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Tag: leisure

  • Disney and other entertainment giants report after upbeat results from peers, but investors are getting harsher on companies that don’t deliver

    Disney and other entertainment giants report after upbeat results from peers, but investors are getting harsher on companies that don’t deliver

    Last month, Netflix Inc.
    NFLX,
    +1.80%
    stock jumped after it reported big subscriber gains and hiked prices. Last week, results from Paramount Global
    PARA,
    +15.44%
    beat expectations, sending shares of the streaming and entertainment giant on its best percentage gain in nearly a year, and Roku Inc.
    ROKU,
    +8.58%
    also offered an upbeat outlook.

    This week — as Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. all report results — we’ll get a deeper sense of whether the entertainment industry is starting to make investors happy again, even if they make viewers less happy in the process.

    Those companies will report as the streaming industry, under pressure from investors to turn a better profit, consolidates and as platforms charge more to watch and cram more advertisements into shows and films.

    Cable TV providers and movie theaters, too, are trying to figure out a way forward as streaming becomes more prevalent. Even as Hollywood’s writers come back to work following a strike that shut down production, its actors are still striking, with issues surrounding AI usage to portray actors, streaming payments and other issues in the balance.

    Disney
    DIS,
    +2.14%    ,
    which reports results on Wednesday, faces questions about losses at Disney+, efforts to cut billions in costs and stamp out streaming-account sharing, its planned takeover of the streaming platform Hulu and speculation over which of its large media properties it might sell. BofA analysts recently estimated that ESPN, which Disney has leaned on for years, could be worth around $24 billion. Meanwhile, activist investor Nelson Peltz has been angling for seats on Disney’s board, and its fight with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues.

    Elsewhere, Warner Bros. Discovery
    WBD,
    +6.23%
    — the parent company of the streaming service Max, Warner Bros. Pictures, Discovery Channel, CNN and other channels — reports on Wednesday, as it tries to turn its reserves of intellectual property into franchise films. Meme-stock theater chain AMC
    AMC,
    +2.19%    ,
    which also reports Wednesday, following upbeat results from rival Cinemark Holdings Inc.
    CNK,
    -2.43%    .

    Sales at the theater chains have been lifted in recent months by “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” While both were original films, analysts have said the avalanche of sequels and remakes in theaters is unlikely to stop.

    The pressure to boost profits will ultimately affect what TV shows and films get made, and what viewers actually consume. And a report from FactSet on Friday found that investors have been more unkind than usual to companies whose results come up short of Wall Street’s expectations.

    That report found that through the third-quarter earnings season, companies whose earnings miss expectations have seen an average stock-price drop of 5.2% during the two days before the publication of the results through the two days after. If that figure holds, it would be the stock market’s biggest adverse reaction to an earnings miss since the second quarter of 2011.

    This week in earnings

    Among S&P 500 companies, 55 including one from the Dow, will report quarterly results during the week ahead.

    EV startup Rivian Automotive Inc.
    RIVN,
    +0.68%
    reports amid concerns about EV demand. Following Ticketmaster parent Live Nation Entertainment Inc.’s
    LYV,
    +3.53%
    blowout quarterly results last week, results from Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.
    MSGE,
    +1.03%
    will shed more light on people’s appetites for live entertainment. Results from digital marketing platform Klaviyo Inc.
    KVYO,
    +3.86%
    and fast-casual chain Cava Group Inc.
    CAVA,
    +5.49%
    — both recent IPOS — will offer a deeper look at digital ad budgets and a competitive restaurant backdrop, respectively.

    The New York Times Co.
    NYT,
    +0.91%
    also reports during the week. So do Planet Fitness Inc.
    PLNT,
    -0.09%    ,
    Gilead Sciences
    GILD,
    +0.44%    ,
    eBay Inc.
    EBAY,
    +3.98%
    and Take-Two Interactive Software
    TTWO,
    +1.03%    .

    The call to put on your calendar

    Cybersecurity drama: Cyberattacks are getting more severe, and customers are starting to feel their effects more acutely. Against that backdrop, casino and resort operator MGM Resorts International
    MGM,
    +5.27%
    will report quarterly results on Wednesday, in the wake of a cyberattack that took down some of its systems. MGM has said that attack, which the company disclosed in September, would cost them roughly $100 million.

    The company said the fallout of that attack — which disrupted hotel bookings and put hotels on manual operations, resulting in long lines — was largely contained to September. But the SEC last week accused software company SolarWinds Corp.
    SWI,
    +1.74%
    of failing to disclose its purported cybersecurity vulnerabilities, potentially leaving other companies wondering whether they’re vulnerable to similar legal action.

    The numbers to watch

    The gig economy and delivery demand: Rival ride-hailing platforms Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. report results on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Maplebear Inc.
    CART,
    +0.94%    ,
    better known as the grocery-delivery platform Instacart, also reports on Wednesday.

    Analysts have been kinder to Uber
    UBER,
    +2.73%    ,
    the larger of the two ride-hailing companies. But Lyft has tried to cut its prices and roll out new services, including one that tries to match women and non-binary riders and drivers. The financials from all three companies will land after strong results from food-delivery platform DoorDash Inc.
    DASH,
    +5.35%    ,
    which has expanded its services into retail an effort to compete with Instacart and other delivery providers. And they’ll fill in the picture of rider demand following the back-to-school season and a bigger push to get workers back into offices.

    Beyond ride-sharing, results from Uber and Instacart will narrow the lens on delivery demand, as some analysts question whether higher prices for basics and the return of student-loan payments might make food delivery more dispensable. Analysts also seem likely to zero on in those companies’ high-margin digital-ad businesses, as more e-commerce platforms try to turn their apps and websites into online billboard space.

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  • Here’s why you might not have to pay a 6% commission next time you sell a home

    Here’s why you might not have to pay a 6% commission next time you sell a home

    Going back decades, if you wanted to buy or sell a stock on the open market, you had to pay a 2% commission to buy and a 2% commission to sell. Then the advent of discount brokerage, led by Charles Schwab Corp.
    SCHW,
    +1.64%    ,
    made lower commissions available until eventually, with improved technology and efficiency, the entire industry changed to enable the average investor to avoid commissions completely.

    But the internet hasn’t done much to reduce the cost of selling a home in the U.S. Sellers typically pay a 6% commission to a real-estate agent to list and sell a home, with the seller’s agent splitting that commission with the buyer’s agent. But all of that may change because of a verdict this week in a class-action lawsuit in federal court against the National Association of Realtors.

    Aarthi Swaminathan covers the case, what may happen next and the implications for home sellers and buyers:

    Real-estate advice from the Moneyist


    MarketWatch illustration

    Quentin Fottrell — the Moneyist — works with three readers to answer tricky real-estate questions:

    Economic outlook

    On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell may have bolstered the case that the central bank is finished raising interest rates for this economic cycle. The federal-funds rate was left in its target range of 5.25% to 5.50%.

    Jon Gray, the president of Blackstone Group, spoke with MarketWatch Editor in Chief Mark DeCambre and said he expected the Fed to succeed in bringing down inflation without pushing the U.S. economy into a deep recession.

    Friday employment numbers: Jobs report shows 150,000 new jobs in October as U.S. labor market cools

    Bond-market trend switches again

    The U.S. Treasury yield curve has been inverted for nearly a year.


    FactSet

    Normally, longer-term bonds have higher yields than those with short maturities. But the yield curve has been inverted for nearly a year, with 3-month U.S. Treasury bills
    BX:TMUBMUSD03M
    having higher yields than 10-year Treasury notes
    BX:TMUBMUSD10Y.

    There has been elevated demand for long-term bonds, as investors have anticipated a recession and a reversal in Federal Reserve interest-rate policy. When interest rates decline, bond prices rise and vice versa.

    As you can see on the chart above, the yield curve was narrowing until mid-October. Yields on 10-year Treasury notes were close to 5% on Oct. 19, but they have been falling the past several days as the three-month yield has remained close to 5.5%.

    In this week’s ETF Wrap, Christine Idzelis reports on where all the money is flowing in the bond market.

    In the Bond Report, Vivien Lou Chen summarizes the action as investors react to the Federal Reserve’s decision not to change its federal-funds-rate target range this week and to other economic news.

    For income-seekers looking to avoid income taxes, here’s a deep dive into municipal bonds, with taxable-equivalent yields and a deeper look at those within four high-tax states.

    Ford’s good news — in the bond market

    Ford Motor Co.’s debt rating has been lifted by S&P to investment-grade.


    Getty Images

    Ford Motor Co.’s
    F,
    +4.14%
    credit rating was upgraded to an investment-grade rating by Standard & Poor’s on Monday. This takes about $67 billion in bonds out of the high-yield, or “junk,” market, as Ciara Linnane reports.

    A stock-market warning based on history

    The original Magnificent Seven.


    Courtesy Everett Collection

    By now you have probably heard the term “Magnificent Seven” used to describe stocks of the tremendous tech-oriented companies that have led this year’s rally for the S&P 500
    SPX
    : Apple Inc.
    AAPL,
    -0.52%    ,
    Microsoft Corp.
    MSFT,
    +1.29%    ,
    Amazon.com Inc.
    AMZN,
    +0.38%    ,
    Nvidia Corp.
    NVDA,
    +3.45%    ,
    Alphabet Inc.
    GOOGL,
    +1.26%

    GOOG,
    +1.39%    ,
    Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    +1.20%
    and Tesla Inc.
    TSLA,
    +0.66%    .
    With Tesla’s recent decline, that company is now the ninth-largest holding in the portfolio of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
    SPY,
    which tracks the benchmark index. Here are the top 10 companies held by SPY (11 stocks, including two common-share classes for Alphabet), with total returns through Thursday:

    Company

    		 Ticker

    		 % of SPY portfolio

    		 2023 total return

    		 2022 total return

    		 Total return since end of 2021
    Apple Inc.

    		 AAPL,
    -0.52%         		7.2%

    		 37%

    		 -26%

    		 1%
    Microsoft Corp.

    		 MSFT,
    +1.29%         		7.1%

    		 46%

    		 -28%

    		 5%
    Amazon.com Inc.

    		 AMZN,
    +0.38%         		3.5%

    		 64%

    		 -50%

    		 -17%
    Nvidia Corp.

    		 NVDA,
    +3.45%         		3.0%

    		 198%

    		 -50%

    		 48%
    Alphabet Inc. Class A

    		 GOOGL,
    +1.26%         		2.1%

    		 44%

    		 -39%

    		 -12%
    Meta Platforms Inc. Class A

    		 META,
    +1.20%         		1.9%

    		 158%

    		 -64%

    		 -8%
    Alphabet Inc. Class C

    		 GOOG,
    +1.39%         		1.8%

    		 45%

    		 -39%

    		 -11%
    Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class B

    		 BRK.B,
    +0.80%         		1.8%

    		 13%

    		 3%

    		 17%
    Tesla Inc.

    		 TSLA,
    +0.66%         		1.7%

    		 77%

    		 -65%

    		 -38%
    UnitedHealth Group Inc.

    		 UNH,
    -0.98%         		1.4%

    		 2%

    		 7%

    		 9%
    Eli Lilly and Company

    		 LLY,
    -2.15%         		1.3%

    		 60%

    		 34%

    		 115%
    Sources: FactSet, State Street (for SPY holdings)

    Five of these stocks (including the two Alphabet share classes) are still down from the end of 2021. SPY itself has returned 14% this year, following an 18% decline in 2022. It is still down 7% from the end of 2021.

    Mark Hulbert makes the case that a decade from now, the Magnificent Seven are unlikely to be among the largest companies in the stock market.

    More from Hulbert: These dividend stocks and ETFs have healthy yields that can lift your portfolio

    A different market opportunity: India is seeing a multidecade growth surge. Here’s how you can invest in it.

    The MarketWatch 50


    MarketWatch

    The MarketWatch 50 series is back, with articles and video interviews starting this week, including:

    PayPal soars after earnings report

    PayPal CEO Alex Chriss.


