Corporate pension plans are starting to look like a viable option for employers — but companies aren't exactly ready to turn back the clock, Nathan writes.

Why it matters: With 1 in 2 Americans feeling like they aren't able to save for retirement, the steady and predictable income from pensions could be a welcome proposition.

State of play: Companies have been ditching defined-benefit pension plans for decades, many of them shifting instead to plans like 401(k)s, which require workers to kick in a percentage of their checks.

• In 1970, about 45% of U.S. private workers had a pension, according to the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries.
• By 2022, that was down to 11%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while 48% had defined-contribution plans, like 401(k)s.

So what's changed? The financial calculus.

• The spike in interest rates and bond yields is making the future liabilities in pension funds look smaller, thus reducing the amount of money that employers are legally required to put into them.

What they're saying: "We're in this snapshot in time where corporate pension plans look as good as they will probably at any point" in the near future, pensions expert Anthony Randazzo, executive director of the Equable Institute, tells Axios.

But, but, but: That doesn't mean that companies will start offering them again.

• 3m yesterday announced the opposite: It will freeze its U.S. pension plans for nonunion employees at the end of 2028, shifting to 401(k)s.
• And automakers refused to bring them back this fall during strike negotiations (though the UAW said it would try again in 2028).

The bottom line: While corporate pensions look pretty healthy, don't expect a rousing comeback.

Go deeper

Taylor Swift and Beyoncé together fetched as much in concert ticket sales in 2023 as the next five artists combined, according to Pollstar data compiled by the New Consumer.

State of play: The music superstars collectively took in $1.6 billion through the Eras Tour and Renaissance World Tour, Nathan writes.

• Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Harry Styles, Morgan Wallen and Ed Sheeran collectively pulled in the same amount.

💭 Nathan's thought bubble: And that doesn't even count merchandise.

🪨 BlackRock is cutting 600 workers. (Axios)

👗 Rent the Runway is dismissing about 10% of its workers. (Bloomberg)

🚨 Fox is launching a blockchain platform to track how AI firms are using its content. (Axios exclusive)

Meta today said it will institute more protections for teenagers on Facebook and Instagram, Axios' April Rubin writes.

Why it matters: A lawsuit last year from more than half the country's attorneys general said Meta knowingly released products and features that harm teens' mental health.

Details: Teens will be placed into the most restrictive content control settings on both social media platforms, the company said.

• Among other things, it will expand features to make it more difficult for users to come across sensitive content, such as posts about self-harm or eating disorders.

Zoom out: Congress has increased its scrutiny of Meta and other Big Tech companies recently when it comes to kids' online safety.

Go deeper

Tumbler brand Stanley was once known for thermoses used during World War II — but now it's hydrating enthusiastic crowds on TikTok, Nathan and Axios' Kelly Tyko write.

What's happening: An exclusive Starbucks version of the vacuum-insulated Quencher model — $49.95 for the 40-ounce version — is so popular that resellers are listing it on sites like eBay for hundreds of dollars or more.

• "The craze has prompted long lines outside of Target stores in the dead of night. Ugly fights have broken out. Shouting matches have erupted," the LA Times reports.

Between the lines: The colorfulness, durability and handy design have combined with a savvy marketing campaign reaching out to social media influencers.

• Annual sales for the PMI Worldwide-owned brand have gone from $70 million to more than $750 million, CNBC says.

"The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 Max to service."