Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors of ...

REIT Performance March was a tough month for REITs with a disappointing -4.92% total return. The REIT sector fell short of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (-4.1%), but saw smaller average losses than the S&P 500 (-5.6%) and NASDAQ (-8.1%). The market cap weighted Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) outperformed the average REIT in March (-2.58% vs. -4.92%) and has dramatically outperformed year-to-date (+2.69% vs. -3.36%). The spread between the 2025 FFO multiples of large cap REITs (18.1x) and small cap REITs ...

Group 1 - Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance declared a base quarterly cash dividend of $0.47 per share, unchanged from the previous distribution, resulting in an annualized dividend of $1.88 per share, which equates to a 13.52% dividend yield [1] - The mortgage REIT has maintained this base quarterly dividend, indicating stability in its dividend policy [1] Group 2 - Pacifica Yield focuses on long-term wealth creation by targeting undervalued yet high-growth companies, high-dividend stocks, REITs, and firms in the green energy sector [1]

Company Overview - First Busey (BUSE) is based in Champaign and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of -15.15% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.25 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 5%, which is significantly higher than the Banks - Midwest industry's yield of 3.6% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.68% [3] Dividend Analysis - First Busey's current annualized dividend of $1 represents a 4.2% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend three times, averaging an annual increase of 2.21% [4] - The company's payout ratio stands at 46%, indicating that it distributes 46% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for First Busey's earnings in 2025 is projected at $2.54 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 22.12% [5] Investment Considerations - First Busey is positioned as a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7]

Company Overview - Reinsurance Group (RGA) is headquartered in Chesterfield and operates in the Finance sector, specifically in reinsurance [3] - The company's stock has experienced a price decline of 19.3% year-to-date [3] Dividend Information - RGA currently pays a dividend of $0.89 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.07%, which is higher than the Insurance - Life Insurance industry's yield of 1.47% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.73% [3] - The annualized dividend of $3.56 represents a 2.3% increase from the previous year, with an average annual increase of 6.02% over the past five years [4] - The current payout ratio for RGA is 16%, indicating that the company pays out 16% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RGA's earnings in 2025 is $22.84 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 1.20% [5] Investment Considerations - RGA is positioned as a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7]

Company Overview - ACNB is headquartered in Gettysburg and operates in the Finance sector, with a stock price change of 3.09% since the start of the year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.32 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.12%, which is significantly higher than the Banks - Southwest industry's yield of 1.16% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.59% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of ACNB is $1.28, reflecting a 1.6% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, ACNB has increased its dividend four times on a year-over-year basis, achieving an average annual increase of 6% [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 34%, indicating that it pays out 34% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year 2025, ACNB anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate projecting earnings of $4.28 per share, representing a year-over-year growth rate of 14.75% [5] Investment Appeal - ACNB is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, currently holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [7]

Economic Overview - Concerns about a slowing economy have intensified, with the Federal Reserve unlikely to implement rate cuts soon due to persistent inflation [1][8] - Consumer confidence has dropped significantly, with the Conference Board's consumer survey index falling to 98.3 in February, below the expected 102.3 [7] Inflation Data - The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.5% in January, following a 0.4% increase in December, marking the largest jump since August 2023 [5] - Year-over-year, CPI increased by 3% in January, up from 2.9% in December, the highest annual gain since April 2024 [6] Consumer Staples Investment - Investing in consumer staples stocks is recommended as they are considered defensive during economic uncertainty [2] - Suggested stocks include Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV), Lancaster Colony Corporation (LANC), Tyson Foods (TSN), and Molson Coors Beverage Company (TAP), all carrying a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) [2] Company Profiles - **Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 7.2% for the current year, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.91, and a dividend yield of 1.12% [12][13] - **Lancaster Colony Corporation (LANC)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 6.1% for the current year, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.31, and a dividend yield of 1.99% [14][15] - **Tyson Foods (TSN)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 22.6% for the current year, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.72, and a dividend yield of 3.26% [16][17] - **Molson Coors Beverage Company (TAP)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 6.5% for the current year, Zacks Rank 1, beta of 0.81, and a dividend yield of 3.07% [18][19] Investment Strategy - The recommended investment strategy focuses on low-beta stocks with high dividend yields and favorable Zacks Ranks [3]