Top-Performing Dividend Stocks

Plus: Will value bounce back, should you invest in a bitcoin ETF and top picks for media stocks. [Morningstar](?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_smartinvestor&utm_content=51053&elqTrackId=6dfe65b942cc4402859696c5850f2287&elq=de332c2efda242f0a7e6dcd195ca2ccb&elqaid=51053&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=25609) [Smart Investor] Smart Investor [Tom Lauricella, chief markets editor]( Connect with Tom on [LinkedIn]( [Tom Lauricella] In this week's newsletter: - [Will Value Stocks Take the Lead In 2024?]( - [Spot Bitcoin ETFs Are Here. Should You Invest?]( - [Top-Performing Dividend Stocks]( - [4 Top Stock Picks In Media and Entertainment]( - [Takeaways from the December CPI Report]( - [Why Have Bonds Been So Volatile? And Will That Continue?]( The markets are certainly starting off the year on a quiet note. After the big rally in stocks during 2023, investors seem to be taking a small pause to see whether their optimism about Federal Reserve rate cuts and a soft landing for the economy pan out. The first inflation reading we’ve seen this year wasn’t exactly what investors may have been hoping for. On the surface, inflation was hotter than expected in December. But Sarah Hansen [takes a look under the hood]( of the latest Consumer Price Index report to explore what the numbers suggest about the outlook. Hansen also dug into one the key stock market trends from 2023: the poor performance of value stocks. Last year saw value stocks struggle again after they outperformed during 2022’s bear market. But some think conditions might in place for value to outperform this year. [Find out why.]( We’ve also seen wild swings in bond investments. Given that most investors use bonds for stability in their portfolios, this isn’t what we’ve come to expect. Why have bonds been so volatile? What does the outlook hold? [I dig into the answers](. The big news for the week had nothing to do with stocks or bonds. Instead, it was the approval of 11 new ETFs that can own bitcoin. (Previous incarnations of bitcoin ETFs have owned bitcoin futures contracts.) Bryan Armour [explains]( the advantages these new ETFs hold over bitcoin futures funds, and how to choose the right one for your portfolio. (Also check out Morningstar’s take on crypto brokerage firm Coinbase, which has seen its stock jump 250%, and whether it’s [a buy, a sell, or fairly valued]( This past week also rolled out some new stock screens. The first looks at the [top-performing dividend leaders stocks]( from the past year, including NRG Energy, Ally Financial, and Scotts Miracle Gro. Next we hear from Morningstar director of media and telecom equity research Michael Hodel about his [top picks among media and entertainment stocks](. Stay tuned this week as earnings season gets underway. As usual, we’ll have coverage of the markets’ big names, starting with financials like [BlackRock]( and [Charles Schwab](. As always, check out our [Markets page]( for our latest coverage and live stock market updates, along with our [weekly calendar]( of key upcoming data and events. Did a friend forward this email? [Sign up here](. [Top-Performing Dividend Stocks of 2023]( [Top-Performing Dividend Stocks of 2023]( Bloomin’ Brands and Philips 66 are among the year’s high-yielding winners. Lauren Solberg [Read More]( Share: [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( ADVERTISEMENT [media]( [media] Markets and the Economy [Why Have Bonds Been So Volatile? And Will That Continue?]( [Why Have Bonds Been So Volatile? And Will That Continue?]( Uncertainty over inflation, a recession, and the Fed could mean continued wide swings in the bond market. Tom Lauricella [Hotter-Than-Expected December CPI Report Shows Slow Progress Under the Hood]( [Hotter-Than-Expected December CPI Report Shows Slow Progress Under the Hood]( Traders are still expecting the Fed to cut rates in March. Sarah Hansen [Will Value Stocks Take the Lead In 2024?]( [Will Value Stocks Take the Lead In 2024?]( After lagging last year, these stocks could rebound under the right conditions. Sarah Hansen [Spot Bitcoin ETFs Are Here. Should You Invest?]