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]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated net sales decreased by 8.9%, with organic net sales declining by 16% when excluding Olive & June [39] - Non-GAAP adjusted EPS was $0.59, down from $1.21 in the same period last year, primarily due to lower adjusted operating income and higher interest expense [48] - Free cash flow was positively impacted by $23 million year-to-date, despite a cash flow drag of approximately $34 million from higher tariff payments [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Beauty and Wellness segment saw an organic sales decline of 18.2%, with approximately 5 percentage points attributed to tariff-related disruptions [43] - Home and Outdoor segment net sales declined by 13.7%, with about 4 percentage points of this decline due to tariff-related disruptions [41] - Olive & June contributed $33.4 million in revenue, exceeding expectations and helping to offset declines in other areas [30][44] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - DTC revenue grew by 15% year-over-year, indicating strong consumer engagement despite broader market challenges [20] - International sales in the Beauty and Wellness segment were affected by government incentives favoring localized fulfillment in China, impacting global brands like Braun [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to re-energize its brands and focus investments on those with the most promise, emphasizing consumer-centric strategies [13][14] - Plans include improving asset efficiency, maintaining shareholder-friendly policies, and enhancing working capital efficiency [16][17] - The company is committed to reducing organizational complexity and empowering teams to make quicker decisions [11][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges ongoing challenges due to tariffs and changing consumer behaviors but remains optimistic about the potential for recovery and growth [18][40] - The focus will be on balancing short-term adjustments with long-term investments in innovation and growth [28][50] - Management expects a gradual improvement in financial performance as transitory impacts from tariffs dissipate [70][71] Other Important Information - The company is actively working on tariff mitigation strategies, including supplier diversification and cost management [25][38] - The effective tax rate is expected to range from 15% to 16% for the full fiscal year, with adjustments in Q3 and Q4 [55] Q&A Session Summary Question: Portfolio evaluation and divestiture opportunities - Management sees promise in all brands but is evaluating the portfolio for long-term planning [67] Question: Earnings base for future growth - Management believes there are transitory impacts affecting current earnings, which should improve in the second half of the year [70][71] Question: Revitalizing brands and restoring growth - Key steps include focusing on consumer insights, driving innovation, and improving decision-making processes [79] Question: Optimal leverage and capital structure - Management aims for leverage closer to two times and is in discussions with lenders for potential flexibility [83] Question: Growth opportunities in categories - Management is exploring growth opportunities across existing and potential new categories [88]