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tom-hutchinson

Tom Hutchinson

Chief Analyst, Cabot Dividend Investor, Cabot Income Advisor and Cabot Retirement Club

Tom Hutchinson is the Chief Analyst of Cabot Dividend Investor, Cabot Income Advisor and Cabot Retirement Club. He is a Wall Street veteran with extensive experience in multiple areas of investing and finance.

His range of experience includes specialized work in mortgage banking, commodity trading and in a financial advisory capacity for several of the nation’s largest investment banks.

For more than a decade Tom created and actively managed investment portfolios for private investors, corporate clients, pension plans and 401(K)s. He has a long track record of successfully building wealth and providing a high income while maintaining and growing principal.

As a financial writer, Tom’s byline has appeared in the Motley Fool, StreetAuthority, NewsMax, and more. He has written newsletters and articles for several of the nation’s largest online publications, conducted seminars and appeared on several national financial TV programs.

For the past seven years, Tom has authored a highly successful dividend and income portfolio with a stellar track record of success. At Cabot, Tom provides monthly Cabot Dividend Investor issues, regular weekly updates on every portfolio position and a weekly podcast discussing goings-on in the market.

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From this author
Cabot Dividend Investor
July 24, 2024
The market took a jab to the face last week, but it still looks good. It’s still a strong market. But one that is showing some vulnerability.


After a great first half and a strong July, the market pulled back 2% last week, reversing most of the July gains. The culprit was a Biden administration announcement of new AI chip export restrictions to China. That news also combined with a perceived likelihood of a Trump presidency and the possibility of further trade frictions with China. The technology sector, and semiconductor stocks in particular, took it on the chin.
July 24, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Income Advisor
Cabot Income Advisor Issue: July 23, 2024
The S&P spent most of the first half of July setting new highs. But that changed last week. The technology sector sold off on news of new AI chip export restrictions to China. The S&P fell about 2% for the week, giving up most of the gains for July. It may be a blip. It probably is. But the market is high, and stocks showed vulnerability to bad headlines.

A flatter or down market going forward makes income more valuable. The cash register continues to ring regardless of short-term market gyrations. At the same time, many income stocks are still cheap, and interest rates are likely to trend lower from here.

Some of the very best income stocks are in the energy sector. After recent price shocks and other problems in the energy sector, investors are coming around to realizing energy is a strong business that isn’t going anywhere for a long time.

In this issue, I highlight one of the best natural gas companies on the market. It is a newly formed company in the business of exporting abundant and cheap American natural gas overseas. It’s big business. In a short time, this company has become one of the world’s biggest natural gas exporters.

July 23, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
July 17, 2024
There isn’t much not to like about this market. After a strong first half of the year, the market is having a great July. And the rally is broadening out. It’s not just technology anymore.
July 17, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Dividend Stocks
Qualified Dividends Explained: When Are Dividends Qualified?
What are qualified dividends? It’s important to know what makes a dividend qualified for tax purposes. Here’s what you need to know.
July 10, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
Cabot Dividend Investor Issue: July 10, 2024
Clean energy is the future. But not for a while.

This country and the world still rely heavily on fossil fuels for more than 80% of energy needs, and these conventional energy sources will likely remain dominant for decades. Meanwhile, many stocks of companies that benefit have strong earnings and great value.

Fossil fuel proportions are expected to move toward natural gas in the years ahead. A recent study estimates that global natural gas demand will soar 34% between 2022 and 2050 with the strongest growth in the natural gas realm to be liquid natural gas (LNG), with demand expected to more than double in the same time frame.

In this issue, I highlight one of the best natural gas companies on the market. It is a newly formed company in the business of exporting abundant and cheap American natural gas overseas. It’s big business. In a short time, this company has become one of the world’s largest natural gas exporters.
July 10, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Dividend Stocks
How to Use an Ex-Dividend Date Calendar
If you want to spread out your dividend payments, an ex-dividend date calendar is a handy way to keep track of all your payments.
July 9, 2024
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Tom Hutchinson
Dividend Stocks
Play Offense by Investing in Defensive Stocks
As the market continues to make new all-time highs, you can stay on the offensive by investing in defensive stocks.
July 8, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
July 3, 2024
Well, the results are in for the first half of the year. And they’re very good. The S&P 500 soared an impressive 14.5% in the first six months of 2024. That’s a 29% annual pace. And it follows a 22% market return in 2023.

But I believe it is unlikely that the S&P will finish the year up 29%. That would be an epic year, but there are still a lot of challenges, like interest rates near the highest level in two decades. That means market returns must at least flatten out somewhat going forward. It’s also true that the technology rally has petered out in the last few weeks.
July 3, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
June 26, 2024
The market has been fantastic. But it was driven higher by technology. Now, technology is rolling over. Will the market roll over too, or will the neglected sectors pick up the slack?
June 26, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Income Advisor
Cabot Income Advisor Issue: June 25, 2024
AI is the catalyst driving the technology sector, which is driving the market higher. Over the last month, the tech sector is up 10.42% while the S&P is up 2.95%. Seven of the 11 sectors are negative for the past month.

But technology stocks may be running out of gas. Without the heavy lifting from technology, it’s easy to see the overall market trending sideways or down, at least for a while.

Income is king in markets like this. The register still rings when the market stumbles. There’s also an opportunity right now. With the S&P and many stocks near their 52-week highs, it’s a good time to get high call premiums. Also, you can lock in strong total returns from these stocks if they are called.

Even the best bull markets have ups and downs. We can play the increased likelihood of a flat or down market by priming the income pump to pay us through the rough patch. In this issue, I target another covered call that will enhance the already exquisite income of a monthly dividend stock.
June 25, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Tech Stocks
Verizon (VZ) vs. AT&T (T) Stock: Which Is the Best Telecom Stock?
AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) are perhaps the two most widely recognized telecom stocks. But which is the better stock today?
June 24, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
June 20, 2024
This market just continues to forge ever higher. The S&P 500 closed at new all-time highs four times last week. The index is now up 15% YTD, and we’re not even at the halfway point.
June 20, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
How To Invest
Use Good ‘til Canceled Orders to Capitalize on Down Markets
A good ‘til canceled (GTC) order can help you set the stage for dip-buying opportunities when they inevitably present themselves in the next down market.
June 17, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
Cabot Dividend Investor Issue: June 12, 2024
The market has been terrific. And it will probably finish the year higher than it is now. But there is reason for caution.

Because of sticky inflation, interest rates remain near the highest levels in 20 years and may continue to stay high or go higher, until they drive the economy down. A hugely contentious presidential election is about to take place. And there are two significant global wars going on.

Steep selloffs are common even in markets that rise over time. The S&P 500 doubled over the last five years. But it crashed 30% in record time at the onset of the pandemic in 2020. There was also a bear market in 2022 during which the S&P fell over 20% and the Nasdaq plunged well over 30%. Of course, most stocks were down a lot more than the indexes. If you targeted some of the very best stocks at fire sale prices you could have gotten amazing returns.

In this issue, I highlight a way to target the purchase of the very best stocks at fire sale prices amid market turmoil that may occur from the potentially market-roiling issues this year or next. Most investors don’t buy when the market is crashing because it’s natural not to want to try and catch a falling knife. But there’s a way to take emotion out of the equation and calmly plot a way to fantastic returns.
June 12, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
June 5, 2024
It’s been a great market for a while. But it has leveled off since the middle of May. I expect more of the same going forward.

The S&P 500 pulled back in early April after a five-month rally as sticky inflation soured the interest rate narrative. The index then recovered to new highs in the middle of May on an improved interest rate outlook. But stocks have since leveled off as the interest rate outlook got stuck in the mud.
June 5, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
May 29, 2024
The market has been good for a while. The S&P 500 is up roughly 11% YTD and about 30% since late October. But I expect choppier waters ahead.

The main driver of the S&P has been the technology sector, which is being driven higher by the artificial intelligence catalyst. Most of the rest of the market seems to be at the mercy of the interest rate narrative. And that seems to change every couple of weeks nowadays.
May 29, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Income Advisor
Cabot Income Advisor Issue: May 28, 2024
It’s a great time for income. The market is at an all-time high. The May through November period is historically a more lackluster period for stocks. Income generation is an ideal way to generate positive returns when stocks aren’t rising. But not if the stocks generating the income get knocked down by rising rates.

There is a great answer: midstream energy stocks. These are companies that transport and store oil and gas for a fee. The subsector is among the highest yielding of all income-generating stocks. And unlike many dividend stocks, they have thrived over the last few years of rising interest rates. For the most part, these stocks are not interest rate sensitive and can endure inflation or recession. They have proven to be the perfect sector to generate a high income in this market environment.

In this issue I highlight a stock that has been the very best income generator in the Cabot Income Advisor portfolio. It has been held profitably in the portfolio on three past occasions. Each time it delivered a positive total return along with several covered calls for huge income. It’s a tested and true income-generating superstar.

May 28, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Dividend Stocks
The Best Utility Stock and ETF To Buy Today
People will always need electricity, gas and water. And that’s what makes utility stocks so reliable. Here are three that I like right now.
May 23, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
May 22, 2024
The market has regained its footing, and here comes Nvidia (NVDA).


