Member Articles

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending November 18

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending November 18. 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 Agilent Technologies (A): now $0.132 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.115. American Equity (AEL): now $0.24 per share annual dividend, was $0.22. Assurant (AIZ): now $0.53 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.50. Bancroft Fund (BCV): now $0.52 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. Brown-Forman (BF.A): now $0.1825 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.17. Brunswick (BC): now $0.165 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. C&F Financial (CFFI): … Read more

Healthcare Earnings Update Featuring Johnson and Johnson, Cardinal Health and Abbott Labs

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The upcoming deluge of earnings over the next couple of weeks offers a glimpse into the ongoing business prospects for the various companies in our coverage universe. Let’s discuss the recent news release of a few prominent names in the healthcare industry. Alexander J. Poulos Is There Trouble Brewing at JNJ? Image Source: Johnson & Johnson Shares of Johnson and Johnson (JNJ) faced modest share-price pressure following its first-quarter earnings results April 18. Though we still like J&J in both newsletter portfolios, we were somewhat concerned about its less-than-stellar showing during the quarter in the all-important Pharmaceutical division, which accounts for over 40% of JNJ’s sales. During the period, revenue still increased in its Pharmaceutical division (+0.8 worldwide; 1.4% operationally) … Read more

Investing Versus Speculating: Ford, GM, Tesla

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Ford is making some changes at the top, but we still like General Motors. Tesla’s stock remains “uninvestable,” in our view. By Brian Nelson, CFA There are many definitions of investing and speculating that run the gamut from the views of investor Benjamin Graham to famed trader Jesse Livermore, but I have rather simple definitions of investing and speculating. Investing involves estimating a company’s intrinsic value and buying a stock when one thinks the price is far below intrinsic value and holding that security until price reaches intrinsic value, or through the high end of an informed fair value range, for example. This definition of investing and the art of intrinsic value estimation are core and vital to the Valuentum … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending July 21

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending July 21. 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 Ally Financial (ALLY): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.08. Bank of New York Mellon (BK): now $0.24 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.19. Bryn Mawr Bank (BMTC): now $0.22 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.21. Cambridge Bancorp (CATC): now $0.47 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.46. Citigroup (C): now $0.32 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Chemical Financial (CHFC): now $0.28 per share quarterly … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 9

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 9. 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 Allegion (ALLE): now $0.21 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Allergan (AGN): now $0.72 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.70. Allstate (ALL): now $0.46 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.37. ALPS Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP): now $0.2066 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.2052. Anadarko Petroleum (APC): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): now $0.335 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.32. … Read more

Dropping Coverage of the Securities Research Industry

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Image Source: Andreas Poike Valuentum is dropping coverage of the securities research industry to allocate resources elsewhere. Structure of the Securities Research Industry The securities research industry has become increasingly competitive, with a large number of rivals in the individual, advisor, and institutional markets. However, barriers to success for new entrants in the individual market are incredibly high, if not impossible, while the advisor market continues to be dominated by entrenched providers with deep ties. The institutional market is shielded to new rivals thanks to talent and capital costs, offering established players an attractive position. Licensed research and data can be a high-return means of generating sustainable, recurring business. We like the group’s structure. Dun & Bradstreet (DNB) Dun & Bradstreet … Read more

Top Research and Ideas You May Have Missed

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Is Quant Value Giving Intrinsic Value Investors a Bad Name? Surely, you don’t believe Warren Buffett’s “style” is out of favor? By Brian Nelson, CFA I need to make sure that you’re aware of something very important. The media and perhaps many investment professionals define the concept of “value” as companies with low price-to-book (P/B) ratios, and the concept of “growth” as companies with high price-to-book ratios. This definition of “value” and “growth” and their corresponding returns have been magnified in writings throughout the media and across quantitative research, even in prestigious journals. Warren Buffett has been rallying against most quantitative applications and how “growth” and “value” are defined in popular media and quantitative research for decades.  Here’s one of the Oracle’s most … Read more

Lowe’s Misses, Nordstrom Buckles, Target and Best Buy Shine

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Lowe’s Misses, Nordstrom Buckles, Target and Best Buy Shine — Need short idea considerations in this tumultuous market? Consider the Exclusive publication here. We release a new short idea consideration each month, in addition to an income and capital-appreciation idea.  — East Coast friends: Brian will be available for a book signing at Headline Books booth 957 at the American Library Association Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC June 22 (more details to follow). Value Trap has been named a Next-Generation Indie Award Winner!  — By Brian Nelson, CFA — When asked about whether Valuentum is all about stock timing, I sometimes cringe. Roughly 90% of our work goes into figuring out what may be the best … Read more