Software Safety Institute Launches to Reduce Preventable Harm from Insecure Software

The Software Safety Institute, a new independent nonprofit, launched on November 9, 2026, to advance research and policy on software safety. Founded by Lauren Zabierek and Bob Lord, the organization aims to shift responsibility for software defects from users to manufacturers through independent research, public education, and policy frameworks. The institute argues that preventable software flaws, particularly memory safety issues known for 30 years, persist due to misaligned incentives rather than technical limitations.

11/09/2026, 10:00 AM • GlobeNewswire

5 Payment Stocks That Earn a Fee Every Time You Swipe

The article analyzes five payment processing stocks that earn fees on transactions: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, and Capital One. Visa and Mastercard trade at premium valuations (~28x earnings) due to their low-risk fee-based models with no lending exposure. PayPal and Capital One trade cheaper (~9-10x earnings) due to higher risks from shrinking margins and credit exposure respectively. American Express falls in between at ~16x earnings. The author recommends Visa and Mastercard as the simplest payment fee plays, with Mastercard having a slight edge due to faster-growing services revenue.

11/04/2026, 12:37 AM • The Motley Fool

What the Big Banks' Third-Quarter Reports Say About Credit Card Borrowers

Analysis of Q3 2026 earnings from major credit card issuers shows consumers are managing debt well. Delinquency and charge-off rates at Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Capital One all improved year-over-year, indicating financial strain among consumers remains limited despite economic pressures.

10/31/2026, 9:15 AM • The Motley Fool

IPQS Says Agent Authorization Alone Won’t Secure Agentic Commerce

IPQualityScore (IPQS) calls on banks and fintechs to assess account, device, and connection risk alongside AI-agent authorization in agentic commerce. The company leverages its proprietary network of 100,000+ honeypots across 150+ countries to provide firsthand attack intelligence, enabling fraud risk evaluation across account creation, access, and transactions.

10/29/2026, 5:00 AM • GlobeNewswire

Is Capital One Financial a Buy After Its Latest Earnings Report?

Capital One Financial beat analyst expectations in Q3 2026, with revenue up 6% YoY to $16.3B and adjusted net income up 7% to $4.1B ($6.69 per share vs. expected $5.50). Strong performance in credit cards (11% purchase volume growth) and consumer banking (17% revenue growth) was driven by the Discover Financial Services acquisition completed in May 2025, which provided proprietary payment-processing infrastructure. Integration synergies have reached $1.8B annualized with total costs exceeding $2.8B, expected to decline significantly by 2028. The company is viewed as a solid mid- to long-term investment despite some concerns about loan growth stalling if interest rates rise.

10/22/2026, 6:21 AM • The Motley Fool

Capital One: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors

Capital One reported $1.8 billion in annualized Discover integration synergies, exceeding initial timelines. The company is accelerating debit account conversions and cost reductions while increasing marketing spend to drive customer acquisition across credit cards and national banking. Management is investing heavily in AI and technology to strengthen premium customer relationships and maintain credit discipline.

10/21/2026, 7:22 AM • The Motley Fool

NCAA Basketball Finals 2026 Post-Event Analysis Highlights Fan Engagement, Sponsorship Growth and Emerging Media Opportunities

The 2026 NCAA Basketball Finals demonstrated strong commercial performance with record men's viewership (18.30 million average), 15-16% growth in women's championship audiences, sold-out Final Four tickets, and sustained sponsorship value from major corporate partners. Long-term sponsorship agreements and expanded international media rights, particularly Disney's $920 million women's basketball deal through 2032, underscore March Madness's position as a valuable sports property.

09/24/2026, 5:52 AM • GlobeNewswire

Greg Abel Bought $39.4 Billion of Stocks in 6 Months, Up From the $7.1 Billion Berkshire Purchased a Year Earlier Under Warren Buffett

Berkshire Hathaway shifted to net stock buying in Q2 2026 under CEO Greg Abel, purchasing $39.4 billion in equities during the first half of the year compared to $7.1 billion a year earlier. The company's most notable addition was Alphabet, making it the third-largest portfolio position. Despite a frothy market with elevated valuations, Abel is playing offense while managing $365.5 billion in cash and Treasuries awaiting deployment.

