The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

Dividend income is often overlooked amid gyrations in the stock market. But dividends are an important element of return. Dividend income accounted for 42% of the total return of the S&P 500 between 1930 and 2012, according to Hartford Funds. And that's just the average. In some of those decades, dividends accounted for more than 50% of total returns and even 100% of returns. More recently, dividends have accounted for a smaller portion of returns, at around 15%-20%. Not all dividends are created equal, though, and it is important to understand the difference between the two main categories: high-yield stocks and dividend-growth stocks. High-yield stocks typically have dividends that pay out in the 5%-8% range. Though the income appears attractive, the share prices of high-yield stocks may be at risk. Dividend-growth stocks typically have lower yields, often in the 1.0%-2.5% range. But the lower-yielding dividends are not likely to be a huge component of cash flow, leaving management teams with other value-additive options for deploying cash. Further, while the yields are not as high, management teams may be more likely to boost the payouts over time, as earnings grow.

Dividend income is often overlooked amid gyrations in the stock market. But dividends are an important element of return. Dividend income accounted for 42% of the total return of the S&P 500 between 1930 and 2012, according to Hartford Funds. And that's just the average. In some of those decades, dividends accounted for more than 50% of total returns and even 100% of returns. More recently, dividends have accounted for a smaller portion of returns, at around 15%-20%. Not all dividends are created equal, though, and it is important to understand the difference between the two main categories: high-yield stocks and dividend-growth stocks. High-yield stocks typically have dividends that pay out in the 5%-8% range. Though the income appears attractive, the share prices of high-yield stocks may be at risk. Dividend-growth stocks typically have lower yields, often in the 1.0%-2.5% range. But the lower-yielding dividends are not likely to be a huge component of cash flow, leaving management teams with other value-additive options for deploying cash. Further, while the yields are not as high, management teams may be more likely to boost the payouts over time, as earnings grow.

Costco operates 861 stores, for paying members, averaging 147,000 square feet each. Fees from the company's cardholders provided about 2% of its $242 billion in total FY23 revenue. Based in Issaquah, Washington, the company ended 4Q23 with 591 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, 107 stores in Canada, 40 in Mexico, 29 in the United Kingdom, 33 in Japan, 14 in Taiwan, 18 in Korea, 15 in Australia, four in Spain, one in Iceland, one in New Zealand, and one in Sweden, two in France, and 5 in China. About 40% of sales are sundries (including candy, alcohol and tobacco); 13% fresh food; 26% non-food including hard-lines (such as electronics and appliances) and soft-lines (including apparel and jewelry); and 21% other ancillary businesses, including gas stations, pharmacy, optical, hearing aids and printing. International stores represent about 27% of total sales and 34% of operating income. At the end of 4Q23, Costco had approximately 126 million square feet of floor space. Online sales represent approximately 7%, and gas stations represent about 13% of company sales. The company's fiscal year ends on the Sunday closest to August 31. FY23 was a 53 week year. The company's fiscal calendar has 12 weeks in each of the first three quarters and 16 weeks in 4Q.