Thursday, September 29, 2011

UPS - United Parcel Service, Inc.

UPS has been around since I was a little tike. I remember that big brown truck parking in front of my house and leaving a fresh package for my Mom. Ah, those were the days. Now a days not much has changed. Just the other day a UPS guy parked in front of my next door neighbors house and walked up the lawn. They are always on time, polite, and efficient. You know why I like them today? Their dividend of course! UPS pays a solid quarterly dividend of $0.52 per share, that's a 3.22% dividend yield (as of September 29th, 2011 close). Free money in the bank every three months!

UPS actually stands for United Parcel Service, Inc. They are one of the best package delivery companies in the world. They deliver letters, documents and packages to more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. In February 2011, the Company announced the expansion of its UPS Express Freight service into Israel and Slovakia.

UPS is well-positioned to benefit from the increase in online shopping. UPS is often the default mode of shipping from online retailers. The continuing move towards online shopping will result in sustained growth for many years to come. I am a huge fan of customer service. I have never had an issue with any package delivery by UPS. I can't say the same for FedEx. I'm not a FedEx hater, but the brown truck rolling up the street delivers results whether it is delivering my Christmas online shopping purchases or whether delivering that healthy quarterly dividend! Their slogan is "What Can Brown Do For You?" I say continue to pay your dividend and increase it up and up and up. Purchase some UPS for the long term and you will see a solid 3%+ growth year over year.

Click here to visit their company homepage, as well as here to visit their Investor Relations webpage. Watch the video below to learn How UPS Works! You will have an even greater appreciation for package delivery systems.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Cramer: Buy Dividend Stocks Off of Fed


Couldn't have said it better myself. Dividend stocks are the key to the lock on your retirement. While it is great to invest in gold, bonds, etc., it makes the most sense to invest little by little into long term dividend paying stocks. Always reinvest your dividends! Every day that you do not invest is time wasted. Setup an automatic weekly, monthly or quartley deposit into your money market account within your stock portfolio and then jump on stocks like DD, JNJ, O, XOM, T, VZ, CAT... the list never ends! These companies are not going anywhere. Have a great day!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Tiffany & Co - TIF

Diamonds are a girls best friend, right? Well my best friend is a dividend paying stock which will be around for when I'm old and gray. Continuing to pay me cash to hold their shares. Although Tiffany & Co., stock ticker TIF, is currently only paying a $0.29 per share, dividend yield of 1.66% I must assure you that holding such a great company in your Roth IRA stock portfolio will safeguard against an economic downturn. I believe they will continue to increase their quarterly dividend again and again. Yes, Tiffany & Co. is the highest end manufacture of jewelry and it would be much cheaper to go to Piercing Pagoda, Sears or Zales to pick up jewelry for your wife or loved one, however in stock terms, you need to invest in the best because your future depends on it! Sound decision making is key!

Charles Lewis Tiffany founded TIF in 1837 when he opened a store at 259 Broadway in downtown Manhattan. It is listed that his first day receipts were $4.98.  Their current market capitalization is 8.9 billion. $4.98 to $8,900,000,000. Enough said.

In short, TIF is holding company. They conduct their business through its subsidiary companies, one of which is Tiffany & Co. TIF sells fine jewelry and other items that it manufactures or has been made by others. Segments include North and South America, Japan and Europe. TIF's service center is in Parsippany, New Jersey. The current corporate structure was established in 1984, when Tiffany & Co. was incorporated in Delaware to purchase the original company. TIF also sells timepieces, sterling silver and leather goods, fine china, stationery and perfume. All of the stuff your wife desires!

Walk into a Tiffany & Co store and tell me it isn't busy. They were even busy back in late 2008 when the Great Recession was running on all cylinders. The little blue box has special powers, literally. It allows TIF to charge more for the same item than their competitors, which is their competitive advantage. The high-end retail segment's is coming back faster than the rest of retail. Tiffany's one of the most recognizable brands in luxury.

Seriously consider adding TIF to your portfolio for the long term. If you invest in TIF you will not need to worry about whether you are covering the fine retail jewelry sector. Click here to visit Tiffany & Co's website and here to visit their Investor Relations website. Also, watch the videos below. Tiffany's marketing team are geniuses at luring in customers. I hope you had a great investing day!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Stock Picks for the week of 9/25 to 10/1/11

Listed below are my top dividend stock investments for the Common Man for the week of September 25th, 2011 to October 1st, 2011. Any one of these stocks always make an excellent addition to your Roth IRA stock portfolio. They are reliable dividend payers and I am a huge fan of each company. It is fairly simple to invest your dollars into any one or all of these stocks. I will check back in next Saturday to determine how well or poor my picks performed. Have a great weekend! Continue to invest as much as you can each week to ensure that you have a solid dividend income stream of wealth!

