Diamonds and Dogs

10/5/16

Caterpillar (CAT) is on a roll. No specific news today, but the mining and construction equipment maker's stock made a new 52 week high today, now up 12% in the last month and 30% year to date. Last Friday at the end of the third quarter, Caterpillar announced price increases of 0-4% worldwide on most machines. This price action will be effective January 2017 and includes adjustments to list prices and merchandising support. Even with the recent run up, the stock still has a great dividend yield of 3.3%.

Booz Allen Hamilton (BAZ) may need a drink after this day. The 102 year old defense contracting company is down 4% today on news one of its employees was arrested by the FBI over allegations stole top secret NSA documents. This former Booz Allen employee was accused by the Department of Justice on two counts – theft of government property and unauthorized removal of classified documents. He faces up to 11 years in jail. Edward Snowden, the famous leaker of NSA documents, also worked for Booz Allen. It is unclear whether Martin had the same intentions of exposing mass surveillance as Snowden did.