Power Players with Brian Sozzi

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Why the fajitas king Chili’s is on fire, and so is it's parent stock Brinker International Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

One of the hottest stocks in the world, surprisingly, isn’t AI darling Nvidia (NVDA). It’s actually Brinker International (EAT), which owns the restaurant chain Chili’s. How has the company regained relevance with an eating public that loves to order food from their mobile phones? Well, it starts by improving the food quality at the chain and aggressively marketing it. The company has also doubled down on its value offerings while also investing in new kitchen equipment to serve food faster. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid podcast with the marketing wiz driving the turnaround at Chili’s, CEO of Brinker Kevin Hochman. What’s next for Chili’s? Hochman says to think ribs and fajitas, done better.

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Kevin Hochman on Opening Bid

03:20-Cost cuts to save their way to profits

04:00-Elevating the guac

08:30-How do they brand these crazy names?

13:20-Growth focused on new locations

18:30-AI and automations in the restaurants

22:00-Eating with your competitors

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Kevin Hochman serves as Chief Executive Officer and President of Brinker International, Inc., one of the world’s leading casual dining companies and home of Chili’s® Grill & Bar, Maggiano’s Little Italy® and two virtual brands: It’s Just Wings® and Maggiano’s Italian Classics™. He is also President of Chili’s and a member of Brinker’s Board of Directors.

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China's DeepSeek has US questioning AI innovation pace: Snowflake CEO weighs in Jan 29, 2025

Show notes

AI is developing at lightning-fast speeds. What is seen as game-changing on a Monday could be seen as behind the curve by Friday. Investors have been reminded of that this week as AI darling stocks such as Nvidia (NVDA) get punished on fears of DeepSeek. The China-based model maker that competes with OpenAI and Meta (META) has called into question the computing power that's needed to drive AI innovation. It has also raised concerns about whether the US is behind China in the great AI race. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi digs into this hot topic with Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy. Snowflake’s technology is a key enabler of large language models, so the company has a prime seat to how fast the sector is moving and how. Ramaswamy shares his perspective on DeepSeek, and looks to put to bed the views Snowflake is being left behind in the AI race.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Sridhar Ramaswamy on Opening Bid

02:15-DeepSeek rocks the AI community

07:15-Who else could rock the AI market?

11:20-How is Nvidia coping

16:15-AI guardrails and regulations

19:20-HOT TAKE

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Sridhar Ramaswamy is an Indian-American computer scientist and executive. He is the CEO of cloud-based data-warehousing company Snowflake Inc. since February 2024.

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DeepSeek has shocked Nvidia and stock market bulls! Jan 27, 2025

Show notes

Markets have had a case of whiplash in January. Rising bond yields weighed on stocks earlier in the month. Then optimism spread in markets as Donald Trump officially returned to the White House. And now, the likes of JP Morgan CEO and billionaire investor Ray Dalio are warning that stock valuations have gotten too inflated. Not to mention DeepSake fears hammering markets and AI darling Nvidia. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi chats with Carlyle Group head of research Jason Thomas as markets eye February. Thomas has been vocal that the Federal Reserve should be less restrictive in its policy after a series of rate hikes. Whether the Fed gets that message at its closely watched meeting this week is to be determined. Thomas is calling out concentration risk in the markets as Nvidia, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft continue to dominate the weighting in the S&P 500. Is it time to head to the hills on these stocks this earnings season as each look to ramp up spending on AI projects? Thomas reveals his team’s latest thinking.

Find Thomas' full Carlyle report here: https://www.carlyle.com/sites/default/files/2025-01/5_questions_for_2025.pdf

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Jason Thomas on Opening Bid

00:30-Stock of the day: Nvidia

03:00-What's next in AI?

07:00-Toss Nvidia in the trash?

12:30-Tariff impact on markets

19:30-Global stocks to watch

21:00-HOT TAKE

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Jason Thomas is Head of Global Research & Investment Strategy at Carlyle. Mr. Thomas helps to formulate firmwide investment strategies.

