Motley Fool podcast hosts compete in Market Cap Game Show for stocks like Okta and Uber

From Nasdaq: 2025-03-14 12:44:00

In the latest episode of Rule Breaker Investing, The Market Cap Game Show is back, highlighting how market cap calculates a company’s value. For more free podcasts, visit The Motley Fool’s podcast center and explore a beginner’s guide to investing in stocks. Get ready to invest with a top 10 list of stocks to buy.

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In a thrilling Market Cap Game Show showdown, Andy Cross claimed victory over Matty Argersinger. Now, Bill Barker competes against Emily Flippen in the second annual March Market Cap Madness. Join the fun on Rule Breaker Investing as they predict the market caps of real stocks and compete for the championship title.

Bill Barker reminisces about his early days of using pets’ names as passwords online. Wouldn’t it be great to never have to remember passwords again? Learn about Okta Incorporated, a service used by The Motley Fool and many other companies to manage passwords efficiently. Barker shares his mixed feelings about Okta’s services. In a discussion about Okta, a password management service, the hosts and guests talk about the challenges of using the service and its market cap range, estimated to be between $27 billion to $42 billion.

Although Okta provides security benefits, users like Emily sometimes find it frustrating to use, especially when authentication is required. Despite recent market fluctuations, Emily believes that Okta’s market cap may be smaller than the estimated range.

The actual market cap of Okta is $18.81 billion, which is lower than the predicted range. The stock has seen fluctuations over the years, hitting a low of below $50 a couple of years ago, then rising to around $250 in 2021 before settling around $100 today.

Despite its ups and downs, Okta has been a good market performer for members of the Stock Advisor team. The name “Okta” comes from a meteorological term representing cloud coverage, symbolizing the company’s role in securely connecting users to cloud services. The service is crucial for keeping data secure, especially with predictable passwords like “123456” still commonly used.

Emily Flippen, an advisor at The Fool, shares her insights on Okta and its market performance. She also talks about her personal life, including her time on Survivor and her recent marriage. David Gardner and Bill Barker provide additional commentary on Okta’s history and market trends. In a recent podcast, David Gardner and Emily Flippen discussed married life and favorite food delivery apps. They also delved into Uber Technologies’ market cap, with Emily estimating it at $145-$170 billion. Bill Barker disagreed, but Emily’s prediction was close, with Uber’s market cap at $148.63 billion. The stock has tripled in the last three years.

Bill Barker and Emily Flippen shared their experiences with Uber and Uber Eats, with Emily admitting to using food delivery services frequently. Bill disagreed with Emily’s estimate of Uber’s market cap, but the company’s actual market cap fell within her range. The stock has been a strong performer, tripling in value in less than three years.

David Gardner, Emily Flippen, and Bill Barker discussed Uber’s market cap, with Emily estimating it at $145-$170 billion. Bill disagreed with her estimate, but Emily’s prediction was close, as Uber’s market cap is $148.63 billion. The stock has been a strong performer, tripling in value in less than three years.

Bill Barker and David Gardner discussed their experiences with Uber and Uber Eats, with Emily Flippen estimating Uber’s market cap at $145-$170 billion. Bill disagreed with her estimate, but the actual market cap fell within her range at $148.63 billion. The stock has tripled in value in the last three years. A discussion between David Gardner and Bill Barker about the growth of Phoenix and Las Vegas leads to a focus on Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL). The company, founded in Las Vegas in 1994 and moved to Phoenix in 2010, saw a drastic drop in stock value due to liquidity issues related to Silicon Valley Bank.

Bill Barker and Emily Flippen provide insights on Western Alliance Bancorp, with Bill guessing a market cap range of 2-7 billion. Emily, despite the company being in the Stock Advisor penalty box, agrees with Bill’s range, with the actual market cap being 8.09 billion, making it a small cap bank.

The conversation delves into Western Alliance Bancorp’s stock performance, with David Gardner highlighting the drop in share price from $75 to $15 due to issues related to Silicon Valley Bank. Emily explains the impact of the incident on the broader market and its implications for companies connected to financials. Western Alliance Bancorp faced concerns about liquidity during a potential bank run, prompting questions about capital management. The stock has recovered well, doubling in value over the past year to a market cap of $8.9 billion. Small cap banks like this one can be volatile, so careful monitoring is advised.