SWK - Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. $50.53
Worldwide producer of tools for industrial, professional, and consumer use and security products.
HD - The Home Depot, Inc. $33.72
Home Depot is the world’s largest home-improvement retailer.
BDN - Brandywine Realty Trust $8.03
Real estate investment trust active in acquiring, developing, redeveloping, leasing and managing office and industrial properties.
CSX - CSX Corp $19.25
Company owner of rail, inter modal and rail to truck trans load services that combine to form one of the nation's leading transportation companies.
HNZ - H.J. Heinz Company $49.74
USA's condiment king and queen! 
CAT - Caterpillar, Inc. $73.86
Construction and mining equipment, diesel & natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines in its size range. 3 parts to this dividend aristocrat company 1) Machinery 2) Engines 3) Financial Products.
YUM - Yum! Brands, Inc. $51.66
Quick-service restaurants owner: KFC, A&W, Long John Silver's, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.
DIS - The Walt Disney Company $29.83
Multimedia conglomerate in movies, Pixar, television, and world renowned theme parks. 

Note: Stock prices as of 9/24/11



Friday, September 23, 2011

Alcoa - AA

Aluminum rules! Click here to learn all about the best symbol on the periodic table, AL. Although aluminum's atomic number is that wicked number 13, I must assure you that there is nothing risky or shady about aluminum. My favorite metal company on the planet is Alcoa, Inc., stock ticker AA. Alcoa is a producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina, and is active in all major aspects of the industry, for example, technology, mining, refining, smelting, fabricating, and recycling. During the year ended December 31, 2010, aluminum and alumina represented more than 80% of Alcoa’s revenues. Non aluminum products include precision castings and aerospace and industrial fasteners. Alcoa’s products are used globally in aircraft, automobiles, commercial transportation, packaging, building and construction, oil and gas, defense, and industrial applications. AA is a global company that operates in 31 countries. AA has investments and operating activities in Australia, Brazil, the People’s Republic of China, Guinea, Iceland, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind all major milestones in the aerospace, packaging, automotive, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets for more than 120 years.

My take? Alcoa is going to run to the mid 20s within the next year and increase their dividend many times over the next few decades. Alcoa is rebuilding and expanding in developing nations. They continue to move up and on ward. As the economy recovers, Alcoa will be well positioned. Currently, 64% of shares are held by institutions. Like other metal stocks, AA tends to be volatile. This is an ignored company; highly valuable and ready for turnaround! If your looking for income then there is no better place to invest than in aluminum! AA is currently paying only $0.03 per share, it is a solid, reliable dividend. With increased sales of light weight hybrid vehicles, their Chinese expansion and the United States addiction to aluminum I must advise you to invest as much dinero as you can on Monday. Hold this cash cow for life! Alcoa has been around for decades and your Roth IRA portfolio will thank me later.

Click here to visit Alcoa's homepage, and here to visit their Investor Relations site. Watch these entertaining videos below. Not much has changed since 1970!

Starbucks Corporation - SBUX

Let's be honest. Isn't it smart to invest in stable companies with a history of customer satifaction and reliability? Look no further. Starbucks Corporation, stock ticker SBUX, is a roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. SBUX sells coffee in more than 50 countries. SBUX not only purchases and roasts whole bean coffees and sells them, but also sells handcrafted tea beverages and a variety of fresh food items, through their retail stores. In addition to SBUX's widely known Starbucks brand, their portfolio includes Seattle’s Best Coffee, Tazo Tea, and Starbucks VIA Ready Brew. In October 2010, the Company acquired Magic Johnson Enterprise’s remaining 50% interest in Urban Coffee Opportunities.

SBUX currently pays shareholders a decent $0.13 per share, that's a 1.35% dividend yield as of September 22nd, 2011. You are probably asking me: Why invest in Starbucks with a 1.35% dividend yield if you have a blog called "Dividend Stock Investing For The Common Man"? Well, SBUX is an excellent company, but I do not just like solid dividend payers. I like undervalued growth stocks with the potential to have consistent quarterly dividend increases. I believe SBUX is here to stay!

