How Has COVID-19 Changed Investing Strategies?

TL;DR

COVID-19 has accelerated the shift towards remote work, spotlighting companies like DocuSign that facilitate online operations. The medical sector is rapidly advancing in testing and vaccine development, while e-commerce is booming as brick-and-mortar retailers struggle. Investors should watch for ETFs like ProShares Online Retail ETF (ONLN) to capitalize on these trends.

Transcript

hi everyone its Alisa Cora I'm here with investors business daily and welcome to investing strategies on this episode we are focusing on the multitude a societal impacts brought on by the corona virus pandemic first on the working from home front we're going one-on-one with DocuSign CEO Dan Springer to provide insight into the growth drivers for it... Read More

Key Insights

• 💦 The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated trends such as remote work, digital transformation, and online shopping.
• 👨‍💼 Data security has become a more significant concern as businesses transition their operations online.
• 😷 The medical sector is experiencing rapid developments in relation to testing, treatments, and vaccines for COVID-19.

Questions & Answers

Q: How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted the shift to remote work?

The pandemic has forced businesses to move their operations online, and companies like DocuSign have played a crucial role in enabling remote work through their electronic signature platform. This shift has highlighted the importance of data security and has led to increased scrutiny on how companies protect sensitive information.

Q: What steps has DocuSign taken to enhance data security?

DocuSign has always prioritized data security and considers itself a trusted brand. They recently brought in a new Chief Security Officer to strengthen their security measures. These measures include traditional system hardening, process improvements, and disaster recovery procedures to ensure data security, especially with the rise of remote work and onboarding new employees remotely.

Q: Besides electronic signatures, what other areas is DocuSign focusing on for growth?

While electronic signatures remain a core offering, DocuSign is also focusing on the broader opportunities within the agreement cloud. This includes the creation, signing, routing, and management of agreements throughout the entire process. They have made acquisitions to expand their contract lifecycle management (CLM) business and incorporate artificial intelligence to enhance agreement management.

Q: How are the medical sector and companies responding to the pandemic?

The medical sector is actively partnering and accelerating efforts to develop COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. Companies like Johnson & Johnson and Gilead Sciences have made significant progress in a short period. The FDA has also introduced guidelines to expedite testing processes, allowing companies to fast-track their development.

Q: How can investors gain exposure to the e-commerce boom?

Investors can consider ETFs like ProShares Online Retail ETF (ONLN) and ProShares Long Online/Short Stores ETF (CLIX). ONLN offers exposure to online retail companies, while CLIX takes advantage of the outperformance of online retailers and the underperformance of brick-and-mortar stores through a long-short strategy.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The coronavirus pandemic has forced businesses to shift operations online, with companies like DocuSign helping enable this transition to remote work.

• There is a heightened focus on data security as companies and individuals trust platforms like DocuSign with sensitive information. DocuSign has reinforced its security measures to protect customer data.

• Beyond electronic signatures, DocuSign is focusing on broader opportunities within the agreement cloud, which involves the creation, signing, routing, and management of agreements.

• The medical sector is experiencing significant developments in testing, treatments, and vaccines for COVID-19, with companies partnering and accelerating their efforts.

• The online retail sector is booming, while brick-and-mortar stores are suffering. Investors can consider ETFs like ProShares Online Retail ETF (ONLN) and ProShares Long Online/Short Stores ETF (CLIX) to gain exposure to this trend.