On September 10, 1-800-Flowers.com Inc. (NASDAQ:FLWS) reported fiscal 2026 results that read like a company still finding its footing after a hard year. Full year revenue fell 10.8% to $1.5 billion, and the fourth quarter alone dropped 12.9% to $293.1 million, as consumers stayed selective with discretionary spending on gifts and gourmet food. Buried under those declines, though, is a different story: inventory shrank, free cash flow improved by $55 million, and the company hit a two-year cost savings target a full year early. The question now is whether that discipline can outrun the sales slide.
1-800-Flowers spent fiscal 2026 tearing down the walls between its brands. Instead of separate teams running each brand in silos, the company shifted to functional teams built around marketing, merchandising, and the digital shopping experience, with one team now acting as store manager for every website. That shift already shows up in products: the floral business combined its florist-fulfilled and direct-ship merchandising teams, so the same popular arrangements are available either way, instead of competing against itself on one landing page. Harry & David rolled out a redesigned, mobile-first website with AI-powered search that is currently in A/B testing, and several low-traffic standalone sites were folded into harryanddavid.com to concentrate traffic rather than split it.
The financial discipline behind that reorganization is real. The company reached its $50 million cost savings run rate a full year ahead of schedule and has already lined up another $15 million to $20 million in savings for fiscal 2027, with the full benefit landing in fiscal 2028. That, combined with tighter working capital management, pushed free cash flow up $55 million year over year and cut inventory to $153 million from $177 million. Average order value rose 5.5%, third-party marketplace sales through Amazon, Walmart, and DoorDash are growing at double-to-triple-digit rates and are already contribution margin positive, and BloomNet grew 1.9% on the back of local delivery partnerships with apps like DoorDash and Instacart.
The rest of the story is bleaker. Total transactions fell 17.6% for the year, and the fourth quarter's decline was broad-based: consumer floral and gifts dropped 13.4% to $182.8 million as the company pulled back on promotional discounting, and gourmet foods and gift baskets fell 15.4% to $85.8 million, a decline made worse by the timing of Easter. Adjusted EBITDA for the year collapsed to $2.9 million from $29.2 million, and adjusted gross margin slipped 110 basis points to 38%. Even the fourth quarter's 34.7% gross margin leaned on a one-time $7 million tariff refund.

#fiscal

Gold and silver investors have had to contend with some sharp price moves so far in 2026. Gold, for example, surpassed $5,500 per ounce early this year, but has since retreated significantly from that record high, with the price of gold sitting closer to $4,275 per ounce as of mid-September. Silver, on the other hand, has also experienced sizable price swings as investors have responded to shifting expectations for inflation, interest rates and the economy.
And those price movements could become even more **** ounced in the days ahead. The Federal Reserve meets September 15 and 16, and persistent inflation has increased the possibility of another rate hike. That prospect matters for precious metals investors because changes in interest rates can quickly alter where investors put their money and how much they're willing to pay for **** ets such as gold and silver.
Still, the outcome isn't as simple as higher rates automatically leading to lower precious metals prices. Gold and silver are being pulled by several competing forces right now, and the Fed's decision is only one of them. So, if the central bank does raise rates this week, what could it actually mean for gold and silver prices — both immediately and in the months that follow? That's what we'll examine below.
Find out how you can use gold and silver to protect your portfolio today.
If the Fed raises rates at its September meeting, gold and silver prices could face some short-term pressure, as higher interest rates tend to make other interest-bearing options, such as bonds and savings products, more attractive. Gold and silver **** ets don't pay interest, though, so some investors may be less willing to hold them when they can earn higher returns elsewhere.

#Gold #silver #rates #ounce

Southern Company (SO) and Vistra (VST) both profited from AI power demand, yet VST shares are down 30% over the past year.
U.S. electricity prices climbed 4% over the past year, outpacing headline inflation and directly contradicting Musk's claim that AI data centers lower consumer bills.
The $180 annual savings Musk cited applies to one Georgia utility's contract; new AI-driven generation will land in rate bases all ratepayers fund.
Just released. Our ***** ysts combed the entire stock market and named the ten best stocks to buy right now, and Southern Company didn't make the cut. Enter your email to see the names that beat SO. The report is free. Enter your email and see if any of your stocks made the cut.
At 10:18 a.m. ET on Monday, Elon Musk told his audience that "AI data centers resulting in lower electricity prices for consumers" and pointed to a post claiming Georgia Power's new large-load contracts, overwhelmingly data centers, will save customers nearly a billion dollars, erasing about $180 per year from their bills. The post reached more than 503,000 impressions. Twelve days earlier, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey made the same argument on CNBC, saying net electricity prices will be lower when data centers come in. It is becoming an industry talking point. It is also colliding with the price data Americans actually pay.

