* Never Look a Gift Dividend in the Mouth

Sometimes a cash rich company will declare a special one-time dividend to eliminate surplus cash. These special dividends are generally ignored when evaluating a company's dividend growth performance. An example, of this would be Microsoft's (MSFT) special $3.00/share dividend in 2005. Most analysts in-the-know exclude the $3.00/share special dividend use the $0.32/share regular dividend when calculating a dividend growth rate for Microsoft. The situation is more complicated when a company distributes the excess cash via its regular dividend. Often, this leads to a situation where a company appears to have a dramatic increase in its dividend, then followed by decrease in the following year. Consider the following two companies I came across while running my D4L-PreScreen.xls model: AT&T (T)

* Stock Analysis: V.F. Corp. (VFC)

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net September 22, 2008. Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of V.F. Corp. (VFC). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis: Company Description: V.F. Corp is a global apparel company with leading shares in denim and daypacks. The company is transforming into a designer and marketer of lifestyle apparel brands.

* Free Magazines

You might have noticed the Free Magazines and Other Resources link in my sidebar below the search box and at the bottom of my feed and wondered what it was. I have recently partnered with The Netline Corporation to provide free publications and white papers on various topics ranging from finance and banking to the internet and IT.

* Weekly Links: Carnivals & Articles - September 26, 2008

Each Friday I highlight the Carnivals I participated in over the past week, along with any notable articles that I came across. For those readers not familiar with carnivals, it's where personal finance bloggers submit their best articles of the week with one blog serving as the host. The entries are separated into various categories such as Investing, Credit, Debt, Budgeting, Frugality, Wealth Building, Money Management, Financial Planning, Insurance, Taxes, The Economy, Real Estate, et. al. Below are the carnivals that I participated in this week, along with a link to my article:

* Microsoft (MSFT) Raises Qtr. Dividend 18% (2.00% yield) and Others

Have you ever pondered the concept of forever or infinity? It is truly mind boggling! What is even more astonishing is that when I buy a stock, my target holding period is forever. For most people, myself included, that is hard to grasp and to carry out. When things start going bad, our primal instinct of flight kicks in and we want to sell. In many cases that is the time to be buying. Owning companies that systematically raise their dividends each and every year makes it much easier to hold them through the tough times. Below are several select companies that recently made their shareholders smile by raising their cash dividends:

* Stock Analysis: Johnson Controls (JCI)

Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of Johnson Controls (JCI). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis: Company Description: Johnson Controls Inc. supplies building controls and energy management systems, automotive seating, and batteries.

* Goldilocks and the Three Pharms

Investors have long enjoyed a love-hate relationship with pharmaceutical stocks. This sector is unique in that their products are effectively scheduled for obsolescence via expiring patents. As such, a pharmaceutical company's pipeline of new products is just as important, or maybe more important, than the company's current offerings.

* Stock Analysis: Colgate Palmolive (CL)

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net September 15, 2008.

Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of Colgate Palmolive (CL). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Colgate-Palmolive Company (Colgate) is a consumer products company, whose products are marketed throughout the world. Colgate’s Oral Care products include toothpaste, toothbrushes, oral rinses, dental floss and pharmaceutical products.

* Pocket Change Portfolio - August 2008

As noted in my September 13, 2008 article Pocket Change Portfolio (PCP), my collected online earnings exceeded $1,000 in August. The table below reconciles from beginning of period to end of period the PCP for August 2008, Year-To-Date (2008) and Life-To-Date. Obviously, Year-To-Date and Life-To-Date will be the same for the remainder of the year. The Portfolio Returns line provides the calculated return for the three displayed periods.

* Weekly Links: Carnivals & Articles - September 19, 2008

Each Friday I highlight the Carnivals I participated in over the past week, along with any notable articles that I came across. For those readers not familiar with carnivals, it's where personal finance bloggers submit their best articles of the week with one blog serving as the host. The entries are separated into various categories such as Investing, Credit, Debt, Budgeting, Frugality, Wealth Building, Money Management, Financial Planning, Insurance, Taxes, The Economy, Real Estate, et. al.

* Masco (MAS) Increases Qtr. Dividend 2.2% (4.98% yield) and Other Increases

A stock dividend, also known as a "scrip dividend", is a dividend payment made with stock instead of cash. Sometimes when companies are tight on cash, they will declare and pay a stock dividend in lieu of a cash dividend. Most shareholders feel like they are getting something. But are they really? In short, a stock dividend is nothing more than a glorified stock split. At the end of the process, the shareholder has more shares that are worth less. Like a stock split, you can not create value by issuing paper and getting nothing in exchange.

* Stock Analysis: Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI)

Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

* 7 Stocks Priced For Buying

When investors purchase their initial position in a stock, it is usually after their most rigorous research. Once a stock is in their portfolio, some investors relax on the research for subsequent purchases. Each and every time you purchase a stock, you should run it through the same process as if you were buying it for the first time.

* Stock Analysis: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc (MHP)

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net September 8, 2008.

Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of McGraw-Hill Companies Inc (MHP). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. is a leading information services organization serves worldwide markets in education, business, industry, other professions and government.

