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Follow The Money

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follow the money archives

  • Owner: Workday
  • Date: 4/25/2024
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport 
  • Destination: San Francisco International Airport 
  • Money Moves:
  • I recently wrote a stock analysis article on Workday so this is sort of fitting.
  • This Pleasanton, California-headquartered software as a service (SaaS) company is focused on serving clients with the human capital management (HCM) sector of the employee-employer market.
  • Given its corporate plane’s recent travels, perhaps some of the company’s executives took a cross country trip to work on or ink a few deals with prospective clients in the Big Apple.
  • Owner: Sherwin-Williams
  • Date: 3/2/2024
  • Origin: Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
  • Destination: Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, one of paint giant’s Sherwin-Williams airplanes recently flew north back to base from sunny Florida.
  • To an inherent degree, this makes some sense, as Florida has always sort of generally been a hot or at least enticing real estate market, and Sherwin-Williams is a company that is clearly a bit sensitive to the greater overall real estate market (i.e., less houses being built means less paint needed, etc…), so perhaps some of the company’s executives took a trip to get a gauge of the real estate market in the region.
  • Owner: Union Pacific
  • Date: 2/27/2024
  • Origin: North Platte Regional Airport (North Platte, Nebraska)
  • Destination: Eppley Airfield (Omaha, Nebraska)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska lies one of the world’s largest freight railroad logistics companies, Union Pacific.
  • It appears as though one of the company’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip from a not-so-distant nook of the state, North Platte, Nebraska, which just so happens to be home to one of the company’s largest rail yards and among one of the largest on the planet, Bailey Yard.
  • Perhaps management is looking to optimize operations in this region or perhaps even dealing with some union-related matters with its employees in the region.
  • Owner: McDonald’s
  • Date: 2/10/2024
  • Origin: Barcelona Airport
  • Destination: Kempegowda International Airport (Bangalore, India)
  • Money Moves:
  • It seems as though some of the members of McDonald’s’ executive team are on a bit of an international trip, and while the prominent fast-food franchise already maintains an extensive global footprint, management might just be looking to grow its presence in Europe and/or different segments of Asia.
  • It might also be the case that the company is looking to establish some technology partnerships, as India is certainly a region filled with technological innovation and prowess.
  • Owner: Tilman Fertitta
  • Date: 11/27/2023
  • Origin: Louis Armstrong International Airport (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Destination: William P. Hobby Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • As one of the most prolific business leaders in the southern region of the United States, Tilman Fertitta owns famed restaurant conglomerate Landry’s along with the NBA franchise, the Houston Rockets, and a few other business interests, including notable casino brand, the Golden Nugget, which just so happens to have a property out in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
  • Perhaps Fertitta is simply checking up on present operations in the region or maybe eyeing a new plot of land to develop and build out yet another restaurant or gaming complex.
  • Owner: ExxonMobil
  • Date: 11/6/2023
  • Origin: Willow Run Airport (Ypsilanti, Michigan)
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • ExxonMobil is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world.
  • While a lot of its stateside activity is focused in the south, more specifically in and around Texas, the company does happen to have operations in around the Midwest as well.
  • Perhaps some of the company’s executives were in the region checking up on operations and maybe pondering projects in Michigan.
  • Owner: U.S. Steel
  • Date: 10/23/2023
  • Origin: Pittsburgh International Airport (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
  • Destination: Louis Armstrong International Airport (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Money Moves:
  • Founded by one of the world’s most prolific group of entrepreneurs, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan and Charles Schwab, U.S. Steel is one of the world’s largest steel-producing companies.
  • It has also been the center of recent takeover talks involving some of its other national competitors such as Cleveland-Cliffs and Esmark.
  • Perhaps U.S. Steel is flying down to Louisiana to meet with yet another potential suitor.
  • Owner: Henry Crown and Company
  • Date: 10/13/2023
  • Origin: Terre Haute Regional Airport (Terre Haute, Indiana)
  • Destination: Chicago Executive Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Henry Crown and Company is essentially an investment management firm owned by members of the Crown family, including an extensive real estate portfolio as well as reported stakes in Hilton Hotels, Aspen Skiing Company, Rockefeller Center, the New York Yankees, the Chicago Bulls, among other entities managed by the family and its designated team, not to mention the family’s reported interests in publicly traded firms such as Illinois Tool Works and General Dynamics.
  • Perhaps some of the members of the Crown clan took a trip to Terre Haute to check on one of its subsidiaries and its operations in the region.
  • Owner: Parker-Hannifin
  • Date: 10/13/2023
  • Origin: Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Destination: Chicago Executive Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • As we have discussed in a previous stock analysis article, Parker-Hannifin is a leader in the industrial sensors and motion technologies spaces, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Given that one of its corporate airplanes recently touched down near Chicago, Illinois, perhaps some of its executives are looking to expand some of its operations in the city’s suburban regions, or, as other companies have, perhaps it is looking to pull some of its operations from the region, if it has any in Illinois in the first place.  
  • Owner: Steve Wynn
  • Date: 10/13/2023
  • Origin: Friedman Memorial Airport (Hailey, Idaho)
  • Destination: Hollywood Burbank Airport (Burbank, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • Steve Wynn can be thought of as one of the most prolific figures in the history of what was once just a sleepy western land by the name of Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Wynn, among a handful of other entrepreneurs put the city on the map through the development of iconic properties up and down what is known today as the Las Vegas Strip.
  • Given that Wynn is no longer directly tied to the company anymore, perhaps he is looking to expand his real estate portfolio in or around Los Angeles, or perhaps in Idaho. 
  • Owner: Steve Ballmer
  • Date: 10/13/2023
  • Origin: Boeing Field/King County International Airport (Seattle, Washington)
  • Destination: Los Angeles International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • In keeping with the same first name trend, Steve Ballmer is one of the largest individual shareholders of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), as he was one of the company’s first employees.
  • He also happens to own an NBA franchise by the name of the Los Angeles Clippers.
  • With the Clippers in the process of building out a brand new arena in an effort to detach itself from the more well known Los Angeles-based NBA franchise, the Lakers, Ballmer is likely in the area to check on operations and the overall progress made on the development of the work in progress, the Intuit Dome.
  • Owner: Mark Cuban
  • Date: 10/2/2023
  • Origin: Nashville International Airport
  • Destination: Dallas Love Field 
  • Money Moves:
  • Owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, guest shark on Shark Tank and serial entrepreneur Mark Cuban likely does a lot of traveling in order to sufficiently tend to all of his business interests.
  • Perhaps Cuban has an investment or two in and/or around Nashville, or is pondering an investment in the region.
  • Owner: Gayle Benson
  • Date: 10/2/2023
  • Origin: Palm Beach International Airport (West Palm Beach, Florida)
  • Destination: Louis Armstrong International Airport (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Money Moves:
  • Speaking of owners of professional sports franchises, Gayle Benson is one of the thirty-two National Football League (NFL) team owners, specifically stewarding the New Orleans Saints. 
  • Whether or not one’s team is actually performing well, the undisputed fact of the matter is that valuations of NFL teams have been on the rise, benefiting team owners such as Benson and her group.
  • The Saints recently played against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hence the flight from New Orleans.
  • Owner: Procter & Gamble
  • Date: 10/2/2023
  • Origin: Cincinnati Municipal Airport, Lunken Field
  • Destination: St. Louis Lambert International Airport (St. Louis, Missouri)
  • Money Moves:
  • Procter & Gamble is one of the largest (if not the largest) consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies in the world, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
  • With all of the brands it is already known for, P&G might be looking to acquire another to add to its portfolio, perhaps Nestle Purina (headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri), a gigantic American pet food company.
  • Owner: McDonald’s
  • Date: 10/2/2023
  • Origin: Midway International Airport (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Destination: Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (Aspen, Colorado)
  • Money Moves:
  • I don’t know about you, but when I think about the luxury of Aspen, Colorado, the casual dining giant McDonald’s doesn’t instantly come to mind.
  • Maybe it’s just me.
  • At any rate, it appears as though some of the company’s executives might be on their way to hit the slopes or perhaps there’s more business than pleasure ensuing and the company is looking to establish a larger presence in the region.
  • Owner: Hilton
  • Date: 9/26/2023
  • Origin: Shannon Airport (Shannon, Ireland)
  • Destination: Ciampino International Airport (Rome, Italy)
  • Money Moves:
  • For those who don’t know, Hilton is a massive, global hotel chain.
  • Given that one of the company’s airplanes recently took a trip to Europe, perhaps some of the company’s executives are looking to add to their real estate portfolio in the region, particularly in Italy.
  • Owner: Comcast
  • Date: 9/18/2023
  • Origin: Centennial Airport (Englewood, Colorado)
  • Destination: Philadelphia International Airport (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Money Moves:
  • I kid you not, I took a trip to Denver, Colorado last Christmas and through the grapevine heard that the city’s NBA franchise, the Denver Nuggets, were having distribution trouble (more than likely contract disagreements) between itself and Comcast.
  • Perhaps some of the company’s executives took a trip out to the area to discuss and/or update their terms with the team’s management group.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 9/4/2023
  • Origin: Rogers Executive Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Destination: West Michigan Regional Airport (Holland, Michigan)
  • Money Moves:
  • In reference to the last Follow the Money archive, maybe the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, is also experiencing difficulties with respect to in-store theft and thus flying around the United States looking to work with local law enforcement agencies to prevent any further theft.
  • Owner: Waffle House
  • Date: 9/4/2023
  • Origin: Sioux Falls Regional Airport (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
  • Destination: Munich International Airport (Munich, Germany)
  • Money Moves:
  • While upon some initial research it doesn’t appear as though famed casual dining chain Waffle House has any locations outside of the United States, perhaps one of its airplanes took some of its executives on a trip to Germany to gauge the demand for any (if not all) of Waffle House’s menu.
  • Owner: Whirlpool
  • Date: 9/2/2023
  • Origin: Long Beach/Daughtery Field (Long Beach, California)
  • Destination: Southwest Michigan Regional Airport (Benton Harbor, Michigan)
  • Money Moves:
  • Whirlpool is a major home appliances manufacturer and seller, selling a variety of products from cooktops and washer dryer combo units to purifiers and coolers and so much more.
  • Perhaps one of the company’s airplanes took a trip out to California (Whirlpool is headquartered in Michigan) to meet with some of its suppliers or maybe to check up on its manufacturing operations in the region.
  • Owner: Hallmark
  • Date: 8/22/2023
  • Origin: Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (Kansas City, Missouri)
  • Destination: Hollywood Burbank Airport (Burbank, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, Hallmark is an absolute behemoth in the greeting cards industry, allowing troves around the world to celebrate practically any occasion through a card that can be bought at many major retailers.
  • So why in the world is one of the company’s private airplanes in Burbank, California.
  • Well, do you know who is headquartered in the area?
  • One of the absolute largest media companies in the world, Disney.
  • Perhaps Hallmark is looking to strike some sort of cross promotional deal with the media conglomerate.
  • Owner: Lamb Weston
  • Date: 8/10/2023
  • Origin: Tri-Cities Airport (Pasco, Washington)
  • Destination: Monroe Regional Airport (Monroe, Louisiana)
  • Money Moves:
  • When it comes to the world of potatoes, manufacturer and seller of said starch is kind of a big deal.
  • Lamb Weston supplies potato-related products (think French fries) to restaurant chains and other entities all across the globe, therefore, some of the company’s executives might be looking to merely check up on or maybe even expand its potato presence in or around Louisiana, given that it already apparently has a manufacturing plant in the region.
  • Owner: SpartanNash
  • Date: 8/9/2023
  • Origin: Gerald R. Ford International Airport (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
  • Destination: Norfolk International Airport (Norfolk, Virginia)
  • Money Moves:
  • SpartanNash sounds like the name of a fancy law firm but to our knowledge it simply is not.
  • Instead, headquartered in Byron Center, Michigan, SpartanNash is a major grocery chain operator and food distribution player.
  • Given that one of the company’s airplanes was recently in Norfolk, Virginia, it might be looking to expand its presence in the region on either or both sides of its business.
  • Owner: Ford Motor Company
  • Date: 8/6/2023
  • Origin: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Destination: Monterey Regional Airport (Monterey, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • Ford is one of the largest automobile companies on the face of the earth.
  • Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, the company might just be looking to expand its dealership and/or manufacturing presence in or around Monterey, California.
  • Perhaps there is an electric vehicle (EV) company in the region that Ford is looking to acquire.
  • Owner: Stan Kroenke
  • Date: 8/3/2023
  • Origin: Denver International Airport (Denver, Colorado)
  • Destination: London Luton Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Professional sports franchises are still business, believe it or not.
  • In fact, a lot of money can be racked in through team success, such as winning championships, which the owner of many professional sports franchises including last season’s National Basketball Association (NBA) world champions, the Denver Nuggets and the championship hopefuls, one of England’s most storied football (soccer) clubs (teams), Arsenal.
  • Perhaps Kroenke and a few of his associates took a trip to evaluate any changes they need to make in order to make yet another one of his group’s teams a winner.
  • Owner: Waste Management
  • Date: 7/31/2023
  • Origin: Laurence G. Hanscom Field (Bedford, Massachusetts) 
  • Destination: Marrakesh Menara Airport (Marrakesh, Morocco) 
  • Money Moves:
  • If waste disposal behemoth Waste Management doesn’t already do business in Morocco, that might be changing soon, given that one of its corporate aircraft recently touched down in the region.
  • Maybe some of the company’s executives made the trip to ink some sort of contract or partnership with Morocco’s leadership.
  • Owner: Chevron
  • Date: 7/31/2023
  • Origin: Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (Broomfield, Colorado)
  • Destination: Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (Oakland, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • For those who don’t know, Chevron is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world.
  • It is also currently headquartered in San Ramon, California.
  • Given that the company has operations in the region, it is likely that some of its executives took a flight out to perform a cursory check on its operations overall near Denver.
  • Owner: Jerry Jones
  • Date: 7/30/2023
  • Origin: Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas, Nevada) 
  • Destination: Camarillo Airport (Camarillo, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • How about them Cowboys?
  • It’s more than likely the famed NFL franchise owner, Jerry Jones, would sing you praises about the team and its prospects, but from what I’ve seen, things could be better (at least looking at recent seasons) in Cowboy Country.
  • Perhaps this is why one of Mr. Jones’ private airplanes is out west; he and his team might be scouting some new talent in these regions, which could obviously be good for business if they made the right moves.
  • Owner: Jimmy John Liautaud
  • Date: 7/29/2023
  • Origin: John C. Tune Airport (Nashville, Tennessee) 
  • Destination: Sawyer County Airport (Sawyer County, Wisconsin)
  • Money Moves:
  • This owner’s name might seem vaguely familiar and it really should.
  • This is the founder of famed and largely beloved sandwich restaurant franchise, Jimmy John’s.
  • While the company was wholly acquired by restaurant holding group, Inspire Brands, Jimmy John himself is likely still involved in the business and might be scouting new areas to franchise out some new locations.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 7/29/2023
  • Origin: Rogers Executive Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Destination: Austin Executive Airport (Pflugerville, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Perhaps some of the members of Walmart’s executive team are looking to strengthen the company’s supply chain the lower half of Texas.
  • This could potentially mean plotting down a new distribution center in the region or perhaps looking to further automate already existing facilities in the area.
  • Owner: Norfolk Southern 
  • Date: 7/22/2023
  • Origin: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Destination: Salt Lake City International Airport (Salt Lake City, Utah)
  • Money Moves:
  • The strange thing is the fact that esteemed freight railroad operator, Norfolk Southern, doesn’t currently maintain any operations out West, let alone in Salt Lake City, Utah, at least, according to a territory map that is posted on the company’s website.
  • Perhaps some of the company’s executives took a trip out to the region to bid on some new rail or maybe there is even a local railroad operator in the area that it has it eyes on so as to increase its market share in out West.
  • Owner: Texas Instruments
  • Date: 7/21/2023
  • Origin: Tuscon International Airport (Tuscon, Arizona)
  • Destination: McKinney National Airport (McKinney, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • With a rather substantial operational footprint in Tuscon, Arizona, some of Texas Instruments’ executives might be looking to expand its presence in the area, perhaps in terms of office space or perhaps in terms of semiconductor manufacturing facility space, as there is a fair amount of space and open land in and around Tuscon, Arizona, and in Arizona in general.
  • Owner: CSX
  • Date: 7/14/2023
  • Origin: City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
  • Destination: Jacksonville International Airport (Jacksonville, Florida)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, CSX is one of the United States’ premier freight railroads and logistics operators.
  • Being that one of the company’s corporate aircraft recently flew back from Colorado, some of the members of CSX’s executive team could be looking to bid on some territory in the region, especially given the fact that most of the company’s operations are concentrated on the eastern half of the United States.
  • Owner: Mark Zuckerberg
  • Date: 7/12/2023
  • Origin: Truckee-Tahoe Airport (Truckee, California)
  • Destination: Friedman Memorial Airport (Hailey, Idaho)
  • Money Moves:
  • Shopping for new real estate or perhaps looking for new places to plant new data centers?
  • More than likely neither being that one of Meta Platform’s (originally Facebook) founders, Mark Zuckerberg’s jet took a trip to the region at the exact time the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference is taking place.
  • To us, this event is a fairly big deal, as many of the world’s leaders of the largest, most powerful companies come together and discuss a host of issues and, really, the future of technology.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 7/8/2023
  • Origin: Chicago Midway International Airport
  • Destination: Rogers Executive Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Money Moves:
  • The largest retailer in the world, Walmart, recently announced its plans to close its stores in Chicago, Illinois, which has, unfortunately, seen a continued exponential increase in crime and with that, a continued exodus of business, small and large, leaving the city.
  • Perhaps some the company’s executives took a trip to continue the process of closing its operations in the region. 
  • Owner: Ilitch Holdings 
  • Date: 7/8/2023
  • Origin: Oakland County International Airport (Waterford, Michigan)
  • Destination: Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field (Aspen, Colorado)
  • Money Moves:
  • The Ilitch family of Michigan is certainly known for a few things, including but not limited to owner of famed pizza franchise Little Caesars, steward (and also owner) of Detroit’s professional hockey team, the Detroit Red Wings and a few other notable assets in and around Michigan.
  • Given that one of the group’s airplanes recently touched down in Aspen, Colorado, the Ilitch clan could be looking to expand their assets, perhaps looking to expand their pizza franchise in the region.
  • Maybe not.
  • Owner: Shell
  • Date: 7/4/2023
  • Origin: Farnborough Airport (Farnborough, England)
  • Destination: Rotterdam The Hague Airport (Rotterdam, Holland)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of the world’s largest, most important oil and gas companies, Shell, is headquartered in London, England.
  • Perhaps some of the members of the company’s executive team took a trip to check up on its operations in Holland, or perhaps looking to expand its operations in the region of where it was previously headquartered.
  • Owner: Google
  • Date: 7/1/2023
  • Origin: Frankfurt Airport (Frankfurt, Germany)
  • Destination: Salt Lake City International Airport (Salt Lake City, Utah)
  • Money Moves:
  • Google is a pretty large and powerful technology company, for those who don’t know.
  • While it is best known for its operations as the world’s most popular search engine, the technology conglomerate also has operations in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, advertising and so much more, so much so that it makes sense that perhaps a few of its executives took a trip out to Germany.
  • Given all of the recent hype surrounding artificial intelligence, the company has found a software company in the region that it is hoping to add to its already extensive, impressive portfolio.
  • Owner: McDonald’s
  • Date: 6/27/2023
  • Origin: San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (Carolina, Puerto Rico)
  • Destination: Pensacola International Airport (Pensacola, Florida)
  • Money Moves:
  • McDonald’s doesn’t really need any sort of introduction.
  • It is what it is and one of the things that it isn’t is unpopular and local.
  • Something the company might be is looking to expand and deepen its presence in the state of Florida as well as in Puerto Rico, as one of its corporate planes has been active in these regions recently.
  • Owner: U-Haul
  • Date: 6/20/2023
  • Origin: Chicago Executive Airport
  • Destination: General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
  • Money Moves:
  • U-Haul is an undisputed leader when it comes to the mobile travel and moving space.
  • Given that one of the company’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip slightly up north to Wisconsin, it could be the case that some of its executives are looking for a regional competitor to acquire, perhaps based near Milwaukee.
  • Owner: Netflix
  • Date: 6/17/2023
  • Origin: Bob Hope Airport (Burbank, California)
  • Destination: São Paulo/Guarulhos – Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Netflix is a leader in the streaming industry.
  • In addition to its big decisions related to password sharing recently, the company could be looking to further expand its presence in South America, specifically, Brazil, or it could be working on a film or perhaps a series (which could potentially draw in more revenues for the company). 
  • Owner: CBS
  • Date: 6/15/2023
  • Origin: Waterbury-Oxford Airport (Oxford, Connecticut)
  • Destination: Paris-Le Bourget Airport (Paris, France)
  • Money Moves:
  • CBS is a major media company with a wide range of assets.
  • Perhaps the company is looking to pick up some new assets across the pond over in France.
  • Whether its a local media outlet in the region or a group of stations CBS has its sights set on, like the world, media is constantly changing and CBS might be doing something over in Europe to stay in front of the change curve.
  • Owner: The Home Depot
  • Date: 6/14/2023
  • Origin: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Destination: Chicago Midway International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Many of retailers, of all shapes and sizes, have been opting to flee areas where crime has seen a meaningful uptick.
  • One of those areas certainly includes Chicago, Illinois, with Walmart cutting its exposure in the area, among many others.
  • Atlanta-based Home Depot just might be next.
  • Perhaps some of the company’s executives are in Chicago to see if and where they should close or relocate some of its stores in the region.
  • Owner: Goldman Sachs
  • Date: 6/8/2023
  • Origin: Washington Dulles International Airport
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Goldman Sachs is one of the world’s most prominent investment banks, which, unsurprisingly, happens to be headquartered in where else but New York, New York.
  • We deem one of the more likely reasons one of its corporate planes was near Washington D.C. was because a few of its executives were likely in talks or dealing with government officials or other legislators, perhaps pertaining to issues with financial regulation broadly or other dealings that haven’t been brought out of the dark yet.
  • Owner: The Walt Disney Company
  • Date: 6/5/2023
  • Origin: Van Nuys Airport (Los Angeles, California)
  • Destination: Shanghai Pudong International Airport (Shanghai, China)
  • Money Moves:
  • As most of us already know, The Walt Disney Company is one of the most valuable, recognized brands in the world with the media assets to prove it.
  • From Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel Entertainment to a chunk of streaming service Hulu and famed sports network, ESPN, Disney has plenty of operations around the United States but also around the world.
  • Perhaps a few of the company’s executives took a trip to China to expand its entertainment outlets in the region, maybe holding talks with government officials.
  • Owner: Cigna
  • Date: 6/3/2023
  • Origin: San Francisco International Airport (San Francisco, California)
  • Destination: Bradley International Airport (Hartford County, Connecticut)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Cigna is a managed healthcare company with operations across the globe.
  • That being the case, perhaps one of the company’s corporate airplanes returned from the West Coast from renewing or perhaps establishing a new contract with one of the entities or organizations it works with in California.
  • Owner: Comcast
  • Date: 6/1/2023
  • Origin: Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (Broomfield, Colorado)
  • Destination: Philadelphia International Airport (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, cable giant Comcast (which owns Xfinity among many other valuable assets) has some very stiff competition out in Colorado.
  • Specifically, one of its fellow leaders in cable, WideOpenWest is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
  • Perhaps a few of Comcast’s executives took a flight out to see if it would be worth picking up and adding to the Comcast family of brands.
  • Owner: JPMorgan Chase
  • Date: 5/30/2023
  • Origin: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (Anchorage, Alaska)
  • Destination: Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (Shanghai, China)
  • Money Moves:
  • Sure, things have felt a little frothy and at times, flat-out scary in the US banking system in over the last handful of months.
  • This might be one of the reasons one of JPMorgan’s airplanes was in China recently; to hedge and simultaneously increase its presence in Asia.
  • Owner: Las Vegas Sands
  • Date: 5/21/2023
  • Origin: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport 
  • Destination: Macau International Airport (Macau, China)
  • Money Moves:
  • It makes sense that one of the world’s most storied, prominent casino and resort companies, Las Vegas Sands, took a trip from Austin, Texas to Macau.
  • For one thing, a substantial portion of the company’s operations in the region and on the other side of this equation, casino resorts, of course, including Las Vegas Sands, are looking to legalize casinos in Texas.
  • Owner: Dollar General
  • Date: 5/16/2023
  • Origin: Nashville International Airport (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Destination: Washington Dulles International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Theft has been an issue for businesses across the board, let alone humanity as a whole.
  • In efforts to address this, perhaps some of Dollar General’s executives are in Washington D.C. to discuss ways in which it can combat crime with regulators and other government officials.
  • Owner: Procter & Gamble
  • Date: 5/8/2023
  • Origin: Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (Bentonville, Arkansas) 
  • Destination: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Money Moves:
  • We’re going to assume that consumer packaged goods (CPG) giant Procter & Gamble doesn’t find itself in Arkansas much, unless, of course, it is in town to meet with one of its most important retail partners, a little company based in Arkansas by the name of Walmart.
  • Ever heard of ’em?
  • Anyways, to us it is quite likely that one of P&G’s corporate planes took a trip to Arkansas to transport some of its executives to talk continued business with the retailer, or maybe perhaps discuss new ways in which the retailer can better position P&G’s in-store products for sales success.
  • Owner: Portillo’s
  • Date: 5/5/2023
  • Origin: DuPage Airport (West Chicago, Illinois)
  • Destination: Arlington Municipal Airport (Arlington, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • For those who aren’t as familiar with Portillo’s, it is a chain with its roots in Villa Park, Illinois that has been on an expansion tear since its founding in 1963, particularly in this current century.
  • One of the regions the specialty hot dog, burger and chocolate cake shake company has penetrated is the great state of Texas, specifically, near the just as great town of Plano.
  • Although the company already has a freshly established restaurant in the area, perhaps its executives have captured extraordinary results and are thus keen on continuing to plot down stores in the area, as it densely populated, near Dallas, Texas. 
  • Owner: PepsiCo
  • Date: 5/5/2023
  • Origin: Westchester County Airport (White Plains, New York)
  • Destination: Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
  • Money Moves:
  • Given PepsiCo’s extensive (to say the least) network of products and brands under its corporate umbrella, it likely has an accordingly large amount of distributorships across the United States through which it move said products through its supply chain.
  • Perhaps some of the company’s executives are in Florida to check up on some of its regional distribution partners to ensure that things are simply going well and that (cost) efficiency is high.
  • Owner: Visa
  • Date: 5/1/2023
  • Origin: Athens International Airport (Athens, Greece)
  • Destination: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai, India)
  • Money Moves:
  • There is a lot of technological promise in India.
  • This fact alone might be one of the reasons one of Visa’s airplanes recently took a trip to the country.
  • Perhaps some of the members of the company’s executive team are looking at some of the emerging payment processing-related technology companies coming out of the country and maybe, is looking to acquire one or two of said companies.
  • Owner: GEICO
  • Date: 5/1/2023
  • Origin: Dulles International Airport (Dulles, Virginia)
  • Destination: Austin Executive Airport (Pflugerville, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Government Employees Insurance Company, otherwise known as GEICO, is one of the largest nationwide automobile insurance companies.
  • Given that of the company’s corporate airplanes recently touched down just outside of Austin, Texas, some of the members of its executive team likely took a trip to check on the operations of its insurance agents in the region.
  • Owner: Procter & Gamble
  • Date: 4/28/2023
  • Origin: Eastern Iowa Airport (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
  • Destination: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Money Moves:
  • Being the consumer packaged goods (CPG) powerhouse that Cincinnati, Ohio-based Procter & Gamble is, this company’s executives likely do their fair share of traveling.
  • In this particular case, we assume that a handful of the company’s executives took a trip to check up on the general operational efficiency at one of its manufacturing locations.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 4/25/2023
  • Origin: St. Louis Downtown Airport (Cahokia, Illinois)
  • Destination: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
  • Money Moves:
  • From near the Illinois-Missouri border all the way to Holland.
  • Weird.
  • It doesn’t appear as though Walmart currently has any stores or other meaningful operations in the Netherlands, however, given that one of the company’s corporate jets recently touched in the heart of the Country, perhaps this could be changing soon.
  • Owner: Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR)
  • Date: 4/24/2023
  • Origin: New Orleans Lakefront Airport (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport 
  • Money Moves:
  • When we think of major prospective private equity deals, we instantly think of New York (where KRR is headquartered), Paris, France, or other business hubs.
  • New Orleans, Louisiana isn’t exactly at the top of our list, however, perhaps some of the members of KKR’s executive team see something that we don’t.
  • Some of the private equity firm’s executives might be looking to strike a buyout deal with a medium-sized firm in the area.
  • Owner: Family Dollar
  • Date: 4/19/2023
  • Origin: Norfolk International Airport (Norfolk, Virginia)
  • Destination: Jacksonville International Airport (Jacksonville, Florida)
  • Money Moves:
  •  Owned by Dollar Tree, Family Dollar is a specialty value-oriented retailer with around 8,200 locations in the United States.
  • One of the company’s airplanes is in Jacksonville likely transporting its executives to the area to potentially ponder whether it should expand or contract its operations in the region.
  • Owner: O’Reilly Automotive
  • Date: 4/15/2023
  • Origin: Spartanburg Downtown Airport (Spartanburg, South Carolina)
  • Destination: Springfield-Branson National Airport (Springfield, Missouri)
  • Money Moves:
  •  Spartanburg, South Carolina is likely O’Reilly’s bread and butter.
  • Rural and filled with folks that care a great deal about tending to their automobiles.
  • We suspect one of O’Reilly’s corporate planes was in the area to transport some of the company’s executives to check up on its operations in the region, perhaps considering expand its footprint in the great state of South Carolina.
  • Owner: Union Pacific
  • Date: 4/12/2023
  • Origin: Eppley Airfield (Omaha, Nebraska)
  • Destination: Long Beach Airport (Long Beach, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • Premier railroad and logistics company Union Pacific has had its fair share of issues in California, primarily involving theft.
  • Perhaps some of the company’s executives took a flight down to meet with local law enforcement so as to hash out a few potential solutions to implement and protect the goods and equipment it hauls as well as the company’s train crews.
  • Owner: Tyson Foods
  • Date: 4/10/2023
  • Origin: Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (Bentonville, Arkansas)
  • Destination: Groningen Airport Eelde (Eelde, Netherlands)
  • Money Moves:
  • Lo and behold, poultry domineer Tyson Foods (headquartered in Arkansas) is an international company, on top of being a staple in the United States.
  • One of the company’s airplanes recently touched down in Holland likely to work with one of its distributors in the region or to perhaps expand its international footprint through pondering an acquisition of another poultry company in the area.
  • Owner: Phillips 66
  • Date: 4/6/2023
  • Origin: Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (Sarasota, Florida)
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • It’s no secret that major oil and gas companies are, at their own volition or due to regulatory mandates, dipping its beaks more and more into the green energy ink.
  • This, from our vantage point, is the most likely reason one of Phillips 66’s jets took recently took a trip to Florida, as there is likely a company or two near Sarasota that has gotten the company’s attention and can help it make intentional moves in moving closer towards investing in green energy.
  • Owner: Waffle House
  • Date: 4/6/2023
  • Origin: Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Destination: Sioux Falls Regional Airport (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
  • Money Moves:
  • If you’ve never been to a Waffle House, you’ll want to check it out at your earliest convenience.
  • Additionally, if you currently reside in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, you might just have the chance as one of Waffle House’s private planes recently touched down in the region, perhaps signaling that the company’s executive team is looking to plant down a few restaurants in the area.
  • Owner: Labcorp
  • Date: 4/3/2023
  • Origin: Trenton-Mercer Airport (Mercer County, New Jersey)
  • Destination: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (Morrisville, North Carolina)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Burlington, North Carolina, Labcorp is one of the largest companies in the clinical lab testing industry.
  • It is interesting that one of its airplanes found itself in the same neighborhood of where some of the largest drug companies are headquartered, such as Merck, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. 
  • Perhaps one of these pharmaceutical giants is looking to partially or potentially fully acquire Labcorp. 
  • Owner: Deere & Company
  • Date: 4/3/2023
  • Origin: Des Moines International Airport (Des Moines, Iowa)
  • Destination: Hector International Airport (Fargo, North Dakota)
  • Money Moves:
  • It is a more than reasonable assumption that there is a lot of farming and other agricultural activity occurring in the great (and cold) state of North Dakota.
  • This is likely one of the reasons one Deere & Company’s airplanes recently took a trip up north.
  • Namely, some of Deere’s executives likely took a trip to meet with some of its regional dealers to discuss promoting some of the company’s new products, some of which it thinks will be particularly popular in and around Fargo, North Dakota.
  • Owner: Constellation Energy
  • Date: 4/3/2023
  • Origin: Philadelphia International Airport (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Constellation Energy is one of the largest energy (utilities) distributors and managers in the United States.
