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Think a retail giant teaming up with a beauty powerhouse is just a gimmick? Let’s talk about Target and Ulta’s collaboration. This wasn’t just a random move; it was a strategic counter to Sephora’s aggressive expansion and efforts to broaden their distribution. Target with its massive customer base, has always been a go-to for everyday essentials, but its beauty aisles? Not exactly top-tier. Enter Ulta Beauty, known for its comprehensive beauty product range and expertise. By setting up mini Ulta shops in select Target stores, they aimed to offer a more elevated in-store experience for beauty enthusiasts. Target leverages Ulta’s beauty expertise to attract new customers, while Ulta benefits from Target’s foot traffic. It’s a partnership that looks good on paper, but does it really revolutionize the shopping experience, or is it just a strategic play against Sephora? This blend of strengths could redefine retail collaborations, but what do you think? Will this partnership make your beauty shopping better, or is it just another sales strategy? Comment below, share your thoughts, and follow for more insights! Think these strategic partnerships happen easily? Think again. To establish a partnership that endures and achieves results, brands need experts in developing and establishing strategic partnerships.

This is the story of how two friends shook up a $2.4 billion industry to transform Harry’s Razors into an overnight success: Jeff Raider and Andy Katz-Mayfield met during their first week as undergrads at Penn. Despite vastly different backgrounds, they bonded over shared frustration with overpriced drugstore razors. After graduating in 2007, Jeff worked 80-hour weeks for a NYC consulting firm while Andy climbed the ranks at a private equity firm. Despite their success, they wanted more from their careers. On a weekend trip to buy shaving supplies, Jeff and Andy encountered the same outrageous prices they had encountered in college. They joked about launching their own superior but affordable men’s grooming brand. After researching the market, they discovered that the $2.4B shaving industry was dominated by two main players: Gillette and Schick. Consumers were price-gouged for basic razors. Jeff and Andy invested $10K each from their savings to launch Harry’s in 2012. They leveraged world-class German blade engineers and direct-to-consumer sales to disrupt the status quo. Harry’s sleek, simple branding stood out from cluttered drugstore shelves. Their affordable, high-quality razors and shave products quickly attracted a loyal customer base. Harry’s acquired a German razor factory in 2015 to drive further growth. Vertical integration enabled greater quality control and higher margins as an end-to-end operation. In 2016, Harry’s expanded offline into Target stores nationwide. Brick-and-mortar retail boosted brand visibility and opened access to new demographics beyond their online D2C model. Harry's carved out a new niche by emphasizing simplicity and fairness in an outdated category. Today, they're eyeing an IPO that would value the company at more than $1 billion.

While 2023 presented challenges for companies across industries, Indie Beauty brands continued to celebrate wins. For many companies 2023 was a year of successful product launches and building brand awareness. 2024 has brands focused on growth, with goals to increase retail partners, employee headcount and sales. Click below for insights from Indie Founders and executives, and let us know your thoughts in the comments. #beautyindustry #indiebeauty #2024planning #founderstories

This is the power of “smart money” in the markets. Warren Buffett just revealed that he bought Ulta Beauty (a company I own), and today the stock is up over 10%. What a wild ride! Especially since there’s no change in the company’s fundamentals — just this news. In the short term, “smart money” is one of the biggest market movers. This term refers to big institutional investors who have the power to influence markets. For those who don’t know, ULTA Beauty is a retailer that sells a variety of beauty products like cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and also offers salon services. The company has strong fundamentals and is in a solid competitive position (though competition is getting tougher). Before Warren Buffett’s buy was known, ULTA was trading at a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of around 12-13, compared to its 5-year average of 22 PE. That’s almost like buying the company at half its usual price. Only time will tell how Buffett’s investment (and mine) in ULTA will turn out. For now, remember this: the best time to buy shares of a company is often right after a big drop or when the market is full of fear. Have a great day! Image source: The Wall Street Journal - #warrenbuffett #linkedin #investing #ulta

Food for thought 🤔 Did you know Estée Lauder actually owns ALL of the companies you see in the picture below ⬇️ ? Did you know Rodan and Fields was also owned by Estée Lauder and sold in all major Department stores like Nordstroms and Bloomingdale’s? Did you also know Our Founders, Dr. Katie Rodan And Dr. Kathy Fields are the only ones in history to buy back their own company, pull it from department stores glass shelves and empower the people who were actually using it ? They CHOSE to leave the retail space and to give us, the consumers, the opportunity to be entrepreneurs. DM for more info about the products, the company, the business, and the brand.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY TAKES STAKE IN ULTA BEAUTY The Business of Fashion Key Takeaways: 💰 Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. added small stakes in retail cosmetics chain Ulta Beauty Inc. and aerospace company Heico Corp. during the second quarter, amid the conglomerate’s broader selling spree. 💸 Berkshire had already disclosed the biggest changes in its equity portfolio when it reported financial results on Aug. 3. It slashed its holding in Apple Inc. by almost 50 percent as part of a massive second-quarter selling spree. In all, Berkshire sold $75.5 billion of stock on a net basis in the period. Apple remained its biggest holding at midyear. 💱 Berkshire has also pared its stake in Bank of America Corp., trimming that position by 8.8% since mid-July, Bloomberg calculations show. 📢 The conglomerate’s cash pile stood at a record $276.9 billion at the end of June, and Berkshire has struggle to deploy it as share prices soared and deal activity stagnated. At the firm’s annual shareholder meeting in May, Buffett said he wasn’t in a rush to spend it “unless we think we’re doing something that has very little risk and can make us a lot of money.” LEARN MORE: https://lnkd.in/db3YN35B #web3 #investment #ai #metaverse #fashion

Hello, guys! 🌟 Seeking Perspectives on Ulta Beauty: An Investment Opportunity? 🌟 Ulta Beauty has been on my radar lately, and I must say, it's quite an intriguing prospect! 🚀 As the largest specialty beauty retailer in the U.S., Ulta boasts an impressive track record that speaks volumes about its resilience and growth potential. 📈 Over the past decade, the company has consistently demonstrated stellar performance metrics: 🌟 Revenue Growth (10Y) = 15% 🌟 Diluted EPS Growth (10Y) = 24% 🌟 FCF Growth (10Y) = 26% Impressive, right? But here's the twist: despite these remarkable figures, the elephant in the room remains valuation. 🐘 While the stock trades at the lowest valuation level of the past 10 years, my valuation model places the stock's intrinsic value between $260 and $300 per share (I use 15% as my discount rate - my minimum acceptable rate of return on any investment). That's a potential 20% decline from current levels! But hey, don't just take my word for it. I'm eager to hear your thoughts! 💬 Do you see Ulta Beauty as a compounder poised for continued success? Or do valuation worries keep you at bay? Let's spark a conversation and delve into the future prospects of this beauty powerhouse. 💄✨ Drop your insights below! 👇 #UltaBeauty #InvestmentOpportunity #MarketInsights #investing #stockmarket

Our #NexGenCommerce event kicked off with an insightful fireside chat between Deborah Weinswig 韋葆蘭, CEO and Founder of Coresight Research, and Stephen Sadove, Founding Partner, JW Levin Management Partners, and former Chairman and CEO, Saks Incorporated. During the discussion, the pair explored a variety of topics, including: - How the power dynamic has shifted significantly in #retail; consumers now have more options to purchase products from various sources, not just traditional retailers - How consumers are increasingly drawn to strong #brands, which suggests that building and maintaining a brand is crucial in today’s market - #Concession: “There’s 90% concession in retail in Japan, 50% in Europe 50% [and] 15%–20% in the US; Macy’s is having more concession, it’s happening, that’s how the power shifts. Brands want more control,” explained Sadove

🌟 Latest News on Brand Partnerships and Market Expansion 🌟 The business world is buzzing with exciting developments in brand partnerships and market expansions. Here are some of the latest trends and announcements that align perfectly with the values and strategies we champion at Conexio Consulting. 1. Krispy Kreme's Strategic Growth Krispy Kreme is significantly expanding its market presence, especially through its partnership with McDonald's. By the end of 2026, Krispy Kreme aims to add 15,000 points of access in the U.S., primarily through grocers and convenience stores (Eat This Not That). This strategic move highlights the importance of leveraging existing distribution networks to enhance market penetration. 2. Shein's Marketplace Expansion Shein continues to dominate the discount shopping app space with strategic category expansions and brand partnerships. The company is collaborating with global brands like Skechers and Lansinoh to diversify its product offerings and enhance customer satisfaction. Additionally, Shein is focusing on expanding its presence in EMEA, including plans for 30 pop-up events across the region this year (Retail TouchPoints). 3. Major Business Expansion Moves Several leading companies have announced significant investments to expand their operations globally: - Microsoft is investing $2.1 billion to expand its AI infrastructure in Spain. - Amgen is spending $365 million to enhance its drug product facility. - Loblaw plans to introduce 40 new discount stores this year as part of its $2 billion investment strategy (Intellizence). Aligning with Conexio Consulting's Values and Strategies At Conexio Consulting, we understand that strategic partnerships and market expansions are crucial for sustainable growth. These recent industry moves reflect the core principles we advocate for our clients: 🌍 Leveraging Partnerships: Collaborating with established brands and leveraging existing distribution networks can accelerate market entry and expansion. 🌍 Strategic Investments: Investing in key areas such as technology, infrastructure, and product development is essential for long-term success. 🌍 Customer-Centric Approach: Expanding product offerings and enhancing customer satisfaction should always be at the forefront of business strategies. #BusinessPartnerships #BrandInvestment #Partnership #MarketExpansion #GrowthStrategy

The first half of 2024 has many headlines. Here’s a quick snapshot of some of the acquisitions… 🛍️FULLBEAUTY Brands announces its third in less than a year as it welcomes Dia & Co to the family Full Beauty has always been a DTC plus size specialty business that has diversified its portfolio with more fashion forward brands like ELOQUII, CUUP , and now Dia & Co. As of 2023, Full Beauty’s revenue was $1.3B… retail world, watch! The plus size market has a lot of untapped potential given the right operational structure to support some of the nuances (like marker changes). 🛍️GUESS?, Inc. (along with WHP Global) acquires rag & bone I’m not sold on this one. What does Rag & Bone do for Guess? This all depends on how effectively operations are integrated. As for brand positioning, it’s going to take more than just throwing around the label to mean anything… 🛍️Authentic Brands Group set to acquire Champion from Hanesbrands Inc. in an approx. $1B deal ABG has the logistics & operations, and design capabilities to fold Champion nicely into its portfolio of brands while bringing the Champion name back to its relevancy from the 90s. What announcement do you think is going to come next or would you like to see?