After Sirini Gopalan became CEO of T-Mobile in November, the company quietly laid off an unknown number of employees the following month, impacting sales managers and account executives.

By January, it had laid off more workers in end-user support, resource planning, consumer and retail, sales, product, and business departments. 

The company later conducted additional job cuts in March and April, affecting employees in IT and at various worksites in Washington state. 

In a statement to The Street in January, a T-Mobile spokesperson said that despite recent layoffs, the company is still “continuing to hire” to ensure it has the “right focus, structure and momentum” for innovation and investing in customers. 

T-Mobile hiring in India after U.S. job cuts

Amid these efforts, T-Mobile has quietly opened its first technology center in Hyderabad, India, on June 4, where it plans to hire nearly 1,000 people by 2027, according to a recent Reuters report. 

The space is 250,000 square feet, and T-Mobile leased it as its new global capability center. Employees at this location will work on product development, software engineering, data analytics, cybersecurity, and DevOps.

The Indian state government told Reuters that its country’s global capability centers are no longer low-cost outsourcing hubs but have instead evolved into local offices of global companies, providing support for multiple functions.

Related: T-Mobile drops new free perks for customers as pressure builds

“Our global technology centre in Hyderabad will play an important role in strengthening our engineering and digital capabilities while enabling teams to build solutions that support our customers and business priorities,” said Chandra Gupta, vice president of IT operations at TMUS Global Solutions, in a statement to Quartz.

T-Mobile’s recent U.S. layoffs and new tech center in India come after it promised in 2019 to create thousands of jobs nationwide over the next few years to solidify its $26 billion merger with Sprint, which was finalized in 2020.

Large tech companies, such as Meta, Oracle, and Amazon, have recently opened global capability centers in India to help support core operations that directly influence decision-making, customer experience, and revenue.

“To manage this complexity, companies need leaders who can think globally and execute locally, and India’s talent pool is uniquely suited for that,” said ANSR CEO Lalit Ahuja in a statement to CNBC in November last year. 

T-Mobile doubles down on becoming digital-first for customers

This shift from T-Mobile also comes as its digital transformation, introduced by Gopalan in October last year, has become a top priority for the company. 

During an earnings call in October, he said that the company’s digital transformation will simplify processes and tackle “customer pain points.”

Even though T-Mobile expects to generate $3 billion in savings from its artificial intelligence and digital initiatives by 2027, Gopolan said during another earnings call in February that these goals weren’t aimed at laying off employees to cut costs. 

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“This has been a three-year journey: Step one was building the capabilities, having our IT in place, having the digital in place,” said Gopolan. “Step two was customer adoption, which is actually working with customers in moving them to assisted digital. And step three is now scaling.”

Amid these changes, T-Mobile has reportedly been quietly closing stores in recent weeks, leading to additional layoffs. 

T-Mobile is one of many tech companies nationwide choosing to reshape its workforce amid growing AI adoption, according to recent Challenger, Gray & Christmas data.

How manyU.S. employers axed jobs in May 2026:

• In May, U.S. employers announced 97,006 layoffs, up 16% from the 83,387 job cuts recorded in April. 
• The technology industry announced 38,242 job cuts in May, the highest monthly total for the sector since August 2024, when 39,563 layoffs were recorded. 
• Specifically in telecommunications, 253 job cuts were announced in May, bringing the sector’s total for this year to 2,007. 
• Also, in May, 38,579 layoffs were due to AI, 16,587 were due to market/economic conditions and 4,546 were the result of closures.
  Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas

“The labor market is being reshaped by technology in real time,” said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, in the report. “AI is now the leading reason companies give for cutting jobs and the primary industry citing it is Technology.”

“Technology, already the year’s biggest job cutter, saw its steepest month of cuts since early 2023, even as it remains the sector with the most hiring plans this year,” he continued.

Related: Verizon CEO sends blunt warning on future of jobs after layoffs

Mexican culture is widely established in America’s restaurants. Some 11% of restaurants in the United States serve Mexican food, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from SafeGraph, which curates information about millions of places of interest around the globe, and the user review site Yelp.

And, while Texas and California have the most Mexican restaurants, most of the United States has access to the cuisine.

"This analysis finds that 85% of U.S. counties have at least one Mexican restaurant. In turn, the counties that don’t have Mexican restaurants tend to have small populations. The 15% of counties without any Mexican restaurants have about 4 million people living in them. That is just 1% of the total U.S. population," according to Pew Research.

The popularity of Mexican cuisine, however, has made the space incredibly competitive, which has led to many chains growing, then stumbling and closing restaurants. El Torito, for example, grew to nearly 200 locations in the late 80s, and after recent closures, it's down to only 21, according to its website.

El Torito was once a major player

El Torito once operated 187 restaurants in 25 states. Today, it operates roughly two dozen locations in California.

In 1989, the chain was honored by the Choice of Chains survey, done by the trade magazine Restaurants & Institutions, wich asked 2,000 households which of 75 chains listed they visited within the past year and how well they liked them.

"El Torito, owned by Restaurant Enterprises Group in Irvine, earned the best ranking overall among Mexican restaurants," according to the Los Angeles Times.

At the time, the chain's biggest competitor was Taco Bell, which was ranked second on the survey. That chain's incredible growth presented challenges for rivals, even higher-end, sit-down chains like El Torito.

“In the fast‑food Mexican business, there’s Taco Bell — and there’s everyone else,” wrote Restaurant Business Online’s Jonathan Maze.

El Torito has closed over 150 locations

Unlike many chains which face a bankruptcy, or another financial crisis which forces a closure, El Torito has slowly contracted.

After its peak in the late-80s, El Torito slowly shed restaurants. In 2005, however, according to an SEC filing, it still had 75 locations across California, Arizona, and Oregon.

Since then, the chain has slowly closed locations, leaving both Arizona, and Oregon. El Torito recently closed its Irvine, California location, which continues the trend.

"Over the past three years, the Mexi-Cali chain restaurant — now owned by Xperience Restaurant Group, also known as XRG — has closed longtime locations in Dana Point, Laguna Hills, Orange, Westminster and Tustin. Its Anaheim location has been temporarily closed since 2024 due to a fire," according to the Orange County Register.

The chain, which was founded in 1954, "helped popularize Mexican American fare in the United States as well as Taco Tuesdays, the day of the week when tacos were discounted and drew crowds, added the paper.

Mexican restaurants have struggled

Mexican restaurants, along with the broader restaurant industry, have struggled due to a convergence of negative headwinds.

In more than three decades covering restaurants, I've rarely seen operators face a combination of elevated costs, cautious consumers, and economic uncertainty at the same time.

“Survey data shows that three out of 10 Americans have reduced their spending at retail stores and are dining out at restaurants less frequently than a year ago,” according to an S&P Global Data report from March.

Prices have played a large role in keeping Americans away from restaurants.

“Consumer prices for food away from home increased 39.3% from January 2019 to January 2026. By comparison, the index increased 19.2% across the previous seven years, from January 2012 to January 2019,” according to another S&P Global Data report.

Almost half of U.S. restaurant operators, however, have seen their sales climb.

“Forty-six percent of restaurant operators reported lower traffic in March, compared to 30% in February.” according to the National Restaurant Association’s monthly tracking survey.

A number of Mexican chains have struggled

El Torito's struggles are not unique among Mexican chains.

• On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2025 after years of declining sales. The chain had about 120 restaurants in 2023 but was down to roughly 80 units at the time of its filing, and had closed 40 underperforming locations, according to Nation's Restaurant News.
• Tijuana Flats filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2024 and closed 11 restaurants as part of its restructuring before being sold to new ownership, TheStreet reported.
• Rubio's Coastal Grill filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024 and closed 48 locations before emerging under new ownership, according to TheStreet.
• Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025. The chain operates 16 locations across seven states, down from a peak of about 40 restaurants, reported TheStreet.

Chipotle, the second-largest Mexican chain in the U.S. behind Taco Bell, shared some insight as to why its rival have struggled.

Even chains like Chipotle have been hit by rising costs. The chain reported that food, beverage, and packaging costs reached 30.6% of total revenue in the second quarter of 2024, up from 29.7% a year earlier.

“The increase was due to inflation across several ingredient costs, primarily avocados and dairy, higher usage of ingredients, as we focused on ensuring consistent and generous portions, and a protein mix shift from the success of our Smoked Brisket limited-time offer,” the company shared in its second-quarter 2024 press release.

Related: Casino operator closes two more locations in Chapter 11

The founder of Bridgewater Associates warned in a recent interview with Bloomberg that the country’s ballooning debt load is getting increasingly difficult to reverse.

He argues that as debt-servicing costs begin to compete sharply with other government priorities, the problem begins to reach far beyond Washington. 

For years, investors have simply accepted that arrangement, and Dalio argues that the math is becoming virtually impossible to ignore.

For context, the U.S. national debt is currently about $39.20 trillion, according to the latest Treasury data.

Over the past five years, total U.S. public debt has skyrocketed from nearly $28.53 trillion in Q2 2021 to about $39.2 trillion today, an increase of $10.67 trillion, or 37.4%. 

That said, his warning comes at a point when markets are still fixated on AI, earnings, and the Federal Reserve policy.

Regarding the Fed's policy, I recently reported that Goldman Sachs cautioned against expecting early rate cuts, arguing that meaningful developments may not come until the end of the year. 

Nevertheless, Dalio's warning is far more urgent, centering on an economic issue that could potentially trigger a wide-ranging collapse. 

Who is Ray Dalio?

Billionaire Ray Dalio earned his chops the hard way.

The legendary investor founded one of Wall Street’s most credible hedge funds, Bridgewater Associates, in 1975, shaping it into a global macro giant.

In his illustrious 47-year run, he served as CEO, CIO, and Chairman, among other major roles, overseeing assets under management of more than $92 billion. 

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Mind you, Forbes estimates Dalio's personal fortune at nearly $15.4 billion. 

However, Dalio has since stepped away from Bridgewater, with his departure taking place in stages. Dalio ended his term as CEO in 2017, then gave up his chairman and co-CIO roles between 2021 and 2022, Reuters indicated. In 2025, Reuters reported that Dalio sold his remaining stake in Bridgewater, marking the final step in his exit from the hedge fund he had built. 

These days, he is more of a market statesman, sounding the alarm on the economy, AI, gold, debt levels, and other major risks impacting investors. 

Heck, Dalio was even working on an AI clone of himself, hoping to educate the next generation of investors.

Dalio warns the U.S. debt problem is getting harder to solve

Dalio believes the U.S. has effectively entered a dangerous debt-service trap.

The government is shelling out $7 trillion while collecting just $5 trillion in revenue, he said, leaving a financing gap that must be covered by more debt.

“We're past the point of no return, meaning when debt service payments squeeze out spending, like plaque in the circulatory [system] squeezes out the flow of money, the flow of blood, it's the same kind of thing.”

The first part of the conundrum is that the U.S. needs to issue more bonds. At the same time, though, investors will demand higher returns to continue buying them.

Dalio feels this is more of a supply-and-demand problem.

Bigger deficits signal greater Treasury supply. However, if buyers do not see attractive returns, they might avoid holding those bonds. As he puts it, “one man’s debts are another man’s assets,” and those assets will have to offer enough compensation after accounting for inflation.

That tremendous pressure can surface in multiple ways. One warning sign is the difference between long-term and short-term interest rates, especially if the government is looking to keep short-term rates on the lower side.

A sluggish dollar and stronger gold could also spread the pressure beyond bonds. In other words, if long-term yields jump while stocks remain expensive, stocks will look a lot less attractive. 

That leaves the Fed in a precarious spot, where it might have to tighten to impact growth or ease, risking higher inflation.

Gold price performance

• Over the past 30 days, gold returned -4.73%.
• Over the past six months, gold returned +6.88%.
• Over the past year, gold returned +35.17%.
• Over the past five years, gold returned +136.94%.
• Over the past 20 years, gold returned +609.05%.
  Source: Goldprice.org

Dalio sees trouble no matter what the Fed does

Another major issue Dalio points to is what happens when policymakers can’t tolerate the market-clearing interest rate.

This is how it works.

If we see bond buyers hunting for higher yields, that directly leads to higher servicing costs, worsening the fiscal problem. And if we see efforts to keep yields down, Dalio feels the results can look more like “financial repression.”

The Treasury and the Fed will look to work much more closely to keep borrowing costs artificially low through measures such as asset purchases and other measures.

