Welcome to another episode of Dividend Talk, where we dissect the latest financial news, share insights, and answer your burning questions about the world of dividend growth investing. In this episode, we delve into the art of identifying warning signs in companies and explore red flags that could save your investments from potential pitfalls.

In our News of the Week segment, we discuss the recent profit warning from Diageo and the investor day announcement scheduled for Wednesday. Ahold's reported earnings also take center stage, affecting its share price, which now stands at 26.75 euros. We also share our thoughts on Ahold's earnings and the subsequent sell-off.

Next up, we cover the latest dividend hikes, including Becton Dickinson's 4.4% increase ($BDX), Roper Technologies' 10% boost ($ROP), and ADP's impressive 12% rise ($ADP).

In our main topic, we dissect the anatomy of a bad company. eDGI shares insights inspired by the Medtronic case, shedding light on red flags like adjusted earnings masking true financial health, declining sales, and poor acquisitions. EMF emphasizes the importance of identifying companies losing their competitive edge and the signs of impending trouble in cash flow and balance sheets.

Listener questions are always at the heart of our discussions. This week, we tackle topics ranging from checking Glassdoor ratings for stock management quality to strategies for setting stock orders and even daring to ask tough financial questions to your own company's executive team.

We also address specific stock inquiries, including thoughts on Prudential Financial ($PRU), insights on AIRBUS's recent earnings call, and rumors regarding ENAGAS's dividend safety.

Tune in as we provide our thoughts on MPC container ships ($MPCC), and the cyclical dividend grower Whirlpool Corporation ($WHR), yielding an impressive 6.36%.

That's it for this week's show.

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Guest Editor Interview: May 2025 Guest Editor Garrett Hongo