I am focused on growth and dividend income. My personal strategy revolves around setting myself up for an easy retirement by creating a portfolio which focuses on compounding dividend income and growth. Dividends are an intricate part of my strategy as I have structured my portfolio to have monthly dividend income which grows through dividend reinvestment and yearly increases. Feel free to reach out to me on Seeking AlphaAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BST, AMZN, N ...

Most U.S. investors never look beyond domestic stocks for dividend income, and the reasoning, at least on the surface, seems logical. ...

I am focused on growth and dividend income. My personal strategy revolves around setting myself up for an easy retirement by creating a portfolio which focuses on compounding dividend income and growth. Dividends are an intricate part of my strategy as I have structured my portfolio to have monthly dividend income which grows through dividend reinvestment and yearly increases. Feel free to reach out to me on Seeking AlphaAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of MO, AMLP, VZ ...

The iShares Select Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:DVY) has become a cornerstone holding for income-focused retirees seeking reliable dividend income. ...

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of generating income from investments through dividends, which can support lifestyle expenses and provide a tangible return on investment [1] Investment Strategy - The company focuses on identifying high-quality dividend stocks and other assets that offer long-term growth potential, aiming to create a hybrid investment strategy that balances growth and income [1] - The investment approach includes a mix of classic dividend growth stocks, Business Development Companies, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and Closed-End Funds to enhance investment income while achieving total returns comparable to traditional index funds like the S&P 500 [1]

Core Viewpoint - The Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) offers broader diversification, higher recent returns, and a lower expense ratio compared to the ProShares - S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL), which has a more concentrated sector mix and focuses on companies with long dividend growth histories [1][2]. Cost & Size Comparison - VYM has an expense ratio of 0.06%, significantly lower than NOBL's 0.35% - The one-year return for VYM is 12.2%, while NOBL's is 4.3% - VYM has a dividend yield of 2.4%, compared to NOBL's 2.1% - VYM's assets under management (AUM) stand at $84.5 billion, while NOBL's AUM is $11.2 billion [3][4]. Performance & Risk Comparison - Over five years, NOBL experienced a maximum drawdown of 17.92%, while VYM had a lower maximum drawdown of 15.83% - An investment of $1,000 would grow to $1,601 in VYM compared to $1,327 in NOBL over the same period [5]. Portfolio Composition - VYM holds 589 stocks with major sector exposures in financial services (21%), technology (18%), and healthcare (13%) - Top positions in VYM include Broadcom Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Exxon Mobil Corp. [6]. - NOBL consists of 70 stocks, primarily concentrated in consumer defensive (23%), industrials (21%), and financial services (13%) - Key holdings in NOBL include Albemarle Corp., Cardinal Health Inc., and C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. [7][8]. Investment Implications - VYM's diverse portfolio allows it to better withstand downturns in specific sectors, benefiting from its inclusion of technology stocks - NOBL's focus on companies with a history of increasing dividends results in a smaller, more concentrated portfolio, which may limit diversification [9][10].

Core Insights - Business development companies (BDCs) are attractive for dividend stock investments due to their requirement to distribute 90% of taxable income to shareholders to avoid corporate-level taxes, resulting in appealing dividends [1] Ares Capital - Ares Capital is the largest BDC, having invested $28.7 billion across 587 portfolio companies as of the end of Q3, with 71% of its portfolio in senior secured loans [3][4] - The company primarily targets middle-market companies with annual revenues between $100 million and $1 billion, but also invests in larger firms [3] - Ares Capital is part of Ares Management, which has nearly $600 billion in assets under management, providing competitive advantages such as strong relationships with credit providers and increased deal flow [4] - Ares Capital currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.48 per share, yielding 9.4% at recent share prices, and has maintained or increased its dividend for 16 years [5][7] - The BDC has sufficient income to cover its dividend payments, reporting $0.57 per share of GAAP net income and $0.50 per share of core earnings in Q3, along with $1.26 per share of excess taxable income carried forward from 2024 [5] - In Q3, Ares secured $3.9 billion in new investment commitments across 80 companies, significantly outpacing $2.6 billion in exited commitments, and raised over $1 billion in new debt capital [6]

I am focused on growth and dividend income. My personal strategy revolves around setting myself up for an easy retirement by creating a portfolio which focuses on compounding dividend income and growth. Dividends are an intricate part of my strategy as I have structured my portfolio to have monthly dividend income which grows through dividend reinvestment and yearly increases. Feel free to reach out to me on Seeking AlphaAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of MSFT, NVDA, ...

Group 1 - The focus is on growth and dividend income as a strategy for retirement planning [1] - The portfolio is structured to generate monthly dividend income that grows through reinvestment and annual increases [1] - The companies mentioned with beneficial long positions include MSFT, NVDA, META, GOOGL, and AMZN [1]

Key Points I plan to raise my portfolio's cash position to 10%. I aim to grow my dividend income by 25%. I'm targeting a 40% increase in my passive income from alternative investments. 10 stocks we like better than Realty Income › More than half of all Americans plan to make a financial resolution this new year. According to the Motley Fool Money's Financial New Year's Resolution Report, the top goal is to pay off debt. You can count me among those making financial resolutions in 2026. Here are m ...