The market reacted strongly to news about Silicon Valley Bank, causing significant drops in its stock price. The Motley Fool team, including their CFO, had funds at the bank and had to ensure their safety over a busy weekend. Western Alliance Bancorp has since rebounded, showing resilience in the face of market fluctuations.

Rule Breakers stocks, like those in emerging industries, can provide opportunities for growth. Companies like Meta, Nvidia, Tesla, and Pure Storage exemplify the importance of being a top dog in their respective fields. Investing in visionary leaders and innovative businesses can lead to long-term success in the market.

Amgen, a pioneer in biotech, revolutionized treatment for anemia patients with its drug EPOGEN. As a Rule Breaker in the healthcare industry, Amgen has maintained its position through diversification and innovation. With a market cap of $171.50 billion, Amgen continues to be a major player in the biotech sector, setting trends and driving growth. Amgen has been a long-term hold for investors, with a market laggard performance in recent years. The company, originally known as Applied Molecular Genetics, has been around for 45 years in Thousand Oaks, California. Bill Barker enjoys playing racket sports and watching the Yankees, who are facing challenges this spring. Barker’s son is a top amateur in court tennis, following in his father’s footsteps. Six Flags Entertainment Corp recently merged with Cedar Fair, giving a potential upside in the market cap range of $2-$7 billion. Emily Flippen enjoys amusement parks, but struggles to convince her husband to join her on the rides. She prefers coasters that get her heart rate up, but dislikes long lines for short rides. Whether to agree or disagree with Bill’s market cap range for Six Flags could be a defining moment in the Market Cap Game Show. In the latest news, financial experts engage in a lively discussion about the recent merger between Six Flags Entertainment Corp and Cedar Fair. The company’s stock has seen a decline from around $60 per share to $34, despite hopes for improvement under new leadership. The merger has brought together a total of 51 properties, including amusement parks, water parks, and resorts.

In a playful halftime show, investment guru David Gardner shares a preview of his upcoming book, offering insights into stock picking and portfolio management. Despite trailing behind in the trivia game, Gardner showcases his expertise and teases the audience with a taste of his latest work. The conversation shifts to amusement parks, prompting memories and discussions about Disney rides like Space Mountain and the Tower of Terror.

The discussion takes a cosmic turn as Mission Space is mentioned, sparking a conversation about space exploration. Emily Flippen reflects on her closest encounters with space, jokingly mentioning the Space Needle in Seattle as a contender. As the conversation delves into the topic of space, the focus shifts to an intriguing stock, hinting at further exploration in the investment world. Rocket Lab USA, ticker symbol RKLB, is a space company leading the charge in satellite launches and space exploration. Market cap estimated between $6.5 billion to $10 billion. Stock picked by Motley Fool Trends at $4/share in July 2023, now trading at $17/share. Upcoming space industry growth makes Rocket Lab a promising investment.

Market cap of Rocket Lab USA is $7.99 billion, close to Emily’s estimated range. Company offers launch services, spacecraft components, and space asset management. Space industry expected to grow significantly in the coming years. Rocket Lab represents a volatile but promising investment opportunity in the early stages of the industry.

David Gardner shares a story about a Disney ride, Mission Space, that made him reconsider space travel due to the intense pressure of lift-off. Tragically, a German tourist died of a brain hemorrhage after riding the same attraction. Despite the risks, the space industry is set to expand, with Rocket Lab USA at the forefront of innovation. In a light-hearted conversation, David Gardner, Bill Barker, and Emily Flippen discuss turning 60, the evolution of research methods, and the convenience of Google in today’s world. They also engage in a market cap throwdown challenge for Alphabet (GOOG) stock. Bill reminisces about using World Book Encyclopedia, while Emily reflects on growing up with Google. David Gardner and Bill Barker discuss the market cap range for Alphabet Inc. (GOOG), with Bill estimating it at 1.97-2.10 trillion and Emily at 1.80-2.35 trillion. Alphabet’s actual market cap is around 2.00549 trillion. Google overtook Yahoo as the dominant search leader in 2003, with Google officially founded in 1998. Alphabet now pays out dividends to shareholders. Bill owns Alphabet stock since 2008.

In a game show style segment, David Gardner asks listeners to choose between Bill and Emily’s market cap estimates for Alphabet. Google’s market cap is around 2 trillion, surpassing both estimates. Google’s rise to dominance over Yahoo began in the early 2000s. Tim Byers first recommended Google in 2008, and Alphabet now pays dividends to shareholders. Bill owns Alphabet stock since 2008.

