Q3 2022 Review / Q4 2022 Preview

Time Change Gremlin here to chat about financial progress this past quarter. Summer is over, kids are back to/ starting their annual routine. Football has started, of which I have watched no games. Iran is looking like its headed for a revolution. Russia looks like its driving towards a cliff. And the Earth is basically dangling butt a foot (1/3 of a meter for you non-Americans out there) above a bonfire, seeing if it can't win that $20 game of chicken is has running with Venus. The one thing that is certain is that very little seems to be certain these days. However, if you look close enough you will see patterns and normalcy. The best pattern I've found are dividends, which keep right on rolling. 

With that, lets see how this quarter went. For starters it went better, and my wife has picked up some part time work that adds to our financial security, so already a win before I look at the numbers.

Q3 2022:

Over the last quarter I added shares of my employer, Scotia Bank (BNS), Lakeland Bancorp (LBAI), and Leggett and Platt (LEG), in my taxable account. On top of that I initiated new positions of Avnet (AVT), Interpublic Group (IPG), and Verizon (VZ) in my taxable account.

I added to Cisco (CSCO), Discover Financial (DFS), LEG, Matthews International (MATW), Ames National Corp (ATLO), and Essential Utilities (WTRG) in my retirement accounts. In addition, I initiated a position in IPG in my Roth and converted my Portland General Electric (POR) shares from my IRA to my Roth. Thus far this year I have converted all of my POR, all of my Omega Healthcare (OHI), and the remaining 3M (MMM) shares to my Roth.

Last quarter I brought in a total of $1,340.19 in dividends ($698.64 taxable, $385.01 Roth, and $256.54 in my IRA). In total my accounts beat their respective 2021 months by -7.25% for July, 9.67% for August, and 10.7% for September. The July decline is due to T. Rowe Price (TROW)'s special dividend last summer. 

In terms of dividend increases, I realized 18 raises from Bank of Montreal (BMO), BNS, CIBC (CM), Hershey's (HSY), Kroger (KR), LEG, Medtronic (MDT), Morgan Stanley (MS), National Retail Properties (NNN), Realty Income (O), POR, Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Target (TGT), John Deere (DE), Smucker's (SJM), Walgreens (WBA), Westlake Chemical (WLK), and WTRG. The increases range from just about 0.2% to more than 24%. This brings my total raises to 58 on the year.

Next quarter I will realize at least 8 dividend increases from Microsoft (MSFT), O, Starbucks (SBUX), VZ, First of Long Island (FLIC), and Emerson Electric. The increases range from 0.2% to around 10%.

I added minimal profits from selling a few covered calls. Two of my speculative positions will join the portfolio as dividend payers next year. I have been a happy owner, and will unveil those then.

NOTE: I only count increases when realized, because until that money is delivered any statements or declarations are simply conjecture.

Q4 2022:

The mortgage continues and I am putting extra cash towards the principal monthly - not a huge number, but every little bit counts. Our debts currently outstrip our assets, since I do not count my home as an asset until I own it outright.

The buys shall continue until financial independence improves - with monthly rolling buys of course.

My portfolio page is currently up to date.

I sincerely hope everyone's summer 2022 is as good as can be.

- Dividend Gremlin
- Long all stock tickers mentioned
- Victory for Ukraine

Q2 2022 Review / Q3 2022 Preview

 

Summer Gremlin here to talk about the second half of the first half of the year. This year, and indeed this decade, is one that continues to get weirder and weirder for mostly all the wrong reasons. Its not even worth delving into the world considering any crystal ball predictions out there are probably wrong or so right that they're still wrong. So lets examine how my dividend growth adventure is going. The summary is below, but suffice it to say things are still headed in the right direction despite all of life's challenges.

Q2 2022:

Over the last quarter I added shares of my employer, Johnson and Johnson (JNJ), Lakeland Bancorp (LBAI), and YUM, in my taxable account. I also added to Cisco (CSCO), Corning (GLW), JM Smucker (SJM), Ames National Corp (ATLO), and Essential Utilities (WTRG) in my retirement accounts.

Last quarter I brought in a total of $1,266.97 in dividends ($660.36 taxable, $379.99 Roth, and $229.62 in my IRA).  In total my accounts beat their respective 2021 months by 0.24% for April, 7.4% for May, and 12.1% for June. 

