March 2026 Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Saturday, April 4th. It's Easter weekend, but it doesn't feel like it here in Central Wisconsin. The high temperature is set to reach just 42 degrees Fahrenheit today (10+ degrees below the average for this time of year). At any rate, I'm still thrilled that it's Easter weekend.

With that aside, I will be highlighting my stock purchases in March 2026. Let's get into it!

Stock Purchase #1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

The first stock purchase that I completed in March 2026 was an additional three shares of Automatic Data Processing at an average price per share of $215.71. In my March 2026 Stock Watch List blog post, I laid out the rationale for why I've been adding ADP lately. The $20.40 boost in my net annual forward dividends is equivalent to a 3.15% net dividend yield.

Stock Purchase #2: Amazon.com (AMZN)

I also purchased another four shares of Amazon.com last month at an average cost of $203.92 per share. Readers can peruse my March 2026 Stock Watch List blog post linked above for my investment thesis.

Stock Purchase #3: Microsoft (MSFT)

The third stock purchase that I executed in March 2026 was an additional two shares of Microsoft at an average price per share of $396.17. Curious readers can find my investment thesis in my March 2026 Stock Watch List blog post linked earlier. The $7.28 in net annual forward dividends added from this transaction works out to a 0.92% dividend yield.

Stock Purchase #4: Western Midstream Partners (WES)

I also added another 22 units of Western Midstream Partners at an average cost of $41.49 a unit. Once again, I outlined my investment thesis in the March 2026 Stock Watch List blog post earlier. That lifted my net annual forward distributions by $81.84, which equates to an 8.97% net distribution yield.

Stock Purchase #5: VICI Properties (VICI)

The fifth stock purchase that I executed in March 2026 was three more shares of VICI Properties at an average price of $27.05 per share. I would refer interested readers to my April 2026 Stock Watch List blog post for my investment thesis for the net lease REIT. This added $5.40 to my net annual forward dividends, which is equivalent to a 6.65% net dividend yield.

Bonus Stock Purchase #1: Broadcom (AVGO)

I also picked up another three shares of Broadcom at an average cost per share of $315.38. I won't dive too deeply into it, but I'm basically very encouraged by AVGO's immense compounding potential (66%, ~60%, and ~22% non-GAAP EPS consensus growth projections for FY 2026 through FY 2028), the reasonable valuation of its shares (the forward 12-month P/E ratio is currently around 22x), an A-rated balance sheet, and a dividend with room to keep compounding at a double-digit percentage rate annually. That raised my net annual forward dividends by $7.80, which works out to a 0.82% net dividend yield.

Bonus Stock Purchase #2: BlackRock (BLK)

Finally, I purchased one share of BlackRock at a price of $937.97. Readers can find my most recent investment thesis in a Seeking Alpha article co-produced with Treading Softly. Essentially, I believe the string of private markets acquisitions will be instrumental in improving the company's adjusted operating margin. That would especially be the case if the trillions of dollars in retirement accounts were allowed to be modestly allocated to private equity/credit. BLK's AA- S&P credit rating makes it a juggernaut with a low cost of capital that can scoop up complementary assets. The recent double-digit percentage dividend hike and manageable payout ratio are additional positives. Finally, shares are also cheap relative to my fair value estimate above $1,100. This move added $22.72 to my net annual forward dividends, which equates to a 2.42% net dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

In March 2026, I put $5,237.83 in net capital to work (including CAIBX mutual fund dividend reinvestment in my former employer-sponsored retirement account). My net annual forward dividends grew by $148.642 from capital deployment, which is equivalent to a 2.84% weighted-average net dividend yield.

In addition, my net annual forward dividends rose by $9.238 from the dividend raises that I received in March 2026. That's how my net annual forward dividends jumped from around $7,090 entering the month to nearly $7,235 at the end of the month (including modest downward adjustments in ADR net annual forward dividends, including Enbridge, British American Tobacco, Novo Nordisk, and GSK).

Discussion:

How was your March 2026 for capital deployment?

Did you open any new positions or close any positions during the month?

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments below!

March 2026 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog, it's Saturday, March 28th. The high temperature is set to reach 45 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin, which is about what one would expect for this time of the year.

Since the month is almost complete, I will take a moment to highlight my net dividend income for March 2026. Let's get into it!

Net Income Was Almost $700

In March 2026, I received $694.11 in net dividends (including ADR fees for BAM in my taxable accounts). Sequentially, this is down 2% over the $708.24 in net dividends collected in December 2025. Backing out $85.67 in net special dividends in December (after the $10 annual fee), my net dividends would have grown by 11.5% sequentially.

Compared to the $583.10 in net dividends that I received in March 2025, this equates to a 19% year-over-year growth rate.

In my Charles Schwab account, I collected $397.81 in net dividends from 40 companies. The timing of PepsiCo's (PEP) dividend payment was only partially offset by the timing of Coca-Cola's (KO) dividend payment and my sale of Viatris (VTRS) in February 2026. My additions to Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta Platforms (META) in December 2025 also contributed to this uptick in income. Additions to Visa (V) in January 2026 chipped in as well.

I received $170.87 in net dividends from 15 companies within my Robinhood IRA. Purchases of BAM, MSFT, and META drove this uptick in income in the portfolio.

My net dividends collected in retirement account (when I was an employee at my first full-time job) from the Capital Income Builder (CAIBX) mutual fund was $104.64. A 3.2% uptick in the quarterly dividend per share and a higher share count from dividend reinvestment were behind this higher income.

In my Webull portfolio, I received $20.79 in net dividends from seven companies.

Concluding Thoughts:

March 2026 was yet another robust month for the portfolio. Through the first quarter of 2026, my net dividends were up 24% over Q1 2025. By the grace of God, I believe that this compounding can not only continue but accelerate through greater capital contributions moving forward than I would have anticipated only a few months ago.

Discussion:

How was your March 2026 for dividend income?

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

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

Expected Dividend Increases for April 2026

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Friday, March 20th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is going to reach a high of 57 degrees Fahrenheit later today. Tomorrow is going to be even better, with the high set to be 65 degrees. Needless to say, I'm aiming to spend some time outside over the next few days!

Now that the month is almost over, I have received all the dividend raises that I'm expecting for March 2026. With that said, I will be going over the raises announced in recent weeks and looking ahead to next month. Let's get into it!

Actual Dividend Increases for March 2026

Dividend Increase #1: American Tower (AMT)

American Tower declared a 5.3% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.79. This was $0.01 shy of my prediction of a 5.9% boost to $1.80.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $2.16 across my six shares of AMT from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #2: General Dynamics (GD)

As anticipated, General Dynamics announced a 6% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.59.