Though that cuts financing costs, if real returns are pushed down too low, bonds become unattractive. 

In that situation, investors are compelled to look for alternatives, which include gold, foreign assets, and other stores of value.

So, effectively, the system is boxed in, where bonds need higher yields to attract buyers, which also makes debt much more expensive to service.

Dalio feels that America needs to continue borrowing, but that works only if investors trust U.S. debt, the dollar, and the returns they’re getting.

Related: Citi has a blunt message for investors worried about inflation

T. Rowe Price, which oversees roughly $1.83 trillion in client assets and counts about two-thirds of that total as retirement money, laid out a blueprint for what comes next during its annual 2026 U.S. Retirement Market Outlook briefing.

The firm's experts identified four converging forces carrying direct consequences for the tens of millions of people contributing to workplace plans.

If you have money in a 401(k), these developments could change what you can invest in, how your plan communicates with you, and the type of financial guidance you receive.

T. Rowe Price outlines how private assets could enter 401(k) plans

The most tangible shift involves opening retirement accounts to investment categories historically reserved for institutional investors and the ultra-wealthy. 

Private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure could soon appear inside the diversified funds your employer offers, the firm's outlook indicated.

Private market assets have expanded at nearly three times the rate of their publicly traded counterparts over the past 15 years, Jessica Sclafani, global retirement strategist at T. Rowe Price, explained during the briefing. 

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The firm's research argues that professionally managed multi-asset solutions, like target-date funds, are the right vehicle for delivering that exposure to defined-contribution plan participants.

Sclafani cautioned that inclusion alone is not enough. "Any private asset allocation must earn its place in the portfolio by offering unique net-of-fee investment benefits," she said. 

Alternative investments typically carry higher fees and less liquidity than the mutual funds dominating current 401(k) plans, so any addition would need to demonstrate clear value after costs.

Federal rulemaking paves way for alternative 401(k) investments

The regulatory process behind this shift began in August 2025, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Labor to reexamine past guidance on alternative assets within retirement plans and issue clarifying rules.

The Department of Labor responded on March 30, 2026, with a proposed rule creating a process-based safe harbor for fiduciaries who add alternative investments to 401(k) lineups. 

The safe harbor requires fiduciaries to objectively consider six factors: performance, fees, liquidity, valuation, performance benchmarks, and complexity, according to the DOL.

The DOL's proposed regulation could affect retirement investment options for more than 90 million Americans, according to the agency's release.

Defined-contribution plans collectively hold more than $12 trillion in capital, a Cleary Gottlieb analysis of the executive order confirmed.

That scale means even modest shifts in allowable investments could reshape the entire retirement savings landscape.

Aliya Robinson, T. Rowe Price's director of congressional affairs, said at the briefing that a final rule could be issued before year-end, with implementation beginning in 2027. "This is definitely on a fast track," Robinson said.

Artificial intelligence projected to save retirement industry billions

The technology powering retirement plan administration is also changing. Brandon Shea, defined contribution strategist at the firm, described a shift in which artificial intelligence is moving from an experimental concept to a practical business tool within the retirement ecosystem.

Consulting firm Everest Group has estimated that AI could save the United States retirement and pension industry between $16 billion and $20 billion in operational costs, the outlook noted. 

"We're entering a new era where AI can materially improve how advice is delivered, how plans are run, and how participants engage," Shea said, emphasizing that the goal is to equip human advisors with better tools rather than replace them.

Personalized retirement guidance becomes a baseline expectation

The fourth trend centers on demand for individualized financial advice delivered through workplace plans.

“In 2026, advice and personalization are becoming foundational expectations rather than optional enhancements,” Rachel Weker, retirement strategist at the firm, said.

She pointed to increasingly complex participant finances, scalable technology, and growing employer appetite to support workers beyond just the saving phase.

What this 401(k) overhaul means for everyday retirement savers

These trends suggest a 401(k) experience that could look meaningfully different over the next few years.

Investment menus may broaden to include asset classes that once required seven-figure minimums, and the guidance participants receive may become more tailored to individual circumstances.

The U.S. retirement system is at a pivotal moment — shaped by evolving regulation, rapid technological change, and a renewed focus on how to best meet the diverse needs of plan participants.

Alternative investments introduce complexities around fees, valuation, and liquidity that traditional mutual fund lineups do not present, and the transparency workers have grown accustomed to may not fully apply to portfolios holding private assets.

The convergence of new regulations, technology adoption, and product innovation creates both opportunities and challenges for the industry, the outlook concluded. 

T. Rowe Price's outlook suggests the next 12 to 18 months could reshape the 401(k) experience for the more than 90 million Americans in defined-contribution plans.

Related: Vanguard warns workers losing thousands in 401(k)s

The Verizon (VZ) CEO told Bloomberg that artificial intelligence could replace "a large percentage" of the company's customer service work, and he said it plainly, without the usual corporate hedging that surrounds that kind of statement.

What Schulman told Bloomberg about AI and Verizon jobs

Schulman said AI will handle routine customer service requests while human workers focus on more complex cases, according to Bloomberg. The shift, in his view, is not a distant possibility. It is already underway inside the company.

Schulman said he does not believe anyone can honestly claim AI will not disrupt certain job functions. Customer service, in his assessment, is among the most exposed because a large portion of the work is repetitive and process-driven.

Password resets, billing questions, plan explanations, and account changes are the kinds of interactions that can be standardized and handed to AI without meaningful loss of quality for customers.

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The statement lands at a sensitive moment. Schulman cut more than 13,000 Verizon employees in late November 2025, reducing the company's workforce from approximately 100,000 to around 87,000.

He has described the strategy as "aggressively reducing our cost base" and has been candid since taking the role in October 2025 that AI is central to how he intends to do it, according to Light Reading.

Why telecom customer service is especially exposed to AI replacement

Verizon handles enormous volumes of customer contacts every day across wireless, fiber broadband, and enterprise services. The overwhelming majority involve a short list of predictable problems.

A customer cannot log into their account. A bill looks wrong. A device is not connecting. A plan change needs to be made.

Those interactions share a common characteristic: they follow scripts. The customer describes a problem, the agent works through a decision tree, and the resolution is one of a small number of standard outcomes. That is precisely what AI systems are trained to do, and they can do it faster, at any hour, and without a queue.

The business case is straightforward. If AI resolves a meaningful percentage of those contacts without human intervention, Verizon can reduce labor costs, improve response times, and handle volume spikes without adding headcount.

In a wireless market where subscriber growth has been difficult and margins are under pressure, that combination is worth a great deal to investors, according to Bloomberg.

What the hybrid model means for the Verizon jobs that remain

Schulman was careful to say the future will be hybrid rather than fully automated. For more complex cases — technical escalations, retention conversations, billing disputes that require judgment — human employees and AI agents will work together rather than AI working alone.

That framing matters for understanding which Verizon jobs are most at risk. The roles built around repetitive first-line interactions are most directly in AI's path. In contrast, the roles built around judgment, retention, and escalation handling are more likely to survive in some form, though they will change as AI absorbs more of the front-end volume they currently manage.

What Schulman's comments make clear is that the hybrid model does not protect the overall headcount level. It is simply a description of what the remaining jobs will look like after AI has taken its share of the workload.

The number of people doing customer service at Verizon is expected to fall significantly. The ones who remain will work differently.

Key context on Verizon's AI strategy and the broader jobs picture:

• A former Verizon employee told Phone Arena that teams had been used to train AI-powered troubleshooting systems for over a year before they were laid off in the November 2025 cuts, directly contradicting the company's initial statement that the terminations were not a result of AI, according to Phone Arena.
• Verizon's headcount had already been shrinking before Schulman arrived. Under previous CEO Hans Vestberg, the company cut 44,900 employees between 2018 and 2024, a 31% reduction from the earlier total, Light Reading reported.
• Schulman came to Verizon from PayPal, where he served as CEO from 2014 to 2023; before that, he held leadership roles at AT&T's consumer unit, Virgin Mobile US, and Sprint, giving him an unusually deep background in telecom workforce and customer operations, according to Bloomberg.
• Verizon completed its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications in early 2026, adding significant fiber broadband infrastructure and customer service volume just as Schulman was reducing headcount, Light Reading confirmed.
• Verizon's EBITDA was $48.8 billion in 2024, up from $47.2 billion in 2019, despite the ongoing headcount reductions; the company's challenge is topline growth and subscriber retention rather than profitability, which is why Schulman is using AI as both a cost tool and customer experience tool, Light Reading noted.

What Schulman's AI and jobs message means for Verizon stock investors

For investors, the direct read on Schulman's comments is positive at the margin level. Automating a large percentage of customer service interactions at a company with roughly 87,000 employees and hundreds of millions of annual customer contacts represents a meaningful cost reduction opportunity.

If AI can absorb a significant share of front-line service volume, the labor savings compound quickly.

The risk is on the customer experience side. Telecom providers are not well loved by their customers, and automated service interactions have a history of increasing frustration when the AI hits its limits and cannot resolve the problem.

If churn accelerates because customers feel they cannot get help, the cost savings from fewer agents get partially offset by higher subscriber acquisition costs to replace them.

Schulman's broader track record at PayPal suggests he understands that tension. During his tenure there, he scaled digital financial services while managing customer trust carefully.

The question for Verizon investors is whether the same discipline applies here, and whether a large percentage of customer service work can be handed to AI without the quality decline that has undermined similar moves at other large service companies.

Related: Microsoft CEO sends shocking message to employees

Specifically, that group of Americans is anyone who was born in 1953. Chances are, if you aren't one of these people, you may well know someone who is.

In 2026, anyone who has already turned 73 or will soon turn 73 reaches the age when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires withdrawals from most tax-deferred retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s and traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).

"Failure to take all or a portion of the RMD results in a federal income tax penalty equal to a statutory percentage of the amount that should have been distributed," wrote Elizabeth A. Myers for Congress.gov.

While examining the 2026 Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) rules, I looked extensively through Myers' Congressional Research Service (CRS) "In Focus" brief, specifically Product IF12750. As the non-partisan, in-house research arm of Congress, the CRS helpfully explains the rules with an objective, plain language analysis.

To begin, it's important to note that the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 engineered a multi-year phase-in for retirement changes, including for RMDs. Then we'll examine when distributions must be taken and how much money is involved.

"The RMD rules discussed in this 'In Focus' apply to defined contribution (DC) accounts such as 401(k) accounts and traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs)," Myers wrote. "RMDs do not apply to original owners of Roth IRAs (as contributions to Roth IRAs are made with after-tax income)."

When RMDs must be taken from 401(k)s, IRAs

If you turn 73 in 2026, you must start taking RMDs from your tax‑deferred retirement accounts this year. Your first withdrawal's specific deadline is no later than April 1, 2027. The IRS calls this the required beginning date (RBD), according to the IRS.

There’s an important catch. Even though your first RMD can be delayed until April 1, you still must take your second RMD by Dec. 31, 2027. That means delaying the first withdrawal could force a person to take two taxable distributions in the same year, which may increase their income and their tax bill, Congress.gov explains.

After that, every RMD must be taken by Dec. 31 each year for as long as one has money in those accounts.

For a little historical context, note that before the SECURE Act, people had to start taking required minimum distributions by April 1 of the year after they turned 70-and-a-half (unless they were still working and had a qualifying defined‑contribution plan).

Under the SECURE Act, anyone who reached age 70-and-a-half after Dec. 31, 2019 followed a rule where the starting age for RMDs was raised to 72.

SECURE 2.0 increased this age twice more as follows (these are what are relevant now and going forward):

• to 73 for individuals who turn age 72 after Dec. 31, 2022, and turn age 73 before Jan. 1, 2033; and
• to 75 for individuals who turn age 73 after Dec. 31, 2032.
  (Source: Congress.gov)

The dollar amount of RMDs

So how much of a distribution is required?

"The RMD amount for a year is calculated by dividing (1) the account balance as of Dec. 31 of the previous calendar year by (2) a distribution period outlined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) based on life expectancies," Congress.gov wrote.

"The IRS publishes tables for account owners, spouses, and beneficiaries. These tables and worksheets for calculating RMDs can be found in IRS Publication 590-B. The tables do not vary based on an account owner's sex despite differences in life expectancy."

