Friday, March 7, 2014

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now

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Even the best dividend stocks tend to have one major disconnect: Most of us pay our bills on a monthly cycle, yet most�stocks that pay dividends do so�only once per quarter. This can make budgeting a headache and adds an extra level of planning.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Regal Beloit Corporation(RBC)

Regal Beloit Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells electric motors and controls, electric generators and controls, and mechanical motion control products primarily in the United States and Asia. The company operates in two segments, Electrical and Mechanical. The Electrical segment manufactures and markets AC and DC commercial, industrial, and commercial refrigeration electric motors and blowers, as well as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) electric motors and blowers. It also provides precision servo motors, electric generators, automatic transfer switches and paralleling switchgear, and control electric power generation equipment; AC and DC variable speed drives and controllers, and other accessories for industrial and commercial applications; and capacitors for use in HVAC systems, high intensity lighting, and other applications. The Mechanical segment manufactures and markets a range of mechanical motion control products, i ncluding worm gears, bevel gears, helical gears, and concentric shaft gearboxes; marine transmissions; after-market automotive transmissions, and ring and pinions; custom gearing; gearmotors; electrical connecting devices; and manual valve actuators, which are used in oil and gas, water distribution and treatment, and chemical processing applications. The company sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and end users through its direct sales people and manufacturer?s representative organizations. Regal Beloit Corporation was founded in 1955 and is based in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Bank of America's (NYSE: BAC  ) Merrill Lynch division and Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE: RBC  ) have provided HBC with fully committed credit facilities, which, together with the equity commitment provided by the pension plan, is sufficient to close the transaction.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: United Parcel Service Inc.(UPS)

United Parcel Service, Inc., a package delivery company, provides transportation, logistics, and financial services in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: U.S. Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain & Freight. The U.S. Domestic Package segment engages in the time-definite delivery of letters, documents, and packages in the United States. The International Package segment offers air and ground delivery of small packages and letters to approximately 220 countries and territories, including shipments outside the United States, as well as shipments with either origin or distribution outside the United States; export services; and domestic services move shipments within a country?s borders. The Supply Chain & Freight segment provides forwarding and logistics services, such as supply chain design and management, freight distribution, customs brokerage, mail, and consulting services in approximately 195 countries and territorie s; and less-than-truckload and truckload services to customers in North America. In addition, the company offers various technology solutions for automated shipping, visibility, and billing; information technology systems and distribution facilities to various industries comprising healthcare, technology, and consumer/retail; and a portfolio of financial services that provides customers with short-term working capital, government guaranteed lending, global trade financing, credit cards, and export financing. It operates a fleet of approximately 99,800 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; an air fleet of 527 aircraft; and 33,800 containers used to transport cargo in its aircraft. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Big Earnings Movers: Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is up 9.5% at $363.67 after last night�� results. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) is up 6% at $35.73 on good gains in consumer and device sales. Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ: ZNGA) is up 5.5% at $3.73 on a smaller-than-expected loss. The Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) is down 0.8% at $79.98 following inline earnings that encouraged investors to take profits. United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS) is up 1.2% at $95.62 after good earnings led to a new 52-week high of $97.00.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    The express-delivery company has gained 28% during the past three months, trumping the 18% return from�United Parcel Service�(UPS), the 4.6% gain in J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and the 0.2% rise in Expeditors International of Washington�(EXPD).

  • [By Chuck Saletta]

    Similarly, United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS  ) took a significant charge associated with its pension shortly after making the cut as an iPIG pick. That charge knocked the company's debt-to-equity ratio above the iPIG portfolio's buy criteria and sent the business' dividend payout ratio above 100% of earnings. That was a painful charge for the company, but one that could have absolutely sunk a less well prepared business. So rather than dump the company, the iPIG portfolio is watching to see how well it recovers.

  • [By John Divine]

    Firstly, the United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS  ) saw shares tumble 5.8% as the mail-delivery service reduced its second-quarter and full-year outlook. UPS officially reports second-quarter results on July 23, but it went ahead and told markets not to expect anything spectacular; the company's looking for earnings between $4.65 and $4.85 per share for the year, compared to Wall Street estimates of nearly $5.00 per share. Not only that, but UPS sees the downtrend to continue into the foreseeable future.

