Selected Dividends and Earnings for January 2, 2011 to January 8, 2011

Monday, January 3, 2011

Dividends

• Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) - $0.095 payable 26-Jan
• Gap Inc. (GPS) - $0.100 payable 26-Jan
• Raytheon (RTN) - $0.375 payable 10-Feb

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Dividends

• JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) - $0.050 payable 31-Jan
• Torchmark (TMK) - $0.160 payable 1-Feb

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Dividends

• American Express Company (AXP) - $0.180 payable 10-Feb
• BB&T Corporation (BBT) - $0.150 payable 1-Feb
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) - $0.330 payable 1-Feb
• Masco (MAS) - $0.075 payable 7-Feb
• Medtronic Inc. (MDT) - $0.225 payable 28-Jan
• Monsanto Company (MON) - $0.280 payable 28-Jan
• SYSCO Corporation (SYY) - $0.260 payable 28-Jan

Earnings

• Family Dollar (FDO)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Dividends

• AT&T (T) - $0.430 payable 1-Feb
• Darden Restaurants (DRI) - $0.320 payable 1-Feb
• General Mills, Inc. (GIS) - $0.280 payable 1-Feb
• JCPenney (JCP) - $0.200 payable 1-Feb
• Lincoln National (LNC) - $0.050 payable 1-Feb
• MasterCard Incorporated (MA) - $0.150 payable 9-Feb
• Progress Energy (PGN) - $0.620 payable 1-Feb
• Quest Diagnostics (DGX) - $0.100 payable 25-Jan
• Verizon (VZ) - $0.488 payable 1-Feb
• Whole Foods Market (WFMI) - $0.100 payable 20-Jan

Earnings

• Constellation Brands, Inc. (STZ) before market open
• Monsanto Company (MON) before market open

Friday, January 7, 2011

Dividends

• Patterson Dental (PDCO) - $0.100 payable 28-Jan

Earnings

• KB Home (KBH) before market open

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Selected Dividends and Earnings for September 27, 2009 to October 3, 2009

Monday, September 28, 2009

Dividends

• Boston Properties (BXP) - $0.500 payable 30-Oct
• Deere & Company (DE) - $0.280 payable 2-Nov
• Dillard's (DDS) - $0.040 payable 2-Nov
• Edison International (EIX) - $0.310 payable 31-Oct
• Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) - $0.010 payable 22-Oct
• Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) - $0.310 payable 14-Oct
• Kraft Foods (KFT) - $0.290 payable 14-Oct
• Molex Inc. (MOLX) - $0.153 payable 26-Oct
• Nicor Inc. (GAS) - $0.465 payable 1-Nov
• Nucor (NUE) - $0.350 payable 11-Nov
• PG&E Corporation (PCG) - $0.420 payable 15-Oct
• The Dow Chemical Company (DOW) - $0.150 payable 30-Oct
• U.S. Bancorp (USB) - $0.050 payable 15-Oct
• Umpqua Holdings Corporation (UMPQ) - $0.050 payable 15-Oct
• Windstream Communications (WIN) - $0.250 payable 15-Oct
• Xerox Corporation (XRX) - $0.043 payable 30-Oct
• XTO Energy Inc. (XTO) - $0.125 payable 15-Oct

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Dividends

• Air Products and Chemicals Inc (APD) - $0.450 payable 9-Nov
• Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) - $0.690 payable 29-Oct
• Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) - $0.175 payable 15-Oct
• Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) - $0.075 payable 15-Oct
• Discover Financial Services (DFS) - $0.020 payable 22-Oct
• Realty Income Corporation (O) - $0.143 payable 15-Oct
• State Street Corporation (STT) - $0.010 payable 15-Oct

Earnings

• Darden Restaurants (DRI)
• Jabil Circuit, Inc. (JBL)
• Micron Technology (MU)
• Nike (NKE)
• Walgreen (WAG)

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Dividends

• American Express Company (AXP) - $0.180 payable 10-Nov
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) - $0.310 payable 2-Nov
• McCormick & Company, Inc. (MKC) - $0.240 payable 16-Oct
• Quest Diagnostics (DGX) - $0.100 payable 19-Oct
• Torchmark (TMK) - $0.140 payable 30-Oct