Charles Schwab tallies 401(k), IRA RMDs

The tables and worksheets by themselves are complex, but people turning 73 in 2026 can get a simple sense of what to expect regarding RMDs by entering some data into Charles Schwab's RMD calculator.

So I did precisely that, and came up with 10 caclulations for readers to compare their situations with. For each, I started with a birth date in 1953 (I chose June 30 so it's directly in the middle of the year, but the date within the year is irrelevant for RMDs). Obviously, anyone still living that was born in 1953 will turn 73 in 2026.

Also for each, I assumed a spouse born before 1964. For a person born in 1953 with a spouse born in 1964 or later, RMDs begin to reduce in size, but that is trivial enough to be irrelevant to this exercise.

A person turning 73 in 2026 will need to take the following required minimum distribution based on these account balances as of Dec. 31, 2025:

• An account balance of $30,000 requires a minimum distribution of $1,132.08.
• An account balance of $50,000 requires a minimum distribution of $1,886.79.
• An account balance of $75,000 requires a minimum distribution of $2,830.19.
• An account balance of $100,000 requires a minimum distribution of $3,773.58.
• An account balance of $150,000 requires a minimum distribution of $5,660.38.
• An account balance of $200,000 requires a minimum distribution of $7,547.17.
• An account balance of $350,000 requires a minimum distribution of $13,207.55.
• An account balance of $500,000 requires a minimum distribution of $18,867.92.
• An account balance of $750,000 requires a minimum distribution of $28,301.89.
• An account balance of $1,000,000 requires a minimum distribution of $37,735.85.

AARP also has an RMD calculator that figures out required minimum distributions for 2026 — and for many years going forward — for readers who would find that level of detail useful.

Related: Charles Schwab, Fidelity sound alarm on Roth IRA rule

Here’s how many people Amazon employs in 2026.

How many employees does Amazon have in 2026?

Amazon had about 1.576 million employees, both full-time and part-time, worldwide at the end of 2025, according to the company’s 2025 annual report. The company also hires independent contractors and temporary personnel to supplement its workforce.

While the company is famous for being the world’s biggest online retailer — and employing legions ofwarehouse workers and delivery drivers to bring goods to customers' — doorsteps, it is also a tech giant with cloud computing, Prime Video, and Alexa.

Amazon says that competition for qualified personnel is intense, particularly for software engineers, computer scientists, and other technical staff (including for artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies). 

Amazon didn’t provide a breakdown on workers by department, but its workforce has grown significantly over the past decade. In 2015, it had 230,000 employees, up from 30,000 in 2010. It crossed the million mark in 2020, when there were 1.298 million workers, compared to 798,000 in 2019.

Despite its large workforce, Amazon does conduct layoffs from time to time.

Related: History of Amazon: From garage startup to tech titan

What is Amazon’s revenue per employee?

Amazon posted $718.9 billion in sales in 2025. With 1.576 million employees, that puts its revenue per employee at almost $455,000. 

By comparison, the average revenue per employee for companies in the S&P 500 Index was $642,000 in 2025, according to a report by Chart Kid Matt, which analyzes stock market data.

Related: How many employees does Nvidia have? From R&D to sales

Who are the highest & lowest-paid employees at Amazon?

Company executives are among the highest-paid employees at Amazon, and their bonus compensation in the form of stock awards and cash is typically tied to their performance in terms of meeting company internal targets. In some cases, executive bonus compensation far exceeds base pay. 

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy was the highest-paid executive in 2025, with almost $2.1 million in total compensation.

While four executives — Brian T. Olsavsky, SVP and Chief Financial Officer, Matthew S. Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, Douglas J. Herrington, CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, and David A. Zapolsky, SVP, Chief Global Affairs & Legal Officer — had total compensation not much higher than their base pay in 2025, each of their compensation in 2024 exceeded $25 million due to stock awards. In 2025, no stock awards were given.

Amazon’s lowest-paid employees tend to be hourly employees, and pay is typically based on location. A position as a Delivery Station Warehouse Associate in New Windsor, New York, a suburb north of New York City, pays up to $22 an hour, according to a May 2026 listing on Amazon’s jobs page. That translates to $45,760 annually. In comparison, the national average annual pay is $64,220, based on weekly earnings reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

More on Amazon:

• Amazon’s dividends and stock splits: What you need to know
• Where are Amazon’s headquarters? Seattle and beyond

Amazon’s CEO pay ratio

Amazon’s CEO pay ratio (which compares the CEO’s annual total compensation to that of the median employee) was 51 to 1 in 2025, as reported in the retailer’s 2026 proxy statement. 

Jassy’s total compensation was $2,069,861 in 2025, while the median-compensated employee — including full- and part-time permanent and temporary employees worldwide, excluding the CEO — earned $40,206. For U.S. full-time Amazon employees only, the median pay was $53,211. 

By comparison, the median CEO pay ratio for companies in the S&P 500 Index was 200 to 1 in 2025, as executive compensation outpaced general wage growth, according to a report by the Associated Press and Equilar on executive pay.

Related: How many employees does Salesforce have in 2026? CRM’s workforce, locations & layoffs

What's on your agenda this summer? In addition to summer travels, we're excited to take advantage of the warm weather and spend as much time outdoors as we can. Whether it's grilling on the weekends, camping, or heading to the beach, one thing's for sure: any outdoor activity can be even better when you have a Bluetooth speaker.

Why get a Bluetooth speaker ahead of Prime Day?

Bluetooth speakers are ready to take on any summer adventure. They're typically compact, making them portable and easy to transport from indoors to your backyard, or even take while biking, camping, and lounging at the beach. They also have long-lasting batteries to enjoy everything from a playlist to a podcast without interruption. 

They happen to be heavily discounted, even before Amazon Prime Day. If you haven't heard already, Prime Day has been bumped up to June this year, a month earlier than the usual July dates we've seen in the past. The four-day shopping event officially starts on Tuesday, June 23, and runs through Friday, June 26. However, there are a ton of early Prime Day deals to shop, and the discounts on Bluetooth speakers have caught our attention. 

One of the biggest price drops we're seeing ahead of Prime Day is on the Coioc Portable Bluetooth Speaker. Right now, it's 80% off its regular price. Everyone can take advantage of this deal, regardless of Prime membership status, which isn't the case once the event actually starts. 

Coioc Portable Bluetooth Speaker

With a cylindrical design, the portable speaker has 360-degree sound and a 100-foot Bluetooth range, which is great for outdoor use. Because the sound is projected from all angles, it sounds clearer and more immersive in open spaces, whether it's during a backyard barbecue or a pool party. And if you want to amp up the sound even more, it has True Wireless Stereo connectivity that allows you to pair two separate Bluetooth speakers together. To bring on the party vibes, the speaker is also equipped with LED lights. It adds a whole new level of ambiance to accompany the powerful sound. This feature is especially fun for both indoor and outdoor gatherings at night. 

With a long battery life that can last up to 25 hours on just one charge, you can play music all day without interruption. This makes the speaker ideal for long outings or day trips, whether it's a long hike or beach day. And most importantly for summer fun, it's outdoor-friendly. It's waterproof and dustproof, making it durable enough for outdoor activities and adventures. The weather resistance is especially important for taking any speaker outdoors, as you want to get the most out of your purchase. Since this speaker can be used both indoors and outdoors, it's more versatile than an indoor-only model, giving you the most bang for your buck in terms of versatility.  

More Bluetooth speakers

Monster S620 Bluetooth Speaker

Comiso Bluetooth Speaker

Monster S310 Bluetooth Speaker

TheStreet Shopping is your guide for shopping insights and advice. We look beyond the price tag to find the best value in home, tech, and wellness gear based on product features and real-world use.

A hit with employees at the nearby Ford assembly plant, the chain quickly took off, and Cathy began experimenting with new entrees he could serve at his ever-expanding roster of locations.

In 1961, he struck gold with a fried chicken sandwich. The menu item became so popular, Cathy eventually renamed his restaurants in honor of it, and Chick-fil-A as we know it today was born.

Now, in celebration of its 80th birthday, the fast food chain says it’s bringing back its most popular sandwich of all time.

Chick-fil-A brings back pimento cheese

Starting on June 8, Chick-fil-A will be bringing back its Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich, its best-selling seasonal offering of all time.

Loaded with pimento cheese, mild pickled jalapenos, and a drizzle of honey on top of a classic or spicy filet, the sandwich has developed something of a cult following since its initial release in 2023.

When the item disappeared from menus last fall, customers took to social media platforms like Reddit to demand its return.

That level of fan devotion makes it the perfect item to anchor Chick-fil-A’s “Newstalgia” summer menu.

“This summer is a celebration of the fun, flavors and experiences our guests love the most and ask us to bring back, year after year,” Chick-fil-A Vice President of Brand Strategy Khalilah Cooper said in a statement. 

“That’s what our year of ‘Newstalgia’ is all about – delivering timeless favorites with fresh new twists, allowing a new generation of Guests to experience our 80-year heritage in a way that feels new, yet nostalgic, and unmistakably Chick-fil-A,” she continued.

In addition to the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich, two other fan favorites are coming back for a limited time this summer: Pineapple Dragonfruit beverages and Peach-flavored desserts.

Why Chick-fil-A keeps winning customers

Chick-fil-A may be turning 80 years old in 2026, but the fast-food chain is showing no signs of slowing with age.

In fact, it’s seen significant levels of growth and expansion over the last year.

In the six-month period between September 2025 and February 2026, Chick-fil-A largely outperformed other limited-service and quick-service restaurants in per-location foot traffic, according to data from Placer.ai. 

During the same stretch, the chain also saw consistent growth in system-wide foot traffic.

This stands out as many fast-food restaurants, including McDonald’s and Starbucks, saw steep declines in their traffic levels.

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In late 2025, some 37% of diners reported eating out less often than they did a year ago, according to data from YouGov. The most common reason for the shift? Rising menu prices (69%), followed by an overall effort to save money (58%).

Yet even as consumers pulled back on dining out, Chick-fil-A continued to attract more visitors.

Industry experts have identified some clear reasons for that unusual success.

“Chick-fil-A’s resilience may be rooted in part in the strong alignment between its operating model and its customer base,” Placer.ai’s report said. “Positioned as a premium QSR brand straddling the line between fast food and fast casual, the chain emphasizes consistency, menu simplicity, and high-touch service rather than heavy discounting.” 

How LTOs fit into Chick-fil-A’s overall menu strategy

However, that focus on menu simplicity doesn't mean Chick-fil-A never experiments.

Instead, the chain tends to take a more selective approach to menu innovation than many of its competitors. Rather than constantly introducing new products, it relies on occasional, limited-time offerings, many of which return year after year.

The Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich is perhaps the best example of that strategy. 

By bringing back a proven fan favorite instead of rolling out an entirely new concept, Chick-fil-A can generate excitement without sacrificing the operational simplicity that has helped fuel its growth.

The strategy also reduces risk. Unlike an entirely new menu item, the Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich already has a proven track record with customers, making it easier for the company to predict demand.

For Chick-fil-A customers, the sandwich's return is simply the comeback of a fan favorite. For the company, it's also evidence that a focused menu and carefully chosen limited-time offerings can still generate excitement 80 years after the chain first opened its doors.

Related: Popular steakhouse adds THC to the menu

SpaceX skipped every step of that process, and the decision reveals how Elon Musk intends to operate as a public company executive.

The rocket and satellite company filed an amended prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission, setting a flat price of $135 per share. 

That number implies a base valuation of roughly $1.75 trillion, according to Reuters, rising to approximately $1.77 trillion if pending transactions close.

SpaceX tells Wall Street to take $135 or walk away

Under the traditional IPO playbook, a company sets a preliminary price range to frame valuation expectations and leaves room for adjustments during investor meetings.

SpaceX declared $135 as a fixed number before its roadshow formally began, and the company told its underwriting banks that it would not adjust it, Reuters reported.

The amended filing detailed plans to sell 555.6 million Class A shares, with underwriters holding an option to purchase an additional 83.33 million at the same price.

Goldman Sachs leads the underwriting syndicate, followed by Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Securities, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase as additional lead bookrunners, with Barclays and other regional banks rounding out the broader 21-bank syndicate.

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“This would be very unconventional, but the market will see this as a sign of confidence in the SpaceX IPO, while others could see it as a head-scratcher," Dan Ives, managing director and senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities, told Fortune.