Keurig and Dunkin Donuts may achieved their niche in the coffee space, however SBUX is not just a coffee stand, they are a culture. Their customers will support SBUX through and through. It's not just about the coffee though. It's about the coffee-house experience and no one does it like SBUX, even after all these years. Starbucks will expand throughout China in the years to come, meanwhile, Americans are still addicted to their coffee and will pay for premium brew. Take a sip of Starbucks coffee while clicking your BUY button in your Roth IRA brokerage account. Click here to visit Starbucks' homepage, as well as here to visit their Investor Relations website. Watch the video below to learn more about how Starbucks makes their coffee and culture.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Plum Creek Timber - PCL

Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. is a private timberland owner in the United States. They own 6.8 million acres of timberlands located in nineteen states. PCL's timberlands are diversified geographically and by species mix and age distribution. PCL manages their timberlands in four segments:
  • Northern Resources Segment: consisting of timberlands in Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
  • Southern Resources Segment: consisting of timberlands in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.
  • Natural Resource Businesses: focuses on opportunities for oil and natural gas production, mineral extraction, wind power and communication and transportation rights of way.
  • Real Estate Segment: comprises its sale of timberlands and sales of non-strategic timberlands.
PCL is the first ever timber REIT. They currently pay their shareholders $0.42 per share, that is a hefty 4.74% dividend yield as of September 21st, 2011. They have paid a dividend since May 9th, 1990 and consistently increase their dividend payout. Although their stock price may fluctuate, this company is not going anywhere. They are a dividend champion and you should have some PCL in your portfolio.

PCL's trees will continue to grow adding value as we wait for the housing market to recover. When the housing market gets back to normal, PCL will have a great selection of prime lumber to offer. In a nut shell, here is PCL's business model: 1) Get land, 2) Plant trees on land, 3) Cut down tree and sell tree and finally 4) repeat steps 1 through 3. Just think, as the sun makes the trees grow it also helps grow your timber investment!

Buying into timber makes for an excellent investment in a slow economy and can give a high earnings yield. A forest's value continues to grow with little costs, year over year! Click here to visit Plum Creek's website, and here for their Investor Relations website. Also, feel free to watch the video below, a great introduction to Plum Creek Timber Company! A solid investment in wood!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Health Care REIT, Inc. - HCN

Health Care REIT, Inc., stock ticker HCN, is a real estate investment trust engaged in senior housing and health care real estate. HCN's portfolio includes senior housing and health care real estate, including senior housing communities, medical office buildings, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient and outpatient medical centers and life science facilities. As of 12/31/10 HCN's portfolio consisted of 683 properties in 41 states. Talk about diversification! If a slow down in real estate occurs in one portion of the United States, HCN's solid portfolio of properties keeps the cash flowing. On 2/28/11, HCN entered into a purchase agreement with FC-GEN and OpCo to acquire 100% of the equity interests of FC-GEN Acquisition Holding. In January 2011, HCN acquired a 95% interest to own and operate eighteen senior housing facilities with 1,454 beds located primarily in CA and TX. In April 2011, HCN completed the acquisition of Genesis Health Care.

HCN pays it's shareholders a healthy $0.71 per share, that is a sweet 5.68% dividend yield, as of today's share price of 50.63. They have paid a dividend since April 29th, 1992. Hypothetically, if you invested $500.00 into HCN today, that's 9.92 shares, and then reinvested your dividends for the next 30 years, with no dividend growth or stock price growth, your HCN holdings would be worth a total of $2,620.48 at 52.04 shares. Additionally, if you decided to stop reinvesting your dividends at year 30, you would receive $37.46 per dividend payment. That is a pretty nice addition to supplement your social security check!

In closing, the aging baby boomer population needs health care and a place to live, this concept will support HCN's future growth. This is HCN's strength! Click here to visit HCN's homepage, as well as here to visit their Investor Relations web page. Check out how many properties HCN owns(See picture below). Ask yourself one question: Will there ever come a time when all of HCN's properties will shut down? This is the key reason why I believe that HCN is an reliable stock to own in one's Roth IRA stock portfolio. This company has a stable cash flow and a superstar balance sheet that should protect against economic downturns. Please watch the video below to learn more about CEO George L. Chapman's take on the health care REIT sector.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Emerson Electric Co. - EMR

