New businesses enhance these telcos

To cut their reliance on phone services, these U.S. telecom giants continue to expand with new businesses. Those moves should also continue to spur their dividend growth.
AT&T INC. $31 (New York symbol T; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares o/s: 7.3 billion; Market cap: $226.3 billion; Price-to-sales… Read More

Motorola ups its dividend

MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC. $132 (New York symbol MSI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares o/s: 163.5 million; Market cap: $21.6 billion; P/S ratio: 3.1; Divd yield: 1.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.motorolasolutions.com) makes communications equipment such as radios for police and fire vehicles.
Starting with the January… Read More

Mondelez has an overlooked asset

One key to our success is that we look for stocks with hidden or under- appreciated assets. In Mondelez’s case, it recently turned its minority stake in a European coffee maker into a significant holding in Keurig Dr Pepper. It’s the seventh-largest food and beverage… Read More

Updating Symantec Corp., Snap-on Inc., and North West Co.

SYMANTEC CORP. $23 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; High Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 638.9 million; Market cap: $14.7 billion; Dividend yield: 1.3%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Average; www.symantec.com) sells computer-security technology, including antivirus and email-filtering software, to both businesses and consumers.
The company pays a quarterly dividend of… Read More

These two insurers just raised their dividends

MANULIFE FINANCIAL CORP. $22 (Toronto symbol MFC; Conservative-Growth Payer Portfolio; Finance sector; Shares o/s: 2.0 billion; Market cap: $44.0 billion; Dividend yield: 4.5%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.manulife.ca) is Canada’s largest life insurance provider. It also sells other forms of insurance, including health, dental and travel plans… Read More

Campbell settles with activist

CAMPBELL SOUP CO. $40 (New York symbol CPB; Conservative-Growth Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares o/s: 300.7 million; Market cap: $12.0 billion; Dividend yield: 3.5%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.campbellsoupcompany.com) has agreed to expand its board of directors from 12 members to 14, and will place two of… Read More

Chemtrade’s payout looks safe

CHEMTRADE LOGISTICS INCOME FUND $12 (Toronto symbol CHE.UN; High-Growth Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units o/s: 110.4 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; Divd. yield: 10.0%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Average; www.chemtradelogistics.com) is one of the largest removal-service providers for resource firms that create acids and sulphur as by-products… Read More

These REITs feature steady distributions

CHOICE PROPERTIES REIT $12 (Toronto symbol CHP.UN; Cyclical-Growth Payer Portfolio; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units o/s: 277.2 million; Market cap: $3.3 billion; Divd. yield: 6.2%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.choicereit.ca) acquired Canadian REIT (old symbol REF.UN) on May 7, 2018. The merger created Canada’s biggest real estate… Read More

Nissan ousts its CEO

NISSAN MOTOR (ADR) $17.07 (Nasdaq symbol NSANY; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average) (310-771-3111; www.nissan-global.com; ADRs o/s: 2.1 billion; Market cap: $35.6 billion; Dividend yield: 3.5%) now plans to fire its CEO Carlos Ghosn after his arrest in Japan. Nissan went to authorities with details of an internal probe prompted by… Read More