'Big Short' investor Michael Burry rang the alarm on bloated inventories last year. Maersk's shipping slump suggests he was right to worry.

• Michael Burry warned surplus inventory leads to price cuts, slimmer profits, and pressure on stocks.
• Maersk just reported a shipping slowdown as customers are focused on destocking.
• The shipping giant's earnings suggest "The Big Short" investor's call was at least partly right.

Michael Burry warned last summer that American consumers would run short of cash and cut back on spending, leaving retailers with lots of excess inventory, which would lead to price cuts, slimmer profits, and stocks and cryptocurrencies tumbling. Maersk's second-quarter earnings report on Friday suggests he was right on the inventory front at least.