IBM, Comcast, and eBay’s Quandary

Coca-Cola shares have their worst day in over a decade. Apple gets ready to launch a video streaming service. Jim Mueller analyzes those stories and answers the timeless question, “How many stocks should someone have in their portfolio?”  Plus we discuss a survey about Americans’ attitudes towards Netflix, including how many would choose Netflix over sex.

TripAdvisor stumbles, while Activision Blizzard gives shareholders their first good day in a while. MFAM Funds portfolio manager Bill Barker analyzes the latest earnings from those two companies, and discusses Wall Street’s impact on the upcoming baseball season. Plus, Disney gives shareholders a reason to smile as it drops the first teaser trailer for “Frozen 2”.  (Tangents include producer Dan Boyd’s array of skills, which Disney movie will make the most money, and MarketFoolery’s end date.)   Thanks Audible!  Get Power Moves by Adam Grant for free when you sign up for a free Audible trial at Audible.com/FoolPower or text “foolpower” to 500 500.

A Bank of America Merrill Lynch Survey finds that professional investors took their highest cash positions in 10 years during the month of January. Ellie Mae gets acquired. And Amazon buys the router company Eero and stirs up privacy concerns. Analysts Andy Cross and Jason Moser dig into those stories, talk Shopify and Under Armour earnings, and go to school on educational technology company Chegg.

Morgan Stanley buys Solium Capital for $900 million. Abi Malin analyzes why the deal makes sense for Morgan Stanley and shares why investors should expect more deals in the banking industry.  Plus we look at the latest results from Restaurant Brands International and dip into the Fool Mailbag.   To join our live Q&A on February 13th, subscribe to our YouTube channel with one click of a button at www.YouTube.com/TheMotleyFool.   Thanks Audible!  Get Power Moves by Adam Grant for free when you sign up for a free Audible trial at Audible.com/FoolPower or text “foolpower” to 500 500.

SunTrust and BB&T team up to create the 6th-largest bank in America.  Bill Mann analyzes the deal and shares why he’s optimistic about the combined entity’s future. Plus, we discuss Twitter’s 4th-quarter disappointment and Chipotle’s surprising comps growth in its own 4th quarter. Thanks to LinkedIn for supporting The Motley Fool.  Go to https://www.linkedin.com/fool and get $50 off your first job post.

Snap shares pop 27%, so why aren’t we more encouraged? David Kretzmann analyzes the social media company’s struggles and shares why time is running out for Snap to succeed. Disney’s 1st-quarter results come in higher than expected, but all eyes are on the company’s streaming services. Plus, David shares investing takeaways from his trip Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Despite 4th-quarter revenue of more than $39 billion, shares of Alphabet fell due to concerns about spending. Emily Flippen analyzes the latest results and shares why the cloud business bears watching. Plus, we discuss Viacom’s new deal with Netflix, preview Disney’s upcoming earnings, and share some programming news of our own.   Thanks to LinkedIn for supporting The Motley Fool.  Go to https://www.linkedin.com/fool and get $50 off your first job post.

After the Super Bowl, isn’t it appropriate that Papa John’s is in the news? MFAM Funds portfolio manager Bill Barker analyzes the ongoing drama with Papa John’s, as well as the latest earnings report from Clorox. “Merger Monday” lives up to its name as Ultimate Software is acquired in an all-cash deal worth $11 billion. Plus, we dip into the Fool Mailbag to discuss dividend reinvestment strategies, and debate the ripple effects of a single beer commercial during the Super Bowl.  (Tangents include charcoal brands and how seriously Anheuser-Busch InBev takes their marketing.)

Facebook shares have their biggest post-earnings rise in 3 years, Apple bans a Facebook research app from its store. PayPal’s costs are rising, but its 4th-quarter report gives investors plenty of reasons for optimism. Tesla’s CFO is leaving while Intel’s interim CEO gets the “interim” tag removed. Jim Mueller analyzes those stories, and shares how he looks at a company’s management when he’s evaluating the business.

Shares of Apple rise on earnings despite declining iPhone sales. Apple disclosed that the total number of iPhones worldwide is 900 million. But what do declining iPhone sales mean for investors? Does Apple need a second act? Analysts Andy Cross and Jason Moser tackle those questions, dig into SiriusXM earnings, and debate whether there’s life after Howard Stern.