STJ

Three Reasons Why Dividend Growth Investors Are Quite Savvy

by

A version of this article appeared on our website on October 1, 2013. There are many different approaches to investing, but we think dividend growth investors are quite savvy, especially when they combine a rigorous dividend growth process in the form of the Valuentum Dividend Cushion ratio with the valuation rigors behind the Valuentum Buying Index. Let’s examine the three reasons why we think dividend growth investors are a smart group in the age of ultra-low interest rates. #1. Fool Me Once, Shame on You…Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me Today’s dividend growth crowd has seen enough. First, they witnessed the dot-com bubble (1997-2000), a period in stock market history where firms’ stock prices soared in some cases as a result … Read more

Medtronic Posts Better Than Expected Fiscal 2Q Results

by

Cardiac and vascular medical giant Medtronic (MDT) reported solid fiscal second quarter results Tuesday. Revenue advanced 3.3% on a constant-currency basis, while non-GAAP diluted earnings per share jumped to $0.91, up about 3% from last year’s period. Both measures were slightly better than expected, though we note margins could have been a bit stronger. International revenue jumped 5% on a constant currency basis, while emerging market revenue leapt 13% excluding currency. Revenue in the firm’s ‘Cardiac and Vascular’ group performed well (up 4%, excluding currency), as Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs)* grew 4% and drug-eluting stents advanced 8%, the latter bolstered by share gains from the firm’s Resolute Integrity drug-eluting stent. Sales in the company’s ‘Restorative Therapies’ segment jumped 2% (excluding … Read more

MAKO Receives a Tremendous Offer from Stryker; Is Intuitive Surgical Next?

by

The M&A flurry continued Wednesday morning as medical devices giant Stryker (click ticker for report: ) announced it would acquire MAKO Surgical (MAKO) for $30 per share, or roughly $1.65 billion. The deal represents an 83% premium to MAKO’s Tuesday closing price, but the value remains below MAKO’s peak in late 2011 and early 2012. MAKO remains unprofitable, though the firm has experienced solid revenue expansion during the past few years, going from $34 million in revenue during 2009 to $103 million during 2012. The firm isn’t expected to earn a profit in 2013, though revenue is estimated to jump 23% from the year-ago period. Given existing conditions, MAKO might not turn a profit until at least 2015, in our … Read more

The One Thing You Never Knew About Warren Buffett And Others Don’t Want You To Know

by

Warren Buffett is one of the most talked about investors of our time, but he is also the most misunderstood. We hope that what you read in this article will open your eyes to new investment horizons and strategies. We hope it will help you cut through the marketing materials of others that you read so much. And at the very least, we hope it will help you learn more about the Oracle. As you’re reading, it will be very important to keep in mind that it is not Warren Buffett’s admission of his mistake in this article, but the idea that he would pursue an investment of this quality in the first place. We ask: If he can make … Read more

Firms Raising Their Dividends in the Week Ending March 1

by

The flurry of dividend increases continues. Below we provide a list of firms that upped their dividends for the week ending March 1. 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. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Acadia Realty Trust (AKR): now $0.21 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.18. American Realty Capital Properties (ARCP): now $0.075 per share monthly dividend, was $0.7458. Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (BGFV): now $0.10 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.075. CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. (CBL): now $0.23 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.22. Cedar Fair (FUN): now $0.625 per share quarterly distribution, was $0.40. Chico’s (CHS): … Read more

The Valuentum Dividend100 Publication; A Must-Have For Any Income Investor

by

Dividend investors literally have thousands of income stocks to choose from. So what are they to do, and where can they go for the most trusted forward-looking opinions on dividend growth and safety? That’s the question we seek to answer with our ValuentumDividend100 publication. In this document, we showcase the top 100 high-quality, dividend growth gems within our coverage universe. Whether you’re looking to build a portfolio consisting of high-yielding, dividend-growers or simply seeking to augment it with a few income gems, the Valuentum Dividend100 is an essential resource for any income investor. We outline some of the key components of our Dividend100 publication below, and explain how you can get the most from each of one Sign Up for … Read more

A Dual Focus on Valuation and Yield Is the Best Way to Combat Changes in Future Dividend Tax Rates

by

With a potential hike in the dividend tax rate just around the corner, there is no more important time than now for income investors to evaluate their existing portfolio holdings to determine whether they are well-positioned for a higher-tax environment. Assuming there are no changes to the current trajectory, the top dividend tax rate is expected to rise to 39.6% next year (up from 15% currently), and the highest-income earners will see a Medicare surtax on top of that. Evaluate All Aspects of a Dividend Investment First of all, we think those investing in high-yielders (firms) at any price (HYAAP) may be most affected by this change in tax rates. These high-yielders at any price (HYAAP) tend to be favorites of those at or near retirement, particularly given the paltry payouts on fixed … Read more

Search Dividend Reports by Company Name: Q to Z

by

Going forward, please use the ‘Symbol’ search box to download stock and dividend reports of companies you are interested in. The ‘Symbol’ search box can be found in our website header. Image shown from above. Use the active search box in the website header above. Learn more about your membership >>  Note: We have now discontinued this list. Please use the ‘Symbol’ search box in the website header for stock and dividend reports. Please read about our Valuentum Dividend Cushion score (ratio) here. Just having access to this valuable metric alone could save your income portfolio thousands of dollars! The past meets the future as we showcase the Valuentum Dividend Cushion scores of Dividend Aristocrats in this article (click here). The dividend reports below … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 28

by

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending February 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 Albemarle (ALB): now $0.385 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.3675. Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Anheuser-Busch Inbev (BUD): now EUR 1.00 per share semi-annual dividend, was EUR 0.80. Assured Guaranty (AGO): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.18. Barings BDC (BBDC): now $0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Best Buy (BBY): now $0.55 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more