The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

The last two years have been dominated by artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. The influx of spending on AI infrastructure and development, combined with investors' excitement around the potential for it to change multiple industries, pushed the prices of several companies' stocks into astronomical territories. It may be hard to find a great company with a stock trading at a fair price for less than $200.

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FinSMEs

DECEMBER 29, 2024

London, UK, 29th December 2024, FinanceWire The post The Greg Secker Foundation Celebrates Six Years of Transformation in the Greg Secker Foundation Village appeared first on FinSMEs.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

The financial technology, or fintech, industry was one of the hardest hit parts of the stock market in the post-pandemic bear market, but there are still some excellent opportunities. PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) is one great example with a stock price that is still about 70% below its 2021 peak and excellent turnaround progress in 2024, while SoFi (NASDAQ: SOFI) is an app-based bank with tremendous momentum.

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Banks Accounting Financial Services Stock Market 246

The Big Picture

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Avert your eyes! My Sunday morning look at incompetency, corruption and policy failures: The Walmart Effect : New research suggests that the company makes the communities it operates in poorereven taking into account its famous low prices. ( The Atlantic ) Oops! Consumers finally realize that Trump could worsen inflation. Fearing high prices, some are stocking up for what could be an expensive four years. ( Washington Post ) Americans have $27 billions in unused gift cards : At least two in f

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers many exciting long-term possibilities, but the technology's thirst for computing power is a certainty that's fueled remarkable growth in semiconductors. Chip companies like Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) have soared on the realization that AI is creating billions of dollars in opportunities for each.

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Companies Investors Returns Investing 239

A Wealth of Common Sense

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Predicting the future is hard and forecasting is not really my forte so here’s my list of things that probably won’t happen in 2025: 1. You probably won’t get rich overnight.Someone will. Probably not you or me. 2. No one will predict the biggest risk or upside catalyst. The biggest risk this decade was a pandemic no one could have possibly seen coming.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) has propelled stocks to monster gains over the last two years, starting with the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT. By now, investors are well aware of breakout stories like Nvidia and Palantir Technologies that have been early to capitalize on the boom, but there are likely to be plenty of other winners from the new technology.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) was one of the best-performing stocks of 2024. A strong start to the year for the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered enterprise software company went into overdrive in September. A strong earnings report and its addition to the S&P 500 that month stoked a ton of buying for the stock. The market has continued to push the stock higher, bringing the company's market cap above $187 billion, as of this writing.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) has seemingly become the market leader in developing and deploying artificial intelligence (AI) software in the real world. After working with government agencies in its earlier years, Palantir is thriving in the commercial sector, especially after launching its AIP platform for AI applications. Its accelerating revenue growth and juicy profit margins have fueled tremendous investment returns of nearly 400% over the past year.

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Investors Debt Returns Companies 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. See the 10 stocks Investors worried about a stock market sell-off may feel the urge to sell out of their positions and run for the exits. But long-term investors know that it's a mistake to overhaul your investing strategy based on emotion.

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Stock Market Stock Market Stakes Prospects 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) is currently the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) in 2024. Shares have advanced 360% year to date because of a series of increasingly stronger financial reports driven by demand for its new artificial intelligence (AI) platform. Many analysts have been bearish the whole way up, but Dan Ives at Wedbush Securities has been consistently bullish.

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Prospects Shareholders Investors Companies 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

For most retirees, Social Security is an indispensable source of income. In each of the last 23 years, Gallup has polled retirees to gauge their reliance on this crucial social program. Consistently, 80% to 90% of retirees have proclaimed their Social Security check to be a "major" or "minor" income source. Considering how important Social Security income is to the financial foundation of retirees, it's no surprise that the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is the most anticipated of all a

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Accounting 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has an unmatched e-commerce presence and a lead so wide it would be impossible for any competitor to get even close to it in the near future. But no company, even Amazon, is immune from competition. Anyone in the lead will always have to anticipate changing trends and up its game to match them. These days, there are consumer expectations in e-commerce that Amazon can't easily address, but Walmart (NYSE: WMT) and Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) can, and are.

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Leveraging Accounting Shareholders Assets 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

To buy or not to buy airline stocks in 2025? It's a good question because, at the time of writing, shares in premier airlines United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) and Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) were up by 145% and 55%, respectively, in 2024. Such remarkable performances are seldom repeated the following year, yet United trades at 8.1 times earnings estimates for 2025, and Delta at 8.4 times.

