Member Articles

The Success Equation Book Review: Is the Skill Paradox a Myth in Investing? We Think So

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“If I’d just tried for them dinky singles, I could’ve batted around .600.” – Babe Ruth — “In investing, the trend toward conformity is clear. For example, portfolios today look more like their benchmarks than they did thirty years ago. The average active share, a measure of how different a mutual fund portfolio is compared to its benchmark, has fallen from 75 percent in 1980 to about 60 percent in 2010 in the United States. Leaders in sports as well as in business fear straying too far from convention, even in cases where the convention isn’t all that great (page 174).” – The Success Equation (2012) — This article was originally published October 16, 2020. — By Brian Nelson, CFA — … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week January 22

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending January 22. 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 Alliant Energy (LNT): now $0.4025 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.38. BlackRock (BLK): now $4.13 per share quarterly dividend, was $3.63. Calamos Long/Short Equity & Dynamic Income Trust (CPZ): now $0.13 per share monthly dividend, was $0.12. Canadian Banc Corp (CNDCF): now CAD 0.0748 per share monthly dividend, was CAD 0.0733. Century Bancorp (CNBKA): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Century Bancorp, Inc. B … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week February 5

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 5. 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 3M (MMM): now $1.48 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.47. Activision Blizzard (ATVI): now $0.47 per share annual dividend, was $0.41. Advanced Energy (AEIS): now $0.10 per share quarterly dividend. Allegion (ALLE): now $0.36 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.32. ALLETE (ALE): now $0.63 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.6175. Amdocs (DOX): now $0.36 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.33. Apollo Global Management (APO): now $0.60 … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week May 14

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 14. 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 AirBoss of America (ABSSF): now CAD 0.10 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.07. Alerus Financial (ALRS): now $0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. CapStar Financial (CSTR): now $0.06 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. Chesapeake Energy (CHK): now $0.34375 per share quarterly dividend. Companhia Siderurgica (SID): now $2.00 per share annual dividend, was $0.002. Curtiss-Wright (CW): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.17. … Read more

Philip Morris’ Transformation Continues

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Image Shown: Philip Morris International Inc’s IQOS offering, a heated tobacco unit product (also classified as a “reduced risk product” by the company) that seeks to replicate the experience of traditional cigarettes for smokers in a bid to get those users to switch over to an offering the company views as relatively “safer,” has continued to post solid user base growth of late. We are big fans of Philip Morris and its ongoing transformation and include shares of PM as an idea in the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio. Image Source: Philip Morris International Inc – Second Quarter of 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan On July 20, the company behind the Marlboro cigarette brand (excluding sales of the … Read more

NextEra Energy’s Promising Earnings Growth Outlook Underpins Dividend Growth Trajectory

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Image Source: NextEra Energy Inc – Third Quarter of 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan On October 20, the electric utility firm NextEra Energy Inc (NEE) reported third quarter 2021 earnings that missed consensus top-line estimates but beat consensus bottom-line estimates. The company reaffirmed its medium-term guidance in conjunction with its earnings report. We include shares of NEE in the ESG Newsletter portfolio and continue to be huge fans of the name. NextEra Energy’s capital appreciation and dividend growth upside potential is quite substantial. Our fair value estimate for shares of NEE stands at $102 per share with room for upside, as the top end of our fair value estimate range sits at $124 per share of NextEra Energy. … Read more

Best Idea Vertex Pharma Boosts Guidance (Again), Buying Back Stock While Awaiting Key Clinical Trials

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Image Shown: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc is one of our favorite biotech ideas. Image Source: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc – Third Quarter of 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan One of our favorite biotech plays out there is Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (VRTX), which is included as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. The company’s commercial portfolio, meaning therapeutics that have already been approved by key health regulators, is centered on drugs that treat cystic fibrosis (‘CF’), including patients as young as four months old as well as older patients. Its branded commercialized CF treatments include TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO, SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI, ORKAMBI, and KALYDECO. Vertex Pharma is currently generating substantial revenue and cash flows from these offerings. Guidance Update Sales of its CF … Read more

Governance: The G in ESG Investing

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By Valuentum Analysts No discussion of ESG investing would be complete without addressing the role of corporate governance (“stewardship”) in equity investing. As with the other aspects of ESG investing, corporate governance covers a lot of ground. It can include pretty much anything related to how a company is run, including leadership, executive compensation, audits and accounting, and shareholder rights. These areas are just the tip of the iceberg, however.  A company with good corporate governance is one that is run well with the proper incentives and with all stakeholders in mind, from employees to suppliers to customers to shareholders and beyond. Good corporate governance practices decrease the risk to investors as it cuts through conflicts of interest, misuse of … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of May 27

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending May 27. 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      Ashland (ASH): now $0.335 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.300. Bank of Montreal (BMO): now CAD 1.39 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 1.33. Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): now CAD 1.03 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 1.00. California Resources Corporation (CRC): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Canadian Imperial Bank (CM): now CAD 0.83 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.81 (post-split … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of August 5

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending August 5. 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 $0.1313 per share dividend (post one-for-four reverse split), was $0.05. AdvanSix (ASIX): now $0.145 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.125. Alpine Summit Energy Partners, Inc. (ASEPF): now $0.03 per share monthly dividend. Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure (AY): now $0.445 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.440. Bank of Marin Bancorp (BMRC): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.24. Blue Owl Capital … Read more