“We haven’t seen any impact yet from a recession in the US…oil and gas prices will remain strong and that’s what drives results.” That’s the word from the CEO of Super Oil Total, Christophe de Margerie. Read More

Delta Gas, Deutsche Telekom and Ferrellgas Partners earned exits from the Dividend Watch List this month. Delta’s payout ratio is back under 80 percent, thanks to its Kentucky rate increase. Read More

No one should mistake distributions from oil and gas production with utility-safe dividends. But ARC Energy Trust’s are a close match. Read More

When is a 94,000 basic line loss more important than a 1.329 million overall customer gain, or consensus-smashing 14 percent revenue and 19 percent fourth quarter cash flow growth? Read More

It’s not the one you see; it’s the one you don’t see. That bit of country wisdom applies to markets as well as safe techniques for passing cars on lonely two-lane highways. Read More

Even in the best markets, dividend cuts are poison for income investors. Not only is your regular cash flow cut, but your principal typically takes a haircut as well. Read More

It was more of the same on Wall Street last week. The bad news: More evidence of a slowing economy, further weakness in the financial system and increased selling of stocks across the board, as the market continued to adjust to the negative macro picture. Read More

The main problem now with the US economy is we still don’t have any visibility of where the bottom is. And given how complex and interconnected the world economy and investment markets are now, it’s even more difficult now to declare one. Read More

Last year, the Utility Forecaster Growth Portfolio rose a solid 12.2 percent, while the Income Portfolio added 4.3 percent. Unfortunately, this year is starting out less profitably, because fears of an unfolding US recession have triggered a global market panic. Read More

Inflation is the nemesis of all income investments. But credit risk is far more deadly for investors who reach too high for yields. Read More