Stock Pick – Page 47 – Curated Stock Market News

How Costco became the king of bulk buying, starting out by selling only to businesses out of an old airplane hangar
Sales at Costco rocketed from zero to $3 billion in less than six years.

STR New / Reuters
- Costco is a wholesale club that sells a wide range of products and services to fee-paying members.
- Founded in 1983 in Seattle, Washington, the company built off a concept pioneered by earlier stores.
- Costco made $269.9 billion in revenue last year and is the third-largest retailer in the world.
Costco is a members-only wholesale club that offers a variety of products and services at extremely competitive prices.

The company was founded in 1983 by Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brotman, who opened the first Costco warehouse in Seattle, Washington.

Now, more than 40 years later, Costco is the third-largest retailer in the world, with over 920 locations, more than 145 million cardholders, and annual revenue exceeding $269.9 billion.

Here's how the wholesale club redefined retail.

Costco's story begins decades before its first location launched in 1983, tracing its roots to FedMart, a discount department store for government employees.

Costaricky/Wikimedia Commons

FedMart was founded by entrepreneur Sol Price. Jim Sinegal started his career at FedMart and thought of Price as a mentor.

The pair developed and refined the wholesale club strategy together at FedMart, which was one of the first general merchandise retailers to expand into other categories like groceries, gasoline, and prescription drugs.

Sam Walton liked what Price and Sinegal were doing with FedMart in California so much that he opened the first Walmart in Arkansas 1962.

Associated Press

"I guess I've stolen – I actually prefer the word 'borrowed' – as many ideas from Sol Price as from anybody else in the business," Walton later said.

After an investor forced Price out of FedMart, he leaned more heavily into the membership club model in 1976 with Price Club.

Keith Beaty/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Price wanted his store to be a wholesale supplier for small businesses, and he opened his first location in an old aircraft hangar that was once used by aviator Howard Hughes.

In 1983, Sinegal and Walton each launched members-only warehouse clubs — Costco and Sam’s Club — that bore a striking resemblance to Price Club.

Walmart Museum

The basic concept across each company was the same: shoppers pay a fee to gain access to bargain pricing. In each case, the business relies on membership fees more than product markups to earn a profit.

Company sales in that first year reached $101 million, plus $1.3 million in membership fees.

Courtesy of Costco Wholesale

In the beginning, non-members could shop as long as they paid a 5% surcharge on their purchases. There are still a few ways to shop Costco without a membership.

Sales at Costco rocketed from zero to $3 billion in less than six years — a first for any company in history, according to the company.

Courtesy of Costco Wholesale

Costco became a publicly traded company in 1985, initially offering shares for $10. Due to several stock splits, one initial Costco share would be equal to six today, worth a total of more than $5,250 as of December 10.

Despite their similarities, Costco, Price Club, and Sam's Club weren't direct competitors, as each had a sizable geographic territory in which to expand.

Walmart

Price Club was largely in the Southwest, centered in San Diego, while Arkansas-based Sam's Club had the Midwest and Southeast, and Costco took the Northwest, headquartered in the Seattle area.

One way Costco found to keep prices low was to sharply limit the number of different products in its inventory.

Courtesy of Costco Wholesale

Even today, Costco only carries around 4,000 unique products in its assortment — referenced by stock-keeping-unit codes or SKUs — while typical supermarkets carry 30,000 or more. By comparison, a Walmart Supercenter typically carries around 120,000 SKUs.

In 1993, Price Club and Costco joined forces and began operating as PriceCostco with 206 locations and $16 billion in annual sales.

Courtesy of Costco Wholesale

Memberships from each brand were honored by the other.

The company dropped the awkward PriceCostco branding in 1997 and reverted to Costco.

Larry Downing/Reuters

A few remaining Price Club locations were rebranded to Costco at this time as well.

In its 20th anniversary year, Costco had 430 warehouses in North America, Asia, and the UK, over 40 million membership cardholders, and generated $42.5 billion in revenue.

VCG/VCG via Getty Images

That year, the company ranked ninth among the world's largest retailers.

