Dividend Stocks
Stocks that provide dividends are an excellent way to build long-term wealth. Not only do dividends provide investors with regular income, but dividend stocks can also help investors weather market volatility. How? Whether the markets are going up, down, or sideways, dividends provide investors with a steady income stream.
Having said that, while dividends are usually paid out quarterly, at the discretion of the company’s board of directors, they can be raised, cut, or eliminated.
Not all dividend stocks are created equal. As a result, there are a number of factors investors need to consider when looking at dividend stocks.
Dividend yield is one of the most important factors to consider when investing in dividend stocks. It might be tempting to just invest in a stock with the highest dividend yield, but there is a risk/reward trade off when it comes to dividend-yielding stocks—the higher the yield, the greater the risk.
Stocks that provide an annual dividend of 10% or more tend to be very risky. Because they are risky, there is a greater chance the dividend could be cut—or worse, the share price could plummet. This means investors lose out on dividend growth and capital appreciation.
History is another important factor to consider. Look for stable companies that have a long history (five, 10, or even 25+ years) of both paying an annual dividend and increasing that dividend annually. Those stocks that offer annual dividend growth as part of their corporate culture are more likely to continue that trend.
The best way to determine whether or not a company can continue to provide an annual dividend and raise its yield is to look at the company’s free cash flow. Free cash flow is the amount of free cash, or money left over after it pays for operations and necessary capital expenditures. The more money a company has in the bank, the greater the chances are that it can sustain or increase its high dividend yield.
Sun Life Financial Inc Hikes Dividend 12.6%
Insurers Sitting on Mountains of Cash Going to hospitals is never fun, but at least it doesn’t have to break the bank. Insurance companies like Sun Life Financial Inc (NYSE:SLF) help us weather those storms, but they obviously don’t do.
Unum Group Hikes Dividends, Approves Buyback
As an income investor, you might not care much about insurance company Unum Group’s (NYSE:UNM) impressive climb in its stock price recently. But you should pay attention now, because the company just raised its dividend again. On Thursday, May 26,.
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. Hikes Dividend by 25%
Brick-and-mortar retailers might not look that attractive today, but for income investors, there is a good reason to take a look at Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW). Why? It just hiked its dividend again. On May 27, Lowe’s announced a 25%.
CIBC Beats Earnings Estimates and Hikes Dividend
As oil and gas companies took a huge hit, you’d expect that banks with exposure to the energy industry would also suffer. But that’s not the case for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM, TSE:CM). On Thursday, May 26, CIBC.
Tiffany & Co. Hikes Dividend Despite Earnings Drop
Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF) had a lackluster quarter, but that did not prevent it from raising its dividend again. On May 26, Tiffany announced a 12.5% increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.45 per share. The company now has an.
Bank of Montreal Reports Earnings and Raises Dividend
Skeptics have long feared a slowing Canadian economy would crimp profits at Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO, TSE:BMO), but the country’s fourth-largest financial institution by assets once again proved the doubters wrong. On May 25, BMO reported financial results for the.
W. R. Berkeley Corp Announces 8% Dividend Hike
Insurance companies aren’t known as the sexiest names on Wall Street, but shareholders of W. R. Berkley Corp (NYSE:WRB) don’t seem to be complaining. On Wednesday, May 25, the commercial and property insurer announced an eight percent increase in its.
Kellogg Company Will Raise Its Dividend 4% Next Quarter
Kellogg’s Pays 365 Consecutive Quarterly Dividends Kellogg Company (NYSE:K) said that it wants to raise its dividend by four percent starting from the third quarter of 2016. The cereal producer will pay a dividend of $0.50 per share on June.
UK Mail Turnaround Slower Than Expected, Cuts Dividend
UK Mail Group PLC (LON:UKM) continues to suffer from an earnings malaise. Now, investors are paying the price. On Tuesday, the postal and logistics operator announced a dividend cut to shareholders. According to the company’s press release, UK Mail’s final.
KeyCorp Increases Dividend by 13%
Bank stocks are having some solid gains recently as the U.S. Federal Reserve makes a June interest rate increase look like a real possibility. KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY), which operates through its subsidiary KeyBank National Association, just announced another catalyst, though—a dividend.
