Netflix (NFLX)
It wasn’t long ago that in-home entertainment was limited to whatever was on broadcast TV or what was available at your local video rental store. That all changed in 1997, when Netflix (NFLX) came on the scene, offering a new DVD-rental-by-mail service that eliminated the drive to the video store and opened up a vast library of new and old titles to subscribers for a flat monthly fee. In 2010, Netflix took things a step further, introducing a new streaming media service that, for a flat monthly fee, would allow customers to directly stream content to their homes without having to even get up off the couch.
Today Netflix operates a trio of businesses: it’s streaming services, DVD and Blu-ray rental by mail, as well a production and distribution for its own series of films and television series. As of 2019, the company had more than 60 million paid subscriptions in the U.S. and a total of 148 million worldwide, where it is currently available in just about every country.
Netflix reported nearly $16 billion in revenue for 2018 and currently employs about 5,400 people in its offices around the world.
Rationale
As one of the so-called “FANG” stocks – a list that also includes high-growth stocks like Facebook, Amazon and Google – Netflix has been a darling of many investors in recent years. The most direct way to gain exposure to Netflix is to buy its listed shares, of course, but there are reasons for investors to reconsider that approach, despite its popularity. For one thing, Netflix’s rapid expansion is beginning to slow now that it is available worldwide. It is simply running out of new customers to fuel its growth. What’s more, the company’s push to produce new content and secure rights for existing content around the world has been piling it under a mountain of debt, more than $21 billion as of 2017. That debt load will eventually serve as a drag on its upside potential.
However, for investors interested in gaining exposure to the streaming media sector, rather than buying NFLX shares themselves should consider buying funds that provide exposure to Netflix and other media firms like CBS, HBO and others. After all, the return drivers that will benefit NFLX might also benefit other similar companies. As investment management is gradually moving to the construction of portfolios using ETFs and mutual funds in addition to single stocks, investors would do well to consider gain exposure to firms like Netflix through these types of funds.
Investing in NFLX
A search on Magnifi suggests that investors can gain access to Netflix via a number of different funds and ETFs, including those shown below.
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Nvidia (NVDA)
Nvidia (NVDA) isn’t a household name for many people, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t had a massive impact on the daily lives of billions of people around the world. Nvidia’s founders invented what is known as the graphics processing unit (GPU), creating the company in 1993, and today it creates interactive graphics on laptops, workstations, mobile devices, notebooks, PCs, and more. It is active in the video gaming market and develops advanced graphic processing products for both commercial and wholesale usage.
Nvidia’s business is broken down into 4 silos: gaming, professional visualization, data centers and automotive. The company is now also working on technologies including parallel processing, artificial intelligence, mobile computing and more.
In 2018, NVDA’s revenue was $11.72 billion and it’s market cap as of 2019 is $129 billion.
Rationale
All that said, there are reasons for investors to think twice about investing directly in NVDA. The most direct way to gain exposure to Nvidia is to buy its listed shares, of course, but its participation in the extremely competitive computer hardware market might make many reconsider that approach. Companies like NVDA must constantly innovate and find new ways to drive revenue as both technologies and consumer needs change and evolve. What’s more, new applications for GPUs, such as for cryptocurrency mining, are rapidly expanding Nvidia’s potential market and opening it up to new competition that’s more focused on those opportunities.
However, for investors interested in gaining exposure to the computing hardware sector, rather than buying NVDA shares themselves should consider buying funds that provide exposure to Nvidia and other similar firms. After all, the return drivers that will benefit NVDA might also benefit other similar tech firms. As investment management is gradually moving to the construction of portfolios using ETFs and mutual funds in addition to single stocks, investors would do well to consider gain exposure to firms like Nvidia through these types of funds.
Investing in NVDA
A search on Magnifi suggests that investors can gain access to Nvidia via a number of different funds and ETFs, including those shown below.
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Magnifi is changing the way we shop for investments, with the world’s first semantic search engine for finance that helps users discover, compare and buy investment products such as ETFs, mutual funds and stocks. Try it for yourself today.
