Core Insights - Medtronic plc is a global leader in healthcare technology, focusing on device-based medical therapies and services for various health conditions [1] Financial Performance - Medtronic is set to report its Q2 2026 earnings on November 18, with analysts expecting an EPS of $1.31, an increase from $1.26 in the previous year [2] - Quarterly revenue is anticipated to reach $8.85 billion, up from $8.40 billion a year earlier [2] - The company reported Q1 2026 earnings with an adjusted EPS of $1.26, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.23, and revenues of $8.58 billion, surpassing the consensus of $8.38 billion [3] Growth Outlook - The CEO highlighted a consistent quarter of mid-single-digit organic revenue growth, driven by innovative product categories such as Pulsed Field Ablation and Transcatheter Valves [4] - Medtronic raised its full-year 2026 diluted non-GAAP EPS guidance to a new range of $5.60 to $5.66, up from the previous range of $5.50 to $5.60 [4] Dividend Information - Medtronic's dividend yield stands at 2.98%, with a total dividend payout of $2.84 per share over the last 12 months [2] - To generate an income of $100 per month from dividends, an investment of approximately $40,268 is required, based on the current dividend yield [5][6]

Core Insights - Energy is a crucial sector for investors, with oil and natural gas being highly volatile yet important components of a diversified portfolio [2] - Chevron (NYSE: CVX) and Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) are highlighted as strong investment choices, each with unique characteristics [2] Dividend Reliability - Chevron boasts a 38-year streak of annual dividend increases, while Enterprise has a 27-year streak, indicating both companies' reliability in income generation [3] - Chevron's dividend yield is 4.3%, whereas Enterprise's distribution yield is higher at 6.9%, reflecting their different business structures [4][7] Business Models - Enterprise Products Partners operates as a midstream master limited partnership (MLP), focusing on energy infrastructure such as storage, pipelines, and transportation, which generates stable fee income [6] - Chevron functions as a traditional corporation, with its financial performance more closely tied to commodity prices compared to Enterprise [5][6]

Core Insights - Hormel Foods Corp. is a multinational food processing company known for its branded food products, including meat and nut items under various brands [1] Financial Performance - Hormel Foods is set to report its Q4 2025 earnings on December 3, with analysts expecting EPS of $0.39, a decrease from $0.42 in the prior year [2] - Quarterly revenue is anticipated to be $3.22 billion, an increase from $3.14 billion a year earlier [2] - The company reported Q3 2025 earnings with adjusted EPS of $0.35, below the consensus estimate of $0.41, while revenues of $3.03 billion exceeded the consensus of $2.98 billion [3] Future Outlook - For Q4 2025, Hormel Foods expects net sales to range from $3.15 to $3.25 billion and adjusted diluted EPS between $0.38 and $0.40 [5] - The interim CEO indicated that while net sales growth is expected to continue, profit recovery may lag into the next year due to ongoing near-term pressures from commodity inflation [4] Dividend Information - Hormel Foods has a dividend yield of 4.69%, having paid $1.16 per share in dividends over the last 12 months [2] - To generate an income of $100 per month from dividends, an investment of approximately $25,586 is required, based on the current dividend yield [6]

Earnings Report - McCormick & Company is set to release its third-quarter earnings results on October 7, with analysts expecting earnings of 82 cents per share, a decrease from 83 cents per share in the same period last year [1] - The company is projected to report quarterly revenue of $1.71 billion, an increase from $1.68 billion a year earlier [1] Dividend Information - McCormick currently offers an annual dividend yield of 2.64%, with a quarterly payment of 45 cents per share, totaling $1.80 annually [2] - To achieve a monthly income of $500 from dividends, an investor would need to own approximately 3,333 shares, equating to a total investment of about $226,944 [3] - For a more conservative monthly income goal of $100, an investor would need 667 shares, requiring an investment of around $45,416 [3] Dividend Yield Dynamics - The dividend yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend payment by the current stock price, which means it fluctuates with changes in stock price [4] - For instance, if a stock's price rises, the dividend yield decreases, and vice versa [4] - Changes in the dividend payment itself can also affect the yield; an increase in dividends raises the yield if the stock price remains constant [5] Stock Performance - McCormick's shares increased by 0.5%, closing at $68.09 on Thursday [5]

Core Insights - Mondelez International is a global leader in the snack food industry with a strong brand portfolio including Oreo, Cadbury, and Toblerone, operating in over 150 countries [1][6] - Berenberg Bank has set a price target of $70 for Mondelez, indicating a potential price increase of approximately 10.81% from its current trading price of $63.17, reflecting confidence in the company's market position [2][6] - The company has a dividend yield of 3.2%, which is attractive to income-focused investors, and is experiencing robust top-line growth, particularly in emerging markets and the chocolate segment [3][6] Financial Performance - Mondelez anticipates a 5% sales growth for the year, driven by resilient demand and market share gains, with potential normalization of cocoa prices supporting this growth [4] - The current stock price is $63.17, reflecting a 1.12% increase, with a market capitalization of approximately $81.74 billion [4] - Over the past year, Mondelez's stock has shown volatility, reaching a high of $72.70 and a low of $53.95, with a trading volume of 6,258,629 shares on the day [5]

Core Viewpoint - Ares Capital is highlighted as a strong investment opportunity in the current uncertain market due to its high dividend yield, solid growth prospects, and attractive risk-reward profile [1][2]. Dividend Yield - Ares Capital offers a substantial dividend yield of 9.4%, making it appealing to income investors [3]. - The company has maintained stable or increasing dividends for 64 consecutive quarters, indicating a reliable dividend payment history [4]. - As a business development company (BDC), Ares Capital is required to return at least 90% of its income to shareholders as dividends to avoid federal income taxes, which supports its dividend strategy [5]. Growth Prospects - Ares Capital's total addressable market is approximately $5.4 trillion, driven by increased borrowing demand and a shift from banks to private capital [7]. - The company reported a 20% increase in the number of transactions reviewed between Q1 and Q2, suggesting strong growth momentum [8]. - Ares Capital's total return since its IPO in 2004 has outperformed the S&P 500, showcasing its long-term growth potential [6]. Risk-Reward Proposition - Ares Capital's forward price-to-earnings ratio is relatively low at 10.7, indicating favorable valuation compared to the broader market [9]. - The company has a strong balance sheet with approximately $6.5 billion in available liquidity and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, with no debt maturing for the remainder of 2025 [9]. - Ares Capital's portfolio is diversified across 566 companies, with the largest investment being around 2%, and it focuses on resilient, noncyclical industries [10].

Core Viewpoint - Vail Resorts reported mixed fiscal 2025 results, with a high dividend yield of about 6%, but the underlying business performance raises concerns about sustainability and growth potential [1][3][12]. Financial Performance - Resort reported EBITDA increased by 2% to approximately $844 million, while full-year net income rose to around $280 million, up from $231 million in fiscal 2024 [3]. - The annualized dividend payout of $8.88 per share exceeds the fiscal-year earnings per share of $7.53, indicating potential sustainability issues if cash generation does not remain strong [6]. Sales and Demand Trends - Season-to-date pass product sales for the upcoming ski season show a 3% decline in units sold, but a 1% increase in revenue, suggesting price increases rather than volume growth [5]. - Total skier visits declined by 3% across North American resorts compared to the previous year, highlighting challenges in demand [4]. Outlook and Growth Initiatives - Management's guidance for fiscal 2026 indicates net income between $201 million and $276 million, with resort EBITDA projected to be between $842 million and $898 million, suggesting flat or modest growth [8]. - The company is implementing several initiatives to boost demand, including updated marketing strategies and resort-specific pricing, but the full impact may not be realized until fiscal 2027 [10]. Investment Considerations - The current high yield may be more reflective of slower growth and increased uncertainty rather than a bargain opportunity [9]. - Despite the attractive yield, the combination of high payout ratios, potential earnings pressure, and significant leverage suggests a cautious investment approach is warranted [12][13].

Core Insights - Constellation Brands, Inc. is set to release its second-quarter earnings results on October 6, with analysts expecting earnings of $3.41 per share, a decrease from $4.32 per share in the same period last year [1] - The company projects quarterly revenue of $2.48 billion, down from $2.92 billion a year earlier [1] Earnings Expectations - Analysts predict a decline in earnings per share from $4.32 to $3.41 year-over-year [1] - Revenue expectations for the quarter are projected at $2.48 billion, compared to $2.92 billion in the previous year [1] Analyst Ratings - Wells Fargo analyst Chris Carey has maintained an Overweight rating on Constellation Brands but has reduced the price target from $170 to $155 [2] - The company currently offers an annual dividend yield of 3.03%, translating to a semi-annual dividend of $1.02 per share, or $4.08 annually [2] Dividend Strategy - To achieve a monthly income of $500 from dividends, an investment of approximately $198,100 or around 1,471 shares is required [3] - For a more modest monthly income of $100, an investment of $39,593 or about 294 shares is necessary [3] Dividend Yield Calculation - The dividend yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend payment by the stock's current price [4] - Changes in stock price directly affect the dividend yield; for instance, if the stock price increases, the yield decreases, and vice versa [4] Stock Performance - Constellation Brands' shares fell by 1.3%, closing at $134.67 [5]

Core Insights - Cullen Capital Management sold 6,565,339 shares of Kenvue, valued at approximately $149.46 million, reducing its stake to 0.6% of its assets under management as of Q2 2025 [1][2][7] Company Overview - Kenvue Inc. operates in the consumer health sector, offering a diverse range of products including over-the-counter medicines, skin and beauty care, and essential health items under well-known brands like Tylenol, Neutrogena, and Listerine [4][5] - The company reported a total revenue of $15.14 billion and a net income of $1.42 billion for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [3][4] - Kenvue's dividend yield stands at 5.07%, making it attractive to income-focused investors [3][8] Market Performance - As of September 29, 2025, Kenvue's stock price was $16.34, reflecting a decline of 29.4% over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 42.63 percentage points [3][7] - The consumer health sector is generally considered defensive; however, Kenvue's recent performance indicates that not all companies in this sector are insulated from market challenges [8] Future Considerations - The ongoing weakness in Kenvue's stock raises questions about the company's growth and margin sustainability, prompting investors to monitor its ability to stabilize earnings and maintain its dividend [9]

Key Points Ford has long been known to pay generous dividends out to its shareholders. GM pays a fairly small dividend, but habitually buys back large quantities of stock. Total yield -- which includes buybacks -- is a metric worthy of more investor attention. 10 stocks we like better than General Motors › Many businesses have come a long way in terms of practicing conscious capitalism, but the truth is, a primary goal of publicly traded companies is to create value for their shareholders. And qu ...