The Nasdaq debut under ticker SPCX is expected the week of June 12, following investor presentations that began this week, Reuters noted. 

The fixed-price approach has virtually no precedent among major U.S. offerings, stripping away the demand-testing process that normally protects both buyers and sellers.

Starlink generates billions while SpaceX’s AI unit burns cash

SpaceX’s landmark S-1 filing revealed the company generated $18.67 billion in consolidated revenue during 2025, representing a 33% increase from the prior year.

Starlink, the satellite broadband service, contributed $11.39 billion in revenue and posted $4.4 billion in operating income, solidifying its role as the company’s financial engine.

The connectivity unit now serves 10.3 million subscribers across more than 160 countries, with its user base roughly doubling over the preceding 12 months. 

The AI segment, which absorbed xAI through a February 2026 merger, generated $3.2 billion in revenue but incurred $6.35 billion in operating losses.

Those losses dragged the company as a whole to a $4.94 billion net loss for 2025, even as Starlink generated high operating income on its own.

The first quarter of 2026 saw the trend accelerate, with a $4.28 billion net loss in a single quarter, according to the company’s SEC filing.

Morningstar values SpaceX at less than half IPO target

One of Wall Street’s most prominent independent research firms offered a starkly different assessment of the company before the roadshow even began. 

Morningstar initiated coverage of SpaceX with a fair value estimate of $780 billion, roughly 55% below the company’s own $1.75 trillion IPO target.

Analyst Nicolas Owens built a discounted cash flow model that valued the launch and Starlink businesses at a combined enterprise value of $611 billion. 

Some investors may view that as a serious governance trade-off, while others may decide it is the price of access to one of the few companies with SpaceX’s scale and positioning.

Owens assigned an additional $170 billion to the AI operations on a probability-weighted basis, reflecting deep uncertainty about the segment’s commercial viability.

“We think the company has been significantly overvalued and investors will have opportunities to buy the stock at more attractive levels after the IPO,” Owens said. 

The valuation gap highlights a central tension in this offering: whether investors are paying for proven satellite broadband economics or speculative AI infrastructure.

Musk’s dual-class share structure limits public investor influence

Public shareholders will have minimal say in how SpaceX operates after listing, owing to a governance structure tilted heavily toward its founder.

Musk will retain roughly 82.4% of voting power through a dual-class arrangement, which gives certain shares 10 times the voting power of ordinary stock.

Only about 5% of outstanding shares will trade freely after the offering. 

Musk and certain significant investors face a 366-day lockup, while other pre-IPO investors are subject to a staggered structure that releases 7% tranches at 70, 90, 105, 120, and 135 days after listing, with additional releases tied to quarterly earnings reports.

“We think long-term investors eager to participate in SpaceX's future endeavors and potential success will have opportunities to do so with more margin of safety than the initial offering is likely to provide,” Owens wrote in the Morningstar report.

Retail investors will have unusual access to this debut, with SpaceX naming Schwab, Fidelity, Robinhood, SoFi, and E*Trade as retail allocation channels.

This IPO could set pace for Anthropic, OpenAI listings

The implications of this offering extend beyond a single company, because two other major AI firms are expected to follow with their own public listings.

"This listing represents the first major test for public markets after years of muted IPO activity, with SpaceX paving the way for AI giants Anthropic and OpenAI to follow soon after," Wedbush analysts wrote in a June 3 research note, Fortune confirmed.

At its target valuation, SpaceX would rank among the most valuable U.S. public companies at listing, with Al Jazeera placing it ahead of Tesla and Meta Platforms and potentially in the top five by market capitalization.

How the market receives this unconventional pricing approach will likely shape the terms and expectations for every major technology listing that follows.

Related: Elon Musk sends startling message on SpaceX, Tesla merger

That message resonates in an economy where the federal funds target range is 3.50% to 3.75% and credit card annual percentage rates (APRs) hover near record highs.

The personal savings rate slipped to 3.7% in the first quarter of 2026, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data. 

The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 49.8 in April 2026, breaking the previous all-time low set in June 2022, and then dropped to 44.8 in May 2026, setting another record since the survey began in 1952.

Americans are saving less and paying more to borrow as confidence falls toward levels last seen in mid-2022, raising the question of whether Ramsey's blanket approach serves every loan on a household balance sheet.

How a loan’s interest rate decides whether aggressive payoff helps or hurts

Ramsey is right that most consumer debt destroys wealth, but his blanket rule ignores a critical variable, 24/7 Wall St. reported. The deciding factor is the interest rate on a specific loan compared to the return a borrower could earn by investing that money.

Take a household with $10,000 in credit card debt at 24% APR and $400 a month to allocate. Throwing the full amount at the card clears it in roughly 35 months and roughly $4,000 in interest paid, based on standard amortization at a 24% APR.

Paying only the minimum and investing the rest at 8% causes the balance to balloon past $14,000 in three years. 

The outcome flips with a 4% federal student loan, and that $10,000 balance accrues roughly $400 in interest during year one, while $400 a month invested at 8% earns about $200 initially and compounds from there. 

Over a decade, paying the minimum on the low-rate loan and investing the difference leaves the household thousands ahead. 

Tony Molina, then head of community at Wealthfront, framed the decision simply in a January 2024 GOBankingRates interview.

"You only need to know two numbers when making this decision: your debt's interest rate and the rate of return on the investment you're considering," Molina told GOBankingRates.

Where common debts fall against the 8% long-run equity benchmark

The analysis uses 8% as a conservative proxy for long-run equity returns, adjusted for inflation running above the Fed's target, and treats that figure as the dividing line. 

Any loan above 8%, including credit cards, personal loans, payday loans, and most buy-now-pay-later balances, costs more than markets are likely to return, the analysis noted.

Loans below 6%, such as fixed-rate mortgages and subsidized federal student loans, sit on the opposite side. A borrower paying 4% on a fixed-rate loan is renting money at a rate below the portfolio's long-run expected return. 

While paying off debt can free up your money, the earlier you begin investing the better off you’ll be in the long run. Investing even a little each month can help. However, if you have high-interest-rate debt or can’t afford to do both now, paying off debt should be your first priority

The 6% to 8% range is the gray zone where risk tolerance and job stability shape the decision. Inflation adds complexity, since core personal consumption expenditures (PCE), the Fed’s preferred gauge, has continued climbing through early 2026. 

Rising prices erode fixed-rate debt’s real value while also eating into cash sitting in savings accounts, the report noted. Paul Heys, a financial advisor at Investorship, recommended tackling both goals simultaneously.

“I believe in a two-fold approach, in which you pay down a healthy portion of your debt while allocating that same amount in a low-cost S&P 500index fund with 'only' an average, long-term return of 10%,” Heys told GOBankingRates.

The employer 401(k) match and the avalanche payoff framework

One element sits entirely outside the interest-rate math: the employer 401(k) match. A 50% match is a guaranteed 50% return in year one, a figure no credit card interest rate justifies forfeiting, the report argued.

The report recommended capturing the full match before accelerating any debt other than payday loans.

Ramsey, by contrast, instructs followers in Baby Step 2 to pause all retirement contributions, including those that capture an employer match, until non-mortgage debt is cleared. 

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The disagreement emerges when he extends anti-debt urgency to low-rate obligations like subsidized student loans.

The analysis outlined a clear sequence: List all debts, sorted by interest rate from highest to lowest; confirm the 401(k) match; then direct extra dollars to the top of the list until rates drop below 8%. 

After that, the report recommended redirecting cash flow into retirement and brokerage accounts.

Building a starter emergency fund covering one month’s expenses before aggressive payoff and three to six months after high-rate debt is cleared, rounded out the framework. 

This approach, called the avalanche method, minimizes total interest paid across all outstanding loans, the analysis noted.

Ramsey’s debt philosophy and the interest rate reality facing borrowers in 2026

The divide between Ramsey’s approach and interest rate math reflects a long-running tension in personal finance. 

Ramsey has said in his published materials that personal finance is 80% behavior and 20% head knowledge, framing the analysis described as prioritizing emotional momentum over mathematical optimization.

The report acknowledged that behavioral advantage but pointed to its cost: Households paying down low-rate loans instead of investing forfeit years of compound growth.

Households that delay investing while paying down low-rate loans forfeit thousands of dollars in compound growth that no behavioral framework can recover later, the analysis concluded.

The avalanche framework assigns each loan to a single benchmark and lets the interest rate, not the borrower's emotional relationship to debt, determine the payoff order.

The report's conclusion is that Ramsey's framework serves borrowers drowning in high-cost credit card debt, but extending that urgency to every obligation forfeits years of compound growth on the lower-rate side of the balance sheet.

Related: Dave Ramsey issues stern warning on credit cards, sibling loans, debt

His final target of $145, reiterated in April after Tesla's first-quarter delivery miss, implied roughly 60% downside. Elon Muskreplied to it on X (the former Twitter) with one word: "lol."

Six weeks later, Brinkman's replacement published a completely different view. And the number he put on it is not a subtle adjustment.

JPMorgan's new Tesla analyst upgrades the stock

Rajat Gupta, the JPMorgan analyst who took over Tesla coverage from Brinkman in early May, upgraded Tesla (TSLA) from underweight to neutral on June 5 and raised his price target from $145 to $475, a 227.6% revision, according to Seeking Alpha.

The upgrade came the morning after JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon offered Elon Musk an audience at the bank's Reagan National Economic Forum to discuss SpaceX's planned IPO, according to Bloomberg.

The new target implies approximately 13% upside from Tesla's closing price of $418.45 the day before the note.

"TSLA is at the forefront of physical AI," Gupta wrote. "The unique advantage TSLA has, and unmatched at an industrial level scale, is the degree of vertical integration across all the hardware and software products it builds, combined with the efficacy and speed of technology development."

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"We believe this aspect, while largely known at a high level, is still somewhat under-appreciated and misunderstood, for the sheer starting-point advantage it brings," he added, according to TipRanks.

Tesla shares fell approximately 6.6% on the day of Dimon's invitation, despite the upgrade. A neutral rating is not a buy recommendation. It means JPMorgan is no longer telling investors to actively avoid the stock, according to Bloomberg.

The physical AI thesis that replaced the automaker thesis

The core shift in the JPMorgan note is a change in how Tesla is being categorized.

Brinkman's framework treated Tesla as an automaker and valued it accordingly. Gupta's framework treats Tesla as a physical AI company entering what he describes as new and largely uncharted total addressable markets, where vertical integration is the decisive advantage, according to TipRanks.

Gupta draws an explicit parallel to Amazon , specifically to Amazon's Kiva robotics acquisition and the eventual build-out of AWS. The argument is that Tesla's factories, battery production, and existing vehicle data are a proving ground for Optimus and other humanoid robots that will reduce cost of goods sold in the core automotive business while validating the product at industrial scale.

That creates a flywheel: manufacturing expertise lowers costs for broader deployment; broader deployment generates more data; more data improves the product.

On the revenue side, Gupta's team forecasts Tesla's top line could reach approximately $203 billion by 2030, up from an estimated $95 billion this year.

Robotaxi, Optimus, and Full Self-Driving licensing would account for roughly half the total gain. Earnings per share are projected to reach $7.50 by 2030, from an estimated $1.95 in 2026, with Gupta seeing an earnings inflection in 2028 and 50% annual EPS growth through 2030, according to Seeking Alpha.

Tesla risks: why JPMorgan stopped short of a buy rating

Gupta's note is explicit about the execution risk. Tesla is entering markets where it has no track record of commercial deployment at scale.

Winning regulatory clearances for unsupervised Robotaxis, demonstrating safety at scale, and deploying technologies that are still maturing are all prerequisites for the 2030 revenue projections to hold.

The FSD hardware problem adds another layer of uncertainty. Musk acknowledged earlier this year that approximately 4 million Tesla vehicles would require new computers and cameras to achieve unsupervised Full Self-Driving, walking back years of assurances.

If Robotaxi timelines slip again or Optimus remains a demonstration product rather than a deployable one, the valuation Gupta is assigning becomes very difficult to defend at current prices.

Tesla's Wall Street consensus tells a similar story. The average analyst price target for 2027 sits at $404, implying modest downside from where the stock trades now. JPMorgan's $475 target stands well above that consensus, making it one of the more aggressive calls on the stock heading into the second half of 2026, according to TipRanks.

