Dividends Value » PRU

13 Dividend Stocks Providing A Growing Income *

D4L — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 07:30:21 +0000

How much money will you need for retirement? This a very difficult question to answer. There are many factors and assumptions that go into estimating the income that will be needed in retirement. However, one certainty is that if you only invest in fixed income instruments, you will need more than if your investments provide you a growing income.

Below are several companies that are providing their shareholders a growing income through higher cash dividends:

Cinemark (CNK) is a motion picture exhibition company that operates in U.S., Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. November 5th the company increased its quarterly dividend 16.7% to $0.21/share. The dividend is payable on December 7, 2010 to stockholders of record on November 22, 2010. The ex-dividend date is November 18, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 4.52%.

TELUS (TU) is a Canadian telecommunications company, providing a range of telecommunications products and services. November 5th the company raised its quarterly dividend 5% C$0.525/share. The yield based on the new payout is 4.81%.

Equifax (EFX) is a leading worldwide source of consumer and commercial credit information. November 8th the company increased its quarterly dividend 300% to $0.16/share. The dividend is payable on Dec. 15 to shareholders of record on Nov. 24. The ex-dividend date is Nov. 22. The yield based on the new payout is 1.84%.

Mesa Laboratories (MLAB) designs, manufactures, and markets instruments and disposable products for industrial applications and healthcare. November 8th the company raised its quarterly dividend 9.1% to $0.12/share. The dividend is payable December 15, 2010, to shareholders of record on November 29, 2010. The ex-dividend date is November 25, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 1.88%.

Baxter Int’l (BAX) is a global medical products and services company provides critical therapies for people with life-threatening conditions. November 9th the company increased its quarterly dividend 7% to $0.31/share. The dividend is payable on January 5, 2011, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 10, 2010. The ex-dividend date is December 8, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 2.40%.

Estée Lauder (EL) is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of skin care, makeup and fragrance products. November 9th the company raised its annual dividend 36% to $0.75/share. The dividend is payable on December 15, 2010 to stockholders of record at the close of business on November 29, 2010. The ex-dividend date is November 25, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 1.06%.

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is one of the world’s largest independent computing services companies and provides a broad range of data processing services. November 9th the company increased its quarterly dividend 6% to $0.36/share. The dividend is payable on January 1, 2011 to shareholders of record at December 10, 2010. The ex-dividend date is December 8, 2010. ADP is a Dividend Aristocrat and has raised its dividend for 35 consecutive years. The yield based on the new payout is 3.2%.

Timken (TKR) manufactures anti-friction bearings and assemblies, alloy steels and aerospace power transmission systems and provides related products and services. November 9th the company raised its quarterly dividend 38% to $0.18/share. The dividend is payable on December 2, 2010, to shareholders of record as of November 22, 2010. The ex-dividend date is November 18, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 1.67%.

Prudential Financial (PRU) provides a wide range of insurance, investment management and other financial products and services to customers in the U.S. and overseas. November 9th the company increased its annual dividend 64% to $1.15/share. The dividend is payable on December 17, 2010, to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 23, 2010. The ex-dividend date is November 19, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 2.10%.

Tennant (TNC) designs, manufactures, and markets cleaning solutions. November 9th the company raised its quarterly dividend 21% to $0.17/share. The dividend is payable on Dec. 15 to shareholders of record on Nov. 30. The ex-dividend date is Nov. 26. TNC is a Dividend Achiever and has raised its dividend for 36 consecutive years. The yield based on the new payout is 1.94%.

Equity LifeStyle Props (ELS) trust owns and operates manufactured housing communities throughout the U.S. November 9th the company increased its annual dividend 25% to $1.50 for 2011. Yield on the 2011 dividend is 2.58%.

AmerisourceBergen (ABC) is a distributor of pharmaceutical products and related health care services and was formed via the August 2001 merger of Amerisource Health Corp. and Bergen Brunswig Corp. November 11th the company raised its quarterly dividend 25% to $0.10/share. The dividend is payable December 6, 2010, to stockholders of record at the close of business on November 22, 2010. The ex-dividend date is November 18, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 1.27%.

MDU Resources (MDU) is involved in electric and natural gas distribution, natural gas storage, gathering and transmission, construction materials and mining, and oil and natural gas production. November 11th the company increased its quarterly dividend 3.2% to $0.1625/share. The dividend is payable January 1, 2011 to stockholders of record December 9, 2010. The ex-dividend date is December 7, 2010. MDU is a Dividend Achiever and has raised its dividend for 20 consecutive years. The yield based on the new payout is 2.06%.

Selecting stocks with increasing dividends is critical for an income growth strategy. The above list contains stocks that recently raised their dividends; it is not a list of recommend buys. As always, due diligence should be performed before buying or selling any stock. For a list of stocks with a long string of consecutive cash dividend increases, see this list.

Full Disclosure: Long ADP. See a list of all my income holdings here.

