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The Medicare Service That Nearly Disappeared But Came Back
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 12:20
Core Insights - The landscape of telehealth services for Medicare recipients has evolved significantly, with recent government actions extending access through December 31, 2027 [5]. Group 1: Telehealth Expansion - Initially, telehealth services were limited to a small group of Medicare recipients, but during the pandemic, access expanded to nearly all recipients, including a broader range of practitioners [2][3]. - The expansion of telehealth was particularly beneficial for patients with transportation issues or those who were too ill to visit medical facilities [3]. Group 2: Policy Changes - Some pandemic-era telehealth policies have been made permanent, while others are temporary, with extensions valid until December 31, 2027 [5]. - Medicare recipients can continue to receive telehealth services for non-behavioral or mental health issues at home, and there are no geographic restrictions for these services [6]. Group 3: Provider Access - All Medicare providers are allowed to offer telehealth services, and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) can serve as distant site providers for Medicare recipients [6].
Bank of Hawaii Director Sells All Shares in His Trust After CEO Announces Retirement
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 12:12
Bank of Hawaii is a household name in the Pacific Islands, but can its stock continue to grow long-term?On Feb. 6, 2026, Robert W. Wo Jr., Director of Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH +1.33%), reported an indirect open-market sale of 5,000 common shares valued at approximately $393,000 according to the SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summaryMetricValueShares sold (indirect)5,000Transaction value$393,000Post-transaction shares (direct)44,635Post-transaction shares (indirect)11,173Post-transaction value (direct ...
Axiom Space Raises $350 Million for Its New Private Space Station
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 12:07
Axiom Space is still in the space station race, and investors are still lining up to buy it.Who will replace the International Space Station (ISS)? In 2030, the United States plans to retire ISS, hiring Elon Musk to build a special spacecraft to push the space station to a fiery death in Earth's atmosphere -- but America's orbital endeavors won't end there.Already, four teams of companies are hard at work developing replacements for ISS. Two of them you've probably already heard of:Orbital Reef, a joint ven ...
Dime Community Bancshares CEO Sells 25K Shares Amid Capital Strategy Changes
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 11:45
Core Viewpoint - Dime Community Bancshares' CEO, Stuart H. Lubow, sold 25,026 shares after a strong Q4 performance in 2025, indicating potential confidence in the company's future despite the sale [1][9]. Transaction Summary - The sale of 25,026 shares was valued at $878,000, with a weighted average purchase price of $35.09 per share [2]. - Post-transaction, Lubow's direct ownership decreased by 9.91%, leaving him with 202,648 shares [5]. Company Overview - Dime Community Bancshares reported a total revenue of $409.90 million and a net income of $101.51 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [4]. - The company has a dividend yield of 2.92% and a 1-year price change of 8.97% as of February 21, 2026 [4]. Market Data - The market capitalization of Dime Community Bancshares is $1.5 billion, with a current stock price change of 0.68% [6]. - The stock has a 52-week range of $23.25 to $36.86, indicating significant price movement over the past year [6]. Executive Ownership - In addition to the shares sold, Lubow holds 5,439 indirect shares through a 401k plan and 19,499 shares through his spouse, along with 8,000 shares of preferred stock [7]. Company Actions - Dime announced a repurchase plan for approximately 1.5 million common shares, which may enhance stock value, although completion is not guaranteed [8]. Financial Performance - The company experienced a 159.40% year-over-year increase in revenue for Q4 FY 2025, marking the largest increase since Q2 2021 [9]. - Dime's stock has risen approximately 14% in 2026 as of February 21, 2026 [9].
