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Why we love this deal

When redecorating a room, it’s usually the most expensive pieces, like the living room couches or dining table set, that will have the biggest impact on the space. However, in the bedroom, there’s a much more affordable alternative. All it takes to transform a bedroom is a single bedspread and matching pillow shams, which can brighten up the space while adding a sense of coziness. If you want to try this experiment out for yourself, the Wispy Floral 3-Piece Comforter Set at Macy’s is absolutely adorable, and it’s on sale for under $25. 

The Macy’s Wispy Floral 3-Piece Comforter Set is a perfect bedding selection as we transition from summer to winter. Weather always gets wacky around this time, with a mix of hot and cold temperatures, and this medium-weight comforter that comes with two matching pillow shams has just the right amount of warmth for year-round use. With a limited-time deal taking 70% off its regular price of $80, this bedding set is now available for just $24. This is an exceptional deal for a comforter set, but it’s an even better value given the bedding is also reversible, providing multiple looks in one package.

Wispy Floral 3-Piece Comforter Set, $24 (was $80) at Macy’s

Courtesy of Macy’s

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Why do shoppers love it?

One side of this reversible comforter set features a beautiful garden-inspired print with leafy green branches and colorful flowers in pops of coral, blue, and yellow. It’s a classic floral pattern that can elevate the space. On the opposite side, you’ll find a green striped print that looks simply elegant. Since the comforter and shams are both crafted with this reversible design, you can actually get up to four different looks if you mix and match the pillow shams. You could easily throw on a blanket in the winter for even more options.

Related: Macy’s has a $400 14-piece comforter set with matching sheets for 70% off

The majority of shoppers have given this plush comforter set a five-star rating, with many highlighting that the material is “soft.” The bedding is made with 100% polyester, and the comforter has extra filling for a fluffy and cuddly feel that’s ideal for wrapping up in. As a bonus, the fabric is machine washable, so when you need to give it a refresh, you can just throw it in with the laundry. One reviewer, who called the bedding “pretty and comfortable,” gave their experience, writing, “I think the set is very nice — it brightens up my bedroom.”

Details to know 

Sizes available: All three sizes, twin XL, full/queen, and king, are on sale for $24.

Pieces in set: A comforter and matching pillow shams.

Warmth level: Medium warmth.

Material: 100% Polyester.

Is it machine washable?: Yes.

If you like the $24 price point of this three-piece comforter set, but would prefer a different color scheme or pattern for your bedroom, Macy’s has several other options with similar discounts. We’ve listed our favorite for you to check out below.

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Francesca 3-Piece Comforter Set, $24 (was $80) at Macy’s

Jasmine 3-Piece Comforter Set, $24 (was $80) at Macy’s

Penelope 3-Piece Comforter Set, $24 (was $80) at Macy’s

Upgrade your bedroom with the Wispy Floral 3-Piece Comforter Set while it’s on sale for just $24 at Macy’s. When sizes sell out, they’ll be gone for good, so don’t miss your chance to save.

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Why we love this deal

Your phone is great for watching a quick video or sending a message, but sometimes it’s nice to have a larger screen. If you need something a bit bigger for casual use that won’t break the bank, we found an affordably priced tablet that can do just the trick. 

The Zzb 10-inch Android Tablet is on sale for just $55 at Amazon, and it’s a fraction of the price of some name-brand tablets. Pick one up now for playing games, watching videos, scrolling through your social media accounts, and more. 

Zzb 10-inch Android Tablet, $55 at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

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Why do shoppers love it?

This tablet is available in five different colors – a cool feature that you won’t find with all tablets like this. Choose from black, gray, blue, Navy, and pink. They’re all just $55, so there’s no upcharge to get a specific color. It has a 10-inch screen size with a 1280 by 800 resolution that provides a clear picture. It comes with 32 gigabytes of storage built in, and it has a slot for a microSD card so you can add up to 1 terabyte of additional storage. 

Shoppers love the quality of this tablet, especially for the price. One reviewer said, “This tablet is very nice! I bought it for my son for Christmas. The sound is pretty good, and the price I paid for this is unbelievable considering the quality of the screen.” Another reviewer agreed, saying they were impressed with the color quality. It’s the perfect way to get a larger screen size without overspending. 

That first reviewer is not the only one who’s purchased this tablet as a first for someone. Others have said they bought it for a grandson, a grandmother, or their kids. No matter who you’re shopping for, reviewers agree that it’s easy to use, so you can confidently gift it. “Works great,” said one reviewer. “It was easy to set up and use. Would buy again, very good tablet.”

Related: Walmart is selling a $200 Android tablet for 55% off

Many reviewers say they use this tablet for playing games or using social media. One reviewer even said they’re using it to learn a new language through an app, and they bought this to have a bigger screen than their phone for this. Simply visit the pre-installed app store to download any apps you like. You can also record videos at 720 pixels using this tablet. It even has both a front and rear camera. 

Details to know

Storage capacity: 32 gigabytes. 

Screen size: 10.1 inches. 

Screen resolution: 1280 by 800. 

It has up to 12 hours of battery life on one charge, so you can use it all day long without needing to stop to plug it in. 

Shop more deals 

Ecopad 10-Inch Android 15 Tablet, $62 (was $66) at Amazon

Firymid 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet, $90 (was $120) at Amazon

Pick up this handy tablet in your choice of color at Amazon now. Get the Zzb 10-inch Android Tablet for just $55 for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a loved one.

