SUCCESS

T-Mobile is restricting access to two wireless promotions following several recent changes affecting customer savings. Last week, T-Mobile warned customers that it is retiring multiple older phone plans, including Magenta, Simple Choice, and ONE, over the next few weeks.The change will move customers on those older plans to newer ones, such as those from T-Mobile’s Essentials and Experience wireless plan lineup. Almost half of these customers will see their monthly bill increase by up to $6 as a result of this change. In addition, the carrier is also axing its KickBack discount on July 13, which it has offered since 2017. The discount lets customers save $10 per wireless line on their account if it uses less than 2GB of mobile data each month. T-Mobile restricts Keep and Switch and Family Freedom offersIn another new change that impacts customer savings, T-Mobile is limiting its Keep and Switch and Family Freedom promotions. Keep and Switch, which launched in 2020, helps customers who switch to T-Mobile pay off their remaining device balances with their previous carrier by offering reimbursements of up to $800 per wireless line (max of four) on their T-Mobile account.Family Freedom, which was introduced in April last year, essentially offers the same as Keep & Switch, except that after T-Mobile pays off the device, customers are required to trade it in for a newer one from the carrier. Related: T-Mobile faces backlash over new customer support restrictionBoth offers were made available to customers with new and existing accounts; however, that is no longer the case.On July 9, T-Mobile officially restricted both promotions to new accounts only, according to a recent update on its website. It is also limiting both offers to accounts that have either T-Satellite or Home Internet.RTMNexus CEO Dominick Miserandino said in a statement to TheStreet that the change from T-Mobile is “a deliberate play to cross-sell and diversify its customer base into other high-growth products.”“T-Mobile has poured massive capital into expanding its 5G home broadband and its newer satellite network,” said Miserandino. “By holding its best $800 carrier-switching discounts hostage unless you buy into these secondary services, it is forcing its core wireless business to act as a powerful engine that drives adoption across its entire tech ecosystem.”

T-Mobile is limiting its Keep and Switch and Family Freedom promos. Bloomberg / Getty Images

Why T-Mobile risks losing more customers The move from T-Mobile risks pushing more customers to switch to its rivals, especially after it rolled out several price increases over the past few months.In January, it hiked its Regulatory Programs & Telco Recovery fee, a monthly billing charge customers pay. T-Mobile also started charging $3 per month for its Apple TV “On Us” perk, which had previously been free for customers on Plus-level wireless plans.In March, it began hitting customers with a $35 Device Connection Charge when they purchase devices directly from Apple. The carrier also quietly increased its restocking fee for device returns. Most recently, T-Mobile doubled the rate customers pay to make calls outside the U.S., raising it from $0.25 per minute to $0.50 per minute.More T-Mobile News:T-Mobile adds new internet plan restriction customers will feelT-Mobile drops new free perks for customers as pressure buildsT-Mobile quietly expands a convenient service for customersT-Mobile is already struggling to hold on to customers as it faces increased competition not only from AT&T and Verizon but also from cable operators, which are offering discounted rates for wireless service through bundled plans. Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which offer consumers mobile service at lower prices compared to traditional wireless carriers, are also becoming increasingly popular. In December, a survey conducted by WhistleOut revealed that 34% of T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon customers plan to switch to an MVNO within the next year due to high mobile plan prices. During an earnings call in April, T-Mobile CEO Srini Gopalan said that the company’s postpaid phone churn, the percentage of customers that ended their postpaid wireless service, climbed by 3 basis points year over year in the first quarter of 2026. “January was particularly competitive and particularly heavy in one-dimensional competition based on subsidies,” said Gopalan during the call.Competition in the wireless market is expected to intensify as SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile is reportedly developing its own terrestrial U.S. mobile network, potentially becoming the country’s fourth major carrier. In a report from Fierce Network in May, Alex Besen, president of The Besen Group, warned that there is “not much” traditional carriers can do if Starlink becomes a major global wireless competitor. “They have to think how they’re going to remain in business with Starlink in the marketplace,” said Besen.Related: Verizon acquires 35-year-old wireless carrier as it shuts down

