United Technologies Corp. (UTX) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of United Technologies Corp. (UTX). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: United Technologies Corp. portfolio includes Pratt & Whitney jet engines, Sikorsky helicopters, Otis elevators, and Carrier air conditioners, among other products.

7 High Quality, Low Beta Dividend Stocks

Dividend stocks are sometimes referred to as defensive stocks since many investors flee to them in an economic downturn. Their dividends, if sustainable, provide a minimum level of positive return. This cushions the downward pressure from the market. But what happens when the market turns up?

Harleysville Group Inc. (HGIC) Dividend Stock Analysis

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net August 22, 2011.

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Harleysville Group Inc. (HGIC). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Harleysville Group Inc. underwrites a broad array of personal and commercial coverages. These insurance coverages are marketed primarily in the Eastern and Midwestern United States.

Weekly Links: August 28, 2011

Each Sunday 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:

5 Dividend Stocks Building Future Yield

As a young investor I followed an aggressive growth strategy. Having narrowly missed the tech bubble bursting, I purchased my first dividend stock on December 11, 2003. I had heard dividend investments were supposed to be safer, but knew very little else about the strategy. I was fortunate enough to accidentally buy enough good dividend stocks learn the “secret” of dividend investing.

13 Dividend Stocks With A Quick Payback

Payback is the amount of time needed for an investment to earn its cost, undiscounted. For example, if you buy a dividend stock for $100 that pays a $5 annual dividend, the payback is 20 years (100/5). Though not very sophisticated, payback can still help you screen for good, solid dividend growth stocks.

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Illinois Tool Works Inc. is a diversified manufacturer that operates a portfolio of 60 business units that serve the industrial and consumer markets globally.

5 Dividend Stocks With Yields In The Sweet Spot

Are you from another planet? That's the look I got several weeks ago when I admitted to a group of colleagues that I had not been following the daily gyrations of the stock market. To further confound the group, I told them I still wasn't concerned since I didn't plan on buying anymore stocks until the the following week.

Chevron Corporation (CVX) Dividend Stock Analysis

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net August 15, 2011.

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Chevron Corporation (CVX). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Chevron Corporation is a global integrated oil company (formerly ChevronTexaco) with interests in exploration, production, refining and marketing, and petrochemicals.

Weekly Links: August 21, 2011

Each Sunday 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:

July 2011 Pocket Change Portfolio Performance Update

The Pocket Change Portfolio (PCP) was first introduced on September 13, 2008 as a real money dividend income portfolio funded by the "pocket change" earned from my various online endeavors. Each month I report on the portfolio's progress and update its holdings.

9 Dividend Stocks Providing Positive Feedback

What is the primary reason you invest in dividend stocks? For me, it is a means to build a growing income that can be relied on during retirement. One of the beauties of dividend investing is it provides you continuous feedback. As the years and decades go by you can see your earnings steadily grow as you invest your money in dividend stocks, and as an added bonus, great dividend stocks will increase their dividend payments each year.

12 Select High-Yield S&P 500 Dividend Stocks

The S&P 500 Index is owned and maintained by Standard & Poor's, a division of McGraw-Hill. The index was first published in 1957 and is the second most recognized index in the U.S. behind only the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Stocks included in the S&P 500 are large publicly companies that trade on either the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ.

Vectren Corporation (VVC) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Vectren Corporation (VVC). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Vectren Corp. is an energy holding company that delivers gas and/or electricity to more than one million utility customers in Indiana and Ohio, and offers other energy related products and services.

How To Manage Your Dividend Portfolio In A Downturn

The recent turbulence in the market has provided income investors first hand experience in managing their dividend growth portfolio in a declining market. How have you reacted to this downturn? Has it been a source of despair and gloom, or has it been a source of excitement?

Leggett & Platt, Inc. (LEG) Dividend Stock Analysis

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net August 8, 2011.

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Leggett & Platt, Inc. (LEG). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Leggett & Platt Inc. makes a broad line of bedding and furniture components and other home, office and commercial furnishings, as well as diversified products for non-furnishings markets.

Weekly Links: August 14, 2011

Each Sunday 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:

9 Dividend Stocks Raising Their Yield On Cost

For dividend growth investors, there are certain attributes of investments that are more relevant than others, such as yield and dividend growth. To illustrate the power of dividend growth consider that an investment's yield-on-cost will double every 5 years if they grow their dividend by 15%/year or 7 years at 10%/year or 14 years at 5%/year.

10 Dividend Stocks With A 10% Yield In 10 Years

There are income investors and Dividend Growth investors. While the distinction is rather simple, it slips past many casual observers. Income investors are investing for maximum current income, while dividend growth investors are looking to maximize income over an extended period of time -- usually sacrificing current income for potential greater future earnings.

Is The Down Market Lifting Your Spirits?

As a result of the recent downturn in the market I have sensed some apprehension from investors, including investors in dividend growth stocks. To the contrary, I was finding it more difficult to identify good values to purchase each week at the levels we were trading at before the decline.

Target Corporation (TGT) Dividend Stock Analysis

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net August 1, 2011.

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Target Corporation (TGT). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Target Corp. operates operates about 1,500 Target and 250 SuperTarget general merchandise stores across the U.S.

The Current Financial Situation Should Concern Us All

After spending a significant amount of time studying the problem, I am convinced the current financial situation should concern us all. No, I am not talking about the recent drops in the stock market. That does NOT concern me.

In normal times stock market declines would excite me and I would hope for another 5-10% drop. I love to buy quality dividend growth stocks when they go on sale. A lower price means a higher yield and more dollars in my pocket.

Weekly Links: August 7, 2011

Each Sunday 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:

Dividend Income Progress Update - July 2011

Once again it is time for a goals/progress update. I am pleased to report that annualized dividend income increased in July, extending the streak to 13 consecutive months of increases after June 2010's decline. Since I began publicly tracking annualized dividend income in November 2007, it has increased in 42 of the last 44 months.

My goals were defined in this December 1, 2007 Investing Goals post and updated in my 2011 Investing Goals post. Below is an updated version of the table found in the original post.

14 Dividend Stocks Giving Shareholders A Raise

You expect your employer to give you a salary increase periodically. Why wouldn’t you expect the same from your investments? One of the most important aspects of a dividend stock is its ability to consistency raise dividends over time.

8 High-Yield Energy Stocks Growing Their Dividends

From the time the first fire was discovered until now, energy has played a critical role in the development of modern man. As our society has developed, we have require an increasingly large amount of energy. We rely on companies in the Energy Sector to supply our needs.

Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Emerson Electric Co. (EMR). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Emerson Electric Co. designs and supplies product technology, and delivers engineering services and solutions to a wide range of industrial, commercial, and consumer markets around the world.

Finding The Perfect Dividend Stock

If we were able to design the perfect dividend stock it would be one that is both high-yield and provide a high dividend growth rate. Its share price would appreciate ratable with its increasing dividend. All of this would be driven by increasing earnings and cash flow.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) Dividend Stock Analysis

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net July 25, 2011.

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), formed through the merger of Exxon and Mobil in late 1999, is the world's largest publicly owned integrated oil company.