Winthrop Realty Trust (FUR) Tops Q3 Views; Declares $0.1625 Quarterly Dividend; 4.9% Yield

Winthrop Realty Trust (FUR) reports Q3 adjusted FFO of $0.43, 13 cents better than the consensus of $0.30. Revenue for the quarter came in at $14.25 million, compared to the consensus of $13.33 million. The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.1625 per common share, $0.65 annualized. The dividend is payable on January 18, 2011 to common shareholders of record on December 31, 2010. The ex-dividend date is December 29, 2010. Yield on the dividend is 4.9%.... more

Three MLPs to Take Gains, Three Yield Ideas for the Week

In any financial magazine, website, discussion thread, or golf foursome at any given time on any given day, if three high dividend yield ideas are being discussed, it’s almost a sure thing that one of those ideas will be some sort of pipeline/energy MLP (master limited partnership). Armed with cash yielding zero and the buzz generated by the above referenced “reliable” sources, investors have bid the energy MLP names up over the last year. As we slide into the end of the year and look for gain and loss candidates, it might behoove one to nominate a few MLP names as gain takers. From our vantage point, there are a couple of signs that tell us this may be so. 1. Packaged MLP investment products - this year we’ve seen launches of quite a few ETFs, ETNs (exchange traded notes), and... more

Time Warner (TWC) Posts Q3 EPS of $1.00, Tops VIews; Declares $4B Stock Buyback, $0.40 Quarterly Dividend; 2.7% Yield

Time Warner Cable (TWC) reports Q3 EPS of $1.00, 11 cents better than the analyst estimate of $0.89. Revenue for the quarter was $4.7 billion, which compares to the estimate of $4.72 billion. In the third quarter, high-speed data subscribers grew by 104,000 and Digital Phone subscribers increased by 34,000, while video subscribers declined by 155,000, resulting in a net loss of 17,000 Primary Service Units. TWC's Board of Directors has authorized a $4 billion share repurchase program. The Board also declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share on the Company’s Common Stock, $1.60 annualized. The dividend is payable in cash on December 15, 2010 to stockholders of record at the close of business on November 30, 2010. The ex-dividend date is November 26,... more

Valeant Pharma (VRX) Swings to Q3 Loss; Declares $1.00 Special Dividend; Authorizes $1.5B Stock Buyback

Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: VRX) reports Q3 loss of $1.27, versus $0.25 reported for the same period a year ago. Revenue for the quarter was $208.3 million, which compares to the estimate of $297.08 million. The company declared a special $1.00 dividend per common share. The dividend is payable December 22, 2010, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 15, 2010. The ex-dividend date is November 11, 2010. The Board also authorized a $1.5 billion stock buyback program... more

Now's the Time to Double Down on Dividends

Yes, you read that headline correctly. On the heels of the worst two years for dividend investors in more than a generation, I'm telling you that now's the time to double down on dividend stocks. Allow me to explain. A tough pill to swallowWhile dividend payers have long been considered safe ports in stormy markets, this recession has been a notable exception.... more

These Dividends Are Done

It's been a scary crisis for dividend investors. Even after the subsequent rally, a lot of dividend yields are sky-high. According to Capital IQ, there are 806 stocks on our major exchanges with yields of 5% or more.But many of these are dividend traps, enticing us with the promise of fat quarterly payouts, only to cut them down the road.... more

5 Keys to Successful Dividend Investing

In 2008 and 2009, the dividend landscape was turned upside-down. During the fourth quarter of 2008 alone, 288 companies cut payouts. Not to be outdone, in 2009, according to Standard & Poor's, another 804 dividend payments were cut by public companies -- costing investors another $58 billion. Nevertheless, amid all the dividend cuts and suspensions of the past two years, we were reminded of five key lessons that we can use to our advantage going forward.... more

The 25 Highest-Yielding Stocks

Dividend investing is popular again. Investors have taken to heart Jeremy Siegel's studies, which show that higher-yielding stocks tend to offer greater returns over time than low- or no-yield stocks. The highest dividend yields can be very tantalizing. As long as a stock yielding 15% doesn't lose value, you'll make 15% in one year! In more cases than not, however, an astronomical yield is a bad sign for a stock. Since dividend yields and stock prices move in opposite directions, a high yield usually means that investors have begun to worry about the business and driven down its stock price.However, certain types of companies such as REITs have to pay out most of their income as dividends, so their yields will be higher than "normal." Dividends are not guaranteed; you need to make sure... more

The Washington Post Co.'s Dividends May Not Last Forever

Whether you're a beginning investor or a near-retiree, the importance of purchasing stocks that pay dividends cannot be overstated. Not only do companies that have quarterly or annual payouts provide you with a steady stream of income, they also have the potential for capital appreciation. Simply put, dividend stocks can 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 crazy to not take... more

The Income Treasure Hunt: Dividend ETFs

When I was younger, I remember watching a show called The New Treasure Hunt. A contestant would pick from a group of 30 large prize boxes, and the host would clown around with gags the box had in it before revealing the prize. It might have been a donkey. It might have been ..."$25,000"! Bond yields stink right now, and some think a bond bubble is on the horizon. Smart investors may want to go on their own treasure hunt, rebalancing their diversified portfolios by shifting capital from bonds into other income-producing securities, where they can reinvest the income for compounded growth.... more