In terms of creating value for its shareholders, Altria (MO) has to be near the top of the list. Unlike some of its other domestic tobacco peers, Altria does offer some diversification, due to its large stake in SABMiller and other alcohol related holdings. Altria currently offers a $0.44 per share quarterly dividend. At current prices, Altria yields slightly under 5%.
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With its Marlboro brand of tobacco products, Altria is the leader in the domestic tobacco market. Marlboro's market share sits at a massive 42.6%. For comparison's sake, the next 10 largest brands combined market share is 40.2%. As of 2012, Altria's share of the $13.8B total tobacco profit pool has grown to 52%, up from 44% in 2007.
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Top Dividend Companies For 2014: Pacific Gas & Electric Co.(PCG)
PG&E Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility company that engages in electricity and natural gas distribution primarily in northern and central California. The company also involves in the generation, procurement, transmission, and distribution of electricity; and procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution of natural gas. It owns and operates electricity generation facilities, transmission and distribution lines, and substations; and an integrated natural gas transportation, storage, and distribution system, as well as has underground natural gas storage fields in California. The company serves residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, public street and highway lighting, and other electric utility customers. As of December 31, 2009, it served approximately 5.1 million electricity distribution customers and approximately 4.3 million natural gas distribution customers. The company also operated 18,650 circuit miles of intercon nected transmission lines and 141,213 circuit miles of distribution lines for electricity; and 42,142 miles of distribution pipelines, 6,438 miles of backbone and local transmission pipelines, and 3 storage facilities for natural gas. PG&E Corporation was founded in 1905 and is based in San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
Looking for a way to invest in hydropower? California's PG&E (NYSE: PCG ) is the nation's largest hydropower utility, producing nearly 12 billion kilowatt-hours of water-sourced electricity each year. CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS ) , which currently operates 13 hydroelectric power plants in Michigan -- including one near the site of that first Grand Rapids turbine -- provides power to about 70,000 people each year from the movement of water.
Top Dividend Companies For 2014: Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited(NZT)
Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services, as well as information, communication, and technology services in New Zealand and Australia. Its products and services include local, national, international, and value-added telephone services; mobile services; data, broadband, and Internet services; IT consulting, implementation, and procurement services; and equipment sales and installation services. The company also involves in the retail of telecommunications products and services. It serves residential, business, and government customers. Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited was founded in 1987 and is based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Hot Safest Stocks For 2014: YPF Sociedad Anonima(YPF)
YPF SOCIEDAD ANONIMA, an energy company, engages in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Argentina. The company also involves in refining, marketing, transportation, and distribution of oil and a range of petroleum products, petroleum derivatives, petrochemicals, LPG, and bio-fuels; and gas separation and natural gas distribution operations. As of December 31, 2010, it had proved reserves of approximately 531 million barrels of oil and 2,533 billion cubic feet of gas; and retail distribution network of 1,622 YPF-branded service stations for automotive petroleum products. The company?s crude oil transportation network includes approximately 2,700 kilometers of crude oil pipelines with approximately 640,000 barrels of aggregate daily transportation capacity of refined products; crude oil tankage of approximately 7 million barrels; and terminal facilities at 5 Argentine ports. In addition, it participates in 3 power stations with an aggregate installed capacity of 1,622 megawatts. The company was founded in 1977 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. YPF SOCIEDAD ANONIMA is a subsidiary of Repsol YPF, S.A.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Carroll]
That's all Chevron's stock has done today, however, falling along with the broader energy sector. Strangely, Chevron's stock is on the downswing despite a release of good news. The Supreme Court of Argentina unfroze Chevron's assets in the South American nation, lifting an earlier embargo that had gone on for months. Chevron is looking to team up with Argentinian state-run energy firm YPF (NYSE: YPF ) in developing the Vaca Muerta shale field, the world's second-largest shale-oil basin.
- [By Matt DiLallo]
In order to expand, Chevron has been working�on a joint venture agreement�with YPF� (NYSE: YPF ) , which is the national drilling company in the country and a key holder in the Vaca Muerta field. The $1.5 billion venture would help jump-start the development of that field and could be worth up to $15 billion in total future investments. Foreign investments like Chevron's will be important in developing the play; its estimated that about $3 billion would be required just to get the shale gas extraction started, with upwards of $25 billion needed to develop Vaca Muerta's shale oil and gas potential.
- [By Matt DiLallo]
After lots of speculation, oil and gas giant Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) has finally come to terms on a joint development agreement with Argentine national oil company YPF (NYSE: YPF ) . The $1.24 billion deal will help further the development of oil and gas at Argentina's Vaca Muerta formation. Vaca Muerta, which in Spanish means "dead cow," holds more hope for both Chevron and Argentina than that name might imply, as it's estimated to hold 27 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil.
Top Dividend Companies For 2014: Xcel Energy Inc.(XEL)
Xcel Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers, as well as to public authorities in the United States. The company generates electricity using coal, nuclear, natural gas, hydro, wood, diesel, and wind energy. It also engages in the purchase, transportation, distribution, and sale of natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The company serves customers in portions of Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. As of December 31, 2010, it provided electricity services to 3,391,611 customers; and natural gas services to 1,893,250 customers. Xcel Energy, through its joint venture interests in WYCO Development LLC, develops and leases natural gas pipeline, storage, and compression facilities. The company was founded in 1909 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sara Murphy]
Cleetus discusses a new breed of energy companies that are working to incorporate and promote renewables. She specifically praises Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL ) for its investment in wind power. Just today, Xcel announced a new 200 megawatt wind farm project in Minnesota.
- [By Shauna O'Brien]
Jefferies announced on Wednesday that it has raised its rating on Xcel Energy Inc (XEL).
The firm has upgraded XEL from “Hold” to “Buy,” and has raised the company’s price target from $31 to $32.50. This new price target suggests a 15% upside from the stock’s current price of $27.72.
Analyst Paul B. Fremont commented: “The stock is currently trading at an 8% P/E discount to our 2015E group average multiple.”
“Despite a difficult political environment in Minnesota the company was able to achieve a reasonable outcome in its NSP-Minnesota rate case,” the analyst added.
Looking forward, the firm has increased its FY2014 outlook from $1.95 to $2.00 per share.
Xcel Energy shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Wednesday. The stock has been mostly flat YTD.
- [By Justin Loiseau]
Xcel excels at cutting carbon
Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL ) announced today that it expects to surpass its goal of a 20% CO2 reduction by 2020 by up to 7%. Xcel has favored wind as its main method for getting rid of greenhouse gases. The utility currently owns 4,900 MW of wind capacity, approximately 12% of its total generation portfolio. - [By Sean Williams]
Another risk factor that can often be overlooked is that electricity price increases aren't a guarantee. In fact, power price increase rulings are often determined by state regulatory energy commissions which have a duty to look out not for these companies, but also for the best interests of consumers. Last summer, for instance, Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL ) was denied a $100 million rate increase (about $2 each month per customer) by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission after failing to sufficiently demonstrate how not raising these rates would adversely impact the company.�
Top Dividend Companies For 2014: United Bancshares Inc.(UBOH)
United Bancshares, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for The Union Bank Company that engages in the provision of commercial banking services to small and middle-market businesses and individuals. It accepts various deposit products, including checking accounts, savings and money market accounts, time certificates of deposit, time deposits, and demand deposits. The company also offers various loan products that consist of commercial, consumer, agricultural, residential mortgage, and home equity loans. In addition, it provides automatic teller machine services, safe deposit box rentals, and other personalized banking services. The company serves primarily in the Ohio counties of Allen, Hancock, Putnam, Sandusky, Van Wert, and Wood, as well as with office locations in Bowling Green, Columbus Grove, Delphos, Findlay, Gibsonburg, Kalida, Leipsic, Lima, Ottawa, and Pemberville, Ohio. United Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Columbus Grove, Ohio.< /p>
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