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Good prices and good margin, How has Costco managed it?

Cost Conscious Costco

Costco has cultivated a devoted customer base in the US by appealing to price-sensitive consumers, addressing recession concerns, and focusing on selling products at lower margins than competitors. As of Friday, the retailer’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio was just under 60, compared to Walmart (41) and Target (16). 

Over the last five years, Costco’s share price has risen by just over 200%. Examining the company’s financials, Costco reported revenue of $149 billion and a net income of $3.7 billion in 2019, resulting in a net margin of 2.5%. By 2024, the revenue grew to $253 billion, with a net income of $7.4 billion, reflecting a 2.9% margin.  

In its most recent quarter, Costco achieved a gross margin of 11%. For comparison, Walmart’s latest quarter showed a net margin of 2.7% on revenue of $169 billion, with a gross margin of 25%. 

Costco has managed to keep product prices low while maintaining respectable net margins through several strategies:

  • Membership model: Customers must have a Costco membership to shop, encouraging repeated purchases, and allowing Costco to collect personalised client purchasing data. 
  • Bulk purchasing and limited selection: This approach allows Costco to negotiate lower prices and streamline inventory management, reducing costs further. 
  • No-frills operations: By minimizing operational expenses, Costco maintains its ability to sustain a relatively healthy margin. 

Given the high P/E ratio, Costco must adhere strictly to its reputation as an “extremely well-run, no-frills business.” Notably, the company’s membership fees are nearly equivalent to its net income, indicating that membership growth is important for overall expansion. Any significant misstep by Costco could lead to a substantial decrease in its stock price.  

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Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
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The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

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Zara Fit Check

Inditex, the Spanish business which owns of fashion brands such as Zara, Bershka, Oysho, and Massimo Dutti, published its H1 2024 results last week. Net sales for the period reached €18.1 billion, reflecting a 7.2% increase year-over-year. The cost of sales rose slightly slower than net sales, leading to a 7.5% rise in gross profit to €10.5 billion. Net income climbed by 10.5%, reaching to €2.8 billion. This translated to a net margin of 15.3% for the period, up from 14.9% during the same period last year. The improvement in margin was mainly attributed to amortization and depreciation remaining unchanged from the previous year.  

Zara represented 72% of Inditex’s sales for the first half of 2024. Zara’s sales increased by 5.4% compared to the same period last year. While most other brands experienced double-digit growth, their smaller size relative to Zara meant that Inditex’s overall net sales only rose by 7.2%. 

Inditex places a strong emphasis on logistics, planning to invest €900 million annually over the next two years. This extra expenditure increases Inditex’s usual annual capital expenditure of €1.8 billion by 50%. Part of the capital expenditure will deployed to increase store space by approximately 5%.  

Zara, famous for its quick turnaround time; has the ability to design, manufacture, and stock new items on store shelves within two to three weeks. The company maintains low inventory and has structured its manufacturing to ramp up production when certain items sell well; unlike competitors, who can take months to respond to trends.  

Inditex operates in a highly competitive market. Despite having an efficient supply chain model that allows them to compete on design, they are susceptible to supply chain disruptions, such as those witnessed during Covid-19 and the conflict arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Zara also believes that driving sales can be accomplished by attracting customers to their physical stores. To entice visitors, they lease historical and cultural buildings to add a unique appeal to their brand. However, if demand for their brand suddenly drops, they could end up paying higher-than-usual costs for unused space. 

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Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

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Check(ers) Mate

Shoprite, South Africa’s largest retailer, released its 2024 full-year results last week. The company reported total revenue of R240.7 billion, reflecting a 12% increase year-over-year. Their trading profit also saw an increase of 12.4%, reaching R13.4 billion, which translates into a trading margin of 5.5% for the year. Shoprite’s gross profit rose by 11.7% to R57.8 billion, resulting in a gross margin of 24.0% for the year. 

Shoprite has been expanding. They have been continuously striving to capture a larger and larger share of the retail market. Since 2021, the group has increased its number of stores by 25.7%, reaching a total of 3,639 outlets. Their Xtra savings loyalty card membership has also surged by 10.7 million members since 2021 to 31 million members at the end of their 2024 financial year. This has greatly aided their data-driven AI strategy to better understand and serve their customers. The expansion and insights have resulted in their sales growing by 43% compared to the 2021 levels.  

