The Other Business Stories Catching our Attention

The S&P 500 finished the year up about 24%, more than double the index’s average annual return. (00:49) Asit Sharma and Ricky Mulvey check in on the year in investing. They discuss: - What most of the biggest winners in the S&P 500 had in common. - Why more investors bought gold and Bitcoin in 2024. - A tough stretch for Walgreens Boot Alliance. - Their favorite investing discoveries from the past year. Companies discussed: PLTR, VST, UAL, NVDA, AXON, LULU, NFLX, WBA, INTC, DLTR Host: Ricky Mulvey Guest: Asit Sharma Producer: Mary Long Engineer: Desireé Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We set the path for being better investors and friends in 2025.   (0:13) Jason Moser and Dylan Lewis discuss: - How some profit-taking and tax loss harvesting have caused a bit of a holiday hangover for the market to close 2024. - Why mounting consumer credit card debt and delinquencies might finally start to eat into discretionary spending in 2025.  - Alphabet’s agenda for the new year: AI, Gemini, and Project Mariner .  - A few resolutions to ring in the new year. Companies discussed: TGT, WMT, GOOG, GOOGL Host: Dylan Lewis Guests: Jason Moser Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Dez Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New year, new market? We preview what’s in store for investors in 2025, the companies we’re excited to watch and the businesses we’re worried about.   (00:33) Ron Gross and Asit Sharma discuss: - The state of the stock market as investors head into the new year, the outlook for 2025, and the big questions concentration is creating for investors. - The corners of the market they’re paying attention to for opportunities.  - Why leadership at Southwest and Moderna is on the hot seat, and which companies seem primed for a turnaround in 2025.  (19:03) This time of year, investors are getting forecasts galore – what the market will return, where interest rates will go. Robert Brokamp and best-selling author Morgan Housel about his latest book Same as Ever, the things that endure, and the follies of following forecasts.  (33:17) Ron and Asit offer up reckless predictions for the new year and break down two stocks on their radar: Endava and Marvell Technology. Stocks discussed: MDNA, LUV, LULU, AMD, DAVA, MRVL. Host: Dylan Lewis Guests: Ron Gross, Asit Sharma, Morgan Housel, Robert Brokamp Engineers: Rick Engdahl  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See more music, talk to strangers, play more games. Ricky Mulvey, Mary Long, and Asit Sharma take a look at the business-adjacent stories that caught their attention over 2024. They discuss: - The rise of concert ticket prices. - Why companies trying to solve the loneliness epidemic are in a difficult business. - The implications of widespread sports gambling. And a heads-up, Motley Fool Money returns on Friday, December 27. Companies mentioned: LYV, MTCH, BUMBL, GRND, DKNG, FLUT Host: Ricky Mulvey Guests: Mary Long, Asit Sharma Engineer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If your company isn’t a growth business, what’s the advantage of being in the public markets? (00:14) Jim Gillies and Ricky Mulvey discuss: - Why luxury department stores are struggling. - Disney spending $645 million to make two seasons of the Star Wars series, Andor in a ten-ish minute discussion. - What investors should consider before using options to generate income. Companies discussed: JWN, PTON, DISHost: Ricky Mulvey Guest: Jim Gillies Producer: Mary Long Engineer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Vice is the CEO of Sierra Space, a company building an end-to-end business and technology platform in space to benefit life on earth. Think, space planes and inflatable space habitats. Ricky Mulvey caught up with Vice at the Sierra Space headquarters for a show that originally aired on March 30, 2024. They discuss: - The magic of microgravity, and its impact on everything from biotech and batteries to chemistry and computing. - How rent works in outer space. - Defense systems and the hope of a space-based “McDonald’s Effect.” Companies mentioned: MRK, PFE, MRNA, NVDA Host: Ricky Mulvey Guest: Tom Vice Producer: Mary Long Engineers: Desireé Jones, Dan Boyd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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