VBI Ratings Not as Impressive As We Would Have Liked in 2022

Image: How the VBI rating system has ranked equities so far this year. By Brian Nelson, CFA At Valuentum, we use the Valuentum Buying Index (VBI) to source ideas into diversified simulated newsletter portfolios, and the VBI may be most applicable to the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio, where we generally like to include ideas when they register a high VBI rating and remove them when they register a low VBI rating. We always use the VBI in a portfolio setting and never by itself. But what about the Valuentum Buying Index ratings, themselves? How did they “perform” during 2022 in one of the worst years for stock market investors in history? Well, not as spectacular as we would have … Read more

ICYMI — Video: Will Hasty Policy Facilitate the Next Leg Down, or Do We Have It Coming Anyway?

President of Investment Research and award-winning author of Value Trap: Theory of Universal Valuation Brian Nelson explains how US policymakers are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and how the market may be factoring in too high of a probability of a return to normalcy before 2021. This and more in the latest video report. Summary Make sure you review Value Trap on Amazon. Do so here. We think those that bought equities near the bottom of this swoon may be looking to take profits at present levels. The market is currently reflecting an 80%-85% probability of a return to normalcy before 2021, which we believe is too high at this time. Our main concern is that government … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of February 3

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 3. 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                AFLAC (AFL): now $0.42 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.40. ALLETE (ALE): now $0.6775 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.6500. American Financial (AFG): now $4.00 per share special dividend, was $0.63. Avista (AVA): now $0.46 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.44. Bank of Botetourt (BORT): now $0.1925 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1850. BCE (BCE): now CAD 0.9675 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.9200. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 1

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 1. 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 AFLAC (AFL): now $0.27 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.26. ALLETE (ALE): now $0.5875 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.56. Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP): now $0.53 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.525. Anthem (ANTM): now $0.80 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.75. Arthur J. Gallagher (AJG): now $0.43 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.41. Bank of Botetourt (BORT): now $0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. … Read more

Surveying the Clean Energy Landscape for Ideas

Image Source: American Electric Power Company Inc (AEP) – January 2021 IR Presentation By Callum Turcan There’s a lot of interest in clean energy these days! Though our favorite ideas within a portfolio context are always the ideas within the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio, the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio, the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio, and the Exclusive publication, we also highlight interesting ideas via our articles that we publish on our website. [For instance, we recently published work that covered the electric vehicle (‘EV’) industry; members can check out that article here.] In this article, let’s dig deep into the clean energy space. We’ll talk more about: 1) Ameresco (AMRC), one of the green energy ideas we highlighted in … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending January 22

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered 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 Alaska Air (ALK): now $0.275 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.20. Alexanders Inc. (ALX): now $4.00 share quarterly dividend, was $3.50. ALLETE (ALE): now $0.52 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.505. Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB): now $0.265 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.26. Cardinal Financial (CFNL): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.11. CenterPoint (CNP): now $0.2575 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.2475. Chicopee Bancorp … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of January 26

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending January 26. 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                          Acerinox, S.A. (ANIOY): now $0.1219 per share semi-annual dividend, was $0.1159. Acuity Brands (AYI): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.13. ADT (ADT): now $0.055 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.035. Air Products and Chemicals (APD): now $1.77 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.75. ALLETE (ALE): now $0.705 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.6775. American Express (AXP): now $0.70 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

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

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

Why Natural Gas Prices are So Low and Will Likely Remain So for Some Time

Stock Market Outlook for 2021

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