Motley Fool Money

More people are claiming Social Security early in 2025. Robert Brokamp speaks with Dr. Michael Finke, a professor at the American College of Financial Services, about why he thinks this is likely a mistake for most retirees.Also in this episode:- How much money do you need to be financially comfortable, and how much makes you wealthy?- Which countries’ stock markets are performing the best in 2025-A unique way to measure the stock market’s valuationHost: Robert BrokampGuest: Dr. Michael FinkeEngineer: Adam Landfair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fed’s Inflation Conundrum & an AI Billionaire Battle RoyaleThe Fed kept rates flat this week, Apple and Amazon reported earnings, and we have the biggest names in AI battle it out for supremacy.Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Jason Moser discuss:- The Fed’s decision to hold rates steady- Apple and Amazon earnings- AI billionaire battle royale- Stocks on our radarCompanies discussed: Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Cloudflare (NET), PayPal (PYPL), Microsoft (MSFT).Host: Travis HoiumGuests: Lou Whiteman, Jason MoserEngineer: Bart Shannon, Adam LandfairAdvertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any inves

The Federal Reserve holds rates steady for now, but an ever-evolving trade and tariff picture raises questions about for how long. Also, Meta Platforms and Microsoft earnings suggest no slowdown in AI spending.  Lou Whiteman, Rachel Warren, and Jon Quast discuss: - The Federal Reserve’s decision to keep rates steady - A shift in smartphone production - Microsoft and Meta Platforms commit to continued elevated capex spending - Who will be the next $4 trillion company? Companies discussed:  Meta Platforms (META), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA)  Host: Rachel Warren Guests: Lou Whiteman, Jon Quast Engineer: Bart Shannon   Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no repres

Earnings from Starbucks, Visa, and Spotify’s earnings give us a read on the consumer and Samsung takes a big chip order from Tesla.  (00:21) Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Rachel Warren discuss: - Tesla’s chip deal with Samsung - Spotify’s earnings - Visa, Starbucks, and Booking earnings - Are you bull or bear? Companies discussed: Tesla (TSLA), Spotify (SPOT), Visa (V), Starbucks (SBUX), Booking (BKNG), NVIDIA (NVDA) Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Rachel Warren Engineer: Bart Shannon   Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due

Between battered industries and overlooked opportunities, plenty of dividend-paying companies have slipped to the bottom of the earnings jar. Today, Emily Flippen, Matt Argersinger, and Ant Schiavone dig into: The shrinking ranks of “Dividend Knight” contenders Healthcare stocks with hard times but high yields What investors should prioritize in dividend-paying stocks Companies discussed: NVO, UNH, WHR, PLD, CNQ, SCHDHost: Emily Flippen, Anthony Schiavone, Matthew ArgersingerProducer: Anand ChokkaveluEngineer: Adam Landfair, Natasha HallDisclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity prese

The former Chip King is cutting again in hopes of finding a path to sustainable growth. Tim Beyers and Jose Najarro discuss: - Intel’s big restructuring plans.- Predictions for when Intel Foundry may finally be profitable.- The seven links of the semiconductor value chain.We also ask Jose to rank six of his favorite stocks in the sector! Companies discussed: INTC, TSM, ASML, MU, NVDA, CDNS, LRCX Host: Tim BeyersGuests: Jose NajarroProducer: Anand ChokkaveluEngineer: Adam Landfair Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal

So what is the role of business? Motley Fool contributor Rich Lumelleau and Motley Fool analyst Dave Meier talk with Andy Hoffman, Professor at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and School of Sustainability. He’s the author of 14 books, including his most recent, Business School and the Noble Purpose of the Market. The conversation covers a motley array of topics: Business and Sustainability Business School ESG Funds Heresy to Dogma Sectors to Watch Host: Rich Lumelleau, Dave Meir Producer: Mac Greer Engineer: Dan Boyd, Natasha Hall Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any

529 plans aren’t just for college anymore. Robert Brokamp speaks with Martha Kortiak Mert of Savingforcollege.com about the newly expanded uses of 529s and how to choose the right plan for you. Also in this episode: -How does your 401(k) compare to the average worker’s? -Is it time to buy small-cap stocks? -What you should do with the “raise” you’ll receive from the One Big Beautiful Bill Companies discussed: VTWO, IJR Host: Robert Brokamp Producer: Anand Chokkavelu Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due dil

Meme stocks had a huge week, earnings season got into full swing with Alphabet going big on AI, and we draft our top stocks in the S&P 500 today. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Emily Flippen discuss: - Meme stock mania returns - Alphabet’s $85 billion AI bet - Fantasy stock draft - 60-second earnings takes - Radar stocks Companies discussed: Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), GXO, UPS, Accenture (ACN), Truist (TFC), Tyler Technologies (TYL), Lululemon (LULU), Chipotle (CMG), Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOG), GM (GM), MGM Resorts (MGM), Garmin (GRMN), Chagee Holdings (CHA), Intel (INTC). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Emily Flippen Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised h

Matt Frankel, Tom Gardner, Jon Quast, and Jonathan Wilder discuss: - Earnings disappointments from Tesla and Chipotle - AI-powered growth from Alphabet and ServiceNow - IBM's surprisingly strong AI business - Figma's upcoming IPO Companies discussed: TSLA, CMG, GOOGL/GOOG, IBM, NOW Host: Matt Frankel Guests: Tom Gardner, Jon Quast, Jonathan Wilder Producer: Anand Chokkavelu Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisio

The U.S. and Japan announced a big trade deal that lowers tariffs to just 15% on imports, and we discuss earnings from General Motors, Intuitive Surgical, and Enphase Energy.  (00:21) Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Matt Frankel discuss: - Japan’s trade deal - GM’s stock drops after earnings - Intuitive Surgical’s growth continues - Enphase Energy holds up well in a rapidly changing solar environment. Companies discussed: General Motors (GM), Tesla (TSLA), Toyota (TM), Honda (HMC), Intuitive Surgical (ISGR), Enphase Energy (ENPH), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Matt Frankel Engineer: Dan Boyd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Block joining the S&P500 and Figma pricing its IPO, investors may be wondering if they should be rising with the tide or fishing where others are not.Emily Flippen, Jason Hall, and Sanmeet Deo discuss: Whether or not it makes sense to "buy the add" when a stock is added to an index Figma's drive to enter public markets and its current valuation Contrarian investment ideas for beaten-down rule breakers Companies discussed: XYZ, FIG, ROKU, PTON, W,  ETSYHost: Emily Flippen, Jason Hall, Sanmeet DeoProducer: Anand ChokkaveluEngineer: Dan Boyd, Adam LandfairDisclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investm

A surge in private market investment has Fools wondering: is it time to bet bigger on biotech? Tim Beyers and Karl Thiel discuss: - The rise in biotech funding from VCs and wealthy individuals. - The key attributes of an investable biotech. - Which is the better biotech: Viking Therapeutics or Eli Lilly? Companies discussed: VKTX, LLY, MRK Host: Tim Beyers and Karl Thiel Producer: Anand Chokkavelu Engineer: Dan Boyd, Natasha Hall Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and fina

A set of AI use cases within the medical space. David Meier, Asit Sharma, and Roland Rott discuss: The latest on GE Healthcare, of which GE Healthcare Imaging is a piece. How AI is used to create efficiency gains, AND How AI is used to boost patient outcomes. Hosts: David Meier and Asit Sharma Guest: Roland Rott Engineer: Dan Boyd Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from

Christine Benz is the director of personal finance at Morningstar and the author of “How to Retire: 20 lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement.” In this rebroadcast of an interview recorded last November, Benz joined Motley Fool financial planning expert Robert Brokamp to discuss: - Updated research on safe withdrawal rates in retirement - When and how to de-risk your portfolio as retirement approaches - The right age to claim Social Security - Whether retirement is healthy for most people - Benz’s advice to “find your micro-joys” and “don't be afraid to be a weirdo" Host: Robert Brokamp Guests: Christine Benz Engineers: Dan Boyd Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no

Earnings season is here! Jason Hall and Matt Frankel discuss: - Netflix’s beat and raise. - Interest rate predictions for a year from now. - Crypto week’s three bills, including the GENIUS Act. And how we personally invest in cryptocurrency. - The best (and worst) big bank earnings. - How we invest with our kids. - Stocks on our radar. Stocks discussed: NFLX, Bitcoin, Ethereum, JPM, C, BAC, WFC, MELI, LOB, RKT Host: Anand Chokkavelu Guests: Jason Hall, Matt Frankel Engineer: Dan Boyd Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligenc

The Trade Desk is now included in the S&P 500 but are there any actionable takeaways for investors today? Also we discuss Bitcoin's rising appeal as a corporate treasury strategy, a surging interest in trading stock options, as well as 3 stocks that our hosts believe are hidden gems going into this earnings season. (00:21) Jon Quast, Matt Frankel, and Tom Gardner discuss: - The Trade Desk inclusion in the S&P 500 - Bitcoin's all-time high amid surging institutional demand - Investors' increased appetite for zero-day options - Hidden gems on our radar Companies discussed: TTD, BTC, SMLR, MSTR, BLK, HOOD, RKT, PGR, XMTR Host: Jon Quast Guests: Matt Frankel, Tom Gardner Engineers: Dan Boyd, Adam Landfair Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or

Valuations are stretched, but is it a bubble. And we discuss the latest AI and energy news, ASML’s earnings, and a surprising report from Johnson & Johnson. (00:21) Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Rachel Warren discuss: - Is the market in a bubble? - Google’s $25 billion data center and energy deals - Earnings takeaways from ASML and J&J - Bold predictions this earnings season Companies discussed: Brookfield Asset Management (BAM), Brookfield Renewable Partners (BEP), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), ASML (ASML), Palantir (PLTR), Robinhood (HOOD), Cloudflare (NET) Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Rachel Warren Engineers: Dan Boyd, Natasha Hall   Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities adv

Get excited…today is the first day of earnings season! (00:21) Anand Chokkavelu, Emily Flippen, Jason Hall, and Jose Najarro discuss: - Inflation ticks up - NVIDIA and semiconductors get a China bump - The big banks kick off earnings season (and tell us about the economy) - Is “Crypto Week” a thing? - Bold predictions on which company will surprise this earnings season Companies discussed: NVDA, AMD, JPM, WFC, C, Bitcoin, ETSY, CFLT, WBD Host: Anand Chokkavelu Guests: Emily Flippen, Jason Hall, Jose Najarro Engineer: Dan Boyd Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Inves

Despite inflation concerns and tariff uncertainty, restaurants are busier than ever. Can it continue? Tim Beyers and Rick Munarriz discuss: - Surprisingly good data from the Restaurant Performance Index. - The metrics that matter when investing in the restaurant sector. - And a Fool’s duel over the future of Toast! Tickers: Companies discussed: CMG, CAVA, TOST, SG, WING Host: Tim Beyers Guests: Rick Munarriz Producer: Anand Chokkavelu Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal,