Dividends

3 Ways Stock Buybacks Hurt Investors

Walmart's $15 billion stock buyback plan may be popular with investors, but is it really in their best interests? Read this before celebrating buybacks as an unqualified good.

What Makes a Perfect Stock?

Yet while few stocks have everything one might want in an investment, knowing the most desirable traits of great stocks can guide you in making choices for your own portfolio.

Fed Asks JPMorgan and Goldman for New Capital Plans

JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs were told by the Federal Reserve to submit new capital plans by the end of September. The Fed will then decide if they are in compliance with the rules on capital reserves.

Fed to Announce Which Banks Can Raise Payouts, Buy Back Stock

The Federal Reserve will announce this afternoon which banks will be eligible to raise their dividends and buy back stock. Some analysts say regional banks are likely to be the big beneficiaries. Evercore Partners says Keycorp, State Street and Northern Trust are the ones most likely to raise their payouts.

5 Companies Slashing Their Dividends

Investors love earning dividends, and over the past year, thousands of companies have rewarded shareholders with boosted payouts. But lately, some companies have been cutting back on or eliminating dividends altogether. Here's a look at five that made this unpopular move, and why.

Banks Pass Fed Stress Tests -- All But Ally

Seventeen of the nation’s 18 leading banks have passed the Federal Reserve’s so-called stress test. That means they have sufficient capital to handle a major shock to the financial system, at least more so than at any time since 2008. The only one to fail: Ally Financial.

Consumer Spending Up 0.2%, but Income Has Best Gain in 8 Years

U.S. consumers increased their spending in December at a slower pace, while their income grew by the largest amount in eight years, the Commerce Department said. Income surged because companies rushed to pay dividends before income taxes increased on high-earners.

13 Dividend Stocks for a Richer 2013

One smart way to get both growth potential and dependable income from your investments is to buy dividend stocks, which generally have outperformed non-dividend counterparts over the long haul. As 2013 begins, we offer these 13 stocks for your consideration.

Fiscal Cliff Averted: Details of the Deal

An agreement was reached late Monday between the White House and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell aimed at averting the fiscal cliff. Early Tuesday morning, the Senate passed the bill, and late Tuesday night, so did the House. Let's break down the key points of the deal.

5 Things You Should Watch in the Stock Market This Week

Internet radio giant Pandora and giant discounter Big Lots report their earnings; in entertainment, Disney is opening a huge new expansion, while Nintendo is thinking small; and some companies just can give money away fast enough -- as dividends.

Is This Your Last Shot to Grab Investing Gains Totally Tax-Free?

When Congress passed the Bush tax cuts in 2003, they set the dividend rate and the long-term capital gains rate at just 15%. But the rate was made even lower for people in the bottom two tax brackets -- and if you qualify, you may only have a few more weeks to capitalize on that.

What Will $1 Million Get You in Retirement?

This is an interesting question because many people believe that $1 million is a comfortable amount to meet their retirement goals. We can also look at the different ways in which a couple can use this $1 million without running out of money.

Last-Minute Tax Tips: How to Chose the Right Form to File

With just a week to go before April 17, it's crunch time for getting your taxes filed. If you're just now getting started, the first question you have to answer is which form you should use to file. Here's how to figure it out.

3 Simple Tax Terms That Have Been Redefined to Confuse Us

Is the U.S. tax code designed to be confusing? At more than 70,000 pages, its complexity is hard to overstate. But forget its size: Even in its most basic terms, the IRS seems determined to muddy the waters. To help you out, we've unpacked a few of the most weaselly weasel words.

Are You Being Misled By Your Tax Bracket?

A lot of tax talk focuses on tax brackets. But in order to get the full picture of what you hand over to Uncle Sam, you need to consider not your bracket, but your effective tax rate -- and those are two very different numbers.

How You Can Get a Taste of Romney's Low Tax Rate

On Tuesday, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney released his tax returns, which showed he only paid about 14% of his $21.6 million income in taxes. You'll probably never have that kind of money, but you can use some of his methods to save on your own taxes.

Macy's Raises Profit Outlook, Doubles Dividend

Macy's is raising its earnings outlook for the fourth quarter and full year due to a strong holiday season and says it will double its quarterly dividend to 20 cents a share. The retailer is also increasing its share repurchase program by $1 billion. The announcements came as the department store operator reported Thursday that a key measure of its December sales rose faster than analysts had expected.

The Economy Ahead: What to Expect in 2012

With 2011 fast coming to a close, it's time to think about what's next -- if you dare. We've got the good news, the bad news, the key points to watch and some good advice on getting through 2012 with your finances intact.

3 Easy Ways to Get Great Dividends

Investments that generate income, have the potential for strong growth, and offer protection against stock market downturns: That compelling combination of attributes has made dividend stocks so popular with investors these days. To make the most of it, some investors are turning to ETFs.

The High Cost to Middle Class of Low Taxes on the Rich

The GOP approach of cutting taxes and slashing expenses has its attractions: Nobody likes paying taxes, and "tightening our belts" sounds ever so grown up. But these proposed cuts in taxes and spending will benefit the wealthy, while placing an outsized burden on the country's poor and middle class.

Five Dividend Payers to Save Your Portfolio

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Motley Fool analyst Matt Koppenheffer decided to twist that nugget of wisdom a bit and look at what did work in past and figure out how we can repeat it. Doing so, he found five dividend payers that fit the bill today.

Why P&G Is a Great Stock to Hold Into Retirement

If you're nearing retirement, Procter & Gamble (PG) might be a good addition to your stock portfolio. Its personal care focus, its history of creating new products, its near 50% dividend payout and its strong cash flow give it a stable outlook and make it a compelling choice for those looking to buy and hold.

10 Highest Dividend Stocks of the S&P

The S&P 500 is one of the most followed stock market index in the world. Mutual fund managers benchmark their returns against it, yet somehow the vast majority underperform the index every year. Many dividend investors choose to ignore the index, and instead focus on its components.

Face-Off on Stocks: Springtime Picks and Pans [Video]

Spring is just around the corner and as we begin cleaning up our homes and adding a fresh coat of paint to our walls, there are stocks that could benefit. Nikhil Hutheesing and Dan Burrows face-off on three springtime stocks: Sherwin Williams, Toro and Home Depot. Watch the video for the bull and bear cases.

Walmart Raises Its Annual Dividend 21%

Walmart on Thursday raised its annual dividend 21% to $1.46 after reporting a 27% increase in net income for the fourth quarter last month. But after missing its own revenue projection, will the retail giant be able to turn its U.S. business around this year?

11 Smart Places to Invest Your Money Now

As the economic recovery takes hold and the investing landscape shifts again, it's important to adjust your investment strategy to take advantage of the new opportunities. Here are 11 areas experts think you should consider putting your money into right now.

Bank Stocks Lead Market to a Seventh Winning Week

Stocks ended the week on a positive note despite economic reports that fell short of expectations. But Cort Gwon of FBN Securities says there was lots to cheer about as fears over the debt crisis in Europe lessened and U.S. companies announced stellar earnings.

For Big Banks, Dividends
Set to Make a Comeback

As big banks start reporting earnings, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon is the latest exec to talk about dividends. Overall, Wall Street is expecting the big banks to post strong results, including improved credit quality and increased capital.