Motley Fool Money – "Party Like it’s 2027"
Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Rick Nars
Analysts: Jason Hall, Travis Hoyam
Episode Theme:
A candid roundtable on unexpected or “unusual” investment picks, followed by predictions for PayPal’s future, the Warner Bros. Discovery buyout drama, and which highlighted stock will perform best in the coming year.
Episode Overview
This episode embraces the theme of stepping out of your investing comfort zone, as each analyst “confesses” to an unlikely or out-of-character stock they’re currently bullish on—sometimes at the risk of their Fool “cred.” The conversation explores three diverse businesses (Live Oak Bankshares, Upbound/Rent-A-Center, and Hims & Hers Health), then shifts to fast-moving headlines: a rumored PayPal buyout and the high-stakes Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition contest. The show wraps with a playful showdown: which of these “unlikely” stocks is most appealing to each participant, given the others’ passionate pitches.
Main Segment: Out-of-Character Stock Picks
(00:30 - 08:52)
1. Jason Hall: Live Oak Bankshares (LOB)
- Why it’s surprising: A departure for Jason, who admits, “I’ve never really had a lot of exposure to small businesses.” (03:32)
- Thesis:
- Specialized Lending: “A combination of specialization and extremely high-quality origination.” (01:23)
- Unique Model: Deposit base consists of online savers; lending is focused on small businesses in specific verticals.
- Deep Domain Expertise: “It actually builds out a team of in-house experts on those verticals before it starts to ramp up its lending.” (02:26)
- SBA Lending Edge: “One of the largest Small Business Administration lenders...the SBA loans are backstopped and that reduces the risk.” (03:13)
- Performance: Despite tough macro conditions, “Shares are up almost 20% over the past year… basically double the S&P 500 from the tariff tantrum lows.” (03:32)
Notable Quote
“For Live Oak, it lends to small businesses, but it just focuses on specific verticals and it actually builds out a team of in-house experts on those verticals before it starts to ramp up its lending.”
— Jason Hall (02:26)
2. Rick Nars: Upbound (formerly Rent-A-Center, UPBD)
- Why it’s surprising: Rick, a self-identified growth investor, picks a value-heavy, beaten-down business.
- Thesis:
- Evolving Business: Still Rent-A-Center at the core, but has expanded via acquisitions (Acima, Bridgit app) to enhance a rental and credit/budgeting ecosystem.
- Platform Play: “Almost a Shopify-esq situation...they’re able to use a strength of theirs and actually help a lot of smaller indie businesses come along.” (05:20)
- Undervalued: Trading at “five times their forecast for forward earnings” with a “dividend yield north of 7%”. (05:56)
- Resilient Growth: After a tough year, “Revenue has been in the high single digits for about two years now and accelerated to 11% in the quarter reported last week.” (06:22)
Notable Quote
“No, it’s not this dynamic growth stock, but revenue has been in the high single digits for about two years now and accelerated to 11% in the quarter reported last week.”
— Rick Nars (06:22)
3. Travis Hoyam: Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (HIMS)
- Why it’s surprising: Travis actively avoids healthcare, citing distrust for pharma and healthcare costs.
- Thesis:
- Disruption Story: “They’re doing things completely differently than the status quo in healthcare.” (07:18)
- Direct-to-Consumer Model: Bypasses traditional healthcare barriers via app-based telehealth, increased transparency, and convenience.
- Asymmetric Opportunity: “If you buy a hundred dollars worth of stock, all you can ever lose is a hundred dollars. But it could become Nvidia…” (07:15)
- Controversies: Faces regulatory/litigation headwinds (notably a lawsuit with Novo Nordisk over GLP-1 medications), but Travis sees the long-term consumer alignment as a strength.
- Bet on Lower Healthcare Costs: “Their incentives are lined up with increasing access and lowering costs. No one else in the healthcare industry can say that.” (08:38)
Notable Quote
“If we look at where this company is going over the next 10 or 20 years, [they are] doing things in a much more consumer friendly way than anyone else in healthcare and their incentives are lined up with increasing access and lowering costs.”
