Opening Bid

Vivek Arya, a seasoned semiconductor analyst from BofA, shares insights on Nvidia's current market struggles despite groundbreaking advancements in AI chips. He discusses CEO Jensen Huang's attempts to reshape narratives around demand amid competitive pressures from firms like DeepSeek. Arya also offers a vivid recap of the recent GTC conference and analyzes the implications of leadership changes at Intel. Furthermore, he delves into the burgeoning field of quantum computing and its potential impact on the semiconductor landscape.

Much has been said about Chipotle (CMG) and Starbucks (SBUX) in restaurant circles over the past year. Chipotle finds itself with a new CEO in Scott Boatwright, who is looking to ramp store growth to a new level. And as he said on Yahoo Finance’s Opening Bid podcast, possibly bring more robots into its kitchens!As for Boatwright’s former boss Brian Niccol, he finds himself with the biggest challenge in an illustrious restaurant career — as a CEO at Starbucks trying to rejuvenate the coffee serving icon.One story that has gone under the radar is the reinvigoration of Wendy’s (WEN) under CEO Kirk Tanner. Tanner just passed his one-year mark at Wendy’s and fresh off an investor day, it’s clear he has big goals for an iconic American fast food chain founded by Dave Thomas. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid podcast with Tanner to discuss his plans for the chain, including an aggressive pace of new store openings, AI powered drive-thrus and doubling down on breakfast.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Langston Sessoms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nvidia had a little bit of everything for investors at its annual GTC event on Tuesday afternoon. For one, there was great theater such as CEO Jensen Huang donning his trademark black leather jacket while giving out t-shirts from a t-shirt blaster. There were also a lot of large numbers tossed around, especially a prediction of the AI infrastructure buildout reaching $1 trillion by 2028. The company even took the wraps off a host of more powerful chips to hit the market in the next few years in Blackwell Ultra and Rubin. Yet, Nvidia’s stock declined 2% by the close of trading despite what was a reaffirmation of the Nvidia growth story. So what gives here with the world’s most important stock? Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid podcast with EMJ Capital founder Eric Jackson. Jackson shares his latest thinking on Nvidia and whether the bull run is poised to return…and when.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Langston Sessoms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rich Ross, Head of Technical Analysis at Evercore ISI, brings over 30 years of market expertise to the discussion. He delves into the recent turmoil affecting stocks like Nvidia and Tesla, emphasizing the importance of technical analysis in navigating volatility. Ross shares insights on market valuation, predicting future trends, and the emotional aspects of trading. He also discusses the surprising resilience of European assets amid U.S. concerns, making for an engaging conversation filled with actionable trading ideas.