If you’ve ever shopped at Dollar Tree before, you know that it can sometimes be a frustrating experience. It’s sort of similar to Costco. You walk in expecting your favorite stuff to be sitting there on the shelf, only to realize it’s been replaced with different products. But whereas products tend to disappear at Costco due to inventory rotation, at Dollar Tree, products often go missing due to logistical challenges. Empty shelves are a frustrating thing for Dollar Tree customers because seeking out those same items elsewhere could mean paying more. At a time when broad inflation is up 4.2% year over year per the latest Consumer Price Index and grocery prices are up 2.7%, that’s a problem.The good news is that Dollar Tree is taking steps to solve the problem. The company is investing in a 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Arizona and broader technology upgrades designed to move products to stores faster.That could make for a much-improved shopping experience.Better logistics could mean fewer empty shelvesDollar Tree’s new distribution center in Litchfield Park, Arizona, will serve more than 700 stores across the West and Southwest, cutting delivery times while giving the retailer more flexibility when disruptions occur elsewhere in its network. Company executives say the facility is one piece of a broader effort to create a faster, more scalable supply chain.Related: Sam’s Club just made a holiday closure decision Costco didn’t“It’s built to handle the volume we need today while also giving us room to grow in the future,” Chief Supply Chain Officer Roxanne Weng told Supply Chain Dive.At the same time, Dollar Tree is replacing legacy systems with improved technology that gives it better visibility into inventory and product movement across its stores and distribution network. While shoppers may never notice those behind-the-scenes changes, they should notice the results.A more efficient supply chain means fewer out-of-stock items, quicker replenishment of popular products, and a better chance that seasonal merchandise arrives while customers still want it.

Dollar Tree’s new Arizona distribution center aims to reduce delivery times.Trong Nguyen/Shutterstock

The changes come at an important timeDollar Tree has been reshaping its business over the past year, including completing the sale of Family Dollar so management can focus entirely on growing the Dollar Tree banner. At the same time, inflation-conscious shoppers continue to rely on discount retailers for everyday essentials and impulse purchases. That puts extra pressure on Dollar Tree to keep shelves stocked.More Retail:Costco sees major shift in member behaviorRetail chain shuts all locations as legal changes hit industryCostco makes major investment in online shopping for membersIf customers repeatedly can’t find the products they’re looking for, they may simply shop elsewhere.By investing in distribution centers, inventory technology, and logistics, Dollar Tree is betting that better execution behind the scenes will create a better shopping experience in stores.“Our continued focus on improving inventory… supports fresher assortments for our customers, working capital efficiency and stronger free cash flow generation,” CFO Stewart Glendinning said during Dollar Tree’s first-quarter 2026 earnings call. Dollar Tree saw comparable store sales rise 3.5% year over year and the average ticket grow 4.5% during its most recent operating quarter. The company credits much of that success to its focus on its multi-price assortment.If Dollar Tree is able to improve logistics and keep its stores well-stocked, it could gain an even greater share of shoppers as consumers seek out value at a time when life has gotten overwhelmingly expensive.Related: Dollar Tree expands service many customers can’t afford

Saving for retirement has become increasingly automated. For millions of Americans, money flows into a 401(k) every paycheck, investments are managed in target-date funds, and account balances grow over decades with little day-to-day decision-making.Retirement changes everything. Instead of figuring out how to save, retirees must decide how to turn those accumulated assets into reliable income, a challenge many are unprepared to navigate.An AARP Research study of more than 1,400 workers ages 50 to 70 finds that most have not developed a strategy to convert their nest egg into steady retirement income.AARP’s retirement income study exposes a planning blind spotThe research, fielded in late 2025 among 1,422 adults with access to employer-sponsored retirement plans, focused on workers who are not yet retired but are approaching the transition from accumulation to decumulation.When asked how they would prefer to draw income from their workplace savings, participants overwhelmingly favored automatic distribution, where a fixed amount is distributed on a set schedule.Related: AARP study addresses common fear that Social Security will endEvan Mills, an associate financial advisor at Scholar Financial Advising, warns retirees against treating savings as a single undifferentiated pool.”The biggest mistake I usually see when working with retirees is their treating their retirement savings like one big checking account and every dollar as equally valuable,” said Mills.About 12% said they were very likely and 49% somewhat likely to use that approach, AARP Research reported. AARP attributed the preference for scheduled withdrawals over managed accounts or annuities to two factors: Greater control over savings and easier access to funds.Annuity support collapses once participants learn the tradeoffsOne of the study’s findings involved how quickly enthusiasm for guaranteed income products faded once participants understood what they were agreeing to.When participants received a general description of annuities, 18% expressed strong interest, and 41% expressed moderate interest. Once the survey explained that payments never adjust, savings cannot be refunded, and dying early could mean getting less than you paid in, strong interest fell to 8%, and moderate interest dropped to 36%.

