By Kevin Yao BEIJING, Jan 21 (Reuters) - China is planning to introduce new measures to promote the consumption of services, betting that elderly care, healthcare and leisure can offset tepid demand for goods, though analysts say the plan's success hinges on elevating household incomes and social welfare. Beijing views labor-intensive services as a key to reorienting its economy toward consumption as it tries to wean itself off a traditional dependence ​on big-ticket investment and exports. Authorities ...

Core Viewpoint - Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR) is rated as a Buy, but there is caution regarding the high volatility associated with the leisure industry, indicating that sales may be more sensitive in the event of a recession [1] Company Summary - Shift4 Payments, Inc. operates within the leisure industry, which is characterized by high volatility [1] - The company's sales performance is expected to be more affected by economic downturns compared to other sectors [1]

Core Insights - EXEL Industries reported a revenue of €983 million for the fiscal year 2024-2025, a decrease of 10.6% compared to the previous year, with a 9.6% reduction at constant scope and foreign exchange rates [3][4] - The Group's recurring EBITDA fell to €67.6 million, representing a margin of 6.9%, primarily due to significant volume reductions in Agricultural Spraying and Sugar Beet Harvesting activities [3][5] - Net income decreased to €16.3 million, impacted by lower current operating income resulting from reduced agricultural activity volumes [3][6] Financial Performance - Revenue breakdown showed a decline in Agricultural Spraying by 19.9% to €403.3 million and Sugar Beet Harvesting by 12.9% to €148.1 million, while Leisure and Industry segments saw slight increases [4][5] - Recurring EBITDA decreased from €87.4 million (7.9% of revenue) in 2023-2024 to €67.6 million (6.9% of revenue) in 2024-2025 [5] - Net financial debt was reduced by approximately €30 million, from €127.8 million in 2024 to €98.3 million in 2025, due to improved cash generation [7] Investment and Future Outlook - The Group maintained a dynamic investment policy, with total CAPEX of €32.6 million, including €20 million for modernizing industrial sites [8] - A dividend of €0.60 per share, representing 25% of consolidated net income, is proposed for approval at the General Meeting on February 4, 2026 [10] - The business climate remains challenging, particularly in Agricultural Spraying and Sugar Beet Harvesting, with expectations of continued slowdown in the early part of the 2025-2026 fiscal year [13][14] Management Commentary - The CEO highlighted the resilience of EXEL Industries' model, emphasizing the ability to adapt to a less buoyant market while maintaining financial discipline and reducing net debt [15]

Revenue Guidance - Topgolf raised its full-year revenue guidance [1] Industry Trend - Football fans spent extra time playing golf [1]

On November 2nd, this park will close for good after starting in the 1970s as a drive-thru wildlife safari. It's a loss for the hundred of employees who work here, for the local community, as a source of tax revenue, and also for the thousands of attendees who come here. The park has really catered to middle class families.Everybody romanticizes Disney parks, but for so many people, that is not a feasible thing in life. I mean, growing up, I wanted to go to Disney World, but it's not something I could do. I ...

Core Insights - David Tepper's Appaloosa LP has significantly reduced its equity portfolio, indicating a cautious stance towards high-growth and technology-linked stocks while consolidating capital into core holdings with better risk-reward profiles [1][7] Reductions in Holdings - **iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI)**: Reduced by 82.14%, selling 4.6 million shares and retaining 1 million, reflecting caution towards Chinese equities due to sluggish growth and regulatory uncertainty [2] - **Oracle Corp (ORCL)**: Decreased by 78.57%, trimming 550,000 shares to hold 150,000, likely due to profit-taking after a strong rally and rising competition concerns [3] - **PDD Holdings Inc (PDD)**: Cut by 54.23%, selling 2.37 million shares and retaining 2 million, indicating a tactical pullback from Chinese e-commerce amid geopolitical tensions [4] - **Meta Platforms Inc (META)**: Reduced by 27.27%, cutting 150,000 shares to hold 400,000, signaling valuation discipline after a surge [5] - **Alphabet Inc (GOOG)**: Decreased by 25.37%, selling 510,000 shares and retaining 1.5 million, reflecting portfolio rebalancing within large-cap tech [6] Full Exits - Appaloosa executed several full exits, including the liquidation of the SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves ETF (SPYX), a $2.5 billion PUT position that constituted about 30% of the portfolio, and exited Apple (AAPL) with a $278 million PUT stake [8][9] - Other full exits included Wynn Resorts (WYNN), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), and Broadcom (AVGO), indicating profit-taking in leisure and semiconductor sectors after strong performance [9][10] Overall Strategy - Tepper's recent activity highlights a disciplined risk-management approach, focusing on high-liquidity, large-cap names while maintaining flexibility to redeploy capital towards higher-upside opportunities [7][10]

