分组1 - The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at a range of 3.5% to 3.75% during its January FOMC meeting, indicating the economy is expanding at a solid pace [4] - Investors are optimistic about potential future rate cuts as inflation eases, but the Fed has not provided a clear outlook on its rate cut path [2][4] - Wall Street's major indexes reached all-time highs earlier in the month but have since experienced volatility due to various factors, including a criminal investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and rising inflation [5] 分组2 - MSCI Inc. announced a dividend of $2.05 per share, with a dividend yield of 1.24% and a payout ratio of 43% [7][13] - First Horizon Corporation declared a dividend of $0.17 per share, offering a dividend yield of 2.47% and a payout ratio of 32% [9][13] - Stifel Financial Corp. announced a dividend of $0.51 per share, with a dividend yield of 1.46% and a payout ratio of 29% [10][13] - Trustmark Corporation declared a dividend of $0.25 per share, providing a dividend yield of 2.33% and a payout ratio of 26% [12][13]

Core Insights - Dividend growth is essential for dividend-focused investors, as inflation diminishes the dollar's value over time, making it crucial for dividend payments to increase to maintain purchasing power [1] Visa - Visa is a global payment processor that facilitates transactions between buyers and sellers, processing 257.5 billion transactions in fiscal 2025, representing a 10% year-over-year increase [2] - The shift from cash to card-based payments and the growth of e-commerce are expected to sustain Visa's business growth for years [3] - Visa's dividend has surged by 375% over the past decade, appealing to investors who prioritize future income over immediate returns [3] - The current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 32 is slightly below its five-year average of 33, indicating a reasonable valuation for long-term investors [4] - A $2,000 investment in Visa would allow the purchase of approximately six shares [4] Realty Income - Realty Income represents a slower dividend growth option, with a 40% increase in dividends over the past decade and a compound annual growth rate of 4.2% over three decades, slightly outpacing inflation [6] - Realty Income offers a relatively high dividend yield of 5.3%, making it attractive for investors seeking income from their portfolios [7] - A $2,000 investment in Realty Income would enable the purchase of about 32 shares [7] Investment Preferences - Some investors favor rapidly growing dividend stocks like Visa, while others prefer the steady growth of dividends offered by Realty Income, highlighting differing investment strategies [8]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights three dividend-paying stocks—AbbVie, Home Depot, and ExxonMobil—that have consistently raised their dividends for over a decade, offering yields significantly higher than the S&P 500 average, making them attractive long-term investments. AbbVie - AbbVie currently offers a dividend yield of approximately 2.9%, which is more than double the S&P 500 average of 1.2% [3] - The company has a history of over 50 consecutive years of dividend increases, qualifying it as a Dividend King [3][4] - AbbVie recently raised its dividend by 5.5%, and since its spin-off from Abbott Laboratories, it has increased quarterly dividends by over 330% [4] - For the first nine months of the year, AbbVie reported an 8% increase in sales, totaling $44.5 billion, with Skyrizi and Rinvoq generating $18.5 billion, surpassing Humira's current quarterly sales of $3.3 billion [6][7] Home Depot - Home Depot has raised its dividend for 16 consecutive years, with a more than 50% increase since 2020, currently yielding 2.7% [8] - Despite facing challenges due to decreased discretionary spending, the company anticipates a 3% sales growth for the current fiscal year [9] - Home Depot's shares have declined by 13% this year, but the company is expected to recover in the long term due to its strong position in the home repair market [12] ExxonMobil - ExxonMobil offers the highest yield among the three at 3.5%, with a history of 43 consecutive years of annual dividend growth at an average rate of 5.8% [13][14] - The company has faced earnings volatility, with a decline of $3.7 billion to $22.3 billion this year, but it maintains strong financial health, with earnings per share of $5.16 exceeding its annual dividend payout of $4.12 [14][16] - ExxonMobil's stock has increased by 8% this year and is trading at an estimated 16 times its future earnings, presenting a good value for income investors [16]