    MarketWatch/PayPal

    After the market close on Wednesday, PayPal Holdings Inc.
    PYPL,
    +1.89%
    announced quarterly results that came in ahead of analysts’ expectations, and the stock soared 7% on Thursday even though the company lowered its target for improving its operating margin.

    In the Ratings Game column, Emily Bary reports on the positive reaction to PayPal’s new CEO, Alex Chriss.

    A less enthusiastic earnings reaction: EV-products maker BorgWarner’s stock suffers biggest drop in 15 years after downbeat sales outlook

    Consumers drive mixed reactions to earnings results

    Apple Inc. reported mixed quarterly results.


    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    Here’s more of the latest corporate financial results and reactions. First the good news:

    And now the news that may not be so good:

    Harsh verdict for SBF

    FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.


    AP

    It might seem that some legal battles never end, but it took only a year from the collapse of FTX for the cryptocurrency exchange’s founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, to be convicted on all seven federal fraud and money-laundering charges brought against him. The charges were connected to the disappearance of $8 billion from FTX customer accounts.

    Here’s more reaction and coverage of the virtual-currency industry:

    Want more from MarketWatch? Sign up for this and other newsletters to get the latest news and advice on personal finance and investing.

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  • There’s a ton worth streaming in November 2023. So as prices rise, here’s how to avoid breaking the bank.

    There’s a ton worth streaming in November 2023. So as prices rise, here’s how to avoid breaking the bank.

    November offers a false spring for streaming viewers.

    After a slow couple of months, there’s suddenly an abundance of top-tier shows on the way, but don’t be fooled — the streaming scene is going to be largely bleak in the coming months, until productions fully ramp up sometime next year following the strikes that have crippled Hollywood.

    Meanwhile, streaming costs keep rising (Netflix’s top tier is the first to cross the $20 barrier) and consumers are getting less for their money, with fewer new shows and smaller libraries, while streamers push subscribers toward ad-supported tiers that generate more revenue per user while providing a worse viewing experience. Still, all the ad-supported tiers cost less than $10 a month, meaning it may be time for budget-conscious consumers to suck it up and deal with commercials if they don’t want to break the bank.

    Read more: Netflix is raising prices to get you to watch ads, and it will probably work

    That’s why it’s even more important to examine which services you’re really willing to pay for. The days of subscribing to six streaming services — even though you might only regularly watch three — are over. But by adding and canceling services month to month, you can save money while still being able to watch your favorite shows (for example, instead of watching a 12-episode show that drops every week and paying for three months, subscribe for just one month once the show nears its end and binge it all at once).

    Such a churn strategy takes some planning, but it pays off. Keep in mind that a billing cycle starts when you sign up, not necessarily at the beginning of the month.

    Each month, this column offers tips on how to maximize your streaming and your budget, rating the major services as a “play,” “pause” or “stop” — similar to investment analysts’ traditional ratings of buy, hold or sell, and picks the best shows to help you make your monthly decisions.

    Here’s a look at what’s coming to the various streaming services in November 2023, and what’s really worth the monthly subscription fee:

    Apple TV+ ($9.99 a month)

    The price of Apple TV+ has doubled in a little over a year, and in any other month, it’d be easy to argue it has priced itself out of the range of casual viewers. But Apple’s November lineup is so impressive that it’s actually somehow still a good deal.

    The alt-history space drama “For All Mankind” (Nov. 10) returns for its fourth season, with an eight-year time jump after Season 3’s shocking finale. The Mars colony is now thriving, but tensions are rising over the mining of mineral-rich asteroids. Toby Kebbell (“Servant”) joins the cast, along with Daniel Stern and Tyner Rushing, who join holdovers Joel Kinnaman, Krys Marshall, Wrenn Schmidt and Coral Pena. It’s a fantastic and frequently thrilling series, and arguably Apple’s best drama.

    And a challenger to that title is also coming back. “Slow Horses” (Nov. 29), the darkly funny thriller about a group of washed-up spies, returns for its third season. Gary Oldman stars as perpetually disgruntled spymaster Jackson Lamb, leading his team of misfits as they get dragged into an international conspiracy after one of their own is kidnapped. Based on the novels by Mick Herron, “Slow Horses” is smart and cynical, a terrific twist on traditional spy stories.

    Then there’s “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” (Nov. 17), an action-conspiracy series about a ragtag group trying to expose a secretive organization that knows the truth about Godzilla and other kaiju creatures terrorizing the planet. Kurt Russell stars with his son, Wyatt (who plays his dad in flashbacks), along with Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe and Kiersey Clemons. The series is intended to slide right into the MonsterVerse that includes “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Kong: Skull Island” and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” and for anyone who grew up watching monster movies, this could be a lot of fun.

    Apple
    AAPL,
    +1.87%
    also has “Fingernails” (Nov. 3), a sci-fi romance movie starring Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White and Luke Wilson; “The Buccaneers” (Nov. 8), a “Bridgerton”-esque period drama based on the Edith Wharton novel about a group of rich American girls who hit London in the 1870s looking for suitable husbands; the holiday musical special “Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas” (Nov. 22); and a new version of the tear-jerking children’s classic “The Velveteen Rabbit” (Nov. 22).

    Meanwhile, Martin Scorsese’s critically acclaimed “Killers of the Flower Moon” should hit Apple TV+ within the next month or two, after it completes its theatrical run, and Ridley Scott’s historical epic “Napoleon,” starring Joaquin Phoenix, his theaters Nov. 22. It, too, will stream on Apple at an as-yet-undisclosed date in the coming months.

    There are also new episodes every week of “Lessons in Chemistry” (finale Nov. 24), and “The Morning Show” (season finale Nov. 8). If that’s not enough, you could always catch up on “Foundation,” “Swagger,” “Platonic” or discover “Bad Sisters.”

    Who’s Apple TV+ for? It offers a little something for everyone, but not necessarily enough for anyone — although it’s getting there.

    Play, pause or stop? Play. Even though its price has soared, Apple is still cheaper than most, and it delivers value this month. (Remember, you can get three free months of Apple TV+ if you buy a new Apple device.)

    Hulu ($7.99 a month with ads, or $17.99 with no ads)

    After a fallow October, Hulu has a lot more to offer in November, continuing its strong year.

    FX’s “A Murder at the End of the World” (Nov. 14) was pushed back from an August release date due to the Hollywood strikes, but it should fit better in a colder season anyway. From Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, the producers of Netflix’s cult favorite sci-fi series “The OA,” the limited series is an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery set at a billionaire’s secluded, snowbound retreat in Iceland. Emma Corrin (“The Crown”) stars as an amateur detective while Clive Owen (“Children of Men”) plays the mysterious tycoon.

    A wintry setting also plays a key role in the fifth season of FX’s “Fargo” (Nov. 22), the latest installment in Noah Hawley’s noirish crime anthology. Juno Temple (“Ted Lasso”) plays a seemingly ordinary Midwestern housewife who’s not at all what she appears to be. She’s joined by an all-star cast that includes Jon Hamm, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Lamorne Morris and Dave Foley. Each season of “Fargo” is a quirky, violent delight, and this one looks no different.

    Also: Disney officially plans to buy remaining Hulu stake from Comcast

    Just to make things confusing, while both “A Murder at the End of the World” and “Fargo” are FX series, “Murder” will stream exclusively on Hulu, while “Fargo” episodes will first air on FX then stream a day later.

    In an interesting experiment, director Baz Luhrmann has recut his 2008 romantic drama “Australia,” starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, and turned it into a six-episode miniseries — renamed “Faraway Downs” (Nov. 26) — using extra footage shot during the original filming. The movie flopped in theaters, but Luhrmann says it should work better as a miniseries, saying “episodic storytelling has been reinvigorated by the streaming world.”

    For more: Here’s what’s new on Hulu in November 2023 — and what’s leaving

    Hulu also has “Black Cake” (Nov. 1), a generations-spanning family drama based on the bestselling novel by Charmaine Wilkerson; “Quiz Lady” (Nov. 3), a comedy movie about estranged sisters, starring Awkwafina and Sandra Oh; and a handful of sports documentaries, including “The League” (Nov. 9), about Negro League baseball, and “Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story” (Nov. 15), hosted by Keanu Reeves.

    Fresh off October’s addition of “Moonlighting,” Hulu is adding all eight seasons of another 1980s classic, “L.A. Law” (Nov. 3), along with a ton of holiday fare, including “Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights” and “Miracle on 34th Street” (both Nov. 1), and “Elf” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (both Nov. 23).

    And don’t forget the season finales of “Welcome to Wrexham” (Nov. 15) and “Goosebumps” (Nov. 17), as well as next-day streams of network shows such as “The Golden Bachelor” and “Bob’s Burgers.”

    Who’s Hulu for? TV lovers. There’s a deep library for those who want older TV series and next-day streaming of many current network and cable shows.

    Play, pause or stop? Pause and think it over. If you’re on the ad-supported plan, it’s well worth it. But for the pricey, $18 ad-free plan, you may want to wait until December and see how some of these new series pan out.

    Netflix ($6.99 a month for basic with ads, $15.49 standard with no ads, $22.99 premium with no ads)

    Netflix just raised some prices again, but for most customers, it’s still a good value.

    The critically acclaimed royal-family drama “The Crown” (Nov. 16) is back for the first half of its sixth and final season (four episodes drop this month, with the final six coming in December). Events pick up in 1997 after the marriage of Prince Charles (Dominic West) and Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) ends, as Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton) reflects on her legacy. There’s already controversy over how it’ll handle Diana’s tragic death.

    Read more: Here’s what’s new on Netflix in November 2023 — and what’s leaving

    Netflix
    NFLX,
    +2.06%
     also has “The Killer” (Nov. 10) a “slick but conventional” thriller movie from director David Fincher, starring Michael Fassbender as a hit man on the run; “Squid Game: The Challenge” (Nov. 22), a reality competition show putting 456 players through challenges inspired by the hit Korean drama (minus the murders, presumably); “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” (Nov. 17), an anime version of the graphic novels and cult-favorite movie “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” (which is also coming Nov. 1); “All the Light We Cannot See” (Nov. 2), a critically panned miniseries about a blind French girl and a German soldier in the final days of WWII, starring Aria Mia Loberti, Louis Hofmann and Mark Ruffalo; Season 5, Part 2 of the popular small-town romantic drama “Virgin River” (Nov. 30); and “The Netflix Cup: Swing to Survive” (Nov. 14), Netflix’s first livestreamed sporting event, with teams of Formula 1 drivers and PGA stars in a match-play golf tournament from Las Vegas.

    There are also fresh episodes of “The Great British Baking Show” every Friday until its season finale Dec. 1.

    Who’s Netflix for? Fans of buzz-worthy original shows and movies.

    Play, pause or stop? Pause. “The Crown” and “The Great British Baking Show” are the top draws, but aside from those, there’s not a lot else to move the needle this month. However, if you can live with commercials, you can find value at $7.

    Paramount+ ($5.99 a month with ads, $11.99 a month with Showtime and no ads)

    Paramount+ has some interesting stuff in November. But is it enough to justify a subscription?

    “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” (Nov. 5), joins the streaming service’s extensive slate of shows produced by Taylor Sheridan, telling the story of one of the Wild West’s most overlooked real-life heroes: Bass Reeves (played by David Oyelowo), who was the first Black U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi and overcame countless hurdles in enforcing the law in the era of Reconstruction. A marksman with something like 3,000 arrests to his name, Reeves was purportedly the inspiration for the story of the Lone Ranger. Say what you will about Sheridan’s formulaic shows, but he knows how to make a good Western. This should be worth a watch.

    There’s also “The Curse“ (Nov. 10), an intriguing new Showtime series starring Nathan Fielder (“Nathan for You”) and Oscar-winner Emma Stone that puts a dark twist to an HGTV-like home-improvement show; and “Good Burger 2” (Nov. 22), a sequel to the 1997 cult-classic fast-food comedy starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell.

