Core Insights - Investing in high-quality stocks with generous dividend payouts is a solid strategy for building long-term wealth, contributing significantly to total returns over time [1][2] Verizon Communications - Verizon has increased its dividend by 1.25 cents to $0.69 per share, marking its 19th consecutive annual dividend increase, with a forward yield exceeding 7% [5][11] - The company has a market capitalization of $170 billion and a dividend payout ratio of 64.3%, indicating strong support for its dividend payments [7] - Verizon's free cash flow is projected to be between $19.5 billion and $20.5 billion in fiscal 2025, allowing for dividend payments of nearly $11.5 billion while also reducing debt and reinvesting in growth [7][8] - The company is advancing its 5G C-band network deployment, expecting to cover 80% to 90% of targeted regions by the end of 2025, enhancing mobile and broadband coverage [8] - Verizon's fixed wireless high-speed internet service has 5.1 million subscribers, with expectations to grow to 8 million to 9 million by 2028 [9] - The company is set to close a $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications by early 2026, which will expand its fiber optic footprint [10] - Verizon trades at 9.4 times expected forward earnings, below its 5-year historical average of 11, making it an attractive option for income investors [11] Pfizer - Pfizer has announced a $0.43 dividend per share for the fourth quarter, continuing its streak of 348 consecutive quarters of dividend payments [12] - The company has a market capitalization of $138 billion and a dividend yield of approximately 6.7%, supported by strong cash flows from established drugs [13][14] - Pfizer's dividend payout ratio was nearly 91.5% over the last four quarters, but is expected to decrease to 57% by the end of fiscal 2025, providing more flexibility for growth investments [15] - The company aims to improve its operating margin and achieve net savings of nearly $4.5 billion by the end of fiscal 2025 through a cost-alignment program [16] - Pfizer's acquisition strategy includes a $43 billion deal for Seagen, which is expected to contribute nearly $10 billion in annual revenue by 2030 [18] - The recent acquisition of Metsera for approximately $7.3 billion targets the weight loss treatment market, projected to be worth $150 billion by the early 2030s [19] - Pfizer trades at 13.2 times earnings, which is considered low for a pharmaceutical company with a diversified business and strong financial performance [20]