2024 in Review: Financials

For the most part, our phones work about 95% of the time. But head outside of suburbia, and things get patchy quickly. What would it take to close that final 5% gap? Scott Wisniewski is the President and Chief Strategy Officer of AST Space Mobile, a satellite company that’s trying to bring connectivity literally everywhere – the desert, the ocean, the air, everywhere. Ricky Mulvey caught up with Wisniewski to discuss: - What universal connectivity actually achieves. - The operational challenges of getting something as large as a cell tower onto something as small as a rocket. - And the developing “land grab” in low-earth orbit.  Companies discussed: ASTS, VOD, VZ, TMUS,  Host: Ricky Mulvey Guests: Scott Wisniewski Producer: Mary Long Engineers: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our annual best-of interviews show, we look at the topic of the year – artificial intelligence – through two different lenses: how individuals can put the technology to use, and how companies are using it to make their products better and fuel growth. (00:33) Wharton Professor Ethan Mollick walks through his four rules for using AI, how he pushes students to use the technology, and the research from his book Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI.  (19:03) Reddit CEO Steve Huffman explains how the company is harnessing AI to localize content to reach new markets internationally, open up new revenue opportunities, and improve the user experience.  Stocks discussed: RDDT, GOOG, GOOGL Host: Dylan Lewis Guests: Ethan Mollick, Steve Huffman Engineers: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The S&P 500 is still up about 25% this year, far outpacing historical averages. (00:14) Anthony Schiavone and Ricky Mulvey discuss: - Why traders are sour about the recent Fed meeting, and what long-term investors should focus on. - How American diners are responding to Darden Restaurant Group’s value offers. - Rising home sales at Redfin. Then (13:29) Motley Fool Senior Analyst Alicia Alfiere and Mary Long look at Upwork and Fiverr and the gig workplace economy. Companies discussed: DRI, TXRH, RDFN, FVRR, UPWK Host: Ricky Mulvey Guests: Anthony Schiavone, Mary Long, Alicia Alfiere Engineer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who wants to buy a struggling car company? Honda does! Well, maybe. (00:14) David Meier and Mary Long discuss: - What merger rumors signal about Nissan’s business. - How retailers are leaning into the holiday spirit. - Advice for a seasonal decoration company. Then (13:56), Stephanie Guild, Robinhood’s Head of Investment Strategy, joins Ricky Mulvey to discuss her outlook for 2025 and what’s excited Robinhood investors in the past year. CNBC story mentioned: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/18/holiday-decor-spending-could-help-retailers.html Companies discussed: HMC, NSANY Host: Mary Long Guests: David Meier, Stephanie Guild, Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Rick Engdahl, Desiree Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investing is a decades-long game. (00:14) Bill Barker and Ricky Mulvey discuss: - The Federal Trade Commission’s ruling on junk fees. - What killed a merger between Kroger and Albertsons. - How younger investors can prepare for the next bear market. Then, (17:28) Alison Southwick and Robert Brokamp offer some tips on tax-loss harvesting. WSJ column discussed: https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/why-this-frothy-market-has-me-scared-295c07c3 Companies discussed: KR, ACI, AZO, AAPL, ORLY, SBUX Host: Ricky Mulvey Guests: Bill Barker, Alison Southwick, Robert Brokamp Producer: Mary Long Engineer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thinner, cheaper, and possibly foldable. Apple engineers are working hard to convince you to buy a new phone. (00:14) Asit Sharma and Ricky Mulvey discuss: - Microstrategy’s entrance into the NASDAQ 100. - How Apple is trying to kickstart growth. - A burgeoning competitor to Uber and Lyft. Then, (16:56) Motley Fool Senior Analyst Anthony Schiavone joins Mary Long for a look at UPS, and its frenemy relationship with Amazon. Sign up for Breakfast News, our free daily market email newsletter: www.fool.com/breakfastnews WSJ Story on Apple: https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-thin-iphone-foldable-computer-plans-dbb4286c NYTimes story on Empower: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/16/technology/empower-ride-hailing-washington-dc.html Companies discussed: MSTR, AAPL, UBER, LYFT, UPS, AMZN Host: Ricky Mulvey Guests: Asit Sharma, Mary Long, Anthony Schiavone Engineer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Axon is on a mission to protect life. As the company works to make the bullet obsolete, the stock has soared, up nearly 160% in the past year alone and returning over 100x since going public in 2001.  Josh Isner is the President of Axon Enterprise and has been with the company for over 15 years. He joins Fool Analyst Jason Moser to discuss:  - Why Axon is like the Apple of law enforcement. - How immersive technology improves police training and retention. - The role of drones and humanoids in public safety.  Companies discussed: AXON, MSI Host: Jason Moser Guests: Matt Frankel Producer: Mary Long Engineers: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a banner year for banks. Even the worst performer among the big players is still up 40% year-to-date.  Motley Fool contributor Matt Frankel joins Ricky Mulvey for a look back at some of the biggest headlines in the financial sector from the past year. They also discuss: - Green shoots for the 2025 IPO market. - Alex Chriss’s first full year at PayPal. - Two promising payments processors. Companies discussed: GS, BAC, MS, JPM, PYPL, BOC, FOUR, TOST, SQ, SOFI Host: Ricky Mulvey Guests: Matt Frankel Producer: Mary Long Engineers: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2024 was another stellar year for investors, but a lot of money is piling into the same places in the U.S. and globally.   (00:46) Bill Mann and Matt Argersinger discuss: - Why 2024 was such a good year for investors, and the concerns they have about valuations and market concentration as they look ahead to 2024. - The winners and losers of 2024 and the front-page stories you may have forgotten about – the Crowdstrike outage and Yen Carry Trade.  (19:05) James Zahn, Editor in Chief at The Toy Book, talks through the toys at the top of wish lists this holiday season and how toymakers and retailers are trying bring value to cash-strapped shoppers - James Zahn’s now-published article on Moxie: https://toybook.com/death-of-moxie-and-the-trouble-with-tech-toys/  (34:35) Bill and Matt break down two ideas on their radar: Nebius and Cambria Foreign Shareholder Yield Stocks discussed: NVDA, NBIS, FYLD Host: Dylan Lewis Guests: Tim Beyers, Mary Long, Ryan Henderson Engineers: Tim Sparks, Dan Boyd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new Willow chip performed a computation in under five minutes that would take a supercomputer 10 septillion years. That’s longer than the universe has been around. (00:14) Nick Sciple and Ricky Mulvey discuss: - The potential futures and lingering questions for quantum computers. - A restructuring at Warner Bros. Discovery that’s pleasing its investors. - Why the media conglomerate may be a falling knife. Then, (18:42) Motley Fool Contributor Lou Whiteman joins Mary Long for a look at FedEx, and holiday shipping season. Visit our sponsor: Get $1,000 off Vanta at www.vanta.com/fool Companies discussed: GOOG, GOOGL, WBD, PARA, TKO, FDX Host: Ricky Mulvey Guests: Mary Long, Lou Whiteman Engineers: Rick Engdahl, Chace Przylepa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices