March 31, 2018

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: March 26 - 30, 2018



Disposals:


Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) insider Lisa R. Panattoni sold 31,824 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.75, for a total value of $2,410,668.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 114,433 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,668,299.75. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Read more …

Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) insider Bernard G. Brautigan sold 18,171 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.71, for a total transaction of $1,375,726.41. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 170,718 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,925,059.78. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Shares of ROST stock opened at $77.32 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $28,599.80, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. Ross Stores, Inc. has a 12-month low of $52.85 and a 12-month high of $85.66. Read more …


Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) CEO Pierre Nanterme sold 36,858 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.80, for a total transaction of $5,558,186.40. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 357,405 shares in the company, valued at approximately $53,896,674. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Read more …

Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) COO Johan Deblaere sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.72, for a total value of $753,600.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 73,638 shares in the company, valued at $11,098,719.36. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Read more …

Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 1,637 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.87, for a total value of $246,974.19. Following the sale, the insider now owns 186,112 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $28,078,717.44. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Shares of ACN stock traded down $3.99 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $148.86. The company had a trading volume of 3,211,619 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,471,500. Accenture Plc has a 1-year low of $114.82 and a 1-year high of $165.58. The company has a market cap of $93,608.22, a P/E ratio of 26.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 1.01. Read more …

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM) insider Janet Hayes sold 9,034 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.66, for a total transaction of $466,696.44. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 38,563 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,992,164.58. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Shares of NYSE:WSM opened at $52.76 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 1.62 and a quick ratio of 0.57. The stock has a market cap of $4,441.08, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.82. Williams-Sonoma has a twelve month low of $42.68 and a twelve month high of $56.38. Read more …




   
Raytheon (NYSE:RTN) Chairman Thomas A. Kennedy sold 6,076 shares of Raytheon stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $214.32, for a total transaction of $1,302,208.32. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 53,458 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,457,118.56. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Shares of Raytheon stock traded up $4.76 during trading on Friday, hitting $215.82. 2,154,356 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,812,646. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.54 and a quick ratio of 1.46. Raytheon has a 52-week low of $149.70 and a 52-week high of $222.82. The stock has a market cap of $62,265.36, a PE ratio of 28.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 0.71. Read more …


March 30, 2018

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 26, 2018



Upgrades:


D. R. Horton (NYSE:DHI) was upgraded by research analysts at Barclays from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued on Monday. The brokerage currently has a $52.00 target price on the construction company’s stock. Barclays’ price objective would indicate a potential upside of 20.09% from the company’s current price. DHI has been the topic of several other research reports. Mizuho reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $47.00 price objective on shares of D. R. Horton in a research report on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $58.00 price objective on shares of D. R. Horton in a research report on Monday, February 5th. ValuEngine raised shares of D. R. Horton from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $52.00 price target on shares of D. R. Horton in a research report on Wednesday, March 21st. Finally, Wedbush reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $50.00 price target on shares of D. R. Horton in a research report on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $51.88. Read more …

Jefferies Group upgraded shares of Eaton (NYSE:ETN) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Monday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Jefferies Group currently has $80.00 target price on the industrial products company’s stock. Jefferies Group also issued estimates for Eaton’s Q3 2018 earnings at $1.45 EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $1.50 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $5.30 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $5.90 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $6.45 EPS. A number of other research firms have also recently issued reports on ETN. Robert W. Baird raised Eaton from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $82.00 to $92.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus raised Eaton from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $77.00 to $99.00 in a research report on Sunday, February 4th. Zacks Investment Research raised Eaton from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Argus raised Eaton to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $85.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Finally, ValuEngine upgraded Eaton from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $87.53. Read more …

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) was upgraded by equities researchers at Raymond James Financial from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday. Several other analysts have also recently commented on INTC. Instinet raised their target price on Intel to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. Maxim Group raised their target price on Intel to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Goldman Sachs set a $43.00 price objective on Intel and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. Mizuho reissued a “buy” rating and set a $47.00 price objective on shares of Intel in a research report on Tuesday, December 26th. Finally, BidaskClub cut Intel from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 27th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, twenty-seven have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $50.23. Read more …


Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) was upgraded by equities researchers at Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Credit Suisse Group set a $22.00 price target on Kinder Morgan and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Argus raised Kinder Morgan from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Zacks Investment Research raised Kinder Morgan from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $19.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 13th. UBS reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $26.00 price target (down previously from $28.00) on shares of Kinder Morgan in a report on Friday, March 2nd. Finally, Bank of America raised Kinder Morgan from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $15.61 to $20.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Kinder Morgan presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $22.37. Read more …

Our Ultimate Stock-Pickers’ Top 10 Dividend-Yielding Stocks



As you may recall from our previous dividend-themed articles, when we screen for top dividend-paying stocks among the holdings of our Ultimate Stock-Pickers we try to hone in on the highest-quality names that are currently held with conviction by our top managers. We do this by taking an initial list of the dividend-paying stocks held in the portfolios of our Ultimate Stock-Pickers and then narrow it down by concentrating on firms that we believe have competitive advantages, which, in our view, should allow them to generate the excess returns they'll need to maintain their dividends longer term. We also look for firms where there is lower uncertainty on our analysts' part regarding their future cash flows. We accomplish this by screening for holdings that are widely held (by five or more of our top managers), are yielding more than the S&P 500, represent firms with wide or narrow economic moats, and have uncertainty ratings of either low or medium.


Once our filtering process is complete, we create two different tables--one that reflects the top 10 stocks with the highest dividend yields, and the another that represents the stocks that are the most widely held by our top managers while also paying dividends in excess of the S&P 500. In our view, finding stocks that are yielding more than the benchmark index and operate in more stable industries where there is less uncertainty surrounding their future cash flows should offer some downside protection for investors. With markets at or near all-time highs and interest rates still at lower-than-normal levels, many investors are left searching for yield wherever they can find it. We should note, though, that the dividend yield calculations in each of these two tables are based on regular dividends that have been declared during the past 12 months and do not include the impact of any special (or supplemental) dividends that may have been paid out (or declared) during that time.

  


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March 28, 2018

3 Reasons You Should Stay Away from Chevron Corporation Stock

Chevron doesn't have what it takes to ride the oil wave higher



The energy sector has been a wild ride in recent years as we’ve seen some pretty big price swings in commodity prices. We’ve gone from boom times to buts, only to start booming once again. In that volatility, many investors have found comfort in some of the largest energy firms out there. And you can’t get much bigger than top-performer Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX).

As one of the largest energy firms in the world, Chevron features a multitude of assets across the up-, mid- and downstream sectors of the energy industry. The integrated nature and huge size of CVX asset portfolio allow it to perform well in all sorts of oil and natural gas price environments.

That’s exactly what you want in a period of volatile oil prices. So, the attraction to Chevron stock is certainly warranted.

However, Chevron isn’t without its faults. Some of those blemishes are pretty bad and could seriously derail Chevron stock if things don’t exactly go the integrated giant’s way.

The question is whether or not, those positives outweigh the negatives. With that, let’s take a look at Chevron and run through the pros and cons




March 27, 2018

4 Monthly Dividend Stocks -- 2 Buys, 2 Sells


If you’re planning to retire (or are currently retired), I urge you to become intimately familiar with monthly dividend stocks. They offer the ultimate consideration: income payments that actually line up with your monthly bills.

Today, I’m going to help get you started by introducing you to four monthly dividend payers that yield up to 12%. But first: What’s so great about this type of stock?

When you pay your bills – be it the mortgage, the electricity, the TV – you don’t sit down at the kitchen table to do that every quarter. You do it every single month. But most dividend stocks don’t keep the same kind of schedule. American stocks typically pay shareholders once every three months.

Monthly dividend stocks, however, help you to tackle regular expenses without worrying about fluctuations in payouts depending on timing. And these every-30-day payers also have a couple of additional benefits, too:

- It’s a sign of stability: Promising a dividend check every single month is a bold promise that a company wouldn’t make if it wasn’t serious about keeping (and even raising) the payout.
- Faster gains. Even if you have 20 or 30 years left to retirement, a monthly payout can be put back to work more quickly than a quarterly one. A monthly payer, in fact, can generate thousands of dollars more in additional returns via reinvested dividends over the course of a couple decades than a quarterly payer with the same yield.

Are all monthly dividend stocks perfect? Far from it. Today, I’m going to show you four payers yielding between 4% and 12%. Two should make your wish list, while two are proof that even monthly dividends aren’t always perfect.





