The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 29, 2024

Unlike most of the time prior to 2000, now you need 20-year holding periods to ensure you're achieving the sorts of reliable returns you'd expect -- and need -- from the stock market. An investing time frame of five years, or even ten years, may simply not sufficient.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 4, 2024

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) index was established in 1957, so its 66 years of performance history can be helpful in predicting the stock market's next move. Therefore, not only were consumers and businesses dealing with surging prices on everyday goods and services, but their debt repayments also headed north.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 22, 2024

Falling interest rates are typically good for the stock market -- and I'll explain why in a moment -- but since a September rate cut is now widely expected, it's unlikely to have a substantial impact on the market. Instead, I think investors should be focused on Aug. Image source: Nvidia.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 21, 2024

Over the last few years, Exxon has used its outsized gains to pay down debt , which helped reduce its interest expense even as interest rates rose. By comparison, companies that are taking on debt or have high interest expenses are more vulnerable to interest rate risk.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 1, 2024

companies, has produced a total return of just 33% since the start of the bull market. But the stock market just did something that suggests the tide may be turning. The dominance of large-cap stocks in the current rally could shift to small-cap stocks, and we saw an early glimpse of it in July. in December 2000.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 30, 2024

Should that warning prove accurate, a recession would almost certainly lead to a stock market crash. Treasury bonds are debt securities that pay a fixed interest rate (or yield) based on when they mature. In most cases, I think it's fair to say recessions have coincided with stock market crashes.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 7, 2025

Impending trade wars, accelerating layoffs, declining consumer confidence, and a stock market correction have Americans understandably skittish. Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Also, stocks usually (but not always) rebound before the recession ends.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 7, 2024

Stock market sell-offs can be scary events. While WM plans to pause share repurchases over the next 18 months while it repays debt related to the Stericycle deal, it should continue increasing its dividend. They seem to come out of nowhere, and their end is seemingly nowhere in sight. That uncertainty can be unnerving.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 13, 2024

The S&P 500 has been setting one new all-time high after another in 2024, but not every stock has participated during the current bull market. Over the last few years, big tech stocks have been the driving force behind the stock market's increasing value. That's a double whammy for small caps.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 29, 2024

Despite a few hiccups, the S&P 500 bull market isn't slowing down. The stock index most often used to reference the U.S. large-cap stock market has climbed over 20% through 2024 as of this writing. But not every company has participated equally in the current market rally. According to data gathered by J.P.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 25, 2023

They are concerned that the impact of higher interest rates has yet to fully make its way through the economy, and consumers have propped up the economy so far with outsized spending that is depleting savings and causing many to take on added debt. So, here is the big question: What could a recession mean for the stock market?

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The Motley Fool

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

The stock market looks wobbly these days. Consumer confidence is running low, and the bull market that started in October 2022 might be running out of rocket fuel. How much higher can the artificial intelligence (AI) boom lift the major market indexes? There's a 5% cap to maximize the impact of any single stock.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 11, 2025

Paying down high-interest debt, like credit card debt, can also be a smart move. If we face a recession, high debt repayments can quickly eat away at your budget. By paying down as much as you can now, you can free up more cash later if you need it.

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The Motley Fool

MARCH 14, 2025

This sell-off isn't the least bit surprising given how far beyond historic norms stock market valuations have risen. Based on the S&P 500's Shiller price-to-earnings (P/E) Ratio, Wall Street's most-followed stock index recently traded at its third-highest premium during a continuous bull market when back-tested to January 1871.

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The Motley Fool

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

Stock market volatility comes and goes, but the key to building wealth in the stock market is staying focused on a company's growth. Here are two stocks that are on track to deliver outstanding returns to patient investors. Fitch Ratings sees a positive outlook for Carnival's debt reduction plans.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 2, 2024

The stock market had a terrible end to the week, and very few companies were spared from the carnage. Three that were up are in the telecom industry and probably aren't on your list of top stocks right now. Telecom saves the day The reason wireless companies have held up well comes down to their stability and debt.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 14, 2024

Add up the value of all your assets, subtract all your outstanding debt, and voila. For example, if you have $100,000 in retirement accounts , $25,000 in savings, and $10,000 in debt, then your net worth would be $115,000. But high-interest debt, such as credit card debt , makes it much harder to build wealth.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 11, 2025

Averaging 21% over the last two decades, this high cash ROIC shows that management excels at finding M&A opportunities in the market and integrating them successfully into The Hershey Company. Better yet for investors, Hershey has struck again, announcing the $750 million acquisition of LesserEvil earlier this month.

