February 2025 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Monday, March 10th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 68 degrees Fahrenheit today. Unfortunately, I have been mostly unable to enjoy this nice weather as I have had a bacterial sinus infection for the last week and counting. The good news is that I believe my 10-day course of antibiotics (began on March 8th) will soon get me on the road to recovery.

Now that the month of February 2025 is complete, I figure it's a good time to briefly look back on my net dividend income for the month.

Net Dividends Surpassed $500 For The Month

In February 2025, I collected $516.48 in net dividends (including ADR fees for British American Tobacco). That works out to a 15% quarterly growth rate versus the $449.18 in net dividends that I received in November 2024.

My net dividends collected in February were also 46.8% higher versus the $351.91 in net dividends posted in February 2024.

In my Charles Schwab portfolio, I received $486.46 in net dividends from 24 companies. Sales of CVS Health (CVS), Texas Instruments (TXN), and STAG Industrial (STAG) in previous months were more than offset by purchases of more Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) and Energy Transfer (ET).

Moving to my Webull account, I collected $15.75 in net dividends from three companies.

Lastly, I received $14.27 in net dividends from three companies in my Fidelity IRA portfolio. The sale of Starbucks (SBUX) stock in January reduced this amount.

Concluding Thoughts:

That's all for now. Overall, I was pleased to make more progress in building up the dividend growth portfolio during the month. Have a safe, healthy, and joyous rest of your week!

Discussion:

How was your dividend income in February 2025?

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

Thanks for reading and I welcome your comments below!

February 2025 Stock Purchases/Sale

As I'm writing this blog post, it's February 28th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is expected to reach a high of 51 degrees Fahrenheit for today. Needless to say, that's quite pleasant for this time of the year.

Now that February 2025 is coming to a close, I'll go over the stock purchases that I made during the month with fresh capital. I will also go over a stock sale and the stocks into which I redeployed the capital proceeds.

Stock Purchase #1: Amazon (AMZN)

The first stock that I bought in the month was another three shares of Amazon at an average price per share of $241.74. Curious readers can check out my investment thesis in my February 2025 Stock Watch List blog post.

Stock Purchase #2: British American Tobacco (BTI)

The next stock that I purchased in February 2025 was 11 shares of British American Tobacco at an average cost of $40.13 a share. Interested readers can also pore over my February 2025 Stock Watch List blog post for my investment thesis. This transaction lifted my net annual forward dividends by $32.45, which equates to a 7.35% net dividend yield.

Stock Purchase #3: PepsiCo (PEP)

The third stock that I bought during the month was three shares of PepsiCo at an average price per share of $143.03. For my investment thesis, readers can peruse my February 2025 Stock Watch List blog post or my December Seeking Alpha article. The purchase raised my net annual forward dividends by $16.26, which works out to a 3.79% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Sale: Iron Mountain (IRM)

I closed my 21 share position in Iron Mountain (IRM) at an average price per share of $103.88. To be clear, I think IRM's fundamentals are fairly solid. However, the valuation seemed elevated to me when I sold the stock. At the time of my sale, this reduced my net annual forward dividends by $60.06.

Dividend Stock Purchases: Alphabet (GOOGL) and VICI Properties (VICI)

I purchased six shares of Alphabet (GOOGL) at an average cost of $190.78 a share. Curious readers can read my January 2025 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post for my rationale. This added $4.80 to my net annual forward dividends, which is equivalent to a 0.42% net dividend yield.

I also added 38 shares of VICI Properties (VICI) at an average price per share of $29.91. Interested readers can check out my investment thesis in my June 2024 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. This transaction boosted my net annual forward dividends by $65.74, which equates to a 5.78% net dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

I deployed $1,595.70 in capital to fresh capital purchases in February 2025. Compared to the $48.71 in net annual forward dividends that I added from these transactions, this works out to a 3.05% net dividend yield. Capital redeployment also lifted my net annual forward dividends by $10.48.

