Expected Dividend Increases for October 2023

As I'm writing this blog post on Saturday, September 23, it is currently 64 degrees Fahrenheit and raining. That's basically perfect weather for staying inside and writing a blog post!

With that aside, now would be a good time to write about the dividend increases that I received during the month (besides Lockheed Martin, which will be announcing its dividend increase likely on Sept. 29). Let's dig in.

Actual Dividend Increases for September 2023

Dividend Increase #1: Verizon Communications (VZ)

Verizon Communications declared a 1.9% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.665, which was as I expected in my previous blog post of this series.

Across my 45 shares of VZ, my net annual forward dividends rose by $2.25 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #2: VICI Properties (VICI)

VICI Properties announced a 6.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.415. This was just below my expectation of $0.42.

My net annual forward dividends soared by $4.80 due to this dividend announcement across my 48 shares of VICI.

Dividend Increase #3: Realty Income (O)

Realty Income declared a 0.2% raise in its monthly dividend per share to $0.256, which was what I anticipated.

Across my 24 shares of O, my net annual forward dividends edged $0.144 higher from such a dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #4: Philip Morris International (PM)

Philip Morris International announced a 2.4% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.30. That was just below the $1.31 that I was predicting.

My net annual forward dividends were lifted by $2.52 across my 21 shares of PM due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #5: Microsoft (MSFT)

Microsoft declared a 10.3% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.75, which was just above my forecast of $0.74.

Across my five shares of MSFT, my net annual forward dividends rose by $1.40 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #6: W.P. Carey (WPC)

W.P. Carey announced a 0.2% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.071. That was what in line with my expectation.

My net annual forward dividends grew by $0.112 across my 14 shares of WPC due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #7: American Tower (AMT)

American Tower declared a 3.2% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.62, which was better than the $1.60 that I anticipated.

Across my six shares of AMT, my net annual forward dividends increased by $1.20 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #8: Starbucks (SBUX)

Starbucks announced a 7.5% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.57. That was exactly what I expected.

My net annual forward dividends surged higher by $1.60 across my 10 shares of SBUX due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #9: Texas Instruments (TXN)

Texas Instruments declared a 4.8% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.30. Across my 12 shares of TXN, this lifted my net annual forward dividends by $2.88.

Pending Increase #10: Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Since Lockheed Martin historically raises its dividend on the last Friday of September, it has yet to announce a dividend boost yet. But I am standing by my estimate of a 6.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $3.20.

Across my four shares of LMT, this would boost my net annual forward dividends by $3.20.

Dividend Freeze: U.S. Bancorp (USB)

Rather than raise its quarterly dividend per share to $0.50 as I expected, U.S. Bancorp opted to keep its dividend per share the same at $0.48. In this economic environment, that's probably not a bad idea, though.

Expected Dividend Increases for October 2023

Expected Dividend Increase #1: McDonald's (MCD)

The first dividend boost that I'm expecting for next month will be from McDonald's. My best guess is that MCD will up their quarterly dividend per share by 7.3% to $1.63.

Across my three shares of MCD, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $1.32 if this raise plays out as expected.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: A.O. Smith (AOS)

The next dividend raise that I am predicting for October is from A.O. Smith. I believe AOS will announce a 10% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.33.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.44 across my 12 shares of AOS if this dividend boost materializes.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: Crown Castle International (CCI)

The third dividend increase that I'm forecasting for next month will be from Crown Castle International. I predict that CCI will declare a 4.8% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.64.

Across my eight shares of CCI, my net annual forward dividends would be lifted by $2.40 from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: Tanger Factory Outlet Centers (SKT)

The next dividend raise that I'm expecting for October is from Tanger Factory Outlet Centers. My best guess is that SKT will announce an 8.2% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.265.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.88 across my 11 shares of SKT due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #5: American Electric Power (AEP)

The fifth dividend increase that I'm predicting for next month will be from American Electric Power. I believe that AEP will declare a 6% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.88.

Across my 15 shares of AEP, my net annual forward dividends would surge higher by $3 from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #6: Pinnacle West Capital (PNW)

The next dividend raise that I'm forecasting for October is from Pinnacle West Capital. If I had to guess, PNW will announce a 1.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.88.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $0.42 across my seven shares of PNW due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #7: Energy Transfer (ET)

The seventh distribution increase that I'm expecting for next month will be from Energy Transfer. My best guess is that ET will declare a 0.8% raise in the quarterly distribution per unit to $0.3125.

Across my 86 units of ET, my net annual forward distributions would rise by $0.86 from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #8: Exxon Mobil (XOM)

The next dividend raise that I'm predicting for October is from Exxon Mobil. I believe that XOM will announce a 4.4% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.95.

My net annual forward dividends would increase by $1.76 across my 11 shares of XOM due to such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #9: Visa (V)

The ninth dividend boost that I'm forecasting for next month will be from Visa. My best guess is that V will declare a 16.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.525.

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

Expected Dividend Increase #10: AbbVie (ABBV)

The final dividend raise that I'm predicting for October is from AbbVie. I believe that ABBV will announce a 4.1% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.54.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $3.36 across my 14 shares of ABBV due to such an announcement.

Concluding Thoughts:

Aside from the pending raise from LMT, my net annual forward dividends have climbed $16.906 from the nine increases so far this month.

If my assumptions for next month are correct, my net annual forward dividends will soar by $17.54. This would be equivalent to investing $584.67 at a 3% dividend yield.

Discussion:

How was your September for dividend raises?

