Exciting Career News

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, October 20, 2023, it's currently 56 degrees Fahrenheit and raining here in Central Wisconsin. This is about what you would expect for late-October, but it certainly beats snow!

With that weather update aside, I have some thrilling news regarding my career. As I alluded to a couple of weeks ago about my blogging schedule for the rest of 2023, I'll elaborate on said news in this blog post.

Image Source: iStock

I'm Officially An Analyst At The Dividend Kings

Even preceding the formation of this blog in July 2018, I was and still am keenly interested in the dividend growth investing strategy. There were several individuals who were instrumental in the shaping this as my intended investing strategy since my teens, such as Joshua Kennon (dating back to when Dotdash was About.com) and Jason Fieber.

But ever since I created an account at Seeking Alpha in 2017, the individuals whose work I have followed the most include Brad Thomas and most especially, Dividend Sensei (aka Adam Galas). Reading the work of these guys over the years, my understanding of how to assess a company's quality (e.g., operating fundamentals, balance sheet strength, and risk management) and valuation has grown immensely.

Adam, Brad, and the team of analysts at The Dividend Kings and iREIT on Alpha are hands down among the very best in this business. That's why I'm happy to report that besides ramping up my content production at Seeking Alpha, I have taken a role as an analyst at the former. Each week, I write an article for Dividend Kings that is then eventually published to SA by Dividend Sensei. Here are the links to the first three that I have co-produced for those who are interested: Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and an EPD, MAIN, and PM listicle.

Concluding Thoughts:

For a while now, I have thought about writing for a Marketplace service on SA. Almost two years after initially passing up an offer from DK to continue writing at Motley Fool, things have come full circle. I now am prepared to seize upon this opportunity and am eternally grateful to Dividend Kings for welcoming me aboard.

Discussion:

Which individuals have been most important to your formation as an investor?

Thanks for reading and please leave your comments below!

Expected Dividend Increases for November 2023

As I'm writing this blog post, it is Monday, October 23, 2023. The temperature is currently 54 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin, which isn't bad for this time of year. That's why I plan on getting outside shortly to enjoy the days above freezing while we still have them.

Weather aside, the time of the month makes it a decent time to cover the dividend increases that have come my way so far this month. As of writing, I still expect three raises to come in over the next few days. Thus, I will update this post as necessary. Let's dig into those dividend hikes and look ahead to next month!

Actual Dividend Increases for October 2023

Dividend Increase #1: A.O. Smith (AOS)

A.O. Smith announced a 6.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.32, which was just below my estimate of a raise to $0.33. But I don't mind a conservative raise from AOS.

Across my 12 shares of AOS, my net annual forward dividends grew by $0.96 due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #2: Energy Transfer (ET)

Energy Transfer declared a 0.8% raise in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.3125. That was precisely what I expected.

My net annual forward distributions rose by $0.86 across my 86 units of ET as a result of this distribution declaration.

Dividend Increase #3: Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Lockheed Martin announced a 5% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $3.15, which was less than my forecast of $3.20. However, I will still take the raise!

Across my four shares of LMT, my net annual forward dividends climbed by $2.40 due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: McDonald's (MCD)

McDonald's declared a 9.9% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.67. That's better than the $1.63 that I was expecting, which is why I'm lovin' MCD's dividend.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $1.80 across my three shares of MCD as a result of this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #5: Pinnacle West Capital (PNW)

Pinnacle West Capital announced a 1.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.88, which was what I anticipated.

Across my seven shares of PNW, my net annual forward dividends inched higher by $0.42 due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #6: Tanger Factory Outlet Centers (SKT)

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers declared a 6.1% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.26. That was just below my prediction of $0.265.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $0.66 across my 11 shares as a result of this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #7: AbbVie (ABBV)

AbbVie hasn't yet announced its dividend increase. But since they will be releasing Q3 earnings this Friday (Oct. 27), I would expect the 4.1% raise to $1.54 to go through by that time.

Across my 14 shares of ABBV, my net annual forward dividends would surge $3.36 higher from such an announcement.

UPDATE: ABBV announced a 4.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.55. Across my 14 shares, this lifted my net annual forward dividends by $3.92 due to the announcement.