Finally, my net annual forward dividends rose by $33.702 from February 2025 Dividend Increases. These elements resulted in my net annual forward dividends rising from roughly $5,600 at the start of the month to approximately $5,690 to close out the month.

Discussion:

How was your capital deployment in February 2025?

Did you open any new positions for the month?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

Expected Dividend Increases For March 2025

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, February 21st, it's going to reach a high of 25 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin. That's about what you'd expect for this time of the year. What makes it all the better is that we're on a warming trend and the high this weekend could reach 40 degrees.

Now that there's just a week remaining in the month, I'll go over the dividend raises that I've received thus far in February 2025. As the remaining raises that I'm expecting are announced in the coming days, I will also update this blog post accordingly. I'll also go over the dividend hikes that I'm predicting for March 2025.

Actual Dividend Increases for February 2025

Dividend Increase #1: Brookfield Asset Management (BAM)

Brookfield Asset Management announced a 15.1% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.4375. This was better than the 13.2% boost to $0.43 that I predicted in the previous post of this series.

Across my 30 shares of BAM, my net annual forward dividends soared by $6.90 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #2: Genuine Parts Company (GPC)

Genuine Parts Company upped its quarterly dividend per share by 3% to $1.03. My net annual forward dividends grew by $0.72 across my six shares of GPC.

Dividend Increase #3: Coca-Cola (KO)

Coca-Cola upped its quarterly dividend per share by 5.2% to $0.51. Across my 10 shares, my net annual forward dividends grew by $1.00.

Dividend Increase #4: Meta Platforms (META)

Meta Platforms declared a 5% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.525 - - this came a few weeks earlier than I expected. Overall, I was leaning more toward a 10% raise in the payout. However, I can't argue with META's conservatism with its raise. The company boasts superb returns on capital, so I'm completely fine with modest raises for the foreseeable future.

My net annual forward dividends rose by $0.50 across my five shares of META from this declaration.

Dividend Increase #5: NextEra Energy (NEE)

NextEra Energy announced a 10% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.5665. This was just above the 9.7% increase to $0.565 that I anticipated.

Across my 18 shares of NEE, my net annual forward dividends rose by $3.708 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #6: Realty Income (O)

Realty Income upped its monthly dividend per share by 1.5% to $0.2680. That boosted my net annual forward dividends by $5.424 across my 13 shares of O.

Dividend Increase #7: PepsiCo (PEP)

PepsiCo declared a 5% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.4225. That came in a bit below my expectation of a 6.3% raise in the quarterly dividend per share to $1.44. A company doesn't become and stay a Dividend King by overextending itself with unsustainable dividend raises. So, I appreciate the more cautious raise from PEP in what will likely be a 2025 with more modest growth.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $4.59 across my 17 shares of PEP from this declaration.

Dividend Increase #8: Prudential Financial (PRU)

Prudential Financial announced a 3.8% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.35. This was slightly less than the 4.6% increase to $1.36 that I predicted.

Across my 10 shares of PRU, my net annual forward dividends increased by $2.00 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #9: Rexford Industrial (REXR)

Rexford Industrial declared a 3% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.43.

My net annual forward dividends were lifted by $1.50 from this declaration across my 30 shares of REXR from this declaration.

Dividend Increase #10: T. Rowe Price Group (TROW)

T. Rowe Price Group announced a 2.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.27.

Across my six shares of TROW, my net annual forward dividends rose by $0.72 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #11: Tractor Supply (TSCO)

Tractor Supply declared a 4.5% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.23. This was less than the 9.1% increase to $0.24 that I anticipated.

My net annual forward dividends increased by $1.00 across my 25 shares of TSCO from this declaration.

Dividend Increase #12: United Parcel Service (UPS)

United Parcel Service announced a 0.6% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.64.

Across my five shares of UPS, my net annual forward dividends edged $0.20 higher due to this announcement.