The brands under Shoprite’s umbrella include Shoprite, Usave, Checkers, Uniq, Medirite, and others. Shoprite caters to both affluent and low-income customers and is present in rural and urban areas alike. The graph below illustrates how Shoprite perceives its brands and their positioning in South Africa. Notably, last year, Checkers, Shoprite’s premium brand which yields slightly higher margins, was the fastest growing brand in the premium supermarket space. The growth was fuelled by the success of their delivery service Checkers Sixty60. 

RSA Store Positioning and Numbers

Source: https://www.shopriteholdings.co.za/docs/results-presentation-2024.pdf

Shoprite employs a hub-and-spoke model. When establishing a supermarket like Shoprite or Checkers in a new area, they subsequently set up other branded stores nearby, such as their pharmacy chain Medirite or clothing store Uniq, creating a complementary shopping ecosystem that attracts customers to these auxiliary outlets. 

Last week, Shoprite’s share price fell by just over 3%, amid market expectations for slightly stronger results. Shoprite trades at a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of around 24, which is higher than Pick ‘n Pay’s PE ratio of -11 (due to major write-offs) and Woolworths’ (Woollies) PE ratio of 18. This indicates the premium investors are willing to pay to hold Shoprite shares.  

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Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

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Nvidia: Priced to Perfection

Nvidia: Priced to Perfection

Over the past two years, Nvidia’s stock price has increased nearly 700%, bringing its market capitalization to $2.9 trillion as of Friday. This remarkable growth has made Nvidia one of the largest companies in the world, trailing only behind industry giants like Apple and Microsoft. 

Nvidia’s success is largely driven by the sale of its high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) and AI platforms, which are crucial for training data-intensive AI workloads. As companies and organizations increasingly focus on developing artificial intelligence models, they seek processing power and energy efficiency—areas where Nvidia’s GPUs are currently unmatched in the market. 

Last week, Nvidia’s Q2 2025 results were among the most anticipated of this earnings season. The company reported an impressive $30 billion in revenue for the quarter, marking a 122% year-over-year increase. Operating income also saw significant growth, rising 174% year-over-year to $18.6 billion. 

Nvidia’s gross margin came in at 75.1% for the quarter, down from 78.4% in the previous quarter but up from 70.1% in the same period last year. Despite this slight dip compared to the previous quarter, both gross and operating margins have been on a strong upward trajectory since early last year, driven by the immense demand for Nvidia’s AI platforms. The graph below shows the change in Nvidia’s margins since the beginning of last year. 

Operating Margins

The slight downturn in margins this quarter was primarily attributed to delays in the launch of their new AI platform, Blackwell, which is now expected to ship in Q4 this year. During the earnings call, CEO Jensen Huang reassured investors that Nvidia remains committed to releasing new platforms on a yearly rhythm, emphasizing the company’s focus on delivering faster and more energy-efficient chips. 

Despite Nvidia’s impressive performance, several questions remain. How much additional efficiency is AI bringing to companies adopting the technology? Will the major tech players, who are heavily investing in Nvidia’s platforms, continue to spend at this rate? And could other companies be developing chips that might eventually surpass Nvidia’s offerings? 

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Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

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Snowflake Melting?

Snowflake Melting?

Snowflake is strategically positioned to leverage the growing importance of high-quality data in powering AI applications, including both machine learning and generative AI. The premise is simple: the better the input data, the more effective and accurate the AI output. 

Snowflake enables organizations to manage and structure their data in the cloud, offering secure and efficient data querying and sharing capabilities. Snowflake has recently invested in integrating a generative AI layer into its platform. This innovation allows users to interact with their data without needing specialized coding knowledge. 

In its Q2 2025 results, Snowflake reported a 28.9% year-over-year increase in revenue, reaching $869 million. However, despite this growth, the company’s gross margin declined slightly to 72%, down from 74% in the same period last year. Additionally, Snowflake recorded an operating loss of $355 million; 41% of the company’s revenue. This was marginally down from an operating loss margin of 42% last year. 

One of the persistent challenges for Snowflake, as with many smaller tech companies, is the competition for top-tier talent. Unlike Big Tech with their vast financial resources, Snowflake must find alternative ways to attract and retain skilled professionals. Stock-based compensation has been a key strategy, offering equity in the company as a significant part of an employee’s compensation package. While this approach is effective in attracting talent, it comes with the risk of diluting the company’s share base, reducing each share’s claim on future earnings.  

Snowflake faces the delicate balancing act of incentivizing its workforce with equity while managing the potential long-term impacts on shareholder value through dilution. Navigating this fine line is crucial for Snowflake as it continues to scale. Snowflake’s share price dropped by around 10% after the announcement of their results, reflecting shareholder’s desire to see a better balance between shareholder returns and stock-based-compensation. 

