Insider Finance - Business - Wall Street: Digital health’s Rx is M&A

The latest in finance.
View in browser
INSIDER
Subscribe

10 THINGS ON WALL STREET

Hey there! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC, but more specifically I'll be at the Fintech Nexus conference today with my colleague Paige Hagy. Come say hi if you see me. Just mention the newsletter so I know you're one of the good ones. 

Today, we've got stories on why Janet Yellen is freaking out about the debt ceiling, AI tools that will make you more productive at work, and the best stuff to buy at Costco, according to a food critic.

But first, take two of these and call me in the morning.


If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.


doctors

1. The doctors' [bankers] are in.

A tech-focused section of an industry that is facing setbacks after a few monster years is ready to make some deals.

No, I'm not talking about fintech.

Digital health, once the darling of the healthcare industry, is having a tough go of it. After a pandemic-fueled surge when health services and offerings utilizing tech were prioritized, digital health has come back down to earth.

But the market downturn isn't terminal... at least not for the entire industry. 

Insider's Blake Dodge, Shelby Livingston, Rebecca Torrence, and Yeji Jesse Lee spoke to 16 of the top healthcare bankers and dealmakers to get predictions on the future of digital health.

In short, there are deals to be done. 

It's obviously in a dealmakers' best interest to call for a return of M&A, but the bankers Insider spoke with provided some thoughtful, nuanced perspective on where the industry will, and won't, see activity.

The similarities between digital health and fintech are striking. Startups in both spaces leverage tech to upend incumbents, streamline services, and improve the overall customer experience. They're also doing it where the stakes are high: health and money. 

Of course, it's not just out of the goodness of their hearts. The "tech" part of their strategy, they argue, affords them a higher valuation than would traditionally be considered for companies in their respective spaces. 

It's a pitch that while initially successful, has fallen flat as investors scrutinize startups for signs of profitability. In some cases, digital-health startups have pivoted from going direct to consumers to selling into businesses. They've even jumped on the generative AI bandwagon.

For both fintechs and digital health, this year has served as a reminder that they're only partly tech companies. They still exist in industries that largely rely on fundamentals. And ideas, however grand and ambitious, need to eventually be tied to dollars and cents. 

Click here for predictions from 16 bankers and dealmakers on the future of digital health.


In other news:

A collage of browser windows with a gen z person scrolling, drawing, and taking a photo

2. We're now at threat level "catastrophic" regarding a US debt default. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen didn't mince words when describing the impact of the debt ceiling not being raised. Here's why she's so worried. For more on a potential default, check out my colleague Phil Rosen's work on the 10 Things Before the Opening Bell newsletter.

3. Credit-card fees are getting extra attention from regulators. Sen. Elizabeth Warren asked the biggest credit-card companies how much they're profiting from those pesky late fees. It's the latest criticism of card companies' late fees, which cost Americans billions of dollars each year. More on how regulators are looking to change that.

4. Hustle harder. Hustle smarter. Unimpressed with the corporate grind, Gen Z is taking matters into their own hands. The young generation is Amazon reselling, crypto investing, and working at content-creation jobs, all to avoid a traditional 9-to-5 job. Meet the side-hustle generation.

5. AI tools you can use at work. If you're looking to get in on the AI bandwagon, here's a helpful guide. These 10 AI-powered tools can do everything from write emails to build slide decks. So read this and get to work on being able to not have to work.

6. Vanguard is making billions of dollars in the most Vanguard way possible. It's not sexy or exciting, but the giant asset manager's bond indexing business has been minting money for the firm, Bloomberg reports. Here's how the sleepy business is posting big returns.

7. Even banks hate dealing with your paper checks. The old-school method of payment is still ripe with fraud, and banks sometimes struggle to reimburse victims quickly, The Wall Street Journal reports. Which begs the question: Why are we still paying with these things?

8. This luxury Swiss watchmaker went from obscurity to a one-year waitlist. Parmigiani Fleurier, which sounds like a dish my grandma used to cook for me, has exploded onto the watch scene seemingly overnight, Bloomberg reports. Here's how a new CEO, and a single line of watches, turned things around.  

9. The exclusive all-inclusive resort. Long considered a place to get cheap booze and mediocre food, some all-inclusive resorts are catering to a more luxurious crowd, The New York Times reports. Ditch the spring breakers, and check out these high-end resorts.

10. A critic goes to Costco. Don't worry, this is not a criticism of our beloved Costco. Instead, a food critic shares the 12 things she loves to buy at the store. Add these to your next food-shopping list.


Curated by Dan DeFrancesco in New York. Feedback or tips? Email ddefrancesco@insider.com, tweet @dandefrancesco, or connect on LinkedIn. Edited by Jeffrey Cane (tweet @jeffrey_cane) in New York and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London. 

 

Key phrases

Older messages

Russia’s NATO is crumbling

Friday, May 12, 2023

Plus: Zuckerberg is shredded, and Tucker Carlson heads to Twitter. View in browser Subscribe May 10, 2023 Hello, Insiders! Spriha Srivastava, UK bureau chief, here. Today we take a deeper dive into

Wall Street: Dress for success

Friday, May 12, 2023

The latest in finance. View in browser INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe 10 THINGS ON WALL STREET Almost Friday! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC. Today, we've got stories on the real reasons rents are staying so

Google’s AI makeover

Friday, May 12, 2023

Plus: Tucker Carlson texts, and Trump's 'disastrous' CNN town hall. View in browser Subscribe May 11, 2023 Hello, Insiders. Matt Turner, editor in chief of business, here. I'm in San

Meet the Hustle Generation

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Plus: Influencer names Redditors, and why this debt-ceiling fight is different. View in browser Subscribe May 9, 2023 Hello, Insiders. Shona Ghosh, Insider's UK deputy executive editor, here. Gen

Wall Street: Your 2023 bonus already sucks

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

The latest in finance. View in browser INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe 10 THINGS ON WALL STREET Hiya! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC, and I am pumped for the return of the all-you-can-eat buffet. Today, we've

You Might Also Like

Good news for Trump

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Bloomberg Evening Briefing View in browser Bloomberg In a potential victory of sorts for Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court suggested it might drag out his claim of immunity from prosecution, likely

📖 Alphabet and Microsoft opened the books

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Microsoft and Google-owner Alphabet both announced their quarterly results | The mining industry might be witnessing its biggest deal in years | Finimize TOGETHER WITH Hi Reader, here's what you

Don’t like surprise home expenses? Read this.

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Here's one of the best ways to help protect against expensive repairs. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

🎂 Icky icing on the cake

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Plus, should you share your salary with your kids? ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌  ͏ ‌ 

I haven't been this worried since 2008...

Thursday, April 25, 2024

The following is a third-party sponsored message. It should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by HS Dent Publishing. I'm officially sounding the alarm. AI has been the hottest

Metal is back

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Bloomberg Evening Briefing View in browser Bloomberg Metal is back. Some of the world's biggest energy trading companies are returning to the sector years after getting burnt in notoriously

👀 Meta spilled the beans

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Meta revealed its first-quarter results | Gucci-owner Kering's results weren't front-cover material | Finimize TOGETHER WITH Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for April 25th in 3:16

Lots of things emerge as spring begins — and we’re not talking about flowers

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Prepare for the ugly side of warmer months. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Issue #235: Is chasing high APYs worth it?

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

plus Roger goes viral + themed cruises ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Harry's Take 4-24-24 Have You Saved Enough?

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Life Expectancy and Retirement ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