SUCCESS

The Criterion Collection 4K, Blu-ray and DVD release of Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” officially has cover art and its release date is nearly two months earlier than first reported.

Ten years ago, American Airlines fired Scott Kirby.

It took United Airlines approximately 60 seconds to hire him.

I joke that most people take a few weeks, a couple months between jobs. I took 60 seconds.

That is the origin story of what might be the most satisfying career pivot in aviation history. Kirby is now CEO of the second-most profitable U.S. carrier. His former employer, American, is a distant third. 

The man American passed over for the top job now runs a rival that is beating American on nearly every financial metric that matters. Talk about a hiring decision that came back around.

Does he want revenge? He says no.

“I compete aggressively,” Kirby said. Three words. Simple, blunt, and backed up by results.

That’s the last mistake any leader wants to make: pass on the right person today, only to watch a competitor reap the rewards tomorrow.

Also Read: United Airlines Holdings Recent News and Stories 

Where Kirby wants to take United Airlines next: JFK, global routes, and AI

The substance of Kirby’s plans for the airline is more interesting than the revenge narrative, according to CNBC.

First, JFK. United is returning to John F. Kennedy International Airport through a partnership with JetBlue as early as 2027, JetBlue reported. Once there, Kirby wants more. 

“We got a bunch of irons in the fire to try to find ways to do it,” he said, noting that United could acquire slots from carriers running unprofitable routes. Of course, that is a direct competitive threat to American, which has historically dominated JFK with its oneworld alliance.

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Second, international expansion. United already leads U.S. carriers in international capacity.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) T-100 reports demonstrate that United carries more total international fare-paying passengers than its main U.S. competitors. For example, in the first half of 2026, United carried 18.9 million international passengers, compared to American Airlines’ 17.4 million.But Kirby is not satisfied. New route announcements are coming soon, according to United, and his team has stopped telling him in advance because, in his words, “They’re afraid I’ll spill the beans, which is fair.” 

Related: United Airlines cuts 10 routes, offers refunds

He wants more presence in South America and the Southeast U.S., though he acknowledged that both are hard to solve without a hub or a merger partner.

Third, AI. Kirby said artificial intelligence tools for employees and customers will improve reliability and communication. 

His specific ambition is tackling delays. “I firmly believe in no excuses, and so we don’t make excuses,” he said.

The practical aspiration is to reduce the noise and confusion that characterize airline delay communications and replace them with useful information. It’s a simple goal that’s hard to execute at scale.

The merger storyline from ambition, rejection, and what comes next

Kirby has not been quiet about wanting scale. A Bloomberg report shows that he floated merger ideas with both Delta Air Lines and American in the past year.

Delta’s president, Peter Carter, said publicly he sees no merger in the carrier’s future.

Robert Isom — the man who got Kirby’s CEO title at American the day Kirby was let go — was more direct. “We don’t spend a lot of time pursuing impossibilities,” Isom said in late June.

Related: United Airlines stark warning could make your next flight more expensive

Kirby’s response to rejection was characteristically composed. “Everything I say would require a willing partner.”

He is not interested in acquiring smaller carriers such as JetBlue, either. His view is that the objections to a mega-merger are “based on a premise that the airline industry is a commodity,” which he disputes. 

Delta and United have, in his view, differentiated themselves sufficiently through routes, cabins, and loyalty programs, such that the antitrust case against consolidation is weaker than critics suggest.

United’s Q2 results prove the organic strategy is working

United’s Q2 2026 results, reported on July 15, demonstrated what the business looks like when Kirby’s strategy is executed.

Total operating revenue grew 16% year over year.

Revenue per available seat mile grew 12%.

Premium revenue was up 16%, Basic economy revenue was up 11%, Loyalty revenue was up 11%, and Cargo revenue rose 23%. 

Contracted business revenue grew 27%. 

Full-year adjusted EPS guidance was raised to $9.00 to $11.00, despite a nearly $6 billion increase in anticipated fuel costs from the oil price surge.Source: United Airlines Q2 Earnings Results

Starlink Wi-Fi is installed on 450 aircraft, with nearly 1,000 expected by year-end, to deliver customer satisfaction scores twice as high as those of other connected flights.

The on-time departure rate was the best in Q2 since 2021. Newark posted its best-ever second-quarter on-time results.

UAL trades near $113.17, up 1.21% year to date compared to the S&P 500’s 12.11% gain, according to Yahoo Finance. The stock has underperformed the index in 2026, despite strong operational results.

That’s primarily because of the fuel cost headwind I covered in detail in July.

United is returning to John F. Kennedy International Airport through a partnership with JetBlue as early as 2027.Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

Another interesting thing United’s Scott Kirby said

Kirby was asked what keeps him awake at night. His answer says something real about how he runs the airline.

“Nothing,” Kirby said. His stated goal is to never have another furlough at United.

“My job is to set the company up so none of you ever have to have a sleepless night worrying about your jobs.”

That is a notable promise from a CEO who took over the airline during Covid’s darkest period for aviation in May 2020. He has spent six years building toward that commitment. The fuel cost shock of 2026 tested it, but United absorbed it without cutting headcount.

American fired him. United made him CEO. Kirby competes aggressively. The scoreboard so far is pretty unambiguous.

Related: United Airlines Q2 2026 Earnings Call: Live Updates on $UAL Earnings, Outlook

Key Takeaways

Preventive care coverage is usually sold as an add-on to accident and illness policies, not as a standalone plan.
On average, these plans cost $14 to $50 per month and pay anywhere from $250 to $800 a year for your pet’s routine care.
At best, you might save a few hundred dollars a year, but only if you use every benefit.
Wellness plans can be a useful budgeting tool, but they’re not always worth what you end up paying for them.

Preventive care is the backbone of your pet’s health. Vaccines protect against serious diseases like rabies and kennel cough, and regular exams catch problems early, when they’re easier to treat.
Most standard pet insurance policies don’t cover these services, but some insurers offer standalone “wellness” packages that pet owners can opt into.
Here’s a big-picture look at how these plans work in real life, and how much value they offer.

What is ‘wellness care’ for pets?
Wellness care is basically all the routine stuff your pet needs to stay healthy (checkups, vaccines, dental cleanings, and the occasional lab work). It’s the pet equivalent of oil changes for your car: regular, expected and not something insurance covers.
But routine doesn’t mean inconsequential. A recent survey by Money.com and Healthy Paws Pet Insurance found that pet owners spend over $4,000 a year just on basic expenses.
Pet owners are already trimming costs by buying cheaper pet food and cutting back on treats and toys. Preventive care, however, is one area where skimping can backfire. Skipping routine exams and vaccines can allow health problems to go undetected until they become more serious — and more expensive to treat. Many households may not be able to absorb the cost. In a follow-up survey, more than 50% of owners report “significant stress” from a bill under $1,000, and one in five say that any surprise bill would cause a strain.
To bridge this gap, some insurers sell preventive care packages that cover part of the costs to keep your pet healthy. Technically, these aren’t insurance; they’re more like a prepaid vet care plan that includes:

Annual wellness exams
Vaccinations
Flea and tick prevention
Bloodwork
Microchipping
Teeth cleanings
Dental exams
Spaying or neutering

How do pet wellness plans work?
You pay a monthly fee on top of your pet insurance premium and, in return, the insurer reimburses you for certain routine expenses, up to a set limit. These plans don’t have deductibles or waiting periods, so you can start using the benefits right away.
Each service has its own reimbursement cap. For example, the insurer may cover up to $15 for the rabies vaccine and up to $50 per year in vet exam fees. Sometimes, the benefit is shared between two services, like spay/neuter surgeries and dental cleanings, and you can only get reimbursed for one per year.
Here’s a benefits breakdown for a wellness plan that costs $15 per month, and provides up to $305 in annual reimbursements.