Emily Flippen discusses her used Honda Civic car, calling cars a waste of money as depreciating assets. She found her car through a trade-in at a dealership and prefers to spend less time in her car. Emily’s car is economical and gets the job done for her, especially now that she works remotely. David Gardner acknowledges her practical approach to car ownership. CarGurus, ticker symbol CARG, is a Boston-based automotive research and shopping website. Founded in 2006 by a co-founder of Tripadvisor, it connects dealers with buyers for auto inventory. The company went public in 2017, with a market cap of $3.31 billion, larger than Tripadvisor. The stock has had its ups and downs, but now sits at its IPO price.

In a discussion between hosts Emily Flippen and Bill Barker on the company, Emily estimated CarGurus’ market cap to be between $350 million to $2.5 billion. Bill agreed with her estimate. However, the actual market cap of CarGurus is $3.31 billion, surprising both Emily and Bill. The company has had some growth and is larger than expected.

The hosts also discussed superhero movies, with Bill Barker sharing his love for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Comics. He highlighted the first Spider-Man movie as a favorite, citing its successful adaptation from the comic books. The discussion touched on the impact of special effects and audience reactions to superhero films. The Marvel Cinematic Universe and Superman movies are discussed in a podcast, with a focus on the success and endurance of superhero films. Walt Disney Company, the force behind Marvel, has faced challenges and growth, especially with Disney+. Despite past underperformance, Disney remains a foundational stock, with a market cap of $177.70 billion. Disney’s $1.80 cost basis comes from Marvel and Pixar picks, not Disney itself. Netflix’s streaming services undercut Disney, leading to ESPN subscriber declines. Despite economic concerns, Disney’s pricing power in its parks remains strong. With valuable IP and visionary management, Disney’s future looks promising.

Bill Barker and David Gardner discuss Disney’s long-term value from its properties like Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar. The wide brand appeal and lasting value of Disney’s properties make it a solid investment for the future.

Emily Flippen shares a memorable childhood photo from an educational trip to Australia, where she kissed a baby alligator. The hosts joke about her experiences on Survivor and scrolling through memories on social media platforms.

Emily Flippen prefers not to dwell on the past on social media platforms, focusing on the present and future instead. Bill Barker mentions he has limited his time on social media to avoid time wasting.

In a Market Cap Game Show throwdown, Emily Flippen predicts Meta Platforms’ market cap to fall between 1.5 trillion and 1.8 trillion. The hosts reflect on the randomness of having mega-cap stocks like Meta Platforms and Alphabet in the game. Bill Barker and Emily Flippen engage in a Market Cap Game Show, predicting Meta Platforms and ServiceNow market cap ranges with impressive accuracy. Despite being off by billions, their close guesses lead to a tie. David Gardner moderates the game, discussing strategies and proposing the “Barker Protocol” for future play. An exciting and entertaining competition unfolds, showcasing the participants’ knowledge and skills in predicting market values. Emily and Bill were neck and neck in the Market Cap Game Show, with Bill slightly closer to the actual market cap of ServiceNow. Despite their competitive spirit, they play for the listeners at home and hope you outscored them. The game aims to make market caps more popular and understandable to the public.

Randi Zuckerberg, former Facebook director, and sister of Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is on The Motley Fool’s board. John Mackey, former Whole Foods CEO, and Suzanne Frey of Alphabet are also board members. Bill Barker holds positions in Alphabet, Intuitive Surgical, Nvidia, and Walt Disney. David Gardner holds positions in various companies, and Emily Flippen holds a position in Okta. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends various companies. 1. The stock market reached record highs today with the S&P 500 closing at 4,500 points. This surge comes as investors remain optimistic about economic growth and corporate earnings.

2. In other news, the United Nations reported that over 4 million people in Afghanistan are facing severe food shortages due to the ongoing conflict and drought. Humanitarian aid is urgently needed to prevent a dire humanitarian crisis.

3. A new study published in a leading medical journal found that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 91% effective in preventing symptomatic infection. The study analyzed data from over 40,000 participants and reaffirmed the vaccine’s effectiveness in reducing the spread of the virus.



Read more at Nasdaq: Motley Fool Market Cap Showdown: Bill Barker vs. Emily Flippen