Tag: finance

Webull Prepared to Go Public at $7.3 billion Valuation (SPAC deal) – Xiaomi and Alibaba as Early Investors

The News: Online brokerage Webull is planning to go public via a $7.3 billion merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), after previous initial public offering (IPO) attempts were unsuccessful, partly due to its past crypto offerings.

Details: The New York-based company, which launched its trading platform in the U.S. in 2018, has agreed to merge with SK Growth Opportunities Corp. The company plans to start trading on the Nasdaq in the second half of 2024, giving Webull an estimated enterprise value of roughly $7.3 billion.

Webull’s U.S. CEO, Anthony Denier, stated that the company’s previous attempts to IPO were hindered by its cryptocurrency trading offerings, a practice the SEC has frowned upon. To eliminate this regulatory uncertainty and clear the path for its public listing, Webull sold its crypto asset business in late 2023.

Why SPAC?: Denier explained that the SPAC route provides a more certain valuation upfront compared to a traditional IPO. The blank-check deal is expected to raise approximately $100 million for Webull, which it intends to use for international expansion and new product development.

Webull experienced significant growth during the pandemic, with registered users reaching 20 million worldwide. The company has targeted more active traders than competitors like Robinhood, offering tools for technical analysis.

It’s important to note that this impending public listing occurs as fintechs proceed cautiously due to increased regulatory scrutiny of companies with ties to China. Despite early backing from Chinese tech giants Xiaomi and Alibaba, Denier emphasized that Webull is not majority-owned by Chinese entities.

5 MUST-read Books on Psychology and Decision-Making

Here are 5 MUST-read Books on Psychology and Decision-Making:

1. Rationality by Steven Pinker

2. Psychology and the Stock Market by David Dreman

A classic from 1977. One of the first books to explain the relationship between psychology and investing.

3. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

The bible of human decision-making covering all sorts of Biases, Heuristics, and Decision-Making Flaws.

4. The Art of Thinking Clearly by Ralf Dobelli

We lose track of the essential things and focus on unimportant shiny news all the time. Learn how to avoid that.

5. Think Again by Adam Grant

You’ll make mistakes in investing. It’s important to recognise them early. This book teaches you how to pursue reconsideration and question your existing beliefs.

How much of Netflix does Reed Hastings own? and how much of the voting rights?

According to the most recent information available, Reed Hastings owns approximately 2% of Netflix’s outstanding shares. This makes him one of the company’s largest individual shareholders. However, the exact amount of his ownership can fluctuate due to market transactions and other factors.

In terms of voting rights, Hastings’ ownership translates to approximately 3.9% of the company’s voting power. This is because each share of Netflix’s Class B common stock carries 10 votes, while each share of Class A common stock carries only one vote. Hastings holds primarily Class B shares, which gives him a disproportionate amount of influence over the company’s governance.

It is important to note that Hastings’ ownership stake in Netflix has changed over time. He has sold some of his shares in the past, and he may continue to do so in the future. However, he has also stated that he is committed to remaining a significant shareholder in Netflix for the long term.

Here is a summary of Reed Hastings’ ownership of Netflix:

  • Shares owned: Approximately 2% of outstanding shares
  • Voting power: Approximately 3.9% of voting power

CrowdCube Fees – Fees for Investors and Companies Raising Money on the Platform


Crowdcube charges two main types of fees:

  • For companies raising money on the platform:
    • A success fee of 7% (excluding VAT) on the amount successfully raised.
    • A completion fee of 0.75% – 1.5% of all funds raised, depending on the size of the raise.
  • For investors investing on the platform:
    • An investment fee of 2.49%, with a minimum fee of £2.49 and a maximum fee of £250.
    • A success fee of 5% on any profit made on investments.

Crowdcube also charges some additional fees for certain services, such as due diligence and marketing support.

Here are some examples of how Crowdcube’s fees would work:

  • Company raising £1 million: The company would pay a success fee of £70,000 and a completion fee of between £7,500 and £15,000, for a total of between £77,500 and £85,000.
  • Investor investing £10,000 in a company that goes on to be successful: The investor would pay an investment fee of £249 and a success fee of £500, for a total of £749.