Emerson Electric Co., stock ticker EMR,  is a diversified global technology company. Emerson was founded in 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri, as a manufacturer of electric motors and fans. Emerson has approximately 127,700 employees and 240 manufacturing locations worldwide. EMR designs and supplies product technology and delivers engineering services and solutions in a range of industrial, commercial and consumer markets around the world. They have five business segments:
  • Process Management - provides measurement, control and diagnostic capabilities for automated industrial processes producing items.
  • Industrial Automation - provides integrated manufacturing solutions to diverse industries worldwide.
  • Network Power - provides power conditioning and environmental control to help keep telecommunication systems, data networks and other business applications operating.
  • Climate Technologies - provides household and commercial comfort, as well as food safety and energy efficiency.
  • Tools and Storage - provides tools for professionals and homeowners, home and commercial storage systems, and appliance solutions.
EMR has been on a good run and although it has slowed and pulled back some recently it still remains an interesting long term investment. The company trades pretty closely with the market and unfortunately has rode the market down since the beginning of August 2011. The weakening of Emerson’s share price has started to put it on the radar for dividend investors.

EMR has grown its dividend payout over the last five years, even during the Great Recession. They pay shareholders $0.34 per share, which is a 3.02% dividend yield. EMR is currently trading at only 11.7 time forward earnings. They look like a nice purchase for the "Common Man" dividend value investor. EMR has a diverse product line and worldwide market share. Click here to learn more about the diversity of their products and why they are just so great! Also, their Investor Relations page, here. Picking up this stock for your Roth IRA stock portfolio is a must. Are you on the fence regarding whether this stock is right for you? Okay, watch below.



Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz

Last night's Floyd Mayweather versus Victor Ortiz boxing match reminded me of how once you let your guard down, someone can come and take away all of your money. Depending on the decisions of others, at any moment you can have your clock cleaned and be on the floor not being able to get back up. The stock market is no where near as violent as boxing, but you must never let your guard down and analyze your investments on a day to day basis. Do not invest in more than 10 to 20 individual diversified stocks within a Roth IRA, to save money at tax time. Having as little as 10 to 20 stocks will allow you to be able to dive deep into each company's financials and determine whether you should continue to hold your position. The stock market does not care whether you are a good guy (Ortiz) or bad guy (Mayweather), you just need to be a smart guy! Be consistant and know that each day that passes you are one step closer to financial freedom! Have a great Sunday.

Click here for a great article about the fight last night.

FYI - This is my favorite boxing match of all time. George Foreman vs. Michael Moorer. Enjoy the memories.

Update: Stock Picks for the week of 9/11 to 9/17/11

As you can see below, each stock has increased in value, except UL, during this past up and down trading week. LMT and BA performed very nicely. Investing in high yielding dividend paying stocks can solidify a stable retirement income stream!

Stock Ticker     Quote @ 9/11/11     Quote @ 9/18/11         Net Gain/Loss
VZ                   35.42                        36.72                            +1.30
T                      27.54                        28.94                            +1.40
UL                   31.60                        31.38                            -0.22
AGNC             28.39                        29.54                            +1.15
LLY                36.13                        37.81                            +1.61
KFT                 34.51                        35.06                           +1.68
LMT                71.57                        76.03                            +4.46
BA                   61.79                        65.38                            +3.59
CIM                    2.84                        3.00                            +0.16
NAT                 16.74                        17.03                          +0.29
Grand Total                                                                         +15.42

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Windows 8: Microsoft Corporation - MSFT

Microsoft Corporation, stock ticker MSFT, should be in your Roth IRA stock portfolio. I know Apple, stock ticker AAPL, has taken most of MSFT's market share and shine, however MSFT currently pays their shareholders $0.16 per share, which at today's stock price of $27.12 is a 2.36% yield. AAPL will never have 100% of the PC/mobile device market share. Additionally, MSFT's market cap is 227 billion. Compare that statistic to Apple's share price $400.50, market cap of 371 billion. I believe MSFT is an undervalued, growth company even though they are a widely held institutional stock, as well as a known company through out the world.

MSFT is engaged in developing, licensing and supporting a range of software products and services. They also design and sell hardware, and delivers online advertising to the customers. Their products include operating systems for personal computers (PCs), servers, phones, and other intelligent devices. MSFT also designs and sells hardware, including the Xbox 360 gaming and entertainment console and Xbox 360 accessories. Its cloud-based computing services include Bing and Windows Live Essentials suite. Stick that on your power cord!

In conclusion, in all the Apple hysteria over the last few years, the masses seem to have forgotten that MSFT is a big time technology player. Their financials look great with plenty of cash and a dividend that they can afford to pay and afford to increase! Pick up some MSFT on Monday and hold for your retirement years.      