09/03/2026, 2:15 PM • The Motley Fool

Berkshire Hathaway Just Sold 3 Bank Stocks. Here’s Why Investors Should Take Notice

Berkshire Hathaway reduced its positions in three bank stocks during Q2 2026: Capital One (58% reduction), Bank of America ($1.7B sale), and Ally Financial (7% reduction). While the exact reasons are unclear, potential factors include concerns about consumer credit deterioration, interest rate risks, and profit-taking in a well-performing financial sector. Berkshire remains heavily invested in banks despite these sales.

09/02/2026, 6:22 AM • The Motley Fool

Credit Card Balances 90 Days Late Have Nearly Doubled Since 2022. New Delinquencies Have Not Moved.

While 90-day delinquent credit card balances have nearly doubled since 2022, reaching levels not seen since the Great Recession, a Federal Reserve analysis reveals the situation is more nuanced. New delinquency rates have remained stable since 2024, suggesting most consumers are managing through the difficult period. The increase in 90-day delinquencies appears driven by lenders reporting delinquent debts longer before charging them off, rather than a surge in new defaults. Financial strain is concentrated among those already struggling.

08/26/2026, 10:15 PM • The Motley Fool

Berkshire's Cash Pile Fell From $400 Billion to $365.5 Billion as Greg Abel Became a Net Buyer for the First Time in 3 Years. What Does That Signal for Investors?

Berkshire Hathaway ended its 14-quarter streak as a net seller of equities in Q2 2026, purchasing $23.5 billion in stocks while selling only $3.7 billion, reducing cash reserves from $400 billion to $365.5 billion. Under new CEO Greg Abel, the company has made strategic portfolio adjustments including significant stake increases in Alphabet through a $10 billion private placement, acquisitions of Occidental Petroleum's chemicals business and Taylor Morrison homebuilder, and increased share buybacks. These moves signal management's confidence in identifying attractive investment opportunities while maintaining a fortress balance sheet with over $360 billion in liquidity.

08/19/2026, 12:30 PM • The Motley Fool

What the Capital One-Discover Tie-Up Means for the Card Business Now

Capital One reported solid Q2 2026 earnings with adjusted earnings of $5.81 per share, up from $5.48 year-over-year. The Discover acquisition integration is progressing well with debit customers transitioned to the Discover network and credit card customers being moved to Capital One's systems. However, integration costs of $1.08 per share continue to complicate earnings. Capital One is deliberately shifting Discover toward a more conservative financing approach, which may temporarily depress performance. Despite earnings complexity, revenues grew 4% year-over-year and credit quality metrics improved across the board.

07/25/2026, 2:15 PM • The Motley Fool

Capital One Flips Millions of Discover Cards to Its Own Platform on July 27. Can It Upsell Without Losing Them?

Capital One is integrating Discover's millions of cardholders onto its own technology platform on July 27, 2026. While successful execution could unlock significant cross-selling opportunities, poor execution risks losing customers. The transition represents a critical test of the acquisition's viability, with complex financial systems and potential product changes creating both technical and customer retention challenges.

07/12/2026, 7:15 AM • The Motley Fool

Subprime Auto Loans Just Hit Their Worst Delinquency Rate in 32 Years. Here's What It Means for Lenders.

Subprime auto loan delinquency rates have reached 6.8% at the start of 2026, the worst in 32 years and exceeding Great Recession levels. This poses significant risks to subprime lenders like OneMain Holdings and Credit Acceptance, whose loan portfolios are underperforming. Capital One Financial, which uses more stringent lending criteria, maintains healthier delinquency rates and is a safer alternative for investors seeking exposure to lower-credit customers.

07/11/2026, 10:15 PM • The Motley Fool

Embedded Finance Revolutionizing Point-of-Sale Credit Boosts Consumer Finance Market

The global consumer finance market is projected to expand from USD 9.87 trillion in 2025 to USD 14.08 trillion by 2031, driven by embedded finance at point-of-sale, improved open banking data, and the rise of fintechs. Unsecured non-revolving credit dominated with 52% market share in 2025, while fintechs are expected to grow fastest at 10.7% CAGR. However, rising regulatory compliance costs pose challenges, particularly for smaller lenders.

07/06/2026, 10:49 AM • GlobeNewswire