Sunday, April 29, 2012

Warren Buffet - The World's Greatest Money Maker?

You be the judge. Watch the great documentary posted below about Warren Buffet and his Berkshire Hathaway empire. Please let me know your thoughts.

Do you own shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.(NYSE:BRK.B) Current Value per share $80.56 or Berkshire Hathaway Inc.(NYSE:BRK.A) Current Value per share $120,925.00? Feel free to visit Berkshire's homepage, here.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

One Liberty Properties, Inc - OLP

One Liberty Properties, Inc., stock ticker OLP, is another great investment for your Roth IRA stock portfolio. Paying a high dividend of 33 cents per share, which is a dividend yield of 6.9%. OLP is trading near book value with high insider ownership. OLP is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust, otherwise know as a REIT. They acquire, own and manage a portfolio of retail, which includes furniture and office supply stores. They own industrial, office, flex, health and fitness and other properties, a substantial portion of which are under long-term leases.

OLP owns 84 properties and have participated in four joint ventures that own four properties. Their properties are located in 29 states and has an aggregate of approximately 5.1 million square feet of space! This space includes approximately 106,000 square feet of space at the property in which OLP owns a tenancy in common interest and approximately 1.1 million square feet of space at properties owned by the joint ventures in which it participates.

Taking a macro view of the national real-estate market it appears to have bottomed out and OLP is on the rise. Heading back to the level it was before the real-estate market scare pushed the price down. OLP's financials are healthy and they are in a perfect position as the economy recovers.

OLP has acquired their portfolio of properties by balancing fundamental real estate analysis with tenant credit evaluation. Their analysis focuses on the value of a property, determined primarily by its location, use, and by local demographics. They evaluate a tenant’s financial ability to meet operational needs and lease obligations and believe that their emphasis on property value enables them to achieve better returns on their acquired properties and also enhances their ability to re-rent or dispose of a property on favorable terms upon the expiration or early termination of a lease. Additionally, they believe that the weighting of these factors in their analysis enables them to achieve attractive current returns with potential growth through contractual rent increases and property appreciation.

OLP is here to stay. Some of the best stores in the world lease their buildings. For example, LA Fitness, Petsmart, Best Buy, Best Bath & Beyond, KOHL's, Wendy's, Office Depot and FedEx, to name a few!. Click here for a complete listing. Also, click here to meet the OLP Investment team.

I think OLP is great because of their safe quarterly dividend, their property diversification, and consistent financial performance. Give OLP a try and reinvest your dividend payment for the rest of your life!

Need some more proof that OLP is on the rise, well check out their chart below and video. 

Friday, April 27, 2012

How To Stop Worrying and Start Living

Welcome back to Dividend Stock Investing for the Common Man! I appreciate you interest in my blog and hope you are reaping the benefits of Dividend stock investing. I not only enjoy providing you, the reading, with dividend stock analysis, but also life tips on how to better yourself and stay happy and healthy.

I wanted to go ahead and post this great 9 part series from YouTube called How To Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie. This audio book deals with fundamental emotions and ideas. It is fascinating to listen to and easy to apply to your own life. Let it change and improve you. There's no need to live with worry and anxiety that keep you from enjoying a full, active and happy life. Your finances and overall health should be the two most important aspects of life. Keep them both healthy and like a fine tooled machine.

Each video below is read by Andrew MacMillan. If you like the audio below and it helps you stop worrying and start living a better life then you owe it to Dale Carnegie to purchase the book from Amazon.com. Click on the link below.

 

99% percent of the things we worry about never happen! Don't let a bad day in the market get you down. Rid your life of worrying. Our trouble is not ignorance, but inaction. We must glorify the great things in life. Enjoy and have a great weekend!
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Costco Wholesale Corporation - COST

Costco Wholesale Corporation, stock ticker COST, is currently paying a 24 cent quarterly dividend, which equals a 1.09% dividend yield. While COST's yield is 50% lower than what we like our 2% Common Man dividend yield to be, I think it's save to say that COST will continue to increase their dividend to entice the masses and make their stock a mainstay in most Roth IRA stock retirement portfolios.

Costco, along with their subsidiaries operate membership warehouses that offer their members low prices on a limited selection of branded and selected private label products in a range of merchandise categories. COST buys the majority of their merchandise directly from manufacturers and route it to a docking consolidation points or directly to its warehouses. The docking points secure the container based shipments from COST's manufacturers and re-allocate the goods for shipment to their individual warehouses, generally in less than 24 hours!

Costco’s warehouse format are around 143,000 square feet. Their warehouses operate on a 7 day, 69 hour week. As of today, they carry an average of approximately 3,600 active stock keeping units per warehouse in their core warehouse business. Many consumable products are offered for sale only in case, carton, or multiple-pack quantities only.

