Palantir Technologies (PLTR 0.41%) gained mainstream recognition from investors after gaining more than 2,000% from its 2023 lows. The company's fundamentals point to prolonged hypergrowth, but a high valuation has concerned investors. It's the latest case of a great company at a bad price, which is why the stock is down roughly 20% year to date. However, its fundamental strength is too good to ig...
Palantir Technologies (PLTR 0.41%) gained mainstream recognition from investors after gaining more than 2,000% from its 2023 lows. The company's fundamentals point to prolonged hypergrowth, but a high valuation has concerned investors. It's the latest case of a great company at a bad price, which is why the stock is down roughly 20% year to date. However, its fundamental strength is too good to ignore, and the correction warrants a more attractive price point than Palantir had just a few months ago. Diving into Palantir's fundamentals Palantir generates annual recurring revenue from companies and governments that use its software. The company's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) can quickly turn datasets into AI models that help businesses run more smoothly. Furthermore, businesses can view and act on significant amounts of data in real time using Palantir's technology. Expand NASDAQ : PLTR Palantir Technologies Today's Change ( -0.41 %) $ -0.56 Current Price $ 136.85 Key Data Points Market Cap $328B Day's Range $ 134.30 - $ 139.02 52wk Range $ 118.93 - $ 207.52 Volume 1.1M Avg Vol 46.8M Gross Margin 84.07 % Once companies and governments adopt it, they become very comfortable with Palantir's centralized software, giving Palantir significant pricing power. It explains why Palantir has achieved an annualized revenue growth rate of 32.6% over the past five years. That annualized growth rate doesn't even do Palantir justice. The AI platform delivered 85% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1, with its U.S. commercial segment more than doubling year over year. Palantir closed 206 deals that exceeded $1 million and 47 deals of at least $10 million. That growth also comes with high profits. Profits more than quadrupled year over year, resulting in a net profit margin above 50%. The valuation problem Palantir's current valuation is the only thing weighing on the stock. Revenue growth came in strong, and Palantir told investors to expect 71% growth throughout 2026. That r...
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) gained mainstream recognition from investors after gaining more than 2,000% from its 2023 lows. The company's fundamentals point to prolonged hypergrowth, but a high valuation has concerned investors. It's the latest case of a great company at a bad price, which is why the stock is down roughly 20% year to date. However, its fundamental strength is too good to ...
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) gained mainstream recognition from investors after gaining more than 2,000% from its 2023 lows. The company's fundamentals point to prolonged hypergrowth, but a high valuation has concerned investors. It's the latest case of a great company at a bad price, which is why the stock is down roughly 20% year to date. However, its fundamental strength is too good to ignore, and the correction warrants a more attractive price point than Palantir had just a few months ago. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Image source: Getty Images. Diving into Palantir's fundamentals Palantir generates annual recurring revenue from companies and governments that use its software. The company's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) can quickly turn datasets into AI models that help businesses run more smoothly. Furthermore, businesses can view and act on significant amounts of data in real time using Palantir's technology. Once companies and governments adopt it, they become very comfortable with Palantir's centralized software, giving Palantir significant pricing power. It explains why Palantir has achieved an annualized revenue growth rate of 32.6% over the past five years. That annualized growth rate doesn't even do Palantir justice. The AI platform delivered 85% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1, with its U.S. commercial segment more than doubling year over year. Palantir closed 206 deals that exceeded $1 million and 47 deals of at least $10 million. That growth also comes with high profits. Profits more than quadrupled year over year, resulting in a net profit margin above 50%. The valuation problem Palantir's current valuation is the only thing weighing on the stock. Revenue growth came in strong, and Palantir told investors to expect 71% growth throughout 2026....
Key Points Palantir offers essential software for governments and businesses, which results in high retention and attractive pricing power. A forward P/E ratio that's close to 100 may scare away some investors, even though that's an improvement from previous quarters. Palantir's valuation is the only hurdle, but it won't matter as much for investors with long-term horizons. 10 stocks we like bette...
