The Best One Yet - 👵👴 “DINKs vs PINKs” — The Silver Tsunami of Americans over 65. Chipotle’s Hero Metric. The End of Media’s Gated Gardens.

Episode Date: February 8, 2024

With a record number of Americans turning 65 this year, we have to talk about “PINKs” (= “Passive Income, No Kids”) — PINKs are the new top demo in America (sorry, DINKs)Chipotle stock reached an all-time-high and is worth more than Mercedes, Marriott, or PayPal — but it’s all thanks to Chipotle’s hero metric: The throughput.And three TV companies are merging their sports networks to create the ultimate sports streaming network — The ~$40/mo streamer could kill the cord.$CMG $NFLX $DIS $WBD $SPOTSubscribe to our newsletter: tboypod.com/newsletterWant merch, a shoutout, or got TheBestFactYet? Go to: www.tboypod.comFollow The Best One Yet on Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok: @tboypodAnd now watch us on Youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Nick. This is Jack. It's Thursday, the new Friday, February 8th, and today's pod, it is the best one yet. The top three pop business news stories you need to know today. Jack, can you whip out the whiteboard for us? What kind of numbers we're talking about today, man? The S&P 500, which is the best way to measure the stock market, it's about to pass 5,000 points for the first time ever. 5,000 points.

That is a really nice round number, Jack. We're sitting at 4995 as of Thursday morning. Hey, Wall Street, let's just round this one up. Why don't we? And let's hit our first story, why don't we? Jack, what do we got for our first story, man? For our first story, Chipotle stock just hit an all-time high on news that one particular burrito metric is looking better than ever.

That is, Chipotle has a hero metric, and you should too. For our second story, three TV rivals just teamed up for a brand-new streaming service that we're calling Sports Plus. First, we cut the cord, but this will kill the cord. And our third and final story. More Americans are going to turn 65 this year than in any year in human history. Brace yourself for the silver tsunami. The way Jack and I see it, dinks get all the attention, but can we finally talk about pinks?

Passive income, no kids. New thing. Your in-laws are probably a couple of pinks. But before we hit that wonderful mix of stories. What a fantastic mix of stories today. Didn't see that silver one coming, Jack. Every year in America, it's like one chapter in a book. And if you want to know the theme of each chapter, then you've got to look at the Super Bowl commercials.

Because every year, the Super Bowl advertisers reflect where Americans' money is and where Americans' minds are. Every year, the Super Bowl commercials are a mirror into America. Every year, Super Bowl ads are like a time capsule of that year's theme. At a cost of $14 million a minute, baby. For example, in 2021, the Super Bowl was really the Crypto. Bowl. There's a crypto ball. Bitcoin hit $60,000 and Doge hit an all-time high. And your uncle splurged on his first Eth during the game. How's that one doing, Uncle Bob? In 2022, it was really the betting ball. Because every sports betting app won an ad in the Super Bowl. And your uncle lost

$82 before the first quarter. It's been kind of tough for Uncle Bob. In 2020, the Super Bowl was really the Booze Bowl. Last year, for the first time, Budweiser wasn't the only alcohol advertiser during the game. Last year, Miller, Heinekenken, Crown, Royal, they all advertised for the first time in the big Super Bowl game. Which begs the question, what's the theme of this year's Super Bowl? Jack, the theme of the 2024 Super Bowl is her. It's her. It's her.

It's the Super Bowl. It's the She per ball. It's all about she per ball. It's the Sue per ball. It's about Sue. That Sue. It's about a girl named Susan. We'll go with any Sue pretty much, yeah.

Instead of ads catering just to the snacking and drinking tastes of men, this year there will be commercials for women too. For example, Dove is doing their first Super Bowl commercial in 20 years. Nick's Cosmetics is dropping its first lipstick ad for the big game. Alf Beauty is applying a $7 million commercial on your television. Now, what's the reason for the sudden interest for marketers in women during the Super Bowl this year? We need to jump in pretty hardcore on this one, didn't we, Jack? Do we even have to say the reason, besties?

We assume that Travis Kelsey's going to propose to Taylor Swift, probably around half time. If he doesn't, it's just awkward. If he doesn't, his brother's going to give him a no-k. If he doesn't, Coach Andy Reid might do it for him. Oh, he's been waiting for it, Jack. But in the meantime, we already know the theme of this year's Super Bowl commercials. The theme of the 2024 Super Bowl is Sue.