Wellness item

Annual reimbursement

Wellness exam

$50

Flea or tick prevention

$80

Other vaccines/titer tests

$30

Rabies vaccine

$15

Heartworm test

$25

Bloodwork or fecal test

$50

Microchip

$20

Urinalysis

$15

Deworming

$20

TOTAL: $305

At first glance, it seems like a solid deal. You pay $180 a year to get up to $305 back.
But you only come out ahead if you actually use every service, and that might not happen every year. Microchipping is a one-time expense and vets don’t always need to draw blood or take urine samples at annual checkups.
The best-case scenario: you use every covered service and save around $100, especially if you’re getting multiple rounds of vaccines for a new pup or kitten, and the plan includes expensive procedures like spay/neuter surgeries and dental cleanings.
In a more typical scenario, you don’t claim every benefit, and what you paid ends up being about the same or more than paying out of pocket, especially if your local vet offers service bundles tailored to your pet. For instance, a routine care bundle at a Vetco facility that includes the recommended vaccines and tests would set you back $199.
What pet wellness plans don’t cover
Pet wellness plans don’t cover the diagnosis or treatment of accidents and illnesses, such as broken bones, bite wounds or ear infections. For that, you’d need accident and illness pet insurance.
The list of available benefits also depends entirely on the provider and plan you choose. Most wellness plans cover the basics: vaccines, routine bloodwork and parasite prevention. Coverage for dental care, microchipping, and spaying and neutering may only be found with certain companies or high-tier plans.
Are pet wellness plans worth it?
Pet wellness plans can be valuable, especially during your pet’s first year or as an incentive to visit the veterinarian regularly.

Cost savings for young puppies and kittens: Many wellness plans cover procedures like microchipping and spaying or neutering, so they can provide more value if your pet is young.
Encourages regular care: With a wellness plan covering up to a set amount per year, you’re more likely to take your dog or cat in for routine care to maximize the plan’s value.
Helps budget for routine care: Preventive care plans help spread out the cost of routine care into monthly installments, keeping your veterinary costs predictable.

But wellness plans aren’t without drawbacks. They’re usually only available as add-ons to accident and illness policies, which limit your options if you don’t already have pet insurance or care for a senior pet that’s too expensive to insure.
More importantly, these plans can get pricey. We got multiple quotes for well-known pet wellness plans and found that yearly rates start around $168 for basic coverage and go up to $600 for plans with more benefits. If you don’t use every covered service, you could end up paying hundreds for the plan each year with little to no reward.
Before adding this plan to your pet insurance policy, it’s a good idea to survey the cost of routine care in your area. Check out low-cost vet clinics and hospitals, and compare what you’d pay outright to what you’d save with a wellness rider (including the monthly premiums).
Alternatives to preventive care or wellness plans
These alternatives can help you manage veterinary expenses if subscribing to a wellness plan is not cost-effective for you:
Veterinarian-offered plans
Some veterinarians offer in-house wellness programs for a lump-sum payment or a monthly membership. You can get discounts on vet exams, dental care, vaccines, parasite testing and routine lab work. The downside? In-house wellness programs only apply to care with that veterinarian, not others.
High-yield savings accounts (HYSAs)
Opening a dedicated savings account for your dog or cat is a great way to plan for future vet care. Setting aside a monthly sum of $10 to $50 will help you cover the cost of dental cleanings, blood tests or other expenses.
Discount plans
Veterinary discount plans are membership-based plans that provide discounts on veterinary care from in-network providers in exchange for a monthly fee. When you join, you can qualify for discounts on wellness vet visits, vaccinations, dental exams, dental cleanings, and more.

