Subsequent to the dividend hike, the annual dividend rose to $1.26 from $1.10 earlier. The increased dividend will be paid on Sep 12, 2013 to stockholders of record on Aug 20.
The news sparked investor optimism as the stock price alleviated 3.01% (or $1.40) on the day of the announcement. The company�� dividend yield improved to 2.6% following the dividend hike. The current dividend payout ratio hovers over 37% for Walgreens.
The recent dividend raise is in line with the company�� strategy to maintain long-term dividend payout ratio of 30%-35%. The hike reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 23% for dividends over the last 5 years.
It is encouraging to note that the company has been paying dividends for more than 80 years and the recent hike marks the 38th successive year of dividend increase for the company. Notably, Walgreens is positioned on a healthy dividend growth track. Thus, the solid dividend payouts should appear attractive to investors.
10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: Paychex Inc.(PAYX)
Paychex Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides payroll, human resource, and benefits outsourcing solutions for small-to medium-sized businesses in the United States and Germany. It offers payroll processing services, including calculation, preparation, and delivery of employee payroll checks; production of internal accounting records and management reports; preparation of federal, state, and local payroll tax returns; and collection and remittance of clients? payroll obligations. The company also provides payroll tax administration services; employee payment services; and regulatory compliance services, such as new-hire reporting and garnishment processing. Its human resource outsourcing services include payroll, employer compliance, human resource and employee benefits administration, risk management outsourcing, and the on-site availability of a professionally trained human resource representative, as well as provides employee handbooks, management manuals, and r equired regulatory forms. In addition, the company offers retirement services administration; workers? compensation; business-owner policies; commercial auto; and health and benefits coverage, including health, dental, vision, and life. Further, it provides online human resource administration software products for employee benefits management and administration, and time and attendance solutions. As of May 31, 2010, the company served approximately 536,000 clients in the United States; and 1,700 clients in Germany. Paychex, Inc. was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Rochester, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Selena Maranjian]
When looking for promising candidates for your stock portfolio, it's easy to just think about the prominent names of the day, such as Facebook, Ford, or Bank of America. But there are plenty of other possibilities, many of which have been under our nose for quite some time.
Here's a key reason you may want to keep reading -- ADP stock's performance: It's up about 33% over the past year, and has averaged annual gains of 13.6% �over the past 30 years. Great performances are never guaranteed, but this company's management clearly knows a thing or two about executing well.�
Permit me to introduce you to Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ: ADP ) , often referred to as ADP. Here are a bunch of interesting things about ADP the company and ADP stock.
� The basics: The company began in 1949 �as Automatic Payrolls, based in New Jersey. It aimed to assist companies with some of their payroll and related processes by applying technology. Today, still based in New Jersey, it's an outsourcing powerhouse, with a market capitalization near $35 billion. (One of its closest competitors is Paychex (NASDAQ: PAYX ) , with a market cap of just $14 billion.) It serves some 600,000 customers in more than 125 nations and rakes in more than $11 billion annually, keeping about 13% of that, more than $1.4 billion, as net profit.
� ADP is of interest to many more people than just holders (or would-be holders) of ADP stock. That's because, since it serves such a significant chunk of American employers, cutting many millions of paychecks, it has its finger on the pulse of our economy. Thus, the company regularly issues national employment reports. (In early July, it reported private-sector employment rising by 188,000 jobs in June.)
� As a business, ADP has grown both in size and depth. In its own history, it notes that in the 1990s, "clients that once were content to outsource applications to a service provider looked to outsource entir - [By idahansen]
The more I read about how companies are responding to Obamacare, the more bullish I become for stocks in the demand labor market such as Labor SMART (OTCBB: LTNC), Paychex (NASDAQ: PAYX), and ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN).
