BUSINESS

The secret to Yamhill Carlton’s most compelling Pinot Noir isn’t the winemaker. It’s 200-million-year-old ocean floor. Ken Wright has spent decades proving it.

Cathie Wood just dialed back one of Big Tech’s biggest names again.The ARK Invest boss shed 3,578 shares of Meta Platforms (META) on March 25, a move worth nearly $2.1 million. The sale was spread across three of ARK’s major actively managed ETFs, with Meta coming off a lean patch, having dropped 16% of its value in the past month.It’s important to note that ARK has had a mostly weak start to the year. For perspective, as per TotalRealReturns as of March 25, Wood’s flagship ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) was trading in the red, down 9.13% year-to-date, while the S&P 500 was off by more than 5% on a total-return basis as of March 26.Wood’s cold shoulder on Meta comes as the company faces multiple headwinds, from legal setbacks to capex concerns and layoffs signaling deeper stress.While the dollar amount may be small by ARK’s standards, the move suggests that Meta is no longer tech’s “it” stock, even if it remains on the radar.

Cathie Wood sells part of a large tech holding as investors watch Ark’s latest strategy shiftPhoto by Bloomberg on Getty Images

Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest buys and sells on March 25Sold 3,578 shares of Meta Platforms (META) for about $2.1 million.Bought 84,939 shares of Tempus AI (TEM) for nearly $4 million.Cathie Wood’s investing philosophy centers on big bets and long timelinesWood’s is unique in bringing what’s often described as venture-capital thinking into public markets. Fund manager buys and sellsCathie Wood sells $40 million of megacap tech stockJim Cramer issues blunt 5-word verdict on Nvidia stockLongtime fund manager’s 2-word stock-market prediction for 2026So instead of building a portfolio around the usual suspects, she hunts for businesses tied to major tech shifts that could upend entire sectors.At ARK Invest, this involves focusing on themes such as AI, robotics, electric vehicles, energy storage, DNA sequencing, and blockchain.A big part of that trailblazing philosophy is patience. Wood maintains that disruptive innovation is inherently volatile, which is why ARK usually frames its research around a multi-year, often 5-year horizon. So short-term swings are unlikely to break the core thesis.Consequently, her dynamic trading style follows that same logic.Earnings are typically treated as a reality check, so ARK usually trades on the reaction instead of the event itself.So if a high-conviction stock drops on a particular sentiment instead of fundamentals, Wood has shown willingness to load up on the dip. On the flipside, when a particular position becomes too large, ARK tends to trim it, using those impressive gains to fund other names it still believes offer long-term upside.Meta’s recent setbacks have added pressure to the stockMeta stock has been under duress of late, and it isn’t a matter of a single solitary headline.Related: Morgan Stanley resets Alphabet stock forecast on Waymo growthIt’s a mix of heavy legal risk, ballooning AI spending, and fresh cost cuts landing at virtually the same time.Most recently, in California, a jury found Meta and Google are negligent in a landmark social media addiction case, awarding $6 million in damages, with Meta bearing 70% of the total.In New Mexico, Meta faced a far larger$375 million penalty over child-safety claims, with the next phase going deeper into product changes, including tighter age checks, limits on notifications, and other restrictions. Apart from the obvious financial hit, this matters a ton for investors because it now starts to challenge the design choices that keep users engaged and ads flowing (Meta’s cash cow).  At the same time, it leaves no room for execution mistakes.The Facebook parent said 2026 capital expenditures could reach $115 billion to $135 billion, up from $72.22 billion in 2025. At the same time, the company laid off a few hundred employees this week to offset the tremendous costs of rising AI and other operational expenses.ARKK vs. S&P 500: calendar-year returns (2020–2025)2020: ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) +151.89%; S&P 500 (total return) +18.40%.2021: ARKK -23.39%; S&P 500 +28.71%.2022: ARKK -66.97%; S&P 500 -18.11%.2023: ARKK +67.64%; S&P 500 +26.29%.2024: ARKK +8.40%; S&P 500 +25.02%.2025: ARKK +35.49%; S&P 500 +17.88%.
Source: TotalRealReturns (ARKK); Slickcharts (S&P 500 total returns).
Meta stock looks cheaper historically, but risks lingerConsequently, Meta stock has taken a significant hit recently.Related: Nvidia CEO delivers curt 10-word message to investorsMeta closed at $660.09 on Dec. 31, 2025, and was trading at around $547.54 on Mar. 27, 2026, down 17.1% year-to-date. Especially in recent months, we’ve seen the stock take a monumental beating.Compared to its history, though, the stock looks relatively cheaper.As per Seeking Alpha, it’s trading at around 19.67 forward non-GAAP earnings, which is about 13% below its five-year average. Similarly, it’s trading at 11.2 times forward cash flows, 26% behind the sector median. That perhaps explains why analysts consider it a value play in the Big Tech space, with a consensus average price target of $862.60, implying 57.54% upside.Tesla remained ARKK’s largest holding as of Mar. 27, 2026.Tesla: 10.08%.CRISPR Therapeutics: 5.91%.Circle Internet Group: 5.60%.Coinbase Global: 4.88%.Tempus AI: 4.87%.Shopify: 4.62%.Robinhood Markets: 4.27%.Roku: 4.09%.Advanced Micro Devices: 3.98%.Palantir Technologies: 3.60%.
Source: Investing.com (ARKK holdings); ARK Invest. 
Cathie Wood mostly trimmed Meta over the past four quartersWood’s has been a net seller lately in Meta Platforms stock, even though she made a couple of small add-backs along the way. In Q1 2025, she cut her Meta stake by 10.3%, offloading nearly 47,900 shares. Later in Q2, she followed up with an even bigger move, selling 30.2% of her shares, or roughly 126,000 shares.More recently, her tone has shifted to modest buying.For instance, in Q3, Wood raised her position in the Facebook parent by 2.7%, loading up on 7,910 shares. However, in Q4, that change was hardly noticeable, with just 137 shares added.Even so, ARK still holds roughly 299,000 shares, worth nearly $164 million, or 1.26% of its total holdings, according to Stockcircle.Related: Bank of America revamps price targets on CoreWeave, Nebius stocks

