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Diverse hiring helps life insurance companies connect with underserved communities. Life insurance companies are focusing on community and product development. Many of the largest insurance companies have historically denied Black applicants, given them lower-value life insurance than white applicants who paid the same amount, and engaged in other discriminatory activity. Research from William G. Gale, a Brookings Institution economics expert and co-author of "Racial Discrimination in Life Insurance," found that while Black families were 3% more likely than their white counterparts to have a life insurance policy, the differences in inheritances (often including life insurance payouts) accounted for 10-20% of the wealth gap. Aside from eliminating blatantly discriminatory underwriting, Guardian Life has opened the door to life insurance for people with HIV.

☆ Musk’s Twitter markdown falls short of the mark
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The billionaire owner of Twitter has offered stock grants to the social media app’s shrunken staff at a valuation of about $20 billion, less than half the price he paid in October. In fact, based on Twitter’s operating performance, the effects of leverage and public market comparisons, the equity is probably worthless. Net out $13 billion of debt, as of January, and equity holders are left with just over $20 billion, or about the figure reported over the weekend by The Information. First, Twitter wasn’t generating consistent earnings before Musk bought it, and so it’s hard to believe it’s doing so now. Back out the debt and the equity is less than zero, assuming their cash position hasn’t meaningfully changed.

☆ Britain's RMT union accepts improved pay offer from Network Rail
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Rail workers at Britain's RMT trade union have voted to accept an improved pay offer from Network Rail, ending a long-running dispute with the organisation which owns and maintains train infrastructure, the union said on Monday. Earlier this month, the rail union suspended planned strike action, which has caused widespread disruption to the rail network on several days over the last few months, to hold a referendum on the improved offer from Network Rail. The RMT, which represents 20,000 Network Rail members, said turnout in the ballot was nearly 90%, with 76% voting to back the improved offer covering pay, jobs and conditions. The union remains locked in another pay dispute with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents more than a dozen train operators. Further strikes by those RMT members are due to take place on March 30 and April 1.

☆ Want an annual investment return of up to 12%? This 'boring' strategy's the way to go, investor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"I know it sounds boring, but we do try and look at where we think things will be in three to five years' time. A discount rate is the rate of return used to discount future cash flows back to their present value. Desmond said the firm applies a discount rate of 8% across its portfolio, which remains constant across the entirety of a financial cycle. I think if you keep moving your discount rate around every day, your valuations get very, very sensitive and it can really just whipsaw you. Stick to the 'Steady Eddies' Desmond characterizes the firm's investment approach as "a bit boring."

☆ Google got a pandemic boost for its Workspace software but blew it, insiders say. Now it plans to attack Microsoft with a new push in AI.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Rosalie Chan | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian spent much of his time at a partner meeting talking about Workspace, tweeted Tony Safoian, CEO of Google Cloud partner SADA Systems. "Around the globe, more than nine million paying organizations, and more than three billion users rely on Google Workspace for communication and collaboration. Other major customers like Deutsche Bank use Google Cloud for cloud infrastructure, but Microsoft Office for collaboration software. Forty-four percent of software procurers whose organization plans to or currently uses Microsoft's collaboration software also use Google Workspace, according to the 2022 Forrester study. While Google Cloud is still unprofitable, it has decreased losses to $480 million, down from $890 million last year.

☆ Costa Coffee raises UK staff pay for third time in a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Costa Coffee has followed rival Pret A Manger in raising pay for its British store staff for the third time in a year. The UK government-mandated National Living Wage will rise to 10.42 pounds an hour from April, an increase of 9.7%. Costa Coffee said its latest rise takes the increase over the last 12 months to over 14%. Rival Pret announced another pay rise for its staff last week, while food retailers Tesco (TSCO.L), Asda and Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) have also all recently announced increases. Costa Coffee said it also provides workers with a store performance related bonus, free drinks while on shift and a 50% staff discount.