This blog is sponsored by Magnifi. The information and data are as of the publish date unless otherwise noted and subject to change. This material is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individualized investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities tailored to your needs. This information covers investment and market activity, industry or sector trends, or other broad-based economic or market conditions and should not be construed as investment research or advice. Investors are urged to consult with their financial advisors before buying or selling any securities. Although certain information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness or fairness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content may not be reproduced or distributed to any person in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Magnifi. [As a technology company, Magnifi provides access to tools and will be compensated for providing such access. Magnifi does not provide broker-dealer, custodian, investment advice or related investment services.]
Gap (GPS)
A mainstay of malls and shopping centers across the U.S. in the 1990s, Gap Inc. (GPS) is today a clothing and accessories retailer with operations around the world. Founded as a jeans shop in San Francisco in 1969, Gap today sells a wide variety of products for men, women and children, including sportswear, activewear, and more.
The company’s six primary divisions include retail outlets The Gap, upscale store Banana Republic, discount retailer Old Navy, fitness wear brand Athleta, curated fashion site Intermix, and Hill City, a maker of performance menswear.
As of 2018, Gap’s revenue was $16.6 billion and it was the largest specialty retailer in the U.S. It currently operates more than 3,700 stores worldwide, more than 60% of which are in North America.
Rationale
The most direct way to gain exposure to Gap is to buy its listed shares, of course, but its participation in the extremely competitive retail and fashion markets might make many reconsider that approach. Companies like GPS have to stay ahead of the constantly shifting trends in fashion in order to remain competitive in the marketplace. What’s more, Gap’s reliance on mall and shopping center locations puts it at risk as consumer choice moves away from brick and mortar shopping to more online purchases.
However, for investors interested in gaining exposure to the retail and consumer spending sector, rather than buying GPS shares themselves should consider buying funds that provide exposure to Gap and other similar firms. After all, the return drivers that will benefit GPS might also benefit other similar retail firms. As investment management is gradually moving to the construction of portfolios using ETFs and mutual funds in addition to single stocks, investors would do well to consider gain exposure to firms like Gap through these types of funds.
Investing in GPS
A search on Magnifi suggests that investors can gain access to GPS via a number of different funds and ETFs, including those shown below.
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Magnifi is changing the way we shop for investments, with the world’s first semantic search engine for finance that helps users discover, compare and buy investment products such as ETFs, mutual funds and stocks. Try it for yourself today.
This blog is sponsored by Magnifi. The information and data are as of the publish date unless otherwise noted and subject to change. This material is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individualized investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities tailored to your needs. This information covers investment and market activity, industry or sector trends, or other broad-based economic or market conditions and should not be construed as investment research or advice. Investors are urged to consult with their financial advisors before buying or selling any securities. Although certain information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness or fairness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content may not be reproduced or distributed to any person in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Magnifi. [As a technology company, Magnifi provides access to tools and will be compensated for providing such access. Magnifi does not provide broker-dealer, custodian, investment advice or related investment services.]
Microsoft (MSFT)
When your cofounder and former CEO is regularly in the mix for richest person in the world, you know the company they founded is going to be a huge one, and Microsoft (MSFT) lives up to the billing. Founded by Gates and his business partner, Paul Allen, in Albuquerque, NM in 1975 as a software company focused on BASIC applications, Microsoft later moved to the Seattle suburbs and has become synonymous with personal computing and software ever since.
Today Microsoft sells computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, cloud computing and a wide range of related products and surfaces, including the Microsoft Office software package, Windows operating system, Xbox video game consoles, and the Microsoft Surface table computer. It is the world’s largest software company by revenue, and also owns social networking site LinkedIn as well as online communications provider Skype.
As of 2019, Microsoft is the world’s most valuable company, with a market cap of $1.14 trillion and fiscal year 2019 revenues of $125 billion.
Rationale
The most direct way to gain exposure to Microsoft is to buy its listed shares. But investors have good reason to reconsider that approach given Microsoft’s participation in the extremely competitive and trend-focused personal computing market. Companies like Microsoft must constantly innovate and find new ways to drive revenue as both technologies and consumer needs change and evolve. This can be extremely lucrative for those can stay ahead of the trends, but those fortunes can change quickly when a new technology or need is overlooked or claimed by a competitor.