Top 5 Promising Companies To Watch For 2015: People's United Financial Inc.(PBCT)

People?s United Financial, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for People?s United Bank that provides commercial banking, retail and business banking, and wealth management services to individual, corporate, and municipal customers. Its Commercial Banking segment provides commercial and industrial lending, commercial real estate lending, and commercial deposit gathering services, as well as equipment financing, cash management, correspondent banking, and municipal banking services. The company?s Retail and Business Banking segment offers consumer and business deposit gathering services; consumer lending products, including residential mortgage, home equity, and indirect auto lending; business lending; and merchant services. Its Wealth Management segment provides trust services, corporate trust, brokerage, financial advisory services, investment management services, and life insurance and other insurance services, as well as private banking services. The company also offers online and telephone banking, and investment trading services, and automated teller machine (ATM) services. As of March 31, 2011, it operated a network of approximately 341 branches, including full-service supermarket branches, investment and brokerage offices, and commercial banking offices, as well as approximately 518 automated teller machines in Connecticut, Vermont, New York, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1842 and is headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Maxfield]

    Given that you clicked on this article, it seems safe to assume you either own stock in People's United Financial (NASDAQ: PBCT  ) or are considering buying shares in the near future. If so, then you've come to the right place. The table below reveals the nine most critical numbers that investors need to know about People's United stock before deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold it.

  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    I went out on a limb last week, and now it's time to see how that decision played out.

    I predicted that People's United Financial (NASDAQ: PBCT  ) would close higher on the week. The regional banker had come up short on the bottom line in its two previous quarters, and the prior week closed with uninspiring earnings news out of the banking behemoths. People's United managed to match expectations on an operating basis, but the market was skeptical of financial services institutions this week. People's United Financial shares closed lower on the week. I was right. I predicted that the tech-heavy Nasdaq would outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) . This has been a tricky call lately, so how did it play out this time? Well, the market was rocked hard this week, and secondary stocks led the way down. The Nasdaq fell 2.7% on the week. The Dow managed to close just 2.1% lower. I was wrong. My final call was for United Rentals (NYSE: URI  ) to beat Wall Street's quarterly profit target. The provider of equipment rentals with 836 outlets across the country has been beating Wall Street estimates consistently over the past year. Why should that end? Analysts were looking for a profit of $0.47 a share during the quarter, and it came through with adjusted net income of $0.58. I was right.

    Two out of three? I can do better than that.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: UniSource Energy Corporation(UNS)

UniSource Energy Corporation engages in the electric generation and energy delivery businesses. The company?s TEP segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 403,000 retail electric customers, including residential, commercial, industrial, and public sector customers in southeastern Arizona. It also sells electricity to other utilities and power marketing entities. As of December 31, 2010, this segment owned or leased 2,245 MW of net generating capacity, as well as owned or participated in electric transmission and distribution system consisting of 512 circuit-miles of 500-kV lines; 1,087 circuit-miles of 345-kV lines; 379 circuit-miles of 138-kV lines; 478 circuit-miles of 46-kV lines; and 2,621 circuit-miles of lower voltage primary lines. TEP segment generates electricity from coal, gas, oil, and solar sources. The company?s UNS Gas segment distributes gas to approximately 146,500 retail customers in Mohave, Yavapai, Coconino, and Navajo c ounties in northern Arizona, as well as Santa Cruz County in southeastern Arizona. As of December 31, 2010, this segment?s transmission and distribution system consisted of approximately 30 miles of steel transmission mains, 4,211 miles of steel and plastic distribution piping, and 136,439 customer service lines. The company?s UNS Electric segment transmits and distributes electricity to approximately 91,000 retail customers consisting of residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Mohave and Santa Cruz counties. As of December 31, 2010, UNS Electric?s transmission and distribution system consisted of approximately 56 circuit-miles of 115-kV transmission lines, 271 circuit-miles of 69-kV transmission lines, and 3,599 circuit-miles of underground and overhead distribution lines. This segment also owns the 65 MW Valencia plant, as well as 39 substations having an installed capacity of 1,788,050 kilovolt amperes. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Tucson, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Fortis Inc.(FTS.T) agreed to acquire UNS Energy Corp.(UNS) for about $2.5 billion, as the Canadian utility moves to boost exposure within the U.S. by acquiring a firm with a presence in the U.S. southwest. Shares of UNS jumped 30% to $59.02 premarket.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Equities Trading UP
    UNS Energy (NYSE: UNS) shot up 27.75 percent to $58.56 after the company agreed to be acquired by Fortis Utility Group for $60.25 per share in cash.

  • [By David Dittman]

    And with its December 2013 offer to buy Arizona-based UNS Energy Corp (NYSE: UNS) for $2.5 billion in cash St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador-based Fortis Inc (TSX: FTS, OTC: FRTSF), making its second foray in the US in two years, signaled its interest in regulated utility assets in states with favorable population and economic trends as a means of driving its growth going forward.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Verizon Communications Inc.(VZ)

Verizon Communications Inc. provides communication services. The company operates through two segments, Domestic Wireless and Wireline. The Domestic Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data services; and sells equipment in the United States. The Wireline segment provides voice, Internet access, broadband video and data, Internet protocol network, network access, long distance, and other services in the United States and internationally. The company serves consumer, business, and government customers, as well as carriers. As of December 31, 2010, its network covered a population of approximately 292 million and provided service to a customer base of approximately 94.1 million. The company was formerly known as Bell Atlantic Corporation and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. in June 2000. Verizon Communications Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Divine]

    Telecom was the best-performing sector of the day, and Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ  ) played its own bullish role, tacking on 0.9%. It's looking like more and more of a sure thing that Verizon will expand its wireless network into Canada to boost its pool of potential customers. The would-be Canadian competition is taking notice, too: The Canadian Industry minister is sitting down with the country's anxious top telecom execs today to ease their concerns over Verizon's invasion.

  • [By Travis Hoium and Erin Miller]

    Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) and has been trying to buy Vodafone's (NASDAQ: VOD  ) 45% stake in Verizon Wireless for years, and now might be the time to make a deal. But Vodafone isn't going to give it up cheap and has been reluctant to accept offers less than $130 billion. In the video below, Erin Miller asks Fool contributor Travis Hoium how he thinks this standoff will end.

  • [By Dan Carroll]

    Verizon's (NYSE: VZ  ) shares haven't been affected by the big news involving this company today. The telecom firm's stock has jumped 2.7%, even though it's experiencing a public-relations nightmare. A classified court order released by The Guardian last night revealed that the firm was ordered to turn over business records of its customers regarding both domestic and foreign calls. Verizon didn't comment on the matter, and while the company certainly isn't at fault here, there's no telling whether investors will react poorly to this news if the case opens up even more revealing information. This is one story Verizon investors would be wise to follow.

  • [By Jon C. Ogg]

    Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) was reiterated as Buy and on the Focus List with a $59 price target at Argus, and it was raised to Outperform at RW Baird.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: CRB Futures Index(CR)

Crane Co. manufactures and sells engineered industrial products in the United States and internationally. The company operates in five segments: Aerospace & Electronics, Engineered Materials, Merchandising Systems, Fluid Handling, and Controls. The Aerospace & Electronics segment offers pressure, fuel flow, and position sensors and subsystems; brake control systems; coolant, lube and fuel pumps; and seat actuation products. This segment also provides power supplies and custom microelectronics for aerospace, defense, medical, and other applications; and electrical power components, power management products, electronic radio frequency, and microwave frequency components and subsystems for the defense, space, and military communications markets. The Engineered Materials segment manufactures fiberglass-reinforced plastic panels for the truck trailer and recreational vehicle markets, industrial markets, and the commercial construction industry. The Merchandising Systems segmen t offers vending solutions, such as food, snack, and beverage vending machines; and vending machine software and online solutions, as well as payment solutions, including coin accepters and dispensers, coin hoppers, coin recyclers, bill validators, and bill recyclers. The Fluid Handling segment manufactures and sells various industrial and commercial valves and actuators; provides valve testing, parts, and services; manufactures and sells pumps and water purification solutions; distributes pipe, pipe fittings, couplings, and connectors; and designs, manufactures, and sells corrosion-resistant plastic-lined pipes and fittings. The Controls segment produces ride-leveling, air-suspension control valves for heavy trucks and trailers; pressure, temperature, and level sensors; ultra-rugged computers, measurement and control systems, and intelligent data acquisition products; and water treatment equipment. Crane Co. was founded in 1855 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Crane (NYSE: CR  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Engineered industrial products manufacturer Crane (NYSE: CR  ) announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.30 per share, a 7% increase in the payout it made to investors of $0.28 per share.�

  • [By CRWE]

    Crane Co. (NYSE:CR) reported that Andrew L. Krawitt, Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer, will be speaking at the 2012 Citi Global Industrials Conference in Boston on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 from 2:00 PM to 2:40 PM.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Crane (NYSE: CR  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: 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 Dan Caplinger]

    Investors have always been interested in stocks that pay dividends, but lately, low interest rates on bonds and other fixed-income investments have made solid dividend payers even more valuable. Among the most promising dividend stocks in the market is Cincinnati Financial (NASDAQ: CINF  ) , and one big reason is that it is one of the few exclusive companies to make the list of Dividend Aristocrats. In order to become a member of this elite group, a company must have raised its dividend payouts to shareholders every single year for at least a quarter-century. Only a few dozen stocks manage to make the cut, and those that do tend to stay there for a long time.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: AvalonBay Communities Inc. (AVB)

AvalonBay Communities, Inc. engages in the development, redevelopment, acquisition, ownership, and operation of multifamily communities in the United States. As of January 31, 2009, the company owned or held a direct or indirect ownership interest in 164 operating apartment communities comprising 45,728 apartment homes in 10 states and the District of Columbia. It also held a direct or indirect ownership interest in 14 communities under construction, as well as held rights to develop an additional 27 communities. The company?s markets are located in New England, the New York/New Jersey metro area, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern and Southern California regions of the United States. AvalonBay Communities has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust and would not be subject to federal corporate income taxes if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 1978 and is based in Arlington, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    Everything's peachy for residential REITs!
    However, what terrible news exists for homebuilders could turn into fantastic news for the residential-REIT sector. You see, if lending rates begin to rise because the Fed is paring back its bond purchases, then it will remove the consumer incentive to purchase a home and will drive people back into renting -- which is great news for the big three residential REITS: Equity Residential, AvalonBay Communities (NYSE: AVB  ) , and UDR (NYSE: UDR  ) .

  • [By Sean Williams]

    To get a better idea of how RealPage is doing, it's always best to look at occupancy rates for some of the nation's biggest residential-REITs. In AvalonBay Communities' (NYSE: AVB  ) most recent quarter, the company reported a 5% increase in revenue attributable to a 4.7% boost in prices in established communities, and a 0.3% uptick in occupancy. For Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR  ) it was much of the same, with revenue rising 5.4% in the fourth-quarter as occupancy rates rose 40 basis points to 95.4% from the year-ago period. Finally, Essex Property Trust (NYSE: ESS  ) delivered some of the strongest occupancy results of all, with 96.9% of its units occupied as of the end of January. The point is that with occupancy rates at their lowest levels in more than a decade, these residential REITs are driving growth by boosting prices because of rent scarcity.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Real estate investment trust�AvalonBay Communities� (NYSE: AVB  ) �announced yesterday�its second-quarter dividend of $1.07 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter after raising the payout 10%, from $0.97 per share.

  • [By Shauna O'Brien]

    KeyBanc announced on Thursday that it has boosted its rating on AvalonBay Communities Inc (AVB) to “Buy.”

    The firm has upgraded AVB from “Hold” to “Buy,” and has given the company a $139 price target. This price target suggests a 15% upside from the stock’s current price of $120.55. KeyBanc has also upgraded residential REIT UDR, Inc. (UDR) and has cut its rating on Essex Property Trust Inc (ESS).

    Analyst Karin Ford noted: “We upgrade the Apartment REIT vertical from Market-Weight to OVERWEIGHT based upon attractive valuation levels that overlook the potential for accelerating fundamentals, as the impact of new supply wanes and continued employment gains support greater rental demand into ’15.

    “We believe the short-cycle nature of the apartment vertical’s leases place it relatively well within an env’t of rising rates driven by an imprv�� economy; the group’s underperformance YTD and current relative valuation level (4% discount to REIT sector on AFFO multiple) reflects concern over slowing fundamentals amid elevated new supply. We think new supply should peak in late-’14 and give way to accelerating absorption trends.”

