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For years, McDonald’s fans in the U.S. have looked overseas for some of the fast-food giant’s most unusual menu items, collaborations, and collectibles.But lately, the company has been bringing more of that international appeal to its home market, using limited-time promotions and recognizable entertainment brands to create excitement around its brand.That strategy is about to get another major test.McDonald’s is teaming up with two globally recognized franchises for a new Happy Meal collaboration that puts a familiar character in an unexpected setting, and it is coming to U.S. restaurants later this month.McDonald’s teases a new Happy Meal collaboration McDonald’s (MCD) is partnering with Sanrio, the creator of Hello Kitty, and Toho Co., the owner of Godzilla, to launch a limited-time Happy Meal combining both franchises for the first time ever.The fast-food giant teased the collaboration on social media with a video revealing the kaiju-inspired Happy Meal. The promotion will be available at all U.S. McDonald’s restaurants beginning Aug. 18.The eight Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meal toys include:Hello Kitty x GodzillaKuromi x KiryuBadzt Maru x RodahMy Melody x MothraKeroppi x King GhidorahChocolate x Space GodzillaCinnamoroll x DestoroyahPompompurin x GiganThe announcement quickly generated interest on social media, with customers reacting to the unusual pairing and some international fans asking whether the promotion would eventually become available in other markets.The collaboration also builds on McDonald’s long-running strategy of using Happy Meal toys and entertainment partnerships to attract families, collectors, and fans.Since introducing the Happy Meal in 1977, McDonald’s has turned the children’s meal into an important marketing platform, regularly using collectible toys and recognizable characters to generate excitement around limited-time promotions.Why McDonald’s is only releasing the Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meal in the U.S.McDonald’s tailors its menu in each country based on local preferences, ingredient availability, and the operational requirements of introducing products at scale.That means a promotion developed for one market does not automatically become a global release.While menus vary around the world, McDonald’s maintains a group of core products across many regions, including the World Famous Fries, Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Big Mac, McNuggets, and Vanilla Cone.The company’s localization approach gives individual markets flexibility to develop offerings suited to their customers and operating environment, while limited-time collaborations can be rolled out selectively.Historically, McDonald’s has taken a selective approach to bringing international concepts to the U.S., sometimes testing products or promotions based on regional preferences and previous performance. In some cases, successful offerings have expanded into additional markets.That makes the latest collaboration notable. Although both Hello Kitty and Godzilla originated in Japan, McDonald’s is choosing to launch this particular crossover nationwide in the U.S.

McDonald’s partners with Hello Kitty and Godzilla to launch a new Happy Meal.John Keeble/Getty Images

McDonald’s brings global partnerships to the U.S.The Hello Kitty and Godzilla collaboration is not the first time McDonald’s has brought major international entertainment brands to its U.S. restaurants, particularly through limited-edition Happy Meals.Here’s some of my previous coverage of McDonald’s collaborations:BT21: Joined forces with the K-pop group BTS in July 2026 to release eight character toys. KPop Demon Hunters: Collaborated with Netflix (NFLX) in March 2026 to launch a promotion that included two adult Happy Meal options, themed menu items, collectible merchandise, and digital experiences.TinyTAN: Partnered with Big Hit Music in September 2025 to release animated versions of toys based on BTS members.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Hello Kitty and Friends: Collaborated with the franchises in August 2025 to launch a crossover featuring themed packaging and collectible toys.The latest promotion extends a broader push by McDonald’s to turn entertainment partnerships into cultural moments that can generate attention beyond its traditional restaurant advertising.That strategy could be particularly important in the U.S., where McDonald’s has been looking for ways to strengthen customer engagement as domestic sales growth slows.McDonald’s strategy to boost growthMcDonald’s latest earnings provide some context for the company’s continued investment in menu innovation, marketing, and collaborations in its largest market.During its second quarter of fiscal 2026, the company reported:Systemwide sales increased 5% year over year.Global comparable sales were up 1.3%.U.S. comparable sales rose 0.8%.Comparable sales at international operated markets climbed 1.5%.Comparable sales at international developmental licensed markets increased 1.9%.McDonald’s said U.S. comparable sales were driven by positive check growth, including favorable product mix, but were partially offset by declining comparable guest counts. International developmental licensed markets, meanwhile, were led by Japan.The results highlight the gap between McDonald’s U.S. business and some international markets.”While our playbook is working around the world, we see an opportunity to raise the bar in the U.S. and accelerate performance in our largest market,” said McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski in the company’s earnings release. During the company’s latest earnings call, Kempczinski also emphasized the importance of marketing and creating cultural moments that drive consumer engagement and restaurant traffic.That makes limited-time collaborations one part of McDonald’s broader U.S. strategy. The company is not simply adding another set of toys to the Happy Meal. It is using recognizable brands and limited availability to give customers another reason to pay attention to the chain.For McDonald’s, the challenge will be turning that attention into sustained restaurant traffic in a U.S. market where guest counts remain under pressure.”The McDonald’s brand remains one of one in our industry and among the most powerful brands in the world,” said Kempczinski during the earnings call.Related: McDonald’s tests 10 new chicken menu items

