Core Insights - Caterpillar (CAT) has announced a 7% increase in its quarterly dividend to $1.51 per share, marking the 31st consecutive year of dividend increases, demonstrating resilience amid near-term challenges [1][3][11] Dividend Performance - The annualized dividend of $6.04 results in a yield of 1.69%, which exceeds the manufacturing - construction and mining industry's yield of 1.58%, the sector's yield of 1.47%, and the S&P 500's yield of 1.24% [2] - Caterpillar's payout ratio stands at 26.91%, higher than the industry's 23.61% [2] Financial Context - The dividend increase follows a weaker-than-expected first-quarter 2025 performance, with declines in both revenues and earnings due to softer volumes [3] - Despite the challenges, the increase reflects management's confidence in the company's long-term cash-generating capacity [3][7] Historical Dividend Trends - Caterpillar has consistently paid cash dividends since its formation and has been a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index since 2019 [4] - Over the past five years, the company's dividend has grown at approximately 8%, supported by nearly doubling its free cash flow [5] Shareholder Returns - In 2024, Caterpillar returned around $10.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, with an additional $4.3 billion returned in the first quarter of 2025 [5][11] - The company aims to return substantially all Machinery, Energy & Transportation (ME&T) free cash flow to shareholders over time [6] Market Position and Outlook - The recent dividend hike enhances investor confidence in Caterpillar's long-term growth outlook, supported by ongoing technological innovation and expected recovery in end-market demand [7] - Caterpillar's stock has experienced a decline of 1.6% year-to-date, compared to the industry's 1.1% growth and the S&P 500's gain of 1.5% [12] Valuation Metrics - Caterpillar is currently trading at a forward 12-month price/earnings (P/E) ratio of 18.04X, below the industry average of 19.86X [13] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a year-over-year decline of 14.6% in earnings for 2025, with a revenue drop of 2.4% expected [14]

I am in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. I'm in West Morland County, which is a county that Donald Trump won in November with about 64% of the vote. There's about a thousand people behind me in front of the county courthouse. It's been mostly a peaceful protest. A lot of signs, a lot of chanting. Hey, hey, ho, ho. Donald Trump has got to go. USA, USA, USA, USA. the fact that he's having this parade today and wasting what they're saying is going to be $45 million on this parade when there are people in this country ...

It is day 145 of the second Trump administration. And tomorrow is going to be quite the split screen for the United States of America. In Washington DC, you will see an extravagant multi-million dollar parade for the Army's 250th anniversary that just so happens to also be Donald Trump's birthday. At the same time, you will see so-called no kings protests against the Trump administration in more than 2,000 cities in all 50 states. Meanwhile, Marines are on the ground in Los Angeles, California, joining the ...

Well, outrage over Donald Trump using the military as pawns in a manufactured crisis in Los Angeles is building just hours before Donald Trump intends to abuse the military again to celebrate, as Jen said, himself. Donald Trump is throwing a multi-million dollar military parade for the Army's 250th birthday, which just so happens to coincide with his 79th birthday. But that parade will be overshadowed by the more than 2,000 protest events planned in cities across the country to declare no kings in America. ...

Dividend Declaration - Abbott's board of directors declared a quarterly common dividend of 59 cents per share, marking the 406th consecutive quarterly dividend since 1924 [1] - The cash dividend is payable on August 15, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 15, 2025 [1] Dividend Growth - Abbott has increased its dividend payout for 53 consecutive years and is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks companies that have increased dividends annually for at least 25 consecutive years [2] Company Overview - Abbott is a global healthcare leader with a portfolio that includes diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals, and branded generic medicines, serving people in over 160 countries with 114,000 employees [3]

The last word with Lawrence O'Donnell starts right now. Jen, I am in the middle of uh Judge Charles Briar's opinion uh that is a total victory for Gavin Newsome as we heard uh the governor uh telling us uh during your hour and of course you've reported that the Trump administration is already appealing this. Uh but as you read it, as you get through it, it it's very hard to find any space for appeal uh in this decision. And of course, we will also be covering the breaking news uh from Israel tonight about t ...

“[Creating a society on Mars] would be a new frontier and an opportunity to rethink the whole nature of government, just as was done in the creation of the United States.I would suggest having direct democracy. People vote directly on things, as opposed to representative democracy. Representative democracy, I think, is too subject to special interests and a coercion of the politicians and that kind of thing.So, I'd recommend that there's just direct democracy.”Elon Musk ...

Political System & Democracy - The report highlights the importance of democracy and the enduring principles of the founding fathers [1] - The system of checks and balances, separation of power, and co-equal branches of government are crucial [2] - The report suggests that the former president has tested the limits of constitutional constraints [2] - The order makes clear that no one is above constitutional constraints [2]

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. Welcome, Senator. Um, thanks for having me. Your reaction, your thoughts to the day. Well, I mean, listen, this is got to be put in context. Donald Trump has made it very clear that he is going to use violence in order to try to intimidate people away from protests, that he is going to encourage violence uh when it is being used on his behalf. And this is a triedand-rue authoritarian tactic. Um, what happened today is absolutely outrageous. Um we're all collea ...

It is unacceptable that a United States senator in his own home state, elected by millions of people, went to ask a question for his constituents to get an answer and was brutally thrown to the ground and handcuffed. That is wrong. And I cannot believe that we don't have senators on both sides of the aisle calling this out as outrageous.This is what a democracy is about. Mr. . President, Mr.. President, it is about us coming to the United States Senate, speaking out, asking questions, getting information so ...