Here are some important statistics to review if you are in the market for some shares of COST:

52 week $70.22 - $92.10 (currently selling at $88.25 - as of 4/26/12 market close)
Vol as of 4/26/12 / Avg. 2.45M/2.09M
Mkt cap 38.22B
P/E 25.66
Div/yield $0.24/1.09%
EPS 3.43
Shares 433.97M
Beta 0.66
Inst. own 79%

Costco is even offering home mortgages now! Click here to learn more. Also, today, Costco announced an expansion of their stock repurchase program of up to $4 billion dollars and increased their quarterly dividend! They will increase their dividend from $.205 to $.24 per share, or $.96 per share on an annualized basis. The dividend is payable May 27, 2011, to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 13, 2011. What! Are you serious?!?! Keep it coming COST!

I like COST not only because their customers are addicted and are somewhat fanatics of the store, but also Warren Buffet is a huge fan of their financials. I have heard from many people that they have had a great personal experience at their local Costco store. Additionally, Costco employees are happy and have a reputation to stay long term. COST has a basic business modal that works long term, which will provide your Roth IRA with a healthy dividend for the remaining years of your working career.. well into your retirement years.

Costco is positioned very well given the current economic environment. They attract a more upscale customer versus Walmart's philosophy. A large percentage of their clientele have yearly incomes over $100,000 and are college educated. That does not mean that there is not room for everyone though. COST is a safe place to buy high-end electronics, hearing aids, engagement rings and even funeral caskets. It never ends! They can sell their members just about anything.

While everyone is out buying 10 packs of Heinz ketchup or a 362 count bottle of Advil, why not save your money and invest those dollars into COST. Each time you think you need more than 1 blender or 10,000 rolls of toilet paper, purchase a smaller amount and then invest those dollars into COST. Do this year over year and watch your dividend payment compound and multiply month after month. This is a great way to secure your financial freedom so one day you can walk into Costco and buy whatever you want when ever you want. Make it rain!

"Pay yourself first!", that's what I have always said to all who ask. Why go to McDonald's and get a number 13 Mushroom Angus burger meal for $6.99 when you can pack your lunch for a few dollars, then invest the remaining dollars into MCD! I'm getting off topic I know, but just think of the amount of dividend payments you will receive when your older. It may seem like a few pennies today, but give it time and be consistent. $$$

COST is yet another SOLID dividend paying stock on the uptick and will solidify your retirement. Feel free to visit Costco's homepage, here, and their Investor Relations website, here. Also, check out these cool Costco videos below. Perform your own due diligence on this one folks, but get in with COST while you can. It's going to hit $100.00 at some point.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Stock Picks for the week of 4/25/12 to 5/2/12

Listed below are my top dividend stock investments for the Common Man for the week of April 25th, 2012 to May 2nd, 2012. Any one of these stocks always make an excellent addition to your Roth IRA stock portfolio. They are reliable dividend payers and I remain 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 on May 3rd, 2012 to determine how well or poor my picks performed. Continue to invest as much as you can each week to ensure that you have a solid dividend income stream of wealth!

Additionally, enjoy these hand picked YouTube videos below, which include The J.M. Smucker Company and Starbucks Corporation. Have a great remainder of the week!

Microsoft Corporation(NASDAQ:MSFT) $31.92
Illinois Tool Works Inc.(NYSE:ITW) $56.68
McDonald's Corporation(NYSE:MCD) $94.59
Unilever plc (ADR)(NYSE:UL) $33.54
Brandywine Realty Trust(NYSE:BDN) $11.70
The Coca-Cola Company(NYSE:KO) $74.12
The Kroger Co.(NYSE:KR) $23.31
Verizon Communications Inc.(NYSE:VZ) $39.50
Medtronic, Inc.(NYSE:MDT) $37.12
Darden Restaurants, Inc.(NYSE:DRI) $50.39
The J.M. Smucker Company(NYSE:SJM) $78.35
Diageo plc (ADR)(NYSE:DEO) $100.75
Duke Energy Corporation(NYSE:DUK) $21.18
Mattel, Inc.(NASDAQ:MAT) $32.33
Vanguard MSCI Emerging Markets ETF(NYSEARCA:VWO) $42.04
Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF(NYSEARCA:SCHD) $27.46
Exelon Corporation(NYSE:EXC) $37.94
BHP Billiton plc (ADR)(NYSE:BBL) $61.52
BB&T Corporation(NYSE:BBT) $31.95
LTC Properties Inc(NYSE:LTC) $32.50
Waste Management, Inc.(NYSE:WM) $35.98
Johnson & Johnson(NYSE:JNJ) $63.77
Starbucks Corporation(NASDAQ:SBUX) $58.05
UIL Holdings Corporation(NYSE:UIL) $33.53
iShares Dow Jones Select Dividend (ETF)(NYSEARCA:DVY) $55.92

Note: Stock prices as of 4/25/12

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Word of the Week: Gratitude

Please watch this video from Louis Schwartzberg. 

