2020 Tax-Loss Harvesting (Part 3)

Part 3 of my article on harvesting tax losses covers three more recent sells. Two of these were closing trades, while the other involved trimming a position split across two different accounts. 

I'm unsure if I'll be reinvesting in any of these stocks once the blackout period required by the IRS wash-sale rule expires. These are struggling stocks with strong headwinds and, besides, I already own similar stocks in my portfolio that are performing better. 

Part 1 explained the ins-and-outs of tax-loss harvesting and I reported one closing trade to offset some 2020 capital gains. Part 2 covered three sells of Energy sector stocks, which realized losses totaling $8,671. In the conclusion of this article, I'll provide a summary of all the trades I executed to harvest tax losses for the 2020 tax year.

2020 Tax-Loss Harvesting (Part 2)

In Part 2 of a three-part article, I'm presenting three more sales to harvest tax losses. All three stocks happen to be from the Energy sector, by far the worst-performing sector this year (and for several years running!). 

I'm trimming one of my Energy stocks and closing two additional Energy stocks. I'm hoping to reinvest in at least one of these positions, but it would depend on what happens in January. 

Part 1 explained the ins-and-outs of tax-loss harvesting and I reported on a recent sell to offset some 2020 capital gains, closing my Gilead Sciences, Inc (GILD) position and recording a loss of about $2,725. I'm hoping to reinstate the position before GILD goes ex-dividend again in March 2021.

2020 Tax-Loss Harvesting (Part 1)

In previous years, I've sold stocks in late November and December to offset capital gains and to limit my tax liability. Given the stock market crash in late February and early March, it is remarkable that I'm facing a similar challenge in 2020. 

So far in 2020, I've recorded capital gains of about $14,383, and another $14,494 from options income. Additionally, I'm expecting to have dividend income totaling about $30,000 in 2020. 

To lighten my 2020 tax burden as much as possible, I decided to realize some offsetting losses by trimming and even closing several losing positions. This strategy of tax-loss harvesting is not without problems, but I like having an excuse to clean house.

Part 1 of this article explains the ins-and-outs of tax-loss harvesting and reports a recent sell I made to offset 2020 capital gains. Part 2 and Part 3 will cover additional sells. In all, I closed seven positions to harvest tax losses.

Dividend Changes: December 19-25, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, providing readers with a list of stock to consider in order to secure the next dividend payment. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

10 Dividend Growth Stocks For December 2020

In my monthly series of 10 Dividend Growth Stocks, I rank a selection of dividend growth stocks in Dividend Radar and present the 10 top-ranked stocks for consideration. 

To rank stocks, I use DVK Quality Snapshots to get quality scores and sort them in descending order, breaking ties with additional metrics.

This month, I screened for high-quality stocks whose current dividend yields are higher than their 5-year average dividend yields and are trading below my own fair value estimates. 

Goals for 2021

In this article, I'm presenting my goals for 2021. 

I like setting goals that challenge me. Such goals demand extra effort and focus. They require commitment, patience, and constant monitoring. Sometimes, when progress is not sufficient, they require a course correction.

It is not beneficial to set goals that are easily achievable. Such goals are uninspiring and won't deliver a special sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, it doesn't make sense to set goals that are impossible. 

Dividend Changes: December 12-18, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, providing readers with a list of stock to consider in order to secure the next dividend payment. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Monthly Review Of DivGro: November 2020

Every month, I write a review of my portfolio of dividend growth stocks, DivGro. I provide a summary of transactions and dividends received in the past month. I also consider the impact on DivGro's projected annual dividend income (PADI).

In November, I opened a new position, added shares to an existing position, and closed a position. Eight DivGro stocks announced dividend increases in November. The net result of these changes is that PADI increased by about 0.2% in November. Year over year, PADI increased by 26.8%.

As for dividend income, in November I received dividends totaling $2,538 from 25 stocks in my portfolio, a year over year increase of 48%. So far in 2020, I've collected $25,908 in dividends, or about 96% of my 2020 goal of $27,000. My 2020 dividend income now tops the total I received in 2019. 