US warehouses that year generated an average of $112 million in annual sales, while 11 locations exceeded $200 million.

A Costco warehouse in 2004.

Jeff Zelevansky/Reuters

Costco also opened its fifth Business Center that year, a concept that caters more to small business owners than to household shoppers.

Sinegal retired as CEO on January 1, 2012, handing the leadership of the company to its head of merchandising, Craig Jelinek.

Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal walks through a Costco store in 2012.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Sinegal continued to serve as Company Advisor and Director, ultimately retiring from the board in 2018.

Jelinek had also previously worked for FedMart, and was one of Costco's early hires in the 1980s, rising to vice president in 2004 and ultimately CEO.

Costco CEO Craig Jelinek greets a guest during a ribbon cutting and open house event to mark the opening of the Lincoln Premium Poultry plant, Costco Wholesale's dedicated poultry supplier, in Fremont, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019.

Nati Harnik/AP

Jelinek was in charge of opening Costco's sixth location and helped the company expand in Nevada and California. As vice president of merchandising, he oversaw a range of priorities, including e-commerce, foods, and pharmacy.

Costco became the third-largest retailer in the world in 2014, a ranking it still holds today behind Walmart and Amazon.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Walmart made nearly $675.6 billion in worldwide retail sales in 2024, followed by Amazon at $391.4 billion, and Costco at $244.9 billion, per the National Retail Federation.

Costco turned 40 in September 2023 with 838 locations around the world and nearly 129 million membership cardholders.

Costco has gained a loyal following by

Gene J. Puskar/AP

Costco has made more than $237.7 billion in revenue for that fiscal year.

In 2023, CFO Richard Galanti confirmed that Costco had been selling 1-ounce gold bars and that they've been selling out "within a few hours."

Costco

"When we load them on the site, they're typically gone within a few hours and we limit two per member," Galanti said on the fourth-quarter earnings call in September 2023.

In October 2023, CEO Craig Jelinek announced he would step down at the end of the year.

DRONEAIR Images/Youtube

Jelinek handed over leadership of the wholesale club to Ron Vachris, a 40-year company veteran who had served as Costco's president and chief operating officer since 2022.

Ron Vachris took over as Costco CEO on January 1, 2024, becoming the third person ever to hold the top job.

Costco's new CEO Ron Vachris

Costco

A 40-year employee, Vachris started as a forklift driver at Costco's predecessor, Price Club, and has since worked in pretty much every area of the company.

When longtime CFO Richard Galanti stepped down in February 2024, his successor assured fans the $1.50 hot dog combo would be "safe."

Customers wait in line to order below signage for the Costco Kirkland Signature $1.50 hot dog and soda combo on June 14, 2022 in Hawthorne, California

Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

"While I can't promise to be able to match the humor that Richard Galanti has become famous for, I can promise the same level of open dialogue and transparency you've come to expect," incoming CFO Gary Millerchip said during his first call in the role. "Oh, and to clear up some recent media speculation, I also want to confirm the $1.50 hot dog price is safe."

Throughout 2024, Costco leaned into its Netflix-style crackdown on membership sharing.

Scanning my Costco executive membership card.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Costco's membership crackdown started in 2023 with ID checkers at self-checkout and expanded to the entrances of US warehouses over the next year.

Morgan Stanley analysts estimated in October 2024 that the move drove a significant number of non-member shoppers to finally pay the annual fee — a big lift for Costco's revenue and profit.

After tightening membership enforcement, Costco raised its annual fee for the first time in seven years.

Savings at warehouse stores like Costco may not be worth it.

Damian Dovarganes/AP

On September 1, 2024, Costco increased its fee from $60 to $65 for Gold Star memberships, with Executive memberships going from $120 to $130 — the first fee hikes in seven years.

Costco made headlines in December 2024 when it was one of the few large companies to make a forceful and unapologetic defense of its DEI policies.

The exterior of a Costco.

Kena Betancur/VIEWpress/Getty Images

"Our commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary," the board wrote in its annual proxy statement.

Shareholders later overwhelmingly rejected the proposal from a conservative activist group that would have required the company to prepare a special report on its DEI efforts.