What you are grateful for? 
Feel free to comment below. 

I hope you all have a great week ahead!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

CEC Entertainment, Inc - CEC

CEC Entertainment, Inc., stock ticker CEC, is engaged in the family dining and entertainment center business. CEC develops, operates and franchises family dining and entertainment centers under the name Chuck E. Cheese’s! They pay a 22 cent dividend, which is currently a 2.34% dividend yield. What a pleasant surprise. Listen folks. Chuck E. Cheese is not going anywhere, anytime soon!

CEC knows how to flock children into their establishments and treat them like royalty! From video games, rides, pizza, concerts, prizes and did I say PIZZA, CEC is where it's at if your 10 years of age and younger.

Again, let me elaborate, Chuck E. Cheese's stores feature musical and comic entertainment by robotic and animated characters, arcade-style and skill-oriented games, video games, rides and other activities. All of it's stores offer dining selections consisting of a range of beverages, pizzas, sandwiches, appetizers, a salad bar and desserts.

As of January 1, 2012, the Company and its franchisees operated a total of 556 Chuck E. Cheese’s stores. As of January 1, 2012, it operated 507 Company-owned Chuck E. Cheese’s stores located in 44 states and Canada and its franchisees operated a total of 49 stores located in 15 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, Guatemala, Chile, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Current Stock Statistics:
52 week $25.83 - $42.75
Vol / Avg. 146,009.00/139,420.00
Mkt cap 680.37M
P/E 13.39
Div/yield $0.22/2.34%
EPS 2.81
Shares 18.09M
Beta 1.04
Inst. own 94%

Click here to listen to Chuck E. Cheese's 2012 1Q earnings conference call. You may be pleasantly surprised. If you would like to learn more about this dividend paying winner, click here for a complete history timeline.

Chuck E. Cheese is concentrating on current stores instead of opening new ones. CEC caters to kids, which means that their customer base can be finicky. But as long as they remain sensitive to what makes youngsters happy, there will always be those in the target age group who want their birthday parties there. Maintaining their appeal is critical; finding ways to hang onto their aging clientele longer will be a big bonus!

If you believe CEC is a joke or not a serious investment for your Roth IRA stock porfolio, well check out the chart below which shows which institutional establishments claim ownership in CEC. Also, please watch the hand picked CEC videos below. If your Roth IRA stock portfolio needs some coverage in the entertainment sector, then look now further than CHUCK E. CHEESE!!!


P.S. If you plan on going to Chuck E. Cheese anytime soon, click here for coupons and sign up for their E-mail club to maximize your savings! I am not affiliated with CEC in anyway. I just believe it will outperform the market long-term.


INSTITUTION NAME SHS HELD

Fidelity Management & Research Company  2,856,815
BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A.  1,374,443
American Century Investment Management, Inc.  1,112,478
Vanguard Group, Inc.  1,058,610
Wellington Management Company, LLP  1,024,619
Schroder Investment Management Ltd. (SIM)  699,100
Integrity Asset Management, LLC  665,389
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC  615,827
Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn, LLC  609,611
Robeco Investment Management, Inc.  533,904
WEDGE Capital Management, L.L.P.  511,125
State Street Global Advisors (US)   450,011
Delaware Investments  437,880
Dimensional Fund Advisors, LP  379,828

Dunkin Brands Group Inc - DNKN

Recently I have noticed that every Dunkin' Donuts is always packed. Many, many cars are in each parking lot. The Drive-thru is packed around the clock. Anytime of day! In the city, the suburbs, near college campuses, on the bus, train station, and even in the airport it's dunkin', dunkin', DUNKIN'!

So I decided to check out their current stock valuation and it seems pretty consistent with their earning (@ $31.05, as of 4/20/12) Dunkin Brands Group, Inc., stock ticker DNKN currently pays 15 cent quarterly dividend, which is a 1.93% dividend yield. Since going public on the NASDAQ on July 27th, 2011 DNKN has increased in value.

Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. is a franchisor of quick service restaurants serving hot and cold coffee and baked goods, as well as hard serve ice cream. DNKN franchises restaurants under its Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins brands. It has over 16,000 points of distribution in 57 countries. Dunkin’ Donuts operates primarily in the breakfast daypart within the quick service restaurant segment. Dunkin’ Donuts holds servings in each of the quick restaurant segment subcategories of Hot regular coffee, Iced coffee, Donuts, Bagels, Muffins, Total coffee and Breakfast sandwiches.