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Why we love this deal

Summer is coming to an end. In addition to enjoying what’s left of summer weather, we’re continuing to spruce up our yards to make them a little more of an outdoor oasis. For some, that can mean lounging on a new patio set, for others, that might mean going for a dip in the swimming pool. And in between, we’re attempting to maintain the space with regular lawn mowing and maintenance. 

With all the love that our outdoor spaces are getting, things are bound to get a little messy. However, getting outdoor storage is an easy way to tackle any outdoor clutter. The BaPiPro Outdoor Storage Shed at Walmart is a fantastic choice, and it’s only $95. For under $100, the compact shed can declutter your space, keeping it ready for all the outdoor fun.

BaPiPro Outdoor Storage Shed, $95 at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

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How this storage can transform your outdoor space

Outdoor clutter can happen in the blink of an eye, especially when you have a small yard or patio. With limited space, you have fewer storage options to work with. Deck boxes and horizontal sheds are common solutions, but if you want a more traditional-style shed that won’t take up much space, the BaPiPro Outdoor Storage Shed might be just what you need.

This outdoor storage shed measures 5.3 feet long by 3 feet wide by up to 5.9 feet high. With a small frame, it’s a great pick that can save space in a small yard or add a small storage area to a large one. You can store everything from gardening tools to patio accessories inside without the buildup or clutter on your deck or taking up a lot of space in your garage. It even has a single lockable door to keep everything safe and secure.

Crafted from galvanized steel, the shed has sturdy panels and a strong frame that can withstand the outdoor elements. It’s water-resistant with a sloping roof for optimal drainage, has UV protection against the harsh sun, and can hold up against strong winds.

Related: Amazon’s spacious double-door metal storage shed is only $150

Pros and cons of the BaPiPro Outdoor Storage Shed

Pros 

Great value for the price: At under $100, it’s a budget-friendly outdoor storage solution.

Compact size: Measuring 5-by-3 feet, it’s small yet spacious and ideal for both small and large yards.

Lockable door: Its lockable feature ensures your belongings are safe, even outdoors.

Cons

Instructions: Some reviewers said the instructions weren’t clear, making it difficult to assemble.

Comes with a lot of pieces: Some shoppers also said it comes with a lot of pieces, which adds more time to the assembly process.

According to Walmart shoppers, the shed is “sturdy and spacious,” with “just the right amount of space” for outdoor essentials. Without an additional organizational system, it can easily fit a bike or a lawnmower. But if you need to store smaller items, you can pair it with a shelving unit to make the most of its storage potential.

Shop more deals

Sobaniilo Outdoor Storage Shed, $110 at Walmart

Devoko Storage Shed, $105 (was $166) at Walmart

For only $95, the BaPiPro Outdoor Storage Shed is a compact storage solution that can get your outdoor space clean and decluttered in no time.

Markets are built for stories that resolve quickly. Mines are not.

A lithium deposit takes 10 or 15 years to travel from a geologist’s map to a truck full of battery-grade powder, and the stock attached to it has to survive every mood swing in between. Investors who bought the electric-vehicle boom in 2021 learned that the hard way.

Battery-grade lithium carbonate averaged $71,100 per metric ton in 2022, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Two years later that average had collapsed to $14,000.

Projects were shelved, price targets were cut, and an entire category of stock turned into a punchline. That is roughly where American lithium sat at the start of this summer, written off by most of the people paid to have an opinion on it.

Then one of the largest banks on Wall Street looked at the same wreckage everyone else had spent August marking down, and decided the pack had it backwards.

JPMorgan upgraded LAC to overweight with a $6 target weeks after four banks cut theirs.Bloomberg / Getty Images

Why Thacker Pass matters to U.S. lithium supply

Lithium Americas (LAC) is a Vancouver-based developer with essentially one asset that counts. Thacker Pass, in Humboldt County, Nev., is described by the company as the largest known measured lithium resource and reserve in the world.

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The project is a joint venture. Lithium Americas holds 62% and manages construction, while General Motors (GM) holds 38% after a $625 million investment that also bought it rights to the entire first phase of production.

Phase 1 targets 40,000 metric tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, according to Lithium Americas. Across all phases the plan runs to 160,000 metric tons.

To understand why Washington cares, look at what the country actually produces. Commercial-scale U.S. lithium production came from a single continental brine operation in Nevada, and the government does not even publish the volume, because “domestic production data were withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data,” per the USGS.

What struck me when I went through that data sheet was not the withheld production line. It was the employment line. Total U.S. lithium mine and mill employment was listed at 70 people.

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Seventy. That is the entire domestic workforce standing between American battery makers and a supply chain that runs through someone else’s country.

The federal government has since taken a direct position. The Department of Energy holds a 5% equity stake in Lithium Americas and a separate 5% economic stake in the Thacker Pass venture, both through warrants exercisable at one cent, as part of a restructured $2.26 billion loan, PBS News reported. The deal advanced a first draw of $435 million and deferred $182 million of debt service.

What JPMorgan sees in Lithium Americas stock now

On Sept. 9, JPMorgan upgraded Lithium Americas from neutral to overweight and set a price target of $6.00, or C$8.00, according to Investing.com. Against a stock trading near $3, that implies roughly 100% upside.

The mechanism is not a construction surprise. It is a commodity assumption. A refresh of the bank’s lithium price deck lifted long-term earnings estimates from 2029 onward, which lifted net asset value, which lifted the target.

