Good Evening! U.S. equities fluctuated, ending a turbulent session with mixed results as all three indices closed the week in the red for the first time this year.
The S&P 500 increased by 0.22%, recouping early session losses. The Dow Jones moved 0.50% higher. Contracts on the Nasdaq Composite decreased by 0.61%.
PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF
Expedia Group (EXPE) saw decreases despite the tourism industry’s optimism that conditions could return to normal as more nations eased pandemic-related restrictions. In fact, For the fourth quarter of 2022, the online travel expert did observe significant improvements in key business measures, but this was insufficient in the opinion of the majority of its shareholders.
- Revenue: $2.62 Billion vs. $2.70 Billion Expected
- Earnings Per Share: $1.26 vs. $1.69 Expected
A positive view on 2023! Peter Kern, chief executive officer, said in a conference call, “We continue to see that people are prioritizing travel over just about everything. So far, demand has been fairly healthy, and we’re really happy with how ’23 has begun.”
Things are changing! During the pandemic, the company has undergone a restructuring of its operations to make itself more agile, which has allowed it to focus on expanding its business-to-business segment and creating a comprehensive rewards program across all its brands. With these efforts now largely complete, the company is well-positioned to benefit from the expected resurgence in travel demand.
IPOs ARE IN!
Have you noticed the decline in IPOs? That is because the number of public offerings in 2022 fell to its lowest level since 2016, falling from 1,035 in 2021 to only 181.
That is all changing, however! Companies are resuming the lineup, as the stock market recovers in early 2023. Since October, this week has been the busiest for IPOs. Yesterday, solar energy company Nextracker completed the largest initial public offering in four months. According to CNBC, it raised $638 million and sold 15% more shares than projected, and other renewable energy companies aim to follow its example into the public markets. It doesn’t stop there:
- According to the WSJ, restaurant firms, including the parents of Fogo de Chão, Panera, and Cava, may go public before the middle of the year.
- Due to geopolitical concerns, Chinese firms stepped back from listing in the United States last year and are now planning their comeback. This week, some of them debuted on the NYSE.
This is only a preview of the first half of the year. Look out for the following in the second half with heavyweights such as Instacart, Stripe, Epic Games, and Fanatics contemplating initial public offerings.