Hi! Once again wishing our readers with triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13) or paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of today's date itself), as well as those with an aversion to that Rebecca Black song, a very quiet Friday. Today we're exploring: |
- Apex operator: SharkNinja's stock hit an all-time high this week.
- Silver screen time: The phone use generation gap might not be what you expect.
- For love or money: More Americans seem to be ditching dinner out this Valentine's Day.
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SharkNinja hit an all-time high this week, as its killer growth streak continues |
Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is the Ninja NC501 CREAMi XL Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Maker with 2 XL Family Size Pint Containers. Thanks. In the midst of an unusually flat festive sales period last December, one company stood out as a particular favorite among shoppers, its shiny appliances and household products lurking on Christmas wish lists the world over: SharkNinja. In earnings earlier this week, the company noted an "outstanding holiday season" that capped off an already-remarkable 2025, selling $6.4 billion worth of blenders, slushie-makers, vacuums, air fryers, and more last year — sending the stock to an all-time high yesterday. |
Thanks to its diverse range of products for everyday life, from beauty LED skin masks to boring-but-reliable cleaning appliances, SharkNinja sales have more than quadrupled since 2018, as the company, which went public in the summer of 2023, starts to really cement itself as a (literal) household name. With home-shopping channels dying a death, SharkNinja's TikTok-friendly products are now the subject of viral reviews, as the millennial generation ages into buying all of the white goods and gadgets they need — as well as many they don't. Management have pointed to their "3-pillar growth strategy" — reaching into new categories, growing share in existing categories, and expanding internationally — for recent successes, forecasting revenues to grow 10-11% in the year ahead. Indeed, to meet the ever-growing demand from people who want to fill their kitchens and cupboards with the hottest appliances, SharkNinja now aims to churn out ~25 new products every year, whilst growing market share across the ranges it's already established. |
Older Americans are spending longer on their phones than younger cohorts, per new data |
When new forms of technology and media have cropped up throughout history, charges of over-dependence have often been leveled at their younger consumers. Dating back as far as the popularization of the novel (tricky as that might be to believe in today's "post-literate society"), followed by the halcyon days of the radio, and now the mobile phone has proved no exception to the rule. However, young Americans, regularly accused of mindlessly scrolling through never-ending brainrot on their devices, may feel vindicated by new data that suggests the tables may have turned in recent times. Per figures from mobile app intelligence provider Apptopia, 17-25 year olds in the US have actually spent less time on their phones than adults aged 36 and over of late — albeit marginally. |
Per the latest batch of quarterly data, the younger cohort clocked some 350 minutes of daily phone use, compared with 352 minutes for the 36+ demographic. Although the actual difference might be slim, this has now been the case since late 2024 and will likely still come as a shock to many. As far as reasons for the surprising switch go, Apptopia's Adam Blacker flagged young Americans' efforts to "disengage from technology" and the rise of home device "companion apps" among older users as factors. Meanwhile, broader monthly figures released by the data tracker showed that the average American now spends 6.3 hours a day on their phone, up 51 minutes from the 5.5 hour total at the start of 2023. Clearly, the way we use our phones is shifting — from the way we now mostly watch, rather than scroll, social media, to our growing penchant for apps that aren't games. But the amount of time we spend on them is only going in one direction... no matter how old you are. |
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Couples might be ditching dinner out this Valentine's to eat at home |
In case you missed all the loosely love-linked marketing promos, it's Valentine's Day tomorrow — a commercial holiday with vague third century origins that 56% of US adults enjoy "about as much as an average day," per a recent YouGov survey. Still, for the 37% share of old romantics who do plan on celebrating, the cost of splashing out on swoon-worthy Valentine's plans and gifts might end up a little more eyebrow-raising this year. |
Love don't cost a thing... |
According to analysis from The Century Foundation, the price of Valentine's staples are up more than 15% on average in 2026 compared to last year, with heart-shaped candies up 8%, rose bouquets rising 16%, and a box of assorted chocolates up a jaw-dropping 27%. Per the report, those dining out with their dates can expect to spend over $200, as restaurant prices have risen at nearly twice the rate of grocery prices in the past year — maybe that's why Google search volumes for "valentines recipe" have surged past queries for "romantic restaurant" so far this month. |
Still, cooking up a storm for your sweetheart will set you back a bit: the price of a ribeye steak is up 25% from last year, and the NRF has forecast record spending despite growing interest in more affordable rendezvous. But, in any case, it'll probably be cheaper to remember to do something than fork out for last-minute flowers. |
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- Take the mic: Trucking stocks sank yesterday after former karaoke machine company Algorhythm Holdings said its AI logistics platform lets customers scale freight volumes by 300-400%.
- Meta is reportedly bringing a facial recognition feature to its smart glasses, which sold over 7 million units last year.
- Claude nine: Anthropic just closed a $30 billion fundraising round valuing the startup at $380 billion — ahead of xAI's $230 billion, but trailing OpenAI's $500 billion.
- One in two Americans (53%) are worried about the state of the overall economy, while a slimmer 22% share expect their own personal finances to worsen, per a recent YouGov survey.
- The official live medal table for this year's Winter Olympics, as Team USA heads into the second weekend in 3rd place, with 14 medals at the time of writing.
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| - Set in stone: Reuters visualizes the work that goes into forging curling equipment, which really hasn't changed much in half a century.
- Stat Significant asks whether it is now the CD's turn to make a comeback.
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Off the charts: Which ice cream chain, named America's fastest-growing dessert concept last year, is now looking to scoop up 300 new stores in South Korea? [Answer below]. |
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