VSBN

CFA Institute Blog: “Hide-‘Til-Maturity” Accounting

by

The Silicon Valley Bank collapse recalls the tussle over the accounting for financial instruments after the global financial crisis [GFC] in 2009, particularly the debate about whether some financial instruments should be carried at amortized cost (held-to-maturity, HTM) rather than at fair value (available-for-sale, AFS), or what is referred to as the “mixed measurement model.”  — Sandy Peters, CPA, CFA To read the article on the CFA Institute Blog >> —– Related: 4 Very Good Reasons Why We Don’t Like Dividends of Banking Stocks Banks & Money Centers: AXP, BAC, BBT, BK, C, DFS, FITB, GS, HBC, JPM, KEY, MS, NTRS, PNC, RF, STI, TFC, USB, WFC Valuentum does not believe the long-term dividend health of any financial institution can be accurately … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending June 14

by

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending June 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 Andrew Peller (ADWPF): now $0.215 per share annual dividend on Class A shares, was $0.205. Blackstone/GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund (BGX): now $0.122 per share monthly dividend, was $0.115. Blackstone/GSO Strategic Credit Fund (BGB): now $0.114 per share monthly dividend, was $0.109. Capstead Mortgage (CMO): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.08. Caseys General Stores (CASY): now $0.32 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.29. Cherry … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending December 14

by

Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending December 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 AES (AES): now $0.1365 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.13. Albany (AIN): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.17. AT&T (T): now $0.51 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.50. Balchem (BCPC): now $0.47 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.42. C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW): now $0.50 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.46. CenterPoint (CNP): now $0.2875 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.2775. CNB Community Bancorp (CNBB): … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending March 18

by

Image: Williams-Sonoma’s dividend strength continues to impress; source: Mike Mozart Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending March 18. 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 Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD): now $0.86 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.81. CareTrust REIT (CTRE): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Children’s Place Retail Stores (PLCE): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.15. Global High Income Fund (GHI): now $0.0658 per share monthly dividend, was $0.0657. Granite Real Estate (GRP.U): now C$0.203 … Read more

The Mortgage Refinancing Boom Could Be Ending

by

Early Wednesday morning, the Mortgage Banker’s Association (MBA) announced that refinancing activity declined 20% from one week earlier. Adjusted for the Labor Day weekend, total mortgage applications dropped 13.5% from the previous week. Consistent with the dramatic upward movement in interest rates, refinancing activity is down 71% since it peaked during the week of May 3, 2013. Why Do We Monitoring Refinancing Activity? When homeowners refinance, a couple outcomes can occur that pump more dollars into the economy. First, with a refinanced mortgage, owners may choose to take equity out of the home, allowing for large purchases like vehicles or even home remodeling. CoreLogic recently reported that 2.5 million more residential properties have returned to positive equity in the second quarter … Read more

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

by

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 Reason #1: A Bank Run Is Always Possible Though the history of banking dates back to as early as 2000 BC in Babylonia, the makings of the present-day banking system in the US really didn’t take hold until the beginning of the 20th century. Some financial historians may argue for a later date, but we … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending December 16

by

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending December 16. 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 ABM Industries (ABM): now $0.17 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.165. AES (AES): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.11. American Tower (AMT): now $0.58 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.55. Andersons (ANDE): now $0.16 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.155. Avianca (AVH): now $0.032 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.03. Balchem (BCPC): now $0.38 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.34. Boeing (BA): now $1.42 … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending December 15

by

Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending December 15. 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 Abbot Laboratories (ABT): now $0.28 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.265. AES (AES): now $0.13 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.12. Air Lease (AL): now $0.10 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.075. Altius Minerals (ATUSF): now CAD 0.04 per share quarterly dividend, was CAD 0.03. Amgen (AMGN): now $1.32 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.15. AT&T (T): now $0.50 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.49. Balchem … Read more

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

by

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