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After over 10 years of a low-interest rate environment, which has reversed significantly over the last two years, many investors continue to turn to equities for growth potential and solid and dependable dividends. These help provide an income stream, equating to total return, one of the most influential investment strategies.
We always like to remind our readers about the impact total return has on portfolios because it is one of the best ways to improve their chances of overall investing success. Again, total return is the combined increase in a stock’s value plus dividends. For instance, if you buy a stock at $20 that pays a 3% dividend, and it goes up to $22 in a year, your total return is 13%—10% for the increase in stock price and 3% for the dividends paid.
Five top blue chip companies that are Wall Street favorites are expected to raise their dividends this week, so we screened our 24/7 Wall St. research universe and found that all are rated Buy at some of the top firms on Wall Street. While it’s always possible that not all companies raise their dividends, top analysts expect them to. Generally, the data is based on past increases in the firm’s dividend payouts. Investors should also check out these dividend legends. https://247wallst.com/dividend-legends/?tpid=1407652&tv=link&tc=in_content
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) is a ubiquitous presence in the United States, providing:
- Various banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle market businesses, institutional investors, corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally
- Operating 5,100 banking centers, 16,300 ATMs, call centers, and online and mobile banking platforms.
Bank of America has expanded into several new US markets, and its global scale ideally positions it to benefit from accelerating loan growth over the next two years. Moreover, unlike smaller peers, scale allows the bank to substantially increase investment over the next few years without notably jeopardizing returns, driving further market share gains.
Shareholders are currently paid a 2.31% yield. The company is expected to raise the dividend to $0.26 per share from $0.24.
The Goldman Sachs Group
The world’s premier investment bank continues to dominate Wall Street. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS) provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide.
It operates through:
- Global Banking & Markets
- Asset & Wealth Management
- Platform Solutions segments
The Global Banking & Markets segment provides:
- Financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; relationship lending and acquisition financing
- Secured lending through structured credit and asset-backed lending and financing under securities-to-resale agreements.
This segment also offers client execution activities for cash and derivative instruments, credit and interest rate products, and provision of mortgages, currencies, commodities, and equities-related products, as well as underwriting services.
The Asset & Wealth Management segment manages assets across various classes, including:
- Equity
- Fixed income
- Hedge funds
- Credit funds
- Private equity
- Real estate
- Currencies, and commodities
It provides customized investment advisory solutions, wealth advisory services, personalized financial planning, private banking services, and invests in corporate equity, credit, real estate, and infrastructure assets.
The Platform Solutions segment offers credit cards and point-of-sale financing for the purchase of goods or services. It also provides cash management services, such as deposit-taking and payment solutions, for corporate and institutional clients.
Investors are currently receiving a 2.29% dividend. The company is expected to raise the dividend to $3.00 from $2.75.
Las Vegas Sands
This gaming giant remains a favorite with investors and has a huge presence in China. Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) together with its subsidiaries, develops, owns, and operates integrated resorts in Macao and Singapore.
It owns and operates:
- The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel
- The Londoner Macao
- The Parisian Macao
- The Plaza Macao and Four Seasons Hotel Macao Cotai Strip
- Sands Macao in Macao,
- The People’s Republic of China
- Marina Bay Sands in Singapore
The company’s integrated resorts feature accommodations, gaming, entertainment, and retail malls, convention and exhibition facilities, celebrity chef restaurants, and other amenities.
Shareholders currently receive a 1.87% yield. The company is expected to raise the dividend to $0.22 per share from $0.20.
Penske Automotive
Started by automotive and racing legend Roger Penske, this company has backed up some to offer a better spot to buy shares. Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: PAG) is a diversified transportation services company that operates worldwide as an automotive and commercial truck dealership.
The company operates through four segments:
- Retail Automotive
- Retail Commercial Truck
- Other
- Non-Automotive Investments
It operates dealerships under franchise agreements with various automotive manufacturers and distributors.
The company is also involved in selling:
- New and used motor vehicles
- Maintenance and repair services
- Sale and placement of third-party finance and insurance products
- Third-party extended service and maintenance contracts
- Replacement and aftermarket automotive products
- Collision repair services, and parts wholesale
In addition, it operates a heavy and medium-duty truck dealership, which offers Freightliner and Western Star branded trucks and a range of used trucks.
Further, it imports and distributes Western Star heavy-duty trucks, MAN heavy and medium duty trucks and buses, and Dennis Eagle refuse collection vehicles with associated parts. Additionally, the company distributes diesel and gas engines, and power systems.
Investors currently receive a 2.15% yield. The company is expected to raise the dividend to $1.05 per share from $0.96.
State Street
This financial giant looks close to breaking out to a 52-week high. Through its subsidiaries, State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) provides financial products and services to institutional investors worldwide.
The company offers:
- Investment servicing products and services, including custody, accounting, regulatory reporting, investor, and performance and analytics
- Middle office products, such as IBOR, transaction management, loans, cash, derivatives and collateral, record keeping, and client reporting and investment analytics
- Finance leasing
- Foreign exchange, and brokerage and other trading services
- Securities finance and enhanced custody products
- Deposit and short-term investment facilities
- Investment manager and alternative investment manager operations outsourcing
- Performance, risk, and compliance analytics
- Financial data management to support institutional investors
It also provides portfolio management and risk analytics, trading and post-trade settlement services with integrated compliance and managed data.
In addition, the company offers investment management strategies and products, such as:
- Core and enhanced indexing
- Multi-asset strategies
- Active quantitative and fundamental capabilities
- Alternative investment strategies.
Further, it provides services and solutions, including environmental, social, and governance investing; defined benefits and contributions; global fiduciary solutions; and exchange-traded funds under the SPDR ETF brand.
The company provides its products and services to mutual funds, collective investment funds, UCITS, hedge funds and other investment pools, corporate and public retirement plans, insurance companies, foundations, endowments, and investment managers.
Shareholders are currently paid a 3.51% yield. The company is expected to raise the dividend to $0.76 per share from $0.69.
Five top companies, all rated Buy across Wall Street, are expected to raise their dividends to shareholders. Not only is increasing dividends and returning capital to investors necessary, but it also shows that the company is doing well and has the earnings and cash flow strength to increase the payouts.
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