Expected Dividend Increases for December 2024

As I'm writing this blog post, it is currently Friday, November 15th. The high temperature is set to reach 54 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin. For this time of year, I'll take that any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Now that the month is half complete and most of my portfolio's dividend raises have been announced, I'll highlight the raises that I received. I'll also look ahead to the dividend hikes that I'm expecting for next month.

Actual Dividend Increases for November 2024

Dividend Increase #1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

Automatic Data Processing upped its quarterly dividend per share by 10% to $1.54. This came in just under my expectation of a 10.7% raise to $1.55.

Across my 11 shares of ADP, my net annual forward dividends soared by $6.16 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #2: Main Street Capital (MAIN)

As predicted, Main Street Capital increased its monthly dividend per share by 2% to $0.25.

My net annual forward dividends rose by $1.80 as a result of this dividend declaration across my 30 shares of MAIN.

Dividend Increase #3: Simon Property Group (SPG)

Simon Property Group announced a 2.4% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $2.10. This met my forecast.

Across my nine shares of SPG, my net annual forward dividends increased by $1.80 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: Exxon Mobil (XOM)

Exxon Mobil declared a 4.2% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.99. This came in a bit shy of my expectation of a 5.3% raise to $1.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $1.76 across my 11 shares of XOM as a result of this dividend declaration.

Dividend Freeze: Enbridge (ENB)

Enbridge announced a quarterly dividend per share of 0.915 CAD, which was in line with the previous. This was less than the 3% raise to $0.69 USD that I was expecting. However, I expect the next dividend announcement will be what I anticipated.

Pending Dividend Increase #1: Aflac (AFL)

Aflac has yet to up its quarterly dividend per share. I still believe it will declare a 6% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.53, though.

Across my 11 shares of AFL, that would provide a $1.32 lift to my net annual forward dividends.

Pending Dividend Increase #2: Merck (MRK)

Merck also hasn't announced its dividend hike yet. However, I stand by my projection of a 5.1% increase in the quarterly dividend per share to $0.81. 

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.76 across my 11 shares of MRK due to such an announcement.

UPDATE: As anticipated, Merck upped its quarterly dividend per share by 5.1% to $0.81. My net annual forward dividends increased by $1.76 across my 11 shares of MRK.

Expected Dividend Increases for December 2024

Expected Dividend Increase #1: Abbott Laboratories (ABT)

The first dividend raise that I'm expecting for next month will be from Abbott Laboratories. My best guess is that ABT will declare a 7.3% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.59.

Across my six shares of ABT, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.44 from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: Amgen (AMGN)

The next dividend increase that I'm projecting in December will come from Amgen. I believe that AMGN will announce a 6.2% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $2.39.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $3.36 across my six shares due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: Broadcom (AVGO)

The third dividend hike that I'm predicting for next month will be from Broadcom. My guess is that AVGO will declare an 11.3% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.59.

Across my 40 shares of AVGO, my net annual forward dividends would climb higher by $9.60 from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY)

The next dividend increase that I'm expecting in December will come from Bristol Myers Squibb. My best guess is that BMY will announce a 5% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.63.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $2.64 across my 22 shares of BMY due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #5: CVS Health (CVS)

The fifth dividend raise that I'm projecting for next month will be from CVS Health. I believe that CVS will declare a 6% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.705.

Across my 15 shares of CVS, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.40 from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #6: Innovative Industrial Properties (IIPR)

The next dividend bump that I'm predicting in December will come from Innovative Industrial Properties. My guess is that IIPR will announce a 1.6% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.93.

My net annual forward dividends would increase by $0.72 across my six shares of IIPR due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #7: Mastercard (MA)

The seventh dividend hike that I'm expecting for next month will be from Mastercard. My best guess is that Mastercard will declare a 13.6% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.75.

Across my five shares of MA, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.80 from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #8: Realty Income (O)

The next dividend increase that I'm projecting in December will come from Realty Income. I believe that O will announce a 0.2% bump in its monthly dividend per share to $0.264.

My net annual forward dividends would increase by $0.288 across my 48 shares of O due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #9: Pfizer (PFE)

The ninth dividend raise that I'm predicting for next month will be from Pfizer. My guess is that PFE will declare a 2.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.43.

Across my 26 shares of PFE, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.04 from such a declaration.

Concluding Thoughts:

The five dividend raises that I have received thus far lifted my net annual forward dividends by $13.28. This would be equivalent to investing $442.67 at a 3% net dividend yield.

The nine dividend hikes that I'm expecting for next month would add $23.288 to my net annual forward dividend income. That would be like investing $776.27 at a 3% dividend yield.

Discussion:

How have your payout boosts been in November 2024?

Did you receive any first-time dividend hikes?

I appreciate your readership and look forward to your comments below!

December 2024 Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Friday, November 8th. The high temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit today, so that's not too shabby for this time of the year. 

I have already made my purchases for the month of November. Thus, now would be a good time to look ahead to the stocks on my watch list for next month.

Stock #1: Amazon (AMZN)

The first stock on my watch list for December is Amazon. I just upped my stake in AMZN last month after it was on my October 2024 Stock Watch List and remain confident enough after Q3 earnings to add more soon.

AMZN's growth profile remains exceptional. The balance sheet is firmly A-rated. Not to mention that shares look to still offer intriguing value from the current $208 share price (as of November 8th, 2024).

