Altria has paid variable quarterly dividends since June 1989. The current forward-looking annual dividend of $4.08 yields 6.54% per Tuesday’s $62.36 closing price.
U.S. stocks rebounded sharply on Wednesday, fully erasing last Friday's losses, as upbeat corporate earnings and renewed investor optimism outweighed concerns over escalating trade tensions.
Shares of computer processor maker AMD (NASDAQ:AMD)
fell 6.7% in the afternoon session after its second-quarter earnings report showed that a large inventory charge related to U.S. export controls on its data center chips overshadowed record revenue. The semiconductor company posted a 32% year-over-year revenue jump to a record $7.7 billion. However, AMD also revealed an $800 million hit due to restrictions on its MI308 chip shipments to China. This charge pressured the company's profitability and caused its adjusted earnings per share of $0.48 to miss analyst expectations. The export curbs also squeezed the company's gross margin, which narrowed significantly from the previous year. Investors reacted negatively to the earnings miss and margin pressure, despite the strong sales figures.
Shares of insurance services company Assurant (NYSE:AIZ) jumped 10.6% in the afternoon session after the company reported strong second-quarter financial results that surpassed expectations and raised its full-year outlook. The specialty insurance provider posted adjusted earnings of $5.56 per share, which handily topped analyst estimates of $4.43. Revenue also grew 8% from the prior year to $3.16 billion. The strong performance stemmed from growth across its Global Housing and Global Lifestyle divisions. Buoyed by the strong first half of the year, Assurant increased its 2025 financial outlook. The company now expected adjusted earnings per share to approach 10% growth for the full year.
Shares of restaurant software platform Toast (NYSE:TOST)
fell 4.6% in the afternoon session after the company reported second-quarter results that missed analyst expectations on profitability, even while it surpassed revenue forecasts. The restaurant technology provider's earnings per share came in at $0.13, which fell short of the $0.22 that analysts anticipated. While the company added a record 8,500 new locations and raised its full-year outlook, investors focused on the earnings miss and potential future headwinds. Management pointed to increased investments and the impact of tariffs, which were expected to reduce profit margins later in the year. This outlook for tighter margins appeared to overshadow the strong revenue growth and record customer additions.
Shares of digital media measurement and analytics provider DoubleVerify (NYSE:DV)
jumped 4.3% in the afternoon session after the company reported better-than-expected second-quarter revenue and raised its full-year sales forecast. The digital media measurement company announced revenue grew 21% year-over-year to $189 million, surpassing analyst expectations. This growth was fueled by strong demand for its services across social media platforms and a 45% jump in connected TV measurement. Buoyed by these results, the company lifted its revenue growth guidance for the full year. Although earnings per share of 5 cents came in just shy of Wall Street's 6-cent forecast, investors focused on the strong top-line performance. Following the report, analysts at RBC Capital Markets raised their price target on the stock.
Shares of luxury electric car manufacturer Lucid (NASDAQ:LCID) fell 9.7% in the afternoon session after the company reported second-quarter results that missed analyst expectations and lowered its full-year production forecast. The company posted revenue of $259.4 million, which fell roughly in line with analyst estimates. Lucid also cut its 2025 production outlook to a range of 18,000 to 20,000 vehicles, down from a previous target of 20,000. The report revealed a negative gross margin, a figure that included a $54 million hit from tariffs and signaled significant cost pressures.
There are many quality dividend growth stocks that do not get much attention in the financial media, but are worthy of consideration for income investors.
Global stock markets are currently navigating a turbulent and unpredictable landscape, characterized by pervasive volatility, escalating tariff concerns, a mosaic of mixed economic data, and persistent geopolitical risks. This confluence of factors has fostered a palpable sense of caution across major financial hubs, from the bustling trading floors of Wall
The Indian equity market is currently navigating a turbulent period, with benchmark indices Nifty and Sensex experiencing notable declines. This downturn is not isolated to the large-cap segment; broader markets, including the Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100, are witnessing even sharper corrections, signaling a widespread sentiment of caution
