Member Articles

WEC Energy Is a Solid Utility with a Nice Yield

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Image Source: WEC Energy Group Inc – March 2022 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan WEC Energy Group Inc (WEC) is a holding company that owns electric and natural gas utilities in the Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois), a ~60% stake in American Transmission Company (its service area is in the Upper Midwest and overlaps with the operations of WEC Energy’s other utility assets), and the merchant power firm WEC Infrastructure. WEC Energy serves roughly 4.6 million customers across its service area. Some of its electric and natural gas utilities include Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corporation, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation, Peoples Energy LLC, The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, North Shore Gas Company, W.E. … Read more

Exxon Mobil Is Working on Boosting U.S. LNG Export Capacity

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Image Shown: Exxon Mobil Corporation is a big player in the global LNG industry. Image Source: Exxon Mobil Corporation – March 2022 Investor Day Presentation By Callum Turcan Europe’s dependence on Russian natural gas supplies has taken centerstage in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Members of the European Union (‘EU’) receive roughly 40% of their natural gas needs from Russia. In March 2022, the US and the EU announced an agreement covering energy security that among other things encouraged greater liquified natural gas (‘LNG’) exports from the US to the EU. Such an accord would require Europe to boost its LNG regassification capacity. Recent LNG News In February 2022, Germany announced plans to build two LNG import … Read more

Nike Holding Its Own Against Major Exogenous Shocks

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Image Shown: Shares of Nike Inc are on an upward climb again after dropping significantly from November 2021 to March 2022. By Callum Turcan On March 21, Nike Inc (NKE) reported its third quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended February 28, 2022) that beat both top- and bottom-line estimates. Shares of Nike are trading around ~$135 as of this writing, near our fair value estimate of $139 per share, after dropping significantly from November 2021 to March 2022. The company’s stock shot up initially after its latest earnings report was made public as Nike indicated it was getting a better handle on its supply chain issues, which have made keeping up with robust consumer demand quite difficult of late. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week March 25

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending March 25. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week      1847 Holdings, LLC (EFSH): now $0.05 per share quarterly dividend. Armanino Foods of Distinction (AMNF): now $0.03 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.0275. Banco de Chile (BCH): now $0.855 per share annual dividend, was $0.513. BankUnited (BKU): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.23. BRP (DOOO): now CAD 0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.13. Chesswood Group (CHWWF): now CAD 0.04 per share monthly … Read more

Johnson & Johnson’s Outlook Improving, Steadily Putting Legal Issues Behind It

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Image Source: Johnson & Johnson – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan On a price-only basis, shares of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) are up ~2% year-to-date through the end of regular trading hours on March 22, while the S&P 500 (SPY) is down ~6% during this period. We include shares of Johnson & Johnson as an idea in both the Best Ideas Newsletter and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolios, and we love the company’s resiliency in the face of whatever challenges are thrown at it. In our view, the relative strength seen in Johnson & Johnson’s stock price is the product of its legal strategies moving things in the right direction and the favorable fiscal 2022 … Read more

Dividend Growth Idea Home Depot Raises Payout as Its Growth Story Continues

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Image Shown: Dividend growth idea Home Depot Inc has put up strong financial performance of late. Image Source: Home Depot Inc – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2021 Supplemental Material By Callum Turcan Demand for home improvement and construction activities remains strong according to Home Depot Inc (HD), an idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. When Home Depot reported its fourth quarter earnings for fiscal 2021 (period ended January 30, 2022) in February 2022, the company beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Home Depot also announced a 15% sequential increase in its dividend and issued out favorable guidance for fiscal 2022 in conjunction with its latest earnings report. The company’s new quarterly payout sits at $1.90 per share or … Read more

Berkshire Hathaway Is Firing on All Cylinders; Shares Surging

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Image Shown: Shares of best idea Berkshire Hathaway Class B (ticker: BRK.B) have surged higher over the past year with room to run. By Callum Turcan Those of you that have been long-time members of Valuentum (thank you by the way!) know that we are huge fans of Warren Buffett. We include Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK.A) (BRK.B), specifically its Class B shares (ticker: BRK.B), as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. Recently, Buffett (CEO and Chairman of Berkshire) released his latest annual letter to shareholders, which included plenty of important information regarding the conglomerate’s financial performance and investing practices at-large. One of the things that stuck out in Buffett’s latest annual letter to shareholders, a topic that he … Read more

Oracle Expects Its Solid Revenue Growth Trajectory Will Continue Into This Fiscal Quarter

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Image Source: Oracle Corporation – September 2019 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan On March 10, Oracle Corporation (ORCL) reported third quarter earnings for fiscal 2022 (period ended February 28, 2022) that matched consensus top-line estimates but missed consensus bottom-line estimates. The company’s revenue growth came in at a decent clip last fiscal quarter, and that trajectory is expected to continue into the current fiscal quarter, according to guidance management announced during Oracle’s latest earnings call. We include Oracle as an idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio, and shares of ORCL yield ~1.7% as of this writing. Financial Update In the fiscal third quarter, Oracle’s GAAP revenues grew 4% and its non-GAAP constant currency revenues grew 7% year-over-year. Strong growth at … Read more

Chevron Buys Renewable Energy Group

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Image Shown: Chevron Corporation is acquiring Renewable Energy Group Inc through an all-cash deal that was announced at the end of February 2022. Image Source: Renewable Energy Group Inc – October 2020 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan On February 28, Chevron Corporation (CVX) announced it would acquire Renewable Energy Group Inc (REGI) through an all-cash transaction. The energy giant is paying $61.50 per share in cash for each share of the renewable fuel producer through a deal with a total enterprise value of $2.75 billion when including Renewable Energy Group’s $0.4 billion net cash position. During the second half of 2022, the transaction is expected to close. Overview  Renewable Energy Group produces biofuels with a heavy emphasis on biodiesel and … Read more

AT&T’s WarnerMedia Unit and Discovery Are Close to Finalizing Their Blockbuster Merger

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Image Shown: Announced back in May 2021, the blockbuster merger of AT&T Inc’s WarnerMedia unit with Discovery Inc is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022. Image Source: AT&T Inc & Discovery Inc – May 2021 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan The blockbuster merger of WarnerMedia, currently a part of AT&T Inc (T), with Discovery Inc (DISCA) (DISCB) (DISCK) is getting closer to completion. On March 11, Discovery shareholders voted on whether to proceed with the transaction. AT&T does not need to secure shareholder approval through a vote to close the transaction. If everything goes as planned, WarnerMedia and Discovery are set to close their merger during the second quarter of 2022. Let’s dig more into the details … Read more