The payout ratio is one of the most important metrics that dividend growth investors consider when evaluating potential investments. The payout ratio is traditionally calculated as the dividend divided by net income, and it serves as a quick check on a company's ability to comfortably cover its dividend payment. A lower payout ratio (say, 30-40%) suggests that a company has ample room to raise its dividend faster than its growth in earnings per share, while a payout ratio in the middle range (50-60%) suggests that the company can adequately cover its dividend. Payout ratios approaching - or even exceeding - 100% are red flags, alerting investors that a dividend cut is likely unless the company finds a new way to increase its revenue.
The traditional method of calculating the dividend payout ratio can be useful, but it only indirectly answers the question that a dividend investor ultimately cares about: after the company pays its necessary maintenance costs, will there be enough cash left over to cover the dividend? In my own investment research, I have sought the answer to this question by taking a slightly different approach to calculating the payout ratio.
Best Transportation Companies To Own In Right Now: Pacific Drilling SA (PACD)
Pacific Drilling S.A., incorporated on March 22, 2011, is an international offshore drilling Company. The Company is a provider of ultra-deepwater drilling services to the oil and natural gas industry through the use of high-specification drilling rigs. The Company�� primary business is to contract its ultra-deepwater drilling rigs, related equipment and work crews, primarily on a dayrate basis, to drill wells for its customers. The Company is primarily focused on the ultra-deepwater market. The Company generally consider ultra-deepwater to begin at water depths of more than 7,500 feet and to extend to the maximum water depths, in which rigs are capable of drilling, which is approximately 12,000 feet.
The Company operates four drillships and has four drillships under construction, two of which are under customer contract. In connection with the Restructuring, the Company�� Predecessor was contributed to a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company by a subsidiary of Quantum Pacific International Limited.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aaron Levitt]
Management recently announced a hefty 50% hike in its quarterly dividend to 37.5 cents per share of NE stock. And with a 4.8% dividend yield, NE stock is now one of the best-paying dividend stocks in the energy sector.
Dividend Stocks To Buy #5 — Pacific Drilling (PACD)Estimated Dividend Yield: 6.5%
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Pacific Drilling (PACD) is an international offshore drilling contractor committed to becoming the preferred provider of ultra-deepwater drilling services to the oil and natural gas industry through the use of high-specification rigs. This stock closed up 1% to $9.94 in Thursday's trading session.
Thursday's Range: $9.87-$10.00
52-Week Range: $8.63-$10.99
Thursday's Volume: 450,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 308,772From a technical perspective, PACD bounced modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $9.67 with above-average volume. This stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last five months, with shares moving between $8.89 on the downside and $10.23 on the upside. Shares of PACD are now starting to trend within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern. That trade will hit if PACD manages to take out some key overhead resistance levels at $10.14 to $10.23 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PACD as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $9.81 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 308,772 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PACD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $10.71 to its 52-week high at $10.99. Any high-volume move above $10.99 will then put its all-time high at $11.47 within range for shares of PACD.
- [By David Smith]
Chevron has been working hand-in-glove in implementing DGD with offshore rig operator Pacific Drilling (NYSE: PACD ) . Pacific's drillship Pacific Santa Ana was specifically built to Chevron's DGD-enhancing specifications and is working for the big company in the Gulf of Mexico.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
On the surface, offshore drilling stocks appear inexpensive with multiples at the low end of historical ranges and many stocks trading below book values. While contrarian and deep value players are beginning to nibble, we believe the offshore floating rig companies are still in the early innings of a cyclical downturn in utilization and dayrates. After a decade of good times, the deepwater drilling rig market is facing a multiyear down-cycle. Historically, most offshore drilling cycles have been short-lived as there have usually been sudden demand shocks that tend to self correct relatively quickly. This time, it is more of a new rig supply problem compounded by a moderation in offshore spending from the suddenly ��eturn driven��multinational major oil companies. That means this down-cycle should be more drawn out than usual. Specifically, we think the downturn will take about three years to play out with average floater day-rates falling about 25% with over 60 floating rigs needing to be stacked (either warm stacked or cold stacked). More importantly for investors, we think consensus 2016 floater estimates (on average) are still about 25% too high. Put another way, earnings multiples are not as attractive as some now think, in our view. Obviously, the lower-end, older floating assets will be hit the hardest. While everyone loses in this environment, we are more comfortable in owning companies with higher-quality assets that also carry higher floater contract coverage, as we expect this to provide relative safety during this downturn. Specifically, we relatively favor Ocean Rig UDW (ORIG), Pacific Drilling (PACD), and Rowan, given their high-specification exposure. Of course, this downturn is not limited to the floater side of the offshore arena. Next week, we will detail our expectations for the timing and magnitude of the utilization and dayrate declines for the offshore jackup space.