Travel and leisure, that was our mystery chart, surging more than 15% today on better than expected earnings and fullear guidance hike after vacation ownership and spending climbed in the third quarter. The stock is now up about 38% this year. Joining me now with more on those numbers and the state of the travel industry is Mike Brown, president and CEO of Travel and Leisure.Mike, it's great to speak with you today. >> It's great to be back on the show. Nice to meet you, Morgan.So let's talk about this what ...

Financial Impact of Government Shutdown - US Travel estimates the government shutdown costs the travel industry almost $200 million to date [2] - The industry forecasts a loss of $1 billion per week for every week the federal government remains closed [2] - Lodging in the government segment was down 11% by June this year [5] - Convention and conference businesses in DC, Hawaii, and San Diego were down about 25% [6] Disruptions and Uncertainty - Non-essential government travel is canceled, impacting corporate travel [2] - Confusion exists regarding what is open and closed, affecting travel plans [4][9] - Trepidation over travel may lead 60% of those surveyed to cancel or avoid flights [4] - Project delays are occurring due to postponed meetings with federal agencies [7] Industry Concerns - Independent hotels, representing 60% of hotels in the nation (small businesses), are waiting and watching [9] - International travel is down this year, especially from Canada [9] - The extent to which canceled trips will be rescheduled remains uncertain [6][8]

Financial Performance - Record revenue and adjusted earnings per share were achieved in the third quarter, surpassing analyst estimates [1] - The company raised its full-year earnings forecast for the third consecutive quarter [1] - The company achieved a 13% Return on Invested Capital (ROIC), a level unseen in 20 years [3] - Record net income, highest operating income, and EBITDA on a per unit basis in 20 years were reported [3] Demand and Yield - Demand and yield set a record, with North American and European brands both showing a 4% year-over-year increase [2] - Fourth quarter net yield guidance was lower than expected, but consistent with June guidance, projecting yields nicely over 4% [4][5] Consumer Behavior - The consumer is described as strong, with cruise offerings providing amazing value compared to other vacation types [7][8] - Approximately one-third of guests are new to cruising, with the remainder being brand loyalists or general cruisers [14] Brand Performance - Carnival Cruise Line (Americas Cruise Line) and Aida Cruises (Germany) are the strongest brands in terms of returns [10] - Only about half of the brands have returned to their pre-2020 peak performance levels [11][12]

Core Insights - Inspired Entertainment, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its UK holiday parks business and associated leisure assets to GENDA Inc. for approximately £18.6 million ($25.1 million) in cash, subject to customary adjustments and closing conditions [1][2] - The transaction aligns with Inspired's strategy to transition towards a more digital and scalable model, enhancing long-term growth potential and improving EBITDA margins [2] - The sale is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, with net proceeds primarily allocated to debt repayment [3] Company Overview - Inspired Entertainment is a leading B2B provider of gaming content, technology, hardware, and services, operating in approximately 35 jurisdictions worldwide [5] - The company manages over 50,000 gaming machines and offers a diverse portfolio of gaming, virtual sports, and leisure products [5] - The UK holiday parks business involved operating and managing more than 11,000 amusement and gaming machines across about 170 family entertainment centers and adult gaming centers [2] GENDA Overview - GENDA Inc. is a global entertainment company operating a wide range of businesses, including amusement, karaoke, and food & beverage, with approximately 1,000 amusement arcades and 14,000 mini-locations [7][8] - The company aims to build a global entertainment network and increase the "total amount of fun" distributed worldwide [7]