Baskin-Robbins offers servings of hard serve ice cream. It operates in four segments:
Dunkin’ Donuts U.S.
Dunkin’ Donuts International
Baskin-Robbins International
Baskin-Robbins U.S.

During the year ended December 25, 2010, Dunkin’ Donuts segments generated 76% of its total segment revenues. DNKN is not a new company at all. They have been in existence since 1961. Since going public they have undergone many changes since being partially owned by a group of private equity groups. Bain Capital has owned a chunk of the "DUNK" since 2006.

Dunkin' Brands has added 4,400 net restaurants in the past 6 years. They plan on doubling their footprint in the United States over the upcoming 20 years. In 2011, DNKN added 240 restaurants in the United States, which accounts for more than 70% of revenue stream.

I believe that it is now time to bank your hard earned dollar$ into DNKN. I like the opportunity for expansion with this business. Expansion into more areas is being done carefully with overseas units. DNKN should be able to open many more stores across the country, as well penetrate other global territories.

DNKN is the COMMON MAN'S coffee alternative to the highly priced Starbucks. That is not a diss to SBUX, which is a great company also. Click here to read my analysis of SBUX. DNKN and SBUX are on different levels. Both make a moat of cash, yet you should perform your own due diligence if you intend on investing in both stocks. Pick one and reap the benefits! The coffee business will be around when your 60, 70, and 80 and why not look back and say, "I have been invested in DNKN since 2012!"

In my humble opinion DNKN sells better bakery goods! They don't have fancy lounges like SBUX, which suits me just fine. I want my coffee hot, quick, and I'm GONE! Their Coffee Coolattas are addictive, but not as addicting as their current 1.93% dividend yield, which will grow for years to come.

Please visit Dunkin' Brands' website here, and also their Corporate History page, here. Are you in need of DNKN's Investor Relations information? Click here. Enjoy the Dunkin' related videos below and seriously consider this stock for your own personal Roth IRA stock portfolio.

CNBC interview with CEO Nigel Travis for his 1st interview since Dunkin went public.

Dunkin Brands Group, Inc.: Using Social Media

Time to make the donuts with (the late) Michael Vale as "Fred the Baker"

Baskin Robbins 31 cent Scoop Night in Canada!

Refinance mortgage – Is it a good idea in the present situation?

Refinance mortgage – Is it a good idea in the present situation?


by Guest Blogger: Peter Harper from http://www.moneyflipping.com

The real estate market has plunged drastically due to the economic crisis and is presently taking baby steps toward improvement. The interest rates are still at an all time low and a large number of people are trying to refinance mortgage. But is it a good idea to refinance your existing loan in today’s market? Well, if you follow the do’s and don’ts of refinancing, you can decide better. To know more, read on.

When to consider refinancing

In certain situations, mortgage refinance can turn out to be a good option. Some of them are listed below:

Lower interest rate: When you can’t afford to pay a higher interest rate, you can consider the option of refinance mortgage. To do so, you need to meet the required criteria of the lender.

Increase/decrease the term of the loan: Refinancing can be a good option to help you increase/decrease your loan term. You can, for example, refinance your 30 year mortgage into a 15 year loan and vice versa.
Normally, lowering the mortgage term is advised as it reduces the total interest costs that you pay over the loan term.

Changing the loan type: You can change your adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) into a fixed rate mortgage (FRM) and vice versa. In a FRM, your interest rate will remain same throughout the loan term whereas in ARM, the rate will change periodically, depending upon the market, after a certain period of time.
Cash out equity: If you have equity in your property, then you can cash it out and use it to pay off unsecured debts. To do so, you can contact your lender for refinance. Apart from this, refinance will also help you combine two existing loans into one.

When you shouldn’t refinance mortgage

Here are few things which will help you decide when not to refinance your mortgage:

Old mortgage: If you had a loan for a long time now and a large chunk of your payments are applied toward the principal amount, then it won’t be a good idea to refinance mortgage. If you refinance your loan at a later stage, you’ll start over the amortization process once again.

Prepayment penalty: Before you refinance your loan, you should check out whether or not you will be liable for paying a pre-payment penalty. This is a fee that lenders charge for paying off the mortgage before the loan term gets over. Thus, if you refinance, you will be liable for paying closing costs and pre-payment penalty which will increase your break-even period.

Sell off property: If you want to move away from the property and sell it off within the next 2-3 years, then refinance mortgage is not the option for you. Within this short term, you won’t be able to offset the closing costs that you pay while refinancing.