Across my six shares of GD, my net annual forward dividends rose by $2.16 due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #3: Realty Income (O)

As I predicted, Realty Income, declared a 0.2% bump in its monthly dividend per share to $0.2705.

My net annual forward dividends edged $0.918 higher across my 153 shares from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #4: Williams-Sonoma (WSM)

Once again, Williams-Sonoma came up big for me. The company upped its quarterly dividend per share by 15.2% to $0.76. Across my 10 shares of WSM, my net annual forward dividends rose by $4 due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Freeze: JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)

JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced a $1.50 quarterly dividend per share, which was in line with the previous. Barring stress test results this summer, that changes my expectations for the next raise in September to a 10% raise to $1.65.

Expected Dividend Increases for April 2026

Expected Dividend Increase #1: Agree Realty (ADC)

The first dividend raise that I'm expecting for April 2026 will be from Agree Realty. My best guess is that ADC will declare a 2.3% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.268 (it's also worth noting that ADC raises its payout twice a year).

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.44 across my 20 shares of ADC from such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: American Water Works (AWK)

The next payout boost that I am predicting for next month will come from American Water Works. I believe that AWK will announce a 7.6% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.89.

Across my eight shares of AWK, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2 due to such a dividend announcement.

Expected Distribution Increase #3: Energy Transfer (ET)

The third distribution bump that I'm projecting for April will be from Energy Transfer. My guess is that ET will declare a 0.7% increase in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.3375.

My net annual forward distributions would rise by $2.07 across my 207 units from such a distribution declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: Alphabet (GOOGL)

The final dividend raise that I am expecting for next month will come from Alphabet. My best guess is that GOOGL will announce a 4.8% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.22.

Across my 43 shares of GOOGL, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.72 due to such a dividend announcement.

Concluding Thoughts:

My net annual forward dividends grew by $9.238 in March 2026. That would be like investing $307.93 at a 3% yield.

If the four raises that I'm projecting for April 2026 materialize, my net annual forward dividends will have increased by $7.23. This would be equivalent to investing $241 at a 3% net dividend yield.

Discussion:

How was your March 2026 for dividend raises?

Did you receive any first-time payout boosts during the month?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!

April 2026 Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Monday, March 16th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is expected to reach a high of 22 degrees Fahrenheit later today. On top of this seasonally cold weather, we have received about 18 inches of cumulative snowfall in less than 48 hours.

Now that I have completed my stock purchases for March 2026, I'm going to look ahead to stocks on my watch list for next month. Let's dive into it!

Stock #1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

Once again, the first stock on my watch list for the next month is Automatic Data Processing (running it back again after it was my first pick in my March 2026 Stock Watch List blog post and my February 2026 Stock Watch List blog post). Interested readers can find my investment thesis in this Seeking Alpha article from earlier this month.

Basically, ADP beat analyst estimates for revenue and adjusted diluted EPS (doing so in 19 and 20 out of the last 20 quarters, respectively). The HCM software company is now guiding for 9% to 10% adjusted diluted EPS growth in FY 2026 (up from 8% to 10%). Realistically, I believe that high single-digit to low double-digit percentage annual adjusted diluted EPS growth can continue through mid single-digit percentage annual revenue growth, incremental margin expansion, and share buybacks.

The nearly 3.3% dividend yield is also secure, with the adjusted diluted EPS payout ratio poised to be in the high-50% range for FY 2026 and the FCF payout ratio positioned to be in the low-50% range for FY 2026. ADP's balance sheet continues to enjoy an AA- S&P credit rating with a stable outlook.

GNG Research

Finally, shares are substantially discounted. My friends over at GNG Research peg ADP's fair value at $345 a share (a nearly 40% discount to fair value). While I apply a slightly more conservative fair value multiple of 25.5 (in line with the 20-year average P/E ratio and about one standard deviation below the FAST Graphs 10-year average multiple of 28.6), this still produces a fair value per share estimate of $298. Relative to the current $209 share price, that equates to a still very compelling 30% discount to fair value (a forward 12-month P/E ratio of just 17.9).

Stock #2: Microsoft (MSFT)

The second stock on my watch list for April 2026 is Microsoft. Just like I've been pounding the table on ADP, I've been doing so even more on MSFT. It has appeared in each of my first four stock watch list blog posts to begin 2026.

Just as I indicated in my previous blog post, MSFT's growth outlook remains tremendous. At a macro level, cloud computing and enterprise software are fast-growing markets to fuel teens percentage annual non-GAAP diluted EPS growth for the foreseeable future. On a more company-specific level, MSFT's commercial remaining performance obligation backlog more than doubled to $625 billion in its most recent quarter, as I outlined in this Dividend Kings listicle.

Then, there's the fact that it's the only tech company with a flawless AAA S&P credit rating. Along with an EPS payout ratio set to be in the low-20% range for FY 2026, this makes the 0.9% yield very safe. This is why I contend that MSFT should have no problem delivering 10%+ annual dividend growth to become a Dividend Aristocrat by the end of the decade.

From the current $399 share price, the stock is trading at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of just 21.8. That's well below the 10-year average P/E ratio of 29 and 22% under my fair value P/E ratio of 28 ($513 a share).

Stock #3: NVIDIA (NVDA)

Next up on my watch list for next month is NVIDIA. This is a pick I haven't added to since last May.

On its face, it would seem insane to claim that after rallying 61% over that time, I like NVDA about as much now as I did almost 10 months ago... Until I consider that the company's non-GAAP diluted EPS rocketed about 60% higher in FY 2026 to $4.77.

This growth is showing no signs of slowing down in FY 2027, either. The analyst consensus is for non-GAAP diluted EPS to soar another 70% to $8.11. CEO Jensen Huang noted on the most recent earnings call that the agentic AI era has arrived. These autonomous systems will perform more complex tasks than earlier generative AI, which will require continuous, high-performance inference, which should broaden demand beyond initial model training.

Even as hyperscalers are developing internal silicon to address supply bottlenecks amid soaring customer demand, NVDA's Blackwell architecture appears to have exceptional pricing power. That's helping the company to routinely maintain gross margins above 70%.

NVDA's balance sheet is phenomenal, too. The company boasts an AA- S&P credit rating with a stable outlook.

Bringing everything full circle, shares are trading at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of just 21.7 at the current $183 share price. This is well below the 10-year average P/E ratio of 44.3 and the 20-year average P/E ratio of 35.1. I believe that NVDA's move into software and networking can conservatively support a fair value P/E ratio of around 30. That would imply a fair value per share of $252, which would be a 28% discount to fair value.