The operator of Café Fiorello and other iconic New York restaurants filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after years of financial distress, including debt from merchant cash advances.The Fireman Group of Cafe Concepts Inc., a restaurant chain that includes iconic Café Fiorello locations in New York and Washington, D.C., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize its business and restructure its debt obligations after facing merchant cash advance loan disputes, according to court documents.The restaurant and cafe operator owns nine restaurants after closing two locations, Redeye Grill in New York and USA Brooklyn Delicatessen in Brooklyn, in July 2026.The debtor filed its petition on Aug. 9, 2026, as it had been overloaded with debt for years dating back to before the Covid-19 pandemic, with construction cost overruns at various locations and losses from a fire at one of its restaurants, according to a declaration from Chief Restructuring Officer Jordan Meyers of SierraConstellation Partners LLC.

S.M.F Group Inc., which owns Café Fiorello in Manhattan and eight other restaurants, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. wdstock / Getty Images

Covid-19 pandemic led to financial distressGovernment-mandated shutdowns and a collapse of Broadway shows, tourism, and the Midtown Manhattan office market during the pandemic were devastating to the debtor’s restaurants.The dining establishments have close ties to New York’s theaters, concert halls, and visitor economy, which had a slow recovery from the pandemic’s effects. As a result, its restaurants’ traffic didn’t return to prepandemic levels until the fourth quarter of 2025.To make it through the pandemic and its aftermath, the debtor tapped several loan programs to fund its business operations, including the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, and finally in spring 2024, it began obtaining merchant cash advance loans to fill its liquidity gaps.The debtor also allegedly began missing rent payments to landlords, according to court papers.Financial distress worsenedTraffic and business did not improve as the merchant cash advance loans became due, and the debtor obtained more advances. Fixed payments to lenders consumed a large portion of the debtor’s gross receipts, which worsened its financial situation and further strained its operations, according to the declaration.The debtor also fell behind on sales tax payments, and it had difficulty dealing with vendors. In March 2026, the debtor’s financial burdens became unsustainable, and it ceased payments on the merchant advance loans and began paying its sales taxes again.Debtor hires restructuring adviserThe restaurant operator hired SierraConstellation Partners as its restructuring adviser to negotiate payments on its debts, but certain merchant cash advance lenders pursued litigation, which led the debtor to file for bankruptcy protection.”Faced with the imminent inability to continue operating, the debtor commenced these Chapter 11 cases to stabilize operations and restore access to their revenues,” Meyers said in the declaration. The lead debtor, S.M.F. Group Inc., and 21 affiliates filed their petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, listing over $26 million in assets and over $39 million in debts, including over $9.9 million in secured debt.Seeks debtor-in-possession loanThe Fireman Group of Cafe Concepts will also seek up to $6.5 million in debtor-in-possession financing that includes $2.3 million in new money and a roll-up of prepetition debt. The debtor will also seek litigation to recover $5.9 million in holdback amounts from merchant cash advance lenders, according to the debtor-in-possession financing motion. The debtor’s largest unsecured creditors include Vornado Realty Trust, owed over $5.9 million in rent; New York State Department of Taxation, owed over $3.1 million; Samson MCA LLC, owed over $1.6 million; InKind Cards Inc., owed over $1.5 million; Webfund LLC, owed over $1.4 million; Edison Management LLC, owed over $1.1 million.Another restaurant operator, Subway franchisee MTF Enterprises LLC, which owns 43 Subway sandwich restaurants in Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Virginia, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 21, 2026, after allegedly defaulting on merchant cash advance loans, Restaurant Dive reported.S.M.F. Group restaurants:Bond 45, 221 W. 46th Street, New YorkBrooklyn Diner, 212 W. 57th Street, New YorkBrooklyn Diner, 155 W. 43rd Street, New YorkCafé Fiorello, 1900 Broadway, New YorkCafé Fiorello, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.Café Paradiso, 144 W. 65th Street, New YorkDell’ Arte, 900 7th Ave., New YorkParis Bar and Ls Jardin, 120 W. 57th Street, New YorkUSA Brooklyn Delicatessen, 200 W. 57th Street, New York. Source: DeclarationRelated: Popular fitness chain operator files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Rocket Lab (RKLB) delivered the type of quarter that should have put investors at ease.Revenue jumped62% year over year to a record $234 million, beating Wall Street expectations, while its space-systems business accounted for 81% of total sales.Instead, shares fell roughly 7% in extended trading.It had little to do with the quarter just passed. It was about the rocket Rocket Lab hasn’t launched yet.For months, investors had a clear milestone to work with: The company’s reusable medium-lift neutron rocket was scheduled to make its first flight in the fourth quarter of 2026.Rocket Lab’s most recent language, however, was much more subdued. The company now says it is on track to get Neutron’s first-stage tank to the launch pad during the fourth quarter, Reuters confirmed. CFO Adam Spice said the company would “hopefully” launch during the same period, while CEO Peter Beck acknowledged that “the window for an end-of-year launch is narrowing.”That’s not an official postponement, but investors could see the difference.Neutron is more than just another product launch. It’s key to Rocket Lab’s strategy of competing for bigger commercial and civil space, getting involved in national security missions, and becoming a far broader space company.The biggest milestone for 2026 became less certain for shareholders.Beck stressed that Rocket Lab remains focused on getting Neutron to the pad and preparing for a rapid mission cadence after debut.Rocket Lab’s Neutron matters far more than one launch dateRocket Lab already has a working launch company. Its smaller Electron rocket has given the company a major foothold in the small-launch industry, while its space systems section has become the much bigger part of the company.That’s why the Neutron is so important.The reusable rocket is designed to move Rocket Lab into a different competitive class, and it’s vital to Rocket Lab’s longer-term aspirations to deploy its satellites.The startup has already begun signing up consumers ahead of launch. One of those deals is with Kepler Communications, which expects to employ Neutron for several communications and in-orbit computer satellites in 2028.That gives Rocket Lab an added incentive to get through development rapidly. Rockets have a way of punishing schedules, however.Related: SpaceX’s own ambitions just became Rocket Lab’s opportunityRocket Lab has maintained its high rate of spending on Neutron development, launch infrastructure, and production capacity.Beck said the business expects the rocket to reach the pad by the end of the year, where a fully fueled test would be among the most crucial stages in the program.It’s also where technical danger gets much more difficult to ignore.The first fully fueled pad test is not ceremonial. It’s the point at which Rocket Lab starts proving that the integrated vehicle, the launch infrastructure, and the ground systems can all work together in real-world situations.A problem there can create extra delays. That may be why management seems less ready to guarantee an inaugural flight by Dec. 31.