  • Perhaps one of its corporate airplanes took a trip to southern Texas to establish a stronger presence in the region, as one of its direct competitors, NRG Energy, is one of the more prominent players in the region.
  • Owner: American Campus Communities
  • Date: 3/29/2023
  • Origin: Kissimmee Gateway Airport (Kissimmee, Florida) 
  • Destination: Austin Executive Airport (Pflugerville, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Austin, Texas and recently bought out by prominent alternative asset manager Blackstone, American Campus Communities (ACC) is a real estate firm that develops and markets student housing complexes or in other words, apartments that host university students.
  • This company has a sizable footprint in and around Austin, Texas, however, it appears as though the company is looking to develop more properties in Florida, perhaps to cater to local academic institutions such as the University of Central Florida.
  • Owner: Airgas
  • Date: 3/28/2023
  • Origin: Dallas Love Field Airport (Dallas, Texas)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Airgas (owned by Air Liquide) is one of the world’s largest industrial gas companies.
  • It appears as though one of the company’s airplanes is taking some time to visit some of its industrial sites in the great state of Texas, perhaps touring to see how efficient its operations are and if it is considering whether or not sizable layoffs are necessary in the region.
  • Owner: Kohler
  • Date: 3/27/2023
  • Origin: Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport (Hattiesburg, Mississippi) 
  • Destination: Sheboygan County Memorial Airport (Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin)
  • Money Moves:
  • Little did we know that sink and other household material manufacturer Kohler was in the power-sphere.
  • It’s especially strange given that the company has been in the power game since 1920.
  • Some of the company’s executives likely took a trip down to one its (power) generator manufacturing sites in the Mississippi area.
  • Owner: Nestle Purina PetCare
  • Date: 3/27/2023
  • Origin: Chicago Midway International Airport
  • Destination: Spirit of St. Louis Airport (Chesterfield, Missouri)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Purina, owned by Nestle, is a leader in the pet food industry.
  • Given that one of the company’s airplanes recently got back from Chicago, Illinois, some of the company’s executives might’ve taken a trip to pull some of its operations out of the area given the exponential increase in crime, as we have discussed and seen through other Follow The Money segments.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 3/27/2023
  • Origin: Rogers Executive Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Destination: Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport (Fort Worth, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • The greater Dallas area is likely a rather busy one for Walmart.
  • From stores to distribution centers, the company’s executive team has it work cut out for them in terms of managing the activity within this territory, and of course, the other thousands of stores and hundreds of distribution centers it operates.
  • This is likely a cursory check trip on its operational efficiency in the region, probably performed by some of the members of Walmart’s executive team.
  • Owner: Graeme Hart
  • Date: 3/24/2023
  • Origin: Auckland International Airport (Auckland, New Zealand)
  • Destination: Christchurch International Airport (Christchurch, New Zealand)
  • Money Moves:
  • Not many in the United States are likely familiar with the man with the highest current financial net worth in New Zealand, Grame Hart.
  • Hart is known for making his money through basically flipping business, snowballing a trucking business into another business the point where conglomerates and private equity-style deals were done and let’s just say that lead to billions being made in the process.
  • Perhaps Hart is perusing his home country for more deals.
  • Owner: Buc-ee’s
  • Date: 3/21/2023
  • Origin: Easterwood Airport (College Station, Texas)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • If you don’t know Buc-ee’s, you don’t know Texas.
  • For those who sadly aren’t certified Texans, we’ll give you a pass this one time and tell you that Buc-ee’s is pretty much a humongous gas station with baked goods, brisket and voluminous bathrooms as far as the eye can see.
  • While there are currently no locations in or directly around Austin, Texas, this might be changing soon as one of the founder’s private airplanes recently touched down in the area.
  • Owner: Dillard’s
  • Date: 3/21/2023
  • Origin: Tampa International Airport (Tampa, Florida)
  • Destination: Anderson Regional Airport (Anderson, South Carolina)
  • Money Moves:
  • Arkansas-based clothing retailer Dillard’s might be looking to expand its presence in Florida as well as South Carolina.
  • Although the company already has a presence in both Tampa and South Carolina, the company’s executive team might have reason(s) to believe that there is some untapped potential that can be tapped into in these regions.
  • Owner: PPG Industries
  • Date: 3/20/2023
  • Origin: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Destination: Allegheny County Airport (West Mifflin, Pennsylvania)
  • Money Moves:
  • It is pretty interesting to us that one of Sherwin-Williams’ most threatening competitors, PPG Industries along with one of its airplanes took a trip to near Sherwin-Williams‘ neck of the woods.
  • While we think it would be a little farfetched for PPG to be acquired by Sherwin-Williams (due to antitrust concerns), the Pittsburgh-based company could be looking to nab some of Sherwin’s regional market share.
  • Owner: Dow
  • Date: 3/20/2023
  • Origin: MBS International Airport (Freeland, Michigan)
  • Destination: Newark Liberty International Airport 
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Midland, Michigan, Dow, better previously known as Dow Chemical, is one of the world’s largest chemical producers.
  • They are sort of a big deal.
  • We take it that one of the company’s corporate jets took a trip to New Jersey to deliver some of the company’s executives to a meeting in the area, possibly regarding a round layoffs in the region.
  • While this is pure speculation, Dow is a company that you want to keep tabs on when its name pops up in the headlines.
  • It might even possible that the company is considering relocating its headquarters closer to New York as well.
  • Owner: 3M
  • Date: 3/20/2023
  • Origin: St. Paul Downtown Airport (St. Paul, Minnesota)
  • Destination: Cologne Bonn Airport (Cologne, Germany)
  • Money Moves:
  • In keeping with today’s inadvertent Minnesota-based companies theme, 3M is one of the state’s largest, likely most important companies in the area.
  • Being quite ubiquitous in scale, it makes complete sense that one of the company’s airplanes has taken a trip to Europe, specifically, Germany.
  • It is our opinion that its most likely that members of 3M’s executive team are eyeing an acquisition in Germany, perhaps of an industrial supplier or consumer goods company in the region, so as to extend its global presence, especially in Europe.
  • Owner: Best Buy
  • Date: 3/20/2023
  • Origin: St. Paul Downtown Airport (St. Paul, Minnesota)
  • Destination: Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (Quebec, Canada)
  • Money Moves:
  • Believe it or not, gargantuan electronics retailer Best Buy does indeed have stores in Quebec.
  • Given that this is the case, it is quite likely (from our perspective) that some of the members of Best Buy’s executive team opted to take a trip to our upstairs neighbors and check the pulse on business operations in the Canadian market.
  • Perhaps the company is looking to possibly divest from certain Canadian provinces or the Country altogether.
  • On the other hand, maybe it is looking to expand its footprint in Canada.
  • We think it would be a good idea to keep tabs on Best Buy and its operations in Canada moving forward, as any decisions made can without a doubt influence the company’s stock price.
  • Owner: Starbucks
  • Date: 3/20/2023
  • Origin: King County International Airport-Boeing Field (Seattle)
  • Destination: Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (Mesa, Arizona)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, it seems as though one of Starbucks’ corporate airplanes recently touched down in Arizona.
  • With all of the hurdles that the company has had to overcome as it relates to its employees unionizing, we wouldn’t be all too surprised if some of the company’s executives flew down to engage with employees that are potentially going to unionize or threatening to do so.
  • Owner: Halliburton
  • Date: 3/18/2023
  • Origin: Near Sonora Municipal Airport (Sonora, Texas)
  • Destination: Near Lake Charles Regional Airport (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
  • Money Moves:
  • Halliburton is one of the world’s largest hydraulic fracturing operators.
  •  This being the case, it makes sense that the company probably has some rather operations out in both Sonora, Texas and around Lake Charles, Louisiana.
  • Some of the company’s executive members were likely on a trip to check up on operations in both regions, perhaps looking to adjust their overall output given the current state of oil and gas prices.
  • Owner: Marriott International
  • Date: 3/18/2023
  • Origin: Scottsdale Airport (Scottsdale, Arizona)
  • Destination: Manassas Regional Airport (Manassas, Virginia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland (which happens to be pretty close to Manassas, one of the famed hotel chains airplane’s, owned by Marriott International, of course, likely took a few of executives to Arizona to either check up on some of its existing properties or perhaps to look for plots of land for new properties in the region.
  • Owner: Altria
  • Date: 3/18/2023
  • Origin: Centennial Airport (Englewood, Colorado)
  • Destination: Richmond International Airport (Sandston, Virginia)
  • Money Moves:
  • While we’ve analyzed one of Altria’s largest competitors in past stock analysis articles, we haven’t quite yet gotten to Altria itself.
  • Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, one of Altria’s private planes was likely transporting some of the company’s executives to discuss or perhaps negotiate a deal with some of Colorado’s relevant government officials, specifically regarding somewhat elevated taxes on cigarettes in Colorado.
  • Owner: Costco
  • Date: 3/17/2023
  • Origin: St. George Regional Airport (St. George, Utah)
  • Destination: King County International Airport-Boeing Field (Seattle)
  • Money Moves:
  • Let’s just get straight into it.
  • One of Costco’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip from St. George, Utah, where it happens to have a store in the area.
  • Some of the company’s executives likely took a quick trip to St. George in order to check up on one of its stores, perhaps even more drastically considering whether or not they should keep it open, expand in the region or even close down shop in St. George.
  • Owner: Tyson Foods
  • Date: 3/17/2023
  • Origin: Northwest Arkansas National Airport (Highfill, Arkansas)
  • Destination: Hutchinson Regional Airport (Hutchinson, Kansas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Poultry companies of all shapes and sizes have been plagued with avian flu, or more commonly known as bird flu.
  • Tyson Foods, the largest poultry producer in the United States (and perhaps in the world) is obviously no exception.
  • We think it is likely that one of the company’s planes took a flight to check on the status and safety of its production processes in hopes of containing and ensuring that avian flu doesn’t get more out of hand than it already has.
  • The company is headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas.
  • Owner: Norfolk Southern
  • Date: 3/16/2023
  • Origin: Chicago Midway International Airport
  • Destination: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Given the recent events involving railroad operator Norfolk Southern and its operations in and around Ohio, it makes sense to us that one of the company’s planes took a trip to an airport southwest of Chicago, as Norfolk Southern does have operations in the southern region of Illinois and northern region of Indiana.
  • Perhaps some of the company’s executives took a trip to check on the current safety practices in the region so as to try preventing another tragedy, as Illinois isn’t at all that far from Ohio.
  • Owner: Caterpillar
  • Date: 3/16/2023
  • Origin: Delaware County Airport (Delaware County, Indiana)
  • Destination: General Downing-Peoria International Airport (Peoria, Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • Formerly headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, Caterpillar is setting up a new home in Irving, Texas.
  • However, during this transition period it is likely that the company’s executive members take trips to and from the area.
  • At any rate, we assume one of more likely reasons one of the company’s airplanes was near Muncie, Indiana to work on negotiating a new labor contract with its employees in the area, as the company has had some union-related dust-ups in recent history.
  • Owner: Workday
  • Date: 3/16/2023
  • Origin: San Francisco International Airport
  • Destination: Augusta Regional Airport (Augusta, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Workday is a leader in the human capital management (HCM) and human resources (HR) spaces, particularly as it relates to its extensive software capabilities and other offerings.
  • Given the company’s relatively sizable client list, some of the company’s executives might be in the process of onboarding more clients in and/or around Augusta, Georgia.
  • Some of the more notable companies and general organizations in the area include Hull Property Group, TaxSlayer, Club Car and a handful of others.
  • Owner: Target
  • Date: 3/15/2023
  • Origin: Santa Maria Public Airport (Santa Maria, California)
  • Destination: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, one of the world’s largest retailers, Target, might be looking to expand its presence in the more central region of California, as one of its corporate planes recently took a trip from the region back to its headquarters.
  • Owner: Tilman Fertitta
  • Date: 3/15/2023
  • Origin: Santa Fe Regional Airport (Santa Fe County, New Mexico)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • First and foremost, we have no idea why one of Texas’ most affluent businessmen was in New Mexico.
  • Frankly, it makes a little more sense as to why one of Fertitta’s planes touched down in Ausin, Texas recently.
  • Specifically, we assume that Fertitta, the current owner of the famed sports franchise, the Houston Rockets, and dining conglomerate, Landry’s, he might be looking to plant a few of the latter’s restaurants down in Austin.
  • Landry’s’ restaurant portfolio includes Del Frisco’s, Morton’s, Bubba Gump Shrimp, Saltgrass Steak House and many others.
  • Owner: The Coca-Cola Company
  • Date: 3/14/2023
  • Origin: Dulles International Airport (Dulles, Virginia)
  • Destination: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • We assume that there is a fair amount of lobbying involved in the soft drink and carbonated beverage spaces.
  • This, to us at least, is one of the more likely reasons one of Coca-Cola’s private planes recently took a trip to Washington and subsequently went back to home to its home base in Atlanta.
  • Owner: ExxonMobil
  • Date: 3/13/2023
  • Origin: DuPage Airport (West Chicago, Illinois)
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Although when one initially thinks of a major oil and gas company such as ExxonMobil they likely think of sprawling, flat fields out in West Texas (the Permian Basin), with miles of slow-moving refinery-type equipment extracting oil and other materials out of the ground, the company has other operations that the general public might not be aware of.
  • For example, the company has refinery operations near Chicago, Illinois, in a town southwest of the city by the name of Joliet.
  • Members of ExxonMobil’s executive team likely took a trip out to simply check up on its operations in the region.
  • Owner: O’Reilly Automotive
  • Date: 3/13/2023
  • Origin: Springfield-Branson National Airport (Springfield, Missouri)
  • Destination: Houston Hobby Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in where else but Springfield, Missouri, O’Reilly Auto Parts is a massive player in the aftermarket automotive parts industry.
  • We’ve written about one of the competitor’s in the past.
  • One of the more likely reasons one of the company’s private airplanes took a trip to Houston, Texas is because it is looking to either expand or contract its presence in the region.
  • Perhaps the recent uptick in crime in the region is causing the company and its executives to consider rethinking the current state of its operation in the area.
  • Owner: JPMorgan Chase
  • Date: 3/12/2023
  • Origin: Doha International Airport (Doha, Qatar)
  • Destination: Dubai International Airport (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
  • Money Moves:
  • JPMorgan Chase is the largest bank in the United States and subsequently one of the largest banks in the world.
  • With all of this recent uptick in news regarding Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and its bank runs, banks of all shapes and sizes and their stocks are certainly the talk of the town.
  • One of the reasons we think one of JPMorgan’s private planes is in the Middle East is its looking to expand its operations in the region, perhaps as a measure of diversifying its portfolio and ultimately, its risk.
  • Owner: Apple Inc.
  • Date: 3/12/2023
  • Origin: Los Angeles International Airport
  • Destination: Paris Airport-Le Bourget
  • Money Moves:
  • Have you ever heard of Apple?
  • It just happens to be one of the most valuable companies in the world, reportedly accounting for one billion active iPhones, Apple might be looking to expand its overseas retail presence in Europe.
  • This might be why the company’s corporate airplane recently touched down near Paris.
  • While we assume that the company has a pretty strong presence in the region, at least, relative to the competition, it might be trying to nip away more at its competitor’s share by plotting more of its sleek, open concept stores in and around Paris.
  • Owner: The Home Depot
  • Date: 3/10/2023
  • Origin: Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (Louisville, Kentucky)
  • Destination: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, The Home Depot is one the largest big-box, home improvement retailer in the world.
  • Although some might just feel the sudden urge to take a trip to Kentucky, one of the more likely reasons one of Home Depot’s corporate jets took a trip to meet with one of its suppliers, perhaps to reestablish a contract or check on operations.
  • Owner: Chevron
  • Date: 3/10/2023
  • Origin: Sugar Land Regional Airport (Sugar Land, Texas)
  • Destination: Oakland International Airport (Oakland, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • Chevron is one of the few major energy companies that isn’t headquartered in Houston, Texas.
  • From our perspective, the company either has some rather small-scale production or refinery operations in the region or it is looking for a new corporate home, just outside of the energy capital of the world, Houston, Texas.
  • This would make sense, as it is highly likely that the company views being domiciled in California has become too expensive (namely, due to taxes) and it might make a lot more sense to move closer to the competition and to a more corporate tax-friendly state, such as Texas.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 3/10/2023
  • Origin: Rogers Executive Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • It feels like we’ve been writing a lot about Walmart’s corporate airplanes taking frequent trips from Arkansas (where the company is headquartered) to Austin, Texas.
  • As the company has recently announced that it will be closing up shop in Portland, Oregon due to theft, we would be far from surprised if the company was potentially looking to incrementally inch its way out of Austin, as crime in the area is seemingly growing and it is likely in Walmart’s (and other retailers or business owners for that matter) to provide goods and services in areas that aren’t saturated with bad actors.
  • Owner: PepsiCo
  • Date: 3/10/2023
  • Origin: Near Toluca, Mexico
  • Destination: Addison Airport (Addison, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • As one of its prime subsidiaries, Frito-Lay, is headquartered in Plano, Texas (which is very close to Addison), one of PepsiCo’s corporate planes recently took a trip to Mexico.
  • With many, and we mean many specialized brands and differentiated packaging thereof in Mexico, a few of PepsiCo’s executives (perhaps from its Frito-Lay division) likely took a trip to the region to see how they can better target their customers south of the border when it comes to chips, specifically Lay’s.
  • Additionally, it’s also possible that the company is looking to either expand or contract its operations in the area, perhaps to hedge itself against macroeconomic headwinds.
  • Owner: BNSF Railway
  • Date: 3/10/2023
  • Origin: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Destination: Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (Fort Worth, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Owned by Berkshire Hathaway, BNSF Railway is one of the largest railroad logistics networks in the United States of America.
  • Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, one of the company’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip down to Austin, Texas.
  • From our vantage point, we assume this trip might’ve involved a few of BNSF’s executives looking to increase its network capacity by negotiating some sort of agreement to use some of the tracks in and around Austin.
  • Owner: Wesley Edens
  • Date: 3/09/2023
  • Origin: Jack Brooks Regional Airport (Near Beaumont, Texas)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Wes Edens is a man of many business interests.
  • From ownership in sports franchises (including NBA franchise, the Milwaukee Bucks and historic overseas soccer club, Aston Villa), stateside and abroad, to ownership of prominent, publicly traded energy infrastructure company, New Fortress Energy, Edens has a rather diversified portfolio.
  • We assume this Follow The Money segment can be attributed to New Fortress possibly looking to be acquired by a larger energy company, as there is certainly no such shortage of these in and around Houston, Texas.
  • It could also be the case that Edens and New Fortress are looking to expand its own operations in and around the region, perhaps between Houston and Galveston, which is near the Gulf of Mexico, where a lot of offshore (drilling) activity is performed.
  • Owner: Valero Energy
  • Date: 3/10/2023
  • Origin: San Antonio International Airport
  • Destination: Scholes International at Galveston Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, Valero is a staple in the energy space, particularly, its major role in what is called the downstream process, which typically involves refineries.
  • With somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 refineries, the company could be looking to beef up its petrochemical capabilities just south of Texas, perhaps offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Owner: Verizon
  • Date: 3/9/2023
  • Origin: Leesburg Executive Airport (Leesburg, Virginia)
  • Destination: Morristown Airport (Hanover, New Jersey)
  • Money Moves:
  • First and foremost, Leesburg, Virginia is practically a stone’s throw away from Washington D.C.
  • Additionally, for a seasoned, ubiquitous telecommunications company such as Verizon, it isn’t all that surprising that one of its corporate airplanes recently took a trip to near The Capitol.
  • Perhaps some of the company’s executives took a trip to meet with some of its lobbyists or other politicians in order to obtain some favorable legislation, as the telecommunications sector is particularly regulated.
  • Owner: AT&T
  • Date: 3/8/2023
  • Origin: Dallas Love Field Airport (Dallas, Texas)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport  
  • Money Moves:
  • By revenue, AT&T is the largest telecommunications company in the world, for those who weren’t aware.
  • Additionally, for those who weren’t aware, crime is becoming a serious problem in the business world, let alone the world in general.
  • It has been the reason that businesses of all shapes and sizes have relocated their domiciles elsewhere, as has been the case in Chicago, Illinois, as highlighted in previous Follow The Money segments below.
  • This might be one of the reasons one of AT&T’s corporate airplanes took a trip to the East Coast, so as to potentially close some of its brick-and-mortar locations in the region.
  • Owner: Stanley Druckenmiller
  • Date: 3/8/2023
  • Origin: Marana Regional Airport (Marana, Arizona)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport  
  • Money Moves:
  • Famed hedge fund manager, Stanley Druckenmiller, who helped George Soros profit handsomely from the collapse of the British Pound, apparently (as of mid-February) owns a 1.58% stake in prominent mining company (headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona), Freeport-McMoRan.
  • Perhaps Druckenmiller recently took a trip out towards the West Coast to meet with some of the company’s executives so as to get a glimpse of whether or not his investment is working for or against him.
  • Owner: Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR)
  • Date: 3/6/2023
  • Origin: Los Angeles International Airport
  • Destination: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (San Jose, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • At its core, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is a world class private equity firm.
  • Although it most well known for its work in the leveraged buyout (LBO) market, the firm has other capabilities that are worth noting.
  • As it particularly relates to this Follow The Money segment, it is most likely, from our perspective, that one of the firm’s airplanes took a trip out to the West Coast (KKR is headquartered in New York) to get a fresh look at the work being done in its offices in Menlo Park and/or San Francisco, where it focuses on credit as an asset class.
  • Owner: Raytheon Technologies
  • Date: 3/6/2023
  • Origin: Near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Destination: Seletar Airport (North-East Region, Singapore)
  • Money Moves:
  • Raytheon is a premier defense company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia (yes, conveniently located near Washington D.C.), it isn’t all that surprising to see one of the company’s private planes somewhere in a continent far, far away.
  • Although this is likely just business as usual for a company such as Raytheon that is well known for selling military weapons, combat aircraft and other technologies that are typically used in conflicts of all shapes and sizes.
  • Could there be some geopolitical threats brewing in the Far East?
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 3/5/2023
  • Origin: Haneda Airport (Near Tokyo, Japan)
  • Destination: Rogers Municipal Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Adding or subtracting.
  • We think it’s one and not the other with one of Walmart’s corporate planes recently coming back from a trip from Japan.
  • Particularly, given the current state of the economy we think it is more likely that Walmart is looking to cease its operations in Japan.
  • In fact, the company has reportedly had its fair share of struggle within the Japanese market.
  • It might just make more sense for the company to completely divest at this point.
  • Owner: ExxonMobil
  • Date: 3/3/2023
  • Origin: Shannon Airport (County Clare, Republic of Ireland)
  • Destination: Dallas Love Field Airport (Dallas, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Given the inherent ubiquity ExxonMobil has, it’s not all that surprising that of all of the places the company has extensive operations, Ireland is no exception.
  • Apparently, the company owns a joint distribution terminal in the region along with fellow oil and gas giant, Valero.
  • This is likely the primary reason why one of the company’s planes recently took a trip out to Ireland.
  • Specifically, some of the company’s executives probably performed checks in the region given the state of supply and demand in the region as well.
  • Owner: Procter & Gamble
  • Date: 3/3/2023
  • Origin: Boston Logan International Airport
  • Destination: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Money Moves:
  • Did you know that Procter & Gamble happens to have a World Shaving Headquarters?
  • It makes sense that the company owns premier shaving company Gillette.
  • Incidentally, the company’s Shaving Headquarters is in Boston, Massachusetts. 
  • Given that one of the company’s corporate planes recently took a trip to Boston, some of its executive members could be performing a cursory check on its operations in the shaving category or perhaps is looking to cut some jobs in the region.
  • Both of these are assumptions but nevertheless we think they could both be real possibilities.
  • Owner: FedEx
  • Date: 3/3/2023
  • Origin: Memphis International Airport
  • Destination: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
  • Money Moves:
  • Talk of layoffs and restructurings have been far from scarce, as the current state of the national and global economies has become exponentially frothier.
  • As no industry is completely immune to layoffs or other byproducts of economic hardship, many in the logistics sector might be looking for ways to cut some costs.
  • FedEx is a leader in the logistics and freight industry.
  • As the company has a Ship Center in Baton Rouge, some members of the company’s executive team might be in the process of looking to cut some costs in Louisiana, which could mean jobs.
  • Owner: H-E-B
  • Date: 3/1/2023
  • Origin: Houston Hobby Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Destination: San Antonio International Airport (San Antonio, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • If you don’t know about H-E-B, it is sort of a big deal down in Texas.
  • To keep a long story short, H-E-B (which stands for Howard E. Butt, the initials of the current CEO and heir to the H-E-B fortune), is a privately held grocery chain with its operations predominantly in Texas.
  • Given the recent private plane’s travel history, Butt and his company could be looking to further expand its operations in and around Houston in ultimate hopes of nipping at away at the current regional market share held by larger national chains such as Walmart and Kroger.
  • The company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
  • Owner: Union Pacific
  • Date: 3/1/2023
  • Origin: Dulles International Airport (Dulles, Virginia)
  • Destination: San Antonio International Airport (San Antonio, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • There has been a lot of incredibly devastating, unexpected news coming out of the railroad industry in recent history.
  • Although most of it has surrounded railroad and logistics operator, Norfolk Southern, we assume other major railroads are looking to tighten up their safety standards, especially as they relate to the events that have recently transpired.
  • If this is the case and happens to be the reason one of Union Pacific’s corporate planes touched down in San Antonio, then it is our opinion that shareholders in the company have something to look forward to in the long run in terms of reasonably expecting gradual share price appreciation.
  • This could also have something to do with the fact that the company’s plane was coming from near D.C..
  • Owner: Sherwin-Williams
  • Date: 3/1/2023
  • Origin: Waco Regional Airport (Waco, Texas)
  • Destination: Dallas Love Field Airport (Dallas, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • It appears as though one of Sherwin-Williams’ airplanes is on some sort of Texas-focused road trip.
  • Perhaps members of the company’s executive team are looking to find a tax-friendly, rural space to build out a new facility or manufacturing plant.
  • While we obviously can’t say for sure, there might be a not too remote possibility that the company is exploring relocating its headquarters, possibly due to reasons related to crime, taxes or maybe a mixture of many factors.
  • Owner: UnitedHealth Group
  • Date: 3/1/2023
  • Origin: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Arlington, Virginia)
  • Destination: Nashville International Airport (Nashville, Tennessee) 
  • Money Moves:
  • We don’t see a plethora of reasons, at least that instantly come to mind, as to why one of UnitedHealth Group’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip and touched down in Nashville, Tennessee. 
  • Of course, other than the possibility of it looking to acquire healthcare facilities operator HCA Healthcare, which just happens to be headquartered in Nashville.
  • After recently closing a deal with in-home healthcare provider LHC Group, UnitedHealth Group could be on the hunt for yet another major acquisition and HCA might just be the target.
  • Owner: Texas Instruments
  • Date: 2/28/2023
  • Origin: Gimpo International Airport (Near Seoul, South Korea)
  • Destination: Haneda Airport (Near Tokyo, Japan)
  • Money Moves:
  • Semiconductor chips are sort of a big deal in Texas Instruments’ line of business.
  • Namely, in terms of overall market share (in terms of revenue) of a most recently reported figure of 3.1%.
  • It may not seem like a lot, but trust us, it’s a lot, as the semiconductor industry is a deep and vast one.
  • One of the company’s corporate airplanes likely took a recent trip from South Korea to Japan to possibly acquire one of its smaller, regional competitors.
  • Owner: Parker Hannifin
  • Date: 2/28/2023
  • Origin: Oakland County International Airport (Waterford Township, Michigan)
  • Destination: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Money Moves:
  • No, contrary to what one might initially believe, Parker Hannifin is not the name of some swanky law firm in Cleveland.
  • Rather, it’s the name of Cleveland, Ohio-based engineering technology firm that specializes in motion and control technologies
  • We think one of the company’s airplanes took a quick trip across the great state of Michigan in order to hop over to a meeting with one of its distributors or perhaps check up on one of its operations facilities. 
  • Owner: Adobe
  • Date: 2/28/2023
  • Origin: Athens International Airport (Athens, Greece)
  • Destination: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai, India)
  • Money Moves:
  • What just might be a luxurious executive vacation could also perhaps be a refueling layover in Greece on the way to the company’s trip to meet with a company it might be looking to acquire.
  • Your guess is as good as ours.
  • Illustration software leader Adobe might be on its way to iron out some of the details regarding picking up a start-up or two in India.
  • Mature software businesses like Adobe rely heavily on growth through the acquisition of smaller, sleeker companies to stay ahead of the technological curve and that might just be the main reason one of the company’s corporate planes recently took a trip to India.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 2/27/2023
  • Origin: Rogers Municipal Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Destination: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (San Jose, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • If you haven’t heard, Walmart cut ties with DoorDash and has since focused on its own in-house independent contract delivery service, Spark.
  • Spark is a new channel through which consumers can have goods and necessities of all sorts from Walmart delivered to their doorstep.
  • We assume that one of the company’s corporate airplanes made a trip to deliver some of its executives, perhaps to meetings with their app development team, which we guess would be in where else but near Silicon Valley.
  • Owner: Canadian Pacific
  • Date: 2/21/2023
  • Origin: Palm Beach International Airport (West Palm Beach, Florida)
  • Destination: Calgary International Airport (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
  • Money Moves:
  • It actually does appear to be the case that birds do fly south for the winter.
  • At least, this seems to be the case with one of Canada’s premier railroad companies, Canadian Pacific.
  • It’s also worth noting that Canadian Pacific is apparently in the process of buying rival railroad operator Kansas City Southern.
  • Oddly enough, it doesn’t seem as though either of the companies have operations in or around Florida.
  • This being the case, this might just be the early innings of Canadian Pacific acquiring yet another railroad in order to expand its current geographical footprint.
  • Owner: Michael Dell
  • Date: 2/20/2023
  • Origin: Indira Gandhi International Airport (New Delhi, India)
  • Destination: Near Velana International Airport (Malé, Maldives)
  • Money Moves:
  • Dell Technologies has a substantial number of operations in India.
  • This likely has something to do with the company’s founder and CEO’s airplane being in the area as of recent.
  • One of the main reasons we assume Dell could be in the area is potential widespread international layoffs within the company.
  • As other technology companies such as Google have been in the news regarding the implementation of widespread, global layoffs, it wouldn’t surprise in the slightest if Dell followed suit.
  • Owner: Humana
  • Date: 2/19/2023
  • Origin: Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (Louisville, Kentucky)
  • Destination: Burlington International Airport (Burlington, Vermont)
  • Money Moves:
  • If you’re in the market for dental insurance in Vermont, seasoned health insurance company Humana might just be able to help you out.
  • In need of Medicare assistance? Humana can seemingly give you a hand on that front as well.
  • There are a plethora of reasons why one of Humana’s private planes recently touched down in Burlington, Vermont.
  • For one, the company could be eyeing a smaller health insurance company in the area, potentially looking to fully acquire it.
  • However, we think the more likely scenario is that some of the company’s executives are in the neighborhood checking up on its operations.
  • Owner: Steven Spielberg
  • Date: 2/16/2023
  • Origin: Columbus Airport (Columbus, Georgia)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport  
  • Money Moves:
  • For those who weren’t aware, Big Movie is Big Business, more times than not.
  • At least, that’s historically been the case for renowned billionaire screenwriter, producer and director Steven Spielberg.
  • Simply put, Spielberg and his entertainment production company, Amblin Entertainment, might be in the process of working on a new project out in Columbus, Georgia.
  • Why should investors care?
  • Well, if the hypothetical movie, depending upon its success, could quite possibly move the share prices of those who host in theatres (AMC, Cinemark and others) on their streaming platforms.
  • For instance, think of companies like Netflix, The Walt Disney Company (through Hulu, among many others.
  • Owner: Honeywell
  • Date: 2/16/2023
  • Origin: Dulles International Airport (Dulles, Virginia)
  • Destination: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Money Moves:
  • Honeywell is a company with a substantial number of operations across the globe.
  • One of the company’s more intensive operations lie within its aerospace division, which is headquartered in Arizona.
  • As it relates to why one of Honeywell’s corporate planes took a trip from near Washington D.C., it could be that Honeywell’s aerospace branch is looking to pick up a subsidiary and is in the process of trying to obtain preliminary regulatory approval, or possibly trying to nab a contract with the government.
  • Those are our guesses, anyways.
  • Owner: American Express
  • Date: 2/15/2023
  • Origin: Toronto Pearson International Airport (Ontario, Canada)
  • Destination: New York Stewart International Airport (Orange County, New York)
  • Money Moves:
  • For those who aren’t well acquainted with American Express, it is a payments company that distributes to solutions such as credit cards, debit cards and a host of other specialty cards.
  • Headquartered in where else but New York, American Express could potentially be looking to either further expand its Canadian operations or perhaps even be in the mood to buy a Canadian payment solutions company or digital payment technology company in the region.
  • Owner: Eli Lilly and Company
  • Date: 2/15/2023
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: Indianapolis International Airport (Indianapolis, Indiana)
  • Money Moves:
  • Indiana-based pharmaceutical behemoth Eli Lilly could’ve recently taken a trip to New York for a multitude of reasons.