— Travis Hoyam (08:38)
Fast Forward: Headlines & Predictions
(10:00 - 14:52)
PayPal Buyout Possibility
(10:00 - 12:33)
- Context: Rumors of acquisition bids for PayPal, stock jumps, uncertainty about its future.
- Travis: “They should probably be bought out... it’s a profitable business, not an exciting business. But strategically, they should be on their own because they want to serve as many companies as possible.” (10:28)
- Jason: Points out PayPal’s new CEO (Enrique Lores, from HP) signals a shift to efficiency and buybacks rather than innovation. Notes financial “needle-moving” potential, but skeptical about debt-funded buybacks. (11:04)
Notable Quote
“If there’s a part of PayPal’s business that’s at risk...it’s not really like the innovative part of it. It’s more of like the cutthroat price taking, the non-branded payments business and that’s more like what Lores ran.”
— Jason Hall (11:24)
Warner Bros. Discovery Buyout Drama
(12:33 - 14:52)
- Context: Paramount/Skydance reportedly ups their bid; Netflix still involved; “engagement ring” metaphor.
- Jason: Hopes Netflix board/management push Warner Bros. Discovery for clarity. Warns the real competition is short-form content (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts), not legacy media. Cautions discipline in bidding.
- Travis: Believes Netflix will succeed in the acquisition due to financial reliability, unlike Paramount, whose financial backer (Larry Ellison) has suffered major paper losses.
Notable Quotes
“The thing that’s stealing eyeballs from Netflix right now is not people watching movies on other platforms...It’s all of the short form content on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube Shorts.”
— Jason Hall (13:27)
“If you get two years down the road and the deal doesn’t close, that’s a really, really bad deal for Warner Brothers Discovery.”
— Travis Hoyam (14:41)
Segment: Stock Showdown – Peers Pick Each Other’s Winners
(15:48 - 17:48)
- Prompt: Outside of your own pick, which of the other two do you bet on for better total return in a year?
- Jason: Picks Upbound for value, despite ethical discomfort: “I’m also a sucker for a deep value business that’s doing really well.” (16:49)
- Travis: Picks Live Oak Bankshares as a known commodity and good operator.
- Rick: Picks Hims & Hers for their growth and focus on “convenience and lower prices.” Adds: “I like symmetry. So all three stocks get a bone at the end.” (17:30)
Key Takeaways & Memorable Moments
- Stepping Out of Comfort Zones: Each analyst chose a stock outside their usual wheelhouse, demonstrating the value of contrarian ideas and stretching beyond personal biases.
- Clear-eyed View of Controversy: Willingness to discuss pros and cons—Jason’s discomfort with Rent-A-Center’s business model, Travis on Hims’ regulatory clouds—exemplifies Foolish transparency.
- Industry Trends:
- Traditional banks and value stocks can surprise, especially with sector specialization (Live Oak).
- “Platform” thinking is reshaping even legacy rent-to-own businesses (Upbound).
- Healthcare is ripe for consumer-focused, tech-driven disruption—but legal and financial headwinds loom (Hims & Hers).
Notable Quotes
- “No one else in the healthcare industry can say that.” – Travis Hoyam, on Hims & Hers incentives (08:38)
- “I’m also a sucker for a deep value business that’s doing really well.” – Jason Hall (16:49)
- “I like symmetry. So all three stocks get a bone at the end.” – Rick Nars (17:30)
Timestamps to Important Segments
-
Out-of-Character Stock Picks:
- Live Oak Bankshares – 00:58
- Upbound (Rent-A-Center) – 04:21
- Hims & Hers – 06:36
-
PayPal Buyout Predictions: 10:00
-
Warner Bros. Discovery Buyout Battle: 12:33
-
Panel Picks Winners: 15:48
Tone and Final Thoughts
The episode maintained its signature Motley Fool mix of playfulness, candor, and rigorous investment analysis. Analysts didn’t shy away from the “warts” of their picks, offering a thorough view of potential risks and rewards. Listeners are encouraged to keep an open mind, do their own research, and recognize the value in occasionally going against the crowd—or even their own instincts.