Previous Year Performance Review
In our ongoing review of the NLO Dividend Watch List, we have taken the top five stocks on our list from February 2, 2018 and have checked their performance one year later. The top five companies on that list can be seen in the table below.
| Symbol |
Name |
2015 Price |
2016 Price |
% change |
| PG |
Procter & Gamble |
84.25 |
97.47 |
15.7% |
| YORW |
The York Water Company |
30.55 |
32.62 |
6.8% |
| MGEE |
MGE Energy |
58.35 |
63.52 |
8.9% |
| UGI |
UGI Corp. |
45.70 |
57.06 |
24.9% |
| NFG |
National Fuel Gas |
49.94 |
58.66 |
17.5% |
| |
|
|
Average |
14.7% |
| |
|
|
|
|
| DJI |
Dow Jones Industrial |
25,520.96 |
25,063.89 |
-1.8% |
| SPX |
S&P 500 |
2,762.13 |
2,706.53 |
-2.0% |
The average return from the top five companies was 14.7% compared to a loss of 2% from the market. To our surprise, the best performer was a utility company,UGI Corp (UGI) which rose 25%. Similarly,National Fuel Gas (NFG) did well gaining 17.5% for the year. Our assessment of interest rate rise pushing utility companies valuation down didn't pan out. Instead of rising rate, the 10-year T-bill fell from 2.84% to 2.7%.
We thought that Procter & Gamble (PG) would underperform the market due to its rich valuation. However, the stock rose 15.7% for the year and is not trading at 23.7 P/E. The stock closed this week at all-time high.
U.S. Dividend Watch List: February 1, 2019
It was another good week for the market as the S&P 500 rose 2% for the week. The rally from the bottom has taken the market up 15% and is around 62% retracement on the Fibonacci retracement. Will we see this rally fade in the weeks to come or a re-test of the peak of 2,930? Only time will tell. Until the market (Dow Jones Industrial Average) can break the high with confirmation from the transport, we remain cautious under the assumption of Bear market. Continue reading →