Penske Automotive Group Posts Strong 2016 & Boosts Dividend!

February 11, 2017 The Security Whisperer Analysis, performance, Stock News, Uncategorized Automobile Dealer, buy and hold, dividend achiever, dividend growth, dividend growth investing, dividend yield, dividends, Penske Automotive Group, retirement account, retirement stock

Automobile dealership major Penske Automotive Group (NYSE: PAG) recently reported strong 2016 results, key highlights of which are shown below:

Revenue climbed 4.3% to just over $20B. Revenue climbed 8.6% excluding FX.
SS retail revenue declined by a modest 0.6%, but increased 3.8% excluding FX
Adjusted EPS from Continuing Ops increased 7.1%; +12% excluding FX.

Shareholders were also rewarded with a 1 cent or 3% increase in the company’s quarterly dividend to 30 cents per share. This most recent dividend increase represents the company’s 23rd such consecutive quarterly increase 🙂

See below for why I think PAG is a good long-term hold for the serious dividend investor:

Kicking The Tires On A New Car…And On A New Investment.

Church & Dwight Co., Inc. Beats on Revenue, EPS, and Boosts Dividend :):)

February 7, 2017 The Security Whisperer Analysis, Commentary, Stock News baking soda, buy and hold, Clorox, consumer goods, detergent, dividend aristocrat, dividend growth, dividend payer, dividend yield, dividends, eps beat, non-discretionary, retirement account, retirement stock, The Clorox Company

Consumer goods major Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (NYSE: CHD) reported Q4 and fiscal 2016 numbers that were happily received by the Street and investors alike. Key YoY takeaways ( I prefer YoY numbers versus QoQ numbers…the former usually has less “noise”) include:

Reported sales growth: +2.9% (Organic: +3.2%);
Reported Gross Margin: +100 bps, Adjusted Margin: + 120 bps;
Reported EPS growth: 13.6%, Adjusted: +9.3%;
Cash from Operations: +$655M; +8.1%

And for the “icing on the cake”, CHD announced that it is increasing its quarterly dividend by 7% to $0.19/share. Today’s dividend increase marks the company’s 21st consecutive year of dividend increases, and it has been paying a regular consecutive quarterly dividend for 116 years.

See below for my analysis on CHD and why I prefer the company over consumer products stalwart The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX):

Bleach or Baking Soda?

A Stock even “MADMEN” Would Love.

November 30, 2016 The Security Whisperer Analysis, Commentary advertising, asset light, buy and hold, dividend growth, dividend yield, good yield, investing, Mad Men, marketing, NYSE, OMC, Omnicom Group Inc., organic growth, rising dividends, set it and forget it, solid fundamentals

As I said in the MY INVESTMENT PHILOSOPHY page on this site, I do not consider myself a GROWTH investor nor do I consider myself to be a VALUE investor. I keep reading and researching about different business and industries in an attempt to find those which I believe would make good long-term investments whether or not they fit into GROWTH of VALUE buckets. I have always been fascinated by advertising/marketing, and if my love for finance and investing weren’t so strong, I would have probably tried my hand at marketing.

Continue reading →

Oh Snap! Snap-On Incorporated Looks Appealing.

September 15, 2016November 14, 2016 The Security Whisperer Analysis, Commentary, Uncategorized Berkshire Hathaway Inc., buy and hold, dividend aristocrat, dividend growth, dividends, Industrials, long term value, long-term investor, Snap-On Incorporated, StanleyBlack&Decker, uninterrupted dividends, Value Investing

Sorry for the title folks, but I couldn’t think of a catchier one. Continue reading →

Heavy Duty Success: Toromont Industries Ltd.

August 7, 2016 The Security Whisperer Analysis attractive stock, Boring Stock, buy and hold, Canadian value, dividend growth, dividend yield, dividends, equipment rental, good buy, long term value, long-term investor, Long-term View, Marsh & McLennan, Toromont Industries Ltd., Toronto Stock Exchange, value play

Sometimes “simple” businesses can be the most attractive (and profitable) to own for the long haul. Continue reading →

Kicking The Tires On A New Car…And On A New Investment.

October 15, 2015October 15, 2015 The Security Whisperer Analysis attractive stock, Automobile Dealer, Autoparts, boring, dividend growth, Long-term Hold, Penske Automotive Group

If you have ever test-driven a new or used car in the U.S., U.K, or Germany…chances are good that the car was from a dealership operated by Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: PAG), a Fortune 500 company with more than 300 franchises covering 40 different vehicle brands. Lets see if that glorious “new car” smell extends to PAG as a long-term investment shall we: Continue reading →

Tuning Your Car’s Engine…And Your Portfolio.

October 7, 2015October 9, 2015 The Security Whisperer Analysis attractive stock, Autoparts, boring, dividend growth, dividend stock, Genuine Parts Company, good buy, long term value, long-term investor

Whether you do it yourself or go to a garage for help, every vehicle owner has been exposed to the myriad of parts a vehicle needs to keep running smoothly. Continue reading →

Boring Is Beautiful: Marsh & McLennan Companies

October 1, 2015October 1, 2015 The Security Whisperer Analysis, Commentary boring, brokers, dividend growth, dividend stock, financial services, investments, long-term investor, Marsh & McLennan, MMC

Whether you love them or hate them, insurance brokers are a permanent part of the financial services landscape. The business is by no means glamorous but does present an opportunity for the long-term investor. Continue reading →