Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of receiving a safe and growing stream of dividends as a means of generating passive income, highlighting that this process requires time and strategic investment choices [1]. Investment Strategy - The investor, Philipp, has nearly 20 years of experience and adopts a global approach to identify undervalued companies that provide a significant margin of safety, which leads to attractive dividend yields and returns [1]. - Philipp focuses on companies with a solid earnings track record that are trading at less than 8 times free cash flow, indicating a preference for value investments with potential for future growth [1].

Earnings Results - AZZ Inc. is set to release its second-quarter earnings results on October 8, with analysts expecting earnings of $1.57 per share, an increase from $1.37 per share in the same period last year [1] - The company projects quarterly revenue of $426.55 million, compared to $409.01 million a year earlier [1] Dividend Information - AZZ currently offers an annual dividend yield of 0.66%, translating to a semi-annual dividend of $0.20 per share, or $0.71 annually [2] - To earn $500 monthly from dividends, an investment of approximately $915,835 or around 8,451 shares is required, while a more modest $100 monthly would need $183,145 or about 1,690 shares [2] Dividend Yield Dynamics - The dividend yield can fluctuate based on changes in the stock price and dividend payments [3][4] - For instance, if a stock's price increases while the dividend remains the same, the yield decreases, and vice versa [4][5] Stock Performance - AZZ shares fell by 0.7% to close at $108.37 [5] - Analyst Lucas Pipes from B. Riley Securities maintained a Buy rating on AZZ and raised the price target from $131 to $140 [5]

Core Insights - Sysco Corp. is the leading distributor of food and related products to the food-away-from-home industry, serving restaurants, healthcare facilities, and lodging establishments [1] Financial Performance - Sysco is set to report its Q3 2025 earnings on October 28, with analysts expecting an EPS of $1.12, an increase from $1.09 in the prior-year period. Quarterly revenue is anticipated to be $21.05 billion, up from $20.48 billion a year earlier [2] - In Q4 2025, Sysco reported an adjusted EPS of $1.48, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $1.36, with quarterly sales of $21.14 billion exceeding the expected $21 billion [3] - For the full year 2026, Sysco expects adjusted EPS to be in the range of $4.50 to $4.60, which is below the analyst estimate of $4.68. Projected sales are between $84 billion and $85 billion, compared to the consensus of $84.34 billion [4] Stock and Dividend Information - Sysco's stock price has ranged from $67.12 to $83.47 over the past 52 weeks. The company has a dividend yield of 2.59%, having paid $2.16 per share in dividends over the last 12 months [2] - To earn $100 per month from Sysco dividends, an investment of approximately $46,332 is needed, which equates to around 556 shares at a price of $83.27 each [4][5]

Core Insights - A new breed of ETFs is emerging that promises high dividend yields, often exceeding 50%, by holding single stocks like Palantir, Tesla, or NVIDIA and trading options on them [3][4] - These high-yield ETFs can be risky, as their substantial yields may not be sustainable and can lead to significant capital losses [4][5] ETF Performance and Risks - The YieldMax AI Option Income Strategy ETF (AIYY) claims a 71% distribution rate, but its actual 30-day SEC yield is only 4.8%, indicating a discrepancy between stated yields and actual income [6] - AIYY has experienced a total return of nearly negative 50% in 2025, raising concerns among investors about the viability of such high-yield strategies [5][7] - The YieldMax PLTR Option Income Strategy ETF (PLTY) has a stated yield of 49.4% and has returned 77.9% for 2025, but it lags behind the performance of the underlying stock, Palantir [8][10] Investment Strategy Considerations - Single-stock ETFs attempt to convert growth stock gains into dividends, exposing investors to the risks associated with individual stocks while offering less upside potential [11] - The YieldMax MRNA Option Income Strategy ETF (MRNY), which holds Moderna, is down 39% in 2025, illustrating the volatility and risks of these funds [12] - Investors may be better off purchasing the underlying stocks directly rather than investing in these high-yield ETFs [13] Alternative Investment Options - Closed-end funds (CEFs) provide a more stable and predictable income stream, often yielding more than 8%, without the extreme risks associated with high-yield ETFs [15] - CEFs can also offer discounts to net asset value (NAV), presenting potential for future upside, unlike single-stock ETFs [15]

Core Insights - Medtronic plc is a global leader in healthcare technology, focusing on device-based medical therapies and services for various health conditions [1] Financial Performance - Medtronic is set to report its Q2 2026 earnings on November 18, with analysts expecting an EPS of $1.31, an increase from $1.26 in the previous year [2] - Quarterly revenue is anticipated to reach $8.85 billion, up from $8.40 billion a year earlier [2] - The company reported Q1 2026 earnings with an adjusted EPS of $1.26, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.23, and revenues of $8.58 billion, surpassing the consensus of $8.38 billion [3] Growth Outlook - The CEO highlighted a consistent quarter of mid-single-digit organic revenue growth, driven by innovative product categories such as Pulsed Field Ablation and Transcatheter Valves [4] - Medtronic raised its full-year 2026 diluted non-GAAP EPS guidance to a new range of $5.60 to $5.66, up from the previous range of $5.50 to $5.60 [4] Dividend Information - Medtronic's dividend yield stands at 2.98%, with a total dividend payout of $2.84 per share over the last 12 months [2] - To generate an income of $100 per month from dividends, an investment of approximately $40,268 is required, based on the current dividend yield [5][6]

