The author prefers to invite as many friends as possible to celebrate the holidays at her home.
Jane Ridley
Both sides of our family live thousands of miles away, making it difficult for us to get together.
It was usually just the four of us celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas in our home each year.
We opened up the holidays to friends and friends of friends, and wouldn't go back to the way things were.
A 28-year-old international college student lives in our home in the suburbs of New York City. He's smart, fun, hilarious, and very low-maintenance.
So, when he made a big deal of asking me a favor last month, I was surprised to see his face looking so serious. He seemed to choose his words carefully, "Would it be OK if one of my friends came for Thanksgiving?"
"Of course," I said, without hesitation. Then I gently scolded him for thinking, even for a second, that I might say "no." I assumed he'd been around me long enough to know that I not only love having non-family members visit for the holidays, but I live for it.
I live far away from my family
I've only spent Christmas with my family 3 times in the past 20 years. There are complex reasons for this, which other immigrants like me to the US might find easier to understand.
First, there has been a 3,000-mile distance between my father, mother, sister, and brother-in-law and me ever since I moved to the US from my native UK in May of 2005. During those 20 years, we've spent Christmas together only three times — twice in Northern England, and once in Stowe, Vermont, when we combined the festivities with a skiing trip.
The jollity could feel a bit forced
My husband's side of the family lives on the West Coast — almost as far away as mine — so we've celebrated very few holidays with my in-laws as well.
For years, our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables were set for just four — my husband, our daughter, our son, and me. While I was grateful that we had each other, these intimate occasions sometimes felt too, well, intimate. The conversation was run-of-the-mill, and the jollity felt a bit forced.
As time went on, after the initial burst of good food aor gift-giving, both the third Thursday of November and December 25 became less distinguishable from other days.
Thanksgiving was extra special because of the party games, which had more than the usual number of players.
Courtesy of the author.
The kids would get bored and bicker. I'd complain because my husband wanted to watch American football — never my thing — on the TV. It made me feel homesick in New York and left me feeling alienated.
Then 2020 changed everything. COVID was a terrible ordeal, but it created opportunities I hadn't anticipated.
By then, our immediate family had grown to five members because we had a new au pair from Chile. At last, we had someone else to celebrate the holidays with. It was made all the more special because we went all out on the decorations and traditions to show her the true essence of the American holidays.
The dynamics changed with more people around
But, to my delight, there were a total of seven place settings for Thanksgiving that November. Our au pair invited her best friend, and I invited a colleague who was unable to be with his family due to COVID-19 restrictions.
After the meal, we were joined by a second colleague and the son of a friend who made a last-minute train journey from Brooklyn to visit on a whim.
The dynamics changed. Each of the nine people at the gathering brought something special along with them. The conversation was full of anecdotes and stories we'd never heard before; the kids were fascinated by the company and didn't even think to whine; we even played English parlor games like charades. I didn't feel homesick at all.
I want to invite as many friends and friends of friends as possible
It was the best Thanksgiving of my life — an experience I wanted us to repeat on subsequent holidays. Ever since, we've made a point of inviting as many friends and friends of friends as we can possibly manage.
I'll never go back to hosting "just us," and I look forward to welcoming our brand-new guest next week.
There's a new set of consulting firms leveraging AI to compete with the giants.
Shannon Fagan/Getty Images
Smaller, boutique consulting firms are leveraging AI to compete with established players.
Many of these firms have a narrow focus, like helping companies with pricing or cost-cutting.
Their methods aim to make consulting accessible to a broader range of clients.
Two sets of players have long ruled the consulting world.
There is MBB, which is McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, and Boston Consulting Group. And then there is the Big Four: PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, and Ernst & Young.
Now, a new wave of AI-driven startups is challenging that dominance, trying to make consulting services more accessible.
Many of the founders of these new firms come from the traditional consulting realm. They told Business Insider their experiences not only give them marketable skills but have also helped them identify new opportunities in the industry.
They are boutique firms. They are much smaller than the established ones, often run by teams ranging from just a few people to a few hundred. They're also more specialized, focusing on areas like pricing strategy, cost reduction, or refining slide decks.
And, importantly, they are all in on AI.
Many of them said their methods help them reduce old-school bureaucracy, offer more competitive rates, and make the human side of consulting work easier.
Here are the boutique firms that, to varying degrees, are challenging the classic consulting model.
Xavier AI
Xavier AIdescribes itself as the world's first AI strategy consultant.
According to Joao Filipe, cofounder of Xavier and a former McKinsey consultant, the Xavier AI chatbot can provide clear, actionable business knowledge and deliverables, like a 60-page business plan, a sales presentation, or a detailed marketing strategy.
Filipe said Xavier AI has its own proprietary reasoning engine that is tailor-made for business use cases and can provide detailed sources without the hallucination you might find with other chatbots. He said Xavier can provide both strategy recommendations and actionable plans for implementation.
"99.9% of businesses could really never afford McKinsey or any of the MBBs," Filipe told BI. "We created Xavier AI so that anyone could have the power of a consulting firm at their hands when they need it."
