CFRA Research

S&P 500 member firms delivered some solid dividend growth numbers in the first half of 2018. “Aided by strong earnings and corporate management's confidence in the future, more than 40 percent of the S&P 500 constituents raised their dividends in the first half of 2018,”...

The energy sector is rebounding nicely this year, as highlighted by a year-to-date gain of 6.3 percent for the S&P 500 Energy Index — but better returns can be found in some of the group's subindustries. That includes exploration and production stocks. Exploration and production...

With the Federal Reserve having already raised interest rates twice this year and with plans for perhaps two more rate hikes before year-end, high-yield dividend stocks and exchange traded funds are struggling. Sectors with bond-like traits, such as telecommunications and utilities, are among the...

Later this week, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia meet in Vienna. The cartel and Russia, the largest non-OPEC oil producer, are expected to discuss potentially upping output to take advantage of higher prices. Year-to-date, oil is one of the best-performing commodities...

One of the primary reasons advisers and individual investors remain enthusiastic about exchange traded funds is low fees. Add to that, ETF fees are consistently declining, making it harder for higher-priced actively managed mutual funds to retain market share. Plain vanilla broad market ETFs...

Fund industry observers typically like to see track records of at least three years before deeming products worthy of investors' consideration. That conventional wisdom is a relic from the days when mutual funds ruled the fund universe. Today, there are nearly 1,900 exchange-traded funds...

International exchange traded funds, particularly those providing access to developed markets, remain popular destinations for investors. Last year, four of the top 10 ETFs in terms of new assets added were international equity funds. Year-to-date, four international funds are also among the top 10...

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE)'s stock was trading higher by 15 percent Thursday morning after a report that rights to the company’s “Smackdown Live” program could soon be up for open bidding as Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) subsidiary NBC Universal...

The energy sector has been on a tear in the second quarter. The Energy Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLE), the largest energy exchange-traded fund by assets, is higher by 17 percent so far in the quarter while the S&P 500 is about 5.3 percent. Oil's move to multi-year highs and the resurgence...

The broader industrial sector has faced challenges this year, but the recent performance of the Industrial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLI) indicates some investors are turning positive on the group. XLI, the largest industrial exchange traded fund, is up 5 percent over the past week. Transportation...

With a seasonally weak period for equities here and increased chatter about rising equity market volatility, some investors may want to consider low volatility strategies. Exchange traded funds can make that endeavor even easier. The PowerShares S&P 500 Low Volatility Portfolio (NYSE: SPLV) is...

As is to be expected, different issuers of exchange-traded funds employ different methodologies with multi-factor ETFs. That's true with international funds in this group, too. One issuer's international multi-factor products may use the low volatility, quality and size factors while...

Due in part to expectations of higher interest rates in the first quarter, some dividend stocks and exchange traded funds struggled against the broader market. On the bright side, S&P 500 dividends continue growing. “Despite recent and expected hikes by the Federal Reserve and stocks...

One of the more notable themes in the world of exchange-traded funds last year was investors affinity for international equity funds. When 2017 drew to a close, five of the year's top 10 asset-gathering ETFs were international equity funds. Three of those five funds were ex-US developed markets...

In the world of smart beta exchange traded funds, low volatility and dividends are two of the most popular concepts. Some funds marry dividend and low volatility themes, whether by intent or indirectly. The leader of the low vol/dividend ETF pack is the PowerShares S&P 500 High Dividend Low...