Finimize - 🍖 Beyond Meat is overdone

Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for February 28th in 3:02 minutes.

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Today's big stories

BASF posted a drop-off in profit, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis could make things worse
Our analyst has laid out how to protect your investments now that war’s broken out – Read Now
Beyond Meat reported worse-than-expected results, as shoppers lose their taste for meat-free products

Workplace Hazard

What’s Going On Here?

BASF reported mixed results on Friday, and investors scrambled to wash their hands of the German chemicals company’s toxic stock.

What Does This Mean?

BASF’s products are essential to just about every industry out there: electronics, cars, construction, agriculture – you name it. That means its customers’ hands were tied when the company upped its prices, which helped push its revenue 24% higher last quarter than the same time last year. Trouble was, BASF’s costs climbed too – by nearly $1 billion, on the back of spiking energy prices in Europe alone. That goes some way to explain why its profit only grew a weaker-than-expected 10% last quarter. It probably won’t pick up its feet anytime soon, either: BASF said it’s anticipating its profit to be lower this year than last, as economic growth languishes after a bumper 2021. Investors didn’t like that one bit: they sent its shares down 4%.

Why Should I Care?

For you personally: This always comes back on you.
Those energy bills aren’t likely to come down anytime soon, not after the Russian invasion of Ukraine sent natural gas and power prices in Europe surging. That’s got BASF – one of Europe’s biggest corporate users of energy – planning some hefty price hikes to offset those rising costs. But not only do you not have that option, BASF’s hikes will make everything from plastics to electronics more expensive, meaning you might feel the pinch there too.

The bigger picture: Ooh la la.
Those higher prices will give inflation in Europe another nudge, which is the last thing it needs after data out last week showed consumer prices in France – the region’s second-biggest economy – rose 4.1% in February compared to a year ago. That’s a big jump from January’s 3.3%, and the highest inflation rate the country’s seen since records began.

You might also like: What’s the best hedge against inflation?

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Analyst Take

How To Protect Your Portfolio In A Time Of War

Stéphane Renevier, Analyst

What’s Going On Here?

Investors were already struggling with the threat of higher inflation and rising interest rates.

Now, though, the crisis in Eastern Europe has compounded their anxiety to the nth degree, and markets are looking very delicate right now.

And since geopolitical crises are so difficult to predict, you might want to stay as far away as you can from making any bold investments.

The best thing you can do, then, is to reduce your risk, and there are four ways you could do just that.

So that’s today’s Insight: how to protect your portfolio in the midst of all this conflict.

Read or listen to the Insight here

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