Core Insights - Energy is a crucial sector for investors, with oil and natural gas being highly volatile yet important components of a diversified portfolio [2] - Chevron (NYSE: CVX) and Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) are highlighted as strong investment choices, each with unique characteristics [2] Dividend Reliability - Chevron boasts a 38-year streak of annual dividend increases, while Enterprise has a 27-year streak, indicating both companies' reliability in income generation [3] - Chevron's dividend yield is 4.3%, whereas Enterprise's distribution yield is higher at 6.9%, reflecting their different business structures [4][7] Business Models - Enterprise Products Partners operates as a midstream master limited partnership (MLP), focusing on energy infrastructure such as storage, pipelines, and transportation, which generates stable fee income [6] - Chevron functions as a traditional corporation, with its financial performance more closely tied to commodity prices compared to Enterprise [5][6]

Core Insights - Hormel Foods Corp. is a multinational food processing company known for its branded food products, including meat and nut items under various brands [1] Financial Performance - Hormel Foods is set to report its Q4 2025 earnings on December 3, with analysts expecting EPS of $0.39, a decrease from $0.42 in the prior year [2] - Quarterly revenue is anticipated to be $3.22 billion, an increase from $3.14 billion a year earlier [2] - The company reported Q3 2025 earnings with adjusted EPS of $0.35, below the consensus estimate of $0.41, while revenues of $3.03 billion exceeded the consensus of $2.98 billion [3] Future Outlook - For Q4 2025, Hormel Foods expects net sales to range from $3.15 to $3.25 billion and adjusted diluted EPS between $0.38 and $0.40 [5] - The interim CEO indicated that while net sales growth is expected to continue, profit recovery may lag into the next year due to ongoing near-term pressures from commodity inflation [4] Dividend Information - Hormel Foods has a dividend yield of 4.69%, having paid $1.16 per share in dividends over the last 12 months [2] - To generate an income of $100 per month from dividends, an investment of approximately $25,586 is required, based on the current dividend yield [6]

Earnings Report - McCormick & Company is set to release its third-quarter earnings results on October 7, with analysts expecting earnings of 82 cents per share, a decrease from 83 cents per share in the same period last year [1] - The company is projected to report quarterly revenue of $1.71 billion, an increase from $1.68 billion a year earlier [1] Dividend Information - McCormick currently offers an annual dividend yield of 2.64%, with a quarterly payment of 45 cents per share, totaling $1.80 annually [2] - To achieve a monthly income of $500 from dividends, an investor would need to own approximately 3,333 shares, equating to a total investment of about $226,944 [3] - For a more conservative monthly income goal of $100, an investor would need 667 shares, requiring an investment of around $45,416 [3] Dividend Yield Dynamics - The dividend yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend payment by the current stock price, which means it fluctuates with changes in stock price [4] - For instance, if a stock's price rises, the dividend yield decreases, and vice versa [4] - Changes in the dividend payment itself can also affect the yield; an increase in dividends raises the yield if the stock price remains constant [5] Stock Performance - McCormick's shares increased by 0.5%, closing at $68.09 on Thursday [5]

Core Insights - Mondelez International is a global leader in the snack food industry with a strong brand portfolio including Oreo, Cadbury, and Toblerone, operating in over 150 countries [1][6] - Berenberg Bank has set a price target of $70 for Mondelez, indicating a potential price increase of approximately 10.81% from its current trading price of $63.17, reflecting confidence in the company's market position [2][6] - The company has a dividend yield of 3.2%, which is attractive to income-focused investors, and is experiencing robust top-line growth, particularly in emerging markets and the chocolate segment [3][6] Financial Performance - Mondelez anticipates a 5% sales growth for the year, driven by resilient demand and market share gains, with potential normalization of cocoa prices supporting this growth [4] - The current stock price is $63.17, reflecting a 1.12% increase, with a market capitalization of approximately $81.74 billion [4] - Over the past year, Mondelez's stock has shown volatility, reaching a high of $72.70 and a low of $53.95, with a trading volume of 6,258,629 shares on the day [5]

Core Viewpoint - Ares Capital is highlighted as a strong investment opportunity in the current uncertain market due to its high dividend yield, solid growth prospects, and attractive risk-reward profile [1][2]. Dividend Yield - Ares Capital offers a substantial dividend yield of 9.4%, making it appealing to income investors [3]. - The company has maintained stable or increasing dividends for 64 consecutive quarters, indicating a reliable dividend payment history [4]. - As a business development company (BDC), Ares Capital is required to return at least 90% of its income to shareholders as dividends to avoid federal income taxes, which supports its dividend strategy [5]. Growth Prospects - Ares Capital's total addressable market is approximately $5.4 trillion, driven by increased borrowing demand and a shift from banks to private capital [7]. - The company reported a 20% increase in the number of transactions reviewed between Q1 and Q2, suggesting strong growth momentum [8]. - Ares Capital's total return since its IPO in 2004 has outperformed the S&P 500, showcasing its long-term growth potential [6]. Risk-Reward Proposition - Ares Capital's forward price-to-earnings ratio is relatively low at 10.7, indicating favorable valuation compared to the broader market [9]. - The company has a strong balance sheet with approximately $6.5 billion in available liquidity and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, with no debt maturing for the remainder of 2025 [9]. - Ares Capital's portfolio is diversified across 566 companies, with the largest investment being around 2%, and it focuses on resilient, noncyclical industries [10].