Focus on Dividends

Disposals: Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:BBY) CEO Corie S. Barry sold 18,844 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.49, for a total value of $1,460,221.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 163,324 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,655,976.76. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through  this hyperlink . Corie S. Barry also recently made the following trade(s): On Wednesday, April 15th, Corie S. Barry sold 19 shares of Best Buy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.08, for a total value of $1,274.52. Read more … Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:BBY) COO Rajendra M. Mohan sold 28,263 shares of Best Buy stock in a transaction on Friday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.49, for a total value of $2,190,099.87. Following the transaction, the chief operating off

Upgrades: Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) was upgraded by equities researchers at SunTrust Banks from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report released on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $73.00 price target on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock. SunTrust Banks’ target price suggests a potential downside of 0.46% from the stock’s current price.   A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on GILD. Wells Fargo & Co restated a “hold” rating and issued a $84.00 target price on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $89.00 price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences in a report on Monday, April 13th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $75.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein cut Gilead Sciences from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating

Less than a month ago, something that seemed impossible actually occurred. The front month oil futures contract for May, which expired in mid-April, actually traded negative. Traders were forced to sell at a loss as those holding contracts on expiration have to take physical delivery, and with no storage space available, had to sell at a loss.   What a difference a month can make for energy investors. On Monday, the benchmark pricing for West Texas Intermediate crude shot up to $33.10, up almost 14% from the Friday close. Oil traders seemed to be focused down the road, with futures markets for both overseas-benchmark Brent and West Texas Intermediate barrels for December delivery having the highest open interest, or total number of options and outstanding contracts.   What that means for investors is that while the front month contract for June, which expires this week, is the current price point, many traders think the biggest money can be made later this year, as the combinat

The "forever" part means investors have to think about the longevity of payout growth as well as reliable payments. If volatility linked to the coronavirus contagion has become exhausting to you, you're not alone. March's sell-off looked like it might never end, and then suddenly, it reversed. The market has recovered most of what was lost then, yet earnings and the economy seem to be in even worse trouble than initially feared. Investors know everything will eventually be fine, but the past three months have been a not-so-gentle reminder that trying to beat the market is a tricky game. There is a solution, at least for a big part of most investors' portfolios. That solution is owning reliable dividend stocks. While growth stocks tend to offer juicer stories, current income is a surprisingly big component of investors' total long-term gains and even more so with dividend-paying companies in the habit of generously increasing their payouts year

In a crazy market, a solid dividend stock can keep your portfolio sane We are in the midst of turbulent times to be sure. And it could be that investing moves that worked previously won’t work any longer. But that’s nothing new for the markets. Good investors need to be adaptable and transition to new strategies when necessary. The challenge now is, what is the new direction? And I’d like to look at financial stocks today. There’s a split between the economic news and the markets reaction lately, and it’s hard to tell which one will win out in the end. Likewise, there are pundits making predictions for both rallies and routs. In these situations, the smart thing to do is not take sides, but start to build from the middle. That means good stocks that have growth potential but will also pay you regardless of the market’s ups and downs. I’m no fan of the big banks, with their “creative accounting” practices. But these other seven financial stocks with divi

Disposals: Duke Energy Corp (NYSE:DUK) SVP Harry K. Sideris sold 1,285 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.42, for a total value of $103,339.70. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 5,396 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $433,946.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through  this hyperlink . Shares of NYSE DUK opened at $83.31 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $84.07 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $89.49. Duke Energy Corp has a 1-year low of $62.13 and a 1-year high of $103.79. The firm has a market cap of $61.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.46 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. Read m

Upgrades: Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) was upgraded by Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage presently has a $38.00 price target on the stock, up from their prior price target of $32.00. Bank of America‘s target price would suggest a potential upside of 23.79% from the stock’s previous close. KHC has been the topic of several other reports. TheStreet raised Kraft Heinz from a “d+” rating to a “c-” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. ValuEngine downgraded Kraft Heinz from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. Guggenheim upgraded Kraft Heinz from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $22.00 target price for the company in a research note on Friday, March 20th. DZ Bank upgraded Kraft Heinz from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $27.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tu

In a near-zero interest environment and amid a series of drastic dividend cuts, investors are seeking consistent and safe income thereby driving the appeal for dividend investing. Though the strategy doesn’t offer dramatic price appreciation, it is a major source of consistent income for investors in any type of market. In fact, investors are zeroing in on stocks that not only offer dividends but also consistently increase their payout. Stocks that have a strong history of dividend growth as opposed to those that offer high yields form a healthy portfolio with more scope for capital appreciation. Dividend Growth Strategy Stocks that have a strong history of dividend growth belong to mature companies, which are less susceptible to large swings in the market, and thus act as a hedge against economic or political uncertainty as well as stock market volatility. At the same time, these offer downside protection with their consistent increase in payouts. Additionally, the

These dividend stocks offer payouts that compare well to established, non-tech stocks Equities in the tech sector usually don’t become popular dividend stocks. Even when they finally introduce payouts, it often only happens after years of pressure from shareholders. These stocks also often retain the interest of shareholders more for their growth potential than the payout. Others such as Google-parent Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL), resist offering a dividend to this day despite having a cash hoard of over $121 billion. However, we also see indications that this attitude has shifted. Some of the largest names in tech have become every bit as mainstream as 100-plus-year-old firms such as Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) or Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ). As they achieve this place in American business, many have begun to begin paying dividends and building a record of consecutive annual increases. Over the next few years, many of these companies could gain

