Playing FTSE

► Episode Notes:

The indices are up this week, but whose portfolio is down? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

Paul, Steve, and Steve are in the house for this week’s show. But blink and you might miss them, because Paul is a busy fella these days!

Steve and Steve are starting off with the latest from Vodafone. The FTSE 100 laggard has agreed to merge its UK operations with Three, which has Steve W thinking about whether the stock should be on his watch list.

Next it’s Adobe – the US tech giant released earnings this week and it’s just quietly doing its thing. As the company moves forward, innovates, and grows, does it have a place in Steve D’s portfolio?

Sticking with tech, it’s on to AI. Goldman Sachs insist there’s no bubble here, but Steve has other ideas… but he also has a stock that might be worth a look for investors wanting to profit from the rise of the machines.

And we’re finishing with the UK fintech space. Revolut, Freetrade, and Trading212 all have news to share, but is there anything positive for any of them?

All on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

► Episode Notes:

With no Paul for the 9,000,000th time, Steve D and Steve W are talking about lawnmowers, consumer products, and stocks for Paul.

First of all, an actual research company has done some research and discovered that consumers buy things… in shops! Not the most scintillating insight, but Steve W has been thinking about what it might mean for FTSE 100 retailer Tesco?

After that, it’s on to Diageo – a top UK consumer products company with shares trading at a 52-week low. Steve and Steve have thought the stock was expensive before, but is it any closer to being a buy yet for either of them?

The rest of the show is about stocks we’d like to get Paul’s view on. Steve D has a US homebuilder that’s expanding by acquisition and becoming a real manufacturing force, but with no dividend is it even a starter for Paul?

Steve W is looking at a big copper miner – Glencore. With all the hype around AI, he thinks investor attention has gone away from the drive to renewables and sees an opportunity, but can the company steer clear of shady dealings?

Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

0:00 This Week In Markets

11:20 Supermarket Spending

25:13 Diageo

42:38 Cavco

54:46 Glencore

► Episode Notes:

Which stock has Paul sold lately? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

This week, Paul, Steve, and Steve are looking at the ins and outs from the FTSE 100 and the latest from the world of big tech. It’s been an exciting week and they’re set to get started.

First up is UK news. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 were recalibrated earlier this week, but which REIT is going down a tier and did Ocado manage to survive relegation?

Next it’s Broadcom, a stock that’s been riding high on an AI wave. Paul has the details, Steve D sees a glass half full and Steve W sees nothing but risks – what do you think you see?

Then it’s onto Salesforce, a business that’s just turning the corner to profitability. A recession would seem like a bad thing, but Steve W thinks it might actually help this company.

After that, it’s Guidewire, where the analysts all raised their price targets and the stock went down. With no GAAP earnings, what’s it doing share buybacks with..!?

And we finish with a run through some of the smaller stories from the tech world. Looking at Crowdstrike, SentinelOne, Zscaler, Okta, and MongoDB

Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

► Episode Notes:

What’s too hard for Steve W? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

This week, there’s really only one story – Steve D is expecting a baby! Due in December, not much else really matters when there’s news like this around.

There’s also news of another arrival, as Paul is back for a guest appearance! Blink and you’ll miss him, though – he’s a busy man these days.

First up is the Berkshire 13F. Warren Buffett has been buying and selling, as usual, but why is Steve D doing victory laps?

We’ve also got some other portfolio updates from big investors. Josh Tarasoff for Steve D and Terry Smith for Paul have been doing things that the Steves are interested in.

After that, it’s time for the news from Nvidia – the stock blew the doors off its earnings report, specifically on guidance this week. Nothing bad to say about the company, but is this just AI noise?

Lastly we’re looking at Deckers – a Steve D stock from a while ago. Never mind the Ugg brand, it’s the running shoes that have been racing up lately. Is the stock a buy for either Steve?

Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

► Episode Notes:

What are the Steves using to attract people to mate with? Find out in this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

It was Paul’s birthday this week, but we’re kicking off with some other old people – Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger. The Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Meeting happened last week, but what does Steve D think Berkshire has in common with Manchester United?

Then it’s on to Airbnb. The company reported earnings midweek and finished 17% down the week, but why does Steve W think the competition’s adverts show how far behind they are?

