July 31, 2016

Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) President Derek K. Aberle and EVP Matthew S. Grob Sells 3,255,853.35 in Stock


Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) President Derek K. Aberle sold 22,653 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.95, for a total transaction of $1,403,353.35. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 69,234 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,289,046.30. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.




Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) EVP Matthew S. Grob sold 30,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.75, for a total transaction of $1,852,500.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Shares of Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) traded down 0.13% during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $62.43. 8,188,828 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged. Qualcomm Inc. has a 1-year low of $42.24 and a 1-year high of $64.95. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $54.84 and a 200-day moving average of $51.56. The company has a market capitalization of $92.00 billion and a PE ratio of 18.28.

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 20th. The wireless technology company reported $1.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.97 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $5.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.57 billion. The firm’s revenue was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.99 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Qualcomm Inc. will post $4.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.





Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) VP Sells $5,143,661.46 in Stock


Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) VP Dominic J. Caruso sold 41,146 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.01, for a total transaction of $5,143,661.46. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 157,819 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $19,728,953.19. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

Other institutional investors have modified their holdings of the company. Wedbush Securities Inc. increased its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 5.6% in the fourth quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. now owns 45,571 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,681,000 after buying an additional 2,405 shares in the last quarter. IFC Holdings Incorporated FL increased its position in Johnson & Johnson by 12.6% in the fourth quarter. IFC Holdings Incorporated FL now owns 24,098 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,466,000 after buying an additional 2,694 shares in the last quarter. Paragon Capital Management LLC increased its position in Johnson & Johnson by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Paragon Capital Management LLC now owns 104,589 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,743,000 after buying an additional 1,743 shares in the last quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC increased its position in Johnson & Johnson by 5.8% in the fourth quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 737,593 shares of the company’s stock worth $75,766,000 after buying an additional 40,642 shares in the last quarter. Finally, JFS Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Johnson & Johnson by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 31,533 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,239,000 after buying an additional 297 shares in the last quarter.




General Electric Co. (GE) Chairman Buys $1,572,500.00 in Stock


General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) Chairman Jeffrey R. Immelt bought 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 26th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $31.45 per share, for a total transaction of $1,572,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chairman now owns 2,198,688 shares in the company, valued at approximately $69,148,737.60. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

An institutional investor recently raised its position in General Electric stock. Toth Financial increased its stake in General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) by 1.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 282,981 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 4,756 shares during the period. General Electric makes up approximately 2.9% of Toth Financial’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest position. Toth Financial’s holdings in General Electric were worth $8,815,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.





Dover Corp. (DOV) VP Sells $1,230,230.50 in Stock


Dover Corp. (NYSE:DOV) VP William Spurgeon sold 17,170 shares of Dover Corp. stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.65, for a total value of $1,230,230.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 59,163 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,239,028.95. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

An institutional investor recently raised its position in Dover Corp. stock. Russell Frank Co raised its stake in Dover Corp. (NYSE:DOV) by 43.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 86,546 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 26,060 shares during the period. Russell Frank Co owned 0.06% of Dover Corp. worth $5,339,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.




Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) Director Sells $742,789.80 in Stock


Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ:SBUX) Director Myron E. Ullman III sold 12,654 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.70, for a total transaction of $742,789.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 26,654 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,564,589.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 19th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 4th will be given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 2nd. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.37%.





Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Insider Sells $1,010,160,000.00 in Stock


Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) insider G Mason Morfit sold 18,000,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.12, for a total transaction of $1,010,160,000.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Citigroup Inc. reissued a “sell” rating on shares of Microsoft Corp. in a research note on Tuesday, April 12th. Vetr raised shares of Microsoft Corp. from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $57.64 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 11th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $64.00 target price (down previously from $66.00) on shares of Microsoft Corp. in a research note on Monday, April 18th. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $68.00 target price on shares of Microsoft Corp. and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 15th. Finally, Jefferies Group reissued an “underperform” rating and issued a $40.00 target price on shares of Microsoft Corp. in a research note on Friday, April 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and twenty-one have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $58.88.




PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) EVP Mehmood Khan Sells $5,487,000.10 in Stock


PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP) EVP Mehmood Khan sold 51,137 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.30, for a total value of $5,487,000.10. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 164,464 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $17,646,987.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, September 2nd will be paid a $0.7525 dividend. This represents a $3.01 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.76%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 31st.