#data #centers #company #musk

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The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) — a division of the Federal Reserve responsible for setting monetary policy — will soon meet again to evaluate the health of the economy and make key decisions regarding the federal funds rate.
These decisions impact not only how the economy functions as a whole but also everyday consumers, as they influence rates on savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and more.
Statements and forecasts released during FOMC meetings provide valuable information on the economic outlook. Knowing when the Fed meets to discuss monetary policy and make important decisions can help you get a snapshot of the economy's overall health and adjust your own financial strategy accordingly.
The FOMC holds eight regularly scheduled meetings per year. Its most recent meeting took place July 28-29, 2026. The next one is scheduled for Sept. 15-16.

#monetary #Health

You might be sabotaging your retirement without even knowing it — either by putting off important planning, being too risk averse, or just forgetting to account for everything you'll need after you quit working.
Doing so is surprisingly common. According to Northwestern Mutual, 50% of Gen Xers expect to outlive their savings in retirement. Maybe that's why almost half of Gen X is either expecting to continue to work in retirement or is already doing so.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes

#doing

Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN), one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, recently partnered with Moov, a payments infrastructure provider, to bring stablecoin payments and settlements to more than 1,000 U.S. community banks and credit unions. By integrating Coinbase's digital ******* et infrastructure into Moov's payments platform, the two companies will enable those financial institutions to accept stablecoins without building their own blockchains.
Let's see how this partnership could help Coinbase, why everyone is talking about stablecoins right now, and how the upcoming vote on the CLARITY Act could impact those plans.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to a stable fiat currency, such as the U.S. dollar or the euro, and can be held without a bank account. Their payments can be settled 24/7, enabling faster, cheaper money transfers than fiat currencies. They can be deposited in third-party lending platforms and liquidity pools to earn higher yields than traditional bank accounts.
Stablecoins can also allow people in countries with hyperinflation to preserve their savings without buying the underlying fiat currencies. They can also be used to accelerate cross-border transfers by acting as a "bridge currency" between the two fiat currencies.

#signal #Coinbase

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If you're looking for safe ways to grow your money and protect your savings, a high-yield savings account (HYSA) can be a great option. However, it's important to be aware that there are certain instances when you could lose money. So if you plan on opening a high-yield savings account, be sure you understand how to protect your principal and earned interest.
High-yield savings accounts are like traditional savings accounts except that they offer above-average interest rates. These accounts are available from banks and credit unions, particularly online financial institutions. The higher interest rate means you earn more on your deposited funds over time, allowing your savings to grow faster.
If you open an account with a federally insured financial institution, your savings account deposits are protected in case the institution fails. With banks, deposits are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to $250,000 per institution, per depositor, per ownership category. With credit unions, deposits are similarly insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
Read more: High-yield savings account vs. traditional savings account: Which one is better?

#high #credit #interest

Americans ages 65–74 have a median net worth of $410,000, the highest of any age group.
About 76% own a home and 51% have a retirement account, making home equity and savings the biggest drivers of wealth at this stage.
Debt is less common but still present, with roughly 65% carrying some debt and about a third holding a credit card balance.
Americans ages 65–74 are typically in retirement or just a few years removed from full-time work, making this a key moment to ******* s how wealth looks once paychecks have largely stopped. For many households, this stage represents the high-water mark for net worth before savings begin to be drawn down.
According to the Federal Reserve's latest Survey of Consumer Finances, the median net worth for households in this age range is $410,000, the highest of any age group in the U.S.

#americans #highest

On Sep. 8, a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, convicted Jihoon Park for his role in an investment fraud scheme and defrauding a bankruptcy court.
Park used his personal relationships and his previous affiliation with a large financial institution to convince members of his community to let him invest their life savings and retirement money with a promise of high returns, as per court documents and evidence presented at trial.
Related: San Francisco billionaire slammed by Gen Z son over surveillance support
But he transferred over $2.5 million from the unsuspecting community members to himself to buy a house and cryptocurrency.
As a fraud victim sued Park, he transferred **** ets to his wife and hid crypto **** ets worth millions of dollars before filing for bankruptcy.

