Core Insights - A family member has recently retired and allocated a significant portion of retirement capital to a popular dividend ETF, specifically the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) [1] - The investment strategy focuses on high-quality dividend stocks and a mix of Business Development Companies, REITs, and Closed End Funds to enhance investment income while achieving total returns comparable to traditional index funds like the S&P [1] Investment Strategy - The approach combines classic dividend growth stocks with other asset classes to create a hybrid system that balances growth and income [1] - This strategy aims to boost investment income while maintaining a total return that aligns with the performance of the S&P [1]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of a hybrid investment strategy that combines classic dividend growth stocks with Business Development Companies, REITs, and Closed End Funds to enhance investment income while achieving total returns comparable to traditional index funds [1]. Investment Strategy - The investment approach focuses on high-quality dividend stocks and assets that provide long-term growth potential, which can significantly contribute to income generation [1]. - The strategy aims to create a balanced portfolio that captures total returns on par with the S&P index, demonstrating the effectiveness of blending growth and income investments [1].

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of dividend stocks as a reliable investment option for risk-averse investors during earnings season, highlighting companies with a strong history of paying and growing dividends as attractive choices for generating steady cash flow [1]. Group 1: Johnson & Johnson - Johnson & Johnson has a dividend yield of 3.16% and an annual dividend of $5.20, with a remarkable dividend increase track record of 64 years [4]. - The company has increased its dividend by over 4% in the last two years, maintaining a payout ratio of 57.84%, which is better than the sector median average of 2% [5]. - Despite ongoing lawsuits and inflation concerns, Johnson & Johnson's stock is trading at an attractive valuation, although it has been in a consolidation pattern since early April [6]. Group 2: Verizon Communications - Verizon Communications offers a high dividend yield of 6.61% with an annual dividend of $2.71 and a dividend increase track record of 20 years [8]. - The company has delivered a total return of 47.14% over the last 10 years, with an above-average total return of over 8% in the last 12 months, attributed to reduced capital expenditures during the 5G rollout [10]. - Verizon's stock is currently trading at around 9x forward earnings, which is a substantial discount to its historical average, with analyst forecasts suggesting a price target 14% above its closing price on July 15 [11]. Group 3: Duke Energy - Duke Energy has a dividend yield of 3.55% and an annual dividend of $4.18, with a dividend increase track record of 20 years [12]. - The company is undertaking a significant capital expenditure plan exceeding $65 billion to modernize its electrical grid and invest in solar and energy storage [13]. - Analysts forecast mid- to high-single-digit earnings per share (EPS) growth, supported by favorable legislation in North Carolina, although the company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57%, which is elevated by historical standards [14].

Investment Strategy - There is a dilemma in conventional investing between growth stocks and dividend stocks, with each having its own merits [1] - A seasoned value investor, Philipp, emphasizes a global approach to identify undervalued companies that provide significant margins of safety and attractive dividend yields [1] - Philipp focuses on companies with a solid earnings track record that are trading at less than 8 times free cash flow, which reflects his investment philosophy [1]

Core Insights - Ryder System, Inc. (R) announced a 12% increase in its quarterly cash dividend, raising it to $0.91 per share from $0.81, reflecting the company's commitment to enhancing shareholder returns [2][10] - The dividend hike is the first since July 2024, indicating Ryder's confidence in its financial stability despite challenging macroeconomic conditions [3][6] - Ryder has a long history of consistent dividend payments, marking its 196th consecutive quarterly cash dividend and over 49 years of uninterrupted payouts [3][10] Financial Performance - In 2022, Ryder returned $123 million in dividends and repurchased shares worth $557 million; in 2023, dividends increased to $128 million with share repurchases of $337 million; in 2024, total returns to shareholders reached $456 million [4] - During the first quarter of 2025, Ryder returned $202 million to shareholders through dividends and buybacks [4][10] Industry Context - Other companies in the transportation sector, such as Delta Air Lines and FedEx, have also announced dividend hikes in 2025, indicating a broader trend of rewarding shareholders within the industry [7][8][9]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the importance of dividend-paying stocks as a strategy for investors to enhance returns amid macroeconomic uncertainties, featuring three specific stocks recommended by top Wall Street analysts. Group 1: McDonald's (MCD) - McDonald's offers a quarterly dividend of $1.77 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend of $7.08 per share and a dividend yield of 2.4% [3] - The company has increased its annual dividend for 49 consecutive years, positioning itself to become a dividend king [3] - Jefferies analyst Andy Barish has reiterated a buy rating on McDonald's with a price target of $360, citing near-term acceleration in U.S. same-store sales and medium-term unit growth as key drivers [4][5] - Barish also noted improved international same-store sales, benefiting from McDonald's value proposition and competitive advantages in size, scale, and advertising [5][6] - The analyst expects global unit growth to accelerate to 4% to 5% and highlighted the company's strong free cash flow generation to support dividends and share repurchases [6] Group 2: EPR Properties (EPR) - EPR Properties, a REIT focused on experiential properties, recently increased its monthly dividend by 3.5% to $0.295 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend of $3.54 per share and a dividend yield of 6.2% [8] - Stifel analyst Simon Yarmak upgraded EPR to buy from hold, raising the price target to $65 from $52, citing improvements in the cost of capital and potential for external growth [9] - Yarmak noted that EPR's weighted average cost of capital has improved to about 7.85% from nearly 9.3%, enabling the company to pursue acquisitions [11] - The analyst expects continued improvement in the theatre industry fundamentals to enhance EPR's earnings over the coming years [12] Group 3: Halliburton (HAL) - Halliburton offers a quarterly dividend of 17 cents per share, leading to an annualized dividend of 68 cents per share and a dividend yield of 3.3% [14] - Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta reaffirmed a buy rating on Halliburton with a price target of $24, highlighting that about 60% of HAL's revenue comes from international markets, providing resilience [15][16] - Management anticipates growth from unconventional completion opportunities and market share growth in directional drilling, which could enhance margins and support strong free cash flow [17] - Despite expected pricing softness in North America, Halliburton aims to maintain a premium due to its differentiated technology and long-term contracts [18]

