0.71%), Dow (-0.58%), Nasdaq (-0.52%), and S&P 500 (-0.50%) [2] - Nvidia stands out as the only stock showing positive movement, heading towards a record close [2] Winners - Tilray Brands reported earnings and saw a significant increase of 20.3% [3] - Akero Therapeutics is up 16.5% following a $5.2 billion acquisition deal with Novo Nordisk [3] - UiPath PATH gained 14.6% after announcing a partnership with OpenAI for enterprise automation [3] Losers - Diginex faced a steep decline of 19% without any major news [4] - Ferrari is down 14.5% after announcing its first electric vehicle model and raising guidance, which did not meet investor expectations [4] - Oddity saw a decline of 9.8% after BofA Securities downgraded its price target from $80 to $70 [5] Industry News - Google reported that a zero-day exploit targeting Oracle's E-Business Suite may affect numerous organizations, with potential data breaches [5]