💰 5 Fact Friday: The Great American Unloading

OUR PARTNER: RYSE

Big Tech Has Spent Billions Acquiring AI Smart Home Startups

The pattern is clear: when innovative companies successfully integrate AI into everyday products, tech giants pay billions to acquire them.

Google paid $3.2B for Nest.
Amazon spent $1.2B on Ring.
Generac spent $770M on EcoBee.

Now, a new AI-powered smart home company is following their exact path to acquisition—but is still available to everyday investors at just $1.90 per share.

With proprietary technology that connects window coverings to all major AI ecosystems, this startup has achieved what big tech wants most: seamless AI integration into daily home life.

Over 10 patents, 200% year-over-year growth, and a forecast to 5x revenue this year — this company is moving fast to seize the smart home opportunity.

The acquisition pattern is predictable. The opportunity to get in before it happens is not.

INVEST BEFORE BIG TECH MAKES THEIR MOVE

_{Past performance is not indicative of future results. Email may contain forward-looking statements. See US Offering for details. Informational purposes only.}

ECONOMY
1. IMF Downgrade Fuels “Sell America” Trade 📉

The International Monetary Fund just issued a reality check—and while it’s not as grim as the Atlanta Fed’s numbers, it’s definitely not bullish on the U.S. either.

In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF slashed its 2025 U.S. growth forecast from 2.7% to just 1.8%. That’s a 33% downgrade and well below the global average of 2.8%.

It also expects U.S. inflation to hit 3% by year’s end, driven by rising import costs from tariffs and sticky services prices. And the probability of a recession? Up from 25% to 37%. Still not the base case—but hard to ignore.

In other words, stagflation risk is real.

Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas blames policy whiplash. Businesses are stuck in limbo—unsure whether to onshore production, hike prices, or simply wait it out. That’s frozen investment, and the ripple effects are spreading.

Canada’s 2025 outlook dropped from 2% to 1.4%. Mexico is now expected to shrink by 0.3%. China is stalling at 4%, and Europe and Japan are idling on empty.

What’s different this time? The world isn’t fleeing to the U.S. for safety—it’s fleeing from it.

The “Sell America” trade is gaining steam. U.S. stocks, bonds, and the dollar are all seeing outflows. Meanwhile, investors are rotating into hard assets.

Gold cracked $3,500 for the first time ever, and Bitcoin surged to $93,000 in a decisive break from tech.

Bottom Line: Global growth isn’t dead, but it’s slowing. And for now, Wall Street’s waving goodbye to red, white, and blue.

STOCKS
2. Earnings Get A Tariff-Sized Haircut ✂️

Earnings season is in full swing—and between margin pressure, political crosswinds, and a whole lot of C-suite spin, the trends are starting to emerge.

Let’s start with Tesla $TSLA ( ▲ 3.5% ).

The EV giant delivered 13% fewer vehicles in Q1, saw auto revenue fall 20%, and posted a 71% drop in net income.

And yet… the stock popped anyway. Because earnings are about the past, and with Musk, it’s always about the future.

In peak Elon fashion, he promised robotaxis by June, a million humanoid robots per year by 2030, and a future where Tesla is the most valuable company in the world.

But with brand sentiment hitting all-time lows, investors may want to see results before placing their pre-order.

Over at Google $GOOG ( ▲ 2.38% ), cloud growth cooled slightly while strength in AI and YouTube kept the engine running. Profits jumped 40% and revenue topped $90B for the quarter.

Boeing $BA ( ▲ 2.26% ) offered a surprise revenue beat thanks to a jump in deliveries. IBM $IBM ( ▼ 6.58% ) surpassed expectations and reaffirmed its full-year guidance.

Chipotle $CMG ( ▲ 1.6% ), on the other hand, missed revenue expectations and reported its first same-store sales decline since 2020. Some are calling it a “burrito indicator” of potential consumer stress.

Meanwhile, tariff tremors are starting to ripple. 3M $MMM ( ▲ 2.07% ) and Kimberly-Clark $KMB ( ▼ 0.8% ) both lowered forecasts, blaming rising import costs.

Regardless of actual tariff impacts, expect more companies to play this “get-out-of-jail-free” card. By lowering expectations today (under the guise of tariffs), they can either outperform later or soften the blow of future underperformance.

It’s a time-tested strategy, and one we’ll likely see plenty more of as earnings season rolls on.

OUR PARTNER: MODE MOBILE

This tech company grew 32,481%..

No, it's not Nvidia. It's Mode Mobile, 2023’s fastest-growing software company according to Deloitte.

Nasdaq ticker $MODE secured—invest at $0.26/share before their share price changes on 5/1.

