Palantir Is Now Bigger Than McDonald's, IBM, and Amex

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Hello and happy Sunday! As we start a new week, let’s take a look at some of the biggest developments from the past few days:

• Super Bowl Ads Soar to $8M: Brands are still paying top dollar, but is it worth it?

• Shein’s 3,300% Growth Faces U.S. Tariffs: Will trade policies slow the fast-fashion giant?

• Spotify’s First-Ever Billion-Euro Profit: Cost cuts and price hikes finally pay off.

• TV’s Rapid Decline: Broadcast is fading, but streaming growth is also slowing.

• Palantir’s $245B Surge: AI powerhouse or the next tech bubble?

Super Bowl Ads Hit $8 Million—Are They Still Worth It?

The price of Super Bowl ads has skyrocketed over the decades. In 2025, a 30-second spot during the big game costs a record-breaking $8 million 🤯, a massive jump from just $37,500 in 1965.

Despite the steep price tag, the investment makes sense. The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched events in the U.S., with ad viewership climbing from 24.4 million in 1965 to over 115 million today. Plus, Super Bowl ads have become cultural phenomena, often sparking viral moments that outlive game day.

Over the past 25 years, the cost of a Super Bowl ad has nearly tripled, jumping from around $3 million in 2010 to $8 million today. As brands continue to compete for attention, don’t expect the price tag to drop anytime soon. ⬆️ ⬆️

Shein Grew 3,300% in 6 Years—Will U.S. Tariffs Slow It Down?

Shein’s meteoric rise from a niche online retailer to a global fashion powerhouse has been nothing short of extraordinary. In just six years, its online revenue surged 3,300%, jumping from $1.4 billion in 2018 to an estimated $48 billion in 2024. 🚀🛍️ The company has even outpaced fashion giants like H&M and Zara, cementing its dominance in fast fashion.

But Shein—and other Chinese e-commerce giants like Temu and AliExpress—are now facing a new challenge: U.S. tariffs. The Trump administration plans to eliminate the "de minimis" exemption, a loophole that allowed companies to ship low-cost goods to American consumers without paying import duties. This change could drive up prices and force Shein to rethink its ultra-low-cost business model.

Despite past obstacles, including its ban in India in 2020, Shein has maintained impressive growth. But with tariffs looming, the fast-fashion giant may have to adapt yet again.

Spotify Hits €1.1B Profit in 2024—Here’s How They Did It

After years of operating at a loss, Spotify finally turned a profit in 2024, reporting a €1.1 billion net income for the year. 🎶 💸This milestone was fueled by subscription price hikes, cost-cutting measures, and a record 265 million premium subscribers.

But Spotify’s profitability comes with trade-offs. The company slashed its workforce by more than 2,300 employees in 2023, reducing costs while squeezing more revenue from its user base. Additionally, artists have long criticized Spotify for low per-stream payouts, a factor that remains unchanged despite its financial success.

Looking ahead, Spotify has set an ambitious goal: one billion subscribers by 2030. But with China unlikely to adopt the platform and competitors like TikTok expanding into music streaming, that goal may be far harder to achieve than profitability.

TV is Dying, But Streaming Growth is Slowing Too

Linear television is losing ground fast. 📺 🪦 In 2024, just 59% of Americans said they watched broadcast, cable, or satellite TV, down from 79% in 2019. Meanwhile, 86% reported watching digital videos, solidifying streaming as the dominant format.

The steepest decline happened during the pandemic, when traditional TV viewership fell from 76% in 2020 to 70% in 2021, and then dropped another 6 percentage points in 2022. The trend has continued ever since.

However, streaming may have reached its limit. While the number of subscriptions per household is still growing, the industry has likely tapped into all the potential new users. With fewer new customers to attract, streaming platforms will now have to rely on pricing strategies and exclusive content to keep their business growing.

Palantir Hits $245B—The Next Industrial Giant or AI Hype?

Palantir's meteoric rise continues, with the stock up over 30% in the past week following strong Q4 earnings.🕵️‍♂️📈 As of Friday’s close, the company’s market cap hit $252.152 billion, surpassing corporate giants like McDonald’s, IBM, and American Express.

The AI-driven software firm has now created $55 billion in shareholder wealth in just days, fueling debate over whether this is a bubble fueled by AI hype or the birth of a new American industrial titan.

History offers cautionary tales—Cisco once became the world’s most valuable company during the 2000 dot-com mania, only to crash soon after. Whether Palantir follows that path or cements its place as an AI powerhouse remains to be seen. 🤷