It is important to note that Crowdcube’s fees are subject to change, so it is always best to check the latest pricing information on the Crowdcube website before launching a campaign or investing in a company.

How Much of Microsoft does Bill Gates Currently Own

Bill Gates currently owns about 1.38% of Microsoft’s shares. This makes him the largest individual shareholder in the company. However, his ownership stake has declined significantly over the years. In the late 1980s, Gates owned over 40% of Microsoft’s shares.

Gates has sold millions of shares of Microsoft stock over the years to fund his charitable foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He has also donated shares directly to the foundation.

Despite his reduced ownership stake, Gates remains a major figure at Microsoft. He serves as a technology advisor to the company and is still active in its decision-making process.

Unity Technologies – How Many Shares Does Larry Page Own

Larry Page owns approximately 23.8 million shares of Unity Technologies, according to the company’s June 29, 2023, 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). His stake in the company is valued at over $2.3 billion, based on Unity’s closing stock price on August 4, 2023.

Page became a shareholder in Unity Technologies in 2019, when he led a $120 million investment round in the company. He is also a member of Unity’s board of directors.

Unity Technologies is a software company that develops a platform for creating and operating real-time 3D content. The company’s platform is used to create video games, movies, television shows, and other interactive experiences.

Unity Technologies is a publicly traded company, and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol “U.”

Who Are the Largest Shareholders of LVMH and How Much Do They Own / Control

The largest shareholder of LVMH is the Arnault Family Group, which is controlled by Bernard Arnault. The Arnault Family Group owns approximately 46.84% of LVMH’s stock and 63.13% of its voting rights.

Other major shareholders of LVMH include:

  • The Vanguard Group, Inc. (9.49%)
  • T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (Investment Management) (5.24%)
  • Jennison Associates LLC (2.70%)
  • Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (2.57%)
  • Qatar Holding LLC (1.67%)
  • BlackRock, Inc. (1.63%)
  • AXA SA (1.34%)
  • State Street Corporation (1.28%)
  • Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (1.26%)

These shareholders collectively hold over 50% of LVMH’s outstanding shares.

It is important to note that these percentages are based on the number of Class A shares outstanding. LVMH also has Class B shares, which have ten times the voting power of Class A shares. As a result, Bernard Arnault, who owns a majority of the Class B shares, has a significant amount of control over the company.

Did Zendesk Sell and Eventually Go Private?

Yes, Zendesk went private on November 22, 2022. The company was acquired by a consortium of private equity firms led by Hellman & Friedman and Permira in an all-cash transaction that valued the company at approximately $10.2 billion. As part of the deal, Zendesk shareholders received $77.50 per share in cash.

The acquisition was the culmination of months of pressure from activist investor Jana Partners, which had been pushing for Zendesk to go private. Jana had argued that the company was undervalued as a public company and that it would be better off operating as a private company.

The acquisition of Zendesk is a sign of the growing trend of private equity firms acquiring technology companies. In recent years, private equity firms have acquired a number of high-profile technology companies, including GitHub, SurveyMonkey, and Slack.

How Many Shares Does the CEO have of MongoDB (Dev Ittycheria)

The CEO of MongoDB, Dev Ittycheria, owns 218,085 shares of MongoDB stock. As of July 27, 2023, these shares are worth approximately $89 million. This represents about 0.22% of the company’s outstanding shares.

Ittycheria has been the CEO of MongoDB since 2014. He is also a director of Datadog Inc. and athenahealth Inc. His total yearly compensation is $13.23 million, comprised of 3% salary and 97% bonuses, including company stock and options.

Ittycheria’s ownership of MongoDB stock has increased significantly in recent years. In 2014, he owned just 16,000 shares of the company. However, he has since exercised stock options and purchased additional shares on the open market.

Ittycheria’s ownership of MongoDB stock gives him a significant financial stake in the company’s success. It also gives him a strong voice in the company’s strategic direction.

