Market Overview - The overall market is considered expensive by historical metrics, with the S&P 500's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio at 22.1, a level last seen during the COVID rebound and the dot-com bubble [3][4] Investment Opportunities Cheap Dividends - **AES Corp.**: Virginia-based electric utility with a 5.5% yield, trading at 5 times cash-flow estimates and a PEG of 0.6, indicating it is inexpensive compared to growth estimates [4][5] - **Edison International**: Offers a 5.9% yield, with shares down over 25% due to wildfire litigation, but expected to generate decent top-line growth and significant profit recovery in the coming years [6][8][9] - **Amcor**: A packaging specialist yielding 5.2%, acting defensively while being involved in various sectors, with a P/CF of roughly 6x [11][19] - **Kodiak Gas Services**: An energy services firm yielding 5.2%, well-positioned for growth with a young fleet and trading at 6 times cash flow estimates [12][14] - **Atlas Energy Solutions**: Yielding 8.4%, but shares have dropped 45% this year; however, it has sufficient free cash flow to cover dividends [15][17] - **United Parcel Service (UPS)**: A blue-chip stock yielding 7.5%, shares have lost nearly half their value in two years, trading at roughly 8 times cash-flow estimates [18][21][22] - **Western Union**: Yielding 11.3%, facing competition from payment apps, but has launched initiatives to improve operations and expand digital offerings [23][24]

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]

Company Overview - Univest (UVSP) is headquartered in Souderton and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date stock price change of 3.46% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.22 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.88%, which is higher than the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 2.69% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.48% [3] Dividend Performance - Univest's current annualized dividend of $0.88 has increased by 4.8% from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, the company has raised its dividend twice, achieving an average annual increase of 1.61% [4] - The current payout ratio is 32%, indicating that the company distributes 32% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Univest's earnings in 2025 is $2.76 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 10.40% [5] Investment Considerations - Univest is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [6] - The company is positioned well in the context of rising interest rates, which typically challenge high-yielding stocks [6]

Company Overview - Essential Utilities (WTRG) is headquartered in Bryn Mawr and has experienced a price change of 7.57% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.33 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.51%, which is higher than the Utility - Water Supply industry's yield of 2.56% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.48% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Essential Utilities is $1.37, reflecting an 8.3% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, the company has increased its dividend 5 times, achieving an average annual increase of 6.53% [4] - The current payout ratio is 56%, indicating that the company paid out 56% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in 2025 is $2.11 per share, which represents a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 7.11% [5] - Future dividend growth will depend on earnings growth and the payout ratio [4] Investment Appeal - Essential Utilities is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [6] - The company is positioned well for income investors, especially in comparison to high-growth firms that typically do not offer dividends [6]

Company Overview - BNP Paribas SA is headquartered in Paris and operates in the Finance sector [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 59.64% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - The company currently pays a dividend of $2.01 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.1% [3] - This yield is higher than the Banks - Foreign industry's yield of 3.04% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.48% [3] - The annualized dividend of $2.01 represents a 9% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last 5 years, BNP Paribas has increased its dividend 4 times, averaging an annual increase of 9.87% [4] - The current payout ratio is 38%, indicating that the company pays out 38% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, BNP Paribas expects solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 at $5.67 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 1.61% [5] Investment Considerations - The company is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend play and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [6]

Company Overview - Sempra (SRE) is based in San Diego and operates in the Utilities sector, with a year-to-date share price change of -6.66% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.64 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.15%, which is lower than the Utility - Gas Distribution industry's yield of 3.56% and significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of 1.48% [3] Dividend Performance - Sempra's annualized dividend of $2.58 has increased by 4% from the previous year, with a historical average annual increase of 4.28% over the last five years [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 55%, indicating that it distributes 55% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sempra's earnings in 2025 is projected at $4.68 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 0.65% [5] - The company is expected to experience earnings expansion in the current fiscal year [5] Investment Appeal - Sempra is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, currently holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [6]

Core Viewpoint - Medtronic's stock has declined approximately 33% since mid-2021, but this decline may be overdone given the company's strong operating history and commitment to rewarding investors [1] Group 1: Dividend Performance - Medtronic's current dividend yield is around 3.1%, significantly higher than the S&P 500's 1.2% and the average healthcare stock's 1.8% [3] - The company has increased its dividend annually for 48 consecutive years, nearing Dividend King status, indicating a robust business model [4] - Despite current challenges, Medtronic is expected to continue rewarding investors with reliable dividends [5] Group 2: Innovation and Growth Challenges - Medtronic faces challenges in introducing new products quickly due to the complexity of medical device development and regulatory processes [6] - The company is making progress in innovation, with surgical robots and other new products expected to gain traction over time [7] - Long-term investors should remain optimistic about Medtronic's potential for future growth [8] Group 3: Business Revamping - Medtronic is focusing on improving profitability by divesting from less profitable segments, which is a standard practice for large companies [9] - The planned spin-off of its diabetes business is expected to enhance profitability and free up capital for R&D or acquisitions [10] - While the diabetes spinoff may present short-term challenges, the long-term outlook for dividend investors remains positive [12]

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].

Company Overview - Heritage Financial (HFWA) is a bank holding company headquartered in Olympia, experiencing a price change of -4.16% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.24 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.09%, which is significantly higher than the Financial - Savings and Loan industry's yield of 2.96% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.5% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Heritage Financial is $0.96, reflecting a 4.3% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, the company has increased its dividend 4 times year-over-year, averaging an annual increase of 4.17% [4] - The current payout ratio stands at 52%, indicating that the company paid out 52% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, Heritage Financial anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projected at $2.11 per share, representing a year-over-year growth rate of 14.05% [5] Investment Appeal - Heritage Financial is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [6]

Core Viewpoint - High-yielding dividend stocks can provide significant income but come with risks; it is essential to select stocks with strong earnings to support their payouts [2] Group 1: Verizon Communications - Verizon offers a high yield of 6.3%, significantly above the S&P 500 average of 1.2% [4] - An investment of $12,000 in Verizon would yield approximately $756 annually in dividends [4] - The company projects modest growth, with wireless service revenue expected to rise between 2% and 2.8%, and adjusted earnings are also expected to rise in single digits, indicating sustainability of dividends with a payout ratio around 60% [5][6] - The stock price has increased by about 8% year-to-date and trades at 10 times its trailing earnings, making it a reliable option for dividend investors [6] Group 2: Bristol Myers Squibb - Bristol Myers Squibb has a dividend yield of 5.4%, with a $12,000 investment generating about $648 in annual dividends [7] - The current payout ratio is around 100%, but this can be influenced by non-recurring expenses; free cash flow over the past 12 months totaled $14.6 billion, well above the $5 billion paid in dividends [8] - Sales for the first half of the year were stable at $23.5 billion, down only 2% year-over-year, with a growth portfolio generating 18% sales growth in the most recent quarter [9] - The stock is trading at only 7 times its estimated future earnings, presenting a potentially attractive buying opportunity despite a nearly 20% decline this year [10] Group 3: Pembina Pipeline - Pembina Pipeline offers a yield of 5.8%, with a $12,000 investment resulting in approximately $696 in annual dividends [11] - The company reported free cash flow of 2.6 billion Canadian dollars over the past 12 months, exceeding the CA$1.8 billion paid in dividends [12] - Despite a 2% decline in stock price this year, Pembina has shown stability and trades at a modest 17 times its trailing earnings, making it an appealing option for dividend investors [13]