In 2000, Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ) generated $8.2 billion in cash from operations, $6.2 billion (75%) of which went into capital expenditures, like investing in new stores. A far smaller share -- about $1 billion -- was returned to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks. Investing in the future far outweighed rewarding investors today .
In 2012, the tables flipped. Wal-Mart generated $25.6 billion in cash from operations and spent $12.9 billion -- or 50% -- on capital expenditures. Another $13 billion was distributed to shareholders in dividends and buybacks. Investing in the future and rewarding shareholders today took equal precedence.
Part of this shift is Wal-Mart maturing from a growth company into a stalwart. But it's actually indicative of how most of corporate America has changed over the last decade. Goldman Sachs recently published a report showing how�S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC ) companies have spent their cash over the last 15 years. I've recreated it here:
Hot China Stocks To Watch For 2015: Ferrellgas Partners L.P. (FGP)
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. engages in the distribution and sale of propane, and related equipment and supplies primarily in the United States. It transports propane to propane distribution locations, tanks on customers� premises, or to portable propane tanks delivered to retailers. The company conducts its portable tank exchange operations under the Blue Rhino brand name through a network of independent and partnership-owned distribution outlets. The company�s propane is primarily used for space heating, water heating, cooking, outdoor cooking using gas grills, crop drying, irrigation, weed control, and other propane fueled appliances; as an engine fuel for power vehicles and forklifts; and as a heating or energy source in manufacturing and drying processes. It serves approximately 1 million residential, industrial/commercial, portable tank exchange, agricultural, wholesale, and other customers in 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As of July 31, 2012, it had 924 propane distribution locations. The company also engages in the wholesale marketing of propane appliances; sale of refined fuels; and provision of common carrier services. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
The four propane-focused MLPs are AmeriGas Partners (NYSE: APU), Suburban Propane Partners (NYSE: SPH), NGL Energy Partners (NYSE: NGL), and Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP).
- [By Dan Caplinger]
On Thursday, Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP ) will release its latest quarterly results. The master limited partnership might not be in the glamorous part of the energy space, but that hasn't held it back from posting good returns for investors.
- [By Sue Chang]
Ferrellgas Partners (FGP) �is forecast to report fiscal third-quarter earnings of 63 cents a share.
- [By Robert Rapier]
But because SPH is more involved in the retail end of propane instead of the production/logistical side, it has been significantly outperformed by NGL Energy Partners (NYSE: NGL) and Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP). In short, the latter two are the ways to play higher propane prices, whereas SPH will see much less benefit from higher-priced propane.
Top Prefered Companies To Watch In Right Now: Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU)
Vanguard Utilities ETF is an exchange-traded class of shares issued by Vanguard Utilities Index Fund (the Fund). The Fund employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) United States Investable Market Utilities Index (the Index), an index made up of stocks of large, medium-size and small United States companies in the utilities sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS).
This GICS sector is made up of electric, gas and water utility companies, as well as companies that operate as independent producers and/or distributors of power. The sector includes both nuclear and non-nuclear facilities. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bruce Vanderveen]
Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) is similar to XLU. It has the same top ten holdings, but has a more diverse base, with smaller utilities included.
- [By Richard Stavros]
In early August, Vanguard Utilities ETF (NYSE: VPU), iShares US Utilities (NYSE: IDU), and Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF (NYSE: FUTY) added almost $250 million in new assets combined, more than enough to offset outflows from Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NSDQ: XLU).
Top Prefered Companies To Watch In Right Now: Micrel Incorporated(MCRL)
Micrel Incorporated, doing business as Micrel Semiconductor, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets high-performance analog power, mixed-signal, and digital integrated circuits (ICs) primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia. It offers power management products, including cloud, single-board, and enterprise servers; network switches and routers; storage area networks; and wireless base stations for the networking and communications infrastructure markets. The company also provides power management standard products for industrial, consumer, defense, and automotive electronics markets. In addition, it manufactures custom analog and mixed-signal circuits; and provides wafer foundry services for the customers who produce electronic systems for communications, consumer, and military applications. Further, the company offers general linear parts; power analog circuits; high speed physical media devices and interface ICs; and Ethernet products, which comprise physical l ayer transceivers, media access controllers, switches, and system-on-chip devices. Additionally, it provides radio frequency (RF) data communications products, including QwikRadio family of RF receivers and transmitters, which include garage door openers, lighting and fan controls, automotive keyless entry, and remote controls; and RadioWire transceivers for applications, such as remote metering, security systems, and factory automation. The company?s products address a range of end markets, including cellular handsets, portable computing, enterprise and home networking, wide area and metropolitan area networks, digital televisions, and industrial equipment. Micrel Incorporated sells its products through a network of independent sales representatives, independent distributors, and stocking representative firms, as well as through a direct sales staff. The company was founded in 1978 and is based in San Jose, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of Micrel (NASDAQ: MCRL ) jumped temporarily this morning, up by as much as 10% before giving back nearly all of those gains, following first-quarter earnings.
