There Is Milk At The Store

This article first appeared in the September edition of the High Yield Dividend Newsletter. For more information about this publication, please see here. “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” — Winston Churchill By Brian Nelson, CFA Very few of us could have imagined that we’d witness the bull market that began on that fateful day in March 2009 that might very well mark a generational low. In 2009, major investment banks around the globe were struggling to survive, and the fallout in the mortgage markets left the banks holding paper that nobody wanted to own, let alone buy. The global financial system … 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 October 30

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending October 30. 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 $0.41 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.39. Aptar Group, Inc. (ATR): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Arc Logistics Partners (ARCX): now $0.44 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.425. Central Pacific Financial (CPF): now $0.14 per share quarterly dividend, was 0.12. Colombia Sportswear Company (COLM): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. CorEnergy (CORR): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending October 26

Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Access National (ANCX): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP): now $0.525 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.52. American Electric Power (AEP): now $0.67 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.62. Apollo Senior Floating Rate Fund (AFT): now $0.10 per share monthly dividend, was $0.10. Bank of Hawaii (BOH): now $0.62 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.60. Bank of Marin Bancorp (BMRC): now $0.35 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.32. Brookline Bancorp (BRKL): now $0.105 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. Cabot Oil & Gas (COG): now $0.07 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Cheniere Energy Partners (CQP): now $0.58 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.56. Coca-Cola European (CCE): now … Read more

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

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   Image: Bank Run in Michigan, USA, February 1933. Source: Public Domain. By Brian Nelson, CFA It’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the fragility of a banking firm’s business model. Let’s examine the reasons why we don’t like banking firms’ dividends. Reason #1: A Bank Run Is Always Possible. Reason #2: Others Have Tried to Invest in Bank Dividends and Have Failed. Reason #3: … Read more

US Congress Is Getting Ready to Pass a Massive ~$2.2 Trillion Fiscal Stimulus Bill

Image Shown: US equities have started to recover some of their lost ground as the likelihood that the US Congress will pass a massive ~$2.2 trillion fiscal stimulus and emergency spending package, dubbed the CARES Act, has increased significantly over the past week as seen through the bounce in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY). President Trump has clearly indicated that he intends to sign such a bill into law as soon as possible, with the US House of Representatives expected to take up the legislation this upcoming Friday morning on March 27. By Callum Turcan On March 25, the US Senate worked late into the night to secure a bipartisan compromise on a massive ~$2.2 trillion fiscal stimulus … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending October 28

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending October 28. 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 Abaxis (ABAX): now $0.14 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.12. AbbVie (ABBV): now $0.64 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.57. AFLAC (AFL): now $0.43 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.41. Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX): now $0.07 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. Alon USA Partners (ALDW): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.14. American Electric Power (AEP): now $0.59 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.56. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of November 3

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending November 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                          AllianceBernstein (AB): now $0.65 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.61. Amcor (AMCR): now $0.1250 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1225. American Financial (AFG): now $1.50 per share special dividend, was $0.71. Banco Santander (SAN): now $0.085 per share semi-annual dividend, was $0.063. Black Diamond Group Limited (BDI:CA): now CAD 0.03 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.02. Brixmor Property (BRX): now $0.2725 per share … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending November 11

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending November 11. 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 AAON (AAON): now $0.13 per share semi-annual dividend, was $0.11. Acadia Realty Trust (AKR): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. AmerisourceBergen (ABC): now $0.365 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.34. Atmos Energy (ATO): now $0.45 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.42. Automatic Data Processing (ADP): now $0.57 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.53. BOK Financial (BOKF): now $0.44 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.43. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of October 25

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending October 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                          AllianceBernstein (AB): now $0.77 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.71. American Electric Power (AEP): now $0.93 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.88. AMERISAFE (AMSF): now $3.00 per share special dividend, was $0.37. Archrock (AROC): now $0.175 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.165. Armstrong World (AWI): now $0.308 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.280. Atlantic Union Bank (AUB): now $0.34 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more