The Bond Market Sell-Off Is Appearing in Earnings Reports

Rising bond yields at 20-year highs are impacting corporate earnings and stock performance. Klarna reported strong operational metrics but cut guidance due to softer consumer spending in Germany, causing a 21% stock decline. Home Depot beat expectations despite a frozen housing market but showed limited growth. The higher interest rate environment is pressuring companies reliant on consumer spending and capital-intensive AI buildouts, with hyperscaler capex expected to reach $1.2 trillion next year, increasingly funded by debt.

09/07/2026, 4:15 PM • The Motley Fool

Home Depot Just Reported Earnings. Here's Whether the Dow Dividend Stock Is Still a Buy.

Home Depot reported sluggish same-store sales growth of 1.7% in Q2, with management expecting flat to 2% growth for the year due to high interest rates deterring homeowners from major projects. However, earnings per share grew 5.1% year-over-year to $4.92, and the analyst believes sales will eventually accelerate. With a 3.61% dividend yield and strong market position, Home Depot remains an attractive buy for patient investors.

09/06/2026, 4:05 AM • The Motley Fool

There Are Only a Handful of S&P 500 Stocks That Yield Over 5%. Here's My Top Pick to Buy in September.

Realty Income (O) is highlighted as a top S&P 500 stock yielding 5.3%, offering reliable monthly dividend payments with 115 consecutive quarters of increases. The retail REIT owns nearly 16,000 properties globally with a stable tenant base including Walmart and Home Depot, while diversifying into gaming, industrials, and data centers. The stock remains undervalued due to negative real estate sentiment, presenting a buying opportunity before potential interest rate declines.

09/05/2026, 10:25 AM • The Motley Fool

Realty Income Is Paying More Dividends Than Ever Before and Yields 5.3%. Here's Why Its High-Yield Monthly Payout Is as Safe as It Gets.

Realty Income (O) offers a 5.3% dividend yield with a strong track record of 135 dividend raises since 1994, including 115 consecutive quarterly increases. The REIT maintains a 98.6% occupancy rate and receives consistent rent increases. With dividends representing only 73.7% of adjusted funds from operations (AFFO), the company has substantial cushion to sustain and grow its monthly payouts safely.

09/05/2026, 7:20 AM • The Motley Fool

If I Could Only Buy and Hold 1 Dividend ETF Forever, Here's What I'd Choose

A Motley Fool contributor recommends the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) as a single buy-and-hold dividend investment. The ETF tracks 100 U.S. stocks with consistent dividend histories and strong fundamentals, features an ultra-low 0.06% expense ratio, and holds well-known companies like Home Depot, Merck, and Procter & Gamble with evenly weighted top holdings to diffuse risk.

09/02/2026, 11:30 AM • The Motley Fool

2 Dow Jones Stocks Down Over 20% I'd Buy on the Dip

Home Depot and McDonald's, both Dow Jones components, have declined over 20% from their highs but present attractive buying opportunities. Home Depot faces cyclical housing market weakness but maintains strong competitive positioning with only 15% market share of a $1.1 trillion addressable market and offers a 2.84% dividend yield. McDonald's has experienced execution challenges and softer consumer demand, but its highly profitable franchise model generates substantial free cash flow and supports a 2.82% dividend yield with a 50-year dividend growth streak.

08/30/2026, 7:05 PM • The Motley Fool

3 Consumer Stocks Driving Growth From a Regional-to-National Expansion

The article highlights three consumer stocks expanding from regional to national operations: Dutch Bros (coffee chain growing from 470 to 1,225 locations with 32% revenue growth), BJ's Wholesale (warehouse retailer expanding westward with 13% revenue growth and attractive 20 P/E ratio), and Cava Group (Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain with 32% revenue growth and 450 locations). All three companies are positioned for significant long-term growth similar to historical successes like Walmart and Starbucks.

08/30/2026, 4:30 AM • The Motley Fool

Greg Abel Just Made 3 Moves at Berkshire Hathaway That Bet on the Same Trend (And it's Not AI)

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel is making significant bets on a housing market recovery through multiple moves: acquiring homebuilder Taylor Morrison for $8.5 billion, increasing investment in Lennar by 30%, and buying shares of D.R. Horton. These moves, combined with existing holdings in Clayton Homes and Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, suggest Abel believes pent-up demand will emerge once mortgage rates decline, despite the currently frozen housing market.

