#ftc

Intuit Stock Plummets 60% Amid Strategic Shifts and Market Concerns Intuit (INTU) stock has dropped by approximately 60% from its 52-week high of $813, currently trading at $332 in extended trading. This steep decline reflects investor skepticism over the company’s recent performance and broader industry challenges. Despite management’s raised FY26 non-GAAP EPS guidance of $23.80 to $23.85, the stock now trades at around 14 times forward earnings—a significant discount compared to its four-year historical average of over 30x. The market’s pessimism is driven by fears of AI disruption in core bookkeeping functions and declining performance in the DIY tax segment. However, analysts argue that the current valuation presents a compelling risk-reward opportunity, with an average price target of $567 suggesting substantial upside potential for investors willing to overlook short-term regulatory and restructuring challenges. The recent earnings report highlighted a 17% workforce reduction and CEO acknowledgment of the company’s struggles in the price-sensitive DIY tax market. While these figures initially suggest operational distress, deeper analysis reveals a strategic pivot rather than long-term decline. Intuit is deliberately ceding the low-end, commoditized DIY market to competitors, focusing instead on the higher-value assisted tax category. TurboTax Live revenue is projected to grow 36% this year, pushing the assisted segment to account for over half of TurboTax’s total revenue. This shift underscores Intuit’s efforts to transition from a volume-driven model to a premium service-oriented approach, aligning with broader industry trends toward automation and AI integration. Despite challenges in the DIY tax segment, Intuit’s broader accounting ecosystem demonstrates resilience.#ftc #intuit #turbotax #quickbooks #mailchimp

Ticketmaster quietly adds new hidden charges to cover crackdown on ‘junk fees,’ report says Months after U.S. regulators banned surprise fees that appear while purchasing tickets, Ticketmaster raised the cost of other fees to “offset the revenue loss,” according to a report. The company had previously vowed to display all-in ticket pricing upfront after a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ban on so-called “junk fees” took effect in May 2025. While Ticketmaster stopped charging small amounts it tacked on at checkout to comply with the rules, it increased the price of other fees to make up for the loss, documents obtained by The Guardian revealed. In an email to the Findlay Toyota Center in Arizona last year, Ticketmaster stated, “To account for the loss of order processing revenue, we must adjust fees to offset the revenue loss.” The venue had eliminated its $6 order processing fee but raised its service fee by $2 per ticket. The Guardian obtained copies of Ticketmaster’s contracts with 26 venues nationwide, most of which included an order processing fee similar to the one mentioned in the email. However, such fees are no longer allowed under FTC rules. At least eight venues amended their contracts to raise other fees following the all-in pricing rules, according to the report. Grouping an illegal fee with another charge could violate the FTC’s rule against misrepresenting fees, which took effect in May 2025. John Newman, a former economist at the FTC, warned that Ticketmaster may effectively still be charging the fee by disguising it as something else. “That type of behavior can run afoul of the FTC rule,” he said. The Independent has contacted Ticketmaster for comment. In a statement to The Guardian, the company said, “Since May 2025, tickets on Ticketmaster.#ticketmaster #live_nation_entertainment #ftc #the_guardian #findlay_toyota_center