    AvalonBay Communities shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Thursday. The stock is down 11% YTD.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Cinemark Holdings Inc(CNK)

Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries engage in the motion picture exhibition business. As of June 30, 2011, it operated 436 theatres with 4,983 screens in 39 states of the United States, as well as in Brazil, Mexico, and 11 other Latin American countries. The company is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    As movie-theater operator Cinemark (NYSE: CNK  ) exits the Mexican market, another "gringo" is expanding to fill the gap -- from even farther north of the border.

  • [By Sue Chang]

    Cinemark Holdings Inc. (CNK) : The movie theater company is well positioned to capitalize on the film�� popularity with movie goers with operations both in the U.S. and Latin America. Shares of Cinemark are up 26% so far this year.

  • [By John Udovich]

    The shares of small cap IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) have slipped more than 10% this week on growth concerns - meaning it might be a good idea to take a closer look at the stock plus its performance�verses other cinema stocks like Carmike Cinemas, Inc (NASDAQ: CKEC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) along with the PowerShares Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment ETF�(NYSEARCA: PEJ).

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: MCG Capital Corporation(MCGC)

MCG Capital Corporation is a private equity firm specializing in investments in middle market companies. The firm does not prefer investments in highly cyclical and volatile industry sectors and businesses with significant volatility exposure. It seeks to invest in small to mid sized companies. The firm prefers to invest in acquisitions, growth financings, organic growth, recapitalization, and leveraged buyouts. It invests in companies based in the United States. The firm seeks to invest upto $75 million in debt and equity in companies having revenues between $20 million and $200 million and EBITDA between $3 million and $25 million. It seeks to invest in the form of senior debt, including amortizing, bullet maturity, term loans, and revolving credit facilities; institutional sub debt, including junior capital; second lien debt, that includes term loans on sole source and participant basis; secured and unsecured subordinate loans structured as current interest, deferred in terest, and equity linked components; mezzanine debt and equity that includes minority equity investments. The firm may invest in minority or control equity positions. It was formerly known as MCG Credit Corporation. MCG Capital Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Arlington, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Equities Lab]

    The stocks that currently pass the stock screen in order of market cap are Frontier Communications Corp , Crown Media Holdings (CRWN), Vonage Holding (VG), MCG Capital Corp (MCGC), 1-800-FLOWERS.COM (FLWS), MTR Gaming Corporation (MNTG), Alaska Communications (ALSK), and Enzon Pharmaceuticals (ENZN).

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Star Gas Partners L.P.(SGU)

Star Gas Partners, L.P., through its subsidiaries, operates as a home heating oil distributor and services provider in the United States. It provides its services to residential and commercial customers to heat their homes and buildings. As of March 31, 2011, the company served approximately 408,000 full-service residential and commercial home heating oil, and propane customers. It also sold home heating oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel to approximately 40,000 customers. In addition, Star Gas Partners installed, maintained, and repaired heating and air conditioning equipment, as well as provided ancillary home services, including home security and plumbing to approximately 11,000 customers. Kestrel Heat, LLC operates as the general partner of the company. Star Gas Partners, L.P. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    Stamford, Conn.-based Star Gas Partners (NYSE: SGU  ) is about to get a new CEO.

    The company (which, despite the name, actually spends more time delivering oil than gas for home heating), announced Tuesday that Chief Executive Officer Dan Donovan intends to retire on Sept. 30. When that happens, Chief Operating Officer Steve Goldman will move up to take the CEO's chair.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Smith & Nephew SNATS Inc.(SNN)

Smith & Nephew plc develops, manufactures, markets, and sells medical devices in the orthopaedics, endoscopy, and advanced wound management sectors worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Orthopaedics, Endoscopy, and Advanced Wound Management. The Orthopaedics segment offers reconstruction implants, including hip, knee, and shoulder joints, as well as ancillary products, such as bone cement and mixing systems used in cemented reconstruction joint surgery. This segment also provides trauma fixation products consisting of internal and external devices, and other products, including shoulder fixation and orthobiological materials used in the stabilization of fractures and deformity correction procedures; and clinical therapies products comprising bone growth stimulation, joint fluid therapies, and outpatient spine products. The Endoscopy segment develops and commercializes minimally invasive surgery techniques, educational programs, and value-added services for sur geons to treat and repair soft tissue and articulating joints. It offers specialized devices and fixation systems to repair damaged tissues; fluid management equipment for surgical access; digital cameras, digital image capture, scopes, light sources, and monitors to assist with visualisation; radiofrequency wands, electromechanical and mechanical blades, and hand instruments for resecting damaged tissues. The Advanced Wound Management segment provides initial wound bed preparation and full wound closure products. This segment?s products are targeted at chronic wounds associated with the older population, such as pressure sores and venous leg ulcers; and products for the treatment of wounds, including burns and invasive surgery. The company serves medical and surgical service providers. Smith & Nephew plc was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Charles Carlson, CEO and Portfolio Manager, Horizon Investment Services]