Shoppers appeared to reward Costco for sticking with its principles, with shopping trips increasing as Target saw declines.

Talia Lakritz/BI (Costco); Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images (Target)

Target saw nearly 5 million fewer shopping trips during the four weeks ending on February 9, according to data from Numerator. By contrast, Costco saw nearly 7.7 million more visits during the same period.

Costco also started testing new tech to check product availability in warehouses and speed up customers' shopping trips.

Costco has become too crowded for the author to shop.

Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

"We found that digital really enhances the speed of checkout, and so we are really working hard on the digital membership card usage," Vachris said during an earnings call in 2025.

"We've also engaged in some scan-and-go, done by Costco," he added.

Over the summer, Costco began opening its doors an hour early for executive members — a move that proved to be a big win for both customers and the company.

James Brains/Insider

"We estimate these incremental hours added about 1% to weekly US sales since implementation. This has been very well received by our members," Vachris said during its fourth quarter earnings call in 2025.

CFO Gary Millerchip also said that the extended hours and other new perks led a higher share of shoppers to upgrade their memberships.

Foot traffic data from Placer.ai also indicates the adjustment is helping the company accomplish several key goals, namely getting shoppers to visit more quickly and more often.

Read the original article on Business Insider
15 December 2025

Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

It was a rough start to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Monday. After ending the week on a distinct high last Friday, investors were a little less enthused today, sending theÂ ASX 200 0.72% lower by the closing bell. That leaves the index at a flat 8,635 points.

This sluggish start to the trading week follows a similarly downbeat end to the American trading week on Saturday morning (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was off its game, dropping 0.51%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was harder hit still, falling 1.69%.

But let’s get back to this week and the local markets now, with a look at how the various ASX sectors handled today’s tough trading conditions.

Winners and losers

Today’s market pessimism touched most corners of the market, with only one sector escaping with a rise. But more on that in a moment.

Firstly, it was mining stocks that were hit the hardest today. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) was given a thumping and tanked 2.2%.

Gold shares weren’t spared from that sentiment, with theÂ All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) plunging 2.06%.

Healthcare stocks weren’t popular. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) tanked 1.21% this session.

Energy shares weren’t finding many buyers either, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ)’s 0.81% dive.

Industrial stocks were also left out in the cold. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) was sent home 0.66% lower this Monday.

Tech shares had a sad session as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) taking a 0.46% hit.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) weren’t spared. TheÂ S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) suffered a 0.28% swing.

Right behind REITs were communications stocks, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)’s 0.26% downgrade.

Consumer staples shares mirrored that loss. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) also went backwards by 0.26%.

Next came utilities stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) retreating 0.07%.

Our last losers were financial shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) slipped down 0.07% as well.

Let’s get to our one winner. Consumer discretionary stocks managed to get out with a rise, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)’s 0.54% lift.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Defence stock DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) was our top performer this Monday. Droneshield shares popped 10.58% higher to close at $2.30. Again, this was not spurred by anything new out of the company itself.

Here’s the rest of today’s best:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)	$2.30	10.58%
Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)	$6.55	5.14%
DigiCo Infrastructure REITÂ (ASX: DGT)	$2.48	3.77%
Monadelphous Group Ltd (ASX: MND)	$26.99	2.98%
Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL)	$6.52	2.84%
A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)	$9.04	2.61%
Bega Cheese LtdÂ (ASX: BGA)	$6.07	2.53%
Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)	$29.64	2.42%
IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)	$5.15	2.39%
JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)	$93.95	2.33%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Should you invest $1,000 in DroneShield Limited right now?

Before you buy DroneShield 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 DroneShield 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…

See the 5 Stocks

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

15 December 2025

Want passive income? These ASX dividend stocks could help
If you are looking for passive income on the share market, then look no further than the three ASX dividend stocks named below.

They have been given buy ratings by brokers and are forecast to offer attractive dividend yields in the near term. Here’s what they are recommending:

Harvey Norman Holdings (ASX: HVN)

Harvey Norman could be an ASX dividend stock for income investors to buy.

It is of course a retail giant and a household name in furniture, electronics, and appliances. But what a lot of people may not know is that it also has one of the largest retail property portfolios in Australia.

Bell Potter is positive on the retailer and believes the market is overlooking its property portfolio.

It expects this portfolio and favourable trading conditions to underpin fully franked dividends of 30.9 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 35.3 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $7.00, this would mean dividend yields of 4.4% and 5%, respectively.

Bell Potter currently has a buy rating and $8.30 price target on its shares.

IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH)

A second ASX dividend stock that gets the seal of approval from analysts is IPH.

It is an international intellectual property (IP) services group with operations covering 26 IP jurisdictions. From its wide range of businesses, IPH services a diverse client base of Fortune Global 500 companies and other multinationals, public sector research organisations, small businesses, and professional services firms.

The team at Morgans remains positive on IPH and sees significant value in its shares and generous dividend yields on the horizon.

With respect to the latter, it is forecasting fully franked dividends of 37 cents per share in FY 2026 and FY 2027. Based on its latest share price of $3.39, this would mean 10.9% dividend yields for both years.

Morgans has a buy rating and lofty $6.05 price target on its shares.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Finally, Transurban is an ASX dividend stock that analysts are tipping as a buy.

This toll road giant owns and operates a number of important roads across Australia and North America. This includes CityLink in Melbourne and the Eastern Distributor in Sydney.

Citi believes its portfolio is position to support 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 $14.65, this equates to dividend yields of 4.75% and 5%, respectively.

The broker currently has a buy rating and $16.10 price target on its shares.

The post Want passive income? These ASX dividend stocks could help appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Should you invest $1,000 in Harvey Norman Holdings Limited right now?

Before you buy Harvey Norman Holdings 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 Harvey Norman Holdings 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…

See the 5 Stocks

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Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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 Harvey Norman and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended IPH Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
15 December 2025
Healthy dividend sends ASX 200 data centre investor’s shares higher
Shares in DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT) were among the best performers in the S&P/ASX 200 IndexÂ (ASX: XJO) on Monday after the company announced a healthy 6-cent dividend.

With the market having a challenging day overall, down 0.79% to 8628.3 by mid-afternoon, the good news about the data centre investor’s dividend had it placed well within the top 5 best performers in the ASX 200.

The company, which was listed on December 13 last year, told the ASX in a statement that it would pay a 6-cent per share dividend to shareholders on the register on December 30.

The unfranked dividend would be paid “on or about” 26 February, the company said.

Strong dividend yield

Taken together with the 10.9 cents per share dividend paid in August, the newly-declared dividend takes the unfranked dividend yield up to 6.84% per share.

DigiCo shares were trading 8 cents higher on the news on Monday at $2.47.

New leader to drive growth

DigiCo also announced just last week that it had named Michael Juniper as Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Juniper, the company said, had more than two decades’ experience in digital infrastructure, and was a founding Executive and Deputy Chief Executive Officer at privately held data centre giant AirTrunk.

The company said last week that it had appointed Mr Juniper following him also joing the company’s Board in September.

Michael’s experience, relationships and track record in this sector make him ideally placed to lead DGT. Under Michael’s leadership, DGT will continue the development of next-generation data centre campuses.

Former Chief Executive Officer Chris Maher transitioned to a new Managing Director role in the related company HMC Capital (ASX: HMC) as part of the leadership transition.

Mr Juniper said at the time:

I am honoured to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer of DGT. DGT is uniquely positioned as Australia’s sovereign digital infrastructure platform, with strong foundations and a high-quality global portfolio. Demand from cloud, AI and GPU-led workloads is accelerating, and DGT is building a future-ready organisation that is required to support these next-generation requirements.

Outlook strong

Mr Maher told the company’s annual general meeting last month that DigiCo was in a strong financial position with “more than $1 billion in potential funding for value-accretive development opportunities”.

On the outlook, he said, following recent customer wins, the company’s Australian contracted IT capacity was expected to be 41MW by June next year, which would represent growth of 95% from June 2025 across the Australian business.

Underlying EBITDA for the current financial year is expected to be $120-$125 million.

The post Healthy dividend sends ASX 200 data centre investor’s shares higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Should you invest $1,000 in DigiCo Infrastructure REIT right now?

Before you buy DigiCo Infrastructure REIT 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 DigiCo Infrastructure REIT 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…

See the 5 Stocks

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended HMC Capital. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended HMC Capital. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
15 December 2025
Westgold Resources shares fall from near-record highs despite plans to spin out new company
Shares inÂ Westgold Resources LtdÂ (ASX: WGX) pulled back on Monday despite a plan that will involve it spinning out some non-core assets into a cashed-up new company.

TheÂ gold minerÂ said on Monday it would create a new company calledÂ Valiant Gold Ltd, which would “unlock value” from assets that were not currently part of Westgold’s three-year forward plan.

Shareholders to be dealt in

Westgold shareholders would be able to participate in a $20 million priority offer of new shares in the company, which aims to raise $65-$75 million overall prior to listing, anticipated to occur in the third quarter of FY26.

The company would contain Westgold’s current Reedy and Comet projects, “an exploration and development package including four small historic underground mines with recent production history and a combined mineral resource of 15.6 million tonnes at 2.4 grams per tonne of gold for 1.2 million ounces”.

Westgold Managing Director Wayne Branwell said it made sense to build a dedicated team around the assets, which would focus on bringing them to production.

By establishing Valiant, we create an independent, well-funded gold company that can bring forward value from smaller assets such as the Comet and South Emu-Triton underground mines and unlock the exploration potential across the Reedy and Comet packages. Valiant will have a fast-track to cashflow with an ore purchase agreement (OPA) to be entered into with Westgold. This collaborative, capital efficient model is proven, as demonstrated by Westgold’s investment and OPA with New Murchison Gold (ASX: NMG). This model saw NMG transition from explorer to producer, with gold production from NMG’s Crown Prince deposit now delivering high grade oxide ore to Westgold’s Meekatharra processing hub.

Mr Bramwell said Vailant would look to replicate this success.

With several small underground mines in care and maintenance, a range of open pit opportunities, and exploration upside, the Valiant team has multiple near-term restart and growth options to deliver near term cashflow.

Westgold said a Board and management for the company had already been selected, with Brendan Tritton named as Managing Director.

Broker gives it the tick

Analysts at RBC Capital Markets said the move was positive for Westgold shareholders.

Westgold’s spin-off of exploration assets currently outside its 3-year outlook is a laudable attempt to realise value for assets otherwise forgotten by the market. New company Valiant should place greater exploration and project emphasis on spun-out assets than would a broader Westgold, which already has a material pipeline of mine upgrades and development options. We maintain our view that a recent doubling in gold price has created material industry-wide opportunities for realising new mine & mill combinations. This vehicle adheres to that principle, with meaningful overall gold resources.

RBC has a price target of $7.80 on Westgold shares, compared with $5.91 on Monday, down 3.1%. The 12-month high for the shares is $6.25.

Westgold was valued at $5.6 billion at the close of trade on Friday.

The post Westgold Resources shares fall from near-record highs despite plans to spin out new company appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Should you invest $1,000 in Westgold Resources Limited right now?

Before you buy Westgold Resources 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 Westgold Resources 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…

See the 5 Stocks

* Returns as of 18 November 2025

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
15 December 2025
Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
With so many shares to choose from on the Australian share market, it can be difficult to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating on this travel agent’s shares with an improved price target of $17.85. It notes that Macquarie has just signed an agreement to acquire the UK’s leading online cruise agency, Iglu, for 100 million British pounds. Macquarie highlights that Iglu has a 15% of the UK market and upwards of 75% of online bookings. It was pleased the move and points out that Flight Centre is leveraging its scale and balance sheet to accelerate its growth with strategic acquisition. The broker sees the cruise industry as attractive with further acquisition opportunities. Outside this, Macquarie likes Flight Centre due to its belief that it will achieve its guidance, which is being supported by improving consumer trends. The Flight Centre share price is trading at $14.98 this afternoon.

Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG)

Another note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have initiated coverage on this diversified financial services company’s shares with an outperform rating and $6.70 price target. The broker highlights that Generation Development Group’s businesses are market leaders in growth sectors, and well positioned to scale. This includes the key Evidentia (managed accounts) segment, which is poised to capture an outsized share of industry growth over 2024 to 2030. Another positive is that management incentives support alignment with investors, with the top end of long term incentives requiring an earnings per share growth hurdle of +27.5%. The Generation Development Group share price is fetching $5.64 at the time of writing.

GenusPlus Group Ltd (ASX: GNP)

Analysts at Bell Potter have retained their buy rating on this power and communications infrastructure and services provider’s shares with an improved price target of $7.50. It notes that GenusPlus has been awarded several major contracts since its FY 2025 results, including this month’s major Western Renewables Link contract. The good news is that the broker expects this trend to continue. It highlights that the company provides investors with concentrated exposure to a long-duration tailwind in rising investment levels for renewable energy generation, storage, and transmission infrastructure. It points out that its current record $2.6 billion+ orderbook of transmission and BESS work packages reflects this thematic. The GenusPlus share price is trading at $6.26 on Monday.

The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Should you invest $1,000 in Flight Centre Travel Group Limited right now?

Before you buy Flight Centre Travel Group 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 Flight Centre Travel Group 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…

See the 5 Stocks

* Returns as of 18 November 2025

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended GenusPlus Group and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group, Generation Development Group, and GenusPlus Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
15 December 2025
Rob Reiner, director of ‘The Princess Bride,’ is dead at 78
Rob Reiner was found dead in his house on Sunday.

Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images
- Director Rob Reiner and his wife were found dead in their home in Los Angeles on Sunday.
- In a Sunday night statement, LA's mayor confirmed the Reiners' deaths and an ongoing investigation.
- Reiner's films include "This is Spinal Tap," "The Princess Bride," and "When Harry Met Sally."
Rob Reiner, the award-winning director of "When Harry Met Sally" and "The Princess Bride," and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their home on Sunday.

A Los Angeles Police Department representative told Business Insider that at 3:38 p.m. on Sunday, the department received a medical aid call to the 200 Block of Chadbourne Avenue in Brentwood, Los Angeles.

At the scene, the LAPD determined the deaths of a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman. The LAPD said in an X statement that its Robbery Homicide Division was investigating an apparent homicide.

In a Sunday night statement, LA Mayor Karen Bass confirmed the Reiners' deaths and said that the investigation was ongoing.

LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said in a Sunday night press conference that the department was not seeking anyone as a suspect or person of interest in the case, and that the LAPD would speak with the couple's family members in the investigation.

Representatives for the family did not immediately respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.

Former House Speaker and California Rep. Nancy Pelosi said in an X post on Sunday that the news was "devastating."

"It's hard to think of anyone more remarkable and excellent in every field and endeavor they pursued," Pelosi wrote.

She added, "Rob was creative, funny, and beloved. And in all of their endeavors, Michelle was his indispensable partner, intellectual resource, and loving wife."

Reiner had a long and illustrious career in Hollywood. The son of actor, director, and screenwriter Carl Reiner, he studied at the UCLA Film School before starting his directing journey.

He directed several iconic Hollywood movies, including "This is Spinal Tap" in 1984, "The Princess Bride" in 1987, and "When Harry Met Sally" in 1989.

Reiner also appeared in several acting stints, including movies such as the 2013 Martin Scorsese blockbuster "The Wolf of Wall Street" and TV series "New Girl" and "The Bear."

In 1987, he founded Castle Rock Entertainment, a production company, alongside a group of film producers. The company is now a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Reiner and his wife had three children together: Nick, Jake, and Romy Reiner. He has one daughter, Tracy Reiner, from his previous marriage to actor Penny Marshall.

Nick Reiner battled drug abuse in his teens and early adulthood. His experience, including stints in rehab, led him to write the screenplay for "Being Charlie," a 2015 romance-drama that his father directed.

In 2016, Reiner told Business Insider that his son was the "heart and soul of the film."

Read the original article on Business Insider
15 December 2025
AI is triggering a quiet hiring comeback for some entry-level talent, say public company CEOs
CEOs say AI will drive more hiring next year, with entry-level and technical roles set to grow, according to a new global survey.

Nitat Termmee/Getty Images
- A new survey shows CEOs expect AI to boost hiring in 2026, especially for entry-level roles.
- Firms are ramping up hiring in engineering and AI-related roles, according to a report by Teneo.
- The hiring uptick is tied to a broader surge in corporate AI investment.
AI may be blamed for this year's layoffs, but a new global survey says the technology could fuel a rebound in some entry-level hiring next year.

Public-company CEOs say AI is creating more jobs in 2026, according to an annual outlook survey conducted by advisory firm Teneo released this month. Sixty-seven percent of the CEOs surveyed said they expect AI to increase entry-level hiring in 2026, and 58% said they plan to add senior-leadership roles as well.

The report said that firms are ramping up hiring in engineering and AI-related roles. Many existing jobs are being reconfigured or reassigned as certain tasks become increasingly automated.

The survey, conducted between October 14 and November 10, gathered responses from more than 350 global CEOs leading public companies with at least $1 billion in annual revenue, as well as about 400 institutional investors representing $19 trillion in portfolio value.

The findings run counter to the prevailing narrative that AI is automating entire jobs away.

"It's not that AI is wiping out the workforce today — it's reshaping it," said Ryan Cox, Teneo's global head of AI.

The hiring momentum mirrors a broader surge in corporate AI investment. Sixty-eight percent of CEOs said they plan to increase AI spending next year, up from 66% in 2025. Nearly nine in 10 CEOs said AI is already helping their organizations navigate disruption.

All that spending has raised expectations. More than half of investors said they expect AI initiatives to show results in under six months. CEOs aren't so sure: Only 16% of leaders at large-cap companies — with annual revenue of $10 billion or more — said such fast returns are realistic.

AI is reshaping the workforce

Fears that AI will eliminate human jobs have intensified as more companies announce layoffs tied to automation.

HP said in a November earnings report that it plans to eliminate between 4,000 and 6,000 roles by the end of 2028 — a move expected to save about $1 billion. IBM announced in November that it would reduce its workforce by a "single-digit percentage" in the fourth quarter of 2025.

But the shift isn't as simple as workers being replaced by machines. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told CNN in October that the company is simultaneously shifting head count toward AI and quantum computing, and plans to ramp up hiring of college graduates in the next year. AI adoption has also driven demand for programmers and sales employees, he told The Wall Street Journal in May.

AI has created new job categories as it reshapes old ones. Titles such as decision designer and AI experience officer are emerging in the workforce, workplace experts said in a Business Insider report earlier this month. These roles focus on guiding AI systems and enhancing human-AI collaboration.

Read the original article on Business Insider
15 December 2025
Michelle Obama says she never understood something her mom always said — until she had kids of her own
Michelle Obama

ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images
- Michelle Obama says her mother often talked about death to her when she was growing up.
- She added that her mom aimed to "hand us our lives early" so she and her brother could manage even without her.
- The former first lady says her mother's honesty shaped her approach to raising her own children.
Michelle Obama says her mother didn't shy away from talking about death while she was growing up.

Speaking on Thursday's episode of her "IMO" podcast, featuring guest Anderson Cooper, Obama said it was her mother's way of preparing her and her brother for the inevitable.

Her comments came after Cooper shared that his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, also spoke openly about her mortality when he was young.

"I think she wanted me to know throughout my life, she wanted to hand us our lives early. Like you're responsible. You did this for yourself," Obama said. "My mom would always say, and she would say this publicly, 'I didn't have anything to do with raising Michelle and Craig. They, you know, they always knew this.'"

Obama added that she believed her mother said it to reassure herself that her children would be able to manage on their own, even when she was no longer around.

"And I didn't understand that until I had kids. And I realized that the scariest thing is not just losing them or something happening to them. It's something happening to me, and my kids are going to go through life not feeling like they have what they need to get through."

