Spotify (SPOT, Financial) is the world’s largest pure-play, music-streaming service. It is both driving and benefiting from the ongoing consumer shift from buying music files to accessing music through audio streaming. We believe Spotify’s aggressive move into podcasts and launch of a marketplace business have propelled the stock and company to an inflection point and fundamentally changed the competitive dynamics of the industry. The perceived threat from big tech players and the relative power of the music labels have been reduced, as Spotify has used its scale to improve its business model and strengthen its pricing power.
From Spiros Segalas (Trades, Portfolio)' Harbor Capital Appreciation Fund second-quarter 2020 commentary.