In terms of dividend increases, I realized 17 raises from Apple (AAPL), American Express (AXP), CSCO, Evercore (EVR), General Dynamics (GD), JNJ, Coca Cola (KO), Realty Income (O), Pepsi (PEP), Raytheon (RTX), Sonoco (SON), WalMart (WMT), Ameriprise Financial (AMP), Corning Inc (GLW), Discover Financial (DFS), Kinder Morgan (KMI), and Kimberly Clark (KMB). The increases range from just about .02% to more than 10%. This brings my total raises to 40 on the year. In addition, my holding of CIBC (CM) had a 2 for 1 split.

Next quarter I will realize at least 8 dividend increases from Bank of Montreal (BMO), Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS), CM, Kroger (KR), Medtronic (MDT), Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Target (TGT), and John Deere (DE).  The increases range from 3% to around 24%.

In addition, I added about $150 in profits from options and speculation trading

NOTE: I only count increases when realized, because until that money is delivered any statements or declarations are simply conjecture.

Q3 2022:

The mortgage continues and I am putting extra cash towards the principal monthly - not a huge number, but every little bit counts. Our debts currently outstrip our assets, since I do not count my home as an asset until I own it outright.

The buys shall continue until financial independence improves - with monthly rolling buys of course.

My portfolio page is currently up to date.

I sincerely hope everyone's summer 2022 is as good as can be.

- Dividend Gremlin
- Long all stock tickers mentioned

Q1 2022 Review / Q2 2022 Preview

New Year Gremlin here to welcome you all to another monthly review. History is one of my favorite subjects; it was back and school and still is a place where I find the most interesting stories, wildest characters, and craziest twists. I feel the Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of those stories told in modern time. It, following on the heels of Covid and the general issues of our time, has amplified them all like many smaller waves meeting in the ocean to create a giant one. It is also something I never believed I would see in my life; a traditional invasion of one nation by another where one side has nuclear weapons, a single ruler with no succession plan, and plans to ultimately incorporate part of all of the invaded nation into their own. Now yes, plenty of wars have happened including invasions - but none of those were ever planned to be permanent regardless of duration.

The stock market does not exist in a bubble, life in general affects it. As an investor I always look for the best deals available, and now is no different. That said, Ukraine is something different that could create challenges to companies that we've never seen. Not just to companies, but also to the world. I knew when that war started that Ukraine would not just fold, and that Russia has a terrible history of offensive wars. 

I hope for everyone's sake this ends as cleanly as possible. I just don't think it will, and I believe the long arc of history will bend its weight unto Russia as it grapples with being the multinational empire it truly is.

Q1 2022:

Over the last quarter I added shares of my employer and Starbucks (SBUX), in my taxable account. I also added to Cisco (CSCO), Corning (GLW), and Portland General Electric (POR) in my retirement accounts. In addition, I have added a new position to my taxable and have begun building a position in my IRA in Ames National Corp Com (ATLO).

Last quarter I brought in a total of $1,318.99 in dividends ($678.94 taxable, $362.44 Roth, and $277.61 in my IRA).  In total my accounts beat their respective 2021 months by 30.7% for January, 6.39% for February, and 16.1% for March. 

In terms of dividend increases, I realized 23 raises from Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Amgen (AMGN), Bank of Montreal (BMO), Scotiabank (BNS), My Employer (B**), CIBC (CM), Canadian National (CNI), Eastman Chemical (EMN), Eaton Corp (ETN), 3M (MMM), Norwood Financial (NWFL), Realty Income (O), Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Toronto Dominion Bank (TD), Waste Management (WM), Union Pacific (UNP), Arrow Financial (AROW), Abbott Labs (ABT), CVS, Yum Brand (YUM), GLW, Prudential (PRU), and T Rowe Financial (TROW). The increases range from just about .02% to more than 25%. This brings my total raises to 23 on the year.

Next quarter I will realize at least 6 dividend increases from American Express (AXP), CSCO, Pepsi (PEP), WalMart (WMT), O, and Kimberly Clark (KMB).  The increases range from 0.2% to around 9%.

In addition, I added about $230 in profits from options and speculation trading.

NOTE: I only count increases when realized, because until that money is delivered any statements or declarations are simply conjecture.

