The Right CEO for a Value-Unlock Moment?

A new chief executive with direct breakup experience is taking the reins at a critical moment.

For dividend investors, this leadership reset adds confidence that a generous payout can be supported through a simpler, more focused future.

Never Miss a Stock Recommendation Again!

We now send our dividend picks right to your phone via text, so you’ll get the same actionable moves without having to open your inbox.

👉 Click here to get our dividend picks by text and keep our content right at your fingertips.

Telecom

Why a $1.02B Spectrum Deal Quietly Changes AT&T’s Future

AT&T (NYSE: T) has secured regulatory approval for a $1.02 billion spectrum acquisition from UScellular, and this one lands exactly where long-term advantage is built.

The deal gives AT&T immediate access to licensed airwaves that competitors cannot replicate overnight.

Owning the Invisible Advantage

Wireless competition is decided by assets most people never see, and spectrum sits at the top of that list.

Inside this approval, you find AT&T gaining room to absorb heavier data loads without rebuilding its entire physical network.

More spectrum reduces congestion, stabilizes performance, and creates headroom as usage spikes from streaming, cloud services, and mobile AI tools.

This kind of capacity compounds quietly over time.

Strengthening the Core, Not Chasing Distractions

Rather than branching into new experiments, AT&T is reinforcing the business that already pays the bills.

When the network improves, you experience fewer dropped connections and faster speeds without ever having to think about it.

Enterprise customers also benefit as reliability becomes easier to guarantee across dense markets. That consistency is what keeps contracts sticky.

A Deal Built for the Long Game

Spectrum assets grow more valuable as they become scarcer, which is why timing matters. By acting now, AT&T secures optionality that you would otherwise see rivals paying far more for later.

This approval also signals momentum. AT&T is not reacting to industry shifts; it is positioning itself so that future demand lands on infrastructure it already controls.

T currently trades at $24.00 and pays a dividend of $1.11 per share, a yield of 4.61%.

Consumer

PepsiCo’s Price Muscle Just Got Tested in Public

PepsiCo is facing a new legal challenge tied to alleged pricing practices with a major retail partner, and the spotlight lands fast.

In a system this large, you see how pricing decisions ripple far beyond a single contract.

The case itself will play out over time, but attention alone can reshape conversations. Retailers, regulators, and consumers are all watching how PepsiCo defends its approach.

Scale Changes the Stakes

PepsiCo operates one of the widest consumer supply chains on the planet, with products on shelves in nearly every store.

When the scale reaches this level, you are not arguing theory, you are arguing everyday prices.

That reality makes any pricing dispute feel larger than a courtroom issue. It becomes a test of trust across brands that people buy weekly.

Pressure From Every Direction

This moment arrives as shoppers remain price sensitive and retailers push harder on suppliers. Inside negotiations, you often find leverage shifting when scrutiny rises.

Even if claims fade, the pressure can linger in future deals. For PepsiCo, managing perception now becomes as important as winning later.

PEP currently trades at $150.00 and pays a dividend of $5.69 per share, a yield of 3.78%.

Don’t Miss (Sponsored)

Next Market Outperformers

Every market cycle produces a select group of companies that drastically outperform the rest.

The latest screening has pinpointed the 5 Stocks Set to Double, each showing rare traits linked to early stage momentum.

These names carry the same type of indicators that have historically appeared ahead of strong rallies.

Earlier reports featured stocks that delivered +175%, +498%, and +673%.

Get the Free 5 Stocks Set to Double Report

*This free resource is being sent by Zacks. We identify investment resources you may choose to use in making your own decisions. Use of this resource is subject to the Zacks Terms of Service.
*Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investing involves risk. This material does not constitute investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Zacks Investment Research is not a licensed dealer, broker, or investment adviser.

Pharmaceuticals

AbbVie Hits the Brakes on a Late-Stage Program as Pipeline Priorities Shift

AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) has halted a late-stage pediatric kidney disease study, a move that instantly reshapes its research priorities.

Late in development, when expectations are highest, you rarely see programs stopped unless the strategic math has clearly shifted.

This was not a scientific failure headline, but a business decision rooted in focus.

AbbVie is signaling that pipeline discipline now outweighs emotional attachment to long-running trials.

High Stakes, Narrow Margins

The study targeted children under 10 with severe kidney disease, a population that demands longer timelines, specialized trials, and higher regulatory complexity.

In cases like this, you are balancing medical need against development risk and long-term scalability.

For AbbVie, that balance has tipped. Capital and talent are being redirected toward programs where probability, impact, and return align more tightly.

When Discipline Beats Momentum

This decision reinforces AbbVie's active management of its pipeline rather than letting momentum dictate outcomes.

Even at advanced stages, you can see the company willing to make uncomfortable cuts to protect future flexibility.

The result is a leaner research engine built around conviction, not sunk cost. AbbVie is choosing precision over volume as it positions its next-generation therapies.

ABBV currently trades at $223.00 and pays a dividend of $6.92 per share, a yield of 3.09%.

FULT has raised its dividend to 19 cents, an increase of 5.56%. Its new yield is 3.82%.

FMAO has increased its dividend to 23 cents, a 1.10% rise. Its new yield is 3.36%.

CUBE has boosted its dividend to 53 cents, up 1.92%. Its new yield is 5.81%.

INVH has increased its dividend to 30 cents, a 3.45% rise. Its new yield is 4.56%.

RC has slashed its dividend to 1 cent, a 92.00% drop. Its new yield is 1.71%. 

MRCC has cut its dividend to 18 cents, a 28.00% decline. Its new yield is 11.13%.

FMC has trimmed its dividend to 8 cents, a cut of 95.30%. Its new yield is 0.54%.

Instant Access (Sponsored)

The Indicator You Can’t Ignore

He warned of past crashes before they hit.

Now, his powerful #1 trading indicator just flashed again.

This 30-year-old signal has quietly guided traders to some of the most profitable opportunities in recent memory — and it’s triggering right now.

It doesn’t require charts, math, or guesswork.

Just one glance, and you’ll see when to buy… and when to wait.

He’s revealing it today, along with a free guide that explains exactly how it works.

Don’t wait until this move is already halfway over — see the signal while it’s still fresh.

[Get the free indicator now]

Everything Else

• Paramount’s hostile $ 30.00-per-share, all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery has been rejected by the board in favor of Netflix. A shareholder vote will be held in the first half of next year. 

• Pfizer’s board has shared a muted outlook for 2026 as it grinds through the slow build of new revenue streams, with its Covid vaccine performance tailing off.

• Wells Fargo is actively renovating many of its branches as part of a concerted growth push built around digital banking. The bank has already invested millions in branch refurbishments, with a special focus on less central locations.

• Coca-Cola has closed its lone bottling plant in Hawai’i, ending a 65-year-long chapter on the island.