Key context on Rajat Gupta, Ryan Brinkman, and the JPMorgan Tesla coverage transition:

• Rajat Gupta is ranked #540 out of 9,634 Wall Street analysts on TipRanks with a 62% success rate and 16.5% average return per rating since 2019; he covers the automotive sector broadly and had not previously covered Tesla, TipRanks noted.
• Ryan Brinkman had covered Tesla at JPMorgan since 2015 and was one of Wall Street's most consistently bearish voices on the stock throughout that period; his final note in April 2026 reiterated $145 and advised investors to approach Tesla with "a high degree of caution," according to Seeking Alpha.
• The upgrade came after JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon offered Elon Musk an audience to discuss SpaceX's planned IPO at the bank's Reagan National Economic Forum, Bloomberg reported.
• Gupta estimates roughly 5 million humanoid robots in the United States and 30 million globally by 2040; Tesla's factory and vehicle infrastructure is central to his cost-down thesis for Optimus commercial deployment, according to TipRanks.
• Tesla also received a second upgrade on the same day from Erste Group, which moved the stock from sell to hold; the dual upgrade day reflects a broader softening of institutional bearishness on the stock, Seeking Alpha confirmed.

What JPMorgan's Tesla upgrade means for TSLA stock investors

The most significant implication of the move is not the $475 target. It is the removal of institutional cover for the short thesis.

When JPMorgan published underweight ratings with a $145 target, it was providing credible backing for the view that Tesla's non-automotive businesses were worth little or nothing. That backing is now gone.

Gupta has replaced it with a framework that explicitly prices in Robotaxi revenue, Optimus deployment, and FSD licensing at scale. That does not mean those businesses will materialize on schedule.

But it does mean the debate has shifted. The question is no longer whether the autonomy and robotics optionality should be in the model. It is whether the execution will justify the numbers Gupta has put on it.

For investors holding Tesla, the upgrade removes a persistent headwind. For investors considering the stock at $419, the honest read is that JPMorgan sees a credible long-term case but is not yet confident enough to recommend buying at current prices.

The $475 target implies 13% upside. At a neutral rating, that is not urgency. It is acknowledgment that the bear case defining JPMorgan's Tesla view for nearly a decade no longer holds.

Related: Elon Musk, Tesla face serious new threat

Honestly, I couldn't imagine being able to afford a home without both of our incomes. Especially where we live, which is a relatively high-cost-of-living area.

The longer I report on mortgages and real estate, the more often I hear about people co-buying houses with people other than their spouses or partners. The share of people co-buying with someone other than a spouse increased from 25% in 2021 to 30% in 2025, according to a survey by CoBuy. The idea was interesting, but I struggled to picture the logistics.

Then, people in my social circle started talking about co-buying houses with their siblings or other family members. That's when I truly viewed the idea as less of a theory and more of a reality. In fact, almost 60% of renters would consider co-buying a home with friends, according to a February survey by Rocket Mortgage.

Co-buying a home is hardly a new idea, but the trend is growing in popularity as housing becomes increasingly expensive. In an episode of Real Estate Today, the podcast by the National Association of Realtors, professionals broke down why and how co-buying is helping Americans become homeowners.

The host, Melissa Dittman Tracey, even calls co-buying "one of the hottest trends in housing right now."

Co-buying a house with family, friends, or coworkers

Most people cited affordability as the main reason they would buy a home with friends, according to the Rocket Mortgage survey.

"The housing market is getting so expensive, especially in high-cost cities ... I think people are just getting smart and co-buying together," Nikki Merkerson, founder of the co-buying platform PairGap, says on Real Estate Today. "Combining incomes and assets and all the things you need to get approved for a home, it just makes sense."

Affording mortgage payments with just one income is difficult, and in many cases, downright impossible. Unmarried people should have the option to build wealth through homeownership, too. For example, Merkerson helped an older mom and two adult children buy a place together. Two (or more) incomes makes all the difference.

Related: More on housing affordability

Merkerson once co-bought a home not with a family member or friend, but a coworker. They purchased a multifamily house together, and she eventually bought him out because it was her dream home.

The home has gained a lot of value since they originally purchased it, so she used co-buying to get into the market and start building wealth for her family. And that's a huge benefit of buying a home with other people — you don't have to be married to start building wealth through real estate.

You can even buy a home with strangers

Yes, co-buying property allows you to start building wealth even if you don't have shared income with a spouse. But what happens if no one in your life wants to buy a home with you?

This might sound weird, but you can actually buy a house with one or more strangers.

In fact, Merkerson created the company PairGap so renters could co-buy with people they don't know. You build an online profile and fill out a questionnaire about your goals, including why and where you want to buy.

"Once that profile is filled out, they can go into the pool to match with somebody that is compatible," Merkerson explains. "Not only financially compatible, but also looking for the same goals. They're both interested in building wealth through this partnership."

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The contract even includes what Merkerson calls a "real estate prenup" that addresses issues such as each person's share of ownership, what happens if one party can no longer afford payments, and the steps to take if a co-owner dies.

She says that sometimes the strangers both live on the property, especially if they buy a multifamily house with two separate living areas. Others use co-buying as an investment opportunity and just choose to be co-investors.

"You're able to reach the goal of building wealth or even financial independence sooner than you would on your own," she said.

PairGap isn't the only platform helping renters co-buy houses. You can also look into the companies CoBuy, Joynt, and Pacaso to find the best fit.

The pros and cons of co-buying a house

Buying a house with a friend or even a stranger may seem like a far-fetched idea. This home-buying strategy is becoming more popular, though, and housing is only going to get more expensive as time goes on. If you want to seriously consider co-buying property, it's crucial to think through the pros and cons.

• Pro: Afford a bigger or nicer house. True, co-buying is a great way to buy a home if you can't afford one at all. But, depending on your situation, it's also a tool for purchasing a larger home, such as a multifamily property, because you're applying with two or more incomes.
• Pro: Start building home equity now. Houses generally gain value over time, and the longer you wait to buy a house, the longer you wait to build equity. Co-buying can help you get your foot in the door now.
• Pro: Share homeownership responsibilities. You aren't just splitting the expenses of the down payment, closing costs, and monthly payments. You're also sharing the costs of home maintenance and repairs. If one of you has the skills to take care of home issues yourself, you're in an even better position.
• Con: All parties are responsible for the loan. You're placing a lot of trust in another person. If they can't afford their portion of the monthly payment, you could face a late fee, a ding to your credit score, and eventually even foreclosure.
• Con: Potential impact on your relationships. If you buy with someone you know, any financial or practical issues that come with homeownership could hurt your relationship. It's crucial to communicate your expectations both before signing on the dotted line and after closing day.

Related: More on creative home-buying solutions

Why we love this deal

Extra storage is never a bad idea, especially if you enjoy showing off collectibles, have a home office, or just have a hard time keeping things in order. With summer around the corner, spring cleaning is in full effect, which means tossing out old or broken items, finding space for newer items, and tidying up your home to provide a cozy, relaxing area that doesn't cause stress like a disorderly home might.

If you need a larger shelving option that offers open storage and a place for catch-all baskets, the Casacomoda Triple 6-Tier Bookshelf offers a sturdy and modern solution. This 17-shelf bookcase is on sale for just $83 at Walmart, saving shoppers 44% off the original price of $148.

Casacomoda Triple 6-Tier Bookshelf, $83 (was $148) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

This bookshelf has three columns worth of shelves, with the two outer shelves featuring six open shelves and the middle column featuring five open shelves. Each shelf can hold up to 30 pounds, offering a staggering 510-pound weight capacity. The shelf also includes anti-tilt brackets to prevent the whole unit from falling over. The shelves are wooden shelves with an easy-to-clean laminate, and the metal frame offers durability and a modern look. It also has a secure X-bar support beam on the middle column for extra stability. Additionally, the feet are adjustable, providing leveled storage on uneven flooring and preventing items from sliding off easily.

Related: Amazon has a mini dresser with a built-in light and charging station for $36

This unit is perfect for an at-home office, the family room, the bedroom, or even the garage. It can hold smaller baskets for various items like small tools, pens and pencils, DIY supplies, toys, jewelry, accessories, and more. The open shelves by themselves are great for a record player or radio, picture frames, books, linens, plants, and more. They offer a great option for accessible clothing storage or just to show off decorations. 

Details to know

• Size: The full bookshelf measures 49.5 inches wide and 70.3 inches tall.
• Material: This shelf is made of a metal frame and wood shelves that can hold up to 30 pounds each.
• Storage: It has 17 shelves total, with six on the outer columns and five on the inner column.

One reviewer said, "I absolutely love this bookshelf. It was easy to assemble, feels very sturdy, and the quality exceeded my expectations. It looks great in my space and offers plenty of room. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for stylish and functional storage." Another shopper said it's 'sturdy and a great size.'

Shop more deals

• Casacomoda Bookshelf Set of 2, $74 (was $125) at Walmart
• Casacomoda 6-Tier Bookshelf with Cabinet, $66 at Walmart
• Casacomoda L-Shaped Bookshelf, $85 (was $145) at Walmart

The Casacomoda Triple 6-Tier Bookshelf is almost everything you could want in a bookshelf. It's sturdy, offers a large amount of storage with a thin footprint, offers a chic, modern touch to your home, and holds a tremendous amount of weight, all for just $83. Shoppers can save 44% on this sturdy and versatile storage solution.

The beauty category has proven remarkably resilient today, even as consumers pull back on other categories of discretionary spending. 

Beauty products are expected to constitute a $590 billion market by 2030, according to McKinsey.

And it's not just major players like Sephora that stand to benefit from this trend. 

Now, two of America's largest retailers, Walmart and Target, are making aggressive moves to become beauty destinations in their own right.

Walmart and Target expand their beauty offerings

Both Walmart and Target highlighted beauty as a bright spot during recent earnings reports, signaling that the category is becoming increasingly important to their long-term growth strategies.

Target reported that in its most recent quarter, more than 50% of the company's current sales came from prioritized assortments that included beauty. Target also said the beauty category is poised for further growth with the introduction of the Target Beauty Studio in more than 600 locations by fall.

Related: Dollar Tree beauty aisle becomes unexpected viral hit

"In categories like Fun101, beauty, and food and beverage, we're seeing mid-single-digit compound growth on a two-year basis," Target CEO Michael Fiddelke told investors.

Cara Sylvester, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Target, said the company is excited to keep "building on the momentum we've been seeing in the beauty category."

Target will also test new staffing and operating models to free up more time to focus on guests shopping for beauty products.

Walmart, meanwhile, has introduced Beauty Expert associates in stores and is investing in merchandising and customer engagement.

During the company's most recent earnings call, Walmart CEO John Furner specifically highlighted beauty sales.

"Another category that was a standout in the quarter was Beauty. There have been a number of investments in the experience, both online and in stores that are making a difference."

Beauty remains resilient when consumers cut back

The timing of these investments is no accident.

Historically, beauty has benefited from what economists often call the "lipstick effect" — the tendency for consumers to continue spending on relatively affordable indulgences even during periods of economic uncertainty.

More Retail:

• Costco sees major shift in member behavior
• Retail chain shuts all locations as legal changes hit industry
• Costco makes major investment in online shopping for members

Recent industry performance supports that theory. Ulta Beauty recently reported first-quarter sales growth of more than 11%, with comparable sales increasing 5.3%.

That resilience helps explain why Walmart and Target are prioritizing the category. Beauty products generally generate higher margins than many traditional retail staples and can drive repeat visits from loyal customers.

This push also comes at a time when both Target and Walmart are trying to reinvent themselves as shopping destinations. 

Target, in recent years, has fallen out of favor with consumers due to inconsistent inventory and unkempt stores. 

Walmart has seen steady foot traffic due to its perpetually affordable prices. But it's also trying to position itself as a trendier shopping destination, as evidenced by its investments not just in beauty but also in fashion.

By honing in on beauty, Target and Walmart could win over budget-focused customers who might love retailers like Sephora and Ulta but struggle to afford the premium prices they tend to charge. 

And for consumers, Target and Walmart's beauty push could be a huge win, allowing them to stretch their paychecks further in the beauty aisle without having to sacrifice quality.

Maurie Backman owns shares of Target.

Related: Dollar Tree sees big shift in consumer behavior

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Joining me now is Dr. Julie Norin. She's an audiologist and a professor at Towson University.

Julie, always great to see you. Thanks for making time for us this morning.

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

Thank you. It's always a pleasure to be here.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

And my understanding is that the semester is over. You had the summer off. How did the semester go?

