Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By!

Best Clean Energy Stocks and Funds articles include: "4 ETFs targeting clean water, wind energy, the smart grid — and one that has them all"; "Best renewable energy to watch out for in 2022"; "3 Alternative Energy Stocks to Watch As Wind Power Expands"; and "2 Renewables Stocks That Could Have You Seeing Green". Seven more!

Transcript & Links, Episode 82, May 6, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast episode 82 published on May 6, 2022, titled "Best Clean Energy Stocks and Funds" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

Also, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, nor do I receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal to you any personal investments I have in the investments mentioned herein.

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So let's begin with this article titled 4 ETFs targeting clean water, wind energy, the smart grid — and one that has them all by Rachel Koning Beals. It appeared on marketwatch.com. Here are some quotes from Ms. Koning Beals on each of her four recommendations.

"For some investment advisers and stock-pickers, so-called green investing is far from just a feel-good move… One such investment adviser is Daniel Milan of Cornerstone Financial Services in Southfield, Michigan…

The fund holds 36 of the largest U.S.-listed water companies, ranked by market cap and weighted equally within five tiers. Milan says… 'Our water thesis is short-term, intermediate-term and long-term…'

In the U.S. alone, fixing the water infrastructure — including ridding groundwater of what are usually known as 'forever chemicals' — featured only behind transportation as the largest recipients of funding in last year's $1.2 trillion infrastructure law…

Milan said. 'I'm from Michigan. Flint lived its water crisis and we all lived it to some extent… I don't think that crisis water scenario is unique.'

… is a concentrated fund targeting global equities determined to be in the smart grid and electrical energy infrastructure sector, Milan says…

The sector may include business in electric grid, electric meters and devices, networks, energy storage and management, and enabling software.

Most wind ETFs are too small to pass Milan's sniff test… The best, meaning larger, option may be First Trust Global Wind Energy ETF. It saves roughly 60% of its weighting for pure plays in the wind industry, including turbine manufacturers and operators, and allocates the remaining 40% to diversified sector, says Milan.

This mix might frustrate some investors who envision a pure play. In fact, they may find more desirable wind opportunities in a broader clean-energy ETF.

… holds a broad portfolio of U.S.-listed firms in the clean energy industry. Eligible companies must be manufacturers, developers, distributors or installers of one of the following sub-sectors: advanced materials (that enable clean-energy or reduce the need for petroleum products), energy intelligence (smart grid), energy storage and conversion (hybrid batteries) or renewable electricity generation (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.)…

Milan acknowledges recent volatility in this ETF and other macro-level sector funds as broader market consensus has favored names with high cash flow and strong balance sheets over high-growth companies." End quotes.

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It seems that the media is again filled with analysts reviewing renewable energy-related stocks and funds. So, most of the following articles refer to that space.

This next article is titled Best renewable energy to watch out for in 2022 by Alex Artenie. It's on medium.datadriveninvestor.com site. Here are some quotes from Mr. Artenie on each of his picks.

While not a household name, this company is the world's largest wind and solar energy producer. It has production facilities in Florida and sells power through purchasing power agreements (PPAs) to other utility companies and also directly to consumers.

You should watch NextEra Energy closely as it has yielded about 700 percent in returns in the last decade. The company has enjoyed above-average growth, increasing its dividend yearly for more than a quarter of a century.

Brookfield is one of the global leaders in hydroelectric power production. Hydropower makes up more than 62 percent of its energy portfolio in 2021. However, the company is also into wind energy, solar energy, and energy storage businesses.

Steady cash flow comes from long-term energy contracts with PPAs, which buy most of its energy.

Brookfield stock has generated an annual return of 20 percent for its investors since it began operating. Dividend payments have grown at a 6 percent compound annual growth rate starting from 2012.

The company is projecting more growth based on its extensive renewable energy projects billed to come online soon.

Clearway is a big-time player in the American renewable energy market. In addition to extensive wind and solar energy portfolios, the company operates highly efficient power plants running on natural gas. It also sells its energy to PPAs, ensuring a constant revenue stream.

Since its inception, investors in Clearway stocks have reaped annual returns that total almost 10 percent. The firm is controlled by Global Infrastructure Partners, a private equity company. Clearway is gunning for between 5 and 8 percent annual dividend growth in the nearest future." End quotes.

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My next renewable/alternative energy article is titled 3 Alternative Energy Stocks to Watch As Wind Power Expands by Aparajita Dutta. Found on zacks.com. Here are some of Ms. Dutta's comments on her stock picks.

Based in France, TotalEnergies is among the top five publicly traded global integrated oil and gas companies based on production volumes, proved reserves and market capitalization. Earlier this month, TotalEnergies and ENEOS Corporation announced a collaboration to jointly conduct a feasibility study to assess the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in ENEOS Negishi Refinery in Yokohama City, Japan. The proposed unit, with a capacity of 300,000 tons per year of SAF, once operational will allow TotalEnergies to offer a sustainable supply chain of SAF in Japan around 2025.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TotalEnergies' 2022 earnings has improved 31.8% in the past 60 days and implies an improvement of 58.7% from 2021's reported earnings figure. The company delivered an average earnings surprise of 18.88% in the last four quarters… TotalEnergies currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Based in Kansas City, MO, this company provides clean, safe and reliable energy to 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri… Its 2021 adjusted earnings per share were $3.54, reflecting a 14% year-over-year increase and a 7% increase over the $3.30 mid-point of the company's original 2021 adjusted EPS guidance range. This indicates the company's operational strength.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Evergy's 2022 earnings has improved 0.6% in the past 60 days. The company delivered an average earnings surprise of 87.44% in the last four quarters. It boasts a long-term earnings growth rate of 6.1%. Evergy currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Based in New York, Brookfield Renewables operates renewable power assets in the United States, Brazil and Colombia. In April 2022, Brookfield formed a strategic partnership with SSE Renewables for participation in the 1.4GW Hollandse Kust (west) offshore wind farm zone tenders, which are currently underway in the Netherlands…

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Brookfield Renewables' 2022 earnings has improved in the past 60 days while that for sales implies an improvement of 11.6% over 2021's reported sales figure. Brookfield Renewables currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold)." End quotes.

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The last article I'm reviewing today is titled 2 Renewables Stocks That Could Have You Seeing Green. It's by someone I feature in almost every podcast, Matthew DiLallo, on fool.com. Here's s some of what Mr. DiLallo has to say about these two stocks.

… focuses on owning environmentally sustainable infrastructure assets like renewable energy generating facilities, water desalination plants, electric transmission lines, and cleaner-burning natural gas power plants. These assets generate relatively predictable cash flow backed by long-term contracts and government-regulated rate structures. That gives Atlantica the funds to pay an attractive 5.7%-yielding dividend…

Atlantica is targeting to invest at least $300 million per year in renewable energy and other sustainable infrastructure projects. This investment rate should grow its cash available for distribution by 5% to 8% per year. That will enable the company to continue growing its high-yielding dividend… investors should also benefit from a steadily rising stock price, adding to their returns.

Clearway Energy focuses on producing cleaner electricity from wind, solar, and natural gas power plants. It sells this energy under long-term contracts to end users like utilities. That enables it to generate relatively stable cash flow to support its 4.3%-yielding dividend.

The company has also steadily increased its payout by expanding its portfolio, primarily through acquisitions. It invested $820 million across a range of transactions last year, including purchasing projects developed by its sponsor Clearway Energy Group (CEG). These deals help support Clearway's target to grow its dividend by 5% to 8% per year.

The company believes it can deliver dividend growth toward the high end of that target range through at least 2026. One key power source is the upcoming sale of its thermal business. It will receive $1.35 billion in net proceeds, giving it the cash to reinvest in higher-returning opportunities. It already has $600 million in deals lined up. That leaves it with $750 million to allocate toward future acquisitions.

Given (the company's) vast development project pipeline, Clearway should have plenty of options. (It) has 19 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy projects in its backlog, including 2 GW that it plans to start building this year. That's a sizable opportunity set for Clearway, considering its current portfolio size of 9 GWs…

Clearway Energy offers investors a high-powered dividend that should generate a lot of green in the coming years. Add in the potential appreciation in its stock price, and Clearway could be a big-time green investment." End quotes.

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1) Title Bank of New York Mellon a Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock With 2.9% Yield on Nasdaq. By BNK Invest.

2) Title What are the most responsible (Canadian) funds? On the Corporate Knights site. By Tim Nash.

3) Title LGBTQ+ Friendly Investments: What They Are & How to Find Them on investorjunkie.com. By Christopher Murray.

4) Title Green Bonds Become ESG Fixed Income Cornerstone on ETF Trends. By Tom Lydon.

1) Title How to invest in sustainable food: Six best fund ideas on This is Money. By Tara Clee.

2) Title Here are 2 top ETFs for ASX investors to buy next week on fool.com.au. By James Mickleboro.

3) Title Top 10 most-popular investment trusts: April 2022 on ii.co.uk by Kyle Caldwell.

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Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: "Best Clean Energy Stocks and Funds."

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast.

And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope in these deeply troubled times!

Contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on May 20. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

Great Cleantech Stocks and Faith-Based Funds covers articles: "3 Cleantech Stocks to Buy for a Greener Portfolio" and "Sunrun: 3 Trades For Investors Seeking Solar Energy Exposure" both by Tezcan Gecgil; "Religious investors who want to buy into companies that uphold their beliefs have these options" by Russ Wiles; and links to nine other articles

Transcript & Links, Episode 81, April 22, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. Hope everyone is thinking how their investments are impacting the climate on this Earth Day!

Anyhow, welcome to my podcast episode 81 published on April 22, 2022, titled "Great Cleantech Stocks and Faith-Based Funds" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Furthermore, if you're concerned about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund included in this podcast, check your broker's online site for such information.

If your broker doesn't have this information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to company and fund ESG-sustainability ratings. Please note, that I receive no compensation from Morningstar or anyone else covered in these podcasts.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

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Despite the recent turmoil in renewable energy stocks, many analysts remain positive about them over the next few years. In this light, Tezcan Gecgil on investorplace.com has this article titled 3 Cleantech Stocks to Buy for a Greener Portfolio as well as the article following this. Here's some of what Ms. Gecgil had to say on each stock in this article.