    On the sports side, Paramount has NFL football every Sunday, Big Ten and SEC college football every Saturday, and a full slate of UEFA Champions League soccer.

    Who’s Paramount+ for? Gen X cord-cutters who miss live sports and familiar Paramount Global 
    PARA,
    -0.74%
      broadcast and cable shows.

    Play, pause or stop? Pause. There’s decent value with a couple of promising new shows, especially when factoring in Paramount’s live sports and vast library of movies and network shows.

    Max ($9.99 a month with ads, $15.99 with no ads, or $19.99 ‘Ultimate’ with no ads)

    It’s a very skippable month for Max.

    The Warner Bros. Discovery 
    WBD,
    +1.41%
     streaming service only has a handful of new originals to offer, including Season 2 of Issa Rae’s hip-hop comedy “Rap Sh!t” (Nov. 19), as Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion) come to a crossroads on their road to fame; Season 2 of the biographical drama “Julia” (Nov. 16), starring Sarah Lancashire as iconic chef Julia Child as she and her husband return from France and face new challenges; “Bookie” (Nov. 30), a new comedy from Chuck Lorre (“Big Bang Theory”) and Nick Bakay about an L.A. bookie looking for new angles as the potential legalization of sports gambling threatens to upend his shady business; and Rob Reiner’s documentary “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” (Nov. 11), delving into the life of the comedy legend.

    Also: Here’s everything coming to Max in November 2023 — and what’s leaving

    There are also a ton of holiday-themed shows from Food Network, HGTV and OWN; live sports on its free (for now) Bleacher Report tier that includes NBA and NHL games, college basketball and U.S. men’s soccer (Nov. 16 and 20); and new episodes of “The Gilded Age” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”

    Who’s Max for? HBO fans and movie lovers. And now, unscripted TV fans too, with a slew of Discovery shows.

    Play, pause or stop? Stop. Max still has a great library, but the new offerings fall short. Even the ad tier isn’t worth it — try again another month.

    Amazon’s Prime Video ($14.99 a month, or $8.99 without Prime membership)

    “The Boys” spinoff “Gen V” ends its first season on Nov. 3, but fans of ultra-violent superheroes will be able to slide right into Season 2 of the hit animated series “Invincible” (Nov. 3), which returns to Prime Video after a two-and-a-half-year layoff. Based on the graphic novels by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, the very adult series picks up with Mark (Steven Yeun) still reeling from the revelations about his superhero father (J.K. Simmons) at the end of Season 1, while a new villain (voiced by Sterling K. Brown) appears on the scene. Annoyingly, Season 2 will be split in two, with four episodes in November and another four coming in early 2024.

    More: What’s new on Amazon’s Prime Video and Freevee in November 2023

    Amazon’s
    AMZN,
    +2.94%
     streaming service also has “007: Road to a Million” (Nov. 10), an “Amazing Race”-like competition series hosted by Brian Cox where nine teams of two endure James Bond-inspired challenges around the globe to try to win a big cash prize, and “Twin Love” (Nov. 17), a reality dating show involving 10 sets of identical twins split into two houses.

    Who’s Prime Video for? Movie lovers, TV-series fans who value quality over quantity.

    Play, pause or stop? Stop. There’s no a compelling reason to start a relatively pricey subscription now. That even goes for “Invincible” fans, who would be better off waiting until the second half drops and bingeing when all episodes are available. Splitting up eight episodes is ridiculous.

    Disney+ ($7.99 a month with ads, $13.99 with no ads)

    Tim Allen returns for Season 2 of “The Santa Clauses” (Nov. 8), as the jolly one continues his search for a successor. Eric Stonestreet joins the cast as the exiled “Mad Santa,” along with Gabriel Iglesias as Kris Kringle and Tracey Morgan as the Easter Bunny (because, of course!).

    Meanwhile, Lil Rel Howry, Ludacris and Oscar Nunez star in the new family comedy movie “Dashing Through the Snow” (Nov. 17), and Danny Glover will play Santa in the Disney Channel original film “The Naughty Nine” (Nov. 23).

    In non-holiday fare, Disney has three upcoming Doctor Who specials celebrating the iconic sci-fi series’ 60th anniversary. The first, “Doctor Who: The Star Beast” (Nov. 25), reunites David Tennant and Catherine Tate, as the Doctor and Donna Noble battle the villainous Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris), with the other two specials coming in December, when the 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa of “Sex Education”) will be introduced.

    There’s also 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (Nov. 3), and new episodes of “Loki” (finale Nov. 9), “Goosebumps” (finale Nov. 17) and “Dancing With the Stars.”

    Who’s Disney+ for? Families with kids, hardcore “Star Wars” and Marvel fans. For people not in those groups, Disney’s
    DIS,
    -0.64%
     library can be lacking.

    Play, pause or stop? Stop. After a recent price hike, there’s just not enough to justify a subscription (unless your kids will absolutely melt down without it).

    Peacock ($5.99 a month with ads, or $11.99 with no ads)

    It’s a pretty bleak month for Peacock originals, with only the reality dating spinoff “Love Island Games” (Nov. 1); “Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain” (Nov. 17), the first movie from the “SNL” comedy trio; and Season 2 of the Paris Hilton reality series “Paris in Love” (Nov. 30).

    It’s a bit brighter on the sports side, with Big Ten college basketball starting Nov. 6, Big Ten college football every Saturday, NFL Sunday Night Football and a full slate of English Premier League soccer, golf, motorsports and winter sports.

    And on Thanksgiving (Nov. 23), Peacock will stream the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the National Dog Show and an NFL game, as the 49ers play the Seahawks.

    Who’s Peacock for? Live sports and next-day shows from Comcast’s 
    CMCSA,
    +1.28%
     NBCUniversal are the main draw, but there’s a good library of shows and movies.

    Play, pause or stop? Stop. The live-sports offerings are the only lure.

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  • Six Flags, Cedar Fair near merger: report

    Six Flags, Cedar Fair near merger: report

    Shares of Six Flags Entertainment Corp.
    SIX,
    +6.48%
    and Cedar Fair Entertainment Co.
    FUN,
    -1.36%
    are rising following a report in the Wall Street Journal that the regional theme-park operators could announce a merger as soon as this week. Six’s stock is up 1.5% on Wednesday, while shares of Cedar Fair have climbed 5.6%. Cedar’s properties include Great America in Santa Clara, Calif., Kings Island in Cincinnati, and Canada’s Wonderland in Toronto.

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  • AMC shares rise as meme-stock darling eyes another big Taylor Swift weekend

    AMC shares rise as meme-stock darling eyes another big Taylor Swift weekend

    For AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is the gift that keeps on giving.

    Taylor Swift’s record-breaking concert film, which opened Oct. 12, is in its third weekend at the box office and has already brought in more than $178 million worldwide, according to IMDbPro’s Box Office Mojo.

    “Weekend #3 for Taylor Swift The Eras Tour: Thursday through Sunday,” tweeted AMC CEO Adam Aaron Wednesday. “Playing at all AMC & Odeon theatres in the U.S. & Europe. The highest grossing concert film of all time. CinemaScore A+, RT 99%/98%. See the phenomenon that has captivated the world.”

    Related: AMC still riding a ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ wave

    Earlier this week Aaron tweeted that the movie enjoyed a successful second weekend in theaters. “It’s such a privilege to report that Taylor Swift The Eras Tour won the weekend again!” he wrote on Monday. “The first ever movie distributed by AMC, it had the biggest box office gross last weekend and this weekend! Grossed $179 million so far. All the credit goes to the extraordinary Taylor Swift!”

    Set against this backdrop AMC
    AMC,
    -0.87%
    shares rose 1.9% Friday and are on pace to snap a two-day losing streak.

    In addition to showing “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” in its theaters, AMC  is also the theatrical distributor for the movie. AMC Theatres Distribution and subdistribution partners Variance Films, Trafalgar Releasing, Cinepolis and Cineplex Inc. have clinched deals with movie-theater operators representing more than 8,500 theaters globally to show the film, according to AMC.

    EXCLUSIVE: AMC boosted by Taylor Swift and summer blockbusters, cinema foot-traffic data show

    “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” remained atop the domestic box office last weekend, ahead of Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which brought in an estimated $23 million on its debut weekend, according to Comscore data released Sunday. The new Scorsese movie, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, also enjoyed a strong opening weekend internationally, bringing in an estimated $21 million.

    Shares of movie theater chain and meme stock darling AMC have fallen 73.8% in 2023, compared with S&P 500 index’s
    SPX
    gain of 7.2%.

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  • So you spent $1,000 on Bad Bunny concert tickets. Here’s how to recover.

    So you spent $1,000 on Bad Bunny concert tickets. Here’s how to recover.

    You got ‘em. But at what cost? 

    The summer and fall of 2023 have offered music fans endless opportunities to drop big dollars on concerts. Artists ranging from pop icons like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to newer acts like Olivia Rodrigo have announced tours or hit the road, giving fans a reason to splurge on tickets, merchandise and rhinestone cowboy boots. 

    The latest hitmaker to confirm they’re hitting the road is Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny, who announced the dates for his “Most Wanted” North American tour on Oct. 19.

    Some fans who participated in the tour’s presale were surprised to see the prices. Several took to social media to express their sticker shock, noting that even nosebleed seats were listed at a few hundred dollars each. The exact prices could only be viewed by select fans who were granted access to the sale.

    “Benito should’ve named this tour ‘most expensive tour’ cause what are those prices,” one user posted.

    Another called Bad Bunny “disrespectful,” and posted a screenshot showing nosebleed seats going for $300 and a floor seat priced at $1,101.95.

    Americans have spent big on entertainment this summer and fall, shelling out on recreational expenses like movies, shows and travel. A study from QuestionPro found that concertgoers who went to Taylor Swift’s The Eras tour spent an average of $1,300 per show, including tickets, clothing, merchandise, food, and travel.

    Related: Springsteen is one of many older rockers canceling shows for health reasons, making ticket purchases risky for fans

    That kind of spending has fueled the country’s still-pumping economy, which grew at a 4.9% clip in the third quarter. 

    That being said, dropping four figures on one ticket can put a serious dent in your savings  — or your credit-card balance. But who among us hasn’t considered blowing our budget to scream our favorite songs in a packed stadium? MarketWatch talked to experts for advice on how to bounce back from doing just that. 

    United Talent Agency, which represents Bad Bunny, did not respond to requests for comment. Ticketmaster directed MarketWatch to an FAQ page about tickets and ticket prices on their website. 

    Step 1: Don’t freak out 

    First things first, “take a deep breath,” said Emy Lee, a former accountant and spending coach with more than 40,000 followers on TikTok. A one-time purchase like a concert ticket likely won’t ruin your finances for good, she said — but it can pose a much bigger risk if it sends you into a cycle of shame and overspending.

    “I see this in my clients, too: somebody will make a big purchase, and then they beat themselves up for it and feel guilty,” she said. “Then they just keep spiraling and making impulsive purchases.”

    There’s nothing inherently wrong with spending a lot of money on a concert ticket, said Kimberly Palmer, a personal-finance expert at NerdWallet. 

    “For a lot of people, buying a concert ticket, even though it’s a huge splurge and outside of their normal budget, is not necessarily a bad choice. It’s spending money that really aligns with their values,” she said. “What’s a good choice for you is not necessarily something that can be answered just by looking at numbers or your budget or your income.” 

    Tours for huge artists like Beyoncé or Taylor Swift can also create a huge sense of FOMO, Lee noted, piling on even more pressure to snag a ticket no matter the cost.

    Jack Heintzelman, a certified financial planner from Needham Heights, Mass., recommended giving yourself some grace. 

    “Life happens! This is completely okay and very common,” he said over email. “That’s what we save money for in the first place.”

    Step 2: Make a plan 

    After you’ve cleared your head, it’s time to make a plan. The steps to getting back on track financially will look a little different depending on how you paid for the ticket. 

