Several companies announced their intent to increase distributions to shareholders. I have separated the dividend raisers of the past week in three groups: dividend achievers, champions and aristocrats; master limited partnerships; and potential dividend achievers

Mariusz Skonieczny's Why Are We So Clueless about the Stock Market? is a quick read that is an excellent primer for new investors and a good refresher for experienced ones.

Detailed merger arbitrage investing analysis of COMS and HPQ complete with odds, asset allocation, stock valuation and company analysis overview.

5 current Magic Formula stocks that look like excellent long-term dividend plays.

Having now taken a peek at what Rick's has to offer the average investor, we think it best that our money is not the only thing we keep in our pants.

"In the old days any well-trained security analyst could do a good professional job of selecting undervalued issues through detailed studies; but in the light of the enormous amount of research now being carried on, I doubt whether in most cases such extensive efforts will generate sufficiently superior selections to justify their cost" (Ben Graham)

McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD) is scheduled to release its fourth quarter earnings for 2009 before the market open on Friday, January 22, 2010. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of $1.02 per share on revenue of $5.93 billion.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS), the fifth-biggest U.S. bank by assets, is scheduled to release its fourth quarter earnings for 2009 before the opening bell on Thursday, January 21, 2010. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of $5.19 per share on revenue of $9.75 billion.

I’ve created several value stock screeners that will be updated on a weekly basis.

When I get results from just any regular screener like Yahoo or MSN, there is the trouble of having to go through each of the results but the value stock screens should make the process easier by comparing the numbers that really count.

Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA), the biggest US aluminum maker, will officially kick off the fourth quarter earnings season after the market close on Monday, January 11, 2010. Analysts, on average, expect the mining giant to report earnings of 7 cents a share on revenue of $4.81 billion. In the year ago quarter, the company reported a loss of 28 cents per share on revenue of $5.69 billion.

Alice Schroeder shares her thoughts on Buffett's opposition to the current Kraft bid for Cadbury.

As dividend growth investors we are looking for stocks can continue to raise their dividends indefinitely into the future. One metric that provides an indication of a dividend’s sustainability is its payout ratio.

So our concern, simple minded as it may seem, is what happens when the Fed starts to increase interest rates, or in year or so inflation becomes an issue? All of a sudden the company's cost of sales at 91+% is an issue and that $0.28 of available cash looks like a flea on a the deck of an aircraft carrier.

Magic Formula Investing had a dynamite year in 2009, far outperforming the market and delivering numerous stocks that doubled or better over the course of the year.

value stock screener available at Old School Value. Screen based on DCF, Graham, EPV, NNWC and NCAV.
Filled with info and stats.