CFR

The Mortgage Refinancing Boom Could Be Ending

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Early Wednesday morning, the Mortgage Banker’s Association (MBA) announced that refinancing activity declined 20% from one week earlier. Adjusted for the Labor Day weekend, total mortgage applications dropped 13.5% from the previous week. Consistent with the dramatic upward movement in interest rates, refinancing activity is down 71% since it peaked during the week of May 3, 2013. Why Do We Monitoring Refinancing Activity? When homeowners refinance, a couple outcomes can occur that pump more dollars into the economy. First, with a refinanced mortgage, owners may choose to take equity out of the home, allowing for large purchases like vehicles or even home remodeling. CoreLogic recently reported that 2.5 million more residential properties have returned to positive equity in the second quarter … Read more

Worst in Energy Not Over, Stay Away from Leveraged Enterprises, Seeds of Financial Crisis Sown?

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Image Shown: The energy and banking markets continue to be experiencing pain. Since we removed the Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) and Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) from the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio, the XLE has fallen more than 50% and the XLF has fallen 13%, while the SPY has held up roughly 2%. We continue to believe staying away from energy and financials/banks will be a source of significant alpha. These are challenging times. The oil price swoon has complicated an already-dire situation with COVID-19. We’re seeing cracks in the credit markets, and the European banking system is far from healthy. The US banks may face knock-on impacts from energy loan defaults and hold … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of September 1

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending September 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                          A-Mark (AMRK): now $1.00 per share special dividend, was $0.20. AEGON (AEG): now EUR 0.15 per share semi-annual dividend, was EUR 0.12. Allstate Corporation 7.375% DEP PFD J (ALL.PR.J): now $0.7528 per share quarterly dividend. Avnet (AVT): now $0.31 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.29. Bega Cheese (BGCHY): now AUD 0.0024 per share final dividend. Bridge Investment Group (BRDG): now $0.17 per share quarterly … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of July 26

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending July 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                          1st Source (SRCE): now $0.36 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.34. Artisan Partners Asset Management (APAM): now $0.71 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.61. AstraZeneca (AZN): now $1.000 per share interim dividend, was $0.985. Bank of America (BAC): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.24. Bank7 (BSVN): now $0.24 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.21. British American Tobacco (BTI): now 58.88p per share … Read more

Why We Don’t Like Dividends of Banking Firms: 4 Very Good Reasons

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Untermyer: Is not commercial credit based primarily upon money or property? Morgan: No, sir. The first thing is character. Untermyer: Before money or property? Morgan: Before money or anything else. Money cannot buy it … a man I do not trust could not get money from me on all the bonds in Christendom. –Mr. JP Morgan’s testimony before the Pujo Committee (questioning from Samuel Untermyer), 1912-1913 Reason #1: A Bank Run Is Always Possible Though the history of banking dates back to as early as 2000 BC in Babylonia, the makings of the present-day banking system in the US really didn’t take hold until the beginning of the 20th century. Some financial historians may argue for a later date, but we … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending May 1

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 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 Ames National (ATLO): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.24. American Water Works (AWK): now $0.55 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.50. Apple (AAPL): now $0.82 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.77. Capital Power Income (CPAXF): now CAD 0.48 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.45. Cheniere Energy Partners (CQP): now $0.64 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.63. Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (KOF): now … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of May 2

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 2. 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 International Group (AIG): now $0.45 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.40. American Water Works (AWK): now $0.8275 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.7650. Apple (AAPL): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. Apollo Global Management (APO): now $0.51 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.46. Atkore (ATKR): now $0.33 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.32. Bachem Holding AG (BCHMF): now CHF 0.85 per … Read more

Stock Market Outlook for 2021

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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

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending April 29

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending April 29. 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 abaxis (ABAX): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.11.         Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT): now $0.70 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.30. American National Insurance (ANAT): now $0.82 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.80. AmeriGas Partners (APU): now $0.94 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.92. Ameriprise Financial (AMP): now $0.75 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.67. Apple (AAPL): now $0.57 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.52. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week July 30

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending July 30. 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 Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. American States Water (AWR): now $0.365 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.335. Arbor Realty Trust (ABR): now $0.35 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.34. Arc Resources (AETUF): now CAD 0.066 per share annual dividend, was CAD 0.060. Ares Capital (ARCC): now $0.41 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.40. Apartment Income REIT (AIRC): now $0.44 … Read more