Interest in annuities dropped sharply after people learned about the tradeoffs.skynesher/Getty Images

TIAA Institute and Nuveen research reinforces AARP’s conclusionsA parallel study published in June 2026 by the TIAA Institute and Nuveen reached similar results using a larger, broader sample of more than 2,100 employees across all career stages.Only 22% of respondents had given serious thought to how they would draw down their retirement accounts, the survey found.Workers correctly answered just 25% of survey questions about withdrawal mechanics, and nearly half could not answer a single question on the topic correctly, the TIAA Institute reported.”Yet despite that scale, too many Americans arrive at retirement without a clear strategy for turning their savings into income that will last,” Brendan McCarthy, head of Nuveen Retirement Investing, said in a statement.Nearly half of 401(k) savers underestimate how long they will live past 65The knowledge gap on withdrawals becomes more alarming when paired with another finding from the TIAA Institute’s research: 44% of 401(k) participants underestimate how long they are likely to live after age 65.”You can’t solve for income that lasts a lifetime if you don’t understand how long that lifetime might be,” said Surya Kolluri, head of the TIAA Institute.More Retirement:Dave Ramsey raises red flag on major IRA, Roth IRA decisionSocial Security’s $30 trillion hole sparks tax debateIRS raises 401(k) limits but most workers lag behindMargie Glenn, a certified financial planner and certified public accountant at Moneta, told Yahoo Finance that the absence of a formal drawdown strategy exposes retirees to risk from both directions.”You risk either overspending early and jeopardizing your long-term security, or fearfully underspending and failing to enjoy the retirement you sacrificed a lifetime to build,” Glenn explained.Workers want employers to step in with retirement income guidanceBoth studies point to a demand for employer action that current plan designs are not meeting, as 94% of participants in the TIAA Institute and Nuveen survey said employers need to provide resources on withdrawal decisions.Among employees who used both interactive and non-interactive planning tools offered through their plan, 53% reported strong confidence in choosing the right withdrawal approach, nearly double the 28% rate among those who used neither type of tool, the survey showed.Kevin Crain, executive director of the Institutional Retirement Income Council, predicted in the IRIC’s 2026 forecast that 2026 will be the year plan sponsors shift from exploring retirement income solutions to implementing them at scale.AARP’s data signals a structural gap in how 401(k) plans serve older workersThe AARP study describes a retirement system that has succeeded at accumulation through auto-enrollment, employer matching, and diversified fund menus, but has fallen short on the phase that follows.The decumulation side remains largely unsupported within the plans themselves, and workers approaching retirement are left to navigate that transition with limited tools and insufficient understanding of the products available to them, the report suggested.For the millions of Americans counting on a 401(k) as their main retirement paycheck, the research points to an uncomfortable gap: The biggest financial decision of their lives is the one their plan is least built to help them make.Related: AARP sounds alarm on key 401(k), Social Security shift

