401(k) Champions and Soaring Value Stocks

Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing

The Motley Fool

Investing, Business

4.3 • 3.1K Ratings

🗓️ 27 June 2026

⏱️ 21 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Most of the education about work-sponsored retirement plans comes from the employer or the plan provider. But you could be a source of knowledge and encouragement to your colleagues, friends, and relatives. Robert Brokamp discusses grassroots retirement education with Julie Jason, the founder and CEO of Jackson, Grant Investment Advisers and the creator of the annual 401(k) Champion Award. (Visit 401kchampion.com to nominate yourself or someone you know.)Also in this episode:-Many value stock index funds are beating the S&P 500 so far this year, thanks to some surprisingly large holdings in high-flying tech stocks-Student loan borrowers can get a larger interest rate deduction if they sign up for autopay by Sept. 30-How much do workers contribute to their 401(k)s, and how many take advantage of features like catch-up contributions and Roth accounts?-At almost halfway through the year, now is a great time to evaluate whether you are having the right amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: Julie Jason, JD, LLMEngineer: Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Are you a 401k champion to your friends and colleagues?
0:06.0	And what's really in your value fund?
0:08.2	That and more on this Saturday personal finance edition of the Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing podcast.
0:17.9	I'm Robert ProCamp, and this week I speak with financial advisor Julie Jason, the creator of the
0:22.9	401k Champion Award that recognizes people who serve as role models, educators, and mentors in the
0:28.5	workplace when it comes to saving for retirement. But first, some items that caught my eye over the past
0:33.0	week or so. You know, when you think of value stocks, what kind of companies come to mind? If visions of
0:38.6	stodgy, slower growth firms dance in your head, then you may be surprised to note that value
0:43.2	stocks are actually outperforming the SEP 500 so far this year and over the trailing 12 months,
0:48.8	at least as measured by the Vanguard Value ETF, ticker VTV, the largest value ETF in the U.S.
0:55.4	It's up 16% so far in 2026 as of this taping on Friday morning, compared to 8% for the S&P 500,
1:02.3	and it's up 29% over the past year versus 22% for the S&P 500.
1:07.3	Given all the hullab blue about AI and tech stocks, how can value stocks be doing so well?
1:13.1	Look under the hood and you'll see the answer.
1:15.7	The top holding in the Vanguard Value ETF is Micron Technology, which is up 854% over the past year.
1:23.8	Also in the top 10 holdings are Cisco and Intel, up 77% and 499% respectively over the trailing 12 months.
1:32.6	You'll find those same stocks in the top 10 holdings of another popular value index ETF, the I shares Russell 1000 value ETF, ticker IWD, but it also includes Alphabet, which is up 102% over the past year.
1:47.2	Recent report from Schroeder's Investment Management cited evidence that value stocks can
1:50.8	actually be a good hedge against AI risk without sacrificing equity exposure, but the report
1:56.1	also cautions that a passive value index fund may not fit the bill, since many of the prominent value indexes
2:02.3	have significant exposure to the Magnificent Seven and or other technology companies, as we've just
2:07.4	seen. So you might have to dig a little deeper to find true value stocks these days.
	...

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