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What Morgan Stanley CEO is watching in the economy under Trump: FROM DAVOS Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

Ask most stock pickers on Wall Street and they will likely agree that the financials are some of the best bets for 2025. The Trump administration is likely to ease regulations on capital requirements for the banks, freeing up more funds for dividends and buybacks. Deal-making could return in force amid the de-regulation backdrop, lifting the lucrative investment banking industry. And markets may stay solid, allowing banks to cash in on trading activity across bonds and stocks. Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick says he sees a host of tailwinds for the banking giant this year, but acknowledges there could be a few bumps along the way. He talks on the Opening Bid podcast with Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi at the World Economic Forum.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Ted Pick on Opening Bid

00:50-How AI impacts the business of relationships

02:00-Secret sauce for making deals

06:30-Deregulation and margers under Trump

07:45-Investor insights

10:00-Let's talk generational wealth

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Ted Pick is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Stanley. Before becoming CEO in January 2024 and Chairman in January 2025, Mr. Pick served as Morgan Stanley’s Co-President, Co-Head of Firm Strategy and Head of the Institutional Securities Group, overseeing Investment Banking, Equities, Fixed Income, Global Capital Markets and Research.

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Ray Dalio’s debt warnings & big economic insights for 2025: FROM DAVOS Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio has been warning about government debt levels and their implications for years. He is doubling down on his concerns in a new episode of the Opening Bid podcast with Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi. Dalio thinks global economic growth is at risk unless leaders such as US President Donald Trump get a handle on bloated debt levels. He chats with Sozzi from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Ray Dalio on Opening Bid

00:50-Upcoming book: "How Countries Go Broke"

05:50-Trump tax cuts

10:30-Insights for investors

16:20-Interest rate changes

18:45-Crypto and alternative currencies

22:40-Leadership lessons from Ray Dalio

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Raymond Dalio is an American investor and hedge fund manager who founded Bridgewater Associates in 1975. He has served as the firm's CEO, CIO, and Chairman, and has been credited with shaping the firm's culture and innovative approaches to investing. His new book "How Countries Go Broke: Principles for Navigating the Big Debt Cycle, Where We Are Headed, and What We Should Do" is set to come out in September, 2025.

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What Nouriel “Dr. Doom” Roubini says about AI, crypto, and economic outlooks: FROM DAVOS Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

NYU professor and economist Nouriel Roubini is known as “Dr. Doom” for a reason—he has never been tepid in keeping it real on the economy, technology, crypto, and markets. When it comes to AI and humanoid robots, his tune was equally critical as he shares concerns with Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi on the Opening Bid from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "I think people here at Davos emphasize the benefits in terms of cost-cutting, more revenue, more profitability, but cost-cutting means what? Eliminating jobs."

Roubini goes on to explain the way that these technological innovations are impacting politics under a state of massive wealth inequality. "But AI makes it worse because these technologies are capital intensive, high-skill bias, and labor saving. So if you own the machine or the capital that owns the machine, you're going to do well. You'll be rich," he says. "If you're a low-skilled or medium-skilled, white-collar, blue-collar, increasingly your job and income is going to be threatened by AI and there are not going to be enough jobs in the future."

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Nouriel Roubini on Opening Bid

00:50-The threat of AI & robotics on jobs

07:00-Tech innovation can also lead to progress

09:00-Blue collar to big tech with Trump

13:00-Trump economic outlook

18:20-Fed and rate hikes

21:00-Future of crypto

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Nouriel Roubini is a senior economic advisor to Hudson Bay Capital and Professor Emeritus at NYU's Stern School of Business. He is also the CEO of Roubini Macro Associates, LLC. From 1998 to 2000, he served as senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers and the senior advisor for international affairs at the U.S. Treasury.

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Why Nasdaq's CEO sees IPO market growth ahead: FROM DAVOS Jan 22, 2025

Show notes

The IPO market was mixed at best in 2024 despite strong showings by Reddit (RDDT), Viking (VIK), and Rubrik (RBRK). IPOs raised about $123 billion last year compared to a peak of $594 billion in 2021, according to Dealogic data. A total of 150 companies went public last year, per a Renaissance Capital study. With optimism on the regulatory front from the Trump administration, dealmakers expect the IPO market to kick back into high gear this year.

Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman explained the outlook for IPOs in 2025 is all about growth opportunities, she told Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi on the Opening Bid podcast from the World Economic Forum. Specifically, with expectant changes to regulation: "I think regulation is another thing that just keeps companies from wanting to tap the public markets because they know that being a public company is a very different existence. Our hope is that in the new administration, they're going to focus on the challenges and what I'll call the tax of being a public company."

