Core Insights - Diageo plc is set to release preliminary results for fiscal 2025 on August 5, with expectations of declines in both top and bottom lines, as well as lower organic operating profit in the first half of fiscal 2025 [1][7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly earnings is $6.75 per share, reflecting a 2.3% decline from the previous year's quarter, while revenues are expected to rise by 0.7% to $20.4 billion [2][3] Group 1: Financial Performance - Diageo's price-led strategy is central to its premiumization approach, allowing for consistent revenue growth despite softer consumer demand [3][4] - The company has reported strong organic net sales growth and positive price/mix contributions, particularly in higher-end offerings like tequila and Guinness [4][10] - The consensus estimate for quarterly revenues is $20.4 billion, indicating a slight increase from the prior year [2] Group 2: Strategic Initiatives - Diageo is refining its productivity program to enhance efficiency and achieve sustainable growth, focusing on balancing cost savings with strategic reinvestment in marketing and brand activation [3][5] - The introduction of the Accelerate program aims to set clear cash delivery goals and improve operational excellence and cost efficiency [5][10] Group 3: Regional Insights - The Asia-Pacific region has shown signs of softness due to downtrading and an unfavorable market mix, highlighting the sensitivity of premiumization efforts to regional economic conditions [6] - Management has indicated that near-term industry pressures are largely driven by macroeconomic factors, affecting the timing and pace of recovery [7]

Walter "Walt" Bettinger, president and CEO of Charles Schwab, speaks during the 2015 Fortune Global Forum in San Francisco, Nov. 3, 2015.Company insiders at United Airlines, NXP Semiconductors and Charles Schwab made some notable stock sales last week.Investors may follow moves by company executives and officers to gauge what may be happening within the businesses. However, the motivations behind executive stock sales can vary.The data comes from VerityData and is confirmed against the original Securities a ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the performance of consumer-facing Dividend Champions in 2025, highlighting that Coca-Cola has outperformed the S&P 500 despite a market trend favoring high-beta growth stocks [1][3][5]. Company Overview - Coca-Cola has 30 billion-dollar brands, including Coca-Cola, Sprite, and Fanta, with 15 brands developed organically and 15 through acquisitions [6][8]. - The company is a leader in the commercial beverage industry, holding the top market share in sparkling soft drinks, water, sports drinks, and juice [9]. Market Position - Coca-Cola has a 14% market share in developed beverage markets and a 7% share in emerging markets, indicating significant growth potential [10]. - The company benefits from a long-term trend where non-commercial drinks in emerging markets (68%) are expected to decrease, potentially increasing Coca-Cola's market share [12]. Financial Performance - Coca-Cola has increased its value share for 17 consecutive quarters, contributing to its stock performance in 2025 [13]. - The company has a dividend yield of 2.9%, which is more than double that of the S&P 500, and has grown its dividend payments for 62 consecutive years [14]. Dividend and Valuation - Coca-Cola utilizes 69% of its net income for dividend payments, allowing room for future increases, although its dividend growth rate has slowed to 5% annually over the last decade [15]. - The stock currently has a P/E ratio of 24, slightly below its five-year average of 27, indicating it is fairly valued [19]. Future Outlook - Management aims to grow earnings per share by 8% over the long term, suggesting that Coca-Cola could provide market-similar returns, making it a suitable option for income-seeking investors [20].

Core Viewpoint - Coca-Cola's recent stock price decline presents a buying opportunity for dividend-seeking investors despite the overall market rebound [1][12] Financial Performance - Coca-Cola's revenue grew by 5% year-over-year when excluding foreign-currency translation effects and acquisitions/divestitures, driven by higher prices and a favorable product mix [6] - Adjusted operating income increased by 15% year-over-year, indicating profitability even in a challenging quarter [6] - The company experienced a drop in volume during the second quarter, which disappointed investors [5] Dividend Information - Coca-Cola raised its quarterly dividend payout by more than 5% to $0.51, marking 63 consecutive years of dividend increases, qualifying it as a Dividend King [9] - The company maintains a payout ratio of 69%, suggesting it can comfortably sustain its dividend payments [10] - Coca-Cola's dividend yield stands at 3%, significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of 1.2% [10] Valuation Metrics - The recent decline in Coca-Cola's share price has improved its valuation, with a current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 24, down from 29 [11] - Compared to the S&P 500, which has a P/E ratio of 30, Coca-Cola offers a more attractive valuation [11] - The company's long-term growth targets are 4% to 6% annual revenue growth and 7% to 9% earnings per share increases [11]

Core Viewpoint - Costco's stock is currently overvalued despite its strong business performance, making Coca-Cola and PepsiCo more attractive investment options for income and value-focused investors [4][14]. Group 1: Costco - Costco operates on a membership model, providing a reliable revenue stream with a high member renewal rate of approximately 90% [2]. - The company is experiencing growth through new store openings and increased customer spending, but its stock valuation is high with P/S, P/E, and P/B ratios above five-year averages [4]. - The dividend yield for Costco is low at around 0.6%, which is disappointing for income-focused investors [5][4]. Group 2: Coca-Cola - Coca-Cola has shown strong performance with a 5% growth in organic revenues in the second quarter, appealing to consumers despite inflation concerns [6][7]. - The stock is reasonably priced with P/S, P/E, and P/B ratios at or slightly below five-year averages, and a dividend yield of 3% [8]. - Coca-Cola is considered a better value than Costco due to its strong business performance and reasonable stock valuation [8][14]. Group 3: PepsiCo - PepsiCo's stock is undervalued with P/S, P/E, and P/B ratios significantly below five-year averages, and a dividend yield of approximately 4% [10]. - The company reported a lower organic sales growth of 2.1% in the second quarter compared to Coca-Cola, indicating underperformance [11]. - PepsiCo is a diversified business with a history of dividend growth, and recent acquisitions may help it regain momentum [12][13].

Core Viewpoint - Consumer staple companies may benefit from higher inflation due to their ability to pass on cost increases to customers, but consumer resistance to price hikes is a concern [2]. Group 1: PepsiCo - PepsiCo's second-quarter revenue increased by 2%, driven entirely by higher prices, which contributed 4 percentage points, while lower volume subtracted about 1.5 percentage points [5]. - Adjusted operating income for PepsiCo fell by 3%, indicating that price hikes were insufficient to offset rising costs [5]. - PepsiCo's share price dropped by 16.9% over the past year, contrasting with a 16.8% gain in the S&P 500 index during the same period [6]. - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for PepsiCo increased from 19 to 26, which is still lower than the S&P 500's P/E of 30, suggesting potential for patient investors [7]. Group 2: Procter & Gamble - Procter & Gamble's fiscal third-quarter adjusted sales grew by only 1%, with higher prices accounting for the entire increase and volumes remaining flat [9]. - In the fourth quarter, adjusted sales increased by 2%, with higher prices and mix each contributing 1 percentage point, while volume remained constant [10]. - Procter & Gamble's stock price decreased by 7.9% over the past year, and its P/E multiple contracted from 28 to less than 25 [10].

Core Viewpoint - The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF focuses on high-quality, high-yielding dividend stocks, which have historically outperformed non-dividend payers by more than two to one over the past 50 years, delivering a 10.2% average annualized return [1][2]. Group 1: ETF Strategy and Performance - The ETF aims to closely track the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which measures the performance of 100 top high-quality, high-yielding U.S. dividend stocks [4]. - The index's 100 holdings had an average dividend yield of 3.8% and increased their payouts at an average annual rate of 8.4% over the past five years, positioning the ETF for attractive total returns [4]. - The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has delivered double-digit annualized total returns over the past five- and ten-year periods, with an 11.5% annualized total return since its inception in late 2011 [12]. Group 2: Key Holdings - Chevron is the top holding in the ETF, accounting for 4.4% of its net assets, with a 4.5% dividend yield and a history of increasing dividends for 38 consecutive years [7][8]. - PepsiCo is another significant holding, representing 4.2% of the fund's assets, with a 4% dividend yield and a 53-year streak of dividend increases [9]. Group 3: Dividend Characteristics - The ETF currently offers a dividend yield of around 3.8%, which is more than three times higher than the S&P 500, providing a strong and growing base return as its holdings increase their dividend payments [13]. - The ETF's focus on companies with strong financial profiles supports the sustainability of high-yielding and steadily rising dividends [15].

Core Insights - Tilray Brands reported its fourth-quarter results for fiscal 2025, with earnings exceeding estimates but sales falling short, both declining compared to the previous year [1][10] - Adjusted EPS was 2 cents, down 50% year over year, while revenues decreased by 2% to $224.5 million, primarily due to weak performance in cannabis and beverages [2] - The company expects adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2026 to be between $62 million and $72 million, indicating a growth of 13-31% over the prior year [3] Financial Performance - Fiscal 2025 revenues reached $821 million, a 4% increase year over year, largely driven by non-cannabis business diversification [4] - Non-cannabis segments accounted for approximately 70% of total sales, with beverages contributing 29%, distribution 33%, and wellness 8% [5] - Beverage sales rose 19% year over year to $240.6 million, despite SKU rationalization efforts [6] Market Position and Strategy - Tilray has established a strong presence in the hemp market, holding nearly 60% branded market share in the U.S. and 80% in Canada [7] - The company is focusing on enhancing its global supply chain and cultivation footprint to meet growing demand, with expectations of benefiting from Project 420 in the second half of fiscal 2026 [8] - The cannabis segment saw a 9% decline in revenues to $249 million, with international cannabis sales growing 19%, although still a small portion of total cannabis sales [11] Competitive Landscape - Tilray faces intense competition from peers like Aurora Cannabis, Canopy Growth, and Curaleaf Holdings, all pursuing international expansion and cost optimization [12] - The company's stock has dropped 56% year to date, contrasting with a 6% growth in the industry, reflecting ongoing financial challenges and uncertainty around U.S. marijuana legalization [13] Investment Considerations - While Tilray's diversification into craft beverages and THC drinks shows strategic foresight, the decline in its core cannabis business and competitive pressures remain significant near-term challenges [15]

France’s wine and spirits industry expects to lose €1 billion should the US go ahead with imposing a 15% import tariff on their products https://t.co/InhBBBOqdo ...

法国葡萄酒和烈酒出口商联合会（FEVS）表示，如果美国下周如期对法国葡萄酒和烈酒产品征收15%进口关税，可能导致法国葡萄酒行业年度出口量减少四分之一，损失高达10亿欧元，并危及该行业60万名直接从业人员的就业。FEVS主席呼吁法国与欧盟积极与行业合作，切实支持行业发展。 ...