However, for investors interested in gaining exposure to the software sector, rather than buying MSFT shares themselves should consider buying funds that provide exposure to Microsoft and other similar firms. After all, the return drivers that will benefit MSFT might also benefit other similar tech firms. As investment management is gradually moving to the construction of portfolios using ETFs and mutual funds in addition to single stocks, investors would do well to consider gain exposure to firms like Microsoft through these types of funds.
Investing in MSFT
A search on Magnifi suggests that investors can gain access to Microsoft via a number of different funds and ETFs, including those shown above.
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Magnifi is changing the way we shop for investments, with the world’s first semantic search engine for finance that helps users discover, compare and buy investment products such as ETFs, mutual funds and stocks. Try it for yourself today.
This blog is sponsored by Magnifi. The information and data are as of the publish date unless otherwise noted and subject to change. This material is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individualized investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities tailored to your needs. This information covers investment and market activity, industry or sector trends, or other broad-based economic or market conditions and should not be construed as investment research or advice. Investors are urged to consult with their financial advisors before buying or selling any securities. Although certain information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness or fairness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content may not be reproduced or distributed to any person in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Magnifi. [As a technology company, Magnifi provides access to tools and will be compensated for providing such access. Magnifi does not provide broker-dealer, custodian, investment advice or related investment services.]
Lululemon (LULU)
Who knew that selling yoga pants could be so lucrative? Chip Wilson, the founder of Canadian athleticwear retailer Lululemon Athleta (LULU) certainly did when he started the company out of his Vancouver apartment in 1998. In part, LULU arrived at just the right time. In the early 2000s, yoga was on an upswing, and between 2012 and 2016 the number of Americans doing yoga grew by 50%. Today, 1/3 of all Americans has tried it at least one, and the population of over-50 practitioners has tripled since 2015.
Lululemon designs and sells a wide variety of athletic wear, having expanded beyond its core product of yoga pants. Today the inventory in its 460 stores includes tops, casual pants, shorts, sweaters, jackets, undergarments, accessories, yoga mats, water bottles, shoes and more.
In 2018, Lululemon reported revenue of $3.29 billion, up from just $358 million a decade earlier.
Rationale
A direct way to gain exposure to Lululemon is to buy the listed shares. But that can be a risky approach, given LULU’s focus on the consumer market. It’s fair to believe that Chip Wilson caught lightning in a bottle with the explosive growth of the yoga market shortly after he launched the company, but Lululemon’s breakneck growth since then has largely been predicated on new store openings and reaching out to new potential customers. However, fashion trends can change rapidly, and the population of customers who have not yet tried yoga or purchased from Lululemon is shrinking, reducing its future growth potential.
A solution that can dampen some of that volatility is to buy funds that provide exposure to Lululemon and other similar firms, rather than LULU shares themselves. After all, the return drivers that will benefit Lululemon might also benefit other similar firms in sporting goods, athleticwear, and footwear. As investment management is gradually moving to the construction of portfolios using ETFs and mutual funds in addition to single stocks, investors would do well to consider gain exposure to firms like LULU through these types of funds.
Investing in LULU
A search on Magnifi suggests that investors can gain access to LULU via a number of different funds and ETFs, including those shown below.
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a 14-day free trial of Magnifi Pro+
Magnifi is changing the way we shop for investments, with the world’s first semantic search engine for finance that helps users discover, compare and buy investment products such as ETFs, mutual funds and stocks. Try it for yourself today.
This blog is sponsored by Magnifi. The information and data are as of the publish date unless otherwise noted and subject to change. This material is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individualized investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities tailored to your needs. This information covers investment and market activity, industry or sector trends, or other broad-based economic or market conditions and should not be construed as investment research or advice. Investors are urged to consult with their financial advisors before buying or selling any securities. Although certain information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness or fairness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content may not be reproduced or distributed to any person in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Magnifi. [As a technology company, Magnifi provides access to tools and will be compensated for providing such access. Magnifi does not provide broker-dealer, custodian, investment advice or related investment services.]
Facebook (FB)
Founded in a Harvard dorm room in 2004, Facebook (FB) has in the intervening years become one of the major companies of our time. Far from the first social network on the internet, Facebook has however established itself as the most successful, boasting more than 2.4 billion active users worldwide and 85 offices spread across 35 countries.
