Group 1: Enbridge - Enbridge shares are up approximately 6% year to date, outperforming the S&P 500, which has entered a correction [2] - The company operates a vast network of pipelines for oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids, and owns the largest gas utility in North America, serving around 7 million customers [3] - Enbridge has a forward dividend yield of 5.91% and has increased its dividend for 30 consecutive years, with growth opportunities pegged at roughly $50 billion through 2030 [4] Group 2: Realty Income - Realty Income shares have increased nearly 9% in 2025, defying expectations for REITs amid the Fed's interest rate policies [5] - The company owns over 15,600 properties leased to 1,565 clients across 89 industries, including major brands like 7-Eleven and Walmart [6] - Realty Income boasts stability, with approximately 91% of its total rent being resilient to economic downturns, and has never delivered a negative operational return [7] - The REIT has a forward dividend yield of 5.56% and has increased its dividend for 30 consecutive years, averaging an annual growth of 4.3% [8] Group 3: Verizon Communications - Verizon shares are up around 7% year to date, surpassing its total gain for all of 2024 [9] - The company added nearly 1 million postpaid mobile and broadband subscribers in Q4 2024, marking its best quarterly performance in over a decade, with wireless service revenue of $20 billion [10] - Verizon is evolving into an AI company, collaborating with Nvidia and Google Cloud to integrate advanced AI technologies into its network solutions [11] - The company has a forward dividend yield exceeding 6.3% and has increased its dividend for 18 consecutive years [12]

Group 1 - Samuel Smith has extensive experience in dividend stock research and investment, having served as lead analyst and Vice President at various firms [1] - He is a Professional Engineer and Project Management Professional, holding degrees in Civil Engineering & Mathematics and a Master's in Engineering with a focus on applied mathematics and machine learning [1] - Samuel leads the High Yield Investor investing group, collaborating with Jussi Askola and Paul R. Drake to balance safety, growth, yield, and value in investment strategies [2] Group 2 - High Yield Investor provides real-money core, retirement, and international portfolios, along with regular trade alerts and educational content [2] - The service includes an active chat room for investors to share insights and strategies [2]

Company Overview - Horace Mann (HMN) is based in Springfield and operates in the Finance sector, focusing on auto and homeowners' insurance for teachers and educators [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 1.84% this year [3] Dividend Information - Currently, Horace Mann pays a dividend of $0.35 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.5%, which is significantly higher than the Insurance - Multi line industry's yield of 1.86% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.69% [3] - The annualized dividend of $1.40 represents a 2.9% increase from the previous year, with an average annual increase of 3.18% over the last five years [4] - The current payout ratio is 43%, indicating that the company pays out 43% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in 2025 is $3.80 per share, with an expected increase of 19.50% from the previous year [5] Investment Perspective - Dividends are favored by investors for various reasons, including improving stock investing profits and providing tax advantages [6] - High-growth firms typically do not offer dividends, while established companies with secure profits are seen as better dividend options [7] - Horace Mann is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7]

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.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 often view it by its dividend ...

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric th ...

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. However, 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 the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yie ...

Core Insights - Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (BXSL) is highlighted as a strong investment in the business development company (BDC) sector, focusing on defensive, first-lien lending strategies [1] - Since its inception, BXSL has generated approximately $17.65 per share, indicating a solid performance in the market [1] Company Overview - BXSL operates as a business development company, providing first-lien loans, which are considered less risky compared to other types of lending [1] - The fund is part of a broader strategy that emphasizes dividend investing as a means to achieve financial freedom [1] Investment Strategy - The article emphasizes the importance of dividend investing, portraying it as an accessible path for individuals seeking to build long-term wealth [1] - The author shares insights from extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and business valuation, which informs the investment approach [1]

Group 1 - The trade war between the U.S. and China is intensifying, with China now imposing 125% tariffs on U.S. goods, an increase from the previous 84% [1] Group 2 - The ongoing tariffs have caused significant disruption in the overall market in recent weeks [1]

Core Viewpoint - Ford Motor Company's stock has experienced a significant decline of nearly 26% over the past year, resulting in a high dividend yield of 6.5% based on its recent closing price of $9.14 per share, which could increase to 8.2% when including a special dividend of $0.15 per share [1][2]. Dividend Yield and Investment Potential - The current dividend yield of 6.5% is substantial for a cyclical stock, allowing income investors to potentially earn $500 annually by investing approximately $7,623 to purchase 834 shares at the April 11 closing price [2]. - If Ford issues another special dividend, the annual dividend income could exceed $500, as the company has previously paid supplemental dividends of $0.15, $0.18, and $0.65 per share in the last three years [3]. Dividend Safety Concerns - Ford's projected adjusted free cash flow (FCF) for 2025 is estimated to be between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion, a decrease from $6.7 billion the previous year, raising concerns about the sustainability of its dividend payout, which is targeted at 40% to 50% of FCF [4]. - Given the potential shortfall in FCF to cover the annualized dividend of $0.60 per share, there is a possibility that Ford may need to temporarily cut its dividend to manage financial pressures, although immediate action may not be taken [4]. Cost Management Strategies - Despite the challenges posed by tariffs and trade tensions, Ford manufactures 80% of its vehicles in the U.S. and maintains a significant cash reserve, which may allow the company to defer some growth expenditures and preserve cash for dividend payments [5].

Company Overview - Acadia Realty Trust (AKR) is headquartered in Rye and has experienced a price change of -22.64% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.2 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.28%, which is slightly below the REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry's yield of 4.57% and significantly above the S&P 500's yield of 1.68% [3] Dividend Performance - Acadia Realty Trust's current annualized dividend of $0.80 represents an 8.1% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, the company has increased its dividend twice on a year-over-year basis, averaging an annual increase of 6.36% [4] - The current payout ratio is 59%, indicating that the company paid out 59% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Outlook - For the fiscal year 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts earnings of $1.36 per share, reflecting a 6.25% increase from the previous year [5] Investment Considerations - Dividends are favored by investors for various reasons, including improving stock investing profits and providing tax advantages [6] - High-growth firms or tech start-ups typically do not offer dividends, while larger, established companies are often viewed as better dividend options [7] - Acadia Realty Trust is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]