Ticketmaster secretly raised fees at 26 venues after FTC Internal documents obtained from publicly owned venues reveal that Ticketmaster eliminated order processing fees as required by federal regulations but quietly raised service charges to offset the lost revenue, effectively shifting costs without reducing overall prices for consumers. The findings, first reported by The Guardian, show that after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) banned surprise fees at checkout, Ticketmaster stopped charging order processing fees in apparent compliance with the all-in pricing rule. At the same time, the company increased per-ticket service charges at affected venues, leaving buyers paying the same or more despite the regulatory changes. Internal communications sent to venues explicitly acknowledged the need for fee adjustments to compensate for the revenue loss caused by the regulatory shift. The strategy is exemplified by the Findlay Toyota Center in Arizona, where the venue eliminated its $6 order processing fee to comply with all-in pricing requirements. Ticketmaster responded by raising the per-ticket service charge by $2, resulting in no meaningful reduction for buyers. Similar tactics were applied across multiple venues, including Wintrust Arena in Chicago, where ticket fees increased by 2.3%, and Florida State University, which saw a 3% rise. In California, where a state law banning hidden mandatory charges took effect in July 2024, Ticketmaster raised fees at multiple venues. For instance, the city of Sacramento experienced a 25% increase in its per-ticket fee, climbing from $3.45 to $4.25, while Cerritos saw an identical fee increase around the same period. Former FTC officials who reviewed the documents expressed serious concerns about the practice.#ticketmaster #ftc #findlay_toyota_center #wintrust_arena #florida_state_university

FTC to Refund Over $47 Million to Consumers Deceived by Invitation Homes The Federal Trade Commission announced on Wednesday that it will distribute more than $47.2 million in refunds to hundreds of thousands of consumers who were allegedly misled by Invitation Homes, the nation’s largest single-family home leasing company. The refunds are part of a settlement reached with the Dallas-based company, which the FTC sued in 2024. Regulators accused the company of deceptive practices, including failing to disclose hidden fees, not inspecting properties before tenants moved in, and withholding security deposits after tenants vacated. Invitation Homes, a publicly traded company, will issue the refunds as part of the agreement. According to the FTC, the company owned or managed over 110,000 properties across the U.S. as of December 2025. The settlement requires the company to improve transparency in its leasing practices, ensure fair handling of security deposits, and amend other questionable policies. Eligibility for refunds extends to 444,131 consumers who paid at least $45 in fees or charges to Invitation Homes between January 2021 and September 2024. The FTC emphasized that recipients must cash their checks within 90 days of receiving them, with delivery times varying based on location. Those with questions about the refunds can contact Rust Consulting via toll-free phone at 800-804-6915 or email at info@InvitationHomesRefund.com. Refund amounts will depend on the specific fees paid by each consumer, with an average payment of approximately $106. However, individuals who have already received a credit or refund from Invitation Homes are not eligible for additional payments. The FTC’s 2024 lawsuit detailed several alleged violations by Invitation Homes.#dallas #ftc #invitation_homes #rental_housing_industry #security_deposits

FTC to Distribute $47 Million to Renters Wronged by Major Landlord The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced a $47.2 million settlement with Invitation Homes, one of the nation’s largest single-family home landlords, to compensate over 400,000 renters who were allegedly misled by the company’s deceptive practices. The agreement, finalized in March 2026, follows a lawsuit filed by the FTC in September 2024 that accused the company of engaging in widespread fraudulent behavior. According to the lawsuit, Invitation Homes engaged in multiple unlawful actions, including misleading applicants about leasing costs, charging undisclosed fees for services such as “smart home technology” and “utility management,” and unfairly withholding tenants’ security deposits. The company was also accused of fabricating charges when renters moved out, leading to improper fees for normal wear-and-tear, pre-move-in damage, and unnecessary renovations. Between 2020 and 2022, Invitation Homes returned only 39.2% of security deposits to tenants, far below the national average of 63.9%. The FTC alleged that some mandatory fees could total up to $1,700 annually per renter, while prospective tenants paid non-refundable reservation and application fees ranging from $55 to $500. Application fees alone generated $18 million for the company between 2019 and 2024. The agency also claimed Invitation Homes lied about pre-move-in inspections, leaving tenants to deal with “significant disrepair” in their units. As part of the settlement, Invitation Homes agreed to pay $48 million in compensation to affected renters, though the total payout is listed as $47.2 million in the agreement. The company also faces new rules, including full transparency in leasing prices and a system for refunding security deposits “fairly.#ftc #invitation_homes #lina_m_khan #rust_consulting_inc #invitation_homes_refund_com