  • One of which includes something that is far from foreign in the pharmaceutical industry; a potential acquisition.
  • Companies as seasoned and large as Eli Lilly heavily rely on acquiring smaller yet promising biotechnology companies in order to stay competitive.
  • Eli Lilly might just be in the beginning of this process given one of its corporate plane’s recent travel data. 
  • Owner: CSX
  • Date: 2/15/2023
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: Jacksonville International Airport (Jacksonville, Florida)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, premier freight railroad logistics company CSX, more specifically, some of the members of its executive team seemingly took a recent trip to the Big Apple.
  • This could be for a handful of reasons, one of which could be that the company is working with some high-powered lawyers and/or legislators in order to make some progress in the early phases of what might just be an acquisition.
  •  Yes, this is pure speculation on our part, however, getting ahead of the news, if it were to come into fruition, could present an opportunity for our risk arbitrage crowd.
  • Owner: Jeff Bezos
  • Date: 2/14/2023
  • Origin: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Destination: Paris Airport-Le Bourget (Paris, France)
  • Money Moves:
  • Yes, Amazon has a presence in France and although the founder of the company, Jeff Bezos isn’t CEO anymore, he is currently the company’s executive chair.
  • This being the case, Bezos and a few other Amazon executives could be taking a luxurious Parisian vacation or could be looking to either expand or contract its operations, namely labor, in the area.
  • We think if this were to be the case, the latter would be more the more likely scenario as tech companies across the board have been laying off chunks of their respective workforces, Google reportedly laying off 12,000 employees globally.
  • Unfortunately, we would be far from surprised if this was the last of layoffs.
  • Owner(s): Lowe’s, Kohl’s, Sherwin-Williams, eBay, Las Vegas Sands, Robert Kraft, Dollar Tree, Koch Industries, Elon Musk, Walmart, State Farm, Honeywell, The Walt Disney Company, Shaw Communications, the CoStar Group, Jim Irsay, Jerry Jones, Rupert Murdoch, Zygi Wilf and so many more.
  • Date: 2/12/2023
  • Origin(s): Varied
  • Destination(s): Phoenix, Arizona (multiple airports in the area)
  • Money Moves:
  • We figured it would be easier this way.
  • Rather than individually segmenting each individual or business in attendance for Super Bowl LVII, we opted to consolidate the guests’ airplanes into one Follow The Money segment.
  • First of all, it’s pretty clear that businesses all around the United States (and the world for that matter) like watching the Big Game.
  • While this in itself isn’t that interesting, it goes to show that there are a lot of interests, such as major corporations, outside of the two teams competing for the championship, with tangible, financial interests. 
  • From owners of football franchises that aren’t even competing in the Super Bowl to businesses running ads during the event, business and sports clearly aren’t mutually exclusive.
  • Owner: Pfizer
  • Date: 2/11/2023
  • Origin: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (Morrisville, North Carolina)
  • Destination: Trenton-Mercer Airport (Mercer County, New Jersey)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Pfizer’s vaccine manufacturing sites is located in Sanford, North Carolina.
  • We deem that it is most likely that some members of the company’s executive team took a trip to simply check up on its operations in the area, particularly in Sanford.
  • As many have claimed that there are only going to be more pandemics moving forward, COVID-19-related or not, this is likely a season in which many major pharmaceutical companies, of course, including Pfizer are looking to develop potential treatments in viruses that have yet to fully emerge.
  • Owner: McDonald’s
  • Date: 2/10/2023
  • Origin: Burbank Airport (Burbank, California)
  • Destination: Waukegan National Airport (Waukegan, Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • Although we unfortunately can’t verify whether or not Ronald McDonald himself was on the company’s plane during this trip, this segment of Follow The Money can still be interesting.
  • As we have mentioned in a previous segment, many large businesses and corporations are moving their headquarters from Chicago elsewhere, likely due to the increasing crime in and around the city and perhaps the comparably high tax rates in Illinois as well.
  • Companies such as Caterpillar, Boeing and Ken Griffin’s hedge fund Citadel are moving to places with seemingly less crime overall and that are more friendly towards businesses.
  • We wouldn’t put it past McDonald’s to be shopping for a new corporate home.
  • This recent trip from California to a town in northern Illinois could indicate that the company is still on the hunt for a new place to call home that isn’t littered with issues.
  • Near Disney’s headquarters or a few hours northeast of where it is currently headquartered might be some good candidates.
  • Owner: Johnson & Johnson
  • Date: 2/9/2023
  • Origin: Laurence G. Hanscom Field (Bedford, Massachusetts)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Johnson & Johnson is a huge pharmaceutical company that has apparently been working on getting bigger.
  • For instance, the company recently announced that it will be looking to formally acquire prominent medical device company, Abiomed.
  • However, Johnson & Johnson has plenty of other (financial) resources that allow it to not just stop at Abiomed, but to perhaps expand its horizons in order to continue growing the company (and ultimately shareholder value) for years and decades to come.
  • That’s why we wouldn’t put it past the company to consider fully acquiring smaller but growth-oriented Massachusetts-headquartered biotechnology and pharmaceutical company, Moderna.
  • As many across the board have strongly implied that there are only more and more pandemics and other health emergencies to come after the brunt of COVID-19, Johnson & Johnson might be looking to prepare for itself an opportunity to get ahead and buyout one of the most prominent COVID-19 vaccine distributors, Moderna.
  • Owner: Keurig Dr Pepper
  • Date: 2/9/2023
  • Origin: Morristown Airport (Hanover, New Jersey)
  • Destination: Laurence G. Hanscom Field (Bedford, Massachusetts)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, Keurig Dr Pepper doesn’t get nearly as much media attention as does its comparably stronger and more ubiquitous competitor, The Coca-Cola Company.
  • Let’s give Keurig Dr Pepper some spotlight, shall we?
  • One of the company’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip near New Jersey, specifically, Morristown.
  • The company appears to be hiring on all cylinders, at least, according to its website, which can very well be a reason some of the company’s executives were in the region.
  • Namely, the labor markets have fluctuated quite rapidly over the past year’s span of time, making it rather difficult to guess whether or not the company is looking to cut some jobs or go on a hiring spree in the area, however, this goes to show that development in jobs numbers can be worth checking up on once in a while.
  • Owner: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
  • Date: 2/6/2023
  • Origin: Orlando Executive Airport (Orlando, Florida)
  • Destination: Westchester County Airport (White Plains, New York)
  • Money Moves:
  • There have been many recent rumblings that World Wrestling Entertainment, better known as the WWE is getting put up for sale.
  • This historic 44 year old wrestling franchise being put up for sale would be a huge deal and we can think of a handful of companies that might be interested in fully acquiring the staple, The Walt Disney Company certainly being one of them.
  • Namely, Disney, at least from our point of view has been fledgling in growing its business in recent years and the WWE could act as the catalyst Disney needs to pick itself back up again and get back to innovating and exciting its shareholders.
  • Although The Walt Disney Company isn’t headquartered in Orlando, it does maintain substantial operations in the area and members of WWE’s executive team could’ve made a trip down to Florida to potentially talk about a deal with Disney.
  • Owner: Mark Cuban
  • Date: 2/6/2023
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: Dallas Love Field Airport (Dallas, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • In previous Follow The Money archives, we have discussed the fact that Big Football can mean Big Business.
  • Basketball is certainly not an exception.
  • Specifically, it was recently announced that NBA superstar and former Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving is taking his talents from the Big Apple to Dallas, namely, the Dallas Mavericks, which is owned by Shark Tank superstar and famed tech entrepreneur, Mark Cuban.
  • This transaction alone is likely to push the valuation of the Mavericks a few notches upward.
  • Owner: Lowe’s
  • Date: 1/30/2023
  • Origin: Prescott Regional Airport (Yavapai County, Arizona)
  • Destination: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Charlotte, North Carolina)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Home Depot’s most threatening competitors, Lowe’s has been making major moves in its efforts to prevent what is known to retailers as “shrink” but what is known among the masses as in-store theft.
  • For those who haven’t been keeping tabs on the matter in recent months, this has become a major issue for retailers of all sorts.
  • This could likely be on of the reasons one of Lowe’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip out west.
  • The company’s executive team is likely expanding its current theft prevention pilot program across the country, perhaps in areas that are particularly known for thievery.
  • From a prospective shareholder’s perspective, Lowe’s is making the right moves, as theft impacts retailers and its customers that don’t steal.
  • Owner: Koch Industries
  • Date: 1/30/2023
  • Origin: Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (Wichita, Kansas)
  • Destination: Fulton County Airport-Brown Field (Fulton County, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Koch Industries, headed by Charles Koch is a conglomerate’s conglomerate.
  • Being one of the largest private companies in the world, Koch Industries is home to a few different companies and brands, one of which includes Atlanta, Georgia-based Georgia-Pacific.
  • Koch Industries, however, is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, accounting for both the origin and destination for this Follow The Money segment.
  • This being the case, this is likely a routine trip for some of Koch’s executive members, checking up on operations for one of their main subsidiaries.
  • Owner: Deere & Company
  • Date: 1/27/2023
  • Origin: Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport (Conroe, Texas)
  • Destination: Quad City International Airport (Moline, Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • As we have seen time and time again and even discussed in some of our previous Follow The Money archives, Chicago and Illinois as a whole isn’t presently viewed as the most business-friendly city or state in this day and age.
  • With companies such as Boeing, Tyson, Caterpillar and others fleeing the state, some of which moving their headquarters entirely out of the state, Deere might just be next.
  • Subsequently, as Texas is widely considered to still be a corporation-friendly operating landscape, we might just be in the early innings of Deere & Company relocating, perhaps to a town just north of Houston by the name of Conroe, Texas.
  • Owner: FedEx
  • Date: 1/25/2023
  • Origin: Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (Fort Worth, Texas)
  • Destination: Austin Executive Airport (Pflugerville, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • A lot of technology companies have been cutting down their workforces dramatically.
  • However, we at MacroHint don’t think that this phenomenon will be contained in the technology sector, but other sectors as well.
  • Given that one of FedEx’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip to Pflugerville, Texas (just north of Austin, Texas), members of the company’s executive team could be looking for areas in which they can cut some costs by potentially cutting certain operations and ultimately, jobs.
  • While this is pure speculation on our part, investors would be wise to keep their eyes on the labor market from both the employee and employer perspectives.
  • Owner: Union Pacific
  • Date: 1/24/2023
  • Origin: Eppley Airfield (Omaha, Nebraska)
  • Destination: Tampa International Airport (Tampa, Florida)
  • Money Moves:
  • According to a territory map found on Union Pacific’s website, the company doesn’t currently have any significant operations out east, specifically, in Florida.
  • Given that this is the case and that one of the company’s private planes recently touched down in Tampa, Florida, this could be the early innings of a potential strategic acquisition of another regional (passenger or freight) railroad or simple organic expansion on UP’s part.
  • The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.
  • Owner: Kroger
  • Date: 1/24/2023
  • Origin: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • There are a handful of reasons for one of Kroger’s private airplanes to be in Houston.
  • For one, some of Kroger’s executive members could be performing standard checks on operations in the area, both related to in-store operations as well as distribution center check-ups as well. 
  • Another reason could be the grocery behemoth looking to team up with the best of the best in the food service and distribution space, Sysco, which is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
  • It wouldn’t be all that surprising given that the two have partnered up in the past.
  • Owner: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
  • Date: 1/24/2023
  • Origin: Georgetown Municipal Airport (Georgetown, Texas)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • It appears as though the rockstars within the Cracker Barrel band are hitting the road and are on tour.
  • More seriously, it appears as though some of the company’s executive members are in the process of visiting some of dining establishments in and around Texas.
  • These are likely cursory checks on operations, however, the company could be looking to see if or where it can close certain locations, or on the other side of the coin, expand.
  • Owner: Boeing
  • Date: 1/23/2023
  • Origin: Huntsville International Airport (Huntsville, Alabama)
  • Destination: Washington Dulles International Airport 
  • Money Moves:
  • Although Boeing is arguably most known for its work in and around Seattle, the company gets a lot of work done in Huntsville, Alabama too.
  • Namely, it appears as though the company heavily focuses on its aerospace defense and space programs in Huntsville.
  • This leg of the trip was likely a cursory check on operations by some members of the company’s executive team.
  • The destination, however, is likely one that Boeing and its executives aren’t unfamiliar with in the slightest.
  • As touted by many news outlets, Boeing is back in court regarding the string of 737 MAX crashes.
  • Typically, stock prices react positively when companies shell out settlements because it implies that the company is a big step away from a past problem.
  • Is this the case with Boeing?
  • Owner: Norfolk Southern
  • Date: 1/22/2023
  • Origin: McGhee Tyson Airport (Blount County, Tennessee)
  • Destination: Fulton County Airport (Fulton County, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Norfolk Southern, as we have written extensively on the company in the past, is one of America’s largest, premier railroad logistics companies.
  • Although the company appears to have rail operations out in the great state of Tennessee, thus the visit.
  • Specifically, it is our opinion that members of Norfolk Southern’s executive team took a trip near Knoxville, Tennessee to check and look to improve its current port and transportation operations in the region. 
  • As supply chain concerns have largely eased across most (if not all) sectors, hopefully Norfolk Southern and its peers are looking to stay ahead of the supply chain disruption curve and improve its regional and national operational efficiency.
  • Owner: Tom Gores (Platinum Equity)
  • Date: 1/20/2023
  • Origin: Paris-Le Bourget Airport (Paris, France)
  • Destination: Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
  • Money Moves:
  • Founder of premier private equity firm, Platinum Equity and also owner of the NBA franchise, the Detroit Pistons, Tom Gores has traveled quite some distance from Detroit, Michigan.
  • Alas, running a global private equity firm requires some traveling.
  •  Although Platinum has made sizable investments in companies such as educational giant McGraw Hill, the Detroit Pistons, of course, and a trove of other companies.
  • It appears as though Gores and his firm might be looking to add to its deal flow over in Europe as well as the Middle East.
  • While we’re certainly not experts on the buyout market(s) overseas, it seems to be a very strong possibility that Gores and his fellow partners at Platinum are looking to diversify their portfolio outside of the United States.
  • Owner: Dollar General
  • Date: 1/17/2023
  • Origin: East Texas Regional Airport (Gregg County, Texas)
  • Destination: Nashville International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Although a seasoned company in the discount retail space, make no mistake about the fact that Dollar General is still growing each and every day.
  • With already around 19,000 locations, Dollar General is still poised to grow even more in efforts to take customers away from its big-box competitors like Walmart.
  • This is likely the main reason one of Dollar General’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip to Longview, Texas.
  • While the discount retail behemoth has a presence in the region, it isn’t as large as we initially thought it would be, which is probably why members of the company’s executive team took a trip; to scout where they can plant new stores.
  • While we can’t say this is definitely the case, it definitely does make sense.
  • Owner: Michael Dell
  • Date: 1/15/2023
  • Origin: Los Angeles International Airport
  • Destination: London Luton Airport 
  • Money Moves:
  • Although it has a strong footprint in the United States, make no mistake about it, Dell is a global company.
  • However, given recent news regarding the company, it appears as though, at least, per reports, that Dell is looking to cease having its chips made in China by 2024, likely due to geopolitical volatility in the region as well as between China and the United States.
  • Given this recent report combined with Dell’s airplane’s flight data, Dell could be looking to lay down some new manufacturing roots in and around Europe.
  • Investors, whether or not they are currently invested in Dell’s stock (NYSE: DELL), will want to keep an eye on any further developments.
  • Owner: Kroger
  • Date: 1/11/2023
  • Origin: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Destination: North Central West Virginia Airport (Harrison County, West Virginia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Although publicly traded grocery conglomerate Kroger (NYSE: KR) already has a formidable presence in West Virginia, the company and its executives could be looking to further expand its presence in the region.
  • Through either more stores or regional distribution centers, Kroger is likely doing anything in its power to eat the lunches of its local, domestic competitors as well as its other threats.
  • Have you heard of Walmart?
  • While others are not as well capitalized and/or overall bearish on expanding their store footprint across the United States, it’s good to see Kroger seemingly taking a more bullish stance, looking to perhaps expand and further penetrate their domestic markets.
  • Owner: Pfizer
  • Date: 1/10/2023
  • Origin: Trenton-Mercer Airport (Ewing, New Jersey)
  • Destination: Santa Barbara Airport (Santa Barbara, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • Historically, it has been far from a rarity for one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer, to establish deep collaborations with top universities across the globe, including, of course, the University of California, Santa Barbara.
  • Members of Pfizer’s executive team are likely taking a trip out west to check on current developments involved with the University’s research.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 1/8/2023
  • Origin: Washington Dulles International Airport 
  • Destination: Rogers Executive Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Money Moves:
  • A few weeks prior to the end of 2022, Walmart heavily hinted that it might be looking to close stores as concerns regarding in-store theft.
  • This could be one of the reasons one of Walmart’s corporate planes recently took a trip to Washington D.C.
  • Specifically, we think members of the company’s executive team could be visiting with politicians in efforts to increase security in and around stores.
  • Retail theft and theft in general doesn’t only impact companies and businesses, but it also negatively affects everyday consumers as it forces companies and businesses to raise prices.
  • Ultimately, if theft continues it will only lead to companies likely missing earnings expectations and subsequently the degradation of share price in the company’s stock.
  • Owner: Stephen Schwarzman (Blackstone)
  • Date: 1/4/2023
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: Houston Hobby Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Per report after report, it hasn’t exactly been an uncommon occurrence for multibillion-dollar asset manager Blackstone to buy up all of the real estate it can get its hands on.
  • Heck, they’ve even recently acquired an entire property development and management company in our neck of the woods by the name of American Campus Communities.
  • This leads us to think that members of Blackstone’s executive team recently took a trip down to Houston in search of new properties or perhaps a new property management company to fully acquire.
  • One of the possible contenders, if this scenario were proven to be accurate, would be a company that we have written about recently in a stock analysis article, Camden Property Trust (NYSE: CPT).
  • We wouldn’t put it past Blackstone.
  • Owner: Werner Enterprises
  • Date: 1/2/2023
  • Origin: Houston Hobby Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Destination: Quahadi Ranch Airport (Dublin, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, prominent trucking dynamo Werner Enterprises could be looking to further expand its operations in and around Texas.
  • It is no secret that demand for reliable shipping and logistics companies in general is high and that companies such as Werner are trying to capitalize on this trend.
  • Some of the company’s executive members could be in the region to reestablish contracts or develop new ones.
  • Either way, or whatever the case might actually be, Werner is a company that is seldom discussed by the pundits and just might be one to keep your eyes on.
  • Owner: Menard’s
  • Date: 12/28/2022
  • Origin: Bismarck Municipal Airport (Bismarck, North Dakota)
  • Destination: Hector International Airport (Fargo, North Dakota)
  • Money Moves:
  • Alright, alright, get off of our backs, we know that Menard’s is a private company.
  • Even though this is the case, you should cut us a break because we’ve performed in-depth stock analysis articles on public companies that are quite similar to Menard’s.
  • Given one of the company’s corporate airplane’s activity, it seems as though the company is looking to expand its presence in the great state of North Dakota, as it has recently landed in Fargo, North Dakota.
  • Although it appears that the company already has some stores in the area, we wouldn’t necessarily be surprised if the company’s executive team was keen on extracting more market share from its formidable foes such as Lowe’s and Home Depot.
  • Owner: Charter Communications
  • Date: 12/27/2022
  • Origin: Centennial Airport (Englewood, Colorado)
  • Destination: Chicago Midway International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • We’ve recently written a bit about Charter Communications.
  • Being that is rather large telecommunications and cable company with formidable distribution platforms such as Spectrum, it’s not all too surprising to see one of the company’s airplanes in Chicago, Illinois.
  • Simply put, the company’s executive team is likely looking to expand its customer base in and around the Chicagoland area.
  • As the company’s share price is down around 50% this past year’s span of time, there could be growth ahead to look forward to if the company is properly expanding and eating into its competitors’ market share.
  • Owner: Aramark
  • Date: 12/26/2022
  • Origin: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (Bozeman, Montana)
  • Destination: O’Hare International Airport (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • We’ve written a stock analysis article on Aramark in the past and we weren’t thrilled with the results.
  • However, things might be due to shape up as one of the company’s airplanes recently took a bit of a road trip to Colorado and then to Chicago, Illinois, perhaps transporting the company’s executive team in order to work on expanding its client base across the country.
  • This company’s stock has performed underwhelmingly, to say the least, therefore it is our hope that the company is making some headway in improving its current business model, through whatever means.
  • Hopefully some travel can bring clarity.
  • Owner: Life Time
  • Date: 12/25/2022
  • Origin: Rifle Garfield County Airport (Garfield County, Colorado)
  • Destination: Houston Hobby Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Life Time appears to be looking for regions in which they can expand their company’s customer reach.
  • This seems to be a likely scenario with Life Time and one of its corporate airplanes recently taking a trip down to south Texas.
  • Some of the company’s executives might be looking to expand the company’s presence in and around Houston, attempting to thwart its competitors and its moves, such as arguably its largest threat, publicly traded Planet Fitness (NYSE: PLNT).
  • Owner: Elon Musk
  • Date: 12/24/2022
  • Origin: Sacramento International Airport (Sacramento, California)
  • Destination: Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (Broomfield, Colorado)
  • Money Moves:
  • Tesla and Elon Musk have been the talk of the town lately.
  • With a cratering stock price and mounting concerns regarding Musk and his ability to sufficiently tend to Tesla and Twitter, the news can drown out what’s going on and what is possibly happening in the future.
  • That’s where we come in.
  • One of Musk’s airplanes recently touched down northwest of Denver, and it is likely that he is having a Christmas eve dinner with his brother, a Tesla board member, Kimbal Musk or is traveling to meet with the next potential chief executive of Twitter.
  • Owner: Paccar
  • Date: 12/21/2022
  • Origin: Denton Enterprise Airport (Denton, Texas)
  • Destination: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Paccar is one of the most prominent, iconic heavy (semi or 18-wheeler) truck manufacturers in the world.
  • Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, one of Paccar’s corporate airplanes recently touched down back to base from Denton, Texas.
  • This was likely a business trip down to work with one of its suppliers or clients in order to renew current contracts or perhaps develop and iron out new contracts, both of which would bode well for its current shareholders.
  • Owner: Evan Spiegel
  • Date: 12/20/2022
  • Origin: Van Nuys Airport (Los Angeles, California)
  • Destination: Lynden Pindling International Airport (Nassau, The Bahamas)
  • Money Moves:
  • This one is going to be relatively short but interesting, nevertheless.
  • From our perspective, one of the founders of Snapchat, Evan Spiegel, or at least reportedly his airplane, recently took a trip to The Bahamas. 
  • This is an interesting time to be taking a trip to Nassau in order to attempt to salvage some of his investment in FTX (we don’t know if Spiegel invested in FTX, it’s just a currently unbased assumption) or is just taking a luxurious vacation.
  • Have you heard of FTX?
  • Nonetheless, investors should keep their eyes on developments as they arise from the FTX situation.
  • Evan Spiegel certainly might be.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 12/19/2022
  • Origin: Truckee Tahoe Airport (Truckee, California)
  • Destination: Rogers Municipal Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Money Moves:
  • As mentioned in previous articles and alluded to in other Follow The Money archives, Walmart, is the world’s largest retailer.
  • With currently well over 11,000 stores worldwide, there still appears to be some additional room for expansion even for the retail behemoth.
  • While a relatively boring and unexciting Follow The Money segment, some of the members of the company’s executive team likely took a trip out west to either perform an in-store visit or two, checking on the operational efficiency of the stores or are possibly looking to expand and lay down new stores in the region.
  • Either way, keeping tabs on what Walmart is doing can prove to be a barometer of the overall economy, among other things, of course.
  • Owner: Michael Dell
  • Date: 12/14/2022
  • Origin: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (Austin, Texas)
  • Destination: San Francisco International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Michael Dell, as we’ve written about him and his company in previous articles, has many different hats.
  • One hat is being the founder and CEO of Dell and another is being a board member of cloud computing company VMware, which is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
  • At the time of the publication of this archive, VMware is in the process of being acquired by Broadcom.
  • We wanted to bring this to your attention for two primary reasons.
  • One, this could indicate (although we doubt this is actually the case) that Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware could be in jeopardy, thus Mr. Dell taking a trip out west.
  • However, we think the more likely scenario is that Dell is performing some work to keep the deal progressing and getting closer to closing.
  • Like Elon Musk, Michael Dell maintains important leadership positions across various companies.
  • OwnerAbbott Laboratories
  • Date: 12/14/2022
  • Origin: London Luton Airport
  • Destination: Waukegan National Airport (Waukegan, Illinois)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Abbott is a staple in the pharmaceutical industry, as it is one of the world’s largest providers of medical devices and other related products.
  • With operations in both the United States and England, it makes sense that one of the company’s airplanes has recently gotten back from a trip across the pond.
  • Members of the company’s executive team could’ve been simply checking on operations overseas or potentially looking to acquire a smaller company in region.
  • Abbott is headquartered where else but Abbott Park, Illinois, which is near Waukegan, Illinois.
  • OwnerThe Coca-Cola Company
  • Date: 12/12/2022
  • Origin: Farnborough Airport (Hampshire, England)
  • Destination: Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Big Soccer can mean Big Business.
  • Well, at least it does in the context of The Coca-Cola Company.
  • We assume that the company has spent its fair share in marketing and advertising, as the company, as briefly touched on in previous articles, is one of the most globally iconic brands in the world.
  • It’s also no secret that the World Cup, held in Qatar this year, is one of the most sought after and viewed sporting tournaments in the world.
  • One of Coca-Cola’s airplanes likely took a trip to bring some of its top executives to watch a few games as well as continue to market its products in the region.
  • Either way, this is just another of the many instances where sports and business commingle.
  • OwnerThe Hershey Company
  • Date: 12/8/2022
  • Origin: Harrisburg International Airport (Middletown, Pennsylvania)
  • Destination: Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (Temple, Texas)
  • Money Moves: 
  • We’ve also written extensively about The Hershey Company, headquartered in where else but Hershey, Pennsylvania.
  • One of the members of our team at MacroHint noticed that Hershey’s’ corporate airplane found itself in the great state of Texas, specifically in a relatively small but booming town by the name of Temple.
  • While it doesn’t appear as though the company has any operations such as plants or factories in the area, it just might be looking to expand its operations in the region.
  • Are Texans craving chocolate that much more that The Hershey Company might need to build out a new facility to meet demand and its presence in the southern belt of the country?
  • OwnerSimon Property Group
  • Date: 12/8/2022
  • Origin: Indianapolis International Airport
  • Destination: Boston Logan International Airport
  • Money Moves: 
  • According to the company’s website, Simon Property Group presently has 12 shopping centers in Massachusetts.
  • Given that one Herb Simons’, one of the founders of Simon Property Group (headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana), airplanes recently touched down in Boston, this might be subject to change.
  • As we’ve written about Simon Property Group in the past and expressed our views regarding the state of the mall and shopping industry, combined with the bleak domestic and global economic outlooks, it might be that Simon and his business associates are looking to wind some stores down and beef up its cash (and cash equivalents) before the current recession gets any worse.
  • If this is true, then it could be a sign that large businesses and corporations are taking action and preparing for a substantial economic downfall over the next few years.
  • OwnerUnion Pacific
  • Date: 12/8/2022
  • Origin: Gwinnett County-Briscoe Field (Lawrenceville, Georgia)
  • Destination: Eppley Airfield (Omaha, Nebraska)
  • Money Moves: 
  • One of Union Pacific’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip to Georgia, specifically close to where one of its competitors is headquartered, Norfolk Southern.
  • This could simply be members of Union Pacific’s executive team taking a trip to renew a contract or settle some labor or union disputes, however, it could also be the early innings of a major acquisition of who else but Norfolk Southern.
  • There has been a fair amount of larger consolidation plays in the railroad industry, therefore, it would surprise us at MacroHint in the slightest if UP was looking into fully acquiring Norfolk Southern and its track territory.
  • OwnerSherwin-Williams
  • Date: 12/6/2022
  • Origin: Miami International Airport
  • Destination: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
  • Money Moves: 
  • The real estate market has been known to be hot in Florida, in general.
  • This is one of the main reasons one of Sherwin-Williams’ airplanes recently took a trip down to Miami.
  • Specifically, if we had to guess, we’d assume that the company is looking to open a few more store locations in the area, as we’ve mentioned in previous MacroHint articles, focusing particularly on Sherwin-Williams and its stock, the company’s business is inherently tied up in the state of the real estate market, which isn’t too hot right now.
  • Therefore, we think either the housing market is still hot in Florida or the company is setting up some more stores in order to meet the demand to come when it gets hot again. 
  • Interestingly enough, we see Sherwin-Williams as a useful barometer for the economy, specifically the real estate sector.
  • OwnerProcter & Gamble
  • Date: 12/5/2022
  • Origin: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Destination: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
  • Money Moves: 
  • We’d argue that business has increasingly become intertwined with politics.
  • Especially Big Business.
  • This could be evidenced by one of Procter & Gamble’s airplanes recently taking a trip to everyone’s favorite place, Washington, D.C.
  • This Follow The Money achieve is unlike others in the sense that it’s a bit boring and more miscellaneous than others.
  • It’s just a friendly reminder from your friends at MacroHint that when investing, it can pay to keep an eye on current events and politics in general, which can have major, direct impacts on businesses and their respective industries in the future.
  • We’ve seen this in recent stock analysis articles.
  • OwnerBNSF Railway
  • Date: 12/5/2022
  • Origin: Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (Fort Worth, Texas)
  • Destination: Tulsa International Airport (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Being one of the world’s largest freight railroad operators, the executive team managing Burlington Northern Sante Fe, commonly referred to just as BNSF, must do a lot of traveling.
  • While the railroad industry and freight logistics sector tends to fly a tad below the radar, the railroads and the United States government have received their fair share of mutual press regarding the potential for a nationwide rail strike.
  • There is a lot to be unpacked and discussed in this context, however sticking to the segment, we think it’s possible that members of BNSF’s executive team traveled to Tulsa to work on bargaining with its employees that are threatening to strike in the region.
  • Although this could be the case, it could also simply be that some of the higher-ups at the company are merely checking in on operations in the region.
  • Either way, investors across the board will definitely want to keep tabs on any further developments related to the potential rail strikes.
  • OwnerApple
  • Date: 12/2/2022
  • Origin: Washington Dulles International Airport
  • Destination: Los Angeles International Airport 
  • Money Moves: 
  • Apple and its CEO, Tim Cook, have been under the spotlight to an exceptionally high degree recently.
  • As Cook and fellow executives (most likely members of his legal team or outside counsel) traveled to D.C. recently to discuss other matters, this current contention and uncertainty overseas, particularly in China, should be concerning for the company’s current shareholders.
  • Namely, major corporations are already grappling with external, cost-related headwinds and negative foreign exchange impacts, but Apple is quite susceptible to geopolitical turmoil and that is evident right now.
  • OwnerStan Kroenke
  • Date: 11/30/2022
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: Centennial Airport (Englewood, Colorado)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Anyone who alleges that business and sports can’t comingle is just flat out wrong.
  • Business is sport and sports are business.
  • In this particular instance, one of the most athletic (and controversial) NFL superstars, Odell Beckham Jr., was most recently signed by the Los Angeles Rams, owned by Stan Kroenke (who also owns the Denver Nuggets, which accounts for why the plane ultimately landed in Colorado), with whom he won a Super Bowl with last year, is now reportedly being sought after by other major franchises around the league, including none other than the New York Giants, a team he has played for before and also the same city one of Kroenke’s airplanes recently made a trip to. 
  • While this trip could’ve just been a vacation to the Big Apple, the timing suggests that it’s more likely that Kroenke was either looking to keep Beckham Jr. or negotiate a sort of trade deal with the Giants.
  • Sure, this doesn’t necessarily impact your everyday life, but it just goes to show that you can find business in nonconventional places. 
  • OwnerChick-fil-A
  • Date: 11/29/2022
  • Origin: Orlando International Airport (Orlando, Florida)
  • Destination: Atlanta Regional Airport- Falcon Field (Peachtree City, Georgia)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Headquartered in College Park, Georgia, Chick-fil-A has taken the world by storm and has continued to grow at quite a rapid pace.
  • Although we usually bring public companies into the Follow The Money archives, we’ll make an exception.
  • To keep a long story short, our estimation is that members of Chick-fil-A’s executive team were down in Florida, looking to expand its territory and overall presence in the region and scoop up as much business as possible during the current recession. 
  • While it is very unlikely, at least from our vantage point that the company will ever become publicly traded, we’ve written about the company in the past and it’s an interesting company to keep tabs on as the economy ebbs and flows.
  • OwnerWalmart
  • Date: 11/29/2022
  • Origin: Santiago de Chile Airport (Santiago, Chile)
  • Destination: Rogers Municipal Airport (Rogers, Arkansas)
  • Money Moves: 
  • We had no idea that Walmart had a presence in Chile.