Key Points Palantir offers essential software for governments and businesses, which results in high retention and attractive pricing power. A forward P/E ratio that's close to 100 may scare away some investors, even though that's an improvement from previous quarters. Palantir's valuation is the only hurdle, but it won't matter as much for investors with long-term horizons. 10 stocks we like better than Palantir Technologies › Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) gained mainstream recognition from investors after gaining more than 2,000% from its 2023 lows. The company's fundamentals point to prolonged hypergrowth, but a high valuation has concerned investors. It's the latest case of a great company at a bad price, which is why the stock is down roughly 20% year to date. However, its fundamental strength is too good to ignore, and the correction warrants a more attractive price point than Palantir had just a few months ago. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Diving into Palantir's fundamentals Palantir generates annual recurring revenue from companies and governments that use its software. The company's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) can quickly turn datasets into AI models that help businesses run more smoothly. Furthermore, businesses can view and act on significant amounts of data in real time using Palantir's technology. Once companies and governments adopt it, they become very comfortable with Palantir's centralized software, giving Palantir significant pricing power. It explains why Palantir has achieved an annualized revenue growth rate of 32.6% over the past five years. That annualized growth rate doesn't even do Palantir justice. The AI platform delivered 85% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1, with its U.S. commercial segment more than doubling year over year. Palan...
For all the hand-wringing over war-related inflation fears, there are signs that other drivers are having as much a bearing on longer-term borrowing costs. In the US, so-called real yields , which strip out inflation, have had a greater impact, indicating bond investors aren’t just worried about price pressures from the Iran war. Other culprits include signs already large public debt burdens will ...
For all the hand-wringing over war-related inflation fears, there are signs that other drivers are having as much a bearing on longer-term borrowing costs. In the US, so-called real yields , which strip out inflation, have had a greater impact, indicating bond investors aren’t just worried about price pressures from the Iran war. Other culprits include signs already large public debt burdens will swell even further, fallout from the AI investment boom and the mounting chance central banks such as the Federal Reserve will raise rather than cut interest rates. The speculation, underscored by a Bloomberg analysis and highlighted by strategists at ING Bank NV, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Barclays Plc, is that the recent jump in some long-term yields will not fully reverse even if the inflation spurred by costlier oil retreats. That risks keeping market borrowing costs elevated around multi-year highs even after the conflict ends, maintaining pressure on governments and economies. “The argument that duration is selling off globally due to inflation fears is hard to square with market pricing of medium- and long-term inflation risk,” said Jonathan Hill , head of US inflation strategy at Barclays. “Instead, the interaction between rising debt levels, potentially higher neutral rates, and AI could be driving real rates higher.” The so-called neutral rate is the level which neither spurs nor slows the economy. While the surge in oil prices may be capturing headlines, breakeven rates that measure the inflation expectations of bond-markets haven’t risen as far as overall rates in the US and UK. Hill notes even with the war underway, 10-year breakevens in the US are 50 basis points below where they were in the first half of 2022, when the Fed was jacking up rates. And the so-called 5-year, 5-year breakeven rate , a proxy for market-based measures of medium-term inflation expectations, are around where they were in December, at 2.2%. At Bank of America Corp., economists Claudio...
Maxiphoto/iStock via Getty Images Centerbridge Partners is emerging as the leading bidder to acquire a minority interest in Merritt Properties, a commercial real estate company that controls more than 21 million square feet of industrial and office properties, the Financial Times reported Sunday, citing people familiar with the discussions. The private equity firm is negotiating to purchase roughl...
Maxiphoto/iStock via Getty Images Centerbridge Partners is emerging as the leading bidder to acquire a minority interest in Merritt Properties, a commercial real estate company that controls more than 21 million square feet of industrial and office properties, the Financial Times reported Sunday, citing people familiar with the discussions. The private equity firm is negotiating to purchase roughly one-third of Merritt from Almanac Realty Investors, the real estate investment arm of Neuberger Berman. The talks value Merritt at approximately $3 billion including debt, the people said. A transaction has not been finalized and negotiations remain ongoing. Sources cautioned that another bidder could still emerge or the deal could ultimately fail to materialize. If completed, the Merritt family, which founded the company in the late 1960s, would continue to hold a controlling stake in the business. The potential investment highlights continuing investor appetite for industrial real estate assets even as elevated borrowing costs weigh on property valuations across much of the commercial real estate market. Warehouses, logistics hubs and distribution centers have remained comparatively resilient because of long-term trends including supply-chain modernization, e-commerce growth and the reshoring of manufacturing activity to the United States. For investors, the deal is another sign that institutional capital is selectively returning to commercial real estate after a difficult stretch marked by higher financing costs and declining office values. Industrial-focused portfolios continue to command premium valuations relative to other property sectors, suggesting large investors still see long-term growth opportunities tied to logistics infrastructure and domestic manufacturing expansion. Centerbridge Partners, which manages roughly $47 billion in assets, has increasingly focused on infrastructure and real estate investments. The negotiations come during a notably active period...