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Dividends

• Campbell Soup (CPB) - $0.250 payable 2-Nov
• Franklin Resources (BEN) - $0.210 payable 15-Oct
• Kimco Realty Corporation (KIM) - $0.060 payable 15-Oct

Earnings

• Constellation Brands, Inc. (STZ) before market open

Friday, October 2, 2009

Dividends

• Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY) - $0.140 payable 27-Oct
• JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) - $0.050 payable 31-Oct
• Raytheon (RTN) - $0.310 payable 5-Nov

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Selected Dividends and Earnings for July 5, 2009 to July 11, 2009

Monday, July 6, 2009

Dividends

• Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) - $0.068 payable 29-Jul
• Gap Inc. (GPS) - $0.085 payable 29-Jul

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Dividends

• AT&T (T) - $0.410 payable 3-Aug
• BB&T Corporation (BBT) - $0.150 payable 3-Aug
• Darden Restaurants (DRI) - $0.250 payable 3-Aug
• General Mills, Inc. (GIS) - $0.470 payable 3-Aug
• JCPenney (JCP) - $0.200 payable 3-Aug
• Lincoln National (LNC) - $0.010 payable 1-Aug
• Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC) - $0.200 payable 17-Aug
• Masco (MAS) - $0.075 payable 10-Aug
• MasterCard Incorporated (MA) - $0.150 payable 10-Aug
• Medtronic Inc. (MDT) - $0.205 payable 31-Jul
• Progress Energy (PGN) - $0.620 payable 3-Aug
• Verizon (VZ) - $0.460 payable 3-Aug

Earnings

• ALCOA Inc (AA) after market close
• Family Dollar (FDO) before market open
• Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) before market open

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Dividends

• PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) - $0.100 payable 24-Jul

Earnings

• Chevron (CVX)

Friday, July 10, 2009

Earnings

• The Progressive Corporation (PGR)

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Selected Dividends and Earnings for March 15, 2009 to March 21, 2009

Monday, March 16, 2009

Dividends

• Regions Financial Corp. (RF) - $0.100 payable 1-Apr

Earnings

• American Apparel (APP) after market close
• U.S. Home Systems (USHS) after market close

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Dividends

• Sempra Energy (SRE) - $0.390 payable 15-Apr
• TSYS (TSS) - $0.070 payable 1-Apr

Earnings

• Adobe Systems (ADBE)

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Dividends

• Chubb Corporation (CB) - $0.350 payable 7-Apr
• Cincinnati Financial Corporation (CINF) - $0.390 payable 15-Apr
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) - $0.250 payable 3-Apr
• Tiffany & Co. (TIF) - $0.170 payable 10-Apr

Earnings

• Cintas Corporation (CTAS) after market close
• Darden Restaurants (DRI)
• General Mills, Inc. (GIS) before market open
• Nike (NKE)
• Oracle (ORCL) after market close
• Towerstream Corporation (TWER)

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Dividends

• National Semiconductor (NSM) - $0.080 payable 14-Apr

Earnings

• Discover Financial Services (DFS) before market open
• FedEx (FDX)

Friday, March 20, 2009

Dividends

• H.J. Heinz Company (HNZ) - $0.415 payable 10-Apr
• International Game Technology (IGT) - $0.060 payable 7-Apr

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Selected Dividends and Earnings for October 5, 2008 to October 11, 2008

Monday, October 6, 2008

Dividends

• Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) - $0.063 payable 29-Oct

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Earnings

• ALCOA Inc (AA)
• Safeway Inc. (SWY)
• Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) after market close

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Dividends

• AT&T (T) - $0.400 payable 3-Nov
• Darden Restaurants (DRI) - $0.200 payable 3-Nov
• General Dynamics (GD) - $0.350 payable 14-Nov
• General Mills, Inc. (GIS) - $0.430 payable 3-Nov
• Genworth Financial, Inc. (GNW) - $0.100 payable 27-Oct
• JCPenney (JCP) - $0.200 payable 1-Nov
• Lincoln National (LNC) - $0.415 payable 1-Nov
• Masco (MAS) - $0.235 payable 10-Nov
• MasterCard Incorporated (MA) - $0.150 payable 10-Nov
• National City (NCC) - $0.010 payable 3-Nov
• PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) - $0.660 payable 24-Oct
• Progress Energy (PGN) - $0.615 payable 3-Nov
• Verizon (VZ) - $0.460 payable 3-Nov