The model could significantly heighten cybersecurity risks by rapidly finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities, potentially accelerating a cyber arms race.

Your bill at the supermarket may feel like it’s going up, up, and away, but have you ever wondered how much of your struggle is simply due to where you live? A study from GOBankingRates reveals a staggering gap in grocery purchasing power across the U.S.

While $100 buys you $108 worth of goods in Arkansas, that same amount only gets you about $77 of groceries in Hawaii. Before you head out for your next shopping trip, see how your state stacks up — and why it’s more important than ever to use smart shopping strategies to save money on groceries.

Top 5 Most Affordable States for Groceries

Top 5 Least Affordable States for Groceries

Read the full report from GOBanking rates.

Final Thoughts

Where you live can drive up your grocery costs, but it doesn’t have to control them. The biggest savings come from changing how you shop, not just where you shop.

Start with the basics:

Switch stores when it makes sense (think: Aldi and warehouse clubs)

Buy store brands

Check unit prices.

Then level up by making a list and sticking to it, planning meals around what’s on sale, and learning your store’s sales cycle so you can stock up at the right time. Don’t forget to take advantage of weekly loss leaders — those deep discounts are where the real wins happen.

You may not be able to change your state, but if you follow Team Clark’s proven ways to save on groceries, you can take control of your grocery bill — starting with your very next trip.
The post Report: Most and Least Affordable States for Groceries appeared first on Clark Howard.

PWHL secures its first national TV deal with Ally and Scripps Sports, boosting visibility, sponsorship growth, and the future of women’s professional hockey.

More than 100 pieces of potential evidence, including computers, were removed from Epstein’s home before the government searched it in 2005.

If you’ve ever come across a chart saying you should have 3x your salary saved by 40 or 6x by 50, you’ve likely seen the retirement savings benchmarks that Fidelity and T. Rowe Price publish. Here’s where those numbers come from — and how to tell if you’re on track.