United Technologies Corp. (UTX) VP Sells $771,909.20 in Stock


United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) VP Charles D. Gill sold 7,144 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.05, for a total transaction of $771,909.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 55,278 shares in the company, valued at $5,972,787.90. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.66 per share. This represents a $2.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.45%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 17th.





Abbott Laboratories (ABT) Insider Sells $1,867,500.00 in Stock


Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) insider Stephen R. Fussell sold 41,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.00, for a total value of $1,867,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 196,467 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,841,015. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 15th. Investors of record on Friday, July 15th will be paid a $0.26 dividend. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, July 13th.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) traded up 0.67% during midday trading on Friday, hitting $44.75. 13,423,155 shares of the company were exchanged. The stock has a market capitalization of $65.74 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.54. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $40.32 and a 200-day moving average of $39.97. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $36.00 and a 1-year high of $51.17.





Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) Director Sells $1,243,558.20 in Stock


Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ:COST) Director Jill S. Ruckelshaus sold 7,442 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $167.10, for a total transaction of $1,243,558.20. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 18,566 shares in the company, valued at $3,102,378.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link.

Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ:COST) opened at 166.35 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $72.87 billion and a PE ratio of 31.44. Costco Wholesale Corp. has a 12 month low of $117.03 and a 12 month high of $169.73. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $160.89 and a 200 day moving average of $153.16.



Source: WKRB News

July 27, 2016

Intel Corp. (INTC) CFO Sells $1,016,761.59 in Stock


Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) CFO Stacy J. Smith sold 29,497 shares of Intel Corp. stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.47, for a total transaction of $1,016,761.59. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 263,772 shares in the company, valued at $9,092,220.84. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.




Tupperware Brands Corp. (TUP) Chairman Sells $9,375,000.00 in Stock


Tupperware Brands Corp. (NYSE:TUP) Chairman E V. Goings sold 150,000 shares of Tupperware Brands Corp. stock in a transaction on Friday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.50, for a total value of $9,375,000.00. Following the sale, the chairman now directly owns 54,456 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,403,500. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 20th were given a $0.68 dividend. This represents a $2.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.36%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 16th.




Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) CEO Sells $8,462,556.48 in Stock


Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) CEO Ernest Scott Santi sold 74,077 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.24, for a total transaction of $8,462,556.48. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 75,926 shares in the company, valued at $8,673,786.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Several equities analysts have recently commented on ITW shares. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $97.00 to $101.00 in a report on Thursday, April 7th. Deutsche Bank AG upped their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $104.00 to $116.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, April 25th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Illinois Tool Works from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $117.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, April 22nd. Seaport Global Securities restated a “buy” rating and issued a $125.00 price objective (up from $105.00) on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a report on Thursday, April 21st. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. restated a “buy” rating and issued a $110.00 price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a report on Thursday, March 31st. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $110.07.




Nike Inc. (NKE) EVP Sells $5,699,000.00 in Stock


Nike Inc. (NYSE:NKE) EVP Hilary K. Krane sold 100,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.99, for a total transaction of $5,699,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 310,795 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $17,712,207.05. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, July 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 6th were paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.14%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 2nd.




Nucor Corp. (NUE) Insider Sells $3,748,339.25 in Stock


Nucor Corp. (NYSE:NUE) insider James R. Darsey sold 71,465 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.45, for a total transaction of $3,748,339.25. Following the sale, the insider now owns 234,135 shares in the company, valued at $12,280,380.75. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 11th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 30th will be given a dividend of $0.375 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 28th. This represents a $1.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.79%.




Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) Insider Sells in $3,235,706.00 Stock


Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT) insider Orlando D. Carvalho sold 12,700 shares of Lockheed Martin Corp. stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $254.78, for a total transaction of $3,235,706.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 29,120 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,419,193.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 23rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 1st will be given a $1.65 dividend. This represents a $6.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.59%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 30th.

A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Lockheed Martin Corp. stock. Eagle Asset Management increased its position in shares of Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT) by 23.1% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 43,274 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 8,112 shares during the period. Eagle Asset Management’s holdings in Lockheed Martin Corp. were worth $8,970,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.




Schlumberger NV (SLB) Insider Sells $967,708.00 in Stock


Schlumberger NV (NYSE:SLB) insider Howard Guild sold 11,900 shares of Schlumberger NV stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.32, for a total value of $967,708.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 19,781 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,608,590.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.




