Stocks Stage Comeback, US Government Budget Released

Image shown: The performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since September 2017. The market continues to lick its wounds following the sell-off. We’re watching interest rates and technicals for signs where the market may go next. By Kris Rosemann and Brian Nelson, CFA The US 10-year Treasury yield (TLT, TBT) hit a four-year high before the open February 12, suggesting recent volatility in the equity markets is anything but going away in the near term, despite stocks bouncing back from the rough week that ended February 9. Rising interest rates may not create a financial crisis, but it could challenge the widely-held view that stock prices only increase over long-enough periods of time. After all, the past 40-year bull … Read more

The US Dollar, GDP Expansion, and Earnings

Investors wouldn’t think news flow is that robust given that stock market volatility in recent months has been practically nil, but news is coming in fast. Let’s check up on the performance of the US dollar, the rate of GDP growth as well as key companies reporting fourth-quarter earnings. Intel’s quarterly report was fantastic, for one!    By Kris Rosemann The US dollar (UUP, UDN, USDU) hit a three-year low against the euro, but US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggests a weaker dollar may be good for the US, which is a change from traditional US policy, though he was sure to note that the government is not concerned about short-term fluctuations in the currency. Meanwhile, of course, the euro … Read more

Podcast: Defense Spending and the Explosion of Cyber Crime

The Valuentum analyst team discusses trends in US and global defense spending and the explosion of Internet crime that is fueling investment in cyber security both in the public and private sectors. ~7 mins. This podcast was originally published November 3, 2016. If you cannot view the video below, please view the transcript that follows or click the link here. Software – Security: CHKP, FEYE, FTNT, IMPV, PANW, PFPT, SYMC, VRSN Aerospace & Defense – Prime: BA, FLIR, GD, LLL, LMT, NOC, RTN Brian Nelson, CFA: This is Brian Nelson for Valuentum Securities, and today I have joining me on our podcast Mr. Kris Rosemann and Mr. Chris Araos. Today, we are going to talk about the landscape for defense spending … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 5

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending February 5. 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 3M (MMM): now $1.11 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.025. A-Mark (AMRK): now $0.07 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. Allegion (ALLE): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Armada Hoffler Properties (AHH): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.17. AvalonBay Communities (AVB): now $1.35 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.25. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending March 3

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending March 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 Arbor Realty Trust (ABR): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Avnet, Inc. (AVT): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.17. Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): now CAD 0.76 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.74. Best Buy (BBY): now $0.34 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Big Lots (BIG): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.21.               Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ): now CAD … Read more