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Since its first commercial flight in 1970, Boeing’s 747 jumbo jet has flown more than 3.5 billion passengers. The double-decker plane made air travel way more affordable for millions of people around the globe. It is still one the most recognizable planes to take to the skies with its iconic hump, four engines, extensive landing gear and sheer size.
But over the last few decades, airlines have pushed aircraft manufacturers for more fuel-efficient planes to reduce costs. Two-engine jets can now fly near the same capacity and fly farther than older, four-engine planes like Boeing’s 747 and the Airbus A380.

CNBC visited Boeing’s Everett, Washington, factory to see the last 747 roll off the production line. It will go to Atlas Air for cargo flights. CNBC looks back at how the 747 changed air travel and what’s next for Boeing.
Watch the video to learn more.

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Pickup trucks continued to lead America’s top-selling vehicles in 2022.
Tesla broke into the top 10 for the first time, according to Motor Intelligence.
Despite having its lowest sales since 2012, the Ford F-Series was the country’s top-selling vehicle for the 41st year.

A Tesla Model Y on display inside a Tesla store at the Westfield Culver City shopping mall in Culver City, California, U.S., on Thursday, April 14, 2022.
Bing Guan | Bloomberg | Getty Images

DETROIT — Pickup trucks again led America’s top-selling vehicles last year, but Tesla broke into the top 10 for the first time as a Covid-era shakeup among other popular models continues.
Data and analytics firm Motor Intelligence reports the electric Tesla Model Y crossover was the sixth bestselling vehicle in the country in 2022, beating out the GMC Sierra pickup, Honda CR-V crossover and other longstanding top sellers.

Tesla does not report regional or individual vehicle sales, so the data is estimated. Overall, Tesla reported delivering about 1.25 million Model Y and Model 3 vehicles globally in 2022. The Model 3 ranked 13th in sales at 211,641 units, according to Motor Intelligence.
“It’s no surprise that Tesla ranks that high,” said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Cox Automotive. “The brand, despite all the news and stuff, still dominates the EV market and it dominates the luxury market. A lot of that strength comes from the Model Y.”

Despite posting its lowest sales since 2012, the Ford F-Series was the country’s top-selling vehicle for the 41st year and America’s best-selling truck for 46 consecutive years. The Chevrolet Silverado regained its longstanding second-place spot after being outsold by the Ram pickup in 2021.
Parts and supply chain problems since the onset of the Covid pandemic have caused sporadic plant shutdowns at different times for automakers, leading to a shakeup in vehicle sales rankings for the past couple of years.
“We have seen so much fluctuation in sales and inventory,” Krebs said. “In 2022, the year started out with very high demand … but then we saw things shift by the end of the year. Demand seemed to be softening a bit while inventory, not across the board, was rising.”

Automotive executives and analysts are cautiously optimistic that the U.S. industry will normalize more this year regardless of recessionary fears, rising interest rates and other economic concerns. Last year the industry was estimated to have sold between 13.7 million and 13.9 million vehicles, according to industry analysts. A typical year prior to the pandemic saw more than 17 million in sales.
Here are the 10 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. by unit sales for 2022, according to Motor Intelligence.

1. Ford F-Series: 653,957 units – down 9.9% from 2021

2023 Ford Super Duty F-350 Limited

2. Chevrolet Silverado: 513,354 – down 1.2%

2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2

3. Ram pickup: 468,344 – down 17.7%

A RAM vehicle is displayed at the New York Auto Show, April 13, 2022.
Scott Mlyn | CNBC

4. Toyota RAV4: 399,941 – down 1.9%

2022 Toyota RAV4

5. Toyota Camry: 295,201 – down 5.9%

2022 Toyota Camry

6. Tesla Model Y: 252,000 – up 32.4%

Tesla Model Y
Courtesy: Tesla

7. GMC Sierra: 241,522 – down 3%

2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate

8. Honda CR-V: 238,155 – down 34.1%

2023 Honda CR-V

9. Toyota Tacoma: 237,323 – down 6%

2022 Toyota Tacoma

10. Jeep Grand Cherokee: 223,345 – down 15.5%

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe

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Vince McMahon rejoined the WWE board Friday to begin a potential sale process for his company.
WWE has hired JPMorgan to advise on a sale, sources say.
Legacy media, streaming giants and entertainment holding companies could all end up submitting bids to buy WWE.
A deal would likely happen before mid-2023, when TV rights renewal deal negotiations will also take place.

