The Real Economy Blog

Kurt Shenk, Senior Manager; Technology, Media & Telecommunications Senior Analyst

@kurt_shenk

In January 2018, Kurt was selected as a senior analyst in RSM’s cutting-edge Industry Eminence Program, which positions participants to understand, forecast and communicate economic, business and technology trends shaping the industries RSM serves. Senior analysts advise clients on conditions impacting middle market leaders. Kurt’s focus is the technology industry.

Kurt has over nine years of audit and accounting experience, serving innovative venture- and private equity-backed technology clients. His responsibilities include working to assure effective and efficient planning, execution and wrap up of engagements. His proactive approach toward client service is the foundation of the strong client relationships that he maintains.

Latest moves in trade conflict hit U.S. tech industry hard

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Early this month, the administration announced plans for fresh tariffs of 10% on an additional $300 billion in Chinese goods, effective Sept. 1; China responded by announcing a freeze on U.S. agricultural products, and allowing its currency, the yuan, to drop to its lowest level in a decade. Late last week, the president delayed implementation on some of the ... READ MORE >

Venture capital tech investments show strength in first half of 2019

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For cash-intensive technology companies, access to capital is frequently required to sustain operations and quickly achieve scale. Venture capital firms invested over $30 billion in tech startups in the second quarter of 2019, according to data from Pitchbook, putting total investment on pace to eclipse $100 billion for the second straight ... READ MORE >

Lessons for software companies from the Great Recession

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Software companies operating in the latter part of the business cycle must consider the implications of a potential recession on their business. It’s worth noting that during the Great Recession, some software companies endured and even thrived. A decade later, the industry can learn from these businesses how to prepare for another economic downturn. SaaS ... READ MORE >

Chipmakers face fresh woes in days following Fourth of July holiday

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This year, it’s Japan and South Korea. Soon after the U.S. July Fourth holiday last year, the United States–China trade dispute saw significant escalation, and semiconductors were placed on the tariff list. This week, again following Independence Day, the industry has fallen prey to rising trade tensions, as Japan threatens to remove preferential status ... READ MORE >

Slack is anything but, in its debut on the NYSE in direct listing

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A number of highly anticipated tech IPOs took place in the first half of 2019. But Slack, the workplace chat company debuting on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, chose a direct listing. Is the approach, also taken by online music platform Spotify in 2018, becoming a trend? IPO vs. direct With high rates of cash burn, emerging tech companies have ... READ MORE >

Data breaches are down but more effective

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While the number of data breaches per year has doubled in the last decade, there were significantly fewer breaches in 2018 compared to 2017, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit advocacy group for victims of cybercrime (see chart below). Unfortunately, cybercriminals have had greater success in accessing sensitive personal and ... READ MORE >

Technology industry pressured by global issues in near term

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Macroeconomic indicators signal slowing growth in 2019, and the tech industry is likely to follow suit. Adding to concerns is the future of the trade spat between China and the United States, which remains unclear. As a result, some U.S. technology verticals, such as semiconductors, will be forced to absorb margin pressure by adjusting their pricing ... READ MORE >