Good Morning! Nvidia employees are reportedly working 7 days a week as the chipmaker keeps them locked in with 'golden handcuffs' through stock grants. Meanwhile, Apple’s CFO will step down at the end of the year. Martin Shkreli is back in the spotlight and was ordered to surrender all copies of his rare Wu-Tang Clan album. Jason and Travis Kelce signed a $100 million podcast deal with Amazon. KKR wants to reach $1 trillion in assets under management by 2030. Plus Ken Griffin dropped plans for Citadel’s glitzy new Miami HQ.

Sure Dividend has put together a list of all 79 individual stocks that pay dividends every month. Get the list for free here.

_{SQUEEZ OF THE DAY}

Happy Nvidia Day

Today is one of the most anticipated days for investors all year… with Nvidia reporting earnings after the bell. To say it’s a big deal would be an understatement. One analyst thinks today’s earnings report could be the biggest make-or-break moment for the market of 2024 - even bigger than Powell’s Jackson Hole speech last week.

Investors will learn whether the AI craze that's fueled the market boom has more steam, or if it’s about to hit a wall.  Everyone’s looking to see if Nvidia can live up to Wall Street's sky-high expectations - with analysts expecting a blockbuster performance and a 70%+ revenue growth forecast.

Goldman Sachs once dubbed Nvidia the "most important stock” on Earth and for good reason. Nvidia has driven over a third of the Nasdaq 100's gain this year. 

While some analysts like Wedbush expect a "show-stopper performance," others are more cautious. Some investors are bracing for big swings after the $3.2 trillion company reports on Wednesday, with options trading suggesting a nearly 10% move in either direction. 

Nvidia's massive influence on the S&P 500—which accounts for more than 6% of the index's market cap—means any surprises could send shockwaves through the entire market.

Every number from Nvidia’s earnings call will be analyzed for signs of whether tech giants are still pouring money into AI or if they're starting to pump the brakes. A miss on revenue or guidance could trigger a sell-off across AI stocks. And Nvidia’s got competition—Broadcom’s earnings next week will also play a critical role in gauging AI momentum.

Despite whispers of delays in Nvidia’s new Blackwell chip lineup, most analysts believe current demand will keep the AI train on track. While some analysts think Nvidia will "solidly beat consensus," they are still concerned about future delays that could weigh on the stock.

Takeaway: Nvidia's growth has been nothing short of legendary, but let’s not get carried away. The stock’s up 1,000% from its October 2022 low—expecting that kind of performance to continue is unlikely. While eventually, $NVDA’s growth will hit a wall, right now the stock is mooning, and we’re all here for it. 

_{PRESENTED BY SURE DIVIDEND}

The Only 79 Dividend Stocks That Pay Every Month

Thousands of publicly traded companies have a dividend – that means they pay you just for owning their stock.

However, only a select few pay out dividends monthly instead of quarterly.

Sure Dividend has put together a list of all 79 individual stocks that pay dividends every month.

• Monthly dividend payments matter because they give investors cash every month instead of quarterly

• Monthly dividend payments show a company prioritizes paying shareholders

• Monthly dividends allow for faster reinvesting of dividends

You can instantly get your free list of all 79 monthly paying dividend stocks, by clicking the link below:

_HEADLINES

Top Reads

• Nvidia employees work 7 days a week until 2 a.m., but stay for comp (NYP)

• Apple CFO to step down (CNBC)

• Ken Griffin has revealed plans for Citadel’s glitzy new Miami headquarters (WSJ)

• Martin Shkreli ordered to surrender all copies of rare Wu-Tang Clan album (Axios)

• Jason and Travis Kelce sign $100 million deal with Amazon (YF)

• KKR wants to reach $1T in assets by 2030 (Fortune)

• Why you shouldn't invest like a billionaire (Axios)

• How sports betting replaced the stock market (Axios)

• U.S. consumer confidence climbs (YF)

• 1 in 5 recently-employed college grads wants to be micromanaged (WTOP)

• Eli Lilly cuts price of weight loss drug (CNBC)

_{CAPITAL PULSE}

Markets Rundown

S&P 500, Nasdaq eked out a win ahead of Nvidia reporting earnings.

