With shares of Kraft Foods Group (NASDAQ:KRFT) trading at around $54.51, is KRFT an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:
C = Catalyst for the Stock�� Movement
Many investors are staying away from Kraft because it only has domestic operations, which leads to limited growth potential. However, Kraft shouldn�� be looked at as a growth play. This is a company that should be able to deliver consistent profits and return capital to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks. Currently, Kraft yields an impressive 3.70 percent. This is higher than the 3.00 yield for ConAgra Foods (NYSE:CAG) and the 1.40 percent yield for Hillshire Brands Company (NYSE:HSH).
As far as growth for Kraft, it has an expected five-year growth rate of�6 percent, which is below the industry average of�7 percent. Kraft has increased its advertising and brand building efforts. This has the potential to help the top line, but even employees have been frustrated�by the company�� lack of investment in new brands.
Top China Companies To Invest In 2015: Wisconsin Energy Corporation (WEC)
Wisconsin Energy Corporation engages in the generation, distribution, and sale of electric energy and steam. The company also involves in the purchase, distribution, and sale of natural gas to retail customers, as well as in the transportation of customer-owned natural gas in Wisconsin. It generates electricity from coal, natural gas, wind, and hydro sources. The company offers its services under ?We Energies? name. It serves approximately 1,120,200 electric customers in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; approximately 1,064,500 gas customers in Wisconsin; and approximately 460 steam customers in metropolitan Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition, the company invests and develops in real estate properties, including business parks and other commercial real estate projects primarily in southeastern Wisconsin. It provides electric utility service to industries, such as mining, paper, foundry, food products, and machinery production, as well as to retail chains. The c ompany was founded in 1981 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Dittman]
Participation was still robust, thanks to a highly engaged group of readers.
Utility stocks set the pace for the broader market over the first six months of 2014, as fears of rising interest rates abated and companies produced solid first-quarter financial and operating numbers.
Second-quarter reporting season will get underway later in July, with most management teams posting results in early August.
There�� also been significant mergers-and-acquisitions rumor and activity, notably surrounding the telecom space. And Wisconsin Energy Corp (NYSE: WEC) last week announced a deal to buy UF Portfolio Holding Integrys Energy Group Inc (NYSE: TEG) for $9.1 billion in cash, stock and assumed debt.
Canadian stocks are back to their winning ways thus far in 2014, with the S&P/TSX Composite Index posting a 12.5 percent total return in US dollar terms from Dec. 31, 2013, through June 30, 2014. The S&P 500 Index is up 7.1 percent, the MSCI World Index 6.6 percent.
The loonie, meanwhile, was strong in June, bouncing back to near USD0.94 and having an essentially neutral impact for US-based investors��returns for the first six months of the year.
The Australia dollar pushed out to an eight-month high earlier this week, as Chinese PMI data showed some stabilization in the economy for that key trading partner. Although iron ore prices remain depressed, several LNG projects coming on line in coming months should give a boost to Australian exports.
Aussie strength has had a clear positive impact for US-based investors who are long Australian stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Index trailed the S&P 500 and the MSCI World Index with a 3 percent return in local terms. Accounting for the impact of a stronger aussie on US investors��holdings, the S&P/ASX was up 8.8 percent from Dec. 31, 2013, through June 30, 2014.
Here are highlights in the form of a slightly edited transcript from the July 2 ��une��AE/
Top Dividend Companies For 2014: ONEOK Inc.(OKE)
ONEOK, Inc., a diversified energy company, operates as a natural gas distributor primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: ONEOK Partners, Distribution, and Energy Services. The ONEOK Partners segment engages in gathering, processing, fractionating, transporting, storing, and marketing natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) principally in the Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions, which include Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma, Fort Worth Basin of Texas, Hugoton and Central Kansas Uplift Basins of Kansas, Williston Basin of Montana, and North Dakota and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. This segment offers its services to oil and gas production companies; natural gas gathering and processing companies; petrochemical, refining, and NGL marketing companies; Local distribution companies (LDCs) and power generating companies; and natural gas marketing and NGL gathering companies, and propane distributors. The Distribution segment provides natural gas distribution services to residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation customers, as well as public authority customers, such as cities, governmental agencies, and schools in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. The Energy Services segment delivers physical natural gas products and risk management services through its network of contracted transportation and storage capacity, and natural gas supply. This segment?s customers primarily comprise LDCs, electric utilities, and industrial end users. The company was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
Natural gas company ONEOK (NYSE: OKE ) led the hit parade with a big 25.5% pop after announcing its plans to spin off its natural gas utility distribution business at some point early next year. The new company, to be called One Gas, will have a two-million-customer network throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. By spinning off this business, ONEOK hopes to appeal to yield seekers, as it can now boost its dividend once it becomes a pure-play pipeline partnership company. The utility spinoff also has the added bonuses of debt reduction and greater free cash flow for ONEOK, which will generate an estimated $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion from the spinoff. Freed of the cash-hungry utility segment, ONEOK could become a highly competitive high-yield stock for energy investors.
