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Before the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday, we're taking a closer look at the battle between streaming services and some of the bitter rivalries in entertainment history.  Chris Hill is joined by Maria Gallagher, Catie Peiper, and Mac Greer, as they discuss: - The Academy’s tenuous relationship with Netflix and other streamers - Warner Brothers' history of trying to recreate Disney’s magic - Unexpected business lessons from Oscar winners and nominees Stocks: DIS, NFLX, T Host: Chris Hill Guests: Gordon Gekko, Maria Gallagher, Catie Peiper, Mac Greer Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Steve Broido, Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The S&P 500 rose for the 2nd week in a row, giving investors more reasons for optimism. Are we the only ones who believe the narrative for investors is shifting away from fear and towards increasing confidence? (0:45) Jason Moser and Andy Cross discuss investor sentiment, as well as: - Google striking an app-store deal with Spotify - Uber teaming up with New York City taxis - Reports that Apple is developing a hardware subscription service - Darden Restaurants seeing improvement in its fine dining segment - The latest from Berkshire-Hathaway, Adobe, and Nike (19:00) Corporate governance expert Nell Minow analyzes how public companies are doing with their communications related to Russia, and why she's unimpressed with how Starbucks' board of directors handled the latest CEO change. Then she puts on her film critic hat to offer a preview of the Academy Awards and share who will win (and should win) Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Picture. (32:00) Jason and Andy discuss Pepsi's latest limited-run flavor an

If you think Chairman Powell and some of the Federal Reserve governors are sounding more hawkish, you're not alone. (00:18) John Rotonti discusses: - Why investors should expect more interest rate hikes this year - The increasing attractiveness of companies with pricing power and strong ROIC - Balancing growth stocks with profitable businesses that can self-fund their operations - Three stocks he just bought (and why he bought them) (14:30) The most rewarding stocks can come from the most boring businesses. Dylan Lewis and Jason Hall make the case for keeping boring businesses in your portfolio and discuss one in particular that Jason's excited about. Stocks: PYPL, KKR, RH, AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, TREX Host: Chris Hill Guests: John Rotonti, Dylan Lewis, Jason Hall Engineer: Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Offering guidance to Wall Street analysts can be a tricky proposition. There are downsides to being either too vague or too specific. (00:22) Tim Beyers discusses: - Adobe's 1st-quarter results and the $75 million hit to its business in Russia and Belarus - How worried Okta's corporate customers should be - Why no one should expect Okta's public communications on its recent security breach to be highly detailed (14:56) Ricky Mulvey talks with Alicia Hammond about the psychological forces that encourage you to sell, and some actionable ways to make calmer, better decisions about your money. Stocks: ADBE, OKTA, SHOP Host: Chris Hill Guests: Tim Beyers, Ricky Mulvey, Alicia Hammond Engineer: Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to soothe supply chain woes, try cutting out the middleman. Nike’s direct-to-consumer sales now make up more than 40% of the company’s revenue. (00:18) Auri Hughes joins Asit Sharma to discuss: - Nike’s earnings beat and global strategy - Okta’s hack, and what it means for the cybersecurity company - How rising fertilizer prices could cause wider-spread inflation.   (10:44) Alison Southwick and Robert Brokamp discuss how millionaires save, spend, and invest on this week’s Answers. Stocks: NKE, OKTA, WFC Host: Asit Sharma Guests: Auri Hughes, Alison Southwick, Robert Brokamp Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Tim Sparks, Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After six years Warren Buffett finally pulled the trigger. Berkshire-Hathaway is buying insurance company Alleghany for $11.6 billion. (0:20) Jason Moser analyzes: - The reaction from investors - Berkshire-Hathaway's increased exposure to the insurance industry - Potential for another acquisition in the next few years - Buffett's patience and relentless focus on price, and what it can teach all investors (12:30) Rick Munarriz talks with Carnival Cruise Line CEO Arnold Donald about how his company is preparing for the post-pandemic world. Stocks discussed: BRK, Y, CCL, DIS, AMC Host: Chris Hill Guests: Jason Moser, Rick Munarriz, Arnold Donald Engineer: Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few people know Instagram better than Bloomberg News tech reporter Sarah Frier. Author of the award-winning book No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram, she talked with Ricky Mulvey about: - How parent company Meta Platforms affects Instagram’s user experience today - CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s role in company acquisitions - The company’s shift into the metaverse Want more background on investing in metaverse stocks? Click here: https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/information-technology/metaverse-stocks/ Stocks: FB, SNAP, AAPL Host: Ricky Mulvey Guest: Sarah Frier Engineers: Tim Sparks, Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You