Dividend Increase #8: Exxon Mobil (XOM)

Exxon Mobil will also be releasing its Q3 earnings on Friday. This is when I anticipate a 4.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.95 will be declared.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.76 across my 11 shares of XOM due to such a dividend declaration.

UPDATE: XOM declared a 4.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.95 as I expected. My net annual forward dividends grew by $1.76 across my 11 shares of XOM as a result of the declaration.

Dividend Increase #9: Visa (V)

Visa will be sharing earnings results for its fiscal Q4 tomorrow. That's when I believe V will announce a 16.7% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.525.

Across my seven shares of V, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.10 from such an announcement.

UPDATE: V announced a 15.6% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.52. Across my seven shares of V, my net annual forward dividends rose by $1.96 due to the announcement.

Dividend Increase #10: American Electric Power (AEP)

I am reiterating my expectation of a 6% boost in the quarterly dividend per share to $0.88 from American Electric Power.

UPDATE: AEP declared a 6% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.88. My net annual forward dividends grew by $3 across my 15 shares of AEP as a result of the declaration.

Dividend Freeze: Crown Castle International (CCI)

Crown Castle International kept its quarterly dividend per share in line at $1.565. Considering the higher churn that the company is dealing with stemming from the T-Mobile and Sprint merger, this is okay with me. Management is committed to keeping the dividend the same in 2024 and expects growth to resume in 2025 and beyond.

Expected Dividend Increases for November 2023

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

The first dividend hike that I'm expecting will come from Automatic Data Processing (ADP). My best guess is that ADP will declare a 10.4% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.38.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $3.64 if this prediction plays out across my seven shares of ADP due to such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: Aflac (AFL)

The third dividend increase that I'm predicting for next month will come from Aflac. I believe AFL will declare a 4.8% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.44.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.88 across my 11 shares of AFL due to such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: Main Street Capital (MAIN)

The next dividend raise that I expect in November is from Main Street Capital. My best guess is that MAIN will announce a 2.1% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.24.

Across my 30 shares of MAIN, my net annual forward dividends would surge higher by $1.80 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: Merck (MRK)

The fifth dividend bump that I'm predicting for next month will come from Merck. I believe that MRK will declare a 5.5% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.77.

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

Expected Dividend Increase #5: Simon Property Group (SPG)

The final dividend raise that I expect in November is from Simon Property Group. My guess is that SPG will announce a 2.6% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.95.

Across my nine shares of SPG, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.80 from such an announcement.

Concluding Thoughts:

I received $17.74 in dividend increases from 10 companies in October. That would be like investing $591.33 in fresh capital at a 3% dividend yield.

In November, I expect to get a $9.88 boost in net annual forward dividends from raises. This is equivalent to investing $329.33 at a 3% yield.

Discussion:

How was your October for dividend declarations?

Did you receive any first-time raises during the month?

As usual, I appreciate your readership and look forward to your comments below!

An Update To The Blog's Posting Schedule

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, October 13, it is just 46 degrees Fahrenheit and raining here in Central Wisconsin. Damp and cold weather is an excellent indication that fall is here and winter isn't far behind.

With that aside, I wanted to update readers on a change to my writing schedule for this blog for at least the foreseeable future.

I Am Pausing The Monthly Stock Watch List Blog Post (For Now)

Readers familiar with this blog may be aware of my monthly stock watch list blog posts. These are where are highlight three stocks that are on my watch list for each month. I didn't highlight any stocks that were on my watch list for October 2023 for the following reasons:

1) My recent job loss prompted me to strive to boost my emergency fund from three months to around six months by the end of this year. Thus, I likely won't be investing enough capital to justify writing these blogs until early next year.

2) My schedule is also a bit busier as I adjust to my new role (more on that to come in a later blog post).

All Other Blog Posts Will Continue

Since I won't be writing my monthly stock watch list blog posts again until probably January 2024, there will be one or two weeks each month where I probably won't write anything. That will all just depend on whether there are four or five Tuesdays in a given month.

The good news is that I will continue my monthly dividend income, dividend stock purchases (to a lesser extent due to little available capital), and dividend increases/expected dividend increases series indefinitely.

Concluding Thoughts:

So, that's what the plan is for the remainder of the year. I just want to thank everyone for their readership and support over the years. I look forward to continuing to blog on an almost as frequent basis for the rest of this year before likely returning to the same schedule at the start of next year.

