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Pinterest: There are nearly 500 million pinheads and counting

Pinterest: There are nearly 500 million pinheads and counting

10/31/23 7:00PM

Image-sharing website Pinterest reported an 11% increase in revenue from showing ads to inspo-hungry users, sending shares up more than 19%.

Pinheads

Advertising sales won a big tick from investors, but it was the user front that really got a cheer, as the site hit 482 million users — a base that's ~30% larger than Twitter / X reported (368m) at the end of last year. Figures in the all-important US & Canada region went up slightly — an improvement on 2021, when Americans and Canadians were giving up on Pinterest in the millions — but it was the “Rest of World” segment that really shone, gaining 12 million new pinners.

The site’s emphasis on personal curation has made it a hub for aesthetically aspirational food, fashion, and lifestyle imagery… and, increasingly, a dream destination for advertisers. With an estimated 85% of users discovering new brands on Pinterest and more than 25% of site usage related to finding/buying products, advertisers are incentivized to be creative in drawing on users' interests. Gen Z in particular seem to love the app, with execs claiming that younger cohorts “save 2x more content in their first year on Pinterest, relative to older cohorts”.

Snap, crackle and pop

At its peak in September 2021, ephemeral messaging giant Snapchat was worth an eye-watering $132bn — nearly 4x what Pinterest was worth then. But the Snap bubble has since popped and, at the time of writing, Pinterest has overtaken it as the most valuable of the two, with a market cap of $20bn, ahead of Snap’s $16.5bn.

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Amazon is testing adding GM electric vans to its EV delivery fleet dominated by Rivian

Rivian may have some competition in its electric delivery van division: Bloomberg reports that Amazon is testing a small number of GM’s BrightDrop vans for its fleet.

According to Amazon, the test currently only includes a dozen of the vehicles. Amazon’s fleet also contains EVs from Ford, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz.

GM debuted BrightDrop in 2021, but the vehicles have struggled to sell and piled up on GM lots due to high prices and steep competition. GM began offering up to 40% rebates on the vehicles this year.

The test comes as Rivian struggles through tariffs and the end of EV tax credits. Earlier this year, it lowered its annual delivery outlook by about 13%. As of June, Amazon said it has more than 25,000 Rivian vans across the US. Earlier this week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is still on track to deliver 100,000 vans to Amazon by 2030 and is “thinking about what comes beyond” that initial target.

GM has sold 1,592 BrightDrop vans through the first half of the year, more than the full-year total it sold in 2024.

GM debuted BrightDrop in 2021, but the vehicles have struggled to sell and piled up on GM lots due to high prices and steep competition. GM began offering up to 40% rebates on the vehicles this year.

The test comes as Rivian struggles through tariffs and the end of EV tax credits. Earlier this year, it lowered its annual delivery outlook by about 13%. As of June, Amazon said it has more than 25,000 Rivian vans across the US. Earlier this week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is still on track to deliver 100,000 vans to Amazon by 2030 and is “thinking about what comes beyond” that initial target.

GM has sold 1,592 BrightDrop vans through the first half of the year, more than the full-year total it sold in 2024.

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Paramount Skydance reportedly preparing an Ellison-backed Warner Bros. Discovery takeover bid, sending shares soaring

Paramount Skydance is preparing a majority cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, The Wall Street Journal reported, sending shares of both companies surging. The Journal’s sources say the deal is backed by the Ellison family, led by David Ellison.

WBD shares were up 30% on the report, while Paramount Skydance jumped 8%.

The offer would cover WBD’s entire business — cable networks, movie studios, the whole enchilada. That comes after WBD announced plans last year to split into two divisions: one for streaming and studios, the other for its traditional cable and TV assets. A recent Wells Fargo note gave WBD a price target hike, primarily because the analysts viewed it as a prime takeover candidate.

If the deal goes through, it would bring together HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and Warner Bros.’ film library with Paramount+, Nickelodeon, and MTV, all under one umbrella.

The offer would cover WBD’s entire business — cable networks, movie studios, the whole enchilada. That comes after WBD announced plans last year to split into two divisions: one for streaming and studios, the other for its traditional cable and TV assets. A recent Wells Fargo note gave WBD a price target hike, primarily because the analysts viewed it as a prime takeover candidate.

If the deal goes through, it would bring together HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and Warner Bros.’ film library with Paramount+, Nickelodeon, and MTV, all under one umbrella.

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