Industry Focus

Latest Episodes:

CG: Is Best Buy a Value Play? Jul 17, 2018

Show notes

We tackle a listener question from Ryan, who wants to know whether this big box consumer electronics retailer could be a long-term value play with its stable growth and dividend. Best Buy recently came out of its 5-year turnaround effort, and management is now focused on a “New Blue”.

Financials: Big Bank Earnings Recap – Winners and Losers Jul 16, 2018

Show notes

The “big four” U.S. banks – JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), and Citigroup (NYSE: C) – have all reported their second-quarter earnings. In this episode of Industry Focus: Financials, host Michael Douglass and Fool.com contributor Matt Frankel discuss the winners and losers, as well as some sector trends investors should be aware of.

Tech: Wow me, Xiaomi Jul 13, 2018

Show notes

This Chinese consumer tech company has come up on our show several times as a competitor to U.S. firms in the smartphone and wearables space. But today, we focus on Xiaomi, as its shares have just hit the Hong Kong exchange.

Energy: Renewables Roundup and a Rundown on MLPs and C-Corps Jul 12, 2018

Show notes

We discuss renewable yieldcos; Pattern Energy Group (PEGI), TerraForm Power (TERP), Brookfield Renewable Partners (BEP), and NextEra Energy Partners (NEP). Also, we break-down what exactly MLPs and C-corps are and what they mean for investors.

Healthcare: Are We on the Cusp of a Big Alzheimer's Disease Breakthrough? Jul 11, 2018

Show notes

Promo: Biogen and Eisai rolled out encouraging data for one of their Alzheimer's disease drugs last week. Also, why is Amazon.com's purchase of PillPack so important? Stocks: BIIB, AMZN, WBA, CVS, RAD

CG: Want to Invest in Smart Speakers? Say Hello to Sonos Jul 10, 2018

Show notes

With its IPO expected to price later this summer, Sonos will be the rare, pure-play option for investors eyeing the fast-growing smart speaker market. Can this $1 billion business go head to head with some of the world’s largest companies?

Financials: The Big Four U.S. Banks – What Investors Need to Know Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

When it comes to U.S. banks, there are four that are in a league of their own when it comes to size – JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), Citigroup (NYSE: C), and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC). In this episode of Industry Focus: Financials, host Shannon Jones and banking specialist Matt Frankel take a closer look at the big four and what investors should know when evaluating these institutions.

Tech: Getting SaaSy Jul 06, 2018

Show notes

We run through questions about the software-as-a-service market: what metrics to watch, what to expect from the industry, and what companies we're excited about. Stocks: CRM, SHOP, APPF, BL

Energy: A News Roundup and Final Hurrah! Jul 05, 2018

Show notes

We discuss some headlines from the last week: Tesla finally meeting its production target, GE spinning off healthcare, and Harley-Davidsons latest turmoil. We also chat about the future of flight and Ford’s partnership in China.

Financials: The 2018 Bank Stress Tests: What Investors Need to Know Jul 02, 2018

Show notes

Now that both rounds of the bank stress tests are over, let’s see what we learned.