ECONOMIC INDICATORS: “Lipstick Index” and “Cosmetic” Others?

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

***

***

DEFINITION: According to Wikipedia, the lipstick index is a term coined by Leonard Lauder, chairman of the board of Estee Lauder, used to describe increased sales of cosmetics during the early 2000s recession. Lauder made the claim that lipstick sales could be an economic indicator, in that purchases of cosmetics – lipstick in particular – tend to be inversely correlated to economic health. The speculation was that women substitute lipstick for more expensive purchases like dresses and shoes in times of economic distress.

Lauder identified the Lipstick index as sales across the Estee Lauder family of brands. Subsequent recessions, including the late-2000s recession, provided controverting evidence to Lauder’s claims, as sales have actually fallen with reduced economic activity. Conversely, lipstick sales have experienced growth during periods of increased economic activity. As a result, the lipstick index has been discredited as an economic indicator. The increased sales of cosmetics in 2001 has since been attributed to increased interest in celebrity-designed cosmetics brands.

In the 2010s, many media outlets reported that with the rise of nail art as fad in the English-speaking countries and as far afield as Japan and the Philippines, nail-polish had replaced lipstick as the main affordable indulgence for women in place of bags and shoes during recession, leading to talk of a Nail Polish index. Similar sentiment was noted during the coronavirus pandemic, when the mandated use of face masks to prevent the spread of the disease resulted in an increase of eye makeup purchases, suggesting a Mascara index.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

***

Now, decades after former Estée Lauder chairman Leonard Lauder first recognized the infamous “lipstick index”—the idea that cosmetics sales hold steady and sometimes spike during economic downturns—the same company posted a relatively downbeat earnings report.

Currently, the economy’s not great, but not abysmal, which makes for two possible interpretations of Estée Lauder’s latest report: Either the economy’s better than it seems, or the lipstick index was always a bit off.

The cosmetics giant reported declining sales figures, while weakening its full-year forecast. “For full-year fiscal 2023, we delivered organic sales growth and prestige beauty share gains in many developed and emerging markets, but Asia travel retail pressured results, particularly in skin care, and we continued to experience softness in North America,” the report said.

***

Waffle House Index: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/10/08/what-is-the-waffle-house-index/

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Career Development, CMP Program, Experts Invited, Glossary Terms, Health Economics, Interviews, Op-Editorials, Sponsors | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

GOLD: Commodity Bullion

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

***

What it is: With its use as a commodity tracing back to Ancient Lydian merchants over 2,500 years ago, gold has the most staying power of any indicator on this list. When investors talk about gold prices today, they’re most likely referring to the price per ounce of gold bullion.

How it works: Gold is priced in U.S. dollars around the world. Investors can buy physical gold in the form of bullion or coins or go for more intangible gold securities, such as futures, ETF shares, or investments in gold mining companies.

Why it matters: In a 21st century economy where currencies aren’t pegged to the gold standard and credit cards are the medium of exchange, some investors argue gold is a relic. But others turn to the metal for diversification or as a “safe-haven asset”—something to buy during times of geopolitical or economic uncertainty because it holds onto its value.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Financial Planning, Investing | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

CCI: Consumer Confidence Index?

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

***

A consumer confidence index (CCI) is an economic indicator published by various organizations in several countries.

In simple terms, increased consumer confidence indicates economic growth in which consumers are spending money, indicating higher consumption. Decreasing consumer confidence implies slowing economic growth, and so consumers are likely to decrease their spending.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

The idea is that the more confident people feel about the economy and their jobs and incomes, the more likely they are to make purchases. Declining consumer confidence is a sign of slowing economic growth and may indicate that the economy is headed into trouble.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Consumers’ assessment of current business conditions was mixed in November, 2022.

  • 18.2% of consumers said business conditions were “good,” up from 17.7%.
  • On the other hand, more consumers, 26.7%, said business conditions were “bad,” up from 24.0%.

Consumers’ appraisal of the labor market was somewhat more favorable.

  • 45.8% of consumers said jobs were “plentiful,” up from 44.8%.
  • 13.0% of consumers said jobs were “hard to get,” unchanged from last month.

