CCK

Valuentum Economic Castleâ„¢ Rating Update

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Read: Keeping the Horse Before the Cart: Valuentum’s Economic Castle™ Rating The Economic Castle Focuses on the Magnitude of Economic Value Creation The Valuentum Economic Castle™ rating is an enhancement of the competitive advantage framework (commonly known as economic moat analysis) that has become widespread and ubiquitous within the investing world. Whereas an economic moat framework evaluates a firm on the basis of the sustainability and durability of its competitive advantages, Valuentum’s Economic Castle™ rating evaluates a firm on the basis of the firm’s future economic profit spread (return on invested capital less its weighted average cost of capital). The companies with the strongest Valuentum Economic Castle™ ratings are poised to generate the most economic value for shareholders in the … Read more

Packaging Corporation of America Bets Big on Boise

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Monday morning, Packaging Corporation of America (click ticker for report: ) announced that it will pay $12.55 per share in cash to acquire paper company Boise (BZ) for a total deal value of $1.995 billion. The deal increases PCA’s containerboard presence by 42% to 3.7 million tons, while also giving PCA a presence in the Pacific Northwest—an area previously underrepresented. Source: BZ 2012 10-K Though Boise has struggled with large amounts of excess capacity in its newsprint segment, we’ve seen the firm move capacity closer to production over the past two years, leading to stabilized profitability. Nevertheless, the small, Idaho-based player was unable to truly compete with national competitors. Further, Boise had a large net-debt position, leaving the company fairly … Read more

There Is Milk At The Store

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This article first appeared in the September edition of the High Yield Dividend Newsletter. For more information about this publication, please see here. “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” — Winston Churchill By Brian Nelson, CFA Very few of us could have imagined that we’d witness the bull market that began on that fateful day in March 2009 that might very well mark a generational low. In 2009, major investment banks around the globe were struggling to survive, and the fallout in the mortgage markets left the banks holding paper that nobody wanted to own, let alone buy. The global financial system … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week February 26

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 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 Acushnet (GOLF): now $0.165 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.155. Alamos Gold (AGI): now $0.025 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.02. Albemarle (ALB): now $0.39 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.385. Allstate (ALL): now $0.81 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.54. Alumina (AWCMF): now $0.029 per share semi-annual dividend, was $0.028. American Homes 4 Rent (AMH): now $0.10 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. AMERISAFE (AMSF): … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week February 25

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 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 Aaron’s (AAN): now $0.1125 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1000.           Agnico Eagle (AEM): now $0.40 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.35. Albemarle (ALB): now $0.395 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.390. Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX): now $0.19 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.18. Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN): now $0.21 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.19. AMERISAFE (AMSF): now $0.31 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.29. Apple … Read more

Nelson: The 16 Most Important Steps To Understand The Stock Market

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A previous version of this article appeared on our website July 21, 2013. Refreshed and updated throughout, as of July 2018. By Brian Nelson, CFA After earning my MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and training stock and credit analysts from large organizations over the past decade or so, I have heard just about every question (though I admit I am still surprised by many things and remain a very humble student of the markets). I’ve also spent years perfecting the discounted cash flow process for large research organizations such as Morningstar and studied under one of the most famed aggressive growth investors of all time, Richard Driehaus. My knowledge runs the gamut from value through … Read more

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

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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 24

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 24. 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                          Albemarle (ALB): now $0.40 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.395. Alerus Financial Corporation (ALRS): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. AMERISAFE (AMSF): now $0.34 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.31. Assured Guaranty (AGO): now $0.28 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. BankUnited (BKU): now $0.27 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. Barclays (BCS): now $0.237 per share semi-annual dividend, was $0.105. Bay … Read more

Creditor Risk Aversion Rises Considerably in Energy, Metals & Mining Sectors

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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

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of February 23

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 23. 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                          ACE Aviation Holdings Inc. (ACAVF): now $0.16 per share dividend. Aker BP ASA (AKRBY): now $0.1738 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1577. Allstate (ALL): now $0.92 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.89. AMERISAFE (ASMF): now $0.37 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.34. Analog Devices (ADI): now $0.92 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.86. Armada Hoffler Properties (AHH): now $0.205 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more