MicroFinancial (MFI) Declares $0.05 Quarterly Dividend; 4.8% Yield

MicroFinancial Incorporated (Nasdaq: MFI) has declared a cash dividend of $0.05 per common share, $0.20 annualized. The dividend is payable on February 15, 2011, to holders of record of MFI common stock at the close of business on February 1, 2011. The ex-dividend date is January 28, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 4.8%.... more

Targa Resources (TRGP) Declares $0.616 Quarterly Dividend; 3.5% Yield

Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE: TRGP) has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.616 per common share, $1.03 annualized. The cash dividend will be paid February 21, 2011 on all outstanding common shares to holders of record as of the close of business on February 3, 2011. The ex-dividend date is February 1, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 3.5%.... more

Value Line (VALU) Declares $0.20 Quarterly Dividend; 5.8% Yield; Increases Stock Buyback to $3.2M

Value Line, Inc. (Nasdaq: VALU) has approved a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per common share, $0.80 annualized. The dividend is payable on February 10, 2011 to shareholders of record on January 31, 2011. The ex-dividend date is January 27, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 5.8%. In addition, the Board of Directors approved the repurchase of shares of the Company's Common Stock up to an aggregate purchase price not to exceed $3,200,000.... more

World Wrestling Entertainment Plunges on Earnings Projections: Dividend in Danger?

Several years ago I wrote a series of articles about World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) (see here, here and here) in which I opined on its unique ability to generate free cash flow and pay high dividends to its investors. I even went as far as to say that the company and its business model itself were recession proof. While WWE continued its dividend payouts with regularity and maintained profitability during even the most difficult part of the financial crisis and ensuing recession, the earnings projections released by WWE this Friday, in anticipation of the February 10th official earnings announcement, should be a major concern to investors.... more

Ensign Group: This Dividend Paying Growth Stock Is Already Strong Pre-Boomer Retirement

Assisted living and nursing home care has never been a glamorous industry, but it is certainly a necessary one. The baby-boomer generation will be reaching the new retirement age of 67 between 2013 and 2031, with the greatest amount of retirees expected in 2024. With this positive outlook on demand, Ensign Group (ENSG) is poising itself to be a heavy contender in the retirement market, displaying a 12% acquisition rate over the last six years, and positive margins in an industry that is short on private-pay retirees after pensions evaporated in late 2008.... more

Top 10 Dividend Champions With the Lowest Put/Call Ratios

The following is a list of dividend champions with extreme options positioning. All of the stocks mentioned below have a large number of open call option positions relative to put option positions, i.e. a low Put/Call ratio.... more

20 Relatively Safe and Cheap Dividend Stocks for Income Investors

Marty Whitman describes his strategy by stating that he invests in companies that are "safe and cheap." The following 20 dividend stocks were chosen for their large yields and for the safety of their core businesses, which make most on this list "safe and cheap." Emphasis on valuation is made for capital protection and appreciation over time -- we want to buy businesses that will be around in 20 years and look to earnings quality and business moat. Many investors get lulled into a false sense of security with high yield stocks, even when the underlying companies have to borrow money to fund their dividend payments. Look for large operating cash flows to cover the dividend payments during recessions and in times of deep competitive pressures.... more

The 17 Most Oversold Dividend Champions

The following is a list of oversold dividend champions, as defined by the Relative Strength, or RSI(14), indicator. All of the stocks mentioned below have RSI(14) levels below 40, which usually signals oversold conditions. To create the list, we started with a universe of about 100 dividend champions identified by the DrIP Investing Resource Center--featuring companies that have increased dividends for more than 25 consecutive years. We then narrowed down the list by only focusing on those stocks that have RSI(14) values below 40.... more

A Long-Term Dividend Play

Jeremy Siegel has been a well-respected name on Wall Street for years. His Stocks for the Long Run is a sacred text for any long-term investor, and in 1999, he accurately predicted the Internet bubble. So when Siegel talks, it's a good idea to listen. I recently finished his 2005 book, The Future for Investors. Siegel spends the first half of the book making crystal clear the two traits that, he argues, will always reward long-term, buy-and-hold investors.... more

How Long Can These Dividends Last?

Whether you're a beginning investor or a near-retiree, you probably know that the importance of purchasing stocks that pay dividends cannot be overstated. Not only do companies with quarterly or annual payouts provide you with a steady stream of income, but they also have the potential for capital appreciation. Simply put, dividend stocks can you give your portfolio what almost no other investment can -- both income and growth. At The Motley Fool, we're avid fans of dividends -- and not just because we like that steady stream of cash. Studies have shown that from 1972 to 2006, stocks in the S&P 500 that don't pay dividends have earned an average annual return of 4.1%; dividend stocks, however, have averaged a whopping 10.1% per year. That is an incredible difference -- one that you'd be... more