Value Investing News

Utility dividend stocks. When you hear those words what do you think of? Long considered the domain for "widows and orphans", utilities have developed a somewhat stodgy reputation. Why are utilities considered good for widows and orphans? Here a few reasons:

The Pocket Change Portfolio (PCP) was first introduced on September 13, 2008 as a real money dividend income portfolio funded by the "pocket change" earned from my various online endeavors. Each month I report on the portfolio's progress and update its holdings.

It is my goal to create an ever-increasing income stream from dividend growth stocks, while it is my desire to beat the S&P 500 index over the long-term. I believe in long term my dividend income will rise AND I will beat the S&P 500. Otherwise, it would not be a realistic desire. This has been the case since I have been publically tracking my dividend growth portfolio.

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The Pocket Change Portfolio (PCP) was first introduced on September 13, 2008 as a real money dividend income portfolio funded by the "pocket change" earned from my various online endeavors. Each month I report on the portfolio's progress and update its holdings.

The Pocket Change Portfolio (PCP) was first introduced on September 13, 2008 as a real money dividend income portfolio funded by the "pocket change" earned from my various online endeavors. Each month I report on the portfolio's progress and update its holdings.

A stock with a high yield doesn’t mean much if the dividend is cut or eliminated, and the stock price declines significantly. Sometimes it is desirable to accept higher risk for a higher yield. Other times we may be accepting higher risk and are not being adequately compensated for the additional risk.

We all are looking for the perfect dividend stock. In an utopian world, the perfect dividend stock would be one that is both high-yield and provide a high dividend growth rate. Its share price would appreciate ratable with its increasing dividend. All of this would be driven by increasing earnings and cash flow.

Investing in dividend growth stocks is not about buying a current high yield, but instead building a high yield-on-cost over time. One of the criticisms I am hearing more often is, “That low yield isn’t even covering inflation.” This is a very valid concern, if true. To test this criticism, I built a model it and ran several dividend stocks through it. The results just might surprise you…

I was born in 1962 which puts me on the tail-end of the Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964). We have been described by some as “the pig in the python.” Over the decades, the sheer size of our group has redefined many aspects of society.

Piedmont Natural Gas is a energy services company that distributes natural gas to 1,016,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Linked here is a detailed analysis and commentary.

What is the primary reason you invest in dividend stocks? For me, it is a means to build a growing income that can be relied on during retirement. One of the beauties of dividend investing is it provides you continuous feedback.

Any company could afford to boost distributions in a single year. Any type of business could also have a high yield, especially if it distributes all of its cash flows to shareholders. It takes a special kind of a business model to afford a proper balance between investing back into the business and distributing excess profits to shareholders.