10 Best Income Stocks To Watch Right Now: Penske Automotive Group Inc.(PAG)
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. operates as an automotive retailer. It sells new and used vehicles of approximately 40 vehicle brands; offers vehicle maintenance and repair services; and engages in the sale and placement of third-party finance and insurance products, third-party extended service contracts, and replacement and aftermarket automotive products. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 320 retail automotive franchises, of which 166 franchises were located in the United States and 154 franchises are located outside of the United States primarily in the United Kingdom. It also has operations in Puerto Rico and Germany. Penske Automotive Group, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lawrence Meyers]
However, the company just reported that retail sales were flat with last year. AN stock is sitting in a better position than KMX, with 18.65% long term growth. On FY14 EPS of $3.38, it suggests fair value is upwards of $60, and currently trades at $49. The company isn’t heavily leveraged, and it has positive FCF. So far, AN stock is looking like the best buy among these used car stocks.
Penske Automotive Group (PAG)Penske Automotive Group (PAG) could almost be an identical twin to AutoNation as far as what it provides, outside of the luxury market.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Automotive retail and transportation services giant Penske (PAG) raised its quarterly dividend 6.3% to 17 cents per share, payable on Dec. 2 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 11.
PAG Dividend Yield:�1.72% - [By Seth Jayson]
Penske Automotive Group (NYSE: PAG ) reported earnings on April 29. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Penske Automotive Group missed estimates on revenues and beat slightly on earnings per share. - [By Ben Levisohn]
But just because Parker sees underperformance for consumer stocks, doesn’t mean that some can outperform (just don’t look for consumer staples). They screened for stocks that appear set to outperform over three months and 24 months based on their quantitative models, yet are also favorites of Morgan Stanley’s fundamental analysts. Stocks that meet the criteria include Delphi Automotive, Macy’s and Penske Automotive (PAG), while stocks that fail on all criteria include J.C. Penney and VF Corp. (VFC).
10 Best Income Stocks To Watch Right Now: Carter's Inc.(CRI)
Carter's, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, sources, and markets branded children?s wear. The company provides products under the Carter?s, Child of Mine, Just One You, Precious Firsts, OshKosh, and related brand names. Its Carter?s brand baby products include bodysuits, pants, undershirts, towels, washcloths, receiving blankets, layette gowns, bibs, caps, and booties; playclothes products consist of knit and woven cotton apparel; sleepwear products comprise pajamas and blanket sleepers; and other products consist of bedding, outerwear, swimwear, shoes, socks, diaper bags, gift sets, toys, and hair accessories. The company also provides playclothes products, including denim apparel products, overalls, woven bottoms, knit tops, and playclothes products for sizes newborn to 12 under the OshKosh brand. In addition, it offers baby, sleepwear, outerwear, shoes, hosiery, and accessories under the OshKosh brand. The company sells its products in department stores, national chains, and specialty retailers, as well as through its Carter?s and OshKosh retail stores; and online at carters.com and oshkoshbgosh.com. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 359 Carter?s and 170 OshKosh outlet and brand retail stores in the United States; and 65 retail stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By AnnaLisa Kraft]
Carter's (NYSE: CRI ) , the branded marketer of baby and children's wear, is facing the headwinds of declining birthrates in the US and Canada. In the US, the crude birth rate (births per 1,000 people) has declined to levels not seen since the Great Depression: down 7% plus since 2007.Worldwide, the crude birth rate is expected to decline from the early 1950's 37.2 births to 13.4.