Dividend Changes: December 5-11, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We also include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, providing readers with a list of stock to consider in order to secure the next dividend payment. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Revisiting Yield Channel Charts

First introduced in August 2017, Yield Channel Charts provide a way to assess market valuation relative to historical yield patterns.

We finally have a fully automated implementation using broker-grade data! We can easily create Yield Channels Charts and screen for undervalued or overvalued dividend growth stocks. 

This article explains how we create and use Yield Channel Charts. 

We demonstrate their practical application by analyzing one overvalued and one undervalued dividend growth stock.

This article was co-produced with James Marino Sr. of Portfolio Insight.

Dividend Changes: November 28-December 4, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We also include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, providing readers with a list of stock to consider in order to secure the next dividend payment. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Options Update: November 2020

I write monthly Options Update articles to summarize options trades and keep track of DivGro's total options income. While my blog is mostly about dividend growth investing, I added options trading in 2016 to boost DivGro's income. 

When selling covered calls and put options, I collect the options income and redeploy it to buy dividend growth stocks. Doing so indirectly boosts DivGro's ability to generate dividend income. 

November's options income was disappointing as I failed to top $1,000 for the first time in six months. With only one month remaining, my 2020 goal of collecting at least $24,000 in options income is entirely out of reach. 

Dividend Changes: November 21-27, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We also include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, providing readers with a list of stock to consider in order to secure the next dividend payment. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Expired Options (November 2020)

Friday was options expiration day. This article provides a summary of what happened to my expiring options. It also provides details on any actions I took to avoid assignment.

As usual, I discuss potential replacement trades for the expired options. 

This month, I decided to roll forward two in the money options to avoid assignment. But I also decided to let one put option expire in order to buy the underlying shares. That assignment happened one day before the options expiration day. 

Dividend Changes: November 14-20, 2020

In this article series, we provide a weekly summary of dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We also include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, providing readers with a list of stock to consider in order to secure the next dividend payment. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

My First Sell in Eight Months

The last time I wrote about selling a stock was in March this year when I trimmed my position in Amgen (AMGN). 

Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit and changed my approach, I wanted to reposition DivGro to produce annualized returns of at least 8%. That would have resulted in trimming or closing positions with unfavorable Chowder Numbers (CDNs). 

The impact of the pandemic on the economy changed my approach. Instead, I'm now focusing on increasing DivGro's defensive exposure. 

This article discusses a recent sell, one in which I closed a position due to a recent dividend cut. 

Dividend Changes: November 7-13, 2020

In this article series, we provide a weekly summary of dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We also include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, providing readers with a list of stock to consider in order to secure the next dividend payment. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Options Update: October 2020

Welcome to my monthly Options Update article in which I summarize options trades and keep track of DivGro's total options income. 

I sell covered calls and put options for options income, which is then redeployed to buy dividend growth stocks. Doing so indirectly boosts DivGro's ability to generate dividend income. 

I had a fair month in October, but it is very unlikely that I will achieve my 2020 goal of collecting at least $24,000 in options income. 

Home Run Number 27

The market's big move on Monday was just the encouragement one of my home run contenders needed to hit a home run! 

Recall that I designate stocks whose total returns exceed my initial capital outlay, home runs. For dividend growth stocks, total returns include both unrealized gains and dividends received. 

Last week, two stocks achieved home run status, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc (APD), and QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM). 

Today I'm presenting DivGro's 27^th home run, achieved by a stock I first bought in April 2015.

10 Dividend Growth Stocks For November 2020

In my monthly series of 10 Dividend Growth Stocks, I rank a selection of dividend growth stocks in Dividend Radar and present the 10 top-ranked stocks for consideration. 

To rank stocks, I use DVK Quality Snapshots to get quality scores and sort them in descending order, breaking ties with additional metrics.

This month, I'm presenting the top-ranked stocks yielding at least 4% and trading below my fair value estimates. 