- [By gurujx]
Micrel (MCRL): CFO/VP Finance/HR Ray Wallin Sold 59,701 Shares
CFO/VP Finance/HR of Micrel, Inc. (MCRL) Ray Wallin sold 59,701 shares during the past week at an average price of $9.56.
Top Prefered Companies To Watch In Right Now: Spreadtrum Communications Inc.(SPRD)
Spreadtrum Communications, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops, and markets baseband processor and RF transceiver solutions for wireless communications and mobile television markets. It offers a portfolio of integrated baseband processor solutions that support a range of wireless communications standards, including global system for mobile communication (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE), time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA), and high speed packet access (HSPA), as well as offer an array of multimedia capabilities, such as MP3 digital audio playback, touch screen, JAVA acceleration, digital camera support, motion JPEG, MPEG4, AVS and H.264 digital video playback, and 64-channel polyphonic ringtone playback. The company also provides single-chip CMOS multi-mode RF transceivers that perform across various standards covering GSM/GP RS, EDGE, wideband code division multiple access, TD-SCDMA, and high speed uplink/downlink packet access. In addition, it designs, develops, and markets a CMMB-based channel demodulator and audio/video decoder processor solution for the mobile television market. The company sells its products directly, as well as through distributors to brand manufacturers, independent design houses, and original design manufacturers primarily in China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Spreadtrum Communications, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By FinanceGuru]
The Chinese market no doubt is huge, but Skyworks is expected to face competition from Spreadtrum Communications (SPRD), which supplies TD-SCDMA, the 3G standard used by China Mobile. Currently, Spreadtrum is a primary supplier to local Chinese firms and analysts suggest that it supplies to two of the biggest Chinese smartphone companies, Huawei and ZTE, which strengthens its position.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of Chinese smartphone chip maker Spreadtrum Communications (NASDAQ: SPRD ) surged 17% today after Tsinghua University, through its subsidiary Tsinghua Unigroup, offered to acquire it for $1.4 billion.
- [By Dan Radovsky]
Chinese semiconductor maker Spreadtrum (NASDAQ: SPRD ) has received a buyout offer valued at up to $1.5 billion from Tsinghua Unigroup, a subsidiary of Chinese government-owned Tsinghua Holdings, Spreadtrum announced today.
- [By Bloomberg News]
The Bloomberg China-US 55 Index (CH55BN), the measure of the most- traded U.S.-listed Chinese companies, added 0.2 percent in New York yesterday. Spreadtrum Communications Inc. (SPRD) gained after Bank of America Corp. said rising smartphone use will boost Asian semiconductor makers.
Top Prefered Companies To Watch In Right Now: Lakes Entertainment Inc.(LACO)
Lakes Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, finances, and manages Indian owned casino properties. It has development and management or financing agreements with three separate tribes for casino operations in Michigan and California. The company manages the Red Hawk Casino for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians situated in El Dorado County, California, which features 2,200 slot machines, 70 table games, 7 poker tables, 5 restaurants, 4 bars, retail space, a parking garage, and a child care facility and arcade. It also develops and finances a casino to be built on the reservation of the Jamul Indian Village located to the east of San Diego, California. In addition, Lakes Entertainment, Inc. engages in developing, financing, and managing non-Indian casino projects in Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, and Ohio. The company was formerly known as Lakes Gaming, Inc. and changed its name to Lakes Entertainment, Inc. in 2002. Lakes Entertainment, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Emerson]
I will conclude Part one of Reflections from 20 Years of Investing (2001- 2008) with the discussion of three more sizable winners: Forward Industries (FORD), Lake Gaming (LACO) and Fairchild (FA).
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