Invest Now.

_{*An intent to IPO is no guarantee that an actual IPO will occur. Please read the offering circular and related risks at invest.modemobile.com.
*The Deloitte rankings are based on submitted applications and public company database research.}

PERSONAL FINANCE
3. Why You Want Both Roth And Traditional 💸

Want to retire with options? Then don’t pick a tax side—play both.

Having both a Roth and a Traditional retirement account is one of the most underrated strategies in personal finance.

It’s not just about hedging against future tax changes (though that’s a big part). It’s about having the flexibility to control your income and your tax bill.

Why It’s A Smart Combo

🔄 Tax Flexibility: You can toggle between taxable (Traditional) and tax-free (Roth) income as needed.
📉 Lower Your Lifetime Tax Bill: Strategically draw from both to stay in lower brackets.
⏳ Skip RMD Surprises: Roth IRAs don’t have required withdrawals, giving you more control over your finances.
🧾 Better Estate Planning: Roths pass to heirs tax-free, while Traditionals come with a tax tab.

How To Use Them Together

Start with your current tax bracket:

• If you’re in a higher bracket now, lean into Traditional contributions to reduce taxable income today. Then tap that account in retirement, when your rate may be lower.

• If you’re in a lower bracket now, prioritize Roth contributions and lock in tax-free growth while your tax bill is light.

• Reevaluate each year depending on your income, tax bracket, and whether you're getting good value for paying taxes now (Roth) versus deferring them (Traditional).

If you balance your contributions between the two, you’ll have more control in retirement. For example, say the 12% bracket ends at $50,000 for a single filer:

• Withdraw up to $50K from your Traditional account and stay in the 12% bracket.

• Need more cash? Use your Roth funds tax-free—without bumping into the next bracket.

This combo also hedges against future tax policy swings. If rates rise, your Roth becomes more valuable. If they drop, you already shielded income via Traditional contributions. Either way, you’ve got a strategy built to flex.

And since Roth IRAs do not have required minimum distributions, you’re not forced to pull money you don’t need. This can help preserve assets and manage taxes late in life.

Bottom Line: You don’t need to guess what tax policy will look like in 2050. A blended approach gives you options—and that’s the real retirement flex.

PERSONAL FINANCE
4. Back To Work After 50? Here's Your Toolkit 🧰

Thinking about heading back to work in your 50s, 60s, or even 70s? You’re not alone—and you’re not out of options.

Whether you’re looking for structure, extra income, or just a break from daytime TV, a growing number of resources are making it easier to re-enter the job market later in life.

🏛️ Government Support
Programs like the Senior Community Service Employment Program offer part-time, subsidized roles at nonprofits and public agencies for low-income adults 55+. You’ll earn while building skills—and ideally transition into long-term work.

👩‍💻 Free Coaching + Job Boards
The AARP BACK TO WORK 50+ initiative offers career coaching, resume help, and job search workshops. Their Job Board also filters for age-friendly employers like Humana.

📚 Local Help + Upskilling
Libraries and community colleges offer free or low-cost classes (digital skills, bookkeeping, etc.). One-Stop Career Centers provide resume help, job fairs, and referrals—many with programs geared specifically toward older job seekers. Online resources like Coursera’s audit mode or Google Career Certificates can help.

💡 Smart Tips
Network like it’s 1999 and 2025. Reconnect with former colleagues, tap your alumni group, contact Age Friendly Employers, and use LinkedIn to signal you're open to work. Focus on sectors that value experience, like healthcare, customer service, or consulting.

Bottom Line: You’re not starting from scratch. You’re starting from experience. And in a tight labor market? That’s your secret weapon.

STOCKS
5. Guess That Stock 🕵️‍♂️

This company is everywhere—on your desktop, in your inbox, behind your AI chatbot, and possibly the reason your kid won’t stop talking about Minecraft.

Can you guess the stock?

1. After Apple’s tariff-fueled tumble, this firm briefly became the most valuable public company on Earth, hovering around a $3 trillion valuation.

2. Its empire spans productivity software, cloud computing (Azure), social media (LinkedIn), workplace tools (Teams), and gaming—thanks to a $69B megadeal that brought Call of Duty and World of Warcraft under its roof.

3. Its AI lead is fueled by a nearly $14B investment in OpenAI, giving it early access to GPT models that power everything from Copilot to Bing Chat.

4. It’s the world’s second-largest cloud provider, behind only Amazon’s AWS, pulling in $80 billion a year while growing roughly 20%.

5. Down just 9% in 2025, it’s the second-best-performing Magnificent Seven stock—trailing only Meta.

Got a guess? Tap here to reveal the answer → 

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