Hot Blue Chip Stocks To Own Right Now

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) is a gold mine for long-term investors. It's particularly juicy if you're looking for high-quality income stocks, as these proven blue chips tend to deliver both high yields and reliable dividend growth. But there are stragglers in every herd, including this elite collection. Let me point out the three worst dividend stocks on the Dow today.

AA Dividend data by YCharts.

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) is a horrible income stock right now, any way you slice it. No other Dow stock even comes close to its feeble 0.3% yield. Annual payouts have plunged 97% over the last decade, and regulators keep a heavy foot on B of A's throat to prevent the troubled bank from over-stretching its financial reserves. That financial crisis in 2008 wrought devastation on Bank of America's dividend appeal.

Hot Blue Chip Stocks To Own Right Now: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)

Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  On Wednesday, Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) announced that its board has approved a 10.6% increase to its quarterly dividend.

  PM has increased its dividend from 85 cents to 94 cents per share, or $3.76 annually.

  The dividend will be paid on October 11 to shareholders of record on September 26. The stock will go ex-dividend on September 24.

  Philip Morris shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Wednesday. The stock has been mostly flat YTD.

Hot Blue Chip Stocks To Own Right Now: Apple Inc.(AAPL)

Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Flannelly]

  Following Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) iPhone event on Tuesday, where the Cupertino, California-based company unveiled its iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, and other products, a number of analyst firms weighed in with mixed commentary on Wednesday.

  For the most part, it seemed as though the various analysts were underwhelmed with Apple’s new products, especially the pricing on the supposedly cheap iPhone 5C. As such, Apple shares are sliding in pre-market trading. Here is some of the commentary from analysts on Wednesday:

  Negative Commentary

  Susquehanna
  Chris Caso, an analyst at Susquehanna, reiterated his “Neutral” rating on AAPL, as he believes that this year’s iPhone product cycle won’t be a significant positive catalyst for the stock. Caso sees shares of AAPL reaching $440, which suggests an 11% downside to the stock’s Tuesday closing price.

  “As usual, there were few surprises from AAPL’s well-previewed iPhone launch yesterday,” Caso commented. “We think the biggest surprise from an investment perspective is that the new iPhone 5C will be positioned as a midrange phone, and won�� provide much near-term help in addressing lower price points in emerging markets, as some had speculated. We do expect the addition of DoCoMo and China Mobile to represent TAM expansion, but not to represent the significant volume boost that would come from a lower-priced emerging market phone. We therefore maintain our view that this year�� iPhone product cycle isn’t a significant catalyst. We do, however, see a more significant catalyst next year, given our expectations for a larger-screen iPhone and as a new product cycle allows the iPhone 5C to be priced more aggressively at China Mobile.”

  Credit Suisse
  Analysts at Credit Suisse downgraded AAPL from “Outperform” to “Neutral” and see shares reaching $525. This price target suggests a 6% upside to the stock̵

• [By Amber Hestla, Michael J. Carr]

  Traders did not seem to be impressed by the newest products introduced by Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL). 

  A less expensive, more colorful iPhone and thumbprint security measures might not drive a significant sales increase for Apple, a company that reported revenue of more than $169 billion in the past 12 months, but it is likely to boost revenue for its suppliers.  

• [By Burke Speaker, Investorplace Writer Status seekers in China and Hong Kong helped Apple (AAPL]

  Status seekers in China and Hong Kong helped Apple (AAPL) sell out of its stock in new gold iPhones in the region.

  All were bought in pre-orders online yesterday — the first day such sales were allowed.

• [By   Rich Bieglmeier]

  CNBC Technology Reporter, Cadie Thompson lamented in an article yesterday that Apple (AAPL) is unusually quiet about iPhone 5C pre-orders.

  Cadie wrote, "In the past, the tech giant has been quick to boast about its high sales during the first few hours its devices became available. The fact that the company has kept mum on the matter so far has lead some to speculate that the early pre-order numbers aren't as good as they had been for earlier models."

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks To Watch Right Now: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360

Hot Blue Chip Stocks To Own Right Now: Visa Inc.(V)

Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  What we would first refer you to is our prediction of the six major dividend hikes before the end of 2013. Then we would focus on Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) as well, even if it was not included in our recent dividend hike predictions. Frankly, it should have been obvious but for some reason was not.

Hot Blue Chip Stocks To Own Right Now: Chevron Corporation(CVX)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.