    Did you put the purchase on a credit card? Then you’ll want to make a plan to pay down the balance as quickly as you can, Palmer said — ideally by the end of the month, before it starts accruing interest.

    But even if it will take a little longer, you should prioritize those payments, she said.

    “You want to make sure you have a plan where you’re paying it down so it doesn’t snowball and become an even bigger amount of debt,” Palmer said. “You can get hit with late fees, and it can quickly get out of control.”

    That’s especially important in a high-rate environment, where interest rates on many credit cards are especially high.  Last year, the average late payment fee for credit cards was $32.

    If the cost of the ticket came out of your savings account, you’re not in danger of the debt ballooning over time. Still, Palmer said, you should focus on replenishing your savings so you’re still in a good position to weather any emergencies that come your way.

    “That could mean setting aside a small amount from every paycheck until you feel comfortable again,” she said. 

    Step 3: Move on 

    After making a plan, it’s time to start thinking about how to avoid overspending like this in the future, experts said.

    “Planning is way easier than recovering as far as big purchases go,” Lee said.

    That doesn’t mean you have to sit on the sidelines every time your favorite artist comes to town. In fact, part  of smart money management is spending intentionally on the things that are truly important to you, Palmer added: “For plenty of people, buying that concert ticket is going to bring them a lot of joy.”

    But sticking to a monthly budget will help you make big purchases with confidence, experts noted. 

    Building a budget often starts with tracking your income and expenses to understand just how much money you’re making and what you’re spending it on. The primary part of your budget should cover your needs. What’s left over can be split between savings and variable expenses — like entertainment.

    “Entertainment gets tricky, because a lot of people feel that it’s a need because it makes you happy,” Lee said. But most often, it should be considered a variable expense.

    After you have a sense of where your money is going, you can trim unnecessary costs, and allocate a portion of your income each month to saving or other financial goals.

    Heintzelman recommended automating a portion of your income to deposit straight into your savings account.

    “That savings will start to build up and be available for that next ‘unexpected’ expense that comes up,” he said over email. “If you automate your savings you can be less stressed about these times where you have to spend down your emergency reserve, because you know you’ll build it over time.”

    Sometimes, making a savvy financial decision will entail finding a more cost-effective way to celebrate your favorite artist. 

    That could mean something like skipping the concert in favor of throwing a themed party at home, Lee said. You can still get dressed up and dance to your favorite songs  with your friends — just with cheaper concessions and no lines for the bathroom. 

    Keeping a budget and making a financial plan will save you a lot of stress in the future, Palmer said. Sticking to one now means you can buy another ticket stress-free when the next tour comes around. 

    “Focusing on making a budget means you have a framework for these decisions,” she added. “It takes the guilt out of the equation.” 

    See also: ‘We’re literally being stolen from, in plain sight’: Musicians are tired of venues taking their T-shirt money, and they’re fighting back.

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  • Inside Kanye West’s troubled Adidas partnership: Tears. Rage. Thrown shoes. Even a scrawled swastika.

    Inside Kanye West’s troubled Adidas partnership: Tears. Rage. Thrown shoes. Even a scrawled swastika.

    The ending of the partnership between the artist Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, in October 2022 appeared to come after weeks of his comments about Jewish people and Black Lives Matter, but the New York Times is reporting that the relationship was troubled from the very start.

    At a meeting on the collaborative creation of the very first shoe in 2013, Adidas
    ADS,
    -0.10%

    ADDYY,
    -0.03%
    designers were stunned when West rejected all of the ideas that were presented using fabric swatches on a table and a mood board, the seven-month investigation found. Instead, West, the Times reports, grabbed a sketch and drew a swastika in marker.

    The move shocked the Germans in the room. Germany has a strict ban on displaying the symbol of the Nazi era apart from for artistic purposes. Adding to the sense of horror, the company’s founder — Adolf, or “Adi,” Dassler, who died in 1978 — was a Nazi Party member, and the meeting took place close to Nuremberg, where leaders of the Third Reich were famously tried for crimes against humanity.

    “A year ago this week, Adidas threw in the towel.”

    West’s fixation on the Nazi era continued, the Times reports, when he later told a Jewish manager at Adidas to kiss a portrait of Adolf Hitler every day. He also told Adidas workers that he admired Hitler’s use and command of propaganda.

    West also brought porn to the workplace and made crude, sexual comments at meetings, according to the Times report. Before the swastika episode, West, according to the Times, had made Adidas executives watch porn at a meeting in his Manhattan apartment.

    In 2022 he reportedly ambushed executives with a porn film. Other workers complained to top managers that he had made angry sexual comments to them.

    The artist, said to have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, also frequently cried or became angry during meetings, according to the Times investigation. In one instance in 2019, he reportedly moved the operation designing his shoes to Cody, Wyo., and ordered the Adidas team to relocate. In a meeting to discuss his demands with executives, he threw shoes around the room, the Times reports.

    Adidas sought to adapt to this behavior, given how valuable the West-established Yeezy brand was to the company, locked in a perennial battle for both revenue and buzz with its U.S.-based rival Nike Inc.
    NKE,
    -2.04%    .
    Yeezy sales would rapidly surpass $1 billion a year and help Adidas resonate with young American customers.

    Ratings Game (July 2020): Gap hopes it can burnish its image with a new Kanye West clothing line, repeating the rapper’s brand success with Adidas

    Managers launched a group text chain they called the “Yzy hotline” to discuss his behavior. To reduce stress on individuals, the company is said to have rotated managers in and out of dealing directly with West.

    Over time, meanwhile, Adidas sweetened the terms of West’s deal. Under a 2016 contract, he was entitled to a 15% royalty on sales with a $15 million upfront payment as well as millions of dollars in Adidas stock. In 2019, a further $100 million a year was earmarked for marketing, but, in reality, West could spend those funds at will.

    A year ago this week, though, as public awareness of West’s problematic attitudes are remarks spiked, Adidas threw in the towel, and as sales of Yeezy shoes fell away, it warned it would record its first annual loss in decades. As West’s net worth plummeted, the company wrestled with the decision of how to dispense with its final $1.3 billion in Yeezy products, mulling options including disassembly and repurposing, donation to charity, and outright disposal.

    When a decision was reached to sell the product — in release batches — with some of the proceeds directed to charity and most of the rest flowing to Adidas, West, even then, was entitled to royalties.

    From the archives (October 2022): Kanye West is no longer a billionaire after Adidas shelves Yeezy partnership

    Also see (November 2022): Nike parts ways with Kyrie Irving as controversy swirls over Brooklyn Nets star’s apparent endorsement of antisemitic film

    After bottoming in October 2022, Adidas shares have mounted a 67% comeback, with relief over the company’s not having had to book a damaging loss on the Yeezy line one factor in the restoration of investor confidence.

    Adidas is quoted as having told the Times that it “has no tolerance for hate speech and offensive behavior, which is why the company terminated the Adidas Yeezy partnership,” while West reportedly declined requests for interviews and comment.

    The Times investigation is said to have been based on access to hundreds of previously undisclosed internal records.

    Read on: Michael Jordan is now worth $3 billion. Here’s what billionaire athletes have in common.

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  • Hasbro’s stock is having its worst month since the 1980s as toys sales tumble

    Hasbro’s stock is having its worst month since the 1980s as toys sales tumble

    Shares of Hasbro Inc. got rocked Thursday, making investors suffer through the worst month in four decades, as a weakening toy market led the company to report disappointing third-quarter results.

    Heading into 2023, the toy market was expected to be down in the low-single-digit percentage range for the year, but the market’s performance has been “more challenging that planned,” Chief Executive Chris Cocks said on the post-earnings conference call with analysts.

    “We saw the category soften during [the third quarter] to negative 10%,” Cocks said, according to an AlphaSense transcript.

    The stock
    HAS,
    -11.42%
    fell 11.5% toward a seven-month low in afternoon trading and was headed for the biggest one-day selloff since it sank 18.7% on March 16, 2020.

    It has fallen in 14 of the 19 trading days in October, to plunge 26.7% in the month to date. That puts it on track for the worst monthly performance since the record 43.1% selloff in October 1987, the month when “Black Monday” occurred.

    Overall, third-quarter revenue fell 10.3% to $1.5 billion, to miss the FactSet consensus of $1.62 billion. The company’s consumer-products business, which includes toys, dropped 17.6% to $956.9 million, missing expectations of $1.1 billion.

    Sales for Habro’s entertainment segment fell 41.9% to $122.9 million, below Wall Street projections of $127.8 million, but the company was able to blame that weakness on the effects of the writers and actors strikes on film and TV revenue.

    It wasn’t all bad for Hasbro, however. Wizards of the Coast and digital-gaming revenue soared 39.6% to $423.6 million, well above expectations of $390.3 million, amid a more than doubling in digital- and licensed-gaming revenue behind “Baldur’s Gate III” from Larian Studios.

    For 2023, the company now expects revenue to be down 13% to 15% from 2022, which is much worse than previous guidance for a decline of 3% to 6%. The current FactSet revenue consensus of $5.5 billion implies a 6.1% decline.

    Hasbro also reported a net loss of $171.1 million, or $1.23 a share, after recording net income of $129.2 million, or 93 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding nonrecurring items, such as losses on assets held for sale, adjusted earnings per share rose to $1.64 from $1.42 but missed the FactSet consensus of $1.72.

    CFRA analyst Zachary Warring cut his price target on Hasbro’s stock to $68 from $85 but reiterated his strong buy rating, as the new target implied 40% upside from current levels.

    “Even though we were caught offside on this quarter’s results, we believe this is a multi-year opportunity to buy shares and expect digital gaming to continue momentum while consumer products has little downside,” Warring wrote in a note to clients.

    Meanwhile, shares of Hasbro rival Mattel Inc.
    MAT,
    -7.63%
    also dropped, down 7.1% toward a four-month low, even though the company’s third-quarter profit and sales beat expectations. That’s because strong sales of Barbie, Disney Princess and Disney Frozen dolls offset weakness in toys.

    Mattel said it expects toy-industry sales to decline in the mid-single-digit percentage range for the year.

    Mattel’s stock was down 15.2% in October, while the S&P 500
    SPX
    slipped 3.2%.

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  • Stocks Are Poised to Rise Monday

    Stocks Are Poised to Rise Monday

    U.S. stocks are poised to rise on Monday ahead of a week of earnings and economic data releases, including quarterly reports from Tesla, Netflix, and .

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  • These 10 college athletes are making over $1 million a year from NIL

    These 10 college athletes are making over $1 million a year from NIL

    It now pays to be an amateur.

    The NCAA started allowing college athletes to make money from their name, image and likeness in 2021, after decades of student-athletes saying it wasn’t fair that they didn’t receive any money while the games they played in generated millions of dollars — especially football and basketball contests. And today, many of these athletes are not just making some extra cash on the side — they’re making millions.

    These NIL deals are negotiated by college athletes and their representation, and typically involve leveraging an athlete’s brand and influence through promotional means. For example, a car dealership near a university campus may ask the college’s high-profile quarterback to do a commercial for them in exchange for a monetary payment or a car. Similarly, an athlete can make money from social media, depending on how big their following is.

    Football players are among the college athletes who make the most money from NIL deals, followed by men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and women’s basketball. That’s because college football and basketball have multibillion-dollar TV contracts to broadcast games, while most other sports generally have lower visibility.

    With that in mind, here are the college athletes who make the most money from NIL deals according to On3’s proprietary NIL algorithm, which is based on NIL-deal data, performance, influence and exposure

    10. J.J. McCarthy, $1.3 million 

    J.J. McCarthy of the Michigan Wolverines in action against the Georgia Bulldogs.


    Getty Images

    As the junior quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines football team, McCarthy is one of the six college football QBs in the top 10 of NIL earners.

    McCarthy sports 276,000 followers across his social-media platforms, and has deals with Alo, Bose and Bowman.