Click here to visit Microsoft's Investor Relations website. The video below shows a test sample of Windows 8, MSFT's future operating system. Once Windows 8 launches, Microsoft may have just beat Apple to the punch to merge Phone, Tablet and the PC.

Note: I own a Windows 7 laptop and love my Apple iphone and ipod.


New York Community Bancorp, Inc. - NYB

One of my favorite bank stocks is New York Community Bancorp, Inc., stock ticker NYB. With assets of $40.6 billion at June 30, 2011, NYB is the holding company for New York Community Bank, a New York State-chartered savings bank serving customers throughout Metro New York, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, and Arizona; and New York Commercial Bank, a New York State-chartered commercial bank serving consumers and businesses in the New York City boroughs of Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester – all in New York.

NYB has paid a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share since their 4:3 stock split on February 18th, 2004. Even during the Great Recession! CEO Joseph Ficalora is committed to the $0.25 quarterly dividend. NYB's pipeline remains optimistic for new bank loans. At $12.89 per share, as of close on Friday, NYB is a bargain! They pay a great, consistant dividend and are buying other banks, expanding their reach.    

Yes, bank stocks are still pretty risky and most have cut their dividend, but NYB has stayed strong. Who knows when the real bank recovery will begin? I would rather have a strong position in NYB now versus when it begins to fly! Now is the time to invest in solid companies which have been around for decades and healthy dividend payers. NYB may not be the best bank out there, however collecting a quarter ($0.25) per share each and every three months for the rest of your life sounds like an excellent deal.
I am very bullish on this stock. NYB is a great way to diversify your Roth IRA stock portfolio by including a great New York based community bank conglomerate. Click here to visit their website. Also, feel free to watch this recent, insightful interview with NYB's CEO Joseph Ficalora. Enjoy! Have a great day!





Friday, September 16, 2011

Netflix Love it or Leave it?

I normally do not comment on non-dividend paying companies, yet this company had the potential to become a shareholder's income dream! Netflix was flying high for months and months. On July 13th, 2011 NFLX hit the $298.73 mark, however recently management missed the boat. Their stock has dropped to $168.00 (as of pre-market today). Excluding other factors, mainly due to raising their rates on their loyal consumers. Why raise their fees and risk potentially becoming a dividend aristocrat? Click here to read an excellent article posted on CNBC to learn more. Also, visit Netflix's Investor relations portion of their website, here. I sure hope they can recoop their lost client base because I strongly believed they were on track to become yet another "Common Man" Roth IRA stock. Not only as a growth stock, but a future dividend paying monster.

Netflix 2 years ago, watch below :)

Netflix as of July 2011, watch below :(

Netflix as of today! Click below. Double :(
Netflix not cheap enough, still room to fall, says Tarsala

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Eli Lilly & Co. - LLY

Eli Lilly & Company was founded in 1876. That's 135 years of consistant growth and success! LLY discovers, develops, manufactures and sells pharmaceutical products. LLY manufactures and distributes its products through facilities in the United States, Puerto Rico, and 17 other countries. LLY products are sold in approximately 125 countries. Their products include neuroscience products, endocrinology products, oncology products, cardiovascular products, animal health products and other pharmaceuticals. In the United States, Eli Lilly and Company distributes pharmaceutical products principally through independent wholesale distributors.

LLY currently pays their shareholders $0.49/share. That's a hefty 5.24% dividend yield! You have to love that yield within such a stable stock. Their stock price is $37.44, however it rose over $100.00 back in August of 2000. Yes, the past is the past, but that being said, LLY at $37.44... this is a historic low for such for a solid company with a good dividend to tide you over while you wait for better times.  I think the market is underestimating LLY's ability to generate new revenue streams as existing patents can go generic. Top management at LLY are not dummies at the helm. They practically have a monopoly on insulin production in the United States and the incidence of diabetes is on a steady rise. I also like that since LLY is a drug developer their success is not necessarily bound to the economy. LLY has performed 3 stock splits (1989, 1995 and 1997). They are due for another split. Another good reason to pick up as many shares as you can before this one pops!

Here is Eli Lilly's home page, click here.  And for their Investor relations site, click here. Please watch the video below to learn more about this stable, high yielding dividend aristocrat! Inject your Roth IRA stock portfolio with a massive amount of LLY shares.

