 ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now. Reviewed include iShares Global Clean Energy ETF, Thornburg Better World International Fund, Natixis Sustainable Future 2030 Fund, iShares ESG MSCI EAFE ETF, Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF, iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF,1919 Socially Responsive Balanced Fund, Vestas Wind Systems, Orsted, First Solar, Enphase Energy, SolarEdge Technologies and SunPower PODCAST: ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now Transcript & Links, Episode 68, October 8, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 68 published on October 8, titled “ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now” — 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 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. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now I’m going to start with this article titled 7 ESG Funds to Buy Now. It’s by Paulina Likos and Jeff Reeves and reviewed by Susannah Snider. It’s found in the money section of the U.S. News & World Report site. Here are some of their comments on each ETF recommendation. Quote. “1) iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ticker: ICLN) The fund offers investors exposure to companies that produce energy from solar, wind and other renewable resources and global clean energy stocks. With more than $5.8 billion of net assets, this fund is a liquid and established way for investors to play top names in the space… With just about 40% allocation to U.S. securities, (the fund) takes a global sector view with investments in Canada, China, Denmark, Italy, Spain and other countries. It carries an expense ratio of 0.42%. One-year return as of Sept. 30: 18%. 2) Thornburg Better World International Fund (TBWIX) (This fund) seeks high-quality, fairly valued companies that could or already make a positive impact in the world… Some of Thornburg Better World International Fund’s top holdings include the largest online recruitment platform in China, Kanzhun Ltd. (BZ)… tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. (XFRA: NNND), (and) Tokyo-based Renesas Electronics Corp. (OTCM: RNECY), a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer, is another top allocation in the fund… It holds net assets of more than $345 million (and) one-year return: 37.7%. 3) Natixis Sustainable Future 2030 Fund (NSFFX) This sustainable target-date fund is part of a family of Natixis funds that rebalance over time to dial down risk as an investor nears retirement. The fund holds both active and passive investments. This single-fund solution invests across different asset classes for a diversified strategy that balances risk and reward. ESG considerations play an integral role in the selection process. The fund is on the smaller end… with just over $11 million of total assets. Among the fund’s top holdings are the Mirova Global Green Bond Fund (MGGYX) for fixed income, iShares ESG Aware MSCI ETF (ESGD), and individual securities like Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) and Facebook Inc. (FB). One-year return: 22.8%. 4) iShares ESG MSCI EAFE ETF (ESGD) Another solid option for international investors looking for socially responsible ETFs is this iShares fund that’s focused on EAFE markets, or Europe, Australasia and the Far East… Investors in (this fund) get exposure to large- and midcap ESG companies in the target region…There’s a diverse lineup of companies across geographies and sectors, including Switzerland’s Nestle (NSRGY), French consumer giant LVMH (MC.PA) and Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. (TM) at the top of the list. With $6.7 billion in assets under management, more than 450 holdings and an affordable expense ratio of 0.2%, this global ESG fund is the go-to option for those looking for exposure outside the U.S. One-year return: 26.2%. 5) Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) At more than $5 billion in total assets under management, this socially responsible ETF from Vanguard holds more than 1,500 stocks… Now, you may wonder how that many stocks — including some of the usual blue-chip brands like JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) — can have such a positive impact on the world. The answer is that this is just an ‘exclusionary’ fund, meaning it cuts out the worst, based on rankings for ESG criteria, and presumes the rest are aboveboard. One-year return: 30.9%. 6) iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (SUSA) With more than 190 holdings, investors are not getting a simplistic fund… you might be surprised to find some names such as… Home Depot Inc. (HD) and… American Express Co. (AXP) make an appearance in (its) portfolio… One-year return: 32%. 7) 1919 Socially Responsive Balanced Fund (SSIAX) (The fund) invests 70% of its assets in U.S. equities and 30% in investment-grade debt. Some of the fund’s top holdings include Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Apple Inc. (AAPL), Alphabet Inc. (GOOG, GOOGL), and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN). The fund has captured growth opportunities as the U.S. economy continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic… One-year return: 18%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now Now to articles that pick the best investments in renewable energy. The first article is titled Best Wind Energy Stocks and ETFs to Buy. It’s by Matt Whittaker and appeared on wtopnews.com. Here are some quotes from the article. Quote. “On US Government Policies ‘The Biden administration has set a goal to have 30,000 megawatts of offshore energy installed by 2030. While there is debate within the industry about whether it will hit that goal, the attempt could prove lucrative for companies involved. Capital expenditures in the U.S. offshore wind supply chain alone could total $200 billion through 2035, according to a recent report from the research provider Lium. Wind Turbine Makers Of the 9 gigawatts – or 9,000 megawatts – of known turbine awards off the East Coast, 48% have gone to Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA (GCTAY), 35% to General Electric Co. (GE) and 17% to Vestas Wind Systems (VWDRY), Lium says… They stand to ‘collect a large chunk’ of the $40 billion to $50 billion spent for offshore wind turbines through 2035, according to the report… Of course, those sales wouldn't happen without the companies developing the offshore wind farms in the first place. The world's largest offshore wind developer is Danish power company Orsted (DNNGY)… Other key developers to watch are Avangrid Inc. (AGR), Eversource Energy (ES), Equinor ASA (EQNR), Dominion Energy Inc. (D), Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDS.A), and Aker Offshore Wind (AKOWF). Keep in mind that some developers, such as Avangrid, as well as the turbine makers, also have exposure to the domestic onshore wind industry. Other stocks with U.S. onshore wind exposure include NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE) and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A, BRK.B)… Oil & Gas Company Offshore Expertise To Be Tapped Industry watchers expect offshore wind will use expertise from the offshore oil and gas industry. Joseph Triepke, partner with Lium, points to firms including oil and gas equipment company Nov Inc. (NOV), offshore platform and marine vessel manufacturer Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. (GIFI) and offshore vessel companies Seacor Marine (SMHI) and Tidewater Inc. (TDW). Wind ETFs Investors who want more immediate diversification than building a portfolio from individual stocks can turn to exchange-traded funds including the First Trust Global Wind Energy ETF (FAN) and the Global X Wind Energy ETF (WNDY)… … the winds of fortune could be at this industry's back for some time.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now Now here’s a new article with only solar power picks. It’s titled Renewable Energy Stocks: Is Now a Good Time to Buy? It’s by Travis Hoium and on fool.com. Here are some quotes from him including his stock picks. “Today, we're entering a more mature phase for the industry in which companies are establishing technology advantages and scale that helps create a competitive moat. The result is steadily rising profitability, which you can see… from First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR), Enphase Energy (NASDAQ: ENPH), SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ: SEDG), and SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR)… Financiers are the companies that build or buy renewable energy projects, usually with long-term contracts to sell electricity to a utility. They generate very stable cash flows and often come with a dividend. Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP) and NextEra Energy Partners (NYSE: NEP) are both leaders in this space and have exposure to wind and solar energy projects… I focus on the solar industry in part because there are very few wind-focused companies publicly traded in the U.S. But in solar energy there are some leaders with clear differentiation, like First Solar in solar panel manufacturing, SunPower in deploying residential and commercial solar, and Enphase Energy in module-level power electronics… On the speculative side, I see a huge opportunity in hydrogen. Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) is an industry leader in solid-oxide fuel cells; it's also built a nearly $1 billion business in backup power with new markets like electrolysis and marine power on the horizon…” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now Honorable Mentions (These are here because I didn’t have room in this podcast to extensively quote them) 1. Title Kiplinger ESG 20: Our Favorite Picks for ESG Investors, by Nellie S. Huang and Adam Shell. Quote “Doing good and making money are no contradiction with these 16 stocks and four funds that ride the trend of socially conscious investing.” End quote. 2. Title Three funds to help build back better, by Rory Palmer on UK’s What Investment site. Quote “As part of Good Money Week, Quilter Cheviot’s Melissa Scaramellini considers how investors can contribute to efforts to build back better .” End quote. 3. Title Don’t Overlook This Side of the Environmental Investing Equation by Tom Lydon on etftrends.com. Quote “The VanEck Vectors Environmental Services ETF (EVX) is an example of an exchange traded fund that’s in that boat.” End quote. 4. Title Why the Infrastructure Bill Has These 3 Stocks Soaring Today by Howard Smith on fool.com. Quote “XL Fleet (XL) was up 10.9%. Hyliion (HYLN) was up 8.7%. Clean Energy Fuels (CLNE) was up 10.2%.” End quote. 5. Title Northern Trust launches two emerging market factor ESG ETFs by Theo Andrew on etfstream.com. Quote “The FlexShares Emerging Market High Dividend Climate ESG UCITS ETF (QDFE) and the FlexShares Emerging Market Low Volatility Climate ESG UCITS ETF (QVFE) have been listed on the Euronext and Deutsche Boerse with a total expense ratio of 0.35% and 0.31%, respectively.” End quote. 6. Title 4 Leading Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy in 2021 and Beyond. It’s by Matthew DiLallo and found on fool.com. Quote “These electric utilities are embracing change. They expect to invest billions on building new renewable energy generating capacity over the next few years. These investments should power steady earnings and dividend growth.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now.“ 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 October 22. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By!

PODCAST: ESG Funds, Stocks, to Buy Now

Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments. Include First Trust Water ETF, Global Water Fund A Shares, Invesco Water Resources ETF, Invesco S&P Global Water Index ETF, Fidelity Water Sustainability Fund, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Dexus Property Group, Unilever, Diageo, Stockland, Abbott Laboratories, Stanley Black & Decker, US VEGAN ETF, American Water Works, Pool Corp., Generac PODCAST: Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments Transcript & Links, Episode 67, September 24, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 67 published on September 24, titled “Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments” — 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. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments With fires, drought conditions increasing around the globe, water investing is gaining prominence. This recent article titled Water Investing: 5 Funds You Should Tap by Coryanne Hicks at Kiplinger offers insight into some leading water ETFs. Here are some quotes from her. “’Billions of people around the world will be unable to access safely managed household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services in 2030 unless the rate of progress quadruples, according to the World Health Organization and UNICEF” 1) Courtesy of First Trust First Trust Water ETF (FIW) Assets under management: $1.3 billion Dividend yield: 0.4% Expenses: 0.54%, or $54 annually for every $10,000 invested The First Trust Water ETF tracks the ISE Clean Edge Water Index, which holds companies in the potable water and wastewater industry with worldwide market capitalizations of at least $100 million…  MSCI’s ESG Fund Ratings rates First Trust Water ETF at AA – the second-best rating, and within the system’s so-called Leader tier. Learn more about FIW at the First Trust provider site. 2) Courtesy of Calvert Funds Calvert Global Water Fund A Shares (CFWAX) Assets under management: $590.7 million Dividend yield: 0.6% Expenses: 1.24% The Calvert Global Water Fund A Shares is a water investing mutual fund that seeks to track the Calvert Global Water Research Index, CALH2O, a proprietary index comprised of ‘companies that manage water use in a sustainable manner and are actively engaged in expanding access to water, improving water quality, promoting the efficient use of water, or providing solutions that address other global water challenges…’ Note that (this fund) also receives MSCI's AA rating. In addition to a 1.24% expense ratio, investors also pay a 4.75% front-end sales load unless their brokerage waives or lessens the load. (Fidelity and Schwab are examples of brokerages that will waive the load on [this fund].)Learn more about CFWAX at the Calvert provider site. 3) Courtesy of Invesco Invesco Water Resources ETF (PHO) Assets under management: $2.1 billion Dividend yield: 0.3% Expenses: 0.60% Invesco’s flagship water-themed fund, Invesco Water Resources ETF, was launched in 2005. (This fund) tracks the Nasdaq OMX US Water Index, which invests in companies that purify and conserve water for home, business and industrial users… ‘The Nasdaq OMX US Water Index was the best performing Nasdaq index in July 2021, up 6.0%,’ (says) Rene Reyna, head of thematic and specialty product strategy at Invesco… Invesco also offers a global version of this fund, the Invesco Global Water ETF (PIO). The Invesco Water Resources ETF earns five stars and a bronze badge from Morningstar… It also earns MSCI's highest ESG rating: AAA. Learn more about PHO at the Invesco provider site. Again, 4) Courtesy of Invesco Invesco S&P Global Water Index ETF (CGW) Assets under management: $1.2 billion Dividend yield: 1.1% Expenses: 0.57% The Invesco S&P Global Water Index ETF could be considered a more traditional way of investing in water (than the previous Invesco water funds…)  This ETF tracks the S&P Global Water Index, which focuses on the 50 largest companies in water-related businesses across the globe. (This fund) targets two distinct segments – water equipment and materials, and water utilities and infrastructure – allocating 25 stocks to each… (The fund) also earns five stars and a silver badge from Morningstar, as well as an AAA ESG rating from MSCI. Learn more about CGW at the Invesco provider site. 5) Courtesy of Fidelity Fidelity Water Sustainability Fund (FLOWX) Assets under management: $99.4 million Dividend yield: 0.1% Expenses: 1.00% Launched in April 2020, the Fidelity Water Sustainability Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in water sustainability companies, such as those involved in water resources, treatment or distribution. These can include the companies found in the S&P Global Water Index, but the managers also reserve the right to choose other companies they feel meet the fund’s criteria… Of the five water investing options in this article, the Fidelity Water Sustainability Fund deserves the most scrutiny before jumping in given its short track record. MSCI's ESG Fund Ratings rates the product at AA.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments Looking for companies with strong SRI characteristics and good dividends. This article can help you. It’s titled SRI: which companies have both a positive sustainable impact and a strong dividend? It’s by George Sweeney (DipFA). Note, the writer mentions ESG scores but doesn’t indicate where they are from or their methodology. Here are some quotes from the article. This article was on fool.com. Quotes. “According to DailyFX, there are some stocks out there that are socially responsible and reward investors with a decent dividend – a win-win.  Here are some of the top businesses ticking both those boxes. 1) Coca-Cola HBC AG (CCH) Although Coke is questionable from a health perspective, the company has a massive environmental, social and governance (ESG) score of 92. It also pays a respectable 2.19% dividend yield… 2) Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) It has an ESG score of 91 and pays a tidy dividend yield of 2.92%... 3) Dexus Property Group (DXS) This is a less well-known brand because it’s based in Australia, so you’ll find it on the ASX 200. But the company is making waves down under with an ESG score of 89 and a super dividend yield of 5.18%... The company focuses on property and real estate. In 2020, it managed to successfully reduce its office emissions by 50.1%... Some other notable stocks that didn’t take the top spots but still had strong ESG scores and dividend yields are: Unilever (ULVR) (ESG 89, 3.51%) Diageo (DGE) (ESG 87, 2.12%) Stockland (SGP) (ESG 86, 4.73%) Abbott Laboratories (ABT) (ESG 86, 1.46%) Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) (ESG 86, 1.34%)” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments Now back to great ESG funds with this article titled 4 ESG Funds Investments to Beat Rising Environmental Issues. By Zacks Equity Research. Here are some quotes on each fund. “1) New Alternatives Fund Class A (NALFX - Free Report) Aims for long-term capital growth with income as its secondary objective. It primarily invests in common stocks of companies and even in other equity securities, such as real-estate investment trusts and American Depository Receipts. (This fund) has… three and five-year returns of 29.1% and 18.9%, respectively… The New Alternatives Fund Class A has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and an annual expense ratio of 0.96% compared to the category average of 1.26%. 2) Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor (PARNX - Free Report) Aims for capital appreciation. The fund invests majority of assets in mid-sized growth companies. (This fund) has returned 18.7% and 16.4% for the three and five-year periods, respectively… (The) Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and has an annual expense ratio of 0.83%, which is below the category average of 1.09%. 3) Janus Henderson Global Technology and Innovation Fund Class A (JATAX - Free Report) Aims for long-term growth of capital. The fund invests majority of net assets in securities of companies benefiting from advances or improvements in technology. The fund’s returns are 30.2% and 30.5% over the past three and five-year period, respectively… (This fund) carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and has an annual expense ratio of 0.99% versus the category average of 1.05%. 4) Calvert Equity Fund Class A (CSIEX - Free Report) Aims for growth of capital through investment in stocks believed to offer opportunities for potential capital appreciation. The fund invests majority of assets in common stocks of companies that rank among the top 1,000 U.S.-listed companies. (The fund) has… three and five-year returns of 24.3% and 21.2%, respectively… (It) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2 and an annual expense ratio of 0.94% compared to the category average of 0.99%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments Now about two years ago I covered the launch of the US VEGAN ETF. Well, several articles have appeared on the success of this ETF. Quoting this article VEGAN ETF celebrates two years of outperformance by Beverley Chandler at ETFExpress.com, says “The world's first and only vegan ETF, the US Vegan Climate ETF (ticker: VEGN) has reached its two year anniversary since launch, with almost USD65million in assets since inception, and having returned 67.91 per cent vs S&P 500 Index’s 57.07 per cent (on market price) since inception to end of August 2021.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments This next article is titled 3 Climate Change Stocks to Consider Buying Now. It’s by Beth McKenna and appeared on fool.com. Here are some of Ms. McKenna’s quotes on each of her Investments. “3 of the best climate change stocks: Overview Company Market Cap Dividend Yield Wall Street's Projected Annualized EPS Growth Over Next 5 Years 1-Year Stock Return 10-Year Stock Return American Water Works $32.3 billion 1.4% 8.6% 28.1% 645% Pool Corp. $18.6 billion 0.7% 17% 53.5% 1,800% Generac Holdings $27.5 billion N/A 8% 137% 3,450% S&P 500 N/A 1.31% N/A 34.1% 346% DATA SOURCES: YAHOO! FINANCE AND YCHARTS. DATA AS OF SEPT. 17, 2021. EPS = EARNINGS PER SHARE. 1) American Water Works (NYSE: AWK) American Water Works remains the best choice in the water utility space for most investors, in my opinion. It's the largest and most geographically diverse publicly traded water and wastewater utility in the United States. That makes it best positioned to capitalize on the consolidation trend in the industry. 2) Pool Corp. (NASDAQ: POOL) As the world's largest wholesaler of swimming pool supplies, Pool Corp. is best positioned to profit from rising demand for pools. The company has also shrewdly expanded into related outdoor living products, such as landscaping and irrigation products. Wall Street has been doing a poor job projecting Pool Corp.'s earnings growth… In the past four quarters, not only has Pool Corp. beat the consensus earnings estimate in every quarter, but it has crushed it by an average of 63%. 3) Generac (NYSE: GNRC) In the second quarter, Generac's shipments of home standby generators nearly doubled from the year-ago period, and the company is ideally positioned to continue to benefit from strong demand for backup generators because it's the largest player in this market. It's also a major player in the commercial and industrial standby generator space. Moreover, in recent years, the company has expanded into the clean energy market. It makes battery storage systems, which can be can store energy from solar panels or the electric grid, and related products. Wall Street analysts have been continuously underestimating Generac's earnings growth potential.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mentions -- go to this podcast’s webpage for links. 1) Title 5 Wind Energy Stocks to Get Ahead of the Renewable Energy Movement by Pete Johnson on investmentu. 2) Title 7 Best Energy Stocks to Buy to Cash in on the Alternative Energy Boom by Tezcan Gecgil on Investorplace. 3) Title These 3 Renewable Energy Stocks Should Benefit From a New Infrastructure Bill by Travis Hoium, Howard Smith, And Daniel Foelber. From The Motley Fool. 4) Title 11 Best Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now by Ramish Cheema on Yahoo! Finance. 5) Title Companies with Strong ESG Credentials by Vikram Barhat, Morningstar.ca ------------------------------------------------------------- VanEck HIP Sustainable Muni ETF Now a welcome development in the US green bond market. From a press release, quote “VanEck today announced the launch of the VanEck HIP Sustainable Muni ETF (CBOE: SMI), the first ETF designed to offer exposure to investment-grade municipal debt securities that focus on sustainability as well as positive social, environmental and economic outcomes or mission accomplishment.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments.“ 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 October 8. Bye for now.   © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Top Water, Environmental, and Renewable Energy Investments

