Daily's Pre-Market: Carvana, LVMH, Paramount, Meta, and Trump's tariffs on Chinese Imports.

A year after bankruptcy concerns, Carvana is leaner and ready for its Wall Street redemption

Carvana over the last 18 months aggressively restructured its operations and debt amid bankruptcy concerns to pivot from growth to cost-cutting.
The efforts thus far have been successful, propelling Carvana’s stock last year from less than $5 per share to more than $55 to begin 2024.
CEO and Chairman Ernie Garcia III told CNBC in a rare, wide-ranging interview that much of the company’s cost-cutting is behind it.
The company still has a daunting debt load, due later this decade.

LVMH is making a push to gain share of the global luxury watch business, with a newly formed watch division and an array of new, higher-priced models.
Sales of luxury watches are expected to grow as global wealth increases and Generation Z and millennials become more interested in high-end mechanical watches.
The luxury giant now has 10 watch brands — including TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith, along with fashion and jewelry brands like Louis Vuitton, Bulgari and Dior.

Paramount Global controlling shareholder Shari Redstone has increased the seriousness of sale talks in recent months.
Sector-related reasons, as well as personal and financial motivations, have added complexity to the deal-making process.
Paramount Global’s carriage deal with Charter, set to expire in April, looms over potential sale discussions.

Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth is now $165 billion after Meta reported a strong quarter with a beat on the top and bottom lines.
Zuckerberg is now wealthier than Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, a remarkable turnaround from the company’s 2022 struggles.
Profit tripled at Meta compared to the year-ago period, and the company also announced a 50 cent quarterly dividend.

Trump confirmed that he would impose tariffs of 60% or higher on Chinese goods were he to win a second term in office.
His tariff strategy could revive the trade war he triggered during his first term as president when he imposed $250 billion in China tariffs.
Trump’s China trade war disrupted the global economy, raised consumer costs, stirred stock markets and put U.S.-China relations on ice.