HCP Dividend Increase

HCP just increased its dividend by 3.8%.  The new quarterly dividend will be $.545 up from $.525.  I have 210 shares so my yearly dividends will increase $16.80.  Since I only been investing in individual stocks about 7 months, this is only my third company (MSFT and T are the others) to announce an increase.  I must admit I am kind of excited even though it is only $16.80.  It is truly awesome to see an increase in annual dividend income without investing additional capital.

Between this increase and my new sharebuilder account I recently opened, I am even more resolved to expand my dividend portfolio!

My new forward dividends will increase from $9219.32 to $9236.12.

Sharebuilder Account Opened

 

 

 

In an effort to better diversify my dividend portfolio I have decided to open a sharebuilder account.  My previous 15 stock purchases were in large blocks and depleted most of my investment capital.  I also was paying $24 per transaction.  Using the Sharebuilder account should allow me to diversify my account much faster with a lower cost per transaction.  I am excited about the two new companies I am invested in and look forward to making more investments in these and other companies as the year progresses.



Sharebuilder purchases:

• PFE --- $1000 at $30.54    Yield --- 3.4%   
• BP --- $1000 at $47.51     Yield --- 4.8%

Forward dividends in my taxable accounts will increase to $9219.32 from $9137.70.

Dividend Received and Funds Purchased

 

This is the last dividend I will receive from an individual company this month.

 

 

Dividend received:

•  CSCO --- $40.80

 



I also purchased shares in three mutual funds this morning.  I have been dollar cost averaging in the American funds for the last year and a half.  After today I have two more months and then I will be able to invest solely in indiviual companies.

Funds purchased:

• ABALX --- $2000
• AHITX --- $2000
• CAIBX --- $2500

These mutual fund purchases will increase my forward dividends to $9137.70.

Stock Bought

For my first purchase of 2014 I chose Target.  I added 70 new shares to the 75 shares I currently own.

Purchase price: $59.98 x 70 = 4198.60     YOC is 2.87%

This will add $120.40 to my yearly dividend income. 
My forward taxable dividend income is now 8906.04

I may be trying to catch a falling knife here, but I like the long term prospects for this company.  I was hoping to add a new company this month and still may.  I am watching CLX, COP, MCD, WMT, RDS-B, and PFE. 

Dividend Received

 

 

This is the third of  the four companies I will receive a dividend from in January. 

 

 Dividend received:

 

• DLR --- $78.00 

 

While this company may never become the next Coca Cola, it is a nice high yielding reit that became very attractive a couple of months ago.  I got the idea to buy it from a Dividend Mantra blog post.  My next dividend will come next week from CSCO. 



First Dividends of the Year!

I received my first two dividends of the year thanks to Altria and Philip Morris Int'l.

Dividend received:

• MO --- $72.00
• PM --- $56.40

To some, $128.40 may not seem like much money, but I like to look at things a little differently.  Slow, steady, consistent progress each month will allow me to reach my goal of financial freedom within the next five years!

While paying my $131.38 electric bill this morning I am reminded that no one company in my dividend pipeline may seem very significant, but collectively they will pay all my monthly bills one day.  I look forward to my next dividend in the middle of January.  This time a high yielding reit will come up to bat!

Initial blog post!

This is my first blog post ever.  I have been investing in mutual funds for the past five years and just recently started buying dividend stocks.  I hope to transition out of the rat race during the next five years.

The companies I have invested in during 2013 are as follows:

HCP
INTC
MSFT
T
MO
KO
CVX
IBM
PM
KMI
PG
DLR
TGT
GE
CSCO

My goal is to have 25 companies invested in by the end of 2014.