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The Motley Fool: Dropped 84% in a single day

Guest Contributor — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 17:00:14 +0000

Ask the Fool: Dropped 84% in a single day

Q: I saw that a biotechnology stock, Cassava Sciences, plunged 84% in a single day. How can that happen? — G.L., Muskegon, Michigan

A: That’s a reminder that even a stock you might have researched and believe in can end up disappointing you.

Cassava’s shares cratered in late November, when news broke that an experimental drug had failed to produce significant improvement for Alzheimer’s patients in late-stage clinical testing. (Drugs in development typically go through several rounds of clinical testing before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers approving them.)

That would be bad news for any biotech company, but many biotechs have multiple drugs in development, and some already have FDA-approved treatments on the market. Yet Cassava was developing this one drug only, and it wasn’t yet approved, so investors were banking on trials going well. Additionally, the company has faced allegations of fraud, and its CEO resigned in July. There’s a lot investors could have been wary of.

Promising news can also make stocks like Cassava skyrocket quickly. But companies that already have growing revenue and profits are less likely to lose so much of their value when things go wrong.

Q: How is a “bear market” determined? — C.D., La Crosse, Wisconsin

A: When the stock market’s overall value drops by 10% from a recent high, that’s considered a “correction.” If it drops by 20% or more, it’s considered a “crash,” triggering a “bear market.”

A bear market can last days, weeks or even years. Long-term stock investors should expect them and not get freaked out when one happens — in fact, they’re perfect times to go shopping for great stocks on sale. The stock market has always recovered from corrections and crashes.

Fool’s School: You’re not too old

Many people believe that as they approach and enter retirement, they should be shedding most or all of their stocks. They assume that since the stock market can be volatile, they should stick with “safer” investments, such as bonds, certificates of deposit (CDs) or savings accounts.

The truth, though, is that even bonds can lose value, and that while the stock market is indeed volatile, over long periods, it has always gone up. If you retire at, say, age 65 and you end up living to age 95, that’s a 30-year-long retirement, and it would be a shame to not have some of your portfolio invested in what are usually the best long-term growers — stocks.

A good strategy is to keep any money you expect to need within five years (or 10 years, to be more conservative) out of stocks — because in the short term, anything can happen. And the stock market does pull back, whether modestly or sharply, every few years. But it has always recovered from pullbacks and has eventually gone on to reach new highs.

Diversifying your portfolio so that it includes bonds is fine — especially as you age. But remember that stocks tend to perform better over long periods. For example, Wharton School finance professor Jeremy Siegel has studied the long-term performances of various asset classes and found that over the 75 years between 1946 and 2021, stocks grew at an average annual rate of 11.3%, vs. 5.8% for long-term government bonds.

Which stocks should you consider for your portfolio? It’s hard to go wrong investing in a low-fee S&P 500 index fund for many years. That will instantly diversify your dollars across much of the American economy. Holding some dividend-paying stocks is another smart choice, as dividends from healthy and growing companies tend to increase over time. (Note that an S&P 500 fund will also provide some dividend income.)

If retirement planning has you confused or stressed out, consult a financial adviser, perhaps via NAPFA.org or GarrettPlanningNetwork.com.

My dumbest/smartest investment: Learned to hold on

My most regrettable investment? Back in the early 2000s, I bought Netflix when Fool co-founder David Gardner originally recommended it. I held on to my shares for a few years, then sold them because Netflix’s CEO, Reed Hastings, made some insensitive comments about Americans being self-absorbed. I don’t want to think about the could-have-beens if I’d kept those shares. But it taught me a valuable lesson: Hold on to good companies in bad times, as I did with Microsoft for about 10 years when it went sideways during its antitrust lawsuit days. — S., online

The Fool responds: Netflix had its IPO (initial public offering) back in 2002, and we recommended it in 2003. If you’d bought in, say, late 2003, you might have paid around $3 per share (on a split-adjusted basis). With the shares recently trading near $910 apiece, if you’d held on, you’d be sitting on a more than 300-fold gain, enough to turn a $1,000 investment into one worth around $303,000. You were smart to take a lesson from the experience, and if you’re still holding your Microsoft shares, you’ve enjoyed a more than ninefold gain over the past decade.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

I trace my roots back to 1688 and a coffeehouse by the river Thames in England, which was a gathering spot for ship owners and captains, some of whom bought insurance from businessmen there. By the 1730s, the coffeehouse was publishing shipping news daily. Over the years, I’ve covered losses from shipwrecks, hurricanes, oil spills, terrorist attacks and more — including the Titanic, Hurricane Katrina and the 9/11 attacks. Today, with more than 200 lines of business and a network of more than 4,000 insurance professionals, I’m a global leader in specialist insurance. Who am I?

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to 1945, when I was launched in Minnesota to repair farm equipment. In 1954, I got my current name. A year later, I developed a snowmobile to help hunters move around in winter; it became extremely popular. I introduced all-terrain vehicles in 1985. I now offer a wide range of vehicles, including watercraft and motorcycles, bearing names such as Rzr, Ranger, Sportsman, Aixam, Timbersled, Indian, Slingshot and Bennington. My recent market value topped $3.5 billion, and I rake in nearly $8 billion annually. You may know me as the North Star. Who am I? (Answer: Polaris)

The Motley Fool take: Chew on this

Pet-supply purveyor Chewy (NYSE: CHWY) is dealing with macroeconomic headwinds, but pet spending could be turning the corner. Chewy reported revenue up 4.8% year over year in its fiscal third quarter (which ended in October), an improvement over the previous quarter’s 2.6% increase. Management expects strong growth in its fourth quarter, too.

Chewy is pursuing initiatives to build growing streams of repeat revenue from customers — via its Autoship program, membership services and health care offerings. With Autoship, customers can have pet food and other supplies automatically shipped on a regular schedule. Autoship made up 80% of last quarter’s sales and grew 9% year over year.

Chewy is already the No. 1 pet pharmacy business in the U.S., and it operates its own veterinary clinics under the brand name Chewy Vet Care. Chewy is also adding more private-label offerings, which deliver fatter profit margins.

Chewy is building an ecosystem of services that provide almost everything a pet owner needs. The company’s net income has already rebounded in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Assuming its near-term earnings-growth momentum carries over to 2025, the stock could hit new highs next year. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chewy.)

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

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The Motley Fool: The best time to start

Guest Contributor — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 15:18:12 +0000

Ask the Fool: The best time to start

Q: When is the best time for me, a new investor, to buy stocks? — C.D., Spokane, Washington

A: Since no one knows whether the stock market is headed up or down today, tomorrow or next year, it’s generally best not to try to pinpoint a perfect entry time. Instead, just start as soon as you have spare cash to invest. (This assumes you’ve paid off high-interest-rate debt and you have an emergency fund at the ready, before you put money into stocks.)

That advice is especially important if, like most people, you’ll be making incremental purchases over a long time instead of a large one-time investment. The market does experience downturns every so often, but over decades, it has always gone up.

As a newbie, be sure to read up on investing so that you’re comfortable committing your hard-earned dollars to various investments. A great formula for building long-term wealth is to buy into strong and growing companies that have sustainable competitive advantages and are trading at attractive prices. Aim to hold for years, but be sure to follow their progress. Even simpler, just stick with low-fee, broad-market index funds, which are great for any level of investor. Learn more at Fool.com.

Q: What’s an IPO “lockup period?” — O.S., Alpharetta, Georgia

A: Lockup periods are common following initial public offerings (IPOs) — when companies first issue their stock to investors. Lockups require insiders who hold shares to refrain from selling any for a set period of time after the IPO — typically between three and six months. That’s meant to keep share prices stable or rising. Stock prices often head south for a while once the lockup period expires and some insiders start selling.

Fool’s school: Real returns

Here’s a distinction long-term investors need to understand: real returns versus nominal returns.

We tend to think primarily in terms of nominal returns, which reflect the absolute gains we’ve earned from our investments. If you invested $1,000 a decade ago and it’s grown to be worth $2,000 now, you have a nominal return of $1,000. Annualized, that would be a gain of about 7.2% per year, on average.

Nominal returns show how much we’ve made (or lost) in absolute terms. But remember that inflation is lurking, quietly shrinking the purchasing power of our dollars. Over many decades, it has averaged a bit over 3%. That shrinkage may not be noticeable in one year, but over many years it will be.

If you doubled your money in a decade but inflation averaged about 3% over that time, something that used to cost around $750 would cost you around $1,000 today (roughly a third more). Put another way, the purchasing power of that $750 would be about 25% less because you’d only be able to buy three-quarters of what you used to be able to buy with it.

Real returns reflect the effect of inflation. A common but technically imprecise way to determine your real return in this example is to take your nominal average annual gain of 7.2% and subtract the annual inflation rate, which we said was 3%; the result is 4.2%. So over that decade, your money looked like it grew at an average annual rate of 7.2%, but when you factor in inflation, the buying power of your money grew at only an average rate of 4.2%. (Some calculations of real returns also incorporate the effect of taxation, but we’re leaving that out in our simple example.)

As we save and invest, amassing nest eggs for retirement, we should always keep the power of inflation in mind. Don’t assume that, say, a million-dollar nest egg will be enough if retirement is 25 years away, because $1 million dollars 25 years from now may have only half the purchasing power of $1 million today.

My smartest investment: First investment did well

My smartest investment was also my first. I was already in my 50s in the 1990s, when I decided to try my hand at investing. So I timidly opened a dividend reinvestment plan (“DRIP”) with Sempra, the parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric. For about 15 years I made monthly investments, and for five more years I kept reinvesting the dividends. The share price in the early years ranged between about $16 and $29; it has increased a lot since then. And now the dividends pay my utility bill! My very first investment really panned out. — G.K., online

The Fool responds: That’s great! You did a bunch of things right, such as hanging on for years to a solid company and reinvesting dividends. Since mid-1998, when Sempra was formed via the merger of Pacific Enterprises and Enova Corporation, its stock has averaged annual gains of 8.5%, topping the S&P 500’s average of 7% and turning a $10,000 investment into around $86,000. Reinvesting dividends into more shares of solid companies is often a great move, and Sempra’s stock has averaged annual gains of 11.1% when dividends were reinvested, turning a $10,000 investment into about $162,000! How perfect that the dividends now pay your utility bills.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots way, way back to 1649 — 375 years ago — when I was founded as a blacksmith shop along a river in Finland. Over a century later, in 1783, I started focusing on processing copper. In 1832, my fine art forge started making forks and scissors. Soon after, I was making steam engines. I now boast nearly 450 stores and brands such as Georg Jensen, Iittala, Moomin Arabia, Royal Copenhagen, Waterford and Wedgwood. You may know me today for my iconic orange-handled scissors. I rake in more than 1.1 billion euros annually. Who am I? (Answer: Fiskars)

The Motley Fool take: Built to last

Some investors are nervous these days, with the stock market having surged in the past few years and with economic uncertainty surrounding the incoming administration in Washington. If you’re seeking a solid long-term investment, consider buying into Warren Buffett’s company Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B).

Buffett is arguably the best investor around, and Berkshire’s stock has averaged annual returns of close to 20% over nearly 60 years, versus around 10% for the S&P 500. It may grow slower these days than decades ago, but it’s still growing.

More importantly, it’s built to last. It focuses largely on insurance, energy and transportation, but it has a variety of other businesses. It owns many companies outright, such as Benjamin Moore, GEICO, See’s Candies and the entire BNSF railroad. It also owns significant chunks of stock in other companies, such as American Express, Bank of America, Coca-Cola and Chevron.

Buffett is famously risk-averse, and Berkshire’s massive stockpile of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments — recently more than $325 billion — means he (or his lieutenants) can pounce on opportunities that appear.

Berkshire shares were recently trading at reasonable prices, but reasonable is OK if you’re planning to hold for a long time. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Berkshire Hathaway.)

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

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2024 rewind: Business and development

Tiare Solis — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 08:00:44 +0000

Major economic development announcements for projects involving the automotive and transportation sectors in 2024 demonstrated the Upstate continues to be a manufacturing powerhouse.

Nearly $1 billion in new manufacturing projects

The year started off in February with EnerSys, a global manufacturer of energy-storage systems, announcing an investment of $500 million that will create 500 new jobs with a lithium-ion battery production facility in Greenville County.

The new 500,000-square-foot facility will be located on 140 acres in the Augusta Grove Business Park off Bracken Road in the southern part of the county.

According to the company, the new facility will be its second in South Carolina and will focus on producing lithium-ion cells for commercial, industrial and defense applications.

Another $400 million set of investment announcements came in December with a pair of expansions by Magna International to its operations in Piedmont totaling $194 million and expected to create about 200 new jobs.

Another $216 million announcement involved an as-yet-unnamed company for a new motor vehicle production facility, also in Piedmont, that is expected to create more than 700 new jobs.

Phase 2 of County Square redevelopment gets underway

Rendering by RocaPoint Partners

The second phase of the $1 billion County Square project got underway early this year with demolition and infrastructure work.

Demolition of the old Greenville County administrative building was followed by site work, which involved reconfiguring University Ridge and infrastructure improvements.

Once complete, the project will involve about a dozen new mixed-use buildings incorporating residential, office, hotel, food and beverage, and other retail uses.

Clemson college of veterinary medicine breaks ground

Rendering provided by Clemson University

The state’s first college of veterinary medicine moved firmly from the drawing board to reality with the November groundbreaking of the Clemson University Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine. Clemson’s board of trustees approved plans for the college in 2023 and hired the college’s first dean, Steven Marks.

The curriculum for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program was approved this year, and the college continues to hire faculty and seek accreditation for the program through the American Veterinary Medical Association. The inaugural class of 80 students is expected to enroll in 2026.

Liquor liability insurance squeezes food and beverage industry

Skyrocketing costs for liquor liability insurance continued to put stress on the state’s $22 billion food and beverage industry this year and reform hopes were dashed when the General Assembly adjourned without taking action on the issue.

The issue has yet to capture widespread public concern and was overshadowed by other issues leading up to November’s general election. Industry leaders are organizing to make the matter a priority in the coming legislative session.

BMW, Michelin celebrate major milestones

Photo by Jay King

Two of the state’s most significant corporate citizens celebrated major milestones. BMW Manufacturing celebrated its 30th anniversary in the Palmetto State in June, and Michelin North America celebrated its 50th anniversary in September.

Over several decades the two companies have had a profound impact on the state’s economy and helped supercharge South Carolina’s drive to become a manufacturing powerhouse.

The post 2024 rewind: Business and development appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The Motley Fool: The best number

Guest Contributor — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:00:44 +0000

Ask the Fool: The best number

Q: What’s the best number of different stocks to own? — M.H., Saginaw, Michigan

A: There’s no one-size-fits-all best number for all investors. If you’re not able or willing to study and keep up with your holdings, don’t own any individual stocks. Instead, opt for a simple, low-fee index fund such as one that tracks the S&P 500. (That index has averaged roughly 10% annual gains over many decades.)

If you do want to invest in individual stocks, we suggest owning 25 or more stocks and aiming to hold them for at least five years. (Owning too few stocks can be risky — if one implodes, it can take a big chunk of your portfolio with it.) Owning just a handful of stocks can be fine, though, if most of your money is in one or more broad index funds.

You could hold several dozen stocks, maybe even 100, as long as you have great confidence in each after you research them. Make sure you’ll be able to keep up with all of them, too, reading at least their annual and quarterly reports.

Q: Why be invested in stocks if they’ll all fall whenever the market crashes? — T.P., Venice, Florida

A: You’re right to expect a small market correction or a bigger market crash every few years. But you’d have to stay out of stocks entirely if you wanted to avoid drops in the market, as no one knows when they will occur.

The best strategy is to be a long-term investor, buying into great companies and hanging on to them through market surges and downturns. That’s because in the long run, the stock market has always recovered from losses and continued to go up.

Fool’s school: Timing the market: A futile endeavor

Trying to perfectly time when you get in or out of the stock market is ill-advised, as no one knows what it will do from one day — or year — to another. (Over many years, though, it tends to go up.)

That said, it’s often smart to invest in the stock market after it has fallen, as that’s when you’ll find shares of terrific companies available for lower — sometimes much lower — prices.

Meanwhile, if the market has soared in recent years, it’s often best to just start investing, since the market could keep rising for a few more years before pulling back. If you have bad luck and it crashes right after you buy, just hang on and wait — ideally adding more money to your investments. This is why you should never invest money you’ll need within a few years in the stock market, as it could head south for a year or more at any time.

The folks at Ned Davis Research, Morningstar and Hartford Funds have illustrated the folly of trying to time the market. They looked at how the market performed during the 30-year period from 1994 to 2023 and calculated how you’d do if your timing led you to miss the 10 best days out of those 10,000-plus days. If you stayed fully invested, you’d have turned $10,000 into $181,763. If you’d missed those 10 days, you’d end up with $83,272. Yikes!

The researchers added: “Avoiding the market’s downs may mean missing out on the ups as well. 78% of the stock market’s best days occur during a bear market or during the first two months of a bull market.” Trying to time the market can leave you on the sidelines at the wrong times.

Consider the sage words of respected investor Philip Carret: “It makes no sense for individual investors to jump in and out of the market. People who trade in that way rarely die rich, whereas the patient investor often does.”

My dumbest investment: Banked on it — and lost

My most regrettable investment was in First Republic Bank, which essentially went out of business, wiping out over 99% of my stock value. I kept investing, thinking that someone would buy the bank. — M.B., online

The Fool responds: Ouch. It can seem reasonable to expect a company in trouble to be bailed out one way or another, but if and when that happens, existing shareholders are often left with little to nothing — as you experienced.

Buying more shares of a plunging stock is sometimes referred to as trying to catch a falling knife. It’s a risky thing to do, because many stocks taking a dive never recover. A less risky way to aim for great returns is by buying into great companies at good prices — and then hanging on for many years, as long as they keep performing well.

First Republic Bank failed in part because there was a run on the bank following several other bank failures, and many of its customers’ accounts exceeded the $250,000 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance limit. In 2023, regulators closed the bank — and JPMorgan Chase acquired it (and its customers’ accounts). As is typical, shareholders in the bank didn’t fare as well.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to 1981, when I was founded and named for Michael Kors; he built me into a major brand, selling jewelry, watches, footwear, clothing and much more. Today, I’m a “global fashion luxury group,” home to brands such as Versace and Jimmy Choo — as well as Michael Kors. (After buying Versace in 2019, I adopted a new name that evokes short pants.) Until recently, I was planning to merge with Tapestry, which owns Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman. My market value was recently $2.4 billion, and I rake in close to $5 billion annually. Who am I? (Answer: Capri Holdings)

The Motley Fool take: Just invest in it?

Nike (NYSE: NKE) has struggled lately. Cutting off wholesale distribution in favor of its own stores and website has helped, but it is not working as well, and it’s forcing management to adjust. There was a near-term drop in revenue as sales through big retail partners dried up while Nike shifted inventory to its own channels. Revenue fell 10% year over year in Nike’s first quarter of fiscal 2025, and management projected a slow recovery due to economic uncertainty.

But Nike’s gross profit margin increased by 1.2 percentage points in the quarter, thanks to streamlined product and warehousing spending and strategic price improvements. As Nike optimizes inventory management and returns to sales growth, both gross margin and operating margin should improve.

Nike’s price-to-sales ratio of about 2.4 is near its 10-year low. And while sales are currently moving in the wrong direction, there are several reasons to believe they’ll turn around. Nike has one of the strongest brands in the world, China still presents a growth opportunity and the company has been able to maintain its premium pricing. With earnings growth expected to rebound after this year, Nike could be a great stock to buy now and hold for several years while it works through its business model transition. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Nike.)

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

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Greenville Chamber pushing for liability insurance relief, affordable child care in 2025

Ryan Gilchrest — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 21:00:32 +0000

The Greenville Chamber held its annual legislative breakfast Dec. 13, outlining an advocacy agenda ahead of the 2025 South Carolina Legislature session.

Matt Wills, the chamber’s vice president for government affairs, emphasized the top priorities are to seek protection for businesses from skyrocketing liability insurance rates, and improve the accessibility and affordability of child care.

The legislature convenes Jan. 14 and is scheduled to adjourn May 8.

South Carolina’s joint and several liability laws – sometimes referred to as liquor liability laws – have led to a drop in insurance companies willing to sell policies to businesses in the state and a subsequent rise in policy rates. The current laws can leave businesses open to partial fault in lawsuits even if they are not directly responsible for an incident. Locally-owned bars and restaurants have been particularly impacted, though the laws affect a wide range of businesses.

Child care cost and availability is a nationwide issue, especially in fast-growing areas like Greenville County and the Upstate.

The chamber’s advocacy agenda also includes education funding and teacher compensation, workforce sustainability and career development, and investments in infrastructure. The full 2025 advocacy agenda can be found at greenvillechamber.org/policyagenda.

The breakfast was held at Embassy Suites Verdae with more than 200 business and community leaders in attendance.

The post Greenville Chamber pushing for liability insurance relief, affordable child care in 2025 appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The Motley Fool: REITs and FFOs

Guest Contributor — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 10:00:42 +0000

Ask the Fool: REITs and FFOs

Q: What are REITs and FFOs? — V.E., Broomfield, Colorado

A: Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are companies that allow ordinary investors to get involved in commercial real estate; many are publicly traded on a stock market, like stocks. They typically buy lots of properties and then lease them out, collecting rents. Each is likely to focus on one or more niches of the real estate market, such as apartments, shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, data centers, medical facilities and so on. Some of the biggest REITs include American Tower (communications facilities), Prologis (warehouses), Public Storage (self-storage facilities) and Simon Property Group (shopping malls). REITs are required to pay out at least 90% of their taxable income as dividends.

When you study a REIT, a key number to check out is its funds from operations (FFO). The FFO metric reflects the cash being generated from its recurring operating earnings, such as rent checks. Unlike net income, the FFO ignores the effects of depreciation and other noncash charges, offering a better picture of the REIT’s true performance. You can learn more about real estate investment trusts at REIT.com.

Q: How are stock prices set? — A.B., Hilo, Hawaii

A: Once a stock’s shares have been sold to the public by a company at a set price, via an initial public offering (IPO) or a secondary offering, they are traded on the open market. From day to day, their price is determined largely by demand — just what people are willing to pay for them. Over the long run, though, a stock’s value is largely tied to the performance of the underlying company. As the company prospers (or fails) over time, so should the stock.

Fool’s school: Money-saving health care tips

It’s no secret that health care is very costly, so it’s smart to find ways to spend less on it. Here are some ideas.

Don’t avoid your doctor: Putting off going to the doctor can lead to undetected health issues getting worse, ending up costing you much more — and potentially shortening your life. Get preventive screenings (such as mammograms or colonoscopies) and vaccinations on schedule, too.
Get healthy and stay healthy: You’re likely to spend less on health care over the course of your life if you eat nutritious foods and exercise, maintaining a reasonable weight. Many health authorities suggest that 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise is a good goal. Your employer or health plan might offer gym memberships, nutrition consultations or smoking-cessation programs.
Choose the best health insurance plan you can: Shop around for the plan that offers the most for your money. Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) typically cost less than preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. High-deductible plans cost less, too, and can be especially good for healthy young people. (They also permit you to set up a Health Savings Account, or HSA, to which you can contribute tax-deductible dollars to be spent on qualifying health care expenses.) An employer-sponsored Flexible Spending Account (FSA) can also help you save. If you’re married and each of you has health plans available through your employers, see which serves you best.
Shop around for lower prices for prescription drugs: It pays to shop around, as different pharmacies charge different prices. Check out HealthWarehouse.com and Costco’s and Amazon’s pharmacies, among other places; price tracker GoodRx.com can provide coupons. Ask your provider for generic versions of drugs, consider mail-order pharmacies and try to order 90-day supplies when possible.
Inspect medical bills for errors: Many doctor and hospital bills contain errors, charging you more than they should. It’s smart to scrutinize medical bills to make sure they’re correct.

Search online for “how to save money on” health care or drugs, and you’ll find even more tips.

My smartest investment: A great long-term investment

My smartest investment was buying shares of Apple at $23 apiece in early 2004. — S.R., online

The Fool responds: We hope (and suspect) you’re still holding your shares, which would make that a very successful investment indeed! Apple’s stock has had a rocky history, with many doubting the company’s chances of survival at various points. (Before you bought your shares, for example, Steve Jobs had been ousted from the company and then rehired years later.) But a series of well-received products turned the tide. Apple introduced the iPod music player in 2001, followed by the iPhone in 2007, the iPad in 2010, the Apple Watch in 2014 and AirPods in 2016.

After multiple stock splits, your shares have likely appreciated in value more than 600-fold, enough to turn a $1,000 investment into more than $600,000. The company (and stock) isn’t likely to keep growing at past rates, given its huge size now. So should you hold or buy more? Well, the stock seems somewhat overvalued at recent levels, but the company’s long-term growth prospects are promising. Bulls love Apple’s ecosystem of interconnected products and services, its great cash generation and its investments in artificial intelligence (AI), while bears worry about slowing growth rates and the effects of potential tariffs, among other things.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to 1927, when two cousins in Monroe, Michigan, launched a furniture company. In 1928, they debuted the “Gossiper,” a combination telephone stand and bench. In 1929, they patented the design of an innovative reclining chair. A contest to name the chair received submissions such as “Sit-N-Snooze,” and the winning submission is my name today. I introduced a footrest in 1952 and a rocking version of the chair in 1961. Today, with a recent market value of $1.8 billion, I’m also home to the Joybird, Kincaid Furniture, American Drew, England Furniture and Hammary brands. Who am I? (Answer: La-Z-Boy)

The Motley Fool take: A beauty-ful investment

Cosmetics retailer Ulta Beauty (Nasdaq: ULTA) is a clear leader in its niche, with more than 1,400 stores around the country, nearly as many as peer Sephora. However, the stock has pulled back this year as the company’s sales growth slowed, offering investors a buying opportunity.

While Ulta’s business may be maturing, the stock still has growth potential. Interest rates are predicted to come down, which in turn is expected to improve consumer confidence — and that should help propel a rebound for Ulta and its stock. Additionally, at its recent Investor Day conference, the company revealed that it intended to accelerate the pace of new store openings, aiming for more than 1,800 stores. It’s also seeing steady adoption of its loyalty program, which it expects to have 50 million members by 2028.

As a business, Ulta enjoys a number of competitive advantages. Most of its full-line stores feature hair salons, offering customers an additional reason to visit — and a service that e-commerce rivals can’t provide. Moreover, its stores are much larger than other pure-play beauty retailers: Essentially, they’re superstores carrying a wide range of products and brands, making Ulta a one-stop shop for beauty shoppers.

With a recent forward-looking price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14, well below its five-year average of 21, Ulta’s stock is appealingly valued.

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

The post The Motley Fool: REITs and FFOs appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The Motley Fool: Sell all stocks?

Guest Contributor — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 15:00:40 +0000

Ask the Fool: Sell all stocks?

Q: I’m thinking about selling my stocks so I can have a lot of cash on hand in case the market crashes. That way I’ll be able to take advantage of bargains. Does that make sense? — B.W., Norfolk, Virginia

A: Think twice about that. Yes, if the market crashes soon after you sell, you’ll have done well. But there have been plenty of times when the stock market, as measured by the S&P 500, has posted large double-digit gains for multiple years in a row. There’s a good chance that after you sell, you’ll be on the sidelines, missing out on big gains.

We think it’s best to keep your long-term dollars invested in your best ideas — which could be certain stocks, or a simple S&P 500 index fund — through thick and thin. Add to your investments whenever you can, and keep a modest sum of cash on hand so that you can pounce on opportunities.

Q: What’s portfolio rebalancing? — P.G., Swansea, Massachusetts

A: It’s when you adjust the percentage of your portfolio allocated to various asset classes such as stocks, bonds and cash. For example, if you start out with a portfolio 85% in stocks and 15% in bonds, over time that might morph into a portfolio that’s 95% in stocks and 5% in bonds. If so, you might rebalance your portfolio to your desired mix by selling some stocks and buying some bonds.

You can also rebalance within an asset class. Perhaps one of your stocks grows to become too large a portion of your portfolio (say, more than 5% or 10%). Then you might sell some of its shares and buy more of other stocks to keep fewer eggs in that one basket.

Fool’s school: Understanding annuities

Relatively few people today have pensions to look forward to. But with some saving and planning, you may be able to arrange a dependable pensionlike stream of retirement income via annuities.

When buying an annuity, you’ll typically fork over a large sum to an insurance company in exchange for the promise of certain kinds of payments, potentially for the rest of your (and your spouse’s) life. Buy from highly rated companies only — because if the insurer implodes, so might your payments, as state guaranty associations often cap recoveries. (Perhaps buy from several good insurers to spread out that risk.)

Here are some types of annuities to know about:

Fixed immediate annuities: These are straightforward, often charging the lowest fees. They promise to pay you a specified sum for a specified period, starting soon after purchase. The payout will depend greatly on prevailing interest rates when you buy, and it may remain fixed for one year, a few years or the life of the contract.
Fixed deferred annuities: These will start paying at a specified point in the future — and payments will be larger than ones that start immediately. So, for example, a 65-year-old might buy one that starts paying at age 80. Deferred annuities can keep you from running out of money late in life.
Variable annuities: These annuities’ payments are not fixed; they fluctuate depending on the performance of one or more underlying investments, such as the S&P 500 or a bond fund. Some can be complicated, with steep fees and restrictive terms.
Equity-indexed annuities: Like variable annuities, these tie your payments to the performance of an index, often capping the amount you’ll receive while limiting your downside — and potentially charging steep fees. So if the S&P 500 gains 26%, you might get only, say, a 10% return.

Annuities can be tricky, so read a lot about them before committing any money to one.

My smartest investment: Retired a millionaire

My smartest investment move was starting early and sticking to it. For 40 years, I saved and invested in an S&P 500 index fund. At first, it was rough, as my salary was barely enough to cover my cost of living. But I still saved and invested as much as I could — every year. Over the years, my paychecks improved, as did my quality of life and the size of my retirement contributions. I’m now retired with a seven-figure nest egg. — C.C., online

The Fool responds: Bravo! It’s hard for many young people to imagine (or, perhaps, to believe) that saving and investing relatively small sums — what they can afford to save and invest now — will really make a difference down the road. But it will. The earliest dollars we invest are our most powerful ones, as they have the longest time in which to grow.

Tax-advantaged accounts can make your dollars even more powerful. All workers, of any age, should consider contributing to 401(k) accounts and/or to individual retirement accounts (IRAs). If you invest just $2,000 per year for 40 years and your money grows at an average annual rate of 8%, you’ll end up with close to $560,000. If you contribute bigger sums along the way, you’ll end up with much more.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to 1974, when John Bogle designed a revolutionary mutual fund company owned by its funds’ shareholders. I introduced a money market fund in 1975, and the next year debuted the First Index Investment Trust — the first index fund, based on the S&P 500 index, to be marketed to individual investors. (Since then, low-cost index funds have deservedly become very popular.) Today, I’m a major investment management company, with more than 50 million investors (as of the end of 2023) and 426 funds available to investors (as of Sept. 30). Who am I? (Answer: Vanguard)

The Motley Fool take: Pharma dividends and growth

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) has increased its dividend for more than 60 consecutive years. And thanks to $19 billion in annual free cash flow, the health care giant can keep this growth going. Over the last five years, J&J has been hiking its payout at an annual average rate of 5.5%, and its dividend recently yielded a hefty 3.2%. That yield far surpasses the S&P 500’s recent dividend yield of 1.3%.

J&J also offers a solid earnings track record, as well as a new era of revenue growth down the road. It spun off its consumer health business last year to focus its efforts on areas with the strongest growth potential. The company has made key acquisitions, such as the purchase of Abiomed, a medical device business focused on heart recovery. And J&J is pushing new medicines through its pipeline.

These efforts are paying off. In the most recent quarter, J&J’s medtech and innovative medicine units each reported more than 6% sales growth year over year (adjusted for currency fluctuations). In innovative medicine, J&J reported a second straight quarter of sales surpassing $14 billion — and 11 major brands posted double-digit growth.

J&J shares recently had a forward-looking price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14.5, quite reasonable for this market giant offering both growth and passive income. Long-term investors might want to take a closer look. (The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson.)

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

The post The Motley Fool: Sell all stocks? appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

Travelers Rest fund helping Upstate farmers hit by Hurricane Helene

Tiare Solis — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:30:17 +0000

When Helene swept through the Southeast in late September, it left widespread damage in its wake. One of the more inconspicuous but significant impacts was on local farms.

The nonprofit Travelers Rest Farmers Market is currently working with eight Upstate farmers impacted by the storm through its Travelers Rest Farmers Market Farmer Fund.

The fund was already active before the storm and began raising capital in October 2023 for two grants: the Crisis Grant and Capacity Building Grant. Since the storm, the fund restructured to focus its fundraising on one grant – the Rebuilding Capacity Grant.

Ignacio Estrada was one of eight farmers willing to accept help from the farmer’s market.

“We interviewed all of our farmers after Hurricane Helene,” said Jessica Mullen, the market’s director of marketing and development. “We interviewed something like 16 of them, and eight of them said they’d be willing to take funds.”

Tropical storms can cause both short- and long-term damage. While direct damage may look like fallen trees, crop destruction or broken tools, lasting damage can include physically unharmed crops that are still considered unsafe due to flooding.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, crops even partially submerged in floodwater can pose a public health risk due to exposure to heavy metals or raw sewage. The resulting exposure requires testing or disposal of crops. Either way, the damage can set back the farmer.

The resulting strain may prove to be complex depending on the size of the farm and the experience of the farmer.

The nonprofit’s cohort of 41 farms range from roughly one-quarter acre to as much as 400 acres. Some have generations of farming knowledge while others are considered “beginner farmers” with 10 years of experience or less. Mullen said some of the less-experienced farmers are learning as they go.

The fund focuses on aiding farmers in the face of crisis but also by giving the newer farmers support as they learn.

“When we’re talking about starting a new ecosystem of community and food, that means that these farmers have to have safety to try new things or fail,” Mullen said. “When you’re learning a new thing and you can’t make any mistakes, it’s almost impossible to succeed. And so the Farmer Fund exists to help them try new things and also to help them in case of disaster.”

Impact on a local farm

Estrada Farms, near Pumpkintown in Pickens County, was one of the farms willing to accept aid. The farm is situated close to a nearby creek that flooded, with a total of 17 acres affected including roughly two acres of tomatoes, two acres of cucumbers and about 10 acres of peppers under floodwater. Of those 17, only about two were salvageable, meaning floodwater didn’t touch them.

To make matters worse, the farm lost 10 diesel water pumps. Ironically, some of the pumps had been moved farther out in anticipation of the storm, but not far enough.

With many of its fall crops being harvested in late September and October, the storm’s timing was catastrophic.

“It wasn’t so much the wind, it was more of the flooding because all of our fields are located near rivers and streams, and it was a lot of rain,” said Ignacio Estrada. “It got wiped out. I couldn’t even harvest it if I wanted to.”

The farm took a hit of more than $60,000, including crops and the cost of rebuilding the water pumps.

Estrada is a third-generation farmer, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, but he said the trade probably dates back further to the family’s roots in Mexico. He got involved with the Travelers Rest Farmers Market in an effort to sell his products locally and in a retail capacity. He believes in the greater quality of buying local produce and encourages the public to buy local crops year-round.

According to Mullen, humility has been a theme with all the farmers. Despite financial and property damages, they have immense sympathy for those who lost more than business during the hurricane.

Ignacio Estrada was one of eight farmers willing to accept help from the farmer’s market. Photo provided by Travelers Rest Farmers Market

“Some people lost greenhouses, some people lost their whole crops, like me, but from what I heard, I don’t think anybody actually got hurt or anyone lost their lives,” Estrada said.

How you can help

To donate to the farmer’s market fund, visit travelersrestfarmersmarket.com/donate-to-trfm. To date, losses suffered by farmers within the cohort totals roughly $205,710. The donation portal will stay open until the end of 2024 with 100% of donations going toward the farmers after processing fees.

The post Travelers Rest fund helping Upstate farmers hit by Hurricane Helene appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The Motley Fool: Extended hours?

Guest Contributor — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 17:00:38 +0000

Ask the Fool: Extended hours?

Q: I heard that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) may extend trading hours to 22 hours a day. Is that good or bad? — D.V., Orem, Utah

A: There are pros and cons to such a move. Most of us are familiar with the NYSE’s “core” trading hours of 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time (weekdays). But currently there’s also an early trading session from 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and a late session from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., for a total of 16 hours. The proposed new trading hours would be from 1:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

A change would be favorable for overseas investors in different time zones, and it would allow all investors to be able to act more quickly on good or bad news. But there’s typically less trading during those early and late sessions, which can lead to more price volatility (such as when there are fewer buyers than sellers or fewer sellers than buyers). This could be the case with new hours, too.

It’s not clear whether the Nasdaq Stock Market would follow suit. If it doesn’t, some international companies might prefer to be listed on the NYSE for more convenient trading hours.

Q: What are some good books on financial planning? — C.W., Charleston, South Carolina

A: Check out “Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties” by Beth Kobliner (Simon & Schuster, $18) and/or “I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. Just a 6-Week Program That Works” by Ramit Sethi (Workman, $17). After you do some reading, you might consult a financial adviser; you can find some at GarrettPlanningNetwork.com and NAPFA.org. (Many will offer a free initial consultation.)

Fool’s school: Planning for the end

To save our loved ones a lot of headache (and perhaps heartache), we all need to have up-to-date estate planning documents. Laws vary from state to state, but these documents may include:

A will and/or trust: A will specifies what you want done with your assets after you die. It can also dictate how your children will be provided for and can designate one or more guardians for them. Some folks would do well to set up a trust, too. These documents may help your estate avoid going through probate, an affair-settling process that’s sometimes lengthy and costly.
Beneficiary designations on financial accounts: It’s vital to designate beneficiaries for your financial accounts, and to keep them updated. (You may not want assets going to someone whom you divorced or who passed away, for example.)
A durable power of attorney: This document designates one or more people to manage your financial and legal affairs should you become incapacitated temporarily or permanently. They may sign financial documents, pay bills and conduct transactions on your behalf.
A health care proxy: This is a durable power of attorney for health care, empowering your designee to make health care decisions on your behalf if you cannot do so. They would consult with your medical team and could decide which treatments you get.
A living will (or advance health care directive): This document informs medical professionals and your health care proxy about your wishes — such as at what point you would want care to cease.
A HIPAA release: Per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, this authorizes health care professionals and insurers to release protected information about your health to whomever you designate. Without it, doctors may not be able to inform loved ones of your condition if you’re in an accident or otherwise can’t communicate.

A good estate lawyer can help you with these. Urge your loved ones to create or update their documents, too!

My smartest investment: Followed my gut

About 15 years ago, I asked for my broker’s opinion about investing in Microsoft. He questioned the decision by asking whether the level of competition in the computer world wasn’t about to limit the company’s expansion. I felt that it had good management and would figure it out. It’s now grown by more than 1,700%, and it’s still going strong. I’m happy I bought the stock, and I still own it. — A.W., online

The Fool responds: Bravo! It’s always good to do your own thinking when investing, as it’s your hard-earned dollars being deployed. And even a savvy and well-meaning adviser will be wrong now and then.

Buying Microsoft 15 years ago was a great move, and the company is likely to grow in value over the coming 15 years, too — though perhaps not quite as briskly, since it has grown so big. (Its market value recently topped $3 trillion!) It encompasses valuable properties such as the widespread Office productivity software, the major Azure cloud computing platform, the Xbox gaming platform and the Windows operating system, and it’s been investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI). Cloud computing is a fast-growing technology, and many have great expectations for AI as well.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to 1998, when I was formed via the merging of four dairy cooperatives: Mid-America Dairymen, Milk Marketing, Western Dairymen Cooperative and the Southern region of Associated Milk Producers. I’ve grown in part by acquisition, including the purchase of Dean Foods in 2020. Today, based in Kansas City, Kansas, I’m a national farmer-owned dairy cooperative, encompassing more than 10,000 family farm-owners. I make and market milk, cheese, butter, ice cream and much more, with brands such as Alta Dena Dairy, Borden Cheese, Friendly’s, Garelick Farms, Kemps, Meadow Gold Dairy and Plugra Premium Butter. Who am I? (Answer: Dairy Farmers of America)

The Motley Fool take: Communicating income

Shares of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) have climbed around 16% over the last year, due in part to growth both in wireless service revenue and in 5G adoption by smartphone buyers. The stock’s high dividend — recently yielding 6.5% — will also look more attractive to investors as interest rates come down, which could be a catalyst for the shares in 2025.

Recent earnings results have eased Wall Street’s concerns over weakening growth amid macroeconomic challenges and competition among wireless operators. In the third quarter, Verizon’s revenue from monthly billed plans for wireless phones doubled year over year.

Verizon is expected to deliver profitable growth in 2024 and beyond. It will soon pay $20 billion to acquire Frontier Communications, which will expand its fiber network and broadband services.

Telecom stocks are attractive to dividend investors, particularly due to the consistent revenue from monthly billed services. Verizon Communications has paid a dividend — and largely a growing one — for 40 years.

Verizon should also benefit from the demand for AI-enabled devices. Additionally, management’s focus on driving profitable growth and paying down debt should cast a brighter halo around the stock on Wall Street. Long-term income-seeking investors might want to take a closer look at Verizon. (The Motley Fool recommends Verizon.)

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

The post The Motley Fool: Extended hours? appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The Motley Fool: Balanced funds, explained

Guest Contributor — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:21:36 +0000

Ask the Fool: Balanced funds, explained

Q: What are “balanced” mutual funds, and should I invest in them? — M.S., Victoria, Texas

A: While many mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focus mainly on one kind of asset, such as stocks or bonds, balanced funds feature multiple kinds of assets. That means they’ll offer gains from stock appreciation and stock dividends as well as income from bond interest. Many fund families offer balanced funds, often with different proportions of stocks versus bonds.

You can opt to invest in stock- or bond-focused funds on your own, or you might opt for one or more balanced funds. A balanced fund may not grow in value as quickly as an all-stock fund, but it can offer more stability. Be sure to favor those with low “expense ratios” (annual fees) — less than 1% for actively managed funds and 0.2% or less for passively managed index funds.

Q: I know people buy and sell stocks online. Is that safe? — C.P., Brandon, South Dakota

A: It is indeed safe as long as you’re doing so via a reputable brokerage. (We review some at Broker.Fool.com.) A decade or two ago, investors would place orders in person or by phone. But the internet has made stock trading easy, convenient and inexpensive — many brokerages now charge $0 per stock trade.

Once you choose a brokerage, you can fill out an application online or download and print the needed forms. Submit your application electronically or by mail along with a payment to fund the account. (You may be able to transfer funds electronically from your bank.) Once you have an account number and set up a password, you can review your portfolio and place a buy or sell order any time.

Fool’s school: Interesting tax Facts

Many if not most of us assume that the topic of taxes is deadly dull. There are many interesting aspects of taxes, though, and fascinating tidbits of information. For example:

Income taxes were introduced in America in 1861, with a 3% tax rate levied on individual incomes over $800. (That would be around $28,700 in today’s dollars.)

The tax code is extremely complex, with more than 3.5 million words. The federal Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) reported in 2012, “According to a tally compiled by a leading publisher of tax information, there have been approximately 4,680 changes to the tax code since 2001, an average of more than one a day.” The TAS pointed out, “The current system of preparing and filing tax returns is too difficult, costly and time-consuming” — and it leads to many errors.

The TAS has estimated that individuals and businesses spend more than 6 billion hours complying with the tax code. That includes activities such as keeping and organizing records, researching rules, preparing various forms and schedules, and submitting returns.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in its own words, is “one of the world’s most efficient tax agencies.” It’s hard to argue with that, as it costs taxpayers just $0.41 per $100 collected by the agency. (Thus, increasing funding for the IRS can result in more revenue for public spending.) The agency does a lot of work, too: “In 2023, the IRS collected more than $4.9 trillion in revenue, processed over 262.8 million tax returns and provided $641.7 billion in refunds. Almost 93% of tax returns were filed electronically.”

About 21% of paper tax returns contain an error, but returns that are e-filed have an error rate of only 0.5%.

The current corporate tax rate is a flat 21%. But it has been much higher, reaching 39% at some income levels between 1993 and 2017; in 1951, it was 50.75% for incomes over $25,000.

Learn more at USA.gov and IRS.gov.

My dumbest investment: Made the wrong choice

My dumbest stock mistake involved not doing my research regarding an acquisition. From a long time back, I had owned shares of a company that was later bought out and went through various combinations and spinoffs, eventually ending up bought by semiconductor company Broadcom. My mistake was not doing my due diligence around the acquisition terms, as I was too busy working. I took the default cash buyout. Had I instead taken the cash and stock deal, I’d have received some stock in Broadcom, which has done well, and I would have received less taxable cash, too. — Steve, San Jose, California

The Fool responds: Broadcom has indeed been a phenomenal performer, averaging annual gains of more than 36% over the past decade (though, of course, it may not grow as quickly in the future).

It’s good to weigh your options when given a choice during a merger or acquisition. Depending on your preferences and needs, one choice might be better than the other. For example, if you owned the smaller company being acquired because you were bullish on its business but now it will be part of a huge conglomerate, you might prefer to take cash and invest it elsewhere.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to 1998, when I was born out of an idea to rent out DVDs by mail. I launched subscriptions in 1999 and went public in 2002. (My shares have increased in value more than 650-fold since then, enough to turn a $1,000 investment into over $652,000.) I started streaming in 2007. Today, with a recent market value topping $323 billion, I’m a global entertainment powerhouse with more than 275 million paid memberships in more than 190 countries. I’ve won 230 Primetime Emmy awards and 23 Oscars for my content. Who am I? (Answer: Netflix)

The Motley Fool take: Real estate dividends

Realty Income (NYSE: O) is a super-consistent real estate investment trust (REIT). It has paid more than 650 consecutive monthly dividends (over more than half a century) and has had 108 consecutive quarterly increases. Most REITs typically own many properties and lease them out; they are required to pay at least 90% of their income as dividends.

Realty Income’s dividend recently yielded around 5.5%, well above the S&P 500 index’s recent yield of 1.3%. That generous payout is on a sustainable foundation, as the company generates more than enough cash flow to cover its payments. The REIT uses its excess cash to invest in additional income-producing commercial real estate.

Realty Income also has a strong balance sheet. It’s one of only eight REITs in the S&P 500 with two A-/A3 credit ratings or better, thanks to its relatively low rate of borrowing and the quality of its portfolio. This conservative financial profile gives it the flexibility to continue expanding its real estate portfolio so that it can keep increasing its high-yielding dividend. Realty Income has grown its dividend at a 4.3% compound annual rate since going public, driven by a combination of rent growth and accretive acquisitions. Those catalysts should continue to drive its growth in the future. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Realty Income.)

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

The post The Motley Fool: Balanced funds, explained appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.

The Motley Fool: Priced for perfection

Guest Contributor — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:00:34 +0000

Ask the Fool: Priced for perfection

Q: I recently read that a certain stock is “priced for perfection.” What does that mean? — S.C., Warsaw, Indiana

A: It means that due to investor enthusiasm, the stock’s price has been bid up so high that the valuation for the company assumes it will execute its strategy perfectly, leaving no room for error.

Opinions will always differ on whether a given company’s stock is undervalued, overvalued or fairly valued. But a case could be made that at recent levels, companies such as retailer Costco, artificial intelligence specialist Palantir Technologies, and maker of robotic surgical equipment Intuitive Surgical all have stocks that are priced for perfection.

One example: Costco’s recent forward-looking price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 49 is well above its five-year average of 38, and its price-to-sales ratio of 1.5 is well above its five-year average of 1.0. Such numbers suggest that the stock may have gotten ahead of itself: It could be overvalued and particularly susceptible to a pullback on bad news.

Q: What’s shareholder yield? — A.C., Greensburg, Pennsylvania

A: A company’s dividend yield, showing how much a company pays out in dividends annually relative to its stock price, reflects one way that a company might reward shareholders. There are other ways, though, such as by repurchasing stock (which makes each remaining share more valuable, as the share count shrinks) or by paying down debt.

Some online stock data providers publish shareholder yields for companies, along with dividend yields and other metrics. Sometimes this figure reflects dividends and buybacks; other times it might include debt reduction as well. It’s a handy metric to consider, because while a company may pay little or nothing in dividends, it might be rewarding shareholders in other less obvious ways.

Fool’s school: Tax-advantaged retirement savings

If you’re saving for retirement — and most of us should be doing so — make good use of tax-advantaged retirement funds such as IRAs and 401(k)s. (It’s best to start early, to benefit from the power of compounding!) Here’s a closer look at them.

IRAs: For 2024, the contribution limit is $7,000, plus an additional $1,000 for those 50 and older. That limit applies collectively to all the IRAs you might own. The deadline for IRA contributions is April 15 of the following year, so you can make 2024 contributions until April 15, 2025.
401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, most 457 plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan: The contribution deadline for these accounts is Dec. 31 of each tax year, and the limit for 2024 is $23,000 ($23,500 for 2025), plus an extra $7,500 “catch-up” contribution for those 50 and older, for a total of $30,500 ($31,000 for 2025). Higher catch-up limits are permitted for those 60 and older in 2025. Many employers offer matching contributions to 401(k)s, and some to other accounts. If your employer does this, be sure to contribute enough to max out that matching contribution — it’s free money.

Note that both IRAs and 401(k)s come in “traditional” and “Roth” varieties. Traditional accounts offer an upfront tax break: Contribute, say, $10,000 to your account, and your taxable income is reduced by that amount, shrinking your tax bill. When you withdraw the money in retirement, it will be taxed as ordinary income. With Roth accounts, there’s no upfront tax break, but if you follow the rules, you’ll be able to withdraw funds from your account tax-free.

Roth accounts can be particularly powerful for young people, as they may be able to build fat accounts full of money available to them in retirement with no taxes levied. Traditional IRAs and 401(k)s feature required minimum distributions (RMDs) that start when you reach age 73.

If you’re self-employed, there are special tax-advantaged savings accounts for you. Learn more about many retirement topics at Fool.com.

My smartest investment: All hail the library!

One of my best financial moves early on was getting a library card. It allowed me to borrow numerous books, movies and music over the last 25 years, saving me an untold amount of money. When I look back at all the different books I borrowed over the years, none has been more impactful than a Motley Fool book. I followed its advice and began investing money regularly in an index fund that closely tracks the S&P 500. Each month, my wife and I invested at least $50 in the account. Now, a quarter-century later, we have more than half a million dollars invested in the account. — T.W., via email

The Fool responds: Well done! Your story certainly supports our advice for most people — to just invest for the long term in a low-fee index fund such as one that tracks the S&P 500. We also point out that while the S&P 500 has averaged annual gains close to 10% over many decades, it could be lower or higher during your personal investing period. During your quarter-century, from 1999 to 2024, the S&P 500 only averaged annual gains of 6% — though 8% if you reinvested dividends into additional shares of stock. Your library helped you both save money and make money. Bravo!

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to the late 1800s, when two companies were producing agricultural equipment powered by steam instead of horses. They merged in 1925, forming me. I introduced a diesel-engine tractor in 1931. In 2022, I moved my headquarters from Deerfield, Illinois, to Irving, Texas. Recently valued near $190 billion, I’m a top maker of construction and mining equipment, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives, among other things. My brands include Progress Rail, Solar Turbines, Perkins and SEM. I employ more than 110,000 people globally. My ticker symbol could scratch you. Who am I? (Answer: Caterpillar)

The Motley Fool take: E-commerce and much more

Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) is an e-commerce powerhouse. According to Statista, it controlled over 37% of the domestic e-commerce market in 2023, compared to 6% for No. 2 e-tailer Walmart. But there’s much more to Amazon.

Amazon’s total revenue grew 10% year over year in the second quarter, from sources such as advertising, cloud services, subscription services and physical retail locations. Over the last 10 years, Amazon grew sales at a compound annual rate of nearly 23%. To boost profits, it’s now implementing several cost-cutting initiatives.

Most of its operating income comes from its cloud services business. According to Synergy Research, Amazon Web Services is the top cloud provider in a $297 billion market that grew 22% in the second quarter. The lucrative revenue streams that Amazon generates from non-retail services like cloud computing give it a major advantage over traditional retailers. They allow it to be more aggressive in investing in e-commerce infrastructure to protect its lead.

Amazon is also investing in new growth areas, such as grocery stores, health care and Project Kuiper — its nascent satellite broadband offering.

With a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio far below its five-year average, Amazon stock seems reasonably valued at recent levels, presenting a good opportunity for long-term investors. (John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.)

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

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GSP resumes nonstop service to Washington, D.C.

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 22:00:44 +0000

Airport is en route to record-setting year, serving millions of passengers

Some people spend a lifetime trying to get to Washington, D.C., especially in an election year.

Starting this fall, travelers in the Upstate will have additional options to get to the nation’s capital — and from there, connect to international destinations throughout Asia, Europe and the Middle East. On Sept. 26, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) expanded its already wide-reaching air service with three nonstop daily flights to Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD) on United Airlines’ 50-seat Embraer 145 aircraft.

Now a vacationer can have breakfast in the Upstate and enjoy the sights along the National Mall by lunchtime. An executive can easily connect onward to London, Paris, Rome or any of the other over 50 international flights departing from Dulles every day.

United now provides daily nonstop flights from GSP to five key destinations — Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver, Houston and New York/Newark — and gives the Upstate airport a presence in all of United’s major hubs in the United States.

“We applaud United’s continued investment in Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and the Upstate South Carolina region,” said Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District President and CEO David Edwards. “In addition to being a critical link to our nation’s capital, Washington-Dulles is a valuable access point for international passengers traveling to and from GSP. We welcome the resumption of service on this very important route for our region.”

The airline had served the GSP-IAD route for years before suspending the service in 2022, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the addition of the new United route, the seven major airlines that serve GSP now offer nonstop service to 27 destinations.

The route is the 10th addition to GSP’s air service this year. In 2024, flights began to Providence, Tampa, Orlando, Los Angeles and Hartford via Breeze Airways; Denver and Nashville through Southwest Airlines; and Rochester and Manchester-Boston with Avelo Airlines.

GSP is also well on the way to another destination: a record-breaking year. The airport is on pace to set a new record for passengers served in a year, exceeding the 2,612,236 benchmark set in 2019. Through August, GSP has seen a 10.9% increase in passenger traffic compared to the same period in 2019, with May, June and July 2024 setting records for the highest monthly traffic in the airport’s history.

In addition to transporting millions of passengers each year, GSP is also a hub for air cargo, including flights regularly flown to and from Europe, Mexico, Asia and points across the United States. In 2023, GSP was recognized as the Best Airport in North America in the 2 million-5 million passenger category by its customers and Airports Council International. Each year, GSP contributes over a $4 billion economic impact to the regional economy and is responsible for nearly 20,000 jobs.

Learn more — and start your journey — at gspairport.com.

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The Motley Fool: Suspended dividend

Guest Contributor — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 17:00:32 +0000

Ask the Fool: Suspended dividend

Q: I see that the semiconductor company Intel suspended its dividend in August. What does that mean? Is Intel to be avoided? — C.S., Warren, Ohio

A: Many companies elect to pay dividends once they’ve become financially capable of sustaining them, with relatively reliable earnings. Managements never want to reduce or stop dividend payments, as that will signal trouble, but sometimes they have little choice.

Intel has been struggling in recent years, in part due to missed opportunities, manufacturing delays and growing competition. It’s working on turning itself around, and many have high hopes for its newer energy-efficient chips, but the company may not return to its former level of glory. In the meantime, by suspending its dividend payments, it can spend that money on growth initiatives.

If you’re interested in investing in Intel, read a lot more about the risks and opportunities it faces.

Q: What’s the “rule of 40”? — P.M., Houston

A: It’s meant to be a quick way to evaluate whether a software company — especially a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company — is attractive. The rule suggests adding the annual revenue growth rate of a company and its net profit margin to see if the total is 40 or higher. So a company with 30% annual revenue growth and a 15% profit margin would have a score of 45, which would pass, while it wouldn’t pass with only a 5% profit margin.

The rule balances revenue growth and profitability, allowing strength in one to make up for weakness in the other. This can help you assess younger companies that are not yet very profitable. But following the rule rigidly might lead you to ignore an attractive business that’s on its way to greatness.

Fool’s school: Buying a home

As interest rates have begun inching down, many who were putting off buying a home may now be house-hunting. If that’s you, here are some money-saving tips.

Check your debt: Pay off any high-interest-rate debt, such as that from credit cards. Any other debt should be manageable; calculate your debt-to-income ratio by dividing your total monthly debt payments (including credit cards, car loans, student loans and current housing payments) by your monthly pretax income. The lower the better, in the eyes of lenders — 36% or less is reasonable, while above 50% is problematic.
Have an emergency fund ready: Sock away several months’ worth of living expenses to support you if you run into temporary financial trouble. You don’t want to jeopardize your mortgage payments.
Check your credit score: Lenders offer the lowest mortgage interest rates to those with high scores. That can save you many thousands of dollars. It’s worth spending time boosting a low score — chiefly by paying down debts and paying bills on time — before applying for a loan.
Have a solid down payment: Aim for a down payment of around 20%. Yes, you can buy a home with very little down, but that can be risky. You’d likely need to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI), and if your home value dropped a bit, you could end up owing more than it is worth.
Buy only as much home as you can afford: Make sure you won’t be devoting too much of your income to your mortgage. One guideline is to spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income, though that can be hard in some pricey real estate markets. Remember that you’ll likely have to pay thousands of dollars in closing costs, and that you’ll be on the hook for home insurance, property taxes, home upkeep and repairs and so on — don’t stretch yourself too thin.

It’s also smart to hire an experienced real estate agent to help you through the process.

My smartest investment: Ignored my financial adviser

My best financial decision was buying 100 shares of Facebook — now Meta Platforms — at $42 apiece, despite the objections from my financial adviser. I still own the shares and expect Meta to grow even further. — W.P., via email

The Fool responds: Bravo! Meta Platforms has been a terrific performer for a long time, recently averaging annual gains of 25% over the past five years and more than 21% over the past decade. Its stock price soared more than 180% in 2023 (compared to a very respectable 27% for the S&P 500 index), though of course no one should expect such high performance each year. It recently sported a market value near $1.4 trillion.

You aren’t alone in expecting great things from the company, which changed its name to reflect its operations beyond its flagship social media site. Meta Platforms now encompasses Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, among other services. It’s also investing in artificial intelligence while expanding into immersive technology via augmented, virtual and mixed reality.

It’s a giant in digital advertising, serving more than 3 billion people each day. That huge network gives it many opportunities to grow in different directions. Still, a rosy future isn’t guaranteed, and various growth initiatives may not pan out.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia: Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to the establishment of a brewery in England in 1777. In 1946, the founder of Pan American Airways (“PanAm”) launched a luxury hotel brand bearing my formal name. The Holiday Inn brand launched in 1952 and was the first hotel brand to franchise, in 1954. These and other hotel chains — such as Crowne Plaza and Candlewood Suites — have ended up under my roof today. I’m now one of the world’s biggest hotel companies, encompassing more than 6,400 hotels with more than 950,000 rooms and employing about 375,000 people. Who am I? (Answer: IHG Hotels and Resorts)

The Motley Fool take: Sounding good

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how people interact with devices — even their cars. SoundHound AI (Nasdaq: SOUN) is still a small company, but it’s emerging as a leader in voice recognition technology. It’s poised for substantial growth, with over 155 patents and an impressive list of customers that includes major brands in the restaurant, auto and tech industries.

Its product SoundHound Chat AI is already providing conversational voice assistance in many devices; its voice recognition technology combines with leading large language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to deliver comprehensive answers to questions. Validation of its technology can be seen in its growth so far, with revenue up 54% year over year in the second quarter.

The company is looking to expand across several industries, including health care and insurance. To accelerate its market expansion, it just bought a leading enterprise AI software provider, Amelia, for $80 million. It also has a valuable partnership with AI chip leader Nvidia to provide generative-AI chat capabilities in cars powered by Nvidia Drive.

The stock has been volatile since it went public in 2022, but its recent market cap of just $1.9 billion might significantly undervalue its opportunity in a generative AI market that Statista projects will reach $356 billion by 2030. If you’re a risk-tolerant long-term investor seeking a small-cap stock with wealth-building potential, you might want to take a closer look at SoundHound AI.

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

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The Motley Fool: A risky trading strategy

Guest Contributor — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 08:00:58 +0000

Ask the Fool

A risky trading strategy

Q: What do you think of the investing strategy I’m considering: Investing in volatile stocks, selling them after they rise a bit and then buying them again after they drop? I’d hold them for only a few weeks or months at a time. — L.R., Warwick, Rhode Island

A: It’s a risky approach that will take a lot of energy — and it may not prove as lucrative as you expect. After all, plenty of great stocks will keep rising for a long stretch, and if you’ve sold early, you’ll be missing out on much of their gains. Another consideration is that most of your gains will be taxable at the short-term capital gains rate (for assets held a year or less); that’s your ordinary income rate, which could be 12%, 22%, 24%, 32% or more. The long-term capital gains rate is lower — 0% or 15% for most of us, and 20% or more for high earners.

We prefer to build long-term wealth by investing in wonderful businesses at good or fair prices and then hanging on for many years — not weeks or months. It’s better to just invest in companies you really understand and believe in, aiming to hang on for years. Otherwise, you’re just guessing and hoping.

Q: What’s “profit-taking”? — R.T., Cody, Wyoming

A: You engage in profit-taking if you sell a holding that has risen in value. For example, let’s say that you’re up 50% on your shares of Home Surgery Kits Inc. (ticker: OUCHH). If you sell them, you’re taking your profits. If you don’t sell and hang on instead, you’ll be sitting on a “paper” — or unrealized — gain. Selling is when you “realize” your gain.

Fool’s School

Fighting Inflation

Given the heights inflation reached a few years ago, many of us wonder how we might best counter it in our investing. (While inflation averages around 3% annually over longer periods, it came in at 4.7% in 2021 and 8% in 2022.)

It’s vital to keep inflation in mind while planning for your retirement, because even a 3% annual inflation rate can shrink the buying power of your dollars by about half over 25 years. So what might cost you $1,000 at the beginning of your retirement could cost you over $2,000 closer to the end of it. If you’re not prepared, that can be a big problem, especially since many retirees get by on largely fixed incomes.

So what can you do? Well, for starters, you need to understand that with any investment earning you say, 2% while inflation is at 3%, your money is essentially losing value over time.

Healthy and growing dividend-paying companies are a good option, as they tend to have stock prices that rise over time while they pay dividends that are also increased over time — often at a rate that meets or beats inflation. Many good companies sport dividends yielding 3% or more. PepsiCo, for example, recently yielded 3.1%, while Chevron yielded 4.3%. Over the past five years, PepsiCo has raised its dividend by an annual average of 7.2%, while Chevron has averaged 6.5%.

An easy way to invest in a range of dividend payers is via a dividend-focused mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF). Two examples are the iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) and the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD), which recently yielded 2.2% and 3.6%, respectively — and have offered dividend payouts that increase over time.

Some bonds address inflation, too. TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities), for instance, are bonds that are set up to factor in inflation. Some annuities allow you to opt for annual increases that can help you keep up with inflation. And Social Security benefits are automatically adjusted annually for inflation.

My dumbest investment

“I’m Outta Here!”

I’ve made many regrettable investing moves since 1996. Some, though, may not be as bad as I initially thought. I think my worst period was during the dot-com craze. I owned some shares of WebMD and Amazon.com, among others. When the bust occurred, my broker called me and said, “Goodbye, Norm, I’m outta here!” Completely discouraged, I sold everything, and in 2003 I started over.

I’ve had some regret about selling my Amazon shares; had I held on to those 50 shares, they would be worth more than $9,000 today. But on review, my current hybrid portfolio of stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds has done very well. Running my numbers is one way to retain perspective. I’ve realized that it’s the aggregate that counts, not the fumbles or missed opportunities. — Norm, online

The Fool responds: Even the best investors make mistakes and don’t capture all possible profits. You’ve done well and learned some great lessons.

Note that Amazon had a 20-for-1 stock split in 2022, so your 50 shares would have become 1,000 shares — which would be worth more than $180,000 as of this writing. But it’s indeed smart to focus on what you’ve achieved instead of your missteps — and to look ahead at expected growth.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish trivia

Name that company

Last week’s trivia answer

I trace my roots back to 2011, when I was spun off from my parent company. Today, based in Deerfield, Illinois, and with a recent market value near $11 billion, I’m a specialist in the home products, security and commercial building markets. I’ve been growing in part via acquisitions, and my brands now include Moen, House of Rohl, Aqualisa, Emtek, Therma-Tru, Larson, Fiberon, Master Lock, SentrySafe, Yale and August. My brands have some impressive histories: Master Lock invented the world’s first laminated steel padlock in 1921, and Moen invented the world’s first single-handle faucet in 1947. Who am I? (Answer: Fortune Brands Innovations)

The Motley Fool Take

Dividends for patient investors

Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) COVID-19 vaccine became a bestseller, helping the company reach a record of more than $100 billion in annual revenue in 2022.

But as demand for the vaccine has declined, so has Pfizer’s revenue opportunity — and upcoming patent expirations of other top-selling products have added to Pfizer’s woes, bringing its shares down more than 30% over the past three years.

Pfizer faces some challenges, but it has planned for this moment. It’s finishing up a record period of product launches — attempting to commercialize 19 new products or indications in only 18 months. It predicts recent product launches will add $20 billion to revenue in 2030.

Meanwhile, Pfizer has high hopes for its oncology business after its acquisition of Seagen — a specialist in antibody-drug conjugates. Pfizer has set goals of delivering eight or more blockbuster oncology drugs by 2030, and doubling the number of cancer patients treated by its drugs.

The new growth drivers won’t deliver results overnight, but this seems a promising buying opportunity if you’re a patient investor who wants to benefit from this pharma company’s new era of growth down the road. While waiting, you can enjoy the dividend, which recently yielded 5.7%. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Pfizer.)

— distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication

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Greenville Triumph to build 10K-seat stadium at BridgeWay Station

Jay King — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:30:24 +0000

Plans for a 10,000-seat, multi-use stadium along Interstate 385 in Mauldin are moving forward again after a two-year delay.

The stadium will serve as home field for the Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty soccer clubs, which are collectively owned by Greenville Pro Soccer LLC. It will be located at BridgeWay Station, with a groundbreaking planned for early 2025.

Rivers Hughes, of Hughes Investments, speaks after Greenville Triumph SC announced plans to build a 10,000-seat stadium at BridgeWay Station in Mauldin. Hughes Investments owns and developed BridgeWay Station, which held an official grand opening in April 2024. Photo by Ryan Gilchrest

It is expected to cost $80 to $100 million to build, made possible by a partnership between Greenville Pro Soccer, the city of Mauldin, and the state of South Carolina. The stadium is part of a development agreement with Hughes Investments, which owns BridgeWay Station.

In addition to serving as the home of the Triumph and Liberty clubs, the stadium is expected to be a hub for professional and youth sports – hosting lacrosse, rugby, football and more. It will also be used as a venue for concerts, festivals and community events.

The new facility is expected to be complete by 2026 to coincide with, and take advantage of, the FIFA World Cup coming to North America that summer. That tournament, featuring 48 international men’s soccer teams, includes matches in Atlanta.

According to the stadium’s development team, the project will put the Upstate firmly on the map as a sports tourism destination.

“This stadium represents the next chapter for our clubs,” said Joe Erwin, chairman and co-founder of Greenville Triumph SC and Greenville Liberty SC. “We’ve always envisioned a home that would not only serve as a place for soccer matches but as a gathering point for the entire community to enjoy an array of field sports, concerts and community events.”

Greenville Triumph SC, founded in 2018, competes in USL League One and won the league championship in 2020. The Greenville Liberty, a women’s pre-professional team, competes in the USL W League and just completed its third season.

BridgeWay Station, which held its official grand opening in April, currently includes a mix of residential, retail and commercial development.

Greenville Triumph SC Chairman Joe Erwin, center, announced on Oct. 30, 2024 that the club plans to build a 10,000-seat stadium at BridgeWay Station in Mauldin. Photo by Ryan Gilchrest

“This stadium aligns perfectly with our goal of creating a vibrant and engaging environment that offers something for everyone,” said Phil Hughes, president of Hughes Investments. “The stadium will contribute significantly to the vibrancy of our community.”

Members of the project team also include McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture of Greenville, and McCullers Group, a sports and real estate consultant group based in Ohio.

The stadium was initially proposed by Greenville Triumph SC in early 2022 as a public-private project with Greenville County, under which the county would have owned the facility. Greenville County Council’s finance committee rejected that proposal.

Photo by Ryan Gilchrest

Stadium plan fast facts:

10,000-seats
Home field for Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty soccer clubs
Located at BridgeWay Station, adjacent to Interstate 385 in Mauldin
$80-100 million estimated cost
Groundbreaking expected in early 2025, with completion in 2026

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