February 2023 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post (on Saturday, March 11), it is currently 31 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin. With that weather report aside, I will discuss my dividend income for last month. Let's dive into it!

Analysis:

During February 2023, I received $248.08 in net dividends. This works out to an 8.5% quarterly growth rate over the $228.67 in net dividends that I collected from my portfolio in November 2022.

My net dividends rocketed 58.7% higher year over year compared to the $156.30 in net dividends that I received in February 2022.

Breaking it down by account, I collected $233.23 in net dividends from 30 companies within my Robinhood account. I received $14.52 in net dividends from three companies in my Webull portfolio. Finally, I collected $0.33 in net dividends from 14 companies within my M1 Finance account.

The net dividends that I received from November 2022 to February 2023 surged higher by $19.41, which was the result of the following activity in my portfolios:

I collected an extra $3.44 in net distributions from Energy Transfer (ET) within my Robinhood and Webull accounts. This was due to the 15.1% hike in the quarterly distribution per unit back in January.

My net dividends received from Main Street Capital (MAIN) were $1.47 higher in my Robinhood portfolio, which was the result of a 2.3% increase in the monthly dividend per share last November and my purchase of another six shares in January.

I collected an additional $0.32 in net dividends from Alliant Energy (LNT) within my Robinhood account. This was due to the 5.8% payout boost announced in January.

My net dividends received from STAG Industrial (STAG) were $0.01 higher in my Robinhood portfolio, which was the result of a 0.7% raise in the monthly dividend declared in January.

I collected an extra $0.24 in net dividends from Abbott Laboratories (ABT) within my Robinhood account. That was due to the 8.5% hike in the quarterly dividend per share announced last December.

My net dividends received from AbbVie (ABBV) were $0.49 greater in my Robinhood portfolio, which was the result of a 5% bump in the quarterly dividend per share declared last October.

I collected an additional $1.00 in net dividends from Realty Income (O) within my Robinhood account. This was due to my purchase of four more shares last November and the 0.2% dividend increase announced last December.

My net distributions received from Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) were $0.53 higher in my Robinhood portfolio, which was the result of the increase in the quarterly distribution per unit in January.

I collected an extra $0.34 in net dividends from ONEOK (OKE) within my Robinhood account. That was due to a 2.1% increase in the dividend per share back in January.

My net dividends received from Mastercard (MA) were $0.24 greater in my Robinhood portfolio, which was the result of a 16.3% dividend raise announced last December.

I collected an additional $4.92 in net dividends from Medifast (MED) within my Robinhood account. That was due to my purchase of three more shares last October.

My net dividends received from British American Tobacco (BTI) were $0.91 higher in my Robinhood portfolio, which was the result of its variable dividend payments.

I collected an extra $4.68 in net dividends from American Tower (AMT) within my Robinhood account. This was due to the timing of the dividend payment.

My net dividends received from CVS Health were $0.39 greater in my Robinhood portfolio, which was the result of the 10% dividend boost announced last December.

I collected an additional $0.45 in net dividends from Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) within my Robinhood account. This was due to the 5.6% dividend increase declared last December.

My net dividends received from my M1 Finance portfolio were $0.02 lower, which was the result of an extra $0.01 from Hormel Foods (HRL) from its recent dividend raise and $0.03 less from Fastenal (FAST) stemming from the timing of its dividend payment.

Concluding Thoughts:

I fell just short of surpassing $250 in net dividends in February 2023. But this should be the final middle-of-the-month quarter that my net dividend income is below that threshold. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to deploy more capital and push my net dividends higher in the months and years ahead.

Discussion:

How was your dividend income for last month?

Did you receive any first-time dividend payments?

Thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment below!

February 2023 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post, it's early March. The temperature is expected to reach a high of 38 degrees Fahrenheit for today (Saturday, March 4). I'll certainly take that temperature!

With that being said, now is a good time to look back on the dividend stock purchases that I made last month. Let's dig in.

I began the month by purchasing one share of Alphabet (GOOGL) at a cost of $103.02. As I explained in a blog post last year, I was compelled to buy the stock for its enviable market share in digital advertising and its eventual dividend.

The next stock purchase that I made was a share of Amazon (AMZN) at a price of $106.27. I executed this transaction because AMZN is a dominant player in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital advertising.

My first dividend stock purchase during the month was four shares of WEC Energy Group (WEC) at an average cost per share of $92.73. The rationale for this buy can be found in my February 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List post. Given the $12.48 in net annual forward dividends that were added from this transaction, that equates to a 3.36% net dividend yield.

The next dividend stock purchase that I completed last month was four shares of Digital Realty Trust (DLR) at an average cost of $109.98 a share. Interested readers can again refer to the aforementioned February 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List post for more details. This transaction boosted my net annual forward dividends by $19.52, which works out to a 4.44% dividend yield.

My third dividend stock purchase was nine shares of Pfizer (PFE) at an average price per share of $43.97. This was an alternative dividend stock purchase to Fastenal (FAST) because it was my opinion that the stock ran up too much since I highlighted it in my February 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List post. This activity added $14.76 to my net annual forward dividends, which is equivalent to a 3.73% net dividend yield.

The next dividend stock purchase that I executed in February was four shares of Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at an average cost of $225.12 a share. ADP is the leader of the human resources and payroll management software and services industry. As long as businesses remain in business, there will always be a need for ADP. Coupled with strong earnings and dividend growth prospects, that is the case for owning the stock. This transaction added $20.00 in net annual forward dividends to my portfolio, which equates to a 2.22% dividend yield.