July 23, 2016

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) EVP Sells $2,464,685.00 in Stock


Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) EVP Kathleen Wilson-Thompson sold 29,695 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.00, for a total value of $2,464,685.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link.



General Mills Inc. (GIS) VP Jerald A. Young Sells $2,008,916.70 in Stock


General Mills Inc. (NYSE:GIS) VP Jerald A. Young sold 27,890 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.03, for a total transaction of $2,008,916.70. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 86,271 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,214,100.13. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible throughthe SEC website.




Sysco Corp. (SYY) CEO William J. Delaney III Sells $1,045,123.44 in Stock


Sysco Corp. (NYSE:SYY) CEO William J. Delaney III sold 20,114 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.96, for a total value of $1,045,123.44. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 422,507 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,953,463.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.




Apple Inc. (AAPL) SVP Sells $3,579,700.00 in Stock


Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) SVP Angela J. Ahrendts sold 35,797 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.00, for a total transaction of $3,579,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 105,839 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,583,900. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.




Kansas City Southern (KSU) SVP and Insider Sells 3,111,832.72 in Stock


Kansas City Southern (KSU) SVP William J. Wochner Sells $2,607,544.72 in Stock.


Kansas City Southern (NYSE:KSU) SVP William J. Wochner sold 26,521 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.32, for a total value of $2,607,544.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website.



 Kansas City Southern (KSU) Insider David L. Starling Sells $504,288.00 in Stock.


Kansas City Southern (NYSE:KSU) insider David L. Starling sold 5,100 shares of Kansas City Southern stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.88, for a total value of $504,288.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link.




Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) EVP Matthew S. Grob Sells $1,975,050.00 in Stock


Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) EVP Matthew S. Grob sold 33,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.85, for a total value of $1,975,050.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.





Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) Director Sells $453,000.00 in Stock


Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) Director Steven M. West sold 15,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.20, for a total value of $453,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 26,804 shares in the company, valued at $809,480.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.





Morgan Stanley (MS) Insider Sells $574,504.45 in Stock


Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) insider Jeffrey S. Brodsky sold 19,955 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.79, for a total value of $574,504.45. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 123,710 shares in the company, valued at $3,561,610.90. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.




Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) CFO and Insider Sells $2,451,460.00 in Stock

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) CFO Sells $1,595,860.00 in Stock


Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) CFO Michael M. Larsen sold 14,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.99, for a total value of $1,595,860.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link.





Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) Insider Sells $855,600.00 in Stock


Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) insider John R. Hartnett sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.08, for a total value of $855,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 16,399 shares in the company, valued at $1,870,797.92. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.




Accenture PLC (ACN) Insider and General Counsel Sells $552,764.68 in Stock

Accenture PLC (ACN) Insider Sells $99,364.68 in Stock


Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) insider Richard P. Clark sold 876 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.43, for a total transaction of $99,364.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 16,396 shares in the company, valued at $1,859,798.28. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed throughthis hyperlink.




Accenture PLC (ACN) General Counsel Sells $453,400.00 in Stock


Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) General Counsel Chad T. Jerdee sold 4,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.35, for a total transaction of $453,400.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 28,755 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,259,379.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.




July 21, 2016

4 Dividend-Growth Stocks That Can Help You Retire Early


As history has shown, owning a portfolio of dividend-paying stocks is the best way to build wealth over the long term, and this investment strategy generates the highest returns when you own stocks that raise their payouts every year. With this in mind, let’s take a look at four stocks with high and safe yields of 3-5%, active streaks of annual increases, and the ability to continue growing their payouts going forward, so you can determine if you should invest in one or more of them today.


Continue to read at The Motley Fool Canada ...

Seeking High Quality Dividend Growth? Try Accenture


Accenture (ACN) is the type of high quality dividend growth stock I like to own in our Top 20 Dividend Stocks portfolio.

The company has raised its dividend every year since it began paying one in 2005, recording annual dividend growth greater than 20% during that time period.

Accenture’s dividend scores extremely high marks for safety and growth thanks to the company’s healthy payout ratios, excellent free cash flow generation, clean balance sheet, and proven durability.

Let’s take a closer look at Accenture as a potential investment opportunity for investors building a dividend portfolio.



Continue to read at TalkMarkets


5 Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next Decade

Our Foolish contributors think that these five stocks could anchor your portfolio for the next decade.