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

The semester went very well. We had another cohort of our doctor of audiology students graduate. And so we have a wonderful new addition of several people to the field practicing in different areas all over the country.

And yeah, it makes me feel very happy and proud to have played a part in their journeys.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

So a lot of hearing diagnosis and improvements happening around the United States. That's always good to hear. Julie, we just passed May.

It's currently June, as you and I well know, and the audience knows. It was hearing month, I guess. Reaction to that month?

Did you see a lot of people interested in hearing? Did the communication and education and PSAs kind of make it through to the general public?

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

We do tend to see a little uptick in interest in hearing health care. It's I'm always heart warmed by the fact that we have May as better hearing month, because it's important to make sure that people are aware that their hearing health should be considered as much as every other aspect of our health, including our regular checkups to a dentist. And we have our eyes checked annually, hopefully.

And we have our wellness visits with our primary care physicians. And one thing that tends to fall to the side is our hearing and our hearing health care. And it's really important for our ability to communicate and just keep our cognitive health functioning at an optimal level.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Yeah, really important. And the sooner you deal with it and you protect it, the better off you're going to be in the long term. All right, let's fast forward.

I wanted to really focus on women's hearing health this month. Not this month, this segment. Are there specific things that women should be focused on when it comes to their hearing?

Are they more susceptible to hearing loss, less susceptible to hearing loss?

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

I would say in general, the statistics show that fewer women tend to have hearing loss than men. I think that those studies are strongly influenced by men who are exposed to more occupational noise hazards, whether it's working in construction, military noise, machine noise, firearms from recreational use, and so forth. That's not to say that women are not exposed to those same hazards, but it tends to be on a smaller scale.

However, with May having been better hearing month, May is also women's health month. And so a lot of the health issues that specifically are of concern for women, among those include hearing. And that's because women tend to function through their, we'll call it pain or injury, because that's what women tend to do.

And that's not to say that there aren't women that are more concerned or more aware or in tune of their physical health. But sometimes when things happen, such as we might have difficulty with our hearing specifically, we might put that aside and say, oh, well, we're tired or we've had a busy day or we're under a lot of stress. And it tends not to be something that we would relate to an actual physical problem, such as a decline in our hearing.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Yeah, well, I would posit that women are actually a lot tougher. They give birth. That, my understanding, can be a very painful experience.

And so I guess I understand how they can kind of mitigate or push aside something that they may view as insignificant. But Julie, it's not insignificant. As we've talked about, having bad hearing or reduced hearing at any age impacts you socially and also cognitively.

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

Correct. And there used to be this mindset of, well, if we're having difficulty with our hearing, it's a communication issue. So let's make sound louder so that we can resolve the communication issue.

And that does help. I mean, we do see that when using hearing aids, we can mitigate some of those communication challenges. And however, with untreated hearing loss, or the longer we tend to go before we treat a hearing loss, we do see a decrease in cognitive function.

And there have been a lot of studies that have focused on this, specifically over the last eight to 10 years. Some of that research has come out of Johns Hopkins. So being in Baltimore, of course, I'm very proud of that.

But there was a big study that came out about two years ago that really highlighted how hearing loss can contribute to cognitive decline. And that's due to a lack of the input of sound at an optimal level. So auditory fatigue, delay in processing.

And I always boil it down to our brain is just like any other muscle in our body. If we don't use it, then we lose it. So when there's a decline in auditory input, or a lack of sound reaching our auditory processing centers in the brain at optimal levels, we will see a cognitive decline over time.

And so what happens is people start to experience difficulty hearing other people in noisy environments. So they're working a little bit harder to understand conversation. Working harder leads to auditory fatigue or cognitive fatigue.

And then when it gets to be too hard, we start to withdraw because it's just too much of a challenge. So then we've got less socialization, more isolation. And those aspects of hearing loss can then lead to a greater cognitive decline, as well as a lot of psychological factors such as depression and loneliness.

So when we talk about hearing loss having an impact, it's not just impacting our communication, it's also potentially impacting our overall cognitive function.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

I want to ask you about, I think I'm pronouncing this correctly, tinnitus or tinnitus. I've heard it pronounced lots of different ways. Is that an indication, you know, actually, as we're talking, I'm hearing some ringing in my ears.

It has nothing to do with you. It could be the lights and whatnot. But in all seriousness, is that indicative of something that I need to have checked out?

And is it more prevalent, for example, in women, and women who are using like the headphones and the AirPods and the big over-the-ear headphones?

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

Yeah, that's a great question. I would say, first and foremost, tinnitus is tinnitus, tinnitus, tomato, tomato.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Tomato, right, potato, potato.

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

But tinnitus does tend to happen more so with individuals who have hearing loss. So almost everyone who's experiencing tinnitus, the majority of them do have some form of hearing loss. Now, does that mean that it's hearing loss that's debilitating?

Not necessarily. And it also doesn't mean that someone who has tinnitus necessarily has hearing loss. But I would say tinnitus in general is pretty gender neutral.

So just as many men as women can experience tinnitus. And tinnitus can come in all forms of perceived sound. So I'll back up a minute and just give a little bit of a definition.

When we're talking about tinnitus, we're talking about ringing in the ears without any external sound source. But that ringing can also be perceived as chirping, buzzing, humming. Some people have reported it as clicking sounds.

It can be a high-pitched sound. It can be a low-pitched sound. It can range anywhere in between.

And it can also be constant or it can be sporadic or intermittent. And some people will note that it's worse at night when they're trying to sleep because it tends to be more quiet in those hours. Or it tends to be less bothersome early in the day when you're less fatigued because you just woke up and you're well-rested.

But when you get tired, you tend to notice it more. And it is an indicator that there could be something going on with your hearing. So I would say if your viewers are experiencing some kind of ringing or buzzing or chirping inside their head, it might be a good idea for them to, at the very least, get a baseline hearing test to determine if the ringing is related to some type of damage to their hearing.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

I want to ask you, going back to women's health in particular, and I know nothing about this topic, but menopause. Many women, as they age, go through menopause. There's a definition for that.

But is there a correlation at all that you've seen or found for women that are older going through this process? I think all women go through it. Does it have an impact or can it have an impact?

Because your hormones are changing, is my understanding. Your body is changing. Your hormones are changing.

They're reacting to that. But does that in any way impact your hearing? And if so, is that the right time to go get a hearing, you know, perimenopause, menopause, et cetera?

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

I would say, I don't know if I would specifically say that that's the right time to go and see an audiologist or a hearing health care professional and have a hearing test. I would say anytime you're questioning whether or not there's something going on with your hearing would be a good idea. Yes, there have been some discussions in the media about all of the myriad ways that menopause and perimenopause can affect women.

And along with big changes in hormones can come other issues such as difficulty sleeping, changes in mood, changes in energy level. And all of those can then contribute to issues such as tinnitus. So if we're already experiencing tinnitus and it's maybe not that bothersome, but then menopause or perimenopause hits, and now all of a sudden we're more fatigued, we're not sleeping less, we're not eating well, our mood changes.

So we're probably going to notice whatever tinnitus is present a little bit more. So is there a causation or is there a correlation? It's hard to know.

And I'm not a neurologist, I'm not a women's health specialist, so I don't think I'm the right person to answer that question. But I would suggest that when there are other things going on with the body, there's definitely going to be a more noticeable, or we're going to pay more attention to other things that could already be happening such as tinnitus. And even hearing loss.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Let me, as we close out our discussion this morning, and we like to bring you back at least on a monthly basis, audiologists and otolaryngologists, what's the best way, you know, not all of us live in Baltimore, I don't anymore, I do come back on a monthly basis to see my folks, but for those of us that can't get in to see you in particular, because you're a great audiologist, how do I find someone, a practitioner in the United States, an audiologist, but also an otolaryngologist that I think would be the MD equivalent, someone who actually looks at the health of the ears. What's the best way to find those types of practitioners?

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

Right. I would say a quick Google search makes it pretty easy. The one thing that you do want to look for is to find someone who is licensed in your state.

I would discourage someone from working with someone on a virtual level or online, especially for having a baseline audiological assessment completed. You want to do that in person. You want to do that in a sound booth with the professional provider present, because there are tests that we do in that setting that we're not able to do online or using a computer or at a distance.

It's helpful that we're able to take quick measurements of our hearing by using something like the AirPods or maybe just our regular headphones and a quick online test or online measurement, but I would say for a comprehensive assessment, doing a quick Google search, finding an audiologist or a hearing instrument specialist in your area would be the best bet. WebMD, Healthy Hearing, those are a couple of websites that people can turn to just to find listings in their area or working through your insurance company. Some people don't even realize that they might have an insurance benefit through their insurance company, and if they do have a coverage or do have coverage for hearing health services, insurance companies are also a good resource to point their subscribers in the right direction to find a provider in their area.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Yeah, really, that's actually really good advice. The other advice was good and great, but that's really good advice. Probably start with the payment part, talk to your insurance company, get direction and go from there.

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

Dr. Norin. Many people don't realize that Medicare actually will cover a test of your hearing once a year if you suspect that there's been an issue with your hearing. So you can go to your primary care provider and get a referral that way, or you can seek out an audiologist yourself and then Medicare would likely cover that test for you if there's a concern that there's been a change in hearing.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Very, very good advice. Dr. Norin, Julie, always great to see you. Enjoy your summer, but look, we're gonna bring you back next month and we look forward to having you back again very soon.

Julie A. Norin, Au.D., CCC-A, Towson University

Thank you. Same.

Print circulation fell, ad dollars fled to Google and Meta, and plenty of local titles folded for good.

So when one of the most respected names in investing keeps pouring money into the sector, it's worth paying attention.

That's exactly what's happening at Berkshire Hathaway. And the size of the move has caught the market's eye.

Why New York Times stock is suddenly a Wall Street favorite

To understand why this matters, you have to look at how much the business has changed.

The New York Times isn't really a "newspaper" company anymore. It's a digital subscription machine.

The company crossed 13 million paid subscribers this past quarter, CEO Meredith Kopit Levien said at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference on May 19, 2026. 

That puts it within striking distance of its 15 million target set for the end of 2027.

"We've got 50 million to 100 million people who are coming to our sites and apps every week, much more than the 13 million and change subscribers," Kopit Levien said. "We've got a huge trove of podcasts and e-mails that people watch, listen to, read on a daily basis. And we've got over 150 million registered users and counting."

And the growth goes well beyond headlines.

• The company now leans on games, cooking, sports, and product reviews to keep people hooked. 
• Tens of millions of players fire up Wordle, Connections, and the rest of the games lineup. 
• The Athletic runs what Kopit Levien called the largest sports journalism operation in the world. 
• The plan ties it all together and gives readers enough reasons to open the app, and come back day after day.

That approach has paid off. 

Valued at a market cap of $12.2 billion, NYT stock has returned close to 600% to shareholders over the past decade, after adjusting for dividends. 

Berkshire Hathaway tripled its New York Times stake

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)(BRK.B) tripled its position in the New York Times to 15.1 million shares, according to a new filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission reported by CNBC.

That stake is now worth more than $1.1 billion, which means Berkshire owns roughly 9.4% of the media mogul. 

The increase came during Greg Abel's first three months as Berkshire's CEO. Abel took the top job in January, ending Warren Buffett's six decades running the company. 

Fund manager buys and sells

• Cathie Wood buys $2.5 million of tumbling megacap stock
• Warren Buffett dumped 77% of Amazon to buy surging media stock
• Cathie Wood buys $11 million of tumbling megacap tech stock

But don't assume the legendary investor is out of the picture.

Buffett, 95, first invested in NYT in Q4 of 2025, where Berkshire bought an initial 5.1 million shares worth $352 million. 

Given the size of the latest increase, CNBC reported the move was almost certainly an Abel decision that Buffett either endorsed or possibly even suggested himself.

So this looks like a shared bet between the old guard and the new one.

Why Buffett's media bet is a reversal worth watching

For longtime Buffett watchers, this is a real change in tone.

Buffett was a decades-long investor in The Washington Post until Jeff Bezos bought the paper in 2013, The Telegraph reported. He also owned a string of local newspapers.

Then he soured on the business. He sold off those local titles in 2020, having said many of them were "toast," The Telegraph noted.

That word stuck with investors. It signaled Buffett thought the printed page was a dead end.

So why circle back now?

