Here are some of the biggest dividend stock winners and losers from the week that just ended. Company Fri. Close Weekly % Change Dillard’s Inc. ( DDS ) $22.14 +31.24% Sotheby’s Holdings Inc. ( BID ) $30.78 +26.67% Walter Industries Inc. ( WLT ) $88.63 +12.80% Valero Energy Corporation ( VLO ) $19.57 +11.70% U.S. Steel ( X ) $58.90 +11.26% Companhia Vale ( VALE ) $30.67 +10.09% International Paper Company ( IP ) $25.35 +9.41% Toronto Dominion Bank (the) ( TD ) $68.89 +7.83% Boeing Company ( BA ) $67.93 +7.55% H&R Block Inc. ( HRB ) $16.69 -3.41% Everest Re Group Ltd. ( RE ) $81.76 -4.28% Staples Inc. ( SPLS ) $23.29 -9.59% Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks , as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here .

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Dividend Stock Leaders and Laggards from the Week of Mar.1-5 (BA, TD, DDS, WLT, X, SPLS, more)

Fertilizer maker CF Industries Holdings, Inc. ( CF ) on Tuesday raised its bid to buy rival Terra Industries Inc. ( TRA ) to $4.75 billion, which trumps the recently-accepted takeover bid from Norway-based Yara International. CF’s new bid is for $37.15 in cash and 0.0953 of a share of CF Industries common stock for each share of Terra, for a grand total of $47.40 per share. Terra shares had closed at $41.20 on Monday. Last month, Terra had agreed to a buyout by Norwegian fertilizer maker Yara International for $4.1 billion in cash. Now, CF is trumping that bid, thus rekindling of its long-time pursuit of Terra, which it had called off in January. Prior to the CF, had pursued Terra for several months, with Terra repeatedly rejecting the company’s advances as undervaluing its business. CF Industries shares plunged $6.29, or -5.9%, in premarket trading Tuesday, while Terra Industries shares jumped $5.40, or +13.1%. The Bottom Line We had removed shares of CF from our “recommended” list back on Sept.21, when the stock was trading at $90.19. The company has a .37% dividend yield, based on last night’s closing stock price of $107.54. The stock has technical support in the $95 price area. If the shares can snap back from this morning’s drop, we see overhead support around the $110-$120 price levels. We would remain on the sidelines for now. Neither CF Industries Holdings, Inc. ( CF ) nor Terra Industries Inc. ( TRA ) are currently recommended, with both stocks holding a Dividend.com DARS™ Rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars. Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks , as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here .

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CF Industries Resumes Pursuit of Terra Industries with $4.75 Billion Buyout Offer (CF, TRA)

The strangest feature of these strange times is how ordinary life just goes on while the stage set on which it plays out crumbles from within. Wars that can’t be won continue from day to day as economic enterprises and propaganda stunts. All the industries that profit from war have coffers bursting from swag, while the homeland sinks beneath the weight of manufactured debt. The corporations, in an obscenity of murder for profit and rampaging greed, compete against each other in seeking the limits of unregulated outrage. There seem to be no limits. WRH permalink

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?We are the People that Might have Been,

We wrapped up the last day of trading for the month of February and overall a decent month for the averages. Volume finished at 3.94 Billion shares on the NYSE and 2.14 Billion shares on the NASDAQ. The market is still kind of moving sideways out of the gate this year as investors are surprised as to the resilience in how the market has been able to hold up, despite the poor jobs situation in the U.S. We are a bit confused as well, but we are not looking to fight the tape, that’s for sure. We remain a bit cautious as we continue to march forward. We have not made any recommendation changes this week as we continue to monitor many possibilities. As for today’s action, Gap Inc. ( GPS ) did well following the company’s earnings results. On the other hand, Weight Watchers ( WTW ) got hit hard on that company’s results and outlook. Elsewhere, we did see some buying going on in shares like JP Morgan ( JPM ) , Family Dollar Stores ( FDO ) , CF Industries ( CF ) , and Nike ( NKE ) . There was a continuation of selling in dividend tech plays like Analog Devices ( ADI ) and Qualcomm ( QCOM ) . Looking ahead to next week, more retail results are expected from the likes of PetSmart ( PETM ) , Costco ( COST ) , Staples ( SPLS ) and others. Have a great weekend everybody and be sure

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Market Wrap-Up for Feb.26 (NKE, WTW, GPS, QCOM, CF, COST, more)

Here are some of the biggest dividend stock winners and losers from the week that just ended. Company Fri. Close Weekly % Change Terra Industries Inc. ( TRA ) $41.30 +24.21% Cliffs Natural Resources ( CLF ) $53.60 +16.85% U.S. Steel ( X ) $53.29 +11.07% Northern Trust Corporation ( NTRS ) $54.60 +9.18% Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc ( DPS ) $28.93 +6.83% Public Storage Inc. ( PSA ) $81.70 +6.73% Boeing Company ( BA ) $63.59 +6.61% Daimler AG ( DAI ) $43.77 -1.60% AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. ( AU ) $36.67 -3.70% Toyota Motor Corporation ( TM ) $73.35 -4.80% BT Group plc ( BT ) $18.29 -5.13% Advance Auto Parts Inc ( AAP ) $40.00 -6.56% Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks , as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here .

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Dividend Stock Leaders and Laggards from the Week of Feb.16-19 (TRA, X, CLF, BA, TM, AAP, more)

According to data from Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. ( BHI ), the number of rigs searching for natural gas in the U.S. rose for the week ended Feb. 12, 2010, reflecting intensified drilling activity by the producers in response to rebounding commodity prices. However, the oil rig count dipped slightly. As shown in the first chart below from Baker Hughes, rigs exploring and producing in the U.S. totaled 1,346 during the week. This is up by 11 from the previous week’s tally and represents the 16th gain in the past 17 weeks. The current nationwide rig count is 54% higher than the 2009 low of 876 (set in the week ended June 12). The combined oil and gas rig count finally exceeded the prior-year level, now up by 7 from the same period in 2009. It rose to a 22-year high in 2008, peaking at 2,031 in the weeks ended Aug. 29 and Sept. 12. The natural gas rig count increased by 13 to a fresh 11-month high of 891 — the 24th gain in last 30 weeks — after bottoming at 665 on July 17, 2009 (its lowest level since May 3, 2002). However, the rig count remains 45% lower than its peak of 1,606 in late summer 2008. In the year-ago period, there were 1,054 …

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11 Rigs Added to National Count – Analyst Blog

The leader in slot machine development and manufacturing, International Game Technology, Inc. ( IGT ), announced the closure of its operations in Japan due to ongoing difficult market conditions and lack of a strategic fit with its core business. The closure is expected to be completed by the third quarter of fiscal 2010. IGT expects to record approximately $20 million in severance-related and other charges in the second and third quarters of fiscal 2010. The key goal for IGT in 2010 is to manage costs and focus on operating efficiencies. Given the economic downturn and reduced demand for game play, revenue growth has been hit hard. Hence, IGT is focusing on reducing operational costs to improve profitability. We remain positive on IGT’s cost cutting measures, which will help it generate stronger margins this year. Long drawn out regulatory actions have negatively affected the Japanese market, which hindered the introduction of new products by IGT and made slot machines less desirable to gamblers. As a result, IGT could sell approximately 3,775 units in Japan in 2009 versus 6,000 units sold in 2008 and 29,800 in 2007, according to analysts. Thus the decision to close the Japanese operations will help IGT lower unnecessary costs and focus on core activities that could drive growth in fiscal 2010. Estimate Revisions Trend IGT’s shares were up 60 cents, or 3.39%, and closed at $18.31 following the announcement of its decision to stop shipping game slots into the Japanese market. The market appears to be negating the news and focusing instead on the company’s increased cost cutting efforts, higher sales of replacement slots, robust margins and impressive cash flows. IGT recently reported adjusted earnings of 23 cents per share in the first quarter of 2010, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 20 cents. On the earnings call, while management remained cautious on the outlook for casino budgets and spending plans for 2010, they reaffirmed the previously-announced earnings guidance of 77 cents – 87 cents a share for fiscal 2010. We see further favorable estimate revisions in anticipation of the positive trends in the company’s growth over the next few quarters. The current Zacks Consensus Estimate for the second-quarter of 2010 is 21 cents. In the last 30 days, nine analysts have raised their estimates for the quarter, while 3 have lowered their forecasts. Thirteen out of a total 21 analysts covering the stock raised their full-year 2010 EPS estimates over the last 30 days, while 3 analysts moved in the opposite direction. The company has a history of positive earnings surprises, netting a 7.6% average positive in the last four quarters. For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimate is 92 cents, above the company’s own guidance, and representing an approximately 21.1% improvement from 2009. Analysts believe that the company has given conservative guidance to mute expectations. Ongoing cost-cutting initiatives, substantial free cash flow, increased international penetration, expansion of gaming operations into new U.S. jurisdictions and rapid replacement of new machines will drive growth. However, the highly leveraged balance sheet and strong competition against Aristocrat Leisure Ltd., Bally Technologies ( BYI ) and WMS Industries Inc. ( WMS ) are of concern. While spending appears to be rebounding, we have yet to see a recovery in

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Int’l Game Tech Exits Japanese Market – Analyst Blog

The market had gotten off to a strong start this morning on the belief a bailout package for Greece was close, and that would be something to help stabilize the global markets. There were some wild swings, but the bulls held on to a decent amount of the gains by the day’s end. Volume finished at 5.1 Billion shares traded on the NYSE and 2.15 Billion shares traded on the NASDAQ. Looking at the market action, solid earnings results helped companies like Harman International ( HAR ) , Agrium ( AGU ) and NYSE Euronext ( NYX ) . On the flipside, earnings figures weighed down other companies like Hartford Financial ( HIG ) , Principal Financial ( PFG ) , and Martin Marietta Materials ( MMC ) . Wall Street upgrades pushed stocks like Caterpillar ( CAT ) and Monsanto ( MON ) higher. Commodity-related shares moved to the upside as well, led by Massey Energy ( MEE ) , Consol Energy ( CNX ) , and CF Industries ( CF ) . The financial sector did not see as much buying as traders may have expected, but we did see gains from the likes of State Street ( STT ) , Morgan Stanley ( MS ) and Blackrock ( BLK ) . We are monitoring

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Market Wrap-Up for Feb.9 (STT, HIG, AGU, MEE, CAT, MS, more)

Here are some of the biggest dividend stock winners and losers from the week that just ended. Company Fri. Close Weekly % Change Williams Partners L.P. ( WPZ ) $37.94 +23.22% Williams Pipeline Partners ( WMZ ) $28.02 +20.00% J & J Snack Foods Corp. ( JJSF ) $43.61 +11.59% Comerica Incorporated ( CMA ) $35.62 +8.40% Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (The) ( EL ) $53.17 +6.85% Covidien Ltd. ( COV ) $50.75 +5.29% Bank of America Corporation ( BAC ) $14.90 -8.36% Southern Copper Corporation ( PCU ) $29.66 -10.74% U.S. Steel ( X ) $55.00 -11.35% Walter Industries Inc. ( WLT ) $66.07 -11.42% CSX Corporation ( CSX ) $44.12 -11.83% Freeport-McMoran ( FCX ) $74.23 -11.95% Alcoa Inc. ( AA ) $13.40 -14.27% AK Steel Holding Corporation ( AKS ) $20.19 -14.67% Cliffs Natural Resources ( CLF ) $42.37 -14.83% Joy Global Inc. ( JOYG ) $49.63 -15.09% Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks , as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here .