  • Being the large(st) retailer that it is combined with the fact that the company already has an established presence in the region, we think the two most plausible assumption to make is that some members of Walmart’s executive team took a trip to check on operations and make sure their logistics in the region are running smoothly and/or they were working with some of their current suppliers, possibly negotiating new contracts or even ditching some.
  • Although this is pure speculation, Walmart is a very important company and thus should be watched by investors not just who want to possibly invest in the company, but also want to keep tabs on the global economy as a whole.
  • OwnerLas Vegas Sands
  • Date: 11/28/2022
  • Origin: John F. Kennedy International Airport (Queens, New York)
  • Destination: Laurence G. Hanscom Field (Near Bedford, Massachusetts) 
  • Money Moves: 
  • As we have previously discussed in detail the pros and cons of investing in Las Vegas Sands’ stock, geopolitical risk(s) are certainly one of the largest cons or external risks that can push shares to the upside and of course, the downside as well.
  • However, some of that pressure has been, for now, alleviated as Sands and its resort and casino counterparts (such as MGM and Wynn) have, just days prior to this archive, received licenses in Asian gaming hub, Macao.
  • However, given the rising threats of and regional protests surrounding COVID-19, Sands’ executive team may be looking elsewhere to keep its business going as volatility and uncertainty remains in the far east.
  • This move would make sense given that one of its competitors, Wynn, already has a resort in the area.
  • Sands could be looking to expand and eat some of Wynn’s lunch while skirting uncertainty overseas.
  • OwnerMark Zuckerberg
  • Date: 11/27/2022
  • Origin: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (Austin, Texas)
  • Money Moves: 
  • There has been some recent scuttlebutt around Meta Platforms (formerly known as Facebook) and it potentially setting some deep roots in downtown Austin, Texas.
  •  Specifically, the company has acquired some rather sizable and lofty real estate in the area.
  • Additionally, one of the company’s largest individual shareholders and the famed founder of the company, Mark Zuckerberg, has been prominently on the scene in Austin, recently being a guest on Joe Rogan’s podcast and previewing the company’s new strategy, mainly as it relates to the metaverse at well known local music festival, SXSW (South by Southwest).
  • It’s safe to say Meta could be on the verge of moving its headquarters from Menlo Park, California to Austin, Texas, at least, from our perspective.
  • I mean, other major technology companies have recently moved from California to Texas, such as Tesla and Oracle.
  • If this were to happen, this would play a huge role in growing the local economy as well as likely helping Meta receive more favorable tax treatment as a result of the potential relocation.
  • We are definitely going to keep tabs on any new developments.
  • OwnerAir Products & Chemicals
  • Date: 11/27/2022
  • Origin: Lehigh Valley International Airport (Lehigh County, Pennsylvania)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (Austin, Texas)
  • Money Moves: 
  • The name of the game is the name of the…well…name!
  • Air Products & Chemicals, headquartered in in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is one of the world’s largest (and might we add most important) industrial gas companies.
  • So, what’s one of the company’s corporate planes doing down in MacroHint’s neck of the woods, Austin, Texas?
  • It appears that the company has some operations in the area, specifically, a sort of chemical manufacturing plant on the outskirts of town.
  • The company’s executive team could be seeking to expand its operations in the region, as it faces some pretty stiff competition (that we’ve written in-depth articles about before). 
  • It could also be taking a trip to perform a sort of cursory check on its current operations.
  • OwnerDomino’s Pizza
  • Date: 11/22/2022
  • Origin: Piedmont Triad International Airport (Near Greensboro, North Carolina)
  • Destination: Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (Sarasota, Florida)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Pizza companies and their stocks have been a primary point of discussion in recent history here at MacroHint.
  • We figured we’d keep the trend going as we enter into the holiday season. 
  • Domino’s corporate airplane recently touched down in sunny Florida, likely to meet with one of the company’s franchisees or franchise groups within its rather extensive network.
  • Although this is pure speculation, it’s what makes the most logical sense.
  • We bring Domino’s into the mix (in addition to a prevailing pizza trend) to briefly highlight the fact that, from our perspective, the company’s performance acts as a sort of economic and consumer strength gauge, as ordering and buying pizza definitely falls into the discretionary spending category.
  • So far, the company has performed pretty well in recent history, however we think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to track this company and its quarterly earnings report(s) moving forward, so as to keep a pulse on the American and global economics and their relative standings.
  • Owner: O’Reilly Auto Parts
  • Date: 11/17/2022
  • Origin: San Antonio International Airport
  • Destination: Springfield-Branson National Airport (Springfield, Missouri)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Headquartered in none other than Springfield, Missouri, O’Reilly Auto Parts is one of the nation’s largest auto retailers in the United States, brushing up against stiff competition such as AutoZone and Advance Auto Parts.
  • As it relates more specifically to this Follow The Money segment, O’Reilly has a distribution center in San Antonio, strongly suggesting that members of the company’s executive team took a trip to perform a sort of check-up on operations, possibly looking to implement robot or artificial intelligence-rooted technology into its current distribution process(es). 
  • While this is pure speculation, it is nevertheless good for investors of all stages to keep an eye out on what companies are doing in the present and how it might just shape the future.
  • Owner: JPMorgan Chase
  • Date: 11/13/2022
  • Origin: London Stansted Airport
  • Destination: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai, India)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Given the fact that one of JPMorgan Chase’s airplanes took a trip across the pond and further east, the company could be looking to beef up its consumer banking operations in India.
  • The company already has a sizable business presence in India.
  • Since the current general business environment in the United States isn’t exactly screaming consumer and/or investor confidence, members of the company’s executive team could be taking a trip to India in order to perform a cursory check on banking operations in the region or to specifically expand avenues through which it can further produce more profits in the area as a sort of hedge against the overall economy, or at least, the United States as well as a means of pursuing a long-term business strategy by expanding its operations across the globe.
  • Owner: Starbucks
  • Date: 11/9/2022
  • Origin: Juan Santamaria International Airport (Costa Rica)
  • Destination: Unknown
  • Money Moves: 
  • Commodity cost fluctuations, particularly in cocoa are vital to Starbucks’ profitability and is likely monitored by its executives daily.
  • While Starbucks is one of the most iconic brands in the history of the world, it is by no means completely immune to price volatility when it comes to raw goods and materials used to make and enhance its products.
  • We added this as a Follow The Money archive because we think it’s important for investors of all walks of life to remember that no matter how well a company has done in the past or how scaled it is, there tend to always be very real threats lurking around the corner.
  • It’s all good until it’s not.
  • This is just a friendly reminder to invest strategically and cautiously, especially in today’s current market environment.
  • Owner: PepsiCo
  • Date: 11/7/2022
  • Origin: Aeropuerto Internacional de Torreon (Torreon, Mexico)
  • Destination: Westchester County Airport (White Plains, New York)
  • Money Moves: 
  • In previous Follow The Money posts related to company airplanes traveling to distribution centers, the vast majority have been stateside. 
  • However, to our pleasure, we’ve recently found that one of PepsiCo’s corporate airplanes took a flight down to Torreon, Mexico.
  • We don’t think this was a corporate retreat. 
  • We think it’s a stronger assumption that members of the company’s executive team took a trip to check on the operations of its major distribution center in the region.
  • It’s great to know that PepsiCo has a strong enough presence in this territory and in Mexico in general given that we initially assumed Coca Cola held most of the market share in the region.
  • While it’s usually not a bad idea to keep tabs on what’s happening in the United States with large companies such as PepsiCo, it might not hurt to also be aware of what’s happening in countries nearby.
  • Owner: Allstate
  • Date: 11/3/2022
  • Origin: Nashville International Airport
  • Destination: Chicago Executive Airport
  • Money Moves: It is by no means a secret that Chicago has seen mass exodus of businesses leaving the state due to heightened crime rates and/or due to it being an unfavorable business environment (taxes specifically come to mind) altogether.
  • From Caterpillar to Boeing and many others extracting significant portions of its operations from the Windy City and the state of Illinois, we wouldn’t be at all surprised if major insurance provider (currently headquartered in Illinois) followed the crowd.
  • In fact, the company did recently sold its primary headquarters campus (in Northbrook, Illinois) for $232 million.
  • This gives us reason to believe that the insurance company might be looking to plant its corporate roots in a more tax-favorable business environment such as Nashville, Tennessee. 
  • Prospective and current investors in Allstate will likely want to keep tabs on any new developments.
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 11/1/2022
  • Origin: Dulles International Airport (Washington, D.C.)
  • Destination: Ben Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv, Israel)
  • Money Moves:
  • Walmart does not currently have stores or any meaningful operations in Israel.
  • However, given talks between the country’s leadership and Walmart’s US CEO, it could soon become a reality and Walmart could commence retail and store operations in the region.
  • It’s no secret that the global economy has seen its fair share of softening and retailers need to continue finding ways to penetrate new markets and execute, even as the vast majority of consumers are living on tight budgets.
  • We wouldn’t be surprised if Walmart made a push into the Israeli market but the company’s plane traveling to the region could also simply be a sort of cursory trip to observe and study the retail landscape in the region.
  • Owner: Valero Energy
  • Date: 10/30/2022
  • Origin: Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Destination: San Antonio International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Valero Energy sure isn’t ExxonMobil or Chevron but it still an enormous oil and gas company in the United States, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
  • One of the company’s airplanes took a trip from Atlanta back home.
  • This could be for a variety of reasons, however we think it might have something to do with the company’s recent announcement regarding production in the south.
  • Specifically, the company recently announced it aimed to see their refineries at 95% production, which isn’t necessarily a bad sign for investors.
  • While it’s tough to make any sort of guarantees in the oil and gas sector due to constant price volatility being a crude reality (that was funny, right?), Valero is definitely one of the companies that tends to fly below the network’s radars and thus just might be worth looking into as an investment moving forward.
  • Owner: CSX Corporation
  • Date: 10/28/2022
  • Origin: Washington Dulles International Airport
  • Destination: Jacksonville International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • The (freight) railroad industry has been in the news a lot recently.
  • Railroads are one of the transport and logistics cornerstones and necessities on which the United States (and the rest of the world for that matter) depends upon.
  • We can’t help to assume that this might have to do with one of CSX’s corporate planes making a trip to Washington, D.C. and back to Florida, where it is headquartered.
  • The White House has been involved in this situation as well.
  • While we don’t have any specific, major assumptions as to what members of CSX’s executive team were doing out in D.C., this railroad strike news is one that not only investors should follow, but consumers as well.
  • This is a big deal and the decisions made moving forward have massive implications on our lives.
  • Owner: Visa Incorporated
  • Date: 10/27/2022
  • Origin: Westchester County Airport (White Plains, New York)
  • Destination: La Romana International Airport (La Romana, Dominican Republic)
  • Money Moves:
  • What could be a luxurious seaside vacation could also be Visa looking to expand against its formidable foe, Mastercard.
  • We’re not exactly sure of how prominent Visa is in the Dominican Republic, however we do know that the company has an overall market share of 8%.
  • If not for pleasure, probably for business.
  • Specifically, we’d assume that the main reason one of the company’s aircraft is touched down in La Romana is because some of the members of Visa’s executive team are likely working on growing its presence south of the border.
  • Given that this is pure speculation, it’s still interesting to see and perhaps figure out what companies, especially ones as large as Visa are doing before anything is formally announced.
  • Owner: FedEx
  • Date: 10/25/2022
  • Origin: Pittsburgh International Airport
  • Destination: Memphis International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • A lot of companies have been working on automating their delivery systems in efforts to increase their overall effiency.
  • However, sometimes it’s a great thing to know when you’re getting ahead of yourself or the technology just simply isn’t ready to be scaled yet.
  • The latter appears to be the case for FedEx.
  • Even though certain states have already legalized the use of autonomous delivery robots and mechanisms, if the technology isn’t there yet and FedEx’s executive team isn’t necessarily confident enough to implement it on a large scale, why do it?
  • We definitely don’t mind this move from FedEx, as they have a proven logistics and delivery network that has worked well for them in the past.
  • It’ll be interesting to see when or even if FedEx will further pursue and eventually implement this technology and how it will all play out.
  • Owner: Eli Lilly and Company
  • Date: 10/24/2022
  • Origin: Indianapolis International Airport (Indianapolis, Indiana)
  • Destination: Memphis International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Eli Lilly’s stock (NYSE: LLY) has been on an absolute tear.
  • Specifically, it’s up nearly 45% since last October, approximately one year ago.
  • Eli Lilly has also been on a tear when it comes to making strategic acquisitions.
  • For instance, it was recently reported that the company is acquiring biotechnology company Akouos.
  • This is all the more reason to believe Eli Lilly is potentially looking to acquire another biotechnology company based in Memphis or around the area in Tennessee.
  • Investors might want to keep an ear to the ground as it relates to Eli Lilly and its involvement in pharmaceutical M&A in the near future.
  • What better way to potentially get ahead of deals than to Follow the Money?
  • Owner: NCR Corporation
  • Date: 10/18/2022
  • Origin: Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (Sarasota, Florida)
  • Destination: Cobb County International Airport (Cobb County, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Georgia-headquartered NCR’s stock has seen better days.
  • And by days we mean months.
  • And by months we mean years.
  • And by…ok, you get it.
  • Although a company with a large global presence, the stock hasn’t performed all that well and as we’ve written in previous stock analysis articles, we don’t exactly think highly of the company’s financials.
  • Furthermore, since the publication of our article, the company’s share price reacted negatively to the announcement that instead of being acquired by another company or financial firm, it plans on splitting itself into two.
  • Apparently, NCR has an office in Sarasota.
  • This could possibly be a cursory trip to see which branches might be underperforming in the region or regions across the country in order to ultimately decide who to lay off and who to keep.
  • Although this is pure speculation, a lot of major companies have been laying mass amounts of its employees.
  • Owner: The Walt Disney Company
  • Date: 10/18/2022
  • Origin: Orlando International Airport
  • Destination: Centennial Airport (Englewood, Colorado)
  • Money Moves:
  • We’re not sure how much Mickey is liked in Colorado, but it must be a lot if Disney has a resort in Denver.
  • It would be Goofy if Mickey wasn’t well received in the area and the company spent all of this time building out a resort.
  • Please excuse our puns.
  • However, in more recent news it appears as though Disney is bringing a new, truly immersive experience to the area.
  • No, seriously.
  • While likely a savvy business move in the long run, we definitely don’t see it as a major catalyst to consider investing in the company’s stock as we enter a recession.
  • Specifically, people aren’t going to or likely won’t be willing to splurge on a trip to Disney when they’re worrying about paying for gas or their next meals.
  • Nevertheless, it’s good to see that Disney and its executive team seems to be focused on creating more entertainment value for its customers throughout the United States.
  • Owner: Cintas
  • Date: 10/14/2022
  • Origin: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Destination: Newark Liberty International Airport 
  • Money Moves:
  • What’s one of Cintas‘ private planes doing in New Jersey on a Friday night?
  • While it could be sightseeing, it’s more likely that some of the company’s executives are working on or prospecting the area, in addition to its current locations and facilities in the area, to either close up certain facilities (due to crime, which has been rampant in big cities in the United States recently) or perhaps on the other hand looking to open up new facilities in and around New Jersey.
  • Maybe the labor market in New Jersey is relatively resilient and we just don’t know it.
  • With Cintas, one must keep in mind that the company does better when businesses (its customers) are open. 
  • Given that this is the case, the company could also be looking to scope out any hint of COVID-19 concerns in the area, which could lead to more business restrictions which would ultimately impact Cintas if the trend continued.
  • While there are a whole host of reasons for one of the company’s airplanes being in New Jersey, an inquisitive investor tends to be a smart and informed investor.
  • Owner: Constellation Energy
  • Date: 10/12/2022
  • Origin: Aurora Municipal Airport (Aurora, Illinois)
  • Destination: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Recently detached from its former company, Exelon, Constellation Energy is gigantic player in the utilities space nationwide.
  • While the company’s recent travels appear somewhat routine given that the company is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, we think this company’s stock is worth keeping in the back of your minds, especially during the current and future economic backdrop.
  • Regardless of how bad the state of the economy becomes, people still need to keep the lights on and heat their homes, both of which (among others) are services Constellation provides.
  • The company’s plane likely departed from Sugar Grove, Illinois because the company, like Exelon, has operations in the area.
  • Owner: McDonald’s
  • Date: 10/11/2022
  • Origin: King County International Airport (King County, Washington)
  • Destination: San Francisco International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • McDonald’s, like many other global business establishments has fallen victim to heightened crime near its headquarters and its locations across the globe, particularly in the United States.
  • Currently headquartered in crime-ridden Chicago, the company’s CEO has been quite vocal about his thoughts regarding the state of lawlessness (primarily the lack thereof) in the area.
  • He’s not the only one that has gripes with the current business and economic landscape of Chicago and the state of Illinois as a whole.
  • For instance, Tyson recently announced that it is consolidating its corporate offices and leaving Chicago.
  • Additionally, other major companies such as Caterpillar is moving its headquarters to Dallas, Boeing flying the coup to Virginia and even Ken Griffin’s Citadel investment firm is moving to Miami.
  • Given that one of McDonald’s corporate planes recently touched down in San Francisco, this could be an early stage of the company looking for a new home, possibly around San Francisco or maybe in Seattle.
  • Owner: Norfolk Southern
  • Date: 10/8/2022
  • Origin: Sonoma County Airport (Sonoma County, California)
  • Destination: Fulton County Airport (Fulton County, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • So, this is interesting.
  • According to Norfolk Southern’s system map on its website, the Georgia-based company’s operations extend out as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, heavily concentrating the vast majority of its operations in the east coast. 
  • Why in the world was one of the company’s airplanes recently in Sonoma County, California (a bit north of San Fransisco, as a point of reference)?
  • This could be a sign that the railroad is looking to expand its operations out west, which is currently dominated by BNSF and Union Pacific.
  • While we’re just speculating, it would be interesting to see if Norfolk Southern could meaningfully extract any market share from the competition.
  • While we think it’s likely more fruitful in the long run for the company to stay laser focused on the east side of the United States, investors will likely want to keep an eye on corporate news and announcements regarding Norfolk Southern and its potential expansion beyond the east.
  • Owner: Target
  • Date: 10/8/2022
  • Origin: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
  • Destination: London Stansted Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Target’s corporate planes recently touched down in London, a region of the world where it apparently doesn’t currently have any stores.
  • This could potentially be changing given the company’s recent travel history.
  • We presume that either the company’s executive team is scoping out the market in England and/or the United Kingdom or they are in the process of potentially acquiring a small supplier or technology company to better help Target acquire more consumers.
  • Target has engaged in this style of activity in the past as it purchased delivery and logistics company Shipt in 2017.
  • Nevertheless, when an American company takes a trip overseas, we get interested to say the least.
  • Owner: Deere & Company
  • Date: 10/7/2022
  • Origin: Los Angeles International Airport 
  • Destination: Quad City International Airport (Moline, Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • Deere & Company has come a long with from tractors to software.
  • Why not both, the company might reply.
  • Specifically, autonomous farming isn’t too far away, as it seems to already be here.
  • This might be a hint as to why one of the company’s corporate airplanes recently took a trip to Los Angeles, as many skunk works as well as mature software and software development companies are out in the west coast.
  • The company’s executive team could be in talks with acquiring or partnering with one or a few companies that specialize in software and/or autonomous technologies.
  • This is important to keep in mind with Deere primarily because it’s another major way in which the company can generate revenue; through software-related fees.
  • While we’re merely speculating on the reasons regarding why one of the company’s planes was in Los Angeles, it’s a fact that the company is moving closer and closer to major technological advancements in their current products and services.
  • Owner: Dollar General
  • Date: 10/7/2022
  • Origin: Nashville International Airport (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Destination: Rochester International Airport (Rochester, Minnesota)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of MacroHint’s partners used to work at Tennessee-headquartered Dollar General.
  • No, we’re serious.
  • But not in one of their stores in Minnesota. 
  • Frankly, there aren’t hundreds of reasons we can rattle off regarding why one of Dollar General’s corporate airplanes has flow north for the winter, but we can offer a few guesses.
  • For instance, members of the company’s executive team might be scouting out new lots for potential store locations in the area.
  • The company’s executive team could also be up north to meet with one of its business partners, 3M, however this wouldn’t make all that much sense since the 3M is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, which is relatively far from Rochester.
  • Why wouldn’t they just fly directly to Saint Paul?
  • Nevertheless, the company could also be facing union-related issues as there has been a lot of recent buzz in regard to worker’s working conditions.
  • Whatever has sent DG’s executive team to Minnesota, it might be of interest to investors as this company is a major player in retail. 
  • Owner: Walmart
  • Date: 10/2/2022
  • Origin: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (Anchorage, Alaska)
  • Destination: Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
  • Money Moves:
  • Walmart doesn’t currently have any stores or extensive operations in Vietnam, but given that one of the company’s corporate airplanes is currently idled in Ho Chi Minh, this could change.
  • The company and its executive team might be in the area to work with local and national government officials in order to plant a few stores in the area.
  • While Walmart didn’t see much success in Japan, the company and perhaps its retained consultants might see an opportunity that other retailers don’t.
  • If this were to happen, this could be a boon for the world’s largest retailer and its shareholders, of course, if it works in the long run.
  • As it relates to Alaska, the company probably just had a brief fuel layover prior to making the rest of its trip to Asia.
  • Owner: BNSF Railway
  • Date: 10/1/2022
  • Origin: Barstow-Daggett Airport (Daggett, California)
  • Destination: Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (Fort Worth, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • So, BNSF is pretty much a public company.
  • Well, sort of.
  • The company is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, which itself is publicly traded.
  • The Fort Worth-headquartered railroad company’s private airplane recently took a trip to near Barstow, California, where it has extensive operations and a large project underway.
  • In addition to sparking the local economy, the project is likely to bring BNSF and Berkshire Hathaway a lot of financial and operating successes, along with enabling the railroad to make and maintain a stronger supply chain, which has been an issue in the past.
  • Members of the company’s executive team were likely taking a trip to ensure the project was proceeding smoothly and tending to any issues or complications.
  • The sum of the parts of this project could prove to be a major bull case for Berkshire Hathaway’s stock.
  • Owner: ExxonMobil
  • Date: 9/28/2022
  • Origin: Dallas Love Field Airport
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Did you hear that ExxonMobil is moving?
  • The company recently announced that like LeBron, it will be taking its talents from near Dallas, Texas down to Houston, Texas.
  • Ok, that’s not exactly what they said, but stay with us.
  • While this isn’t exactly earth or stock-shattering news, ExxonMobil’s moving to the coolest place in the world, it can be considered, at least from our perspective that it will bode well for the company moving forward, especially in regard to the company being closer to the action as fellow oil and gas giants such as Kinder Morgan, Hess and others are headquartered in Houston.
  • Owner: Old Dominion Freight Line
  • Date: 9/22/2022
  • Origin: Wilmington International Airport (Wilmington, North Carolina)
  • Destination: Piedmont Triad International Airport (Guilford County, North Carolina)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Thomasville, North Carolina, Old Dominion Freight Line (NASDAQ: ODFL) is one of the premier freight logistics companies in the United States.
  • Since many of the company’s corporate operations reside in North Carolina, it makes sense that the company’s airplane has been making recent trips to and from Wilmington.
  • Some of the executive team members from the company might’ve been performing a cursory check on operations or possibly looking to expand its operations in the region, building more loading centers or further building out its truck fleet.
  • Regardless, Old Dominion is a company that is slept on by the pundits and might just be worth your attention moving forward, especially given the generally heightened demand for reputable freight transport companies.
  • Owner: Texas Instruments
  • Date: 9/19/2022
  • Origin: McKinney National Airport (McKinney, Texas)
  • Destination: Bristol Airport (Bristol, England)
  • Money Moves:
  • Texas Instruments, or as we like to see them as the calculator company, is a major player in the semiconductor space and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas (which is quite close to McKinney).
  • One of the company’s private planes recently took a trip across the pond.
  • Given that the company has some openings around the UK (and in Bristol particularly), the company could be in the process of checking in on the operational efficiency and efficacy of one or some of their factories and/or facilities in the UK.
  • The company could also be looking to further expand its operations in the region or on the other hand, close up shop and bring more of its manufacturing closer to home, stateside.
  • Suffice it to say, whatever the case may be, it might serve potential or current investors well to keep tabs on what’s going on with Texas Instruments in Western Europe.
  • Owner: International Paper Company
  • Date: 9/14/2022
  • Origin: Memphis International Airport
  • Destination: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Money Moves:
  • No, this isn’t meant to just be a cringe reference to Dunder Mifflin.
  • Although, it could possibly be thought of as one the company’s most formidable competitors, you know, if it actually existed.
  • While not as cool as the Michael Scott Paper Company, International Paper is the world’s largest pulp and paper company, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. 
  • It appears as though the company has an office or two in Cincinnati, Ohio, which makes sense given the company’s airplane’s recent travels.
  • Members of the company’s executive team could be looking to expand their operating capabilities in the area (servicing or optimizing current plants or building new ones) as Ohio has become quite the emerging business hub in the United States.
  • If this were to be the case, there could be some reason(s) to consider investing in this giant, non-fictitious paper company.
  • Owner: FedEx
  • Date: 9/9/2022
  • Origin: Miami International Airport
  • Destination: Memphis International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • As one of America’s most likely well-known and well-used businesses, Federal Express (FedEx) has seen better days.
  • The company has recently been plagued with issues involving its relationship(s) with its contractors regarding how to handle rising costs.
  • FedEx has recently filed suit against the company.
  • This is something to watch for as things progress.
  • One of the company’s planes might’ve been out in Miami working with or retaining outside counsel (in addition to its internal counsel) to work on the matter.
  • Owner: Hess 
  • Date: 9/7/2022
  • Origin: Minot International Airport (Minor, North Dakota)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • While many major oil and gas companies focus their operations primarily in and around Texas, Oklahoma, Alaska and other regions around the world, there aren’t many companies with as great a hold in the great state of North Dakota.
  • Hess has the hold.
  • The company manages operations in the Bakken region, an oil and natural resource-rich region in what I’d considered to be one of the flattest states on planet earth.
  • Their operations in the Bakken region are headquartered in where else but Minot, North Dakota (ultimately headquartered in New York, hence the destination being Teterboro).
  • The company’s executive team could be looking to expand its current operations or perhaps, given the current upswing stage in the oil cycle, looking to divest some of its assets in the region at a profit.
  • Either way, Hess is an oil and gas company that is rarely analyzed and might be working on tapping some wells and value for prospective and current shareholders.
  • Owner: The J.M. Smucker Company
  • Date: 9/6/2022
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport 
  • Destination: Boston Logan International Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • One of the most well-known jelly and jam companies in the world, J.M. Smucker has recently hit a snag with its peanut butter.
  • While this incident has seemingly subsided, the company could be experiencing some more health-related problems, as many other food industry companies are currently working through.
  • While it’s not by any means certain that Smucker’s is having any of these problems at the moment, one of the company’s airplanes has been touring up and down the east coast of the United States, possibly working with local government and regulatory (food safety) agencies to solve any issues its potentially having.
  • This wouldn’t be the first time it’s had issues.
  • Owner: Sherwin-Williams
  • Date: 9/1/2022
  • Origin: DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Destination: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • Apparently, Home Depot, which is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, doesn’t sell Sherwin-Williams’ paint.
  • Sherwin-Williams is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • The coating giant reportedly has an exclusive partnership with one of the company’s main competitors, Lowe’s.
  • Given where one of  Sherwin-Williams’ corporate planes has recently traveled, this might be subject to change.
  • Perhaps the company’s exclusitivty contract with Lowe’s expires soon and the company might be looking to reach more consumers, as Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer in the world.
  • If Sherwin-Williams is able to promote and offer its products in Home Depot’s stores, we think shareholders (prospective or current) should be thrilled.
  • Owner: Chevron
  • Date: 8/30/2022
  • Origin: Palm Beach International Airport (West Palm Beach, Florida)
  • Destination: Oakland International Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in San Ramon, California, one of Chevron’s private planes just got back from a trip from West Palm Beach, Florida.
  • While there isn’t much in terms of oil out in Florida (at least to my knowledge), one of the world’s leaders in the clean energy space, NextEra Energy, is headquartered in North Palm Beach, Florida.
  • While it’s likely that Chevron isn’t looking to acquire NextEra, never say never.
  • The potential acquisition might make sense given Chevron’s push into the clean energy space.
  • What better company to partner with or eventually purchase than the experts.
  • Owner: Cigna
  • Date: 8/29/2022
  • Origin: St. Louis Lambert International Airport (St. Louis, Missouri)
  • Destination: Bradley International Airport (Hartford County, Connecticut)
  •  Money Moves:
  • This Follow the Money segment is going to be relatively simple.
  • Cigna is one of the largest health insurance companies in the world.
  • They maintain approximately 10% market share in the industry.
  • While the company’s primary headquarters is in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Cigna also has corporate offices across the globe, one of which is in St. Louis.
  • Members of the company’s executive team were likely checking on operations in the Midwest, or possibly searching for other smaller health insurance or technology companies to acquire.
  • Owner: Stryker
  • Date: 8/26/2022
  • Origin: New York Stewart International Airport (Orange County, New York)
  • Destination: Kalamazoo Battle Creek International Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • Real estate in New York tends to be a bit more expensive than the rest.
  • That might be why medical device and machine manufacturer (headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan) Stryker might be bringing some corporate officers or manufacturing facilities to the outskirts of New York.
  • While we haven’t seen any news reports to support this, it makes sense that one of the company’s planes was in Newburgh, as it tightens their domestic supply chain in an area with likely plenty of demand for medical devices, New York.
  • Although we could be wrong, Stryker is a solid, seldom discussed and analyzed company that could be looking to expand while investors and the pundits are distracted and have their sights set elsewhere.
  • Owner: McDonald’s
  • Date: 8/26/2022
  • Origin: São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport
  • Destination: DuPage County Airport (West Chicago, Illinois)
  •  Money Moves:
  • Ok seriously what’s going on in Brazil.
  • One of Chicago-based McDonald’s corporate planes recently wrapped up a trip from Brazil.
  • There could be a few reasons for this.
  • One of which could be that the company’s executive team is working on expanding the company’s presence in the region.
  • Another reason could be that they’re working out deals with the local farmers and/or distribution companies in the area, trying to cement new deals or improve current ones.
  • While this is all pure speculation, as we don’t 100% know what McDonald’s is up to in Brazil, it’s interesting information to follow that could potentially mean something for shareholders in the near future.
  • Owner: Procter & Gamble
  • Date: 8/25/2022
  • Origin: Rio de Janeiro International Airport
  • Destination: São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • We might as well keep the international trend going, as we’ve seen recently with Walmart and Costco.
  • One of Procter & Gamble’s planes is in Brazil.
  • The company does appear to have substantial operations (such as factories and corporate offices) currently in the region, which could seemingly change in the near future.
  • Specifically, the company could be shifting more of its distribution in Brazil and South America.
  • Or this flight might just be a routine check on the company’s global offices.
  • Either way, there’s been a lot of international movement among major consumer brands and companies, which could be quite interesting and should be monitored by investors.
  • Owner: UniFirst
  • Date: 8/24/2022
  • Origin: Richmond International Airport (Richmond, Virginia)
  • Destination: Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • UniFirst is one of the few major national uniform rental companies.
  • While it’s usually overshadowed by its stronger competitor, Cintas, the company’s stock has generated some decent returns over the past five years.
  • As it specifically relates to the company’s air travel, some of the members of UniFirst’s executive team likely took a trip out to Virginia (from its headquarters in Wilmington, Massachusetts) to either develop new relationships with some of the major businesses headquartered in Virginia or to check on some of its facilities currently serving the area.
  • Either way, this could mean improved efficiency for the company or new customers, some of which seem to include Costco, Carmax, Hershey and many others.
  • Both of which current and prospective shareholders should be excited about.
  • Owner: Costco 
  • Date: 8/24/2022
  • Origin: Gimhae International Airport (Busan, South Korea) 
  • Destination: Incheon International Airport (Seoul, South Korea)
  •  Money Moves:
  • We had no idea Costco was in South Korea.
  • It would’ve been a lot more interesting if the company didn’t already do business in the region because we could’ve seemed like geniuses, but I guess we can work with this!
  • Per reports, the company has 16 store locations in South Korea.
  • The company’s executive team could be looking to expand or contract its operations in the region.
  • One is obviously better than the other if you’re a current or prospective shareholder in the company.
  • If we had to guess, we’d assume that the company is considering expanding its operations in the region, as fellow large retailer Walmart (one of its planes) recently took a trip to South Africa (as listed below on this page), likely paying a visit to its 51% owned subsidiary, Massmart.
  • Big retail companies could be looking to expand operations overseas, diversifying its offerings and ability to generate revenue outside of the United States.
  • If we’re correct, we think this is a potential reason for investors to be bullish on Costco’s stock in the long run.
  • Owner: Workday
  • Date: 8/23/2022
  • Origin: Tri-Cities Airport (Blountville, Tennessee) 
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • Workday is one of the largest software companies that makes money primarily by connecting employees and employers.