JPMorgan expects the market to run in deficit through the end of the decade as Western greenfield supply stays sidelined. The bank also cited “increasing confidence in Thacker Pass execution,” pointing to detailed engineering more than 95% complete and procurement more than 80% complete.

Here is the price context that actually drives the model:

Battery-grade lithium carbonate averaged $71,100 per metric ton in 2022 and $14,000 in 2024, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Lithium carbonate equivalent has held above $20 per kilogram since mid-February and stood at $22.30 at the time of the upgrade, according to Investing.com.

Batteries accounted for 87% of global lithium end use, according to the USGS.

U.S. net import reliance ran above 50% of apparent consumption, according to the USGS.

Chile and Argentina together supplied 97% of U.S. lithium imports from 2020 through 2023, according to the USGS.

I ran the current quote against that USGS series, and the gap is the whole argument. At $22.30 per kilogram, lithium sits about 59% above the 2024 annual average and still roughly 69% below the 2022 peak.

JPMorgan is underwriting the recovery. The rest of the Street is underwriting the hangover.

Where JPMorgan splits from the rest of the Street

August was brutal for this name. BMO Capital cut its target to $4 on Aug. 14, Deutsche Bank cut to $4.20 on Aug. 16, and TD Securities cut to $4.50 on Aug. 17, each keeping a neutral-equivalent rating. Goldman Sachs initiated coverage at neutral with a $4.50 target.

That makes JPMorgan’s $6 the high mark on the Street by about a third, and 50% above BMO’s number. This is not a bank nudging a target. It is a bank standing on the opposite side of the table from four of its peers, and that is far more interesting than the upgrade itself.

Two details most of the coverage skipped. First, the $6 is a December 2027 target, not a 12-month one, so the implied 100% return is stretched across more than two years of construction risk.

Second, the company filed in August to register 72.55 million shares for selling holders. Against roughly 363 million shares outstanding, that is a meaningful supply overhang sitting on top of any rally. Broader Wall Street forecasts have not been kind to pre-revenue miners either.

What the analyst split means for lithium investors

The honest read is that nobody on the Street is arguing about the rock. Thacker Pass is real, it is being built, and Washington owns a piece of it.

The argument is about the price of lithium in 2029 and whether a company with no revenue can get there without diluting the people who are waiting. Demand assumptions have not been steady either, as U.S. automakers keep changing their EV plans, and imported equipment costs have moved with tariff policy.

For anyone holding this stock, the practical takeaway is to stop treating analyst targets as forecasts and start reading their dates. A $6 target for December 2027 and a $4 target for next year are not contradictory. They are answers to two different questions.

The question worth watching is not whether JPMorgan is right. It is whether Thacker Pass ships its first commercial ton before the money runs out, because the deficit JPMorgan is betting on only pays this company if the plant is running when it arrives.

Related: The lithium gold rush just minted a $1B unicorn

Stocks still have a ton of gains to show for in 2026. 

Through Sept. 10, the S&P 500 was up around 11%, the Nasdaq Composite 12.2%, and the Dow 8.3%, according to The Washington Post. But Morgan Stanley’s Mike Wilson sees a reason for investors to look at their next steps a lot more carefully.

Clearly, the ride has become bumpier. The S&P 500 just logged its fourth straight decline. At the same time, Wall Street’s fear gauge, the VIX, jumped to its highest level since early August. 

Similarly, rising oil prices and bond yields continue adding to the pressure, creating a testing backdrop for stocks even when companies deliver strong earnings. 

That said, speaking with Bloomberg Television, Wilson said a potential stock market correction might arrive soon but remains bullish overall. That puts investors with a more complicated decision than whether to buy or sell, and his advice on handling the turbulence comes with a twist.

Mike Wilson flags a 30-day correction risk

Wilson is questioning if markets have enough available money to absorb multiple haymakers at once.

Corporate earnings are still stronger than he expected. But healthy bottom-line numbers cannot fully protect stocks if elevated energy costs and a busy calendar of corporate fundraising stretch investors’ capacity to continue loading up on them.

“I do think in the next 30 days, if oil goes to $120, $130, $140, that’s a drain on liquidity,” he said in his talk on Bloomberg Television.

For perspective, the U.S. benchmark WTI crude had skyrocketed nearly 78.5% this year through September 10, reaching $102.48 a barrel, up from $57.42 at the end of 2025, as reported by Reuters. 

Those prices underscore a risk scenario, instead of just an oil forecast. The concern is that a further energy surge might absorb cash just as businesses seek more funding.

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Wilson described market liquidity as “ample” rather than “abundant,” which means that there might be a lot less room to absorb the unexpected shocks.

Throw in heavy issuance and investors becoming reluctant buyers, and “that’s another reason why we could have a correction in the next 30 days.”

Yet Wilson sees earnings offering a relatively strong underlying cushion. He feels that market valuations have adjusted downward this year, with profit growth backing the index despite that pressure.

According to FactSet’s Sept. 3 update, 84% of S&P 500 companies sped past Q2 earnings estimates, comfortably above the five-year average of 78%, while revenue grew 12.7% year over year. 

In essence, he is separating a potential funding squeeze from a breakdown in fundamentals. Stocks might become vulnerable before the earnings forecast deteriorates meaningfully. 

“But it’s a correction,” Wilson said. “It’s not the end of the world.”

Wilson says stay invested, but upgrade your stocks

Wilson’s response to the market risks is to become a lot more selective about what investors own. 

