Amazon's OpenAI Deal, Netflix Explores Warner Bros. Bid, and Elon's Flying Car
Amazon's OpenAI Deal, Netflix Explores Warner Bros. Bid, and Elon's Flying Car
186 days agoPivotNew York Magazine
Podcast1 hr 2 min
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

Amazon (AMZN) is presented as a top long-term investment due to its resurgent AWS cloud business and rapidly growing in-house Tranium 2 AI chip. The media sector offers a potential catalyst for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders, as interest from bidders like Netflix (NFLX) and Comcast (CMCSA) could unlock significant value. Investors should be extremely cautious with Tesla (TSLA), as its valuation is seen as disconnected from fundamentals and new promises are viewed with skepticism. The rise of in-house chips from companies like Amazon also poses a long-term competitive threat to NVIDIA (NVDA). Lastly, Amazon's massive opportunity in automation is highlighted as a key, underappreciated driver that could double retail revenue with minimal investment.

Detailed Analysis

Amazon (AMZN)

  • The hosts expressed a very bullish sentiment, with one calling it their "big tech stock pick for 26."
  • The company reported a strong quarter with revenue of $180 billion, up 13% year-over-year, beating expectations on both revenue and profit.
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing division, showed strong performance with 20% growth, its fastest pace in three years. This counters the narrative that AWS is falling behind in the AI race.
    • AWS just signed a $38 billion computing deal with OpenAI.
    • Amazon is investing heavily in AI infrastructure, including an $11 billion AI data center to run models from its partner, Anthropic.
  • A key highlight was Amazon's in-house AI chip, the Tranium 2.
    • This has become a multi-billion dollar business on its own, growing 150% quarter-on-quarter.
    • This move is seen as a direct challenge to NVIDIA's dominance in the AI chip market, as major tech companies want to reduce their dependence on a single supplier.
  • The company is aggressively investing in the future, raising its 2025 Capital Expenditure (CapEx) forecast to $125 billion to meet accelerating AI demand.
  • The hosts emphasized the massive, and perhaps underappreciated, opportunity in automation and robotics within its retail business.
    • Amazon predicts it can double the revenue of its retail unit within 7-8 years with no additional cash investment, purely through automation efficiencies.

Takeaways

  • Amazon is presented as a company with multiple powerful growth drivers: a resurgent cloud business (AWS), a rapidly growing and valuable in-house AI chip business, and a long-term, cost-saving advantage through automation in its massive retail operations.
  • Investors should look beyond the retail storefront and see Amazon as a key player in the fundamental infrastructure of AI, directly competing with companies like NVIDIA.
  • The theme of automation is highlighted as a critical, long-term value driver that may not be fully appreciated by the market, which is currently focused more on generative AI.

Apple (AAPL)

  • The company's recent earnings were described as "unremarkable, but stronger than people expected."
  • Total revenue grew 8% to $102 billion, driven by strong iPhone sales. However, iPad and wearable sales were flat, and sales in China fell 3.6%.
  • A host noted they are considering selling their Apple stock, which they've held for 15 years, because the company is "growing single digits, but they're trading like a growth stock."
  • Apple is seen as an "underspender" in Capital Expenditures (CapEx) related to AI compared to other big tech companies.
    • This suggests Apple may be riding on the AI developments of others rather than making the same level of foundational investment.
  • The company's financial strategy is viewed as that of a mature company, focusing on generating huge amounts of cash to fund share buybacks, which helps push the stock price up, rather than investing heavily in new growth areas.

Takeaways

  • Apple presents a mixed picture for investors. While the iPhone continues to be an incredibly profitable product, overall company growth is slowing down.
  • There is a potential risk that the stock's high valuation is not justified by its current growth rate, especially as it appears to be investing less in the next wave of technology (AI) than its peers.
  • Investors should weigh the stability and cash generation of a mature company against the potential for slower growth and lagging innovation in key areas like AI.

