8 Dividend Increases: August 6-10, 2018

Companies that regularly increase dividends show confidence in future earnings growth potential. One way to identify dividend growth stocks for further analysis is to monitor dividend increases.

In the last week, eight companies on my watch list announced dividend increases.

Three of the dividend increases are double-digit percentage increases.

Recent Sell: Microsoft

In my last Pulse article, I looked at a yield channel chart of Microsoft (MSFT) that clearly shows that the stock is trading at an overvalued yield when looking at historical yield patterns.

MSFT is DivGro's seventh home-run and one of my top performers with annualized total returns of about 55%. It is tough to sell a home-run stock when it is performing so well, but my yield channel chart suggests it is a good time to do so.

I think MSFT has more room to grow, so I decided to sell a portion of my shares and ride the upward trend as long as it lasts. This article presents a short summary of the trades and dividends received as well as a net profit analysis.

18 Dividend Increases: July 30-August 3, 2018

Companies that regularly increase dividends show confidence in future earnings growth potential. One way to identify dividend growth stocks for further analysis is to monitor dividend increases.

This week, 18 companies passing my watch list criteria decided to increase their dividends, including two of the stocks I own.

Two of the dividend increases are double-digit percentage increases.

Home Run Number 18

Well, that was quick!

Only three days ago I reported home run #17—and here I'm back to celebrate home run #18!

Aflac (AFL) beat out Apple (AAPL) to become DivGro's seventeenth home run, but it didn't take the tech giant long to also cross the 100% mark in total returns in my portfolio.

Last time I mentioned that AAPL was involved in another race, with Amazon (AMZN), to become the first ever trillion dollar company. This morning it was widely reported that AAPL reached trillion dollar status, but, in fact, AAPL needed to hit $207.05 to do so.

34 Dividend Increases: July 23-27, 2018 (Part 2: Non-Financials)

Companies that regularly increase dividends show confidence in future earnings growth potential. Monitoring dividend increase announcements helps me identify candidates for further analysis.

In the past week, 34 companies that match my watch criteria announced dividend increases, including one of my portfolio holdings.

Part 1 presented details on dividend increases from the Financials sector stocks. In Part 2 the remaining sectors are covered.

34 Dividend Increases: July 23-27, 2018 (Part 1: Financials)

Companies that regularly raise their dividend payments show confidence in future earnings growth potential. One way to identify dividend growth stocks for further analysis is to monitor dividend increases.

This past week, 34 companies that match my watch list criteria announced dividend increases, including one of the stocks I own.
Part 1 presents details on dividend increases from the Financials sector, while Part 2 will cover the remaining sectors.

Home Run Number 17

It has been more than two months since my last home!

I use the term home run to identify a stock in my portfolio that crosses the 100% mark in total returns.

I expected Aflac (AFL) to become my sixteenth home run, but the stock stubbornly stayed just below the 100% mark for two months running and Valero Energy (VLO) beat AFL to the punch!

Last time I identified two contenders for DivGro's 17^th home run: AFL and Apple (AAPL). And today I'm happy to reveal the winner! Did AFL finally break the 100% barrier, or did AAPL beat AFL to the punch?