- [By Dividend Monk]
Oneok Inc. (OKE) is a natural gas utility company that owns the General Partner of Oneok Partners LP (OKS).
Seven Year EPS Growth Rate: 4.1%Seven Year Dividend Growth Rate: 12.6%Current Dividend Yield: 2.80%Balance Sheet Strength: Investment GradeOverviewI published a stock report last week on Oneok Partners LP, which is a relatively large natural gas and NGL master limited partnership. In the article, I stated that quantitatively and qualitatively, it appears to be a strong investment with a great combination of yield and growth.
- [By David Dittman]
Question: Hi. What do you think about Williams Companies (NYSE: WMB) and ONEOK Inc (NYSE: OKE)? They both seem to be increasing their dividends.
Answer: Williams just completed a big deal for Access Midstream Partners LP that will add to cash flow and provide more room for dividend growth. Part of the deal in fact includes a 32 percent payout increase. This is a classic invest-to-grow story. I like Williams under 60.
ONEOK is now a pure-play general partner, its asset being a 41 percent interest in ONEOK Partners LP (NYSE: OKS) and its gathering/processing/transporting assets from key US gas-producing fields. Management has guided to solid dividend growth for the next half-decade. I like ONEOK on dips to 66. - [By The Part-time Investor]
I sold ONEOK Partners (OKS), 265 shares at $51.25, and replaced it with ONEOK inc. (OKE), 267 shares at $52.31.
Although I have removed these three MLPs from my portfolio, I am still holding ARLP, Buckeye Partners (BPL), Plains All American (PAA), and Williams Partners. I am going to continue to hold these until I receive the K-1 forms next year, so that I can more carefully analyze the tax implications, and decide what to do with these other positions. I may decide that the higher yield of the MLPs might make it worth holding on to them, even though I would eventually have to pay some extra taxes. I will have more to say about this when I see the K-1 forms. Perhaps people with have some comments on this issue?
Top Dividend Companies For 2014: Public Storage(PSA)
Public Storage operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). It engages in the acquisition, development, ownership, and operation of self-storage facilities in the United States and Europe. The company?s self-storage facilities offer storage spaces for lease on a month-to-month basis for personal and business use. Public Storage also has interests in commercial properties containing commercial and industrial rental space; facilities that lease storage containers; and ancillary operations, which include reinsurance of policies against losses to goods stored by its self-storage tenants, retail operations comprising merchandise sales and truck rental operations. As of December 31, 2008, the company had interests in 2,012 self-storage facilities with approximately 127 million net rentable square feet in 38 states; and 181 self-storage facilities with approximately 10 million net rentable square feet in 7 western European nations. It also had direct and indirect equity int erests in approximately 21 million net rentable square feet of commercial space located in 11 states in the U.S. As a REIT, the company would not be subject to federal income tax to the extent that it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. Public Storage was founded in 1971 and is based in Glendale, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Will Ashworth]
In my mind you can�� go wrong operating at the higher end of the customer food chain. Look for AHP to buy some interesting properties over the next year or two.
Pure-Play REITs: Public Storage (PSA)PSA is the world�� largest owner and operator of self-storage facilities with over 1 million customers. As America�� preoccupation with owning stuff has grown exponentially in recent years, PSA’s business has come along for the ride.
- [By Jonas Elmerraji]
$29 billion self-storage REIT Public Storage (PSA) stands apart from most of the other names on this list because of its structure. As a self-storage stock, the firm receives far more revenue directly from consumers than the typical retail landlord ever would. Likewise, it generally leases storage units on a month-to-month basis rather than through a long-term arrangement. Despite the glaring differences, PSA is still a REIT worth taking a closer look at in 2014.
Hedge funds agree. They picked up 2.37 million shares of PSA last quarter.
Public Storage owns approximately 140 million square feet of leasable storage units spread across 38 states here in the U.S. as well as parts of Western Europe. Unlike a conventional landlord, where location is typically the deciding tenant factor, brand matters to PSA. Because the items stored at PSA's facilities are inherently valuable (they must be worth something for customers to bother storing them), customers are more likely to weigh a brand's reputation before securing space. Public Storage's huge scale gives it advertising and reputational advantages that smaller rivals can't match. Demand remains high for storage facilities in 2014, and that tailwind should help to propel growth.
Financing is another space where PSA stands out from its peers. Unlike most REITs, Public Storage has historically opted to finance most of its growth through equity rather than debt, leaving just $360 million in net borrowings on its balance sheet at last count. Right now, PSA pays out a 3.3% dividend yield.
- [By Amanda Alix]
Is it risky to be putting so much money into an as-yet unproven business model? Some may think so, including investors. Noting the tumble in stock price that newbies like Silver Bay and American Residential have suffered recently, Colony Capital (NYSE: CLNY ) chief Thomas Barrack postponed�the IPO of his new single-family rental company, Colony American Homes. Similarly, Public Storage (NYSE: PSA ) has filed for an IPO, too, hoping to take its American Homes 4 Rent unit public -- at some unannounced, future date. In the meantime, American Homes can rely on its $500 million credit facility�with Wells Fargo, which may be bumped up to $1 billion if necessary.
Top Dividend Companies For 2014: 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 Vinay Singh]
Natural gas isn't as cheap as it was a year ago and that's leading to big changes in the energy market. That will be a good thing for Ultra Petroleum (UPL), Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.B) and Alliance Natural Resource Partners (ARLP).
- [By Robert Rapier]
The National Association of Publicly Traded Partnerships (NAPTP) lists five MLPs in the category ��atural Resources – Coal,��although two of the five are Alliance Holdings (NYSE: AHGP) and its operating affiliate, Alliance Resource Partners (NYSE: ARLP). The other three are Natural Resource Partners (NYSE: NRP), Rhino Resource Partners (NYSE: RNO), and Oxford Resource Partners (NYSE: OXF).
- [By Dividends4Life]
The basic materials sector is highly cyclical. It relies on a strong economy to create demand for its raw materials. Since most of its products are considered to be commodities, the sector is sensitive to supply and demand fluctuations, with end-users able to substitute based on price.
Historically, yields in this sector have been on the lower end of the scale. However, with the increased demand for certain raw materials, the stocks in this sector are beginning to see higher yields with increased profitability. In addition, depressed prices on some companies have also boosted yields.
This week, I screened my dividend growth stocks database for Basic Materials companies with a yield above 2.0% and that have increased their dividends for at least 10 consecutive years. The results are presented below:
RPM International Inc. (RPM) makes specialty coatings and products for structural waterproofing and corrosion control, as well as products for the consumer, do-it-yourself and hobby markets. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1969 and has increased its dividend payments for 40 consecutive years. Yield: 2.3%
Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (APD) is a major producer of industrial gases and electronics and specialty chemicals also has interests in environmental and energy-related businesses. Air Products and Chemicals Inc. is a major producer of industrial gases and electronics and specialty chemicals also has interests in environmental and energy-related businesses. Yield: 2.5%
Nucor Corporation (NUE) is the largest minimill steelmaker in the U.S., Nucor has one of the most diverse product lines of any steelmaker in the Americas. Nucor Corporation is the largest minimill steelmaker in the U.S., Nucor has one of the most diverse product lines of any steelmaker in the Americas. Yield: 2.7%
Alliance Resource Partners LP (ARLP) produces and markets coal primarily to utilities and industr
Top Dividend Companies For 2014: UMH Properties Inc.(UMH)
UMH Properties, Inc. (UMH) is a real estate investment trust. The firm engages in the ownership and operation of manufactured home communities. It leases manufactured home spaces to private manufactured home owners, as well as leases homes to residents. The firm invests in the real estate markets of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Tennessee. In addition, it invests in debt and equity securities of REITs. United Mobile Homes was incorporated in 1968. The company was formerly known as United Mobile Homes, Inc. UMH Properties is based in Freehold, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Trailer parks may have a bad reputation, but Yahoo! Finance�� Breakout segment was recently touting trailer parks as a hot new investment area���meaning its time for retail investors who don�� want to invest in physical parks to start taking a closer look at trailer park stocks Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc (NYSE: ELS), Sun Communities Inc (NYSE: SUI) and UMH Properties, Inc (NYSE: UMH). According to the segment, roughly 6% of Americans lived in trailer homes as of 2012 with the�supply of designated trailer parks being quite low because no one wants one in their backyard. Anthony Effinger, the author of another article about trailer parks for Bloomberg, was quoted as saying:
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