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2026-07-22 17:35 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

VanEck Short Muni ETF (SMB) and Vanguard Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTES) are compared as options for tax-efficient municipal bond investing. VTES offers a lower expense ratio (0.05% vs 0.07%), larger assets under management ($2.1B vs $312.7M), and greater diversification with 3,373 holdings. SMB delivered slightly higher 12-month returns (3.00% vs 2.70%) and has a longer track record since 2008. Both funds have similar risk profiles with identical maximum drawdowns of -1.80% over three years.

Axe note: A close look at how VanEck’s SMB stacks up against Vanguard’s VTES for tax-efficient income.

2026-07-22 17:35 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

Zeta Global, an AI marketing cloud platform, delivers an average 600% return on marketing spend for its customers. Despite strong fundamentals including 50% YoY revenue growth, 19 consecutive beat-and-raise quarters, and 189 super-scaled customers generating $321.3M annually, the stock is only up 8% this year. The company is expected to achieve GAAP profitability in 2026 and has a strategic partnership with Palantir that could generate over $100M in annual recurring revenue.

Axe note: Zeta Global’s powerhouse AI marketing platform delivers stellar returns, but South African investors are best off watching from the sidelines.

2026-07-22 17:29 • The Motley Fool Negative Axe Cap view: Bearish

SpaceX stock, currently trading at $118.41, faces significant downside pressure and could trade in the $50-70 range by year-end 2026, according to analyst Geoffrey Seiler. Despite Raymond James' $800 price target, the author believes Morningstar's $62 fair value estimate is more realistic. Key headwinds include upcoming lock-up expirations flooding the market with shares, an extreme valuation (1.6T market cap on <$19B revenue), and the company's expected cash burn until 2035. While strong revenue growth is projected, SpaceX remains unprofitable and will require significant capital raises.

Axe note: SpaceX’s current valuation looks stretched, with big risks from share dilution and ongoing losses likely weighing on the stock.