Dividend Changes: October 31-November 6, 2020

In this article series, we provide a weekly summary of dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We also include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, providing readers with a list of stock to consider in order to secure the next dividend payment. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Home Run Number 26

Last Sunday I reported DivGro's 25^th home run, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc (APD). Stocks achieve home run status when their total returns exceed my initial capital outlay. For dividend growth stocks, total returns include both unrealized gains and dividends received. But for stocks that don't pay dividends, the share price has to double my cost basis in order for the stock to become a home run stock. 

Today I'm presenting DivGro's 26^th home run, an achievement that comes after 534 days of ownership. That's a remarkable performance, as the stock has delivered stellar annualized returns of 78%!

Monthly Review Of DivGro: October 2020

Welcome to the October review of DivGro, my portfolio of dividend growth stocks. I provide a summary of transactions and dividends received in the past month. I also look at how DivGro's projected annual dividend income (PADI) has changed.

In October, I opened one new position and added shares to three existing positions. Seven DivGro stocks announced dividend increases in October. The net result of these changes is that PADI increased by about 4.0% in October. Year over year, PADI increased by 30.5%.

As for dividend income, in October I received dividends totaling $1,711 from 22 stocks in my portfolio, a year-over-year increase of 42%. So far in 2020, I've collected $23,370 in dividends or about 87% of my 2020 goal of $27,000.

Home Run Number 25

I designate stocks in my portfolio as home run stocks when their total returns exceed my capital outlay. For dividend growth stocks, total returns include both unrealized gains and dividends received. 

Last month, one of my non-dividend-paying growth stocks, Pinterest, Inc (PINS), became DivGro's 24^th home run. Having bought 100 shares of PINS in late August, this is the fastest home run by far after only 69 days of ownership!

Today I'm presenting DivGro's 25^th home run stock, an achievement that came after 700 days of ownership. While this is much longer than PINS took to achieve home run status, I'm more than happy with the stock's performance. For perspective, the stock has delivered annualized returns of 52%!

Dividend Changes: October 24-30, 2020

This article series provides a weekly summary of dividend changes.

A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases. We list details of dividend increases as well as dividend cuts or suspensions. 

Additionally, we include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks. This provides readers with a list of stock to consider before their ex-dividend dates. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Quarterly Review Of DivGro: Q3 2020

Welcome to the 31^st quarterly review of DivGro, my portfolio of dividend growth stocks.

My quarterly reviews provide a summary of dividend income, dividend changes, and transactions executed in the past quarter. I also provide some charts showing various portfolio statistics. While these reviews are mostly informational, they help me to track progress over time.

Now in its eighth year of existence, my portfolio generated more than $7,540 of dividend income this quarter and I'm projecting dividend income of at least $8,140 per quarter going forward.

Home Run Number 24

In August I celebrated three home runs, a designation I give to any stock in my portfolio when its total returns exceed my initial investment for the first time. 

Salesforce.com (CRM) became my 21^st home run stock when it exploded higher following stellar earnings. Shortly thereafter, Procter & Gamble (PG) became my 22^nd home run, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) achieved the feat a day or so later, becoming my 23^rd home run stock.

Today I'm presenting DivGro's 24^th home run stock. Like CRM, it is a growth stock that doesn't pay dividends, yet. I call these my future dividend growth stocks!

The 65 Dividend Aristocrats Ranked By Quality Scores

The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index is a list of 65 companies in the S&P 500 that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years.

I ranked the Dividend Aristocrats using DVK Quality Snapshots and tie-breaking metrics and presented them in three articles covering defensive, sensitive, and cyclical supersectors. 

This article wraps up the series with a presentation of all Dividend Aristocrats ranked by quality scores and some observations about portfolio management and diversification. I provide a downloadable spreadsheet with fundamental and added value metrics for all Dividend Aristocrats.

Dividend Changes: October 17-23, 2020

In this article series, we provide a weekly summary of dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, and we highlight an interesting candidate.

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Dividend Aristocrats In The Cyclical Sectors

The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index is a list of 65 S&P 500 companies with dividend increase streaks of 25 or more years. 

Recently, I used DVK Quality Snapshots and tie-breaking metrics to rank all 65 Dividend Aristocrats. In one article, I presented 21 Dividend Aristocrats classified as defensive stocks, and in another article, I presented 20 Dividend Aristocrats from the so-called sensitive sectors. 