10 Best Income Stocks To Watch Right Now: Glencore Xstrata PLC (GLENN)
Glencore Xstrata Plc is a diversified natural resource company. The Company operates in three segments: Metals and Minerals, which includes copper, nickel, zinc/lead, alloys, alumina/aluminum and iron ore; Energy Products, which includes controlled and non-controlled coal mining and oil production operations and investments in strategic handling, storage and freight equipment and facilities, and Agricultural Products, which focuses on grains, oils/oilseeds, cotton and sugar. The Company�� operations consist of over 150 mining and metallurgical sites, offshore oil production assets, farms and agricultural facilities. The Company is a producer and marketer of over 90 commodities, such as mobile phones, bicycles, cutlery, plastics and electricity. Effective January 2, 2014, Post Holdings Inc acquired Agricore United Holdings Inc from Viterra Inc, a unit of Glencore Xstrata PLC, and the transaction also included Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jay Silverman]
The CEO (Erck), CFO (Phillips), and CMO (Glenn) are a solid management team, well-experienced in their respective roles, and have a sound working chemistry and quiet confidence.
10 Best Income Stocks To Watch Right Now: Outerwall Inc (OUTR)
Outerwall Inc, formerly Coinstar, Inc., incorporated on October 12, 1993, is a provider of automated retail solutions, which offers convenient products and services. the Company's offerings in automated retail include its Redbox business, where consumers can rent or purchase movies and video games from self-service kiosks (Redbox segment), and its Coin business, where consumers can convert their coin to cash or stored value products at self-service coin counting kiosks (Coin segment). Its New Ventures business (New Ventures segment) is focused on identifying, evaluating, building, and developing self-service concepts in the marketplace. On June 9, 2011, the Company completed the sale transaction of the Money Transfer Business to Sigue Corporation (Sigue). In June 2012, the Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, acquired certain assets of NCR Corp's self-service entertainment DVD kiosk business. In October 2013, Jana Partners LLC acquired a 13.5% stake in Outerwall Inc.
Redbox
Within the Company�� Redbox segment, it operates 35,400 Redbox kiosks, in 29,300 locations, where consumers can rent or purchase movies and video games. Its Redbox kiosks are available in every state, as well as Puerto Rico and are installed at grocery stores, mass retailers, drug stores, restaurants and convenience stores, including Walgreens, Walmart and McDonalds. Its Redbox kiosks supply the functionality of a traditional video rental store, which occupy an area of less than 10 square feet. Consumers use a touch screen to select their titles, swipe a valid credit or debit card, and receive their movie or video game. The daily rental fee at a Redbox kiosk is a flat fee plus tax for one daily rental and, if the consumer chooses to keep the movie or video game for additional days, the consumer is charged for each additional day at the same daily rental fee. Its consumers can rent a movie or video game from one location and return their rental to any of its Redbox locations.! In addition, its consumers may reserve a movie or video game online or through a smart phone application and pick it up at the selected Redbox location.
The Company generates revenue through fees charged to rent or purchase a movie or video game, and it pays retailers a percentage of its revenue. Its content library consists of movies and video games available for rent or purchase. It obtains its movie and video game content through revenue sharing agreements and license agreements with studios and game publishers, as well as through distributors and other suppliers.
Coin
As of December 31, 2011, within the Company�� Coin segment, it owned and operated approximately 20,200 coin-counting kiosks (approximately 17,200, of which offer a range of stored value products to consumers) in 19,900 locations, where consumers feed loose change into the kiosks, which count the change and then dispense vouchers or, in some cases, issue stored value products, at the consumer�� election. Its Coin kiosks are available across the United States, where they provide service to retailers, such as Kroger and Walmart, and in Canada, Puerto Rico, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It generates revenue through transaction fees from its consumers and product partners. Each voucher lists the dollar value of coins counted, less its transaction fee. When consumers elect to have a stored value product issued, the transaction fee normally charged to the consumer is charged instead to the card issuers for the coin-counting services.