It is a leading clean technology integrator offering energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. The company works with government and private enterprises, serving customers ranging from airports and industrial installations to hospitals and schools.

Ameresco released fourth-quarter results on Feb. 28. Revenue increased 32% year-over-year (YOY) to almost $416 million. Adjusted net income came in at $26.7 million, or 50 cents per diluted share, up from $23 million in the prior-year quarter. Cash and equivalents ended the period at $87 million.

The group's energy assets generated more than half of the profits in 2021. Analysts suggest the entry into utility-scale battery storage solutions represents a significant long-term growth opportunity. In addition, the integrator boasts a solid backlog worth more than $5 billion.

Ameresco stock is down 32% year-to-date (YTD). Shares are trading at 30 times forward earnings and 2.5 times trailing sales. Meanwhile, the 12-month median price forecast for Ameresco stock stands at $85.

It provides power and analog semiconductors as well as intelligent sensors for cleantech industries. The chipmaker generates two-thirds of its revenue from automotive and industrial end markets, primarily from electric vehicles (EVs).

ON Semiconductor announced Q4 results on Feb. 7. The company posted record quarterly revenue of $1.85 billion, up 27% YOY. Adjusted net income stood at $478 million, or $1.09 per diluted share, up from $147 million a year ago. Cash and equivalents ended the period at $1.38 billion.

Overall, gross margin improved from 33% in 2020 to 40% in 2021. Free cash flow soared 167% YOY to $1.38 billion. Meanwhile, management has signed agreements that will see committed revenue growth of more than $2.6 billion through 2024.

Like many other tech names, ON stock is down more than 22% YTD. As a result, shares are trading at 12.9 times forward earnings and 3.5 times trailing sales — an appealing valuation level. At present, the 12-month median price forecast for ON stock is at $75.

The group is regarded as an innovator in modern hydrogen and fuel cell technology. It develops hydrogen fuel cell systems that replace conventional batteries in vehicles as well as equipment powered by electricity.

Plug Power issued robust Q4 results on March 1, generating a record quarterly revenue of $162 million. Net loss narrowed to $193 million, or a loss of 33 cents per diluted share, up from a loss of $484 million a year ago. Cash and equivalents ended the period at $3.13 billion.

Hydrogen fuel cell technology is gaining traction worldwide. As a result, Plug Power has forged various partnerships to bolster growth. Those names include SK Group in South Korea, Renault (OTCMKTS:RNLSY) and Lhyfe. The agreements range from the promotion of hydrogen fuel cell EVs to building green hydrogen plants in Europe. Meanwhile, in 2022, management projects full-year revenue to increase 80% YOY to exceed $900 million.

Despite stable growth in operations, PLUG stock has lost nearly 12% YTD. Shares are trading at 28.6 times trailing sales. Finally, the 12-month median price forecast for PLUG stock stands at $38." End quotes. Incidentally, Plug Power just did a major deal to supply Walmart with 20 tonnes of liquid green hydrogen every day.

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Now, here's Tezcan Gecgil's second article, though this time appearing on Investing.com. It's titled Sunrun: 3 Trades For Investors Seeking Solar Energy Exposure. Here are some quotes from her on Sunrun.

"Shares of the leading solar products installer Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN) are down close to 18% so far this year and 47.5% in the past 52 weeks. By comparison, the Invesco Solar ETF (NYSE:TAN) has lost 2.7% since January and 16.1% over the past year…

Despite the decline in share price, Sunrun is among the top residential solar panel providers in the US. In October 2020, it acquired competitor Vivint Solar. Thus, the company has seen volume growth in panel installations, especially in new homes, as well as in battery installations.

Investors have also been excited about Sunrun's upcoming partnership with Ford (NYSE:F) on home energy storage solutions. Ford's F-150® Lightning™ truck will be used to 'power homes and help accelerate the adoption of zero-carbon solar energy… Sunrun [will be] the preferred installer for F-150 Lightning home charging solutions in select service areas…'

Sunrun issued Q4 and FY21 results on Feb. 17, reporting a quarterly loss of 19 cents, which was wider than expected. Supply issues meant the alternative energy group delivered fewer battery systems than forecast previously.

Nonetheless, Sunrun added close to 30,000 new customers during the quarter, and the total number of customers went over 660,000. As a result, the annual recurring revenue was $851 million…

Sunrun shares have an 'outperform' rating among the 19 analysts polled via Investing.com and the 12-month average target price stands at $49.53, implying an increase of more than 71% from current levels." End quotes.

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Many ethical and sustainable investors might want their religious or spiritual values reflected in their investments. This is a new article that can help them in this. It's titled Religious investors who want to buy into companies that uphold their beliefs have these options. It's by Russ Wiles on azcentral.com.

Here's some of what he writes.

"Faith-based investing is getting easier to do with the advent of more religious mutual and exchange-traded funds… The funds are still comparatively few in number, with relatively small assets under management…

While Christian funds predominate among the religious offerings, Islamic funds also have gained a following, such as the Amana mutual funds managed by Saturna Capital. The Amana funds steer clear of businesses engaged in liquor, pornography, gambling and banking. They also avoid bonds and other conventional fixed-income securities, favoring dividend-pay stocks for income.

For example, large holdings in the Amana Income Fund include dividend payers Eli Lilly, Microsoft, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Rockwell Automation and Pfizer.

Another Islam-focused portfolio, the Azzad Ethical Fund, excludes those types of corporations as well as tobacco producers, weapons manufacturers, some insurance companies and corporations suspected of being connected to human-rights abuses.

Even under the same general religious banner, faith-based funds differ somewhat in their investment emphasis, especially when screening out companies.

The Ave Maria fund family, for example, favors corporations that follow, or at least don't violate, anti-abortion Catholic values. The fund group said it avoids investments in several key areas — corporations engaged in or supporting abortion including Planned Parenthood, pornography, embryonic stem-cell research and companies with policies deemed to undermine the sacrament of marriage.

Incidentally, advisers to the Ave Maria funds range from Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron to economist/Fox News anchor Larry Kudlow to Lou Holtz, the Notre Dame football coaching legend.

By contrast, the new FIS Biblically Responsible Risk Managed Fund, based in Scottsdale, enunciates a longer list. This fund won't invest in corporations believed to be involved in abortion, contraception, embryonic stem-cell research/human cloning, human-rights violations, pornography, alcohol, tobacco, armaments or gambling…

But in many cases, portfolio managers don't always have a clear-cut decision on whether a corporation would make an acceptable faith-based investment — not just based on business operations but also in terms of which groups or causes a firm supports with its philanthropic dollars or promotional efforts.

For example, some Christian portfolio managers will blankly avoid companies that, say, donate to gay-rights groups or Planned Parenthood…

Top stock holdings in the FIS Biblically Responsible Fund, which trades under the ticker symbol 'PRAY,' include Palo Alto Networks, Apple, Medtronic, Ecolab and Zimmer Biomet. The fund also holds shares in two Arizona-based corporations — trash hauler Republic Services and GoDaddy, the technology-services provider for small businesses.

To the extent that religious funds aren't widely embraced, that could partly reflect a perception that, by weeding out stocks or bonds in certain industries, investors will sacrifice performance.

Yet one study, from the Christian Investment Forum, showed solid results.

The study tracked the returns of 35 Christian stock funds against other stock funds over the 15 years through December 2020. Christian funds gained 7.1% annually on average over that period, compared with 6.3% annually for the other stock funds. The study also attributed a slight performance edge to nine Christian bond funds against fixed-income funds in general, 4.2% annually compared with 3.8%...

The study 'dispels some of the long-standing perceptions that incorporating faith-based criteria, in addition to traditional investment criteria, is correlated to underperformance,' wrote the study's author, John Siverling." End quotes

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1. Title PNC Financial Services Group a Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock With 3.4% on IQ Stock Market. By BnK Invest.

2. Title Invest Responsibly Using These ETFs by James Comtois on etfdb.com.

3. Title Meet the recycling start-up hustling to keep EV batteries out of landfills on CorporateKnights.com. By John Lorinc.

4. Title Well-Rated Sustainable (Canadian) ETFs to Consider on Morningstar.ca. By Ian Tam.

5. Title 5 ESG Stocks to Buy for Earth Day 2022 on Kiplinger.com. By Ellen Kennedy.

6. Title 9 Top Sustainable Stocks That Are Undervalued Now on Morningstar.com. By Lauren Solberg.

1. Title Responsible investing on whatinvestment.co.uk. It's a guide. By the What Investment Team.

2. Title 2 popular ETFs for investors to buy in April on fool.com.au. By James Mickleboro.

3. Title 2 FTSE renewable energy stocks with good dividends I'd buy now on fool.com.uk. By Manika Premsingh.

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Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: "Great Cleantech Stocks and Faith-Based Funds."

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast.

And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope in these deeply troubled times!

Contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on May 6. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

Buy These ESG Stocks, Say Analysts Articles covered: "Which Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now? 3 Top Picks" by Tezcan Gecgil; "My 3 Best Stock Split Growth Stocks to Buy Now and Hold Forever" by Danny Vena; "iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF: Key Themes" by Michael A. Gayed. Companies reviewed include: Blink Charging, Brookfield Renewable Partners, Clearway Energy, and Nvidia

Transcript & Links, Episode 80, April 8, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 80 published on April 8, 2022, titled "Buy These ESG Stocks, Say Analysts" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Furthermore, if you're concerned about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund included in this podcast, check your broker's online site for such information.

If your broker doesn't have this information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to company and fund ESG-sustainability ratings. Please note, that I receive no compensation from Morningstar or anyone else covered in these podcasts.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

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Now, the first article I want to talk about is titled Which Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now? 3 Top Picks by Tezcan Gecgil, an InvestorPlace Contributor. Here are some quotes by Mr. Gecgill on each of the three companies...

Blink Charging operates electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment and networked EV charging services. It offers over 30,000 charging ports in more than a dozen countries.

Blink Charging released fourth-quarter 2021 results on March 10. Revenue increased 224% year-over-year (YOY) to a record $7.95 million. Net loss widened to $19 million, or 45 cents per share, compared to $7.9 million in the prior-year quarter. Cash and equivalents ended the period at $175 million.

