ABT

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) and Facet Biotech Corporation (Nasdaq: FACT) announced a definitive agreement for Abbott to acquire Facet, enhancing Abbott's early- and mid-stage pharmaceutical pipeline. Abbott will acquire Facet for $27 per share in cash for a net transaction value of approximately $450 million.

For dividend growth investors, there are certain attributes of investments that are more relevant than others, such as yield and dividend growth. To illustrate the power of dividend growth consider that an investment’s yield-on-cost will double every 5 years if they grow their dividend by 15%/year or 7 years at 10%/year or 14 years at 5%/year.

I am a firm believer that asset allocation plays a significant part in a portfolio’s long-term results. Recently, I received a question asking if you could have a diversified portfolio of dividend stocks. It is an interesting question that deserves further examination.

To ensure a retirement that is free from financial concerns, there are certain things that must be done today. For many people this is not a desirable task. However, building a secure future by investing in quality dividend stocks is neither complicated nor overly burdensome.

Though many dividend stocks are now trading in excess of their calculated fair value, capital appreciation is not the primary reason for investing in dividend stocks. Dividend fundamentals are what drive my purchase decision, and if I could only look at one metric it would be...

As the year draws to a close there were very few companies of note increasing their dividends this week. With that, I thought it would be interesting to see who might be the big dividend raisers in 2010. Here are seven companies for your consideration:

Driven by sophisticated computers, the investment markets move at light speed. What chance does a small individual investor have when trying to compete?

What makes a good dividend stock? Every dividend growth investor is looking for a stock that will increase its dividend every year I have found that stocks that are able to do this share some common characteristics.

Abbott Laboratories is engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of a diversified line of healthcare products including: drugs, nutritional products, diabetes monitoring devices and diagnostics. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

In everything we do, we always want to be the best or be associated with the best. You never hear fans yelling, ‘We’re number 2, we’re number 2?, while holding two fingers in the air. The same is true when selecting dividend stocks.

Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) to Acquire Affiliated Computer Services for $6.4 billion.

Ursula M. Burns, Xerox chief executive officer said "The revenue we generate from services will triple from $3.5 billion in 2008 to an estimated $10 billion next year."

It is not unusual after I publish a list of stocks to get a comment or two asking why those stocks and not these stocks. Often the real thrust of the question is why buy those low yield stocks when you can buy these high yield stocks. The answer involves risk and its management.

For many investors, there is no clear conviction as to how they should invest. Today’s investments are guided by what was read yesterday, and the media is constantly churning out new and different ideas. Granted it makes for some “interesting” reads, but it certainty is no way to run a portfolio.

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) to acquire Visiogen, Inc. for $400 million in cash, providing the company with a next-generation accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) technology to address presbyopia for cataract patients.

Abbott Laboratories manufactures and sells health care products worldwide.
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If you have followed the U.S. Social Security saga over the last several years, you know it is projected to run out of money soon. As it turns out “soon” just may be much sooner than previously expected. To make matters worse, it has been “broke” for some time.