10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: United Bancshares Inc.(UBOH)
United Bancshares, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for The Union Bank Company that engages in the provision of commercial banking services to small and middle-market businesses and individuals. It accepts various deposit products, including checking accounts, savings and money market accounts, time certificates of deposit, time deposits, and demand deposits. The company also offers various loan products that consist of commercial, consumer, agricultural, residential mortgage, and home equity loans. In addition, it provides automatic teller machine services, safe deposit box rentals, and other personalized banking services. The company serves primarily in the Ohio counties of Allen, Hancock, Putnam, Sandusky, Van Wert, and Wood, as well as with office locations in Bowling Green, Columbus Grove, Delphos, Findlay, Gibsonburg, Kalida, Leipsic, Lima, Ottawa, and Pemberville, Ohio. United Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Columbus Grove, Ohio.< /p>
Top Cheap Stocks To Watch For 2014: Cincinnati Financial Corporation(CINF)
Cincinnati Financial Corporation engages in the property casualty insurance business in the United States. Its Commercial Lines Property Casualty Insurance segment provides coverage for commercial casualty, commercial property, commercial auto, and workers? compensation. It also offers specialty packages, including coverages for property, liability, and business interruption for specific industry classes, such as artisan contractors, dentists, or street businesses. In addition, this segment provides contract and commercial surety bonds, fidelity bonds, and director and officer liability insurance, as well as machinery and equipment coverage. The company?s Personal Lines Property Casualty Insurance segment offers coverage for personal auto and homeowners, as well as other insurance products, such as dwelling fire, inland marine, personal umbrella liability, and watercraft coverages to individuals. Cincinnati Financial?s Excess and Surplus Lines Property Casualty Insurance s egment offers commercial casualty insurance that covers businesses for third-party liability from accidents occurring on their premises or arising out of their operations, including products and completed operations; and commercial property insurance, which insures loss or damage to buildings, inventory, equipment, and business income from causes of loss, such as fire, wind, hail, water, theft, and vandalism. The company?s Life Insurance segment provides term insurance; universal life insurance; whole life insurance; and worksite products, which include term, whole life, universal life, and disability insurance offered to employees through their employer. This segment also markets disability income insurance, deferred annuities, and immediate annuities. Its Investment segment invests in fixed-maturity investments, equity investments, and short-term investments. Cincinnati also offers commercial leasing and financing services. The company was founded in 1950 and is headquarte red in Fairfield, Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dividends4Life]
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10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: NGP Capital Resources Company(NGPC)
NGP Capital Resources Company is a business development company specializing in investments in small and mid size and middle market companies. The firm typically invests in acquisitions, buyouts, growth and development, revitalization, restructuring, recapitalizations, and special situations. It invests in energy companies with a focus on oil and gas exploitation, development, and production business; upstream businesses that acquire, develop, and produce oil, natural gas, and coal; midstream businesses that gather, process, store, and transport oil and natural gas; power generation and distribution; oil field services and other energy services; and alternative energy and other similar energy related businesses. The firm primarily invests between $10 million and $100 million in its portfolio companies. It invests in the form of secured, senior, and subordinate debt; convertible debt; preferred equity; project equity; production payments, net profits interests, and similar investments; and mezzanine loans and may receive equity investments in portfolio companies in connection with such investments. The firm makes asset and project based investments in private companies and can also invest in public companies. NGP Capital Resources Company was founded in 2004 and is based at Houston, Texas. It is a subsidiary of NGP Energy Capital Management.
10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: Dominion Resources Inc. (D)
Dominion Resources, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in producing and transporting energy in the United States. It operates in three segments: DVP, Dominion Generation, and Dominion Energy. The DVP segment includes regulated electric transmission and distribution operations that serve residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers in Virginia and North Carolina. This segment also involves in non regulated retail energy marketing of electricity and natural gas. The Dominion Generation segment includes the electricity generation through coal, nuclear, gas, oil, and renewables; and related energy supply operations. It also comprises generation operations of the company?s merchant fleet and energy marketing, and price risk management activities for these assets. The Dominion Energy segment includes the company?s Ohio and West Virginia regulated natural gas distribution companies, regulated gas transmission pipeline and storage operations, natural gas gathering and by-products extraction activities, and regulated LNG import and storage operations. It also provides producer services, which aggregates natural gas supply; engages in natural gas trading and marketing activities; and involves in natural gas supply management. The company?s portfolio of assets includes approximately 27,615 MW of generation; 6,100 miles of electric transmission lines; 56,800 miles of electric distribution lines; 11,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering, and storage pipeline; and 21,800 miles of gas distribution pipeline. Dominion Resources, Inc. also owns approximately 947 bcf of storage capacity of natural gas and serves retail energy customers in 14 states. In addition, it sells electricity at wholesale prices to rural electric cooperatives, municipalities, and into wholesale electricity markets. The company was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Abba's Aces]
Dominion Resources, Inc. (D) is a producer and transporter of energy, mainly providing electricity, natural gas and related services to customers in the eastern region of the United States. On August 6, 2013, the company reported second-quarter earnings of $0.62 per share which missed the consensus of analyst estimates by $0.03. The stock is up 16.36% excluding dividends in the past year, and is beating the S&P 500, which has gained 15.59% in the same time frame. I currently hold Dominion in my growth portfolio and with all this in mind I'd like to take a moment to evaluate the stock on a fundamental, financial, and technical basis to see if it's worth buying some more stock in the company right now.