Did you receive any first-time payout increases for the month?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

Revised Goals for 2023

The weather here in Central Wisconsin as of Friday, September 15, has certainly cooled off from the triple-digit Fahrenheit temperatures that were set just weeks ago. It is predicted that the high temperature today is going to reach 75 degrees Fahrenheit, which is an ideal temperature in my opinion. With probably just a few days here and there of this type of weather left, I am definitely going to get outside before typical fall and winter weather hit us.

Anyways, taking into consideration the financial and professional impact of my recent job loss, now is probably a good time to adjust my goals a bit for the three and a half months that we have remaining in 2023.

Image Source: Pexels

My Updated Financial Goals for 2023

1. End 2023 with a six month emergency fund

My recent job loss has drove home the importance of a healthy emergency fund. I currently have an emergency fund of about three months of living expenses. And while it looks like I will be blessed to quickly land back on my feet, three months just doesn't seem like an adequate emergency fund after having experienced my first layoff. That's why I'd like to just over double my emergency fund to six months of living expenses.

2. Conclude 2023 with net annual forward dividends of at least $4,300

At the time of writing, my portfolio is expected to generate net annual forward dividends of $4,221.86. Since I am going to be focusing on building up my emergency fund, I either won't be investing for the rest of 2023 or capital deployment will be quite minimal. But dividend increases over the next few months should help me surpass $4,300 in net annual forward dividends before the year is over.

3. Reach $120,000 in investments and $140,000 in net worth

My cash flow is likely going to be less for the next few months than what it had previously been throughout this year. This is why my goal is to simply have the value of my portfolio remain around $120,000. And as I slowly build up my emergency fund, the thought is that I can increase my net worth by around $5,000 from the current mark of nearly $135,000.

My Personal Goals for 2023

1. Publish approximately 360 Motley Fool articles

Prior to my layoff, I was going to crush my goal of publishing at least 450 Motley Fool articles. In fact, I was on track to publish over 520. But given the circumstances, I will have to settle for the roughly 360 that were published.

2. Publish at least 90 Seeking Alpha articles

Until my layoff, my goal was to publish one Seeking Alpha article each month. My new goal is to publish 90 Seeking Alpha articles for this year. Based on the 15 that I already have had or will have published as of writing, this is a modest goal of five articles per week. As I get settled into Seeking Alpha and a new role at a Marketplace service, I may up this goal for 2024.

3. Publish one blog post each week.

Out of all my goals, this is the only one that is going to remain the same. I like where I'm at right now with publishing to the blog. It's still a nice hobby to update readers on my progress on the journey to achieve financial independence.

Concluding Thoughts:

Have you ever updated your goals as the year evolved?

Thanks for your readership and please leave your comments below!

Major Life Update And Two Takeaways

I'm going to keep this blog post especially short and sweet. The weather here in Central Wisconsin is beautiful today on Saturday, September 9: It is currently 74 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny.

With that aside, let's get into the crux of this post.

My Contract Was Not Renewed

Each September, The Motley Fool sets its budget for the next fiscal year. Due to the significant economic changes since I started in 2021, tough decisions and cutbacks had to be made. Thus, my contract was not renewed for the next fiscal year.

Going into it, I knew this would be a possibility. But I was fine with it because of the autonomy over my schedule the opportunity provided me. I was able to spend more time with my nephew and avoid commuting to work.

The First Takeaway: An Emergency Fund Provides Peace of Mind

Having a roughly three month emergency fund helped to cushion the blow a bit. Fortunately, I look to have a new opportunity in the works that I will elaborate on more as it unfolds.

For the rest of this year, I am going to be working on building my emergency fund further to six or seven months of expenses for good measure.

The Second Takeaway: Things Happen for a Reason

A couple of years back, an opportunity fell into my lap. But because I was settled into Motley Fool and progressing from writing five articles a week to ultimately 11 before I was laid off, I passed on said opportunity.

I had always wondered what might have been had I taken the opportunity and ran with it. Now, by God's grace, I have another chance.

Concluding Thoughts:

As disappointing as news of my job loss initially was, I feel blessed to have wrote almost 900 articles for Motley Fool. And I'm looking forward to my next opportunity.

Discussion:

Have you ever lost a job?

Were you fortunate enough to have an emergency fund?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below.

August 2023 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post on Saturday, September 2, you wouldn't know that fall is less than three weeks away. The high temperature here in Central Wisconsin is expected to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit today!

Anyways, with August now in the books, now would be a good time to look at my dividend income for the month. Let's dive into it!

In August 2023, I received $305.77 in net dividends. That works out to a 10.6% growth rate over the $276.48 in net dividends that I collected from my portfolio in May 2023.

My net dividends received in August 2023 were 46.3% greater than the $209.05 in net dividends collected in August 2022.

Digging deeper, I received $289.95 in net dividends from 31 companies within my Robinhood account. I collected $15.42 in net dividends from three companies in my Webull portfolio during the month (inclusive of the $0.06 in ADR fees for British American Tobacco). Finally, I received $0.40 in net dividends from 16 companies within my M1 Finance account in August 2023.

The net dividends that I collected from May 2023 to August 2023 surged higher by $29.29, which was the result of the following activity within my portfolio:

My net dividends received from United Parcel Service (UPS) were $8.13 more in my Robinhood and M1 Finance accounts, which was due to the timing of the dividend payment.

I collected an extra $3.66 in net dividends from TJX Companies (TJX) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was also the result of the timing of the dividend payment.

My net dividends received from Clorox (CLX) were $0.04 higher in my Robinhood account, which was due to the 1.7% increase in the quarterly dividend per share announced in July.

I collected $0.28 in additional net dividends from British American Tobacco (BTI) within my Robinhood and Webull portfolios. This was the result of the variability of its dividend payments.