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Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

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Moving ON - Weekly Stocktake with Danyaal

Moving ON

On Holdings, owners of the On Cloud sports brand best known for its distinctive running shoes, recently released its Q2 2024 results. The company reported a revenue of CHF 567.7 million, marking a 28% increase year-over-year. Operating income rose by 20% to CHF 47.3 million. The brand has a strong presence in the U.S., where 65% of last quarter’s sales originated, showing a growth of over 24% compared to the same period last year. Although the Asia-Pacific region was the fastest-growing market with nearly 74% growth, it only accounted for 10% of the company’s net sales for the quarter. 

The bulk of On Holdings’ revenue (95%) comes from its shoe sales, which grew by nearly 27% year-over-year. As a relatively small brand compared to giants like Nike and Adidas, On Holdings faces both opportunities and challenges. The company has significant potential for growth by expanding into new regions and diversifying its product range.  

One of On Holdings’ recent innovations is a new shoe that is sprayed onto a person’s foot, weighing just 158g for the women’s version. Helen Obiri, a renowned Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner, trained in these shoes for the recent Olympics and was so impressed that she wore them during the Paris Olympics marathon, where she won a bronze medal. This reflects On Holdings’ strategy of collaborating with athletes to design products that cater specifically to their sports. 

ON Holdings

On Holdings does however operate in a highly competitive market, facing rivals ranging from smaller brands like Deckers, which owns the popular Hoka brand, to industry giants like Nike and Adidas. Fashion trends can shift rapidly, and consumer preferences are fickle, posing a constant challenge. For now, On Holdings is capitalizing on current trends, but the landscape could change quickly. 

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Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

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Weighing In

Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are leading pharmaceutical companies known for their innovative diabetes and obesity treatments. Both companies have developed drugs—Tirzepatide by Eli Lilly and Semaglutide by Novo Nordisk—that mimic the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone. 

Originally designed for type-2 diabetes to control blood sugar by increasing insulin release, these GLP-1 drugs were later found to significantly aid in weight loss. In a recent study, Eli Lilly’s Zepbound has been shown to reduce patient weight by 21%. Associated with obesity, are a variety of other health issues – including cardiovascular diseases. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy treatment decreased the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 20%. 

Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are investing heavily in research and development, and in manufacturing capacity. For their recent quarter, Novo Nordisk increased their R&D spending by 127% to DKK 16.2 billion (1 USD = 6.95 DKK on 30 June 2024). This accounted for 24% of revenue, roughly in line with Eli Lilly’s R&D to revenue ratio. Both companies are pushing to gain an edge over each other and the other competitors in the industry. 

The pharmaceutical industry requires extensive testing of drugs and treatments before they can be sold to patients. Some of these treatments, especially the ones related to cardiovascular diseases, can take multiple years for the treatments to be approved by the relevant authorities.  

They also require large sample sizes to show the extensiveness of their research. As it stands, Novo Nordisk currently has 45000 participants in trials or about to be in trials for Semaglutide. Eli Lilly has slightly more participants in trial for Tirzepatide. 

Even though other pharmaceutical companies may know how GLP-1 agonists work. They may not have the required resources in terms of capital and time to go after Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s market share.   

Last week, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly released their Q2 2024 results. Novo Nordisk’s revenue was up 25% year over year to DKK 68 billion, while net income was up only 3% to DKK 20.1 billion. This was mainly due to the increase in R&D spending. Eli Lilly on the other hand had revenues of $11.3 billion, up 36% year over year. Its net income increased 68% to $3 billion. this was primarily driven by increased manufacturing capacity and pricing power.  

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Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

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AI: The Energy Saga

AI: The Energy Saga

Generative AI relies on supercomputers to perform complex calculations and answer increasingly intricate questions. It is thus highly dependent on advanced semiconductors (chips), large data sets and powerful algorithms (models). The energy requirements of these processors, which are typically housed in datacentres, are enormous and require stable and secure power sources.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), energy for data centres, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence accounted for roughly 2% of global energy demand in 2022. The IEA forecasts that the energy demand could almost double from 460 TWh in 2022 to about 800 TWh by 2026. However, these estimates may vary significantly depending on the actual demand for generative AI products and services over the next two years.

