February 17, 2012
Written by Ian Wyatt
“VeriFone Systems, Inc. (PAY 46.03 NYSE) provides retail electronic payment devices that process debit and credit cards. Next time you’re at a gas station or department store, take a look at the machine that reads your card. With 20 million locations globally, chances are that machine was provided by VeriFone. But VeriFone does more than put their name on the machine. VeriFone produces the systems, software, and services that enable the acceptance and processing of electronic payments for goods and services. In other words, your credit card would be as worthless as a used envelope without them. Read More »
February 10, 2012
Written by Timothy Lutts
“Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE – yield 4.60%) is a Canadian heavy-oil producer, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. Until a year ago, it was structured as a trust. But because of changes in Canadian tax law, the company switched to a corporate structure, and the result is a growth and income company that pays a very healthy annual dividend of 4.5%, while promising decent growth as well. Read More »
January 26, 2012
Written by David Dittman
“Investors remain on hair-trigger alert for any sign of weakness, anywhere. Fear is the dominant emotion, which makes trading in relatively volatile metals and other resources stocks a dicey business. But if you’re looking to establish a long-term position in a high-quality company with solid prospects for dividend growth, you could do worse than to pick up Rio Tinto (RIO) following a year like 2011, when it lost 28.3% on a total return basis. Read More »
December 10, 2011
Written by Elliott H. Gue
“Chesapeake Granite Wash Trust (CHKR – yield 14.10%) began trading on Nov. 11, 2011, making it the newest addition to the universe of U.S. oil and gas trusts. The trust is also among the most promising and fastest growing trusts in my coverage universe. … The trust’s sponsor is U.S. independent oil and gas producer Chesapeake Energy Corp (CHK). To form the trust, Chesapeake contributed royalty interests in existing and planned wells in the Colony Granite Wash play located in Washita County, Okla. Read More »
November 11, 2011
Written by Nathan Slaughter
“Just about every energy producer sells both oil and gas. They each favor one over the other. And most have been tilting toward oil over the past couple years. But Encana Corp. (ECA – yield 3.80%) makes no bones about being a natural gas specialist and is an outspoken industry advocate. Natural gas accounts for fully 96% of the company’s production mix (versus 4% for oil). … That skewed weighting puts Encana at a disadvantage in the current pricing environment. But if you’re looking for a well-managed pure play that is perhaps the most leveraged to rising natural gas, this is it. Read More »
October 14, 2011
Written by Steve Christ
“One company I’ve been watching as of late is Boeing Co. (BA – yield 2.60%). For investors with a long-term time frame, this aerospace giant offers the safety of rock-solid growth with very little downside— especially as it bounces off support at the 200-week moving average. Not only is Boeing a great company, but it’s a global leader in a space that America still dominates. When it comes to designing and manufacturing aircraft, Boeing is a company with few peers—especially when it comes to commercial aircraft. Here’s why. Read More »
September 9, 2011
Written by Ingrid Hendershot
“Founded in 1937, Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW – yield 2.50%) is a global investment management organization with $520.9 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2011. The organization provides a broad array of mutual funds, subadvisory services and separate account management for individual and institutional investors, retirement plans and financial intermediaries. The organization also offers a variety of sophisticated investment planning and guidance tools. T. Rowe Price’s disciplined, risk-aware investment approach focuses on diversification, consistency and fundamental research. Read More »
August 12, 2011
Written by Gray Cardiff
“The only way for a REIT to have done well between early 2007 and the March 2009 bottom would have been to have vanished and then reemerged after the storm, which brings us to two REITs, neither of which had to suffer through those 25 months: Pan Pacific Realty, which specialized in neighborhood shopping centers— popularly known as strip malls—sold itself to Kimco Realty in mid-2006 and Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (ROIC – yield 3.70%), this month’s recommendation, that emerged in October 2009 and acquired its first property two months later. Read More »
July 15, 2011
Written by Yiannis G. Mostrous
With a 42% return over the last six months, Chunghwa Telecom is this year’s best-performing Dividend Digest Top Pick so far (based on price appreciation).
“Chunghwa Telecom Co. Ltd. (CHT), Taiwan’s largest phone company, is our favorite dividend stock to own. The company recently said that it is considering setting up joint ventures on the mainland, hoping to build on agreements with Chinese telecom firms China Unicom and China Telecom (CHA) to expand Chunghwa’s software and value-added services businesses into mainland China. Read More »
June 10, 2011
Written by Chloe Lutts
“McCormick & Co., Inc. (MKC) has earned the right to be called an ‘annuity’ because it has consistently delivered 10% annual returns—through persistent price appreciation and annual dividend and EPS growth—to its owners over the past decade. This company owns some of the most impenetrable brand names in any market niche. … The brands—the eponymous McCormick, Lawry’s, Old Bay, and Zatarain—are so powerful that McCormick controls 60% of the consumer spice market. Read More »