How This Small-Cap ETF Can Play a Role in a Diversified Strategy
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 11:45
Group 1: Market Overview - In 2026, small caps have shown their importance in a diversified portfolio, rebounding from a long period of underperformance compared to large caps [1][2] - A market rotation away from technology stocks has led to increased interest in small caps, as investors seek better value and momentum [2] Group 2: iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF - The iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF tracks the S&P 600 index, which includes a quality screen requiring positive earnings in the most recent quarter and the past four quarters [4][6][9] - The S&P 600 is more tilted towards larger companies compared to the Russell 2000, which captures a broader range of stocks without stringent quality requirements [5][6] Group 3: Sector Composition - The sector composition of the S&P 600 includes financials (18%), industrials (18%), consumer discretionary (14%), technology (13%), and healthcare (11%), making it more cyclically sensitive [11] - This different sector composition allows small caps to behave differently than large caps, providing a good diversification strategy [10][12] Group 4: Investment Strategy - Maintaining exposure to small caps can help balance a portfolio that is heavily weighted in large caps, reducing the need for market timing and improving overall performance [13][14] - The current market environment suggests that small caps may perform better during periods when large-cap tech stocks underperform, highlighting their role in risk management [12][14]
Did Micron Technology Just Send a $200 Billion Warning to Shareholders?
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 11:30
Core Viewpoint - Micron Technology is significantly increasing its capital expenditures to expand memory production capacity, with plans to invest over $200 billion in new fabs in the U.S. and additional investments overseas, amidst a booming demand for memory driven by the AI industry [2][5][10]. Group 1: Company Overview - Micron's stock has surged nearly 300% over the past year due to a generational shortage in memory and storage [1]. - The company has a current market capitalization of $482 billion, with a gross margin of 45.53% and a dividend yield of 0.11% [3]. - Micron's recent investments include $50 billion for two new fabs in Idaho and a $100 billion facility near Syracuse, New York, totaling $200 billion in U.S. investments [5][6]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - Prices for memory and NAND storage have increased by over 90% in Q1 and are expected to rise another 20% in Q2 [4]. - The AI industry's shift from training to inference has led to a surge in memory demand, particularly for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is essential for AI applications [3][11]. Group 3: Investment Risks and Opportunities - Micron's aggressive expansion could lead to oversupply if demand does not keep pace, reminiscent of past industry cycles where increased supply led to price crashes [7][8]. - However, the current demand for HBM is inelastic, meaning AI companies will continue to purchase it regardless of price, making this cycle potentially different from previous ones [11][13]. - Analysts project Micron to earn $33.92 per share this fiscal year and $44.55 per share in fiscal 2027, with potential earnings exceeding 25% of its current market cap [14][15].
Don't Be Fooled by Chewy's Most-Cited Statistic
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 11:20
Core Viewpoint - Chewy's Autoship program, while highlighted as a significant revenue source, does not accurately reflect the company's recurring revenue potential, as the metric used is misleading and includes non-Autoship sales [2][5][11] Revenue and Financial Performance - Chewy generated $3.1 billion in revenue during the latest quarter, with nearly 84% attributed to what it calls Autoship customer sales [1][10] - Revenue growth was modest at 8.3% in the third quarter of 2025, and the core business operates with a low GAAP operating margin of 2.1% [10] Customer Metrics - The number of active customers reached 21.2 million in the latest quarter, indicating an increase in customer engagement and spending [7][8] - Chewy's definition of an Autoship customer includes any customer who has had an order shipped through the Autoship program in the past 364 days, which may inflate the perceived value of the Autoship metric [5][6] Valuation and Market Position - Chewy's stock has seen a significant decline, dropping over 40% from its 52-week high and nearly 80% from its all-time high during the pandemic [9] - The stock currently trades at approximately 20 times the average analyst estimate for 2026 adjusted earnings per share, making it more attractive compared to previous valuations [9][10] Future Growth Potential - Chewy's expansion into veterinary care could serve as a future growth driver, although the current financial metrics present challenges [8][11]
Forget 1:1 Returns: The Double-Leveraged Secret to Outperforming the S&P Financials
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 11:17
Core Viewpoint - The ProShares Ultra Financials ETF offers a leveraged investment opportunity in financial stocks, aiming to deliver double the daily performance of the S&P Financial Select Sector Index, making it suitable for investors with high conviction in short-term financial stock gains [2][4][10] Group 1: ETF Overview - The ProShares Ultra Financials ETF (UYG) is designed to provide twice the daily returns of the S&P Financial Select Sector Index, which includes 76 financial stocks such as Berkshire Hathaway, JPMorgan Chase, and Visa [4][5] - The ETF allows investors to gain leveraged exposure to financial stocks without the need for margin trading in a brokerage account [4] Group 2: Performance Dynamics - If the S&P Financial Select Sector Index increases by 1%, the ProShares Ultra Financials ETF would rise by 2%, showcasing its leveraged nature [5] - In a recent performance comparison, the ProShares Ultra Financials achieved a 12% return from Nov. 1 to Dec. 23, outperforming the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF's 5.8% return and the Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X ETF's 9% return [8] Group 3: Risks of Leverage - The leveraged structure of the ProShares Ultra Financials can lead to amplified losses; for instance, a 2% decline in financial stocks would result in a 4% loss for the ETF [9] - Over the past six months, while financial stocks have declined by approximately 1%, the ProShares Ultra Financials has lost nearly 14% of its value due to fees, expenses, and leveraged losses on down days [9] Group 4: Investment Suitability - The ProShares Ultra Financials is best suited for investors looking to make short-term leveraged bets on financial stocks, particularly when there is strong conviction that financial stocks will rise sharply in the near term [10]
Live Oak Bancshares CEO Sells 20,000 Shares As Stock Starts 2026 Strong
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 11:15
Core Viewpoint - Live Oak Bancshares has shown strong stock performance in 2026, with CEO James S. Iii Mahan selling 20,000 shares for approximately $810,000 as part of a pre-planned trading strategy [1][4]. Transaction Summary - The indirect sale involved 20,000 shares with a transaction value of $810,000, based on a weighted average purchase price of $40.49 [2]. - Post-transaction, Mahan retains 6,454,875 shares, indicating that the sale represents only 0.31% of his overall indirect holdings [4]. Company Overview - Live Oak Bancshares is a regional bank holding company based in Wilmington, North Carolina, offering various commercial banking products and services [6]. - The company generates revenue primarily from interest income on loans and deposits, as well as fees from wealth management and investment advisory accounts [6]. Financial Performance - For fiscal year 2025, Live Oak Bancshares reported Q4 revenue of $150.93 million, marking a 61.75% increase year-over-year [9]. - The company has experienced four consecutive quarters of revenue growth, alongside increases in net income and earnings per share [9]. Market Position - Live Oak Bancshares was recognized as the most active SBA 7(a) lender in the U.S. by dollar volume, securing 2,280 loan approvals and providing over $2.8 billion in funding to small businesses in FY 2025 [8]. - Despite recent revenue growth, the company has faced challenges in stock performance over the past two years, with current stock up 18% as of February 21, 2026 [10].
Is Teladoc Stock Going to $0 -- or Ready for a Comeback?
The Motley Fool· 2026-02-22 10:33
Core Viewpoint - Teladoc Health has experienced a significant decline in market value, losing over 98% in the past five years, and is struggling to regain its previous success during the pandemic [1] Industry Overview - Demand for telemedicine services peaked during the pandemic, with usage increasing from 5% pre-pandemic to 42.1% during, and settling at 21.8% post-pandemic, which is still above pre-2019 levels [3] - The telemedicine sector is facing intense competition, particularly from larger corporations like Amazon, which poses challenges for Teladoc's growth, especially in its virtual therapy service, BetterHelp [4] Company Initiatives - Teladoc is attempting to address competition by seeking third-party coverage for BetterHelp to enhance demand and has launched new services such as continuous health monitoring and chronic care [5] - The company is also expanding internationally, with international revenue growing faster than domestic revenue in recent quarters [5] Financial Performance - Despite efforts to grow, Teladoc's revenue is increasing slowly, and the company is currently operating at a loss, with concerns that international expansion may lead to similar challenges as faced domestically [7] - The company has not yet secured broad health insurance coverage for its therapy services, even after acquiring UpLift, which has 100 million covered lives, indicating that third-party coverage does not guarantee demand or revenue [8] Future Outlook - The outlook for Teladoc appears bleak, with significant challenges ahead, and the stock price recently trading at $4.90, raising concerns that it could approach $0 in the next five years [9]