    Tie-8. Bo Nix, $1.4 million

    Bo Nix of the Oregon Ducks throws a pass against the Stanford Cardinals.


    Getty Images

    The senior QB for the Oregon Ducks has led his team to a perfect 5-0 start this season.

    Nix has 219,000 followers on social media and NIL deals with 7-Eleven, Bojangles and Celsius. Nix is considered one of the top players in the nation and has the third-best betting odds to win college football’s Heisman Trophy on DraftKings
    DKNG,
    -2.52%
    sportsbook.

    Tie-8. Spencer Rattler, $1.4 million

    Spencer Rattler of the South Carolina Gamecocks warms up before a game against the Tennessee Volunteers.


    Getty Images

    The South Carolina Gamecocks senior QB has one of the more robust NIL profiles in the nation. He has deals with Mercedes-Benz
    MBG,
    -1.23%    ,
    Leaf trading cards and Raising Canes.

    Rattler also has 578,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram
    META,
    -0.71%
    and X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

    7. Angel Reese, $1.7 million

    Angel Reese of the LSU Lady Tigers during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game.


    Getty Images

    Reese was one of the breakout stars of the women’s March Madness basketball tournament this year. The Louisiana State University hooper led her team to the 2023 title and famously flashed a “you can’t see me” gesture in the title game.

    Reese has brand deals with Airbnb, PlayStation and Intuit TurboTax
    INTU,
    -0.50%
    and has appeared in ads for Amazon
    AMZN,
    +0.01%
    and Pepsi Co.’s
    PEP,
    +0.59%
    Starry. She also has 5.2 million followers across her social-media platforms.

    During LSU’s magical title run last season, Reese set an NCAA single-season record with her 34th double-double against the Iowa Hawkeyes and was named the most outstanding player of the Final Four.

    Reese is one of just two female athletes inside the top 10 in On3’s NIL valuation tracker, and the top college basketball player on the list.

    6. Travis Hunter, $2.3 million

    Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes signals first down after a catch against the TCU Horned Frogs.


    Getty Images

    Hunter was one of the college football players who transferred to the University of Colorado from Jackson State last season to follow coach Deion Sanders.

    Hunter, a five-star sophomore prospect, plays on both offense and defense — as a wide receiver and a cornerback — a rarity in a high-level college program. He has 1.9 million followers on social media, a successful YouTube
    GOOG,
    -0.08%
    channel, and endorsements with Celsius Energy Drink and 7-Eleven.

    Hunter entered the 2023 college season as the most highly touted NFL prospect at Colorado, and Deion Sanders contends rival schools have attempted to poach him via lucrative NIL deals.

    “People offered Travis Hunter a bag — about $1.5 million to try to lure him and buy him out of the transfer portal,” coach Sanders told 247Sports over the summer. “But Travis is not the kind of guy that can be bought. He isn’t built like that. Travis is a relational young man that is built on relationships and stability. And that’s what he wanted and desired. That is why he decided to ride and stay with us.”

    If and when Hunter decides to declare for the NFL draft, he will likely have a multimillion-dollar contract as a rookie that could dwarf his collegiate NIL earnings.

    5. Caleb Williams, $2.7 million

    Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans warms up before a game against the Arizona State Sun Devils.


    Getty Images

    The University of Southern California QB is seen as a generational NFL prospect and the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but he isn’t the top NIL earner.

    Williams has 347,000 followers on social media, and brand deals with United Airlines
    UAL,
    -1.24%    ,
    Alo and Beats by Dre.

    Once the USC junior QB declares for the draft, his rookie contract will likely be set above $37 million, per Spotrac’s estimates.

    4. Arch Manning, $2.8 million

    Arch Manning of the Texas Longhorns warms up prior to a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.


    Getty Images

    The Texas Longhorns freshman QB is one of several top NIL earners whose family plays a role in their fame. Arch Manning is the nephew of Super Bowl champion QBs Peyton and Eli Manning, and the grandson of former NFL QB Archie Manning.

    Despite being a backup quarterback with no recorded statistics, the younger Manning has 277,000 followers on social media and has a brand deal with Panini. That deal involved him autographing an extremely rare one-of-one Prizm Black card that was auctioned off for $102,500, which was later donated to charity.

    Manning was a standout high school recruit, ranked No. 5 in the nation in the 2023 class, and could have an NFL future.

    3. Livvy Dunne, $3.2 million

    Olivia Dunne of LSU looks on during a PAC-12 meet against Utah.


    Getty Images

    Dunne is the only college athlete in the top 10 of NIL earners who doesn’t play basketball or football. The junior LSU gymnast is the top female NIL earner in the nation and has brand deals with Vuori clothing, Body Armor
    KO,
    +0.62%
    and American Eagle Outfitters.

    Dunne is the second most-followed college athlete on social media with 12.1 million followers on Instagram, TikTok and X combined.

    For many years Dunne was seen as the poster child for NIL deals, and she said earlier this year that she could make as much as $500,000 from a single post.

    “What I love with certain brands is getting long-term brand deals,” Dunne said on the Full Send podcast in June. “Those are probably the best because you build a relationship with the brand and they want you year after year.”

    2. Shedeur Sanders, $4.8 million

    Shedeur Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates as he walks off the field following an NCAAF game against the Arizona State Sun Devils.


    Getty Images

    University of Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders has become a phenomenon in the sports world. The 21-year-old junior made headlines after throwing for 510 yards and four touchdowns in Colorado’s season-opening shocker against No. 17–ranked Texas Christian.

    Colorado has become the center of the football world since Shedeur’s father Deion took over as coach. Coach Prime’s team is currently 4-2 — the team was 1-11 last season, good for last place in its conference.

    The quarterback has more than 2.3 million followers on social media, and has already inked several deals with big brands, including with yogurt producer Oikos
    0KFX,
    -1.13%    ,
    Gatorade and Mercedes-Benz. He has shown fans some of his new Mercedes cars on social media, too.

    Overall, Shedeur Sanders’s NIL value currently sits at $4.8 million, according to On3, up from $1.5 million at the beginning of the year — that’s the highest value in all of college football. For context, that’s nearly twice the average NFL player’s salary.

    1. Bronny James, $5.9 million

    Bronny James playing at his high school, Sierra Canyon.


    Getty Images

    James has perhaps the most famous family member of any person on this list. He is the son of NBA legend LeBron James, and is currently set to begin his freshman basketball season at USC.

    The younger James has yet to play a game at his new school, but will immediately be one of the most well-known players in college athletics. James has 13.5 million social media followers, the most of any college athlete, and has brand deals with Nike
    NKE,
    +1.10%
    and Beats by Dre
    AAPL,
    -0.06%    ,
    two brands his dad is also repped by.

    Bronny James suffered cardiac arrest in July during a basketball practice and had to be taken to the hospital. But he’s on the road to recovery, and hopes to play basketball this season.

    “Bronny is doing extremely well,” the older James said last week. “He has begun his rehab process to get back on the floor this season with his teammates at USC. (With) the successful surgery that he had, he’s on the up-and-up. It’s definitely a whirlwind, a lot of emotions for our family this summer. But the best thing we have is each other.”

    See also: Michael Jordan is now worth $3 billion. Here’s what billionaire athletes have in common.

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  • Microsoft’s Activision Deal Gets Green Light From UK Regulator

    Microsoft’s Activision Deal Gets Green Light From UK Regulator

    By Kim Mackrael

    Microsoft’s acquisition of videogame company Activision Blizzard won approval from U.K. competition authorities, clearing a path for the companies to close the $75 billion deal after a lengthy struggle with regulators.
    

    

    The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority said Friday that the proposed deal no longer poses a major threat to competition in cloud gaming. The shift comes after Microsoft offered to restructure the deal by forfeiting cloud-streaming rights for “Call of Duty” and other popular Activision franchises in much of the world.
    

    -Sarah E. Needleman contributed to this article
    

    Write to Kim Mackrael at Kim.mackrael@wsj.com
    

    

    


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  • 
		
		
    
			
    Taylor Swift’s film opened Thursday, surprising (and disappointing) some fans
    
			
    Taylor Swift’s film opened Thursday, surprising (and disappointing) some fans
    
			
    

    

    So much for being the first in line for the highly anticipated Taylor Swift “Eras Tour” concert film.
    

    With the last-minute news that the film’s release was being moved to Thursday instead of the originally announced date of Friday, some Swift fans have expressed frustration that they may have to buy tickets all over again.
    

    

    Or as one commented Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter), “you’re telling me I had to fight for my life on the cineplex website for opening day tickets just for her to add showtimes tmrw?”
    

    Swift revealed the change to the film’s release schedule on Wednesday, saying, “Due to unprecedented demand we’re opening up early access showings of The Eras Tour Concert Film on THURSDAY in America and Canada!!”
    

    Swift attended the film’s premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, joined by some 2,200 fans. But on Thursday, she was back to taking in a Kansas City Chiefs game, according to an Associated Press report.
    

    Swift has attended other Chiefs games this season to root on tight end Travis Kelce. The pair are said to have a growing relationship.
    

    Some Swifties greeted the announcement of the film’s new Thursday release date with joy. “Taylor Swift always knows how to surprise us! Can’t wait for this incredible journey to begin!” said one.
    

    But others were disappointed that they no longer had those first-to-see bragging rights. And they suddenly were faced with the dilemma of having to buy tickets all over again if they wanted to maintain that position. In turn, that left them with the problem of what to do with the tickets they purchased for Friday showings.
    

    One commenter on X thought it was pretty savvy of Swift to boost the box office this way, saying the singer is “getting more sales out of her fans by moving opening night.”
    

    Another commenter also said this was “a smart move” on Swift and her team’s part.
    

    Not that theaters haven’t already sold plenty of seats for the film. The movie is set to have at least a $150 million opening, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and has buoyed the AMC
    
        AMC,
    
        +5.57%
    
       and Cinemark
    
        CNK,
    
        -2.66%
    
       chains.
    

    

    


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  • 
		
		
    
			
    Ford, Microsoft, Delta, Walgreens, Birkenstock, and More Stock Market Movers
    
			
    Ford, Microsoft, Delta, Walgreens, Birkenstock, and More Stock Market Movers
    
			
    

    





    Stock futures posted modest gains Thursday ahead of a report likely to show that 











U.S. inflation fell in September as gasoline price growth slowed and used-car costs declined.
    


    




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  • 
		
		
    
			
    You just won the Powerball jackpot — what should you do next?
    
			
    You just won the Powerball jackpot — what should you do next?
    
			
    

    One lucky person picked the winning $1.73 billion Powerball number in California. It is a life-changing amount of money for the lucky winner or winners — but not necessarily in a good way. 
    

    Robert Pagliarini, author of “The Sudden Wealth Solution,” has been guiding lottery winners for decades. And he has seen plenty of people run through their winnings faster than you can say “jackpot!” Or, friends and family (and certainly office lottery pool players) can see their winnings tied up in legal battles for years, as the parties argue over who gets how much. About 70% of lottery winners lose or spend all the money in five years or less, after all. 
    

    

    “Money — especially when you’re talking about this level of money — absolutely upends people’s lives,” Pagliarini, the president of Pacifica Wealth Advisors, told MarketWatch. “You should be excited, but you should also be prepared, for sure.” 
    

    These are his five tips for what to do if you win the lottery or get another windfall.
    

    Document that the winning ticket is YOURS
    

    Sign your name on the winning ticket, take a picture of yourself holding the winning ticket — in fact, take a video of yourself holding the signed, winning ticket, for good measure. 
    

    “The first step is really all about securing the ticket … because whoever has it is the owner,” says Pagliarini. “There’s no record of you having purchased that ticket with those numbers. So having that ticket is everything.” 
    

    Related: Hoping to win Mega Millions? This woman hit a $112 million Mega Millions jackpot.
    

    You have to document that this ticket is yours, which is why Pagliarini says legal experts recommend signing it. “I would absolutely sign it myself,” he adds. 
    

