To The Moon

My Investing Muse (24Aug2026)

Layoffs, closures and Delinquencies

Kroger has closed at least three dozen stores since announcing plans to shutter 60 locations that were not "delivering sustainable results" by the end of 2026 - MacroEdge

In tech: Oracle was preparing another restructuring wave potentially starting September 1, with managers identifying double-digit team cuts after $1.84 billion in prior-year severance costs. TikTok filed a WARN for 75 Bellevue TikTok Shop roles (second consecutive year of cuts there). Pentera cut about 60 employees (~13% of staff) in its second round in four months to pivot toward an AI-native platform.In retail/consumer: H&M’s potential UK support-office redundancies of up to 250 were real but reported slightly earlier. Morrisons disclosed a nearly 5,000-headcount drop over the prior year as part of its turnaround. Diageo reported ~1,900 fewer roles (~6%) amid a major restructuring. Roskam Baking filed a WARN for 115 positions at its California plant.In healthcare: Sanofi laid off 229 Blueprint Medicines employees and closed two Cambridge, Massachusetts offices after its $9.1 billion acquisition.In logistics: Saddle Creek cut 178 roles in Plant City, Florida; Ryder cut 73 in Fayetteville, North Carolina; and FedEx affected 173 workers across three Southern California sites under Network 2.0 (reports slightly earlier than August 17). - Gemini & Grok

There is a buildup of earthquakes, and let us continue to exercise caution. Add the building El Niño to this; we are looking at some challenging times ahead. There is still time and space for us to prepare for what lies ahead. This would have an impact on food supplies, supply chain, energy, lives and livelihoods.

Debts demand a price, and we will have to pay for them. Are we forcing future generations to bear the weight of debt across a trend of dwindling population in the developed countries? Will this lead to regime changes, an overhaul in political and financial systems?

Financial Strategy and Outlook

Let us spend within our means, invest only what we can afford to lose, and avoid leverage. Let us review our current holdings and divest from businesses losing their competitive advantages. Additionally, I will consider adding both hedging strategies and defensive positions to our portfolio to mitigate risk.

As we move forward, it is crucial to conduct thorough due diligence before assuming any new responsibilities.

Wishing everyone a successful week ahead.

@TigerStars

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