US Dividends Aristocrats thread

[Mr. Wood]

COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION ANNOUNCES AN INCREASE IN ITS QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND
April 15, 2020

Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on Costco common stock and approved a quarterly increase from 65 to 70 cents per share, or $2.80 on an annualized basis. The dividend is payable May 15, 2020, to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 1, 2020.

 

[Mr. Wood]

TSMC Reports First Quarter EPS of NT$4.51
2020/04/16

"Our first quarter business declined less than seasonality, due to the increase in HPC-related demand and the continued ramp of 5G smartphones," said Wendell Huang, VP and Chief Financial Officer of TSMC. "Moving into second quarter 2020, we expect our revenue to be flattish, as weaker mobile product demand is expected to be balanced by continued 5G deployment and HPC-related product launches.

one stock dat allow us to participate in 5G without directly buy any china shares.

 

[Mr. Wood]

Las Vegas Sands Affirms Strategic Priorities Amid Covid-19 Pandemic
Apr 17, 2020

"As the largest shareholder of this company, my interests are very directly aligned with the interest of all shareholders. I know that the dividend is important to all our shareholders, as it is to me. I am known for the phrase, "yay dividends!", and I assure you that it is still my mantra. But a strong balance sheet is also a vital and necessary component to realizing stockholder value in the decades ahead. As I look forward to the day—soon let us hope—when this terrible virus is no longer of concern—I see many strategic opportunities for our company precisely because of our financial strength. It is because of this optimism that we are suspending the dividend so that we have maximum optionality in pursuing our strategic vision and in producing future returns. I commit to my fellow shareholders that we will revisit the suspension of the dividend at the earliest reasonable opportunity," stated Mr. Adelson.

high risk high rewards.
price down a lot. speculators can try luck here. must set take profit price and get out fast.

 

[Mr. Wood]

GE, Ford sign $336 million federal contract to make ventilators for coronavirus outbreak
APR 16 2020

Production of the ventilators is expected to begin next week at a Ford facility in Michigan. The companies are expected to produce all the ventilators by July 13, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

July 13 still a long way to go.
but expect market to price in the sales.
hope everything turns out well, not only for the market but oso patients.

 

[Mr. Wood]

Costco Wholesale Corporation Announces $4 Billion Debt Offering
April 16, 2020

$4 billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes. The notes consist of the following tranches:

$1.25 billion principal amount of 1.375% notes due June 20, 2027

$1.75 billion principal amount of 1.6% notes due April 20, 2030

$1 billion principal amount of 1.75 % notes due April 20, 2032
Costco intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay at or prior to maturity all of our 2.15% Senior Notes due May 2021, in an aggregate principal amount of $1 billion, as well as all of our 2.25% Senior Notes due February, 2022, in an aggregate principal amount of $500 million. Remaining proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes. The offering is expected to close on April 20, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions.

good move. take this opportunity to refinance at lower interest and long term maturity.

 

[Mr. Wood]

Altria Announces Leadership and Governance Changes
April 17, 2020

Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) (NYSE: MO) today announced Howard Willard’s retirement as Chairman of the Board of Directors (Chairman) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Altria, effective April 14, 2020. Mr. Willard, who was recovering from COVID-19, decided to step down following 28 years of distinguished service to Altria and its subsidiaries.

Altria also announced the Board’s decision to separate the roles of Chairman and CEO. The Board elected Thomas Farrell, formerly the Board’s independent Presiding Director, as independent Chairman of the Board, effective April 16, 2020

 

[Mr. Wood]

Alma Foods Announces Precautionary Facility Closure Until May 4

Apr 18, 2020

out of an abundance of caution, it will temporarily pause operations at its facility and resume production on Monday, May 4. The production pause was due to one employee testing positive for COVID-19 and the additional team members in contact with this individual outside of the facility. Given that this is a smaller production facility with minimal staffing, the company decided it was the best decision to pause the operations for 14 days to ensure the safety of its approximately 100 team members. Alma Foods is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) and produces a line of fully cooked meals and entrees as well as Saucy Blues barbeque for foodservice.

important to diversify businesses and investment.
one can close but others can continue.

 

[Mr. Wood]

https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2020/04/17/walmart-meets-commitment-to-hire-150-000-associates-pledges-to-hire-50-000-more

April 17, 2020

Walmart is committed to helping our fellow Americans seeking work, while serving our customers during this unprecedented time. We recently committed to hiring more than 150,000 new associates by the end of May. Since then, we’ve had over 1 million applicants, hiring an average of 5,000 people per day. I’m pleased to share we reached our goal in less than a month – more than six weeks ahead of schedule. But we can do more. Today, we’re announcing a new commitment to hire an additional 50,000 associates.

better than nothing although cannot help all of US unemployment.

 

[Mr. Wood]

Coca-Cola Reports First Quarter 2020 Results;
Provides Update on Business Environment Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

April 21, 2020

Quarterly Performance
• Revenues: Net revenues declined 1% to $8.6 billion. Organic revenues (non-GAAP) were even. Revenue performance included even concentrate sales and even price/mix. The quarter included one less day, which resulted in an approximate 1-point headwind to revenue growth.

• Margin: Operating margin, which included items impacting comparability, was 27.7% versus 28.0% in the prior year, while comparable operating margin (non-GAAP) was 30.7% versus 28.2% in the prior year. Solid underlying operating margin (non-GAAP) expansion was partially offset by currency headwinds.

Cash flow: Cash from operations was $556 million, down 29%. Free cash flow (non-GAAP) was $229 million, down 43%, primarily driven by the impact of one less day in the quarter, currency headwinds and cycling the supplier payment term extensions in the prior year as part of ongoing working capital initiatives.

"Our approach to navigating the pandemic is grounded in our company’s purpose, which ensures that we continuously strive to make a difference for people in the communities we serve around the world. We’ve been through challenging times before as a company, and we believe we're well positioned to manage through and emerge stronger. The power of the Coca-Cola system is our greatest strength in times of crisis. The resilience of our people, the equity of our brands and the strength of our bottling partners continue to be competitive advantages in the market."

surely good times bad times ppl still drink

 

[Mr. Wood]

Philip Morris International Inc. Reports 2020 First-Quarter Reported Diluted EPS of $1.17 Versus $0.87 in 2019, Reflecting Currency-Neutral Like-for-Like Adjusted Diluted EPS Growth of 30.1%
April 21, 2020

Reported diluted EPS of $1.17, up by 34.5%; up by 49.4%, excluding currency

Adjusted diluted EPS of $1.21, up by 11.0%; up by 30.1% on a like-for-like basis, excluding currency

Net revenues up by 6.0%; up by 10.0% on a like-for-like basis, excluding currency

Operating income up by 36.0%; up by 45.6%, excluding currency

Adjusted operating income up by 25.5% on a like-for-like basis, excluding currency

Adjusted operating income margin up by 5.1 points to 41.3% on a like-for-like basis, excluding currency

good times bad times smokers will die to smoke

"During these unprecedented times, our main focus is on the health and well-being of our employees and their families, our commercial partners and the broader communities in which we operate," said André Calantzopoulos, Chief Executive Officer.

ironic comment frm a tabaco company

 

[Mr. Wood]

Lockheed Martin Reports First Quarter 2020 Results
April 21, 2020

first quarter 2020 net sales of $15.7 billion, compared to $14.3 billion in the first quarter of 2019. Net earnings in the first quarter of 2020 were $1.7 billion, or $6.08 per share, compared to $1.7 billion, or $5.99 per share, in the first quarter of 2019. Cash from operations in the first quarter of 2020 was $2.3 billion, compared to cash from operations of $1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2019.

"As we confront the challenges introduced by the global pandemic, our corporation remains focused on providing vital national security solutions for our customers while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our employees," said Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO Marillyn Hewson. "I'm so proud of the work the dedicated men and women of Lockheed Martin are doing as part of our strong portfolio to deliver critical products and services for our customers and long-term value for our shareholders."

good times bad times gov will spend on military.

 

[Mr. Wood]

https://www.suredividend.com/gaming-stocks/
April 20th, 2020

1. #1 – Activision Blizzard
2. #2 – Electronic Arts
3. #3 – Take-Two Interactive
4. #4 – Zynga
5. #5 – NetEase

The above list is a mix of large players such as ATVI, EA, and NTES, high growth stock ZNGA, and a mid-cap stock TTWO. ATVI, EA, and TTWO peaked in Q3 2018 and then came crashing down as China froze gaming license approvals. These three stocks performed in line with the S&P 500 Index in 2019. Now, they are on a growth spree and have the potential to reach their 2018 levels as the covid situation, and regulatory environment works in their favor.

On the other hand, ZNGA and NTES outperformed the market in 2019 and see strong growth momentum in 2020 as well.

 

[Mr. Wood]

Kimberly-Clark Announces First Quarter 2020 Results

April 22, 2020

First quarter 2020 net sales of $5.0 billion increased 8 percent compared to the year-ago period, including organic sales growth of 11 percent.
Diluted net income per share for the first quarter was $1.92 in 2020 and $1.31 in 2019.
First quarter adjusted earnings per share were $2.13 in 2020, up 28 percent compared to $1.66 in 2019. Adjusted earnings per share exclude certain items described later in this news release.
First quarter cash provided by operations was $704 million in 2020 and $317 million in 2019.
The company is withdrawing its previous full-year 2020 financial outlook due to the uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"A combination of increased consumer demand for our products and strong execution by our teams is reflected in our first quarter results. We increased investments in our business and our market positions remain broadly healthy. In addition, we generated very strong cash flow and further strengthened our balance sheet by executing two long-term debt transactions in the quarter. Given the lack of visibility and uncertainty about the pandemic and its potential effects on the global economy and our business, we are temporarily suspending our forward-looking guidance. We expect that we will resume guidance when the environment stabilizes and we can provide a clear picture of our expectations. As always, we are prudently managing our business in the near-term while maintaining focus on the long-term health of our company."

surely good times or bad times pple still need to wipe their b u t t

 

[Mr. Wood]

Chipotle Announces First Quarter 2020 Results
April 21, 2020

Revenue increased 7.8% to $1.4 billion

Comparable restaurant sales increased 3.3% with a 1.4% decrease in transactions including a 1.3% leap day benefit

Through the end of February, comparable restaurant sales increased 14.4% with 10.7% transactions growth including a 2.1% leap day benefit and a restaurant level operating margin of 21.8%

Comparable restaurant sales during the month of March were negatively impacted by the impact of COVID-19, resulting in a decline of 16.0%

Digital sales grew 80.8% and accounted for 26.3% of sales for the quarter
Restaurant level operating margin was 17.6%, a decrease of 340 basis points

Diluted earnings per share was $2.70, net of a $0.38 after-tax impact from expenses related to restaurant asset impairment, corporate restructuring, and certain other costs, a 13.7% decrease from $3.13. Adjusted diluted earnings per share excluding these charges was $3.08, a 9.4% decrease from $3.40.1

Opened 19 new restaurants including one relocation and closed two restaurants during the quarter; and about 100 restaurants are temporarily closed as a result of COVID-19, mainly inside malls and shopping centers as well as 17 locations in Europe

We are dedicated to keeping our restaurants stocked with gloves, hand sanitizers, masks, and a tamper evident packaging seal for contactless mobile pickup and delivery orders. Our industry leading food safety protocols result in a culture of continuous improvement to ensure that our customers have consistently excellent experiences. In response to COVID-19, we quickly made critical decisions including: eliminated non-essential travel, implemented work from home, significantly expanded employee benefits, increased sanitization of high touch, high traffic areas, and increased the frequency of personal hygiene practices. All of these initiatives give our employees and customers confidence that Chipotle remains steadfast in our commitment to keeping them safe.

 

[Mr. Wood]

Domino's Pizza Announces First Quarter 2020 Financial Results and Business Update
April 23, 2020

Global retail sales growth (excluding foreign currency impact) of 5.9%
U.S. same store sales growth of 1.6%
International same store sales growth of 1.5%
Global net store growth of 69
Diluted EPS up 39.5% to $3.07

same store growth not good.

"In a time of unprecedented change in our industry, I am pleased to report that Domino's is in a very strong financial position, both at the brand and franchisee levels," said Ritch Allison, Domino's Chief Executive Officer. "We can't predict the full impact of COVID-19 on the broader economy and we don't know how consumer behavior and restaurant purchasing patterns may evolve coming out of this crisis. What I do know is that our franchisees and teams in the U.S. and across the globe will remain focused on safely serving our customers and our communities in this time of need. I have great confidence in our people and our ability to manage through this crisis, and I remain optimistic about the long-term potential of the Domino's brand."

