6 British Dividend Stocks To Buy Now

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The payout ratio is one important factor to consider in addition to the yield when selecting dividend stocks. Higher payout ratios indicate management’s willingness to distribute more of the profits as dividends to shareholders.

The following 6 British ADRs pay more than 5% dividends and their payout ratio is more than 50%:

1.Company: BP Plc (BP)
Dividend Yield: 6.93%
Payout Ratio: 52%

2.Company: British American Tobacco (BTI)
Dividend Yield: 5.03%
Payout Ratio: 72%

3.Company: GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK)
Dividend Yield: 5.61%
Payout Ratio: 54%

4.Company: National Grid Plc (NGG)
Dividend Yield: 6.18%
Payout Ratio: 73%

5.Company: Unilever Plc (UL)
Dividend Yield: 5.50%
Payout Ratio: 65%

6.Company: Vodafone Group Plc (VOD)
Dividend Yield: 6.20%
Payout Ratio: 71%

Note: Information posted above is known to be accurate. Please do your own reasearch before making any investment decisions.

Another advantage with the companies noted above is that they all have large exposure to emerging markets. For investors who would rather capture the emerging markets growth by investing in developed market firms, these stocks excellent choices.For example, British American Tobacco (BTI) has 63% exposure to emerging markets where the demand for its products are growing exponentially.

Beijing Resident Throws Shoe at Property Developer

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Chinese real estate prices continue to rise defying gravity. Prices in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, etc. are beyond the reach of the middle-class. I came across this video of a frustrated Beijing resident throwing shoe at a property developer.

Related articles:1) China property prices continue rise in April “SHANGHAI — Property prices in China posted the biggest year-on-year jump in nearly five years in April, official data showed Tuesday, amid persistent fears about a growing bubble in the real estate sector.

Prices in major cities rose 12.8 percent on year in April, the National Bureau of Statistics said on its website, marking the biggest year-on-year rise for a single month since the survey was widened to 70 cities in July 2005.”

2) Beijing Home Prices Plunge 31.4%

“May 11 — The average transaction price of commercial residential properties in Beijing for the week ended May 9 fell 1,790 yuan per square meter or 9.6 percent week-on-week to 16,898 yuan per square meter, reports The Beijing News, citing statistics released by Beijing Real Estate Information Network.

Compared with the week ended April 11, the average transaction price of commercial residential properties in Beijing plunged 31.43 percent to 7,744 yuan per square mete”

Brazilian Electric Utility Stocks Offer Dividend and Growth Potential

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Among the emerging market countries, power consumption in Brazil is projected to rise significantly in the next few years. The population of the country is expected to increase from 192 million to 204 million by 2013. Accordingly electric power consumption is forecast to rise by 10%. The government is also expanding the Luz Para Todos (Light For All) program to provide electricity to more families.By the end of this year , the program would supply electricity to 3.4 million families.

In November 2009, the country’s 26 states experienced a major blackout.Since that time due to rising income levels and low unemployment, power consumption has been increasing steadily. Currently hydro power is the major source of electricity generation in Brazil. Due to drought and other risks, the country may increase its dependence on coal and nuclear power in the future. The world’s second largest dam, Itaipú dam hydroelectric power plant that straddles the border between Brazil and Paraguay supplies 50% of the electricity in Brazil. There are only two nuclear power plants in the country.

Brazil’s Sources of Electricity Generation

brazil-electricity-generation-sources

Source: www.powermag.com

Electricity Consumption Per Capita in BRIC countries



Investors looking to pick up emerging market utility stocks may consider the following Brazilian electric utilities for the reasons mentioned above:1. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras (EBR)
Current Dividend Yield: 1.90%2. Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (CIG)
Current Dividend Yield: 2.43%

3. Aes Tiete SA (OTC:AESAY)
Current Dividend Yield: 13.53%

4. CPFL Energia (CPL)
Current Dividend Yield: 7.85%

In addition to electricity generation and distribution, Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (CIG) is also engaged in the distribution of natural gas and has operations in Chile as well.The largest private sector power company CPFL Energia S.A.(CPL) has about 6.6 million customers and it plans to expand its wind energy business.

The Most Profitable Greek Companies

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The 13 most profitable publicly-listed companies in Greece that made it to the Forbes Global 2000 list for this year are listed below:

[TABLE=496]

Source: Forbes

National Bank of Greece(NBG) topped the ranking with profits of $2.15B. It is interesting to note that Coca Cola’s local division appears among the top five and seven banks are in this list of thirteen highly ranked powerful Greek companies.