An Ideal Retirement Story

I just had to share this video below. Bill brings up some great points about how the "Common Man" can cut expenses and make retirement a priority all throughout one's working career. A few dollars saved today can equal major bucks tomorrow! Keep a steady outlook on life, live within your means, and watch your portfolio flourish. Have a great night.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Delivering Alpha: Cramer & Geithner Interview

In case you missed it! Click here to watch today's interview between Jim Cramer and Timothy Geithner. Pretty interesting interview, which sparked the fantastic 141 point rally today.

My take? I believe the market is nearing the end of it's correction and the bulls are going to go on a ride. Regardless if you are a bull or a bear, I stand firm in the belief that investing in companies with a long term history of dividend increases is the best way to beat the market. It is a proven method to find financial stability in this unstable world.

What are 3 Reasons to Buy Dividend Stocks? - Watch below


Join the conversation! I would love to get to know you and hear about what are your favorite dividend stocks. Comment below! Feel free to read my other posts below. I hope you had a great day today! Take care.

Unilever plc - UL

Unilever plc is an excellent addition to any Roth IRA stock portfolio. Their slogan is "On any given day, two billion people use Unilever products to look good, feel good and get more out of life." UL is a supplier of consumer goods with operations in more than 100 countries and sales in 180! Brands include Axe/Lynx, Blue Band, Dove, Becel/Flora, Heartbrand ice creams, Hellmann’s, Knorr, Lipton, Lux, Omo, Rexona and Sunsilk. Consumers buy 170 billion Unilever packs worldwide every year. They operate in three main regions: Asia, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe (Asia Africa CEE), the Americas and Western Europe. Click here for an introduction to the company.

I like UL better than The Procter & Gamble Company (stock ticker PG) because historically their dividend yield has been better than PG's dividend yield. UL's current yield is 3.98% vs. PG's 3.39%. UL's market cap is 89 billion dollars, but PG's is 170.21 billion. Since their business models are similar I highly suggest that you only invest in one company.

UL has made a huge push to ensure that their consumers use their "brands for life". Click here for a listing of their Food, Personal Care and Home care brands. I think you will be amazed at what great products they provide. Recession proof items! My favorites are Dove soap, Vaseline, Hellmann's Mayonaise, and Lipton Ice Tea. Please watch the interview below with the CEO of UL, Paul Polman. Paul is a very smart man and has this company performing very nicely.

In conclusion, Unilever is a company that just make sense. They produce useful products for the masses! Pick up some shares when it goes below $30.53. Hold their stock for life, sit back when your retired and then sip on some sweet Lipton ice tea!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Verizon - VZ vs. AT&T - T

If I were to invest my hard earned dollars into one industry it would be in Telecommunications. Two of the market leaders are Verizon Communications, Inc (VZ) or AT&T, Inc (T). Both companies are widely known (of course), however I would love to know how many of their customers actually own their stock! Think of all of the money that you may give to these companies per month, ok let's not think about that too long. Let's ponder how nice it would be to invest those dollars into their stock rather than straight to their bank account. Wouldn't that be nice!

You must hold a position in at least one telecommunication company within your Roth IRA stock portfolio. VZ or T will be around for many, many years. It is key to invest in companies with long term growth, a large portion of their industries' market share, and you must actually like the company! I know the experts may not tell you that, but liking companies that you own stock in really makes is a win-win situation. If you are a shareholder in a company that you like, you will find yourself talking about the company more and more to your friends and family.

Let's get down to business. If you invested $200.00 into VZ and T today (using the information listed below, $400.00 total) and did not touch it for the next 30 years you would have increased your balance to $1,046.12 for VZ and $1,205.27 for T. An net profit of $1,851.39 total. Just think of the amount of money you would have in your account if you invested $25.00 per month into VZ and T ($50.00 per month total). This is an excellent plan to secure your financial future, by investing what you can afford. You do not need to be a millionarie or the smartest guy in the world to get your piece of the market. Don't hesitate, now is the time to invest in your future!

I hope you had a great day today and good luck tomorrow!

AT&T Inc. Current Stock Price $27.88
Quarterly dividend 0.43
Current Dividend Yield 6.17%
Mkt cap   165.22B
Investor Relations

Verizon Communications IncCurrent Stock Price $35.25
Quarterly Dividend 0.50
Current Dividend Yield 5.67%
Mkt cap 99.78B

Investor Relations

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Roth IRA articles worth your time.

