Investors find ‘ market share’ useful data

Motley Fool

Q: What’s “market share”? — M.R., Venice, Florida

A: It refers to the percentage of a market that a product, service or company commands, and it’s a useful measure to track when researching companies or industries.

Think about smartphones, for example. If many of your friends use iPhones, you might assume that Apple enjoys the highest market share in the category. But actually, as of the end of March, Samsung had that honor, with a 20.5 percent global share; followed by Apple, with 14.1 percent; and the Chinese company Huawei, with 10.4 percent.

It’s also good to pay attention to trends and growth rates. Although Apple trails Samsung, it increased its market share from the end of 2017 to the end of March 2018, rising to 14.1 percent of the market share from 13.7 percent. Samsung’s share shrank from 20.8 percent to 20.5 percent.

Fool’s school: Build a better retirement

Most of us are looking forward to retirement, but yours might not be as good as you hoped if you don’t plan for it and make smart moves:

• Pay off debt. It’s OK to maintain a low-interest-rate mortgage, but work hard to pay off any high-interestrate debt, such as that from credit cards.

• Have a plan. Run the numbers to see how much money you’ll need for retirement, how close you are to your goal, and how you might get there. Online calculators such as those at calculator.net and finra.org/ retirementcalculator can help, and a financial planner can be well worth hiring, too. (You’ll find fee-only ones at napfa.org.)

• Save aggressively. Don’t just save a little in your 401( k) and hope for the best. The more you save, and the earlier you do so, the more you’ll probably end up with in retirement. Long- term money stands a good chance of growing well in the stock market, and low-fee S&P 500 index funds can have you in stocks quickly and easily. Contribute generously to an IRA and/or 401( k).

• Spend less. There are lots of relatively painless ways to cut back, such as by switching from cable TV to streaming services and by shopping around for lower insurance rates. Eat out a little less often and shop only when you need things. If you can spend $200 less per month, that’s $2,400 per year, which would grow to more than $118,000 over 20 years at an average annual growth rate of 8 percent.

• Consider retiring a few years later than planned, to save more money and delay tapping your nest egg. You might enjoy company-sponsored health insurance a bit longer, too. Or aim to retire early, if you can. A good plan and discipline can have many retiring in their early 60s or sooner.

Name that company

I trace my roots to First Omaha Securities, established in Nebraska in 1975. I was a pioneering discount brokerage, with commission fees as low as $8 as early as 1998. Over the years, I merged with or acquired K. Aufhauser, Datek, National Discount Brokers, thinkorswim and Scottrade. I was the first to offer automated trades via touch-tone phone back in 1988. I have more than 10,000 employees, more than 11 million funded client accounts, and more than $1 trillion in client assets. Who am I?

Last week’s answer

I trace my roots to Alex Manoogian’s screw-products company that began making parts for the auto industry in Detroit in 1929. In 1954, Manoogian designed a revolutionary singlehandle faucet that was a hit. Today, I’m a leader in home improvement and construction products, with more than 20 companies under my roof and dozens of manufacturing facilities worldwide. My brands include Behr paints, Delta and Hansgrohe faucets and fixtures, KraftMaid and Merillat cabinets and Milgard windows. My market value recently topped $12 billion. Who am I? (Answer: Masco)