The news: Early Warnings Services’ Zelle submitted a letter in response to the Treasury Department’s request for information on paperless payment services. Our take: Winning this contract would dramatically boost Zelle’s payment volume, but it faces steep competition from incumbents and other structural roadblocks.
The news: American Express rolled out special London-based perks and offerings as a part of its Adventures with Amex series. Our take: Sixty percent of respondents to Amex’s Global Travel Trend Report planned on taking at least one trip for a sporting event this year. Hitching its London adventure rollout to both F1 and Wimbledon can get those travelers to book through Amex’s platform instead of a competitor’s.
The news: The wave of consolidation in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) sector is continuing with Italian candymaker Ferrero’s $3.1 billion acquisition of cereal manufacturer WK Kellogg. The deal will give the maker of Nutella and Ferrero Rocher a foothold in staple grocery categories, as well as deepen its North America presence—a particular area of focus for the company. Our take: With grocery spending strained and costs rising, most CPG companies are taking one of two tracks. Some, like Ferrero and PepsiCo, are making strategic acquisitions to broaden their portfolios and keep up with shifting trends. Others, like Conagra and General Mills, are shedding assets to reduce expenses and focus on the categories with the greatest growth potential.
The news: Ulta Beauty acquired upscale UK beauty retailer Space NK for an undisclosed amount, the company said, as it turns to new markets to offset slowing US growth. Our take: The US beauty market is becoming increasingly saturated as more retailers lean on the category to boost sluggish sales. While expanding to new markets comes with its own set of challenges, Ulta’s decision to rely on acquisitions and distribution partnerships will help smooth its path.
The news: President Trump is threatening 200% tariffs on pharma products, but the 1+ year lag in enforcement gives drugmakers time to increase US manufacturing. Our take: While 200% is an exorbitant tariff rate, the year-long reprieve is a win for drugmakers. It gives them time to move product and double down on US manufacturing commitments, and also opens a big window for change with the capricious Trump administration.
The news: Hims & Hers will soon expand its business to Canada, where it plans to sell generic semaglutide. The bottom line: Novo just gave a massive gift to healthcare companies that are in the weight loss drug market but can no longer sell compounded GLP-1s now that the brand-name versions are available again. We’ll likely see more players in this space that primarily operate in the US expanding north of the border, while others could take advantage of President Trump’s executive order that calls for the FDA to authorize more states to import lower-cost drugs from Canada.
The news: Mattel introduced the first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes, sporting a glucose monitor and insulin pump. Our take: Pharma insulin makers like Sanofi, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk, and device companies like Dexcom, Abbott, and Medtronic can leverage the type 1 Barbie news to drive more awareness and visibility and dispel stigma and the embarrassment kids with diabetes may feel.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss Every Man Jack’s performance vs. brand marketing priorities, the role of marketplaces for the company, and what tactics the brand uses to stand out from the pack. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, Senior Analyst Zak Stambor, and VP of Growth Marketing & E-Commerce at Every Man Jack Nick Hasselberg.
US adults will spend an average of 2 hours and 29 minutes (2:29) per day watching traditional TV in 2025, more than any other media activity, per our May 2025 forecast.
The insight: Fashion M&A activity is drying up as uncertainty and structural challenges dampen investor interest. The number of deals in the apparel and accessories category fell nearly 40% YoY globally in Q2, according to PitchBook data reported by Modern Retail. Our take: The current macroeconomic environment is not conducive to most M&A activity, as uncertainty pushes companies to conserve resources and focus on their core businesses. But for retailers in a relative position of strength, now could be the time to make strategic acquisitions that either reinforce their existing advantages or enable them to diversify.
41% of US Amazon Prime members will spend more time shopping on Amazon due to a longer Prime Day event this year, according to May 2025 data from Tinuiti.
While consumers are always looking for more efficient ways to shop and engage with brands, they aren't always ready to trade that efficiency for relinquished control. Marketers seeking to enhance engagement with AI have an evolving tightrope to walk.
The news: Gen Z’s share of private label spending will overtake that of baby boomers by 2026, according to a Numerator report. Our take: Gen Z’s affinity for private labels is part of a broader behavioral shift—one that retailers are making the most of. To encourage loyalty among this notoriously fickle cohort, companies will need to stay on top of emerging food trends, foster exclusivity and a sense of urgency with limited-edition releases, and make sure they satisfy Gen Zers’ desire for attractive packaging, transparent labeling, and sustainability.
The news: 82% of travelers are interested in using points from non-travel loyalty programs to book trips, per a report from Expedia—including 43% who are extremely interested. Our take: Capturing expensive travel purchases is critical to reinforcing issuers’ card volume as economic anxieties make consumers spend less.
The news: Mastercard and Fiserv will offer Clover hardware rental fees for just $0.01 per month to the first 1,000 merchants who sign up for the network’s US Small Business Navigator platform, per a press release.Our take: Mastercard and Clover both want to secure small business market share.
As Walmart celebrates its 63rd birthday this year, the retail giant continues to differentiate itself through data capabilities, technological innovation, and a willingness to experiment with new strategies.
The strategy: Starbucks is testing better-for-you products in a bid to win over more health-conscious consumers, per Bloomberg. Our take: Starbucks is making some necessary changes—but there’s still plenty of work to do. Consumers want brands that meet them where they are, and that means prioritizing ingredient transparency and wellness without sacrificing flavor or convenience. For Starbucks, that could mean cutting back on sugar in key drinks, expanding nutritional add-ins, and offering more customizable options. If executed well, this strategy could help Starbucks reassert its leadership in the premium coffee space.
The news: Healthline Media settled with the California Attorney General’s office over allegations that Healthline.com failed to opt consumers out of having their personal information shared for targeted advertising. Our take: State health data privacy laws are new, meaning we will likely see increased scrutiny and more enforcement action against companies that previously went unchecked. Healthline and other health content companies must verify that their opt-out tools work as intended while being transparent with advertisers about the consumer data they can and cannot share with them.
The news: Several leading medical associations representing hundreds of thousands of US clinicians, as well as scientists, researchers, and public health workers, have sued HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other top health officials over the government’s recent decision to make COVID-19 vaccines more restrictive. The big takeaway: Kennedy is running out of allies in the medical and pharma communities. If nothing else, the lawsuit could force Kennedy and his team to adhere to the legal framework in place for making sudden changes that disrupt the public’s access to vaccines.
In today’s episode, we talk about how AI has changed finserv’s approach to advertising and which areas of bank marketing will be affected the most. Join the discussion with host and Head of Business Development Rob Rubin, Analysts Lauren Ashcraft and Jacob Bourne.