probably can’t meet with the CEO of a company on your watch list, but you have some tools to evaluate them. Motley Fool Senior Analyst John Rotonti talks with fellow analysts Auri Hughes and Alyce Lomax about how to spot great business leaders. We also break into our archives to share a 2012 interview with former Costco CEO Jim Sinegal. Both conversations discuss: - Identifying great corporate leaders - How excellent CEOs balance stakeholder needs - Why company culture is one of the most important competitive advantages Want more tips for evaluating a CEO? Click here: https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/08/28/esg-investing-how-to-evaluate-a-ceo-using-the-4-cs.aspx Stocks: SHOP, COST, SBUX, ACN, HD, TXN, BRK, MSFT, AMZN Host: John Rotonti Guest: Auri Hughes, Alyce Lomax Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Tim Sparks, Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time since 2018 the Federal Reserve raised interest rates. Not only did everyone survive, but investors actually seemed to embrace the first of what will probably be several rate hikes this year. (0:45) Ron Gross and Jason Moser discuss the impact on the stock market, as well as: - GameStop's 4th-quarter loss - FedEx weathering challenges to get through its latest quarter - Williams-Sonoma closing out the fiscal year with record results - Amazon and Netflix making moves to strengthen their video streaming businesses - The latest from Starbucks, Accenture, and Walmart (19:00) Andy Cross talks with Fred Reichheld, author of "Winning On Purpose", about the Net Promoter Score and how it can help long-term investors beat the market. (33:00) Ron and Jason answer a question about Berkshire-Hathaway and share two stocks on their radar: Taiwan Semiconductor and Chewy. Got a stock you want us to discuss? Post a review on Apple and include your stock pitch! Stocks discussed: GME, FDX, SBUX, DPZ, WSM, A

Russia's stock market was supposed to open this week. Even if you don't own Russian stocks directly, you may own them through global funds or ETFs.  (0:20) Bill Mann discusses: - How Russia's market remained closed - Potential for Russia to default on its debt - The one thing every U.S. investor should do if they have exposure to Russian stocks - Chinese stocks suddenly rebounding on comments from the central government - Why he believes the turnaround is a "yellow flag" for investors Stocks discussed: YNDX, BABA, TCEHY, JD, BIDU Host: Chris Hill Guests: Bill Mann Engineer: Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Johnson surprises almost everyone by announcing his retirement, with Howard Schultz returning (again) to run Starbucks. (0:20) Jason Moser discusses: - The company's board of directors taking their time in searching for the next permanent CEO - Why Walgreens' CEO Roz Brewer should be at the top of the board's list of candidates - Starbucks' plan to reduce the use of disposable cups by 2025 (12:00) Emily Flippen and Asit Sharma take a closer look at a stock that's returned 250% over the past five years: Intuit. Stocks discussed: SBUX, INTU, ADBE Host: Chris Hill Guests: Jason Moser, Asit Sharma, Emily Flippen Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Rick Engdahl, Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The SEC is threatening to delist several U.S.-listed ADRs of Chinese companies. What does this mean for American investors? (0:20) Bill Mann discusses: - Why China's government is happy with the SEC's threat - How a quick and easy end to this impasse is difficult to see - How the NCAA basketball tournament can help your approach to investing better - Why hoops programs with a history of winning records resemble winning businesses (14:00) Jennifer Gennaro Oxley, executive director of The Motley Fool Foundation, talks with Alison Southwick and Robert Brokamp about how thinking like an investor can lead to better outcomes in your charitable giving. Stocks discussed: YUMC, BABA, JD, BIDU, TCEHY Host: Chris Hill Guests: Bill Mann, Alison Southwick, Robert Brokamp, Jennifer Gennaro Oxley Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's nice (among other things) to see that even investing legends like Warren Buffett face skepticism from shareholders. (0:20) Jason Moser discusses: - A Berkshire-Hathaway shareholder proposal to have Buffett be replaced as chairman - Focusing on numbers instead of a company's story - Comcast getting into live sports in a bigger way - The "sports media rights" bubble remaining firmly intact (16:25) Entrepreneur and investor Moiz Ali understands Shopify both as a shareholder and a customer. He talks with Motley Fool senior analyst Yasser El-Shimy about Shopify's data insights and subscription platform, the bull case for the company, and more. Stocks discussed: BRK, TDOC, DOCU, AAPL, CMCSA, SHOP Host: Chris Hill Guests: Jason Moser,  Yasser El-Shimy, Moiz Ali Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Rick Engdahl, Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Best-selling author Ben Mezrich has captured the attention of millions of readers with his true-life books about Facebook ("The Accidental Billionaires") and Las Vegas ("Bringing Down The House"). In this conversation with Dylan Lewis he revisits his 2015 book “Once Upon a Time in Russia” to talk about the rise of the oligarch and his experiences with Russia’s billionaire class. They discuss: - The history leading to the creation of Russia’s billionaire