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Dividend Stocks For Hedging Against Dollar’s Long Term Fluctuations

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:08:43 GMT

In general, ability of the companies to pay dividends depends upon its profitability, cash flows, earnings, prudent money management (think debt!). With the ongoing recession many have started expressing concerns about long term prospects of US economy. Among many issues, one aspect that has been gaining momentum is the strength of dollar and its status as world currency.[More...]

ADM – Stock Analysis For Dividend Growth Portfolio

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:53:03 GMT

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is one of the world’s leading agribusiness companies, with significant market presence in agriculture processing and merchandising. ADM has approximately 230 plants location worldwide. It is one of the world’s largest processors of agricultural commodities, such as oilseeds, corn, wheat, protein meal, corn sweeteners, flour, biodiesel, ethanol, and other food and feed ingredients. ADM is a dividend aristocrat and has been raising its dividends for last 34 years. The most dividend increase was in February 2009. I view ADM[More...]

NGG – Stock Analysis For Dividend Growth Portfolio

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:16:58 GMT

This article originally appeared on The DIV Net, on June 18, 2009 National Grid plc (NGG) is a London based UK utility company. It owns and operates of regulated electricity and gas infrastructure networks in United Kingdom (Wales and Scotland) and North Eastern United States (upstate New York, NYC, Long Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and[More...]

Best International Dividend Stocks

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:13:00 GMT

In a previous article I provided a list with the best dividend stocks for the long run. Since the list included only US stocks several readers asked for a similar list with international dividend growth stocks instead. Furthermore, I am also looking to expand my portfolio to include at least some allocation to [More...]

Eight Dividend Increases In The News

Mon, 18 May 2009 15:36:33 GMT

The past several months have been characterized by tremendous volatility and a lot of negative news regarding the state of the economy as a whole.[More...]

Market Report For Friday: Apr 17, 2009

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:00:45 GMT

(7:11am ET) There was plenty of economic data released in the US during the day; however the equity market sidetracked until 2pm ET, when with prices at modest losing levels on the week until that point, suddenly, and for no discernable reason, there was a rally that left the indexes with small gains through Thursday. Perhaps traders were anticipating a positive quarterly report from Google (GOOG +2.4% on +151% of average daily trading volume)? After the close, the company did not disappoint, beating both revenue and EPS estimates. The company posted net income of $1.42 billion ($5.16/share), up +8% from the $1.31 billion ($4.84/share) recorded during the same period a year ago. Revenue for 1Q2009 increased +10% to $4.07 billion, from $3.7 billion, excluding traffic acquisition costs. On average, analysts had expected earnings per share of $4.93 and revenue of $4.08 billion, according to Yahoo Finance. For the first[More...]

Daily Report For Thursday, Apr 16, 2009

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:36:24 GMT

(8:25am ET) The main focus of traders today will be the 1Q2009 earnings report from JP Morgan (JPM), and the close scrutiny of the data and hype that will follow. After hitting a low of $14.93 in early March, JPM has rallied +118.1% to yesterday’s close of $32.56. There was a high of $34.15 on Tuesday. http://tinyurl.com/da6dcv JP Morgan reported Q1 net income of $2.14 billion, or $0.40/share, down -10% from a year earlier, but beat analysts' expectations. Revenue increased +48% to $25.03 billion. WSJ reported that CEO Jamie Dimon said the firm extended about $150 billion in new credit to consumer and corporate customers during the quarter. With a last hour rally spurred by the real estate investment trusts (REITS) ($DJR +8.7%) and Banks ($BKX +5.1%) in the Financial sector (XLF +4.8%), the US equity[More...]

Daily Report For Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:18:59 GMT

(9:30am ET) Stocks in NY sank at the open following various negative reports from TV talking heads, though trade volume was weak on the Easter Monday. After the close, Goldman Sachs surprised with unusually positive revenue and earnings. Today, President Obama will be making a speech on the state of the economy. Traders are confused. Yesterday was pretty much a lost day in the market. Very little of consequence happened. By the close, the DJIA’s small loss (-25.57 -0.32% to 8057.81) offset the small gain in the S&P (+2.17 +0.25% to 858.73), while the NASDAQ (+0.77 +0.05% to 1653.31) was flat. The Toronto Composite (+98.50 +1.07% to 9285.6) and the Toronto Venture Board (+11.89 +1.23% to 980.86) were stronger as the metal miners and goldminers enjoyed a good day. Except for Japan’s Nikkei 225 index (-0.92% to 8842.7), prices today were strong in the major international equity markets: Australia (+2.22% to[More...]