Next it’s Disney – a shift away from Disney+ reduced losses, but is that the right move for the company at this point in time? Steve W thinks it’s the new Meta, Steve D has other ideas.

And we’re finishing this week with Nintendo. Steve D owns this one and he’s been doing some interesting digging into what’s been carrying the company lately, with a Mario movie and some new Pokemon releases top of the pile.

All on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

► Episode Notes:

Who can’t sell Steve D”s pants? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

This week, Steve and Steve are talking about earnings and macroeconomics. They’ve got the backs of their envelopes ready – so let’s dive in!

Steve W has been listening to Jerome Powell and Jamie Dimon this week. But he thinks other people haven’t, so he’s interested in what the future looks like for rate hikes and bank crises.

Steve D has been paying attention to the actual data. So he’s got some ideas about the job numbers, interest rates, and inflation from the US, but also the UK and Europe.

After that, it’s back to the stocks, starting with BP. The stock is down this week but both Steves are bullish… so why is neither of them buying?

MercadoLibre also reported earnings this week and they look good. Both Steves like this company, but the market wasn’t impressed with what it saw – any chance of a buy here?

Next is Apple –Steve W owns it and Steve D doesn’t. With a $90bn buyback on the way, will Steve be chucking his investment into the pot for being retired?

Last it’s on to Shopify. Twitter users want to know when this company is going to make any money – find out whether either Steve has the answer…

Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

► Episode Notes:

Who’s been getting a haircut this week? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

Steve and Steve are in to talk about earnings. This week, it’s the turn of the hyperscalers, with Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon on deck, so expect plenty about the cloud, AI, and advertising.

First, though, it’s Tesla – we didn’t get round to this one last week, so Steve and Steve are kicking the show off with everyone’s favourite not-a-car company. Revenues are up and margins are down as Elon Musk pushes for volume at hte cost of margins, but is that the right strategy for the business at the moment?

Then it’s on to Alphabet, a stock that both Steves own. Advertising revenue kept creeping forwards despite macroeconomic headwinds, but is ChatGPT about to eat the company’s lunch?

Meta is next – a stock that’s much more in fashion with investors at the moment than fellow advertising machine Google. The company’s revenue is growing again, its costs are coming down, but should investors be concerned that it’s continuing to throw money into a metaverse project?

After that, in a change from the hyperscaler run down, it’s time for Spotify – the company with the worst ad-supported platform in the world, according to Steve W. But nobody else agrees – monthly active users were up on the ad tier and the growth stock is doing very growthy things, meaning it could be one to keep an eye on for enterprising investors or people looking for good AI usage.

Lastly, it’s Amazon – the business that does it all, or at least tries to. A slowdown in growth at AWS has investors concerned, but the Steves think there’s enough going on with e-commerce, advertising, and the rest of its operations to keep things interesting for the time being. 

Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

► Episode Notes:

Who used to sell fish before getting into the electronics business? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

Steve and Steve have a lot to get through this week – it’s all been going on in the earnings division! We’ve got stocks from the UK, stocks from the US, and stocks going up, down and everywhere.

First up it’s Entain – a Steve D holding that has it all. We’re talking acquisitions, regulation, growth, and more.

When is a bank not a bank? Answer: when it’s Charles Schwab, which we’re on to next, with Steve W thinking he might join his co-pilot in the stock.

After that, it’s Goldman, rounding out the US bank earnings for this quarter. Both Steves want to buy the investment bank, so why is neither of them thinking of doing it?

Then it’s Netflix time. Lots to look at with this one – one that Steve D was right about, one that Steve W was right about, and the huge news that the company is winding down part of its business..!

Next, we’re looking at Intuitive Surgical. This is another stock that the Steves admire and the business is surpassing expectations, but why does Steve W think that the robotic surgery company should be counted as a defensive stock?

ASML follows – one of Steve D’s best investments. The stock has been down this week, but since the company has enough backlog to see it through all but the longest recessions, is that an overreaction to slowing orders?

And we’re finishing the show with LAM research. A P/E of 14 is about to become a P/E of 20, but why do the Steves think it’s a good idea to buy this stock when it’s trading at higher multiple?

Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

0:00 Intro

07:56 Entain

26:18 Schwab

31:55 Goldman Sachs

38:42 Netflix

46:15 Intuitive Surgical

52:24 ASML

58:21 LAM Research