    For investors looking for growth but also income, I especially like three health-care related stocks��resenius Medical (FMS), Novo Nordisk (NVO), and Smith & Nephew (SNN).

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Top Headline
    Smith & Nephew PLC (NYSE: SNN) announced its plans to buy ArthroCare (NASDAQ: ARTC) for $1.7 billion in cash. Smith & Nephew will pay $48.25 per share in cash to acquire ArthroCare, representing a 6.3% premium to ArthroCare's closing price on January 31.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Hudson City Bancorp Inc.(HCBK)

Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Hudson City Savings Bank that provides a range of retail banking services. It offers a range of deposit accounts, including passbook and statement savings accounts, interest-bearing transaction accounts, checking accounts, money market accounts, and time deposits, as well as IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans. The company?s loan portfolio primarily comprises one-to four-family first mortgage loans for residential properties; multi-family and commercial mortgage loans; construction loans; and consumer loans, such as fixed-rate second mortgage loans and home equity credit line loans, as well as collateralized passbook loans, overdraft protection loans, automobile loans, and secured and unsecured commercial lines of credit. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 95 branches located in 17 counties throughout the State of New Jersey; 10 branch offices in Westchester County, 9 branch offices in Suffolk Cou nty, 1 branch office each in Putnam and Rockland Counties, and 6 branch offices in Richmond County; and 9 branch offices in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The company was founded in 1868 and is based in Paramus, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Geoff Gannon]

    For example, a bank might explain why they choose to focus on a certain area ��as Hudson City (HCBK) does here:

    ��hrough our branch offices, we have operations in 10 of the top 50 counties in the United States ranked by median household income. Operating in high median household income counties fits well with our jumbo mortgage loan and consumer deposit business model��he northern New Jersey market represents the greatest concentration of population, deposits and income in New Jersey. The combination of these counties represents more than half of the entire New Jersey population and more than half of New Jersey households. The northern New Jersey market also represents the greatest concentration of Hudson City Savings retail operations ��both lending and deposit gathering ��and based on its high level of economic activity, we believe that the northern New Jersey market provides significant opportunities for future growth.��/p>

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Beyond the Dow, Hudson City Bancorp (NASDAQ: HCBK  ) has dropped more than 5% after the bank and its proposed acquirer, M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB  ) , said there would be a delay in completing their merger. M&T, which has slipped almost 4%, cited regulatory concerns from the Federal Reserve over its bank secrecy and anti-money-laundering programs. Despite the two banks' plan to extend their agreement until the end of January 2014, they aren't sure the merger will be complete even by then. Shareholders will still vote on the deal later this month, but the delay has to be disconcerting for investors on both sides.

  • [By Amanda Alix]

    It was a long engagement, but the union between growth-oriented M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB  ) and Hudson City Bancorp (NASDAQ: HCBK  ) looks like it is definitely back on track.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Alliance Resource Partners L.P.(ARLP)

Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. engages in the production and marketing of coal for utilities and industrial users in the United States. It operates nine underground mining complexes, which offer low, medium, and high-sulfur coal. The company also leases land and operates a coal loading terminal on the Ohio River at Mt. Vernon, Indiana; and purchases and resells coal. In addition, the company provides mine products and services comprising design and installation of underground mine hoists for transporting employees and materials in and out of mines; design of systems for automating and controlling various aspects of industrial and mining environments; and design and sale of mine safety equipment, such as its miner and equipment tracking, and proximity detection systems. Further, it offers ash and scrubber sludge removal, coal yard maintenance, and arranging alternate transportation services. As of December 31, 2010, the company had approximately 697.4 million tons of coal reserves in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Alliance Resource Management GP, LLC serves as the general partner of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. The company was founded in 1971 and is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Matt DiLallo]