Daily Report For Tuesday: Apr 7, 2009

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:31:58 GMT

(8:05am ET) Stocks closed Monday's session in NY lower on a lightly-traded day, but much higher Week over Week. Through Friday, the major market indexes saw their largest four-week gains in seventy-six years. Now the market is preparing for 1Q2009 earnings season, which gets underway today with Alcoa (AA). On Monday, the DJIA (-41.74 -0.52% to 7975.85), S&P (-7.02 -0.83% to 835.48), and NASDAQ (-15.16 -0.93% to 1606.71) could not make headway against concerns the major banks may be preparing to release negative quarterly reports. The Toronto Composite (-49.59 -0.55% to 9016.17), and Venture Board (-12.42 -1.27% to 963.17) were also down on the day, but higher Week over Week. In international equity markets today, the closing prices showed losses except for Shanghai China (+0.80% to 2439.2): Australia -1.30% to 3648.5; Hong Kong -0.46% to 14929.0; India -1.80% to 10534.9; and Japan -0.28% to 8832.9. At 7:30am ET,[More...]

Daily Report For Wednesday, Apr 1, 2009

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:53:00 GMT

(8:07am ET) In his absence, Bill has asked the CTAB traders fill in for him today and maybe tomorrow as well. Bill was having connectivity and other related computer issues early Tuesday morning. Perhaps the Conficker worm virus programmed to be unleashed April 1, began slithering through the Bahamas a little ahead of schedule. The final trading day of the month opened higher, with aggressive traders nimbly positioning themselves for further short gains, after a late afternoon bounce Monday, anticipating large money managers to “mark up” equities boosting their quarter end returns. This strategy paid off nicely as the S&P future rose to 807, nearly 4% off Monday’s late afternoon low of 776. However, traders expecting prices to close near the highs were disappointed, as stocks peaked near 3pm eastern, giving up a significant portion of the day’s gains. The DJIA finished up 86.9 (+1.15%) closing at 7608.92,[More...]

Storm brings wind, heavy rain to Bay State

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:47:00 GMT

Dec. 3--A balmy December storm that dumped rains and whipping winds throughout the region is bringing down power lines, toppling trees and branches and causing scattered electrical outages.
A power outage that hit a main power feed in Newburyport led school administrators to dismiss high school students earlier this morning, said police Lt. Mark Murray.
He said the power, which is provided by National Grid, is expected to be restored soon.

[More...]

Last witnesses called in National Grid rate-hike request

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:47:00 GMT

Dec. 3--WARWICK -- The issue of whether to give National Grid a 33-percent increase to cover the cost of delivering electricity to its customers headed into the home stretch Wednesday as the Public Utilities Commission heard the last of its scheduled witnesses on the proposal.
The remainder includes the cost of transmitting electricity from power plants to the neighborhood distribution sites, and the price of buying power from companies that generate electricity, a cost National Grid simply passes along to consumers without taking a profit.
When the entire bill is considered, residential consumers would end up paying 11.2 percent more, or roughly $9 per month for a homeowner who uses 500 kilowatt hours each month.

[More...]

Conference opens on future of offshore wind turbines

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:47:00 GMT

Dec. 3--BOSTON -- The challenges facing the creation of an offshore wind industry in the United States are daunting, speakers at a national conference said Wednesday.
"This is the potential Achilles' heel of offshore wind power in the United States," said Greg Watson, senior adviser for clean energy technology at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Watson spoke on the first day of a two-day workshop on offshore wind organized by the American Wind Energy Association, a Washington, D.C.-based industry group.

[More...]

Energy Dept. to issue report on inquiry into N-waste effects in Lewiston, Porter

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:46:00 GMT

Dec. 3--LEWISTON -- The U. S. Department of Energy plans to release a report in March as part of its inquiry into potential radiological contamination in Lewiston and Porter left over from the country's first nuclear weapons program, an agency representative said Wednesday night.
The department has been reviewing environmental data on portions of land that was formerly part of the Lake Ontario Ordnance Works -- acreage regulators concluded was clear of environmental concerns in the 1980s, said Christopher J. Clayton of the Department of Energy's Office of Legacy Management.
The land, once used by the Atomic Energy Commission and Manhattan Engineering District for the Manhattan Project, is now owned by the Town of Lewiston, CWM Chemical Services, Modern Corp. and National Grid.

[More...]

Cape Wind, National Grid deal in works

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:45:00 GMT

Dec. 3--An agreement is in the works that could clear the way for Cape Wind to secure critical financial support for the company's proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm.
National Grid, which provides electricity to customers on Nantucket and in other parts of New England and New York, will begin negotiations with Cape Wind Associates LLC to purchase power from the 130-turbine project, Gov. Deval Patrick announced yesterday.
With a power purchase agreement Cape Wind could begin working with banks and investors the company needs to finance the project, which is expected to cost more than $1 billion.

[More...]

Great expectations for Great Lakes: State seeks proposals from private developers to provide wind power

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:45:00 GMT

Dec. 2--ALBANY -- The possible transformation of the Great Lakes into a major source of wind-generated electricity began Tuesday, when New York became the first state to open its share of the lakes to offers by private wind developers.
Proposals would be due at the state Power Authority by June 2010.
"The development of a wind energy project in the Great Lakes off the shores of New York will bring us another step towards my goal to meet 30 percent of the State's electricity needs from renewable resources by 2015, help demonstrate the significantly untapped potential of offshore wind, and bring new clean energy jobs to western New York," the governor said.

[More...]

AG fears electricity plan may boost rates: Aim is to conserve energy

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:46:00 GMT

Dec. 2--Attorney General Martha Coakley vowed yesterday to keep a sharp eye on a new National Grid rate plan that she said has the potential to "significantly" raise prices for electricity customers.
The state's Department of Public Utilities yesterday ordered that National Grid's request for a $111 million rate increase should be slashed by 60 percent.
Though overall the rate will still go up by more than $40 million, the DPU's action could lead to small decreases in electric bills for residential customers, due to the way the utility is allowed to distribute rate charges.

[More...]

Wintry weather cuts power Higher elevations receive heavy snow

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:46:00 GMT

Nov. 30--BENNINGTON -- High wind speeds knocked out power to thousands of homes across Vermont Friday night and Saturday morning and areas of high elevation in the state saw up to 10 inches of heavy, wet snowfall.
Steve Whitham, co-owner of Prospect Mountain in Woodford, said at the base of the mountain seven inches of snow fell by the time it quit Saturday, and he measured up to 10 inches of snow at many locations on the trails.
The heavy snow wreaked havoc on many of the trees in the area and Whitham said he spent much of the weekend skiing and cutting up trees that had been uprooted and fallen across the trails.

[More...]

Gusty winds may have caused Albany fire

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:47:00 GMT

Nov. 28--ALBANY -- High winds ripping through the region are believed to have sparked a fire that damaged a Hamilton Street building this morning, but fire officials are also crediting the winds' sudden relenting with helping them stop the flames from spreading down the block.
Firefighters were called to 538 Hamilton St., just east of Partridge Street, at 11:26 a.m. and arrived to find pieces of the two-story building's metal roof flashing swaying in the wind and dangling dangerously close to the electric service line leading into the building, said Battalion Chief Mike Burns.
"We got a big break with this wind dying down," Burns said.

[More...]

Evening Standard, London, market report column

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:49:00 GMT

Nov. 26--City folk gave a hesitant thumbs-up to the water industry regulator's new five-year pricing formula which has kept prices flat -- but at least one big hitter is cautious about the prospects for utilities next year.
Morgan Stanley is worried about further downgrades to its already bearish medium-term forecasts, and this is getting riskier given continuing weakness it sees in power and gas prices.
We think it plausible rating agencies could adopt a tougher approach, especially if power prices fall," it warns.

[More...]

EDF to Sell U.K. Grid Operations, an Industrial Info News Alert

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:46:00 GMT

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) -- French utility Electricite de France SA (EPA:EDF) (Paris) is considering options regarding the sale of the company's United Kingdom power distribution network in order to alleviate financial debts of up to 5 billion euros ($7.3 billion) by 2010.
The sale is expected to draw significant interest from buyers as the area served by the grid, which includes the country's main airports, utility companies and travel networks, is responsible for 40% of the nation's GDP. A sale is expected to be concluded by next March.
Other companies featured: Constellation Energy Group Incorporated (NYSE:CEG), Centrica plc (PINKSHEETS:CPYYY), Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE:DB), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), National Grid plc (NYSE:NGG)

[More...]

National Grid Applies for $200 Million in Stimulus Funding for Largest Collective Smart Grid Project in the Northeast

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:20:00 GMT

National Grid (LSE:NG;NYSE:NGG), the nation’s second-largest utility, has applied to the U.S. Department of Energy for $200 million in stimulus funding to develop an “end-to-end” smart grid deployment that will include approximately 200,000 customers in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.[More...]

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Declares Preferred Stock Dividends

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:48:00 GMT

Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., a subsidiary of National Grid plc (NYSE: NGG), announced that its Board of Directors has declared dividends at the following rates for all series of its preferred stock.
Preferred stock dividends are payable September 30, 2009, to holders of record September 8, 2009.
The company is based in Syracuse, N.Y. Its parent company also has electricity and gas distribution operations in New England

[More...]

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Declares Preferred Stock Dividends - Apr 23 2009 11:52AM

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:47:00 GMT

Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., a subsidiary of National Grid plc (NYSE: NGG), announced that its Board of Directors has declared dividends at the following rates for all series of its preferred stock.
Preferred stock dividends are payable June 30, 2009, to holders of record June 8, 2009.
The company is based in Syracuse, N.Y. Its parent company also has electricity and gas distribution operations in New England

[More...]

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Declares Preferred Stock Dividends

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:54:00 GMT

Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., a subsidiary of National Grid plc (NYSE: NGG), announced that its Board of Directors has declared dividends at the following rates for all series of its preferred stock.[More...]

National Grid Responds to New York State Public Service Commission Request for Projects Suitable for Federal Stimulus Funding

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:30:00 GMT

Note to Editors: National Grid will host a media conference call today at 11 a.m. to provide a briefing on today’s announcement. Media representatives can participate in the call by dialing 888-266-1206 and requesting conference I.D. number 95913271 (National Grid PSC Stimulus/ Smart Grid Filing). A replay of the call will be available until midnight on April 21 by dialing 800-642-1687 and entering conference I.D. number 95913271.[More...]

CORRECTING and REPLACING National Grid Supports Waxman-Markey on Energy Investment and Climate Change

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:21:00 GMT

Fourth graph, second sentence should read: We have committed to emission reduction targets of 45 percent by 2020 (sted: We have committed to 45% emission reduction targets of 45 percent by 2020).[More...]

National Grid Supports Waxman-Markey on Energy Investment and Climate Change

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:54:00 GMT

Tom King, President of National Grid U.S., today applauded the introduction of the groundbreaking Waxman-Markey discussion draft, to move forward legislation on climate change and energy policy:[More...]

National Grid Announces Plan for Smart Grid Pilot in Worcester, Massachusetts

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:30:00 GMT

National Grid today announced plans to file with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities its proposal to build and operate a smart grid pilot in Worcester, Mass. The pilot, which will involve approximately 15,000 customers, is believed to be the largest and most comprehensive in New England. National Grid will submit its proposal to the DPU April 1, 2009.[More...]

National Grid’s Virtual Polar Bear Inspires Users to Reduce Their Carbon Footprint by More Than 52 Million Pounds

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:01:00 GMT

It began innocently enough. In May 2008, National Grid launched its new interactive Floe Web site, www.nationalgrid.com/floe, and people across the world started to log on. They played games, adopted virtual polar bears, and started making pledges to take easy, everyday actions to decrease their carbon footprints.[More...]