Top Dividend Companies For 2014

Shares of Ralph Lauren (RL) are all dressed up and they definitely have somewhere to go–up–after beating earnings forecasts today.

Associated Press

MarketWatch has the details:

For the period ended Sept. 28, Ralph Lauren reported a profit of $205 million, or $2.23 a share, down from $214 million, or $2.29 a share, a year earlier. Analysts recently expected $2.20…

The company raised the lower end of its estimated revenue range for the year by one percentage point and now projects an increase of 5% to 7%. For the current quarter, the company forecast revenue growth of 8% to 10%, in line with recent estimates of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters for an increase of 9%.

Ralph Lauren also unveiled a quarterly dividend increase of 13% to 45 cents a share.

Citigroup’s�Kate McShane likes what she sees:

Top Dividend Companies For 2014: Linear Technology Corporation(LLTC)

Linear Technology Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets a line of linear integrated circuits. The company's products include amplifiers, comparators, voltage regulators, voltage references, monolithic filters, linear regulators, DC-DC converters, power over Ethernet controllers, battery chargers, data converters, communications interface circuits, RF signal conditioning circuits, Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brendan Byrnes]

  Then finally, "Found It" Miracle Workers, companies that bounced around for a while -- kind of like wayward teenagers -- and then found their way. A company like Linear Technology (NASDAQ: LLTC  ) , for example, a semiconductor manufacturer, would fall into that category. It started out as a second source supplier for the USDOD [and] now makes a vast array of highly customized, very highly differentiated analog microprocessors.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Linear Technology Corp.'s(LLTC) fiscal second-quarter profit climbed 18% as the chip manufacturer reported higher sales and gross margins.

  MeadWestvaco Corp.(MWV) expanded its cost-cutting efforts and said it plans to simplify the structure of its packaging businesses, as it strives to improve its performance.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Linear Technology (NASDAQ: LLTC) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.46 per share on revenue of $339.26 million.

  Marten Transport (NASDAQ: MRTN) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $0.23 per share on revenue of $168.28 million.

• [By Damian Illia]

  Although the stock has done pretty well, investors can have another option of investing in the tech sector with Linear Technology Corporation (LLTC) because there is no other semiconductor company that can be able to match the company's profitability. Linear Technology offers thousands of analog products to original equipment manufacturers. The company麓s plan is to specialize in market segments that require high-performance analog with focus on industrial and automotive products. Customers base decisions on quality and Linear麓s chip are considered to be products that have long life and superior technology. This is considered in prices and makes attractive margins to the company.

Top Dividend Companies For 2014: United Parcel Service Inc.(UPS)

United Parcel Service, Inc., a package delivery company, provides transportation, logistics, and financial services in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: U.S. Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain & Freight. The U.S. Domestic Package segment engages in the time-definite delivery of letters, documents, and packages in the United States. The International Package segment offers air and ground delivery of small packages and letters to approximately 220 countries and territories, including shipments outside the United States, as well as shipments with either origin or distribution outside the United States; export services; and domestic services move shipments within a country?s borders. The Supply Chain & Freight segment provides forwarding and logistics services, such as supply chain design and management, freight distribution, customs brokerage, mail, and consulting services in approximately 195 countries and territorie s; and less-than-truckload and truckload services to customers in North America. In addition, the company offers various technology solutions for automated shipping, visibility, and billing; information technology systems and distribution facilities to various industries comprising healthcare, technology, and consumer/retail; and a portfolio of financial services that provides customers with short-term working capital, government guaranteed lending, global trade financing, credit cards, and export financing. It operates a fleet of approximately 99,800 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; an air fleet of 527 aircraft; and 33,800 containers used to transport cargo in its aircraft. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kate Gibson]

  United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) advanced 1.2% after the shipping company reported third-quarter earnings that topped estimates.

Top 5 Heal Care Companies To Buy For 2014: Altria Group(MO)

Altria Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smokeless products, and wine in the United States and internationally. It offers cigarettes under the Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Parliament, Benson & Hedges, Basic, and L&M brands; smokeless tobacco products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, Husky brands, and Marlboro snus brands; and machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco. The company also produces and sells blended table wines under the Chateau Ste Michelle and Columbia Crest names; and distributes Antinori and Villa Maria Estate wines and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte in the United States. In addition, it maintains a portfolio of leveraged and direct finance leases in rail and surface transport, aircraft, electric power, real estate, and manufacturing. The company sells its tobacco products to wholesalers, including distributors; large retail organizations, such as chain stores; and the armed services. Altria Group, Inc. markets its wine products to restaurants, wholesale clubs, supermarkets, wine shops, and mass merchandisers. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Domestic tobacco giant Altria (NYSE: MO  ) gained 8% and yields 5%, despite facing challenges such as a shrinking smoker base in the U.S., more folks moving to discount cigarettes,�and rising taxes and regulations. The company is tackling the shrinking smoking base by moving into electronic cigarettes, which some expect to become a big market. Bulls may like its hefty free cash flow, but there are reasons to worry, too, such as also-hefty taxes.

• [By Dividend Growth Investor]

  Altria Group (MO) was able to spin-off its Kraft Foods division in 2007. Shareholders in Altria received shares in Kraft for each share of Altria stock they held. In 2008, this was followed by the spin-off of Phillip Morris International (PM), which represented the international tobacco business of Altria Group.

• [By Carolyn Bigda]

  Steve Halpern: Now, another Steady Eddie you have chosen is Altria (MO) and that company has raised its payout for 44 years. I know a lot of listeners might not like the idea of a cigarette company, but from a financial standpoint, this is about as close to a Steady Eddie as you could get. Could you tell us a little more about the company?

• [By Albert Alfonso]

  In terms of creating value for its shareholders, Altria (MO) has to be near the top of the list. Unlike some of its other domestic tobacco peers, Altria does offer some diversification, due to its large stake in SABMiller and other alcohol related holdings. Altria currently offers a $0.44 per share quarterly dividend. At current prices, Altria yields slightly under 5%.

Top Dividend Companies For 2014: Vivo Participacoes S.A.(VIV)

Telecomunicacoes de Sao Paulo S.A.-TELESP provides fixed-line telecommunications services to residential and commercial customers in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Its services include local voice services, such as activation, monthly subscription, measured service, and public telephones; intraregional, interregional, and international long-distance voice services; data services comprising broadband services; pay TV services through direct to home satellite technology and land based wireless technology multichannel multipoint distribution service; and network services, such as interconnection and rental of facilities, as well as other services consisting of extended maintenance, caller identification, voice mail, cell phone blockers, computer support, and antivirus for Internet service subscribers. The company also offers multimedia communication services, such as audio, data, voice and other sounds, images, and texts and other information. In addition, it provides interc onnection services to cellular service providers and other fixed telecommunications companies through the use of its network. Further, the company offers telecommunications solutions and IT support designed to address the needs and requirements of companies operating various types of industries, including retail, manufacturing, services, financial institutions, and government. Telecomunicacoes de Sao Paulo S.A.-TELESP provides its products and services through person-to-person sales, telesales, indirect channels, Internet, and door-to-door sales. As of December 31, 2010, its telephone network included 11.3 million fixed lines in service, including residential, commercial, and public telephone lines; 3.3 million broadband clients; and 0.5 million pay TV clients. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Telecomunicacoes de Sao Paulo S.A.-TELESP is a subsidiary of Telefonica S.A.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Vivendi (VIV) rose 2.7 percent to 17.15 euros. Music, pay-TV, European cinema and Internet in Brazil will make up a new media group based in France after the split with phone unit SFR, according to a statement yesterday.

• [By Dividend]

  Here are the top yielding stocks from the screening results:
  
  Telefonica Brasil (VIV) has a market capitalization of $25.08 billion. The company employs 19,614 people, generates revenue of $15.201 billion and has a net income of $1.994 billion. Telefonica Brasil�� earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $5.198 billion. The EBITDA margin is 34.20 percent (the operating margin is 21.26 percent and the net profit margin 13.12 percent).

Top Dividend Companies For 2014: Summit State Bank(SSBI)

Summit State Bank operates as a community bank in Sonoma, Napa, San Francisco, and Marin Counties in California. It offers deposit accounts, such as transaction accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, time deposit accounts, business checking accounts, time certificates of deposit, sweep accounts, and specialized deposit accounts, including professional, small business packaged, and tiered accounts for larger deposits, and Keogh and IRA accounts. The company also provides commercial and industrial lines of credit and term loans, credit lines to individuals, equipment loans, real estate and construction loans, small business loans, and business lines of credit; consumer loans, including auto loans, mortgage loans, home improvement loans, and home equity lines of credit; and loans for accounts receivable and inventory financing, loans to agriculture-related businesses, and equipment and expansion financing programs. In addition, it offers banking by appointment, on line and telephone banking services, direct payroll and social security deposits, letters of credit, access to national automated teller machine networks, courier services, safe deposit boxes, night depository facilities, notary services, travelers? checks, lockbox, and banking by mail. Further, the company, through its subsidiary, Alto Service Corporation, provides deed of trust services. It serves small-to medium-sized businesses, professionals and professional associations, entrepreneurs, high net worth families, foundations, estates, and individual consumers. The company operated five offices in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and Healdsburg. Summit State Bank was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Santa Rosa, California.