Company Overview - Sempra (SRE) is headquartered in San Diego and operates in the Utilities sector, specifically in Gas Distribution [3] - The company's stock has experienced a price change of -7.49% year-to-date [3] Dividend Information - Sempra currently pays a dividend of $0.64 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.18% [3] - The Utility - Gas Distribution industry's average yield is 3.32%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.48% [3] - The annualized dividend of Sempra is $2.58, which is a 4% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last five years, Sempra has increased its dividend five times, averaging an annual increase of 4.28% [4] - The current payout ratio for Sempra is 55%, indicating that 55% of its trailing 12-month EPS is paid out as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sempra's earnings in 2025 is $4.68 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 0.65% [5] Investment Considerations - Sempra is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its attractive dividend and strong Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [6] - The company is positioned well for income investors, especially in the context of rising interest rates [6]

Company Overview - BNP Paribas SA (BNPQY) is based in Paris and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 47.65% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $2.01 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.44%, which is higher than the Banks - Foreign industry's yield of 3.2% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.48% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of $2.01 represents a 9% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last five years, BNP Paribas has increased its dividend four times, achieving an average annual increase of 9.87% [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 38%, indicating that it paid out 38% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BNP Paribas's earnings in 2025 is $5.67 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 1.61% [5] - The company is expected to experience earnings expansion in the current fiscal year [5] Investment Considerations - Dividends are favored by investors as they enhance stock investing profits, reduce overall portfolio risk, and offer tax advantages [5] - High-yielding stocks may face challenges during periods of rising interest rates, but BNP Paribas is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile [6] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [6]

Realty Income (O 0.95%) is the world's seventh largest real estate investment trust (REIT), with $59 billion of real estate across eight countries. The company's large and diversified portfolio generates stable and growing cash flow. That gives it money to pay dividends and invest in expanding its global real estate portfolio. The REIT has a lot going for it these days. Here are three reasons to consider adding Realty Income to your portfolio this year. This REIT has a lot of attractive investment qualities ...

Company Overview - Norwood Financial Corp. (NWFL) is located in Honesdale and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of -9.5% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.31 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 5.04%, which is significantly higher than the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 2.67% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.45% [3] Dividend Performance - The annualized dividend of Norwood Financial is $1.24, reflecting a 3.3% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, the company has raised its dividend five times, achieving an average annual increase of 4.67% [4] - The current payout ratio stands at 57%, indicating that the company distributes 57% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projects earnings of $2.71 per share, which corresponds to a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 40.41% [5] Investment Considerations - NWFL is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and the current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [6] - Income investors are attracted to dividends for various reasons, including tax advantages and reduced overall portfolio risk [5]

Core Insights - Equity Residential (EQR) is expanding its portfolio into new markets such as Denver, Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Austin, aiming for a more diversified presence while leveraging technology and scale for growth [1][7][8] Market Performance - The U.S. apartment market showed resilience in Q2 2025, absorbing over 227,000 units, indicating strong demand for professionally managed apartments despite macroeconomic uncertainties [3][4] - Same-store revenue growth was supported by improving demand and limited resident turnover, with physical occupancy remaining strong in April and May [2][4] Financial Outlook - EQR expects total same-store revenues to grow year over year between 2.25% and 3.25% in 2025, with an estimated growth of 2.8% [9] - The company anticipates a 2.2% increase in same-store net operating income (NOI) for 2025, driven by technology and operational efficiencies [10] Balance Sheet Strength - As of March 31, 2025, EQR had nearly $2.2 billion in liquidity and a well-laddered debt maturity schedule, with a net debt to normalized EBITDAre ratio of 4.21X [11][12] - The company maintains a high percentage of unencumbered NOI at 90.5%, providing access to capital markets at favorable rates [11][12] Dividend Growth - EQR has demonstrated strong dividend growth over the past decade, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.8% from 2011 to 2025, maintaining a manageable Dividend Payout Ratio [13][14]