My fifth and final dividend stock purchase that I completed last month was eight shares of CVS Health (CVS) at an average price per share of $85.20. Readers seeking my investment thesis can find it in this recent Motley Fool article. This activity increased my net annual forward dividends by $19.36, which works out to a 2.84% net dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

I deployed $2,997.89 in capital during the month of February 2023. These dividend stock purchases added $86.12 to my portfolio's net annual forward dividends, which is equivalent to a 2.87% dividend yield.

Paired with $19.194 in additional net annual forward dividends from February dividend increases, my net annual forward dividends surged from not quite $3,480 heading into the month to almost $3,585 at the end of the month.

Discussion:

How did you do with capital deployment in February 2023?

Did you open any new positions during the month as I did with ADP?

Thanks for your readership and please leave your comments below!

Expected Dividend Increases for March 2023

As I'm writing this blog post, the end of February is already just four days away. The weather still seems to be reflecting this fact with the temperature reaching a high of 22 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin.

With that said, now would be a great time to look at the numerous payout hikes that I received during the month of February. I'll also look ahead to the seven raises that I'm anticipating will be announced in March.

Actual Dividend Increases for February 2023

Dividend Increase #1: Shell (SHEL)

Shell announced a 15% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.575. My net annual forward dividends surged $2.70 higher across my nine shares of SHEL due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #2: BP plc (BP)

BP plc declared a 10.1% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.3966. Across my 11 shares of BP, my net annual forward dividends increased by $1.58 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #3: T. Rowe Price Group (TROW)

T. Rowe Price Group announced a 1.7% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.22. This came in just below my expectation of a 2.5% increase to $1.23. My net annual forward dividends edged $0.48 higher across my six shares of TROW due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: Prudential Financial (PRU)

Prudential Financial declared a 4.2% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.25, which was in line with my projection. Across my 10 shares of PRU, my net annual forward dividends surged $2.00 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #5: Tractor Supply (TSCO)

Tractor Supply announced a 12% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.03. My net annual forward dividends were boosted by $1.32 across my three shares of TSCO due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #6: PepsiCo (PEP)

PepsiCo declared a 10% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.265. This was better than my prediction of a 7.8% increase in the quarterly dividend per share. Across my four shares of PEP, my net annual forward dividends were lifted by $1.84 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #7: Realty Income (O)

Realty Income announced a 2.4% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.2545. This was less than my forecast of a 3.8% raise in the monthly dividend per share. My net annual forward dividends rose by $1.224 across my 17 shares of O due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #8: Cisco (CSCO)

Cisco declared a 2.6% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.39, which was what I expected. Across my 22 shares of CSCO, my net annual forward dividends increased by $0.88 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #9: Coca-Cola (KO)

Coca-Cola announced a 4.5% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.46. That was precisely what I was anticipating.  My net annual forward dividends increased by $0.80 across my 10 shares of KO due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #10: NextEra Energy (NEE)

NextEra Energy declared a 10% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.4675, which was better than the 8.2% raise that I was expecting. Across my nine shares of NEE, my net annual forward dividends were lifted higher by $1.53 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #11: Allstate (ALL)

Allstate announced a 4.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.89. This was just ahead of my prediction of a 3.5% bump. My net annual forward dividends edged $0.80 higher across my five shares of ALL due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #12: Home Depot (HD)

Home Depot declared a 10% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $2.13. This was well above my forecast of a 5.3% raise. Across my three shares of HD, my net annual forward dividends rose by $2.28 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #13: Genuine Parts Company (GPC)

Genuine Parts Company announced a 6.1% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.95. This came in just above my expectation of a 5.6% increase. My net annual forward dividends surged $1.32 across my six shares of GPC due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #14: Albemarle (ALB)

Albemarle declared a 1.3% increase in its quarterly dividend per share, which was half of the 2.5% raise I was projecting. Across my six shares of ALB, my net annual forward dividends edged higher by $0.12 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #15: L3Harris Technologies (LHX)

L3Harris Technologies announced a 1.7% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.14. This was less than the 7.1% hike that I was expecting. My net annual forward dividends increased by $0.32 across my four shares of LHX due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Freeze #1: Medical Properties Trust (MPW)

Medical Properties Trust opted to keep its quarterly dividend per share at $0.29. I was expecting a raise to $0.30.

Dividend Freeze #2: Digital Realty Trust (DLR)

Digital Realty Trust made the decision to maintain its quarterly dividend per share at $1.22. I was expecting a raise to $1.28.

Expected Dividend Increases for March 2023

Expected Dividend Increase #1: Realty Income (O)

The first dividend raise that I'm expecting for next month will be from Realty Income. I believe that O will declare a 0.2% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.2550.

Across my 17 shares of O, my net annual forward dividends would edge $0.102 higher from such a dividend increase.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: W.P. Carey (WPC)

The next payout bump that I am forecasting in March is from W.P. Carey. My best guess is that WPC will announce a 0.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.069.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.112 across my seven shares of WPC due to such a payout raise.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: American Tower (AMT)

The third dividend increase that I'm expecting for next month will be from American Tower. I believe that AMT will declare a 1.3% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.58.

Across my three shares of AMT, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $0.24 from such a dividend increase.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: Williams-Sonoma (WSM)

The next dividend hike that I am projecting in March is from Williams-Sonoma. My best guess is that WSM will announce a 6.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.83.