- [By Arjun Sreekumar]
New infrastructure additions
The first of those facilities ��the expanded Natrium processing plant in Marshall County, W.V., built by Blue Racer Midstream, a joint venture between Dominion (NYSE: D ) and Caiman Energy ��came on line earlier this month, reporting recent flows at more than 80% of its 200,000 Mcfpd capacity, according�to data from Bentek Energy, while the second facility ��a processing complex in Columbiana and Harrison counties ��is expected to open midyear.
10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: Constellation Energy Group Inc. (CEG)
Constellation Energy Group, Inc. operates as an energy company in the United States and Canada. The company develops, owns, operates, and maintains fossil and renewable generating facilities. As of December 31, 2010, it holds interests in qualifying facilities and power projects totaling to 9,030 megawatt (MW), as well as manages approximately 1,100 MW associated with long-dated tolling agreements. The company also provides operation and maintenance services, including testing and start-up to the owners of electric generating facilities. In addition, it offers electricity, natural gas, and other energy products and services to wholesale and retail electric and natural gas customers. The company supplies approximately 119 million megawatt hours (MWH) of aggregate electricity to distribution utilities, municipalities, residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers; approximately 334 million British Thermal Units of natural gas to residential, commercial, ind ustrial, and governmental customers; and approximately 7.8 million tons of coal primarily to its own fleet. Further, it manages generation facilities and natural gas properties; provides risk management services; trades energy and energy-related commodities; manages upstream natural gas activities; designs, constructs, and operates renewable energy, heating, cooling, and cogeneration facilities; provides home improvements; and engages in the sale of electric and gas appliances, and servicing of heating, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and indoor air quality systems. Additionally, the company purchases, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity, as well as purchases, transports, and sells natural gas in central Maryland. It maintains approximately 240 substations and approximately 1,300 circuit miles of transmission lines, and approximately 24,800 circuit miles of distribution lines. The company was founded in 1906 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland.
10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: Altria Group(MO)
Altria Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smokeless products, and wine in the United States and internationally. It offers cigarettes under the Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Parliament, Benson & Hedges, Basic, and L&M brands; smokeless tobacco products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, Husky brands, and Marlboro snus brands; and machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco. The company also produces and sells blended table wines under the Chateau Ste Michelle and Columbia Crest names; and distributes Antinori and Villa Maria Estate wines and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte in the United States. In addition, it maintains a portfolio of leveraged and direct finance leases in rail and surface transport, aircraft, electric power, real estate, and manufacturing. The company sells its tobacco products to wholesalers, including distributors; large retail organizations, such as chain stores; and the armed services. Altria Group, Inc. markets its wine products to restaurants, wholesale clubs, supermarkets, wine shops, and mass merchandisers. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]
Altria Group provides cigarette, cigar, tobacco and wine products to many consumers all around the world. The stock has witnessed a strong bid higher and is now consolidating slightly below all-time high prices. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenue figures have been on the rise which have been mostly priced-in by investors in the company. Relative to its peers and sector, Altria Group has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Altria Group to OUTPERFORM.
- [By Sean Williams]
The end result of these multiple actions has been an ongoing reduction in smoking rates over the past four decades and tougher times for U.S. tobacco producers such as Altria (NYSE: MO ) and Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI ) . In fact, a tough domestic sales climate was one reason Altria decided to spin off its overseas operations into Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM ) in 2008. By separating its business, the hope was that investors would have a better understanding of the fundamental forces driving Altria and Philip Morris.