Disposals: Schlumberger Limited. (NYSE:SLB) General Counsel Alexander C. Juden sold 35,000 shares of Schlumberger stock in a transaction on Friday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.35, for a total value of $607,250.00. Following the sale, the general counsel now owns 92,103 shares in the company, valued at $1,597,987.05. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at  the SEC website . Shares of NYSE:SLB opened at $15.85 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $15.58 and a 200 day moving average of $29.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.96. The stock has a market cap of $23.70 billion, a P/E ratio of -1.22, a P/E/G ratio of 17.99 and a beta of 2.09. Schlumberger Limited. has a 12 month low of $11.87 and a 12 month high of $41.40. Read more … Occidental Petroleum Co. (NYSE:OXY) SVP Oscar K. Brown so

Upgrades: Canadian Natural Resources (NYSE:CNQ) (TSE:CNQ) was upgraded by investment analysts at Goldman Sachs Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $21.00 price objective on the oil and gas producer’s stock, up from their prior price objective of $15.00. Goldman Sachs Group’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 30.52% from the stock’s previous close. A number of other brokerages have also commented on CNQ. Wood & Company reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Canadian Natural Resources in a report on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group decreased their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from $55.00 to $28.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from $44.00 to $32.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on

These seven dividend stocks are still secure despite the coronavirus This has been the most traumatic year for dividend investors since 2008, if not longer. Major blue-chip companies have been announcing dividend cuts or suspensions almost every day. Last Tuesday, Disney (NYSE:DIS) joined the crowd with its shocking decision to not pay its dividend for the first half of 2020. And in the high-yield space, it’s been an absolute bloodbath. Whole segments of the market, like energy, mortgage REITs and business development companies have seen their payments shrivel up. It’s looking grim for many dividend stocks. Consider this. In 2008, it took the S&P 500 a subsequent three years to reach a new record dividend payout. If you owned an index exchange-traded fund in 2007, you were earning more income by the end of 2011. This time around, it appears the damage will last a lot longer. The CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) lists dividend futures contracts, which are settled based on

Your bills generally come monthly. Your mortgage, your car payment, your utility bills … even the gym membership and Netflix subscription come due once per month. Yet that’s not how most investments typically work. Bonds tend to pay their coupon payments semiannually, and stocks tend to pay their dividends quarterly. You can get paid much more frequently, however. A number of monthly dividend stocks and funds can help you better align your investment income with your living expenses. Investors received a stark reminder of how important stable income is during the market turmoil of February and March. Not only did the stock market take a nosedive, but many seemingly reliable dividend payers were forced to cut or suspend their payouts. Furthermore, the coronavirus lockdowns have disrupted the livelihoods of millions of Americans, leaving many to dip into already depleted portfolios to pay their bills. "Income security is the single biggest concern I'm hearin

The COVID-19 pandemic is still far from over, and many investors are increasingly looking for stability in a highly volatile stock market. And while no industry has been entirely immune to the adverse effects of the outbreak, some pharmaceutical companies have managed to handle the ongoing crisis better than most. AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) is one of those companies with financial results that haven't been hit hard by the public health crisis. The drugmaker released its first-quarter financial results May 1, and AbbVie's revenue of $8.6 billion and earnings per share of $2.02 both came in ahead of analyst estimates. Still, detractors may point to the fact that AbbVie's most important cash cow, Humira, continues to lose steam abroad: During the first quarter, Humira's international revenue was $1.047 billion, representing a 14.9% year-over-year decrease. Humira has been AbbVie's crown jewel since the pharma giant split from its former parent company, Abbott Laborato

It's a compelling stock...for a very particular type of investor. Times are tough all over the stock market these days, but the oil industry is possibly the hardest hit of them all. Tumbling prices and oversupply have hit oil stocks hard, including Big Oil superstar ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM). Shares of the oil major have crashed more than 50% over the last five years. With shares trading at levels not seen since 2004, it's worth checking to see if ExxonMobil is a smart buy, or a sucker's bet. The short-term outlook for ExxonMobil isn't good, but that's true of a lot of stocks right now. Coronavirus has upended the world's economy, and it's going to take time for things to get back to normal -- or to settle into a "new normal." For oil and gas companies like ExxonMobil, the biggest issue is plain old supply and demand. With flights grounded and commuters on lockdown, crude oil supply has vastly outstripped the demand for fuel and

Disposals: eBay Inc (NASDAQ:EBAY) SVP Wendy Elizabeth Jones sold 62,719 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.48, for a total value of $2,413,427.12. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 68,909 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,651,618.32. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through  this hyperlink . NASDAQ:EBAY opened at $40.32 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.87. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $33.91 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $35.41. The stock has a market cap of $27.51 billion, a PE ratio of 6.69, a P/E/G ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.36. eBay Inc. has a 52 week low of $26.02 and a 52 week high of $42.00. Read more … American Electric Power Company Inc (NYSE:AEP

Upgrades: Mizuho upgraded shares of Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Monday morning, BenzingaRatingsTable reports. Mizuho currently has $95.00 price target on the oil and gas company’s stock. A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Phillips 66 from a hold rating to a buy rating and decreased their price target for the company from $110.00 to $73.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Phillips 66 from $118.00 to $106.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada raised Phillips 66 from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $67.00 price objective for the company in a report on Sunday, March 29th. Zacks Investment Research cut Phillips 66 from a hold rating to a sell rating and set a $58.00 price ob