class - Potential ways oligarchs could affect Russian's war with Ukraine - Why Russia’s billionaires are closer to “The Sopranos” than the technology titans of Silicon Valley Books discussed: Once Upon a Time in Russia: The Rise of the Oligarchs - https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Time-Russia-Oligarchs-ebook/dp/B00RM266ZM The Midnight Ride - https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Ride-Ben-Mezrich/dp/1538754630 Host: Dylan Lewis Guest: Ben Mezrich Engineer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A company's financials are more than just a set of numbers. They can tell a story that helps us understand the core of a business and where its growth opportunity lies. John Rotonti talks with fellow Motley Fool senior analyst Auri Hughes about the financials to watch before putting your money into a publicly traded company. They discuss: - Profit drivers in a company’s balance sheet - The portions of a 10-K that investors should pay close attention to - Metric that provide insights about a company’s growth prospects Stocks discussed: AAPL, SBUX, CPRT, CNSWF Host: John Rotonti Guest: Auri Hughes Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineer: Tim Sparks, Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month is was Alphabet. This week Amazon became the latest mega-cap company to announce a 20-for-1 stock split. (0:45) Ron Gross and Jason Moser discuss how Amazon, without changing their underlying businesses, has found a way to strengthen ties with one of their key stakeholders (employees), as well as: - DocuSign's strengthening business in the face of a declining share price - Enthusiasm for dating app Bumble - Ulta Beauty continuing to grow same-store sales - Chipotle and Jones Soda launching very different products - The latest from Oracle, Stitch Fix, and Marqeta (19:00) Tess Vigeland, host of The Wall Street Journal's new podcast "As We Work", talks about the changing dynamics of the workplace, the rise of pay transparency, and the challenge facing companies hoping to retain employees. (35:30) Ron and Jason share two stocks on their radar: Intellia Therapeutics and Apple. Stocks discussed: AMZN, DOCU, ORCL, SFIX, BMBL, MQ, ULTA, CMG, JSDA, NTLA, AAPL You'll find 15 stocks and 5 ETFs in our fre

That's how Bill Mann describes the importance of the oil & gas industry in Russia. (0:20) As we take stock of where we are at this moment, Bill discusses: - Ripple effects for European countries - Whether seizing property of Western companies would spell the end of foreign investment in Russia - Why Energy Secretary Granholm's recent comments give him hope - Rising raw material costs affecting companies like McDonald's and Domino's Pizza - The J Curve (12:15) If Russia provides just 3% of America's oil supply then why have gas prices spiked? Ricky Mulvey talks with Nick Sciple to get some context. Stocks discussed: MCD, SBUX, KO, DPZ Host: Chris Hill Guests: Bill Mann, Nick Sciple Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hour-long event gave Apple the chance to highlight multiple upgrades to their devices, but some were more noteworthy than others. (0:20) Tim Beyers discusses: - How the new iPhone SE indicates Apple's unwillingness to cede market share to anyone - Pricing the Max Studio desktop for a small consumer base - The "super chip" powering the Max Studio - Live sports being added to Apple+ - Netflix taking a "never say never" approach to ads on their platform (13:00) Rickey Mulvey moderates a "bull vs. bear" debate between Matt Frankel and Jason Moser over Block (aka, the company formerly known as Square). Stocks discussed: AAPL, DELL, NFLX, DIS, SQ, UA Host: Chris Hill Guests: Tim Beyers, Jason Moser, Matt Frankel Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Rick Engdahl, Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this day in 2002, The Motley Fool launched its first subscription service: Stock Advisor. To celebrate we're not breaking out champagne and cake. Instead, we've gathered three members from our investing team (Andy Cross, Asit Sharma, Emily Flippen) to share some of the most important lessons learned over the past two decades, including: - The idea that sometimes the best place for new money is a stock you already own - Importance of diversification - Putting money into the stock market on a regular basis - The challenge (and payoff) of letting your winners run Stocks discussed: SFIX, LMND, NFLX, CWBHF, BBY Host: Chris Hill Guests: Andy Cross, Asit Sharma, Emily Flippen Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineers: Rick Engdahl, Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before you buy that stock, have you thought about why you're buying it? It can help (in part, for future reference) to go through the process of writing out your investment thesis. (0:25) Jason Moser discusses: - Recognizing short-term catalysts - Why home improvement is "one of the most obvious long-term trends out there" - Travel and return-to-work being two trends worth watching (15:45) Using language-learning app Duolingo as an example Alicia Alfiere shares key questions to ask when writing an investment thesis, including: - What are its competitive advantages? - Who's running the company? - Will broader trends help or hurt? Stocks discussed: BKNG, HD, LOW, MSFT, DUOL Host: Chris Hill Guest: Jason Moser, Alicia Alfiere Producer: Ricky Mulvey Engineer: Rick Engdahl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices