Industry Focus

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

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

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

After 11 years of being a private company, unicorn DropBox has decided to go public. We go through the cloud company’s prospectus and see what we like and don’t like about the business ahead of the upcoming IPO. Thanks to LegalZoom for supporting Motley Fool.  Get special savings by going to legalzoom.com use code Fool at checkout

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

The Cupertino company plans to open healthcare clinics that will rely heavily on its technology. Also, Gilead Sciences partners with Sangamo Therapeutics on gene-editing. Thanks to LegalZoom for supporting Motley Fool.  Get special savings by going to legalzoom.com use code Fool at checkout.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2017 was a record setting delivery year for both planemakers. With upwards of 8-year backlogs investors are paying close attention to on-time delivery numbers and, by this metric, one of the two takes the win. Thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast. Get a free audiobook with a free 30 day trial at audible.com/FOOL or text FOOL to 500-500.  

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