 ESG Funds That Highlight Labor. And MORE… Includes the following funds and stocks. Global X Conscious Companies ETF, IQ Candriam ESG US Equity ETF, Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF, Humankind U.S. Stock, Microsoft Corporation, EMCOR Group, Inc., West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., Deere & Company, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Nucor, NextEra Energy, and Cummins PODCAST: ESG Funds That Highlight Labor. And MORE… Transcript & Links, Episode 66, September 10, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 65 published on September 10, titled “ESG Funds That Highlight Labor. And MORE…” — 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. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. ESG Funds That Highlight Labor. And MORE… I’m starting with an article titled Investors care more about fair wages for workers than environmental issues, ESG survey shows. It’s by Debbie Carlson and appeared on MarketWatch. The article is in two parts. The first part describes an investors’ survey. The second part lists four funds that ‘highlight labor.’ Here are some quotes. “Funds that highlight labor… 1) Global X Conscious Companies ETF (KRMA) Is the largest of the four funds, with $500 million in assets and an annual expense ratio of 0.43%. It’s an equal-weighted index that uses ESG metrics to measure how well a company treats all stakeholders. 2) IQ Candriam ESG US Equity ETF (IQSU) Is a market-cap weighted fund with $484 million in assets and a 0.09% expense ratio. The fund’s ESG selection criteria scores companies based on how it treats its customers and employees, a firm’s environmental initiatives and how well suppliers adhere to fair labor standards, among other issues… Tesla TSLA is in the top five (holdings). However… MSCI’s ESG ratings considers Tesla a laggard on labor issues. 3) Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (JUST) Is a tier-weighted index of companies in the Russell 1000, building the index based on an annual survey of business behavior priorities. Companies that treat their workers well, including on worker pay and well-being, get the highest weight… It has $264 million in assets and a 0.20% expense ratio. 4) Humankind U.S. Stock (HKND) Screens companies on four ‘humankind values,’ the value a firm creates for investors, consumers, employees and society overall. The index methodology adjusts on the basis of the individual firm’s supply-chain relationships… It launched in February and has $95 million in assets… It has an expense ratio of 0.11%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Sustainability Trends Boost ESG Investing: 5 Green Picks The next article is titled Sustainability Trends Boost ESG Investing: 5 Green Picks. It’s by Zacks analyst Sreoshi Bera. Here are some quotes. Quote. “All the stocks sport a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 1) Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) This tech giant has been carbon neutral globally since 2012 and commits to being carbon-negative by 2030. It is investing $50 million in AI for Earth to accelerate innovation by putting AI in the hands of those working to directly address sustainability challenges. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 8% compared with the Zacks Computer - Software industry’s projected earnings growth of 2.4%. 2) EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME) The company engages in water system conservation and retrofits, lighting retrofits, solar & wind programs and more… Its expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 9.4% against the Zacks Building Products - Heavy Construction industry’s projected earnings decline of 1.3%. 3) West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) Designs and produces containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products. The company has received MSCI’s highest ESG Fund rating of AAA… The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 68.1% compared with the Zacks Medical - Dental Supplies industry’s projected earnings growth of 24.2%. 4) Deere & Company (DE) Manufactures and distributes various equipment. The company launched a Smart Industrial Operating Model last year and recycled 28 million pounds of material through remanufacturing. The company sources 32% of its electricity from renewables and has recycled 78% of its wastes. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is more than 100% compared with the Zacks Manufacturing - Farm Equipment industry’s projected earnings growth of 31.7%. 5) Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN) Designs, manufactures and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers… The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 31.7% compared with the Zacks Semiconductor - General industry’s projected earnings growth of 22%.” End quotes ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Infrastructure Stocks to Buy Right Now Many ethical and sustainable investors like infrastructure. Here’s a recent article titled 3 Infrastructure Stocks to Buy Right Now. It’s by Howard Smith and was on fool.com. Here are some quotes. “Looking for solid companies that may get a further boost if the federal infrastructure plan passes… look at these leaders… 1) Nucor (NYSE: NUE) Steelmaker Nucor recently reported its second-quarter 2021 results, letting investors know the company had already surpassed its annual record for net income in just the first half of the year… Nucor's products are used in most every industry… The business is thriving due to several factors… The U.S. economy rebounded from the pandemic… customer inventories had been depleted… and maybe most importantly, steel prices have skyrocketed… And Nucor… plan(s) to return at least 40% of net income to shareholders. 2) NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) Is the largest electric utility in the U.S. as measured by retail electricity sales, and it also owns NextEra Energy Resources, a clean energy business that is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from wind and solar… Since 2005, the company has grown earnings per share at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 9% and increased dividends per share at an annual rate of almost 10%.  NextEra Energy… is also pursuing alternative energy projects using green hydrogen… NextEra has given investors guidance that estimates 6% to 8% annual growth in adjusted earnings per share from its 2021 base level through 2023… (and) approximately 10% annual growth in dividends per share through at least 2022. 3) Cummins (NYSE: CMI) Another company gradually moving into the green hydrogen space is global power giant Cummins. And while hydrogen technology continues to become a larger part of the company's business, its mobility power solutions are a prime area to benefit in the near term from infrastructure spending… Spending on rail, public transit, ports and waterways, or roads directly affects Cummins' business… Management believes 2021 revenue will grow between 20% and 24% versus 2020.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Stocks These ESG Gurus Agree On Now, this is an interesting article. It’s titled 3 Stocks These ESG Gurus Agree On. It appeared on forbes.com. Contributor is GuruFocus. “The two guru's firms are known for their commitments to being socially responsible. (One is former US) Vice President Al Gore (Trades, Portfolio), leader of Generation Investment Management, and (two is) Jerome Dodson (Trades, Portfolio) (of) Parnassus Investments… These stocks are their common holdings as of the second quarter. 1) Synopsys Inc. (SNPS, Financial) While Gore established a new 1.2 million-share stake in Synopsys during the quarter, Dodson’s firm left its position unchanged at 155,573 shares. The Mountain View, California-based company, which focuses on technology for chip design, verification, IP integration, software security and quality testing, has a $51.2 billion market cap… The GuruFocus Value for Synopsys indicates it is significantly overvalued… Synopsys’ financial strength and profitability were both rated 8 out of 10 by GuruFocus… 2) Illumina Inc. (ILMN, Financial) Parnassus Investments left its holding of Illumina unchanged in the second quarter with 88,399 shares. Gore reduced his 1.09 million-share position by 18.68%. Headquartered in San Diego, the medical diagnostics and research company, which focuses on analyzing genetic variations and biological functions, has a market cap of $73.49 billion… The GF Value Line shows Illumina is modestly overvalued currently. GuruFocus rated Illumina’s financial strength 6 out of 10… The company’s profitability scored a 9 out of 10 rating. 3) Guidewire Software Inc. (GWRE, Financial) Gore upped his Guidewire Software position by 49.27% in the second quarter, while Dodson’s firm established a 150,889-share holding. The San Mateo, California-based software company, which offers a platform for property and casualty insurance carriers, has a $9.78 billion market cap…The GF Value shows Guidewire is modestly overvalued currently… Guidewire’s financial strength was rated 5 out of 10 by GuruFocus. The company’s profitability scored a 6 out of 10 rating even though its margins and returns are negative and underperform over half of its competitors.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mentions 1. Title 4 Renewable Energy Stocks with Powerful Potential (yahoo.com). The author is TipRanks. The stocks are Enphase Energy (NASDAQ: ENPH), NextEra Energy Partners (NEP), Beam Global (NASDAQ: BEEM), and Clearway Energy Inc. (CWEN). 2. Title Our Top Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now | The Motley Fool. Analysts are Matthew DiLallo, Neha Chamaria, And Reuben Gregg Brewer. They chose Brookfield Renewable (NYSE: BEP)(NYSE: BEPC), TotalEnergies (NYSE: TTE), Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A)(NYSE: RDS.B), BP (NYSE: BP), and ReNew Energy Global (NASDAQ: RNW). 3. Title 3 green stocks to buy and hold for a long time - The Motley Fool UK. Analyst is Manika Premsingh. Her picks are Johnson Matthey (JMPLF), The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG), and BP (BP), and Royal Dutch Shell (RDS-B). 4. Title 3 Mutual Funds to Pick Amid the Climate Tech Boom | Nasdaq. From Zacks. Their picks are Calvert Global Energy Solutions Fund Class A (CGAEX), New Alternatives Fund Class A (NALFX), and Fidelity Select Utilities Portfolio (FSUTX). ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “ESG Funds That Highlight Labor. 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 September 24. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: ESG Funds That Highlight Labor. And MORE…

Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks. Stocks covered include Sumitomo Metal Mining, Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment, Aptiv plc., Infineon, Brookfield Renewable Partners, Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure, and NextEra Energy. Excerpts from: “The investment opportunity offered by electric vehicles,” “3 Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Amid Investment Concerns”, “3 High-Yield Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now” PODCAST: Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks Transcript & Links, Episode 65, August 27, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 65 published on August 27, titled “Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks.”  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. It's located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Also, I receive no compensation from anyone or entity covered in these podcasts. Incidentally, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks I’m beginning with something a little different. The article is titled The investment opportunity offered by electric vehicles by Juliet Schooling-Latter. It’s a UK perspective that appeared on whatinvestment.co.uk. Here are some quotes from the article and comments on the companies covered. Quote. “Very much a global trend, a recent report indicated the number of EVs will grow from 11m on the road now to 145m in 2030.1 This, in turn, will boost various segments of the market. Here are four stocks… from Elite-rated fund managers looking to tap into this drive. 1) Sumitomo Metal Mining. Stock pick at Baillie Gifford Japan Trust Sumitomo Metal Mining is a top-10 holding in the Baillie Gifford Japan Trust. Manager Andy Brown says the firm has exposure to nickel and copper extraction, both integral to the EV industry in terms of the cars themselves and the batteries used to power them. He says: ‘They have a materials business, and this is where they make a component called lithium nickel oxide. This feeds into the cathodes of electric batteries and major customers for this business are Tesla and Toyota. We believe it has fantastic growth prospects.’ 2) Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment. Stock pick at Ninety One Global Environment Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment predominantly designs, manufactures and sells battery production equipment and services to leading EV battery manufacturers in China. The firm is a holding in the Ninety One Global Environmental Fund. Manager Deirdre Cooper says: ‘Sustainable decarbonisation will require a rapid transition towards a greener, lower-carbon transport system. Wuxi is directly exposed to one of the largest EV markets in the world and, as such, is at the forefront of decarbonisation. ‘It is also expanding sales internationally, with new customers such as Northvolt.’ 3) Aptiv plc. Stock pick at Rathbone Global Sustainability fund Did you know there are more than 8,000 connection points inside a typical EV? If any go wrong it can range from a minor to major inconvenience. Aptiv provides fuse connectors that ensure the battery will disconnect if a spike in current reaches a potentially dangerous level, thus eliminating a potentially catastrophic event.2 The firm is a holding in the Rathbone Global Sustainability Fund. Manager David Harrison says: ‘We’ve held Aptiv in the fund since we launched. It is kind of the nerve centre of an electric vehicle. ‘We think it’s well-placed for the long run and has a management team that is very forward-thinking.’ 4) Infineon. Stock pick at Liontrust Sustainable Future Global Growth fund This German manufacturer is playing a key role in providing the chips for auto safety systems as semiconductor content in cars and other forms of transport continues to grow. Liontrust Sustainable Future Global Growth manager Peter Michaelis says: ‘Infineon is the market leader in the chips that power the semiconductors within electric vehicles. ‘The company completed its acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation in April 2020, which it said is a landmark step in its strategic development towards offering ‘the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio for linking the real with the digital world and shaping digitalisation’.’’ End quotes. 1Source: Clean Technica – report from International Energy Agency 2Source: aptiv.com ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks Now turning our attention back to alternative energy stocks is this article titled 3 Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Amid Investment Concerns by Aparajita Dutta. Found on Yahoo! Finance. Quote. “Wind energy, the largest source of renewable electricity generation in the United States, continues to make noticeable progress. The amount of new wind capacity installed in 2020 was more than three times the amount installed in 2010. This makes us optimistic on alternative energy stocks’ growth prospects. Also, increasing scope of the electric vehicle market is expected to boost the prospects of U.S. renewable stocks. However, the United States is lagging its Asian and European counterparts in terms of investments in hydrogen market, despite this market’s ample growth opportunities. The forerunners in the U.S. alternative energy industry are TotalEnergies SE (TTE), Equinor ASA (EQNR) and Chesapeake Energy (CHK).” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks In a similar vein is this article by three analysts who appear regularly in this podcast. The article is titled 3 High-Yield Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now and is by Travis Hoium, Howard Smith, and Daniel Foelber Here are some quotes from the article. Each analyst comments on the company they’re recommending. “The theme with all of these companies is that they're big, diverse renewable energy asset owners with long-term contracts to sell electricity to utilities or other end customers and that fuels their dividends. As long as the renewable energy industry continues to grow and there are assets to buy at attractive yields, these are great dividend stocks to buy and hold… they're our best high-yield renewable energy stocks today… 1) Travis Hoium recommends Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP) The best long-term business in renewable energy has proven to be asset ownership. Renewable energy projects usually come with 10-25 year contracts to sell electricity to utilities, businesses, or homeowners. That allows owners to finance them with debt and equity, and in this case, in the form of dividend-paying stocks.  Brookfield Renewable Partners is one of the industry's biggest renewable energy asset owners with 21,000 megawatts of projects around the world. The company aims to generate annualized returns of 12% to 15% through organic growth in distributions of 5% to 9% and some price appreciation in the stock… In the last year and a half, dividends paid are down partly because of a split of Brookfield Renewable Partners and Brookfield Renewable Corporation (NASDAQ: BEPC) stock and a 3-for-2 stock split. Without those events, dividends per share would be steadily higher, continuing a decade-long trend.  As steady as dividend growth has been from a company like Brookfield Renewable Partners, there are also risks for renewable energy projects that shouldn't go overlooked. Right now, hydro assets are underperforming expectations because of drought conditions around the world, especially in Brazil… On the flip side, less rain and more sun could mean solar projects outperform expectations long term, so there's value in being a diverse and large asset owner.  I think the stability and know-how of Brookfield Renewable Partners makes it a great long-term dividend stock.  2) Howard Smith picks Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure (NASDAQ: AY) More and more companies in a wide range of industries are signing power purchase agreements with renewable energy generators to power their facilities and ensure products can be made and sold sustainably. Companies like Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure that own or invest in that power generation are benefiting and growing from this movement. And those benefits are being shared with investors in the form of a high-yielding dividend.  Atlantica… aims to pay shareholders 80% of generated cash. And it has been consistent growing those dividend payments in the past. Its quarterly dividend has increased by 65% in the past four years. That growth should continue as cash available for distribution increased by 12.9% in the first half of 2021.  Atlantica's business is spread among North America, South America, and the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region… Almost 75% of Atlantica's revenue came from its renewables sector in 2020. And 2021 is starting out strong. The company's continued investments in renewable energy assets have driven its megawatts in operation to grow 30% in the first half of 2021 compared to 2020's first half.  The stock looks inexpensive from a price-to-free cash flow perspective, compared to peers with similar strategies.  With a dividend yielding over 4.3%, now looks to be a good time to buy Atlantica. 3) Daniel Foelber likes NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) NextEra Energy just had an impressive quarter. Its portfolio consists of natural gas, solar, wind, and other assets, giving it diverse revenue streams that allow it to weather the ebbs and flows of the energy market. Its established presence as Florida's leading utility -- through Florida Power & Light and Gulf Power -- provides the bulk of its revenue and net income. A strong foundation from this profitable business paired with access to inexpensive debt has allowed NextEra to grow its renewable energy investments, mainly through its NextEra Energy Resources division. Today, the company is the largest producer of wind and solar energy in the U.S. NextEra's head start in the energy transition gives it a leg up over other utilities since it has had time to build relationships, fill out its supply chain, refine its logistics, and tackle a variety of projects in different markets… NextEra's long-term game plan is to generate predictable revenue (mostly from renewables) via long-term contracts and distribute a portion of earnings to investors through a dividend… Earlier this year, the company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.385 per share, representing a 1.9% annual yield at the time of this writing.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks Honorable Mentions Article 1. Bain to Start Long-Short Hedge Fund Focused on Green Investing by Nishant Kumar and Melissa Karsh, on Yahoo! Finance. Quote “Bain Capital is starting a hedge fund to bet on and against companies based on sustainable-investing criteria as part of the alternative asset manager’s roughly $3 billion public-equities business.” End quote. Now, the ability to go short in a green fund is a new idea. Article 2. My Top Renewable-Energy Stock to Buy in August by Matthew DiLallo. Quote “Brookfield (Renewable) (NYSE: BEP) (NYSE: BEPC) is increasingly becoming the partner of choice for companies that want to reduce their carbon footprint.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks.“ 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 September 10. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Great Renewable Energy and EV Stocks

 Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August. Funds and companies reviewed include Janus Henderson Global Technology and Innovation Fund Class A, New Alternatives Fund Class A, Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund – Investor, Calvert Equity Fund Class A, TPI Composites, Phillips 66, Brookfield Infrastructure, NextEra Energy Partners, and Brookfield Renewable. Analysts from Zacks, fool.com, other institutions PODCAST: Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August Transcript & Links, Episode 64, August 13, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 64 published on August 13, titled “Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August” — 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 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 in these podcasts. Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August I’m going to start with an article titled 4 Funds to Pick as Sustainable Investment Hits $35.3 Trillion. It’s by Zacks Equity Research. The article on this podcasts’ webpage has links to detailed reports on each of these funds. Now, here are some quotes from the article. “All these funds carry a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). In addition, the minimum initial investment for these funds is within $5,000… 1) Janus Henderson Global Technology and Innovation Fund Class A (JATAX) Aims for long-term growth of capital. The fund invests majority of net assets in securities of companies benefiting from advances or improvements in technology. This Sector-Tech product has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years.  Specifically, the fund’s returns are 30.2% and 32.2% over the past three and five-year periods, respectively… (The) Janus Henderson Global Technology and Innovation Fund Class A has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 and an annual expense ratio of 0.99% compared with the category average of 1.05%. Get Your Free (JATAX): Fund Analysis Report 2) New Alternatives Fund Class A (NALFX) Aims for long-term capital growth with income as its secondary objective. It primarily invests in common stocks of companies and even in other equity securities, such as real-estate investment trusts and American Depository Receipts. This Zacks sector – Other product has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, (the) New Alternatives Fund Class A has a three and five-year returns of 28.7% and 19.8%, respectively… (The fund) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and an annual expense ratio of 0.96% compared to the category average of 1.26%. Get Your Free (NALFX): Fund Analysis Report 3) Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor (PARNX) Aims for capital appreciation. The fund invests majority of assets in mid-sized growth companies. This Zacks Sector – Large Cap Value has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, (the) Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor has returned 18.5% and 16.8% for the three and five-year periods, respectively… (The fund) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and an annual expense ratio of 0.83%, which is below the category average of 1.09%. Get Your Free (PARNX): Fund Analysis Report 4) Calvert Equity Fund Class A (CSIEX) Aims for growth of capital through investment in stocks believed to offer opportunities for potential capital appreciation. The fund invests majority of assets in common stocks of companies that rank among the top 1,000 U.S.-listed companies. This Zacks Large Cap Growth product has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, (the) Calvert Equity Fund Class A has a three and five-year returns of 23.7% and 20.8%, respectively… (The fund) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2 and an annual expense ratio of 0.94% compared to the category average of 0.99%. Get Your Free (CSIEX): Fund Analysis Report” End quotes ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August Now back to a favourite sector, renewable energy. Here’s an article by Jason Hall, a regular on this podcast. It’s titled 3 Top Energy Stocks to Buy in August and appeared on fool.com. Now some quotes. “1) TPI Composites (NASDAQ: TPIC) Over the past few years, TPI Composites has spent a lot of money building out capacity. The company, which primarily manufactures wind turbine blades for leading wind energy companies, was predicting that this new capacity would start paying off this year.  However, that's not looking likely to be the case, after management trimmed its full-year guidance in late July. As a result, TPI shares are down more than 50% from the high reached in January, and management is now cautioning that sales could be flat through 2022 as well… In the interim, the company generates solid operating cash flow, so it should have little trouble continuing to fund its business during the current soft period in the cycle… Shares are still more expensive than almost any time in the company's history prior to late 2020… It's a turnaround play with plenty of growth prospects on the other side. 2) Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) The past year has been pretty brutal for Phillips 66. The company makes most of its money refining and selling refined products like gasoline and diesel, and last year's collapse cost it $4 billion in losses… What about the low-carbon future? Phillips 66 is making serious inroads there, too, having already converted one refinery to produce renewable diesel, and now doing the same with its Rodeo refinery in Northern California. Moreover, the company's significant natural gas pipeline and storage facility, along with its huge petrochemical manufacturing operations, are already set up to handle renewable natural gas. As more supply of this product, which is captured from human and agricultural waste, becomes available, Phillips 66's existing infrastructure will play an important role in the transition away from fossil fuels.  Investors who buy now can capture a heady 4.7% dividend yield that's likely to move higher… That high yield will make it a lot easier to hold the stock while the company transitions away from oil and to more and more renewables over time.  3) Brookfield Infrastructure (NYSE: BIP) (NYSE: BIPC) While this isn't a pure play on energy, Brookfield Infrastructure makes the cut as a top stock with growing energy exposure that investors should buy now… Brookfield Infrastructure is a diversified business, giving investors exposure to telecommunications, transportation, and utilities infrastructure assets on multiple continents. The nature of its business also results in steady cash flows, making its 3%-plus dividend yield very secure.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August Another fool.com favourite analyst of ours is Neha Chamaria. Her recent article is titled Got $10,000? 3 Renewable-Energy Stocks to Buy For the Long Term. Here are her picks followed by quotes from her on each one. “1) NextEra Energy Partners (NYSE: NEP) Calls itself a growth-oriented limited partnership, and rightly so. The company has grown its revenue and cash flow steadily over the years. NextEra Energy Partners owns and operates a large portfolio of wind and solar assets and sells power to third parties under long-term contracts… Two big factors make NextEra Energy Partners such a compelling stock. First is the backing of its parent, NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE), which is already the world's largest producer of wind and solar energy… Second is NextEra Energy Partners' focus on generating cash flows from assets and passing them on to shareholders as dividends… it is targeting 12%-15% average annual growth in dividends through 2024 backed by cash-flow growth. Following its recently announced strong second-quarter numbers and a big acquisition, this 3.4%-yielding clean energy is appealing. 2) Brookfield Renewable (NYSE: BEP) (NYSE: BEPC) Is another company that could make a killing in renewable energy. It's similar to NextEra Energy Partners as it's also backed by Brookfield Asset Management, but Brookfield Renewable doesn't necessarily rely on acquisitions from parent to grow its cash flows. Also, it has a humongous 21 GW capacity in operation and another 27 GW under development. The key difference -- one that could also help you diversify your portfolio -- is that while NextEra Energy Partners focuses on solar, wind, and natural gas, Brookfield Renewable is primarily a hydropower play and has only recently started to expand its solar portfolio… Between 2010 and 2020, the company grew funds from operations (FFO) at a compound annual growth rate of around 10%. Through 2025, inflation escalation, margin growth, and its pipeline development alone could boost Brookfield Renewable's FFO by 6%-11%. And if management can find meaningful acquisition opportunities like it has in the past, it could boost FFO by another 9%. That's incredible growth potential, and enough to power up Brookfield Renewable's dividends. For now, management is targeting 5%-9% growth in annual dividend in the long term. Dividend growth is, in fact, one big reason the story for both NextEra Energy Partners and Brookfield Renewable has played out so well so far. 3) TPI Composites (NASDAQ: TPIC) (Yes another recommendation!) TPI is the world's largest independent manufacturer of wind blades and serves leading onshore wind turbine manufacturers, including Vestas (Vestas.Co), Nordex (NDX1.DE), Siemens Gamesa (SGRE.MC), and General Electric's (NYSE: GE) renewables arm. Of late, TPI shares have tanked on decelerating profits and cash flows, but investors could be missing the big picture. TPI's top line is growing steadily: If it hits the midpoint of its revised 2021 revenue guidance at $1.8 billion, TPI would have grown revenue at a solid compound annual rate of 18.5% in five years. Also, thanks to steady order inflow and production expansion in recent years, TPI's estimated megawatts -- or the energy it can produce from all wind blade sets manufactured during the year -- shot up to 12,080 megawatts in 2020 from only 6,560 megawatts in 2018. Most importantly, TPI's capital expenditure is tapering after years of investment, which means it could soon head back to its positive free-cash-flow days. That should be enough to propel the stock price higher. Another growth avenue is TPI's transportation business, which manufactures solutions for commercial electric vehicles… I wouldn't be surprised to see management focus more on this business… Now that's an intriguing option, and one that should do well for the stock.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August Honorable Mention 1) Title 20 stocks for maximum growth as the world switches to clean energy by MarketWatch. Now, MarketWatch allows you a few free articles but thereafter a subscription is required. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast “Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August.“ 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 August 27. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Great ESG Stocks, Funds, for August