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. Chairman Vince McMahon is introduced during the WWE Monday Night Raw show at the Thomas & Mack Center August 24, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ethan Miller | Getty Images

Vince McMahon has returned to the World Wrestling Entertainment board of directors to facilitate potential sale talks ahead of the company’s media rights renewal.
The notion of WWE selling isn’t new. CNBC reported it looked like a sale target in April and that it appeared only more attractive in July after a sexual misconduct scandal. The rationale is fairly straightforward: WWE is valuable intellectual property.

Owning IP allows streaming services to exclusively offer content without the annoyance of winning licensing rights in an auction every few years. WWE also has value to offer in merchandising and theme park businesses.
WWE has hired JPMorgan to help the company advise on a potential sale, according to people familiar with the matter. JPMorgan declined to comment. A WWE spokesman couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
If a deal occurs, it would likely occur in the next three to six months, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. WWE plans to talk to potential buyers before it makes a decision on TV rights renewal agreements.

Facilitating a sale

McMahon’s return should help a sale process go smoothly, though there could still be hiccups.
The former CEO and chair is 77 years old and the controlling shareholder of WWE. He stepped down after an investigation found that he had paid nearly $15 million to four women over 16 years to quell claims of alleged sexual misconduct and infidelity. Returning to the board will give potential buyers confidence he’s supportive of the details of any transaction.

“My return will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties, to engage in these processes knowing they will have the support of the controlling shareholder,” McMahon said in a statement Thursday.
McMahon’s return doesn’t affect current leadership. McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie, and former CAA agent Nick Khan are co-CEOs. But it remains unclear what type of role, if any, McMahon would want at WWE if he sold the company. WWE has told investors that McMahon’s role at the company is essential in “our ability to create popular characters and creative storylines.” Currently, McMahon doesn’t have a formal say in the company’s creative direction.

Mansoor (bottom) competes with Mustafa Ali during the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view in the Saudi capital Riyadh on October 21, 2021.
Fayez Nureldine | AFP | Getty Images

Whether a buyer would be comfortable with McMahon taking a more hands-on role at the company is unknown. But WWE is McMahon’s life work. It’s possible a sale may only happen with at least some strings attached.
WWE has a market capitalization of more than $6 billion after rising nearly 17% percent on Friday, buoyed by heightened sale speculation.
There are three categories of likely buyers for WWE — the legacy media companies, the streamers and the entertainment holding companies. Here’s who might be interested.

Comcast

Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal, is a potential fit as a buyer for WWE. McMahon’s company already has an exclusive streaming deal with Comcast’s streaming service, Peacock, and a cable TV deal with NBCUniversal’s USA Network. Comcast has a market capitalization of more than $160 billion and can easily afford the company — especially with a $9 billion (or more) check coming as soon as January 2024 from Disney for a 33% stake in Hulu.
Comcast can lock up WWE in perpetuity without having to pay upcoming rights renewal increases and can use the company’s IP for theme parks, movies and other spinoff series.
Still, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said in October “the bar is the highest it’s been in terms of M&A” and has repeatedly said the company isn’t in a rush to pursue an acquisition.

Fox

Disney

Returning CEO Bob Iger may want to make a splashy acquisition as he retakes the throne at Disney. WWE fits Disney in the same ways that it fits Comcast. It would bolster Disney’s streaming ambitions (perhaps ESPN+), it would support the linear network business, and it would add some heft to merchandizing and theme park businesses.
Comcast didn’t want Disney walking away with Fox in 2019 and drove up the price by tens of billions by topping Iger’s initial bid. Could Iger see WWE as the next IP battle between Disney and his rival Comcast?

Disney CEO, Bob Iger attends the European film premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ at Cineworld Leicester Square on 18 December, 2019 in London, England.
Wiktor Szymanowicz | Future Publishing | Getty Images

Warner Bros. Discovery

Netflix

Netflix has long shied away from sports and other live events, but it’s recently become open to the idea of owning a league outright or taking an ownership stake. Owning a sports league would give Netflix the ability to create video games and spinoff series without friction. Netflix found success in its Formula 1 “Drive to Survive” documentary series, giving co-CEO Reed Hastings faith that certain sports properties will resonate with Netflix’s huge global audience. But Netflix doesn’t own Formula 1, limiting its future options.
Acquiring WWE or another sports league would be a path toward offering live entertainment without renting content — similar to Zaslav’s thinking.
“We’ve not seen a profit path to renting big sports,” said co-CEO Ted Sarandos last month at the UBS Global TMT Conference. “We’re not anti-sports; we’re just pro-profit.”

Amazon

Endeavor Group Holdings

Endeavor, run by superagent Ari Emanuel, could add WWE to its stable of assets after agreeing to buy 100% of UFC in 2021.
Emanuel bought UFC to increase the scope of the talent agency’s business to live events. WME-IMG, now just a part of Endeavor, represents many UFC athletes — as well as WWE superstars. The UFC deal has been a success for Endeavor, which paid about seven times 2016’s $600 million revenue in 2016. UFC generated more than $1 billion in revenue in 2022.

Ari Emanuel speaks onstage during the 2017 LACMA Art + Film Gala Honoring Mark Bradford and George Lucas presented by Gucci at LACMA on November 4, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. 
Stefanie Keenan | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images

Endeavor’s enterprise value of just about $11 billion makes WWE a huge swing for the company. The company’s relatively small balance sheet would likely prevent Endeavor from winning a bidding war against media giants. But McMahon’s outsized personality may fit with the brash Emanuel and UFC President Dana White.
Selling to a third party would also allow WWE to increase rights renewals every few years. That may or may not be a positive for the long-term future of the company as the media distribution ecosystem changes.

Liberty Media

While Endeavor owns UFC, Liberty’s Formula One Group owns Formula 1. John Malone, Liberty’s controlling shareholder, and CEO Greg Maffei, along with Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, have figured out how to globally market the car racing league, including cracking American culture after decades of obscurity.
Malone and Maffei have extensive track records at maximizing media valuations and acquiring media assets for less than $10 billion, including Formula 1, Sirius XM and Pandora. The global success of Formula 1 could provide a roadmap for a future WWE strategy.
Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC.
WATCH: Jim Cramer gives his take on how Disney could perform this year

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Some restaurant workers could see big wage gains in 2023, thanks to unions and California legislation.
Fast-food workers could find themselves earning as much as $22 an hour this year, depending on the results of an ongoing court battle.
Industry lobbyists say states like New York and Michigan could pass similar legislation to California’s FAST Act.

Employees prepare food orders at a Portillo’s restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.
Christopher Dilts | Bloomberg | Getty Images

More than half of U.S. states will hike their minimum wage this year, but some restaurant workers could see even bigger gains in 2023.
California’s state minimum wage rose to $15.50 an hour on Jan. 1, but depending on the results of an ongoing court battle, fast-food workers in the state could find themselves earning as much as $22 an hour this year. And industry lobbyists say similar legislation could pass in states like New York and Michigan.

Higher pay has been bars’ and eateries’ primary solution to attracting enough workers to meet demand. The restaurant industry was already struggling with a labor crunch before the pandemic turned the problem into a full-blown crisis.
In recent months, the labor shortage has eased but hasn’t completely disappeared. Employment at eating and drinking places was down 3.9% in November compared with February 2020 when adjusted for seasonality, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Meanwhile, average hourly wages for the industry have climbed 21% in the same period, reaching a projected $18.99 in November. And while labor costs are hard to cut since restaurants need enough workers to keep up with orders, other costs to keeping a restaurant open, like ingredients and electricity, have also grown more expensive, further eating into operators’ profits.

If California’s government has its way, average hourly pay for restaurant workers could soar in 2023.
Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that creates a 10-person council to govern the wages and working conditions for workers of restaurant chains with more than 100 locations nationwide.

