The latest Meta $META ( ▼ 1.65% ) saga gives a whole new meaning to, “It’s complicated.”

After a Reuters report revealed bots engaging in romantic chats with kids, Meta is rolling out restrictions for teen users. Now, supposedly, the bots will steer clear of personal topics and stick to “educational” conversations.

Might have been too little, too late, though. Let’s just say the Senate doesn’t trust Zuck to play guidance counselor.

Finally, read to the end for a corporate separation that could get messy…

— Brooks & Cas

When the founder who sold his last company to Zillow for $120M starts a new venture, people notice. That’s why the same VC firms that backed Uber, Venmo, and eBay also invested in Pacaso.

Disrupting the real estate industry once again, Pacaso’s streamlined platform offers co-ownership of premier properties, revamping the $1.3T vacation home market.

And it works. By handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, Pacaso has already made $110M+ in gross profits in their operating history.

Now, after 41% YoY gross profit growth last year alone, they recently reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

And you can join them as an early-stage investor for just $2.90/share. 

Just don’t wait. Pacaso’s opportunity officially ends September 18.*

$AFRM ( ▲ 10.59% ) Affirm Earnings Beat. Shares Surge On Strong Guidance Amid Walmart Worries. (IBD)

$CAT ( ▼ 3.65% ) Caterpillar Sees Tariff Impact of Up to $1.8 Billion This Year (Bloomberg)

$WOOF ( ▲ 23.53% ) Petco Boosts Earnings Outlook, Swings to Profit (WSJ)

$ULTA ( ▼ 7.14% ) Ulta Beauty calls for even better sales this year despite ‘caution’ about demand (MarketWatch)

$IREN ( ▲ 14.93% ) IREN Stock Is Climbing 21%. Here’s How Nvidia Is Playing a Part. (Barron’s)

CNBC: The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, core PCE, rose to 2.9% in July, the highest since February.

Bloomberg: Klarna will launch IPO marketing next week, targeting a $13B–$14B valuation in one of September’s biggest listings.

WSJ: Spirit Airlines $SAVEQ ( ▲ 0.43% ) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time this year, citing weak travel demand, high lease costs, and $2B debt.

Reuters: YouTube $GOOGL ( ▲ 0.6% ) and Fox $NWSA ( ▼ 0.24% ) reached a deal to keep Fox channels, including News and Sports, available on YouTube TV.

CNN: Cracker Barrel $CBRL ( ▼ 0.4% ) removed its Pride and DEI pages from its website following backlash over a controversial logo rebrand.

Brad Jacobs has a track record of transforming industries. Barron’s is betting he can repeat that feat with QXO $QXO ( ▼ 4.28% ).

Jacobs is known for founding United Rentals $URI ( ▲ 0.12% ) and XPO Logistics $XPO ( ▼ 0.35% ), which have both surged over 300% in the last five years. QXO, his latest venture, went public in June 2024 through a reverse merger and made a splash by acquiring Beacon Roofing Supply for $11 billion.

Early results have impressed, with QXO posting earnings and revenue ahead of expectations. Shares have climbed tk% YTD. But the publication believes it has yet to reach its ceiling — or rather, ahem, its roof.

QXO is positioned to capitalize on structural tailwinds like the US housing shortage, infrastructure repair, and data center construction. Analysts forecast revenue could surpass $20 billion by 2028, with Jacobs targeting $50 billion within a decade.

Backed by $2.3 billion in cash, QXO is expected to pursue acquisitions aggressively. However, Jacobs stresses financial discipline, highlighted by his decision to walk away from costly bids for Rexel and GMS.

Barron’s views this restraint as a positive, writing that there are plenty of private players available for future deals at better prices.

Orbis Investment Management, which owns a 14% stake, believes fragmented competition leaves plenty of room for acquisitions that Jacobs can streamline for long-term value creation.

Analysts from Wolfe Research and RBC Capital Markets both view QXO as uniquely positioned to disrupt the building-products sector, with price targets well above current levels. On the technical side, QXO’s chart looks constructive, with a potential breakout forming, Barron’s notes.

Thanks to Jacobs’ proven track record and QXO’s growth trajectory, investors seeking early-stage opportunities and outsized potential might want to give QXO a second look.

Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Meanwhile, regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.

Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? That’s worth $1+ million, up 89,900%. No wonder thousands are taking the chance on Pacaso. 

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay also backed Pacaso. 

And you can join them as an early-stage investor for just $2.90/share. 

Just don’t wait. Pacaso’s opportunity officially ends September 18.*

CNN: US consumer spending rose 0.5% in July, lifted by Prime Day and auto purchases despite elevated inflation pressures.

Politico: Trump moved to cut $5B in foreign aid using untested “pocket rescissions” to bypass congressional approval.

Reuters: The US revoked authorizations for Samsung $SSNLF ( ▲ 9.01% ) and SK Hynix to get US chip equipment in China, tightening restrictions.

Fortune: The likes of eBay $EBAY ( ▼ 2.05% ), Etsy $ETSY ( ▼ 1.6% ), and Temu $PDD ( ▼ 1.64% ) have added fees up to 50% as the US ended its de minimis exemption today.

BI: Chinese brands like Luckin Coffee, Haidilao, and Pop Mart are rapidly expanding US stores to offset slowing domestic growth.

Packaged foods, unpackaged.

After years of underperformance, Kraft Heinz $KHC ( ▲ 2.68% ) may be on the verge of a formal breakup.

The big question now: which iconic brands end up on which plate?

Which category of AI stocks do you think will outperform over the next 12 months?

▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLM makers

▇▇▇▇▇▇ Pick-and-shovel plays

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