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The era of employee-funded retirement began decades ago with the rise of 401(k) plans. Ever since, employers and service providers have been looking for ways to increase participant savings rates within these plans. Research conducted by Empower sheds light on a key to maki

According to a study of retirement accounts by Fidelity, most older Americans are too heavily invested in the stock market. This is a potential risk especially in the event of a market downturn. 

As of December 2022, the average Social Security benefit for the -- at the time -- more than 48 million retired workers was $1,825.14 per month, or about $21,902 on an annual run-rate basis. Though this is a relatively modest monthly payout, Social Security income is, nevertheles

FXEmpire.com - Highlights US consumer inflation, consumer spending, and Fed speakers to guide the markets on the Fed rate path. The Pound could be in for a choppy week, with wage growth, inflation, and retail sales in focus. Mid-week stats from China will influence commodity cur

It's been a dreadful past several years for shares of Disney ( NYSE:DIS ), which is actually down 22.9% over the past five years. As the stock looks to recover from seven-year lows on the back of solid quarterly results and optimism over its plan to turn the tides, I'd not bet against the firm as CEO Bob Iger tries his best to bring back the magic in his latest (and probably last) tenure at the company. Disney may have had many years to turn things around, so you can't blame shareholders for growing impatient with the firm. That said, I believe patience is vital to making money in such a battered name as it looks to jump above expectations that still seem pretty depressed. For now, I'm bullish and am willing to stick it out with Disney as Iger looks to work his magic. Indeed, it doesn't take a lot to surpass estimates whenever the herd expects very little from a firm. We found that out last week as Disney pole-vaulted over analysts' estimates, causing a nice pop in the stock. After several brutal years of lackluster performance, Disney is essentially viewed as a "D" student at this juncture. If the firm does enough of its homework, though, it may just be able to score a "B" grade or more. Give Iger another year or two, and Disney may just be able to post several quarters that surprise to the upside for a change. The latest round of better-than-expected numbers may be the first of many. Disney Stock: Still a Falling Knife, but There's a Turnaround Plan Even after the recent post-earnings bounce, DIS stock can still look like a falling knife destined for lower lows to many investors. With macro headwinds facing a firm that's undergone a "messy" pandemic-era transformation, questions linger as to whether the Disney of the modern era can remain as profitable as the media landscape continues shifting. A turnaround won't prove easy, but Iger does seem to have the right tools to drag The House of Mouse out of the gutter. Even in a high-rate world, it's not just about cost cuts (Disney cut an additional $2 billion in its latest quarter as streaming subscriber growth surpassed expectations). The firm must return to its roots if it wants to bring back the magic. That means spending money in a deliberate fashion to find the optimal balance of growth and margin expansion. The company's $60 billion commitment to invest in parks and cruises over the next 10 years, I believe, is a wise move. Disney is head and shoulders above its peers in the amusement industry. And though macro headwinds could weigh down the parks and cruises numbers over the near term, I do think that investing in one of Disney's key pillars is one way to improve the company's positioning in a post-slowdown (or post-recession) environment. As for streaming, Disney was incredibly aggressive in the early days of Disney+ to beckon a wave of new subscribers. Now that the platform has matured a bit, Iger is looking to shift gears into a "building" phase. This new strategy is focused on expanding the streaming service but with an emphasis on profitability and efficiency. Iger wants to make streaming a profitable business. Given the man's expertise, I think it's just a matter of time before he transforms streaming from a "black hole for cash" to one of its most impressive cash cows. Nonetheless, it seems like the shift to streaming hasn't been all that bountiful for the legacy media firms, at least compared to the big-tech titans that don't need streaming to pay off over the near-to-medium term. It also doesn't help that Netflix ( NASDAQ:NFLX ) is standing its ground, even as the barriers to entry into the streaming space fall. Is DIS Stock a Buy, According to Analysts? On TipRanks, DIS stock comes in as a Moderate Buy. Out of 24 analyst ratings, there are 18 Buys, five Holds, and one Sell recommendation. The  average Disney stock price target is $106.86, implying upside potential of 20.6%. Analyst price targets range from a low of $71.00 per share to a high of $122.00 per share. The Bottom Line on Disney Disney certainly isn't the only media empire that's under pressure to trim away at expenses of late. But it's certainly one of the bluest blue chips of the batch and one of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's biggest dogs. After a sound Q4, there's room for hope when it comes to Disney's turnaround plan. As the economy normalizes, Disney's job of balancing profitability and growth could be made a whole lot easier. For now, Disney's playing the long game. And if activist Nelson Peltz is able to grab a board seat, the stage may very well be set for the stock's long-awaited recovery, perhaps sooner rather than later. Disclosure 

With the holiday season approaching, you may be stashing Amazon boxes in closets, attics or under the bed to hide gifts from your children and keep the spirit of Santa alive. But it's not just holiday...

It's natural to have lots of questions when it comes to your money -- and no one's financial journey is the same. See: 8 Ways You're Wasting Money at the Grocery StoreFind: Get Rid of These Devices...