Xavier AI officially launched in April, but Filipe said he's been piloting it with different clients, including an international bank using it to research potential clients and better understand their needs.
Since its launch, Filipe says business has been booming. He said the company's revenue has doubled month over month, and he expects that growth to continue through the rest of 2025.
NextStrat
Nexstrat.ai positions its product as a multifunctional agent that can automate many of the typical tasks of a consultant.
Nexstrat's cofounder and CEO, Arda Ecevit, who spent years at Bain & Company and Deloitte before founding the company in 2024, said the platform mirrors the "hypothesis-based problem solving" typically used by consulting firms.
Behind the scenes, the platform leverages multiple agents to fulfill the functions of a project manager, a chief strategy officer, and an AI advisor, to help teams make better decisions and solve business issues, Ecevit told Business Insider.
Ecevit said the platform has already worked with some leading companies, including some among the Fortune 500, and even some major consulting firms, which he said have been testing his firm's technology on things like data analysis, research, and action planning.
Consulting IQ
Consulting IQ was born out of the pandemic as an antidote to the number of small and midsize businesses failing.
"We saw so many small and midsize businesses collapsing for reasons beyond their control," Diego Medone, the founder and CEO of Consulting IQ, told Business Insider.
There are an estimated 400 million companies around the world, 99% of which belong in the micro, small, or midsize category, Medone said. But, he said, 65% of small and midsize businesses fade away before year five.
"That's 260 million companies worldwide," he said.
Medone, a longtime management consultant who rose to partner at KPMG, began conducting research.
He said he and his team of former McKinsey, BCG, and Bain consultants conducted 10,000 interviews with small and midsize companies in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the Pacific. The aim was to learn firsthand from business owners the challenges and risks they face each day.
They used that information to officially launch Consulting IQ in 2024. The platform positions itself as an AI-powered boutique consultant dedicated to the needs of small and medium-sized businesses.
Once a user registers on the platform, they provide a few basic details about their business — who they are, where they operate, and their challenges. Then they'll see a list of over 5,000 preloaded prompts in topics ranging from branding to business strategy to sales. Users can converse with the tool for insights on how to optimize their operations.
The team's consultants are always refining the AI platform, Medone said. "The consultants aren't doing anything manually during interactions — that's 100% AI," he said. "What they are doing is permanently fine-tuning the algorithms, filtering what's important and what's not, to avoid hallucinations and ensure relevance."
Consulting IQ runs on a subscription model starting at $99 a month. The Miami-based company has partnered with Visa and Mastercard.
Perceptis
Alibek Dostiyarov, a former McKinsey consultant, and Yersultan Sapar, a former engineer at Apple, cofounded Perceptis.
The company aims to help smaller and midsize firms compete with bigger industry players by using AI to streamline some of the more tedious processes in consulting, like proposal writing.
Perceptis is now focused on the business development side of consulting. Its AI-powered operating system can do industry research, identify opportunities that align with their client's skillset and background, and create detailed, custom proposals that the client can use to win a job.
Dostiyarov told BI earlier this year that a lot of the internal processes completed at consulting firms are heavy with manual labor and "lend themselves almost perfectly to what GenAI is capable of doing."
He also said Perceptis could make smaller firms, which don't typically have internal AI tools, more competitive in the market.
The company told BI this week that while initially serving boutique management consultancies, it's now quickly expanding to serve IT services, system integrators, software developers, financial services, design firms, and real estate agencies.
Perceptis had raised $3.6 million in funding as of January.
Genpact
Genpact, a professional services company that expects to generate $5 billion in revenue this year, has made a major push over the past year to position itself as a leader in AI strategy.
Sanjeev Vohra, the company's chief technology officer — who spent more than two decades at Accenture — said AI transformations have to begin internally.
Last year, Genpact launched "Client Zero," an initiative to design, test, and refine AI solutions in-house before rolling them out to its 800-plus clients.
One example is "Amber," an AI-powered chief listening officer that has handled more than 500,000 employee interactions in the past year.
"She's dynamic. She works 24/7. She doesn't rest, and she's talking to people," Vohra said. Genpact has also deployed a suite of AI finance tools that it says can cut invoice processing from weeks to hours.
Since launching Client Zero, Vohra said, Genpact has trimmed nearly $40 million from its operating expenses.Now, the company is piloting those same solutions with clients.
Vohra said clients want to see the value they are getting from investing in this technology.
"Let's assume you're spending $100 right now for a certain process — can it happen in $80? Can it happen in $70 in the next one or two years?" He said. "That's what the C-suite is looking for."
SIB
SIB specializes in helping clients like restaurant groups, hospitals, universities, and government agencies find savings in fixed costs — expenses that remain static regardless of how much a company produces.
SIB CEO Shannon Copeland told BI that these are often found in areas that "escape scrutiny," like fees for telecommunications, utilities, waste removal, shipping, and software licenses. According to his LinkedIn profile, Copeland is an alum of Accenture and Deloitte.
