In the Know

With this year marking Zara’s 50th birthday, European Retail Analyst Will Woods joins host Richard Moffat to discuss Inditex – which has grown into one of Europe’s largest public companies. We delve into Zara, which has arguably the most unique consumer business model in the world, and how it is as relevant now as it was 50 years ago. Plus, we look at the rise of disruptor brands including Shein and Temu, Inditex’s successes and failings over the past 50 years, and how it is likely Zara will still be relevant 50 years from now...

US Energy & Global Natural Resource Analyst Bob Brackett joins us back on the podcast this week alongside host Diana Wood to discuss all things Nuclear. As we undergo a massive energy transition, moving away from emissions-based energy sources to green sources, Nuclear is likely to play a large role going forward.Bob walks us through a brief history of Nuclear power, what he sees into terms of supply and demand, the market for uranium and some key players in the space. 

Imagine a hotel experience where you can select your exact room, pay more for a specific pillow, specify the amount of towels you will need – and the price you pay is adjusted accordingly. For our latest episode of In the Know, we welcome new host Patrick Robinson (based in London) alongside Global Hotels & Leisure Analyst Richard Clarke. We delve into the opportunities AI presents for hotels, cruises and online travel agencies, for instance, how tech can assist with everything from initial holiday planning, personalisation, price management and sustainability efforts – and ultimately, how these advancements may affect these industries’ bottom lines.

Global Aerospace & Defense Analyst Doug Harned joins host Diana Wood on the podcast to provide his perspective on the new Golden Dome, a proposed multi-layer defense system for the United Stares designed to detect and destroy a wide range of threats before or during their flight. Doug gives a 360° view of what the Golden Dome actually is, cost estimates and timelines for a system of this scale, main technological challenges, potential adversaries’ countermeasures, how it could escalate the arms race – and where this initiative may leave America and the world over the next 3, 5 and 10 years.

US Internet Analyst Mark Shmulik returns with Sid Malkani for the second part of our two-part episode on Meta Platforms. This time, we look into Meta’s competition and how they ensure content creators end up on their platform vs. TikTok or Google. Plus, we delve into optionality and whether or not Meta can monetize WhatsApp – plus the topic au jour: the introduction of Meta AI.

US Internet Analyst Mark Shmulik joins host Sid Malkani for a two-part episode on multinational technology company Meta Platforms, consisting of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger – and most recently, Meta AI. Looking at Mark’s ‘framework of utility’, we look at the different stakeholders of Meta’s ecosystems: the user, the consumer and the advertiser. We delve into Meta’s use cases and what keeps us online, and how social media has emerged from a place to connect to a broadcast media, with brand/performance advertising and content creation monetising the platforms and continuing its runway for growth.

Nadine Sarwat (Bernstein’s American & European Beverages Analyst) joins host Diana Wood for a discussion on deglobalization, considered an investment controversy across all sectors. Distillers are at the crux of this debate. Their reliance on protected geographical indication products (PGIs, i.e. spirits that must be produced in a given geography) were once a clear asset. Now they are a potential liability. We explore which companies are most at risk given rising trade tensions. Plus, we discuss Nadine's recent coverage expansion into the European Coca-Cola bottlers, which have proven to be a safe haven in today’s volatile environment.

Global Software Analyst Mark Moerdler joins host Diana Wood to discuss multinational computer technology company, Oracle. We take a look into their story, looking into their transition to the Cloud and how their revenue, margins and earnings were impacted. Plus, we discuss the controversy of the Oracle database, the AI capabilities of Oracle OCI, MultiCloud, and the security offering from Oracle.

Food Packaging Analyst Alexia Howard joins host Diana Wood on the podcast this week for a deep dive into food additives and dyes. Used to enhance flavour, appearance and/or to extend shelf life, some of these substances have been associated with adverse health implications including cancers and behavioural disorders. Alexia walks us through the additives we may find in our kitchen pantry, why they have found their way into our food systems (particularly in the US) – and importantly, which ones to avoid and why.