It is very easy for a CEO to get on a conference call and talk about confidence in the future while communicating glowing projections, but do they really believe what they are saying? Are there any actions that would make you believe what they are saying? Senior management purchasing company stock is a strong indicator of confidence in the future.

Owens & Minor Inc. is a leading domestic distributor of medical and surgical supplies to the acute care market, a health care supply chain management company, and a direct-to-consumer (DTC) supplier of testing and monitoring supplies for diabetes. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

There are income investors and Dividend Growth investors. While the distinction is rather simple, it slips past many casual observers. Income investors are investing for maximum current income, while dividend growth investors are looking to maximize income over an extended period of time — usually sacrificing current income for potential greater future earnings.

In the U.S. and Canada, most companies pay dividends quarterly. In other parts of the world, it is not uncommon for companies to pay an annual or a semi-annual dividend. That is not to say that North American companies sometimes choose not to pay quarterly dividends. Though I prefer quarterly dividends, there is something more important than frequency...