New Ventures
Within the Company�� New Ventures segment, it identifies, evaluates, builds and develops self-service concepts in the automated retail space. Its New Ventures segment consists of its coffee, refurbished electronics and photo self-service concepts. It generates revenue through fees charged for products and services offered to consumers in select test markets where it is testing business concepts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images Don't be surprised if you're walking into a store and see an empty space where a Redbox machine used to be. Outerwall (OUTR) -- the parent company behind the once popular disc-renting kiosks -- is starting to scale back its operations after years of growth. It was a rough second quarter for Redbox with just 169.3 million rentals of DVDs, Blu-rays, and video games. That may seem like a big number, but it was 9.3 percent lower than the tally a year earlier. Outerwall blames Hollywood for supplying them with weak films. The new movies hitting the DVD and Blu-ray market during the period rang up 37.5 percent fewer ticket sales in North America during their theatrical runs than those released in the second quarter of 2013, and box office is a big driver for Redbox rentals. Nobody wants to rent what nobody wanted to see at the multiplex. Things were particularly hard for the month of June when just four major releases hit the video market. There could also be a bigger trend in play here. Redbox was the welcome beneficiary of Blockbuster's demise and Netflix's (NFLX) move to shift emphasis to its popular streaming platform. Former Blockbuster fans, or those who were upset by Netflix's choice to sell its DVD and streaming offerings separately fell into the waiting arms of Redbox's automated kiosks. However, now that the post-Blockbuster gains have been absorbed, and the period of Netflix defection has subsided (the number of Netflix disc subscribers has fallen by more than half to 6.3 million) there's no more easy growth to be had for Outerwall's fleet of Redbox machines. Another sign that the issue isn't just a bad few months of movies is that Outerwall now expects to close out the year with as many as 700 fewer Redbox kiosks in operation in the U.S. market. The net reduction of 500 to 700 machines may not seem like a lot for a company with more than 42,000 kiosks in operation. That's less than 2 percent of its stateside emp
10 Best Income Stocks To Watch Right Now: Real Goods Solar Inc.(RSOL)
Real Goods Solar, Inc. operates as a residential and commercial solar energy integrator primarily in California and Colorado. The company provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. It offers various turnkey solar energy services, including design, procurement, permitting, build-out, grid connection, financing referrals, and warranty and customer satisfaction services. The company installs residential and small commercial systems that range between 3 kilowatts and 1 megawatt output. It also engages in the retail sale of renewable energy products. The company was founded in 1978 and is based in Louisville, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Small cap solar stock Andalay Solar Inc (OTCMKTS: WEST) has largely cratered for investors�verses solar stock peers Real Goods Solar, Inc (NASDAQ: RSOL) and SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ: SCTY), but is the company finally turning itself around after a failed deal to be acquired?
10 Best Income Stocks To Watch Right Now: First Horizon National Corp (FHN)
First Horizon National Corporation (FHN), incorporated in 1968, is a bank holding company. The Company provides financial services through its subsidiary, First Tennessee Bank National Association (the Bank), and its subsidiaries. The Company�� two brands First Tennessee and FTN Financial provide customers with a range of products and services. First Tennessee provides retail and commercial banking services throughout Tennessee. FTN Financial (FTNF) is engaged in fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad. FHN has four operating business segments: regional banking, capital markets, corporate, and non-strategic. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had $16.4 billion in total deposits and $16 billion in total net loans. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� subsidiaries had over 200 business locations in 17 the United States states, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, excluding off-premises automated teller machines (ATMs). As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had 183 branch locations in four states, which include 172 branches in metropolitan areas of Tennessee; two branches in northwestern Georgia; seven branches in northwestern Mississippi, and two branches in North Carolina. As of December 31, 2011, FTN Financial products and services were offered through 18 offices in total, including 16 offices in 14 states plus an office in each of Hong Kong and Tokyo.
