Companies in the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) typically have not only solid profits but also create immense amounts of cash flow, much of which they turn around and return to investors. Through a combination of dividends and share buybacks, Dow companies demonstrate their commitment to treating shareholders right by taking multiple steps that will enhance the value of their investment.
To find out which Dow companies do the most for their investors, I looked at how much cash these companies have returned to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases over the past 12 months, according to the latest available data from S&P Capital IQ. Here are the four companies that rose to the top of the list.
4. Pfizer (NYSE: PFE ) , $17.8 billion in combined share buybacks and dividends over past 12 months
In the past year, drug giant Pfizer has spent $11.2 billion on share buybacks while also paying out $6.6 billion in dividends. That's especially impressive when you consider that the company has seen some of its biggest blockbuster drugs go off patent recently. But with newly approved blood-thinning drug Eliquis looking like a big performer for the future and other promising prospects in the pipeline, Pfizer should continue to retain the capacity to keep returning money to shareholders well into the future.
Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014: Horizon Lines Inc.(HRZ)
Horizon Lines, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides container shipping and integrated logistics services. It ships a range of consumer and industrial items, such as refrigerated and non-refrigerated foodstuffs, household goods, auto parts, building materials, and other materials used in manufacturing. The company offers container shipping services to ports within the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Micronesia. Its integrated logistics services comprise rail, truck brokerage, warehousing, distribution, expedited logistics, and non-vessel operating common carrier operations. Horizon Lines, Inc. also offers terminal services. The company operates terminals in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico; contracts for terminal services in seven ports in the continental United States; and the ports in Guam, Yantian, and Xiamen, China, as well as Kaohsiung, Taiwan. In addition, it offers inland transportation services. As of Dec ember 20, 2009, the company owned or leased approximately 20 vessels and 18,500 cargo containers. Horizon Lines, Inc. serves consumer and industrial products companies, as well as various agencies of the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense and the U.S. Postal Service. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014: Eaton Corporation(ETN)
Eaton Corporation operates as a power management company worldwide. It provides electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution, and control; hydraulics components, systems, and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics, and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain, and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy, and safety. The company also manufactures screw-in cartridge valves, custom-engineered hydraulic valves, and manifold systems; and electrical and electromechanical systems. In addition, it designs, manufactures, and distributes intake and exhaust valves for diesel and gasoline engines; supplies electrical components for commercial and residential building applications and industrial controls for industrial equipment applications; and manufactures human machine interfaces, programmable logic controllers, and input/output devices. Further, the company also operates a s a provider of customized enclosures, rack systems, and air-flow management systems to store, power, and secure mission-critical IT data center electronics; and manufacturer, distributor, and service provider of single-phase and three-phase uninterruptible power supply systems. Eaton Corporation was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]
Eaton provides essential power management products and services to a wide variety of companies and industries around the world. The stock has seen a powerful run in recent years that has taken it to all-time high prices. Over the last four quarters, the company has seen mixed earnings and revenue numbers, regardless, investors have remained upbeat. Relative to its peers and sector, Eaton has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Eaton to continue to OUTPERFORM.
- [By Alex Planes]
Investors love stocks that consistently beat the Street without getting ahead of their fundamentals and risking a meltdown. The best stocks offer sustainable market-beating gains, with robust and improving financial metrics that support strong price growth. Does Eaton (NYSE: ETN ) fit the bill? Let's take a look at what its recent results tell us about its potential for future gains.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
The Motley Fool named Cummins the best company in America based on its focus on engine solutions that balance the needs of its customers against the good of society. Cummins has made a viable business model out of developing high-performance engines that nevertheless provide fuel efficiency and reliability while producing less pollution. Just last month, Cummins announced a deal with Eaton (NYSE: ETN ) to produce a heavy-truck powertrain package to improve fuel economy by 3% to 6%.
- [By Selena Maranjian]
More than a handful of industrial companies had strong performances over the past year. Power management company Eaton (NYSE: ETN ) soared 71%, with its $12 billion acquisition of Cooper Industries boosting its competitive position and giving it some tax advantages, too. Eaton boosted its dividend by 11% earlier this year, and recently yielded 2.6%. Some worry about innovators eating Eaton's lunch, though.
Hot China Companies For 2014: Avon Products Inc. (AVP)
Avon Products Inc. manufactures and markets beauty and related products worldwide. Its product categories include color cosmetics, fragrances, skin care, and personal care; fashion jewelry, watches, apparel, footwear, and accessories; and gift and decorative products, housewares, entertainment and leisure, and children?s and nutritional products. Avon Products Inc. markets its products through direct selling and independent representatives, as well as through distributorships. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of beauty products company Avon (NYSE: AVP ) plummeted 23% today after its quarterly results easily missed Wall Street expectations.
Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014: TAL International Group Inc.(TAL)
TAL International Group, Inc. engages in the lease of intermodal containers and chassis. It operates in two segments, Equipment Leasing and Equipment Trading. The Equipment Leasing segment involves in the acquisition, lease, re-lease, and sale of various intermodal transportation equipment, such as dry freight containers, which are used for general cargo, including manufactured component parts, consumer staples, electronics, and apparel; refrigerated containers that are used for perishable items, such as fresh and frozen foods; and special containers, which are used for heavy and oversized cargo, such as marble slabs, building products, and machinery. It also leases chassis, which are used for the transportation of containers and tank containers that are used to transport bulk liquid products, such as chemicals, as well as finances port equipment, which includes container cranes, reach stackers, and other related equipment. The Equipment Trading segment purchases container s from shipping line customers and other sellers of containers, and resells these containers to container traders and users of containers for storage or one-way shipment. As of December 31, 2009, it had a fleet of 701,946 containers and chassis, including 31,137 containers under management for third parties, representing 1,139,523 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). The company was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By ABN]
TAL International Group (TAL) is one of the world's largest lessors of intermodal freight containers for the shipping business with 17 offices in 11 countries and approximately 230 third-party container depot facilities in 40 countries. TAL's fleet consists of approximately 1,238,000 containers and 2,031,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).
Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014: Integrys Energy Group(TEG)
Integrys Energy Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated electric and natural gas utility company in the United States and Canada. It provides natural gas utility services in Chicago, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. As of December 31, 2009, the company served approximately 1,669,000 residential, commercial and industrial, transportation, and other customers. It had approximately 22,000 miles of natural gas distribution mains; and approximately 1,010 miles of natural gas transmission mains. The company also generates and distributes electric energy form coal, natural gas, fuel oil, hydroelectric, and wind resources in Wisconsin and Michigan. It served approximately 489,000 residential, commercial and industrial, wholesale, and other customers. In addition, Integrys Energy offers nonregulated energy supply and services; and electric transmission services. The company was formerly known as WPS Resources Corporation and changed its name to Integrys En ergy Group, Inc. in February 2007. Integrys Energy Group, Inc. was founded in 1883 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Justin Loiseau]
Subsidiary switch-up
AGL Resources�announced Thursday that it has officially handed off subsidiary Compass Energy Services to Integrys Energy (NYSE: TEG ) for an initial cash consideration of $12 million, with an additional $3 million to $8 million cash consideration. If the unregulated natural gas subsidiary fares well over the next five years, Integrys will fork over more finances for its purchase. If not, AGL could be left with $15 million total for the sale. For now, AGL will record a $9 million to $11 million pre-tax gain for Q2 2013. - [By Justin Loiseau]
In the same week that TECO is applying for its foray into New Mexico natural gas, Illinois is solidifying its own reliance on the fuel source. Integrys (NYSE: TEG ) released a statement this week commending Illinois politicians for their "swift signing" of the Natural Gas Consumer, Safety, & Reliability Act.
- [By Daniel Ferry]
Another important development last week was the announcement that Trillium CNG, a division of Integrys Energy Group (NYSE: TEG ) , would build 101 new compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling stations across the country by 2016. This would expand the existing infrastructure of publicly available CNG refueling stations by nearly 20%. This is good news for Westport because many of Westport's products run on CNG, including its bi-fuel WiNG system for light-duty Ford pickup trucks, as well as the medium-duty ISL G and heavy-duty ISX12 G engines it produces through Cummins Westport Incorporated, its manufacturing joint-venture with independent engine maker Cummins (NYSE: CMI ) . Users of the ISL G and ISX12 G engines include long-haul truck manufacturers like PACCAR (NASDAQ: PCAR ) , Volvo, and Daimler. Freight trucking is a critical growth industry for natural gas engines, because the long miles and heavy loads that freight trucks endure relative to passenger vehicles make them especially sensitive to fuel costs.
Top Dividend Companies To Invest In 2014: First Security Group Inc.(FSGI)
First Security Group, Inc. operates as the holding company for FSGBank that provides banking and financial products and services to various communities in eastern and middle Tennessee and northern Georgia. The company offers various deposit services, such as checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. It offers commercial loans, including loans to smaller business ventures, credit lines for working capital, short-term seasonal or inventory financing, and letters of credit; real estate?construction and development loans to residential and commercial contractors and developers; and consumer loans to individuals for personal, family, and household purposes, including secured and unsecured installment and term loans. The company also offers commercial mortgage loans to finance the purchase of real property; commercial leasing for new and used equipment, fixtures, and furnishings to owner-managed businesses; and leasing for forklifts, heavy equipment, and other machinery to owner-managed businesses primarily in the trucking and construction industries. It also provides trust and investment management, mortgage banking, financial planning, and electronic banking services, such as Internet banking, online bill payment, cash management, ACH originations, wire transfers, direct deposit, traveler?s checks, safe deposit boxes, United States savings bonds, and remote deposit capture, as well as equipment leasing. The company operates 38 full-service banking offices and 1 loan and lease production office. Its market areas include in Bradley, Hamilton, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Monroe, Putnam, and Union counties, Tennessee; and Catoosa and Whitfield counties, Georgia. First Security Group was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ning Jia]
The case for First Security Group (FSGI) is interesting. It is bank holding company that is obscure, cheap and unloved. As the company completed the recapitalization earlier this year, I think the market has been under-appreciating its potential to return to growth and profitability as a result of the much-needed recapitalization.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
First Security Group (FSGI) operates as the holding company for FSGBank, which provides banking products and services to various communities in Tennessee and Georgia. This stock closed up 6.5% to $2.29 in Tuesday's trading session.
Tuesday's Range: $2.16-$2.30
52-Week Range: $1.30-$7.45
Tuesday's Volume: 80,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 509,606From a technical perspective, FSGI ripped higher here right above some near-term support levels at $2.14 to $2.12 with lighter-than-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of FSGI within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if FSGI manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.38 to $2.52 and then once it clears its 200-day moving average at $2.80 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in FSGI as long as it's trending above some key support levels at $2.14 to $2.12 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 509,606 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then FSGI will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from June that started at $5.08.
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