Russia used its powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile for a third time in Ukraine as part of a massive attack on Kyiv and its surrounding region that killed at least four people and injured dozens. Russia hit the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region with the missile, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He described a Russian assault that hit a water supply facility, burned do...
Russia used its powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile for a third time in Ukraine as part of a massive attack on Kyiv and its surrounding region that killed at least four people and injured dozens. Russia hit the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region with the missile, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He described a Russian assault that hit a water supply facility, burned down a market, damaged dozens of residential buildings and several schools, as well as the Oreshnik missile strike. “They are genuinely deranged,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram. Adding further details on Sunday, Zelenskyy wrote on X that at least 83 people had been confirmed injured since midnight with some fatalities as a result of the Russian attack, which he said had hit Kyiv the hardest. Russia’s defence ministry confirmed the use of the Oreshnik, which is capable of carrying nuclear or conventional warheads, making it the third time the weapon has been used in the conflict. Quoted by local news agencies, the Russian defence ministry said it carried out successful attacks on Ukrainian military command facilities, airbases and other military enterprises, using Oreshnik, Iskander, Kinzhal and Zircon missiles. It said the attack was retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on “civilian facilities on Russian territory”. Zelenskyy described a “heavy attack” targeting Kyiv that involved 600 drones and 90 missiles of various kinds, 36 of which were ballistic ones. “Unfortunately, not all of the ballistic missiles were intercepted – the largest number of hits was in Kyiv. Kyiv was the primary target of this Russian attack,” he wrote on X. “It is important that this does not pass without consequences for Russia.” View image in fullscreen More than 600 drones and 90 missiles hit several sites across Kyiv overnight, said Zelenskyy. Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv’s mayor, said two people had been killed in the capital and 56 wounded, while the head of the surrounding K...
The entire catchment of the River Wye has been formally recognised as a living ecosystem with intrinsic rights in a charter, a UK first that campaigners hope will help save the highly polluted river. The charter was celebrated at a community event at the Hay-on-Wye literary festival on Sunday. It includes the right to flow, to biodiversity, to be free from pollution, to be supported by a healthy c...
The entire catchment of the River Wye has been formally recognised as a living ecosystem with intrinsic rights in a charter, a UK first that campaigners hope will help save the highly polluted river. The charter was celebrated at a community event at the Hay-on-Wye literary festival on Sunday. It includes the right to flow, to biodiversity, to be free from pollution, to be supported by a healthy catchment, to regenerate, and the right to be represented, described as a “significant step” towards protecting and restoring one of the UK’s most beloved rivers. Herefordshire and Powys county councils have already implemented the charter and it is expected to be adopted soon by Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire, covering the entirety of the Wye’s 130-mile course from its source in the Cambrian mountains in mid Wales to Chepstow and the Bristol Channel. Jackie Charlton, the county council’s cabinet member for a greener Powys, said: “The River Wye is central to our environment, communities and heritage. By adopting this charter, we are making a clear statement that the river’s health matters and must be protected. “This is about working together with partners and communities to restore the river and safeguard it for generations to come.” The initiative, developed collaboratively across the river catchment, is part of a growing rights of nature movement worldwide. Rivers in Ecuador, Canada and New Zealand have been granted legal personhood in recent years, and the House of Lords is currently considering a proposal by the former leader of the Green party, Natalie Bennett, to change nature’s legal status from objects, property and resources to subjects with inherent rights. While much of the Wye, or Gwy in Welsh, is protected as a special area of conservation, and the rights in the charter are already recognised across existing legislation and regulatory frameworks, the river has suffered near ecological collapse over the past decade. Campaigners say excess nutrients from the r...