08/26/2026, 8:12 AM • The Motley Fool

If You'd Invested $1,000 in Home Depot 15 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Today

A $1,000 investment in Home Depot stock made in August 2011 would be worth approximately $13,900 today, representing a 1,290% total return that significantly outpaced the S&P 500's 757% return over the same period. The company's strong performance was driven by housing market recovery, pandemic-era renovation demand, and aggressive share repurchases that boosted earnings per share fivefold. However, the article suggests such dramatic gains are unlikely to repeat in the next 15 years.

08/25/2026, 6:15 PM • The Motley Fool

1 Reason Home Depot's 17-Year Dividend Streak Makes It a Buy This Week

Home Depot faces near-term headwinds from higher mortgage rates, inflation, and a sluggish housing market, resulting in modest 1.7% same-store sales growth. However, the article argues patient investors should consider buying the stock for its attractive 2.74% dividend yield, supported by 17 consecutive years of annual dividend increases. The company is positioned to benefit when economic conditions improve and homeowners resume major renovation projects.

08/25/2026, 2:29 PM • The Motley Fool

Bill Gates' Foundation Holds Berkshire Hathaway as Its Top Stock, a Signal of Its Preference for Steady Compounders Over Flashy Tech

The Gates Foundation Trust's $34.4 billion equity portfolio reveals a preference for industrial and consumer stocks over technology companies. With Berkshire Hathaway as its largest holding at $7.4 billion, the foundation also maintains significant positions in Caterpillar, Canadian National Railway, Waste Management, and Deere. This strategy demonstrates that solid long-term returns can be achieved through steady compounders rather than volatile tech stocks, while still benefiting from trends like AI-driven data center construction.

08/23/2026, 10:15 PM • The Motley Fool

Stock Market Today, Aug. 17: Markets Inch Lower and Treasury Yields Rise as Investors Wait for Retail Earnings

Major stock indices fell slightly on August 17, 2026, with the S&P 500 down 0.50%, Nasdaq down 0.31%, and the Dow down 0.51% as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of key retail earnings reports from companies like Walmart, Home Depot, and Target. Treasury yields rose, with the 10-year yield climbing to 4.68% and the 30-year hitting 5.3%, its highest level since 2007. The market's modest decline reflects a 'risk-off' approach as investors await retail corporate earnings.

08/17/2026, 5:10 PM • The Motley Fool

Greg Abel's $6.8 Billion Acquisition Could Be Good News for This ETF

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel completed a $6.8 billion acquisition of homebuilder Taylor Morrison, signaling a bullish long-term position on the U.S. housing market. While the State Street SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) could benefit from a housing market rebound, the fund has significantly underperformed the S&P 500 over 20 years, delivering only 4.93% annualized returns since inception.

08/15/2026, 5:16 AM • The Motley Fool

1 Number That Makes Lowe's Stock an Obvious Buy Before Aug. 19

Lowe's stock is trading at a discount with a forward P/E ratio of 17.4, the lowest since end of 2023, making it attractive ahead of Q2 earnings on Aug. 19. The company recently increased its dividend to $1.25 per share (2.28% yield), marking 55 consecutive years of dividend increases as a Dividend King. With five straight earnings beats and expected revenue growth of 13% quarter-over-quarter, investors should monitor comparable-store sales targets and online sales momentum.

08/13/2026, 2:45 AM • The Motley Fool

The Dow Is Outperforming the S&P 500 and Nasdaq in 2026. 3 Unstoppable Dow Stocks to Buy in August.

The Dow is outperforming the S&P 500 and Nasdaq in 2026 due to large consumer-facing companies delivering steady earnings and dividends. Three recommended Dow stocks for August are Procter & Gamble, McDonald's, and Home Depot—all established companies with resilient business models, strong cash generation, and consistent shareholder returns despite economic headwinds.

08/11/2026, 5:30 AM • The Motley Fool