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 18, 2024

Then, subtract any debts and other liabilities, like credit card debt or student loans. However, if you have a lot of debt, your net worth could be in the negative. It's more important to track your progress over time to increase your assets while decreasing your debt and other liabilities.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 31, 2025

It's an under-appreciated, winning approach to the stock market. Here's why this approach is helpful: Individual stocks are prone to ups and downs. The company has over $900 million in cash and zero long-term debt, and has still profited $164 million on a net-income basis year to date.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 11, 2025

If you're searching for a reliable income stream from your investment portfolio, Ares Capital (NASDAQ: ARCC) is one stock that should be on your radar. However, Ares Capital hasn't escaped the turbulence of the recent stock market fluctuations. Since the beginning of February, its stock has fallen nearly 16% from its peak.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 19, 2024

Pay off credit card debt Credit card debt has soared over the past couple of years, partially due to inflation, which has caused the price of nearly everything to rise. trillion in credit card debt, with the average American owing about $6,501. Here are five excellent ways to use the money to boost your budget.

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The Motley Fool

JUNE 19, 2024

The stock market is roaring higher, and many growth stocks have benefited from this positive momentum. The S&P 500 index confirmed the bull market earlier this year when it reached a record -- and it's reached new records since. The longtime profitable company shifted to a loss, and its debt ballooned.

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The Motley Fool

MARCH 17, 2024

If you invest $20,000 today and your portfolio generates a 10% yearly return over the next five decades, which is in line with the stock market's average , you'll end up with almost $2.35 Let's say you've put together a winning stock portfolio , but the market crashes. million -- based on just $20,000!

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The Motley Fool

MAY 5, 2024

To calculate your net worth , you add up all of your financial assets -- cash savings, retirement accounts, other investments, your home value, and any other property -- and subtract any liabilities -- your mortgage balance, student loans, credit card balances, and any other debt you might owe. That makes sense.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 1, 2024

Doing so could be the ticket to staying out of credit card debt and avoiding a whole lot of financial stress if you're faced with any unexpected expenses. You also don't have to worry about whether you'll end up taking your money out at a bad time, as you would if you put it into the stock market.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 8, 2024

Your net worth is calculated by adding up all of your assets -- cash savings, investments, home value, and other property -- and subtracting your liabilities -- your mortgage balance, student loans, credit card debt, and any other money you might owe. Debt isn't inherently bad. The same is often true for student loans.

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The Motley Fool

JUNE 20, 2024

Although the stock market has its ups and downs, equities have handily outperformed other asset classes over the last century, including Treasury bonds, housing, oil, and gold. But not all stocks are created equal. Think of middle-market businesses as micro-cap or small-cap companies that are generally unproven.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 2, 2024

This was ultimately a failure, causing AT&T to sell DirecTV and spin off its Time Warner assets by 2022, leaving the company with over $200 billion in long-term debt. Cutting the dividend freed up cash flow to help pay down debt. Dividend investors hate seeing dividend cuts, but cutting the dividend was admittedly necessary.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 11, 2025

As great as it would be, the stock market doesn't always go higher in a smooth line. The heightened volatility caused by the recent tariff announcements isn't fun, but things happen that impact the market, whether it's tariffs or something else. Admittedly, it's been a challenging five years for Realty Income. The 10-year U.S.

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The Motley Fool

AUGUST 29, 2024

debt problem. has $35 trillion in debt, and that figure increases by $1 trillion about every 100 days. At some point, that debt load is simply unsustainable. To pay off all that debt, the U.S. debt collapse for nearly 35 years now. That is twice as high as the value of the entire global stock market.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

If anything, this seesaw action drives home just how unpredictable the stock market can be over short timelines. In recent years, they've done away with minimum deposit requirements and commission fees on common stock trades. AT&T closed out the March quarter with nearly $133 billion in total debt. dividend yield.

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The Motley Fool

JULY 2, 2024

It carries more risk, because markets can rise or fall and the returns are not predictable. However, historically, stock market investments generate higher returns than savings. and is often used as a benchmark for stock market performance. Take, for example, the S&P 500. Even better? You can still earn high APYs.

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The Motley Fool

OCTOBER 12, 2024

The other and more glaring issue for Carnival is its debt. The debt reached as high as nearly $35 billion at its peak, and although it's paid off a nice chunk, it's going to take many years to get the debt to pre-pandemic levels. Carnival didn't go into this period without debt -- it had around $9 billion before.

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The Motley Fool

JANUARY 21, 2024

Altria also possesses one of the most lucrative dividends on the stock market. It's a good thing Altria has a generous dividend because its stock price has struggled over the past few years. AT&T's balance sheet has been weighed down by debt, which hasn't pleased investors.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 28, 2024

stock market indexes. Those three indexes cover different facets of the domestic stock market, but they all measure the performance of large-cap U.S. Indeed, 38% of Russell 2000 debt is floating rate, but just 7% of S&P 500 debt if floating rate, according to JPMorgan.

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The Motley Fool

APRIL 11, 2025

Major stock market indexes are down significantly this year, with many of the most valuable companies in the world leading the descent. These include Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW) and CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) , two dividend payers crushing the market. However, some companies are performing well.

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