Summary: - Accenture reported Q4 2018 results that beat the top and bottom line estimates. - Accenture's main growth driver (i.e., the New) experienced strong growth in 2018 and investors should expect more of the same in the years ahead. - I plan to stay long ACN. What are your thoughts? On September 27, 2018, Accenture ($ACN) reported better-than-expected Q4 2018 earnings and strong top line growth but the market was not impressed, as shown by the fact that the stock finished the trading day down almost 3%. However, ACN shares are still outperforming the broader market over the first nine-plus months of 2018. The stock was under pressure because management's forward guidance fell short of

Summary Points: - KeyCorp's stock has underperformed the broader market so far in 2018. - However, KeyCorp is in a great position to benefit from an improving backdrop (i.e., rising rate environment, less-burdensome regulations, and a stronger economy). - I am long KeyCorp and I plan to stay long through at least 2019. KeyCorp ($KEY) is a regional bank that has been lost in the shuffle so far in 2018, as KEY shares are up only 2% compared to the impressive 9% increase for the S&P 500 (SPY) over the same period of time. While I have stayed long KeyCorp over the last few years, I believe that now is a great time for prospective investors to start looking at this underperforming regional bank.

Summary Points: - The bear (i.e., JPMorgan's Stephen Tusa) lowered his price target [again] for General Electric to $10 per share. - General Electric will need to cut its dividend before the stock finally finds its footing, in my opinion. - I plan to stay long the stock. What are your plans? On September 20, 2018, General Electric's ($GE) stock was under pressure after a well-known JPMorgan analyst, Stephen Tusa, lowered his price target for the struggling conglomerate from $11 to $10 per share. Mr. Tusa outlined his near- and long-term concerns for GE's Power unit and stated that he is concerned that the company's financial and fundamental risks may not fully be factored into the stock pric

Summary Points: - Baker Hughes, a GE Company recently reported mixed Q2 2018 results but the company's largest operating unit continues to be impress. - Baker Hughes, a GE Company has operated in a challenging environment for years now but the macro environment appears to be improving. As such, the company's future looks bright[er]. - I plan to stay long the stock. Baker Hughes, a GE Company ($BHGE) has failed to win over the market, as shown by the fact that the company's stock has significantly under performed the broader market over the last year. Since the newly created entity went public in mid-2017, industry prospects have improved but Baker Hughes, a GE Company's ("Baker Hughes") mana

Summary Points: - Honeywell was already a must-own company/stock, but in my opinion, the spinoffs are another reason to own the company's shares today. - There is a lot to like about the upcoming spinoff, Garrett Motion Inc. However, investors need to consider several major risk factors. - I plan to hold onto my Garrett Motion shares once the company gets spun out. What are your thoughts on this soon-to-be standalone entity? I recently published a bullish article on Honeywell ($HON) and described why investors should stick with this "winning" company. As described in the linked article, Honeywell is well-positioned for 2018 (and beyond), and the company's recent operating results fully suppo

Summary Points: - Verizon recently increased its quarterly dividend by ~2% - i.e., shareholders got a pay raise. - This telecom company should now no longer be viewed as just an income play. - I plan to stay long Verizon; how about you? Verizon ($VZ) recently announced a quarterly dividend increase of 2.1% (from $0.59 to $0.6025), which brings the stock's forward yield to a rich 4.4%. As a shareholder, I love getting a "pay raise" but, in my opinion, there is a lot more to like about Verizon as a long-term investment than just a slow-growing dividend. Read more here.

Summary Points: - Quanta Services recently reported quarterly operating results that missed on the bottom line, but that had some positive takeaways. - The company has been extremely shareholder-friendly over the last five years, as shown by the fact that the share count is down by over 30%. - Quanta Services is worth a look at today's price/valuation. Quanta Services ($PWR) is a small-cap infrastructure company that has largely flown under the radar. So far in 2018, the company has reported solid operating results, but the stock has not been able to find its footing over the last eight months. I believe that the recent stock performance has created a buying opportunity for investors with a

Summary Points: - AIG recently reported lackluster Q2 2018 results that missed the consensus EPS estimate by a wide margin. - However, there were some positive takeaways from the company's most recent operating results. - I plan to stay long AIG (the Tarp Warrants), how about you? American International Group ($AIG) is an investment that I made several years ago and the position has been a major drag on the R.I.P. Portfolio's performance over the last three years. Yes, this graph makes me feel the pain. I have long believed that the new management team simply had to improve investor sentiment by flushing out the reserving issues but, as you can expect, it's easier said than done. As I recent