Dividends can produce as much as a third of your total return over long periods, and you can even retire on dividends.
There are 4 key stock dividend dates that are involved with dividend payments:
1- The Declaration Date is several weeks in advance of a dividend payment—it’s when company’s board of directors sets the amount and timing of the proposed payment.
2- The Payable Date is the date set by the board on which the dividend will actually be paid out to shareholders.
3- The Record Date is for shareholders who hold the stock before the payable date and receive the dividend payment. That date is set any number of weeks before the payable date.
4-The Ex-Dividend Date is two business days before the record date and it’s when the shares begin to trade without their dividend. If you buy stocks one day or more before their ex-dividend date, you will still get the dividend. That’s when a stock is said to trade cum-dividend. If you buy on the ex-dividend date or later, you won’t get the dividend. The ex-dividend date is in place to allow pending stock trades to settle.
We think very highly of stocks that have been paying dividends for five or more years, at TSI Network. Many of these stocks fit in well with our three-part Successful Investor philosophy:
1- Invest mainly in well-established companies;
2- Spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources & Commodities; Consumer; Finance; and Utilities);
3- Downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight.
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The company should continue to benefit as more businesses and government agencies use its computer outsourcing expertise to cut their costs. For more on CGI, see page 18.
CGI Group is a buy.
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It seems activist investment firm Pershing Square shared our view, and in 2011 it became CP’s largest shareholder(it now holds 14.2%). We felt Pershing would push management to improve efficiency, and help unlock more of CP’s value. That’s partly why we made CP our #1 buy for 2012.
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Asian customers buy 60% of the company’s coal. In 2011,coal accounted for 49% of Teck’s revenue and 57% of its earnings.
Teck also produces copper (27%, 28%), which its clients in Asia and Europe use to make electrical wire, auto parts and components for electronic devices. As well, Teck is a major supplier of zinc (24%, 15%), which prevents rusting when added to steel.
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This week, an Inner Circle member asked about the wisdom of taking profits on a high-yielding stock whose shares have had a big run-up in price. Pat assesses the prospects of this gas station operator which has done an astute job of franchising its stations but also pursues a growth-by-acquisition that adds risk in a competitive industry.
Q: Hello again Pat: I bought Parkland Fuel Corp. about 18 months ago and have enjoyed the wonderful yield and am up 60% on the stock value. I am tempted to realize my capital gain. What are your thoughts on this stock?
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in September. Buy.
Finning also rents and fixes equipment. These services—which are more profitable than selling this gear—now supply half of the company’s sales.
Rising resource prices boosted results
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However, slowing growth in China and India cut coal prices by 32.5% from a year earlier. Copper prices fell 14.0%. That’s why Teck’s earnings declined 53.0% in the quarter, to $349 million or $0.60 a share. A year earlier, it earned $742 million, or $1.26. Cash flow per share fell 42.7%, to $1.26 from $2.20. Revenue declined 25.9%, to $2.5 billion from $3.4 billion.
The company will probably lower its production in response to the weaker demand. It also aims to cut $200 million from its annual costs, mainly by making its rail shipments more efficient.
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