Cloud computing giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet are heavily investing in their data centres to enhance their capabilities for running complex AI applications. This involves training and inferencing (producing outputs) with AI models. Consequently, their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions have risen. According to Alphabet’s 2024 Environmental Report, their greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 48% since 2019. The growing demand for AI, combined with Alphabet’s termination of some clean energy projects, has led to this overall increase in its emissions.

Why haven’t companies simply expanded their energy capacity? Data centres require a stable energy supply that can be adjusted instantly. Renewable energy is not always reliable due to its dependence on unpredictable elements. Nuclear power can provide the needed stability, but building nuclear plants takes more than five years. In contrast, gas-fired plants take about two years to build.

The cloud providers are exploring various ways to increase their access to stable energy sources. Earlier this year, Amazon bought a data centre from US power generator Talen Energy, located next to a nuclear power station. The data centre will be powered with energy from the station.

Microsoft on the other hand, signed a power purchase agreement with Brookfield Asset Management, to support the development of 10.5 gigawatts of renewable energy and to secure their energy requirements and offset their carbon footprint.

At the core of these new data centres are semiconductors responsible for all processing tasks. Nvidia claims that their flagship Blackwell Platform will enable organizations to “build and run real-time generative AI on trillion-parameter large language models at up to 25x less cost and energy consumption than its predecessor.” No wonder everyone is racing to get their hands on these chips.

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Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
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Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Security
Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Security
Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Key Indicators
Index / Fund / Rate
Start of Year
Last Week
This Week
% Change YTD
Index / Fund / Rate
Start of Year
188.33
Last Week
214.18
This Week
216.71
% Change YTD
15.07% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
JSE ALSI
Start of Year
76 893
Last Week
80 244
This Week
80 797 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
5.08% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
NASDAQ Composite
Start of Year
15 011
Last Week
17 733
This Week
18 353 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
22.26% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
S&P 500
Start of Year
4 770
Last Week
5 460
This Week
5 567 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
16.72% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
Prime Lending Rate
Start of Year
11.75%
Last Week
11.75%
This Week
11.75%
% Change YTD
0.00%
Index / Fund / Rate
USD/ZAR
Start of Year
18.30
Last Week
18.17
This Week
18.18 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
-0.66% Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
Index / Fund / Rate
EUR/ZAR
Start of Year
20.17
Last Week
19.47
This Week
19.72 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
-2.23% Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
Index / Fund / Rate
Brent Crude ($'barrel)
Start of Year
76.97
Last Week
84.87
This Week
86.98 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
13.01% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Source: Iress

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Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

AI: The Energy Saga Read More »

Nike

Nike Just Not Doing It

Last week Nike released their Q4 and FY2024 results. Revenue for the year was $51.4 billion, flat compared to 2023. Net Income for the year was $5.7 billion, up 12% compared to the same period last year. Below is a graph showing key metrics for Nike over the last four years. Since 2021, Nike’s revenue has increased just over 13 percent. While its net income has remained flat.

Lunar Capital performance 1

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Nike had already started investing in its Nike Direct business, which includes company-operated stores and its e-commerce division. This focus on e-commerce proved beneficial both before and during the pandemic when consumers were unable to leave their homes. Nike Direct accounted for just under 44% of Nike Brand revenue in 2024, compared to 32% in 2019. The wholesale business, which sells to third-party stores on consignment, accounted for 56% of Nike Brand revenue in 2024.

Over the last few years, running has surged in popularity, likely due to pent-up demand from the Covid-19 pandemic. The London Marathon received a record 840,000 applications for the ballot for the 2025 race, surpassing the previous record of 578,000 in 2024. Despite its roots in running, Nike has struggled to capitalize on this trend, losing market share to competitors like On Holding, Hoka (owned by Deckers), and Brooks.

Fashion is fickle. Brands that are successful today may not be next year, and vice versa. Nike faces the challenge of growing revenue from an already high base. For example, Hoka’s 2024 revenue was $1.11 billion, roughly 2% of Nike’s 2024 revenue. Nike has better financial strength compared to many of its competitors to withstand setbacks. It could possibly even use this to pivot its company to get back in favour with consumers.

Nike’s share price is down from a peak of $179.10 (November 2021) to $74.85 per share at the time of writing.

