Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014

LONDON -- There are some striking similarities between�ARM Holdings� (LSE: ARM  ) (NASDAQ: ARMH  ) and�Apple� (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) .

Both companies owe their success to consumers' appetite for the latest, coolest electronic gizmo -- which, for the past few years, has meant Internet-connected smart devices. ARM's angle is its stranglehold on the low-powered chips that makes such things work, Apple's is its clever design and marketing that creates products customers yearn for.

Both firms have seen rapid growth. In the three years to September 2012, Apple's sales rose 53% per annum, and ARM's sales have grown 24% per annum over the past three years.

Both companies have a relatively high proportion of fixed costs, so margins have gone up alongside sales. Apple's gross margin rose from 39% in 2010 to 44% last year. ARM's operating margin doubled from 18% in 2009 to 36% in 2012.

Great expectations
As a result they've thrown off large amounts of cash while, as growth stocks, investors have no great expectations for dividends. That's created surplus cash, though Apple's $145 billion cash pile dwarfs ARM's 500 million pounds.

Hot Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch Right Now: Lockheed Martin Corporation(LMT)

Lockheed Martin Corporation engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, operation, and sustainment of advanced technology systems and products in the areas of defense, space, intelligence, homeland security, and government information technology in the United States and internationally. It also provides management, engineering, technical, scientific, logistic, and information services. The company operates in four segments: Aeronautics, Electronic Systems, Information Systems & Global Services (IS&GS), and Space Systems. The Aeronautics segment offers military aircraft, including combat and air mobility aircraft, unmanned air vehicles, and related technologies. Its products and programs comprise the F-35 multi-role, stealth fighter; the F-22 air dominance and multi-mission stealth fighter; the F-16 multi-role fighter; the C-130J tactical transport aircraft; and the C-5M strategic airlifter modernization program; and support for the P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, and the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. The Electronic Systems segment provides air and missile defense; tactical missiles; weapon fire control systems; surface ship and submarine combat systems; anti-submarine and undersea warfare systems; land, sea-based, and airborne radars; surveillance and reconnaissance systems; simulation and training systems; and integrated logistics and sustainment services. The IS&GS segment offers information technology solutions and advanced technology primarily in the areas of software and systems integration for space, air, and ground systems to various defense and civil government agencies. The Space Systems segment provides government and commercial satellites; strategic and defensive missile systems, including missile defense technologies and systems, and fleet ballistic missiles; and space transportation systems. Lockheed Martin Corporation was founded in 1909 and is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Avg. High Yield Price 2. 20-Year DCF Price 3. Avg. P/E Price 4. Graham Number GD is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 49.9% premium to its calculated fair value of $71.45. GD did not earn any Stars in this section. Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Free Cash Flow Payout 2. Debt To Total Capital 3. Key Metrics 4. Dividend Growth Rate 5. Years of Div. Growth 6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15% GD earned two Stars in this section for 1.) and 2.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1979 and has increased its dividend payments for 23 consecutive years. Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA (20-year Treasury bond). Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. NPV MMA Diff. 2. Years to > MMA The NPV MMA Diff. of the $741 is below the $1,200 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as GD has. If GD grows its dividend at 10.0% per year, it will take 6 years to equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.68%. Memberships and Peers: GD is a member of the S&P 500 and a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index. The

Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014: Quanex Building Products Corporation(NX)

Quanex Building Products Corporation provides engineered products and aluminum sheet products. Its Engineered Products segment produces window and door components for original equipment manufacturers that primarily serve the residential construction and remodeling markets. This segment?s products consist of insulating glass spacer/sealant systems, thin film solar panel sealants, window and patio door screens, aluminum cladding and other roll formed metal window components, thresholds and astragals, moldings, residential exterior products, engineered vinyl and composite patio doors, window profiles and custom window grilles, and trim and architectural moldings in various woods primarily for the home improvement and residential construction markets. The company?s Aluminum Sheet Products segment includes reducing reroll coil to specific gauge, annealing, slitting, and custom coating. This segment?s products are used in customer end-use applications comprising window screen fr ames and screens, exterior home trim, fascias, roof edgings, soffits, downspouts, and gutters in the building and construction markets, as well as capital goods and transportation markets. The company offers its products to original equipment manufacturers and distributors through direct and indirect sales groups primarily in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Asia, and Europe. Quanex Building Products Corporation is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Quanex Building Products (NYSE: NX  ) .

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Quanex Building Products (NYSE: NX  ) reported earnings on June 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended April 30 (Q2), Quanex Building Products beat expectations on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014: Integrys Energy Group(TEG)

Integrys Energy Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated electric and natural gas utility company in the United States and Canada. It provides natural gas utility services in Chicago, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. As of December 31, 2009, the company served approximately 1,669,000 residential, commercial and industrial, transportation, and other customers. It had approximately 22,000 miles of natural gas distribution mains; and approximately 1,010 miles of natural gas transmission mains. The company also generates and distributes electric energy form coal, natural gas, fuel oil, hydroelectric, and wind resources in Wisconsin and Michigan. It served approximately 489,000 residential, commercial and industrial, wholesale, and other customers. In addition, Integrys Energy offers nonregulated energy supply and services; and electric transmission services. The company was formerly known as WPS Resources Corporation and changed its name to Integrys En ergy Group, Inc. in February 2007. Integrys Energy Group, Inc. was founded in 1883 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  "Clean coal" to the rescue?
  Not all utilities are bidding adieu to coal just yet. Integrys' (NYSE: TEG  ) Wisconsin Public Service subsidiary is applying for a rate increase to cover "clean coal" conversion costs. The utility hopes to add a coal dust collection system to one of its coal plants. The 824 MW facility upgrade comes with a $17 million price tag, but the move would put Integrys on a straighter path to environmental compliance. If the company's recent $220 million approval �is any evidence, this latest request might just make it past Wisconsin regulators.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Other utilities are following suit, pushing hard to turn coal into "clean coal." Integrys (NYSE: TEG  ) currently has a $17 million rate request on the table to add coal dust collectors to an 824 MW facility, a move that would put the utility one step closer to covering environmental costs.

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  Last up is Integrys Energy Group (TEG), the sole downside name we're looking at this week. Even though December is historically a great month to own stocks, that doesn't mean that it's universally a great month to own all stocks. And TEG looks "toppy" at this point.

  Integrys is currently forming a head and shoulders top, a bearish setup that indicates exhaustion among buyers. The pattern is formed by two swing highs that hit their head around the same level (the shoulders), separated by a higher high (the head). The sell signal comes on a move through the neckline, which is currently sloping through $52. TEG is actually a "nested" pattern, which means that the right shoulder is a complete head and shoudlers pattern itself on a shorter-timeframe. Since the downside has already triggered on the right shoulder, we should expect a test of the longer-term neckline soon.

  Lest you think that the head and shoulders is too well known to be worth trading, the research suggests otherwise: a recent academic study conducted by the Federal Reserve Board of New York found that the results of 10,000 computer-simulated head-and-shoulders trades resulted in "profits [that] would have been both statistically and economically significant."

  That's good reason to keep this stock in your crosshairs in the days ahead; a break below the neckline is a short signal.

  To see this week's trades in action, check out the Technical Setups for the Week portfolio on Stockpickr.

  -- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Integrys (NYSE: TEG  ) announced this week that it's selling off one of its hydro dams, marking yet another utility's unease with hydroelectric power. Let's take a closer look to see whether this power company's piddling away profits -- or making smart moves for its future.

Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014: Cinemark Holdings Inc(CNK)

Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries engage in the motion picture exhibition business. As of June 30, 2011, it operated 436 theatres with 4,983 screens in 39 states of the United States, as well as in Brazil, Mexico, and 11 other Latin American countries. The company is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  As movie-theater operator Cinemark (NYSE: CNK  ) exits the Mexican market, another "gringo" is expanding to fill the gap -- from even farther north of the border.

• [By Sue Chang]

  Cinemark Holdings Inc. (CNK) : The movie theater company is well positioned to capitalize on the film�� popularity with movie goers with operations both in the U.S. and Latin America. Shares of Cinemark are up 26% so far this year.

• [By John Udovich]

  The shares of small cap IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) have slipped more than 10% this week on growth concerns - meaning it might be a good idea to take a closer look at the stock plus its performance�verses other cinema stocks like Carmike Cinemas, Inc (NASDAQ: CKEC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) along with the PowerShares Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment ETF�(NYSEARCA: PEJ).