  • The company has a wide customer base and has been around since 2005.
  • A plane partially owned by the company has recently touched down in New Jersey from Tennessee. 
  • This could be an indication that Workday is working on or finalizing partnerships with new companies in the region, as the company handles, stores and manages a lot of information for companies.
  • One of the larger, well-known companies in the region is Dollar General. 
  • While this is pure speculation, it could be an indication that Workday is continuing to expand across the United States, which should bring shareholders some comfort, especially given the company’s recent dip in share price.
  • Owner: Walmart Inc.
  • Date: 8/21/2022
  • Origin: Northwest Arkansas National Airport (Bentonville, Arkansas)
  • Destination: Lanseria International Airport (near Johannesburg, South Africa)
  •  Money Moves:
  • Walmart’s corporate planes don’t find themselves in Africa all too often.
  • But when they do, it might be a strong indicator that the company is in the process of buying the rest of African retailer giant, Massmart (yes, that’s the real name of the company), of which Walmart already reportedly owns 51%.
  • Our team believes that this could be the first or last steps of Walmart bidding to buy out the rest of Massmart’s shares, retaining 100% of the company and growing its presence in Africa, as Massmart operates heavily in various countries across the continent of Africa.
  • If our assumptions are correct, members of Walmart’s executive team are likely visiting to finalize or potentially lobby for the deal to go through.
  • This is a news story that you’ll likely want to keep tabs on. 
  • Owner: Cintas
  • Date: 8/19/2022
  • Origin: Telluride Regional Airport (Telluride, Colorado)
  • Destination: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  •  Money Moves:
  • Either members of Ohio-based Cintas’ executive team finished up some fun times on the slopes or they’re in the process of working on their business prospects and current operations in and around Colorado.
  • Either or!
  • Although the company already maintains a considerable amount of market share in the uniform, linen and sanitizer spaces, the company’s operations in Colorado aren’t as vast as I would’ve initially expected.
  • As can be found on their website, the company’s operations appear to be somewhat scarce in the region.
  • Maybe the company’s executive team flew out to consider bidding for a more prominent domestic operator in the regions they don’t currently serve.
  • Cintas is known for making strategic, regional acquisitions in the past!
  • Owner: Las Vegas Sands
  • Date: 8/19/2022
  • Origin: Los Angeles International Airport
  • Destination: Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  •  Money Moves:
  • Las Vegas Sands, among other major casino and resort companies has seen its fair share of headwinds.
  • Headwinds such as geopolitical pressures from China as well as pandemic-related shutdowns across the globe.
  • While it might be a good idea for these companies to dip their toes into the digital gaming space, it might also be a smart idea to see where they can develop new resorts within the United States.
  • This could be what Las Vegas Sands’ executive team is working on in Los Angeles.
  • Given that one of the company’s private planes was recently in Los Angeles, some of the company’s executives might have been meeting with zoning and other local government officials attempting to open a new resort in the area, as most of Sands’ resorts lie in or near China and Singapore, as the company has sold its core Las Vegas assets for billions.
  • The company could be in the process of making a major stateside comeback if they were to build out some new resorts in and around Vegas.
  • Owner: The Hershey Company
  • Date: 8/19/2022
  • Origin: Cape May Airport (Cape May, New Jersey)
  • Destination: Harrisburg International Airport (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
  •  Money Moves:
  • In honor of our recent stock analysis article on The Hershey Company, we figured this segment could be slightly more special than the rest.
  • Don’t get me wrong, the rest are pretty cool, but I figure you get what I mean.
  • Anyways, the famed candy and confection company is headquartered in Derry Township (near Hummelstown, Pennsylvania), Pennsylvania.
  • As for one of their corporate plane’s point of origin, nearby Cape May, New Jersey, the company doesn’t appear to currently have a factory or any plants in the area but never say never.
  • This could be a sign that The Hershey Company is exploring the option of setting up some more stateside operations, especially close to headquarters. 
  • At face, this would likely be a strategic move in shortening the company’s supply chain and keeping tabs on its operations.
  • Either way, both are positives for the company if our assumptions our correct.
  • Owner: Koch Industries
  • Date: 8/18/2022
  • Origin: St. Paul Downtown Airport (St. Paul, Minnesota)
  • Destination: Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • I didn’t know whether any of you knew, but apparently the global insulation market is growing like hotcakes.
  • It seems to be particularly “growthy” in Minnesota, per the previous link.
  • One of the leaders in the residential (real estate in general) insulation and sheathing space is one of Koch Industries’ subsidiaries, Georgia-Pacific.
  •  It makes sense that the company’s executive team likely took a trip up north to develop or finalize some contracts related to the company’s sheathing and insulation products and services. 
  • Koch Industries is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas.
  • Owner: Great Clips
  • Date: 8/16/2022
  • Origin: Philadelphia International Airport
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Great Clips is a haircut chain headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota. 
  • After a quick search on the internet, there don’t appear to be any haircut companies that are currently publicly traded.
  • Given where this company’s corporate plane has been traveling, this could change soon.
  • Specifically, when companies want to begin the process of filing for an IPO (initial public offering), they tend to travel to New York, meet with their in-house and external legal counsel as well as likely teams of consultants, bankers and other advisors that help guide a company to becoming publicly traded.
  • Great Clips might be changing the status quo and getting ready to enter the public markets.
  • Be sure to keep up with the company and its moves.
  • Owner: Allstate
  • Date: 8/15/2022
  • Origin: Chicago Executive Airport
  • Destination: Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport (Quebec City, Canada)
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, Allstate appears to be potentially expanding its business outside of the United States, specifically to our neighbors to the north.
  • While the company maintains a considerable amount of market share in the US (and some share in Canada), the company could be looking to focus more on its Canadian prospects, looking to insure as many people as possible.
  • The company could also be considering acquiring an insurance company in the region, which would also help Allstate increase its current share of the insurance market.
  • Either way, we think Allstate is a company worth keeping your eyes on.
  • Owner: Ecolab
  • Date: 8/12/2022
  • Origin: St. Paul Downtown Airport (St. Paul, Minnesota) 
  • Destination: Jackson Hole Airport (Teton Country, Wyoming)
  • Money Moves:
  • Either members of Ecolab’s executive team are having some fun out on the slopes or they’re working on attracting new talent, specifically in the sales realm around Wyoming.
  • Either way, lots of fun!
  • It appears as though the company needs some more salespeople to cover current and potential customers in the area.
  • Members of the Ecolab’s c-suite could be attempting to put in place new hiring incentives or participating in job fairs in the area.
  • A less likely yet still possible scenario could be that the company is working on developing a new line of business in the region.
  • Either way, if you reside near Jackson Hole, you should apply to Ecolab!
  • Owner: Jay-Z
  • Date: 8/10/2022
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport 
  • Destination: Salt Lake City International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Watch the Throne? More like Watch the Plane.
  • Jay-Z has come a long way from the hard knock life.
  • After all, he’s not a business man, he’s a business, man.
  • After successfully spearheading rap and hip hop for decades, Jay-Z has proved himself to be quite an investor.
  • For example, he’s reportedly invested in companies such as JetSmarter, Uber, Impossible Foods and many others. 
  • Given that his plane recently touched down in Utah, he might be seeking new venture investments out west!
  • Owner: FedEx
  • Date: 8/9/2022
  • Origin: Memphis International Airport 
  • Destination: Paris Airport-Le Bourget
  • Money Moves:
  • FedEx has been doing business overseas for years, however the company seems to be shifting and expanding its offerings across the pond.
  • Specifically, the company has reportedly been working on expanding its air freight operations from the United States to Asia to between Asia and Europe as well.
  • This is just another way in which the delivery and logistics leader has to grow in order to hold its ground against UPS and Amazon.
  • However, we think prospective and current shareholders should be bullish on FedEx given this assumption, as members of FedEx’s executive and legal teams likely flew to France to draw up contracts in order to expand its inner and outer continental delivery solutions.
  • Owner: The Kroger Company
  • Date: 8/6/2022
  • Origin: Midway International Airport (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Destination: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Money Moves:
  • Oddly enough, Kroger isn’t just a lone grocery store.
  • The company is also home to grocery establishments such as Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Owen’s, Food 4 Less, Metro Market and Mariano’s, among many others.
  • Mariano’s and Food 4 Less specifically have a considerable presence in and around the Chicagoland area. 
  • Kroger, as a parent company has been expanding into many other markets across the country and Illinois doesn’t appear to be any exception.
  • Prospective and current shareholders should keep track of this company’s geographic growth along with its technological growth as well. 
  • The company’s executive team could be scouting some potential sites for new store locations across the city of Chicago.
  • Owner: Portillo’s
  • Date: 8/3/2022
  • Origin: Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Destination: DuPage Airport (West Chicago, Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • Portillo’s is an iconic restaurant (headquartered in Illinois) known for its delicious hot dogs and juicy burgers. 
  • The company recently went public (NASDAQ: PTLO) and has massive expansion plans.
  • According to the company’s website, Portillo’s doesn’t currently have locations in Nevada, but the executive team might just be working on it given the company’s visit to Las Vegas.
  • They’ve already touted their ambitious hot dog domination plans around the country.
  • Why not Vegas?  
  • Owner: Kohler
  • Date: 8/2/2022
  • Origin: Huntsville International Airport (Huntsville, Alabama)
  • Destination: Sheboygan County Memorial Airport (Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin)
  • Money Moves:
  • Kohler is a privately owned manufacturing company that specializes in bathroom sinks, toilets, urinals and other appliances.
  • The company is headquartered in, interestingly enough, Kohler, Wisconsin.
  • It appears as though the company has a large maintenance and production facility in Huntsville, Alabama.
  • The company’s executive team likely took a trip down to their Huntsville facility to check on production and possibly enhance the company’s stateside production capabilities.
  • This is likely a major point in which the company is focusing on as they want to keep as many of their operations in the United States as possible given the increased cost of doing business overseas and other hassles and stresses that come with outsourcing in today’s economy.
  • Owner: Bank of America
  • Date: 8/2/2022
  • Origin: Dublin Airport (Dublin, Ireland)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Bank of America’s corporate planes recently landed near New York all the way from Dublin, Ireland.
  • While the company appears to already have some commercial operations across the pond, what could very well just be a layover in Ireland could hint at the company’s expanding some of its operations in Ireland.
  • Perhaps BofA sees something in the Irish market that other major banks are missing or the company’s executives simply want to increase their consumer and commercial businesses in the area.
  • Either way, if these assumptions are correct then there could be cause for future celebration as the Bank of America inches closer to becoming the bank of the world (and America).
  • Owner: Boeing Company
  • Date: 8/1/2022
  • Origin: Midway International Airport (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Destination: Orlando International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Boeing has recently announced that it will be moving its corporate headquarters from Chicago to Virginia.
  • This is big news.
  • However, it doesn’t likely have much to do with one of the company’s corporate jets being in Orlando.
  • But, this could mean that Boeing could be further expanding its east coast operations and manufacturing sites, possibly in Florida.
  • This makes sense given that the state is known for being favorable to businesses.
  • If our assumptions are correct, this is likely some reason to be bullish on the company’s currently depressed stock moving forward.
  • Owner: Kimberly-Clark
  • Date: 7/28/2022
  • Origin: Louisville International Airport (Louisville, Kentucky)
  • Destination: Midway International Airport (Chicago)
  • Money Moves:
  • Kimberly-Clark is a consumer products giant home to famous brands such as Cottenelle, Huggies, Viva, Scott and others.
  • Given that it doesn’t appear that the company has any plants or operations in Louisville, this could be a sign that they’re considering opening a new plant and expanding its operations domestically.
  • If so, this could be a reason to be bullish on the company’s stock and future production prospects.
  • Additionally, it makes sense that one of the company’s planes touched down in Chicago given that they’ve expanded much of their marketing and other commercial innovation in Chicago.
  • Kimberly-Clark seems to be quietly expanding and we think it’s definitely a company that investors should keep an eye on.
  • Owner: ConocoPhillips
  • Date: 7/28/2022
  • Origin: Midland International Airport (Odessa, Texas)
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • The executive team(s) of major oil and gas production company ConocoPhillips (headquartered in Houston) likely take many trips to and from Midland, as it’s a hot spot for oil wells and consequently the production of oil. The company’s executive team was likely checking on a current or prospective project down in Texas’ Permian Basin.
  • Owner: Sherwin-Williams Company
  • Date: 2/10/2022
  • Origin: Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Destination: Orlando International Airport (Orlando, Florida)
  • Money Moves:
  • When Sherwin Williams asserts that, according to their company slogan, they “cover the earth,” they’re not lying!
  • While most usually think homes, hotels, and other places that people inhabit or congregate, they neglect to go to the next level. 
  • No really, we’re talking about Sherwin-Williams’ partnership with Cirrus Aircraft!
  • Specifically, the contract allows the paint company to do the coatings on their fleet of planes.
  • Not a bad purchase order for the paint people!
  • This likely has to do with why one of the company’s corporate planes touched down in Orlando within the past few days.
  • Cirrus has two new locations in Orlando.
  • Members of their corporate team are likely making sure the partnership is going smoothly.
  • We hope that Sherwin-Williams pursues more opportunities in the aviation and travel industries; wherever they can get their paint on vehicles is where they should be!
  • Owner: Pfizer Inc.
  • Date: 1/27/2022
  • Origin: Westchester County Airport (White Plains, New York)
  • Destination: Toronto Pearson International Airport (Toronto, Canada)
  • Money Moves:
  • A lot of attention has been put on Pfizer supplying vaccines and other forms of medicine against COVID-19 (among other diseases) in America.
  • However, it can be hard at times to remember that the company provides products and services across the border(s) and oceans!
  • In this Follow The Money, one of Pfizer’s corporate planes recently took a trip to Toronto, Canada.
  • The company likely has a few corporate offices in the area, among others, and is working on sending out vaccines to those in the area and surrounding areas as well.
  • Members of their corporate team are likely working on the most logistical, least expensive ways to coordinate distribution of their vaccines in Toronto.
  • As Pfizer sends out more vaccines, it’s likely to continue to elevate their share price as well.
  • Owner: Walmart Inc.
  • Date: 1/25/2022
  • Origin: Cecil Airport (Jacksonville, Florida)
  • Destination: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (Zephyrhills, Florida)
  • Money Moves:
  • Walmart has been doing a great job of staying ahead of their competition.
  • With moves into the metaverse and the early development and expansion of technological projects meant to benefit their consumers, the company seems to be staying afloat against ecommerce and other retail threats.
  • One of the newest advancements Walmart has been pursuing in recent history is in-home delivery.
  • You heard us right!
  • Walmart is apparently testing out a few of their markets, one of them being in Tampa (adjacent to Zephyrhills), Florida, to see the demand and feasibility of doing away with your grocery in-store experience altogether and having employees drop off your groceries in your fridge.
  • We’re not crazy about the idea, however, we’re interested to see what the consumers say in these markets and how much Walmart invests in the project going forward.
  • Owner: Hormel Foods
  • Date: 1/18/2022
  • Origin: Austin Municipal Airport (Austin, Minnesota)
  • Destination: Eppley Airfield (Omaha, Nebraska)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Hormel’s more prominent subsidiary companies hails in Papillion, Nebraska. 
  • The company, (you guessed it), Papillion Foods, produces “salami and dry sausage products.”
  • Hormel opened their facility in December 2020.
  • Members of Hormel’s corporate team are likely in the neighborhood to check on the manufacturing and production of their meat products and how they can fight the current increase in the price of meat.
  • The company might be looking at quietly maintaining the same package size but decreasing the amount of meat per package in order to fight these new const concerns. 
  • While this is pure speculation, it would make sense if company management was working on keeping current packaging while cutting any cost corners they can.
  • Owner: Harley-Davidson
  • Date: 1/10/2022
  • Origin: General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
  • Destination: Harrisburg International Airport (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
  • Money Moves:
  • Survival of the fittest stood true for Harley-Davidson back in the 1930’s; they were one of the two motorcycle companies to survive the Great Depression.
  • That’s your HOG (Harley-Davidson’s stock symbol) trivia for the day!
  • The Milwaukee-based bike manufacturer, seller, and financer holds one of their bike factories in York, Pennsylvania (a few miles from Harrisburg).
  • Members of the iconic bike business are likely in Pennsylvania to check on the efficiency of their current manufacturing and operating processes.
  • Specifically, they might, as many companies have considered in the past, looking into automating the bike assembly process in order to cut their labor costs and overall long-term costs.
  • The company’s stock itself appears undervalued. Automating the domestic assembly process (from a strict investing standpoint) can extract some value for shareholders.
  • Owner: Deere & Company
  • Date: 1/6/2022
  • Origin: Quad City International Airport (Moline, Illinois)
  • Destination: Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Money Moves:
  • Is John Deere’s new innovation taking the fun out of farming? Debatable.
  • Is John Deere’s new innovation bound to increase production for its customers? Quite likely.
  • 10 hours of work while the owner does something else or tends to another part of their farm.
  • That’s what their brand new 8R tractor is allegedly capable of doing.
  • Farmers likely want to do work themselves and have the satisfaction of manning their own equipment.
  • While this autonomous tractor isn’t exactly farmer-friendly, it does seem to be investor friendly!
  • Farmers, especially of large estates, tend to have a lot of land to tend to on a daily basis (among their other priorities). 
  • If this is the case, many farmers across the nation and world (tech savvy or not) are likely interested in at least testing the product out. 
  • If it’s not for them, Deere & Company is likely to create more similar, technological advances (not necessarily completely autonomous) in current and new equipment.
  • Members of their executive (and marketing and engineering) team(s) are likely in Las Vegas to show the machine off at CES 2022!
  • Owner: Dollar General Corporation
  • Date: 1/4/2022
  • Origin: Nashville International Airport
  • Destination: Bessemer Municipal Airport (Bessemer, Alabama)
  • Money Moves:
  • It’s the first Follow The Money of 2022!
  • One of Dollar General’s southern distribution centers resides in Bessemer, Alabama.
  • Aside from the distribution hub, however, they also appear to have a few stores in the area. 
  • Rural, not served by Walmart or any other major grocery chains; Dollar General’s bread and butter!
  • It’s likely their corporate team is looking at opening a few more stores or hybrid grocery markets in the area.
  • This would make sense given the relative scarcity of major grocery giants in the area.
  • Owner: Ford Motor Company
  • Date: 12/23/2021
  • Origin: Farnborough Airport (Farnborough, England)
  • Destination: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Money Moves:
  • Ford is getting sustainable as it relates to getting green and making green.
  • The automobile manufacturing behemoth has begun its journey into the electric vehicle market and has seen some success thus far!
  • As it relates to their investment in the electric vehicle market, Ford has somewhat recently put $315 million to work across the pond!
  • The company likely sees relatively strong demand for electric vehicles in the European market.
  • It’s difficult to definitively say whether or not this demand will stay or if their investment in the electric vehicle space will not be worth it, given the competitiveness of the industry.
  • Members of Ford’s executive team likely flew out to either check on the conversion status of their new electric vehicle plant or to resize the market in England (and Europe generally), possibly considering more investments in the electric vehicle market.
  • Owner: ConocoPhillips
  • Date: 12/16/2021
  • Origin: Oslo Airport (Oslo, Norway)
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
  • Money Moves:
  • ConocoPhillips does a fair amount of business overseas.
  • Specifically, it’s highly likely that members of their executive team took a trip way north, Norway!
  • It appears as though most of their Norwegian business activity comes from ocean rig drilling.
  • ConocoPhillips also does pipeline work in the region as well.
  • What could be a rudimentary check-up on their global operations could also be a move to strengthen their overseas operations, in order to potentially offset any potential issues that may arise in the United States.
  • ConocoPhillips is unique compared to its peers (ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell etc…) in the sense that they’re intent on fostering a portfolio of assets that is less sensitive to volatile swings in the price of oil (and other commodities that affect their business and costs).
  • It’s assuring to see a company with a large domestic, national footprint seemingly taking steps overseas to uphold and maintain solid business across the pond.
  • Owner: Boeing Company
  • Date: 12/15/2021
  • Origin: Toronto Pearson International Airport (Toronto, Canada)
  • Destination: Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Money Moves:
  • Boeing has problems.
  • First of all, one of their international customers, Qantas (Australia’s largest airline), has announced plans to phase out its current fleet of domestic Boeing aircraft, replacing them with Airbus jets.
  • This news alone isn’t unsettling simply because Boeing is losing one of its global customers, however, what’s troubling is that more carriers across the globe are likely to follow suit.
  • On top of losing business overseas, a senate report that emerged two days ago concluded that “Boeing and its suppliers fall short on safety oversight.” 
  • There have been various investigations involving Boeing after their 737 MAX issues.
  • It seems as though Boeing is still skipping steps in ensuring the safety of the aircraft they produce, per Boeing engineer, Martin Bickeboeller. 
  • This is likely one of the reasons members of Boeing’s executive team took a trip to Washington.
  • The future looks grounded for Boeing, just as their planes should be until they stop cutting corners. 
  • Owner: Exelon Corporation
  • Date: 12/14/2021
  • Origin: San Diego International Airport
  • Destination: Chicago-Rockford International Airport (Rockford, Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • Utility companies tend to perform well during recessionary periods (and periods when the economy is doing well).
  • Much of their success during times of turmoil comes from the fact that the utilities industry has incredibly high barriers to entry paired with the necessity for the product (energy) itself.
  • People can live with cutting a few grocery items for a month or two, however, the energy bill(s) are always near (if not at the top) of the budget.
  • Exelon is one of the companies that has and will continue to prosper from these truths.
  • Exelon holds a nuclear power generating station in Byron, Illinois (a few miles from Rockford), that keeps, according to their website, two million homes powered.
  • Members of their executive team likely flew out to ensure the efficacy and efficiency of their plant. 
  • Exelon also has hundreds of employees in the area that could be subject to having their jobs done by robots.
  • This is sort of a stretch in some regards, however, it’s not too crazy to be true!
  • Owner: Schneider National
  • Date: 12/14/2021
  • Origin: Dallas Executive Airport
  • Destination: Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
  • Money Moves:
  • Who said Schneider doesn’t treat their drivers well?
  • I mean, come on, the trucking company built a state of the art facility for its truckers which includes shower stalls, multiple lounges, and exercise equipment!
  • This new facility resides in Dallas, Texas.
  • Not only is the fairly new facility driver-friendly, but it’s business friendly too.
  • We can’t imagine many trucking carriers offer these sorts of perks for their drivers around the country, and with greater driver happiness and fulfillment in their work, results consisting of productivity and efficiency likely follow.
  • In addition to keeping their drivers happy (which is now more important than ever), the Green Bay-based company is also getting ahead on the cyber-side!
  • Members of Schneider’s corporate team likely flew out to check on their facilities, more so the logistics side of the operations center, ensuring efficiency and delivery for the holiday season.
  • Owner: CarMax
  • Date: 12/9/2021
  • Origin: Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (Roanoke, Virginia)
  • Destination: Richmond International Airport (Richmond, Virginia)
  • Money Moves:
  • As the economy is somehow still blazing hot, companies around the world are trying to capitalize on the subset of consumers that are still feeling spendy; especially vehicle retailers.
  • CarMax, a pioneer in the used vehicle space, is likely on the prowl for as many employees as possible in order to get as many cars sold as they can before this fantasy economy we’re living through gets decimated.
  • Members of their corporate team likely flew out to to Roanoke to rally up some future employees, specifically in their neck of the Virginia woods.
  • This will likely be one of their last domestic hiring squeezes before reality catches up with the economy.
  • Owner: BNSF Railway
  • Date: 12/7/2021
  • Origin: Tulsa International Airport
  • Destination: Houston Hobby Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • BNSF’s corporate plane landed in Houston this morning.
  • BNSF as an entity alone is not publicly traded, however, the railroad is owned by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, which is a publicly traded company.
  • Therefore, if you owned stock in Berkshire Hathaway, you would also own a piece of BNSF (and other BRK.B companies).
  • Members of BNSF’s corporate group are most likely in Houston to iron out some logistical issues.
  • While there isn’t any concrete news yet, BNSF runs a fairly expansive facility in Houston (and large-scale operation throughout Texas).
  • They are likely either fighting unionization, a potential lawsuit, or working on improving their domestic freight network in and around Houston.
  • Regardless of what they’re working on, the railway might incur temporary issues but in the grand scheme, will be a company that you will likely want to own stock in.
  • Owner: Saudi Aramco
  • Date: 12/6/2021
  • Origin: Shannon Airport (Ireland)
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Saudi Aramco’s corporate planes touched down in Houston at 7:40 AM.
  • This makes sense given that one of the world’s largest oil conferences is being held in Houston today.
  •  Major oil executives from Exxon, Chevron, Aramco, and many other oil giants will be discussing the future of the industry, specifically as it relates to the uncertainty brought upon by the omicron variant.
  • It’s hard to say what the future holds for major oil corporations.
  • It’s also difficult enough that these companies are never immune to the inherent volatility that comes from oil price fluctuations.
  • As one example (of many) the travel industry seems to be in limbo at the moment, trying to dig itself out of the mire of COVID-19 and its subsequent variants.
  • With the airline industry still looks somewhat bleak, oil and gas companies (as well as airlines) are going to suffer and accumulate more and more debt.
  • While seemingly just a conference like any other, the implications of future challenges that are being discussed at the conference likely will affect your portfolio in the short, intermediate and long term. 
  • Owner: Eli Lilly and Company 
  • Date: 12/2/2021
  • Origin: Indianapolis International Airport (Indiana)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Eli Lilly’s corporate plane just touched earth in New Jersey!
  • With the increased worry regarding the omicron variant, major pharmaceutical companies are stepping back into the frame. 
  • While companies like Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson have been most commonly in COVID-19-related news, pharma giant Eli Lilly now has some footing in fighting the new variant.
  • Specifically, Lilly is working on determining “how effective its monoclonal antibody treatment, etesevimab, is in combating Omicron.”
  • With more virus worries comes more profit opportunity for Eli Lilly and its peers. 
  • Members of Lilly’s executive team are likely in New York to check on its labs and testing facilities.
  • They’re likely trying to get some of their FDA-approved products out into the marketplace in attempts to help customers and their bottom line.
  • Owner: Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell)
  • Date: 11/30/2021
  • Origin: Schiphol Amsterdam Airport (Holland)
  • Destination: Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (Louisiana)
  • Money Moves:
  • Oil and gas gargantuan Shell seemed to have one of its refinery sites in limbo. At least, that’s what used to be the case!
  • Earlier this year, Shell appeared to consider selling the site for the right price, however, that price never came along.
  • So, they kept it!
  • The site, specifically titled the Geismar Plant, is owned and operated by Shell today.
  • According to their website, the site primarily produces 
    “Detergent Alcohols, Ethylene Glycol, Alpha Olefins” and other chemical products.
  • Members of Shell’s executive team likely took a trip across the pond to check on the viability of the plant, or they may even be in talks with a new bidder!
  • Owner: Target Corporation
  • Date: 11/29/2021
  • Origin: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
  • Destination: Waukesha County Airport (Wisconsin)
  • Money Moves:
  • Untangling a supply chain mess isn’t likely very easy, especially for a major retailer such as Target.
  • While there has been a lot of discussion about Waukesha in recent news, members of Target’s corporate team are likely there for different reasons.
  • Specifically, Target holds both stores and distribution hubs in the area.
  • Some of Target’s executives are likely visiting their distribution warehouse(s)in the Waukesha-Oconomowoc area.
  • They could be working on the domestic and national supply chain at their local centers or they could be in early negotiations with employees!
  • A growing amount of our “Follow The Money” segments have involved corporate teams flying out to their disgruntled workforce(s), trying to devise a new contract and get them back to work. 
  • What could be a mundane check-in could really be the early innings of unionization at Target.
  • Owner: Lumen Technologies Inc.
  • Date: 11/29/2021
  • Origin: Monroe Regional Airport (Monroe, Louisiana)
  • Destination: Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Lumen Communications is a publicly traded telecommunications company based in Monroe, Louisiana.
  • The company has a relatively sizeable network expanding across the globe. 
  • As it relates to their destination, Lumen does have data centers in and on the outskirts of Houston (not too far south of Conroe, Texas).
  • However, members of Lumen’s corporate team are not likely inspecting or keeping tabs on their Houston networks, but instead, considering a sight north of Houston (in the Conroe area) to build out their domestic network capabilities.
  • There is a good amount of vacant land ready to have cable lines running through the ground or cell towers to be built out in the area!
  • This move would be a short term investment in hopes for an intermediate to long term return.
  • If Lumen can strengthen its regional presence throughout Texas and bordering Louisiana, they will create more revenue streams for the company, however, telecommunications companies aren’t exempt from feeling the pain of inflation!
  • Owner: The Kroger Company
  • Date: 11/24/2021
  • Origin: Memphis International Airport
  • Destination:  Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Kroger’s corporate planes is zooming over South Fulton, Georgia!
  • Members of Kroger’s corporate team likely flew down to Memphis to tend to one of their distribution centers.
  • They are likely working on automating processes within their distribution network, as they’ve made some pretty big announcements recently!
  • If not their distribution centers, the grocery chain has had some high levels of theft in their Memphis stores.
  • Members of their corporate and/or legal team might have flown down to address this issue.
  • Owner: Stanley Black & Decker Inc.
  • Date: 11/24/2021
  • Origin: Naples Airport (Naples, Florida)
  • Destination:  Charlotte Douglas International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Black & Decker is doing a lot of hiring in Charlotte and Florida!
  • Being one of the more vulnerable, supply chain sensitive companies in the world, the tool conglomerate is likely trying to meet both labor and product demands that it’ll likely be chasing for a while.
  • As discussed in our formal analysis of Stanley Black & Decker, the CEO explained that the company has roughly $1 billion tied up in inventory around the globe.
  • The job offerings on the company’s website range from technical jobs to customer support. 
  • A lot of people might not be ecstatic about working at Black & Decker, and their corporate team is likely trying to change that.
  • Specifically, like many companies, they are likely setting up national hiring events so as to drum up the labor help it desperately needs. 
  • While Black & Decker is going to be around for a long time and is having the same problems everyone else is having, it’s nevertheless a thorn in their side that they must take out.
  • Owner: Dollar Tree
  • Date: 11/20/2021
  • Origin: Hillsdale Municipal Airport (Hillsdale, Michigan)
  • Destination: Norfolk International Airport (Norfolk, Virginia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Whenever the next recession hits, Dollar Tree is likely to clean up pretty nicely! 
  • In fact, the stock currently sits at an all-time high at around $134.
  • The wallet-friendly, cheap chain has one store in Jonesville, Michigan (adjacent to Hillsdale, Michigan). 
  • Given the area being ideal for any type of dollar store (rural, somewhat in the middle of nowhere, not near other big box retailers, sparsely populated etc…), the company is likely working on its expansion in rural Michigan.
  • Expand while you can appears to be the motto of many retailers across the nation, and it should especially be the anthem for Dollar Tree and its subsidiaries!
  • Owner: The Procter & Gamble Company
  • Date: 11/17/2021
  • Origin: Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport (Landvetter, Sweden)
  • Destination: Sundsvall-Timrå Airport (Sundsvall, Sweden)
  • Money Moves:
  • It seems as though Procter & Gamble’s corporate team is flying out to the remote east in the remote west, Sundsvall, Sweden! 
  • One of the largest timber, paper, and pulp manufactures in the region, Svenska Cellulosa AB, is headquartered in Sundsvall.
  • Procter & Gamble sells a lot of products made with or of paper and currently, they don’t have any major lines of business in Sweden.
  • We smell a potential acquisition.
  • If PG were to be in talks with Svenska, it would make sense.
  • With PG’s lack of presence in the area as well as diversifying their manufacturing overseas to shield the company from short and long term inflationary pain, buying out a major European manufacturer makes sense right now for a giant like Procter and Gamble.
  • Owner: Stanley Druckenmiller
  • Date: 11/15/2021
  • Origin: Newark Liberty International Airport
  • Destination: San Jose International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Stanley Druckenmiller is one of the most successful investors of our generation. 
  • He is famous for making a billion dollars with George Soros on Black Friday. In a day.
  • Druckenmiller converted his hedge fund into a family office and is still investing!
  • One of his largest bets is on tech security company, Palo Alto Networks.
  • The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, near where Druckenmiller’s plane landed (in San Jose).
  • PANW comprises roughly 6.3% of Druckenmiller’s portfolio!
  • It’s slightly suspicious that he decided to fly out two days before the company reports its earnings.
  • If there’s a major upside or downside surprise and Druckenmiller trades a block of his PANW stock, the SEC might be giving him a call!
  • Owner: Domino’s Pizza Inc.
  • Date: 11/14/2021
  • Origin: Raleigh-Durham International Airport
  • Destination: Willow Run Airport (Michigan)
  • Money Moves:
  • If you reside in North Carolina, robots may be delivering your pizza.
  • Domino’s autonomous delivery vehicles are now legal in the state!
  • It’s hard to say whether or not this will help get food to customers quicker than a human in their hatchback.
