Beyond the Arches #28: More weather volatility spreads across the United States. Invest in the technology that keeps the lights on when things take a turn.

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Summer is coming in hot – literally. A massive heat dome is settling over the South, Midwest, and Northeast, plunging half the U.S. into potentially hazardous heat and air quality conditions. From Maine to Michigan, this heat dome is sending temperatures to record-breaking levels, and temps are expected to stay higher than normal into the weekend. Reports suggest that some areas of the Northeast could reach 100 degrees, placing more than 75 million people under excessive heat warnings or heat advisories. 

In the south, Tropical Storm Alberto is rolling into the Gulf Coast, threatening parts of South Texas and Mexico with flooding and dangerous conditions. This is the first named storm since hurricane season began in the Northern Hemisphere on June 1st. Storm watchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict a particularly active storm season through the end of November.

In what’s becoming a too-familiar occurrence, California greets the summer season battling multiple wildfires across thousands of acres of land, with fires like the Post Fire raging toward populated areas of L.A. County. Windy and dry conditions drive fires across the state from as far north as Redding and south to Oceanside and Tijuana, Mexico, on the U.S. border. 

New Mexico faces similar wildfires in the Santa Fe area, with thousands of residents fleeing hazardous fire and smoke conditions. One person has been confirmed dead in connection with the fires, more than 500 structures have been damaged or destroyed, and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency. 

How to invest in power-related technologies

When natural disasters strike, power continuity can impact community response to the events and individual ability to weather the storm. 

• StoreEn: Though battery-focused power storage largely centers on lithium-ion technology, the lifespan and efficiency challenges of this storage medium make it imperative to introduce new technologies to the market. StoreEn is answering this market need with research into vanadium flow battery technology that optimizes storage for renewable energy generation like solar. The company’s patented technology offers safer, more reliable battery storage with longer useful life than lithium-based batteries, which allows residential microgrid users to generate and store power from their solar panels more efficiently.
• YouSolar: With more than half of all new electricity services projected to be off-grid by 2030, the need for better nanogrid systems is already pressing. YouSolar’sPowerbloc solar nanogrids aim to replace traditional power utility for home use. YouSolar works on 400V direct current (DC) architecture, offering many advantages over other battery systems, including lower costs, “hospital-grade” power continuity, support for high-power loads such as EVs, and fewer costs to maintain. Parallel, modular design allows users to scale the system to meet evolving power needs over time. 
• LEXI: New buildings are easy to fit with forward-thinking Building Management Systems (BMS), but what about older construction? Decarbonization calls for not just innovation in new buildings, but a reliable way to retrofit and manage commercial buildings for better energy efficiency and performance. The LEXI SmartBMS system offers an Internet of Things (IoT) universal gateway and cloud system to handle advanced management functions that reduce energy consumption and meet future consumption mandates. 

On Our Radar This Week

• The S&P 500 is looking at bolder targets this week, though analysts are expressing caution about rushing in on these early estimates. Predictions are often subject to change – and change often. Although these predictions sometimes evolve into wins for those who bet on the market, just as often the outcomes don’t match the hype. In 2022, for example, a hyped-up 3.9% estimated gain instead materialized as a 19% loss. Step carefully, and be prepared for fluctuating estimates. 
• The “will they or won’t they” debate over Fed cuts rages on, with some experts cautioning that there is such a thing as waiting too long. Feds watching for inflation movement have been reluctant to commit to a cut, although there are some indications that inflation may be in the rearview for now. 
• In the wake of the MK Benny Gantz party’s exodus from the emergency government, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week disbanded his six-member war Cabinet, distancing him from centrist voices and dashing hopes for a cease-fire in the near term. In the absence of a war cabinet, decisions about activities in the region now fall solely to the security Cabinet – a larger body, but one that is made up of hard-line supporters who reject U.S. proposals for an end to fighting.

Macro Bites

• The U.S. accuses Adobe of unfair pricing and subscription practices in a lawsuit that aims to remedy alleged consumer harm.
• Surgeon General calls for warning label on social media platforms similar to hazardous products like alcohol and tobacco, as concerns grow about the influence of social media on young people’s mental health and self-esteem.
• The Treasury moves to close the asset loophole for wealthy taxpayers. Doing so could help the IRS harvest billions in tax revenue currently sheltered within the tax code. 

Start passively investing in franchises today!

Accredited and non-accredited investors can invest in our latest offering, TNT Franchise Fund Inc., today! 

TNT Franchise Fund Inc. is a diversified portfolio of up to 30 Smash My Trash locations and 25 Teriyaki Madness outlets throughout the United States.

With its patented waste compaction service, Smash My Trash is disrupting the $1.6 trillion waste management sector. By compacting waste in open-top dumpsters to reduce waste volume, customers save money (up to 20% of waste removal costs) and reduce their CO2 emissions by up to 65%.

Teriyaki Madness stands out with its fresh, made-from-scratch meals and a lively, inviting ambiance, revolutionizing the fast-casual Asian dining scene. Its surging popularity is evident on platforms like Yelp, Facebook, and Google, where an increasing community of enthusiasts sing its praises.

Highlights:

• Target locations: Up to 55
• Smash My Trash per-location economics: $885K in revenue with 28% EBITDA after 16 months of operation
• Teriyaki Madness per-location economics: $1.16M in revenue with 20% operating profit

As the Smash My Trash and Teriyaki Madness locations come to fruition, investors in TNT Franchise Fund Inc. can expect to receive excess cash flows from the business operations of the locations on a quarterly basis.

For more information on the offering, contact our team.