#park

A Miami-area man filed a lawsuit accusing a Canadian heiress and her husband, a former reality TV personality, of borrowing $2 million and failing to repay it.
Named in the suit are Brendan Fitzpatrick, 38, who appeared on Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, and Chloe de Serigny, 31, the granddaughter of late financier Paul Desmarais, according to the Daily Mail.
In the federal complaint, Max Jan Fowles-Pazdro, 46, says Fitzpatrick convinced him in January 2025 to put up a $2 million bridge loan for a real estate project in the United Kingdom.
"Following repeated and increasingly desperate pleas from [Fitzpatrick] — [Fowles-Pazdro's] then-close friend — [Fowles-Pazdro] dug into his and his wife's life savings and funded a $2 million bridge loan that Brendan promised to begin repaying within six weeks," the filing stated, per the Daily Mail. "Two years have since elapsed — and not a penny of the loan has been repaid. With their nest egg gone, [Fowles-Pazdro] and his wife now teeter on financial ruin."
The suit also says the couple has continued to present an image of affluence, pointing to social media photos of them on a yacht in the Mediterranean.

#fitzpatrick

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Find out which banks are offering the best CD rates right now. If you're looking for a secure place to store your savings, a certificate of deposit (CD) may be a great choice. These accounts often provide higher interest rates than traditional checking and savings accounts. However, CD rates can vary widely.
Learn more about where CD rates stand today and how to find the best rates available.
CD rates are relatively high compared to historical averages. That said, CD rates have been on the decline since last year when the Federal Reserve began cutting its target rate. The good news is that several financial institutions offer competitive rates of 4% APY and up, particularly online banks.
Today, Thursday, September 10, the highest CD rate is 4.35%. Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers it on its 18-month CD.

#rates #offers #best

This week's ETF Zoo crew takes a lay of the land as summer comes to a close and some new and interesting developments crop up. ETF.com hosts Dave Nadig, President & Director of Research, and Sumit Roy, Senior ETF ****** yst, are joined in this episode by Cinthia Murphy, Director of Research at TMX VettaFi, and James Seyffart, CFA, CAIA, Senior Research ****** yst at Bloomberg Intelligence. Together the group talks about some of the big M&A announcements lately, dig into the AI chokepoint perspective, and more.
You can view this episode here or on our YouTube channel or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
M&A land grab in full swing. Billions in ETF acquisitions, including Victory Capital/First Eagle, Vanguard/Altruist, and more, signal that scale instead of organic growth now drives the industry. The Zoo crew debated whether firms are buying hit products, talent, or distribution, and what could be ahead for the industry.
Leverage and gambling push into new territory. Defiance's hourly-reset leveraged ETFs barely differ from daily resets despite pulling in huge fees, while Korea and ****** an crack down on single-stock leverage entirely. New NHL-linked sports-betting ETFs raised bigger concerns about routing gambling risk through the same rails as retirement savings.
AI concentration is everywhere, even where you don't expect it. Thematic and datacenter ETFs quietly hold the same chokepoint stocks like Micron and Nvidia, sparking debate over whether that's a feature or a vulnerability. However, real revenue growth at companies like Anthropic and OpenAI kept the Zoo Crew from sounding the alarm just yet.

#land #chokepoint

On Sep. 8, a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, convicted Jihoon Park for his role in an investment fraud scheme and defrauding a bankruptcy court.
Park used his personal relationships and his previous affiliation with a large financial institution to convince members of his community to let him invest their life savings and retirement money with a promise of high returns, as per court documents and evidence presented at trial.
Related: San Francisco billionaire slammed by Gen Z son over surveillance support
But he transferred over $2.5 million from the unsuspecting community members to himself to buy a house and cryptocurrency.
As a fraud victim sued Park, he transferred **** ets to his wife and hid crypto **** ets worth millions of dollars before filing for bankruptcy.

#fraud #members #community #transferred

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With so many guidelines around saving for retirement — best practices, where to put your savings, and how much to save — it can be difficult to know which path to take.
The advice usually goes something like this: Save a certain percentage of your income throughout your career, and your retirement fund could be somewhere in the millions. T. Rowe Price and Fidelity both recommend that retirement savers put away at least 15% of their income, while Vanguard recommends 12% to 15%.
This all sounds great in theory, but if you're earning an average salary, it could feel like a reach. However, experts say it may not be.
Last year on Instagram, multimillionaire investor and entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary shared the advice he gives his children to keep them on track toward a healthy nest egg.

#Retirement #advertiser #fidelity

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A health savings account (HSA) is a type of account that lets you save — and potentially invest — for healthcare expenses while earning tax benefits along the way. Depending on your financial situation and immediate medical needs, an HSA can even be a valuable retirement planning tool. But HSAs aren't available to everyone. Continue reading to learn how HSAs work, their rules, and pros and cons.
A health savings account is a tax-advantaged account you can use to pay for qualifying medical expenses, including prescription medications, eyeglasses, doctor's visits, and more. Some HSAs function like a savings account, while others give you the option to invest your funds for future use.
HSAs are known for their triple tax advantage: You fund them with pre-tax dollars, your contributions grow tax-free, and withdrawals are tax-free as long as you use them for qualifying medical expenses. For this reason, HSAs can be a valuable retirement savings tool if you don't need the funds to pay for immediate medical needs.
Unlike flexible spending accounts (FSAs), HSA contributions don't expire at the end of the year. This means you can contribute to your account year after year without the need to "use it or lose it." HSAs aren't subject to required minimum distributions, either.

#account #medical #year

The Campbell's Company (NASDAQ:CPB) is taking aggressive steps to turn around its fortunes, but the food company faces a difficult test. It's whether the $500 million cost-savings plan can rebuild margins and earnings as weak demand continues to pressure sales.
The company has already cut more than 550 jobs and closed two snack plants as part of the cost-cutting efforts. Moreover, it has reduced its quarterly dividend by 36% to conserve cash. Yet management expects another year of declining sales. That means the turnaround hinges on Campbell's ability to improve efficiency while stabilizing sales.
The need for restructuring became clear in the latest quarter. Sales fell 8% to $2.1 billion, and the company swung to a $69 million loss from a $145 million profit a year ago.
The Campbell's Company (NASDAQ:CPB) now plans to cut $500 million in costs by fiscal 2030. The savings are expected to support margin and allow greater investment in the brands. The cost-cutting program includes the closure of two snack plants and a workforce reduction affecting around 13% of Campbell's salaried employees.
Campbell's strategy has a clear financial logic. Lower costs should improve cash flow, help the company absorb inflationary pressures, and provide greater flexibility to invest in strengthening its brands. But the desired turnaround would only be possible if Campbell's can stabilize its underlying business at the same time.

#sales

For many people, saving for retirement is stressful: How much should I be putting away? When will I have enough to retire? Will I have enough, or will I outlive my savings?
So perhaps it's not surprising that a simple retirement formula, called Coast Fi (Coast financial independence), is gaining steam among young people, especially as they face uncertainty around the future of work and concerns about the future of Social Security.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes

#future

Lindsey Brooke Isaacs was asleep at home when police arrived and told the 23-year-old that her car had been involved in a crash that killed three people. She knew they had the wrong person. Her black Dodge Durango showed no obvious collision damage, and she had a receipt showing where she had been.
Still, the investigation eventually led to her being arrested and 13 days in jail. "My heart was in my stomach," Lindsey told me on The CyberGuy Report Podcast at Cyberguy.com/podcast/. "I didn't know what was going on."
Months later, prosecutors dropped all eight felony charges against her and investigators arrested another woman in connection with the crash. Her case now raises a bigger question about how much weight investigators should give license plate camera data when a person's freedom is on the line.
Missed CyberGuy LIVE? Watch the Protect Your Money replay
Our free CyberGuy LIVE class, Protect Your Money From Today's Biggest Threats, has ended, but you can still watch the full replay and download our financial protection checklist. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you through five simple ways to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. You'll learn how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed.

#told

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump's pitch to send Americans $5,000 checks should Republicans prevail in the November midterms is drawing scorn from some members of Congress — the very people who have constitutional authority over federal spending.
Economists and other political observers are voicing concerns about the potential effects on inflation and the national balance sheet. Taken together, it's a swift reaction that makes clear that Trump's dubious election-year gambit is likely little more than another grand promise from a politician with a long history of them.
"Donald Trump is a known liar. This is the biggest liar to ever serve in government. Period," said Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat who was in Dallas on Thursday as part of his party's effort to counter Republicans' midterm convention. "The dividend is not happening."
Trump previously pledged to use savings from the Department of Government Efficiency and revenue from tariffs on foreign imports to distribute payments of $2,000 or more, but none of that came to pass.
His latest idea comes as the U.S. economy is reckoning with persistent inflation and rising interest rates, two forces that have politically undermined Republicans after previously helping them reclaim power from Democrats. Trump claimed the payments would be possible because of the economy's strength, yet consumer sentiment is weak as gasoline prices are increasing because of the war with Iran and wages are struggling to keep pace with inflation.