It's the Sue Per Bowl. It's her. Hi, she's the theme. It's her. Hey, Sue. Nice to see you there. Let's in our three-story, Sue. Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the Northeast met in the dawn.

They had an idea to cause a cultural storm. It's the best one yet, but that's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50% that's a fat tip. Tea Boy City on your at list. If you know, you know, because we're ready to go. We can't wait no more, so just start the show. Start the show.

For our first story, Chipotle's stock just surge to an all-time high. But Nick and I want to talk about the one word Chipotle is obsessed with, and that word is not guac. But yeties, grab the swim trunks, whip out the bay, suits. We are one month from burrito season, baby. What does burrito season have to do with swim trunks and bathing suits? Mid-March, spring break, you're grabbing a little carne asada on the side, man. According to Chipotle, March through May is peak burrito season in America. But right now, it's tortilla time. Because Chipotle just announced their earnings, and they deserve a Michelin star. Hold the medium salsa. Get these numbers, Yeties. Sales for Chipotle jumped 15% last quarter,

and profits popped by 27. The stock of Chipotle is up 11% this week, 50% in the last year, and has five X over the last five years, baby. Holy Barbacoa. One share of Chipotle now trades for $2,700 on the stock market. I'm sorry, Jack, can you please convert that number into a metric I can understand? One share of Chipotle costs 225 burritos. And that is why Chipotle just hit a $75 billion valuation yet is. This Mexican food chain is worth more than. Mercedes-Benz. It's worth more than Marriott Hotels and it's worth more than PayPal's Venmo.

Chipotle, if the Fed drops interest rates, can you please make the guac not extra for us? Glock's always extra, Nick. Keep dreaming. But yet is here's what Jack and I found fascinating about this story. There was only one word that the CEO of Chipotle was focused on the entire time. They were obsessed with the word throughput. Throughput measures how many meals Chipotle can serve during the busiest 15 minutes of the day. hire the throughput than the more customers that can be served during peak hours at Chipotle. For example, the Chipotle Nick and I lived near in Union Square. 1245 was peak hour.

How fast can Chipotle get food to your face at 1245? Jack, I think our buddy Timmy is still waiting in line from like three years ago at that Union Square location. The throughput determines how quickly they can whip you from the back of the line to burrito time. Well, the Chipotle CEO talked about throughput like he was Oppenheimer. He mentioned the word throughput 25 times on their earnings call to the Wall Street. Like, throughput is his Everest.

Because the company focused all their resources over the past year on boosting the throughput. For example, Chipotle added a fourth person to their assembly line. And Chipotle added an avocado slicing robot to their assembly line. They mentally trained their team like football players to prepare for that 1245 surge of orders. And Jack, what was the result of Chipotle's big investment focused on throughput? Thruputs no Karnay Asadnik, but it helped them squeeze one more Santa profit out of each dollar of sales. You got through that Chipotle line a little bit faster.

Which means they sold to a few more customers. Who love that cilantro. So Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Chipotle? Every business needs a hero metric. Yeties, you love Batman. We love Batman. Everyone loves Batman. Batman is the hero we deserve.

A hero metric is. that but for a business. It's a powerful number that you respect. You're a little bit scared of, but your business depends on. Oh, you'd think that Chipotle's focus is on their stock price or their revenues or their profits. But they're not. They're focused on their throughput. That is the one hero stat that the CEO checks every day. Because if Chipotle can improve their throughput, how fast you get through the line, then their revenue and their profits and their stock price will follow. Gotham had Batman. Chipotle has throughput. Because every business needs to a hero metric that it deserves.

Where's our hero metric? Where's my caseo? For our second story, Disney, Warner, and Fox are teaming up to create a unified streaming service that we call Sports Plus. Streaming cut the cord. This sports streamer could kill the cord. Jack, remember it like the end of every fantasy movie when the rivals unite? No. What's an example, dude?

I feel like there's a Lord of the Rings for that happens. That's basically what's happening here. Disney, Warner Brothers, and Fox shook hands to create a joint venture, one sports streamer to rule them all. For the first time this fall, you won't have to pay for cable TV to watch sports. Because this new streaming sports situation, it is 15 networks in one. This is huge. This one service is going to have all the ESPNs, all the Fox Sportses, and all the T's.

You're not TNT, TBS, True TV. And now we should point out the name of this new thing is to be determined, but we think it's probably going to be called Sports Plus. Or Sports Max. Or Sports A-I. Because it's like, why not? After Sports Plus launches this fall, the price is probably going to be about 40 bucks a month, which is twice as much as Netflix is. Because Live Sports is the most expensive content in the game. But that's still half of what sports fans pay today for cable.

