Member Articles

Dividend Aristocrat Albemarle Bets Big on Lithium

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Image Source: Albemarle Corporation – May 2021 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan  Dividend Aristocrat Albemarle Corporation (ALB) is a specialty chemicals company with three core business operating segments; ‘Lithium’ (primarily used for battery storage solutions), ‘Catalysts’ (primarily used in the oil refining industry), and ‘Bromine Specialties’ (primarily used as flame retardants). The company is focused on aggressively growing its lithium derivatives operations going forward, Albemarle’s largest in terms of revenues and most profitable in terms of non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA performance. Let’s learn more about this fascinating company. Image Shown: An overview of Albemarle’s business profile. Image Source: Albemarle – May 2021 IR Presentation Lithium Prices Are on the Rise During the final quarter of 2020, Albemarle sold its economic stake … Read more

Our Thoughts on Big Pharma’s Calendar Fourth Quarter Earnings Reports

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Image Source: Merck & Company Inc – Fourth Quarter of 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan In Alphabetical Order by Ticker: ABBV, GILD, LLY, MRK We include the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ETF (XLV) in the Best Ideas Newsletter and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolios to gain broad exposure to the health care sector. Instead of betting on one entity’s pipeline (which could be hit or miss), we like the exposure to lots and lots of “shots on goal” when it comes to the vast collective pipeline in the XLV ETF. We wrote up the calendar fourth-quarter results of the top two weightings in the XLV ETF, United Health (UNH) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) here and here, … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week February 18

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 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 Acadia Realty Trust (AKR): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Advance Auto Parts (AAP): now $1.50 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.00. AEGON (AEG): now EUR 0.09 per share semi-annual dividend, was EUR 0.08. AllianceBernstein (AB): now $1.29 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.89. Allstate (ALL): now $0.85 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.81. American Homes 4 Rent (AMH): now $0.18 per share quarterly … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week March 11

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending March 11. 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      AFC Gamma (AFCG): now $0.55 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.50. American Assets Trust (AAT): now $0.32 per share quarterly dividend was $0.30. American Express (AXP): now $0.52 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.43. American Tower (AMT): now $1.40 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.39. AngloGold Ashanti (AU): now $0.145 per share dividend, was $0.059. Applied Materials (AMAT): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.24. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week April 22

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending April 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      AmeriServ Financial (ASRV): now $0.03 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.025. Banco Santander-Chile (BSAC): now $0.909 per share dividend, was Ch$1.64751729. Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.24. CapStar Financial (CSTR): now $0.10 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (CCU): now $0.3084 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.309 per share semi-annual dividend. Compania de Minas Buenaventura (BVN): … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week May 20

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 20. 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      Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.11. American Tower (AMT): now $1.43 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.40. AMES National (ATLO): now $0.27 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.26. AMMO, Inc. 8.75% PFD SER A (POWWP): now $0.559 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.547. Brigham Minerals (MNRL): now $0.60 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.45. Chubb (CB): now $0.83 per share … Read more

Men’s Wearhouse Changes Its Style

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After the market closed Wednesday afternoon, Men’s Wearhouse (click ticker for report: ) reported relatively uneventful fourth quarter results that were overshadowed by the company’s strategy change. After announcing the appointment of John Kimmins to chief financial officer last week, the company unveiled that it hired Jefferies to evaluate strategic alternatives for its K&G unit (potentially a sale), which has struggled immensely. The company will focus on Men’s Wearhouse and Moore’s. The firm also added $155 million to its share repurchase authorization, giving the company the ability to repurchase $200 million shares. On top of share repurchases, it announced an amendment to its current credit facility. Kimmins must have been busy. As for K&G, we believe market participants think the company is signaling it will … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of August 25

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending August 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                          Altria (MO): now $0.98 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.94. Atrion (ATRI): now $2.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $2.15. BancFirst (BANF): now $0.43 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.40. Banco do Brasil S.A. (BDORY): now $0.0137 per share special dividend, was $0.07. Cactus (WHD): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.11. Capital City Bank (CCBG): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more

People Love Their Starbucks

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Image: Starbucks remains a strong free cash flow generator. By Brian Nelson, CFA On November 2, Starbucks (SBUX) reported strong fourth-quarter fiscal 2023 results that showed revenue advancing 11.4% and non-GAAP earnings per share coming in ahead of the consensus forecast. People aren’t balking at buying expensive coffee, and quite simply, people love their Starbucks brew, whatever it may be. The company’s fourth-quarter comparable store sales advanced 8% on a global basis (average ticket prices accounted for 4 percentage points of the increase), and Starbucks has a long runway for future store expansion, having opened 816 net stores in the quarter. Here’s what CEO Laxman Narasimhan had to say about the quarter: We finished our fourth quarter and full fiscal year … Read more