☆ How to invest in the ChatGPT-driven AI boom: Credit Suisse shares 6 stocks they're labeling as "top picks" as their exposure to AI development opens them up to new revenue streams
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Badri's price 12-month price target for shares of Microsoft is $285. The analysts said that growing AI use cases will help Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and their high performance computing business, which has already doubled since 2016. Credit Suisse's 12-month price target for the stock is $330, which is upside of 16%. Chou has a price target of NT$1,100 for the stock, meaning 13.5% upside. Both Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Baidu are traded on US exchanges, while Accton and Wiwynn are traded in Taiwan.

☆ Costco's quarterly results show why we're long-term investors, despite softer sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

After factoring in tonight's move lower, Costco shares have gained roughly 3.3% year-to-date, compared to a 3.7% increase in the S & P 500 . While it's a positive development to see Costco's margins expand from last year, it's also important to note that management doesn't run the business for profit margins. On the post-earnings conference call with analysts and investors, Costco management broke down all the levers of the quarterly margin performance. Costco's 2% reward program was a two-basis-point headwind on both sides due to more sales coming from Costco's executive members. February sales Alongside its fiscal second-quarter results Wednesday, Costco provided comparable sales for the four-week period ended Feb 26.

☆ Asian shares edge higher, dollar rally takes a breather
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Asian shares nudged higher on Tuesday, tracking small gains on Wall Street, while the U.S. dollar paused after a sharp rally as month-end flows lift sentiment and investors adjust to expectations of more interest rate hikes. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was 0.25% higher but was set to end the month down about 6%. China shares (.SSEC) was up 0.4% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index (.HSI) was 1% higher but was on track to end its three month winning streak as the China reopening rally loses steam. China shares have also been weighed down by rising geopolitical tension, with U.S.-China relations the dominant uncertainty at the forefront of investor minds. The dollar index , which measures U.S. currency against six other peers, rose 0.048% and was set to snap a four month losing streak.

☆ A freelance SEO expert explains 5 steps to drive search traffic on a limited budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Ryan Darani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

X is typically a brand with 20 years of organic SEO growth that dominates a particular industry. Here are five simple steps to start generating organic traffic to your website immediately, with a limited but well-placed budget. Search traffic is driven by billions of searches happening every day. The more you can do this, the better it'll be for your rankings and organic traffic. The more mentions and links you receive from other relevant websites, the more potential you have to generate organic traffic.

☆ UK economy in 'a lot better shape' than bleak figures suggest, fund manager says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

People walk outside the Bank of England in the City of London financial district, in London, Britain, January 26, 2023. Henry Nicholls | ReutersLONDON — The U.K. has thus far avoided a widely anticipated recession, and the signs from the business world are that the economy may be holding up better than feared, according to veteran Schroders fund manager Andy Brough. Figures published earlier this month showed that the U.K. GDP contracted by 0.5% in December, as the economy flatlined over the final quarter of 2022 to narrowly avoid a technical recession. "Underneath companies' profitability x-minus today, we're seeing pretty good dividend increases, pretty good earnings statements, so, underlying, I think the economy is in a lot better shape. 'Signs of life' in business investment Uncertainty over future relations between Westminster and Brussels have hammered business investment since the U.K. voted to leave the European Union in 2016, in turn hampering productivity expansion and adding to the direct costs of Brexit on the U.K. potential growth.

☆ A man who rates Google search results said he makes $3 less per hour than his daughter working in fast food
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A man who rates Google search results told the LA Times he makes $3 less than his daughter who has a fast food job. "There are times that I have seen some of the graphic content replayed in my dreams," Stackhouse told the Times. Stackhouse didn't tell the Los Angeles Times how much his daughter makes or what her role at her fast food job is. Four Sama workers told Time they were paid $2 or less per hour. Sama also works with Google and Microsoft, and told Time it would stop working with graphic content by March 2023.

