Michael Burry’s New Bet: Lipstick to Save the Day 🤔💄

Michael Burry, the seer who foretold the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008, has divested a significant portion of his holdings during Q1 to place a singular bet on a cosmetics stock: Estée Lauder. The financial world is abuzz with speculation that Burry anticipates a recession, guided by the whimsical notion that makeup purchases surge during economic downturns as consumers seek solace in small luxuries.

Michael Burry, the investor whose prescience in predicting the 2008 housing crash has earned him a place in financial lore, has once again confounded the market with his latest investment strategy. Earlier this month, regulatory filings of Burry’s investment firm, Scion Asset Management, revealed a dramatic shift: the sale of all his holdings to focus on a single stock.

And what a stock it is! Not the usual suspects of big tech or artificial intelligence, but a name that might have escaped notice if not for Burry’s keen eye: Estée Lauder. Yes, the world of high finance now revolves around a tube of lipstick. 🤪

Burry’s bold move also included the purchase of puts on major tech companies like Nvidia and Chinese giants such as Alibaba, JD, and Baidu. These strategic maneuvers suggest that Burry is bracing for an intensification of the trade war, shedding Chinese holdings and Nvidia, which is increasingly in demand for AI-derived silicon.

Nonetheless, his unwavering commitment to Estée Lauder has analysts scratching their heads. Could it be that the famous investor is preparing for a recession in the short term? Burry seems to be banking on the lipstick index theory, which posits that small luxury purchases like lipstick and makeup serve as a substitute for more expensive indulgences during economic downturns. However, this hypothesis, first popularized by Estée Lauder’s heir Leonard Lauder, has faced growing skepticism and is often dismissed as controversial.

In May 2024, Burry allocated $10 million in gold through the Sprott Physical Gold Trust, a fund that allows investors to own gold without the hassle of physical custody. This move came just in time for the gold bull run that has taken off this year, further adding to the intrigue surrounding Burry’s investment strategy.

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2025-05-25 11:58