The former first lady, who has two daughters with her husband, Barack Obama, said her mother always reassured her that she was sensible and already making sound decisions even as a child.

"I think she was trying to tell me what you came to realize, that if you know your parents' values and their core, you've seen them, you've experienced them. If there's a loss, you're going to be OK," Obama said.

This isn't the first time that Obama has spoken about the lessons she learned from her mother, who died in May 2024.

In June, she said her mother was always upfront with her kids about her own shortcomings.

"What I remember so distinctly is Mom saying on more than one occasion, 'Hey, look, this is my first time being a parent, and I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.' And that always resonated with me," Obama said.

In November, Obama said one of her final conversations with her mother pushed her to be more intentional about how she spends her time now that she's in her 60s.

"If I'm lucky, I live to 90 and that's 30 good summers," Obama said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
15 December 2025
Is the VanEck International Wide Moat ETF (GOAT) a buy today?
I have long written about the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT) and its place as a beloved holding in my personal ASX share portfolio. But what of its younger sibling, the VanEck Morningstar International Wide Moat ETF (ASX: GOAT)?Â

MOAT is an ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) that has been around for just over ten years. Over this timespan, it has delivered some impressive returns to its investors, returning an average of 15.17% per annum since inception (as of 30 November).Â

This ETF works by holding a relatively concentrated portfolio of exclusively American stocks (usually between 40 and 60) that all show characteristics of possessing a wide economic moat.Â

A moat is the term first coined by legendary investor Warren Buffett. It describes an intrinsic competitive advantage that a company can possess. This advantage can come in a few different forms. It could be a strong brand that commands consumer loyalty. It could also be a low-cost advantage, a network effect, or selling a product that consumers find difficult to avoid buying.Â

Buffett himself has stated that he usually looks for companies that possess some kind of moat for Berkshire Hathaway‘s investment portfolio. It’s always worked well for Buffett, and that same strategy seems to have worked well for the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF.Â

Some of MOAT’s current holdings include Nike, Boeing, Salesforce, Adobe, Mondelez International, Alphabet and Caterpillar.

But what of the International Wide Moat ETF?

MOATs and GOATs

Perhaps due to the success of its original MOAT fund, ETF provider VanEck launched the International Wide Moat ETF back in 2020.

This fund aims to extend the successful MOAT strategy to international markets, with the fund investing in companies from markets like Japan, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Canada. The United States is still in play, though, making up about 40% of GOAT’s portfolio at present.Â

So while MOAT sticks to the United States, GOAT branches out, currently holding stocks like Yaskawa Electric Corp, Kubota Corp, GSK plc, and Roche Holdings. That’s in addition to many of the US stocks listed above.

Unfortunately, though, GOAT’s successful strategy doesn’t seem to be a happy traveller. Whilst MOAT has returned a healthy 15.88% per annum over the past three years, and 14.79% per annum over the past five, GOAT hasn’t kept up. It has returned just 11.53% per annum over the past three years. That drops to 10.62% per annum over five.

Those are still decent returns to be sure. But they pale against what the US-centric MOAT has delivered.

Foolish takeaway

Warren Buffett has always focused on investing in the United States, and perhaps GOAT’s underperformance shows us why. Until GOAT shows it has the potential to successfully replicate the wide moat investing strategy beyond the United States of America with consummate returns, I’ll be sticking to MOAT.

The post Is the VanEck International Wide Moat ETF (GOAT) a buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Should you invest $1,000 in Vaneck Vectors Morningstar World Ex Australia Wide Moat ETF right now?

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Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Vaneck Vectors Morningstar World Ex Australia Wide Moat ETF wasn’t one of them.

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And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

See the 5 Stocks

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway, Caterpillar, Mondelez International, and VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Adobe, Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway, Boeing, Nike, and Salesforce. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended GSK and Roche Holding AG and has recommended the following options: long January 2028 $330 calls on Adobe and short January 2028 $340 calls on Adobe. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Adobe, Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway, Nike, Salesforce, and VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
15 December 2025