All posts by PARKERYL

Updated on March 11th, 2025 by Nathan Parsh

Investors looking for high-quality dividend growth stocks should first consider the Dividend Aristocrats. These are an exclusive list of 69 stocks in the S&P 500 Index with 25+ years of consecutive dividend increases.

The Dividend Aristocrats are an elite group of dividend growth stocks. For this reason, we created a full list of all 69 Dividend Aristocrats.

You can download your free copy of the Dividend Aristocrats list, along with important metrics like dividend yields and price-to-earnings ratios, by clicking on the link below:

 

Disclaimer: Sure Dividend is not affiliated with S&P Global in any way. S&P Global owns and maintains The Dividend Aristocrats Index. The information in this article and downloadable spreadsheet is based on Sure Dividend’s own review, summary, and analysis of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) and other sources, and is meant to help individual investors better understand this ETF and the index upon which it is based. None of the information in this article or spreadsheet is official data from S&P Global. Consult S&P Global for official information.

T. Rowe Price Group (TROW) has increased its dividend for 39 years in a row, thanks to its strong brand, a highly profitable business, and future growth potential.

The stock’s dividend yield is 5.2%, which is above the ~1.3% average dividend yield of the broader S&P 500 Index. Taken together, T. Rowe Price stock possesses many of the qualities dividend growth investors typically look for.

Business Overview

T. Rowe Price, Jr., founded it in 1937. In the eight decades since, it has grown into one of the largest financial services providers in the United States. Today, the company has a market cap of ~$22 billion and impressive assets under management.

Source: Investor Presentation

T. Rowe Price ended 2024 with more than $1.6 trillion in assets under management.

The company provides mutual funds, advisory services, and separately managed accounts for individuals, institutional investors, retirement plans, and financial intermediaries. T. Rowe Price has a diverse client base in terms of assets and client type.

This is a challenging climate for asset managers. Some investors have grown weary of higher trading costs and annual fees. The onset of low-cost exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, has successfully lured client assets away from traditional mutual funds that have higher fees. This has caused brokers to lower commissions and fees to retain client assets.

However, company has strong growth potential in the years ahead.

Growth Prospects

T. Rowe Price has several catalysts for future growth. On February 5th, 2025, T. Rowe Price announced its fourth quarter and full-year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. For the quarter, revenue increased 11% to $1.82 billion, which was $50 million below estimates. Adjusted earnings-per-share were $2.12 compared to $1.72 in the prior year, but this was $0.09 less than expected.

For the year, revenue grew 9.8% to $7.1 billion, and adjusted earnings-per-share were $9.33, compared to $7.59in 2023.

During the quarter, assets under management (AUM) of $1.639 trillion were up 19.2% year-over-year and higher by 3.1% sequentially. Market appreciation of $205.3 billion was partially offset by $43.2 billion of net client outflows. Operating expenses of $1.26 billion increased 0.1% year-over-year and grew 6.4% sequentially.

Since 2015, the company has grown earnings-per-share by an average compound rate of 8.1% annually. Moreover, the company performed well in 2020. Asset managers like T. Rowe have low variable costs. As a result, higher revenues, driven primarily by increasing assets under management, allow for margin expansion and attractive earnings growth rates.

Assets under management grow in two basic ways: increased contributions and higher underlying asset values. While asset values are finicky, the trend is upward over the long term. In addition, T. Rowe has another growth lever in the form of share repurchases. The company has shrunk its share count by an annual rate of 1.3% over the last decade.

Competitive Advantages & Recession Performance

T. Rowe Price’s competitive advantage comes from its brand recognition and expertise. The company enjoys a good reputation in the financial services industry. This helps generate fees, a significant driver of revenue. It has built this reputation through strong mutual fund performance.

T. Rowe Price considers its employees to be its most valuable assets. There is a good reason for this, It is critical for an asset management company to have qualified experts and retain top talent. This focus on building a strong brand gives the company competitive advantages, primarily the ability to keep existing clients and bring in new ones.

T. Rowe Price did not perform well during the Great Recession:

• 2007 earnings-per-share of $2.40
• 2008 earnings-per-share of $1.82 (24% decline)
• 2009 earnings-per-share of $1.65 (9% decline)
• 2010 earnings-per-share of $2.53 (53% increase)

As could be expected, T. Rowe Price experienced a sharp decline in earnings-per-share in 2008 and 2009. When stock markets decline, equity investors typically withdraw funds to raise cash.

Fortunately, the company remained profitable throughout the recession, allowing it to raise its dividend each year. T. Rowe Price quickly recovered in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Earnings increased significantly in 2010 and reached a new high by 2011.

Valuation & Expected Returns

We expect T. Rowe Price to produce adjusted earnings-per-share of $9.23 for 2025. Using the recent share price of ~$97, the stock has a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.5. We have a target price-to-earnings ratio of 14. If the stock valuation returns to the fair value estimate, then multiple expansion would add 5.9% to annual returns over the next five years.

The company does have a strong brand, with fairly consistent profitability and earnings growth. Even better, the stock appears undervalued today. We see earnings-per-share increasing at a rate of 3% annually through 2030 due to a combination of the sheer number of AUM and share repurchases.

Therefore, total returns would consist of the following:

• 3% earnings growth
• 5.2% dividend yield
• 5.9% multiple expansion

T. Rowe Price is expected to return 12.9% annually through 2030. T. Rowe Price is a particularly attractive stock for dividend growth. The company has raised its dividend for 39 years in a row. And the dividend is reasonably secure, with an expected payout ratio below 55% for this year.

Final Thoughts

Investors scanning the financial sector for dividend stocks may naturally land on the big banks.

In fact, most Dividend Aristocrats in the financial sector come from the insurance and investment management industries. This speaks volumes about the stability of their business models.

T. Rowe Price is an industry leader and should continue increasing its dividend yearly. The focus on lower fees will continue to be a headwind for the industry. That said, shares of T. Rowe Price earn a buy rating due to expected annual returns.

Additionally, the following Sure Dividend databases contain the most reliable dividend growers in our investment universe:

If you’re looking for stocks with unique dividend characteristics, consider the following Sure Dividend databases:

New tariffs from Trump roil the market (again)… the case for a bullish bounce… a key bearish line-in-the-sand… our experts are buying… a critical perspective

This morning, President Trump ratcheted up the tariff war, ordering tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to be increased another 25%, taking the full duty to 50%.

The policy goes into effect tomorrow morning.

Here’s Trump on Truth Social explaining why:

Based on Ontario, Canada, placing a 25% Tariff on “Electricity” coming into the United States, I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

In response, Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to shut off electricity to U.S. customers.

This is what trade wars look like.

Before this morning’s news, stocks appeared to be attempting to form a base. After 30 minutes of trading, the S&P 500 was flat, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was modestly lower, and the Nasdaq Composite was up about 0.70%.

But within minutes of Trump’s tariff announcement, all three major indexes fell into the red. As I write, the Nasdaq has clawed back to a small gain. Who knows where we’ll end the day?

Stepping back, let’s look squarely at this volatility.

What’s the potential for a bounce? How bad might it be if we keep falling? And how do our experts assess this pullback overall?

Let’s begin with the bull case.

Are we nearing technical exhaustion?

Let’s begin by looking at the S&P 500’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator.

For newer Digest readers, the RSI is a momentum indicator that measures the extent to which an asset is overbought or oversold.

A reading over 70 suggests an asset is “overbought” (and likely poised to pull back as traders take profits) while a reading below 30 means it’s “oversold” (and poised for gains as bargain-hunters step in and buy).

As I write Tuesday, the S&P’s RSI is 28 – officially “oversold.”

As you’ll see below, in the last two years, there have been four times when it reached this general level. In each of those times, stocks jumped higher in the following days, though the ensuing bullishness had differing durations.

This doesn’t guarantee that we’re in for a bounce, but it increases those odds.

We get a similar takeaway from the S&P’s Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD) indicator. It reflects changes in a price trend’s strength, direction, momentum, and duration.

It’s now at its lowest level since 2022’s bear market low.

Source: TradingView

It’s hard for such extremes to remain for long.

You might think of it like a rubber band. The greater this MACD (and RSI) stretches, the farther/faster the ensuing snapback rally often is when the tension eventually releases.

So, if a reversion rally is in the cards, how high might we go?

The case for an 8%+ bounce

To help us with this analysis, we’re going to master trader Jeff Clark.

For newer Digest readers, Jeff is a market veteran with more than four decades of experience. In his service, Jeff Clark Trader, he profitably trades the markets regardless of direction – up, down, or sideways.

Over the last few days, one of Jeff’s indicators has been flashing a “bull” signal. From Jeff this past Friday:

The Volatility Index (VIX) just generated its third broad stock market “buy signal” of 2025. All three occurred within the last 10 days.

The first two signals reversed immediately. So, bullish traders are hoping this third time will be the charm.

As a quick reminder, VIX buy signals occur when the index closes above its upper Bollinger Band and then closes back inside the bands.

Jeff notes that while this indicator’s track record is excellent, it’s not perfect. Sometimes, instead of rallying immediately after the indicator triggers, the stock market falls. This pushes the VIX above its upper Bollinger Band again, negating the buy signal.

As Jeff just noted, the VIX Indicator has given us two false positives in the last two weeks. This is highly unusual.

Back to Jeff:

It is [incredibly rare] to get two failed VIX buy signals back-to-back – thereby setting the stage for a “triple” VIX buy signal. That is, however, what the market is set up for right now…

When it happens, it leads to “V” shaped rallies.

For example, last July/August we got a cluster of three VIX buy signals in about a two-week period. The first two signals failed.

Following the third signal, though, the S&P 500 rallied 400 points (8%) in about 10 days.

A similar move this time around would have the S&P 500 challenging the top of its recent trading range – near 6100 – by St. Patrick’s Day.

Our hypergrowth expert Luke Lango just ran a study suggesting a bullish move could go even higher

As usual, historical data and market history underpin Luke’s analysis.

This time, he ran a study on the Nasdaq-100. Luke prefers the Nasdaq-100 because we live in a tech-based economy, and this index includes the world’s largest 100 tech companies.

Luke evaluated what happened after the Nasdaq-100 closed below its 200-day moving average (MA), which it did earlier this week for the first time in more than a year.

Here’s Luke:

[The Nasdaq-100] has crossed below its 200-day moving average precisely 11 times before since 1990.

All 11 times, the market was either on the cusp of a big rebound or big breakdown – and which way it went depended on how the market acted in the subsequent two weeks.

Per Luke, if the Nasdaq-100 can remain within 4% of its 200-day MA, stocks always rebounded over the next 12 months, with average gains of over 25%.

Given this, Luke issued five “buy” alerts in his service Innovation Investor yesterday.

From Luke:

We view the odds of an economic recovery as being significantly greater than the odds of an economic recession…

And we therefore believe the odds of stocks soaring over the next year – and this being a great buying opportunity – as being significantly higher than the odds of stocks crashing over the next year.

So… let’s get aggressive here.

Regular Digest readers see me reference the following quote regularly, but this is a great time to highlight it. From billionaire Rob Arnott, founder and chairman of the board of Research Affiliates:

In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable.

But what happens if the Nasdaq-100 fails to hold within 4% of its 200-day MA?

That brings us to the potential downside of this recent selloff.

Let’s return to Luke:

[In our case study analysis,] if the Nasdaq-100 didn’t play strong defense and fell more than 4% below its 200-day moving average over the subsequent two weeks, stocks always slumped into a bear market.

This happened in early 1990 (right before the ’90s recession), mid-2000 (right before the dot-com crash), early 2008 (right before the 2008 financial crisis), and early 2022 (right before the inflation crash).

As I write on Tuesday, the 200-day MA sits at 20,323 while the index trades at 19,452, which means it’s just a shade over 4% lower.

We’re holding the line…barely. Clearly, we want to see some bullishness soon.

But if this market continues dropping, let’s maintain perspective

I’m in regular communication with many of InvestorPlace’s analysts… and I can tell you that, while cautious, they’re seeing opportunity.

We just highlighted how Luke put his money where his mouth was yesterday, recommending five new stocks.

He wasn’t the only one. On Friday, our global macro expert Eric Fry, editor of Fry’s Investment Report, made a new recommendation. Given the volatility, he wrote:

Anyone who [buys] shares of [this recommendation] today might not be happy about that purchase one week from now, or even one month from now, but I believe they [will] be very happy about it one year from now.

And we can throw legendary investor Louis Navellier into the mix.

As we’ve been highlighting in recent days, Louis is holding a live event this Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern to prep investors for Nvidia Corp.’s (NVDA) “Q-Day,” which takes place one week from Thursday.

Here’s Louis explaining what’s behind the upcoming briefing:

In the third week of March, we’re going to have the big NVIDIA Corporation annual conference – the developers conference.

I expect Nvidia to announce a new breakthrough technology that could light a fire under the shares of one of its “Q” partners… a stock 1,000 times smaller than Nvidia.

It’s my top quantum pick, a small-cap stock protected by 102 patents with close ties to NVIDIA.

Though I don’t know all the details of Louis’ presentation, my hunch is that this broad market pullback has just made his preferred quantum stocks even more attractive from an entry valuation perspective. What I know for sure is that Louis has been banging the drum on this opportunity.

To learn more about his event and register for free, click here.

Finally, let’s wrap up with big-picture perspective

For this, we’ll turn to InvestorPlace’s CEO, Brian Hunt.

As longtime Digest readers know, beyond helming InvestorPlace, Brian is an accomplished trader/investor who loves teaching/writing about the topic.

In 2022’s bear market, Brian wrote an essay that’s critical for investors to remember as markets sell off. I encourage you to read the entire piece right here. But to prevent us from running too long, I’ll excerpt its takeaway to wrap us up today:

When the stock market goes through a big drop and your portfolio’s value is going lower and lower, it can be difficult to know what to do.

It’s an emotional time and mistakes are common when we are feeling pressure.

What about my retirement?

My kid’s college education?

My dreams of financial independence? …

These declines – even if they are in the modest 15% range – will scare you.