“We’re rotating as opposed to reducing our overall equity exposure,” he said. “I don’t think people should be reducing their equity exposure.”

He’s advising investors to stay in the game while shifting exposure to businesses that are better equipped to handle elevated borrowing costs and expensive energy.

In that, Wilson favors quality and free cash flow. 

Companies that can efficiently generate cash internally have greater flexibility when financing becomes expensive. Weaker businesses are up against tougher choices if rising costs squeeze out profits while lenders demand more.

Moreover, his preference extends to geography. Wilson favors the S&P 500 over foreign stocks, pointing to America’s energy production and stronger control over its policy responses.

“S&P 500 is still the highest quality equity market in the world,” he said.

On top of that, energy stocks serve a specific purpose in his approach, where they are cushioning a portfolio against the oil shock he considers a near-term threat.

That said, he questions what’s been a familiar defensive choice.

“Don’t own long bonds,” Wilson said, voicing his concern about exposure to elevated interest rates.

Collectively, these positions point to a view that protection entails attention to the source of the threat. If oil and rates continue to climb, portfolio resilience will depend on the business that can continue withstanding those pressures while continuing to grow. 

 Morgan Stanley’s Mike Wilson warns stocks could correct while remaining broadly bullish.Spencer Platt / Getty Images

4 stocks that fit Wilson’s quality-first approach 

Wilson’s forecast underscores dependable cash flow, financial strength and protection against elevated oil prices in a lot more focus. That said, here are four stocks that follow this approach:

Microsoft (MSFT): The tech giant offers a recurring software sales machine and cloud revenue while retaining AI exposure through an established cash generator. In fiscal Q4 2026, operating cash flow less CapEx totaled $19.6 billion, based on Microsoft’s statements. That backup quality credentials, even though heavy infrastructure spending still pressures cash available to shareholders.

Visa (V): Its powerful payments network offers powerful exposure to consumer spending without carrying consumers’ credit-card loans. Fiscal Q3 2026 sales jumped 14%, while payment volume increased by 10% in constant dollars. Moreover, its capital-light model fits Wilson’s cash-generation theme, although sluggish spending or travel will slow growth.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM): Its diversified banking franchise fits Wilson’s preference for healthier businesses inside economically sensitive sectors. Q2 2026 profit rose 13% excluding major items, and its standardized CET1 capital ratio stood at 14.1%. It’s tremendous capital strength offers loss-absorbing capacity, but deteriorating credit and weaker dealmaking remain risks.

ExxonMobil (XOM): Perhaps the clearest fit for Wilson’s energy hedge, Exxon can continue to benefit from the elevated oil prices squeezing other businesses. It generated $17.2 billion in free cash flow in Q2 2026. Production and refining offer multiple earnings sources, though an oil-price reversal weakens that protection.

Related: Morgan Stanley has a strong message for worried AI stock investors 

There was a lot to enjoy for investors in ServiceTitan’s (TTAN) most recent earnings release.

Revenue also topped Wall Street estimates. Profit above forecasts. Free cash flow up about 50%. The software company’s main product based on artificial intelligence was adopted faster than the company’s management anticipated.

The move wiped off about a third of its worth among investors.

ServiceTitan stock plunged 30% Wednesday after management forecast fiscal third-quarter revenue of $285 million to $287 million, below the roughly $288 million Wall Street expected. The selloff followed a more than 19% drop in after-hours trading immediately after the report.

The miss itself was minor in guiding terms.

Even more troubling for ServiceTitan, its growth is decelerating at a time when investors are becoming less tolerant of software businesses being challenged by AI.

But there is a caveat.

Part of Service Titan’s short-term revenue headwinds are coming from higher adoption of its own AI product, Max. Management anticipates the transformation to result in a temporary revenue impact of $4 million to $5 million.

That means ServiceTitan now needs to show something uncommon to investors: that one reason its growth seems worse now might make its firm more valuable tomorrow.

ServiceTitan’s numbers don’t look like a business in trouble

ServiceTitan’s second quarter earnings were far better than the market response indicated.

Revenue increased 21% to $292.8 million, beating the $285.9 million analysts expected. Adjusted earnings of 40 cents a share topped expectations of 35 cents.

Platform revenue was up 22 percent to $284.5 million.

More significantly, ServiceTitan is becoming much more lucrative as it expands.

Non-GAAP operating income grew 52% to $44.4 million, and the adjusted operating margin improved to 15.2% from 12.1%. Operating losses on a GAAP basis were $27.6 million vs. $34.8 million.

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Cash generation improved further.

Operating cash flow jumped to $58 million from $40.3 million. Non-GAAP free cash flow rose 47% to $50.5 million.

Net dollar retention also stayed over 110%.

There was one significant caution.

Gross transaction volume, the value billed to consumers on ServiceTitan, climbed 17% to $26.8 billion. But that growth rate was down from 19% a year ago.

Revenue growth also decelerated to 21% from 25%, while platform revenue growth decreased to 22% from 26%.

ServiceTitan is still growing. Wall Street is worried about how quickly that growth is slowing.

ServiceTitan’s AI success comes with a surprising cost

Here is when Max alters the tale.

Contractors use ServiceTitan, a “Agentic Operating System” for the trades, to manage customer acquisition, scheduling, dispatching, payments, and operations.

Max encapsulates its aim to automate more of those activities using AI.

And consumers are embracing it quicker than ServiceTitan had anticipated.