Hope the above mentioned points will help you decide whether or not you should refinance mortgage in the present situation.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Update: Stock Picks for the week of 4/11/12 to 4/20/12

Welcome back to Dividend Stock Investing for the Common Man. Thank you stopping by and supporting the idea of investing in dividend paying stocks for the long term. I wanted to recap last week's picks for you since it is important to review all investments on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

As you can see below, it was a healthy 10 days of gains in every sector. It was a 24 for 25 week. It is somewhat comical that the only stock pick which decreased in value was Johnson & Johnson, stock ticker JNJ. JNJ has the most reliable dividend out of the bunch, so don't worry if you lost some cash on this one. The dividend will help you recoup any loses.

As a rule of thumb, always invest in high yielding dividend paying stocks for your retirement years. Continue to hold on to your stocks for the long term so the dividends have plenty of time to compound. Feel free to watch the videos below featuring Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., Tiffany & Co., and Automatic Data Processing. All three companies will inject your Roth IRA stock portfolio with stability and profits via quarterly dividends

Until next time, happy investing, reinvest those dividends and let your smart investment decisions work for you!

Stock/Stock Ticker.. Quote @ 4/10/12..  Quote @ 4/20/12..

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.(NYSE:APD) $86.97 $89.75
Sara Lee Corp.(NYSE:SLE) $20.99 $21.69
Starbucks Corporation(NASDAQ:SBUX) $56.78 $59.16
Duke Realty Corp(NYSE:DRE) $13.73 $14.51
Dominion Resources, Inc.(NYSE:D) $50.20 $51.02
GlaxoSmithKline plc (ADR)(NYSE:GSK) $45.04 $47.29
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) $64.20 $63.71
Glimcher Realty Trust(NYSE:GRT) $9.59 $10.00
Tiffany & Co.(NYSE:TIF) $65.82 $67.15
Visa Inc.(NYSE:V) $116.74 $121.01
Medtronic, Inc.(NYSE:MDT) $37.37 $37.61
Darden Restaurants, Inc.(NYSE:DRI) $48.76 $49.93
Costco Wholesale Corporation(NASDAQ:COST) $86.89 $87.58
Senior Housing Properties Trust(NYSE:SNH) $21.46 $21.64
Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ:ADP) $53.92 $55.02
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) $27.45 $27.60
Emerson Electric Co.(NYSE:EMR) $49.64 $50.27
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) $101.45 $102.52
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.(NYSE:CMG) $416.62 $419.26
Macerich Co (NYSE:MAC) $56.15 $59.54
Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc.(NYSE:DPS) $39.28 $40.59
Schlumberger Limited.(NYSE:SLB) $67.26 $71.70
Plum Creek Timber Co. Inc.(NYSE:PCL) $40.40 $41.38
Toronto-Dominion Bank (USA)(NYSE:TD) $82.47 $84.59
Bank of Hawaii Corporation(NYSE:BOH) $46.36 $47.63


Sunday, April 15, 2012

Becton, Dickinson and Co. - BDX

Becton, Dickinson and Company, stock ticker BDX, is a global medical technology company engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of medical devices, instrument systems and reagents used by health care institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. BD’s operations consist of three business segments: BD Medical, BD Diagnostics and BD Biosciences.

On November 19, 2009, BD acquired 100% of the outstanding shares of HandyLab, Inc. (HandyLab), a company that develops and manufactures molecular diagnostic assays and automation platforms. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, BDX sold their Ophthalmic Systems unit, as well as their surgical blades, critical care and extended dwell catheter product platforms of the Medical Surgical Systems unit.

In August 2011, the Company acquired Carmel Pharma, AB. In February 2012, the Company acquired KIESTRA Lab Automation BV.

BDX Current Statistics:

52 week $69.59 - $89.75
Mkt cap $15.71B
P/E 13.68
Dividend/Dividend Yield $0.45/2.41%
EPS 5.47
Shares 210.10M
Beta 0.59
Inst. own 81%

BDX is a stable business. Great ROE, good profit margins and a fairly valued stock. Also, with a very obvious fantastic long term growth rate. Becton Dickinson looks cheap to me at $74.79 cents per share (closing price as of April 13th, 2012. I could see this one going to around $80.00-$85.00 within the next few months.

BDX has been consistent in the past and their present price does not reflect that combined with a growth profile heading forward. This is a great buy if you can get it below $70.00. BDX should be a core position in your Roth IRA portfolio. The dividend is pretty sweet! They have increased the dividend consistently over the past 28 years. They currently yield 2.41% and pay out $1.80 per year. I am in love with BDX's dividend. Yes, I confess!

Trading at 13.68 times 2013 earnings, BDX is pretty cheap. Their projected 10% earnings growth for 2013 is modest. Buying BDX both as short-term defensive and long-term growth prospect is a safe play. Aren't we all looking for some safety during our retirement years? BDX is well positioned to grow in emerging markets, but must adjust product costs to truly compete - which they will do!