The restaurant industry opposed the law, called the FAST Act, and garnered more than 1 million signatures from California residents to hold a referendum in 2024 aimed at overturning the law. Opponents say that the law circumvents existing labor and franchising regulations and could kill fast-food jobs.
The state tried to forge ahead with its implementation anyway, but a coalition of restaurants sued, and a judge granted an injunction until Jan. 13.
Tia Orr, director of government affairs for the Service Employees International Union’s California division, told CNBC she expects that the battle will end up coming down to the ballot referendum. The SEIU has accused opponents of the law of violating election law by misleading voters to garner enough signatures.
Chains like McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A have been pouring money into opposing the law, according to California records.
“Part of efforts to thwart California from passing the FAST Act is to avoid the risk of FAST Act’s key tenets spreading to other states & municipalities,” Cowen analyst Andrew Charles wrote in a December research note.
Seventeen other U.S. states have Democratic legislatures and governors and could follow California’s lead. So far, however, no states have made meaningful progress toward enacting their own versions.
And it’s unlikely that restaurant workers will see any wage gains on the federal level this year. President Joe Biden has expressed support for a $15-an-hour minimum wage and the elimination of the tipped wage, which allows employers to pay workers as little as $2.13 an hour. If the hourly rate, combined with tips, doesn’t add up to a locality’s pay floor, employers are supposed make up the difference, but labor advocates say that often doesn’t happen. The tipped minimum wage was last raised in 1991.
That’s good news for restaurant operators who are looking for ways to cut down on their labor costs. Out of 3,000 operators surveyed by the National Restaurant Association in November, 89% said that labor costs are “a significant challenge.” Nearly a fifth of respondents said that they are slowing hiring in response to higher costs elsewhere.
That makes laws like California’s FAST Act a particularly threatening precedent for restaurant operators.
Plus, some restaurant employees are taking a more active role in determining their pay by unionizing. Roughly 270 company-owned Starbucks locations have unionized under Workers United, an affiliate of the SEIU, in the last 13 months. Individual stores are negotiating with the coffee giant, trying to bargain for better wages and working conditions.

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Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

It’s that time again! “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer rings the lightning round bell, which means he’s giving his answers to callers’ stock questions at rapid speed.

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Veru Inc: “I’m very concerned about it.”

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HealthEquity Inc: “Expensive stock, another one of these stocks not making much money. I think we’re going to have to take a major league pass.”

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Bumble Inc: “We’re not seeing the kind of profitability that makes me feel like that stock’s inexpensive.”

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Axon Enterprise Inc: “It’s a terrific law enforcement package that I think is really good for everybody. I like it.”

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Nuscale Power Corp: “If you want small, nuclear modular reactors, I’m going to have to say, the Constellation Energy group. That’s who’s got it.”
Disclaimer: Cramer’s Charitable Trust owns shares of Coterra.

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Macy’s on Friday said holiday sales will be on the lower end of its expected range.
It said consumers’ budgets are under pressure and that it expects the squeeze to continue into this year.

Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square in New York, Dec. 23, 2021.
Scott Mlyn | CNBC

Macy’s on Friday warned its holiday-quarter sales will come in on the lighter side, saying consumers’ budgets are under pressure and that it anticipates that squeeze to continue into this year.
The department store operator said net sales are now expected to be at the low- to midpoint of its previously expected range of $8.16 billion to $8.4 billion. It expects adjusted diluted earnings per share to be in the previously issued range of $1.47 to $1.67.

For the year-ago period, Macy’s reported revenue of $8.67 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $2.45.
Shares of the company fell about 4% in aftermarket trading Friday.
Macy’s is the latest retailer to provide clues about the consumer, as investors await holiday results and look for signs of whether demand is holding up as inflation remains high.

CEO Jeff Gennette said Macy’s put up strong Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and saw strength in gift-giving and occasion apparel, but “the lulls of the non-peak holiday weeks were deeper than anticipated.”
He said in a news release that the retailer, which includes higher-end department store chain Bloomingdale’s and beauty chain Bluemercury, has taken action to prepare for a year that may be tougher. For instance, he said, it has closely managed its inventory so it can stay nimble and has the merchandise that customers want.

Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury outperformed the rest of the business, Gennette said, and the company expects gross margins for the holiday season will be about in line with expectations.
Total end-of-quarter inventories are on track to be slightly below last year and down by the midteens compared with 2019, Macy’s said.
As it orders inventory, Gennette said it is using customer data to pick merchandise that will sell and cater to shoppers who seek fashion and value.
But the retailer anticipates a more challenging sales environment ahead, Gennette said.
“Based on current macro-economic indicators and our proprietary credit card data, we believe the consumer will continue to be pressured in 2023, particularly in the first half, and have planned inventory mix and depth of initial buys accordingly.”
Macy’s shared a preview of fourth-quarter expectations ahead of the ICR Conference. Gennette, Macy’s Chief Financial Officer Adrian Mitchell and Chief Merchandising Officer Nata Dvir, will participate in the investor conference next week.
The company will report its holiday-quarter and full fiscal-year results in early March.

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Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday named four stocks that he believes could mount a comeback this year.
To come up with his picks, he parsed through last year’s worst-performing stocks listed in the Nasdaq 100.

