No beauty retailer is as big as the 56-year-old brand Sephora. Executives have a plan to make sure it stays on top. https://t.co/zbbcKHwSqH ...

Core Insights - The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF and SPDR S&P Dividend ETF are positioned to provide growing yields, especially as the Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates, making high-yield investments scarcer [1][2] Group 1: Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF - Launched in October 2011, the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, focusing on companies that have increased dividends for at least 10 consecutive years [4] - The fund emphasizes consistent dividend growth and strong fundamentals, using metrics like cash-flow-to-debt ratio and return on equity, and it removes any stock that cancels its dividend [5] - The ETF has a current yield of 3.8%, significantly higher than the average S&P 500 company, and has returned an average of 12.17% per year since inception [7][8] Group 2: SPDR S&P Dividend ETF - The SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) aims to track the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats® Index, selecting stocks that have raised dividends for at least 20 consecutive years [9] - Since its inception in November 2005, the fund has achieved an average annual return of 8.65%, with a current yield of 2.6%, which is more than double that of the average S&P 500 company [11][14] - The fund's top holdings include Verizon, Chevron, and Target, which raised their dividends by 1.88%, 5%, and 1.8% respectively in 2025 [11] Group 3: Comparative Analysis - The SPDR S&P Dividend ETF is more diversified with 152 holdings and includes exposure to REITs, which benefit from falling interest rates [13][15] - The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has a lower expense ratio of 0.06% compared to the SPDR S&P Dividend ETF's 0.35%, making it potentially more attractive for short-to-medium term investors [8][14][16] - Both funds offer above-average yields that could grow significantly, appealing to investors navigating a low-rate environment [16]

Core Insights - The report highlights the rapid scaling and deepening integration of enterprise AI, with over 1 million business customers utilizing OpenAI's tools, indicating a significant shift towards AI as core infrastructure within organizations [6][10][90] - The findings suggest that organizations leveraging AI are experiencing measurable productivity gains, with users reporting time savings of 40-60 minutes per day and improvements in various operational outcomes [10][27][28] Group 1: Enterprise AI Usage and Integration - Enterprise AI usage is accelerating, with ChatGPT message volume growing 8x and API reasoning token consumption per organization increasing 320x year-over-year, reflecting deeper workflow integration [10][17] - Custom GPTs and Projects have seen a 19x increase in weekly users year-to-date, with 20% of all enterprise messages processed via these tools, indicating a trend towards tailored, multi-step task execution [20][21] - The average reasoning token consumption per organization has increased significantly, suggesting that more intelligent models are being integrated into products and services [22][23] Group 2: Productivity and Business Impact - Seventy-five percent of surveyed workers report improved speed or quality of output due to AI, with significant time savings reported across various functions, particularly in data science, engineering, and communications [27][28] - AI is enabling workers to perform tasks they previously could not, with 75% of users reporting the ability to complete new tasks, including programming and data analysis [29][34] - The report indicates that productivity gains are materializing across core enterprise functions, with notable improvements in IT issue resolution, marketing campaign execution, and HR engagement [28][30] Group 3: Global Growth and Industry Trends - Enterprise AI growth is global, with international adoption surging, particularly in Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, and France, which are growing faster than the global average [46][48] - The technology sector leads in growth, expanding 11x year-over-year, while healthcare and manufacturing are also rapidly closing the gap [40][39] - The report notes that the median sector has grown more than 6x year-over-year, indicating broad-based adoption across industries [36][39] Group 4: Adoption Gaps and Future Opportunities - A widening gap is emerging between organizations that effectively leverage AI and those that do not, with frontier workers generating 6x more messages than median workers [10][50] - Firms that invest in AI infrastructure and operating models are seeing deeper integration and greater organizational capability, suggesting that there is significant headroom for firms to increase their AI maturity [62][89] - The report emphasizes that as enterprise AI matures, organizations will increasingly translate AI capabilities into market-facing products and services, driving revenue growth and competitive advantage [93]

The Fed's updated economic projections and dot plot released alongside the decision will be crucial for understanding policymakers' longer-term rate trajectory and terminal rate expectations for 2026. Chair Powell's 2:30pm press conference will be scrutinized for insights into the Fed's reaction function to different economic scenarios and the conditions that would warrant further cuts versus an extended pause.Wednesday's Federal Reserve meeting at 2:00pm represents a critical juncture where policymakers mu ...

Core Insights - Costco and Walmart have demonstrated contrasting strategies in retail, with Costco focusing on its membership warehouse model and e-commerce expansion, while Walmart emphasizes omnichannel transformation and marketplace growth [1] E-Commerce Growth - Walmart's digital business grew by 27% in Q3, driven by store-fulfilled delivery and marketplace expansion, with capital expenditures of $18.6 billion aimed at logistics and technology [2] - Costco's e-commerce grew by 13.6% in Q4, supporting its core business rather than transforming it, with comparable sales rising across all regions [3] Financial Performance - Walmart's international segment saw a 10.8% increase in net sales to $33.5 billion, while Sam's Club reported $23.6 billion with a 3.1% growth [4] - Costco's net income increased by 10.9% to $2.61 billion, maintaining a profit margin of 2.94% and an operating margin of 3.88% [5] - Walmart's net income surged by 33.0% to $6.09 billion, with operating income remaining flat due to share-based compensation charges [6] Comparative Metrics - E-Commerce Growth: Costco at 13.6% vs. Walmart at 27% - Net Income Growth: Costco at 10.9% vs. Walmart at 33.0% - Operating Margin: Costco at 3.88% vs. Walmart at 3.73% - P/E Ratio: Costco at 49.02 vs. Walmart at 40.39 [7] Strategic Outlook - Walmart's ability to sustain 27% e-commerce growth without further margin pressure is under observation, while Costco faces the challenge of accelerating digital growth without compromising its membership value [8] - Walmart's international strength and Sam's Club stability provide more avenues for success if U.S. retail softens, whereas Costco's global footprint is solid but less diversified [8] Investment Appeal - Walmart is positioned as a more compelling option for growth investors due to its 33% net income growth and 27% e-commerce surge, trading at a lower P/E ratio compared to Costco [10] - Costco appeals to defensive investors seeking stability and a proven membership model during economic volatility [11]

Core Viewpoint - A recent settlement between Visa and Mastercard and U.S. merchants may allow merchants to charge different fees based on the brand and tier of credit cards used, following a long-standing legal dispute over interchange fees [1][2]. Group 1: Settlement Details - The settlement arises from a two-decade legal battle regarding interchange fees, which are fees banks charge merchants for credit card transactions [2]. - Merchants would gain the ability to impose varying fees for different tiers of credit cards under the new agreement [2]. Group 2: Impact on Merchants - The "honor all cards" rule, which mandates that merchants accepting Visa or Mastercard must accept all versions of those cards, is a focal point of the settlement [3]. - Merchants could potentially "discriminate" against higher-tier cards that incur higher processing costs, such as the Visa Infinite card, which can cost 15 basis points (0.15%) more to accept than a mid-tier Visa Signature card [4][5]. Group 3: Consumer Implications - If merchants opt not to accept higher-tier cards due to increased costs, they risk losing customers who prefer to earn rewards on their purchases [5]. - The settlement requires that different classes of credit cards have "clear visual markers" for identification by both merchants and consumers, although implementing these changes may take years [6].

Noteworthy this weekGold reserves on the riseMiners see wide marginsSilver jumps to a new ATHThe average investor underperforms bondsGet 5% yield in JapanGold reserves on the rise: Today, gold accounts for 24% of global reserves, up from 14% 20 years ago.Twenty years ago, gold represented 14% of global reserves.Today it’s 24%By 2030, if current pace continues, gold would represent 27% of global reservesFrom 2002 to 2010, central banks dumped 140 million ounces of gold.After 2008 broke their confidence, they ...

Meanwhile, broader markets closing out the week with gains, but off their highs of the session. The S&P and Dow both less than 1% from records. The moves come after the latest read on inflation.September reading delayed by the shutdown came in about in line with expectations. All this ahead of this year's final Fed decision next week. For more, let's bring in Andrew Davis, director of macroeconomic research at Bridmore Trust Advisors.Andrew, great to have you with us. >> Thanks for having me. Great to see y ...

LPETTET/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Listen below or on the go on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Netflix (NFLX) is buying Warner Brothers (0:20). Dollar General (DG), Salesforce (CRM) earnings (6:40). December Fed meeting (12:30). Meta chooses AI over metaverse (19:00). Transcript Rena Sherbill: Brian Stewart, our Director of news at Seeking Alpha. Welcome to December, 2025. Brian Stewart: Great to be here. Rena Sherbill: Great to have you talk to us. What's top of mind for you this week? Brian Ste ...

This retailer is deeply out of favor right now, but a significant part of that is driven by consumers' concerns over rising costs.Inflation is usually pretty insidious, slowly eroding the purchasing power of your dollars. But occasionally, inflation intensifies to the point where it becomes an openly discussed problem.This occurred following the COVID-19 pandemic, and the concern about rising costs persists to this day, with consumers adjusting their buying habits accordingly. That's bad news for Target's ( ...