General Motors (GM) was founded in 1897 in Detroit, Michigan, and is one of the largest carmakers in the world. Most of the company's sales are pickup trucks and crossovers, which carry higher margins than passenger cars.  The company markets its cars and trucks under the following brands: ChevroletBuickGMCCadillacWuling (China)Baojun (China)Jiefang (China)Holden (Australia)

Philip Morris International (PM) was spun off from Altria (MO) in 2008, with Altria serving the U.S. and Philip Morris owning the international rights to all of Altria’s most famous brands, including the industry's best-selling brand, Marlboro.Philip Morris sells its cigarette brands, which mostly target the higher end of the market, to more than 150 [...]

Founded in 1928, Genuine Parts Company (GPC) is one of the largest replacement part makers in the automotive, industrial, and office equipment industries. The company markets its products through a global network of distribution centers and retail outlets, including thousands of NAPA and Alliance Automotive Group auto parts stores. The firm's most important business segments are [...]

Kimberly-Clark (KMB) was founded in 1872 and has grown into one of the largest manufacturers of tissue and hygiene products. The company's products have such a wide reach that they are used by one-quarter of the world's population. Kimberly-Clark's products are sold under a number of well-known brands, including five billion-dollar brands: Huggies, Kleenex, Cottonelle, [...]

Hormel Foods (HRL) was founded in 1891 and has proven to be one of the most resilient food providers in the world. The company’s brands include Skippy peanut butter, SPAM meat, Dinty Moore stew, Wholly Guacamole dips, Jennie-O turkey, and numerous Hormel-branded meat products. Perishable products (fresh meats, frozen items, refrigerated meals) account for 56% [...]

J.M. Smucker's (SJM) roots date back to 1897 when founder Jerome Monroe Smucker began selling apple butter from his horse-drawn wagon. Since then, Smucker has grown into a leading purveyor of numerous consumer packaged goods that can be found in an estimated 90% of U.S. households.Smucker's main product lines are coffee (32% of sales), dog food (17%), [...]

About 60% of America's coal is mined by companies that have been through bankruptcy in the past five years, according to data cited by The Wall Street Journal. Only three of the 10 largest U.S. coal producers have not declared bankruptcy during that period, demonstrating the industry's challenges (high capital intensity, secular decline in coal demand, cheap alternatives [...]

Occidental Petroleum (OXY) reported earnings on November 4, and beleaguered CEO Vicki Hollub kept trying to say all the right things: Oxy's investments will generate 10+% returns at $40 per barrel oilAnadarko cost synergies are on track Protecting Oxy's dividend is still the top priorityThe firm's $10 billion to $15 billion divestiture goal will be reached soonOxy set [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]