 

[Mr. Wood]

West Announces First-Quarter 2020 Results
April 23, 2020

First-Quarter 2020 Summary (comparisons to prior-year period)
Net sales of $491.5 million grew 10.8%; organic sales growth was 12.7%.

Reported-diluted EPS of $0.99 increased 36%.

Adjusted-diluted EPS of $1.01 increased 36%.

The Company is maintaining full-year 2020 net sales guidance and is updating full-year 2020 adjusted-diluted EPS guidance to a new range of $3.52 to $3.62, compared to a prior range of $3.45 to $3.55.

Additionally, our teams are partnering with a broad range of customers working to support efforts to develop solutions that address the global COVID-19 pandemic such as diagnostics, anti-viral therapeutics and vaccines.

good times bad times pharma still will find problems to solve.

 

[Mr. Wood]

Tractor Supply Company Reports First Quarter 2020 Financial Results
April 23, 2020

Net Sales Increased 7.5%; Comparable Store Sales Increased 4.3%
Diluted Earnings Per Share Increased 12.7% to $0.71
Actions Taken to Prioritize Investments in Safety and Convenience and Improve Liquidity

“Our year-to-date results underscore the importance of Tractor Supply as an essential, needs-based retailer. Tractor Supply delivered solid results in the first quarter, and second quarter sales are off to a strong start,”

“At this critical time, Tractor Supply is committed to supporting our customers’ ability to take care of their families, property and animals. We are leveraging our strengths and pursuing opportunities as we adapt to our customers’ changing needs, as they rely on us to be the dependable supplier to support their lifestyle.”

 

[Mr. Wood]

Bank OZK Announces First Quarter 2020 Earnings
April 23, 2020

The Bank’s annualized returns on average assets, average common stockholders’ equity and average tangible common stockholders’ equity for the first quarter of 2020 were 0.20%, 1.16% and 1.39%, respectively, compared to 1.99%, 11.77% and 14.40%, respectively, for the first quarter of 2019.

“During the first quarter of 2020, we continued our long-standing focus on our team members, meeting the needs of our customers, serving the communities in which we operate and delivering favorable returns for our shareholders. As we navigate the various challenges created by the current economic environment, we will continue to seek to capitalize on investment and other opportunities which may arise from such turbulent conditions. We believe our team of industry and technology professionals is well-positioned to lead the Bank to continued success.”

 

[Mr. Wood]

Bank OZK braces for COVID-19 impact by building credit loss reserve
Apr. 23, 2020

Bank OZK (NASDAQ:OZK) Q1 provision for credit losses of $117.7M due to the sudden and severe economic downturn resulting from COVID-19 pandemic brings its total allowance for credit losses of $316.4M at March 31, 2020.

Total loans outstanding were $18.23B at March 31, 2020, up 4.3% Y/Y; deposits were $18.81B at Q1-end, up 1.8% Y/Y.

Tangible book value per common share of $26.30 at March 31, 2020 vs. $26.88 at Dec. 31, 2019.

increase debts. lower deposits.
PB ratio <1

 

[Mr. Wood]

INTEL REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2020 FINANCIAL RESULTS

April 23, 2020

First-quarter revenue was $19.8 billion, up 23% year-over-year (YoY). Data-centric revenue* grew 34 percent and PC-centric revenue grew 14 percent YoY.

First-quarter GAAP earnings-per-share (EPS) was $1.31, up 51 percent YoY; non-GAAP EPS of $1.45 was up 63 percent.

Generated $6.2 billion cash from operations and $2.9 billion of free cash flow while strengthening liquidity with $10.3 billion in new debt and suspension of share buybacks.

Expecting second-quarter revenue of $18.5 billion; GAAP EPS of $1.04 and non-GAAP EPS of $1.10; not providing full-year guidance given significant economic uncertainty.

“The role technology plays in the world is more essential now than it has ever been, and our opportunity to enrich lives and enable our customers' success has never been more vital. Guided by our cultural values, competitive advantages and financial strength, I am confident we will emerge from this situation an even stronger company."