☆ Buyout barons reach deep into their bags of tricks
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jonathan Guilford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

NEW YORK, Feb 15 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Debt necessity is proving to be the mother of private equity invention. With the cheap borrowing that fueled record-breaking years of leveraged buyouts gone, firms are digging deeper into their bags of tricks. Private equity firm Silver Lake, which bought a stake alongside the IPO, said it might take control. Besides putting private equity firms into weaker negotiating positions, the competing incentives also threaten conflicts of interest with limited partners. ...THERE’S A WAYIf the U.S. Federal Reserve avoids engineering a recession, private equity should be able to revert to its tried-and-true formula soon enough.

☆ CVS pays exorbitant $10 bln price to diversify
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Robert Cyran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Feb 8 (Reuters Breakingviews) - CVS Health (CVS.N) keeps marching ahead with its plan to create an American healthcare colossus. Its latest acquisition involves paying $10.6 billion, including debt, to buy Oak Street Health (OSH.N). CVS is buying home-healthcare assessment provider Signify Health (SGFY.N) for $8 billion, and now Oak Street, to beef up its capabilities. CVS is valuing each Oak Street healthcare provider at more than $17 million, and each patient at about $67,000. In September, CVS agreed to buy Signify Health, a home healthcare provider mostly for Medicare patients, for $8 billion.

☆ Amazon to report quarterly results after market close
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon will report fourth-quarter earnings after the market close on Thursday. The company warned in its most recent earnings report that fourth-quarter revenue would rise just 2% to 8% from a year earlier. Amazon Web Services is expected to show slowing growth during the fourth quarter as businesses softened their spending in an effort to cut costs. One bright spot could be Amazon's advertising business, which is expected to post solid revenue growth during the quarter. Apple and Alphabet also report results after the bell on Thursday, wrapping up earnings season among the highest-valued tech companies.

☆ Most analysts are sticking with AMD even after 'partly cloudy' fourth-quarter earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

AMD shares popped about 3%. On Wall Street, several analysts reiterated AMD shares as a buy despite the continued overhangs in the chipmaking industry, and project upside for the stock. Goldman Sachs also maintained a buy rating on AMD, saying that despite broader market challenges, the company is on track towards a positive market share trajectory. 'Partly cloudy' results Deutsche Bank analyst Ross Seymore reiterated a hold rating on the stock, citing its "partially cloudy" fourth-quarter results. AMD shares have benefited from January's market and tech shares rally, jumping 16.03% since the start of 2023.

☆ Tesla shares rose 30% last week. Here’s where Wall Street sees it going next
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

This year so far, Tesla shares are up by around 44%. It follows a bleak 2022 when Tesla shares slumped over 35% in December and around 65% over the year. Its bear case is a $70 price target, while its bull case is $390. Garrett Nelson, senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, predicts a "strong rebound" for Tesla shares in 2023, calling its risk/reward "highly compelling" at current levels. Tesla shares ended Friday at $177.90.

☆ From PayPal to Facebook, Silicon Valley has long been obsessed with the idea of company "mafias." Take a look at ex-Square staffers who have created more than $40 billion of startup value.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The idea of Silicon Valley "mafias" first emerged with the Oracle, Facebook, and PayPal mafias. Former Square staffers have gone on to launch startups worth nearly $40 billion cumulatively. Silicon Valley insiders have long been obsessed with the idea of startup "mafias." The "PayPal mafia" was perhaps the most infamous company that spawned the founders of tech giants like YouTube, Yelp, Tesla, and LinkedIn. Facebook and Oracle also have their own mafias of former employees that have produced iconic tech companies like Salesforce, Asana, and GoodRx.

☆ JPMorgan downgrades electric vehicle charging stock EVgo, sees little upside going forward
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

JPMorgan thinks it's time to move to the sidelines on electric vehicle charging company EVgo . However, "we think its network throughput growth will likely be dampened as a result of slower site growth." While EVgo recently announced a partnership with Amazon's Alexa , which will guide electric vehicle users to EVgo charging stations, the company's growth outlook remains tricky. JPMorgan said early signs of consolidation among electric vehicle charging operators and larger energy players, such as Shell and Volta, could pose a threat to EVgo. Further challenges lie ahead for the broader electric vehicle charging market, J.P. Morgan added.