So many of them are probably going to switch. Which means the way Jack and I see it, you already. cut the cord, this will kill the cord. But it's actually part of a trend that we've noticed. We're in the end of the exclusivity era of content. Yeties, Jack and I have been noticing that the gated garden that we've been used to in the media industry, it is open to the public now, baby. The walls between channels and exclusivity have come down over the past few months.

All right, Jack, we should sprinkle on some context here. About a decade ago, with the rise of streaming, media companies started pulling all their content behind their own subscription. And that is why I've been paying for five streamers plus Spotify, plus audible, plus like three more streamers. You got subscriptioneration. That was the gated garden strategy. Keep your best content behind a gate so that customers have to pay to come inside.

But here's the funny thing Jack and I are seeing out there. Remember we told you that Netflix's top show last year was suits? Netflix licensed that show from their rival, Peacock. And Jack, what's happening with HBO show Westworld? Westworld is now licensed over to, a rival streamer Roku channel. But it's not just video. Let's jump over to podcasting.

Joe Rogan and Call Her Daddy are two of the biggest podcasts out there. But now they're no longer exclusive to Spotify. You can listen to them anywhere. Even video games may stop being exclusive. There's rumors that Xbox games are soon going to be available on PlayStation. And now live sports. The holy grail of content is no longer exclusive to cable TV. Because the gated garden strategy is over.

The gates are open. Come on in and grab that content, Fruit, Jack. Grab some fruit, Jack. Maybe a pair. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over in the media industry? Media is looking more like Burger King. Have it your way. So yeties, why is this happening?

Well, most media companies are realizing that to maximize profits, they need to maximize distribution. They're realizing that exclusivity was unsustainable. They need to open the gardens up and let some customers come in and pay for their product. Jack and I found the perfect example here. Spotify. It pioneered the gated garden strategy three years ago, but it stock tanked over those three years. But in the last 14 months, as Spotify has opened up its garden and ended exclusivity, the stock price has tripled. Because to reach as many people as possible, media companies are letting you consume however you want. They're letting

everyone in to enjoy their content, even if it's on rival's services. Media, it's looking more and more like Burger King. Have it your way. third and final story, it's the silver tsunami. More Americans are turning 65 this year than ever before. So Nick and I want to point out the most powerful force in the U.S. economy, it's pinks. It's not dinks, it's pinks. We got a new acronym, maybe. Oh, but first, Jack, whip open the hoarder's almanac. We got a balloon shortage, man. Party City is out of balloons with the number six and the number five. Because every day this year, 11,000 Americans are going to turn 65 years old.

In 2024, a record 4 million Americans are going to hit retirement age. And Jack, could you whip out the census book and tell us why, man? Because exactly 65 years ago was the peak post-World War II baby boom. These baby boomers, they graduated college without debt, and they bought their third boat for their second home. And now they're empty nesters, and they're retiring. Add it all up, and this is the silver tsunami. me. Gray hair is everywhere, and they are loving every minute of it. So Jack and I are wondering, what is this record number of 65-year-olds going to do next?

They're going to start spending their money, and they have a lot of money, Nick. Oh, yes, they do. Yides, you have heard the term dinks before having you? Double income, no kids. Things get all the attention, dinks get all the love, but we've got a question. What about the people over 65? We thought about calling the people over 65, Dinkars. Dinkars. What is that exactly, Jack? Double income, no kids, and happily retired.

What if we called people over 65 teacques? T-cacques? Yeah, that's two incomes, kids at college. That's okay. That works okay. But the acronym that Nick and I landed on for people 65 and older is pinks. Pinks. Pants, passive income, no kids. Or pinkers, passive income, no kids and enjoying retirement.

Pinkers, pinks choose whichever you like, but pinks, passive income, no kids, they may be retired, but they're still collecting passive income. They're probably renting out their second property or collecting a monthly pension. Must be nice. 65 is the retirement age in America. So pinks are also eligible for Medicare while tapping into their retirement funds and social security. And 65 year olds today, they're still swinging, baby. They got 20 years of good living to thrive ahead of them. Oh, and we mean good living, don't we, Jack? Because Americans over 65 represent just 17% of the U.S. population, but they hold more than half of America's wealth. More than half of America's wealth is with the pinks. Thanks to all the real estate and stocks that pinks own, their wealth grew by 33%

from 2019 to 2022. Yeties, dinks, they have the most income, but pinks have the most net worth. They're probably putting their third boat from their second home on Airbnb right now. Dinks, you got nothing on the pinks. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies who are over 65? The biggest business opportunity in America right now is the Pinks. Yeties, that combo of wealth and free time and good health, it makes the Pinks a highly desirable demographic. Now, we have seen some industries target Pinks specifically, like pickleball, golf, and Florida. But the way, Jack and I see it, what about the AI and robotics industries? Why aren't they targeting the Pinks?

