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In this week’s episode of The Skinny on Wall Street, Kristen and Jen break down the latest wave of meme stock mania and what it reveals about market sentiment. They dive into Opendoor and other “DORK” stocks (Krispy Kreme, Opendoor, Kohl’s, etc.), explaining how short squeezes and retail investor hype have driven massive price swings despite weak fundamentals. The conversation also unpacks the housing market’s current dynamics—record-high home prices, the impact of higher mortgage rates, and why real estate inventory levels are starting to shift.

The hosts then turn their attention to policy, analyzing Marjorie Taylor Greene’s proposal to remove the capital gains tax cap on primary residences. They explore whether this change would meaningfully improve housing affordability or simply benefit older, wealthier homeowners, and why the real barrier for many sellers is “mortgage rate lock-in.” Kristen and Jen also discuss how inventory, pricing trends, and affordability challenges are shaping the broader market outlook.

Finally, they examine how AI is creeping into investment banking with OpenAI’s new “agentic mode” designed to automate financial modeling. Kristen and Jen share their hands-on experience testing the tool, explaining where it can help and where it falls short. They discuss the risks of over-reliance on AI, the importance of building skills manually, and what the rise of these tools might mean for the future of knowledge work.

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This week on The Skinny On, Kristen and Jen power through illness, time zone chaos, and toddler wrangling to bring you a jam-packed episode to break down two major consumer deals: Ferrero’s $3.1B offer for Kellogg and the possible Heinz Kraft breakup. They explain why these legacy food brand split up, the logic behind reverse mergers and spin offs, and how wellness trends are shaping the M&A landscape.

They also revisit the Kraft-Heinz saga—from Kraft’s origins as a Philip Morris spinoff to its Cadbury takeover, spin off breaking into Kraft and Mondelez and eventual reverse merger with Heinz, backed by 3G Capital and Warren Buffett. It’s a rare example of a mega-deal gone wrong, and Jen and Kristen unpack how the deal was structured, why it disappointed, and what Buffett’s $12B investment ($4Bn of common and $8Bn of preferred equity) really meant. With Kraft-Heinz now considering a breakup to "unlock shareholder value," they examine the long arc of strategic separation as a financial tool—and its implications for investors.

Finally, the duo pivots to Wall Street career trends, sharing firsthand stories of how trading desks once ruled the world, how quant roles are often misunderstood, and why sales & trading may be poised for a comeback. They reflect on the brutal pace of recruiting cycles, the importance of self-awareness in navigating early career decisions, and how the sexiest seat on the Street can change overnight. Oh—and Elon Musk’s Grok is back in the news with a $200B valuation. Buckle up, this one covers it all.

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In this episode of The Wall Street Skinny, we're back with fan-favorite guest Justin Resnick, Managing Director at Evercore, for a deep dive into the evolving world of private equity secondaries. This follow-on to our original “Secondaries 101” episode goes beyond the basics to explore how LP- and GP-led transactions are shaping today's deal landscape. With volatility still roiling the IPO and M&A markets, secondaries have become a vital tool for investors to unlock liquidity—and Justin walks us through the key innovations and trends driving this $200 billion+ market.

We get into everything from the rising use of continuation funds to newer, more complex structures like collateralized fund obligations (CFOs) and subscription lines. Justin explains how these tools are being used strategically by endowments, GPs, and secondary buyers alike, and what it all means for fund liquidity, pricing dynamics, and return profiles. We also discuss why single-asset deals are booming, how secondaries are increasingly attracting retail capital, and why this space is becoming one of the hottest desks to recruit into on Wall Street.

Plus, we couldn’t ignore the headlines—so we weigh in on the growing tension between banks and private equity firms over early recruiting, Goldman’s controversial new loyalty oaths, and what the new on-cycle freeze means for junior talent. Whether you're a student considering a finance career, an investor curious about secondaries, or just trying to make sense of how all the pieces fit together, this episode is packed with insight.

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Our content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.