Weekly Purchases

Here are my automatic purchases for this week.

• KO:  6.35 shares @ $39.37 --- Yield  3.35%
• JNJ:  2.54 shares @ $97.93 --- Yield  3.06%

Total capital invested is $500 ($250 in each company). The combined yield is $3.21% which will increase my yearly dividends by $16.03.

My original intent was to add KMI, CVX, PM, and JNJ. I guess that I forgot to hit the save button. Oh well, I will gladly add to these two positions regularly.

Stocks on my radar for next week include the six mentioned above along with UNP, SO, WMT, and WPC.

DEFY MEDIOCRITY

Falling knife, meet hand....UNP purchase

Today I decided to pick up some shares of UNP.

• UNP:  20 shares @ $95.68 --- Yield  2.30%  (initial position)

Total capital invested is $1920.55 and my yearly dividends will increase by $44.00.

The markets are really going crazy today. It continues to amaze me how a country like Greece has so much impact on not only the Euro markets, but the world markets as well. I guess it's the domino theory in action. If the first domino falls the 20 behind it will fall as well.

I am actually pround of myself with this purchase. My mouse kept gravitating towards Shell, CVX, XOM, BBL, PM, and GM. They all really look like good buys to me. Of course they always look like good buys to me. In spite of that, I changed directions and decided to go the route a lot of bloggers have gone recently. Hopefully UNP can get things back on track. :-)

DEFY MEDIOCRITY

VZ option closed

Yesterday I decided to close my VZ covered call.

As you can see from the photo above (actually not the greatest quality) I was able to pick up $86.60 from the transaction.

Just for comparison purposes I will receive about a $75 quarterly dividend in August from Verizon. This option remained opened for about 2 months.

Total option premiums earned (closed transactions) so far in 2015 are $321.30. I am certainly pleased with the results so far especially since my first options trade was in April. Another $300 in premiums this year will offset the $600 dividend income loss from ESV. That would be a big win!!!

I also should note that I still have 3 open call options in BP, GM, and BBL. If I hold those to maturity I have the potential to earn an additional $250.00.

I guess I probably should work on an Options Page pretty soon.

DEFY MEDIOCRITY

Weekly Purchases --- The long march continues

Here are my automatic investments for this week.

• SO:  5.93 shares @ $42.17 --- Yield  5.15%
• KO:  6.19 shares @ $40.37 --- Yield  3.27%

Total capital invested is $500 ($250 in each company). The combined yield is 4.21% and my yearly dividends will increase by $21.05.

I would like to thank everyone for the encouraging comments on last week's purchases. I have been going over things in my mind during the last few days and have decided to continue ascending the mountain. The relentless climb can be lonely, tiring, precarious, and in many instances overlooked or discounted by others (especially family and friends), but it can also be equally exhilarating and rewarding as hell. There is no rest for the weary and fortune without a doubt favors the bold.

Stocks on my radar for next week include SO, KO, JNJ, KMI, PG, WM, and WMT.

DEFY MEDIOCRITY

Stock purchase: WPC

Well the CAG proceeds didn't last very long. Today I added to my WPC position.

• WPC:  25 shares @ $61.41 --- Yield 6.21%

Total capital invested is $1542.20. This puchase will add $95.40 to my yearly dividends. This will probably conclude my REIT buying spree that I have been on during the last month or so.

DEFY MEDIOCRITY

Stock sale: CAG

After a pretty big spike in price today, I decided to sell all of my CAG shares. As you can see in the photo above, it was a relatively small position. I was able to make three weekly purchases, two under $30, one just over $30 last summer.

The dividend hasn't been raised for a couple of years, but ironically the stock performance has been very strong. In fact between KRFT and CAG, the food companies have been two of my better performing companies in the last year.

Including the four dividends I received I will clear $2756.57 on an investment of $1850.

I haven't decided what to do with the proceeds yet. I may add to my KO or PEP positions and keep the money invested in some type of food company.

Also CAG was paying a $.25 quarterly dividend, so my yearly dividends will decrease by $63.84.


What do you guys think of my decision to dump CAG?

ESV Option closed --- With Pictures

Eleven days ago I sold 1 ESV covered call and received a $112.30 premium after fees.  Today I went ahead and closed the position which cost me $58.70 after fees. Essentially I have earned 50% of the premium in under two weeks. Not too bad!!

So I ended making a net of $53.60 for less than two weeks of work.

I also received my quarterly dividend from ESV today in the amount of $39.72.


Comparison

• ESV Covered Call (11 days) --- $53.60
• ESV Dividend (90 days) --- $39.72
• Total ESV Income --- $93.32

I'm also excited about posting my first ever photos from my phone.