The company said it exceeded its goal of doubling Max locations during the second quarter. Management now expects more than 700 enrolled Max locations by the end of the fiscal year.

But getting clients onboard Max poses a funny accounting dilemma.

ServiceTitan generally recognizes its primary subscription income ratably during the term of a contract. Max is different since consumers need time to modify processes and install the solution.

That implies charging grows gradually.

ServiceTitan is also eliminating certain onboarding costs for current clients upgrading to Max.

Management expects the combined impact of those measures to trim revenue by around $4 million to $5 million for the balance of the fiscal year.

That’s not enough to explain every concern behind a 30% stock collapse. But it changes what investors should be watching. ServiceTitan isn’t struggling to persuade customers to try its newest AI product.

Its challenge is to prove that a speedier adoption would ultimately provide sufficient extra customer value to make up for the income it is foregoing during the shift.

ServiceTitan’s 30% selloff may be about more than weak guidance.Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images

Wall Street isn’t giving ServiceTitan much room for error

That evidence is becoming more significant with ServiceTitan’s third-quarter outlook. The company predicts sales of $285 million to $287 million, compared with $292.8 million in the second quarter.

Adjusted operating income is estimated to decline to between $29 million and $30 million from $44.4 million.

But the picture for the whole year is not that scary.

ServiceTitan expects fiscal 2027 revenue of $1.139 billion to $1.144 billion and non-GAAP operating income of $152 million to $154 million.

The corporation is therefore not predicting a collapse. It’s anticipating a difficult shift.

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There’s another reason investors should be suspicious. AI is an emerging cause of fear throughout the software business as ever-more-capable models threaten to automate operations formerly performed by specialized applications.

Those fears hit software stocks again this week.

ServiceTitan is arguing that AI will strengthen rather than replace its platform.

CEO Ara Mahdessian called delivering an agentic operating system to the trades and using AI internally “once in a lifetime opportunities.”

ServiceTitan’s 700-location AI test now matters more than earnings

The 30% selloff gives investors two opposing interpretations.

Looking at ServiceTitan’s Q2 financial results, the pessimistic argument begins with three numbers: Revenue growth decelerated from 25% to 21%, platform growth slowed from 26% to 22%, and GTV growth slowed from 19% to 17%.

If these trends continue, a small miss on expectations could lead to a larger decline.

The bullish case begins elsewhere.

ServiceTitan put up record free cash flow, boosted its adjusted operating margins by over three percentage points, and beat its own Max adoption goal.

That makes 700 likely the most relevant figure in the study.

If ServiceTitan concludes the year with more than 700 Max locations and those customers eventually spend more, stay longer, and run more effectively, the immediate revenue loss might prove to be just that, transitory.

Otherwise, investors would face a slower-growing software firm that spends substantially on an AI transformation that doesn’t enhance its economics.

And ServiceTitan exceeded profits but lost about a third of its market value because Wall Street isn’t ready to wait forever for that answer.

Now the business needs to convince the market that the contradiction this quarter between slowing reported growth and growing AI take-up is the expense of developing its new growth engine and not a sign the old one is running out of gas.

Related: Nvidia’s cash could reshape an AI cloud contender

Investors holding JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ) saw a record figure on their August 2026 statements.

The fund paid $0.70497 per share, marking the largest single distribution in its 52-month history, TopDividendETFs data confirmed.

September 2026 followed at $0.68255, the second-largest payout on record, pushing the fund’s annualized forward distribution rate to about $8.19. 

That figure is nearly double the $4.46 annualized forward rate currently flowing from the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI).

Both funds sell options for monthly income, charge the same 0.35% fee, and are managed by the same JPMorgan team. The growing gap between them traces to a single design choice about which index each fund writes its options against.

How the Nasdaq-100 generates richer option premiums for JEPQ

JEPI and JEPQ both hold stocks and sell call options through equity-linked notes, converting premium into a monthly cash distribution. The mechanics diverge at the index each fund writes against.

JEPI writes against the S&P 500, which carries lower implied volatility and tends to produce thinner premiums during calm stretches. 

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JEPQ writes against the Nasdaq-100, where technology-heavy constituents generate wider premiums because the index runs at structurally higher volatility.

JEPQ’s top holdings illustrate why the premium gap has widened, with Nvidia at 6.9% of net assets and Apple at 6.4%, followed by Alphabet at 5.3%, Microsoft at 5.0%, Amazon at 4.3%, and Micron Technology at 4.1%, JPMorgan’s July 2026 fact sheet confirmed. 

Semiconductor names, in particular, carry some of the highest single-stock implied volatility in the Nasdaq-100. That lifts the premium JEPQ collects each month above what a comparable S&P 500 portfolio would yield.

Falling broad-market volatility explains JEPI’s shrinking payouts

The CBOE Volatility Index hit a 2026 high of 31.05 on March 27, briefly boosting option premiums across both funds, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis showed. 

The gauge then cooled steadily through the summer, landing at 16.46 by Sept. 9, 2026, and draining S&P 500 option premiums faster than Nasdaq-100 contracts.

JEPI’s distributions traced that decline, swinging from $0.34443 in February 2026 up to $0.44761 in May 2026, then sliding back to $0.36664 by August 2026, 24/7 Wall St confirmed.

JEPQ’s payments climbed through the same window, rising from $0.46572 in February 2026 to a new high in August 2026, TopDividendETFs reported.