Movers & Shakers

• (+) Trip.com ($TCOM) +9% after the online travel company beat Q2 earnings.

• (–) Cava ($CAVA) -6% after the company’s CEO and other insiders sold shares.

• (–) Paramount ($PARA) -7% after Bronfman dropped his bid, clearing the way for Skydance.

Private Dealmaking

• KKR acquired Varsity Brands for $4.75 billion

• Navigator Medicines, a developer of bispecific antibodies, raised $100 million

• nOps, an AWS spend management startup, raised $30 million

• Fieldguide, an AI-enabled tools developer, raised $30 million

• Supio, an AI platform for personal injury law firms, raised $25 million

• Vizcom, an industrial design startup, raised $20 million

For more PE, VC & M&A deals, subscribe to our Buysiders newsletter.

_{BOOK OF THE DAY}

Crossing The Desert

In the summer of 1987, Payam Zamani fled Iran. As a member of the Baha’i Faith, he had already survived years of religious persecution at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists. Taking the only path available to him, he escaped to Pakistan through the Emptiness Desert: a harrowing five-day trek through one of the hottest, driest, and most hostile regions on the planet.

Twelve years later, he and his brother set records when the company they founded hit a $1.2 billion valuation on Wall Street. He was rich—on paper. But in the wake of yet another Wall Street meltdown, he learned the hard way that modern capitalism can be harmful to the human soul.

In 2015, Payam set the example he wanted to see by merging his business acumen with his spiritual beliefs and founding a new company—One Planet Group—this time without letting Wall Street or the venture capital world dictate the terms. Today, One Planet Group is proving that it’s not only possible but necessary to build strong businesses while taking care of our employees, customers, communities, and the planet.

Crossing the Desert gives readers an intimate look at how the paths we choose, the values we embrace, and the systems we decide to participate in (or not) can make or break us, not only financially, but spiritually. Payam’s story is a timely reminder that enduring and embracing life’s most difficult journeys can lead us to a brighter future—not only for ourselves, but for the people around us, and even the world.

“At the age of 16, he escaped persecution and made his way to America as a refugee. At 28, he secured a billion-dollar IPO. Today, he’s redefining what it means to be an entrepreneur by building a new model of capitalism.”

_{DAILY VISUAL}

Average Lottery Spending by State

_{PRESENTED BY MOSAIC}

When Your VP Throws an LBO at You at Friday 5PM

Hold off on canceling those weekend plans.

Meet Mosaic, the ultimate private equity tool that will help you get from CIM to LBO in under 5 minutes, complete with a flawless Excel download (and no, it’s not an AI model). 

"Is that even possible? And accurate?" You bet. Mosaic handles everything - dividend recaps, M&A, IPO exits, cost savings - without errors or outdated templates.

But don't take our word for it. Top funds like CVC, Warburg Pincus, and New Mountain Capital swear by it.

Level up your modeling and reclaim your weekend.

_{DAILY ACUMEN}

Assumptions

Our assumptions shape our reality, often without us realizing it.

Challenging these assumptions can open up new possibilities and perspectives.

What long-held beliefs might you need to re-examine?

Copernicus questioned the assumption that Earth was the center of the universe, revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos.

Question your assumptions.

Ask "why" like a curious child.

Be open to new evidence.

Remember, the most dangerous phrase in the language is "We've always done it this way."

_{ENLIGHTENMENT}

Short Squeez Picks

• How TikTok became Gen-Z’s travel advisor

• Why most successful people solve for the monkey first

• Little things to do daily to be happier

• Why competent workers become incompetent managers

• Is it possible to be fully authentic?

_{MEME-A-PALOOZA}

Memes of the Day