 Jim Cramer’s Solar Stocks and MUCH More. This episode includes the following stocks and funds. First Solar, Enphase, Generac, Apple, Tesla, GE, Microsoft, Neo, Plug Power, Airbnb, Palantir, Bloom Energy, Ballard Power Systems, Brookfield Renewable Partners, Lucid Motors, BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF, iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF, Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF PODCAST: Jim Cramer’s Solar Stocks and MUCH More Transcript & Links, Episode 63, July 30, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 63 published on July 30, titled “Jim Cramer’s Solar Stocks and MUCH 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 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. ------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Cramer’s Solar Stocks Let’s begin with CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Monday revealed his top three solar stock plays. It’s by Tyler Clifford on CNBC. Here are some quotes from the article. “’I think your portfolio needs some solar exposure, ideally with First Solar, Enphase or Generac … We needed to wait for the big post-election shakeout before recommending the solar stocks,’ Cramer said… (continuing)… ‘I think that this group has a lot more room to run… Generac has been one of my favorite ways to play an increasingly unreliable electric grid, and while the stock looks expensive up here, management’s got a terrific track record,’ Cramer said.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- These stocks are the top picks for millennials and Gen Z Want to know which stocks millennials and Gen Z favour? This article reveals them. It’s titled These stocks are the top picks for millennials and Gen Z by Ihsaan Fanusie appearing on Yahoo! Finance. Quoting the article. “A recent study by financial source DailyFX revealed that Apple (AAPL), Tesla (TSLA), and GE (GE) are the most popular stocks for millennials and Generation Z investors. The study collected data from Robinhood and examined investing preferences among millennials and Gen Z across the United States and United Kingdom for the 12 months ending April 2021… GameStop (GME) was not included in the study… Overall, the technology and automotive industries dominated the market for young people, with companies like Microsoft (MSFT) and Tesla generating significant investment activity. Interestingly, electric vehicle manufacturing company Nio (NIO) was the top security for millennial investors… Sustainability has been a key factor… Plug Power (PLUG), an alternative energy company, was the top stock for the younger generations in seven states… In the UK, Nio, Airbnb (ABNB), and Palantir (PLTR) were the younger generations’ most commonly traded stocks.” End quotes ------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy If the Market Crashes Continuing in the renewable energy theme is this article 3 Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy If the Market Crashes. Each stock is recommended by a different analyst. Here are the names of the analysts, followed by the company they recommend, and then followed by quotes from them on that company. “1) Travis Hoium picks Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) One of the most exciting growth markets in renewable energy is hydrogen technology, and Bloom Energy is one of the industry leaders… Bloom Energy hasn't gotten as much attention as Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG) or Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP), both of which have higher valuations than it does. But Bloom is a better operator with more revenue and higher gross margins… it has a long growth runway into a total addressable market that management thinks could be over $2 trillion.  What Bloom Energy hasn't generated yet are profits… (but) could be profitable in the next few years. 2) Howard Smith likes Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP) The stock's dividend yields around 3% at recent prices, and a market crash could provide investors the chance to lock in income at an even more desirable yield.  Brookfield Renewable has a portfolio of almost $60 billion worth of renewable energy assets globally… (its) shares are up about 40% over the past year… Brookfield aims to increase shareholder distributions by between 5% and 9% annually… 3) Daniel Foelber recommends Lucid Motors (NYSE: CCIV) (NASDAQ: LCID) The company says the Lucid Dream Edition (automobile) has an EPA-rated range of 503 miles on a full charge, and that its 1,080-horsepower engine can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds or less. The specs speak for themselves, but it's going to take a lot more than a hot car for Lucid to become a rival to automakers like Tesla… Lucid's marketing strategy resembles the one used by Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA)… begin with the low-volume rollout of a high-margin vehicle, then transition to a lower-margin, higher-volume strategy over time…” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 7 ESG ETFs to Buy Now Looking for ESG ETFs? You’re in luck with this article 7 ESG ETFs to Buy Now by Jeff Reeves on money.usnews.com. Here are some quotes from him on each one. “1) iShares ESG Aware MSCI EM ETF (ESGE) It's… benchmarked to an MSCI index of emerging-market stocks. Emerging markets obviously hold a lot of promise because of their growth potential, but they also can be home to business practices that many Western investors would frown upon… Allocations include 35% of assets in China, 13% in South Korea and 10% in India… (It has) an impressive $8 billion in assets under management. 2) iShares ESG MSCI EAFE ETF (ESGD) Another solid option for international investors… is this sister iShares fund… focused on EAFE markets – that is, Europe, Asia and the Far East. While you won't get exposure to companies in the U.S. and Canada, you do get access to developed markets to supplement the EM approach of the prior iShares fund… With nearly $6 billion in assets under management, this global ESG fund is the go-to option for those looking for exposure outside the U.S. 3) iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN) Another iShares fund tops this list of leading ESG funds… it's hard to argue that anyone concerned about climate change or carbon emissions would overlook the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF as one of the most important ways to invest with environmental principles in mind. With about $6 billion in assets under management, this fund is a liquid and established way for investors to play top names in the space. 4) Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) At about $5 billion in total assets under management… (it) is among the most diversified when it comes to total holdings. Around 1,500 total components make up this fund, and… they are all U.S.-based corporations… it cuts out the worst based on rankings for ESG criteria and presumes the rest are above board. 5) Xtrackers MSCI USA ESG Leaders Equity ETF (USSG) Another substantial U.S.-based ESG fund… tallies a total of nearly $4 billion in assets… Comprised of a focused list of about 280 securities… About 28% of the fund is in tech, but it diversifies nicely after that with the No. 2 sector being health care at 14%. 6) iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF (DSI) At more than $3 billion in assets… (It’s)… pretty much a kind of S&P 500 index with the 100 stocks that rank worst on social criteria being excluded from the lineup. Unfortunately, though it has more total stocks than the prior Xtrackers fund, it's even more biased toward tech with 33% of assets in the sector. 7) iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (SUSA) With only 200 or so holdings in (its) portfolio… the prospectus claims this ESG ETF only backs stocks with ‘leading environmental, social, and governance practices.’ You… get exposure to some traditionally popular domestic stocks without sacrificing your principles.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- ESG BS Detector: Do new “green” funds support the carbon transition? Adria Vasil of Canada’s Corporate Knights magazine has penned an article titled ESG BS Detector: Do new “green” funds support the carbon transition? Here are some quotes from her piece. “We look under the hood of BlackRock's new Carbon Transition ETF to see if it delivers on its low-carbon promise… This ETF invests in large- and mid-capitalization U.S. equity securities ‘tilting towards those that BlackRock believes are better positioned to benefit from the transition to a low-carbon economy.’ The fund is dominated by all the standard Big Tech firms found in conventional ETF holdings… more than a quarter of this fund’s holdings trip our red-flag alarms…" End quote. (Issues found by author) "14 energy companies with less than 20% of their near-term investment in the energy transition, including Exxon, Chevron, Kinder Morgan and ConocoPhillips. 8 climate-policy-blocking companies, including Berkshire Hathaway, Goldman Sachs and Valero, as well as a few energy companies. 3 big brands selling industrial meat, including Spam-king Hormel. 1 deforestation and palm oil laggard, namely Kraft Heinz Co., which Global Canopy gives a big fat zero to when it comes to its overarching commitment on deforestation (a primary contributor to climate change). BlackRock’s position: ‘BlackRock's new Carbon Transition ETF (LCTU) leverages BlackRock’s proprietary climate analytics to analyze a company’s ability to thrive in the transition to a low carbon economy, resulting in a portfolio with almost 50% less carbon intensity than its Russell 1000 benchmark.’ Bottom line: look before you leap.” End quotes. (For Adria’s previous discussion of a similar Blackrock fund see 4. The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. Plus…) ------------------------------------------------------------- How Engine No. 1's new $100 million ETF plans to change impact investing Many of you will recall how a little-known fund, Engine No. 1, was able to muster enough support to install 3 pro-climate investors on Exxon’s board of directors. Well, now they’ve created a special fund to be in a position to influence the boards of numerous other companies towards pro-climate and ESG policies. Watch this interview on Yahoo! Finance titled How Engine No. 1's new $100 million ETF plans to change impact investing. (The link to this interview is on this podcast’s webpage.) The interviewer is Julie Hyman who interviews Yasmin Dahya Bilger, head of ETFs at Engine No. 1. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Jim Cramer’s Solar Stocks and MUCH 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 iTunes/Apple 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 August 13. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Jim Cramer’s Solar Stocks and MUCH More

 Great ESG Stocks for Your Portfolio. Stocks include Procter & Gamble, Texas Instruments, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Teladoc, Nvidia, Adobe, Microsoft Inc., ChargePoint Holdings Inc., Li Auto Inc., FuelCell Energy Inc., Ford Inc., Facedrive, Shopify Inc., Polaris Infrastructure, Telus Corporation, Shaw Communications Inc., Magna International, Enphase Energy Inc., Canadian Solar, First Solar, Proterra, Vestas Wind Systems. PODCAST: Great ESG Stocks for Your Portfolio Transcript & Links, Episode 62, July 16, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 62 published on July 16, titled “Great ESG Stocks for Your Portfolio” — 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 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. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Great ESG Stocks for Your Portfolio I’ll begin with Steve Booyens's article titled 7 ESG Stocks to Add to Your Portfolio that appeared on investorplace.com. I’ll mention each company followed by some of his remarks on that company. Incidentally, he says “For this article, I used MSCI’s (NYSE: MSCI) ESG ratings. MSCI is one of two leading ESG data providers alongside Sustainalytics.” So, "1) Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) Long-standing brand strength has assisted Procter & Gamble in ascertaining a dividend payout for 64 consecutive years. MSCI cites factors such as product safety and carbon footprint as drivers behind the company’s strong ESG rating… A forward dividend yield of 2.54% doesn’t only mean that income prospects are bright, but it also means that the company’s growth is intact. 2) Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN) Texas Instruments receives a near-perfect rating from MSCI. I like the stock as a semiconductor play due to the diversity in the company’s distribution lines. A growing electronics market and a rebound in the auto market should contribute immensely to its top line moving forward… A dividend yield of 2.1% is seen as high relative to the sector. I used the P/E price multiple and expected EPS and calculated an intrinsic value of $226, worth an upside of roughly 19%. KeyBanc’s recent price target of $240 per share should breathe air into the argument. 3) C.H. Robinson Worldwide (NASDAQ: CHRW) Corporate governance and behavior have caused an upgrade to a AA rating of late for this logistics and shipping company… The company has experienced 26.25% in year-over-year revenue growth and 125% growth in normalized net income year over year… Judging based on relative value, the stock’s very attractive… CH Robinson recently received a $117 price target from UBS, which could mean an upside of 26%. 4) Teladoc (NYSE: TDOC) This healthcare tech stock has pulled back by over 20% over the past year after its merger with Livongo Health, followed by a class-action complaint against the latter. The stock leveled out in the last month with a 3% gain, and investors are optimistic, following the company’s reported 150% year over year in revenue growth last quarter… With a price to book ratio of 1.54 versus its five-year average of 6.52, I certainly see relative value at play. 5) Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) Nvidia has been in a speculative space of late, but I believe that shouldn’t be the case. The company is gaining market share in an expanding industry. Furthermore, Nvidia is a cash-rich company, which is being used for growth acquisitions, dividends, and share buybacks… Analysts from BMO Capital remain optimistic as they placed a $1,000 price target on the stock last week. I think the stock could reach the $1,190 handle by next year… Corporate governance, behavior, and human capital development are the predominant factors contributing to the company’s AAA ESG rating. 6) Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE) Adobe has been a popular stock among analysts over the past year. The company’s ESG is driven by its data privacy policy, sound corporate governance, and favorable working conditions. Adobe has experienced solid growth through Adobe experience and its creative and document cloud products. The stock has massively outperformed its sector median over the past three months… I used the P/E multiple and multiplied it by the EPS to find a possible upside of 20%. If shares continue to be repurchased and diluted EPS continue to improve, investors could expect returns in excess of even that. 7) Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Corporate governance and exploiting opportunities in cleantech have assisted Microsoft in achieving a favorable ESG rating. I wrote about Microsoft in a previous article… Microsoft has experienced 15.34% growth in its year-over-year revenue growth in the trailing 12 months… In addition, Microsoft’s return on equity of 44.99% is more than six times the sector average.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Great ESG Stocks for Your Portfolio The next article relates to the potential for successful returns in the booming alternative energy and electric vehicle industry—though it appears miss-titled with the title Best Renewable Energy Stocks To Buy This Week? 4 To Watch. It’s by Josh Dylan which I saw on nasdaq.com. Here’s some of what Mr. Dylan has to say. “The… federal focus on EV adoption would highlight companies such as Blink Charging (NASDAQ: BLNK) and Volta Charging (NYSE: SNPR)… (He continues.) Here are four (companies) making headlines in the stock market now. 1) ChargePoint Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CHPT) ChargePoint is an EV infrastructure company that is based in Campbell, California. The company operates one of the largest online networks of independently owned EV charging stations. It has a strong leadership position in North America and a growing presence in Europe. The company has an established, capital-light business model with growth that is proportional to a rapidly growing EV market. ChargePoint Holdings Inc. stock is up by over 170% in the last year… 2) Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ: LI) Li Auto is an electric vehicle manufacturer that is headquartered in Beijing. The company designs, develops, manufactures, and sells premium smart EVs. In essence, it is a pioneer to successfully commercialize extended-range electric vehicles in China… LI Stock is up by over 85% in the last year. 3) FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) FuelCell Energy is a renewable energy company that focuses on fuel cell technology. It delivers efficient and clean solutions for the supply, recovery, and storage of energy. It also develops and maintains megawatt-scale fuel cell systems for utilities, industrial and large municipal power users. FuelCell Energy Inc. stock has seen impressive gains of over 150% in the past year… 4) Ford Inc. (NYSE: F) Another upcoming name in the renewable space now would be Ford Inc. Sure, most would not immediately think of this legacy automobile industry giant when discussing renewable energy. However, like most of its peers, the company is pivoting hard towards the EV industry amidst global green initiatives… The company is currently planning to invest over $30 billion towards its EV divisions through 2025. Ideally, Ford hopes to electrify its entire portfolio by the end of the decade… The company’s shares have skyrocketed by over 220% since its pandemic era low.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Great ESG Stocks for Your Portfolio Now here’s an article with an intriguing title: Is This The Hottest ESG Stock Of 2021? It’s by Nicholas Perry and on the oilprice.com site. Here are some quotes from the article. “This company is Facedrive (TSXV: FD, OTC: FDVRF)… Facedrive calls itself a multi-faceted ‘people-and-planet first’ tech ecosystem offering socially responsible services to local communities with a strong commitment to doing business fairly, equitably, and sustainably… Facedrive Foods helps connect people with their favorite restaurants and food stores in their area and provides them with great green deals… Facedrive Health strives to develop and offer innovative technological solutions to the most acute health challenges including its proprietary TraceSCAN wearable technology for contact tracing… Facedrive Marketplace… offers curated merchandise created from sustainably sourced materials… We think the company’s recent growth strides… could put Facedrive in a position to be one of the most attractive tech stocks in all of North America for 2021…” End quotes. Now, Mr. Perry also has the following Canadian stock suggestions… Quote. “1) Shopify Inc (TSX: SH) is playing a pivotal role in the e-commerce boom. Not only does it help anyone and everyone who wants to have a try at launching their own business, it gives them the tools and resources to do so… Shopify is pushing towards sustainability in a major way. 2) Polaris Infrastructure (TSX: PIF) Is a Toronto-based renewable energy giant with a global footprint… 3) Telus Corporation (TSE: T) Long-standing commitment to putting its customers first fuels every aspect of its business… In fact, Telus Health is one of the country’s biggest healthcare IT providers. And it’s done so with sustainability in focus… (Telus also has) four consecutive years on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. 4) Shaw Communications Inc (TSE: SJR.B) … is one of Canada’s leading telecom infrastructure and cloud service providers… And that’s not necessarily a bad thing when you consider Shaw’s sustainability goals. In fact, it is one of the biggest customers of Bullfrog Power which sources its electricity from a blend of wind energy and hydropower… 5) Magna International (TSX: MG) … is a great way to gain exposure to the wider alternative energy boom - and by extension ESG - market without betting big on one of the new hot automaker stocks tearing up Robinhood right now…” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mentions. Even more great ESG stocks for your portfolio 1) Top Solar Energy Stocks To Watch Right Now? 3 For Your List by Brett David. Quote “Best Solar Energy Stocks To Watch Now Daqo New Energy Corporation (NYSE: DQ); Enphase Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH); and Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ)” End quote. Of course, Daqo is highly controversial. There’s much written about it in the media. 2) These 3 Renewable Energy Stocks Are Too Cheap to Ignore by Travis Hoium who recommends First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR), Howard Smith likes Proterra (NASDAQ: PTRA), and Daniel Foelber who picks Vestas Wind Systems (OTC: VWDRY). ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Great ESG Stocks for Your Portfolio.“ 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 iTunes/Apple 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 July 30. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Great ESG Stocks for Your Portfolio