Rocket Lab’s record revenue masked a much bigger concern.Phil Walter / Getty Images

Rocket Lab’s record revenue cannot fully distract from NeutronThe difference in timing is especially important because the underlying business is growing significantly.Revenue for the second quarter surged 62% to $234 million, an all-time business record and above expectations. Rocket Lab’s space-systems division made up 81% of revenue, showing how far the company has grown beyond launch services.More SpaceX:Morgan Stanley says SpaceX investors miss the bigger storyPeter Schiff says SpaceX is a warning for hyped stocksSpaceX stock defies latest Wall Street forecastsBut there is a compromise in the mix. Rocket Lab is guiding for a third-quarter gross margin of 29% to 31%, Reuters noted, well below the 37.6% Wall Street forecast.Management said lower-margin satellite platforms are becoming a bigger part of the business, while fewer sales of some more established products are also hitting margins.That’s a unique investor arrangement.Rocket Lab is expanding more quickly. But the next big value trigger for the stock hinges significantly on a rocket that hasn’t launched.The Neutron is the possibility for Rocket Lab to compete for a significantly larger slice of the launch business. That includes missions now controlled by the bigger launch providers.If Neutron succeeds, Rocket Lab could potentially provide larger missions, compete for major defense grants, and vertically integrate more of its own space goals. If the program fails, the revenue coming in elsewhere in the company does not go away.But the window for this bigger opportunity is pushed back.Rocket Lab investors are now watching the calendar differentlyThe big difference? Rocket Lab hasn’t officially announced that Neutron would be late in 2026. Managers still want to have the rocket on the launch pad by the end of the year.Spice said it will “hopefully” launch within the same time window, but that still leaves a solid fourth-quarter launch goal in doubt. And markets tend to respond badly when the terminology around a headline development milestone becomes less accurate.What Rocket Lab investors should watchQ4 2026: Rocket Lab now targets getting Neutron to the launch pad during the quarter.Launch timing: Management did not provide a new definitive first-flight date.62%: Second-quarter revenue growth.$234 million: Record second-quarter revenue.81%: Share of revenue generated by the space-systems division.29% to 31%: Expected third-quarter gross margin.37.6%: Wall Street’s gross-margin estimate cited by Reuters.2028: Timing of Kepler Communications missions already booked on Neutron.The bull case is still intact. Rocket Lab is posting record revenue, boosting its space-systems company, and developing a rocket that could greatly increase its potential market.The risk is timing. Investors had valued Neutron for years before it even launched its first flight, making every scheduling modification more significant.A rocket on the pad in December would still be huge progress. But if the maiden flight slips into 2027, the market may have to reevaluate when Neutron starts to make a substantial contribution to Rocket Lab’s growth story.Rocket Lab has not officially delayed its biggest rocket, although it’s no longer clear that 2026 will be the year Neutron actually flies.The shift in tone is important for a stock whose future rests so much on that rocket.Related: Rocket Lab just landed a $266 million rocket deal

If you receive an inherited individual retirement account (IRA), you typically must deplete the entire plan within 10 years. But while some people delay withdrawals for as long as possible to enjoy tax-free growth, others have to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) each year.
The IRS has clear guidelines for who can wait until the 10th year to take distributions and who must make annual withdrawals. Here’s what you need to know.

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Why ‘10-year rule’ isn’t always simple
The SECURE Act set the requirement that an inherited IRA must be completely emptied after 10 years in most cases, but there is some nuance about how frequently you must withdraw.
The key question centers around how old the original holder was before passing away. If the original owner reached the age where they had to take out required minimum distributions, then the recipient of the inherited IRA must also withdraw some funds from the account each year.
If the original IRA owner did not reach the age where they had to make required minimum distributions, you could wait until the last day of the 10th year before withdrawing the entire amount. This scenario gives you more flexibility, but if you have a traditional IRA, you may still want to withdraw some money each year to spread out the tax impact.
There are some exceptions to the rule, including for surviving spouses who inherit an IRA.

