Expected Dividend Increases for November 2026

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Tuesday, October 20th, 2026. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is poised to reach a high of 68 degrees Fahrenheit with a sunny forecast. Overall, that's not too shabby for this time of year.

With that out of the way, I will be going over the dividend raises that I've received thus far for October 2026. As the remaining announcements occur, I will update this blog post. I'll also turn my attention to the payout boosts that I'm expecting for November 2026. Let's get into it!

Actual Dividend Increases for October 2026

Dividend Increase #1: Accenture plc (ACN)

Accenture plc declared a 4.9% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.71. This came up below my forecast of a 9.8% hike in the quarterly dividend per share to $1.79 in the previous post of this series.

Across my 28 shares of ACN, my net annual forward dividends rose by $8.96 due to this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #2: Agree Realty (ADC)

Agree Realty announced a 1.5% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.2710. That was just under my prediction of a 1.9% bump to $0.2720.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $0.96 across my 20 shares of ADC from this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #3: A.O. Smith (AOS)

A.O. Smith declared a 5.6% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.38. This was in line with my expectations.

Across my 12 shares of AOS, my net annual forward dividends inched $0.96 higher due to this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #4: Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Lockheed Martin announced a 4.3% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $3.60. That was just less than my expectation of a 5.2% raise to $3.63.

My net annual forward dividends edged $2.40 higher across my four shares of LMT from this dividend announcement.

Pending Dividend Increase #1: AbbVie (ABBV)

AbbVie has yet to raise its dividend. Still, I'm sticking with my expectation of ABBV declaring a 5.2% boost in the quarterly dividend per share to $1.82.

Across my 14 shares of ABBV, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $5.04 due to this dividend declaration.

Pending Dividend Increase #2: American Electric Power (AEP)

American Electric Power also hasn't increased its payout yet. However, I still think that it will announce a 2.1% bump in the quarterly dividend per share to $0.97.

My net annual forward dividends would edge $1.20 across my 15 shares of AEP from this dividend announcement.

Pending Distribution Increase #3: Energy Transfer (ET)

Energy Transfer has yet to increase its distribution. I'm still expecting it will declare a 0.7% raise in the quarterly distribution per unit to $0.3425.

Across my 207 units of ET, my net annual forward distributions would inch up by $2.07 due to this dividend declaration.

Pending Distribution Increase #4: MPLX LP (MPLX)

MPLX LP also hasn't upped its distribution yet. However, I'm sticking with my prediction that the MLP will announce a 12% hike in the quarterly distribution per unit to $1.206.

My net annual forward distributions would soar by $36.26 across my 70 units of MPLX from such a distribution announcement.

Pending Dividend Increase #5: Visa (V)

Visa hasn't raised its dividend yet, either. Still, I believe that it will declare a 13.4% boost in the quarterly dividend per share to $0.76.

Across my 12 shares of V, my net annual forward dividends would increase by $4.32 due to this dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increases for November 2026

Expected Dividend Increase #1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

The first dividend hike that I'm anticipating for November 2026 will be from Automatic Data Processing. My best guess is that ADP will announce a 10% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.87.

My net annual forward dividends would jump by $15.64 across my 23 shares of ADP from such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: Main Street Capital (MAIN)

The next dividend raise that I'm expecting for next month will come from Main Street Capital. I believe the BDC will declare a 1.9% increase in the monthly dividend per share to $0.2700.

Across my 30 shares of MAIN, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.80 due to this dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: Merck (MRK)

The third dividend increase that I'm predicting for November 2026 will be from Merck. My guess is that MRK will announce a 4.7% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.89.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $3.04 across my 19 shares of MRK from such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: Royal Gold (RGLD)

The final dividend raise that I'm anticipating for next month will come from Royal Gold. My best guess is that RGLD will declare a 10.5% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.5250.

Across my 12 shares of RGLD, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.40 due to such a dividend declaration.

Concluding Thoughts:

If my remaining dividend raises materialize, my net annual forward dividends will have risen by $62.17 across nine payout boosts in October 2026. This would be like investing $2,072.33 at a 3% net dividend yield.

If my four raises for November 2026 play out as expected, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $22.88. That would require investing $762.67 at a 3% net dividend yield to replicate.

Discussion:

How has your October 2026 been for dividend raises?

Have you received any first-time raises like I did with ACN?

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

November 2026 Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Tuesday, October 13th, 2026. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 67 degrees Fahrenheit later today. This is about what you'd expect for this time of year here. That's nice enough to spend some time outside!

With that aside, I'm going to be looking ahead to the stocks on my watch list for November 2026. Without further ado, let's dig into it!

Stock #1: Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)

Perhaps not surprisingly, Amazon.com, Inc. returns to my watch list once again after its previous feature in the October 2026 Watch List blog post. AMZN has been on my watch list for four straight months now.

For the sake of brevity, I'll refer interested readers to my August Seeking Alpha article and the following excerpt from my previous blog post on the fundamentals:

The gist of the thesis is that AMZN's Q2 2026 earnings report validated the investment thesis. AWS recorded the strongest quarter of growth since Q4 2021. That was when AWS grew revenue by about 40% to an annual run rate of $71 billion. In Q2 2026, the segment's growth accelerated from 28% in Q1 2026 to 37% in Q2 2026 (concluding the second quarter with a $169 billion annual run rate). That was more than double the 17% growth of AWS in Q2 2025 on a much smaller base. This offers the clearest proof that AMZN's outsized capex in recent years is bearing fruit.

AMZN's AI and chips businesses also each surpassed $25 billion annual run rates in Q2 2026 (with triple digit percentage YOY growth rates). Only NVIVIA and Broadcom have bigger businesses.

Just like I noted in the previous post of this series, North America and International net sales growth were also strong. Each segment's net sales grew at mid-teens percentage rates in Q2 2026. That sets up AMZN's OCF per share growth to easily top 25% annually over the next few years.

The company's AA S&P credit rating with a stable outlook also drives home the point that its financial positioning is impeccable.

GNG Research

At the current $262 share price, AMZN's shares are trading at a forward 12-month P/OCF ratio of 12. This is well below the FAST Graphs 10-year average P/OCF ratio of 23.5 and a 33% discount to my $392 fair value per share estimate (a fair value P/OCF ratio of 18). That also represents a 14% discount to the $305 fair value per share of my friends at GNG Research.

Stock #2: Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL)

The next stock on my watch list is Carlisle Companies Incorporated. This makes the list for the first time since May 2026. Interested readers can find my thesis in a September Seeking Alpha article co-produced with Treading Softly.

The crux of the article is that CSL recently entered Dividend King status after extending its dividend growth streak to 50 years with a 13.6% hike in the payout. Driven by stable commercial re-roofing demand and market share gains in energy-efficient building envelopes, CSL delivered strong Q2 2026 record revenue of $1.57 billion and adjusted EPS of $7.03. With long-term re-roofing tailwinds from the early-2000s commercial building boom and a BBB S&P credit rating, it remains well-positioned for double-digit percentage annual adjusted EPS growth.

GNG Research

From the current $324 share price, the stock is priced at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 13.8. This is well below the FAST Graphs 10-year average P/E ratio of 19.5 and a 23% discount to my $422 fair value per share estimate (a fair value multiple of 18). The more conservative estimate from GNG Research pegs the fair value at $362, which would be a 10% discount from current levels.

Stock #3: NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)

NVIDIA Corporation is another stock on my watch list. Last on my August 2026 Stock Watch List blog post, this name is also not a stranger to this blog series. Interested readers can find my rationale in the July 2026 Stock Watch List blog post and this September Seeking Alpha article co-produced with Treading Softly.

The biggest takeaway is that demand is broadening for NVDA. AI Clouds, Industrial, and Enterprise revenue soared 138.5% to $40.3 billion in Q2 2027. That outpaced even the 101.2% growth in hyperscale revenue to $48.7 billion in the fiscal second quarter. This is likely to lead to adjusted diluted EPS growth well into the double-digit percentages annually over the next several years. Combined with an AA S&P credit rating and a stable outlook, NVDA is a fundamentally vigorous company.

GNG Research

At the current $225 share price, shares are trading at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 16.3. That's a fraction of the FAST Graphs 10-year average P/E ratio of 44.3 and the 20-year average P/E ratio of 35.1. From my $415 fair value per share estimate (a fair value multiple of 30), this equates to a 46% discount to fair value. Even with the more conservative GNG Research fair value estimate of $377 a share, that suggests a 40% discount to fair value.

Stocks #4 and 5: Energy Transfer LP (ET) and NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE)

My more income-oriented stocks on my watch list include Energy Transfer LP and NextEra Energy, Inc. For the sake of time, I will link to my investment thesis for ET here and NEE here.

Concluding Thoughts:

That's it for now. Five excellent businesses that I envision adding to in November 2026. Overall, my allocation should keep my yield in the mid- to high-2% range that I usually target with net new capital.

Discussion:

Are any of AMZN, CSL, ET, NEE, or NVDA on your watch list for November 2026?

If not, what stocks are you watching for next month?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

Why Financial Independence Demands Both Defense and Offense

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Tuesday, October 6th, 2026. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is poised to reach a high of 74 degrees Fahrenheit later today. Thus, I plan on spending a bit of time outside.

