🍏 Apple opened the books

Apple added some sweetness | Novo Nordisk put (presumably low-carb) bread on the table | [Finimize](   TOGETHER WITH     Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for May 3rd in 3:15 minutes.   ☕ Finimized with an Americano at [El Grano De Cafe]( in Palma de Mallorca, Spain (☀️18°C/64°F). Today's big stories - Apple just barely beat expectations, but the company kept things sweet for shareholders with its biggest-ever buyback - To find a tech fund that will deliver returns (without rattling your nerves), look for these three things – [Read Now]( - Weight-loss drug pioneer Novo Nordisk increased its profit projections for the year Low-Hanging Fruit [Low-Hanging Fruit] What’s going on here? Apple’s results just [inched]( past Wall Street’s expectations, after the tech giant struggled to make peace with no longer being the number-one choice. What does this mean? Apple brought home $90.8 billion in sales last quarter, a 4% dip from the same period a year ago, but slightly better than $90 billion that analysts were predicting. The slump could’ve been worse – and investors feared it would be, so they initially sent shares up more than 7%. After all, iPhone sales did slip by 10% as the brand continued to lose its shine among Chinese consumers. But the firm’s ultra-profitable services division made up for a lot of that, with a 14.2% jump driven by App Store sales, iCloud plans, and a steady stream of AppleTV+ subscriptions. Plus, Apple made some welcome noises, saying it expects to return to sales growth right away. The future for shareholders sure is looking rosy: the firm announced a $110 billion buyback too – that’s 22% chunkier than last year and Apple’s biggest ever. Why should I care? Zooming out: Problems to solve. Recently, Apple’s been juggling a trio of headaches: stiff competition in China, antitrust scrutiny in the US and Europe, and a lagging AI department. So, recognizing that it’s behind, Apple is talking to OpenAI and Google about incorporating a Chatbot in iOS 18. There’s no deal yet, but it needs to impress investors soon. Mind you, Apple might be able to appease them a little with its imminent iPhone 16 reveal, iPad and Mac launches, and slot at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10th where it’s tipped to roll out some generative AI plans. The bigger picture: Serious money. Apple’s race to stay in the AI game won’t come cheap. For one thing, there are whispers of its plan to assemble a crack team to compete with rivals over new AI models and gadgets. And for another, the company will need some real chip muscle – so cue the Champagne for suppliers like TSMC and Micron. You might also like: [The Magnificent Seven seem invincible – these are their secrets.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Low-Hanging Fruit&utm_campaign=daily-global-03-05-2024&utm_source=email) Analyst Take How To Find A Quiet Tech Fund That Still Delivers Rowdy Returns [How To Find A Quiet Tech Fund That Still Delivers Rowdy Returns]( The [tech sector]( has been one of the most exciting places to invest over the past decade, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 rocketing up a nose-bleedingly steep 630%. But it’s not been for the faint of heart: those returns have come with tons of volatility. That’s why it’s important to find skillful fund managers when you’re investing in this sector – the ones who can quietly steer a portfolio through some wildly turbulent swings. Luckily, to sort the best funds from the worst, you just have to look at three things. That’s today’s Insight: [how to find a quiet tech fund that still delivers rowdy returns](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY GRAYSCALE When it comes to crypto, you need a specialist [Crypto]( has been grabbing more than its fair share of attention this year. No wonder: [bitcoin]( hit its highest price ever – above $73,000 per coin – this March. [Grayscale]( is the world’s biggest crypto asset manager*, with over a decade of experience operating crypto-focused funds. The company is on a mission to “transform disruptive technologies of the future into investment opportunities today.” So far, so good: Grayscale manages a suite of [different crypto investment products]( spanning single-asset, multi-asset, and thematic exposures. [Discover the specialist when it comes to crypto investments](. [Find Out More]( DisclosuresPast performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Visit Grayscale.com for important risk disclosures. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. If you want your brand featured here, [get in touch.]( Winning From Losing [Winning From Losing] What’s going on here? Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk [came]( up trumps again, as weight-loss drugs brought home the bacon… ironically enough. What does this mean? Weight loss drugs seem to be all the rage right now. And Novo Nordisk has two on the market: Wegovy for the treatment of being overweight and Ozempic for type 2 diabetes. It might not be surprising, then, that Novo boasts the biggest market valuation in Europe at $578 billion. And it backed that reputation up last quarter: sales were up 24% from the same time last year, while profit rose by 28% to a better-than-expected 25.4 billion Danish kroner ($3.7 billion). That was partly because Novo decided to skimp on advertising, seeing little point when supply of the injectible pens was scarce. To top it all off, Novo slightly increased its outlook for profit and sales this year as a whole. Why should I care? Zooming in: Stay active. The number of US patients starting Wegovy was six times as high in April as it was in January, when analysts had predicted a mere tripling. Demand has outstripped supply in the US so far – and if Novo can ramp up production, it may beat even its new sales and profit estimates. It could help that a recent EU regulatory probe ruled out suspicions of some particularly nasty side effects, while a recent trial for a pill form is looking promising. The bigger picture: Growing opportunities. Novo’s biggest rival, Eli Lilly, has seen two drugs fly off the shelves too: Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss. In fact, the whole market is moving quickly, with expectations for it to be 20 times bigger than now by 2030. And the furor for aesthetics could whip other sectors into shape, too, mainly health-focused ones like gyms, healthcare brands, athleisure companies – even dating apps. You might also like: [The hidden beneficiaries of the weight-loss drug boom](. Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Winning From Losing&utm_campaign=daily-global-03-05-2024&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day "Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility." – James Thurber (an American cartoonist, author, and humorist) [Tweet this]( 🤝 Tom and Jerry, Woody and Buzz Lightyear, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. You're a stellar fintech brand looking to get your name out there, and [we're a newsletter]( with hundreds of thousands of brainy, switched-on readers. Let's become the next picture-perfect duo: [Talk to the team](. [Get Your Name Out There]( 🎯 On Our Radar 1. Give us your worst. We're working on a new Daily Brief format: [let us know what you think]( (we can take it). 2. Golden oldie. The story of the world’s [oldest giant clam](, born in 1499. 3. Deep blue. Scientists have yet to find the bottom of the newly discovered Taam Ja’ [marine sinkhole]( off the coast of Mexico. 4. Crypto can be the Wild West of the finance world. Here's how to [spot the next big (legit) crypto project](.* 5. Fact and fiction. From Baby Reindeer to Taylor Swift’s new album, [here's how the internet has ruined true stories.]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌍 Finimize Live 🤩 Grab your tickets All events in UK time. 💃🏼 [Finimize Ladies Investing Club](: 6.30pm, May 9th 🏔️ [Gaining An Edge Beyond ETFs](: 8pm, June 19th 🚀 [2024 Modern Investor Summit](: 2pm, December 3rd ❤️ Share with a friend Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. 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