Core Viewpoint - The recent sell-offs of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Oneok, and PepsiCo have resulted in significantly higher dividend yields, making them attractive long-term investment opportunities for dividend income [2][14]. Alexandria Real Estate Equities - Alexandria Real Estate Equities' stock price has decreased due to slowing demand for lab space, leading to a dividend yield exceeding 7% [4]. - The company possesses a high-quality portfolio leased to leading tenants, generating durable cash flows with a conservative payout ratio of 57%, allowing for excess free cash flow for development projects [5]. - Alexandria is heavily investing in lab space development, which is expected to provide stable rental income and support future dividend increases, having grown its payout at an average annual rate of 4.5% over the past five years [6]. Oneok - Oneok's stock has declined partly due to lower oil prices, resulting in a dividend yield around 5% [7]. - The company has shown resilience with 11 consecutive years of adjusted EBITDA growth at an annualized rate of 16%, supported by organic expansion and acquisitions [8]. - Oneok aims to increase its dividend by 3% to 4% annually, benefiting from recent acquisitions and ongoing expansion projects, including an export terminal expected to be operational by early 2028 [10]. PepsiCo - PepsiCo's stock decline has raised its dividend yield to approximately 4.5%, maintaining its status as a Dividend King with 53 consecutive years of dividend growth [11]. - The company is focused on organic revenue growth and margin enhancement through product innovation, projecting 4% to 6% annual organic revenue growth and high-single-digit EPS increases in the long term [12]. - PepsiCo's strong balance sheet supports its portfolio transformation towards healthier options, including recent acquisitions that will bolster its ability to increase dividends in the future [13].

Market Outlook - The market is on pace to open at records, with a generally bullish outlook on stocks [1] - Diversification is key, with a preference for owning growthier value and "garbier" growth stocks, focusing on dividend growers rather than just payers [2] - The US market is favored, with an overweight position, but exposure to developed international and emerging markets is maintained [2] - Equities are viewed favorably, with a suggestion to overweight equities and have some exposure to fixed income for traditional diversification [3] Sector Focus - Consumer discretionary is a sector of interest, highlighted by Nike's earnings [4] - Despite Nike beating low earnings expectations, issues like a billion-dollar tariff expense and supply chain problems are flagged, with sales expected to be lower [5] - The American consumer is seen as remarkably resilient due to strong job market, supporting the consumer discretionary sector [6] Monetary Policy & Risk - Concerns about a "shadow Fed president" are considered less significant, as diverse opinions already exist within the Federal Reserve [7] - The Federal Reserve's independence is crucial, and potential commentary from other channels should be viewed in light of Jerome Powell's stance [8] - Expectation of rate cuts, potentially starting in September and with another 100 basis points (1%) removed by the end of the year from the monetary policy elevation since March 2022 [8][9]

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Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of a hybrid investment strategy that combines classic dividend growth stocks with Business Development Companies, REITs, and Closed End Funds to enhance investment income while achieving total returns comparable to traditional index funds [1]. Investment Strategy - The investment approach focuses on high-quality dividend stocks and assets that provide long-term growth potential, which can significantly contribute to income generation [1]. - A balanced portfolio that includes both growth and income-generating assets can lead to a total return that aligns with the performance of the S&P 500 [1].