MBWM

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

Firms Raising Their Dividend In the Week Ending July 19 Included Kinder Morgan and Omega Healthcare

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Below we provide a list of firms that increased/decreased their dividends for the week ending July 19. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports, please click here. Increases Amphenol (APH): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.105. Bassett Furniture (BSET): now $0.06 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. CARBO Ceramics (CRR): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.27. Education Realty (EDR): now $0.11 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. El Paso Pipeline Partners (EPB): now 0.63 per share quarterly distribution, was $0.62. First Community Corporation (FCCO): now $0.06 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. Home Loan Servicing Solutions (HLSS) declares quarterly dividend of $0.15 per … Read more

Firms Raising Their Dividends In The Week Ending April 19

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Quite a few firms raised their dividends during the week ending April 19. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week: Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. A.O. Smith (AOS): now $0.24 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.20. Cardinal Financial (CFNL): now $0.06 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. CSX (CSX): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.14. Discover Financial Services (DFS): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.14. Donegal Group (DGICA): now $0.1275 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1225. El Paso Pipeline Partners (EPB): now $0.62 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.61. First Republic Bank (FRC): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. Kinder Morgan (KMI): now $0.38 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending July 19

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending July 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 American Express (AXP): now $0.43 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.39. American National Bankshares (AMNB): now $0.27 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. American River Bankshares (AMRB): now $0.07 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. Atlantic Union Bank (AUB): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.23. Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB): now $0.22 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.20. Blackstone (BX): now $0.48 per share quarterly … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of July 25

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending July 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                          Archrock (AROC): now $0.21 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.19. Arrow Financial (AROW): now $0.29 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Blackstone (BX): now $1.03 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.93. Cashmere Valley Bank (CSHX): now $0.95 per share semi-annual dividend, was $0.90. CB Financial Services (CBFV): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. ChipMOS (IMOS): now $0.836 per share American depositary 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 January 22

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised 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 Alliant Energy (LNT): now $0.4025 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.38. BlackRock (BLK): now $4.13 per share quarterly dividend, was $3.63. Calamos Long/Short Equity & Dynamic Income Trust (CPZ): now $0.13 per share monthly dividend, was $0.12. Canadian Banc Corp (CNDCF): now CAD 0.0748 per share monthly dividend, was CAD 0.0733. Century Bancorp (CNBKA): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Century Bancorp, Inc. B … 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 January 21

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending January 21. 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 Alerus Financial Corporation (ALRS): now $0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Alliant Energy (LNT): now $0.4275 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.4025. Amerant Bancorp (AMTB): now $0.09 per share dividend, was $0.06. Banner (BANR): now $0.44 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.41. Cashmere Valley Bank (CSHX): now $0.85 per share semi-annual dividend, was $0.80. Consolidated Edison (ED): now $0.79 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.78. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of July 22

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending July 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                1st Source (SRCE): now $0.32 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.31. Bank of America (BAC): now $0.22 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.21. Bluegreen Vacations Holdings Corporation (BVHBB): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.0125. CenterPoint (CNP): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.17. Chesapeake Financial Shares (CPKF): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.14. Citizens Financial (CFG): now $0.42 per share … Read more