Word: dividenders
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...utility industry used to be the place widows and retirees invested their savings for steady dividend payouts and slow appreciation. That, of course, was before Enron--and before a recession and mild winter that crimped the demand for power. Since last October, investors have fled not only from the stocks of energy companies with complex finances and trading operations but also from old reliable electric and gas utilities. Some have lost half their value. Analysts view many of these utilities as prime candidates for acquisition, but even among the stronger U.S. energy firms, few are in a position...
...Asian stock investors are starting to demand more respect, though. In Japan, apparel company Tokyo Style is fending off a rare revolt by shareholders who want a bigger dividend from the company's $1 billion cash reserve. Looking to boost investor confidence in the market, Chinese regulators have launched a campaign against embezzlement by listed companies. In Malaysia, private investors have established the Minority Shareholders Watchdog Group, and a similar body has been formed in Taiwan...
Nader isn't entirely right, of course. Some lackluster managements jack up dividends just to placate big shareholders. And you can benefit from Microsoft shares just by holding on--as long as they continue their long rise. Spokeswoman Katy Fonner says the firm has no plans to pay a dividend; it would rather use its cash for marketing, product development and "strategic investments...
...research bolsters the case for cash payouts. Doron Nissim and Amir Ziv, business professors at Columbia, have found that when a company raises its dividend, profits go up for the next four years. On average, says Nissim, "when you see companies increasing their dividends, you should expect higher returns in the future." So when a firm cuts its dividend, as Daimler-Chrysler did last week, it can raise a warning flag...
...expect stocks to be sluggish for a while, so now is an especially good time to incorporate dividends into your portfolio. Three solid mutual funds that specialize in cash-paying stocks are Fidelity Dividend Growth, T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth and (if you invest through a broker) Capital Income Builder from the American Funds group. You might also send a message to billg@microsoft.com Show me the money, Bill...