If this plays out as expected, my net annual forward dividends will rise by $2.00 across my 10 shares of WSM.

Expected Dividend Increase #5: General Dynamics (GD)

The fifth dividend boost that I'm expecting for next month will be from General Dynamics. I believe that GD will declare a 7.1% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.35.

Across my four shares of GD, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.44 from such a payout hike.

Expected Dividend Increase #6: Innovative Industrial Properties (IIPR)

The next dividend increase that I am anticipating for March is from Innovative Industrial Properties. My best guess is that IIPR will announce a 1.1% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.82.

My net annual forward dividends would edge $0.24 higher across my six shares of IIPR from such a dividend announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #7: Dollar General (DG)

The seventh and final dividend boost that I'm predicting for next month will be from Dollar General. I believe that DG will declare a 10.9% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.61.

Across my three shares of DG, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.72 from such a declaration.

Concluding Thoughts:

My net annual forward dividends surged $19.194 higher from the 15 raises that I received in February. Invested at a 3.5% dividend yield, this would take $548.40 in fresh capital to replicate.

For the month of March, I am anticipating a $4.854 lift in net annual forward dividends stemming from dividend increases. That is equivalent to investing $138.69 of capital at a 3.5% yield.

Discussion:

How was your month for dividend hikes?

Did you receive any first-time raises as I did with TSCO and NEE?

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

March 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this article, we're more than half way through the month of February. We're currently in the middle of a warming trend here in Central Wisconsin, with the high temperature set to reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, February 18th.

With that aside, now would be a good time to look ahead to potential dividend stock purchases for the next month. Let's dive into it!

Image Source: Pexels

Dividend Stock #1: AbbVie (ABBV)

The first dividend stock that I'm watching for next month is AbbVie (ABBV). Readers longing for more substance on my buying rationale can check out my recent Motley Fool article on the stock (and Procter & Gamble and Realty Income).

Basically, ABBV is a wonderfully run business with a strong product portfolio and an equally stacked pipeline, for one. Second, ABBV's near-4% dividend yield is quite safe. Third and finally, ABBV's valuation is compelling at the current $150 share price (as of February 16, 2023).

Dividend Stock #2: Lowe's (LOW)

The next dividend stock on my watch list for March 2023 is Lowe's (LOW). Interested readers can check out my recent Motley Fool article on the stock (and Philip Morris International) for my investment thesis.

The long and short of it is that LOW is a major player in the massive home improvement retail market. The stock's 2% dividend yield is well-supported by profits and the valuation is also cheap at the current $214 share price (as of February 16, 2023).

Dividend Stock #3: Mastercard (MA)

The third dividend stock that I'm watching for next month is Mastercard (MA). Readers can take a look at my investment thesis for the stock in a recently published Motley Fool article.

The takeaways are basically are as follows: A shift toward alternative payment methods will greatly benefit MA, the dividend has nowhere to go but up, and the stock is reasonably valued at the current $368 share price (as of February 16, 2023).

Concluding Thoughts:

March 2023 will likely bring another month of capital deployment in the range of $3,000 to $3,500. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm so grateful to be able to be doing what I love and deploying as much capital as I have been to investments in recent months.

Discussion:

Are any of ABBV, LOW, or MA on your watch list for March 2023?

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

Thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment below!

January 2023 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it is mid-February. It's hard to believe that the month is more than half over! This means that it is time to delve into my dividend income for last month.

During January 2023, I received $220.01 in net dividends. This is equivalent to a 7.5% quarterly growth rate compared to the $204.57 in net dividends collected in October 2022.

Stacked against the $128.80 in net dividends that I received from my portfolio in January 2022, this is a 70.8% year over year growth rate.

Diving into further detail, I collected $209.94 in net dividends from 28 stocks in my Robinhood account. I also received $9.89 in net dividends from four stocks within my Webull portfolio. Lastly, I collected $0.18 in net dividends from nine stocks in my M1 Finance account.

My net dividends received were boosted by $15.44 from October 2022 to January 2023, which was due to the following activity across my portfolios:

I collected an extra $2.16 in net dividends from Comcast (CMCSA) within my Robinhood account, which was the result of my purchase of eight more shares of the stock last October.

My net dividends received from STAG Industrial (STAG) were lifted higher by $2.56 in my Robinhood portfolio. This was the first dividend payment from the stock for the beginning of a quarter since I opened a position in October.

I collected $13.53 less in net dividends from STORE Capital due to my sale of the stock in November within my Robinhood and Webull accounts.

But my net dividends received from the newcomer to the Robinhood portfolio known as Spirit Realty Capital (SRC) increased by $13.26 from my stock purchase last November.

In addition to opening a stake in SRC, I also built my position in Realty Income (O) in November. Along with a 0.2% dividend increase in December, this explains how my net dividends collected from O edged $1.00 higher within my Robinhood account.

My net dividends received from W.P. Carey (WPC) rose $0.03 in my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of a 0.4% dividend increase announced in December.

I collected an extra $7.32 in net dividends from Digital Realty Trust (DLR) within my Robinhood account, which was due to the timing of the dividend payment.

My net dividends received from Main Street Capital (MAIN) rose $0.12 in my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of a 2.3% increase in its monthly dividend per share declared last November.

I collected $0.42 less in net dividends from GSK Plc (GSK) within my Robinhood and M1 Finance accounts, which was due to the company's variability in its dividend payments.

My net dividends received from Medical Properties Trust (MPW) increased by $6.09 in my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of a 21 share purchase of the stock from last November.

I collected $0.44 in additional net dividends from Merck (MRK) within my Robinhood account, which was due to the 5.8% hike in the quarterly dividend per share announced in November.

My net dividends received from Eastman Chemical (EMN) were $0.21 higher in my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of the 3.9% dividend increase in the quarterly dividend per share declared last December.

I collected an extra $4.62 in net dividends from PepsiCo (PEP) within my Robinhood and M1 Finance accounts, which was due to the timing of the dividend payment.

My net dividends received from Albemarle (ALB) were $0.39 higher in my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of my purchase of another share of the stock in September.

I collected $4.41 less in net dividends from American Tower (AMT) within my Robinhood account, which was due to the timing of the dividend payment.

My net dividends received from Coca-Cola (KO) were $4.40 less in my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of the dividend payment timing.

Concluding Thoughts:

I anticipate that I will continue to deploy between $3,000 to $3,500 each month in fresh capital (including dividends) to dividend stock purchases. That's why I believe that January and February will likely be my final two months of less than $250 in net dividends for any given month.

Discussion:

How was your dividend income last month?

Did you collect any first-time dividends in January 2023 as I did with SRC?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!

January 2023 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post on Saturday, February 11, the temperature is expected to reach a high of 43 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin. Since it is uncharacteristically warm for this time of the year, I certainly plan on getting outside later today.

With that aside, the time of the month means that last month is well behind us at this point. That's why I will be discussing my dividend stock purchases for January 2023. Let's dig in!

I started off the month by opening a three share position in Dollar General (DG) at an average cost of $233.84 per share. Readers interested in my rationale for doing so can check out a recent Motley Fool article on DG (and TJX Companies). This purchase boosted my net annual forward dividends by $6.60, which equates to a 0.94% net dividend yield.

The next dividend stock purchase that I made during the month was four shares of American Electric Power (AEP) at an average cost per share of $95.16. Readers can take a look at my January 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post for more info on the buy case for AEP. As a result of this transaction, my net annual forward dividends surged $13.28 higher. That is equivalent to a 3.49% average dividend yield.

My first non-dividend stock purchase for the month was a share of Alphabet (GOOGL) at a cost of $90.55. This purchase decision was due to GOOGL's dominance in digital advertising as I explained several months ago.

The other non-dividend stock purchase that I made in January was a share of Amazon (AMZN) at a share price of $98.56. This is because of AMZN's status as a leader of the cloud computing, e-commerce, and digital advertising industries.

My third dividend stock purchase that I completed last month was six shares of Main Street Capital (MAIN) at an average cost of $38.71 per share. Those interested in the investment thesis for MAIN can find out more by reading my recent Motley Fool article on the stock. This dividend stock purchase boosted my net annual forward dividends by $16.20, which works out to a 6.97% net dividend yield.

The next dividend stock that I added to in January was a share of Broadcom (AVGO) at a share price of $594.97. While eight months old, this Motley Fool article on AVGO (and Home Depot) still appropriately sums up my investment thesis for the stock. My net annual forward dividends were lifted $18.40 higher from this purchase, which equates to a 3.09% dividend yield.

My fifth dividend stock purchase for last month was two shares of Amgen (AMGN) at an average cost per share of $254.15. Readers can visit my recent Motley Fool article on AMGN to gain a better understanding of my investment thesis. This transaction propelled my net annual forward dividends higher by $17.04, which is a 3.35% net dividend yield.

The final dividend stock purchase that I made in January was 10 shares of Verizon Communications (VZ) at an average cost of $40.48 per share. Although this Motley Fool article is from five months ago, my investment thesis for VZ (and British American Tobacco and Energy Transfer) remains intact. My net annual forward dividends soared higher by $26.10, which is equivalent to a 6.45% dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

I started off 2023 with a bang, putting $3,011.55 in capital to work during the month. Given the $97.62 in net annual forward dividends that these purchases added, my weighted-average net dividend yield was 3.24% on purchases made in January 2023.

Coupled with the record $28.35 in dividend increases that I received last month, my net annual forward dividends soared from $3,355 at the start of the month to nearly $3,480 to end the month.

Discussion:

How did you fare on capital deployment in January 2023?

Did you start any new positions as I did with DG?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

Expected Dividend Increases for February 2023

As I'm writing this blog post on Saturday, February 4, Central Wisconsin just broke out of a lengthy cold snap. The temperature is currently a toasty 30 degrees Fahrenheit and similar temperatures should persist over the next week.

With that being said, it's time to take a look at the dividend raises that I received in January and preview the dividend hikes that I am anticipating for this month.

Actual Dividend Increases for January 2023

Dividend Increase #1: Enterprise Products Partners (EPD)

Enterprise Products Partners announced a 3.2% bump in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.49. Across my 36 units of EPD, this lifted my net annual forward distributions higher by $2.16 due to the distribution announcement.

