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What Dividend Investors Need to Know about AT&T’s Time Warner Acquisition

AT&T (T) recently agreed to acquire Time Warner (TWX), and this deal has a number of implications for dividend investors.   AT&T believes it is buying “the world’s best premium content” and now has the largest film and TV studio in the world. Assuming the deal isn’t blocked by regulators, Time Warner will represent roughly [...]

October 27th, 2016|Dividend Stocks, High Yield|

CenturyLink (CTL): Safe Dividend Income or a High-Yield Telecom Trap?

Telecom companies have long been a favorite among income investors thanks to their utility-like business models, which make for steady cash flow and allow for generous, secure, and slowly growing dividends (learn about the best sectors for dividend income here).   With global interest rates at their lowest levels in human history, it’s understandable why high-yield [...]

October 21st, 2016|Dividend Stocks, High Yield|

British Petroleum (BP): A High-Yielding Dividend Oil Stock to Avoid

With the current oil crisis dragging on far longer than initially anticipated, many big oil dividend stocks such as BP, Chevron (CVX), and Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) are offering tantalizing high-yields.   However, given the capital intensive nature of this business, the cyclical nature of the industry, and the unpredictable nature of crude and natural [...]

October 20th, 2016|Dividend Stocks, High Yield|

Welltower (HCN): A High-Yield Medical REIT Blue Chip

A great way of building long-term wealth is to ride secular mega-trends. One of the largest of these is the aging of America’s population, which is expected to see the population of those of 75 years of age double over the next two decades.   Source: Welltower Investor Presentation   Thanks to improvements in medical [...]

October 18th, 2016|High Yield, REIT|

What HCP’s Upcoming Spin Off Means For Dividend Investors

HCP Inc. (HCP)’s 30-year dividend growth streak has long made it the darling of high-yield dividend growth investors.   HCP is also the only real estate investment trust (REIT) in the S&P Dividend Aristocrats Index. Investors can view analysis on all of the dividend aristocrats here.   Source: Simply Safe Dividends   However, [...]

October 14th, 2016|High Yield, REIT|

Pfizer (PFE): Safe and Steady Dividends

Pfizer (PFE) is a blue-chip dividend stock that has paid a consistent dividend for multiple decades.   Furthermore, over the last 20 years the total dividends paid per share has increased at a nearly 10% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).   In recent years, however, Pfizer’s total dividend growth rate has slowed and the payout [...]

October 12th, 2016|Dividend Stocks, High Yield|

Ferrellgas Partners (FGP): Another Lesson on Dividend Safety

I get a lot of questions about master limited partnerships (MLPs) when it comes to the topic of dividend safety.   Many dividend investors are attracted by the high yields and steady cash flows offered by MLPs.   A number of these businesses have paid uninterrupted dividends for decades as well.   However, like any [...]

September 30th, 2016|Dividend Stocks, High Yield|

Chevron (CVX): How Safe is the Dividend?

Chevron (CVX) looks enticing when taking a cursory look at the historical dividend statistics.   The stock currently yields around 4.3% and has provided highly reliable dividend growth over the years.   Chevron’s dividend has increased by 7.8% per year over the last 20 years and by 8.5% annually over the last five years.   [...]

September 26th, 2016|Dividend Stocks, High Yield|

SeaWorld (SEAS) Cuts Dividend Over 50% – Dividend Safety Score: 3

SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS) was the latest company to announce a dividend cut, dropping the news yesterday evening.   SeaWorld declared a quarterly dividend of 10 cents per share, which is down more than 50% from its previous quarterly dividend of 21 cents per share.   After the next quarterly payment, SeaWorld will completely suspend its dividend. [...]

September 20th, 2016|Dividend Stocks, High Yield|

Meredith (MDP): 23 Straight Years of Dividend Growth and a High Yield

Meredith Corporation (MDP) has never exactly been a household name, but many of its brands are.   The company is an old school magazine business that has been a chameleon over the years, constantly evolving and growing into a $1.6 billion multimedia powerhouse with a lineup of television stations, magazines, websites, and online apps.   [...]

September 15th, 2016|Dividend Stocks, High Yield|

Valero (VLO) Offers a High Yield, But is the Dividend Safe?

As Warren Buffett continues adding to his stake in oil refiner Phillips 66 (PSX), many investors are wondering if Valero (VLO), another refiner, is an equally attractive dividend stock.   Valero offers a high yield of 4.4%, trades at less than 10x trailing earnings, and has more than doubled the S&P 500’s return over the [...]

August 20th, 2016|High Yield|

Dividend Safety Analysis: General Motors (GM)

The record level of new car sales registered in the U.S. in 2015 certainly has many in the automotive industry celebrating. General Motors (GM) is even one of Warren Buffett’s top dividend stocks.   However, industry groups are predicting the auto production seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) to decline over the next few years.   [...]

August 15th, 2016|High Yield|

Williams (WMB) is the Latest Energy Infrastructure Company to Cut Dividend

Williams Companies (WMB) had paid higher dividends each year since 2004, grown its dividend by 38% per year over the last five years, and earned most of its income from regulated assets generating "safe" fee-based revenue from long-term contracts.   The company had even been in business for more than 100 years, more than proving itself as [...]

August 3rd, 2016|High Yield|

Verizon (VZ): A High Yield Dividend Stock Owned by Warren Buffett

Verizon (VZ) is one of Warren Buffett’s high-yield dividend stocks. The company has paid dividends for more than 30 years and has increased its dividend for over 10 straight years.   Paying uninterrupted dividends for as long as Verizon has is usually the sign of a durable company.   Verizon is a blue-chip dividend stock [...]

July 14th, 2016|High Yield|

AT&T (T): No Longer Owned by Buffett, but the Dividend is Still Good

Warren Buffett sold AT&T out of Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio of high-yield dividend stocks during the first quarter of 2016.   Warren Buffett acquired his stake in AT&T during the third quarter of 2015 as a result of AT&T’s acquisition of DirecTV.   Buffett had owned DirecTV prior to the acquisition (his first purchase was in [...]

June 21st, 2016|High Yield, Retirement Income|