As of 2019, Facebook has a market cap of more than $460 billion, and the company reported total revenue of nearly $56 billion in 2018, mostly generated from online advertising. That figure was up 37% from the $40 billion in revenue the company reported in 2017. The company has been actively acquiring other companies since its founding and currently owns Instagram, WhatsApp, Occulus VR, FriendFeed and adtech company LiveRail among its total 79 businesses.
Facebook’s 2012 IPO was the largest tech IPO in U.S. history, with more than 421 million shares priced at $38 per share raising roughly $16 billion.
Rationale
A direct way to gain exposure to Facebook is to buy the listed shares. But, despite its growth, Facebook remains a volatile and uncertain company. It is still only 15 years old, so it continues to experience growing pains in its new industry. What’s more, potential government regulation of the platform could slow its growth going forward.
A solution that can dampen some of that volatility is to buy funds that provide exposure to Facebook and other similar firms, rather than FB shares themselves. After all, the return drivers that will benefit Facebook might also benefit other similar firms in online advertising, digital media, and hardware. As investment management is gradually moving to the construction of portfolios using ETFs and mutual funds in addition to single stocks, investors would do well to consider gain exposure to firms like Facebook through these types of funds.
Investing in FB
A search on Magnifi suggests that investors can gain access to Facebook via a number of different funds and ETFs, including those shown below.
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Magnifi is changing the way we shop for investments, with the world’s first semantic search engine for finance that helps users discover, compare and buy investment products such as ETFs, mutual funds and stocks. Try it for yourself today.
This blog is sponsored by Magnifi. The information and data are as of the publish date unless otherwise noted and subject to change. This material is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individualized investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities tailored to your needs. This information covers investment and market activity, industry or sector trends, or other broad-based economic or market conditions and should not be construed as investment research or advice. Investors are urged to consult with their financial advisors before buying or selling any securities. Although certain information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness or fairness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content may not be reproduced or distributed to any person in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Magnifi. [As a technology company, Magnifi provides access to tools and will be compensated for providing such access. Magnifi does not provide broker-dealer, custodian, investment advice or related investment services.]
Apple (AAPL)
Apple (AAPL) is a Silicon Valley legend. Literally founded in a garage – in this case, belonging to Steve Jobs’ parents in Los Altos – Apple got its start in 1976 when cofounders Jobs and Steve Wozniak began building the very first Apple personal computers by hand, shipping them in handmade wooden cases. Always the showman, Jobs later said that the company’s name was a nod to a “fruitarian” diet he was on at the time. He had just come back from an apple farm, and thought the name sounded “fun, spirited and not intimidating.”
That was then.
Today Apple produces far more than just Apple computers, including such products as the iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, iPad, AirPods and much more, including a wide variety of Macbook laptops and Mac desktops.
Apple is among the world’s most valuable companies, with a net worth of more than $1 trillion and annual revenues of $265 billion in 2018. It is the world’s largest technology company by revenue and employs 123,000 full-time employees and maintained 504 retail stores in 24 countries as of 2018. There are currently more than 1.3 billion Apple products in use worldwide, ranking it as the world’s most valuable brand.
Rationale
A direct way to gain exposure to Apple is to buy the listed shares. But that can be a risky approach, given Apple’s focus on the consumer market. Consumers can be finicky, and what sells today (like iPhones) may not sell as strongly tomorrow or next year. As such, Apple is forced to constantly innovate in hopes of finding the next big tech trend. The company has done this successfully for more than 40 years, but the innovation cycle is accelerating.
A solution that can dampen some of that volatility is to buy funds that provide exposure to Apple and other similar firms, rather than AAPL shares themselves. After all, the return drivers that will benefit Apple might also benefit other similar firms in consumer electronics, computer hardware and personal entertainment. As investment management is gradually moving to the construction of portfolios using ETFs and mutual funds in addition to single stocks, investors would do well to consider gain exposure to firms like Apple through these types of funds.
Investing in AAPL
A search on Magnifi suggests that investors can gain access to Apple via a number of different funds and ETFs, including those shown below.
Schedule a demo and unlock
a 14-day free trial of Magnifi Pro+
Magnifi is changing the way we shop for investments, with the world’s first semantic search engine for finance that helps users discover, compare and buy investment products such as ETFs, mutual funds and stocks. Try it for yourself today.