With that aside, I wanted to shift the focus of the blog a bit this week to the mechanics of wealth building and achieving financial independence (e.g., total passive income that meets or exceeds total expenses).

In the traditional personal finance playbook, we're often told to pick a lane. Play strict defense: Clip coupons, obsess over every penny of expense creep, and hunker down. Or, play pure offense: Hustle harder, chase higher active income, and let compounding take care of the rest.

The problem? In a macroeconomic environment defined by persistent inflation, creeping overhead (e.g., surging healthcare costs, rising groceries, etc.), and systemic friction, playing only one side of the board is a losing strategy. To truly build a bulletproof financial foundation, both elements must be mastered simultaneously.

1. The Fortress (The Defensive Moat)

Defense is about locking down your baseline so that external shocks can't penetrate your perimeter. For individual investors, this means keeping fixed costs lean, eliminating toxic liabilities, and ensuring that basic survival expenses are protected by high savings rates and tangible assets.

This will look at least a little different for everyone, but the goal is to lower your break-even point so drastically that you become unfazed by economic turbulence. The sobering reality, however, is that defense alone is a slow grind. If you only focus on cutting expenses, you'll quickly reach a mathematical floor. You typically can't out-save an aggressively inflating baseline forever.

Take my personal finances for instance. The vast majority of my spending (80%+) comes from housing, groceries, healthcare, and modest transportation/car insurance expenses. Thus, these categories are optimized to a point that's well below my means. This allows me to routinely save and invest over 70% of my net income.

2. The Engine (The Offensive Push)

Of course, a high savings rate is made much easier with a higher income once you have your expenses locked down. This is why offense matters so much.

Wealth acceleration happens here. Offense is about expanding your earning capacity. This could be done through leveraging specialized intellectual capital to scale income, seeking out yield, and turning active skills into scalable revenue streams.

The goal is to push your income velocity as far ahead of the broader economic inflation curve as possible. The reality is that pure offense without a defensive foundation in place leaves you vulnerable to lifestyle creep and systemic shocks.

3. The Synthesis: The FI Playbook

When you combine a locked-down defensive baseline with an aggressive, scaling offensive engine, something powerful happens: Asymmetrical compounding.

Every dollar added to your income widens the gap between your earnings and fixed expenses. When macro costs rise (like my expected 20%+ hike in my catastrophic health insurance plan premium for next year), you don't flinch all that much. You simply adjust your output slightly, leaving the friction far behind where the median consumer gets squeezed.

Concluding Thoughts:

True financial sovereignty is about building an impenetrable fortress while also launching strategic raids from it. If you want to pull away from the pack, stop choosing between defense and offense. Master both, and let the system work against itself.

Discussion:

When building toward financial independence, where do you find yourself leaning more naturally: Locking down your defensive baseline (cutting expenses and optimizing fixed costs) or pushing the offensive engine (scaling active income)?

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

September 2026 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Monday, September 28th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 74 degrees Fahrenheit with a sunny forecast. That's why I'll be spending some time outside later today!

With that out of the way, I'll be quickly outlining my net dividend income for September 2026. Without further ado, let's jump into it!

Net Dividends Approached $800

In September 2026, I received $790.59 in net dividends (including ADR fees for BAM). Sequentially, this grew by 5.3% over the $750.91 in net dividends collected in June 2026.

Compared to the $623.20 in net dividends received in September 2025, that's equivalent to a 26.9% growth rate over the year-ago period.

Within my Robinhood account (formerly Charles Schwab), I collected $435.30 in net dividends from 37 companies. First-time dividend payments from Genpact Limited (G) and Hamilton Lane Incorporated (HLNE) more than offset the timing of NVIDIA Corporation's (NVDA) dividend (payable on Oct. 1)

I also received $170.76 in net dividends from 15 companies in my Robinhood IRA portfolio. The timing of NVDA's dividend reduced my company count by one versus June 2026.

Within my Capital Income Builder (CAIBX) mutual fund in a retirement account from my employer out of college, I collected $105.89 in net dividends.

I also received $57.70 in net dividends from seven companies in my Fidelity solo 401k portfolio.

Finally, I collected $20.94 in net dividends from seven companies within my Webull account.

Concluding Thoughts:

The dividend growth portfolio is chugging along. By God's grace, as I keep saving and investing in the months to come, I think that net dividend growth will remain in the upper-20% range (28.3% YTD) due to compounding.

Discussion:

How was your September 2026 for dividend income?

Did you receive any first-time dividends in the month as I did with G and HLNE?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!