Management attributes its impressive top-line growth to increasing brand recognition for its EV charging technology. Blink sold 3,733 charging stations during the quarter, representing a 253% YOY increase.

In addition, services revenue increased 471% YOY. Management continues to grow its charger network with new partners and overseas expansion as well.

As with most long-term growth stories, Blink is a volatile stock. It's down almost 40% over the past year. Shares are trading at 54.7 times trailing sales. The 12-month median price forecast for Blink stock is $29.50.

… operates one of the world's largest pure-play renewable power platforms. Its portfolio consists of hydroelectric, wind and solar energy, plus storage facilities.

Brookfield released Q4 2021 results on Feb. 4. Revenue increased 15% YOY to $1.1 billion. Funds from operations (FFO) increased 6.5% YOY to $214 million, generating a record FFO per unit of 33 cents. Cash and equivalents ended the period at $764 million.

The company ended 2021 with an operational capacity of 21 gigawatts. In addition, it has an enormous development pipeline of 62 gigawatts. Hydroelectric power accounts for more than half of its revenue. Meanwhile, solar and wind power are expected see further growth in the coming years.

Brookfield Renewable Partners stock currently offers a generous 3.1% dividend yield. Management targets sustained 12% to 15% returns annually, as well as a yearly distribution growth of 5% to 9%.

This renewable energy stock is up nearly 14% so far in 2022. Shares are trading at 2.7 times trailing sales. Meanwhile, the 12-month median price forecast for (this) stock stands at $68.

… operates renewable and conventional energy assets. The group generates revenue from sales to local utilities under long-term, fixed-price agreements.

Clearway released Q4 2021 results on Feb. 28. Net loss came in at $56 million, down from $73 million a year ago. Cash and equivalents ended the period at $654 million.

The alternative energy name has the opportunity to develop 19.1 gigawatts of renewable energy projects through 2025. Clearway invested $820 million to expand its portfolio last year. Meanwhile, management is selling the thermal business for $1.9 billion, resulting in cash proceeds of $1.3 billion.

Clearway stock currently generates an attractive 3.8% dividend yield, perfect for investors looking for passive income. Management targets annual dividend growth of 5% to 8% through 2026.

The alternative energy stock has returned 27% over the past year. Shares are trading at 38.3 times forward earnings and 3.4 times trailing sales. Finally, the 12-month median price forecast for Clearway stock is at $39.50." End quotes.

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The next article by Danny Vena is titled My 3 Best Stock Split Growth Stocks to Buy Now and Hold Forever. It's found on fool.com. Here are Mr. Venna's picks and edited comments on each one.

After a 14-year hiatus and more than 2,000% stock price gains, Nvidia surprised investors on July 19, 2021, with a four-for-one stock split. Since then, even in the face of the recent market correction, shares of the semiconductor giant have still gained 49% since the split.

What's driving those gains? Demand for the company's graphics processing units (GPUs) used by gamers continues to increase, as Nvidia now controls 83% of the discrete desktop GPU market. Beyond gaming, Nvidia chips are the processor of choice in cloud computing and data center operations, which are accelerating as a result of the digital transformation. At its GTC Conference held just last week, the company added CPUs to its arsenal in a further push into data center servers.

Its strategy is bearing fruit. In the fourth quarter, Nvidia reported record revenue in three of its four major operating segments, resulting in revenue that grew 53% year over year. This was driven by gaming revenue that climbed 37%, data center revenue that surged 71%, and professional visualization revenue that soared 109%.

The company is also well positioned to power the metaverse and the continuing quest toward self-driving cars with its state-of-the-art processors. Furthermore, Nvidia's record revenue of $26.9 billion last year pales in comparison to the company's total addressable market (TAM), which is expected to top out at a staggering $250 billion by 2023.

It's been nearly eight years since Alphabet last split its shares, but the company broke that streak in early February when it revealed plans for a historic 20-for-1 stock split, scheduled to take place in July. Since its last split on March 27, 2014, Alphabet shares gained a whopping 410%.

Google's search dominance has helped fuel those gains, with roughly 92% of the worldwide search engine market. This has helped cement the company's market leadership in digital advertising, collecting an estimated 29% of worldwide digital ad spending. Then there's Google Cloud, the third-largest provider of cloud services, with an estimated 9% of the market and growing more quickly than its top competitors.

Alphabet's triple threat has fueled impressive financial results. Q4 revenue climbed 32% year over year, while operating margins marched higher, pushing net income up 38%. That's impressive growth for the fourth-largest company in the world, with a market cap of $1.87 trillion.

Its growth is far from over, fueled by strong secular trends. Digital ad spending is expected to climb to $873 billion by 2024, while estimates for the global cloud computing market clock in at $482 billion. Alphabet's revenue of $257 billion last year still leaves plenty of room for future upside and additional market share gains.

From little acorns grow mighty oaks, and from humble online bookstores, mighty e-commerce titans evolve. At least, that was the case with Amazon. And in terms of stock splits, the online retailer has gone the longest since its last pared its shares in the dot-com era, circa 1999. Since then, however, shares have skyrocketed 5,490%, leading to current plans for a 20-for-1 stock split.

Amazon is the undisputed leader in e-commerce. While estimates vary, the company controlled roughly 40% of online sales in the U.S. last year, with an industry-leading 8% of global digital retail in 2020.

Furthermore, Amazon dominates the area of cloud computing, a space it pioneered. During Q4 2021, Amazon Web Services (AWS) boasted a 33% share of the cloud infrastructure services market, controlling more than No. 2 Microsoft (MSFT) and No. 3 Google Cloud combined.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Amazon has quickly become a force in the digital advertising market. While the company only began to break out its results in Q4, Amazon's ads generated more than $31 billion in 2021, up 63%, and giving it the third-largest share of global digital ad spending, behind Alphabet and Meta Platforms (FB).

This trifecta of businesses drove solid results for Amazon last year, with net sales that climbed 22% while net income climbed 57%.

Yet, there are worlds left to conquer. Global e-commerce alone is worth $5.55 trillion, while cloud computing and digital advertising represent $482 billion and $873 billion, respectively. When viewed in the context of Amazon's net sales of $470 billion last year, there's a long runway for growth ahead." End quotes.

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Now Michael A. Gayed, CFA has posted an article on seekingalpha.com focusing on one of the leading US ESG ETFs. The article's titled iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF: Key Themes. Here are some quotes of his from the article.

"Summary

• iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF is one of the most popular names in the ESG space and its AUM has grown at a rapid pace since its inception.
• It could be one of the key beneficiaries of the expected $30 trillion worth of intergenerational inheritance transfer from baby boomers to the millennials.
• (It's) valuations are pricey and it is dominated by tech names where the outlook looks mixed.

The iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (NASDAQ:ESGU) is a $25bn sized product covering large and mid-cap US stocks with favorable ESG ratings. Companies involved in the business of tobacco, defense, and fossil fuels are excluded whilst companies involved in 'very severe business controversies' (as determined by MSCI) too are excluded…

Note that since its inception in late 2016, iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF AUM has expanded by 3.5x the level of the SPY which tracks the broader market… and its popularity is reflected in its valuations which are still quite cheap.

Currently this ETF trades at 22 P/E and the income component too is fairly underwhelming at around 1.16%. Also, note that tech stocks dominate (its) portfolio accounting for 27% of the holdings; as noted in The Lead-Lag Report, this sector has seen a slight bounce off late on account of the Russian-Ukraine conflict and cyber attacks but it may struggle to deliver outsized gains as the Fed continues to pivot to a hawkish environment." End quotes.

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1) Title These are the best ESG brokers for sustainable investing in 2022, new research reveals - London Business News. By LLB Finance Reporter.

2) Title Five ethical ISA options to invest in this year - AltFi.com. By Liza Tetley.

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Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: "Buy These ESG Stocks, Say Analysts."

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast.

And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope in these deeply troubled times!

Contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on April 22. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

The World's Most Ethical Companies. Articles covered: "The 10 most innovative companies in corporate social responsibility of 2022"; "5 Must-See Picks Just Added to RBC's ESG Darlings List"; "3 Top Artificial Intelligence Stocks to Buy in March"; and more! Stocks covered include Sweetgreen, Lululemon, SolarEdge Technologies Inc., Johnson Controls PLC, Enphase Energy Inc., and more

Transcript & Links, Episode 79, March 25, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 79 published on March 25, 2022, titled "The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and often bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. The opinions given are purely those of the article's author or authors or sponsoring entity.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

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Hey, I'm always happy to report on this list, The World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere. Here's some of their commentary about the list. Quote.

"The World's Most Ethical Companies historically outperform their peers and competitors financially, demonstrating a tangible ROI for doing the right thing. The connection between good ethical practices and financial performance, called the Ethics Premium, has been tracked for 16 years… In 2022, 136 organizations are recognized for their unwavering commitment to business integrity.

The honorees span 22 countries and 45 industries." End quote.

Among the top companies are Apple, IBERDROLA, Accenture, ADM, and Aptiv.

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Next. Following on the theme of great ethical companies is an article titled The 10 most innovative companies in corporate social responsibility of 2022. It's by Morgan Clendaniel. It appeared on fastcompany.com.

However, only 3 of the 10 companies are public. Here are the public companies with brief quotes from Mr. Clendaniel on each one.

The fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen set an aggressive goal to be carbon-neutral by 2027, assessing its entire supply chain to look for places to cut emissions. That information has allowed it to label some of its menu offerings as having the lowest emissions to produce, letting customers make climate-friendly choices when they order—all of which have seen increased popularity.

On top of initiatives to help recycle and reuse its clothing, Lululemon, the athletic apparel company, has taken big steps to re-create the process of making them entirely. Last May, it debuted its Earth Dye collection, relying on plant waste from beets and oranges rather than synthetic dyes. It's partnered with companies to experiment with using lab-grown polyester made out of carbon emissions and to incorporate lab-grown leather—Lululemon is a founding member of the Mylo Consortium devoted to using mycelium, a mushroom's root structure, as a viable material alternative—into its fashions. In July 2021, the company made yoga accessories such as a mat and bags incorporating Mylo. Lululemon also invested in the bioengineering company Genomatica to find new ways to create plant-based fabrics such as a plant-based nylon.

COVID-19 hasn't just infected millions of humans; it's also been found in household pets, livestock, and wild animals. While scientists raced to find a vaccine to protect humans from the virus, animal health company Zoetis was working on a similar process, resulting in an animal vaccine, first used on the great apes at the San Diego Zoo in January 2021. Last summer, the company donated more than 11,000 doses of its animal vaccine to help protect 100 mammalian species living in over 80 zoos, conservatories, and sanctuaries. The company delivered its strongest year in its history in 2021, growing annual revenue 15%." End quotes.

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This next article is by RBC analyst Paul Ausick and is titled 5 Must-See Picks Just Added to RBC's ESG Darlings List. The article is found on 247wallstreet.com. Here are Mr. Ausick's picks followed by some quotes of his.

… is one of two solar electronic components makers that RBC added to its ESG Darlings list. The company makes and sells direct current inverter systems and other solar-related products, including electricity storage systems. Its current market cap is around $16.6 billion, and its share price has increased by a third since February 23.

The stock is owned by 21% of ESG funds, the most of any of the newly added Darlings. SolarEdge's relative return compared to the S&P 500 index for the year to date as of March 15 is 25%. Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the relative return is 35%.

Building products and systems maker Johnson Controls International has a market cap of $45.46 billion. The company is headquartered in Ireland but was founded in Milwaukee in 1885 by the inventor of the electric room thermostat.

Johnson Control stock is owned by 16% of ESG funds, according to RBC's report. The stock's relative return for the year to date was negative 11.9%. Since the start of Putin's war, the relative return has been sliced to negative 2.4%.

Cosmetics icon Estée Lauder has a market cap of $97.7 billion and is included in the portfolios of 15% of dedicated ESG funds.

As with the other funds on this list, the stock trades down for the year to date, although the share price has improved since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For the year to date, Estée Lauder's relative return is negative 17.6%. Since the invasion, the relative return is negative 9.8%.

The other solar-related stock added to the ESG Darlings is Enphase. The company's principal product is a microinverter that converts solar energy from direct to alternating current at the individual module level, and couples that with technology to monitor and control solar-generated power. Enphase's market cap is $24.22 billion.

The stock is included in the assets of 15% of sustainable equity funds but not traditional actively managed funds. Its year-to-date relative return is 2.4%, and its return since the invasion of Ukraine is 31.3%.

Engineering simulation software provider Ansys has a market cap of $27.01 billion, and the stock posted an all-time high in early November of last year. The company's simulation tools in a variety of fields include aerospace, automotive, construction and consumer products.

The stock is also included in 15% of RBC's ESG Darlings. Its relative rate of return for the year to date is negative 13.2%, but since the invasion of Ukraine, the relative rate of return is 1.7%." End quotes.

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My next article is titled 3 Top Artificial Intelligence Stocks to Buy in March by Keithen Drury on fool.com. AI stocks are often bought by ethical and sustainable investors. Here are some quotes from Mr. Drury on each one.

As one of the leading technology companies, Nvidia's 2022 fiscal year (ending Jan. 30, 2022) results were strong. Revenue grew 61% to $26.9 billion over last year, but quarterly revenue growth slowed to 53% year over year. Its AI sales are wrapped into its data center division, which grew faster than overall revenue at a 71% year-over-year pace. In its fourth-quarter presentation, Nvidia highlighted its data center growth was led by strong demand for AI products.

Nvidia's AI technology is being used by many firms, including Meta Platforms, which recently announced it was building its AI research SuperCluster with Nvidia's products. A broad approach to AI investing can be taken by purchasing Nvidia's stock.

Changing to a more application-based investment, CrowdStrike provides cybersecurity solutions with its cloud-based offering. Through its Falcon platform, customers are protected by software that sees more than 1 trillion events per day. CrowdStrike then uses AI to learn from these attacks and continuously evolves the program, so when a customer in France sees an attack, a different company is protected from a similar threat in the U.S…

Some of the most important companies in the world utilize CrowdStrike, with 15 of the top 20 banks and 65 of the Fortune 100 companies deploying CrowdStrike's software… With customers growing 65% year over year to 16,325 and annual recurring revenue up 65% to $1.7 billion, CrowdStrike's business is executing on all levels. The company represents a great way to invest in the application of AI, and the cybersecurity industry has never been more relevant.

C3.ai's tools allow data scientists to deploy prebuilt and configurable AI applications to support a business in many ways, such as supply chain management, energy efficiency, and customer engagement.

The company's tools are recognized as some of the best available. Omdia ranked C3.ai top on its list of machine-learning development platforms. It was also found to increase developer productivity by 26 times, by cutting the amount of code required by nearly 99% on Amazon Web Services (AWS) when deploying AI solutions.

C3.ai is a young company founded in 2009 and only has 218 customers as a result. Still, this is up 82% year over year and drove Q3 (ending Jan. 31, 2022) total revenue to $69.8 million, increasing by 42% over the prior year. It also landed a five-year, $500 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.

The company has a long way to go before turning a profit, as its operating margin was negative 22%, although this was an improvement from last year's Q3 number of negative 24%. It will take C3.ai some time, but if its best-in-class solutions are adopted across the industry, it could be a fantastic investment." End quotes.

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Now here are a group of articles related to Renewable Energy Stocks and Funds. Many of which have caught fire recently with the advent of higher oil prices.

(For article links to these and in other categories that follow, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode and section.)

1) Title 2 Best Renewable Energy Stocks for 2022 (NASDAQ:ON) | Seeking Alpha by Stephen Cress.

2) Title Alternative Energy ETFs Shine as Oil Prices Rally Amid War - Zacks.com by Sweta Jaiswal. Sweta recommends five solar ETFs.

3) Title 4 Renewable Energy Stocks To Watch In March 2022 | National | fwbusiness.com by Josh Dylan.

4) Title 3 Wind Stocks to Grab Global Growth | Kiplinger by Shrilekha Pethe.

5) Title 10 Best Performing Energy ETFs: 2022 | ThinkAdvisor by Michael S. Fischer.

6) Title Fossil Fuels Rise, Profit With Alternative Energy Investments | Seeking Alpha by Enterprising Investors.

1) Title Rosy Prospects for This ESG ETF | ETF Trends by Tom Lydon.

2) Title 7 Best Socially Responsible Funds | Investing | US News by Jeff Reeves.

1) Title Telegraph's top 10 ethical funds to grow your money – Plainsmen Post (UK) by George Holan.

2) Title What are ethical ETFs? Check out these ASX-listed funds (kalkinemedia.com) (Australia) by Ashish and Shaghil Bilali.

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Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: "The Most Ethical Companies and Best Renewables."

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast.

And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a 'forceful hope' in these troubled times!

Contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on April 8. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

Top Water, Energy, Stocks and Funds articles covered: "5 'Blue Economy' Stocks and Funds"; "These 2 Renewable Energy Stocks Are Too Cheap to Ignore"; "Technical Analyst Sees Lots of Upside Potential in This Alternative Energy Stock"; "Why Enphase Energy Stock Soared in February"; "Why Digital Realty Trust is a leading Socially Responsible Dividend (DLR) stock"

Transcript & Links, Episode 78, March 11, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. I do hope that you are ok and managing to stay calm, healthy, and focused on what positive contribution you can make to help alleviate the terrible distress in these deeply troublesome times. Investing in ethical and sustainable companies has never been more important than it is now!

Anyhow, welcome to podcast episode 78 published on March 11, 2022, titled "Top Water, Energy, Stocks and Funds" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Furthermore, if you're concerned about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund included in this podcast, check your broker's online site for such information.

If your broker doesn't have this information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to company and fund ESG-sustainability ratings. Please note, I receive no compensation from Morningstar or anyone else covered in these podcasts.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

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Now the first article I want to review concerns the water industry — an industry receiving great attention from ethical and sustainable investors. The article's title is 5 'Blue Economy' Stocks and Funds. It's written by Nellie S. Huang and published by Kiplinger. Ms. Huang writes, quote…

"The blue economy represents all of the dollars spent to improve the economic growth, health and livelihood of ocean and coastal zone ecosystems… 'You can't have a healthy planet without a healthy ocean,' says Louise Heaps, the head of sustainable blue economy at the global nonprofit WWF, in London…

(The article continues)…We recommend two funds that focus on water sustainability. We also found the stocks of three companies doing interesting things that will help us use water more efficiently or that go some way toward stemming water pollution. (The funds and stocks are…)

(Is) a new, actively managed fund, focuses on firms working on solving the world's water crisis…

Industrial machinery is the fund's top industry weighting at a quarter of assets. It's followed by water utilities (17%) and electronic equipment and instruments (15%), as well as 11% of assets each in building products and industrial conglomerates.

Roper Technologies (ROP) and American Water Works (AWK) are top holdings.

(The fund) has returned 7.9% over the past 12 months.

Invesco has three water-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but we favor Invesco Water Resources ETF… because it tracks a Nasdaq index that includes companies creating products designed to conserve and purify water.

Invesco Water Resources ETF is similar to Fidelity Water Sustainability Fund in that its largest asset concentrations are in machinery (27%) and water utilities (20%). However, it also has a substantial 16% invested in life sciences tools and services.

Waters Corp. (WAT) and American Water Works (AWK) top the portfolio. The fund has gained 9.4% over the past 12 months.

Is an engineering and consulting firm has big roles in many sustainable areas, including water management.

For instance, the company helped a Kentucky sewer system authority save $200 million from 2006 to date by building a high-tech, real-time system to monitor and manage sewer system overflow during periods of heavy rain…

Stifel analyst Noelle Dilts recommends the blue economy stock.

'We believe the company is well positioned to benefit from strong secular drivers in water and environmental services, with 85% [or more] of revenues tied to these markets,' she says.

Analysts expect the company… to deliver annual earnings growth of 9% in 2022 and 8% in 2023.

The ocean is home to five plastic islands of floating trash; one is roughly twice the size of Texas. Danimer Scientific could help reduce that. It is developing a kind of plastic that is 100% biodegradable and compostable…

Danimer Scientific… had its initial public offering in December 2020. The company has a $409 million market value, no profits and just $53 million in revenue over the past 12 months…

Jeffries analyst Laurence Alexander rates the stock a Buy, saying that 2022 should be a 'validation year,' when leading brands adopt its plastic. It already has a number of well-known customers, including PepsiCo (PEP) and Walmart (WMT).

Excessive use of fertilizer can run off into waterways, harming plants, animals and habitats, not to mention water quality.

'If we could just reduce the use of fertilizer, that would have the biggest positive impact on water,' says Putnam's Collins.

Deere's 'See & Spray Select' technology, installed on a fertilizer sprayer, uses camera technology to identify color differentiation in the field so that only weeds get sprayed with herbicides. The system reduces herbicide use by 77%, on average…

Deere has its share of eco-bugaboos, but it's a leader in precision agriculture – technology that helps increase crop yields and minimize the use of fertilizers, two key environmental pluses…

Credit Suisse's Jamie Cook rates the stock Outperform." End quotes.

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Now back to familiar territory with this article titled These 2 Renewable Energy Stocks Are Too Cheap to Ignore. By Neha Chamaria and Rekha Khandelwal on fool.com. Here are some quotes from the authors on their picks.

"1) Neha Chamaria recommends Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP)

(The) stock is finally showing some signs of life after languishing in 2021, but there's tremendous upside potential left in the stock at current prices…

Brookfield Renewable generated record funds from operations (FFO) in its third quarter, but the market paid no heed. I strongly believed it deserved better and even picked Brookfield Renewable as the only stock I'd buy in 2022 -- if I had to pick one…

Brookfield Renewable's total pipeline is… almost three times the size of its existing operational capacity, and it is this pipeline that should set Brookfield Renewable on the next growth path.

For now, the company expects to grow funds from operations per unit by 10% or more through 2026… That should translate into regular annual-dividend increases which could be as high as 9% each year. Now combine that with Brookfield Renewable's dividend yield of 3.4% and the potential gains from reinvesting those dividends, and you could well be on your way to making a fortune if you add this renewable dividend growth stock to your portfolio.

The recent correction in renewable energy stocks due to concerns relating to overvaluation and rising interest rates has contributed to the fall in NextEra Energy Partners' stock. However, the company's fundamentals remain rock-solid…

NextEra Energy Partners has certain key advantages over its competitors. To begin with, it is backed by a top utility, NextEra Energy (NEE). (It) has a huge and diversified portfolio of renewable energy assets, and it's been in the renewables business for more than 30 years… NextEra Energy's investment-grade balance sheet helps it raise funds at comparatively lower costs than its smaller peers.

NextEra Energy Partners announced a distribution of $0.71 for the fourth quarter, which represents a sequential increase of 3.3%. On an annualized basis, the Q4 distribution grew 15% year over year. NextEra Energy Partners expects a 12% to 15% per-year growth in its distributions through 2024. All in all, this is one renewable energy (stock) that you would surely want to buy right away." End quotes.

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Continuing on the theme of renewable energy is this article titled Technical Analyst Sees Lots of Upside Potential in This Alternative Energy Stock. Found on investorideas.com. Source: Clive Maund. Here are some quotes.

"Things are going well for solar stock UGE International Ltd. (UGE:TSX.V; UGEIF:OTCQB), which looks like a buy here after what is believed to be prolonged base building since it hit bottom last June after a reactive phase… There is plenty of upside potential from here, as made clear by the position of the MACD indicator." End quotes.

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Now to one of the favorite companies by analysts featured in these podcasts. It's covered in this article titled Why Enphase Energy Stock Soared in February. It's by Howard Smith and again found on fool.com. Here are some quotes from Mr. Smith.

"The stock of solar system technology company Enphase Energy (NASDAQ: ENPH) had a strong month in February. Two separate catalysts were really responsible for the gains, resulting in an overall jump of 18.7% for the month, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

First, the company reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2021 results on Feb. 8, prompting a big single-day pop in the stock. The second catalyst wasn't company-specific. Many solar and other alternative-energy stocks have soared in the final days of February as oil prices jumped on the backdrop of war in Ukraine and geopolitical uncertainty.

After having given up some gains made after its strong earnings report, (Its) shares of Enphase soared almost 32% in the last five days of the month.

Enphase reported record revenue of $412.7 million for its fourth quarter, bringing full year 2021 revenue to $1.38 billion, jumping nearly 80% over the 2020 total of $774.4 million. After generating $92.7 million in cash flow from operations, and spending $300 million in share repurchases in December, Enphase also ended the year with $1 billion in cash on its balance sheet…

For investors, the main concern with Enphase should be its valuation. At its recent market cap of $21.2 billion, shares are trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of almost 150. While continued strong growth should bring that down over the next several years, it's an investment that comes with plenty of risk should there be any stumbles in the company's growth rate." End quotes.

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Looking for dividends, then see this article titled Why Digital Realty Trust is a leading Socially Responsible Dividend (DLR) stock. It's authored by Eleon on goodwordnews.com. Now some quotes from the author.

"Digital Realty Trust Inc (Symbol: DLR) has been named one of the best socially responsible dividend stocks by Dividend Channel, meaning a stock with above average results. 'Dividend rank' statistics, including a high yield of 3.5%, as well as being recognized by leading asset managers as being a socially responsible investment…

According to ETF Channel's ETF Finder, Digital Realty Trust Inc is a member of the iShares USA ESG Select (SUSA) ETF, representing 0.19% of the fund's underlying holdings, which holds $7,077,077 in DLR shares.

The annualized dividend paid by Digital Realty Trust Inc is $4.64/share, currently paid in quarterly installments… DLR operates in the REIT sector." End quotes.

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1. Title 2 exciting ASX growth shares for March 2022 26 February 2022 (fool.com.au). By Tristan Harrison. Quote "Australian Ethical (ASX: AEF) is investing significantly for growth and is benefiting from rapidly growing FUM; (and) Airtasker's (ART) platform gives it a high gross profit margin and it is growing quickly, particularly in the US and UK." End quote.

2. Title 2 popular ETFs you need to know (fool.com.au). The ETFs are BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA) and Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI)

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Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: "Top Water, Energy, Stocks and Funds."

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast.

And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a 'forceful hope' in these troubled times!

Contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on March 25. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

Topping ESG rankings (stocks): "Report--Meet the top 200 companies investing in a clean energy future"; "Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies"; "Top 5 ESG Stocks To Radar Now"; "10 Real Estate Companies That Are Both Greener and More Profitable"; "For Greenification in Munis, Try SMI"; and "This ETF is designed to help fight heart disease"; plus

Transcript & Links, Episode 77, February 25, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 77 published on February 25, 2022, titled "The Stocks Topping ESG Rankings. And More…" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Furthermore, if you're concerned about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund included in this podcast, check your broker's online site for such information.

If your broker doesn't have this information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to company and fund ESG-sustainability ratings. Please note, I receive no compensation from Morningstar or anyone else covered in these podcasts.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

Now a point about current volatile market conditions. You should know that in such markets studies show that companies highly rated for their ESG and sustainability scores usually show superior returns compared to the overall markets. Just a thought in these troubled times where we all wish for the troubles around Ukraine to get resolved peacefully and without much loss of life.

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Let's begin looking at As You Sow and Corporate Knights' Report: Meet the top 200 companies investing in a clean energy future. By TOBY A.A. HEAPS, ANDY BEHAR, MICHAEL YOW, AND MATTHEW MALINSKY.

Here are some quotes.

"The Clean200 are the largest 200 public companies ranked by green energy revenues…

Geographically… the United States dominated the 2022 list, with 52 companies on the Clean200, while Canada had the second largest share with 18, closely followed by China, which 16 Clean200 companies are headquartered in.

On average, 58% of revenues earned by Clean200 companies are classified as clean, which is up from 39% in 2021 and significantly above the 20% average clean revenue for their MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI) peers…

$10,000 invested in the Clean200 on July 1, 2016, would have grown to $20,709 by January 31, 2022, versus $20,315 for the MSCI ACWI broad market benchmark and $13,167 for the MSCI ACWI/Energy benchmark for fossil fuel companies." End quotes.

The top five Clean 200 companies are Apple inc., Alphabet Inc., Intel Corp, TSMC, and Iberdrola.

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Another good ranking is the just-released 2022 edition of Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies. Writing about them is Lauren Foster. Ms. Foster writes, quote…

"In the fifth annual Barron's ranking of America's Most Sustainable Companies, shares of the 100 companies on our list returned 34.4%, on average, in 2021, besting the S&P 500 index's 28.7%...

41 of the 100 companies on last year's list beat the market in 2021." End quotes.

Barron's top five are NVIDIA, ON Semiconductor, Crocs, Inc., Applied Materials, and Jones Lang LaSalle.

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Now Mavis Babcock at topnewsguide.com has penned this article titled Top 5 ESG Stocks To Radar Now. Here are their names followed by some brief quotes on each one.

is perfect for any speculative investor searching for ESG investments. The diversified green company has made three recent acquisitions; a carbon capture system that produces sellable commodities from carbon emissions, a medical waste treatment device called the 'OZONE', and a Green Renewable Diesel Production Facility in Reno that it is extremely close to closing on.

… the stock has gained 15% so far this year…

Mattel is now projecting its 2021 net sales of $5.4 billion to grow 8% to 10% in the current year. Adjusted EPS is seen at $1.42 to $1.48. The toymaker also lifted its 2023 net sales growth forecast to high-single-digit from a previous outlook of mid-single-digit growth… Hasbro forecast growth of 'low-single digit' in both annual revenue and operating profit this year.

… the stock has jumped 58% over the past year… (and) delivered fourth-quarter 2021 core net operating earnings per share of $4.12, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 38.3%. The bottom line doubled on a year-over-year basis.

… The stock is trading above 34% from its 52-week low and 4% away from its 52-week high. CNH Industrial came out with quarterly earnings of $0.25 per share, beating the Consensus Estimate of $0.21 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.30 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 19.05%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this truck, tractor and bus maker would post earnings of $0.22 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.36, delivering a surprise of 63.64%.

Is another stock in the ESG sector which has been showing consistent rise. The stock has moved up 8% over the past one quarter… Benefits of higher steel prices and healthy shipments are likely to reflect on its fourth-quarter results." End quotes.

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Considering green real estate REITS? Well, here's a list also published in Barron's titled 10 Real Estate Companies That Are Both Greener and More Profitable. It's by Evie Liu.

*Rank based on non-rounded weighted average; **Market cap and dividend yield as of 12/31/2021; NR=not on the 2021 ranking; N/A= not available

Sources: Calvert Research & Management.

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Many US ethical and sustainable investors like municipal bonds. If this, is you, review this article titled For Greenification in Munis, Try SMI. It's by TOM LYDON and published on etftrends.com. Here are some quotes from Mr. Lydon.

"The vast fixed income market is fertile ground for green fund innovation.... Consider the case of the VanEck HIP Sustainable Muni ETF (SMI), which debuted last September as the first exchange traded fund dedicated to green municipal bonds.

The actively managed VanEck HIP Sustainable Muni ETF is managed by HIP Investments — a pioneer in the green municipal bond space… 'HIP Ratings incorporate research that shows which variables are key to improving outcomes. Then, HIP tracks data and metrics related to evidence-based targets and goal,' said HIP Investors founder and CEO Paul Herman in a recent note.

(This ETF)… which sports a 30-day SEC yield of 1.27%, holds just 44 municipal bonds. That's the result of a high bar for entry created by HIP Investor's stringent investment criteria and the newness of green municipal bonds. None of the ETF's holdings exceed a weight of 4.77%.

'HIP Investor's methodology, which precedes the term 'ESG' by several years, uses five pillars based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. These five pillars — Health, Wealth, Earth, Equality, and Trust – can be mapped to ESG as well,' adds Herman.

Additionally, the HIP's methodology features a dual-pronged approach that focuses on sustainability and education…

'In the VanEck HIP Sustainable Muni ETF (SMI), HIP Ratings also track the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework, as well as a Climate Threat Resilience score,' notes Herman.

California and New York municipal bonds combine for 60.6% of the ETF's weight. (This ETF) has an effective duration of 5.77 years, and 84% of its holdings carry investment-grade ratings." End quotes.

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Now here's another specialist ETF that might be of interest to numerous ethical and sustainable investors. The article's titled This ETF is designed to help fight heart disease while making you money. Here's how. It's by Josh Meyers and found on cnbc.com. Here are some quotes from Mr. Meyers' article.

"'The IQ Healthy Hearts ETF (HART)… is designed to help investors do well while doing good,' New York Life Investments' Wendy Wong told CNBC's 'ETF Edge' on Monday.

HART's current portfolio includes companies such as UnitedHealth Group (UNH), Apple (AAPL), Novartis (NVS) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

The ETF, powered by Index IQ, sees a portion of fees go toward supporting the American Heart Association's fight against heart disease…

'The American Heart Association uses [the funds] to support its Social Impact Fund,' she said. 'This addresses health inequalities in under-resourced communities.'

New York Investments' support has accelerated the growth of the Social Impact Fund by nearly three times, according to Wong.

The HART ETF is significant in the ESG space as well, ETF Trends CEO Tom Lydon said in the same interview.

Lydon called the partnership a great example of '[making] sure that we're not only doing right but feeling good about it at the same time and maybe learning how we can help our family do a better job of staying healthy.'

HART is outperforming the S&P 500 so far this year, down about 5% versus the benchmark index's 6% loss." End quotes.

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1. Title Most Active Stocks Today? 4 Renewable Energy Stocks For Your Watchlist | Nasdaq. By Amos C. The stocks are Enphase Energy Inc (NASDAQ: ENPH), Daqo New Energy Corp (NYSE: DQ), Brookfield Renewable Partners LP (NYSE: BEP), and Solaredge Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SEDG). (As mentioned in previous podcasts, Daqo is accused of using Chinese forced labor.)

2. Title This Top Stock Is a Rock for Any Renewable Energy Portfolio | The Motley Fool. By Travis Hoium. Quote "First Solar (FSLR) was the one that I really wanted to bring to bear for people." End quote.

3. Title Here are the top 20 BSE 100 companies with strong corporate governance: Report - BusinessToday. By Rahul Oberoi. Click the link on this podcast's webpage for company names.

4. Title 3 ethical ASX companies with Australian Ethical's Mike Murray | Ethical Investing in Australia | Rask Media. Recommendations by Mike Murray. Again, click the link on this podcast's webpage for the company names.

5. Title 6 Top-Performing ESG ETFs With High MSCI Ratings on money.usnews.com. By Aaron Davis and Tim Lawson. Again, click the link on this podcast's webpage for the company names.

1. Title Interactive Investor's top 20 ethical funds and trusts | This is Money. By Jane Denton. Quote "The Baillie Gifford Positive Change impact fund was the most popular ethical option for investors with Interactive Investor over the past 10 months, new data shows." End quote. As before, click the link on this podcast's webpage for list of the funds.

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Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: "The Stocks Topping ESG Rankings. And More…"

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast.

And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote a better post COVID world through ethical and sustainable investing!

Contact me if you have any questions.

Stay well and healthy—and conscious about the ethical and sustainable values of your investments!

Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on March 11. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

Beat Inflation With These ESG Stocks, Analyst. Article titles covered include these: "Beat inflation with 3 stocks that bet against oil in favor of EVs and the renewable-power grid"; "Top 3 Energy Stocks for 2022 and Beyond"; "3 Best Corporate Governance Stocks to Buy Right Now"; and "1 Fund to Invest in a Sustainable Future"

Transcript & Links, Episode 76, February 11, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 76 published on February 11, 2022, titled "Beat Inflation With These ESG Stocks, Analyst" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Furthermore, if you're concerned about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund included in this podcast, check your broker's online site for such information.

If your broker doesn't have this information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to company and fund ESG-sustainability ratings. Please note, I receive no compensation from Morningstar or anyone else covered in these podcasts.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

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Now we're hearing a lot about inflation. Take note of this article titled Beat inflation with 3 stocks that bet against oil in favor of EVs and the renewable-power grid. It's by Rachel Koning Beals and found on MarketWatch.com. Here are some quotes.

"Ivana Delevska, founder and chief investment officer at SPEAR, which runs the actively managed SPEAR Alpha ETF (SPRX), already guides the fund toward disruptive industrial-technology stocks…

Now, she has her sights on what looks to be an inflation-tolerant trio of companies that can counter energy-price volatility.

It is 'very advantageously positioned as a lithium manufacturer, which is expected to remain a key bottleneck component in the production of EVs…'

(It's) shares are down nearly 8% so far in 2022, after a 13% gain in the past year.

Delevska called it a diversified play on the theme because the company offers hardware and software to fleet, residential and commercial customers.

Among other factors, charging support got a boost in the bipartisan infrastructure legislation passed last year, but the most robust government request for funding to back EVs and their charging network has been hung up in a stalled Build Back Better bill.

The power-management company, which helps wind-turbine operators, for instance, convert power into electricity and transport it to the grid…

Shares are down 12% in the year to date, cutting into a nearly 25% one-year gain." End quotes.

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Returning to familiar territory is an article by a regularly featured analyst Matthew DiLallo of The Motley Fool. Found on Nasdaq.com it's titled Top 3 Energy Stocks for 2022 and Beyond. Here are some quotes from Mr. DiLallo.

It owns hydroelectric, wind, solar, and energy storage facilities across North and South America, Europe, and Asia…

Brookfield sells to utilities and large corporate customers under long-term, fixed-rate power purchase agreements (PPA)…

Brookfield distributes most of its cash flow to investors through a dividend that currently yields 3.7%...

In addition, Brookfield sees up to 9% of additional cash flow per share growth as it continues making value-enhancing acquisitions.

Enbridge is one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America…

Currently, fossil fuels supply the bulk of Enbridge's income. However, the company has been slowly pivoting toward cleaner energy sources like natural gas and renewables over the years… Its legacy assets are generating cash that Enbridge is using to pay an attractive dividend – it currently yields 6.3% -- and reinvest into cleaner energy infrastructure projects…

Meanwhile, it's investing in emerging clean energy projects like hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.

It operates one of the cleanest electric utilities in the country, Florida Power & Light, and a leading energy production and infrastructure business, NextEra Energy Resources. Overall, it's one of the world's largest energy producers from the wind and sun. It's also a leader in battery storage…

That should drive continued growth in NextEra's 2%-yielding dividend. This year, it sees around 10% dividend growth, with future increases likely to track earnings growth." End Quotes.

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Governance is the 'G' in ESG. That's what this article is concerned with. It's titled 3 Best Corporate Governance Stocks to Buy Right Now. It's by Melissa Brock and seen on MarketBest.com. Here are some quotes from Ms. Brock on her picks.

Alcoa Corp… produces bauxite, alumina and aluminum products through bauxite mining operations which processes bauxite into alumina as well as smelting and casting operations to produce primary aluminum.

Alcoa expects all directors, officers and other employees to conduct business in compliance with a strict code of conduct and the company surveys compliance on an annual basis. The company carefully outlines the role of its board of directors and director responsibilities, including the core responsibilities to exercise business judgment and act in the best interests of the company and its stockholders…

In 2021 overall, the company posted the highest annual net income of $429 million and earnings per share of $2.26 and generated revenue of $12.2 billion, an increase of 31% from 2020.

Newmont Corp… is a gold producer in North America, South America, Nevada, Australia and Africa.

Newmont Corp's code of conduct publicly lays out the high standards of conduct expected of employees, officers and directors, as well as partners, vendors and contractors. Newmont is a founding member of the Partnering Against Corruption Initiative and adheres to a strict business integrity policy and standards designed to prevent corruption…

The company has an independently operated, 24-hour hotline, called the Integrity Helpline, in which any stakeholder can report unsafe and unethical behavior…

Newmont ended Q3 with $4.6 billion of consolidated cash and $7.6 billion of liquidity… Over the last four quarters, Newmont has steadily reinvested in operations while returning more than $2 billion to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks.

CBRE Group, Inc… provides commercial real estate and investment services through its advisory services, global workplace solutions and real estate investments segments, including property leasing, capital markets, property management, project management services and valuation services, contractually-based outsourcing services and global investment management services…

(It's) Standards of Business Conduct was completely revised in 2021 so its workforce of more than 100,000 employees could read and understand it. The document emphasizes its RISE values: respect, integrity, service and excellence. Personnel and board members must both act ethically and adhere to standards of business conduct…

Capital markets activity and global property sales revenue exceeded posted United States increases, with revenue up 116%. International markets also saw strong increases versus last year's third quarter, paced by Australia and the United Kingdom." End quotes.

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Now I'm excited by this fund featured in this article titled A New ESG Fund Launches Today. Why Its Top Holdings Are GM and Occidental. It's by Evie Liu and was on Barrons.com. Quote.

"The path to cutting carbon emissions to zero has to go through the largest emitters, Engine No. 1, the investment firm behind the successful shareholder campaign to reshape oil giant Exxon Mobil, believes. That's why the firm launched an exchange-traded fund to invest in legacy companies that will drive and benefit from the energy transition.

The Transform Climate ETF (ticker: NETZ)… focuses on firms in some of the largest carbon-emitting industries—such as transportation, energy, and agriculture—that have shown commitment to credible decarbonization plans. It will also look for firms whose products and services help enable the transition to a low-carbon economy…

'We believe there is no way to decarbonize the planet without these companies transforming, and there is no time to lose,' says Engine No. 1 founder Chris James…

The fund's top three holdings at launch are General Motors ( GM ), Deere ( DE ), and Occidental Petroleum ( OXY ), names you don't see often in green funds…

The Transform Climate fund is Engine No. 1's second ETF and first actively managed thematic fund. It charges an annual expense ratio of 0.75%." End quotes.

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Want just one ESG fund to invest in? You might want to review this article titled 1 Fund to Invest in a Sustainable Future. It's by Frederic Slade and found on fool.com. Quote.

"The iShares USA ESG Select ETF has a Morningstar score of 5 and an MSCI score of AAA, while a competitor, the Calvert Equity Fund-A (NASDAQMUTFUND: CSIEX) has scores of 5 and AA, respectively.

The iShares fund scores higher with MSCI in part because its Top 5 holdings include only one stock with an MSCI rating below A: Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL), which is rated BBB, average for its industry…

Morningstar and MSCI's approaches to scoring sustainability differ, so you should use both to research different funds…

The expense ratio for an actively managed fund such as Calvert Equity A can approach 1% – 0.94%, in Calvert's case – while passive funds like iShares USA ESG Select ETF have expense ratios in the 0.10% to 0.25% range…

If you're looking for a diversified fund that scores well in sustainability and boosts your portfolio's return, iShares USA ESG Select ETF might make a great place to start your search." End quotes.

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1. Title 5 exciting investment funds to keep an eye on in 2022 | Fool UK by George Sweeney. Two of the funds might be considered by ethical and sustainable investors. They are the Trojan Ethical Income (F00000WQ4M.L) and Legal & General Future World ESG Developed Index (GB00BMFXWS95:GBP).

2. Title 2 ASX shares riding the wave of green energy and ethical investing (fool.com.au). They are Australian Ethical Investments Limited (ASX: AEF) and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG). The latter has a significant and growing 'green energy and green technology with a vision to make green hydrogen,' says the author.

3. Title Financial Friday: Which sustainable funds are investors buying? (fidelity.co.uk). By Toby Sims. Quote "Runaway leader, the L&G MSCI World Socially Responsible Investment SRI Index Fund, as well as the iShares Global Clean Energy UCITS ETF and the L&G Future World Climate Equity Factors Index on this list, are all passive funds." End quote.

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Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: "Beat Inflation With These ESG Stocks, Analyst."

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast.

And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote a better post COVID world through ethical and sustainable investing!

Contact me if you have any questions.

Stay well and healthy—and conscious about the ethical and sustainable values of your investments!

Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on February 25. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

ESG Dividend Stocks. Global 100 Companies. Plus… includes these companies…QUALCOMM, NextEra Energy, Texas Instruments, Cabot Corporation, Kimco Realty, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Amgen, Moelis & Company, Artisan Partners Asset Management, Novavax, Vir Biotechnology, SSE, Greencoat UK Wind, and funds iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF, Invesco ESG Nasdaq-100 ETF, and Xtrackers S&P 500 ESG ETF

Transcript & Links, Episode 75, January 28, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 75 published on January 28, 2022, titled "ESG Dividend Stocks. Global 100 Companies. Plus…" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Furthermore, if you're concerned about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund included in this podcast, check your broker's online site for such information.

If your broker doesn't have this information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to company and fund ESG-sustainability ratings. Please note, I receive no compensation from Morningstar or anyone else covered in these podcasts.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

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I'm beginning with this fine piece of annual research by Canada's Corporate Knights. It's their highly respected Global 100 Sustainability list. See the listings here.

I'm going to quote from a companion article for an overview of this research. It's by Mike Scott, titled, Global 100 companies prove sustainability is good for business. Here are some quotes…

"Again this year, the Corporate Knights Global 100 most sustainable corporations are progressing faster than their peers. Members of the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI), a global equity index, derive just 30% of their earnings from products or services aligned with the Corporate Knights Clean Taxonomy, while 47% of the Global 100 do so (up from 41% last year). Crucially, Global 100 companies are also investing more aggressively in clean technologies and services, with 48% of their capital expenditures, R&D and acquisitions going to clean investments, versus 34% for ACWI…

This is reflected in their performance. Since the market bottomed in the spring of 2020, the Global 100 has made gains of 22% against the ACWI, reflecting investors' focus on a green recovery…

Compared to the average ACWI firm, Global 100 members generate more than four times the output per tonne of carbon emitted and almost eight times more output per unit of energy consumed…

The ratio of CEO pay to that of the average worker is also lower in Global 100 firms, at 111:1, while at other companies, the pay gap has grown from 124:1 to 140:1, extending the gulf between executives and workers. And while 87% of Global 100 companies link executive compensation to meeting sustainability targets, up from 80% last year, the proportion of companies in the benchmark index may have more than doubled, but that is from just 14% last year to 34% this year…

A number of high-profile names were excluded from the Global 100 because of specific red-flagged activities, such as weapons production (including Airbus, Rolls-Royce Holdings and Boeing) and climate policy blocking (Ford Motor Company, Daimler AG, Chevron and Air France)." End quotes.

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Many ethical and sustainable investors are seeking income from their investments. So, here's a source for you, titled 10 ESG Dividend Stocks to Buy. It's by Fatima Farooq and found on Yahoo!Finance. Concerning the quoted ESG scores, the article says, quote, the "S&P Global's ESG Score Tracker rates companies on a scale of 0-100, with 100 being the best performance. Any ESG score above 50 means the company's ESG rating is above average, and when the score crosses 70, the company's ESG performance is considered to be on a positive rise relative to other companies."

So here are the ten stocks followed by brief author comments on each one.

Dividend Yield: 1.5% ESG Score: 56

(Is) an information technology company, develops and commercializes foundational technologies for the global wireless industry. The company has been raising its dividend for 11 years, and with an ESG score above 50, it is among the best stock picks for those seeking ESG dividend stocks to buy.

Dividend Yield: 1.8% ESG Score: 86

NextEra Energy, Inc. is a utilities company that generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company has one of the highest ESG scores on our list.

Dividend Yield: 2.1% ESG Score: 50

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a financial institution providing financial products and services worldwide. The company has an ESG score of 50 according to S&P Global's ESG Score Tracker.

Dividend Yield: 2.4% ESG Score: 53

Texas Instruments Incorporated is an information technology company that specializes in manufacturing and selling semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers across the globe. The company's ESG score according to S&P Global is 53, making it one of the top ESG dividend stocks to buy. It operates through its Analog and Embedded Processing segments.

Dividend Yield: 2.4% ESG Score: 68

Cabot Corporation is a specialty chemicals and performance materials company. It offers reinforcing carbons for use in tires, alongside products such as hoses, belts, and molded goods. The company's ESG score of over 60 makes it a noteworthy option for those seeking ESG dividend stocks to buy.

Dividend Yield: 2.72% ESG Score: 65

Kimco Realty (is) a real estate investment trust, is based in Jericho, New York, and is among the largest publicly traded owner and operators of open-air, grocery-anchored shopping centers in the US. The company has a dividend payout ratio of 49.9%, and with an ESG score of over 60, it is among the most noteworthy ESG dividend stocks to buy.

Dividend Yield: 3.2% ESG Score: 87

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company is an information technology company that offers solutions for capturing, analyzing, and acting upon data. Its ESG score is among the highest on our list, standing at 87.

Dividend Yield: 3.3% ESG Score: 60

Amgen, Inc. is a biotech company. It works to discover, develop, manufacture, and deliver human therapeutics across the globe. The company's ESG score according to S&P Global is 60, making it one of the most renowned ESG dividend stocks to buy.

Dividend Yield: 4.0% ESG Score: 67

Moelis & Company is a financial corporation operating in the US, Europe, and internationally. It offers advisory services in mergers and acquisitions, recapitalization and restructurings, capital markets transactions, and other matters related to corporate finance. It has a payout ratio of 43.5%, making it one of the popular ESG dividend stocks to buy.

Dividend Yield: 9.3% ESG Score: 67

Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc is an asset management and custody banks corporation. It provides services to pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, endowments, foundations, charitable organizations, government entities, private funds, and non-US funds, among others. It has an ESG score of 67 according to Investors Business Daily, making it one of the higher-ranked dividend ESG stocks to buy." End quotes.

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Now want to invest in a top-line ESG index fund? This article is for you. It's titled 3 Popular ESG Indexes and How to Invest in Them by Prableen Bajpai. Seen on Nasdaq.com. Quote

The MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index launched in March 2018 and is based on MSCI USA Index, which includes securities across the U.S. equity markets.

The index is tracked by iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU), which is one of the largest ESG funds… (gives) exposure to large- and mid-cap U.S. stocks with favorable ESG practices. The fund has $25.48 billion as assets under management and an expense ratio of 0.15%.

The Nasdaq-100 ESG Index, launched on June 21, 2021, is designed to measure the performance of companies included in the Nasdaq-100 Index that meet all ESG measures

Investors can get exposure to the Nasdaq-100 ESG Index by investing in the Invesco ESG Nasdaq-100 ETF (QQMG), which was launched in November 2021.

The S&P 500 ESG Index is a broad-based, market-cap weighted index that is designed to measure the performance of securities meeting sustainability criteria, while maintaining similar overall industry group weights as the S&P 500.

The index is followed by Xtrackers S&P 500 ESG ETF (SNPE). The ETF was launched in June 2019, and currently has $881 million (in) assets under management and an expense ratio of 0.10%." End quotes.

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1. Title Barron's Top-Performing Sustainable Investment Fund of 2021 by Lauren Foster. Quote "The No. 1 and No. 2 spots on our list are the $1.3 billion HCM Tactical Growth (HCMGX) and the $1.3 billion HCM Dividend Sector Plus (HCMNX) funds." End quote.

2. Title 5 Energy Stocks To Watch This Week seen on Nasdaq. Only two are non-fossil-fuel-related. They are Enphase Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) and Daqo New Energy Corp (NYSE: DQ). The latter is controversial due to forced labor accusations.

3. Title A New ESG Trend | Nasdaq. By [email protected]. Quote. "AQR is one of the leading quant funds… with a new idea in ESG. Their new Sustainable Long-Short Equity Carbon Aware Fund." End quote.

4. Title 2 Best COVID-19 Growth Stocks to Own in 2022 | Nasdaq. By George Budwell. Quote "Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX) and Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ: VIR) both appear to be deeply undervalued relative to their long-term prospects." End quote.

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1. Title 3 renewable energy stocks to buy to hold until 2030 (yahoo.com). By Rupert Hargreaves. The three are SSE (LSE: SSE), Greencoat UK Wind (LSE: UKW), and Ceres Power (LSE: CWR).

2. Title How to invest in the future of food and meat-free alternatives | This is Money. By Angharad Carrick. He reviews the Rize Sustainable Future of Food UCITS ETF, the Blackrock Nutrition fund, Agronomics, and Pictet Nutrition fund.

3. Title Five clean energy infrastructure stocks to watch in 2022 (thearmchairtrader.com). By Adel Ahmed. They are again SSE (LSE: SSE) and Greencoat UK Wind (LSE:UKW), plus Net Zero Infrastructure (LSE:NZI), Minnova Corp (TSXV:MCI), and AFC Energy (LSE:AFC).

4. Title What were the most popular clean energy ETFs of 2021? (thearmchairtrader.com). By Rony Abboud. Has the top ten clean energy ETFs by assets under management (AUM). Explains the holdings of the Global X China Clean Energy ETF.

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Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: "ESG Dividend Stocks. Global 100 Companies. Plus…"

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

Also, be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast.

And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote a better post COVID world through ethical and sustainable investing!

Contact me if you have any questions.

Stay well and healthy—and conscious about the ethical and sustainable values of your investments!

Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on February 11. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

This podcast has 19 articles with dozens of terrific reviews! Companies include Enphase Energy, First Solar, Netflix, Canadian Solar, ChargePoint Holdings, Brookfield Renewable Corporation, NextEra Energy Partners LP. Funds include iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF, SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves Free ETF, Fidelity Select Biotechnology Portfolio, and VegTech Plant-based Innovation & Climate ETF

Transcript & Links, Episode 74, January 14, 2022

Hello, Ron Robins here. I hope you had a good time over the holidays -- despite the virus concerns -- and are now ready to prosper in the year ahead.

So, welcome to podcast episode 74 published on January 14, 2022, titled "Best ESG Stocks and Funds for 2022" — and presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Furthermore, if you're concerned about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund included in this podcast, check your broker's online site for such information.

If your broker doesn't have this information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to company and fund ESG-sustainability ratings. Please note, I receive no compensation from Morningstar or anyone else covered in these podcasts.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

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Now it seems the New Year has spurned many new articles recommending ethical and sustainable stocks and funds. So, I'm going to do something different in this podcast.

For each of the 19 articles -- yes 19 articles -- I'm going to give the title, name of the author or authors, the site in which it appeared, and the stocks or funds recommended in that article. Articles will be appropriately grouped, though not in any order. I might seem a little repetitive, but I believe you'll find it terrifically informative with great investment ideas. Incidentally, do go to this episode's podcast page for links to all the articles, stocks, and funds.

So, let's begin! Starting with those articles that don't fit any defined category.

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1. Title The Just 100 List by JUST Capital. Found on cnbc.com. Quote "Research nonprofit JUST Capital's annual analysis of corporate performance is a comprehensive ranking of companies on ESG issues critical to stakeholders, from their workers and shareholders to customers, communities and the environment. These are the 100 top-performing companies across all industries for 2022, evaluated across a wide range of metrics, including efforts to combat climate change; diversity, equity and inclusion; worker wellness and local job creation; and customer privacy." End quote.

2. Title Three funds for investing in the transition to a sustainable economy by Melissa Scaramellini. Appeared on whatinvestment.co.uk. Funds reviewed and recommended are Legal and General Future World ESG Developed Index Fund, BMO Responsible Global Equity Fund, and Regnan Global Equity Impact Solutions Fund. These are UK or European funds.

3. Title 2 Stocks to Buy When the Next Market Crash Comes. By Rich Duprey. Seen on Nasdaq.com. Stocks featured are Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX).

4. Title VegTech plant-based innovation & climate ETF launches on NYSE (EATV). By Olivia Nelson on foodingredientsfirst.com. Quote "'We are excited to be what we believe is the first pure-play ETF that invests in companies innovating with plants and producing animal-free products,'" says VegTech Invest CEO and CMO Elysabeth Alfano." End quote.

5. Title Top 10 most-popular investment trusts: December 2021 by Kyle Caldwell on ii.co.uk. These are UK funds.

6. Title Start ESG Investing in 2022 With These 5 ETFs by Catherine Brock on fool.com. ETFs recommended are Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEMKT: XLF), Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (NYSEMKT: ESGV), iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF (NYSEMKT: DSI), iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (NASDAQ: ICLN), and SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves Free ETF (NYSEMKT: SPYX).

7. Title Wahed Debuts First Shariah-Compliant and ESG-Aware ETF on Nasdaq. Press release was seen on businesswire.com. Quote "The Wahed Dow Jones Islamic World ETF (Ticker: UMMA)… seeks long-term capital appreciation and looks to provide investors access to international, ex-U.S. investments that seek to better align with their values." End quote.

8. Title Investment Themes to Play Heading Into 2022: 4 Fund Picks by Zacks Equity Research. Their fund picks are Fidelity Select Biotechnology Portfolio (FBIOX), Calvert Equity Fund Class A (CSIEX), New Alternatives Fund Class A (NALFX), and Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor (PARNX).

9. Title Invest With Your Conscience: 7 Socially Responsible Investment Funds by Sarah Lozanova. Found on earth911.com. Her fund picks are Parnassus Endeavor Investor (PARWX), Parnassus Mid-Cap (PARMX), SPDR SSGA Gender Diversity Index (SHE), Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund Investor Shares (VFTSX), Invesco ESG NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQMG), ESG NASDAQ Next Gen 100 ETF (QQJG), and Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV). The article has a good comparison chart of these funds too.

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1. Title 5 Best Solar Energy Companies of 2022 by unknown sponsor on dmagazine.com. Companies reviewed and recommended are quote "SunPower – Overall Best Solar Energy System; Vivint Solar – Premium Services For Residential Solar Energy Systems; Sunpro Solar – Most Affordable Solar Power Systems; Tesla – Most Efficient Solar Panel On The Market; and Sunrun – Best For Customized Solar Energy Systems." End quote.

2. Title My Top Renewable Energy Stock to Buy Right Now by Reuben Gregg Brewer. Appeared on fool.com. His stock pick is Enbridge (NYSE: ENB).

3. Title 3 Alternative Energy Mutual Funds for 2022 by Stephanie Thompson on dailyinvestorhub.com. The three picks are Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy Fund (GAAEX), New Alternatives Fund Class A (NALFX), and Shelton Green Alpha Fund (NEXTX).

4. Title 3 Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Amid Insufficient H2 Investment by Aparajita Dutta. Found on zacks.com. Her picks are Evergy (EVRG - Free Report), Chesapeake Energy (CHK - Free Report), and Ameresco (AMRC - Free Report).

5. Title 5 Clean-Energy Stocks to Watch Amid US Renewables Revolution. Again, by Aparajita Dutta and on zacks.com. Her choices, in addition to those above, are Enphase Energy (ENPH), and First Solar (FSLR).

6. Title 3 Top Renewable Energy Stocks for 2022. Found on Nasdaq.com. Authors Travis Hoium likes SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR), Howard Smith picks Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure (NASDAQ: AY), and Daniel Foelber chooses ChargePoint Holdings (NYSE: CHPT).

7. Title Think Lucid and Rivian Are Overvalued? Buy These Alternative Energy Growth Stocks Instead. It's by Travis Hoium, Howard Smith, and Daniel Foelber. Quote "Three of our Fool.com contributors think First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR), Enphase Energy (NASDAQ: ENPH), and Brookfield Renewable Corporation (NYSE: BEPC) are well positioned heading into 2022." End quote.

8. Title 3 Renewable Stocks Set to Continue Their Winning Streak in 2022 again by Aparajita Dutta. Her choices are Evergy (EVRG), Ameresco (AMRC), and Texas Pacific Land (TPL).

9. Title Top Alternative Energy Stocks for Q1 2022 by Stephanie Thompson. Stocks include Daqo New Energy Corp. (DQ), Renewable Energy Group Inc. (REGI), SunPower Corp. (SPWR), Advent Technologies Holdings Inc. (ADN), Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ), Ameresco Inc. (AMRC), NextEra Energy Partners LP (NEP), and NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE).

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1. Title 2 Under-the-Radar Infrastructure Stocks to Buy in 2022 and Beyond by Brett Schafer on fool.com. The two stocks are Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) and American Tower (NYSE: AMT).

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Well, there we are for this podcast titled "Best ESG Stocks and Funds for 2022." 19 articles full of great ethical and sustainable investing ideas.

To get all their links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

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Thank you for listening.

Talk to you next on January 28. Bye for now.

© 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

Happy New Year everyone! I'm taking some time off and will begin podcasting again on Friday, January 14. May you have a wonderful healthy, happy, prosperous, and fulfilling 2022!