Q2 2022:

The mortgage continues and I am putting extra cash towards the principal monthly - not a huge number, but every little bit counts. Our debts currently outstrip our assets, since I do not count my home as an asset until I own it outright.

The buys shall continue until financial independence improves - with monthly rolling buys of course.

My portfolio page is currently up to date.

I sincerely hope everyone's 2022 has started in the best way possible, despite all of the crazy.

- Dividend Gremlin
- Long all stock tickers mentioned

Q4 2021 Review / Q1 2022 Preview

Sleepy Gremlin here to screen a preview into the next year and quarter. 2021 was a weird year. I like history a lot, and I believe the 2020-2022 years will go down as some of the weirdest and or most influential in a long time. Simply a neutral perspective, big events lead to big consequences. Bigger events in the USA probably haven't been seen since 9/11 or the end of the USSR. However, I digress.

The market has mirrored this year, it makes sense, then it doesn't. The future is here, except its not or its not making any money at all. Dividends are launching into space, so are stocks of companies that maybe have seen better days. It is a great reminder of how unpredictable the market and world can be, and how steady these dividend churners are. So lets look at Q4 from a dividend perspective. 

Q4 2021:

Over the last quarter I added shares of my employer, Pepsico (PEP), and Starbucks (SBUX) in my taxable account. I also added to Cisco (CSCO), Corning (GLW), Kraft Heinz (KHC), and Portland General Electric (POR) in my retirement accounts.

Last quarter I brought in a total of $1,243.54 in dividends ($610.54 taxable, $324.32 Roth, and $308.68 in my IRA).  In closing 2021, the dividend count was 5.26% higher than last year. 

In terms of dividend increases, I realized 15 raises from Black Hills Corp (BKH), McDonald's (MCD), Microsoft (MSFR), Realty Income (O) x2, SBUX, South Jersey Industries (SJI), Union Pacific (UNP), VF Corp (VFC), Broadcom (AVGO), Deere (DE), Matthew's International (MATW), Exxon Mobil (XOM), Emerson Electric (EMR), and Verizon (VZ). The increases range from just about 1% to more than 15%. This brings my total raises to 61 on the year, 11 less than last year's final total.

Next quarter I will realize 17 dividend increases from Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Amgen (AMGN), Bank of Montreal (BMO), Scotiabank (BNS), My Employer (B**), CIBC (CM), Eastman Chemical (EMN), Norwood Financial (NWFL), O, Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Toronto Dominion Bank (TD), Waste Management (WM), Union Pacific (UNP), Arrow Financial (AROW), Abbott Labs (ABT), Kimberly Clark (KMB), and CVS.  The increases range from 0.2% to around 25%.

In addition, I added $1500 in profits from options and speculation trading.  I am decreasing my risk taking appetite heading into 2022. 2020 and 2021 were positive years, but I am committing only to a smaller speculation portion going forward until at least 2023 for a variety of personal reasons.

NOTE: I only count increases when realized, because until that money is delivered any statements or declarations are simply conjecture.

Q1 2022:

The mortgage continues and I am putting extra cash towards the principal monthly - not a huge number, but every little bit counts. Our debts currently outstrip our assets, since I do not count my home as an asset until I own it outright.

The buys shall continue until financial independence improves - with monthly rolling buys of course.

My portfolio page is currently up to date.

2021:

• Invest a total of $11000 across all accounts. Made it 3/4 of the way, not mad just my reality.
  
• Receive $2200 in taxable dividends and $1500 in speculative cash. Success.
  
• Weight, get back to my regular weight (lose the Covid 15). Utter failure, try again dude.
  

Last year I ended with this phrase "I have a feeling, no matter what happens 2020 will be another wild ride." Holy crap, I did not realize how right I was.  Well hopefully 2021 is a little less wild.

2022:

I only have a few goals for next year, but here they are:

• Invest a total of $8000 across all accounts.
• Receive $2800 in taxable dividends .
• Weight, just lose a little of it.
  

I sincerely hope everyone has a better 2022 than 2021.  That said the it is always darkest just before the dawn and so go into 2021 as mentally, financially, and physically prepared as you can.

Hope everyone has a great January, a better 2021, and a Happy New Year!
- Dividend Gremlin
- Long all stock tickers mentioned