I'm betting on BDX management to figure it all out and resume their historic consistent growth. BDX is a dividend aristocrat but more importantly a slow winner. Almost like a tortoise versus the rabbit. Put your money on the tortoise!! Like a giant tortoise, it may be big and slow, but it has a hard shell and can swim far. Far far away to support your retirement portfolio.

Please visit the BDX Investor Relations web page, here as well as visit their "About Us" web page, here. Check out the videos below and have a great investing week! Make smart decisions and watch your money work for you!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF - VYM

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund is an open-end investment company. VYM seeks to track the performance of an index that measures the investment return of common stocks of companies that are characterized by high dividend yield. Investor Shares are available to any investor who meets the fund’s minimum purchase requirements. VYM focuses on investment approach designed to track the performance of the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index. VYM investment advisor is The Vanguard Group, Inc. Mouse here to learn more about VYM directy from Vanguard.

VYM - Current Statistics:
Range 47.12 - 47.49 as of 4/13/12
52 week 38.30 - 48.83
Vol. 41,020.00
Mkt cap 3.30B
Div  32.8 cents/share
Beta 0.93

Number of stocks held within VYM: 440! (Click here for a complete listing!)
Fund total net assets: $4.1 billion
Net assets of ten largest holdings: 34.2%
Foreign holdings: 0.3%

Month-end ten largest holdings: (34.2% of total net assets) as of 2/29/2012
1 Exxon Mobil Corp
2 Microsoft Corp
3 Chevron Corp
4 General Electric Co
5 Procter & Gamble Co/The
6 AT&T Inc
7 Johnson & Johnson
8 Pfizer Inc
9 Coca-Cola Co/The
10 Wal-Mart Stores Inc

You gotta love it! Some of the best dividend payers in the game today prop up this ETF winner.

As previously stated, but very important, VYM seeks to track the performance of the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, which measures the investment return of common stocks of companies characterized by high dividend yields. VYM provides a convenient and easy way to track the performance of stocks with histories of above-average dividend yields. Vanguard follows a passively managed, full-replication approach. VYM currently pays a 33 cents per share per quarter. This dividend payment

Click on the links below to learn more about VYM and why others agree that VYM should be core holding within your Roth IRA. Retirement will hit you in the face if you are not ready for it. You should be financially ready to live off of your smart working career investments. Avoid taxes for the next 30-40 years by investing post-tax dollars into your Roth IRA.

A Proven Wealth-Creator for Your IRA
Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) by Vanguard
This Dividend ETF Can Double as a Core Holding

It would take you years to try to mimick VYM's diversification. Investing in VYM covers you if there is a market down turn. It's better to be invested in a handful of stocks rather than one individual stock (perfect example WORLDCOM in 2002 (click here). This Vanguard ETF is definitely a long-term investment and I view it as very safe investment. A slow, lumbering giant in the making that should slowly but steadily increase the wealth of anyone wise enough to BUY and HOLD. No drama with this ETF.

Feel free to watch the hand picked Vanguard VYM YouTube videos below. Get educated about ETFs and perform your due diligence, but I'm telling you now, that VYM is where it's at. It will be around for your entire working and retirement career.

I do not work for Vanguard, I am not promoting VYM for personal gain, I am simply looking out for you, the Common Man! Until next time friends, keep saying as much money as you can because you will need it later in life!
 

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

End Capital Gains and Dividends Tax

Should the government increase the capital gains tax from 15% to 20%? Or abolish the tax all together? You be the judge! Here are some convincing videos. Enjoy!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

1929 Wall Street Stock Market Crash

The most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States. Why did the Stock Market crash in 1929? Long story short, click here. Also, enjoy the videos below and let's hope history never repeats itself. We all must learn from previous mistakes!

Stock Picks for the week of 4/11/12 to 4/18/12

Listed below are my top dividend stock investments for the Common Man for the week of April 11th, 2012 to April 18th, 2012. Any one of these stocks always make an excellent addition to your Roth IRA stock portfolio. They are reliable dividend payers and I remain 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 on April 19th, 2012 to determine how well or poor my picks performed. Continue to invest as much as you can each week to ensure that you have a solid dividend income stream of wealth! Have a great remainder of the week.

Additionally, enjoy these hand picked YouTube videos below, which include Duke Energy,  Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., and Darden Restaurants, Inc.

