Stan Sutfin

Eliot Spitzer on How Geithner Was Fleeced by Wall Street

Isn't it strainge that we never hear anything from Obama on this subject. Guess he isn't as smart as people thought he was. One thing is pretty certain--little Timmy will wind up getting a great job at GS. Wonder if he knows he is supposed to pay taxes on those bonuses. If he does know, wonder if he will pay the tax.

Not All Dividend Stocks Are Overvalued

The writer misses one important point on dividend stocks--look for some that have a history of increasing dividend over time. PAYX has a yield of 4.3% and has increased the payout by 138% in 4 years. BP has yield of 6.2% and has increased yield 45% in 4 years. Also, some prefered stocks offer nice safe yields although you don't get any increase over the regular payout. PHR yields 8.9%, JPM-Z yields 7.5%

Robert Shiller on the Nascent Recovery

I agree with comments about CNBC. Problem is there is really no other financial news network

30 High Dividend Stocks and ETFs

Need to be careful in that web site. It shows CTL going ex on 9/4 whereas it actually went ex 9/3

California Borrows $1.5 Billion to Pay Off Borrowed Money

Does anyone have a idea of why California paid 3.75% interest on these IOUs at a time when when interest rate on short term Federal bills were maybe one tenth of that? It is true that people are leaving the state. The problem is the ones leaving should be those in public office in Sacremento.

Financial Stocks for Dividend Investors

Canadian banks sound like a good alternative. I believe they would deduct canadian tax from dividend payment and then you would get credit for that foreign tax paid in filing your 1040. If that is the case, it is important to not hold these shares in an IRA. Does this sound right?

Using Closed-End Funds vs. Master-Limited Partnerships

AMJ sounds good but I can find very little information on it. Morningstar does not show the top 25 stocks in the portfplio as it does for other ETFs. It also shows 0 as to interest paid and am sure this can not be correct. Does anyone know of a web site which has info on AMJ ??

Five Dividend Stocks I Wouldn't Buy

Thanks, looks like a good site.


On Aug 07 02:45 PM Stock Gambler wrote:

> Stan - I use DividendInvestor.com for quick looks at dividend
> data. Shows payout of 49% for BP. I personally use anything under
> 70% or lower as acceptable.

Five Dividend Stocks I Wouldn't Buy

While it is true that BP has not increased its dividend since Aug. 2008 it does have a good record of increases prior thereto and a 6.7% yield today. With respect to a free cash flow payout of 69% I can't seem to find that info on any of several web sites. Would appreciate it if someone will point me in the right direction to find that info, Also, what percentage would be considered acceptable?

California's Pension, Education Costs: Out of Control

Two more examples of pensions that are completely out of line, both retirees from small fire departments in the east bay area of California:
One retired after 26 years with an annual pension of $241,000, 46%above his salary. Even better, the other person retired after 29 years with a pension of $284,000 per annum, 47% higher than his salary. Oh yes, let's not forget these pensions are increased each year by cost of living adjustments.

The problem is that upermost in the mind of most politicians who grant these benefits is to get reelected and the best way to do this is to keep the backing of the public service unions. Only when we taxpayers get tired of this and vote them out of office will the situation be changed.

A Very Strange Divergence in Title Insurance

I am long FNF and don't know why it has done so badly compared to FAF except to say that about 6 weeks ago it was reported that Doug Kass was shorting the stock. Kass as you may know is a well respected hedge fund manager (seabreaz Partners, I believe is the name) and probably has many followers. FNF has a 4.5% yield and I think will do well over the next few years because there will be a big increase in home sales and FNF is about the biggest in the title business. It is up over 5% as I write this.

Oakland Mulls Bankruptcy

Good article. The city of Vallejo did file for bankruptcy for the same reasons that now confront Oakland and other cities and counties may follow if something is not done soon.

As mentioned, one cause of the problem is the pensions given to many public employees. Two examples: $241,000 per annum pension to the retired chief of a small fire district near Oakland after 26 years of service. His pension is 46% above his salary. Even better, for the employee and worse for the tax payer, is the $284,000 annual pension for the retired chief of another small fire district His pension is 47% more than his salary.

California needs a law prohibiting the state and all public entities therein from giving any employee a pension greater than the average of his or her salary for the highest 3 years. Also, pensions for new employees should be on the basis of a defined contibution plan (401-k, 403-b) rather than a defined benefit plan as they are now.

Want a Pension Over $100,000? Be a Government Worker in California

Here are two examples of excessive pensions in the East Bay area of California. Peter Nowicki, a 26 year employee, retired as fire chief of the Moraga Orinda Fire District ( about 85 Employees)--his pension is$241,000 per year. Even better is Craig Bowen's pension of $284,000 per year. He retired after 29 years as fire chief in another district. Each had a salary of $185,000 per year before retiring. These amounts are not a mis-print. Detail on how these men were able to obtain such pensions is described in articles in Contra Costa Times, April 12, 2009 and May 3, 2009, both are columns by Daniel Borenstein.

Friday the 13th... Again

One of the great bull markets started on Friday the 13th. Aug 13, 1982

Two Ways to Fix Corporate Boards

I wish there was some place on the web that would publish a list of the directors of all public companies and show the committees they serve on. I would then be able to prepare a list of those who helped screw up some of these companies--Washington Mutual, Bank of America, Citi, Home Depot, Lehman Bros, etc. Then when any of these names showed up on boards of companies in which I have shares I would vote against them.

I think many shareholders share my views but feel helpless to do anything about it. So I feel that a web site such as this would be a hit.
If there is such a web site would appreciate any info sent to me at [e-mail]