Key Points This industry-leading business possesses a strong brand that leads to durable demand. Investors can’t complain about a 64-year streak of raising dividend payouts. The company’s low growth prospects won’t lead to market-beating returns. 10 stocks we like better than Coca-Cola › The uncertain market environment today, which is being affected by conflict in the Middle East driving inflatio...
Key Points This industry-leading business possesses a strong brand that leads to durable demand. Investors can’t complain about a 64-year streak of raising dividend payouts. The company’s low growth prospects won’t lead to market-beating returns. 10 stocks we like better than Coca-Cola › The uncertain market environment today, which is being affected by conflict in the Middle East driving inflationary pressures, low consumer confidence, and fears of artificial intelligence (AI) disruption, can lead investors to prioritize safer holdings. Businesses with stable operations and robust profits might be what you're looking for. It's even better if these companies can provide a dependable income stream. Here's the ultimate dividend stock that investors should buy with $1,000 right now. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » As steady as they come With $1,000, investors can add 12 shares of Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) to their portfolios. The beverage giant, which has a huge list of different drink varieties that are sold in more than 200 countries and territories, is a steady and reliable business. It continues to weather macroeconomic pressures, something shareholders certainly appreciate. The company faces predictable demand trends, as people are inclined to buy its products in both robust and adverse economic scenarios due to the strength of the brand. In the latest quarter (first-quarter 2026 ended April 3), Coca-Cola reported organic revenue growth of 10%. Its operating margin came in at a stellar 35%. It expects to rake in $12.2 billion in adjusted free cash for the full fiscal year. This level of profitability is helped by a history of proven pricing power. On the latestearnings call the leadership team said that pricing had four percentage points of positive effect on the financial results. Co...
In this article CVX WMB ET CVX ET WMB Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on March 25, 2026 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images The stock market has been volatile due to rising Treasury yields and high oil prices amid tensions in the Middle East. Amid this uncertainty, dividend stocks can h...
In this article CVX WMB ET CVX ET WMB Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on March 25, 2026 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images The stock market has been volatile due to rising Treasury yields and high oil prices amid tensions in the Middle East. Amid this uncertainty, dividend stocks can help investors secure consistent portfolio income. Top Wall Street analysts can inform investors on their search for attractive dividend stocks that have the ability to generate solid cash flows and pay dividends consistently. Here are three dividend-paying stocks that are highlighted by Wall Street's top pros, as tracked by TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance. Energy Transfer Energy Transfer owns and operates a diversified portfolio of energy assets in the U.S., with about 140,000 miles of pipeline and associated infrastructure. The company recently announced an increase in its quarterly cash distribution to roughly 34 cents per common unit. Energy Transfer offers a yield of 6.7%. Recently, TD Cowen analyst Jason Gabelman reiterated a buy rating on Energy Transfer and slightly raised his price target to $23 from $22, saying, "We continue to see upside from underappreciated growth potential including underused assets in second-tier gas basins." The five-star analyst highlighted that Energy Transfer raised its full-year earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, guidance, with the company capturing its full-year optimization target in the first quarter itself. The revised outlook reflects upside from higher volumes, rates, and spreads. Gabelman expects EBITDA to reach the high end of the outlook at current commodity pricing. Furthermore, Gabelman expects ET to see a gain of $200 million in EBITDA from some new projects and 800 million cubic feet per day Haynesville volume growth this year, which is projected...
A heatwave is expected to be declared in parts of the UK on Sunday, with temperatures nearing May records. The Met Office said readings at Heathrow at midday on Sunday showed temperatures had reached 28C (82F) across three consecutive days – the threshold for declaring a heatwave. A temperature of 30.5C (86.9F) was recorded at Frittenden in Kent on Saturday – the highest of the year so far. Temper...