☆ Tesla's strong orders and weak margins in its latest earnings have analysts conflicted on the stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The company posted adjusted earnings of $1.19 per share, compared to expectations of $1.13 per share, according to Refinitiv estimates. We're currently seeing orders of almost twice the rate of production," Musk said during a call with analysts. While the strong orders are promising, the analyst said the auto gross margins were too weak to overlook. Still, he maintained a neutral rating on the firm following earnings, saying the outlook is balanced from here. Meanwhile, Bank of America's John Murphy reiterated a neutral rating, saying the operational and financial outlook for Tesla shares remains unchanged after earnings, and that the stock is "fairly valued."

☆ Kim Kardashian's Skims campaign with 'The White Lotus' breakout stars shows the power of pop culture in marketing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Kim Kardashian's shapewear brand, Skims, launched a campaign with stars of "The White Lotus." Watson added that with this campaign, Skims is leveraging characters who are both relatable and aspirational to evoke that perception of the products. Here's why the latest Skims campaign works and what other business owners can learn for their brand marketing, according to Watson. For fans of 'The White Lotus,' we feel this source of pride, like 'here's our friend getting a platform.'" "You're not going to be able to emulate the reach of Kim Kardashian overnight," he said.

☆ Nearly $40 billion of startup value later, here's what the members of the Square mafia have been up to since leaving the fintech giant
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former Square staffers have gone on to launch startups worth nearly $40 billion cumulatively. Insider tracked 15 members of the "Square mafia" to see what they're up to these days. The "PayPal mafia" was perhaps the most infamous company that spawned the founders of tech giants like YouTube, Yelp, Tesla, and LinkedIn. Facebook and Oracle also have their own mafias of former employees that have produced iconic tech companies like Salesforce, Asana, and GoodRx. Insider tracked 15 ex-Square employees in their current ventures, ranging from launching multibillion-dollar public companies to running high-profile VC firms.

☆ Morgan Stanley says these 'standout names' take sustainability seriously — and have upside to boot
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Embracing sustainability doesn't have to come at the expense of financial performance — Morgan Stanley named several European companies it says have managed to show just that. These stocks are rated overweight and have average upside of around 20% to 35%, the bank added. Morgan Stanley described the company as a "global leader" in cement decarbonization, and its "ambitious" medium-term decarbonization target puts it in a "league of its own." Morgan Stanley also named German utility firm RWE on its list. The bank estimates that RWE will achieve around 16 billion euros ($17 billion) of free cash flow in 2023.

☆ Raymond James sees clean energy stocks jumping 30% to 40% in 2023. Here are some favorite picks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The new year should bring a boost to clean energy stocks, according to Raymond James. Demand drivers vary around the world, but there is strength everywhere," Molchanov wrote. With that in mind, he upgraded two clean energy companies: Chart Industries to strong buy from market perform, and Maxeon Solar Technologies to outperform from market perform. Chart Industries joins names such as Bloom Energy and FTC Solar on Raymond James' strong buy list. The firm also upgraded NextEra Energy to market perform from underperform, but noted it is not enthusiastic about the stock at these levels.

☆ Soccer giants’ new owners may get tiny returns
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Streisand Neto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Financial Times reported that PSG’s Qatari owners wanted to offload 15% of the French champions. Recent deals valued the National Football League’s Denver Broncos and basketball’s Utah Jazz at over 9 times revenue, according to Forbes. Possible Man United, Liverpool and PSG owners might hope that the teams will eventually reach such valuation heights. Fenway Sports Group would consider new shareholders for Liverpool, having frequently received expressions of interest from third parties, the English Premier League club’s owners said on Nov. 7. The Financial Times reported on Nov. 28 that Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari owners were considering selling 15% of the club.

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