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Recent Articles
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Altria Reaffirms 2024 Full Year Guidance
Oct 31, 2024
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Image: Altria’s shares have recovered nicely during 2024.
Altria paid dividends of $1.7 billion and $5.1 billion during the third quarter and the first nine months, respectively. The 4.1% increase in its dividend in August marked the 59th increase during the past 55 years. Management’s guidance calls for a mid-single-digits annual increase in its per-share payout through 2028. We liked Altria’s operating income growth in its Smokeable Products segment in the quarter, and we’re fans of its plans for the dividend the next few years. Altria remains a key idea in the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio.
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Booking Holdings Experiencing Strong Performance in Europe
Oct 31, 2024
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Image: Booking Holdings’ shares soar to all-time highs.
Booking’s free cash flow of $7.25 billion through the first nine months of the year is nearly 40% of revenue, showcasing its cash-rich business model. The company declared a cash dividend of $8.75 per share to stockholders of record as of the close of business December 6. The high end of our fair value estimate range for Booking Holdings stands north of $5,000. We continue to like shares as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. Shares yield 0.75% at the time of this writing.
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Microsoft Remains a Net-Cash-Rich, Free-Cash-Flow Generating Powerhouse
Oct 30, 2024
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Image: Microsoft’s shares continue to flirt with all-time highs.
Microsoft ended the quarter with $78.4 billion in cash and short-term investments against long-term debt of $42.9 billion. Cash flow from operations increased to $34.2 billion from $30.6 billion in the year-ago period, while capital spending swelled to $14.9 billion from $9.9 billion in the year-ago quarter. Free cash flow in the quarter of $19.3 billion handily covered cash dividends paid of $5.6 billion over the same time. Microsoft remains one of our top ideas in both the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio.
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Republic Services Pricing Strength Continues to be Evident
Oct 30, 2024
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Image Source: Republic Services.
Year-to-date, Republic Services returned $834.3 million to shareholders in the form of $329.5 million of share buybacks and $504.8 million in dividends paid. Looking to 2024, Republic Services now expects revenue near the low end of its 2024 guidance range ($16.075-$16.125 billion) and adjusted EBITDA at the high end of the range ($4.9-$4.925 billion). We like Republic Services moaty business model and its pricing strength, and the company remains a core holding in the newsletter portfolios.
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