* This Week on the D4L Channel...

Monday, we are up close and personal with the king of academics and investment advisers, but we are not asking for his advice. We are going to look under his hood and see how well his engine is running. Then Wednesday, we have recommendation that we're so sure of, you can simply mail it in.

* Pocket Change Portfolio

Dividends4Life, Dividends Value, Dividend Growth Stocks and my entire blogging experience was started on a whim. I never expected it go anywhere and certainly didn't expect the growth I have seen over the last several months. At the time of this writing Dividends4Life has over 25,000 page loads per month and over 500 subscribers. My thanks to each one of you who have played an important part in this growth!

* Weekly Links: Carnivals & Articles - September 12, 2008

Each Friday I highlight the Carnivals I participated in over the past week, along with any notable articles that I came across. For those readers not familiar with carnivals, it's where personal finance bloggers submit their best articles of the week with one blog serving as the host. The entries are separated into various categories such as Investing, Credit, Debt, Budgeting, Frugality, Wealth Building, Money Management, Financial Planning, Insurance, Taxes, The Economy, Real Estate, et. al.

* Verizon (VZ) Boosts Qtr. Dividend 7% and Other Increases

What if you don't want to spend your retirement managing and worrying about your portfolio? Put it on Auto Pilot, specifically on a Dividend Investing Auto Pilot. Dividends from a quality, well-diversified portfolio are much more predictable than capital gains and best of all, they are passive. You don't have to do anything, they just show up in your brokerage account each quarter. Inflation? Not to worry, the good companies routinely raise their dividends well in excess of the inflation rate.

* Stock Analysis: Caterpillar Inc. (CAT)

Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of Caterpillar Inc. (CAT). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Caterpillar Inc. is the world's largest producer of earthmoving equipment, is also a big maker of electric power generators and engines used in petroleum markets.

* The Next Great Company

There have always been companies that stand head-and-shoulders above their peers and the competition. They are loved by their shareholders, hated by the competition and known by all. Who are these companies and how can I find the next great company? All the great companies have something in common. Let's look at a few of them:

* Stock Analysis: Nucor Corp (NUE)

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net September 1, 2008.

Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of Nucor Corp (NUE). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

* Up Next on The D4L Channel....

It is an all-power week on the D4L channel. Monday we check in on someone that is strong as steel and we are going to work him out. We will test his tensile strength to see if we can break or permanently deform him. But this is just a warm-up for Wednesday when meet someone that is so powerful he can move mountains and is nimble as a cat.

Who's going to win this macho-man fest? More importantly are either of these guys tough enough to fight their way into my dividend portfolio? Don't touch that URL, we're about to find out...

Are you looking for excitement in your life? You can have all the exhilaration you need delivered directly to you by clicking here and claiming your free subscription to the D4L Channel.

While waiting for this week's feature presentations, you may want to tune in to a few of these classic episodes:

• The Winning Score - Part 1 of 2
• Dividend ETFs Feel The Pain
• You Can't Spend Earnings
• Who is Ben Grossbaum and Why Should We Listen to Him?
• Do you Have The Frugal Gene

* Progress Update - August 2008

Once again it is the first Saturday of the month, so it is time for a goals/progress update. My dividend portfolio continued to improve in August after the June collapse. Annualized dividend income has increased every month since I began tracking it in November 2007. I am still concerned about some stocks reducing their dividend. However, since I am well ahead of my 2008 goal it is unlikely I will fall below it. Now onto the numbers.

* Weekly Links: Carnivals & Articles - September 5, 2008

Each Friday I highlight the Carnivals I participated in over the past week, along with any notable articles that I came across. For those readers not familiar with carnivals, it's where personal finance bloggers submit their best articles of the week with one blog serving as the host. The entries are separated into various categories such as Investing, Credit, Debt, Budgeting, Frugality, Wealth Building, Money Management, Financial Planning, Insurance, Taxes, The Economy, Real Estate, et. al.

* Dividend Stocks In the News: September 4, 2008

Just as picking fruit from a mango tree does not harm it, living off dividends does not damage the investment's ability to produce future results. A mango tree's life will easily span an entire generation. Similarly, well-chosen dividend investments will not only provide income in retirement, but can be passed to your children who can continue to reap the benefits.

* Stock Analysis: Integrys Energy Group (TEG)

Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of Integrys Energy Group (TEG). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Integrys Energy Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated electric and natural gas utility company in the United States and Canada. It purchases, generates, and distributes electric power; and purchases and distributes natural gas.

* Inverted Yield On Cost Curve

A yield curve is the relationship between yield and maturity. In a "normal" yield curve yields rise as maturity lengthens. When yields drop as the term lengthens, it is referred to as an inverted yield curve. A Yield On Cost (current dividend/basis) curve, like a yield curve, should increase as you move forward in time.

* Stock Analysis: Avery Dennison (AVY)

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net August 25, 2008.

Linked here is a PDF copy of my detailed analysis of Avery Dennison (AVY). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Avery Dennison Corp. is a leading worldwide manufacturer of pressure-sensitive adhesives and materials, office products, labels, retail systems and specialty chemicals.