Value Investing News

This week’s distribution increases were mainly focused on two of the energy majors and several master limited partnerships. In one occasion with master limited partnerships both the general and the limited partners received distribution increases, while in another only the general partners received a raise in quarterly distributions.

Dividend increases aren’t the only thing the Kellogg Company (K) is known for. For anyone over the age of two, Snap, Crackle and Pop are very familiar characters. Since 1933 the three elf characters have been the spokesmen for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies.

Last week marked the busiest week for dividend increases in 2009 as several blue chip companies such as IBM, Costco and Exxon Mobil raised their payouts. It is always bullish to see companies which have always rewarded shareholders with raised payouts continue operating in a shareholder friendly pattern of behavior.

Three things I've taken away from Andrei Schleifer's book "Inefficient Markets" and how they relate to recent market events.

An updated version of my quantitative model giving 25 short plays, as well as a few long/short hedged trades.