What Companies are Raising Their Dividends?

There are a lot of dividend raisers to start out the new year. Here are some that recently boosted their payouts.

Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) had an increase to its 47th consecutive annual dividend

Becton Dickinson (BDX) had a 10% increase in dividend payout, and has raised its dividend for 42 years in a row

Dominion Resources Inc. (D) increased its quarterly dividend 6.6%

The Boeing Company (BA) increased its quarterly dividend 10%

Edison International (EIX) increased its quarterly dividend 3.8%

Tyco (TYC) Plans 7% Dividend Increase

KBR (KBR) raised its dividend by an incredible 60%

Realty Income (O) raised its monthly dividend by 2%

Rent-a-Center (RCII) raised its quarterly dividend by 31%

General Electric Company (GE) increased its quarterly dividend by 12%

Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. (NUS) increased its quarterly dividend 50%

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (AXS) increased its quarterly dividend 4%

If you like stock lists like this, such as a list of stocks going ex-dividend, beer stocks, candy stocks, or coffee stocks, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Starbucks Opening in Vietnam: Is this the Next Big Asian Growth Country?

Starbucks (SBUX) has been expanding all over the world and will now open its first coffee shop in Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam has a fast growing economy. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the country spent almost $4.5 billion on Apple (AAPL) iPhones and other cells phone imports last year.

Vietnam is drawing the eyes of other companies. As an example, Siam Cement Group, based in Thailand, paid $240 million to purchase an 85% interest in Prime Group, one of the largest tile and brick manufacturers in Vietnam.

So if an American investor wants to participate in Vietnam's growth, there are some options available. According to the list of Vietnam stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, there are over a dozen companies that are either based in Vietnam or have large operations in Vietnam. Unfortunately, most of these companies are either very illiquid, have low market caps, or don't trade in the United States.

The best way to take advantage of the Vietnamese business expansion is through the Market Vectors Vietnam Exchange Traded Fund (VNM). The fund owns several Vietnam companies that would not be available to US investors, such as Vincom Joint Stock Company, Viet Nam Joint Stock Commercial Bank For Industry And Trade, Bao Viet Holdings, and the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam, all of which make up about 30% of the portfolio.

The average price to earnings ratio is 10.6 and the average price to book value is 1.19. The fund pays a yield of 1.0%. Although the fund had a volatile year in 2012, it was actually up 22%. It started off the year well, spiking 4.7% on January 2.

For a free list of Vietnam stocks, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Disclosure: Author owns AAPL.

By STockerblog.com

The Monthly Dividend Stocks: A Great Source of Regular Income

Have you been to your bank lately? You are lucky if you can get half a percent on a savings account. If you want to get more than 1%, you may need to tie your money up for ten years. The alternatives include monthly income stocks. Though these investments are often referred to as stocks, they are technically closed end bond funds, real estate investment trusts, oil income trusts, and closed end income stock funds that pay dividends monthly.

The advantage of monthly dividend investments include the return of your capital faster, which can generate faster compounding. In addition, the monthly payments can help reduce volatility. These monthly dividend investments can be found at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, which has a recently updated list of about 200 different companies that pay dividends monthly, many of which have high yields in excess of 7%.

One example is Gas Natural Inc. (EGAS), previously called Energy, Inc., It is a distributor of natural gas in Montana, Wyoming, North Carolina, and Maine. It was founded in 1909. The stock pays a yield of 5.8% and sports a forward price to earnings ratio of 13.9.

The Advent Claymore Convertible Securities & Income Fund (AVK) sports a yield of 6.9%, sells at about a 8.2% discount to net asset value. This closed end fund, founded in 2003, invests approximately 60% of its portfolio in convertible securities and 40% in lower-grade non-convertible income securities. The company recently announced it will pay a supplemental dividend of 51.371 cents a share.

The MFS Multimarket Income Trust (MMT) pays a yield of 6.5%. It invests in fixed income investments throughout the world. The stock trades at a 5.2% discount to net asset value. The trust was founded in 1987, and has a management fee of 0.82%.

LMP Real Estate Income Fund Inc. (RIT) is a vehicle that allows the investor to participate in the real estate recovery and receive monthly income. It is an exchange traded fund that invests in real estate related companies including real estate investment trusts. It carries a yield of 6.5%, and has paid dividends since 2002. It is trading at a 8.6% discount to net asset value.

Pengrowth Energy Trust (PGH) is a Canadian oil royalty income trust that yields 9.8%. The company, which was founded in 1988, explores, develops, and produces oil and natural gas reserves in western Canada.

When choosing monthly dividend investments investors should avoid investments with high management fees, limited liquidity, ones that trade at a large premium to net asset value, and the ones using excessive leverage. The municipal bond closed end funds may trigger the Alternative Minimum Tax; check with your accountant before investing.

A list of over a couple hundred monthly dividend stocks, including many that have yields of 6% or more, is available at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. Keep in mind that very high yields may not be sustainable.

Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

Here is Where You Can Read the Fiscal Cliff Bill

Would you like some bedtime reading? How about reading over 150 pages of the Fiscal Cliff Bill, also known as the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, also known as H.R.8. The entire bill, in a pdf format, can be found at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com which you can get to by clicking here. It originally came directly from the Library of Congress. Now you can print it out and read it at your leisure.