CFA Institute Blog: “Hide-‘Til-Maturity” Accounting

The Silicon Valley Bank collapse recalls the tussle over the accounting for financial instruments after the global financial crisis [GFC] in 2009, particularly the debate about whether some financial instruments should be carried at amortized cost (held-to-maturity, HTM) rather than at fair value (available-for-sale, AFS), or what is referred to as the “mixed measurement model.”  — Sandy Peters, CPA, CFA To read the article on the CFA Institute Blog >> —– Related: 4 Very Good Reasons Why We Don’t Like Dividends of Banking Stocks Banks & Money Centers: AXP, BAC, BBT, BK, C, DFS, FITB, GS, HBC, JPM, KEY, MS, NTRS, PNC, RF, STI, TFC, USB, WFC Valuentum does not believe the long-term dividend health of any financial institution can be accurately … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending May 19

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending May 19. 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 BGC Partners (BGCP): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Citi Trends (CTRN): now $0.08 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Chubb (CB): now $0.71 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.69. Exchange Bank (EXSR): now $0.85 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.80. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMCB): now $6.75 per share semi-annual dividend, was $6.55. First Midwest (FMBI): now $0.10 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending November 13

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending November 13. 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 $0.025 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.023. Acadia Realty Trust (AKR): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.24. Automatic Data Processing (ADP): now $0.53 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.49. ClearOne (CLRO): now $0.05 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.035. D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI): now $0.08 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.0625. DCT Industrial Trust (DCT): now $0.29 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

The Mortgage Refinancing Boom Could Be Ending

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

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

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 February 19

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending February 19. 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 Analog Devices (ADI): now $0.42 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.40. Anthem (ANTM): now $0.65 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.625. Argo Group (AGII): now $0.22 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.20. Autoliv (ALV): now $0.58 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.56. B/E Aerospace (BEAV): now $0.21 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.19. Coca-Cola (KO): now $0.35 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.33. Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE): … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 16

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 16. 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 AbbVie (ABBV): now $0.96 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.71. AllianceBernstein (AB): now $0.84 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.51. Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.29. Apollo Global Management (APO): now $0.66 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.39. Arch Coal (ARCH): now $0.40 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.35. Auburn National (AUBN): now $0.24 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.23. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending May 22

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 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 American Tower (AMT): now $1.10 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.08. Banco Santander, S.A. GTD PFD SECs 6 (SAN.PB): now $0.2556 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.2528. Canadian Banc Corp (CNDCF): now CAD 0.0562 per share monthly dividend, was CAD 0.0517. Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM): now $1.44 /ADS special dividend, was $0.50. China Mobile Limited (CHL): now $0.999 per share semi-annual dividend, was $0.877. Chubb (CB): … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week November 20

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending November 20. 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 $0.33 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Agilent Technologies (A): now $0.194 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.180. American Equity Investment Life (AEL): now $0.32 per share annual dividend, was $0.30. Brown-Forman (BF.A): now $0.1795 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1743. Capital City Bank (CCBG): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.14. ChoiceOne Financial Services (COFS): now $0.22 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week March 19

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending March 19. 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 America First Multifamily Investors (ATAX): now $0.09 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Artis Real Estate Investment Trust (ARESF): now CAD 0.05 per share monthly dividend, was CAD 0.0464. Aura Minerals (ARMZF): now $0.83 per share special dividend, was $0.92. Badger Daylighting (BADFF): now CAD 0.0525 per share monthly dividend, was CAD 0.0500. Blue Ridge Bankshares (BRBS): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend. Brigham Minerals (MNRL): … Read more