Stock #2: Meta Platforms (META)

The next stock on my watch list for next month is Meta Platforms. After having purchased META earlier this month and in September, I'm bringing it back again.

Like AMZN, META's Q3 earnings impressed me. The social media network continues to expand. As AI is further integrated into the business, META should be able to fetch higher ad prices. The 0.3% dividend yield is well-covered and leaves ample opportunity for future growth. The stock also appears to be a decent value from the current $588 share price (as of November 8th, 2024).

Stock #3: MPLX LP (MPLX)

The final stock on my watch list for December 2024 is MPLX LP. Nothing has really changed with the investment thesis in recent months. It's just business as usual. If anything, I was really impressed by the recent 12.5% distribution hike. The distribution is secure and units look at bit discounted here at $46 (as of November 8th, 2024).

Concluding Thoughts:

There you have it. Three more blue-chip stocks that I'm glad to own and excited to buy more of next month. My asset allocation for next month will likely be around 35% value via MPLX and 65% growth via AMZN and META. For my needs, this is a nice blend of income and growth.

Discussion:

Are any of AMZN, META, or MPLX on your watch list for December 2024?

If not, what are you watching during the month?

Thank you for your readership and please feel free to comment below!

October 2024 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Monday, October 28th. The weather here in Central Wisconsin is starting to feel like late-October. The high temperature for today is expected to reach just 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

On that note, the month of October is just about complete. Now that I've received all dividend payments besides the JPMorgan Chase (JPM) dividend set for the last day of the month, I'll be reviewing my net dividend income for October 2024.

Another Decent Month

During October 2024, I received $264.70 in net dividends (including GSK ADR fees). This equates to a 3.2% quarterly growth rate against the $256.43 in net dividends collected in July 2024.

That came in 6.3% less than the $282.51 in net dividends that I received in October 2023. This drop was due to my sale of W.P. Carey (WPC) in October 2023. Realty Income's acquisition of Spirit Realty Capital earlier this year (and the resulting shift from quarterly to monthly dividend income) also played a role. Exiting Medical Properties Trust (MPW) in November 2023 was also behind this reduced dividend income. My sale of Leggett & Platt (LEG) in January 2024 factored into decreased dividend income, too. Finally, sales of Omnicom (OMC) and Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) in May 2024 also negatively impacted dividend income.

I collected $232.30 in net dividends from 25 companies in my Charles Schwab account. Dividend stock purchases and dividend raises in recent months led to a slight uptick in net dividend income in October versus July. I also received my first dividend from Nvidia for the month.

I also collected $21.62 in net dividends from four companies within my Fidelity portfolio. A dividend raise from VICI Properties (VICI) and my purchase of Realty Income (O) stock in August 2024 were to credit for this higher net dividend income during October.

Lastly, I collected $10.78 in net dividends from four companies in my Webull account. Dividend raises from Albemarle (ALB), Iron Mountain (IRM) and Philip Morris International (PM) helped net dividend income edge higher in October.

Concluding Thoughts:

Another month of dividends. Thus far, my net dividend income has risen by 20.1% through the first 10 months of 2024 compared to 2023. As I have for over seven years now, I hope to keep routinely deploying capital in the months and years to come. This should keep propelling those dividends higher in the future.

Discussion:

How was your month for dividend income?

Did you receive any first-time dividends during October 2024 as I did with NVDA?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

October 2024 Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, October 25th, it's expected to reach a high of 62 degrees Fahrenheit later today. If that wasn't enough, it's also going to be sunny throughout the day. For late-October, this is excellent weather for Central Wisconsin. Not surprisingly, that's why I plan on getting outside for at least an hour or two today.

Now that we're in the last week of October, I'm probably done buying stocks for the month. So, that makes today the perfect time to highlight my stock purchases for October 2024.

Stock Purchase #1: Amazon (AMZN)

The first stock purchase that I executed in October was three shares of Amazon at an average cost per share of $184.53. Curious readers can check out my basic investment thesis for AMZN in my October 2024 Stock Watch List post.

Stock Purchase #2: Enterprise Products Partners (EPD)

My second stock purchase completed during the month was 34 units of Enterprise Products Partners at an average price of $29.27 a unit. This boosted my net annual forward distributions by $71.40, which equates to a 7.18% distribution yield.

Readers can peruse my investment thesis for EPD in the October 2024 Stock Watch List post linked above.

Stock Purchase #3: Visa (V)

The next stock purchase that I carried out in October was two shares of Visa at $277.47 apiece. That transaction increased my net annual forward dividends by $4.16, which works out to a 0.75% net dividend yield.

Again, interested readers can find my investment thesis for V in my October 2024 Stock Watch List post.

Bonus Stock Purchase: Enbridge (ENB)

I had some dividend payments that accumulated in my IRA. So, I put those funds to work and purchased two shares of Enbridge at an average cost per share of $40.61. This lifted my net annual forward dividends by $5.36, which is equivalent to a 6.6% dividend yield.

Readers can examine my investment thesis for ENB in my September 2024 Dividend Stock Watch List post.

Concluding Thoughts:

In October, I deployed $2,184.75 in capital. These buys helped my net annual forward dividends jump by $80.92, which is a 3.70% weighted average net dividend yield.

My net annual forward dividends also rose by $34.092 from the 10 dividend increases that I received during the month. This pushed my net annual forward dividends from around $5,040 going into the month to over $5,155 exiting the month.

Discussion:

How was your capital deployment in October 2024?

Did you start any new positions during the month?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!