OFFICIAL: https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence

***

Comprehensive Financial Planning Strategies for Doctors and Advisors: Best Practices from Leading Consultants and Certified Medical Planners™

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Glossary Terms, Health Economics, Investing | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Apple, Uber, Temu, Papa John’s, Icahn Enterprises & NFL Private Equity as Stock Markets Nudge Upward

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

http://www.MedicalBusinessAdvisors.com

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?
© Copyright Institute of Medical Business Advisors, Inc. All rights reserved. 2024

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

The National Football League is expected to vote to allow private equity ownership of franchises, marking a significant change to its ultra-exclusive ownership club. The vote, all but guaranteed to pass, is a historic softening by the NFL, which will be the last of the major sports leagues in North America to permit private equity ownership. The NBA, MLB and NHL currently allow PE to own up to 30% of a team, while the NFL’s expected cap is 10%.

And, the stock of PDD Holdings, parent company of the fast-growing Temu shopping app, sank more than 30% on Monday, losing more than $50 billion in market value, after the e-commerce giant posted disappointing revenue results and executives warned of rapid competition and non-business challenges that may dampen growth and profits going forward.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

What’s up

  • Costco (+1.84%) hit an all-time high and topped $900/share for the first time. Don’t be surprised if it becomes the latest retailer to announce a stock split after Chipotle, Walmart, and Williams-Sonoma, according to Barron’s.
  • Hain Celestial Group, the better-for-you food company that makes those veggie straw snacks in your office pantry, popped 18.59% after beating profit expectations for the latest quarter.

What’s down

  • Hims & Hers, the direct-to-consumer provider of generics, fell 7.51% after Eli Lilly announced a cheaper version of its weight loss drug Zepbound.
  • Paramount Global dropped 7.15% after billionaire Edgar Bronfman Jr. decided he wouldn’t pursue an acquisition of the legacy media company. That leaves Skydance Media poised for an $8 billion takeover.
  • Cannabis stocks including Curaleaf Holdings (-13.52%), Canopy Growth (-9.56%), and Green Thumb Industries (-10.76%) went up in smoke when the DEA said it would hold its hearing over changing the classification of cannabis on Dec. 2—after the election.
  • Cava got bowled over 6.10% after its CEO and other insiders revealed stock sales.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) rose 8.96 points (0.16%) to 5,625.80; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) rose 9.98 (0.02%) to 41,250.50; the NASDAQ Composite®($COMP) added 29.05 points (0.16%) to 17,754.82.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) increased nearly two basis points to 3.83%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) slipped to 15.42.

About half of S&P 500 sectors finished in the green today. Financials have been on a roll lately amid rate cut hopes and continued their solid performance Tuesday, while energy did a 180 Tuesday as crude oil lost ground.

Treasury yields remained in their recent trading range, with the gap narrowing further between the 2-year and 10-year Treasury note yields to roughly seven basis points. The inversion, in which two-year yields hold a premium to 10-year yields, reached 100 basis points a year ago as the Fed rapidly raised rates. The 10-year yield got some traction today from a solid Consumer Confidence report.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/tj8smmes

Apple has announced “it’s glowtime” for a Sept. 9th event during which the company is expected to debut the iPhone 16.

And, Uber was fined 290 million euros ($347 million) by Dutch regulators for transferring driver data from the EU to the US. It’s one of the biggest fines ever issued under the EU’s data privacy law.

Icahn Enterprises L.P.’s stock tumbled 11.5% Monday to close at a roughly 21-year low, after billionaire Carl Icahn’s publicly traded investing arm filed to sell up to $400 million of its depositary units in an “at-the-market offering.” The news comes after Icahn and his company agreed last week to pay $2 million in civil penalties for failing to make required disclosures relating to personal margin loans worth billions of dollars. The stock closed at $14.07, its lowest level since it closed at $14.04 on Nov. 25, 2003.

Papa John’s (NASDAQ:PZZA) rose 4% and then surged amid some takeover speculation concerning Restaurants Brands (QSR), the parent of Burger King and Tim Hortons. 

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Thank You

***

***

***

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »