Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing

When your information is everywhere, is it possible to rein it back in? Deidre Woollard caught up with Tom Kemp, a cybersecurity expert and author of “Containing Big Tech: How to Protect our Civil Rights, Economy, and Democracy.” They discuss: - The implications of biometric data collection in a world where big tech runs rampant - Which companies are getting the privacy game right (and wrong) - An...

Executives are on the move. The first half of 2023 has seen the highest CEO turnover rate on record, per executive outplacement firm Challenger, Gray, & Christmas.  Deidre Woollard caught up with Anand Chokkavelu and Ricky Mulvey to talk about what it means when a leader leaves. They discuss: Whether CEO transitions truly change an investment thesis Where to source ideal replacement candidates And...

Office real estate appraisals are seeing haircuts worse than the depths of the great financial crisis.  (00:21) Ron Gross and Matt Argersinger discuss: - The Fed walking its talk and maintaining the expectation of another rate hike. - How office real estate is showing signs of trouble, but shouldn’t be weighing down all REITs. - The latest on UAW, WGA, SAG-AFTRA strikes and one metric that shows t...

Interest rates are paused but the hikes may not be over yet. (00:21) Bill Mann and Deidre Woollard discuss: - What metrics the Fed is looking at before its next meeting. - How FedEx’s business has evolved over time. - The traits a good chief financial officer should have. (14:52)  Tom King and Deidre Woollard explore how TransMedics is building a complete organ transplantation supply chain. Compan...

There’s plenty to learn from the Instacart and Klaviyo IPOs, even if you’re staying away from the stocks themselves.  (00:21) Tim Beyers and Dylan Lewis discuss: - The market’s reaction to Instacart’s IPO and whether the company can return to its lofty private valuations. - An under-the-radar IPO this week – Klaviyo, and why it’s worth studying to understand the data relationships between business...

The United Auto Workers are taking on the entire Big Three at once for the first time ever. (00:21) Ricky Mulvey and Asit Sharma discuss:  - How investors can measure an automaker’s profits.  - A long-term problem for legacy carmakers.  - The impact of the strike on Tesla.  - Digital payments adoption in India. Plus, (15:22) Robert Brokamp and Alison Southwick talk about planning dream vacations b...

Kellogg’s is spinning off its core cereal business to focus on the fast-growing snacks market. (00:11) Jason Moser and Deidre Woollard discuss: - Why Kellogg’s is splitting up its business. - If snacks still have growth potential. - Monster’s ability to become a 100-year brand. (13:35)  Ricky Mulvey and John Nash analyze newly-listed TKO Holdings, the company that runs both WWE and UFC, and addres...

“I’d pull back the curtain and there was nothing there.” The hype of crypto was real. Many of the use cases are still to be determined. Deidre Woollard caught up with Zeke Faux, an investigative reporter for Bloomberg and the author of “Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall.” They discuss:  - Why investors are quick to throw belief out the window - What really happens at an N...

Kids are expensive. Consumers are estimated to spend more than $100 billion on back-to-school shopping this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Deidre Woollard, Mary Long, and Ricky Mulvey got together to talk about companies that could ride the tailwinds of back-to-school season. They discuss:  Surprises from a survey revealing the brand preferences of college interns Why “experien...

We break down two IPOs on today’s show, one for your phone and one for your toes.  (00:38) Jason Moser and Bill Mann discuss: - How oil at $90 is and isn’t an inflationary pressure. - What to make of Apple’s latest iPhone release. - The scoop on two new IPOs – Arm Holdings and Birkenstock. (19:02) Ben Mezrich talks about the origin story of the meme stock and his book-turned-movie Dumb Money, in t...

It’s the week of the big auto show in Detroit but industry watchers are more focused on a potential strike than the vehicles. (00:26) Bill Barker and Deidre Woollard discuss: - The demands of the United Auto Workers. - The fading allure of auto shows. - If vehicles will just keep getting bigger. (17:02) Ricky Mulvey and Deidre Woollard ponder the return to office and if things in our working lives...

Apple’s iPhone development might seem iterative by year, but over time it compounds into huge improvements and reasons to upgrade.  (00:21) Tim Beyers and Dylan Lewis discuss: - Apple’s fall update and the details on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. - How the company is using phones to feed content for its future Vision Pro headsets. - Why we want to be hearing more about Slack during Salesforce’s Dream...

Investors are lining up to buy shares of British chip designer, Arm. (00:21) Ricky Mulvey and Bill Barker discuss: - Why Arm is going public. - Disney and Charter Communications making peace. - How investors can break down a company’s prospectus. (15:07) Plus, Robert Brokamp and Alison Southwick open the mailbag and answer your questions about 401(k)s, bonds, and asset allocation. Companies discus...