SIB has grown since its 2008 launch in Charleston, South Carolina. It's now a national firm serving hundreds of clients, ranging from Kroger and Marriott to governments like San Diego County. It recently added over a dozen Fortune 500 companies and private equity firms. Since its launch, SIB says it has identified more than $8 billion in cost savings.
Copeland said that, unlike traditional consulting firms, SIB operates under a contingency model. "If we don't find savings, we don't get paid," he said, adding that the firm doesn't charge fees upfront.
SIBuses AI agents to monitor invoices, vendor contracts, and billing patterns. The firm's consultants use the resulting insights to negotiate better contract terms or restructure their vendor relationships.
"You could think of us as part AI, part old-school operator," Copeland said.
In addition to cost-cutting, the firm also focuses on strengthening relationships, a cornerstone of traditional consulting.
"We actually encourage vendors and clients to return to high-trust, high-accountability partnerships by using data as the starting point for better collaboration," Copeland said. "Working with robots actually makes humans listen to each other more. It's ironic, but it works."
Monevate
Monevate's motto is simple — focus on one thing and do it well.
The firm focuses on pricing strategy for software-as-a-serviceand high-growth tech companies. It also works with private equity firms to assess the commercial viability of potential investments.
According to his LinkedIn profile, James Wilton, an alum of McKinsey, Kearney, and ZS Associates, founded Monevate in 2021. Wilton now serves as the Firm's managing partner. The firm has 16 full-time consultants and has helped over 50 SaaS, tech, and AI companies in the past three years.
"Most of our clients are backed by venture capital or private equity, and increasingly, we're working with teams building AI products and features," Wilton told BI by email.
Wilton said clients usually turn to Monevate when they've hit a wall with their current strategy because their product has changed or the market has evolved. "We design and implement fully-baked pricing strategies, including packaging, price architecture, and price levels," he said.
Wilton said the impetus to launch the firm came from the gaps he saw in traditional consulting. "Clients often complained about recommendations that never went anywhere, high fees that only the largest companies could afford, no skin in the game, inflexible delivery models, and highly variable service quality depending on the team," he said.
Monevate keeps its focus narrow, but that's allowed even its most junior consultants to become "deep pricing experts," Wilton said.
He added that the firm's work is "narrow by consulting standards, and it means walking away from other kinds of work, but it allows us to be truly great at what we do."
Keystone
Keystone is a strategy consulting firm that advises technology companies, life science companies, governments, and law firms. Its clients include major corporations like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, Intel, Novartis, and Amgen.
The firm was founded in 2003 by Greg Richards, a mechanical engineer by training and an alum of Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard, who now serves as an advisor to Harvard Business School, and Marco Iansiti, a physicist and professor at Harvard Business School.
Iansiti told BI that Keystone tends to be more "geeky and nerdy" than traditional consulting firms. "We love to kind of get deep on the tech side of things," he said. The team includes data scientists, AI experts, and academics.
While many consulting firms are embracing generative AI, which is often used to automate day-to-day work like writing emails or reviewing documents and contracts, Iansiti said Keystone is focusing more on operational AI.
Operational AI is used to transform core business functions like managing supply chains, inventory, pricing, and forecasting. In 2023, the firm launched "CoreAI," a team dedicated to using AI to automate and improve these areas.
"We get excited about the term deep enterprise on this," Iansiti said. "Deep enterprise is really the idea of using deep learning models that are embedded around crucial operating processes in the enterprise."
The firm's "value add," he said, lies in building this kind of "pretty unique operational AI" for its clients.
Fusion Collective
Fusion Collective is an IT consulting firm that offers a range of consulting services to clients, including strategy and management advice, cloud transformation, and AI alignment.
The firm was founded by Blake Crawford, who worked on enterprise architecture at MTV Networks and Viacom, and Yvette Schmitter, an alum of Deloitte, PwC, and Amazon Web Services, where she led three cloud migrations, including the largest in the company's history.
Schmitter said that in her experience, clients are seeking AI advice from consulting firms before they're ready.
"We have organizations who are running at 99 miles an hour, hiring these firms to build these AI strategy documents, 165 pages of beautiful PowerPoints, right?" she said. But these companies still can't "operationalize" AI, she said. "Why? Because the basic infrastructure isn't there. Any type of vulnerability that they have in security, their cloud infrastructure, is just exacerbated by AI."
In the end, clients chose consultants based on trust, their networks, and existing business relationships, she said.
"I really believe that a true partner is one who's going to tell you the truth. Tell it like it is even if it hurts right?" Schmitter said. To that end, she said she asks clients who come to her about AI strategy to have a solid grasp of their infrastructure footprint, data governance policies, and security before they accelerate adoption.
The bottom line is that Fusion Collective likes to keep its advice real. "If companies have not mastered the fundamentals, you're not ready for AI, and you're not ready for an army of consultants to come in to do stuff," Schmitter said.
Slideworks
Slideworks isn't necessarily going after consulting firms' business, though it focuses on something many of the big guys are known for: making powerful slides.