  • However, it can be said that if these robo-drivers roll out successfully, Domino’s will be saving a lot on payroll costs.
  • Domino’s is the upper crust in the pizza space.
  • This move, which will likely be successful as their corporate team implements it across the country, will separate Domino’s considerably from any competition. 
  •  While an investment, they’ll likely rake in enough dough to pay down this investment over time like many other major corporations.
  • Owner: Under Armour Inc.
  • Date: 11/11/2021
  • Origin: Baltimore/Washington International Airport
  • Destination: Portland International Airport (Oregon)
  • Money Moves:
  • This is interesting!
  • Under Armour is on the opposition’s turf! 
  • While a merger is next to an absolute impossibility, members of the executive teams from each company could be talking business.
  • However, it seems more likely that Under Armour is doing some expansion in the area in attempts to claw away any business from Nike on their stomping grounds.
  • It’s not a terrible time to expand your customer horizons if you’re Under Armour right now.
  • However, with the current state of the national economy and the global supply chain, that window is closing.
  • Owner: Google
  • Date: 11/10/2021
  • Origin: San Jose International Airport
  • Destination: Paris Airport-Le Bourget
  • Money Moves:
  • Google’s legal team needs some work!
  • What Google can usually get away with in the US, they couldn’t in France.
  • The technology conglomerate was fined approximately $2.8B.
  • While a significant fine for many companies, this will hardly put a dent in Google’s finances. 
  • Google lost an antitrust appeal (in France) yesterday and has been dealing with suits in France for some time now.
  • The EU’s chief competition officer, Margrethe Vestager, sanctioned the tech company for engaging in anticompetitive practices. 
  • Specifically, Google favored its own shopping service subsidiary (with regards to pricing), over smaller, local shopping companies. 
  • While the case is likely resolved in the sense that Google will shell out a few billion dollars, it’s interesting that antitrust is working in Europe but not America.
  • Other companies such as Amazon and Apple have been having trouble in the EU as well with regards to antitrust law. 
  • The future for these giant companies looks somewhat questionable in Europe but still solid as ever in the states!
  • Owner: Sanderson Farms
  • Date: 11/10/2021
  • Origin: Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport (Mississippi)
  • Destination: Kinston Regional Jetport (Kinston, North Carolina)
  • Money Moves:
  • Two weeks ago, shareholders of Sanderson Farms approved the company being bought out by Cargill and Continental Grain.
  • With the deal still in the works and Sanderson Farms still being an individual, publicly traded stock, their executive team seems to still be focused on making Sanderson the best it can be!
  • Manufacturing, producing, and selling chicken is Sanderson’s bread and butter.
  • The company is holding a hiring event (in Kinston) in a week or two, however, we believe their executive team is in North Carolina for a different reason.
  • The chicken company has a processing plant, a hatchery, and a feed mill in Kinston. 
  • Sanderson’s executives are likely trying to manage inflation-related costs as well as considering automating the production process. 
  • With inflationary pressures at all-time highs, many companies are trying to lower their near and long term costs and automation (if done right) can do just that.
  • Owner: Dollar General Corporation
  • Date: 11/8/2021
  • Origin: Nashville International Airport
  • Destination: Sacramento International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Did mention strikes are in season right now?
  • It’s one thing if a few major companies are having isolated incidents between employees and executives, however, these incidents are becoming more widespread (and common).
  • Dollar General has had its fair share of union worries in the past, however, they’ve prevailed for the most part. 
  • In fact, Dollar General has closed stores in the past over employees unionizing. 
  • They might not prevail this time!
  • A group of DG warehouse employees in Sacramento have been tapped to unionize.
  • As the article states, “It’s a lot harder to close a distribution center.”
  • Closing a store or two isn’t going to dent DG’s financials, however, closing an entire distribution center will further impact the company’s supply chain, likely hurting the company materially out west.
  • If companies continue to have tension with their employees, they will continue finding themselves in a labor shortage.
  • The companies having these issues are getting bigger and bigger…
  • Owner: Starbucks Corporation
  • Date: 11/7/2021
  • Origin: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston)
  • Destination: Sao Paulo/Guarulhos Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • I guess big companies travel in pairs! 
  • Like Deere & Company, Starbucks is down south of the border. Way south of the border!
  • One of Starbucks’ corporate planes traveled to Brazil, where they do a lot of their coffee crops are grown.
  • With a weakening supply chain, strikes happening in the states, the coffee company is now likely to raise their prices even more due to severe weather in Brazil.
  • This severe weather is damaging the crops.
  • Needless to say, we think your venti cappuccino might go up a few Bucks.
  • Outside of weather issues, strikes could be on the horizon in Brazil as it’s already started in Brazil with Deere.
  • Members of Starbucks’ executive team likely flew down to Brazil in attempts to work out a solution for the weather.
  • However, the corporate team could also be working out preliminary union or strike deals before it hits the press, inevitably hitting the stock.
  • Owner: Deere & Company
  • Date: 11/6/2021
  • Origin: Sao Paulo/Guarulhos Airport
  • Destination: Campo de Marte Airport (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
  • Money Moves:
  • If you thought the strikes going on in the states were bad, it looks like it’s getting worse overseas. 
  • One of Deere’s corporate planes has made multiple trips to Brazil in the past week.
  • GM employees in Brazil are on strike after recently rejecting a contract from the company.
  • Sound familiar?
  • This hasn’t hit the press quite yet, however, Deere does a lot of agricultural manufacturing in Brazil.
  • It’s likely their Brazilian workforce took note of what was happening in the US and decided to follow suit!
  • If the strikes in the US and Brazil persist, the future for Deere looks rough in the short term and automated in the long term!
  • Owner: Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.
  • Date: 11/5/2021
  • Origin: Wilmington International Airport (North Carolina)
  • Destination: Piedmont Triad International Airport (Greensboro, North Carolina)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of the industries hit hardest by the supply chain crisis is also one of the solutions. 
  • Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the trucking industry.
  • Specifically, one of the strongest, ubiquitous trucking and transport companies in the world, Old Dominion.
  • The North Carolina-based transport behemoth has a lot of open positions! 
  • This is most likely due to the increased storm of demand the company (and industry as a whole) is plowing through.
  • While you can expect a lot of growth from Old Dominion and other trucking giants, growth is coming with a major cost.
  • Vaccine mandates could, and if implemented, will likely obliterate the trucking industry and already disorganized supply chain. 
  • Executives from old Dominion likely flew to Wilmington to set up an employment fair (or two).
  • The company is also holding events across the country at their various distribution hubs.
  • It’s hard to say how bleak the outlook is for the trucking industry, however, companies like Old Dominion (in the past, at least) have been able to weather many storms.
  • Owner: McDonald’s Corporation
  • Date: 11/4/2021
  • Origin: Midway International Airport (Chicago)
  • Destination: London Luton Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Members of McDonald’s corporate team just took a trip across the pond!
  • There are a few possible reasons they made this trip.
  • For one, a restaurant of theirs wasn’t exactly up to code!
  • However, the more likely scenario is the company gathering some data after roughly a month of rolling out its McPlant burger in England.
  • In our opinion, it’s hard to say whether or not plant burgers will offer enough demand for global restaurant chains such as McDonald’s.
  • If Ronald McDonald can’t sell green burgers at a swell profit margin, he likely will discontinue it all together.
  • McDonald’s is likely testing plant-based out in England before making a large commitment to the US.
  • Oh, and McDonald’s is also currently being hit by the supply chain crisis!
  • Owner: Maersk
  • Date: 11/3/2021
  • Origin: Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon, Portugal)
  • Destination: Copenhagen Airport (Denmark)
  • Money Moves:
  • Global shipping gargantuan, Maersk, just obliterated its earnings (in the best way possible).
  • The Danish shipping company also recently mentioned that they don’t see the current supply chain mess and boom ending in the near future.
  • Maersk is one of the companies that has benefited and will continue to benefit from increased demand, especially with the holiday season nigh.
  • Members of their corporate team likely flew out to Portugal to check on the logistics and status of their port in Lisbon. 
  • Being that Maersk is the largest company on the globe, they have the luxury of raising their prices.
  • Members of Maersk’s corporate team are likely deciding how much and at what rate they’ll raise their prices and fees. 
  • Maersk will likely continue to prosper during these crazy times and will likely continue to consistently visit their ports across the world to ensure efficiency for their customers as well as their balance sheet.
  • Owner: Bass Pro Shops
  • Date: 11/2/2021
  • Origin: Springfield-Branson National Airport (Missouri)
  • Destination: King County International Airport-Boeing Field (Seattle)
  • Money Moves:
  • Bass Pro Shops is in desperate need of employees!
  • Throughout the past three weeks, the company has been trying to get employees all across the country.
  • Bass Pro’s executive team is likely flying out to a region concentrated with stores, meeting with management at those stores, and putting in place incentive programs (sign-on bonuses) and setting up some local hiring events!
  • If Bass Pro Shops (and other companies) can’t fill their employment gap, it could be devastating for their near and intermediate-term revenues and their future as a whole. 
  • Bass Pro is one of the few retail hubs that people actually enjoy visiting, looking around, and making purchases. 
  • If a company that has this inherent advantage can’t even get employees to come to work, the domino effect will be detrimental.
  • We’ll let you know where their jet lands!
  • UPDATE: Bass Pro’s corporate plane just touched down in Seattle! If you’re in the area, they’re probably hiring!
  • Owner: Toyota Motor Corporation
  • Date: 11/1/2021
  • Origin: McKinney National Airport (Texas)
  • Destination: Blue Grass Airport (Lexington, Kentucky)
  • Money Moves:
  • Toyota’s North American headquarters is located in Plano, Texas (near McKinney).
  • Aside from a few dealerships in Kentucky, Toyota maintains a major manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky (near Lexington).
  • Toyota is working on a few different things in the area!
  • For starters, the car manufacturing behemoth recently invested $460M to update its major plant in Kentucky. 
  • These updates include gaining 1,400 new employees as well as creating space and necessary equipment for the manufacturing of electric vehicles!
  • The tech doesn’t stop there for Toyota!
  • The company is also putting together fuel cell modules for their heavy-duty truck line.
  • It also looks like Toyota opening up a battery plant in the area doesn’t seem impossible!
  • Members of Toyota’s North American corporate team likely flew out to check on their current projects and also future projects they may embark on!
  • Owner: Sherwin-Williams Company
  • Date: 10/31/2021
  • Origin: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
  • Destination: O’Hare International Airport (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • Sherwin-Williams is the largest manufacturer and seller of paint across the globe.
  • The company’s stock has performed pretty well over the last five years, generating a 288% return for investors over that span of time.
  • The painting company has many stores across the country (and the world), however, they have many in Chicago.
  • Not only do they have 54 locations in and around the city, they have a district office west of the city (near O’Hare).
  • A few members of Sherwin-William’s executive team likely flew to Chicago to check in with their district managers in Illinois, verifying the state of sales and pricing in the area as well as finding ways the company can cut costs and fend off inflationary pressures.
  • Hopefully the painting giant can keep covering the earth with relatively low prices as it fights through the inflationary storm everyone’s in.
  • Owner: Michael Dell
  • Date: 10/30/2021
  • Origin: Tulsa International Airport (Oklahoma)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies, has made a few roundtrips between Tulsa and Austin this past week!
  • The CEO and founder is likely considering opening up a manufacturing plant in Oklahoma!
  • Maybe Dell is intent on bringing some jobs back from overseas or is bringing manufacturing closer so as to shorten the American supply chain, in order to overcome current obstacles.  
  • Currently, Dell builds out their product(s) across the globe, from hubs in China, Brazil, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina (among others)!
  • The tech company’s supply chain is global by nature, however, Dell is likely making a strategic move to get some more domestic production, shorten the long supply chain, and free itself of  macroeconomic effects caused by  geopolitical issues (and current volatility in China).
  • Owner: Valero Energy Corporation
  • Date: 10/27/2021
  • Origin: Kerrville-Kerr County Airport (Kerrville, Texas)
  • Destination: San Antonio International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Per their website, the Texas-based oil and gas giant does not have a plant or refinery in Kerrville, Texas.
  • While they do have a couple of gas stations northwest of San Antonio, Valero’s executive team might have bigger plans for the rural town.
  • Valero has a handful of refineries spread out across Texas, and they are likely considering building out a new one in the area. 
  • Kerrville seems geographically perfect for Valero. It’s close to San Antonio (headquarters), the land itself is currently pretty spread out, flat, and somewhat uninhabited.
  • Valero reported increased demand as well as low inventories in their Q3 earnings (and a regular cash dividend!).
  • All the demand and the lack of supply forces oil giants like Valero to keep up with demand. 
  • What’s a strategy they must employ in order to do that? Build out some more supply.
  • Owner: Macy’s Inc.
  • Date: 10/27/2021
  • Origin: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Macy’s is and has been changing for a while.
  • In the beginning of 2020, the retailer moved its headquarters from Cincinnati to the fashion capital of the nation, New York!
  • In somewhat more recent news, Macy’s has closed and seems to be still in the process of closing stores in and around Cincinnati.
  • Given the current supply chain issues, labor shortages, and the slow, secular decay of retail as a whole over the last decade (mainly caused by Amazon), the clothing establishment is likely to continue closing locations around the country over the next few months and years. 
  • Needless to say, the outlook for Macy’s and the retail industry as a whole looks rather grim!
  • Owner: Chevron Corporation
  • Date: 10/26/2021
  • Origin: Sugar Land Regional Airport (South of Houston)
  • Destination: Midland International Air & Space Port
  • Money Moves:
  • Chevron does a bulk of its Mid-Continent business in Midland, Texas.
  • The oil and gas giant has a few different business units in Houston as well, namely their upstream division.
  • However, as it relates to their mid-co business, they have a campus in Midland full of analysts and drilling equipment in the surrounding area.
  • A few members of Chevron’s executive team likely flew down south (specifically to Midland) to see about improving the efficiency of their drilling!
  • Owner: The J.M. Smucker Company
  • Date: 10/24/2021
  • Origin: Colorado Springs Airport
  • Destination: Akron-Canton Airport (Ohio)
  • Money Moves:
  • The J.M. Smucker Company hasn’t had the best last couple of weeks!
  • For one, their employees in Ohio aren’t exactly thrilled about the company’s vaccine mandate.
  • From Deere, McDonald’s, to now Smucker, it’s safe to expect more employee protests across the country.
  • If only that was the worst of it for the jelly company!
  • While many companies are having supply chain related issues right now, Smucker seems to be having a rougher time than most!
  • Losing employees, bearing higher commodity and inflationary costs isn’t exactly a winning strategy! 
  • In 2019, the company opened a manufacturing facility in Longmont, Colorado, where the Uncrustables are made! 
  • J.M. Smucker Company’s executive team likely took a trip to the facility to work on handling supply chain issues, driving down their cost of production, or dealing with protesting employees.
  • J.M. Smucker is in a jam (pun intended). The company’s outlook looks grim at best and is emblematic of the issues facing the national and global economy.
  • Owner: Tony Aquila
  • Date: 10/22/2021
  • Origin: Forth Worth Meacham International Airport (Dallas)
  • Destination: Northwest Arkansas National Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • There’s a party in Northwest Arkansas tonight.
  • What we mean by that is Walmart’s executives, descendants of the Walton family, and Chairman and CEO of Canoo, Tony Aquila, are all in Arkansas this evening per their flight records.
  • Let’s break this down!
  • Aquila is the CEO of Texas-based electric vehicle manufacturer, Canoo.
  • While Canoo is primarily in the EV business, they also manufacture and sell multi-purpose work vehicles. 
  • They’re great for moving boxes around in tight spaces (autonomously) and are capable of driving groceries to your front door. 
  • We smell a huge contract or a potential acquisition. 
  • Other companies like Domino’s have already started working on autonomous delivery services. It looks like the world’s largest retailer is catching up.
  • It’s one thing for Aquila to take a short trip to Walmart country and sit down with a few executives, however, many more seemed to be in attendance this evening.
  • Ann Walton’s (granddaughter of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart) airplane made a rare trip to Northwest Arkansas this evening.
  • Steuart Walton, a director and heir of Walmart came to town this evening.
  • Aside from the Walton clan, Aquila, and other corporate executives, this could be the stage set for Walmart retail domination. 
  • Whether the beginning or close to implementation, Walmart is likely looking to stay ahead of its competition and make their customers’ lives easier. 
  • What better way to do this and shift to automation (and pay less employees) than to deploy autonomous vehicles to work your distribution centers and deliver a customer’s groceries from their neighborhood Walmart?
  • Owner: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
  • Date: 10/22/2021
  • Origin: Clark Regional Airport (Indiana and Kentucky border)
  • Destination: Lebanon Municipal Airport (Tennessee)
  • Money Moves:
  • Executives from Cracker Barrel, a classic American road trip restaurant, made a quick trip to Kentucky, near one of their key restaurant  technology partners, QSR Automations.
  • QSR recently moved its headquarters to Louisville, Kentucky!
  • Cracker Barrel’s executive team likely flew out to discuss matters regarding their current operating system(s).
  • The services QSR provides range from screens in the kitchen that receive orders from the dining room to giving companies like Cracker Barrel analytical data and feedback metrics.
  • The Old Country Store might be looking to renew a contract with QSR or discuss their current systems and potentially new ones the chain wants.
  • Increased analytical data could mean increased efficiency for the restaurant, which could mean more revenues for the company. 
  • If you find yourself at a Cracker Barrel in the near future, let us know if the service is more efficient!
  • Owner: Morgan Stanley
  • Date: 10/22/2021
  • Origin: Westchester County Airport (New York) 
  • Destination: Unknown
  • Money Moves:
  • It looks like some members of  Morgan Stanley’s executive team are taking a trip across the pond!
  • It isn’t exactly clear why the investment bank is flying towards Europe, however, wherever the jet lands, we should be able to get a better idea of what they’re up to.
  • UPDATE: Morgan Stanley’s executive team touched down in Norwich, England!
  • The bank has a handful of offices around England, however, not one currently in Norwich. 
  • They might be opening up a new branch or set of offices in the area!
  • This could be the beginning of getting more M&A business in England, which would obviously bode well for the company, especially by the time a recession was over and mergers roar back.
  • Owner: Ecolab Inc.
  • Date: 10/21/2021
  • Origin: Scottsdale Airport (Arizona)
  • Destination: Dallas Love Field Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Another company that has stood the test of time (and will likely continue to do so) is the sanitization company, Ecolab.
  • Whether in a grimy food truck, a gourmet restaurant, a college campus, or almost any work site, you will find some form of Ecolab’s products.
  • It looks like their executive team has been doing somewhat of a “road” trip, flying across the country from northern California to Arizona, to Dallas, likely flying back to headquarters in Minnesota soon!
  • Why is Ecolab in Dallas? They have a manufacturing plant in the area that is responsible for their production of equipment related to cleaning compound, soap, detergents, toilet products and a few others. 
  • Ecolab’s executive team is likely checking a few of their manufacturing plants across the country, making sure they are up to standards, and maybe looking into automating some of the processes.
  • Ecolab’s other stops across the nation could be signs of expansion, the clean company building out more manufacturing plants, possibly to meet the demand of more health conscious consumers and businesses.
  • Ecolab has a fundamentally great business and it’s great to see their executives looking to perfect and expand!
  • Owner: UnitedHealth Group Inc.
  • Date: 10/20/2021
  • Origin: St. Paul Downtown Airport
  • Destination: Boston Logan International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • UnitedHealth Group is the health care dragon that will likely not be slain anytime soon.
  • One of the reasons for this is that they keep a distance from their competition. 
  • One of the ways the health care conglomerate is doing this is by creating a less expensive, more interactive experience for its customers.
  • The new plan design goes by the name of NavigateNOW.
  • This new platform allows members to “connect 24/7 with a personalized Optum care team that will assist with primary care, urgent care and behavioral health care services…”.
  • UnitedHealth’s executive team is jetting around to get this new system set up in the markets they are testing (including Massachusetts). 
  • UnitedHealth Group is taking another huge step ahead of its competition and is hopefully going to help out a lot of patients in the process!
  • Owner: KKR & Co. Inc
  • Date: 10/20/2021
  • Origin: Ciudad Real International Airport (Spain)
  • Destination: Madrid-Barajas Airport (Spain)
  • Money Moves:
  • According to a recent news report, premier private equity firm, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR), has engaged in a bidding war with Allianz and Axa. 
  • The firms are bidding to buy a part of a major Spanish utilities (and partly state-owned) corporation, Red Eléctrica.
  • They are specifically bidding for a 49% stake in their fiber-optic subsidiary, Reintel.
  • These reputable investment companies are likely in Spain to persuade Red Eléctrica to render them a minority stake in the subsidiary.
  • Reintel maintains a lot of assets across Spain, other parts of Europe, and South America.
  • KKR, being a contender in the bidding war, is likely interested in buying the minority stake, making the operation more efficient and cash flow generative, only to flip the subsidiary for a higher price than they purchased it.
  • If KKR ends up getting the bid, this should bode quite well for their stock and intermediate and long term outlook!
  • Owner: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
  • Date: 10/20/2021
  • Origin: Westchester County Airport (New York)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • IBM has a few offices north of downtown Austin.
  • In terms of recent news, the technology gargantuan is doing some work in Austin that is out of this world!  
  • We meant what we said!
  • IBM’s executive team is likely in Austin to verify their getting a sufficient return on investment, specifically as it relates to the research they are contributing for NASA in Austin.
  • The company might also be looking for more investment opportunities in the area.
  • There are a lot of tech companies (big and small) near and in Austin, so IBM might be hunting for a few new customers or even for a company to acquire!
  • There’s also a strong possibility that IBM is having a meeting or two with Tesla (recently relocated HQ to Austin) to discuss some projects they want to collaborate on or even negotiating the sale or purchase of one of their business units!
  • Owner: Abbott Laboratories
  • Date: 10/19/2021
  • Origin: Waukegan National Airport
  • Destination: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Northern Illinois headquartered Abbott is in the process of cleaning up one of its COVID-19 messes.
  • The medical device and drug company has issued statements of recall, explaining that two of their COVID-19 lab test kits are issuing false positive results.
  • Abbott’s executive team is likely flying around the country to distribute updated and accurate tests and simultaneously renew contracts with hospitals (or other testing sites) that want them!
  • Owner: Walmart Inc.
  • Date: 10/18/2021
  • Origin: London Luton Airport
  • Destination: Dubai International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • As of right now, there is not a Walmart in Dubai (let alone in the middle east). 
  • This is likely going to change in the near to intermediate future.
  • One of Walmart’s long-haul corporate planes made an incredibly long trip out to Dubai. 
  • Members of their corporate team are likely meeting with UAE officials to discuss fun stuff like permits, land, laws and the works! 
  • The retailer likely made a stop in London to either check in on one its supercentres or the more likely scenario, they needed to refuel!
  • We haven’t found any official reports of Walmart opening a few stores in Dubai, however, this could be a major link in their expansionary chain of plans.
  • Walmart is likely considering slowly opening up a few superstores in less volatile regions in the middle east. 
  • It looks like Walmart shareholders who are in it for the long term should be excited for  some long term growth out of the company as it seems they’re back to expanding globally!
  • Owner: Nordstrom Inc.
  • Date: 10/17/2021
  • Origin: Camarillo Airport (Ventura County, Los Angeles)
  • Destination: King County International Airport-Boeing Field (Seattle)
  • Money Moves:
  • Nordstrom seems to be focusing more of their efforts on the high end business, instead of their less expensive retail business, Nordstrom Rack. 
  • About a month ago, the fashion retailer closed one of their Rack’s in San Francisco, and is likely in the process of liquidating another Rack near Los Angeles (Nordstrom is headquartered in Seattle). 
  • Their executive team likely found some reason to get into or stay primarily in the high end fashion market in California (or in those particular regions of the state).
  • Nordstrom could also be strapped for cash, needing to sell certain less profitable stores in order to make ends meet. 
  • COVID impacted retailers like Nordstrom (and its competitors) greatly.
  • The future efficacy of retail as a whole is extremely uncertain.
  • Owner: Dillard’s Inc.
  • Date: 10/16/2021
  • Origin: Forth Worth Meacham International Airport (Dallas)
  • Destination: Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (Little Rock, Arkansas)
  • Money Moves:
  • We would’ve loved to buy this Arkansas-based clothing retailer’s stock during peak COVID.
  • The stock started trading around $23 and is now hovering $205. Not a bad return on investment!
  • While Dillard’s has a few stores in malls in Dallas and Fort Worth, they also have a corporate buying office located in Fort Worth.
  •  Members of Dillard’s executive team likely took a quick morning trip to have a meeting with their buying team, likely discussing staying ahead of holiday trends (and the supply chain itself).
  • Dillard’s meteoric rise doesn’t appear to have the sales fuel needed to continue its ascent. 
  • The stock is incredibly overvalued and all analysts ratings are currently “sell” or “reduce”.
  • While the stock may be high, we think it’s worth checking out after the stock deflates to a more reasonable valuation.
  • Owner: S.C. Johnson & Son Inc.
  • Date: 10/15/2021
  • Origin: Memorial Field Airport (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
  • Destination: Batten International Airport (Racine, Wisconsin)
  • Money Moves:
  • If you’re unemployed and live in Hot Springs, Arkansas, send an application to SC Johnson!
  • The household products gargantuan has some openings. 
  • Given the job offerings, the company seems to be doing some research on their customers and their buying habits.
  • Two positions being offered involve gathering shopper insight data. 
  • Why Hot Springs?
  • S.C. Johnson is likely expanding more of their product lines in the area and wants some early customer feedback!
  • Notably, the job listings are partnered with Walmart (which is also based in Arkansas), so S.C. is likely doing a lot of their research in Walmarts in the area.
  • S.C. gathering this data will hopefully be a plus for the company (depending on how they use the data), helping them figure out which customers want which products, and which products are flops!
  • Owner: Texas Instruments Inc.
  • Date: 10/14/2021
  • Origin: McKinney National Airport (Texas)
  • Destination: Ardmore Municipal Airport (Oklahoma)
  • Money Moves:
  • It looks like Texas Instruments is playing offense!
  • After closing two factories in Northern Texas, the calculator company (at least that’s what I know them for!) is likely looking for some space to build out a new mega-manufacturing facility close enough to home (McKinney, Texas). 
  • It should be noted that in the process of closing two plants, the company put over 500 people out of work. 
  • This is likely a big step in their push for automation in their facilities.
  • Bad for people, great for shareholders.
  • Owner: The Union Pacific Railroad
  • Date: 10/14/2021
  • Origin: Grand Junction Regional Airport (Colorado)
  • Destination: Heber Valley Airport (Utah)
  • Money Moves:
  • It’s the supply chain train!
  • The origin and the destination are relatively close together, which makes us think that Union Pacific’s executives are surveying the tracks in between.
  • A week ago, Grand Junction brought some awareness to its domestic transport problems!
  • Rail companies, namely Union pacific and BNSF, do not currently allow their trains to stop and load new cargo in Grand Junction (likely due to the tracks being on rugged or mountainous terrain).
  • Instead of dropping off and loading cargo in Grand Junction, the railroads offload in Denver or Salt Lake City!
  • Cargo is dropped off in Salt Lake (for example), which is then picked up by a truck and driven down to Grand Junction. 
  • Not the most efficient supply chain!
  • Union Pacific is likely trying to figure out a solution to this problem, because if they do, they’ll be more likely to keep the contracts they have with businesses in Grand Junction.
  • Any business the railroad can get right now is good business, because things may grind to a halt sooner than they’re prepared for!
  • Owner: The Bank of America Corporation
  • Date: 10/14/2021
  • Origin: Wilmington Airport (Delaware)
  • Destination: Cincinnati Municipal Airport (Ohio)
  • Money Moves:
  • It looks like Bank of America sees something in Ohio that we don’t!
  • It might just be the new silicon valley!
  • BofA recently announced that it will be adding a president for the Greater Cincinnati area. 
  • Oddly enough, there are a few major corporations headquartered in Cincinnati. 
  • Companies such as Kroger, Procter & Gamble, Cintas, Fifth Third Bank and a few others.
  • With Bank of America adding executive personnel in Ohio, they have also announced their coverage of a few companies in the area. 
  • Bank of America likely sees stability in the corporations domiciled in Cincinnati.
  • The bank might also be originating some loans for these businesses, preparing for the economic downturn or providing funds for these companies to expand their business while they still have access to capital markets.
  • Owner: The Procter & Gamble Company
  • Date: 10/13/2021
  • Origin: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Destination: Cincinnati Municipal Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Procter & Gamble dominates a lot of industries, but they’re starting to fall behind in the tissue space!
  • Some of their paper brands include Bounty, Charmin, and Puffs.
  • For one thing, their paper sustainability grade is an F.
  • I mean come on, when you’re a consumer and tissue behemoth like PG, having a worse grade than Walmart Great Value Ultra is unacceptable. 
  • No offense, Walmart!
  • Not only have investors and the sustainability crowd been pecking at Procter, the heirs of the company have made their requests pretty clear!
  • The consumer staple’s corporate team likely flew down to Georgia to work on its paper sustainability (one of its paper product plants is in Georgia).
  • We are still bullish on PG for the long term, however with current inflationary challenges and pressure from heirs and investors, Procter & Gamble is going to need to make some changes.
  • Owner: General Dynamics Corporation
  • Date: 10/13/2021
  • Origin: Westfield-Barnes Municipal Airport (Westfield, Massachusetts)
  • Destination: Ogden-Hinckley Airport (Ogden, Utah)
  • Money Moves:
  • General Dynamics is a defense and aerospace giant based in Virginia.
  • In the late 90’s, the company bought Gulfstream (and Cessna in the 80’s), and currently handles a lot of their aircraft maintenance.
  • General Dynamics has one of these facilities at Westfield Airport, where they fix anything from a small, single engine plane to one of their Gulfstream corporate jets.
  • Their corporate team likely made the trip to check on their current maintenance facility, potentially flying to a destination where they’re pondering building a new facility. 
  • This is somewhat of a recession-proof business (airplanes will continue to need maintenance no matter how bad the economy gets), therefore, we like the prospect of the defense company continuing to slowly build out more maintenance facilities across the country.
  • UPDATE: It looks like General Dynamics is considering  building out their aircraft  maintenance business in Utah!
  • Owner: Saudi Aramco
  • Date: 10/12/2021
  • Origin: Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (Egypt)
  • Destination: Newark International Airport (New Jersey)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Saudi Aramco’s private planes touched down in Newark, New Jersey at 10:15 AM EST. 
  • Saudi Aramco is the largest oil company in the world.
  • It is the only oil company in Saudi Arabia.
  • Last year, their revenues fell just short of $230bn. 
  • The company’s executives made a long trip from Egypt to the United States!
  • According to recent reports, the oil monopoly is tapping banks for a $14bn loan for a pipeline.
  • It would make sense that the company is visiting New York to meet with the big banks.
  • The big banks likely syndicate loans of this size (and for companies like Aramco) in order to spread out the risk and be able to sufficiently provide the funds the company needs.
  • The company is likely to receive the requested funds and is also likely hoarding some cash for the imminent energy crisis.
  • Owner: CVS Health Corporation
  • Date: 10/11/2021
  • Origin: Lehigh Valley International Airport (Pennsylvania)
  • Destination: Wilmington Airport (Delaware)
  • Money Moves:
  • CVS is either working on its taxes or setting up a job fair to get some new employees in their pharmacies in Delaware!
  • The origin and the destination check out in terms of CVS desperately needing employees.
  • Roughly three weeks ago, the retail and pharmacy conglomerate announced their goal of hiring hundreds of new employees around Philadelphia.
  • Member of their corporate team likely checked on their hiring goal Philadelphia and zipped down to Delaware to repeat the same process of trying to attract new hires.
  • CVS pharmacies in Delaware have dramatically reduced their hours due to the current shortage of labor.
  • The prevailing shortage can and likely has hurt CVS’ bottom and top lines. 
  • Even if CVS corral more employees, they will likely have to shell out hundred dollar sign-on bonuses, which will be more costly than CVS hoped for.
  • Owner: Government of Qatar
  • Date: 10/11/2021
  • Origin: Luxembourg Airport 
  • Destination: Heathrow Airport (London)
  • Money Moves:
  • The King of Qatar and his officials just touched down in London at 3:20 PM local time.
  • The world must be prepared for a global energy crisis.
  • Governments across the globe have forewarned substantial increases in energy prices for its citizens.
  • Qatar, one of the largest natural gas producers in the world, is no exception.
  • The country claims its trapped as British steelmakers threaten to halt production due to rising costs.
  • You never know when you will need energy.
  • Whether natural gas prices stay at their current levels or continue to rise, it’s a good idea to have some extra cash saved up for your utilities this winter.
  • The Government of Qatar is likely in London to negotiate with steelmakers in the area, and try to get a better gauge on the price of energy they will charge and the costs they will be forced to bear.
  • Owner: Emerson Electric Company
  • Date: 10/10/2021
  • Origin: Spirit of St Louis Airport
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Two of Emerson’s corporate planes just landed in New York. 