Stock #4: UnitedHealth Group (UNH)

The fourth stock on my watch list for next month is UnitedHealth Group. I haven't added to this one since last August at $236 a share. Curious readers can find my updated and comprehensive thesis in this Dividend Kings deep dive.

The gist of my investment thesis is as follows: I'm convinced that UNH can unlock cost savings through AI efficiencies, become more efficient by leaving unprofitable markets, and further tapping into value-based care. Beyond the high single-digit adjusted diluted EPS growth forecasted for this year, these moves should return UNH to double-digit percentage growth in 2027 and beyond.

In the meantime, the managed care giant sports an A+ S&P credit rating with a stable outlook. The 3.1% dividend is also well-supported by a payout ratio slated to be in the high-40% to low-50% range for 2026. That has me confident that UNH can return to double-digit percentage dividend growth in 2027.

GNG Research

From the current $285 share price, the stock is priced at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 15.7. For more context, that's well below the 10-year average of 20.5 and 21% below my fair value per share estimate of $364 (20 P/E ratio). This also represents a roughly 22% discount to the GNG Research fair value per share estimate of $365.

Stock #5: VICI Properties (VICI)

The final stock on my watch list for April 2026 is VICI Properties. My investment thesis is basically unchanged from when I last added to my position in January 2026.

The crux of my thesis is that VICI's world-class experiential properties are irreplaceable. Its annual contractual lease escalators and incremental acquisition activity provide a realistic path to 3% to 4% annual AFFO per share growth over the long haul.

VICI's 6.2% dividend yield is also arguably sustainable. The payout ratio is likely to be in the mid-70% range in 2026, which gives the net lease REIT the retained AFFO needed to keep fueling future growth, and a cushion for further payout raises. VICI's BBB- S&P credit rating with a stable outlook is another positive.

GNG Research

At the current $29 share price, the stock is trading at a forward 12-month P/AFFO ratio of 11.7. This is well below the seven-year average P/AFFO ratio of 15.7 and 16% less than my fair value per share estimate of $34 (14 P/AFFO ratio). That's also about 12% below the GNG Research fair value per share estimate of roughly $33.

Concluding Thoughts:

That's it for today. I'm planning on a 24% allocation to VICI, a 22% allocation to NVDA, a 20% allocation to UNH, a 19% allocation to MSFT, and a 15% allocation to ADP. This blend of value and growth offers a high-2% starting yield and potentially strong capital appreciation over the next several years.

Discussion:

Are any of ADP, MSFT, NVDA, UNH, or VICI on your watch list for April 2026?

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

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

February 2026 Dividend Stock Purchases/Sales

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, March 6th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 53 degrees Fahrenheit later today, with a thunderstorm expected tonight. Better yet, the temperature is expected to reach into the 60s on Sunday and Monday with sunny forecasts!

Now that February 2026 is in the rearview mirror, I'll briefly highlight my stock purchases and stock sales during the month. Without further ado, let's get into it!

Dividend Stock Purchase #1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

The first dividend stock purchase that I made in February 2026 was two more shares of Automatic Data Processing at an average cost per share of $241.55. In my March 2026 Stock Watch List blog post, my rationale is the same as it has been in recent months (with an even better value proposition to boot). This raised my net annual forward dividends by $13.60, which is equivalent to a 2.81% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #2: Brookfield Asset Management (BAM)

The next dividend stock purchase that I completed during the month was 14 shares of BAM at an average price per share of $49.28. Curious readers can peruse my investment thesis in my February 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. My net annual forward dividends rose by $25.02 (accounting for the pre-dividend announcement payout on 12 of those shares and the post-dividend announcement on two of those shares), which works out to a 3.63% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #3: Microsoft (MSFT)

The third dividend stock purchase that I made in February 2026 was two shares of Microsoft at an average cost per share of $395.64. Interested readers can find my investment thesis in either of my blog posts linked above. The $7.28 in net annual forward dividends added from this transaction equates to a 0.92% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #4: Meta Platforms (META)

The next dividend stock purchase that I completed during the month was one share of Meta Platforms at a total cost of $650.35. Readers can check out my investment thesis in the February 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post linked earlier. The $2.10 increase in my net annual forward dividends is equivalent to a 0.32% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #5: NNN REIT (NNN)

The fifth dividend stock purchase that I made in February 2026 was 23 shares of NNN REIT at an average price per share of $43.08. Once again, my investment thesis can be found in the aforementioned February 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. My net annual forward dividends rose by $55.20, which works out to a 5.57% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Sales: Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY), Dollar General (DG), Pinnacle West Capital (PNW), AT&T (T), United Parcel Service (UPS), and Viatris (VTRS)

I was also busy exiting quite a few small positions in my portfolio. Since these all had some combination of lackluster dividend growth/dividend freezes/elevated valuations, I decided late last month was the time to close them out to redeploy capital into higher conviction positions.

I sold out of 22 shares of BMY at $59.58 a share. I exited four shares of DG at $153 apiece. I closed out seven shares of PNW at $99.89 each. I sold off 21 shares of T at $28.95 a share. I exited five shares of UPS at $117.40 each. Finally, I closed out 42 shares of VTRS at $15.83 a share.

Overall, these sales reduced my net annual forward dividends by $166.63.

Stock Purchases: Intuit (INTU) and Western Midstream Partners (WES)

Rather than wait to buy Intuit in March, I got started before the Q2 2026 earnings report was released. In two tranches, I added a total of seven shares of INTU at an average cost of $392.62. In two tranches, I also added a total of 45 units of WES at an average price per unit of $42.66.

Including additional capital contributions of $186.80 beyond what I received from my proceeds in sales, I added $198.44 in net annual forward dividends/distributions (accounting for 32 units of WES purchased before the distribution increase and 13 units after the payout raise).

Concluding Thoughts:

In February 2026, I invested $3,792.40 in net capital. Including a $31.81 benefit from capital redeployment, my net annual forward dividends grew by $135.01 during the month. That equates to a 3.56% net yield.

Dividend boosts announced in February 2026 also lifted my net annual forward dividends by $64.108. That took my net annual forward dividends from around $6,885 heading into February 2026 to almost $7,090 to conclude the month.

Discussion:

How was your February 2026 for capital deployment?

Did you open any new position(s) as I did with INTU and WES during the month? Did you exit any positions as I did with BMY, DG, PNW, T, UPS, and VTRS?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!

February 2026 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Saturday, February 28th. After reaching a high of 54 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday, the high temperature here in Central Wisconsin is only expected to reach 22 degrees today. The good news is that the next warming trend will begin on Sunday, with temperatures again reaching into the 50s by next weekend.

Now that February is already over (hard to believe, isn't it?), I thought it would be a great time to highlight my dividend income for the month. Without further ado, let's dig into it!

Net Dividend Income Almost Topped $700

In February 2026, I received $699.63 in net dividends (including ADR fees for British American Tobacco). That equates to a 6.9% quarterly growth rate over the $654.25 in net dividends collected in November 2025.

My net dividends received in February were also 35.5% higher over the $516.48 in net dividends logged in February 2025.

In my Charles Schwab portfolio, I collected $668.93 in net dividends from 21 companies. The timing of dividend payments from Comcast and American Tower explains how I received dividends from two more companies in February than I did last November. Purchases of MPLX LP in November and ONEOK in December also played a role in my higher income in this portfolio. 

I received $22.64 in net dividends from three companies in my Robinhood IRA account. Higher dividends from Realty Income, Agree Realty, and Mastercard (and a January purchase) contributed to slightly higher dividend income in this account.

In my Webull portfolio, I received $17.08 in net dividends from three companies. This was mostly due to higher dividend income from BTI from more favorable currency translation.

Concluding Thoughts:

February 2026 marked another month of strong progress for the overall portfolio. In the first two months of 2026, my net dividends are up 27.7% over 2025. By continuing to roll the snowball down the hill and God's grace, I hope to further accelerate this compounding in the coming months and years.

Discussion:

How was your dividend income in February 2026?

Did you receive any first-time dividend payments for the month?

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments below!

Expected Dividend Increases for March 2026

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, February 20th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 30 degrees Fahrenheit later. For this time of year, that's pretty typical. So, I plan on getting outside for a bit today.

With that aside, I have received almost all of the dividend announcements I anticipated for February 2026. That makes now a great time to highlight these dividend declarations and look ahead to the next month. Let's get into it!

Actual Dividend Increases for February 2026

Dividend Increase #1: Allstate (ALL)

Allstate announced an 8% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.08, which was perfectly in line with my expectation shared in this series' prior blog post.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $1.60 across my five shares of ALL due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #2: Brookfield Asset Management (BAM)

Brookfield Asset Management declared a 14.9% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.5025. This was just above my prediction of a 14.3% raise to $0.50.

Across my 76 shares of BAM at the time of the declaration, my net annual forward dividends surged higher by $19.76 from this declaration.

Dividend Increase #3: British American Tobacco (BTI)

British American Tobacco announced a 2% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to 0.6126 GBP. That was below my forecast of a 3.6% raise to 0.6222 GBP.

My net annual forward dividends rose by $9.222 (based on current exchange rates) across my 141 shares of BTI due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: Equinix (EQIX)

Equinix declared a 10% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $5.16. This came in above my expectation of an 8.1% increase in the quarterly dividend per share to $5.07.

Across my three shares of EQIX, my net annual forward dividends grew by $5.64 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #5: Genuine Parts Company (GPC)

Genuine Parts Company announced a 3.2% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.0625.

My net annual forward dividends edged $0.78 higher across my six shares of GPC due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #6: Coca-Cola (KO)

Coca-Cola declared a 3.9% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.53. That missed my prediction of a 4.9% raise in the quarterly dividend per share to $0.535.

Across my 10 shares of KO, my net annual forward dividends increased by $0.80 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #7: NextEra Energy (NEE)

NextEra Energy announced a 10% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.6232. This was slightly more than my forecast of a 10% raise to $0.6230.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $10.886 across my 48 shares of NEE due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #8: PepsiCo (PEP)

PepsiCo declared a 4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.48. That was just below my expectation of a 4.9% raise in the quarterly dividend per share to $1.4925.

Across my 24 shares of PEP, my net annual forward dividends rose by $5.52 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #9: Prudential Financial (PRU)

Prudential Financial announced a 3.7% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.40. This was in line with my prediction.

My net annual forward dividends edged $2 higher across my 10 shares due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #10: Rexford Industrial Realty (REXR)

Rexford Industrial Realty declared a 1.2% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.435. That missed my forecast of a 2.9% raise to $0.4425.

Across my 30 shares of REXR, my net annual forward dividends inched $0.60 higher from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #11: T. Rowe Price Group (TROW)

T. Rowe Price Group announced a 2.4% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.30. This fell short of my expectation of a 3.1% bump to $1.31.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $0.72 across my six shares of TROW due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #12: Tractor Supply (TSCO)

Tractor Supply declared a 4.3% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.24. That was less than the 8.7% boost to $0.25 that I was predicting.

Across my 25 shares of TSCO, my net annual forward dividends edged $1 higher from this dividend declaration.

Distribution Increase: Western Midstream Partners (WES)

Western Midstream Partners announced a 2.2% raise in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.93.

My net annual forward distributions rose by $2.56 across my 32 units of WES at the time of the distribution announcement.

Pending Dividend Increase #1: The Home Depot (HD)

Home Depot hasn't yet declared its next dividend. However, I'm maintaining my forecast of a 4.3% raise in the quarterly dividend per share to $2.40.

Across my five shares of HD, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $2 from such a dividend declaration.

UPDATE: HD missed my forecast, increasing its quarterly dividend per share by 1.3% to $2.33. Across my five shares, my net annual forward dividends grew by $0.60 from this dividend declaration.

Pending Dividend Increase #2: TJX Companies (TJX)

TJX Companies also has yet to announce its next dividend. Still, I'm sticking with my expectation of a 9.4% boost in the quarterly dividend per share to $0.465.

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

UPDATE: TJX surpassed my expectations, hiking its quarterly dividend per share by 12.9% to $0.48. My net annual forward dividends rose by $2.42 across my 11 shares of TJX from this dividend announcement.

Dividend Freeze: Meta Platforms (META)

In light of its significant uptick in capex for 2026 to pivot the company toward personal superintelligence, Meta Platforms opted to keep its quarterly dividend per share at $0.525. I was anticipating an 8.6% lift in the payout to $0.57.

Dividend Freeze: Realty Income (O)

Realty Income kept its monthly dividend per share at $0.27. Since O tends to announce one larger dividend raise at some point in the year (along with four smaller ones), I expected a 1.9% raise to $0.2750. I still believe we'll see that level of a dividend raise declared within the next few months.

Expected Dividend Increases for March 2026

Expected Dividend Increase #1: American Tower (AMT)

The first dividend raise that I'm predicting for next month will come from American Tower. I believe that AMT will announce a 5.9% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.80.

Across my six shares of AMT, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $2.40 from such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: General Dynamics (GD)

The next dividend increase that I'm anticipating for March 2026 will be from General Dynamics. My guess is that GD will declare a 6% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.59.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.16 across my six shares of GD due to such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)

The third dividend raise that I'm expecting for next month will come from JPMorgan Chase & Co. My best guess is that JPM will announce a 6.7% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.60 (JPM has raised its dividend twice a year in recent years to better manage its capital surplus).