FAQ
Does pet insurance cover spay and neutering?
No, pet insurance doesn’t cover spay and neutering surgery. Some pet insurance providers sell separate wellness riders that cover a portion of this procedure, typically up to $250 a year. The benefit is often shared with dental cleanings, meaning that you can only get reimbursed for one or the other in a given year.
How much does a pet wellness plan cost per month?
Expect to pay an average of $14 to $50 per month, or roughly $168 to $600 a year, for a pet wellness plan. Low-cost plans cover exams, vaccines and parasite prevention; higher-tier plans add dental cleanings, microchipping and spay/neuter. Some even cover pet boarding and lost pet advertising.
How much is a pet wellness exam?
A routine vet visit ranges from $56 to $130, according to financial services company Care Credit. The price depends on the purpose of the visit, where you live, the type of pet and whether you visit an emergency vet, a specialist or a general practitioner.

More from Money:
Most Pet Owners Spend Over $4,000 a Year. Here’s Where the Money Goes
The Rising Cost of Pet Care: What Owners Pay for Arthritis, Dental Disease and Other Chronic Conditions
More Pet Owners Are Going Into Debt to Pay Vet Bills. Here’s Why That’s Risky

Plus: 10 rules for employees who are also relatives

As the Indiana Pacers get ready for a bounce back campaign, their schedule advantages and disadvantages are different.

Bank of America is growing more bullish on software valuations, lifting price estimates on 10 equities as concerns that artificial intelligence could upend traditional software companies begin to fade.

The Aug. 19 research report doesn’t represent an across-the-board bullish call. BofA analysts Tal Liani, Koji Ikeda, and Matt Bullock maintained their profit projections and fundamental outlook.

Instead, the analysts say, investors are more than willing to pay up for software businesses following excellent earnings from select infrastructure names and an improved tone of large-cap and application software.

BofA raised price targets on ServiceNow (NOW), Figma (FIG), Workday (WDAY), Adobe (ADBE), Snowflake (SNOW), GitLab (GTLB), Amplitude (AMPL), Box (BOX), Asana (ASAN) and Zeta Global (ZETA).

The bank, however, remains picky, choosing startups with more growth and better prospects to turn AI use into income.

Bank of America raises ServiceNow stock price target

ServiceNow is one of BofA’s top large-cap software stocks.

The analysts retained their Buy rating and upped their price target to $150 from $130. At the $119.49 share price noted in the report, the new target provides a potential upside of over 25.5%.

BofA’s confidence also reflects higher software values.

ServiceNow reported second-quarter current remaining performance obligations growth of 21.5% in constant currency from a year earlier, ahead of Wall Street expectations of 19.5%. Subscription revenue increased 23% in constant currency, compared with the Street’s 21.9% expectation.

Related: ServiceNow investors must consider latest alert from Bank of America

AI is becoming a meaningful element of the story, too.

ServiceNow’s AI annual contract value has surpassed $1 billion and is on track to exceed the company’s $1.5 billion fiscal 2026 target, according to the report.

BofA believes ServiceNow’s control of corporate workflow context and historical data positions the company to develop agentic AI products for managed and secure enterprise workflows.

That advantage should drive high-teens revenue growth and continuous free-cash-flow growth.

Bank of America says the market is rethinking software’s AI risk.Bloomberg / Getty Images

Snowflake gets a major AI-driven price-target boost

Another favorite of BofA is Snowflake.

The bank raised its price objective to $395 from $330, or nearly 20%, while maintaining its Buy rating.

The increased target indicates almost 21% upside based on the $325.33 stock price in the research note. BofA analysts said they are more confident that demand for Snowflake is healthy and that the business can continue to monetize its AI offerings.

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The bank has Snowflake growing sales around 22% in calendar 2027, compared with 11% for infrastructure-software rivals on average.

BofA is also forecasting a free-cash-flow margin of 25% for Snowflake, compared with 18% for its peers. Analysts say the company should warrant a big valuation premium, as they expect it to develop faster and be more profitable.

Another long-term tailwind might be the bank’s estimate of the entire addressable market for AI software at $155 billion.

Workday gets a 46% price-target increase

One of BofA’s most dramatic changes was reserved for Workday.

The bank increased its price objective to $205 from $140, a jump of more than 46%.

But there’s a catch: BofA maintained its Neutral rating.