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Returns Investors Portfolios Investing 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Semiconductor designer Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) has been swooning lately. Despite a robust price jump last Monday, AMD's stock is down more than 40% from its one-year high. With less than a week left in 2024, share prices have plunged 15% this year. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) stock market index gained 25% year to date. Is AMD missing out on the artificial intelligence (AI) market boom , or is the stock a fantastic AI investment at these lower prices?

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Shareholders Stock Market Stock Market Investors 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

As 2024 winds down, growth stocks have once again easily outperformed value stocks. If it seems like growth stocks usually outperform value stocks, you'd be correct when looking back over the past 10 years. This can be seen in the returns of the Vanguard Growth ETF (NYSEMKT: VUG) compared to the performance of the Vanguard Value ETF (NYSEMKT: VTV). The Growth ETF tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, which is essentially the growth side of the S&P 500 , while the Value ETF looks to repl

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Cathie Wood's aggressive growth style of investing may have fallen flat earlier this year, but the co-founder, CEO, and ace stock picker at Ark Invest has been on a roll lately. Ark's most popular exchange-traded fund has soared 25% over the past three months and 36% over the past six months. Wood publishes Ark's transactions at the end of every trading day.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

If you're looking for top stocks, there's no need to reinvent the wheel. The Securities and Exchange Commission makes it a breeze to follow the world's greatest investors. Every three months, the regulator has everyone with more than $100 million under management share their trading details with the public on a Form 13F filing. One billionaire investor whom investors of all sizes follow closely is Philippe Laffont of Coatue Management.

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Stakes Funds Investors Returns 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

There's no denying that 2024 has been a banner year for Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). The company cemented its position as the gold standard for graphics processing units (GPUs) that underpin artificial intelligence (AI) , and the future continues to look bright. Since the AI revolution kicked off in early 2023, the stock has gained more than 850%, with 182% gains this year alone.

Investors 246

Investors Accounting Companies Investing 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

What do many kids like most about the coming of a new year? The fireworks. Investors don't mind seeing some fireworks in their portfolios with a new year starting, either. Three Motley Fool contributors think they have found stocks that could provide a big bang for growth investors. Here's why they believe Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) , Summit Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SMMT) , and Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX) could be monster winners for 2025.

Companies 246

Companies Investors Returns Portfolios 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Investors of all types can benefit from the power of dividend stocks. Although dividends are usually sought by those in or nearing retirement, those regular payouts can contribute mightily to your long-term returns wherever you are in your investing journey. That's especially true when the overall market is going through a bad patch. In those times, recurring dividend payments can cushion a portfolio's returns and give an investor cash to reinvest while stocks are trading at lower levels.

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Exchange-Traded Funds Accounting Capital Portfolios 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) shareholders have plenty to celebrate heading into 2025. The combination of a resilient economy, climbing financial asset prices, and optimism toward lending conditions have propelled the stock to a fantastic 31% return during the past year. The megabank's upcoming fourth-quarter earnings report on Jan. 16 will be an opportunity for management to reaffirm these positive trends and set the tone for the stock in the new year.

Banks 246

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Two hundred dollars isn't a life-changing amount of money. Nevertheless, if handled properly, it can still generate a nice return on your investment. With that in mind, let's examine one smart way to invest $200. Image source: Getty Images. Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day. Sign Up For Free Exchange-traded funds, the best way to start Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are one of the best ways to get started in the stock market.

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Exchange-Traded Funds Funds Returns Stock Market 246

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

One of the best ways to save for retirement is to use your company's 401(k). And it's about to get even better in 2025. With the turn of the calendar, some employees will be able to save even more using their 401(k). That means more tax savings in 2025 and more tax-free compounding for years to come. Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day.