Slideworks offers what it calls "high-end" PowerPoint templates and "toolkits" created by former consultants for Bain, BCG, and McKinsey.
When you work as a consultant at a top-tier firm, "you are schooled every day in best practice presentations and slide design," the company says on its website. The idea is to offer access to a library of slides and spreadsheets for areas including strategy, supply chain management, and "digital transformation."
In a February blog post, Alexandra Hazard Kampmann, a Slideworks partner, wrote that "management consultants are often made fun of as 'slide monkeys.'" Yet, she added, the slide is a "crucial reason" why McKinsey and BCG consultants have so many Fortune 500 companies as clients.
Slideworks offers a "consulting toolkit," which contains 205 slides and costs $129. It also offers a "consulting proposal," which has 242 slides plus an Excel model and costs $149.
There are also operations, mergers and acquisitions, business strategy, and product strategy templates.
Slideworks says it has more than 4,500 customers globally, including Coca-Cola, Pfizer, and the professional-services firms Deloitte and EY.
Unity Advisory
Some top UK executives from Ernst & Young and PwC are joining forces to launch a new firm called Unity Advisory in June, the Financial Times reported. The firm will be chaired by Steve Varley, who spent nearly 19 years at EY, and led by CEO Marissa Thomas, who worked at PwC for over 30 years, according to their LinkedIn profiles.
It is backed by up to $300 million from Warburg Pincus, a private equity firm, and willfocus on tax and accounting services, technology consulting, and mergers and acquisitions.
"CFOs are open to a new proposition," Varley told the FT. "The Big Four are a classy bunch of service providers, but people are looking for a proposition that is super client-centric, has really low administrative cost, is AI-led rather than based on legacy infrastructure and, crucially, has no conflicts."
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the monthly pricing for Consulting IQ. It starts at $99 per month, not $9. It also misstated the firm's partnership with JP Morgan, which is its primary operating bank.
Woolworths has long been one of the safest income stocks on the ASX, and it isn’t hard to understand why. As Australia’s dominant supermarket operator, it benefits from steady, recurring demand for essential household items.
Whether the economy is booming or busting, customers continue to buy groceries, baby products, cleaning supplies, and everyday necessities. That dependable spending base translates into predictable earnings and, in turn, reliable dividends.
Woolworths continues to invest heavily in digital upgrades, online ordering, logistics, automation, and data-driven retail innovations. These investments are helping the company defend its market share and improve long-term profitability, even as customers become more price conscious. Its scale, brand strength, and supply-chain capabilities give it enduring competitive advantages that smaller competitors simply can’t match.
Bell Potter thinks a buying opportunity has opened up following sustained share price weakness. It has put a buy rating and $30.70 price target on its shares.
As for income, it is forecasting fully franked dividends of 91 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 100 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $28.08, this would mean dividend yields of 3.25% and 3.55%, respectively.
Transurban is another ASX dividend share that income investors should keep on their radar. As the operator of major toll roads across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and North America, the company enjoys one of the most predictable revenue streams on the market.
Traffic volumes tend to grow steadily over time as populations increase and cities expand, giving Transurban strong long-term cashflow visibility.
The company’s assets are supported by long-term concession agreements, often stretching decades into the future, which provide a high degree of certainty around future toll revenue. This stability allows Transurban to return meaningful distributions to shareholders year after year.
And as inflation rises, toll escalators built into many of its contracts help naturally lift revenue. Combined with development projects, its long-term dividend outlook looks very rosy.
Citi currently has a buy rating and $16.10 price target on its shares.
With respect to income, it is forecasting dividends per share of 69.5 cents in FY 2026 and then 73.7 cents in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $14.82, this would mean dividend yields of 4.7% and 5%, respectively.
Should you invest $1,000 in Transurban Group right now?
Before you buy Transurban Group shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Transurban Group wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group and Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
If you’re approaching retirement and worried about the prospect of living on the Age Pension, you’re not alone. Although the Pension is one of Australia’s most important social safety nets, it can be difficult to lead a comfortable retirement on $813 a week (couple rate), particularly if you rent or haven’t paid off the mortgage on your home. That’s where ASX dividend income stocks can help.
Unlike cash investments, such as term deposits, dividend-paying stocks can offer meaningful returns that exceed inflation and can increase over time without requiring additional investment.
Investing in any stock carries risks, of course. However, with the right stocks, I believe any Australian can enjoy a more comfortable retirement compared to if they were to rely solely on their cash savings and the Pension.
So today, let’s talk about seven ASX income stocks that I think would serve a retiree, or pre-retiree, for decades to come.
Seven ASX dividend income stocks to supplement the pension
First up, we have a familiar name in Coles. What makes Coles a prudent long-term income investment for someone at or approaching retirement age is its defensive nature. We all need to eat and stock our households with life’s essentials. As long as Coles offers these goods at convenient locations and affordable prices, its business should do well in all economic circumstances. Coles also pays a decent dividend, which has always come with full franking credits attached.