Taking the long view is never easy. Even so, buying and holding stocks for lengthy periods of time -- such as a decade or longer -- is the only strategy proven to produce substantial gains on a consistent basis. Armed with this insight, our Foolish contributors offer five stock picks below that might be worth holding onto for the long-haul.



Continue to read at The Motley Fool

10 Best Dividend Stocks to Own Now for a Safe Retirement

These blue chip stocks pay safe, generous dividends and form the foundation of a sturdy retirement portfolio.



With interest rates sitting near record lows, the stock market hitting all-time highs, and global growth remaining sluggish, many conservative investors seeking safe retirement income are anxious.

Dividend stocks have been a popular place to hunt for retirement income because they offer yields higher than Treasuries and provide the potential for income growth and capital appreciation.

However, not all dividend stocks are safe -- especially those with high yields and risky fundamentals.

This Conservative Retirees dividend portfolio looks through thousands of companies to find the best dividend stocks that offer a high yield, pay safe dividends, provide dividend growth in excess of the rate of inflation, trade at reasonable valuations, and are more defensive to preserve capital in the event of a market correction.

I found a number of high quality businesses that meet most of my criteria. Here are 10 of the best dividend stocks for safe retirement income:


Continue to read at TheStreet

Better Buy: Gilead Sciences Inc. vs. Amgen Inc.

In the battle of the big biotech stocks, how do Gilead and Amgen stack up against each other?



Two of the biggest biotechs have produced quite different results for shareholders. Amgen's (NASDAQ:AMGN) valuation nearly doubled during the the last five years, while Gilead Sciences' (NASDAQ:GILD) stock price more than quadrupled.

Looking only at performance this year is a different story altogether. Amgen has basically tread water, with shares close to the same price as at the beginning of 2016. Gilead's stock price, on the other hand, has dropped by a double-digit percentage year-to-date.

All of that is in the past, though. Which of these big biotech stocks is the better pick for long-term investors going forward? Let's see how Gilead and Amgen stack up against each other.



Continue to read at The Motley Fool

July 20, 2016

Deutsche Bank Downgraded T. Rowe Price Group Inc. (TROW)


T. Rowe Price Group Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Deutsche Bank AG from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday. They presently have a $75.00 price objective on the stock, down from their previous price objective of $79.00. Deutsche Bank AG’s target price indicates a potential upside of 1.24% from the company’s previous close.

In related news, Director James A. C. Kennedy sold 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.75, for a total value of $3,887,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 1,340,183 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $104,199,228.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

T. Rowe Price Group (NASDAQ:TROW) opened at 74.08 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $18.39 billion and a P/E ratio of 15.93. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $73.09 and a 200-day moving average of $72.12. T. Rowe Price Group has a 12 month low of $63.57 and a 12 month high of $79.22.




Bank of America Downgraded Nucor Corp. (NUE)


Nucor Corp. (NYSE:NUE) was downgraded by Bank of America Corp. from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday.

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NUE. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd raised its position in Nucor Corp. by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd now owns 94,029 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,789,000 after buying an additional 2,330 shares in the last quarter. Mizuho Trust & Banking Co. Ltd. raised its position in Nucor Corp. by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Mizuho Trust & Banking Co. Ltd. now owns 480,039 shares of the company’s stock valued at $19,365,000 after buying an additional 1,497 shares in the last quarter. GAM Holding AG raised its position in Nucor Corp. by 9.5% in the fourth quarter. GAM Holding AG now owns 46,552 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,876,000 after buying an additional 4,040 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Nucor Corp. by 2.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 19,190,256 shares of the company’s stock valued at $773,367,000 after buying an additional 397,271 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. raised its position in Nucor Corp. by 150.3% in the fourth quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 152,417 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,142,000 after buying an additional 91,513 shares in the last quarter.




Deutsche Bank Downgraded Union Pacific Corp. (UNP)


Union Pacific Corp. (NYSE:UNP) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Deutsche Bank AG from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday.

Shares of Union Pacific Corp. (NYSE:UNP) opened at 93.95 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $88.36 and a 200-day moving average of $81.91. Union Pacific Corp. has a 1-year low of $67.06 and a 1-year high of $99.53. The firm has a market cap of $79.02 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.54.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 31st were paid a dividend of $0.55 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 26th. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.34%.




Goldman Sachs Downgraded Enbridge Inc. (ENB)


Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:ENB) was downgraded by research analysts at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday.

A number of hedge funds and institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NN Investment Partners Holdings N.V. raised its position in Enbridge by 0.9% in the second quarter. NN Investment Partners Holdings N.V. now owns 71,445 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,027,000 after buying an additional 604 shares during the last quarter. Independent Portfolio Consultants Inc. raised its position in Enbridge by 4.3% in the first quarter. Independent Portfolio Consultants Inc. now owns 14,837 shares of the company’s stock worth $577,000 after buying an additional 615 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its position in Enbridge by 7.9% in the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 11,382 shares of the company’s stock worth $443,000 after buying an additional 831 shares during the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc raised its position in Enbridge by 15.5% in the first quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 6,695 shares of the company’s stock worth $261,000 after buying an additional 899 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in Enbridge by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 142,359 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,725,000 after buying an additional 1,050 shares during the last quarter.




Stifel Nicolaus Downgraded The Walt Disney Co. (DIS)


The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) was downgraded by analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report released on Wednesday. They currently have a $110.00 target price on the entertainment giant’s stock. Stifel Nicolaus’ price objective would suggest a potential upside of 10.59% from the company’s previous close. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Moffett Nathanson upped their target price on shares of The Walt Disney to $105.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of The Walt Disney in a research note on Monday, April 4th. Bank of America Corp. reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price objective on shares of The Walt Disney in a research note on Friday, April 1st. Nomura Holdings Inc. reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $110.00 price objective on shares of The Walt Disney in a research note on Thursday, April 7th. Finally, Piper Jaffray Cos. raised shares of The Walt Disney to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 18th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have assigned a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $109.49.




Oppenheimer Downgraded Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)


Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) was downgraded by analysts at Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday.

Shares of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) opened at 55.70 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $227.05 billion and a P/E ratio of 12.63. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $53.99 and a 200-day moving average price of $51.40. Verizon Communications has a 12 month low of $38.06 and a 12 month high of $56.95.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 21st. The cell phone carrier reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06. The firm earned $32.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $32.49 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.02 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications will post $3.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.




July 19, 2016

A Four-Stock 4% Dividend Growth Portfolio


The market is soaring to record highs, making all stocks too expensive to buy, right? Wrong. While exuberance is in the air, there are still a few overlooked gems paying dividends nearly 4% with strong growth potential.

We can easily build a portfolio of four stocks with overall strong revenue growth, growing dividends and a 3.9% average portfolio yield. That yield will only grow in the coming years thanks to each company’s moat, making this a durable portfolio for an IRA or for investors eyeing retirement in the next decade or beyond.

So what’s in it? We’ve got four names: 


Continue to read at Forbes to find out which stocks Brett Owens has choose to 4% Dividend Growth Portfolio…

The 3 Most Dangerous High-Yield Dividend Stocks

The 5%+ dividend stocks could yield more headaches and heartaches than profits.



Dividend stocks tend to be the foundation for most retirement portfolios. Investors have a bounty of reasons to choose dividend stocks over non-dividend-paying companies; the outperformance of dividend-paying stocks over the long-term relative to non-dividend payers is just one. Dividend stocks often have proven business models and clear long-term growth outlooks, and dividend stocks help hedge your downside during inevitable stock market corrections. Perhaps best of all, dividend payments can be reinvested into more shares of dividend paying stock. This process, known as compounding, results in a bigger dividend payment and even more shares of stock in a repeating pattern.

Ideally, dividend investors want the highest yields they can find for the least risk possible. This means finding high-yield dividend stocks -- generally stocks with a yield of 4% or higher -- that can be bought and held for a long period of time.

Unfortunately, not all dividend stocks were created the same. Some are harboring dangerous deteriorations in their underlying business models that provide investors with only a false hope of juicy returns. Here are three such high-yielding dividend stocks that I'd surmise are the stock market's most dangerous.


Continue to read at The Motley Fool to find out which stocks Sean Williams think to be the stock market's most dangerous high-yield dividend stocks…

S&P 500 Sector Laggards Offer Great Dividend Stocks: 4 to Buy Right Now


Any time the markets hit and establish new all-time highs, the concern among Wall Street professionals is always what catalyst is there to drive stocks higher? One thing is for sure, earnings are the ticket to continued advances in the market, and the sectors that have lagged the market over the last four to seven quarters may be the ones that deliver the goods for investors.