Pending Dividend Increase #1: Allstate (ALL)

Allstate has yet to declare a dividend hike. However, I'm sticking with my forecast of a 5.4% raise in the quarterly dividend per share to $0.97.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.00 across my five shares of ALL from such a declaration.

UPDATE: ALL upped its quarterly dividend per share by 8.7% to $1.00. My net annual forward dividends rose by $1.60 across my five shares of ALL from this declaration.

Pending Dividend Increase #2: The Home Depot (HD)

The Home Depot also has yet to announce a dividend boost. I still believe that HD will up the quarterly dividend per share by 7.6% to $2.42.

Across my five shares of HD, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $3.40 due to such an announcement.

UPDATE: HD announced a 2.2% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $2.30. Across my five shares, this increased my net annual forward dividends by $1.00.

Pending Dividend Increase #3: L3Harris Technologies (LHX)

L3Harris Technologies hasn't yet declared a dividend raise. I continue to think that LHX will increase the quarterly dividend per share by 7.8% to $1.25.

My net annual forward dividends would edge $1.44 higher across my four shares of LHX from such a declaration.

UPDATE: LHX increased its quarterly dividend per share by 3.4% to $1.20. My net annual forward dividends grew by $0.64 due to this dividend declaration.

Bonus Dividend Increase: TJX Companies (TJX)

TJX announced a 13.3% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.42. This was earlier than I expected and ahead of my expectations of a 9.3% increase to $0.41.

Across my 11 shares of TJX, my net annual forward dividends grew by $2.20 from this announcement.

Expected Dividend Increases for March 2025

Expected Dividend Increase #1: General Dynamics (GD)

The first dividend raise that I'm expecting for next month will come from General Dynamics. I believe that GD will announce a 6.3% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.51.

Across my six shares of GD, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.16 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: Realty Income (O)

The next dividend increase that I'm predicting for March will be from Realty Income. My best guess is that O will declare a 0.2% increase in the monthly dividend per share to $0.2685.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.678 across my 113 shares due to such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: Williams-Sonoma (WSM)

The third and final dividend raise that I'm expecting for March will be from Williams-Sonoma. I believe WSM will declare an 8.8% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.62.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.00 across my 10 shares of WSM due to such a declaration.

Concluding Thoughts:

The 16 dividend raises that I have received thus far in February 2025 have boosted my net annual forward dividends by $33.702. That's like investing $1,123.40 at a 3% net dividend yield.

If the four raises that I'm projecting in March materialize, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $4.838. This would equate to investing $161.27 of fresh capital at a 3% dividend yield.

Discussion:

How was your February 2025 for dividend raises?

Did you receive any first-time raises as I did with REXR?

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

March 2025 Dividend Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post on February 15th, the high temperature is set to reach 23 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin. For this time of year, that's not too shabby.

Now that the month of February is just a couple of weeks away from ending, I'm going to take a moment to go over the dividend stocks at the top of my watch list for March 2025. Without further ado, let's jump into it!

Stock #1: Alphabet (GOOGL)

First up on my watch list for March 2025 is Alphabet. In the three months or so, I have added to GOOGL on four separate occasions. Interested readers can check out my investment thesis on GOOGL in my January 2025 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post.

GOOGL continues to have a clear path to annual earnings growth in the teens. The company's balance sheet is immaculate and it enjoys an AA+ credit rating from S&P on a stable outlook. The dividend obligation is very low versus free cash flow. That gives plenty of room for GOOGL to hand out big dividend hikes for many years (off a modest 0.4% dividend yield). The current $185 share price (as of February 15th, 2025) works out to a forward P/E ratio of just above 20x, which is well below the historical multiple of 25x.

Stock #2: Realty Income (O)

The next stock on my watch list in none other than Realty Income. Having added to my stake three times in as many months, the Dividend Aristocrat and unofficial Dividend King has been another stock I've been busy buying up lately. Curious readers can peruse my investment thesis on O in my August 2024 Dividend Growth Stock Watch List blog post.