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Dividend Stock Leaders and Laggards from the Week of Jan.25-29 (EL, CMA, FCX, AA, CLF, WLT, BAC, more)

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. ( CF ) on Friday said it has dropped its hostile takeover bid for fellow fertilizer maker Terra Industries ( TRA ) , ending a months-long pursuit. CF intimated that it has sold all of its shares in TRA, noting “It is clear that an acquisition of Terra now would require a significant increase in our offer, given the substantial uplift in equity values in the fertilizer sector,” according to CF CEO Stephen R. Wilson. Terra had repeatedly rejected CF’s offers over the past several months, stating the bids undervalued the company. CF Industries shares jumped $6.71, or +7.2%, in premarket trading Friday, while Terra stock fell $1.02, or -3.1%. The Bottom Line We had removed shares of CF from our “recommended” list back on Sept.21, when the stock was trading at $90.19. The company has a .43% dividend yield, based on last night’s closing stock price of $93.19. The stock has technical support in the $86-$90 price area. If the shares can build on some of the early momentum, we see overhead resistance around the $98-$103 price levels. We would remain on the sidelines for now. Neither CF Industries Holdings, Inc. ( CF ) nor Terra Industries ( TRA ) are currently recommended, with both stocks holding a Dividend.com DARS™ Rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars. Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks , as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here .

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CF Industries Drops Bid for Terra (CF, TRA)

Buyers were able to ignore yesterday’s sell-off and came back in this afternoon pushing stocks higher. Positive Wall Street calls helped lift Merck ( MRK ) , Wyndham Worldwide ( WYN ) , and Joy Global ( JOYG ) . The financials also resumed the recent leadership role, led by JP Morgan ( JPM ) , M&T Bank ( MTB ) , and Morgan Stanley ( MS ) . Commodity-related shares like CF Industries ( CF ) , U.S. Steel ( X ) and Consol Energy ( CNX ) all recovered from earlier lows to avoid closing in the red. We saw some of our recommended plays like Massey Energy ( MEE ) , H.J. Heinz ( HNZ ) and Intel ( INTC ) getting upgraded this morning by various Wall Street firms. We are not ignoring yesterday’s sell-off, but we are still maintaining the current recommended list at this moment. We are constantly looking for clues as to how to maneuver through each phase of the market. There will be times when we remove well-known dividend plays and at a minimum that will mean we advocate no new money into these dividend names. Dividend investors are not fans of selling out of positions and we are aware of that, so we urge no new funds go into names that we do remove. Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks , as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here Buet

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Market Wrap-Up for Jan.13 (MRK, INTC, MTB, MEE, X, MS, more)

Metals recycler Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. ( SCHN ) on Thursday posted an adjusted first quarter profit that beat analyst expectations, sending its shares higher. The Portland, Oregon-based company reported a fiscal first quarter net loss of $9 million, or 30 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $34 million, or $1.21 per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding one-time items, the company posted an adjusted profit from continuing operations of 23 cents per share. Revenue plunged 17% from last year, to $394 million, hurt by lower average net ferrous metals prices. On average, Wall Street analysts expected a much smaller adjusted profit of 14 cents per share, albeit on higher revenue of $402.5 million. Schnitzer Steel shares rose $1.56, or +3%, in premarket trading Friday. The Bottom Line We had removed shares of SCHN from our “recommended” list on July 24, when the stock was trading at $79.57. The company has a .13% dividend yield, based on last night’s closing stock price of $52.69. The stock has technical support in the $46-48 price area. If the shares can rebound we see overhead resistance around the $55-$61 price levels. We would remain on the sidelines for now. Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. ( SCHN ) is not recommended at this time, holding a Dividend.com DARS™ Rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars. Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks , as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here .

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Schnitzer Steel Adjusted Q1 Net Beats View (SCHN)