Across my six shares of JPM, my net annual forward dividends would increase by $2.40 from such a dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: Realty Income (O)

The final dividend increase that I'm predicting for March 2026 will be from Realty Income. I believe O will declare a 0.2% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.2705.

My net annual forward dividends would edge $0.918 higher across my 153 shares due to such a dividend declaration.

Concluding Thoughts:

My net annual forward dividends climbed higher by $64.108 in February 2026 from 15 payout hikes. This would be equal to investing $2,136.93 at a 3% net dividend yield.

If my four raises expected in March 2026 materialize, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $7.878. That would be equivalent to investing $262.60 at a 3% net yield.

Discussion:

How was your February 2026 for dividend raises?

Did you receive any first-time payout boosts as I did with EQIX and WES?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

March 2026 Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Friday, February 13th. Despite the superstitions surrounding Friday the 13th, it seems lucky to me. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 52 degrees Fahrenheit with sunshine as well. Needless to say, I will be getting outside today!

Now that I have likely completed all of my transactions for February 2026, I will be looking ahead to stocks on my watch list for the next month. Without further ado, let's jump into it!

Stock #1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

The first stock on my watch list for the month ahead is Automatic Data Processing (also my first pick in this series' previous blog post). Curious readers can peruse my investment thesis in this Seeking Alpha article from last month.

My investment thesis was once again validated a few weeks ago when ADP shared its fiscal second quarter earnings report. The company's revenue and adjusted diluted EPS grew at healthy clips again, surpassing the analyst consensus estimates by $21 million and $0.05, respectively. Overall, ADP remains positioned to deliver 8% to 10% annual adjusted diluted EPS growth over the medium term. The company also continues to sport an AA- S&P credit rating with a stable outlook. Its 3.2% dividend yield is comfortably backed up by adjusted diluted EPS and FCF generation. At the current $213 share price (as of February 13th, 2026), shares are priced at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of just 18.3. That's well below my fair value estimate of $313 (a fair value multiple of 27, which would still be less than the FAST Graphs 10-year average P/E ratio of 28.6).

Stock #2: Amazon.com (AMZN)

The next stock on my watch list for March 2026 is Amazon.com. Interested readers can find my investment thesis in this Seeking Alpha article from last November. This would be my first time adding to AMZN stock since last October.

Basically, I was encouraged by AMZN's AWS growth of 24% in Q4 2025. This was the strongest growth rate for the platform since 2022. Along with the booming ads business, this served as the rationale for AMZN to release a $200 billion forecast for 2026 capex. In the days following the earnings report, the market hasn't taken kindly to this capex bonanza.

However, I view this as a buying opportunity. The long-term growth thesis is intact, with the cloud computing, e-commerce retail, and digital advertising verticals set for outsized growth in the years ahead. AMZN's strength in each put it in a position where I believe that robust OCF per share growth can continue. Its balance sheet is rock-solid as well, with an AA S&P credit rating and a stable outlook.

Simultaneously, the stock is trading at a forward 12-month P/OCF ratio of just 11.5 from the current $199 share price. This is well below my fair value of $345 a share (a P/OCF ratio of 20, which would be moderately below the FAST Graphs 10-year average P/OCF ratio of 23.5).

Stock #3: Microsoft (MSFT)

The third stock on my watch list for next month is Microsoft. Like ADP, I'm also running MSFT back again for this series.

Macro concerns over accelerating hyperscaler capex have led this to sell off even further, currently sitting around $400 a share. That's equivalent to a forward 12-month P/E ratio of just above 22. This is substantially less than the FAST Graphs 10-year average P/E ratio of 29 and my fair value per share estimate of $525 (also a fair value multiple of 29).

Still, MSFT's growth outlook is exceptional, with the enterprise positioned for solidly double-digit percentage diluted EPS growth over the next few years. Cloud computing and enterprise software remain fast-growing markets to power this growth for the company. MSFT's 0.9% dividend yield is modest, but supported by a payout ratio in the low-20% range for FY 2026. That's why I remain confident the company will eventually become a Dividend Aristocrat. MSFT's also possesses the only AAA S&P credit rating among its Big Tech peers.

Bonus Stock #1: Intuit (INTU)

The next stock on my watch list for March 2026 is Intuit. Staying on the theme of high-quality software picks, Intuit is a new addition to my watch list for this month. Just like MSFT, INTU has seen a meaningful valuation reset to begin the calendar year.

At the current $399 share price, the stock trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio just above 16. That's less than half of the FAST Graphs 10-year average P/E ratio of 37.6 and far under the 20-year average P/E ratio of 29.8 as well. Moving forward, I think that its double-digit earnings growth prospects and high free cash flow margins can support a fair value P/E ratio of 28 ($696 fair value per share estimate).

QuickBooks and TurboTax are basically the operating systems for both small businesses and consumers. To this point, the data from the early 2026 tax season has been positive. I'm confident that combined with INTU's AI-assisted filings, this will driver higher retention and average revenue per user to sustain its double-digit percentage non-GAAP diluted EPS growth. The company's balance sheet is also respectable, with an A S&P credit rating and a stable outlook.

Bonus Stock #2: Western Midstream Partners (WES)

Shifting gears from growth to income, my fifth and final pick for next month is Western Midstream Partners. Readers can find the gist of my investment thesis in my December Seeking Alpha article co-produced with Treading Softly.

Recently, WES renegotiated its contract with its largest customer and its largest unitholder, Occidental Petroleum. The shift to a simplified fee structure and improved capital structure has de-risked its cash flow profile. Thanks to its net leverage ratio of 3x, WES enjoys a BBB- S&P credit rating with a stable outlook.

Valuation wise, units could still have some upside left after a hot start to 2026 (up 10% YTD). From the current $43 unit price, the partnership is still trading at a forward 12-month P/OCF ratio of only 7.2. This is moderately below the FAST Graphs 11-year average P/OCF ratio of 8.5 (and our corresponding fair value per unit of $51). On top of this undervaluation, WES offers a well-covered 8.4% distribution yield as I await a further valuation multiple re-rating.

Concluding Thoughts:

There we have it. Five fantastic companies that I'm likely to buy soon. My tentative weighting will be as follows: 25% to WES, 20% to AMZN, 20% to INTU, 20% to MSFT, and 15% to ADP. That should keep me in the high-2% to low-3% net yield range that I target, while offering attractive overall value and growth potential. 

Discussion:

Are any of ADP, AMZN, INTU, MSFT, or WES on your watch list for next month?