Dividend Increase #2: STAG Industrial (STAG)

STAG Industrial declared a 0.7% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.1225, which came in below my expectation of a 1.4% raise. My net annual forward dividends edged up by $0.21 across my 21 shares of STAG as a result of the dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #3: ONEOK (OKE)

ONEOK increased its quarterly dividend per share by 2.1% to $0.955. Across my 17 shares of OKE, my net annual forward dividends moved $1.36 higher due to the dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: WEC Energy Group (WEC)

WEC Energy Group declared a 7.2% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.78. My net annual forward dividends increased by $1.68 across my eight shares of WEC as a result of the dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #5: Kimberly Clark (KMB)

Kimberly Clark announced a 1.7% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.18. This proved my prediction to be on the money. Across my four shares of KMB, my net annual forward dividends inched $0.32 higher due to the dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #6: BlackRock (BLK)

BlackRock declared a 2.5% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $5.00. This was well below my expectation of a 5.7% raise in the dividend. My net annual forward dividends moved up by $0.96 across my two shares of BLK as a result of the dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #7: Comcast (CMCSA)

Comcast announced a 7.4% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.29, which was my exact projection. Across my 25 shares of CMCSA, my net annual forward dividends increased by $2.00 due to the dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #8: Energy Transfer (ET)

Energy Transfer declared a 15.1% hike in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.305, which is in line with its pre-COVID distribution. My net annual forward distributions rocketed $13.76 higher across my 86 units of ET as a result of the distribution declaration.

Dividend Increase #9: Alliant Energy (LNT)

Alliant Energy announced a 5.8% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.4575. This was below my forecast of a 7% raise in the quarterly dividend per share. Across my 13 shares of LNT, my net annual forward dividends were lifted by $1.30 due to the dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #10: Air Products & Chemicals (APD)

Air Products & Chemicals declared an 8% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.75. My net annual forward dividends surged $1.56 higher across my three shares of APD as a result of the dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #11: Kinder Morgan (KMI)

Kinder Morgan announced a 1.8% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.2825. Across my 52 shares of KMI, my net annual forward dividends rose by $1.04 due to the dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #12: United Parcel Service (UPS)

United Parcel Service declared a 6.6% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.62. My net annual forward dividends were lifted $2.00 higher across my five shares of UPS as a result of the dividend announcement.

Dividend Freeze: Realty Income (O)

Realty Income kept its monthly dividend per share in line with the previous dividend of $0.2485. This wasn't the 3.8% increase in the dividend that I was hoping for, but I still expect a mid-single-digit dividend increase from the company in the near future.

Expected Dividend Increases for February 2023

Expected Dividend Increase #1: Genuine Parts Company (GPC)

The first dividend raise that I'm forecasting in February will be from Genuine Parts Company. My best guess is that GPC will announce a 5.6% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.945.

Across my six shares of GPC, my net annual forward dividends would surge higher by $1.20 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: Home Depot (HD)

The next dividend boost that I am predicting for next month will come from Home Depot. I believe that HD will declare a 5.3% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $2.00.

My net annual forward dividends would be lifted $1.20 higher across my three shares of HD if this declaration plays out as expected.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: Albemarle (ALB)

The third dividend bump that I'm anticipating in February will be from Albemarle. My projection is that ALB will announce a 2.5% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.405.

Across my six shares of ALB, my net annual forward dividends would edge $0.24 higher from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: Prudential Financial (PRU)

The next dividend increase that I am expecting for next month will come from Prudential Financial. My best guess is that PRU will declare a 4.2% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.25.

My net annual forward dividends would surge $2.00 higher across my 10 shares of PRU if this declaration goes as anticipated.

Expected Dividend Increase #5: L3Harris Technologies (LHX)

The fifth dividend raise that I'm projecting in February will be from L3Harris Technologies. I believe that LHX will announce a 7.1% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.20.

Across my four shares of LHX, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.28 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #6: Cisco Systems (CSCO)

The next dividend bump that I am forecasting for next month will come from Cisco Systems. My projection is that CSCO will declare a 2.6% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.39.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $0.88 across my 22 shares of CSCO if this declaration plays out as expected.

Expected Dividend Increase #7: T. Rowe Price Group (TROW)

The seventh dividend raise that I'm anticipating in February will be from T. Rowe Price Group. My best guess is that TROW will announce a 2.5% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.23.

Across my six shares of TROW, my net annual forward dividends would increase by $0.72 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #8: Allstate (ALL)

The next dividend increase that I am predicting for next month will come from Allstate. I believe that ALL will declare a 3.5% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.88.

My net annual forward dividends would edge $0.60 higher across my five shares of ALL if this declaration comes to fruition.

Expected Dividend Increase #9: 3M (MMM)

The ninth dividend bump that I'm projecting in February will be from 3M. My estimate is that MMM will announce a 0.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.50.

Across my six shares of MMM, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.24 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #10: Medical Properties Trust (MPW)

The next dividend increase that I am expecting for next month will come from Medical Properties Trust. My best guess is that MPW will declare a 3.4% dividend increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.30.

My net annual forward dividends would surge $2.56 higher across my 64 shares of MPW if this declaration occurs.

Expected Dividend Increase #11: Coca-Cola (KO)

The eleventh dividend hike that I'm forecasting in February will be from Coca-Cola. I believe that KO will announce a 4.5% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.46.

Across my 10 shares of KO, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.80 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #12: PepsiCo (PEP)

The next dividend increase that I am expecting for next month will come from PepsiCo. My estimate is that PEP will declare a 7.8% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.24.

My net annual forward dividends would surge $1.44 higher across my four shares of PEP if this declaration manifests itself.

Expected Dividend Increase #13: Digital Realty Trust (DLR)

The thirteenth dividend raise that I'm predicting in February will be from Digital Realty Trust. My best guess is that DLR will announce a 4.9% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.28.

Across my six shares of DLR, my net annual forward dividends would move $1.44 higher from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #14: NextEra Energy (NEE)

The next dividend increase that I am projecting for next month will come from NextEra Energy. I believe that NEE will declare an 8.2% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.46.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.26 across my nine shares of NEE if this declaration materializes.

Already Announced Dividend Increase: Shell (SHEL)

Shell announced a 15% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.575. Across my nine shares of SHEL, my net annual forward dividends were boosted by $2.70 by this dividend announcement.

Concluding Thoughts:

The dozen dividend increases that I received during the month of January 2023 caused my net annual forward dividends to soar higher by $28.35. Putting this into perspective, that would be the equivalent of investing $810.00 in fresh capital at a weighted-average dividend yield of 3.5%. As the months and years unfold, my portfolio is carrying more and more of the load on my journey toward financial independence.

And if the fourteen raises that I expect for February turn out to be correct, my net annual forward dividends would soar $18.56 higher (including the raise from SHEL before this blog post was wrote). This would require a $530.29 investment at a 3.5% dividend yield to replicate.

Discussion:

How was your January 2023 for dividend hikes?

Are you expecting any first-time payout boosts as I am with NEE?

As always, thanks for your readership. You're welcome to leave comments below!

December 2022 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it's hard to believe that the end of the first month of 2023 is already almost upon us. After weeks of warmer than average weather, it is certainly feeling like January again here in Central Wisconsin: The low temperature for today (Friday, January 27, 2023) will be a frigid 8 degrees Fahrenheit.

Earlier this month, I alluded to my net dividend income for December 2022. But let's use this blog post as an opportunity to dig deeper into the figure.

During the month of December 2022, I received $423.00 in net dividends. Compared to the $343.64 in net dividends that I collected in September 2022, this is a 23.1% quarterly growth rate.

Put up against the $353.38 in net dividends that I received in December 2021, my net dividend income surged 19.7% higher over the year-ago period.

Breaking my net dividends down by account, I collected $253.60 in net dividends from 44 stocks in my Robinhood account. My net dividends received from the Capital Income Builder (CAIBX) mutual fund within my retirement portfolio was $153.67 (after including the $10 annual fee charged during the month). I collected $15.25 in net dividends from six stocks in my Webull account. Finally, I received $0.48 in net dividends from 22 stocks within my M1 Finance portfolio.

The $79.36 increase in my net dividends collected from September 2022 to December 2022 was the result of the following activity in my investing accounts:

My net dividends received from Broadcom (AVGO) were $1.50 higher within my Robinhood and Webull portfolios. This was due to the 12.2% hike to the quarterly dividend per share last month.

I collected an extra $0.38 in net dividends from Crown Castle International (CCI) in my Robinhood account, which was the result of a 6.5% boost to the quarterly dividend per share in October.

My net dividends received from Lockheed Martin (LMT) were $0.80 more within my Robinhood and Webull portfolios. This was due to the 7.1% increase in the quarterly dividend per share back in September.

I collected an additional $0.45 in net dividends from Simon Property Group (SPG) in my Robinhood account, which was thanks to the 2.9% lift in the quarterly dividend per share last November.

My net dividends received from Main Street Capital (MAIN) were $0.12 higher within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to the 2.3% increase in the monthly dividend per share announced in November.

I collected an extra $0.42 in net dividends from McDonald's (MCD) in my Robinhood account, which was the result of the 10.1% raise in the quarterly dividend per share last October.

My net dividends received from Realty Income (O) were an extra $1.00 within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to my purchase of four more shares in November and the 0.2% dividend increase last month.

I collected an additional $4.40 in net dividends from Coca-Cola (KO) in my Robinhood account, which was because the timing of the dividend payment.

My net dividends received from KeyCorp (KEY) were $0.39 higher within my Robinhood portfolio. That was due to the 5.1% raise in the quarterly dividend per share in November.

I collected an extra $2.56 in net dividends from STAG Industrial (STAG) in my Robinhood account, which was the result of my purchase of 21 shares in October.

My net dividends received from Exxon Mobil (XOM) within my Robinhood and M1 Finance portfolios were $0.34 greater. This was due to the 3.4% raise in the quarterly dividend per share declared in October.

I collected an additional $0.55 in net dividends from American Electric Power (AEP) in my Robinhood account, which was the result of the 6.4% raise announced last October.

My net dividends received from Microsoft (MSFT) were $0.18 higher within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to the 9.7% dividend hike announced in September.

I collected an extra $0.37 in net dividends from Visa (V) in my Robinhood and Webull accounts, which was the result of the 20% boost to the quarterly dividend per share declared last October.

My net dividends received from Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) within my Robinhood portfolio were $0.11 more. This was due to the 1.8% dividend increase announced in October.

I collected an additional $77.73 in net dividends from my CAIBX mutual fund in my retirement account during the month, which due to a higher share count and the special dividend payment.

My net dividends received from PepsiCo (PEP) were $4.62 less within my Robinhood and M1 Finance portfolios. This was the result of the timing of the dividend payment.

I also collected $7.32 less in net dividends from Digital Realty Trust (DLR) in my Robinhood account, which was due to the dividend payment's timing.

Concluding Thoughts:

As I continue to deploy between $3,000 and $3,500 in capital each month and I receive more dividend hikes from my holdings, my portfolio should really pick up steam in 2023 and beyond. In fact, I anticipate that March 2023 will probably be my final end-of-quarter month with net dividend income under $400.

Discussion:

How was your dividend income last month?