    And then put that ticket in a safe place, like a home safe or lockbox. 
    

    Don’t tell anyone yet!
    

    You may want to sing the good news from the rooftops that your financial troubles are over. Problem is, everyone else’s troubles aren’t — and Pagliarini warns that, for your own personal safety and peace of mind, it’s better not to let the world know you’ve just become a billionaire overnight — if you can help it. Unfortunately, most states make you disclose that you’ve won.
    

    “We’re used to seeing people with the big check on TV, which looks pretty cool — but now everybody in the entire world knows that you’re worth $1 billion. And that’s not really the kind of publicity that you want,” says Pagliarini. “You’re going to be hit up for lots of money requests as people come out of the woodwork. And that adds such a huge amount of stress when you’re in a situation that is already stressful.” 
    

    You generally have 180 days to collect the winnings, and you’re going to have to make some big, life-changing decisions during that time. Staying anonymous, if you can, will give you the space to make those decisions with a clear head. 
    

    Unfortunately, as noted, most states compel lottery winners to come forward publicly. If you have to reveal yourself and do press interviews, protect your personal information. Some past Powerball winners didn’t answer questions about any meaningful or personal significance associated with the winning numbers that they played, for example, or they refused to share details about their children. One couple simply moved out of their house and refused to speak with the media at all while they settled their affairs.
    

    “My rule is basically, you tell one family member, and then you immediately try to get professional help,” Pagliarini adds. Which leads us to…. 
    

    Get a lawyer and a financial adviser
    

    Bring in the professional help as soon as you can. An attorney can help you decide the best time to claim your lottery prize, and offer more advice on keeping your ticket safe. They can also help navigate your rights and protect your best interests with regards to how much you need to present yourself publicly. And they can also help you manage your safety. 
    

    Meanwhile, a financial adviser can assess your financial situation and help you decide whether it makes sense to take a lump sum of cash, or to collect your winnings over annual payments. A financial adviser can also help you manage your money so that you can check things off your bucket list without overspending.
    

    “You know you’ve won, and then typically you have about 180 days to collect the winnings,” says Pagliarini. “So you’ve got to do some serious planning.” You need all the help you can get.  
    

    Do you take the lump-sum payment or the annuity payment?
    

    Pagliarini considers staying anonymous as the first big decision a lottery winner makes. The second most important question, however, is how they collect their winnings. Do you want to take a lump sum, or do you want to take the annuity (aka, a payout over time)?
    

    “This is really the biggest financial decision you’ll ever make in your entire life,” he says. (Granted, it’s one that most of us will never have to make, since the odds of winning the lottery, let alone a jackpot of this size, are infinitesimal.)  
    

    He notes that most people take the lump-sum payment, and in some circumstances this can be a better decision. But keep in mind that if you win a $1 billion Powerball jackpot, for example, you are not getting $1 billion. 
    

    “They send you about 60-ish percent of whatever the lump sum is,” Pagliarini notes. So for a $1 billion prize, for example, “you would get around $600 million instead of $1 billion,” he said. And after state taxes, depending on where you live, and federal taxes, that jackpot may be closer to $300 million in the end. Whereas, the annuity is given as 30 payments over 29 years, which will come closer to hitting the advertised $1 billion jackpot than lump-sum takers would get. So being patient can pay off in the long run, especially with a bigger prize like this.
    

    As far as taxes are concerned, Pagliarini still leans toward annuity — especially for a smaller jackpot, like if it was $1 million. That’s because you would get a lump-sum payment of about $600,000, which would put you in the highest federal and state income tax bracket (for single filers anyway) that year — versus taking an extra $30,000 a year for 30 years. “That annuity payment is probably not going to catapult you into the highest tax bracket,” he says. But for a $1 billion-plus jackpot like this, you’re going to be in the highest tax bracket whichever payout you choose, he says.
    

    But there’s another reason to consider going the annuity route, Pagliarini says — it can save you from yourself. 
    

    “The biggest advantage of the lump-sum payout is that you get most of the money up front, and then you can do whatever you want with it,” he says, such as pay off debt, invest it, buy a house, etc. “But that actually happens to be the biggest disadvantage of the lump sum,” he continues. And that’s because, if you overspend your winnings and run out of cash with your lump sum, then you are out of luck. But the annuity payments are almost like a do-over each year, he says, because you can learn from your mistakes and spend the next annual windfall more wisely. “I’ve advised most people honestly to take the annuity,” he says. “It just allows you to really make mistakes, but have them not be a total derailment.” 
    

    If you still can’t make up your mind, he also has a free online quiz to help you decide whether you should take a lump sum or an annuity payment. 
    

    Keep it simple when deciding where to put your new money.
    

    So you’ve secured your ticket, tried to keep it quiet, hired some professional help, and decided how you are going to collect your winnings. Then what do you do with all of this cash? 
    

    Every financial situation is different, of course, which is where a financial adviser can help you sort out the nuances to make this lottery win a real dream come true for you. But in general, Pagliarini recommends keeping things simple — even considering that this $1 billion jackpot (even whittled down after taxes) would allow you to do basically whatever you wanted to do. 
    

    “If I were meeting with you, we would sit down and make some serious decisions, and prioritize what you want to do,” he says, “such as paying off debt, and discussing what is on your wish list. Do you want to buy a new house or a second house, or buy your family houses?” He suggests pricing out your wish list together with your adviser to see whether you could afford to do everything you want. 
    

    But you still want money left over to live on. “We want to make sure the money left over is generating enough income so that they could survive on that for as long as they wanted — and particularly in this case, I’m sure generations would be able to survive on this amount of money,” he says. “I would invest in index funds. I wouldn’t get esoteric with limited partnerships and venture capital. Just go for a diversified portfolio, because as soon as you start deviating from ‘simple’ you can really increase your chances of just losing it all.” 
    

    He notes that because lottery winnings don’t feel “earned,” the prize may not feel like “real” money — which is one of the reasons so many lottery winners don’t manage their newfound wealth well. Again, about 70% of lottery winners lose or spend all that money in five years or less. “If the money doesn’t feel earned or real, you’re going to make decisions with that money that are probably not going to be in your best interest,” he adds. “You’re giving it away more freely, spending more freely, or freely investing in things a lot riskier than you would have done if you had to sweat and earn that money.” 
    

    So keep it simple. “Don’t think just because you have x-millions of dollars now that you really have to get ‘sophisticated,’” he adds.
    

    And some bonus advice for office pools
    

    This is more of an extra, hindsight tip for before you and your co-workers start throwing in a buck apiece for a long-shot bid at a jackpot like this. Pagliarini warns that office pools can get “tricky,” so it’s good to sign a contract setting some ground rules before you all pool together. 
    

    “There’s been a lot of litigation around office pools, because maybe somebody forgets to play one week, and that’s the week everyone wins. Or someone thought they played this week, but on this particular week they didn’t,” he says. “So loosey-goosey situations can end up in court to battle it out.”
    

    A much simpler solution to avoid this is to have an office pool contract that spells out who is in this pool, how much they are contributing, and it also determines in advance whether the group will take the lump-sum payment or the annuity payment. 
    

    “Because the last thing that you want is to win $1 billion or $100 million dollars, and then to be tied up in court for four years,” says Pagliarini. “That’s no fun.”
    

    


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  • 
		
		
    
			
    U.S. stocks end higher after blockbuster September jobs report as S&P 500 snaps 4-week losing streak
    
			
    U.S. stocks end higher after blockbuster September jobs report as S&P 500 snaps 4-week losing streak
    
			
    

    

    U.S. stocks closed higher Friday, with the S&P 500 eking out a modest weekly gain, as investors assessed a monthly jobs report that showed both a blockbuster surge in jobs created along with a slowdown in wage pressures.
    

    How stock indexes traded
    

      

    • 
      The Dow Jones Industrial Average
      
        DJIA
      
       rose 288.01 points, or 0.9%, to close at 33,407.58.
      

      • 

    • 
      The S&P 500
      
        SPX
      
       gained 50.31 points, or 1.2%, to finish at 4,308.50.
      

      • 

    • 
      The Nasdaq Composite
      
        COMP
      
       climbed 211.51 points, or 1.6%, to end at 13,431.34. 
      

      • 

    

    For the week, the Dow slipped 0.3% while the S&P 500 edged up 0.5% and the Nasdaq gained 1.6%. The Dow fell for a third straight week, while the S&P 500 snapped a four-week losing streak and the Nasdaq saw back-to-back weekly gains, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
    

    

    What drove markets
    

    U.S. stocks climbed Friday, after reversing course from their slide earlier in the session as investors parsed a U.S. employment report that was stronger than forecast.
    

    “Wages slowed down,” said José Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers, in a phone interview Friday. “That was a great development” as the Federal Reserve aims to bring down inflation through monetary tightening.
    

    Investors have worried that a hot labor market will keep wage growth elevated, adding to inflationary pressures that could see the Fed keep interest rates higher for longer or potentially hike its benchmark rate one more time this year.
    

    A report Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the U.S. economy created 336,000 jobs in September, far surpassing economists’ expectations for 170,000 new jobs. Also, the report said job gains in August and July were revised higher. 
    

    See: Jobs report shows big 336,000 gain in hiring in September. Labor market still hot.
    

    But other details from the report were slightly more favorable in terms of monetary policy concerns.
    

    For example, average hourly wages rose a mild 0.2% in September, bringing the 12-month rate of change through September to 4.2%, a slower pace than the prior month’s year-over-year rate of 4.3%.
    

    “Even though the headline number was 2.5 times what Wall Street had anticipated, the more important detail below the surface was that wage inflation actually cooled,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA, during a phone interview with MarketWatch.
    

    Renaissance Macro Research’s Neil Dutta said in a note that the jobs report was consistent with a soft landing for the economy and the Fed’s objective to lower the inflation rate back to 2%. 
    

    Also see: Why another Fed rate hike this year ‘still a close call’ after jobs report, according to JPMorgan’s David Kelly
    

    “The strong labor market gives credence to the base case still being a soft landing,” said Yung-Yu Ma, chief investment officer at BMO Wealth Management, in a phone interview Friday. But that soft-landing narrative is “somewhat fragile and data dependent,” he said.
    

    See: U.S. stocks stage a surprising rally on Friday. But can the party last?
    

    Investors will be watching for data scheduled to be released next week on September inflation from the consumer-price index and producer-price index.
    

    Meanwhile, economists from Goldman Sachs Group said in a note Friday that “the continued rebalancing of the labor market” is consistent with their expectation that the Fed is done raising rates this year, despite senior Fed officials projecting another hike in their latest batch of forecasts, released last month. 
    

    Federal-funds-futures traders are expecting the Fed will keep its benchmark rate at the current range of 5.25% to 5.5% at its policy meetings in November and December, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.
    

    “I’m of the belief that the Fed will not hike again this year,” BMO’s Ma said. “I don’t think it needs to.”
    

    Meanwhile, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note
    
        BX:TMUBMUSD10Y
    
       climbed 6.8 basis points to 4.783%, rising for five straight weeks, according to Dow Jones Market Data. 
    

    Rising Treasury yields, particularly on the long end of the yield curve, have been blamed for a selloff in stocks over the past couple months. But the S&P 500 is now up so far in October, with a small gain of 0.5%, according to FactSet data.
    

    Companies in focus
    


    Steve Goldstein contributed to this report.
    

    

    


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  • 
		
		
    
			
    Why McDonald’s is bringing back its McRib for the umpteenth time
    
			
    Why McDonald’s is bringing back its McRib for the umpteenth time
    
			
    

    

    Call it the long goodbye, fast food-style.
    

    McDonald’s
    
        MCD,
    
        +0.27%
    
       is planning to bring back its beloved McRib sandwich, just one year after giving the porky treat a “farewell tour.” The menu item is set to return next month, according to the company. 
    

    

    “While it won’t be available nationwide, some lucky fans may find their favorite elusive saucy sandwich at their local McDonald’s restaurants this November,” McDonald’s said in a statement to MarketWatch on Wednesday.
    