My net distributions received from Energy Transfer (ET) grew by $0.22 in my Robinhood and Webull accounts, which was due to the distribution bump declared in July.

I collected an extra $0.15 in net dividends from Main Street Capital (MAIN) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of the 2.2% increase in the monthly dividend per share announced in May.

My net dividends received from Realty Income (O) grew by $0.01 in my Robinhood account, which was due to the 0.2% increase in its monthly dividend declared in June.

I collected an additional $0.27 in net dividends from NNN REIT (NNN) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of the 2.7% lift in the quarterly dividend per share announced in July.

My net dividends received from Texas Instruments (TXN) rose by $7.44 in my Robinhood account, which was due to my dividend stock purchases in May and July.

I collected an extra $8.36 in net distributions from Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) within my Robinhood and Webull portfolios. This was the result of the 2% distribution per unit increase declared in July and my purchase of 16 more units in June.

My net dividends received from Air Products & Chemicals (APD) were $3.50 higher in my Robinhood account, which was due to my purchase of two more shares in April.

I collected an additional $2.64 in net dividends from General Dynamics (GD) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of my purchase of two more shares in June.

My net dividends received from Lowe's (LOW) were $0.41 more in my Robinhood and M1 Finance accounts, which was due to the 4.8% raise declared in May.

I collected an extra $0.20 in net dividends from General Mills (GIS) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was the result of the 9.3% dividend hike announced in June.

My net dividends received from JPMorgan Chase (JPM) were $6.02 less in my Robinhood and M1 Finance accounts, which was due to the timing of the dividend payment.

Concluding Thoughts:

My net dividends surpassed the $300 milestone during the month of August. And given trends of my capital deployment, I anticipate that this will be my last middle-of-the-month quarter under $325 in net dividends.

Discussion:

How was your dividend income for August 2023?

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

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!

August 2023 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, August 25, the weather here in Central Wisconsin isn't too bad: It is sunny today and the high temperature is expected to be 88 degrees Fahrenheit. This is much better than just a couple of days ago, when the temperature topped 100 degrees!

With that aside, I anticipate that my capital deployment for August 2023 is complete. Thus, now is a good time to discuss my stock purchases for the month. Let's dive in.

The first stock purchase that I completed for the month of August was 0.5 shares of Alphabet (GOOGL) at an average price per share of $128.52. This brought my position in the advertising giant to 20 shares, which I am happy with for now as I shift my focus toward building a position in Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG).

My next stock purchase that I executed during the month was 0.5 shares of Amazon (AMZN) at an average cost of $128.30 per share. Just as is the case with GOOGL, my AMZN position is now in a decent spot at 20 shares. That's why I plan on pausing incremental purchases in the e-commerce and cloud juggernaut for the time being.

The first dividend stock purchase that I made for the month of August was 30 shares of Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) at an average price per share of $34.89. As a leader within the alternative asset management space, BAM is diversified across so many of the mega-trends that will define the future of the global economy. These include renewable energy, data centers, and artificial intelligence. The transaction added $38.40 to my net annual forward dividends, which equates to a 3.67% net dividend yield.

My next dividend stock purchase that I completed during the month was 15 shares of VICI Properties (VICI) at an average cost of $30.02 per share. Interested readers can check out my buying rationale for the stock in my August 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. This buy boosted my net annual forward dividends by $23.40, which works out to a 5.2% dividend yield.

The third dividend stock purchase that I executed for the month of August was three shares of AbbVie (ABBV) at an average price per share of $153.05. Again, curious readers can visit my August 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post for the investment thesis. The transaction lifted my net annual forward dividends by $17.76, which is equivalent to a 3.87% net dividend yield.

My next dividend stock purchase that I made during the month was two shares of Lowe's (LOW) at an average cost of $224.37 a share. Once again, readers can peruse my August 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post for a better understanding of why I like LOW. This decision increased my net annual forward dividends by $8.80, which equates to a 1.96% dividend yield.

The fifth dividend stock purchase that I completed for the month of August was two shares of Hershey (HSY) at an average price per share of $215.05. Readers can find my investment thesis in a Motley Fool article on the stock published earlier this month. The transaction bumped up my net annual forward dividends by $9.536, which works out to a 2.22% net dividend yield.

My next dividend stock purchase that I executed during the month was eight shares of Iron Mountain (IRM) at an average cost of $60.79 a share. Intrigued readers can scan my recent Motley Fool article on the stock (and Energy Transfer and FedEx) for my investment thesis. This buy helped my net annual forward dividends to climb by $21.20, which is equivalent to a 4.36% dividend yield.

The seventh and final dividend stock purchase that I made for the month of August was 17 shares of Leggett & Platt (LEG) at an average price per share of $27.73. My buying rationale is as simple as the fact that LEG is a beaten-down Dividend King with a reasonably safe dividend considering the current economic environment that it is facing. The decision boosted my net annual forward dividends by $31.28, which equates to a 6.64% net dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

During the month of August, I put $3,921.12 of capital to work. Against the $150.376 in net annual forward dividends that were added to my portfolio, this works out to a 3.84% weighted average dividend yield.

Dividend announcements in August (e.g., Medical Properties Trust's dividend cut) collectively reduced my net annual forward dividends by $25.43. As a result, my net annual forward dividends grew from almost $4,085 at the start of the month to nearly $4,210 heading into September.

Discussion:

How did you fare in regard to capital deployment in August 2023?

