Investors who bought the dip in tobacco giant Altria (MO) at $40 are more than satisfied. MO stock traded at a 52-week high last Friday. The firm hiked its dividend by 4.1%. The firm pays $1.02 a share, up from $0.98.
MO stock still offers a high yield of 7.56%.
Altria’s strong return and healthy yield are in contrast to Medical Properties (MPW), a REIT that slashed its dividend. Walgreens Boots (WBA) still pays a dividend of $1.00 a share. The 9.97% dividend yield, however, is not sustainable. Be wary of both WBA and MPW stock.
Post-pandemic darling Zoom Video (ZM) surged by nearly 20% in the last week. Analysts are optimistic that Zoom’s slow growth is coming to an end. CEO Eric Yuan increased his revenue guidance for FY 2025. It expects revenue to grow by 3% in the year. Zoom reported higher collections, stronger billings, and beneficial rate dynamics.
In the automotive sector, markets are dismissing the risks of a recession hurting demand. Investors are betting that Ford Motor (F) will fix its business. After its last quarterly report revealing unacceptably high warranty costs, shares fell below $10. It closed at $11.27 last week.
Ford canceled its plans to build a bigger new electric vehicle SUV. Instead, it will lower battery costs to more effectively compete with Chinese EV rivals.