Group 1: Company Overview - TotalEnergies is a French company with over 100 years of experience in the oil industry and operates in more than 130 countries, holding a leading position in upstream, midstream, and downstream oil segments [1] - The company has restructured its operations to align with a long-term strategy of increasing low-carbon activities and aims to become a net-zero company by 2050 [4][20] - TotalEnergies is organized into five business segments: Exploration & Production, Integrated LNG, Integrated Power, Refining & Chemicals, and Marketing & Services [4][8] Group 2: Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, TotalEnergies recorded revenues from sales of $47,899 million, down from $51,883 million in Q1 2024, with a gross profit of $14,046 million [2][3] - The net income for the same period was $3,921 million, compared to $5,804 million in Q1 2024 [2][3] - The company has a solid tradition of dividend returns, increasing dividends from €0.57 in 2012 to €0.85 expected in July 2025, representing a 49.12% increase [6][11] Group 3: Cash Flow and Investments - TotalEnergies generated cash flow from operating activities in the range of $15-25 billion from 2012-2024, with a record high of $46 billion in 2022 [12][29] - The company expects net investments of $17-17.5 billion in 2025, with a focus on projects that offer higher margins and generate more cash flow [21][24] - The investment strategy includes 33% in low-carbon energies, 20% in natural gas, and 45% in the oil chain [26] Group 4: Market Dynamics - The LNG market is expected to slow down in 2027-2029 due to increasing production capacity, which may reduce profit potential for companies in this sector [34] - The refining market is currently experiencing oversupply, which is stressing profit margins due to increased supply from various global sources [39][44] - TotalEnergies' exploration and production segment remains the primary cash generator, influencing the dividends that can be offered to shareholders [28][41]

Core Viewpoint - The debate among investors centers on whether to invest in the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF or a plain vanilla S&P 500 index fund, with the former appealing to those seeking passive income and the latter noted for higher recent returns [1][2] Investment Options Comparison - The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF offers a 3.9% yield, significantly higher than the S&P 500's 1.2% yield, which is near a record low [4] - An investment of $1,000 in the Schwab ETF yields approximately $39 annually, compared to only $12 from an S&P 500 index fund [5] Dividend Growth and Quality - The Schwab ETF tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, focusing on companies with quality and sustainable dividends, achieving an average dividend growth rate of 8.4% over the past five years, surpassing the S&P 500's 5% average [6] Historical Returns - Over the past 50 years, dividend growers have delivered an average annualized total return of 10.2%, outperforming the stock market's average return of 8% [7] - Recent performance shows the Schwab ETF underperformed the S&P 500 in the short term, but its long-term returns align with historical dividend growth stocks, suggesting potential future outperformance [8] Volatility Considerations - The S&P 500 has a beta of 1.0, while dividend growers have a lower beta of 0.88, indicating they are less volatile [9] Investment Suitability - For most investors, a classic S&P 500 index fund is a solid choice, but the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF is more suitable for income-focused investors due to its higher yield and potential for long-term outperformance [10]

While covered call ETFs or leveraged ETFs are very popular with investors right now, there is nothing wrong with owning good old-fashioned dividend growth ETFs that have a history of consistent NAV performance and raising their dividends. The VanguardAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of VIG, SCHD, NVDA, AVGO, META, GOOG, AMD either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving co ...

Group 1 - The article promotes iREIT on Alpha as a source for in-depth research on various income alternatives including REITs, mREITs, Preferreds, BDCs, MLPs, and ETFs, highlighting its positive testimonials [1] - The author indicates a current focus on dividend growth rather than immediate dividend income, suggesting a strategic investment approach [1] Group 2 - There is a disclosure stating that the author has no stock or derivative positions in any mentioned companies and does not plan to initiate any within the next 72 hours, emphasizing an unbiased perspective [2] - The article clarifies that past performance does not guarantee future results and that no specific investment recommendations are provided, indicating a cautious approach to investment advice [3]

Group 1: Brookfield Infrastructure - Brookfield Infrastructure owns a globally diversified portfolio of critical infrastructure businesses, generating stable cash flow with 85% of its funds from operations (FFO) coming from contracted or regulated rate structures with a weighted average remaining term of nine years [4] - The company pays out 60% to 70% of its stable cash flow in dividends, currently yielding over 4%, supported by a strong investment-grade balance sheet [5] - Brookfield has a record of raising its dividend for 16 consecutive years at a 9% compound annual rate, aiming for a future increase of 5% to 9% annually, driven by inflation indexation and expansion projects [6] Group 2: W.P. Carey - W.P. Carey is a diversified REIT owning operationally critical real estate in North America and Europe, primarily secured by long-term net leases with built-in rent escalations [7] - The REIT pays out 70% to 75% of its stable income via a dividend yielding more than 5.5%, retaining the rest for new income-generating investments [8] - W.P. Carey has raised its dividend every quarter since late 2023, following a strategic exit from the office sector, and has a history of increasing its dividend for at least 25 years [9] Group 3: Vail Resorts - Vail Resorts operates ski resorts and generates recurring revenue through its season pass program, achieving compound annual growth rates of 8% in revenue and 10% in free cash flow over the past decade [10] - The company has invested over $1.8 billion into existing resorts and $1.9 billion on acquisitions, including notable purchases in Switzerland and Pittsburgh [11] - Vail has paid over $1.9 billion in dividends and repurchased $900 million of its stock over the past decade, with a recent trend of increasing its dividend above pre-pandemic levels, resulting in a yield above 5% [12]