CVS Boosts Dividend By 21% And Raises 2016 Outlook

Noah Kiedrowski - INO.com Contributor - Biotech


Introduction

I have posted that CVS presented a compelling investment opportunity in the healthcare space. This premise was rooted in the fact that CVS has been highly acquisitive, continuous robust growth rate, growing its dividends over time and has an aggressive share buyback program. CVS recently reported robust earnings and continued to drive and position itself for long-term success. With its recent acquisitions and partnerships, specifically, the acquisition Target’s pharmacies and Omnicare will significantly expand its footprint and ability to dispense prescriptions to the general public and in assisted living and long-term care facilities that serve the senior patient population. As the United States continues to absorb an aging population alongside growing overall healthcare costs, more specifically prescription drug costs, CVS looks poised to benefit and continue to outperform the broader market. The most recent earnings report, rise in its 2016 outlook and a 21% boost in its dividend payout underscores this premise. I content that CVS will continue to deliver continued growth and positioning for long-term success. Continue reading "CVS Boosts Dividend By 21% And Raises 2016 Outlook"

"Winter Is Coming"… Hungry For Gold

Aibek Burabayev - INO.com Contributor - Metals


Behind The Wall

I dedicated my last post to China which is diversifying foreign reserves with large Gold purchases. This time, I want to share my thoughts about a reviving empire and the northern neighbor of China.

The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is the largest union on Earth by territory. It is so vast that on one side of it people try to survive in Arctic frost and on the opposite side one can enjoy a mild winter full of sunny days skiing in the high Kyrgyz mountains. The union ranks fifth by GDP (PPP) and seventh by population and it’s only the beginning. The member states are (in alphabetical order): Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Continue reading ""Winter Is Coming"… Hungry For Gold"

Chevron Flashes Buy

Adam Feik - INO.com Contributor - Energies


You read that headline correctly. Don't look now (you might jinx it), but Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), the large integrated oil major, now sports green monthly and weekly Trade Triangles on its MarketClub chart. And this with oil at $35 per barrel.

CVX has given back about 29% of its value since closing at $134.85 on June 24, 2014 (on a price-only basis). At its worst, the stock's peak-to-trough decline was nearly 47% as of this August 25th, when CVX closed at $70.02. Wednesday's closing price was a much better $93.44 – good for a cool 33% gain for anyone lucky enough to have caught the falling knife right at its recent bottom.

CVX is now down just 12.9% for 2015 year-to-date (YTD) when including dividends. On a 3-year annualized basis, CVX shares have lost 0.6% annualized, and on a 5-year basis, the number is +4.77% per year. All those performance numbers are on par with Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:XOM) and other integrated oil majors. You could safely say it's been a wild ride for all of them. Continue reading "Chevron Flashes Buy"

Fed At Odds With Markets Over Oil

Lior Alkalay - INO.com Contributor - Forex


At long last, the market finally got their long awaited Federal Reserve rate increase. Yesterday, the Fed hiked the Fed Funds rate by 25 basis points, from 0.25% to 0.5%. The Fed's famously watched "dot plot" revealed that most members expect at least four rate hikes in 2016. And investors? If interest rate swaps are any indication, then investors expect no more than two rate hikes next year.

So who is right then? The Fed? Or the market? Continue reading "Fed At Odds With Markets Over Oil"

"Enter The Dragon" Starring … Gold

Aibek Burabayev - INO.com Contributor - Metals


Recognition

Last Monday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) endorsed the inclusion of the yuan in the fund's Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket effective on Oct. 1, 2016. The Chinese currency has now joined the elite global currency club and will be the fifth member alongside the US dollar, the euro, the sterling and the Japanese yen.

Beijing has long hoped that the renminbi (another name for Chinese currency) would enter the privileged short list of world currencies, and it finally succeeded last week. But, first and foremost they are celebrating a political victory.

Some experts doubted that the yuan could be judged as "freely usable," which is the main criteria for inclusion to the SDR, but the reality proves that the stronger one is right despite such obvious contradictions as tight currency control and shares sale ban. Continue reading ""Enter The Dragon" Starring … Gold"