Brian Nelson

Dividend Growth Portfolio Holding Hasbro Raises Dividend 20%; Now Boasts 4%+ Yield

by

Dividend-growth portfolio holding Hasbro (HAS) reported mixed fourth-quarter results Monday and increased its dividend a whopping 20%, even more than we had anticipated. Though we had expected a nice dividend increase for 2012, we’ll be updating our dividend report on the company shortly.   The firm reported a 4% increase in revenue in the fourth quarter from the same period a year ago thanks to strong international growth (up 8%), offset by lower-than-expected growth in its US and Canada segment (down 2%). The top-line was weighed down by challenges in its Games & Puzzles and Girls categories, which fell 11% and 16%, respectively. However, we think management has taken the appropriate steps post-Thanksgiving to re-accelerate growth in these segments via … Read more

Employment Data, Released Today, Reinforces Our Long-Held View That the US Will Avoid a Double-Dip Recession

by

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 243,000 in January, and the unemployment rate decreased to 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job growth was widespread in the private sector, with large employment gains in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. Government employment changed little over the month. Please click on the link below to read the full report: << Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Situation Summary << Our Newsletter Archive

Gilead Sciences Releases Favorable Hepatitus C Data

by

From Gilead Sciences (GILD) fourth-quarter earnings conference call: “The worldwide potential for all oral antiviral pan-genotypic HCV cure is sizable with over 12 million infected individuals in commercial markets alone. We are already in high gear preparing global launch plans that will bring GS-7977 expeditiously to patients around the world. Our established relationships with the hepatologist and gastroenterologist via Viread HPV, our knowledge of liver disease payers and policy makers and the exciting potential of leveraging our HIV resources to expand HCV-provided capacity is a galvanizing prospect. And I am confident the Gilead commercial organization will rise to the occasion… …As you know, results from the ELECTRON study were presented by Pharmasset at AASLD last October where GS-7977 and ribavirin for … Read more

Exxon Issues Fourth-Quarter Results; Yield Still Comparatively Weak

by

Exxon (XOM) reported fourth-quarter results Tuesday that failed to impress. Earnings expanded a modest 2%, to $9.4 billion in the quarter, while diluted earnings per share grew 6%, to $1.97, bolstered by share buybacks during the period. We are sticking with our $78 per share fair value estimate for Exxon and continue to watch its dividend for an opportune time to capitalize on its yield ($1.88 per share annual payout; 2.2% annual yield). For the full-year 2011, earnings jumped 35% as a result of higher crude oil prices, improved refining and chemical margins, as well as gains on sales of assets. Exxon continues to feel the pinch from lower natural gas prices, however. Still, the oil-and-gas giant pulled in roughly … Read more