The acquisition of Hostess Brands by J.M. Smucker is the latest in a series of food mergers. (00:21) Jason Moser and Deidre Woollard discuss: - The synergies between Hostess and Smucker. - Why Instacart’s valuation dropped. - Kroger’s push to make the Albertsons deal happen. (16:09)  Deidre Woollard interviews Jesse Singh of home exteriors company Azek on competition in the decking space and what’...

“The essence of investing is not maximizing returns, but rather maximizing odds of success.”  William Bernstein is a financial theorist, neurologist, and the best-selling author of “The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio,” now in its second edition. Motley Fool Senior Advisor Robert Brokamp caught up with Bernstein to discuss: - Why a 2% real return is “quite spect...

What does an investor have to believe for today’s share price to make sense?  Ricky Mulvey and Asit Sharma continue their conversation about Expectations Investing, applying the framework to four companies with different growth outlooks. They discuss: - Value drivers for a mature automaker. - A high-growth payment processing company experiencing a narrative shift.  - If Nvidia can maintain its moa...

The market’s had a surprisingly strong 2023, but investors might be eying easy low-risk yields elsewhere.  Jason Moser and Matt Argersinger discuss: - (00:21) How some investors might be tempted to move out of stocks given the yields elsewhere - (9:41) The latest with Disney – its standoff with Charter, plans to take full ownership of Hulu, and what investors should make of its lost decade - (19:1...

How can you use a company’s stock price to give you a window into the future? (00:21) Bill Barker and Deidre Woollard discuss: - Reasons for skepticism when it comes to AI hype. - How long a leash unprofitable software companies may have. - If being located in SIlicon Valley is still an advantage for tech companies. (18:20)  Asit Sharma and Ricky Mulvey break down the basics of expectations invest...

New York City cracked down on short-term rentals, but is it a big deal for Airbnb?  (00:21) Ricky Mulvey and Jason Moser discuss:  - How restrictions on short-term rentals could impact Airbnb’s growth story.  - Why investors are sour about AMC’s new share issuance.  - One company managing its share count well. Plus, (15:20) Deidre Woollard interviews Oliver Franklin-Wallis, author of “Wasteland: T...

If you can’t watch ESPN right now, it’s because one cable company is taking a stand against Disney. (00:21) Ricky Mulvey and Jim Gillies discuss:  - Charter Communications’ problem with the streaming economy.  - DoorDash’s battle with restaurants over pricing.  -  Why investors may want to look at Canadian banks. Plus, (17:52) Deidre Woollard and Robert Brokamp check in on the bond market, and how...

NFL Football is back this week, should you be keeping an eye on the companies plastered on the side of stadiums?     (00:41) Ricky Mulvey and Dylan Lewis discuss:   - Why stadium sponsors generally don’t outperform their peers or the market. - When major sponsorships do and don’t make sense as part of a marketing budget.  - Monster Energy’s brilliance in focusing on extreme sports.    Companies di...

Existing home sales are down around 20% year over year for two reasons: mortgage rates are too high and there aren't enough homes for sale. Matt Argersinger and Deidre Woollard discuss: - The current situation of home sales and what could change it. - Why homebuilders are in a good position right now. - If renting will become permanent for more Americans and which companies might benefit.  Host: D...

The outlook for major retailers depends a lot on whether their core customers are feeling the pinch.  (00:38) Jason Moser and Bill Mann discuss: - Troubling signs on consumer savings rates dropping and more people dipping into their 401ks. - How the consumer crunch is affecting retailers like Dollar General, Big Lots, Five Below and Chewy.. - Why Lululemon is bucking the trend, and Salesforce is c...

It’s been a turbulent few quarters for Salesforce but a focus on cost cuts is paying off. (00:15) Tim Beyers and Deidre Woollard discuss: - How Salesforce improved its margins. - What role AI plays in Salesforce’s future. - CrowdStrike’s land-and-expand model for growth. (21:12)  Deidre Woollard interviews thredUP CEO James Reinhart on resale as a service and the company’s plans for continued grow...

We celebrate Uncle Warren’s 93rd Birthday with a closer look at some of his best known isms and a look at few investments he wouldn’t want any part of.  (00:12) Bill Mann and Dylan Lewis discuss: - Grayscale Bitcoin Trust’s path to a Bitcoin ETF and what it means for crypto adoption. - The largest automaker that you’ve never heard of – Vinfast – and why investors should stay away from its stock. -...