Seven months later, my reasons for wanting to buy more O are basically the same. The company can realistically keep generating mid-single-digit annual AFFO per share growth. O is also one of few REITs that boasts an A-rated balance sheet. The nearly 6% dividend yield remains well-covered by AFFO. The icing on the cake is that O's shares are trading at a forward P/AFFO ratio of less than 13x from the current $54 share price (as of February 15th, 2025). That's considerably lower than the historical multiple of approximately 18x.

Stock #3: UnitedHealth Group (UNH)

Last but not least on my watch list is UnitedHealth Group. This is a stock that I haven't added to since April 2024.

Overall, I still think UNH has double-digit annual earnings growth potential. The company also sports an A+ credit rating from S&P on a stable outlook. The dividend is easily covered by earnings and free cash flow, which should provide a lengthy runway for continued double-digit annual dividend growth. UNH is trading at a forward P/E ratio of slightly above 17x from the current $523 share price (as of February 15th, 2025), which is under its historical multiple of 20x.

Concluding Thoughts:

That's it for now. I believe GOOGL and UNH do a great job of mixing value with moderate to superb growth prospects. O's growth is lesser but it could provide solid upside over the next few years via significant valuation multiple expansion. Overall, I plan on allocating just over 60% of my capital to GOOGL and UNH and the remaining ~40% of my capital to O. This would provide immediate income approaching a 3% yield, with robust earnings growth potential, A-rated balance sheets, and all at double-digit discounts to my fair value estimates.

Discussion:

Are any of GOOGL, O, or UNH on your watch list for next month?

If not, what are you watching for March 2025?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

January 2025 Stock Purchases/Sales

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Saturday, February 8th. The temperature is expected to reach a high of 24 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin today. But for the six to 10 inches of cumulative snowfall expected in the coming hours, the weather would be ideal for this time of year.

Now that January has concluded, I'll be taking a few moments to outline the dividend stock purchases that I made in January 2025 with fresh capital. I'll also go over my sales for the month and the stocks into which I redeployed the capital proceeds.

Stock Purchase #1: Amazon (AMZN)

The first stock that I purchased with fresh capital in January 2025 was three more shares of Amazon at an average of $228.00 a share. Interested readers can either peruse my November Seeking Alpha article or my December 2024 Stock Watch List blog post for my investment thesis.

Stock Purchase #2:  British American Tobacco (BTI)

The next stock that I purchased with fresh capital for the month was 24 shares of British American Tobacco at an average price per share of $37.05. Curious readers can find my investment thesis in my February 2025 Stock Watch List blog post. This transaction lifted my net annual forward dividends by $70.80, which equates to a 7.96% net dividend yield.

Stock Purchase #3: Alphabet (GOOGL)

The third stock that I purchased with fresh capital in January 2025 was four shares of Alphabet at $197.05 apiece. Readers can check out my investment thesis in my January 2025 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. This transaction increased my net annual forward dividends by $3.20, which works out to a 0.41% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Sales: CVS Health (CVS), Exxon Mobil (XOM), Shell plc (SHEL), BP plc (BP), Williams-Sonoma (WSM), STAG Industrial (STAG), Kimberly Clark (KMB), and Starbucks (SBUX)

My first stock sale was 15 shares of CVS Health at $46.03 each. Challenges to the business model and the frozen dividend led me to close my position in CVS.

In my next series of moves, I sold out of my 11 share position in Exxon Mobil (XOM) at $106.69 apiece, my nine share position of Shell plc (SHEL) at $64.56 a share, and my 11 share position in BP plc (BP) at $31.11 each. These sales were made to transition my portfolio away from more cyclical positions.

The next set of moves I made was to sell 10 shares out of my 20 shares of Williams-Sonoma (WSM) at $198.60 apiece, closing my 21 share position in STAG Industrial (STAG) at $34.01 a share, and exiting my four share position in Kimberly Clark (KMB) at $125.98 each. I like WSM as a company, but view the stock's valuation as being quite elevated right now. For STAG and KMB, I have been displeased by the meager dividend growth in recent years.

My final sale of the month was closing my 23 share position in Starbucks (SBUX) at an average of $109.09 a share. I think that SBUX can execute a turnaround. However, the stock is already priced as if that has happened. Thus, I saw this as a good chance to exit with a nice profit.

These transactions resulted in a $258.87 decrease in my portfolio's net annual forward dividends.

Stock Purchases: Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), Nvidia (NVDA), Realty Income (O), and More Amazon (AMZN)

I added another 67 units of Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) at an average price per unit of $32.27. For interested readers, my buying rationale is pretty much the same as it was in my October 2024 Stock Watch List blog post.

I also purchased another 10 shares of Nvidia (NVDA) at an average cost of $136.76 a share. Curious readers can find the gist of my investment thesis in my January 2025 Stock Watch List blog post linked earlier.

I boosted my position in Realty Income (O) by 50 shares at an average price per share of $53.87. The basics of my investment thesis can be found in my August 2024 Dividend Growth Stock Watch List blog post.

I purchased another nine shares of Amazon (AMZN) at an average cost of $230.89 a share.

Concluding Thoughts:

I deployed $2,361.40 in fresh capital in January 2025. Against the $74.00 in net dividends added from these transactions, that is equivalent to a 3.13% net dividend yield. Capital redeployment boosted my net annual forward dividends by $40.63 during the month.

My net annual forward dividends were also lifted by $21.41 from January 2025 Dividend Increases. These variables led my net annual forward dividends to rise from over $5,455 to begin January 2025 to nearly $5,600 heading into February 2025.

Discussion:

How was your capital deployment in January 2025?

Did you add any new stocks during the month?

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

January 2025 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post on February 1st, the temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 25 degrees Fahrenheit. For this time of year, that's certainly not shabby.

Now that January 2025 is complete, I'll go over my dividend income for the month. Without further ado, let's get into it!

Total Net Dividends Were Just Short Of $270

During January 2025, I collected $268.05 in net dividends (including GSK ADR fees). This works out to a 1.3% quarterly growth rate compared to the $264.70 in net dividends received in October 2024. Adjusting for net dividends lost from the sales of Albemarle (ALB) and Cisco Systems (CSCO) last November and the sales of Crown Castle (CCI) and Innovative Industrial Properties (IIPR) last December, my net dividends would have grown by 13.4%.

Against the $265.76 in net dividends that I collected in January 2024, this would be a 0.9% year-over-year growth rate. Backing out other stock sales in the last year, this also would have grown by double digits.

I received $226.34 in net dividends from 21 companies in my Charles Schwab account. The aforementioned sales in this account contributed to a slight decrease in net dividends.

I also collected $31.74 in net dividends from five companies within my Fidelity portfolio. This higher net dividend income was largely due to the timing of PepsiCo's (PEP) dividend payment.

I received $9.97 in net dividends from three companies in my Webull account. This decrease in net dividends was the result of the sale of ALB in the account.

Concluding Thoughts:

In the last year, I've continued to make changes to improve my portfolio. As time goes by, I believe I will be vindicated by these moves. Overall, I'm looking forward to continuing to deploy capital to world-class dividend growth stocks.

Discussion:

How was your January 2025 dividend income?

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

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

Expected Dividend Increases for February 2025

As I'm writing this blog post on Saturday, January 25th, the high temperature is expected to reach 31 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin. I'll gladly take that temperature for this time of the year.

Now that the month is almost over, it's a great time to look at the dividend raises that I have received thus far. I'll also update the dividend boosts that I haven't yet received as they are announced and preview the dividend hikes that I'm anticipating for February 2025.

Actual Dividend Increases for January 2025

Dividend Increase #1: Air Products & Chemicals (APD)

Air Products & Chemicals announced a 1.1% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.79. That came in below my expectations outlined in this series' previous blog post of a 4.5% raise in the quarterly dividend per share to $1.85. However, I'm fine with a muted dividend raise as APD invests heavily in its capex because I'm confident the company can keep earning high returns on capital employed.

Across my five shares, my net annual forward dividends rose by $0.40 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #2: Enterprise Products Partners (EPD)

Enterprise Products Partners declared a 1.9% bump in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.535. This was less than my expectation of a 2.9% raise in the quarterly distribution per unit to $0.54. Overall, I'm still happy with this raise. We'll also see how the raise anticipated for this summer plays out.

My net annual forward distributions rose by $8.00 across my 200 units of EPD from this declaration.

Dividend Increase #3: Alliant Energy (LNT)

Alliant Energy announced a 5.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.5075. That came in a bit less than the 6.3% raise to $0.51.

Across my 13 shares of LNT, my net annual forward dividends rose by $1.43 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: WEC Energy Group (WEC)

As was conveyed in December, WEC Energy Group made its 6.9% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.8925 official this month with its declaration.

My net annual forward dividends surged $5.75 across my 23 shares of WEC from this declaration.

Pending Dividend Increase #1: BlackRock (BLK)

BlackRock has yet to announce its dividend increase. However, I'm standing by my prediction of a 5.9% raise in the quarterly dividend per share to $5.40.

Across my two shares of BLK, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.40 due to such an announcement.

UPDATE: BLK increased its quarterly dividend per share by 2.1% to $5.21. Across my two shares, my net annual forward dividends increased by $0.88 due to this announcement.

Pending Dividend Increase #2: Comcast (CMCSA)

Comcast also hasn't declared its dividend raise yet. I'll also be reiterating my projection of a 6.5% boost in the quarterly dividend per share to $0.33.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $3.12 across my 39 shares of CMCSA from such a declaration.

UPDATE: As expected, CMCSA increased its quarterly dividend per share by 6.5% to $0.33. As a result, my net annual forward dividends grew by $3.12 across my 39 shares of CMCSA.

Pending Dividend Increase #3: Energy Transfer (ET)

Energy Transfer has yet to announce an increase to its distribution. I remain convinced that the partnership will up the quarterly distribution per unit by 0.8% to $0.325.

Across my 183 units of ET, my net annual forward dividends would increase by $1.83 due to such an announcement.

UPDATE: As anticipated, ET upped its quarterly distribution per unit by 0.8% to $0.325. Across my 183 units of ET, my net annual forward distributions increased by $1.83.

Expected Dividend Increases for February 2025

Expected Dividend Increase #1: The Allstate Corporation (ALL)

The first dividend raise I'm expecting for next month will be from Allstate. My guess is that ALL will announce a 5.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.97.

Across my five shares of ALL, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.00 due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: Brookfield Asset Management (BAM)

The next raise that I'm predicting in February will come from Brookfield Asset Management. I believe that BAM will declare a 13.2% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.43.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $6.00 across my 30 shares of BAM from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: The Home Depot (HD)

The third dividend boost that I'm projecting for next month will be from The Home Depot. My best guess is that HD will announce a 7.6% lift in its quarterly dividend per share to $2.42. 

Across my five shares of HD, my net annual forward dividends would climb by $3.40 due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: L3Harris Technologies (LHX)

The next raise that I'm expecting in February will come from L3Harris Technologies. My guess is that LHX will declare a 7.8% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.25.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.44 across my four shares of LHX from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #5: NextEra Energy (NEE)

The fifth dividend hike that I'm predicting for next month will be from NextEra Energy. I believe that NEE will announce a 9.7% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.565.

Across my 18 shares of NEE, my net annual forward dividends would surge by $3.60 due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #6: PepsiCo (PEP)

The next dividend raise that I'm projecting in February will come from PepsiCo. My best guess is that PEP will declare a 6.3% lift in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.44.