More than two months into the year, one thing is abundantly clear: the Trump administration is going to make things very interesting for investors the next four years. Team Trump has wasted no time slapping additional tariffs on China, and likely new ones soon on Canada and Mexico. Levies on the European Union could be next. The tariff barrage has consumers growing concerned about higher prices for goods and services. Markets are worried about the impact to Corporate America. This as geopolitical risk to stocks is elevated amid an uncertain conclusion to the Ukraine/Russia war. A government shutdown is a real possibility soon, too. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid podcast with one of the most prominent names in government, Republican Senator from Texas Ted Cruz. Cruz sits at the intersection of many of these issues. Texas is a major trader partner with Mexico and Canada. He has led one of the fastest growing states in the country in part because of big tech expansions. Cruz weighs in on the Trump administration’s policies and shares his economic outlook.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Langston Sessoms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Markets are having a terrible year, there is no other way to hide it. Once hot tech stocks like Tesla (TSLA) have turned into laggards and investors have rotated into defensive names in the healthcare and consumer staples space. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks with Edward Jones CEO Penny Pennington. Pennington joined Edward Jones as a financial advisor in 2000 just before the tech stock meltdown, rising the ranks to lead the financial services giant in 2019. It’s a critical time to be a leader atop a giant wealth manager. For starters, the new Trump administration has injected major volatility into all sorts of markets around the world. Stocks in the US have cratered, especially momentum names such as Nvidia (NVDA) and Palantir (PLTR). At the same time, baby boomers are reaching retirement age each day. That brings with it a host of new challenges from planning for post-work investing to transferring wealth to offspring. Pennington shares her perspective on these huge drivers of the wealth management industry.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Langston Sessoms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tariffs stand to hammer the profits of many consumer products companies in 2025. Execs at these companies are actively moving production out of China and into other Asian regions to contain costs. But the hit to profits from tariffs will be felt no matter what for companies that already have slim profit margins. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi chats with Newell Brands CEO Chris Peterson. Peterson has been hard at work since taking over as CEO in 2023 restructuring the consumer products giant, which makes everything from Rubbermaid food containers to Graco baby carriages. A lot of the work by Peterson is coming under the spotlight as president Trump aims to slap Mexico, Canada and China with tariffs. Newell Brands has been moving production back to the US from China. It has one of the largest US manufacturing footprints amongst its competitors. Still, tariffs are likely to weigh on the company’s profit margins as it continues to do a chunk of business in China and Mexico. This as the lower income consumer that buys a lot of its products are being more cautious in their spending after years of inflation.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2025 Toy Fair has come and gone from New York City. The annual event where toymakers show off their latest innovations for the year ahead saw several fun releases: Lego dropped a new Bluey set, Mattel (MAT) has gone all in on Masters of the Universe, and Hasbro (HAS) has released new interchangeable Nerf blasters. The event is set against the backdrop of tariffs from President Trump on China, which could hammer toymaker profits this year. So, how bad a hit are investors looking at here? Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid podcast with Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks. The Street gave Hasbro high marks recently for aggressive cost-cutting, which has more room to go — the company aims to slash $1 billion in costs by 2027. Its previous goal was $750 million. But Trump's tariffs could reduce American consumers' spending power by $46 billion to $78 billion every year they are in place, estimates the National Retail Federation (NRF). Nearly 80% of US toys are manufactured in China, according to industry trade group the Toy Association. Cocks shares how Hasbro plans to navigate tariffs and a growing cautiousness among consumers.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.00:00-Chris Cocks on Opening Bid01:20-Peppa Pig is pregnant02:00-What makes a good toy?06:30-Brands that grow with adults12:30-A magical business (with Magic: The Gathering)15:30-Tariffs & toys21:40-HOT TAKEYahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.Chris Cocks is Chief Executive Officer of Hasbro and serves on its Board of Directors. Prior to being named Hasbro’s CEO, Chris was President of Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cybersecurity player Okta (OKTA) is ending its reporting year on a high note. Fourth-quarter sales rose 13% from the prior year amid healthy demand for cybersecurity services. Adjusted earnings beat analyst estimates by four cents per share. For 2025, the company targets double-digit percentage profit growth despite economic pressures on small to medium-sized businesses. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi chats with Okta co-founder and CEO Todd McKinnon about the quarter and road ahead. McKinnon co-founded Okta in 2009 alongside Frederic Kerrest. Today, the company’s market cap stands at more than $15 billion. The company has ambitious innovation goals in identity management, a key plank in corporate tech stacks as AI agents begin to run amok. McKinnon reveals his plans to keep companies safe in the age of AI, and a host of leadership lessons some 16 years into his CEO journey.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.00:00-Todd McKinnon on Opening Bid02:30-Why AI might create problems in cyber security07:00-Diving into earnings9:45-First quarter outlook14:50-Building Okta's culture17:30-Going to battle: talking competitors20:00-HOT TAKEYahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.Todd McKinnon is the Co-founder and CEO of cloud security company Okta, previously serving as a vice president at Salesforce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Music catalogs remain hot assets for acquisition by those financial powerhouses with the money to purchase them. Look no further than the sale of Bruce Springsteen’s catalog to Sony in 2021 for a reported $500 million. Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid podcast with Reservoir Media (RSVR) founder and CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi. Khosrowshahi is a veteran in the music industry, spending more than 17 years building up Reservoir through the acquisition of music catalogs and publishing outfits. Today, the company sits at the interaction of music and streaming media with an eye toward continuing to purchase catalog assets and earn royalties. Though risks to the business exist in the form of rising values for catalogs for legendary performers and the shift to AI generated music. Khosrowshahi shares her outlook for the music industry, and also her leadership journey growing up in Iran to running a major company today.Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.00:00-Golnar Khosrowshahi on Opening Bid2:30-What do Joni Mitchell, John Denver, and voice of Lion King have in common?6:15-Future of Streaming11:40-Thoughts on Chappel Roan Grammy's speech demanding artists making a living wage13:30-AI impact on making music17:50-Future of good music20:30-HOT TAKEYahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.Golnar Khosrowshahi is the Founder and CEO of Reservoir, a global, independent music company, with operations across music publishing, recorded music, and management. It is the first female founded and led publicly traded independent music company in the U.S. In addition to her role as Founder and CEO of Reservoir, Golnar serves on the boards of National Music Publishers’ Association, NMPA’s S.O.N.G.S. Foundation, Silkroad, and the New York Philharmonic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices