Yum Brands' (YUM) proclamation to increase its quarterly dividend by 10% to $37 cents a share represents the ninth successive increase since the time Yum embarked on this road back in FY2004. The recent hike, exactly a year after the prior rise, brings the dividend yield to 2.03%. In light of the above painted rosy picture it becomes critical to carefully scrutinize Yum's performance to try to reach a conclusion whether it is a good buy or not.
Historical Performance
Yum's business comprises of four operating segments; Yum China, Yum Restaurant India, Yum Restaurant International and the United States division. The China division, YRI and Taco-Bell U.S. currently represents 85% of the company's operating margins.
Yum's sale dropped by 8.33% during the second quarter compared with the prior year same period. Revenues from Yum Restaurant International and the U.S. increased by 6% and 2%, respectively. However, they decreased in the China division by 12% owing to the avian flu turmoil.
Top 5 Stocks For 2015: Healthways Inc.(HWAY)
Healthways, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides specialized, comprehensive solutions to assist people to maintain and enhance their health and well-being. The company?s evidence-based programs provide specific and personalized interventions for each individual in a population, irrespective of age, or health status; and delivers to consumers by phone, mail, Internet, and face-to-face interactions. It also offers wellness and disease prevention solutions through total population screening, well-being assessments, and supportive interventions; access to health improvement programs, such as fitness solutions, weight management, chiropractic, and complementary and alternative medicine; and educational materials and personal interactions with trained nurses and other healthcare professionals to create and sustain healthier behaviors for individuals who are in the early stages of chronic conditions. In addition, the company operates care enhancement and coaching centers; fi tness centers; and provides health improvement programs and services in Brazil, Australia, and France. Healthways, Inc. delivers its programs to various customers, including health plans, employers, integrated healthcare systems, hospitals, physicians, and government entities in the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lauren Pollock]
Healthways Inc.'s(HWAY) profit fell 64%, hurt by shrinking margins and flat revenue. Shares of Healthways fell as the company lowered its guidance for the year, while issuing downbeat estimates for the fourth quarter and 2014.
Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH)
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., incorporated on February 21, 2011, is a global cruise line operator, offering cruise experiences for travelers with a variety of itineraries in North America (including Alaska and Hawaii), the Mediterranean, the Baltic, Central America, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The Company offers a variety of cruises ranging from one day to three weeks. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company docked at over 125 ports worldwide, with itineraries originating from 17 ports of which ten were in North America. In June 2010, the Company took delivery of its largest cruise ship, Norwegian Epic (4,100 Berths), which offers 21 dining options.
The Company�� ships have passenger amenities, including up to 21 dining options together with hundreds of private balcony cabins on each ship. As of March 31, 2011, 48% of its cabins have private balconies. Five of its ships offer a complex of private courtyard villas, each with up to approximately 570 square feet, which provide personal butler service and access to a private courtyard area with private pools, sundeck, hot tubs, and fitness center. In addition, six of its ships have garden villas with up to 6,694 square feet. These garden villas offer three separate bedroom areas, spacious living and dining room areas, as well as around-the-clock, on-call butler and concierge service.
Norwegian Epic offers its passengers itineraries to the western and eastern Caribbean, as well as Europe. The ship offers its customers an aqua park, sports complex, two three-lane bowling alleys and its two-story Wii Wall. In addition, the ship features a spa facility and fitness center with more than 31,000 square feet. Entertainment is offered aboard Norwegian Epic with the addition of entertainment choices, including Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams & Dinner, Legends in Concert and Nickelodeon at Sea. It offers entertainment in its jazz and blues club and its comedy club features the comedy troupe, The Second City.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
The Q3 2014 earnings report for cruise ship stock Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL), which also has a listing as Carnival plc (NYSE: CUK) and is a peer of�Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE: RCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ: NCLH), is scheduled to report earnings before the market opens on Tuesday (September 23rd). Aside from the Carnival Corporation earnings report, it should be said that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd reported Q2 2014 earnings on July 24th (profit rose fivefold on higher European demand) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd reported Q2 2014 earnings on July 29th (investments in new ships and fleet modernization helped earnings that beat expectations). However and the last time around when Carnival Corporation reported earnings, year over year comparisons may have been misleading because�of an embarrassing February 2013 incident when a�fire on the Carnival Triumph left the ship without power in the Gulf of Mexico and�passengers stranded aboard the stalled ship for four days until it was pulled into port by several tugboats.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
And what’s good for Carnival should also be good for Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), which also got an upgrade, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings�(NCLH), which Farley and Kocharyan label their top pick. They explain:
Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Diana Containerships Inc.(DCIX)
Diana Containerships Inc. owns and operates containerships in Greece. The company engages in the seaborne transportation of semi-finished and finished consumer and industrial products. As of February 23, 2012, its fleet consisted of 8 containerships with a carrying capacity of approximately 32,693 twenty-foot equivalent units. Diana Containerships Inc. was founded in 2010 and is based in Athens, Greece.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Diana Containerships (NASDAQ: DCIX) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $13.22 million.
Intrawest Resorts Holdings (NYSE: SNOW) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $2.69 per share on revenue of $294.89 million.
Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Volkswagen AG (VLKAF.PK)
Volkswagen AG is a Germany-based automobile manufacturer. The Company develops vehicles and components, and also produces and sells vehicles, in particular Volkswagen brand passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The Company consists of two divisions: Automotive and Financial Services division. The Automotive division is responsible for the development of vehicles and engines, the production and sale of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, trucks and buses, and the genuine parts business. The Financial services division's portfolio of services includes dealer and customer services in the field of financing, leasing, direct bank, insurance and fleet business. The Company's brands include Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, Skoda, Scania and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and each brand offers a product range from low-consumption small cars to luxury class vehicles, as well as pick ups, busses and heavy trucks in the commercial vehicle sector. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Yasir Idrees]
Nokia has already taken its Here platform to the next level after it announced the Here Connected Driving service. The Here rebranding strategy of extending Nokia's location services has helped the company reach deals with companies like BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen (VLKAF.PK) and Connected Driving is what takes this to the next level.
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