Dividend Yield - on - Cost
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Got $500 a Month? Here’s How to Start a Dividend Portfolio
The Smart Investor· 2025-11-28 09:30
Core Insights - The article emphasizes that starting with a small amount, such as S$500 a month, can lead to significant passive income through consistent investing and dividend reinvestment [2][8]. Investment Strategy - Regular investing fosters discipline and utilizes dollar-cost averaging, allowing investors to invest a fixed amount at regular intervals [3]. - A portfolio invested with S$500 monthly could grow to approximately S$129,000 over 15 years, reflecting a growth of over 43% from a total contribution of S$90,000 [7][8]. Broker Recommendations - Suggested low-cost brokerages for starting monthly investments include MooMoo with a trading fee of 0.03% and a minimum order size of US$5, and DBS Vickers RSP with a trading fee of 0.18% and a minimum order size of S$100 [11]. Stock Selection - Investors should focus on strong, dividend-paying companies with sustainable cash flows, such as DBS Group Holdings, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, Singapore Exchange, and Netlink NBN Trust, which offer dividend yields between 4% and 6% [15][17][18]. Diversification Strategy - A diversified portfolio is recommended to balance growth potential and stability, with a sample investment plan suggesting a rotation among different sectors over time [19][22]. - Diversification helps mitigate market volatility while benefiting from dividend income [22]. Dividend Reinvestment Benefits - Reinvesting dividends can significantly enhance portfolio value, with a hypothetical example showing a portfolio could grow to S$100,627 over 30 years with reinvestment, compared to S$43,219 without [24][25]. - The principle of dividend yield-on-cost indicates that as dividends compound, they represent a larger percentage of the initial investment, highlighting the importance of long-term growth over short-term price fluctuations [25]. Cautions in Investing - Investors are advised to avoid chasing high yields from fundamentally weak companies and to maintain diversification to ensure long-term success [26]. - Trading fees, although seemingly low, can accumulate and impact overall returns if trading frequency is high [27].