What Determines A Dividend Stock's Yield

If income investing were as simple as picking the stock with the highest yield, everyone would be an expert. Most assume (rightfully so) that yield is heavily influenced by risk, but much more goes into determining yield. Below are several important factors that influence a stock's yield, along with some illustrative examples:

7 Companies Compounding Shareholder's Wealth With Higher Dividends

Compound interest is what occurs when interest previously earned is added to the principle and is considered when calculating future interest – i.e. earning interest on interest. So, what’s more powerful than compound interest? Compound dividends! Compound dividends are like compound interest on steroids – you are not only earning on reinvested dividends, but the dividend rate is increasing.

Here are several companies compounding their shareholder's wealth with increased cash dividends:

AT&T Inc. (T) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of AT&T Inc. (T). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: AT&T Inc. (formerly SBC Communications) provides telephone and broadband service and holds full ownership of AT&T Mobility.

5 Dividend Stocks Yielding Over 3%, With Tiny Payout Ratios

Looking for a stock that will grow its dividend in the future and pay you handsomely now? The yield is not the only thing you need to focus on. You will also need to check the stock's Free Cash Flow Payout. This tells you how much cash the stock has left over after paying the normal operating expenses. This is the cash used to pay for acquisitions, debt obligations and dividends!

7 Stocks Delivering Good News With Higher Dividends

I couldn’t begin to estimate how many different stocks are traded around the world on the various exchanges. Like everything else, there are many participants, but few players. Though the population of stocks may be large, there are only a precious few that are worthy dividend stocks. Increasing dividends is one attribute that separates the good dividend stocks from the rest.

The best dividend stocks in the world consistently raise their dividends. This week these companies chose to step up and reward their investors with higher cash dividends:

3M Co. (MMM) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of 3M Company (MMM). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: 3M Co. provides enhanced product functionality in electronics, health care, industrial, consumer, office, telecommunications, safety & security and other markets via coatings, sealants, adhesives and other chemical additives.

Warren Buffett's Secret To 50% Returns

Once a company reaches a certain size, significant growth is difficult to sustain. It is often easier achieve 10% growth in a $10 million company than growing a $10 billion dollar company 10%. Knowing this, savvy investors looking for growth will turn to small-cap stocks.

7 Stocks Sharing The Fruits Of Success With Increased Dividends

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.

Below are several select companies that recently decided to reward their shareholders with fruits of their labor in the form of increased cash dividends:

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) Dividend Stock Analysis

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

Company Description: Pfizer Inc. ranks as one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, offering a wide range of drugs across a broad therapeutic spectrum.

5 Undervalued, Big-Name Stocks To Consider For Your Dividend Portfolio

The concept of fair value is really quite simple. Given a few select inputs such as dividends, dividend growth, holding period, discount rate and few others, one can easily calculate the fair value of a stock. As with most simple things, the devil is in the details – the inputs must be correct to calculate a reasonable fair value, otherwise, garbage in, garbage out.

7 Companies Creating Real Wealth With Higher Cash Dividends

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.

Below are several select companies that recently decided to create real value for their shareholders by raising their cash dividends:

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Verizon Communications Inc. is the largest U.S. wireless carrier, Verizon also offers wireline and broadband services primarily in the northeastern U.S.