March 24, 2018

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: March 19 - 23, 2018



Disposals:


Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) EVP Sean E. Harper sold 1,525 shares of Amgen stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $189.75, for a total value of $289,368.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website.
Sean E. Harper also recently made the following trade(s):
-On Wednesday, February 14th, Sean E. Harper sold 1,525 shares of Amgen stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.18, for a total value of $265,624.50.
-On Tuesday, January 16th, Sean E. Harper sold 1,525 shares of Amgen stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $185.62, for a total value of $283,070.50.
Amgen stock traded down $5.69 on Monday, reaching $182.55. The company had a trading volume of 3,955,058 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,457,186. Amgen, Inc. has a 12-month low of $152.16 and a 12-month high of $201.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $135,638.63, a PE ratio of 71.03, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a quick ratio of 5.17, a current ratio of 5.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. Readmore …

UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) insider Larry C. Renfro sold 22,184 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $228.94, for a total value of $5,078,804.96. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 173,229 shares in the company, valued at $39,659,047.26. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Read more …

UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) CEO Steven H. Nelson sold 14,233 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $230.22, for a total transaction of $3,276,721.26. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 18,219 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,194,378.18. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Shares of UNH stock opened at $226.78 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.73. The stock has a market cap of $220,491.67, a PE ratio of 21.17, a PEG ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.74. UnitedHealth Group Inc has a 12 month low of $162.74 and a 12 month high of $250.79. Read more …

NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE:NEE) Director James L. Robo sold 18,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.89, for a total transaction of $2,896,020.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Shares of NEE stock opened at $160.42 on Wednesday. NextEra Energy Inc has a one year low of $127.09 and a one year high of $161.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07. The stock has a market cap of $75,294.08, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.32. Read more …

Nucor Co. (NYSE:NUE) EVP Raymond S. Napolitan, Jr. sold 8,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.11, for a total transaction of $520,880.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 78,381 shares in the company, valued at $5,103,386.91. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Shares of NUE stock traded up $1.02 on Wednesday, reaching $65.22. 1,468,134 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,996,258. Nucor Co. has a twelve month low of $51.67 and a twelve month high of $70.48. The firm has a market cap of $20,770.80, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.78, a P/E/G ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 1.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a current ratio of 2.42. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 19, 2018



Upgrades:


Jefferies Group upgraded shares of AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat reports. The firm currently has $36.70 price target on the stock, up from their prior price target of $28.43. Several other brokerages have also recently issued reports on AZN. BMO Capital Markets restated a buy rating and issued a $38.00 target price on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Friday, January 26th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded AstraZeneca from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, January 22nd. ValuEngine upgraded AstraZeneca from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Saturday, February 3rd. Leerink Swann reiterated a market perform rating and set a $36.00 price target (up from $33.00) on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price target on AstraZeneca from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $36.32. Read more …

Cummins (NYSE:CMI) was upgraded by Deutsche Bank from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports. A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on CMI. Seaport Global Securities reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Cummins in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Cummins in a report on Friday, March 2nd. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $173.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $182.00 price objective on shares of Cummins in a report on Monday, February 5th. ValuEngine upgraded shares of Cummins from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, TheStreet lowered shares of Cummins from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. The company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $187.61. Read more …

ONEOK (NYSE:OKE) was upgraded by analysts at Jefferies Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Zacks Investment Research raised ONEOK from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. Bank of America initiated coverage on ONEOK in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada raised ONEOK from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Barclays raised ONEOK from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $58.00 to $67.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, TheStreet downgraded ONEOK from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $61.29. Read more …

Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) was upgraded by research analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a $20.00 price objective on the pipeline company’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $15.61. Bank of America’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 25.71% from the stock’s current price. Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Argus upgraded shares of Kinder Morgan from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Kinder Morgan from $24.00 to $23.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 9th. Credit Suisse Group set a $22.00 price objective on shares of Kinder Morgan and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. UBS restated a “buy” rating and issued a $26.00 price objective (down from $28.00) on shares of Kinder Morgan in a report on Friday, March 2nd. Finally, Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Kinder Morgan from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, January 8th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $22.37. Read more …

March 22, 2018

7 Dividend Stocks That May Be Hurting Your Retirement

If you own any of these 7 you'd be better off moving your money elsewhere



Two key goals in retirement are to generate safe income and preserve capital. No one wants to outlive their nest egg.

Dividend-paying stocks are a popular asset class used to generate predictable, growing income. However, unlike the interest income paid by government-backed Treasury bonds, a common stock dividend can be far more discretionary in nature. When times get tough, a business will typically opt to reduce its dividend before jeopardizing its ability to meet its debt obligations, preserve its credit rating or invest in its long-term growth projects.

Unfortunately, a number of businesses are facing the tough decision to reduce their dividend at any one moment.

To alert investors of stocks that have the highest risk of reducing their current dividend in the future, Simply Safe Dividends created a Dividend Safety Score system that analyzes a company’s payout ratios, debt levels, recession performance, cash flow generation, recent earnings performance, dividend longevity and more.

Dividend Safety Scores are available for thousands of stocks, and scores range from 0 to 100. A score of 50 represents a borderline safe payout, but conservative investors are best off sticking with companies that score over 60 for Dividend Safety.

Investors can learn more about Dividend Safety Scores and view their real-time track record here (since inception they have flagged 99% of dividend cuts in advance).

I used Dividend Safety Scores to identify seven companies that have either recently cut their dividend and remain in trouble, or that could be facing a dividend cut in the near future. Owning companies like these can hurt a conservative retirement portfolio.






March 21, 2018

Walmart Inc: WMT Stock’s Pullback Could Be an Opportunity for Dividend Investors


Time to Take a Look at Walmart Stock



Quality items seldom go on sale. So when a stock as solid as Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) is having a pullback, it deserves the attention of income investors.

Walmart stock had a good run last year, but most recently, it hasn’t been a hot commodity. Since reaching a high of $109.98 per share in January, WMT stock has plunged more than 20%. That’s quite a sizable drop for a giant company commanding over $250.0 billion of market cap.

One of the main reasons behind Walmart stock’s downturn was its fourth-quarter earnings report. In the three-month period ended January 31, 2018, the retailer generated adjusted earnings of $1.33 per share. While the number represented a 2.3% improvement year-over-year, it missed Wall Street’s earnings per share estimate of $1.37.






March 20, 2018

Procter & Gamble: Is This Dividend King Interesting Again?


Procter & Gamble (PG) stock has lost 16% since it peaked, six months ago. The stock has dramatically under-performed the S&P in almost any time frame one can check out. To be sure, it has under-performed the market index during the last 5 years (2% vs. 79%!), 2 years (-5% vs. 36%) and the last 12 months (-14% vs. 15%).

And yet, P&G has one of the longest streaks of dividend growth in the entire stock market. It is a Dividend King, a group of just 25 stocks that have increased their payouts for at least 50 consecutive years. You can see the full list of all 25 Dividend Kings here.

Click here to download my Dividend Kings Excel Spreadsheet now. Keep reading this article to learn more.

This article will discuss the company’s fundamentals, and why the stock may be interesting for dividend growth investors.

Business Overview

Procter & Gamble is a consumer stalwart that is 180 years old and sells its products in more than 180 countries. It generates 55% of its sales outside North America, with 35% of its sales in emerging regions.






March 19, 2018

10 Stocks To Buy For Big April Dividend Hikes


If the virtues and importance of dividend growth weren’t etched into your brain already, let’s consider February’s example. (Then we’ll outline eleven imminent hikes coming in April.)

About a month ago, shortly before the market reached full correction mode, I outlined the problem low-growth dividend stocks would have against rapidly rising Treasury rates – and why it’s vital that we monitor the dividend growth of current and prospective holdings.

Within a week, yields quickly leapt to nearly 3%, and currently sit close by at about 2.9%. On cue stocks crashed.

The lesson here is twofold.

For one, if interest rates continue to climb, life becomes more difficult for corporations across the board. Per Bloomberg: “Policy accommodation has helped the cost of servicing debt for companies in the S&P 500 fall to an all-time low of 3.5 percent of sales over the past 12 months.” Conversely, rising rates would lead to higher debt-servicing costs, which would naturally weight on profits.

The other fear is more targeted at many popular blue chips that yield around 2% to 3% and deliver dividend expansion at a snail’s pace. Yes, Coca-Cola and Merck as companies have stood the test of time, but with their stocks flat-lining and their payout growth marginal, the safety of Treasury debt looks increasingly attractive by comparison.

That’s why I regularly flag popular yield plays for expected dividend hikes. I want investors to keep an eye on these stocks that they either hold or may be looking at so they can keep track of one of the most important elements of dividend investing. April is particularly thick with longtime payers, so here’s a look at ten stocks that should up the ante next month.






