NTES

Microsoft Is Buying Activision On Way to Becoming Video Game Giant

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Image Shown: Microsoft Corporation is buying Activision Blizzard Inc, the largest buyout for a US tech firm ever. Image Source: Microsoft Corporation – January 2022 IR Presentation covering its acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc By Callum Turcan On January 18, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) made history by making an all-cash offer to purchase Activision Blizzard Inc (ATVI) for $95 per share. The boards of both companies have already approved the deal. Inclusive of Activision’s net cash position, the deal is worth $68.7 billion which makes it the largest buyout ever for a US tech firm according to CNBC. This deal is expected to close in fiscal 2023 (Microsoft’s fiscal year ends in June). Once it closes, assuming the deal pasts antitrust … Read more

Meta Platforms (Facebook), One of the Most Underpriced Stocks on the Market

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Image Shown: Meta Platforms Inc – Third Quarter of 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan In late October 2021, the company now known as Meta Platforms Inc (FB) announced its name change from Facebook to highlight its focus on the “metaverse,” a digital universe that Meta Platforms is investing heavily in. The metaverse is supposed to be a digital world where video gaming, social media, community and family gatherings, TV and movie watching, card game and board game playing, major entertainment events and related venues, and various other activities come together in an immersive experience that ultimately could generate a lot of revenue for Meta Platforms. In 2014, then-Facebook announced it was acquiring Oculus VR, a maker of virtual … Read more

Alphabet Launches Higher

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Image: Our fair value estimate of Alphabet has continued to lead the stock higher, and shares continued to deliver following the company’s third-quarter report, released October 28. By Brian Nelson, CFA Our long-term thesis and the top weighting of Google parent company, Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio is unchanged following the company’s fantastic third-quarter report, released October 28. During the period, revenue advanced 41% on a year-over-year basis as the company’s operating margin swelled ~8 percentage points to drive diluted earnings per share to $27.99, beating consensus by nice margin. We’re reiterating our $3,500 fair value estimate for shares. Here is what Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google had to say in the press release: … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week September 3

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending September 3. 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 AMMO, Inc. 8.75% PFD SER A (POWWP): now $0.2412 per share quarterly dividend. ASE Technology (ASX): now $0.218 per share dividend, was NT$2.4987. Atrion (ATRI): now $1.95 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.75. Capital Southwest (CSWC): now $0.47 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.44. Centerspace (CSR): now $0.72 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.70. ChoiceOne Financial Services (COFS): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.22. … Read more

Chinese Stocks Getting Hammered

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Image shown: A confluence of factors are driving Chinese stocks lower, not the least of which is heightened regulatory concerns. By Brian Nelson, CFA The collapse in Chinese equities (FXI) (MCHI) during the trading session July 26 is a reminder (again) why you should consider combining momentum with *enterprise valuation* in stocks, as in the Valuentum process. It’s not enough for you to think a stock is undervalued or cheap. The market must agree with you, too. A falling stock price says the market disagrees. Our favorite ideas for consideration are always in the newsletter portfolios, whether the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio, Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio, or High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio. We do not have any direct exposure to … Read more

FTC Attacks Facebook, Win-Win Scenario for Investors

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Image Shown: Facebook Inc has a large digital advertising business with global reach, but it does not have a monopoly on digital advertising or social media by any means. Image Source: Facebook Inc – Third Quarter of 2020 IR Earnings Presentation Summary Facebook is being sued by the FTC for allegedly engaging in monopolistic activities via its acquisition program. It’s important to note that the government is not seizing Facebook’s assets and that Facebook investors own the future free cash flow stream of the entire entity under any and every scenario–whether Facebook is retained in current form or whether it is broken into different parts through a potential IPO/spin-off of its Instagram and WhatsApp properties.  Under a status quo scenario, … Read more

Alibaba Mirrors the Performance of Its Western Peers

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Image Shown: Alibaba Group Holding Limited posted strong results for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2020, mirroring the performance of its large-cap tech peers based in Western countries (particularly the US). Image Source: Alibaba Group Holding Limited – June Quarter 2020 Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan At a time when US-China geopolitical tensions are rising and the Trump Administration is pushing the Chinese tech firm ByteDance to divest (at least) the US-based operations of TikTok, many Chinese tech firms are still thriving. The ongoing coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic has fundamentally altered daily life for most households around the world. Social distancing practices have aggressively driven up e-commerce demand along with demand for cloud computing offerings (as more employees work from … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week August 14

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending August 14. 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 Barrick Gold (GOLD): now $0.08 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.07. Broadridge Financial Solutions (BR): now $0.575 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.540. Cboe Global Markets (CBOE): now $0.42 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.36. Diversified Gas & Oil PLC (DGOCF): now $0.0375 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.0350. DHT Holdings (DHT): now $0.48 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.35. Evolution Mining (CAHPF): now A$ 0.09 … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending August 23

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending August 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 Altria (MO): now $0.84 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.80. Atrion (ATRI): now $1.55 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.35. Avnet (AVT): now $0.21 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.20. Canadian Banc Corp (CNDCF): now CAD 0.0875 per share monthly dividend, was CAD 0.0865. Canadian Imperial Bank (CM): now CAD 1.44 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 1.40. Community Bank System (CBU): now $0.41 per share … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending May 31

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 31. 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 Bank of Montreal (BMO): now CAD 1.03 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 1.00. Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF): now $0.06 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. Donaldson (DCI): now $0.21 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.19. Exchange Bank (EXSR): now $1.10 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.05. First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF (FTSM): now $0.128 per share monthly dividend, was $0.126. Frontera Energy (FECCF): now CAD 0.205 … Read more