The Benchmarks

Fidelity (targeting retirement at 67):

Age 30: 1x salary

Age 40: 3x

Age 50: 6x

Age 60: 8x

Age 67: 10x

T. Rowe Price (targeting retirement at 65):

Age 35: 1–1.5x

Age 45: 3x

Age 50: 3.5–5.5x

Age 55: 7x

Age 60: 6–11x

Age 65: 7.5–13.5x

Vanguard takes a different approach — rather than publishing age-based multipliers, they focus on savings rate, recommending 12–15% of income annually.

Where These Numbers Come From

Start with the standard income replacement target: Most retirement planners suggest you’ll need about 70–80% of your pre-retirement income each year in retirement. On a $100,000 salary, that’s $70,000–$80,000 per year. Your expenses change in retirement — no more payroll taxes, no more retirement contributions, typically less commuting and work-related spending.

Social Security covers a significant piece of that (roughly 35–40% of pre-retirement income for a typical middle-income earner). That brings the share of your savings actually needed down to around 45%.

The standard framework most retirement planners use is the 4% rule: withdraw 4% of your portfolio in year one, adjust for inflation each year, and you have a high probability of not running out of money over a 30-year retirement. At that rate, generating $45,000 per year requires a portfolio of about $1.125 million, about 10–11 times a $100,000 salary.

That’s where the 10x figure comes from. T. Rowe Price uses a range rather than a single number because Social Security doesn’t replace the same percentage of income for everyone. The program replaces a higher percentage share of income for lower earners and a lower share for higher earners. If you made $60,000 a year, Social Security might replace 40% or more of that. If you made $200,000, it might replace 20% or less. At age 65, T. Rowe Price estimates someone at the lower end of the income range needs around 7.5x their salary saved, while someone at the higher end needs closer to 13.5x. Fidelity’s 10x is a reasonable middle-ground figure for average earners.

Things That Shift Your Number

Retirement age. The 10x target assumes you retire at 67 (Fidelity) or 65 (T. Rowe Price). Retiring earlier changes the math in two ways: more years of withdrawals and a smaller Social Security benefit. Fidelity estimates someone retiring at 65 needs about 12x income, and more for earlier retirement.

A pension. If you have a defined benefit pension, it functions like Social Security — a guaranteed monthly income that reduces how much your portfolio needs to generate. Depending on how large your pension is, your savings multiple could be substantially lower than the standard benchmarks.

Expected spending in retirement. All these benchmarks assume you’ll spend roughly the same as you do now, minus work-related costs. If you plan to downsize, relocate somewhere cheaper, or live more modestly, you need less. If you’re carrying a mortgage into retirement or planning to travel extensively, you need more.

Longevity. The models typically plan through age 90–93. If longevity runs in your family, plan a few years beyond that.

Where Do You Stand?

Divide your current retirement savings by your current annual salary. If that number is below the benchmark for your age, you have some catching up to do. If it’s above, you’re a little ahead. Either way, the benchmarks assume you keep saving consistently and stay invested. For a more personalized picture, our retirement calculator can give you a better sense of where you stand based on your unique situation.
The post Retirement Savings by Age: Are You on Track? appeared first on Clark Howard.

Market leaders such as Amazon and Humana are betting on the high-margin business of unlocking people’s potential as the ultimate investment

Bitcoin Cash (BCH), up 0.8% from Thursday, was the only gainer.