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.(NYSE:APD) $86.97
Sara Lee Corp.(NYSE:SLE) $20.99
Starbucks Corporation(NASDAQ:SBUX) $56.78
Duke Realty Corp(NYSE:DRE) $13.73
Dominion Resources, Inc.(NYSE:D) $50.20
GlaxoSmithKline plc (ADR)(NYSE:GSK) $45.04
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) $64.20
Glimcher Realty Trust(NYSE:GRT) $9.59
Tiffany & Co.(NYSE:TIF) $65.82
Visa Inc.(NYSE:V) $116.74
Medtronic, Inc.(NYSE:MDT) $37.37
Darden Restaurants, Inc.(NYSE:DRI) $48.76
Costco Wholesale Corporation(NASDAQ:COST) $86.89
Senior Housing Properties Trust(NYSE:SNH) $21.46
Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ:ADP) $53.92
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) $27.45
Emerson Electric Co.(NYSE:EMR) $49.64
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) $101.45
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.(NYSE:CMG) $416.62
Macerich Co (NYSE:MAC) $56.15
Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc.(NYSE:DPS) $39.28
Schlumberger Limited.(NYSE:SLB) $67.26
Plum Creek Timber Co. Inc.(NYSE:PCL) $40.40
Toronto-Dominion Bank (USA)(NYSE:TD) $82.47
Bank of Hawaii Corporation(NYSE:BOH) $46.36

Note: Stock prices as of 4/10/12

Monday, April 9, 2012

Don't Let This Happen To You!

Don't let a slick taking stock broker convince you that you need to buy the hottest stock. Your money is yours and yours alone. Always invest in long-term dividend payers and let your money grow. 

You do not need to be "in the know" just to feel successful. Enjoy the video below, but please.. do not get sucked into wasting your hard earned dollars by investing in the latest and greatest pharmaceutical stock. RECO!!!

Sara Lee Corp - SLE

"Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee!" 


Sara Lee Corporation, stock ticker SLE, is THEE global manufacturer and marketer of brand-name products for consumers globally focused primarily on the meats, bakery, beverage and household products categories. Their major brands include Ball Park, Douwe Egberts, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Senseo and namesake, Sara Lee. Now tell me that you have not enjoyed one of these tasty products during your lifetime? Jimmy Dean is my personal favorite. Click here to learn more about SLE brands. The list goes on and on and on and on (here).

SLE has five segments: North American Retail, North American Fresh Bakery, North American Foodservice, International Beverage and International Bakery. In May 2011, SLE acquired Aidells Sausage. In October 2011, Ralcorp Holdings, Inc. acquired North American private brand refrigerated dough business of it. In November 2011, SLE sold North American Fresh Bakery business. In December 2011, Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV announced that it has completed the acquisition of Sara Lee’s business. In January 2012, The J.M. Smucker Company acquired the North American foodservice coffee and hot beverage business of Sara Lee Corporation. In January 2012, the Company acquired Tea Forte.

I like SLE because of their healthy 2.17% dividend yield of 12 cents per share per quarter. See below for some additional SLE statistics:

52 week 15.66 - 22.04
Vol / Avg. 6.59M/8.04M
Mkt cap $12.52B
P/E 73.93
Div/yield $0.12/2.17%
EPS 0.29
Shares 591.59M
Beta 0.86
Inst. own 76%

Click here to visit Sara Lee's Investor Relations website and listen to their earnings calls. Always perform your own due diligence before you invest your hard earned dollars into a company. Take time to listen about the company direct from the horse's mouth, I mean each company's officers.

Sara Lee is a corner stone of the American packaged goods industry, however there are some positives and negatives about this company. Negative? Sales have declined at a 5 percent annual pace the past five years. Positive? Although sales have declined, earnings the past five years increased at an annual pace of 68 percent! SLE has gone 265+ quarters with a dividend and has solid margins!!

SLE is just what the doctor ordered for any ailing portfolio. Currently, SLE would be a nice addition to your Roth IRA retirement portfolio. SLE is currently selling for about $10.00 less than their all time high. They have the brand recognition to weather the storm of another economic downturn. Pick up some shares at this level and reinvest those dividends for optimal profits. Until next time, keep saving as much as your possibly can and invest in dividend aristocrats!

Friday, April 6, 2012

The Ascent of Money - A Financial History of The World by Niall Ferguson

Get educated before you invest your hard earned dollars into the stock market. It is not a game.

Below is a great 6 part series, as well as an interview of the man who brought us, The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of The World. Mr. Niall Ferguson breaks down the most recent market crash and sub-prime mortgage issues.

Niall Ferguson follows the money to tell the human story behind the evolution of finance, from its origins in ancient Mesopotamia to the latest upheavals on what he calls Planet Finance.

Ep1 Dreams of avarice 0:00
Ep2 Human bondage 47:39
Ep3 Blowing bubbles 1:35:49
Ep4 Risky business 2:24:02
Ep5 Safe as houses 3:11:57
Ep6: Chimerica next video

Imagine a world with no money! What a concept!

Betting on the Market

For your viewing pleasure. Below is a great episode of PBS Frontline from 1997 called "Betting on the market". This episode includes interviews with Cramer, Van Wagonner and Lynch.

Take what you want out of these videos, but never put all of your money into the market like the guy during Part I 6 min 20 seconds to 6 min 40 seconds.