Discussion:

Please feel free to leave any thoughts you may have in the comments section below!

September 2023 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, October 6, it is currently 52 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin. The foreseeable future is going to be stuck in the 50 degrees Fahrenheit range, which makes it a bit less pleasurable to be outside. But it's still doable.

With that aside, the month of September is about a week in the books. That makes now a good time to look at my dividend income for the month.

During September 2023, I received $434.85 in net dividends. Against the $421.41 in net dividends that I collected in June 2023, this equates to a 3.2% quarterly growth rate.

Compared to the $343.64 in net dividends that I received in September 2022, this works out to a 26.5% year-over-year growth rate.

Sparing the painstaking details of every component that led my dividend income higher, I will simply go over an overview of each of my accounts moving forward with this series.

I collected $337.10 in net dividends from 47 companies in my Robinhood account. This was including a the relatively routine special dividend that is paid by Main Street Capital in the end month of each quarter. The oddity of the month within this portfolio was the $3.96 special distribution paid by Magellan Midstream Partners in relation to its deal with ONEOK (OKE) as I explained in my previous blog post. Otherwise, the biggest contributor to my increased dividend income was my purchase of 30 shares of Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) in August.

Next, I received $81.36 in net dividends from my Capital Income Builder (CAIBX) mutual fund within my retirement portfolio from a previous employer. This was slightly more due to my higher share count from dividend reinvestment.

I also collected $15.88 in net dividends from six companies in my Webull account. This was slightly higher due to the dividend hike from UnitedHealth Group (UNH) announced in June.

Finally, I received $0.51 in net dividends from 23 companies within my M1 Finance portfolio. The timing of PepsiCo's (PEP) dividend more than offset the extra $0.01 from Hershey (HSY) from its dividend raise declared back in July.

Concluding Thoughts:

Another month has concluded and the dividend portfolio is steadily growing. Since my capital deployment will be minimal for the foreseeable future as I build up my emergency fund, dividend reinvestment and dividend raises are going to have to carry me for at least the rest of this year.

Discussion:

How was your dividend income during September 2023?

Did you receive any first-time dividends last month as I did with BAM?

Thanks for your readership and please feel free to comment below!

September 2023 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, September 29, the weather has warmed up again here in Central Wisconsin. Today is supposed to reach a high temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit and the weekend is going to reach into the low- to mid-80 degrees Fahrenheit range. This will probably be one of the last beautiful weekends before the temperatures get frigid and the outdoors isn't so enjoyable for six months. That's why I'm definitely going to get outside for at least a few hours this weekend!

Since the month of September is basically over, now is a good time to go over the dividend stock purchases for the month. Given that I recently lost my position at The Motley Fool and I would like to build up my emergency fund, I didn't deploy any of my own capital this month. Let's dig in.

Starting with my retirement account, I reinvested $81.36 in dividends from my Capital Income Builder (CAIBX) mutual fund. This increased my position by 1.29 shares at an average cost per share of $63.07. The resulting $2.75 lift in my net annual forward dividends equates to a 3.38% net dividend yield.

Thanks to the recent action that ONEOK (OKE) took to buy all units of Magellan Midstream Partners (MMP) in an $18.8 billion deal, my direct position in MMP is no more. My 16 units of MMP were exchanged for 10.672 shares of the new OKE and $403.96 in cash from OKE's $25 per unit cash payment and MMP's special distribution per unit of $0.2474. I took the proceeds from this deal and redeployed them into another 6.328 shares of new OKE at an average cost per share of $63.64. These actions boosted my net annual forward dividends by $64.94.

I lost $67.04 in net annual forward distributions from the closing of my position in MMP, so this corporate action lowered my net annual forward dividends by $2.10. But the new OKE is going to be an absolute force to be reckoned with in many ways, so I view this as an overall positive.

Concluding Thoughts:

My net annual forward dividends edged $0.65 higher from dividend stock purchases and the like during the month of September.

Fortunately, my portfolio worked harder than I did to make me richer for the month. Due to the $16.906 in dividend increases that I received during the month, my net annual forward dividends climbed from just shy of $4,210 to start September to nearly $4,230 heading into October.

Discussion:

How was your capital deployment in September 2023?

Did you start any new positions during the month?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!