Telstra offers many of the attributes that make Coles a compelling retirement stock. Consider how indispensable internet connections and mobile phones are to our modern world. When we also consider that Telstra is the clear market leader in providing both of these services in Australia, its value becomes apparent. Telstra also offers stable dividend income that has always come fully franked.
ASX banks are famous for their fat, and mostly fully franked, dividends, and CBA is no exception. CBA has been very expensive for a long time, but has recently come off the boil a little. Although still expensive, the current pricing on this income stock may provide a potentially decent entry point for long-term investors.
You may be familiar with Transurban as the large company that operates most of the major toll roads in the country. Whilst these tolls might be the bane of motorists, they are a highly reliable source of revenue for Transurban, which makes it a good candidate as an income stock for retirement. Although this stock’s dividends don’t offer much in the way of franking credits, it does usually have a high and stable yield on the table.
Wesfarmers is next up. This retail and industrial conglomerate has numerous underlying businesses, making it one of the most diversified ASX blue-chip companies. Its crown jewels are the retailers like Bunnings, OfficeWorks and Kmart, though. Wesfarmers has demonstrated itself to be a conservative and prudent manager of capital for decades. Given the ongoing dominance of this income stock’s underlying businesses, Wesfarmers arguably seems primed to continue its track record.
Lottery Corp is the company behind most lotteries and Keno games across Australia. The temptation to win a jackpot is a universal one, and grips Australians regardless of the state of the broader economy. Given that Lottery Corp has exclusive licenses to run these services in most states and territories for years to come, this makes Lottery Corp a reliable income stock to consider for a retirement portfolio. The company pays a decent, and fully franked, dividend.
Australian Foundation Investment Co Ltd (ASX: AFI)
AFIC is a listed investment company (LIC) that invests in a broad portfolio of underlying shares itself. It has been following the same set of rules for decades and has consistently delivered decent returns for its investors, with a focus on capital protection. The beauty of stocks like AFIC is that the company’s management makes the tough investment decisions for you, making it a true ‘bottom-drawer’ investment. AFIC pays a highly stable dividend income, which is also fully franked.
Should you invest $1,000 in Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited right now?
Before you buy Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended The Lottery Corporation, Transurban Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended The Lottery Corporation and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
Cook County in Illinois, which includes Chicago, has approved a permanent basic income program.
Mensent Photography/Getty Images
Cook County, which includes Chicago, ran a two-year basic income experiment in 2022.
During the pilot, thousands of residents received $500 a month to spend however they wanted.
The county has now made that basic income program permanent in its 2026 budget.
Many American cities and counties have been experimenting with a novel concept: Giving financially vulnerable residents free money every month without expecting anything in return.
The goal is to let those people decide for themselves how best to spend the extra cash, rather than requiring them to spend it on certain kinds of food or other necessities.
When those programs end, many report largely positive results. Few, however, are ever made permanent.
Cook County in Illinois, which includes Chicago, is now an exception.
The Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved its 2026 budget proposal on Thursday, and it includes $7.5 million for a guaranteed basic income program.
Cook County had earlier run a basic income experiment for two years. It provided $500 a month to 3,200 households during that time. The last payment went out in January.
"The County will invest $7.5 million to continue supporting the Guaranteed Income program, providing direct unconditional monetary support to help residents live healthier and more stable lives," the county's now-approved budget proposal says.
A guaranteed basic income is a social safety net program in which a government provides certain residents with recurring, no-strings-attached cash payments for a set period. Often, the eligible recipients fit specific criteria, such as having a household income near the poverty line.
A guaranteed basic income differs from a universal basic income, which is when a government provides all individuals in a population with recurring, no-strings-attached cash payments, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
AI leaders, such as Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, have publicly advocated for basic income programs to mitigate the potential impact of AI on human jobs.
Governments worldwide have toyed with basic income programs. Ireland recently made its basic income for artists permanent, and South Korea is poised to launch one of the world's largest programs.
Cook County released survey findings based on responses from those who received cash payments between 2022 and 2025. The majority said the payments made them more financially secure, reduced their stress, and improved their mental health.
The top reported uses for the payments were food, rent, utilities, and transportation.
The first ASX 200 share that could offer material upside over the next 12 months is James Hardie.
This building products giant has been dealing with a tough demand environment in North America, as higher interest rates and softer housing activity weighed on volumes. Despite that, the company’s most recent quarterly update signalled that conditions may be stabilising faster than expected.
This caught the eye of analysts at Morgans. They noted that while organic volumes are still declining, the performance was better than feared and could mark a bottoming in the cycle.
Morgans also estimates that James Hardie is now trading on a forward PE ratio of 17x, which it sees as undemanding given the company’s strong market position and the potential for earnings to rebound as the US housing cycle improves.
In response to the update, the broker upgraded James Hardie shares to a buy rating with a $35.50 price target. Based on its current share price of $27.60, this implies potential upside of over 25% for investors.
Another ASX 200 share that could rise strongly from current levels is ResMed.
