Value Investing News

A vision is taking the time to contemplate and anticipate, in detail, what the future will bring. You can’t have a retirement plan until you have a retirement vision. It would seem to me that there are a lot or retirement plans out there but very few retirement visions.

Even hibernating bears know that bonds have essentially been dead money over the last year, or so. Interest rates are ridiculously low and not likely to improve any time soon given the anemic U.S. economy and European financial concerns. What's done is done, so what should we expect to earn from bonds in the future? Consider these two scenarios:

The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats is the most recognized list of dividend stocks. The Dividend Aristocrats index is designed to measure the performance of S&P 500 constituents that have followed a policy of consistently increasing dividends every year for at least 25 consecutive years. This index is a member of the S&P Dividend Aristocrats index series.

Value investors often struggle with ascribing value to future earnings power of a company, unless the company has a moat that protects its profitability. But how do you know a moat exists and will exist in the future. A simple SWOT analysis can help with estimating a future moat.

As the world continues to shrink through technology advancements, and all of the products that consumers demand become commoditized, a company’s brand can be a valuable competitive advantage. It’s no coincidence then that the four top brands in the world, as measured by their brand value, are also among the largest in terms of capitalization and revenue.

I couldn't begin to estimate how many different stocks are traded around the world. Like everything else, there are many participants, but few players. Though the population of stocks may be large, there are only a precious few that are worthy dividend stocks. When spending my time looking for worthy investments, there are four primary places I look:

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Most investors aren't very good at investing. The formula for success in the market is relatively simple. Buy low, sell high. So why do so many people do so poorly? It seems they are doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing. If we can't trust our emotions, how can we succeed in the stock market and still sleep at night? Here is how to do it...

The Pocket Change Portfolio (PCP) was first introduced on September 13, 2008 as a real money dividend income portfolio funded by the "pocket change" earned from my various online endeavors. Each month I report on the portfolio's progress and update its holdings.

The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest soft drink company, and it also has a sizable fruit juice business. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

What will your financial future look like? Have you ever considered how you will fund your retirement and pay your bills after the payroll checks stop coming? If you haven't thought about this, you are likely in the majority.

Most CEOs give lip-service to their commitment to shareholders, but what happens when times are hard. When the economy turns down and the future looks bleak, will the company hoard cash and stop its dividend or put action behind its words? The key to successfully selecting dividend growth stocks is the ability to identify companies that will not only maintain but grow their dividend.

Many people spend their investing lives jumping from one investing strategy to another. It seems they are always looking for that hot combination that will produce instant wealth. Think about it, most things that are instant, such as potatoes and coffee, aren't really that good. Quick and easy, yes, but not really good. There are many ways to invest successfully.

PepsiCo, Inc. is a major international producer of branded beverage and snack food products. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

Dividend stocks are sometimes referred to as defensive stocks since many investors flee to them in an economic downturn. Their dividends, if sustainable, provide a minimum level of positive return. This cushions the downward pressure from the market. But what happens when the market turns up?

The Pocket Change Portfolio (PCP) was first introduced on September 13, 2008 as a real money dividend income portfolio funded by the "pocket change" earned from my various online endeavors. Each month I report on the portfolio's progress and update its holdings.