Security Held In:
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Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
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Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Security
Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Key Indicators
Index / Fund / Rate
Start of Year
Last Week
This Week
% Change YTD
Index / Fund / Rate
Start of Year
188.33
Last Week
212.51
This Week
214.18
% Change YTD
13.73% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
JSE ALSI
Start of Year
76 893
Last Week
79 768
This Week
80 244 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
4.36% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
NASDAQ Composite
Start of Year
15 011
Last Week
17 689
This Week
17 733 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
18.13% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
S&P 500
Start of Year
4 770
Last Week
5 465
This Week
5 460 Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
% Change YTD
14.48% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
Prime Lending Rate
Start of Year
11.75%
Last Week
11.75%
This Week
11.75%
% Change YTD
0.00%
Index / Fund / Rate
USD/ZAR
Start of Year
18.30
Last Week
17.95
This Week
18.17 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
-0.71% Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
Index / Fund / Rate
EUR/ZAR
Start of Year
20.17
Last Week
19.21
This Week
19.47 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
-3.47% Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
Index / Fund / Rate
Brent Crude ($'barrel)
Start of Year
76.97
Last Week
85.07
This Week
84.87 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
10.26% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Source: Iress

Click here to access your account to view statements, obtain tax certificates, add or make changes to your investments.

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Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

Nike Just Not Doing It Read More »

Adobe or Not Adobe

Adobe is a digital-media company that creates and sells products and tools that are primarily suited towards the creative economy. Their products include Photoshop and Lightroom, which are used to alter images, Premiere Pro, which is the standard video editing tool, and Adobe Document Reader, which allows people to view and export a standardized version of a digital document. There are free versions of their products, but Adobe makes its money from charging users a subscription fee to access all the products’ features.

Two weeks ago, Adobe released their Q2 2024 results. Revenue for the quarter was $5.31 billion, up 10% year on year. And operating income was $1.89 billion, up 16% year on year. The table below is a snapshot from Adobe’s earnings slide, which shows their core driver of revenue: Digital Media (DMe). The Creative segment within DMe accounted for just under 59% of their total revenue this quarter. Creative grew just under 10% year on year – in line with their revenue growth.

Lunar Capital dme

Despite many of Adobe’s products being industry standard tools, they are facing an increasing number of headwinds from both competitors and regulators.

In 2022, Adobe agreed to buy Figma (an interface design tool) for $20 billion. At the time, the deal placed an astronomical 50x revenue valuation on Figma. The deal faced regulatory scrutiny in the EU and was therefore cancelled before it could be completed. Adobe had to pay Figma a cancellation fee of $1 billion. Adobe is now being sued in the US, as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) claims that Adobe makes it too difficult for users to unsubscribe from their products.

Despite Adobe adding generative AI layers to their products, they are facing intense competition from the likes of Microsoft-backed OpenAI. OpenAI has many tools that directly compete with Adobe’s tools, allowing people to generate and edit texts and images using generative AI.

Adobe, once a gold standard, could be one of the first victims in the new generative AI world.

Security Held In:
Security
Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Security
Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Security
Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Security
Lunar Capital BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund
Lunar Capital Offshore Portfolio Clients
Key Indicators
Index / Fund / Rate
Start of Year
Last Week
This Week
% Change YTD
Index / Fund / Rate
Start of Year
188.33
Last Week
212.26
This Week
212.51
% Change YTD
12.84% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
JSE ALSI
Start of Year
76 893
Last Week
77 054
This Week
79 768 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
3.74% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
NASDAQ Composite
Start of Year
15 011
Last Week
17 689
This Week
17 689 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
17.84% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
S&P 500
Start of Year
4 770
Last Week
5 432
This Week
5 465
% Change YTD
14.57% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Index / Fund / Rate
Prime Lending Rate
Start of Year
11.75%
Last Week
11.75%
This Week
11.75%
% Change YTD
0.00%
Index / Fund / Rate
USD/ZAR
Start of Year
18.30
Last Week
18.38
This Week
17.95 Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
% Change YTD
-1.91% Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
Index / Fund / Rate
EUR/ZAR
Start of Year
20.17
Last Week
19.69
This Week
19.21 Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
% Change YTD
-4.76% Lunar Capital stocktake arrow down
Index / Fund / Rate
Brent Crude ($'barrel)
Start of Year
76.97
Last Week
82.56
This Week
85.07 Lunar Capital increasesymbol
% Change YTD
10.52% Lunar Capital increasesymbol
Source: Iress

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Our email address is: [email protected]

Disclosures
Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Services Provider. FSP (46567)
Read our full Disclosure statement: https://lunarcapital.co.za/disclosures/
Our Privacy Notice: https://lunarcapital.co.za/privacy-policy/
The Lunar BCI Worldwide Flexible Fund Fact Sheet  can be read here.
This stocktake is prepared for the clients of Lunar Capital (Pty) Ltd. This stocktake does not constitute financial advice and is generated for information purposes only.

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