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In the Know

In the Know
Author: Bernstein Research
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In this brand new series, join us to discuss and debate key investment controversies, together with what is top of mind and trending in the news with those who are in the know. In each episode, one of our Bernstein Research Analysts will share insights into their industrial strength research and sector fundamentals.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
58 Episodes
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This week, European Transport Analyst Alex Irving joins host Patrick Robinson on the podcast to discuss how the airline industry stands currently: who is flying high, and who is in a spin. Plus, we delve into policy, geography, infrastructure and other contextual factors affecting airlines today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
European Automobiles & Components Analyst Harry Martin joins host Patrick Robinson on the podcast this week to discuss all things trucking. We discuss the industry as it stands, pricing power, and what newer technologies might change the current market structure. Plus, we touch on barriers to adoption, regulations, and whether it is worth giving it all up to retrain as a long-distance driver. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Global Luxury Goods Analyst Maria Meita joins host Patrick Robinson on the podcast this week to discuss the luxury industry, and its perfect storm of macro weakness, negative price elasticity and lack of newness. We talk about the two diverging customer profiles, winners in the space and why Brunello Cucinelli is the closest the luxury industry has to a cult. Plus, in this polarising world of luxury where the top 5% of customers make up to 40% of sales, we explore the role of relationship managers, and what’s next for the industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
US Restaurants Analyst Danilo Gargiulo joins host Diana Wood on the podcast this week to discuss American multinational coffee chain Starbucks. We debate the brand’s degeneration – from how Starbucks became synonymous with “coffee” and the away-from-home coffee culture among generations of people across 80+ countries across the globe to how recently, the brand seems to have lost its halo. Danilo explores contributing internal and external factors including the brand’s relevance among occasional consumers (and the younger generation), and the employee and customer experience driven by rapidly changing “channels” – plus we discuss the question investors are asking: is the Starbucks era over? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Neil Beveridge, APAC Oil, Gas & Energy Storage Analyst joins Diana Wood on the podcast this week to discuss CATL, a global leader in new energy innovative technologies and the largest battery maker today. Here, we discuss the basics – who they are, and who their customer base is – and delve into their capacity expansion plans for the future, their biggest competitors and how they think about their supply chain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
US Retailing Analyst Zhihan Ma joins host Sid Malkani this week to unpack multi-billion dollar global retailer Costco, self-described as a “membership warehouse club” and operating in 14 countries.We delve into the history of the club model, and where Costco fits into this strategy – from their unique pricing and branding strategy to the Kirkland brand as a whole. Plus, we look at Costco’s international strategy, and their runway for growth in other markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Senior Technology Analyst Boris Van joins Richard Moffat on the podcast this week to discuss the Chinese travel market. As Chinese consumers shift their rapidly growing disposable income towards experiential consumption, we discuss the potential growth of domestic vs. international travel, the competitive tension between travel agents, hotels and airlines, and finish with the material impact on global hotel room demand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
US Energy & Global Natural Resource Analyst Bob Brackett joins host Diana Wood to walk us through his bullish view on the natural gas market. We discuss the two demand drivers that are permanently inflecting, and the supply squeeze that we cannot ignore, as well as geopolitical factors and the evolving landscape in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Diana Wood hosts US Semiconductor Analyst Stacy Rasgon for a topical episode surrounding DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence company who have had an ‘AI mic drop’ moment, causing a major stir in the markets. In this episode, Stacy provides an update on the ‘latest and greatest’ in the world of AI, plus we delve into who DeepSeek are, the initial reactions, and what this may mean for Open AI and the industry at large. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Once the hottest start-up and a notorious cash-burn business, Uber has now emerged as a scaled and profitable Internet platform. US Internet Analyst Nikhil Devnani joins host Sid Malkani on the podcast this week to discuss Uber, the category-defining app.We dig into its history and evolution into a global and multi-category on-demand network. Today, Uber faces its next big transition phase to an increasingly autonomous network as driverless cars are finally here. We touch on what these inventions mean for Uber and how the company might navigate this future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Food Packaging Analyst Alexia Howard joins host Diana Wood on the podcast this week to discuss the potential implications of Make America Healthy Again on the packaged food industry. We look at Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s policies and what impact these could have on food dye, microplastics and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Plus, we consider new legislations around additives, product promotion, and how education may start to shift the way people think about ultra-processed foods. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.