The regional banking segment offers financial products and services, including traditional lending and deposit taking, to retail and commercial customers in Tennessee and surrounding markets. Regional banking provides investments, financial planning, trust services and asset management, credit card, cash management, and first lien mortgage originations within the Tennessee footprint. In addition, the regional banking segment includes correspondent banking, which provides credit, depository, and other banking related services to other financial institutions.
The capital markets se! gment consists of fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad, as well as loan sales, portfolio advisory, and derivative sales. The corporate segment consists of gains on the extinguishment of debt, unallocated corporate expenses, expense on subordinated debt issuances and preferred stock, bank-owned life insurance, unallocated interest income associated with excess equity, net impact of raising incremental capital, revenue and expense associated with deferred compensation plans, funds management, low income housing investment activities, and charges related to restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency. The non-strategic segment consists of the wind-down national consumer lending activities, legacy mortgage banking elements, including servicing fees, and the associated ancillary revenues and expenses related to these businesses. Non-strategic also includes the wind-down trust preferred loan portfolio and exited businesses along with the associated restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency charges.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided services through its subsidiaries, which include general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments; through FTN Financial fixed income sales and trading, underwriting of bank, loan sales, advisory services and derivative sales; discount brokerage and full-service brokerage; correspondent banking; transaction processing, such as nationwide check clearing services and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency services; credit card products; equipment finance; investment and financial advisory services; mutual fund sales as agent; retail insurance sales as agent, and mortgage banking services.
As of December 31, 2011, the commercial, financial, and industrial (C&I) portfolio was eight billion dollars, and is consisted of loans used for general business purposes, and consisted of relationship customers in Tennessee and certain n! eighborin! g states, which are managed within the regional bank. Products include working capital lines of credit, term loan financing of owner-occupied real estate and fixed assets, and trade credit enhancement through letters of credit. As of December 31, 2011, the unpaid principal balance (UPB) of trust preferred loans totaled $447.2 million with the UPB of other bank-related loans totaling approximately $161.8 million. The commercial real estate portfolio includes both financings for commercial construction and non-construction loans. This portfolio is segregated between income commercial real estate (CRE) loans which contain loans, lines, and letters of credit to commercial real estate developers for the construction and mini- permanent financing of income-producing real estate, and residential CRE loans. The residential CRE portfolio includes loans to residential builders and developers for the purpose of constructing single-family detached homes, condominiums, and town homes. As of December 31, 2011, the residential CRE portfolio was $.1 billion. As of December 31, 2011, the consumer real estate portfolio was $5.3 billion, and is composed of home equity lines and installment loans. As of December 31, 2011, the credit card and other portfolios were $.3 billion, and primarily include credit card receivables, automobile loans, and over-the-counter (OTC) construction loans and other consumer related credits.
FHN�� investment portfolio consists of debt securities, including government agency issued mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and government agency issued collateralized mortgage obligations (CMO). During the year ended December 31, 2011, Government agency issued MBS and CMO, and other agencies averaged $2.9 billion. During 2011, the United States treasury securities and municipal bonds averaged $79.5 million. During 2011, investments in equity securities averaged $222.3 million.
During 2011, short-term funds (certificates of deposit greater than $100,000, federal funds purchased (! FFP), sec! urities sold under agreements to repurchase, trading liabilities, and other short-term borrowings) averaged $3.6 billion. During 2011, other borrowings increased to $.3 billion. Term borrowings include senior and subordinated borrowings and advances with original maturities greater than one year. During 2011, average term borrowings averaged $2.6 billion.
The Company competes with Regions Bank, SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Bank of America N.A., and Pinnacle National Bank.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $286.98 million.
Synacor (NASDAQ: SYNC) is estimated to post a Q1 loss at $0.05 per share on revenue of $24.53 million.
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