They will make you question the idea of owning stocks…

During stock market corrections, I ask you to focus on what really matters: progress, transformational industry trends, creating value for others, and innovation.

Remember that despite all the negative occurrences of the past 100 years, shareholders of innovative companies that serve their customers have made fortunes.

It’s been the surest way to get rich in America for more than 100 years. It will be that way for at least 100 more. That’s why staying bullish on human progress and innovation is at the foundation of what we do at InvestorPlace.

It’s also why, when our subscribers write in to ask if we have “bear market survival” plans, we send them this essay.

Our “bear market survival” plan consists of [remembering the long-term strength of the stock market], thinking long-term, and looking to buy high-quality stocks at discount prices.

Our “bear market survival” plan does not consist of selling stocks in a panic…

It’s one of the most important milestones on the journey to mastering money.

Have a good evening,

Jeff Remsburg

In today’s fast-paced global market, staying current on sanctions updates is critical for businesses engaged in cross-border payments. Recent developments from U.S. and U.K. authorities—as well as actions by the European Union—underscore the dynamic nature of the regulatory landscape. Below we break down the key updates announced in January 2025 and what they mean for your business operations.

U.S. Treasury expands authorizations for activities and transactions in Syria

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Syria General License (GL) 24, expanding authorizations for activities and transactions in Syria, effective December 8, 2024. This action underscores the United States’ commitment to ensuring that U.S. sanctions do not impede activities to meet basic human needs or humanitarian assistance.

This authorization is in effect for six months, as the U.S. government continues to monitor the situation. GL 24 helps ensure that sanctions do not impede essential services and continuity of governance functions across Syria, including the provision of electricity, energy, water, and sanitation. Get all the details in the official announcement.

UK sanctions guidance: Countering evasion and no-Russia clause

The Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) has published two documents to aid compliance with UK sanctions against Russia. “Countering Russian Sanctions Evasion” guides exporters and manufacturers in identifying circumvention tactics, recognizing high-risk goods, spotting red flags, and enhancing due diligence to aid businesses in managing their risk and meeting their compliance obligations.

The UK government has also issued a “No-Russia Clause” which assists exporters in tailoring contracts to include provisions that prevent re-export to Russia. Prohibitions in the UK’s Russia sanctions regime also typically prohibit export ‘for use in’ Russia. Even if the immediate destination of the relevant goods is not Russia, the prohibition may still apply. UK’s trade sanctions on Russia seek to deny Russia access to the goods, technologies, services, and revenue necessary to pursue its illegal war.

Direct trade between the UK and Russia has fallen heavily since sanctions were introduced. However, Russia has been seeking to procure goods and services via indirect routes and complex supply chains. This heightens the risk of circumvention of trade sanctions, and diversion of goods to Russia.

US Treasury sanctions Russia’s energy sector

The U.S. Department of the Treasury (OFAC) and the UK’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) have announced sweeping sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector to diminish revenue for its war against Ukraine. The sanctions, fulfilling a G7 commitment, impact major oil producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, over 180 vessels (including those in the “shadow fleet”), oil traders, service providers, and energy officials.

A new determination authorizes sanctions on anyone operating in Russia’s energy sector, increasing risks for those involved in the Russian oil trade. The UK is joining the US in sanctioning major Russian oil producers. Treasury also issued amended General License 8L, which authorizes certain wind-down transactions related to energy through March 12, 2025.

Strengthening collaboration on economic sanctions

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) of the UK have established a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance their collaborative relationship. This arrangement aims to advance their shared goal of enforcing and promoting compliance with economic and trade sanctions.

The Memorandum facilitates the sharing of relevant information, coordination of investigations, personnel training, and discussions on regulatory expectations. It outlines terms and conditions for cooperation, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Information sharing will adhere to strict controls and safeguards, with mechanisms for handling unauthorized disclosures. The agreement also establishes contact points for efficient communication and designates coordinators to oversee its implementation.

While not legally binding, the Memorandum signifies a commitment to cooperation, allowing for amendments, suspension, or termination by either participant.

Family International Realty LLC fined for sanctions evasion

OFAC has announced that Family International Realty LLC and its owner have agreed to pay $1,076,923 to settle potential civil liability for violating Ukraine-/Russia-related sanctions. Between 2018 and 2023, they executed a scheme to evade sanctions by transferring ownership of luxury condominiums owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs Valeri Abramov and Viktor Perevalov to family members and shell companies. This was done to obscure the oligarchs’ interests and facilitate rentals and sales, generating approximately $182,442 in commissions and reimbursements for the company. The settlement reflects that the violations were egregious and not self-disclosed, also considering the owner’s resolution of related criminal charges.

Haas Automation settles with OFAC for sanctions violations

Haas Automation, Inc. has agreed to pay $1,044,781 to settle potential civil liability for 21 apparent violations of Ukraine-/Russia-related sanctions. Between December 2019 and March 2022, Haas indirectly supplied a computer numerical control (CNC) machine, spare parts, and authorization codes to blocked Russian entities through its Russian distributor, Abamet Management Limited.

The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) determined that Haas did not voluntarily disclose the violations and that eight of them were egregious. OFAC considered Haas’s remedial efforts and cooperation as mitigating factors. Haas is also settling with the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) for $1,500,000. Further details are available in the enforcement release.

Executive Order 14148: Rescinding prior actions

On January 24, President Trump signed a new Executive Order (E.O.), “Initial Rescissions Of Harmful Executive Orders And Actions,” which, among other actions, revoked E.O. 14115, “Imposing Certain Sanctions on Persons Undermining Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank.” To implement the President’s revocation of E.O. 14115, OFAC removed the West Bank-Related Sanctions program from its website and removed all persons designated under E.O. 14115 from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List). All property and interests in property blocked under E.O. 14115 are now unblocked.

EU prolongs economic sanctions against Russia

The Council of the European Union has extended its economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy for another six months, lasting until July 31, 2025. These measures, initially introduced in 2014 in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, were significantly expanded following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The sanctions aim to weaken Russia’s ability to finance the war and apply pressure to change its policies. They encompass restrictions on trade, finance, technology, and dual-use goods. The EU remains steadfast in its condemnation of Russia’s aggression and unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Read the full announcement for more detail.

Navigating the latest sanctions updates in cross-border payments

Staying ahead of sanctions updates isn’t just about avoiding penalties, it’s about safeguarding your business reputation and ensuring seamless international operations. As regulatory landscapes evolve, proactive compliance becomes an essential element of strategic growth.

In an era of rapid regulatory change, your ability to adapt and stay informed is key to maintaining a competitive edge and protecting your bottom line.  For companies navigating cross-border payments, these updates serve as a crucial reminder to:

• Enhance compliance frameworks:
  Regularly update your internal policies and due diligence processes considering new sanctions guidance and enforcement actions.
• Invest in training:
  Ensure that your teams are well-versed in the latest regulatory changes. Training can help identify red flags and prevent inadvertent sanctions breaches.
• Leverage technology:
  Utilize advanced compliance tools to monitor transactions, screen counterparties, and flag any activities that may fall under evolving sanctions regimes.
• Maintain open channels:
  Engage with legal and regulatory experts to continuously assess your exposure and adapt to the shifting sanctions landscape.

Want more insights on the topics shaping the future of cross-border payments? Tune in to Converge, with new episodes every Wednesday.

Plus, register for the Daily Market Update to get the latest currency news and FX analysis from our experts directly to your inbox.

Published on March 11th, 2025 by Bob Ciura

Blue-chip stocks are established, financially strong, and consistently profitable publicly traded companies.

Their strength makes them appealing investments for comparatively safe, reliable dividends and capital appreciation versus less established stocks.

This research report has the following resources to help you invest in blue chip stocks:

Resource #1: The Blue Chip Stocks Spreadsheet List

 

There are currently more than 500 securities in our blue chip stocks list.

We categorize blue chip stocks as companies that are members of 1 or more of the following 3 lists:

Simply put, blue chip stocks have at least 10 consecutive years of dividend increases.

At the same time, we often recommend income investors consider high dividend stocks, for their elevated dividend yields.

High dividend stocks means more income for every dollar invested. All other things equal, the higher the dividend yield, the better.

The combination of dividend yield and growth, can result in outstanding long-term returns.

In this research report, we analyze 10 blue chip stocks with high dividend yields of 5.0% and greater.

The list is sorted by dividend yield, in ascending order.

Table of Contents

The table of contents below allows for easy navigation.

High Yield Blue Chip #10: Franklin Resources (BEN)

• Dividend History: 45 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 6.2%

Franklin Resources is an investment management company. It was founded in 1947. Today, Franklin Resources manages the Franklin and Templeton families of mutual funds.

On January 31st, 2025, Franklin Resources reported net income of $163.6 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the first fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2024.

This marked a significant improvement from the previous quarter’s net loss of $84.7 million, though EPS remained lower than the $251.3 million net income recorded in the same quarter last year.

Source: Investor presentation

The past few years have been difficult for Franklin Resources. Franklin Resources was slow to adapt to the changing environment in the asset management industry.

The explosive growth in exchange-traded funds and indexing investing surprised traditional mutual funds.

ETFs have become very popular with investors due in large part to their lower fees than traditional mutual funds. In response, the asset management industry has had to cut fees and commissions or risk losing client assets.

Earnings-per-share are expected to decline in 2025 as a result. The company still maintains a manageable payout ratio of 51% expected for 2025, but if EPS continues to decline, the dividend payout could be in danger down the road.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on BEN (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #9: Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPD)

• Dividend History: 27 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 6.4%

Enterprise Products Partners was founded in 1968. It is structured as a Master Limited Partnership, or MLP, and operates as an oil and gas storage and transportation company.

Enterprise Products has a large asset base which consists of nearly 50,000 miles of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, and refined products pipelines.

It also has storage capacity of more than 250 million barrels. These assets collect fees based on volumes of materials transported and stored.

Source: Investor Presentation

Enterprise Products Partners reported strong fourth-quarter 2024 earnings, delivering $1.6 billion in net income, or $0.74 per common unit, representing a 3% increase over the prior year.

Adjusted cash flow from operations rose 4% to $2.3 billion, with the company declaring a quarterly distribution of $0.535 per unit, a 4% year-over-year increase.

Enterprise also continued its capital return strategy, repurchasing 2.1 million common units during the quarter and 7.6 million units for the full year, bringing total buybacks under its program to $1.1 billion.

For the full year, the company posted $9.9 billion in EBITDA, moving 12.9 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on EPD (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #8: Pfizer Inc. (PFE)

• Dividend History: 16 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 6.5%

Pfizer Inc. is a global pharmaceutical company focusing on prescription drugs and vaccines. Pfizer’s top products are Eliquis, Prevnar family, Paxlovid, Comirnaty, Vyndaqel family, Ibrance, and Xtandi. Pfizer had revenue of $63.6B in 2024.

Pfizer reported solid Q4 2024 results on February 4th, 2025. Company-wide revenue grew 21% operationally and adjusted diluted earnings per share climbed to $0.63 versus $0.10 on a year-over-year basis because of stabilizing COVID-19 related sales, growing revenue from the existing portfolio, and lower expenses.

Global Biopharmaceuticals sales gained 22% to $17,413M from $14,186M led by gains in Primary Care (+27%), Specialty Care (+12%), and Oncology (+27%). Pfizer Centerone saw 11% lower sales to $325M, while Ignite revenue was $26M.

Of the top selling drugs, sales increased for Eliquis (+14%), Prevnar (-4%), Plaxlovid (flat), Cominraty (-37%), Vyndaqel/ Vyndamax (+61%), Ibrance (-2%), and Xtandi (+24).

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on PFE (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #7: Northwest Bancshares Inc. (NWBI)

• Dividend History: 13 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 6.7%

Northwest Bancshares is a bank holding company that offers full-service financial institutions providing a complete line of personal and business banking products, including employee benefits, investment management services, and trust.

Northwest Bank is the leading subsidiary of Northwest Bancshares, and it operates 162 branches in central and western Pennsylvania, western New York, eastern Ohio, and Indiana. Northwest Bancshares has been paying a rising dividend for thirteen consecutive years.

On January 24th, 2025, the company announced the fourth quarter results for the fiscal year (FY)2024. The company reported fourth-quarter 2024 net income of $33 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, reflecting a $4 million increase from the same period in 2023 but a slight decline from the previous quarter.

Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) was $35 million, or $0.27 per diluted share. The company’s net interest margin expanded by 9 basis points to 3.42%, bolstered by an interest recovery. Additionally, the efficiency ratio improved to 61.8%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on NWBI (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #6: Altria Group (MO)

• Dividend History: 55 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 6.9%

Altria is a tobacco stock that sells cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, e-cigarettes, and more under a variety of brands, including Marlboro, Skoal, and Copenhagen, among others.

With a current dividend yield of nearly 8%, Altria is an ideal retirement investment stock.

This is a period of transition for Altria. The decline in the U.S. smoking rate continues. In response, Altria has invested heavily in new products that appeal to changing consumer preferences, as the smoke-free category continues to grow.

Source: Investor Presentation

The company also has a 35% investment stake in e-cigarette maker JUUL, and a 45% stake in the Canadian cannabis producer Cronos Group (CRON).

Altria Group reported solid financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024. For the fourth quarter, revenue of $5.1 billion beat analyst estimates by $50 million, and increased 1.6% year-over-year. Adjusted EPS of $1.29 beat by a penny.

For the full year, Altria generated adjusted diluted EPS growth of 3.4% and returned over $10.2 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.

For 2025, Altria expects adjusted diluted EPS in a range of $5.22 to $5.37. This represents an adjusted diluted EPS growth rate of 2% to 5% for 2025.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on Altria (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #5: LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)

• Dividend History: 13 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 7.0%

LyondellBasell is one the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world. The company provides materials and products that help advance solutions for food safety, water purity, fuel efficiency of vehicles, and functionality in electronics and appliances.

LyondellBasell sells products in more than 100 countries and is the world’s largest producer of polymer compounds. The company, with U.S operations headquartered in Houston, Texas and global operations headquartered in London, generated $40.3 billion in sales last year.

On January 31st, 2025, LyondellBasell posted its Q4 and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. The company posted revenues of $9.45 billion, marking a sequential decline from $10.32 billion in Q3, due to softer demand and lower product pricing across key divisions.

The company posted adjusted EBITDA of $689 million, down from $1.21 billion in Q3, reflecting higher raw material costs, seasonally lower polyolefin demand, and compressed refining and oxyfuels margins amid weaker gasoline crack spreads.

Adjusted net income for Q4 was $249 million ($0.75 per share), down from $617 million ($1.88) in Q3. For the year, adjusted EPS was $6.40.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on LYB (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #4: Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT)

• Dividend History: 40 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 7.0%

Universal Health Realty Income Trust operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT), specializing in the healthcare sector. The trust owns healthcare and human service-related facilities.

Its property portfolio includes acute care hospitals, medical office buildings, rehabilitation hospitals, behavioral healthcare facilities, sub-acute care facilities and childcare centers.

Universal Health’s portfolio consists of 76 properties located in 21 states.

On February 26, 2025, Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024. The company achieved net income of $4.7 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, marking an increase from $3.6 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, in the same period of 2023.

This improvement was driven by a net increase in income from various properties, partially offset by higher interest expenses due to increased borrowing rates and outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit agreement.

Funds from operations (FFO) for the quarter were $11.8 million, or $0.85 per diluted share, up from $11.4 million, or $0.82 per diluted share, in the prior year’s fourth quarter.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on UHT (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #3: MPLX LP (MPLX)

• Dividend History: 12 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 7.3%

MPLX LP is a Master Limited Partnership that was formed by the Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) in 2012. In 2019, MPLX acquired Andeavor Logistics LP.

The business operates in two segments:

• Logistics and Storage, which relates to crude oil and refined petroleum products
• Gathering and Processing, which relates to natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs)

In early February, MPLX reported (2/4/25) financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow (DCF) per share grew 9% and 7%, respectively, primarily thanks to higher tariff rates and increased volumes of liquids and gas.

MPLX maintained a healthy consolidated debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.1x and a solid distribution coverage ratio of 1.5x.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on MPLX (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #2: Delek Logistics Partners LP (DKL)

• Dividend History: 10 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 10.9%

Delek Logistics Partners, LP is a publicly traded master limited partnership (MLP) headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Established in 2012 by Delek US Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DK), Delek Logistics owns and operates a network of midstream energy infrastructure assets.

These assets include approximately 850 miles of crude oil and refined product transportation pipelines and a 700-mile crude oil gathering system, primarily located in the southeastern United States and west Texas.

The company’s operations are integral to Delek US’s refining activities, particularly supporting refineries in Tyler, Texas, and El Dorado, Arkansas.

Delek Logistics provides services such as gathering, transporting, and storing crude oil, as well as marketing, distributing, and storing refined products for both Delek US and third-party customers.

On February 25, 2025, Delek Logistics Partners (DKL) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024. The company achieved an adjusted EBITDA of approximately $107.2 million, an increase from $100.9 million in the same period of the previous year.

Distributable cash flow was $69.5 million, with a coverage ratio of approximately 1.2 times. The Gathering and Processing segment saw an adjusted EBITDA of $66 million, up from $53.3 million in Q4 2023, primarily due to higher throughput from Permian Basin assets and contributions from the H2O Midstream acquisition.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on DKL (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Blue Chip #1: Arbor Realty Trust (ABR)

• Dividend History: 11 years of consecutive increases
• Dividend Yield: 14.0%

Arbor Realty Trust is a nationwide mortgage real estate investment trust (REIT) that acts as a direct lender and operates in two reporting segments: Agency Business and Structured Business. The trust provides loan origination and servicing for multifamily, seniors housing, healthcare, and other diverse commercial real estate assets.

Arbor Realty’s specific focus is government-sponsored enterprise products, although its platform also includes commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS), bridge and mezzanine loans, and preferred equity issuances.

On February 21, 2025, Arbor Realty Trust reported its financial performance for the fourth quarter of 2024. The company achieved distributable earnings of $0.48 per share, surpassing the quarterly dividend of $0.43 per share.

This marked the 13th consecutive quarter in which distributable earnings exceeded dividends, highlighting Arbor’s consistent profitability. The debt platform originated $1.1 billion in new loans during the quarter, bringing the total originations for the year to $4.2 billion.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ABR (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Additional Reading

If you are interested in finding other high-yield securities, the following Sure Dividend resources may be useful:

High-Yield Individual Security Research

Other Sure Dividend Resources

There’s no way to sugarcoat it. The market’s a disaster right now, folks.

The tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as the 20% tariffs on China, have sent the stock market spiraling lower in March. Even though President Trump backpedaled and postponed some of the tariffs on Canada and Mexico until April, it was too little, too late for many investors.