Did you receive any first-time dividends in December 2022?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

February 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post, it is January 19th. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is a balmy 30 degrees Fahrenheit, which is above-average for this time of the year!

With that aside, the end of January will be here before we know it. That's why I will be sharing three dividend stocks that are on my watch list for next month.

Image Source: Pexels

Dividend Stock #1: Digital Realty Trust (DLR)

The first dividend stock that I am watching for next month is Digital Realty Trust (DLR). For readers interested in my investment thesis, I would refer them to my Motley Fool article from earlier this month.

The gist of it is that DLR is a leader in the growing data center industry. On top of that, the stock's 4.6% dividend yield is well-covered and much higher than the S&P 500 index's 1.7% yield. And at a price-to-FFO-per-share ratio of 15.6, the stock is a good value at the current $105 share price (as of January 19, 2023).

Dividend Stock #2: Fastenal (FAST)

The next dividend stock on my watch list in February is Fastenal (FAST). FAST's 12.9% hike in its quarterly dividend per share yesterday to $0.35 grabbed my attention.

Analysts believe that the construction equipment distributor will generate high-single-digit annual earnings growth over the medium term. Paired with the stock's 3% dividend yield, this is a nice mix of starting income and growth potential. That's especially the case given that FAST's dividend payout ratio will still be manageable in the low-70% range for 2023.

At a current year P/E ratio of 24.1, FAST isn't the cheapest stock out there. But since the stock just became a Dividend Aristocrat, it is arguably worthy of the premium valuation that it garners at the current $47 share price (as of January 19, 2023).

Dividend Stock #3: WEC Energy Group (WEC)

The third dividend stock that I am paying attention to for next month is WEC Energy Group (WEC). Even though my previous Motley Fool article on the stock (and Main Street Capital and Energy Transfer) was last June, the investment thesis remains intact.

Nearly 5 million customers throughout the Midwest depend on WEC for electricity and natural gas services. As the company updates and expands its infrastructure, analysts expect 6.4% annual earnings growth over the next five years. Coupled with a 3.4% dividend yield, WEC could offer strong total returns. And the stock is trading at a reasonable forward P/E ratio of 19.9 at the current $92 share price (as of January 19, 2023).

Concluding Thoughts:

It's hard to believe that the first month of 2023 will soon be over. I will likely have deployed between $3,000 to $3,500 in capital in January. And I believe that I'll be able to maintain that pace of capital deployment in February as well.

Discussion:

Are any of DLR, FAST, or WEC on your radar for next month?

If not, what stocks are on your watch list for February 2023?

Thanks for your readership. I welcome your comments below!

December 2022 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post on January 13, 2023, the year of 2022 is nearly two weeks behind us at this point.

Thus, I will be going over my dividend (and non-dividend) stock purchases for the final month of last year. Last month was my slowest for capital deployment in all of 2022 as I closed out the year by building my emergency fund up to just beyond six months of living expenses. Without further ado, let's dig into the few purchases that I made in December 2022.

I started off the month by adding yet another share to my position in Amazon (AMZN) at a cost of $94.80. As I alluded to in a previous post a while back, AMZN is the leader in e-commerce and cloud computing. And while the stock doesn't pay a dividend right now, it almost certainly will in the next six or seven years.

On that same note, I increased my position in Alphabet (GOOGL) by a share for the price of $100.18. GOOGL is the dominant digital advertising company in the world. And like AMZN, I suspect that it will likely begin paying a dividend by the end of this decade.

My first dividend stock purchase for the month was when I opened a starter position of three shares in Tractor Supply (TSCO) at an average cost per share of $210.95. For readers interested in the rationale on why I made this stock purchase and the two that will follow, my December 2022 dividend stock watch list post can provide more details. This transaction added $11.04 to my net annual forward dividend income, which equates to a 1.74% net dividend yield.

The next dividend stock purchase that I completed in December was one share of Union Pacific (UNP) at a price of $205.71. This buy boosted my net annual forward dividends by $5.20, which is equivalent to a 2.53% dividend yield.

The third and final dividend stock purchase that I executed last month was one share of FedEx (FDX) at a cost of $167.43. This transaction increased my net annual forward dividends by $4.60, which works out to a 2.75% net dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

I deployed $1,200.68 in capital during December 2022. These purchases lifted my net annual forward dividends higher by $20.84, which is a 1.74% weighted average net dividend yield.

Along with the $18.794 increase to my net annual forward dividends from dividend increases last month, this pushed my net annual forward dividends up to just below $3,355 heading into January 2023.

Discussion:

How was capital deployment in December 2022 for you?

Did you open any new positions like I did with TSCO?

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

Review of 2022 Financial/Personal Goals

As I'm writing this blog post, it's New Year's Eve. The temperature for today is expected to reach a high of 30 degrees Fahrenheit here in Central Wisconsin. That is a lovely and ideal temperature for this time of the year. If only every winter day were this temperate!

With just hours left in 2022, now is an appropriate time to take a look back at my goals for the year and how I fared at accomplishing each of them.

Image Source: My portfolio

2022 Financial Goals:

1. Collect at least $2,700 in net dividends - Success

As a preview of my December 2022 dividend income, my net dividends were $423.00 during the month. This brings my net dividend income for the year to $2,828.60, which was reasonably above my goal of at least $2,700.

2. Reach net annual forward dividends of at least $3,200 by the end of the year - Success

I also accomplished my second goal of ending 2022 with net annual forward dividends of at least $3,200. My net annual forward dividends are set to head into 2023 at $3,353.99, which was moderately more than my goal.

3. Top $100,000 in investments and reach a net worth of at least $110,000 - Fails

I came up just short of amassing $100,000 in investments and a net worth of $110,000 in 2022. My investments are worth approximately $93,000 at the time of this blog post. Had I not chose to build an emergency fund worth just over $8,000, my investments would likely be just over $100,000 right now. 

But it's nice to know that I have a six-plus month emergency fund at my disposal if I need it. And my net worth of $107,000 is only below my goal of $110,000 because of the broader market selloff in 2022. If my portfolio had just been flat instead of down 3% during the year, my net worth would have been only a few hundred dollars shy of my goal.

2022 Personal Goals:

1. Publish at least 300 articles for Motley Fool - Success

Having published 392 articles for The Motley Fool in 2022, I blew this goal out of the water. This is because I became more efficient at writing articles as the year progressed, which allowed me to up my productivity without really upping my workload. 

2. Publish one Seeking Alpha article every week - Fail

I only published 30 Seeking Alpha articles in 2022. I made up this reduced production over at Seeking Alpha with more articles at Motley Fool, which was also part of the reason that I published so many articles for the latter during the year. The decision was made that I would stop writing weekly articles at Seeking Alpha effective in August because the pay wasn't on par with what I was earning at Motley Fool. Since I have shifted my focus to monthly articles at Seeking Alpha and have covered more popular stocks, my average article earnings have been much better.

3. Publish one blog post each week - Success

I published 52 blog posts in 2022, which met my goal for the year. As I discussed in my previous blog post, I believe I have an obligation to this blog because it was basically responsible for launching my writing career. And just as importantly, I also want to demonstrate to readers that attaining financial independence as a "normie" isn't just possible with the right mindset: But it can be a probable outcome.

Concluding Thoughts:

2022 was another year of incredible progress in my journey to financial independence and professional development. I'm thrilled to continue this momentum heading into the new year and beyond!

Discussion:

What were your goals in 2022?

Were there any you fell just short of accomplishing?

Thanks for your readership. Please feel free to comment below!

My Financial & Personal Goals for 2023

It's hard to believe, but there is just a day left in 2022 at the time of my writing this blog post. And with the high temperature set to be just below freezing today, it really doesn't feel like late-December here in Central Wisconsin.

At any rate, now is as good of a time as any to look ahead to my personal and financial goals for 2023. Without further ado, here goes.

Image Source: Pexels

My Financial Goals for 2023

1. Collect at least $4,200 in net dividends

The first financial goal that I have for 2023 is to receive at least $4,200 in net dividends. Since I cleared more than $2,800 in net dividends in 2022 (spoiler alert for the next blog post of this series), I think this is a doable goal. This is because investing around $40,000 at a 3.5% net dividend yield adds $1,400 in net dividends alone (depending on the timing of the investments), not counting dividend raises.

2. End the year with net annual forward dividends of at least $5,000

My next financial goal for next year is to end the year with net annual forward dividends at or above $5,000. Given that I am going to begin 2023 with net annual forward dividends of around $3,354, I would only need to boost my portfolio's income by $1,646. If I can achieve my reasonable goal of investing $40,000 (via both fresh capital and dividend reinvestment) during the year, I should be very close to accomplishing this goal with dividend hikes considered.

3. Top $135,000 in investments and $150,000 in net worth

The final financial goal that I have for 2023 is to surpass $135,000 in investments and $150,000 in net worth by the end of the year. Depending upon what the markets do today (Friday, December 30), my investments will be worth approximately $93,000 heading into 2023 and my net worth will be about $107,000. Simply reaching my goal of investing $40,000 for the year will get me very close to attaining this goal.

My Personal Goals for 2023

1. Publish at least 450 articles for Motley Fool

My first personal goal for next year is to get a minimum of 450 articles published over at The Motley Fool. This averages out to a bit less than nine articles a week, assuming one week of vacation a year that I have yet to ever really take. With my additional computer monitor that I recently purchased, my productivity has meaningfully increased. That makes this goal pretty manageable in my opinion.

2. Publish one Seeking Alpha article each month

The next personal goal that I have for 2023 is to publish one Seeking Alpha article each month. Back in July, I made a decision that would go into effect in August that I would cut back my Seeking Alpha production from one article a week to one a month. That's because the pay wasn't quite on par with Motley Fool since I was typically covering underappreciated and underfollowed stocks when writing on a weekly basis. Since I have switched to a monthly basis, I can write about the more followed stocks and make pay that is more even with Motley Fool.

I don't envision ever stopping writing for Seeking Alpha since they are what got me into the game of paid writing. SA was the bridge between my blog and ultimately Motley Fool, so I am forever grateful for the platform.

3. Publish at least one blog post each week

My final personal goal for next year is to keep publishing one blog post here each week. As my post linked to in the prior subhead discusses, I may not have ever been on Seeking Alpha or Motley Fool without first starting this blog. I owe much of my life to this venture, so I am very glad that I started it.

Concluding Thoughts:

2022 has been an exciting year overall. It was my first full year of writing for Motley Fool. Needless to say, I'm stoked to keep pushing on in 2023!

Discussion:

What are your goals for 2023?

Do you expect any of your goals to be more difficult to attain than all the others?

Thanks for reading and I welcome your comments below. Best of luck to everyone on achieving their goals in 2023!