#inflation

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With so many guidelines around saving for retirement — best practices, where to put your savings, and how much to save — it can be difficult to know which path to take.
The advice usually goes something like this: Save a certain percentage of your income throughout your career, and your retirement fund could be somewhere in the millions. T. Rowe Price and Fidelity both recommend that retirement savers put away at least 15% of their income, while Vanguard recommends 12% to 15%.
This all sounds great in theory, but if you're earning an average salary, it could feel like a reach. However, experts say it may not be.
Last year on Instagram, multimillionaire investor and entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary shared the advice he gives his children to keep them on track toward a healthy nest egg.

#Retirement #rowe

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The national average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage has crossed 7%. However, there is a way to lower your mortgage costs: a buydown interest rate.
With this method, you pay more at closing to lower your mortgage interest rate. While it costs more money up front, it can lead to greater savings over the life of the loan. But it's a more beneficial tactic if you plan to stay in the home for a while — the longer you keep the mortgage, the more you'll save by buying down the rate.
While there are perks to having a lower mortgage rate, there are also factors to consider before buying down your interest rate.
When you buy down your mortgage rate, you pay extra money at closing to purchase points that essentially lower your interest rate.

#closing

Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE) agreed to sell another 19% of the Nutrinova food-ingredients joint venture to Mitsui & Co., Ltd. for approximately $152 million in cash. The transaction, expected to close in the fourth quarter subject to customary conditions, will reduce the retained interest of Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE) from 30% to 11%.
The interest being sold generated approximately $4 million of equity earnings in 2025. The consideration therefore equals about 38 times that contribution, suggesting Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE) is receiving a strong price for a noncore holding. The proceeds will reduce debt, fund upcoming maturities, and count toward the goal of Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE) to generate $1 billion from divestitures by the end of 2027.
The disclosed economics favor the sale. Paying $152 million for an interest that generated $4 million of equity earnings implies an earnings yield of only about 2.6% for the buyer. Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE) is exchanging a relatively small earnings contribution for immediate debt-repayment capacity and potential interest savings.
Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE) also retains 11% of Nutrinova, preserving some participation if the food-ingredients venture expands. Under the related diketene-facility arrangement, Nutrinova will cover the facility's full purchase price and ongoing operating costs. Celanese Corporation (NYSE:CE) has no funding obligation, limiting capital exposure while retaining an economic interest.
Combined with the completed $500 million Micromax divestiture, the latest transaction would bring the combined announced transaction values of the two deals to approximately $652 million. That would represent about 65% of the $1 billion divestiture objective.

#NYSE #million #nutrinova

Our ****** ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Transitioned from a brand-centric to a function-based organization to create clear accountability across marketing, merchandising, and digital experience teams.
Achieved the original $50 million two-year cost savings target within one year by improving marketing efficiency and streamlining internal operations.
Prioritized revenue contribution margin over top-line growth in fiscal 2026, intentionally reducing marketing spend that did not meet incrementality or profitability thresholds.
Consolidated the digital ecosystem by moving low-traffic standalone websites into categories within flagship platforms like Harry & David to leverage scale and improve efficiency.

#achieved

If you hold Pfizer (PFE) or Zoetis (ZTS), you hold the same idea: a branded medicine becomes a standard of care and keeps earning for years, in people or in animals. That is where it stops. Pfizer is buying replacements for older drugs losing exclusivity. Zoetis is cutting its effective price to keep the franchises it has. Same bet, two opposite defenses.
Pfizer lifted the midpoint of its 2026 revenue guidance by $500 million while cutting its COVID-19 revenue expectation to about $4 billion from about $5 billion. The rest of the company covered that gap: excluding COVID products, the underlying business grew 5% operationally in the second quarter of 2026, with Eliquis and Padcev among the drivers management named.
Zoetis cut its 2026 outlook and now expects revenue to decline 1% to 3% on an organic operational basis. Management said sales trends through July had not yet indicated market stabilization. Pfizer's raise rests on business it can already see. Zoetis has yet to see visibility on market stabilization.
Pfizer is buying growth and cutting cost, and expects about $9.7 billion in total net savings through 2029. What that funds is an aim, not a guide: a risk-adjusted high single-digit revenue CAGR from year-end 2028 through year-end 2033.
The pipeline behind that aim is expensive to get wrong. A Phase III lung cancer trial that missed its primary endpoint and, to a lesser extent, the removal of revenue projections for Oxbryta led to $4.3 billion of noncash intangible **** et impairments recorded in the second quarter of 2026. While an unadjusted price-to-EBIT comparison puts Pfizer at 23.9 against Zoetis at 9.2, aligning the two on operating income brings them to 9.7x and 9.0x, largely erasing the paying-up premium.