JEPI’s payouts declined as falling market volatility reduced option premiums, while JEPQ distributions continued climbing through August 2026.Liubomyr Vorona / Getty Images

JEPQ’s total return more than doubles JEPI’s over the past year

JEPQ has gained 20.69% on a total return basis over the trailing year, more than double the 9.21% delivered by JEPI.

Year-to-date performance follows the same pattern, with JEPQ up 11.60% and JEPI at 5.49% through early September 2026, 24/7 Wall St reported. 

Justin Christofel, global head of Income Investing for BlackRock’s Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions Group, wrote in BlackRock’s January 2026 income outlook that income vehicles such as covered-call ETFs need a different benchmark than total-return funds, because their job is cash delivery.

For retirees, the ultimate measure of success is the confidence in income and how the portfolio pays, rather than how the market performs.

Those higher distributions have not eroded JEPQ’s net asset value, though both funds remain relatively young.

Morningstar Senior Associate Analyst Brendan McCann cautioned in an August 2026 review that the fund’s history has aligned with a strong technology rally.

Tech concentration and tax drag are the trade-offs for JEPQ’s bigger checks

Information technology stocks accounted for 47.7% of JEPQ’s portfolio as of the July 2026 fact sheet. 

Communication services names such as Alphabet and Meta add another 10.9%, leaving a handful of mega-cap technology-linked companies dominating the top of the holdings list. 

A sell-off in semiconductors, where Micron sits for 4.1% of net assets alongside Nvidia’s 6.9%, or in large-cap technology broadly, would hit JEPQ harder than JEPI.

JEPI’s $46 billion asset base is more diversified across healthcare, defense, and financials, according to 24/7 Wall St.

Option premium income from covered-call strategies is taxed at ordinary income rates, which can meaningfully reduce after-tax yield for investors in higher tax brackets, Dividend.com noted in April 2026.

Holding either fund inside a Roth individual retirement account or another tax-advantaged wrapper removes that cost entirely for qualifying investors, Dividend confirmed.

What JEPQ’s record distributions mean for your retirement income plan

JEPQ’s consecutive near-record months reflect a favorable volatility backdrop for Nasdaq-100 option writers. Distributions from both funds vary by design, rising when implied volatility jumps and falling when markets calm, Morningstar’s McCann noted. 

Investors who already own JEPI and want JEPQ’s higher yield need to weigh the tax cost of switching. Selling JEPI shares in a taxable account locks in a capital gains tax bill, while investing new money in JEPQ avoids that hit and keeps the existing JEPI position intact.

Sean Lenehan, portfolio manager and senior investment advisor with the Lenehan Wealth Management Group at TD Wealth Private Investment Advice in Ontario, Canada, told The Globe and Mail in June 2026 that covered-call ETFs like JEPQ and JEPI have earned a place in some accounts. 

Christofel, in the January 2026 BlackRock outlook, argued that the ultimate measure for retirees is whether a portfolio reliably delivers cash through market cycles. 

By that standard, JEPI’s lower but steadier payout profile looks different from JEPQ’s larger, more volatile distributions.

As Lenehan told The Globe and Mail, loss-averse investors should size JEPQ relative to their minimum monthly income floor. The $0.24-per-share swing between February’s low and August’s record highlights the monthly variance a retirement budget must absorb.

Related: Schwab Dividend ETF holders: Compare it to Vanguard dividend ETF

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Why we love this deal

Just because summer is coming to an end doesn’t mean it’s time to pack away your outdoor essentials in storage. In fact, it’s actually a great time to invest in new pieces. Whether it’s a patio set or solar lights, retailers are slashing the prices of seasonal finds, many of which you don’t have to wait until next spring to start using. With cool and crisp fall weather, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors without sweating from the heat.

The Weize 10-by-10-Foot Pop-Up Canopy Tent is a versatile outdoor must-have that you can use at home and beyond. It’s on sale for only $60 at Amazon, which is 45% off its regular price of $110. With a simple pop-up design, you can use it for everything from hanging out in the backyard to tailgating at a concert or football game.

Weize 10×10-Foot Pop-Up Canopy Tent, $60 (was $110) at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

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Why do shoppers love it?

This pop-up canopy keeps you sheltered from the sun and light rain, giving you more chances to enjoy the outdoors regardless of the weather. It measures 10 feet long by 10 feet wide, and it has an adjustable height at two levels, 7.3 feet or 8.7 feet, that you can choose from using slides and locking clips on all four sides. You can even set it up at an angle to block the sun from certain angles if needed. The canopy cover has vents for extra airflow, and it’s made of 150D silver-coated fabric that’s water-resistant and provides UPF 50+ sun protection. That means you don’t have to worry about too much sun or a little rain interfering with your outdoor activities.

With a one-push design, the canopy tent is designed for an easy setup that takes one to two people to put together. It uses a central locking system that involves the touch of a button to assemble. To add to its convenience, it comes with a carrying case for easy portability and storage, so you can pack it in your car and use it beyond your backyard.

The frame is made of steel that’s reinforced with pre-installed bolts. According to shoppers, it’s “sturdy,” but the manufacturer recommends avoiding use during “adverse weather conditions,” like storms, strong winds, and snowfall. 

Related: Amazon’s spacious double-door metal storage shed is only $150

Details to know

Dimensions: 10 feet long by 10 feet wide by 8.7 feet high.

Colors: Blue and white.

Features: UPF 50+ and water-resistant.