My net annual forward dividends would be boosted by $5.78 across my 17 shares of PEP from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #7: Prudential Financial (PRU)

The seventh dividend increase that I'm expecting for next month will be from Prudential Financial. My guess is that PRU will break from the usual $0.05 raises and announce a 4.6% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.36 (a $0.06 raise).

Across my 10 shares of PRU, my net annual forward dividends would be lifted by $2.40 due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #8: Tractor Supply (TSCO)

The final dividend hike that I'm predicting in February will come from Tractor Supply. I believe that TSCO will declare a 9.1% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.24.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.00 across my 25 shares of TSCO from such a declaration.

Concluding Thoughts:

The seven dividend raises that I received in January 2025 have lifted my net annual forward dividends by $21.41. That's equivalent to investing $713.67 at a 3% net dividend yield.

If the eight dividend raises that I'm expecting in February play out as expected, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $25.62. That would be like investing $854.00 in fresh capital at a 3% dividend yield.

Discussion:

How was your January 2025 for dividend boosts?

Did you benefit from any first-time payout raises during the month?

Thanks for reading and I welcome your comments below!

February 2025 Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, January 17th, it's going to reach a high of 40 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin later today. For this time of year, that's a definite heat wave. I'll gladly take it, too!

Now that there are just two weeks left in January, I'm going to take a moment to look ahead to the stocks on my watch list for February 2025.

Stock #1: Amazon (AMZN)

The first stock on my watch list for next month is once again Amazon. This has been a pick that I've been adding to just about every month lately. Interested readers can find my buying rationale in my December 2024 Stock Watch List blog post and my Seeking Alpha article from last November.

AMZN continues to have undeniable catalysts in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital advertising. The net cash and marketable securities position continues to grow. Best of all, shares look to be substantially discounted from the current $226 share price (as of January 17th, 2025).

Stock #2: British American Tobacco (BTI)

Next up on my watch list for February is British American Tobacco. My investment thesis is essentially unchanged from my December 2024 Stock Purchases blog post.

BTI's 8.1% yield is effortlessly covered by profits and free cash flow. The company looks poised to generate mid- single-digit annual EPS growth in the years ahead. Finally, the forward P/E remains below eight. Thus, why I'm interested in buying more BTI at the current $36 share price (as of January 17th, 2025).

Stock #3: PepsiCo (PEP)

The third stock on my watch list for next month is PepsiCo. Curious readers can check out my investment thesis in my November 2024 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post and December Seeking Alpha article.

The higher for longer rate environment and concerns about GLP-1 weight loss drugs have pressured PEP's stock in recent months. Yet, the company's annual core EPS growth looks to be holding around 6% or 7% for now. PEP also boasts an A-rated balance sheet. Along with a well-covered 3.7% dividend yield, I believe the stock should deliver double-digit annual total returns from the current $148 share price (as of January 17th, 2025).

Concluding Thoughts:

That's it for now. My plan is to allocate about 45% of my capital to AMZN and split the remaining 55% between BTI and PEP. In my view, this is an excellent mix of growth at a cheap valuation in AMZN and sustainable and growing income on sale in BTI and PEP.

Discussion:

Are any of AMZN, BTI, or PEP on your watch list for February 2025?

If not, what are you keeping on your radar for next month?

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

My Financial And Personal Goals For 2025

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Friday, January 10th, 2025. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is going to reach a high of 24 degrees Fahrenheit later today. For this time of year, I'll take it!

Now that we're into the new year, it would be a good time to briefly highlight my financial and personal goals for 2025.

My Financial Goals For 2025

1. Generate At Least 25% Growth In Net Dividends Collected

I believe that a realistic goal for 2025 is for 25% growth in net dividends collected. This is because for the last few months of 2023 and the first few months of 2024, I didn't invest any capital. I made up for it in later months, but that cost me some dividends. As I outlined in last week's blog post, this helped my net dividends received in 2024 rise by 22% to a new all-time high.