The sleep and respiratory care giant helps millions of people manage sleep apnoea and related conditions. Its technology not only improves quality of life but also reduces healthcare costs, which is a powerful combination that has helped ResMed become a global leader in its field.
The company continues to grow thanks to its recurring revenue model, driven by the sale of masks, accessories, and cloud-connected devices. Its digital health platform, which monitors patient adherence, also provides valuable data that strengthens relationships with healthcare providers and insurers.
And after a period of share price weakness, the stock now looks very attractively priced. Macquarie, for example, has an outperform rating and $49.20 price target on its shares. Based on its current share price of $37.81, this implies potential upside of 30% for investors over the next 12 months.
But it isn’t just about the next 12 months. Given its strong cash flow, robust balance sheet, and expanding pipeline of digital health innovations, ResMed could be a business to own for decades.
Should you invest $1,000 in James Hardie Industries plc right now?
Before you buy James Hardie Industries plc shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and James Hardie Industries plc wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and ResMed. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
The ASX stock Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG) has built a reputation as an impressive ASX dividend share, in my view.
The business currently operates 125 Shaver Shop stores across Australia and New Zealand, in addition to its websites.
It says it offers customers a wide range of quality brands, at competitive prices, supported by “excellent staff product knowledge”. The business sources products from major manufacturers. Its specialist knowledge and strong track record in the personal grooming segment enable it to negotiate exclusive products with suppliers.
The company’s core product range includes male and female hair removal products, such as electric shavers, clippers, trimmers, and wet shave items. It also sells items in the categories of oral care, hair care, massage, air treatment, and beauty.
ASX dividend stock credentials
Shaver Shop has delivered investors a very reliable dividend over the last several years.
It increased its dividend each year between FY17 and FY23. The business then maintained its annual dividend per share at 10.2 cents in FY24. It hiked its payout to 10.3 cents per share in FY25.
There are plenty of ASX stocks that have cut their dividend in recent years, including retailers. Shaver Shop, on the other hand, has managed to provide investors with resilience.
According to the forecast on CMC Markets, Shaver Shop is projected to pay an annual dividend of 10.5 cents per share in FY26. That translates into a cash dividend yield of 7.4% and a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.6%, including franking credits.
The business doesn’t pay a monthly dividend, so I think it’s better to consider it an annual goal and then divide it by 12.
For an investor to generate $100 of monthly income, we’re talking about an annual goal of $1,200 cash. This means investors would need to own 11,429 Shaver Shop shares.
But, if we were to include the franking credits as part of the passive income goal, an investor would need only 8,000 Shaver Shop shares.
Why the outlook is positive
With a dividend yield that large, it doesn’t need to deliver huge capital growth to deliver pleasing overall returns.
The forecast on CMC Markets suggests that the business could increase its dividend per share to 11.6 cents again in FY27. It’s also projected to deliver earnings per share (EPS) growth of 11.7 cents in FY26 (a slight increase) and then deliver 12.8 cents of EPS in FY27.
That means it’s only trading at 12x FY26’s estimated earnings and 11x FY27’s estimated earnings.
The ASX stock can grow earnings through several strategies, including opening more stores, collaborating with additional brands, expanding its own private brand (Transform-U), and increasing online sales.
Overall, I think it has a promising future for both earnings growth and good dividends.
Should you invest $1,000 in Shaver Shop Group right now?
Before you buy Shaver Shop Group shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Shaver Shop Group wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Shaver Shop Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
You might notice that with the exceptions of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway and the Saudi oil powerhouse, all of the market’s trillion-dollar stocks share a common thread: artificial intelligence (AI).
Prior to the dawn of the AI revolution, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet were the only companies that featured trillion-dollar valuations consistently. This is important to point out, as Nvidia — which is now the world’s most valuable company — witnessed historic levels of market-cap expansion over the last three years thanks entirely to the AI boom.
While Nvidia remains king of the parallel processing chip realm, the technology behemoth has to give a lot of credit to its manufacturing partners — particularly Taiwan Semi.
While TSMC’s market value has already risen nearly fourfold during the AI revolution, I think its rally could continue as investment in AI infrastructure begins to kick into a new gear.
Let’s explore what makes Taiwan Semi such an important variable within the broader AI equation, and assess what supports my view that the stock could double over the next couple of years, lifting the company into the $3 trillion club.
TSMC: The unsung hero of AI development
When new mega-deals get announced in the AI industry, chances are, the headlines of the stories relate to which hyperscaler has decided to procure billions of dollars’ worth of Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs). Big tech’s capital expenditures continue to accelerate, and I think it’s reasonable to say that demand for data center chips won’t diminish anytime soon. While this is good news for Nvidia investors, it’s even better for Taiwan Semiconductor.
The reason is simple: TSMC is already the world’s largest third-party chip foundry by revenue — holding an estimated 68% market share. In essence, chip designers like Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Broadcom, Qualcomm, and many others outsource much of their manufacturing to Taiwan Semi’s best-in-class fabrication facilities.