All eyes are on the Nvidia earnings report scheduled to come out after the closing bell on Wednesday. It was an Nvidia earnings report two years ago that featured a massive demand for artificial intelligence products and services that sparked the AI craze and ignited a powerful rally in technology stocks.
May 22, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Stock Market
There’s a Megatrend Powering These Healthcare Stocks
Forget interest rates, inflation, and market noise. There’s a demographic megatrend driving health expenditures higher and powering the best healthcare stocks. And it’s likely to continue for years.
May 21, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
May 15, 2024
It’s been a good month in the market, so far. The S&P 500 has regained all the dip from April and is now within a whisker of the all-time high. The driving forces have been an improving interest rate story and solid earnings.

With 92% of S&P 500 companies having reported, earnings increased an average of 5.4% over last year’s quarter. But it’s better than that. If you take out the report of Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), average earnings growth would be 8.3% for all the other stocks on the index. That’s a strong gain.
May 15, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
Cabot Dividend Investor Issue: May 8, 2024
The market has rallied for more than a year in the happy space between inflation and recession. But that dynamic is unlikely to persist. Amid persistent inflation, it is likely that the market will have to contend with high interest rates or a faltering economy. Each one is problematic.

In a flatter or faltering market, dividends provide a bigger part of total returns. Let’s get ahead of the curve and get a big fat yield.

In this issue, I highlight a stock with a massive dividend yield that has shown good price stability for several years. The company can also thrive amidst inflation and high or rising interest rates and can provide a high income return even if the market struggles through an inflation/recession catch-22.
May 8, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Stock Market
The Dividend Aristocrats ETF: Own the 67 Best Dividend Growers
Buying this Dividend Aristocrats ETF is a way to own the 65 best dividend growth stocks on the market. But there are other alternatives too.
May 3, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
May 1, 2024
What had been a tug-o-war between the souring interest rate narrative and earnings excitement is showing signs of veering in yet another direction.

The news on both inflation and the economy has been worse. The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures Index (PCE), came in higher than expected at 3.7% last week. Inflation continues to creep higher this year. And that’s with interest rates already at the highest level in decades.
May 1, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
April 24, 2024
Just when things were getting seriously ugly, the market started having a great week.

Interest rate disappointment is being replaced by earnings anticipation. The new earnings season came in the nick of time. After five straight up months, the S&P was having a terrible April. Last week was the worst week of the year so far and the index has fallen over 5% from the recent high.
April 24, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Income Advisor
Cabot Income Advisor Issue: April 23, 2024
The rally sputtered. And it’s all about interest rates.

Investors had been factoring in falling interest rates and a soft landing. But now, investors are increasingly expecting no landing and continued high rates. Recent strong economic numbers, along with higher-than-expected inflation, are changing the perception.

It looks like these high rates will stick around for a while. And most stocks don’t like high rates. But not all. There are some companies that actually thrive with higher interest rates. And that creates opportunity. In this issue, I highlight a stock that pays a massive dividend generated by these high interest rates. As income investors, we can reap the bounty.
April 23, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
April 17, 2024
After five consecutive up months for the market, April has been a bummer. Is this just an overdue end to the recent rally or something worse?

The S&P 500 is down 3.6% so far in April. But the more interest rate-sensitive sectors have faired far worse. Sure, the rally was long in the tooth anyway. But the narrative has also changed for the worse.
April 17, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
Cabot Dividend Investor Issue: April 10, 2024
While the financial news obsesses over what the Fed might have vaguely implied in the latest statement, the world is morphing into a different place. The demographic of humanity is rapidly transforming in a way that will massively affect the flow of money for the rest of our lives. The world is currently undergoing a technological revolution that is transforming society and everyday life.

The aging population and the technological revolution are megatrends that will dominate the investment landscape for years to come regardless of what the Fed does, or GDP in the next few quarters, or whoever gets elected president. It’s not an accident that the best performing stocks in the Cabot Dividend Investor portfolio are in healthcare and technology. Nor will it be an accident that these same stocks continue to dominate from this point forward.

In this issue, I highlight the massive opportunity to position yourself in front of a tsunami that could provide the best investments of your lifetime.
April 10, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Dividend Stocks
How to Reinvest Dividends: 3 Pros, 3 Cons
Any income investor should know how to reinvest dividends. Whether you should depends on what you’re looking for as an income investor.
April 8, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson
Cabot Dividend Investor
April 3, 2024
It was a great first quarter. The S&P closed out March up 10% YTD. The index also rallied an impressive 28% from late October through the first quarter. Is there more upside ahead?

Things have been good. The Fed reiterated its intention to lower the Fed Funds rate three times this year at the March meeting. Meanwhile, inflation is way down and the economy is solid. Manufacturing data was much better than expected and the Fed raised its GDP forecast for 2024 from 1.4% to 2.4%.
April 3, 2024
 · 
Tom Hutchinson