For a variety of reasons, energy, materials, financials and technology have struggled for the past year and a half. With easier comparisons and dollar strength abating, two of these sectors, technology and financials, account for 35% of the S&P 500 earnings, and could be the key to earnings growth. Toss in energy and materials, which account for an additional 10%, and the market could sustain a higher level overall earnings growth.

We screened the Merrill Lynch research database for one Buy-rated dividend-yielding stock in each sector. We found four that make good sense now.



Read more at 24/7 Wall St. to find out what they say about INTC, OXY, JPM and DOW

Two Good Dividend Stocks Yielding More Than 4%

A drugmaker and an MLP promise attractive payouts to investors yearning for better yields.



In our quest to find good dividend stocks yielding 5% or more, two promising candidates fell just below the cutoff. One is a foreign drugmaker,  AstraZeneca (AZN) and the other is a master limited partnership, or MLP, Teekay LNG Partners (TGP) focused on shipping liquefied natural gas. Both deserve the attention of income investors due to their attractive dividends and solid business prospects.

Some cautionary notes: Foreign stocks pose currency risk related to their markets in Europe or elsewhere. MLPs tend to be sensitive to interest rates and could slump if rates climb sharply. Also, MLPs issue complex K-1 forms, rather than standard 1099s, so they can be a headache come tax time. Consult a tax planner before investing.



Read more at Kiplinger

One Of Warren Buffett's Top High Yield Dividend Stocks: Verizon


Verizon (VZ) is one of Warren Buffett’s top high-yield dividend stocks. The company has paid dividends for more than 30 years and has increased its dividend for over 10 straight years.

Paying uninterrupted dividends for as long as Verizon has is usually the sign of a durable company.

Verizon is a blue-chip dividend stock that enjoys high barriers to entry in its core markets and has made a number of strategic investments to prepare itself for the technological changes impacting the communications industry.

With a high dividend yield in excess of 4% and a very safe dividend payment, Verizon is a company I like in our Conservative Retirees dividend portfolio.


Continue to read at TalkMarkets


Become A Dividend King With These 3 Tech Stocks


Investors do not immediately think of dividends when they research tech stocks. Indeed, technology companies are largely associated with having high growth potential, and growth stocks generally don’t offer dividends. Some do, but the payouts are often too small to justify as a reason for buying shares.

Tech corporations which have the potential to significantly increase their cash payouts over time make for valuable investment prospects, even if they do not currently offer an attractive yield. They should be in demand because they have strong potential in giving current shareholders (or shareholders who buy soon) a higher dividend yield than they currently receive.

Here are three tech stocks,  AMAT, CSCO and AAPL, which have the ability to significantly increase the cash payouts they provide to investors.  Each of them is capable of generating a high level of cash flows, and this is the key reason for why they are able to support higher dividend payments to shareholders.

Let's take a look at these top three tech stocks …



Source: TalkMarkets


Here Are 10 High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Buy Now for Safe Income

With an average bang for your buck of 4.7% and growing payouts, these are all perfect for retirement portfolios.



As yields on the 10-year Treasury note fall to all-time lows and stock prices rise, the search for safety and return can be challenging.

However, here are 10 high-yield dividend stocks that are worth a look. Several are even in my Conservative Retirees dividend portfolio.

The upside price potential of these stocks adds even further appeal, due to their below market valuations or earnings that are on the verge of major recovery. High yields and price appreciation combine to make for interesting investing, and most of these companies are among the best blue-chip dividend stocks, due to their long histories of paying higher dividends.

Let's take a look at these top high-yield dividend stocks…



Source: TheStreet

Piper Jaffray Upgraded Hasbro Inc. (HAS)


Hasbro Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) was upgraded by analysts at Piper Jaffray Cos. from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday.

Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Jefferies Group boosted their price objective on Hasbro from $74.00 to $76.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 12th. Vetr cut Hasbro from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $88.94 price target on the stock. in a research report on Monday, June 20th. Barclays PLC upped their price target on Hasbro from $73.00 to $91.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 19th. MKM Partners reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $84.00 price target on shares of Hasbro in a research report on Tuesday, July 12th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research cut Hasbro from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 12th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Hasbro currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $87.66.