Finimize - ⛏ Mined over matter

TOGETHER WITH

Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for February 23rd in 3:10 minutes.

☕️ Finimized over a bicerin at Caffè al Bicerin in Turin, Italy (11°C/52°F ☁️)

Today's big stories

Carmaker Stellantis reported souped-up, record-breaking full-year results
Here’s how Ethereum’s big Shanghai upgrade might shake things up – Read Now
Mining giant Rio Tinto reported that its profit took a plunge

A Fiat Of Strength

What’s Going On Here?

Carmaker Stellantis reported a beefed-up, record annual profit on Wednesday.

What Does This Mean?

The name “Stellantis” may not ring a bell for most folks, but mentioning a few of the auto giant’s car brands – like Chrysler, Fiat, and Peugeot – will spark a glimmer of recognition in almost anyone’s eyes. And these days, it’ll have investors’ eyes lighting up too. See, while chip shortages hit carmakers worldwide, Stellantis kept its cool, focusing on marketing and on making pricier models instead. And that did the trick: the number of cars Stellantis sold fell by 2%, but revenue still managed to leap up by 18%. That brought profitability to new heights in every market the firm operates in, raking in a record net profit of $18 billion. After that performance, a reward was clearly in order – so Stellantis gave its stock a boost with the announcement of a sizable share buyback program and dividend payout.

Why Should I Care?

The bigger picture: Low battery.
Stellantis got a welcome jolt from its European EV strategy, with global EV sales revving up by 41%. And it’s aiming high for the future too, planning to double its electric offerings by the end of next year. Thing is, though, dreams like that are on a collision course with one big roadblock: the world’s paltry charging infrastructure. Take Europe: a McKinsey study shows the region’s setting up charging stations at a snail’s pace, meaning it will need to increase 2021’s installation numbers sixfold by 2030 to meet demand.

Zooming out: The biggest loser.
Holding onto last year's fat margins could be a challenge for Stellantis, especially with Tesla and Ford engaging in a cut-throat price war. Tesla – the original EV giant – made especially drastic cuts, leaving the Model 3 at the cheapest it's ever been compared to the typical American car. So if Stellantis wants to compete, it might have to cut prices and improve its efficiency to protect margins.

You might also like: Tesla’s stock could be worth buying at this price.

Copy to share story: https://go.finimize.com/wp/news/a-fiat-of-strength/

🙋 Ask a question

Analyst Take

Ethereum’s Shanghai Upgrade Could Awaken This Sleepy Giant

By Jonathan Hobbs, Analyst

Ether’s been a bit on the quiet side this year.

Sure, it rallied with bitcoin and the rest of them, just not as much.

But that might be about to change: now Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade is just a month away, the number two crypto could be on the verge of a far bigger move.

That’s today’s Insight: two possible opportunities on Ethereum’s horizon.

Read or listen to the Insight here

Speak a new language in just three weeks

…And do it all without picking up a single old and tired textbook.

Instead, learn the phrases you’ll actually use with Babbel’s bite-sized 10-minute online lessons. You can even mix up your journey with podcasts, games, videos, articles, and live online classes.

That’s a tried-and-tested method: Babbel users can hold basic conversations in a new language after just three weeks of daily practice. (The high-tech pronunciation practice tool likely helped.)

You’ll learn more than a new language, mind you. Babbel’s holistic approach means you’ll pick up on important cultural differences and real-world tips and tricks along the way too.

If you subscribe today, you’ll get 55% off – now that’s the real language of love.

Check Out Babbel