 Big pharma appeals to many ethical and sustainable investors. While for many others – with often good reasons -- dislike them with a passion! But leading pharma companies are in most ESG equity fund portfolios. ‘Honorable Mentions’ are given to "Engine No 1 new ETF," "2021’s Best 50 Canadian corporate citizens," and "Best Alternative Energy Stocks" PODCAST: Top ESG Pharma Companies, and more… Transcript & Links, Episode 61, July 2, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Now I hope that my fellow Canadians had a wonderful Canada Day! And for my American friends -- wishing you a terrific upcoming Independence Day! Now, welcome to podcast episode 61 published on July 2, titled “Top ESG Pharma Companies, 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, if you’re critical about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund in this podcast, check your broker’s site for their ratings. If your broker doesn’t have ESG information, then, in many countries you can sign up for free with Morningstar where 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. Incidentally, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top ESG Pharma Companies, and more… I’m going to start with an article on an industry that’s highly controversial. It’s big pharma. Big pharma appeals to many ethical and sustainable investors. While many others -- for often good reasons -- dislike them with a passion! But leading pharma companies are in most ESG equity fund portfolios.Anyhow, the article’s titled The top 10 ESG pharma companies in 2021. It’s written by Beth Snyder Bulik and appeared on fiercepharma.com. I’m going to quote extensively from the article. Beginning with some insight into the ESG status of the pharmaceutical industry. “Alastair Pickering, co-founder and chief marketing officer at Alva market intelligence group, which collected and analyzed data for this Fierce Pharma report, agreed that… ‘While pricing is the thing that continues to undermine perception of pharma’s ESG stance, it doesn’t mean that’s the only thing it should focus on…’ RBC Capital analysts agreed in a recent investor’s note and noted the potential for change. (They said) ‘Pharma has historically been penalized for exposure to litigation (e.g. opioids and talc), corporate behavior (e.g. drug pricing), product safety and recalls, or issues with access to affordable healthcare,’ they wrote. (Continuing on RBC said that) ‘However, our analysis indicates that momentum in pharma ESG investing is improving as these ESG risks evolve.’ … (Now) for this ESG report, Alva analyzed and scored the 26 different standard ESG topics for 20 pharma companies from January 1 through April 30…” So here are quotes from the article concerning the ten best pharma companies according to the Alva research on those ESG measures. I’ll mention the company name followed by some related quotes. Frankly, though, I suggest everyone read the original article. So… “1. Boehringer Ingelheim Alva Rating: +49… on a scale that runs from -100 to +100 Boehringer Ingelheim ranked highest among pharma companies for ESG in early 2021. It earned high marks in diversity and inclusion and also human rights and community relations, but maybe more importantly in the pharma category, it had no significant negative coverage. BI also earned kudos from Alva in environmental measures… 2. Biogen Alva Rating: +46 Biogen is one of a growing number of pharma companies that detail ESG plans in an annual public report… Biogen nabbed a high score for employee engagement, diversity and inclusion… Biogen's Alzheimer's drugaducanumab was approved on June 7 but got the nod after Alva's ESG evaluation period… However, with a price tag of $56,000 amid less-than-stellar clinical trial results it's likely Biogen's affordability score would have plummeted. 3. Astellas Alva Rating: +38 Astellas was one of two pharmas—Boehringer Ingelheim was the other—among the top 10 companies that didn’t notch any significant negative coverage in Alva’s ESG study period. Astellas' lack of negatives, particularly when it came to affordability, contributed to its high score, Alva found… Astellas' human rights measurement was boosted by a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual equity index. 4. Novo Nordisk Alva Rating: +36 Novo Nordisk is another pharma company that reports its ESG efforts… In Alva’s assessment, Novo Nordisk scored well in human rights and community relations… But in its negative tally for access and affordability, Alva flagged Novo for deciding to stop distributing prescription drugs to community-based hospital pharmacies. Another issue going against Novo was the ongoing insulin pricing debate and affordability problem. 5. Novartis Alva Rating: +35 Novartis publishes its annual ESG efforts in its ‘Novartis in Society’ report… Novartis nabbed a big positive score in Alva’s assessment for competitive behavior in the first quarter as it began a new collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline in Africa… studying treatment responses for malaria and tuberculosis… However, what ended up damaging Novartis even more—and sticking it with a -17 on affordability—was joining a U.S. group of pharma companies that plan to stop offering so-called 340B drug discounts to hospitals' community-based pharmacies. 6. Amgen Alva Rating: +34 Amgen reports its ESG efforts on its website… In 2020 highlighted the $1.5 billion worth of medicines donated… Amgen scored well for human rights and community relations in Alva’s evaluation… In January, Amgen pledged to spend $200 million to get to carbon neutrality, reduce water use by 40% and waste disposed by 75% over the next seven years… Amgen fell into the negative numbers on affordability. 7. Gilead Alva Rating: +31 Gilead jumped into the global spotlight last year with remdesivir, now known as Veklury, the first treatment to win an FDA approval to treat COVID-19 patients… some scientists questioned the U.S. and European Union's approval in light of several studies that showed minimal benefit, in an article in Science magazine. Still, Gilead's ESG rating notched a positive access score, thanks to recent steps to increase access in India. In January, the Human Rights Commission applauded Gilead’s efforts with a 100% corporate equality index rating… On the negative ESG side, Gilead notched a -3 score for affordability as it raised prices of more than 15 drugs. 8. Bayer Alva Rating: +27 The company earned high scores on human rights and community relations, thanks to a newly launched nutrient program… Alva also noted Bayer’s effort to support CureVac’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate. [Update: see article in Science magazine titled What went wrong with CureVac’s highly anticipated new mRNA vaccine for COVID-19?]… Bayer’s product-safety score suffered because of its Monsanto acquisition and the much-litigated herbicide Roundup… Bayer is also being sued along with other big crop chemical makers by wholesalers and retailers for allegedly violating anti-trust laws by inflating prices of crop inputs for farmers. In pharma, Bayer was penalized on its affordability score… 9. Roche Alva Rating: +26 While Roche’s product design and lifestyle management scored exceptionally well, at +57, thanks in large measure to its rapid diagnostic tests for COVID-19, it fell to a dismal -40 in selling practices in early 2021 after settling a significant lawsuit. Roche's negative ESG score on affordability is due in part to its pricey Spark Therapeutics gene therapy… Roche is playing another role in the pandemic via its partnership with Regeneron to manufacture the REGN-COV2 antibody treatment… The combined casirivimab with imdevimab med lowered the risk of hospitalization or death in high-risk, non-hospitalized (COVID-19) patients by 70% compared with placebo. ‘Roche improved its overall ESG score fueled by its efforts being tied to the pandemic which presently garners greater praise,’ Alva researchers said. 10. Sanofi (tied with Takeda) Alva Rating: +21 Sanofi’s thumbs-up in measures including competitive behavior, selling practices and product labeling balanced out a few negative scores in areas such as affordability and supply-chain management. One of Sanofi’s best scores… was earned in part by its pledge to manufacture 125 million Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine doses … [and]… helping to produce Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses to the tune of 12 million per month… Sanofi’s negative ESG ratings stemmed from pricing controversies… Key programs… include affordable access… research for unmet needs in vulnerable communities… stepped up… environmental goals. 10. Takeda (tied with Sanofi) Alva Rating: +21 Takeda notched the worst affordability score among the top pharmas in ESG… On the positive side, Takeda is pushing for a more gender-equal world… The Japanese drugmaker also committed $3.85 million over five years to work with the Children's National Hospital Rare Disease Institute in Washington D.C… On environmental issues, Takeda announced that it achieved carbon neutrality in its value chain… Takeda plans to build on that by eliminating greenhouse gases from company-wide operations.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mentions 1) Engine No. 1 rolls out $100 mln ETF after Exxon board victory by Svea Herbst-bayliss in Reuters. Quote “a bet Main Street investors want portfolios to back …(ESG) proposals on the heels of the hedge fund’s boardroom victory at ExxonMobil (XOM.N), company executives said.” End quote. 2) Top of Form Global ESG bond issuance triples under decarbonization drive by Nikkei staff writer. Quote “Global corporate issuance of bonds specializing in (ESG) issues has reached $256.8 billion this year.” End quote. 3. 3 Sustainable Funds to Buy for Purpose and Profit by Zacks Equity Research. 4. 5 Best Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Now by Fatima Farooq in insidermonkey.com. 5. 2021’s Best 50 Canadian corporate citizens by Corporate Knights. It’s worthwhile for ethical and sustainable investors everywhere to review this list. So go to this podcast’s webpage to get the links to these articles. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Top ESG Pharma Companies, 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 iTunes/Apple 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 July 16. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Top ESG Pharma Companies, and more…

Big pharma appeals to many ethical and sustainable investors. While many -- for often good reasons -- dislike them! But leading pharma companies are in most ESG equity fund portfolios. Alva market intelligence group analyzed and scored 26 different standard ESG topics for 20 pharma companies. Here are their 10 best companies.

