Top Dividend Stocks To Own For 2014

The following video is from Thursday's installment of The Motley Fool's Financials show, in which analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson highlight for investors the most important stock news from the financial sector.

REIT and dividend stock Realty Income Corporation (NYSE: O  ) took a big hit today. In this video, Matt tells investors why fears about the Fed gradually allowing interest rates to rise sometime in the near future may be causing many to pull their money out of dividend stocks and into fixed-income investments. He also discusses why this would be a very unFoolish strategy indeed.

If you're an investor who prefers returns to rhetoric, you'll want to read The Motley Fool's new free report, "5 Dividend Myths... Busted!" In it, you'll learn which stocks provide premium growth, and whether bigger dividends are better. Click here to keep reading.

The relevant video segment can be found between 4:51 and 5:45.

10 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Investors Real Estate Trust(IRET)

Investors Real Estate Trust, a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in the ownership and operation of income-producing real estate properties in the United States. It owns multi-family residential properties and commercial office, medical, industrial, and retail properties located primarily in the upper midwest states of Minnesota and North Dakota. As of April 30, 2008, the company operated a real estate portfolio of 72 multi-family residential; 65 office; 48 medical; 17 industrial; and 33 retail properties. Investors Real Estate Trust has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. As a REIT, the trust is not subject to federal corporate income taxes, if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. The company was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Minot, North Dakota with additional offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska; and Kansas City, Kansas, and St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Here are five of the best.

  Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET)

  Real estate investment trusts (REITs) have garnered much attention from investors seeking income in our low interest rate environment. Energy investors may want to hone in on them as well. Specifically, Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET).

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Why? The boom in Bakken shale drilling. For various REITs it�� a gold mine — and one company that’s definitely taking advantage of this trend is Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET).

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Investors Real Estate Trust (NYSE: IRET) is estimated to post its Q4 earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $67.73 million.

  Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

Top Dividend Stocks To Own For 2014: M&T Bank Corporation (MTB)

M&T Bank Corporation operates as the holding company for M&T Bank and M&T Bank, National Association that provide commercial and retail banking services to individuals, corporations and other businesses, and institutions. It offers business loans and leases; business credit cards; deposit products, such as demand, savings, and time accounts; and financial services, including cash management, payroll and direct deposit, merchant credit card, and letters of credit. The company also provides residential real estate loans; multifamily commercial real estate loans; commercial real estate loans; one-to-four family residential mortgage loans; investment and trading securities; short-term and long-term borrowed funds; brokered certificates of deposit and interest rate swap agreements related thereto; and branch deposits. In addition, it offers foreign exchange, as well as asset management services. Further, the company provides consumer loans, and commercial loans and leases; cred it life, and accident and health reinsurance; and securities brokerage, investment advisory, and insurance agency services. As of December 31, 2009, it had 738 banking offices in New York State, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia; a commercial banking office in Ontario, Canada; and an office in George Town, Cayman Islands. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Buffalo, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform by Credit Suisse.

  MannKind Corp. (NASDAQ: MNKD) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral and the price target was slashed to $5 from $8 (versus $6.30 close) at BofA/Merrill Lynch; shares are trading down 6% or so.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Sterne Agee�� top pick among regional banks is M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB). Sterne Agee cut its 2014 earnings per share (EPS) estimate on the Buy-rated bank from $8.20 to $7.90 and the 2015 estimate has been cut from $9.50 to $9.00. The bank�� fundamentals are strong and it continues to experience good organic lending growth. The consensus estimate on M&T shares from Thomson Reuters is around $121.20 yielding an implied gain of 6% based on Friday�� closing price of $114.34. The forward multiple is 13.86 based on the consensus estimate for 2014 EPS of $8.25. Based on the Sterne Agee estimate of $7.90, the forward P/E ratio is around 15.4. M&T�� 52-week range is $95.68 to $119.54.

Top Dividend Stocks To Own For 2014: Vornado Realty Trust(VNO)

Vornado Realty Trust is a privately owned real estate investment trust. The trust engages in investment, ownership, and management of commercial real estate. It invests in the real estate markets of United States. The trust primarily invests in office, industrial and retail properties. Vornado Realty Trust is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Hsu]
  Name Type of Security� Recommendation� Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE: KMP) � MLP August 15, 2013� TeeKay LNG Partners L.P.� (NYSE: TGP) � MLP September 16, 2013� PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite Portfol ETF� (NYSE Arca: PBP)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Madison Covered Call Equity Strtgy Fd (NYSE: MCN)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (NYSE: JSN)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� BlackRockEnhanced Dividend Achievers Tr (NYSE: BDJ)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Vornado Realty Trust � (NYSE: VNO)� Real Estate
  Investment
  Trust September 26, 2013�
  
  

  Robert Hsu is the editor of Permanent Wealth Investor and a former hedge fund portfolio manager at Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs. He retired from Goldman at age 31. He since has come out of retirement to establish and preside over his money management firm, Absolute Return Capital Advisors. His retirement experience has given him his current mission: helping investors like you achieve their goal of comfortable retirement through profitable income strategies.

• [By Anna Prior]

  Vornado Realty Trust sa(VNO)id its board of trustees has approved a plan to spin off the commercial property owner’s shopping center business into a new publicly traded real-estate investment trust.

• [By Robert Hsu]

  And Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO) is one of these big buyers.

  The Manhattan-based real estate investment trust (REIT) owns more than 28 million square feet of high-end office, retail, and residential space in its home town. (You can tour its New York properties right here.)

• [By CRWE]

  VORNADO REALTY TRUST (NYSE:VNO) reported that its Board of Trustees has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.69 per share payable on August 21, 2012 to common shareholders of record on August 10, 2012.

Top Dividend Stocks To Own For 2014: Hickory Tech Corporation (HTCO)

Hickory Tech Corporation provides integrated communications services to business and residential customers in the Midwest. The company operates in two segments, Business Sector and Telecom Sector. The Business Sector segment offers integrated data services, such as fiber, data and Internet, voice and voice over Internet protocol, managed and hosted, data center, equipment, and total care support services. This segment also distributes telecommunications and data processing equipment, as well as provides network and equipment monitoring, maintenance, and equipment consulting services; and offers fiber-based transport for regional and national telecommunications carriers, wireless carriers, and other providers. It serves businesses primarily in the upper Midwest. The Telecom Sector segment offers network access services; and broadband services, such as residential and business DSL access, high-speed Internet, digital TV, and business Ethernet services. It also provides local telephone, long distance, and calling features services; and directory assistance, operator service, and long distance private lines. In addition, this segment offers directory publishing, customer premise equipment sales, bill processing, and add/move/change services. It owns and operates approximately 900 mile fiber optic network and facilities in Minnesota. Hickory Tech Corporation was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Hickory Tech (HTCO), a communications provider in several Midwest states, announced a 3% dividend increase to 15 cents per share, payable Dec. 5 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 15.
  HTCO Dividend Yield: 5.5%

Top Dividend Stocks To Own For 2014: Kohlberg Capital Corporation(KCAP)

Kohlberg Capital Corporation is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in buyouts and mezzanine investments. It focuses on mature and middle market companies. The firm structures its investments through senior debt, second lien debt, secured and unsecured subordinated debt, mezzanine debt, and equity. It invests in all sectors except cyclical industries. The firm invests equity in both minority and control transactions alongside other equity investors. It invests through its own balance sheet. Kohlberg Capital Corporation is based in the New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  KCAP Financial (NASDAQ: KCAP) is projected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.25 per share on revenue of $13.27 million.

  Home Inns & Hotels Management (NASDAQ: HMIN) is estimated to post its Q4 earnings at $2.18 per share on revenue of $1.54 billion.