Member Articles

ICYMI — Shocking?!?! Utility Dividends Aren’t Always Safe

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There is plenty to like about the business models of utilities. Regulated utilities, for one, are monopolies in their operating regions, providing an essential service to businesses and customers. This, coupled with the fact that the returns of regulated utilities are set by a regulatory body within a defined ratemaking process, causes the sector to be full of operators that boast steadily-growing earnings that appear to be materially dependable. As we note in this article, however, a surprisingly large number of utilities in our coverage universe have cut their dividends in the past. Are the dividends of utilities as safe as many make them out to be? Let’s dig in. By Valuentum Analysts We frequently receive questions as to why … Read more

Black Gold! Crude Oil Prices Leap to ~$50

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Key Takeaways: After being negative throughout much of the collapse in energy resource prices during 2014-2015, Valuentum has been market-neutral on the energy sector since October of last year, and the newsletter portfolios have participated in the bounce in energy shares from January 2016 via the Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE). The Dividend Cushion ratio, which is a forward-looking cash-flow based metric of dividend health, flagged the risk of every dividend cut, without fail, in the Independent Oil & Gas industry in advance of the event: Anadarko (APC), Cenovus (CVE), Cimarex (XEC), Devon Energy (DVN), Noble Energy (NBL), and Range Resources (RRC). We’ll walk through the degree of capital cuts across the Independent Oil & Gas industry, the group’s efforts … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending July 15

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending July 15. 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 Antero Midstream (AM): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.235. Basset Furniture (BSET): now $0.10 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.09. Ciner Resources (CINR): now $0.567 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.564. Cummins (CMI): now $1.025 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.975. Discover Financial Services (DFS): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Duke Energy (DUK): now $0.855 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.825. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending September 16

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending September 16. 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 American Tower (AMT): now $0.55 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.53. Condor Hospitality (CDOR): now $0.03 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.01. DTE Energy (DTE): now $0.77 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.73. Enterprise Financial Services (EFSC): now $0.11 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. Federated National Holding (FNHC): now $0.08 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Fidelity Nasdaq Composite Index Tracking ETF (ONEQ): now $0.62 … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending December 9

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending December 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 Abbot Laboratories (ABT): now $0.265 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.26. Agree Realty Corporation (ADC): now $0.495 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.48. Air Lease (AL): now $0.075 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE): now $0.83 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.80. Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (APYRE): now C$0.1275 per share monthly dividend, was C$0.125. American Assets Trust (AAT): … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 10

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending February 10. 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 Company (MMM): now $1.175 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.11. Alaska Air (ALK): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.275. Allstate (ALL): now $0.37 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.33. Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): now $0.32 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.30. Baldwin & Lyons (BWINA): now $0.27 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.26. Bank of Botetourt (BORT): now $0.14 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

More First-Quarter Earnings Flying In: GM, Ford, Big Oil and More

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Image Source: General Motors GM’s dividend yield and valuation opportunity are incredible, while Microsoft’s free cash flow generation and solid net cash position speak to tremendous dividend strength. We liked what we saw out of Union Pacific during the first quarter, and you have to be aware of Big Oil’s bloated balance sheets. All of this and more included in this piece. By Brian Nelson, CFA It’s puzzling to think about, but with the first-quarter 2017 US GDP print today, April 28, coming in at just 0.7%, below expectations, one wouldn’t think the stock market is near all-time highs. Interestingly, in the report, too, the weakest area came from real consumer spending, which registered a pace of growth as poor … Read more

Earnings Update on European Big Pharma Featuring Novartis, Sanofi, and AstraZeneca

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The drug industry is a global market with an impressive array of competitors headquartered outside the US. The quest to bring forth novel treatments continues. We continue to focus on the large-cap traditional pharmaceutical companies for their defensive characteristics, and many also pay a generous dividend. By Alexander J. Poulos Novartis Poised to Cycle Through Loss of Patent Exclusivity on Gleevec Shares of European heavyweight Novartis (NVS) jumped sharply after posting first-quarter earnings April 25. Growth in the pharmaceutical segment remains hampered as the company lapses the loss of patent exclusivity of one of its top-selling products Gleevec. We are looking past the patent cliff and remain focused on the growth products currently in Novartis’ lineup. Cosentyx, a treatment for … Read more

Competitive Pressures Not Going Away for Teva

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The end of the patent life of a lucrative product can often lead to significant legal strife as aspiring biosimilar equivalents jockey for exclusivity. We have found the recent aggressive move by Mylan noteworthy in our ongoing coverage of Teva’s recent struggles. On a separate but related note, the settlement between Amgen and Abbvie underscores the volatile nature of maneuvers conducted in order to extend the patent life of a highly successful product. By Alexander J. Poulos and Kris Rosemann Make no bones about it, the former Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio idea in Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) did not work out as planned. The company was “added” to the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio in mid-2013 at $41.22 and was a strong … Read more

A Little Optimization To Maximize The Value

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We continue to help readers find some of our best ideas for consideration, and some of the companies in this article didn’t make the cut for our long-term perspective. We’re allocating resources elsewhere. Clean Diesel Tech (CDTI) Clean Diesel Tech is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of emissions control systems and products to the automotive and heavy duty diesel markets. Clean Diesel Tech is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of emissions control systems and products to the automotive and heavy duty diesel markets. It uses patented technology to reduce emissions and lower the carbon intensity of engine applications. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in California. Clean Diesel Tech expects to realize a shit in … Read more