[ad_1] Image source: Vodafone Group plc The Vodafone (LSE:VOD) share price soared over 7% yesterday (20 May) following the release of the group’s results for the year ended 31 March 2025 (FY25). But after a day of reflection, I still don’t get it. Throughout the year, the company’s directors have been telling investors that adjusted EBITDAaL (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, after leases) would be €11bn. And they were right. The ‘business as usual’ announcement makes the share price movement a bit of a puzzle to me. Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that Vodafone was once the FTSE…
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[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images It might surprise some to know that Glencore (LSE:GLEN) is the worst-performing FTSE 100 stock over the last year. The Glencore share price is down 46% over this period, based on not one but a multitude of different factors. After hitting 52-week lows last month, it’s worth considering whether this is fast becoming a value stock pick. Problems galore One place to start is with coal. The commodity is a significant contributor to Glencore’s earnings. In 2024, the average realised price for energy coal fell to $100.6 per tonne, down from $136.7 per tonne in…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images FTSE 100 tobacco and nicotine substitute products manufacturer Imperial Brands (LSE: IMB) is down 15% from its 7 May 12-month traded high. Much of this decline followed the release of its H1 2025 results. However, this did not relate to the numbers – which were broadly good. Instead it resulted from the announcement that CEO Stefan Bomhard will retire, effective on 1 October. Markets often react like this to such events in my experience as a former investment banker and longtime private investor. Sometimes it is merited but often changes at the top have little…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images When searching for dividend stocks on the FTSE 250, I always make sure to check both the payout ratio and the year-on-year growth. These important metrics tell me two things: how well payments are covered and the rate at which dividends increase. Ideally, the company should have a low payout ratio (below 50%) and decent annual dividend growth (at least 5%). This indicates it’s dedicated to ensuring shareholder returns remain consistent and uninterrupted. When building a long-term passive income portfolio, it’s critical that dividend returns are regular and reliable. In addition to the payout ratio,…
[ad_1] Markets Core bond yields finished higher yesterday. US rates added up to 6.7 bps and Germany up to 5 bps at the very long end of the curve (30-yr). That happened in a session stripped of important economic data but in the wake of Japanese long-term bond yields (>=30y) surging to records highs. The specific trigger for the latter was a poor 20-yr bond sale but the underlying drivers – fiscal risks combined with central banks leaving the stage – are shared by the likes of Europe and especially the US. An umpteenth warning by the IMF, calling on…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Over the last 60 years, Warren Buffett has generated a return of about 20% per year from the stock market. This has led to an extraordinary level of wealth for both him and his long-term investors. What’s interesting is that Buffett’s strategy really isn’t that complicated (it’s actually very simple). So UK investors could potentially clone it and aim for an enormous ISA. The secret is… The secret to Buffett’s success really comes down to one key concept – compounding. This is the process of earning a return on previously generated returns. A lot of…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Shares in oil and gas giant BP (LSE: BP) have fallen by 25% over the last year, leaving this FTSE 100 stalwart with a tempting 6.6% dividend yield. However, while BP has long been popular with UK investors seeking income, the company doesn’t have a perfect record in this area. The dividend was cut in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, then again when oil markets crashed in 2020. BP is also under pressure again at the moment. First-quarter profits slumped, and industry analysts are starting to wonder if a spell of…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Investors looking for reliable passive income often focus on big FTSE 100 companies. Some of these giants can certainly be a good source of dividends. But the UK market’s also home to a number of smaller companies with a strong reputation for income. Here, I’ll highlight three small-caps offering dividend yields of 6% or more – including two stocks from my own portfolio. A recovery story? Epwin (LSE: EPWN) produces housebuilding products such as doors, windows, cladding and decking. The last couple of years have been tough, due to slower conditions across the UK’s housing…
[ad_1] By Richa Naidu and Arriana McLymoreLONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) -Companies importing goods into the United States from China are rushing to convert warehouses into facilities that are exempt from President Donald Trump’s tariffs until they are ready to sell the merchandise.The U.S. has more than 1,700 bonded warehouses, facilities where imported goods can be held without immediate payment of customs duties such as tariffs, currently 30% for shipments from China. Such fees are only paid when the goods leave the bonded warehouse, allowing businesses to manage funds more effectively at a time of extreme trade policy volatility.The rush to bond…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images I really enjoy receiving passive income. For me, receiving unearned funds without working is one joy of investing (the other being capital gains from rising share prices). My favourite ‘free’ income The various forms of passive income include savings interest, coupons from government and corporate bonds, rental income, pensions, and more. But my favourite is share dividends — the cash returns from owning certain companies’ stocks. At present, my wife and I own multiple US stocks and UK shares, with the latter paying out most of our dividend income. Not all UK-listed shares pay out…