Earnings

• Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
• Monsanto Company (MON)

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Dividends

• Gap Inc. (GPS) - $0.085 payable 28-Oct

Earnings

• Chevron (CVX) after market close

Friday, October 10, 2008

Dividends

• Abbott (ABT) - $0.360 payable 15-Nov
• Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (FCX) - $0.500 payable 1-Nov

Earnings

• General Electric (GE)
• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (HST) before market open

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Selected Dividends and Earnings for September 14, 2008 to September 20, 2008

Monday, September 15, 2008

Dividends

• Regions Financial Corp. (RF) - $0.100 payable 1-Oct

Earnings

• Pall Corp. (PLL) after market close
• The Kroger Co. (KR)

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Dividends

• Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) - $0.550 payable 29-Oct
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) - $0.250 payable 2-Oct
• National Semiconductor (NSM) - $0.060 payable 6-Oct
• TSYS (TSS) - $0.070 payable 1-Oct

Earnings

• Adobe Systems (ADBE)
• Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY)
• Darden Restaurants (DRI) after market close
• Goldman Sachs (GS) before market open

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Dividends

• Chubb Corporation (CB) - $0.330 payable 7-Oct
• Cincinnati Financial Corporation (CINF) - $0.390 payable 15-Oct
• Omnicom Group (OMC) - $0.150 payable 3-Oct
• Seacoast Banking FL (SBCF) - $0.010 payable 30-Sep

Earnings

• General Mills, Inc. (GIS) before market open
• Morgan Stanley (MS)

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Dividends

• CA (CA) - $0.040 payable 30-Sep
• General Electric (GE) - $0.310 payable 27-Oct
• H.J. Heinz Company (HNZ) - $0.415 payable 10-Oct
• Tiffany & Co. (TIF) - $0.170 payable 10-Oct

Earnings

• Carnival Corporation & Carnival plc (CCL)
• Cintas Corporation (CTAS) after market close
• ConAgra Foods (CAG) before market open
• FedEx (FDX) before market open
• Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LEH)
• Oracle (ORCL) after market close

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Not so surprising results from Darden (DRI)

Today, Darden (DRI) is up 8% after management gave some upbeat numbers and guidance. The same stock that was near 20 is now near 30. Yes, I regret selling my Jul 30 options for 2.95 when I could have sold them for 4 today. But what I regret more is not picking up more when they were at 0.60.

Investing (in the long term sense) is all about the numbers and valuation. Trading (in the short term sense) is much more about emotions. It's about having the confidence to buy at the bottom and sell at the top. I have this problem of picking a stock near its 52 week low, holding it while it gets killed some more, and then selling it for a small profit. That's better than some alternatives but still sucks. The problem is that this works most of the time but some times, they don't come back up. You need a couple large gains (10-baggers) to achieve abnormal returns.

Darden is a perfect example of this. It would have been an easy 50% gain had I put more money in at the bottom. I had the conviction (I wouldn't have in the past but I am getting better) but I lacked the margin. The thing I tend to forget is that when the markets are down, the maintenance requirements go up. I tend to run out of buying power and get margin calls near the bottom. So instead of adding delta, I am reducing delta at the worst time.

In an attempt to learn from my mistake, I didn't trade today. There are so many opportunities out there (EMC, SIRF, CDNS, BHI, JNJ, GE, etc.) but I figured the smart thing to do is to build up buying power and wait for a retest of the bottom. Usually volatility is pretty high during expiration week but today was rather tame. I am hoping the rest of the week is as quiet. Quiet days make for easy money from decaying time premium.

Microsoft (MSFT) bids for Yahoo (YHOO), Short XHB?

I missed the boat. The 31 a share offer from Microsoft for Yahoo has pushed the price to the 29 level. I got a bit greedy with how much premium I was trying to sell the put options. I could have made instant bank but now I got nothing.

On another note, this rally makes me want to short the S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB). The market seems to be on looking at the good news and ignoring the stream of consistently bad economic indicators. Even though the government is bailing everyone out, the homebuilders are pretty low on the list. I tried to short a small position (just to see what it's like since I've never actually shorted stocks before) but couldn't borrow any shares. So I guess I have to just sell calls on it.

I also got out of some DRI options. There's a good chance it is going back to 20. Casual dining is a tough business right now.