    For example, the company has pointed out repeatedly that it's no longer interested in growing its coal business either organically or by way of acquisition. Starting next year, the company will only spend $300 million-$350 million per year in maintenance capital as it turns the coal business into harvest mode. In my opinion, that makes it a great candidate for an MLP structure similar to Alliance Resources (NASDAQ: ARLP  ) . MLPs tend to be valued higher by the marketplace because of the steady income produced; Alliance, for example, currently yields 6%. CONSOL could use the copious cash flows from coal to produce a nice income vehicle if it structured its coal business as an MLP.

  • [By Tyler Crowe]

    Coal will still be a top energy source
    It's easy to be down on coal. Ever since shale gas started flowing in the U.S., many have speculated that it would replace coal because it was a more�emissions-friendly fuel source and it was less expensive. While that may look to be the case (and several trends in the U.S. back it up), the truth is that coal will remain a dominant force in the energy game. To take it even further, the EIA estimates that coal will surpass oil as the premier energy source by 2017. This is in large part because of two factors: natural gas requires a robust�infrastructure to transport, an�infrastructure�many developing nations do not have, and several countries have natural gas prices indexed to oil, so its price is kept artificially high. This is mostly how American coal company�Alliance Natural Resources� (NASDAQ: ARLP  ) was able to�post a record 2012 in both sales and production.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Northstar Realty Finance Corp. (NRF)

NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. operates as a real estate investment trust in the United States. It invests in real estate debt business, which acquires, originates, and structures debt investments secured primarily by income-producing real estate properties; real estate securities business that invests in commercial real estate debt securities, including commercial mortgage backed securities, REIT unsecured debt, and credit tenant loans; and net lease properties business, which acquires properties that are primarily net leased to corporate tenants. The company has elected to be taxed as a REIT and it would not be subject to federal income tax, provided it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. NorthStar Realty Finance was founded in 1997 and is based in New York City.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By alicet236]

    Northstar Realty Finance Corporation (NRF): Chairman and CEO David T. Hamamoto Sold 639,182 Shares

    Chairman and CEO of Northstar Realty Finance Corporation (NRF) David T. Hamamoto sold 639,182 shares on 01/13/2014 at an average price of $14.14. NorthStar Realty Finance Corporation is a Maryland corporation formed in October 2003. Northstar Realty Finance Corporation has a market cap of $4.16 billion; its shares were traded at around $14.00 with and P/S ratio of 4.15. The dividend yield of Northstar Realty Finance Corporation stocks is 5.57%.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Kimco Realty Corporation (KIM)

Kimco Realty Corporation is a publicly owned real estate investment trust. The firm engages in acquisitions, development, and management of neighborhood and community shopping centers. It also provides property management services relating to the management, leasing, operation, and maintenance of real estate properties. The firm primarily invests in real estate markets across the globe with a focus in North America. It also invests in operating properties. The firm also provides equity and mezzanine debt to developers and owners of commercial properties. It also makes secondary market investments including under performing mortgage loans, secured bank debt, and corporate securities. Kimco was formed in 1960 and is based in New Hyde Park, New York with additional office in Mesa, Arizona; Daly City, California; Granite Bay, California; Irvine, California; Carmichael, California; Vista, California; Walnut Creek, California; West Hartford, Connecticut; Largo, Florida; Margate, Florida; Sanford, Florida; Lisle, Illinois; Rosemont, Illinois; Columbia, Maryland; Lutherville, Maryland; Bellevue, Washington; Mesquite, Texas; Houston, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Austin, Texas; Ardmore, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; Kettering, Ohio; Canfield, Ohio; Raleigh, North Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; New York, New York; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    A smart investment
    Short-sellers have been out in full force this month in Kimco Realty (NYSE: KIM  ) , a real estate investment trust that has owned interests in 895 shopping centers across North, Central, and South America. The selling has been particularly noticeable ever since Kimco announced it was purchasing a partner's stake in 70 shopping centers via two portfolios -- the Kimco Income Fund I and Kimco Income REIT joint venture ��for $67 million. Investors may not be thrilled with this purchase, but I'm certainly not doing any complaining.

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