AT&T (T) reported third-quarter results on Monday and provided a three-year capital allocation framework for its business. The company continues making progress paying down debt, underlying business fundamentals remain solid, and management plans to allocate capital more conservatively going forward, including a commitment to avoid big acquisitions. As a result of the firm's improving risk profile, we [...]

Shares of Ventas (VTR) tumbled nearly 10% on Friday in an uncharacteristic move for this healthcare REIT known for its stability. Ventas' third-quarter earnings report was the driver. Management cited "unprecedented" weakness in the senior housing market, which drives just over half of the firm's net operating income (NOI). The firm's senior housing operating properties (SHOP), where [...]

Last year, we launched an all-new version of Simply Safe Dividends that's 100% free to upgrade to (no price hike, additional fees, etc). The new website improves upon virtually every aspect of the original site and adds ground-breaking new features to our service.For example, the new website's portfolio-monitoring tool adds import and export capabilities, locked [...]

In June, we warned that EQM Midstream Partners' (EQM) Dividend Safety Score could be downgraded if the firm's critical Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project faced further delays. Unfortunately, on October 22, EQM announced that the MVP's estimated completion date has been pushed back once more from mid-2020 to "late 2020" and its projected cost also increased by $500 million [...]

Founded in 1886 by a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, Coca-Cola (KO) has grown to become the world’s largest drink purveyor and the sixth most valuable brand in the world. It markets over 4,300 products through more than 500 brands in over 200 countries.In fact, Coca-Cola is so geographically diversified that North America accounts for just 37% of [...]

In June, we warned that EQM Midstream Partners' (EQM) Dividend Safety Score could be downgraded if the firm's critical Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project faced further delays. Unfortunately, on October 22, EQM announced that the MVP's estimated completion date has been pushed back once more from mid-2020 to "late 2020" and its projected cost also increased by $500 million [...]

General Mills (GIS) was founded in 1866, owning just a single flour mill at the time. After expanding into a number of different industries like restaurants, toys, and even apparel, the company refocused completely on consumer foods in 1995. Today, General Mills sells a diversified mix of packaged meals, cereal, snacks, baking products, yogurt, and [...]

Exxon Mobil's (XOM) dividend yield sits just above 5%, its highest level in nearly 30 years. The energy giant's dividend continues to look secure thanks to its strong balance sheet, but Exxon's high spending on growth projects, coupled with today's challenging energy market, will likely put more pressure on the firm's cash flow in the [...]

Boeing (BA) shares have slumped nearly 13% over the last week, driven by a report released by Reuters on Friday that surfaced new concerns about the aircraft manufacturer's safety practices and oversight. Specifically, Reuters uncovered internal messages between two Boeing pilots stating that the 737 MAX's flight-control system acted up during a 2016 testing simulation, less than a year [...]

Shares of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) fell 6.2% last Friday following news that the company recalled some of its baby powder in response to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) test indicating the presence of very minor levels of asbestos. As we've previously discussed, the company faces more than 15,000 lawsuits related to claims that its talc-based [...]

Energy Transfer LP (ET) units have drifted about 10% lower over the past month, causing some investors to question the safety of ET's 9.7% dividend yield. Aside from the price of oil slipping lower, which has weighed on the energy sector, the only recent news out on Energy Transfer is its planned $5 billion acquisition of [...]

PPL (PPL) is in discussions to merge with Avangrid (AGR), according to The Financial Times. Neither company has publicly confirmed the rumors, and it's possible no deal is reached. However, a marriage of these two utilities could unlock some benefits for PPL shareholders. We've held shares of PPL in our Conservative Retirees portfolio since July 2015, but I've [...]

General Motors (GM) remains locked in its longest labor dispute since 1970, costing the company more than $1 billion according to JPMorgan Chase and The Wall Street Journal. Nearly half of GM's workforce is represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. The automaker's contract with the UAW expired last month, with the UAW's nationwide strike beginning [...]

On September 26, Imperial Brands (IMBBY) lowered its guidance for the year due to challenging conditions in the U.S. vapor market. One week later, Imperial's CEO Alison Cooper stepped down after leading the company since 2010. Ms. Cooper had spearheaded Imperial's push into the vaping category. As a result of these developments, which seem likely to pressure the firm's [...]

The first Starbucks (SBUX) cafe opened in 1971, and the company has since grown to become the world’s largest coffee purveyor with over 29,000 stores in 78 countries. Starbucks stores sell not just premium coffee but also tea, packaged coffee, juices, bottled water, pastries, and various lunch items. In addition, the company licenses several of [...]