The average one-year price target for Gibraltar Industries (FRA:GI2) has been revised to 80.15 / share. This is an increase of 22.49% from the prior estimate of 65.43 dated August 26, 2022. The price target is an average of many targets provided by analysts. T

The average one-year price target for Zivo Bioscience (STU:9R8) has been revised to 34.10 / share. This is an increase of 436.24% from the prior estimate of 6.36 dated October 4, 2023. The price target is an average of many targets provided by analysts. The la

The average one-year price target for Encore Wire (FRA:EW3) has been revised to 227.02 / share. This is an increase of 14.85% from the prior estimate of 197.67 dated August 26, 2022. The price target is an average of many targets provided by analysts. The late

The average one-year price target for Xos (FRA:9KR) has been revised to 1.99 / share. This is an increase of 15.23% from the prior estimate of 1.73 dated October 4, 2023. The price target is an average of many targets provided by analysts. The latest targets r

Israel's military said it was ready to evacuate babies from Gaza's largest hospital on Sunday, where Palestinian officials said two newborns died and dozens more were at risk after fuel ran out amid intense fighting in the area.

E-commerce platform MercadoLibre ( NASDAQ:MELI ) has been among the hottest tech stocks in the past decade, creating significant wealth for shareholders. Since its IPO in August 2007, MELI stock has returned a staggering 6,347%, valuing the company at $69.5 billion by market cap. While shares of MercadoLibre have surged 66% in 2023, the stock is still down 32% from all-time highs, providing a dip-buy opportunity, in my view. I remain bullish on MercadoLibre, as it is part of a rapidly expanding addressable market, allowing the company to increase revenue and earnings at an enviable pace in the next few years. Moreover, its widening portfolio of products and services should further diversify its revenue base, push profit margins higher, and act as a flywheel for MELI stock. An Overview of MercadoLibre MercadoLibre is an e-commerce marketplace operator based in Latin America. This includes the Mercado Libre Marketplace, which allows businesses and merchants to list merchandise online. There is also Mercado Pago, a financial services platform that facilitates online and offline transactions, providing a mechanism for users to facilitate digital payments. Additionally, the company offers Mercado Fondo, where users can invest funds deposited in the Pago accounts, while it also has a vertical where MercadoLibre extends loans or credit lines to merchants and consumers. How Did MercadoLibre Perform in Q3? MercadoLibre is among Latin America's fastest-growing companies and has increased its revenue from $2.29 billion in 2019 to $10.54 billion in 2022, indicating a compound annual growth rate of 66.3%. In Q3 2023, it reported revenue of $3.76 billion, higher than the consensus estimate of $3.57 billion. Plus, total payment volume surged 121.2% to $47.3 billion, while gross merchandise volume grew by 59.3% to $11.4 billion in the September quarter. MercadoLibre has invested heavily over the years to develop its products, allowing it to benefit from accelerated growth and consistent operating margins. Despite a challenging macro environment, MercadoLibre's growth in items sold rose by 26% year-over-year in Q3, up from the 18% growth in the second quarter. These stellar growth rates meant MELI increased its revenue by 40% while operating income more than doubled for the fourth consecutive quarter to $685 million, indicating a healthy margin of 18.2%. MercadoLibre is Latin America’s Amazon MercadoLibre is quite similar to Amazon ( NASDAQ:AMZN ), serving millions of customers in Latin America. Like Amazon, MercadoLibre gained massive traction due to its online marketplace, which helped it enter new markets such as advertising, credit, and asset management. These high-margin businesses allowed MercadoLibre to increase operating income by 131% year-over-year in Q3 while adjusted earnings also tripled to $7.16 per share, ahead of estimates, which stood at $5.86 per share. Investors quickly noticed the resiliency of MELI's Credit business, as loan originations grew to $3.64 billion in Q3, up from $2.5 billion in the year-ago period. MercadoLibre is offering more significant loan amounts to businesses while maintaining sustainable delinquency rates. Its Ad sales also grew by 70% to $200 million in Q3 and may be a key revenue driver for MELI stock in the upcoming decade. For reference, Amazon is currently the third-largest digital ad platform in the world due to the high purchase intent of its user base. Just like Amazon Prime, MercadoLibre offers Meli+, which includes free shipping of products and subscriptions to streaming platforms, including Disney+. What Next for MELI Stock? MercadoLibre ended Q3 with 119.8 million active users and has enough room to keep growing at a rapid clip. According to a Statista report, Latin America's e-commerce market was forecast to grow by 15.5% annually through 2025 (with 2019 being the starting point) due to rising internet penetration rates and higher income levels. MercadoLibre's impressive growth rates have enabled it to consistently report profits, thanks to the benefits of economies of scale. An asset-light business model also suggests that its earnings will grow faster than revenue due to high operating leverage. For example, MELI's massive scale and increasing brand value could allow the company to lower its marketing expenses over time. Is MELI Stock a Buy, According to Analysts? Wall Street remains bullish on MELI stock, giving it a Strong Buy rating. Of the 12 analysts covering MELI stock, 10 recommend a Buy, two recommend a Hold, and none recommend a Sell. The average MELI stock price target is $1,476.58, indicating upside potential of almost 7.4% from current levels. The Final Takeaway MercadoLibre is now a global tech giant and is positioned to deliver market-beating returns to shareholders. I believe that its capability to achieve strong revenue growth, coupled with enhanced profit margins and the advantage of economies of scale, positions it as a prime investment option. Disclosure

The average one-year price target for Comfort Systems USA (FRA:9CF) has been revised to 188.62 / share. This is an increase of 5.54% from the prior estimate of 178.72 dated October 4, 2023. The price target is an average of many targets provided by analysts. T

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