If not, what stocks are you watching for March 2026?

Thank you for reading and I welcome your comments below!

January 2026 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, February 6th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 30 degrees Fahrenheit later today. For this time of year, that's pretty decent. As a result, I plan on getting outside a little bit.

With that aside, now that it's a new month, I will dig into my net dividend income for January 2026. Without further ado, I will jump into it!

Net Dividend Income Topped $300

In January 2026, I collected $302.24 in net dividends (including ADR fees for GSK). This was up 8.7% over the $278 in net dividends received in October 2025. As I have indicated in the past, quarterly growth for the first month of each quarter is often less than other months. That's because I own less names that pay dividends in these months, so there are often fewer buying opportunities.

Relative to the $268.05 in net dividends collected in January 2025, my net dividends rose by 12.8% in January 2026.

Within my Charles Schwab account, I received $238.94 in net dividends from 18 companies (up about $11 from October). The timing of dividend payments from Coca-Cola (KO) and Nvidia (NVDA) explains two less dividend payments versus October. On the other hand, the timing of PepsiCo's (PEP) dividend more than offset the absence of the aforementioned two. 

Extra shares of Philip Morris International (PM) purchased in October 2025 and December 2025 contributed to this higher dividend income. As did my new position in Royal Gold (RGLD) opened in November 2025.

In my Robinhood IRA portfolio, I collected $55.71 in net dividends from six companies. As was the case in my Schwab account, my higher net dividends in my Robinhood IRA were mostly due to the timing of dividends from NVDA and PEP. My purchase of additional shares of VICI in December 2025 also factored into my higher net dividend income.

Lastly, I received $7.59 in net dividends from two companies (PM and Altria Group) within my Webull account.

Concluding Thoughts:

The dividend growth portfolio is continuing to chug along. Since the first month of each quarter is slower for me for dividend growth, I'm relatively pleased with this performance. By God's grace, I hope to build on this momentum in the months and years ahead.

Discussion:

How was your January 2026 for dividend income?

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

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

January 2026 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Friday, January 30th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of just 5 degrees Fahrenheit later today. For this time of year, that's relatively unpleasant.

Weather report aside, January 2026 is just about over. That means now is as good a time as any to discuss my dividend stock purchases completed during the month. Without further ado, let's dig into it!

Dividend Stock Purchase #1: Brookfield Asset Management (BAM)

The first dividend stock purchase that I made in January 2026 was another 15 shares of Brookfield Asset Management at an average share price of $52.26. Curious readers can peruse my investment thesis in my January 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. This upped my net annual forward dividends by $26.25, which equates to a 3.35% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #2: Mastercard (MA)

I also purchased an additional share of Mastercard during the month at a cost of $584.74. Interested readers can find my investment thesis in the blog post that I linked to above. My net annual forward dividends grew by $3.48, which works out to a 0.60% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #3: Microsoft (MSFT)

The next dividend stock purchase that I completed in January 2026 was two more shares of Microsoft at an average price of $478.08 a share. Once again, readers can check out my investment thesis in the January 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post that I linked to earlier. I added $7.28 in net annual forward dividends, which is equivalent to a 0.76% net dividend yield.

Dividend Stock Purchase #4: VICI Properties (VICI)

Another dividend stock purchase that I executed during the month was another 31 shares of VICI Properties at an average cost per share of $27.97. Once more, intrigued readers can read my investment thesis in the January 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post that I linked to above. The $55.80 lift to my net annual forward dividends equates to a 6.43% net dividend yield.

Bonus Dividend Stock Purchase: Visa (V)

The one bonus dividend stock purchase that I completed in January 2026 was an extra share of Visa at a price of $326.50. Basically, the market was spooked by the potential for President Donald Trump to cap interest rates for one year at 10%. This was further exacerbated by the possibility of the Credit Card Competition Act's passage. Overall, I believe that just like Mastercard, Visa can overcome these headwinds if they do materialize. The $2.68 in net annual forward dividends added by this transaction works out to a 0.82% net dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

In January, I put $3,518.53 to work. My purchases during the month lifted my net annual forward dividends by $95.49, which is equivalent to a 2.71% weighted average dividend yield.

Dividend increases announced in January 2026 helped raise my net annual forward dividends by $28.39. This pushed my net annual forward dividends from around $6,740 at the start of the month to about $6,885 heading into February 2026. This puts me in a good position to breach $7,000 in net annual forward dividends next month.

Discussion:

How was your January 2026 for capital deployment?

Did you open any new position(s) during the month?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

Expected Dividend Increases for February 2026

As I'm writing this blog post, it's currently Friday, January 23rd. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is expected to reach a high of just 7 degrees Fahrenheit later today. So, needless today, I don't plan on spending more than a few minutes outside today!

With that aside, I'm going to be outlining the dividend raises that I have received this month (and raises that are still pending, which I will update as they are announced). I'll also preview the payout boosts that I expect for February 2026. Let's jump into it!

Actual Dividend Increases for January 2026

Dividend Increase #1: BlackRock (BLK)

BlackRock came up big for me, announcing a 10% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $5.73. This was better than the 7.7% raise to $5.61 that I anticipated in this series' previous blog post.

Across my two shares of BLK, my net annual forward dividends grew by $4.16 from this dividend announcement.

Distribution Increase #2: Enterprise Products Partners (EPD)

Enterprise Products Partners declared a 0.9% increase in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.55. That came up short of the 2.8% raise to $0.56 that I was predicting.

My net annual forward distributions rose by $5.50 across my 275 units due to this distribution declaration.

Dividend Increase #3: Alliant Energy (LNT)

Alliant Energy made its 5.4% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.535 official. Across my 13 shares of LNT, my net annual forward dividends edged $1.43 higher from this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: L3Harris Technologies (LHX)

L3Harris Technologies upped its quarterly dividend per share by 4.2% to $1.25 (this was one penny below my forecast). Across my four shares of LHX, my net annual forward dividends grew by $0.80.

Surprise Dividend Increase: Verizon Communications (VZ)

Following its Q4 earnings, Verizon Communications pulled forward its dividend increase. The company upped its quarterly dividend per share by 2.5% to $0.7075. Across my 45 shares, my net annual forward dividends grew by $3.15.

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

Air Products & Chemicals has yet to up its quarterly dividend per share. However, I believe that APD will declare a 2.2% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.83.

My net annual forward dividends would inch $0.80 higher across my five shares of APD from such a dividend declaration.

UPDATE: APD declared a 1.1% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.81. This helped my net annual forward dividends to edge $0.40 higher across my five shares.