It's Time to Rock Your Roth

4 Stocks and 1 Critical Rule for a Comfortable Retirement

RothIRA.com

Why You Need a Roth IRA

How to Start a Roth IRA (and Where to Do It)

Stock Picks for the week of 9/11 to 9/17/11

Pick one of these stocks for the upcoming week. Any one of these stocks always make a great addition to your Roth IRA stock portfolio. All have a dividend yield from 2.72% to 19.73%, which is a better rate of return than a 10 year US Treasury bonds. I will check back in next Sunday to determine how well or poor my picks performed. Happy Investing!

Stock     Current Quarterly Dividend/Yield/Current stock price as of 9/11/11
VZ         $0.50/5.68% $35.42
T            $0.43/6.25% $27.54
UL         $0.32/3.88% $31.60
AGNC   $1.40/19.73% $28.39 - great dividend yield!
LLY       $0.49/5.42% $36.13
KFT       $0.29/3.36 $34.51
LMT      $0.75/4.19% $71.57
BA         $0.42/2.72% $61.79
CIM       $0.13/18.31% $2.84 - great dividend yield!
NAT      $0.30/6.57% $16.74

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Mint.com - Use it!

If you have more than one brokerage account then you most likely have to sign into each account individually right? Would you like to be able to go to one website and be able to view all of your brokerage accounts? Well then go to here. Sign up for Mint.com!

Once you setup an account you will have to search for your brokerage account (example: Sharebuilder, Fidelity, etc.) and then there you go! Click on the Transactions button and all of your dividend payments and deposits will appear. Save Mint.com as once of your favorites and then enjoy! Watch the video below for more details. Again, I do not work for Mint.com or the website below, just passing along some quality advice!

PS. If you would like to make an easy $1.50, first sign up for an account at CashCrate.com, then search for the Mint.com offer. Click on the offer, setup your Mint.com account, link Mint.com to one of your financial institutions, then go back to CashCrate.com and click "Submit" (gray box) to the right of the offer. I know these directions are kind of vague, but follow them step by step and you'll not only receive access to Mint.com, which again allows you to log into all of your brokerage accounts at the same time, but also receive $1.50 for free!

General Mills, Inc. - GIS

General Mills, Inc. is a global manufacturer of consumer foods sold through retail stores. GIS manufactures its products in 15 countries and markets them in more than 100 countries. GIS is organized into three operating segments: U.S. Retail, International, and Bakeries and Foodservice. Its product categories in the United States include ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, ready-to-serve soup, dry dinners, shelf stable and frozen vegetables, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, grain, fruit and savory snacks, and a variety of organic products including soup, granola bars, and cereal. In July 2011, it acquired 51% controlling interest in Yoplait S.A.S.

General Mills started a program to raise funds for your local schools. It is called Box Tops for Education. This program is a great way that GIS gives back! They have raised $400 million over the past 15 years and in the past year alone they have given $59 million dollars to U.S. schools. Watch the video below to learn more.

I like GIS because they currently pay $0.31 per share, which is a 3.25% dividend yield (as of Sept. 10th, 2011). Also, their market cap is larger than Kellogg's, stock ticker K. GIS stock has had 4 stock splits since November 10th, 1986. They have some GREAT "Common Man" brands, such as Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Hamburger Helper, Lucky Charms, Macaroni Grill, Nature Valley, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Progresso, Total, Trix, Wheaties and Yoplait!

Click here to visit their Investors page to learn more about this stable company. Also, here to review their SEC Filings. Trust me, they will be around forever, which is a great reason to include them within your Roth IRA stock portfolio!

WeReward - Join My Team

Who doesn't like a few extra dollars in their pocket? Earn real money like me with WeReward! Use your iPhone, Android or Blackberry to earn cash for checkins at 15 million restaurants, bars, and retail locations nationwide. You get rewards for downloading apps too! This is a great way to earn residual income while eating at some of your favorite restaurants. Click on the link below to join my team. Please let me know if you have any questions or watch the video directly below.

http://we.rw/u1HjS

Friday, September 9, 2011

Charles Schwab ETFs are simply the best!

If you want to diversify your Roth IRA stock portfolio real quick and real easy then Charles Schwab ETFs are the way to go. Their ETFs offer low expense ratios and $0.00 online trade commissions. Each ETF includes international and domestic stocks, as well as bonds. Injecting your Roth IRA with these bad boys will clearly instantly diversify your portfolio and save you alot of time and effort. Now of course ETFs come with their own baggage. Just like most brokerage-made ETFs their small cap, large cap and international/emerging market stock selections may have similar companies included into each, however Charles Schwab has done a better job at this. Their Domestic and International equity ETFs range from $22 to $30 per share, so this is great if you only have $25 dollars to spend per month in the market. I know that may sound like chump change to some, however being a "Common Man" such as myself it is sometimes hard to muster up additional funds on a month to month basis. Again, as previously stated in my blogs, it is key to invest as much money as you can because alittle money saved today can turn into major bucks during your retirement years. Please click on the link below to learn more about Charles Schwab's ETFs. I own no vested stake in Charles Schwab. I am simply reporting on how easy it is to diversify your portfolio with their ETFs and happen to believe that they have the ETF game on lock down! I hope you had a great investing day! Take care.