  • They likely flew out members of their executive team and their counsel. 
  • It looks like a big merger is in the works for Emerson!
  • As of three days ago, Emerson, an electrical engineering giant, is in the early stages of buying out Aspen Tech, a software company based in Massachusetts.
  • The deal is likely being structured by Emerson (their bid for Aspen Tech) and their attorneys along with some $1,000/hour consultants (in New York).
  • It’ll be interesting to see how this deal progresses (don’t worry, we’ll keep you updated!).
  • UPDATE: Emerson’s CEO met with CNBC on 10/12 to discuss the acquisition.
  • If the deal were to go through (depending on how much Emerson paid for Aspen), Emerson would be rewarded with some serious competitive and strategic advantages.
  • Owner: Rupert Murdoch
  • Date: 10/9/2021
  • Origin: Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport
  • Destination: The Eastern Iowa Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • It must be fun to have friends in fly places.
  • Former President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Iowa tonight.
  • Murdoch is taking Fox & Friends to a whole new level, as  it appears he will be in attendance!
  • Irrespective of political affiliation, Fox stock has been rising recently and we can only assume much of that has to do with increased viewership.
  • What’s increasing the viewership? It’s not a what; it’s a who.
  • Whether you hate him or love him, many find Trump to be very entertaining, thus giving Fox more screen time. 
  • Fox’s stock is likely to keep rising as there is more of Trump on their station.
  • It should also be noted that one of Trump’s personal planes just departed Wichita, Kansas, and appears to be Iowa-bound.
  • One of his largest donors, Charles Koch, likely discussed some campaign financing or things that he would like to see Trump say or do so as to fatten Koch’s pockets.
  • As we get closer to election season, the market will likely be choppier than usual.
  • Owner: The Allstate Corporation
  • Date: 10/9/2021
  • Origin: Chicago Executive Airport
  • Destination: Henderson Executive Airport (Las Vegas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Allstate sent shockwaves into the business world yesterday!
  • Not only is Allstate selling its long time headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois, they have also admitted that 95% of their employees are working remotely.
  • One likely caused the other!
  • They have not formally said whether or not they are actively seeking another home for the time being.
  • We see a lot of upside for Allstate as a company an its stock after these announcements.
  • The sale of their sprawling former HQ is likely to put a nice chunk of cash in their pockets, beefing up their reserves for what is likely to be an ugly winter.
  • It is also a lot cheaper for Allstate to run their company when all of their employees are working over Zoom. 
  • However, they might be flying out west to find a new corporate office!
  • UPDATE: Could the insurance company be purchasing a new headquarters in Las Vegas? Only time will tell!
  • Owner: Nike Inc.
  • Date: 10/8/2021
  • Origin: Hillsboro Airport (Oregon)
  • Destination: Faro Airport (Portugal)
  • Money Moves:
  • Nike has a dominant business model, but they sadly aren’t immune to supply chain disruptions.
  • In fact, they are pretty sensitive to supply chain issues, especially on a global scale.
  • Due to COVID-19 and prevailing supply chain problems, Nike lost 10 weeks of valuable production time in factories in Vietnam and Indonesia (and other factories in other nearby countries).
  • Apparently, “80% of Nike’s shoe factories in Vietnam and nearly half of its apparel plants are closed…”
  • This is alarming. 
  • This is also likely why the company is out in Portugal.
  • They likely have more lenient labor laws as it relates to COVID-19 and it might be a selling point to local government officials that Nike will come build a factory and create jobs for the local economy.
  • We would not be surprised if there were talks of Nike building a factory in Portugal.
  • Owner: Cintas Corporation
  • Date: 10/8/2021
  • Origin: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field 
  • Destination: Midway International Airport (Chicago)
  • Money Moves:
  • It’s looks like the uniform people are making a concerted effort to take share of the casual workwear space!
  • They recently inked a deal with Virgin Voyages, Richard Branson’s cruise line.
  • Cintas is designing the uniforms for the crew!
  •  Cintas has had their casual workwear division, Design Collective, for a few years now but it seems like they are finally putting it to work!
  • While their stock price is higher than their corporate jet, this is fundamentally a good move for the company.
  • They are likely spending some time in Chicago because they have a design studio in the city!
  • Owner: Walmart Inc.
  • Date: 10/7/2021
  • Origin: Yeager Airport (West Virginia)
  • Destination: Wheeling Ohio County Airport (West Virginia)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Walmart’s corporate planes just landed in Wheeling, West Virginia.
  • Walmart is shaking things up for customers and investors in a major way.
  • Walmart has said goodbye to layaway and is employing a buy now, pay later structure for lots of products.
  • This appears to be a strategically competitive step that the retail monster is taking.
  • According to reports, customers can check out and pay for their purchases in 24 months.
  • As we can assume, Walmart likely has some penalties for customers that don’t pay their Walmart debt, protecting the company from fraudulent activity and stealing.
  • This program is being implemented across the country, which explains why their corporate jet made a short hop between stores and facilities in West Virginia.
  • Walmart is staying competitive with the Costcos and Amazons of the world. If this strategy is carried out successfully, this could bring in a lot more business to your local Walmart!
  • This would obviously bode well for shareholders.
  • Hopefully Wally’s World is prepared for consumer purchases to ramp up amidst the current supply chain pinch everyone’s in.
  • Owner: Tyson Foods Inc.
  • Date: 10/7/2021
  • Origin: Tri-Cities Airport (Pasco, Washington)
  • Destination: Sioux Gateway Airport (Iowa)
  • Money Moves:
  • Tyson’s executive team is doing its COVID rounds!
  • Tyson has had major COVID issues in their plants from the origin to the destination.
  • In their Pasco plant, during the initial rise of COVID, 20% of the employees in the factory tested positive for COVID-19.
  • The plant has opened up since then and there hasn’t been much additional news in Pasco. 
  • They’re likely just making sure it stays that way.
  • At around the same time as the other cases, their Waterloo pork plant near South Dakota was hit a little harder.
  •  At least six employees died and roughly 35% of employees were infected.
  • The meat giant is likely making the rounds in making sure the proper precautions are still in place so as to avoid more deaths and lawsuits.
  • Owner: Caterpillar Inc.
  • Date: 10/7/2021
  • Origin: Forth Worth Alliance Airport
  • Destination: Roscoe Turner Airport (Mississippi)
  • Money Moves:
  • Caterpillar just hit pavement in Corinth, Mississippi.
  • Their corporate team is obviously on a Parisian vacation.
  • Caterpillar is actually in the giving mood! They are giving out jobs across the country left and right!
  • They’ve consolidated hundreds of jobs spread out across the nation into one office in Irving, Texas (near Fort Worth).
  • This is a strategic move on Caterpillar’s part, as they have a lot of skilled workers down in Texas (for what they are selling).
  • In Corinth, the construction and technology giant is investing nearly $15 million to expand its plant
  • The plant currently manufactures large engines.
  • The expansion will help them meet demand and create more jobs for locals!
  • With a depressed stock price, a hungry workforce, and robust and consistent demand, Caterpillar’s long-term outlook looks fantastic.
  • Owner: CAVA
  • Date: 10/6/2021
  • Origin: Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (Washington)
  • Destination: St. Paul Downtown Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • CAVA is basically Chipotle but with more natural ingredients and a Mediterranean tilt.
  • The chain is very popular in Austin!
  • CAVA recently got a fresh round of funding and has been in expansion mode over the last year.
  • Between fundraising and expanded across the country, an IPO is not farfetched
  • They do not currently have a presence in Minnesota, thus making it likely that their corporate team flew out because they’re considering opening a restaurant. 
  • Owner: Koch Industries (Georgia Pacific)
  • Date: 10/4/2021
  • Origin: Shaw Air Force Base (South Carolina)
  • Destination: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta)
  • Money Moves:
  • Remember when we said government contracts are the best for companies (previous example of Waste Management)?
  • Georgia Pacific likely renewed a contract with the Air Force base in South Carolina. 
  • As stated previously in another Follow The Money, government contracts with companies tend to be long term and fairly reliable.
  • Georgia Pacific sells a lot of different products but is likely distributing either building equipment such as panels and roof boards (for a construction project on the base) or simply installing paper towel dispensers for the bathrooms.
  • While Georgia Pacific is not a publicly traded company, they are a ubiquitous one.
  • However, if you have major conviction in the conglomerate, they do have publicly traded bonds available for purchase through certain brokerages! 
  • It’s good to see Georgia Pacific staying ahead of the steep supply chain curve and we’re sure they will continue to do so.
  • Owner: McDonald’s Corporation
  • Date: 10/5/2021
  • Origin: Midway International Airport (Chicago)
  • Destination: King County International Airport-Boeing Field (Seattle)
  • Money Moves:
  • We’re interested to see where the fast-food juggernaut is headed! One of their corporate jets is zooming over Urbana, Iowa, heading northwest bound.
  • Like most companies, they’ve been having supply chain troubles and are slowly working them out.
  • We’ll give you an update as to where the jet lands, which will give us a better idea of what their corporate team is up to!
  • UPDATE: McDonald’s corporate plane made a quick turnaround in Seattle! They might’ve been picking up a member or prospective member of their front office!
  • McDonald’s is also doing a great job on their new target by the way!
  • Owner: NCR Corporation
  • Date: 10/4/2021
  • Origin: Cobb County International Airport (Kennesaw, Georgia)
  • Destination: Westchester County Airport (New York)
  • Money Moves:
  • NCR Corporation’s jet just landed in the fancy airport of New York!
  • You know when you go to Chipotle and put your card in (chip, of course) to pay for your burrito? That’s NCR’s machine.
  • No wonder NCR stands for “National Cash Register.”
  • While they are headquartered in Georgia, NCR has an office in New York.
  • This transaction handling company is likely in New York to renew some contracts or even gain new contracts with local vendors in New York (or big corporations that do a lot of business in the area).
  • While NCR is not a super exciting company, they have a rather positive outlook for the future. 
  • However, we can’t help to face the reality that someday they might be Toast!
  • Owner: Norfolk Southern Corporation
  • Date: 10/3/2021
  • Origin: Norfolk International Airport (Virginia)
  • Destination: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Money Moves:
  • It’s Norfolk in Norfolk!
  • Norfolk Southern is one of America’s premier railways (and a historically strong performing stock).
  • The economic buzz word lately has been “supply chain.”
  • Ports being blocked up, shipments being delayed, leading to a lot of companies losing a lot of money and even potential customers.
  • However, it seems like things are opening up for Norfolk Southern!
  • It is in the process of opening up one of its ports in Louisville, a railway segment that is connected to a cargo port in Virginia (Norfolk).
  • Ships offload containers onto Norfolk’s trains for them to be taken to their second to last destinations!
  • If Norfolk can keep its supply chain on track (intended), the company will weather the storm that is here and that is to come.
  • Owner: The Coca-Cola Company
  • Date: 10/3/2021
  • Origin: Smyrna Airport (Tennessee)
  • Destination: Memphis International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • This is the first Follow The Money that directly involves the origin and the destination.
  • Coke has recently completed a major expansion in one of its bottling plants in Memphis! 
  • The plant is larger in size and has “new equipment and production capabilities.”
  • More efficient production and added machinery bodes well for the future of the beverage behemoth! Coke shareholders will likely reap this improvement in the next few years and beyond.
  • Coke also has a distribution center in Smyrna, TN (their jet’s origin).
  • They are likely starting the process of similar improvements and technological advancements in their distribution centers worldwide.
  • Coke, like many well-known American brands, is expanding and improving before the bubble pops!
  • Owner: Stan Kroenke
  • Date: 10/1/2021
  • Origin: Van Nuys Airport
  • Destination: Tucson International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Stan touched down in Tucson at 2:48 PM MT.
  • He is one of America’s largest landowners, owns six sports franchises, and happens to be married to a Walmart heiress.
  • Stan comes from money.
  • He owns a few different holding companies that own his stadiums, land, and other facilities like malls!
  • One of the malls owned by one of Kroenke’s holding companies, The Kroenke Group, is El Con Mall, located in Tucson, Arizona.
  • Kroenke is either flying down to renew leases with current or new tenants or, the slightly more probable scenario, selling the complex.
  • The real estate market is so hot, it’s burnt to a crisp. 
  • Kroenke likely is divesting, taking profits, and gearing up for when the cycle turns so he can buy up some more real estate for cheap.
  • This action speaks volumes for the market as a whole. Prices are inflated and cash is not trash when compared to buying into the current stock and real estate market(s).
  • Owner: Honeywell International Inc.
  • Date: 10/1/2021
  • Origin: De-Kalb Peachtree Airport (Atlanta)
  • Destination: Charlotte Douglas International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Honeywell’s been doing a lot of good stuff lately!
  • As of today (10/1/2021), the aerospace and technology conglomerate boosted its annual dividend from $3.72 to $3.92!
  • But that’s not the big news
  • In the last three days, Honeywell introduced “Forge Worker Assist”, an application designed to help deskless workers of many industrial industries to get the support they need in any project they are working on.
  • This not only helps employees, but companies because of the increased efficiency.
  • The application is already being used by manufacturers in Brazil and Mexico.
  • Honeywell has a few offices down in Atlanta and is likely expanding this new service locally since it’s taking off overseas!
  • Owner: The 3M Company
  • Date: 9/30/2021
  • Origin: St. Paul Downtown Airport
  • Destination: Santa Fe Regional Airport 
  • Money Moves:
  • 3M’s stock has seen better weeks! 
  • While 3M is an iconic American company that will likely be around forever, it’s ability to produce returns for shareholders is incredibly sensitive to inflation.
  • Have we mentioned inflation is a big deal?
  • While 3M’s stock may be depressed, long term investors shouldn’t be. 
  • One of their corporate jets touched down in Santa Fe, New Mexico yesterday. They don’t have a plant or any specific line(s) of business out there.
  • 3M is likely looking at constructing a new plant in order to keep up with demand after the recessionary storm comes through.
  • It shold be noted that the American giant does have a little side project in Santa Fe involving hydrogen-powered trucks!
  • Owner: Citigroup Inc.
  • Date: 9/30/2021
  • Origin: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Destination: Westchester County Airport 
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Citi’s corporate planes just touched down in the fancy part of New York.
  • Citi has been getting some press lately.
  • They’re on the brink of losing $504M due to a misstep involving beauty company, Revlon, and its lenders. 
  • Long story short, Citi accidentally sent hundreds of millions of dollars and is trying to get their money back. 
  • Some cooperated, some got sued
  • Revlon was in a lot of financial distress at the time of the lending mishap and while lenders shouldn’t have been receiving much in terms of payments from the company, they saw deposits of millions of dollars in their statement. 
  • Mums the word!
  • It’ll be interesting to see how Citi’s collecting progresses! Where else would they be trying to collect than in Washington D.C.?
  • Owner: Jack Ma
  • Date: 9/29/2021
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: San Diego International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese ecommerce giant, Alibaba, is stateside!
  • One of Jack Ma’s cofounders, Joe Tsai, has a house in San Diego. 
  • Ma and Tsai could be in early talks of moving the company’s headquarters amidst the brutal beating the company and its stock has taken.
  • BABA stock has been in a steady decent from $300 in 2020 to the current price of $147. 
  • The company’s stock is a complete buy except for the fact that it’s been under excessive regulatory scrutiny lately. 
  • This makes us think there is some potential in Alibaba moving from Hangzhou, China to somewhere in the United States. 
  • If there was as much as a peep of this happening, the stock would come back to it’s normal, deserved value. 
  • The further away Alibaba gets from the CCP’s rules and regulations, the better.
  • Owner: GameStop Corp.
  • Date: 9/29/2021
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: Van Nuys Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Just when you thought the GameStop frenzy was over!
  • A couple of subpoenas here and there distributed to the little guy who actually profited like a hedge fund for once. Even Michael Burry got a courtesy letter from his favorite group of people, the SEC.
  • Somewhat more notable is Citadel Securities being investigated for their handling of “meme stocks.” 
  • There will likely be a mundane four hour hearing between Citadel and GameStop and our government. Big deal.
  • Citadel will happily pay fines they can afford. 
  • However, GameStop executives have been somewhat silent during this ordeal and at this point, travel may speak louder than words.
  • GameStop’s corporate plane is westbound currently flying over Portland, Michigan. 
  • UPDATE: Their jet landed in Van Nuys this afternoon. No apparent reason for this yet.
  • The jet left Teterboro early this morning, which is near one of Citadel’s head offices as well as corporate attorneys as far as the eye can see!
  • We’ll be sure to update you as to where the jet lands. 
  • Owner: Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Date: 9/28/2021
  • Origin: Palmdale Regional Airport (California)
  • Destination: Melbourne Orlando International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • What causes executive teams at major defense companies to celebrate? Contracts!
  • Global defense companies like Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin (and a few others) make most of their money from long term contracts, typically with the United States government.
  • When Northrop works with the government (or a branch of the military), they are usually designed airplanes and systems within those airplanes to keep our military ahead of the competition. 
  • NG was awarded a $7 million contract roughly three weeks ago. 
  • The contract involves some systems for their famous Navy E-2 aircraft.
  • This contract is for a naval station in New Jersey, however, the work of building out the systems and equipment is being done in Melbourne, Florida.
  • One of NG’s corporate planes is descending into Florida at around 10:40 PM EST.
  • UPDATE: The jet landed in Melbourne Orlando International Airport!
  • It’s a plane and a helicopter. It’s pretty cool.
  • It’s good to see that Northrop is bagging contracts during a time of market volatility and uncertainty. There will always be a need for their services (we hope!).
  • Owner: FedEx Corporation
  • Date: 9/27/2021
  • Origin: Pittsburgh International Airport
  • Destination: Memphis International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • FedEx, like most companies, is fighting an upward battle with inflation. One of the ways companies can offset inflationary pressure in the long term (and short term) is by cutting costs. 
  • FedEx is starting to do that in a major way.
  • FedEx has partnered up with Aurora, a Pittsburgh startup, to begin the process of getting autonomous, driverless trucks on the road.
  • They are already running road tests and if things go according to plan, they will be driving your packages across the country in two to three years.
  • What better way to “get with the times” and cut labor costs dramatically over the long term than to get robots to drive your trucks?
  • If you are just focusing on the stock with this news, it’s a positive in the long run. If you’re focusing on the prospect of truck drivers having jobs in the next couple years, it’s not as pretty.
  • If they’re doing this with trucks, be sure to remember that FedEx is an airline too…
  • Owner: Stryker Corporation
  • Date: 9/27/2021
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: Shannon Airport (Ireland)
  • Money Moves:
  • As my fingers are pushing the keys of my keyboard, one of Stryker’s corporate jets is humming along above the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Stryker is a medical technology company that manufactures and sells a lot of the machines, beds, specifically ICU beds that you see in hospitals.
  • Needless to say, their business has done exceptionally well during COVID.
  • Their stock is trading near all-time highs.
  • Stryker has had an appetite for acquisition lately, and is likely looking to buyout a company somewhere in Europe (likely England). 
  • The company might also be doing some corporate expansion, as they have a corporate office in Holland.
  • We’ll check back in a few hours to let you know where Stryker touches down.
  • UPDATE: Stryker has just touched down in Shannon, Ireland!
  • Owner: Portillo’s Restaurant Group Inc.
  • Date: 9/26/2021
  • Origin: Santa Fe Regional Airport
  • Destination: DuPage County Airport (Western Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • A classic restaurant with excessively loud music, huge drive-thru lines, and the best fries on the face of the earth? Meet Portillo’s.
  • While they are currently a private company, they have plans for an IPO within the year!
  • Given a quick glance on Portillo’s  website, the chain does not currently have any locations in New Mexico.
  • It looks like this will change soon. 
  • Portillo’s has been aggressively expanding during COVID and since everyone else is filing for an IPO, why wouldn’t they?
  • This is what Follow the Money is for. Finding deals before The Street or even the company mentions it. What started out as a humble hot dog stand in 1963 is now developing into a restaurant giant.
  • Owner: PepsiCo Inc.
  • Date: 9/24/2021
  • Origin: Westchester County Airport (New York)
  • Destination: Sheboygan County Memorial Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • We know Sheboygan is obviously one of the “hidden gems” of the Midwest but seriously Pepsi, come on!
  • Why would one of the largest companies in the world be in one of the cheesiest parts of Wisconsin? Distribution!
  • One of Pepsi’s oldest partners, Lakeside Bottling, is headquartered in Sheboygan Falls.
  • They handle the bottling and distribution for a lot of Pepsi products. 
  • They are the people that block up the aisles with totes of beverages (one of them at least…)!
  • Pepsi likely flew out to do a spot-check on the operation, making sure they are tackling any local supply chain issues. 
  • Owner: Barnes & Noble
  • Date: 9/24/2021
  • Origin: Piedmont Triad International Airport (Greensboro, North Carolina)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Barnes & Noble’s corporate plane touched earth in Teterboro, New Jersey just before the clock struck 11:00 AM EST.
  • Barnes and Noble has been a dud with the rise in people wanting to Snapchat (instead of read books) paired with the fact that I can get most books cheaper on Amazon.
  • However, things shaped out pretty well for the book retailer during COVID! Sales began to grow mainly because more people had time to read or wanted to get back into the habit of picking up a book once in a while.
  • Not only is B&N surviving, they are expanding!
  • Roughly a month ago, they opened a new store in Raleigh, NC. Greensboro is roughly an hour from Raleigh. 
  • This could be the beginning of B&N expanding and getting back some marketshare (not a lot).
  • Hopefully the book seller can stay alive for a few more years!
  • Owner: Penn National Gaming Inc.
  • Date: 9/23/2021
  • Origin: Boston Logan International Airport
  • Destination: Reading Regional Airport (Reading, Pennsylvania)
  • Money Moves:
  • Penn currently holds a 36% stake in Barstool Sports, a Boston-based pop-culture and sports media company.
  • Aside from Penn’s executive team being somewhat active in Boston (trying to build new properties and get the permits and licenses they need), we smell acquisition.
  • Penn acquiring a majority stake in Barstool Sports makes complete sense with their business model. Still expand with casinos and gaming, but buy out Barstool to reach a broader, younger audience.
  • Don’t be surprised if in the next couple months or even year there are talks of a buyout.
  • Owner: Waste Management Inc.
  • Date: 9/22/2021
  • Origin: March Air Reserve Base (Riverside, California)
  • Destination: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston)
  • Money Moves:
  • This one’s different!
  • This Houston-based garbage giant has been with some bad news throughout the week.
  • And some more!
  • However, it might not be all bad for much longer.
  • A corporate jet at a military base most likely means that Waste Management is in the process of getting some government contracts.
  • Everyone needs their trash taken out!
  • If WM is seen flying to other bases across the country, this is a very good sign.
  • Companies that snag government contracts tend to be well protected and around for a long time.
  • The contracts tend to be long too!
  • Owner: Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc.
  • Date: 9/22/2021
  • Origin: Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport 
  • Destination: Pittsburgh International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Dick’s is one of our favorite companies coming out of the worst (and hopefully the last) of COVID.
  • The sporting goods retailer’s stock has been on an absolute tear. It’s too inflated now with value lagging behind it’s current price.
  • However, we wish we would’ve bought it at the bottom!
  • So Dick’s corporate team flew to Pittsburgh, big deal. Well, kind of!
  • Dick’s is strategically trying to stay competitive with those in the sporting space but also in the outdoors space.
  • Enter their new concept, “Public Lands” stores.
  • They are likely trying these out in their less “risky” markets to test the waters and see if customers are biting on this new idea.
  • We like this new concept. While we don’t know a whole lot about Dick’s products and their ability to attract more customers, we know about growth. 
  • Some companies have taken their foot off the pedal during COVID; not Dick’s.
  • While the stock valuation is simply too high, this a company that investors should pay attention to for the next 3-5 years.
  • Owner: Family Dollar
  • Date: 9/22/2021
  • Origin: Clearwater International Airport (St. Pete, Florida)
  • Destination: Norfolk International Airport (Virginia)
  • Money Moves:
  • Family Dollar is hiring!
  • Companies are really desperate for employees right now. 
  • If you’re seeking employment and happen to be in Marianna, Florida tomorrow, go see Family Dollar and get hired instantly! 
  • *MacroHint is not sponsored by Family Dollar.
  • From our perspective, this is a sort of barometer for just how bad things are.
  • Major corporations need labor so bad that they are willing to gas up their million dollar plane and zip down to Florida in order to simply try getting some workers.
  • If this employment shortage persists (which we think it will), it’s safe to expect an alarming number of stores to be shut down across the country (Family Dollar and others).
  • Owner: The Walt Disney Company
  • Date: 9/21/2021
  • Origin: Farnborough Airport (England)
  • Destination: Dubai International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Expansion. This the first word that came to our minds when we saw one of Disney’s corporate planes in Dubai.
  • In 2011, Disney came out and claimed they had no plans to open a theme park in Dubai.
  • 10 years later, that might seem like an attractive venture for the theme park giant.
  • It is highly likely Disney is either in the early innings of scouting available land in Dubai or is nearing the finishing stages of signing a deal with local officials so they can start building an amusement park.
  • This is big news. It will be big to the public in a few months, a year, two years, or even five years, but it won’t be news to you.
  • There aren’t many other reasons why Disney would take a seven hour trip to Dubai.
  • Owner: Bill Gates
  • Date: 9/20/2021
  • Origin: Boeing Field (King County, Washington)
  • Destination: Reagan Washington National Airport (D.C.)
  • Money Moves:
  • Bill Gates is playing “Let’s Make a Deal!”
  • Gates is having a  get-together with some of his lofty friends in where else but D.C.
  • He’s been a proponent of clean energy for a long time, and has recently been working on Breakthrough Energy’s  Catalyst initiative.
  • Gates is the founder of Breakthrough Energy.
  • The program’s goal is to obtain net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
  • American Airlines, Bank of America, Microsoft (of course), and BlackRock are some of the investors invested in the initiative.
  • Gates is likely in D.C. with some executives of those companies or meeting with politicians to try to summon other support as well.
  • Who knows, maybe Breakthrough might go through an IPO in the near future!
  • Owner: The Home Depot
  • Date: 9/20/2021
  • Origin: Fulton County Airport (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Destination: John Wayne Airport (Orange County, California)
  • Money Moves:
  • Chief executives of The Home Depot are zooming over the warm skies of Donley County, Texas!
  • We’re interested to see where the jet will land in the next few hours. 
  • UPDATE: Looks like we were right!
  • The home project behemoth’s stock has been performing incredibly well.
  • Given the low rate environment and the fact that rates are likely to start trending upwards in the near future, Home Depot is likely building out some new stores out west.
  • We love to see companies expanding responsibly when others are panicked and debt-ridden, and Home Depot seems to be one of those companies.
  • Owner: Deere & Company (John Deere)
  • Date: 9/20/2021
  • Origin: Quad City International Airport (Moline, IL)
  • Destination: New Century AirCenter (Gardner, Kansas)
  • Money Moves:
  • Deere & Company, an agricultural giant headquartered in Moline, does a lot of business and production in Kansas.
  • They currently employ approximately 1,500 “Deeres” in Kansas.
  • One of their main sellers down near Gardner is Heritage Tractor.
  • With all of Deere’s recent talk of automation, we can’t help to think some of that is coming towards Kansas.
  • Deere’s making a huge push into the 5G space to help make their factories run more efficiently. 
  • Deere is already a giant in the space. Why do they need to be more efficient in manufacturing? 
  • Increased demand and automation.
  • Deere is likely in the early phases of automating many in-factory processes so as to increase productivity as well as save more money (by not needing to pay as many employees).
  • If our assumption is correct, it would be greatly controversial for employees (who have already began unionizing in Illinois) but would likely bring great pleasure to shareholders. 
  • Owner: William Wrigley Jr.
  • Date: 9/19/2021
  • Origin: Kenosha Regional Airport (Wisconsin)
  • Destination: Palm Beach International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Wrigley Jr. is an heir to the chewing gum fortune (you guessed it), Wrigley Company.
  • Outside of being an heir to a gum monopoly, (that is wholly owned by Mars), Wrigley has set his sights on new “highs”.
  • Wrigley Jr. has ventured outside of the chewing gum business into another American favorite; marijuana.
  • He is the CEO of Parallel, a cannabis manufacturer and seller that supplies Texas, Florida, Nevada, and Massachusetts.
  • They are likely to expand in the near future given the push for marijuana legalization by citizens across the country. 
  • It is strange that Wrigley departed Kenosha instead of Chicago (where Wrigley Company is based).
  • The Wrigley’s were involved in a case in Wisconsin in the 90’s, however, we doubt this is related.
  • Wrigley is likely in Florida to drum up some more local business!
  • Owner: Barry Diller
  • Date: 9/17/2021
  • Origin: Jackson Hole Airport (Wyoming)
  • Destination: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • From vacation to boardroom for Mr. Diller!
  • Barry Diller is one of the most prominent businesspeople in media. 
  • He founded Fox Broadcasting Company, USA Broadcasting, and currently runs a holding company by the name of IAC that holds dozens of media companies (one of which is Investopedia).
  •  Diller likely flew from one of his vacation homes in Wyoming to Austin to talk shop with one of the more well-known companies he works with, Expedia.
  • Expedia has a corporate office here in Austin.
  • He is likely doing some housekeeping or talking growth with the travel company.
  • While the company’s stock enjoyed some post-pandemic success, they are likely in talks to acquire a company or two to get ahead of the competition.
  • Diller knows a thing or two about media mergers.
  • Owner: Hormel Foods Corporation
  • Date: 9/17/2021
  • Origin: Austin Municipal Airport (Austin, Minnesota)
  • Destination: East Texas Regional Airport (Longview, TX)
  • Money Moves:
  • Nope, not that Austin!
  • Early in 2020, Hormel acquired Sadler’s Smokehouse, a family business that makes and sells brisket and other supplementary products like barbecue sauce.
  • Hormel executives are likely checking on the production of their subsidiary and making sure everything is up to par.
  • Hormel’s stock has been in the toilet lately.
  • Inflation is likely a large reason for that. 
  • They might be working on their production methods, trying to get more meat produced for less cost.
  • Owner: Cigna
  • Date: 9/17/2021
  • Origin: Bradley International Airport (Windsor Locks, CT)
  • Destination: Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (Atlanta)
  • Money Moves:
  • Cigna is one of the largest health insurance providers on the planet (based in Connecticut).
  • Cigna recently partnered with Oscar Health in efforts to expand their products and services to small businesses across the country.
  • One of the main cities they are looking to provide for is Atlanta. 
  • It should be noted that both of their corporate jets are currently in Atlanta.
  • This either means lots of corporate lawyers looking over contracts or lots of members of Cigna’s executive team doing presentations in the area.
  • If Cigna gets some contracts out of Atlanta and some more across the country, the company will be in a good position to corner the small business healthcare market.
  • Owner: Eaton Corporation plc
  • Date: 9/16/2021
  • Origin: Eppley Airfield (Omaha)
  • Destination: Pittsburgh International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Eaton is one of the world’s largest power management companies. If you go out to eat or look on the side of almost any nearby building, you’ll likely find one of their generators (or another one of their machines).
  • Eaton has a substation power center in Omaha and that’s about it. However, Buffett is in Omaha! This could hint at a potential investment from Berkshire Hathaway!
  • Aside from a power station in Omaha, the real exciting stuff is in Pittsburgh!
  • Eaton has a demonstration and testing facility in Pittsburgh. 
  • This is the closest equivalent to a museum where visitors can come and gaze upon Eaton’s latest technological advancements.
  • They could be in the process of testing some new products or trying to make their current machines more productive and efficient.
  • Owner: The Kroger Company
  • Date: 9/16/2021
  • Origin: Van Nuys Airport
  • Destination: Unknown
  • Money Moves:
  • Executives of one of the largest grocery chains in the world, Kroger, jetted out of LA at 7:00 AM PDT this morning.
  • While it doesn’t appear that Kroger has any stores in Los Angeles, we can’t forget their largest subsidiary, Ralph’s.
  • Ralph’s is headquartered in Compton and has a large presence in the area. 
  • Kroger is either checking on it’s current stores or (slightly more likely) looking to expand in a low rate environment into other parts of Los Angeles.
  • Nonetheless, both of these scenarios bode well for Kroger (one of Buffett’s favorite stocks).
  • Owner: The Walt Disney Company
  • Date: 9/15/2021
  • Origin: Hollywood Burbank Airport
  • Destination: Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Money Moves:
  • Thankfully, we don’t have to speculate much on this Follow the Money (FTM).
  • President Biden is meeting with executives from Microsoft, Disney, and Walgreens (and a few others) to discuss vaccines. 
  • Specifically, they are hoping that their meeting in D.C. will encourage other businesses to mandate vaccines for their employees.
  • I’m sure there will be other matters discussed privately between corporations and members of the government! 
  • More vaccine legislation could come from this meeting, which could potentially be bad for businesses that have employees that are not fully vaccinated, which could lead to the economy weakening.
  • Owner: Chevron Corporation
  • Date: 9/14/2021
  • Origin: South Texas Regional Airport (Hondo, TX)
  • Destination: Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Money Moves:
  • Chevron is trying to get their green cred up before investor day.