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Has The Insurance Industry Finally Turned The Corner? *

D4L — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:30:31 +0000

There are not many companies whose fortunes are as closely tied to the stock market as those in the insurance industry. When the market is climbing, insurers will often soar beyond the market, and will fall harder when the market declines. With the recent uptick in the market, is now a good time to consider insurance companies?

Insurance companies make money using a very simple formula: They collect premiums from customers, then invest the premiums while waiting for the claims to come in. Hopefully, the claims will be less than the investment value, thus providing a profit for the company. This industry relies heavily on actuaries. These are people who compute premium rates based on probabilities using statistical records based giving consideration to risks and other factors. A bad assumption here could lead to a premium that is too low resulting in an ultimate loss.

If you have ever filed a claim with an insurance company, you know what an onerous task it is to get money out of them. Looking at the claims portion of the equation, it is easy to under why they want to minimize claims paid. Each dollar they don’t pay you and each additional day they hold unto dollars they do pay you, is additional investment income for the company.

During an extended bull market, it is easy to take for granted that the investment portion of the formula will be positive. However, a lesson the insurance industry recently had to relearn was that the stock market does not always go up. The collapse of American International Group, Inc. (AIG) in September from ill-chosen investments was a dramatic event for those invested in the industry.

Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC), North America’s largest insurance company, also has struggled as a result of the declining equity markets. The Company has reported huge losses in excess of one billion Canadian dollars in the fourth quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009. Much of which can be attributed to increasing reserves to cover long-term segregated fund and annuity guarantees. Segregated funds are popular investments similar to mutual funds but contain insurance contracts that limit risk for the investors.

Recently the sharp market rebound has provided relief to insurers such as MFC who had to set aside cash for guarantees on performance-based products. The increase in the market will also give the insurers a chance to rebuild capital and shuffle reserves.

Below are some insurers you may want to keep an eye on in the upcoming weeks, along with some company specific risks:

AFLAC Inc. (AFL) – Yield: 3.04% – Analysis
AFL may be overexposed to the financial service sector as a result of its holdings of European bank hybrid bonds. However, the company should not suffer significant losses from its hybrid portfolio.

Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC) – Yield: 3.73%
On Friday June 19th after the market closed, it was reported that MFC received an enforcement notice from the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) relating to its disclosure before March 2009 of risks related to its variable annuity guarantee and segregated funds business. The preliminary conclusion of OSC staff is that the Company failed to meet its continuous disclosure obligations related to its exposure to market price risk in its segregated funds and variable annuity guaranteed products.

MetLife, Inc. (MET) – Yield: 2.17%
MET’s risks are more of the general nature. They include a further decline in the equity markets coupled with need for additional capital and asbestos-related liability claims.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) – Yield: 1.33%
PRU’s risks include currency conversion, new guaranteed minimum benefits, acquisition integration and a further sharp decline in the equity markets.

Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF) – Yield: 3.66%
A large portion of SLF’s fixed income portfolio is concentrated in the financial sector and rated BBB or below carries a higher risk of investment loss. As with the others, SLF also is susceptible a further decline in the equity markets.

Consider the risks before investing, but also keep in mind the best values come when a company is distressed.

Full Disclosure: Long AFL, MFC. See a list of all my income holdings here.

Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC) Under Investigation *

D4L — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:30:59 +0000

While suffering through a large market decline, the last thing you want to see is a letter from the government. It is never good news. Either you are being drafted, they want more money from you or you are under investigation. In the case of Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC), Canada’s largest insurance company, it was the latter.

On Friday June 19th after the market closed, it was reported that MFC received an enforcement notice from the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) relating to its disclosure before March 2009 of risks related to its variable annuity guarantee and segregated funds business. The preliminary conclusion of OSC staff is that the Company failed to meet its continuous disclosure obligations related to its exposure to market price risk in its segregated funds and variable annuity guaranteed products. MFC will have the opportunity to respond to the notice before OSC staff makes a final decision about proceeding. The Company believes that its disclosure satisfied applicable disclosure requirements.

Like most insurance companies, MFC has struggled as a result of the declining equity markets. The Company has reported huge losses in excess of one billion Canadian dollars over the last two quarters. Much of which can be attributed to increasing reserves to cover long-term segregated fund and annuity guarantees. Segregated funds are popular investments similar to mutual funds but contain insurance contracts that limit risk for the investors.

MFC’s U.S. ADR was down over 14% yesterday – the first full day of trading after the announcement. Other insurance companies shared the pain as shown below:

AFLAC Inc. (AFL) – Down 5.95% – [Analysis]
MetLife, Inc. (MET) – Down 7.53%
Lincoln National Corp. (LNC) – Down 6.88%
Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) – Down 8.53%
Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF) – Down 7.47%

As with all sympathy declines, some are not warranted based on the circumstances. It could be a good time to invest in certain select insurance stocks.

Full Disclosure: Long AFL, MFC. See a list of all my income holdings here.