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When annual inherited-IRA RMDs are required
RMDs are the minimum amounts of money someone must withdraw from a retirement account once they hit a certain age — typically, age 73. The IRS’ Single Life Expectancy Table determines IRA RMDs, even for inherited plans, but they can vary depending on circumstances. Generally, RMDs are required on inherited IRAs if the owner had already started taking RMDs before they died.
Regardless of whether RMDs apply, the plan typically needs to be depleted by the end of the 10th year after the owner’s death. Roth IRA owners don’t need to take RMDs during their lifetimes, but someone who inherits a Roth IRA may need to take RMDs.
Exceptions, taxes and the cost of getting the rule wrong
There are exceptions for surviving spouses, minor children of the deceased owner, beneficiaries with a disability or who are chronically ill beneficiaries, and people who are no more than 10 years younger.
RMDs may still be required, but beneficiaries with this exception may be able to stretch the distributions across their lifetime. RMDs will be based on the beneficiary’s age, which can greatly reduce the required distribution. A surviving spouse can roll the inherited IRA into their own IRA to avoid the 10-year RMDs in general. However, some of these same spouses may have to take out RMDs from their own plans, depending on their age.
It’s important to stay on top of RMDs, and that’s not just because it allows you to spread the tax bill over multiple years instead of being hit with a big expense. If you miss a required RMD, it can trigger an excise tax of up to 25%. This excise tax can be reduced to 10% if you correct the error within two years.
You should review the original IRA owner’s year of death, beneficiary status and whether the owner had reached their required beginning date for RMDs before choosing a withdrawal strategy.

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A food recall tied to a multistate Salmonella outbreak is hitting products sold at some of the country’s largest grocery chains.Taylor Farms is recalling dips, salsa, guacamole, sandwiches, and other prepared foods containing jalapeño peppers distributed to Walmart, Kroger, Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop.The recall was announced after Coast Citrus Distributors recalled fresh jalapeños because of possible Salmonella contamination. Federal health officials have linked the peppers to an outbreak that has sickened 345 people in 27 states and hospitalized 36. No deaths have been reported.Taylor Fresh Foods said it is not aware of any illnesses specifically linked to its finished products.The recalled products were distributed to retail distribution centers in the following 26 states: AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NE, NH, NY, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VT, WI, WV.They carry “Best If Used By” dates through August 16.Walmart, Kroger, and Target products recalledThe recall involves several store and private-label products.Kroger products include a Private Selection spicy roast beef sandwich, spicy Jarlsberg dip, and spicy pimento cheese dip.At Walmart, affected products include Freshness Guaranteed mild and spicy pico de gallo sold in several states.Target products include taco dip, mango pico de gallo, spicy guacamole, pico de gallo, and authentic guacamole.Trader Joe’s recalled its Fiesta Style Salad with Shrimp in Texas, while Whole Foods is affected through several salsa and pico de gallo products sold in Illinois and Texas.Hannaford and Stop & Shop are also affected by the following products: diced jalapeños, a rice-and-bean burrito, and pico de gallo salsa.Chipotle and fast-casual Mexican chain QDOBA also received jalapeños imported by Coast Citrus. Chipotle began switching suppliers at affected restaurants on July 20, while QDOBA stopped using the peppers on July 28. The FDA said neither chain is considered an ongoing risk after the products were removed.The fresh jalapeños at the center of the outbreak were distributed by Coast Citrus to wholesalers, restaurants, and food-service companies nationwide. The FDA said Coast Citrus does not appear to have supplied the peppers directly to grocery stores.Instead, retailers, including Walmart and Kroger, received downstream Taylor Fresh Foods products made with the recalled jalapeños.Look here at the complete FDA listing, which provides UPC codes, affected states, and best-by dates for each product.

