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Health care became more hazardous for patients at hospitals purchased by private equity firms, a new study shows, according to a report by CNN. Private equity firms have been acquiring large chunks of the US health care delivery system in recent years. In addition to hospitals, those acquisitions include nursing homes, behavioural health systems, and private physician practices.
The chips weren't down for DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG) in 2023. The sports wagering and fantasy sports speedster has more than tripled this year, one of the market's biggest gainers with a 215% surge heading into the final trading day of 2023. It's easy to steer clear of a big winner, fearing that it's due for a breather after a hot run. DraftKings doesn't fit that bill.
After a dismal performance last year, growth stocks came roaring back in 2023 thanks to several tailwinds such as cooling inflation, the Federal Reserve's pause on interest rate hikes, a strong economy, and the reduced probability of a recession. That rally is expected to continue in 2024 as well. Personal finance news provider Kiplinger estimates that S&P 500 companies could witness an 11% increase in earnings in 2024, up significantly from this year's growth of 2.3%.
According to the official definition of the "Santa Claus rally," the time of year when it occurs hasn't even happened yet. The Santa Claus rally refers to gains in the market that frequently occur during the last five days of a calendar year and the first two days of the following year. However, investors may have gotten an early present from Santa Claus this year.
Warren Buffett has achieved financial success on a colossal scale, both personally and professionally. His net worth currently exceeds $120 billion, making Buffett the sixth-richest person on the planet. Additionally, Berkshire Hathaway has grown about 38,000 times in value under his leadership. Those accomplishments suggest Buffett is a good source of financial insight, and he once said the surest path to success is "to be exceptionally good at something.
Image source: Getty Images If you're someone who's been trying to buy a home since the start of 2023, you may not be shocked to have arrived at the end of the year without being successful. The past 12 months have been downright torturous for would-be buyers. At this point, it's best to look forward to 2024. But will things change dramatically in January?
It's hard to believe, but we're just days away from 2024 and all the major retirement rule changes that come with it. This includes several important Social Security tweaks for workers and beneficiaries alike. Here's a look at five of them and how they could affect you. 1. Benefits are climbing Social Security beneficiaries will see their January Social Security checks climb by 3.2% thanks to the latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
Image source: Getty Images You've probably heard that bundling your auto and home insurance will save you money, but do you know how much you can save? Typically, the discount is at least 5%, with some companies rewarding you with a discount of up to 25%. That discount represents a significant chunk of money you can divert to an emergency savings account or other financial need.
Image source: Getty Images You've probably heard that bundling your auto and home insurance will save you money, but do you know how much you can save? Typically, the discount is at least 5%, with some companies rewarding you with a discount of up to 25%. That discount represents a significant chunk of money you can divert to an emergency savings account or other financial need.
The market has been pleased with top memory chipmaker Micron Technology 's (NASDAQ: MU) mounting comeback. Memory chip inventories skyrocketed in 2022 as PC and smartphone sales dropped and Micron's customers pared back spending to manage their cash during the downturn. However, as the generative AI hype has developed into a full-fledged industry with massive growth potential, demand for bleeding-edge memory has ratcheted back up.
Image source: Getty Images Automakers continue to add more models to their growing list of electric vehicles, giving consumers more EV options than ever before. And while many electric vehicles aren't exactly budget-friendly, a handful of 2024 models are relatively affordable. Here are four great options that won't break the bank. 1. Nissan Leaf MSRP: starts at $28,140 EV enthusiasts are acquainted with the Leaf, considering that Nissan launched the vehicle all the way back in 2010.
One of the most outspoken investors on Wall Street is Ark Invest Chief Executive Officer Cathie Wood. Wood is known for unconventional, maybe even outlandish, predictions for trends in emerging technology. Across all of her exchange-traded funds (ETFs), her largest holding is cryptocurrency trading platform Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN). Given Wood's extremely bullish stance on Bitcoin , it makes sense that she would acquire such a large position in Coinbase.
2023 has been an ugly year for Enphase (NASDAQ: ENPH) , which just announced big cost cuts and a 25% reduction in manufacturing capacity. In this video, Motley Fool contributors Jason Hall and Tyler Crowe take a closer look at a struggling solar industry and Enphase's steps to cut costs. *Stock prices used were from the morning of Dec. 19, 2023. The video was published on Dec. 23, 2023.
Social Security benefits are not subject to federal income taxes for some retirees, but they are for others. Those who have higher incomes will be taxed on part of their benefits. Unfortunately, because of the way that the rules for Social Security taxation were set up, a growing number of retirees are taxed on their benefits every year. Here's why more seniors will have to give up a part of their benefits to Uncle Sam in 2024.
Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) has had a great year. The widely followed streaming service stock has skyrocketed 133% in 2023 through Tuesday's close. Can it double again next year? It's never an easy feat to double in back-to-back years, and some feel that even this year's beefy gains aren't warranted. A pair of analysts downgraded Roku two weeks ago, concerned that the stock's big step up this week isn't warranted.
Image source: Getty Images Very few people find saving money fun. While it's great to see your savings account balance grow, it's less fun to make the sacrifices necessary for that to happen. The good news is, you can make the process of socking away more cash into something enjoyable. You can do that by making a game out of it. Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR for 15 months.
Today marks the final trading day for what's been a phenomenal year for the bulls. As of the closing bell on Dec. 22, the ageless Dow Jones Industrial Average , broad-based S&P 500 , and growth stock-fueled Nasdaq Composite were higher by 13%, 24%, and 43% for the year, respectively. It hasn't been a shabby year either for one of Wall Street's most prestigious investors, billionaire Warren Buffett.
Virgin Galactic (NYSE: SPCE) has big plans for the next three years that could, quite literally, make or break the company. The key date is January 2026, less than three years away, but that's much further away than it may seem. In fact, the company is so worried about reaching its goal that it recently pulled back on its current space flight schedule.
Some readers may already know that to maximize their monthly Social Security benefits check, they need to wait until age 70. That can be a long wait for many retirees, but if you can hold out, it's often worth it. While you can claim Social Security starting at age 62, retirees who wait until age 70 typically end up maximizing their benefits throughout their retirement.
If you want to beef up your retirement savings in 2024, the new 401(k) contribution limits can help. Last month, the IRS announced the new inflation-adjusted limits for retirement accounts, and they're better than ever. If you haven't paid attention to your 401(k) in the past, now is the time to plan ahead so you can crush your contribution goals. Image source: Getty Images.
Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are a popular investment option that offer numerous benefits to investors. ETFs are collections of securities that trade on stock exchanges like individual stocks but track the performance of an underlying index, basket of securities, or commodity. They have lower fees, higher liquidity, and greater tax efficiency than most other types of funds.
Image source: Getty Images The most important thing, of course, is that no one was hurt in any of our crashes. We were lucky that our car crashes weren't even worse! But getting in so many car crashes so often was a humbling experience. I learned important life lessons about car insurance deductibles, car insurance premium hikes, accident forgiveness, rental car prices, tow trucks, body shops, and salvage yards.
Volatility is fully expected when putting your money to work on Wall Street. However, the past four years have been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride for investors. The COVID-19 crash of February-March 2020 sliced away a third of the value of the benchmark S&P 500 in less than five weeks. We also witnessed the Dow Jones Industrial Average , S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite dip into respective bear markets in 2022.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) dropped into a bear market in Jan. 2022. The widely followed blue chip index declined as much as 22% during the year as recession fears rippled through Wall Street. But with confidence in the economy on the rebound, the Dow recently hit a new record high, signaling the onset of a new bull market. That portends more upward momentum.
Fool.com contributor Parkev Tatevosian highlights how this company implements AI to improve its customer value proposition. *Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of Dec. 26, 2023. The video was published on Dec. 28, 2023. Should you invest $1,000 in Pinterest right now? Before you buy stock in Pinterest, 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 Pinterest wasn't one of them.
Whether you have medical expenses coming up or you're just looking for a tax-advantaged place to put your retirement savings, a health savings account (HSA) can be a great tool. But like any tool, you need to understand how it works if you want to put it to best use. Here are three things you need to know before contributing to an HSA in 2024. 1. Not everyone is eligible to contribute to an HSA HSAs are only available to those with a qualifying health insurance plan.
NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) has an enviable dividend record, with a massive commitment to rewarding investors well via a growing disbursement. That's perhaps not all that shocking given that it is a utility, a type of company known for paying reliable dividends. But there's more to the story when you start to look at the growth rate of the dividend, which could make this stock a great pick for investors who not only care about dividends, but dividend growth as well.
Williams (NYSE: WMB) has a strong record of paying dividends. The natural gas infrastructure company has paid a dividend every quarter since 1974. The company hasn't increased its payment every year, but it has grown the payout at a 6% compound annual pace since 2018. It currently yields an attractive 5.1%, well above the S&P 500 's 1.5% dividend yield.
Becoming a millionaire from a single stock is possible, although it isn't an advisable investing strategy. There's too much risk in putting all of your money into just one stock, as there's always a chance something could go wrong. However, pinpointing stocks that can provide market-beating returns can accelerate your path to becoming a millionaire, which is where Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) comes in.
There's no "right" way to invest, because it all depends on the person doing the investing. Value, growth, growth at a reasonable price, contrarian, income -- the list of investment styles goes on and on, even including some people who rely on astrology (which is not a highly recommended approach). The problem for a beginner is figuring out which style is right for you, and that takes time.
It's been a wild past four years on Wall Street, with all three broad-market indexes vacillating between bear and bull markets in successive years. Even though patience pays off handsomely, periods of heightened volatility are known to encourage investors to seek out stocks that are perceived as "safe." Historically speaking, few investment categories have delivered better returns for long-term-minded investors than dividend stocks.
Given its torrid growth in 2020 and 2021, it's hard to believe that United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) stock is down over the past three years. But fundamentals have been declining. And there are questions about whether the company's margin expansion is sustainable or if it was just a result of a pandemic-induced boost. UPS is in for a challenging 2024.
Image source: Getty Images I have been running my own small business for 16 years and my company has provided me with some great opportunities, including the ability to work anywhere and the ability to spend my time working with people that I respect and admire. I've also been able to grow my income substantially since my company started, so it now provides a nice living.
Fool.com contributor Parkev Tatevosian has found one growth stock in Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway portfolio that investors can load up on for 2024. *Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of Dec. 26, 2023. The video was published on Dec. 28, 2023. Should you invest $1,000 in StoneCo right now? Before you buy stock in StoneCo, 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 StoneCo wasn't
Disney (NYSE: DIS) did something important recently. It declared a dividend for the first time since the payment was eliminated during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. There are a few big takeaways, but I can't help but think the company should have waited to start paying a dividend again. Here's why, despite being a dividend lover, I'm not particularly pleased with Disney's move.
On Holding (NYSE: ONON) has taken investors on a wild ride since its IPO. The Swiss footwear and sportswear maker went public at $24 in September 2021, and its shares soared to an all-time high of $51.45 just two months later. But over the following two years, On's stock lost nearly 50% of its value as rising rates and other macro headwinds crushed the market's pricier growth stocks.
In early May, Shopify (NYSE: SHOP) surprised Wall Street by announcing aggressive cost-cutting that sharply reduced its head count. The move was aimed at helping return the business to sustainably positive cash flow and earnings. It worked, and these improvements were amplified by accelerating demand. The stock went on to nearly double from the time of that announcement through mid-December.
All eyes have been on Nvidia this year as the GPU company has been providing the raw computing power for the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. Its ultra-powerful chips have become the gold standard for training and running the most advanced AI models. The company reportedly sold half a million AI GPUs in the third quarter, mostly to hyperscale cloud companies racing to boost their AI capacity.
Image source: Getty Images Life is expensive -- and if you dispute that statement, I'm inclined to wonder if you've been living under a rock the last couple of years. Blessedly, inflation has come down notably since its overall peak of 9.1% in June 2022 -- for grocery items specifically ("food at home"), it stood at 1.7% as of the most recent CPI Summary report.
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