Analysts said the revised target reflects broader multiple expansion across large-cap enterprise software companies as well as “acquisition possibility.”

BofA said Workday’s position in human capital management and financial software, 97% gross retention and durable cash production warrant a greater valuation.

The firm is also advancing its AI approach with Sana, its AI interface and agent platform, and Flex Credits, its consumption-based monetization model.

But BofA isn’t ready to call an AI-driven growth inflection yet.

Workday’s revenue growth is expected to decelerate from 16.4% in fiscal 2025 to 11.5% in fiscal 2027, 11.3% in fiscal 2028, and 10.3% in fiscal 2029, the bank said.

That leaves analysts seeing the stock’s risk-reward as fairly even.

Bank of America remains bearish on Adobe stock

BofA’s new attitude isn’t helping all software companies equally.

Analysts boosted their price target on Adobe to $220 from $190, in line with the general increase in software valuations. But BofA maintained its Underperform rating.

More crucially, the $220 goal is still well below the $263.14 Adobe share price referenced in the report, suggesting a potential downside of nearly 16%.

BofA recognizes Adobe’s entrenched professional workflows, significant margins, and solid cash production. It worries about the implications of AI for the ease of generating sophisticated content and the rise of cheaper and AI-native competitors.

BofA said Adobe’s AI-first annual recurring revenue remains less than 2% of overall ARR and has failed to yield a meaningful acceleration in growth.

The bank expects Adobe’s revenue growth to slow from 10.5% in fiscal 2025 to 8.8% in fiscal 2027 and 8.7% in fiscal 2028.

BofA sees no clear near-term catalyst for a more optimistic rating unless there’s better evidence that standard artificial intelligence can reaccelerate growth.

Figma’s AI adoption catches Bank of America’s attention

BofA also restated its Buy recommendation on Figma, lifting its price target to $33 from $30.

Figma’s second-quarter revenue was up 48.2% from a year ago, and net dollar retention was 136%, the company said.

The number of customers generating more than $100,000 in annual recurring revenue increased 46% year over year.

Another potentially critical development lever is AI usage.

More than 80% of Figma customers with at least $10,000 in ARR consume AI credits weekly, according to BofA.

Analysts think that Figma’s increasing AI offering might help the platform reach beyond its usual designer audience, capture more of the software-development workflow, and ultimately drive more seat and consumption growth.

BofA raises price targets across software

The complete changes are:

Zeta Global: Buy; price target raised to $34 from $29

ServiceNow: Buy; price target raised to $150 from $130

Figma: Buy; price target raised to $33 from $30

Workday: Neutral; price target raised to $205 from $140

Adobe: Underperform; price target raised to $220 from $190

Snowflake: Buy; price target raised to $395 from $330

GitLab: Neutral; price target raised to $45 from $38

Amplitude: Neutral; price target raised to $14 from $12

Box: Buy; price target raised to $39 from $37

Asana: Buy; price target raised to $10.75 from $9

BofA also confirmed Buy ratings on Box, Asana and Zeta, while keeping Neutral on GitLab and Amplitude.

The bigger shift could be more essential than any particular aim.

Software stocks have long grappled with the question of whether generative AI will extend their markets or cannibalize the subscription companies that have been the bedrock of the sector’s profitability.

The current valuation reset at BofA shows investors are less inclined to price in the worst-case scenario across the industry.

But the bank’s contrasting views on ServiceNow, Snowflake, and Adobe underline an important distinction: AI fears may be fading for software stocks, but BofA doesn’t expect every software company to emerge as a winner.

Related: Workday’s $51 billion takeover talks could reset the software trade

Aggregate spending has been strong, even if American shoppers are getting choosier about what they buy.

One of the most pressing questions for homebuyers in the United States is when mortgage rates will go down.

The second is when home prices will decrease.

Who can blame them? The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been over 6.5% for six consecutive weeks, according to Freddie Mac data. Multiple sources put the median home sales price at well over $400,000, depending on the exact timeframe.