Taylor Farms recalls finished products containing jalapeños. Smitt / Getty Images

Jalapeño outbreak linked to 345 illnessesFDA traceback identified a common grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, as the likely source of the outbreak.Taylor Fresh Foods has stopped sourcing products from the farmer and is filling orders from alternative suppliers.The outbreak has resulted in 345 illnesses across 27 states, including 36 hospitalizations so far.Illnesses began between June 19 and July 20.Of the 191 people interviewed during the investigation, 177 (93%) reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before becoming sick.The outbreak has also prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to issue a separate public health alert for certain meat and poultry products made with the affected jalapeños.The jalapeño recall follows another recent food-safety issue involving Taylor Farms.In July, TheStreet reported that Taylor Farms removed iceberg lettuce from its supply chain after federal investigators linked lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants to a multistate Cyclospora outbreak.Consumers urged to throw away recalled productsTaylor Fresh Foods said consumers who have recalled products should discard them immediately and not eat them.Refunds are available at the location where the products were purchased.Salmonella infection can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, usually beginning 12 to 72 hours after exposure.Children younger than 5, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe illness.The FDA said its outbreak investigation remains ongoing.Related: 24-year-old international barbecue chain closes all locations

How do you value the assets of about 8.3 billion people and a livable planet that is 4.54 billion years old – give or take 50 million years? The question came up in an Elon Musk tweet on July 9:“SpaceX will be worth more than the rest of Earth if we accomplish our goals.” – Elon MuskThe key here is the little word “if” attached to his “goals.” That sure is a big “if,” the biggest “if” of any company trying to talk about the future. I like the fact that SpaceX wants to turn humanity into an interplanetary species. I like the fact he’s taking the fiction out of “science fiction.” Among his goals, they want to build a city on the Moon and later on Mars. That is fine and dandy, but I think it will take a few years, maybe decades, and share prices are about discounting future cash flows. Those cities on the Moon and Mars are hard to discount, to put it mildly, as they certainly won’t happen within the next year or two.Related: Louis Navellier sees uncommon August rebound after Palantir blowoutThe leveraged ETF community has noticed keen investor interest in SpaceX and has listed five 2X leveraged bullish single-stock ETFs on the company, and one bearish-inverse ETF. I find the idea of single-stock 2X exchange-traded funds absurd. What type of “fund” would hold only one stock? And piling this 2X leverage on top of an already volatile security is only going to make it more volatile.Musk wants to generate $1 trillion in revenue by 2030. If anyone can do it, Elon Musk can. He divulged more of his plans for how he will achieve that goal in SpaceX’s first earnings call. And yet, the stock did not rally.Will SpaceX follow Tesla’s trajectory?Many point out Tesla’s (TSLA) spectacular growth after it became public in 2010, but few bothered to look up Tesla’s market cap at its IPO price – it was only $1.7 billion, while SpaceX’s debut price was 1,000+ times higher, at $1.75 trillion. Tesla grew dramatically since 2010, while SpaceX is already at a huge market cap.SpaceX’s lockup expired on August 6, and investors will get a better grip on what SpaceX is worth after the August-December period, and after we get even more details on Musk’s interplanetary exploration plans. But right now, SpaceX has declined about 50% from its highs and is not expected to be profitable until late 2027 or 2028.I am not anti-Elon Musk and realize that he made a lot of people, including himself, rich. However, Tesla has never scored well in my 8-factor fundamental model.My stock grading system rates Tesla as a D.

For more information about my grading system, click here. SpaceX will not be in Stock Grader until it has traded for 52 weeks, but I can tell you already that SpaceX already scores poorly in my 8-factor fundamental model. All the fuss on the SpaceX initial public offering (IPO) was about 21 Wall Street underwriters collecting record investment banking fees and not about a good investment. Whether SpaceX will be worth more than the rest of Earth is anyone’s guess, but for now, its valuation is pricing in a future that remains a very big “if.”Related: Bank of America doubles down on SpaceX after earnings

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