2. Grow Net Annual Forward Dividends By 25%

My second goal is similar to my first goal. I'm aiming for 25% growth in my net annual forward dividends from the start of 2025 to the end of it. If I can continue to compound my net annual forward dividends by around this rate, I could reach financial independence at around age 35 or 36 (adjusting for a 3.5% annual inflation rate).

Personal Goals For 2025

1. Bike 40 Miles A Week

As I indicated in my prior blog post, I have shifted my focus to the stationary bike. Overall, I find it more enjoyable than a treadmill. Thus, I'm going to stick with it. That's why my goal is to bike right around 40 miles a week (10 miles a day, four days a week).

2. Lift Weights Four Times A Week

As far as strength training is concerned, my goal is to stick with doing it four times a week. I'll gradually move up and would like to end the year doing three sets of 12 reps of various motions with 20 lb dumb bells.

3. Publish A Blog Post Each Week

As there were 53 Tuesdays in 2024, I published a blog each week. For 2025, I plan on keeping this same pace. It's a nice balance for me to document my journey for myself and for any interested readers.

Concluding Thoughts:

That's all for now. I have my goals set for the year. Now, it's time to work on achieving them and enjoying the journey along the way!

Discussion:

What are your goals for 2025?

Do you anticipate that any of your goals will be more difficult to achieve versus others?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

Review of 2024 Goals

As I'm writing this blog post, 2024 has recently concluded. The weather here in Central Wisconsin isn't bad for this time of the year, either. The high is expected to reach a balmy 26 degrees Fahrenheit today, January 1st.

Now that we have entered a new calendar year, it would be a good time to look at how I fared in achieving my goals in 2024. Without further ado, let's dig into it!

Financial Goals for 2024

1. Generate at least 20% growth in net dividends collected - Pass

In 2024, I received $4,781.80 in net dividends across my accounts. That equates to a 22% growth rate versus the amount collected in 2023. Thus, I narrowly surpassed this goal. Dividend raises and my allocation of nearly $24,000 in fresh capital contributed to this uptick in my net dividend income.

2. Grow net annual forward dividends by 20% by the end of the year - Pass

Heading into 2025, my net annual forward dividends are right around $5,455. That's good enough for a 26.5% growth rate versus the $4,315 in net annual forward dividends heading into 2024. As a result, I exceeded this goal.

Why the disconnect between net dividends collected and net annual forward dividends? I didn't put capital to work in the last few months of 2023 and the first few months of 2024. This limited the growth in my net dividends received to start 2024.

Personal Goals for 2024

1. Jog at Least 10 Miles a Week - Mostly Pass

Throughout 2024, I met my goal of jogging 10 miles a week all but a handful of weeks. For the most part, my failure to fully meet this goal was because my family recently purchased a stationary bike. I've been getting more into that lately, so I haven't been using the treadmill quite as much. That's why I would say I mostly met this goal.

2. Lift Weights at Least Four Times a Week - Mostly Pass

Minus a couple of occasions in 2024, I lifted weights four times each week. I finished the year doing three sets of 12 reps of various movements with 10 lb dumb bells. That was less than my initial goal of 15 lb dumb bells. However, the route that I have been taking is paying off. I've been happy with my incremental gains in muscle and want to continue that in a sustainable way (e.g., avoiding injury and a setback). That's why I give myself a mostly pass on this goal.

3. Publish a Blog Post Each Week - Pass

I published 52 blog posts in 2024, so I managed to post one blog each week. That has been the case since the start of this blog and I hope to continue this tradition into 2025 and beyond.

Concluding Thoughts

Overall, 2024 was a solid year for me. I met or exceeded three out of my five goals for the year. The other two that I didn't technically meet still represented solid progress for me. This blog post won't be published until January 7th, but I wanted to close by wishing everyone a great start to the New Year!

Discussion:

How was your 2024?

Did you achieve your goals?

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