How Many Shares does Michael Cannon-Brookes own of Atlassian (TEAM)

Michael Cannon-Brookes owns approximately 109.44 million Class B shares and 381,836 Class A shares of Atlassian. This represents approximately 43.08% of Atlassian’s outstanding Class B and Class A ordinary shares, taken together, and approximately 87.91% of the voting power.

In other words, Cannon-Brookes owns about 22% of Atlassian’s total shares, but he has control over about 88% of the company’s voting power. This is because Class B shares have ten times the voting power of Class A shares.

Cannon-Brookes is the co-founder and co-CEO of Atlassian, and he is one of the richest people in Australia. His net worth is estimated to be around $13 billion.

(as at May 2022)

What Do Analysts Think the One Year Price Target is for Nu Holdings (NU)

Analysts have a wide range of price targets for Nu Holdings in the next 12 months. The median price target is $7.85, with a high of $11.00 and a low of $4.00.

Here is a breakdown of the price targets from a few different analysts:

  • Morgan Stanley: $10.00
  • Barclays: $8.00
  • Credit Suisse: $7.50
  • Jefferies: $7.00
  • Evercore ISI: $6.50

These price targets reflect the analysts’ view of Nu Holdings’ growth prospects and valuation. The median price target of $7.85 suggests that analysts believe Nu Holdings is fairly valued at its current price. However, the high price target of $11.00 suggests that some analysts believe the company has the potential to grow significantly in the future.

Farizon has Raised $600 million to Expand its Truck Unit Outside of Mainland China

Farizon Auto, the truck unit of Chinese automaker Geely, has raised $600 million in a Series A funding round led by Geely Holding Group. The funding will be used to support Farizon’s expansion outside of China.

Farizon Auto was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China. The company develops, manufactures, and sells commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses, and vans. Farizon’s products are currently sold in China, and the company plans to expand to other countries in Asia, Europe, and South America in the coming years.

The $600 million funding round was led by Geely Holding Group, which is the parent company of Geely Auto. Other investors in the round include CMB International Capital, Hillhouse Capital, and Sequoia Capital China.

Farizon Auto’s CEO, An Conghui, said that the funding will help the company “accelerate its global expansion and become a leading player in the commercial vehicle market.”

The global commercial vehicle market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4% from 2022 to 2027. This growth is being driven by the increasing demand for commercial vehicles in emerging markets such as China, India, and Southeast Asia.

Add Foreign Credit Cards and Use Them in WeChat Pay in China

WeChat Pay, the popular mobile payment app in China, has announced that it will now accept foreign credit cards for payment in China. This is a major development for WeChat Pay, as it will make it easier for foreign tourists and businesses to use the app in China.

To use WeChat Pay with a foreign credit card, users will need to add their card to their WeChat Pay account. They can do this by going to the “Wallet” tab in WeChat and clicking on the “Add Credit Card” button. Once they have added their card, they will be able to use it to make payments at any merchant that accepts WeChat Pay.

WeChat Pay’s decision to accept foreign credit cards is a sign of the company’s growing global ambitions. The app is already popular in China, but it is also looking to expand its reach to other countries. Accepting foreign credit cards will make it easier for WeChat Pay to attract users outside of China.

NuBank vs Barclays – is NuBank Overvalued?

NuBank (Nu Holdings) is pushing the banking industry in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia.

I have been wanting to invest in NuBank for some time, but I have thought for the past year or so – that their market cap has become so large that they are simply just un-investable at these levels.

To prove this was the case I thought I would do a very simple side by side comparison with a legacy bank that is predominantly in key markets.

MetricNu HoldingsBarclays
Assets Under Management$10.2B$2.3T
Number of Customers30M48M
Revenues$1.2B$25.4B
EBITDA$-78M$9.3B
Countries350
Market Cap$35 billion$28 billion

I know NuBank is in 3 emerging markets – with at least 200 million people in those countries that are currently unbanked. However, even if NuBank was able to have 100 million customers – expand their product lines and then start to really focus on other markets – do you think they can really grow to the AUM or sheer network size of Barclays?