Did you open any new whole-share positions as I did with BAM?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

Expected Dividend Increases for September 2023

As I'm writing this blog post on Saturday, August 19, it is expected to reach a high of 92 degrees Fahrenheit today here in Central Wisconsin. That's about 10- to 15 degrees hotter than my ideal temperature, but I'll make the most of it!

With that aside, I have received all but one dividend raise thus far for the month of August. Once Altria Group (MO) announces the 4.3% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.98 as I expect on Thursday, August 24, I will update it. But without further ado, let's look back on the payout increases that I have received so far and preview raises that I am expecting for September 2023.

Actual Dividend Increases for August 2023

Dividend Increase #1: Iron Mountain (IRM)

After almost four years of freezing its dividend to deleverage and get down to its target payout ratio, Iron Mountain hiked its quarterly dividend per share by 5.1% to $0.65. This was certainly a welcomed dividend announcement as I wasn't sure whether it would come this year or the next!

Across my 13 shares of IRM, my net annual forward dividends rose by $1.638 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #2: Essential Utilities (WTRG)

Essential Utilities declared a 7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.3071. This was basically in line with my expectation of a raise to $0.3070.

My net annual forward dividends edged $0.804 higher across my 10 shares of WTRG as a result of this declaration.

Dividend Increase #3: Main Street Capital (MAIN)

Main Street Capital announced a 2.2% bump in its monthly dividend per share to $0.235, which was precisely what I anticipated.

Across my 30 shares of MAIN, my net annual forward dividends grew by $1.80 due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #4: Simon Property Group (SPG)

Simon Property Group declared a 2.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.90. Again, this was what I expected.

My net annual forward dividends were boosted by $1.80 across my nine shares of SPG as a result of this declaration.

Dividend Increase #5: Spirit Realty Capital (SRC)

Spirit Realty Capital announced a 1% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.6696. Across my 20 shares of SRC, my net annual forward dividends inched $0.528 higher due to this announcement.

Dividend Increase #6: Altria Group (MO)

Just as expected, Altria Group upped its quarterly dividend per share by 4.3% to $0.98. Across my 24 shares, this boosted my net annual forward dividends by $3.84.

Dividend Cut: Medical Properties Trust (MPW)

Medical Properties Trust slashed its quarterly dividend per share by 48.3% to $0.15. I'm somewhat surprised it took this long for it to play out. But as bitter sweet as the cut is, I think it will be viewed as a positive in a few years.

Across my 64 shares of MPW, my net annual forward dividends plunged by $35.84 from this dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increases for September 2023

Expected Dividend Increase #1: Realty Income (O)

The first dividend increase that I'm expecting in September 2023 is from Realty Income. My best guess is that O will declare a 0.2% increase in its monthly dividend per share to $0.256.

If this raise plays out as expected, my net annual forward dividends would increase by $0.144 across my 24 shares of O.

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

The next dividend raise that I anticipate for next month will be from W.P. Carey. I believe WPC will announce a 0.2% bump in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.071.

Across my 14 shares of WPC, my net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.112 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #3: American Tower (AMT)

The third dividend bump that I'm predicting in September 2023 is from American Tower. I project that AMT will declare a 1.9% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.60.

My net annual forward dividends would grow by $0.72 across my six shares of AMT due to such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: VICI Properties (VICI)

The next dividend increase that I am expecting for next month will be from VICI Properties. My best guess it that VICI will announce a 7.7% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.42.

Across my 48 shares of VICI, my net annual forward dividends would soar by $5.76 as a result of such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #5: Philip Morris International (PM)

The fifth dividend raise that I anticipate in September 2023 is from Philip Morris International. I believe PM will declare a 3.1% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.31.

My net annual forward dividends would be lifted by $3.36 due to such a declaration across my 21 shares of PM.

Expected Dividend Increase #6: Verizon Communications (VZ)

The next dividend increase that I'm predicting for next month will be from Verizon Communications. I project that VZ will announce a 1.9% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.665. 

Across my 45 shares of VZ, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $2.25 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #7: U.S. Bancorp (USB)

The seventh dividend raise that I am expecting in September 2023 is from U.S. Bancorp. My best guess is that USB will declare a 4.2% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.50.

My net annual forward dividends would rise by $2.08 across my 26 shares of USB due to such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #8: Microsoft (MSFT)

The next dividend increase that I'm anticipating for next month will be from Microsoft. I believe MSFT will announce an 8.8% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.74.

Across my five shares of MSFT, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.20 from such an announcement.

Expected Dividend Increase #9: Starbucks (SBUX)

The ninth dividend boost that I am predicting in September 2023 is from Starbucks. I project that SBUX will declare a 7.5% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.57.

My net annual forward dividends would increase by $1.60 across my 10 shares of SBUX due to such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #10: Lockheed Martin (LMT)

The final dividend hike that I'm expecting for next month will be from Lockheed Martin. My best guess is that LMT will raise its quarterly dividend per share by 6.7% to $3.20.

Across my four shares of LMT, my net annual forward dividends would surge higher by $3.20 from such an announcement.

Concluding Thoughts:

My net annual forward dividends have shrank by $25.43 in August. Excluding the cut from MPW, my net annual forward dividends would have grown by $10.41.

Looking ahead to September, my net annual forward dividends could rise by $20.426 if the 10 raises that I expect pan out as a whole. That would be equivalent to investing $680.87 in capital at an average 3% dividend yield.

Discussion:

How was your August for payout raises?

Did you receive any first-time dividend increases during the month as I did with SRC?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!

September 2023 Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post, it is Monday, August 7. The workweek has just begun, but I'm definitely looking forward to a three day weekend that I am taking beginning on Friday. The temperatures here in Central Wisconsin are going to range from the high-70 degrees Fahrenheit to high-80 degrees Fahrenheit during that time. Paired with a mostly sunny forecast with occasional showers, this is ideal weather for summertime.

By the time this blog will be published, August will be half over. That means now isn't a bad time to look ahead to September. Here are three stocks that I am putting on my watch list for the month.

Image Source: Pexels

Stock #1: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG)

The first stock on my watch list for September 2023 is Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG). Interested readers can check out my investment thesis on the stock (and Lowe's) in this recently published Motley Fool article.

CMG opens hundreds of restaurants each year, yet it has closed no restaurants for the last three quarters. This impressive key stat is why management believes the company is at less than half of its total restaurant potential in North America. As amazing of an investment as CMG has been in recent years, this still gives it plenty of market-beating upside over the next five- to 10-years from the current $1,890 share price (as of August 7, 2023).

Stock #2: Kinder Morgan (KMI)

The next stock on my watch list for next month is Kinder Morgan (KMI). Curious readers can peruse my investment thesis on the stock (and Altria Group) from a June 2022 Motley Fool article as the long-term story is intact.

The global demand for crude oil, natural gas, and gasoline isn't going anywhere for at least the next few decades. In fact, total aggregate demand is almost certainly going to rise as global economic growth continues. The company's 6.5% dividend yield looks to be sustainable, which makes it a buy at the current $17 share price (as of August 7, 2023).

Stock #3: Lockheed Martin (LMT)

The third stock on my watch list for September 2023 is Lockheed Martin (LMT). Readers can take a look at my Motley Fool article from November 2021 on the stock (and Enterprise Products Partners, Magellan Midstream Partners, British American Tobacco, and Verizon Communications) for the investment thesis.

Basically, military defense spending is practically guaranteed until the end of time. As the largest defense contractor in the world, LMT is primed to keep growing as a result. This should support a growing dividend as well, which makes the stock and its 2.7% dividend yield a buy at the current $450 share price (as of August 7, 2023).

Concluding Thoughts:

September 2023 should hopefully be another month of capital deployment between $3,000 and $3,500. I'm very much looking forward to adding to my positions in at least two quality dividend payers and opening a position in one of the best growth stocks on the planet in CMG in September!

Discussion:

Are any of the stocks mentioned above on your watch list for September 2023?

If not, what stocks are you interested in for next month?

Thank you for reading and please leave your comments below!

July 2023 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, August 4, the weather here in Central Wisconsin is looking great for this weekend. The high temperatures are expected to reach into the low- to mid-80 degrees Fahrenheit range, which is great for this time of year!

Given that the month of July is over, now would be a good time to take a look at my dividend income for the month. Let's dig in!

During July 2023, I received $258.02 in net dividends. This equates to a 15.8% quarterly growth rate compared to the $222.78 in net dividends collected in April 2023.

Stacked up against the $176.10 in net dividends received in July 2022, my net dividends climbed by 46.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Digging in deeper, I collected $247.95 in net dividends from 30 stocks within my Robinhood portfolio. I also received $9.90 in net dividends from four stocks in my Webull account. Finally, I collected $0.17 in net dividends from eight stocks within my M1 Finance portfolio.

My net dividends received were lifted higher by $35.24 from April 2023 to July 2023, which was the result of the following activity in my investments accounts:

I collected an extra $0.03 in net dividends from American Tower (AMT) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to the 0.6% increase to the quarterly dividend per share announced in May.

My net dividends received from JPMorgan Chase (JPM) were $6.02 higher in my Robinhood and M1 Finance accounts, which was the result of the timing of the dividend payment.

I collected an additional $4.06 in net dividends from Comcast (CMCSA) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to my May 2023 purchase of another 14 shares.

My net dividends received from U.S. Bancorp (USB) grew by $6.24 in my Robinhood account, which was the result of my June 2023 purchase of another 13 shares.

I collected an extra $0.15 in net dividends from Main Street Capital (MAIN) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to the 2.2% dividend increase back in May.

My net dividends received from Realty Income (O) were an additional $1.79 in my Robinhood account, which was the result of my April 2023 purchase of another seven shares.

I collected $0.08 more in net dividends from Medtronic (MDT) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to the 1.5% dividend raise declared in May.

My net dividends received from W.P. Carey (WPC) surged higher by $7.50 in my Robinhood account, which was the result of my June 2023 purchase of seven more shares and the 0.2% dividend raise announced in June.

I collected an additional $0.30 in net dividends from Leggett & Platt (LEG) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to the 4.5% dividend increase declared in May.

My net dividends received from GSK plc (GSK) grew by $0.23 in my Robinhood account, which was the result of the variability of the dividend payment.

I collected an extra $6.35 in net dividends from Philip Morris International (PM) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to my April 2023 purchase of five more shares.

My net dividends received from FedEx (FDX) rose by $0.44 in my Robinhood account, which was the result of the 9.6% dividend hike announced in April.

I collected an additional $0.80 in net dividends from Albemarle (ALB) within my Robinhood portfolio. This was due to my May 2023 purchase of two more shares.

My net dividends received from Automatic Data Processing (ADP) grew by $1.25 in my Robinhood account, which was the result of my March 2023 purchase of one more share.

Concluding Thoughts:

Having surpassed $250 in net dividends in July 2023, April 2023 should go down as my final month of sub-$250 dividend income. As I continue to allocate between $3,000 and $3,500 in capital each month to world-class dividend stock purchases, July or August 2023 could be my last month under $300 in net dividend income.

Discussion:

How was your dividend income in July 2023?

Did you receive any dividends for the first time last month?

Thanks for your readership and feel free to comment below!