Reviewers say it’s a “fantastic tent for the price.” One shopper said, “The legs are much larger and sturdier than any other pop-up tents I have owned. I was able to assemble and put the entire tent up by myself (with the help of a small stool to push the center up). The top cover is very sturdy.”

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On sale for only $60, the Weize 10-by-10-Foot Pop-Up Canopy Tent is a steal. Its easy setup and protection from the sun and rain will have you making the most of fall weather.

In a footrace, when the field bunches up behind the leader, most people read it as the leader slowing down. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) just delivered a case that runs the other way.

New foundry market data shows the world’s largest chipmaker pulling further ahead of its nearest rival, even as a different rival closes in on that same target from below.

TSMC’s global foundry market share climbed to 72.5% in the second quarter, up from 72.3% in the first, according to TrendForce. The move looks modest on paper, but it happened while advanced 3-nanometer and 5-nanometer lines ran at full capacity for AI server chips.

TSMC’s foundry sales reached nearly $40.2 billion, up 12.1% sequentially, helped by early iPhone inventory building.

Read More TSMC: History of TSMC & its stock: Company timeline, facts & milestones

A different count from Counterpoint Research puts TSMC’s share even higher, near 73%, under a broader market definition. The figure varies by methodology. The direction doesn’t: Every tracker shows the same company pulling away.

The more telling number sits one layer beneath the headline share figure. TrendForce put Samsung Electronics’ (SSNLF) share at 5.9% for the quarter and 6.5% for the first, and the arithmetic tells its own story. The gap between the top two foundries widened from 65.8 to 66.6 points in a single quarter.

TSMC did not need a rival to stumble to extend its lead. It just kept building.

TSMC’s lead over Samsung just got wider

Samsung’s own quarter explains why the gap grew. Revenue rose just 1.8% to about $3.26 billion, helped by new advanced-process orders, TrendForce found. Its share still slipped because TSMC and smaller rivals grew faster.

Samsung is pouring money into yield improvements for its next-generation SF2 process, hoping to close the technology gap that keeps customers loyal to TSMC, Counterpoint Research noted. So far, it hasn’t shown up in the share numbers.

SMIC is closing a different gap, not TSMC’s

While Samsung falls further behind TSMC, it is being chased from underneath. China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, known as SMIC, posted revenue near $3.01 billion, up 20% from the prior quarter, pushing its market share to 5.4% and narrowing the distance to Samsung to just half a percentage point.

That growth came less from AI chips and more from advance procurement across PC and notebook supply chains, plus demand tied to global memory shortages, the research firm said.

Related: An AI chip machine so pricey, three rivals had to say yes

It is a different customer base than TSMC’s.

Those are two separate competitive stories inside the same report, and most coverage collapses them into one. TSMC’s advantage over the entire field is widening.

Samsung’s advantage over SMIC is shrinking. Both are true at once, and only one of them involves TSMC directly.

A few more numbers from that count:

United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) of Taiwan held a 3.9% share, on revenue of about $2.18 billion.

U.S.-based GlobalFoundries (GFS) took 3.2% on revenue of roughly $1.79 billion.

Combined revenue across the top 10 foundries hit a record $53.49 billion, up 11.5% from the prior quarter.Source: TrendForce

TSMC’s foundry market share hit 72.5% in the second quarter, widening its lead over Samsung even as China’s SMIC closes in on Samsung from below.Narumon Bowonkitwanchai / Getty Images

TSM stock trades well off its record high

Despite this record-breaking quarter for the industry as a whole and TSMC’s commanding market share, Wall Street’s reaction has remained unexpectedly lukewarm.

The stock market’s reaction has not matched the dominance story. Shares closed Thursday, Sept. 10, at $428.03, down 1.68%. That is roughly 10% below the stock’s all-time closing high of $477.57, set on June 30.

More TSMC:

An AI chip machine so pricey, three rivals had to say yes

TSMC hikes 2026 guidance as AI demand outpaces capacity

Japan’s chip subsidies may swing $6.4 billion Sony bet

Analysts tracked by S&P Global Market Intelligence still rate TSM a consensus Strong Buy, with an average 12-month price target of $552.38, implying over 25% upside from current levels.

Shares fell the same day TSMC reported record August revenue growth of 53.3%, extending its monthly streak to four straight records, according to CNBC. That gap between the headline numbers and the stock’s muted reaction suggests investors are weighing near-term spending more than the share gains.

Washington’s tariff plan could lock in TSMC’s edge

The gap TSMC is building may soon get reinforcement from an unlikely source: U.S. trade policy.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said this month the administration is preparing new semiconductor tariffs exempting companies that manufacture inside the United States, according to Bloomberg.

TSMC’s $265 billion Arizona buildout, described on the company’s own investment page, puts it on the right side of that line.

Samsung and SMIC lack anything close to that scale of U.S. manufacturing, and SMIC faces separate U.S. export restrictions on chipmaking equipment that Samsung doesn’t. If the tariff framework Lutnick described becomes policy, the foundry gap TrendForce just measured would stop being purely a function of capacity and start being reinforced by trade law.

For investors watching the AI buildout, that combination, capital scale paired with policy protection, is a moat that gets harder to challenge each quarter it goes unaddressed.

The market share numbers explain how TSMC got here. The tariff numbers may explain why nobody catches up.

Related: Why is Taiwan hiding the backers of its $20B US pledge?

David Tepper has spent years betting on the biggest beneficiaries of artificial intelligence.

Now he’s moving further down the stack.

