📈 Way to go, Google

Another happy customer | Anything Microsoft can do, Sony can do better | [TOGETHER WITH]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for February 2nd in 3:11 minutes. 💸 So you’re looking to top up your portfolio with a bitcoin here, an ether there, and an NFT or two. Well, join blockchain consultant Shiv Mehta for [How To Manage A Digital Portfolio]( on Friday, and discover how to strike the perfect balance. [Get your free ticket]( Today's big stories - Google-parent Alphabet announced better-than-expected results - Goldman Sachs is singing the praises of one particular earnings season strategy, as well as three stocks you could use it on – [Read Now]( - Sony announced that it’s buying video game developer Bungie Ooh-gle [Ooh-gle] What’s Going On Here? Alphabet [posted]( better-than-expected quarterly results late on Tuesday, and investors sent the Google-parent's share price up 7%. What Does This Mean? There were worries coming into this update that higher costs would force companies to cut back on advertising across Google and YouTube last quarter. Still, Alphabet’s results quickly put those concerns to bed: ad revenue climbed by a better-than-expected 33% compared to the same time in 2020. The company did have at least one big expense of its own, mind you: its “traffic acquisition” cost – the cost of driving people to its sites and keeping them there – was higher than analysts were expecting. But Alphabet wasn’t going to let a little thing like that get in the way, and its total profit still came in at a better-than-expected $21 billion. Why Should I Care? For markets: Alphabet’s a grower, not a shower. Here’s the thing: Alphabet’s [price-to-earnings ratio]( – a key valuation metric – was sitting at nearly 22x just before the results, some way shy of Apple’s 28x. In other words, investors were paying 21% less for every dollar of Alphabet’s forecasted profit than they were for that of its rival. This, despite the fact that investment bank analysts are expecting Alphabet to grow its revenue faster than almost all its Big Tech competition this year. And that might be why they’re projecting its share price will climb 25% in the next 12 months. The bigger picture: There’s life after advertising. Alphabet isn’t just relying on ads: the company [revealed]( last week that it’s hiring a team of blockchain experts in its cloud segment. The move will allow the company to offer developers – particularly those in the retail, healthcare, and financial services industries – the tools they need to start their own blockchain networks, build decentralized apps, and more. It might be right to get a move on: everyone from Amazon to [Coinbase]( is already trying to establish themselves as major players in the space. You might also like: [How to invest in the unstoppable ascent of cloud computing.]( 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=Ooh-gle&utm_campaign=daily-global-02-02-2022&utm_source=email) Analyst Take What Do These Stocks Have In Common? [What Do These Stocks Have In Common?]( [Photo of Carl Hazeley] Carl Hazeley, Analyst What’s Going On Here? US earnings season can be an overwhelming mix of results from hundreds of companies. So it can be almost impossible to find a method amid all the madness. But Goldman Sachs has a way for you to do just that: it’s hit upon [three very different stocks]( that have one significant thing in common this earnings season. Namely, [an important strategy]( that’ll allow you to profit from their updates no matter which direction investors send their stocks afterwards. So that’s today’s Insight: the strategy you could use to profit this earnings season, and [the three stocks the strategy could work best on](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY TITAN Get the five-star treatment with Titan Investing today is a restaurant that is part-diner, part-Michelin star. You’re probably used to the subpar service that delivers you a vanilla menu of passive investments. But when you go upstairs, you can see the institutions are dining out on a 10-course menu of [hedge funds, venture capital, alternative investments, and more](. [Titan]( are leveling the playing field: you’ll get a Michelin-star spread and white-glove service no matter how much you earn or invest. That’s because [Titan’s team]( of investment managers and analysts use focused, aggressive, and [proven strategies]( to aim to beat the market and help you grow your wealth. In fact, Titan aims to compound your wealth at least [15% every year]( net of fees. That means aiming to double it every five. Join 35,000 Titan users today, and [start with three fee-free months](. [Start Investing With Titan]( Refer to Titan’s Program Brochure for more information. Certain investments are not suitable for all investors. Before investing, consider your investment objectives and Titan’s fees. The rate of return on investments can vary widely over time, especially for long term investments. Investment losses are possible, including the potential loss of all amounts invested. Brokerage services are provided to Titan Clients by Apex Clearing, an SEC registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC. For more information, see our disclosures. The image is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent actual performance of any strategy. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investing includes the risk of loss. Performance referenced is net of fees. Time Jump [Time Jump] What’s Going On Here? Sony [announced]( this week that it’s buying sci-fi game studio Bungie, as the entertainment giant tries to make a name for itself as the future of gaming. What Does This Mean? Sony has traditionally made a point of buying small games studios and building them out in its own image, but this slow-and-steady approach might not cut it any more – not after Microsoft [announced]( last month that it’d be buying big-name developer Activision Blizzard. That [acquisition]( will, after all, give its rival the power to make PlayStation-favorite Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive. So Sony has pulled the trigger on a major bid of its own, agreeing to buy US developer Bungie for $3.6 billion. That should provide the leverage it needs: the entertainment giant can now threaten Xbox users with going cold turkey on the must-have Destiny franchise. Why Should I Care? For markets: Spider-Man might save the day. Investors sent Sony’s share price up 5% after the news, which partly makes up for the 13% drop it suffered when the Microsoft-Activision deal was announced. It’s still underperformed fellow Japanese gaming giant Nintendo by 19% this year, of course, but that’s arguably a bit short-sighted given that Sony has more strings to its bow. In fact, its image sensor segment is likely to have done big business last quarter after Apple’s [bumper]( few months, and Spider-Man: No Way Home’s worldwide success should have bolstered its movie studio. Watch this space: Sony’s set to report last quarter’s results later this week. The bigger picture: Start as you mean to go on. There have now been three massive gaming acquisitions worth a total of around $84 billion in January alone. To put that into perspective, the whole of last year [saw]( $85 billion in deals, which itself was almost three times higher than in 2020. So settle in for a record-blitzing year: analysts are expecting $150 billion in deals and fundraising in the sector. You might also like: [Why video game stocks look set to 1UP the market this year.]( 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=Time Jump&utm_campaign=daily-global-02-02-2022&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day “When someone tells me ‘no’, it doesn’t mean I can’t do it: it simply means I can’t do it with them.” – Karen E. Quinones Miller (an American journalist and historian) [Tweet this]( CRYPTO PULSE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FABRIIK How do you buy your first NFT? It’s simple really. Step one: [Find the right NFT marketplace](. Some platforms ask you to open a digital wallet and buy digital currency before you can buy an NFT, but others let you pay by card. [FabriikX]( could be a good place to start: it’s a uniquely created NFT marketplace that helps you to discover art and digital collectibles from established and up-and-coming creators. Step two: [Decide what type of NFT you’re interested in](. There are more and more out there, but it’s worth starting with the simple question: what do you like? You could check out [FabriikX’s community collection]( to get some inspiration – and Finimizers who buy from the collection will qualify for pre-sale access to FabriikX’s first exclusive NFT drop. Step three: [Buy the NFT.]( Some are available for direct purchase – that is, you can simply buy it at the listed price. But sometimes you’ll need to bid on an item, like eBay. Ready to get started? [Start exploring FabriikX](. [Buy Your First NFT]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌎 Finimize Live ❤️ The heart wants what it wants You probably already know about real estate investment trusts – a relatively straightforward way of investing in the real estate market. But RedSwan CRE’s Ed Nwokedi thinks your head could be turned by a younger, more exciting opportunity in the space. It’ll get your heart thumping at our [How To Cheat On REITS]( event. 💸 [How To Earn A Passive Income From Franchise Investing](: 6pm UK time, February 1st 🏠[How To Cheat On REITS](: 5pm UK time, February 3rd 📲 [How To Manage A Digital Portfolio](: 6pm UK time, February 4th 📚 [How To Value A Company’s Principles](: 1pm UK time, February 7th ♻️ [Will Bitcoin Pass The ESG Test?](: 5pm UK time, February 8th ✅ [How To Paint Your Crypto Green](: 6pm UK time, February 9th 🤓 [How To Make Tech Companies Do Better](: 3pm UK time, February 11th 🔥 [Getting The Most Out Of Your Investing Strategy](: 5pm UK time, February 17th 🏡 [Your Guide To Opportunity Zones](: 5pm UK time, February 25th 🎯 On Our Radar - Recipes so secret they’re at the bottom of the ocean. Talk about a [soggy bottom](. - From miler to marathoner. [No biggy](. - When mashed potatoes lead to jail time. The first rule of a food fight: never [throw your plate](. - The world record for world records. This man has [too much time on his hands](. - Move over, crossword. [Wordle’s]( moving in. ❤️ Share with a friend Your Referrals: 0 Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. If they sign up on your unique link, you’ll earn some sweet swag. Share your unique link: [ You stay classy, {NAME} 😉 We’d love to hear your thoughts. [Give feedback]( Want to advertise with us too? [Get in touch]( Image Credits: Image credits: | Shutterstock – Miguel Lagoa Preferences: [Update your email]( or [change preferences]( [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( from all Finimize Emails 😴 Crafted by Finimize Ltd. | Bow Bells House, Bread Street, London, EC4M 9HH All content provided by Finimize Ltd. is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to represent trade or investment recommendations. You signed up to this mailing list at finimize.com or through one of our partners. © Finimize 2021 [View Online](