 Best Infrastructure and LGBTQ Friendly Stocks, Plus… Green Bonds, Renewable Energy and ESG ETFs. Covered entities include: Vulcan Materials, Caterpillar, AECOM, Nucor, ChargePoint Technologies, iShares Global Green Bond ETF, VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF, Alphabet Inc., Visa Inc., The Charles Schwab Corporation, , PayPal Holdings, Inc.,, Microsoft Corporation, Starbucks Corporation, Apple Inc., LGBTQ100 ESG ETF. PODCAST: Best Infrastructure and LGBTQ Friendly Stocks, Plus… Transcript & Links, Episode 60, June 18, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 60 published on June 18, titled “Best Infrastructure and LGBTQ Friendly Stocks, 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-sustainability or financial 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 ESG-sustainability information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to such company and fund 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. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Best Infrastructure Stocks Now amid the continuing US talks on infrastructure Neha Chamaria has penned an article titled 5 Potential Winners from Biden's Infrastructure Plan. It appeared on fool.com. I name her picks and follow them with some of her remarks. “1) Vulcan Materials (NYSE: VMC) Vulcan is the nation's largest producer of aggregates, operates across 20 states, and has equal exposure to private (residential and nonresidential) construction and public infrastructure markets, positioning it well to benefit from nearly all kinds of construction activity. Vulcan is already experiencing strong demand… has a strong balance sheet (and) has steadily increased its dividend for years. 2) Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) … might be the leading construction equipment manufacturer, but it also has significant exposure to volatile sectors like mining and oil and natural gas. That's why a pure-play equipment stock like United Rentals (NYSE: URI) could be a better potential winner from Biden's infrastructure plan. United Rentals is the world's largest heavy-equipment rental company… Its revenue grew at a compound annual rate of 14% over the past decade. 3) AECOM (NYSE: ACM) Building anything requires planning, designing, and engineering, which is why an infrastructure consulting company like AECOM should benefit from an uptick in infrastructure spending in the U.S…. government is already its biggest client… 4) Nucor (NYSE: NUE) … is the largest and most diversified manufacturer of steel and steel products in the U.S… (and) is North America's largest scrap recycler… (Its) mini steel mills use electric-arc furnaces -- a more flexible, cost-effective method than traditional blast furnaces. (Also, Nucor) has a solid balance sheet… increasing its dividend payouts for 48 straight years. 5) ChargePoint Technologies (NYSE: CHPT) The (US) president's infrastructure plan includes a… network of 500,000 EV chargers across the nation by 2030. Currently, there are only around 42,500 charging station locations in the U.S… ChargePoint operates one of the world's largest EV charging networks and has a nearly 70% share of the domestic Level 2 charging network market… ChargePoint… sells hardware to station operators, which then subscribe to its software to manage the stations.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Best Green Bond Funds More and more ethical and sustainable investors are turning their attention to green bonds and the benefits they offer. Here are two articles on that theme. The first is titled How Eco-Conscious Is Your Portfolio? 2 Green Bond ETFs To Consider by Tezcan Gecgil at investor.com. Here are some quotes from the article. “1) iShares Global Green Bond ETF (NASDAQ: BGRN) The iShares Global Green Bond ETF provides access to global investment-grade green bonds that have been issued to fund environmental projects. Furthermore… the fund is U.S.-dollar hedged. Since its inception in November 2018, net assets have grown to $212 million. (The iShares Global Green Bond ETF)… tracks the returns of the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI Global Green Bond Select (USD Hedged) Index. (It has) bonds issued by governments of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy as well as the European Investment Bank and KfW Group lead the names in the roster. 2) VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF (NYSE: GRNB) Another green bond ETF that could be of interest to readers is the VanEck Vectors Green Bond which provides exposure to U.S.-dollar-denominated green bonds for financing environmentally-friendly projects. In addition to bonds issued in the U.S. and various European countries, VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF also holds bonds from China, South Korea, Brazil, India, Chile, Indonesia and others.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Best Green Bond Funds The second article on green bonds is titled $1.2tn US giant launches core impact bond fund into Ucits market. It’s by Chris Sloley and was on the citywireselector.com site. The fund is for investors in Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, UK, and Italy. Here are some quotes… “Global investment giant Nuveen has launched its Global Core Impact Bond fund for Ucits investors to capitalise on opportunities created by ‘ESG leaders’. The multi-currency bond fund will invest across all global fixed income markets… Focusing on perceived ‘ESG leaders’, the bond fund will find companies setting an example in their respective industry or sector, with respect to ESG risks and behaviours… The fund may allocate up to 40% in emerging markets and 15% in high yield, at the managers’ discretion. It will launch with $25m (€20.5m) of seed capital.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Best LGBTQ Friendly Stocks Since this is Pride Month and numerous LGBTQI+ investors are ethically and sustainably oriented, here’s an article for members of that community. It’s titled Ethical Investing for Pride Month: 10 Gay-Friendly Stocks To Buy. It’s by John Csiszar and was on the gobankingrates.com site. Here are some quotes from his article. “1) Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Google, now trading under parent company Alphabet, has long been a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community. The company has a specific support group for the LGBTQ community, known as ‘Gayglers’. 2) International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) IBM was one of the first companies to include sexual orientation in its nondiscrimination policy, back in 1984. The company established its Global LGBT Council, designed to make the workplace safe for everyone, in 1995. 3) Visa Inc. (V) Visa has appeared on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for five years running, marking it as one of the best places to work for LGBTQ employees. Visa supports the United Nations Standards for LGBTI, which outlines five standards of conduct that the business community can use to combat discrimination against lesbian, bi, gay, trans and intersex people. 4) The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) Schwab has received a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for LGBTQ+ inclusion for over 15 years… Internally, Schwab has created a diversity and inclusion group known as PRIDE, dedicated specifically to the LGBTQ+ network at Schwab. 5) The Coca-Cola Company (KO) The company has scored 100% on the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index every year since 2006. Coca-Cola has also designed a separate Business Resource Group specifically to address LGBTA issues. Other LGBTQ-focused resources that Coca-Cola supports include the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and The Trevor Project. 6) PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) PayPal is another company scoring a perfect 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Index, and it strongly promotes LGBTQ rights. The company has a benefits flyer that outlines all its health benefits for transgender employees, from hormone replacement therapies and voice modification surgery to therapy sessions and more. 7) Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Microsoft and its employees have donated over $2 million to organizations supporting the LGBTQI+ community just over the past year… Microsoft has received a perfect 100% score on the HRC’s Equality Index for 13 years running. 8) Target Corporation (TGT) As with many of the other companies making the HRC Equality Index, Target has signed the Equality Act. Target has developed its own PRIDE Manifesto, designed to emphasize the company’s dedication to equality. Target also produces clothing and other products indicating its backing of the LGBTQ community. 9) Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) In addition to receiving a perfect 100% score on the HRC’s Equality Index for 11 straight years, the company has recently donated $50,000 to the Lavender Rights Project. 10) Apple Inc. (AAPL) Apple isn’t just the largest company in America, it’s also one of the most consistent supporters of the LGBTQ community. Apple has been rated a best place to work for the LGBTQ community for 15 years straight.” End quotes. Also, note this article on a new Pride fund, titled, Pride Month meets Wall Street as new LGBTQ ETF hits the market by Ernestine Siu. Quote “ProcureAM, in partnership with LGBTQ Loyalty Holdings, launched the new LGBTQ100 ESG ETF.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mentions 1. Title: My Top Renewable Energy Stock to Buy in June. “Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) is the stock I think will be one of the hydrogen winners” says Travis Hoium, the article’s author. 2. Title: Fidelity to Launch 5 New ESG Funds by Bernice Napach. Quoting the article, “All five new funds are actively managed and the two ETFs are Fidelity's first ETFs focused on ESG factors.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Best Infrastructure and LGBTQ Friendly Stocks, 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 iTunes/Apple 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 engaged with your ethical and sustainable values and investments! Thank you for listening. Talk to you next on July 2. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Best Infrastructure and LGBTQ Friendly Stocks, Plus…

Socially Responsible Dividend Stocks. PLUS… these stories. “Best Health Care Stocks To Buy This Week? 4 To Know”; “These 3 Renewable Energy Companies Are Getting Too Cheap to Ignore”; “top three green energy stocks to watch in 2021”; “Sustainable Impact Investing: 1 Cheap Stock for All Value Investors”; and “launch of Solar Energy UCITS ETF.” PODCAST: Socially Responsible Dividend Stocks. PLUS… Transcript & Links, Episode 59, June 4, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 59 published on June 4, titled “Socially Responsible Dividend Stocks. 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. I only mention what the analysts and writers are saying! However, there might be an odd occasion where I do add a comment. 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. If any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply do a Google search for that term. ------------------------------------------------------------- Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stocks Now many ethical and sustainable investors are interested in socially responsible dividend stocks. Fortunately, the staff at the Dividend Channel have identified what they believe are the 25 top socially responsible dividend stocks. But if you view more than 6 pages within 6 hours on their site then you’re required to register to view more. Registration is free but do review their privacy policy and terms of use before signing up. So, I’ll just mention a few of their selected companies. The link to their site is on this podcast’s webpage. The selected companies include: Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) — 4.27% Yield Truist Financial Corp (NYSE: TFC) — 2.91% Yield Eaton Corp plc (NYSE: ETN) — 2.09% Yield, and Gilead Sciences Inc (NASDAQ: GILD) — 4.30% Yield ------------------------------------------------------------- Best Health Care Stocks To Buy This Week? 4 To Know My first article concerns health care stocks. In one way or another, these are in nearly every ethical and sustainable investor’s portfolio. Now the article I want to draw your attention to is titled Best Health Care Stocks To Buy This Week? 4 To Know by Jonathan Phillip. It appeared on nasdaq.com. Here are the stocks Mr. Phillip’s covers. I’ll name them and follow on with brief quotes from him. “1. Reata Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RETA) The company focuses on identifying, developing, and commercializing product candidates for a range of serious or life-threatening diseases… Reata announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested the company to submit a request for a pre-NDA meeting for Omaveloxolone for the treatment of Friedreich’s Ataxia… Given that there is no known cure at this point for Friedreich’s Ataxia, approval of this drug would be monumental for the company. 2. Genetron Holdings (NASDAQ: GTH) Genetron Holdings Limited is a precision oncology company that specializes in cancer molecular profiling. It also harnesses technologies in molecular biology and data science to transform cancer treatment… The company operates its businesses primarily within the China market. Genetron stock has been up by over 60% since the start of the year. 3. I-Mab (NASDAQ: IMAB) I-Mab is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that commits to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel or highly differentiated biologics. The company aims to treat diseases with significant unmet medical needs, particularly cancers and autoimmune disorders … the health care company stock has been performing extremely well. Impressively, it has risen by more than 220% over the past year with its bullish trend still intact. 4. Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) This is a global health care company that offers health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceutical, Animal Health, Healthcare Services, and Alliances. The company’s drug Keytruda is one of the best-selling drugs in the world, generating almost $14.4 billion in revenue in 2020.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- These 3 Renewable Energy Companies Are Getting Too Cheap to Ignore Now three regulars to The Motley Fool site have contributed to this article titled These 3 Renewable Energy Companies Are Getting Too Cheap to Ignore. 1. Travis Hoium suggests Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) He says “in the case of Canadian Solar, the value is now too good to pass up… (its) ability to raise prices when costs go up should help Canadian Solar's slow and steady improvement in margin over the last decade. Solar markets can be volatile and profitability is unpredictable, but Canadian Solar's stock is cheap enough to be a value for investors given the company's market-leading position in manufacturing and deploying solar panels.” End quotes. 2. Howard Smith recommends Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP) Quote “The market rotation away from growth and alternative energy stocks has brought many down significantly from their highs. Investors can take advantage of that by buying businesses with strong growth opportunities and income from higher dividend yields. Shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners have dropped more than 20% over the past three months. That has brought the current dividend yield to about 3.5%... The recent drop in the share price gives investors a good entry point that will also provide a high level of income from the current dividend.” End quotes. 3. Daniel Foelber likes Hannon Armstrong (NYSE: HASI) Mr. Foelber says that “(Hannon Armstrong) provides the capital needed to make renewable projects possible. As a real estate investment trust (REIT), Hannon Armstrong is in the business of making quality loans and passing its returns along to shareholders through dividends. Its long-term contracts tend to last for a decade or more, making its business relatively stable compared to other renewable energy stocks… With a price to earnings (P/E) ratio of 33 and a dividend yield just shy of 3%, Hannon Armstrong is one of the safer ways to take advantage of the renewable energy stock sell-off.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Green investing: top three green energy stocks to watch in 2021 There’s a new alternative energy article on the capital.com site. It’s titled Green investing: top three green energy stocks to watch in 2021. Here are the three they recommend followed by some quotes on each one. “1. Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REGI) … is a biodiesel production company based in Iowa that has been a Fortune 1000 company since 2018, and boasts billions of dollars in annual revenue. It is a global producer and supplier of biodiesel and other renewable fuels… According to MarketBeat, analysts now anticipate that Renewable Energy Group will be worth about $100 a share very shortly… (It’s) currently around $60. 2. Plug Power (PLUG) “While PLUG may not boast the kind of EBITDA sales that appeal to some investors, it still boasts a partnership with automaker Renault to integrate its fuel cell technology into European commercial vans. That’s not all – a $1.5bn investment from Korea-based SK Group also has made Plug Power an attractive investment option to consider… Notable financial analysts, surveyed by The Wall Street Journal, estimate that Plug Power’s stock price will reach $49 by the end of 2021, with others suggesting that it may reach as high as $79. (It’s currently around $30.) 3. SunPower (SPWR) There are many leading solar companies in the United States, but few of them are better positioned to grow than SunPower. (It) specialises in both solar power and energy storage. The company’s flagship product is ‘Maxeon,’ a high-efficiency solar cell that boasts benefits over other traditional solar designs… Sunpower’s stock price has a potential to increase as more homes and businesses decide to go solar.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mentions 1. Title: Upcoming launch of Solar Energy UCITS ETF on London Stock Exchange offers Europe’s first pure-play exposure to the global solar energy industry. Seen on etfexpress.com. 2. Title: Sustainable Impact Investing: 1 Cheap Stock for All Value Investors by Nikhil Kumar on ca.yahoo.finance.com. Quote “Dream Impact Trust (TSX: MPCT.UN)… focuses on investments that generate both strong financial returns and provide positive social and economic impacts in North American communities… The company’s goal is to provide attainable and affordable housing.” 3. Title: What are the top renewable energy stocks to watch in 2021? Maxim Manturov on businesleader.co.uk suggests: SunPower Corp which I just covered; First Solar, Inc.; Sunworks, Inc., ReneSola Ltd., and Daqo New Energy Corp (which is controversial for many ethical investors as it’s been accused of using forced labour). Mr. Manturov also says the three hottest renewable energy IPOs in 2021 are China Three Gorges Renewables (Group), Acciona Energia, and Infinite Blue Energy. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Socially Responsible Dividend Stocks. 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 iTunes/Apple 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 June 18. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Best Socially Responsible Dividend Stocks. PLUS…

The Top Renewable Energy Stocks and Funds covered include: Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure, Equinor, Bloom Energy, SolarEdge Technologies, Enphase Energy, Generac Holdings, Daqo New Energy, CleanSpark, Renewable Energy Group, Inc., NextEra Energy Inc., SunPower Corporation, iShares MSCI ACWI Low Carbon Target ETF, Iberdrola. Articles were taken from many leading sites including nasdaq,com, Yahoo! Finance, and kiplinger.com PODCAST: The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. Plus… Transcript & Links, Episode 58, May 21, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 58 published on May 21, titled “The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. 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. And Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. Plus… It seems most of the stock research appearing in the media is focused on renewable energy stocks and funds. It reflects what analysts are looking at. So here are a few top articles covering that theme in the past two weeks. The first one is titled Biden's New Infrastructure Bill Could Mean Big Things for These Renewable Energy Stocks and is found on nasdaq.com. It reviews three alternative energy stocks by three different analysts. I’ll mention the analyst, their recommending stock, and a few brief quotes from them on their stock recommendation. Quote, “1) Howard Smith picks Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure (NASDAQ: AY) The company calls itself ‘a sustainable infrastructure company with a majority of our business in renewable energy assets…’ (Now) Importantly for investors wanting income, in the first quarter, cash available for distribution grew 7.6% over the prior year period with revenue growing almost 12%. 2) Daniel Foelber likes Equinor (NYSE: EQNR) The company is making big moves away from oil and gas and into renewable energy… it's now drifting toward pairing its offshore oil expertise with offshore wind… Its offshore wind portfolio leads the oil majors and is one of the largest of any operator in the world… 3) Travis Hoium recommends Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) Bloom Energy makes fuel cells for utility and commercial-scale applications… Building a truly clean electric grid will require more wind and solar, but it'll also require huge amounts of energy storage and on-demand electricity production, both of which Bloom Energy can provide…” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. Plus… Next in the renewable energy theme is this article by Louis Navellier who wrote a piece titled 5 Pick-and-Shovel Solar Stocks for the Green Energy Gold Rush. It’s found on the kiplinger.com site. I’ll mention each stock that Mr. Navellier writes about and follow it with a few select quotes from him. “1) SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG) Makes inverters, a key component of the microgrid that delivers solar energy to where it's needed in homes, schools, businesses, campuses and beyond… Shares of Solar Edge Technologies have been on a tear the last two years, but have declined more recently. 2) Enphase Energy (ENPH) Also manufactures inverter systems. Unlike ‘string converters’ made by SolarEdge, which draw power wholesale from all the panels in an installation, Enphase sells microinverters, which draw energy from individual panels as needed or as conditions allow, and, as a result, can be more efficient.     Though microinverters cost more, the market for them may grow faster because they can be more responsive to site-specific conditions… Shares of the solar stock are off from their February highs of over $200, and took another hit after Enphase's first-quarter report… (But) Enphase can weather these kinds of storms for now. 3) Generac Holdings (GNRC) … has grown handsomely selling backup generators to consumers who have become more attuned to and proactive toward power outages… in 2019,  (The company has) entered the battery storage business with a pair of acquisitions…    Generac has been doing business since 1959, (and) has a global network of 7,000 dealers and … decades of customer data that it can ply with its solar offering.  Shares have been highfliers, up more than 250% since April of last year. 4) Daqo New Energy (DQ) Is based in China and produces polysilicon, which is used to make solar panels… Demand for polysilicon is increasing and this is boosting prices… According to Bernreuter Research, in 2021 alone, prices per kilogram for polysilicon have risen from $11 to nearly $19… which goes straight to Daqo's top line… This could make DAQO one of the best solar stocks to have on your radar. 5) CleanSpark (CLSK) Offers a suite of software solutions that provide end-to-end microgrid modeling, communications and energy management… CleanSpark doesn't make money yet, but analysts are forecasting it will report a profit at the end of this quarter… Also noteworthy, CleanSpark is ramping up its participation in the Bitcoin mining business… CleanSpark notes that 95% of the power for its mining operations is carbon free.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. Plus… The third article on renewable energy is titled 4 Renewable Energy Stocks To Consider Buying Right Now. It’s by Josh Dylan and appeared on StockMarket.com. Again, I’ll mention the writer’s picks and follow each one with some key quotes from the writer. Quote: “1) Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGI) Focuses on providing cleaner, lower carbon intensity products, and services. It is a producer of biomass-based diesel in North America… (The company has) announced a proposed offering of $500 million for green projects. The company intends to use the net proceeds to finance or refinance new and/or existing eligible green projects. 2) NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE: NEE) The company owns Florida Power & Light Company, which is the largest rate-regulated electric utility in the U.S. In particular, (it's) renewable energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, contributed $598 million in adjusted earnings, up from $529 million in the first quarter of last year. On top of that, the company along with OPAL Fuels announced plans to build Minnesota’s first renewable natural gas facility. 3) SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR) SunPower Corporation is a provider of distributed generation storage and energy services. The company designs an all-in-one residential and commercial solution for customers… Sunpower Corp stock has risen over 500% over the past year.  4) Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) (Yes… again) The company is the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar-plus-storage systems. Also, it has an intelligent platform that delivers smart, user-friendly solutions that connect solar generation, storage, and energy management… Last week, Enphase announced an expanded collaboration with Palomar Solar, a leading solar energy installation company.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. Plus… Getting a lot of hype recently is the Blackrock ETFs. However, Adria Vasil at Corporate Knights has posted a critical piece on the BlackRock iShares MSCI ACWI Low Carbon Target ETF (CRBN). She writes… “This ETF ‘seeks to track the investment results of an index [composed of companies] with a lower carbon exposure than that of the broad market…’ What’s inside: Traditional ethical investors might gasp when they see 15 makers of controversial weapons… (a) handful of for-profit prisons, harmful pesticide-makers and mining firms tied to severe environmental damage in this ETF’s portfolio and: 6 thermal coal-burning companies 11 climate-policy-blocking companies 4 deforestation and palm oil laggards linked to clearcuts in the Amazon rainforest and Southeast Asia… and 6 industrial meat companies, including Tyson Foods, America’s largest beef, pork and poultry processor. BlackRock’s position: BlackRock says the ETF’s MSCI weighted average carbon intensity (tons CO2e/$M sales) is just 64.74, significantly lower than the 178.5 average for benchmark MSCI ACWI Index.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Worthy Mentions Sometimes there are just too many good articles to cover, so I’m going to start a ‘Worthy Mentions’ segment where the bare bones of an article are given. For the links to these articles just go to this podcast’s page at investingforthesoul.com/podcast and scroll down to this edition. 1) Is titled A Bet 20 Years Ago Made It the Exxon of Green Power and appeared in The New York Times. It’s by Stanley Reed and Raphael Minder. Subtitle, “Iberdrola is a leader in wind and solar power, thanks largely to a bet its C.E.O. made 20 years ago.” 2) Morningstar analyst Alyssa Stankiewicz has posted this article 15 Top Funds Leading the Way on ESG. If you aren’t a Morningstar.com subscriber – you should be! Even the Basic, free plan will allow you to see the full content of this article and much more! 3) Final mention is given to the UK’s FT article titled 2 top FTSE 100 ethical stocks. It’s by Jamie Adams. He is recommending the following, and quoting from his article: “Coca-Cola HBC (CCH.L): This Switzerland-based bottler of the Coca-Cola product… has consistently ranked at the top of the FTSE4GOOD Index series since its inception in 2000. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK): Has proven to be an ESG leader thanks to its work in providing access to medicine… What’s more, this top British firm has promised to have a net-zero environmental impact by 2030.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. 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 iTunes/Apple 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 engaged with ethical and sustainable investing! Thank you for listening. Talk to you next on June 4. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: The Top Renewable Energy Stocks, Funds. Plus…

 Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks. Reviews the iShares MSCI Global Impact ETF, KraneShares MSCI China Environment Index ETF, iShares Global Clean Energy ETF, Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund, iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF, Parnassus Core Equity Investor, JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., SolarEdge Technologies, Inc., Ameresco, Ormat Technologies, and VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF PODCAST: The Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks Transcript & Links, Episode 57, May 07, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 57 published on May 7, titled “Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks”— 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. And Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. The Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks I’m starting with Max Chen’s insightful article titled Earth friendly ETFs for climate change, sustainable investing. Here are the top funds he writes about. Quote “From ETF Database… The top ETFs based on sustainable impact solutions percentages include: iShares MSCI Global Impact ETF (SDG): 72.45% rating KraneShares MSCI China Environment Index ETF (KGRN): 71.59% rating ALPS Clean Energy ETF (ACES): 68.97% rating Invesco Solar ETF (TAN): 64.5% rating Global X CleanTech ETF (CTEC): 62.05% rating” End quote Clean Energy ETFs Mr. Chen further writes that “Investors can also look to clean energy ETFs, which invest in stocks of companies involved in providing goods and services exclusively to the clean energy industry. The largest broad clean energy themed ETFs include: iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN), which has $5.5 billion in assets under management. First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index Fund (NasdaqGM: QCLN), which holds $2.6 billion in assets under management. Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF (PBW), which boasts $2.1 billion in assets under management. (Again the ) ALPS Clean Energy ETF (ACES), which includes $962 million in assets under management. Invesco Global Clean Energy Portfolio (NYSEArca: PBD), which has $418 million in assets under management.” End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks In the next article, that appeared on forbes.com, Rob Berger and Benjamin Curry penned an article titled The Best ESG Funds of April 2021. Here are the funds they identified. “1) Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund (VFTAX) 2) iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (SUSA) 3) Parnassus Core Equity Investor (PRBLX) 4) iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN) 5) Shelton Green Alpha Fund (NEXTX) 6) 1919 Socially Responsive Balanced Fund (SSIAX) 7) AllianceBernstein Sustainable Global Thematic Fund (ATEYX)” ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. The Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks Now Usman Kabir takes us back to the alternative energy sector with his article 10 Best Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now. It appeared on Yahoo! Finance. I’ll mention his picks and follow it with a few of Mr. Kabir’s remarks. Starting at #10, quote, “10) SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR) (Which) offers solar solutions to residential, commercial and industrial clients. The firm also sells directly to a network of third-party dealers and resellers. The products that the company markets include commercial roof, carport, and ground mounted systems, as well as post-installation operations and maintenance services. 9) Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (NYSE: BEP) Is a Bermuda-based firm that owns several renewable power energy generating plants. The firm operates in the United States, Canada, Colombia, Brazil, Europe, India, and China. It owns a total of 19,000 megawatts of power generation capability globally through hydroelectric, wind, solar, distributed generation, pumped storage, cogeneration, and biomass sources. 8) Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) The products that the firm markets include solar ingots, wafers, cells, modules, and other solar power products. The company designs, develops, and sells these products while also offering repair and management services related to these products. The firm also equips and operates electricity-generating solar power plants. It has a fleet of solar power plants in operation with an aggregate capacity of approximately 880 megawatt. 7) Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) Is involved in development and selling of hydrogen fuel cell systems that replace conventional batteries in equipment and vehicles powered by electricity. The products that the firm makes include GenDrive, a hydrogen fueled PEM fuel cell system that powers electric vehicles, and GenFuel, a hydrogen fueling delivery, generation, storage, and dispensing system… 6) Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) It makes batteries, solar panels and other energy-related products as well. It has a market cap of over $649 billion and posted more than $31 billion in annual revenue in December 2020. Earlier this month, Vancouver-based investment firm Canaccord Genuity upgraded Tesla to a Buy rating and set the price target of shares at $1,071. 5) General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) Is a Boston-based multinational company operating in aviation, healthcare, electronics, power, and other industries. The firm has stakes in the wind, solar, hydro, and hybrid branches of the clean energy sector. The company was founded in 1892… The firm is most famous for wind energy solutions driven by state-of-the-art wind turbines that operate both onshore and offshore for power generation needs. 4) NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) Although the firm generates electric power through fossil fuels, it focuses on the capabilities installed for wind, solar, and nuclear power generation. It has a total of 28,400 megawatts of net generating capacity and serves almost 11 million people through an estimated 5.6 million customer accounts in the US. It was founded in 1925. 3) Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) Designs and manufactures software-driven clean energy solutions for residential areas that focus on solar generation, home energy storage and web-based monitoring and control… The products that the company makes include a semiconductor-based microinverter, AC battery storage systems; as well as Envoy and Enlighten, which are data-based services. 2) SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SEDG) Is an Israel-based solar solutions firm. It designs, develops and markets direct current optimized inverter systems for solar photovoltaic installations globally. The product list of the firm includes inverters, power optimizers, communication devices, and smart energy management solutions. The firm also has stakes in the energy storage and electric vehicle charging businesses. It offers lithium-ion cells and battery packs and uninterrupted power supply solutions as well. 1) JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (NYSE: JKS) Is a Shanghai-based manufacturer of solar products. It markets solar modules, silicon wafers, solar cells, recovered silicon materials, and silicon ingots. The firm provides solar integration services and also develops commercial solar power projects. It is one of the largest solar panel manufacturing firms in the world. JinkoSolar operates in China, the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, and other countries.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. The Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks Continuing in the renewable energy theme is this article titled 3 Clean Energy Stocks Set to Beat Q1 Earnings Estimates. It’s by Zacks analyst Aparajita Dutta. And found on nasdaq.com. Again, I’ll list each company and then follow it with some remarks by Ms. Dutta. “1) Ameresco (AMRC) Is an independent provider of comprehensive energy efficiency solutions for facilities throughout North America. (It) designs and constructs a wide range of renewable energy plants using LFG, wastewater treatment biogas, solar, biomass, other bio-derived fuels, wind and hydro sources of energy. The company (has) a Zacks Rank #3. (Ameresco) beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, delivering an earnings surprise of 78.24%, on average. (It beat again on May 4.) 2) Ormat Technologies (ORA) It has a Zacks Rank #3. Over the trailing four quarters, the company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate on each occasion, the surprise being 16.08%, on average. (Also, just beat again on May 5.) 3) SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG) (Yes again! For details, listen to earlier mention.) (It) has a Zacks Rank #3… Over the trailing four quarters, the company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice, and missed once, the surprise being 21.65%, on average. (It actually missed forecasts in its May 3 earnings release.)” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 5. The Top Climate Change Bond ETF? Now I want to mention this article Assessing the State of the Green Bond Market. It also provides a specific ESG bond fund recommendation. It’s by Todd Shriber and appeared on etftrends.com. Quote, “The green investing conversation has long revolved around equity-based strategies, but fixed income is a growing part of the equation. Income investors can access that theme with the VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF (NYSEArca: GRNB). The VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF tracks the S&P Green Bond Select Index, which is ‘comprised of labeled green bonds that are issued to finance environmentally friendly projects, and includes bonds issued by the supranational, government, and corporate issuers globally in multiple currencies,’ according to VanEck… ‘Compared to last year, the increase in corporate issuance has been notable, making up about 50% of total issuance. This is perhaps unsurprising in the context of the numerous corporate ‘net-zero’ commitments and increased pressure from investors to address climate risks.’” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks.” 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 iTunes/Apple 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 engaged by continuing to apply your ethical and sustainable values to your investments! Thank you for listening. Talk to you next on May 21. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: The Top Climate Change ETFs and Stocks

 Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. Plus… Equinor, Covanta Holdings, Evergy, Ocean Power Technologies, Torchlight Energy Resources Inc., SunHydrogen Inc., Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF, Fidelity Sustainability Bond Index Fund, Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index Fund, Evoqua Water Technologies Corp., AECOM, BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF, BlackRock World ex U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF PODCAST: Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. Plus… Transcript & Links, Episode 56, April 23, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 56 published on April 23, titled “Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. 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. And Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. Plus… In this podcast, we return to alternative energy picks. The first article is titled 3 Alternative Energy Stocks Defying Industry Challenges. It’s by Zacks analyst Aparajita Dutta and is on the Zacks site. As usual, I’ll mention the company name followed by select quotes from Ms. Dutta. “1) Equinor (EQNR) Based in Stavanger, Norway, is one of the premier integrated energy companies in the world… The company is investing actively in renewable energy projects, comprising power generation from solar and wind energy… The company currently holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 2) Covanta Holdings (CVA) Based in Morristown, NJ, Covanta offers waste and energy solution to its customers by processing the waste and generating energy out of it… The company delivered an average earnings surprise of 267.90% in the last four quarters. The company currently holds a Zacks Rank #2. 3) Evergy (EVRG) Based in Kansas, MI, Evergy provides clean, safe and reliable energy to 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. It is home to the largest electric vehicle charging network in the United States and has one of the top 10 wind portfolios of electric utilities in the country… The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. Plus… Continuing on the theme of alternative energy is Top Penny Stocks To Buy Now? (with a BIG question mark!) 4 Alternative Energy Stocks To Watch by D. Marie. The author isn’t giving outright buy recommendations but as stocks to look at. Each stock offers different perspectives on what you might consider being in the speculative alternative energy space. The article is on pennystocks.com. Again, I’ll mention the company followed by a few quotes by the author on each company. Now, before I begin, some might want to skip the first one as it involves uranium mining! “1) Denison Mines Corp. (NYSE: DNN) Denison is a uranium exploration and development company. Its main project is the Wheeler River Uranium project located in the Athabasca Basin region in Saskatchewan… its stock price has nearly tripled in the last 6 months. 2) Ocean Power Technologies (NASDAQ: OPTT) This company specializes in the development and commercialization of renewable electricity generating systems using ocean waves. 3) Torchlight Energy Resources Inc. (NASDAQ: TRCH) Energy Resources was an oil and gas company. However, it is now working towards meeting regulations to consummate its previously announced business combination with Metamaterial Inc. It develops high-performance materials and nanocomposite products used in things like solar energy and auto applications. 4) SunHydrogen Inc. (OTC: HYSR) The final energy penny stock to watch just saw a massive price increase. SunHydrogen is a solar technology company based in California. It is developing solar-powered nanoparticle systems to act as photosynthesis, to separate hydrogen from water.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. Plus… In this next article, I return to ESG ETF recommendations. These are from two analysts -- Paulina Likos and Matt Whittaker -- who wrote an article titled 7 Best Socially Responsible Funds. It was on the Yahoo! Finance site. Again, I’ll first mention the fund’s name followed by quotes from the authors concerning that particular fund. Quote: “1) Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) According to Vanguard, (this) ETF excludes stocks of certain companies that don't meet standards of U.N. global compact principles and companies that don't meet certain diversity criteria. Stefano Safaei, managing director of investments at Wedbush Securities, highlights (a) low expense ratio and impressive performance as attractive features for investors. 2) 1919 Socially Responsible Balanced Fund (SSIAX) Some of the fund's criteria include excluding companies that have significant direct exposure to fossil fuel real assets, investing in companies with fair employment practices and seeking assets that have respect for human rights. 3) Fidelity International Sustainability Index Fund (FNIDX Most of its securities are a part of the MSCI ACWI ex USA ESG Index, a capitalization-weighted index that offers investors exposure to large and midcap companies in developed and emerging markets with high ESG performance. 4) Fidelity Sustainability Bond Index Fund (FNDSX) This Fidelity fund follows the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI U.S. Aggregate ESG Choice Bond Index, which includes investment-grade debt securities. 5) Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index Fund (CISIX) According to the fund's fact sheet, its holdings had 88% lower fossil fuel reserves, 100% lower tobacco exposure and 83% lower toxic emissions than the Russell 1000. 6) SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves Free ETF (SPYX) The fund, made up of large-cap U.S. equities, tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Free Index. 7) Shelton Green Alpha Fund (NEXTX) … seeks environmentally conscious companies that have demonstrated their ability to manage environmental risk and have above-average growth potential." End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Best Stocks That Will Gain From Biden’s Job and Infrastructure Plan Infrastructure continues to gain interest from ethical and sustainable investors. So, I’ve got one more article here. It’s titled 10 Best Stocks That Will Gain From Biden’s Job and Infrastructure Plan. It’s by Usman Kabir and appeared on Yahoo! Finance. So, I’ll mention the stock and follow it with a few select quotes from Mr. Kabir. Quote, starting with no. 10. 10) Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE: CLF) … is an Ohio-based company in the mining and steelmaking business… (and) the largest steelmaker in the country. 9) Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE: PWR) Quanta Services, Inc. is a Houston-based company that provides infrastructure services for communications, industries, electric power companies and pipeline projects… it is one of the key players in the American market that focuses on modernization of the electrical grid using renewable energy. 8) Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE: VMC) In the US, the firm is the largest producer of construction aggregates, namely gravel, crushed stone, sand, and concrete. 7) American Tower Corporation (REIT) (NYSE: AMT) American Tower Corporation (REIT) is a Boston-based real-estate investment trust that owns and operates mobile phone towers across the world. American Jobs Plan envisions spending more than $100 billion to widen the high speed broadband nest in the country. 6) Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) Applied Materials, Inc. is a California-based firm that supplies equipment, services and software for the manufacturing of semiconductor chips… As broadband occupies a top priority in the American Jobs Plan, the digital acceleration of the economy from high-speed internet is expected to drive the demand for these chips. 5) American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: AEP) American Electric Power Company, Inc. is an Ohio-based electric company meeting the electrical needs of millions of American citizens in more than ten states across the country. President Joe Biden has marked $100 billion to modernize the American electrical infrastructure. 4) Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) Union Pacific Corporation is a Nebraska-based railroad holding company. It is one of the largest rail providers in the Western US, posting strong profits that it expects to grow by 31% over the next two years. 3) Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. (NYSE: AQUA) The firm offers capital systems and related recurring services for treating industrial process water, utility water, and wastewater… Evoqua also makes products that filter and separate clean and dirty water. Since the American Jobs Plan envisions the provision of clean water to every American household, the firm could benefit from it. 2) Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) … is one of the largest game companies in North America and Europe. US President (Biden) has pushed for increased access to high-speed broadband across the country… The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the stock of the firm higher owing to increased video-game demand. 1) AECOM (NYSE: ACM) … is a California-based American engineering firm. Since infrastructure spending forms the biggest chunk of the American Jobs Plan, the firm will stand to gain a lot from the multitude of new projects that will be initiated by the US government… It also operates an environmental and risk management department for big projects.  ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. Plus… Now a quick piece of interesting news titled BlackRock Launches Two Carbon Transition ETFs, ‘LCTU’ & ‘LCTD’ by Aaron Neuwirth. Published on etftrends.com. Quote, “The BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTU) and the BlackRock World ex U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTD) invest in large- and mid-cap companies. The two funds raised more than $1.5 billion… The day-one investments into the BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF make it the largest ETF launch ever.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. 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 iTunes/Apple 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 May 7. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

PODCAST: Alternative Energy Picks and Surprises. Plus…

 ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! Include 3M, Aflac, Best-Buy, Colgate-Palmolive, Kimberley-Clark, Microsoft, Pepsico, Salesforce, U.S. Bancorp, Weyerhaeuser, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Beyond Meat, Tesla, Ecolab, International Paper, Apple, Wex Inc, Unilever PLC, Home Depot, Toyota Motor, Alibaba, Pax Large Cap Fund, SmartETFs Sustainable Energy II, ON Semiconductor, Infineon Technologies, Aptiv, Trane Technologies, NextEra Energy PODCAST: ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! Transcript & Links, Episode 55, April 9, 2021 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 55 published on April 9, titled “‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money!”— 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. And Google any terms that are unfamiliar to you. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! I start with a list of recommendations that originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com. It’s titled 15 Investments That Make You Feel Good While You Make Money and is by John Csiszar. As usual, I’ll mention the company name followed by some brief comments by Mr. Csiszar. “1) 3M (MMM) International conglomerate 3M views its Code of Conduct as not just a representation of its values but a competitive advantage as well… 3M… provides a number of well-known products, from Post-It notes to Scotch tape. Over the past year, the stock is up about 52%. 2) Aflac (AFL) The company believes that acting ethically and responsibly is an important part of its business and is the only insurance company to make Ethisphere’s list every year since 2007, including 2020. 3) Best Buy (BBY) The threat of competition from the likes of Amazon and other online retailers drove Best Buy’s stock below $12 in 2012 before it executed an amazing turnaround that pushed it to new highs in 2020… In 2020, Best Buy made Ethisphere’s list of Most Ethical Companies for the sixth time. 4) Colgate-Palmolive (CL) Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products brand… In addition to operating by a Code of Ethics, Colgate-Palmolive has an Ethics Line that employees can contact to get advice or ask questions about potential violations of the company’s policies. It also operates a Sustainability website. 5) Kimberly-Clark (KMB) In 2017 alone, the maker of Huggies, Kleenex, Scott and other leading brands conducted 238 social compliance audits across its supply chain… Its board of directors includes 11 independent members and has 31% minority representation. 6) Microsoft (MSFT) The software giant is well known for the charitable work of the founder, former CEO and current board member Bill Gates. Microsoft also has placed on Ethisphere’s list of most ethical companies nine years in a row. 7) PepsiCo (PEP) PepsiCo is now one of the world’s leading providers of food and beverages, with brands ranging from Quaker and Gatorade to Frito-Lay and Tropicana. In terms of sustainability, diversity and engagement, PepsiCo has earned numerous awards. 8) Salesforce.com (CRM) Salesforce is much loved on Wall Street, with analysts slapping an average ‘strong buy’ rating on the stock… Salesforce… (says it) ‘brings customers and companies together’ through customer relationship management solutions… 9) US Bancorp (USB) In 2021, U.S. Bank was named to the Ethisphere’s world’s most ethical list for the seventh year in a row… U.S. Bank also has committed to reducing its operational greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2029 and 60% by 2044, using 2014 as a baseline. 10) Weyerhaeuser (WY) The company is one of the largest private landholders in the U.S. It has used that land for more than a century, primarily to produce wood products. Weyerhaeuser has placed on the Ethisphere list 11 times. 11) Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (WH) In 2020, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts was tagged by Ethisphere for the second year in a row as one of the world’s most ethical companies… Analysts see good things ahead with an average ‘strong buy’ rating. 12) Beyond Meat (BYND) Beyond Meat was one of the most noteworthy IPOs of 2019, skyrocketing from an initial offering price of $25 to a high of $72.75… One reason for the excitement around the stock is that its main products are plant-based alternatives to meats. 13) Tesla (TSLA) Tesla stock in 2020 was particularly volatile, skyrocketing over 740% by year’s end. In terms of trying to be an ethical company and advancing the human race, Tesla has made some extraordinary gestures. In 2014, for example, Musk announced that he was no longer protecting Tesla patents on electric vehicle technology, making them open-source and available to any interested parties. 14) Ecolab (ECL) Ecolab has been on Ethisphere’s most ethical list since its inception in 2007, marking 14 consecutive years of receiving the honor… Ecolab keeps striving to improve in the future, setting sustainability goals of halving its carbon emissions by 2030. The stock has been a huge winner, rising more than 80% over the past five years. 15) International Paper (IP) International Paper is considered a cyclical stock… For now, analysts are lukewarm on the company, with an average ‘buy’… From an ethical standpoint, International Paper is a standout, having appeared on Ethisphere’s list for 15 straight years.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2. ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! Here’s another group of stock picks for ethical and sustainable investors from investorplace.com. It’s titled 7 ESG Investments to Buy for Ethical Investing and it’s by Will Ashworth. Again, first, the company name followed by brief comments from the article’s author. “1) Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) Apple became the world’s most profitable company earning $59 billion, more than any other public company on the planet… Apple’s planning to launch its iPhone 13 lineup in late September or early October. Wedbush Securities estimates that it will produce 25% more phones for the iPhone 13 than it did for last year’s models.     I would continue to expect big things from Apple. The fact that it meets ethical investing standards is a bonus. 2) Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) (Yes, again!) Microsoft is said to be in discussions to buy invite-only chat platform Discord for more than $10 billion. In December, after obtaining new funding, Discord had an enterprise value of $7 billion. Although Microsoft and other interested parties are having discussions with the platform, it’s thought that the company would prefer to go public.  3) Wex Inc. (NYSE: WEX) If you’ve got a fleet to run, lots of corporate payments, or looking to improve the way you administer your company’s health and benefit plans, Wex is there to help… WEX stock is up about 96% in the past year. 4) Unilever PLC (NYSE: UL) Unilever… continues to be a bit of a mystery from a performance perspective. Down 6.23% year-to-date through March 29, but up almost 15% over the past 52 weeks, it’s hard to know which stock will show up over the long haul. 5) Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM) On March 24, Toyota announced a partnership with Isuzu Motors (OTCMKTS: ISUZY) and Hino Motors (OTCMKTS: HINOY) to develop small commercial trucks powered by both electric batteries and hydrogen fuel cells… Investors can be sure that Toyota will do what it takes to remain relevant in the automotive industry. 6) Home Depot (NYSE: HD) Home Depot’s stock’s continued its momentum so far in 2021… Over the past year, it’s up 58%.  As the housing bull continues to roar, there is no doubt that Home Depot will continue to outperform the markets as a whole. 7) Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) It’s been a year of controversy for China’s largest e-commerce company.  The latest issue involves the Chinese government pushing the company to sell some of its media assets, which includes the South China Morning Post because it fears Alibaba holds too much influence over public opinion in the country.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3. ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! Due to limited space, I’m just going to mention the names of the funds and companies recommended in this article titled Opinion: Top money managers expect these green-energy companies to benefit most from Biden’s infrastructure plan. It’s by Michael Brush. Go to this podcast’s page for more information at https://investingforthesoul.com/podcasts/. 1) Pax Large Cap Fund (PAXL) 2) SmartETFs Sustainable Energy II (SULR) 3) Tesla (TSLA) 4) ON Semiconductor (ON) 5) Infineon Technologies (IFNNY) 6) Aptiv (APTV) 7) Trane Technologies (TT) 8) Ameresco (AMRC) 9) Hubbell (HUBB) 10) NextEra Energy (NEE) 11) Ormat Technologies (ORA) ------------------------------------------------------------- 4. ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money! My next article is titled: These infrastructure stocks could rise up to 41% in a year on Biden’s massive spending plan, analysts say. By Philip van Doornin on MarketWatch. Quote. “Here is an updated list (see table on this podcast’s page) of Wall Street analysts’ favorite U.S. infrastructure stocks. Starting with the 100 stocks held by PAVE, there are 75 covered by at least five analysts polled by FactSet.” (FactSet) Also, quote, “Only four have 100% ‘buy’ or equivalent ratings: Columbus McKinnon Corp. (CMCO) Builders FirstSource Inc. (BLDR) Herc Holdings Inc. (HRI) Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTX)“ End quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money!“ 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 iTunes/Apple 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 April 23. Bye for now. © 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.  

PODCAST: ‘Feel Good’ Investments That Make Money!

These podcasts will help you apply your personal values — such as those encompassing sustainability, ethics, etc. — to your investments. My name is Ron Robins and I’ve been following this style of investing since the 1970s. Now it’s mainstream because it can be very profitable too! Beginning in 1969, I held investment industry positions in investment analysis, over-the-counter stock trading, and global private equity sales. And for almost two decades I’ve been a leading writer and tutor in ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible investing (SRI). I’ve been interviewed or quoted in The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, Forbes, The Financial Post, BNN, The Globe & Mail, and numerous other media. In 2002, I founded the globally popular and highly respected ethical investing website, Investing for the Soul. Now, it’s my pleasure to help you with these podcasts to be successful in profitably applying your personal values to your investments. And, please subscribe to my RSS feed and to my blog.

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