A heatwave is expected to be declared in parts of the UK on Sunday, with temperatures nearing May records. The Met Office said readings at Heathrow at midday on Sunday showed temperatures had reached 28C (82F) across three consecutive days – the threshold for declaring a heatwave. A temperature of 30.5C (86.9F) was recorded at Frittenden in Kent on Saturday – the highest of the year so far. Temperatures are expected to rise again on Sunday, with highs of 31C predicted in the south-east, and further on Monday, when peaks of between 33C and 34C are possible. The climate crisis is increasing the likelihood of extreme heat. Large parts of western Europe are experiencing similar peaks, with Météo-France, the French national weather forecaster, warning periods of exceptional heat are expected to come “more and more often and more and more prematurely, and to be more and more intense”. A Met Office spokesperson said: “Breaking the 32.8C May record is around three times more likely now in our current climate than it would have been in natural climate conditions before the Industrial Revolution. “What was around a one-in-100-year event is now around a one-in-33-year event.” Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said there will be “plentiful amounts of sunshine” in many parts of the UK on Sunday, bringing temperatures upwards of 30C. “If we hit that 33C, maybe even locally close towards 34C, that would bring us our hottest bank holiday day on record, as well as our hottest day in May on record,” Vautrey said. “So it really is quite exceptional heat that is building for the time of year.” The criteria for a heatwave are set by the Met Office. One is declared when temperatures reach or exceed 28C in London and its surrounding counties on at least three consecutive days. For many other areas of England, as well as south-east Wales, it is 26C or 27C. The threshold is 25C for Scotland, Northern Ireland, much of Wales and northern England. Saturday was the UK’s first 30C day of...
Performance Assessment Annaly Capital Management ( NLY ) has surprised me as it has performed rather well, lagging the AI-trade-dominated S&P 500 ( SPY ) by only a little bit: Performance since Last Article on NLY (Seeking Alpha, Hunting Alphas) Elevator Pitch Here's how I'm looking at NLY now: A rising rates environment can be a headwind to NLY's NAV A decline in the term spreads can signal inter...
Performance Assessment Annaly Capital Management ( NLY ) has surprised me as it has performed rather well, lagging the AI-trade-dominated S&P 500 ( SPY ) by only a little bit: Performance since Last Article on NLY (Seeking Alpha, Hunting Alphas) Elevator Pitch Here's how I'm looking at NLY now: A rising rates environment can be a headwind to NLY's NAV A decline in the term spreads can signal interest rate spread compression An increase in the securitized assets mix has reduced some dependence on short-term funding NLY seems fairly valued vs. comps NLY stock has started to lose directional bias, transitioning into a range market state The NLY fixed rate J preferreds sidesteps a lot of the macro headwinds This article covers factors that affect Annaly Capital Management as a whole but also discusses my relative security type preferences out of the preferreds ( NLY.PR.F ) ( NLY.PR.I ) ( NLY.PR.G ) ( NLY.PR.J ) vs. common shares. A Rising Rates Environment Can Be a Headwind to NLY's NAV Looking out to Mar'27 next year, the Fed Funds rate probabilities show a greater chance of rate hikes from the current 350-375 bps level: Target Fed Funds Rate Probabilities for Mar'27 (CME FedWatch) Accounting for the probabilities and the interest rate sensitivities on NAV, I compute a NAV erosion headwind of ~2.25 (36.97%*1.5%+28.62%*3.5%+11.72%*5.9%): Interest Rate Sensitivity Impact on NAV (Company Filings, Hunting Alphas) This implies a book value per share reduction to ~$19.38 from the $19.82 level as of the latest quarter : Book value per share (USD) (Company Filings, Hunting Alphas) Note that a decline in the hedge ratio (which represents the portion of its portfolio that is hedged against interest rate movements) has also gone down: Hedge ratio (Company Filings, Hunting Alphas) This means NLY's sensitivity to interest rate movements has increased, which makes for a worse outlook in a potential rising rates environment. A Decline in the Term Spreads Can Signal Interest Rate Spre...
Navitas Semiconductor (NASDAQ: NVTS) is attracting intense investor attention as its "Navitas 2.0" strategy pushes the company toward AI data centers, industrial power, EVs, and energy storage. The upside story is compelling, but after a massive rally, the stock now needs consistent execution to prove the transition is real. *Stock prices used were the market prices of May 15, 2026. The video was ...
Navitas Semiconductor (NASDAQ: NVTS) is attracting intense investor attention as its "Navitas 2.0" strategy pushes the company toward AI data centers, industrial power, EVs, and energy storage. The upside story is compelling, but after a massive rally, the stock now needs consistent execution to prove the transition is real. *Stock prices used were the market prices of May 15, 2026. The video was published on May 21, 2026. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Should you buy stock in Navitas Semiconductor right now? Before you buy stock in Navitas Semiconductor, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Navitas Semiconductor wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $477,813!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,320,088!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 986% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 24, 2026. Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that suppo...