( [Spot Bitcoin ETFs Are Here. Should You Invest?]( Why they hold advantages over bitcoin futures ETFs and how to choose the right one for your portfolio. Bryan Armour [What’s Happening In the Markets This Week]( [What’s Happening In the Markets This Week]( Housing starts, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley earnings on deck. Bella Albrecht [The Early Read on 2023′s Fund Flows Winners and Losers]( [The Early Read on 2023′s Fund Flows Winners and Losers]( A look at some of the funds with the biggest inflows and outflows last year. Russel Kinnel [Do Stocks Really Make Sense for the Long Run?]( [Do Stocks Really Make Sense for the Long Run?]( New research threatens the conventional wisdom. John Rekenthaler [5 Undervalued Stocks to Buy During Q1 2024]( [5 Undervalued Stocks to Buy During Q1 2024]( Plus, our stock market outlook for the year. David Sekera, Susan Dziubinski [Don’t Overthink Your Approach to Bonds]( [Don’t Overthink Your Approach to Bonds]( Good investing isn’t complicated. Lan Anh Tran [What Works and What Doesn’t for Sustainable Investing in 2024]( [What Works and What Doesn’t for Sustainable Investing in 2024]( Your ESG investments may lag, but you will certainly affect corporate behavior, says Larry Swedroe. Leslie Norton [17 Funds for 2024 and Beyond]( [17 Funds for 2024 and Beyond]( Explore these long-term investments in small-cap, international stock, and bond funds. Russel Kinnel [12 Lessons the Market Taught Investors in 2023]( [12 Lessons the Market Taught Investors in 2023]( Market-timing and short-term thinking again cost investors. Larry Swedroe [Is Coinbase Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( [Is Coinbase Stock a Buy, a Sell, or Fairly Valued?]( With Coinbase having staged a big rally ahead of spot bitcoin ETF approval, here’s what we think of the stock. Michael Miller Chart of the Week [Skipping Your Morning Coffee Won’t Make You a Millionaire]( [Skipping Your Morning Coffee Won’t Make You a Millionaire]( As fables go, however, this one is relatively useful. John Rekenthaler [Read More]( Share: [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( Recent Earnings [JPMorgan: Net Interest Income Boom Continues Amid Upbeat 2024 Outlook]( JPMorgan remains arguably the strongest bank under our coverage. Suryansh Sharma [BlackRock: GIP Acquisition Provides a Boost to Improving AUM Growth Forecast]( We expect to raise our fair value estimate of BlackRock stock. Greggory Warren [Bank of America: Lower Net Interest Income, One-Time Charges Have Impact]( The bank’s balance sheet is well-positioned for rate cuts, and net interest income should hold up. Suryansh Sharma [Boeing Shares Slide as Panel Failure Spooks Investors]( Morningstar maintains its fair value estimate for Boeing’s stock, though investor caution is understandable. Ollie Smith [Tilray: Slow Fiscal Quarter, but Second Half of Year Should Be Better]( With slower cannabis revenue growth than we expected, we expect a slight reduction to our fair value estimate of Tilray stock. Kristoffer Inton [UnitedHealth: Diversification Benefits On Display as Medical Utilization Rises]( UnitedHealth stock remains fairly valued, and our 2024 earnings forecast is above management’s outlook Julie Utterback Future-Proof Your Strategy With Morningstar Investor Build a portfolio that's durable, no matter what the market throws your way. Subscribe to Morningstar Investor and get unlimited access to our powerful ratings and performance data, unbiased analysis on thousands of stocks, funds, and ETFs, and portfolio management tools that give you a deep understanding of your investments so you know when to make changes to keep your strategy strong. [Start your free trial today](. Stay connected: [twitter]( [facebook]( [linkedin]( [instagram]( [YouTube]( [Apple News]( [View online]( | [See all newsletters]( | [Share your feedback]( [Unsubscribe]( from this newsletter. Or update your [email preferences](. © 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 22 W. 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