These dynamics are what make Taiwan Semi such a lucrative opportunity. Given the company’s broad customer base, in combination with the tailwinds of rising chip demand, TSMC represents the ultimate pick-and-shovel semiconductor stock in the AI infrastructure era.Â
Fuel for Taiwan Semi’s next growth phase
The chart below shows Taiwan Semi’s revenue and gross margin trends over the last three years. The combination of accelerating sales and improving margins speaks volumes about the level of pricing power TSMC is able to command for its foundry services.
With this type of momentum, smart investors are asking how TSMC can keep its growth train chugging along.
From a macro standpoint, AI infrastructure is expected to be a $7 trillion opportunity over the next five years — according to a forecast from McKinsey & Company.
In addition, AI workloads continue to become more sophisticated. As applications across robotics and autonomous systems move closer to commercialization, more advanced chipsets will be required. Anecdotally, TSMC is already working closely with Tesla to bring its custom AI5 chip to life.
Furthermore, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently told investors that demand is so high for the company’s various data center hardware — particularly its new Blackwell and Blackwell Ultra chips and its next-generation Vera Rubin architecture — that an estimated $300 billion in incremental revenue could be recognized over the next year alone.
With trillions of dollars expected to be poured into additional data center capacity, and with new chip designs coming to market, demand for Taiwan Semi’s robust manufacturing expertise appears likely to be sustained for the foreseeable future.
Is Taiwan Semi stock a good buy right now?
At the moment, Taiwan Semi trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 27. While this is close to its peak levels during the AI revolution, I think it deserves that premium.
Over the last several months, sentiment appears to have shifted more positively toward TSMC. I think the reason is twofold. First, the geographic expansion of its foundry footprint beyond Taiwan is helping mitigate investors’ fears related to geopolitical tensions with China.
Moreover, I think growth investors are beginning to better understand TSMC’s critical role in the AI narrative and are bullish on the company’s prospects as big tech doubles down on AI infrastructure.
While the stock isn’t cheap, TSMC’s upside potential is compelling. Against this backdrop, I see TSMC stock as a no-brainer pick to buy and hold over the next several years.Â
This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.
This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.
Should you invest $1,000 in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing right now?
Before you buy Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service heâs run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
Adam Spatacco has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
The author became a stepmom when she married her husband.
Courtesy of the author
I've been a stepmom for 20 years and am the second in three generations of stepmoms.
My mom taught me to let my stepchildren guide the role they need me to play in their lives.
For 20 years, I've tried to be a trusted adult and am now watching my stepdaughter do the same.
The first stepmother I remember was Lady Tremaine — the wicked stepmother, brought to us by Disney in the film "Cinderella."
Today, I'm the second in three generations of stepmoms. I'm a stepmom of three. My mom became a stepmom when I was in my teens. My youngest stepdaughter is now a stepmom, and I have a stepmom.
Throughout my teens and early 20s, I watched my mom as she navigated being a stepparent. This year, I've officially been a stepmom for 20 years. Now I'm watching my stepdaughter as she navigates her own stepparent journey.
Becoming a not-so-evil stepmom in the most magical place on Earth
Funny enough, I became a stepmom at a Disney World wedding. At the time, my stepson was 16, my stepdaughters were 13 and 8, and my son was 5.
Being a stepmom inspired the author's book about Disney World, "The Not-So-Evil Stepmother in the Most Magical Place on Earth."
Courtesy of the author
The kids all joked that the second we said "I do," I was going to turn wicked and lock them in a tower.
My husband and I had dated for a few years before we got married. I had gotten to know the kids pretty well. My son was almost 3 when we met, and my future stepchildren knew me not just as Dad's girlfriend, but also Austin's mom.
I think being a mom myself helped my stepchildren see me in a different light. I wasn't their mom, but I was someone else's mom, and they liked that kid.
Our blended family grew to yours, mine, and ours
In 2008, our family grew from yours and mine. We added "ours," and now my stepchildren have a stepsibling (no shared parent) and a half-sibling (shares one parent).
Spouses, siblings, and three generations of stepmoms at my youngest's high school musical debut.
Courtesy of the author
One thing I learned from my mom is that siblings fight. When the kids would argue about whose turn it was to unload the dishwasher or fight over a special cup, my husband and I would smile. We both had similar arguments with our own siblings. It's what families do.
My favorite moments were being crammed around the table during dinner. The noise was deafening — everyone sharing stories, grabbing food, laughing. We couldn't do it often, but made it a priority when it was possible.
Despite a large age difference, the kids have relationships. They all dance together at weddings. The youngest, now 17, and the oldest play video games together. My son regularly goes to my stepdaughter for advice.
Being a trusted adult, not another parent
The role of a stepparent isn't usually the same as being a parent. I learned this from watching my mom. My stepsister had a mom, a very involved mom, and that wasn't the role my mom was going to play in her life.
My stepchildren have a wonderful, caring, engaged mom. I've tried to take the lead from my stepchildren on the role they need me to play.
The author is part of three generations of stepmoms.