Key Points Social Security is just a single factor in the complexities of retirement finances. You need to take into account other factors, like how much you've saved for retirement and whether you'll continue working. If you have a spouse, the complexities multiply. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › If you're looking for advice on the best age to claim Social S...
Key Points Social Security is just a single factor in the complexities of retirement finances. You need to take into account other factors, like how much you've saved for retirement and whether you'll continue working. If you have a spouse, the complexities multiply. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › If you're looking for advice on the best age to claim Social Security retirement benefits, you're bound to come across conflicting opinions. Some might say you should start benefits as soon as possible, some say you should wait until age 70, and others might strike some middle ground. The truth is, there's no one-size-fits-all prescription for the best age to claim Social Security. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Many academic studies examining optimal claiming ages can rely on overly simplistic models and focus too heavily on a single factor (maximum lifetime benefits). That makes their findings interesting but impractical for most households. Social Security is but a single factor in many households' complex retirement finances. Subtle differences among retirees could have a big impact on when you should claim benefits. When you retire versus when you start benefits There's no rule that says you have to start Social Security as soon as you stop working. Some people wait years between the end of their career and the start of Social Security. On the flip side, many people keep working while collecting Social Security. That's an important consideration in determining when to start Social Security. If you're working while collecting benefits, there are some significant financial considerations. If you're younger than full retirement age, which is 66 or 67 depending on your birth year, you'll be subject to the Social Security earnings test. That could l...
The China stock play right now is to focus on artificial intelligence-related names, regardless of the slower economic growth , several analysts said. "AI is the cleanest and most obvious theme right now," said Leonid Mironov, portfolio manager at Gavekal. More than half of the holdings in his new China stock fund, just approved in the last week, are related to semiconductors, Chinese self-suffici...
The China stock play right now is to focus on artificial intelligence-related names, regardless of the slower economic growth , several analysts said. "AI is the cleanest and most obvious theme right now," said Leonid Mironov, portfolio manager at Gavekal. More than half of the holdings in his new China stock fund, just approved in the last week, are related to semiconductors, Chinese self-sufficiency or high-tech manufacturing, he said. Consumer and health care are just 6% of the portfolio, he said. For April, China reported its weakest retail sales growth since the Covid-19 pandemic ended. "The tech play is still going to continue," said Liqian Ren, director of modern alpha at WisdomTree. The "AI ecosystem companies, their earnings are doing well, [but it's] not big enough to support the whole Chinese macro environment," she said. It's "really, really uneven." While Chinese tech giants such as ByteDance and Huawei are not publicly traded, a slew of homegrown semiconductor, high-tech parts and AI model companies have listed in the last few years. It's important to realize that over the past two months or so there is a rotation with tech stocks, said Aaron Costello, head of Asia investment strategy at Cambridge Associates. "We really can't call it 'tech-leading' anymore," he said. "It has become even more narrow, into semiconductors, hard tech, software, hyperscalers." Those hardware stocks tend to trade on the mainland Chinese stock market, known as A shares, rather than the Hong Kong stock exchange. The CSI 300, an index of the largest stocks trading in Shanghai and Shenzhen, is up more than 4.5% this year, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index is flat. Mironov's approach is to hold Tencent and Alibaba as his fund's largest positions, as well as hardware companies such as Shanghai-listed Anji Microelectronics. "I think people don't really see and appreciate how fundamentally [beneficial] the policy has been to the bottom line of these smaller and mid-cap names," Miron...
For most investors, the hardest part of building a Motley Fool-esque long-term portfolio isn't finding great companies. It's having the patience to hold them through decades of market noise, recessions, valuation swings, and changing consumer behavior. The businesses that survive those cycles tend to share a few traits: scale, pricing power, recurring cash flow, and the ability to adapt without lo...