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Adena Friedman on Opening Bid

00:46-How the new administration will impact IPOs

01:40-Reflecting on 2024

05:30-Sectors to watch

08:00-President Trump's meme coin

10:58-Future of tech and AI

15:30-Market guidance

16:10-DEI in finance

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Adena Friedman has been the Chief Executive Officer of Nasdaq since Jan. 1, 2017, and was appointed Chair of the Board of Directors on Jan. 1, 2023.

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Trump meme coin called a 'clearing station for bribery' by Scaramucci: FROM DAVOS Jan 21, 2025

Show notes

Skybridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci famously spent a short stint as President Trump’s communication director in his first term. He has since gone on to become a fierce critic of the returning president, which was apparent in a new episode of the Opening Bid podcast with Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi. Scaramucci thinks markets are too optimistic on a Trump presidency given the many inevitable twists and turns. From crypto to mass deportation to TikTok he covers is all with Sozzi from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Anthony Scaramucci on Opening Bid

00:45-Trump meme coin? WTF

02:40-"I'm moving up the enemies list"

05:20-Crypto outlook

09:15-Billionaires front row at inauguration

15:40-Just big talk? What's next for TikTok & China

18:30-Wall Street outlook on Trump

21:00-HOT TAKE

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT. He is best known for his short tenure as the White House Communications Director under President Trump.

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The inside tip on how Tesla CEO Elon Musk is able to deliver on his big ambitions Jan 17, 2025

Show notes

The venture capital industry has no shortage of ideas right now in the AI space. Companies specializing in everything from mobility to software to chip design are trying to cash in on the AI boom, and VCs are aiming to be there to grow entrepreneurs and drive returns for their investors. Yahoo Finance Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi chats with one of the more fascinating people in the VC industry Jon McNeill of DVx Ventures. For one, while McNeill is putting to work in AI upstarts, he also has toes in the public company world by sitting on the boards of General Motors (GM) and Lululemon (LULU). What’s more, he has spent the past decade trying to change how people get from point A to point B. He is the former COO of Lyft (LYFT) and also worked very closely with Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk as president in charge of revenue. What did McNeill learn from the billionaire Musk? How will the future of mobility shake out? And what AI upstarts have caught McNeill's attention? This episode of Opening Bid has a little bit of everything!

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Jon McNeill on Opening Bid

00:48-The state of raising funds in 2025

04:40-Future of climate investment

07:30-Looking at Tesla, as Musk heads to Washington

15:20-Insights from the board of Lululemon

19:02-Technology out of China

21:00-HOT TAKE

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Jon McNeill currently serves as the CEO and Co-Founder of DVx Ventures. Previously, Jon served as President at Tesla, where revenue grew from $2B to $20B in just 30 months. Following Tesla, Jon joined Lyft as COO, where he played a pivotal role in doubling revenues and helping to take the company public.

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Rigetti Computing CEO on hype after his stock explodes 48% Jan 15, 2025

Show notes

How do you know as an investor that you are witnessing a borderline bubble in a stock? When a company (or companies) that has made no money ever is trading like it makes lots of money today will make even more money in the future. Welcome to the vibe continuing to surround quantum computing stocks such as D-Wave Quantum and Rigetti Computing. Both of these stocks have been on mind-blowing runs the past three months in part because of enthusiasm on AI and a super hyped new quantum chip from Google called Willow. The quantum space has also seen considerable investor interest on the Yahoo Finance platform, with the community consuming everything they could on the companies and the sector. So have investors become too optimistic on quantum computing stocks? Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi goes right to the source, talking at length with Rigetti Computing CEO Subodh Kulkarni. Rigetti’s stock has exploded 553% in the past six months, bringing it to an eye-watering $2 billion market cap. Interestingly, Rigetti has never turned a profit and has told investors it won’t be making profits anytime soon. In fact, it may have to raise more capital to fund its ambitions in quantum chips. Sozzi serves up a classic investor guide to one of the market’s hottest stocks out of the gate in 2025.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Subodh Kulkarni on Opening Bid

00:27-Stocks ups and downs

01:49-Investor interest

05:11-You're not making money...

07:00-In the chip-weeds

11:43-Government & regulation in tech

16:09-NVIDIA & Meta have it out for quantum

21:44-HOT TAKE

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Subodh Kulkarni has served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Rigetti since December 2022. Kulkarni is a seasoned public company CEO with thirty-plus years of experience in the semiconductor industry and a track record of success in scaling and commercializing cutting-edge technologies.

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