Cisco Rallies Big Time!

Image shown: Performance of the S&P 500 (SPY) since August 2017. As US equities continue their newly-found volatility, let’s take a look at some recent earnings reports and other developments around the markets. Cisco, the workhorse of both simulated newsletter portfolios, put up a fantastic report and upped its dividend. Berkshire continues to love Apple, and we maintain the view that the 10-year Treasury rate may be the greatest determinant of how well stocks perform in the coming decades. Airlines, garbage stocks, the “gas tax,” and more. By Kris Rosemann and Brian Nelson, CFA Do you know how happy it makes us to say that Cisco (CSCO) has been a staple of both the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and … 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

Earnings Roundup for the Week Ended Sunday, April 19, Covering Companies Across the Board

By Callum Turcan Let’s take a look at several earnings reports across numerous industries in this article as the ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic forces the global economy to a crawl. Please note that as these reports primarily cover the first quarter of calendar year 2020, the impact of the pandemic has yet to be truly reflected in corporate earnings. That said, these reports still provide an important glimpse into what to expect going forward and how companies are responding to the pandemic. By ticker in alphabetical order: BBBY, CPSS, ISRG, LAKE, MRTN, OFLX, SCHW, TSM Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (BBBY) Shares of BBBY shot up on April 16 after reporting fourth quarter and full-year results for its fiscal 2019 … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending March 2

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending March 2. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports, please use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Altria (MO): now $0.70 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.66. Analog Devices (ADI): now $0.48 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.45. Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): now CAD 0.82 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.79. Beasley Broadcast Group (BBGI): now $0.05 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.045. Best Buy (BBY): now $0.45 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.34. Bloomin’ Brands (BLMN): now $0.09 per … Read more

2,350-2,750 on the S&P? Could the Coronavirus Catalyze a Financial Crisis?

Image: We think a rather modest sell-off in the market to the target range of 2,350-2,750 on the S&P 500 is rather reasonable in the wake of one of the biggest economic shocks since the Global Financial Crisis. The chart above shows how far markets have advanced since 2011, and an adjustment lower to the target range of 2,350-2,750 is rather modest in such a context and would only bring markets to late 2018 levels (note red box as the target range). The range reflects ~16x S&P 500 12-month forward earnings estimates, as of February 14, adjusted down 10% due to COVID-19. When companies like Visa talk about a couple percentage points taken off of growth rates, one knows that … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 26

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 Albmarie (ALB): now $0.305 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.29. Assured Guaranty (AGO): now $0.13 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.12. B&G Foods (BGS): now $0.42 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.35. Best Buy (BBY): now $0.28 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.23. Boralex (BRLXF): now C$0.14 per share quarterly dividend, was C$0.13. Cambridge Bancorp (CATC): now $0.46 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.45. Carter’s, Inc. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending March 6

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending March 6. 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 Aecon (AEGXF): now CAD 0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.145. Alamos Gold (AGI): now $0.015 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.010. Americold Realty Trust (COLD): now $0.21 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.20. Angel Oak Financial Strategies Income Term (FINS): now $0.1116 per share monthly dividend, was $0.1112. Armanino Foods of Distinction (AMNF): now $0.0275 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.0250. B. Riley Financial … Read more

Department Stores Limp Across Finish Line In 2016

By Kris Rosemann Department stores continue to drag the broader retail space (XRT) lower in early 2017. Poor sales updates from popular general merchandise stores in the 2016 holiday season are weighing on the majority of the sector, from luxury names down to discount chains. Online retail continues to plunder traffic from traditional brick and mortar retailers as the ‘bricks-to-clicks’ movement has never been more apparent. The drop in mall foot traffic in the fourth quarter of 2016 was the largest such drop in the history of the mall as mall shoppers visited half the number of stores they did in the same period five years ago. Traditional retailers have turned to aggressive discounting, only to see their margins fade … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 24

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered 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 Albemarie (ALB): now $0.32 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.305. AllianceBernstein (AB): now $0.67 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.45. Ares Management (ARES): now $0.28 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.20. Argo Group (AGII): now $0.27 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.22. Assured Guaranty (AGO): now $0.1425 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.13. Autoliv (ALV): now $0.60 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.58. Bank of Hawaii … Read more