Value Investing News

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the largest retailer in North America. Wal-Mart operates a chain of discount department stores, wholesale clubs, and combination discount stores and supermarkets. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

Target Corp. operates operates about 1,500 Target and 250 SuperTarget general merchandise stores across the U.S. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

Any income investor will tell you that it is important for a company to sustain its dividend. However, as an investor in dividend growth stocks, it is not enough to simply sustain the dividend – I want to own companies that are capable of sustained dividend growth.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the largest retailer in North America and operates a chain of discount department stores, wholesale clubs, and combination discount stores and supermarkets. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

If income investing
were as simple as picking the stock with the highest yield, everyone would be an expert. Most assume (rightfully so) that yield is heavily influenced by risk, but much more goes into determining yield. Below are several important factors that influence a stock’s yield, along with some illustrative examples:

Berkshire Hathaway sold positions in Wellpoint, United Health Group, Travelers, and SunTrust Bank. The company also reduced positions in Kraft, CarMax, Costco, Gannett, Johnson & Johnson, M&T Bank, Moody’s, Conoco Philips, and Proctor & Gamble.

Over the past week twenty-two companies announced that they would be rewarding shareholders with higher dividend payouts. Several solid blue chip companies such as IBM, Costco and Exxon Mobil raised their payouts as well.

In the U.S. and Canada, most companies pay dividends quarterly. In other parts of the world, it is not uncommon for companies to pay an annual or a semi-annual dividend. That is not to say that North American companies sometimes choose not to pay quarterly dividends. Though I prefer quarterly dividends, there is something more important than frequency...