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday named four stocks that he believes could mount a comeback this year.
To come up with his picks, he parsed through last year’s worst-performing stocks listed in the Nasdaq 100. 

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“Out of the Nasdaq’s biggest losers, I think Qualcomm, Lam Research, Micron, and Airbnb will work this year, although not necessarily the first half,” he said, adding, “and don’t forget Illumina.”
Here are his thoughts on each stock:
Qualcomm

Cramer said that while Wall Street expects the semiconductor company to start losing iPhone orders in 2024, it’s possible the company could hold to at least some of those orders due. The company’s push into the auto market should also help the stock, he added.

Lam Research

He acknowledged that the near future could be ugly for chipmakers. However, “you can’t afford to wait around too long after this next bad quarter, because Lam’s stock will bottom months before the business does,” he said.

Micron

He advised investors to wait several months to buy shares of Micron, but make sure to do so before the chip glut is over. “Once there’s any sign of a bottom, this thing will bounce back like crazy — always has,” he said.

Airbnb

Cramer said that the company should continue to make money this year thanks to the current travel boom. Investors interested in the stock should buy it gradually on the way down, he added.

Illumina

He said that while the company is “superb,” he’d rather own shares of Danaher than Illumina.

Disclaimer: Cramer’s Charitable Trust owns shares of Qualcomm and Danaher.

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Click here to download Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing at no cost to help you build long-term wealth and invest smarter.

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Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Friday that corporate earnings reports next week will be key in determining the market’s performance.
“As good as these macro numbers were for the market, they’ll become a sideshow when we actually start getting earnings reports, and that happens at the end of next week,” he said.

CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Friday that corporate earnings reports next week will be key in determining the market’s performance.
Stocks rose Friday after the December jobs report and an economic condition reading signaled that the Federal Reserve is making headway in its fight against inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 recorded their best day since Nov. 30, while the Nasdaq Composite had its best day since Dec. 29.

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4 hours ago

“As good as these macro numbers were for the market, they’ll become a sideshow when we actually start getting earnings reports, and that happens at the end of next week,” he said.
Cramer added that he’ll also have an eye out for the December consumer price index report due next week. 
“If the CPI’s cooler than expected, we’ll get another good day, although not as much as today,” he said.
All estimates for earnings, revenue and economic data are courtesy of FactSet.
Monday: Jefferies Financial

Q4 2022 earnings release after the close
Projected EPS: 57 cents
Projected revenue: $1.19 billion

“If they say all systems go, that means you might want to buy the big financials ahead of their earnings” later in the week, Cramer said.
Tuesday: Albertsons

Q3 2022 earnings release before the bell; no conference call due to its merger agreement with Kroger
Projected EPS: 65 cents
Projected revenue: $17.81 billion

He said he’ll be watching for updates on how much prices have risen at the grocery store and how the company’s merger with Kroger is going.
Wednesday: KB Home

Q4 2022 earnings release between 4:10 p.m. and 4:20 p.m. ET; conference call at 5 p.m. ET
Projected EPS: $2.87
Projected revenue: $1.99 billion

The company’s earnings report will give insight into whether housing prices are going down — which would be good news for the Fed, he said. 
Friday: Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock, UnitedHealth
Wells Fargo

Q4 2022 earnings release at 7 a.m. ET; conference call at 12 p.m. ET
Projected EPS: 60 cents
Projected revenue: $20.01 billion

Cramer said that he thinks the stock has more room to gain.
Bank of America

Q4 2022 earnings release at 6:45 a.m. ET; conference call at 9:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: 78 cents
Projected revenue: $24.3 billion

JPMorgan Chase

Q4 2022 earnings release at 6:45 a.m. ET; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $3.11
Projected revenue: $34.29 billion

He predicted that both Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase will deliver solid quarters.
BlackRock

Q4 2022 earnings release at 6:15 a.m. ET; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $7.87
Projected revenue: $4.24 billion

Cramer said he expects the company to beat earnings estimates for its latest quarter.
UnitedHealth Group

Q4 2022 earnings release at 5:55 a.m. ET; conference call at 8:45 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $5.17
Projected revenue: $82.48 billion

“Maybe we can get to the bottom of the decline in UnitedHealth Group, one of my favorite stocks,” Cramer said.
Disclaimer: Cramer’s Charitable Trust owns shares of Wells Fargo.

Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing

Click here to download Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing at no cost to help you build long-term wealth and invest smarter.

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