    Not that the news should come as a complete surprise. McDonald’s has always employed a scarcity tactic in marketing the McRib. That is, the key to the sandwich’s appeal has been that it’s never around for long, leaving fans (including Homer Simpson) to devour it while they can.
    

    As Restaurant Business, a trade publication, observed last year: “If consumers think there is a shortage of a product, or that it won’t be around for long, they will rush out to get it. Think of the Great Toilet Paper Shortage in 2020 and how many people rushed out to get some the moment they thought they might run out.”
    

    The publication quoted McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski about this approach, particularly in relation to the “farewell tour”: “The McRib is the GOAT of sandwiches on our menu. And so like the GOATs Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, and others, you’re never sure if they’re fully retired or not.”
    

    By all accounts, the strategy has worked: A Wall Street Journal story once noted that McDonald’s sold more than 60 million of the sandwiches over a three-year period — in spite of the fact (or maybe because of the fact) it’s available in such limited fashion.
    

    Further proof of the McRib’s success: It has spawned some competition. In 2021, Arby’s released a Country Style Pork Rib sandwich as a limited-time fall offering — and took cheeky aim at McDonald’s in its marketing, referring to the McRib as a “rib-shaped sandwich” (there’s some truth to that — the McRib features a boneless pork patty with no actual ribs).
    

    Naturally, the McRib’s return has sparked plenty of reaction on social media. One commenter on X (formerly Twitter) referred to the fact the sandwich seemingly has nine lives. Another said that McDonald’s retracting of its “farewell tour” announcement has left them having “trust issues.”
    

    

    

    


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  • 
		
		
    
			
    These 20 stocks in the S&P 500 are expected to soar after rising interest rates have pushed down valuations
    
			
    These 20 stocks in the S&P 500 are expected to soar after rising interest rates have pushed down valuations
    
			
    

    Two things investors can be sure about: Nothing lasts forever and the stock market always overreacts. The spiking of yields on long-term U.S. Treasury securities has been breathtaking, and it has led to remarkable declines for some sectors and possible bargains for contrarian investors who can commit for the long term.
    

    First we will show how the sectors of the S&P 500
    
        
    
       have performed. Then we will look at price-to-earnings valuations for the sectors and compare them to long-term averages. Then we will screen the entire index for companies trading below their long-term forward P/E valuation averages and narrow the list to companies most favored by analysts.
    

    

    Here are total returns, with dividends reinvested, for the 11 sectors of the S&P 500, with broad indexes below. The sectors are sorted by ascending total returns this year through Monday. 
    

    

    

      Sector or index
    
    		

      2023 return
    
    		

      2022 return
    
    		

      Return since end of 2021
    
    		

      1 week return
    
    		

      1 month return
    
    		

    

    

      Utilities
    
    		

      -18.4%
    
    		

      1.6%
    
    		

      -17.2%
    
    		

      -11.1%
    
    		

      -9.6%
    
    		

    

    

      Real Estate
    
    		

      -7.1%
    
    		

      -26.1%
    
    		

      -31.4%
    
    		

      -3.0%
    
    		

      -8.8%
    
    		

    

    

      Consumer Staples
    
    		

      -5.4%
    
    		

      -0.6%
    
    		

      -6.0%
    
    		

      -2.2%
    
    		

      -4.4%
    
    		

    

    

      Healthcare
    
    		

      -4.2%
    
    		

      -2.0%
    
    		

      -6.1%
    
    		

      -1.7%
    
    		

      -3.3%
    
    		

    

    

      Financials
    
    		

      -2.5%
    
    		

      -10.5%
    
    		

      -12.7%
    
    		

      -2.5%
    
    		

      -4.7%
    
    		

    

    

      Materials
    
    		

      1.3%
    
    		

      -12.3%
    
    		

      -11.2%
    
    		

      -1.9%
    
    		

      -7.0%
    
    		

    

    

      Industrials
    
    		

      3.5%
    
    		

      -5.5%
    
    		

      -2.1%
    
    		

      -1.8%
    
    		

      -7.3%
    
    		

    

    

      Energy
    
    		

      4.0%
    
    		

      65.7%
    
    		

      72.4%
    
    		

      -1.9%
    
    		

      -1.4%
    
    		

    

    

      Consumer Discretionary
    
    		

      27.0%
    
    		

      -37.0%
    
    		

      -20.0%
    
    		

      -0.6%
    
    		

      -5.2%
    
    		

    

    

      Information Technology
    
    		

      36.5%
    
    		

      -28.2%
    
    		

      -2.0%
    
    		

      0.8%
    
    		

      -5.9%
    
    		

    

    

      Communication Services
    
    		

      42.5%
    
    		

      -39.9%
    
    		

      -14.3%
    
    		

      1.1%
    
    		

      -1.3%
    
    		

    

    

      

      

      

      

      

      

    

    

      S&P 500
    
        
          		

      13.1%
    
    		

      -18.1%
    
    		

      -7.4%
    
    		

      -1.1%
    
    		

      -4.9%
    
    		

    

    

      DJ Industrial Average
    
        
          		

      2.5%
    
    		

      -6.9%
    
    		

      -4.5%
    
    		

      -1.7%
    
    		

      -4.0%
    
    		

    

    

      Nasdaq Composite Index
    
        COMP
          		

      28.0%
    
    		

      -32.5%
    
    		

      -13.7%
    
    		

      0.3%
    
    		

      -5.1%
    
    		

    

    

      Nasdaq-100 Index
    
        
          		

      36.5%
    
    		

      -32.4%
    
    		

      -7.7%
    
    		

      0.5%
    
    		

      -4.2%
    
    		

    

    

      Source: FactSet
    
    		

    

    

    Returns for 2022 are also included, along with those since the end of 2021. Last year’s weakest sector, communications services, has been this year’s strongest performer. This sector includes Alphabet Inc.
    
        GOOGL
    
       and Meta Platforms Inc.
    
        META,
    
       which have returned 52% and 155% this year, respectively, but are still down since the end of 2021. To the right are returns for the past week and month through Monday.
    

    On Monday, the S&P 500 Utilities sector had its worst one-day performance since 2020, with a 4.7% decline. Investors were reacting to the jump in long-term interest rates. 
    

    Here is a link to the U.S. Treasury Department’s summary of the daily yield curve across maturities for Treasury securities.
    

    The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes
    
        
    
       jumped 10 basis points in only one day to 4.69% on Monday. A month earlier the 10-year yield was only 4.27%. Also on Monday, the yield on 20-year Treasury bonds
    
        
    
       rose to 5.00% from 4.92% on Friday. It was up from 4.56% a month earlier.
    

    Market Extra: Bond investors feel the heat as popular fixed-income ETF suffers lowest close since 2007
    

    The Treasury yield curve is still inverted, with 3-month T-bills
    
        
    
       yielding 5.62% on Monday, but that was up only slightly from a month earlier. An inverted yield curve has traditionally signaled that bond investors expect a recession within a year and a lowering of interest rates by the Federal Reserve. Demand for bonds pushes their prices down. But the reverse has happened over recent days, with the selling of longer-term Treasury securities pushing yields up rapidly. 
    

    Another way to illustrate the phenomenon is to look at how the Federal Reserve has shifted the U.S. money supply. Odeon Capital analyst Dick Bove wrote in a note to clients on Friday that “the Federal Reserve has not deviated from its policy to defeat inflation by tightening monetary policy,” as it has shrunk its balance sheet (mostly Treasury securities) to $8.1 trillion from $9 trillion in March 2022. He added: “The M2 money supply was $21.8 trillion in March 2022; today it is $20.8 trillion. You cannot get tighter than these numbers indicate.”
    

    Then on Tuesday, Bove illustrated the Fed’s tightening and the movement of the 10-year yield with two charts:
    

    

              
    

    

    
          
    
            Odeon Capital Group, Bloomberg
    
          
    
  
    

    

    Bove said he believes the bond market has gotten it wrong, with the inverted yield curve reflecting expectations of rate cuts next year. If he is correct, investors can expect longer-term yields to keep shooting up and a normalization of the yield curve.
    

    This has set up a brutal environment for utility stocks, which are typically desired by investors who are seeking dividend income. In a market in which you can receive a yield of 5.5% with little risk over the short term, and in which you can lock in a long-term yield of about 5%, why take a risk in the stock market? And if you believe that the core inflation rate of 3.7% makes a 5% yield seem paltry, keep in mind that not all investors think the same way. Many worry less about the inflation rate because large components of official inflation calculations, such as home prices and car prices, don’t affect everyone every year.
    

    We cannot know when this current selloff of longer-term bonds will end, or how much of an effect it will have on the stock market. But sharp declines in the stock market can set up attractive price points for investors looking to go in for the long haul.
    

    Screening for lower valuations and high ratings
    

    A combination of rising earnings estimates and price declines could shed light on potential buying opportunities, based on forward price-to-earnings ratios. 
    

    Let’s look at the sectors again, in the same order, this time to show their forward P/E ratios, based on weighted rolling 12-month consensus estimates for earnings per share among analysts polled by FactSet:
    

    

    

      Sector or index
    
    		

      Current P/E to 5-year average
    
    		

      Current P/E to 10-year average
    
    		

      Current P/E to 15-year average
    
    		

      Forward P/E
    
    		

      5-year average P/E
    
    		

      10-year average P/E
    
    		

      15-year average P/E
    
    		

    

    

      Utilities
    
    		

      82%
    
    		

      86%
    
    		

      95%
    
    		

      14.99
    
    		

      18.30
    
    		

      17.40
    
    		

      15.82
    
    		

    

    

      Real Estate
    
    		

      76%
    
    		

      80%
    
    		

      81%
    
    		

      15.19
    
    		

      19.86
    
    		

      18.89
    
    		

      18.72
    
    		

    

    

      Consumer Staples
    
    		

      93%
    
    		

      96%
    
    		

      105%
    
    		

      18.61
    
    		

      19.92
    
    		

      19.30
    
    		

      17.64
    
    		

    

    

      Healthcare
    
    		

      103%
    
    		

      104%
    
    		

      115%
    
    		

      16.99
    
    		

      16.46
    
    		

      16.34
    
    		

      14.72
    
    		

    

    

      Financials
    
    		

      88%
    
    		

      92%
    
    		

      97%
    
    		

      12.90
    
    		

      14.65
    
    		

      14.08
    
    		

      13.26
    
    		

    

    

      Materials
    
    		

      100%
    
    		

      103%
    
    		

      111%
    
    		

      16.91
    
    		

      16.98
    
    		

      16.42
    
    		

      15.27
    
    		

    

    

      Industrials
    
    		

      88%
    
    		

      96%
    
    		

      105%
    
    		

      17.38
    
    		

      19.84
    
    		

      18.16
    
    		

      16.56
    
    		

    

    

      Energy
    
    		

      106%
    
    		

      63%
    
    		

      73%
    
    		

      11.78
    
    		

      11.17
    
    		

      18.80
    
    		

      16.23
    
    		

    

    

      Consumer Discretionary
    
    		

      79%
    
    		

      95%
    
    		

      109%
    
    		

      24.09
    
    		

      30.41
    
    		

      25.39
    
    		

      22.10
    
    		

    

    

      Information Technology
    
    		

      109%
    
    		

      130%
    
    		

      146%
    
    		

      24.20
    
    		

      22.17
    
    		

      18.55
    
    		

      16.54
    
    		

    

    

      Communication Services
    
    		

      86%
    
    		

      86%
    
    		

      94%
    
    		

      16.41
    
    		

      19.09
    
    		

      19.00
    
    		

      17.43
    
    		

    

    

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

    

    

      S&P 500
    
        
          		

      94%
    
    		

      101%
    
    		

      112%
    
    		

      17.94
    
    		

      19.01
    
    		

      17.76
    
    		

      16.04
    
    		

    

    

      DJ Industrial Average
    
        
          		

      93%
    
    		

      98%
    
    		

      107%
    
    		

      16.25
    
    		

      17.49
    
    		

      16.54
    
    		

      15.17
    
    		

    

    

      Nasdaq Composite Index
    
        
          		

      92%
    
    		

      102%
    
    		

      102%
    
    		

      24.62
    
    		

      26.71
    
    		

      24.18
    
    		

      24.18
    
    		

    

    

      Nasdaq-100 Index
    
        
          		

      97%
    
    		

      110%
    
    		

      126%
    
    		

      24.40
    
    		

      25.23
    
    		

      22.14
    
    		

      19.43
    
    		

    

    

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

    

    

    There is a limit to how many columns we can show in the table. The S&P 500’s forward P/E ratio is now 17.94, compared with 16.79 at the end of 2022 and 21.53 at the end of 2021. The benchmark index’s P/E is above its 10- and 15-year average levels but below the five-year average.
    

