Part 1: How to Spot a Corporate Fraud Before It Makes the Headlines

Memory has been hot in 2026 and that was no different today. China’s CXMT went public and gained nearly 500% on its opening day. We discuss the IPO along with NVIDIA potentially guaranteeing hundreds of billions of investments made to supply OpenAI. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Tyler Crowe discuss: - NVIDIA’s OpenAI Guarantee - More NVIDIA Investments - A Hot IPO - Memory Gets More Crowded - Merger Mania? - Case for Smaller Acquisitions Companies discussed: NVIDIA (NVDA), United (UAL), Delta (DAL), Norfolk Southern (NSC), Union Pacific (UNP). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Tyler Crowe Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The journalist who exposed Enron before Wall Street did has spent decades studying how companies unravel — and the warning signs are almost always there before the collapse. Motley Fool analyst Rachel Warren sits down with Bethany McLean, veteran investigative journalist and co-author of The Smartest Guys in the Room, to dig into the psychology behind corporate disaster. She discusses why most fraud starts with self-delusion rather than malice, why the auditors and lawyers and board of directors may not be protecting you the way you think, and why the line between a visionary CEO and a fraudster is thinner — and more unsettling — than most investors realize.  Host: Rachel Warren  Guest: Bethany McLean  Producers: Bart Shannon, Lauren Budabin  Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Bengen established 4% as the safe withdrawal rate more than 30 years ago. But in subsequent research, he has concluded that 4% is likely much too low. That research is thoroughly explained in his latest book, “A Richer Retirement: Supercharging the 4% Rule to Spend More and Enjoy More.” In this re-airing of an interview from last August, Bengen joined Motley Fool retirement expert Robert Brokamp to discuss:- how factors such as market valuation and inflation affect the safe withdrawal rate- whether retirees should decrease or increase their allocation to stocks as they get older- Bengen’s suggested withdrawal rate for current retirees Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: William BengenEngineers: Adam Landfair and Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alphabet’s stock is down double digits this week after the company reported negative free cash flow in the second quarter. We discuss what that means for big tech, neoclouds, and the entire supply chain. Plus, we get to Tesla’s earnings and the stocks on our radar. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Jason Hall discuss: - Alphabet’s Free Cash Flow - Who Blinks? - Tesla’s Stock Drop - The Price Is Right - Intel’s Earnings - Stocks On Our Radar Companies discussed: BBB Foods (TBBB), Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH), Alphabet (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), Amazon (AMZN), Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM), Tesla (TSLA), SpaceX (SPCX), General Motors (GM), Lyft (LYFT), Hims & Hers (HIMS), Palantir (PLTR). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Jason Hall Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earnings season is in full swing, and the first two of the Mag 7 (Alphabet and Tesla) set a rather dour tone. While the on paper results were different in many ways, there was one common theme that spooked investors: cash burn. Jon, Lou, and Tyler break down the quarter where mag 7 stocks went cash flow negative and what that means. Plus, earnings from Tractor Supply, RTX, and what to watch when PayPal and AirBnb report in the coming weeks. Have a question? Email us; [email protected] Want to take the next step in your investing journey? Explore Motley Fool’s Epic for our portfolio-centered investing experience, premium research, tools, and guidance: fool.com/epic fool.com/epic Tyler Crowe, Jon Quastl, and Lou Whiteman discuss: - Alphabet’s first quarter of cash burn as a public company - Tesla’s burning through cash even before spending ramps up. - Pet stores dragging down Tractor Supply’s earnings. - RTX’s monster order numbers - What to Expect: PayPal and AirBnb Companies discussed: GOOG, TSLA, APPL, IBM, TSCO, RTX, LTM, PYPL, ABNB Host: Tyler Crowe Guests: Jon Quast, Lou Whiteman Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new Gemini model is out and the AI world isn’t impressed. But is this Alphabet knowing its business better than anyone else or a loss of the company’s magic? Plus, we discuss Novo Nordisk suing Eli Lilly and GE Vernova’s stock falling after a great earnings report. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Jon Quast discuss: - Gemini’s Model Dud? - Gemini Pro Delay - Novo Sues Eli Lilly - Novo’s Desperation - GE Vernova Earnings - Energy’s Peak Companies discussed: GE Vernova (GEV), Alphabet (GOOG), Novo Nordisk (NVO), Eli Lilly (LLY). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Jon Quast Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shares of capital market company MSCI and credit rating agency Equifax both posted double digit declines after posting earnings that were…ok? Matt, Lou, and Tyler dive into what went right and wrong in the most recent earnings and what to make of the two stocks today. Plus, what to make of the oil markets using Halliburton’s earnings results and what is the best banking ETF today? Have a question? Email us; [email protected] Want to take the next step in your investing journey? Explore Motley Fool’s Epic for our portfolio-centered investing experience, premium research, tools, and guidance: fool.com/epic fool.com/epic Tyler Crowe, Matt Frankel, and Lou Whiteman discuss: - Equifax & MSCI earnings and stock reactions - AI costs eating into profits - Halliburton’s comments on the oil market - Mailbag: Best Banking ETF to buy now? Companies discussed: EFX, MSCI, MS, HAL, XLF, VFH, BRK, V, MA, JPM, KBE, KBWB Host: Tyler Crowe Guests: Matt Frankel, Lou Whiteman Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spain is the new soccer world champ, but Kalshi was also a winner from the World Cup as it added three million new users. On today’s show, Jon, Matt, and Rachel discuss the state of the predictions market and explain how predicting the outcome of an event is fundamentally different than investing in a stock. The team then moves into discussing how China’s Kimi K3 AI model could be disruptive to some companies and provide a tailwind for others. And the show closes with a mailbag question about digital advertising.Jon Quast, Matt Frankel, and Rachel Warren discuss:-The World Cup drove adoption of prediction markets-The difference between investing and gambling-How China’s Kimi K3 model could disrupt the AI space-Whether Nvidia stock could be a hidden beneficiary-Mailbag: The outlook for digital advertisingCompanies discussed: Kalshi, DraftKings (DKNG), Flutter Entertainment (FLUT), Meta Platforms (META), Anthropic, OpenAI, Nvidia (NVDA), Alphabet (GOOG)(GOOGL)Host: Jon QuastGuests: Matt Frankel, Rachel WarrenEngineer: Kristi Waterworth Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most companies say they're doing AI. A surprising number are doing very little — and a Chief AI Officer at one of the world's largest automation platforms has the receipts to prove it. Motley Fool analyst Rachel Warren talks with Adam Field, Chief AI Officer at Tungsten Automation — a company serving 25,000 organizations including 40% of the Fortune 100 — about what separates real AI transformation from expensive spin. They get into why most enterprise AI pilots quietly die before they scale, what "boring AI" actually means and why it's the most important signal investors aren't paying attention to, and why the competitive moat that once made legacy software giants unassailable has effectively disappeared overnight. Host: Rachel Warren Guest: Adam Field Producers: Adam Landfair, Lauren Budabin Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Knowing how much income you’ll need in retirement is a key variable in determining how much you need to have saved before you stop working. But what many people believe about how spending progresses over the course of retirement is wrong. Host Robert Brokamp speaks with David Blanchett, the head of retirement research at Prudential Financial and a portfolio manager for PGIM, about what the data shows about real-life retirement spending. Topics covered include: -Why retirees may not need as much inflation protection as is commonly recommended-Healthcare expenses: the retirement wildcard-Why the reality of retirement spending could result in a higher withdrawal rate-Other factors that suggest retirees could withdraw more than the “4% rule” Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: David Blanchett: Ph.D., CFP®, CFAEngineer: Bart Shannon, Kristi Waterworth Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices