Explaining the pros and cons so you can decide if they're right for you. 

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After several false starts and failed negotiations, the No. 3 and 4 wireless carriers officially unveiled their plans to merge over the weekend. The new T-Mobile will be a much stronger challenger to AT&T and Verizon, but the biggest priority right now is to win over regulators.

All things being equal, higher dividend yields are better. However, many dividend stocks’ high yields are signs of trouble. In this episode of Industry Focus: Financials, host Michael Douglass and Fool.com contributor Matt Frankel discuss what a yield trap is, how to detect one, and a few examples of stocks that have characteristics of yield traps.   

Facebook shareholders can breath a big sigh of relief! The company posted solid earnings that had the market forgetting all about the company's data issues. And Twitter posted its second GAAP profitable quarter, but Wall Street wasn't as thrilled.

This week a Virgin America plane took its last flight under the Virgin umbrella. With the unification of the two brands complete, and a rocky 2017 behind them, can the airline operator start to right the ship in 2018?

Promo: GW Pharmaceuticals scores a big thumbs up from a panel of FDA experts for its marijuana-based drug. Plus, Biogen pays a $1 billion dollars for expanded access to Ionis’ novel pipeline.

Whether you’re a first-time stock buyer or seasoned Fool with years of experience in the market, stock screens can be a powerful tool of discovery for any investor. We cover the basics of creating a stock screen, what metrics to employ, where to run them, and how to handle the end results. Free your mind, Fool!

Here’s a roundup of the past week’s news from Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and SunTrust.

Looking for some new stocks for your watch list? We talk about why we're excited about Paylocity, Hubspot, and AppFolio.

We tackle a host of news items in Oil and Gas including; British Columbia halts development of the TransMountain pipeline, consumers face high prices at the pumps, and China’s new intelligent highway will be able to charge electric vehicles as they drive. We also pitched two stocks we’re currently working.

Alkermes’ ALKS-5461 gets a do-over, Celldex's lead drug is a bust, and the good and bad of Johnson & Johnson's Q1 earnings report. 

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Down about 20% from its all-time highs, Ulta stock has seen dampened investor enthusiasm after an otherwise amazing 10-year run as a public company. Listener Joseph wants to know why Ulta stock has struggled as Estee Lauder, another major name in skincare and cosmetics, soars to new all-time highs.

Now that the “big four” U.S. banks have reported earnings, let’s take a look to see what investors need to know.

There have always been rumors of a paid version of Facebook. Recent comments from Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg prove its something management has been thinking about, but what would it actually look like?

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NV5 and Pattern Energy Group have both been previously pitched on the show. And, both stocks have had a tumultuous time over the past few months. We discuss if recent events have changed the fundamental thesis for each.

Biogen misses out on a huge deal that Novartis completed with AveXis. Plus, Incyte's phase 3 implosion, and what it means for immuno-oncology more broadly.

The $55 billion skincare and make-up giant has seen its shares gain nearly 80% in the past year as robust top and bottom line growth attract investors to the company. For the first time on Industry Focus, we look at Estee Lauder’s impressive brand portfolio, latest results, and management’s vision for the future.

We’re often told to focus on one thing and do it well – but in today’s episode, we cover three sectors (banks, REITs, and insurers) where businesses may be going in the opposite direction, preferring to try and own more of the value chain. Understanding the tradeoffs between specialization and diversification is key to investing smart in these sectors.

Shares of the music streamer are now on the market! With a ballpark on The Street's view of what the company is worth, we try a few different angles to put its valuation into context.

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia announced last week a plan to partner with Japanese-based SoftBank to fund a $200 billion solar farm in the desert. We discuss the project, the state of the U.S. solar industry, and solar stocks to buy (and avoid).

Takeda may buy Shire, but it might prove costly. Also, the FDA slaps Alkermes with a dreaded Refusal to File letter.

ADT and its private equity backers have built up the leading name in monitored security with $4.3 billion of revenue in 2017. But after pricing an IPO in January, shares of ADT have tumbled nearly 50%. Is this the bargain opportunity investors should be following?

A lot of investors like big bank stocks for their dividends and perceived safety. We think, though, that some big trends are lining up to make their business models increasingly tough to sustain. In this episode, we lay out five different areas tech is changing the game for banks.

At SXSW, our quest was simple -- find good food. But when we stumbled upon Kyle Pounder's food truck "Excaliburger" we realized we found even more.

A big restructuring that could begin to pay off for investors soon could make this a great time to add Hess Corp. to your portfolio.

Geron’s future hinges on an uncertainty and AbbVie’s shares are teetering following some disappointing news. Should these stocks be in your portfolio? 

The downfall of Toys “R” Us has placed renewed focus on private equity funds and their connection to the recent string of retail bankruptcies. We look at how their desire for high returns and quick exits can hurt the long-term prospects of even the biggest brick-and-mortar chains.

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The Federal Reserve raised interest rates at its latest meeting, but there’s more important information you need to know. In this episode of Industry Focus: Financials, host Michael Douglass and banking specialist Matt Frankel break down the key takeaways and how they could affect your investments.

A lot of people aren't happy with the social media company these days. We run through the Cambridge Analytica data harvesting story, talk about the existing trend of people leaving Facebook, and work through how we feel about the company as shareholders.

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President Trump announced earlier in March that there will be a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum. This led to widespread criticism and fears of prices going up on everything from washing machines to beer. We discuss the details of the tariffs, the likely outcome, and historical examples of both failed and successful tariffs.

Rain, sleet, and snow can't stop us from covering Arena Pharmaceuticals' slam dunk data.

The airport concession company made its stock market debut in early February, giving investors the opportunity to tap into a robust corner of the retail world. With management forecasting enviable top and bottom line growth, here’s what Fools need to know before diving in.

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The Senate just passed a bill that would loosen regulations on all but the largest U.S. banks. In this episode of Industry Focus: Financials, host Michael Douglass and banking specialist Matt Frankel discuss what’s in the bill, and which banks could be the winners and losers.

We wrap up SXSW week with a recap of the big trends we see impacting the tech space over the next few years and a few questions for investors to think about.

The cost of gene sequencing is falling rapidly, and uses for this data are springing up left and right. Simon Erickson calls in from South by Southwest to chat with Kristine about healthcare's role at the traditionally tech-focused conference.

Fresh from his presentation at SXSW 2018, Scott Lachut -- President of Research and Strategy and PSFK -- joins Industry Focus to share his thoughts on major trends and the consumer demands that are changing how companies think about brick and mortar retail. Find out why physical and digital storefronts are more connected than ever and how they’re likely to blend together even further.

White collar crime just isn't prosecuted the way it used to be. To find out why, we chat with Jesse Eisinger, author of "The Chickens*** Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives."

It’s the leading music streaming service. It’s got nearly 160 million users. But is Spotify a good investment? We look through the company’s prospectus to see how things look right now and discuss the company it could become.

We begin with a listener question on the Baker-Schultz carbon tax proposal before discussing the recent IEA report which sees global demand rising 7% over the next five years and the U.S. becoming the largest global exporter. We finish by checking in on GE and Hyundai's Chevy Bolt contender!

Efficacy and safety can make or break a drug, but they’re not the only things that determine if a drug becomes a billion-dollar blockbuster.

We’re turning our attention to two companies that have likely flown under the radar of most of our listeners: Pool Corporation and Spectrum Brands. The first has staked out a dominant position in its industry as the world’s largest distributor of pool supplies. Meanwhile, Spectrum -- a consumer products conglomerate -- is undergoing massive changes to its business and brand portfolio.

There are several good reasons to consider adding foreign bank stocks to your portfolio, and here are some of our favorites.

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We get expert opinion from Eugene Mulero of Transport Topics on the President’s proposal for infrastructure spending. We discuss doubts and concerns with the plan, and an alternative – more likely – timeline.

The Cupertino company plans to open healthcare clinics that will rely heavily on its technology. Also, Gilead Sciences partners with Sangamo Therapeutics on gene-editing.

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With revenue trending downward for several years running, General Mills is focused on stabilizing the top line, and management hopes that buying into a whole new industry will do the trick. Blue Buffalo Pet Products is the leader in natural pet foods, but will its double-digit top line growth be enough to move the needle?

Financials takes a look into the latest letter The Oracle of Omaha wrote for Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholders.

February was a busy month for tech earnings -- today we backtrack to look at results and news for Snap and Twitter.

We grapple with last quarter’s results and discuss the company’s worsening free cash flow position, delivery expectations, and margin goals.

Despite significant risks, Berkshire Hathaway’s become Teva Pharmaceutical’s 9th biggest investor. Also, what gives with Rite Aid’s convoluted merger plans?

Our coverage of the travel and leisure sector continues as we focus on the steadily growing cruise industry and the three publicly-traded companies that make up its oligopoly: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line. From seasonality to new markets and long-term growth, here’s how investors can approach the sector.

What exactly does it mean when a stock is being delisted, and what should investors watch for in the microcap space? We tackle those questions and talk about the benefits of listing in the first place!

Oil earnings for 2017 were a mixed bag with U.S. giants Chevron and Exxon Mobil lagging their peers. We discuss the themes of the earnings season and the shareholder returns fever that has gripped the industry as big oil competes for investors dollars.

Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie, and Veeva are three gold medal winners in this year’s Motley Fool healthcare Olympic roundtable -- can you guess the other three? Hint: One’s a marijuana stock.

For years, retailers have paid some of the highest effective tax rates in the business world. With the corporate tax rate reduced to 21%, we look at how major companies are taking advantage of this windfall.

In part three of our banking series, Industry Focus: Financials dives into commercial banking and the two largest U.S. commercial banks – Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp.

The S&P 500 might be one of the most cited financial barometers out there, but what does it take for a stock to make it into the index? We talk about the requirements, how inclusion benefits companies, and how the index may change a major trend in tech stocks.

2017 was a record setting delivery year for both planemakers. With upwards of 8-year backlogs investors are paying close attention to on-time delivery numbers and, by this metric, one of the two takes the win.

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These two biopharma heavyweights are taking it on the chin following a market-trouncing performance in 2017. Is one a better stock to buy than the other? 

Recreational vehicles, or RVs, have enjoyed consistent, growing demand since the financial crisis. We look at the tailwinds fueling this growth before turning our attention to leading RV makers Winnebago and Thor Industries, two stocks that have outperformed the S&P 500 over one, five, and 10-year investing horizons.

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Financials takes a look at the volatile declines in cryptocurrencies, as well as earnings from two interesting banks.

Two big tech names reported this week -- should investors be worried about Facebook's friendlier new stance and Apple's iPhone unit sales declines?

We answer your questions on what the solar tariffs mean for solar, offer our thoughts on the North American railroad and agriculture industries, and discuss interesting stocks in those segments.

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On the heels of the President’s State of the Union address, we explain why the current state of U.S. healthcare has Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan thinking it's time for a change.

The buying spree at JAB Holding Company continues. After spending tens of billions of dollars scooping up coffee brands and restaurant chains, Dr. Pepper Snapple will become the latest addition to the empire after it merges with Keurig Green Mountain, a previous JAB acquisition. Here’s what investors need to know.

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Financials Edition host Michael Douglass and Fool.com contributor Matt Frankel take a close look at the largest U.S. universal banks – Bank of America, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase. Here’s what investors need to know about these three banks’ business models, and the right metrics to evaluate each one.

China hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with Google and Facebook, could that be changing? We look at the government's history with big U.S. tech firms, talk about how recent regulations have impacted Chinese tech giants, and hit another lesser covered story that shows how hard it can be to operate in the country.

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Seth Clevenger, managing editor of features at Transport Topics -- a print and digital industry newspaper covering trucking and freight transportation – is in the studio to talk about the impact of the new ELD mandate and the future of the trucking industry.

Celgene consolidates CAR-T and Sanofi hooks-up in hemophilia. Plus: What’s up with Johnson & Johnson’s post-earnings slide?

As spending on content surged in 2017, so did subscriber growth across the globe. For Netflix to live up to sky-high expectations (and its rich valuation), management will be upping investments across the company again this year. We break down the latest results and offer a glimpse of what lies ahead for the No. 1 streaming service.

Industry Focus: Financials dives into fourth quarter earnings from the largest U.S. banks, and what investors should pay attention to.

David Kretzmann hops on the show to chat about what he saw at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Specifically, we wade through two trends that have fallen out of favor, and some fun stuff he noticed in Las Vegas.

Lyft and Aptiv teamed up to give 400 rides in a BMW at CES in Las Vegas, Motley Fool Analyst Taylor Muckerman got to experience it firsthand. In today’s show we discuss what it was like and what demonstrations like this show about the future of driving. We also touch on recent bad news for BP and GE.

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Rumors are swirling that Celgene may pay billions to buy Juno Therapeutics lock-stock-and-barrel. Do these rumors make sense? Also, how one tiny company is disrupting the $57 billion market for primary and specialty doctor visits. Is this healthcare's future?

Preliminary fourth quarter results from many traditional retailers have turned bullish after momentum from Black Friday held strong, and consumers flocked to stores in December. Find out who posted the best (and worst) results from the holiday season, and what to watch in the year ahead.

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With Amazon's holiday commentary in our hands, we talk about all the reasons the e-tailer is crushing it, and dig deeper to see what the release might have to say about other companies' Q4 results.

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2017 was a tale of two halves for these two U.S. auto giants, while Ford failed to impress the stock market GM delivered market-beating returns. We discuss GM and Ford’s future focus on self-driving technology, connected cars and big data.

Three CEO interviews recorded at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, the most important annual industry conference.

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Once a high-flying stock and the face of craft brewing, Boston Beer has struggled in recent years with intense competition from the very industry it helped take mainstream. What lies ahead in 2018? The team also looks at recent news from Weight Watchers and GoPro.

Industry Focus: Financials dives into two stocks that look attractive as we head into 2018.

The push for AI is decades old, so how come it's just now having its moment? We dive into artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and talk about a few companies that are poised to benefit from the mega-trend.

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The energy industry is home to some great high-yielding stocks, we discuss five companies who have been consistently returning value to shareholders that may make good picks for an income portfolio.

Were you lucky enough to own these three top stocks in your portfolio last year? 

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The line between brick-and-mortar and online retail continues to blur as companies embrace experimentation with new strategies to win over consumers. We cover three of the biggest trends that investors will want to follow in the new year.

In the closing act of the Industry Focus Awards, the cast revisits Foolish listener emails before pitching their nominees for most likely to succeed and the infamous participation award.

Notable quotes and M&A take the stage as the next two categories up for grabs. Find out who went home with a prestigious IF Award in hand.

The show must go on! In this episode, the cast doles out their awards for the next two categories: best fact and most valuable player.

We hit the biggest stories of the year — iPhone X, net neutrality, AR/VR, and Verizon buying Yahoo — and talk about how they may impact 2018.

Top Energy and Industrials Headlines From 2017. We look back across various events of the past year in our sector. From arrests of Volkswagen executives to GE’s 40% drop, 2017 has been a big year.

Repeal and replace wasn't the only healthcare story this year! Critical policy changes,  revolutionary new medicines, and M&A also sent healthcare stocks on a wild ride in 2017.

Looking back on a busy year, the cast recaps some of the biggest stories and developments in the sector.

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Financials takes a look back at the five biggest news stories of 2017 and what they mean to investors.

We're excited for 2018. Why? We've got tax code changes impacting the books of big tech, plus the next phases of the cable revolution, and the continued rise of e-sports.

Alternative fuels are still a long way from being ubiquitous but some are gaining steam thanks to a few key players. We discuss what constitutes an alternative fuel, why commercial and heavy goods transport is the gateway to alternatives adoption, and stocks investors may want to consider. Today the show was sponsored by Harrys.com/Fool

Celgene and bluebird bio report a stunning success in multiple myeloma, Juno Therapeutics takes it on the chin despite positive data, and Spark Therapeutics suffers in its showdown with BioMarin in hemophilia.

Subscription-box services have grown incredibly popular in the past few years, and Stitch Fix is the latest company based on this business model to go public. With almost $1 billion of revenue in 2017, we dive into this fast-growing company and what investors need to know about its data-centric approach to selling apparel.

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Industry Focus: Financials takes a deep dive into Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley’s business models, valuation, and future growth potential.

These tech unicorns have long been the subject of IPO speculation. But for all that buzz, are any of them actually good businesses to own long-term?

UPS, FedEx, and USPS will deliver an estimated two billion packages during the holiday season. We discuss how they make this happen, their past and current struggles to do so profitably, and what this all means for retailers, consumers, and investors.

The tax bill includes fine print that could make biopharma companies pay more in taxes than expected. Plus, CVS Health cozies up to Aetna and Apple takes aim at heart disease.