Finger on the Pulse | Security Systems News

We’re about halfway through the fiscal year, at least for most companies, and the outlook for the second quarter (Q2) couldn’t be more boring.

That is, they all seem to be doing exactly the same thing and reporting exactly the same things. They all sold parts of their businesses, they all made “strategic acquisitions” that largely account for the positive balance sheets I see. Does this really seem to be…it? Every company I’ve covered is playing it safe and keeping the index moving north.

Of course, I don’t expect a huge theatrical spectacle in every quarterly report (although it would be nice to have dinner and watch a show), but I’m hopeful that we’ll see more exciting developments in the second half of 2024, or perhaps after the GSX launch, corporations will be a bit more reserved about their exciting new plans.

Or not, as anyone who has watched the stock market in the past week can tell you, the tech bubble is threatening to burst at any moment. I just finished reading an article about Japan’s Nikkei having its best day since 2008, dancing carefully around the fact that gains were recouping losses from a violent crash just a day earlier.

So maybe safe and boring is the best bet for companies right now. After all, ADT is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary. It’s a company that has weathered more than a few financial storms.

I don’t know if a recession is coming, but I wouldn’t bet on it not happening. One thing I do know is that the security industry is too closely tied to the technology sector to be insulated from any tech bubble bursting, AI or otherwise. I hope that when Q3 rolls around and I watch these webcasts again, I’m proven wrong, otherwise these presentations might be a little too exciting.

The Great Depression 2: AI Boogaloo.