Starbucks wants to make your morning routine easier. In a recent blog post, Aaron Koransky, Starbucks senior vice president of US licensed stores, said the company is testing new ordering channels at licensed coffeehouses with the goal of cutting down on waiting times and improving customer experience.“Whether someone is grabbing coffee on their commute, at the airport, inside a hospital, at a hotel, or on a business or university campus, they expect the same unmistakable Starbucks experience – the same quality, care and handoff,” Koransky said. “Our responsibility is to deliver that experience seamlessly, wherever Starbucks shows up and however customers choose to order.”  Starbucks is rethinking licensed storesStarbucks has more than 7,200 licensed stores in North America, and an additional 12,000 licensed stores worldwide, according to a recent SEC filing. Operated by outside partners, these coffeehouses are located inside other businesses, ranging from airports to arenas. With so many external factors impacting how they run, how much traffic they get, and the challenges they face, these licensed locations often feel appreciably different from company-owned stores.Recently, Starbucks has made efforts to fix this customer experience gap.“Over the past year, we’ve restructured how we operate this business – shifting from a primarily regional model to a segment-focused approach,” Koransky said. “Organizing around segments allows us to support licensees based on how their environments actually operate.”“A Starbucks in a hospital, a grocery store or an airport face very different realities,” he continued. “This structure gives us clearer focus, more relevant support and a stronger foundation to grow in high-potential segments like travel, healthcare and campuses.”

Starbucks is expanding the number of ways diners can order at its licensed coffeehouses in an effort to streamline the customer experience.Shutterstock

Starbucks is testing new ways to orderThe new ordering channels are another way Starbucks is hoping to bridge the experience gap.“As we look ahead, we plan to support these [licensed] locations differently – with technology that gives customers more ways to order Starbucks, while ensuring the same experience and handoff they know and trust,” Koransky said. More specifically, the chain says it is testing ordering kiosks and pre-scheduling orders through the Starbucks app at high traffic locations. In the past, these perks have only been available at company-owned coffeehouses.More retail:Fast food giant is coming for Starbucks with fan-approved launchChick-fil-A makes a $50 million changeMcDonald’s latest menu missteps could have a major domino effectThe move “gives licensees more clarity and opportunity, gives customers greater consistency and gives Starbucks more ways to be part of the rhythms of their day,” Koransky said.Starbucks did not clarify which licensed locations will be testing these new ordering methods first, or how quickly customers can expect to see them rolled out at all partner stores. An increased focus on customer experienceIn late 2024, after two years of declining sales and increasing customer complaints, Starbucks launched its turnaround plan, Back to Starbucks. The plan had several core pillars, including menu simplification, store redesigns, and “Green Apron Service,” or a focus on increasing customer satisfaction.During the company’s most recent earnings call in February 2026, CEO Brian Niccol highlighted a few ways Green Apron Service has transformed company-owned stores, from decreased ticket times to a growing number of positive customer comments.Niccol also told investors that the company was launching a sister initiative, the Grow program, to help licensed coffeehouses achieve similar results.  The program is “a simplified reporting system to evaluate, rank, and improve coffeehouse performance,” Niccol said. “We’re measuring five key metrics that closely tie to comp growth and are within coffeehouse leaders’ control,” he continued. “While it’s only been a few months, leaders across our North America operations are already using the new report to help them better run their coffeehouses and take ownership of their action plans to improve performance.” Starbucks is contending with rising coffee pricesStarbucks will need all the help it can get, with coffee prices surging to record highs.Earlier this month, TheStreet’s Hillary Remy covered the record-setting spike. The average cost of a pound of ground coffee beans has shot up by 31% year-over-year, he reported, with no relief in sight.Last October, Niccol told CBS News he couldn’t rule out raising the chain’s prices in 2026, although he saw it as a “last resort.””Pricing would be one of those things that we do as a last resort, and we do it very surgically,” Niccol told the outlet. “To say never, you know, I don’t think you can do that in this environment.”Even if the company does raise prices over the next few months, Niccol is convinced the customer experience, enhanced by things like easy ordering opportunities, will keep people returning.“What we hear from [customers] is they love the experience and they think it’s a great value proposition,” he told CBS News.”And I think it’s really important that you give them a great experience so that it justifies why they chose to spend money with you.”Current Starbucks pricesStarbucks prices can range dramatically based on add-ins, milk preferences, and item type, but as of March 2026 base prices for its most popular items range from $3.76 to $7.35. For a standard 12 oz., you can expect to pay:Pike’s Place Roast: $3.76Strawberry Acai Refresher: $5.17Caffe Latte: $5.72Cold Brew: $5.93Iced Chai Latte: $6.80Java Chip Frappuccino: $7.35
Source: Starbucks Reserve Only
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