The S&P 500, Dow and NASDAQ have all erased their post-election gains. In fact, in the first six trading days of March alone, all three indices fell more than 4%.

Breaking news keeps jerking the market around, too. The markets fell this morning after President Trump announced even bigger tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel – only to stage a rebound as news broke that Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire negotiated by the United States if Russia accepts the plan.

But believe it or not, a future billionaire is making their first move today.

George Washington once said that when you have a people who are “possessed by the spirit of Commerce,” they can achieve anything.

I don’t think our first president would realize just how true those words were.

Consider Jeff Bezos. At 30 years old, he quit a cushy Wall Street job to sell books online – at a time when most people barely used the internet.

Now, Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) dominates global commerce… and Bezos has a $215 billion net worth.

Or Bill Gates. He dropped out of Harvard to build software. Most people didn’t even own a computer back then.

Today, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) is a $3 trillion giant… and Bill Gates is worth about $108 billion.

Mark Zuckerberg… Elon Musk… I could go on.

These guys weren’t lucky. They didn’t become billionaires overnight. They were talented, worked hard, and took advantage of life-changing opportunities whenever circumstances (or fate) came along.

They are the epitome of the American dream.

Now, I am no Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos. Frankly, I am also more of a “car guy” than a “rocket ship guy.”

However, I do like to say that my life story is also the embodiment of the American dream.

I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I’m the son of a stone mason and the first in my family to go to college. Today, I live a lavish lifestyle – and it’s all thanks to the market-beating system I created over four decades ago.  

Believe it or not, I stumbled onto this system by accident when I “failed” a specific assignment at Cal State Hayward in the late ’70s.

So, in today’s Market 360, I want to tell you about the failed assignment that started it all for me. I’ll explain how it led me to create a system that would find some of the market’s biggest winners over the past few decades.

In fact, it helped me find NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) when it was trading at just $1 (split-adjusted) in 2016. We all know what happened after that – the stock went up by more than 7,000% at its peak.

Then, I’ll wrap things up by telling you about the 50X profit opportunity my system is alerting me to today… and where you can learn more about it.

Written by Steven Dooley, Head of Market Insights, and Shier Lee Lim, Lead FX and Macro Strategist

USD hits pre-election lows

Global markets fell again yesterday with the US’s Dow Jones down 1.1%, UK’s FTSE 100 falling 1.2% and Japan’s Nikkei dropping 0.6%.

Rising global recession fears, equity market volatility and weaker growth indicators have driven a shift toward safe-haven assets with the Japanese yen and Swiss franc outperforming.

Unusually, the US dollar has not benefited from these safe-haven flows, with markets instead worried about the prospects for US growth.

The AUD/USD climbed from one-week lows with a 0.2% gain but remains broadly within the six-week old trading range between 0.6200 and 0.6400.

Similarly, the NZD/USD recovered within its recent trading range between 0.5600 and 0.5775.

In Asia, the moves were more significant. USD/SGD fell back to the lowest level since 11 November.

The USD/CNH fell to the lowest level since 19 November.

US inflation in focus tonight

Technically, the US dollar index remains relatively weak with the market still below its 50-day and 200-day EMAs. 

Tonight, US consumer prices will be revealed at 11:30pm AEDT.

After a robust reading of 0.446% in January, core CPI inflation probably slowed somewhat to 0.287% m-o-m in February, although it most certainly stayed above the December level of 0.210%.

We anticipate that core PCE inflation (to be released later this month) stayed high in February at 0.282% m-o-m.

The Fed will probably continue to monitor inflation concerns if the print matches our prediction. 

The USD index is now at a four-month low, with next key support at its weekly 200-day EMA of 102.58.

Korea’s artificial job market masks KRW weakness

Today, the Korea unemployment rate will be revealed at 10:00 AEDT. As the labor market improves, we anticipate that the unemployment rate will slightly decline once again, from 2.9% in January to 2.8% SA in February.

The service sector probably kept adding employment as a result of the government’s frontloading fiscal expenditures, offsetting job losses in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

We retain negative outlook on KRW, which may see USD/KRW move higher in the short-term.

USDKRW is currently at its three-month low.  The USDKRW pair has rebounded from its 50-day EMA support of 1443.09, which may be attractive to USD buyers.

The next level of key support for USDKRW is at its 200-day EMA of 1403.63.

USD sees losses across Asia

Table: seven-day rolling currency trends and trading ranges  

Key global risk events

Calendar: 10 – 15 March  

All times AEDT

Have a question? [email protected]

*The FX rates published are provided by Convera’s Market Insights team for research purposes only. The rates have a unique source and may not align to any live exchange rates quoted on other sites. They are not an indication of actual buy/sell rates, or a financial offer.