    If we compare the current sector P/E numbers to 5-, 10- and 15-year averages, we can see that the current levels are below all three averages for four sectors: utilities, real estate, financials and communications services. The first three face obvious difficulties as they adjust to the rising-rate environment, while the real-estate sector reels from continuing low usage rates for office buildings, from the change in behavior brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
    

    Your own opinions, along with the pricing for some sectors, might drive some investment choices.
    

    A broader screen of the S&P 500 might point to companies for you to research further.
    

    We narrowed the S&P 500 as follows:
    

      

    • 
      Current forward P/E below 5-, 10- and 15-year average valuations. For stocks with negative earnings-per-share estimates for the next 12 months, there is no forward P/E ratio so they were excluded. For stocks listed for less than 15 years, we required at least a 5-year average P/E for comparison. This brought the list down to 138 companies. 
      

      • 

    • 
      “Buy” or equivalent ratings from at least two-thirds of analysts: 41 companies.
      

      • 

    

    Here are the 20 companies that passed the screen, for which analysts’ price targets imply the highest upside potential over the next 12 months. 
    

    There is too much data for one table, so first we will show the P/E information:
    

    

    

      Company
    
    		

      Ticker
    
    		

      Current P/E to 5-year average
    
    		

      Current P/E to 10-year average
    
    		

      Current P/E to 15-year average
    
    		

    

    

      SolarEdge Technologies Inc.
    
    		

        SEDG
      

      89%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      AES Corp.
    
    		

        AES
      

      66%
    
    		

      75%
    
    		

      90%
    
    		

    

    

      Insulet Corp.
    
    		

        PODD
      

      18%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      United Airlines Holdings Inc.
    
    		

        UAL
      

      42%
    
    		

      50%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      Alaska Air Group Inc.
    
    		

        ALK
      

      51%
    
    		

      57%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      Tapestry Inc.
    
    		

        TPR
      

      39%
    
    		

      49%
    
    		

      70%
    
    		

    

    

      Albemarle Corp.
    
    		

        ALB
      

      39%
    
    		

      50%
    
    		

      73%
    
    		

    

    

      Delta Air Lines Inc.
    
    		

        DAL
      

      60%
    
    		

      63%
    
    		

      21%
    
    		

    

    

      Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.
    
    		

        ARE
      

      59%
    
    		

      68%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      Las Vegas Sands Corp.
    
    		

        LVS
      

      96%
    
    		

      78%
    
    		

      53%
    
    		

    

    

      Paycom Software Inc.
    
    		

        PAYC
      

      61%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      PayPal Holdings Inc.
    
    		

        PYPL
      

      33%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      SBA Communications Corp. Class A
    
    		

        SBAC
      

      27%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    
    		

        AMD
      

      58%
    
    		

      39%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      LKQ Corp.
    
    		

        LKQ
      

      92%
    
    		

      44%
    
    		

      78%
    
    		

    

    

      Charles Schwab Corp.
    
    		

        SCHW
      

      75%
    
    		

      54%
    
    		

      73%
    
    		

    

    

      PulteGroup Inc.
    
    		

        PHM
      

      94%
    
    		

      47%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      Lamb Weston Holdings Inc.
    
    		

        LW
      

      71%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      News Corp Class A
    
    		

        NWSA
      

      93%
    
    		

      73%
    
    		

      N/A
    
    		

    

    

      CVS Health Corp.
    
    		

        CVS
      

      75%
    
    		

      61%
    
    		

      67%
    
    		

    

    

      Source: FactSet
    
    		

    

    

    Click on the tickers for more about each company or index.
    

    Click here for Tomi Kilgore’s detailed guide to the wealth of information available for free on the MarketWatch quote page.
    

    News Corp
    
        NWSA
    
       is on the list. The company owns Dow Jones, which in turn owns MarketWatch.
    

    Here’s the list again, with ratings and consensus price-target information:
    

    

    

      Company
    
    		

      Ticker
    
    		

      Share “buy” ratings
    
    		

      Oct. 2 price
    
    		

      Consensus price target
    
    		

      Implied 12-month upside potential
    
    		

    

    

      SolarEdge Technologies Inc.
    
    		

        SEDG
      

      74%
    
    		

      $122.56
    
    		

      $268.77
    
    		

      119%
    
    		

    

    

      AES Corp.
    
    		

        AES
      

      79%
    
    		

      $14.16
    
    		

      $25.60
    
    		

      81%
    
    		

    

    

      Insulet Corp.
    
    		

        PODD
      

      68%
    
    		

      $165.04
    
    		

      $279.00
    
    		

      69%
    
    		

    

    

      United Airlines Holdings Inc.
    
    		

        UAL
      

      71%
    
    		

      $41.62
    
    		

      $69.52
    
    		

      67%
    
    		

    

    

      Alaska Air Group Inc.
    
    		

        ALK
      

      87%
    
    		

      $36.83
    
    		

      $61.31
    
    		

      66%
    
    		

    

    

      Tapestry Inc.
    
    		

        TPR
      

      75%
    
    		

      $28.58
    
    		

      $46.21
    
    		

      62%
    
    		

    

    

      Albemarle Corp.
    
    		

        ALB
      

      81%
    
    		

      $162.41
    
    		

      $259.95
    
    		

      60%
    
    		

    

    

      Delta Air Lines Inc.
    
    		

        DAL
      

      95%
    
    		

      $36.45
    
    		

      $58.11
    
    		

      59%
    
    		

    

    

      Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc.
    
    		

        ARE
      

      100%
    
    		

      $98.18
    
    		

      $149.45
    
    		

      52%
    
    		

    

    

      Las Vegas Sands Corp.
    
    		

        LVS
      

      72%
    
    		

      $45.70
    
    		

      $68.15
    
    		

      49%
    
    		

    

    

      Paycom Software Inc.
    
    		

        PAYC
      

      77%
    
    		

      $260.04
    
    		

      $384.89
    
    		

      48%
    
    		

    

    

      PayPal Holdings Inc.
    
    		

        PYPL
      

      69%
    
    		

      $58.56
    
    		

      $86.38
    
    		

      48%
    
    		

    

    

      SBA Communications Corp. Class A
    
    		

        SBAC
      

      68%
    
    		

      $198.24
    
    		

      $276.69
    
    		

      40%
    
    		

    

    

      Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    
    		

        AMD
      

      74%
    
    		

      $103.27
    
    		

      $143.07
    
    		

      39%
    
    		

    

    

      LKQ Corp.
    
    		

        LKQ
      

      82%
    
    		

      $49.13
    
    		

      $67.13
    
    		

      37%
    
    		

    

    

      Charles Schwab Corp.
    
    		

        SCHW
      

      77%
    
    		

      $53.55
    
    		

      $72.67
    
    		

      36%
    
    		

    

    

      PulteGroup Inc.
    
    		

        PHM
      

      81%
    
    		

      $73.22
    
    		

      $98.60
    
    		

      35%
    
    		

    

    

      Lamb Weston Holdings Inc.
    
    		

        LW
      

      100%
    
    		

      $92.23
    
    		

      $123.50
    
    		

      34%
    
    		

    

    

      News Corp Class A
    
    		

        NWSA
      

      78%
    
    		

      $20.00
    
    		

      $26.42
    
    		

      32%
    
    		

    

    

      CVS Health Corp.
    
    		

        CVS
      

      77%
    
    		

      $69.69
    
    		

      $90.88
    
    		

      30%
    
    		

    

    

      Source: FactSet
    
    		

    

    

    A year may actually be a short period for a long-term investor, but 12-month price targets are the norm for analysts working for brokerage companies.
    

    Don’t miss: This fund shows that industry expertise can help you make a lot of money in the stock market
    

    


    Source link 
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
  • 
		
		
    
			
    Jets-Chiefs is highest-rated TV show since the Super Bowl, thanks to Taylor Swift and 2 million more female viewers
    
			
    Jets-Chiefs is highest-rated TV show since the Super Bowl, thanks to Taylor Swift and 2 million more female viewers
    
			
    

    

    Taylor Swift continues to boost the NFL’s profile.
    

    NBC’s Sunday Night Football game between the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs averaged 27 million viewers, making it the most-watched TV show since Super Bowl LVII in February, according to NBC’s PR team.
    

    

    Swift attended the Chiefs’ 23-20 win and was shown on the television broadcast several times, alongside celebrities Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Swift has a new public friendship and rumored relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and the interest in that topic has led to increases in TV ratings for the two games Swift has attended, and to boosts in sales of NFL merchandise.
    

    Swift’s massive fanbase has influence across all ages and all types of people, but she is particularly popular among women and girls, and that group is who propelled NBC
    
        CMCSA,
    
        +0.34%
    
       and Sunday Night Football to such lofty viewership heights.
    

    “Viewership among teen girls (age 12-17) spiked 53% from the season-to-date average of the first three weeks of SNF, while the audience among women aged 18-24 was up 24%, and women 35+ increased 34%,” NBC said. “The collective growth resulted in an approximate viewership increase of more than 2 million female viewers.”
    

    Viewership peaked at an estimated 29.4 million viewers between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m. Eastern, as the Jets attempted to claw their way back in the second quarter of the game. Last year’s Sunday Night Football games averaged 19.9 million viewers, according to same-day data released by Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
    

    In preparation for Swift’s attendance, NBC used a Swift song, “Welcome to New York,” as the theme music for its video promo of the game, which was viewed roughly 8 million times.
    

    Since Swift was first linked to Kelce, the Chiefs tight end has enjoyed the Taylor Swift effect. For example:
    

      

    • 
      The “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast, featuring Kelce and his brother, shot up to No. 1 on Apple’s podcast charts last week.
      

      • 

    • 
      Kelce’s social-media influence has flourished, with his Instagram followers jumping from 2.7 million followers to 3.8 million in about two weeks.
      

      • 

    • 
      Kelce had one of the top five highest-selling NFL jerseys last week, and sales of Kelce merchandise spiked 400% on Fanatics, the NFL’s official merchandise seller.
      

      • 

    

    See also: Want to watch every NFL game this season? Here’s how much it will cost you.
    

    

    

    


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  • 
		
		
    
			
    Tesla, Rivian, Discover, Sphere Entertainment, Nvidia, and More Stock Market Movers
    
			
    Tesla, Rivian, Discover, Sphere Entertainment, Nvidia, and More Stock Market Movers
    
			
    

     
    

        
    

     
    

        
    

    

     
    

        
    

     
    

        
    

        
    

     
    

    

    

    


    

     
    

    

    





    


    
    
    
    
    
    
  


    


    


    


    


    


    




    

 



      





    









    

 



      

      


    
        


    
          
          


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    Stock Plays for October: 3 to Watch, According to J.P. Morgan
    
			
    Stock Plays for October: 3 to Watch, According to J.P. Morgan
    
			
    

    

    The stock market is entering October a little battered and bruised after September’s selloff. However, that also offers opportunities and
    
        
    
          
    
            J.P. Morgan
    
          
    
        
    
       analysts have some ideas for where to invest at the start of t…
    

    


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