Semiconductor equipment makers have spent most of this decade at the mercy of a single question. How long will chipmakers keep spending?For years, nobody knew the answer. Fabrication plants planned in short cycles, and equipment suppliers assumed the boom would eventually slow down.That assumption is being tested in 2026, and Applied Materials (AMAT) has become the clearest test case.AMAT stock has climbed sharply. Wall Street keeps raising targets, and Goldman Sachs just told clients the stock can still climb higher.Why Goldman Sachs raised its Applied Materials price target to $645Goldman Sachs kept its buy rating on Applied Materials and lifted its 12-month price target to $645from $520, MarketScreener reports.Goldman applies about 32 times a normalized earnings figure of roughly $20 per share, Odaily noted. That means the bank is paying up for durability rather than for one strong quarter.More AI Stocks:Goldman Sachs turns its back on major semiconductor stockGoldman Sachs resets AMD stock price target for the rest of 2026Veteran analyst drops massive Micron valuation predictionThe reason is DRAM. DRAM sits inside servers, and in its high-bandwidth form, it sits next to every serious AI accelerator. Applied Materials sells the tools that build it.Goldman expects the company to grow faster than its peers in 2026. Order visibility now stretches into 2028, and pricing gains could add to that.What Applied Materials does, and why DRAM demand changes its earningsApplied Materials is not a chip designer. It makes the machines that deposit, etch, and package the layers inside a chip. That means AMAT earns money when fabrication plants expand, rather than when a specific chip sells well.That distinction matters for investors, because it turns AMAT into a bet on capital spending across the whole industry, instead of a bet on one customer.Related: Goldman Sachs sees AMD entering earnings with 1 powerful advantageApplied Materials posted record fiscal second-quarter revenue of $7.91 billion, up about 20% from a year earlier, with earnings of $2.86 a share against a $2.68 estimate.Goldman now predicts non-GAAP earnings of $14.15 a share for 2026, about 6% above the consensus figure tracked by StockAnalysis.Where the growth is coming fromDRAM and high-bandwidth memory buildouts, including new greenfield fabsLeading-edge logic at the 2nm generation and belowAdvanced packaging, where management guides for more than 50% revenue growth in calendar 2026How Applied Materials stock has traded against the market this yearNumbers only matter here because they explain why Goldman had to move at all.According to Yahoo Finance, Applied Materials opened near $627 on Thursday, July 9, up about 6.8% on the session. The stock is also up roughly 22% over the past month, with a market value near $470 billion.So far in 2026, the shares are up about 127%. The S&P 500 has gained roughly 10% over the same stretch.Applied has already delivered the kind of return that usually arrives only after a target hike, and the run has drawn a steady stream of target increases.Applied Materials versus the broader market in 2026AMAT, year to date: Up about 127%S&P 500, year to date: Up about 10%AMAT, past month: Up about 22%AMAT, from its 52-week high of $739.67: Still down about 18%What the Applied Materials CEO said about chip demand through 2030The stock jumped on July 9 after CEO Gary Dickerson told Nikkei Asia that chipmakers are now handing over equipment demand forecasts covering two years or more. He also noted some plans reaching as far as 2030.Long-range forecasts from customers give a supplier confidence to add capacity before the orders formally arrive.Wall Street heard the same thing Goldman did. TD Cowen lifted its target to $700 from $525 on the same day, and Mizuho moved to $650, Nikkei Asia reported.

Applied Materials supplies the deposition, etch, and packaging tools chipmakers use to build advanced AI chips.Sundry Photography / Getty Images

The semiconductor setup that makes this call harder than it looksGoldman is confident about the fundamentals and cautious on the entry point, and the bank says so plainly in its second-quarter semiconductor preview, Odaily reported.Analysts expect most chip sub-sectors to beat estimates this quarter, but the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index has already gained about 88% against roughly 14% for the S&P 500.When a sector runs that far ahead of the index, good results stop being enough. The bar moves with the price.Applied Materials reports its fiscal third-quarter results on Aug. 13, with consensus at $3.39 a share on revenue of $8.94 billion, Blockonomi reported.Risks Applied Materials investors should weigh before buying the rallyGoldman names two specific dangers, and neither is priced into a 127% gain this year.The first is regulatory. New export restrictions on advanced tools would hurt a company that sells most of its equipment to China, Taiwan, and Korea.The second is competitive. Domestic Chinese equipment suppliers keep taking a share, and every point they win comes out of Applied’s addressable market. The company flags both risks in its SEC filings.What would have to go right for the $645 target to holdDRAM and HBM capacity plans stay on schedule rather than slipping a quarter.Advanced packaging clears the 50% growth bar management set for calendar 2026.Export rules stay roughly where they are.Hyperscaler capital spending holds through the second half of the year.What this means for Applied Materials investors deciding what to do nextGoldman’s $645 target sits below where several rivals now stand, and it sits close to today’s price. That says something useful.The average target across 29 analysts is about $617.21, which means the stock has already outrun the consensus view of fair value.For long-term holders, the DRAM and packaging story looks structural rather than cyclical, and it echoes the memory demand shift.For new investors, the August 13 earnings report is what to watch, since it will show whether the multi-year forecasts Dickerson described are turning into booked orders.Buying a stock after it has doubled is not automatically a mistake. However, it removes the margin for error that made the trade attractive in the first place.Related: Top analysts set jaw-dropping Micron stock target after surge