July 2023 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post on Friday, July 28, the forecast for this weekend here in Central Wisconsin really couldn't be much better. The high temperatures are going to reach into the low-80 degrees Fahrenheit with light rain throughout the day.

With my capital deployments complete for the month, now would be a good time to highlight my dividend stock purchases in July 2023. Let's dive into it!

The first stock purchase that I made to start the month of July was a share of Amazon (AMZN) at a cost of $128.27. In the 15 months that I have been building my position in AMZN, I nearly have a 20 share stake (19.5 as of writing) in the tech giant. I will probably soon take a break from adding to my position for a while in favor of another growth stock in a different sector (hint: It's a restaurant stock). Interested readers can check out my investment thesis for the stock from April 2022.

My next stock purchase that I completed during the month was a share of Alphabet (GOOGL) at a price of $119.79. Like AMZN, my stake in GOOGL is almost built up to my satisfaction for now. Curious readers can peruse my investment thesis for GOOGL from last July.

The first dividend stock purchase that I executed in July was two shares of Automatic Data Processing (ADP) at an average cost per share of $229.18. My investment thesis for ADP remains the same as when I initially covered it on Motley Fool in April. The $10 in net annual forward dividends that the purchase added to my portfolio equates to a 2.18% net dividend yield.

My next dividend stock purchase that I made during the month was seven shares of Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) at an average price per share of $61.95. The investment thesis for BMY is unchanged from when I last covered it in June (along with CVS Health and Thermo Fisher Scientific). This transaction boosted my net annual forward dividends by $15.96, which is equivalent to a 3.68% dividend yield.

The third dividend stock purchase that I completed in July was 15 shares of Verizon Communications (VZ) at an average cost per share of $32.96. My investment thesis is the same as it was two weeks ago when I wrote about the stock (and Altria Group). This purchase lifted my net annual forward dividends by $39.15, which works out to a 7.92% net dividend yield.

My next dividend stock purchase that I executed during the month was three shares of Texas Instruments (TXN) at an average price per share of $182.16. The investment thesis is unchanged since I last covered the stock in my May 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. The transaction raised my net annual forward dividends by $14.88, which equates to a 2.72% dividend yield.

The fifth dividend stock purchase that I made in July was five shares of RTX Corp (RTX), formerly known as Raytheon Technologies, at an average cost per share of $83.78. My investment thesis is the same as it was in June 2023 for my July 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post. This purchase increased my net annual forward dividends by $11.80, which is equivalent to a 2.82% net dividend yield.

My final dividend stock purchase that I completed during the month was two shares of PepsiCo (PEP) at an average price per share of $190.75. The investment thesis for PEP (and Dollar General) remains the same as it was in my Motley Fool article from a week ago. The transaction lifted my net annual forward dividends by $10.12, which works out to a 2.65% dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

I put $2,981.29 of capital to work in July 2023. Compared to the $101.91 in net annual forward dividends that were added from these purchases, this equates to a 3.42% weighted average net yield.

Coupled with the $12.344 in dividend increases that I received in July, this helped my net annual forward dividends surge from around $3,970 at the start of the month to nearly $4,085 heading into August.

Discussion:

How was your capital deployment during July 2023?

Did you open any new positions for the month?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!

Expected Dividend Increases for August 2023

As I'm writing this blog post, it is Saturday, July 22. The temperature here in Central Wisconsin is expected to reach a high of 82 degrees Fahrenheit, which is arguably perfect for this time of year.

With just a week remaining in the month of July, now would be a good time to highlight the dividend increases that I have received during the month. We'll also look ahead to the raises that I am expecting for next month. Let's dig in!

Actual Dividend Increases for July 2023

Dividend Increase #1: Enterprise Products Partners (EPD)

Enterprise Products Partners declared a 2% bump in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.50. Across my 52 units of EPD, this declaration led my net annual forward distributions higher by $2.08.

Dividend Increase #2: Cummins (CMI)

Cummins announced a 7% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.68, which was precisely what I expected as I outlined in the previous blog post of this series.

My net annual forward dividends surged higher by $2.20 across my five shares of CMI due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #3: Duke Energy (DUK)

Duke Energy declared a 2% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.025. This was in line with my prediction.

Across my six shares of DUK, my net annual forward dividends grew by $0.48 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #4: J.M. Smucker (SJM)

J.M. Smucker announced a 3.9% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.06, which was below my projection of $1.08.

My net annual forward dividends edged higher by $0.48 across my three shares of SJM due to this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #5: NNN REIT (NNN)

NNN REIT declared a 2.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.565. This came in just under my estimate of $0.57.

Across my 18 shares of NNN, my net annual forward dividends rose by $1.08 from this dividend declaration.

Dividend Increase #6: Energy Transfer (ET)

Energy Transfer announced a 0.8% increase in its quarterly distribution per unit to $0.31 as I predicted.

My net annual forward distributions rose by $0.86 as a result of this dividend announcement.

Dividend Increase #7: Hershey (HSY)

Hershey has yet to announce a dividend increase this month. But with the company set to report earnings on July 27, that should soon change. I still believe HSY will announce a 10% boost in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.14.

If this raise plays out as expected, my net annual forward dividends would be lifted by $1.248 due to such a dividend announcement.

UPDATE: HSY announced a 15.1% hike in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.192! Across my three shares of HSY, this lifted my net annual forward dividends by $1.872.

Dividend Increase #8: Shell (SHEL)

Shell declared a 15.1% raise in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.662. My net annual forward dividends grew by $3.132 across my nine shares of SHEL.

Dividend Increase #9: Clorox (CLX)

Clorox announced a 1.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.20. This came in above my expectation of $1.19. My net annual forward dividends grew by $0.16 across my two shares as a result.

Expected Dividend Increases for August 2023

Expected Dividend Increase #1: Altria Group (MO)

My best guess is that Altria Group will up its quarterly dividend per share by 4.3% to $0.98. Across my 24 shares of MO, my net annual forward dividends would rocket higher by $3.84 from such a dividend declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #2: Essential Utilities (WTRG)

I believe that Essential Utilities will announce a 7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $0.307. My net annual forward dividends would rise by $0.80 across my 10 shares of WTRG due to such an announcement.

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

My projection is that Main Street Capital will declare a 2.2% raise in its monthly dividend per share to $0.235. Across my 30 shares of MAIN, my net annual forward dividends would grow by $1.80 from such a declaration.

Expected Dividend Increase #4: Simon Property Group (SPG)

My best guess is that Simon Property Group will announce a 2.7% increase in its quarterly dividend per share to $1.90. My net annual forward dividends would surge higher by $1.80 due to such an announcement.

Concluding Thoughts:

My net annual forward dividends grew by $12.344 from the nine payout raises that I received in July. This is equivalent to investing $411.47 at a weighted average dividend yield of 3%.

Focusing on August, my net annual forward dividends could surge higher by $8.24 if my five dividend predictions work out. That would be the same as investing $274.67 at a 3% net dividend yield.

Discussion:

How did your July 2023 fare on the dividend increases front?

Did you receive any first-time payout boosts?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

August 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List

As I'm writing this blog post on July 15th, the weather here in Central Wisconsin couldn't be more ideal for this time of year: The high temperature is set to reach 83 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why I plan on getting outside as much as possible today.

With that aside, the time of the month means that it isn't a bad idea to look ahead a couple of weeks to dividend stocks that will be on my watch list for August 2023.

Image source: Pexels

Dividend Stock #1: AbbVie (ABBV)

The first dividend stock on my watch list for next month is AbbVie (ABBV). Readers interested in my investment thesis for the stock can check out my Motley Fool article from last month (also covering Air Products & Chemicals and PepsiCo).

But the gist of my thesis is as follows: AbbVie's medicine portfolio and drug pipeline position it well for both the near future and the long-term. The company also offers a generous and well-covered 4.4% dividend yield for an attractive valuation at the current $136 share price (as of July 15, 2023).

Dividend Stock #2: Lowe's (LOW)

The next dividend stock that I'm watching for August 2023 is Lowe's (LOW). Curious readers can peruse my Motley Fool article from June on the stock.

In a nutshell, Lowe's is holding up better than you'd expect in an environment with shrinking home renovation budgets. Also, the company's 1.9% yield is safe and not too shabby of starting income for its decent dividend growth prospects. And Lowe's stock isn't unreasonably valued at the present $229 share price (as of July 15, 2023), either.

Dividend Stock #3: VICI Properties (VICI)

The third dividend stock on my watch list for next month is VICI Properties (VICI). Readers can visit my Motley Fool article from last month for the investment thesis.

VICI has made its shareholders richer than the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite would have over the past five years. For some, that's probably a surprise. But those who know the quality of VICI's real estate portfolio and business model likely aren't the least bit shocked by this outperformance. The stock's sustainable 5% dividend yield and somewhat cheap valuation at the current $32 share price (as of July 15, 2023) seal the deal for me.

Concluding Thoughts:

As has been the case for a while now, I expect that my capital allocation should (hopefully) remain between $3,000 and $3,500 for August 2023. This should allow me to continue rapidly building up my portfolio with world-class businesses in the near future!

Discussion:

Are any of ABBV, LOW, or VICI on your watch list for next month?

If not, what stocks are you considering for August 2023?

I appreciate your readership and welcome your comments below!

June 2023 Dividend Income

As I'm writing this blog post, it's Wednesday, July 5. But despite it being summer here in Central Wisconsin, the temperature is going to be ideal today, reaching a high of 76 degrees Fahrenheit. That's exactly why I plan out getting outside later!

But before I go outside, now would be a good time to look back on my dividend income for the month of June 2023. Let's get into it!

During June 2023, I collected $421.41 in net dividends. Compared to the $392.62 in net dividends that I received in March 2023, this represents a quarterly growth rate of 7.3%.

Stacked up against the $332.86 in net dividends that I collected in June 2022, this works out to a 26.6% year over year growth rate.

Digging deeper, I received $324.45 in net dividends from 48 companies within my Robinhood account. Secondly, I collected $80.80 in net dividends from my Capital Income Builder (CAIBX) mutual fund in my retirement portfolio. Thirdly, I received $15.63 in net dividends from six companies within my Webull account. Finally, I collected $0.53 in net dividends from 24 companies in my M1 Finance portfolio.

The $28.79 increase in net dividends received from March 2023 to June 2023 was the result of the following activity within my accounts:

My net dividends collected from Simon Property Group (SPG) were $0.45 higher in my Robinhood portfolio, which was due to the 2.8% dividend raise announced in May.

I received an additional $6.26 in net dividends from Crown Castle International (CCI) within my Robinhood account. This was the result of my purchase of another four shares of stock in May.

My net dividends collected from PepsiCo (PEP) edged upward by $0.47 in my Robinhood and M1 Finance portfolios, which was due to the 10% dividend boost declared in February.

I received an extra $1.50 in net dividends from Main Street Capital (MAIN) within my Robinhood account. This was the result of the big special dividend and the regular dividend increase announced in May.