Older people who are a little less mobile baby, they have the most to gain for new technology, if you think about it. And Pinks might be the only Americans. who can afford the brand new Apple Vision Pro headsets. Maybe Apple should start marketing that new device to Americans over 65. Jack Del Boca Vista, it should be covered in Apple headsets. Pink's should be pinking out with a headset over their head. Yeah, it is. It is time for tech companies to create products for those less tech-savvy customers.

For every brand that's trying to sell to Gen Z right now, another one should be trying to sell the boomers. Because dinks get all the attention, but the biggest business opportunity in America is the pinks. Jack, can you whip up the takeaways for us for the new Friday? Chipotle had a great quarter, and the stock price rose to an all-time high, thanks to some speedy operations. So we all need a hero metric, and for Chipotle, it's the throughput. For our second story, Sports Plus launches this fall for around $40 a month, and it includes just about all live sports.

The exclusivity era is coming down. The gated garden is open for everyone. And our third and final story, more Americans will turn 65 this year, than ever before. Dinks get all the attention, but pinks, they are the most attractive demographic in America. It's the silver tsunami. Hold on to your pickleball palette. But besties, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.

First, J.P. Morgan Chase is adding 500 new physical branches with ATMs across America. Jamie Diamond, he hates Bitcoin, but he loves branches. And second, Uber. Its stock jumped after its first. ever annual profit. Not through Shabby Uber. And get this, 30% of bookings at Uber now come through members of their subscription, Uber 1. And finally, Disney stock jumps 6% and one reason why the Ares Tour concert movie is coming to Disney Plus. Starting March 15th, you can consume even more Taylor content.

Now, time for the best fact yet. This one sent in by Khaled all the way over in Kuwait. It's a trivia question. What is the coldest city on earth? Well, the coldest city on earth is actually in Siberia. Way up in the Russian city of Yakuts. 300,000 people live in unbelievably cold conditions. The average annual temperature in the city of Yakuts is 17 degrees Fahrenheit.

The average high in the wintertime, it's negative four. The record low temperature in the city of Yakuts is negative 83.9 degrees Fahrenheit. There was one day that it was, negative 83.9, not factoring in the wind chill. You would jump in the hot tub just to make it feel like negative 65, Jack. This city exists in a state of permanent frozenness. It's a permafrost up there. They live in permafrost.

They build the buildings on top of permafrost. It is that cold and 300,000 people live in that city. Nick, you know how they stay warm in Russia? I can guess, baby. They play chess. I guessed wrong. Yiddies, you are looking for. fantastic for the new Friday. And if you haven't yet, go over to at T-boy Pod on Instagram.

We got some fantastic stuff over there, don't we, Jack? Follow our channel there. There's some stuff that we cut from the pod, but we decided to toss on the ground. And if you've got some pinks in your life, remember to share this pod with them and say, H-Y-H-T-B-O-I. It means have you had the best one yet? If you know, you know. Nick and I, we'll see you tomorrow. Can't wait. And before we go, a happy birthday to Yeti Edith Sekarelli, who just turned 116 years old in California. Edith was born in 1908. She's the oldest living person in America. And a happy birthday to Carlos Santiago over in Havana, Cuba. And happy birthday to the 11,000 Americans who are

turning 65 today. And Francisco and Fernanda have their 10-year anniversary. Their snackers turn besties and they're living their best life down in Houston, dinking it up. Congratulations to Marissa Brooks and Caitlin Baggery. They completed the Donna Marathon in Jacksonville, Florida for breast cancer awareness. Not too shabby, rest up those legs. And to anyone else who celebrated something today, make it a T-Boy. Celebrate the wins. This is Jack. I own stock in Disney, Roku, and Netflix. And Nick and I both own stock in Apple, Spotify, and Chipotle. And we both own ETFs of the S&P 500. And we both own one Bitcoin and some Ethereum. You mean when they unite so that they can take on the greater enemy? Like, DeNaris tried to get Sersy to do, but like didn't work out. Well, yeah, that one

didn't work. But the other ones, they were. Ha ha ha ha ha.