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The markets, of course, were bullish on Tesla, as they are on all fashionable ventures. But Wood’s bullishness was of a different order. It was a solitary beacon, a willingness to see beyond the immediate currents of speculation. And, as it transpired, she was proven correct. Not merely correct, but early. Two years before the appointed time, the prediction materialized. This is not to say all her prognostications have borne fruit. The world is a labyrinth of uncertainties, and even the most astute observer will stumble. But to dismiss her insights outright would be an act of willful blindness.

Both of these funds, you understand, aim to provide exposure to those companies peddling the things one simply must have, regardless of whether the economic ship is sailing smoothly or battling a bit of a squall. A most sensible approach, naturally. But which one, precisely, is the better conveyance for a prudent investor’s hard-earned cash? Let’s have a look, shall we, at the costs, the returns, the general air of respectability, and the composition of their respective portfolios.

Wall Street, ever optimistic, predicts data center revenue of $320 to $330 billion by 2026. A sum sufficient to purchase a small principality, or perhaps fund a particularly ambitious opera. Nvidia, it seems, is capturing a full 60% of big tech’s infrastructure spending. One begins to suspect a conspiracy. A secret pact between silicon and ambition.

I’m looking at Alphabet (GOOG 0.85%) (GOOGL 0.80%) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM +0.25%). They’re both doing things that seem…necessary. Like air and water. And they’re both making a lot of money doing it. Which, let’s be honest, is the whole point, isn’t it?

Now, I’m not sayin’ Walmart’s a bad company. Far from it! They’re sellin’ everything from bananas to bazookas…well, not bazookas, but you get the idea. They’ve managed to grow, even with the economy doin’ the cha-cha one minute and the limbo the next. Resilience? They got it in spades! But a price-to-earnings ratio in the forties? That’s where I start lookin’ for the hidden camera. It’s like payin’ a million bucks for a slightly used hot dog. A very good hot dog, mind you, but still…

Both of these funds are supposed to give you a slice of the ‘essential goods’ pie. Things people buy even when, you know, the world is ending. But they go about it differently. PBJ is a curated selection; KXI is more of a ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach. We’ll dig into that, because frankly, I’m nosy, and you probably are too.

As of the sixteenth of January, the stock hovers around the sixty-two dollar mark. The question, then, is less about its current price and more about its trajectory. Can it ascend to the hundred-dollar plateau before 2026 breathes its last? A perfectly round number, a psychological barrier, and a tempting target for the bulls.

The company itself is a study in adaptation. A century ago, it built the bones of the American truck. Now, it whispers of electric vehicles and the ever-increasing demand for electricity. A sensible evolution, perhaps, but one cannot help but wonder if, in shedding its past, it has also lost something of its character. The pursuit of relevance, it seems, often demands a sacrifice.