My open letter to Google was picked up yesterday by Bloomberg’s David Wilson, who used it to generate a very insightful chart of the day: Among large U.S.-based companies not currently paying a dividend, Google (GOOGL) stands out as having a disproportionately high percentage of its assets in cold, hard cash. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) will...Read More

Note to Google Inc (GOOGL): It’s time grow up, wear your big-boy pants, and start paying a dividend. You’re a $374 billion company, for crying out loud, and your biggest rivals—Apple Inc (AAPL) and Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)—are among the most generous dividend payers and dividend raisers in the world.  For a company that used to...Read More

Charter Communications, Inc (CHTR) is looking to succeed where rival Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) failed in acquiring Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC). Charter is buying Time Warner Cable for $55.3 billion ($79 billion including debt assumed). Time Warner Cable shareholders will get $195.71 per share in cash and Charter stock, a 14% premium over the market...Read More

  Note to Big Beer: Beware the affronted beard! MillerCoors, the joint venture between SABMiller plc (SBMRY) and Molson Coors Brewing Company (TAP), is facing a class-action lawsuit from craft beer enthusiasts for having the audacity to imply that Blue Moon—one of the fastest-growing beer brands in America—was a craft beer. Given the affection that...Read More

Barron’s had some interesting comments on McDonald’s (MCD) this past weekend (see “Trouble on the Menu at McDonald’s). Though mostly bearish on the stock, Barron’s noted that just 7 out of 29 Wall Street analysts were bullish on the stock. That’s the sort of one-sided sentiment contrarians dream of.   Only 7 of 29 Wall...Read More