10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: Dreyfus Strategic Municipals Inc. (LEO)
Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. operates as a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The fund invests primarily in municipal obligations of various states of the United States. The Dreyfus Corporation serves as the investment adviser of the fund. Dreyfus Strategic Municipals was founded in 1987 and is based in New York City.
10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: S&P GSCI(GD)
General Dynamics Corporation, an aerospace and defense company, provides business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions; military and commercial shipbuilding; and communications and information technology products and services worldwide. Its Aerospace group designs, manufactures, and outfits various large and mid-cabin business-jet aircraft; provides maintenance, repair work, fixed-based operations, and aircraft management services; and performs aircraft completions for aircraft. The company?s Combat Systems group offers tracked and wheeled military vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions. Its product lines include wheeled combat and tactical vehicles; battle tanks and infantry vehicles; munitions and propellant; rockets and gun systems; and axle and drivetrain components and aftermarket parts. This group also manufactures and supplies engineered axles, suspensions, and brakes for heavy-load vehicles for military and commercial customers. The company Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Rich Smith]
So what's really going on over there in Washington today? Is defense spending stalled, or will it rise again? And what does this mean for ultra-low-P/E-bearing stocks like Boeing (NYSE: BA ) , Lockheed Martin� (NYSE: LMT ) , Northrop Grumman� (NYSE: NOC ) , and General Dynamics� (NYSE: GD ) .
- [By Rich Smith]
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced it has awarded General Dynamics' (NYSE: GD ) Electric Boat Corp. subsidiary a $208.6 million "undefinitized" contract modification to a previously awarded contract. The funds are to be used to purchase long-lead-time materials needed for construction of three Virginia-class nuclear fast attack submarines:
10 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2014: PPL Corporation(PPL)
PPL Corporation, an energy and utility holding company, generates and sells electricity; and delivers natural gas to approximately 5.3 million utility customers primarily in the northeastern and northwestern U.S. The company operates in four segments: Kentucky Regulated, International Regulated, Pennsylvania Regulated, and Supply. The Kentucky Regulated segment engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity; and the distribution and sale of natural gas to approximately 1.3 million customers in Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. The International Regulated segment owns and operates electricity distribution businesses in the United Kingdom that deliver electricity to 7.7 million customers. The Pennsylvania Regulated segment delivers electricity to approximately 1.4 million customers in eastern and central Pennsylvania. The Supply segment owns and operates power plants to generate electricity using coal, uranium, natural gas, oil, and water res ources; markets and trades electricity and other purchased power to wholesale and retail markets; and acquires and develops domestic generation projects. It controls or owns a portfolio of generation assets of approximately 11,000 megawatts in Montana and Pennsylvania. As of December 31, 2010, the company?s distribution system included 649 substations with a capacity of 25 million kVA, 28,838 circuit miles of overhead lines, and 24,131 cable miles of underground conductors in the United Kingdom. It also operated 377 substations with a capacity of 31 million kVA, 33,122 circuit miles of overhead lines, and 7,368 cable miles of underground conductors in Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1920 and is headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Justin Loiseau]
We've already seen some evidence of how higher natural gas prices hit utilities hard this past quarter. Exelon (NYSE: EXC ) took a $235 million one-time hit�from bad hedges, while PPL's (NYSE: PPL ) unregulated earnings dropped more than 50% from natural gas' unnatural rise.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Pennsylvania-based electric utility PPL (NYSE: PPL ) found itself in the path of one of the most devastating storms in history last year, as Hurricane Sandy barreled into the mid-Atlantic and left billions of dollars in damage in its wake. Although PPL stock didn't suffer a long-term hit from the storm, the utility now faces a much different threat from rising interest rates that could eventually have a major impact on its financing costs. Let's take a look at what's been happening with PPL in the recent past and how it's responding to this new threat.
- [By Justin Loiseau]
Hedging is common practice for any energy company, but Q1 earnings reports have already proven that this financial tactic can only absorb so much of increasingly volatile energy prices. Exelon (NYSE: EXC ) took a one-time $235 million hit this quarter as a result of natural gas hedges gone wild, while PPL's (NYSE: PPL ) bad bet helped knock around 20% off its first quarter EPS.
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