Enjoy!
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

Thomson Reuters Corporation - TRI

Thomson Reuters Corporation a.k.a. Thomson Reuters is a provider of information for the world’s businesses and professionals. Stock ticker TRI pays a 32 cent quarterly dividend, which is currently a 4.54% dividend yield. They have paid a dividend since August 20th, 2002 and increase it annually. TRI is a long term hold for any educated investor's Roth IRA stock portfolio.

As of January 1, 2012, TRI was organized in four business units:
  • Financial & Risk, a provider of news, information and analytics
  • Legal, a provider of critical information, decision support tools, software and services to legal, investigation, business and Government professionals worldwide 
  • Tax & Accounting, a provider of integrated tax compliance and accounting information, software and services for professionals in accounting firms, corporations, law firms
  • Government, and Intellectual Property & Science, a provider of intellectual property and scientific resources
Thomson Reuters’ corporate headquarters are located in New York, New York with key operations in the United Kingdom, India, Eagan, Minnesota and Stamford, Connecticut. It operates in over 100 countries. In February 2012, the Company acquired RedEgg.

TRI has come down in price during the past two year and it is finally looking like a good value pick. Get in while this stock is below $30.00. They will always be one of the top leading information distributors worldwide and are very quick to increase the speed to its customers. The market for business intelligence collected and distributed by companies such as TRI is growing. One of TRI's offerings is Westlaw, a standard legal resource. With the number of legal proceedings in this country, there's little chance that demand for Westlaw will diminish.

Statistics as of April 6th, 2012:
52 week 25.28 - 41.35
Vol / Avg. 874,734.00/1.36M
Mkt cap 23.36B
Div/yield $0.32/4.54%
EPS -1.70
Shares 828.07M
Beta 0.95
Inst. own 38%

Bottomline: TRI is a great dividend paying blue chip stock and they have a solid balance sheet. The company is insider controlled. Feel free to visit Thomson's homepage here, and watch the videos below.

In closing, constantly reassess what your stock portfolio goals are and also how much risk you are wiling to take. If you make solid, well thought-out purchases then you can sleep better at night. Do your homework! Research how long each company has paid a dividend, listen to their quarterly conference calls so you can hear how well or bad the company is performing directly from the CEO's lips. Take notes and then hold them accountable if they do not meet analysts, but more importantly, your shareholder expectations. Keep excellent records so you can go back and pinpoint where the company may have gone wrong, or made erroneous decisions.

Only invest money that you can lose. Now of course, you probably won't lose your money if you make smart investing decisions, but it is so important to not use money that you should be using to pay your bills (for example, college loans, utilities, car note, mortgage, grocery, clothing money, etc.). Don't cut yourself short each month just because you want a few more shares of your favorite winning stock. The stock market is a risky place, but historically has provided some of the best return on investments the world has ever seen.


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Dominion Resources, Inc. - D

Dominion Resources, Inc., stock ticker D, pays a healthy 53 cent quarterly dividend, which is currently a 4.09% dividend yield. Since February 23rd, 1987 Dominion has paid their dividend which makes them a magnificent addition to your long-term retirement stock portfolio.

Simply put, D is a producer and transporter of energy. Their portfolio of assets includes approximately 28,142 megawatts of generating capacity, 6,300 miles of electric transmission lines, 56,800 miles of electric distribution lines, 11,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 21,800 miles of gas distribution pipeline. D operates their natural gas storage system, with approximately 947 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves six million utility and retail energy customers in 15 states.

D operates in three business segments: Dominion Virginia Power (DVP), Dominion Generation and Dominion Energy. Dominion’s operations are conducted through various subsidiaries, including Virginia Electric and Power Company (Virginia Power).

Here are some of D's statistics as of April 4th, 2012:

Range 51.25 - 51.87
52 week 43.27 - 53.68
Open 51.27
Vol / Avg. 2.12M/2.77M
Mkt cap $29.44B
P/E 21.08
Div/yield $0.53/4.09
EPS 2.45
Beta 0.46
Inst. own 57%

D is the supreme utility stock with a hefty dividend. Extremely well managed company with a solid record of slow but steady growth. D will gain a lot of momentum when economy picks up again. If cap and tax passes it will allow D to flourish as any increased costs will be passed on to consumers. Demand will not be slowing any time soon, even if the economy tanks. D is a solid play for the next 30-50 years. They will benefit of lower coal prices.

Click here to visit Dominion Resources's homepage, as well as here to visit their Investor Relations webpage. Additionally, feel free to watch these handpicked YouTube videos below which will give you a front row seat to all that is D! Put some money into this winner and thank me later. Let those dividends compound into a stream of wealth and safety. Keep saving as much money as you can, for you will be one step closer to living the life of a king.


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