Dividends4Life (74.34)

Stock Analysis: RLI Corp. (RLI)

February 26, 2010 – Comments (0) | RELATED TICKERS: RLI

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of RLI Corp. (RLI). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:  [more]

14 Recent Dividend Increases

February 24, 2010 – Comments (2) | RELATED TICKERS: GPC , KO , SHW

What separates income investors from dividend investors is the concept of a growing dividend. This dividend growth is the life-blood of a thriving dividend portfolio. The income derived from a quality, well-diversified portfolio is much more predictable than capital gains and the good companies routinely raise their dividends well in excess of the inflation rate.  [more]

10 Dividend Stocks With Above Target Returns

February 23, 2010 – Comments (1) | RELATED TICKERS: JNJ , PG , SYY

Last week I noted that most dividend stocks are now trading in excess of their calculated fair value. However, capital appreciation is not the primary reason for investing in dividend stocks. Dividend fundamentals are what drive my purchase decision, and if I could only look at one metric it would be the Net Present Value of the Money Market Differential (NPV MMA Diff.)  [more]

10 Stocks With Over A Century of Dividend Payments

February 22, 2010 – Comments (2) | RELATED TICKERS: KO , PG , XOM

Over the last couple of years we have seen companies fail to raise their dividend, cut their dividend and some even decided to stop paying their dividend. In some cases their financials did not warrant the change. One way to weed these out is to look for companies with a dividend culture. Below are 10 companies that have paid a dividend for over 100 years and have increased their dividend for at least 20 years. They are presented here in descending rank of how long they have paid a dividend:  [more]

Three Keys For Successful Investing In Dividend Stocks

February 21, 2010 – Comments (1) | RELATED TICKERS: JNJ , KO , MCD

To ensure a retirement that is free from financial concerns, there are certain things that must be done today. For many people this is not a desirable task. However, building a secure future by investing in quality dividend stocks is neither complicated nor overly burdensome. Below are three simple keys that will help you to be a better investor:  [more]

5 High-Yield Investments With A Positive Return

February 20, 2010 – Comments (0) | RELATED TICKERS: CTL , HCP , NNN

The primary focus of my income portfolio is to create ever-increasing income by investing in dividend growth securities. This means that often I will choose a lower yielding security with better dividend growth prospects over a higher yielding security. However, as one that values diversity, I also invest in some high yield securities. Here are some of the better performers, along with my life-to-date return:

National Retail Properties, Inc. (NNN) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in high-quality, freestanding retail properties subject to long-term net leases with major retail tenants.
Purchased: September 2005 | Life-To-Date Return: 5.04% | Yield: 7.58%

Realty Income Corporation (O) engages in the acquisition and ownership of commercial retail real estate properties in United States.
Purchased: May 2006 | Life-To-Date Return: 5.75% | Yield: 6.53%

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Global Dividend Opportunities Fund (ETO) operates as a diversified and closed-end management investment company. The fund invests primarily in common and preferred stocks of the United States and foreign issuers.
Purchased: July 2008 | Life-To-Date Return: 7.97% | Yield: 7.80%

Health Care Property Investors, Inc. (HCP) operates as a real estate investment trust in the United States. The company, through its subsidiaries and joint ventures, invests in health care-related properties and provides mortgage financing on health care facilities.
Purchased: March 2005 | Life-To-Date Return: 10.92% | Yield: 6.56%

CenturyLink Inc. (CTL) provides a range of telephone services in 25 states, with operations concentrated in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Wisconsin.
Purchased: November 2008 | Life-To-Date Return: 32.50% | Yield: 8.28%

High-yield securities often carry a higher risk factor. Before adding any security to your portfolio you should understand its effect on your overall portfolio's risk and allocation.

Full Disclosure: Long CTL, ETO, HCP, NNN, O. See a list of all my income holdings here.  [more]

Dividend Securities For A Well-Rounded Asset Allocation

February 19, 2010 – Comments (1) | RELATED TICKERS: ABT , MCD , MMM

I am a firm believer that asset allocation plays a significant part in a portfolio’s long-term results. Recently, I received a question asking if you could have a diversified portfolio of dividend stocks. It is an interesting question that deserves further examination.

As for my portfolio, I consider asset allocation only when looking at my holdings in total. It would be much too difficult to maintain a good allocation within individual portfolios (income, growth, 401(k), Roth IRA, etc.), while trying to maintain my overall allocation. However, an investor could build a degree of allocation into a portfolio of dividend income securities. Consider the following:  [more]