My net dividends collected from UnitedHealth Group (UNH) rose by $2.34 in my Robinhood and Webull portfolios, which was due to my purchase of another share of the stock in March and the 13.9% dividend lift declared in June.

I received an additional $4.18 in net dividends from Home Depot (HD) within my Robinhood account. This was the result of my purchase of two more shares in May.

My net dividends collected from Realty Income (O) were $1.79 higher in my Robinhood portfolio, which was due to dividend raises in March and May and my purchase of seven shares in April.

I received an extra $0.28 in net dividends from Raytheon Technologies (RTX) within my Robinhood account. This was the result of the 7.3% dividend raise announced in April.

My net dividends collected from Tractor Supply (TSCO) increased by $2.06 in my Robinhood portfolio, which was due to my purchase of two more shares in March.

I received an extra $0.06 in net dividends from International Business Machines (IBM) within my Robinhood account. This was the result of a 0.6% bump in its quarterly dividend per share in April.

My net dividends collected from Pfizer (PFE) grew by $3.69 in my Robinhood portfolio, which was due to my purchase of nine shares in February.

I received an additional $0.30 in net dividends from Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) within my Robinhood account. This was the result of a 5.3% dividend increase in April.

My net dividends collected from Southern Company (SO) edged $0.11 higher in my Robinhood and M1 Finance portfolios, which was due to the 2.9% payout raise in April.

I received an extra $3.66 in net dividends from TJX Companies (TJX) within my Robinhood account. This was the result of my decision to start a position back in April.

My net dividends collected from American Water Works (AWK) were $0.21 more in my Robinhood portfolio, which was due to the 8% dividend hike in April.

I received an additional $0.90 in net dividends from Visa (V) within my Robinhood account. This was the result of my purchase of two more shares in April.

My net dividends collected from CAIBX were $0.56 higher in my retirement portfolio, which was due to my higher share count from dividend reinvestment.

I received $0.03 less in net dividends from Fastenal (FAST) within my M1 Finance account. This was the result of the timing of the dividend payment.

Concluding Thoughts:

With my net dividends clocking in firmly above $400 in June 2023, my days of sub-$400 months for the end of each quarter should be behind me. And as I continue to steadily deploy capital, I believe September 2023 will be my final end-of-quarter month below $500.

Discussion:

How was your dividend income for June 2023?

Did you collect any first-time dividends like I did with TJX?

Thanks for reading and please leave your comments below!

June 2023 Dividend Stock Purchases

As I'm writing this blog post, it is Saturday, July 1. It's hard to believe that 2023 is already half in the books! It certainly feels like July as well, with the high temperature expected to reach 84 degrees Fahrenheit today here in Central Wisconsin.

With June behind us, now would be a good time for me to highlight the (mostly) dividend stock purchases that I made during the month.

The first stock purchase that I executed in June was a share of Amazon (AMZN) at a price of $123.46. It has been nearly 15 months since my first purchase of AMZN stock in April 2022, but the investment thesis that I laid out remains intact in my opinion.

My other non-dividend stock purchase that I completed last month was another share of Alphabet (GOOGL) at a cost of $122.34. Just like AMZN, my initial investment thesis on GOOGL from my July 2022 Stock Purchases blog post from nearly a year ago looks to remain in place.

The first dividend stock purchase that I made in June was seven shares of W.P. Carey (WPC) at an average price per share of $70.60. Readers interested in my investment thesis for WPC can check out my Motley Fool article on the stock from last month. This dividend stock purchase boosted my net annual forward dividends by $29.876, which works out to a 6.05% net dividend yield.

My next dividend stock purchase that I executed last month was 16 units of Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) at an average cost per unit of $26.29. Curious readers can peruse my June 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post for my investment thesis relating to EPD. This transaction added $31.36 in net annual forward distributions to my portfolio, which equates to a 7.46% distribution yield.

The third dividend stock purchase that I completed in June was two shares of General Dynamics (GD) at an average price per share of $213.63. Again, readers can take a look at my June 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List blog post linked above for the investment thesis on GD. This purchase lifted my net annual forward dividends by $10.56, which is equivalent to a 2.47% net dividend yield.

My next dividend stock purchase that I made last month was five shares of Medtronic (MDT) at an average cost per share of $87.36. As is the case with EPD and GD, readers can check out my June 2023 Dividend Stock Watch List for my investment thesis on MDT. This transaction boosted my net annual forward dividends by $13.80, which works out to a 3.16% dividend yield.

The fifth dividend stock purchase that I executed in June was three shares of American Tower (AMT) at an average price per share of $191.08. Interested readers can check out my investment thesis for AMT in this Motley Fool article from last month. This purchase added $18.84 in net annual forward dividends to my portfolio, which equates to a 3.29% net dividend yield.

My final dividend stock purchase completed last month was 13 shares of U.S. Bancorp (USB) at an average cost per share of $32.30. This transaction lifted my net annual forward dividends by $24.96, which is equivalent to a 5.95% dividend yield.

Concluding Thoughts:

I deployed $3,017.40 in capital to stock purchases for the month of June 2023. Considering the $129.396 in net annual forward dividends that these transactions added to my portfolio during the month, this works out to a 4.29% weighted average net dividend yield.

Along with $6.56 in extra net annual forward dividends from dividend increases for the month, my net annual forward dividends surged from approximately $3,830 heading into June to $3,970 at the start of July. God willing, I am on track to surpass $4,000 in net annual forward dividends this month. I don't know what else to say other than that I'm so blessed to have known about dividend growth investing from such an early age. God bless the USA and Happy 4th of July to all of my fellow American readers!

Discussion:

How was your capital deployment in the month of June 2023?

Did you begin any new positions for the month?

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!