Chasing the Yield

Prompted by a *Wall Street Journal* article, I explain why I ignore S&P 500 comparisons and focus instead on reliable dividend income. Investing, for me, means owning profitable businesses that consistently share earnings. The real question isn't beating an index, but choosing an investment approach aligned with your goals long-term.

September was an eventful month for Chasing the Yield. My annual income increased by $80, thanks to dividend boosts from Microsoft (MSFT) (up 11%), New Jersey Resources (NJR) (up 7.1%), and five other holdings. While there were no upgrades or downgrades in dividend safety, I closed our position in Oaktree Specialty Lending (OCSL) and used the proceeds to increase positions in, as well as take fresh looks at, ONEOK (OKE), Verizon (VZ), and TC Energy (TRP).

Podcasting 2.0 & Value4Value

This is a Podcasting 2.0 compatible podcast. This...

I used Google's NotebookLM to create a short deep dive look into ONEOK's post-acquisition of EnLink Midstream and investment into Medallion Midstream. The tool does a good job of explaining the ins and outs and how it effects the company's dividend. The deep dive audio is based on the text below and from other news sources.

Podcasting 2.0 & Value4Value

This is a Podcasting 2.0 compatible podcast. This means if you're listening to this podcast on a Podcasting 2.0 compatible app you'll have access to transcripts...

I used Verizon's acquisition of Frontier announcement and a couple other sources to create the following AI conversation about the company and the dividend using Google's NotebookLM. It's a pretty good way to get a layman's examination of news and financial information. See what you think.

Verizon and Frontier Communications FAQ
1. Why is Verizon acquiring Frontier Communications?
Verizon's acquisition of Frontier Communications is primarily driven by the company's goal to expand its broadband network, particularly its fiber optic infrastructure. This strategic move aims to stimulate growth as the wireless phone market approaches saturation.

2...

Topics discussed on today's show.

Debt vs. No Debt: Some investors prioritize returns and view having no home mortgage as better. However, debt on real estate has its own benefits.

Real Estate Appreciation: Real estate generally appreciates over time, offering significant capital gain, especially when debt-free. However, mortgages reduce this gain with interest payments.

Debt's Drawbacks: Debt siphons income, limits savings, and can lead to stress, snowballing debts, and repossession.

Alternatives: Explore options before debt. If necessary, choose the best rates, prioritize needs, and borrow responsibly.

My annual income increased $25 as a result of dividend increases from Microsoft (+10%), NJR (+7.7%), and 5 other holdings. Meanwhile, there were changes to the Dividend Safety Scores of W. P. Carey, Smucker, and Walgreens.

W.P. Carey Surprises With Plan to Exit All Office Properties; Dividend Could Be Reduced by Around 20%. Downgraded to Unsafe • Sep 21

J.M. Smucker to Acquire Hostess Brands, Increasing Leverage. Downgraded to Safe • Sep 12 

Leadership Changes, Softening Consumer Spending Suggest Walgreens' Turnaround Struggles Continue. Downgraded to Borderline Safe • Sep 1

Casino Expansion, Higher Rates Weigh on Realty...

UGI Mulls Separating Propane Business to Unlock Value, Potentially Causing Jump in Payout Ratio

Dominion's Strategic Review Nears End; Firm Remains Committed to Dividend Despite Rising Payout Ratio

Labor Inflation and Higher-for-Longer Interest Rates Delay Healthcare Realty's Payout Ratio Improvement

Softening Furniture Demand Slows Leggett & Platt's Deleveraging; Free Cash Flow Still Covers Dividend

Altria raises dividend by 4.3%, tracking with goal to achieve mid-single-digit payout growth through 2028

Capital Southwest raises dividend by 3.7% and declares $0.06 per share special dividend

...

Dominion Energy has been in the energy business since 1898. It’s one of the biggest utility companies in the U.S. and serves about 7 million customers in Virginia, the Carolinas, Ohio, and Utah electricity and gas.

Dominion has steady and predictable income because it is regulated utility. Regulated utilities are like monopolies that are controlled by the government. They spend a lot of money to build and maintain power plants, transmission lines, and distribution networks that cover a large area.

The government limits the competition by deciding wh...

TC Energy, a company that develops and operates energy infrastructure, announced that it plans to spin off its Liquids Pipelines business into a separate company. The decision was made after a two-year strategic review and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2024. The spinoff will create two independent, investment-grade, publicly listed companies that will focus on their own growth objectives and operational excellence. TC Energy will become a diversified natural gas and energy solutions company, while the Liquids Pipelines Company will be a critical infrastructure company that connects supply and demand markets for oil...

It's well known that Americans like to buy stuff. I know this first hand being an American with a wife that, I believe, single handedly pulled the United States out of the 2008/2009 Great Recession. Back when my kids were young and we lived in a modest 3 bedroom split-level in a Chicago suburb we rented a storage unit. We stored all our old stuff and seasonal items. We had that unit for about 10 years until we put an addition on to our house which created more space for all our stuff. That broke the cycle of addiction.

I'm old. 56 to be exact. I didn't start investing my money until I was in my mid 40s. And then I didn't know much about what I wanted to do. I never learned anything about money from my parents and the only courses I took in school were accounting and economics. There was nothing about investing.

At first I did what all the financial columnists suggested. I put my money in index funds. And it was fine while I was working. The money grew at a moderate pace but didn't provide me any...

I'm reviving my podcast. This is a short episode just to bring this back to life.

Go to podcastindex.org to learn more about Podcasting 2.0. Download a new podcast app where you can stream payments to me or any other podcaster that has Value4Value enabled.

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