Those are rough numbers for people trying to afford a house, especially first-time homebuyers.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), a trade group representing the U.S. real estate finance industry, has released the August MBA Mortgage Finance Forecast. The MBA’s monthly reports provide outlooks on various aspects of the housing market — including mortgage interest rates and home sales prices.

The August forecast has a mix of good and bad news for homebuyers.

Don’t expect mortgage rates to provide much relief through 2027. Home prices may offer some relief, particularly for existing homes, but the decline is expected to be modest.

Mortgage rates expected to stay near 6.7%

Along with the Mortgage Bankers Association, the government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) Fannie Mae is the other big name in housing market forecasts. Fannie Mae released its August Housing Forecast on Aug. 13. Afterward, I wrote about the drastic spike in mortgage rate predictions compared to previous months.

Fannie Mae now predicts the 30-year fixed mortgage rate to average 6.7% in Q3 and 6.8% in Q4 2026. Next, it predicted a 6.8% rate in the first half of 2027 and 6.7% in the second half.

The MBA published its August forecast on Aug. 20. As with Fannie Mae, the mortgage rate projections for 2026 and 2027 had changed significantly from the previous month.

In the July MBA Mortgage Finance Forecast, the trade group’s 30-year mortgage rate outlook was 6.5% for the second half of 2026 and all of 2027.

Related: Zillow predicts major mortgage rate, housing market change

But in August, the MBA shifted its mortgage interest rate prediction to 6.6% in Q3 2026, then to 6.7% in Q4 2026 and for all of 2027.

Quarter-by-quarter projections from Fannie Mae and the MBA differ a little. But both organizations’ August reports put the average 30-year mortgage rate at 6.7% for at least half of the next six quarters.

Of course, these predictions aren’t set in stone. Mortgage rates could decrease when the war between the U.S. and Iran ends, or when inflation cools significantly. The current geopolitical and economic uncertainties are two major reasons mortgage rates are staying well above 6.5%.

The MBA predicts the 30-year mortgage rate will be 6.7% through the end of 2027.sommart / Getty Images

The MBA foresees lower existing-home prices

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) monthly forecasts include a category you won’t find in Fannie Mae’s predictions: home prices.

The MBA breaks up its home sales price predictions into two categories. The first is existing-home sales, which represents homes that have been previously owned and are listed for sale. The second is new homes, or new-construction houses that haven’t been lived in before.

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In Q2 2026, the median sales price of an existing home was $430,500, according to the MBA.

The organization forecasts existing-home prices to fall for the rest of 2026 and into 2027. The exceptions are predicted increases in Q3 and Q4 2027. Because I’ve reported on the housing market for years, my read is that the increase could reflect the typical seasonal strength of the homebuying market, when buyer competition can drive up prices.

Overall, the MBA puts the median existing-home price at $410,400 to close 2026, or a 4.7% decline from Q2 prices. It also expects the median price to be $404,600 in Q4 2027, or a 6% decrease from Q2 2026.

So there’s potential for existing-home prices to fall — but mortgage rates could stay elevated. These two forces could partially offset each other.

New-home prices are a different story

The MBA put the median price of newly built homes at $408,700 in Q2 2026. The organization expects the median price to hold steady in Q3, then drop to $400,300 in Q4.

But its 2027 projections are a little volatile.

The trade group foresees median new home sales prices jumping in Q1 and Q2, then inching down in Q3 and Q4. Overall, the MBA says new home prices will end 2027 at $411,200, higher than in 2026.

The MBA also predicts that new housing starts will decrease for most of 2027. Less inventory typically leads to more competition and higher prices. And sales prices probably wind down in Q4 because fewer people tend to buy homes at the end of the year.

Whether you want to buy a new or existing home, the MBA’s forecast sends a clear message: Home prices may give buyers some relief, but mortgage rates aren’t expected to do the same. So even if houses become somewhat cheaper, financing one may remain expensive.

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The revocation concerns B1 and B2 visas issued in the last 10 years.