Microsoft is the world's largest independent software developer. The company was founded on the MS Windows operating system and MS Office business applications suite for PCs. As it has grown, Microsoft has expanded into enterprise software with Windows Server, SQL Server, Dynamics CRM, SharePoint, Azure, and Lync; hardware with the Xbox gaming/media platform and the Surface tablet; and online services through MSN and Bing. Microsoft acquired Skype, the internet VoIP communications service, in October 2011. More than 50% of revenue is generated outside the U.S.

Earnings season is about to begin (which might push stocks higher), stocks already are at all-time highs, investors are increasingly optimistic that interest rates will start to come down soon -- and corporate insiders increased their selling activity last week. But putting that all in perspective, it is important to note that insiders historically increase selling rates as stocks move higher and higher, taking some money off the table in shares for which they may have paid little or nothing. Also of note is that insiders are entering a period in which they will be limited in their ability to trade because of restrictions in place during earnings season. So they need to trade now or hold their cards for the better part of a month. At the end of the day, we are hard-pressed to ring alarm bells based on current insider sentiment. On a sector basis, selling by insiders last week was greatest in Consumer Staples, with shares valued at $554 million sold, followed by Information Technology ($293 million sold) and Healthcare ($65 million sold). Meanwhile, buying outpaced selling in Industrials, with shares valued at $55 million bought versus $29 million sold, as well as in Energy. This week, analysts at Vickers highlighted insider transactions of interest at Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc. (NGS: COKE) and Noble Corp. plc (NYSE: NE).

Earnings season is about to begin (which might push stocks higher), stocks already are at all-time highs, investors are increasingly optimistic that interest rates will start to come down soon -- and corporate insiders increased their selling activity last week. But putting that all in perspective, it is important to note that insiders historically increase selling rates as stocks move higher and higher, taking some money off the table in shares for which they may have paid little or nothing. Also of note is that insiders are entering a period in which they will be limited in their ability to trade because of restrictions in place during earnings season. So they need to trade now or hold their cards for the better part of a month. At the end of the day, we are hard-pressed to ring alarm bells based on current insider sentiment. On a sector basis, selling by insiders last week was greatest in Consumer Staples, with shares valued at $554 million sold, followed by Information Technology ($293 million sold) and Healthcare ($65 million sold). Meanwhile, buying outpaced selling in Industrials, with shares valued at $55 million bought versus $29 million sold, as well as in Energy. This week, analysts at Vickers highlighted insider transactions of interest at Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc. (NGS: COKE) and Noble Corp. plc (NYSE: NE).

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