Regular readers of financial media may have noticed that real estate investment trusts (REITs) have gotten a lot of exposure in recent years. The reason for that is relatively straightforward: in a world of record low interest rates any asset with a reputation for reliable income is going to stand out. Since most folks tend to think of rental income as…

Historically, and much like its peers that formed the “Seven Sisters” group of oil majors, the great thing about Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) was that it offered a certain degree of stability to its shareholders despite the inherently cyclical nature of the oil industry. In the good times cash would be generated hand over fist to cover dividends, capital expenditures,…

If you were tasked to pick an industry that has delivered market beating returns over the past few decades I’d wager that railroads wouldn’t necessarily be high up on your list. In fact, when you judge it by what I’d call its economic performance, there’s every reason to assume the railroad industry would have been a disaster zone for long…

Once described by a senior US regulator as little more than a casino the Alternative Investment Market (AIM for short) wouldn’t ordinarily be your starting point when searching for high quality UK-listed companies. Interested in an all or nothing punt on a firm prospecting for gold in sub-Saharan Africa? If so then AIM is your place. Looking for a boring…

It’s fair to say that the last eighteen months has been a period to forget for BT Group (LON: BT.A) shareholders. Back in November 2015 the shares were trading at just under £5 each having gone on a tremendous six year run from their 80 pence lows during the financial crisis. Profits were growing, and the company looked fresh having embraced the…

Retail stocks like Marks & Spencer (LON: MKS) can often be very difficult ones for long term investors because they operate in fiercely competitive environments in which previously established advantages can rapidly erode. The most obvious recent example of this is with Tesco. It wasn’t so long ago that the supermarket giant was well on its way to racking up…