Media Sector: Netflix (NFLX), Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Comcast (CMCSA)

  • Netflix is reportedly exploring a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) studio and streaming businesses.
  • This potential acquisition is seen as a major strategic move for Netflix, signaling that its phase of rapid organic growth may be over and it now needs to acquire major content libraries to grow.
  • The WBD content library, which includes iconic HBO properties like Game of Thrones and The Sopranos, is considered extremely valuable.
  • The news is seen as a positive for WBD shareholders, as it creates a competitive bidding situation. Comcast is also mentioned as a potential bidder, which could drive the price up.
  • The hosts speculate that a "club deal" could occur, where Netflix and another bidder (like the Ellison's group interested in Paramount) could team up to buy different pieces of WBD.
  • There was a very bearish sentiment towards WBD's CEO, David Zaslav, with the hosts suggesting he is likely to structure a deal that benefits himself personally rather than maximizing value for shareholders.

Takeaways

  • The media landscape is ripe for consolidation. For investors in WBD, the interest from major players like Netflix and Comcast is a positive catalyst that could unlock the value of its premier content assets.
  • For Netflix, this move represents a strategic pivot from building to buying. An acquisition of WBD's library would significantly strengthen its competitive position against rivals like Disney.
  • This activity highlights a key investment theme: in the streaming wars, established, high-quality content libraries ("IP") are king, and companies are willing to pay a premium to acquire them.

Tesla (TSLA)

  • The sentiment around Tesla was overwhelmingly skeptical and bearish, focusing on CEO Elon Musk's history of unfulfilled promises.
    • Examples cited include the million robotaxis by 2020, solar-powered superchargers, and full self-driving capabilities promised years ago that still haven't materialized.
  • Musk's latest hint at a flying Roadster is viewed as another distraction tactic to divert attention from the core business and justify the company's massive valuation.
  • The company is described as "a fucking car company that should be worth 90% less than what it's worth right now," with its stock trading at an extremely high 312 times earnings.
  • The stock is characterized as a "meme stock," whose price is disconnected from its fundamental performance. One host warned, "don't short this thing," acknowledging its unpredictable, meme-driven nature.
  • The idea of a flying car is dismissed as "fucking nonsense" due to the immense regulatory hurdles, capital, and time (often 10+ years) required to certify any new aircraft for passenger use.

Takeaways

  • Investors should be extremely cautious and view new, grandiose promises from the company with a high degree of skepticism, given the track record of delays and broken promises.
  • Tesla's valuation is seen as dangerously high and not supported by its performance as an automaker. The stock behaves more like a volatile meme stock than a traditional investment.
  • The discussion suggests that the company's narrative is being used to prop up a stock price that is fundamentally disconnected from the reality of its business operations and production challenges.

NVIDIA (NVDA)

  • The discussion focused on the geopolitical and competitive risks facing the dominant AI chip maker.
  • The U.S. government is blocking the sale of NVIDIA's most powerful Blackwell series AI chips to China.
  • This embargo creates a long-term risk: it heavily incentivizes China to accelerate its own chip development programs and potentially use espionage to steal intellectual property, creating a future competitor.
  • A more immediate competitive threat comes from NVIDIA's own customers. Companies like Amazon are developing powerful in-house AI chips (e.g., Tranium 2) to reduce costs and their dependence on NVIDIA.

Takeaways

  • While NVIDIA is currently the undisputed leader in AI chips, investors should be aware of significant long-term risks.
  • Geopolitical tensions could eventually erode its market share as restricted nations like China are forced to innovate and create their own alternatives.
  • The biggest tech companies are actively working to create their own chips, which could reduce NVIDIA's pricing power and market dominance over time.
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Episode Description
Kara and Scott discuss the ongoing government shutdown, and who's really paying the price. Then, Netflix is reportedly exploring a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Plus, the NYC mayoral race, the latest earnings from Apple and Amazon, and Elon says a flying Tesla demo is coming soon. We're going on tour! Get tickets at pivottour.com Watch this episode on the ⁠⁠Pivot YouTube channel⁠⁠.Follow us on Instagram and Threads at ⁠⁠@pivotpodcastofficial⁠⁠.Follow us on Bluesky at ⁠⁠@pivotpod.bsky.social⁠⁠Follow us on TikTok at ⁠⁠@pivotpodcast⁠⁠.Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or email Pivot@voxmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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By New York Magazine

Every Tuesday and Friday, tech journalist Kara Swisher and NYU Professor Scott Galloway offer sharp, unfiltered insights into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics. They make bold predictions, pick winners and losers, and bicker and banter like no one else. After all, with great power comes great scrutiny. From New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.