Appaloosa Management, led by Tepper, added $107 million of CoreWeave (CRWV) stock and $38 million of SpaceX stock to its technology-heavy portfolio in the second quarter. Alphabet, Amazon, Micron Technology, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were Appaloosa’s biggest positions.

The two new holdings are completely unique.

CoreWeave leases powerful AI compute power. SpaceX launches rockets, runs Starlink and is building a nascent AI business.

But they share one key similarity.

Both require huge amounts of physical infrastructure to keep up with demand that is outstripping current capacity.

So Tepper’s buying isn’t so much a bet on two hot AI stocks as it is a bet on one of the industry’s biggest constraints: building enough infrastructure to sustain the boom.

David Tepper is moving deeper into AI infrastructure

Tepper already has significant traditional AI exposure through Appaloosa’s holdings.

Amazon made up around 15% of the reported portfolio at the end of June, while Micron made up nearly 15%, Taiwan Semiconductor made up roughly 10%, and Alphabet made up roughly 8%. Nvidia was also one of the fund’s biggest holdings.

CoreWeave takes that approach down to the infrastructure layer.

The company generated $2.58 billion of second-quarter revenue, while revenue backlog reached about $104.2 billion as of June 30.

That backlog was up from $99.4 billion in the previous quarter and excluded more than $25 billion of additional commitments signed early in the third quarter.

Related: Bank of America tweaks CoreWeave stock forecast after earnings 

That’s an insane amount of contractual demand for a firm that is still at CoreWeave’s current size.

Its customers include AI developers and big organizations. CoreWeave claimed it grew ties with firms such as Databricks, Cognition, and Runway and gained business from Caterpillar and Grammarly.

Demand isn’t the obvious issue.

It is worth meeting it.

CoreWeave’s $104 billion backlog comes with a massive bill

The $104 billion CoreWeave figure may not be the most illuminating.

That would be $35 billion to $39 billion.

That’s how much CoreWeave now intends to spend on capital expenditures in 2026, compared with its earlier prediction of $31 billion to $35 billion. Alone, capital investment in the second quarter was more than $9.4 billion, compared to $6.8 billion in the preceding quarter, Reuters reported.

The expenditure reveals the odd economics of Tepper’s gamble.

Giant deals are possible, since there’s still a shortage of high-end AI compute capacity at CoreWeave. But it needs data centers, networking equipment, electricity, and pricey accelerators to be set up first to turn those contracts into cash.

This scenario creates a potentially profitable loop if demand for AI keeps increasing.

Such an investment also constitutes a major financial risk.

“Neocloud” suppliers of AI, such as CoreWeave, combine strong leverage with a substantial dependence on a relatively limited number of major clients and on Nvidia technology, Reuters noted. So a change in demand, price, or chip technology in AI might damage corporations that have plunked down billions on infrastructure years in advance.

That comparison makes sense, particularly given that during the second quarter, more than half of CoreWeave’s backlog was already in customer delivery.

Tepper isn’t betting just that consumers want AI compute. The backlog already answers that.

He’s betting CoreWeave may provide substantial profits after paying the big expenditure necessary to supply it.

David Tepper just made two AI bets with one thing in commonEston Parker/ISI Photos / Getty Images

SpaceX gives Tepper another version of the same bet

SpaceX solves the infrastructure issue from space.

The startup promotes itself as building infrastructure for space, connectivity, and AI. Its activities include launch services, Starlink, and a burgeoning artificial intelligence enterprise.

SpaceX’s first quarterly report since going public underlined exactly how different those companies already are.

Starlink earned $4.3 billion in sales in the second quarter, up 66%, and $1.7 billion in operating profit. SpaceX’s AI business brought in around $2.6 billion in revenue, quadruple the previous-year figure, although it remained unprofitable.

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The enterprises are linked by the expense of bringing them to market.

Because SpaceX launches its own rockets, it can launch Starlink satellites at a scale rivals cannot. Starship might extend that lead much farther if SpaceX can make the vehicle fast, reusable, and drastically drive down the cost of delivering mass into orbit.

That might enable larger Starlink installations and perhaps far more extensive orbital-computing infrastructure.

So SpaceX is just another capital-demanding gamble on limited capacity.

The distinction is that its infrastructure is situated above the Earth, not within a data center.

Tepper’s two purchases reveal where the AI trade may be moving

Tepper’s positions in CoreWeave and SpaceX are small compared with Appaloosa’s biggest holdings.

That’s important.

The purchases look more like early bets than portfolio-defining convictions, but collectively, they reflect a change in where some knowledgeable investors think the next AI opportunity lies.

The initial phase of the boom benefited semiconductor producers, cloud giants, and model creators.

The next phase might be more about organizations that can offer the actual infrastructure those businesses use.

CoreWeave has a $104.2 billion backlog, showing that users are already booking large quantities of future work.

SpaceX’s Starlink and AI and launch companies are another way to tackle capacity and connection issues.

The potential is huge precisely because developing that infrastructure is tough.

So is the risk.

CoreWeave has to invest tens of billions, with no idea what the AI hardware economics will look like many years from now. SpaceX must keep pouring billions into Starship, satellites, and computer infrastructure while showing that those companies can support a value now in the trillions.

Tepper is not merely betting that AI keeps growing.

He is betting that the companies supplying the infrastructure that AI cannot grow without will capture an increasing share of the value.

Related: CoreWeave stock sinks as mag 7 move rattles investors