Courtesy of the author
That role was finding a great deal on a teenager's first car. To take them for their first pedicure. To know where to find cute prom dresses for petite girls. To offer advice, ideas, and another point of view. To be a break from their parents. Be the person on the phone when they didn't want to call mom or dad. To be there when life is harsh.
My stepmom came into my life in adulthood. She's kind, caring, a friend, and an adult I can rely on. My youngest stepdaughter, now a stepmom herself, said it best. The role of a stepparent is that of a trusted adult.
Like parenting, stepparenting is a mix of emotions
When my husband and I were still dating, we took my son and youngest stepdaughter to see "March of the Penguins." During a traumatizing scene involving a shark, she climbed into my lap to be comforted.
The author's stepdaughter officially became a stepmom in 2023.
Courtesy of the author
I had this mix of emotions: happy, sad, and guilt. Happy we had grown close enough that I was a comfort for her. Sad that it was so scary, and I couldn't fix it. And guilt because I know how I would feel if another mom were comforting my kid. This mix of feelings was telling for life as a stepparent.
I would see them do something amazing, but I'm not the first person they hug. They're sick, but the school didn't call me. On Mother's Day, I get a text, but I'm not the priority for brunch. I see them struggle with tough decisions; I'm there to listen and offer a perspective, but the final choice is one I don't have a say in.
Rationally, I know they have amazing parents, but emotionally, it was hard.
I am lucky to have these three caring, clever, funny people to love. To be there for birthdays, weddings, becoming parents, and just those occasional loud dinners full of laughter.
To this day, my youngest stepdaughter and I are close. We share a love of fashion, gymnastics, incredibly long, rapid-fire texts, and being not-so-evil stepmoms. Now I get to see her use her experience to help her stepchildren. To listen, understand, and be that trusted adult.
The author was surprised by the apple pie-flavored mac and cheese.
Courtesy of the author
Kraft's apple pie-flavored Mac & Cheese offers a surprisingly tasty twist on comfort food.
The author recalls past unusual food pairings, like cheddar on apple pie, that exceeded expectations.
Trying new, unconventional flavors can lead to delightful surprises and memorable experiences.
If you'd told me years ago that cheese and apple pie could go together, like Kraft's new limited-edition apple pie mac and cheese, I would've laughed.
I've never been the most adventurous eater, but over the years I've grown more curious about odd flavor pairings — the ones that sound ridiculous until you try them. So when I heard Kraft was releasing an apple pie-flavored mac and cheese for the Thanksgiving season, I knew I had to track it down.
I'm glad I did, because surprisingly, I loved it.
I bought it online at Walmart
Unlike when I drove around to multiple Taco Bells trying to find the Baja Blast pie without success, it was much easier to get a hold of the mac and cheese.
We were thankfully able to find it without having to hunt too much in stores. Kraft's apple pie-flavored mac and cheese is currently available via Walmart online. My friend found it, and we got six boxes delivered to his apartment the next day. We were both excited about trying it.
The author bought the Kraft mac and cheese from Walmart online.
Courtesy of the author
I also looked online about ways to make boxed mac and cheese better than simply the out-of-the-box standard. I bought a couple of apples, Greek yogurt, and some cinnamon sugar pretzel sticks. My plan was to try the mac and cheese as it said on the side of the box, and then try a second version with some of the additional ingredients.
It looked like regular mac and cheese
Opening the box, it looked the same. It was a box of dried noodles with a spice packet that looked nearly identical to the original packets. The apple one, however, smelled great. I was hopeful that it would taste as apple cinnamony as it smelled from the packet.
I started with the basic version, following the box directions exactly — boil the noodles, stir in the sauce packet, and wait. When I tore open the seasoning packet, the smell hit me immediately: it had tones of warm cinnamon and sweet apple.
The author said she followed the instructions and that at first, it looked just like regular mac and cheese.
Courtesy of the author
Once it was mixed together, though, the flavor was far more subtle than the aroma promised. The cinnamon and apple were there, but just barely. If anything, it made the mac and cheese taste brighter and more layered, almost like what the regular version should be all along.
My friend and I kept taking bites, trying to decide if we actually liked it or if the novelty was just talking. We both agreed that we liked it and that if this were available all year round, we'd buy it over the regular Kraft mac and cheese. By the time we finished the bowl, we were already talking about ordering more.
We then experimented with new recipes
We then decided to try a different version with the extra boxes the web had.
The author decided to experiment by adding pretzels into the mix.
Courtesy of the author
We started with plain Greek yogurt, which completely elevated the flavor of the mac and cheese for us. The yogurt made the dish creamy and slightly tangy. The cinnamon pretzels, crushed a bit on top, gave the mac and cheese an additional crunchy and sweet texture to balance things out. This had tangy, sweet, and savory all in one meal that felt more filling than the bowl without it.
In the end, the whole experience reminded me why I love stepping outside my comfort zone — especially when it comes to food. What started as a silly experiment turned into something genuinely fun and surprisingly delicious.
