The US economy is rapidly expanding, while the UK is currently in recession. Having exposure to the US within an investment portfolio is seen as a sensible move. Sanderson Design, a wallpaper and fabrics company, continues to benefit from its increasing exposure to the fast-growing US economy. Sales of its brands in North America have risen by 8.2%. The company has a solid balance sheet and a wide margin of safety, making it a worthwhile long-term holding. Craneware, a hospital software company, has recorded an 8% rise in revenue and pre-tax profits during the six-month period. It has a high customer retention rate and a net cash position of over $4m, allowing it to make acquisitions and invest in research & development. Despite its relatively expensive shares, the company will remain a holding in the investment portfolio due to its improving operating outlook and sound financial position. CRH plc (CRH), a building materials manufacturer and distributor, saw a strong rally in its stock after delivering strong Q4 FY23 numbers and providing FY24 guidance that was 5% ahead of consensus expectations. The company is expected to benefit from the exceptional growth in U.S. infrastructure spending, with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and the Chips and Science Act adding roughly $2 trillion in investment to aging U.S. infrastructure. CRH plc has a market capitalization of $54.899 billion and was held by 65 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q4. The portfolio of L1 Long Short Fund, an investment management firm, returned 7.4% in Q1 2024 compared to 5.3% for the S&P/ASX 200 AI index. [20379f65] [a87c8bcc] [86438e52]
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHRW), a global logistics company, announced a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.61 per share. The dividend is payable on July 1, 2024, to shareholders of record as of June 7, 2024. With approximately 117.1 million shares outstanding as of May 8, 2024, the dividend distribution is part of C.H. Robinson's commitment to delivering value to its shareholders. The company manages $22 billion in freight and handles 19 million shipments each year. C.H. Robinson has been distributing uninterrupted dividends for twenty-five years and has seen an annual increase on a per-share basis. The dividend announcement is based on a press release statement from C.H. Robinson. [78e27deb]
Quarterhill Inc. (TSE: QTRH), a Canadian company, saw its stock trading up 3.5% on Friday. The stock reached a high of C$1.77 and closed at C$1.77. The trading volume was approximately 68,815 shares, which is a 22% increase from the average daily volume of 56,226 shares. Several equities analysts have commented on the stock, with Cormark raising their price target from C$1.35 to C$1.75 and Raymond James raising their target price from C$1.80 to C$2.25 and giving the stock an 'outperform' rating. CIBC also raised their price target on Quarterhill from C$2.50 to C$2.60 and gave the company an 'outperform' rating. [e03e6b1f] [78e27deb]
Global Indemnity Group, LLC (NASDAQ:GBLI) has announced plans to pay a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share. The dividend will be paid on June 28th to shareholders of record on June 21st. The ex-dividend date is also June 21st. Global Indemnity Group has a dividend payout ratio of 45.6% and is expected to earn $2.57 per share next year. The stock is currently trading at $31.24 per share. [c47a41a9]
Hsbc Holdings PLC, a global banking and financial services company, has increased its position in Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIGI) by 479.8% in the fourth quarter. The company now owns 11,595 shares of Selective Insurance Group, Inc. worth $1,155,000. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Selective Insurance Group's stock opened at $94.21 on Monday and has a 1-year low of $92.06 and a 1-year high of $109.58. The company reported $1.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.88. Selective Insurance Group also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share. Several research analysts have issued reports on SIGI shares, with a consensus rating of 'Hold' and an average target price of $105.17. [cfa71bdc]