This article presents the final 24 Dividend Aristocrats, this time from the cyclical sectors: Consumer Discretionary, Financials, Materials, and Real Estate.

An upcoming article will wrap up the series with observations about portfolio management and diversification. I will also provide a spreadsheet containing key metrics and fair value estimates of all the Dividend Aristocrats.

Dividend Changes: October 10-16, 2020

In this article series, we provide a weekly summary of dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, and we highlight an interesting candidate.

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Expired Options (October 2020)

After options expire, I post an article to summarize the expirations and to discuss any actions I took. If relevant, I also present potential replacement trades for expired options.

Several options I'd previously sold were slated to expire on Friday, 16 October, including a few in the money options. To avoid assignment, I rolled forward most of those in the money options. 

But I also decided to let one put option expire. I'm quite happy to buy the underlying shares, as my effective cost basis is well below the current share price! 

10 Dividend Growth Stocks For October 2020

In my monthly series of 10 Dividend Growth Stocks, I rank a selection of dividend growth stocks in Dividend Radar and present the 10 top-ranked stocks for consideration. 

I use DVK Quality Snapshots to obtain quality scores and rank stocks by breaking ties with additional metrics. 

This month, I'm presenting stocks with the highest defensiveness scores. As described in an article by David Van Knapp, the new scoring system considers four safety indicators and assigns 0-3 points to each indicator, for a  maximum of 12 points. The total score is considered the defensiveness score of the stock. 

Dividend Changes: October 3-9, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases. We include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, and we highlight an interesting candidate.

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Monthly Review Of DivGro: September 2020

Welcome to the September review of DivGro, my portfolio of dividend growth stocks. My goal with these reviews is to share updates to my portfolio and to detail the dividends I received during the month. Additionally, I look at how the month's activities have impacted DivGro's projected annual dividend income (PADI).

In September, I opened one new position and added shares to two existing positions. Ten DivGro stocks announced dividend increases in September. The net result of these changes is that PADI increased by about 2.1% in September. Year over year, PADI increased by 22%.

As for dividend income, in September I received dividends totaling $4,094 from 46 stocks in my portfolio, a year-over-year increase of 22%. I'm happy to say this amount sets a new record for dividend income in a single month!

So far in 2020, I've collected $21,659 in dividends or about 80% of my 2020 goal of $27,000.

Options Update: September 2020

Welcome to the September edition of my Options Update series, a monthly article in which I summarize options trades and keep track of DivGro's total options income. 

I sell covered calls and put options for options income, which is then redeployed to buy dividend growth stocks. Doing so indirectly boosts DivGro's ability to generate dividend income. 

I had a good month in September, but I'm still very far from achieving my 2020 goal of collecting at least $24,000 in options income.

Dividend Changes: September 26-October 2, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. 

A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases. We include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Dividend Aristocrats In The Sensitive Sectors

There are currently 65 dividend growth stocks in the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, a list of S&P 500 companies that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years. 

Recently, I used DVK Quality Snapshots and tie-breaking metrics to rank all 65 Dividend Aristocrats and presented 21 categorized as defensive stocks. 

This article presents 20 additional Dividend Aristocrats, this time from the sensitive sectors: Communication Services, Energy, Industrials, and Information Technology.

An upcoming article will present the remaining 24 Dividend Aristocrats, considered to be cyclical stocks. 

Finding Undervalued Dividend Growth Stocks Using Dividend Radar's New Added Value Metrics

This article was co-produced with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight.

In May, we introduced Dividend Radar, a weekly auto-generated spreadsheet of dividend growth stocks with dividend increase streaks of at least five years. Based on community feedback, we recently added two new added value metrics to Dividend Radar, the 5-year average yield and the percentage above or below fair value.

This article introduces these added value metrics and illustrates how they can be used to find undervalued dividend growth stocks for further research and possible investment.

Dividend Aristocrats In The Defensive Sectors

The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index is a list of companies in the S&P 500 that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years. 