Pending Dividend Increase #2: Comcast (CMCSA)

Comcast also hasn't announced its next quarterly dividend per share. Still, I think that CMCSA will announce a 6.1% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.35.

Across my 39 shares of CMCSA, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $3.12 due to such a dividend announcement.

UPDATE: Given the spinoff of Versant Media Group (VSNT), CMCSA elected to keep its quarterly dividend per share at $0.33.

Pending Distribution Increase #3: Energy Transfer (ET)

Energy Transfer has yet to declare its next quarterly distribution per unit. I'm sticking with my forecast that ET will declare a 0.8% bump in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.3350.

My net annual forward distributions would rise by $2.07 across my 207 units of ET from such a distribution declaration.

UPDATE: As expected, ET declared a 0.8% increase in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.3350. This lifted my net annual forward distributions by $2.07.

Pending Dividend Increase #4: ONEOK (OKE)

Recently, I realized that I forgot to include ONEOK in the prior post of this series. I believe that OKE will announce a 3.9% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.07.

Across my 68 shares of OKE, my net annual forward dividends would surge $10.88 higher due to such a dividend announcement.

UPDATE: As expected, OKE upped its quarterly dividend per share by 3.9% to $1.07. This boosted my net annual forward dividends by $10.88.

Expected Dividend Increases for February 2026

Expected Dividend Increase #1: Allstate (ALL)

The first dividend hike that I'm expecting for next month will be from Allstate. My best guess is that ALL will declare an 8% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.08.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.60 across my five shares of ALL from such a dividend declaration.

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

The next payout boost that I am predicting for February 2026 will come from Brookfield Asset Management. My guess is that BAM will announce a 14.3% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.50.

Across my 63 shares of BAM, my net annual forward dividends would soar by $15.75 due to such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: Equinix (EQIX)

The third dividend hike that I'm anticipating for next month will be from Equinix. I believe that EQIX will declare an 8.1% lift in its quarterly dividend per share to $5.07.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $4.56 across my three shares of EQIX from such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: The Home Depot (HD)

The next dividend raise that I am expecting for February 2026 will come from The Home Depot. My best guess is that HD will announce a 4.3% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $2.40.

Across my five shares of HD, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2 due to such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #5: Coca-Cola (KO)

The fifth dividend increase that I'm predicting for next month will be from Coca-Cola. My guess is that KO will declare a 4.9% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.535.

My net annual forward dividends would be lifted by $1 across my 10 shares of KO from such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #6: British American Tobacco (BTI)

The next dividend raise that I am anticipating for February 2026 will come from British American Tobacco (originally, I had LHX here. I put BTI in out of order because I realized I forgot about it and this will be a placeholder for LHX, so I don't have to completely reformat much of this blog post).

I believe that BTI will announce a 3.6% increase in its quarterly dividend per share from 0.6006 GBP to 0.6222 GBP. At the current exchange rate, this would boost my net annual forward dividends by $16.628 across my 141 shares due to such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #7: Meta Platforms (META)

The seventh dividend increase that I'm expecting for next month will be from Meta Platforms. My best guess is that META will declare an 8.6% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.57.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.08 across my six shares of META from such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #8: NextEra Energy (NEE)

The next dividend raise that I am predicting for February 2026 will come from NextEra Energy. My guess is that NEE will announce a 10% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.623.

Across my 48 shares of NEE, my net annual forward dividends would surge $10.848 higher due to such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #9: Realty Income (O)

The ninth dividend bump that I'm anticipating for next month will be from Realty Income. I believe that O will declare a 1.9% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.275.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $9.18 across my 153 shares of O from such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #10: PepsiCo (PEP)

The next dividend raise that I am expecting for February 2026 will come from PepsiCo. My best guess is that PEP will announce a 4.9% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.4925.

Across my 24 shares of PEP, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $6.72 due to such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #11: Prudential Financial (PRU)

The eleventh dividend increase that I'm predicting for next month will be from Prudential Financial. My guess is that PRU will declare a 3.7% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.40.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $2 across my 10 shares of PRU from such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #12: Rexford Industrial Realty (REXR)

The next dividend raise that I am anticipating for February 2026 will come from Rexford Industrial Realty. I believe that REXR will announce a 2.9% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.4425.

Across my 30 shares of REXR, my net annual forward dividends would edge $1.50 higher due to such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #13: TJX Companies (TJX)

The thirteenth dividend hike that I'm expecting for next month will be from TJX Companies. My best guess is that TJX will declare a 9.4% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.465.

Across my 11 shares of TJX, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.76 from such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #14: T. Rowe Price Group (TROW)

The next dividend increase that I am predicting for February 2026 will come from T. Rowe Price Group. My guess is that TROW will announce a 3.1% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.31.

My net annual forward dividends would inch $0.96 higher across my six shares of TROW due to such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #15: Tractor Supply (TSCO)

The fifteenth dividend boost that I'm anticipating for next month will be from Tractor Supply. I believe that TSCO will declare an 8.7% lift in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.25.

Across my 25 shares of TSCO, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2 from such a dividend declaration.

Concluding Thoughts:

My net annual forward dividends rose by $28.39 in January 2026 (including the LHX and VZ raises). That would be equivalent to investing $946.33 at a 3% net dividend yield.

If my 15 raises that I'm predicting for February 2026 materialize, my net annual forward dividends would rocket $77.586 higher. This would be like investing $2,586.20 at a 3% net dividend yield.

Discussion:

How was your January 2026 for dividend boosts?

Are you expecting any first-time payout hikes in your portfolio next month as I am with EQIX?

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

February 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, January 16th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach a high of 25 degrees Fahrenheit later today, which isn't bad for this time of the year. Unfortunately, the high temperatures won't reach beyond the high single digits this weekend.

The time of the month means that I'm likely done buying stocks for the next couple of weeks. Thus, I believe now is a good time to look ahead to the dividend stocks on my watch list for February 2026. Let's dive into it!

Dividend Stock #1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)

The first dividend stock on my watch list for next month is Automatic Data Processing. Interested readers can check out my investment thesis in this Seeking Alpha article from earlier this month.

Basically, ADP is a fundamentally robust business. It's the leader in a large, fragmented, and growing market. I believe this provides it with a path to steady 8% to 10% annual adjusted diluted EPS growth for the foreseeable future. ADP is a financial fortress as well, with an AA- S&P credit rating and a stable outlook. The 2.6% dividend yield is safe (the adjusted diluted EPS and free cash flow payout ratios are both easily covered), with room to build on its 51-year dividend growth streak. At the current $262 share price (as of January 16th, 2026), the stock is priced at a nearly 20% discount to my $320+ fair value per share estimate.

