BREAKINGVIEWS

Elon Musk looks guilty of distracted driving

22 April 2019

Tesla’s CEO is talking up autonomous vehicles, days after offering investors more say and culling the board. But the $46 bln electric-car maker has more pressing concerns, including signs that demand and vehicle quality are falling – not to mention a dwindling pile of cash.

P&G could gain from shaving off Gillette

22 April 2019

The consumer giant’s razor business, which it bought for $57 bln back in 2005, has been blunted by cheaper competition. Sales, profit and market share are shrinking. A new owner might be able to lavish more attention on Gillette, and leave P&G to focus on areas like healthcare.

Kraft Heinz new boss is a good palate cleanser

22 April 2019

Miguel Patricio is not an entirely fresh ingredient for the food company – he ran marketing at AB InBev, created by Kraft’s second-largest shareholder. Both companies have underperformed in recent years. That said, his focus on marketing may break the company’s holding pattern.

Hedge fund have-mores lord it over the rest

22 April 2019

Subdued returns and cheap index trackers have squeezed hedge fund fees well below the once-typical 2 pct of assets and 20 pct of gains. Yet D.E. Shaw is raising the cost of its flagship fund to 3-and-30. A handful of firms can still produce performance investors will pay for.

Saudi Arabia will feel Trump’s Iran slap too

22 April 2019

The U.S. president will fully enforce sanctions on Tehran’s oil exports. Riyadh must pump more to prevent crude prices spiking further, which it has the scope to do. But doing Trump’s bidding will rankle OPEC peers. And the administration has a track record of changing its mind.

Climate risk gets the right kind of oversight

18 April 2019

Central banks presiding over almost half the planet’s GDP plan to treat global warming as a threat to financial stability. It’ll add heft to existing pressure from investors and make it harder for companies and their lenders to ignore the longer-term impacts of climate change.

Weed giant chooses odd way to lay down U.S. roots

18 April 2019

Canopy Growth has struck an unusual deal to buy an American rival for $3.4 bln – if marijuana becomes legal there. It’s a clever way of getting into the world’s biggest market. The question is why the Canadian outfit would want a company happy to accept this lopsided arrangement.

Pinterest and Zoom indulge in IPO micro-aggression

18 April 2019

Both tech companies sold shares for more than underwriters previously indicated. True, market debuts give little indication of long-term success. When insiders already hold supervoting shares, though, leaving a bit less on the table is a gentle reminder of who calls the shots.

Blackstone’s conversion is less than it seems

18 April 2019

Turning into a corporation should broaden the buyout shop’s investor base and win inclusion in indexes. Yet a similar move hasn’t done much for rival KKR, and power stays in hands of boss Steve Schwarzman and insiders. They, not passive investors, will decide Blackstone’s value.

Aramco sale would grease Mukesh Ambani’s tidy-up

18 April 2019

The Saudi oil giant is eyeing a stake in the energy assets of the tycoon’s $127 bln Reliance Industries. That would aid Aramco’s strategic ambitions. It would also mean India’s biggest listed group could keep expanding its consumer-to-oil businesses without adding too much debt.

Unilever could use a few Nestlé diet tips

18 April 2019

Decent first-quarter revenue growth at both consumer giants means their 2020 margin goals can live another day. But Unilever’s foods business expanded just 1.5 percent organically compared to 3.4 percent overall at Nestlé. The Anglo-Dutch group needs to overhaul its pantry.

Chinese millennials create M&A urgency for Kering

18 April 2019

Gucci’s success, especially with the mainland’s young affluent, is a blessing and a curse for Francois-Henri Pinault’s luxury empire. The Italian brand accounts for 61 pct of sales. Finding another marque, like Valentino or Patek Philippe, to balance the business won’t come cheap.

Next Ukraine leader will inherit unfunny problems

18 April 2019

A comedian whose TV character accidentally becomes president is the front runner to win Sunday’s election and take charge of securing billions of dollars in aid. To unlock the money, Kiev must satisfy the IMF it is tackling corruption. It’s a challenge where life may imitate art.