Recently, I ranked the 65 Dividend Aristocrats using DVK Quality Snapshots and tie-breaking metrics. This article presents the rankings of 21 Dividend Aristocrats in the defensive sectors: Consumer Staples, Health Care, and Utilities. 

Upcoming articles will present the rankings of 44 additional Dividend Aristocrats in other sectors.

Dividend Changes: September 19-25, 2020

This article series provides a weekly summary of dividend changes.

A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases. We also include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks and highlight an interesting candidate.

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Dividend Changes: September 12-18, 2020

This article series provides a weekly summary of dividend changes.

A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases. We include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, and we highlight an interesting candidate.

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Expired Options (September 2020)

I had several options that expired on Friday, 18 September. After options expire, I post an article to summarize the expirations and I discuss any actions I took. If relevant, I also present potential replacement trades for expired options.

Earlier last week, one of the in the money put options I'd sold got assigned. While an early exercise is surprising, I'm happy with the outcome. I now own 100 shares of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG).

As usual, I'll report on my other options trades in an upcoming article.

10 Dividend Growth Stocks For September 2020

Welcome to another edition of my monthly series of 10 Dividend Growth Stocks, in which I rank a selection of dividend growth stocks in Dividend Radar and present the 10 top-ranked stocks for consideration. 

To rank stocks, I use DVK Quality Snapshots to obtain quality scores and sort them in descending order, breaking ties with additional metrics. 

This month, I'm presenting investment-grade stocks whose current dividend yield is above the 5-year average dividend yield by at least 5%. Additionally, I limited my search to stocks with dividend increase streaks of at least 10 years, and I screened for stocks with yields of at least 3% and with 5-year dividend growth rates of at least 7%.

Dividend Changes: September 5-11, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. We provide a summary table with relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases. We also provide a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks and highlight an interesting candidate for your consideration. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Options Update: August 2020

Welcome to the another Options Update article, a monthly series in which I summarize my options trades and keep track of DivGro's total options income. 

When selling covered calls and put options, I receive options income that I redeploy to buy dividend growth stocks. My options trading activity indirectly boosts DivGro's ability to generate dividend income. 

I had another great month in August. While the options income I collected is a welcome addition to my portfolio, unfortunately, I'm still very far from achieving my 2020 goal of collecting at least $24,000 in options income.

Dividend Changes: August 29-September 4, 2020

This weekly article series covers dividend changes. We provide a summary table with relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases. We also provide a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks and highlight an interesting candidate for your consideration. 

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

Monthly Review Of DivGro: August 2020

Welcome to the monthly review of DivGro, my portfolio of dividend growth stocks. The goal of these monthly reviews is to share updates I've made to the portfolio and to provide a summary of dividends collected. I also consider the impact on DivGro's projected annual dividend income (PADI).

In August, I opened one new position and added shares to four existing positions. Four DivGro stocks announced dividend increases in August. The net result of these changes is that PADI increased by about 1.9% in August. Year over year, PADI increased by 20.5%.

As for dividend income, in August I received dividends totaling $1,674 from 21 stocks in my portfolio, a year over year increase of 4%. So far in 2020, I've collected $17,565 in dividends or about 65% of my 2020 goal of $27,000.

Dividend Changes: August 22-28, 2020

This article series provides a weekly summary of dividend changes.
A summary table provides relevant data and key statistics of dividend increases.

We include a table of ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks, and we highlight an interesting candidate.

I co-produce this article series with James Marino Sr of Portfolio Insight, who helps with compiling the ex-dividend dates for the next two weeks.

5 High-Quality Dividend Growth Stocks I Don't Own

Using DVK Quality Snapshots, I assess the quality of dividend growth stocks in Dividend Radar, a weekly auto-generated spreadsheet of stocks with dividend increase streaks of at least five years.

Stocks with quality scores of 23-25 are high-quality stocks and I rate them Excellent (23-24) and Exceptional (25). There are 31 Excellent and 7 Exceptional stocks in Dividend Radar.

I own all but 5 of these high-quality stocks. This article explains why I don't own these stocks and what would need to happen before I would consider opening positions.