Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor
Weak demand and oversupply in the coal industry are severely impairing coal companies’ profitability. In the wake of Patriot Coal’s bankruptcy, investors are now concerned that James River Coal could be next. We dig into some of the names in the coal industry.
A version of this article was originally published September 2019. The Dividend Cushion ratio is one of the most powerful financial tools an income or dividend growth investor can use in conjunction with qualitative dividend analysis. The ratio is one-of-a-kind in that it is both free-cash-flow based and forward looking. Since its creation in 2012, the Dividend Cushion ratio has forewarned readers of approximately 50 dividend cuts. We estimate its efficacy at ~90%. By Valuentum Analysts Key Takeaways: The Dividend Cushion ratio is a helpful tool to use to cushion your dividend growth or income portfolio against potential dividend cuts. The ratio also helps to assess the growth potential of a company’s dividend, above and beyond current expectations of payout … Read more
By Valuentum Analysts February 8, 2021 2020 was one for the history books. We covered our thoughts and reflections on the past year in our “2020 Won’t Soon Be Forgotten” article (link here), and now we are looking towards the future. Global health authorities should be able to bring an end to the ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic sooner than many had expected as several vaccines have already been improved for emergency use and several others appear increasingly likely to get approved. Global vaccine distribution activities are currently underway, and this should allow the world to slowly return to pre-pandemic activities. Before then, immense stimulus measures launched primarily in developed nations should support global economic activities until the public health crisis … Read more
Key Takeaways: North American railroads operate as an oligopoly, benefit from substantial barriers to entry, and boast significant pricing power. Free cash flow generation trends are strong at the largest operators–Union Pacific (UNP) and Canadian National (CNI)–but industry-wide free cash flow margins (free cash flow divided by revenue) average in the mid-single-digits as elevated maintenance capital costs weigh on conversion rates. Canadian National and Union Pacific are currently the most efficient operators (as measured by their respective operating ratios), while Genessee & Wyoming (GWR) and Canadian Pacific (CP) trail the pack. Coal is the single most important commodity to the railroads, accounting for more than 20% of class I railroad freight revenue. Though US coal volumes should advance over the … Read more
Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending October 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 1st Source (SRCE): now $0.31 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. ACNB (ACNB): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. Albertsons Companies (ACI): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. American Electric Power (AEP): now $0.78 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.74. Armstrong World (AWI): now $0.231 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.210. ASML Holding (ASML): now EURO 1.80 per share interim dividend, was … Read more
By Brian Nelson, CFA The first full week of 2015 was a wild one! Monday and Tuesday brought some hefty losses to the indices, but the middle of the week helped recover most of the ground, only to give some of it back Friday. When all was said and done, however, the S&P 500 still closed comfortably above 2040, a huge leap from just 5-6 years ago. We’re still enjoying the good times, with economic data still coming in relatively sanguine. Like a frog in water, the markets are just waiting for the next shoe to drop, and the Federal Reserve is doing all that it can to assure investors that the Yellen-put is there to prop up the markets should … Read more
Not all is well with commodity producers. Moody’s (MCO) has been very quick to point out that “the latest plunge by base metals prices and the renewed slide (in) crude oil prices are more ominous for corporate credit than was the earlier plummet by crude oil prices amid relatively steady industrial metals prices.” The credit rating agency’s industrial metals price index has dropped more than 10% in the past 20 days ending July 9, reaching levels not seen since the depths of the Financial Crisis in 2009. Moody’s industrial metals price index has fallen an incredible 25% since the same time stamp last year, something we’ve been witnessing anecdotally. The International Energy Agency recently warned that the bottom in crude oil … Read more
By Brian Nelson, CFA The Price-to-Earnings Ratio Demystified The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio seems so easy, right? The trailing P/E is just the price per share of the stock divided by the annual net diluted earnings per share the firm generated in its last fiscal (calendar) year. The forward P/E is the price per share of the stock divided by next fiscal (calendar) year’s annual net diluted earnings per share of the firm (or the forward 12-month period). The P/E ratio is probably the most well-known measure to help investors compare how cheap or expensive a firm’s shares are, as stock prices, for lack of a better term, are arbitrary. For example, stocks such as Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A), which … Read more
Below we provide a list of firms that raised 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 AECOM Technology (ACM): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Agilent Technologies (A): now $0.225 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.210. Alvopetro Energy (ALVOF): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.08. American National Bankshares (AMNB): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Bank7 (BSVN): now $0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.12. BankFirst Capital (BFCC): now $0.85 per share dividend, was $0.68. … Read more
Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 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 1st Constitution Bancorp (FCCY): now $0.09 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.07. Agnico Eagle (AEM): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.17. AllianceBernstein (AB): now $0.85 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.63. Amtek (AME): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.14. Ares Management (ARES): now $0.40 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.32. Auburn National (AUBN): now $0.255 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.250. Barrick … Read more