Samuel Smith has a diverse background that includes being lead analyst and Vice President at several highly regarded dividend stock research firms and running his own dividend investing YouTube channel. He is a Professional Engineer and Project Management Professional and holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering & Mathematics from the United States Military Academy at West Point and has a Masters in Engineering from Texas A&M with a focus on applied mathematics and machine learning.Samuel leads the High Yield Inve ...

I'm not getting any younger. These days, I'm thinking more and more about retiring and the stream of passive income that will allow me to thrive instead of merely surviving. I'm attracted to high yields like everybody else, but there are more important factors to consider. Ares Capital (ARCC 0.94%), W.P. Carey (WPC -0.24%), and Realty Income (O -0.24%) have been hovering at the top of my list of dividend stocks to buy because they do more than just offer a high yield. W.P. Carey has raised its dividend ever ...

Group 1: Market Overview - The market experienced significant volatility this year, falling into bear market territory from its highs in February, but has since recouped losses and is approaching near all-time highs [1] Group 2: Investment Opportunities - Investors may consider adding dividend stocks for reliable passive income, with Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio being a prime example [2] - Investing $25,000 in two selected Warren Buffett stocks could generate approximately $1,200 in annual passive income [2] Group 3: Chevron - Chevron has a dividend yield of 4.77% and is a significant position in Berkshire's $283 billion equities portfolio, making up 6% of it [3][7] - The company operates extensive oil operations, particularly in the Permian Basin, projecting 5% to 6% compound annual growth in oil production and $2 billion in free cash flow growth by 2026 [5] - Chevron expects to increase total free cash flow by $9 billion by 2026, assuming Brent Crude Oil prices remain around $60 per barrel [6] - The company has increased its dividend for 38 consecutive years and has a trailing free cash flow yield of nearly 5.3%, allowing it to cover its dividend [7] - Chevron is also repurchasing $10 billion to $20 billion in stock annually as a method to return capital to shareholders [7] Group 4: Sirius XM - Sirius XM has a dividend yield of 4.80% but has seen its stock decline by about 59% over the last five years due to subscriber growth challenges [8][9] - Berkshire Hathaway has acquired over 35% of Sirius' outstanding shares, betting on management's long-term plan to grow subscribers from 40 million to 50 million and increase free cash flow from $1.2 billion to $1.8 billion [10] - The company plans to enhance in-car technology, launch a new pricing structure, and grow its advertising business, which currently constitutes only 20% of its revenue [10][11] - Sirius XM has paid and increased its dividend every year since 2016, with a trailing-12-month free cash flow yield exceeding 12%, making the dividend sustainable [12] - The stock is currently trading at less than 8 times forward earnings, presenting a potentially attractive investment opportunity while management executes its turnaround plan [12]

Group 1 - Samuel Smith has extensive experience in dividend stock research and investment, having served as lead analyst and Vice President at notable 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]

Group 1: Realty Income - Realty Income is the largest net lease REIT, owning over 15,600 properties across North America and Europe, which provides it with significant access to capital markets [3][4] - The company has a 5.6% dividend yield, backed by an investment-grade rated balance sheet, and has increased its dividend annually for three decades, making it appealing for conservative income investors [4][5] - Realty Income is recommended for long-term holding, ideally for at least the next 10 years [5] Group 2: Brookfield Asset Management - Brookfield Asset Management is one of Canada's largest asset managers, currently managing around $550 billion in fee-generating assets, with a goal to reach $1.1 trillion by the end of the decade [9] - The company offers a current dividend yield of approximately 3.1%, with a recent dividend increase of 15%, indicating strong growth potential [7][8] - Brookfield operates in various sectors including renewable power, infrastructure, real estate, private equity, and credit, providing multiple avenues for growth [9] Group 3: Target - Target is a major U.S. retailer with a strong dividend history, boasting 58 consecutive annual dividend hikes, qualifying it as a Dividend King [10] - The current yield is around 4.6%, but the company is facing challenges in resonating with consumers compared to competitors like Walmart [11] - Target is undergoing management changes to facilitate a business turnaround, and investors are encouraged to hold for the long term while benefiting from the high yield [11][12] Group 4: Investment Opportunities - Realty Income, Brookfield Asset Management, and Target represent diverse investment opportunities for different types of dividend investors, from reliable income to growth potential and turnaround situations [13]

Company Overview - Intesa Sanpaolo SpA (ISNPY) is based in Turin and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 40.12% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.84 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.96%, which is significantly higher than the Banks - Foreign industry's yield of 3.4% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.6% [3] Dividend Performance - The annualized dividend of Intesa Sanpaolo is $1.68, reflecting a 13.6% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend three times on a year-over-year basis, achieving an average annual increase of 40.86% [4] - The current payout ratio stands at 48%, indicating that the company distributes 48% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Intesa Sanpaolo's earnings per share for 2025 is $3.67, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 17.63% [5] Investment Considerations - Dividends are favored by investors for various reasons, including improving stock investing profits and providing tax advantages [6] - High-yielding stocks may face challenges during periods of rising interest rates, but Intesa Sanpaolo presents a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile [7] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a neutral outlook [7]

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and of course, 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 that m ...

Company Overview - Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. is headquartered in Tokyo and has experienced a price change of 15.74% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.56 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.64%, which is significantly higher than the Insurance - Property and Casualty industry's yield of 0.54% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.6% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Tokio Marine is $1.10, reflecting a 1.3% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, the company has increased its dividend 4 times, achieving an average annual increase of 10.66% [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 31%, indicating that it pays out 31% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Tokio Marine's earnings per share for 2025 is $4.04, with an expected increase of 12.53% from the previous year [5] Investment Appeal - Tokio Marine is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its attractive dividend and strong Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [7]

Company Overview - German American Bancorp (GABC) is a financial services holding company based in Jasper, operating in the Finance sector [3] - The company's shares have experienced a price change of -2.56% this year [3] Dividend Information - GABC currently pays a dividend of $0.29 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.96% [3] - The dividend yield of GABC is lower than the Banks - Midwest industry's yield of 3.22% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.6% [3] - The annualized dividend of $1.16 represents a 7.4% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last 5 years, GABC has increased its dividend 5 times, averaging an annual increase of 9.04% [4] - The current payout ratio for GABC is 39%, indicating that it paid out 39% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GABC's earnings in 2025 is $3.35 per share, with an expected increase of 18.37% from the previous year [5] Investment Considerations - GABC is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7] - Income investors should note that high-yielding stocks may face challenges during periods of rising interest rates [7]

Economic Outlook - There is significant uncertainty regarding the economy and interest rate direction for the year [1] - The Federal Reserve (FED) decided to keep interest rates steady in their latest meeting, which was anticipated [1] Investment Strategy - The focus is on dividend investing in quality blue-chip stocks, Business Development Companies (BDCs), and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) [1] - The investment approach is characterized as buy-and-hold, prioritizing quality over quantity [1] - The goal is to help lower and middle-class workers build investment portfolios of high-quality, dividend-paying companies [1]