Dividend Stock #2: Enbridge (ENB)

The next dividend stock on my watch list for February 2026 is Enbridge. Curious readers will find that my investment thesis isn't all that different from my September 2024 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post.

ENB remains set up to capitalize on the ongoing AI boom and surge in electricity demand with its impressive energy infrastructure network. Its BBB+ S&P credit rating with a stable outlook is another selling point. The 31-year dividend growth streak in CAD is another positive, with more dividend growth likely ahead. Finally, the stock looks to be slightly discounted from the current $46 share price.

Dividend Stock #3: Meta Platforms (META)

The third dividend stock on my watch list for next month is Meta Platforms. Since my December 2025 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post, the investment thesis is basically the same.

META's most recent quarterly results reflected the influence of its social media ecosystem. Seamless integration of AI into its core business is likely to assist it in continuing to deliver outsized growth to shareholders. META's AA- S&P credit rating with a stable outlook is a sign of immense financial strength. The stock's 0.3% dividend yield is small, but I believe it will be one of the great dividend growers of the next 10, 15, or 20 years. In conclusion, META's $647 share price is well below my $800 fair value per share estimate.

Dividend Stock #4: Microsoft (MSFT)

The final dividend stock on my watch list for February 2026 is Microsoft. As I explained in my January 2026 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post, MSFT is a versatile compounder.

My overall investment thesis that MSFT is a leader in numerous fast-growing market verticals (e.g., cloud computing and enterprise software) still holds true. The company earns the distinction of being the only tech company to earn an AAA S&P credit rating. MSFT's 0.8% dividend yield is backed up by a payout ratio in the low-20% range. This puts it in a position to become a Dividend Aristocrat in another four years. Lastly, the $478 share price is moderately below my $525 fair value per share estimate.

Concluding Thoughts:

That's all for now. Four world-class businesses that I'm planning to buy within the next few weeks. My tentative weighting will be as follows: 32% to ENB, ~30% to MSFT, 21% to META, and 17% to ADP. This should produce a net dividend yield in the high-2% range to go along with intriguing valuations and growth potential.

Discussion:

Are any of ADP, ENB, META, or MSFT on your watch list for February 2026?

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

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

My Financial And Personal Goals For 2026

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, January 9th. The calendar year 2026 is already well under way. We're in a nice warming trend right now here in Central Wisconsin, with the high temperature set to reach 36 degrees Fahrenheit later today. Needless to say, I will be getting outside a bit today.

With that weather update aside, I'll be briefly outlining my goals for 2026. Without further ado, let's get into it!

My Financial Goals For 2026

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

As I indicated in last week's Review of 2025 Goals blog post, I collected $5,982.13 in net dividends in 2025. This was up 25.1% over what was received in 2024. I'm going to be running back this goal for 2026.

Granted, it will require higher fresh capital contributions on my end to replicate this year as my capital base and passive income base continues to grow larger. The good news is that I'm cautiously optimistic that my income will be moderately higher in 2026 as well. Even with somewhat higher expenses than 2025, this should help me to grow my net dividends collected by over 15% from capital contributions. The remaining 10% can realistically come from dividend raises and reinvestment.

In my view, this strikes the balance between being an ambitious yet achievable goal.

2. Grow Net Annual Forward Dividends By 25%

Accordingly, I'm also aiming to grow my net annual forward dividends by 25% or more from my base of $6,740 heading into the year. This means I need to end calendar year 2026 with at least $8,430 in net annual forward dividends to go into 2027. Such a goal won't be easy to accomplish but it should be doable.

Personal Goals For 2026

1. Bike 30 To 40 Miles A Week

I'm pleased with my stationary biking routine as it is right now. Thus, I hope to stick with it for the duration of 2026, just as I did throughout most of 2025. This is a goal that will required sustained and consistent effort (three to four days a week of exercise), but it's something I'm confident that I can achieve.

2. Lift Weights Four Times A Week

I will be standing by my goal to lift weights four times a week in calendar year 2026 as well. For me, this is a nice mix of maintaining/building muscle and still manageable enough for me to accomplish my financial and professional goals.

3. Publish A Blog Post Each Week

Once again, I'm going to be running back my goal to publish one blog post a week. Just as I have done for more than seven years, by God's grace, I believe I can keep the momentum going on this front in 2026.

Concluding Thoughts:

That's it for today. My goals are in place for the year. Now, it's just a matter of putting in the work, achieving them, and having fun along the way!

Discussion:

What are your goals for 2026?

Do you believe any of your goals will be harder to attain than others?

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

Review Of 2025 Goals

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Friday, January 2nd. The calendar year 2025 has recently concluded. In other words, it's out with 2025 and in with 2026. The high temperature here in Central Wisconsin is set to reach 16 degrees today, so it certainly feels like January!

With that in mind, I'm going to take a moment to summarize how I did with attaining my goals in 2025. Let's jump into it!

Financial Goals For 2025

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

In 2025, I received $5,982.13 in net dividends. This represented a 25.1% growth rate compared to the amount collected in 2024. So, I just barely achieved this goal. My allocation of roughly $30,000 in fresh capital and dividend raises were factors in this higher dividend income.

2. Grow Net Annual Forward Dividends By 25% - Fail

Heading into 2026, my net annual forward dividends are approximately $6,740. That equates to a 23.6% growth rate versus the $5,455 in net annual forward dividends at the start of 2025. So, I fell just short of hitting this goal.

Overall, I'm pleased with my progress on this goal for the year, though. The key element that held me back from achieving this goal was my bout with pneumonia back in March. If it wasn't for a little more than a week of missed work and modest medical bills, I would have narrowly surpassed my goal.

Personal Goals For 2025

1. Bike 40 Miles A Week - Mostly Pass

Throughout much of 2025, I did bike 40 miles a week or at least came close. As I alluded to earlier, there was a time when I was sick with pneumonia and recovering from it that I obviously didn't exercise. Outside of that and easing back into my routine, I met this goal.

2. Lift Weights Four Times A Week - Mostly Pass

Once again, I generally stuck to my goal of doing light weight training four days a week. I didn't end up finishing the year doing three sets of 12 reps of various motions with 20 lb dumb bells, however.

3. Publish A Blog Post Each Week - Pass

Having published 52 blog posts in 2025, I met my goal of publishing one blog post each week. For over seven years now, I have done so on this blog. God willing, I will keep this going in 2026 and in the years that follow.

Concluding Thoughts:

For the most part, 2025 was a decent year. I mostly met or surpassed four out of my five goals for the year. This blog post won't be published until Tuesday, January 6th, but I hope that everybody's New Year is off to a great start!

Discussion:

How was your 2025?

Did you achieve your goals?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!