Or is this a perfect short sell position?

What are Wise.com Interest Accounts?

Wise.com Interest Accounts are a new product that allows customers to earn interest on their USD, GBP, and EUR balances. There are no balance minimums or fees involved, and customers can still send, spend, or hold their money as they normally would.

Wise stores customer funds with program banks, which generates interest. The current variable annual yield on USD balances is 4.79%, GBP balances is 4.22%, and EUR balances is 2.83%.

To opt in to the Interest feature, customers simply need to open the Wise app or website and go to their existing USD, GBP, or EUR balance. They can then click on the “Interest” button to add the feature.

Wise.com Interest Accounts are a great way to earn a little extra on your money while still having the flexibility to use it as you need.

Did Atlassian Ever Raise Any Primary Outside Funding

No, Atlassian never raised any primary funding. The company was founded in 2002 by Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, who bootstrapped the company with their own savings. Atlassian went public in 2015, and it has been profitable ever since.

Here are some of the reasons why Atlassian never raised primary funding:

  • The company was founded by two experienced entrepreneurs who had a clear vision for the company.
  • The company’s products were well-received by the market, and they were able to generate enough revenue to self-fund.
  • The company’s founders were reluctant to give up control of the company to outside investors.

Atlassian’s decision to not raise primary funding has been a major factor in its success. The company has been able to maintain its independence and focus on its long-term goals. It has also been able to avoid the dilution of its ownership that often comes with venture capital funding.

What3words – Raising Crowdfunding with one of the Worst Profit and Loss Statements I have Seen in a While

what3words is currently raising funding via crowdfunder – Crowdcube. I have always found What3words quite an interesting concept, so I thought I would dig into their numbers.

On the crowdcube pitch – it states – Over £100M in all-time funding – https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/what3words-2/pitches/lz91xq.

Why is what3words crowdfunding for a target of £1m when they have received over £100m though the company life – marketing purposes only ???

Attached is their P&L for 2022. While they have nearly doubled revenues from 2021 to 2022 – it still seems a giant world away from where they need to be to have raised over £100m in funding. They need to over 10x their current revenues to even get to a breakeven on the current valuation size.

Its going to be very interesting to see if this is possible and if it really solves a giant real world problem!

How Much Money Did Bird Mobility Raise Before Going Public?

Bird Mobility has to be the biggest bomb of Venture Capital in the past 10 years.

The company was founded in 2017 – and raised $2.25 billion in venture capital before going public in June 2021. Since that time it hasn’t really gone to plan in any way – market, valuation, revenues, operations, etc.

At todays date – Bird which is public on the NYSE under the ticker – BRDS – has a Market Cap of $26 million.

It might as well be worthless at this point!

How Many People Currently Use the Yoast WordPress Plugin

Yoast is a popular search engine optimization (SEO) plugin for WordPress websites. The plugin has been around for over a decade and has gained a large following among WordPress users. But just how many people are currently using the Yoast WordPress plugin?

According to WordPress.org, as of June 2021, the Yoast plugin has been downloaded over 346 million times. This staggering number means that Yoast is the most popular SEO plugin for WordPress by a wide margin.

But downloads don’t necessarily equate to active users. To get a better estimate of the number of people currently using Yoast, we can look at the number of active installations. According to the WordPress plugin repository, there are currently over 5 million active installations of the Yoast plugin.

This number is constantly changing as new users discover the plugin and existing users switch to different SEO tools. However, it’s safe to say that Yoast is a widely used and trusted plugin among WordPress website owners.

So, why is Yoast so popular? The plugin offers a range of features to help website owners optimize their content for search engines. These features include on-page analysis, keyword optimization, XML sitemap creation, and more. Additionally, Yoast is easy to use and offers helpful tutorials and support for users.

In conclusion, the Yoast WordPress plugin is currently being used by over 5 million website owners. Its popularity can be attributed to its user-friendly interface and robust set of SEO features. If you’re looking to improve your website’s search engine rankings, it’s worth considering Yoast as a valuable tool in your SEO arsenal.