March 15, 2018

‘Dow Theory’ Warning Signal Spells Trouble for These 5 Stocks


Post-payroll enthusiasm is fading fast as chaos returns to the Trump administration



U.S. equities are testing into the red as I write this on Tuesday, rolling over as the post-payroll enthusiasm fades and fears regarding Federal Reserve interest rates hikes and chaos in President Donald Trump’s administration returns.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is stalling out once more near its 50-day moving average; setting up a possible test of its 200-day moving average and the February lows in the days and weeks ahead. Not only is the Fed decision looming, but Washington needs to iron out another budget deal before the end of the month.

With the Dow Industrials struggling, it’s worth noting that both the Dow Jones Utility Average and the Dow Jones Transportation Average are struggling as well. That sets up a possible “Dow Theory” warning signal that could spell trouble for the broad market.

Here are five key Dow stocks that are showing weakness:






March 14, 2018

The Walt Disney Company Analysis




Walt Disney founded his namesake company in 1923, and since then the business has gone on to become one of the most iconic brands on earth. Today, Walt Disney (DIS) is a leading entertainment company with over $55 billion in revenue. The company is highly diversified and vertically integrated, with four major business segments:

- Media Networks (41% of sales, 30% of profits): TV programming (ABC TV and cable channels like A&E, History, Lifetime and ABC Family, ESPN network), radio (radio Disney, ESPN radio network), eight television stations. In total the company has about 100 Disney-branded television channels, which are broadcast in 34 languages and 162 countries.

- Parks & Resorts (34% of sales, 34% of profits): owns theme parks and resorts around the globe including Walt Disney World In Florida, Disneyland in California, Disney Land Paris, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Also operates Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii, the Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, and the Disney Cruise Line.

- Studio Entertainment (16% of sales, 21% of profits): produces live action and animated films under the Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) studio banners. This segment’s profitability is volatile

  Consumer Products & Interactive Media (9% of sales, 15% of profits): licenses its trade names, characters, and visual and literary properties, develops and publishes mobile games, and sells its products through its own online stores and various retail outlets around the globe.

In December of 2017, Disney announced it was buying the majority of Twenty-First Century Fox (FOXA) in a $66 billion deal. Assuming the deal closes, Disney will be getting all of Fox’s assets (film and TV studios, cable networks, stakes in Hulu and other key assets) except for the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2, and the Big Ten Network.





March 13, 2018

Starbucks Corporation Analysis



The first Starbucks (SBUX) location opened in 1971, and the company has since grown to become the world’s largest coffee purveyor with just over 28,000 stores in more than 75 countries. Starbucks stores sell not just premium coffee but also tea, packaged coffee, juices, bottled water, pastries, and various lunch items.

In addition, the company licenses several of its products, which are available in supermarkets and stores, and sells through other up-and-coming brands such as Teavana, Tazo, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Evolution Fresh, La Boulange, and Ethos.

In its most recent fiscal year, the vast majority of Starbucks’ sales came from the company’s namesake, company-owned stores.

 -  Company-owned stores: 79% of revenue (growing 5% a year)
 -  Licensed stores: 11% of revenue (growing 9% a year)
 -  Consumer packaged goods: 10% of revenue (growing 3% a year)

By geography, Starbucks generated 70% of its revenue last year in the Americas (U.S., Canada, Latin America); 13% in China / Asia Pacific; and 5% in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The remaining 12% of revenue was related to channel sales of Starbucks’ products and other business segments.





March 12, 2018

Top 5 Monthly Dividend Stocks for 2018




Most dividend-paying stocks do so on a quarterly basis, but you can find equities that will pay you each month. If you reinvest dividends, you can grow a position more quickly by buying shares each month. For those who invest in dividend stocks for income to live on, monthly dividends make it easier to keep up with monthly bills.

Beware of companies that declare an aggressive monthly dividend simply to attract investors. Instead, look for companies that have a sustained history of making monthly dividend payments, along with a track record of sustainable revenue and income growth.

The following are our five top picks for reliable companies that pay monthly dividends. All figures given are current as of March 10, 2018.