The answer is the same one Kopit Levien has been pitching to Wall Street. The winners in media aren't selling paper anymore. They're selling habits.

Related: Warren Buffett earns a 20% dividend yield-on-cost with Coca-Cola stock

People pay for the crossword. They pay for the recipe. They pay for in-depth sports coverage of the team they love. Then they keep paying, year after year.

That's the kind of durable, recurring revenue Buffett has always loved in businesses like Coca-Cola and Apple.

It also fits a broader theme. Big national titles have enjoyed a renaissance as readers shifted to digital subscriptions, The Telegraph indicated.

The strong survive while weaker outlets fade.

The New York Times wasn't Buffett's only move, either. Berkshire also added new stakes in Delta Air Lines and Macy's, and more than tripled its Alphabet position.

Is NYT stock still undervalued?

Based on data from Tikr.com:

• Analysts tracking NYT stock forecast revenue to increase from $2.82 billion in 2025 to $2.5 billion in 2028.
• In this period, adjusted earnings are projected to grow from $2.46 per share to $3.55 per share. 
• If NYT stock is priced at 25x forward earnings, which is below the five-year average of 30x, it could surge 25%, within the next 18 months. 

Out of the nine analysts covering NYT stock, five recommend “buy” and four recommend “hold”. The average NYT stock price target is $85, indicating an upside potential of 13% from current levels. 

The takeaway is straightforward.

Berkshire is signaling that quality media, built on subscriptions rather than ads, can be a real long-term holding again.

For everyday investors, it's a reminder that an "old" industry can be reborn. The label on the business matters less than how it actually makes money.

And when Buffett and his successor agree on a billion-dollar bet, the rest of Wall Street tends to take notes.

Related: Warren Buffett's Berkshire dumps entire stake in dividend stock

While AT&T welcomed 584,000 new internet customers in the first quarter of 2026, according to its most recent earnings report, T-Mobile attracted over 500,000 and Verizon gained 341,000.

In January, Verizon acquired Frontier for $20 billion to expand its fiber internet footprint nationwide, offering more customers bundled mobile and internet service. T-Mobile also recently upgraded its fiber internet plans in April, which include more value and lower starting prices.

While AT&T faces elevated competition from Verizon and T-Mobile, it is also challenged by the growing threat of satellite internet providers.

SpaceX’s satellite internet service Starlink has attracted over 9 million customers since its launch in 2019. Also, Amazon is expected to offer satellite high-speed internet plans through its Amazon Leo service later this year. 

AT&T drops new fiber internet plans amid pressure

To keep customers from switching to competitors, AT&T is launching four new fiber internet plans, the company’s latest move in “simplifying pricing for customers,” according to a new press release.

The new fiber internet plan lineup offers four speed options: 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, 1 gig, and 5 gig.

With autopay and paperless billing discounts activated, the 300 Mbps option starts at $50 a month, but when bundled with wireless service, the price goes down to $35. AT&T states that this entry-level plan is three times faster than the previous offering. 

Related: AT&T drops 3 new phone plans to keep customers from switching

The 500 Mbps tier costs $65 a month; when bundled, the price drops to $50. The 1 gig tier is $80 and decreases to $60 when combined with wireless. 

The highest tier, 5 gig, is priced at $125, and its bundled price is $100. This plan includes All-Fi Pro, which offers “whole-home coverage, advanced security, Wi-Fi that adapts to routines,” and AT&T’s latest technology with “premium equipment upgrades,” the press release shared.

In addition, AT&T states that each of the new fiber plans comes with internet backup for free “when combining qualifying services.” Customers can sign up for these plans starting on June 7.

AT&T leans on bundled offers to win over customers

The move from AT&T comes after it has revamped its phone and internet plans in recent months. 

In March, it rolled out three new phone plans: AT&T Value 2.0, AT&T Extra 2.0, and AT&T Premium 2.0, which offer customers a single line for a starting monthly price of $50, $70, and $90, respectively. 

That same month, it launched its OneConnect subscription, offering bundled wireless and fiber internet service for $90 per month. 

In May, AT&T also unveiled a customizable phone plan called Build-A-Plan, which starts at $15 per month.

• AT&T customers threaten to leave after latest warning 
• AT&T rolls out major upgrade for customers, challenging T-Mobile
• AT&T drops 3 new phone plans to keep customers from switching

During an earnings call in April, AT&T CEO John Stankey said the company will double down on offering converged wireless and internet services to customers, a strategy it believes will help it curb elevated churn in its postpaid phone business.

AT&T’s postpaid phone churn, the percentage of customers who ended their service, reached 0.89% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 0.83% the previous year, according to the company’s latest earnings report. 

He said that throughout the year, AT&T will start offering “more variants” of its OneConnect plan. 

“The best way for us to manage churn is to converge customers,” said Stankey. “When we get through the repositioning and the shifting that’s going on in the industry right now, which is aligning customers to asset basis, I believe you’re naturally going to see that churn dynamic improve.”

AT&T falls behind rivals in key customer metric

AT&T’s latest strategy comes during a time when the broadband market is rapidly evolving, and the fight to attract and retain customers is becoming more challenging. 

“The American broadband landscape has undergone a big transformation in the span of just three years,” said Adlane Fellah, chief analyst at Maravedis Research, in an RCR Wireless News report in April. 

“Driven by aggressive fiber deployment, the rapid rise of fixed wireless access (FWA), and the maturation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite, competition has gone from the exception to the rule,” he continued. 

Amid this shift, a recent survey by CableTV.com found that AT&T’s internet services are struggling to match some smaller rivals in customer loyalty. 

The U.S. internet providers rank in customer loyalty: 

• Starlink leads with a 91% customer loyalty score.
• Lumos follows at 88%.
• Google Fiber andZiply Fiber both score85%, placing third and fourth, respectively.
• T-Mobile snags fifth place at 81%. 
• AT&T falls behind with a 79% score.
  Source: CableTV.com

Eric Chiu, CableTV.com internet editor, said in the survey release that it is clear Americans “drastically” prefer smaller internet service providers over larger national ones. 

“This preference shows up in a variety of small or large annoyances, like trading a cable ISP’s outages and annual price hikes for a smaller fiber ISP with great reliability and flat-rate pricing,” said Chiu.

“But in general, customers tend to love smaller providers and (at best) tolerate national ISPs.”

Related: T-Mobile drops new free perks for customers as pressure builds

Welcome back to the WordPress.com changelog!

We have lots to update you on, including information about a new core version running on every WordPress.com site, how you can repurpose your written blog content in audio and visual forms, and so much more.

Core

WordPress 7.0 is here

WordPress 7.0 (“Armstrong”) shipped on May 20, and your WordPress.com site has been automatically updated.

The pieces you’ll experience right away:

• See what changed before you hit publish: Your post revisions now have visual markers to help you understand changes in a more intuitive way.
• Design your mobile menu like you design the rest of your site: Navigation overlays give the mobile experience its own dedicated editing canvas.
• Show different things on phone, tablet, and desktop: Responsive block visibility lets you pick which blocks appear on which device without writing CSS.
• More design pieces out of the box: New Breadcrumbs and Icon blocks, plus finer block-level controls for when you want a specific change.
• One place to manage your fonts: To use across every theme on your site.

On WordPress.com, this release ships with our AI features already in place to assist you in the editor, with your favorite AI agent, and beyond, plus real-time collaboration on select plans, so multiple people can write in the same post at once.

Reader

One place to read Bluesky, Mastodon, and blogs

Keeping up with your audience shouldn’t mean tab-hopping between different apps. Connect your Bluesky, Mastodon, or Fediverse accounts to the WordPress.com Reader and you can read those timelines next to the WordPress.com blogs you already follow — and like, repost, quote, and reply — in the Social Feeds section.

You can write to those followers from the same place. Start with a short social post, and if you need more room, expand it into a full blog post without starting over.

One spot to read what matters, react to it, and publish your own thoughts.

Writing

When you’re in the flow, the editor gets out of your way

Sometimes you just want to write. Not pick a block, not configure a layout, not browse a sidebar — just write. Write is exactly that: one page, a blinking cursor, simple formatting, and nothing else.

It’s in beta on every WordPress.com plan, including Free. Open Write, pick your site, and start typing. What you write is a real WordPress post — it lives alongside everything else, works with your theme, and you can open it in the full block editor whenever you need the rest of the toolkit.

Reach the people who’d rather listen than read

Whether your audience is commuting, multitasking, or simply prefers to learn through audio, your content can meet them there.

Posts to Podcast turns a post you’ve already written into a two-host conversation episode, saves it to your Media Library, and queues a draft post with the audio and transcript so you can publish in a couple of clicks. One post, two ways for people to find you.

Find it in your dashboard under Media → Create AI Podcast. Available on every WordPress.com site.

P.S. If you want to host the podcast on WordPress.com instead, you can also set up podcasting with Jetpack Podcast and publish episodes from your site.

Spin a post into a short social-ready video (experimental preview)

Short-form video (like on Instagram and TikTok) is popular and engaging, but turning a blog post into one has meant needing a second tool, a video editor, or someone you pay.

Feature Clips generates a short, vertical video based on your post content directly from the editor sidebar. Pick a suggestion drawn from your post, or write your own prompt to steer the look.

Your clip lands in your Media Library, ready to share to Instagram via Jetpack Social or download as an MP4 for TikTok and YouTube Shorts. It generates short instrumental clips meant to tease your content.

Available now on WordPress.com plans that support video uploads — Premium and up. You get ten generations per site per day, with a thumbs up / thumbs down feedback tool on each clip so you can easily send your thoughts back to our team.

Settings and plans

Shape your URLs (and four more settings) on every paid plan

The structure of your URLs matters — for SEO, for sharing, for how users understand your site at a glance. That setting (called Permalinks) used to be locked behind higher plans. Now, every paid plugin-enabled WordPress.com plan (Personal, Premium, Business, and Commerce) can change permalink structure directly.

Fixes and improvements

We also shipped some reliability and polish updates across the WordPress.com experience:

• The Reader sidebar now shows your site’s custom domain instead of its free subdomain.
• Receipt amount, type, and date now show inline on your Billing History page at narrower widths.

Welcome back to the WordPress.com changelog!

We have lots to update you on, including information about a new core version running on every WordPress.com site, how you can repurpose your written blog content in audio and visual forms, and so much more.

Core

WordPress 7.0 is here

WordPress 7.0 (“Armstrong”) shipped on May 20, and your WordPress.com site has been automatically updated.

The pieces you’ll experience right away:

• See what changed before you hit publish: Your post revisions now have visual markers to help you understand changes in a more intuitive way.
• Design your mobile menu like you design the rest of your site: Navigation overlays give the mobile experience its own dedicated editing canvas.
• Show different things on phone, tablet, and desktop: Responsive block visibility lets you pick which blocks appear on which device without writing CSS.
• More design pieces out of the box: New Breadcrumbs and Icon blocks, plus finer block-level controls for when you want a specific change.
• One place to manage your fonts: To use across every theme on your site.

On WordPress.com, this release ships with our AI features already in place to assist you in the editor, with your favorite AI agent, and beyond, plus real-time collaboration on select plans, so multiple people can write in the same post at once.

Reader

One place to read Bluesky, Mastodon, and blogs

Keeping up with your audience shouldn’t mean tab-hopping between different apps. Connect your Bluesky, Mastodon, or Fediverse accounts to the WordPress.com Reader and you can read those timelines next to the WordPress.com blogs you already follow — and like, repost, quote, and reply — in the Social Feeds section.

You can write to those followers from the same place. Start with a short social post, and if you need more room, expand it into a full blog post without starting over.

One spot to read what matters, react to it, and publish your own thoughts.

Writing

When you’re in the flow, the editor gets out of your way

Sometimes you just want to write. Not pick a block, not configure a layout, not browse a sidebar — just write. Write is exactly that: one page, a blinking cursor, simple formatting, and nothing else.

It’s in beta on every WordPress.com plan, including Free. Open Write, pick your site, and start typing. What you write is a real WordPress post — it lives alongside everything else, works with your theme, and you can open it in the full block editor whenever you need the rest of the toolkit.

Reach the people who’d rather listen than read

Whether your audience is commuting, multitasking, or simply prefers to learn through audio, your content can meet them there.

Posts to Podcast turns a post you’ve already written into a two-host conversation episode, saves it to your Media Library, and queues a draft post with the audio and transcript so you can publish in a couple of clicks. One post, two ways for people to find you.