  • The oil giant is likely in D.C. to either lobby for a favorable bill that we don’t yet know about or raise money for the environmental efforts. 
  • It’s probably the former.
  • Chevron also mandated employee vaccines three weeks ago. They could be in D.C. to garner some government support.
  • They likely flew from one of their incredibly “green” oil plants down in Texas.
  • Either way, it is fascinating how often oil giants come to D.C.
  • What I would do to be a fly on the wall in those conference rooms!
  • Owner: Ira Rennert (The Renco Group)
  • Date: 9/13/2021
  • Origin: Salt Lake City International Airport
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Rennert touched down in a cloudy in New Jersey at around 11:10 PM EST. 
  • The Renco Group invests in a range of companies and industries. 
  • One of the companies Rennert and his group invested in a company based out in Salt Lake City.
  • This investment is well known for all the wrong reasons. 
  • Rennert allegedly ran a mining company into the ground (no pun intended) to profit for himself and himself only.
  • The company filed for bankruptcy protection and Rennert shortly thereafter purchased a new house in the Hamptons!
  • This all happened around 2015.
  • Perhaps there is some unfinished bankruptcy proceedings that needed to be tented to! it is strange that he flew out there.
  • Maybe he’s reinvesting and needs a new house in Martha’s Vineyard! 
  • Owner: Alisher Usmanov
  • Date: 9/13/2021
  • Origin: Moscow Vnukovo Airport (Russia)
  • Destination: Costa Smeralda Airport (Sardinia, Italy)
  • Money Moves:
  • The Uzbekistani oligarch is currently flying over Samara, Russia heading southeast.
  • While Usmanov has many diverse business interests across the world, he’s been particularly keen on the electric vehicle market.
  • Usmanov owns a copper manufacturing plant in Siberia. Copper is a key component used in the production of electric vehicles (among other things).
  • It is unclear where Usmanov is headed, however, he is likely going where copper is needed. 
  • There is a huge electric vehicle market in Asia (where he also has other business interests).
  • Usmanov is likely looking to sign a contract with a few electric vehicle manufactures in Eastern Asia.
  • This need for copper is not only a gap that Alisher can fill. It is a statement about the overall market for copper. 
  • Due to increased demand and the prevailing deficit, I would venture to guess that the price of copper is likely to increase in the near future.
  • UPDATE: Looks like the oligarch is taking a vacation in Italy! 
  • Owner: Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell)
  • Date: 9/13/2021
  • Origin: Hong Kong International Airport
  • Destination: Helsinki Airport (Finland)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of Shell’s corporate jets is currently whizzing over Eastern Russia
  • Shell is also currently working on developing offshore windfarms in South Korea.
  • They are likely attempting to do the same off the coast of Hong Kong!
  • Shell has been making some big sustainable pushes recently and if they can make money from these efforts, the more green the better!
  • They will likely continue to work on these projects around the coast of Asia. This might also lead to Shell acquiring a company or two to help expand their project capabilities!
  • UPDATE: Looks like we were right! Shell’s execs landed next to the coast of Finland where they are likely working a project similar to that of in Asia!
  • Owner: Aramark Corporation
  • Date: 9/11/2021
  • Origin: Grand Strand Airport (South Carolina)
  • Destination: Philadelphia International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Headquartered in Philadelphia, Aramark is a food service and uniform providing giant.
  • Despite its favorable industry position, it’s stock has been absolute dud. 
  • The stock has been the definition of flatline, staying around $30 per share for the last eight years. It looks like Aramark is trying to change that!
  • They seem to be making some concerted efforts to get into more colleges and professional sporting venues.  
  • Starting small in the South Carolina coast (near some universities) they might be working on renewing or drawing up new contracts for schools in the area. 
  • We expect Aramark to do some more traveling in the near future to different big (and small) college towns to help push their stock price up a little bit.
  • This will hold especially true if colleges and sporting events continue to open up to the public.
  • Owner: The Carlyle Group
  • Date: 9/10/2021
  • Origin: Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Destination: Wheeler Downtown Airport (Kansas City)
  • Money Moves:
  • The Carlyle Group is a renowned private equity firm based in D.C.
  • The firm was founded by well-known philanthropist (and exceptional interviewer) David Rubenstein.
  • Carlyle touched down in Kansas yesterday to ink the acquisition of a company they acquired a while back. Let me explain.
  • Private equity firms buy majority stakes in private companies in hopes of making them better. The ultimate end goal is to sell the company for a profit or go through an IPO. Acquisition is in order for this deal.
  • Carlyle bought Manna Pro (pet health company) in 2020. As of yesterday, Manna strategically bought Dinovite (pet supplement provider) and more recently, ZuPreem, a pet food manufacturer based in Kansas.
  • This is one of Carlyle’s many investments but it seems like it’s going well. If Manna continues to grow their company there’s definitely an IPO in their intermediate future.
  • It should be noted that Carlyle offers publicly traded stock (NASDAQ: CG). Investors in the stock would not be directly participating in the firm’s deals but they would be participating in their long term success!
  • Owner: Life Time Inc.
  • Date: 9/10/2021
  • Origin: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
  • Destination: Chicago Midway International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Too much Chicago for one day!
  • Life Time Fitness has made a lot of trips to Chicago recently. There are a few potential reasons for this.
  • They could be planning on adding a new corporate HQ or move from Minnesota to Chicago altogether. 
  • Another potential reason the fitness company has been in the Windy City a lot is they are simply opening more gyms in the Chicagoland area. 
  • They might also be working with local officials to sort out their COVID-19 procedures. 
  • However, I doubt their corporate team would fly all the way out to Chicago for that alone.
  • Either way, I’m sure we can be expecting some news about Life Time in Chicago pretty soon!
  • Owner: BlackRock Inc.
  • Date: 9/10/2021
  • Origin: Windsor International Airport (Ontario, Canada)
  • Destination: Chicago Midway International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • BlackRock touched down this morning in Chicago at 9:45 CST.
  • The asset manager juggernaut has an office in downtown Chicago.
  • BlackRock is likely buying up properties, condos, houses, and the land below them. 
  • It’s worth noting that Windsor is extremely close to Detroit (40 minute drive), which has one of the most depressed housing markets in the country.
  • This is likely BlackRock trying to keep a low profile as to their whereabouts (by not simply landing in Detroit).
  • BlackRock is likely to come back to Detroit (if they weren’t there already) to snatch up some real estate.
  • Owner: Bernard Arnault
  • Date: 9/9/2021
  • Origin: Teterboro Airport
  • Destination: John Wayne Airport (Orange County, CA)
  • Money Moves:
  • At around 7:30 this morning, one of Bernard Arnault’s jets ascended to 43,000 and is currently flying over Salina, Kansas. Très chique for the CEO of Louis Vuitton.  
  • Kansas totally has that Paris vibe to it…
  • It’s a rare occurrence that Monsieur Arnault is in the states! 
  • The flight is headed west so if I had to guess I would assume he’s heading to LA.
  • UPDATE: Close but no croissant! He landed a few miles south of LA!
  • UPDATE #2: Arnault’s jet is now parked at LAX.
  • Arnault recently divested one of LVMH’s rather unsuccessful investments.
  • The French CEO could be in the investing mood, looking to acquire a company that can help accelerate LV’s sales.
  • Arnault might also be traveling to partner with American influencers or celebrities for a new fashion campaign they will run in the future!
  • LVMH stock has been killing it but will likely get burned when the economic tide turns.
  • Owner: Exxon Mobil Corporation
  • Date: 9/7/2021
  • Origin: Abilene Regional Airport
  • Destination: Dallas Love Field
  • Money Moves:
  • Exxon is headquartered in Irving, TX (near Dallas).
  • Some members of their team took a short flight to Abilene to likely pursue one or two things; create a new drilling site or expand on one of their current operating sites.
  • Exxon is currently certifying a new project in New Mexico. Maybe their activity in Abilene is related to that project. 
  • The other slightly more likely scenario is they’re working on a new pipeline project close to home.
  • If it’s the latter case, we will likely be seeing some news of new projects near Dallas in the coming weeks.
  • Exxon will likely be flying to D.C. in the next day or two! 
  • Owner: Verizon Communications Inc.
  • Date: 9/7/2021
  • Origin: Palm Beach International Airport
  • Destination: Morristown Airport (New Jersey)
  • Money Moves:
  • Right when you thought Verizon was tapped for growth, it started tapping some more!
  • The wireless network giant is in the process of expanding its prospects, specifically in the 5G and telemedicine space(s).
  • They are likely targeting the bigger cities that haven’t already been eaten up by fellow giant, T-Mobile.
  • Florida is definitely one of those places where Verizon can expand in both 5G and telemedicine (aging population in Palm Beach).
  • Verizon is primarily headquartered in New York but has another main corporate office in New Jersey.
  • It’s safe to expect Verizon to do some more traveling throughout the country (big cities and small) to nab as much market share as they can (especially in 5G).
  • Owner: Marcus Lemonis
  • Date: 9/7/2021
  • Origin: Chicago Executive Airport
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Just as the clock struck 8:30 PM in New York, Marcus Lemonis touched down at Teterboro.
  • You might know him! He’s been the CEO of Camping World for the past 15 years and also has a show; The Profit.
  • He’s been getting some heat lately! Oh yeah, and lawsuits.
  • He’s been accused of basically giving small businesses some exposure through his show, taking a little profit, and leaving their companies worse off. It’s not a big deal! Only 70 family businesses are suing him.
  • This bad press could lead to Lemonis resigning from Camping World, leaving the company to search for a new chief executive. 
  • Lemonis’ allegations can shake up operations at his day job as a multinational CEO (and for the company itself).
  • Owner: Starbucks Corporation
  • Date: 9/7/2021
  • Origin: King County International Airport, Boeing Field (Seattle)
  • Destination: Greater Rochester International Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Starbucks has been bearing some recent scrutiny lately.
  • Employees at a Starbucks in Buffalo, New York are doing something that has never happened before; Unionizing.
  • Some members of SBUX’s executive team likely flew out to do some negotiating and/or bargaining. They are likely terrified that this will become a chain reaction across the company!
  • If unions begin forming, Starbucks will likely hurt pretty bad (its stock too). It all depends on how much Starbucks is willing to give. 
  • It would be a good idea to keep tabs on any further talks of unions (even outside of SBUX).
  • UPDATE: 2 more Starbucks have began union elections in Buffalo.
  • More likely to follow!
  • Owner: Costco Wholesale Corporation
  • Date: 9/6/2021
  • Origin: Washington Dulles International Airport (D.C.)
  • Destination: Aurora Municipal Airport (Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • Costco recently reinstituted its purchasing limits on certain products due to the Delta variant.
  • Costco is likely out in D.C. talking to government health officials about the procedures they should put in place and what they can do to keep those at Costco safe (and working). 
  • The megastore could also be doing some lobbying to gain support to keep as many of its stores open as possible if COVID cases begin surging again. That makes more sense to me.
  • Owner: JPMorgan Chase
  • Date: 9/6/2021
  • Origin: Westchester County Airport (New York)
  • Destination: London Stansted Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • One of JPMorgan’s corporate planes is currently flying over the Atlantic.
  • It appears the jet is heading towards London. This would make sense given recent events.
  • Approximately four days ago, climate activists did some damage at JPM’s London offices. 
  • From cracking windows with hammers to breaking doors, the group, Extinction Rebellion, will likely not be welcome to bank with Chase.
  • Chase is likely flying out to England to do some PR and damage control.
  • The banking juggernaut was also recently charged 25M Euros in a tax fraud case in France. Chase could also be flying to France to work on a better settlement or make sure they don’t have to shell out any more Euros ever again! 
  • UPDATE: The flight ultimately landed in London! Maybe Paris is next!?
  • Owner: Sam Zell
  • Date: 9/3/2021
  • Origin: Midway International Airport (Chicago)
  • Destination: Camarillo Airport (Ventura, CA)
  • Money Moves:
  • Sam Zell is a real estate legend. 
  • Sam’s deals tend to go the way he wants them to go; except deals this week.
  • Zell’s real estate holding company, Equity Commonwealth, was in serious talks with Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corp. to acquire the company.
  • Things went well until the shareholders had a say in the matter. 
  • Monmouth’s shareholders subsequently rejected Zell’s bid.
  • I would’ve expected Zell to be flying out to Monmouth’s headquarters to discuss restructuring his offer, however, they are based in New Jersey and according to flight data Zell is heading west.
  • He is likely taking some time to digest the gut-punch of losing a deal or has a few other real estate companies out west he wants to acquire.
  • Owner: Merck & Co Inc.
  • Date: 9/2/2021
  • Origin: Francis Gabreski Airport (The Hamptons)
  • Destination: Rhode Island International Airport
  •  Money Moves:
  • Like a good pharmaceutical company, Merck is likely settling!
  • In a few weeks or days you might be able to find a public court docket or filing that discloses how much Merck shelled out to settle a bad drug case.
  • On the other hand, they don’t appear to have any labs or businesses in Rhode Island. 
  • However, they do have facilities in the northeast. 
  • Maybe Merck is expanding! 
  • If Merck is simply settling a case, it’s usually not a big deal. If they are building more labs, that is a very big deal!
  • Owner: Walmart Inc.
  • Date: 9/1/2021
  • Origin: Rogers Municipal Airport (Arkansas)
  • Destination: Daniel Inouye International Airport (Hawaii)
  •  Money Moves:
  • Speaking of Walmart, their corporate team is either intent on expanding their supply chain capabilities or  taking a sweet vacation.
  • I think and hope its the former!
  • This is sort of a follow-up on my last FTM on Walmart. 
  • Their team is likely working on further developing their supply chain (ship and port relationships) or possibly building some new stores in Hawaii.
  • Either way, Walmart is making moves to expand outside of the 48 contiguous states!
  • Owner: Dollar General Corporation
  • Date: 9/1/2021
  • Origin: Nashville International Airport
  • Destination: Dubuque Regional Airport (Iowa)
  •  Money Moves:
  • Dollar General, the all-American Tennessee-based company is in expansion mode.
  • They are beginning to rebrand some of their stores to give them a more fresh, grocery store feel.
  • Oddly enough, one of DG’s direct competitors is Walmart; they have already rebranded a lot of their  stores to “Neighborhood Market” stores. 
  • Seems like DG took a page out of WMT’s playbook!
  • DG is also venturing into the healthcare market!
  • Iowa seems like a quintessential Dollar General market; flyover country with a lot of open land. They are likely expanding their presence in the Midwest.
  • It seems as though over the past couple years DG has laid the foundation for their stores and in the process figured out what works and what doesn’t. DG is now in the phase of putting some action behind those observations. 
  • DG is a seldom discussed stock that is likely to see a lot of growth in the future (especially since DG tends to perform well during recessions). 
  • Boeing’s executives and lawyers are likely in D.C. because it’s where the FAA is based.
  • Boeing is likely doing all that it can to get their planes back into the sky, especially given what COVID has done to their balance sheet!
  • We should see a decision on the 777 in the coming days or weeks. 
  • It’s a good indication that it should be soon since Boeing flew out to the Capitol today. This decision is very likely to make the stock jump or flop (and likely lead to long term stock downgrades or upgrades). 
  • Ok, so CSX loses some efficiency, so what? 
  • CSX concentrates its operations in the east and if Amtrak gets to slow CSX down in the southeast, why can’t they do it elsewhere? If things go as planned and Amtrak gets to share track with CSX, CSX’s stock is going to bear the brunt.
  • Owner: UnitedHealth Group
  • Date: 8/31/2021
  • Origin: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (D.C.)
  • Destination: Saint Paul Downtown Airport (Minnesota)
  • Money Moves:
  • Every time a company is out in D.C. I get excited.
  • There are a lot of different things that companies usually do in Washington and UnitedHealth Group is likely doing one of the main ones; going to court.
  • UnitedHealth has been to D.C. a lot. They have been in court A LOT.
  • UnitedHealth is the largest health insurance company in the world (and it is based in Minnesota). 
  • There’s a lot of liability in this line of business (especially when you have a big target on your back like they do).
  • A little over two weeks ago the company was in D.C. to discover that a previously ruled decision was overturned by the court of appeals.  
  • This meant UnitedHealth had to shell out some cash!
  • More recently, UHG was forced to pay out $15.7M. That’s not much for a company the size of UHG.
  • I suspect in a few weeks there will be another article about some case(s) they settled in a D.C. district court!
  • Owner: Walmart Inc.
  • Date: 8/29/2021
  • Origin: Los Angeles International Airport
  • Destination: Rogers Municipal Airport (Arkansas)
  • Money Moves:
  • One of the key things Walmart mentioned during its latest earnings call was inventory.
  • Even after peak-COVID Walmart is experiencing higher than expected demand from customers. 
  • According to the earnings transcript, the executive team has found a solution.
  • To gear up for the upcoming holidays, Walmart has begun chartering ships in order to maintain enough space for their imports.
  • Even though supply chain constraints are a big problem for most retailers right now, Walmart is coming out ahead.
  • Walmart’s inventory numbers weren’t great last year (likely due to COVID) but they seem intent on being better prepared for the future.
  • Some members from the corporate office likely flew out to Los Angeles because The Port of Los Angeles is one their receiving hubs. Likely a supply chain check!
  • We can expect the retail giant to fly out to other ports across the country. 
  • Walmart is making money moves.
  • Owner: Corning Incorporated
  • Date: 8/30/2021
  • Origin: Raleigh-Durham International Airport
  • Destination: Elmira Corning Regional Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • It’s not everyday a company is named after an airport and the city in which they are headquartered!
  • Corning has seen a huge push for demand recently in the 5G space.
  • They are in the process of sending new, more innovative products into the market to meet demand (much of the work is being done in NC). 
  • As long as Corning can control its costs they should be on their way to higher stock price (given some time of course).
  • Corning is an industry leader that dominates the optical fiber sector.
  • We use optical fiber a lot!
  • I expect to see some growth kicked into Corning; their business depends on meeting current demand.
  • This might also be the beginning of Corning building new plants in the east if they deem it a worthy investment or if they need more factory space to meet demand.
  • Who knows, maybe an acquisition is in order!
  • Owner: James Packer (Crown Resorts)
  • Date: 8/28/2021
  • Origin: Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (Italy)
  • Destination: Malpensa Airport (Italy)
  • Money Moves:
  • Crown Resorts is an Australian-based casino resort company. 
  • Crown has resorts concentrated in Australia as well as some scattered in Macau and London.
  • The jet is registered to James Packer (former CEO), who inherited the company from his father (the founder of Crown).
  • It doesn’t seem like Crown wants him involved anymore. 
  • Even though the jet is registered under Packer’s name, it is likely leased to Crown Resorts. 
  • Crown and their executive team might be looking for a place to buy some new land, eventually plotting a resort on top of it.
  • The company is likely traveling between Italian towns to check out the different properties they could feasibly obtain. This could definitely be Crown playing some offense in attempts to become more global.
  • The gaming market in Italy is next to dead and Crown’s stock hasn’t done much upward movement over the past few years. 
  • This could be the beginning of Crown’s expansion plans.
  • What better way to stay ahead of competition than to go where others aren’t?
  • Owner: Platinum Equity
  • Date: 8/28/2021
  • Origin: Van Nuys Airport 
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Platinum Equity is one a premier private equity firm headquartered in Beverly Hills.
  • What do private equity firms do? I’m glad you asked!
  • In simplest terms, a PE firm usually buys a mid-market, private company (does $100m to $3bn in annual revenue) and makes that company better.
  • Better means more efficient, taking the unnecessary fat off of the business’ balance sheet (refinancing debt, firing unnecessary employees and management teams), and doing everything it can do to make that company better than they found it. 
  • The end goal is the private company either going public, being bought out by a bigger company (competitor) or the PE firm simply selling it for more than they bought it for.
  • PE firms prowl for good companies with bad balance sheets.
  • Platinum recently inked a deal to acquire education content giant, McGraw Hill. 
  • Platinum is now beginning the process of making changes in McGraw early. Get the debt down, get the company more technologically advanced, and get their products and services in more schools. 
  • In 3-5 years, McGraw Hill is likely going to be a bought out by a bigger education software company or go public again (at least those are my predictions). 
  • Future traveling should give us a Hint!
  • Platinum being in New York means once they signed the deal, they hit the ground running.
  • While this company tries to keep a low profile, this is a startup that you definitely want to keep tabs on.
  • One can assume this company is going to do some industry disruption and put up some solid returns for investors (and eventually file for IPO). 
  • Also, Bill’s pockets run pretty deep so if the company needs funding, it’s probably going to get it.
  • Owner: Intel Corporation
  • Date: 8/27/2021
  • Origin: San Jose International Airport
  • Destination: Hillsboro Airport (Oregon)
  • Money Moves:
  • Intel appears to be in the final stages of building a new factory and campus in Hillsboro, Oregon. The company has been on a tear lately.
  • They recently snagged a contract with the Department of Defense (who better to have a contract with than the US government?)
  • Aside from the contract, there has been a lot of talk about how the future of Intel looks promising; I would have to agree.
  • The company is a staple in the semiconductor and microprocessor world and is due for more growth.
  • Intel has campuses all over the country and I’m sure with the demand their industry is facing right now, Intel will build more factories across the country and globally.
  • Owner: Michael Eisner
  • Date: 8/27/2021
  • Origin: Midway International Airport (Chicago)
  • Destination: Van Nuys Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Michael Eisner has been in business for a while. He was the CEO of Disney for 21 years and currently runs a private equity holding company.
  • One of the companies he added to the portfolio is one of America’s most nostalgia-inducing brands, Topps
  • Long story short, Eisner acquired Topps with Madison Dearborn Partners (investment firm based in Chicago) in 2007 for $385 million.
  • Revenues were up and the deal was a great one. However, Eisner recently partnered with Mudrick Capital (hedge fund) to issue a SPAC which would take Topps public.
  • As of yesterday, the SPAC plans were shut down as Topps debt rating was downgraded to junk.
  • Owner: James Simons
  • Date: 8/25/2021
  • Origin: San Jose International Airport
  • Destination: Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (France)
  • Money Moves:
  • Jim Simons might be on vacation! 
  • However, it is notable that both him and Ken Griffin‘s plane are in Nice. 
  • Ken and Jim run some of the most successful quantitative hedge funds of all time. 
  • The quant fund industry is particularly secretive so I find it interesting that two of the best to do it happen to be in the same remote place at the same time.
  • The meeting could be a vacation and playdate or talks of merging their business (unlikely) or their exchanging trade secrets (or just talking shop).
  • It’ll be interesting to see if any big news regarding their funds and their businesses comes out in the next few days or weeks.
  • Owner: Ronald Burkle
  • Date: 8/26/2021
  • Origin: McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas)
  • Destination: Bob Hope Airport (Burbank, CA)
  • Money Moves:
  • Early this morning Burkle’s plane jetted out of Las Vegas and is headed towards Los Angeles (he has multiple homes in LA). Why in the world would a billionaire businessman be leaving Las Vegas at 6:30 AM? My guess is acquisition.
  • In 2019, he showed great interest in buying the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino from Caesar’s
  • Ultimately, Caesar’s ended up keeping the property. 
  • Today, Caesar’s could be in a pinch or in a divesting mood and Burkle seems like a perfect, motivated buyer!
  • Owner: ConocoPhillips
  • Date: 8/25/2021
  • Origin: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston)
  • Destination: Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Money Moves:
  • ConocoPhillips has had its ups and downs this week.
  • One of the main lowlights of their week was being thwarted by a federal judge. The judge deliberated against the company’s Willow project (a petroleum reserve in Alaska), which would have been a huge money maker for Conoco.
  • I can’t help to think that ConocoPhillips and their legal team are taking a day or two in D.C. to either lobby or garner support or make some inside deals to get their project moving. It’ll be interesting to see how their project turns out.
  • In more optimistic and less shady news, a company that Conoco provided funding for, Solaris, is set to go public very soon.  
  • Solaris is focused on making fracking more environmentally friendly and resourceful for all. 
  • Owner: Johnson & Johnson
  • Date: 8/25/2021
  • Origin: Trenton-Mercer Airport
  • Destination: Midway International Airport (Chicago)
  • Money Moves: 
  • Today, JNJ announced  that their vaccine booster shot is more effective in slowing the spread, namely by increasing the amount of antibodies to protect people from COVID-19. 
  • Illinois has been one of the largest proponents of vaccination as they have recently announced some of the drastic measures they are taking.
  • The biggest drug companies on the planet (Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Merck etc…) are likely doing presentations and meetings with local govt. and state officials in order to distribute as many vaccines as they can.
  • Like any business, they’re just selling as much of their product as they can.
  • Owner: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
  • Date: 8/23/2021
  • Origin: San Diego International Airport
  • Destination: Westchester County Airport (New York)
  • Money Moves:
  • Last night was WWE Raw (in San Diego). Logan Paul apparently is not very liked in San Diego! 
  • Anyways, it’s a cool company. As we all know, there are only a few companies that deliver great sentimental value for customers; WWE is no exception.
  • Oddly enough, WWE has been a publicly traded company since the late 90’s. Who would’ve thought wrestling would’ve been such a successful business?!
  • There isn’t necessarily anything “corporate” about this information, however, I would hope that with WWE being back in-person, they not only continue that, but also expand to other markets around the world.
  • WWE’s stock has stayed afloat and even profited during the worst of COVID-19. While ultimately they are an in-person business, the rise in streamed content has helped the WWE (and their fans).
  • I’m sure their corporate team is going to do a lot more traveling as the world continues to open up. It would be a great time for them to seek out more national and global venues.
  • Owner: BlackRock Inc.
  • Date: 8/23/2021
  • Origin: Columbia Metropolitan Airport (South Carolina)
  • Destination: Charleston International Airport
  • Money Moves: BlackRock (BLK) has been on a shopping spree lately. 
  • BLK, as well as some of their subsidiary companies have been concentrated in buying homes during COVID, when home sales and prices dropped. 
  • It’s a great time to buy properties (and the land under those properties) if you’re a trillion dollar asset management firm. 
  • What better investment strategy than to go to the most mundane and likely under-researched residential property hubs in the US?
  • If any of you live in South Carolina, beware of BlackRock!
  • Owner: Tom Barrack
  • Date: 8/23/2021
  • Origin: Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Destination: Van Nuys Airport 
  • Money Moves: Barrack has been under a lot of scrutiny lately. First off, how’d he get rich? He started Colony Capital, a real estate firm that focused on buying up distressed properties. He started Colony in the 90’s; he’s done alright! 
  • Sometimes it hurts to have friends in high places. He is one of Donald Trump’s closest friends.
  • He made headlines recently when he was arrested for tax fraud. 
  • Many other accusations are stemming from his alleged tax fraud scandal, some of which include international business in the middle east.
  • Looks like he’s out of custody and enjoying some freedom!
  • Owner: Jeff Bezos
  • Date: 8/19/2021
  • Origin: Kahului Airport (Hawaii)
  • Destination: Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.)
  • Money Moves: Bezos has a lot going on in D.C.
  • Aside from owning The Washington Post as well as the largest house in Washington, D.C., Bezos also does a lot of lobbying in the nation’s capital. He’s back at it again!
  • I’m sure some of that lobbying power will be put to good use when Bezos is swimming through antitrust courts, as Amazon is currently in the process of building out his empire even more…
  • Yes, you clicked the correct link. Malls.
  • What better time for the “everything” company to buy up malls at a discount than now?
  • Owner: Conagra Brands Inc.
  • Date: 8/19/2021
  • Origin: Effingham County Memorial Airport (Illinois)
  • Destination: Eppley Airfield (Omaha)
  • Money Moves: Conagra is headquartered in both Chicago and Omaha. Some of the members of their executive team likely flew out to Effingham to check out their production facility. The facility was previously owned by Pinnacle Foods, which was acquired by Conagra in 2018.
  • Owner: Apple Inc.
  • Date: 8/18/2021
  • Origin: Bartlesville Municipal Airport (Oklahoma)
  • Destination: San Jose International Airport
  • Money Moves: Money moves? More like Movie moves! It looks like some of Apple’s executive team flew out to Bartlesville to check out the film sets for projects they are working on. What better place to shoot Hollywood films than the middle of nowhere in Oklahoma.
  • According to the italicized article, Apple recently extended its lease.
  • It’s a good sign that Apple is growing and expanding when they’re already a technological giant. Streaming and the film industry as a whole are very competitive industries and Apple should be doing everything they can to hold market share. It seems they are trying to do just that!
  • Owner: Wesley Edens
  • Date: 8/18/2021
  • Origin: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves: Edens is the founder and CEO of New Fortress Energy (NFE). NFE is a clean energy infrastructure company that does business all over the world, but does a large amount of business in Puerto Rico.
  • According to NFE’s earnings call last week, Edens explained that the company is “transforming from a development company to an operating company.” It seems as though production is picking up and that NFE is making some major strides in becoming a profitable, stable business in the clean energy sector.
  • I’m sure Edens and other executives from the company will be traveling a lot more in the recent future, making sure that their projects around the world are going according to plan and schedule.
  • Owner: Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
  • Date: 8/18/2021
  • Origin: Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
  • Destination: Salisbury Regional Airport (Maryland)
  • Money Moves: Lowe’s just blew out earnings and their stock is up 10% for the day. They don’t seem to have any corporate offices out in Maryland; maybe they’re just celebrating oceanside!
  • Owner: Target Corporation
  • Date: 8/18/2021
  • Origin: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves: Target had its earnings today and it left a lukewarm taste in the mouths of investors. Brian Cornell, the CEO of Target, appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box this morning and discussed his outlook for the coming college season (and holiday season) as well as addressed concerns pertaining to Target’s global supply chain.
  • Owner: Walmart Inc.
  • Date: 8/17/2021
  • Origin: Rogers Municipal Airport (Rogers, Arksansas)
  • Destination: Albuquerque International Sunport
  • Money Moves: Walmart is headquartered in Arkansas. I speculate that some members of their legal team flew out to Albuquerque to investigate the criminal situation that involved one of their stores this past Sunday. A vehicle was stolen from a Walmart parking lot and was involved in a fatal shootout.
  • Owner: Procter & Gamble Company
  • Date: 8/17/2021
  • Origin: Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken FIeld
  • Destination: Piedmont Triad International Airport (Greensboro, NC)
  • Money Moves: P&G is in the process of constructing a new manufacturing plant in Guilford County (in Greensboro) that is planned to provide the county 46 new full time jobs. According to the attached article, the plant will likely cost around $110 million.
  • Owner: Tilman Fertitta
  • Date: 8/16/2021
  • Origin: North Las Vegas Airport
  • Destination: Houston Hobby Airport
  • Money Moves: Fertitta is in the process of selling one of his subsidiary companies, Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG), to DraftKings. DraftKings likely wants to acquire GNOG in order for the company to finally access the gaming and gambling market in Las Vegas.
  • His traveling is a likely indication that the deal is progressing.
  • Owner: Pfizer Inc.
  • Date: 8/16/2021
  • Origin: Trenton-Mercer Airport
  • Destination: Saint Louis-County Spirit of Saint Louis Airport
  • Money Moves: Pfizer has ramped up vaccine distribution efforts across the country. It seems as though St. Louis is no exception. Pfizer also has a research site in the area.
  • Owner: Kroenke-Walton Family
  • Date: 8/16/2021
  • Origin: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
  • Destination: Van Nuys Airport
  • Money Moves: One of the heiresses to the Kroenke-Walton fortune has business interests in Austin.
  • Owner: Exelon Corporation
  • Date: 9/8/2021
  • Origin: Central Illinois Regional Airport 
  • Destination: DuPage Airport (Western Illinois)
  • Money Moves:
  • Central Illinois Airport is about a half away from one of Exelon’s cash generating machines (literally); Clinton Power Station (CPS).
  • CPS is a nuclear reactor that has the energy to generate power for approximately one million homes. 
  • Exelon is either checking on their cash cow or looking to build a new nuclear plant in the area.
  • There’s a lot of open (and likely vacant) space in this area of Illinois.
  • It is also relatively easy for their executives to keep track of the plants being that Exelon is headquartered in Chicago.
  • Exelon (EXC) was the first stock that ever bought. They’re a Fortune 100 energy company based out of my hometown! Great due diligence on my part…
  • Nonetheless, Exelon has been a solid energy staple and it’s encouraging to know that they might be expanding their operations near home!
  • Owner: James Dolan (Madison Square Garden)
  • Date: 9/9/2021
  • Origin: Leipzig/Halle Airport (Germany)
  • Destination: Teterboro Airport
  • Money Moves:
  • Why in the world would the group that owns the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, and of course, the iconic Madison Square Garden be in Germany?
  • It is very likely broadcasting distribution.
  • The corporate team (or James Dolan, the CEO) likely flew out to talk with a few networks out in Germany who want the right to broadcast their events (Knicks games, concerts etc…)
  • If this were the case, it’s great for MSG (a publicly traded company).
  • It means more international expansion and revenue growth.
  • MSG could also be in the early stages of acquiring a broadcasting company out in Europe!
  • Either way, both possibilities are conducive to a rising stock price!