#pfizer #covid

Cash App segment is becoming a major driver of the growth story for Block Inc. (NYSE:XYZ) in 2026, as the underlying lending operations within the segment standout as key determinants of management's outlook for the remainder of the year. Recent initiatives around the company's proprietary credit signal support the narrative and broaden the company's lending reach. For the first time, Block will open its Cash App Score for external lenders by collaborating with Nova Credit's Cash Flow Intelligence Platform.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
Cash App Score was previously limited to internal use by the company for its consumer lending offerings such as the Cash App Borrow. This latest development could pave way for the monetization of company's data infrastructure, resulting in an additional revenue source.
During the second quarter, Block exceeded its prior guidance, reporting $3.17 billion in gross profit and $864 million in adjusted operating income. Revenue reached $6.62 billion, up 9.3% year over year. Gross profit expanded by 25% relative to the same period last year, and the company posted record 27% adjusted operating margins. Adjusted EPS clocked in at $1.02, exhibiting year-over-year growth of 65%.
Block's impressive second quarter print was driven by strong consumer spending, along with Cash App gross profit expansion of 31% year-over-year increase. This can be attributed to significant expansion in consumer lending, driven by Cash App Borrow. Block said Financial Solutions gross profit growth was driven primarily by Cash App Borrow. It reflects favorably on broader user engagement, who are utilizing Cash App for short-term credit financing instead of just a savings or payment mechanism. Despite a nominal 3% growth in monthly transacting actives, volumetric growth within Cash App was impressive. There was a 59% year-over-year jump in Cash App Consumer Lending origination volume, and 17% increase in Cash App Commerce Enablement volume.

#cash #Consumer

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Despite financial pressures, workers remain committed to their retirement goals, with many boosting their contribution rates — and watching their savings grow.
According to Fidelity Investments' latest quarterly ******* ysis, 769,000 retirement savers have a million dollars or more in their 401(k). Average 401(k) balances grew 10.5% in the second quarter, marking their strongest quarterly growth since the fourth quarter of 2020, thanks partly to stock market gains.
The total average savings rate also held at record levels for the second consecutive quarter, remaining at 14.4% for 401(k) savers and 12% for 403(b) participants.
At the same time, Fidelity data shows more savers tapped their accounts for cash to cover expenses: 19.5% of retirement savers had an outstanding 401(k) loan in the second quarter, up from 19.2% at the end of the first quarter. The share of workers who took a hardship withdrawal increased year over year to 3%.

#savers #second

While a strong stock market has boosted 401(k) balances — jumping 10.5% in Q2, according to Fidelity data — how do you know if your savings are measuring up?
For those aged 45 to 49, the average 401(k) account balance is $163,200, according to Fidelity, while for those aged 50 to 54 the average is $215,700.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes

#jeff

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If you're looking to supercharge your savings, a high-yield savings account can provide a competitive interest rate to help your balance grow faster.
However, not all banks offer high savings account rates, which is why it's important to shop around and find the most competitive savings interest rates available.
Read on to learn more about where to find the best savings interest rates today.
The average interest rate on a traditional savings account is only 0.38%, according to the FDIC. However, today's best high-yield savings accounts pay around 3%-4%.

#savings #rates #yield

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Deposit account rates are on the decline — but the good news is you can lock in a competitive return on a certificate of deposit (CD) today and preserve your earning power. In fact, the best CDs still pay rates of 4% or higher. Read on for a snapshot of CD rates today and where to find the best offers.
CDs today typically offer rates significantly higher than traditional savings accounts. Currently, the best short-term CDs (six to 12 months) generally offer rates around 4% APY.
Today, Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the highest CD rate is 4.35%. Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers it on its 18-month CD.
The following is a look at some of the best CD rates available today, Tuesday, September 8, 2026, from our verified partners.

#september #higher #offer

More than 200 older adults were talked into withdrawing their savings and handing it to couriers sent to collect it.
Tarrant County, Texas, prosecutors put the total allegedly fleeced at more than $250 million. A call would come in warning that the victim's money wasn't safe where it was. The instruction was to get it out of the bank and into gold, bitcoin or cash.
And they say the gold rarely stayed gold for long. It moved through shell companies to a refinery in Florida, where gold bars became molten puddles.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP

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