Find it in your dashboard under Media → Create AI Podcast. Available on every WordPress.com site.

P.S. If you want to host the podcast on WordPress.com instead, you can also set up podcasting with Jetpack Podcast and publish episodes from your site.

Spin a post into a short social-ready video (experimental preview)

Short-form video (like on Instagram and TikTok) is popular and engaging, but turning a blog post into one has meant needing a second tool, a video editor, or someone you pay.

Feature Clips generates a short, vertical video based on your post content directly from the editor sidebar. Pick a suggestion drawn from your post, or write your own prompt to steer the look.

Your clip lands in your Media Library, ready to share to Instagram via Jetpack Social or download as an MP4 for TikTok and YouTube Shorts. It generates short instrumental clips meant to tease your content.

Available now on WordPress.com plans that support video uploads — Premium and up. You get ten generations per site per day, with a thumbs up / thumbs down feedback tool on each clip so you can easily send your thoughts back to our team.

Settings and plans

Shape your URLs (and four more settings) on every paid plan

The structure of your URLs matters — for SEO, for sharing, for how users understand your site at a glance. That setting (called Permalinks) used to be locked behind higher plans. Now, every paid plugin-enabled WordPress.com plan (Personal, Premium, Business, and Commerce) can change permalink structure directly.

Fixes and improvements

We also shipped some reliability and polish updates across the WordPress.com experience:

• The Reader sidebar now shows your site’s custom domain instead of its free subdomain.
• Receipt amount, type, and date now show inline on your Billing History page at narrower widths.

Welcome back to the WordPress.com changelog!

We have lots to update you on, including information about a new core version running on every WordPress.com site, how you can repurpose your written blog content in audio and visual forms, and so much more.

Core

WordPress 7.0 is here

WordPress 7.0 (“Armstrong”) shipped on May 20, and your WordPress.com site has been automatically updated.

The pieces you’ll experience right away:

• See what changed before you hit publish: Your post revisions now have visual markers to help you understand changes in a more intuitive way.
• Design your mobile menu like you design the rest of your site: Navigation overlays give the mobile experience its own dedicated editing canvas.
• Show different things on phone, tablet, and desktop: Responsive block visibility lets you pick which blocks appear on which device without writing CSS.
• More design pieces out of the box: New Breadcrumbs and Icon blocks, plus finer block-level controls for when you want a specific change.
• One place to manage your fonts: To use across every theme on your site.

On WordPress.com, this release ships with our AI features already in place to assist you in the editor, with your favorite AI agent, and beyond, plus real-time collaboration on select plans, so multiple people can write in the same post at once.

Reader

One place to read Bluesky, Mastodon, and blogs

Keeping up with your audience shouldn’t mean tab-hopping between different apps. Connect your Bluesky, Mastodon, or Fediverse accounts to the WordPress.com Reader and you can read those timelines next to the WordPress.com blogs you already follow — and like, repost, quote, and reply — in the Social Feeds section.

You can write to those followers from the same place. Start with a short social post, and if you need more room, expand it into a full blog post without starting over.

One spot to read what matters, react to it, and publish your own thoughts.

Writing

When you’re in the flow, the editor gets out of your way

Sometimes you just want to write. Not pick a block, not configure a layout, not browse a sidebar — just write. Write is exactly that: one page, a blinking cursor, simple formatting, and nothing else.

It’s in beta on every WordPress.com plan, including Free. Open Write, pick your site, and start typing. What you write is a real WordPress post — it lives alongside everything else, works with your theme, and you can open it in the full block editor whenever you need the rest of the toolkit.

Reach the people who’d rather listen than read

Whether your audience is commuting, multitasking, or simply prefers to learn through audio, your content can meet them there.

Posts to Podcast turns a post you’ve already written into a two-host conversation episode, saves it to your Media Library, and queues a draft post with the audio and transcript so you can publish in a couple of clicks. One post, two ways for people to find you.

Find it in your dashboard under Media → Create AI Podcast. Available on every WordPress.com site.

P.S. If you want to host the podcast on WordPress.com instead, you can also set up podcasting with Jetpack Podcast and publish episodes from your site.

Spin a post into a short social-ready video (experimental preview)

Short-form video (like on Instagram and TikTok) is popular and engaging, but turning a blog post into one has meant needing a second tool, a video editor, or someone you pay.

Feature Clips generates a short, vertical video based on your post content directly from the editor sidebar. Pick a suggestion drawn from your post, or write your own prompt to steer the look.

Your clip lands in your Media Library, ready to share to Instagram via Jetpack Social or download as an MP4 for TikTok and YouTube Shorts. It generates short instrumental clips meant to tease your content.

Available now on WordPress.com plans that support video uploads — Premium and up. You get ten generations per site per day, with a thumbs up / thumbs down feedback tool on each clip so you can easily send your thoughts back to our team.

Settings and plans

Shape your URLs (and four more settings) on every paid plan

The structure of your URLs matters — for SEO, for sharing, for how users understand your site at a glance. That setting (called Permalinks) used to be locked behind higher plans. Now, every paid plugin-enabled WordPress.com plan (Personal, Premium, Business, and Commerce) can change permalink structure directly.

Fixes and improvements

We also shipped some reliability and polish updates across the WordPress.com experience:

• The Reader sidebar now shows your site’s custom domain instead of its free subdomain.
• Receipt amount, type, and date now show inline on your Billing History page at narrower widths.

That is the quiet trick of official economics. A war becomes a line item. The family that quietly canceled its summer road trip becomes a statistic clean enough to fit inside a single sentence at a conference.

Drivers have watched that gap stretch all year. A gallon of regular sat under $3 in late February, back when the loudest argument in Washington was whether the Federal Reserve would trim interest rates on schedule.

Then the war with Iran choked off the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel that moves about one-fifth of the world's crude oil, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Oil got scarce. The pump did the rest, climbing week after week until it crossed lines drivers had not seen in years.

So when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stepped onto a stage in late May to settle the country's nerves, the comfort he reached for was a single, very specific dollar figure. He wanted you to believe it was small.

What Bessent actually said about gas prices

The setting was the Reagan National Economic Forum on May 29. The message was reassurance.

For many families the extra cost amounted to "less than $200 in extra gasoline cost," Bessent told the room, according to Mediaite.

More Oil and Gas:

• Early Chevron stock investors now earn 12.1% dividend yield
• Chevron, Shell ink more surprising Venezuela deals
• AAA gas prices reveal a new trend for Americans

He went broader on the outlook. The current inflation spike, he suggested, would turn out to be "a short-term blip," Bessent said in remarks aired by Yahoo Finance.

Not everyone let the figure sit. A Democratic critic countered that the average family had paid roughly $3,000 more for everyday goods since President Donald Trump took office, pointing to the loss of 100,000 manufacturing jobs in 2025, in the same exchange aired by Yahoo Finance.

It was not the first time Bessent has played weatherman on the pump. Gasoline would "come back to where they were or perhaps lower" once the conflict ended, he told the Senate Appropriations Committee in April, according to The Washington Times.

Why the $200 figure does not match the pump receipts

Here is where Bessent's tidy number meets the receipts. The real figure was closer to $447 a person, more than the $384 bump most households saw in their tax refunds this year, CNBC's Steve Liesman countered on air, Mediaite reported.

When I lined up that $200 against a year of price history, the figure only holds if you stop counting early. A gallon of regular averaged $4.26 on Wednesday, June 3, already down about 30 cents from a peak on May 21, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA) data reported by ABC News.

Related: Exxon sounds alarm on 'unheard of' oil problem

Even that softer reading sits roughly 50% above where prices were the week before the war. In California, drivers were paying close to $5.99 a gallon, the highest in the country, according to AAA figures.

Run the arithmetic on a single car and it gets personal fast. American drivers burn a little under 500 gallons a year per vehicle, by estimates cited by The Daily Beast.

At more than a dollar a gallon above last year's price, that works out to well over $600 a year for one car, before anyone adds a second vehicle or a longer commute. Stretch today's prices across a full year and the hit climbs toward $2,000 a household, by CNBC's on-air math, Mediaite reported.

That is the part a $200 number papers over. It captures pain already absorbed, not pain still coming, and it lands on the same paycheck already stretched thin by groceries and rent.

The pump tells the rest in plain numbers.

• A gallon of regular averaged about $2.98 on Feb. 26, two days before the war began, according to AAA data cited by NPR.
• Gasoline prices ran 28.4% higher over the year through April, according to CNBC.
• Headline inflation hit 3.8% over the same stretch, its highest reading in nearly three years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What analysts expect from gas prices next

The forecasts from people who model this for a living are less soothing than the one from the Treasury.

The national average could "pass $5 a gallon" before July 4 if the Strait stays choked, Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, told ABC News. Summer driving season tends to push prices up on its own, war or no war.

For most households the squeeze is not abstract. Gas and beef "are up quite a lot," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, in comments to CNBC.

The banks are bracing, too. Goldman Sachs (GS) has laid out its inflation playbook for the rest of 2026, with scenarios for crude that swing wide depending on when tankers move freely again, TheStreet reported.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) mapped a similar split, with paths that keep inflation uncomfortably warm well into next year. The size of that pressure is not only a household problem. It has helped freeze the Federal Reserve's plans to cut interest rates that Bessent has spent months publicly urging, leaving borrowing costs higher for longer on car loans and mortgages.

Only one thing reliably drags the number back down, and it is not a speech. Prices stay elevated until normal traffic resumes through the Strait, energy analysts told Newsweek.

What the $200 gas hit number leaves out

What strikes me, after a year of watching these forecasts slide, is how little the official figure has to do with the one on the sign you drive past on the way to work.

Bessent may be right that this passes. Wars end, straits reopen, and gasoline has fallen from worse heights before.

The honest read is that nobody filling a tank is being asked to wait a week for relief. They are paying the gap now, in real dollars, every time the needle drops toward empty.

The catch is timing. Every week the Strait stays half-shut is another week of $4 fill-ups landing on households already trimming the grocery cart, and the distance between $200 and what they actually spend keeps widening the wrong way.

The next real test arrives June 10, when the government reports May inflation. If gas is still doing the talking, the short-term blip will have run a full season, and the small number from the stage will be the easiest forecast in Washington to forget.

Related: Scott Bessent sends stark message on oil price, economy

Why we love this deal

Patio furniture is not what it used to be, and that's a great development. Getting comfortable on outdoor furniture for your home used to be an exercise in futility, but today's patio sets are ergonomically designed and made from premium materials. Case in point, one of Walmart's best piece patio sets is currently on sale, and just looking at the pictures makes us wish we were lounging in them right now.

The Aiho 3-Piece Patio Set is on sale right now for only $53, which is an affordable price compared to other outdoor sets. If that discount doesn't make you incredibly comfortable, then we're not sure what will.

Aiho 3-Piece Patio Set, $53 (was $90) at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

This set has everything you could want in outdoor furniture and none of the unnecessary extras. It includes two comfy chairs and a small end table. All three pieces are made from reinforced rustproof stainless steel, and the chairs are covered in flexible Textilene fabric. The table has a durable and shatter-resistant tempered glass top, which is attractive and easy to clean. An ergonomic design makes the chairs incredibly comfortable to sit in.

The waterproof design of this entire set makes it perfect for keeping outside all year long. Each piece also has anti-slip grip pads on the legs, so you can be sure not to slide around on your deck or patio, even in damp conditions. Aside from its durability, Textilene fabric is incredibly breathable as well, so this is a terrific set for the warm and humid months when airflow is the key to comfort.

Related: Target's highly rated $360 4-piece rattan patio furniture set is just $180

Details to know

• Construction: Stainless steel and Textilene fabric.
• Weight capacity: 330 pounds per seat.
• Tabletop: Shatter-resistant tempered glass.

Walmart shoppers quickly fell in love with this set. One called it the "best budget-friendly patio set," adding that it fits perfectly on a small patio apartment.

Shop more deals

• Lacoo 3-Piece Outdoor Patio Set, $100 (was $160) at Walmart
• Devoko 3-Piece Wicker Patio Set, $90 (was $160) at Walmart

The Aiho 3-Piece Patio Set is a great option for outdoor spaces of any size. At just $53, you can't go wrong with this buy. Just don't wait too long. Since it's under $100, you have limited time to snap this deal up.