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Taxes Accounting Funds Investors 245

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Both Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) and ASML (NASDAQ: ASML) play critical roles in the semiconductor industry. Taiwan Semiconductor, or TSMC for short, is the world's leading semiconductor contract manufacturer. Given the cost to build manufacturing facilities (called fabs or foundries), the high capacity utilization needed for foundries to run profitably, and the technological expertise needed, most semiconductor companies prefer to just design chips and hire a third party to ma

Returns 245

Returns Companies Investors Portfolios 245

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) have been two of the best-performing stocks on the market this year, and artificial intelligence is the major reason. Nvidia needs little introduction at this point. The chip stock has come to dominate the market for data center GPUs (graphics processing units) in the AI boom, which has driven its stock price up roughly 10 times since the start of 2024.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) , one of the world's largest cybersecurity companies, has been a great long-term stock for growth investors. If you had invested $1,000 in its IPO in 2012, your stake would be worth about $26,500 today. However, Palo Alto's stock set a record high of $202.95 in early December and still trades less than 10% below that level.

Stakes 244

Stakes Accounting Investors Companies 244

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

With the broader stock market indexes hovering around all-time highs, some investors may fear that a sell-off is creeping on the horizon in 2025. After all, equity prices have outpaced earnings growth, leading to a relatively expensive market. Valuation concerns could lead to a pullback in stock prices in 2025, but that doesn't mean investors should sell out of their positions or stop putting new capital to work in the market.

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Stock Market Stock Market Exchange-Traded Funds Stock Exchanges 243

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Cava Group (NYSE: CAVA) was one of the better-performing names in 2024. Even after a recent pullback, the stock has risen by more than 175% over the last year, likely because many saw it as a second-chance Chipotle as it works to bring fast, healthy Mediterranean food to more customers. However, the stock has dropped almost 25% since early December.

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Shareholders Investors Investing Returns 241

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) could be the most transformational technology in a generation. AI chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT can already answer complex questions and instantly generate computer-generated text, images, and even new software code on command. The technology will only improve over time, but development isn't cheap because it requires enormous data centers filled with specialized chips from suppliers like Nvidia.

Exchange-Traded Funds 237

Exchange-Traded Funds Portfolios Funds Returns 237

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Social Security is critical for millions of older adults, with 43% of baby boomers expecting their benefits to be their primary source of income in retirement, according to a 2024 report from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. Among retired workers, the average benefit across all ages is around $1,925 per month, according to the most recent data released by the Social Security Administration.

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The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

The S&P 500 index is a benchmark used to gauge the broader U.S. market. Its 500 large-cap and megacap components come from every sector of the economy, and reflect investing categories from value to growth. As those companies account for about 80% of the value of the U.S. stock market, the S&P 500 makes a fairly good proxy for it. However, each company's weight in the index is proportional to its market cap, and some companies have in recent years grown so big that now, just a few have a

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Accounting Funds Portfolios Investors 233

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Energy stocks as a whole delivered an underwhelming performance in 2025. The average one in the S&P 500 has only managed to eke out a small gain (the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund -- an ETF that tracks energy stocks in the S&P 500 -- is only up about 1% on the year). Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has rallied more than 25%. A few Fool.com contributors expect a better performance from energy stocks next year.

Debt 221

Debt Leveraging Returns Assets 221

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Generating passive income can help you become more financially free. As your passive income grows, you'll become less reliant on your job to help meet your financial needs. Those savoring the idea of becoming more financially independent have many ways to increase their passive income. Investing in dividend stocks can be a great way to help satisfy your craving for more passive income.

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Leveraging Debt Shareholders Returns 204

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a new technology with tremendous long-term investment potential. But don't assume that all AI stocks are speculative or high-octane growth businesses. There are plenty of opportunities for dividend investors to add AI exposure to their portfolios, too. Some companies in the best positions to lead the AI industry pay dividends.

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Public Companies Financing Finance Portfolios 188

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Many stocks performed well in 2024, but none better than those powered by artificial intelligence (AI). The technology fueled the bull market this year, with a few dozen stocks powering the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) to a roughly 27.5% gain (as of Dec. 26). After such a phenomenal run, many popular AI names are expensive, with investors betting that these companies continue to grow at high rates and that their markets only get bigger.

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Venture Capital Leveraging Debt Financing 180

The Motley Fool

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Food-service stocks are rarely "must have" names. Not only is it just not a high-growth business, it's a highly competitive, low-margin one as well. These are characteristics that many investors aim to avoid. Every now and then, though, a compelling restaurant stock presents itself. Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) is one such name, and is likely to remain one for the foreseeable future.

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Stakes Portfolios Returns Investors 130