For most investors, the hardest part of building a Motley Fool-esque long-term portfolio isn't finding great companies. It's having the patience to hold them through decades of market noise, recessions, valuation swings, and changing consumer behavior. The businesses that survive those cycles tend to share a few traits: scale, pricing power, recurring cash flow, and the ability to adapt without losing what made them dominant in the first place. That's why these two tickers continue to stand out. They operate different retail models, attract different types of shoppers, and make money in different ways, but both have quietly evolved into far more durable businesses than many investors realize. 1.Walmart Walmart (WMT 0.88%) is the easier of the two to underwrite over the next 20 years. The company is a Dividend King (a company with at least 50 consecutive years of dividend increases), with 53 years of consecutive dividend increases. The company extended its dividend-growth streak to 53 consecutive years in 2026, with the quarterly payout raised to $0.248 per share. The dividend itself is modest in absolute terms, but the growth rate and durability matter on a multi-decade horizon. What has changed at Walmart over the last five years is a shift toward higher-margin businesses. Advertising revenue is now around $6.4 billion annually, Walmart Plus membership is scaling, and the marketplace business has expanded the take-rate model that historically belonged to Amazon. In the fiscal fourth quarter, adjusted operating income grew 10.8% on 5.6% revenue growth -- the kind of operating leverage that compounds when sustained over years. For fiscal 2027, Walmart is guiding to adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.75 to $2.85, which would cover the new dividend several times over. Walmart's market position is large enough that antitrust scrutiny is a recurring possibility, and competition from Amazon, Costco, and the discounters is constant. Neither is likely to break t...
Key Points Coca-Cola has built a network of bottling partners to distribute its product around the world. Walmart has expanded its business beyond its brick-and-mortar retail stores. Both Coca-Cola and Walmart are Dividend Kings. 10 stocks we like better than Coca-Cola › Thousands of stocks pay dividends, but not all dividend stocks are created equal. Yes, a stock may pay a dividend, but that does...
Key Points Coca-Cola has built a network of bottling partners to distribute its product around the world. Walmart has expanded its business beyond its brick-and-mortar retail stores. Both Coca-Cola and Walmart are Dividend Kings. 10 stocks we like better than Coca-Cola › Thousands of stocks pay dividends, but not all dividend stocks are created equal. Yes, a stock may pay a dividend, but that doesn't mean its business is built to keep rewarding shareholders through thick and thin. The latter can be the difference between a good and a bad investment. The two companies featured here may not be high-flying tech stocks soaking up the headlines, but their businesses are as strong as they come, with the longevity to prove it. Both are Dividend Kings, which are companies with at least 50 consecutive years of annual dividend increases. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » If you're going to invest in a company for at least 20 years, you want a reliable, time-tested business. These two check that box. 1. Coca-Cola No matter where you are in the world, there's a good chance you can find Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO). This didn't happen overnight, either. It took decades of diligently building a worldwide network of bottling partners that get its products to even some of the most remote parts of the world. Coca-Cola is considered a "recession-proof" stock because its products sell no matter the state of the economy. Whether it's a recession or a boom, people are buying one of the hundreds of product brands that Coca-Cola oversees. Coca-Cola's broad portfolio includes beverages of all types and price points. The ability to adjust its portfolio to consumer preferences is why it's been able to dominate for so long. Coca-Cola's current quarterly per-share dividend is $0.51, with an average yield of around 2.9% over the past 12 months. This latest payout compl...
1 In 4 Cars Sold Globally Is An Electric Vehicle Electric vehicle adoption continues to accelerate worldwide, reaching new milestones in 2025. As Statista's Tristan Gaudiaut details below, according to the IEA Global EV Outlook 2026 , published on May 20, global sales of electric cars, including plug-in hybrids, surpassed 21 million units last year, more than doubling since 2022, when annual sales...
1 In 4 Cars Sold Globally Is An Electric Vehicle Electric vehicle adoption continues to accelerate worldwide, reaching new milestones in 2025. As Statista's Tristan Gaudiaut details below, according to the IEA Global EV Outlook 2026 , published on May 20, global sales of electric cars, including plug-in hybrids, surpassed 21 million units last year, more than doubling since 2022, when annual sales first exceeded 10 million. As the chart shows, EVs now account for roughly one in four passenger car sales globally, meaning their market share climbed to 25 percent in 2025, up from just 2 percent in 2018 . You will find more infographics at Statista This rapid growth has been driven largely by China , which remains by far the largest market. With more than 13 million electric vehicles sold in 2025, the country alone accounted for around 60 percent of global sales. While adoption has also increased steadily in the rest of the world , with nearly 8 million units sold – largely in Europe and the United States – the data highlight China’s dominant role in shaping the global EV market. Tyler Durden Sun, 05/24/2026 - 08:45
Leirao/iStock via Getty Images Investment thesis Clearfield ( CLFD ) is still viewed as a small broadband infrastructure company exposed to rural fiber deployments. Management initially described its data center products as a longer-term opportunity with more meaningful revenue contribution expected in fiscal 2027. Yet only a few quarters later, the tone already shifted toward growth expected late...
Leirao/iStock via Getty Images Investment thesis Clearfield ( CLFD ) is still viewed as a small broadband infrastructure company exposed to rural fiber deployments. Management initially described its data center products as a longer-term opportunity with more meaningful revenue contribution expected in fiscal 2027. Yet only a few quarters later, the tone already shifted toward growth expected later this fiscal year. While the opportunity remains speculative and no major contracts have been announced yet, the combination of a strong balance sheet, cash flow generation and potential growth could justify a Buy here, in my view. Fiber deployment efficiency Clearfield aims to solve the huge challenge of deploying fiber optic networks in locations where installation is difficult and reliability is key. For example, in rural areas exposed to complex outdoor environments that cannot afford downtime or constant maintenance of the networks. The company's FieldSmart consists of cabinets and panels that organize fiber connections, and products like FieldShield and YOURx are designed to protect the fiber optic cables themselves during installation. That may sound like simple products, but I think they have a stronger value proposition than it seems at first glance because fiber installation is often slowed down by maintenance issues or the need for skilled technicians, so this type of product can reduce installation time and also make deployment easier. Clearfield investor presentation Data centers This business alone wouldn't be the most interesting to me because it depends on a very small niche that doesn't necessarily grow a lot, but what makes this story interesting is that the same expertise developed for outdoor and rural fiber deployments is also becoming relevant inside data centers. At first, that sounds like nonsense because rural broadband and AI infrastructure are like completely different markets. But after listening to management commentary and looking deeper into ...
Key Points Visa currently generates more revenue than Mastercard and is the larger company among the payments duopoly. Both companies have demonstrated an upward revenue trajectory in recent quarters, with stable quarter-over-quarter growth and occasional minor dips. Investors should monitor the growth strategy of the two companies, as that could decide which stock creates greater long-term shareh...
Key Points Visa currently generates more revenue than Mastercard and is the larger company among the payments duopoly. Both companies have demonstrated an upward revenue trajectory in recent quarters, with stable quarter-over-quarter growth and occasional minor dips. Investors should monitor the growth strategy of the two companies, as that could decide which stock creates greater long-term shareholder value. 10 stocks we like better than Mastercard › Mastercard: Sustaining Revenue Momentum Mastercard (NYSE:MA) primarily generates revenue by processing, clearing, and settling digital transactions through its platform, while also providing cybersecurity and digital identity solutions to financial institutions and merchants globally. It recently announced an acquisition agreement for stablecoin provider BVNK, and reported nearly 46% net income margin for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Visa: Maintaining a Larger Revenue Base Visa (NYSE:V) facilitates digital payments by operating VisaNet, a global transaction processing network that enables authorization, clearing, and settlement among consumers, merchants, and businesses. It authorized a new share buyback program while completing a regional acquisition in Argentina and reported net income of 54% for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Why Revenue Matters for Retail Investors Revenue here refers to the data provider’s standardized income-statement revenue line item, which, for banks in this dataset, is defined as interest income plus non-interest income and is not net of interest expense, and tracking this figure is critical because it reveals the total money coming into a business before operating costs or taxes are subtracted. Quarterly Revenue for Mastercard and Visa Quarter (Period End) Mastercard Revenue Visa Revenue Q2 2024 (June 2024) $7.0 billion $8.9 billion Q3 2024 (Sept. 2024) $7.4 billion $9.6 billion Q4 2024 (Dec. 2024) $7.5 billion $9.5 billion Q1 2025 (March 2025) $7.3 billion $9.6 billion Q2 2025 (June...