Smith Brain Trust

January 20, 2022
Microsoft Aims to Level up With Activision-blizzard. It’s Not That Easy.
Its proposed $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard would make Microsoft the world’s third-largest publisher of video games and, more significantly, would solidify its position in the development of the "metaverse” – widely considered the next evolution of the internet by which users in the…
Read the article : Microsoft Aims to Level up With Activision-blizzard. It’s Not That Easy.
December 14, 2021
16 Stocks to Watch in 2022

Six months ago, Maryland Smith’s David Kass updated his semi-annual “stocks to watch” list, expanding the lineup of watch-worthy shares to 21.

Read the article : 16 Stocks to Watch in 2022
November 18, 2021
For Maryland Taxpayers, a Tough Ruling
“All income is taxable unless the tax code says it’s not; all expenses are not deductible from that income unless the tax code says they can be deducted.”
Read the article : For Maryland Taxpayers, a Tough Ruling
November 17, 2021
The New Way To Buy: Shoppable TV
In the mood to indulge in some retail therapy? Take a seat on the couch. See a mixer that you like in the "Great British Baking Show" or a favorable shade of lipstick on an actress? Shoppable TV is here to put those products in the hands of consumers. The latest marketing method to hit the small…
Read the article : The New Way To Buy: Shoppable TV
November 17, 2021
Sub-Saharan Africa’s Debt Problem, the Pandemic, And What Must Happen Next
Maryland Smith’s Lemma Senbet, along with Brookings co-authors, explores how the pandemic and the swift and preemptive lockdowns implemented around the world in March of 2020, “left significant scars on the fiscal position of sub-Saharan Africa and the market condition it faces.”
Read the article : Sub-Saharan Africa’s Debt Problem, the Pandemic, And What Must Happen Next
November 10, 2021
How the Pandemic Shaped Economics

Traditional data sources couldn’t capture the whole economic picture during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading some to look to less-analyzed data sources – OpenTable reservations, TSA screenings, weekly credit-card transactions.

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October 28, 2021
For Facebook’s Tarnished Brand, Fix the Business Model

Despite booming business, Facebook’s reputation has been in decline – from 2018’s Cambridge Analytica scandal  through recent revelations of the platform’

Read the article : For Facebook’s Tarnished Brand, Fix the Business Model
October 27, 2021
What to Make of WeWork’s Second Market Entry Attempt
When WeWork saw its IPO bid come to an abrupt halt in 2019, the company was forced to take a hard look in the mirror. Now it’s made a second attempt to go public – this time via a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
Read the article : What to Make of WeWork’s Second Market Entry Attempt
October 26, 2021
How COVID-19 Has Changed the Retail Experience Forever
With the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers have innovated and tweaked the shopping experience to meet the demands of the moment and keep consumers safe. But even as the pandemic begins to subside, don’t be surprised if some of those changes stick around for good.
Read the article : How COVID-19 Has Changed the Retail Experience Forever
October 21, 2021
The Way Forward

From the earliest weeks of the pandemic, Maryland Smith’s Nicole Coomber was noticing a worrying trend.

Read the article : The Way Forward
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