Welcome to Schwab ETFs

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Exelon Corporation - EXC

Exelon Corporation, stock ticker EXC, is a utility services holding company. It operates through its principal subsidiaries: Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Generation), Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) and PECO Energy Company (PECO). Its business consists of the Company’s owned and contracted electric generating facilities, its wholesale energy marketing operations and its retail supply operations. EXC pays a quarterly dividend of $0.52 and at today's stock price that's a dividend yield of 4.89%. That's awesome! Also, they have said they plan to invest $5 billion in clean energy over the next 5 years. Exelon is very popular in my area via PECO Energy. Who likes paying their electric bill each month? Yeah, me neither, but at least they pay shareholders to hold onto their stock! EXC has issued a dividend since Feburary 23th, 1987 and have consistantly increased their payout since February 18th, 1999.

EXC is yet another buy and hold stock, meaning this company will always be around and should be included within your diversified Roth IRA stock portfolio. Click here to learn more about this dividend aristocrat, as well as watch this video. If you are not ENERGIZED about this company then you need to check your pulse! Have a great investing day.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

The Coca-Cola Company - KO

The Coca-Cola Company is a non-alcoholic beverage company. The Company owns or licenses and markets more than 500 non-alcoholic beverage brands, primarily sparkling beverages but also a variety of still beverages such as waters, enhanced waters, juices and juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and energy and sports drinks. It also owns and markets non-alcoholic sparkling beverage brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite. KO currently pays a $0.47 quarterly dividend, which at today's stock price is a 2.71% yield. I like KO because of customer's brand loyalty. KO is a defensive stock, meaning that no matter how poor the economy is this stock remains consistant in price, earnings, and continues to dominate the beverage market. Click here to visit KO's investor relations website. Also, feel free to watch KO's presentation called "Our 2020 Vision in Action" Clearly Coca-Cola is thinking long term and global dominance. 2011 is their 125th anniversary year and they have paid a quarterly dividend since September 9th, 1987. Purchase some KO if you can. I highly suggest starting a Roth IRA using Sharebuilder.com. Invest as much as you can and purchase fractional shares. Always remember to purchase dividend aristocrats such as KO in your Roth IRA for tax savings. Have a great day!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Kids View of Retirement

Watch this video below. This is great! If only it were this easy. Continue to invest as much as you can each day. Max out your Roth IRA contributions. Contribute to your 401(k) to receive your employer's max match. Then when you retire you can "relax!"

Capitalism is the way back to prosperity!

Capitalism is defined as an economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit, usually in competitive markets. The United States, whether we like it or not, is in competition with other countries, socially and financially. It is most important to remember the reason why our country is so great. We have the finest companies on the planet! Our economy will not improve by raising revenue (aka raising taxes) or another injection of quantitative easing. Allowing small business and large corporations to have their capital work to make more capital that is when we will see the job's market get better.

When selecting stocks for your Roth IRA portfolio select those which have been around for many, many years, who have a competitive advantage over their cohorts, and one that you like. For example, McDonald's or Walmart. If you like their products, then you'll feel better about owning their stock, especially if they pay you to hold their stock.

Please watch the entire video below, especially the first segment about "Maintaining a Competitive Advantage". Have a great Labor day weekend!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company - DD

One of my recent winners is Dupont, stock ticker DD aka E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. DD manufactures a range of products for distribution and sale to many different markets, including the transportation, safety and protection, motor vehicle, home furnishings, medical, electronics, communications and the nutrition and health markets. DD's market cap is 44.59 billion, yes billion.

During the Great Recession DD sold for $16.87 on March 6th, 2009 and rose to $55.42 on July 8th, 2011. Of course, it was hard to predict that the market would have such an excellent run up, however DD's stock price as of today is $47.82 with a $0.41 per share dividend, at a 3.43% dividend yield. DD sticks around the $40 to $50 price range.

Click here and watch the video below to learn more about this stable company on the rise! Pick up some DD on Monday and hold it in your Roth IRA for life!

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