Taxes and the Distressed MLP Investor

Image show above: Performance of the Alerian MLP ETF. “Perhaps the worst thing about MLPs is that investors can spend more time doing and thinking about tax-related items than actually evaluating the businesses of the underlying entities. This could result in poor investment decisions.” – Brian Nelson, CFA By Brian Nelson, CFA What a sensitive topic for many… Our team presented at the Chicago chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) last weekend. It is always an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to present to such wonderful people! They ask so many great questions. (By the way, I’m working on my schedule for 2017, so if you’d like our team to speak on a topic … Read more

Bye Bye Energy MLPs

West Texas crude oil prices (USO) just broke through $32 per barrel to the downside for the first time since 2003. Share prices of those in the energy complex (XLE) continue to reel, and we maintain our view that the tremendous fallout in energy master limited partnerships (AMLP, AMZ) may not be over. From our perspective, the MLP business model may not survive in its present state, as equity markets continue to “wise up” to the artificial equity pricing paradigm that has centered on the group’s financially-engineered payouts. Without an artificial pricing paradigm to “prop up” their equity prices, for example, the incentive to perpetuate such a business model is substantially reduced. Distribution cuts would then inevitably ensue as a … Read more

Focus on ETE, Not ETP; Strive for Balance and Stick to the SEC Filings

We continue to be grateful for the favorable reception of our research and analysis. Our mission to help investors of all types remains our core focus and a cause buttressed by our independence and analytical integrity. You can read more here about Valuentum and its President of Equity Research Brian Nelson, CFA. It appears there continues to be a significant amount of confusion about the securities associated with the Energy Transfer companies, a collection of assets that includes the corporate parent Energy Transfer Equity (ETE) as well its consolidated subsidiaries: “Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), ETP GP, ETP LLC, Regency, Regency GP, Regency LLC, Panhandle, Sunoco, Inc., Sunoco Logistics (SXL), Sunoco LP (SUN), Susser and ETP Holdco (per Energy Transfer Equity, L.P, … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending February 6

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending February 6. 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 Armada Hoffler Properties (AHH): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Artisan Partners (APAM): now $0.60 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.55. Assured Guaranty (AGO): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.11. Avista (AVA): now $0.33 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.3175. BCE (BCE): now C$0.65 per share quarterly dividend, wasC$0.62. Bemis (BMS): now $0.28 per share annual dividend, was $0.27. Brookfield Renewable Energy … Read more

Update: Digging Into the Valuentum Dividend Cushion

Sign Up to Receive our Dividend Growth Newsletter! Add the High Yield Dividend Newsletter to Your Membership! History has revealed that the best performing stocks during the previous decades have been those that shelled out ever-increasing cash to shareholders in the form of dividends. In a recent study by Ned Davis Research, S&P 500 stocks that initiated dividends or grew them over time registered roughly a 9.6% annualized return since 1972 (through 2010), while stocks that did not pay out dividends or cut them performed poorly over the same time period.  Such analysis is difficult to ignore, and we believe investors may be well-rewarded in future periods by finding the best dividend-growth stocks out there. As such, we’ve developed a rigorous dividend investment … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending January 29

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending January 29. 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 A.O. Smith (AOS): now $0.24 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.19. AGCO (AGCO): now $0.13 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.12. Apartment Investment (AIV): now $0.33 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.30. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT): now $0.28 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.27. Archrock Inc. (AROC): now $0.1875 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Arthur J. Gallagher (AJG): now $0.38 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending April 29

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending April 29. 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 $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.11.         Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT): now $0.70 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.30. American National Insurance (ANAT): now $0.82 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.80. AmeriGas Partners (APU): now $0.94 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.92. Ameriprise Financial (AMP): now $0.75 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.67. Apple (AAPL): now $0.57 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.52. … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of May 3

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 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                          Aena S.M.E., S.A. (ANYYY): now $0.621 per share annual dividend, was $0.360. Aker BP ASA (AKRBY): now $0.174 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.173. American International Group (AIG): now $0.40 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.36. American Water Works (AWK): now $0.7650 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.7075. Apollo Global Management (APO): now $0.4625 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.4300. Apple Inc. (AAPL): now … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending July 29

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending July 29. 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 Agnico Eagle (AEM): now $0.10 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.08. Alon USA Partners (ALDW): now $0.14 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.08. AmeriServ Financial (ASRV): now $0.015 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.01. BancorpSouth (BXS): now $0.125 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. BB & T (BBT): now $0.30 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Capital Power (CPXWF): now C$0.39 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week of January 31

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending January 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                          AES (AES): now $0.1759 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1725. ALLETE (ALE): now $0.730 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.705. Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT): now $0.46 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.37. Archrock (AROC): now $0.190 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.175. Arthur J. Gallagher (AJG): now $0.65 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.60. Baker Hughes (BKR): now $0.23 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more