March 8, 2018

10 High-Dividend Stocks to Buy When the Market Is Blue


Growing uncertainty for a market rally repeat makes dividend stocks extremely attractive




President Donald Trump ran on a ticket of making America great again. While the consensus on that point is very much split, what’s not deniable is the markets’ response. Trump’s pro-business agenda was credited for sparking an impressive rally. With enthusiasm overshooting rationality, however, high-dividend stocks are suddenly looking very attractive to investors.

At first glance, nothing seems out of the ordinary. All major blue-chip indices are up significantly on a year-to-date basis. However, over the past few days, uncharacteristic volatility has shaken investors. Although the actual magnitude of the declines has been minor relative to the overall rally, the red ink suggests that the much-feared correction could be around the corner.

After all, no rally lasts forever. But it’s not just the market’s gravitational laws that have discerning investors spooked. Throughout President Trump’s administration, the U.S. dollar index has veritably tanked, losing nearly 12% since his inauguration. This implies that inflation, not fundamentals, contributed significantly to recent economic gains. That has several people turning to high-paying dividend stocks to buy.

Another powerful indicator is gold. Commonly considered a “fear indicator,” gold enjoyed a quiet rally in 2017, gaining nearly 14%. But much of those profits came in recent months, and in the year-to-date, the metal is up 2.6%.

The resultant inflation exerts pressure on American consumers, which could hurt overall economic enthusiasm. In addition, raging debates on how the U.S. Federal Reserve will handle these challenges create substantial uncertainties. This circumstance only bolsters the case for these high-dividend stocks.

Trying to time and predict the markets’ every twist and turn is a virtually impossible endeavor. A smarter, less stressful strategy is to buy dividend stocks, which provide a payout despite the noise.

Here are the 10 best high-dividend stocks to buy when the market is blue.



March 7, 2018

7 Fast-Growing Stocks to Buy Today


Growth is on a different track now, and here are some great ideas



If you haven’t noticed, there has been a lot of talk about something that we haven’t heard about for almost a decade — inflation.

For the past nearly 10 years, the Federal Reserve and all the central banks in all the industrialized nations have been managing interest rates to keep them outrageously low until the financial system had a chance to right itself.

Now, we’re in the next phase of that great experiment. Economies are coming back online and central banks are starting to raise interest rates to keep inflation a bay while not shutting off the green shoots of growth.

But this isn’t a science. It’s a bit messy. It means that growth will be more uneven than it has been in the past. And you need to find firms with solid sales earnings growth as well as technical and fundamental strengths to keep the profits rolling.

These are seven fast-growing stocks to buy today that will keep you in good stead for years to come.






March 6, 2018

Forget Rising Rates. 5 Great REITs To Buy Today


Some REITs have what it takes to outperform in this sort of environment




Real estate investment trusts (REITs) have really taken it on the chin lately. That’s all due to Federal Reserve’s meddling. The reasoning is this: REITs — through their tax structures — are designed to push much of their net income back to shareholders. So, as a result, many REITs feature high dividends. And as a high-yielding security, investors tend to abandon them during periods of rising rates. After all, as the Fed raises interest rates, you can score higher yields on “safer” bonds.

It turns out that reasoning is false, however.

According to Nareit, REITs actually outperform during periods of tightening.  And in fact, during the last cycle, REITs managed to gain more than 80%. This is because the rates of dividend and rent growth are often much greater than changes in interest rates. And with that fact in tow, investors are being given a gift to load up on REITs for the long haul.

Here are five top-notch REITs to buy today despite rising rates:





March 5, 2018

10 Super Safe Growth Stocks to Buy for Long-Lasting Dividends


These growth stocks also offer steady dividends for long-term security




The stock market’s relentless march upward has pushed the prices of many companies higher. As investors bid up good and bad businesses alike, that can make it hard to discern which companies are the best dividend growth stocks for long-term investors.

That’s especially true in the world of dividend stocks, where income-starved investors face great temptation to reach for high-dividend stocks that offer juicy yields.

Fortunately, Simply Safe Dividends identified the 10 best dividend growth stocks that investors can rely on for secure, fast-growing income.

These companies all have very healthy Dividend Safety Scores, which measure a firm’s most important financial metrics to gauge how likely it is to cut its dividend in the future.

Let’s take a look at 10 of the safest dividend growth stocks in the market. These companies generate excellent free cash flow, maintain safe payout ratios, are committed to rewarding shareholders with healthy dividend increases and have bright long-term outlooks.