This blog is sponsored by Magnifi. The information and data are as of the publish date unless otherwise noted and subject to change. This material is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individualized investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities tailored to your needs. This information covers investment and market activity, industry or sector trends, or other broad-based economic or market conditions and should not be construed as investment research or advice. Investors are urged to consult with their financial advisors before buying or selling any securities. Although certain information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness or fairness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content may not be reproduced or distributed to any person in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Magnifi. [As a technology company, Magnifi provides access to tools and will be compensated for providing such access. Magnifi does not provide broker-dealer, custodian, investment advice or related investment services.]
Big Data
Big Opportunities in Big Data
We create an astonishing amount of data every day. From the photos we upload to social media, to the swipe of a card when we hop on the bus, the average person produces tremendous amounts of data at every turn. Delving into this collective ocean of data to find discrete patterns and trends may seem impossible, but innovative analytics are making it a reality thanks to Big Data.
Organizations across the globe are beginning to recognize the value in unlocking information imbedded in large, complex data sets.
Whether it’s hospitals using algorithms to catch infections early, researchers developing cutting-edge tools to map the furthest reaches of our universe, or the NHL deploying “smart pucks” to capture live data and enhance fan experience, our world is increasingly shaped by our relationship to data. Innovators at the leading edge of big data analytics stand to gain tremendously as technology improves and novel applications are discovered in the coming years.
For those interested in investing in this rapidly-growing sector, however, there are a few important points to understand.
What is Big Data?
Big Data refers to large, complex data sets that are difficult to process using traditional analytics. Included in this definition is the process of storing and analyzing the large, complex data sets.
According to IBM, a leader in big data analytics: “Analysis of big data allows analysts, researchers and business users to make better and faster decisions using data that was previously inaccessible or unusable. Businesses can use advanced analytics techniques such as text analytics, machine learning, predictive analytics, data mining, statistics and natural language processing to gain new insights from previously untapped data sources independently or together with existing enterprise data.”
And where does this data come from? Increasingly, it’s coming from internet-connected devices that we interact with every day. This growing network of sensors, relays and more is known as the Internet of Things (IoT).
Why Invest in Big Data?
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global revenues for Big Data analytics are forecast to reach $189.1 billion in 2019, a 12.0% increase over 2018 revenues. IDC also predicts the annual growth rate increasing to 13.2% throughout the next five years, with 2022 revenue reaching $274.3 billion.
Focusing in on specific sectors, the trend becomes even more pronounced. The value of big data analytics in the healthcare sector is projected to grow at an annual rate of 19.1% between 2018 to 2025, and the value of big data analytics in law enforcement is projected to grow at an annual rate of 17.5% between 2015 and 2022.
Organizations of all sizes are investing in big data solutions to address challenges and increase competitive advantage.
In a recent survey of executives at industry-leading firms, 92% responded that they are accelerating the pace of investment in big data and AI. Analytics are also becoming more affordable, bringing the technology within the range of small and midsize businesses. According to the IDC, roughly one quarter of global revenues for big data analytics in 2019 will come from businesses with less than 500 employees.
And 2019 has already been marked by a number of notable acquisitions in the data analytics market. Salesforce acquired Tableau for $15.7 billion on August 1, and Google is in the process of acquiring Looker for $2.6 billion.
As noted by Amir Orad, CEO of Sisense, a business analytics software company: “The value of the data analytics market can’t be ignored. The Looker and Tableau acquisitions demonstrate that even the biggest tech players are snapping up data analytics companies with big price tags, clearly demonstrating the value these companies have in the larger cloud ecosystem.”
In 2015, it was estimated that the possible value of intangible assets, including data, in the United States alone was roughly $8 trillion. As organizations increasingly come to view their data as capital, it will become more and more of a strategic imperative to put that capital to work.
This presents a unique opportunity for investment. As enterprises invest in big data analytics, so too should savvy investors consider the companies supplying the analytics.
How to Invest in Big Data
What’s the best way for investors to get involved in this growing tech sector? Big Data crosses over a number of different specialty areas, including cloud storage, data science and analytics, but a search on Magnifi suggests that there are a number of different ways to profit from the big data trend as a whole.
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The information and data are as of the October 23, 2019 (publish date) unless otherwise noted and subject to change. This blog is sponsored by Magnifi.